A godlye and learned treatise wherein is proued the true iustificacion of a Christian manne to come frely of the mercy of god in Christ, without the deseruyng of man by his merites: and also how good workes oughte to bee done [and] what be true good works in dede. Whereunto is ioyned a co[n]ference betwene the law and the gospel, very profitable for al men to exercise themselues therin.

That the maner of reconciliacion through christe is on oure syde by faith. (Book 6)

The 6. Chapter. (Book 6)

IT is not my desyre to be cre∣dited herin, vnlesse I defende with very playne and euident scriptures y^t, which I haue ta∣ken in hand. Now haue I say∣ed, that Christ iustifieth vs by faith: that is, thorow stedfast be¦lefe is the rightuousnes of Christ geuen vnto vs. This dyd the pro∣phet Esaye establishe before w^t * 1.1 sensible wordes, sayēge: my righ∣tuous

seruaunt (namely Christ y^e lorde) shal with his knowlege, or with the knowlege of him, ius∣tifie the multitude. Beholde how he saieth, my rightuous seruaunt shal iustifie the multitude, church or congregacion, and that thorow y^e knowlege of him. Now is it cer¦tayne and sure, that the knowlege of him signifieth the knowlege of Christ: euen y^e science, no doubte, wherby true faith knoweth him, cōfesseth him, and poynteth vnto him. This is therfore the prophet Esays doctryne, or rather gods: that Christ thorow faith iusti∣fieth those that bee his. After Esaye doth the prophet Abacuc * 1.2 speake, sayīge: The iust and righ∣tuous shal lyue in his faith and beleffe. Which sentence holie S. Paul * 1.3 vsed not onelye one tyme, to proue by this testimonye, as with it which is most euident, y^e

all beleuers are iustified & made lyuing by faith. S. Ihon also, speaking of the lord in his gospel, * 1.4 sayeth thus: He came among his owne, & his owne receaued him not. But as many as receaued him, to them gaue he power to be the sonnes of god, euen them that beleued on his name. Loe now, what could more sensibly haue bene spoke? As many, as receaue Christ, are gods children: but thei that beleue, receaue Christ: therfore thorow beliefe become we vndoubtedlie the children of god, iust and rightuous, blessed and saued. And in the gospell of Ihō saieth our lord Iesus Christ himselfe: Verely, verelie I saie * 1.5 vnto you: He, that heareth my word, and beleueth on him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shal not come in to damnaciō, but is escaped from death vnto life.

And agayne: This is the will of him which sent me, that who soe∣uer * 1.6 seyth the sonne, and beleueth on him, haue euerlasting life, and I wil raise him vp at the last dai. Herof commeth it also, that this Apostle in his epistle saieth very euidētly: yf we receaue the wit∣nes of men, the witnesse of god * 1.7 is greater. For this is y^e witnesse of god, whiche he hath testified of his sonne: Who so beleueth on the sonne of god, hath gods witnesse in him. But who so be∣leueth not, hath made him a lyar, because he hath not beleued the witnes, which god hath testified in his sonne. And this is y^e testi∣monye, that god hath geuen vs eternal life, and this life is in his sonne.

Whoso hath the sonne of god, hath life: He that hath not y^e sōne of god, hath not life.

Here we se clearlie, y^t the sonne of god is had and possessed tho∣row faith: and in the sonne assu∣redlye rightuousnesse, all good things and eternal life. Therfore must it nedes be true, that we are iustified by faith. Now saieth y^e Apostel Paul also very distinct∣lie: The rightuousnes of god is declared without the lawe, for as¦much * 1.8 as it is allowed by y^e testi∣monie of y^e lawe & of y^e prophets. The rightuousnes of God com∣meth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto al and vpō al them, y^t beleue. And in the tenth chapter: Christe * 1.9 is y^e end, or fulfilling, of y^e lawe to iustifie al y^t beleue. Finally while Paul & Silas laye at Philippis in prison for Christes name sake, and the keper of the prison as∣ked: * 1.10 good syrs, what must I do to be saued? Thei answered him: Beleue in the Lord Iesus Christ,

so shalt both y^u and thy housholde be saued. By this now I suppose it euidentlie ynough proued, that we be iustified by faith: Namely that vnto vs thorow faith is geuē rightuousnes, with the merites of Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esa. 53.
• * 1.2

  Abac. 2.
• * 1.3

  Tim. 1. Gala. 3. Hebr. 10
• * 1.4

  Iohn. 1.
• * 1.5

  Iohn. 5.
• * 1.6

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.7

  1. Iohn. 5.
• * 1.8

  Roma. 3.
• * 1.9

  Roma. 10.
• * 1.10

  Acte. 16.