FOr as moche, as the moste necessary arti­cle of christen religi­on is, that fayth one lye iustifieth, which the vngodlye do dayly preache agaynste, and obscure by many wayes, I haue thought ther­fore very expedient, in this litle trea­tise, by y ^e holye scriptures, By mercy [...] fayth, sinne [...] be purified, by the feare of god all ma [...] declyne from euyll. Prouerb. xv to declare the ryght sence, and true vnderstan­dyng therof, which is, that the mercy and fauour, of God iustifieth: whi­che mercie and fauour, we onely by fayth obteyne, beleuyng constantly the promesses of goddes mercy, and fauour made vnto vs. And the scrip­ture sayeth, that this fayth, Ephes. ii. whyche onely iustifieth, is onelye the worke of god in vs, and cōmeth, not by a­nye mannes power, wisedome, ler­ning, nor that god geueth it, because [Page] of any vertue, or vertuous disposi­tion, which he seeth in man, nor that anye man can prepare hym selfe, or make hym selfe apte and meete, to receiue this fayth, but god geueth this fayth frely, without any respecte or regarde to any good wyl, good workes, or good disposition, before by god sene in mā. [...]ath, xii. For y ^e scripture sayth other make the tre good, and his fruyte good also, or els make the tree euill, & his fruyte euyll also.

[...]d did first [...] vpon A­ [...]ll and after [...] his giftes. Genesis. iiii.Euen so man muste fyrste be made good, thoroughe fayth, before anye of his workes can be good. Ther­fore I saye that before this lyuelye faythe be gyuen from god to manne that he neyther hathe, nor can haue other good wyll, good workes, or godlye disposition to doe good. For without this lyuely faythe, it is im­possible to please god. Hebr. xii. Wherefore [Page] faith muste nedes fyrste be gyuen of god, wherby the wyl is made good & vertuous, before that any worke, whiche springeth oure of the wylle, can be eyther good, or vertuous, as saynt Augustine sayeth. Augustyne v­pon the .cx. psalme. Verylye a man can not worke iustice, excepte he be iustified, but he that beleuethe in him, which iustifieth the wicked, begynneth of fayth, so that the good workes that go before, do not shewe what he hath deserued, but such as folowe, Augustine v­pon the .lxvii. shewe what he hath recey­ved. Also the same doctour sayethe, Me thynketh that the fayth is to be praysed, whiche goeth before woor­kes, for wythout y ^e merites of good workes, thorough fayth, the wicked is iustified, as the apostle fayethe: To the beleuyng in hym, whiche iu­stifieth the wycked, his fayth is coū ­ted for iustice: that from thenseforth [Page] y ^e same faith may begin to worke by loue. For they onelye oughte to be called good workes, whiche be done for the loue of god. To suche woorkes, it is necessarie that faythe shuld goe before, that frome this faythe, these woorkes: and not frome these workes that faythe shulde begynne. For no man worketh for the loue of god, except he fyrste beleue in god.

Also the same doctour sayeth vppon this texte: Rom. ii. They are not rightuous which heare the lawe, but they whiche doe the lawe, shall be iustified: That is as moche to saye, that we maye knowe them, Aug. in the booke of the spryte and the letter the .xxvi chapter. not to be the do­ers of the lawe, except they be iusti­fied: Not that iustification shoulde come to the doers, but that iustification shulde go before the doers.

Here by these auctorities, of saint Augustyne, it is manifest and playn [Page] that no workes be good, except thei spryng out of a lyuyng faythe. Not withstandyng some I thynke, wyll be offended with this my sayeng, y ^t God geueth not faith whiche onely iustifieth to any man, bicause of any vertue or vertuouse disposition whiche he before seeth in man: for they thinke that God, whiche euer hathe seene all thynges presentely, dyd see before in Peter, Paule, Dauyd, Maria Magdalene, and such other theyr repentynge hartes: And also theyr godly dispositions, wherwith they woulde mekelye, obedientlye, and wyllynglye consente to goddes spirituall motions, and grace offred to them, vsynge and exercisyng, the gyftes and talentes, by god gyuen to them accordynglye. Whiche dys­position, and vertuous workynge, accordynge to theyr callyng, before [Page] they were presently by god seen in them, dyd prouoke and moue God (thynke they) to iustifye them.

To all men of this straunge opi­nion, I answere that saynt Iames sayth: Erre not my deare brethern, euery good gifte, and euery parfect gyfte, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lyght.

Is euery good thynge come downe from the father of light? what haue they then, that they haue not recey­ued? i. Corint. iiii. If they haue receyued theym, why reioyce they as they had not receyued them? what wyse man prayseth a stone for his swyfte flyeng in the ayre, whiche is caste with vyo­lence, whose nature is to lye styll, yf it be not remoued. Lyke prayse is to be giuen vnto vs for our good dispositions, and well workyng, whiche onely is wrought in vs, agynst [Page] our nature, by the myght and grace of God, who worketh onely in vs, bothe the good wylle, Philip. iiii. and to per­fourme the same, without whome, we can doe nothyng, that good is. Iohn. xv.

And for my parte I knowe noo scriptures, whiche do encourage a­nye man to thynke, that theyr good workes, or godlye disposition to do good, by god before seene in theym, shulde moue god to iustifie them, or to endewe them with his grace and fauour. And than thus to deuyne, Rom. xi. who gaue hī first that he shulde recom­pence hym a­gayne. searche or iudge the causes mouing god, to geue his godly gyftes, with out his woorde, the same teachyng prouyng, and testifienge, is rather of curiositie and of vayne opinion, than of any godlye perswasion, or holsome doctrine. For god by his prophete Esaye sayth: Esay. lii Rom x. I am found of them that sought me not, & haue [Page] appeared to them, that axed not af­ter me. And agaynst Israell he say­eth: All daye long I haue stretched out my handes, vnto a people that beleueth not, but speaketh agaynst me. By this texte appearethe but small prouocation, or good disposi­tion, mouyng god to gyue his god­ly gyftes. And other knoweledge, than by this his woorde, haue we none. For whoe hath knowen the mynde of the lorde, Rom xi. or who was his counsellour, or who hathe gyuen to hym fyrste, that he myght be recompensed agayne, for of hym, and thorough hym, and by hym, be all the thynges, to hym be glorye &c.

Where they thynke that god, for the good disposition and godly ver­tues, before seen in man, doth iusti­fye man: Verilye they be to moche forgetfull, of the corruption and poison [Page] of our nature whych is become so weake & simple that in it can not be perceaued & foūde any such good dispositiō, & godly vertues to moue God, to iustifye vs. Math. vii. For euell trees can not brynge forth any such good frutes. Also the prophete sayeth, Psalm. cxliii. en­ter not into iudgemēt, wyth thy ser­uaunt, o Lorde, for in thy syghte no man lyuynge shalbe iustifyed. Psalm .cxxix. Also yf thou wylt be extreme, to marke what is done amys, o Lorde, who maye abyde it, Rom. iii. for wythout dout all haue synned, and are destitute of the glorye of God. Where is then they, reioycyng excluded, by what law? Galath. iii. of vertuous good dysposition, or good dedes? Naye, sayeth Paule, but by the lawe of fayth. Wherfore there is nother thoughte, wyll, nor worke in vs, yf we cōsyder, and pon­der their goodnes in nature, where [Page] of we cā take any occasiō to reioyce, but rather haue cause to lamente, & to say with Iob, Ioh. ix. I feare all my workes, bycause they be euyll.

Gene. viii.Also the scripture sayeth, the imagination of mans harte, is euell euē from hys youthe. Item all mannes imaginatiōs of y ^e thoughtes of hys harte are only euell euery daye. Gene. vi. It were therfore necessary, fyrst to pro­ue our workes good, & also a god­ly dyspositiō in vs to do good, whervnto all the scripture wytnesseth the cōtrary, before y ^t we can proue, that our good workes, & godly dysposi­tion before sene in vs by God, do prouoke and moue God to iustifye vs, and to gyue vs hys grace and fa­uoure. Yea although there were a godlye dysposition in vs, yet that shulde not moue God, nor prouoke him to iustify vs: for Abraham was [Page] not iustifyed, bycause he offered his sonne, and was also obedient to sley hym, but bycause he beleued, sayeth the scripture. Also Paule sayeth, Rom. xi. Israel hath not obtayned y ^e thynge whyche he sought for: noo, but yet the election hath obtayned it. And by what meanes, sayeth Paule, euē throughe the election of grace. Ibidem. Thē is it not by the deseruynge of wor­kes, of vertuose, or of good dysposi­tion, for thē were grace and fauour, no grace, & fauoure. Therfore hath God wrapped all nations in vnbe­lefe, that he myght haue mercye on all.

And y ^e scripture wytnesseth more ouer, y ^t god sayd to Moyses, xod [...]. xxxiii. I wyl shewe mercy, to whom I shewe mercy, I wyll haue compassion, on whō I haue compassion. So sayeth Paule, lyeth it not, in a mannes [Page] wyll, Rom. ix. or runnynge, but in the mercy of God. Rom. v. In this God setteth out his loue towardes vs, sayeth Paule, se­ynge that, whyle we were yet syn­ners, Christ dyed for vs. Alas what good dysposition, vertue, or good worke was in vs beyng synners, to moue, or to styrre god to iustifye vs, or to shewe vs any grace, Ierem. xxxii. or fauour, surely none. But the very true cause was onely hys eternall loue, where wyth he loued vs. Wherfore he ly­berallye, and frelye dyd drawe vs, moued onelye wyth hys mercye, to­warde vs, as saynt Iames sayeth.

Iames .i.Of hys owne frewyll begat he vs, wyth the worde of lyfe. Yf our rege­neration came by y ^e free wyl of god, thē was he not moued bi our good dysposition, vertue, nor good wor­kes before sene by God of vs. And therfore Paule wyllyng our helth, [Page] and saluation to be certen, & sure teacheth vs y ^t our iustification hangeth nother of the workes of y ^e lawe, nor of our good dysposition, vertuose or good workes, but only on fayth, y ^t it may come of fauour and grace, and that the promyse myght be sure, for so Abrahā was made stronge in the fayth, & gaue honour to god, Rom. iiii. stedfa­stly beleuyng, y ^t he which had made the promys, was able also to make it good. And therfore was it rekned to him for rightwysnes. This was not wrytrē only for Abrahā, but al­so for vs, that we shulde groūde, stablyshe, & make sure our saluatiō vp­on goddes promises, whych be euer certeyn & sure. So that in all temp­tations of desperation, we may con­stātly, & surely trust to that sure promyse made by god to vs. The scrip­ture therfore geueth all the power [Page] of iustifycation, only & holly to god, whych by hys prophete Esay sayth, Ezaie. xliii. I am he, I am he onelye, whyche for myne owne selfe sake, do awaye thyne offence, & forget thy synnes, so y ^t I wyl neuer thynke vpon them Also the prophet O see sayeth: O [...]ee. xiii. O Israel thyne iniquitie hath destroyed the, but in me onely, is thy helpe.

Therfore the christen mans iustice, wherby he is accepted before God, to be iuste, & ryghtwyse, is not a ci­uill iustice, & earthly iustice, but an heuēly iustice, not an actiue iustice, consystynge in workes, whyche we yelde, and gyue to god, but a passiue iustice, whych we receaue of mercy, onely frō god. For god seeth in vs no goodnes nor any other thyng, wherby he is moued to fauour vs, but on­lye our wretched mysery, wherby he is moued wyth hys godly benigni­tie, [Page] and pytie to haue mercy on vs.

wherfore our iustice is not w ^tin vs nor of vs, but Christ is oure iustice, Christ iesꝰ of God is made vnto vs wis­dome and al­so rightuous­nes. & satisfi­ing & redemcion, that accordynge as it is written, he y ^t reioyceth, shulde reioyce in the lorde. being w ^tout vs, & he is frelye w ^tout our deseruing, gyuen to vs, by God. It is nothyng of our worthynes, or deseruynge, y ^t Christes iustice is called our iustice, but of Christes onely infinite mercy, y ^t he estemeth & reke­neth hys iustice to be ours. So that we synners, couered, & clothed with christes iustice, i. Cor. i. do appere in y ^e syght of god iuste, & ryghteous, & so of god for Christes sake be accepted, as iust & ryghteous. Alas then, what vn­kynde, frowarde, & styffenecked peo­ple be we, which wyl not moste me­kely, lowly, and thankefully, accept, receyue, and take Christes iustice, holynes, and redemption lyberaly, fre­ly, & most mercyfully offred, & geuen vnto vs of god, wherby we without [Page] cause of our parte deserued, shuld be estemed, reputed, and accepted be­fore him, notwithstāding our weaknes, & synfulnes, to be therof forge­uen, & estemed, as iust, & holy in hys syght, for Christes sake only. what vnthākfulnes, & vnkindnes is this, to cōtempne goddes most mercyful aboundaūt, & lyberal gyftes, offered & gyuen to vs? what arrogancy and presumption is thys, to attribute, & gyue to our weake, & synful workes that helpe, cōforte, fauoure, & reme­dye, whych we onely by all equitie haue cause, & be boūde to sech, desyre & loke for, frō god, for christes passiō & deathes sake, y ^e pryce of our synne & only cause of our acceptaūce to fa­uour? Thys vnworthy estimatiō of workes, geuyng to thē y ^t, which god promised to gyue vs frely, is no lesse then to iudge, & esteme God vntrue [Page] in all hys promyses, whyche is, to confesse hym in worde, and to deny hym in deede, & an vtter falsifyeng, & denyal of al the scriptures. What vnwyse, yea, & mad mē be we, whi­che wyl stablishe, & groūd our saluatiō vpon our vnperfyt, incōstant, & transitorie workes, rather thē vpon goddes mercy, to vs frelye promy­sed? whych promyse is euer cōstant sure, & infallibly true. What quiet­nes can that conscience haue, which hangeth hys helth, and lyfe euerla­stynge vpon instable, and vnperfyt workes of man, whyche perysh and vanishe awaye, lyke the shadowes? Wherfore the ioye, and comfort of all Chrysten hertes is, that Chryste is become our iustice, holynes, and redemption, whych we apprehende receaue, and accepte to be ours, by the lyberall gyfte of god, thorough [Page] faythe in hys promyses onlye, and by no other meanes.

Note well the true vnderstā dyng & mea­nyng that faithe only iusti­fieth.And therfore we saye, that faythe onlye iustifiethe, whan we speake vnder thys fourme, by faythe we be iustified, or by fayth we be frelye iu­stified, or that fayth onlye iustifieth. For al these sentences be of one lyke force, vertue, or meanynge.

We do not meane thereby, that faythe so alone iustifieth, that these wordes alone, and frelye exclude other good workes, or godlye ver­tues, that they be not ioyned wyth fayth, which neuer is without both good workes, & vertuouse, but, we by these wordes frelye, and only, do vtterlye exclude all opinion, truste, & cōfidence to our merites, vertues, dignitie, good disposition, or wor­thynes, that they in no wyse be este­med, thought, or iudged, to be cause, [Page] meane, motion, or help, or to be partlye cause, meane, motion, or help, to our iustification, whyche only, and holye we yelde, and gyue to God, & to hys sonne Iesu Christ our Lord, which only is our hole, and sufficiēt iustice, satisfaction, and peacemaker for synne, wythout anye respecte to any good motion or godlye disposi­tion, before by god seen in vs. And therefore who soeuer iudgeth or thynketh good workes, vertuouse or godlye disposition, to be anye cause, or helpe, or anye parte of cause, whereby God is moued, or styred to iustifie vs, the same obscu­reth, and wythdraweth the glorye of God, and robbeth Chryste of the honoure, by hym onelye deserued, and to hym only due. Who caused hys prophete Danyell to saye. Daniel .i, To y ^e, o Lord, al rightuosnesse belōgeth, [Page] to vs perteynethe nothynge, Note well what true iu­stification is and what we be after iusti­fication. but shame. whan God hathe freelye of hys onlye mercye, and fauour iusti­fyed vs, yet, we remayne synners. For the whych we must dayly pray wyth the sayntes to god for pardō, and forgyuenes. For iustificacyon takethe not awaye synne, so that it remayneth not in vs, but iustifica­tion is properlye fre pardon, and re­missyon of synnes, a couerynge of our synnes, a not rekening & layeng them to our charge, onlye through the mercy, that we obteyne by faith in Chrystes bloode, as the prophete sayth, Psalm .xxxi. blessed be they, whose synnes be forgyuen, whose offences be co­uered. And blessed is that man, to whome god imputeth not hys syn­nes. For god was in christe, and made agrea­ment betwen the worlde and him self, & imputed no [...] theyr sinnes vnto them .ii. Cor. v. whyche remissyon, couerynge, and not imputynge of synne, were in vayne, yf there were no synne in [Page] vs. For other our good workes and godlye dispositions do satisfye the lawe, or they do not satisfye the lawe. If they satisfye the lawe, we haue no nede than of Chrystes iu­stice, to be imputed to vs. For yf ryghteousnes come of the lawe, thā is Chryste deade in vayne, Galat. i [...] saythe paule. To suche therfore wythout dout, Chryste is dead in vayne. And yf we do not satisfie the lawe, than be we synfull, Iames i. Curses is euerye man, that cōtinueth not in al thinges, whiche are written in the booke to ful­fyl them. Galath iii. and moue not god to iustifie vs. For yf we offende in one iote of the law, we than transgresse the hole lawe, so sayth. S. Iames. Paul saith, I knowe nought by my selfe, yet am I not thereby iustified. If Paul knowynge nothynge by hym selfe, yet was not therby iusti­fyed, what meaneth it, Cor. iiii. that whā we examyne, & trye our selfe, fyndynge oure selfe gyltie of the hole lawe, [Page] knowynge and felynge also in oure selfes an euyll disposition, & synne, shulde thynke wythout cause, y ^t we haue godly dispositiō, and vertues, mouyng god to iustifie vs? Not w ^t ­standyng also y ^t the scriptures spea­kyng of iustification, Rom. iii. declare it to be frelye gyuē, sayeng al haue synned, & are destitute of y ^e glory of god, but are iustified frely, by his grace, tho­rough y ^e redemptiō that is in Christ Iesu, whom God hath set forth to be the obteyner of mercye, through faith, by the meanes of his bloode. who can more plainly set forth, the true and ryght order of iustificatiō? Esai. xliii. Also the prophete Esaye saith: Put me nowe in remembraunce, for we will reason together, & shewe what thou hast, for to make y ^e ryghtuouse Thy fyrst father offended sore, and thy rulers haue synned against me. [Page] By thys text it is manifeste, y ^t God reproueth al such, which thynk that they haue any thyng, to moue God to iustifie thē, or to endowe thē, w ^t hys grace, & fauour. And therfore if any mā trust to his own merites or partly to chryst, & partly to his own merites, & not holye, and onelye to Christes merites, y ^e same dishonou­reth God, Deuter xviii. whiche dyd sende to vs Christ, whiche only is a sufficiēt sa­uiour, & besydes hym, there is no sauiour. And he doth much iniurie al­so to Christes bloode, & vtterly wā ­teth y ^e sure affiaunce & cōstant trust, to haue remission of his synnes only for Chrystes bloode shed. Whych lyuely fayth onelye iustifieth.

And therfore let all Chrystē men gyue the glory, & honour of iustification only, & holye to God, to whom only it is due. And then also let thē [Page] confesse them, wyth the penytent, & miserable publicane, to be synners, and al their workes to be vnperfyt, ne leste they be condempned wyth the proude pharesai. Luke .v. Remembryng euer that the hole haue no nede of a phisicion, Math. ix. Luke. v. but the sycke. And Chryst came not to calle the righteouse, Math. v. but synners to repentaunce. Luke .i. The hun­grye, and thyrsty for ryghtuousnes, Chryst called blessed, and fulfylleth them with good thynges. And they whyche thynke them selues riche ynough of good merites, God put­teth them awaye emptie, and voyde of all goodnes, as it apeareth in the Apocalipsis, where it is wrytten: I woll vomyt the out of my mouthe, bycause thou sayst, I am riche, and encreased wyth goodnes, and haue neade of nothyng, and knowest not howe thou arte wretched, and mise­rable, [Page] poore, blynde, & naked. I coū ­cell the, y ^t thou bye of me, gold tried in the fyer, that thou mayst be riche. wherfore, a meke & lowlye cōfession of all our thoughtes, workes, & dea­des, to be vnperfyght, whereby we earnestlye repent, leaue, and forsake all trust, and confidence in thē, and then to flye to Christe, trustynge to goddes promyse made to vs of re­missiō of al our synnes, for Christes sake, is a sure, and safe meane, and waye taught by the holye scriptu­res, to haue remissiō of our synnes. whyche saythe, repente and beleue. For where is no repentaunce, there is no belefe. And where as true repentaunce is, there is a constaunt affiaunce, and suer vnfayned truste in goddes promyse made to vs. whiche lyuely faythe onelye appre­hendeth goddes fauoure, and mer­cye, [Page] whereby we be iustified. And thys lyuely fayth bryngeth wyth it the holy goost, whyche renewythe mannes harte, and styreth hym to loue, and to obeye the wyll of God. It causeth the harte to be meeke, lowelye, pacient in aduersitie, libe­rall to hys neyghbour in hys neces­sitie, sober, iuste, fearynge God con­tinuallye, studiouse to mortifie the fleshe, and to auoyde al occasions of synne. And thys lyuyng fayth con­tinuallie steryth, and enforceth the mynde, wyth greate luste, and cou­rage to resyste synne, and all her oc­casions. And in conclusion, thys ly­uyng fayth, moueth the minde with as hote and feruent desyre, to accō ­plysshe and to fulfyll, the good wyl of god, as euer the minde was desyrous and studyouse, to execute, and to fulfylle his owne carnalle concu­piscence, [Page] and euyll lustes.

Wherefore all suche as heare or reade goddes worde, and thynke al suche thynges wrytten therin to be true, and yet not fealyng thē selues chaunged, nor no newe affections, & desyres in theyr hartes sprongen vp to loue God, & to mortifie y ^e flesh, haue not yet receaued that lyuynge faythe, whyche onlye iustifieth, but rather a certayne knowelege, newe opinion or hystoricall fayth, whych dothe not chaunge the harte, nor quycken any newe affection. And bycause they feele not a studie, and wil to stryue agaynste ther olde lustes, they maye well perceaue, that they haue receaued no newe sprete. But yet they saye and thynke that they beleue perfytly, & then they slaūder, and blaspheme the treweth, saieng: that faythe onlye doth not iustifye. [Page] And so they returne to workes, to be iustifyed by them, daylye wor­kynge, and yet neuer felyng, or per­ceauynge any alteration of mynde, wyl, loue, or affection. All the wor­kes, whyche they do, they worke them only, bycause they wold haue a better thyng for theyr worke. And so they be hyrelynges and worke no thynge for loue, but for rewarde, & wages, or elles at the lest wyth ther workes, they wolde pacifie goddes wrath, and obteyne goddes fauour, and so robbe Chryste of hys glorye. whyche by hys Prophete saythe: Esay. xlvi. I wil not gyue my glory to any other. For Christ onlye wyth hys passiō, and deathe dyd pacifie hys fathers wrath, as the scripture wytnesseth: sayeng thys is my welbeloued sone, Math. iii. in whom I am well pleased.

But whan the faythfull allege [Page] the scriptures, sayenge that a man is not iustified, by the deades of the law, but by y ^e faith of Iesu Christ, as Paul saith: Galath. ii. y ^e iusticiaries to that aunswere, that Paul meaneth by y ^t texte, that man is not iustified by y ^e deades, or ceremonies of the lawe. And they further saye, that all they whyche worke the workes cōmaunded by the decaloge, whyche is the law of the ten commaundementes, be by the workyng of the sayde wor­kes iustified. To the whiche the faithfull saye, that yf anye workes myght iustifie, then the ceremonies of the lawe shulde iustifie, because the ceremonies were commaunded of God, to be done for satisfaction, and to make atonemēt for synne, as it apeareth in manye places of the olde testament, and specially Leui. primo, where it is wrytten in thys [Page] fourme: And he shall put his hande vpon the head of the brent sacrifice, and it shalbe accepted for hym to be hys atonement. For the lawe, whiche hathe but the shad­dowe of good thinges to come & not the thinges in theyr own fa­shion can ne­uer with the sacrifice whi­che they offer yere by yere, continuallye make the co­mers therto perfect. Hebr. x. And yet these cere­monies dyd not iustifie, as the iusti­ciaries affyrme, as it apereth Hebre. vij. & .x. And the lawe of the ten commaundementes, was not gyuen of God to iustifie, or to satysfie for syn, but rather to condempne, and to set­forthe synne, wherby man myght knowe hys synnefull nature, and so flye to Christe. The lawe, saythe Paule, meaning the lawe called the decaloge, was geuen to punyshe transgressours, and not that by the workes therof, the workers shulde be iustified. For durynge thys mor­tall lyfe, there is no man hauynge our corruptible, weake, and synfull nature, y ^t cā by any meanes fulfyl, & do the workes of the lawe so perfyt­lye, [Page] as the lawe requyreth them to be done. And where vnperfytnes is there is not, nor canne not be a de­seruynge of grace, and fauoure, but rather of punyshement. Paul sayth, that whyche was impossible to the lawe, in asmuche as it was weake, thorough the fleshe, that perfour­med God, and sent hys sone in the similitude of synfull fresshe, and by synne dampned synne, in the fleshe, that the ryghtuousnes re­quired of the lawe, myght be ful­fylled in them, which walke not af­ter the flesshe, but after the spryte. If Paule saye, it was impossyble for the lawe to iustifie, bycause the flesshe was weake, and not able to perfourme the same: Howe can the iusticiaries affyrme, that the lawe, or any of her workes can, or maye iustifie? Abraham beleued God, and [Page] it was counted vnto him for ryght­wysenes. For the promesse y ^t Abra­ham shulde be heyre of the worlde, was not gyuen to Abraham, Rom. iiii. or to his seed through the lawe, but tho­rough y ^e ryghtwysenes, whiche co­meth of faithe. For yf they, whiche were of the lawe, be heyres, than is faythe but vayne, and the promesse of none effecte. Also when zacheus sayde, Luke. xix. Lorde beholde I geue to the poore halfe my goodes, & yf I haue done any man wrong, I wil restore hym foure folde, Iesus sayd not, y ^t health was comen thys daye vnto hys house, bycause of hys good workes, but because he was be­come the chylde of Abraham, Math. iii. that is to saye a faythfull beleuer. Also Paule saythe not of the deedes of ryghtuousnes, whyche we haue wrought, but of his mercy he saued [Page] vs. Rom. vi. And the same apostle sayethe a­gain y ^t the rewarde of synne is deth, but he sayeth not, that the rewarde of workes of the lawe, other cerimoniall, or of the decaloge, is lyfe. But he concludeth, by the grace of God lyfe eternall to come, and that onely in Christ Iesu our Lorde, and by no other meanes. Al the scriptures witnesse the fame.

And fyrst Abacuc sayeth, Abacuc. ii. the iust lyueth by hys fayth. Also yf Abrahā were made righteous through workes, then hath he wherin to reioyse, but not before God. Rom. iiii. But what say­eth the scripture? Abraham beleued God, and that was counted to hym for ryghteousnes. Israel folowyng y ^e law of rightwysenes, attained not to y ^e lawe of ryghtwysnes. why so? euen bycause they soughte it not out of fayth, Rom. vi. but as it were out of the deseruyng [Page] of workes. By grace are ye saued through faythe, & that not of your selues, Ephes. ii. for it is the gyfte of god & not of workes, lest any man shuld bost hym selfe.

By these authorities of holy scripture, and innumerable more, to ma­ny here to wryte, it appereth that iustifycation is attributed and geuen, truly & only to fayth, & y ^t it is clerely and holy denyed any iustifycation to be geuen to workes. But such mē (sayeth Paule) as knowe not the iu­stice of god, Rom. x. and continually searche and labour to set forth and stablyshe theyr owne ryghtwysenes, be neuer subiecte to the ryghtwysenes, whi­che god aloweth. No, no, the na­turall men do not perceyue those thynges whych perteyne to god, for it is foolyshnes to them. i. Cor. ii. Nother can man perceyue whē he is spiritually [Page] examined, and therfore the iusticia­ries readynge the .x. chapter of Matthew, thynke that it maketh muche for them, whych wel perceyued and vnderstande maketh muche against them. Thys is the storye.

One came and sayd vnto Christ, good master what thynge shal I do that I maye haue eternall lyfe? He sayde vnto hym: why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, and that is god. But yf thou wylte enter into lyfe, kepe the com­maundementes. He sayde whiche? and Iesus sayd thou shalt not kyll, thou shalte not breake wedlocke, thou shalte not steale, thou shalte not beare false wytnes, honour thy father & mother, and y ^u shalt loue thy neghbour as thy selfe. The yōge mā sayd vnto hym. I haue obserued all these thynges from my youth, what [Page] haue I more to do? Iesus sayde vn­to hym. Yf thou wylte be perfyte, go sell that thou hast, and geue it to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heuen, and come and folowe me. when the yonge mā herde that say­eng, he went awaye mournyng, for he had great possessions.

The condicion of all ypocrites here appereth, how they be euer busye to do works, trusting in y ^e same, nothyng regardyng w ^t what herte, loue, & mynde, they shal accōplyshe & fynyshe them. Is it not great folysh­nes to labour for y ^e frute, before the tree spryng vp? So vnwyse a thing it is to study and to labour to do the workes of y ^e lawe, before they know howe to fulfyll the lawe truly. For Paule sayeth, Rom. vii. y ^t the law is spiritual, & can neuer be truely perfourmed & fulfylled w ^t outwarde dede, excepte [Page] the inward loue & affectiō be purged & made spiritual, by y ^e sprite of god

wherfore thys wyse mā of lawe, in godlye & spirituall thynges was but a foole, for he shulde fyrste haue asked, by what meanes he might haue fulfylled the law perfitly. But to hys vngodly question, whych was, what he shulde do & worke to haue eternal lyfe, supposing lyfe to be gyuen by workes, & not frely by grace: Christ answered him so, y ^t he might perceyue, that he coulde not fulfyl y ^e lawe, nor perfourme y ^e workes therof. Notwythstandyng he myndyng to iustifye hymselfe, dyd go awaye, as blynde as he came. And so do all iusticiaries, whyche thynke y ^t they can fulfyl the lawe, & workes therof perfytly, during this mortal lyfe. In the whych although the holy goost be gyuē vnto mē, yet bycause of oure [Page] synfull nature, we be so weake, that we can not perfourme the lawe per­fytlye. But the moste perfyte man, shal complaine with Paule, sayeng: the good whych I wolde do, I do not, and the euyll that I wolde not do, that I do. Who shal deliuer me, from thys bodye of deathe? The grace of God, by Iesu Christ.

These blynde iusticiaries, do not fele the corruption of our synful na­ture, poysoned by the inobedience of oure father Adam, in so muche that the scripture, Math. ix. resembleth vs to mu­stye vesselles, whyche wyll corrupte the best wyne that shalbe putte into them. So althoughe the holy goost, worke hys workes in vs, yet oure corrupte nature dothe so alter and corrupte them, that they be neuer done perfytlye, as the lawe requy­reth them to be done by vs. That [Page] proueth well the Prophete Dauid, Psalm. xiii. sayenge: All haue gone oute of the waye, they be become vnprofytable, there is none that dothe good, no not one. Salomon sayeth: Eccles. vii. there is not one iuste man in the earthe, whyche doth good and synneth not. Also I saye sayeth: Esaye. lxiiii. all oure ryght­wysenes, i. Iohn .i, before God is lyke a filthy cloth. Saynt Ihon sayeth that we be all synners. And he that sayeth that he hath no synne, dothe lye and the trueth is not in hym.

Yf we be synners, Math. vii. surely then be we an yll tree, whych as Christ sayeth, Luke. xvii. can not bryng forth good frute. For when we haue done, al that we can do, yet be we vnprofytable seruaū ­tes, & do but that, which is our duty to do. Psalm. cxlii. Therfore the prophet prayeth y ^t god wil not enter into iudgement [Page] wyth hys seruaunt, for no fleshe shal be iustifyed in hys fyght.

Galath. iii.For a cōclusiō, the scripture hath concluded all vnder synne, that the promyse, Rom. xi. by the fayth in Iesu Christ & not for theyr workes, shuld be gy­uen to the beleuers. They presume to muche, whyche wyth theyr wor­kes wyll chalenge heauen for theyr rewarde, whych Christ only, so painfully hath purchased already. They compare, & make of lyke strength & vertue, Christes blood & theyr good workes. But ones they shall feale & perceyue, that theyr good workes, be not worthy in value to cōteruaile & pacifye goddes wrathe, other they wyll lacke perfection and goodnes, or els they wyll not be sufficient in nombre.

Thys is good cause, to make thē to dout. But yf good workes should [Page] pacifye the fathers wrathe, then christ in vayne, hath suffred so great payne. Also they haue no promyse made by god, y ^t good workes shall pacifye gods wrath, but rather to y ^e contrary. As it appereth by y ^e pro­phete Esay, sayeng: Esaye. lvii. I wyl shewe & declare thy goodnes & thy workes, but they shall not profyte the. And where is no promyse of god, there can not be constant faith, & where is not fayth, there remayneth vnbelefe & mystrust: and where so euer is vn­belefe, there foloweth eternal dampnation, as Christ sayeth, who so be­leueth not, shalbe condempned.

Although al y ^e scriptures declare thys to be true manifestly, Marc. xvi. yet there be many y ^t w ^t this my sentēce wil be greatly offended, sayeng: yf workes do not iustifye, why do the scriptu­res commaunde them so earnestlye [Page] to be done? To suche I aunswere: that the scriptures commaunde, the workes of the lawe to be perfour­med and done, whyche be moste perfyte and godly workes, bycause they be commaunded of God. Yet although they be as perfytly done, as man can deuyse them to be done, they do not iustifye. For we be all vncleane whyche can brynge forthe nothynge cleane, Iob, x. as Iob sayeth, who can make a cleane thynge, of that whyche is vncleane conceyued thorough mannes seede? Math. xvi. Also some allege this texte: The sonne of man shall come in the glorye wyth hys aungels, and then shall rewarde e­uerye man accordynge to hys wor­kes. To thys, I saye, that by thys texte and suche other, it appeareth that the scripture, Deuter. vii. [...]ter. xvi. threateneth more the vngodlye and theyr euell wor­kes, [Page] then to promyse rewarde of ioye, for the meryte of good workes. And where the scripture soun­deth, to gyue rewarde of honoure and glorye, to them whyche per­seuer in well doynge, there is no rewarde promysed to the workes, but to the worker: not for the wor­kes sake, but yet accordynge as the workes do wytnesse, and testifye of the man, which dyd worke them. It is out of order, to prayse the frute before the tree, for the tree maketh the frute good, & the frute not the tree, but only declareth and wytnesseth the goodnes or ylnesse of the tree.

By what more laufull wayes and meanes, maye a man condempne a lyer, then by the vntrewe wordes whyche he hathe spoken, tryed agaynst him? And forthermore good [Page] wordes and workes, and the euyll wordes & workes, whyche we haue spoken and done, shalbe sure proues and wytnesses, other with vs, or els against vs, at the general iudgemēt accordynge to the whych we shal receyue. Yf they be good workes, that we haue wrought, then wyll they wytnes, that we be y ^e faythful chyl­dren of god, to whome of ryght be­belongeth, the enheritaūce & goodes of oure father, before that we can worke of deserue it. For the chyl­dren do enheryte theyr fathers lan­des and goodes, and not the ser­uauntes. And the chyldren do not deserue the inheritaunce, but god rewardeth them wyth eternall lyfe, whyche he gaue them, longe before they coulde worke, as it appeareth Genesis .xxii. and .xv. And although the scriptures promyse a reward to [Page] well workers, yet it promyseth not eternall lyfe, as a rewarde, deserued by y ^e workes, and so due vnto them: for that is only the reward, purcha­sed by Christes death, & frely gyuen before any man can worke. Wher­fore let eternal lyfe, remyssion of our synnes, and iustifycation, be onelye the reward lyberally gyuen by god, onely for Christes sake. And then gyue to workes, all the glorye that the scripture doth gyue, whyche, no doute, to good workes gyueth ma­ny prayses, & as well temporall, as spiritual graces.

Wherfore for the good frute and greate goodnes, whych do ensue & folowe good workes, euerye chri­sten man wyll exercyse good wor­kes.

An other nomber therbe, whyche euer haue in theyr mouthes, thys [Page] proposition: fayth onely iustifyeth, whyche neuer tasted in theyr harte, any parte of that lyuyng fayth, whi­che onely iustifyeth. Suche those be, whyche vse a beestlye, and not a godlye lybertye, in the eatynge of meates, Galat. v. whome Paule reproued, sayenge: gyue not youre lybertye to be an occasion of luste. They forbeare no kynde of meates and drynkes at any tyme, Math. xv. sayenge: that whyche entreth into the mouthe, dothe not defyle a man, nothynge felynge or perceyuynge theyr wan­ton lustes, whyche rage in theyr hartes (more then any nede to eate) and defyle the inwarde man. They remembre not thys texte, whether ye eate or drynke, i. Cor. x. or do any other thynge, Collos. iii. do it in the name of y ^e lorde God dyd not ordeyne thynges to satisfye lustes, but to socoure nede.

These kynde of people fast not, for that wyl hurte theyr cōplexiō, & also theyr god theyr belye wyll neuer suffer them to be quiete, vntyl he be ful & wel serued. Deale almes they wyl not, for feare the people shuld se thē, & they also glorye & reioyce in theyr good dede, & so, greuously offende in hypocrisye. And praye they wyll not, for feare they shulde offende w ^t much speaking, as y ^e heathē dyd. For a cōclusion, ther is no kynde of lust, but they wyl taste it, & the good workes cōmaūded by god, wyll they not do, trustyng onelye to theyr fayned fayth, & false confydence, that it wyl saue them, and couer all theyr wyc­ked lustes, at the general iudgemēt.

These delicate and pleasaūt chri­stians, Iames. ii. saynt Iames reproueth say­enge: what auayleth it my brethren thoughe a man saye he hath faythe, [Page] when he hathe no dedes? wylt thou vnderstande, o thou vayne mā, that fayth wythout dedes is deade? But suche wanton christians, had nede of a fayth to iustifye them, whyche may not be shewed & tryed by theyr workes, for theyr workes be suche, that they be ashamed of them, that they shuld be other sene or knowen, or els they wyl do no good workes, ne lest they shuld haue confidence to be saued by thē. And lyke as to haue confidence in good workes, to be iu­stifyed by them, is erronious, so in lyke wyse, to beleue that good wor­kes shall not be rewarded of god, is deuylyshe and dampnable. But yet the scriptures seme, oftentymes to attribute & gyue eternal lyfe, to workers of good workes as a rewarde and sometyme to workes. But well consydered, it is not for the workes [Page] sake, as deserued thereby. But eter­nall lyfe, is a reward frelygyuen by God to al the faythful for Christes sake only, which benefyte well per­ceaued, tasted & feled in our hertes, wyll cause vs to worke wyth loue ernestly, bycause we haue receyued frely, through Christes deseruyng, eternall lyfe. And not bycause we shall receyue eternal lyfe, for the de­seruyng of our workes. For so wor­kes shulde be iniuriouse to Christes bloode and death, whych onlye is y ^e price of eternall lyfe. Also the scrip­tures apere to attribute eternal life to good workes, to moue & to steare other, diligentlye to worke good workes. And bycause the workes of the faythfull, be sene of men, and the inwarde faith canne not be out­wardly sene, & perceaued, therefore the scripture applieth eternall lyfe [Page] to workes, as to the cause, whyche truely examyned, be but the effecte of faith, which is y ^e very true cause. And although, no dowte, to good workes manye & greate rewardes be due as wel tēporall as spirituall: Yet all the places, whyche sound to gyue eternal lyfe, as a reward other to good workers or to good workes must be vnderstande, as I haue be­fore shewed, or elles they shal cause workes to be estemed better, than they in trueth be, or can be proued, and also shal cause Christes bloode, to be of lytle reputacion. Wherfore that euerye good Christian, maye walke the true waye, nothynge tru­stynge to haue remission of his syn­nes for his good workes, which only perteyneth to God, & is hys only gyfte, nor to thynke y ^e good workes shalbe vnrewarded by God, whose [Page] reward excedeth al mās vnderstan­dynge & knowlege. I wyll declare therefore some causes, why good kes shuld be done.

First, ii. Pet. i. that they maye wytnesse to vs certaynly, that oure fayth is ly­uynge, and not deade. For a lyuyng tree, wyll bryng forth frute, in tyme and season. Math. v. Secondelye that other seyng our good workes, may be ꝓuoked to do also good workes.

Thyrdlye, Luke .xvi. we must do good wor­kes, to rendre & gyue accōptes, of y ^e talent to vs from God cōmytted.

Fourthly, i. Petri. ii. that through oure good workes, our heuenly father may be glorified. Fyftely, Esay. lvii. Rom. xiiii. i. Cor. x. lest through our euil workes, we be offence to other.

Syxtely, Ephes. ii. of dutye we be bound to worke well, for therefore we be iu­stified, that we myght and shulde worke well.

ii. Petri. i.Seuēthlye, God which did geue al thynges, Psal. xxxiii. commaundeth vs to do wel, sayenge: declyne frō euyll, & do good. Now it apereth, y ^e good wor­kes be to be done, as frutes of iusti­ce, which not withstādyng make no man iuste, but witnesse that he is iuste. Also it is euidēt, that a liuyng fayth, which euer worketh by loue, doth onlye iustifie, & also such wor­kes, as spryng out of a lyuing faith, shal not be vnrewarded, & that with great rewardes. And the workes do testifie, that thys fayth, is a lyuyng faith. The workes, which this faith euer bryngethe forthe, be these. To feare and to loue God, to loue hys neybour, cōtinuallye to crucifye the fleshe with al her lustes. And as he dayly synneth, so he dayly lamēteth, askyng God forgeuenesse there of, studyenge euer, howe to resyste the [Page] same, & all occasions thereof, & also prayeth God daylye, to geue hym grace to resiste synne. And bycause he feleth in hym selfe, y ^t al his good thoughtes, wylles & deades be vn­perfyt, & lacke the goodnes whyche the lawe requireth in thē, therfore he knowelegeth hys good deades, and thoughtes, to be synfull & conti­nually prayeth God, to forgeue and to pardon the synfulnes of thē. Ney­ther he ascribeth, nor imputeth, any iustification, to hys good workes, but rather flyeth to Gods mercye, which is promised to al true repen­ters, for Chrystes bloode sake, tru­stynge therby constantly, and ther­fore only, to haue eternall lyfe.

And as touchyng good workes, he is glad euer whan occasiō is ge­uen, to worke them, as well as he can, and soroweth, that he can not [Page] do thē with more perfytnesse & loue: But as perfytly as he can, he dothe them, hauynge respecte, onlye to the good will, great mercy and fauour, which God for Christes sake hathe shewed on hym, in forgeuynge hym hys synnes. He thynketh him bound of duetie, for loue to do thē, so that hys workes spryng out of a louyng herte, remembrynge the loue, which God hath before shewed, in gyuyng hym eternall lyfe freelye.

Nowe it apereth, that good wor­kes sprynge forth of a louyng hart, whyche no man canne haue, except he fyrste beleue, that God for verye loue, which he beareth to hym, for­geuethe hym all hys synnes, & that frelye for Christes sake, who is hys iustice, satisfaction, holynes and re­demption.

After this sort and good fashion, [Page] I wolde that all Christians shulde do ther good workes, for loue whi­che they bere to God, for the great and inestimable benefytes (whiche they vndeserued of theyr part) haue receaued of God, and not for anye thynge, whyche they wolde for theyr workes sake, or worthynes, receaue of God. For than, there en­tent and workynge, is grounded vpon the loue of theyr selfe, and not vpon the loue of God, and so be no good workes, but vnparfyt and full of synne. And so thys declara­tion of iustification by faythe, and of the efficacitie and strengthe of good workes, is a suffycient doc­tryne, I truste, to all the faythfull.

And as to them whose eyes be closed, and made blynde, and whose hartes be hardened, I dyd not [Page] mynde to wryte, but in the mean season, I wyll praye to God at hys good wyll and pleasure, to open theyr eyes, and to mollifye the hartes, that they may be conuert [...] and that he maye make them hole, of whome onlye all healthe is, to whome be all honour and glorye. AMEN.