[A methodical preface prefixed before the epistle to the Romans ...] Made[A methodicall preface prefixed before the epistle to the Romanes ...] Made

In the fifth Chapter, he entreateth of works, and of the fruits of faith which be these: peace, joy of conscience, love towards GOD and our neighbour: a profitable, courageous & bold confidence: and a stout and manful perseverance and patient in tribulations and afflictions, for straight way these fruits follow, wheresoever this true faith is in the heart. Surely that most excellent riches, and ⟨image 25⟩abundant wealth of the grace of God offered, and exhibited to us in Christ (whom GOD would have dye for us, when we were as yet weaklings, yea enemies to God) if so be, by faith it be known & acknowledged of us in our hearts, it cannot but inflame us, and make us strong and able to do most willingly, cheerfully, and readily, all those things which we know will please this our most gentle Father. Therefore the chief sentence, drift and scope of this Epistle stands steadfast and sure, namely, that by faith alone we are justified, without works, and yet for all that good works are not condemned. For those works that indeed, and truly may be called good, and those good fruits do ⟨image 26⟩follow faith, and wheresoever faith is, it cannot choose but work: Like as the flame cannot but give good light. Of these that be truly good works the Justiciaries (who have nothing so rise in their mouths, as works, works, works) know nothing at all: They do but only imagine in themselves certain cold works, which because they have no spark of faith in them, are void of all spiritual affections: as joy, peace of conscience, and that bold trust and assurance in God and are rotten fruits of a rotten tree. After this the Apostle maketh a pleasant digression, showing how sin & righteousness, also how death & life came upon us. And there he compareth these two, Adam and Christ. Wherefore he reasoneth ⟨image 26⟩thus:¹ It was therefore needful and necessary, that Christ should be sent, who should make his righteousness to be ours, by the new birth or regeneration in faith & the spirit, even as the old man Adam by propagation left us his sin through that old generation according to the flesh. Again, by this argument another proposition is surely grounded, namely, that no man by his own strength & power is able to deliver him self from sin, or to justify himself.