For we be not freed through our Faith in Christ from works, but from the opinions of works, that is to say, from the foolish presumption conceived of Justification, purchased by means of works: for Faith doth redeem our consciences, […] •••erly keep and preserve the […], whereby we attain this knowledge, that righteousness consisteth not in works, albeit works neither can, nor ought to be neglected As we cannot live to this world without food and sustenance, nor without the general preservation of this mortal body, yet is not our righteousness ⟨p. 80⟩selled in these, but in Faith, for the which, the other things notwithstanding may not be despised, and utterly shaken off. So in this world, we be fast chained to the necessary preservation of the life of this body, yet are we not thereby made righteous, My kingdom (saith Christ) is not from hence, nor of this World, but he said not, my kingdom is not here, nor in this world. Likewise Paul, Albeit we walk in the flesh, yet our warfare is not according to the flesh. 1And in the first to the Galatians, Whereas I do live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the son of God. Even so in this that we work that we live, and that we are exercised in works and ceremonies, the necessity of this present life,2 and the careful regard of governing our bodies, doth exact it of us, yet are we never a deal righteous by them, but in the Faith of the Son of God. Therefore, a Christian man must keep his course in the mid way, and must pass away from those two sorts of people, for either ⟨p. 81⟩he shall meet with those perverse frowardes, being indurate with these Ceremonies, which, like deaf Serpents,3 will not hearken unto the liberty of the truth, but magnify their Ceremonies, command and enforce the observation of them without Faith, as necessities of Justification, such as the Jews were in times past unwilling to come to knowledge thereby, to walk aright. Such behooveth us to resist, to impugn them, and to offend them stoutly, lest by this their wicked opinion, they draw together with themselves many, into their false illusions. In the presence of such it is convenient to eat flesh, to break fasting days, and for the maintenance of our liberty in faith, to do other like things, which they reckon in place of most grievous sins.
For wee bée not freed through our Faith in Christ from workes, but from the opinions of workes, that is to say, from the foolish presumption conceiued of Iustification, purchased by meanes of workes: for Faith doth redéeme our consciences, 〈…〉 •••erly kéepe and preserue the 〈…〉, wherby we attaine this knowledge, that righteousnesse consisteth not in workes, albeit workes neither can, nor ought to bee neglected As wee cannot liue to this world without food and sustenance, nor without the generall preseruation of this mortall body, yet is not our righteousnesse ⟨p. 80⟩selled in these, but in Faith, for the which, the other things notwithstanding may not bee despised, and vtterly shaken off. So in this world, wée bée fast chayned to the necessary preseruation of the life of this body, yet are wée not thereby made righteous, My kingdome (saith Christ) is not from hence, nor of this World, but hee said not, my kingdome is not héere, nor in this world. Likewise Paul, Albeit wee walke in the flesh, yet our warfare is not according to the flesh. 1And in the first to the Galathians, Whereas I doe liue in the flesh, I liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Euen so in this that we worke that we liue, and that we are exercised in workes and ceremonies, the necessity of this present life,2 and the carefull regard of gouerning our bodies, doth exact it of vs, yet are wee neuer a deale righteous by them, but in the Faith of the Sonne of God. Therefore, a Christian man must kéepe his course in the midde way, and must passe away from those two sorts of people, for either ⟨p. 81⟩hee shall méet with those peruerse frowardes, being indurate with these Ceremonies, which, like deafe Serpents,3 will not hearken vnto the liberty of the truth, but magnifie their Ceremonies, command and enforce the obseruation of them without Faith, as necessities of Iustification, such as the Iewes were in times past vnwilling to come to knowledge thereby, to walke aright. Such behooueth vs to resist, to impugne them, and to offend them stoutly, lest by this their wicked opinion, they draw together with themselues many, into their false illusions. In the presence of such it is conuenient to eat flesh, to breake fasting dayes, and for the maintenance of our liberty in faith, to do other like things, which they reckon in place of most gréeuous sinnes.
- 1Gal. 1.
- 2How we ought to deal with the obstinate.How we ought to deale with the obstinate.
- 3Aspides:
