The Preface

It is not unknown to all men (good Christian reader) but that the true and sincere teachers of the infallible truth of our Savior Jesus Christ, are falsely defamed to the unlearned people, and their good name defaced to them, no little hindrance and reproach of the same truth — in that they (as they are wrongly charged) should in their writings and sermons, allure and withdraw the said rude people from penance, from prayer, from fasting, from watching, from pains, from labors — and finally from all good works. But what they are and their works also who reprove, slander, calumniate, and falsely impeach the pure, sincere, and true word of God pronounced by the mouths of those his good and virtuous servants — it is now (thanked be God) right well perceived — and for what intent, truly for none other, than for the maintenance of their bellies, their ambition, their simony, their pride, their promotion, their treason, their treachery, their gluttony, their lechery, their murder, with all their ungodliness. God therefore most good and almighty of his exceeding and bountiful mercy and grace, to declare and set forth his infinite goodness towards his elect, most beloved and faithful servants — that they to their great comfort and consolation, may be proved innocent of this most untrue accusation wrongfully laid to their charge — and chiefly to the garnishing and decking of his imperial glory, and maintenance of his undoubted truth, has sent you here (O reader) a right famous and excellent work, wherein is comprehended what good works are — how we may please God in all our works — and how our works do not please him, and out of what fountain they ought to spring and flow, if they should please his Godhead: truly out of the fresh and living fountain of an undoubted faith and trust — that his most benign pity, sweetness, and gentleness, which is the father of all mercies, and the God of all consolation and comfort — does love you, favor you, pity you, accept you. And your works also done at his commandment, for the blood, passion, redemption, and satisfaction of his most dear and beloved Son Jesus Christ — in whom, by whom, and for whose sake you are thus entirely loved, favored, and accepted. As witnessed our Father of heaven himself at the baptism of our Savior Jesus Christ, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom or for whose sake I am well pleased, that is to say, appeased and soothed of my wrath — immediately hear him, that is to say, believe, trust him, stick and cleave hard to him by faith. For it is he for whom I delight in you, love you, favor you, pity you, and accept both you and your deeds. This is the fountain, out of the which all the works of a Christian man ought to proceed — so that whatever buds out of the tree of this faith, is accepted and pleasant before God — and else it is but sin and not accepted. As Saint Paul writes in the fourteenth chapter to the Romans — whatever (says he) is not of faith is sin. And in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, without faith it is impossible for any man to please God. The reason why is this, although you bestow never so much in alms — fast never so much, pray never so much, watch never so much — yes, although you had done as many good deeds as all the world. Yet if you have not the faith before rehearsed — that God for the blood of his Son does accept you and your works — love you, favor you, pity you — yes, and that entirely and as his own son and heir by adoption, all that ever you do cannot please God — but is abominable sin and displeases him utterly. For how is it possible that you should please him, when you are but a Judas to him and do bear two faces in one hood — doing one and thinking another. In your deeds you would seem to be his servant, and in your heart you do neither love him, nor trust that he loves you. And although he has made never so many and great promises of salvation, mercy, love, pity, and favor, in the blood of his Son to all that repent and doubt not thereof — but assuredly trust to it, yet you (whoever you are that have not this faith) like a heathen hound, and an unfaithful miscreant, by your infidelity and false heart do make no better of him but a liar, and false of his promise — a tyrant, and a butcher's cur delighting in blood, and neither do you love him, trust him, nor favor him. For how should you love him, when you account no better of him than I have said. And again how is it possible that he should love you, favor you, pity you, accept either you or your works, seeing you do first reject him by your sinful despair and incredulity. Yes, what worldly prince would keep such a wretch in his house if he knew him — how much less then would he love him, favor him, accept him, or any of his service. Against such works it is that the true and faithful ministers of Christ's word have fought, as done in most false hypocrisy and devilish despair, which otherwise they have and do highly praise and commend, as when they are done in true faith and love toward God and his commandments, as you shall see and find in this most godly and excellent volume of good works — which (I beseech God never to favor me) if any of those untrue men — I will not say, false deceivers, did ever write to teach anything half so good in their lives. But it is an old proverb that a good thing will praise itself — therefore I commit it to your own judgment (good reader) to praise it, ever as you shall find cause — so bold I am of the goodness thereof. And if you find my words to be true, that good works are here of our author required, taught, praised, and commended to the uttermost, (as the truth is) then I beseech you (most gentle and impartial reader) to take and admit all false backbiters and slanderers of God's true ministers evermore hereafter as they are, and not to think the contrary, but that as they most deadly lie against those good men in this behalf — so they do also in other things, as I trust in God it shall more plainly appear — both to you (gentle reader) and to all the world in time coming. And that as I believe unfeignedly to the great glory of the living God, the inestimable solace and comfort of his elect children, and the utter confusion of the children of Antichrist? So be it.

Here ends the preface of this present work.