mā rashlye and vngodlye iudge of good workes and so purchace himselfe to haue not good but rather euel merites These termes rewardes or merites tryed by the scriptures and expounded how largely thei ar to be extēded The. 17. Chapter MErite or deseruyng as it is spokē of in y e schools is no where found in holy scripture and yet ther in is oft mencion made of the rewarde The scripture in this foloweth oure maner and fashion of speakynge And for asmuche as vnto such as be oure freindes or that haue well deserued it at our hands we geue rewards giftes as an hyre or wagies Therefore after lyke maner of speche is it sayd that god geueth his frendes eternall life to a reward for their noble and excellent dedes merites For thus we reade in Esaie O happie are the rightuous for they maie enioye y e frutes of their deuyces But wo vnto the vngodlye and vniust for he shalbe recōpenced acordinge to his dedes In the gospell the lorde saieth Blessed are you whā men reuyle you and persecute you speake all maner of euel against you belie you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen The Apostle Paul also saith Euery one shal receaue his rewarde acording to his laboure But herein must not the worde Rewarde be violently forced as yf ought were oures for euen our merites themselues are nothing els but giftes of god Therfore like as holye Augustine in other doctrynes of our faith dyd euery where obserue and teach y e vniuersal mynde and vnderstanding of the right canonical trueth and of the holie churche Euen so he not onelie sheweth playnly the true meaning and vnderstāding concernyng the merites of good workes but also with very diligent cōference of the scripture he defendeth the same and saieth thus Ihon the forerunner of our lorde saieth A man can receaue nothing excepte it be geuen him from aboue Now yf thy good workes be the giftes of god then doeth god crowne thy merites not as thy merites but as his own giftes Now let vs cōsidere the merites of the Apostle Paul that is whether he obteyned thē of himself or whether thei be the giftes of god He saieth I haue foughten a good fight I haue ended my course I haue kept faith Fyrst yf good thoughts had not gone before these good dedes thē shulde they be no good dedes Marke therfore what he sayeth of the same thoughts Not that we be able of ourselues to thinke eny good thyng as of our selues but al our abilitie is of god Lette vs then beholde euery thing seuerall He saieth I haue foughtē a good fight Here I demaunde with what strength fought he with it that he had of himself or with it that was geuen him from aboue But god forbyd that such an excellent teacher of the heithen shulde not haue knowne the lawe of god whose voyce and worde standeth in Deuteronomie Thou shalt not saie in thine hert My strength and the power of my handes was able to bring this to passe But remembre thou the lorde thy god For it is he that geueth the strength and power to do it And what profiteth a good battail yf the victory folowe not after And who geueth the victory but euen he of whom he saieth god be thanked whiche hath geuen vs the victory thorow our lorde Iesus Christ And in another place whan he hath recyted the testymony out of the psalme for thy sake are we put to death al the daye long we are compted as shepe apoynted to be slayne he added therto and saide But in al this we ouercome for his sake y t loued vs. It is not therfor by our selues that we ouercome but by him which hath loued vs. And afterward he said I haue ended my course This spake he y t sayde in another place It lieth not in eny mans wil or runnyng but in y e mercy of god Which meanyng maie in no wise be peruerted as to saie that it lieth not in the mercy of god but in euery mans will or runnyng For whosoeuer dare saie so declareth euidently that he speaketh against the Apostle Finally he saide I haue kepte y e faith This spake euen he which in another place sayed Mercye haue I obteyned y t I shoulde be faithful He said not I obteyned mercy because I was faithful but that I shuld be faithfull By this thē declareth he that faith can not be had excepte god be mercyfull and that faith is the gift of god Which thing he techeth very euidently and saieth By grace are ye saued thorow faith and that not of your selues but it is y e gift of god For thei might saie Therfore haue we receaued grace because we beleued ascrybinge so faith to themselues and the grace vnto god Therfore the Apostle whan he had saide thorow faith he saieth And that not of yourselues but it is the gift of god Agayne to the intent they shuld not saye that with their workes they had merited suche a gift and rewarde he added ther vnto immediatly not of workes lest eny man shulde boast himselfe Not that he denieth or minisheth good workes for he saieth god shal rewarde euery one acordyng to his workes But because that workes proceade out of faith not faith out of workes And therfore haue we the workes of rightuousnes euen of him of whom faith itself cōmeth The iust shall lyue by his faith Out of S. Austine word bi word haue I alledged all this which doubtlesse so perfectlye comprehendeth and so cōstauntly with scriptures proueth setteth forth what so euer maye be sayd of y e merites of good works that I suppose there can nomore be spoken therto For what could be more brefelye more syncerly more perfectly spoken then that vnto good workes there is prepared a rewarde and that the sāe is nothinge els but grace Yea the merites of sainctes are gods gifts which whā god crowneth he crowneth his owne giftes In all this therfore standeth sure the perpetual vnfayling and vniuersall doctryne that thei which beleue are iustified and saued by onely faith or grace of god The rule of good workes to measure them by that they maye bee good in dede and not of oure own good intente and brayne onelye The. 18. Chapter WHerfore now come we agayne to good workes which yf they proceade not out of god by faith they maye not be named good But yf they spring out of god thorow faith then are thei ordred acording to y e rule of gods word In y e descripcion therfore of good workes I haue added therto and sayde that they are done by such as are regenerate out of the good sprete of god and acordinge to gods worde For the workes that we ymagen of ourselues they please not god For he alloweth obedience As for the good meanyng and intent that groweth in us he refuseth it Which thinge I affirme and proute wih these testimonies of
A godlye and learned treatise wherin is proued the true iustificacion of a Christian manne to come frely of the mercy of god in Christ without the deseruyng of man by his merites and also how good workes oughte to bee done what be true good works in dede Wherunto is ioyned a cōference betwene the law and the gospel very profitable for al men to exercise themselues therin ☞ Esay xliii ☞ I euen I am he only who for myn owne selfes sake doe awaye thyne offēces and forget thy synnes so that I wil neuer thynke vpon them ✚ To the reader IT was trulye and wiselie saied of the poete that one witnes whiche hathe seen the thinge with his eyes is more to be set bye then tene of reporte For in dede in thinges y e be subiect to senses as euerie sēse hathe certeine of thē peculiar to him and by some bye meanes cōmen with other so eche of them in things properly apperteyning to them performe their functions more suerly As most certeynlye iudgeth the smel of odors the eye of colors and the eare of voices thogh the eare also can iudge of colors by relation of others and the eye can perceaue the differēce of voices set out in geometrycall proportions or of musicians by wryting expressed For clearer is the water at the springe then farther of in the ryuer but wherunto serueth this Herunto gentle reader We see in these owre dayes in which after longe and horrible darknes of gods true knowledge which lighteneth euerye mā that commeth in to the worlde y e lyke to haue chaunced amonge vs betwene the worldlyngs and messengers of god whiche because they were not of the world could not be fauored in the worlde as dyd happen among y e Israelites when so euer god of his infinite mercye raised vnto them any prophete good prince or other promotor of hys glory For as then y e worlde lacked not that spoured forward on ther syde bothe emōg the commons thorow simplicitie and of the learned sorte by malice blinded so led god in his aray against the worlde learned for learned and simple againste y e simple man For by Christ they sayed y t the ruder sorte folowed him and not the princes and learned and yet we knowe that Nicodeme a price of y e pharisies resorted to hī and Gamaliel doctor of the lawe and Pauls schoole master drewe some what nye to him Ioseph the Centurion and y e Eunuche of Candia cloue to him and wer euerye one of them for their talētes setters oute of that fayth y t was preached in his name But in them we perceaue this difference as in y e seruaūtes of god at these days that amonge those that embrace the trueth some only knowe that theyr enemyes part is false some know y e trueth but not so throughly that thei se the foundation and groūd thereof which is graūted yet vnto sōe other Wherfore me semeth they maye not vnaptly be called the fyrst two hearing witnesses thother seinge For as they are seuerall giftes to perceaue y t error to holde the truthe and to knowe yt so maie the one be with owte the other as other distincte gyfts of god be But to my purpose where as the indeuors of them all tending to the instruction of others are thankfully to be accepted and the spirite to be extincted in none so what y e latter sort doeth to the same end diligently me semeth yt is worthye not to cōme owte to the hādes of manie but with some special note vnto the reader to make hym for his farther commoditie the more attent in reding it For though the saylable wyne nede no yue bough because it wil in tyme gett cheymen and well abyde theyre slowe commynge so yet seynge the late knowinge of the spiritual workes hinder most the reader and not itselfe as abydinge still good in ytselfe where as contrary wyse the seller and not the byer is hurt in euil wine thorow lacke of the yue bough me thinketh this prouerbe shold nothing feare me frō cōmending this boke vnto the except y t wheras y e only cause why I print it is y e increase of thy godly knowledge I cold in the same mynd be lothe of thy most profyte Wherfore as I hope thou knowest the doctrine wher of it is intyteled to be y e chefe pointe and in maner the whole some of oure relygion vtterly ransacking the kingdōe of y e deuil So yf I can iudge any thing therin yt is handled in such exacte sorte as to do the lyke fewe men wolde and fewer colde So that me semeth yt maye worthely be sayed diuers lerned men haue hetherto to oure greate comfort shot at this mark and some came nye y e wight but this hath hit the pricke I meane for clear vtteryng of the matter to our more perfite vnder standing and to the plaine and brefe dissoluing which both are geuen but vnto few of al such scruples as well that rise to the symple Christian in wayeng this doctrine as also that are otherwayes by the malycious suggestion and craft of the truthes subtil enemyes inuented and forged to be short he hath done the whol so distinctlie referringe al things to their peculier places by theyr difference playnely separated y t in him if in any man againe appeareth that rare vertue of which the wise man Socrates as his diuyne scholer plato sheweth set such store that when he met with such an one he wold make of him as of halfe a god I meane to distinct thinges which gifte he truly sayed was the principal waye to come in questyons to the fynding oute of truth In which vertu this autor not only passeth the olde wryters touching this mater which wrotte not so clearly as oure age of certeine articles because they were not so sore darkened as a lytle before oure tyme y t they shold so much nede to laboure in them but also surmoūteth the most part that hath learnedly wrytten at this dayes therof so that I maye in maner saye of him and them as a learned man sayed in comparing the two worthy philosophers Plato and Aristotel together that is to wit y t the one set forth of his profoūd knoweledge but lytle in manye elegant wordes the other much in fewe Wherfore gentyl reader if thou woldest gladly knowe the booke for the doctrynes sake double thy diligēce in reading yt attentli playeng as the good iudge wolde in matters criminall who if he gaue halfe an eare to an eare witnes would geue the whole to an eye witnes For as thou coldst not but profyte much thereby yf yt were but a meane woorke so must thou much more profit yt beinge as it is seyng a thing ons well don is twise done VALE The contentes of the boke ☞ The. 1. Chapter ☞ The autors intent in iustificacion ☞ The. 2. Chapter ☞ The significations description of the terme iustifieng ☞ The. 3.
Chapter ☞ Who is the mediatour how he delyuereth vs. ☞ The. 4. Chapter ☞ That Christ taketh away our synnes and that so we are recōciled to god proued by the scripture ☞ The. 5. Chapter ☞ Christe beareth our synnes when his iustice is made oures which is don by faith on our side ☞ The. 6. Chapter ☞ That the maner of iustificacion is on our behalfe by faith ☞ The. 7. Chapter ☞ These sayenges we are iustifyed by the grace of god or by christes merites or by faith be all one ☞ The. 8. Chapter ☞ By fayth onelye are we iustified which terme onelye is not of mans braine inuented ☞ The. 9. Chapter ☞ Iustification is taken from al maner of works whether they be of the lawe or of grace ☞ The. 10. Chapter ☞ Faith iustifieth not in y t it is a worke but in that it trusteth to y t mercye of god through Christ ☞ The. 11. Chapter ☞ That no man is iustyfyed by works whether they go before or after iustificacion is proued by the nature of works ☞ The. 12. Chapter ☞ The nature of iustifycacyon argueth that faith and not works iustifie ☞ The. 13. Chapter ☞ Faith is not without workes but what place they haue in the churche and whence they spryng in vs. ☞ The. 14. Chapter ☞ That we doe not wel tyl god dwell in vs to worke good works in vs and how rightwysenes is ascribed to workes ☞ The. 15. Chapter ☞ How gods workes in vs are called ours but so y t we can challenge naught for them but for an other cause ☞ The. 16. Chapter ☞ The. 2. sortes of men that the Apostles had to do with which make them seme to varie in iustificacyon ☞ The. 17. Chapter ☞ The termes rewardes or merites examined by the scripture ☞ The. 18. Chapter ☞ The rule to measure good works that thei may be good indede and not of our good intent onelye ☞ The. 19. Chapter ☞ The exposition of the. 10. commaundementes which are the lymites of our good works ☞ The. 20. Chapter ☞ That y e lord requyreth naught els of vs but the workes of the. x. commaundementes ☞ The. 21. Chapter ☞ That the foresayd proprietes of good workes are requysite indede to workes is declared more playnlye by the scripture ☞ The. 22. Chapter ☞ The conclusion or peroration FINIS A godlye and learned treatise wherin is proued y e true iustificacion of a Christian manne to come frely of the mercy of god in Christ without the deseruyng of man by his merites and also how good workes oughte to bee done what be true good works in dede Wherunto is ioyned a cōference betwene the law and the gospel very profitable for al men to exercise themselues therein ☞ Esay xliii ☞ I euen I am he only who for myne owne selfes sake doe awaye thyne offēces and forget thy synnes so that I wyll neuer thynke vpon them The authors intent and purpose in thys matter of iustificacyon The. 1. Chapter PUrposing playnly brefely to speake of the true iustifying of a Christian mā and aswell of vpright true good workes as the maner and fourme therof I mynde not to tell what disputaciōs mē haue had of the same but what God who cannot lye hath vttered spoken therof in his worde This matter of iustificacion I thought to serue my turne First beecause that Iohn the Apostle and Euāgelist whom I now haue in hād doth in maner treate wholy therof Upon whom I was perswaded to make the better declaracion if I aforehande out of all the scripture set a short Summe of iustificacion and of good workes Secondly beecause that in oure fayth and religion there is nothyng wherof we may be ignorante with greater hurte or that with greater profit may be knowen perceaued and vnderstand then euen the maner of iustificacion and of good workes For iustificacion is the surest ground and establishment of our life wellfare Thirdly because this matter beyng els playne and euydent is now in our dayes thorow the many folde darke mystes ▪ of contencious men vtterly confused cleane tossed out of order For cōcerning iustificacion diuerse and sondrye men haue straunge and nyce opinions Some saye styl that the faythfull are iustifyed thorowe the onelye belefe in the Lorde Iesus Christ whiche is a trueth in dede Other there be that refuse condemne thys as an erroneous opynyon but with great arrogācye ascribe their iustificacyon vnto mens works Some referre iustificacion to faith and workes a lyke And some there be that vnto fayth ascrybe the begynnynge of iustificacion and the finishīge or perfourmaunce thereof vnto workes Yet haue I not recyted the myndes and opinions of all But forasmuche as there is such contencion among the learned the peoples consciences are therby vexed troubled and sore tēpted Wherefore to establishe the Christian verite and for an introduction into the holy and godlye gospell of Iohn I mynde to colleete gather together a shorte Summe of the iustificacion of a Christyan manne and concernyng good workes Nether will I here bring forth eny thinge at all which I do not declare and proue wyth sensible playne testimonies of gods scripture yea and as touchinge iustificacion and good workes I wil collecte conferre together nothing els but the most euident witnesses of the scripture So that without the order and homelie vnpainted oracion ther shalbe nothig mine nether wil I compte any thinge mine own but trye proue altogether by gods word And doutles in the most waightie maters of our Religion we ought euen so to vse our selfes ¶ Afore al things it shalbe nedefull to sette forth a sure description exposicion and significacion of this terme iustifieng The. 2. Chapter TO iustifie or this terme Iustifie is in the scripture taken sondrie waies For somtyme it signifieth to ascribe honour and right vnto god to yelde vnto him stowtlie boldly to confesse that he onelie is rightuous but we oure selues synners and vniust Thus is it red And all the people and the publicanes that heard him iustified god and were baptised the baptisine of Ihon. More ouer it signifieth asmuch as to defende and spare himself and to set forth himselfe for iust and ryghteous For so the Lorde vseth it whan he rebuketh y e Pharisees Luke 16. saying vnto thē Ye are they that iustifie youreselues beefore men but god knoweth your hartes Notwithstanding in this our present matter I vse thys terme Iustifie as the custome is in causes iudicial and belonging to the law And so doeth it betoken asmuche as to pronounce hym iust and righteous that is to discharge from punyshment and by sentence to cleare and quite him free whiche is accused and required to haue execucion Againe contrary vnto thys doth the scripture now set that whyche is called to pollute or stayne that is by sentence to pronounce one defiled vngodly vnrighteous and worthye to bee plaged and so to geue hym
iustified by the name of the lorde Iesus and by the sprete of god thei ascrybe their vertue rightuousnes vnto god and vnto gods sprete by whom thei knowe thei are sanctified and that they now maie do and perfourme holie and good workes And also thei fele in their sanctified flesh namelie in themselues there remayneth worketh thorow out their whole life so greate weaknes and feblenes that thei dare not ascrybe eny iustificacion not vnto the workes that ar done by faith in holynesse Herof might I bring forth many recordes Yet will I alledge onelie two First thē let Iob the most faithful seruaunt of god come forth For him hath the godlie sentence cōmended and praised vnto vs that he was a perfecte iust man such one as feared god and eschued euil and that there was none lyke him vpon erth And yet the same man being with so excellent a titell of rightuousnes commended vnto vs doth saie If I wil iustifie myselfe myne owne mouth shal condemne me Yf I will put forth myselfe for a perfecte mā he shal proue me a wicked doer And agayn Yf I haue done wickedly wo vnto me And though I haue dōe rightuouslie yet dare I not lifte vp my head Therfore is it certayne that this most holy and iust man dyd ascribe nothing to the frutes of his owne rightuousnes but trusted onely vpon y e mercy of god Now let the other witnes come forth euen Paul y e Apostel who saieth with sensible wordes I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde man But in my membre I se another law which rebellein against the law of my mynde and subdueth me to the lawe of synne which is in my membres The holie Apostle speaking of himselfe and of all such as be regenerate testifieth that in them abyde stil y t remnauntes of the fleshe by the nature power and force wherof it cōmeth to pas thorow out the wholle life of man that thei also do the thing which they thēselues wolde not And therfore are thei neuer able to attayne and come to true perfectnes so long as thei lyue vpon erth and in this flesh For asmuch then as it is so euery man seith wel that iustificacion is not to be imputed vnto the workes of faith or of such as be regenerate consydering that it must be athinge most pure and thorowly perfecte wherby god is pacified and pleased with vs. Yea the scripture geueth euident witnesse that euē Abraham the father of all faithfull beleuers was not iustified by the workes of faith Herof then maie we be bolde to conclude that we also by no workes of faith are iustified For thus Paul argueth yf Abrahā were iustified by workes thē hath he wherof to reioyce but not with god But what saieth y e scripture Abraham beleued god and it was compted vnto him for rightuousnes To him that goeth aboute with workes is the rewarde not rekened of grace but of duetie To him that goeth not aboute with workes but beleueth on him that iustifieth y e vngodly is his faith cōpted for rightuousnes Where as we now by the ensāple of Abrahā do cōclude y t we must be iustified in such like pure maner as he was we speke it not of our owne ymaginaciō but out of the wordes of S. Paul that saieth Neuertheles it is not written onelie for him that it was rekened vnto him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shalbe so compted yf we likewise beleue on him that raised vp Iesus oure lorde from the deed ¶ The nature of iustification argueth that faith not workes iustifie The. 12. Chapter NOw like as out of the nature propertie of faith and workes I haue shewed that faith and not works doth iustifie So wil I now declare and proue the same by y e nature of iustificacion The right propertie natural vertue and power of iustificaciō is to pacifie to stil and quiete the cōscience which heretofore by the remembring and considering of synne and damnacion was vexed and troubled For Paul saieth Because therfore that we be iustified made rightuous by faith we haue peace with god thorow oure lorde Iesus Christ As for mens workes thei are neuer able so to comforte and pacifie an vnquyete conscience For who hath at eny tyme persuaded himselfe y t he with his owne workes hath satisfied the lawe of god and is therfore absolued discharged of his synnes delyuered from damnacion and become rightuous vndefyled Specially seyēg that Salomō the wisest among al mē hath saide Who can saie My herte is cleane I am innocent frō synne Wherfore yf oure workes quiete not the conscience then do not thei in eny wise iustifie a mā But faith iustifieth and perfectly stilleth the conscience And therfore it iustifieth For the lord hath saide in the gospell Who so euer drynketh of this water wherby vndoubtedly he dyd meane outward thinges and al mans help shal thyrst againe But who soeuer drynketh of the water that I geue him shall neuer be more a thyrst but the water that I shal geue him shalbe in him a well of water springing vp in to euerlasting life And againe I am y e bred of life He that cōmeth to me shal not honger And he that beleueth on me shal neuer thyrst Here thou seist y t faith which preasseth on forth directly vpon y e lorde Iesus doth satisfie vs. For faith vnderstādeth y t Christ him selfe is the right fulnes plentiful sufficiēcie of heauēly goods and that euen he gaue himselfe whollye for vs and in all thinges became our owne so y t now from hence forth an oppressed afflicted cōscience maie rest vpon himfor in christ the sonne of god full of grace trueth there is nether blemishe nor weaknesse But in works yea of most holie mē ther is alwaie found feblenes and imperfection And yf we wold now beholde the propertie nature of him before whose iudgmēt seate we shal stande we shulde playnly fynd y t we are iustified by y e mynistraciō help of faith not of workes For vndoubtedly y e highest most rightuous of al hath respect ōly to such as are hūble of contrite hertes those assuredlie he iustifieth But such as are proud glorie ī their own merits those he condemneth and turneth himself from thē Here vnto serueth y e parable or symilitude out of the gospel concernyng the two that wente vp together in to the temple to praie Of whō the one boasted of his good workes told what thei were trusted vnto thē set out himself for a rightuous and good man As for the other he trusted in the onelye mercy of god nothing at all in his owne merites but cryed O god be mercyfull vnto me synner This man wente downe out of the temple iustified but y t other being wrapt and snared in synne failed of his hope Therfore in the
And euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe like as he also is pure Therfore euē this our purifiēg which is done by our care and diligēce hath also the name of sanctifieng not because of it selfe but for the fyrst purifieng sake that goeth before which yf it go not before then is our sanctifienge nothinge worth Againe yf the same go before then must this also folow after For right well trulie saieth S. Iames the Apostle Faith yf it haue no workes is deed in it selfe In it selfe or for it selfe I saie that is It alone and fruteful with no good woorkes For as the body w tout y e sprite is deed so faith also w tout works is deed Doubtles a lyuing body doeth worketh somewhat and serueth many likewise faith by deutie offices of loue must be profitable cōmodious vnto many Now yf faith do good to no man with godlie workes thē is it an emptie ymaginacion vayne name As also the sanctifieng of mā yf it do not breake forth shew it selfe in holy words and workes assuredly it is to be reputed false feyned and full of ypocrisie Besydes this all that belongeth vnto true holynes in y t our sāctifieng which appeareth in our workes must be referred to the sanctifiēg done by the bloud of christ to the which most properlye apperteyneth the honour of sāctificaciō Wherfore whan thou seist in holy scripture that rightuousnes is ascribed vnto our workes remēbre it is done for such causes as I hitherto haue shewed For the sprete of the Apostles cānot be against himself ¶ The. 2. sorts of mē that the Apostls had to do w t for iustificacion which make thē seme to varie in assignyng the cause of iustificacion with their reconciliacion The. 16. Chapter AND knowē it is that the Apostles of the lorde dyd stryue with two sortes of people the one sorte ascrybed rightuousnes and saluacion to their own good works which were done after the mesure and rule of gods lawe therfore they despyced Christ For while thei wēte about to stablish mainteyne and set vp their owne rightuousnes thei were not obedient to y e rightuousnes of god Against the vngodlie opyniō of these dyd the holie Apostles teach and specially S. Paul that rightuousnes and life is obteyned by faith in the lorde Iesus and not by our workes The same Paul saieth to the Galathians I refuse not the grace of god For yf rightuousnes come by the law then dyed christ in vayne And agayne Christ profiteth you nothing And ye are gone quyte from Christ and are fallen frō grace yf ye wil be iustified by the lawe Against such also was kepte at Hierusalem the Counsail that Luke maketh mencion of in the Actes of the Apostles There were agayne certayne other light euell disposed people that abused suche doctryne of the Apostles to the libertye and sensualitie of the flesh thinking it sufficient to saluacion whan they beasted themselues of faith although there were no good workes found in them Therfore against those as against the very pestilence and decaye of true Religion and gods seruice dyd the same Apostles also stryue and taught that the Christian fayth was not a vayne opyniō or frutelesse knowledge but a lyuelie stronge confidence most fruteful in good works For Paul writing against these saieth vnto Titus Thei saie thei knowe god but w t their dedes thei deny him seinge they are abominable and disobedient vnapte vnto euery good worke And Peter the Apostle rebuketh such dissemblers but som what more darkly whā he saieth Herevnto geue all diligence that in your faith ye mynistre vertue in vertue knowlege in knowlege tēperaūce in tēperaūce paciēce in paciēce godlynes in godlines brotherlye kyndnes in brotherly kindnes loue For yf these thinges be amonge you be plenteous thei wil make you y t ye nether shalbe ydle nor vnfrutefull in the knowledge of our lord Iesus christ But he y t lacketh these thinges is blind and gropeth for the waie with his hands and hath forgottē that he was pourged frō his olde synnes It is manifest also vnto euery man that Ihon and Iames y e holy Apostles of Christ wrote herof S. Iames most ernestlye defēding that Abrahā was not iustified by onelie faith that is by a vayne opynion but by workes vndoubtedlie euen by true faith And yet with those and such lyke exhortacions wold not the faithfull Apostles of Christ mynishe his grace and merites magnifie the merites of man but rather w tstand the filthynes of such as neuer rightly knew nor lerned the faithe of Christ made yet their boast ther of to the greate offence and hinderaunce of y e weake For yf thei trulie had knowne it they had vndoubtedliled a more sober life Therfore whan the Apostles are ernesti prouoking vnto good workes they prouoke vnto y e true faith in Christ which is mightie in operacion worketh by loue And yet neuertheles thei ascribe al thinges to the grace of God yea euen the same workes which they requyre of the faithfull And that I here teach the true vpright doctryne of faithe all they shall affirme that haue but a litle searched tried and red the scriptures of the Apostles Augustine also a true faithfull teacher of the Christian church shall testifie that I haue here inuented no new thing For in his boke of grace and fre will the seuenth chapter he wryteth thus Such as haue not vnderstand what the Apostle saieth we holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of y e law Haue thought him to affirme that faith is sufficiēt to a mā althoughe he lyue euyll and haue no workes which thing god forbyd the electe vessell shulde so meane who yet in another place whan he hath saide in Christ Iesu auayleth nether circūcision nor vncircūcision he addeth immediatlye therto But faith whiche worketh by loue Euen this is the same faith that separateth gods beleuers from vncleane deuels For thei also as the Apostle Iames saieth beleue and tremble but no good thinge do thei Therfore haue they not that faith out of the which y e iust lyueth namely which worketh by loue that god maye geue him lyfe acordinge to his workes But for asmuch as good dedes are of god of whō we haue not onelie faith but also loue therfore the same teacher of the heithen named eternall lyfe it selfe grace This haue I alledged out of Augustine hetherto haue I opened declared how the scripture ascribeth rightuousnes vnto good workes and that y e same doctryne is not against y e Apostles teaching and iudgmēt which ascribeth rightuousnes vnto faith in Christ Iesus But for asmuch as vpon this mater of y e rightuousnes of workes there hangeth the questiō concernyng y e merites of good workes I wil adde herevnto a lytle touching the rewarde and merite of good workes chefelie to the intēt that no
e same maner of speche whan he saieth ther is no power but of god Item in y e first epistle to the Corinthiās Euen so knoweth no mā what is in god but the sprite of god And againe I shewed not my selfe forth amonge you that I knewe eny thing saue only Iesus christ that was crucified These and such like sentences innumerable in the scripture signifie nothing els then yf thou shuldest saie This onelie poynte shal open you the entraunce vnto me agayne yf ye bring your yongeste brother with you Oure eyes see but onlie Manna and nothing els Onelie that which y e lorde committeth vnto me maie I doe and speake This onelie requyreth the lorde of the y t thou loue him All power is onely of god Onelie gods sprite knoweth the thinges that are in god I haue compted my selfe to knowe onely Christ that was crucified Seynge thē it is thus vndoubtedlie and no man can denye it to be most euidently spoken also of Christ and Paul namely that no man is made lyuing iust or rightuous but by faith It is much to be wōdred that certayne famous men which will be reputed to be syngularly lerned braule chyde so vehemētlie against vs for that we saie we are iustified onelye by faith For Christ and Paul haue spoken so afore Why goe thei not to rebuke thē yf thei thinke them to haue failed therein We speake but as we haue learned out of thē the sense meaning of oure doctrine we finde in them For very childish is it y t thei obiecte Namely that this word onelie or alone is not added of them For this is euen one thing as yf a scholar wolde thinke the scholmaster had not geuen him leue to go forth whan he had asked him Syr geue ye me leue to go And he made him answere I geue And dyd not expreslie saie after the cōmen maner Yea. For either of both the saiēges geueth one vnderstāding Euen so whā thou saiest we knowe that no mā is iustified but by faith Or we knowe that a mā is iustified onelie by faith The saienges are all one meane one thing And whā it is saied that a man is iustified by faith not by workes is it not euen asmuch as to geue euident testimonye that a mā is iustified onelie by faith The Apostle saieth they are made rightuous frelie or for naught by his grace But howe can eny thinge be don frelie or for naught that is done for rewarde or worker Doubtles yf we be iustified frelie thorow the grace of Christ then is it not done by workes For in the xi chapter also saieth this Apostle Yf it be of grace thē is it not now of workes for els grace then is nomore grace but yf it be of workes then is it now no grace for els were deseruing then nomore deseruyng Therfore in the most assured trueth we knowledge be stedfastly persuaded that a Christian man is iustified by the helpe and mynistracion of onelie faith Faith standeth or leaueth vpon the grace of god and not vpon mans strength But vnto god it ascribeth altogether as I wil shortlie declare hereafter at large ¶ Iustificacion is taken not onelie from workes of the law but also from all maner of workes as frō faith in y t it is a work The. 9. Chapter IN y e fore recyted cap. cōcludth the holy Apostle the whole mater of iustificacion thus We holde therfore that a mā is iustified by faith without the workes of y e lawe And in y e fourth chapt he declareth euidently that rightuousnes is imputed vnto vs by faith not by workes meanynge not onlie the workes of the lawe but all maner of workes acordinge as he saieth also to the Ephesians By grace are ye saued thorow faith that not of youre selues It is the gift of god and commeth not of workes least eny man shulde boast himselfe For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which god ordeyned y t we shulde walke in them By grace saieth he are ye preserued or saued assuredly iustified thorow faith For faith apprehendeth laieth sure holde vpon grace And to the intēt that no body here shuld ascribe aught to the strength of man he addeth And that not of youre selues For nether grace nor faith commeth of you What then vpō y t he addeth immediatly It is the gift of god vndoubtedly that we are iustified and also that we beleue Yea he setteth yet one thing to it Not of works lest eny man shulde boast himselfe For in the prophet Ieremy also the lorde will not that eny man glory or reioyse saue onelie in his mercy Yet ther folowth a cause We ar his woorkemanship c. Why wold erth claye then lifte vp it selfe against the potter of whom he hath what he is hath And so this place doth euidently ascribe iustificacion vnto faith taketh it from workes ¶ Faith iustifieth not in y t it is a worke but in that it trusteth to the mercie of god thorow Christe The 10. Chapter ALl this shalbe yet more playn and more perfectly vnderstand and known whan I shall shewe that this iustifieng faith holdeth and beleueth y t we are accepted vnto the lord not for our selues or for our own works but for Christes sake That is faith trusteth not vnto workes or deseruinges but to the promes of god and to the merites of Christ our lord Therfore whan Paul saieth to the Romaines that Christ our lord is of god set forth vnto the world to be y e mercy seate or reconcyler thorow faith in his bloud he teacheth and declareth euidently y t faith trusteth vnto y e bloud that is vnto the death merites and redempcion of Iesus Christ And treating largelie and perfectly of this mater in the fourth chapter he wryteth thus Neuertheles it is not written onelie for him namelie Abraham that it was rekened vnto him for righteousnes But also for vs to whō it shalbe so cōpted yf we likewise beleue on him that raised vp Iesus our lorde from the dead which was delyuered vp for oure synnes raised againe for our iustificaciō With these wordes he sheweth vs two thinges The one that faith is compted vnto vs for rightuousnes The other that y e same faith leaneth and trusteth vpon the lorde Iesus Christ who dyed for vs and was raised vp agayne That is faithfull beleuers cōpte themselues rightuous and iustified because thei vnderstand by faith that Christ dyed for them to take a waie their synnes And that he was afterward raised vp agayne to make them lyuinge for whom he had payed the rawnsome and reconcyled them And in the tenth chapter of this epistle whan Paul holdeth and compareth the rightuousnes of the lawe and the rightuousnes of faith together the one against the other he declareth playnlie that the rightuousnes of the lawe trusteth vnto workes but y e rightuousnes of faith
trusteth vnto Christ For faith saieth thus The worde is nere vnto the euen in thy mouth and in thine hart Then addeth he therto This is y e word of faith which we preach namelye yf thou confesse Iesus with thy mouth that he is the lorde and beleuest in thine hart that god raised him vp from the deed thou shalt be saued For to beleue with the hart iustifieth and to coÌ„fesse with the mouth saueth For y e scripture saieth Who soeuer beleueth on him shall not be confunded Therfore is it no maruaill that this Apostle wryting to y e PhilippiaÌ„s reputeth al thinges but losse for the excelleÌ„cy of y â— knowlege of Iesus Christ and iudgeth them but vyle desyringe to wynne Christ and to be fouÌ„d in him not to haue his owne rightuousnesse of the lawe but rather that rightuousnes which commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ Which thiÌ„ges afterwarde immediatlye he setteth in y e true knowledge of Christes death and resurrection Here vnto I suppose serueth specially the very playne argumente of this Apostle whan he saieth Yf the inheritaunce shuld come by the lawe theÌ„ were it not geuen by promes But god gaue it frelie vnto AbrahaÌ„ by promes The worde of promes is this In thy sede c. For the saluacion setteth he vpon one onelie and not in many Now yf the inheritauÌ„ce and blessinge were set in many then shuld it be geueÌ„ for y e workes sake But we all are blessed and saued in one and by one For as the curse by the synne of one reached ouer all men vnto condemnacion Euen so by the rightuousnes of one reacheth the gifte or blessing vpon al men to y e iustificacion of life For asmuch now as the blessing rightuousnes and redempcion is in the worde of trueth ascribed onlie vnto christ and seeinge our faith is directed straight vpon him euery faithful beleuer doth well vnderstande y e he is accepted vnto god thorow Christ not for his own self or for his workes sake For god dyd chose and ordeyne vs before because he wolde accepte vs for his owne children thorow Ihesus Christ in him selfe acording to y e good pleasure of him selfe to the praise of the 〈…〉 of his grace wherby he hath accepted vs in y e beloued in whom we haue redeÌ„pcion thorow his bloud namely y e forgeuenes of synnes oute of the riches of his grace which he hath poured vpon vs. Herevnto also belongeth it that the Apostle saieth fayth commeth by hearynge and hearyng coÌ„meth by the word of god For immediatlye therevpon doth the holy Apostle Paul adde out of the Psalme Verelye their sounde went out into all landes and their wordes vnto the endes of the world With all these most stronge testimonies of the scrypture I haue vndoutedly gotten the iustifying faith confidence trust that we are reconciled and accepted vnto god not by means of our selues or our own workes either of the lawâ—â— of grace but for Christ and â—â— merites sake For faith standing fast trusteth and leaneth vpon y e true promes of god euen vpon the lord christ and not vpon any of our workes Therfore is iustificacioÌ„ referred vnto faith because that what soeuer belongeth to saluacion and rightuousnes faith ascribeth it al to y e grace of god in Christe And thus by the nature of iustifyinge faith I haue shewed that onely fayth iustifieth now will I also declare out of the nature or propertie of mens workes that they doe not iustifie That no man is iustified by works is proued by the nature of works whether thei bee before or after iustificacion The. 11. Chapter WHat the workes of mans nature be namelie y e workes that are done by such as are not yet regenerate the lord him selfe in the gospell declareth saieth That whiche is borne of flesh is flesh Paul also speaking of the flesh saith To be fleshlie mynded or the mynde and wil of the fleshe is death enemitie against god for it naÌ„elie the fleshe and y e inclinacion of the fleshe is not obedient to y e lawe of god nether can be For we all by nature are children of wrath Now is euery one cursed that abydeth not in all thinges which are writteÌ„ in the boke of the lawe So farre therfore ar oure owne naturall woorkes froÌ„ iustifieng eny man that they rather condemne Moreouer of the workes of the lawe hath Paul the electe vessell spokeÌ„ thus we know that whatsoeuer the law saieth it saieth it vnto such as are vnder y e lawe that al mouthes maye be stopte and that al the wholle world maie be detter vnto god because that by the dedes of the lawe no fleshe is iustified in his sight He saieth also els where I refuse not the grace of god For yf rightuousnes come by the lawe then dyed Christ in vayne And yet more playnlie Yf there had bene mynistred a law which coulde haue geuen life then no doubte rightuousnes shuld come by the lawe But the scripture hath shut vp all vnder synne that by faith in Iesus Christ the promes might be geuen to those that beleue Now come we to the workes of faith or of grace which be called good works works of rightuousnes These saie thei these iustifie Answere Yf thei be good workes workes of rightuousnes then must thei nedes be wrought by good and rightuous people Wherout it foloweth that the workes go after rightuousnes and not before iustificacion for thei are done by those that be rightuous or iustified Whefore yf thei first folowe after then make thei no maÌ„ rightuous but faith it is that iustifieth And such as be rightuous theÌ„selues do worke rightuousnes or y t works of rightuousnes For it is written The rightuous shal liue by his faith And agayne who so applyeth himselfe vnto rightuousnes the same is rightuous iust Thus is faith the grouÌ„d and iust occasioÌ„ of vertue goeth before the workes of rightuousnes of faith and of grace nether is it first made out of workes Yf thou be not satisfied here with theÌ„ let vs set this coÌ„sideracion before vs not after y e things but after the personnes Thus Thei that work or do the dedes be either vngodly wicked people ypocrytes or els thei be godly rightuous and holie frendes of god No man by the grace of god will ascribe iustificacion to the workes of the vngodly and ypocrites for asmuch as it is written The lorde hateth the sacrifices of the vngodly And agayne The ypocryts hope shall come to naught his confidence shalbe destroyed his trust shal be a spyders webbe he shal leane vpoÌ„ his house but it shal not staÌ„d he shall hold him fast by it but yet shal it not endure And before him namelye beefore GOD maie no ypocryte stand As for y e godlie of whom it is written Ye are whasheÌ„ ye are sanctified ye are
prophet Ieremye hath the lorde geuen vs a right good counsail saide Let not y e wise man reioyce in his wisdome nether the strong man in his strength nor the riche man in his riches but who so wilreioice let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth knoweth me For I am the lorde y t do mercy equitie and rightuousnes vpon earth This counsaill dyd the godlie Apostle Paul folowe saieng God forbyd that I shulde reioyce saue onelye in the crosse of our lorde Iesus Christ wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world For in the gospell also the lorde said whan ye haue done all that is commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue not done that we ought to do Therfore the godlie praise y t grace of god not bragginge of their owne merites nether trusting eny thing at all vnto them but comforte them selues in the mercie of god Finally yf we now compare both the rightuousnesse namelie of faith and of workes the one against the other we maie easely perceaue that these beynge most vnlike maie not stand together For as concernyng the rightuousnes of workes the holie Apostle Paul hath spoken Thorow the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified before god But of y e rightuousnes of faith he saieth thus Al thei are iustified that beleue And in another place he saieth The rightuousnes of faith is imputed of grace or fauour but y e rightuousnes of works is not imputed of grace or fauour but of dewti And againe he saieth Israel which folowed y e law of rightuousnes coulde not attayne to y e law of rightuousnes But y e Heithen which folowed not rightuousnes haue ouertakeÌ„ rightuousnes euen the rightuousnes which coÌ„meth of faith And immediatly geueth he a reason of the fyrst pointe and addeth therto Wherefore Euen because thei sought it not by faith but as by the workes of the lawe for thei stombled at the stombling stone Therfore remayneth it stil true and certayne that the one rightuousnes ouerthroweth the other And therfore we that teach a manne to be iustified by faith in the lorde Iesus not by workes do not peruerte y e Christian faith as our aduersaries shamfully belye vs But thei rather do ouerthrowe it that by all meanes and waies mynishe y e honour of y e faith in Christ mainteinyng that the churche or congregacion of the faithfull ar by the workes merites of men absolued from synne delyuered from damnacion and obteyne the inheritauÌ„ce of eternall life Faith is not without works and what place works haue in the church and whence they spring in vs The. 13. Chapter WIth this disputation and talke concernyng Christ the lorde who iustifieth vs by faith not by works Or concernynge faith that iustifieth without workes Many w tout all doubte wil be sore offended thinking that I set nothing by good workes and that I leaue them no place of honour in the church For thei sai if good works helpe not a man to obtayne rightuousnes then are thei nothing worth nether necessary in the church And therfore is it in vayn that good workes are so oft and many tymes menciâ—â—â—d of in holie scripture The â—â—â—stles also of the lorde the holy prophetes lose but their labour in requiring vs to exercise and declare oure faith praisyng god our father in heauen with good workes Why is the holy Apostle Iames so ernest to teach that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely Yf faith onelye be sufficient to obteyne saluacion what els remayneth for vs to do but euen to eat and drynke and then to saie vnto god the iudge I haue beleued thy gospel therfore saue thy seruaunt Thus is banished all vertue good lyfe and Godlynes And thus men exercise and applie them selues nomore to innoceÌ„cie of life and good maners Thei that after this sorte take the mater so euell and coÌ„playne vnderstaÌ„d nether the strength of faith nor â—â—e true order of good workes Aâ—â— as for vs we do not hold that faith is without good workes whaÌ„ we saie after the Apostle that faith iustifieth with out good workes But we knowlege and confesse that faith iustifieth with his owne strength not with y e helpe additioÌ„ of works For Christ is mightie ynough of himselfe and of his owne power to iustifie the faithfull beleuers nether nedeth he enye supplie or filling vp of our workes Faith also is not without good workes nether are Christian meÌ„s works therfore in vaine or vnprofitable because thei do not iustifie For thei haue neuertheles a very honourable place and rowme in the holie church And whaÌ„ it is sayde in y e scripture as it is oft y t they iustifie it is so spokeÌ„ of them for speciall causes Which thing to y e intent it maie y e better more perfectly be vnderstaÌ„d I will make somwhat deper rehersall of good workes bringe theÌ„ forth out of their owne fountayne and original declaring their certayne and vndoubted boundes wherby all their nature propertie maie perfectly be knowne Vpon y e name or terme I do not much passe for as euery man knoweth there be euil and vnprofitable workes workes of iniquitie wickednes y e doers wherof are called the workers of wickednes The same workes also are called the workes of the fleshe and the workes of darknes Agayne there be good workes contrarie to the other which the scripture calleth the works of repeÌ„taunce the frutes of the sprete and of light such are the offices and dueties of frendship a loue which wer coÌ„meÌ„ded iÌ„ Tabitha of whom it is said that she was full of good workes Now whaÌ„ we descrybe them we saie thei be such as are done by those that ar borne a new or regenerate out of the good sprete of god by faith acording to gods word to the praise and honour of god to the honest bewtifulnes of life and finallie to the profite coÌ„moditie of y e neighbour These are shorte wordes and therefore peraduenture vnto some thei be y e darker and more hard to vnderstande But yf the grace of god shewe vs light thei shal by the declaracion folowinge be playnlie and easelie perceaued No other fountayne of good workes can I shewe then onelie god himselfe For the prophet saith All men are lyars onelie god is true And the lorde saieth in y e gospel There is no man good but onelie god Therfore is it necessary y t good workes springe not of man who is a lyar wicked and naught but of god himselfe of whom proceadeth all that good is Neuertheles it behoueth such men as by the sprete of god and faith in the lorde Iesus are regenerate that thei hence forth work not their owne namelie carnall workes but the workes of god For the works of those that be regenerate growe and spryng of gods good sprete dwelling with in them which
sprete as the sappe of life geueth strength to the trees that thei maie bring forth frute Euē so makth he multituds of sondrie vertues to springe and growe oute of man As the lorde himselfe testifieth and saieth I am the vyne ye are y e braunches Like as y e braunche can not bring forth frute of it selfe excepte it abyde in the vyne Euē so cā not ye also vnlesse ye abyde in me Whoso abydeth in me and I in him y t same bringeth much frute for without me cā ye do nothing And thus I sai y e good works that be done are done by faith For faith is a gift of god wherby we receaue Christ are iustified made lyuynge for asmuch as the scripture saieth The iust shal lyue by his faith And in another place Christ dwelleth in your hertes thorow faith And as gayne Now lyue not I saieth Paul but Christ lyueth in me for that I lyue in the flesh I lyue in the faith of y e sonne of god who loued me gaue himselfe for me Lyuinge workes thē doth he vndoubtedly euen thorow him by whom he himselfe became alyue And he that is iustified doth also works of rightuousnes assuredly euen thorow him by whom he is become righteous Which is thus much to say the iust worketh righteousnes thorow Christ and rightuosnes comprehēdeth the wholle summe of all vertues And therfore y t onelie god remayneth still the fountayne and originall of all good workes Hereto serueth it also that vnto god who in the regenerate worketh by his sprete in faith holie scripture ascribeth y e workes of those y t be regenerate ¶ That god is the worker of good works in vs and that we do not wel til he dwell in vs is shewed out of scripture and how rightuousnes is ascribed to workes The. 14. Chapter THis wil I now euidently declare with playne testimonies taken out of the lawe of god out of the holie prophetes out of the most holie gospell and of the electe Apostles of Ihesus Christ For thus saieth Moses The lord shal blesse the. And the lorde thy god wil circumcise thine hert and the hert of thy sede that y u maiest loue the lorde thy god with all thine hert and all thy soule that thou maiest lyue The prophete Esaie saieth Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouyde peace for thou also workest al our workes and deuyces In the gospell of Ihon oure Sauiour saieth thus Who so doth the trueth commeth to the light that his workes maie be knowne because thei are done in or by god And agayne Who so abydeth in me I in him y e same bringeth forth muche frute for without me ye can do nothing Item the holy Apostle Paul to the Philippians saieth To you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffre for his sake And yet more playnlie It is god that worketh in you both the will and the dede acording to the good purpose of hys mynde or because he hath delyte vnto you Thus sayet also S. Iames one of the. xii Apostles Euery good gift and euery perfecte gift commeth downe from aboue euen frō the father of lightes Yea all partes of the worke doth the holie Apostle Peter ascrybe vnto god saiēg The god of all grace which hath called vs to his eternall glorie by or in Christ Iesu shal his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a litle afflictiō make you perfecte setle strength stablish you For as the Apostle Paul saieth agayne we are not sufficient of ourselues to thinke any good thyng as of our selues but if we be able vnto any thyng the same commeth of god Wherfore god abideth still the onely fountaine of good workes euen he it is that worketh al good thynges in vs al. By this then that I haue broghte forth herein out of holy scripture concerning y e true occasion of good workes it is farthermore easye to be considered how the scripture ascribeth righteousnes vnto workes seyng that it is rendered vnto the grace of god whan it is ascribed vnto faith and beyng ascrybed vnto workes it is ascribed to the same grace of god For gods grace it is and therfore god hymselfe y t in vs workth good works and so is it the more conuenient y t iustificacion be rather imputed to the grace of god and vnto Christ which worketh by vs. Herevnto had holy Augustine respect who in y e boke de gratia et libero arbitrio ca. 8. writeth thus if eternall lif for recōpēce be geuē vnto good works as y e scrypture openlie saieth for god shal geue vnto euery one acordīg to his dedes how is grace y e eternal life Yf grace bee not ascribed vnto workes but geuen frelie as y e Apostle wryteth To him y t goeth about w t works is y t reward geuen not of grace or fauour but of dewtie agayne The rēnaūt saieth he are saued thorow y e electiō of grace And immediatly he addeth thervnto if it cōe of grace thē it is not of works els shold grace be no grace How thē is grace eternal life beīg takē out of works Or did not y t holy apostle nāe eternal life to be grace Yea he named it so which cā in no wise be denied Nether requireth it one of a sharpe vnderstanding but onelie a diligent hearer For whan he had sayde the rewarde or stipend of synne is death he added straight ther vnto But the grace of god is eternall life in Christ Iesu our lorde Therfore me thinketh this question can in no wyse be resolued vnlesse we vnderstād that our good works to the which eternal life is ascrybed belōg also vnto the grace of god because the lord Iesus saith w tout me ye can do nothing And whan the Apostle had saide By grace are ye saued thorow faith he addeth therto And that not of yourselues it is the gift of god commeth not of workes lest eny man boast himselfe This wryteth holye Augustine How the workes that god worketh in vs are called owres but so that we can not bragge of thē or challenge awt for them but must referre that to another cause The. 15. Chapter HEre vnto must adde also that good works though in very dede thei be properlie gods and y e frutes of faith and of the sprete yet are thei called and be oures that is to saie workes of faithful beleuers Partly because god worketh them by vs vseth our mynistracion to fynishe them Partli because that thorow faith we be childrē of god and therfore ar becōe brethren heires annexed w t Christ For by menes of this inheritaunce al the woorkes and giftes of god begynne to be ours not as straunge but as speciallye our own The scripture also ascribeth the same vnto vs as vnto children and to those that bē born free forasmuche as our sauioure in the gospell
sayeth the seruaunte abydeth not for euer in the house but the sonne abideth for euer Nowe as al w t is in the fathers house is y e sonnes by titel right of inheritauÌ„ce although he hath not purchaced it by his own trauail policie but hath receaued it of the faitâ—â—â—l liberalitie of his pareÌ„tes EueÌ„â—â— good workes which y e father worketh in by vs are also called and be oures beecause we are y e heires and children of god Now were it an exceading shame full thing a sure declaracioÌ„ of a very vnthaÌ„kful mynde yf y e sonne not remeÌ„bring y e faithfulnes liberalitie of y t father wold boast himselfe y t he with his diligence care watching had gotteÌ„ al these goods which he hath as heier Therfore saieth S. Paul very godlie What hast y u that y u hast not receaued Yf thou hast receaued it why theÌ„ braggest thou as thogh thou haddest not receaued it The holie martyr Ciprian had a very Christian an godly opinioÌ„ herof for he was wonte to saie It is not for vs to boast of eny thing for asmuch as nothing is oure owne Here vnto as I suppose serueth it y t is red in Esayedoth the axe boast it selfe against him y t heweth with it Or doth the sawe bragg against him that carieth it Therfore out of the minde of scripture and after god hath Augustin iÌ„ his boke degratia et libero arbitrio ca. 7. shewed his iudgment declared and spoken with these woordes As sone as grace is lent and geuen oure merites begiÌ„ne to be good neuertheles thorow grace For yf the same be with drawne theÌ„ maÌ„ falleth and is not lifte vp but throwen downe thorow fre wil. Therfore whan a man begynneth to haue good merites he ought not to ascrybe that vnto himselfe but vnto god to whom it is spoken in the psalme Thou art or be thou my help O forsake me not c. In that he saieth forsake me not he declareth that yf he be forsaken he is able of himselfe to no good thing Hetherto hath Augustine shewed euidently ynough that good workes are oures and that neuertheles all perteyneth vnto grace By meanes wherof whan rightwisnes is ascrybed to our workes it is trulye ascrybed vnto grace out of the whiche good workes proceade Others there be that vndoo this knot thus sayenge that faithfull beleuers please god thorow Christ who hath reconcyled them againe with god And seyng thei please god that do the workes theÌ„ y e works which be doÌ„e of such as are reconcyled and in y e fauour of god be also acceptable vnto him Doubtles not for their own sake or for y t thei be done by theÌ„ but much rather because thei are wrought by the membres of Christ Some are of this opinioÌ„ Faith saie thei and workes are not seuered for the rightuous lyueth by faith and he that is rightuous worketh rightuousnesse Nether is vncircuÌ„cisioÌ„ eny thing worth nether auaileth circumcision but faith that is strong in operacion and worketh by loue Therfore by meanes of this vnses parable coÌ„iunctioÌ„ vnitie y t is ascribed to y e one which els in very dede properlie is the others This matter also might be wel expouÌ„ded declared thus Nameli In faith ther must respect be had to two thiÌ„gs To y e recoÌ„ciliacioÌ„ to obedience To y e recoÌ„ciliacioÌ„ because we vnderstaÌ„d by faith that god is recoÌ„cyled pacyfied to vs ward for Christs sake by whoÌ„ we ar accepted in fauour w t god To obedieÌ„ce because y t thei which be reconcyled receaued vnto grace do wholly geue theÌ„selfes to him by whoÌ„ thei be reconcyled are desyrous to do his wil. Here ther fore maie it well be said y t it is a two folde rightuousnes one iustifieÌ„g one harknyng or obeing Of it y e iustifieth is Paul myndful whaÌ„ he saith Because therfore y t we be iustified by faith we haue peace w t god thorow our lord Iesus christ by whom also in faith we haue entranÌ„ce vnto this grace wherin we stand Of it also that harkeneth he maketh mencioÌ„ saying knowe ye not y e vnto whoÌ„ ye geue ouer yourselues as seruauÌ„ts to obey his seruauntes ye be to whoÌ„ ye obey whether it be synne vnto death or obedieÌ„ce vnto rightuousnes Properly now is iustyficacioÌ„ ascribed vnto y t rightuousnes which iustifieth not vnto it y t is obedieÌ„t for y e same coÌ„meth of y e other w t out y e other mighte not it be called rightuousnes Moreouer this knot maye be losed thus The most naturall work of fayth is purifieng or sanctifieng For y e holy Apostle Peter saith expresely thorow fayth ar y e heartes purified Now in y e mater of saÌ„ctifieÌ„g doth y e holy scripture declare two thynges The first that as manye of vs as beeleue are freelye sanc tified by the bloude of Ihesus Christ For S. Peter saieth we are electe thorow sanctifieng of the sprete in the obedience and sprinklinge of the bloud of Iesus Christ And yet more playnlie Ye know that ye are not redemed with traÌ„sitory siluer or golde froÌ„ youre vayne conuersacion of the tradicions of the fathers but w t the precious bloude of christ as of the innocent vndefyled lambe Paul also saieth By the wil of god we are made holie eueÌ„ by the offring of y e body of Iesus christ once for all For as it foloweth immediatly after with one oblacion hath he made perfecte foreuer them that are sanctified The Apostle Ihon likewise testifieth the same and saieth The bloude of Iesus Christ the sonne of god clenseth vs from all synne And thus faith in the bloude of Iesus Christ verelye and naturally sanetifieth or makth holy by y t meanes of him that sayde I sanctifie my self for them that thei also maie be sanctified in the trueth The second thing that holye scripture declareth in the mater of sanctifieÌ„g is this Namelie that thei which thorow faith are sanctified with the bloud of Christ do daily sanctifie them selues applie them vnto holynesse And to this end in my iudgment doth a good parte of the exhortacions of the Apostles serue Verely S. Peter saieth Lyke as he which hath called you is holy euen so be ye holye also in all your conuersacioÌ„ according as it is writteÌ„ Be ye holy for I am holye And the holie Apostel Paul saieth This is the wil of god euen your sanctificacion that ye refrayne from whordome y t euery one knowe how to kep his vessel in holynesse and honour not in fleshlie lust as do the Heithen which knowe not god And that no maÌ„ oppresse or defraude his brother in bargainyng Thus dyd Ihon also the Apostle teach saie We are now gods children and as yet it appeareth not what we shalbe But we know y t whaÌ„ he appeareth we shalbe lyke him for we shal se him as he is
scripture In Deuteronomye the lord commaūdeth euidētli with these words ye shal not do euery one that which he thinketh good What so euer I commaunde you that loke ye obserue to do therafter Adde nothinge thereto nether myny she aught there frō Moreouer in the storie of Samuel there standeth an ensample herof For Saul the king of Israel being cōmaunded to make a slayne offeringe of the Amalechites al their substaūce dyd of a good intent self chosen gods seruyce reserue the fatteste oxen for a sacrifice vnto god But the prophet Samuel saieth vnto him hath the lord as greate pleasure in brent sacryfices and offeringes as whan the voyce of the lorde is obeyed Behold to obeye is better then sacrifice to herkē is better thē the fatte of rammes For rebellyon is as the synne of witchcraft and stubburnes is as the wickednes of ydolatrie Here in these few wordes thou hast a godly cōmendacion of self chosen relygion or gods seruice and of workes that spring of our owne good meanynges and good intēntes They that despisynge refusing the lawe of god folowe their owne good intētes are of y e trueth called witches rebelles ydolatoures Although thei think them selues to be gods good seruauntes and feruent folowers of the tradicions of holye fathers bishoppes kynges and prynces yet god who can be no liar saieth euidently that the workes of such folkes doe nothyng dyffer from witchcraft rebellion and ydolatrie which are the most horrible thinges that cā be thought or deuysed The lorde therfore in the gospel out of the prophet Esay condemneth and refuseth all such self chosen works as proceade out of our owne good meanynges intentes whā he saieth in vayne serue thei me while thei teach the doctrynes preceptes of mē Euery plantyng which my heauēly father hath not planted shall be rooted out Let thē go blynd thei are y e leaders of y e blynd Here of came it no doubte y e G. Paule so boldly stowtly said y e the cōmaundmentes statutes of men are not ōly cōtrarie to the trueth but also very lyes In another place he saieth What so euer is not of faith is synne And agayn Faith cōmeth of hearyng hearing cōmeth by the word of god Wherby it maie wel be gathered y t the workes which are not done out y e worde thorow faith are so very naught y t thei be also called sinne To the Colossiās doth Paul most euidentlye reiecte the selfe pleasing gods seruice ethelothreschian which is expounded a supersticiō signifieth a self willed selfchosē religiō gods seruice Wherfore out of all this it is playne that we do not reiecte nor withstand vpright good workes whan we refuse the workes of monckes freres popish priests whiche proceade of the election and good intent of man without gods worde For now is it more certayne that they of a trueth are not good workes which we ymagen of our selues but onelye such as god hath commaunded vs. Which thing is yet more euident out of the wordes of S. Paul We are created saieth he thorow Ihesus Christ vnto good workes to the which god ordeyned vs before y t we shulde walke in thē Here setteth he two marks or euident tokēs of good workes The first we are created thorow Christ Iesus vnto good workes A good worke then must be done by such one as is created thorow Christ or graffed in Christ Iesu For yf the braunche abyd not in the vyne it can not bring frute By faith are we graffed in to christ the vyne The second Thei must not be euery nor al maner of workes but such as god ordeyned of olde that we shulde walke ther in What the same be he hath expressed in his law which is the wil of god Herof is it that the lorde in the gospel beyng deman̄ded concernyng eternall life and true vertues poynteth to the law and saieth What is written in y e law And yf thou wilt entre in to life kepe the commaundmentes The ten cōmaundmentes then are the most sure and most perfecte fourme of good workes Which thing to the intent it maie be perfectly vnderstand I will brefely declare it all as in a painted table The exposition of the. x. commaundmentes which ar the limites and precinctes of our good workes The. 19. Chapter TO the fyrst cōmaundmēt thou must referre the fear of god faith in god and fynally most sure hope in trouble aduersitie Itē sufferaūce vnmoueable vnshrinking stedfastnes To the second belōgeth the true to god acceptable vndefyled syncere worshipping likewise y e refusing denyal eschuyng of all supersticiō peruerted gods seruyce To the thirde y e reuerencyng of y e power maiestie of god also cōfession true inuocaciō of y e name of god sanctifieng of y t same In y e fourth is cōteyned the cōelie obseruaciō of the cerimonies and rytes of y e church y e preachīg of gods word the commē praier and al external mynistracions To the fifth maieste thou referre feare and loue towardes father and mother towardes thy natyue countre and kynsfolkes Item the right obediēce that we owe to magistrats and of al duties of a cyuile life conuersacion To the sixte thou shalt referre rightuousnes iudgment the defence of wedowes of the oppressed afflicted frendles Fatherles and Motherles children benefites and innocencye To the seuenth maye be referred matrymonyall plight and trothe the honest and godly bringynge vp of children diligence and exercise of clennesse sobernes and temperauncie To the eyght shalt thou referre equitye in bargaynyng liberalitie myldnesse and hospitalitie To the nyenth diligēt appliēg of trueth thorow out the whole life to kepe faithfulnes fydelitie in wordes and workes to vse such wordes as are sober honest and maye edifie To the tenth referre good and holy desyres and finally all holye and honest thoughtes This is now a very short sūme and fourme of good workes But yf thou desyre yet a shorter then harken vnto the Lorde himselfe sayeng in the gospell Thou shalt loue the lord thy god with all thy hert with all thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the chefe and greatest comman̄dment The second is lyke vnto it thou shalt loue thy neghbour as thyselfe Item what so euer ye wold men shulde do vnto you do you the lyke vnto them That the lord requyreth naught els of vs but the workes of the. x. commaundements is proued out of scripture The. 20. Chapter AL faithful beleuers which be desyrous to do good workes must directe theyr eyes hertes and myndes vnto these commaundmentes of the lorde And that with so much the more diligence and sted fastnes as they more euydently se y t god in the lawe and in the prophetes requireth nothing els yea none other workes of those that are his This maie I proue and maynteyne with most euydent testimonies of the most principal prophetes
Moses in his fifth boke saieth thus Now Israell What requyreth the lord thy god of the but that thou feare y e lorde thy god and walke in his waies and loue him and serue the lorde thy god with al thy hert and with all thy soule And that thou kepe the cōmaundmētes of the lorde his ordinaūces which I cōmaūd the this daie Kyng Dauid also asketh Lorde who shal dwell in thy tabernacle And immediatly he answereth Euen he y t leadeth an vncorrupte life doing y t which is right and other thinges cōteyned in y e ten cōmaundmētes Esay the prophet moueth the same question also and saieth Who is he among us that is able to abyde the eternall heate And he answreth Euē he y t leadeth a verteo life speaking that which is right doing the other thinges cōteyned in y e x. cōmaundmentes Ieremye in the. 22. chap. bringeth in euen the same thinges ernestly requyreth them saienge Thus the lord cōmaundeth Kepe equitie and rightuousnes delyuer the oppressed from the power of the violent do not greue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherles nor the wedow and shede no innocēt bloud in this place And no other workes doth Ezechiel recyte thorow a long Registre in the eightenth chapter In Osea the lorde saieth I haue pleasure in mercy and not in sacrifice And in the knowlege of god more then in burntoff ringes Miche as also asketh what he shal do and w t what workes he must recōcyle himselfe vnto god And by gods reuelaciō he answereth I will shewe the O man what is good and what the lord requyreth of the Namely to do right to haue pleasure in louing kyndnes to walke lowly before thy god Lyke answere doth the prophet Zacharie geue vnto those that asked hym concerning vertues acceptable works Thus saieth the lorde of hoostes Execute true iudgmente shewe mercy and louyng kyndnes euery man to his neghbour do the wedowe the fatherles the straunger and poore no wrong And let no man ymagen euel against his brother in his hert Loue no false oothes for these are the thinges that I hate saieth the lord From this doctryne of the prophetes disagreeth not the doctrine of the Euangelistes Apostles which euery where teacheth loue righteousnes and innocency doubtles as the effecte summe of al good workes This now so plentifully and with so many testimonies of the scripture haue I vttered declared to y e intent no man hence forth shulde either doubte or be ignoraunte that those onelie are good workes which be done our of the good sprete of god thorow faith and acording to the scripture or word of god ¶ That the sayed proprietes of good workes are requisite ī dede to good works is declared by the conferēs of the scriptures more plainlye The. 21. Chapter YEt ther resteth somwhat which I muste adde vnto the ende of the descrypciō of good workes namely to confirme and make it more playne wyth the conference and agreement of the scripture I said that tyght good workes be done by such as are regenerate to the glorie of god to the bewtifienge of life and to the edyfieng of the neyghbour For vnto our good workes doth the lorde appoynte this end in Mathew and saieth So let your light shyne before mē y ◠thei maye se your good workes glorifie your father which is in heauē Itē the Apostel Paul many tymes exhorting mē vnto good worckes addeth therto a thyng which might specially moue eny man Namelie that w t their godly workes thei shulde do worshippe vnto y e doctryne of our sauiour redemer in al thinges Now like as a cōely honourable apparel doth bewtifie the mā so do right good works set fort and garnish mās life w t great commendacion And this is y e cause y t y e Apostles of Christ gaue so oft counsaill to laye asyde y e olde man to put on the new which is shapē fashioned after god for therof cōmeth praise and honour vnto vs. We are called be in dede y e seruaūtes and children of god whose propertie and vertue appeareth in vs to the praise and magnifiēg of his name Moreouer yf we do good he increaceth his giftes in vs continually the longer y e more considering he hath spoken Vnto euery one that hath shallbe geuen that he maye haue aboundaunce But who so hath not from him shalbe taken also euen that he hath And herof it commeth that vnto such as do well god is gracious and mercyfull replenishing thē with many yea and with temporall giftes and finally endeweth them with eternal life For y e Apostle Paul speaketh euidently and plainlie god shal geue vnto euery on acording to his dedes Namelie praise honour immortalitie vnto those y ◠with pacience in good woorkes seke eternall life And againe Praise honour and peace vnto all such as do good Howbeit in all good workes the iust and godlye ar appoīted to kepe these boūds and lymites that they will not seke their owne welth but the glorie and wil of god and finally the commoditie and profite of their neghbour For the Apostle Paul saieth Lette no manne seke that which is his own but let eueri mā seke y t which belōgeth to another Euen as I please all men in all thinges not sekyng myne owne profit but the prophet of many that they myght be saued Al godlie personnes therfore directe all their diligence exercise works to this end that they maye edifie many wherin they expresse and declare the nature of god whose children they be For he is enclyned and desyrous to shewe good-vnto all creatures And herof it commeth that his children also are well doers And in al thinges whatsoeuer thei take in hād thei haue stil before their eyes as the onelie marck of their life a delyte and desyre to do good The Conclusyon or peroration The. 22. Chapter THus much at this tyme haue I done concernyng the propertie nature disposicion cause end and operacion that is y e true right fashion measure of good works Out of y e which I trust this may chefelie be vnderstand how the lorde ascribeth the name of rightuousnes and Iustificacion to the good works of holy mē And how god in scripture is sayde to geue rewarde And that neuertheles the right and principall doctryne of our religion stādeth sure and vnmoued Namelie that we are iustified out of the grace of god for Christes sake by faith not by workes Wherfore there remaineth now nothing els but that for the true faith in the lord Iesu by y e which we are iustified we fal downe at the lords fete with ernest praier with feruent and deuoute cryeng callyng vpon his name in such forte that we put in practise thys talke and disputaciō had of good works Namely that as touching the faith which we professe in the lorde Iesus Christe we expresse shewe
forth and garnishe the same with right good workes Remembring the wordes of the lord Ihesus Christ who in his gospell saieth Not euerye one that saieth vnto me Lorde lorde shall entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Many shall saye to me in that daye Lorde lorde haue not we prophecied in thi name haue not we cast out deuels in thy name haue not we done manye mightye dedes in thy name And then wil I knowlege vnto them I neuer knew you departe froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquitie Therfore who so euer heareth of me these wordes and doth the same I wil lickeÌ„ him vnto a wise maÌ„ which buylte his house vpoÌ„ a rocke And a shower of rayne descended and the floudes came and the wyndes blew and beat vpon that house it fel not because it was grounded on the rock And euery one y t heareth of me these words and doth them not shalbe likened vnto a foolishe man which buylte his house vpon sand And a shower of rayne descended and the floudes caÌ„e the wyndes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and greate was the fall of it Wherfore let vs applie all oure diligence with holie feruent praieâ— with true zeale and godlynes of oure mynde that we also as lyuinge stones beyng buylded vpoÌ„ Christ the sure rock of lyfe maye become a lyuinge house which maie endure fast in al assaultes of manifolde tentacions That we I saie beinge a spirituall habitacion and an holy priesthode maie bring and offre vp to our Redemer iustifier Iesu Christ spiritual acceptable sacrifices praise and thankes geuyng almes and oure own bodies yea oure selues fully wholly and all together Amen Amirrour or glasse wheryn al men may behold their own condemnacyon by the lawe of god With a remedy for the same The office of loue THe law is a doctrine that beddeth good and forbid deth euel as the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes specifie sayinge Loue thy Lorde god with all thyne hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the fyrst and great commaundment The second is lyke vnto that loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange al the lawe and the prophetes ¶ He that loueth god loueth his neyghbour If a man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a liar He y t loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene how can he loue god whom he hath not sene He y t loueth his neighbour as him selfe kepeth al y e coÌ„maundementes of god what so euer ye wold that men should do to you euen so do you to theÌ„ For this is the lawe and y e Prophets He that loueth his neyghbour fulfylleth y t lawe All the lawe is fullfylled in one worde that is loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe ¶ He that loueth god kepeth all the commauÌ„dmentes He that loueth his neyghboure kepeth all the commaundmentes of god and he that loueth God loueth his neyghbour ergo he y t loueth God kepeth all his commaundmentes ¶ He that hath faith loueth god and kepeth the coÌ„maundmentes My father loueth you because ye loue me and beleue that I came from God He that hath the faith loueth god and he that loueth God kepeth all hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts ergo he that hathe the fayth kepeth all the commaundementes of God He that kepeth one commauÌ„dement of god kepeth all For without faith it is impossible to kepe any of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of GOD and he that hath the fayth kepeth all the commaundemeÌ„tes of god ergo he that kepeth one coÌ„maundement of god kepeth them all He that kepeth one commandemente of God he kepeth all ergo he that kepeth not al the coÌ„maundmentes of god kepeth not one of them The office of the lawe ¶ It is not in our power to kepe any of the commaundementes of god which wer geuen to shewe vs our synnes and byd thinges impossible for vs. Without grace it is impossible to kepe any of the commaundementes of god and grace is not in our power ergo it is not in our power to kepe any of y e commauÌ„dementes of god By the law commeth the knowledge of synne I knew not what synne ment but thorow the lawe I had not knowen what lust â—â—d ment excepte the lawe had sayde thou shalt not lust without the lawe synne was deed that is it moued me not neyther wyst I that it was synne which not with standinge was synne and forbydden by the lawe ¶ The lawe byddeth vs do that thinge which is impossible for vs. It biddeth vs kepe the commaundementes of god yet is it not in our power to kepe any of theÌ„ ergo it biddeth vs do y t is impossible for vs. Thou wylt say where to doeth God byd vs do y t is impossible for as I answere to make the knowe that thou arte but euel that there is no remedi to saue y e in thyne own haÌ„d that thou mayst seke remedy at some other for the lawe doth naught but condemne the. ¶ Of the Gospell Like as the condemned man is ioyful to heare of pardon for hys fault EueÌ„ so shalt thou heare for thye delyuerans the ioyfull nues of the gospell THe gospell is as moch to say in our tonge as good tydynges lyke as one of these are Christe is y e sauiour of the worlde Christ is our sauiour Christ died for vs. Christ dyed for our sines Christ bought vs with his bloud Christ washed vs with his bloud Christ offered himselfe for vs. Christ bare our synnes on his backe Christ came into this worlde to saue synners Christ came in to this worlde to take away our synnes Christ was the price that was gyuen for vs our synnes Christe was made debt our for vs. Christ paied our debte for he dyed for vs. Christ hath made satysfaction for vs our synnes Christ is our rightwisenes Christ is our satisfaccioÌ„ Christ is our redempcion Christ is our goodnes Christe hath pacified the father of heauen Christe is oures and al his Christe hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the law from the deuel and from hel The father of heuen hath forgeuen vs our synnes for Christes sake Or suche lyke whereyn is declared vnto vs the mercy of god ¶ The nature of the lawe and the gospell The lawe sheweth vs our synne The Gospel sheweth vs remedie for it The lawe sheweth vs our coÌ„demnacion The gospel shewet vs oure redeÌ„pcyon The lawe is the lawe of Ire The gospell is the word of grace The lawe is the worde of despayre The Gospel is the worde of comfort The law is the worde of vnrest The Gospell is the worde of peace ¶ A disputacion betwene the lawe and the gospel The lawe saith paye thy debt The gospell sayth Christ hathe payd it The lawe sayeth thou art a synner despayre and thou shalt be damned The gospel sayth thy synnes are forgeuen the
Fayth maketh God and mā good frendes Incredulite maketh thē foes Faith bringeth god mā together Incredulite sundreth thē Al that faith doth pleasyth god Al that incredulyte doth displeaseth god Faythe onely maketh a man good and ryghtwyse Incredulite only maketh hym vniust and euyl Faithe maketh a man a mēbre of Christ Incredulite maketh him a mēbre of y e deuyl Fayth maketh a mā y e inherytour of heuē Incredulite maketh him inheritour of hell Faith maketh a man the seruaunt of god Incredulite maketh hym the seruaunte of the deuyll Faith sheweth vs god to be a swete father Incredulite sheweth hym a terrible iudge Faith holdth stiffe by the worde of god Incredulite wauereth here and there Fayth counteth holdeth god to be true Incredulyte holdeth hym false a lyar Faith knoweth god Incredulite knoweth hym not Fayth loueth both god and here neyghboure Incredulite loueth nether nother Faith only saueth vs. Incredulite onelye condemneth vs. Faith extolleth god and his deds Incredulite extolleth herself and her owne dedes Of hope HOpe is a trustye lokinge after the thinge that is promysed vs to come as we hope after euerlasting ioy which christ hath promysed vnto all that beeleue in him We shulde put our hope and trust in god alonly It is good to trust in god and not in man He y t trusteth in his owne harte is a fole It is good to truste in god and not in prynces They shalbe lyke vnto the images they make all that truste in thē He y t trusteth i his own thoughts doth vngodly Cursed be he that trusteth in man Byd the rych mē of this world that they trust not in theyr vnstable ryches but that they trust in the lyuyng god It is harde for them that truste in money to entre in to the kingdome of heauen Moreouer we shulde trust in him onely that may help vs God only may helpe vs ergo we shuld truste in hym onely wel is them that trust in god and wo is them that trust not in him Wel is the man that trusteth in god for god shal be his truste He y t trusteth in hym shall vnder stonde the verytye They shall al reioyce that trust in god they shal euer be glade and he will defende them Of charite CHarite is the loue of thy neyghboure The rule of charite is this do as thou woldest be done to For charitie holdeth al a lyfe y e ryche and the poore the frende and the foe the thankefull vnthankefull the kynseman and straunger ¶ A comparison bitwene fayth hope and charite Fayth cometh of the worde of God hope cometh of faith charite spryngeth of them bothe Faythe beleueth the worde Hope trusteth after that is promysed by the word Charite doth good vnto her neyghbour thorow the loue that it hath to god Faith loketh to god his word Hope loketh vnto his gyfte reward Charite loketh on her neighboures profyte Faith receaueth god Hope receiueth his reward Charite loueth her neyghbour w t a glad harte that w tout any respecte of rewarde Fayth pertayneth to god onely hope to his reward charite to her neyghbour Of workes NO maner of works make vs rightwise we beleue y t a mā shall be iustifyed wythout workes No man is iustifyed by y e dedes of the law but by y e fayth of Iesu Christ and we beleue in Iesu Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christe not by the dedes of the lawe If rightwysenes came by the lawe then dyed Christ in vaine That no mā is iustified by the lawe it is manifest for a rightwise mā lyueth by his faythe but the lawe is not of faythe Moreouer syth Christe the maker of heuen and erth and all that is therin behoued to dye for vs we are compelled to graūt that we were so far drowned and sūke in sinne that nether our deds nor al the treasures that euer god made or mighte make might haue holpen vs out of them ergo no dedes nor woorkes maye make vs rightwyse No workes make no vnrightwise For yf am works made vs vnrightwise then the cōtrary workes shuld make vs rightwyse But it is proued that no workes can make vs ryghtwyse ergo no workes make vs vnrightwise ¶ Workes make vs neyther good nor euyll It is proued that no workes neyther make vs rightwyse nor vnrightwyse ergo no works make vs neyther good nor euyll For rightwise and good ar one thing vnrightwise euil likewise one ¶ Good workes make not a good man nor euel workes an euyl mā but a good man maketh good workes and an euyl man euyl workes Good frute maketh not the tre good nor euel frute the euell tre but a good tre bereth good frute an euell tre euill frute A good mā can not do euell workes nor an euel man good workes for a good tre can not bear euil frute nor an euel tre good frute A man is good ere he do good workes and euel ere he doe euill for tre y e is good er he beare good frute euill ere it bere euel frute ☞ Euery man is eyther good or euil and his workes like wyse Euery tree is eyther good or euel either make ye the tre good the frute good also or els mak the tre euel and the frute of it lykewise euyll For all frute trees are eyther good or euell Eyther make ye the tre good and the frute good also or els make y e tre euel and y e frute of it likewise euil A good man is knowen by his workes for a good man doth good works an euell euel workes ye shal knowe thē by their fruyte for a good tre bereth good frute an euel tre euel frute A man is lykened to the tre and his workes to the frute of y e tre Beware of the false prophets which cōe to you in shepes clothes but inwardelye they are rauenyng wolues ye shal knowe them by theyr frutes None of our workes nether saue vs nor condemne vs. It is proued that no workes make vs nother rightwyse nor vnrightwyse good nor euil but first we ar good ere we do good works and euell ere we do euell workes ergo no workes neyther saue vs nor cōdemne vs. Thou wilt say then maketh it no mater what we do I answer yes For if thou do euel it is a sure argument y t thou art euil and wantest the faith If thou do good it is an argumente that y u art good and hast y e faith for a good tre bereth good frute an euil tre euel frute yet good frute maketh not y e tre good nor euell frute the tre euyll so the mā is good ere he do good dedes euel ere he do euel dedes The man is the tre his workes are the frute faith maketh the good tre Incredulite the euel
tre such a tre such frute such a mā such works For all that is done in fayth pleaseth god are good workes And al that is done w tout faith dispeaseth god and are euyll workes Who so euer beleueth or thynketh to be saued by his works denieth that Christe is his sauiour For how is he thy sauioure if y u myghtest saue thyselfe by thy workes or wherto shuld he dye for the if any workes might haue saued the Verely thou shuldest haue dyed perpetually yf Christ to delyuer the had not dyed for y e and chaūged thy perpetual death in to his owne deth For thou madest the faute and he suffered the payne that for the loue he had to the or euer y u wast borne when thou haddest done nether good nor euel Nowe syth he hath paid thy debte y u nedest not no thou canste not but shuldest be damned if his bloude were not But syth he was punished for y e thou shalt not be punished if thou trust in him Fynallye he hath delyuered the from thy condemnacion and al euel and desyreth naught els of the but y t thou wilt aknowledge what he hath done for the and beare it in minde and y t thou woldest helpe other for his sake bothe in worde and dede euen as he hath holpen the for naughte and without rewarde O how redy wolde we be to helpe other if we knewe his goodnes and gentelnes towardes vs. He is good a gentle lord for he geueth vs frely Let vs besech you y t ar Christians to folowe his fotesteppes whōal the world ought to prayse and worship Amen ¶ He that thynketh to bee saued by his workes calleth him selfe Christe For he calleth him selfe his sauioure which pertayneth to christ only What is a sauiour but he y t saueth he sayth I saue my self which is as moch to say as I am Christ for Christ only is the sauyoure of the worlde We shulde do no good workes for y e entent to get the inheritaūce of heuen or remissyon of synne For who so euer beleueth to get the enheritaunce of heuen or remission of synne thorowe works he beleueth not to get y t for Christes sake And thei that beleue not that theyr synnes ar forgeuen thē and y t they shal be saued for Christes sake they beleue not the gospel For the Gospell sayth you shalbe saued for Christes sake synnes are forgyuen for Christes sake He y t beleueth not y e gospel beleueth not god So it foloweth that thei which beleue to be saued by their workes or to get remissiō of their synnes by their owne dedes beleue not god but recount him as a lyer and so vtterly deny hym to be god Thou wilt saye shall we then do no good dedes I saye not so but I say we shulde do no good workes for the entent to gette the inheritaunce of heuen or remissyon of synne For if we beleue to gette vs heuen thorow good workes thē we beleue not to get it thorowe the promise of god if we thynke to get remissyon of our sinne so the we beleue not that they are forgeuen vs for Christe and so we counte God a lyar For god sayth you shal haue the inheritaunce of heuen for my sonnes sake thy synnes are forgeuen the for my sonnes sake you say it is not so but I wyl wynne it thorow my workes So I condemne not good dedes But I cōdemne y e false truste in any works For al the works that a mā putteth confidence in are ther with povsoned and become euyll ¶ To god onely geue the glorye A dialogue wherin is brefely declared the longe continuaunce of y e Gospel taught as well to the vngodly as to the godly The cause of the destruction of the wicked And also the office of the lawe and the gospel William ¶ For asmuche as God hath constituted me a creature resonable and endued me w t an vnderstanding I am naturallye desyrous to knowe what end I am created to Gyles Thā shal it be necessarie for you to haue faith For he that shal haue to do with God or with godlynes muste fyrste of al beleue after y e holy scriptures William Than tel me what faith is by those holy scriptures Giles After y e saienge of saincte Paule it is a sure certaynie of godly thinges which we trust vnto a grounded euydence in the spirite of heauenlye causes that neuer were sene w t the eye Wil. What suppose ye most necessari to direct me into this faith Gi. The eternal Testament or gospel of Iesu Christe For that is the power of God vnto saluacion to al them that beleue Wil. Whan was this gospell fyrste taught Gil. Soone after the worldes begyunynge whan Adam had once offended leste that he shuld haue fallen in vtter despaire so haue bene loste for euer more Will. And hath the Gospel contynued euer syns to the cōforte of man Gil. Yea trulie and oft sins that time hath ben confirmed by more earneste promises from age to age tyll the meke Lambe came which tok awaye the synnes of the worlde through the shedyng of his most innocent bloud For the scripture saith that his mercye was plentuous from kyndred to kiudred to them that feared the Lorde Wil. Hath all men ben called to grace by that gospell of saluacion Gil. Yea doubtles haue thei yet haue thei not all thankfully receyued it So wel was it tought of our fyrst father Adam to Cayn as to Abel Sowel dyd Noe preache it to Cham as vnto Sem and Iaphet So well dyd Abraham shewe yt to Ismael as vnto Isaac So well Moyses to Pharao as to y e people of Israel Dauid to Ammon and Absolon as to Salomon Nathan Helyas to Achab and Iesabel as to the moste faithfull beleuers No lesse dyd Christe open therof to Iudas then to Peter Iames and Ihon. And so forth to the other Apostles and true preachers to this present daye So that none can excuse thē selfes Wyl Howe commeth it than to passe that so many are lost and styll yet dothe dalye perishe through their conuersacion and lycencious lyuyng Gyl No faute can be ascribed to the gospel but to their vnthankful receiuing of the fruites therof so frelye offred them The disdaynfull spurnyng asyde of that necessary health in christ is cause of their decaye and not the set ordynaunce of god which willeth all men to be saued Wil. If Adā thus receyued this Gospel and so taught it to his posterite it hath cōtinued much longer than I supposed Gil. The Gospel is as the lord is euerlasting For as witnesseth the apostle saint Iohn In the beginning was the worde the worde was with god and god was the worde Wil. Than was not Mathew with the other Euangelistes the fyrste wryter therof Gil. No god did wryte it firste in the natural herte of man and
so it remayned here styl tyll Moses the prophetes dyd leaue it in outewarde wrytynge to the peoples further erudicion For as saynt Paule saith Al they eate froÌ„ the fyrste beginnynge of one spiritual meate and draÌ„ke of one spiritual drinke the harde Rocke folowing theÌ„ which was Iesus Christ And this is an euydent token that one Gospell hath reygned among the people of God syns the worldes begynnynge Wil. But nowe tell me what shal become of them which haue not of all this longe season in the true feare of god regarded his holsome and swete promises Gylles As they haue in theyr vnthankfulnes here beÌ„ left to them selues to worke all vngodlynes haue departed hence with a desperate conscience so shal they at the later day bee condemned vnto eternall fyre with the deuyl al his aungels Wil Our mercyful redemer defend vs from that maledicâ—ion But what shal most spedeli bring me to the Gospel of helth Gil. The meke knowledge of thy selfe that thou art of nature the synful sone of Adam iustlye condemned in his transgression beesydes thine owne wicked doinges so loste for euer were not the resurrectioÌ„ which thou hast in Iesus christ Willi. Shew me by what meane I may come to that knowlege Gile Seke first vnto the law which the lord Iesus taught by Moyses Willi. What is the lawer Gil. The lawe is a godly Myrrour or glasse giuen vnto vs synners that we therin shuld se know our synnes what we are what imperfection is in vs. WiliaÌ„ Doth the law then make vs rightuouse and good Gilles No more thaÌ„ the glasse makth him faire that lokth therin For the Lawe demaundeth of vs rightuousnes but it gyueth vs no power to do that whych yt commaundeth William What helpeth than the knowledge of y e Lawe am I than therby made free from my synne Gilles No yt maketh no man quyte of his synne but it gyueth an occasioÌ„ to ronne and call for helpe of Iesus Christ our lord that he wold do that thynge which is impossyble to the lawe y t is to make vs pure and cleane The glasse doth nether washe nor make fayre any mannes face but it gyueth occasion eyther to seke for water or els some other thynge that maye make it fayre and cleane Thus our sores once knowne by y e lawe and the daungers perylles of the same considered we are dryuen of necessite to seke remedy in the gospel Willi. What is the Gospel Gil. It is the power of god whiche saueth al men that beleue in it It promiseth vs a mercyfull god it declareth vnto vs forgyuenes of our synnes and lyfe euerlastyng through Iesus christ our sauiour Willi. Doth the Gospel make vs rightuous Gil. Yea for it promyseth vs that Iesus Christ is our owne that he dyed for our synnes and dyd ryse againe for our ryghtuousnes Yf we haue Christ than haue we forgeuenes of our sines euerlastynge lyfe Willi. Doth the gospel than teache none other saluacion but that which is in Christ Gilles No surely He alone is the LaÌ„be that taketh awaye the lynnes of y e worlde The false worshippers seke him in outwarde thynges neuer fynde hym but seke thou hym in sprete and veritie thou shalte haue hym presente WilliaÌ„ By this your hole protestacion it shulde seme vnto me that I am ordeyned of god to this ende fyrste to a knowledge my selfe a wicked sinner than to aryse froÌ„ it through true repentaunce and so to leade a newe lyfe after the Gospel tyll such tyme as my eternall Father shal with saue to cal me from this corruptible maÌ„sioÌ„ this foreÌ„ laÌ„d this vale of misery thys castel of synne this habitacion of death into y â— eternal heritage of his soÌ„ne Iesus Christ To whom with the holy gost be euerlasting praise honoure and glorye worlde wythoute ende Amen Luke 7. Luke 16. Deu. 25. Esay 5. Pro. 17. Math. 12. Iustificacion Iustificacion is remission redeÌ„pcion Actes 13. Roma 4. Psal 32. Esay 53. The forme fashioÌ„ and maner of y e mediacyon and iustificacion Before god is no man iustified Psal 5. Psa 14. 53. Roma 3. Psal 143. Psal 130. Iob. 9. Esa 53. Iohn 1. 1. Peter 2. Roma 8. 2. Cor. 9. Roma 3. Gal. 3. Iohn 1. Iohn 2 Math. 3. Colos 1. Ephe. 1. Iohn 1. Howe we be made partakers of the rightuousnes of Chryst By faith are we iustified not by bare knowledge but by sted fast belefe in Christe Esa 53. Abac. 2. Tim. 1. Gala. 3. Hebr. 10 Iohn 1. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. 1. Iohn 5. Roma 3. Roma 10. Acte 16. Sharpe disputacions of this mater Iohn 6. Gala. 2. Gene. 43. Num. 11. Nume 23. Deut. 10. Roma 13. 1. Cor. 2. Roma 3. Roma 3. Ephe. 2. Iere. 9. Esa 65. Roma 3. Roma 10. Esai 28. Philip. 3. Gala. 3. Roma 5. Ephe. 1. Rom. 10. Psal 19. Iohn 1. Roma 8. Ephe. 2. Deu. 27. Gala. 3. Roma 2. Gala. 2. Gala. 3. Workes of fayth and grace Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Hebr. 10 a. 3. The vngodly and ipocrites Pro. 15. 21 Iob. 8. 1. Cor. 6. The holy regenerate Iob. 1. Iob. 9. Iob. 10. Roma 7. Abraham Roma 4. Roma 4 Roma 5. Pro. 20. Iohn 4 Iohn 6. Holy men do not glory in works but in the mercy of y e Lorde Luke 18. Ieremi 9. Gala. 6. Luke 17. The righte ousnes of fayth and workes agree not to gether Roma 3. Gala. 2. Roma 4. Rom. 9. Iacob 2. Answere Good workes Psal 116. Math. 19. Iohn 15. â—hac 2. Ephe. 3. Gala. 2. Deu. 30. Isa 26. Iohn 3. Iohn 15. Phil. 1. Phil. 2. Iacob 1. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Cor. 3. Augustinus Roma 11. 1. Cor. 4. Ciprian Augustinus Roma 5. 1 Pet 1 Heb 10 1 Iohn 1 Iohn 17. 1. Pete 1 1 Thes 4 Titu 1. 2. Pete 1 â–ª Augustinus De gra et lib. arbi cap. 7. 1. Reg. 15. Eph. 2. Zach. 7. Zach. 8. Mat 13 â— Cor. 10. Deut. 6. Mat. 22. 1 Iohn 4. Let euery man examyne hys conscience by this rule Math. 7. Rom. 13. Gala. 5. Ro. 13. Gal 5. 1. Ioh. 4. Iohn 16. Heb. 11. Rom. 3. Rom. 7. The law is a scholemaster to brig vs to christ Iohn 4. Luke 2. Rom. 5. Rom. 4. 1. Pet. 1. Apoca. 1. He. 7. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Tim. 1. Gala. 5 1. Ioh. 2 1. Tim. 2. Gene. 5. Thes 5. 1. Cor. 1. Gene. 15. 1 Iohn 5. Iaco. 1. Rom. 14. Heb. 11. Heb. 11. Rom. 8. Gene. 15. Roma 3 Rom. 4. Aba 10. Gal. 2. 1 Iohn 4. Iohn 20. Act. 10. Act. 16. Rom. 10 Mar. 16 Iohn 2. Gala. 3. Mark 16 Iohn 6 Iohn 11 Iohn 1 Acte 8. Iohn 4 Apo. 1. He. 7. 8. 1. Pet. 2 Mar. 16. Psal 117 Psal 113 Hiere 17 Mar 10 Hiere 17 Sapi 3. Psal 5 Gala 2 Gala 3 Nota. Mat 7 By the fruite the tree is knowen Iohn 3. Heb. 11. Gala 4 Apo. 14. Rom. 1. Iohn 14. Gene. 3. Gene. 22. Psal 131 1. Pet. 1 Luke 1. Mat. 22. Luke 4. Ge. iiii Gene 21 Exo. â— 2. Reg. 13 3. Re. 18 Math. 10. Act. 8. Rom. 1. Roma 1. 2. Cor. 12. Apo. 14. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 10. Roma 1. Mat. 22 Luke 3. The. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 2.