willingly haue saved theym for he did promyse to theym emong other the heritage of his kingdome and had made theim his children but they dampne theym silves They are the children of God as concerning goddis behalf but they are alweyes dampned bicause of they re disobedience Ye some tyme god calleth suche people his freÌ„des not that they be so but bicause thei mought haue bin so Mat. 2 As he said vnto Iudas My freÌ„d whie art thou come hither Mat. 2 And vnto hiÌ„ that came vnto the wediÌ„ges my freÌ„de how art thou entred here not hauiÌ„g the weddiÌ„g garmeÌ„t Behold he is called freÌ„de yet neverthelesse he suffreth hiÌ„ to be cast into darknesse he had biÌ„ the freÌ„d of god if he wold haue coÌ„sented to the wil of god 1 Iohn Saint Iohn saieth There is now mani anÌ„christes thei weÌ„t out froÌ„ vs were not of vs for if they had byn of vs they had bydden with vs. So be all people the children of god but there be many that make theym silves vnworthy aÌ„d depart theym silves from god The other sonne that abideth with his father is a sonne and abydeth a sonne and heyre bicause he is obeisaunt vnto his father He hath not deserved by his good lyfe and obedience the possessyon aÌ„d goodes of his father but he hath onely byn well ware that he hath not lost theym by disobedieÌ„ce For the father may sey Dere son it is true that thou hast kept to the best of thy power my commaundementes notwithstâ—nding thy goodnesse had never made the riche yf I had not gotten it Then lyke wise all though that we kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god never so streytly it shuld profit vs nothing if it were not that Iesu christ had obteyned for vs the lyfe eternall byfore of his hevynly father by his deth Oure goodnesse or iustice shulde profit vs nothing if Iesus christ had not laboured for vs. For as saieth saint Paule The lawe hath brought nothing vnto perfection Hebr. 7 The Iues kept the coÌ„maundementes and the lawe of god yet they coâ—de not come vnto heven It was nedeful that Iesu Christ must first dye for theym Lykewyse can we not be saved by oure workes Oure helth is come to vs of god For if by oure workes we may got helth â—hen must we nedes say that Christ is dede in vayne As saieth saint Paule Ye if workes mought haue saved Abraham Isaac Iacob David and many other Iuâ—s had byn saved as we haue seyd byfore the natiuyte of Iesu Christ for they kept better the commaundementes of god then we do But god will do it alone to thintent that none glorifie or bost him silf therof and that to him alone and to none other he gyven all honour and glory for ever Amen For as wryteth saynt Paule The scripture concludeth al thinges vnder sinne that the promys by the feyth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyven vnto theym that beleve Ga. 3 For this cause when the parsone knoweth surely that god hath made hym childe of the everlasting lyfe by hys deth byfore he had deserved it he will do agayne to god all the service that he can thinke and all by love aud kindnesse shewing that he will not be vnkind not to get eny thing of godbut bycause he is his good father and that he hath receyved al thinges of him For we haue nowe alredy al that wherfore we must serve god For he hath made vs his children and his heyres while we were his enimyes and byfore that we knewe him as we haue many tymes byfore saied And hereyn lyeth the deserving of the christen faith that thou beleve certeynly that thou art the child of god and that thou kepest his commaundementes bicause thou knowest and belevest stedfastly that he hath so made the riche greate and that thou servest him by this faith as a good childe his father For the childe douâ—teth not but beleveth stedfastly that he shall haue the substaunce of his father and bycause he beleveth it stedfastly he laboureth for to entreteyne it So shalt thou beleve without doubting eny thing that thou art enheryter of heven And therfore shalt thou do thy diligence to kepe that herytage to the honour of thy father Thou shalt be ware that thou anger him not but thou shalt thanke him oft bycause he hath gyven the thys hevenly herytage Behold nowe seist thou well bifore thine yien howe moche we are bound to thaÌ„ke prayse and serve god and to kepe hys commaundementes and to kepe vs from sinne and to do many good workes of faith by verey love ¶ Of two maner people lyving in this world Chaptre xi THere are iÌ„the world ij sortes of people good evill be coÌ„pared vnto the two theves that suffred on the crosse with Iesu christ â–ª the good are berokened by the theef on the right side which axed pardoÌ„ thei be thei that knowlege theÌ„ silves pore sinners fele mekely of them silves Lu. 18 as did the poore publican that durst not lyft vp hys yies toward heven for they knowe that they haue not kept the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god so streytly as thei were bound They perceyue also that though thei thiÌ„ke to kepe theÌ„ never so well they fele theim silves failing alweyes in detraction â—n hastinesse in anger in idell wordes in infidelite aÌ„d in lakke of loue albeit that suche folke do moche goodyet they re conscience is not content and in rest but as coÌ„cerning theym silves euer in sorowe For they knowe that they must appere byfore the rightuous iudge bifore whose face as sayeth the Psalmist shall none lyving be iustified if we shuld be iudged after oure deservinges Psal. 142 And therfore come they and cast theym silves prostrate byfore the mercy of god and sey with the thefe on the right syde Lu. 23 Lorde haue mynd on me when thou comest into thy kiÌ„gdome Thou hast commaÌ„unded me many thinges and I perceyue in my silf that I am frayle and caÌ„not entierly kepe thy commaundementes though I loke never so well therto Neverthelesse I knowe that thou nedest not my good workes Seing it is so that thou hast so moche loved me that thou woldest suffer deth for me when I dyd not yet knowe the and was yet thyne enemye I haue trust vnto the my most mercyfull god that thou wilt not suffre hym to periss he for whome thou hast shed thy bloude For I knowe that thou art a lord almightye that mayest all thinges in heven and in erth And I knowlege and worship the am certeyn that thou wilt not dampne me Albeit that I haue not deserved heven by my good workes I knowe and beleve that thou hast satisfied for me wheÌ„ thou dydest suffre deth on the crosse Thou hast bought me agayn with thy precyous bloude and I am thyne the devell hath no ryght in me Neverthelesse yf thou wylt dampne me o mercyfull god thou mayest well do it
it behoveth that thou beleve him stedfastly without ony maner waveringe to thinten that thou knowe that it is all grace and not deserving and that the wordes and promyses of god be verey certein and true for god hath called vs his children as saint Paule saieth Because that ye are sonnes god hath sent the sprite of hys sonne into oure hertes crying Abba father Then arte thou nowe no servaunt but a sonne Gala. 4 and if thou be a sonne then art thou also heyre of god by christ aÌ„d so be we delyvered from oure sinnes and from the bondage of the devell and made heyres of the kingdome of heven by the benefit of Iesu christ He beleveth in god that putteth all his trust and hope in god and in the iustice of god living after his power accordinge to the rule of charite having no maner hope nor trust in the world in his good works or good life but alonly in the goodnesse of god and in the merites of Iesu christ beleving certeynly that god will hold to hym that he hath promysed remission of sinnes and certeynte of everlasting life He that doth so is a true christen and beleveth stedfastly that the wordes of god must nedes be true Notwithstanding that according to his workes he thinketh it a thing ympossible Neverthelesse he beleveth that he shal be saved without deservinge of any good workes rather then the wordes of god and all thinges that they do promyse shuld not come to passe As writeth saynt Paule of Abraham which beleved rather that his wife whiche was bareyne out of thage of generacyon shuld conceyve a childe rather theÌ„ the promyse of god shuld not be fulfilled And by this fayth was Abraham reputed iuste byfore God not by his good workes So behoveth it that euery christen do albeit that it seme to him ympossible to be saved bycause he hath done no good he shall neverthelesse stykke stedfastly vnto the goodnesse and mercy of God and vnto hys worde yn suche maner that he doubt not yn nothyng Lu. 2â— For Christ sayeth in Saynt Luke Heven and erth shall passe but my worde shall never passe Of this sayth wryteth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 10. whosoever shall call on the name of the lord God shal be saved He therfore that calleth vppon hym on whome he beleveth not that he may helpe hym loseth but his laboure Therfore thou must first beleve in hym And then if thou call vppon hym with suche a fayth as we haue spoken of thou shalt be saved Of this fayth speaketh also the prophete Esaie as recyâ—eth Saynt Paule the apostle yn the forseyd Chaptre All they that beleue yn hymshall not be ashamed And ageyn saint Paule Ro. 10 If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and that thou beleue with a perfaict herte that God hath reised christ froÌ„ deth thou shalt be saved And the word that Christ preched first as recyteth Saint Marke was The tyme is full come and the kingdome of god is evyn at honde repent and beleve the gospell Mar. 1 Of this faith writeth lyke wise saint Iohn and they be the wordes of Christ vnto Nicodemus as Moyses lift vp the serpent in wildernesse even so must the sonne of man be lift vp that no man that beleveth in him perisshe but haue eternall life Iohn 3 God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely sonne for the entent that none that beleve in him shuld perisshe but shuld haue everlasting life And a lytell after he that beleveth in him shall not be coÌ„dempned and ageyn in the same chaptre He that beleveth on the sonne hath everlasting life and he that beleveth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrathe of god abideth vppon him By all these escriptures here maist thou see that we be all the children of God alonly thorowe faith and this had God lever promyse vnto vs bicause of oure faith then bicause of oure good workes to thintent that we shuld be so moche the more certeyn of oure helth And therfore saith saint Paule by faith is the enheritaunce gyven that it might come of grace that the Ro. 4. promyse be sure and stedfast to all the seade for if god had said whosoever will do suche or suche workes shal be saved we shuld ever haue byn iÌ„certeyn whether we shuld haue byn saved or not for we shuld never haue knowen whether we had dogood ynough to haue deserved the lyfe eternall But nowe god hath promysed it vnto vs bicause of oure faith by hys favoure not by oure workes to thintent that we be the more sure therof For let vs beleve stedfastly and we may knowe for certeyn that we be the childreÌ„ of god Not that we haue deserved it but bycause he hath promysed it And it must nedes be that the word of god be true for this cause if we haue perfeit trust in god and beleve perfeitly in him we shal be sure that we shal be saved It was suche a feith that saint Paule had when he seid 2. Ti. â— I knowe and am sure that he to whome I haue coÌ„mitted and gyven my gage to kepe ys mighty ynough to kepe it for me tyll that day And ageyn I haue fought a good batayl 2. Ti. 4. I haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the faith from hensforth is leyd vp for me a crowne of rightuousnesse whiche the lord that is a rightuous iudge shall give me at that day Not vnto me onely but vnto all theym whiche love hys coming 1. Ioh. 3 And saint Iohn saieth Derely beloved nowe are we the sonnes of God And yet it hath not appered whate we shal be we knew that wheÌ„ he shal appere we shal be like hiÌ„ for we shal see hiÌ„ as he is This faith had also saynt Martine at the houre of his deth when he saide vnto the devell whye art thou here thou bloudy beest thou hast nought in me the seed of Abraham shall receyve me This suertye had likewise saint Imbrose when one axed hym if he feared not the deth he answered whye shuld I feare seyng that we haue one so good a lordâ— For this cause must we love the deth and more desyre to dye aÌ„d to be with god as dyd saint Paule then to feare the deth Phi. 1 for Iesu christ is deede for vs to thintent that we shuld not feare to dye And he hath flayne the deth and hath destroyed the streynght of deth as writeth saint Paule saying 1. Cor. 15 O deth where is thy victory It is swalowed and brought to nought by victory Phi. 1 And vnto the Philippyans Christ is my life and deth is to me advauntage ¶ Howe that feith bryngeth Charyte and Charyte good workes Chaptre .viij. NOwe might one axe when I beleve certeynly that I am the childe of god that Iesu christ hath satisfied for me vnto hys hevenly father
reward it and that he so reward the goodnesse that he hath done himsilf by his holy sprite beyng in vs. And therfore haue we nothing but that that comyth of god vppon whome we must abyde for I haue often sayed Christ is oure iustice that is to sey Christ hath satisfied for vs not to thintent that we shuld not satisfye but bycause we can not satisfye And wheÌ„ one vnderstondeth this he seeth well howe he shuld humble him silf byfore God and in whome he shal seke his helth And when we thus distrust in ur silves of oure good workes we shall forsake our silf and stikke all holly to god with a stedfast faith and parfait trust And so doyng we make force vnto the kingdome of heven And this is it that God requyreth of vs and then he holdeth to vs hys promyse and he iustifieth vs when we dye with suche a trust not for oure workes but for hys holy name For he hath promysed vs that we shall be his children So brought he the children of Israell into the lond of promission not by they re meryte for they were many tyme rebelles and murmured ageynst hym but to fulfyll hys promyse For he had promysed it to AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob So shall not the Christen distrust albeit he fynde no good in hym sylf nor yn his owne vertue but he shall yeld hym sylf hoelly to the mercy of god and axe pardon of his imperfection wyth a perfayt trust consydering howe grete love Christ hath shewed vnto hym And thus doyng he geâ—â—eâ—h an hope and trust yn the goodnesse of God and beleveth stedfastly that his synnes are forgyven not by his good workes for when they be compared vnto the goodnesse requyred of God there ys no comparyson but by Iesu Christ to whome he putteth his trust For Iesu Christ possessith the kingdome of heven by double ryght First for bycause he is the sonne of God and verey enheryter of his Royalme Secundly bycause he hath gotten hyt by his passyon and deth Of this secunde right he hath no nede and therfore he gyveth it to all theym that beleve and trust yn hym and yn hys promyses For as God the father loveth Christ he loveth likewise all theym that love him beleve in him So there shall none discomfort hiÌ„ silfe when he shall dye but he must beleve surely that he shal be saved And albeit that one have not deserved by his good works yet neverthelesse he must beleve it bicause of the promyse of god for god hath promysed it to all theym that beleve it And if we beleve it he owith hyt vnto vs bycause of hys promesse and bycause that he ys true But if God had promysed heven vnto vs bycause of oure workes we shuld ever be vnsure of oure helth for we shuld never knowe howe moche nor howe loÌ„g we must laboure to be saved and shuld be ever in thought that we had done to litell and that more is we shuld never dye ioyfully But god wold assure vs of heven by his promesse to thintent we shuld be certeyn and sure For he is the truthe that can not lye And also to thintent that we shuld haue trust aÌ„d hope in him Notwithstonding that after the gretnesse and multitude of oure synnes it seme to vs a thing impossible yet alweyes we shall beleve it without ony doubt bicause of his sure promesse And whosoever knowyth thys he may ioyfully dye and abyde the iudgement of God whyche els were yntollerabill ¶ Howe that we shall not sorowe for feare of deth Chaptre .xv. THe helth of a Christen lyeth not in this life or in that that one lyveth longe yn this world but rather yn the deth For we can not be saved but by deth Therfore the deth in him silf is not yvill but is rather to be desyred As did saint Paule saint Martyne saint Austyn and many other saintes whiche desired al the deth for in this lyfe there is no proufit but alwey to sinne more and more and alweyes vnredy to dye Therfore thou shalt diligently studye and exercise thy silf in this present boke aÌ„d in the faith wherof I haue moche spoken of aÌ„d then forsaking thy silf entyerly thou shalt trust vnto the grace mercy and good will of god alweyes rather desiring to dye and to be with god then to lyve here ony longer This shall thy sprite desyre for the flesshe can not desyre suche thinges And so shalt thou holde thy silf stedfastly vnto god beleving that thou art his childe and that he is thy father that thou belongest to him For God hath bought the ageyn and hath made the his child and his heyre wheÌ„ thou were yet hys enymye And if he haue bought the when thou knewest hym not howe moche more will he nowe take the to mercy when thou knowest hym and when thou axest mercy with a stedfast fayth and trust in hym And bycause a man can not lyve here without synne therfore he can never satisfye vnto God for hys synnes And for this cause shall the Christen willingly yeld hym silf vnto the deth for the love of God As Iesus Christ hath done for vs. And by suche a willing deth which is taken with a good will by suche fayth and trust and also by the love that we have to God all synnes are clerely defeated and put awey For none can do more greate penaunce then to dye wyllingly for to fulfill the will of God Therfore thou shalt not be sory for deth but thou shalt forsake willingly and with a ioyfull hert all thy goodes and all thy frendes for to obey god They that die with suche a courage and suche a trust yn god it is a certeyn signe that they be saved And to thintent that none shuld feare or be discomfort by deth Christ is first deed him silf and hath takeÌ„ awey the power of deth None shall haue horror of the deth if he haue this feith for it is nowe none other thing but a dore and entre wherby one goith from this lyfe teÌ„porall vnto the life eternall For christ saieth by the mouth of the prophete Osee. Osee. 13 1. Cor. 15 O deth I wil be thy deth And saint Paule saieth Deth where is thy victory Wherfore yt is moche to be rebuked the folisshe custume and maner of wepyng bewaylyng and takyng of sorowe for the deed as though we had no maner of hope or beleve on the other lyfe Let the paynems wepe and wayle which haue no hope of the euerlastyng lyfe I mervayle that we be so moche ynfideles seyng that seint Paul teacheth vs not to be sory for oure frendes deed saying vnto the Thessalonyans My bretheren we wyll not that ye be ignoraunt of theym that slepe that ys to sey of theym that be deed to 1. Tessa 4 thintent ye shulde not be sory as are other that have no hope Behold Saynt Paule calleth the deth none other thyng but a
¶ The summe of the holye scripture and ordinarye of the Christen teachyng the true Christen faithe by the which we be all iustified And of the vertue of baptesme after the teaching of the Gospell and of the Apostles with an informacyon howe all estates shulde lyve accordynge to the Gospell Anno. M. CCCCC.XXIX Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber SEing that all persones can not rede or vnderstonde all bokes to th eÌ„tent that every man may knowe whate ys the foundacyon of all the scriptures and whate thinge they do teache vs. I haue shortly compyled in this present boke the foundacyon and the somme of the holy scripture of the which the hede and princypall is the faith â—from whome procede hope and charite To thintent that euery maÌ„ may knowe whate he shall beleve whate he shall hope whye he shall love god and howe god is oure father and we hys children and howe that we be enheriters of the kingdome of god as shewith vnto vs saint Paul in all his epistles in divers chaptersâ— whiche be many tymes alleged and recyted in this present boke Also howe that without oure merites we be iustified to thintent that we shuld not put oure trust in oure good workes as dyd the Iues. Neverthelesse albeit that I wryte in this boke that God iustifieth vs wyth out oure good workes and merites it ys not myne entent to discounsell eny maÌ„ to do good werkes but myne euient is to teche all persones howe they shall do the werkes and that they shall not trust vpoÌ„ theire good werkes nor in theym to seke theire helâ—â—â— â–ª but all only in the feith of Iesu Christ and in the grace of god This faith had Abraham as writeth saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 4. For Abraham beleved agaynst hope in hope That is to saye that whiche by mannes nature and vertue was impossible he beleved alwayes hit shulde come to passe evyn as god had promysed them So must every christen lyve ageinste hope in hope that is to sey hit behoveth that he repute all his good workes for sinne and thinke that if god wolde iudge him accordinge to his workes he might not be saved For if I haue done eny good hit is of God and not of me for I haue done it by the grace of God and therby I deserve no reward And if I haue done eny thinge of my silfe without the grace of god hit is ypochrisye and greate sinne and therby I deserve euerlastinge deth wherfore then shall I trust in my good workes for I haue no good workes all my goodnesse belongeth to god So shulde a christeÌ„ huÌ„ble him silfe and repute all his good workes for sinne as truely they be As sheweth vnto vs Esaye saying all oure rightuousnes be as a clothe polluted with the floures af a woman Esa. 64 â–ª And when the person so distrusteth of him silfe and of his good workes he shall hope agayn ageinst hope and shall trust in the mercy of God and shall beleve forth on certaynly that he shal be saved bycause of the worde of God For god hath promysed to vs his realme to all theym that trust in him and god is faithfull and veritable in his wordes wherfore seyng that god hath promysed it vnto vs â–ª let vs beleve it stebfastly and haue ferme fayth that we shal be saved not by oure deserving but by the promyses of god And so it behoveth that euery christen dispere aÌ„d hope as dyd Abraham dispeyre of him silfe and then a newe to trust in the worde of god And these be the two thinges which the lawe and the gospell doth The lawe maketh vs to dispeyre because that we never fulfill the coÌ„maundementes of god â–ª These gospell that is to say the grace of the newe testament maketh vs agayn certeynly to hope and to trust And for to teache these two thynges be wrytten all the criptâ—res The parson shall alweyes abideâ—â— humylyte and alweyes thynke that if god wolde iudge hym according to hys workes he shulde never come vnto helth As sheweth vnto vs Iesus christe in Lu. 17 S. Kuke sayng when ye haue done all the thinges whiche to you are commauded say ye we be vnprousitable servauntes we haue done but oure dutye And thys is the verey Christen humylite as in this present boke shal be more pleynly declared And if we can thus repute all oure good workes for sinne aÌ„d in theym to have no maner of trust and then ageyn beleve that we shal be saved by the promyses of god we be the children of Abraham of whome all the scriptures bere witnesse that by his faith he was iustified and gat helth And for that cause he is called the father of belevers and of the feithfull And this ys the fayth wherof I wryte here iÌ„ this boke to thintent that all parsones myght come to knowledge and knowe whate ys the Christen sayth Of the whyche all the scriptures do speake and namely the Gospell after S. Iohn and the epistles of S. Paule for heryn do these two apostles coÌ„prehend all other scripture And for bicause that it behoueth that the parson beleve that his faith iustifieth him and not his workes I haue shortly compyled here and declared howe the fayth doth iustifie vs and howe we be the children of God and howe we must serve oure father by charite and howe that we shalt nothyng doubt of oure helth bycause of the wordes of God And when a parson getteth thys hope he learneth to bere pacyenly all tribulacyon and adversite For he knoweth that this lyfe ys not hys lyfe and hath greate desyre aftrr the other lyfe and holdeth not this lyfe for hys And this maketh the fayth the whiche ys alwayes affectuously attendaunte after Christ oure espouse But he that hath not this fayth is all desolate when he hath mysfortune and yf to hym yt happon well he gyveth hym silfe to voluptuosite and sinne And for bicause he hath no hope of the everlasting life he thinkes in him silf I will vse this life as long as it is leÌ„t me And that he doth bicause he knoweth not whate oure feith is whate our hope is howe that we be the children of God To thintent therfore that none gyue him silfe to sinne by desperacion I have shortly compyled in this present boke howe that we be iustified with out oure merites For when eny parson hath done his best with all his power as I haue seyd then let him say yet that he is an vnproufitable servaunt And the humble her te wherby he knowlegith his imperfection maketh that his sinnes his evell thoughtes and the fragilite of his flesshe to him be pardoned of god and that lytell that he hath god gyveth it him of him silfe and god is his iustice that is to saye god maketh him rightuous for Iesu christ hath satisfied for vs vnto his heveÌ„ly father for to come in socoure to oure infirmite And this describeth
do with vs ▪ for we be his we live or dye saith saint Paule Ro. 14. For this cause he that with a stedfast faith suffereth and endureth paciently all thinges tribulacions is a christen And this is the faith and the stedfast stone vppon the whiche the cristente is founded For in this doing we beleve ād trust stedfastly that god is oure father and that he will not forsake vs albeit that nowe he do here chastise vs for as I haue sayd there can be no more certayn signe that god loveth the. thē whē sorowe and tribulacion happeneth vnto the. for all the scriptures of the newe testament promyse vs here nothing but sorow and sufferaunce ¶ Of the most certayn weye to come to salvacyon Chaptre v. THis must euery Christē knowe that none syns the tyme of Adam vnto this day hath deserved the euerlasting life by his good workes And that none by his good workes shall deserve it Hebre. 7 as writeth saint Paule vnto the Hebrewes The lawe hath brought nothing vnto perfection wherfore all they do erre that thinke that then they shal be saved whē they haue done many good workes And like wise all they that thinke that they shal be dampned when they have done no good For good workes make no mā certeyn that he shal be saved And he that hath done no good is not also certeyn that he shal be dampned The workes can gyve no maner certeynte For the Pharisey that had done moche good whiche loked for grete reward of god was reproved and despised Luke ◠As writeth saint Luke where the pharisey thanked god that he was not as other were extorcioners vniust aduoutrers nor as the publican was and bosted him silf of his good workes And the publican that had done no good and confessed mekely his sinnes was of God receyved vnto grace for this cause to thintent that euery man may knowe that god hath no nede of oure good workes for to save vs with all I will declare here first how we be iustified and obteyne helth First we must knowe that by the originall sinne we were made subiectes and servauntes vnto the devell and none yn the world mought helpe vs for all mankinde was dettoure vnto God And that worse was we did not knowlege oure mysery nor are socoure of god Then when there was no comforte nor meane to helpe vs and to deliver vs ageyne from the subiection of the devell Oure god almightye by his greate mercy and goodnesse of him silf hath willingly suffred that his onely begotten son Iesu Christ was made mortall man for vs to thintent that by his deth whiche he had not deserved he might by vs ageyn and delyuer vs from eternal deth wherunto we were all subiectes As writeth saint Paule saying Ro. 5 If it be so that by the sinne of one man that is to sey of Adam deth hath reygned vppon many moche more the grace of god and the gyft of grace of one man Iesuchrist aboundeth vppon many Ephe. 2 And vnto the Ephesians Blessed be God father of oure lorde Iesu christ whiche hath blessed vs with a spirituall benediction by his son Christ. Thus is this grace comen hoelly to vs from god of his goodnesse and not by oure meryte or good workes For we dyd not knowlege oure bondage and subiectyon nor dyd not ones desyre to be delyvered from oure myserye Then for asmoche as the devell dyd se◠honde vppon Chryst to whome he had no right for bicause he had not sinned christ hath gotten right vppon vs agaynst the devell and hath made vs fre and delyvered vs and we be made his heyres and all his glory is ours as saint Paule doth largely declare in all his epistles This hath God gyven vs without oure deservyng and we nede not to laboure for these thinges For we haue all this alredy As witnessith saynt Iohn saying Iohn ◠Behold whate love the father hath shewed on vs that we shuld be called the children of God And in the same chapter sayeth he Derely beloved nowe are we the children of god This helth hath god gyven to vs willingly by hys sonne Iesu Christ. For Iesu Christ ys bycome man to satisfie vnto hys father for vs and to make oure peace with hys father Ro. 3 And as writeth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns sayīg we be iustified frely by the grace of God and by the redempcyon whyche ys in Iesu Christ. So ys Christ made a mediator and a peace maker bywene God the father and man As sayeth saynt Paule vnto the Hebrewes he may make theym safe for ever that come vnto god by hym Hebre. 7 he is allweyes lyving for to praye for vs Suche an hyghe prest it becometh vs to haue whiche is holy harmles vndefiled separat from sinners and made hygher thē hevens And by his deth it is graūted vs that we be christen and children of God Gala. 3. As lyke wise teacheth saint Paule saying Ye are all the children of God by the faith whiche is in Iesu christ And for asmocheas Iesu christ is made man he is also made oure brother And seyng we be his bretheren we be also heyres of his glory whiche he hath with his father as sayth saint Paule vnto the Romayns whiche hath not spared his owne sonne Ro. 8. but hath gyvē him for vs all howe shall he not also gyue vnto vs all thinges with him We be then sure that all that is Iesu Christes is ours if we can beleve it Some man mought demaund Hath god the father willingly gyven vs all this hath none deserved it No truely None hath deserved it None by his deserving or good workes hath enduced god to do this But he hath done it of him silf and by his greate mercy Hiere 3◠as saieth the prophete Ieremy In a perpetuell charite I haue loved the And therfore haue I had compassion on the and haue taken the to mercy Iohn 3. And Iesu christ saieth in the gospell of saint Iohn God hath so loved the world that he hath gyven his onely begotten sonne to thintent that whosoever beleve yn him shuld not perisshe but haue everlastīg life as wryteth S. Paule If a lawe had byn gyven which might haue iustified the iustice shuld haue byn truely of the lawe Gala. ◠But the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne to thintent that the promyse shuld be gyven vnto the belevers by fayth And vnto the Romayns If God be for vs who is he that may be againste vs as though he wold saye Ro. 7. None for we haue receyved all thing of god with his sonne But whate thing haue we receyved this lybertye from the subiection of the devell that is remission of all sinnes that ys the ioy and glory of the everlastinge life And this hath god gyven vnto vs by his sonne as saint Paule sayeth vnto the Hebruwes The bloude of Christ whiche by the holy
his hoÌ„des thei yeld no thaÌ„kes vnto god as did S. Paul vnto the ColossiaÌ„s Col. â— sayiÌ„g we gyve thaÌ„kes vnto god the father which hath made vs mete for to the partakers of the inheritauÌ„ce of saintes in light whiche hath delyvered vs from the power of derknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his dere sonne in whome we haue redempcion thorowe his bloude that is to sey forgevenesse of sinnes Such people get lest of all and are in many tymes reprobate and forsaken of god Lu. 18 As the Pharisey whiche rehersed vnto god his good workes as though he had not knoweÌ„ theym But if thou wilt haue the kingdome of heven I counsed the that thou trust nothing in thy good workes but that thou be exercising thi silf after thy power in dedes of charite and mercy toward thy christen brother So as oure lord teacheth yn the gospell saying Lu. 17. when ye haue done all that to you is commaunded yet say ye we be vnproufitable servauntes Suche humble opinion and feling must a christen haâ— if he wil be saved For as saint Petre sayeth God resisteth alweyes the proude but vnto the humble he gyveth grace 1. Pe. 5. for god loveth moche more a sinner whyche humbleth him silf axing mercy then one that thinketh that he is holy and that he hath done many good workes exaltynge him silf in theym and thinkinge that God owith to him the kingdome of heven bycause of his good workes For as I haue seyd God will save none for his good workes but he wil save vs all by his mercy to thintent that we shuld thanke hym for it and to thintent that to him alone aÌ„d to his name may be gyven all glory preyse and grace and that all the worlde may prayse and exalte the goodnesse and mercy of him alone Ro. 3 For saint Paule saieth that the rightuonsnesse that cometh of god ys declared without the fulfillinge of the lalawe and for this cause wold God suffre none to come into euerlasting lyfe byfore the comyng of Iesus christ nether Abraham Isaac nor David Ro. 3 For as saint paule seyth they all haue sinned and lacke the preyse that is of valure byfore God and this he wolde also to thintent that bothe they and we shuld also knowe that all they that haue obteyned or shal opteyne helth haue and shall opteyne it by the deth of Iesu christ and not by they re rightuousnesse or workes for if eny might haue bin saved by his workes Abraham and David had come to heven byfore the comyng of Iesu christ But God wolde it not to thintent that we shuld knowe that all oure helth lyeth in the deth of Iesu Christ which by his mercy he hath suffred for vs There is none other wey for to come to everlastiÌ„g life but by Iesu Christ crucyfied for vs. And therfore we must put all oure trust in God alone we shall take all oure comfort of God onely calling vppon his mercy in this maner O dere lord god almighty I poore sinner confesse byfore thy dyvine pâ—â—ssaunce that by my sinnes I haue deserved the everlasting deth of hell by thy grete iustice But alweyes I take hope and comfort in thy godly promesse wherby thou saydest in thy gospell He that beleveth in the sonne of god shall haue everlasting life Iohn 3 for this cause I poore sinner come toward the dere lord Iesu christ whiche art the onely fontayne of mercy not trusting in my good workes which be but stinkiÌ„g byfore the nor in any worldly thing but onely in the alone for thou alone art the wey the trouth and the lyfe And I pray the that vnto me poore sinnar thou wilt do thy grace and mercy Amen So shall the christeÌ„ huÌ„ble him silf vnderstoÌ„d of hiÌ„silf of his good workes Esaie 64 for as saieth Esai all oure iustice is as it were the clothe of a womaÌ„ suffering the floures God hath saved none by his workes but onely by his divine grace mercy As teacheth saint Paule Ephe. â— ye are saved by grace thorowe faith that not of your silf And if it be by grace as saieth saint Paule ageyn then is it not by the deservinge of workes for then were grace no grace Ro. 1â— Hereby mayst thou perceive that god wil that oure helth come of his grace and mercy and not of oure deservâ—nges For if any may deserve heven by his workes then is it no grace or gift of god but it is vet wages And then god of him silf giveth it not vnto vs but we get it as for vauntes that serve for wages And that can be by no meanes for saint Paule teacheth vs in many places that we be iustified haue obteined helth by the grace of god not by oure good workes but by oure feith for it is a gift of god not hyres or wages for laboure Ephe. â— to thinteÌ„t that we shuld not esteme that we had saved ouresilves for s. Paule saith wheÌ„ we were dede by sinne he hath quickened vs with christ wherfore we shall not glorifie iÌ„ oure silves but iÌ„ god alone for god will not that we serche hiÌ„ for wages as servauntes But he will that we shall love him as children they re father and that we serve him by love without desiringe eny thing but to please him for he him silf hath seid to his apostles Iohn 15 I call you not nowe servauntes but frendes Psal. 21 And Christ hath said by the prophete to his hevenly father I will shewe thy name to my brethereÌ„ And ageyn to his apostles Mat. 23 Call ye no man father on the erth for ye haue one father in heâ—en And therfore hath Iesu christ not learned vs to pray Oure lord whiche arte in heven Mat. 6 but oure father for we be his children and if we be the children of god we be his heyres as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 8 ¶ To whome the grace of god is gyuen Chaptre .vij. ONe myght axe Is thys grace of god gyven to every body Nay but it is gyven to all theym that beleve And all they that beleve in Iesu christ in suche maner as we haue byfore declared and shall all declare more pleynly they be the children of god as wryteth saint Iohn in the gospell saying Iohn 1 Unto as many as receyved him gave he power to be the sonnes of god in that they beleved yn his name And as sayeth saint Paule He that comith to god must beleve that he ys God and that he is a rewarder of theym that seke him Hebre. 1â— Therfore we haue seid that all the newe testament doth teache vs principally none other thing but faith and trust in Iesu christ and therfore the feith is the foundacion of Christendome For this cause if thou wilt that the passion aÌ„d grace of christ be to thy socoure and proufit
and ryghtuously for I am thyne and thou mayst do wyth me all that thou wilt I am thy creature Thy wyll be fulfilled yn erth as yn heven Mat. 6 Yet alweyes to thintent that thy dolorouse passyon be not lost in me I praye the o my most mercyfull lord Iesu chryst that thou wilt receyve me into grace as thou hast done the good these I knowe that I am not worthye and that I haue not deserved yt But to thintent that thy greate mercy may be alweyes the more manyfest vnto the augmentacyon of thy glory I requyre the o God most pnissaunt that thou wilt not put me a bak out of thy syghte For thy onely passyon ys myghty ynough for to save me wythwithout my good workes For if I â—ought deserve the life euerlastiÌ„g by my good workes it shuld seme that thou haddest suffered thy passion in vayne and that thou haddest dyed on the crosse in vayne Seing therfore that thou art surely deed for me and for all the worlde not for thy silf whye shuld I then be lost o gracyous Iesus christ Save thou me for thou art all good and mayst save me for thou mayst all thinges Wherfore I knowe no remedye but to come to thy grete mercy and I prostrate at thy fete requyre of the pardon of all my sinnes All they that of an entier hert do thus trust in God and trust stedfastly that god will save theym it shall come vnto theym accordinge to they re feyth And this is the most certeynte and the most sure wey for to come to heven vnto the lyfe eternall that euery one forsake him silf and put all in the hond of god alweyes doing his best to kepe the commaundementes of God and to lyve accordiÌ„g to the teaching of the gospell and altogyther distrusting of him silf The other that be signified by the thefe on the lyfte honde are they that put all they re trust in they re good workes Thei goo daily to the churche they kepe halowe all the festfull dayes they fast oft they here masse daily And when they must dye they trust in they re good workes thinke that god oweth to theym the kingdom of heven that they theym silves haue deserved it These maner of people be sonest dampned for they knowlege not that god hath satisfied for theym but make to theym goddes of the workes of they re hondes counting therby that they haue deserved heven for that thing is euery mannes god wherin he putteth his trust This ys one of the grettest errours that is in christeÌ„dome for if a man might save him silf by his good workes Christ were deed in vayne As saieth saint Paul Saint Iohn baptist AbrahaÌ„ Isaac aÌ„d Iacob with many other patriarkes have lyved moche more holily then ever we shall lyve Ga. 2 Yet coude they never by they re good workes come to heveÌ„ It was nedefull that christ shuld first come to suffer deth for them that his passion shuld saâ—e theym not they re workes but the feith and trust that they had yn â— Goddis promyses wherby they beleved that Iesu Christ shuld come and shuld deliver theym But I do not sey these wordes that the good workes done in feyth shuld be evill No I do counsell all the world to do many good workes principally the workes of loue and mercy toward they re neyghboures yn socouring theym in all they re necessites onely for the loue and honoure of god without seching any other thing and that he shuld so laboure frely with a ioyous hart to obey vnto the commaundementes of God and counsell of the gospell doing the workes comprysed in the holy scripture and not theym whiche the covitousnesse of the Pharysees have devysed But to do these workes and to thinke to deserve everlasting lyfe and so to put his trust in theym is to lyve as do nowe at this-day the Iues aÌ„d verey Idolatres For God will have the hole hart aÌ„d will not that it be fixed on ony other thingbut in hym alone Ye he willeth that all that we do in this lyfe shal be none other thing but a token of kindnesse and giving of thaÌ„kes of that we haue receyved of hym for if we haue stedfast faith and trust in hym alone we haue nowe receyved aÌ„d be sure of that that suche tedious and wery workers wold get as we haue seid bifore aÌ„d will sey more pleynly And all suche scripulous doers of good workes and therin seking they re helth and-trusting in theym that thinke they shal be saved when they haue slayne noman and when they have drawen noman to sinne and theruppon putting they re trust be like vnto the pharisey of whome Christ speaketh in the gospell whiche rehersed his workes for to haue prayse and reproved the poore humble publican knowleging his faute and axing pardon Lu. 18 It were better for the a thousand fold that thou haddest byn a sinner and never done good dede and that thou knowlege thyne offences and evill life vnto god axing mercy with good hert lamenting thy sinnes then to haue done suche good workes and in theym to put thy trust thinkinge that therfore God were bounde vnto the. There is nothing whiche after the maner of speaking byndeth God but ferme and stedfast feith and trust in him his promyses for god requyreth not principally oure good workes for he nedeth theym not but he desyreth oure hartes aÌ„d all oure intencion to seke in all thinges no thing but his honour And that we trust not in oure workes but forsaking oure silves all hoelly in him and not in oure deservinges For we can shewe vnto god no gretter honour then feith and trust yn him for whosoever doth that he confesseth that god is true good mighty and mercyfull And when we sinne it is not the worse vnto god we mynisshe not his glory by oure sinnes for his glory caÌ„ nether be augmented nor mynisshed forasmoche as it is infinite And for bycause that we can do no maner hurt or annoysaunce vnto God by oure sinnes therfore is he lightly appaised this stonding that with an entier hert without ony fayning we knowlege oure defaute and demaunde humbly pardon And likewise when we do any good we do not encrease his glory by oure workes for god abideth alweyes one All the dauÌ„ger that there is in oure synne is the evyll example that we gyve to oure neyghbour in that we hurt him therby dispising the good councell of oure good god whiche he hath giveÌ„ vs in his holy coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes for bicause we be vnkind ageinst the grete grace that he hath done vnto vs which is a thing horrible worthy of eternall punisshemeÌ„t bicause that it is infinite eternall the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t ageinst whiche we haue offended But bicause his proper nature is good mercyfull he pardoneth all these that confesse him to be suche Therfore loveth god better a sinnar repenting axing pardone of his