Doctrinal Treatises and Introductions to the Holy Scriptures

do our works justify us: for except we were justified by faith, faHhoniy which is our righteousness, and had the Spirit of God in us, and no good to teach us, we could do no good work freely, without respect JJ°J® ™JJ °y of some profit, either in this world, or in the world to come; SjSSSeJ6 neither could we have spiritual joy in our hearts in time of workfJSiy. affliction, and mortifying of the flesh.

Good works are called the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. for Good works the Spirit worketh them in us; and sometime fruits of rig:ht- ^l- e*™ eousness, as m the second epistle to the Corinthians and ninth chapter. Before all works, therefore, we must have a righte- ousncss within the heart, the mother of all works, and from whence they spring. The righteousness of the scribes and

Sesfand Pharisees, and of them that have the spirit of this world, is

Pharisees, fac giorious shew and outward shining of works. But Christ saith to us, Matt. v. " Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." It is righteousness in the world, if

Io™senrtSM~ a man kill not. But a Christian perceiveth righteousness if he l°ve hig enemy, even when he suffereth persecution and tor ment of him, and the pains of death, and mourneth more for his adversary's blindness than for his own pain, and prayeth God to open his eyes, and to forgive him his sins; as did Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles, the seventh chapter; and Christ, Luke xxiii.

A Christian considereth himself in the law of God, and be fumnedust ^iere putteth off him all manner righteousness. For the ^aw suffereth no merits, no deservings, no righteousness, neither anJ man to be justified in the sight of God. The law lone. w. T. -g gp^^^ an(j requireth the heart, and commandments to be fulfilled with such love and obedience as was in Christ. If any fulfil all that is the will of God, with such love and obedience, the same may be bold to sell pardons of his merits1, and else not.

A Christian therefore, when he beholdeth himself in the law, putteth off all manner righteousness, deservings and merits, and meekly and unfeignedly knowledgeth his sin and misery, his captivity and bondage in the flesh, his trespass and guilt; and is thereby blessed, with the poor in spirit. Matt. v. chap. Then he mourneth in his heart, because he is in such bond age that he cannot do the will of God; and is an hungred and athirst after righteousness; for righteousness (I mean) True rightwhich springeth out of Christ's blood, for strength to do the will of God; and turneth himself to the promises of God, and desireth him for his great mercy and truth, and for the blood of his Son Christ, to fulfil his promises, and to give him strength. And thus his spirit ever prayeth within him. He Hee[J'and fasteth also not one day for a week, or a Lent for an whole toi<Go?sfast year; but professeth in his heart a perpetual soberness, to $-onx.ses' tame the flesh, and to subdue the body to the spirit, until he Jrhuaejffsing' wax strong in the Spirit, and grow ripe into a full righteous- Ant< ed* ness after the fulness of Christ. And because this fulness happeneth not till the body be slain by death, a Christian is ever a sinner in the law; and therefore fasteth, and prayeth to God in the spirit, the world seeing it not. Yet in the promises he is ever righteous through faith in Christ; and is sure that he is heir of all God's promises; the Spirit, which he hath received in earnest l, bearing him witness; his heart also, and his deeds testifying the same. NO flesh can Mark this then: To see inwardly that the law of God is

Aut. ed. so spiritual, that no flesh can fulfil it2; and then for to mourn and sorrow, and to desire, yea, to hunger and thirst after strength to do the will of God from the ground of the heart, and (notwithstanding all the subtilty of the devil, weakness and feebleness of the flesh, and wondering of the world,) to cleave yet to the promises of God, and to believe that for Christ's blood sake thou art received to the inheritance of eternal life, is a wonderful thing, and a thing that the world knoweth not of; but whosoever feeleth that, though he fall a thousand times in a day, doth yet rise again a thousand times, and is sure that the mercy of God is upon him.

"If ye forgive other men their trespasses, your heavenly wejannot Father shall forgive you yours." Matt, in the vi. chap. If I SodnbTit°he f°rgive> God shall forgive me; not for my deeds' sake, but JaJdoShS. f°r his Promises' sake, for his mercy and truth, and for the Ant. ed. blood of his Son, Christ our Lord. And my forgiving certifieth my spirit that God shall forgive me, yea, that he By consent- hath forgiven me already. For if I consent to the will of wni^" God,e God in my heart, though through infirmity and weakness I lodging our cannot do the will of God at all times; moreover, though I o?the spu-u^ cann°t do the wn^ °f God so purely as the law requireth it of me, yet if I see my fault and meekly knowledge my sin, weeping in mine heart, because I cannot do the will of God, and thirst after strength; I am sure that the Spirit of God is in me, and his favour upon me. For the world lusteth not to do the will of God, neither sorroweth because he cannot, though he sorrow some time for fear of the pain that he belie veth shall follow. He that hath the spirit of this world, cannot forgive without amends making, or a greater vantage. If I forgive now, how cometh it? Verily, because I feel the mercy of God in me. For as a man feeleth God to himself, wherefore so is he to his neighbour. I know by mine own experience, wr^veththat all flesh is in bondage under sin, and cannot but sin; therefore am I merciful, and desire God to loose the bonds of sin even in mine enemy.

" Gather not treasure together in earth, &c. but gather Matt. vi. you treasure in heaven," &c. Let not your hearts be glued A true beto worldly things; study not to heap treasure upon treasure, aKng< and riches upon riches; but study to bestow well that which is gotten already, and let your abundance succour the lack and with that need of the poor which have not. Have an eye to good Soundeth works, to which if ye have lust and also power to do them, saryufoodce:>" then are ye sure that the Spirit of God is in you, and ye ins^inweT Christ elect to the reward of eternal life, which followeth good works. But look that thine eye be single, and rob not Christ of his honour; ascribe not that to the deserving of thy works, which is given thee freely by the merits of his blood. In Christ we are sons. In Christ we are heirs. In Christ in Christ we God chose us, and elected us before the beginning of theAnted'na world, created us8 anew by the word of the gospel, and put his Spirit in us, for because that4 we should do good works, A Christian man worketh, because it is the will of his Father only. If we do no good work, nor be merciful, how is our lust therein? If we have no lust to do good works, how is God's Spirit in us? If the Spirit of God be not in us, how are we his sons? How are we his heirs, and heirs annexed with Christ of the eternal life, which is promised to all them that believe in him? Now do our works testify and witness we must what we are, and what treasure is laid up for us in heaven, wor^beso that our eye be single, and look upon the commandment God% win without respect of any thing, save because it is God's will, |j|™Id do and that God desireth it of us, and Christ hath deserved that we do it.

Matt. vii. " Not all they that say unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Though thou canst

laud God with thy lips, and call Christ gospel is ac- an(j talk of the scripture, and knowest all the stories of the

Not oniyo laud God with thy lips, and call Christ Lord, and canst babble hvafter the bible, yet shalt thou thereby never know thine election, or gospel. W.T. whetner thy faith be right. But and if thou feel lust in thine heart to the will of God, and bringest forth the fruits thereof, then hast thou confidence and hope; and thy deeds, and also the Spirit whence thy deeds spring, certify thine heart that thou shalt enter, yea, art already entered, into the kingdom we^ust^ of heaven. For it followeth, "He that heareth the word, and do u°d and ^°*k ^' buildeth his house upon a rock," and no tempest of Ant. ed. temptations can overthrow it. For the Spirit of God is in his heart, and comforteth him, and holdeth him fast to the rock of the merits of Christ's blood, in whom he is elect. Nothing is able to pluck him out of the hands of God: God is stronger than all things. And contrariwise, " he that heareth the word, and doth it not, buildeth on the sand" of his own imagination, and every tempest overthroweth his building. The cause is, he hath not God's Spirit in him, and therefore understandeth it not aright, neither worketh aright. "For i cor. ii. no man knoweth the things of God (saith Paul in the first epistle to the Corinthians, in the second chapter) save the Spirit of God, as no man knoweth what is in a man, but a where the man's spirit which is in him." So then, if the Spirit be not in ispr\ot,0there a man, he worketh not the will of God, neither understandeth work accord- it, though he babble never so much of the scriptures. Never- will. w. T. theless such a man may work after his own imagination, but God's will can he not work; he may offer sacrifice, but to do mercy knoweth he not. It is easy to say unto Christ, Lord, Lord; but thereby shalt thou never feel or be sure of the kingdom of heaven. But and if thou do the will of God, then art thou sure that Christ is thy Lord indeed, and that thou in him art also a lord; in that thou feelest thyself loosed and freed from the bondage of sin, and lusty and of power to do the will of God.

Where the Spirit is, there is feeling; for the Spirit maketh us feel all things. Where the Spirit is not, there is

Christ is our no feeling; but a vain opinion or imagination. A physician cian, to5>seai serveth but for sick men; and that for such sick men as feel s!ns°f Int. ed. their sicknesses, and mourn therefore, and long for health. Christ likewise serveth but for such1 sinners only as feel their [l So C.: in D. such is omitted here.]

sin, and that for such sinners that sorrow and mourn in their hearts for health. Health is power or strength to fulfil the what health law, or to keep the commandments. Now he that longeth for w- Tthat health, that is to say, for to do the law of God, is blessed in Christ, and hath a promise that his lust shall be fulfilled, and that he shall be made whole. Matt. v. " Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness' sake, (that is, to fulfil the law,) for their lust shall be fulfilled." This longing and consent of the heart unto the law of God is the working of the Spirit, which God hath poured into thine heart, in earnest that thou mightest be sure that God will fulfil all his promises that he hath made thee. It is also the seal and mark, which God putteth on all men that he chooseth unto everlasting life. So long as thou seest thy sin and mournest, and consentest to the law, and longest (though thou be never so weak), yet the Spirit shall keep thee in all temptations from desperation, and certify thine heart that God for his truth shall deliver thee and save thee; yea, and by thy good deeds shalt thou be saved, not which thou hast done, but which Christ has done for thee; for Christ is thine, and all his JjjjJ'8 deeds are thy deeds. Christ is in thee, and thou in him, ours- w- Tknit together inseparably. Neither canst thou be damned, Christ is except Christ be damned with thee: neither can Christ be Swato saivasaved, except thou be saved with him2. Moreover thy heart is good, right, holy, and just; for thy heart is no enemy to the law, but a friend and a lover. The law and thy heart are agreed and at one; and therefore is God at one with thee. The consent of the heart unto the law is unity and peace between God and man. For he is not mine enemy, which would fain do me pleasure, and mourneth because he hath not wherewith. Now he that opened thy disease unto thee, and made thee long for health shall (as he hath pro- mised) heal thee; and he that hath loosed thy heart shall at his godly leisure loose thy members. He that hath not the Spirit hath no feeling, neither lusteth or longeth after power to fulfil the law, neither abhorreth the pleasures of sin, nei ther hath any more certainty of the promises of God, than I have of a tale of Robin Hood, or of some jest1 that a man telleth me was done at Rome. Another man may lightly make me doubt, or believe the contrary, seeing I have no experience thereof myself: so is it of them that feel not the working of the Spirit, and therefore in time of temptation the buildings of their imaginations fall.

Matt. x. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet," that is, because he is a prophet, " shall receive the reward of a prophet;" and "He that giveth one of these little

ones a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple,

A prophet, snall not lose his reward." Note this, that a prophet signifieth

Ant. ed. as wen him tljgjj interpreteth the hard places of scripture, as him that prophesieth things to come. Now he that receiveth a prophet, a just man, or a disciple, shall have the same or liko reward; that is to say, shall have the same eternal life which is appointed for them in Christ's blood and merits. For

NO man can except thou were elect to the same eternal life, and hadst the idawdrx0cTPhte same faith and trust in God, and the same Spirit, thou couldst he bechosen. never consent to their deeds and help them. But thy deeds testify what thou art; and certify thy conscience that thou art received to mercy, and sanctified in Christ's passions and sufferings, and shalt hereafter, with all them that follow God, receive the reward of eternal life.

Matt. xn. Matt. xii. " Of thy words thou shalt be justified, and of thy words thou shalt be condemned: " That is, thy words as well as other deeds shall testify with thee, or against thee, at the day of judgment. Many there are which abstain from the bufTia-rtioy is outwar>d deeds of fornication and adultery, nevertheless rejoice crisy. Ant.ed. £0 talk thereof and laugh: their words and laughter testify against them, that their heart is impure, and they adulterers and fornicators in the sight of God. The tongue, and other signs, ofttimes utter the malice of the heart, though a man for many causes abstain his hand from the outward deed or act.

"If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. x«. Matt. xix. First, remember that when God commandeth us to do any thing, he doth it not therefore, because that we of our selves are able to do that he commandeth; but that by the law we might see and know our horrible damnation and captivity under sin, and therefore2 should repent and come to Christ, and receive mercy, and the Spirit of God to loose us, strength us, and to make us able to do God's will, which is the law3. Now when he saith, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," is as much to say as, he that keepeth the cimst, is to commandments is entered into life. For except a man have first the Spirit of life in him by Christ's purchasing, it is im possible for him to keep the commandments, or that his heart fS should be loose or at liberty to lust after them; for of nature tokeep the we are enemies to the law ot God. ments. W.T.

As touching that Christ saith afterward, " If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell thy substance and give it to the poor; " he saith it not as who should say that there were any greater The greatest perfection than to keep the law of God, (for that is all peri'ec- w. T.

tion,) but to shew the other his blindness; which saw not that the law is spiritual, and requireth the heart; but, because he The law is was not knowing that he had hurt any man with the outward JJgJ^^J8 deed, he supposed that he loved his neighbour as himself. ed- But when he was bid to shew the deeds of love, and give of his abundance to them that needed, he departed mourning: which is an evident token that he loved not his neighbour as well as himself; for if he had need himself, it would not have grieved him to have received succour of another man. Moreover, he saw not that it was murder and theft, that a man if the rich should have abundance of riches lying by him, and not to shew mercy therewith, and kindly to succour his neighbour's but thieves before God.

need. God hath given one man riches, to help another at need. If thy neighbour need, and thou help him not, being able, thou withholdest his duty * from him, and art a thief be fore God.

He ithatwith- That also that Christ saith, how that "it is harder for a

SKfffi's* ™k man" (who loveth his riches so that he cannot find in his cometoTea- heart liberally and freely to help the poor and needy) " to the eye of a needle," declareth that he was not entered into the kingdom of heaven, that is to say, eternal life. But he that keepeth the commandments, is entered into life; he2 hath life and the Spirit of life in him.

Matt. xvii. « This kind of devils goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Not that the devil is cast out by merits of fasting or praying3: for he saith before, that for their unbelief's outl!Lvi]seth sa^e *ne could not cast him out. It is faith, no doubt, that casteth out the devils; and faith it is that fasteth and prayeth. miracles. Ysiith hath the promises of God, whereunto she cleaveth, and Faithfosteth. in all things thirsteth4 the honour of God. She fasteth to subdue the body unto the spirit, that the prayer be not let, ShlhAnfyed. an(^ *na^ *n8 sp"^ may quietly talk with God: she also, whensoever opportunity is given, prayeth God to fulfil his promises unto his praise and glory. And God, which is merciful in promising, and true to fulfil them, casteth out the devils, and doth all that faith desireth, and satisfieth her thirst.

o? Lkavegn?sm " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world; for I was athirst, and ye gave me drink," &c. Matt. xxv. Not that a man ws. T. with works deserveth eternal life, as a workman or labourer his hire or wages. Thou readest in the text, that the kingdom was "prepared for us from the beginning of the world." And we are blessed and sanctified. In Christ's blood are we blessed from that bitter curse and damnable captivity under sin, wherein we were born and conceived. And Christ's Spirit is Ant!aJd poured into us, to bring forth good works, and our works are the fruits of the Spirit; and the kingdom is the deserving of Christ's blood; and so is faith, and the Spirit, and good works also. Notwithstanding the kingdom followeth good works; and good works testify that we are heirs thereof; and at the day of judgment shall they testify for the elect unto their comfort and glory, and to the confusion of the ungodly, unbelieving, and faithless sinners, which had not trust in the word of God's promises, nor lust to the will of God; but were carried of the spirit of their father, tho devil, unto all abomi nation, to work wickedness with all lust, delectation, and greed iness.

" Many sins are forgiven her, for she loveth much." Luke vn. Not that love was cause of forgiveness of sins, but contran- wise the forgiveness of sins caused love; as it followeth, " To JSf whom less was forgiven, that same loveth less." And afore he jS commended the judgment of Simon, which answered that he ^fr!*6"

loveth most to whom most was forgiven: and also said, at the last, " Thy faith hath saved thee" (or made thee safe), " go in peace." We cannot love, except we see some benefit and kind ness. As long as we look on the law of God only, where we Theiawcon- see but sin and damnation and the wrath of God upon us, yea, Ant. ed. where we were damned afore we were born, we cannot love God: no, we cannot but hate him as a tyrant, unrighteous, unjust, and flee from him as did Cain5. But when the gospel. that glad The gospel tidings, and joyful promises are preached, how that in Christ SJJSJ God loveth us first, forgiveth us, and hath mercy on us; then etL love we again, and the deeds of our love declare our faith. This is the manner of speaking: as we say, Summer is nigh, for the trees blossom. Now is the blossoming of the trees not w^d the cause that summer draweth nigh; but the drawing nigh of summer is the cause of the blossoms, and the blossoms put us in remembrance that summer is at hand. So Christ here teacheth Simon by the ferventness of love in the outward deeds to see a strong faith within, whence so great love certain phra- springcth. As the manner is to say, Do your charity; shew

<An)t°Uedded' your cnarity; do a deed of charity; shew your mercy; do a deed of mercy; meaning thereby that our deeds declare how we love our neighbours, and how much we have compassion on them at their need. Moreover it is not possible to love, except we see a cause. Except we see in our hearts the love and kindness of God to us-ward in Christ our Lord, it is not possible to love God aright.

An example We say also, He that loveth not my dog, loveth not me.

neighbours -^0^ ^at a man should love my dog first; but if a man loved W-T- me, the love wherewith he loved me would compel him to love my dog, though the dog deserved it not; yea, though the dog had done him a displeasure, yet if he loved me, the same love would refrain him from revenging himself, and cause him to refer the vengeance unto me. Such speakings find we in i joim iv. scripture. John in the ivth of his first epistle saith: " He that saith, I love God, and yet hateth his brother, is a liar; for how can he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, love God whom he seeth not?" This is not spoken that a man should first love his brother and then God, but as it followeth: " For this commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God should love his brother also." To love my neighbour is the com mandment; which commandment he that loveth not, loveth not God. The keeping of the commandment declareth what where per- love I have to God. If I loved God purely, nothing that my oSdffthCTe neighbour could do were able to make me either to hate -him, Antked either to take vengeance on him myself; seeing that God hath commanded me to love him, and to remit all vengeance unto The keeping him. Mark now, how much I love the commandment, so mandme^t" much I love God: how much I love God, so much believe I love toward that he is merciful, kind and good, yea, and a father unto me for Christ's sake. How much I believe that God is merciful unto me, and that he will for Christ's sake fulfil all his pro mises unto me; so much I see my sins, so much do my sins grieve me, so much do I repent and sorrow that I sin, so much displeaseth me that poison that moveth me to sin, and Agodiyorder so greatly desire I to be healed. So now, by the natural w. T. order, first I see my sm: then I repent, and sorrow: then believe I God's promises; that he is merciful unto me, and forgiveth me, and will heal me at the last: then love I; and then I prepare myself to the commandment.

" This do, and thou shalt live." Luke x. That is to say, Luke x. "Love thy Lord God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, what it is to and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." As who should say, If thou do this, or though thou canst not do it, yet if thou feelest lust there- if we do but unto, and thy spirit sigheth, mourneth, and longeth after s& that the strength to do it, take a sign and evident token thereby, that W.T. the Spirit of life is in thee, and that thou art elect to life ever lasting by Christ's blood, whose gift and purchase is thy faith, and that Spirit that worketh the will of God in thee; whose gift also are thy deeds, or rather the deeds of the Spirit of Christ, and not thine; and whose gift is the reward of eternal life, which followeth good works.

It followeth also in the same place of Luke, " When he should depart he plucked out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take the charge or cure of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, I will recompense it thee at my coming again." Remember, this is a parable, and a para- The true unble may not be expounded word by word; but the intent of oS paWSe. the similitude must be sought out only, in the whole parable. A parable

1 he intent ot the similitude is to shew to whom a man is a pounded in neighbour, or who is a man's neighbour, which is both one, and what it is to love a man's neighbour as himself.

The Samaritan holp 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 1 to make good the rest; and forsook him not, as long as the other had need. Then said Christ, " Go wiwtneighthou and do likewise;" that is, without difference or respection fieth. w. T. of persons: whosoever needeth thy help, him count thy neigh bour, and his neighbour be thou, and shew mercy on him as long as he needeth thy succour; and that is to love a man's neighbour as himself. Neighbour is a word of love; and we must ever signifieth that a man should be ever nigh, and at hand, and hlijfour to ready to help in time of need. Ant. ed.

They that will interpret parables word by word, fall

No man ful filleth the law. W. T. 1 John i.

into straits ofttimcs, whence they cannot rid themselves; and preach lies instead of the truth. As do they which interpret by the two pence the old Testament and the new, and by that which is bestowed opera super erogationis (howbeit super arrogantia1 were a meeter term), that is to say, deeds which are more than the law requireth; deeds of perfection and of liberality, which a man is not bound to do, but of his free will, and for them he shall have an higher place in hea ven, and may give to other of his merits; or of which the pope, after his death, may give pardons from the pains of purgatory.

Against which exposition I answer: first, a greater per fection than the law is there not. A greater perfection than to love God and his will, which is the commandments, with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, is there none: and to love a man's neighbour as himself, is like the same. It is a wonderful love wherewith a man loveth himself. As glad as 1 would be to receive pardon of mine own life, (if I had deserved death,) so glad ought I to be to defend my neighbour's life, without respect of my life or of my good. A man ought neither to spare his goods, nor yet himself, for his brother's sake, after the ensample of Christ. " Herein," saith he, " perceive we love, in that he,'* that is to say Christ, " gave his life for us; we ought, there fore, to bestow our lives for the brethren." Now saith Christ, John xv. " There is no greater love than that a man bestow his life for his friend."

Moreover no man can fulfil the law: for John saith (first chapter of the said epistle,) " If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us; if we knowledge our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to purge us from all iniquity." And in the Paternoster also we say, " Father, forgive us our sins." Now if we be all sinners, none fulfilleth the law: for he that fulfilleth the law is no sinner. In the law may neither Peter nor Paul nor any other creature, save Christ only, rejoice. In the blood of Christ, which fulfilled the law for us, may every person that repenteth, believeth, loveth the law, and mourneth for strength to fulfil it, rejoice, be he never so weak a sinner. pencc therefore, and the credence that he left behind him to bestow more, if need were, signifieth that he was everywhere merciful, both present and absent, without feign ing, cloaking, complaining, or excusing, and forsook not his neighbour as long as he had need. Which example I pray SJj*p5J5* God men may follow, and let opera super erogationis alone. mor?a?anks

" Mary hath chosen a good part which shall not be taken Luke x. from her." Luke x. She was first chosen of God, and called by grace, both to know her sin, and also to hear the word of faith, health, and glad tidings of mercy in Christ; and faith was given her to believe, and the Spirit of God loosed her heart from the bondage of sin: then consented she to the will JIJtawSethat of God again, and above all things had delectation to hear Jhosen.aw.T. that2 word wherein she had obtained everlasting health, and namely, of his own mouth, which had purchased so great mercy for her. God chooseth us first and loveth us first, and openeth our eyes to see his exceeding abundant love to us in Christ; and then love we again, and accept his will above all things, and serve him in that office whereunto he hath chosen us.

" Sell that ye have, and give alms, and make you bags Luke *"• which wax not old, and treasure which faileth not in heaven." Luke xii. This and such like are not spoken that we should work as hirelings, in respect of reward, and as though we should obtain heaven with merit. For he saith a little afore, " Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's pleasure to give you a kingdom." The kingdom cometh then of the good will of Almighty God, through Christ; and such things are spoken partly to put us in remembrance of our duty, to be kind *? Gld?dness again: as is that saying, " Let your light so shine before Al men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven:" as who should say, if God hath given you so great gifts, see ye be not unthankful, but bestow them unto his praise. Some things are spoken to The great di- move us to put our trust in God, as are these: " Behold the lilies of the field:" " Behold the birds of the air:" " If your children ask you bread, will ye proffer them a stone?" and ed' many such like. Some are spoken to put us in remembrance scripture to be sober, to watch and pray, and to prepare ourselves ^sa^ve{y T against temptations; and that we should understand and [2 So C.: in D. it is the.]

know how that temptations, and occasion of evil, come then most, when they are least looked for; lest we should be careless, and sure of ourselves, negligent and unprepared. Some things are spoken that we should fear the wonderful and incomprehensible judgments of God, lest we should presume: gome to comfort us, that we despair not. And for like causes are all the ensamples of the old Testament. In conclusion, the scripture speaketh many things as the world speaketh; but they may not be worldly understood, but where the ^ ghostly and spiritually: yea, the Spirit of God only understandeth them; and where he is not, there is not the un derstanding of the scripture, but unfruitful disputing and there is no understand ing of scrip ture. W. T.

The sayings The scripture saith, God seeth, God heareth, God smell- of the scrip tures may eth, God walketh, God is with them, God is not with them, ltooS.deAnt God is angry, God is pleased, God sendeth his Spirit, God taketh his Spirit away, and a thousand such like: and yet is none of them true after the worldly manner, and as the words sound. Read the second chapter of Paul to the Corinthians: rjhCe°naturai " The natural man understandeth not the things of God, but sTaandetnhdnot the Spirit of God only. And we," saith he, "have received God! Ant. ed. the Spirit which is of God, to understand the things which - are given us of God." For without the Spirit it is impossible scripture to understand them. Read also the viiith to the Romans:

spirit of God. « They that are led with the Spirit of God, are the sons of

Kom. viii. QO(J.» now |jie gon ]inoweth his father's will, and the servant not. " He1 that hath not the Spirit of Christ, (saith Paul) is none of his:" likewise, he that hath not the Spirit of God, is none of God's; for it is both one Spirit, as thou mayest see in the same place.

John viii. Now " he that is of God heareth the word of God." John viii. And who is of God, but he that hath the Spirit of God? Furthermore, saith he, " Ye hear it not, because ye are not of God;" that is, ye have no lust in the word of God, for ye understand it not; and that because his Spirit is not in you.

The scripture Forasmuch then as the scripture is nothing else but that is notninff JL O

* wllicn tne SPirifc of God hatn spoken by the prophets and 1. apostles, and cannot be understand but of the same Spirit; Pray the ^ eyer7 man Pra7 ^° God to send him his Spirit, to loose ^rom his natural blindness and ignorance, and to give t1 So C.; D. omits, not. He.]

him understanding and feeling of the things of God, and of ^rd"^ral the speaking of the Spirit of God. And mark this process: JJJ J^j™ first, we are damned of nature; so conceived, and born; as g$j£f of a serpent is a serpent, and a toad a toad, and a snake a SSk'thT' T* snake by nature2. And as thou seest a young child, which oSS works. hath pleasure in many things wherein is present death, as in w' T' fire, water, and so forth, would slay himself with a thousand deaths, if he were not waited upon and kept therefrom; even so we, if we should live these thousand years, could in all that time delight in no other thing, nor yet seek any other thing, but that wherein is death of the soul.

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 Spirit; which openeth their eyes, sheweth them their misery, and bringeth them unto the knowledge of themselves; so that they hate and abhor themselves, are astonied and amazed, and at their wit's ends, neither wot what to do, or where to seek health. Then, lest they should flee from God by despe- BY faith m ration, he comiorteth them again with his sweet promises in brought to Christ; and certifieth their hearts that, for Christ's sake, they are received to mercy, and their sins forgiven, and they elect and made the sons of God, and heirs with Christ of eternal life: and thus through faith are they set at peace with God.

Now may not we ask why God chooseth one and not God work

,., * his own will another; either think that God is unjust to damn us afore Jjjljj^18 we do any actual deed; seeing that God hath power over all Antt cdhis creatures of right, to do with them what he list, or to make of every one of them as he listeth. Our darkness cannot perceive his light. God will be feared, and not have his secret judgments known. Moreover we by the light of faith see a thousand things which are impossible to an in fidel to see: so likewise, no doubt, in the light of the clear vision of God we shall see things which now God will not have known. For pride ever accompanieth high knowledge, but grace accompanieth meekness. Let us therefore give diligence rather to do the will of God, than to search his secrets, which are not profitable for us to know.

if we believe When we are thus reconciled to God, made the friends in God, we of> Gocl and heirs of eternal life, the Spirit, that God hath Ant. poured into us, testifieth that we may not live after our old deeds of ignorance. For how is it possible that we should He that is repent and abhor them, and yet have lust to live in them? XnGod We are sure therefore that God hath created and made us after the out new in Christ, and put his Spirit in us, that we should live a ranee, w. T. new ]tfGf which is the life of good works.

That thou mayest know what are good works, and the intent of good works, or wherefore good works serve, mark this that followeth.

God, and properly is the consent of the Spirit to the will of God and to the honour of God. And God's honour is the final end of all good works.

Good works are all things that are done within the laws of God, in which God is honoured, and for which thanks are given to God.

Fasting is to abstain from surfeiting, or overmuch eating,

Antfefi'. from drunkenness, and care of the world (as thou mayest read Luke xxi.); and the end of fasting is to tame the body, that the spirit may have a free course to God, and may quietly talk with God. For overmuch eating and drinking, and care of worldly business, press down the spirit, choke her fahsfinguseof an(i tangle her that she cannot lift up herself to God. Now he that fasteth for any other intent than to subdue the body, that the spirit may wait on God, and freely exercise herself in the things of God, the same is blind, and wotteth not what he doth, erreth and shooteth at a wrong mark, and his intent and imagination is abominable in the sight of God1. When thou fastest from meat and drinkest all day, is that a Christian fast? either to eat at one meal that were sufficient fwS'Antl f°r f°ur ^ A man a* f°ur times may bear that he cannot at once. Some fast from meat and drink, and yet so tangle themselves in worldly business that they cannot once think on God. Some abstain from butter, some from eggs, some from all manner white meat, some this day, some that day, some in the honour of this saint, some of that, and every man for a sundry purpose: some for the tooth ache, some for the head ache, for fevers, pestilence, for sudden death, for hang ing, drowning, and to be delivered from the pains of hell. Some are so mad, that they fast one of the Thursdays be tween the two St Mary days2, in the worship of that saint whose day is hallowed between Christmas and Candlemas3;

and that to be delivered from the pestilence. All those men fast without conscience of God, and without knowledge of the true intent of fasting, and do no other than honour saints, as the Gentiles and heathen worshipped their idols, and are drowned in blindness, and know not of the testament that God hath made to man-ward in Christ's blood. In God have they neither hope nor confidence, neither believe his promises, neither know his will, but are yet in captivity under the prince of darkness.

what watch Watch, is not only to abstain from sleep, but also to be w. T. circumspect and to cast1 all perils; as a man should watch a tower or a castle. We must remember that the snares of the devil are infinite and innumerable, and that every moment arise new temptations, and that in all places meet us fresh occasions; against which we must prepare ourselves and turn

True watch- to God and complain to him, and make our moan, and desire him of his mercy to be our shield, our tower, our castle, and defence from all evil, to put his strength in us, for without him we can do nought; and above all things we must call to mind what promises God hath made, and what he hath sworn that he will do to us for Christ's sake, and with strong faith cleave unto him and desire him of his mercy and for the love that he hath to Christ, and for his truth's sake, to fulfil his promises. If we thus cleave to God with strong faith and i cor. x. believe his words, then, as saith Paul, " God is faithful that he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able," or above our might; that is to say, if we cleave to his promises and not to our own fantasies and imaginations, he will put might and power into us, that shall be stronger than all the temptation which he shall suffer to be against us.

Prayer is a mourning, a longing, and a desire of the spirit Prayer, what to God- ward, for that which she lacketh; as a sick man mourneth and sorroweth in his heart, longing for health. Faith ever prayeth. For after that by faith we are reconciled to God, and have received mercy and forgiveness of God, the spirit longeth and thirsteth for strength to do the will of God, and that God may be honoured, his name hallowed, and his pleasure and will fulfilled. The spirit waiteth and watcheth on the will of God, and ever hath her own fragility and weakness before her eyes; and when she seeth temptation and peril draw nigh, she turneth to God, and to the testa ment2 that God hath made to all that believe and trust in Christ's blood; and desireth God for his mercy and truth, Theconduion and for the love he hath to Christ, that he will fulfil his ties of prayer, promise, and that he will succour, and help, and give us strength, and that he will sanctify his name in us, and fulfil his godly will in us, and that he will not look on our sin and iniquity, but on his mercy, on his truth, and on the love that he oweth to his Son Christ; and for his sake to keep us from temptation, that we be not overcome; and that he deliver us from evil, and whatsoever moveth us contrary to his godly will.

Moreover, of his own experience he feeleth other men's True prayer. need, and no less commendeth to God the infirmities of other than his own, knowing that there is no strength, no help, no succour, but of God only. And as merciful as he feeleth God Let the same in his heart to himself-ward, so merciful is he to other; and you, which

. was 'm Jesus as greatly as he feeleth his own misery, so great compassion Christ- w- Thath he on other. His neighbour is no less care to him than himself: he feeleth his neighbour's grief no less than his own. And whensoever he seeth occasion, he cannot but pray for his neighbour as well as for himself: his nature is to seek the honour of God in all men, and to draw (as much as in him is) all men unto God. This is the law of love, which springeth out of Christ's blood into the hearts of all them that have their trust in him. No man needeth to bid a Christian man to pray, if he see his neighbour's need: if he see it not, put him in remembrance only, and then he cannot but do his duty. t Now, as touching we desire one another to pray for us, char\taynd that do we to put our neighbour in remembrance of his duty, Ant. eu. an(j no£ ^.j^ we trust in his holiness l. Our trust is in God, in Christ, and in the truth of God's promises: we have also a promise, that when two or three, or more, agree together in any thing, according to the will of God, God heareth us. fo^anoSIS Notwithstanding, as God heareth many, so heareth he few, 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 own misery and sin, and mourneth in his heart for to be delivered, that he might honour God; and God for his truth must hear him, which saith by the Matt. v. mouth of Christ, " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." God, for his truth's sake, must put the righteousness of Christ in him, and wash his unrighteousness away in the blood of Christ.!heWsSe?ur And be the sinner never so weak, never so feeble and hfarewm.sha11 frail, sin he never so oft and so grievous; yet so long as this lust, desire, and mourning to be delivered, remaineth in him, God seeth not his sins, reckoneth them not, for his He that re- truth's sake, and love to Christ. He is not a sinner in the sin is no sight of God, that would be no sinner. He that would be de-

God. Ant. ed. Jiyered, hath his heart loose already. His heart sinneth not, but mourneth, repenteth, and consenteth unto the law and will of God, and justifieth God; that is, beareth record that God which made the law is righteous and just. And such an heart, trusting in Christ's blood, is accepted for full righteous. And his weakness, infirmity, and frailty is pardoned, and his sins not looked upon, until God put more strength in him, and fulfil his lust.

When the weak in the faith, and unexpert in the mys- Howwe teries of Christ, desire us to pray for them, then ought we to JJ^JJ^M lead them to the truth and promises of God, and teach them Ant edto put their trust in the promises of God, in love that God hath to Christ and to us for his sake; and to strength their weak consciences, shewing and proving by the scripture, that as long as they follow the Spirit and resist sin, it is impossible they should fall so deep that God shall not pull them up again, if they hold fast by the anchor of faith, having trust and confidence in Christ. The love that God hath to Christ ™e love of