repenttaunce and the consente of the herte vnto the lawe of God and maketh a man safe and setteth him at peace with God â—ut speaketh of that false opinion and ymagynacyon where wyth some saye I beleue that Christe was borne of a virgine and that he dyed and so furth That beleue they veryly and so strongely that thei are readye to sley whosoeuer would saye the contraye But they beleue not that Christe dyed for theire sinnes and that his death hath pleased the wrath of God and hath obtayned for them all that God hath promysed in the scriptuer For how can they beleue that Christ died for theyre sinnes and that he is theyre only and sufficiente sauioure seynge that they seke othre sauiours of ther owne ymaginacion and seynge that they feale not theyre synnes neyther repente excepte that some repeÌ„te as I aboue sayd for feare of payne â–ª but for no loue nor consente vnto the lawe of God nor loÌ„ging that they haue for those good promises whiche he hath made theÌ„ in Christes bloude Yf thei repented and loued the lawe of God and longed for that helpe whyche God hath promysed to gyue to all that call on him for Christes sake then vâ—tily muste Goddes tryeth gyue them powere to do good workes when so euer occasion were giuen either must God be a fals God But let God be true and euery maÌ„ a lyer as scripture sayeth For the trueth of God lasteth euer to whom only be all honor and glory for euer Amen ¶ A short rehearsall or suÌ„me of this present treatyse of iustification by fayth Fayth the mother of all good workes iustifieth vs before we can brynge forth any good work as the husbond marieth hys wyfe before he can haue any lawful chyldren by her Forther more the husbonde maryeth not hys wyfe that she shoulde continue vnfrutefull as before and as she was in the state of virginitie wherein it was impossyble for hyre to beare frute but contrary wyse to make her frutefull euen so fayth iustifieth vs not that is to saye maryeth vs not to God that we shoulde contynue vnfruteful as before but that he shoulde put the sede of his holy spirite in vs as Saynte Iohn in hys fyrst epistle caleth it and to make vs frutefull For Paule sayth Ephesi ii By grace are ye made safe thorowe fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of the workes lest any man shoulde boast him selfe For we are his workeman shippe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes which God hath ordeyned that we shoulde walke in them â— BE not offeÌ„ded most dere Reader that diuers thynges are ouersene thorowe neglygence in thys litle treatise For verely the chaunce was such that I maruayle y t it is so wel as it is Moreouer it becometh the boke e uâ—n so to come as a morner and in vyle apparayle to wayte on hâ—s master which sheweth him selfe nowe agayne not in honoure and glory as betwene Moses and Hâ—ly as but in rebuke and shame as betwene two mortherars to trye hys true frendes and to proue whether there by any fayth on the erth Wyth Gods word ought a man to rebuke wikednes and false doctrine and not wyth raylyng times Antichryst Antichryst is as much to sai as agaynst Chryst and is nothyng but a â—recher of false doctryne Antichrist was euer Antichrist whâ— he is spied goeth oute of the playe and disguyseth hym selfe and then commeth in agayne Antychrist is a spiritual thing and cannot be sene but in the syght of gods word The prelates â—auea burning â—eale to theyr â—hyldren Trye all doetryne hy Goddes worde They geue mo re fayth to Aristotle then to Christ. The lawe is death and the promyses lyfe The law whaÌ„ it is preached geueth no power to fulfyll the same The consentynge vnto the lawe with the hert is eternal lyfe A manne must haue soÌ„e good nes in his hert before be bring furth good workes The lawe vttereth sinne setteh vs at de bate The promises iustifie Olde vesselleâ— that 〈…〉 is put 〈…〉 Matâ—… The office of fayth â–ª The office of workes The talent Math. xxv Why he called them frendes â–ª Good workes muste be done frely Mammon Who is the steward The signe of Gods fauour Wythout we be iustified we can not worke frely Good workes are called the frute of y e spirite and ryght wysnes What is the ryghtuousnes of scribes â–ª and pharises The law must be fulfilled spiritually and w t obedience as Christ hath done A christen wheÌ„ he praieth abideth sticketh fast to Gods promises By coÌ„sentyng vnto the wyll of God knowledging our faulte mekely we be assured of the spirite of God Wherfore the beleuinge forgeueth with y t which aboundeth of â—ure necessary fode ought 〈◊〉 to sustaine the nedy Not onely to speake of the Gospel is accepted before God but to lyue after the Gospel Wher the spirit of God is not there can not a maÌ„ work accordynge to Gods will What health is to saye Christes merites are ours No man can consent to the deades of the lawe except he be chosen Excepte a maÌ„ haue y e spirite of life it is impossible for him to kepe y e coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes â–ª The greatest perfection He that wyth draweth from hys negboure the whyche is his can not come to heauen Faith casteth out deuels and doth such lyke miracles The kyngdoÌ„e of heauen is prepared for y e faythful â–ª ergo theyr workes do not deserue it As longe as we see the law we caÌ„ not loue Christe but when we se y e gospel then re ioyce we An exaÌ„ple for declaracion of inward deeds An example of loue to warde our neghbour The kepynge of y e commauÌ„dement declareth outr loue toward God A goodly order of perfecti on If we do but lust it is a sign that the spirit is in vs. A parable can not be ex pouned in al poâ—â—tes but y e seÌ„â—â— onely What neighbour signifieth There is no greater perfec tion than the lawe No man fullfylleth the lawe What y e two pence be â—oken What the parte was y t Marye hadde chosen Scriptur speketh to vs dineâ—s wayes where the spirit is not ther is no vnderstaÌ„ dynge of scrip ture It is impossible to vnderstand the scripture without the spirite of God Pray y e spirit to leuse you from your natural blindnes and to gyue you vnderstan dyng of spiritual thynges Marke the or dre of Goddes workes He that is recoÌ„ciled to God muste not liue after the olde lustes of iogno raunce Good works Fastynge The cause of fastynge What watch signifieth In al tentacioÌ„ we must cal vpon God What prayer is The condicioÌ„s and propreties of prayer Lette the sam mind be in yon that was in Ie su Christ which c. One to praye for au other In what hour the sinner sigh eth I shal hear hym The loue of God to châ—â—ste is infâ—â—t â–ª Who is rightuouse Loue
becaus it is the will of his father only If we do no good worke nor be mercyfull howe is our lust therin If we haue no luste to do good workes how is gods spirite in vs If the spirite of God be not in vs howe are wee hys sonnes Howe are wee hys heyres and heyres annexed with Christe of the eternall lyfe which is promysed to all them that beleue in him Now do our workes testifie and witnes what we are what treasure is leade vp for vs in heauen so that our eye be single and loke vppon the commauÌ„demeÌ„t with out respecte of any thynge saue because it is Gods wyll and that God desireth it of vs and Christe hath deserued that wâ— do it Math. vii Not all they that saye vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter in to y e kingedome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaueÌ„ Though thou canste laude God wyth thy lippes and call Christ Lord and canst bable and talke of the scripture and knowest al the storyes of the byble Yet shalt thou there by neuer knowe thine election or whether thy fayth be right But and if thou feale lust in thine herte to the will of God and bringest forth the fruits therof then hast thou confidence and hope and thy dedes and also the spirite whence thy deades spring certyfye thine hert that thou shalt enter yea art all ready entred in to the kingdome of heauen For it foloweth he that heareth the word and doth it bildeth his howse vpon a rocke and no tempest of temptacions can ouer thorowe it For the spirit of God is in his herte and com forteth him and holdeth hym faste to the rocke of the merites of Christes bloude â–ª in whom he is electe Nothing is able to pluck hym out of the haÌ„des of God God is stronger then all thinges And contrary wise he that heareth the worde and doth it not byldeth on sande of his owne imaginacion and euery teÌ„pest ouer throweth his byldinge The cause is he hath not Gods spirite in hym and therfore vnder standeth it not a right nother worketh a ryght For no man knoweth the thinges of God sayeth Paul in the .i. pistle to the Corinthyans in the seconde Chap saue the spirite of God as no man knoweth what is a man but a mans spirite which is in hym So then if the spirite be not in a man he worketh not the wil of God nether vnderstandeth it though he bable neuer so moche of the scriptures Neuerthelesse soch a man maye worke after his owne ymaginacion but Gods will can he not worâ—ke he may offer sacrifyce but to do mercye knoweth he not It is easye to saye vnto Christe Lorde Lorde but therby shalt thou neuer feale or be sure of the kingdome of heauen But and if thou do the wil of God then art thou sure that Christ is thy lord in deade and that thou in him art also a lord in that thou fealest thy selfe loosed and fere from the boÌ„dage of synne and lusty and of power to do the wyll of God Wher the spirit is ther is fealynge For the spirite makethe vs feale all thinges Wher the spryte is not ther is no fealynge but a vayne opinion or ymaginacion A phisician serueth but for sycke men and that for such sycke men as feale ther sekeneses morne ther fore and loÌ„ge for health Christ lyke wise serueth but for such sinners only as feale ther synne and that for suche synners as sorowe and morne in theyr hertes for health Health is power or streÌ„gth to fulfyll the lawe or to kepe the commaundementes Nowe he that longeth for that health that is to saye for to do the lawe of God is blessed in Christe and hath a promyse that his lust shalbe fulfylled and that he shalbe made hole Math. v blessed are they which honger thurst for rightwesnes sake that is to fulfyll the lawe for ther lust shalbe fulfylled This longyng and consent of the herte vnto the lawe of God is the workynge of the spirite which God hath poured in to thine hert in ernest that thou myghtyst be sure that God wyll fulfyll all his promyses that he hath made the. It is also the seale and marke whiche God putteth on al men that he choseth vnto euerlastinge lyfe So loÌ„ge as thou seest thy sinne and mornest and consentest to the lawe and loÌ„gest though y u be neuer so weake yet the spirite shall kepe the in all tempta cions from desperacion and certifie thine herte that God for his trouth shall delyuer y e and saue the yea and by thy good deades shallt thou be saued not whyche thou hast done but whiche Christe hath done for the. For Christe is thine and all his deades are thy deads Christ is in the and thou in hym knyt to gether insepara bly Neither canst thou be damned except Christe be damned with the. Neither can Christe be saued excepte y u be saued with hym More ouer thy hert is good ryght holy and Iust. For thy herte is no enimie to the lawe but a frend and a louer The lawe and thy hert are agreed and at one and therfore is God at one with the. The consent of the hert vnto the law is vnite and peace betwene God and man For he is not myne enemy whiche woulde fayne do me pleasure and morneth be cause he hath not where with Nowe he that opened thy dysease vnto the and made the longe for health shal as he hath promised heale the and he that hath loesed thy hert shall at his Godly pleasur loese thy mem bres â–ª He that hath not the spirite hath no fealyng nether lusteth or longeth after power to fulfyl the lawe neither abhorteth the pleasures of synne nether hath any man more certentie of the promyses of God than I haue of a tale of Robyn hode or of some iest that a maÌ„ telleth me was done at Rome Another man maye lightely make me doute or beleue the contrary seing I haue no experience ther of mi selfe So is it of them that feale not the working of the spirite and therfor in tyme of temptacioÌ„ the byldinges of ther ymaginacions fall MAthei x. He that receyueth a pro phete in the name of a prophete that is because he is a prophete shall receyue the rewarde of a prophete and he that geueth one of thes liâ—leons a cuppe of colde water to drinke in the name of a dysciple shal not lose his rewarde Note this that a prophete singnifieth as well him that enterpreteth the harde places of scripture as him that pro phisies thinges to come Nowe he that re ceyueth a prophete a iust man or a disciple shall haue the same or lyke rewarde that's to saye shal haue the same eternal lyfe whiche is appoynted for theÌ„ in Chri stes bloude and merytes For except thou were electe to the same eternall lyfe and haddest the same faith and trust in God
The parable of the Wycked Mammon ☞ Compiled in the yere of our Lorde M. d. xxxvi W. T. ¶ Romans iii. Chap. ☞ We holde that a man is iustified by fayth withoute the workes of the lawe ¶ Imprynted at Lodon by Ihon daye dwellyng in Sepulchres Paryshe at the signe of the ResurrectioÌ„ a litle aboue Holbourne CoÌ„duit M. d. xlvii ¶ Wyllyam Tindale otherwyse caled Hychins to the reader GRace and peace wyth all maner spiritual felyng and lyuinge wor thy of the knidnes of Christe be with the reader and with all that thrist the will of God Amen The cause why I set my name before this litle treatise haue not rather done it in the new testament is that then I fo lowed the councell of Christe whiche exhorteth men Matth. vi to do their good deades secretly and to be content with the conscience of welldoynge and that God seeth vs and pacyentâ—ye to a byde the rewarde of the last day which Christ hath purchased for vs and nowe would fayne haue done lykewyse but am compelled otherwyse to do ¶ Whyle I a bode a faythfull companion whiche nowe hathe taken another viage vpon him to preache Christ where I suppose he was neuer yet preached God which put in his hert thither to go sende his spirite wyth hym coÌ„forte him and bringe his purpose to good effecte one Willyam Roy a man soÌ„â—what craftye when he coÌ„meth vnto new acquayntaunce and before he be thorow knowen and namely when all is spent came vnto me and offered his helpe As longe as he hade no money somwhat I coulde rule hym but as soone as he had gotten hym money he became lyke hymselfe agayne Neuerthelesse I suffred all thynges tyll that was ended whiche I could not do alone without one both to wryte and to helpe me to compare the textes together Whan that was ended I toke my leaue and bad hym farewel for oure two lyues and as men say a daye longer After we were departed he wente and gat him new frendes whiche thynge to dooe he passeth all that euer I yet knewe And there when he had stored hym of money he gote hym to Argentyne where he professeth wonderful faculties and maketh bost of no smal thinges A yere after that and now xii Monethes before the pryntynge of this worke came one Ierome a brother of Grene whiche also throughe Wormes to Argentyne saiynge that he entended to be Christes disciple another whyle to kepe as nye as God woulde geue him grace the profession of his bap tysme and to get hys lyuynge with his handes and to lyue no lenger ydely and of the sweate and laboure of those captyues whiche they had taught not to beleue in Christ but in cut showes and russet coetes Whiche Ierom with all diligence I warned of Royes boldnesse and exhorted hym to be ware of hym and to walke quiyetly and with all pacience and longe sufferynge accordinge as wee haue Christ and his Apostles for an ensample whiche thynge he also promysed me Ne uerthelesse when he was comen to Argentyne willyam Roye whose tunge is able not only to make fooles sterke mad but also to deaceyue the wyseste that is at the fyrst syght and acquaintaunce gat hym to him and set him a worke to make rymes whyle he hym selfe translated adyaloge out of laten in to englyshe In whose prologe he promiseth more a great deale than I fere me he will euer paye Paul sayeth the seconde Epistel to Timothe the seconde Chapter the seruaunt of the Lord must not stryue but be peaceable vnto all men and ready to teach and one that can suffer the euell with mekenesse that can enforme theÌ„ that resist if God at any tyme will geue them repentauâ—ce for to knowe the trueth It be commeth not then the lordes seruaunt to vse raylynge rymes but Gods wordes whyche is the right weapon to slay sine vice and all iniquitie The scripture of God is good to teache and to improue ii Ti. iii. ii Tes. ii Paul speaking of Antichrist sayeth whom the Lorde shall destroye with y e sprete or breth of his mouth that is with the worde of God And. ii Corinthians tenth The weapens of our warre are not carnall thinges saieth he but mighty in God to cast downe strong holdes and so forth that is to destroye hye buyldinges of false doctryne The word of God is that day whereof Paul speaketh i. Cor. iii. whiche shall declare al thynges and the fyre whiche shall trye euery mans worke and consume false doc tryne with that swearde ought meÌ„ sharp ly to fight and not to rayle with foolysh rymes Let it not offende the y t soÌ„e walke inordinatly let not the wickednes of Iudas cause the to despise the doctryne of his felowes No man ought to thynke that SteueÌ„ was a false preacher because that Nicolas whiche was chosen felowe with hym Actu vi to ministre vnto the wydowes fell after in to greate heresies as histories make mencion Good and euell go alwayes together one can not be knowen with out the other Marke this also a boue al thynges that Antichriste is not an outward thynge that is to saye a man that shoulde sodenly appeare wyth wonders as oure fathers talked of hym No verely for Antichrist is a spiritual thing And is as much to saye as agaynst Christe that is one that preacheth â—â—lsâ— doctrine contraty to Christe Antichriste was in the olde Testament and foughte with the prophtes he was also in y e tyme of Christ and of the Apostles as thou rea dest in the epistels of Ihon and of Paul to the Corinthians and Galathians and other Epistles Antichriste is nowe and shall I dout not endure tyl the worldes ende But his nature is whan he is vttered and ouercome with the word of God to go out of the playe for a season and to disgyse hym selfe and then to come in agayn with a new name and new raymeÌ„t As thou seyst how Christ rebuketh the scrybes and the pharises in the Gospell which were very Antichristes saing wo be to you pharises for ye robbe widowes houses yee praye longe prayers vnder a coloure ye shut vp the kingdom of heaueÌ„ and suffer not them that woulde to enter â—â—â—â—e haue take awaye the key of knowledge ye make men breake gods commauÌ„ dementes with your tradicions ye begile the people with hypocrisie and such lyke Whiche thinges all oure prelates do but haue yet gotten them newe names and other garmeÌ„tes and weedes and are other wise dysgysed Ther is difference in the names betwene a pope a Cardinal a Bishoppe and so forth and to saye a scribe a pharisey a senâ—oure and so forth but the thynge is all one Euen so nowe wheÌ„ we haue vttered him he will chauÌ„ge him â—â—lfe ones more and turne himselfe in to 〈◊〉 angell of lyght ii Corin. xi Rede the place I exhorte the what so euer thou art that readest this and note it well
and a preciouser thinge then all the good workes in the world to reconcyle him to God to brynge the loue and fauour of God to hym to make hym loue God agayne to mak him righteous and good in the sight of God to do awaye hys synne to delyuer hym and loose hym out of that captiuite wherein he was conceâ—ued borne in whiche he coulde nether loue God nor the wil of God Or else how can he work any good work that shoulde please God if there wer not some supernatural good nes in hym geuen of God frely wherof the good worke must sprynge euen as a syck man muste fyrste be healed or made whole eâ— he can do the dedes of an whole man and as the blynde man muste fyrste haue sighte geuen hym er he can se and he that hath his fete in fetters giues or stockes muste first be loused or he can go walke or runne and euen as they whiche thou readest of in the Gospell that were possessed of the deuyls coulde not laude God tyll the deuyls were caste out That precious thynge whiche must be in the herte er a man caÌ„ worke any good worke is the worde of God which in the Gospel precheth profereth and bringeth vnto all them that repent and beleue the fauoure of God in Christ. Whosoeuer heareth the word beleueth it that same is therby righteous and therby is geuen hym the spirite of God whyche leadeth hym vnto all that is the will of God and is loused from the captiuite and bondage of the deucll and his herte is fre to loue God and hath lust to do the wyl of God Therfore it is called the word of lyfe the worde of grace the worde of health the word of redeÌ„pcion the word of forgeuenes and the worde of peace He that heareth it not or beleueth it not can by nomeanes be made ryghteous before God This confirmth S. Peter in the xv chapter of the actes sayng that God tho row fayth doth purifie the hertes For of what nature soeuer the word of God is of the same nature muste the hertes be whiche beleue theron and cleue ther vnto Now is the worde lyuynge pure ryghteous and true and euen so maketh it the hertes of them that beleue theron If it be sayde that Paule when he saith Roma the. iii. No fleshe shall be or can be iustified by the dedes of the lawe meaneth it of the ceremonies or sacrifices it is a lye verelye For it foloweth immediatly by the lawe commeth the knowleg of sinne Now are they not the ceremonies that vtter synne but the law of commaundementes In the. iiii he sayth the law causeth wrath whiche can not be vnderstaÌ„de of the ceremonies for they were geuen to reconcyle the people to God agayne after they had synned If as they say the ceremonies which were geuen to purge sinne and to reconcile iustifie not nether blesse but temporallye only much more the law of cammaundementes iustifieth not For that whiche proueth a man sike healeth hym not nether doth the cause of wrath bryng hym to fauour nether caÌ„ y t which damneth saue a man When the mother coÌ„maundith hyr chylde but euen to rocke the cradell it grudgeth this commaundement doth but vtter the poyson that laye hyd and setteth hym at debat wyth hys mother and maketh him beleue she loueth hym not These commaundementes also thou shalte not couet thy neyghboures house thou shalt not lust desier or wishe after thâ— neybours wyfe seruauÌ„t mayde oxe or asse or what soeuer pertayneth vn to thy neyghboure geue not me power so to do but vtter that poyson that is in me and dampne me because I can not so do proue that God is wrath wyth me seynge that his wyll and myne are so coÌ„trary Therfore sayth Paul Gala iii. If ther had ben geuen suche a law that could haue geuen lyfe theÌ„ no doubte ryghteous nes had come by the lawe but the scrypture dyd conclude all vnder synne sayth he that the promyse myght be geueÌ„ vnto them that beleue thorow the faith that is in Iesus Christe The promyses when they are beleued are they that iustyfie for they brynge the spirite which louseth the hert geueth lust to the law and certyfieth vs of that good wyll of God vnto vs ward If wee submytte oure selues vnto God and desyre hym to heale vs he wyl do it and wyll in the meane tyme because of the consente of the herte vnto the lawe count vs for full whole and wyll nomore hate vs but pytie vs cherish vs be tender herted to vs and loue vs as he doth Christe hym selfe Christe is oure redemer sauioure peace attonement and satisfaction and hath made ameÌ„des or satisfactioÌ„ to God ward for all the synne whyche they that repent consentinge to the lawe and felelynge the promyses doe haue done â—r shall do So that if thâ—rowe fragâ—â—â—e we fall a thousand â–ª tymes in a daye yet if we do repeÌ„t agayn we haue al waye mer cy layed vp for vs in stoare in Iesus Christe oure Lorde WHat shal we say then to those criptures whyche go so fore vpon good workes As wee rede Math xxv I was as huÌ„ gred and ye gaue me meat c. And suche lyke Whyche all sounde as though we shoulde be iustified and accep ted vnto the fauoure of God in Christe thorowe good workes Thys wyse answere I. Many ther are whych when they heare or rede of fayth at once they coÌ„seÌ„t ther vnto and haue a certayne ymaginacion or opinion of the faith as when aman telleth a storye or a thynge done in a strauÌ„ge lande that pertayneth not to theÌ„ at all Whiche yet they beleue and tell as a true thinge And thys ymaginacyon or opinion they call fayth They thinke no farther then that fayth is a thyng which standeth in their owne power to haue as do other naturall workes whyche men worke but they fele no maner workynge of that spirit neyther the terrible senteÌ„ce of the lawe the fearfull iudgementes of God the horrible damnacion and captiuite vnder Satan Therfore as sone as they haue this opinion or imaginacion in their hertes that sayth verely thys doctryne semeth true I beleue it is euen so Then they thynke that the right fayth is ther. But afterwarde when they fele in them selues and also se in other that ther is none alteracion and that the workes folowe not but that they are altogether euen as before and abide in thir olde estate then thynke they that fayth is not sufficient but that it muste be some greater thyng then fayth that shoulde iustifie a man So fall they away from fayth againe and crye sainge faith only iustifyeth not a man and maketh hym acceptable to God If thou aske them wherfore Thei answere se how many ther ar that beleue and yet do nomore then they dyd befor These ar they which Iudas in his epystle caleth dreamers which deceiue theÌ„ selfes with their own faÌ„tasies
For what other thinge is their imaginacion whiche thei cal faith then a dreamyng of y e faith and an opinioÌ„ of their owne imaginacion wrought wout the grace of God These must nedes be worse at the later ende theÌ„ at the beginning These ar y e old vessels y t rente when newe wyne is powred into them that is they heare Gods worde but hold it not and therfor waxe worse then they wer before But the right faith sprin geth not of maÌ„s faÌ„tasy nother is it in any mans power to obtayne it but is altogether the pure gift of god poured in to vs frâ—lye with out all maner doynge of vs â–ª without deseruinge and merites yee and without seekinge for of vs. And it is as Paule saith ii Eph. euen gods gift and grace purchased thorow Christ Thet for is it mighty in operation full of vertue and euer workynge whiche also renueth a man and begetteth him agayn altereth hym altogether in to a newe nature and conuersacioÌ„ so that a man feleth his hert altogether altered and chaunged and fare otherwyse desposed theÌ„ before and hath power to loue that which before he could not but hate and delyteth in that whiche before he coulde not loue And it setteth the soule at libertie and maketh hyr free to folowe the will of God and is to the soule euen-as healthe is vnto the bodye of a man that is pyned and waysted awaye with a longe sokinge disease The legges can not beare hym he can not lyft vp his handes to helpe hymself his tayst is corrupt suger is bitter in his mouth his stomake abhoreth longinge after sibbersruse at the whyche a whole stomake is ready to cast hys gorge When health commeth she chaungeth and altereth him cleane geueth him strength in all his mem bers and luste to do of hys owne accorde that whiche before the coulde not do nether could not sustre that any man exhorted him to do and hath now lust in whol som thynges and his meÌ„bres are fre and at libertye and haue power to do of their owne accorde all thinges whiche belonge to an whole man to do whiche afore thâ—â— had no power to do but were in captiuitie and bondage So lykewise in al thing doth right fayth to the soule The sprite of God a coÌ„panieth faith and bringeth with her lyght where with a man be holdeth hym felfe in the law of God and seyth hys myserable hondage and captiuitie and humbleth hymselfe and abhorreth himself she bringeth gods promyses of all good thynges in Christe God worketh with his worde and in his worde And whan his word is preached fayth worketh her selfe in y e hertes of the electe and as fayth entreth and the word of God is beleued the power of God loseth the hert from the captiuitie and bon dage vnder synne and knitteâ—h and coup leth him to God and to the wyll of God altereth hym aud chaungeth hym cleane fassioneth and forgeth him a nâ—w geueth hym power to loue and to do that which before was vnpossyble for hym ether to loue or do and turnneth hym in to a new nature so that he loueth that whiche he before hated and hateth that whyche he before loued and is cleane altered and chaunged and contrary disposed and is knyt and coupled fast to Gods wyll and naturally bringeth furth good workes that is to saye that which God commauÌ„ deth to do and not â–ª thynges of his owne ymagination And y t doth he of his owne accorde as a tre bryngeth forth frute of hyr accorde And as thou neadest not to byd a tre to hrynge forth frute so is ther no lawe put vnto hym that beleueth and is iustified thorow faith as saith Paul in the fyrste epistle to Timothe the fyrste Chapter Neither is it nedfull For the lawe of God is writen and grauen in his herte and his pleasure is therin And as without coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and of his owne nature he eateth drynketh setteth heareth talketh and goethe euen so of his owne nature with out coaccion or com pulsioÌ„ of y e lawe bryngeth he forth good workes And as an whole man when he is a thurste taryeth but for drinke and whan he hungreth abydeh but for meate and then drinketh and eateth naturally euen so is the faythfull euer a thrust and an hongred after the wyll of God and tarieth but for occasion And whan soeuer an occasion is geuen he worketh na turally the wyl of God For this blessing is geueÌ„ to all them that trust in Christes bloude that they thyrst and honger to do Gods wyll He that hath not this fayth is but an vnprofytable babler of fayeth and workes and woteth nether what he bableth nor what he meaneth or where vnto his wordes pertayne For be seleth not the power of faith nor the workynge of the spirite in his herte but interpreteth the scriptures which speake of faith and workes after hys owne blynde â—â—aâ—one and folish â—aÌ„taâ—ies and not of any feling that he hath in his herte as a man râ—hâ—rseth a tale of an other mans mouth and woteth not â–ª whether it bee so or not as he saith nor hath any experieÌ„ce of y e thynge it selfe Now doth the scrip ure asscribe both faith and workes not to vs but to God only to whome they belonge only and to whom they are appropriat whoâ—e gyfte they are and the proper worâ—ke of hys spirite Is it not a frâ—warâ— and peruerse blyndnes thei teath how a man can do nothynge of hys owne selfe yet presumptuously take vpon them the gre atest hyest worke of God euen to make fayth in theÌ„ selues of their owne power and of their own false imaginaâ—y on and thoughtes Therfore I say we must â—ispayre of oure selfes and praye God as Christes Apostels dyd do geue vs fayth and to encrease our fayth WheÌ„ we haue that wee nede none other thynge more For she bryngeth the spirite with her and he not only teacheth vs all thynges but worketh theÌ„ also myghtily in vs and carieth vs thorow aduerâ—ite perse cutioÌ„ death and hel vnto heauen euer lastyng lyfe MArke diligentlie therfore seynge wee are come to answere The scripture because of suche dreames and fayned faythes sake vseth such maner of speakinges of workes not y t a man shoulde ther by be made good to God warde or iustified but to de clare vnto other and to take of other the difference betwene falce fained faith and ryght faith for where ryght faith is ther bryngeth she forth good workes yf there folowe not good workes it is no doubte but a dreame and an opinion or fayned fayth Wher for loke as A fruite maketh not the tre good but declareth and testifi eth outwardly that the tre is good as Christe sayeth euery tre is knowen by his fruite euen so shal ye knowe the right faith by hyr fruite Take for an ensample Mary that annoynted Christes fete Luke vii When Symon whiche bad Christe to his house had condempned
hir Christ defended hyr and iustified hyr saynge Symon I haue a certayne thynge to say vnto the â–ª And he said master saâ—e on There was a certaine lender whyche hade two detters the one ought fyue hundreth pens and the other fiâ—ftye When they had nothinge to paye he for gaue both Which of them tel me wyll loue him moost Simon answered and saide I suppose that he to whom he forgaue moost And he to hym thou haste iudged truly And he turned hym to the woman and sayde vnto Symon Seest thou thys woman I entred in to thyne house and thou gauest me no water to mi fete but she hath washed my fete with teres and wyped them wyth the heares of hir head Thou gauest me no kysse but sence the tyme I came in hath not shee reasted to kysse my fete Thou haste not anoynted my heade with oyle But she hath annoynted my fete with costlye and preciouse oyntement Wherfore I saye vnto the many synnes are forgeuen her for she loued much To whoÌ„ lesse is forgeuen the same doth loue lesse and here by se we that deades and workes are but outwarde sygnes of the inwarde grace of the bounteous and plenteous mercy of God frely receyued with out all merytes or dedes yea and before all dedes Christ teacheth to knowe the in warde fayth and loue by the outwarde dedes Dedes are the fruites of loue and loue is the fruit of fayth Loue also the dedes are greate or smal accordinge to the proporcioÌ„ of fayth Wher faith is mighty and stronge ther is loue feruent and dedes plenteous done with exceadynge mekenes Where fayth is weake ther is loue clode and the dedes few and faydeth as flores and blossomes in wynter Symon beleued and had fayth yet but weak ly and accordynge to the proporcyon of hys fayth loued coldly and hadde dedes therafter he bade Christe vnto asimple and abare feaste only and receyued hym not with any greate humanite But Mary had a strong fayth and therfore burn ning loue and notable dedes done with exceadinge profounde and depe mekenes On the one syde she sawe herselfe clearely in the lawe both in what daunger she was and hyr cruell bondage vnder synne hyr horryble dampnacion and also the fearfull sentence and iudgement of God vpon synners ¶ On the other syde she hearde the Gospell of Christe preached and in the promises she sawe with Egles eyes the exceadinge abundaunt mercy of God that paseth all vtterauÌ„ce of speach whiche is set forth in Christ for all meke synners Which knowlege theyr synnes And she beleued the worde of God myghteli and glorifed God ouer his mercy and trueth and beinge ouercome ouer whelmed with the vnspeakable yea and incoÌ„prehensyble abundauÌ„t ryches of the kind nes of God dyd enflame and burne in loue yea was so swollen in loue that she coulde not abyde nor holde but muste breake out and was so dronken in loue that she regarded nothinge but eueÌ„ to vtter the feruent and burnynge loue of hyr herte onelye She hade no respecte to hyr selfe thoughe she was neuer so greate and notable a synner neither to the curyouse bypocrisie of the pharisies which euer dysdayne weake synners nether to the costlynes of hyr oyntment but with all humbelnes dyd runne vnto hys fete Washed theym wyth the teares of hyr eyes and wiped them with the heares of her head and anoynted them with precyous oyntement yea and would no doubt haue runne in to the grounde vnder hys fete to haue vttered hyr loue toward him yea woulde haue descended downe in to hell yf it had bene possible Eâ—â— as Daul in the nyenth chapter of his epistle to the Romayns was dronke in loue and ouer whelmed and with the plentuousnes of the infinite mercye of God whiche he had receyued in Christ vnsought for wi shed hymselfe banished from Christe and dampned to saue the Iewes yf it myght haue â—en For as a maÌ„ feleth God in him selfe so is he to hys neghbour Marke an other thinge also We for the moost part because of oure grossenes in all oure knowledge procede from that which is last and hiâ—â—ost vnto y t whiche is fyrst begynnynge at the later ende disputynge and makynge oure argumentes backwarde We begynne at the effecte and worke and procede vnto the naturall cause As because of an eÌ„sample we fyrst se the mone darke and then searche the cause and fynde that the puttyng of the earth betwene the sonne and the mone is the naturall cause of the darkenes and that the earth stoppeth the lyght Then dispute we backwarde sayenge the mone is darkened therfore is the earth directly betwene the sonne and the mone Nowe yet is not the darkenes of the mone the naturall cause that the earth is betwene the sonne and the moÌ„e but the effect ther of and cause declarynge and leadyng vs vnto the knowlege howe that the earth is betwene the sonne and the mone direct lye and causeth the darknes stoppynge the light of the soÌ„ne from the mone And contrarye wise the beyng of the earth directly betwene the sonne and the mone is the naturall cause of the darkenes Lykewyse he hath a sonne therfore is he a father and yet the sonne is not cause of the father but contrarye wyse Not withstaÌ„dynge the sonne is the cause declaratyue where by we knowe that the other is a father After the same maner here many synnes are forgeuen her â–ª for she loued much thou mayste not vnderstande by the worde for that loue is the natural cause of y e forgeuyng of synnes but declareth it onely and contrary wyse the forgeuenes of synnes is the naturall cause of loue The workes declare loue And loue declareth that ther is some be nefyte and kyndnes shewed â–ª or els would there be no loue Why worketh one and an other not Or one more then another Because that one loueth and y e other not or that the one loueth more theÌ„ the other Why loueth one and another not or one more then another Because that one feleth the exccadynge kyndnes of God in his herte and another noâ— or that one feleth it more then another Scripture spea keth after the moost grossest maner Be diligente therfore that thou be not deceyued with curiousnes For men of no smal reputacion haue ben deceyued with thier owne sophistrye HEreby seist thou y t ther is greate differeÌ„ce betwene beinge rightuous and good in declarynge and vtterynge a mans owne ryghtuousnes and goodnesse The fayth onelye maketh a man safe good rightuous and the freÌ„de of god yea heir of al his goodnes and possesseth vs wyth the spirite of god The worke declareth the same faith and goodnes Nowe vseth the scripture the commune maner of speakinge and the very same that is amonge the people As whan a father sayeth to his chyld go and be louynge mercyfull and good to such or such a poore man he byddeth him not ther with to be made mercyful
kynd and good but to testifye and declare the goodnes that is in hym already with the outwarde dede that it maye breake out to the profete of other that other maye fele it whiche haue nede therof After the same maner shalt thou enterprete the scryptures whiche make mencion of workes that God therby wyll that we shewe forth the goodnes whyche wee haue receyued by fayth and let it breake forth and come to the profet of other that the false fayth maye be knowen and weded out by the rotes For God geueth no man hys grace that he shoulde let it lye styll and do no good withall but that he shoulde encreace it and multiplye it with lendynge it to other and with openly declaryng of it with the outwarde workes prouoke draw other to God As Christ saieth in Mathew the fift chapter Let youre lyght so shyne in the syght of men that they maye se your good workes and glorifye youre father whiche is in heauē Or els were it as a treasure dygged in the ground and hid wysdōe in the which is no profete Moreouer therwith the goodnes grace fauoure gyftes of God whiche a◠in the not only shalbe knowen vnto other but also vnto thin owne selfe and thou shallt besure that thy fayth is ryghte and that the true spirite of God is in the and that thou art called and cho sen of God vnto eternall lyfe and loosed from the bondage of Sathan whose presoner thou waste Peter exhorteth in the fyrst of his seconde epistle thorowe good workes to make oure callynge and election where with we are called and chosen of God sure For how darre a man presume to thynke that his fayth is ryghte and that goddes fauoure is on hym and that Goddes spirite is in hym when he fealeth not the working of the spirite ne◠ther hym selfe desposed to anye Godlye thynge Thou canst neuer knowe or be sure of thy fayth but by workes whiche workes must also come of pure loue with out lokynge after any maner rewarde thou mayste be sure that thy fayth is but a dreāe and not ryght and euen the same that Iames calleth in his epistell the secō chapter dead fayth and not iustifyenge Abraham thorowe workes Genesis xxii was sure of his faith to be right and that the true feare of God was in hym ▪ whē he had offered hys sōne as the scrip ture sayeth Now knowe I that thou fearest God that is to saye ▪ Now is it opē and manifest that thou feareste God in as muche as thou haste not spared thy onlye sonne for my sake So now by this abyde sure and fast that a man inwardly in the herte and before god is rightuous and good thorow faith only before all workes Notwithstāding yet outwardly and openly before the peo ple yea before him selfe is he rightuous thorowe the worke that is he knoweth and is sure thorowe the outwarde worke that he is a true beleuer and in the fauoure of God and ryghtuous and good thorow the mercy of God ▪ that thou may est call the one an open and an outwarde rightuousnes and the other an inwarde rightuousnes of y e hert so yet that thou vnder stande by the outwarde rightuous nes none other thinge saue the fruit that foloweth as a declaringe of that inwarde iustifiyng and ryghtuousnes of the hert and not that it maketh a man rightuous before God but that he muste fyrste be rightuous before hym in the herte Euen as thou mayste call the fruite of the tre which foloweth and vttereth the inward naturall goodnes of the tre Thus meaneth Iames in his Epystle where he sayth fayth without workes is dead that is yf workes folow not it is a sure and an euidente sygne that ther is no fayth in the hert but a dead ymaginacion and dreāe which they falsly cal faith Of the same wyse is thys sayinge of Christe to bee vnderstande Make you frendes of the vnryghtuous Mammon that is shewe youre fayth openly what ye are within the herte with outwarde geuynge and bestowynge youre goodes on y e poore that ye may obtayne frendes that is that y e poore on whom thou haste shewed mercy may at y e daye of iudgmēt testifie and witnesse of thy good workes That thy fayth and what thou waste within in the herte before God maye ther appeare by thy fruits openly vnto al mē For vnto the ryghte beleueynge shall all thynges be confortable and vnto consolacion at that terryble daye And contrary wyse vnto the vnbeleuynge al thynge shallbe vnto desperacion and confusion and euery man shalbe iudged openly and outwardely in the presence of all men accordynge to ther dedes and workes So that not without a cause thou mayeste call them thy frendes whyche testifie at that daye of the that thou louedest as a true and a ryght christen man and folowedest the steppes of Christ in shewynge mercy as no doute he doth whiche feleth God mercyfull in his herte And by the workes is the faith knoweth that it was ryght and perfecte For the outwarde workes can neuer please God nor make frende excepte they springe of fayth For as muche as Christe hym selfe Matthew in the. vi and. vii Chapter dysaloweth and casteth awaye the workes of the pha rises yea prophesyenge and workynge of miracles castynge out of deuels whiche we counte and esteme for very excellente vertues Yet make they no frendes wyth their workes while their hertes are false and vnpure and theyr eye double Now without fayth is no herte true or eye singel so that wee are conpelled to confesse that the workes make not a man ryghteous or good but that the herte muste fyrst be ryghteous and good before any good worke procede thence SEcondarely all good workes muste be done freli with a single eye with out respecte of any thyng and that no profyte be sought therby That commaundeth Christe where he sayeth Math. x. frely haue ye receyued frely geue agayne For loke as Christe with al his workes dyd not serue heauē for that was hys all redy but dyd vs seruyce therwith nether loked nor sought his owne profyte but oure profyte and the honoure of God the father only euen so wee wyth all oure workes may not seke oure owne profyte neyther in thys worlde nor in heauē but must and ought frely to worke to honour God withall and with out all maner respect seke oure neyghbours profyt and do hym seruice That meaneth Paul Philip. ii saynge Be minded as Christ was which beynge in the shape of God equal vnto God and euen very God layd that a parte that is to say hyd it And toke on hym the forme and fashion of a seruaunt That is as concernynge hym selfe he had ynoughe that he was full and had plentuousnes of the Godhead and in all hys workes sought oure profyte and became our seruaūt The cause is for as much as faith iustifieth and putteth awaye sinne
in the syght of God bryngeth lyfe health and the fauoure of God maketh vs the heyres of God powreth y e spirite of God into our soules and fylleth vs with al godlynes in Christe it were to great a shame rebuke and wronge vnto the fayth yea to Christes bloude yf a maÌ„ would worke any thynge to purchase that wherwith fayth hath endued him already and God hath geuen hym surely Euen as Christe had done a rebuke and shame vnto hym selfe yf he woulde haue done good workes and wrought to haue ben made ther by Gods sonne and heyre ouer all which thynge he was alredy Now doth faith make vs the sonnes or children of God Iohn i. he gaue them myght or power to be the soÌ„nes of God in that they beleued in his name If we be sonnes so are wee also heyres Roma viii and Gala. iiii Howe can or ought wee then to worke for to purches that enherytaunce wyth all where of wee are heyres all redye by fayth What shall we saye then to those scriptures which sodÌ„e as though a man shoulde do good workes and lyue well for heauens sake or eternall rewarde As these are make you frendes of the vnrihgtuous mammon And Math. vii Ga ther you treasure together in heauen Also Math. xix If thou wilt enter in to life kepe the commaundementes and suche lyke This saye I that they which vnder staÌ„de not nether fele in their herts what fayth meaneth talke and thynke of the re warde euen as they do of the worke nether suppose they that a man oughte to worke but in a respecte to the rewarde For they ymagen that it is in the kyng dome of Christe as it is in the worlde amonge men that they must deserue heaueÌ„ with theyr good workes How be it their thoughtes are but dreams and false imaginacions Of these men speaketh Mala. Chap. i. who is it amonge you that shutteth a dore for my pleasure for nought that is wythout respecte of rewarde These are seruauntes that seke gaynes and auauntage hyrelynges and daye labourers which here on earth receyue their rewardes as the pharyses with ther prayers and fastinges Matth. v. But on this wise goeth it with heaueÌ„ with euerlastyng lyfe eternal rewarde lykewyse as good workes naturally folowe faythe as it is aboue rehersed so that thou nedest not to commauÌ„de a true beleuer to worke or to compel hym wyth any lawe for it is impossible y t he should not worke he taryeth but for an occasion he is euer disposed of hym selfe thou needest but to put hym in remembraunce and that to knowe the faulse fayth from the true Euen so naturally doth eternall lyfe folowe fayth and good lyuing with out sekynge for and is impossible that it should not coÌ„e thought no man thought there on Yet is it rehearsed in the scripture alleged and promysed to knowe the difference betwene a false beleuer and a true beleuer and that euery man maye knowe what foloweth good lyuinge naturally and of it selfe wythout takynge thought for it Take agrosse ensampel Hel that is euerlastinge death is threatened vnto synners and yet foloweth it synne naturalli without sekyng for For no man doth euell to be damned therfore but had leuer auoid it Yet the one foloweth the other naturally and thought no man tolde or warned hym of it yet should the synner fynde it and fele it Ne uerthelesse it is therfore threatened that men maye knowe what foloweth euyll lyuynge Now then as after euell lyuing foloweth his rewarde vnsought for eueÌ„ so after good liuing foloweth his rewad naturally vnsoughte for or vnthoughte vpon euen as when thou drynkest wyne be it good or badde the tayst foloweth of it selfe thought thou therfore drinke it not Yet testifieth the scripture and it is true that we are by enheritaunce heires of daÌ„nacion and that before we be borne we are vessels of the wrath of God and full of that poyson whence naturally all synnes sprynge and where with we can not but synne whyche thynge the dedes that folowe when we behold our selues in the glasse of the lawe of God do declare and vtter kyll our consciences and shewe vs what we were and wist not of it and certifie vs that wee are heyres of damnacion For yf we were of God we should cleaue to God and lust after y e wil of God But now oure dedes compared to the lawe declare the contrarye and by oure dedes wee se oure selfe both what we be and what oure ende shalbe So nowe thou seyst that lyfe eternall and all good thynges are promised vnto fayth and belefe so that he that beleueth on Christe shalbe safe Christes bloude hath purchased life for vs and hath made vs the heyres of God so that heauen coÌ„meth by Christes bloude Yf thou wouldest obtayne heaueÌ„ with the merytes and deseruynges of thyne owne workes thaÌ„ dyddest thou wronge ye and shamedest the bloude of Christe and vnto the were Christ deade in vayne Nowe is the true beleuer heyre of God by Christes deseruinge ye and in Christe was predestinate and ordened vnto eternal lyfe before the worlde beganne And when the Gospell is preached vnto vs we beleue the mercye of God and in beleuynge we receyue the spirite of God whiche is the arneste of eternal lyfe and we ar in eternal lyfe already and fele al ready in oure hertes the swetnes therof and are ouercome wyth the kindnes of God and Christ and therfore loue the wyl of God and of loue are ready to worke ferly and not to optayne that whiche is geuen vs frely and wherof we are heyres alredy Now when Christe sayeth Make you frendes of vnryghtuous Mammon Ga ther you treasure together in heauen and such lyke Thou seyst that the meanynge and entent is none other but that thou shouldes do good and so wyll it folowe of it selfe naturally without sekyng and takinge of thought that thou shalt fynde frendes treasure in heauen and receyue a rewarde So let thyne eye be syngle and loke vnto good lyuynge onely take no thought for the rewarde But be content For as muche as thou knoweste and arte sure that the rewarde and all thynge contayned in Goddes promyses folowe good lyuinge naturally thy good workes do but testifye onely and certifye the that the spirite of God is in the whoÌ„ thou hast receiued for an ernest of gods trueth and that thou art heyre of all the goodnesse of God and that all good thynges are thyne all ready purchased by Christe bloude and layed vp in stoare agaynste that day when euery man shal receyue accordyng to hys dedes that is accordynge as his dedes declare and testifye what he is or was For they that loke vnto the rewarde are slow false subtel and crafty workers and loue the rewarde more then the worke yea hate the laboure â–ª yea hate God whyche commaundeth the laboure and are wâ—ry both of the commaundement and also of the coÌ„maunder worke wyth tedyousnes But he
Christ. Neither do oure workes iustifie vs. For except we were iustifyed by fayth whiche is oure rightuousnes and had the spirite of God in vs to teach vs we could do no good worke frely without respecte of some profit other in this world or in y e worlde to come neither coulde we haue spiritual Ioye in oure hertes in tyme of afflicition and mortyfyinge of the fleshe Good workes are called y e fruites of the spirit Galt v. Cha. for y e spirit worketh them in vs and some tyme frutes of righ tuousnes as in the seconde epistle to the Corhinthians ix Chapter â–ª before al workes therfore we muste haue a rightuousnes wythin in the herte the mother of all workes and from whence they springe The rightuousnes of the scribes and Pharises and of theÌ„ that haue the spirit of this worlde is the glorious showe and outward shinyng of workes And Christ sayth to vs Mat. v. except your rightuousnes excede the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharises ye can not enter in to the kyngdome of heauen It is rightuousnes in the worlde if a man kyll not But a Christen perceyueth rightuousnes if he loue his enemye euen when he suffeth persecucioÌ„ and formente of hym and the paynes of death and morneth more for his aduersaries blindnes than for his owne payne and prayeth God to open his eyes and to forgeue him hys synnes as dyd â–ª Steuen in the Actes of the Apostles the. vii Chap. and Christ Luc. xxiii A christen considereth hym selfe in the lawe of God and ther putteth of hym al maner rightuosnes For y e lawe suffereth no merites no deseruinges no rightuous nes nether any man to be iustified in the syght of God The lawe is spirytuall and requireth the herte and commaundementes to be fullfillyd with suche loue and obedience as was in Christe If any fulfil al that is the wil of god with such loue and obedience the same may be bold to sel pardons of his merites and els not A Christen therfore wheÌ„ he beholdeth him selfe in the law putteth of al maner rightuousnes deserueuinges and merites and mekely vnfaynedly knoweledgeth his sinne and mysery his captyuite and bondage in the flesh hys trespasse and gylte and is there by blessede wythe the poore in spirite Math. v. Cha. Then he morneth in hys herte be cause he is in such bondage that he can not do the will of God and is an hongred and a thrust after rightuousnes For rightuousnes I meane which springeth out of Christes bloud for strength to do the wil of God And turneth hym selfe to the promyses of God and desyreth hym for hys greate mercye and trueth and for the bloude of his sonne Christe to fulfil his promyses and to geue hym strength And thus hys spirite euer prayeth within hym He fasteth also not one day for a weke or a lente for and whole yeare but professeth in his herte a perpetuall sobreâ—es to tame the fleshe to subdue y e body to the spirite vntyll he wax stronÌ„ge in the spirite and growe rype in to a full ryghtuousnes after the fulnes of Christe And because this fulnes happeneth not tyl the body be slayne by death a ChristeÌ„ is euer a synner in the lawe and therfore fasteth and prayeth to God in the spirite the world seing it not Yet in y e promises he is euer rightuous thorowe fayth in Christe and is sure that he is heyre of all goddes promyses the spirite whiche he hath receyued in exnest beringe hym witnes hys herte also and his deades testifiinge the same Marke this then To se in wardlye that the lawe of God is so spirituall that no fleshe can fulfyll it And then for to morne and sorowe and to desyre yee to honger thurst aftir strength to do the will of God from the grouÌ„de of the herte and not wythstandyng all the soutelty of the deuils weknes and feblenes of the fleshe and wondringe of the worlde to cleue yet to y e promises of god and to beleue y t for Christes bloude sake thou art receyued to the enherytaunce of eternall lyfe is a wonderfull thinge and a thinge that the world knoweth not of but who so euer fealeth that thought he fall a thousande tymes and is sure that the mercye of God is vpon hym If ye forgeue other men theyr trespasses your heauenlye father shall forgeue you yours Math. in the. vi Chapt. If I forgeue God shall forgeue me not for my dedes sake but for his promises sake for his mercie and truth for the bloude of his sonne Christe oure Lorde And my forgeuing certifieth my spirite that God shall forgeue me ye that he hath forgeuen me all redye For if I consent to the wyll of God in my herte thought thorowe infirmitie and wekeanes I can not do the wil of god at al tymes more ouer though I can not do the will of God so purelye as the lawe requireth it of me yet if I se my faute and mekely knowledge mâ— sinne weâ—inge in mine herte because I can not do the wil of God thruste after streÌ„gth I am sure that the spirit of God is in me and his fauoure vpon me For the world lusteth not to do the wil of God neither soroweth because he can not thoughe he sorowe some time for feare of the payne that he beleueth shall folowe He that hath the spirit of this worlde can not forgeue wyth out a mendes makinge or agreater vauÌ„tage If I forgeue now how cometh it verily because I feale the mer cye of God in me For as a man fealeth God to hym selfe so is he to hys neyghboure I knowe by myne one experience that all fleshe is in bondage vnder sinne and can not but sinne therfore am I mer cyfull and desyre God to loose the boÌ„des of synne euen in myne enimye GAther not treasure to gether in earth cet Math. vi But gather you treasure in heauen cet Let not your herts be glued to world ly thynges studie not to heape treasure vpon treasure and riches vpoÌ„ riches but studie to bestowe well that whiche is goten all ready and let your abundauÌ„ce suc core the lacke and neade of y e pore which haue not â–ª Haue an eye to good workes whiche if ye haue luste and also powre to do them then are ye sure that the spirite of God is in you â–ª and ye in Christ electe to the rewarde of eternal lyfe whiche foloweth good workes But loke that thine eye be syngle and robbe not Christe of his honoure ascribe not that to the deseruinge of thy workes whiche is geuen the frely by the merites of his bloude In Christe we are sonnes In Christ we are heires In Christ God chose vs and elected vs before the beginynge of the worlde created anew by the worde of the Gospell and put his spirit in vs for because wee shoulde dooe good workes A Christen man worketh
and the same spirite thou cowldest neuer consent to their deades and healpe them But thy deades testifye what thow art and certyfye thy conscience that thou art receyued to mercy saÌ„tyfied in Christes passions and sufferynges and shallt here after wythe all them that folowe God receyue the reward of eternall lyfe â–ª Of thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and of thy wordes thou shalt be condemned Math. xii That is thy wordes as wel as other deades shall testifye with the or agaynst y e at the daye of iudgemente Many ther are which abstaine from the vtte warde deades of fornicacioÌ„ and adulteri neuer the lasse reioice to talke ther of and laugh their wordes and laughter testifie agaynste them that theyr herte is vnpur and they Adulterers and Fornicatours in the syght of God The tonge other signes oft times vtter y e malice of y e hert though a man for many causes abstayne his haÌ„de froÌ„ the outwarde deade or acte IF thou wylt enter in to lyfe kepe the commaundementes Maâ—hei xix Fyrste remeÌ„bre that wheÌ„ God coÌ„maundeth vs to do anie thinge he dothe it not therfore because that wee of oure selues are able to do that he com mauÌ„deth but that by the lawe we myght se and knowe oure horryble damnacion and captiuite vnder sinne and shoulde repent and come to Christe receyue mercye and the scripture of God to loose vs strengh vs to make vs able to do gods wil which is the law Now when he say eth if thou wylt enter in to lyfe kepe the conmaundementes is as much to say as he that kepeth the commaundementes is intred in to life for except a maÌ„ haue first the spirit of life in him by Christes pourcheasinge it is impossible for him to kepe the commaundementes or that his herte shoulde be loose or at libertie to lust after theÌ„ â–ª for of nature wee are enemyes to the lawe of God As toutchinge that Christe saieth after ward if thou wilt be perfect goe and sell thy substance and geue it to the pore he saieth it not as who shoulde saye that ther were any greater perfectioÌ„ then to kepe the lawe of God for that is all perfection but to showe the other his blindnes which saw â—not that the law is spiritual and requireth the herte But because he was not knowinge that he hade hurt any man with the outwarde deade he supposed that he loued his neyghbour as hym selfe But when he was bade to shewe the deades of loue and geue of his abundance to them that neaded he depar ted morninge Whiche is an euident tokeÌ„ that he loued not his neyboure as well as hym selfe For if he had nede him selfe it woulde not haue greaued him to haue receyued succour of an other man Moreduer he sawe not â–ª that it was morder and thefte that a man shoulde haue oboÌ„dauÌ„ce of ryches lyinge by him and not succoure hys neiboures neade God hath geueÌ„ one maÌ„ riches to healpe an other at neade Yf thi neighbour neade and thou healpe him not beinge able y u with holdist hys dutye from him and art a thefe before God That also that Christ saieth how that it is harder for a rich man whiche loueth his riches so y t he can not find in his hert liberally and frely to healpe the pore and nedy to enter in to the kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ then a camell to go thorowe the eye of an nedle declareth that he was not intred in to the kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ that is to saye eternall life But he that kepeth the commauÌ„ demeÌ„tes is intred in to life yea hath life and the spirite of life in him THis kinde of deuils goth not out but by prayere fastinge Math. xxvii Not that the deuill is caste out by merites of fasting or pray inge For he sayeth before that for there vnbelefes sake they coulde not cast hym out It is fayeth no doute that casteth out the deuils and fayth it is that fasteth and praieth Fayth hath the promyses of God where vnto she cleaueth and in all thinges thristeth the honour of god She fasteth subdueth y e body vnto y e spirite y t the prayer be not let and that the spirite maye quietly talke wyth God she also when so euer oportunitie is geueÌ„ prayeth god to fulfil his promises vnto his praise and glorye And God whiche is mercyful in promysinge and true to fulfyll ' them casteth out the deuils doth all that faith desyreth and satisfieth hyr thurst COme ye blessed of my father enherete the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the world For I was a thurst and ye gaue me drinke c. Mat. xxv Not that a man with workes deserueth eternall lyfe as a worke man or labourer his hyre or wages Thou readest in the text that the kingdome was prepared for vs from the beginnge of the worlde And we are blessed and sanctified In Christes bloude are we blessed from that bitter cruse and damnable captiuite vnder synne where in we were borne and conceyued And Christes spirit is poured into vs to bring forth good workes and oure workes are the fruites of the spirit and the kingdom is thr deseruinge of Christes bloude and so is fayth and the spiryte and good wor kes also Not withstandinge the kingdoÌ„e foloweth good workes good workes testifie that we are heyres therof and at the daye of Iudgement shall they testifie for y e electe vnto theyr comforth and glorye And to the confucion of the vngodâ—ie vnbeleuynge faythlesse synners whiche had not truste in the worde of Goddes promyses nor lust to the wil of God but were caryed of the spirite of theyr father the deuill vnto al ab hominacioÌ„ to worke wyckednes with all luste delectacion and gredâ—nes MAny sinnes are forgeuen hir for she loueth moche Lu. vii Not y t loue was cause of forgeuenes of sinnes But coÌ„ trary wise the forgeuenes of synnes caused loue as it foloueth to whom lesse was forgeueÌ„ the same loueth lesse And afore he coÌ„mended the iudgement of Symon whiche answered that he loueth most to whoÌ„ moste was forgeuen and also sayde at the last thy fayth hath saued the or made y e safe go in peace We can not loue except wee se some benefite and kyndnes As longe as we loke on the law of god only where we se but sinne and damnacion and the wrath of God vpon vs yea where wee were damned afore we were borne wee can not loue God No wee can not but hate him as a ryrante vnrightuous and vniust and fle from hym as dyd Cayn But when the Gospel that glad tidinges and ioâ—full promises are preached howe that in Christe God loueth vs fyrst forgeueth vs and hath mercye on vs then loue we again and the deades of our loue declare oure fayth This is the maner of speakyng As we saye Somer is nye for the trees blosome Nowe is the blosome
of the trees not the cause that somer draweth nye but the drawinge nye of somer cause of the blosomes and the blosomes put vs in remembrance that somer is at hande So Christe here teacheth Simon by the ferueÌ„tnes of loue in the outwarde deades to se a stroÌ„ge fayth within wheÌ„ce so greate loue springeth As the manet is to saye do your charyte showe your charyte do a deade of charyte showe youre mercye do a deade of mercye meaninge ther by that oure deades declare how we loue our neyghbours and howe much we haue compastion on them at there neade More ouer it is not possyble to loue except wee se a cause Except we se in oure hertes the loue and kindnes of God to vs warde in Christe our Lorde it is not possible to loue God a ryght We saie also he that loueth not my dog loueth not me Not that a man shulde loue my dog fyrst But if a man loued me the loue where with he loueth me would coÌ„pell hym to loue my dogge thoughe the dogge deserued it not ye though the dog had done him a displeasure Yet if he loued me y e same loue would refrayne him from venging him selfe and cause him to tefet the veÌ„geaunce vnto me Such speakinges finde we in scripture Ihon in the iiii of hys fyrst Epistle sayth he that saieth I loue God and yet hateth his brother is a lyar For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he seith loue God whom he seyth not Thys is not spoken that a man should fyrst loue hys brother and then God but as it folowith For thys commaundement haue we of hym that he whyche loueth God shoulde loue his brother also To loue my neyghboure is the commaundement whiche coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t he that loueth not loueth not God The kepynge of the commaundemeÌ„t declareth what loue I haue to God If I loued God purely no thing that my neyghboure coulde do were able to make me neyther to hate hym eyther to take veÌ„ geaunce on hym my selfe seing that God hath commauÌ„ded me to loue hym and to remitte al vengeaunce vnto him Marke now how muche I loue the commaundement so muche I loue God how much I loue God so much beleue I y t he is merciful kind and good yea and a father vn to me for Christes sake how much I beleue that God is mercyfull vnto me and that he wyll for Christes sake fulfyll all hys yromyses vnto me so much I se my sinnes so moche do my synnes greue me so moche do I repent and soro we that I sinne so moche displeaseth me that poyson that moueth me to sinne and so great ly desyre I to be healede So now by the naturall order fyrst I se my sinne Then I repeÌ„t and sorow TheÌ„ beleue I Gods promises y t he is mercyfull vnto me and forgeueth me and wil heale me at the last then loue I and then I prepare my selfe to the commaundement THis do and thou shalt lyue Luc. x. that is to saye loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy hert wyth all thy soule wyth all thy streÌ„gh and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghboure as thy selfe As who shoulde saye if thou do this or though thou canst not do it yet if thou fealest luste ther vnto and thy spirit sigheth morneth and longeth after streÌ„gth to do it take a signe and euideÌ„t token therby that the spirit of life is in the and that thou art electe to life euerlasting by Christes bloude whos gift and purchase is thy faith and that spirit that worketh the will of God in y e whos gift also are thy deades or rather the deades of the spirite of Christ and not thine and whos gift is the rewarde of eternall life which foloweth good workes It foloweth also in the same place of Luc. When he shoulde depart he pluked out ii pence and gaue them to the host and sayd vnto hym Take the charge or cure of hym and what so euer thou spen dest more I will recompense it the at my coming agayne Remembre this is a parable and a parable maye not be expounded word by word But the entent of the similitude must be sought out only in the whole parable The entent of the similitude is to shewe to whoÌ„ a man is a neigh bour or who is a mans neighbour which is both one and what it is to loue a maÌ„s neyghboure as hym selfe The Samaritane holpe hym and shewed mercy as loÌ„g as he was present and he left his monyâ— behinde him And if that were not sufficient he left hys credeÌ„s to make good the rest and forsoke hym not as longe as the other had neade TheÌ„ said Christ go thou and do lyke wise that is wythout difference or respection of persons whoe so euer neadeth thy healpe hym count thy neighbour and his neyboure be thou and shewe mercy on hym as longe as he neadeth thy soccour that is to loue a mans neyboure as him selfe Neyghboure is a worde of loue and signifieth that a man shoulde be euer nye and at hand and readye to healpe in time of neade They y t wil enterprete parables worde for worde fall in to straytes oft tymes whence they can not rid them selfes And preach lyes in steade of the trueth As do they whiche enterpret by the two pence the olde testament and the newe and by that whiche is bestowed Opera supererogationis Howe be it superarogancia were a meter terme That is to saye deades which are more then the lawe requyâ—eth deades of perfectioÌ„ and of liberalite which a man is not bownde to do but of hys freewil And for them he shall haue an hygher place in heauen and may giue to other of his merites or of whiche the pope after his death maye giue pardons fâ—ome the paines of purgatorye Agaynst whiche exposicion then I answer Fyrst a greatter perfection then to loue God and his will whiche is the coÌ„maundementes with all thine herte with all thy minde is ther none And to loue a mans neiboure as hym selfe is like the same It is a woÌ„derfull loue where with a man loueth hym selfe As glad as I woulde be to receyue pardone of myne owne life if I hade deserued death so glad ought I to be to defeÌ„d my neibours life with out respect of my life or of my good A man ought nether to spare hys goodes nor yet him selfe for his brothers sake after the ensaÌ„pel of Christ i. Iohn iii. Here in sayeth be perceyue wee loue in that he that is to saye Christe gaue his life for vs. We ought therfore to bestow our liues for y e brethreÌ„ Now saith Christ Iohaâ— xv ther is no greater loue than that a man bestowe his lyfe for his frende More ouer no man can fulfil the lawe For Ihon sayth i. Chapter of the sayd epistle if we saie we haue no sinne we deceyue our selues and true this not in vs. If
seing that god hath power ouer all hys creatures of right to do with them what he lyst or to make of eueri one of theÌ„ as he lysteth Our darknes can not perceyue his lyght God wilbe feared not haue his secret iudgemeÌ„ts knowen More ouer we by the light of fayth se a thousande thynges whiche are impossible to an infidle to se. So lyke wise no doute in the light of the clear visâ—on of God we shall se thynges whyche now God will not haue knowen For pryde euer accompanieth hye knowledge but grace accompanieth mekenes Let vs therfore gyue diligence rather to do the will of God then to search his secrettes which are not profitable for vs to know When we are thus recoÌ„syled to God made the frendes of God and heyres of eternal lyfe y e spirite that god hath powred in to vs testifyeth that we maye not lyue after our olde deades of ignorance For how is it possible that we shoulde repente and abhorre them and yet haue lust to lyue in theÌ„ Wee are sure therfore that God hath created and made vs new in Christe and put hys spirite in vs that we shoulde lyue a newe lyfe whiche is y e lyfe of good workes That thou maist know what are good workes or what workes are good and the ende and entente of good workes or wherfore good workes serue marke this that foloweth The lyfe of a Christen man is inward betwene hym and God and properly is the consente of â–ª the spirite to the will of God and to y e honour of god And godes honour is the finall ende of al good workes Good workes all thynges that are done wyth in y e lawes of God in whych God is honoured and for whiche thaÌ„kes are geuen to God Fastinge is to absteine from surâ—eting or ouer much caâ—inge froÌ„ dronkenes and care of the worlde as thou mayste reede Lu. xxi and the ende of fastynge is to tame the bodie that the spirite may haue a free course to God and maye quyetly talke with God For ouer much eatynge and drinkinge and care of worldly busynes persse downe the spiryte choeke hyr and taÌ„gle hyr that she can not lift vp hyr selfe to God Now he that fasteth for any other entente than to subdue the bodye that the spirite may wayte on God and frely exersice hyr selfe in the thinges of God y e same is blinde and woteth not what he doth er reth shoteth at a wroÌ„ge marke and his entente and ymaginacion is abhomynable in y e sight of God WheÌ„ thou fastest from meate and drinkest all day is that a Christen fast either to eate at one meale that wer sufficieÌ„t for foure A man at foure tymes maye beare that he can not at ones Some fast from meat and drinke and yet so tangle them selues in worldli busines that thei can not ones thinke on God Some abstayne from butter some from egges some from all manner witte meate some this day some that dai soÌ„e in the honoure of this saint some of that and euery man for a sondrâ— purpose Some for the tothache soÌ„e for the hed ache for feuers pestilence for soden death for hanginge drounding and to be deliuered from the paynes of hell Some ar so mad that thei fast one of the thursdayes betwene â–ª the two saynt marye dayes in the worshippe of that saynt whos day is halowed betwne cristeÌ„mas and candelmas and that to be delyuered from the pestilence All those men fast without conscience of God and without knowledge of the true enteÌ„te of fastinge and do no other thaÌ„ honoure sayntes as the gentels and heathen worshiped their ydolles and are drowned in blindnes and know not of the testameÌ„t that God hath made to manward in Christes bloud In God haue thei nother hope nor coÌ„fideÌ„ce nether beleue his promyses nether know hys wyll but are yet in captyuyte vnder they prince of the darkenes Watche is not only to absteyne from slepe but also to be circuÌ„spect and to cast al pereles as a maÌ„ should watch a toure or a castell We muste remembre that the snares of the deuill are infinite and innumerable and that eueri moment aryse new temptations and that in al places mete vs fresh occasioÌ„s Against whiche we must prepare our selues and turne to God and complaine to him and make oure mone and desyre hym of hys mercye to be our shylde our toure oure castell and defence from all euill to put his strength in vs for wy thout hym wee can do nought and aboue all thinges we must call to mynde what promises God hath made what he hath sworne that he wyll doo to vs for Christes sake and with stronge fayth cleue vnto them and desire hym of his mercye and for the loue that he hath to Christe for hys truthes sake to fulfyll his promyses If we thus cleue to God wyth stronge fayth and be leue his wores then as sayth Paule i. Corint x. God is faythfull that he wyll not suffer vs to be teÌ„pted aboue that we are able or aboue oure myght that is to say if we cleaue to his promyses and not to oure fantasyes and ymaginacions he will put might and power in to vs that shal be stroÌ„ger then al the tentacioÌ„ which he shal suffer to be against vs. PRayer is amorninge a longinge and a desire of the spirite to god ward for that which she lacketh as a sick morneth and soroweth in his hert longinge for health Fayth euer praieth For after that by fayth wee are recoÌ„siled to God and haue receyued mercie and forgiuenes of God the spirite longeth and trusteth for strengeth to do the will of God and that God maye be honoured hys name halowede and hys pleasure and wyll fulfilles The spiryte waiteth and watcheth on the will of god and euer hath hir owne fragilite weaknes before hyr eyes and when she seeth tentacion and perell drawe nye she torneth to God to the testamente that God hath made to all that beleue and truste in Christes bloud and desireth God for his mercy trueth and for the loue he hath to Christe that he wyl fulfill hys promyse that he shall soccur and helpe and giue vs strength and that he wyll sanctifie hys name in vs and fulfill hys godly wyll in vs and y t he wil not loke on our sin and iniqâ—ite but on his mercy on his trueth and on the loue that he oweth to his sone Christ and for hys sake to kepe vs from tentacion that we be not ouercome and that he delyuer vs from euyll and what so euer moueth vs contrary to hys Godly wyll More ouer of hys owne experience he fealeth other mens neade and no lesse commendeth to God the infirmites of other then hys owne knowynge that ther is no strength no helpe no succure but of God only And as mercyfull as he fealeth god in his hert to him selfe warde so mercyfull
worde of God that couÌ„t ydolatrye The kingdome of heauen is wyth in vs. Luc. xvii Wonder therfore at no monstrous shappneâ— at any outwarde thinge whyth out that worde For the worlde was neuer drawn from God but with an outwarde showe and glorious appearaunce and shininge of hypocrisie and of fained and visured fastinge praing watchinge offeringe sacrificinge halowinge of superstiâ—â—ous ceremonies and monstrouse disgising Take this for an exeÌ„ple Iohn baptist whiche had testimonie of Christe and of the Gospell that their neuer rose a greatter among wymennes chyldern wyth hys fasting watching praing rayment and straite lyuing deceiued y e iewes and brought theÌ„ in doute whether Iohn were very Christ or not and yet no scrip ture or miracle testifâ—ing it so greatly the blynd nature of man loketh on the outward shining of workes and regardeth not the inwarde worde whyche speaketh to the herte When they sent to Iohn axinge hym whether he ware Christ he denied it WhaÌ„ thei axed him what he was and what he said of him self He answered not I am he that watcheth praieth drinketh no wine nor stroÌ„ge drike eateth â—other fysh nor flesh but lyue with wild hony and grashopers and weare a cote of camels heare and a girdle of a skinne but sayd I am a voyce of a criar My voice only pertaineth to you Those outwarde thinges whiche ye wonder at pertayne to my selfe only vnto the taminge of my bodye To you am I a voyce only and that which I preach My preachinge if it be receiued in to a penitent or repentinge hert shall teache you howe to lyue and please God accordynge as God shal shed oute hys grace on euerye man Iohn preached repentaunce saynge prepare the Lordes waye make his pathes straighâ— The lordes waye is repentaunce and not hypocrisie of mans imagynacion and in uencion It is not possible that the Lorde Christe shoulde come to a man except he knowe hym selfe and his sinne and truly repent Make his pathes streight the pathes are the lawe if thou vnderstande it aryght as God hath geuen it Christe sayeth in xvii of Mat. Helyas shall fyrst come that is shall come before Christe and restore all thynges meanyng of Io. bap Io. bap dyd restore the lawe and the scriptur vnto y e ryght sence and vnderstaÌ„dinge which the pharyseis part li had darkned and made of none effecte thorowe their owne tradicions Math. xv where Christe rebuketh them sainge why transgresse ye the commaundementes of God thorow your tradicions and partly had corrupt it wyth gloses false interpretatioÌ„s that no man coulde vnder stande it Wherefore Christe rebuketh them Math xxiii sainge woo â—e to you pharises hypocrites which shut vppe the kingdome of heaueÌ„ before men ye enter not youre selues nether suffer them that come to enter in and partli dyd begile the people and blinde ther eyes in disgisinge them selues as thou redest in that same xxiii Cha. howe they made brode large philatries and ded all ther workes to be sene of men that the people shoulde won der at ther disgisinges and visuringe of them selues other wyse then God had made theÌ„ and partly mocked them with hypocrisie of false holines in fasting pra inge and almes giuinge Mat. vi and this did thei for luker to be in authorite to sit in y e coÌ„sciences of y e people and to be couÌ„ ted as God hym selfe y t the people should truste in ther holynes and not in God as thou redeste in the place a boue rehersed Mat. xxiii wo be to you phareses hypocrites whiche deuoure wydowes houses vnder a colour of long praier CouÌ„terfet therfore nothinge without the worde of God when thou vnderstandeste that it shall teach the all thinges howe to applye outwarde thinges and where vnto refer them Beware of thy good entenâ— good minde good affection or zele as they call it Peter of a good minde and of a good affection or zele chode Christ Math. xvi beâ—cause he saide that he must goe to Hie rusalem and there bee slaine But Christe called hym satan for hys laboure a name that belongeth to the deuil And saye that he perceyued not godly thynges but worldly Of a good eâ—tent and of a feruent affection to Christe the sonnes of zebedei woulde haue hade fyre to come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Lu ix But Christe rebuked them saienge that they wist no◠〈◊〉 what spirite thei were that is that theâ— vnderstande not how that they were altogether worldly and fleshly minded Peter smoâ—e malchus of a good zele but Christe condemned his dede The ve ry Iewes of a good entente of a good zele slew Christ persecuted the apostles as Paull vereth them recorde Ro. x. I beare them recorde sayeth he that they haue a feruente mynde to God warde but not accordnge to knowelege It is a nother thinge theÌ„ to do of a good minde and to do of knoweledge Labour for knoweledge that thou maist knowe goddes wyll and what he would haue the to do Oure mynd entent and affection or zele are blind and al that we do of them is damned of God and for that cause hath God made a testamente betwene hym aâ—d vs where in is contay ned boeth what he would haue vs to do and what he woulde haue vs to axe of hym Se therefore that thou do no thing to please God wth all but that he commaundeth nether are any thinge of hym but that he hath promised the. The Iewes also as it appereth Act. vii sâ—ewe Steuen of a good zele Because he proued by the scripture that God dwellethe not in Churches or templs made wyth haÌ„des The churches at the beginnyng were ordeined y t the people should thyther resorte to here the word of God there preached only and not for the vse where in they now are The teÌ„ple where in God will be worshipped is the hâ—rte of man For God is a spirite sayth Christe Io. iiii and wylbe worshiped in the spirite and in trueth That is when a penitent herte consenteth vnto the lawe of God and wyth a stronge fayth longeth for the pormyses of God So is God ho nored on al sydes in that we counte him rightuous in all hys lawes ordinauÌ„ces and also true in all his promyses Other worshiping of God is there none except we make an ydâ—le of hym IT shalbe recompensed the at the risinge a gayne of the ryghtuous Lu. xiiii Rede the terte before and thou shalt perceiue y t Christ doeth here that same that he doeth Mathe. v. that is he putteth vs in remenbraunce of oure dutie that we be to y e pore as Christ is to vs also he teacheth vs how that we can neuer knowe wether our loue be ryght and whether it springe of Christe or no as longe as we are but kinde to theÌ„ only whiche do as much for vs a gayne But and wee be mercifull to the â—ore
for conscieÌ„ce to God and of compassion and hertie loue whiche compassion and loue springe of the loue wee haue to God in Christ for the pure mercye and loue that he hath showed on vs then haue wee a sure token that wee are be loued of God and washed in Christes bloud and electe by Christes deseruing vnto eternall lyfe The scripture speaketh as a father doeth to his younge sonne do this or that and then wil I loue the yet the father loueth his sonne fyrst and studieth with all hys power and witte to ouercome hys childe with loue and with kindnes to make him do that which is comly honeste and good for it selfe A kynde father and mother loue ther chylder euen wheÌ„ they are euyl that they would shede there owne bloude to make theÌ„ better and to brynge them in to the ryght waye And a naturall chylde studieth not to obtayne hys fathers loue with workes but considereth with what loue his father loueth hym wyth all and therfor loueth agayne is glade to do hys fathers wil. And stuâ—ith to be thankâ—ull The spirite of the worlde vnderstandeth not the speaking of God nether the spirite of the wyse of this worlde nether the spirite of Philosophers nether y e spi rite of Socrates of Plato or of Aristoles Ethikes as thou maist se in the fyrste and seconde Chapter of the fyrste to the Corint Thoughe that many are not ashamed to rayle and blaspheme saynge how shoulde he vnderstande the scripture seynge he is no phylosopher nether hath sene hys metaphisike More ouer they blaspheme sayenge howe can he be a deuine and wotteth not what is subiec tum in theologia Neuer y e lesse as a man wyth out the spirite of Aristotell or philosophie maye by the spirite of God vnderstand scripture Euen so by the spirit of God vnderstandeth he that God is to be sought in all the scripture and in all thinges and yet wotteth not what meaneth Subiectum in theologia because it is a terme of ther own makinge If thou shouldest saie to him that hath the spirite of God the loue of God is the kepinge of the commaundementes and to loue a mans neyboure â–ª is to showe mercye be woulde with out arguinge or disputinge vnderstaÌ„de how that of the loue of God springeth the kepinge of his commaunde mentes and of the loue to thy neyboure springeth mercie Nowe woulde Aristotell denye suche spakynge and a Duns man would make xx distinctioÌ„s If thou shouldest say as sayeth saynte Iohn in the fourth of his epistle how can he that loueth not his neyboure whome he seeth loue God whom he seeth not Aristotell wolde saye lo a man must fyrst loue hys neyboure and then God and out of the loue to thy neyboure sprinketh the loue to God But he that fealeth the working of the spirite of God also from what vengeaunce the bloude of Christe hath delyuerid hym vnderstandeth how that it is impossible to loue othere fathere or mother syster brother neyboure or his owne selfe a rygh except it springe out of the loue to God and perceyuethe that the loue to a mans neyboure is a signe of the loue to God as good frute declareth a good tre and that the loue to a mans neyboure accoÌ„panieth and foloweth the loue of God as heate accompaneth and foloweth fire Lyke wise when the scripture sayeth Christ shall rewarde euery man at the resurrection or vprising againe accordinge to his deades the scripture of Aristoles Ethikes woulde saye lo with the multitude of good workes mayst thou muste thou obtayne euerlastinge lyfe and also a place in heaueÌ„ hye or lowe acordinge as thou hast many or few good workes and yet wotteth not what a good worke mea neth as Christ speaketh of good workes as he y t saieth not the hert â–ª but out warde thinges only But he that hath gods spirite vnderstaÌ„deth it He fealeth that good workes are no thinge but frutes of loue compassion mercifulnes and of a tender nes of hert which a Christen hath to his neiboure and that loue springeth of that loue whiche he hath to God to his wyll and commaundementes and vnderstandeth also that the loue whiche man hath to God springeth of that infinite loue and botoÌ„lesse mercy which god in Christ shewed fyrst to vs as saieth Iohn in the pistle and Chap. aboue rehersed In this sayeth he appered the loue of God to vs warde bycause that God sent his only begoten sonne in to the worlde that we might lyue thorow hym Here in is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make a grement for oure sinnes In conclusion a ChristeÌ„ man fealeth that that vnspeakeable loue and mercy whiche God hath to vs and that spirite whyche worketh all thynges are wroughte accordinge to the wyll of God and that loue where wy the wee loue God and that loue whiche we haue to oure neybour and that mercy and com passion whiche wee showe on hym and also that eternalll lyfe whiche is layd by in store for vs in Christe are all together the gift of God thorowe Christes purchasinge If the scripture sayde alwaies Christe shall rewarde the accordinge to thy fayth or accordnge to thy hope and truste thou hast in God or accordinge to the loue thou haste to God and thy neyboure so were it true also as thou seyst i. Pe. i. receiuinge the ende or rewarde of youre fayth the health or saluaciou of your soules But the spirituall thinges coulde not be knowen saue by theyr wor kes as a tre can not be knowen but by hir frute How coulde I knowe that I lo ued my neyboure if neuer occasiou were giuen me to showe mercy vnto him how shoulde I knowe that I loued God if I neuer suffered for his sake how shoulde I know that God loued me if ther were no infirmite temptacion perell and Ieopâ—rdye whence God shoulde delyuer me THere is no man that forsaketh house other father or mother â–ª other brethern or sisterne or wife or childerne for the kingdome of haueÌ„s sake which shal not receyue much more in this worlde and in the worlde to come euerlastinge lyfe Luc. xviii Here seest thou that a Christen man in all hys workes hath respecte to nothinge but vnto the glorye of God only and to the maynteinynge of the trueth of God and doth and leaueth vndone all thinges of loue to y e glorie and honor of God only as Christ teacheth in the pater noster More ouer when he sayeth he shall receiue much more in this world of a truth yea he hath receiued muche more al redi For excepte he had felte the infinite mercy goodnes loue and kyndnes of God and the feloweshyppe of the bloude of Christe and the comfort of the spirite of Christ in hys herte he coulde neuer haue forsaken any thinge for Gods sake Not withstaÌ„dinge as sayth Marke in the. x. Chapter Who soeuer
for Christes sake and y e Gospels forsaketh house brethern or systers etc. He shall receyue an huÌ„drede folde houses bretherne etc That is spiritually For Christ shalbe all thinges vn to the. The angels all Christen and who so euer doth the will of the father shalbe father mother syster and brother vnto the and all theirs shal be thyne And God shall take the cure of the and minister all thinges vnto the â–ª as longe as thou â—ekyft but his honour only More ouer if thou were Lorde ouer all the world yea of ten worldes before thou knewiste God yet was not thine appetite quenched thou thurstedeste for more But if thou seke his honoure only then shall he slake thy thurste and thou shalt haue all that thou desyrest and shal be conâ—eÌ„te if thou dwel amonge infydeles and amonge the moste eruelest nacion of the worlde yet shall he be a father vnto the and shal defende the as he dyd Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all sayntes whos lyues thou readest in the scripture For all that are past and gone before are but ensamples to streÌ„gth oure fayth truste in the worde of God It is the same God and hath sworne to vs all that he sware vnto them and is as true as euer he was and therfore can not but fulfyll hys promyses to vs as well as he dyd to them if we beleue as thi did The hour shal come when al they that are in the garues shall heare hys voyce that is to saye Christes voyce and shall come forth they that haue done good in to the resurcection of lyfe and they that haue done euill in to the resurrection of damnacion Jhon v. Thys al lyke textes declare what foloweth good workes that our dedes shal testifie wyth vs or agaynste vs at that daye and putteth vs in remembrauÌ„ce to be diligente and ferueÌ„te in doinge good Here by mayste thou not vnderstande that we obtayne the fauour of God and the enheritaunce of life thorowe the meri tes of good workes as hirelinges theyr wages For then shouldest thou robbe Christ of whose fulnes we haue receiued fauoure for fauoure as affirmeth also Paule Ephe. i. he loued vs in his beloued by whome we haue sayeth Paule redeÌ„cion thorowe his bloude and forgeuenes of sinnes The forgeuenes of sinnes then is oure redemcion in Christe â–ª and not the rewarde of workes In whom sayth he in the same place he chose vs before the makynge of the worlde that is longe before we dyd good workes Thorow fayth in Christ are we Also the sonnes of God as thou readest Jo. i. in that they beleued on his name he gaue theÌ„ powere to be the soÌ„nes of God God with al his fulnes and ryches dwel leth in Christ and out of Christ must we feach all thinges Thou readest also Jo. iii. he that beleueth on the soÌ„ne hath eternall lyfe And he that beleueth not shal se no lyfe but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Here seeste thou y t the wrath and vengeaunce of God possesseth euery man tyll fayth come Faith and truste in Christe expelleth the wrath of God and bringeth fauoure the spirite power to do good and the euerlasting lyfe Moreouer vntyll Christe haue geuen the light thou knowest not where in standeth the goodnes of thy workes and tyl his spirit hath loosed thyne herte thou canste not coÌ„sente vnto good workes All that is good in vs both wyl and workes cometh of the fauoure of God thorow Christ to whom be the laude and thankes Amen IF any man wyll do hys wyll he meaneth the wyll of the doctryne whether it be of God or whether I speak of myselfe Jo. vii This text meaneth not y t any man of his owne strength power and fre wil as they call it can do the wyl of God before he hath receyued y e spirite and strength of Christ thorow faith But here is ment y t which is spoken in the third of Jhon when Nicodemus maruayled howe it were possyble that a man shoulde be borne agayne Christ answered that which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe that whyche is borne of the spirite is spirite as who shoulde saye he that hath y e spirite thorow faith and is borne agayne and made a new in Christ vnderstandeth the thynges of the spirite and what he that is spiritual mea neth But he that is fleshe and as Paule sayeth i. Cor. ii a natural man and led of his blynde reason onely can neuer asceÌ„de to the capacite of the spirite And he geueth and ensample sayenge The wynd bloweth where he listeth and thou herest his voyce and wottest not whence he coÌ„eth nor whyder he wyll So is euery maÌ„ that is borne of the spirite he that speaketh of y e spirite can neuer be vnderstaÌ„de of the naturall man whiche is but fleshe and sauereth no more then thinges of the fleshe So here meaneth Christ if any maÌ„ haue the spirite and consenteth vnto the wyll of God the same at ones wotteth what I meane IF ye vnderstande thes thynges happie are ye if ye do them John xiii A christen mans herte is with the wil of God wyth the law and commaundementes of God and hoÌ„greth and thursteth after strength to fulfyl theÌ„ and morneth daye and nyght desyringe God accordinge to hys promyses for to geue him power to fulfyl the wil of God with loue luste then testifieth his deade that he is blessed that the spirite whiche blesseth vs in Christ is in hym and ministreth such strength The outwarde dede testifieth what is with in vs as thou rea dest John v. The deades whiche I do testifyeth of me sayth Christ. And John xiii hereby shal al men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other And John xiiii he that hath my commaundemeÌ„tes and keapeth theÌ„ the same it is that loueth me And agayne he that loueth me kepeth my coÌ„maundementes and he that loueth me not kepeth not my commauÌ„dementes the outwarde deade testifiynge of the inwarde herte And John xv Yf ye shal kepe my coÌ„maundementes ye shal coÌ„tinue in my loue as I kepe my fathers commaundemente â–ª and continue in hys loue That is as ye se the loue y t I haue to my father in that I kepe his commauÌ„ dementes so shall ye se the loue that yee haue to me in that ye kepe my commaundementes Thou mayst not thinke that oure deades blesse vs fyrst and that wee preuent God and his grace in Christe as thought we in oure naturall gyftes and beinge as we were borne in Adam loked on the lawe of God and of oure owne streÌ„gth fulfylled it so became ryghtuos theÌ„ with that rightuousnes obtained y e fauour of God As philosophers writ of rightuousnes as the rytuousnes of teÌ„poral law is wher y e lawe is satisfied w t y e ypocrisie of the outward dede For con trary to y e readest thou Ye haue not
chosen me but I haue chosen you y t ye go bring furth fruit and that your fruit remayn And in the same Cha. I am a vine ye the braunches wythoute me can ye do nothinge With vs therfore so goeth it In AdaÌ„ are we al as it wer wild crabtres â–ª of which God choseth whoÌ„ he wyll plucketh theim out of Adam planteth them in the gardeÌ„ of his mercy stocketh theÌ„ graffeth the spirit of Christ in them which bryngeth forth the fruit of the wil of God which fruit testifieth that God hath blessed vs in Christ. Note this also y t as long as we lyue we are yet partlye carnal fleshly not withstandyng y t we are in Christ though it be not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake for ther abydeth remaineth in vs yet of the old AdaÌ„ as it wer the stock of the crabtre euer a mong wheÌ„ occasion is gyueÌ„ him shoteth forth his braunches leues bud blosom fruit Against whom we must fyghte subdue him chaunge all hys nature by a lytle w t prayer fasting watchinge with vertuous meditacion holy workes vntyl we be altogether spirit The kingdom of heauen sayth Christe is lyke leauen which a womaÌ„ taketh hideth in .iii. peckes of meale till al be leuened The leuen is the spirit we the meale whiche must be seasoned with the spirite a litle a lytle tyl we be throughout spiritual Whiche shal reward euery man accordinge to his dede y t is accordinge as the dedes are so shal euery mans reward be the dedes declare what we are as the fruit the tree according to the frut shal the tree be pray sed The reward is gyuen of the mercy truth of God by the deseruing merytes of Christ. Wosoeuer repeÌ„teth beleueth the Gospel and putteth his trust in Christ merites y e same is heyre w t Christ of eternal lyfe for assuraunce wher of y e spirit of God is poured into his hert as an ernest which louseth him from the boÌ„ des of sathan giueth him lust streÌ„gth euery day more and more according as he is diligeÌ„t to axe of God for Christes sake And eternall lyfe foloeth good lyuing I suppose sayeth Paule in the same Epistle y t the offlictions of thys worlde are not worthy of the glorye whyche shalbe showed on vs y t is to say that which we here suffer can neuer deserue y e rewarde which ther shalbe giueÌ„ vs. Moreouer if y e â–ª reward shuld depend hang of y e wor kes no maÌ„ shuld be saued Forasmuch as oure beste deades compared to the lawe are damnable synne By y e deades of the lawe is no fleshe iustified as it is writteÌ„ in the third Chap to the Rom. The lawe iustifieth not but vttereth the sinne only and compelleth and dryueth the penitent or repentinge synner to fle vnto the seyn tory of mercy in the bloude of Christe Al so repeÌ„te we neuer so much be we neuer so well willinge vnto the lawe of God yet are we so weake and the snares and occasions so innumerable that wee falle daily and hourely So that we could not but dispere if the rewarde hanged of the worke Whosoeuer ascribeth eternal life vnto the deseruinge merite of workes must falle in one of two inconuenieÌ„ces either must he be a blynde pharise not seinge that the lawe is spiritual and he car nall and loke and reiose in the outwarde shynynge of hys deades despysynge the weake and in respect of theÌ„ Iustify him selfe Or else if he se howe that the lawe is spirituall and he vnable to ascâ—nde vnto that whiche the lawe requirethe he must nedes dispayre Let euery Christen man therfore reioyse in Christ oure hope trust rightuousnes in whom we are lo ued chosen accept vnto the enheritauÌ„ce of eternal lyfe nether presumynge in our perfectnes nether dispering in our weak nes The perfecter a man is the clerer is his syght and seyth a thousande thinges whiche desplease him and also perfectenes that can not be obtayned in this lyfe And therfore desyreth to be with Christ where is no more synne Let him that is weake and can not do y t he woulde fayne do not despeare but turne to hym that is stronge hath promysed to geue strength to all that axe of hym in Christes name and complaine to God and desire hym to fulfyll his promises and to God coÌ„mitte him selfe And he shall of his mercye and trueth strength hym and make him feale â–ª wythe what loue he is beloued for Christes sake thought he be neuer so weake THey are not rightuous before God which heare the lawe but they which do the lawe shalbe iu stified Ro. ii This text is playn ner than that it neadeth to be expounded In this chapiter before Paull proueth that the law natural holpe not the Gentiles For the law of God was writen in the hertes of Gentiles as it appereth by the lawes statutes ordinaunces whych thei made in their cities yet kept they theÌ„ not The great kepe the smale vnder for their owne profit with the violeÌ„ce of the lawe Euery man praiseth the law as faâ— furth as it is profitable and pleasauÌ„t vn to himselfe But when his owne appetites should be refrained then grudgeth he agaynst the lawe Moreouer he proueth that no knowledge holpe y e gentyles For thoughe the larned men as the philosophers came to the knowledge of God bi the creatures of the worlde yet had they no power to worshippe God In thys seconde Chapt. proueth he that the Iewes though they had the lawe written yet it holpe theÌ„ not they coulde not kepe it but were ydolaters and were also murtherers adulters and what so euer the lawe forbade He concludeth therfore that the Iewe is as well damned as the gentyle If hearinge of y e lawe onely myght haue iustified then had the â–ª Iewes ben rightuous But it is required that a man do the lawe if he wyll be rightuous Which because the Iewe did not he is no lesse dam ned theÌ„ the gentyle The publishinge and declarinnge of the lawe doth but vtter a mans synne and gyueth nether strength nor healpe to fulfyll the lawe The lawe killeth thy coÌ„sciens geueth y e no lust to fulfyl the lawe Faith in Christ geueth luste power to do y e lawe Now is it true that he whych doeth y e lawe is rightuous but y t doth no maÌ„ saue he that beleueth putteth hys truste in Christe IF any mans worke that he hath bylde vpon abyde he shall receyue a rewarde i. Corint ii The circuÌ„staunce of the same Chapter that is to wete that whyche goeth before and that whiche foloweth declareth playnly what is mente Paule talketh of lerning doctrine or peachinge He sayeth that he him selfe hath layd the fundacion which is Iesus Christ and that no maÌ„ can laye any other