and look for his second coming, and most fervently desire the same, to be delivered of this mortal body of sin, that we may rule eternally with him in glory. That the fathers were safe by faith, without the deeds of the law, St. Peter testifies, saying, Wherefore now tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, the which neither we nor our fathers might bear; but by the mercy of Jesus Christ, we believe to be made safe, as they were. And St. Augustine, in the 157th epistle, saith, "Therefore, if the fathers, being unable to bear the yoke of the old law, believed them to be made safe by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ; it is manifest that the same mercy or grace made the old fathers to live just by faith." Now ye may see clearly that the old fathers were all made safe through the mercy of God, without all the deeds of the law. Then, how will you make yourself safe with works, who never did such good works as the fathers? So there can be no better conclusion to exclude your works in the article of justification than St. Paul maketh, saying, that a man is made just by faith without the deeds of the law. Therefore faith only justifieth before God. Ye shall understand that it is all one thing to say, faith only justifieth, and to say, faith without works justifieth. As by example, if one say, The good man is in the house alone, or he is in the house without any body with him. This is all one manner of speaking. The scripture saith, Man is made just by faith, withcut the works of the law; therefore we may well say, that faith only justifieth.

For confirmation hereof ye shall read Hebrews xi. before rehearsed, in the which ye shall find the histories briefly repeated by the apostle, testifying the fathers to be made safe by faith, referring nothing to works; except only that the works bear an outward testimony of the faith. Abel, by faith, or in faith, offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain did, by the which he obtained witness that he was just; God bearing witness of the offerings; and by the same he hitherto speaketh, being dead. God looketh first to the heart of man, before he looketh to his works; as testifieth the voice of God, saying, I judge not after the sight of man; for he seeth the thing which appeareth outwardly, but I behold the heart, 1 Sam. xvi. That is, the man is first made just by faith, and accepted in the favour of God, as Abel was; and then his works are acceptable and please God, because they are

wrought in faith. That it is the mind of the apostle St. Paul to exclude all works either going before or following faith, to be of the substance of the article of justification, the arguments and matter of his epistles prove clearly; especially to the Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews: in which he labours so diligently, that all the sophisters and workers, that are justifiers of themselves, may not get a corner to hide them into, from his conclusions, without they deny Christ and his office, at the least in effect, as they do after their manner. But the wisdom of God and his Holy Spirit deceiveth them;* for when they wrest and throw the scriptures to their mind in one place, they are compelled in another place of the same scripture to confess themselves liars. In the epistle to the Romans, from the beginning to the twelfth chapter, and in the epistle to the Galatians, to the fifth chapter, with all labour and diligence the apostle setteth forth the justice of God to be through faith in Jesus Christ, without all works of the law. And when he hath established the same article of justification, then he setteth forth the works of righteousness, in the which a christian man shall live, because the just shall live in faith. This order ye may see in the said epistles; and in the epistle to the Hebrews he declareth the office of Christ, his priesthood and sacrifice, and giveth faith her place, Heb. xi. All his labour was to exclude the mixture which these feigned workers now would have joined in with faith, and the benefit of Christ; which is no other thing than the work of the devil our adversary to make the death of Christ in vain; as the apostle saith, Therefore if justice be of the law, or by the law, Christ's.death is in vain, Gal. ii.

But think not that I intend through these assertions to exclude GOOD WORKS. No, God forbid! for good works are the gift of God, and his good creatures; and ought and should be done of a christian, as shall be shown hereafter at length in their place. But in this article of justification, ye must either exclude all works, or else exclude Christ from you, and make yourselves just, which is impossible to do, because we are wicked and can do no good at all which can be of value before God, or pacify his wrath; except Christ first make our peace, for that is his office, for which he came in the world, and suffered death.† So, if ye will not * Cannot be overcome of them.

+ The office of Jesus Christ is to pacify the wrath of God, which our works may not do.-Ed. 1584.

exclude Christ, exclude your works: for in this case there is no concurrence, more than there is between darkness and light. For what participation hath righteousness with iniquity? or what fellowship hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. vi. The definition of this justice is made plain by St. Paul, Rom. iii. which I exhort you to read. Consider word by word, conceive and print them well in your hearts; then shall ye be able to contend and fight valiantly against Satan and his sophists, of whom ye shall have victory by faith, which is our victory that overcometh the world, 1 John v.

The justice of God is, by the faith of Jesus Christ, in all and upon all which believe in him; there is no distinction or exception. All have sinned, and have need, or are destitute, of the glory of God; but they are made just by his mercy, freely without the works, by the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath proponed or laid before a sacrifice or satisfaction by faith in his blood, to the forthshowing of his justice for the remission of the sins by-past; the which God hath suffered to the forthshowing of his righteousness at this time; that he may be just, and justify him which is of the faith of Jesus Christ. Where then is thy glory or vaunting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we believe surely, a man to be made just by faith, without the deeds of the law.

Now, I pray you tell me what plainer words may be spoken, or terms invented, to exclude ALL our works, merits, or power, to be participant with God in this article of justification? They are as plain and clear as the sun in mid-day. Nevertheless, because the words are so precious, and necessary above all things to be imprinted and continually kept in the heart of man, I will make some declaration of every part and particle of this definition; and prove by authority of scripture, this justice of God, by the which a man is made just, to be without all works or power of man, only by faith in the mercy of God.

Of this justice David speaketh, saying, Lead me in thy justice, O Lord, because of my enemies; direct my way in thy sight, Psal. v. That is, O Lord, my God, for thy great goodness, singular kindness, and natural love, thou wast ever wont to show unto sinners and mankind, be to me a governor, guider, and convoyer in all perils and dangers; never suffer my mind to decline from the right way, for

any manner of strength or fear of mine enemies. And also, In thy justice, O Lord, deliver me, that is, for thy goodness and mercy, Psal. xxxi. And after, Judge thou me, O Lord, and discuss my cause; that is, take my defence upon thee, for I am not able of myself to resist. Therefore, in thy justice deliver me, and be unto me a strength invincible, Psal. xliii. lxxi. So shall ye find in divers and sundry psalms and other places of scripture; as Dan. ix. Justice and righteousness unto thee, O Lord, but unto us confusion, and shame of face. In the which chapter, ye may read, what justice or holiness, that holy prophet ascribeth unto him, or to the most holy of the people, amongst whom assuredly there were many good punished with the wicked, but none which might ascribe righteousness to themselves.

Sometimes ye shall find in scripture this word, justice, ascribed unto man; as David saith, Psal. iv. Hear me, who called on thee, O Lord, of my justice, &c. That is, God, the author, giver, and keeper of my innocency, hath looked upon me. And, Judge me, Lord, after my justice, and according to my innocency, which is in me, Psal. vii. Here he forthshoweth, not his virtues or his righteousness which are in him, with these words; because he saith in another place, Enter not in judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight no living thing shall be found just, Psal. cxliii. And the Holy Ghost is never contrary to himself. But here he called the justice of God his, by imputation. And also, he was innocent of the thing that was laid to his charge by king Saul, who ever accused him of treason, and usurping of the crown of Israel. In Psalm xvii. he saith, Hear my justice, O Lord, and give attendance to my desire and prayers. Here he calleth his justice, his petition. And, in innumerable places of scripture, ye shall find this word, JUSTICE, sometime ascribed to God, and sometime to man; because of the receiving of the same from God. But ever the scripture makes itself plain by the sentence which goeth before, or else follows, or in some other place. Therefore, take good heed upon the reading of the scriptures, that ye deceive not yourselves, ascribing any deed or power of yours to the article of justification; for it may suffer none, but only Christ's merits, because the merits of man are impure and imperfect, and may not abide the justice of God, nor stand in his sight.

It follows in the definition of this justice, By the faith of

Jesus Christ, in all and upon all which believe in him. Here ye may see our faith, that we believe in Jesus Christ, called HIS faith, as it is indeed. And the faith also of God, and by the same reason as the justice is called before, because it is the gift of God, as St. Paul saith, Eph. ii. and is the instrument by the which we obtain the mercy of God, remission of our sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and everlasting life, all for Christ's sake, without our deservings; by the which we are joined in Christ, and Christ in us, as the precious stone is joined in the gold ring. So let all our delight and pleasure be to embrace Christ in our heart, by faith in his blood. For faith is the thing which Christ desireth of a sinner. Believe, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee, Matt. ix. And also, All which believe in me, saith Christ, shall not die eternally, John xi. And to the woman, in St. Luke vii. Thy faith hath made thee safe.

It follows in the definition, that there is no distinction or exception; All have sinned, and have need of the glory of God; that is, all want that justice which God approved or judged to be glory, 1 Kings viii. 2 Chron. vi. 1 John i. Eccles. vii. And so all men are sinners and rejected from God, and cannot be made just by the law, because the same accuseth of sin, and is like a mirror in thy hand to consider the form of thy face, which can do no other thing but show thee thy deformity. God hath concluded all under sin, that he may have mercy upon all. The scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise may be given, through the faith of Jesus Christ, to all which believe, Rom. iii. Gal. iii.

It followeth in the definition, that they are made just FREELY, by the grace of God, through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ. Here ye see the apostle purposes to exclude all your merits in deserving of this justice; to the effect that he may, as in all his epistles and labours he intended, set forth the glory of God, and the benefit of Christ; the which can no wise be more highly set forth, than in the making of a wicked man just, and freely, that is, for nothing and without deserving. For that cause, Christ is made to us from God, wisdom, justice, holiness, and redemption; that he which rejoiceth may rejoice in the Lord. And that means the apostle Paul, 1 Cor. i. and the prophet Jeremiah, Jer. ix. who will have all our virtues given unto God, as wisdom, strength, and riches, which are in our power to use and exercise, as the gifts of God;