iustified by the name of the lorde Iesus and by the sprete of god thei ascrybe their vertue rightuousnes vnto god and vnto gods sprete by whom thei knowe thei are sanctified and that they now maie do and perfourme holie and good workes And also thei fele in their sanctified flesh namelie in themselues there remayneth worketh thorow out their whole life so greate weaknes and feblenes that thei dare not ascrybe eny iustificacion not vnto the workes that ar done by faith in holynesse Herof might I bring forth many recordes Yet will I alledge onelie two First thē let Iob the most faithful seruaunt of god come forth For him hath the godlie sentence cōmended and praised vnto vs that he was a perfecte iust man such one as feared god and eschued euil and that there was none lyke him vpon erth And yet the same man being with so excellent a titell of rightuousnes commended vnto vs doth saie If I wil iustifie myselfe myne owne mouth shal condemne me Yf I will put forth myselfe for a perfecte mā he shal proue me a wicked doer And agayn Yf I haue done wickedly wo vnto me And though I haue dōe rightuouslie yet dare I not lifte vp my head Therfore is it certayne that this most holy and iust man dyd ascribe nothing to the frutes of his owne rightuousnes but trusted onely vpon y e mercy of god Now let the other witnes come forth euen Paul y e Apostel who saieth with sensible wordes I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde man But in my membre I se another law which rebellein against the law of my mynde and subdueth me to the lawe of synne which is in my membres The holie Apostle speaking of himselfe and of all such as be regenerate testifieth that in them abyde stil y t remnauntes of the fleshe by the nature power and force wherof it cōmeth to pas thorow out the wholle life of man that thei also do the thing which they thēselues wolde not And therfore are thei neuer able to attayne and come to true perfectnes so long as thei lyue vpon erth and in this flesh For asmuch then as it is so euery man seith wel that iustificacion is not to be imputed vnto the workes of faith or of such as be regenerate consydering that it must be athinge most pure and thorowly perfecte wherby god is pacified and pleased with vs. Yea the scripture geueth euident witnesse that euē Abraham the father of all faithfull beleuers was not iustified by the workes of faith Herof then maie we be bolde to conclude that we also by no workes of faith are iustified For thus Paul argueth yf Abrahā were iustified by workes thē hath he wherof to reioyce but not with god But what saieth y e scripture Abraham beleued god and it was compted vnto him for rightuousnes To him that goeth aboute with workes is the rewarde not rekened of grace but of duetie To him that goeth not aboute with workes but beleueth on him that iustifieth y e vngodly is his faith cōpted for rightuousnes Where as we now by the ensāple of Abrahā do cōclude y t we must be iustified in such like pure maner as he was we speke it not of our owne ymaginaciō but out of the wordes of S. Paul that saieth Neuertheles it is not written onelie for him that it was rekened vnto him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shalbe so compted yf we likewise beleue on him that raised vp Iesus oure lorde from the deed ¶ The nature of iustification argueth that faith not workes iustifie The. 12. Chapter NOw like as out of the nature propertie of faith and workes I haue shewed that faith and not works doth iustifie So wil I now declare and proue the same by y e nature of iustificacion The right propertie natural vertue and power of iustificaciō is to pacifie to stil and quiete the cōscience which heretofore by the remembring and considering of synne and damnacion was vexed and troubled For Paul saieth Because therfore that we be iustified made rightuous by faith we haue peace with god thorow oure lorde Iesus Christ As for mens workes thei are neuer able so to comforte and pacifie an vnquyete conscience For who hath at eny tyme persuaded himselfe y t he with his owne workes hath satisfied the lawe of god and is therfore absolued discharged of his synnes delyuered from damnacion and become rightuous vndefyled Specially seyēg that Salomō the wisest among al mē hath saide Who can saie My herte is cleane I am innocent frō synne Wherfore yf oure workes quiete not the conscience then do not thei in eny wise iustifie a mā But faith iustifieth and perfectly stilleth the conscience And therfore it iustifieth For the lord hath saide in the gospell Who so euer drynketh of this water wherby vndoubtedly he dyd meane outward thinges and al mans help shal thyrst againe But who soeuer drynketh of the water that I geue him shall neuer be more a thyrst but the water that I shal geue him shalbe in him a well of water springing vp in to euerlasting life And againe I am y e bred of life He that cōmeth to me shal not honger And he that beleueth on me shal neuer thyrst Here thou seist y t faith which preasseth on forth directly vpon y e lorde Iesus doth satisfie vs. For faith vnderstādeth y t Christ him selfe is the right fulnes plentiful sufficiēcie of heauēly goods and that euen he gaue himselfe whollye for vs and in all thinges became our owne so y t now from hence forth an oppressed afflicted cōscience maie rest vpon himfor in christ the sonne of god full of grace trueth there is nether blemishe nor weaknesse But in works yea of most holie mē ther is alwaie found feblenes and imperfection And yf we wold now beholde the propertie nature of him before whose iudgmēt seate we shal stande we shulde playnly fynd y t we are iustified by y e mynistraciō help of faith not of workes For vndoubtedly y e highest most rightuous of al hath respect ōly to such as are hūble of contrite hertes those assuredlie he iustifieth But such as are proud glorie ī their own merits those he condemneth and turneth himself from thē Here vnto serueth y e parable or symilitude out of the gospel concernyng the two that wente vp together in to the temple to praie Of whō the one boasted of his good workes told what thei were trusted vnto thē set out himself for a rightuous and good man As for the other he trusted in the onelye mercy of god nothing at all in his owne merites but cryed O god be mercyfull vnto me synner This man wente downe out of the temple iustified but y t other being wrapt and snared in synne failed of his hope Therfore in the
forth and garnishe the same with right good workes Remembring the wordes of the lord Ihesus Christ who in his gospell saieth Not euerye one that saieth vnto me Lorde lorde shall entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Many shall saye to me in that daye Lorde lorde haue not we prophecied in thi name haue not we cast out deuels in thy name haue not we done manye mightye dedes in thy name And then wil I knowlege vnto them I neuer knew you departe froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquitie Therfore who so euer heareth of me these wordes and doth the same I wil lickeÌ„ him vnto a wise maÌ„ which buylte his house vpoÌ„ a rocke And a shower of rayne descended and the floudes came and the wyndes blew and beat vpon that house it fel not because it was grounded on the rock And euery one y t heareth of me these words and doth them not shalbe likened vnto a foolishe man which buylte his house vpon sand And a shower of rayne descended and the floudes caÌ„e the wyndes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and greate was the fall of it Wherfore let vs applie all oure diligence with holie feruent praieâ— with true zeale and godlynes of oure mynde that we also as lyuinge stones beyng buylded vpoÌ„ Christ the sure rock of lyfe maye become a lyuinge house which maie endure fast in al assaultes of manifolde tentacions That we I saie beinge a spirituall habitacion and an holy priesthode maie bring and offre vp to our Redemer iustifier Iesu Christ spiritual acceptable sacrifices praise and thankes geuyng almes and oure own bodies yea oure selues fully wholly and all together Amen Amirrour or glasse wheryn al men may behold their own condemnacyon by the lawe of god With a remedy for the same The office of loue THe law is a doctrine that beddeth good and forbid deth euel as the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes specifie sayinge Loue thy Lorde god with all thyne hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the fyrst and great commaundment The second is lyke vnto that loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange al the lawe and the prophetes ¶ He that loueth god loueth his neyghbour If a man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a liar He y t loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene how can he loue god whom he hath not sene He y t loueth his neighbour as him selfe kepeth al y e coÌ„maundementes of god what so euer ye wold that men should do to you euen so do you to theÌ„ For this is the lawe and y e Prophets He that loueth his neyghbour fulfylleth y t lawe All the lawe is fullfylled in one worde that is loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe ¶ He that loueth god kepeth all the commauÌ„dmentes He that loueth his neyghboure kepeth all the commaundmentes of god and he that loueth God loueth his neyghbour ergo he y t loueth God kepeth all his commaundmentes ¶ He that hath faith loueth god and kepeth the coÌ„maundmentes My father loueth you because ye loue me and beleue that I came from God He that hath the faith loueth god and he that loueth God kepeth all hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts ergo he that hathe the fayth kepeth all the commaundementes of God He that kepeth one commauÌ„dement of god kepeth all For without faith it is impossible to kepe any of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of GOD and he that hath the fayth kepeth all the commaundemeÌ„tes of god ergo he that kepeth one coÌ„maundement of god kepeth them all He that kepeth one commandemente of God he kepeth all ergo he that kepeth not al the coÌ„maundmentes of god kepeth not one of them The office of the lawe ¶ It is not in our power to kepe any of the commaundementes of god which wer geuen to shewe vs our synnes and byd thinges impossible for vs. Without grace it is impossible to kepe any of the commaundementes of god and grace is not in our power ergo it is not in our power to kepe any of y e commauÌ„dementes of god By the law commeth the knowledge of synne I knew not what synne ment but thorow the lawe I had not knowen what lust â—â—d ment excepte the lawe had sayde thou shalt not lust without the lawe synne was deed that is it moued me not neyther wyst I that it was synne which not with standinge was synne and forbydden by the lawe ¶ The lawe byddeth vs do that thinge which is impossible for vs. It biddeth vs kepe the commaundementes of god yet is it not in our power to kepe any of theÌ„ ergo it biddeth vs do y t is impossible for vs. Thou wylt say where to doeth God byd vs do y t is impossible for as I answere to make the knowe that thou arte but euel that there is no remedi to saue y e in thyne own haÌ„d that thou mayst seke remedy at some other for the lawe doth naught but condemne the. ¶ Of the Gospell Like as the condemned man is ioyful to heare of pardon for hys fault EueÌ„ so shalt thou heare for thye delyuerans the ioyfull nues of the gospell THe gospell is as moch to say in our tonge as good tydynges lyke as one of these are Christe is y e sauiour of the worlde Christ is our sauiour Christ died for vs. Christ dyed for our sines Christ bought vs with his bloud Christ washed vs with his bloud Christ offered himselfe for vs. Christ bare our synnes on his backe Christ came into this worlde to saue synners Christ came in to this worlde to take away our synnes Christ was the price that was gyuen for vs our synnes Christe was made debt our for vs. Christ paied our debte for he dyed for vs. Christ hath made satysfaction for vs our synnes Christ is our rightwisenes Christ is our satisfaccioÌ„ Christ is our redempcion Christ is our goodnes Christe hath pacified the father of heauen Christe is oures and al his Christe hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the law from the deuel and from hel The father of heuen hath forgeuen vs our synnes for Christes sake Or suche lyke whereyn is declared vnto vs the mercy of god ¶ The nature of the lawe and the gospell The lawe sheweth vs our synne The Gospel sheweth vs remedie for it The lawe sheweth vs our coÌ„demnacion The gospel shewet vs oure redeÌ„pcyon The lawe is the lawe of Ire The gospell is the word of grace The lawe is the worde of despayre The Gospel is the worde of comfort The law is the worde of vnrest The Gospell is the worde of peace ¶ A disputacion betwene the lawe and the gospel The lawe saith paye thy debt The gospell sayth Christ hathe payd it The lawe sayeth thou art a synner despayre and thou shalt be damned The gospel sayth thy synnes are forgeuen the
the law in asmuche as he becāe a curse for vs that the blessinge of Abrahā might come among the Gentiles in Christ Iesu Now let the thirde witnesse come forth euen Ihon the sonne of thonder and dearlie beloued disciple of the Lord who in hys Epistle sayeth wyth expresse wordes after thys maner the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne And afterwarde he saieth and if any mā synne we haue an aduocate with god euen Iesus Chryst the righteous and he it is that obteineth grace for our sines not for oure onely but also for the synnes of the whole worlde If all trueth nowe shal stand in the mouth of two or three then wil no man I trust from hence forth denye that Iesus Chryste is our righteousnes that we are iustified by the bloud of Iesus Chryste that the death of y e lorde Iesus Chryst is it by meanes whereof synners are delyuered from death that our synnes are pardoned and forgeuen vs for Chrysts sake and that in him we are reconcyled with God the father who for the ryghtuousnesse sake of his anoynted whyche he hath geuen vs doeth compte vs ryghtuous beyng of oure selues voyde of all ryghtuousnes Vnto these very playne testymonyes commeth thys also that descended from the excellent glory out of heauen euen the sētence of god vpon the Lorde Iesus whan he went vp from the Baptyme wyth these wordes Thys is my deare sonne in whom I delyte and in whom I am pacyfyed And Paule to the Colossyans sayeth for it pleased the father y t in hym shoulde dwell al fulnes and by hym to reconcyle al thīgs vnto himselfe and to set at peace by hym thorow the bloud of his crosse both thynges in heauen and thynges in earth c. To this agreeth also that which he saith to the Ephesians with these wordes He namely the father of oure lorde Iesu Christ ordeyned vs before thorow Iesus Christ to be heires vnto himselfe acordinge to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherwith he hath made vs accepted thorow the beloued By whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloud euen the forgyuenes of synnes acording to the riches of his grace c. Out of al this I conclude that a Christian man is iustified thorow Christ and reconcyled with god the father euen by him who with his bloud hath clensed vs from synne delyuered vs from y e power of the deuel of darknes restored vs vnto life with his owne death and made vs heires with him in eternall life And for al this now yet doth not the scripture speake against itself sayīg A Christian man is iustified by y e grace of god for Christ the anoynted of the lorde is the free gifte of god and the fulnesse of all grace for asmuche as Ihon saieth We al takynge out of the fulnes of Christ haue receaued grace for grace For the lawe was geuen by Moses but grace and trueth commeth by Iesus Christ who is full of grace and veritie Christ beareth our synnes and by his stripes we are healed when his iustice is made ours which is done by fayth on our side The. 5. Chapter THis hitherto haue I spoken in generall concernīg the maner of iustificaciō that is howe and after 〈…〉 what sort the sentence of damnacyon geuen of god vpō al mankynd is hyndered how thei that were condemned be delyuered and reconcyled agayne with god thorowe Chryste But yet haue I spoken nothīg of the lawe howe the righteousnes of Chryst is become oures or how we be partakers of this redempcyon For there be many whych vnderstanding Chryste to be a medyatour doe not yet beleue that he is also their mediatoure with god the father And so the strēgth and vertue of the Mediacyon doeth not profyte them Hereby maye we perceaue that the maner of iustyficacyon is not fullie fynished and perfourmed whā we haue gottē onelie some knowlege of the mediator and intercessor vnlesse we also knowe be suere thorow faith that Christ is our mediator yea in euery poynt ours all together y t therfore al his giftes goodes ar our owne Therfore hereafter haue I noted specially how the Reconciliacion and iustificaciō wrought by Iesus Christ is become ours And what it is y t maketh vs partakers of the redempcion or rightuousnes of Christ so that now the Lorde Iesus hath not onelie suffred death but dyed euen for vs washed awai our sinnes with his bloud iustified vs and made vs rightuous Yea so hath he iustified vs that we now beyng absolued from our sinnes and delyuered from damnacion are assuredlie become inheritours of al the goodes of Christ namelie of true rightuousnes and eternall life Her I speake openly playnlie and symplie We are become partakers of Christ by ōly faith that is by trust and belefe on y e lorde Iesus Christ And euen therfore is it that the prophetes and Apostles haue sayde so euidently that men are iustified by faith Item that Christ iustifieth thorow faith For such saienges expresse this meanynge and vnderstandyng namely that Christ geueth vnto vs his owne rightuousnes that is he forgeueth vs oure synnes he delyuereth vs frō damnacion and maketh vs partakers of eternall life Not for eny worke or deseruyng of vs but of his owne pure grace merite thorow faith In whō we holde beleue vs to be accepted not for ours elfes or for our owne works but for Christes sake Whom the father of al grace and mercy hath geuen vs for a pledge and assuraūce y t we shal lyue in his name That the maner of reconciliacion through christe is on oure syde by faith The 6. Chapter IT is not my desyre to be credited herin vnlesse I defende with very playne and euident scriptures y t which I haue taken in hand Now haue I sayed that Christ iustifieth vs by faith that is thorow stedfast belefe is the rightuousnes of Christ geuen vnto vs. This dyd the prophet Esaye establishe before w t sensible wordes sayēge my rightuous seruaunt namely Christ y e lorde shal with his knowlege or with the knowlege of him iustifie the multitude Beholde how he saieth my rightuous seruaunt shal iustifie the multitude church or congregacion and that thorow y e knowlege of him Now is it certayne and sure that the knowlege of him signifieth the knowlege of Christ euen y e science no doubte wherby true faith knoweth him cōfesseth him and poynteth vnto him This is therfore the prophet Esays doctryne or rather gods that Christ thorow faith iustifieth those that bee his After Esaye doth the prophet Abacuc speake sayīge The iust and rightuous shal lyue in his faith and beleffe Which sentence holie S. Paul vsed not onelye one tyme to proue by this testimonye as with it which is most euident y e all beleuers are iustified made lyuing by faith S. Ihon also