Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Beware of thy good intent, good mind, good affection, or zeal, as they call it. Peter of a good mind, and of a good affection or zeal, chid Christ, Matthew 26, because that he said he must go to Jerusalem, and there be slain; but Christ called him Satan for his labour, a name that belongeth to the devil, and said, “That he perceived not godly things, but worldly.” Of a good intent, and of a fervent affection to Christ, the sons of Zebedee would have had fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans, Luke 9; but Christ rebuked them, saying that they wist not of what spirit they were: that is, that they understood not how that they were altogether worldly and fleshly-minded. Peter smote Malchus of a good zeal; but Christ condemned his deed. The very Jews of a good intent, and of a good zeal, slew Christ and persecuted the apostles, as Paul beareth them record, Romans 10; “I bear them record (saith he) that they have a fervent mind to God-ward, but not according to knowledge.” It is another thing then, to do of a good mind, and to do of knowledge. Labour for knowledge; that thou mayest know God’s will, and what he would have thee to do. Our mind, intent, and affection or zeal, are blind; and all that we do of them, is damned of God: and for that cause hath God made a testament between him and us, wherein is contained both what he would have us to do, and what he would have us to ask of him. See therefore that thou do nothing to please God withal, but that he commandeth; neither ask any thing of him, but that he hath promised thee. The Jews also, as it appeareth, slew Stephen of a good zeal; because he proved by the scripture, that God dwelleth not in churches or temples made with hands.
The churches at the beginning were ordained that the people should thither resort, to hear the word of God there preached only, and not for the use wherein they now are. The temple wherein God will be worshipped, is the heart of man. For “God is a Spirit” (saith Christ, John 4), “and will be worshipped in the spirit and in truth:” that is, when a penitent heart consenteth unto the law of God, and with a strong faith longeth for the promises of God. So is God honoured on all sides, in that we count him righteous in all his laws and ordinances, and also trust in all his promises.
Other worshipping of God is there none, except we make an idol of him. “It shall be recompensed thee at the rising again of the righteous.” ( Luke 14) Read the text before, and thou shalt perceive that Christ doth here that same that he doth, Matthew 5, that is, he putteth us in remembrance of our duty, that we be to the poor as Christ is to us; and also teacheth us, how that we can never know whether our love be right, and whether it spring of Christ or no, as long as we are but kind to them only which do as much for us again. But and we be merciful to the poor, for conscience to God, and of compassion and hearty love, which compassion and love spring of the love we have to God in Christ, for the pure mercy and love that he hath showed on us: then have we a sure token that we are beloved of God, and washed in Christ’s blood, and elect, by Christ’s deserving, unto eternal life.
The scripture speaketh as a father doth to his young son, Do this or that, and then will I love thee: yet the father loveth his son first, and studieth with all his power and wit to overcome his child with love and with kindness, to make him do that which is comely, honest, and good for itself.
A kind father and mother love their children even when they are evil, that they would shed their blood to make them better, and to bring them into the right way. And a natural child studieth not to obtain his father’s love with works; but considereth with what love his father loveth him withal, and therefore loveth again, is glad to do his father’s will, and studieth to be thankful.
The spirit of the world understandeth not the speaking of God; neither the spirit of the wise of this world, neither the spirit of philosophers, neither the spirit of Socrates, of Plato, or of Aristotle’s ethics, as thou mayest see in the first and second chapter of the first to the Corinthians. Though that many are not ashamed to rail and blaspheme, saying, How should he understand the scripture, seeing he is no philosopher, neither hath seen his metaphysic? moreover they blaspheme, saying, How can he be a divine, and wotteth not what is subjectum in theologia ? nevertheless as a man, without the spirit of Aristotle or philosophy, may by the Spirit of God understand scripture; even so, by the Spirit of God, understandeth he that God is to be sought in all the scripture, and in all things; and yet wotteth not what meaneth subjectum in theologia , because it is a term of their own making. If thou shouldest say to him that hath the Spirit of God, the love of God is the keeping of the commandments, and to love a man’s neighbour is to shew mercy; he would, without arguing or disputing, understand how that of the love of God springeth the keeping of his commandments, and of the love to thy neighbour springeth mercy. Now would Aristotle deny such speaking; and a Duns’ man would make twenty distinctions. If thou shouldest say (as saith John, the 4th of his epistle), “How can he that loveth not his neighbour whom he seeth, love God whom he seeth not?”
Aristotle would say, Lo, a man must first love his neighbour and then God; and out of the love to thy neighbour springeth the love to God. But he that feeleth the working of the Spirit of God, and also from what vengeance the blood of Christ hath delivered him, understandeth how that it is impossible to love either father or mother, sister, brother, neighbour, or his own self aright, except it spring out of the love to God; and perceiveth that the love to a man’s neighbour is a sign of the love to God, as good fruit declareth a good tree; and that the love to a man’s neighbour accompanieth and followeth the love of God, as heat accompanieth and followeth fire.
Likewise when the scripture saith, Christ shall reward every man at the resurrection, or uprising again, according to his deeds, the scripture of Aristotle’s Ethics would say, Lo, with the multitude of good works mayest thou, and must thou, obtain everlasting life; and also a place in heaven high or low, according as thou hast many or few good works. And yet he wotteth not what a good work meaneth, as Christ speaketh of good works; as he that seeth not the heart, but outward things only. But he that hath God’s Spirit understandeth it. He feeleth that good works are nothing but fruits of love, compassion, mercifulness, and of a tenderness of heart, which a Christian hath to his neighbour; and that love springeth of that love which he hath to God, to his will and commandments: and he understandeth also, that the love which man hath to God springeth of that infinite love and bottomless mercy, which God in Christ showed first to us, as saith John in the epistle and chapter above rehearsed. “In this (saith he,) appeareth the love of God to us-ward, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to make agreement for our sins.” In conclusion, a Christian man feeleth that that unspeakable love and mercy which God hath to us, and that Spirit which worketh all things that are wrought according to the will of God, and that love wherewith we love God, and that love which we have to our neighbour, and that mercy and compassion which we show on him, and also that eternal life which is laid up in store for us in Christ, are altogether the gift of God through Christ’s purchasing.
If the scripture said always, Christ shall reward thee according to thy faith, or according to thy hope and trust thou hast in God, or according to the love thou hast to God and thy neighbour; so were it true also, as thou seest, 1 Peter 1 “Receiving the end,” or reward, “of your faith, the health,” or salvation, “of your souls.” But the spiritual things could not be known, save by their works; as a tree cannot be known but by her fruit. How could I know that I loved my neighbour, if never occasion were given me to shew mercy unto him? How should I know that I loved God, if I never suffered for his sake? How should I know that God loved me, if there were no infirmity, temptation, peril and jeopardy whence God should deliver me? “There is no man that forsaketh house, either father or mother, either brethren or sisters, wife or children, for the kingdom of heaven’s sake, which shall not receive much more in this world, and in the world to come everlasting life.” ( Luke 18) Here seest thou, that a Christian man in all his works hath respect to nothing but unto the glory of God only, and to the maintaining of the truth of God; and doth and leaveth undone all things of love, to the glory and honour of God only, as Christ teacheth in the Paternoster .
Moreover when he saith, he shall receive much more in this world, of a truth, yea, he hath received much more already. For except he had felt the infinite mercy, goodness, love, and kindness of God, and the fellowship of the blood of Christ, and the comfort of the Spirit of Christ in his heart, he could never have forsaken any thing for God’s sake. Notwithstanding (as saith Mark 10), whosoever for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s “forsaketh house, brethren or sisters, etc., he shall receive an hundred-fold, houses, brethren,” etc., that is, spiritually. For Christ shall be all things unto thee.
The angels, all Christians, and whosoever doth the will of the Father, shall be father, mother, sister and brother unto thee; and all theirs shall be thine.
And God shall take the care of thee, and minister all things unto thee, as long as thou seekest but his honour only. Moreover, if thou wert lord over all the world, yea, of ten worlds, before thou knewest God, yet was not thine appetite quenched; thou thirstedst for more. But if thou seek his honour only, then shall he slake thy thirst; and thou shalt have all that thou desirest, and shall be content: yea, if thou dwell among infidels, and amongst the most cruel nations of the world, yet shall he be a Father unto thee, and shall defend thee, as he did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all saints whose lives thou readest in the scripture. For all that are past and gone before are but ensamples, to strength our faith and trust in the word of God. It is the same God, and hath sworn to us all that he sware unto them; and is as true as ever he was; and therefore cannot but fulfil his promises to us, as well as he did to them, if we believe as they did. “The hour shall come when all they that are in the graves shall hear his voice,” that is to say, Christ’s voice, “and shall come forth; they that have done good into the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil into the resurrection of damnation.” ( John 5) This, and all like texts, declare what followeth good works, and that our deeds shall testify with us or against us at that day; and putteth us in remembrance to be diligent and fervent in doing good. Hereby mayest thou not understand that we obtain the favour of God, and the inheritance of life, through the merits of good works, as hirelings do their wages: for then shouldest thou rob Christ, of whose “fullness we have received favour for favour,” John 1; that is, God’s favour was so full in Christ, that for his sake he giveth us his favour, as affirmeth also Paul, Ephesians 1, “He loved us in his beloved, by whom we have,” saith Paul, “redemption through his blood, and forgiveness of sins.” The forgiveness of sins, then, is our redemption in Christ, and not the reward of works;. “In whom,” saith he in the same place, “he chose us before the making of the world,” that is, long before we did good works. Through faith in Christ are we also the sons of God, as thou readest John “In that they believed on his name, he gave them power to be the sons of God.”
God, with all his fullness and riches, dwelleth in Christ; and out of Christ must we fetch all things. Thou readest also, John “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life: and he that believeth not shall see no life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him.”
Here seest thou that the wrath and vengeance of God possesseth every man, till faith come. Faith and trust in Christ expelleth the wrath of God; and bringeth favour, the Spirit, power to do good, and everlasting life.
Moreover, until Christ hath given thee light, thou knowest not wherein standeth the goodness of thy works; and until his Spirit hath loosed thine heart, thou canst not consent unto good works. All that is good in us, both will and works, cometh of the favour of God, through Christ, to whom be all the laud. 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 speak of myself.” John 7 This text meaneth not that any man of his own strength, power, and free will, (as they call it,) can do the will of God, before he hath received the Spirit and strength of Christ through faith. But here is meant that which is spoken in the third of John, when Nicodemus marvelled how it were possible that a man should be born again: Christ answered, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit;” as who should say, He that hath the Spirit through faith, and is born again, and made anew in Christ, understandeth the things of the Spirit, and what he that is spiritual meaneth. But he that is flesh, and as Paul saith, 1 Corinthians 2, a natural man, and led of his blind reason only, can never ascend to the capacity of the Spirit. And he giveth an ensample, saying, “The wind bloweth where he listeth, and thou hearest his voice, and wottest not whence he cometh, nor whither he will: so is every man that is born of the Spirit.” He that speaketh of the Spirit can never be understand of the natural man, which is but flesh, and savoureth no more than things of the flesh. So here meaneth Christ, If any man have the spirit, and consenteth unto the will of God, the same at once wotteth what I mean. “If ye understand these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” ( John 13) A Christian man’s heart is with the will of God, with the law and commandments of God; and hungereth and thirsteth after strength to fulfil them; and mourneth day and night, desiring God, according to his promises, for to give him power to fulfil the will of God with love and lust: then testifieth his deed that he is blessed, and that the Spirit, which blesseth us in Christ, is in him, and ministereth such strength. The outward deed testifieth what is within us, as thou readest, John 5, “The deeds which I do testify of me,” saith Christ. And, John 13, “Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.”
And, John “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, the same it is that loveth me.”
And again: “He that loveth me, keepeth my commandments; and he that loveth me not, keepeth not my commandments:” the outward deed testifieth of the inward heart. And, John “If ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall continue in my love; as I keep my Father’s commandment, and continue in his love.”
That is, As ye see the love that I have to my Father, in that I keep his commandments; so shall ye see the love that ye have to me, in that ye keep my commandments.
Thou mayest not think that our deeds bless us first, and that we prevent God and his grace in Christ; as though we, in our natural gifts, and being as we were born in Adam, looked on the law of God, and of our own strength fulfilled it, and so became righteous, and then with that righteousness obtained the favour of God: as philosophers write of righteousness; and as the righteousness of temporal law is, where the law is satisfied with the hypocrisy of the outward deed. For, contrary to that, readest thou John 15 “Ye have not chosen me,” saith Christ, “but I have chosen you, that ye go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit remain.” And in the same chapter: “I am a vine, and ye the branches; and without me can ye do nothing.” With us, therefore, so goeth it. In Adam are we all, as it were, wild crab-trees, of which God chooseth whom he will, and plucketh them out of Adam, and planteth them in the garden of his mercy; and stocketh them, and grafteth the Spirit of Christ in them, which bringeth forth the fruit of the will of God; which fruit testifieth that God hath blessed us in Christ. Note this also; that, as long as we live, we are yet partly carnal and fleshly, notwithstanding that we are in Christ, and though it be not imputed unto us for Christ’s sake; for there abideth and remaineth in us yet of the old Adam, as it were of the stock of the crab-tree; and ever among, when occasion is given him, shooteth forth his branches and leaves, bud, blossom, and fruit: against whom we must fight and subdue him, and change all his nature by little and little, with prayer, fasting, and watching, with virtuous meditation and holy works, until we be altogether spirit. “The kingdom of heaven,” saith Christ, “is like leaven, which a woman taketh and hideth in three pecks of meal, till all be leavened.” The leaven is the Spirit, and we the meal, which must be seasoned with the Spirit by a little and a little, till we be throughout spiritual. “Which shall reward every man according to his deeds,” Romans 2; that is, according as the deeds are, so shall every man’s reward be: the deeds declare what we are, as the fruit the tree; according to the fruit shall the tree be praised. The reward is given of the mercy and truth of God, and by the deserving and merits of Christ. Whosoever repenteth, believeth the gospel, and putteth his trust in Christ’s merits, the same is heir with Christ of eternal life; for assurance whereof, the Spirit of God is poured into his heart as an earnest, which looseth him from the bonds of Satan, and giveth him lust and strength, every day more and more, according as he is diligent to ask of God for Christ’s sake: and eternal life followeth good living. “I suppose,” saith St Paul in the same epistle, the eighth chapter, “that the afflictions of this world are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed on us;” that is to say, that which we here suffer can never deserve that reward, which there shall be given us.
Moreover, if the reward should depend and hang of the works, no man should be saved: forasmuch as our best deeds, compared to the law, are damnable sin. “By the deeds of the law is no flesh justified,” as it is written in the third chapter to the Romans. The law justifieth not, but uttereth the sin only; and compelleth and driveth the penitent, or repenting sinner, to flee unto the sanctuary of mercy in the blood of Christ. Also, repent we never so much, be we never so well willing unto the law of God, yet are we so weak, and the snares and occasions so innumerable, that we fall daily and hourly: so that we could not but despair, if the reward hanged of the work. Whosoever ascribeth eternal life unto the deserving and merit of works, must fall in one of two inconveniences: either must he be a blind Pharisee, not seeing that the law is spiritual and he carnal, and look and rejoice in the outward shining of his deeds, despising the weak, and, in respect of them, justify himself; or else (if he see how that the law is spiritual, and he never able to ascend unto that which the law requireth,) he must needs despair. Let every Christian man, therefore, rejoice in Christ our hope, trust, and righteousness; in whom we are loved, chosen, and accepted unto the inheritance of eternal life; neither presuming in our perfectness, neither despairing in our weakness. The perfecter a man is, the clearer is his sight; and seeth a thousand things which displease him, and also perfectness that cannot be obtained in this life; and therefore desireth to be with Christ, where is no more sin. Let him that is weak, and cannot do that he would fain do, not despair; but turn to him that is strong, and hath promised to give strength to all that ask of him in Christ’s name; and complain to God, and desire him to fulfil his promises, and to God commit himself; and he shall of his mercy and truth strengthen him, and make him feel with what love he is beloved for Christ’s sake, though he be never so weak. “They are not righteous before God which hear the law; but they which do the law shall be justified.” ( Romans 2) This text is plainer than that it needeth to be expounded. In this chapter Paul proveth that the law natural holp not the Gentiles. For the law of God was written in the hearts of the Gentiles, as it appeareth by the laws, statutes, and ordinances which they made in their cities, yet kept they them not. The great keep the small under, for their own profit, with the violence of the law. Every man praiseth the law, as far forth as it is profitable and pleasant unto himself: but when his own appetites should be refrained, then grudgeth he against the law. Moreover, he proveth that no knowledge help the Gentiles. For though the learned men (as the philosophers) came to the knowledge of God by the creatures of the world, yet had they no power to worship God. In this second chapter proveth he that the Jews, though they had the law written, yet it help them not: they could not keep it, but were idolaters, and were also murderers, adulterers, and whatsoever the law forbad. He concludeth therefore, that the Jew is as well damned as the Gentile. If hearing of the law only might have justified, then had the Jews been righteous. But it requireth that a man do the law, if he will be righteous; which because the Jew did not, he is no less damned than the Gentile. The publishing and declaring of the law doth but utter a man’s sin; and giveth neither strength, nor help, to fulfil the law. The law killeth thy conscience, and giveth thee no lust to fulfil the law. Faith in Christ giveth lust and power to do the law. Now is it true, that he which doth the law is righteous; but that doth no man, save he that believeth and putteth his trust in Christ. “If any man’s work, that he hath built upon, abide, he shall receive a reward.” ( 1 Corinthians 3) The circumstance of the same chapter, that is to wit, that which goeth before and that which followeth, declareth plainly what is meant. Paul talketh of learning, doctrine, or preaching: he saith that he himself hath laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ, and that no man can lay any other.
He exhorteth, therefore, every man to take heed what he buildeth upon; and borroweth a similitude of the goldsmith, which trieth his metals with fire; saying that the fire, that is, the judgment of the scripture, shall try every man’s work, that is, every man’s preaching and doctrine. If any build upon the foundation laid of Paul, I mean Jesus Christ, “gold, silver, or precious stone,” (which are all one thing, and signify true doctrine, which, when it is examined, the scripture alloweth,) then shall he have his reward; that is, he shall be sure that his learning is of God, and that God’s Spirit is in him, and that he shall have the reward that Christ hath purchased for him. On the other side, if any man build thereon “timber, hay, or stubble,” (which are all one, and signify doctrine of man’s imagination, traditions, and fantasies, which stand not with Christ when they are judged and examined by the scripture,) he shall suffer damage, but shall be saved himself, yet as it were through fire: that is, it shall be painful unto him that he hath lost his labour, and to see his building perish; notwithstanding, if he repent, and embrace the truth in Christ, he shall obtain mercy and be saved.
But if Paul were now alive, and would defend his own learning, he should be tried through fire; not through fire of the judgment of scripture, (for that light men now utterly refuse,) but by the pope’s law, and with fire of fagots. “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, for to receive every man according to the deeds of his body,” ( 2 Corinthians 5) as thy deeds testify of thee, so shall thy reward be. Thy deeds be evil, then is the wrath of God upon thee, and thine heart is evil; and so shall thy reward be, if thou repent not. Fear therefore; and cry to God for grace, that thou mayest love his laws. And when thou lovest them, cease not, till thou have obtained power of God to fulfil them; so shalt thou be sure that a good reward shall follow. Which reward not thy deeds, but Christ’s, have purchased for thee; whose purchasing also is that lust which thou hast to God’s law, and that might wherewith thou fulfillest them. Remember also, that a reward is rather called that which is given freely, than that which is deserved. That which is deserved is called (if thou wilt give him his right name) hire or wages. A reward is given freely, to provoke unto love, and to make friends. “Remember, that whatsoever good thing any man doth, that shall he receive of the Lord.” Ephesians 6. “Remembering that ye shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance.” Colossians 3. These two texts are exceeding plain. Paul meaneth, as Peter doth, that servants should obey their masters with all their hearts, and with good will, though they were never so evil. Yea, he will that all who are under power obey, even of heart, and of conscience to God; because God will have it so, be the rulers never so wicked. The children must obey father and mother, be they never so cruel or unkind; likewise the wife her husband, the servant his master, the subjects and commons their lord or king. Why? “For ye serve the Lord,” saith he, in the Colossians 3. We are Christ’s, and Christ hath bought us, as thou readest, Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 6, Peter 1. Christ is our Lord, and we his possession; and his also is the commandment. Now ought not the cruelness and churlishness of father and mother, of husband, master, lord, or king, cause us to hate the commandment of our so kind a Lord, Christ; which spared not his blood for our sakes; which also hath purchased for us with his blood the reward of eternal life; which life shall follow the patience of good living, and whereunto our good deeds testify that we are chosen. Furthermore, we are so carnal, that if the rulers be good, we cannot know whether we keep the commandment for the love that we have to Christ, and to God through him, or no. But and if thou canst find in thine heart to do good unto him that rewardeth thee evil again, then art thou sure that the same Spirit is in thee that is in Christ. And it followeth, in the same chapter to the Colossians, “He that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done.” That is, God shall avenge thee abundantly; which seeth what wrong is done unto thee, and yet suffereth it for a time, that thou mightest feel thy patience, and the working of his Spirit in thee, and be made perfect.