For Paul saith Roma. iiij. if Abraham haue workes / he hath wherof to reioce / but not before god. For if Abraham had receaued those promises of deseruynge / then had it bene Abrahams prayse and not gods / as thou maist se in the texte: nether had god shewed Abraham mercy and grace / but had only geuen him his dutie and deseruinge. But in that Abraham receaued all the mercie that was shewed him / frely thorow fayth / out of the deseruinges of the seed that was promised him / as thou maist se by Genesis and by the gospell of Ihon / where Christ testifieth that Abraham saw his daye and reioysed / and of that ioye nodoute wrought / it is gods prayse / and the glory of his mercye. And the same maist thou se by Iames / when he saith Abraham offered his sonne / and so was the scripture fulfilled / that Abraham beleued / and it was rekened him for rightwysnesse and he was therby made gods frende.

How was it fulfilled? before god? Naye / it was fulfilled before god manye yeres before / & he was gods frende many yeres before / euen from the first appoynttment that was made betwene god and him. Abraham receaued promises of all mercie and beleued and trusted god & went & wrought out of that faith. But it was fulfilled before vs which can not se the herte / as Iames sayth / I wyll shew the my fayth out of my workes / and as the angell said to Abraham / now I know that thou dreadest god. Not but that he knew it before / but for vs spake he that / whych can se nought in Abraham moare then in other men / saue by his workes.

And what workes ment Iames? verely the wor