A68831:349
The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…
The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principal teachers of this Church of England collected and compiled in one tome together, being before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the praise of God, and profit of all good Christian readers.The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.
London: printed by John Daye, 1573London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1573
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For how is it possible to do any thing well in the sight of God, while we are yet in captivity and bondage under the devil, and the devil possesseth us all together, and holdeth our hearts, so that we can not once consent unto the will of God? No man therefore can prevent the spirit in doing good, the spirit must first come, and wake him out of his sleep, with the thunder of the law and fear him, and show him his miserable estate & wretchedness, and make him abhor & hate him self, and to desire help, and then comfort him again with the pleasant rain of the Gospel, that is to say, with the sweet promises of God in Christ, and stir up faith in him to believe the promises: then when he believeth 1the promises, as God was merciful to promise, so is he true to fulfil them, and will give him the spirit and strength, both to love the will of God, & to work there after. So see we that God only (which according to the Scripture worketh all in all things) worketh a mans justifying, salvation and health, yea, & poureth faith & belief, lust to love Gods will, & strength to fulfil the same into us, even as water is poured into a vessel, and that of his good will and purpose, and not of our deservings and merits: Gods 2mercy in promising, and truth in fulfilling his promises saveth us, and not we ourselves, and therefore is all laud praise & glory, to be given unto God for his mercy and truth, and not unto us, for our merits and deservings. After that he stretcheth his example out against all other good works of the law, and concludeth that the Jews can not be Abraham's heirs, because of blood and kindred only, and much less by the works of the law, but must inherit 3Abraham's faith, if they will be the right heirs of Abraham, for as much as Abraham before the law, both of Moses, & also of Circumcision, was through faith made righteous, and called the father of all them that believe, & not of them that work. Moreover the law causeth wrath, in as much as no man can fulfil it with love and lust, and as long as such grudging, hate and indignation against the law remaineth in the hart, and is not taken away by the sprite that cometh by faith, so long no doubt the works of the law, 4declare evidently that the wrath of god is upon us, and not favour: wherefore faith only receiveth the grace promised unto Abraham.