And now seeing that faith only letteth 1a man in unto rest, and unbelief excludeth him, what is the cause of this unbelief? verily no sin that the world seeth, but a Pope holiness, and a righteousness of their own imagination as Paul saith. Roma. x. They be ignorant of the righteousness wherewith God justifieth, and have set up a righteousness, of their own making thorough which they be disobedient unto the righteousness of God. And Christ rebuketh not the Pharisees for gross sins which the world saw, but for 2those holy deeds which so bleared the eyes of the world, that they were taken as Gods: even for long prayers, for fasting, for tithing so diligently that they left not so much as their herbs untithed, for their cleanness in washing before meat, and for washing of cups, dishes, and all manner vessels, for building the Prophets sepulchres, and for keeping the holy day, and for turning yt heathen unto the faith, & for giving of alms. For unto such holy deeds they ascribed righteousness, and 3therefore when the righteousness of GOD was preached unto them they could not but persecute it, the devil was so strong in them. Which thing Christ well describeth. Luke. xj. saying, That after the devil is cast out, he cometh again, and findeth his house swept, and made gay, and then taketh seven worse then him self and dwelleth therein, and so is the end of that man worse then the beginning. That is, when they be a little cleansed from gross sins which the world seeth, and then made gay in their own sight, with the righteousness of traditions, then cometh 4seven, that is to say the whole power of the devil: for vij. with the Hebrews signifieth a multitude without number, and the extremity of a thing, and is a speech borrowed (I suppose) out of Leviticus, where is so oft mention made of seven. Where I would say: I will punish thee, that all the world shall take an example of thee, there the Jew would say, I will Circumcise thee or 5Baptise thee seven times. And so here by seven is meant all the devils of hell, and all the might and power of the devil. For unto what further blindness could all the devils in hell bring them, then to make them believe that they were justified thorough their own good works?
And now seing that fayth onely letteth 1a man in vnto rest, and vnbelief excludeth him, what is the cause of this vnbeliefe? verely no sinne yt the world seeth, but a Pope holinesse, and a righteousnes of their own imagination as Paule sayth. Roma. x. They bee ignoraunt of the righteousnes wherewith God iustifieth, and haue set vp a righteousnes, of their owne makyng thorough which they be disobedient vnto the righteousnes of God. And Christ rebuketh not the Phariseys for grosse sinnes whiche the world sawe, but for 2those holy deedes whiche so blered the eies of the world, that they were taken as Gods: euen for long prayers, for fastyng, for tythyng so diligently that they lefte not so much as their herbes vntithed, for their clennesse in washyng before meate, and for washyng of cups, dishes, and all maner vessels, for buildyng ye Prophetes sepulchers, and for kepyng the holy day, and for turnyng yt heathē vnto the fayth, & for geuyng of almes. For vnto such holy dedes they ascribed righteousnes, and 3therefore when the righteousnesse of GOD was preached vnto them they could not but persecute it, the deuill was so strong in them. Whiche thyng Christ well describeth. Luke. xj. saying, That after the deuill is cast out, he commeth agayne, and findeth hys house swept, and made gay, and then taketh seuen woorse then hym selfe and dwelleth therein, and so is the ende of that man worse then the beginnyng. That is, whē they be a litle clēsed from grosse sinnes which the world seyth, and then made gaye in their own sight, with the righteousnes of traditions, then commeth 4seuen, that is to say the whole power of the deuill: for vij. with the Hebrues signifieth a multitude without number, and the extremitie of a thyng, and is a speach borowed (I suppose) out of Leuiticus, where is so ofte mention made of seuen. Where I would say: I wil punish thee, that all the world shal take an example of thee, there the Iew would saye, I will Circumcise thee or 5Baptise thee seuen tymes. And so here by seuen is ment all the deuils of hel, and all the might and power of the deuill. For vnto what further blindnesse could all the deuils in hell bring them, then to make thē beleue that they were iustified thoroughe their owne good workes?
- 1Faith only bringeth us to christ and unbe• driveth do from Christ.Fayth only bringeth vs to christ and vnbe• driueth do from Christ.
- 2Christ rebu• the Pharisees for their holy and […].Christ rebu• the Pharises for their holy and 〈…〉.
- 3The pharisees ascribe righteousn• works, & therefore were condemned of Christ.The pharises ascribe righteousn• workes, & therfore were condemned of Christ.
- 4The justifying o• our selves, maketh the diu• more bu• then he would be.The iustifiyng o• our selues, maketh the diu• more bu• then he wold be.
- 5What to meant in the scrip• by this […] v•. tyme•.What to meant in the scrip• by this 〈…〉 v•. tyme•.
