Alms deeds do wash away our sins, because god doth vouchsafe then to repute us as clean and pure, when we do them for his sake, and not because they deserve or merit our purging, or for that they have any such strength and virtue in them selves. I know that some men, to much addict to the advancing of their good works, will not be contented with this answer: & no marvel, for such men can no answer content nor suffice. Wherefore leaving them to their own wilful sense, we will rather have regard to the reasonable and godly, who as they most certainly know and persuade them selves, that all goodness, all bounty, all mercy, all benefits, all forgiveness of sins, & whatsoever can be named good and profitable, either for the body or for the soul, ⟨p. 330⟩do come only of Gods mercy and mere favour, & not of them selves: So though they do never so many & so excellent good deeds, yet are they never puffed up with the vain confidence of them. And though they hear and read in gods word, and other where in godly mens works, that alms deeds, mercy, and charitableness, doth wash away sin, and blot out iniquity: yet do they not arrogantly and proudly stick and trust unto them, or brag them selves of them, as the proud Pharisee did, lest with the Pharisee they should be condemned: but rather with the humble and poor Publican, confess them selves sinful wretches, unworthy to look up to heaven, calling and craving for mercy, that with the Publican they may be pronounced of Christ to be justified. The godly do learn that when the scriptures say, that by good and merciful works we are reconciled to Gods favour: we are taught then to know what Christ by his intercession and mediation obtaineth for us of his father when we be obedient to his will, yea they learn in such manners of speaking a comfortable argument of Gods singular favour and love, that attributeth that unto us and to our doings, that he by his spirit worketh in us, and through his grace procureth for us. And yet this notwithstanding, they cry out with saint Paul, Oh wretches that we are: & acknowledge (as Christ teacheth) that when they have all done, they are but unprofitable servants: & with the blessed king David, in respect of the just judgements of God, they do tremble, and say: Who shall be ⟨p. 331⟩able to abide it Lord, if thou wilt give sentence according to our deserts?
Almes deedes do wash away our sinnes, because god doth vouchsafe then to repute vs as cleane and pure, when we do them for his sake, and not because they deserue or merite our purgyng, or for that they haue anye suche strength and vertue in them selues. I know that some men, to much addict to the aduauncing of their good workes, will not be contented with this aunswere: & no maruaile, for suche men can no aunswere content nor suffice. Wherfore leauing them to their owne wylful sense, we wyll rather haue regarde to the reasonable and godly, who as they most certaynly know and perswade them selues, that al goodnes, al bountie, al mercy, al benefites, al forgeuenes of sinnes, & whatsoeuer can be named good and profitable, either for the body or for the soule, ⟨p. 330⟩do come only of Gods mercie and mere fauour, & not of them selues: So though they do neuer so many & so excellent good deedes, yet are they neuer pufte vp with the vayne confidence of them. And though they heare and reade in gods word, and other where in godly mens workes, that almes deedes, mercy, and charitablenes, doth wash away sinne, and blot out iniquitie: yet do they not arrogantly and proudly sticke and trust vnto them, or bragge them selues of them, as the proud Pharisee did, lest with the Pharisee they shoulde be condemned: but rather with the humble and poore Publicane, confesse them selues sinfull wretches, vnworthye to looke vp to heauen, callyng and crauyng for mercie, that with the Publicane they may be pronounced of Christ to be iustified. The godly do learne that when the scriptures saye, that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour: we are taught then to knowe what Christe by his intercession and mediation obteyneth for vs of his father when we be obedient to his wyl, yea they learne in such maners of speakyng a comfortable argument of Gods singuler fauour and loue, that attributeth that vnto vs and to our doynges, that he by his spirite worketh in vs, and through his grace procureth for vs. And yet this notwithstandyng, they crye out with saint Paule, Oh wretches that we are: & acknowledge (as Christe teacheth) that when they haue all done, they are but vnprofitable seruauntes: & with the blessed kyng Dauid, in respect of the iust iudgementes of God, they do tremble, and say: Who shalbe ⟨p. 331⟩able to abide it Lorde, if thou wylt geue sentence accordyng to our desertes?
