An wholesome antidotus or counter-poison, against the pestilent heresy and sect of the Anabaptists…An holsome antidotus or counter-poysen, agaynst the pestylent heresye and secte of the Anabaptistes…

Joiada. There is nothing that I will grant them, less. For this thing being ones granted, all the epistles of Paul are condemned, as false, & which did seduce the people. For this is the thing only, wherefore Paul, with such a zeal did repugn & resist against false prophets, which did teach, ⟨image 96⟩that righteousness did come of works: where as saint Paul did attribute our righteousness to faith. That may easily be seen by the epi. to the Ro. and to the Gala. But I will bring out of them, certain places, which can not be confuted. In the .iii. cha. to the Romans, Paul sayeth thus: All have sinned and are destitute of the glory of god, but are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. And in the .iiii. Ro. If Abraham were justified by works, then hath he wherein to rejoice, but not with god, for what sayeth the scripture Abraham believed god, & it was counted unto him, for righteousness. To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of favour but of duty. To him y• worketh ⟨image 97⟩not, but believeth in him, that justifieth, the ungodly, is his faith counted for righteousness. Even as David describeth the blessedness of that man, unto whom god imputeth righteousness without deeds. Blessed are they (sayeth he) whose iniquities are forgiven, & whose sins are covered. &c. And in the xi. to the. Ro. There is a remnant left according to the election of grace, if it be of grace then it is not now, of works. For than grace is no more grace But if it be of works, then is it no more grace. For then were deserving, no more deserving. In the second to the Galatians: The life, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith, of the Son of God, which loved me, and gave him ⟨image 97⟩self for me, I despise not the grace of God. For if righteousness cometh of the law, then Christ, is dead in vain. In the third chapter, he doeth argument and reason after this manner: That no man is justified in the sight of God, by the law, it is evident. For the just shall live by faith. The law is not of faith, but the man, that fulfilleth the things, contained in the law, shall live in them. Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, in as much, as he was made accursed for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles thorough Thesu Christ, and that we might receive the promise of y spirit, through faith.