The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Either make the tree good and the fruit also, or else make the tree evil,¹ and the fruit of it likewise evil. A good man is known by his works, for a good man doth good works, and an evil, evil works: Ye shall know them by their fruits: for a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and an evil tree evil fruit. A man is likened to the tree, and his works to the fruit of, the tree. Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves: ye shall know them by their fruit. None of our works either save us nor condemn us. IT is proved that no works make us either righteous or unrighteous, good or evil: but first we are good, before that we do good works and evil ⟨p. 13⟩before we do evil works: Ergo, No work either saveth us nor condemneth us. Thou wilt say▪ Then maketh it no matter what we do? I answer thee;² Yes. For if thou do evil, it is a sure argument that thou art evil, and wantest Faith: If thou do good, it is an argument that thou art good, and hast Faith; for a good tree beareth good fruit, and an evil tree evil fruit. Yet good fruit maketh not the tree good, nor evil fruit the tree evil: So that man is good before he do good works, and evil before he do evil works. The man is the tree; the works are the fruit. Faith maketh the good tree; Incredulity the evil tree: Such a tree such a fruit, such man works. For all that is done in Faith pleaseth God, and are good works: And all that is done without Faith displeaseth God, and are evil works. Whosoever thinketh to be saved by his works,³ denieth that Christ is our Saviour, and that Christ died for him; and finally all things that belongeth to Christ. For how is he thy Saviour, if thou mightst save thy self with thy works? Or to what end should he have died for thee, if any works of thine might have saved thee? What, is this to say Christ died for thee? Is it not that thou shouldst have died perpetually, and that Christ to deliver thee from death died for thee, and changed thy perpetual death into his own death? for thou madest the fault, and he suffered the pain, and that for the love he had to thee, before ever thou wast born, when thou hadst done neither good nor evil. Now since he hath paid thy debt, thou diest not, no thou canst not, but shouldest have been damned, if his death were not. But since he was punished for thee thou shalt not be punished.