The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Finally, he hath delivered thee from condemnation, and desireth nothing of thee, but that thou shouldest acknowledge what he hath done for thee, and bear it in mind; and that thou wouldest help others for his sake both in word and deed, even as he hath helped thee, for nought, and without reward. O how ready would we be to help others, if we knew his goodness and gentleness towards us? he is a good and a gentle Lord, and he doth all things for nought. Let us, I beseech you, follow his footsteps, whom all the world ought to praise and worship. Amen. He that thinketh to be saved by his works, calleth himself Christ. For he calleth himself a Saviour, which appertaineth to Christ only. What is a Saviour? But he that saveth. And thou sayest, I save my self, which is as much to say, as, I am Christ; for Christ is only the Saviour of the world. We should do no good works to the intent to get the inheritance of heaven or remission of sins through them. For whosoever believeth to get the inheritance of heaven, or remission of sins through works, he believeth not to get that for Christs sake. And they who believe that their sins are not forgiven them, and that they shall not be saved for Christs sake, they believe not the Gospel; for the Gospel saith. Thou shalt be saved for Christs sake; Sins are forgiven you for Christs sake. He that believeth not the Gospel, believeth not God: And consequently, they that believe to be saved by their works, or to get remission of sins by their own deeds, believe not God, but account him a liar, and so utterly deny him to be God. Thou wilt say,¹ Shall we then do no good works? I say not so: But I say, we should do no good works,² to the intent to get the kingdom of heaven, or remission of sins; for if we believe to get the inheritance of heaven ⟨p. 14⟩through good works, then we believe not to get it through the promise of God. Or if we think to get remission of our sins, by good works, we believe not that they are forgiven us by Christ, and so we count God a liar; for God saith, Thou shalt have the inheritance of heaven for my Sons sake. You say,³ It is not so, but I will gain it through mine own works. So I condemn not good works, but I condemn the false trust in any works, for all then works that a man putteth confidence in, are therewith intoxicate or impoysoned, and become evil.