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Good works de

clare where good faith

is.

true children, and no hypocrites. And then are we bold in our conscience before God. And this is it that Peter meaneth, (2 Pet. i.) where he biddeth us minister in our faith virtue, godly living, and all manner of good works, and therewith to make our vocation and election, or our calling and choosing sure. For the sight of the work doth certify us, that God hath called us, and chosen us unto grace and mercy.

But, and if when the time of working is come, I fly and have no power to work, then will our conscience accuse us of sin and transgression within the heart before God, and so for fear of the rod we dare not be bold, but draw back and stand aloof.

Let a child have never so merciful a father, yet if he break his father's commandments, though he be not under damnation, yet is he ever chid and rebuked, and now and then lashed with the rod by the reason whereof he is never bold in his father's presence. But the child that keepeth his father's commandments, is sure of himself, and bold in his father's presence to speak and ask what he will. They that minister well get them good degree and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus, saith Paul, (1 Tim. iii.) He that worketh, is bold before God and man. For his conscience accuseth him not within, neither have we ought to wite him withal or to cast in his teeth. And as without the sight of the works, James the apostle cannot see thy faith, (James ii.) no more shalt thou ever be sure or bold before God or man.

But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

If our conscience accuse us of sin, God is so great and so mighty that it cannot be hid.

Dearly beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then we

trust to Godward. And whatsoever we ask, that

shall we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things which are pleasant in his sight.

Keeping of the commandments maketh a man see his faith and to be bold therein. And faith when it is without conscience of sin, goeth into God boldly, and is strong and mighty in prayer to conjure God by all his mercies, and therewith obtaineth whatsoever he asketh, of all his promises. And the text saith, because we keep his commandments. Yea, verily his commandments make us bold. But the keeping of men's traditions and dumb ceremonies make us not bold before God, nor certify our conscience that our faith is unfeigned. Thou shalt not know by sprinkling thyself with holy water, nor kissing the pax, nor with taking ashes, or though thou were anointed with all the oil in Thames street, that thy faith is sure. But, and if thou couldest find in thine heart to bestow both life and goods upon thy neighbour in a just cause, and hast proved it; then art thou sure, that thou lovest Christ, and feelest that thou hast thy trust in his blood.

And this is his commandment, That we believe in his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave commandment.

Faith is the first and also the root of all commandments. And out of faith springeth love and out of love works. And when I break any commandment I sin against love For had I loved I had not done it. And when I sin against love I sin against faith. For had I earnestly and with a full trust remembered the mercy that Christ hath shewed me, I must have loved. Wherefore when we have broken any commandment, there is no other way to be restored again, than to go through repentance unto our faith again, and ask mercy for Christ's sake. And as soon as we have received faith that our sin is forgiven, we shall

Faith is the root of all ments.

command

immediately love the commandment again, and through love receive power to work.

And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that there dwelleth in us of his Spirit which he gave us.

Through the works we are sure that we continue in Christ, and Christ in us, and that his Spirit dwelleth in us. For his Spirit it is that keepeth us in faith, and through faith in love, and through love in works.

THE FOURTH CHAPTER.

Spirits.

We may not believe

every doc

trine that is taught and preach

ed, but we must first

examine it

with the

touch-stone

of God's word, and so either receive it

prove

DEARLY beloved, believe not every spirit, but
the spirits whether they be of God. For many false
prophets are gone out into the world.

Spirits are taken here for preachers, because of the preaching or doctrine, which, if it be good, is of the Spirit of God; and if it be evil, of the spirit of the devil. Now ought we not to believe every man's doctrine unadvisedly, or condemn any man's preaching ere it be heard and seen what it is. But a Christian man's part is to examine, judge and try it, whether it be true or no. Quench not the spirit saith Paul, (1 Thess. the last.) Neither despise prophecyings, but prove all things, and keep that which is good. Destroy not the gifts of the Spirit of God, but try whether they be of God, and good for the edifying of his congregation and keep that which is good and refuse that which is evil.

son that hath any gift of God, to

or reject it. his degree and

And suffer every perserve God therein, in

estate, after a Christian manner and a due

order. Why shall we try the doctrines? Verily for there be many false prophets abroad already. We told you before that antichrist should come, as our master Christ told us that he should come. But now I certify you that antichrist's kingdom is begun already; and his disciples are gone out to preach. Try therefore all doctrine. Wherewith shall we try it? With the doctrine of the apostles, and with the Scripture which is the touchstone: yea and because ye love compendiousness, ye shall have a short rule, to try them withal.

Hereby know ye the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God. And the same is that spirit of antichrist, of whom ye have heard that he should come; and even now he is in the world already.

Whatsoever opinion any member of antichrist holdeth, the ground of all his doctrine is to destroy this article of our faith, that Christ is come in the flesh. For though the most part of all heretics confess that Christ is come in the flesh after their manner, yet they deny that he is come as the Scripture testifieth, and the apostles preached him to be come. The whole study of the devil and all his members is, to destroy the hope and trust that we should have in Christ's flesh, and in those things which he suffered for us in his flesh, and in the testament and promises of mercy which are made us in his flesh. For the Scripture testifieth that Christ hath taken away the sin of the world in his flesh, and that the same hour that he yielded up his spirit into the hands of his Father, he had full purged, and made full satisfaction for all the sins of the world. So that all the sin of the world, both before his passion and after, must be put away through repentance toward the law, and faith and trust in his blood,

The trial of

all doc

trine.

Antichrist confess that Christ is flesh.

will not

come in the

Doctrine

that is of God. Doctrine that is of the devil,

without respect of any other satisfaction, sacrifice or work. For if I once sin the law rebuketh my conscience, and setteth variance between God and me. And I shall never be at peace with God again, until I have heard the voice of his mouth, how that my sin is forgiven me for Christ's blood sake. And as soon as that I believe, I am at peace with God, (Rom. v.) and love his law again, and

of love work.

And that Christ hath done this service in his flesh, deny all the members of antichrist. And hereby thou shalt know them. All doctrine that buildeth thee upon Christ to put thy trust and confidence in his blood, is of God, and true doctrine. And all doctrine that withdraweth thine hope and trust from Christ, is of the devil and the doctrine of antichrist. Examine the pope by this rule, and thou shalt find that all he doth is to the destruction of this article. He wresteth all the Scriptures and setteth them clean against the wall, to destroy this article. He ministereth the very sacraments of Christ unto the destruction of this article; and so doth he all other ceremonies; and his absolution, penance, purgatory, dispensations, pardons, The pope's vows, with all disguisings. The pope preacheth that Christ is come to do away sius, yet not in the flesh, but in water, salt, oil, candles, boughs, ashes, friars' coats, aud monks' cowls, and in the vows of them that forswear ma trimony to keep whores, and swear beggary, to possess all the treasure, riches, wealth and pleasures of the world: and have vowed obedience, to disobey with authority, all the laws both of God and man. For in these hypocritish and false sacrifices, teacheth he us to trust for the forgiveness of sins, and not in Christ's flesh.

doctrine of Christ.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them. For greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

He that dwelleth in you, and worketh in you through

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