Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Therefore, see that thou not once desire vengeance; but remit all vengeance unto God, as Christ did, which, saith Peter, “when he was reviled, reviled not again, neither threatened when he suffered.” ( 1 Peter 2) Unto such obedience, unto such patience, unto such a poor heart, and unto such feeling, is Paul’s meaning to bring all men, and not unto the vain disputing of them that ascribe so high a place in heaven unto their piled merits; which, as they feel not the working of God’s Spirit, so obey they no man. If the king do unto them but right, they will interdict the whole realm, curse, excommunicate, and send them down far beneath the bottom of hell; as they have brought the people out of their wits, and made them mad, to believe, “Thy prayers and alms are come up into remembrance in the presence of God,” (in the tenth chapter of the Acts): that is, God forgetteth thee not; though he come not at the first calling, he looketh on, and beholdeth thy prayers and alms. Prayer cometh from the heart. God looketh first on the heart, and then on the deed; as thou readest Genesis 4 God beheld or looked first on Abel, and then on his offering. If the heart be unpure, the deed verily pleaseth not, as thou seest in Cain. Mark the order: in the beginning of the chapter thou readest, “There was a certain man named Cornelius which feared God, gave much alms, and prayed God always.” He feared God; that is, he trembled and quaked to break the commandments of God. Then prayed he always. Prayer is the fruit, effect, deed or act of faith, and is nothing but the longing of the heart for those things which a man lacketh, and which God hath promised to give him. He doth also alms: alms is the fruit, effect, or deed, of compassion and pity, which we have to our neighbour. O what a glorious faith, and a right, is that which so trusteth God, and believeth his promises, that she feareth to break his commandments, and is also merciful unto her neighbour! This is that faith whereof thou readest, (namely in Peter, Paul, and John,) that we are thereby both justified and saved; and whosoever imagineth any other faith, deceiveth himself, and is a vain disputer, and a brawler about words, and hath no feeling in his heart.
Though thou consent to the law, that it is “good, righteous, and holy,” sorrowest and repentest, because thou hast broken it, mournest because thou hast no strength to fulfil it, yet art not thou thereby at one with God.
Yea, thou shouldest shortly despair, and blaspheme God, if the promises of forgiveness and of help were not thereby, and faith in thine heart to believe them. Faith therefore setteth thee at one with God.
Faith prayeth always. For she hath always her infirmities and weaknesses before her eyes, and also God’s promises, for which she always longeth, and in all places. But blind unbelief prayeth not always, nor in all places, but in the church only; and that in such a church, where it is not lawful to preach God’s promises, neither to teach men to trust therein. Faith, when she prayeth, setteth not her good deeds before her, saying, ‘Lord, for my good deeds do this or that;’ nor bargaineth with God, saying, ‘Lord, grant me this, or do this or that, and I will do this or that for thee;’ as, mumble so much daily, go so far, or fast this or that fast, enter this religion or that, with such other points of infidelity, yea, rather idolatry. But she setteth her infirmities and her lack before her face, and God’s promises, saying, ‘Lord, for thy mercy and truth, which thou hast sworn, be merciful unto me, and pluck me out of this prison and out of this hell, and loose the bonds of Satan, and give me power to glorify thy name.’ Faith therefore justifieth in the heart, and before God; and the deeds justify outwardly before the world, that is, testify only before men, what we are inwardly before God. “Whosoever looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, (if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,) he shall be happy in his deed.” James 1. The law of liberty, that is, which requireth a free heart, or (if thou fulfil it) declareth a free heart, loosed from the bonds of Satan. The preaching of the law maketh no man free, but bindeth; for it is the key that bindeth all consciences unto eternal damnation, when it is preached; as the promises or gospel is the key that looseth all consciences that repent, when they are bound through preaching of the law. “He shall be happy in his deed:” that is, by his deed shall he know that he is happy and blessed of God, which hath given him a good heart, and power to fulfil the law. By hearing the law thou shalt not know that thou art blessed; but if thou do it, it declareth that thou art happy and blessed. “Was not Abraham justified of his deeds, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?” James 2. His deed justified him before the world; that is, it declared and uttered the faith which both justified him before God, and wrought that wonderful work, as James also affirmeth. “Was not Rahab the harlot justified when she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?” James 2. That is likewise, outwardly; but before God she was justified by faith, which wrought that outward deed, as thou mayest see, Joshua 2. She had heard what God had done in Egypt, in the Red Sea, in the desert, and unto the two kings of the Amorreans, Seon and Og: and she confessed, saying, “Your Lord God, he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath.” She also believed that God, as he had promised the children of Israel, would give them the land wherein she dwelt; and she consented thereunto, submitted herself unto the will of God, and help God, (as much as in her was,) and saved his spies and messengers.
The other feared that which she believed; but resisted God with all their might, and had no power to submit themselves unto the will of God. And therefore perished they, and she was saved, and that through faith, as we read Hebrews 11; where thou mayest see how the holy fathers were saved through faith, and how faith wrought in them. Faith is the goodness of all the deeds that are done within the law of God, and maketh them good and glorious, seem they never so vile; and unbelief maketh them damnable, seem they never so glorious.
As pertaining to that which James in this 2nd chapter saith, “What availeth though a man say that he hath faith, if he have no deeds? can faith save him?” and again, “Faith without deeds is dead in itself;” and, “The devils believe and tremble;” and, “As the body without the spirit is dead, even so faith without deeds is dead;” it is manifest and dear, that he meaneth not of that faith whereof Peter and Paul speak in their epistles, John in his gospel and first epistle, and Christ in the gospel, when he saith, “Thy faith hath made thee safe,” “Be it to thee according to thy faith,” or “Great is thy faith,” and so forth; and of which James himself speaketh in the first chapter, saying, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of life,” that is, in believing the promises, wherein is life, are we made rite sons of God. Which thing I also this wise prove. Paul saith “How shall, or can they believe without a preacher? How should they preach except they were sent?” Now I pray you, when was it heard that God sent any man to preach unto the devils, or that he made them any good promise? He threateneth them oft; but never sent any ambassadors to preach any atonement between him and them. Take an ensample that thou mayest understand: let there be two poor men both destitute of raiment in a cold winter; the one strong that he feeleth no grief, the other grievously mourning for pain of the cold. I then come by, and, moved with pity and compassion, say unto him that feeleth his disease, “Come to such a place, and I will give thee raiment sufficient.” He believeth, cometh, and obtaineth that which I have promised. That other seeth all this, and knoweth it, but is partaker of nought, for he hath no faith, and that is because there is no promise made him. So is it of the devils: the devils have no faith; for faith is but earnest believing of God’s promises. Now are there no promises made unto the devils, but sore threatenings. The old philosophers knew that there was one God, but yet had no faith; for they had no power to seek his will, neither to worship him. The Turks and the Saracens know that there is one God, but yet have no faith; for they have no power to worship God in spirit, to seek his pleasure, and to submit them unto his will. They made an idol of God, (as we do for the most part,) and worshipped him every man after his own imagination, and for a sundry purpose. What we will have done, that must God do; and to do our will, worship we him and pray unto him: but what God will have done, that will neither Turk nor Saracen, nor the most part of us do. Whatsoever we imagine righteous, that must God admit; but God’s righteousness will not our hearts admit. Take another ensample: let there be two such as I spake of before, and I promise both; and the one, because he feeleth not his disease, cometh not. So is it of God’s promises: no man is holpen by them, but sinners that feel their sins, mourn and sorrow for them, and repent with all their hearts. For John Baptist went before Christ, and preached repentance; that is, he preached the law of God right, and brought the people into knowledge of themselves, and unto the fear of God, and then sent them unto Christ to be healed. For in Christ, and for his sake only, hath God promised to receive us unto mercy, to forgive us, and to give us power to resist sin. How shall God save thee, when thou knowest not thy damnation? How shall Christ deliver thee from sin, when thou wilt not knowledge thy sin? Now I pray thee how many thousands are there of them that say, ‘I believe that Christ was born of a virgin, that he died, that he rose again, and so forth, and thou canst not bring them in belief that they have any sin at all! How many are there of the same sort, which thou canst not make believe that a thousand things are sin, which God damneth for sin all the scripture throughout! as to buy as good cheap as he can, and to sell as dear as he can; to raise the market of corn and victuals, for his own vantage, without respect of his neighbour, or of the poor, or of the common wealth, and such like.
Moreover, how many hundred thousand are there, which when they have sinned, and knowledge their sins, yet trust in a bald ceremony, or in a lousy friar’s coat and merits; or in the prayers of them that devour widows’ houses, and eat the poor out of house and harbour; in a thing of his own imagination; in a foolish dream, and a false vision; and not in Christ’s blood, and in the truth that God hath sworn! All these are faithless; for they follow their own righteousness, and are disobedient unto all manner righteousness of God; both unto the righteousness of God’s law, wherewith he damneth all our deeds, (for though some of them see their sins for fear of pain, yet had they rather that such deeds were no sin,) and also unto the righteousness of the truth of God in his promises, whereby he sayeth all that repent and believe them. For though they believe that Christ died, yet believe they not that he died for their sins, and that his death is a sufficient satisfaction for their sins; and that God, for his sake, will be a father unto them, and give them power to resist sin.
Paul saith to the Romans, in the 10th chapter, “If thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe with thine heart that God raised him up from death, thou shalt be safe:” that is, if thou believe he raised him up again for thy salvation. Many believe that God is rich and almighty; but not unto themselves, and that he will be good unto them, and defend them, and be their God.
Pharaoh, for pain of the plague, was compelled to confess his sins, but had yet no power to submit himself unto the will of God, and to let the children of Israel go, and to lose so great profit for God’s pleasure; as our prelates confess their sins, saying, Though we be never so evil, yet have we the power. And again, The scribes and the Pharisees (say they) sat in Moses’ seat; do as they teach, but not as they do: thus confess they that they are abominable. But to the second I answer, If they sat on Christ’s seat, they would preach Christ’s doctrine: now preach they their own traditions, and therefore not to be heard. If they preached Christ, we ought to hear them, though they were never so abominable, as they of themselves confess, and have yet no power to amend, neither to let loose Christ’s flock to serve God in the spirit; which they hold captive compelling them to serve their false lies. The devils felt the power of Christ , and were compelled against their wills to confess that he was the Son of God; but had no power to be content therewith, neither to consent unto the ordinance and eternal counsel of the everlasting God: as our prelates feel the power of God against them, but yet have no grace to give room unto Christ, because that they (as the devil’s nature is) will themselves sit in his holy temple, that is to wit, the consciences of men.
Simon Magus believed, Acts 8, with such a faith as the devils confessed Christ; but had no right faith, as thou seest in the said chapter. For he repented not, consenting unto the law of God. Neither believed he the promises, or longed for them; but wondered only at the miracles which Philip wrought. And because that he himself in Philip’s presence had no power to use his witchcraft, sorcery, and art magic, wherewith he mocked and deluded the wits of the people, he would have bought the gift of God, to have sold it much dearer; as his successors now do, and not the successors of Simon Peter. For were they Simon Peter’s successors, they would preach Christ, as he did; but they are Simon Magus’s successors, of which Simon Peter well prophesied in the second chapter of his second epistle, saying, “There were false prophets among the people (meaning of the Jews), even as there shall be false teachers or doctors among you, which privily shall bring in sects damnable,” (sects is part-taking, as one holdeth of Francis, another of Dominic, which thing also Paul rebuketh, 1 Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians 3) “even denying the Lord that bought them;” (for they will not be saved by Christ, neither suffer any man to preach him to other.) “And many shall follow their damnable ways.” (Thou wilt say, Shall God suffer so many to go out of the right way so long? I answer, Many must follow their damnable ways, or else must Peter be a false prophet.) “By which the way of truth shall be evil spoken of;” (as it is now at this present time, for it is heresy to preach the truth;) “and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.” Of their merchandise and covetousness it needeth not to make rehearsal; for they that be blind see it evidently.
Thus seest thou that James, when he saith, “Faith without deeds is dead,” and “as the body without the spirit is dead, so is faith without deeds,” and “the devils believe;” that he meaneth not of the faith and trust, that we have in the truth of God’s promises, and his holy testament made unto us in Christ’s blood; which faith followeth repentance, and the consent of the heart unto the law of God, and maketh a man safe, and setteth him at peace with God. But he speaketh of that false opinion and imagination, wherewith some say, I believe that Christ was born of a virgin, and that he died, and so forth. That believe they verily, and so strongly, that they are ready to slay whosoever would say the contrary. But they believe not that Christ died for their sins; and that his death hath appeased the wrath of God, and hath obtained for them all that God hath promised in the scripture. For how can they believe that Christ died for their sins, and that he is their only and sufficient Saviour, seeing that they seek other saviours of their own imagination; and seeing that they feel not their sins, neither repent, except that some repent (as I above said) for fear of pain, but for no love, nor consent unto the law of God, nor longing that they have for those good promises which he hath made them in Christ’s blood? If they repented and loved the law of God, and longed for that help which God hath promised to give to all that call on him for Christ’s sake; then verily must God’s truth give them power and strength to do good works, whensoever occasion were given, either must God be a false God. But “let God be true, and every man a liar,” as scripture saith. For the truth of God lasteth ever: to whom only be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.