Treatise of Good Works, Title page – Preface

Treatise of Good Works · Title page – Preface

Here after enſueth a propre treatyſe of good workes.

The preface.

IT is not vnknowen to all men (good chryſten reader) but that the true & ſyncere teachers of the infallyble truthe of our ſauyour Ieſu Chryſt, ben falſely defamed vntounto the vnlearned people, & theyr good name defaced to the, no lytell hynderaunce and reproche of the ſame truth / in y^t they (as they be borne in hāde vniuſtly) ſhulde in theyr wrytynges and ſermons, allure and withdrawe the forſayd rude people from penaūce, frō prayer, from faſtyng, from watchynge, frō paynes, from labours / & fynally from all good workꝭ. But what they ben and theyr workes alſo whiche reproue, ſclaunder, calumpnyate, and falſely impeche the pure, ſyncere, and true worde of god pronounced by the mouthes of thoſe his good and vertuous ſeruauntes / it is nowe (thanked be god) ryghte metely well perceyued / ye and for what intent, truely for none other, thā for the mayntenaunce of the god theyr belyes, theyr ambycyon, theyr ſymony, theyr pryde, theyr promocyon, theyr treaſon, theyr trechery, theyr glotony, theyr lecherye, theyr murdre, with all theyr vngracyouſnes. God therfore moſte good and almyghtye of his excedynge and bountefull mercy and grace, to declare and ſet forth his infinyte goodnes towardes his electe, moſte welbeloued and faythful ſeruauntes / that they to theyr great conforte and conſolacyon, may be proued innocent of this moſt vntrue accuſacyon wrongfully layde vntounto theyr charge / and chiefely to the garnyſſhynge and deckynge of his emperyall glory, & mayntenaūce of his vndoubtable truthe, hathe ſent the here (O reder) a ryghte famous and excellent worke, wherin is comprehended what good workes be / howe we may pleaſe god in all oure workes / & howe our workes do not pleaſe hym, and out of what foū tayne they ought to ſpryng and flowe, yf they ſhulde pleaſe his godhede: truely out of the freſſhe and lyuyng fountayne of an vndoubted faythe & truſte / that his moſte benygne petye, ſwetnes, and gentylnes, which is the father of all mercyes, & the god of all conſolacyon and conforte / dothe louelove the, fauoure the, petye the, accepte the. And thy workes alſo done at his cōmaundement, for the blode, paſſyon, redempcyon, and ſatyſfaccyon of his moſte dere and welbeloued ſone Ieſu Chryſt / in whome, by whome, and for whoſe ſake thou arte thus entyerly loued, fauoured, and accepted. As wytneſſed our father of heuen hym ſelfe at the baptyſme of our ſauyour Ieſu Chriſte, ſayenge. This is my welbeloued ſone, in whom or for whoſe ſake I am well pleaſed, that is to ſay, appeaſed and ſwaged of my wrathe, immedyately here hym, that is to ſaye, beleue, truſte hym, ſtycke & cleaue harde to hym by faythe. For it is he for whom I delyte in you, louelove you, fauour you, petye you, & accepte bothe you and your dedes. This is the fountayne, out of the whiche all the workes of a chryſten man oughte to procede / ſo that what ſoeuer buddeth out of the tre of this fayth, is accepted and pleaſaunte before god / and els it is but ſynne and not accepted. As ſaynte Paule wryteth in the xiiii. chapytre to the Romaynes / what ſoeuer (ſayth he) is not of faythe is ſynne. And in the .xi. chapytre to the Hebrues, without faythe it is impoſſyble for any man to pleaſe god. The reaſon why is this, albeit thou beſtowe neuer ſo moche in almes / faſt neuer ſo moch, paye neuer ſo moch, watche neuer ſo moch / yea albeit thou haddeſt done as many good dedes as all the worlde. Yet yf thou hauehave not the faythe before reherſyd / that god for the blode of his ſone doth accept the & thy workes / louelove the, fauoure the, petye the / yea and that entyerly and as his owne ſon & heyre by adopcyon, all that euer thou doſte can not pleaſe god / but is abomynable ſynne and dyſpleaſyth hym vtterly. For howe is it poſſyble that thou ſhuldeſt pleaſe hym, whan thou art but a Iudas vntounto hym & doſte beare two faces in one hoode / doynge one and thynkynge another. In thy dedes thou woldeſte ſeme to be his ſeruaunte, & in thy hert thou doſt neyther louelove hym, nor truſte that he loueth the. And albeit he hathe made neuer ſo many and great ꝓmyſes of ſaluacyon, mercye, louelove, pety, and fauour, in the blod of his ſone to al that repent & doubt not therof / but aſſuredly truſte vntounto it, yet thou (what ſoeuer thou arte that haſte not this fayth) lyke an hethen hounde, and an vnfaythfaull myſcreaunt, by thy infydelyte and falſe herte doſt make no better of hym but a lyer, and falſe of his promyſe / a tyraunte, and a butchers curre delytyng in blode, and neyther doſte thou louelove hym, truſte hym, nor fauour hym. For howe ſhuldeſt thou louelove hym, whan thou accōpteſt no better of hym than I hauehave ſayde. And agayne howe is it poſſyble that he ſhuld louelove the, fauoure the, petye the, accepte other the or thy workes, ſeynge thou doſte fyrſte abiecte hym by thy ſynful dyſpayre and incredulytie. Yea what worldlye prince wold kepe ſuch a wretche in his houſe yf he knewe hym / howe moche leſſe than wolde he louelove hym, fauoure hym, accepte hym, or any of his ſeruyce. Agaynſte ſuche workes it is that the true and faythfull mynyſters of Chryſtes worde hauehave foughten, as done in moſt falſe hypocryſye and deuelyſſhe deſpayre, whiche otherwyſe they hauehave & do hyghely prayſe and cōmende, as whan they be done in true faythe and louelove towarde god & his cōmaundementes, as thou ſhalte ſe and fynde in this moſte goodly and excellente volume of good workes / whiche (I beſeche god neuer to fauour me) yf any of thoſe vntrue men / I wyll not ſaye, falſe deceyuers, dyd euer wryte to teach any thyng halfe ſo good in theyr lyues. But it is an olde prouerbe that a good thyng wyl prayſe it ſelfe / wherfore I commytte it vntounto thyne owne iudgement (good reader) to prayſe it, euer as thou ſhalte fynde cauſe / So bolde I am of the goodnes therof. And yf thou fynde my wordꝭ to be true, that good workes be here of our auctor requyred, taught, prayſed, and cōmended to the vttermoſt, (as the truthe is) then I beſeche the (moſte gentyll and indyfferent reader) to take & admytte all falſe backe byters & ſclaunderers of goddes true mynyſters euermore hereafter as they be, & not to thynke the contrary, but y^t as they moſt deadely belye thoſe good men in this behalfe / ſo they do alſo in other thynges, as I truſte in god it ſhall more playnly appere / bothe to the (gentyll reader) & therto to all the worlde in tyme commyng. And that as I beleue vnfayned to the great glorye of the lyuyng god, the ineſtymable ſolace and comforte of his electe chyldren, and the vtter confuſyon of the chyldren of Antechriſt? So be it.

¶Here endeth the preface of this preſent worke.

dieu et mon droit

De bonis operibus.

¶Here begynneth the boke of good workes.

IT is fyrſt of all to be knowen y^t there is no good worke / but y^t whiche god hath cōmaunded / & agayne,What ſynne is. that there is no ſynne / but that whiche he hathe forbyden and prohibyted. Therfore he that wyll knowe or do good workes, nedeth but the knowlege of goddes cōmaundementes. For ſo ſayth Chryſte.Math. 16.Matt 16 Mathewe the xvi. If thou wylt entre into lyfe / kepe the cōmaundementes. And alſo to the yong man / that aſked hym what he ſhulde do to be ſaued. Chryſte ſhewed nothynge, but the ten commaundementes. Wherfore it is neceſſarye that we learne the dyfference of good workes, not by the vtter ſhewe greatnes or multytude of y^e workes in thē ſelf / no truely neyther after the oppynyon or iudgemēt of men / neyther after the maner of lawes, tradycyons, or inuencyons of man / or by any reaſon appearynge vntounto our ſyght, (as we hauehave done hytherto). For ſo ſhuld it be through our blyndenes, to the great diſpyſyng of goddes cōmaundementes.

THe fyrſte and chiefe and moſt excellent of all good workes, is faythe in Chryſte. Euen as he hym ſelfe ſayeth Iohn̄ the .vi.Iohn̄. 6. For to the Iewes aſkynge hym what they ſhulde do to worke the workes of god. He anſwered, this is the worke of god / that ye beleue in hym, whome he hathe ſente. But we other hearyng or preachyng this thynge / paſſe ouer it lyghtlye, thynkyng it but a tryfle and eaſye to be done / whan notwithſtandyng we ought here to make a ſtaye, and faythfullye to remēbre in our mynde. For of this worke and fayth muſte all other good workes ſprynge and take theyr influence of goodnes / and that men may the better perceyue this thynge / I ſhall declare it more groſely. A man ſhall fynde many that faſte, praye, and do this thyng and that thynge, and lyue a good lyfe, to ſe to before men? whome yf thou do aſke / whether they be ſure y^t they pleaſe god or no, bycauſe they do ſo lyue. They wyll anſwere that other they knowe not, or els that they doubte. Moreouer there be ſome doctours whiche corrupte and deceyue the people / ſayenge it is no nede that they be ſure of this thynge / and yet they teache vsus nothynge els but good workes. Beholde all ſuche workes, procede without faythe. For ſuche as is theyr conſcyence & faythe towarde god / ſuche ben the workes that ronne out of them. But where as is no faythe nor good and a certayned conſcyence toward god / there lacketh the hede of good workes, & all theyr lyfe and goodnes is nothynge worthe at all before god. VponUpon this it commeth,The author is falſely cō dempned of hypocrytes. that whyles I prayſe & make ſo moche of faythe / and do caſte awaye (as of no value before god) the workes of ſuche vnfaythfull / there be ſome whiche blame and accuſe me, as thoughe I dyd forbydde & condempne good workes. Howe be it in the meane tyme I deſyre no thynge more vehementlye / than that I myghte teache truely the good workes of faythe.

MOreouer yf thou aſke thē, whether they iudge & eſteme this for a good worke or no / whanne they labour theyr crafte with theyr hā des, whan they ſtande. Go, eate, drynke, ſlepe, and do all other maner of workes / other apꝑtaynynge to the ſuſtentacyon of the body, or neceſſary for the cōmen welth / and whether they byleue y^t they pleaſe god in theſe thingꝭ or no. Thou ſhalte fynde ſome that wyll ſay nay / and that wyll conclude good workes in ſo lytell ſpace, and defyne theym ſo ſtraytely / that they wyll take no thyng for good workes / but onelyonly prayenge in the temples / faſtyng, & helpyng the poore with almes / demynge all other thynges to be voyde and vayne / and ſuche as god ſettyth not by. And ſo by theyr dāpnable vnbyleue / they mynyſſhe, deceyue and abbreuyate goddes ſeruyce & worſhyp, to whome ſerueth / what ſo euer is done or can be thoughte in faythe. So teacheth the wyſe man / ſayenge.Eccleſiaſtices. 9. Go therfore and eate thy breade in myrthe, & with ioye drynke thy wyne / for thy workes pleaſe god / lette thy clothes be whyte at all tymes / and let not thy heade lacke oyle / vſe gladlye thy lyfe with thy wyfe, whom thou loueſt in all y^e dayes of thy lyfe of vnſtablenes, whiche be gyuen to the all the tyme of thy vanyte. Our clothes to be whyte at all tymes / is all oure workes to be good / what name ſo euer they be called by indyfferently. But than they be whyte, whā I am ſure they pleaſe god. And hauynge this affyrmytie I ſhal neuer lacke y^e oyle of a mery and ioyfull conſcyence from the heade of my ſoule / ſo ſayd chriſt. Iohn̄ the .viii. chapytre. I do alwaye thoſe thinges which pleaſe hym, meanynge of the father.Iohn̄. 8. How dyd he alwayes thoſe thynges / dyd he not at all tymes conuenyent, bothe eate, drynke and ſlepe: wherupō ſaynt Iohn̄ ſaith By this know we / that we be of the truthe / and wyll before hym put our hertes out of doubt / for yf our herte condēpne vsus / god is greater thā our hert / & knoweth all thynges / & we hauehave truſte towarde god / y^t what ſoeuer we aſke of hym, we ſhal hauehave it / bycauſe we kepe his cōmaūdemētes & do thoſe thynges which be pleaſaūt before hym.To be borne of god, is to byleue and truſt in god. Alſo he that is borne of god, y^t is to ſay / he y^t byleueth & truſteth in god, ſynneth not / nother can he ſynne. Alſo y^e xxxiii. Pſalme / all that truſt in y^e ſhall not do amyſſe. ye in the ii. pſalme / bleſſed be all men y^t truſt in hym / which ſayengꝭ yf they be true, what ſoeuer they do muſte nedꝭ be good / or at y^e leaſt if they do ſyn̄e, it muſt be & be forgyuen & ꝑdoned. Beholde here agayne howe greatly I do extolle fayth / to y^t which I wyl referre al good workꝭ / but I reiecte what ſoeuer is done, y^t cōmeth not frō thenſe.

HEre maye eueryevery man lyghtly conſydre and perceyue / whan he dothe good / and whan he dothe yll / for yf he fynde his herte inſtructe with this faythe that he byleueth that he pleaſeth god / than is his worke good / ye thoughe it be ſo lytell or ſo vyle,This fayth and conſcyence muſt be groūded vppon the worde of god / whiche we muſte hauehave to ſhewe for vsus, that we do nothyng but that, y^t is his godly wyll & pleaſure. For w^t out this worde, we can not be ſure, what he wolde hauehave done or vndon, & muſt therfor cōſequently ſtāde in diſpayre of our dedes, whether they ben good or no / which ſaynt Paule calleth ſynne. as to take vp a ſtrawe / but yf there lacke other truſt or hope in god / then the worke is nought / ye yf he ſhuld rayſe vp all deade men / & ſuffre hym ſelfe to be burned / ſo taught ſaynt Paule ſayenge / that what ſoeuer is not of fayth / is ſynne. For of fayth and of none other worke / we be ornate by this name / that we be called chryſtyanes / as of the chefe worke. For as for all other workes / eueryevery hethen Iewe, turke and ſyn̄er may do them. But to truſt & byleue ſtedfaſtely that oure workes pleaſe god / is not poſſyble / but to a chryſtyan, illuſtrate & ſtabliſſhed by the grace of god. But ſuche teachynge as this, is very ſcante. And therfore I am accuſed to be an heretyke / the cauſe wherof is, y^t men folowynge blynde reaſon & gentylles doctryne / hauehave put faythe not aboue, but nyghe vntounto other vertues / attrybutynge vntounto it a peculyer and propre worke ſeparated from all other workes of other vertues. Notwithſtādyng that faythe onelyonly, doth make all other workes good, acceptable, & worthy, in that / that it truſteth in god,Ones agayne remembre that this faythe muſte be buylded vponupon the word of god & forget it no more, for ſo meaneth thauctor. & doubteth not / but what ſo euer a man dothe / it is well done in the ſyght of god: ye they hauehave not ſuffered faythe to remayne as a worke / but (after theyr maner of ſpeakynge) hauehave made it a vayne qualytie / all though all holy ſcrypture do attrybute / y^e name of godly goodnes to faythe onelyonly & no worke elles. Wherfore it is no meruayle that they theym ſelfes be made blynde and the leaders of the blynde. For as this faythe dothe brynge with her charyte & peace, ſo doth ſhe ioye and hope / for who ſo euer byleueth & truſteth ī god / to hym ſtrayght waye god gyueth the holy ghoſt / wytneſſe ſaynte Paule to the Galatiens ſayenge. Ye hauehave receyued the ſpyryte, not by youre good workes / but bycauſe ye hauehave byleued the worde of god.

IN this faythe al workes be made lyke and equall / and one as good as another. In this faythe alſo falleth away all dyfference of workes,For without faythe it is impoſſyble to pleaſe god, as ſayeth Paule y^e xi. chapyter to the Hebrewes. whether they be great or lytell, longe or ſhorte, many or fewe / for y^e workes be pleaſaunt to god not for them ſelfes but for faythes ſake / whiche onelyonly and ſpecyally and without any dyfferēce worketh, quyckeneth, and maketh acceptable, all and ſynguler workes howe many and ſondrye ſo euer they be / none otherwayes, than as all the membres of a mannes body, lyue, worke, & hauehave theyr name, by the goodnes and vertue of the heade. And without y^e heade, no membre can lyue, worke, or hauehave the name of a lyuyng membre / of the whiche thynge it foloweth more largelye / that a chryſtyan lyuyng in this faythe, hath no nede of a techer of good workes / but to do all thyng that commeth to his hande. And all thynges be well done / as holye Samuel ſaid vntounto Saule / thou ſhalte be chaunged into another man whan the ſpyryte of y^e lorde ſhal come into the / than do what ſoeuer cōmeth to thy hande / god is with the. So rede we of holy Anne Samuels mother / whan ſhe byleued Hely the preeſt, promyſynge her the fauour of god / ſhe wente home mery and pacyfyed, neyther after that chaūged her countenaunce, that is to ſay, all thyngꝭ were afterwardes vntounto her one & equall, what ſoeuer fortuned vntounto her. Alſo ſaynte Paule ſayde, all thynges be free there as the ſpiryte of god is / for fayth ſuffereth not her ſelfe to be bounde to any workes / nor agayne any workes, to be taken from her / but euen as it is wryten in the fyrſte Pſalme / ſhe gyueth her frute in due ſeaſon / that is howe ſo euer it commeth or chaunſeth.

WHiche thynge we may ſe by a groſſe and carnall example, after y^t a man or woman hath cō ceyued a moche ſpecyall louelove, & a ſynguler mynde and fauoure one of thother, and ſtedfaſtly by leueth the ſame / who ſhall than teache them howe to behaue thē ſelfe one to thother / or what they ought to do to leaue vndone, to ſaye / to kepe cloſe, or to thynke? for this onelyonly & ſpecyall truſte / that one hathe in thother / teacheth them al thynges and more than is neceſſarye. And than there is no dyfference in workes / but eyther of theym dothe great workes, longe workes, & many workes, as gladly as ſmall workes, ſhorte workes, or fewe workes. And that with a mery, pacyfyed, and quyete herte, and vtterlye of a fre mynde / but after y^t there is any doubte, than ryſe & growe in y^e mynde dyuers ymagynacyons what ſhall be beſt to do. And yf it be the man, than he begynneth to appoynt hym ſelfe with the dyfference of workes, wherby he may obtayne fauour, & yet euen thā he cōmeth almoſt lyke a pryſoner w^t a heuy herte, & great trouble, & more than halfe loſte, and deſperate / and ofte tymes amōges theſe thyngꝭ playeth the foole. So a chriſten man lyuynge in this hope and truſte towardes god / knoweth all thinges, may do all thynges / goeth about to do all thynges, and he dothe all thynges merely, & frelye / not to heape and gather togyther many merytes and good workes / but that it is delyte and pleaſure to hym ſo to pleaſe god well, and purely and frely to ſerue god / beynge contente with this onelyonly thynge that he pleaſeth god. And of the contrarye partye, he agreeth not / nor is at one with god by faythe / whiche doubteth of hym / & whiche ſeaketh and buſely careth howe he wolde ſatiſfye and moue god by many workes / and than he ronneth to ſaynt Iames, to Rome, to Iheruſalem / hyther and thyther, this waye and that waye / ſayeth ſaynt Brigettes prayers / ſayeth this and ſayeth that / he faſteth this day and that day / he confeſſeth hym here, he cōfeſſeth hym there / he aſketh this man & that man / & yet in all this tyme he fyndeth no reſte nor quyetenes / doynge all theſe thynges w^t great payne, doutfulnes, indygnacyon and ſorowe of his herte / in ſo moch that ſcrypture calleth theſe good workꝭ in the Hebrew tonge / Aueu, Amall. Whiche we call in oure tonge weryneſſe and labour. Howe be it truely they be not good workes / but all loſte, voyde & vayne, whiche ben done in ſuche doubte & dotage. Wherfore many men otherwhyles hauehave ſo doted in theſe / that for ſorowe they hauehave fallen in to many troubles / of whom it is ſayd / we be werye in the waye of iniquytie and perdycyon,Sap. 5. we hauehave walked harde wayes / but the waye of the lorde we hauehave not knowen, and the ſonne of ryghtwyſenes hath not ſhyned to vsus.

BYcauſe that faythe yet nowe and then appeareth in oure workes ryght ſmale, feble, & weake / let vsus aſke moreouer them / that be oppreſſyd with any trouble & aduerſytie / eyther of body, or of goodes, or of honour, or of frendes, or of any other thyngꝭ that they hauehave / whether y^t than they byleue, that they pleaſe god / and whether they thynke, that theyr trouble and aduerſyties be mercyfully put to theym by the very fauoure of god or no / and here they wyll ſaye, that god ſheweth hym ſelfe wrothe and angrye / whan neuertheleſſe euen in ſuch vexacyons & trouble a true chryſtyan hath ſtedfaſte truſte / & perſuadeth farre better thinges vntounto hym ſelfe of god / that he beareth moch better good wyll and fauoure than appeareth. For in ſuche caſe he is hyd, euen as the ſpouſe ſayeth in the cantycles? Beholde he ſtandeth behynde y^e walle, and ſeeth me through the creaſtes / that is to ſaye, in vexacyons and aduerſyties, whiche are lyke almoſte to departe vsus frō hym, as a wall or a bulwarke / he ſtādeth hydde, and yet lokynge vponupon me he forſaketh me not / for he ſtandeth and is redye to helpe me in grace, ſufferynge hym ſelfe to be ſene by the wyndowes of darke fayth. And Hyeremye in the boke of Threnes / he hath loued vsus after his herte / and hath caſte downe the ſones of men / this faythe they knowe not but thynke they be forſaken of god, and that god is enemye to them. Yea and they rather impute ſuch ylles to men and wycked deuylles / ſo that they hauehave no truſte at all in god. And for this cauſe, theyr troubles & ſuffrynges euen as they be ſclaunderous to them / ſo be they hurtfull. And yet in that whyle they go forthe doynge good workes after theyr owne iudgement / lokynge nor carynge nothynge at all for this true faythe. But to thē that byleue in god / and that in ſuche ylles and troubles hauehave a ſtedfaſte truſte that they pleaſe god / ſuche ylles and aduerſyties be precyous merytes and moſte noble of all workes,Faythe maketh al thynges precyous. aboue all mennes eſtymacyon / for faythe and truſte to god maketh al thinges precyous, whiche ylles be dampnable / the whiche thynge is wryten euen of dethe / the .115. pſalme / the death of his ſayntes is precyous in the ſyghte of the lord / for the more better, hygher and ſtronger that the faythe and truſte is / ſo moche more the ſufferynges in the ſame fayth, paſſe all workes in faythe / And ſo bytwene workes & ſuche paſſyons, there is an ineſtymable dyfferēce of better place cōdycyon & pryce.

MOreouer y^e hygheſt degree of faythe is whan god ponyſſheth our cōſcyence not onelye with temporall hurtes and perſecutyons / The hygheſt degre of faythe.but with deathe, helle, and ſynne / and ſemeth in a maner to denye his grace and mercye, as thoughe he wolde perpetuallye dampne vsus / the which thynge very fewe men perceyue / as Dauid cōplayneth the .vi. pſalme / lorde correcte me not in thy angres / for to byleue then that we pleaſe god / is the chiefe worke that may be done of or in any creature / of the whiche theſe iuſtytiaryes & holy workemen & benefactours knowe nothyng at all / He calleth them iuſtitiaries, which truſte of forgyueneſſe of theyr ſynnes & of ſaluacy on by theyr owne workes and holyneſſe.for how wolde they here promyſe or ꝑſuade the goodnes and mercye of god to thē / whan they be vncertayne in theyr workes / and doubtfull and waueryng, yea in the leaſte degre of faythe. Beholde thus hauehave I alwayes ſpoken & thus hauehave I alwayes prayſed fayth / & thus hauehave I reiecte al workes done without ſuche faythe / to thende y^t I myght brynge men from this falſe, fayned, ſhynyng pharyſaycall and vnfaythefull good workes (wherof all Abbeyes, tēples, houſes, & al degres and ſtates bothe hygh and lowe be full and replenyſſhed with) to moſte and true good & faythful workes euen from the grounde / in the whiche thynge no man ſtryueth or goeth agaynſte me / but vnclene beaſtes whoſe feate be not clouen (as hit is in y^e lawe of Moyſes) not ſufferyng y^e dyfference of good workꝭ. But they rouſſhe out ſo vnaduyſed that whan they hauehave onelye prayed, faſted, founded this chauntrye or that / cōfeſſed them / and done ſatiſfactyō after theyr owne iudgement / they wold by and by hauehave all theſe doynges good / all though in all theſe thynges they hauehave no truſte of the lyberalytye or gentylnes of god / but rather they than ſpecyally eſteme them for good workes / whan they hauehave done many / great, and longe workes / and ſo they regard not the grace of god nother his pleaſure in theyr workes / but put all theyr truſte in theyr workes / and ſo buylde vponupon the grauell and the water / wherfore at the laſte / they muſte neades hauehave a great fall. As Chryſte ſayeth / Mathewe the .vii. chapytre / but this good wyll and pleaſure of god the father towarde vsus vpō the whiche ſtandeth our truſt / y^e aungelles ſhewed from heuen that nyghte that our lorde was borne / ſyngyng prayſe be to god aboue / peace in the yerthe / and to men good wyll.

BEholde nowe this is y^e worke of the fyrſte cōmaundement / wherby it is cōmaunded that thou ſhuldeſt hauehave no ſtraūge god / which is aſmoch to ſaye as thus. For aſmoche as I am onelyonly god / thou oughteſt to put all thy truſte, hope, & faythe, in me and none els / for it is not to hauehave one god / yf thou name hym with thy mouthe outwardelye, or worſhyppe hym with knelynge, or other ſuche geſtures / but yf thou truſte in hym …th herte and mynde promyſyng to thy ſelfe all goodnes, grace, and good wyll of hym / as well in ꝑſecucyon and aduerſytie / as in proſperyte / no leſſe in deth than in lyfe / as well in bytter & harde thynges / as in pleaſaunt & eaſy / lyke as our lorde Chryſte / ſayde to the woman of Samarytan / god is a ſpiryte / and they which worſhyppe hym / muſt worſhyppe hym in ſpyryte and truthe. And this truſte, hope, and faythe of y^e herte / is the true full lyuynge of the fyrſte cōmaundement without the whiche, there is no worke at all that maye ſatyſfye this cōmaūdement / and lyke as this cōmaundement is chief / hygheſt and beſte of all other / and out of the whiche all other come / in the whiche all thynges procede / and after y^e whiche, all thynges muſt be ordered and reweled / ſo this worke / that is to ſaye, hope and truſte in the grace of god, is chyef / hygheſt and beſte of all other workꝭ / out of y^e whiche all other growe & come forth / be orderyd & gouerned. All other workes therfore cōpared to this worke / ſtāde (without the fulfyllyng of y^e fyrſte cōmaūdemēt) as nothynge worth / and as thoughe there were no god.S. Auguſtyne. wherfore ſaynt Auguſtyne ſayde excellentlye / that the workes of the fyrſte cōmaundement, be / to byleue, truſte, and louelove. Moreouer we ſayde before that ſuche fayth and truſte, bryngen with theym charyte and hope / ye and yf thou wylt well conſydre the matter / charyte is fyrſt at the leaſte equall with faythe / For I can not truſte in god / oneles I thynke that he is gentyll / mercyfull, meke, and kynde to me / wherby I am moued to louelove hym agayne, & to truſt to hym with all my mynde vtterlye determyned with my ſelf that he wyll do all thynges for the beſt to me.

NOwe thou ſeeſt that all they, whiche byleue not alwaye in god, and ꝓmyſe not to thē ſelfes the grace, fauoure, & good wyll of hym, in all theyr workes and vexacycyons, lyfe, or deathe / but ſeke it about other thynges or elles in theym ſelfes / kepe not this commaundement of god / but truely vſe ydolatrye / ye thoughe they dyd the workes of all thother cō maundementes / ye in ſo moche yf they had caſte in one heape togyther / the prayers, faſtynges, obedyence, ſufferaunce, chaſtyte, and innoſencye of all ſayntes / for there is not the pryncypall & heade worke / without the whiche all other workꝭ be nothnyge at all / but fayre ſhynynge outwarde ſhowes, and colours / of y^e whiche our lorde hathe warned vsus before. Mathewe the .vii. chapytre / beware of falſe prophetes which come to you in ſhepes clothynge / w^tin they be rauyſſhyng wolues / of the whiche ſorte be they / whiche go about to gette y^e fauoure of god (as they ſpeake) with many good workes & hym theyr frynde, as thoughe they ſhulde bye his grace & fauoure / as thoughe god were a broker, ſeller, and a merchaunte / whiche wolde not frely gyue his grace in good wyll. Theſe ben y^e moſte frowardes of all the men in the worlde / And whiche eyther hardely or elles neuer be conuerted to the true waye. Lykewyſe be thoſe whiche in theyr trouble & aduerſitye, ronne hyther & thyther vp and downe / ſekyng coū ſell, helpe and conforte, and lette god alone / of whome oonly they be cōmaunded to ſeke ſuche thinges / whome the prophete Eſaye rebuketh after this maner. My people is folyſſhe / and hathe not tourned agayne to hym that ſtroke hym / that is to ſaye, the lorde hath ſtryken theym, and ſende to theym all maner of trouble vexacyons, and aduerſytie that they myghte ronne to hym and truſte to hym / but they rōne from hym to men nowe in to Egypte, now in to Aſſiria / ye and ſomtyme to yll deuylles / of the whiche Idolatrye, there be many thynges redde, bothe in the ſame prophete Eſaye / and alſo in the boke of kynges / and ſo do nowe a dayes all oure holye Ipocrytes / that whan they be troubled with any aduerſytie / they rōne not to god but flye from hym / thynkynge this oonlye / that they maye be delyuered out of this trouble eyther by them ſelfe, or elles by mannes helpe / and yet in all theſe thynges not oonlye iudgynge them ſelfe good, but ſufferynge all other ſo to repute and iudge them.

THis is the mynde of ſaynt Paule in many places, where he attrybuteth ſo moche to fayth. A right wyſe man lyueth by his faythe / for faythe is the ſelfe ſame thynge / for y^e whiche a man is coūted ryghtwyſe afore god / therfore yf ryghtwyſenes be in faythe / it is clere y^e the ſame faythe onelye fulfylleth all the cōmaundementes of god, & maketh ryghtwyſe all theyr workes / in as moch as no man is ryghtwyſe / but yf he fulfyll all the cōmaundementes of god / and agayne workꝭ without faythe iuſtyfye no man. And therfore ſaynt Paule with a full mouthe reiecteth workes / and ſo greatly cōmendeth and prayſeth faythe that many beynge offended with his wordes ſayd, than let vsus do no good workes. But ſaynt Paule rebuketh theym / as erronyous and folyſſhe, and ſo it is now a dayes / that whan we reiecte theſe great and ſhynynge workes done nowe a dayes with out fayth / they ſay than we muſt onelye byleue and do no good / for nowe they call the workes of the fyrſt cōmaūdement to ſynge / to rede, to playe on the organce / to ſaye ſeruyce or to celebrate / to ſay mattens, euenſong, or other canonycalle houres / to founde churches, alters, monaſteryes, & to honour them and heape them vp with belles, veſtementes and ſuche other treaſure, to god, to Rome and other ſayntes vponupon pylgrymage. Moreouer to were this garment or that knelyng of theyr knees / ſayenge the Roſary or pſalter of our Ladye doynge al theſe not before an ydole. But before the holy croſſe of god / the ymages of ſayntes / & this they call the worſhyppyng and prayenge to god / whiche thinges bothe vſerers / adulterers / and all maner of ſynners do and maye do dayly. Nowe where as theſe be done with ſuche a faythe that we byleue that they pleaſe god, thanne they be prayſed, not for theyr owne vertue, but for the faythe ſake, for the whiche all maner workes (as is ſayde byfore) be equalle. But yf we eyther doubte, or iudge god not to be gentyll, or mercyfull vntounto vsus, or not to pleaſe god, or yf we preſume to pleaſe god, by or after theſe workes, than be they nothynge / but verye gyles, dyſſymulacyons, and dyſceytes outewardlye to worſhyppe god, and inwardelye to put hym for an Idole. This therfore is the cauſe / why I hauehave ſo ofte ſpoken and caſte awaye ſuche workes, pompes, boſtynges, and multytudes of theym / And bycauſe it is open and manyfeſte / that ſuche workes be done, not onelye in doubte, and without ſuche faythe / but alſo amonges a thouſande men there is ſcante one that putteth not all his truſt in theym / thynkynge ſurely that ſo he ſhall obtayne the grace / or fauour of god / And that he ſhall preuent his grace / & ſo to make merchaūdyſe with god, the whiche thynge god can not ſuffre / whiche hath promyſed his fayth frely / he wolde that we ſhulde begyn at his grace / through fayth / and in the ſame to fynyſſhe all our workes, what ſo euer they be / and by what name ſo euer they be called.

OF theſe thou thy ſelfe perceyueſte, howe greatly theſe two differ / to fulfyl the fyrſt cōmaundement with outwarde workes / and withinwarde fayth / for the one maketh vsus the true lyuynge ſones of god / thother maketh the worſte ydolatrye and moſte hurtefull hypocrytes of the worlde / bryngynge many men in to y^e wayes by the great ſhynynge, and yet ſufferyng them to remayne with out faythe / and ſo wretchedlye deceyue thē ſtyckyng in the outwarde voyce and apparaūce / of whome Chryſte ſpeaketh. Mathewe .xxiiii. Than yf any man ſhall ſaye vntounto you: lo here is Chryſt or there is Chryſt byleue it not. Alſo in Iohn̄ the .iiii. chapytre / woman truſte me y^e houre cōmeth whan ye ſhall neyther in this mountayne, nor yet at Iheruſalem worſhyp the father / but the houre cōmeth, and nowe is / whan y^e true worſhyppers, ſhall worſhyp the Father in ſpyryte & veryte / for verylye ſuche the Father requyreth to worſhyp hym. Theſe and ſuche other ſayntꝭ as they hauehave moued me / ſo they oughte to moue all other to caſte away this great pompe with Bulles, ſealles, baners, & pardons / wherwith the myſerable people be moued to buylde temples, to gyue and founde abbayes, and ſuche lyke, and in y^e meane tyme fayth is ſuppreſſed and put to ſylēce, yea rather vtterly oppreſſed But where fayth hathe no dyffecence bytwyxte workes, there is no worke pompous and prowde better one thā another after her. And of a truth it is, y^e fayth only wyll be y^e true worſhyp & ſeruyce of god, not ſuffryng any ſuch name or prayſe to be gyuen to one worke or other / but as far forth as ſhe dothe voucheſalfe / which thynge / ſhe than dothe / whan the worke is done in and of her. But this yll was fygured in the olde teſtament / whan the Iewes forſoke to offre in the temple, & offred in other places / as in wodes and in hylles / euen ſo do they, which be buſye and redy to do all thynges, & neuer do this heade worke of fayth.

WHere be they nowe whiche aſke what be good workꝭ, what they oughte to do, or howe they myghte be good? ye where be they which ſaye that we ſo preche faythe that we teache no good workes, and that there oughte none to be done? Doth not this fyrſt cōmaundement make vsus more buſynes / than any man can fulfyll? For yf one man were a thouſand mē / ye all men or all creatures / yet here he had ynoughe to do / and more than he myght away with, whyles he is cōmaunded to lyue & contynue alwaye in fayth / and truſt to god / and to put truſt in no other / & ſo to hauehave one true god / ſeynge than that mannes lyfe, can not be one moment w^t out dede, faute, trouble, or flyghte / for the lyf of man as we ſe neuer reſteth / let hym y^t wolde be good and full of good workꝭ begynne to be alwaye in this faythe, let hym lerne ofte tyme to do and leaue vndone all thynges in ſuche truſt / for ſo ſhall he fynde howe great buſynes he hathe to do / and howe all thynges ſtande in faythe / and that faythe can not be ydell / and that y^e ſelfe ſame ydelnes is ſomtyme the exercyſe and worke of faythe. And to be ſhorte / there is nothynge y^t can peryſſhe or loſe to vsus that byleue y^t all our workꝭ pleaſe god / for thā they can not be / out good & merytoryous / ſo ſayeth ſaynt Paule / 1. Corin. 10.1 Cor 10whyther therfore ye eate or drynke / or what ſoeuer you do / do all to the prayſe of god / it can not be done in y^e ſame name / but yf it be done in the ſame faythe / Alſo to the Romaynes / for we knowe well that all thynges worke for the beſte to them that louelove god. Therfore the ſayenge of them that ſay that we forbyde good workes and preache onelyonly fayth / is lyke as I ſhulde ſay to a ſicke man / yf thou haddeſt helthe / thou ſhuldeſt hauehave all y^e workes of thy membres without the whiche / the workes of y^e mēbres be nothynge / of this he myght vnderſtonde. That I forbyd the workes of the membres / whan my meanynge is that he muſte hauehave helthe, and than worke all the workes of all his membres / ſo fayth muſt be the chiefe craftꝭman buylder and capytayne in all workes / or elles the workes be vtterly noughte.

BVt yf thou ſaye / why hauehave we than ſoo many Lawes, bothe ſpyrytuall & temporall, ſo many cerymonyes of churches, monaſteryes, and abbeys, to moue cauſe and prouoke men to good workes / yf faythe do all thinges after the fyrſt cōmaundement? I anſwere for no cauſe, but that we al nother hauehave nor ſet by this faythe / for yf we all hadde this faythe / we neded no lawes / but eueryevery one of vsus ſhulde do alwayes good workes as the ſame faythe do teache hym. There be foure maner of men / the fyrſt nowe named, whiche neade no lawe, of whome ſayeth ſaynte Paule .i. Timoth .i. The lawe is not gyuen to a ryghtwyſe man / y^e is, to a faythfull man. For ſuche maner of men, do all what ſo euer they knowe or may, with a free mynde, regardyng this onelyonly with a ſure and ſtable faythe, that the grace and beneuolence of god helpeth them in all thynges. The ſeconde ſorte or kynde of mē ben they / which wyl myſſe vſe this lybertie / & falſely ſtyckynge & beynge bolde of it waxe ſlowe / of y^e which, ſpeketh ſaynt Peter in his fyrſt epyſtle, the .ii. chapytre / ſayeng for ſo is y^e wyll of god / that with well doynge / ye ſhulde ſtoppe the mouthes of al ingnoraūt mē / as fre, & not as thoughe you toke lybertie for a cloke of malicyouſnes / but euen as the ſeruauntes of god / as thoughe he ſhulde ſaye / lybertie of faythe gyueth no lycence to ſynne, nother cloketh it / but gyueth power to do all maner of workes / & to ſuffre all thinges / howe ſoeuer they come to hāde / ſo y^t no man is boūde peculyerly to one worke, or to ſome workꝭ. As ſaynt Paule ſayeth to y^e Galatianes y^e fyrſte chapytre. Bretherne ye were called into lybertie / onelyonly let not your lybertie be an occaſyon vntounto the fleſſhe / but in louelove ſerue one another / theſe men therfore muſt be cōpelled by lawes and kept with doctrynes & warnynges. The thyrde ſorte be wycked men / euer redye to ſynne and vyce / whiche muſt be compelled bothe with ſpyrytual and temporall lawes / euen lyke wylde horſes and dogges / and yf they amende not / let theym be punyſſhed with extreme ponyſſhement by the tēporall ſwerde, as ſaynte Paule ſayeth to the Romaynes the .xiii. chapytre / for rulers are not to be feared of good doers / but of yll / wylte thou be without feare / of the power? Do well than / and ſo ſhalt thou be prayſed of the ſame. For he is the mynyſter of god for thy welthe / but yf thou do yll / thou feare / for he beareth not the ſwerde for nought / for he is the mynyſter of god, to take vengeaunce of them that do yll. The fourth kynde of men be they / which be yet wyld, weake, and chyldren in the vnderſtandyng of fayth and ſpyrytuall lyfe / whiche muſt neades be intyſyd & tyckled as chylderne with outward wordes & cerymonyes, with adournyng the churches w^t organnes / and what ſoeuer is done in the temple / with prayer, faſtynge, & what ſoeuer is vſed, other in the temples, or abbeys / vntounto they lerne to knowe fayth / howe be it here is a great faute / that rulers & offycers (alaſſe for ſorowe) be ſo accuſtomed & weryed in theſe cerymonyes & outwarde workes, and faythe lette alone, which they ought to hauehave alway to teache aboue theſe workes, lyke as the mother gyueth y^e chylde with mylke, other meate, vntyll the chylde it ſelfe maye eate ſtronger meate by it ſelfe.

BVt for as moch as we be not al equal & lyke / ſuche maner of men muſte be forborne & ſuffered / and we muſte obſerue and beare thoſe thyngꝭ / whiche they obſerue and beare / and not dyſpyſe theym / but teache them the true waye of faythe / as teacheth ſaynt Paule to the Romaynes / xiiii. chapitre / hym that is weake in the faythe / receyue vntounto you and lerne hym / the which thyng he dyd hym ſelfe / the fyrſte epyſtell to the Corinthyanes the .ix. chapytre. And vntounto the Iewes (ſayeth he) I became as a Iewe, to wynne the Iewes, to theym y^e were vnderunder the lawe / was I made as thoughe I had ben vnderunder the lawe, to wynne theym that were vnderunder y^e lawe. And Chryſte in Mathewe the .xvii. chapytre / whan he ſhulde paye trybute / which he ought not to do / reaſoned w^t Peter ſayenge / of whome do kynges of y^e erthe take trybute or poole money? of theyr chylderne or of ſtraungers? Peter ſayde vntounto hym of ſtraungers / than ſayde Iheſus vntounto hym agayne, than are the chyldren fre / neuertheleſſe leaſte we ſhulde offende theym / go to the ſee / and caſte in thy angle / and take the fyſſhe / whiche fyrſte commeth vp / and whanne thou openeſte his mouthe / thou ſhalte fynde a peace of twelfe pens, that take / and paye for the and me / here we ſe that as all workes / ſo all thynges be free to a chryſten man throughe his faythe, & yet he dothe ſuffre and obſerue with the faythfull that / that he is not bounde to do. And that he dothe vponupon his lybertie, beynge free, & nothynge doubtynge, that he ſo dothe pleaſe god / and he dothe it gladly / takynge it frelye as any other worke that cōmeth to his hande, without his owne choſyng or purpoſe, & here he dothe onelyonly deſyre and requyreth nothynge elles but that he maye ſo worke to pleaſe god w^t his fayth. But in as moche as we purpoſed to teache in this boke which be very true good workes, & we nowe ſpeake of y^e hygheſt worke of all / it is manyfeſt y^e we ſpeake not of y^e ſecōde, thyrde, or fourth ſorte of men / but of the fyrſte, to whome all thother muſt be lyke in concluſyon, and in the meane whyle, be taught, and ſuffered of the fyrſte. And ſo ſuche men of weake faythe / redy alwayes to do good and to lerne better / and yet not able to perceyue and vnderſtande all thynges, be not to be deſpyſed ī theyr cerymonyes. Blame therfore theyr folyſſhe blynde teachers, whiche neuer taughte theym faythe, but hauehave drawen thē ſo deaplye in to workes,That is to wytte from that confydence y^t they maye be ſaued by theyr workes / for els they make a god & ſauyoure of theyr workes, whch is hyghe ydolatrye, and vtterly concludeth that the blod of chriſt is ſhedde in vayne, for if our workes can ſaue vsus what neded chriſt to dye & this is thautors meanyng whan ſo euer he ſaieth fran workes. therfore they muſte be gentlye broughte vp by a lytell and lytell fro workes to faythe / as men do handell a ſycke man / & they muſt be ſuffered to leane to ſome workes a whyle, for theyr owne conſcyence vntyl they embrace faythe a ryght / leſt whyles we go about cruelly and ſharpely to plucke them frō theyr workes, theyr conſcyence be confounded or troubled, and erre & wauer aboute vncertayne / and ſo they nother kepe faythe nor workes. But ſtyffe necked men, holdynge ſtyffelye in theyr workes / not regardynge what is ſpoken of fayth / ye in ſo moche they ſtryue agaynſt it / muſt be let alone / that the blynde maye leade the blynde / as Chryſte bothe taught and dyd.

BVt peraduēture thou wylte ſaye, howe ſhulde I thynke for a ſuertye y^t al my workꝭ pleaſe god, otherwhyles ſpeakyng, eatynge, drynkynge, & ſlepynge to moche, or in any other waye ſwaruynge from y^e ryght, the whiche is vnpoſſyble for me to exchue? I anſwere, that this queſtyon proueth / y^t thou yet takeſt faythe no other wayes than thou doſte other workes, nother doſte thou eſteme it aboue all other workꝭ / for no other cauſe is fayth y^e chiefe worke, but for bycauſe it remayneth & quencheth theſe venyall & dayly ſynnes, bycauſe ſhe byleueth y^t god fauoureth the, and imputeth not ſuche daylye falles & fautes, ye moreouer yf the fall be dedely / which thyng happeneth ſeldome or neuer to theym y^e lyue in faythe towarde god / yet faythe ryſeth agayne, & doubteth not but y^t by & by all his ſynnes ſhall be weared awaye, as it is in the fyrſt epyſtle of Iohn̄ the .ii. chapytre. My lytell chyldren theſe thynges wryte I vntounto you, that you ſhulde not ſynne, and yf any man ſynne: yet we hauehave an aduocate with the father, Iheſus Chryſte, whiche is ryghtwyſe / & he it is that obtayneth grace for our ſynnes / not for ours onelye, but alſo for all the ſynnes of all the worlde. And the wyſe man the .xv. chapytre. Yf we do ſynne we be thyne knowyng thy greatnes. And the .xxiiii. chapytre of y^e prouerbes ſeuen tymes in a day the ryghtwyſe man falleth and ryſeth agayne / ye this faythe & truſte muſte be ſo hyghe & ſtrōge that a man maye knowe that all his lyfe & dede is no other thyng but dāpnable ſynnes in the iudgement of god as it is wryten y^e 142. pſalme / there ſhal no lyuyng man be iuſtyfyed in thy ſyghte / but we ſhulde rather ſo dyſpayre in our workꝭ / that we ſhulde byleue that they can not be good / but by this faythe thynkynge y^t we ſhall hauehave no iudgement of god, but pure grace, fauoure, good wyll, gentylnes, and mercye / as it is in the .xxv. Pſalme / thy mercy is before my eyes / and I hauehave delyted in thy truth: and in the .iiii. pſalme. Thy lyghte is marked vponupon our face (that is y^e knowlege of thy grace by fayth) and by y^e thou haſt gyuen myrth in my herte / for as thou byleueſt and truſteth, ſo ſhall come vntounto the. Lo thus by the mercye and grace of god, and not by theyr owne nature, theſe vayne and voyde workꝭ be without ſynne / and ſo by faythe: labourynge w^t the ſame mercye they be good / And ſo for our workes we maye be a frayed / but for the mercy of god we maye be comforted / as it is wryten, in the .146. pſalme / the lorde delyteth in them that feare hym / and in them that truſte to his mercye / ſo we pray with full truſt our father whiche is in heuen,We be ſynners as concernyng our workes and our owne lyfe, but in reſpect of chryſtes workꝭ, his ſatyſfaccyon & blode we be iuſt & no ſynners, for becauſe we cleane whooly to hym by faythe, for the which we be accepted as no ſynners. neuertheleſſe to forgyue vsus oure ſynnes. We be his ſones, neuertheleſſe ſynners. We be acceptable, and yet hauehave not made ſatyſfaccyon. But fayth confyrmed & ſtablyſſhed in the truſte of god ſhall do all theſe thynges.

BVt yf thou aſkeſt wher fayth & truſt maye be founde, & from whenſe they come truelye, that is moſt neceſſarye to be knowen. Fyrſt of all without doubt: they come not of thy workes or deſeruynges, but onelye, frelye, by y^e gyfte and promyſe of Iheſus chryſt, as Paule wryteth to the. Rom̄. the .v. chapyter.Here mayſte thou ferne of ſaynt paule from whens faythe dothe ſprīg, & why thou mayſte cōmytte the wholy vntounto Chryſt, and doubte nothing ī him, albeit thy ſinnes be neuer ſo great. God, ſetteth out his louelove that he had towarde vsus / ſeyng that whyle we were ſynners / Chryſte dyed for vsus / as though he ſhuld ſay / ſhall not this thyng cauſe vsus to hauehave a ſtronge & vnouercōmed fayth that chyrſt is deade for our ſynnes byfore we aſked it / and for the whiche we yet cared not, ye euen than, whan we were contynuynge in ſynne / where after it foloweth. Moche more than nowe (ſeynge we be iuſtyfyed in his blode) we ſhall be preſerued from wrathe throughe hym / for yf when we were ennemyes, we were recōſyled to god by y^e death of his ſone. Moche more ſeynge we be recōſyled / we ſhall be preſerued by his lyfe / lo howe thou oughteſt to ymagen chriſt in y^e, & how god hath ſet forth & ſhewed his mercy to y^e in hym. Without all thy deſeruyngꝭ goyng byfore that out of y^e ſame ymage of his grace / thou ſhuldeſt drawe both fayth and truſt of forgyuenes of al ſynnes: wherfore fayth begynneth not of workes nother is it made by workes / for fayth is a worke that ronneth and floweth out of the blode,Faythe. woundes, and deathe of Chryſt. In the whiche thynge whan thou ſeeſt god ſo mercyfull vntounto the / that he wolde gyue his ſone for the, thy herte muſt neades wexe ſwete / and ſo thou muſt neades louelove hym agayne and ſo doth ſpryng the truſt of y^e mere grace of god towarde the / and of his good wyll, & agayne of thyne towarde hym / for we neuer reade that the holye ghoſte was gyuen to any man for workynge, but alway to them, that here the goſpell and mercye of Chryſte & byleue it, out of the whiche worde & none other thynge at this daye ſhulde faythe come forthe / for Chryſte is the rocke, out of the which as Moyſes ſayeth / Deuteronomi. 3.2. butter and hony be ſucked.