What am I, that I should answer him, and speak with him, with my words, which though I had some righteousness, will not answer, but entreat my judge. If I will justify my self, my mouth shall condemn me: if I say that I am innocent, my mouth shall prove me wicked. &c. Paul in ⟨image 87⟩the .iii. Rom. sayeth, that all men have sinned, & do want the glory of god. In y• .xiii. of John, christ sayeth, he that is washed hath no need, but to wash his feet: for he is all clean. If he be all clean, what need hath he, to wash his feet? If he hath need to wash his feet, how can he be all clean? Therefore we are cleansed & purified, with the blood of Christ, that was shed upon the cross, from the filthiness of sin, & be all clean, But it followeth not by this, that we be no more i the flesh, or that we be no more sinners. For the dregs of sin do remain in our feet, that is to say, in our affections, as long as we live, & walk in this dust i and foul way, we are soiled & contaminated, with the filthiness of sin, which we need, ⟨image 88⟩with perpetual study and daily care, to wash away, and afterwards, to wipe out, these filthinesses, with great inward grief repentance, and tears, in the virtue of the passion and death of Christ. Finally christ, in the .xv. of John sayeth: I am the true vine, and my father is the husband man. He doeth take away every bough in me that bringeth forth no fruit, & every bough y• bringeth for the fruit, he doeth purge & make clean, that he may bring forth more fruit. By the which sayings we may understand, ye we that are in Christ, through faith, as a bough, is in y• vine, & do bring forth fruit, living godly, have nevertheless need to be made clean, and that, by the spirit, and virtue of Christ. ⟨image 88⟩Now, ye, which is made clean, must needs to be unpure, & unclean? So we, that are in Christ already are made clean daily, for we do offend in many things, and no man is living, that sinneth not, and that hath no need of this cleansing. Except the Anabaptists, which in their hath, be made so pure & clean, by their water, wherewith they do wash their disciples, among whom, water doeth take away that, which the blood of Christ doeth not take away in them, that are godly.
What am I, that I should answer him, and speake with him, with my wordes, which though I had some rightwysnesse, wyl not answer, but entreate my iudge. If I wyll iustifye my selfe, my mouth shall condemne me: if I say that I am innocent, my mouth shall proue me wicked. &c. Paule in ⟨image 87⟩the .iii. Rom. sayeth, that al men haue sined, & do want the glory of god. In y• .xiii. of Ihon, christ sayeth, he that is washed hath no neade, but to wash his feete: for he is all cleane. If he be all cleane, what neade hathe he, to wash his feete? If he hath neade to wash his feete, how can he be all cleane? Therfore we ar clensed & purified, with the blood of Christ, that was shed vpon the crosse, from the filthines of syn, & be all cleane, But it followeth not by this, that we be no more i the flesh, or that we be no more synners. For the dregges of syn do remayne in our feete, that is to say, in our affections, as long as we liue, & walke in this dust i and foule way, we are soyled & contaminated, with the filthynesse of synne, which we neade, ⟨image 88⟩with perpetuall study and daily care, to washe awaie, and afterwardes, to wype out, these filthinesses, with gret inward grefe repentaunce, and teares, in the vertue of the passion and death of Chryst. Finally christ, in the .xv. of Iohn saieth: I am the trewe vine, and my father is the husbande man. He doeth take awaie euery bough in me that bringeth forth no fruite, & euery bowgh y• bryngeth for the fruite, he doeth purge & make cleane, that he mai bryng forth more fruite. By the which saiynges we maie vnderstande, ye we that are in Christ, thorowe faith, as a bowgh, is in y• vine, & doo bryng forth fruite, liuyng godly, haue neuerthelesse nede to be made cleane, and that, by the spirit, and vertue of Christ. ⟨image 88⟩Now, ye, which is made cleane, must nedes to be vnpure, & vnclene? So we, that ar in Christ alredy ar made clene daily, for we do offend in many thinges, and no man is liuyng, that sinneth not, and that hath no nede of this clensyng. Except the Anababtistes, whiche in their hathe, be made so pure & clene, by their water, wherwith thei do wash their disciples, among whom, water doeth take awaie that, which the blood of Christ doeth not take awaie in them, that are godly.
