The third difference is yet greater, that is to say, touching the worthiness of good works, for our part to speak in few words, that for to understand by what right or title we be assured of eternal life, only Jesus Christ contenteth aus, being given to us, and applied to us by faith only, by the only grace & mercy of God, as we have said before more at large. And therefore we detest and abhor this word, merits, or to merit, and confess with heart and mouth, that concerning the best works which we can do, we count our selves unprofitable servants, band that eternal life is altogether of the pure and free mercy and gift of God. cWherefore I make this argument more then hath been said before in the tenth article. Good works cometh from Jesus Christ dwelling in us, by whose power and virtue we do them by grace, as the corrupt nature of Adam, in the which we were borne, bringeth forth in us sin. ⟨p. 34⟩For we must possess Jesus christ which is y• good tree, before we can bring forth good fruit in him. For the cause ought to go before the effectd. And as S. Paul declareth that whatsoever is done without faith eis sin, it followeth then consequently that faith goeth before good works. For by it only we embrace Jesus Christ. Now he which hath true faith, is immediately justified, being fully quieted and pacified in his conscience. fHowe then can good works Justify us? and consequently save us. For we must of necessity be justified, and so consequently have just title to Salvation, before we can do any one good work. In this lieth all our consolation, that we have, our only refuge, to the special grace and mercy which is presented to us, in Jesus Christ only, which is not our Saviour and redeemer in part, but all altogether.
THe thirde difference is yet greater, that is to saye, touchinge the worthinesse of good workes, for our parte to speake in fewe wordes, that for to vnderstande by what ryght or tytle we bee assured of eternall lyfe, onelye Iesus Christ contenteth avs, being geuen to vs, and applyed to vs by fayth onely, by the onelie grace & mercie of God, as we haue sayde before more at large. And therefore wee detest and abhorre this woorde, merites, or to merite, and confesse with harte and mouth, that concernynge the beste woorkes whiche we can doo, we count our selues vnprofytable seruauntes, band that eternall lyfe is altogether of the pure and frée mercye and gyft of God. cWherefore I make this argument more then hath béene sayde before in the tenthe article. Good woorkes commeth from Iesus Christe dwellinge in vs, by whose power and vertue we do them by grace, as the corrupt nature of Adam, in the whiche we were borne, bryngeth forth in vs sinne. ⟨p. 34⟩For we must possesse Iesus christ which is y• good trée, before we can bring foorth good fruite in him. For the cause ought to go before the effectd. And as S. Paul declareth that whatsoeuer is done without faith eis sinne, it foloweth then consequentlie that faith goeth before good works. For by it onely we embrace Iesus Christe. Nowe he which hath true faith, is immediatly iustified, being fullie quieted and pacified in his cōscience. fHowe then can good workes Iustifie vs? and consequentlie saue vs. For we must of necessity be iustified, and so consequentlie haue iust tytle to Saluation, before wée can doo any one good worke. In this lyeth all our consolatiō, that we haue, our onelie refuge, to the speciall grace and mercie which is presented to vs, in Iesus Christ onelie, which is not our Sauiour and redéemer in part, but all altogether.
- aRoma. 3. c
- bLuke. 17. c Psalm. 16
- cRoma. 9. d
- dRom. 6. a
- eRom. 4. d.
- fRom. 5. a
