MAny men haue beene of o­pinion that Christian faith is an easie matter, yea of them also not a few haue accompted it in the num­ber of Vertues, euen as a companion of vertue it self. And this haue they done, because they haue had no tryall thereof by any proofe, nor haue at any time tasted of what force & power it is: where­as it cannot be possible that any man may bée able to write pithily, or vnderstand effectually the things that are written concerning the same truly, vnlesse being pinched at some one time or another with some crosse of tribulation, he hath felt the inward spirit thereof: But who so hath had but a meane taste of the same, can ne­uer possibly bee satisfied with writing, speaking, thinking, and hearing there­of. For it is a liuely spring vnto euerla­sting [Page 2] life, John 4. according as Christ calleth it in the fourth of Iohn. Wherein my selfe, albeit I make no vaunt of my store, and withall doe acknowledge the weaknesse of mine imbecillity, yet doe neuerthelesse trust, that by meanes of sundry and gree­uous temptations wherewith I haue bin turmoyled, I haue attained no small dramme of Faith. And that I am there­of able to treat (though not so eloquent­ly, yet certes more substantially) than those literall and ouer subtill schoolemen haue hitherto yet disputed, as men altoge­ther ignorant in the things which them­selues haue written. To the end therfore I may discouer a more easie way to the vnlettered to wade herein (to whose capa­cities I doe only apply my selfe) I doe set downe first these two propositions touch­ing the fréedome and bondage of the spirit.

• The po­positions.
  1 A Christian man is a most free Lord of all, subiect to none.
• 2 A Christian man is a most dutifull seruant of all, subiect to all.

[Page 3]Although these two propositions so me to be méere contraries, yet when they shall be found to haue in them a certaine swéet agréement, they will auaile very much for our present purpose. For Saint Paul is the Author of them both, name­ly, in his first Epistle to the Corinths the twelfth Chapter, Being otherwise free, 1 Cor. 12. I made my selfe seruant of all. And in the thirteenth to the Romans.Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man, but that ye loue one another. But loue is naturally dutifull, and hum­bly obedient to the thing that is loued, E­uen so Christ, though Lord of all, yet be­ing borne of a woman, was made vnder the law, both frée altogether, and a ser­uant, at one selfe time in the shape of God, and in the shape of a seruant.

Let vs enter into some higher & more déepe consideration of those sayings. Man doth consist of two natures, to wit, spirituall, and corporall. In re­spect of the spirituall nature (which some doe tearme to be the soule) hee is called spirituall, inward, and of the new man: In respect of the corporall (which [Page 4] some call the flesh) hee is called the car­nall, outward, and the old man. Of the which the Apostle in the second to the Corinthians,2 Cor 4. the fourth Chapter. Al­though our outward man be corruptible, yet our inward man is renued day by day. So that it commeth to passe through this diuersity, that in the Scriptures two con­traries are affirmed of one selfe same man, because that these two men being within the same one man, doe kéepe con­tinuall battayle against each other, Whi­lest the flesh doeth couet against the spi­rit, Gala. 5. and the spirit against the flesh, as in the Epistle to the Galathians the fift Chapter.

In what things Christian liberty.First therefore let vs examine the inward man, and sée by what reason hée may bée made iust, frée, and a true Christian, that is to say, spirituall, new, and an inward man. And it is certaine, that no externall thing at all (how glorious title soeuer it beare) is in any respect auayleable to the attay­ning of Christian righteousnesse, or frée­dome, as neyther of any value to the [Page 5] procuring of vnryghteousnesse or bon­dage, which is prooued by a very easie demonstration. For what auayleth it to the soule, if the body bee in good ly­king, health, and full of life: If it eate, drinke, and doe fréely what it listeth, when as euen the most wicked abiectes, bondeslaues of all mischiefe, doe enioy the same? Againe, what losse doeth the soule sustaine by sicknesse, im­prisonment, scarsitie of foode, thirst, or by any other externall disaduantage, when as the very reprobate, & such as be cleare voyde of all good conscience, are molested with the same. None of all those externall casualties doe extende to the fréedome, or bondage, of the soule. In like manner it shall bee to small pur­pose, if the body bee garnished with gay Coapes, such as Priests doe weare, or bee conuersant in holy sanctuaries, or bee exercised in holy Masse and Mat­tens, or if it pray. fast, abstaine from certaine meats, or doe inure it selfe to what so euer exercise wrought and possible to be wrought by the body and [Page 6] in the body. To the fréedome and righteousnesse of the soule is requisite matter of farre greater importance, whereas those externall things afore­said, may happen vnto the most wic­ked, by practising of the which, they become no better than plaine hypo­crites. Contrariwise, it shall nothing preiudice the soule, to haue the body clad with vnhallowed garments, to frequent prophane places, to eat and drinke of all sorts of meat without choise, not to bleat out prayer by note, yea to passe ouer all those works aforesaid, which may bée performed by the very Hipocrites.

Bee it also that wee reiect all things, yea, euen speculations, meditations, and whatsoeuer may bee done by the endea­uour of the soule, it profiteth nothing. One thing,Gods word ne­cessary for the soule. yea and that onely and a­lone is néedfull to the attainment of life, righteousnesse, and Christian li­berty, which is the sacred word of GOD the Gospell of Iesu Christ, ac­cording to the Testimony of Christ [Page 7] himselfe in the eleuenth Chapter of Iohn. I am the resurrection and life, Iohn 11. hee that beleeueth im me, shall not dye for euer. And in the eighth Chapter of Iohn. If the Sonne make you free, Iohn 8. you shall bee truly free. And in the fourth Chapter of Mathew.Matth. 4. Man liueth not by bread only, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Let vs therefore take this for a strong and an vndoubted Bulwarke, that the soule may want all things except the word of GOD, without the which nothing in the world can preserue her in safety: But hauing the word, shee is rich, destitute of nothing, for as much as the word of GOD is the word of life, of light, of peace, righteousnesse, saluation, ioy, frée­dome, wisdome, power, grace, glo­ry, and inestimably the treasure in­comparable of all goodnesse. And this is it that mooued the Prophet in all his Octonary and in many other places,Dauid. with so many déepe sighes and gronings to skriche out, and to call vpon the word [Page 8] of God.Famine of Gods word an horrible plague. Amos. Againe, neither is there any more horrible a plague of Gods wrath, than whiles he sendeth famine of hearing hys word. As he speaketh in Amos: as neither is there any greater grace than if he spred abroad his word, as is specified in the 107 Psalm.Psal. 107. He sent his word, & healed them, & deliuered them from their destruction. Neither was Christ sent to any other ministry, then the ministry of the word, nor is the Apostolicall Bishopricke, and whole order Ecclesiasticall, called and in­stituted otherwise, than to the ministry of the word.

Which is the word of God.But thou wilt demand, what word of God is this, and after what manner must it be vsed, considering there bee so many words of God? I answere, the A­postle in the first to the Romanes doth expresse the same,Rom. 1. namely, the Gospell of God concerning his sonne incarnate, cru­cifyed, risen againe, and glorified by the holy Ghost the sanctifyer. For Christ hath preached, that is to say, hath fedde the soule, hath iustified, deliuered, and sa­ued the soule, if she beléeue his doctrine, [Page 9] for Fayth only is the safe and effectuall vse of Gods word, as to the Romans the tenth. If thou confesse with thy mouth, and beleeue with the heart, Rom. 10. that GOD hath raysed him from the dead, thou shalt be saued. And againe, The end of the law is Christ, vnto righteousnesse to all them that doe beleeue. And to the Romans the first,Rom. 1. The iust man shall liue by his owne faith, for the word of God cannot be com­prehended and embraced by any workes, but by faith only. Euen so it is manifest, that as the Soule hath néed of the only word, to obtaine righteousnesse and life,Faith only iustifieth. euen so it is iustifyed by onely faith, and no workes; for if it might be iustifyed by any other meanes, then should it not stande in néede of the word, and so conse­quently no néede of faith. But this faith cannot consist altogether with workes, that is to say, if thou presume to be iusti­fyed together with workes, whatsoeuer they be, for this were euen to halt on both legges, to worship Baal, and to kisse the hand, which of all other is abhomi­nable, as witnesseth Iob. Therefore,Iob. [Page 10] when thou beginnest to beléeue, thou do­est learne withall, that all things in thée are altogether blameworthy, sinfull, and damnable, according to that saying of the Apostle in the second to the Romans,Rom. 2. All haue sinned, and haue need of the glory of God. And to the Romans, 3. There is none that doth good, all haue declined out of the way, they are altogether become vnprofitable: for if thou know this once, thou shalt know that it is necessary for thée to hold fast Christ, that beléeuing on him, who hath suffered for thee, and is risen againe, thou maiest be made ano­ther man through this faith, being made frée from all thy Sinnes, and iustified by the merits of Iesu Christ onely.

Therefore, for as much as this fayth cannot beare dominion in any, but in the inward man, according to the testi­mony of Paul in the tenth to the Ro­mans,Rom. 10. With the heart we doe beleeue vn­to righteousnesse. And for as much as this faith only doth iustifie, it is euident that the inward man cannot in any wise [Page 11] be iustified, made frée,Man is not iusti­fied by any externall thing. and saued by any externall worke or exercise, and that works whatsoeuer, auaile nothing there­unto, as on the contrary through impie­ty, and only vnbeliefe of the heart, man is made guilty, and the bondslaue of sinne, and not by any externall sinne or worke. And therefore the first and principall care of euery Christian man ought to bée in this especially, that setting aside all vaine confidence of workes, hee strengthen his faith more and more, and by daily increa­sings grow in knowledge, not of works, but of Christ Iesu crucified for him, and risen againe, as Peter in the last of his first Epistle teacheth, for as much,1 Pet. ult. as none other worke doth make a true Chri­stian man. So Christ in the sixt of Iohn, when the Iewes asked a question what they should doe to doe the works of God? excluding the multitude of works, wherewith he perceiued them to swell, and puft vp in pride, did prescribe vnto them one only rule, saying, This is the worke of God, Iohn 9. to beleeue on him whom he hath sent, for him God the father hath [Page 12] sealed. From hence right faith in Christ duly procéeding,Faith a treasure in­estimable. is a treasure inestimable, contayning in it selfe all saluation, and preseruing from all euill, as in the last of Marke,Mark. 16. He that beleeueth and is baptised, shall be saued, he that beleeueth not, shall be damned, which treasure Esay inward­ly regarding, did in the tenth of his Pro­phecy say, The decréed consumption o­uerfloweth with righteousnesse, and the Lord of hoasts shall perfectly fulfill the thing that he hath determined in the mid­dest of the whole world, as if he had said, Faith which is a briefe and summary fulnesse of the Law, shall replenish the beléeuers with so great righteousnesse, that they shall not haue néed of any other helpe to attaine righteousnesse: and the same doth Paul testifie in the tenth to the Romanes,Rom. 10. For with the heart wee be­leeue vnto righteousnesse. But thou do­est aske by what meanes it commeth to passe, that faith only may iustifie, & giue such a treasure of so great goodnesse with­out works, séeing that y^e whole scriptures doe prescribe vnto vs so many works, [Page 13] so many ceremonies, and so many lawes? I do answer, aboue all things be mindfull of this chiefely that hath bin spoken of be­fore, to wit, y^t only faith without works doth iustifie, doth deliuer, and doth saue, which we will make more manifest here­after. In the meane time seale vp this, that the whole Scripture of God is diui­ded into two branches, namely,The Scrip­tures haue comman­dements and pro­mises. comman­dements and promises. Indéed the cōman­demēts do teach good things, but y^e things that are taught by thē are not forthwith performed, for they do pronoūce what we ought to do, but do not giue power to doe the same, but are instituted to this end, to discouer man to himself, by meanes wher­of, man may know his own disability to­wards the good, & so despaire of his owne strength: and for this cause they are called the old Testament, and so they be indéed. As for example, Thou shalt not couet, is a Cōmandement, by the which we are con­uinced all to be sinners, because man can­not choose but couet, whatsoeuer his ende­uour be to the contrary, And therfore, that he may not couet, & so cōsequently fulfil y^e [Page 14] cōmandement, he is cōpelled to despaire of himselfe, & to séeke elsewhere for helpe of another, which he is not able to finde in himself,Osee. as Osee saith, Thy destruction cōmeth of thy selfe, O Israel, & thy health only frō me. All the comman­dements be equally impossible to be ac­complish­ed by vs. The obseruatiō of which one cōmandement, is generall to be obserued in all y^e rest, for all y^e cōmandemēts are in all respects alike impossible vnto vs, & be­yond our reach. Now when man is taught his own weaknesse by y^e cōmandements, & thereby brought into perplexity, how hee may be able to accōplish y^e law, knowing y^t the law must be so of al parts accōplished, y^t no one iot so much,The Law must be sa­tisfied. or title thereof may be pretermitted, otherwise in danger of e­ternall damnatiō irrecouerable, being thē truly humbled, and embased to nought in his owne eyes, he findeth nothing in him­selfe, whereby hee may bee iustified, and come to saluation. Loe, here commeth the other branch of the Scripture, namely, the promises of God, which doe bring the glad tidings of the glory of God, & speak on this wise. It thou wilt fulfill the Law, and not couet, as the Law requireth, be­hold [Page 15] here a remedy, Beleeue in Christ, in whom be promised vnto the, grace, righteousnesse, peace, fréedome, and in whom thou shalt haue all things if thou beléeue, and without whom thou shalt lack all things if thou dost not beléeue, for that which is impossible to thée in all the works of the Law (which be many, and yet vnauayleable to saluation) thou shalt very easily,We ac­complish all by faith. and briefely atchieue and bring to passe through faith, because God the father hath so established all things in faith, that whosoeuer haue faith, may possesse all things, and whosoeuer lacketh faith, may possesse nothing,Rom 11. for God hath shut vp all things vnder vnbeleefe, that he might haue mercy on all. God only comman­deth, and perfor­meth. On this wise the promises of God doe giue fréely vnto vs, that which the commandements doe exact of vs perforce, and doe fullfill that, which the law doth straitly command: that so all things may belong vnto God only, as well the commandements, as also the performance of the same. Onely God commandeth, only God performeth, and therefore Gods promises haue relation [Page 16] to the new Testament, yea rather are the new Testament it selfe.

For as much therefore as the promises of God be holy wordes, true, iust, peace­able, and full of all goodnesse, it commeth to passe,The first arme of faith. that the soule which doth cleaue stedfastly to the same, with an vnshaken faith, is become so vnited vnto them, yea is also wholly so swallowed vp of them, that it doth not only partake thereof, but is throughly gorged, and made drunken with all the power and force of the same: for if the touching of Christ did giue health, how much more shall a very tender féeling of the word in the spirit? nay rather a through swallowing down of the word, communicate to the soule all things that appertaine to the word. By this meanes therefore, the Soule through faith onely without workes, beléeuing in the word of God, is iustified, sanctified, pacifyed, deli­uered, and replenished with all goodnesse, and it is truly made the daughter of God, as it is said in the first of Iohn, He gaue thē power to be made the sonnes of God, Iohn. 1. euen them that doe beleeue in his name.

[Page 17]By this it may be easily perceiued, from whence saith hath receiued so great force, and why neither any one, nor all good works are comparable vnto her, because no worke can cleaue fast vnto Gods word, nor be within the soule, wherin faith only, & the word, do reigne & gouern, for such as [...]word is, such becommeth the soule, made by force of the word, euen as a fiery plate of iron doth glimmer like vnto fire, by meanes of vniting the fire and the plate together, so that it is manifest, that to a Christian man faith sufficeth only for all, and that he néedeth no works to bée iusti­fied by. Now if he néed no works, thē also hée néeds not the law: if he haue no néed of the law, surely he is then frée from the law. So this also is true. The law is not made for the righteous man, and this is y^e same Christian liberty. Our faith which doth worke in vs, not to be idlers, nor to giue our selues to lust and euill life, but that wée bee not tyed to a necessity of ob­seruing the law, or doing works, to y^e end to obtaine righteousnes,Another arme of faith. or saluation ther­by. Let this be the first arme of faith, & let [Page 18] vs sée another, for this also is the duty of faith, that it reuerence him on whom it beleeueth, with a most godly and earnest bent affection, to wit, that it accompt him true, & worthy to be beléeued, for there is no honor like vnto the opiniō conceiued of truth and righteousnes,The grea­test honor wherewith we do most highly estéeme of him whom we doe beléeue, for what are we able to ascribe to any person, more thā truth, righteousnes, & goodnesse, of all parts perfect and abso­lute? Contrariwise, it is a detestable re­proach, to conceiue a secret opinion of a man to be false,The grea­test re­proach. faithlesse, and wicked. So the soule, as long as it beleeueth stedfast­ly in God that maketh the promise, doth accompt him true & righteous, than which opinion can nothing be more acceptable to God. This is the highest honor of God, to ascribe vnto him truth, iustice, & what­soeuer else ought to bee yeelded to him whom we doe beléeue: this man yeeldeth himselfe ready to execute all his will: this man doth sanctifie his name: this man suf­fereth himselfe to be exercised,Perfect o­bedience. according to the will & pleasure of God, because clea­uing [Page 19] firmely to his promises, he doubteth not but that he is true, iust, wise, & wil do, dispose, and gouerne all things for the best: but is not such a soule by the same his faith most humbly obedient to God in all things? what commandement remay­neth then, which this obedience hath not sufficiently satisfied? what fulnesse can be more absolute, than all manner of humble obedience? but this obedience cōmeth not by workes, but by faith only, and belée­uing the promises. On the other side, what Rebellion? what impiety?Rebellion. what greater reproach can there bee vnto God, thā not to beléeue him whē he promiseth? for what is this else, than either to make God a lier? or to be doubtfull of his truth? that is to say, to ascribe truth to himselfe, and to condemne God of vanity & lying? wherein doth he not deny God, and make to himselfe an image of himselfe in his owne heart? what auayle déeds (I pray you) wrought in this vnbeléefe? though they séeme neuer so Angelicall, or Aposto­licall? And therefore very well did God cō ­clude all, not in wrath & lust, but in vnbe­liefe, [Page 20] lest such as faine that they haue fulfilled the law through chaste and méek works of y^e law (such be vertues humane and ciuill) should presume vpon their sal­uation, when as being shut vp in the sinne of vnbeleefe, they must either séeke for mercy, or to be damned through iustice. But whē God doth sée truth to be ascribed vnto him,God doth honour them that beleeue on him. & that he is worshipped with the faith of our heart, which is as much honor as he desireth, then doth hee honour vs againe, & imputeth vnto vs truth & righ­teousnes for this faithes sake: for faith, in yelding to God his own, doth work truth & righteousnes, and therfore God doth re­cōpence our righteousnes again with glo­ry, for it is true and iust, y^t God is true & iust. So also, to ascribe vnto God iustice & truth, & to cōfesse y^e same, is to be true and iust.1 King 5. To this effect we read in the 1 of the Kings, the 5 Chapter, Whosoeuer doth honor me, I will glorify him: and whosoe­uer doth despise me, shal be naught set by. The same also pronounceth Paul to the Romans,Rom. 4. the 4 Chap. That to Abraham his owne faith was imputed vnto righte­ousnes, [Page 21] because through the same he gaue vnto God y^e glory most absolutely, & that if we beléeue, faith shal be imputed for the same cause vnto vs for righteousnes. The third arme of faith,The third arme of faith. which is a iewell ine­stimable, is this, that it coupleth the soule with Christ, euen as the spouse with her husband.The vni­ting of the soule vnto her spouse By which sacrament (as Paul [...]eacheth) Christ & the soule are made one flesh. If they be one flesh, then is there a [...]rue mariage betwixt them, yea, rather, a mariage of all other most perfect, abso­ [...]utely accomplished betwixt them (for the mariages betwixt man & wife be but slen­ [...]er figures of this vnion) whereupō it fol­ [...]oweth, that all things are cōmon betwixt thē, as well good as bad, so that whatso­ [...]er Christ doth possesse, the faithfull soule may boldly presume vpon the same, & tri­umph ouer them, as though they were his own. Likewise, whatsoeuer appertaineth [...]o the soule, the same may Christ chalenge vnto himselfe, as if they were his owne. Let vs cōpare these together, & wee shall perceiue inestimable treasure. Christ is full of all grace, life, and sauing health the [Page 22] soule is fraught full of all sinne,Behold in­estimable treasures. death, and damnation. Now let faith come betwixt these two, and it shall come to passe, that Christ shall be loaden with sinne, with death, and with hell, but vnto the soule shall be imputed grace, life, and saluation, for it behooueth Christ, if hee bee the hus­band, to accept, and ioyntly possesse the things appertaining to his spouse, and withall, to communicate to his spouse the things that appertaine to his possession, for he that giueth unto her his body, and himselfe wholly, how can it be, but that he must giue her all things else withall? and he that is possessed of the spouse, how doth he not withall possesse also the things ap­pertayning to the spouse? Here commeth loe to the view, a most swéet spe­ctacle, not onely of communion, but of a comfortable battell of victory of saluation and redemption.

For in as much as Christ is God and Man, and such a person, as neuer yet sinned, neuer dyeth, nor is damned, yea such a one, as neither can sinne, no [...] dye, nor be damned, and that his iustice [Page 23] his life, his sauing health, is vnvanquish­able, euerlasting and omnipotent, when as (I say) such a person doth communi­cate to himselfe, yea rather doth wedde (as his owne) the sinne, death, and dam­nation of his spouse through the wed­did Kyng and vnion of Fayth. And that the case now standeth none otherwise, then as if they were his owne proper pe­culiar, euen as it himselfe had sinned, were trauelling, dying, and descending into hell, to bring all things in subiecti­on: And that sinne, death, and hell could not swallow him, being all of necessity cleane swallowed vp in him by a miracu­lous conflict (for his righteousnes is grea­ter than the sinnes of all men: his life surmounteth in power all death, his sa­uing health is more victorious than all hell) euen so the faithfull soule, through the assurednesse of her faith in Christ her husband, is deliuered from all sinnes, made safe from death, garded from hell, and endowed with the euerlasting righte­ousnesse, life, & sauing health of her hus­band Christ. On this wise Christ doth co­ple [Page 24] her vnto himselfe a glorious Spouse without spotte and wrinckle, clensing her with the fountaine in the word of life, that is to say, through faith, the word of life, of righteousnesse, and of saluation. Euen so doth he marry her vnto himselfe in faith in mercy, and compassions, in iu­stice and iudgement, as he testifieth in the second of Osée.Ose 2. The Maie­stie of this royall marriage.

Wherefore who is able to value the roialtie of this mariage accordingly? who is able to comprehend the glorious riches of this grace? where this rich and louing husband Christ doth take vn­to wife this poore and wicked Harlot, redéeming her from all euils, and gar­nishing her with all his owne Iewels. For it is impossible now, that her owne sinnes should destroy her, sithens they are laid vpon Christs shoulders, and swallowed vp in him, sithens also it doth now possesse the same righteousnesse in her husband Christ, of the which she may now embolden her selfe, and presume vp­on them as in her owne right against all her owne sinnes, against death and hell, [Page 25] and may with confidence encounter the enemy, and say, if I haue sinned, yet my swéet husband Christ, in whom I doe beléeue, hath not sinned, all whose riches are mine, and all mine are his: As in the Canticle of Salomon. My welbeloued husband to mee, and I vnto him This is that Paul speaketh of in the first to the Corinths the fiftéenth Chapter.Cor. 1. the 15. chapter. Than­ked be God which hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord: Euen the victory ouer sin & death. And in the same place he bringeth in, that sinne is the sting of Death, but the force of sin is the law.

Hereof therefore you doe vnderstand againe,For what cause faith is so much esteemed. what the cause is that faith is so highly commended: that it is able alone to fulfill the law, & to iustifie without any helpe of workes: For thou dost perceiue how the first commandement,The true worship of God. Thou shalt worship one God only, is now accompli­shed by Faith only: For if thou were no­thing els frō the sole of the foot, to y^e crown of the head but good workes, yet shouldst thou not be iust, nor shouldest thou wor­ship God, nor fulfill the first commande­ment, [Page 26] for as much as God cannot be wor­shipped, vnlesse the praise and glory of all truth and all goodnesse be truly ascri­bed vnto him: but this cannot works bring to passe, only the faith of the heart must atchieue this. For wee doe glorify and confesse him to be true, not by wor­king, but by beléeuing. In this respect Faith only is the righteousnesse of a Christian man, and the accomplishment of all the Commandents: For hee that doth accomplish the first Comman­dement, doth fulfill all the rest with no labour at all. For works being things without sense, cannot glorify God, though they may be practised to Gods glory, be­ing ioyned with faith. But wee, at this present, enquire not the works wrought, of what quality they be: but we doe en­quire of the person that maketh y^e works, that glorifieth and bringeth foorth the works:Faith ma­eeth works And the same is the very Fayth of the heart, the head and substance of all our righteousnesse: whereupon it follow­eth, that the doctrine that teacheth the sa­tisfaction of the law by meanes of works, [Page 27] is blinde and perilous, for as much as before all works, it behooueth that all the Commandements bee accomplished, and that works doe follow after this fulfilling of the law, as wee shall heare more at large afterwards.

But to the end wee may more mani­festly behold this grace which this our inward man doth possesse in Christ, it is to be obserued, that in the old Testa­ment,The pre­rogatiue of the first birth. God did sanctify to himselfe the first borne of euery mankinde, & the first brith was wonderfully estéemed, surmounting all other in double honour: Namely, in the Priesthood, and in the kingdome, for the first begotten brother was Priest & Lord of all other: vnder which shadow Christ was prefigured vnto vs, the true and on­ly first begotten of God the Father, & of the virgin Mary, and the true King and Priest:Whereof the king­dome of Christ doth con­sist. but not according to the flesh and the world, for his kingdome is not of this world, he raigneth and sanctifieth in spi­rituall and heauenly things which are righteousnes, truth, wisdō, peace, saluatiō, &c. Not as though all things of this world [Page 28] and of hell, were not also in subiection vn­to him (otherwise how could he preserue and defend vs from them all) but because his kingdome doth consist neither in them nor of them. Euen so neither his Priest­hood doth consist in outward pompe of ap­parell and gestures (such as the humane Priesthood of Aaron was,Christs Priest­hood. and as our ec­clesiasticall Priesthood is at this day) but in spirituall things, by the which he doth make intercession for vs vnto God the fa­ther in heauen, by a certaine inuisible of­fice, and there doth offer vp himselfe, and performeth all things that behooued a Priest to doe.Priestly office. Paul to the He­brues. Euen as Paul doth describe him by a figure of Melchisedech in his E­pistle to the Hebrues. Neither doth he on­ly pray, and make intercession for vs, but also doth teach & instruct vs, inwardly in spirit with the liuely doctrine of his spi­rit, which two are y^e peculiar properties of a Priest, which also is figured in carnall Priests by praiers & visible preachings.How it is to be ta­ken that faithfull Christians be Priests.

And euen as Christ by his first birth did obtaine these two dignities, so doth he im­part and communicate the same to eue­ry [Page 29] his faithfull spouse, by the right of the foresaid mariage, wherby they are al spou­ses, whosoeuer are espoused to y^e husband. And hereof commeth it, that we all that beléeue in Christ are Priests and kings in Christ, as in the first of Peter the second Chapter, You be a chosen kindred, 1 Pet. [...]. a peo­ple of adoption, a kingly priesthood, and a priestly kingdome, to the end you should shew forth his power, who hath caled you from darknesse, into his maruellous light: which two are thus to be taken.

First as concerning the kingdome,Christian kings. e­uery faithfull Christian through Fayth is so aduanced aboue all other things, that in spirituall power he is become Lord o­uer all, so that none of all the creatures can doe him any harme at all: Nay rather all things are made subiect vnto him, and compelled to serue for his safety, accor­ding to the testimony of Paul in the eight to the Romans.Rom. 8. All things doe worke together to the elect to good. Likewise in the first to the Corinthians, the third Chapter. All things are yours, 1 Cor. 3. whether it be life or death, things present, or things [Page 30] to come, Note. but you are Christs. Not that to euery Christian, all préeminence is gi­uen in bodily power to possesse and rule o­uer all things (which furious frensie hath bewitched many our Prelates euery where) for this dominion is proper to Kings, Princes, and Potentates of the earth: whereas the very vse and manner of our liues, doth sufficently teach vs, that we are subiect to all, that we doe en­dure many tribulations, yea, & euen die y^e death. Nay, rather, by how much a Chri­stian doth excell in Christianity, by so much the more is he subiect vnto all incon­ueniences, vexations, and deaths, as wee may easily sée in the very flower of y^e first borne Christ himselfe and all his holy bre­thren.The spiri­tuall king­dome. This power is spirituall, which doth beare dominion euen in the middest of enemies, and is mighty euen amiddest the very tortures, which is nothing else in effect, but that power is made perfect in weaknesse, and that in all things I may make gaine for my safety: insomuch, that the crosse and death it selfe may bee compelled to serue for my behoofe, and to [Page 31] worke my saluation: and this is that high and notable dignity, yea, that true & om­nipotent power, the spirituall kingdome, wherein nothing is so good, nothing so bad, which shall not worke to my good, so that I beléeue. And yet haue I néed of nothing (sithens only faith doth suffice to saluation) but that faith may in the same exercise her force, & the dominion of her li­berty. Behold now this is that inestima­ble power and liberty of Christians.

So also we be not only most frée kings of all other, but we be Priests also for euer,We be Priests for euer. which doth farre surpasse all kingdomes: For through our Priesthood we are made worthy to appeare before God, to plead and pray for other men, & one to instruct the other the things that are of God. For these be the offices peculiar vnto Priests, which can in no wise be committed to any vnbeléeuer. Such a prerogatiue hath Christ obtained for vs, that as ioynt bre­thren, coheires, and ioyntkings, so also we should be vnto him ioyntpriests, pre­suming boldly with confidence through the spirit of Faith to preach vnto the pre­sence [Page 32] of God, and to cry vnto him Abba Father, and to pray for each other, and to doe all things y^t we see to be executed & fi­gured by the visible and corporall function of the Priests But vnto the vnbeléeuer nothing serueth or worketh vnto good,All things euill to the vnbe­leeuer. but hee is become seruant of all other, to whom all things turne vnto euill, because he doth wickedly employ all his endeauor for his owne behoofe, and not to the glory of God. And by this meanes he is neither Priest but prophane, whose prayer tur­neth vnto sinne, nor doth appeare before God, because God doth not heare sinners. Wherfore who is able to comprehend the preheminence of Christiā dignity? which through her own kingly power executeth dominion ouer all things, ouer death, life, sinne, &c. and which through her priestly glory is able to work all things in y^e sight of God, because God doth bring to passe y^e things for the which he doth pray & wish, as it is written, He shall worke the will of them that feare him, & shall heare their petitions, & shall saue them, To this glory surely is no possible accesse by working, [Page 33] but onely by faith and beliefe.

By the premisses may euery man ea­sily perceiue,The liber­ty of Chri­stians. by what meanes a Christian man is frée from all, and Lord ouer all: so that to become iust and saued, he shall not néed any works at all, but through faith only obtaineth all those things suffi­ciently: who if he would be so mad, as to presume to be made a iust, a frée, and a safe Christian, by force of any good work, he should surely lose his faith forthwith, together with all his good works, which folly is aptly moralized in that fable of Esop, where the Dogge swimmeth in the water, & carrying flesh in his mouth, deluded with the shadow of the same flesh glittering in the water, whiles gaping with open mouth, he snatcheth after the shadow, he both loseth the true flesh, and the shadow withall.

Héere you will aske of me, If all be Priests that bee in Christs Church: by what title then may they (whom wee call commonly Priests now) bee discerned from Lay men? I doe an­swere: There is a great iniury com­mitted [Page 34] against these words, to witte, Priest, Clarke, Spirituall, Ecclesi­asticall, whiles they be translated from all the rest of the Christians, and be abrid­ged to these few, which through euill custome are tearmed Church men: For holy scripture doth make no difference be­twixt them, sauing that it entituleth them by the names of Ministers, Seruants, and Stewards, which doe now vaunt themselues to be Popes, Bishoppes, and Lords, which ought to minister to o­thers in preaching the word, to teach the faith of Christ and Christian liberty: For albeit this be true, that wée be all Priests indifferently, yet can wée not all, nor yet ought we all minister & teach pub­liquely, though we were all able to doe so: For so doth Paul teach in his first to the Corinths, the fourth Chapter. Let men so esteeme of vs, 1 Cor. c. 4. as ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the mysteries of God.

To what issue the ministry Ecclesia­sticall is come.But this Stewardship is now enhaun­ced vnto so mighty a Potentate & pompe of power, and vnto a certaine terrible ty­ranne, that no kingdomes of the Gen­tiles, [Page 35] ne yet any Empyres of the whole world are not able to counteruaile the same in statelinesse. As though lay people were a certaine somewhat besides and no Christians at all. Through which per­uersenesse it is come to passe, that the true knowledge of Christian grace, Christian faith, and Christian liberty, yea of Christ himselfe, is come wholly to vtter ruine, whiles, in the meane space, an importable clogge and intolerable bondage of mens workes and traditions are crawled vp in his place, and we (according to Ieremies lamentations) are become vassalles of the most vilest varlettes of the world, which doe abuse our misery to worke all infamous filthinesse, and shamefull reproaches of their beastly licentious­nesse.

But to returne to our purpose againe.How Christ ought to be prea­ched. I suppose that by the foresaid demonstra­tions it is made manifest, that it sufficeth not to a true Christian man to preach the workes, life, and doctrine of Christ, after an historicall manner, and vtter the same, as in telling of tales, as though [Page 36] to know them to bee patternes of fra­ming our liues, were enough (like as they vse to preach which are now ac­compted the best) much lesse if it bee vtterly concealed, and instéede thereof mens constitutions and traditions bee taught to supply the place. There bée some now a dayes, and they not a few, which to this purpose doe preach and teach Christ, that they may mooue the affections of the people to bewaile the passion and torments which Christ suf­fered, and to bee displeasant against the Iewes, and such other childish and fond matters of no great importance. But Christ ought to be preached to this end, that faith in him may encrease, that it may appeare, that it is not enough, that there is a Christ, but that hee may bee a Christ (which is a Sauiour) vnto thee and vnto me: And that he doth work the same in vs, which is mētioned of him, & is agréeable to the name whereby hee is na­med: which faith springeth, florisheth, and is preserued by this, if the preaching doe notifie the cause wherefore Christ [Page 37] came, what he brought with him, what he gaue, and to what vse and purpose hee is to be embraced. And this commeth to passe, where Christian liberty (which we doe attaine by him) is truly taught: and by what meanes all wee Christians are Kings and Priests: wherein also wee be Lords ouer all: and vpon what this our affiance (that whatsoeuer wee doe is well pleasing and acceptable to GOD) is grounded, as I haue said before.

For whose heart hearing these things will not melt for very ioy,The fruit of true preaching and waxe raui­shed in loue of Christ, hauing receiued so great a consolation? to the which loue hee can neuer possibly attaine by any lawes or workes at all: what is hee that can hurt such a heart, or may a­pall the same with feare? If conscience of sinne doe rush vpon him, or horror of death amaze him, loe, it is ready to trust in the Lord, nor is afraid for any such e­uill noise, nor is disquieted, vntill it do de­spise the enemies, for it beléeueth that Christs righteousnesse is become his [Page 38] owne righteousnesse, and that his sinne is now no longer his owne, but Christs sinne. But it behoueth that all sinne bée swallowed vp at the very sight of Christ, through the faith of Christ, as hath béene declared before, and learne now with the Apostle, to treade vpon, and triumph ouer sinne and death, and to say, Death, where is thy sting? Death, where is thy vi­ctorie? the sting of Death is sinne, but the power of sinne is the Law. God be than­ked, who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus our Lord, for death is swallowed vp through the conquest, not of Christ onely, but our owne also, because it commeth to passe by our Faith, that the conquest is made ours, and that in the same wee doe ouercome.

Let this suffice touching the inward man, touching his freedome, & touching the principall righteousnesse of Faith, which neither neede th [...]awes nor workes, which will turne to his destruction that dare presume to be iustified by them. Now let vs returne to the other part, to witte, the outward man: For in this trea­tie [Page 39] answere shall be made to all them,The de­mand of them which doe not con­ceiue Lu­ther, yea rather which doe not con­ceiue what faith is. who being offended with the word of Faith, and with the things that haue béene spoken of before, doe reply on this wise against vs. If Faith doe accomplish all things, and if Faith bée onely and alone sufficient vnto righteousnesse, to what end then are wée commanded to doe good déedes? we may goe play vs then, and worke no working at all, being furnished sufficiently with faith, I doe answere, Not so yee vngodly, not so. In déede this matter would euen so fare, as you say, if we were perfectly and altoge­ther the inward and spirituall men: which wée cannot bée in any wise, be­fore the last day at the rising again of the dead. So long as wée be clothed with this mortall flesh, wée doe but beginne and procéede outward in our course towards perfection, which will bée consummated in the life to come. And for this cause, the Apostle in the eight to the Romanes,Rom. 8. doth call this the first fruits of the Spirit, which we doe enioy in this life, the tenth and fulnesse of which [Page 40] spirit we shall receiue in the life to come. To this belongeth that whereof we spak before, namely, that a Christian man is seruant of all, and subiect to all, for in this that hee is frée, hee worketh nothing, but in this, that he is a ser­uant, hee worketh all things. Now let vs sée how these two will stand together. Albeit man bee suffi­ciently iustified by faith in the inward Man Spiritually, as I sayd be­fore, enioying all that hee ought to haue, sauing that hee must by dai­ly encreasings enlarge this same faith, and riches of grace, vntill he be vn­clothed of his flesh, yet remayneth still in this mortall life, vpon the face of the earth, wherein he must of very necessity nourish his owne body,From whence works take their beginning and be conuersant amongst men. And euen here now works doe begin to take their entrance. Héere we may not giue our selues to idlenesse. Here now we must apply our selues ear­nestly to exercise this body with fastings, watchings, labours, and other moderate disciplines, to bring it in subiection to the [Page 41] spirit, that it may become obedient to faith, and conforme it selfe to the inward man, & y^t it rebell not, nor hinder the spirit, following therein his owne naturall in­clination, if it be not otherwise tamed: for the inward man being alike fashioned vnto God, and created after the image of God, through faith, is both ioyfull, and comfortable, for the loue he hath to Christ,The only worke of the in­ward man. in whom he is endued with so many good things, whereupon in this only doth it occupy it selfe, namely, to serue the Lord with a frée loue, with ioy, and thanks.

Now whiles it is exercised in this course, behold in her owne flesh it findeth a contrary will, which trauelleth altoge­ther to serue the world, and to séeke the things that are her owne, which the spirit of Faith cannot away withall, nor is able to endure it, and therefore with valiant courage attempteth to subdue and tame this rebellious will, as Paul witnesseth in the seuenth to the Romans, I am deligh­ted with the Law of God in mine inward man, but I see another Law in my mem­bers, rebelling against the Law of my [Page 42] minde, & leading me captiue into the law of sinne. And in another place, I do cha­stise my body, & bring it into subiection, lest whiles I preach to others, I my selfe may be found a castaway. And in the fifth to the Galath.Galath. 5. They that are of Christ haue crucified the flesh, and the concupi­scences thereof.

Of what minde wee ought to be in doing good works.But neither we may do these workes in any wise, being of the opinion that man may bee iustified through them in the sight of God. For this false opinion is not tolerable in y^e eye of Faith, which Faith is the only righteousnesse before God. But in these workes wee must bee of the minde, so to bring the flesh into subiection, and to cleanse the euill concu­piscences thereof, that it may not bend the view of the eye to any thing else, than to the mortifying of euill concupi­scence and lust: For when the soule is washed cleane through faith, and made the dearling of Christ, it would also de­sire that all things else, yea, and her owne body chiefely might be purged together withall, to the end all things in her [Page 43] might loue, and glorifie God together, whereby it commeth to passe, that man through an enforcing necessity of the flesh, may not giue himselfe to idlenesse, & for that cause is constrayned to doe many good things, to the end hee may bring his body into subiection. And yet these works are not of such power, as to bee able to worke mans iustification before God. But man of a very pure loue, doth worke the same, to the seruice and obedience of God, beholding in them nothing else than Gods good will, vnto the which he would most willingly and dutifully yéeld alhum­bie obedience in all things.

By this meanes euery man may easi­ly direct himselfe,How the body ought to be cha­stised. Note. how he ought most or­derly (as the saying is) and most commo­diously attemper his owne body, for hée shall fast so much, watch and labour to much, as shall seeme most expedient, for the taming of the wantonnesse and licen­tiousnesse of his body. But those that doe vaunt to be iustified by works, doe regard not y^e mortificatiō of y^e flesh, and the lusts thereof, but the works thēselues, being of [Page 44] opiniō, that if they do very many, & great good déeds, they are thereby in good case, & are become iust therewith: somtime hur­ting the braines, and destroying nature vtterly, or at least making it vnprofi­table. And this is a wōderful folly, & grosse ignorance of Christian life, and of Chri­stian faith, to haue a will to bee iustified and saued by works without faith.

A notable similitude.But to the end that which we haue said may more easily be conceiued, let vs make demonstration therof by similitudes. The works of a Christian man being iustifi­ed and saued through his owne faith, by the mere and frée mercy of God, ought to bee of none other value and estimation, than the workes of Adam and Eue, and all their children should haue bin in Paradise if they had neuer sinned, of whom God spake in the second of Genesis on this wise,Gen. 2. God did place man, whom he crea­ted, into Paradise, that hee might worke and manure the same. But God created Adam iust and perfect, and without sinne, so that he should not haue néed to bee iu­stified and made perfect by any his owne [Page 45] worke, endeauour, and safe kéeping. But to the end he should not be idle, God en­ioyned him this worke, to manure Pa­radise, and to kéepe it, which works had bin truly most frée, wrought in respect of nothing, but of Gods good pleasure only, and not to procure righteousnes thereby, wherewith he was fully endued already, and which also should haue bin ioyntly in the creation of vs all.

To the same effect bee the workes of the faithfull beléeuer,Faith doth restore in­to Para­dise. who through his owne faith being restored againe into Paradise, and created againe of new, née­deth no workes to become, or made iust thereby. But because he should not bee idle, but manure his owne body, and kéepe it, he must doe such works of fréedome in respect of Gods good will onely, sauing that is not yet fully created againe anew with perfect faith and loue, which behoo­ueth to be encreased daily, yet not by force of workes, but of their owne strength. Take yet another example.Another examples An holy Bi­shop consecrating a Church, Bishopping children, or executing some other parcell [Page 46] of his function, is not himselfe consecra­ted a Bishop by force of those exercises, nay rather vnlesse he had bin a consecra­ted Bishop before, none of al these works could haue béene to any purpose, but ac­compted rather childish, altogether foolish and apish. Euen so a Christian man, be­ing first consecrated by his owne faith, doth worke good works indéed, yet is hée made thereby neuer a deale the more ho­ly, or the more a Christian, for this is the work of faith only, yea rather, vnlesse hée did first beléeue, and were a Christian be­fore, all his works would not be worth a straw, but rather very wicked, and dam­nable sinnes.

And for this cause these two sayings bée true,Two no­table say­ings. namely, Good workes doe not make a good man, but a good man doth make the workes to bee good. And euill workes doe not make an euill man, but an euill man doth make the workes to be euill, so that it behooueth alwayes, that the substance or person bee good first, before all good works, and that good works follow then by order, and procéed from a [Page 47] good person, as Christ himselfe witnes­seth. An euill tree doth not bring good fruit, and a good tree doth not bring euill fruit. For it is euidently knowne by experience, that the fruit doth not beare the trée, and that the trée doth not grow in the fruit, but contrari­wise, the trées doe beare the fruits, and the fruit doth grow in the trées. Therefore, as it is necessary that the trée bee first before the fruit, and that the fruit doth not make the trées good or euill: But contrarily, such as the trée is, such is the fruit, so is it necessary, that the person, or man himselfe be either good or badde first, before hee make a good or bad worke, and that his workes make him neither good nor badde, but the man himselfe maketh his owne workes good or badde.

Semblable héereunto may wée sée in all occupations.Another example. An euill house or a good house doth not make an euill or a good Carpenter, but a good or bad Carpenter maketh a good or badde house. And so ge­nerally in all kindes of manuall occupati­ons [Page 48] and sciences, no péece of worke doth make the Artificer good or bad, but such as the Artificer is, such worke maketh he: euen so fareth it in the case of mēs works. Such as the person is either in faith or in vnbeléefe, such is his work, if either done in faith, and so good, or done in vnbeléefe, & so euill. But contrariwise, it is not so, to wit, such as the worke is, such is the person, made in faith or vnbeléefe, for as workes doe not make a man to be a belée­uer, so neither doe they make a man righ­teous.Only faith iustifieth. But faith, as it maketh man belée­uing and righteous, so doth it make his works to be good. For as much therefore as works doe not iustifie any man, and that it behooueth man to be righteous be­fore he worke any good worke: it appea­reth most manifestly, that faith onely by the mere mercy of God through Christ Iesu in his word, doth make worthy, and sufficiently iustifie, and saue the person: and that a Christian man néedeth no worke nor law at all, thereby to attaine saluation, for that through faith hee is frée from all law, and doth fréely worke all [Page 49] things that he worketh of his owne mere good will, respecting therein neither pro­fit, nor saluation, but only the good will of God, for as much as he is now alrea­dy fully replenished, and made safe by the grace of God through his owne faith.

Euen so no good worke auaileth to righteousnesse and saluation to the vnbe­léeuing person. On the other side,The vnbe­leeuing person is not made euill by works. no euill worke maketh him euill or damnable, but his owne vnbeléefe, which both maketh the trée euill, and withall, maketh the workes euill and damnable, whereupon in this, that any person is made good or badde, he doth not receiue this being good or badde by works, but this his good or euill taketh beginning from the roote of faith or vnbeleefe, as the wise man recor­deth, The beginning of sin is to fall from God, which is in effect, to be vnbeléeuing.Heb. 11. And Paul in the 11 to the Hebrewes, It behooueth him that commeth to God, to beleeue. The same also speaketh Christ, Either make the tree good, and the fruit thereof good, or make the tree euill, and [Page 50] the fruit thereof euill, as if he might say, who so will make good fruits, must begin at y^e trée first, & plant vpon a good stock, so who so will make good works, must begin, not at the working, but at the beléeuing, which beléefe doth make y^e person good, for nothing maketh the person good, but faith, nor any thing maketh him euill, but vnbe­léefe.Works do make a man good, but that is in the sight of men. Matth 7. Indéed this is true, that by works man is made good or euill in the iudgemēt of men, but this is as much in effect, as to doe it to vnderstand, and let it be knowne who bee good, or who bee euill, whereof Christ speaketh in the seuenth of Mat­thew, You shall know them by their fruits. But this knowledge consisteth only in shew, and outward appearance, & semblance, wherein many are deceiued that presume to teach and prescribe, wher­by men may bee iustified in the meane time, making not once so much mention of Faith at all, masking still in their own mismaze,The origi­nall of some mens er­rour. alwayes deceiued, and deceiuing others, going forward from worse vnto worse, blind guides of the blind, wearying themselues with a multitude of works, & [Page 51] yet neuer attaining to true righteousnes, of whom Paul writeth in the 1.1 Tim. 3. to Tim. the 3. Chap. Hauing indeed an vtter shew of holines, but denying the power there­of, alwayes learning, but neuer attaining to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore behooueth him y^t will not wāder out of the way, with these blind guides, to enter into a déeper cōsideratiō, thā the vtter shew of workes, of lawes, & doctrines of workes, but must rather with a quite contrary aspect pry into the person, and note di­ligently the reason, whereby man is iusti­fied: and here shall he finde, that man is iustified and saued, not by workes, nor by the law, but by the word of God, that is to say, by the promise of his grace, and by faith, that so the glory thereof may redound to the maiesty of God, Who hath saued vs that beleeue, not by the works of righteousnesse which wee haue done, but according to his owne mercy, through the word of his owne grace. Rules to vnder­stand the doctrines of many.

Wherby it remaineth easie to be knowne in what respect good works are to be reie­cted or embraced, & in what sense all y^e do­ctrines [Page 52] of men touching workes ought to be vnderstood: for if workes be compa­red to righteousnesse, and be practised by a peruerse Leuiathan, and of that false per­swasion, to presume vpon y^e obtaining true iustification therby, they do now enforce a necessity vnauoidable, & do vtterly extin­guish liberty & faith withall, and so euen by this meanes are now no more good, but méerely damnable, for they be not now frée, but blasphemous to the grace of God, whose onely property is through faith to iustifie and saue, which things workes doe affect to bring to passe, not of any their ability, but by a wicked foolehar­dinesse only, issuing from our own grosse ignorance: by reason whereof they doe violently rushe, and intrude into the office of grace and the glory thereof.The rea­son of Luthers Doctrine. For this cause therefore wée doe not reiect good workes, but rather doe most hartely em­brace and teach them: Neither doe wée condemne them in respect of themselues, but in respect of the wicked addition gi­uen vnto them, and peruerse opinion con­ceiued of them, in thattayning of righte­ousnesse: [Page 53] whereby it commeth to passe, that they appeare good onely in shew, be­ing not good in déede, and in truth, there­by being themselues deceiued, and decei­uing others also, as rauening wolues clo­thed in shéepes skinnes.

And this Leuiathan and peruerse opi­nion in workes cannot possibly be reclay­med, where pure faith wanteth,The work of Leuia­than. nor is remoueable from these holy workemen before that Faith the vanquisher thereof come in place and beare dominion in the heart. Nature is not of it selfe forcible enough to expell it, no not so much as to take notice therof, but estéemeth it in place of a most holy will: wheras if custome pre­uaile, & take déep rooting in this peruerse­nesse of nature (as is already brought to passe through wicked teachers) it is an in­curable disease, and leadeth astray innu­merable people into destruction vnrecoue­rable. And therfore albeit it be a commen­dable thing to preach & write gloriously of repentance, confession, and satisfaction, yet if they surcease here, and procéede no further, euen to y^e instructing of faith: such [Page 54] doctrine doubtlesse is deceiueable and de­uilish: For euen so Christ with his belo­ued Iohn did not only say, Repent yee of your sinnes: But added also the word of faith, For, the kingdō of heauē is at hand.

Preachers must ex­hort to Faith.For the one part of Gods word ought not to be preached alone but both together must be taught: both new and old must be deliuered out of this treasury, aswel the voyce of the Law, as the word of Grace. The voyce of the Law must be vttered, that the people may be terrified, and fra­med to know their sinnes, and thereby be turned to repentance, and amendment of their former life. But here forthwith must not stay be made: for this were only to wound, and not minister playster: to lance, and not to heale: to kill, and not to quicken: to lead vnto hell gates, and not to deliuer from thence: to throw downe alto­gether, and not raise vp. Wherefore the word of grace also, & the word of promised forgiuenes, ought likewise to be preached, to instruct & raise vp the faith, without the which in vaine is the doctrine of the law, of contrition, of repentance, & of all other [Page 55] things also practised and preached.

Indéed there remaine as yet certaine preachers of Repentance and Grace,From whence repen­tance or Faith doe proceed. but they doe not disclose the law, and the pro­mises of God, in that liuely spirit & force as others capacities may attaine to the true fountaines and spring head of Repen­tance and Grace. For Repentance pro­céedeth from out the law of God, but faith or Grace doth issue frō Gods promise. As the Apostle witnesseth in the tenth to the Romans. Faith commeth by hearing, Rom. 10. but hearing commeth of the word of Christ: Wherefore it commeth to passe, that man receiueth consolation, and is rai­sed vp through Faith of Gods promises, who otherwise through the threatnings and terrours of Gods Law, is brought low, and throwne downe into the know­ledge of himselfe.Psalm. 29. Whereof the Psalmist in the xxix. Psalme. Mourning shall dwell vntill the euening, and ioyfulnesse vntill the morning.

Let this suffice to haue béene spoken of works in generall,Of works towards our neigh­bours. and of those works also which a Christian man doth exer­cise [Page 56] towards his owne body. Lastly, wee will speak of those workes which y^e Chri­stian doth employ to the vse of his neigh­bour. For man doth not liue vnto him­selfe only in this mortall body, to worke in the same, but to all men generally vp­on the earth, Nay rather man liueth only to other men, and not to himselfe: For to this end doth hee keepe his body in sub­iection, that he may thereby more sincere­ly and fréely serue to the necessities of o­thers. As witnesseth Paul in the 14. to the Romans.Rom. 14. No man liueth to him­selfe, and no man dyeth to himselfe. For he that liueth, liueth vnto God, and hee that dyeth, dyeth vnto God. It is not possible therefore, that in this life man should be idle and vnfruitfull towards his neighbours. For of very necessity he must talke, worke, and bee conuersant a­mongst man. Euen as Christ made to our likenesse in properties, Baruch. 3. A Christi­an must apply him­selfe to all men. was found to bee as man, and conuersant amongst men. as Baruch testifieth in his third Chap­ter.

And yet he néedeth none of all these to [Page 57] procure righteousnesse and saluation. And therefore in all his works behooueth him to be so framed in minde, and to direct his whole affection only to minister to the ne­cessities of others, to séeke the commodi­ty of others, in all his déeds, hauing re­gard to nothing else, than to the behoofe and profit of his neighbour. For euen so y^e Apostle commandeth vs to worke with our hands, that we may haue wherewith to reléeue the necessity of our brethren: whereas otherwise he might haue said,To what end the body must be che­rished. to haue wherwith to cherish our own bodies: but let him giue (saith he) to him that is in néed: For the property of true Christia­nity is, to regard the state of his owne bo­dy, to this end, that through health & well preseruing the same, he may be able to la­bour to gaine riches, and to employ them to the reléefe of the néedy. That so y^e strōg member may helpe the weake member, and that we may be the sonnes of God, carefull, and trauelling each for other, bea­ring one anothers burthen, and by this meanes fulfilling the law of Christ. Be­hold here the true Christian life, this is [Page 58] the natural liuely faith,The true Christian faith. effectuall through loue: that is to say, when it breaketh forth into the worke of most frée seruice, with ioy & loue, wherin he doth fréely and of his owne accord, minister to others, re­knowledging it self fully satisfied with the abundance and riches of his own faith.

After the same maner when Paul had made euident to the Philippians, how rich they were made through the faith of Christ, in y^e which they had receiued plen­teousnesse of all things, he giueth vnto thē another lesson, and saith, If you haue recei­ued any consolation of Christ, if any com­fort of loue, if any fellowship of the holy ghost, fulfil then my ioy, that ye may be al of one mind, & be endued all with the like loue, being alike minded, & thinking all one thing, esteeming nothing of your selues through cōtention or vaine glory, but striuing to excel ech other in humili­ty, euery one regarding not the things of his own, but the necessities of others. Loe here by this rule of the Apostle, wée sée plainely the life of true Christians to consist in this, that all their workes be [Page 59] directed to the commoditie of others, for as much as euery person doth so much abound through his owne Faith, that all other workes, and all his whole life, doth ouerflowe vnto him, wherewith he may be able to minister vnto, and profit our neighbour, of a frée, and voluntary good will, and beneuolence.

And to this effect hée exciteth vnto them Christ for an example, saying,The de­prauers of the Apo­stles do­ctrine. Let the same minde be in you, which was in Christ Iesu, who when hee was in the shape of God, thought it no robbery to be equall with God. Neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation, taking vpon him the shape of a seruant, and became like vnto men, and was found in appa­rell as a man, he humbled himselfe & was made obedient euen vnto the death. For this most holesome word of the Apostle haue they hidden in darkenesse from vs, which were altogether ignorant in the spéeches of the Apostle, namely, The shape of God, the shape of Seruant, ap­parell and the likenesse of men, and did apply the same preposterously, to the na­tures [Page 60] of diuinity, and humanity: where­as Pauls meaning was, that whereas Christ was fully beautified with the shape of God, and abundantly flowing with the store of all good things, so that he néeded not any worke, nor any passion to make him righteous and saued (for hée did absolutely possesse all those things, euē from the first beginning of himselfe) yet was he not puft vp in pride with these, nor was lift vp aboue vs, nor did chalenge to himselfe a certaine power ouer vs, al­beit he might in his owne right haue clay­med the same: But contrariwise, did so be­haue himselfe in labour, in workes, in suf­fering, and in doing, that he might be like vnto other men, both in apparell & coun­tenance, none otherwise, than as man, e­uen as if he had néeded all these, and had possessed no parcell of the shape of God: all which neuerthelesse he vndertooke for our sakes, to the end he might minister vnto our necessities, and that all things might bée made ours, which hee should bring to passe in this shape of a ser­uant.

[Page 61]Euen so a Christian man being ful and abounding through his faith like vnto Christ his head,A Christi­an ought to con­forme himselfe to Christ. ought to be contented with this shape of God obtained through Faith (sauing that he ought to increase the same Faith, as I said before, vntill it be made perfect) for this is the life of man, his righteousnesse, and saluation, both sauing the person, making him ac­ceptable, and furnishing him with all things whatsoeuer Christ doth possesse, as is before mentioned, which also Paul in the first to the Galathians doth con­firme, saying: But in this that I liue in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Gal. 1.

And although he be on this wise frée frō all workes, yet in this freedome ought be neuerthelesse to make himselfe of no re­putation, and put on the shape of a ser­uant, and to become like vnto men, to be found in apparell as a man, and to minister, and to helpe, and by al means possible to worke his neighbours com­modity, euen after the selfe same manner as he feeleth, that God hath done, and [Page 62] daily doth for him through Christ, and this also he must doe Gratis with­out all respect, sauing in respect of Gods good pleasure, and euen after this manner must hée thinke vnfained­ly.

The con­fidence of a Christi­an man.Behold my good God hath giuen vnto mee most vnworthy and damned caitife, beyond all desert, of his méere and frée mercy, in Christ Iesu, all the treasures of righteousnesse and saluation, so that henceforth I shall not stand in want of any thing at all, but of Fayth, which may firmely beléeue in Christ: Wherefore to this so louing a father, who hath ouerwhelmed mée with these his inestimable riches, why should not I frankely, ioyfully, with all my heart, and with all my most lo­uing and willing soule, yeelde all seruice whatsoeuer I doe know to bee well pleasing, and is acceptable in his eyes.

Wherfore I will giue my selfe wholly a certain Christ vnto my neighbour, euen as Christ gaue himselfe vnto me, and will [Page 63] doe nothing in this transitory life, but that which I shall perceiue to be necessary, commodious, and profitable for my neigh­bour, in as much, as I am sufficiently enough enriched with all good things in Christ through Faith.

Lo here out of Faith floweth Loue,The fruit of Faith. Behold gentle Reader how wor­thily is Luther re­proched. & reioycing in the Lord, and out of Loue floweth likewise a chéerefull, liberall, and frée heart to minister to the necessity of thy neighbour, frankely of thy owne ac­cord, so that here now is no considerati­on had of gratitude, or ingratitude, of praise or dispraise, of vantage or of losse: For neither doth hee apply hereunto to winne the fauour of men, nor maketh any difference betwixt friends or foes, nor re­specteth the thankefull or vnthankfull, but most frankely and with most gladsome cheare doth yéelde himselfe wholy, and all that he possesseth, without regard whe­ther he lose the same in the vnthankfull, or employ it on the deseruing: For euen so his father doth, disposing all things to all abundantly and most freely, making his sun to shine vpon the good and the wic­ked. [Page 64] In like manner, the sonne doth work and suffer nothing but of a frée and chear­full ioy, wherewith through Christ hee is delighted in God the giuer of so great and inestimable treasures.

We ought to know how great things are giuen vs.You sée therefore, if wee acknowledge all those things which are giuen vnto vs, of greatest and highest price (as Peter saith) y^e forthwith loue is poured abroad in our hearts, by the holy Ghost, whereby we are frée, chearfull, omnipotent, doers, workers, and conquerour of all tribulati­on, seruants of our neighbours, yet Lords of all things notwithstanding. But such as doe not know the gifts giuen vnto them through Christ, to them Christ is borne in vaine: such wander in the way of works, and shall neuer attaine to the taste and féeling of those things. There­fore as our neighbour is pressed downe with necessity, and wanteth of our store & abundance, euen so were we ouerwhelmed with necessity in the sight of God, and néeded altogether his mercy. Wherefore as our heauenly father did succour vs in Christ Iesu fréely, euen so ought wee [Page 65] help our neighbour fréely by our body and by our workes, and euery of vs must be made a certaine Christ each to other, that wée may bee made debtours of Christ, and that Christ may bee one and the same in all, that is to say, that wée may be true Christians.

Who is able therefore to compre­hend the riches and glory of a Christian life, which is able to doe all things,The glory of a Chri­stian life. possesseth all things, and néedeth nothing, an Empresse and Conqueresse of sinne, death, and hell, and withall an hand­maid neuerthelesse, seruiceable and pro­fitable to all? but the more is the pity. This Christian Iustification is, at this day, altogether vnknowne in the whole world, neither is it preached, nor pro­cured, in so much, that we are our selues ignorant of [...]eir name, and for what cause we bee [...]éemed and called Christi­ans. True [...],In what respect we be named Christians wee haue receiued our de­nominatio [...] of Christ, not being absent from vs, [...] dwelling within vs. That [...]s to say, whiles we beléeue in him, and [...]e ioyntly and mutually a certaine Christ [Page 66] eche to other, applying our selues to our neighbours, euen as Christ hath giuen himselfe to vs.

But in these our dayes we are taught by mens doctrines to séeke after nought else but deseruings, and merites, and the things which are our own, & haue made of Christ nought else, but a sharp Lawma­ker, much more austere than Moses was.

The holy Mother of Christian example of Faith. Luke 2.Semblably, the blessed virgin Mary did exhibite her selfe a singular president of the Faith aboue al others, whiles after the manner of all other women she was purified according to Moses Law (as it is set down in the 2 of Luke) whereas being notwithstanding not bound to any such law, nor néeded to be purified in any such wise, yet she yéelded her selfe to the law of her own accord, and of a frée loue vnto the law, being made like vnto other women, lest shée might seeme to offe [...] [...] or despise them. She was not therefore made righ­teous for that worke, but being righte­ous before, shee did this déed surely, and without coactiō. In like maner ought our workes to be put in vre, not to the [...]nd to [Page 67] be iustified by them, for as much as be­ing iustified first by Faith, it behooueth vs to worke all things fréely and cheerefully for our neighbours sake.

So also Paul did circumcise his schol­ler Timothy,Paul doth teach workes. not because Timothy née­ded to be circumcised vnto righteousnesse: but left hee might offend or despise the Iewes that were weake in Faith, and which as yet were not capable of the frée­dome of Faith. But contrariwise, when as the Iewes did vrge a necessity to be cir­cūcised to righteousnes, setting at naught the fréedome of Faith, hee did withstand them, and would not permit Titus to bee circumcised, Galath. 3.Gal. 3. for as he would not willingly offend or contemne the im­becillitie or weakenesse of others in the Faith, applying himselfe to their capaci­ty for a time so likewise, would hee not giue place to the will of stiffenecked In­sticiaries, when the liberty of Faith was like to suffer reproch, or be despised, kéeping the midway, bearing with the weake for a season, and alwayes setting himselfe against the indurate, to the end [Page 68] he might conuert all in generality to em­brace the liberty of Faith. With like af­fection must our workes bee employed, that we tolerate the weaklings in Faith, as the Apostle teacheth in the 14. to the Romanes, but that with courage wée resist the inflexible vrgers of workes, of the which wee will treate more at large hereafter.

Likewise Christ in the 17. of Mathew, when tribute was demanded of his Disciples,An exam­ple of our Lord Christ. asked the question of Saint Peter, whether the children of the King­dome were exempt from paying Tri­bute, and Peter affirming that they were, did command him notwithstanding to goe to the Sea, speaking these words, Lest we giue them cause of offence, goe, and the Fish that first commeth to thy hands take, and opening his mouth, thou shalt finde a groate, take the same, and giue it for thee and me.

This example is very much auaylea­ble for our purpose. In the which, Christ doth call himselfe and his Disci­ples frée, and Kings sonnes, which [Page 69] stand in néede of nothing, and yet of his owne accord submitteth himselfe, and payeth Tribute.

Therefore, by how much this worke of Christ was necessary to Christ, and profitable vnto righteousnesse and saluation, euen so much are all the workes of his elect and faithfull auailea­ble to righteousnesse, whereas they be all following after righteousnesse, and freely performed onely to the necessity and ex­ample of others.

Of the same condition are the workes prescribed by Paul in the thirtéenth Chapter to the Romanes,Take hold of Luther all ye Re­ligious, and admit him to be your tea­cher. and in the third to Timothy, That men should bee subiect to the higher po­wers, and prepared to all good workes, not because they should bee iustified thereby, where as they bee righteous already through Faith, but that by these they might both bée subiect to o­thers, and to the higher powers, add of a frée loue yéelde humbly obedience to their will in the fréedome of the spi­rit.

[Page 70]Of this same sort ought the workes of all Colledges, Monasteries, and Priestes haue béene employed, that euery of them might haue perfor­med the workes of their profession and estate to this end, that by these, euery of them might exercise not righteousnes, but the taming of his owne body, yéel­ding thereby example to others, who haue themselues also néede to chastise their owne bodyes. Then also, that they might expresse humble obedience to o­thers, applying themselues to their com­mandement, of a frée loue, hauing neuer­thelesse a speciall regard alwaies to this onely, to witte, that through vaine confi­dence, none of them presume to be iustifi­ed, to merite, or to be saued by them, which thing is the proper and peculiar office o [...] Faith onely, as I haue often said before.

The know­ledge of a true Chri­stian.Therefore, who so were furnished wit [...] this doctrine, might easily without danger wade in these infinite impositions an [...] traditions of the Pope, of Bishops, o [...] Mon [...]keries, of Churches, of Princes an [...] Magistrates, the which some foolish pastors [Page 71] doe so obtrude vpon vs, as though they were of an vnauoydable necessitie to bee performed, for the obtaining of righteousnesse and saluation, calling them commonly the iniunctions of the Church, being in déede nothing lesse. For a Chri­stian man may deba [...]e with himselfe on this wise, I will fast I will pray, I will apply my selfe to all whatsoeuer is com­manded by men, not because I need to doe any of these, to procure righteousnesse or saluation by them: but because I will ex­presse mine obedience herein to the Pope, to the Bishops, to the Potentate, and to the Magistrate, or to my neighbour for example sake, for this cause I will doe and suffer all things, euen as Christ did worke and suffer many greater things for my sake, whereof he needed not to doe any one, being made for my sake subiect vnto the law, when as in deede he was not vnder the law. And although these things be ex­acted of me through the tyrannous force, and iniurious tyranny of the Magistrates, yet shall they be no preiudice to me, so lōg as they be not against the glory of God.

[Page 72]The premisses considered, it is an easie matter for any man to iudge certainly:The diffe­rence be­twixt the good and the euill pastors. betwixt the difference of all works, and al lawes, & know skilfully who be blind, and witlesse Preachers, & who be true & faith­full pastors. For whatsoeuer worke bée not directed to this only marke, namely, to be employed to y^e chastismēt of y^e body, or to y^e dutiful cōsideration of y^e neighbor (so y^t it enforce not any thing directly against Gods glory) surely y^e work is neither good nor Christianlike. And this is the cause, y^t I feare me much, very few Colledges at all, any Monasteries, Altars, or any Ec­clesiastical exercises at this day, be not tru­ly Christian, & that also as well those pro­per & peculiar fastings, as y^e petty prayers to certain Saints be not Christiā I feare me much (I say) y^t in al these things regard is had of nought else, but y^t which apper­tayneth to our selues, whiles we be thus minded, y^t by meanes of these exercises, our sins are cleansed, & saluatiō obtained ther­by, & so Christiā liberty is ouerthrowē the cause wherof procedeth frō blind ignorāce of y^e true Christiā faith, full of al fréedome. [Page 73] Which grosse ignorāce & suppression of li­berty, very many blind & bussardly pastors doe earnestly maintaine, whilest they doe gréedily perswade, & vrge y^e people to such exercises, aduācing them aboue Moone and Stars, & glorifying thē with their pardōs, but of faith neuer vttering so much as one word. But I wold wish thée to be wel ad­uised, that if thou haue wil at any time to pray, to fast,Good ad­uice. or to found Churches (as they tearme it) to beware thou do not this to y^e end to procure to thy self any tēporal or e­uerlasting cōmodity therwith: for in so do­ing, thou shalt be preiudiciall to thy faith, which only doth minister all things vnto thée,Only faith must be attended vnto. & therfore ought only be attended vn­to, y^t it may be encreased, whether it be oc­cupied in workes, or exercised with affli­ctions: but giue fréely without hope of re­quitall, whatsoeuer y^e giuest, that others may be reléeued, and grow in well doing through thée, and thy liberality, for this is the way to make thée a good and a true Christiā man. For what shall auaile thée, thy goods, & thy works, whereof thou art endued with a surplus, ouer and besides [Page 74] those which do serue to the necessary cha­stisement of the body? when as thou art sufficiently enriched for thy necessities, through the Faith, in the which God hath endued thée with all plentifull store.

Behold, by this rule it behooueth vs to poure out each vpon other, and to make common each vnto other the goods which we haue receiued of God, and that every man cloath himselfe with his neighbours estate, and so apply himselfe to his neigh­bours necessities, euen as if wee were in y^e like necessity our selues:A rule touching brotherly loue. out of Christs storehouse they ouerflowed, and from him slow daily vnto vs, who hath so tak [...]n our necessities vpon himselfe, and so per­formed all things for our sakes, as if himselfe had béene the same that wee be. They flow likewise from vs, vnto them who stand in need of them, in so much, that I am bound to poure out before God my faith, and my righteousnesse, to couer and entreat for the sinnes of my neighbour, the burthen of whose sinnes I must in mine owne person sustaine, and so trauell and bee afflicted in them, as if [Page 75] they were mine owne sinnes, for on this wise was Christ afflicted for our sakes, for this is the very true loue, this is the rule of a pure Christian loue, which is in them very naturall and pure indéed, in whom dwelleth a pure and sincere Faith indéed, whereupon, the Apostle in the first to the Corinthians, the thirtéenth Chapter, doth giue this singular prero­gatiue to loue, That it seeketh not the things that are her owne.

And therefore we doe conclude, that a Christian man doth not liue in him­selfe, but in Christ,1 Cor. 13. A Christi­an man doth liue in himself, and in his neighbour and in his neigh­bour, or that to be a Christian man, is to dwell in Christ by Faith, and in his neighbour by loue.

Againe, a Christian man is raised vp aboue himselfe to Godward by Faith, and is throwne downe beneath himselfe, toward his neighbour by loue, dwel­ling alwayes neuerthelesse in God, and in the loue of God, according to the say­ing of Christ in the first of Iohn, Ve­rily, verily, I say vnto you, from hence­foorth you shall see the heauens opened, [Page 76] and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man. And thus farre sufficiently concerning Chri­stian liberty, which is (as you sée) spiritu­all and true, making our hearts frée from all sinnes, from all lawes, and com­mandements (as Paul witnesseth in his first Epistle to Timothy, the first Chapter, The Law was not made for the iust man) which liberty doth as farre surmount all other outward and external liberties in excellencie, as the Heauens doth surpasse the Earth, which Christ grant vs to vnderstand, and enioy to our comfort, Amen.

In fine, to satisfie those persons, who can neuer heare any thing, be it neuer so well spoken, but that they will depraue it by euill conceiuing, somewhat must bee an­nexed, if that at the least they be able to conceiue the same.Against the liber­ty of the flesh. There be very many, who hearing the doctrine of this Christi­an liberty of Faith, will by and by take occasion thereof, to maintaine the liberty of the flesh, supposing forthwith that they may lawfully attempt all things, nor [Page 77] will expresse their liberty and Christia­nity in any one thing else, than in de­spising, and reprouing of Ceremonies, of mens traditions and constituti­ons, as though they ought for this cause to bée déemed Christians, because they doe not fast in the dayes appoyn­ted for fasting, or because they eate flesh, whylest other doe abstaine from flesh, or because they doe not fre­quent Masses and Mattene, or other vsuall seruice in the Church, disdainefully scorning and scoffing at the ordinances of men, vtterly setting at naught all other things appertaining to Christian Religion. Against whom,Against the confi­dence in workes. there is ano­ther sort that doe with tooth and nayle bend their force, which contrariwise, doe endeauour to attayne saluation, by the onely obseruation and reuerence of Ceremonies, as though they should for this cause be saued, because they fast on the fasting dayes, or abstaine from flesh, or inure themselues to certaine prayers, excessiuely vaunting the traditions of the Church, and of the fathers, yet otherwise [Page 78] not estéeming the things that are proper and peculiar to our Christian Faith, worth a rush, both which sorts of people are surely altogether much blame-worthy for as much, as passing ouer matters of great importance, and care­lesly neglecting the things necessarily be­longing to saluation, they turmoyle them­selues in so great outrage about those trifling toyes, being altogether vnneces­sary and vnprofitable.

How much more soundly doth Paul teach to kéepe the midde way, condem­ning both those by pathes, saying, He that eateth, l [...]t him not despise him that eat­eth not: and he that eateth not, let him not iudge him that eateth. Héere you sée, that such as do neglect, and condemne the ceremonies, not of deuotion, but of mere contempt, bee accompted blame-worthy, whereas the Apostle teacheth them not to despise, for knowledge doth cause to swell, and to be puft vp. Againe, he exhor­teth the obstinate, that they iudge not o­thers, for neither of them doth obserue charity, edifying one another, where­fore [Page 79] in this perplexity, councell must bee sought out of Scripture, which doth teach vs, not to decline on the right, nor on the left hand, but to ensue the right iudgements of the Lord, quickning the hearts: for as no man is righteous, be­cause hée humbleth himselfe, and is addi­cted to works, and rites of ceremonies, so neither shall any man hee accompted for this only cause righteous, because he doth omit and contemne them.

For wee bée not freed through our Faith in Christ from workes, but from the opinions of workes, that is to say, from the foolish presumption con­ceiued of Iustification, purchased by meanes of workes: for Faith doth re­déeme our consciences, [...] [...]erly kéepe and preserue the [...], wherby we attaine this knowledge, that righte­ousnesse consisteth not in workes, albeit workes neither can, nor ought to bee neg­lected As wee cannot liue to this world without food and sustenance, nor with­out the generall preseruation of this mor­tall body, yet is not our righteousnesse [Page 80] selled in these, but in Faith, for the which, the other things notwithstan­ding may not bee despised, and vtter­ly shaken off. So in this world, wée bée fast chayned to the necessary preser­uation of the life of this body, yet are wée not thereby made righteous, My kingdome (saith Christ) is not from hence, nor of this World, but hee said not, my kingdome is not héere, nor in this world. Likewise Paul, Albeit wee walke in the flesh, yet our warfare is not according to the flesh. Gal. 1. And in the first to the Galathians, Whereas I doe liue in the flesh, I liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Euen so in this that we worke that we liue, and that we are exercised in workes and ceremonies, the necessity of this present life,How we ought to deale with the obsti­nate. and the carefull re­gard of gouerning our bodies, doth ex­act it of vs, yet are wee neuer a deale righteous by them, but in the Faith of the Sonne of God. Therefore, a Chri­stian man must kéepe his course in the midde way, and must passe away from those two sorts of people, for either [Page 81] hee shall méet with those peruerse fro­wardes, being indurate with these Ceremonies, which, like deafe Ser­pents,Aspides: will not hearken vnto the liber­ty of the truth, but magnifie their Ceremonies, command and enforce the obseruation of them without Faith, as necessities of Iustification, such as the Iewes were in times past vnwilling to come to knowledge thereby, to walke a­right. Such behooueth vs to resist, to impugne them, and to offend them stout­ly, lest by this their wicked opinion, they draw together with themselues ma­ny, into their false illusions. In the pre­sence of such it is conuenient to eat flesh, to breake fasting dayes, and for the main­tenance of our liberty in faith, to do other like things, which they reckon in place of most gréeuous sinnes. And in this manner must wee speake of them, Let them alone, they bee blinde themselues, and blinde guides of the blinde, for in this respect Paul would not suffer Ti­tus [Page 82] to receiue Circumcision, though they stiffely vrged hereunto. So did Christ also defend his Apostles, when as they pluckt the eares of corne on the Sabboth day, and many such like.

The sim­ple.On the other side, we shal méet with the simple, vnlearned, ignorant, and weake in Faith (as Paul calleth them) whose capa­cities are not yet able to comprehend this libertie of Faith, though they haue a will thereunto. Such must be borne withall, lest they be offended: and their weaknesse must be fauoured, vntill they may be more fully instructed. For whereas those per­sons do not obserue such ceremonies of a­ny grounded malice, nor are wilfully ob­stinate in iudgement, but conceiue of them according to the imbecility of their Faith onely, fastings, abstinence from choice meates, and such other ceremonies, which they doe suppose to be necessary, must be obserued for auoyding offence in them. For this doth Charitie exact of vs, which hurteth no man but helpes vs. For such [Page 83] continue not weaklings through their owne default, but through the negligence of their pastors, which with their cramps and grapling yrons of traditions, haue in­tangled euil handled, and deadly wounded them, who otherwise ought to haue béene deliuered, made whole, and reuiued with the doctrine of Faith and Christian Li­berty. The same doth the Apostle teach in the fourteenth Chapter to the Rom. If my meate doe offend my brother, Rom. 4. I will not eate flesh for euer. And againe, I know that in Christ there is nothing defiled, but vnto him that thinketh it to bee defiled, but it is euill to the man that eateth to the offence of his bro­ther.

Therefore,Against the lawes and law-makers. although wee must stout­ly withstand those teachers of Traditi­ons, and sharpely inueigh against the constitutions of Bishops, wherewith they ouerrunne the people of God, yet re­gard must be had of the timorous weak­lings, whom those cruell bloudsuckers, [Page 84] doe cruelly detaine captiue with those tra­ditions, vntill they be set at liberty. On this wise encounter manfully against the Wolues, but for the Shéepe, and not a­gainst the Shéepe also, which thou shalt the better do, if thou bend thy force earnest­ly against those Lawes and Lawmakers, and yet withall thy selfe obserue them in the sight of the weake, lest they become offended through thée, vntill themselues may know that Tyranny, and vnder­stand their owne liberties. And if thou wilt enioy thine owne liberty, vse it to thy selfe in secret (as Paul teacheth thée in the fourtéenth to the Rom.) Keep thou the Faith which thou hast vnto thy selfe before God, Rom. 14. but beware that thou vse it not before the weake. Againe, before Ti­rants and obstinate frowards, vse the same in despight of them, yea, and that most manfully and constantly: That they also may vnderstand their owne wickednesse, and their Lawes to be no­thing auaileable to righteousnesse, as al­so [Page 85] that they had no authority to make such lawes.

For as much therefore,To the yong in yeares. as the society of this present life cannot be maintained in due order without ceremonies & workes: Yea rather, forasmuch as the raging and rude age of yong persons hath néede to be restrained and bridled with such raines, as it were with a Snaffle, and that euery man ought to chastise his own body: with the same exercises, it behoueth therefore the Minister of Christ to be prudent and faithfull, that hee may so instruct and guide Christs flocke in all these things, that their Conscience and Faith may not be offended, and to be circumspect, that no vnsauorie opinion, nor bitter smatch of loathsomnesse may take roote in them, by meanes whereof, many may be infected, (wherof Paul did forewarne y^e Hebrues) that is to say, lest loosing their faith vt­terly, they beginne to be defiled with vaine presumption of workes, as though they were to bee saued by workes, which is a [Page 86] spéedy contagion, and doth pierce déeply into many, vnlesse faith bee busily and se­riously enforced withall, but the disease is vnauoydable, where faith being put vp to silence, onely traditions of men taught to bee retayned, as hath béene hitherto through y^e pestiferous, detestable, & soule-slaying traditions of our Prelates, and vagarant opinions of our Diuines, ha­ling infinite soules to the Deuill, with these intricate fetters, which by plaine de­monstration doth denounce very Ante­christ himselfe.

Danger in the cere­monies.To conclude, such as is pouerty in a­bundance, painfulnesse in authority, humblenesse in honour, abstinence in fea­sting, chastity in valliance, euen so righ­teousnesse of faith is dangerously beset being ioined with ceremonies: May a man carry fire in his bosome (saith Salomon) and not burne his garments? And yet as in riches, in authority, in honours, in dalliance, in banquetings, so must we be conuersant in ceremonies, that is to [Page 87] say, in dangers: yea rather as it is néed­full for yong boyes to be nursed and che­rished in the laps and armes of maydens, lest they perish, in whom being growne to riper yeares, were no small perill of safety to frequent the company of may­dens: Euen so is it requisite to lock vp y^e ranging yéeres of licencious youth with­in the Cloysters, yea, within iron clossets of such ceremonies and exercises, whereas they may bee restrained and abide corre­ction, lest their insolent courage draw them headlong into wickednesse. Which ceremonies do neuertheles procure death vnto them, if they perseuere in opinion to bee iustifiable by them, whereas they ought rather to bee instructed, that they were clogged with such restraint, not for any such cause as to bee made righteous, or to merit much thereby, but to the end, they should not rush wilfully into vices, and so bee the more tractable trained to the righteousnesse of faith: which they [Page 88] would in no wise endure through the out­rage of their youth, vnlesse the same had béene tamed and brought low.

Of what estimation ceremo­nies be.Which doth argue, that ceremonies ought not to be of any other price and estimation in the life of a true Christian man, than as amongst Carpenters and Artificers, certaine old postes, logges, or platformes, are framed to direct & raise vp buildings by: which bee not made to the end they should serue and remaine to any speciall vse, but because without such by-helpes, buildings and workes cannot easily bee raysed, for when the work or building is finished, those deuises are laid aside.

So that here you sée, that ceremonies are not vtterly abrogated, but rather earnestly required, but the vaine per­swasion and presumption of them is con­temned, because no man accompteth them to be a true and permanent building. If any man would bee so notably [Page 89] senselesse, as to regard nothing else in his whole life, but to direct those preparatiues, with all ho­nour, with all diligence, with all continuance, and would neuer bende his cogitations to the very building it selfe, stroking, smoothing, and vaunting himselfe in these preparatiues, and vaine rotten proppes, would not all men lament his madnesse, and thinke within them­selues, that whiles he employed this cost to no purpose, he might haue builded some matter of better substance? So now we do neither abandō ceremonies, nor works, but rather doe allow them, neuerthe­lesse we doe vtterly abhorre the vaine o­pinion conceiued of them, lest that any man perswade himselfe, that to obserue them is the true righteousnesse, as Hypo­crites doe, which doe abuse and mispend their whole life in these exercises, & neuer reach vnto the substance, in respect where­of they are practized, or as y^e Apostle spea­keth: Alwayes learning, and neuer com­ming [Page 90] to the knowledge of the Truth: For they séeme as though they had a will to build, and alwayes prepare themselues thereunto, and yet they neuer build, per­sisting alwaies in the glittering shadow of godlinesse, but neuer attaine to the po­wer and substance thereof.

Against them that be nota­bly suspi­tious.Yet do they wonderfully flatter them­selues in these exercises, presuming also arrogantly to iudge all others, whom they sée not glittering in the like brauery of workes, whereas they might otherwise bee able to atchieue matters of greater importance, to the singular comfort of themselues and others, with this vainely imployed ostentation, and abuse of Gods gifts, if they were indued with a right and true faith. But whereas the nature of man and reason (as they tearme it) na­turall, is naturally inclined to supersti­tion, and pursuing all Lawes and works, is proue of herselfe to fall into vaine pre­sumptiō of obtaining iustification through [Page 91] them: adde moreouer herevnto, because it is accustomed and inured to conceiue so highly of the same workes, through the vsuall admiration of all earthly law­makers, it is not possible surely of her owne strength, to cleare it selfe from this seruile bondage of workes, and to bend her force to know the liberty of faith.

Therefore it is requisite,From whence the law of wisdome doth pro­ceede. that we flée to prayer, that the Lord would vouchsafe to draw vs and make vs instructed vnto GOD, that is to say, apt Schollers for God, and that himselfe will vouchsafe to write his Law in our hearts (as hee hath promised) otherwise we doe all come to confusion. For except he doe engraffe in our soules this maruel­lous Wisdome hidden in a mystery, Na­ture cannot choose but condemne it, and adiudge it for an Heretique, because shée is offended [...], and appeareth foolish in her eyes. Euen as we saw to haue hap­ned [Page 92] in times past to the Prophets of GOD and the Apostles, and euen as the wicked blinde Prelates, and their false flatterers doe now vnto mee, and others like vnto mée, vnto whom, and to vs also, GOD bee mercifull, and shew the light of his countenance vpon vs, that wee may know his way vpon the earth, and his sauing health amongst all generations. Who be blessed for euer and euer.

Amen.