The justification of man by faith onlyThe iustification of man by faith only

❧ SUCH is the wanton idleness now a days of wits, that some ambitiously in hope of praise and honour, and gaping for promotion, some maliciously for evil will, and some for mere hatred against the truth will after their corrupt, malicious, and envious judgments, reprehend and falsify these and all other testimonies of the Scripture, be they never so manifest. But ones again, for Christ sake: I desire and pray all gentle and good readers that they would ponder and weigh with all diligence this interpretation: and to consider what great inconvenience and danger would ensue and follow to our souls if we should admit the contrary, and wrong sense thereof: that thereby all hope and comfort is clean taken from our con sciences: all true invocation clean abolished: and Christ his most profitable benefit, ⟨image 42⟩not darkened only: but also plucked away. Wherefore we must wipe and with most sharp pikes put of from all our life, & in specially from the church all Sophistical delusions and cavillations, and not to suffer every man: nay no man to fantasy otherwise of this vocable Faith than we have declared, as they do now at their own liberty and pleasure, like to painters with their colours, some this way, some that way. Let the simple and plain verity most necessary for the church be maintained and delivered entirely, whole, and pure, to our posterity. This duty doth God require and demand of all men: but in specially of them which be the wells and heads of learning and governors of the common wealth: most due of right to the church of God. Being certainly assured that there is no service or worshipping more pleasant and acceptable to God: than is this. For after this manner are the sentences of Paul to be understand. Abraham did give confidence to the Lord his promise, and therefore he was reputed just. As who should say, Abraham knowledged that he was not just for the law sake, or his own virtues, considering his own natural infirmities, which is the mother of ⟨p. xlii⟩many vices, that is to say, of mistrust of God's promise, of many wandering and wavering desires and lusts. He remembered the offences committed by him, when he was among the Called is defiling him self with most ungodly worshippings. But after that he heard of the seed that was promised (the lord saying to him) I will be thy protector and defender:

❧ SVCHE is the wanton ydlenes nowe a dayes of wittes, that some ambiciouslye in hope of prayse and honoure, and gapynge for promotion, some maliciously for euyl wyl, and some for mere hatred agaynst the truth wyl after theyr corrupt, malieiouse, and enuiouse iugementes, eprehende and falsefye these and all other testimonies of the Scripture, be they neuer so manyfeste. But ones agayne, for Christe sake: I desyre and pray al gentyl and good reders that they wolde ponder and wey with all diligence this interpretacion: and to cōsider what great inconuenyence and danger wold insue and folow to our soules yf we shulde admytte the contrarye, and wrong sence therof: that therby al hope and comfort is clene taken from our cō sciences: al true inuocation clene abolyshed: and Christ his most profytable benefite,