that yf any maÌ„ne rebuke their vicious lyfe they may answer with saynt Iohn no man ys wyth owte synne But where as saynt Iohn sayeth he that sayeth I know hym kepeth not his commaundements ys a lyar the truth ys not in hym They be so hasty forth now they wyll not take this wyth them that god may worke in them He that sayeth he abideth in chryste owght to walke euen as he walke sayethe S. Iohn Agayn where as saynt paule saieth we hold that a man is iustyfyed by fayht with oute the deades of the law here be they perfyte but when saynt Paule sayeth though I had all the tonges though I could prophecy vnderstand all secretes and al knowlege Yea yf I had al fayth so the I cowld moue snowntaynes out of theyr Places yf I gaue all my goods to fede the poore and though I gaue my body to be burned yet yf I haue no loue I am nothynge sayeth he They make no reconynge of this But what ys this loue loue suffreth long and ys courteous Loue enuyeth not doth not frowardly swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seaketh not her owne so forth Ioyne now Paules wordes and Iohns wordes together for yf we boast of fayth and yet contynew in synne what fayth haue we Rom vi Loke vnto whom ye geue ouer your selues as seruauntes to obey hys seruaÌ„nts ye are whom ye obey sayeth S. Paule whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedyence vnto ryghteousnes They heare S. Peter say thorow fayth god putifieth owr hartes Act xv But thei heare him not how geÌ„tly he desyreth theÌ„ to leaue ther wicked liuiÌ„ge saiyng dearly beloued Ibesech you as strangers and pilgremes abstaine from fleshly lustes which fyght agaynst the soule i Pet iii and se that you haue an honest conuersacion amonge the vnbeleuyng that where as they backe byte you as euel doers they may se your good worckes and prayse god in the day of vysy tatyon ii Pe. iii t etc. for yf after we haue escaped the fylthynes of the worlde thorowe the knowlege of the lord and sauior Iesus christ we be yet tangled a gayne therein and ouercome them is the later end wursse then the begynnyngâ—oh that these men wolde heare Moyses speke and be obedieÌ„t vnto the voyce of the lord spokeÌ„ bi his prophets not take that maketh for ther purpos run hedloÌ„g vp in to the top of the hyll For as many as be so hasty forth beyonde the word of the lord shal be slayne of the enymyes ouercom of synne and drowned in ther owne lustes for lacke of true and faythful shepher des which shulde exhort theÌ„ dayly they shal be so hardened in ther synnes that afterward yf any faythful man com vnto them they wyll not heare him but rather call him Ipocrite because he thretneth with the lawe yet doth S. Paul call the law owre scoimaster which leadeth vs to christ for truly whose conscyenre is not feared fyrst with the lawe and so broute to repentaunce shall neuere be meete to receaue a sure hope of saluaryone by the gosple Take hede therfore there be not in any of you an euel hart of vnbeleu to departe from the lyuynge god And with saynt Poule also I besech you brethren by the mercyfulnes of god that ye make your bodies A sacryfyce holye and acceptable which is youre reasonable seruyng of god And fashy on not youre selues lyke vnto thys world but be renued etc. And with sainte Paule also I beseche you Brethren the hiy e mercyfullnes of God the you make youre bodyes a sacrifice holy and acceptable which is your resonable seruing of god and fashioÌ„ not your selues like vnto thys world but be ye renued etc. And let vs be admonished by the Story of thes rwelf messengers to forsake oure owne wisedome oure owne strength and our owne polecie and inuencions that we may wholy and altogether subdue our selues and beobedient vnto the voice and commaundement of the Lord onely beleuig assuredli that he maketh rich and also poore be maketk sicke health againe he onely killeth reuiueth he only casteth down and exalteth He saueth and coÌ„deÌ„neth wherfore Ido exhorte you brethren beloued in the lorde Iesus Chryste again agaiÌ„ you chefeli the are seÌ„te by the pitite in your conscience to spye oute the lande of canaan for your brethreÌ„ whether it be by preachiÌ„g readinge writinge exhortinge or other wise Declaring vnto the people the heauenly kiÌ„gdom through the Gospel of the lord Iesus Yea the magistrates also and all other officers appointed by the king as well as beinge commaunded by God you also by your fauour and pacience do I exhorte to take exemple by the tenn vnfaithful messingers which feread the multitud of stronge menne that yebrynge not an euel report vpon the laÌ„de that through feare of men we shoulde mistruste the power of God But rather prouoked by the exemple of Iesua and Caleb through a stronge faith doo you acordynge to the commanÌ„dcemente of the lord And then are ye sure that the lorde wil appere in that tabernacle deliuer vs Where as elles we shal be plaged with euerlasting dampnation for our vnbelif But if we be feuÌ„d faithfull Iosues and Calebes the ther is no doubt but our Moyses wil so intreat hys father for vs that these plages shal lyght onely vpn suche vnfaythfull messengers thoro we whose euel reporte we haue byn so longe kepte from this heueÌ„ly doctryne the kyngdom of god euerlasting lyfe Cheifly art they now to be admonyshed that be so hasty forewarde lest they go beyonde the worde of the lorde and in stede of the true lyuely fayth Imagyn them a fayth after their owne mynde whiche shal suffer theÌ„ styll to syn But theirfore I say-where fayth is it wurketh a knowledge of our great infirmytye weaknes it wurketh also an inwarde sorow of the hart for this our synne and wyckednes and it prouoketh vs iÌ„ this for ow to pray vnto the lord to cal ernestly for streÌ„th coÌ„tynually thorow chryst to ouercome these reÌ„ptacions that with teares with asure hope of victo tie yf I haue offeÌ„ded my neybour faith causeth me to satisfe coÌ„tent him because Il oue him as my self yf my neibour be vngodly by no meanes wylbe recoÌ„cyled yet fayth maketh me pray for him hartely as I would he shuld for me yf I were iÌ„ lyke blindnes He thou fealeth not faith iÌ„ hy shart thys wyse wurkyng is blynd deceauech him selfe is styl iÌ„ vnbelefe tak hed therfor brethren that ther be not in any of you an euell hart of vnbelef to depart from the lyuynge god And I beseach the almighty god father of mercy and god of all comfort thorow our sauyour redemer Iesus Chryste that he wyll so lyghten strenghen them the hartes of oure rulers gouernours prophetes and preachers wyth his holi spret owr comforter that they hatyng all vice abomynacioÌ„ specially couetouines may neither feare men nor loue theÌ„ selues but doo that onely which the lord commaundeth with a pure vndefiled conscience And that we for owr partes as true and louynge subiectes may receyue yt at their handes without grudginge mur murynge with lyke fayth and purenes that withe a safe conscience and glad hart we may be alway ready at the commandemente of the lorde to enter the same lande of promyse whyche ys prepared from the beginning for all the true faithfull brethren Dominus mihi Adiutor et c. P N IMPRENTED AT LONDON the Tenthe daye Of MAye Anno dominice incaruationis MDXLViii By william hill remaynyng at the Signe of the hill in Paules Churche Yarde and be there by him to be solde
it a new scole inueÌ„ted by these new felowes as they teyrme coÌ„trary to the mother holi churche now they were coÌ„verted from that popish faith begyn to runne another way eueÌ„ into the mowntaine at the fyrst daish whether Moyses wil or no And they say yf I be predestyned to be saued I shal be saued do I neuer so euel Yf be predestined to be daÌ„ned I shal be daÌ„ned do what I wyl say any maÌ„ what his wyl wherfor let vs be mery and let god worke These meÌ„ onles god of his immite goodnes mercy cal theÌ„ to grace I may thinke wellinough the they be vessels of wrath ordeyned to daÌ„nation eueÌ„ very brut bestes destytute of all grace wisdooÌ„ too And although I wil not say the it is synÌ„e agaynst the holy gost yet surely it is grâ—t blaspheÌ„y with such lightnes or rashnes without discreticÌ„ iudgmeÌ„t huÌ„lblenes of mid to talk of yÌ„ hygh predestiÌ„atyoÌ„ of god but I let theÌ„ passe as thos whoÌ„ al wys meÌ„honest lerned do vtterli abhor But ther by other meÌ„ which cly me not fully so high as thes But how much they differfroÌ„ the other I cane not tell Thes be such sort of men which hold yÌ„ fayth is sufficyent so yÌ„ no wurckes are necessurily required to our iustitycatioÌ„ Iohn vi Truth it is we nedenoworcke of our oune to be iustified or to bemade righteous iÌ„y e sight of god for it is yÌ„ work of god to beleue iÌ„ him whoÌ„ he hath seÌ„t that is Iesus christ by the which faith only we are iustified in the sight of god But is it not necessary trowye that I declare this faithe to my brethrenels why sayth christ eueri good tre bringeth forth good fruies etc. Ma. vii by ther frut ye shal know them Yf you wil say that you declar your faith to your brethreÌ„ by the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of your mouth say ye beleue yet do not yÌ„ workes of belefe christe saieth to yow not al they that say lord lod shal eÌ„ter iÌ„toyÌ„ kingdoÌ„e of heueÌ„ but he yÌ„ doth my fathers wil which is iÌ„ heueÌ„ The lord is no such idle or vaiÌ„ worckmaÌ„ that leteth trees which shal bere no frut for dowtles his good trees shal bryng forth good frute onles they be takeÌ„ vp before soÌ„er spring tim com whiso to reward or recoÌ„penc his maker of his benefites no no. He careth not for our rewardes nor recoÌ„penc but he doth it becaus we shaldo good to his houshold declar to theÌ„ what goodnes I hane reciueed at the lordes haude for ther takes that euery membre might do good one to anothre he askeh nothinge but thankes but al is for owre own coÌ„modyte that we shuld helpe eche other with such loue as he hath showed vnto vs by doing wher we declare our electyone in chryst and make owre callyng sure there is no man that loueth hartely â—but he hath pleasure to do the thiÌ„g that deliteth him whom he loueth that he mought seal his fryndship to contyew contyneu in my loueâ— sayeth chryst yf ye shal kepe my commaundementes ye shal hyde in myloue euen as I haue kepte my fathers emomaundemeÌ„ts and byd in hys loue Here wyl they obiecte and say that forasmuche as saynte Iohn saeth yf we say that we haue no synne we deceaue our selues the truth is not in vs Yt were but pharysaycal pryd to seake to be so vpryght in the law as though we coulde be withowte fault for we shall be synners do what we wyll Rom. iii. And Saynt Paul saeth we holde the a aman is Iustylyed by sayth with cute ehe workes of the lawe And Peter sayth thorow faith doth god puryfy the hartes Whereforyf we haue fayth it is suffye tent Act. xv Yf these men dyd truly vnderstand fayth They shuld know that it is alyuynge thing a myghtre thinge wurckynge by loue Gale v. that faytize dothe saynt Paul mean to the galathyaÌ„s where as he excludethe al thinges saue faith the which faith sayeth he is myghtye in wurckynge by loue As we se how it wroughe in abraham and al the holy fathers For if abrahaÌ„ had not bin obedyeÌ„t to the voyce coÌ„mauÌ„dem eÌ„t of god as we rede of him how shuld it haue beÌ„so much knoweÌ„ vnto vs that his fayth was couÌ„ted vnto for ryghteousnes yf Caleb Iosua had not declared ther faith to the people how could we haue learned by theÌ„ to be faith ful one maÌ„ sercheth the scryptures and fiÌ„deth there thus sayeth the lord And then searche his own polityke wytte and weyeth the matter with his owne reason whether it ve best to do so or no as the lord coÌ„maundeth doth thys maÌ„ wurcke by fayth another lykewyse sercheth the scryptures and fyndeth ther thus sayeth the lord He saieth yf I beleue it is suffycient doth thys man wurck by faith or doth he know what fayth is is fayth suche a common thing that euery maÌ„ may haue it wheÌ„ he wyll or hath euery man fayth that hath redde in the scryptures no uor many which hane great knowlege in the scryptutes for many can teache other the lyberty of the gospel but they theÌ„ selues be the boÌ„d seruauÌ„ts of corruptyon Yet these men imagen that they haue fayth that iustifyeth But fayth is not mans imagynatyon For how can they haue the iustyfyenge fayth ii Theiâ— that conteynew in extortyon and couetousnes iÌ„ wordome and adultery in enuy and wrath excesse and droÌ„ kenesse blasphemy and periury or in wycked superstytyon and Idolatrye with all kynde of abhomynatyon wolde ye haue me thinke thys man to haue the iustyfyinge faythe no no. Ephe. v. For besure that the whoremonger or vncleane person or coueteous person which is a wurshyper of ymages hath no eherytauÌ„ce in the kyngdome of chryste and God Let no mane deceaue yowe with vayne wordes for because of these commethe the wrath of god vpon the chyldedrone of vnleife â—etc All these euill wourkers be the chyldren of vnbelefe Let theÌ„ baost of fayth let them bost of the gospel Yea let them cast owt thes deuilels of other men in the name of Christ yet shal he saye vnto them Ineuer knew you depart from me ye wur kers of iniquite The Iewes boasted them selues to be abrahams chyldren But Chryst sayed vnto them if ye were abrahams chyldreÌ„ ye wolde do the deades of abrahaÌ„ Here vnto pertayneth that of saint Iames where he sayeth Ye se then how that of deades a man ys sustyfyed and not of faythe oneli For althoughe abrahams faythe were knowen Inough unto god why chsercheth the in warde pattes and Iustyfyeth the harte yet cowld not we haue seen hys so greate fayth onles yt had bvn declared by some outward worke which mought assettayn vs alsoof his iustificatioÌ„br faith and although we be iustifiedâ—Ì„ the syght of god byfayth onli which is also the gyft of god yet is it necessari that we
declarour faith to the brethreÌ„ by oure obedyence to the wyll and coÌ„maundements of god and notbâ— the eommaundemeÌ„ts of popes and byshoppes what a greate gyft I haue receaued of the lorde that I mought the rather provoke them to do lykewyse For other wyse we can not beioyned together in one faith For my brothers faith ys vn certayn to me onles Ife the frutes of yt appeare although god know the harte Therefore sayeth saynte Iames shewe me thy faythe by thy deades and I wyll shewe my fayth by my deades And then as the belefe of the harte Iusty fyeth before god So do the workes of faythe Iustyfy before men That ys doth declare oure Iustyfy catyon vntomen Thys ys plain by saynte Iames wordes when he sayeth fayth wtout deides is dead agayn ye se how fayth wrought whis deades so did the dedes spring of faith for faith was the wurkers Thus do we make Paule and Iames agree For wheras saynte Paule exeludeth as ys sayed before all maner of workes euen the vert wurkes of the lawe in iustificatyon that iustificatyon myghte come by the onely fayth in Iesus Chryste euen here doth he declare what fayth he meaneth fayth sayeth he whych by loue ys mighty in operacyon Yf yt be no wurkynge fayth it ys not the fayth that saint Paule speaketh of Gala. v. Take he dether fore brethren that there be not in any of yow an euell harte of vnbelefe to departe from the lynynge god Take hede I saye and be not deceaued for faythe ys not so small a tryfle as men esteme ytt For to saye faythe onely Iustyfyethe ys sone spoken But to knowe the. Wurkynge off yt and howe yt apprehendeth the mercy of god offred vs in Chryste ys a greate matter Forthys fayth that we speake of when we saye fayth onely iustyfyeth ys a lyuely thynge as ys sayed whych wurketh by lone in the holy gost For there ys no synne raynynge in our mortall bodyes but thys fayth assaulteth yt by lytyle lityle dryuethyt a way As wheÌ„ we begynne to wax carefull for the thynges of the world to couett aboundaunce of rytches faythe sayeth Ma. v Be not carefull what he shall eate or what ye shall drynke etc. Care not for tomorowe and so forthe as for aboundaunce howe cane afaythfull man be quyett wythe abowndaunce seynge hys brother in necessite what faith hath the maÌ„ whyche sorowethe nott ate hys neyghbours greiffe howe doth he sorow for his neighbours greif that laboureth for hys owne priuat pro fyte withowte any respecte of hys neyboures neceliâ—teâ— Wher be not these men that seake al to theÌ„ selfe eueÌ„ with the greate losse hurte to the neibours where is fayth which byloue is myghty in operacion yf we be idle seke not one way or other to profyte the coÌ„meu wealth faith sayeth In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy bread and he that laboreth not shal not eate etc. yf I loue my neyboure as my selfe howe can I be idle al day at eueÌ„ eate my brothers supere the he hathe soore laborde for al day It is a token of smal ioue truly But who wyl yet labour and may be Idle or yf they do laboure what labour do a greate numbre of men study how they may get a way al that be longeth to the poore To them self Truly it were better theye were Idle A las where is fay the which by loue ys myghty in operacyon yf we begynne to wax prowde to exalt ourselfe aboue oure bre thren fayth sayeth he that exalteth him self shal be brought lowe Ma. xxiii Luc. xii But who seaketh not to be vppe learne of me sayethe Chryste for I am meake he that wyll be greate Amonge you shal be a seruaunt for the sonne of maÌ„ came not to be serued Mat. x. but to do seruyc Oh where ys this humylyte and humblenes of mind who couetteth not to rule all men and wolde be ruled of none yf god haue geuen rytches possessyons auctory te or any lyke benefyte It is applyed to mayntayne oure pryde to exalte oure selues aboueoure brethren Where ys faith whych by loue ys myâ—hty in operacyon Yf we be tempted wythe Enuye and malicsayeth fayth auenge not youre selues but geue rome to the wrath of god for veÌ„geaÌ„nce is myn and I wyl rewarde sayeth the lord yea who can suffer any iniurye or wronge wyl not be rewenged ye who can suffer him self to be spokeÌ„ vnto al though he haue deserued a great rebuk where ys fayth why ch by loue is mighty iÌ„ operation Yf we desire the compani vnlaufulli of our neybours wyfe or seruaunte faythe sayeth Math. vi who so loketh on awyfe lustynge after her hath commytted advoutrye alredye in hys harte etc Horekepers and advouterers god wyl iudge Yet who ys not weary of his owne wyfe seaketh his neybours Lyke stone horses sayeth Ieremye euery one neyheth after hys neybours wyfe Iere. v. onely estymation refrayneth agreate meny whose wurking are very secrete wher is this rule become do as ye wold be done vnto where ys fayth whych by loue is myghty in operation yf we commit Idolatrie fayth sayeth Thow shalt wurshyppe thy lorde god hym onely shalt thow serue Some peraduenture wold aske me what were Ido latrye or who commytteth Idolatrye I say He that wurshyppe any thynge with out the expresse word of god commytteth Idolatrye No man hath seen god at any tyme. Iohn i. They that wyll wurshyp god must wurshype hym in sprete and truth But who wurshyppeth not visyble spectacles Iohn iiii creatures in stede of they creator And so robbe god of hys honour Some do yt for that they wyll not offend theyr brothers conseyence ye ratheyr because they wyll not be called heretykes that is to say a true beleuer iÌ„ christ And a louer of hys ddctrine As Iohu writeth how mani of the chefe rulers belued on him Iohu xii but because of the Pharyses they wold not be aknowen of it Deut. vi lest they should be excoÌ„munycate for they loued more the praise with meÌ„ then with god So our men wold seme to feare god loue him but the feare loue of meÌ„ appeareth to haue the hyghe place Where ys fayth whyche by loue ys mighty in operatyon It caÌ„not be founde it ys lost When the sonne of maÌ„ commeth thynke ye he shall fynde fayth on the earth The old mumsimus wyl not here the word of the lorde but draw backe the new sustmus be so forewarde eueÌ„ beyond the word of the lord ye they care nomor for the word of the lord theÌ„ wil serue their coueteous luere to fyl ther lustes to serue for their envyous and cruell mynd And to lyue in al abhomynatyons They brynge saynt Iohn for them wher he sayeth yf we say we haue no synne we deceaue our self the truth ys not in vs but why do remeÌ„bre thys so wel verely because