It is provin, that no werkis maik us either righteouse or unryghteouse,
good nor evill: but first we are good befoir that we do good werkis, and
evill befoir we do evill warkis: Ergo, no werk neither save us nor
condempne us. Thow wilt say then, Makith it no mater what we do? I
answer thee, Yes; for yf thow dost evill, it is a suir argument that
thow art evill, and wantest faith. Yf thow do good, it is ane argument
that thow art good and hast faith; for a good tree bearith good fruct,
and an evill tree evill fruct. Yit good fruct maketh nott the tree good,
nor evill fruct the tree evill. So that man is good befoir he do good
werkis, and evill befoir he do evill werkis.
The man is the tree: the werkis ar the fruct. Faith maekith the good
tree: Incredulitie the evill tree. Such a tree, such a fruct: such man,
such warkis. For all that is done in faith pleasith God, and ar gud
werkis; and all that is done without faith displeaseth God, and ar evill
workis. Quhosoevir thinketh to be saved by his werkis, denyeth Christ is
oure Saviour, that Christ deid for him, and, fynallie, all thing that
belongeth to Christ. For how is he thy Saviour, yf thow mychtest save
thy self by thy werkis? Or to what end should he have deid for thee, yf
any werkis of thine might have saved thee? What is this to say, Christ
deid for thee? It is nott that thow shouldest have deid perpetuallie,
and that Christ, to deliver thee frome death, deid for thee, and changed
thy perpetuall death in his awin death. For thow madest the falt, and he
suffered the pane, and that for the luif he had to thee, befoir ever
thow wast borne, when thow haddest done neither good nor evill. Now,
since he hath payed thy debt, thow deist nott: no, thow canst nott, bot
shouldest have bene damned, yf his death war not.[67] Bot since he was
punished for thee, thow shalt not be punished. Fynallie, he hath
delivered thee from thye condemnatioun, and desyrith nought of thee,
but that thow shouldest acknowledge what he hath done for thee, and bear
it in mynd; and that thow woldest helpe other for his saik, boith in
worde and deid, evin as he hath helped thee for nought, and without
reward. O how ready would we be to help otheris, yf we knew his goodnes
and gentilnes towardis us! He is a good and a gentill Lord, and he doith
all thingis for nought. Let us, I beseich yow, follow his footsteps,
whome all the world ought to prayse and wirschep. Amen.