The Justification of Man by Faith Only, Part 1 – Part 3
¶ Goſpell.
THE GOSPEL DOTH preache repentaunce,The promyſe of the Goſpell is nat to be ioyned with the promiſe of the lawe. promiſynge forgyueneſſe of ſinne and lyfe euerlaſtynge. The whiche promyſe we muſt be ware that we do nat ioint with the law. For thoughe the lawe hathe certayne promiſes annexed to it, yet they do differ and varye muche from the promyſes whiche are peculyer and proper only to the Goſpel, for the promiſes of the lawe are promyſed condicionallye, requiring a perfecte obedience, as witneſſeth the fyrſte precepte, (The Lorde ſayenge I wyl be good to thē …hat louelove me with al theyr herte. Where as the promyſe conteyned in the Goſpell doethe declare to vsus the remiſſion of ſinne, our iuſtification, and lyfe euerlaſtynge freely withoute any condicion of our merites and worthynes, but for Chriſt ſake only. No mannes voyce or tonge can declare this great benefyte, which the Lord thorow his ſonne Ieſu Chriſt doeth beſtowe on vsus, that is to ſay: that the greate blotte of ſinne by h…s bloude ſcraped and raſſhed forthe, and deathe vtterly vanquiſſhed we maye hauehave the fruition of the ſyght of the Godhed in euerlaſting life iuſtyce and gladde ioyfulnes. The promyſe of thys benefyte by no man but from heauen is declared to vsus, as Iohn ſayeth. The ſonne whiche is in the boſom of the father he hathe declared and made manyfeſt to vsus.An other dyfference of the Goſpel and of the lawe. And although that there is a certayn knowlege of the lawe in vsus euen from oure byrthe, it is nat ſo with the knowledge of the Goſpell, for the knowledge therof we hauehave nat naturally. Mannes reaſon of it ſelfe being nat able to perceyue and knowe the wyl of God: that God wyll ſende hys ſonne downe to be oblatyon and ſacrifice for the churche, and forgyue ſinne frelye without the deſeruynge of our merites. Thys is farre frome mannes vnderſtandynge. Therefore the wordes of the lawe, and the promiſe of the Goſpel muſt be dyuers and ſundry wayes taken and perceiued. In the writinges of Phocillides and Heſidus: o with ſuch other lyke wryters a man ſhal fynde many ſayinges of the lawes: but as touchyng the promiſe of the free forgiuenes of ſinne and of the ſonne of god, it is neuer to be founde amonge them. Whiche in theyr writinges dyd imitate and folowe the iudgemente and naturall reaſon of man onelyonly. Moreouer for as muche as a certaine knowledge of the lawe is natural to vsus, ye from our fyrſt byrthe and natiuitie, our owne myndes and conſcience accuſeth ſinne in vsus,what doeth our owne conſcience …udge oure ſynne. thynkynge and be leuyng no thyng els, but that God wyl punyſhe, and alſo caſt forth of his ſyght thoſe men which be vniuſt and ſynners. This is the iudgement whiche the lawe doethe gyue, beinge bothe a iuſte and a ryghte iudgemente accordynge to the mynde of the lawe. Agaynſt the whiche heuye ſentence of the lawe: in the tyme of knowledgynge thy ſinne and repentaunce thou muſt obiect agayne and lay for the, the moſt lyberal and fre promiſe of mercy, whiche ought to be preferred before the lawe. As by example: when Adam after hys offence,Adam. was accuſed, he coulde thynke none other thyng in him ſelfe but that which was the lawe. that he ſhulde peryſhe, bicauſe he obeyed nat the Lorde. But ſtreyght way the Lorde: (natwithſtandynge that he hadde made him ſubiecte for his diſobedience vntounto the deathe of the body) whiche was before immortal: and to other miſerable calamities,The promyſe giuen to Adam. yet God gaue to hym a comfortable voyce promyſynge deliuerance from ſinne and death, and the reſtoring agayne of mankynde, ſayenge that the ſede of a woman ſhulde breake the head of the Serpent. The whiche voyce ſpoken and declared by God: ſtreyght way the ſon of God mouynge and ſtyrrynge the hert of Adam: dyd poure into hym a newe lyfe and lyghte. At that tyme the ſonne of God was conſtituted and ordeyned to be a keper, a gouernour, and a ſauyour of the churche. Then beganne the ſonne of God to giuegive battayle to the Deuyll: That lykewyſe as the Deuyll moſt cruelly doth rage ouer al mankind in the diſpyte and hatred of God, to deface and put out of al remembrance his moſt holy and bleſſed churche, faſtening his moſte venemouſe tethe in oure hels and fleſſhe. So on that other ſyde, the ſonne of God is ſtronge and myghty in them which beleueth, treadynge downe vnderunder hys fete the furye of the Deuyll, reſtorynge and delyuerynge the faythful from the tyranny of hys enmy. The worlde hathe nat the grace to conſyder and ſe this battayle, but the great falles of many with the moſt heuye and tragycall calamities and miſeries and againe afterwarde, the moſte gloryous and tryumphant delyueraunce (example of Dauyd and of many other) do manyfeſtlye declare and ſhewe what maner a kynde of fyght and battayle this is.
¶ THESE wordes alſo whiche are written in the Geneſis. The ſede of a woman ſhall treade downe the heade of the Serpent, hath none other meaninge than thoſe wordes which Iohn did pronounce, ſayenge. For thys purpoſe the ſonne of God is exhibited vntounto vsus to diſtroye and breake the workes of the Deuyll. Thus dyd Adam take and vnderſtand the promyſe. So did al the fathers after him beleue, that for thys ſede ſake which was promiſed, they ſhuld obteyn remiſſion of theyr ſinnes, with deliueraunce from ſinne and deathe. By thys faythe they were made iuſte, nat by fulfyllynge of the lawe. This beynge that ſame faythe wherby in al theyr perilles and terrors they were comforted and holde vp. For they knewe wel that thys Lorde was alway at theyr hand to helpe them as Iacob moſt lyuely dyd expreſſe the .xlviii. of Geneſis, ſayeng. The Angell whiche delyuered me from all euyl: bleſſe theſe children. In the which wordes he declared that ſame Lord by whō he was deliuered from al euils deſiring and prayenge to bleſſe and kepe hys poſteritie. Al thoſe wordes can be of none other than of the ſonne of God meaned. As wytneſſeth Paull. The ſon of God was in the tentes of the people of Iſrael where ſoeuer they went. And Iohn alſo. By thys ſonne of God al thing was made, by whom lyght dyd ſhyne in darkneſſe. All tryumphe and victories gotte and won agaynſte, and ouer the deuyll, was by none other than by thys ſonne. Noe was reſerued, Abraham was defended, Ioſeph was wakened vp. The people was delyuered forth of Egypt, and Daniel alſo dyd ſpeake with hym. After thys faſſhion the preachynges of the Apoſtles do teach of Chryſt: wytneſſing that he is the ſacrifice: the deliuerer and ſauiour, counſellynge and commanding vsus to ſet our whole truſt and confidence in this captayne. The which thyng many places in the prophetes doth teſtyfy: as the ſecond pſalme, kyſſe you ye ſonne. Bleſſed be al they that truſt in him, with out the whiche faythe otherwyſe called the certayne confydence of the truſt and mercy of God promyſed for Chryſt ſake all the prayers in the worlde ſeme they neuer ſo holy, neuer ſo longe, al the worſhypfull worſhyppynge that ye can do, are in effect as muche as nothinge. For thys is the ſame Byſſhop by whoſe meanes we muſte come to the father, as it is written in many places. The blyndnes therfore, of them which do imagin and dreame that the Goſpel is a lawe conteinynge certayne preceptes of amitie or mutuall louelove whiche requyre the faythe, that is to ſaye, a bare and naked knowledge of the lyfe of Chryſte hyſtorycally, and that men ſhoulde take God as a teacher of good preceptes, as they dyd vſe to take Socrates and Phocillides: I ſay agayne the depe and profounde blyndeneſſe of them is to be deteſted, execrated and of all creatures abhorred. Suche lyke is theyr blyndneſſe in phantaſyeng that men are made iuſte for theyr owne good deſeruynges beynge for al that in doubte, whether God doeth forgyue vsus oure ſinnes, whether he doeth heare vsus or whether he wyll hauehave any thynge to do with vsus, ye or nay, as one, whiche nothynge regardeth what doeth or ſhal become of vsus. Thus the greate gorbelyd Monkes, and nowe, our great ſupercyliouſe & proud popiſhe Philoſophers do tranſforme,The doctrin of the Popiſhe clerkes. tranſlate, and make, the Goſpell, which is the moſt pure and ſincere worde of God, to be a Phyloſophy Academical, dyſputynge and reaſonynge of good workes, commaundynge men to doubt in the promyſes of God. But of faythe whiche leanneth on Chryſte and the promiſes made for his ſake, nat ones for a thouſande pound they wyl neither thynke nor ſpeake: herein they be as domme as ſtones, and as drie as a ſtocke fyſhe. Therfore I pray and deſyre with all my hert, al gentyl readers that they wolde weye and conſyder the difference of the lawe and the Goſpel, of Moyſes: and of Chryſt. And to marke diligently what is the glorye of God: what was the ryght honour, ſeruyce, and worſhip done to hym by our olde fathers Adam: Iacob, the Prophetes and the Apoſtles. Of theſe men let vsus learne, that Chryſte is alway the valyant Captayne, the only gouernour: delyuerer: ſauyour: protector: an dedfēder of hys church againſt the Deuyll with al his members. Let …s learne I ſay, that by fayth we muſt perceiue and receiue the benefites of Chriſt Let vsus hauehave in remembrance and nat for gette that the goſpell is a ſwete voyce, which promyſeth and ſheweth to vsus, as it were puttynge into our boſoms theſe great benefites: Paul bearynge thereta wytneſſe, ſayenge. The goſpell is the power of god to ſaluatyon to hym that doeth beleue. That is as muche to ſaye, as the goſpell doethe offer vntounto vsus pardon of our ſinnes and lyfe euerlaſtynge frely for Chriſt his ſake, and nat for the law. By thys goſpel god worketh in vsus effectuouſly, gyuyng to vsus his holy ſpirite: he beginneth in vsus a newe life, and gyueth vsus lyfe euerlaſtynge.
¶ Synne.
THYS VOCABLE AND word Syn doth nat ſignify noughty corrupt & viciouſe maners only,VnderUnder thys worde ſynne is comprehended our Originall ſynne. as the Phyloſophers do take it: but it cō prehendeth vnderunder the ſame vocable alſo the great feblenes and weaknes whiche is brought into this world with vsus and in vsus beyng called original ſinne, The which ſinne though carkles men do nat muche paſſe for regardyng and ſettyng it lyght as though it were a very ſmall tryfle, or rather no ſinne at all, as the Philoſophers do iudge it, yet we maye nat ſo myſtake it, but muſt make an other maner of rekenynge therof. For the darke blyndnes with …ubitation and ignoraunce of God, beynge vncertayne whether God doethe paſſe and regarde mortall men, ye or nay: whether he doth puniſhe offenders or nat: whether he noriſheth, fedeth, and helpeth, or herkeneth to men and theyr inuocations and cryes ye or naye: to be withoute the feare and drede, and louelove of God, to ſet muche by oure ſelfes and our paynted ſhethes to make muche of our owne wyttes, nat regardyng the Lorde mockynge and dalyenge with thys opinion, and that opinion of God, as the ſuperſticyous holy hipocrites, and the deintly fedde epicures vſeth to do dayly, to hauehave dyuers and ſodein motions and ſtyrringes in vsus clene contrary to God and hys lawe. Theſe I tel you playnly be no ſmall euyls and vyces. Nay that they be great and ſore vyces: the bytter and ſharpe paynes ordeined by God, and prepared, for the cō mytters and offenders, doeth ſufficiently declare to vsus. For theſe abhominable vyces, God dyd make man ſubiecte and thrawl to deathe, puniſhynge and chaſtenynge him ſtraytly, with many and marueylous kindes of calamities and miſeries. Conſyderynge therfore that the wrathe of God for theſe offences might by no maner of ſacrifice be peaſed and pleaſed, but by the death of his owne ſon onelyonly, it doeth folowe of neceſſitie that that vyce is a greate vyce, which requyreth ſo greate a raunſome to be redemed with. It is a marueylous thynge to ſe that the dulneſſe of man is ſo great, that he can nat perceiue and ſe this his owne diſeaſe beinge ſo great. Wherfore ſithe that man is ſo blynde that he canne nat nor wyll nat ſe and knowledge it: God hys ſelfe with hys owne voyce and doctryne hathe made it open to the eyes of al men. Lette vsus heare hym and beleue hys worde, ſettyng at lyght al Sophiſtical cauillations, whiche with theyr mockyng and mowyng do make of originall ſinne but a trifle, and a thyng ſmal to be regarded and taken hede of: nat muche ſettyng by, nay vtterly refuſynge and diſpiſinge our ſacrifice, whiche is Chyſt. From the whiche moſt pernycyous doctryne: let vsus both with the inwarde and outwarde eares, with hert and mynde abhorre and flie from, as the moſt dangerous peſtilēce of mās ſoule.
¶ Iuſtification.
NOVVE TO COME TO iuſtification, and to declare that thys worde, to iuſtifie after the Hebrue Phraſe is vſed commonly for to pronounce or to repute iuſte. As if a manne wolde ſay after the maner of ſpeakynge of the Hebrewes. The Romaynes dyd iuſtifie Scipio, whiche was accuſed of the tribuns, whiche is as muche to ſay, as: the Romaynes dyd quite Scipio pronouncynge hym iuſte, and wrongfullye accuſed. After the ſelfe ſame maner in Paul hys reaſonynge muſte we vnderſtande iuſtification, to ſignifie remiſſiō of ſynnes, and free receyuyng or acceptacion vntounto lyfe euerlaſtynge, as it is manifeſt the .iiii. cap. to the Romaynes. In the whiche place he doeth defyne iuſtification to be the remiſſion and forgyuenes of ſinne. So that this ſentence by faythe we are iuſtified: is as much to ſaye as we are reputed of God iuſte, for Chryſte ſake: when we do beleue. And thys worde iuſtyce doeth nat meane in thys place the iuſtyce of the lawe, or the obedience vniuerſal and our owne qualities Iuſtyce.when we do ſay (by faythe iuſtice is gyuen). But it doeth ſignifie the imputacion of iuſtyce, and acceptacion of God, that is to ſay, though we be nat of our owne worthynes cleane and iuſte: yet, it doeth pleaſe God for Chryſt ſake to take ī good worth our vnworthines callynge and makynge vsus iuſte if we do beleue, and ſo accepteth our good wyll,A iuſt man makynge hys iuſtyce our iuſtyce, hys worthynes our worthynes. So that by thys vnderſtandyng a iuſt man is taken reſpectiuely for hym that is accepted of God to lyfe euerlaſtinge. We muſt note alſo that as ſone as we do obteine remiſſion of ſynne, we hauehave alſo gyuen to vsus the holy Ghoſt, when with faythe we do comfort vsus after our fall. So that to our iuſtification is annexed and ioyned the gyft of the holy Ghoſt, which doethe nat begyn to worke in vsus one vertue only, but alſo al other vertues, as the feare and louelove of God: the louelove to the truthe, pureneſſe of lyfe, pacyence, ryghte dealynge with our neyghboure, as here after I wyll declare more when I do ſpeake of workes.wherfore … we nat iuſt for oure ve… tues. The whiche vertues do nat meryte remiſſion of ſynne, nor yet are our iuſtyce: or iuſtification, for the whiche a man is accepted, and pleaſeth God: bycauſe thoſe vertues be nat thorowly perfect and good.
¶ FVRTHERMORE when oure conſcyence is full of anguyſſhe and tormente for ſynne, and doeth ſeke wherefore we are iuſtified, it doth nat inquire what vertues we hauehave, and what good dedes, but it doeth ſeke howe we may attayne to remiſſion of ſinne, and reconcilyatyon with God. Oure conſcyence is vexed and troubled aboute the wyll of God, nat beholdinge what we our ſelfe hauehave done that is good or what vertues we hauehave in vsus. But in caſe we hauehave any vertues whiche be of any eſtymatyon, yet oure conſcyence doethe nat laye and compare them with the iudgement of God.
¶ THEREFORE they whiche do interpretate thys worde Iuſtyfycatyon to be an infuſion of vertues they do nat attende and marke that in thys caſe we reaſon of the remiſſion of ſynne, onlye, of the peace of conſcience, and reconciliation with God. For we do ſeke howe we may be iuſtified, whiche is howe we maye hauehave remiſſion of ſynne, makynge one neceſſarye concluſion, that God is mercyfull to vsus.Iuſtificatiō It folowethe therfore neceſſaryly that iuſtifcation is to be taken for the remiſſion and forgiuenes of ſinne, for the fre acceptation of god, and for imputation of iuſtice.