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 sayed proprietes of good workes are re∣quisite ī dede to good works, is declared by the conferēs of the scriptures more plainlye. (Book 21)

The. 21. Chapter. (Book 21)

YEt ther resteth somwhat which I muste adde vnto the ende of the descrypciō of good workes, namely to confirme and make it more playne wyth the conference and agreement of the scripture. I said that tyght good workes be done by such, as are regenerate, to the glorie of god, to the bewtifienge of life and to the edyfieng of the neyghbour. For vnto our good workes doth the lorde appoynte this end in Mathew, and saieth: So let your light shyne before mē y^• thei maye se your good workes, & glorifie your father which is in heauē. Itē the Apostel Paul, ma∣ny tymes exhorting mē vnto good worckes, addeth therto a thyng, which might specially moue eny man, Namelie that w^t their godly workes thei shulde do worshippe vnto y^e doctryne of our sauiour &

redemer, in al thinges. Now like as a cōely & honourable apparel doth bewtifie the mā, so do right good works set fort, and garnish mās life w^t great commendacion. And this is y^e cause y^t y^e Apostles of Christ gaue so oft counsaill, to laye asyde y^e olde man, & to put on the new, which is shapē & fashio∣ned after god: for therof cōmeth praise and honour vnto vs. We are called, & be in dede, y^e seruaū∣tes and children of god, whose propertie and vertue appeareth in vs, to the praise and magnifiēg of his name. Moreouer, yf we do good, he increaceth his giftes in vs continually the longer y^e more, considering he hath spoken: Vnto euery one, that hath, shallbe ge∣uen, * 1.1 that he maye haue aboun∣daunce: But who so hath not, from him shalbe taken also euen that he hath. And herof it com∣meth,

that vnto such, as do well, god is gracious and mercyfull, replenishing thē with many (yea and with temporall) giftes, and finally endeweth them with eter∣nal life. For y^e Apostle Paul spea¦keth euidently and plainlie: god shal geue vnto euery on acording to his dedes: Namelie praise & honour & immortalitie vnto those y^• with pacience in good woorkes seke eternall life. And againe: Praise, honour and peace vnto all such as do good. Howbeit in all good workes the iust and godlye ar appoīted to kepe these boūds and lymites, that they will not seke their owne welth, but the glo¦rie and wil of god, and finally the commoditie and profite of their neghbour. For the Apostle Paul saieth: Lette no manne seke that which is his own, but let eueri mā * 1.2 seke y^t which belōgeth to another:

Euen as I please all men in all thinges, not sekyng myne owne profit, but the prophet of many, that they myght be saued. Al god∣lie personnes therfore directe all their diligence, exercise & works to this end, that they maye edifie many: wherin they expresse and declare the nature of god, whose children they be. For he is encly∣ned and desyrous to shewe good∣vnto all creatures. And herof it commeth, that his children also are well doers. And in al thinges whatsoeuer thei take in hād, thei haue stil before their eyes (as the onelie marck of their life) a delyte and desyre to do good.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat, 13,
• * 1.2

  ••. Cor. 10.