clearly There be an infinite sort of commentours vpon the master of the seÌ„tence let our aduersaryes brynge forthe but one coÌ„mentarye of them al whiche speke any thynge of the maner of regeneratynge When they speake of the habyte of loue they fayne that men deserue the holy gooste by theyr workes they teache not that it is receyued by the worde euen as the Anabaptystes do at thys day But we can nat haue to do with god god wyl nat be caught but by hê worde Therfore iustyfycacyon is hade by the worde as Paule sayth The Euaungell is the power of god to the helth of euery beleuer Also Fayth is of hearynge A man myght also out of thys place gather an argumeÌ„t that fayth iustifieth for yf iustyfycacyon is only by the worde and the worde is only receyued by faythe it foloweth that faythe iustyfyeth But there be greter reasons Thys haue we spoken to th ende to shewe the fourme and maner of regeneracyon and that it maye be vnderstonde what maner of thynge fayth is wherof we speke Nowe we wyl shewe that faythe iustyfyeth whÌ„ere fyrste of all the reders muste be admonyshed that as it is necessarye to maynteyne thys opinyon that Christe is our medyatour so is it necessarye to defende that fayth iustyfyeth For howe shall Chryste be a medyator yf in iustyfycacyon we vse not hym as a medyator yf we thynke not that for hym we be reputed ryghtwyse And that it is to beleue and truste to the merytes of Chryste that for hiÌ„ god wyl surely be pacified with vs. Also as we must defende that besyde the lawe the promyse of Chryste is necessarye so we muste defende that faythe iustyfyeth for the lawe teacheth not free remyssyon of siÌ„nes Moreouer the lawe can not be fulfylled onles we fyrste receyue the holy goste wherfore it is nedeful to defende that the promyse of Chryste is necessarye But thys promyse can nat be taken but by faythe Ergo they whiche denye that faythe iustyfyeth do nothynge but teache the lawe disanullynge the gospell and dysanullynge Chryste But some perchauns when it is sayde that faythe iustyfyeth vnderstondeth it of the begynnynge that fayth shulde be the begynnynge of iustificatyon or a preperatyue to iustyfycacyon so that it is not the verye faythe whiche maketh vs acceptable to god but the workes whiche folowe And they dreame that fayth is so hyghly commeÌ„ded because it is the begynnynge For the begynnynge of â— thynge is greatlye estemed and therfore it is commenly sayde Principium dimidium totius The begynnynge is halfe of the hole As yf a man wolde saye that gramer maketh the doctours of euery scyence because it is a preperatyue to other scyencies But we meane not thus of faythe but we defende that properly and truely by fayth we be for Chryste reputed ryghtwyse or accepted to God And because thys worde iustify cari to be iustyfyed sygnyfyeth to be made of iniuste iuste it sygnyfyeth also to be pronunced or reputed ryghtwyse For scrypture speketh in bothe wyses Therfore fyrste we wyl shewe that onlye faythe maketh of vnryghtwyse ryghtwyse that is to wytte receyueth remyssyon of siÌ„nes Sum men be offended with thys pertycle sola onely where as neuertheles Paule saythe we iudge that man is iustyfyed by faythe and nat of workes Also to the Ephesyans the seconde It is the gyfte of god not of vs neyther of our workes leste any man shulde glorye Also Roma 3. Freelye iustyfyed If the exclusyue sola dothe dysplease them let that them take from Paule also these exclusyues freely not of workes It is a gyfte And suche lyke for these be also exclusyues Doutles we exclude the opinyon of meryte but we exclude not the worde of God or the sacramentes as our aduersaryes do mysreporte vs. For we sayde before that fayth is conceiued by the herynge of the worde And we extolle most cheflye the mynysterye of the worde Loue also and workê ought to folowe fayth wherfore they be not so excluded that they shulde not folowe but the trustyng of meryte of loue and workes is excluded in iustyfycacyon And that we shall euedently shewe ⧠That remyssion of synnes is by the only fayth in Christe obteyned ⧠WE thynke that the aduersaries wyll also graunt that in iustificacyon is fyrst necessarie remission of synnes For we be al vnder synne Then this shal be my argument ⧠To obtayne remission of sinnes is to be iustified accordyng to this Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates Blessed be they whose synnes be remitted But so it is yâ— by the only fayth in Christ nat by loue or for loue or workê we obtayne remission of siÌ„nes although the loue foloweth fayth Ergo by only fayth we be iustified vnderstandyng iustificacioÌ„ to be of the vnryghtwyse to be made ryghtwyse or to be regenerate The minor may easely be declared if we know howe remission of synnes is obtayned The aduersaries do full coldly dispute whether remission of synnes and the infusion of grace be all one mutation yea or no. The ydle persoÌ„s had nothynge els to speake In remission of synnes is required that the feare of synne and of euerlastyng death be vaynquyshed in mens hertê as Paule witnesseth 1. CorÌ„ 15. The dart of death is syn And the power of syn is the lawe But thankes be to god who gyueth to vs victory through our lorde Iesus Christ that is to say synne frayeth the conscience and this is done by the lawe whiche sheweth they re of god agaynst synne but we ouercum by Christ. Howe through fayth wheÌ„ we lyfte vp our selues through truste of hys promysed mercye for Christe wherfore our Minor we proue thus ⧠⧠The yre of god can nat be pacified if we laye agaynst it our workes because Christe is propowned our mercy stocke so that for hym the father shulde be pacified with vs. But Christ can nat be receyued a mediatour but by fayth Ergo by only fayth we purchase remission of synnes when we lyfte vp our hertes with the truste of the promysed mercie for Christ. Also Paule to the Rom. the .5 chapi saythe By hym we haue a passage to the father addeth through faythe we be thus then reconcyled to the father and receiue remission of synnes wheÌ„ we lyfte vp our selues with the hope of the promysed mercy for Christ. The aduersaries do so vnderstande Christ to be a mediatour and propiciatour because we deserue the habite of loue they byd vs nat vse hym as a mediatour nowe but they vtterly bury Christe feynyng that we haue thê passage by our owne workes and that by them we deserue thys habite of loue as they call it and that after by loue we haue peace of conscience Is nat this vtterly to bury Christe and to plucke downe the hole doctryne of fayth Paule contraryly teacheth vs to haue passage that is to say peace by Christe And to shewe vs howe thys is he addeth that we haue passage
iustificemâ—â— ex fide Christi et non ex operibus legis .i. we beleue in Christ Iesu that we may be iustified by the fayth of Christ nat by the workes of yâ— lawe Ephe. 2. Gratia enim saluati estis per fidem et hoc noÌ„ ex vobis dei enim donum est non ex operibus ne quis glorietur .i. For by grace ye be saued by faythe and that nat of your selues for it is the gyft of god nor of your workes leaste any man shulde glorie IohaÌ„ 1. Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri his qui credunt in nomine eius qui non ex sanguimbus neque ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex deo nati sunt He gaue them power to becum the chyldren of god they I meane whiche beleue in his name whiche be borne nat of blodes neyther of the wyl of the fleshe neyther of the wyl of man but of god Ioh. 3. Sient Moses exaltauit serpeÌ„tem in deserto ita exaltari oportet filium hominis vt omnis qui credit in ipsum non pereat i. Lykewese as Moses exalted the serpent in desert so must the soÌ„ne of man be exalted that all whiche beleue in hym peryshe nat Also Non misit deus filium sunin in mundum vt iudicet muÌ„dum sed vt saluetur mundus per ipsum Qui credit iÌ„ eum non indicatur .i. God seÌ„t nat his son into the worlde that he shulde iudge the world but that the worlde shulde be saued by hym who beleueth in hym is nat iudged Actes 13. Notum igitur sit vobis viri fratres ê™ per hunc vobis remissio peccatorum annunciatur c. i. Be it knowen therfore vnto you o brethern that by him remission of synnes is preached vnto you and of al tho thinges by which ye coulde nat be iustified in the lawe in hym all that beleueth is iustifyed Howe myght it be more clearely spoken of the office of Christe and of iustifycacyon The lawe quod he iustifyed nat therfore Christe was gyuen that we shuld beleue that we be iustified for him He openly plucketh froÌ„ the lawe iustifycacyon Ergo for Christe we be accompted iuste whan we beleue that god is pacified with vs for hym Act. 4. This is the stone which is disallowed of you buylders whiche is made the corner-stone and there is nat helth in any other For there is none other name vnder heuen gyuen vnto men in which we ought to be saued But the name of Christ is only sticked to by fayth Ergo by the truste of his name and nat by the trust of our workê we be saued For name signifyeth here a cause whiche is alledged wherby helth is obteined And to alledge the name of Christ is to truste in the name of Christ as in the cause or pryce for whiche we be saued Act. 15. Fide purificans corda nostra i. By faythe purifyeng our hertes wherfore the faythe of whiche thapostles speake is nat an ydle knowledge but a thyng receyuyng the holy ghoste and iustifyeng vs. Abacuc 1. Iustus ex fide viuet The ryghtwyse man shall lyue of faythe Here fyrst he sayeth that men be iust by fayth because they beleue that god is mercifull and he addeth that the same fayth viuifyeth because this fayth genderethin the harte peace and ioy and euerlastynge lyfe ⧠⧠⧠Esa. 53. Noticia eius iudicabit multos .i. The knowledge of hiÌ„ shall iudge many But what is the knowledge of Christ but to knowe the benefitê of Christe the promyses whiche by the EuaÌ„gell he hathe sparsed into the worlde And to knowe the benefytes is properly and truly to beleue in Chryste and to beleue that the thinges whiche God hathe promysed for Chryste he wyll surelye fulfyll But the scrypture is ful of suche aucthorytes and testymonyes for otherwhiles it sheweth the lawe otherwhyles the promyses of Chryst remyssyon of synnes and free acceptaunce for Chryste ✚ There be also amonge holye fathers spred many lyke testymonyes For Saynt Ambrose sayth in hys Epystle to Ireneus thus Subditus autem mundus eo per legem factus est quia ex prescripto legis omnes conueniuntur et ex operibus legis nemo iustificatur id est quia per legem peccatum cognoscitur sed culpa non relaxatur Videbatur lex nocuisse que omnes fecerat peccatores sed veniens dominus Iesus peccatuz omnibê° quod nemo poterat euitare donauit et chirographum nostruÌ„ sui sanguinis effusione deleuit Hoc est quod ait Abundauit peccatuÌ„ per legem superabundauit autem gratia per Iesum Quia postquaÌ„ totus mundus subditus factus est totius muÌ„di peccatum abstulit sicut testificatus est Iohannes diceÌ„s Ecce agnus dei ecce qui tollit peccatuÌ„ mundi Et ideo nemo glorietur in operibus quia nemo factis suis instificatur Sed qui instus est donatum habet quia post lauacrum iustificatus est Fides ergo est que liberat per sanguinem Christi quia beatus ille cui peccatum remittitur et venia donatur That is to saye The world is made subiect therfore by the lawe because by the prescript of the lawe al be conuented before the hyghe iudge of the workes of the lawe no maÌ„ is iustifyed that is because by the lawe synne is knowen but the offence is not remytted the lawe semed to haue hurted whiche made all men synners but the lorde Iesus by his comyng pardoned unto al men synne whiche no man coulde eschewe and dyd clene stryke out our chirografe with the shedyng of his blode Thys is it that he sayeth Syn was aboundaunt by the lawe But grace by Iesus was more aboundant For after that the hole worlde was become subiecte he toke away the sinne of the hole worlde as testifieth Iohan saing Lo the lambe of god Lo he that taketh awaye the syn of the worlde And therfore lette no man glorye in hys workes for no man is iustyfyed hy hys factes But he that is iustifyed hath it gyuen him Wherfore fayth is the thynge which delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste for blyssed is he to whom synne is remytted and pardone gyuen These be the wordes of Saynt Ambrose which apertly do defende our opinion For he plucketh awaye from workes iustificacyon and gyueth it to faythe because it delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste Let all the Sentenciaryes be layde together on a heape be they furnyshed with neuer so gloryous tytles For some be called angelycal some seraphical some subtyle some irrefragable All they red and red agayne shal not make so moche to the vnderstandynge of Paule as thys one sentence of Saynte Ambrose dothe ☞ ⧠☞ In lyke sentence wryteth also Saynte Austyne moche agaynste the Pelagyans and in hys boke de spiritu et litera he saythe thus Ideo quippe proponitur iusticia legis ê™ qui
their hartes wherfore after that by faith we be iustified and renewed we begyn to feare god to loue god to craue loke after socoure of god to gyue thankes vnto hym to preache hym and to obeye him in afflictions we begyn also to loue our neybours because our hartes haue spiritual and holy mocions These thinges can not be done onles after that we be iustified by fayth and regenerate we receyue the holye goste fyrste because the lawe can not be done without christe also the lawe can nat be done without the holye goste But the holye goste is receyued by faythe accordinge to the saynge of Paule That we may receyue the promyse of the spirite by faythe Also howe can mans harte loue god so longe as he feleth hym greuously dyspleased with vs and to oppresse vs with temporall and perpetuall calamities but the lawe alwayes accuseth vs alwayes sheweth that god is angry God therfore is not loued vntyl we haue receyued mercy by fayth So at laste is made an amiable obiect Althoughe therfore cyuyle workes that is to saye thexterne workes of the lawe without Chryste and with out the holy gost may be in some parte done â–ª yet it appereth by that which we haue sayde that the thinges which be properlye apperteynynge to the diuyne lawe I meane thaffectyons of the harte towarde god whiche be commaunded in the fyrste table can nat be done without the holye goste But our aduersaryes be plesaunt diuynes They beholde the seconde table and the polityke workes but the fyrst table they nothinge regarde as though it pertayned nothynge to the purpose or at lest waye they requyre only externe workes That eternall lawe and farre put aboue the sence and vnderstandynge of al creatures whiche is Thou shalte loue thy lorde God with all thy harte they vtterly not consyder But Chryste was for thys ende gyuen vnto vs that for him remission of synnes the holy gost shulde be graunted vs which myght create in vs a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and an euerlastynge ryghtwysnes which myght fyrste of al shewe vnto vs Chryst as it is wrytten He shall notirize me for of myne he shal take and shewe it vnto you And after brynge also other giftes as loue inuocation thankes gyuynge chastitye pacyence cÌ„ wherfore the lawe can not be truely perfourmed onles we fyrste receyue the holy goste by faythe Therfore Paule saythe that by faythe the lawe is establyshed and not abrogate or auoyded For then or els neuer is the lawe fulfylled when the holy gost is in that man And Paule teacheth that the vayle with whiche the face of Moyses was muffled can nat be take awaye but by fayth in Chryste by which is receyued the holy gost For thus he sayth But vntyll thys daye when Moyses is red the vayle is put ouer theyr hartes But when they shal be conuerted to God the vayle shall be take awaye The lorde is a spirite and where the spirite of the lorde is there is lybertye By the vayle vnderstaÌ„deth Paule an humane opinion of the hole lawe of the Decalogie and ceremonyes that is to saye that hypocrites do thynke that externe and ciuile workes do satysfye the lawe of god and that sacryficies and ceremonies euen of them selfe do iustyfye before god But then thys vayle is plucked from vs that is to say this errour is taken away when god sheweth to our hartes our vncleÌ„nes and greatnes of synne There fyrst we se our selues to be farre from the fulfyllynge of the lawe There we acknoweledge howe that the fleshe beinge idle and careles feareth not god not thynketh verely that god regardeth vs but that we be casually borne and vanyshe away lyke brute bestes There we fynde thexperyence that we beleue not that god forgyueth vs and heareth vs but when we hearynge thevangell and forgyuenes of synnes begynne to lyfte vp our selues by faythe we conceyue the holy goste so that nowe we may thinke ryghtly of god and dreade god and beleue hym cÌ„ By this appereth that without Chryste and without the holy gooste the lawe can not be done wherfore we professe that we muste neades inchoate or begynne to fulfyll vnto our powers the lawe and euer more attempte to do it more and more And we compryse here bothe two aswell the spirituall mocyons as the outwarde good workes wherfore the aduersaryes do falsly calumnyate vs in reportynge that we teache not good workes sythe we nat only requyre them but also shewe howe they maye be done The very proufe of the thyng doth condeÌ„pne and bewraye the ypocrites whiche attempt by theyr owne powers to do the lawe that they can nat perfourme the thyng that they attempt For the nature of man is farre to weke of the owne powers to resyst the deuyll who hath al in his holde as captiues prisoners which be nat delyuered by fayth The powers of Christ is requisite agaynst the deuyll and therfore because we knowe that for Christe we be herde receyue a promyse it is requisyt that we pray that the holy ghoste may gouerne vs and protect vs lest we fortune to erre deceyuyng our selues and leaste by wycked impulsion we take vpon vs any thyng agaynste the wyll of god As the Psalme teacheth He led captiuitie a captiue he gaue gyftes to men For Christ hath veynquyshed the deuyl and hathe gyuen vnto vs a promyse and the holy ghoste to the ende that we may also vaynquyshe by yâ— socoure of god And IohaÌ„ sayeth To this intent appered the son of god that he myght losen the workes of the deuyll Furthermore we teache nat only how the law may be done but also howe the thynge that is done may please god which is nat because we satisfy the lawe but because we be iÌ„ Christe as it shal be sayde a lytle here after So it is euideÌ„t that we requyre good workes yea we adde also that it is impossible to seuere the loue of god though it be lytle from faythe For by Christe we approche to the father and after the receite of remissioÌ„ of synnes we be assured that we haue god that is to say that we be regarded of god we make inuocacion we gyue thankes we feare we loue as Iohan teacheth in the fyrst epystle we loue hym quod he because he fyrst loued vs meanyng because he gaue for vs his son and remitted our synnes Thus he signifyeth that fayth goeth before and loue foloweth Also the fayth of whiche we speake â—s declared in penaunce .i. it is conceyued in â—eares of the coÌ„scieÌ„ce which feleth the wrath of god kyndled against our synnes and seketh remission of synnes and a gayle deliuery from synne And in suche feares and other afflictions this fayth oweth to encreace and be confirmed wherfore it can nat be in them whiche lyue after theyr fleshe whiche delyte in theyr lustes and obey them Therfore Paule sayeth There is no condempnacion nowe to these whiche be in Christe Iesu
whiche walke nat after theyr fleshe but after the spirite Also we be dettours nat to the fleshe that we shulde lyue after the fleshe For if ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But if in spirite ye mortifye the actes of the bodye ye shall lyue Wherfore this fayth whiche receyueth remission of synnes in the troubled and affrayed herte and fleyng synne dwelleth nat in them whiche folowe theyr lustes nor staÌ„deth nat with deadly synne Out of these effectes or operacions of fayth the aduersaries pycke out one and that is loue â–ª and teache that it iustifyeth Thus it manifestly appereth that they only teache the lawe They reache nat fyrste that we receyue remissioÌ„ of synnes by fayth They teache nat of the mediatour Christe that for Christe we haue God our good lorde but for our owne loue And yet what maner of loue that is they tell nat nor can nat tell They bragge glory that they fulfyll the lawe where as this glory is properly due to Christ and they lay the affiaâ—Ì„ce of theyr owne workes to the iudgemeÌ„t of god for tâ—ey say that they deserue grace eternall lyfe de condigno .i. of theyr owne worthynes This is vtterly a wycked and a vayne affiaunce For in this lyfe we can nat satisfye the lawe because the carnall nature ceaseth nat to bryng forth euyll affections al though the spirite in vs resysteth theÌ„ But a man may demaunde of vs a question sythe that we also confesse that loue is the worke of the holy ghost and syth it is ryghtwysnes for it is the fulfyllyng of the law why do nat we teache that it iustifieth â–ª To this we answere Fyrst it is certayne that we receiue nat remission of synnes neyther by loue nor for or loue but for Christ by only fayth Only faythe whiche loketh to the promyse and is assured that god forgiueth because Christ dyed nat in vaine ouercometh the feares of synne of death If a man doubteth whether hys synnes be forgyuen hym he disworshyppeth Christe sythe he iudgeth hys synne greater or stronger then the death and promyse of Christe where Paule sayeth that grace surmounteth synne that is to say that mercye is aboue synne who thynketh that he attayneth remission of synnes because he loueth dishonoreth Christ and he shal fynde in the daye of gods iudgement this affyaunce of his owne propre iustice to be wycked voyde Ergo fayth must recoÌ„cile make of the iniust iust And as we receiue nat remissioÌ„ of synnes by the other vertues or for the other vertues of the lawe as for pacience chastitie obedieÌ„ce towarde the superiours cÌ„ and yet these vertues must ensue so we neyther receyue remissyon of synnes because of the dilectioÌ„ of god Howbeit it is a commune fourme of speakyng otherwhyles to comprise in one worde bothe the cause and the effect by a figure called Synecdoche as in the seuenth of Luke Christ sayeth Many synnes be forgyueÌ„ her because she loued muche For Christ expouneth him selfe wheÌ„ he addeth Thy fayth hathe saued the. Christ then meant nat that the woman by that worke of loue shulde deserue remissioÌ„ of synnes and therfore he clearly sayeth Thy faythe hathe saued the. But fayth is the thyng which conceiueth mercy for the worde of god freely If ye deny that thê is fayth ye vtterly knowe nat what faythe meaneth The very historye of it selfe sheweth sufficiently what he calleth loue in this place The woman cam brynging with her this opinion of Christe that in hym â–ª she shulde fynde remission of synnes This worshyp is the most hyghe worshyp of Christ she coulde gyue no greater worshyp vnto hym This is the trewe fashyon of acknowledgyng Messias to seke at hym remission of synnes And to conceiue this opinion of Christ thus to worship him is rightly and truly to beleue But this worde loue Christe vsed nat to the womaÌ„ but to the Pharisee for he coÌ„pared the hole worshyppyng of the Pharisee with the hole worshyppyng of the woman He chydeth the Pharisee because he acknoweledged hym nat to be Messias although he dyd vnto hym these externe officies as vnto a straunger and an holy greate man he poynteth to the woman and commendeth her worshyppyng her oyntment â—eares cÌ„ whiche all were sygnes of fayth a certayne coÌ„fession that at Christ she sought remission of synnes Undoutedly this was a greate example which nat without cause moued Christe to chyde the Pharisee whiche was a wyse and an honest man but one that beleued nat This impietie he vpbraideth him and instructeth him by the example of the woman signifieng that it was a shame yâ— where as an vnlerned woman beleued god he a doctour of the lawe beleued nat and acknowleged nat Messias nor sought nat at hym remission of synnes saluacion So theÌ„ he prayseth the hole worshyppyng as it is ofte done in scripture that in one worde we shuld coÌ„prise many as here after we shall shewe more at large in lyke places as in this saying Gyue almes and all shal be clene he requyreth nat only almesdedê but also the iustice of faythe so also here wheÌ„ he sayeth Many synnes be remytted vnto her because she loued muche that is to saye because she hath worshypped me truly by fayth and excercises and signes of fayth he coÌ„pryseth the hole worshyppyng but in the meane seasoÌ„ yet he teacheth thys that properly remission of synnes is receyued by fayth althoughe loue confession and other good workes do necessaryly ensue wherfore he meaneth nat this that those frutê be a recoÌ„pense or raunsum for whiche remission of synnes is gyuen whiche may reconcile vs to god we dispute of a greate thing euen of the honour of Christe and from whens the godly myndes may fetche a sure ferme consolacion whether our truste is to be put in Christe or in our workes If so be that we owe to set our trust in our workes then we must plucke from Christe the honour and title of a mediatour and redemer And yet we shall fynde in the iudgement of god that this confidence is vayne and that the conscience from thens shall ruÌ„ne into despayre That if remission of synnes and reconciliacyon chaunseth nat frely for Christ but for our loue and merites no man shal haue remission of synnes but where he fulfylleth the hole lawe for the lawe iustifieth vs nat so longe as it can accuse vs. It is euident then syth iustificacion is reconciliacion for Christ that by fayth we be iustified for it is most certayne that by only fayth is receyued remission of synnes Nowe therfore let vs answere to the question afore proposed why loue iustifyeth nat The aduersaries thynke ryghtly that loue is the fulfilling of the lawe And doubtles the obedience towarde the lawe were ryghwisnes if we coulde do the lawe But we haue here tofore shewed that the promisses were therfore gyuen because we coulde nat do the lawe And for this selfe cause denyeth Paule
the vtilitie of the church For I pray you who wolde not be gladde to die in the coÌ„fession of these articles that we do freely obteyne remission of synnes by faythe for Christis sake and that by our workê we do not merite remission of synnes The consciences of godly men shal haue no sure and stronge consolation agaynste the terrours of synne and deathe and agaynst the deuyll temptyng and prouokynge to desperation if they do not knowe that they oughte to be assured and to decree with them selues that they haue remission of sinnes freelye for Christis sake This faythe holdeth vp coÌ„forteth and quickeneth hartes in that moste sharpe batayle of desperation This is therfore a cause worthy wherfore we shulde refuse no maner ieoperdy Thou therfore whosoeuer thou be that doste agre and assent to our confession shrynke nat for any persecutions or punyshementes step forthe the more boldly when the aduersaries go aboute with feares with tormentes with punyshmentes to take from the this so greate consolation whiche is offered and propouned to all the hole churche in this our article If thou sekest thou canste nat lacke testimonies and authorities of scripture whiche shal establishe thy mynde For Paule with full voyce as they say in the thyrd fourth to the Romaynes cryeth out that sinnes be frely forgiuen for Christes sake Therfore sayeth he we be iustified by faythe frely that the promyse shulde be ferme and stable that is for to saye if the promyse dyd hange vpon our workê it shulde nat be firme and stable if remission of synnes were giuen for our workes when shulde we knowe that we had goten remission when shulde the troubled conscience fynde a worke whiche he were assured to be sufficiente to appease the wrathe of god But we haue spoken before of the hole matter and from thens let the reader take testimonies For the vnworthynes and shamefulnes of the thyng hathe enforced and compelled vs to make thys complaynt and be waylyng rather then a disputation because in thys place they haue spoken expressly that they do disalowe our article where we saye that we obtayne remission of synnes nat for our owne workes but by faythe and frely for Christes sake Our aduersaries also do adde testimonies and authorities to theyr condeÌ„pnatioÌ„ And it were good to reherse one or two of them They alledge of Peter Studete firmam facere uocationem uestram .i. Study ye to make your callyng stable sure cÌ„ Thou seest here reader that o r aduersaries haue nat lost theyr labours in learnyng of logyke but that they haue crafte to reason and coÌ„clude of the scriptures euen what soeuer they lyste Make your callyng ferme and sure by good workes ergo workes deserue remission of siÌ„nes Uerely this same shal be a verie feate argument if a man shulde reason thus of one whiche had deserued deathe and were ê‘doned of it The kynge coÌ„maundeth that from hensforthe thou doste holde thy haÌ„des from other mennes goodes g o ergo thou hast deserued pardoÌ„ of thy punishemeÌ„t by thê that thou doste nowe steale none other mennes goodes To reason after this fashyoÌ„ â–ª is to make the cause of that whiche is nat the cause For Peter speaketh of workê folowyng remission of synnes and he teacheth wherfore they ought to be done that is to wete that the calling myght be sure and stable that is for to say that they do nat fal from theyr callyng if they do syn agayne Do good workes that ye may coÌ„tinue in your callyng leaste ye lose the gyftes of callyng which ye had before nat for the workes folowyng but they be nowe retayned and kepte by faythe and faythe dothe nat abyde in them which lose the holy ghoste and whiche do caste away repentauÌ„ce as we sayde before that faythe standeth in repentaunce They adde other authorities hangynge nat muche better together And in coÌ„clusion they say that this opinion was condempned more then a thousande yeres paste in the tyme of Augustine Thys also is a false lye For the church of Christ hathe alwayes thought that remission of synnes coÌ„meth frely But on the contrary syde the Pelagians were condempned whiche dyd stifly affirme that grace is gyuen for our workes But we haue shewed sufficiently here before that we thinke that good workes ought of necessitie to folowe faythe For we do nat sayeth Paule take awaye the lawe but we do establyshe it because syth with faythe we haue receyued the holy ghost there foloweth necessarily the fulfyllynge of the lawe whiche dothe continually encreace more and more as loue patience chastitie and other frutes of the spirite ⧠Of the inuocation of sayntes or prayeng vnto them THe .xxj. article they do vtterly condempne that we do nat require the inuocatioÌ„ of sayntes and in no place do they play the Rhetoricians more largely thaÌ„ here And yet they conclude no thynge els but that sayntes be to be honoured and worshypped Also that sayntê whiche be alyue do pray for other men as who shulde say that therfore it is necessary to pray vnto the sayntes that be deade They alledge Cypriane that he dyd desyre Cornelius being a lyue that when he shulde departe he wolde pray for his bretherne By thys example they proue the inuocatioÌ„ of deade saiÌ„tê They alledge also Hierome agaynst Uigilantius In this matter say they Hierome ouercame Uigilantius more then eleuen hundred yeres ago Thus our aduersaries do triumphe as though they had wonne yâ— felde the warrâ— were all at an ende Neyther do these asses se that in Hieroms writing agaynst Uigilantius there is nat one sillable of inuocatioÌ„ He speaketh of the honours of sayntes nat of inuocation Neyther dyd any of the olde writers before Gregorie make mention of inuocation Doubtles this inuocation with these opinioÌ„s whiche our aduersaries do nowe teache of the application of merites hathe no testimonies ne authorities of olde wryters Our confession dothe allowe the honours of sayntes For these thre maners of honour are to be allowed and coÌ„mended The fyrste is giuing of thankes for we ought to gyue thankê to god that he hath shewed exaÌ„ples of mercy that he hathe gyuen vs knowledge that he is wyllyng to saue men that he hathe gyuen doctours or other gyftê to the church And these gyftes as they be are verie greate so they be to be amplified and extolled and the sayntes them selues be to be praysed whiche dyd vse these gyftes faythfully euen as Christ dothe coÌ„mende the faythful marchauÌ„tes and occupiers of the talentes deliuered to them The secounde maner of worshyp is the coÌ„firmation of our faythe as when we se that to Peter is forgyuen the denieng of hys mayster we also be comforted and lyfte vp to beleue the rather that grace is farre aboue synne The thyrde honour is the Imitation and folowyng fyrste of theyr faythe and then of theyr other vertues whiche euery one ought to folowe accordyng to his callyng These