A most excelent and fruitful treatise, called Patericks Places concerning the doctrine of fayth, and the doctrine of the law: which being knowen, you haue the pith of all diuinitie. With a briefe collection or exposition of a summe of S. Pauls doctrine touching iustification by fayth, in Iesus Christ: which is the only marke to shoote at, and the only meanes to obtaine saluation. Selected and reduced into this volume by I.D. 1598.

The man is the Tree, his workes are the fruite.

* 1.1FAyth maketh the good Tree, and Incredulitie the euill Tree: such a tree, such fruite: such a man, such workes. For all thinges that are done in Fayth, please God, and are good workes: and all that are done with∣out Fayth, displease God, and are euyll workes.

Whosoeuer beleeueth, or thinketh to be saued by his workes, denyeth that Christ is his sauiour, that Christ dyed for him, and all thinges that pertayne to Christ: for how is he thy sauiour, if thou mightest saue thy selfe by thy workes: or whereto shoulde he dye for thee, yf any workes might haue saued thee:* 1.2

What is this to say, Christ dyed for thee? Uerely, * 1.3 that thou shouldest haue dyed perpetually: And Christ to deliuer thee from death, dyed for thee, and changed thy perpetuall death into his owne death: for thou ma∣dest the fault, and he suffered the payne, and that for the loue he had to thee before thou wast borne, when thou haddest done neither good nor euyll.

* 1.4Now seeing he hath payde thy debt, thou needest not; neither canst thou pay it, but shouldest be damned, if his blood were not: But sith he was punished for thee, thou shalt not be punished.

Finally, he hath deliuered thee from thy condemna∣tion, and all euyll, and desireth nought of thee, but that thou wilt acknowledge what he hath done for thee, and beare it in minde:* 1.5 and that thou wouldest helpe other for his sake both in worde and deede, euen as he hath holpen thee, for novght, and without rewarde. O how ready woulde we be to helpe others, yf we knewe his goodnes and gentlenes towardes vs. He is a good and greate Lord: for he doth all for nought. Let vs, I be∣seech

you therefore, folow his footesteppes, whom all the worlde ought to prayse and worshyp.

Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fayth mak∣eth a good man.
• * 1.2

  To say that our workes do saue vs, is to deny that Christ is our sauiour.
• * 1.3

  Christ to de∣lyuer vs from death, dyed for vs.
• * 1.4

  Christ hath payde our debt.
• * 1.5

  Christ desi∣reth no re∣compence, but thankful∣nesse.