Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 7 · Part · Section 3
Chap. 3.
BEholde what louelove the Father hath The thyrd Chapter.ſhewed vsus, that we ſhold be called the ſonnes of god. For this cauſe the worlde knoweth you not, becauſe it knoweth not him. Dearely beloued now wee are the ſonnes of God, though yet it appeareth not what we ſhall be. But we know that when he ſhall appear we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is.
The louelove of God to vsus ward is exceeding great, in that he hath made vsus his ſonnes without al deſeruing of vsus and hath geuen vsus his ſpirite through Chriſt, to certifie our hartes thereof, in that we feele that our truſt is in God, & that our ſoules hauehave receaued health, and power to louelove the law of God, which is a ſure teſtimonie, that we are ſonnes, & vnderunder no damnation. Neyther ought it to diſcourage vsus, or to make vsus thinke we were leſſe beloued becauſe the world hateth vsus, and perſecuteth vsus, for the world knoweth vsus not. Neyther any maruell, for yt world The world could not knowe Chriſt.could not know Chriſt him ſelfe for all his glorious commyng with miracles and benefits in healing the ſicke, and rayſing the dead. But for al the oppreſſion of the world, we are yet ſure that we are Gods ſonnes. And in like maner, though the glory that we ſhall be in appeare not: yet we are ſure that we ſhall be like him, when he appeareth. As darknes vaniſheth away at the cō ming of the ſunne, and the worlde receaueth a new faſhion, and is turned in to light, and ſuddenly made glorious: Euen ſo when he appeareth, and we The world ſhall know Chriſt.ſhall ſee him as he is, we ſhal with the ſight of him, be chaunged into the glory of his image, and made like him. And then ſhall the world both know him, and vsus, vntounto their ſhame and confuſion.
And all that hauehave thys hope in him, purge thēſelues as he is pure.
The fayth and hope of a Chriſten A Chriſten mans faith and hope are not idle.man, are no dead, idle, or barren thinges, but liuely woorkes and fruitfull. For when the law through conſcience of ſinne, hath ſlayne the ſoule, thē hope and truſt in Chriſtes bloud thorough certefying of the conſcience, that the damnation of the law is taken away, quickeneth hir agayne, & maketh hir to louelove the law, which is the purifying of the ſoule, and hir life, and ſeruing the law in the inner man. And then the ſayde giftes of hope and fayth ſtretch them ſelues forth vntounto the members, dead with naturall luſt, conſent, and cuſtome to ſinne, and quickeneth them and purgeth them, with the holeſome penaunce of Chriſtes doctrine, & make them ſerue the law outward, and beare holeſome frute of louelove vntounto the profect of their neighbours, according to Chriſtes louelove vntounto vsus. For if the ſpirite of Chriſt with whiche God annoynteth The fayth of a Chriſten man.vsus and maketh vsus kynges, and ſealeth vsus and maketh vsus his ſure and ſeuerall kyngdome, & whiche he giueth vsus in earneſt. 2. Cor. 1. And with whiche hee chaungeth vsus into the Image of Chriſt. 2. Cor. 4. dwell in our ſoules through fayth, the ſame ſpirite can not but quicken the members alſo, & make The popes fayth.them fruteful. Rom. viij. Wherfore the fayth and hope of the Pope whiche by their owne confeſſion, may ſtand with all wickednes and conſent vntounto all euill & be without repentaunce toward Gods lawe (as it appeareth by their three capitall ſinnes touched of Iohn a litle aboue: pride, couetouſnes and lecherie) are no true fayth and hope: but vayne wordes and viſures onelyonly, accordyng to his other diſguiſyng and names of hypocriſie.
All that committe ſinne, committe vnrighteouſnes, for ſinne is vnrighteouſnes.
That the Engliſh calleth here vnrighteouſnes the Greeke calleth Anomia, vnlawfulnes or breakyng yt law. So that all ſinne is breaking of Gods What ſinne is.law, & onelyonly the trāſgreſſion of Gods law is ſinne. Now all Gods lawes are contained in theſe two pointes, beleue The ſūme of Gods law.in Chriſt, and louelove thy neighbour. And theſe two poyntes are the interpretyng and expoundyng of all lawes, ſo that whatſoeuer edifieth in faith and louelove, is to be kept, as lōg as it ſo doth. And whatſoeuer hurteth faith or louelove, is to bee broken immediatly: though Kyng, Emperour, Pope or an Aūgell commaunde it. And all indifferent thynges that neither helpe nor hurt fayth and louelove, are whole in the hands of Father, Mother, Maſter, Lord and Prince. So that if they will ſinne agaynſt God and ouerlade our backes, we may well runne away, if we can eſcape, but not aduenge ouer ſelues. But and if they will breake into thy conſcience, as the Pope doth with his dome traditions, and fayth, to do this ſaueth thy ſoule, and to leaue it vndone loſeth thy ſoule, thē defie them as the workes of Antichriſt, for they make thee ſynne agaynſt the fayth that is in Chriſtes bloud, by which onelyonly thy ſoule is ſaued, and for lacke of that onelyonly dāned. And howe louelove breaketh the law take LoueLove breaketh the law.an example. It is a good law that mē come to the Church on the Sondayes to heare Gods worde and to receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Chriſt, in remembraūce of his benefites and ſo to ſtrengthen thy ſoule, for to walke in his louelove and in the louelove of our neighbour for his ſake &c. yet if my father, mother, or any other that requireth my helpe bee ſicke, I breake that good commaundement, to do my dutie to myne elders or my neighbour. And thus all lawes are vnderunder louelove & giuegive roome to louelove. And louelove interpreteth them: yea and breaketh them at a time, though God hymſelfe cōmaunde them. For louelove is Lord ouer al lawes.
And ye know that he appeared to take away our ſinnes, and there is no ſinne in him.
Chriſt dyed not alone to purchaſſe pardon for our foreſinnes, but alſo to ſ…ay all ſinne and the life of ſinne in our members. For all we that are Baptiſed in the name of Chriſt ſayth Paule. Rom. 6. are Baptiſed to dye with hym We are baptiſed to dye with Chriſt concernyng ſinne.concernyng ſinne, and that as he after his reſurrection dyeth no more, ſo we after our Baptiſme ſhould walke in a new life and ſinne no more. Our mē bers are crucified with him, in all that pertayneth vntounto the lyfe of ſinne. And if in Chriſt be no ſinne, then how can therbe wilfull ſinne in the fayth that is in hym, or in the quicke members that through fayth grow out of hym? EueryEvery man therefore that hath the true fayth of Chriſt, purgeth hym ſelfe, as he is pure.
All that abyde in him ſinne not. And al that ſinne hauehave neither ſene him nor knowen him.
As there is no ſinne in Chriſt the ſtocke, ſo can there be none in ye quicke members that lyue and grow in hym by fayth. And they that giuegive them ſelues to ſinne hauehave neither ſene, knowē, or felt by fayth y• mercy that is in hym. Our holy father then which forbiddeth The filthynes of the Popes doctrine.Matrimonie and giueth his Diſciples licences with his holy bleſſing to kepe whores: and pluralities, vnions, and totquots, to robbe the Pariſhes, hath neither ſene nor knowen Chriſt, no more hauehave his Diſciples that conſent vntounto his iniquitie. And if they know him not, they cā not truly deſcribe him vntounto vsus. It foloweth then, that their preachyng is but hypocriſie.
Litle children let no man beguile you. He that worketh righteouſnes is righteous, as he is righteous.
Iudge men by their deedes. For Where true fayth is there procedeth good workes.whoſoeuer hath the light of God in his ſoule, he will let his light ſhyne, that men ſhall ſee his good woorkes. And therfore where ye ſee not the righteouſnes of woorkes in the members outward, there, be ſure, is no righteouſnes of fayth in the hart in ward. Let no man mocke you with vayne wordes. Whoſoeuer preacheth Chriſt in worde He that preacheth Chriſt in worde and deede, hym take for Chriſtes vicare.& deede, him take for Chriſtes Ʋicare. And them that would proue them ſelues his Ʋicares with Sophiſtrie, and when it is come to the poynte make a ſword onelyonly their mighty arguments, and liue cōtrary to all his doctrine, and in all their preachinges blaſpheme and rayle on his bleſſed bloud, take for the Ʋicares of Antichriſt.
He that ſinneth is of the deuill, for the deuill ſinneth from the begynneth. But for this cauſe appeared the ſonne of God: Euen to deſtroy the woorkes of the deuill. All that are borne of God do no ſinne, for his ſeede abideth in them and they can not ſinne, becauſe they be borne of God: And hereby are the ſonnes of God knowen, and alſo the ſonnes of the deuill.
God and the deuill are two contrary fathers two contrary fountaines, and two contrary cauſes: the one of all goodnes, the other of all euil. And they that do euill are borne of the deuill and firſt euil by that byrth, yer they do euil. For yer a man do any euill outward of purpoſe, he conceaued that euill firſt The man is firſt euil.in his mynde and cōſented vntounto it, and ſo was euil in his hart yer he wrought euill, and yer he conceiued euill in hys hart he was borne of the deuil and had receaued of his ſeede and nature: By the reaſon of which nature, ſeede and byrth, he worketh euill naturally, and cā do no other. As Chriſt ſaith Iohn 8. ye are of your father the deuill & therefore will do the luſtes of your father.
And on the other ſide, they that do good are firſt borne of God and receaue The mā is firſt good.of his nature & ſeede, and by the reaſon of that nature and ſeede, are firſt good yer they do good by yt ſame rule. And Chriſt which is cōtrary to the deuill came to deſtroy the workes of the deuill in vsus & to giuegive vsus a new byrth, a new nature, and to ſow new ſeede in vsus, that we ſhould, by the reaſō of that byrth, ſinne no more. For the ſeede of that byrth, that is to wete the ſpirite of God and the liuely ſeede of his word, ſowen in our hartes, kepeth our harts that we can not conſent to ſinne, as the ſeede of the deuill holdeth the hartes of his, that they can not conſent to good. This is cōtrary vntounto the Pope in two The Popes doctrine.poyntes, in one that he ſayth, that our good deedes make vsus firſt good, and teacheth vsus not to beleue in Chriſtes bloud, there to be waſhed & made firſt good. And in an other, that he ſayth, God choſeth vsus firſt for our good qualites & properties and for the enforcement and good endeuour of our frewill. What good endeuour is there where the deuill poſſeſſeth the whole hart, that it can conſent to no good.
And finally there is great difference The faythful and vnfaithfull ſinne diuerſly.betwene the ſinne of them that beleue in Chriſt vnfaynedly, and the ſinne of them that beleue not. For they that beleue, ſinne not of purpoſe and of cōſent to wickedneſſe that it is good, caſtyng and compaſſyng afore hand without grudge of cōſcience to bryng their purpoſe about. As ye ſee our hypocrites hauehave vexed all Chriſtendome this. xx. yeares to bryng a little luſt to effect. Their fathers conceiued miſchief. viij. hundreth yeares ago. And the ſonnes conſent vntounto the ſame & hauehave no power to depart therefrom. And therfore their ſinne is deuiliſhe and vnderunder the damnation of the law. But if he that beleueth, ſinne: he doth it not of purpoſe, or that he conſenteth vntounto the life of ſinne: But of infirmitie, chaūce, and ſome great temptation that hath ouercome him. And therefore his ſinne is veniall and vnderunder mercy and grace, though it be murther, theft, or adulterie: and not vnderunder the dānation of the law. So that his father ſhall ſcourge hym, but not caſt hym away or damne hym. Marke in the ſinne of Saule & of Dauid. Saule euer excuſed his ſinne, and could not but perſecute the will of God. And Dauid confeſſed his ſinne, with great repentaūce at the firſt warnyng, whenſoeuer he forgot him ſelfe.
All that worke not righteouſnes are not of God. Nor hee that loueth not his brother. For this is the tydinges which ye heard at the begynnyg, that we ſhould louelove one an other, and not be as Cain which was of the deuill and ſlew his brother. And wherefore ſlew he him? for his deedes were euill and hys brothers righteous. Maruell not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you.
The law of righteouſnes is, that we louelove one an other as Chriſt loued vsus, and he that hath not this law liuyng in his hart, and when the tyme is, bringeth not forth the frutes therof, the ſame is not of God, but of the deuill whoſe byrth and properties of the ſame ye ſee deſcribed in Cain, how he reſiſted God and perſecuted the childrē of God for their belefe & workes therof. And as ye ſee in Cain and his brother Abell, ſo ſhall it euer continue betwene the children of God and of the deuill vntounto the worldes ende. Wonder not therefore thoughe the worlde hate you.
We know that we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we louelove the brethren. He that loueth not his brother, abydeth in death. All that hate theyr brethren are murtherers, and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall lyfe abydyng in hym.
If thou louelove thy brother in Chriſt, and art ready to do & to ſuffer for him as Chriſt dyd for thee, then thou art ſure thereby that thou art the ſonne of God and heyre of life and deliuered frō death and damnation. So hauehave Chriſten men ſignes to know whether they be in the ſtate of grace or no. And on the other ſide he that hath no power to louelove his brethren, may be ſure that he is in the ſtate of death and damnation. An other is this, let eueryevery man looke vpō his hart, and be ſure that he which hateth his brother hath ſlayne hym before God & is a murtherer. And murtherers ſhal not obteine the kingdome of God. Gala. 5. But are Caines brethren and the deuils children, and are heyres of death and euer vnderunder damnation. Compare the regiment of the ſpiritualtie, which hauehave had the temperall ſword in their handes now aboue viij. hundreth yeares vntounto this doctrine of Iohn, & Iudge whether they hauehave led vsus truely after the ſteppes of Chriſtes doctrine.
Hereby we are aſſured of louelove, becauſe hee left his lyfe for vsus, and therfore ought we to leaue our lyues for our brethren. He then that hath the ſubſtaunce of the worlde, and ſeith his brother hauehave neede and ſhutteth vp his compaſſion frō him, how dwelleth the louelove of God in hym?
If we felt the louelove of Chriſtes death, it would ſure ſet our hart on fire to louelove hym agayne and our brethren for his ſake, and ſhould neuer ceaſe to ſ…ay our reſiſting members vntill we could not onelyonly be wel content, that our brethren were in a more proſperous ſtate then we, but alſo vntill we could bleſſe them whe… they curſe vsus, and pray for them when they perſecute vsus, and to ſuffer death for thē, to teſtifie the worde We muſt recompence euill with goodnes.of their ſoules health vntounto them, and with louelove to ouercome them, and to wynne them vntounto Chriſt. If now eueryevery Chriſten man ought to hauehave this rule of his profeſſion before his eyes to learne it, that hee ſhould louelove his brother as Chriſt dyd hym, to depart with his lyfe for his brothers example, how farre are they of from good ſcholers, that can not finde in their hartes to depart with a litle of the aboundaunce & ſuperfluitie of their temporall goodes, to helpe their neighbours neede?
My litle children let vsus not louelove in worde nor with the toung, but with the dede and of a truth. For thereby we know that we be of the truth, and ſo ſhall we certifie our hartes in his ſight.
If we hauehave power to worke, then doth the worke certefie our hartes that our fayth in Chriſt, and louelove to God, and our neighbour for his ſake are vnfayned, and that we are true children, and no hypocrites. And then are we bold in our cōſcience before God. And Good …orkes declare where good ſayth is.this is it that Peter meaneth. 2. Pet. 1. where he biddeth vsus miniſter in our fayth vertue, godly liuing, and all maner of good workes, and therewith to make our vocation and election, or our calling add choſing ſure. For the ſight of the worke doth certify vsus, that God hath called vsus, and choſen vsus vntounto grace and mercy.
But and if when the time of woorking is come, I fly and hauehave no power to worke, then will our conſcience accuſe vsus of ſinne and tranſgreſſiō within the hart before God, and ſo for feare of the rodde we dare not be bolde, but draw backe and ſtand aloo…e.
Let a childe hauehave neuer ſo mercifull a father, yet if he breake his fathers cō maundementes, though he be not vnderunder damnatiō, yet is he euer child and rebuked, and now & then laſſhed with the rod: by the reaſon wherof he is neuer bold in his fathers preſence. But yt childe that kepeth his fathers commaū dements, is ſure of himſelfe, and bolde in his fathers preſence, to ſpeake & aſke what he will. They that miniſter well get them good degree and great confidēce in the fayth that is in Chriſt Ieſu, ſayth Paule. 1. Tim. 3. He that worketh, is bold before God and man. For hys conſcience accuſeth hym not within, neither hauehave wee ought to wyte hym withall or to caſt in his teeth. And as without the ſight of the woorkes Iacob the Apoſtle can not ſee thy fayth Iaco. 2. no more ſhalt thou euer be ſure or bold before God or man.
But if our hartes condemne vsus, God is greater then our hart, and knoweth all thyng.
If our conſcience accuſe vsus of ſinne, God is ſo great and ſo mightie that it can not be hid.
Dearely beloued if our hartes condemne vsus not, then we truſt to Godward. And whatſoeuer wee aſke, that ſhall we receaue of him, becauſe we keepe his commaundementes and do the thynges whiche are pleaſaunt in his ſight.
Kepyng of the commaundementes maketh a man ſee his fayth and to bee bold therein. And fayth when it is without conſcience of ſinne, goeth into God boldly, and is ſtrong and mighty in prayer to coniure God by all hys mercyes, & therewith obtayneth what ſoeuer hee aſketh, of all his promiſes. And the text ſayth, becauſe we kepe his commaundementes. Yea verely hys commaundemētes make vsus bold. But the keepyng of mens traditions and domine ceremonies make vsus, not bold before God, nor certifie our conſcience that our faith is vnfayned. Thou ſhalt not know by ſprynkling thy ſelfe with holy water, nor kyſſing the pax, nor with takyng aſſhes, or though thou were annoynted with all the oyle in Thames ſtrete that thy fayth is ſure. But and if thou couldeſt finde in thyne hart to beſtowe both lyfe and goodes vponupon thy neighbour in a iuſt cauſe, and haſt proued it: then art thou ſure, that thou loueſt Chriſt, and feeleſt that thou haſt thy truſt in his bloud.
And this is his commaundemēt that wee beleue in his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and louelove one another, as he gaue commaundement.
Fayth is the firſt and alſo the roote Fayth is the roote of all commaundementes.of all commaundementes. And out of fayth ſpryngeth louelove: and out of louelove workes. And when I breake any commaundemēt I ſinne agaynſt louelove. For had I loued I had not done it. And when I ſinne agaynſt louelove I ſinne agaynſt fayth. For had I earneſtly and with a full truſt remembred the mercy that Chriſt hath ſhewed me, I muſt hauehave loued. Wherefore when we hauehave broken any commaundement, there is no other way to bee reſtored agayne, thē to go through repētaunce vntounto our fayth agayne, and aſke mercy for Chriſtes ſake. And aſſoone as we hauehave receaued faith that our ſinne is forgiuen, wee ſhall immediatly louelove the commaundemēt agayne, and through louelove receaue power, to worke.
And he that keepeth his commaundemētes abideth in him, and he in hym. And hereby we knowe that there dwelleth in vsus of hys ſpirite which he gaue vsus.
Through the woorkes we are ſure that we continue in Chriſt, and Chriſt in vsus, and that his ſpirite dwelleth in vsus. For his ſpirite it is that kepeth vsus in fayth, and through fayth in louelove and through louelove in workes.