Whole Works — William Tyndale

Whole Works · William Tyndale

The Parable of the wicked Mammon.

THere was a certain Luke. 16.rich man, whiche had a ſteward that was accuſed vntounto hym that hee had waſted his goodes. And called hym, and ſayd vntounto him. How is it that I heare this of thee? Geue accoumptes of thy ſtewardſhyp. For thou mayſt be no longer my ſteward. The ſteward ſayd with in him ſelfe. What ſhall I do? for my maſter will take away frō me my ſtewardſhyp. I can not digge, and to begge, I am aſhamed. I wote what to doe, that when I am put out of my ſtewardſhyp, they may receaue me into theyr houſes.

Then called he all his maſters detters, and ſayd vntounto the firſt, how much oweſt thou vntounto my maſter? And he ſayd, an hūdred tonnes of oyle, and hee ſayd to hym: take thy bill, and ſit downe quickely, and write fiftie. Then ſayd he to an other, what oweſt thou? And he ſayd, an hundred quarters of wheate. He ſayd to hym. Take thy bill, and write foure ſcore. And the Lord commended the vniuſt ſteward, becauſe he had done wiſely. For the children of this world, are in their kynde, wiſer then the children of light. And I ſay alſo vntounto you, make you frendes of the wicked Mammon, that when ye ſhall hauehave neede, they may receaue you into euerlaſtyng habitations. Luke. xvi. Chapter.

For as much as with this, & diuers ſuch other textes, many hauehave inforced to draw the people from the true faith, & from puttyng their truſt in the truth of Gods promiſes, and in the merites and deſeruyng of his Chriſt our Lord, and hauehave alſo brought it to paſſe (for many falſe Prophetes ſhall ariſe and deceaue many, and much wickednes muſt alſo be, ſayth Chriſt Math. xxiiij. Math. 2…And Paul ſayth. ij. Timo. iij. Euell mē and deceauers ſhall preuaile in euill, 2. Timo. 3.while they deceaue, and are deceaued them ſelues) and hauehave taught them to put their truſt in their owne merites, and brought them in belefe, that they ſhalbe iuſtified in the ſight of God, by the goodneſſe of their owne workes, & hauehave corrupt the pure word of God, to confirme their Ariſtotle with all. For though that y^e Philoſophers, & worldly wiſemen were enemyes aboue all enemyes to the Goſpell of God, and though the worldly wiſedome can not comprehend the wiſedome of God, as thou mayſt ſee. i. Corint. j. and. ij. And though worldly righteouſnes can not 1. Cor. 1▪ and. 2.be obedient vntounto the righteouſnes of God. Rom. x, Yet what ſo euer they read in Ariſtotle, y^t muſt be firſt true. Roma. 10▪And to mainteine that, they rent and teare the Scriptures with their diſtinctions, and expounde them violently contrarie to the meanyng of the text, and to the circumſtaunces that go before and after, and to a thouſand cleare and euidente textes. Wherfore I hauehave taken in hand to expounde this Goſpell, & certaine other places of the new Teſtament, and (as far forth as God ſhall lende me grace) to bryng the Scripture vntounto the right ſence, and to digge agayne the welles of Abraham, and to purge & cleanſe thē of the earth of worldly wiſedome, where with theſe Philiſtenes hauehave ſtopped them. Whiche grace graunt me God, for the louelove that he hath vntounto his ſonne Ieſus our Lord, vntounto the glory of his name. Amen.

THat fayth onelyonly before all workes and without all merites, but chriſtes Faith onelyonly iuſtifiethonelyonly, iuſtifieth and ſetteth vsus at peace with God, is proued by Paul in the firſt chapiter to the Roma. I am Roma. 1.not aſhamed (ſayth he) of the Goſpell, that is to ſay, of the glad tidinges and promiſes which God hath made, and ſworne to vsus in Chriſt. For it (that is to ſay the goſpell) is the power of god vntounto ſaluation, to all that beleue. And it followeth in the foreſayd chapiter, y^• iuſt or righteous muſt liue by faith.

For in the fayth which we hauehave in Chriſt, and in Gods promiſes fynde Faith bringeth lyfe.we mercy, lyfe, fauour and peace. In the law we fynde death, damnation, & The law bryngeth death.wrath: moreouer, the curſe and vengeaunce of GOD vponupon vsus. And it (that is to ſay, the lawe) is called of Paule, 2. Corin. 3. the miniſtration of 1. Cor. 3.death and damnation. In the lawe we are proued to be the enemyes of God, and that we hate him. For how can we be at peace with God and louelove hym, ſeing we are conceiued, and borne vnderunder the power of the deuill, and are his poſſeſſion and kingdome, his captiues and bondmen, and ledde at his wyll, & he holdeth our hartes, ſo that it is impoſſible for vsus to conſent to the wil of God, much more is it impoſſible for a man to fulfill the lawe of his owne ſtrength and power, ſeyng that we are by birth and of nature, the heires of eternall damnation. As ſayth Paul Ephe 2. We (ſayth he) are by nature the Ephe. 2.children of wrath. Whiche thyng the lawe doth but vtter onelyonly, and helpeth vsus not, yea requireth impoſſible thynges of vsus. The lawe when it commaūdeth that thou ſhalt not luſt, geueth thee not power ſo to doe, but damneth thee, becauſe thou cauſt not ſo do.

IF thou wilte therefore bee at peace with God, and louelove him, thou muſt turne to the promiſes of God, and to y^t Goſpell, which is called of Paul in the The Goſpell is the miniſtratiō of righteouſnes.place before rehearſed to the Corinthians, the miniſtration of righteouſnes, and of the ſpirite. For fayth bringeth pardō, and forgeuenes freely purchaſed by Chriſtes bloud, and bringeth alſo the ſprite, the ſprite looſeth the bondes of the deuill, and ſetteth vsus at libertie. For where the ſprite of the Lord is, there is libertie ſayth Paule in the ſame place to the Corinthians, that is to ſay, there the harte is free, and hath power to louelove the will of God, & there the hart mourneth that he cannot louelove inough. Now is that conſent of y^t hart vntounto the law of God eternall life, yea, though there bee no power yet in the members to fulfill it. Let eueryevery man therfore (accordyng to Paules councell in the 6. chapter to the Eph.) arme himſelfe with y^t armour of god, that is to vnderſtand, with gods promiſes, & aboue all thing (ſayeth he) take vntounto you the ſhield of fayth, wherewyth ye may be able to quenche all the fierye dartes of the wicked, that ye may be able Reſiſte the deuill with the ſhield of fayth.to reſiſt in the euill day of temptation, and namely at the houre of death.

See therfore thou hauehave Gods promiſes in thyne hart, and that thou beleue them without waueryng: & when temptation ariſeth, and the deuill layeth the law, & thy dedes agaynſt thee, aunſwere him, with the promiſes, and turne to God and confeſſe thy ſelfe to hym, and ſay it is euenſo, or els howe could he be mercifull? but remember that he is the God of mercy, & of truth, and cannot but fulfil his promiſes. Alſo remember that hys ſonnes bloud is ſtronger then all the ſynnes and wickednes of the whole world, and therewith quiet thy ſelf, and therunto commit thy ſelfe, and bleſſe thy ſelfe in all temptation (namely, at the houre of death) with that holy cādle. Or els periſheſt Faith is y^• holy can…de wherewith we muſt bleſſe our ſelues at y^• laſt houre.thou, though thou haſt a thou ſand holy candels about thee, a C. ton of holy water, a ſhipfull of pardones, a clothe ſacke full of Friers coates, and all the ceremonies in the world, and al the good workes, deſeruings and merites of all the men in the worlde, bee they or were they neuer ſo holy, Gods worde onelyonly laſteth for euer, and that which he hath ſworne, doth abide, whē all other thynges periſh. So long as thou findeſt any conſent in thyne hart vntounto the law of God, that it is righteous and good, and alſo diſpleſure that thou canſt not fulfill it, diſpayre not, neither doubt, but that Gods ſpirit is in thee, and that thou art choſen for Chriſtes ſake, to the inheritaunce of eternall lyfe.

And agayne, Rom. 3. We ſuppoſe Roma. 3.that a man is iuſtified through fayth, without the deedes of the lawe. And likewyſe Rom. 4. We ſay y^t ſayth was Roma 4.reckoned to Abraham for righteouſnes. Alſo Romaynes. v. ſeyng that Fayth is accompted to vsus for righteouſnes. Gal. 3.we are iuſtified through fayth, we are at peace with God. Alſo Roma. 10. With the hart doth a man beleue, to be made righteous. Alſo Gal 3. Receiued ye the ſpirite by the deeds of the law, or by hearyng of the fayth? Doth he which miniſtreth the ſprite vntounto you, & worketh miracles among you, do it of the deedes of the law, or by hearyng of faith? Euen as Abraham beleued god, & it was reckoned to hym for righteouſnes. Ʋnderſtand therfore (ſaith he) The children of fayth are the children of Abraham.that the children of fayth are the children of Abraham. For the Scripture ſaw before, that God would iuſtify the heathen or Gentiles by fayth, & ſhewed before glad tidings vntounto Abraham, in thy ſede ſhall all nations be bleſſed. Wherfore they which are of fayth are bleſſed, that is to witte, made righteous with righteous Abraham. For as many as are of the deedes of the law, are vnderunder curſe. For it is written, ſaith he: Curſed is eueryevery man that continueth not in all thinges, which are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them.

Item Gala. ij. where he reſiſted Peter in the face he ſayth. We whiche are Gal. 2.Iewes by nation, and not ſinners of the Gentiles, know that a man is not iuſtified by the deedes of the law, but by the fayth of Ieſus Chriſt, and hauehave therfore beleued on Ieſus Chriſt, that we might be iuſtified by the fayth of Chriſt, and not by the deedes of the law: for by the deedes of the law ſhall no fleſh be iuſtified. Item in the ſame place he ſayth, touchyng y^t I now liue, I lyue in y^e fayth of the ſonne of God, Fayth only iuſtifieth vsus.which loued me, and gaue him ſelfe for me, I deſpiſe not the grace of GOD. For if righteouſnes come by y^e law, thē is Chriſt dead in vayne. And of ſuch like enſamples are all the Epiſtles of Paul full. Marke how Paule laboreth with him ſelfe to expreſſe the excedyng miſteryes of fayth, in the epiſtle to the Epheſians, and in the Epiſtle to the Colloſſians. Of theſe and many ſuch like textes, are we ſure that the forgiuenes of ſinnes, and iuſtifying is appropriate vntounto faith onelyonly without the addyng to of workes.

Take for the alſo the ſimilitude that Chriſt maketh Math. vij. A good tree Math. 7.bringeth forth good frute. And a bad tree bringeth forth bad frute. There ſeeſt thou, that the frute maketh not the tree good, but the tree the frute, & that the tree muſt afore hand be good, or be made good: yer it can bryng forth good frute. As he alſo ſayth Math. xij. either Mat. …2.make the tre good, and his frute good alſo, either make the tree bad, and hys frute bad alſo. How can ye ſpeake wel while ye your ſelues are euil: So likewiſe is this true, and nothyng more true, that a mā before all good workes muſt firſt be good, and that it is impoſſible that workes ſhould make hym good, if he were not good before, yet he did good workes. For this is Chriſtes principle & (as we ſay) a generall rule. A principle taught by Chriſt.How can ye ſpeake well, while ye are euill? ſo likewiſe how can ye do good, while ye are euill.

This is therfore a playne, and a ſure concluſion not to bee doubted of, that there muſt be firſt in the hart of a man, before he do any good worke, a greater and a preciouſer thyng then all the good workes in the world to reconcile him to God, to bryng the louelove and fauour of God to him, to make him louelove God agayne, to make him righteous, and good in the ſight of God, to do a way his ſinne, to deliuer him, and loſe him, out of that captiuitie where in he was conceaued and borne, in whiche he could neither louelove God, neither the will of God. Or els how can he worke any good woorke that ſhould pleaſe God, if there were not ſome ſupernaturall goodnes in him giuen of GOD freely, where of the good worke muſt ſpryng? euen as a ſicke man muſt firſt be healed or made whole, yer he can do the dedes of an whole man, and as the blind man muſt firſt hauehave ſight geuen him, yer he can ſee: and he that hath his feete in fetters, giues, or ſtockes muſt firſt be looſed, or he can go, walke or runne, and euen as they whiche thou readeſt of in the Goſpel, that they were poſſeſſed of the deuils, could not laude God, till the deuils were caſt out.

That precious thing which muſt be in the hart, yer a man can worke any good worke is y^• word of God, which in the Goſpell preacheth, profereth & Fayth beyng ioyned with the worde of God, bringeth forth good fruit.bryngeth vntounto all that repent, and beleue, the fauour of God in Chriſt. Who ſoeuer heareth the word, and beleueth it, the ſame is thereby righteous, and thereby is geuen hym the ſpirite of God, which leadeth him vntounto all that is the will of God, and is looſed from the captiuitie and bondage of the deuill, and his hart is free to louelove God, and hath luſt to do the will of GOD. Therfore it is called the word of lyfe, the word of grace, the word of health, the word of redemption, the word of forgiuenes, and the word of peace, he that heareth it not, or beleueth it not, cā by no meanes be made righteous before God. This confirmeth Peter in the xv. of the Actes, ſeyng that GOD Acts. 15.through fayth doth purifie the hartes. For of what nature ſo euer the word of God is, of the ſame nature muſt the hartes be, whiche beleue thereon and cleaue thereunto. Now is the word liuyng, pure, righteous and true, & euen ſo maketh it the hartes of them that beleue theron.

IF it be ſayd that Paul (when he ſaith in the iij. to the Romaines, no fleſhe ſhalbe, or can be iuſtified by the deedes of the law) meaneth it of the ceremonies or ſacrifices, it is an vntrue ſaying. For it foloweth immediatly, by the law commeth the knowledge of ſinne. Now are they not the ceremonies that vtter ſinne, but the law of cō maundementes. In the iiij. (he ſayth) the law cauſeth wrath whiche can not bee vnderſtand of the ceremonies, for they were geuen to reconcile the people to God agayne after they had ſinned. If as they ſay the ceremonies The law cannot iuſtify vsus.which were geuen to purge ſinne and to reconcile, iuſtifie not, neither bleſſe, but temporally onelyonly, much more the law of commaundementes iuſtifieth not. For that whiche proueth a man ſick, health him not, neither doth the cauſe of wrath bring to fauour, neither can that whiche damneth ſaue a man. When the mother commaundeth her childe, but euen to rocke the cradle, it grudgeth, the commaundement doth but vtter the poyſon that lay hid, and ſetteth him at bate with hys mother, and maketh hym beleue ſhee loueth him not.

Theſe commaundements alſo (thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not luſt deſire or wiſhe after thy neighbours wife, ſeruaunt, mayde oxe or aſſe, or what ſoeuer pertaineth vntounto thy neyghbour) geue me not power ſo to doe, but vtter the poyſon that is in me and damne me, becauſe I can not ſo do, and proue that God is wrath with me, ſeing that his wil, and mine are ſo contrary. Therefore ſayth Paul. Gal. iij. If there had ben geuen Gal. 3.ſuch a law that could hauehave geuen lyfe, then no doubt righteouſnes had come by the law, but the Scripture concluded all vnderunder ſinne (ſayth he) that the promiſe might bee geuen vntounto them that beleue through the fayth that is in Ieſus Chriſt.

The promiſes when they are beleued) Fayth in chriſtes promiſes doth iuſtify vsus.are they that iuſtifie, for they bring the ſpirite whiche looſeth the hart, giueth luſt to the law, and certifieth vsus of y^t good will of God vntounto vsus ward. If we ſubmit our ſelues vntounto God, & deſire him to heale vsus, he wil do it, and will in the meane tyme (becauſe of the conſent of y^• hart vntounto y^• law) count vsus for full whole, & wil no more hate vsus, but pitie vsus, cheriſh vsus, be tender harted to vsus, & louelove vsus as he doth Chriſt him ſelfe. Chriſt is our redemer, Sauiour, peace, attonement, and ſatiſfactiō, and hath made amendes or ſatiſfaction to Godward for all the ſinne whiche they that repēt (conſentyng to the law and beleuyng the promiſes) do, hauehave done, or ſhal do. So that if through Chriſt is the ſtorehouſe of mercy for vsus.fragilitie we fall a thouſand tymes in a day, yet if we do repent agayne, we hauehave alway mercy layd vp for vsus in ſtore in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.

WHat ſhall we ſay then to thoſe Scriptures whiche go ſo ſore vpō good workes? As we read Math. xxv. I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meate. &c. And ſuch like. Whiche all ſound as though we ſhould be iuſtified, and accepted vntounto the fauour of God in Chriſt through good workes. To this I aunſwere. Many there are which whē they heare or read of fayth, at once they cōſent therunto, and hauehave a certaine imagination or opinion of fayth, as when a man telleth a ſtory or a thyng done in a ſtraunge lande, that pertayneth not to thē at all. Which yet they heleue, and tell as a true thyng. And this imagination or opinion they The definition of true fayth.call faith. They thinke no further then that fayth is a thyng which ſtandeth in their own power to hauehave, as do other naturall workes whiche men worke: but they feele no maner workyng of the ſpirite, neither the terrible ſentence of the law, the fearefull iudgements of God, the horrible damnation and captiuitie vnderunder Sathan. Therefore as ſoone as they hauehave this opinion, or imaginatiō in there hartes that ſayth, verely this doctrine ſemeth true, I beleue it is euē ſo. Then they thinke that the right fayth is there. But afterward when they feele in them ſelues, and alſo ſee in other, that there is none alteration, and that the workes folow not, but that they are altogether euē as before, and abide in their old eſtate: then thinke they y^t faith is not ſufficient, but that it muſt be ſome greater thing then fayth that ſhould iuſtifie a man.

So faule they away from fayth agayne, and crye ſaying, fayth onelyonly iuſtifieth not a man, and maketh him acceptable to GOD. If thou aſke them wherfore. They aūſwere, ſee how many there are that beleue, and yet do no more then they did before. Theſe are they whiche Iudas in his Epiſtle calleth dreamers, which deceaue themſelues with their owne fantaſies. For Faith that bringeth not forth fruite, is but a dreame.what other thing is their imagination which they call fayth, then a dreamyng of the fayth, and an opinion of their owne imagination wrought without the grace of God? Theſe muſt nedes be worſe at the latter end thē at the begynnyng. Theſe are the old veſſels, that rent, when new wyne is poured into them. Math. ix. that is, they heare Mat. 9.Gods word, but hold it not, and therfore waxe worſe, then they were before. But the right fayth ſpryngeth not of mans fantaſie, neither is it in any mās power to obtaine it, but is all together Faith is the gift of God.the pure gift of God poured into vsus freely, without all maner doyng of vsus, without deſeruing and merites, yea and without ſekyng for of vsus. And is (as ſayth Paul in the ſecond to the Epheſians) euen Gods gift and grace Ephe. 2.purchaſed through Chriſt. Therfore is it mighty in operation, full of vertue and euer working, which alſo renueth a man and begetteth him a freſh, altereth him, chaungeth hym, and turneth him altogether into a new nature and conuerſation: ſo that a man feeleth hys hart all together altered, chaunged, and farre otherwiſe diſpoſed then before, & hath power to louelove that whiche before he could not but hate, and deliteth in that, which before he abhorred, and hateth that, which before he could not but louelove. And it ſetteth the ſoule at libertie, and maketh her free to folow the will of God, and doth to the ſoule euen as health doth vntounto the body, after that a man is pined and waſted away with a long ſokyng diſeaſe: the legges cannot beare hym, he cannot lift vp his handes to helpe hymſelf, his taſte is corrupt, ſuger is bitter in hys mouth, his ſtomacke abhorreth longyng after ſlibberſauſe and ſwaſhe, at which a whole ſtomacke is readye to caſt hys gorge. When helth commeth, ſhe changeth and altereth hym cleane, geueth hym ſtrength in all hys members, luſt & to do of his owne accord, that which before he could not do, neither could ſuffer that any mā exhorted hym to do, and hath now luſt in holeſome thynges, and hys members are free and at libertie, and hauehave power to do of their owne accorde all thinges, which belong to an whole man to do, which afore they had no power to do, but were in captiuitie and bondage. So likewiſe in all thyng doth right fayth to the ſoule.

The ſprite of God accompanieth fayth, & bringeth with her light, wherwith a man beholdeth hymſelfe in the lawe of God, and ſeeth his miſerable bondage and captiuitie, and humbleth The ſpirite of God accompanieth Faith.himſelfe, and abhorreth himſelfe: ſhe bringeth Gods promiſes of all good thinges in Chriſt. God worketh with his worde, and in his worde. And as his worde is preached, fayth rooteth her ſelfe in the hartes of the elect: and as faith entreth and the worde of God is beleued, the power of God looſeth the hart from the captiuitie, and bondage vnderunder ſinne, and knitteth and coupleth him to God, and to the wyll of God: altereth hym, chaungeth hym cleane, faſhioneth, and forgeth hym a new, geueth hym power to louelove, and to doe that whiche before was vnpoſſible for hym eyther to louelove or do, and turneth hym into a new nature: ſo y^t he loueth that which he before hated, and hateth that which he before loued, and is cleane altered, chaunged, and contrary diſpoſed, and is knit and coupled faſt to Gods will, and naturally bringeth forthe good workes, that is to ſay, that which God commaundeth to do, and not thinges of hys owne imagination. And that doth he of hys owne accorde, as a tree bringeth forth fruit of her own accord. And as thou needeſt not to bid a tree to bryng forth fruite, ſo is there no law Fayth of her ſelfe bringeth forth good frutes, that is, good workes.put vntounto hym that beleueth, and is iuſtified through fayth (as ſayth Paul in the firſt Epiſtle to Timothie the fyrſt chapter.) Neither is it nedeful, for the law of god is written & graued in his harte, and his pleaſure is therein. And as without commaundement, but euē of hys owne nature, he eateth, drincketh, ſeeth, heareth, talketh, & goeth, euē ſo of his owne nature, without coaction or compulſion of y^t law, bringeth he forth good workes. And as a whole man when he is a thurſt, tarieth but for drinke, and when he hungreth abideth but for meate, and then drinketh and eateth naturally: euē ſo is y^e faithfull euer a thurſt, & an hungred after the will of God, and tarieth but for occaſion. And whenſoeuer an occaſion is geuen, he worketh naturally the wyll of God. For this bleſſing is geuen to all them that truſt in Chriſtes bloud, that they thruſt and hunger to do gods wyll. He that hath not this fayth, is but an vnprofitable babler of faith and True fayth is not with out good workes.workes, and wotteth neither what he bableth, nor what he meaneth, or wherunto his wordes pertayne. For he feeleth not the power of faith, nor y^e working of the ſpirite in his hart, but enterpreteth the ſcriptures which ſpeake of fayth and workes, after hys owne blynd reaſon & foliſh fantaſies, & not of any feeling that he hath in his hart: as a man rehearſeth a tale of an other mans mouth, and wotteth not whether it be ſo, or no as he ſayth, nor hath any experience of y^t thing it ſelfe. Now doth the ſcripture aſcribe both fayth & True fayth and good workes, are the gift of God, and come not of our ſelues.workes not to vsus, but to God only, to whom they belong onelyonly, and to whō they are appropriate, whoſe gifte they are, and the proper worke of his ſpirit.

Is it not a frowarde and peruerſe blindnes, to teach how a man can do nothing of his owne ſelfe, and yet preſumptuouſly take vpō them the greateſt and hyeſt worke of God, euen to make fayth in themſelues of their own power, and of their owne falſe imagination and thoughtes? Therfore I ſay we muſt diſpayre of our ſelues, & pray God (as chriſtes apoſtles did) to geue vsus fayth, & to encreaſe our fayth. When we hauehave that, we neede no other thing more. For ſhe bringeth the ſpirite with her, and he not onelyonly teacheth vsus all thinges, but worketh them alſo mightely in vsus, and carieth vsus through aduerſitie, perſecution, death and hel, vntounto heauen and euerlaſting lyfe,

MArke diligently therfore ſeing we are come to anſwer. The Scripture (becauſe of ſuch dreames and fayned faythes ſake) vſeth ſuch manner of ſpeakinges of workes, not that a man ſhould therby be made good to Godwarde or iuſtified, but to declare vntounto other, and to take of other the differēce The difference betwene falſe fayth, and right faith.betwene falſe fayned fayth, and ryght fayth. For where right fayth is, there bringeth ſhe forthe good workes, if there followe not good workes, it is (no doubt) but a dreame and an opinion or fained fayth.

Wherfore looke as the fruit maketh not the tree good, but declareth and teſtifieth As the tree is knowen by his fruit …o right fayth is knowen by her fruit.outwardlye that the tree is good (as Chriſt ſayeth) eueryevery tree is knowen by his fruite: euen ſo ſhall ye know the right fayth by her fruite.

Take for an ēnſample Mary that annoynted Chriſtes feete. Luke. 7. Example.When Simō which bad Chriſt to his houſe had condemned her, Chriſte defēded her, and iuſtified her ſaying: Simon, I hauehave a certayne thyng to ſay vntounto thee. And he ſayd maiſter, ſay on. There was a certayne lender whiche had two detters, the one ought v. C. pence, and the other fiftie. When they had nothing to pay, he forgaue bothe. Which of them tell me, will louelove hym moſt? Simon aunſwered and ſayd: I ſuppoſe that he to whome he forgaue moſt. And he ſaid to him, thou haſt truly iudged. And he turned him to y^• womā, and ſayd vntounto Simon, Seeſt thou this womā? I entred into thine houſe and thou gaueſt me no water to my fete, but ſhe hath waſhed my feet with teares, & wypte them with the heares of her head. Thou gaueſt me no kiſſe, but ſhe ſince the tyme I came in, hath The frutes of fayth.not ceaſed to kiſſe my feete. My heade with oyle thou haſte not annoynted. And ſhe hath annointed my feete with coſtly and precious oyntment. Wherfore I ſay vntounto thee, many ſinnes are forgeuen her, for ſhe loueth much. To whom leſſe is forgeuen, the ſame doth louelove leſſe, &c. Hereby ſee we that dedes and works are but outward ſignes of of the inward grace of the bounteous and plenteous mercy of God, frely receyued without all merites of deedes, ye and before all dedes. Chriſt teacheth to know the inwar… fayth and louelove by the outward deedes. Deedes are the fruites of louelove, and louelove is the fruit of fayth. LoueLove and alſo the deedes are great or ſmal, according to the proportion of fayth. Where fayth is mighty & ſtrong, there is louelove feruent and dedes plenteous, and done with excedyng mekenes. Where fayth is weake, there is louelove cold, & the dedes few, & ſeldom beare flowers, & bloſſomes in winter.

Symon beleued and had fayth, yet but weakly, & according to the proportion of his fayth loued coldly, and had dedes therafter: he had Chriſt vntounto a ſimple and a bare feaſt onelyonly, & receaued him not with any great humanitie. But Mary had a ſtrong fayth, and therfore burning louelove, & notable dedes done with excedyng profound, & depe mekenes. On the one ſide ſhe ſaw her A differēce betwene true faith & fained faithſelfe clearely in the law, both in what daunger ſhe was in, & her cruell bondage vnderunder ſinne, her horrible damnation, and alſo the feareful ſentence and iudgement of God vponupon ſinners. On the other ſide ſhe heard the Goſpell of Chriſt preached, and in the promiſes ſhe ſaw with egles eyes the excedyng aboundant mercy of God, that paſſeth all vtteraunce of ſpech, whiche is ſet foorth in Chriſt for all meke ſinners, whiche knowledge their ſinnes. And ſhe beleued the word of God mightyly, and glorified God ouer his mercy and truth, and beyng ouercome and ouerwhelmed with y^t vnſpeakeable, yea and incomprehenſible aboundat riches of the kyndnes of God, did enflame & burne in louelove, yea was ſo ſwolne in louelove, that ſhe could not abide nor hold, but muſt breake out, and was ſo drōke in louelove that ſhe regarded nothyng, but euen to vtter the feruent, and burnyng louelove of her hart onelyonly. She had no reſpect to her ſelfe, though ſhe was neuer ſo great and notable a ſinner, neither to the curious hipocriſie of the Phariſeis, whiche euer diſdaine weake ſinners, neither the coſtlines of her oyntment, but with all humblenes did run vntounto his feete. Waſhed them with the teares of her eyes, and wyped them with the heares of her head, & anoynted them with her precious oyntment, yea, and would no doubt hauehave runne into the groūd vnderunder his feete to hauehave vttered her louelove toward hym, yea would hauehave deſcended downe into hell, if it had bene poſſible. Euen as Paul in the ix. Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Romaines was dronke in louelove, Rome. 9.and ouerwhelmed with the plēteouſnes of the infinite mercy of god (which he had receaued in Chriſte vnſought for) wiſhed hym ſelfe baniſhed from Chriſt and damned, to ſaue y^t Iewes, if it might hauehave ben. For as a man feeleth God in hym ſelfe, ſo is he to hys neighbour.

Marke an other thyng alſo. We for the moſt part becauſe of our groſſenes, in all our knowledge procede frō that whiche is laſt and hi…oſt, vntounto that which is firſt, begynnyng at the latter end, diſputyng and makyng our argumentes backeward. We begyn at the effect and worke, and procede vntounto the naturall cauſe. As for an enſample, we firſt ſee the Moone darke, and then ſearch the cauſe, and find that the puttyng of the earth, betwene the Sunne and the Moone is the naturall cauſe of the darknes, and that the earth ſtoppeth Backeward diſputations.the light. Then diſpute we backeward ſaying: the Moone is darkned, therfore is the earth directly betwene the Sunne and the Moone. Now yet is not the darkenes of the Moone the naturall cauſe that the earth is betwen the Sunne and the Moone, but the effect therof, and cauſe declaratiue, declaryng and leadyng vsus vntounto the knowledge, how that the earth is betwene the Sunne and the Moone directly, & cauſeth the darknes, ſtopping the light of the Sunne from the Moone. And contrarywyſe the beyng of the earth directly betwene the Sunne, and the Moone is the naturall cauſe of y^t darknes. Likewiſe he hath a ſonne, therfore is he a father, and yet the ſoone is not cauſe of the father, but contrarywiſe. Notwithſtandyng y^t ſonne is the cauſe declaratiue, wherby we know that the other is a father. After the ſame maner here, many ſinnes are forgeuen her, for ſhe loueth much, thou mayſt not vnderſtand by the word for, that louelove is the naturall cauſe of the forgeuyng of ſinnes, but declareth it onelyonly, and contrarywiſe the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes is the naturall cauſe of louelove.

The workes declare louelove. And louelove declareth that there is ſome benefite & kindnes ſhewed, or els would there bee no louelove. Why woorketh one, and an other not? Or one more then an other? Becauſe that one loueth and the other not, or that the one loueth more then the other. Why loueth one, & an other The kindnes of God moueth vsus to louelove god.not, or one more thē an other? Becauſe that one feeleth y^• exceding louelove of god in his hart, & an other not, or that one feeleth it more thē an other. Scripture ſpeaketh after y^e moſt groſſeſt maner: Be diligent therfore that thou be not deceaued with curiouſnes. For mē of no ſmall reputation hauehave bene deceaued with their owne ſophiſtry.

Hereby now ſeeſt thou, that there is great difference betwene beyng righteous, and good in a mans ſelfe, & declaryng and vtteryng righteouſnes and goodnes. The fayth onelyonly maketh Fayth onelyonly maketh vsus the ſonnes and heires of God.a man ſafe, good, righteous and the frend of GOD, yea and the ſonne and the heyre of GOD, and of all hys goodnes, & poſſeſſeth vsus with the ſpirite of God. The worke declareth the ſelfe fayth and goodnes. Now vſeth Faith poſſeſſeth the ſpirite of God.the Scripture the common maner of ſpeakyng, and the very ſame that is among the people. As when a father ſayth to his child, go, & belouing, mercyfull Workes declare fayth and Gods goodnes.and good, to ſuch, or ſuch a poore man, he biddeth him not, there with to be made mercifull, kinde and good: but to teſtifie and declare the goodnes that is in him already, with the outward deede: that it may breake out to y^t profite of other, and that other may feele it which hauehave nede therof.

After the ſame maner ſhalt thou enterprete the Scriptures whiche make mention of workes: that God therby wil that we ſhew forth, that goodnes, which we hauehave receaued by fayth, and let it breake forth and come to the profite of other, that the falſe fayth may be knowē, and weded out by the rootes. For God geueth no mā his grace, that he ſhould let it lye ſtil, and do no good Goddes grace is to be exerciſed in vsus.with all: but that he ſhould encreaſe it, and multiplie it with lendyng it to other, and with open declaryng of it with the outward workes, prouoke & draw other to God, As Chriſt ſayth in Mathew the v. Chapter: let your light ſo ſhine in the ſight of men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your father which is in heauen. Or els were it as a treaſure digged in the ground and hid wiſedome, in whiche what profite is there?

Moreouer there with the goodnes, fauour, and giftes of God which are in thee, not onelyonly ſhalbe knowen vntounto other, but alſo vntounto thyne owne ſelfe, and thou ſhalbe ſure that thy fayth is right, and that the true ſpirite of God is in thee, and that thou art called, and choſen of God vntounto eternall lyfe, and looſed frō the bondes of Sathā whoſe captiue thou waſt, as Peter exhorteth in y^t firſt of his ſecond Epiſtle, through good workes to make our callyng and election (wherewith we are called and choſen of God) ſure. For how dare a man preſume to thinke, that his fayth is right, and that Gods fauour is on him, and that Gods ſpirite is in hym when hee feeleth not the workyng of the ſpirite, neither him ſelfe diſpoſed to any godly thyng? Thou canſt neuer Where true fayth is, good workes folow.know or be ſure of thy fayth, but by the workes, if workes folow not, yea and that of louelove, without lokyng after any reward, thou mayſt be ſure that thy fayth is but a dreame, and not right, & euen the ſame that Iames called in his Epiſtle the ſecond Chapter dead faith, and not iuſtifiyng.

Abraham through workes Geneſis. Gene. 2.xxij. was ſure of his fayth to be right, and that the true feare of God was in him, when he had offered his ſonne (as the Scripture ſayth.) Now know I that thou feareſt God, that is to ſay. Now is it opē, and manifeſt that thou feareſt God, in as much as thou haſt not ſpared thy onelyonly ſonne for my ſake.

SO now by this abyde ſure and faſt, that a mā inwardly in the hart and before God is righteous, & good thorough fayth onelyonly before all workes. Notwithſtandyng yet outwardly and openly before the people, ye and before himſelfe, is he righteous through the worke, that is, he knoweth and is ſure through the outward worke that he is a true beleuer, and in the fauour of GOD, and righteous, and good thorough the mercy of GOD: that thou mayſt cal the one an open, and an outward The outward righteouſnes & the inward righteouſnes what they are.righteouſnes, & the other an inward righteouſnes of the hart (ſo yet) that thou vnderſtand by the outward righteouſnes, no other thyng ſaue the frute that foloweth, and a declaryng of the inward iuſtifying and righteouſnes of the hart, and not that it maketh a man righteous before God, but that he muſt be firſt righteous before hym in the hart. Euen as thou mayſt cal the frute of the tree, the outward goodnes of the tree, whiche foloweth and vttereth the inward naturall goodnes of the tree.

This meaneth Iames in hys Epiſtle where he ſayth, fayth without workes is dead, that is, if workes follow not, it is a ſure & an euidēt ſigne, that there is no fayth in the hart, but a dead imagination and dreame, whiche they falſly call fayth.

Of the ſame wiſe is this ſaying of Chriſt to be vnderſtande. Make you Outward workes declare where true fayth is.frendes of the vnrighteous Mammō, that is, ſhew your fayth openly, and what ye are within in the harte, with outward geuing and beſtowyng your goodes on the poore, that ye may obtayn frendes, that is, that the poore on whome thou haſt ſhewed mercy may at the day of iudgement teſtify, & witneſſe of thy good woorkes. That thy fayth and what thou waſte within in thy harte before God, may there appeare by thy fruites openly vntounto all men. For vntounto the right beleuyng ſhal all thinges be comfortable, and vntounto conſolation, at that terrible day. And contrariwyſe vntounto the vnbeleuing, all thing ſhall be vntounto deſperation, and confuſion, and eueryevery man ſhall be iudged openly, and outwardly in the preſence of all men, accordyng to their dedes and workes. So that not without a cauſe thou mayeſt call them thy frendes, which teſtifye at that daye of thee, that thou liuedſt as a true and a right Chriſten man, and folowedſt the ſteppes of Chriſte in ſhewyng mercy, Good workes are witneſſes for vsus before God.as no doubt he doth which feleth God merciful in his hart. And by y^t workes is the fayth knowen, that it was right and perfect. For the outward workes can neuer pleaſe God nor make frend, except they ſpring of fayth. Foraſmuch as Chriſt himſelfe, Math. 6. and 7. diſaloweth Math. vi. & vij.and caſteth away the woorkes of the Phariſes, yea, propheſiyng and workyng of miracles, and caſtyng out of deuils, which we count and eſteeme for very excellent vertues. Yet make they no frendes with their woorkes, whyle their hartes are falſe & vnpure, and their eye double. Now wythout fayth, is no harte true or eye ſingle: ſo that we are compelled to confeſſe that the workes make not a mā righteous or good, but that the hart muſt firſt be righteous & good, ereany good worke proceede thence.

SEcondarily all good workes muſt be done free with a ſingle eye, with out reſpect of any thing, and that no profite be ſought therby.

That commaundeth Chriſt, where he fayth, Mat. 10. freely hauehave ye receyued, Math. 10.freely geue agayne. For looke as Chriſt with all his workes did not deſerue heauē, for that was hys already, but did vsus ſeruice therewith, and neither looked, nor ſought his owne profite, but our profite, and the honour of God the father only. Euen ſo we with all our workes may not ſeke our own profite, neither in this worlde, nor in heauen, but muſt and ought freely to worke, to honoure God withall, and We muſt of duety do good workes without hope of reward.without all maner reſpecte, ſeeke our neighboures profite, and do hym ſeruice. That meaneth Paul Phil. 2. ſaying: Be minded as Chriſt was, which beyng in the ſhape of God, equall vntounto God, and euen very God, layd that a part, that is to ſay, hid it. And tooke on hym the forme and faſhion of a ſeruaunt. That is, as concerning himſelf he had inough, that he was full, & had all plentuouſneſſe of the Godhed, and in all his workes ſought our profite, & became our ſeruaunt.

The cauſe is: foraſmuch as faythe iuſtifieth and putteth away ſinne in the ſight of God, bringeth lyfe, health, and the fauour of God, maketh vsus the heyres of God, poureth the ſpirite of God into our ſoules, and filleth vsus with all godly fulnes in Chriſt, it wer to great a ſhame, rebuke, and wronge vntounto the fayth, ye to chriſtes bloud, if a man would worke any thyng to purchaſe that wherwith fayth hath indued hym already, and God hath geuen hym freely. Euen as Chriſt had done rebuke and ſhame vntounto hymſelfe, if he would hauehave done good workes, and wrought to hauehave bene made thereby Fayth maketh vsus the ſonnes and children of God.Gods ſonne and heyre ouer all, which thing he was alredy. Now doth fayth make vsus the ſonnes or childrē of god. Iohn. 1. he gaue them might or power to be y^t ſonnes of God, in that they beleued on his name. If we be ſonnes, ſo are we alſo heires. Roma. viij. and Gala. iiij. How can or ought we then Roma. 8.to worke, for to purchaſe that inheritaunce Gala. 4.withall, whereof we are heyres already by fayth?

What ſhall we ſay thē to thoſe ſcriptures, whiche ſound as though a man ſhould do good workes, and lyue well for heauens ſake, or eternall reward? As theſe are, make you frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon. And Math. vij. Gather you treaſures together in Math. 7.heauen. Alſo Math. xix. If thou wilt Math. 19.enter into lyfe keepe the commaundementes and ſuch like. This ſay I, that they whiche vnderſtand not, neither feele in their hartes what fayth meaneth, talke and thinke of the reward euen as they do of the worke, neither ſuppoſe they y^t a man ought to worke, but in a reſpect to the reward. For they imagine that it is in the kyngdome of They that ſeeke heau… for theyr workes are ſuch as vnderſtand not the treaſures of Chriſt.Chriſt, as it is in the world among mē, that they muſt deſerue heauen with their good woorkes. Howbeit their thoughtes are but dreames and falſe imaginations. Of theſe men ſpeaketh Malachias Chap. i. who is it among you that ſhutteth a doore for my pleaſure for nought, y^t is, without reſpect of reward? Theſe are ſeruauntes, that ſeke gaynes and vauntage, hyrelinges & day labourers, whiche here on earth receaue their rewardes, as the Phariſeis with their prayers, and faſtynges. Math. v.Math. v.

But on this wiſe goeth it with heauen with euerlaſtyng lyfe and eternall reward, likewiſe as good workes naturally folow fayth (as it is aboue rehearſed) As good workes naturally folow fayth. So eternal life foloweth fayth & good lyuyng.ſo that thou nedeſt not to commaunde a true beleuer to worke, or to compel him with any law, for it is vnpoſſible that he ſhould not worke, he taryeth but for an occaſion, he is euer diſpoſed of him ſelfe, thou nedeſt but to put him in remembraunce, and that to know the falſe fayth from the true. Euen ſo naturally doth eternall lyfe folow faith and good liuing, without ſekyng for, & is impoſſible that it ſhould not come, though no mā thought there on. Yet is it rehearſed in y^• Scripture, alledged and promiſed to know the difference betwene a falſe beleuer, and a true beleuer, and that eueryevery man may know what foloweth good liuyng naturally, and of it ſelfe, without takyng thought for it.

Take a groſſe enſample. Hell that As good workes folow faith: So hell foloweth euil workes.is, euerlaſtyng death is threatned vntounto ſinners, and yet foloweth it ſinne naturally without ſekyng for. For no mā doth euill to be damned therfore, but had rather auoyde it. Yet there the one foloweth the other naturally, & though no man told or warned him of it, yet ſhould the ſinner finde it, and feele it. Neuertheleſſe it is therfore threatned, that men may know what foloweth euill liuyng. Now then as after euill liuyng foloweth his reward vnſought for, euen ſo after good liuing foloweth his reward naturally vnſought for, or vnthought vponupon. Euen as when thou drinkeſt wine, be it good or bad, the taſt foloweth of it ſelfe, thoughe thou therfore drinke it not. Yet teſtifieth the Scripture, and it is true, that we are by inheritaunce heyres of damnation: Of our ſelues we are the veſſels of y^• wrath of God, and the heyres of dānatiō.and that ere we be borne, we are veſſels of the wrath of God, & full of that poyſon whence naturally all ſynnes ſpring: and wherewith we can not but ſinne, which thyng the dedes that folow (whē we behold our ſelues in the glaſſe of the law of God) do declare & vtter, kill our conſciences, & ſhow vsus what we were and wiſt not of it, & certifieth vsus that we are heyres of damnatiō. For if we were of God we ſhould cleaue to God, and luſt after the wil of God. But now our dedes compared to the law, declare y^• contrary, & by our dedes we ſee our ſelues, both what we be, and what our end ſhall be.

So now thou ſeeſt that lyfe eternall and all good thynges are promiſed vntounto fayth and belefe: ſo that he that beleueth on Chriſt, ſhalbe ſafe. Chriſtes To beleue in Chriſt is ſaluatiō.bloud hath purchaſed life for vsus, & hath made vsus the heyres of god: ſo that heauen commeth by Chriſtes bloud. If thou wouldeſt obtaine heauē with the merites and deſeruinges of thine own To ſeeke heauen by good workes were to derogate the dignitie of the bloud of Chriſt.woorkes, ſo dyddeſt thou wrong, yea and ſhamedeſt the bloud of Chriſt, and vntounto thee were Chriſt dead in vayne. Now is the true beleuer heyre of God by Chriſtes deſeruynges, yea and in Chriſt was predeſtinate and ordeined vntounto eternall life, before the world began. And when the Goſpel is preached vntounto vsus, we beleue the mercy of God, and in beleuyng we receaue the ſpirite of God, which is the earneſt of eternal lyfe, and we are in eternal life already, & feele already in our hartes the ſwetnes therof, and are ouercome with the kyndnes of God and Chriſt, and therfore louelove the will of God, and of louelove are ready to woorke freely, and not to obtaine that which is geuen vsus freely, and whereof we are heyres already.

Now when Chriſt ſayth: Make you frendes of vnrighteous Mammon. Gather you treaſure together in heauen and ſuch like. Thou ſeeſt that the meanyng and entent is no other, but that thou ſhouldeſt do good, & ſo will it folow of it ſelfe naturally, without ſekyng & takyng of thought, that thou ſhalt find frendes, and treaſure in heauē, and receaue a reward. So let thyne eye be ſingle, and looke vntounto good lyuyng onelyonly, and take no thought for y^t reward: But be content. For as much as thou knoweſt and art ſure that the reward & all thyng contained in gods promiſes, folow good liuyng naturally: and thy good workes do but teſtifie onelyonly and certifie thee, that the ſpirite of God is in thee, whom thou haſt receaued in earneſt of Gods truth, and that thou art heyre of all the goodnes of God, and that all good thynges are thyne already, purchaſed by Chriſtes All that is good is purchaſed for vsus by Chriſt.bloud, and layd vp in ſtore againſt that day when eueryevery man ſhall receaue according to his dedes, that is, according as his dedes declare and teſtifie, what he is, or was. For they that looke vntounto the reward, are ſlow, falſe, ſuttle and crafty workers, and louelove the reward more thē the worke, yea hate the labour, yea hate God which commaū deth the labour, and are wery both of the commaundement, and alſo of the commaunder, and worke with tediouſnes. But he that worketh of pure louelove without ſeekyng of reward, woorketh truly.

Thirdly, that not the ſaintes, but god Sainte… can …ot helpe vsus in to heauen.onelyonly receiueth vsus into eternall tabernacles, is ſo plaine & euidēt, that it nedeth not to declare, or proue it. How ſhall the ſaintes receaue vsus into heauen, when eueryevery man hath neede for him ſelfe that God onelyonly receiue hym to heauen, and eueryevery man hath ſcace for himſelf: As it appeareth by the fiue wiſe virgins. Math. 25, which would not geue of their oyle vntounto the vnwiſe Math. …5.virgins. And Peter ſayeth in the 4. of his firſt Epiſtle, that the righteous is 1. Pet. 4.with difficultie ſaued. So ſeeſt thou y^• the ſaying of Chriſt, make you frendes and ſo forth, that they may receiue you into euerlaſting tabernacles, pertayneth not vntounto the ſaintes which are in heauen, but is ſpokē of the poore and nedy which are here preſēt with vsus on earth, as though he would ſay. What buildeſt thou, churches, foundeſt Abbeys, chauntries, and colledges in the honor of ſaints, to my Mother, S. Peter, Paule, and ſaintes that be dead, to make of them thy frendes? They nede it not, ye, they are not thy frendes, but theirs which liued then whē they did, of whome they were holpen. Thy frendes are the poore which are nowe in thy tyme, & liue with thee, thy poore neighbours which neede thy help and ſuccour. Them make thy frendes with thy vnrighteous Mammon, that they How …e may make frendes of the wycked Mammon.may teſtify of thy faith, and thou maiſt know and feele that thy fayth is right and not fayned.

VNtoUnto the ſecond, ſuch receauing into euerlaſting habitations, is not to be vnderſtand, that men ſhall do it. For many to whom we ſhew mercy & do good, ſhall not come there, neyther To do good to ſuch as…is …ableſkilleth it, ſo we meekely and louingly do our duetie, ye, it is a ſigne of ſtrong fayth and feruent louelove, if we do wel to the euill, and ſtudye to drawe them to Chriſt in all that lyeth in vsus. But the poore geue vsus an occaſion to exerciſe our fayth, and the dedes make vsus feele our fayth, and certify vsus ānd make vsus ſure that we are ſafe, and are eſcaped and tranſlated from death vntounto lyfe, & that we are deliuered and redemed frō the captiuitie and bondage of Satan, and broughte into the libertie of the ſonnes of God, in that we fele luſt and ſtrength in our hart, to worke the will of god. And at that day ſhal our dedes appeare and comfort our hartes, witnes our faith and truſt, which we now hauehave in Chriſt, which fayth ſhall then keepe vsus from ſhame, as it is written. None that beleueth in him ſhall be aſhamed, Rom. 9. So that good works Rom. 9.helpe our fayth, and make vsus ſure in our conſciences, and make vsus feele the mercy of god. Notwithſtanding heauen, euerlaſting lyfe, ioy eternal, faith, the fauour of God, the ſpirite of God, All our righteouſcommeth …ely from Chriſt.luſt and ſtrength vntounto the wil of God, are geuen vsus freely of the bounteous and plenteous riches of God purchaſed by Chriſt, without our deſeruings, that no man ſhould reioyce, but in the Lord onelyonly.

FOr a further vnderſtanding of this Goſpel, here may be made 3. queſtions. What Mammō is, why it is called vnrighteous, and after what maner Chriſt biddeth vsus counterfet & folow the vniuſt and wicked ſtewarde, which with his lordes dammage prouided for his owne profite and vātage, which thing no doubt is vnrighteous and ſinne.

Firſt, Mammon is an Hebrue word Mammon what it is?& ſignifieth riches or temporal goods, and namely, all ſuperfluitie, and all y^t is aboue neceſſitie, & that which is required vntounto our neceſſary vſes, wherwith a man may helpe an other, without vndoyng or hurtyng himſelfe. For Hamon in the Hebrew ſpeach, ſignifieth a multitude, or abundance, or many. And therehence commeth Mahamon, or Mammon, aboundaunce, or plenteouſnes of goodes or riches.

Secondarily, it is called vnrighteous Mammon, not becauſe it is gottē vnrighteouſly, or with vſurye, for of vnrighteous gotten goods can no mā do good workes, but ought to reſtore them home agayne. As it is ſayd, Eſay Eſay. 61.61. I am a God that hateth offeryng that commeth of robbery. And Pro. 3. Prou. 3.ſayth: Honour the Lord of thine own good. But therfore it is called vnrighteous, becauſe it is in vnrighteous vſe As Paule ſpeaketh vntounto the Epheſ. 5. Ephe. 5.how that the dayes are euill thoughe that god hath made them, and they are a good worke of gods makyng. How be it they are yet called euill, becauſe The dayes are called euil, becauſe euill men vſe them.that euill men vſe them amiſſe, & much ſinne, occaſions of euill, peril of ſoules are wrought in thē. Euē ſo are riches called euill, becauſe that euill men beſtow thē amiſſe, and miſuſe them. For where riches is, there goeth it after the common prouerbe. He that hath money, hath what him liſteth. And they cauſe fighting, ſtealing, laying awaite, lying, flatering, and all vnhappines againſt a mans neighbour. For all men holde on riches part.

But ſingularly before God is it called vnrighteous Mammon, becauſe it is not beſtowed, and miniſtred vntounto our neighbors nede. For if my neighbour neede and I geue him not, neyther depart liberally with him, of that which I hauehave: than withholde I from him vnrighteouſly that which is hys owne. For as much as I am bounden to helpe hym by the lawe of nature, which is, whātſoeuer thou wouldeſt y^• an other did to thee, that doe thou alſo We are bound by the law of nature to helpe our needye neighbour.to hym. And Chriſt. Math. 5. Geue to eueryevery mā that deſireth thee. And Iohn in his firſt Epiſtle, if a man hauehave thys worldes good, & ſee hys brother nede, how is the louelove of God in hym? And this vnrighteouſnes in our Mammō ſee very few men: becauſe it is ſpirituall, and in thoſe goodes whiche are gotten moſt truely and iuſtly, whiche beguile men. For they ſuppoſe they do no man wrong in keepyng them, in that they got them not with ſtealyng, robbing, oppreſſion, and vſury, neither hurt any man now with them.

Thirdly many hauehave buſied thēſelues in ſtudying what, or who, this vnrighteous ſteward is, becauſe y^t Chriſt ſo praiſeth him. But ſhortly and plainly this is the aunſwere. That Chriſt The vnrighteous Stuard, who it is.prayſeth not the vnrighteous ſtuard, neither ſetteth him forth to vsus to coū terfait, becauſe of his vnrighteouſnes, but becauſe of his wiſedome onelyonly, in that he with vnright ſo wiſely prouided for himſelf. As if I would prouoke another to pray, or ſtudy, do ſay. The theeues watch all night to robbe and ſteale: why cāſt not thou watch to pray and to ſtudy? Here prayſe not I the theefe, and murderer for their euill doyng, but for their wiſedome, that they ſo wiſely and diligently wayt on their vnrighteouſnes. Likewiſe whē I ſay, miſſe women tyre thē ſelues with gold and ſilke to pleaſe their louers: what wilt not thou garniſh thy ſoule with fayth to pleaſe Chriſt? here prayſe I not whoredome, but y^• diligence which the whore miſuſeth.

On this wiſe Paule alſo Roma. v. likeneth Adam & Chriſt together, ſaying that Adam was a figure of Chriſt. And yet of Adam hauehave we but pure ſinne, and of Chriſt grace onelyonly, which are out of meaſure contrary. But the ſimilitude or likenes ſtandeth in the originall byrth, and not in the vertue, & vice of the byrth. So that as Adam is father of all ſinne, ſo is Chriſt father of all righteouſnes. And as all ſinners ſpryng of Adam: Euē ſo all righteous Chriſt is the father of all righteouſnes.men and women ſpryng of Chriſt. After the ſame maner is here the vnrighteous ſtuard an enſample vntounto vsus, in his wiſedome and diligence onelyonly, in that he prouided ſo wiſely for him ſelf, that we with righteouſnes ſhould be as diligēt to prouide for our ſoules, as he with vnrighteouſnes prouided for hys body.

Likewiſe mayſt thou ſoyle all other textes which ſound as though it were betwene vsus and GOD, as it is in the world where the reward is more looked vponupon, then the labour: yea, where men hate the labour, and worke falſſy with the body, and not with the hart, and no longer then they are loked vppon, that the labour may appeare outward onelyonly.

WHen Chriſt ſayth Math. v. Bleſſed Math. 5.are ye whē they rayle on you, and perſecute you, and ſay all maner euill ſayinges agaynſt you, and yet lye, and that for my ſake, reioyſe & be glad, for your reward is great in heauen. Thou mayeſt not imagine that our deedes deſerue the ioy and glorie that ſhalbe geuen vntounto vsus. For then (Paul ſaith Rom. xi.) fauour were not fauor, I cā not receaue it of fauour, & of the bounteous of God freely, and by deſeruyng of deedes alſo. But beleue as the Goſpell, glad tydynges & promiſes For Chriſtes bloud ſake, onelyonly through fayth, God is at one with vsus.of God ſay vntounto thee, that for Chriſtes bloudes ſake onelyonly through fayth, God is at one with thee, and thou receaued to mercy, and art become the ſonne of God, and heire annexed with with Chriſt of al the goodnes of God, the earneſt wherof is the ſpirite of god poured into our hartes. Of whiche thynges the deedes are witneſſes, and certifie our conſciences that our fayth is vnfayned, and that the right ſpirite of God is in vsus. For if I patiētly ſuffer aduerſitie and tribulation for conſcience of God onelyonly, that is to ſay, becauſe I know GOD and teſtifie the truth, then am I ſure that God hath choſen me in Chriſt, and for Chriſtes ſake, and hath put in me his ſpirite, as an earneſt of his promiſes, whoſe workyng I feele in myne hart, the deedes bearyng witnes vntounto the ſame. Now is it Chriſtes bloud only that deſerued all the promiſes of God, & that which I ſuffer and do, is partely the curyng, healyng and mortifiyng of my members, and killing of that originall poyſon, wherwith I was conceiued and borne, that I might be altogether like Chriſt, and partly the doyng of my dutie to my neighbour, whoſe debter I am of all that I hauehave receiued of God, to draw him to Chriſt with al ſuffring, with all patience, and euen with ſheading my bloud for him, not as an offering or merite for hys ſinnes, but as an enſample to prouoke hym. Chriſtes Chriſtes bloud onelyonly putteth away all ſinne.bloud onelyonly putteth away all the ſinne that euer was, is or ſhalbe from them that are elect and repent, beleuyng the Goſpell, that is to ſay, gods promiſes in Chriſt.

AGayn in the ſame 5. chapter, louelove your ennemies, bleſſe them that curſe you, doe well to them that hate you, and perſecute you, that ye may be the ſonnes of your father whiche is in heauē. For he maketh his ſunne ſhine vponupon euill, & on good, and ſendeth his rayne vponupon iuſt and vniuſt. Not that our woorkes make vsus the ſonnes of God, but teſtifie onelyonly, and certifie our conſciences, that we are the ſonnes of God, and that God hath choſen vsus, & waſhed vsus in chriſtes bloud, and hath put his ſpirite in vsus. And it foloweth, if ye louelove them that louelove you, what reward hauehave ye? do not the Publicanes euen the ſame? and if ye ſhall hauehave fauour to your frendes onelyonly, what ſinguler thing do ye? doe not the Publicanes euen the ſame? ye ſhalbe perfect therefore, as your father whiche is in heauen is perfect. That is to ſay, if that ye do nothing but that the world doth, and they which hauehave the ſpirite of the world, wherby ſhall ye know that ye are the ſonnes of God, and beloued of God more then the world? But and if ye counterfet, and follow God in well We muſt follow … in …. …o…ng.doyng, then no doubt it is a ſigne that the ſpirite of God is in you, and alſo the fauour of God, which is not in the world, and that ye are inheritoures of all the promiſes of God, and elect vntounto the fellowſhip of the bloud of Chriſt

ALſo Math 6. Take heede to your almes, that ye do i… not in the ſight Math. ….of men, to the euten… that ye would be ſ…ne of them, or els hauehave ye no reward with your father which is in heauen. Neither cauſe a trūpet to be blowen afore thee whē thou dooſt thine almes, We may not do good worken to be prayſed of the world.as the hipocrites do in the ſinagoges, and in the ſtreetes to be glorified of the worlde, but when thou dooſt thine almes, …et not thy lefte hande knowe what thy right hand doth, y^• thy almes may be in ſecret, and thy father which ſeeth in ſecret ſhall reward thee openly. This putteth vsus in remembraunce of our duetie, and ſheweth what followeth good workes, not that works deſerue it, but that the reward is layd vp for vsus in ſtore, and we thereunto elect through Chriſtes bloud, which the workes teſtify. For if we be worldlye minded, and do our works as y^• world doth, how ſhall we know that GOD hath choſen vsus out of the world? But & if we worke freely, without all maner worldly reſpect, to ſhew, mercy, and to do our duetie to our neighbour, and to We muſt … to our neighbour …s God is to vsus.be vntounto him as God is to vsus, then are we ſure y^t the fauour, & mercy of God is vponupon vsus, & that we ſhal enioy all the good promiſes of god through Chriſt, which hath made vsus heyres thereof.

ALſo, in the ſame chapter it followeth. When thou prayeſt, be not as the hipocrites, which louelove to ſtand and … ſeeke to be prayſed of men.pray in the ſinagoges, and in the corners of the ſtreetes, for to bee ſene of men. But when thou prayeſt enter into thy chamber, and ſhut thy dore to, & praye to thy father which is in ſecrete, and thy father whiche ſeeth in ſecrete, ſhal reward thee openly. And likewiſe when we faſt (teacheth Chriſte in the ſame place) that we ſhould behaue our ſelues that it appeare not vntounto men how that we faſt, but vntounto our father which is in ſecret, & our father which ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward vsus openly. Theſe two textes do but declare what followeth good woorkes, for eternall lyfe commeth not by the deſeruyng of workes, but is (ſayth Paul in y^• 6. to y^• Rom.) the gift of God through Ieſus Chriſt. Neither do our workes iuſtify Rom. 6.vsus. For except we were iuſtified by fayth which is our righteouſnes, & had Faith … l… in … vsus and no good …e can be done without Faith.the ſprite of God in vsus to teach vsus, we could do no good worke freely, without reſpect of ſome profit, either in this world, or in the world to come, neither coulde we hauehave ſpirituall ioye in oure hartes in time of affliction, and mortifiyng of the fleſh.

Good workes are called the fruites of the ſpirite, Gal. 5. for the ſprite worketh them in vsus, and ſometyme fruites Good workes are the … of Faith.of righteouſnes, as in the ſecond Epiſtle to the Cor. and 9. chapter, before all workes therfore, we muſt hauehave a righteouſnes within the hart, the mother of all workes, & frō whēce they ſpring. The righteouſnes of the Scribes and Phariſes, & of them that hauehave y^• ſpirite of this world, is y^t glorious ſhew & outward ſhining of workes. But Chriſt … …ſayth to vsus Mar. 5. except your righteouſnes, exceede the righteouſnes of the ſcribes & Phariſes, ye cānot enter into the kingdome of heauen. It is righteouſnes in y^t world, if a mā kyl not. But a Chriſten perceiueth righteouſneſſe if he louelove his enemy, euen when he ſuffreth perſecution and torment of him, and the paines of death, and mourneth more for his aduerſaries blindneſſe, then for his owne payne, and prayeth God to open his eyes and to forgeue hym his ſinnes, as dyd Steuen in the Actes of the Apoſtles the vij. Chapter Act. 7. Luke. 23.and Chriſt Luke xxiij.

A Chriſten conſidereth him ſelfe in the law of GOD, and there putteth of him all maner righteouſnes. For the law ſuffereth no merites, no deſeruynges, no righteouſnes, neither any mā to be iuſtified in the ſight of God. The law is ſpirituall and requireth y^t hart and commaundements to be fulfilled, with ſuch louelove and obedience as was in Chriſt. If any fulfill all that is the will of God, with ſuch louelove and obedience, the ſame may be bold to ſell pardons of his merites, and els not.

A Chriſten therfore (when he beholdeth hym ſelfe in the law) putteth of all maner righteouſnes, deſeruinges and merites, and mekely and vnfaynedly knowledgeth his ſinne & miſerie, his captiuitie and bondage in the fleſh, his treſpaſſe and gilte, and is thereby bleſſed with the poure in ſpirite. Math. v. Chap. Then he morneth in his hart, becauſe he is in ſuch bondage that he can not do the will of God, and is an hungred, and a thyrſt after righteouſnes. For righteouſneſſe (I meane) True righteouſnes ſpringeth out of Chriſtes bloud.which ſpringeth out of chriſtes bloud, for ſtrength to do the wil of God. And turneth him ſelfe to the promiſes of God, & deſireth him for his great mercy and truth, and for the bloud of hys ſonne Chriſt to fulfill his promiſes, & to geue him ſtrēgth. And thus his ſpirit euer prayeth within him. He faſteth True faſting, what it ….alſo not one day for a weke, or a Lent for an whole yeare, but profeſſeth in his hart a perpetuall ſobernes, to tame the fleſh, and to ſubdue the body to the ſpirite, vntil he waxe ſtrong in the ſpirite, and grow ripe into a full righteouſnes, after the fulnes of Chriſt. And becauſe this fulnes happeneth not till the body be ſlayne by death, a Chriſten is euer a ſinner in the law, and therfore faſteth, and prayeth to God in the ſpirite, the world ſeyng it not. Yet in y^• promiſes he is euer righteous, thorough fayth in Chriſt, and is ſure that he is heire of all Gods promiſes, the ſpirite which he hath receaued in earneſt, bearyng him witnes, his hart alſo, and his dedes teſtifying the ſame.

Marke this then. To ſee inwardly that y^t law of God is ſo ſpirituall, that No fleſhe can fulfill the lawe.no fleſh can fulfill it. And then for to morne and ſorrow, and to deſire, yea to hunger and thyrſt after ſtrength to do the wil of God, from the ground of the hart, and (notwithſtandyng all the ſutlety of the deuil, weakenes and feblenes of the fleſh, and wondryng of the world) to cleaue yet to y^t promiſes of God, and to beleue that for Chriſtes bloud ſake, thou art receaued to the inheritaūce of eternall lyfe, is a wonderfull thyng, and a thyng that the world knoweth not of: but who ſoeuer feleth that (though he fall a thouſand tymes in a day) doth yet riſe agayne a thouſand tymes, and is ſure that the mercy of God is vponupon hym.

IF ye forgeue othermen their treſpaſſes, your heauēly father ſhal forgeue you yours. Mat. in the vj. Chap. if I forgeue, God ſhall forgeue me, not for my dedes ſake, but for his promiſes We cannot deſerue forgeuenes of God, but he of hys mercy pardoneth vsus.ſake, for his mercy & truth, and for the bloud of hys ſon Chriſt our Lord. And my forgeuing, certifieth my ſpirite that God ſhal forgeue me, yea y^t he hath forgeuē me already. For if I conſent to y^t will of God in my hart, though thorough infirmitie and weakenes I can not do the will of GOD at all tymes, moreouer though I can not do the wil of God ſo purely, as the law requireth it of me, yet if I ſee my faulte & mekely knowledge my ſinne, wepyng in myne hart, becauſe I cā not do the will of God, and thyrſt after ſtrēgth, I am ſure that y^t ſprite of God is in me, & his fauour vponupon me. For the world luſteth not to do the will of God, neither ſoroweth becauſe he can not, though he ſorrow ſome tyme for feare of y^• paine, that he beleueth ſhall folow. He that hath the ſpirite of this world, can not forgeue without amendes makyng, or a greater vauntage. If I forgeue now how cōmeth it? veryly becauſe I feele the mercy of God in me. For as a man feeleth God to him ſelfe, ſo is he to his neighbour, I know by mine owne experience that all fleſh is in bondage vnderunder ſinne, and cā not but ſinne, therfore am I mercyfull, and deſire God to looſe the bondes of ſinne euen in mine enemy.

GAther not treaſure together in earth. &c. Math. vj. But gather you Mat. ….treaſure in heauen. &c. Let not you… hartes be glued to worldly thynges, ſtudie not to heape treaſure vponupon treaſure, and riches vponupon riches, but ſtudy to beſtow well that whiche is gotten already, and let your abundaunce ſuccour the lacke, and neede of the power which hauehave not. HaueHave an eye to good A true beſtowing of almes.workes, to which if ye hauehave luſt, and alſo power to do them, then are ye ſure that the ſpirite of God is in you, and ye in Chriſt elect to the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes. But looke that thine eye be ſingle and robbe not Chriſt of his honour, aſcribe not that to y^t deſeruyng of thy workes, which is geuen the freely by the merites of his bloud. In Chriſt we are ſonnes. In Chriſt we are heires. In Chriſt god choſe vsus and elected vsus before In Chriſt we are all in all.the begynning of the world, created vsus a new by the word of the Goſpell, and put his ſpirite in vsus, for becauſe we ſhould do good workes. A Chriſtē man worketh becauſe it is the will of his father onelyonly. If we do no good worke, nor be mercyfull, how is our luſt therin? If we hauehave no luſt to do good workes, how is Gods ſpirite in vsus? If the ſpirite of God be not in vsus, how are we his ſonnes? How are we his heyres, & heyres annexed with Chriſt of the eternal life, which is promiſed to all them that beleue in hym? Now do our workes teſtifie and witnes what we are, and what treaſure is layd vp for vsus in heauen, ſo that our We muſt do good workes becauſe it is Gods will that we ſhould do them.eye be ſingle, and looke vponupon the commaundement without reſpect of any thing, ſaue becauſe it is Gods wil, and that God deſireth it of vsus, and Chriſt hath deſerued that we do it.

Math. vij. Not all they that ſay vntounto me Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the kyngdome of heauen, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen. Though thou canſt lande God with thy lippes, and call Chriſt Lord, and canſt bable, and talke of the ſcripture, and knoweſt all the ſtories of the Bible. Yet ſhalt thou thereby neuer know thyne election, or whether thy fayth be right. But & if thou feele luſt in thyne hart to the will of God, and bringeſt forth the frutes therof, then haſt thou confidence and hope, and thy dedes, and alſo the ſpirite whence thy deedes ſpryng certifie thyne hart that thou ſhal enter, yea art already entred into the kyngdome of heauen. For it foloweth, he that heareth the word and doth it, buildeth his houſe vpō a rock, and no tempeſt of temptations can ouerthrow it. For the ſpirite of God is in his hart, and comforteth him, & holdeth him faſt to the rocke of the merites of Chriſtes bloud, in whom he is elect. Nothyng is able to plucke hym out of the handes of God, god is ſtrō ger then all things. And contrarywiſe We muſt heare the word of God and ….he that heareth the word & doth it not, buildeth on the ſande of his own imagination, & eueryevery tempeſt ouerthroweth his buildyng. The cauſe is, he hath, not Gods ſpirite in him, and therfore vnderſtandeth it not a right, neither worketh a right. For no mā knoweth the thyngs of God (ſayeth Paul in the i. Epiſtle to the Corinthians in the ſecond 1. Ce…. 2.Chapter) ſaue the ſpirite of God: as no man knoweth what is in a mā, but a mās ſpirite, which is in him. So then if the ſpirite be not in a man, he worketh not the wil of GOD, neither vnderſtandeth it, though he bable neuer ſo much of the ſcriptures. Neuertheleſſe ſuch a mā may worke after his owne imagination, but Gods wil can he not woorke, he may offer ſacrifice, but to do mercy knoweth he not. It is eaſy to ſay vntounto chriſt, Lord, Lord: but therby ſhalt thou neuer feele or be ſure of the kyngdome of heauen. But and if thou do the will of God, thē art thou ſure that Chriſt is thy Lord in dede, & that thou in him art alſo a Lord, in y^• thou feleſt thy ſelfe looſed, and free frō the bondage of ſinne, and luſty and of power to do the will of God.

Where the ſpirite is, there is feelyng. For y^t ſpirite maketh vsus feele all thinges. Where the ſpirite is not, there is no feelyng, but a vayne opinion or imagination. A Phiſitian ſerueth but Chriſt is our onelyonly Phiſitian to heale … deliuer vsus of our ſins.for ſicke men, and that for ſuch ſicke mē as feele their ſickneſſes, & morne therfore, and long for health. Chriſt lykewiſe ſerueth but for ſinners onelyonly as feele there ſinne, and that for ſuch ſinners, that ſorrow and morne in theyr hartes for health. Health is power or ſtrength to fulfill the law, or to keepe the commaundementes. Now he that longeth for that health, that is to ſay, for to do the law of God, is bleſſed in Chriſt, and hath a promiſe that his luſt ſhalbe fulfilled, & that he ſhalbe made whole. Math. v. bleſſed are they which hunger & thurſt for righteouſnes ſake (that is to fulfill the law) for their luſt ſhalbe fulfilled. This lōgyng and conſent of the hart vntounto the law of God, is the woorkyng of the ſpirite, whiche God hath poured into thine hart, in earneſt that y^• mighteſt be ſure y^• God will fulfil all his promiſes that he hath made thee. It is alſo the ſeale & marke which God putteth on all men that he choſeth vntounto euerlaſtyng life. So long as thou ſeeſt thy ſinne, and morneſt, & conſēteſt to the law, & longeſt (though thou be neuer ſo weake) yet the ſpirite ſhal kepe thee in all temptatiōs, from deſperatiō, and certifie thyne hart, that God for his trouth, ſhall deliuer thee and ſaue thee, yea & by thy good dedes ſhalt thou be ſaued, not whiche thou haſt done, but whiche Chriſt hath done for thee. For Chriſt is thine, and all his dedes are thy dedes. Chriſt is in thee, and thou in him knit together inſeparably. Neither canſt thou be damned, except Chriſt be dāned with thee. Neither can Chriſt be ſaued, except thou be ſaued with him. Moreouer thy hart is Chriſt is our ankerhold to ſaluation.good, right, holy and iuſt. For thy hart is no enemy to the law, but a frend & a louer. The law and thy hart are agreed, and at one, and therfore is God at one with thee. The conſent of the hart vntounto the law, is vnite and peace betwene God and man. For he is not myne enemy, whiche would fayne do me pleaſure, and morneth becauſe he hath not wherewith. Now he that opened thy diſeaſe vntounto thee, and made thee long for health, ſhall as he hath promiſed, heale thee, and he that hath looſed thy hart, ſhall at hys godly layſure, loſe thy members. He that hath not the ſpirite hath no felyng, neither luſteth or longeth after power to fulfil the law, neither abhorreth the pleaſures of ſinne, neither hath any more certainetie of the promiſes of God, thē I hauehave of a tale of Robinhode, or of ſome ieſt that a man telleth me was done at Rome. An other man may lightly make me doubt, or beleue the contrary, ſeyng I hauehave no experience therof my ſelfe. So is it of them that feele not the workyng of the ſpirite, & therfore in tyme of temptatiō the buildynges of their imaginations fall.

MAth. x. He that receaueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, that is, becauſe he is a Prophet, ſhall receaue the reward of a Prophet, & he y^t geueth one of theſe litleones a cup of cold water to drinke, in the name of a Diſciple, ſhall not loſe hys reward. Note this that a Prophet ſignifieth as A Prophet what hee is?well him that enterpreteth y^e hard places of Scripture, as him that propheſieth thyngs to come. Now he that receaueth a Prophet, a iuſt man, or a Diſciple, ſhall hauehave the ſame, or lyke reward, that is to ſay, ſhal hauehave the ſame eternall lyfe, whiche is appointed for thē in Chriſtes bloud, & merites. For except thou were elect to y^t ſame eternall lyfe, & haddeſt the ſame fayth and truſt in God, and the ſame ſpirite, thou couldeſt neuer conſent to their deedes and helpe them. But thy dedes teſtifie what thou art, & certifie thy conſcience that thou art receaued to mercy, and ſanctified in Chriſtes paſſions and ſufferynges, and ſhalt hereafter with all them that folow God, receaue the reward of eternall lyfe.

Of thy wordes y^u ſhalt be iuſtified, & Math. 12.of thy wordes thou ſhalt be condēned. Mat. xij. That is thy wordes as well as other deedes ſhal teſtifie with thee, or agaynſt thee at the day of iudgemēt. Many there are whiche abſtaine from the outward dedes of fornication and The abſteinyng from ſinne outwardly is but hypocriſie.adulterie, neuertheleſſe reioyce to talke therof & laugh, their wordes & laughter teſtifie againſt them, that their hart is vnpure, and they adulterers, & fornicatours in the ſight of GOD. The toung and other ſignes oftymes vtter the malice of the hart, though a mā for many cauſes abſtaine his hand, from the outward dede or act.

IF thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements. Math. xix. Firſt remember that when God commaundeth Math. 19.vsus to do one thyng, he doth it not therfore, becauſe that we of our ſelues are able to do that he cōmaundeth, but that by the law we might ſee, & know our horrible damnation and captiuitie vnderunder ſinne, and therfore ſhould repēt and come to Chriſt, & receaue mercy & the ſpirite of God to looſe vsus, ſtrength vsus, & to make vsus able to do Gods wil which is the law. Now when he ſayth if thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the cō maundementes, is as much to ſay, as To beleue vnfaynedly in Chriſt is to kepe the cōmaundementes.he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life, for except a mā hauehave firſt the ſpirite of lyfe in hym by Chriſtes purchaſyng, it is impoſſible for him to kepe the commaundements, or that his hart ſhould be looſe, or at libertie to luſt after them, for of nature we are enemyes to the law of God.

As touching that Chriſt ſaith afterward if thou wilt be perfect, go and ſell thy ſubſtaūce, and geue it to the poore, he ſayth it not, as who ſhould ſay that there were any greater perfection then to kepe the law of God (for that is all perfection) but to ſhew the other hys blindnes, which ſaw not that the law The law is ſpirituall and requireth the hart.is ſpirituall, and requireth y^t hart. But becauſe he was not knowyng that he had hurt any man with the outward deede, he ſuppoſed that he loued his neighbour as him ſelfe. But when he was bydde to ſhew the deedes of louelove, and geue of hys aboundaunce to them that neded, he departed mournyng. Whiche is an euiēdt tokē that he loued not his neighbour as well as him ſelf. For if he had neede hym ſelfe, it would not hauehave greued hym to hauehave receaued ſuccour of an other man. Moreouer he ſawe not that it was murther & theft, that a man ſhould hauehave aboundaunce of riches lying by hym, and not to ſhew mercy therewith, and kyndly to If the rich helpe not y^• poore in their nede, they are but theues before god.ſuccour hys neighbours neede. God hath geuen one man riches to helpe an other at nede. If thy neighbour nede & thou helpe him not, beyng able, thou withholdeſt his dutie from hym, and art a thefe before God.

That alſo that Chriſt ſaith, how that it is harder for a rich man (who loueth his riches ſo, that he can not find in his hart, liberally and freely to helpe the poore and nedy) to enter into the kingdome of heauen, then a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle, declareth that he was not entred into the kingdome of heauen, that is to ſay, eternall life. But he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life: he hath life, and the ſpirite of life in him.

THis kinde of deuils goeth not out Math. 27.but by prayer & faſting. Math. 27. Not that the deuill is caſt out by merites of faſting or praying. For he ſayth before, that for theyr vnbelefes ſake, they coulde not caſt him out. It is faith Faith caſteth our deuils.no doubte that caſteth out the deuils, and fayth it is that faſteth and prayeth. Fayth hath the promiſes of God, wher unto ſhe cleaueth, and in all thinges thyrſteth the honour of God. She faſteth Faith faſteth.to ſubdue the body vntounto the ſpirit that the prayer be not let, and that the ſpirite may quietly talke with God: ſhe alſo whenſoeuer oportunitie is geuen, Faith prayeth.prayeth God to fulfil his promiſes vntounto his prayſe & glory. And God which is mercifull in promiſing, and true to fullfill them, caſteth out the deuils, and doth all that fayth deſireth, and ſatiſfyeth her thyrſte.

COme ye bleſſed of my Father, inherite the kingdome prepared for you, from the beginning of the worlde: for I was a thirſt, and ye gaue me drincke. &c. Math. xxv. Not that a man with Math. 25.works delerueth eternal life, as a work man or labourer his hyre or wages. Thou readeſt in the text, that the kingdome was prepared for vsus, from the beginning of the worlde. And we are bleſſed & ſanctified. In Chriſtes bloud In Chriſtes bloud we are bleſſed from y^• curſe of the law.are we bleſſed from that bitter curſe, & damnable captiuitie vnderunder ſin, wherein we were borne and conceiued. And Chriſtes ſpirite is poured into vsus, to bring foorth good woorkes, and our workes are the fruites of the ſpirite, & the kingdome is the deſeruing of Chriſtes bloud, and ſo is fayth, and the ſpirite, and good workes alſo. Notwithſtanding the kingdome foloweth good workes, and good workes teſtify that we are heyres thereof, and at the day of iudgement ſhall they teſtify for the elect vntounto theyr comfort and glory, and to the confuſion of the vngodly, vnbeleeuing, and faythleſſe ſinners, which had not truſt in the worde of Gods promiſes, nor luſte to the will of God: but were caryed of the ſpirite of theyr father the deuill vntounto all abhomination, to worke wickednes with all luſt, delectation, and gredienes.

MAny ſinnes are forgeuen her, for ſhe loueth much. Luk. vij. Not Luke. 7.that louelove was cauſe of forgeuenes of ſinnes. But contrariwiſe the forgeuenes of ſinnes cauſed louelove, as it foloweth, to whō leſſe was forgeuen, y^• ſame loueth leſſe. And afore he commended the iudgement of Simon, which aunſwered that he loueth moſt, to whom moſt was forgeuen: and alſo ſayde at the laſt, thy fayth hath ſaued thee, or made thee ſafe, goe in peace. We can not louelove, except we ſee ſome benefite, and kyndenes. As long as we looke on the lawe of God onelyonly, where we The law condēneth.ſee but ſinne and damnation, and the wrath of God vponupon vsus, yea where we were damned afore we were borne, we can not louelove God? No, we can not but hate him as a tyraunt, vnrighteous, vniuſt, and flee from hym as did Caine. But when the Goſpell, that The Goſſpell cōforteth & maketh vsus ſa…e.glad tidinges and ioyfull promiſes are preached, how that in Chriſt God loueth vsus firſt, forgeueth vsus, and hath mercy on vsus, then louelove we againe, and the deedes of our louelove, declare our fayth. This is the maner of ſpeaking, as we ſay. Sommer is nie, for the trees bloſſome. Nowe is the bloſſomyng of the trees not the cauſe y^t ſommer draweth nie, but the drawyng ni… of ſommer is the cauſe of y^e bloſſoms, and the bloſſomes put vsus in remembraunce that ſommer is at hand. So Chriſt here teacheth Simō by the feruentnes of louelove in the outward dedes to ſee a ſtrong faith within, whence ſo great louelove ſpringeth. As y^• maner is to Certaine phraſes of ſpech expounded.ſay, do your charitie, ſhew your charitie, do a deede of charitie, ſhewe your mercy, do a deede of mercy, meanyng thereby, y^t our deedes declare how we louelove our neighbours, & how much we hauehave compaſſion on thē at their neede. Moreouer it is not poſſible to louelove except we ſee a cauſe. Except we ſee in our hartes y^t louelove & kyndnes of God to vsus warde in Chriſt our Lord, it is not poſſible to louelove God aright.

We ſay alſo, he that loueth not my dogge, loueth not me. Nor that a mā ſhould louelove my dogge firſt. But if a man loued me, the louelove wherewith he loueth me, would compell him to louelove my dogge, though the dogge deſerued it not, yea, though the dogge had done him a diſpleaſure, yet if he loued me, the ſame louelove would refrayne hym from reuenging himſelfe, and cauſe him to referre the vengeaunce vntounto me. Such ſpeakinges finde we in ſcripture. Iohn in the fourth of hys firſt epiſtle ſayth: He that ſaith I louelove Iohn. 4.God, and yet bateth his brother, is a lyar. For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he ſeeth, louelove God whom he ſeeth not? This is not ſpoken that a man ſhould firſt louelove hys brother, and then God, but as it foloweth. For this commaundement hauehave we of hym, that he which loueth God, ſhould louelove his brother alſo. To louelove my neighbour is the commaundemēt, which commaundement, he that loueth not, loueth not GOD, The keeping of the commaundemēt, declareth what louelove I hauehave to God. If I loued Where perfect louelove to God is, there are all good workes.God purely, nothing that my neighbour coulde do, were able to make me eyther to hate him, eyther to take vengeaunce on hym my ſelfe, ſeing that God hath cōmaunded me to louelove him, & to remitte all vēgeaunce vntounto hym. Marke now how much I louelove the cō maundement, ſo much I louelove God, how much I louelove God, ſo much beleue I that he is mercifull, kynde, and good, yea, and a father vntounto me, for Chriſtes ſake, how much I beleue that God is mercifull vntounto me, and that he will for Chriſtes ſake fulfill all his promiſes vntounto me: ſo much I ſee my ſinnes, ſo much do my ſins greue me, ſo much do I repent, and ſorrow that I ſinne, ſo much diſpleaſeth me that poyſon that moueth me to ſinne, and ſo greatly deſire I to be healed. So now by the naturall order, firſt I ſee my ſinne, then I repēt and ſorrow, then beleue I Gods promiſes, that he is mercifull vntounto me, and forgeueth me, and will heale me at the laſt: then louelove I, and then I prepare my ſelfe to the commaundement.Luke. 10. What it is to louelove god withall our hart. &c.

THis do, and thou ſhalt liue. Luc. x. that is to ſay, louelove thy Lord God with all thy hart, with all thy ſoule, & with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy mynde, and thy neighbour as thy ſelf. As who ſhould ſay, if thou do this, or though thou canſt not do it, yet if thou …ealeſt luſt thereunto, and thy ſpirite ſigheth, mourneth, and longeth after ſtrength to do it, take a ſigne and euident token thereby, that the ſpirite of life is in thee, and that thou art electe to life euerlaſting by Chriſtes bloude, whoſe gift and purchaſe is thy fayth, and that ſpirite that worketh the will of God in thee, whoſe gift alſo are thy deedes, or rather the deedes of the ſpirite of chriſt, and not thine, and whoſe gift is the reward of eternal life, which foloweth good workes.

It followeth alſo in the ſame place of Luke. When he ſhoulde departe, he plucked out two pence, and gaue them to the hoſt, and ſayde vntounto him, Take the charge or cure of him, and what ſoeuer thou ſpendeſt more, I wil recompēce it thee at my cōming agayne. Remember this is a parable, and a parable may not be expounded worde by The true vnderſtandyng of a parable.worde, but the intent of the ſimilitude muſt be ſought out onelyonly in the whole parable. The intent of the ſimilitude is to ſhew, to whom a man is a neighbour, or who is a mans neighbour, (which is both one) & what is, to louelove a mans neighbour as him ſelfe. The Samaritane holpe him, and ſhewed mercy as long as he was preſent, and when he could be no longer preſent, he left his money behind him: and if that were not ſufficient, he left his credence to make good the reſt, and forſoke him not, as long as y^• other had need. Thē ſayd Chriſt, goe thou and do likewiſe, that is, without difference or reſpectiō of perſons: whoſoeuer needeth thy helpe, him count thy neighbour, & his neighbor be thou, and ſhew mercy on him, as long as he nedeth thy ſuccour: and that is to louelove a mans neighbour as him ſelfe. Neighbour is a word of We muſt euer be ready to helpe our neighbour.louelove, and ſignifieth that a man ſhoulde be euer nigh and at hand, and ready to helpe in tune of neede.

They that will enterpret parables worde by worde fall into ſtraights ofttimes, whence they can not rid themſelues. And preach lyes in ſtead of the truth: as do they whiche enterpret by the ij. pence, the old teſtament, and the new, and by that which is beſtowed, Opera ſupererogationis, (howbeit Superarrogantia, were a meeter terme) that is to ſay, deedes which are more then the law requireth, deeds of perfection and of liberalitie, which a man is not boūd to do, but of his free will. And for them he ſhal hauehave an higher place in heauen, and may geue to other of his merites: or of whiche the pope after his deathe may geue pardons from the paines of purgatorye.

Againſt whiche expoſition I aunſwere: firſt, a greater perfection then the law, is there not. A greater perfection then to louelove God, and his will, which is the commaundementes, with all thine hart, with all thy ſoule, with all thy ſtrength, with all thy minde, is there none. And to louelove a mans neighbour as himſelfe, is like the ſame. It is a wonderfull louelove wherewith a man loueth himſelfe. As glad as I woulde be to receiue pardon of mine owne life, (if I had deſerued death) ſo glad ought I to be, to defend my neighboures life, without reſpect of my life, or of my good. A man ought neither to ſpare his goods, nor yet himſelfe for his brothers ſake, after the enſample of Chriſt 1. Iohn 3.Iohn. 3. Herein (ſayth he) perceiue we louelove, in that he (y^t is to ſay, Chriſt) gaue his life for vsus. We ought therefore to beſtowe our liues for the brethren. Nowe ſayeth Chriſt, Iohn xv. Iohn 15.There is no greater louelove, then that a man beſtow his life for his frend.

Moreouer no man cā fulfil the law. For (Iohn ſayth i. Chapter of the ſaid epiſtle)1. Iohn. 1. if we ſay, we hauehave no ſinne, we deceaue our ſelues, and truth is not in vsus. If we knowledge our ſinnes, he is faithfull and righteous, to forgeue vsus our ſinnes, and to purge vsus from all iniquitie. And in the Pater noſter alſo we ſay, father forgeue vsus our ſins. Now if we be all ſinners, none fulfilleth the lawe. For he that fulfilleth the Workes that the Papiſtes called workes, more then the lawe requireth.lawe, is no ſinner. In the lawe may neither Peter nor Paule, nor any other creature, ſaue Chriſt onelyonly, reioyce. In the bloud of Chriſt, which fulfilled the lawe for vsus, may eueryevery parſon that repenteth, beleueth, loueeth the law, and mourneth for ſtrēgth to fulfill it, reioyce, be he neuer ſo weake a ſinner. The two pence therefore and the credence that he left behynde him, to beſtowe more (if neede were) ſignifieth that he was eueryevery where mercifull, both preſent and abſent, without fayning, cloking, complayning, or excuſing, and forſoke not his neighbour as long as he had nede. Which example I pray God men may followe, and let opera ſupererogationis alone.

MAry hath choſē a good part, which ſhall not be taken from her. Luk. x.Luke 10. She was firſt choſen of God, and called by grace, both to know her ſin, and alſo to heare the worde of fayth, health, and glad tidinges of mercy in Chriſt, and fayth was geuen her to beleue, & the ſpirite of God looſed her hart from the bondage of ſinne. Then conſented ſhe to the will of God againe, and aboue all thinges had delectation to heare the worde, wherein ſhe had obtayned euerlaſting health, and namely, of his owne mouth which had purchaſed ſo great mercy for her, God chuſeth vsus firſt, and loueth vsus firſt, and openeth our eyes to ſee his exceeding aboundaunt louelove to vsus in Chriſt, and then louelove we agayne, and accept his will aboue all thinges, and ſerue him in that office whereunto he hath choſen vsus.

Sell that ye hauehave and geue almes. And make you bagges which waxe not olde, and treaſure which faileth not in heauen. Luke. xij.Luke. 12. This & ſuch like are not ſpoken that we ſhoulde worke as hyrelinges in reſpect of rewarde, and as though we ſhoulde obtayne heauen with merite. For he ſaith a little afore, feare not little flocke, for it is your fathers pleaſure to geue you a kingdome. The kingdome commeth Whatſoeuer we hauehave, we receaue it of the mercy & goodnes of God.then of the good will of almighty God thorough Chriſt. And ſuch thinges are ſpoken partly to put vsus in remembraunce of our dutie to be kynde agayne. As is that ſaying, let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they ſeyng your good workes, may glorifie your father which is in heauē. As who ſhoulde ſay, if God hath geuen you ſo great giftes, ſee ye be not vnthankefull, but beſtow them vntounto his praiſe. Some things are ſpoken to moue vsus, The great diuerſitie & maner of the ſpeaking of the Scriptures.to put our truſt in God, as are theſe. Beholde the Lyllies of the fielde. Beholde the byrdes of the ayre. If your children aſke you bread, will ye proffer them a ſtone? and many ſuch lyke. Some are ſpoken to put vsus in remē braunce to be ſober, to watch, & pray, and to prepare our ſelues agaynſt tēptations, and that we ſhould vnderſtand and know, how that temptations, and occaſion of euill come then moſt, when they are leaſt looked for: leaſt we ſhould be careleſſe, and ſure of our ſelues, negligent, and vnprepared. Some thinges are ſpoken, that we ſhould feare the wonderfull and incōprehenſible iudgementes of God, leſt we ſhould preſume. Some to comfort vsus that we diſpayre not. And for lyke cauſes are all the enſamples of the old Teſtamēt. In concluſion the ſcripture ſpeaketh many thynges as the world ſpeaketh. But they may not be worldly vnderſtand, but ghoſtly and ſpiritually, yea the ſpirite of God onelyonly vnderſtandeth them, and where he is not, there is not the vnderſtandyng of the Scripture. But vnfrutefull diſputyng, and braulyng about wordes.

The ſcripture ſayth, God ſeeth, God heareth, God ſmelleth, God walketh, The ſayinges of the Scriptures may not be groſſely vnderſtād.God is with them, God is not with them, God is angry, God is pleaſed, God ſendeth his ſpirite, God taketh his ſpirite away, and a thouſande ſuch like. And yet is none of them true after the worldlye manner, and as the wordes ſound. Read the ſecond chapter of Paule to the Corinthians: The naturall man vnderſtandeth not the The naturall man vnderſtandeth not the thinges of God.thinges of God, but the ſpirite of God onelyonly, and we (ſayth he) hauehave receaued the ſpirite whiche is of God, to vnderſtand the thynges which are geuen vsus of God. For without the ſpirite it is impoſſible to vnderſtand them. Read alſo the viij. to the Romaines. They Rom. 8.that are led with the ſpirite of God, are the ſonnes of GOD. Now the ſonne knoweth his fathers will, and the ſeruaūt that hath not the ſpirite of Chriſt (ſayth Paule) is none of his. Likewiſe he that hath not the ſpirite of GOD, is none of gods, for it is both one ſpirite, as thou mayſt ſee in the ſame place.

Now he that is of God, heareth the word of God. Iohn. viij. and who is Iohn. 8.of God, but he that hath the ſpirite of God? Furthermore (ſayth he) ye heare it not, becauſe ye are not of God, that is, ye hauehave no luſt in the word of God, for ye vnderſtand it not, & that becauſe his ſpirite is not in you.

For as much then as the Scripture is no thyng els, but that which the ſpirite The ſcripture is nothing els but that which the ſpirit of God hath ſpoken.of GOD hath ſpoken by the Prophetes and Apoſtles, & can not be vnderſtand, but of the ſame ſpirite: Let eueryevery man pray to God, to ſend him his ſpirite to looſe him from his naturall blindnes and ignoraunce, and to geue him vnderſtandyng, and feelyng of the thynges of God, & of the ſpeakyng of the ſpirite of GOD. And marke this proceſſe. Firſt we are damned of nature, ſo cōceaued and borne, as a Serpent is a Serpēt, and a tode a tode, & a ſnake a ſnake by nature. And as thou …eeſt a yoūg child, which hath pleaſure in many thynges wherein is preſent death, as in fire, water and ſo foorth, would ſlea hym ſelfe with a thouſand deathes, if he were not wayted vponupon, and kept therfro. Euen ſo we, if we ſhould liue theſe thouſād yeares could in al that tyme delite in no other thing, nor yet ſeeke any other thyng, but that wherein is death of the ſoule.

Secondarily of the whole multitude of the nature of man, whom God hath elect and choſen, and to whom he hath appointed mercy and grace in Chriſt, to them ſendeth he his ſpirite, whiche openeth their eyes, ſheweth them their miſerie, and bryngeth them vntounto the knowledge of them ſelues, ſo that they hate and abhorre them ſelues, are aſtonyed, and amaſed and at their wittes endes, neither wot what to do, or wher to ſeeke health. Then leſt they ſhould flee from God by deſperation, he comforteth thē agayne with his ſwete promiſes in Chriſt, & certifieth their harts that for Chriſtes ſake, they are receaued By Faith in Chriſt, we are brought to the ſtate of ſaluation.to mercy, and their ſinnes forgeuē, and they elect and made the ſonnes of GOD, and heyres with Chriſt of eternall lyfe: & thus through fayth are they ſet at peace with God.

Now may not we axe why GOD chuſeth one and not an other, eyther think that God is vniuſt to damne vsus afore we do any actual dede, ſeyng that God worketh his owne will with all his creatures.god hath power ouer all hys creatures of right, to do with thē what he lyſt, or to make of eueryevery one of them as he liſteth. Our darknes can not perceaue his light. God wilbe feared, and not hauehave his ſecret iudgementes knowen. Moreouer we by the light of fayth ſee a thouſand thynges, which are impoſſible to an infidell to ſee. So likewiſe no doubt in the light of the cleare viſiō of God, we ſhal ſee things which now God will not hauehave knowen. For pride euer accōpanieth hye knowledge, but grace accompanyeth mekenes. Let vsus therfore giuegive diligence rather to do the will of GOD, then to ſearch his ſecretes whiche are not profitable for vsus to know.

When we are thus reconciled to God, made the frendes of GOD and heyres of eternall lyfe, the ſpirite that GOD hath poured into vsus, teſtifieth that we may not lyue after our olde dedes of ignoraūce. For how is it poſſible, If we beleue in god, we muſt put of the olde man & his works.that we ſhould repēt, and abhorre them, and yet hauehave luſt to liue in them? We are ſure therfore that GOD hath created, and made vsus new in Chriſt, & put his ſpirite in vsus, that we ſhould lyue a new lyfe, whiche is the lyfe of good workes.

That thou mayſt know what are good workes, and the end and entent of good woorkes, or wherfore good woorkes ſerue, marke this that foloweth.

The lyfe of a Chriſten man is inward Good workes what they are, and to what ende they ſerue.betwene hym and God, and properly is the conſent of the ſpirite to the will of God, and to the honor of God. And Gods honour is the finall end of all good workes.

Good workes are all thynges that are done within the lawes of God, in which God is honored, and for which thankes are geuen to God.

Faſtyng is to abſteine from ſurfeting, Faſting, the true vſe thereof.or ouer much eatyng, from dronkennes, and care of the world (as thou mayſt read Luke. xxj.) and the end of faſtyng is to tame the body, that the ſpirite may hauehave a free courſe to God, and may quietly talke with God. For ouer much eatyng and drinkyng, and care of worldly buſines, preſſe downe the ſpirite, choke her & tangle her that ſhe can not lift vp her ſelfe to GOD. Now he that faſteth for any other entent, then to ſubdue the body, that the ſpirite may wayte on God, and freely exerciſe her ſelfe in the things of God: the ſame is blind, & wotteth not what he doth, erreth and ſhoteth at a wrong marke, and his entent and imaginatiō is abhominable in the ſight of GOD. When thou faſteſt from meate, & drinkeſt true faſting, what it is.all day, is that a Chriſten faſt? either to eate at one meale, that were ſufficient for foure? A man at foure tymes may beare that he cā not at ones. Som Superſticious faſting.faſt from meate and drinke, and yet ſo tangle them ſelues in worldly buſines that they can not once thinke on God. Some abſtaine from butter, ſome from egges, ſome frō all maner white meate, ſome this day, ſome that day, ſome in the honor of this Saint, ſome of that, and eueryevery mā for a ſondry purpoſe. Some for the toth ache, ſome for the head ache, for feuers, peſtilence, for ſoden death, for hangyng, drounyng, and to be deliuered from the paynes of hell. Some are ſo mad that the faſt one of the Thurſdayes betwene the two S. Mary dayes in the worſhyp of that Saint whoſe day is halowed, betwene Chriſtemas and Candelmas, and that to be deliuered from the peſtilence. All thoſe mē faſt without cōſcience of god, & without knowledge of y^• true entent of faſtyng, and do no other then honor Saintes, as the Gentiles and heathen worſhyped their Idols, & are drowned in blyndnes, and know not of the Teſtamēt that God hath made to mā ward in Chriſtes bloud. In God hauehave they neither hope nor confidence, neither beleue hys promyſes, neyther know his will, but are yet in captiuitie vnderunder the prince of darkenes.

WAtch is not onelyonly to abſteine frō Superſticious watching.ſleepe, but alſo to be circumſpect and to caſt all perils: as a man ſhould watch a Tower or a Caſtell. We muſt remember that the ſnares of the deuill are infinite and innumerable, and that eueryevery momēt ariſe new temptations, and that in all places mete vsus freſh occaſions. Agaynſt which we muſt prepare True watching.our ſelues, and turne to God, and cōplaine to hym, and make our moue, and deſire hym of his mercy to be our ſhield, our Tower, our Caſtle, and defence from all euill, to put his ſtrength in vsus (for without hym we can doe nought) & aboue all thynges we muſt call to minde what promiſes god hath made, and what he hath ſworne that he will do to vsus for Chriſtes ſake, and with ſtrong fayth cleaue vntounto them, & deſire him of his mercy, and for y^• louelove that he hath to Chriſt, & for his truthes ſake to fulfil his promiſes. If we thus cleane to God with ſtrong fayth, and beleue his wordes: thē (as ſayth Paul. j. Cor. x,) God is faithfull, that he will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue that we are able, or aboue our might, y^• is to ſay, if we cleaue to his promiſes, & not to our owne fantaſies, & imaginatiōs, he will put might and power into vsus, that ſhal be ſtronger then all the temptation, whiche he ſhall ſuffer to be agaynſt vsus.

PRayer is a mournyng, alōgyng & a deſire of the ſpirite to Godward Prayer what it i….for that whiche ſhe lacketh, as a ſicke morneth and ſoroweth in his hart, lō gyng for health. Fayth euer prayeth. For after that by fayth we are reconciled to God, and hauehave receaued mercy, and forgiuenes of God, the ſpirit longeth and thyrſteth for ſtrēgth, to do the will of God, and that God may be honoured, his name halowed, & his pleaſure & will fulfilled. The ſpirite wayteth, and watcheth on the will of God, and euer hath her owne fragilitie, and weakenes before her eyes, and when ſhe ſeeth temptation and perill drawnye, ſhe turneth to God, and to the teſtamēt that God hath made to all that beleue and truſt in Chriſtes bloud, and deſireth God for his mercy, truth, and for the louelove he hath to Chriſt, that he will fulfil his promiſe, that he will ſuccour, helpe, and giuegive vsus ſtrength, and that he will ſanctifie his name in vsus & fulfill his godly will in vsus, and that he wil not looke on our ſinne and iniquitie, but on his mercy, on his truth, and on the louelove that he oweth to his ſonne Chriſt, and for his ſake to keepe vsus frō temptation, that we be not ouercome, and that he deliuer vsus from euill, and what ſoeuer moueth vsus cōtrary to his godly will.

Moreouer of his owne experience, True prayer.he feeleth other mens neede, and no leſſe commendeth to God the infirmities of other, then his owne, knowing that there is no ſtrēgth, no help, no ſuccour, but of God onelyonly. And as mercifull as he feeleth God in his hart to himſelfe warde, ſo mercifull is he to other, and as greatly as he fealeth hys owne miſery, ſo great compaſſion hath he on other. His neighbour is no leſſe care to him, then himſelfe. He feeleth his neighbours grief, no leſſe then his owne. And whēſoeuer he ſeeth occaſion he cānot but pray for his neighbour, as well as for himſelfe: his nature is to ſeeke the honour of God in al men, and to draw (as much as in him is) all men vntounto God. This is the lawe of louelove, which ſpringeth out of Chriſtes bloud, into the hartes of all them that hauehave their truſt in him. No man needeth to bidde a Chriſten man to pray, if he ſee his neighbours neede: if he ſee it not, put him in remembraunce onelyonly, & then he can not but do hys dutie.

Now, as touching we deſire one an other to pray for vsus, that do we to put our neighbour in remēbraunce of his dutie, & not that we truſt in his holines. Our truſt is in God, in Chriſt, True prayer is not without faith & charitie.and in the truth of Gods promiſes, we hauehave alſo a promiſe that when ij. or iij. or moe agree together in any thing according to the will of God, God heareth vsus. Notwithſtanding, as God heareth many, ſo heareth he fewe, and ſo heareth he one, if he pray after the will of God, and deſire the honour of God. He that deſireth mercy, the ſame feeleth his owne miſery, & ſinne, & mourneth in his hart for to be deliuered, that he might honour God, and God for his truth muſt heare him, which ſayeth by the mouth of Chriſt. Mat. v. Bleſſed are they that honger and thyrſt after righteouſnes, for they Math. 5.ſhall be filled. God for his truthes ſake muſt put y^t righteouſnes of Chriſt in hym, and waſhe his vnrighteouſnes away in the bloud of Chriſt. And be the ſinner neuer ſo weake, neuer ſo feeble and frayle, ſinne he neuer ſo oft and ſo greuous, yet ſo long as thys luſt, deſire, and mourning to be deliuered remaineth in him, God ſeeth not his ſinnes, reckoneth them not, for his truthes ſake, and louelove to Chriſt. He is not a ſinner in the ſight of God, that would be no ſinner. He y^t would He that repenteth his ſinne is no ſinner before God.be deliuered, hath his hart looſe already. His hart ſinneth not, but mourneth, repenteth, and conſenteth vntounto the law & will of God, and iuſtifieth God, that is, beareth record that God which made the lawe, is righteous & iuſt. And ſuch an hart, truſting in Chriſtes bloude, is accepted for full righteous. And his weakenes, infirmitie, and frailetie is pardoned, and his ſinnes not looked vppon: vntill God put more ſtrength in him, and fulfill his luſt.

When the weake in y^t faith, & vnexpert in the miſteries of Chriſt, deſire How we ſhould pray for our neighbour.vsus to pray for them, then ought we to lead them to the truth and promiſes of God, and teach them to put their truſt in the promiſes of God, in louelove that God hath to Chriſt and to vsus for hys ſake, and to ſtrength their weake conſciences, ſhewing and prouing by the Scripture, that as long as they follow the ſpirite and reſiſte ſinne, it is impoſſible they ſhoulde fall ſo deepe that God ſhall not pull them vp agayne, if they holde faſt by the anker of fayth, hauing truſt and confidence in Chriſt. The louelove that God hath to Chriſt is infinite, and Chriſt did and ſuffered all thinges, not for himſelfe, to obtaine fauour or ought els: for he had euer the full fauour of God, and was euer Lord ouer all thinges, but to reconcile vsus to God, and to make vsus heyres with him of his fathers kingdome. And God hath promiſed, that whoſoeuer calleth on hys name ſhall neuer be confounded or aſhamed. Rom. ix. If the righteous fall Rom. 9.(ſayth the Scripture) he ſhall not be brouſed, the Lord ſhall put his hand vnderunder him. Who is righteous but he that truſteth in Chriſtes bloude, be he neuer ſo weake: Chriſt is our righteouſnes, and in him ought we to teach Chriſt is our righteouſnes.all men to truſt, and to expound vntounto all men the Teſtament, that God hath made to vsus ſinners in Chriſtes bloud. This ought we to do, and not make a pray of them to leade them captiue, to ſit in their conſciences, and to teach them to truſt in our holines, good deedes and prayers, to the entent that we would fede our idle, and ſlow bellies of their great labour and ſweate, & ſo to make our ſelues Chriſtes and ſauiours. For if I take on me to ſaue other by my merites, make I not my ſelfe a Chriſt & a ſauiour, & am in dede a falſe Prophet, and a true Antichriſt, and exalt my ſelfe, and ſitte in the temple of God, that is to wytt, the conſciences of men? Among Chriſten mē, LoueLove amōg Chriſten mē maketh all thynges common.louelove maketh all thinges common: eueryevery man is others debter, and eueryevery mā is bound to miniſter to his neighbour, and to ſupply his neighbours lacke, of that wherewith God hath endued hym. As thou ſeeſt in the world, how the Lordes and officers miniſter peace in the common wealth, puniſhe murtherers, theeues, and euill doers, and to maintayne their order & eſtate, doe the commons miniſter to them againe, rent, tribute, tole, and cuſtome. So in the Goſpell, the curates which in eueryevery pariſhe preach the Goſpell, ought of outie to receiue an honeſt liuing for them, and their houſholds, & euē ſo ought the other officers, which are neceſſarily required in the common wealth of Chriſt. We neede not to vſe filthy lucre in the Goſpell, to chop & chainge, and to play the Tauernars, altering the word of God, as they do their wines to their moſt aduaūtage, and to faſhion Gods worde after eueryevery mans mouth, or to abuſe the name of Chriſt, to obtaine thereby authoritie and power, to feede our ſlowe bellies. Now ſeeſt thou what prayer is, the ende thereof, and wherfore it ſerueth.

If thou geue me a thouſand pound to pray for thee, I am no more bound then I was before. Mans imagination Mans Imaginatiō cannot alter the law of god, neither make it more or leſſe.can make the commaundement of God neither greater nor ſmaller, neither can to the lawe of God, eyther adde or miniſhe. Gods commaundement is as great as himſelfe. I am bounde to louelove the Turke with all my might and power, yea, and aboue my power, euen from the ground of my hart, after the enſample that Chriſt loued me, neither to ſpare goods, body, or life, to winne him to Chriſt. And what can I doe more for thee, if thou gaueſt me all the world? Where I ſee neede, there can I not but pray, if Gods ſpirite be in me.

Almes is a greke worde, and ſignifieth Almeſ… what it is.mercy. One Chriſtian is debter to an other at his neede, of all that he is able to do for him, vntill his neede be ſufficed. EueryEvery Chriſtian mā ought to hauehave Chriſt alwayes before his eyes, as an enſample to counterfeite and follow, and to do to his neighbour as Chriſt hath done to him, as Paule teacheth in all his epiſtles, and Peter in his firſt, and Iohn in his firſt alſo. This order vſeth Paule in all his 1. Pet. 1.Epiſtles. Firſt he preacheth the law, & 1. Iohn. …proueth that the whole nature of man is damned, in that the hart luſteth cō trary to the will of God. For if we were of God, no doubt we ſhoulde hauehave luſt in his will. Then preacheth he Chriſt, the Goſpell, the promiſes, and the mercy that God hath ſet forth to all men in Chriſtes bloud. Which they that beleue, & take it for an earneſt thing, turne themſelues to God, beginne to louelove God agayne, and to prepare themſelues to his will, by the working of the ſpirit of God in them. Laſt of al, exhorteth he to vnitie, peace, and ſobernes, to auoyde braulinges, ſectes, opinions, diſputing and arguing about wordes, and to walke in the plaine and ſingle fayth, and feeling of the ſpirite, and to louelove one an other after the enſample of Chriſt, euen as Chriſt loued vsus, and to be thankefull, and to walke worthy of the Goſpell, and as it becommeth Chriſt, and with the enſample of pure liuing to draw all to Chriſt.

Chriſt is Lord ouer all, and eueryevery Chriſtiā is heyre annexed with Chriſt, and therefore Lord of all, & eueryevery one Lord of whatſoeuer an other hath. If thy brother or neighbour therfore nede and thou hauehave to helpe hym, and yet ſheweſt not mercy, but withdraweſt thy handes frō him: then robbeſt thou hym of his owne, and art a thiefe. A He that is mercyfull hath the ſpirite of God.Chriſtian man, hath Chriſtes ſpirite. Now is Chriſt a mercifull thing: if therefore thou be not mercifull, after y^• enſample of Chriſt, then haſt thou not his ſpirite. If thou hauehave not Chriſtes ſpirite, thē art thou none of his. Ro. 8. Rom. …nor haſt any part wyth hym. Moreouer, though thou ſhew mercy vntounto thy neighbour, yet if thou do it not with ſuch burning louelove, as Chriſt did vntounto thee, ſo muſt y^• knowledge thy ſinne, & deſire mercy in Chriſt. A Chriſtian man hath nought to reioyce in concerning his deedes. His reioycing is that Chriſt dyed for hym, and that he is waſhed in Chriſtes bloude. Of his deedes reioyceth he not, neither counteth his merites, neither geueth pardons of them, neither ſeeketh an hyer place in heauen of them, neither maketh himſelfe a ſauiour of other men, thorough his good workes. But geueth all honour to God, and in his greateſt deedes of mercy, knowledgeth himſelfe a ſinner vnfainedly, and is aboundauntly content with y^• place that is prepared for him of Chriſt, and his good deedes are to him a ſigne onelyonly that Chriſtes ſpirite is in him, and he in Chriſt, and thorow Chriſt elect to eternall life.

The order of louelove or charitie LoueLove ſeketh not her owne profite.which ſome dreame, the Goſpell of Chriſt knoweth not of, that a man ſhould beginne at himſelfe, and ſerue him ſelfe firſt, and then diſcend I wot not by what ſteppes. LoueLove ſeketh not her own profite. ij. Cor. xij. but maketh 2. Cor. 12.a man to forget him ſelfe, and to turne his profite to an other man, as Chriſt ſought not him ſelfe, or his owne profite, but ours. This terme my ſelfe is not in the Goſpell, neither yet father, mother, ſiſter, brother, kinſman, that one ſhould be preferred in louelove aboue an other. But chriſt is all in all things, Chriſt is all in all thynges.EueryEvery Chriſten man to an other is Chriſt him ſelfe, and thy neighbours nede hath as good right in thy goods, as hath Chriſt him ſelfe, which is he…re and Lord ouer all. And looke what thou oweſt to Chriſt, that thou oweſt to thy neighbours nede. To thy neighbour oweſt thou thine hart, thy ſelfe, & all that thou haſt & canſt do. The louelove that ſpringeth out of Chriſt, excludeth no man, neither putteth difference betwene one and an other. In Chriſt we are al of one degree, without reſpect of perſous. Notwithſtandyng though a Chriſten mans hart be open to all mē, and receaueth all men, yet becauſe that his habilitie of goodes extendeth not ſo farre, this prouiſion is made, that eueryevery man ſhall care for his owne houſhold, EueryEvery one muſt care for their owne houſholdes.as father and mother, and thine elders that hauehave holpen thee, wife, children and ſeruauntes. If thou ſhouldeſt not care, & prouide for thyne houſhold, then were thou an infidele, ſeyng thou haſt taken on thee ſo to do, and for as much as that is thy part committed to thee of the congregation. When thou Firſt looke to thyne owne houſhold, and then to the poore.haſt done thy dutie to thyne houſhold, and yet haſt further aboundance of the bleſſyng of GOD, that oweſt thou to the poore that cā not labour, or would labour & can get no worke, and are deſtitute of frēdes, to the poore I meane which thou knoweſt, to them of thyne owne pariſh. For that prouiſion ought to be had in the cōgregation, that eueryevery pariſh care for there poore. If thy neighbours whiche thou knoweſt be ſerued, and thou yet hauehave ſuperfluitie, and heareſt neceſſitie to be among the brethren a thouſand myle of, to thē art thou detter. Yea, to y^• very infidels we be detters, if they nede, as farforth as we maynteine thē not agaynſt Chriſt, or to blaſpheme Chriſt. Thus is eueryevery man that nedeth thy helpe, thy father, mother, ſiſter, and brother in Chriſt: euen as eueryevery man that doth the will of the father, is father, mother, ſiſter, and brother vntounto Chriſt.

Moreouer if any be an infidele and a falſe Chriſten, and forſake his houſehold, his wife, childrē, and ſuch as can not helpe them ſelues, then art thou bound to them, and hauehave wherewith, euen as much as to thyne owne houſhold. And they hauehave as good right in thy goodes, as thou thy ſelfe. And if thou withdraw mercy from them, and haſt wherewith to helpe them: then are thou a thefe. If thou ſhew mercy, ſo doeſt thou thy dutie, and art a faythfull miniſter in the houſhold of Chriſt, and of Chriſt ſhalt thou hauehave thy reward We muſt for chriſtes ſake ſhew our cōpaſſion & charitie to all men, ſo far as our habilitie will extend.and thanke. If the whole world were thyne, yet hath eueryevery brother his right in thy goodes, & is heyre with thee, as we are all heyres with Chriſt. Moreouer the rich and they that hauehave wiſedome with them, muſt ſee the poore ſet a worke, that as many as are able may feede them ſelues, with the labour of their owne handes, accordyng to the Scripture & commaundemēt of God.

Now ſeeſt thou what almes deede meaneth, and wherefore it ſerueth. He that ſeketh with his almes more then to be mercyfull to a neighbour, to ſuccour his brothers nede, to do his dutie to his brother, to giuegive his brother that he oweth him, the ſame is blind, and ſeeth not what it is to be a Chriſten mā, and to hauehave felowſhyp in Chriſtes bloud.

As pertaining to good workes, vnderſtand y^t all workes are good which Good workes what they ar….are done within the law of GOD, in fayth and with thākeſgeuyng to God, and vnderſtand that thou in doing thē pleaſeſt God, what ſo euer thou doeſt with in the law of God, as when thou makeſt water. And truſt me if either winde or water were ſtopped, thou ſhouldeſt feele what a preciouſe thyng it were to do either of both, and what thankes ought to be geuen God therfore. Moreouer put no difference betwene workes, but what ſoeuer commeth into thy handes that do, as time, place, and occaſion geueth, and as god hath put thee in degree hie or low. For as touchyng to pleaſe God, there is no worke better then an other. GOD looketh not firſt on thy woorke as the world doth, as though the bewtyfulnes of the worke pleaſed hym, as it doth the world, or as though he had nede of them. But God looketh firſt on thy hart, what fayth thou haſt to his wordes, how thou beleueſt hym, truſteſt him, and how thou loueſt hym for his mercy that he hath ſhewed ther, he looketh with what hart thou workeſt, and not what thou workeſt, how thou accepteſt the degree that he hath put thee in, & not of what degree thou art, whether thou be an Apoſtle, or a ſhoemaker. Set this enſample before thine eyes. Thou art a kechinpage and waſheſt thy maſters diſhes, an other is an Apoſtle, and preacheth the word of God. Of this Apoſtle harke what Paule ſayth in the. 2. Corinth. ix. If I preach (ſayth he) I hauehave nought to reioyce 2. Cor. 9.in, for neceſſitie is put vntounto me as who ſhould ſay, God hath made me ſo, woe is vntounto me if I preach not. If I do it willingly ſayth he) then hauehave I my reward, that is, then am I ſure that Gods ſpirite is me, and that I am elect to eternall lyfe. If I do it agaynſt my will an office is committed vntounto me, that is, if I do it not of louelove to God, but to get a liuyng thereby & for a worldly purpoſe, and had rather otherwayes lyue, then do I that office which GOD hath put me in, and yet pleaſe not God my ſelfe. Note now if this Apoſtle preach not (as many do not, whiche not onelyonly make them ſelues Apoſtles, but alſo compell men to take thē for greater then Apoſtles, yea for greater thē Chriſt him ſelfe) thē wo is vntounto him, that is, his damnation is iuſt: If he preach & his hart not right, yet miniſtreth he the office that GOD hath put him in, and they that hauehave the ſpirite of God heare the voyce of God, yea though he ſpeake in an Aſſe. More ouer how ſoeuer he preacheth he hath not to reioyce, in that he preacheth. We muſt do good workes & yet put no truſt in them.But and if he preach willyngly, with a true hart, and of conſcience to God: then hath he his reward, that is, then feeleth he the earneſt of eternall lyfe & the woorkyng of the ſpirite of God in hym. And as he feeleth Gods goodnes and mercy, ſo be thou ſure he feeleth his owne infirmitie, weakenes & vnworthynes, and morneth and knowledgeth his ſinne, in that the hart will not ariſe to worke with that full luſt, & louelove that is in Chriſt our Lord. And neuertheles is yet at peace with God, through faith and truſt in Chriſt Ieſu. For the earneſt of the ſpirite that worketh in him, teſtifieth and beareth witnes vntounto his hart, that God hath choſen him, and that his grace ſhall ſuffice him, whiche grace is now not idle in hym. In hys woorkes putteth he no truſt.

Now thou that miniſtreſt in the kechen, & art but a kechenpage, receaueſt God is no accepter of perſons, but receaueth all that ſubmit them ſelues vntounto him.all thyng of the hand of God, knoweſt that God hath put thee in that office, ſubmitteſt thy ſelfe to his wil, and ſerueſt thy maſter, not as a man, but as Chriſt him ſelfe with a pure hart, accordyng as Paule teacheth vsus, putteſt thy truſt in God, and with hym ſekeſt thy reward. Moreouer there is not a good dede done, but thy hart reioyceth therein, yea when thou heareſt that the word of God is preached by this Apoſtle, and ſeeſt the people turne to God, thou conſenteſt vntounto the deede, thyne hart breaketh out in ioy, ſpringeth and leapeth in thy breſt, that God is honored. And in thyne hart doeſt the ſame that y^• Apoſtle doth, and happely with greater delectatiō, and a more feruent ſpirite. Now he that receaueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, ſhal receaue the reward of a Prophet. Math. x. that is, he that conſenteth to the dede Math. …0.of a Prophet and maintaineth it, the ſame hath the ſame ſpirite, & earneſt of euerlaſtyng lyfe, whiche the Prophete hath, and is elect as the Prophet is.

Now if thou compare dede to dede, there is difference betwixt waſhyng of diſhes, and preachyng of the word As all dedes are acceptable to God, that are done in fayth, ſo no deede to allowed good in Gods ſight (howe glorious to the world ſoeuer it appeare) if it be without fayth.of God, but as touchyng to pleaſe God none at all. For neither that, nor this pleaſeth, but as farforth as God hath choſen a man, hath put his ſpirite in hym, and purified his hart by fayth and truſt in Chriſt.

Let eueryevery man therefore wayte on the office, wherein Chriſt hath put hym and therin ſerue his brethren. If he be of low degree let him paciently therin abyde, till God promote him, and exalte hym hyer. Let kyngs and head ofcers ſeke Chriſt, in their offices & miniſtre peace and quietnes vntounto the brethren, puniſh ſinne, and that with mercy, euen with the ſame ſorow and grief of mynde, as they would cut of a finger or ioynte, a legge, or arme of their own body, if there were ſuch diſeaſe in them, that either they muſt be cut of, or els all the body muſt periſh.

Let eueryevery man of what ſoeuer craft or occupation he be of, whether bruer, EueryEvery mā to walke truly in his vocatiō, is the right ſeruice of God.baker, tayler, vitailer, merchaunt, or huſbandman referre his craft and occupation vntounto the commō wealth, and ſerue hys brethren as hee would doe Chriſt him ſelfe. Let him bye and ſell truly, and not ſet dice on his brethren, ſo ſheweth he mercy, and his occupation pleaſeth God. And when thou receaueſt money for thy labour, or ware, thou receaueſt thy dutie. For wherein ſo euer thou miniſter to thy brethren, thy brethren are dettours to geue thee wherewith to mainteine thy ſelfe, and houſhold. And let your ſuperfluities ſuccour the poore, of whiche ſort ſhall euer be ſome in all townes and cities, and villages, and that I ſuppoſe the greateſt nūber. Remēber that we are We muſt be mercyfull one to an other.members of one body, & ought to miniſter one to an other mercifully. And remember that whatſoeuer we hauehave, it is geuen vsus of God, to beſtow it on our brethren. Let him that eateth, eate and geue God thankes, onelyonly let not thy meate pull thine hart from God. And let him that drinketh do likewiſe. Let him y^t hath a wife geue God thākes for his liberty, onelyonly let not thy wife withdraw thine hart from God, and then pleaſeſt thou God, and haſt the worde of God for thee. And in all thinges looke on the worde of God, and therein put thy truſt, and not in a viſure, in a diſguiſed garment, and a cut ſhooe.

Seeke the worde of God in all thinges, and without the worde of God do nothing, though it appeare neuer ſo glorious. What ſoeuer is done without the worde of God, that count idolatry. The kingdome of heauen is within vsus. Luk. xvij. Wonder Luke. 17.therefore at no monſtrous ſhape, nor at any outward thyng without the worde. For the world was neuer drawen from God, but with an outward ſhewe, and glorious appearaunce, and Ipocrites are vayne glorious in in all theyr workes.ſhining of hipocriſy, and of fayned and viſured faſting, praying, watching, ſinging, offering, ſacrificing, halowing of ſuperſtitious ceremonies, and monſtrous diſguiſing.

Take this for an enſample. Iohn Baptiſt which had teſtimony of Chriſt and of the Goſpell, that there neuer roſe a greater among wemens children, with his faſting, watching, praying, rayment, and ſtrāight liuing, deceaued the Iewes, and brought them in doubt, whether Iohn were very Chriſt or not, and yet no Scripture or miracle teſtifiyng it, ſo greatly y^• blinde nature of man loketh on the outwarde ſhining of workes, and regardeth not the inwarde word, which ſpeaketh to the hart. When they ſent to Iohn aſking him whether he were Chriſt, he denied it. When they aſked him what he was, and what he ſayd of himſelfe, he aunſwered not, I am he that watcheth, prayeth, drinketh no wine, nor ſtrong drinke, eateth neyther fiſhe nor fleſhe, but liue wyth wilde hony, and Graſhoppers, and weare a coate of camels heare, and a gyrdle of a ſkinne: but ſayd I am a voyce of a cryar. My voyce onelyonly pertaineth to you. Thoſe outward things which ye wonder at, pertayne to my ſelfe onelyonly, vntounto the taming of my bodye. To you am I a voyce onelyonly, and that which I preach. My preaching (if it be receaued into a penitent or repenting hart) ſhall teach you how to liue and pleaſe God, according as God ſhall ſhed out his grace on eueryevery man. Iohn preached repentaunce, True preachers muſt preach repentaunce.ſaying, prepare y^• Lordes way and make his pathes ſtraight. The Lordes way is repentaunce, and not hipocriſy of mans imagination, & inuention. It is not poſſible y^t the Lord Chriſt ſhould come to a man, except he know himſelfe, and his ſinne, & truely repent. Make his pathes ſtraight: the pathes are the lawe, if thou vnderſtād it a right, as God hath geuen it. Chriſt ſayth in the xvij. of Mat. Helias ſhall Math. 17.firſt come, that is, ſhall come before Chriſt, and reſtore all things, meaning of Iohn Baptiſt. Iohn Baptiſt did reſtore the law, and the Scripture vntounto the right ſence & vnderſtanding, which the Phariſes partly had darckned, and made of none effect, thorough their owne traditions. Math. xv. where Math. 17.Chriſt rebuketh them ſaying: why tranſgreſſe ye the commaundementes of God thorough your traditions: and partly had corrupt it with gloſes, and falſe interpretations, that no mā could vnderſtand it. Wherefore Chriſt rebuketh them Mat. 23. ſaying: wo be to you Phariſes, hipocrites, which ſhut Math. …vp the kingdome of heauen before mē: ye enter not your ſelues, neither ſuffer them that come, to enter in: and partly did beguile the people and blinde their The maner & doctrine of hipocrites.eyes in diſguiſing themſelues, as thou readeſt in the ſame 23. chap. how they made broade and large Philacteries, and did all their workes to be ſeene of men, that the people ſhould wonder at their diſguiſinges and viſuring of themſelues, otherwiſe then God had made them: and partly mocked them with hipocriſy of falſe holines in faſting, praying, and almes geuing Mat. Math. 6.6. and this did they for lucre to be in authoritie, to ſitte in the conſciences of people, and to be counted as God him ſelfe, that people ſhoulde truſt in their holynes, and not in God, as thou readeſt in the place aboue rehearſed Mat. 23. wo be to you Phariſes, hipocrites, Math. 23.which deuoure widowes houſes vnderunder a colour of long prayer. Counterfet therfore nothing without y^t worde of God, whē thou vnderſtandeſt that it ſhall teach thee all thinges, how to applie outwarde thinges, and whereunto to referre them. Beware of thy good entent, good mynde, good affection or zeale as they call it. Peter of a good minde, and of a good affection or zeale chidde Chriſt, Math. 16. becauſe Math. 16.he ſayde that he muſt goe to Hieruſalem, and there be ſlayne. But Chriſt called him Satan for his labour, a name that belongeth to the deuil. And ſayde, that he perceaued not godly thinges, but worldly. Of a good entent and of a feruēt affection to Chriſt, the ſonnes of Zededei would hauehave had fire to come downe from heauen to conſume the Samaritans Luk. 9. But Luke. 9.Chriſt rebuked them, ſaying that they wiſt not of what ſprite they were: that is, that they vnderſtoode not how that they were altogether worldly & fleſhly mynded. Peter ſmote Malchus of a good zeale: but Chriſt condemned his deede. The very Iewes of a good entēt, and of a good zeale ſlew Chriſt, and perſecuted the Apoſtles, as Paule beareth them recorde, Rom. x. I beare Rom. 10.them recorde (ſayth he) that they hauehave a feruent mynde to Godward, but not according to knowledge. It is an other No zeale without knowledge … good.thing then to do of a good minde, and to do of knowledge. Labour for knowledge, that thou mayeſt know Gods will, and what he would hauehave thee to doe. Our mynde, entent, and affection or zeale, are blinde, and all that we do of them is damned of god, and for that cauſe hath God made a teſtament betwene him and vsus, wherin is cōteyned both what he would hauehave vsus to do, and what he would hauehave vsus to aſke of him. See therefore that thou do nothing to pleaſe God withall, but that he commaundeth, neither aſke any thing of him, but that he hath promiſed thee. The Iewes alſo (as it appeareth Act. vij) ſlew Steuē of a good zeale: becauſe he proued by the ſcripture, that God dwelleth not in Churches or temples made wyth handes. The Churches at the beginning were Churches why they were firſt ordeyned.ordeyned that the people ſhoulde thether reſorte to heare the word of God there preached onelyonly, and not for the vſe wherein they now are. The temple wherein God will be worſhipped, The true Temple of God is the hart of mā.is the hart of man. For God is a ſpirite (ſayth Chriſt Ioh. 4.) and will be worſhipped in y^t ſpirite & in truth: that is, when a penitent hart conſenteth vntounto the lawe of God, and with a ſtrong fayth lōgeth for the promiſes of God. So is God honored on al ſides, in that we count him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces, and alſo truſt in all his promiſes. Other worſhipping of God is there none, except we make an Idoll of him.

IT ſhalbe recompenſed thee at the riſing agayne of the righteous. Lu. xiiij. Reade the text before, and thou Luke. 14.ſhalt perceaue that Chriſt doth here that ſame that he doth Math. v. that Math. 5.is, he putteth vsus in remembraunce of our dutie, that we be to the poore as Chriſt is to vsus, and alſo teacheth vsus how that we can neuer know whether our louelove be right, and whether it ſpring of Chriſt or no, as long as we are but kinde to them onelyonly which do as much for vsus againe. But and we be mercifull to the poore, for conſcience to God, and of compaſſion and harty louelove, which compaſſion & louelove ſpring of the louelove we hauehave to God in Chriſt, for the pure mercy and louelove that he hath ſhewed on vsus: then hauehave we a ſure token that we are beloued of God, and waſhed in Chriſtes bloud, and elect by Chriſtes deſeruing vntounto eternall life.

The ſcripture ſpeaketh as a father doth to his young ſonne, do this, or The manet of the ſpeaking of the Scripture.that, and then will I louelove thee, yet the father loueth his ſonne firſt, and ſtudieth with all his power and witte to ouercome his childe with louelove, and with kindnes, to make him do that which is comely, honeſt, and good for it ſelfe. A kynde father, and mother louelove their children, euen when they are euill, that they would ſhed their bloud to make them better, and to bring thē into the right way. And a naturall childe ſtudieth not to obtayne his fathers louelove with workes, but conſidereth with what louelove his father loueth him with all, and therefore loueth agayne, is glad to do his fathers will, and ſtudieth to be thankefull.

The ſpirit of the worlde vnderſtandeth The wiſe of this world doe not vnderſtand the ſpeaking of God in his ſcriptures.not the ſpeaking of God, neither the ſpirite of the wiſe of thys worlde, neyther the ſpirite of Philoſophers, neither y^• ſpirite of Socrates, of Plato, or of Ariſtotles Ethikes, as thou mayeſt ſee in the firſt and ſecond chapter of the firſt to the Corint. Though that many are not aſhamed to rayle and blaſpheme, ſaying, how ſhoulde he vnderſtand the ſcripture, ſeing he is no Philoſopher, neyther hath ſene his metaphiſike? Moreouer they blaſpheme, ſaying, how can he be a deuine and woteth not what is ſubiectum in theologia? Neuertheles as a man without the ſpirite of Ariſto tell or Philoſophy, may by the ſpirite of God vnderſtand ſcripture: Euen ſo by the ſpirite of God, vnderſtandeth he that god is to be ſought in all the Scripture, and in all thynges & yet wotteth not what meaneth Subiectum in Theologia, becauſe The Papiſtes argumentes.it is a terme of their owne makyng. If thou ſhouldeſt ſay to hym, that hath y^e ſpirite of god, the louelove of god is the kepyng of the cōmaundements, & to louelove a mans neighbour is to ſhew mercy, he would without arguyng or diſputyng vnderſtand, how that of the louelove of God ſpringeth the keping of his cō maundementes, and of the louelove to thy neighbour ſpryngeth mercy. Now would Ariſtotle deny ſuch ſpeakyng, & a Duns man would make xx. diſtinctions. If thou ſhouldeſt ſay (as ſayth Iohn the 4. of his Epiſtle) how can he that loueth not his neighbour, whom he ſeeth, louelove God whom he ſeeth not? Ariſtotle would ſay loe, a mā muſt firſt louelove his neighbour and thē God, and out of the louelove to thy neighbour ſpryngeth the louelove to God. But he that feeleth the working of the ſpirite of God, and alſo from what vengeaunce the bloud of Chriſt hath deliuered hym, vnderſtandeth how that it is impoſſible to louelove either father or mother, ſiſter, brother, neighbour, or his owne ſelfe a right, except it ſpryng out of the louelove to God, and perceaueth that the louelove to a mans neighbour, is a ſigne of the louelove to God, as good frute declareth a good tree, and that the louelove to a mās neighbour accompanieth, and foloweth the louelove of God, as heate accō panieth and foloweth fire.

Likewiſe whē the Scripture ſayth. Chriſt ſhall reward eueryevery man at the reſurrection or vpriſyng againe accordyng to his dedes, the ſpirite of Ariſtotles ethikes would ſay, loe with y^t multitude of good workes mayſt thou, & Ariſtotles and Papiſtes doctrine.muſt thou obtayne euerlaſtyng lyfe, & alſo a place in heauen hye or low, accordyng as thou haſt many or fewe good workes, & yet wotteth not what a good worke meaneth, as Chriſt ſpeaketh of good workes, as he that ſeeth not the hart, but outward things onelyonly. But he that hath Gods ſpirite vnderſtandeth it. He feeleth that good woorkes are nothyng but frutes of louelove, compaſſion, mercyfulnes, and of Good workes are the fruites of louelove.a tendernes of hart, whiche a Chriſten hath to his neighbour, and that louelove ſpringeth of that louelove which he hath to god, to his will & commaundements, and vnderſtandeth alſo that the louelove whiche man hath to God, ſpringeth of the infinite louelove, and bottomleſſe mercy…, which God in Chriſt ſhewed firſt to vsus, as ſaith Iohn in the Epiſtle and Chap. aboue rehearſed. In this (ſayth he) appeared the louelove of GOD to vsward, bicauſe that God ſent his onelyonly begotten ſonne into the world that we might liue thorough hym. Herein is louelove, not that we loued God, but that God firſt loued vsus, and not … hym.he loued vsus, & ſent his ſonne to make agreement for our ſinnes. In concluſion a Chriſtē mā feeleth, that that vnſpeakeable louelove and mercy which god hath to vsus, & that ſpirite which worketh all thinges that are wrought accordyng to the will of God, and that louelove wherewith we louelove God, & that louelove whiche we hauehave to our neighbour, and that mercy and compaſſion which we ſhew on him, & alſo that eternal lyfe which is layd vp in ſtore for vsus in Chriſt, are altogether the gift of God, through Chriſtes purchaſyng.

If the Scripture ſayd alwayes Chriſt ſhall reward thee accordyng to to thy fayth, or accordyng to thy hope, and truſt thou haſt in God, or accordyng to the louelove thou haſt to god, & thy neighbour, ſo were it true alſo as thou ſeeſt. 1. Pet. 1. receauyng the end or reward of your faith, y^• health or ſaluatiō of your ſoules. But y^t ſpirituall things could not bee knowen ſaue by theyr workes, as a tree can not be knowen, but by her frute. How could I know that I loued my neighbour, if neuer occaſion were giuen me to ſhew mercy vntounto hym: how ſhould I know that How we vnderſtand the louelove of God to be in vsus.I loued GOD, if I neuer ſuffered for hys ſake? howe ſhould I know that God loued me, if there were no infirmitie, temptation, perill and ieoperdy whence God ſhould deliuer me?

THere is no man that forſaketh houſe, either father, or mother, either brethren, or ſiſterne, wife, or children for the kyngdome of heauēs ſake, which ſhall not receaue much more in this world, and in the world to come euerlaſtyng lyfe. Luke. xviij.Luke. 18.

Here ſeeſt thou that a Chriſten man in all his woorkes hath reſpect to nothyng, but vntounto the glorie of god onelyonly, and to the mainteining of the truth of god, and doth and leueth vndone all thynges of louelove, to the glory and honor of god onelyonly, as Chriſt teacheth in the Pater noster.

Moreouer when he ſayth, he ſhall receaue much more in this world, of a truth, yea he hath receaued much more already. For except he had felt the infinite mercy, goodnes, louelove and kindnes of God, and the felowſhyp of the bloud of Chriſt, and the comfort of the ſpirite of Chriſt, in his hart, he could neuer hauehave forſakē any thyng for gods ſake. Notwithſtāding (as ſaith Mark. x.) Who ſoeuer for Chriſtes ſake & the Whoſoeuer for Chriſten ſake loſeth any thing, ſh…l receiue an hūdreth folde.goſpels forſaketh houſe, brethren or ſiſters &c. He ſhall receaue an hundred fold, houſes, brethren &c. that is ſpiritually. For Chriſt ſhalbe all thynges vntounto thee. The aungels, all Chriſten and who ſoeuer doth the will of the father, ſhalbe father, mother, ſiſter & brother vntounto thee, and all theirs ſhall be thyne. And god ſhall take the care of thee, & miniſter all thynges vntounto thee, as long as thou ſekeſt but his honour onelyonly. Moreouer if thou were Lord ouer all the world, yea often worldes before thou kneweſt god: yet was not thyne appetite quenched, thou thyrſtedeſt for more. But if thou ſeeke his honour onelyonly, then ſhall he ſlake thy If we once poſſeſſe Chriſt by faith, then hauehave we all in all, and are content with that we hauehave.thyrſt, and thou ſhalt hauehave al that thou deſireſt, and ſhalbe content: yea if thou dwell among inſidels, and among the moſt crueleſt nation of the world, yet ſhall he be a father vntounto thee, and ſhall defend thee, as he did Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob, & all Saintes whoſe lyues thou readeſt in the Scripture. For all that are paſt and gone before, are but enſamples to ſtrength our fayth, and truſt in the word of god. It is the ſame god, and hath ſworne to vsus all that he ſware vntounto them, and is as true as euer he was, and therefore can not but fulfil his promiſes to vsus, as wel as he dyd to them, if we beleue as they dyd.

The houre ſhal come when all they that are in the graues ſhall heare hys voyce, that is to ſay Chriſtes voyce, & ſhall come forth, they that hauehave done good into the reſurrection of lyfe, and they that hauehave done euil, into the reſurrection of damnation, Iohn. v. This Here note what foloweth of good workes.& all lyke textes declare what ſoloweth good workes, and that our dedes ſhall teſtifie with vsus, or agaynſt vsus at that day, and putteth vsus in remembraunce to be diligent, and feruent in doyng good. Here by mayſt thou not vnderſtand that we obtayne the fauor of god, and the inheritaunce of life thorough the merites of good workes, as hyrelynges do their wages. For then ſhouldeſt thou robbe Chriſt, of whoſe fulnes we hauehave receaued fauour for fauour, Ioh. i. that is, gods fauour was Iohn. ….ſo full in Chriſt, that for his ſake he geueth vsus his fauour, as affirmeth alſo Paule Ephe. i. he loued vsus in his beloued by whom we hauehave (ſayth Paul) redemptiō through his bloud, and forgeuenes of ſinnes. The forgeuenes of ſinnes then is our redēptiō in Chriſt, and not y^t reward of workes. In whō (ſayth he in the ſame place) hee choſe vsus before the makyng of y^• world, that is long before we dyd good workes. Throughe fayth in Chriſt, are we alſo By faith in Chriſt we are made the ſonnes of God.the ſonnes of god, as thou readeſt Io. i. in that they beleued on his name, he gaue them power to be the ſonnes of god. God with all his fulnes & riches dwelleth in Chriſt, and out of Chriſt muſt we fetch all thynges. Thou readeſt alſo Iohn. iij. he that beleueth on Iohn. 3.the ſonne hath eternal life. And he that beleueth not, ſhall ſee no lyfe, but the wrath of god abydeth vponupon him. Here ſeeſt thou that the wrath & vengeance of God poſſeſſeth eueryevery man till fayth come. Fayth and truſt in Chriſt, expelleth Faith doth expell the wrath of God.the wrath of god, and bringeth fauour, y^t ſpirite power to do good, and euerlaſtyng lyfe. Moreouer vntill Chriſt hath geuē thee light, thou knoweſt not wherein ſtādeth the goodnes of thy workes, & vntill his ſpirite hath looſed thyne hart▪ thou canſt not conſent vntounto good woorkes. All that is good in vsus, both wil and works, commeth of the fauour of GOD, through Chriſt to whom be the laude. Amen.

IF any man will do his will (he meaneth the will of the father) he ſhall know of the doctrine, whether it be of god, or whether I ſpeake of my ſelfe. Iohn. vij. This text meaneth not that Iohn. 7.any man of his owne ſtrength, power and free will (as they call it) can do the will of god, before he hath receaued the ſpirite, and ſtrength of Chriſt through ſayth. But here is ment that, which is ſpokenin the thyrd of Iohn, when Nicodemus marueiled how it were poſſible, that a man ſhould be borne agayn. Chriſt aunſwered, that which is borne of the fleſh is fleſh, and that whiche is borne of the ſpirite is ſpirite, as who ſhould ſay, he that hath the ſpirite thorough fayth, and is borne agayne, and made a new in Chriſt, vnderſtandeth the thynges of the ſpirite, and what he that is ſpirituall meaneth. But he that is fleſh, and as Paul ſayth. i. Cor. ij. a 1. Cor. 2.naturall man, & led of his blind reaſon onelyonly, can neuer aſcend to the capacitie of the ſpirite. And he geueth an enſā ple, ſaying, the winde bloweth where he lyſteth, and thou heareſt his voyce, and wotteſt not whence he cōmeth, nor whether he will. So is eueryevery mā that The naturall man which is but fleſhe, ſauoureth not thoſe thinges that are of the ſpirite.is borne of the ſpirite, he that ſpeaketh of the ſpirite, can neuer be vnderſtand of the naturall man, which is but fleſh and ſauoreth no more thē thynges of y^• fleſh. So here meaneth Chriſt, if any man hauehave the ſpirite, & conſenteth vntounto the will of God, this ſame at ones wotteth what I meane.

IF ye vnderſtand theſe thinges, happy are ye if ye do them Iohn. xiij. A Iohn. 13.Chriſten mans hart is with the wyll of God, with the lawe and commaundementes of God, and hongreth and thyrſteth after ſtrength to fulfill them, and mourneth day and night, deſiring God according to his promiſes, for to geue him power to fulfill the will of God with louelove and luſt: then teſtifieth his deede that he is bleſſed, and that the ſpirite which bleſſeth vsus in Chriſt, is in hym, and miniſtreth ſuch ſtrength. The outward deede teſtifieth what is within vsus, as thou readeſt Iohn. v. The deedes which I Iohn. 5.do teſtifie of me ſayth Chriſt. And Ioh. 13. hereby ſhall all men know that ye are my Diſciples (if ye louelove one an other. And Ioh. 14. he that hath Iohn. 14.my commaundements, & keepeth thē, the ſame it is that loueth me. And agayne, he that loueth me keepeth my commaundementes, and he that loueth me not, keepeth not my cōmaundementes, the outward deede teſtifiing of the inwarde hart. And Ioh. xv. If ye ſhall kepe my commaundemēts, ye ſhall cōtinue in my louelove, as I kepe my fathers commaundemēt, and continue in his louelove. That is, as ye ſee the louelove that I hauehave to my father, in that I keepe his commaundementes, ſo ſhal ye ſee the louelove that ye hauehave to me, in that ye kepe my commaundemētes.

Thou mayeſt not thinke that our We are bleſſed by God onelyonly in Chriſt our ſauiour, and not by our workes.deedes bleſſe vsus firſt, and that we preuent God and his grace in Chriſt, as though we in our naturall giftes, and beyng as we were borne in Adam, looked on the lawe of God, and of our owne ſtrength fulfilled it, and ſo bebecame righteous, and then with that righteouſnes obtayned the fauour of God. As Philoſophers write of righteouſnes, and as the righteouſnes of temporall lawe is, where the lawe is ſatiſfied with the hipocriſy of the outward deede. For cōtrarie to y^•, readeſt thou Ioh. xv. Ye hauehave not choſen me Iohn. 15.(ſayth Chriſt) but I hauehave choſen you, that ye goe and bring forth fruite, and that your fruite remayne. And in the ſame chapter. I am a vine, and ye the braunches, and without me can ye do nothing. With vsus therefore ſo goeth it. In Adam are we all as it were wilde crab trees, of which God chuſeth whom he will, and plucketh them out of Adam, and planteth them in the garden of his mercy, and ſtocketh thē, and grafteth the ſpirite of Chriſt in them, which bringeth forth the fruite of the will of God, which fruite teſtifieth that God hath bleſſed vsus in Chriſt. Note this alſo, that as long as we liue we are yet partly carnall, and fleſhly (notwithſtāding, that we are in Chriſt and though it be not imputed vntounto vsus for Chriſtes ſake) for there abideth, & remaineth in vsus yet of the olde Adam, as it were the ſtocke of the crabe tree, and euer among when occaſion is geuen hym, ſhoteth forth his braunches and leues, budde, bloſſome, and fruit. Againſt whom we muſt fight and ſubdue We muſt wreſtle with our olde man, that we may put o… Chriſt. Mat. 13.hym, and chaynge all his nature by little a and little, with prayer, faſting, and watching, with vertuous meditation and holy workes, vntill we be altogether ſpirite. The kingdome of heauen ſayth Chriſt Math. 13. is like leuen which a woman taketh & hideth in three peckes of meale, till all be leuened. The leuen is the ſpirite, and we the meale which muſt be ſeaſoned with y^• ſpirite by a little & a little, till we be throughout ſpirituall.

Which ſhall rewarde eueryevery man according to his deede, Rom. 2. that is, Roma. 1.according as the deedes are; ſo ſhall eueryevery mans rewarde be, the deedes declare what we are, as the fruite the tree, according to the fruite ſhall the tree be prayſed. The reward is geuen of the mercy and truth of God, and by the deſeruyng and merites of Chriſt. Whoſoeuer repenteth, beleueth the Goſpell, & putteth his truſt in Chriſtes merites, the ſame is heyre with Chriſte of eternall lyfe, for aſſurance whereof the ſpirite of God is poured into his hart as an earneſt, which looſeth him from the bondes of Sathan, and geueth him luſt and ſtrength eueryevery day more and more, according as he is diligent to aſke of God for Chriſtes ſake. And eternall life followeth good liuing. I ſuppoſe (ſayth S. Paule in the ſame epiſtle the viij. chapter) that Roma. 8.the afflictions of this worlde are not worthy of the glory which ſhalbe ſhewed on vsus, that is to ſay, that which we here ſuffer, can neuer deſerue that reward, which there ſhalbe geuen vsus.

Moreouer, if the reward ſhould depēd, and hang of the workes, no man ſhoulde be ſaued. For as much as our beſt deedes, compared to the lawe, are Our beſt workes are damnable in the ſight of god with out Chriſt.damnable ſinne. By the deedes of the lawe is no fleſhe iuſtified, as it is written in the thirde chapter to the Rom. The lawe iuſtifieth not, but vttereth the ſinne onelyonly, & compelleth and driueth the penitent, or repentyng ſinner to flee vntounto the ſanctuary of mercy in the bloud of Chriſt. Alſo repent we neuer ſo much, be we neuer ſo well willyng vntounto the law of God, yet are we ſo weake, and the ſnares and occaſiōs ſo innumerable, that we fall dayly and hourely. So that we coulde not but diſpeire, if the rewarde hanged of the worke. Whoſoeuer aſcribeth eternall life vntounto the deſeruing, and merite of workes, muſt faule in one of two incōueniences, either muſt he be a blinde Phariſey, not ſeing that the lawe is ſpirituall and he carnall, and looke and reioyce in the outward ſhining of his deedes, deſpiſing the weake and in reſpect of them, iuſtifie himſelfe. Or els (if he ſee how that the lawe is ſpirituall, and he neuer able to aſcend vntounto y^t which y^t law requireth) he muſt nedes deſpaire. Let eueryevery Chriſten mā therfore Chriſt is our hope & righteouſnes.reioyce in Chriſt our hope, truſt, and righteouſnes, in whom we are loued, choſē, and accept vntounto y^t enheritaunce of eternall lyfe, neyther preſuming in our perfectnes, neither deſpayring in our weakenes. The perfecter a man is, the clearer is his ſight, and ſeeth a thouſand thinges which diſpleaſe him, and alſo perfectnes that can not be obtayned in this life. And therefore deſireth to be with Chriſt, where is no more ſinne. Let hym that Let no mā deſpayre, but put his hope in Chriſt and he ſhalbe ſafe.is weake, & can not doe that he would fayne doe, not deſpayre, but turne to him that is ſtrong, and hath promiſed to geue ſtrength to all that aſke of him in Chriſtes name, and complayne to GOD, and deſire hym to fulfill his promiſes, and to God committe hym ſelfe. And he ſhall of his mercy & truth ſtrength him, and make him feele with what louelove he is beloued for Chriſtes ſake, though he be neuer ſo weake.

THey are not righteous before god which heare the lawe, but they which do the lawe ſhall be iuſtified. Rom. ij. This text is playner thā that Roma. 2.it needeth to be expounded. In the chapter before, Paule proueth that the law naturall, holpe not the Gentiles, (as appeareth by the lawes, ſtatutes, and ordinaunces which they made in their cities) yet kept they them not. The great keepe the ſmall vnderunder, for their owne profite with the violence of the lawe. EueryEvery man prayſeth the lawe as farre forth as it is profitable and pleaſant vntounto himſelf. But when his owne appetites ſhould be refrayned, then grudgeth he againſt the law. Moreouer he proueth that no knowledge holpe the Gentiles. For though the learned mē (as the Philoſophers) came to the knowledge of God, by the creatures of the world, yet had they no power to worſhippe God. In thys ſecōd chapter proueth he y^t the Iewes (though they had the lawe written) yet it holpe them not: they coulde not keepe it, but were idolaters, and were alſo murtherers, adulterers, & whatſoeuer the lawe forbad. He concludeth therfore that y^t Iewe, is as well dāned as the Gentill. If hearing of the lawe onelyonly might hauehave iuſtified, thē had the Iewes bene righteous. But it required that a mā do the lawe, if he will be righteous. Which becauſe y^• Iewe did not, he is no leſſe dāned thē the Gētill. The publiſhing & declaring of y^e lawe, doth but vtter a mās ſin, & geueth neither ſtrēgth, nor help to fulfill the law. The law killeth thy cōſcience, & geueth No man can fulfill y^e law but hee that beleueth in Chriſt.thee no luſt to fulfill the law. Faith in chriſt, geueth luſt & power to do y^e law. Now is it true, y^t he which doth y^e law is righteous, but y^t doth no mā ſaue he y^t beleueth & putteth his truſt in Chriſt.

IF any mans worke that he hath builte vponupon, abide, he ſhall receaue a rewarde. 1. Cor. 2.1. Cor. 2. The circumſtance of the ſame chapter, that is to witt, that which goeth before, & that which foloweth, declareth playnely what is ment. Paule talketh of learning, doctrine or preaching. He ſayth that he himſelfe hath layde the foundation, Chriſt is y^e ſure foundation.which is Ieſus Chriſt: and that no man can laye any other. He exhorteth therfore eueryevery man to take hede what he buildeth vponupon, and boroweth a ſimilitude of y^• goldſmith, which trieth his metalles with fire, ſaying, that the fire (that is) the iudgement of y^t ſcripture, ſhall trie eueryevery mans worke, that is, eueryevery mās preaching and doctrine. If any builde vponupon the foundation layde of Paule, I meane Ieſus Chriſt, golde, ſiluer, or precious ſtone, which are all one thyng, and ſignifie true doctrine, which when it is examined, the ſcripture aloweth, then ſhall he hauehave his rewarde, that is, he ſhall be ſure that his learning is of God, & that Gods ſpirite is in hym, and that he ſhall hauehave the rewarde that Chriſt hath purchaſed for hym. On the other ſide, if any man build there on timbre, heye, or ſtubble, which are all one, and ſignifie doctrine of mans imaginatiō, traditions, and fantaſies, which ſtand not with Chriſt when they are examined, and iudged by the Scripture, he Mans foū dation is feble.ſhall ſuffer damage, but ſhall be ſaued hymſelfe, yet as it were through fire, that is, it ſhall be payneful vntounto him, that he hath loſt his labour, and to ſee his buildyng periſh, notwithſtandyng if he repent, and embrace the truth in Chriſt, he ſhall obtaine mercy and be ſaued. But if Paule were now a liue, & would defend his owne learnyng, he ſhould be tried thorough fire, not thorough fire of the iudgement of Scripture (for that light men now vtterly refuſe) but by the popes law, and with fire of Fagots.

WE muſte all appeare before the iudgement ſeate of Chriſt, for to receaue eueryevery man accordyng to the dedes of his body. 2. Corinth. v.2. Cor. 5. As thy dedes teſtifie of thee ſo ſhal thy reward be. Thy dedes be euill, then is y^e wrath of God vponupon thee, and thyne hart is euil, and ſo ſhall thy reward be, if thou repent not. Feare therfore and crye to God for grace, that thou mayſt louelove hys lawes. And whē thou loueſt them ceaſe not til thou hauehave obtained power of God to fulfill them: ſo ſhalt thou be ſure that a good reward ſhall folow. Chriſt rewardeth his owne workes in vsus.Whiche reward not thy deedes, but chriſtes hauehave purchaſed for thee, whoſe purchaſing alſo is that luſt which thou haſt to Gods law, & that might where with thou fulfilleſt them. Remember alſo, that a reward is rather called that which is giuen freely, then that which is deſerued. That which is deſerued, is called (if thou wilt giuegive hym hys right name) hyre or wages. A reward is giuen freely to prouoke vntounto louelove and to make frendes.

Remember that what ſoeuer good thyng any man doth, that ſhall he receaue of y^e Lord. Eph. vj.Ephe. 6. Remēbryng that ye ſhal receaue of the Lord the reward of inheritaūce. Col. iij. Theſe ij. textes are excedyng playne. Paul meaneth Colloſ. 3.as Peter doth. i. Pet. ij. that ſeruaūtes ſhould obey their maſters with all their hartes, and with good will, though they were neuer ſo euill. We muſt obey the magiſtrates, becauſe God will hauehave it ſo.Yea he will that all that are vnderunder power obey, euen of hart, and of conſcience to God, becauſe God will hauehave it ſo, be y^e rulers neuer ſo wicked. The children muſt obey father and mother, be they neuer ſo cruell or vnkynd, likewiſe the wife her huſband, the ſeruaunt his maſter, the ſubiectes and commons their Lord or Kyng. Why? For ye ſerue the Lord ſayth he in the Colloſ. iij. We are Chriſtes, and Chriſt hath bought vsus, as thou readeſt. Rom. xiiij. i. Cor. vj. i. Pet. i.Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. Chriſt is our Lord and we his poſſeſſion, & his alſo is the commaūdement. Now ought not the cruelneſſe & churliſhneſſe of father and mother, of huſband, maſter, Lord, or Kyng, cauſe vsus to hate the commaundement of our ſo kynde a Lord Chriſt, which ſpared not his bloud for our ſakes, which alſo hath purchaſed for vsus with his bloud, that reward of eternall lyfe, which lyfe ſhal folow the patience of good liuing, and wherunto our good dedes teſtifie that we are choſen. Furthermore we are ſo carnall, that if y^t rulers be good, we can not know whether we keepe the commaundement for the louelove that we hauehave to Chriſt, and to god through him or no. But and if thou canſt finde in thine hart do good vntounto him that A good leſſon to teach vsus to know when we hauehave the ſpirite of God.rewardeth the euill agayne, then art thou ſure that y^e ſame ſpirite is in thee, that is in Chriſt. And it foloweth in the ſame Chapter to the Colloſſians. He that doth wrong ſhall receaue for the wrong that he hath done. That is God ſhall auenge thee aboundantly, which ſeeth what wrong is done vntounto thee, and yet ſuffereth it for a tyme, that thou mighteſt feele thy patiēce, and the workyng of his ſpirite in thee, and be made perfect. Therefore ſee that thou not once deſire vengeaunce, but remit …emit all vengeaūce to God.all vengeaunce vntounto GOD, as Chriſt did. Which (ſayth Peter. i. Pet. ij.) whē he was reuiled, reuiled not agayn, neither threatned when he ſuffered. Ʋnto ſuch obedience, vntounto ſuch patience, vntounto ſuch a poore hart, and vntounto ſuch feelyng, is Paules meanyng to bryng all men, and not vntounto the vaine diſputyng of them, that aſcribe ſo hye a place in heauen vntounto their peelde merites. Which as they feele not the workyng of Gods ſpirite, ſo obey they no man. If the kyng do vntounto them but right, The fury of the Popiſh Clergie.they wil interdicte the whole Realme, curſe, excommunicate & ſend thē down farre beneath the bottome of hell, as they hauehave brought the people out of their wittes, and made them madde to beleue.

THy prayers and almes are come vp into remembraunce in the preſence of GOD, (in the Actes. x.) That Actes. 10is God forgetteth thee not, though he come not at the firſt calling, he looketh on, and beholdeth thy prayers and almes. Prayer commeth from the hart. God looketh firſt on the hart, and then on the dede. As thou readeſt Gene. iiij. God beheld or looked firſt on Abell, & then on his offering. If the hart be vnpure, the dede veryly pleaſeth not, as thou ſeeſt in Cain. Marke the order. In the begynnyng of the chapter thou readeſt, there was a certaine man named Cornelius which feared god, gaue much almes, and prayed God alway. He feared God, that is he trembled & quaked, to breake the cōmaundemētes of god. Then prayed he alway. Prayer Prayer is the frute of fayth.is the frute, effect, dede or act of fayth & is nothyng but the longing of the hart for thoſe thyngs, which a mā lacketh & which god hath promiſed to geue him. He doth alſo almes. Almes is y^• frute, effect or deede of compaſſion and pitie, which we hauehave to our neighbour. Oh a glorious fayth and a right, which ſo truſteth God, and beleueth his promiſes, that ſhe feareth to breake his commaundementes, and is alſo mercyfull vntounto her neighbour. This is that faith wherof thou readeſt namely in Peter, Liuely …ayth to not without workes,Paule and Iohn, that we are thereby both iuſtified and ſaued. And who ſoeuer imagineth any other fayth, deceaueth him ſelfe, and is a vaine diſputer, and a brauler about wordes, and hath no feelyng in his hart.

Though thou conſent to the law, that it is good, righteous, & holy, ſoroweſt and repenteſt becauſe thou haſt broken it, morneſt becauſe thou haſt no ſtrength to fulfill it: yet art not thou Fayth maketh vsus at one with God.therby at one with GOD. Yea thou ſhouldeſt ſhortly deſpayre, and blaſpheme God, if the promiſes of forgiuenes and of helpe were not there by, & fayth in thyne hart to beleue them. Fayth therfore ſetteth thee at one with God.

Fayth prayeth alway. For ſhe hath alway her infirmities & weakeneſſes before her eyes, and alſo Gods promiſes, for which ſhe alway longeth, and Fayth prayeth always and in all places.in all places. But blind vnbeleffe prayeth not alway nor in all places, but in the Churche onelyonly, and that in ſuch a Churche, where it is not lawfull to preach gods promiſes, neither to teach men to truſt therein. Fayth when ſhe prayeth ſetteth not her good dedes before her, ſaying: Lorde for my good dedes do this or that. Nor bargaineth with god, ſaying, Lord graūt me this or do this or that, and I wil do this or that for thee, as mumble ſo much dayly, go ſo farre, or faſt this, or that faſt, enter in this Religion or that, with ſuch other pointes of infidelitie, yea rather Idolatrie. But ſhe ſetteth her infirmities, & her lacke before her face, The prayer of a faithfull man.and Gods promiſes ſayinge: Lorde for thy mercy and truth, whiche thou haſt ſworne be mercyfull vntounto me, and plucke me out of this priſon, and out of this hell. And looſe the bondes of Sathan, and giuegive me power to glorifie thy name. Fayth therfore iuſtifieth in the hart, and before GOD, and the deedes iuſtifie outwardly before the world, that is, teſtifie onelyonly before mē, what we are inwardly before God.

Who ſoeuer looketh in the perfect law of libertie and continueth therein, (if he bee not a forgetfull hearer, but a doer of the worke) he ſhalbe happy in his deede. Iames. i. The law of libertie, Iaco▪that is, which requireth a free hart, or (if thou fulfill it) declareth a free hart lowſed from the bondes of Sathan. The preachyng of the law maketh no man free, but bindeth. For it is the key that byndeth all conſciences vntounto eternall damnation, whē it is preached: as the promiſes or Goſpell is the keye, that lowſeth all conſciences that repēt, when they are bounde through preachyng of the law. He ſhalbe happy in his deede, that is, by his deede ſhall he know, that he is happy, and bleſſed of God, whiche hath geuen hym a good hart, and power to fulfill the law. By hearyng the law thou ſhalt not know that thou art bleſſed, but if thou do it, it declareth y^t thou art happy & bleſſed.

WAs not Abraham iuſtified of hys dedes, when he offered hys ſonne Iames. 3.Iſaac vponupon the altar? Iames. iij. hys deede iuſtified hym before the world, that is, it declared and vttered the faith which both iuſtifieth him before God, and wrought that wonderfull worke, as Iames alſo affirmeth.

Was not Raab the harlot iuſtified whē ſhe receaued the meſſengers, and ſent them out another way? Iames. iij. that is lykewiſe outwardly, but before GOD ſhe was iuſtified by fayth, which wrought that outward dede, as thou mayeſt ſee Ioſue. ij. She had heard what God had done in Egypt, in the redde Sea, in the deſert, and vntounto the two kynges of the Amorreans, Seō, and Og. And ſhe cōfeſſed ſaying: your Lord God, he is God in heauen aboue, and in earth beneath. She alſo beleued that God as hee had promiſed the children of Iſraell, would giuegive thē the land wherein ſhe dwelt, and cōſented thereunto, ſubmitted her ſelfe vntounto the will of God, and holpe GOD (as much as in her was) & ſaued his ſpyes and meſſengers. The other feared that whiche ſhe beleued, but reſiſted God with al their might, and had no power to ſubmite themſelues vntounto the will of God. And therefore periſhed they, and ſhe was ſaued, and that through fayth, as we read Heb. 11. where thou mayeſt ſee how the holy fathers were ſaued through fayth, and how fayth wrought in them. Fayth is the goodnes of all the deedes that are done Fayth is y^• goodnes of all y^• deedes that are done within the law of God.within the lawe of God, and maketh thē good & glorious, ſeeme they neuer ſo vile, and vnbeliefe maketh thē damnable, ſeeme they neuer ſo glorious.

AS pertaining to that which Iames in this 3. chapter ſayth. What auaileth though a mā ſay that he hath faith, Iaco. 3.if he hauehave no deedes? can fayth ſaue hym? And agayne, fayth without deedes is dead in it ſelfe. And the deuils beleue and tremble. And as the body without the ſpirite is dead, euen ſo fayth without deedes is dead. It is manifeſt and cleare, that he meaneth not of the fayth whereof Peter and Paule ſpake in their epiſtles: Iohn in hys Goſpell & firſt epiſtle, and Chriſt in the Goſpell when he ſayth, thy faith hath made thee ſafe, be it to thee accordyng to thy fayth, or greate is thy fayth, & ſo forth, and of which Iames hymſelfe ſpeaketh in the firſt Chapter ſaying: of his owne wyll begat he vsus with the worde of life, that is, in beleuing the promiſes wherein is life, are we made the ſonnes of God.

Which thing I alſo this wiſe proue. Paule ſayth, how ſhall or can they beleue without a preacher? how ſhould they preach except they were ſēt? Now I pray you whē was it heard that god ſent any mā to preach vntounto y^• deuils, or that he made them any good promiſe? He threatneth them oft, but neuer ſent embaſſadours to preach any atonemēt betwene hym and them. Take an enſample An example.that thou mayeſt vnderſtand. Let there be two poore men both deſtitute of rayment in a colde winter, the one ſtrong, that he feleth no griefe, the other greuouſly mournyng for payne of the colde. I then come by and moued wyth pitie and compaſſion, ſay vntounto hym that feeleth his diſeaſe, come to ſuch a place, and I will geue thee rayment ſufficient. He beleueth, commeth, & obtayneth that which I hauehave promiſed. That other ſeeth all this & knoweth it, but is partaker of nought. For he hath no fayth, and that is becauſe there is no promiſe made hym. So is it of the deuils. The deuils hauehave no fayth. For fayth is but earneſt beleuing of gods promiſes. Now are there no promiſes made vntounto the deuils, but ſore threatninges. The olde Philoſophers knew that there was one God, but yet had no fayth, for they had no power to ſeeke his wyll, neyther to worſhip hym. The Turkes and the Turkes hauehave no fayth…know then is a God.Sareſons know y^t there is one God, but yet hauehave no fayth. For they hauehave no power to worſhip God in ſpirite, to ſeeke his pleaſure, and to ſubmit thē vntounto his will. They made an Idoll of God (as we do for the moſt part) and worſhipped him eueryevery man after hys owne imagination, and for a ſundry purpoſe. What we wyl hauehave done, that muſt God do, and to do our will worſhip we hym, and pray vntounto hym: but what God will hauehave done, that wyll neyther Turke nor Sareſon, nor the moſt part of vsus do. What ſoeuer we imagin righteous, that muſt God admitte. But Gods righteouſnes, wyll not our hartes admitte. Take an other enſample. Let there betwo ſuch as I An example.ſpake of before, and I promiſe both, and the one becauſe he feeleth not hys diſeaſe commeth not. So is it of Gods promiſes. No man is holpe by them but ſinners y^t fele their ſinnes, mourne and ſorrow for them, and repent wyth all their hartes. For Iohn Baptiſt went before Chriſt, and preached repē taunce, that is, he preached the lawe of God, right, and brought the people into knowledge of themſelues, and vntounto the feare of God, and then ſent them vntounto Chriſt to be healed. For in Chriſt and for his ſake onelyonly, hath god promiſed to receaue vsus vntounto mercy, to forgeue vsus, and to geue vsus power to reſiſt ſinne. How ſhall God ſaue thee, when thou knoweſt not thy damnation? How ſhall Chriſt deliuer thee frō ſinne, when thou wilt not knowledge thy ſinne? Now I pray thee how many thouſandes are there of them that ſay, I beleue that Chriſt was borne of a Ʋirgin, that he dyed, that he roſe agayne, and ſo forth, and thou canſt not bring them in beliefe, that they hauehave any ſinne at all? How many are there of the ſame ſort which thou cāſt not make beleue that a thouſand thinges are ſin, which God damneth for ſinne all the ſcripture throughout? As to bye as Sinnes that are ac…empted no ſinnes.good cheepe as he can, and to ſell as deare as he can, to rayſe the market of corne and victuale, for his owne vauntage, without reſpect of his neighbor, or of the poore of the common wealth, and ſuch like. Moreouer how many hundred thouſandes are there, which when they hauehave ſinned, & knowledge their ſinnes: yet truſt in a balde ceremony, or in a lowſy Fryers coate and merites, or in the prayers of them that Faithleſſe fruites.deuoure widowes houſes, and eateth the poore out of houſe and harbour, in a thyng of hys owne imagination, in a fooliſhe dreame, and a falſe viſion, & not in Chriſtes bloud, and in the truth that God hath ſworne? All theſe are faythleſſe, for they follow their owne righteouſnes, and are diſobediēt vntounto all maner righteouſnes of God: both vntounto the righteouſnes of Gods lawe, wherewith he damneth all our deedes (for though ſome of them ſee their ſins for feare of payne, yet had they rather that ſuch deedes were no ſinne) and alſo vntounto the righteouſnes of the truth of God in his promiſes, whereby he ſaueth all that repent and beleue them. For though they beleue that Chriſt dyed, yet beleue they not that he dyed for their ſinnes, and that hys death is a ſufficient ſatiſfaction for their ſinnes, and that God for hys ſake will be a father vntounto them, and geue them power to reſiſt ſinne.

Paule ſayth (to the Romaynes in Rom. 10.the x. chap. if thou confeſſe wyth thy mouth that Ieſus is the Lord, and beleue wyth thine hart that God rayſed hym vp from death, thou ſhalt be ſafe. That is, if thou beleue he rayſed hym vp againe for thy ſaluation. Many beleue that God is riche and almighty, but not vntounto themſelues, and that he he will be good vntounto them, and defend them, and be their God.

Pharao for payne of the plague, Pharao confeſſed his ſinnes.was compelled to confeſſe hys ſinnes, but had yet no power to ſubmit hymſelfe vntounto y^t will of God, and to let the children of Iſraell goe, and to looſe ſo great profit for Gods pleaſure. As our Prelates confeſſe their ſinnes, ſaying, though we be neuer ſo euill, yet hauehave we the power. And agayne, the Scribes and the Phariſes (ſay they) ſate in Moyſes ſeate, do as they teach, but not as they do, thus confeſſe they that they are abhominable. But to the ſecond I aunſwere, if they ſate on Chriſtes ſear, they would preach Chriſtes doctrine, now preach they their owne traditions, and therefore not to be heard. If they preached Chriſt, we ought to heare them though they were neuer ſo abhominable, as they of themſelues confeſſe, and hauehave yet no power to amende, neither to let looſe Chriſtes flocke to ſerue God in the ſpirit, which they holde captiue, compelling them to ſerue their falſe lyes. The deuils The deuils confeſſed Chriſt to be the ſonne of God.felt the power of Chriſt, and were cō pelled againſt their willes to confeſſe that he was the ſonne of God, but had no power to be contēt therewith, neither to conſent vntounto the ordinaunce & eternall councell of the euerlaſting God, as our Prelates feele the power of God agaynſt them, but yet hauehave no grace to geue roome vntounto Chriſt, becauſe that they (as the deuils nature is) will themſelues ſitte in hys holy temple, that is to witte, the conſciences of men.

¶ Simon Magus beleued, Acts. 8. Simon Magus fayth.with ſuch a fayth as the deuils confeſſed Chriſt, but had no right fayth, as thou ſeeſt in the ſayd chapter. For he repented not, conſenting vntounto the lawe of God. Neither beleued the promiſes, or longed for them, but wondred onelyonly at y^• myracles which Philip wrought, and becauſe tha… he himſelfe in Philips preſence had no power to vſe his witchcrafte, ſorcery and arte magike, wherewith he mocked & deluded the wittes of y^t people. He would hauehave bought the gifte of God, to hauehave ſolde it much dearer, as his ſucceſſours now do, and not the ſucceſſours of Simon Peter. For were they Simon Peters ſucceſſours, they would preach Chriſt, as he did, but they are Simon Magus his ſucceſſours, of which Simō Peter well proued in y^t ſecōd chapter of hys ſecond epiſtle, ſaying, there were falſe Prophetes among the people 2. Pet. 2.(meaning of the Iewes) euen as there ſhal be falſe teachers or doctours among you, which priuely ſhall bring in ſectes damnable (ſectes is part taking as one holdeth of Fraunces, another of Dominyck, which thyng alſo Paule rebuketh. 1. Corin. 1. and 3.) euē …. Cor. 1. 3.denying the Lord that bought them (for they will not be ſaued by Chriſt, neyther ſuffer any man to preach hym to other). And many ſhall follow their damnable wayes (thou wilt ſay, ſhall God ſuffer ſo many to goe out of the right wayes ſo long? I aunſwere many muſt folow their damnable wayes, or els muſt Peter be a falſe Prophet) by which the way of truth ſhalbe euill ſpoken of (as it is now at this preſent tyme, for it is hereſy to preach the truth) and through couetouſnes ſhall they wyth fayned wordes, make merchaundiſe of you, of their merchaundiſe and couetouſnes it needeth not to make rehearſall, for they that be blinde ſee it euidently.

Thus ſeeſt thou that Iames when An Epitome, or briefe recitall of that which is entreated of before.he ſayth faith without deedes is dead, and as the body without the ſpirite is dead, ſo is fayth without deedes: and the deuils beleue, that he meaneth not of the fayth, & truſt that we hauehave in the truthe of Gods promiſes, and his holy Teſtament, made vntounto vsus in Chriſtes bloud, whiche fayth foloweth repentaunce, and the conſent of the hart, vnthe lawe of God, and maketh a man ſafe, and ſetteth him at peace with god. But ſpeaketh of that falſe opinion and imagination wherewith ſome ſay, I beleue that Chriſt was borne of a virgine, and that he dyed, and ſo forth. That beleue they veryly, and ſo ſtrōgly that they are ready to ſlay who ſoeuer would ſay the contrary. But they beleue not that Chriſt dyed for their ſinnes, and that his death hath peaſed the wrath of God, and hath obtained for them all that God hath promiſed in the Scripture. For how can they beleue that Chriſt dyed for their ſinnes, and that he is their onelyonly and ſufficiēt Sauiour, ſeyng that they ſeeke other Sauiours of their owne imagination, & ſeyng that they feele not their ſinnes neither repent, except that ſome repent (as I aboue ſayd) for feare of payne, but for no louelove, nor conſent vntounto the law of god, nor lōging that they hauehave, for thoſe good promiſes which he hath made them in Chriſtes bloud. If they repented, and loued the lawe of God, and longed for that helpe whiche God hath promiſed to giuegive to all that call on hym for Chriſtes ſake, then veryly muſt Gods truth giuegive them power, & ſtrength to do good workes, when ſo euer occaſion were giuen, either muſt God be a falſe God. But let God be true, and eueryevery man a lier as Scripture ſayth. For the truth of God laſteth euer, to whom onelyonly be all honour and glorie for euer.

Amen. The ende of the Parable of the Wicked Mammon.

Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 1 · Body of tract

p. 61The Parable of the wicked Mammon.

The Parable of the wicked Mammon.