The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

Chapter. 1.

THat which was from the begynnynge de∣clare * 1.1 wee vnto you, which we haue heard, which we haue seene with our eyes, which we looked vppon, and our handes haue handled of the worde of lyfe. For the lyfe appeared, and we haue sene, and beare witnesse and shewe vnto you that euerlastynge lyfe, which was with the father and ap∣peared vnto vs.

In that S. Iohn sayth. The thyng * 1.2 which was from the begynnyng, and the euerlastyng lyfe that was with the father, he witnesseth that Christ is ve∣ry God, as he doth in the begynnyng of his Gospel saying. The word or the thyng, was at the begynnyng, and the thyng was with God, and that thyng was God, and all thinges were made by it.

And whē he sayth, which we heard & saw with our eyes, & our hands hand∣led * 1.3 hym, he testifieth that Christ is ve∣ry man also, as he doth in the begyn∣ning of his Gospell saying. The word or that thyng was made flesh, that is, became man. And thus we haue in playne and opē wordes a manifest Ar∣ticle of our fayth, that our Sauiour Christ is very God and very man.

Which Article who soeuer not one∣ly * 1.4 beleueth, but also beleueth in it, the same is the sonne of God, & hath euer∣lasting lyfe in him, & shall neuer come into condemnation, as it is written. Iohn. i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God, in that they beleued in his name. And Iohn. iij. He that bele∣ueth in the sonne hath euerlastyng life. And a litle before in the sayd Chapter. He that beleueth in hym shall not be condēned. And to beleue in the wordes of this Article, is y^t eatyng of Christes flesh and drinkyng his bloud of which is spoken Iohn. vj. The words which I speake are spirite and lyfe, & the flesh profiteth not at all, meanyng of y^e flesh∣ly eatyng of his body, and fleshly drin∣kyng * 1.5 of hys bloud. There is therefore great difference betwene beleuing that there is a God and that Christ is God & mā, and to beleue in God and Christ God and man, and in the promises of mercy that are in hym. The first is cō∣mune to good and bad, and vnto the deuils thereto and is called the fayth & beleue of the hystory. The secōd is pro∣per vnto the sonnes of God & is their lyfe, as it is written. The righteous li∣ueth * 1.6 by fayth, that is, in puttyng hys trust, confidēce, and whole hope in the goodnes, mercy, and helpe of God, in all aduersities, bodely and ghostly, and all temptations, & euen in sinne & hell, how depe so euer he be fallen therin.

But as he which feeleth not hys di∣sease, can long for no health, euen so it is impossible for any man to beleue in Christs bloud, except Moses haue had hym first in cure, & with his law haue * 1.7 robbed hym of his righteousnes, and cōdemned him vnto euerlastyng death & haue shewed hym vnder what dāna∣tion they are in by birth in Adā: & how all their deedes (appeare they neuer so holy) are yet but damnable sinne be∣cause they cā referre nothyng vnto the glory of God, but seke thē selues, theyr owne profite, honour and glory. So that repentaunce toward the law must go before this belefe, and he which re∣penteth not, but cōsenteth vnto the life of sinne hath no part in this fayth.

And when Iohn calleth Christ the euerlastyng life that was with the fa∣ther, hee signifieth that Christ is our lyfe, as after in the Epistle, and in the first also of his Gospel saying. In him * 1.8 was lyfe. For vntill we receaue lyfe of Christ by fayth we are dead and can be

but dead, as saith Iohn. iij. He that be∣leueth not in the sonne, can see no lyfe, but the wrath of God abydeth vppon him. Of which wrath we are heyres by byrth sayth Paule. Ephe. ij. Of whiche * 1.9 wrath we are ignoraunt, vntil the law be published, and walke quyetly after our lustes, & loue God wickedly, that he should be content therwith & main∣teine vs therin cōtrary vnto his god∣ly and righteous nature. But assoone as the lawe (whose nature is to vtter sinne. Roma. iij. and to set man at va∣riaunce, with God) is preached, thē we first awake out of our dreame, and see * 1.10 our damnatiō, and haue the law which is so contrary vnto our nature, and grudge agaynst God therto, as young children do agaynst their elders when they first commaūde, and count God a cruell tyraūt because of his law in that he cōdemneth vs for that thyng which we can not loue, nor of loue fulfill.

But when Christ is preached, how * 1.11 that God for his sake receiueth vs to mercy, & forgiueth vs all that is past, & hencefoorth rekeneth not vnto vs our corrupt and poysoned nature, & taketh vs as his sonnes, and putteth vs vn∣der grace and mercy, & promiseth that he will not iudge vs by the rigorous∣nes of the law, but nourture vs with all mercy and patiēce, as a father most mercyful. Onely if we will submit our * 1.12 selues vnto his doctrine and learne to kepe his lawes. Yea and he will therto consider our mekenes, and what soe∣uer chaunceth neuer taketh away hys mercy, till we cast of the yoke of our profession first, and runne away with vtter defiaunce, that we will neuer come more at schole. Then our stub∣burne and hard hartes mollifie & waxe soft, and in the confidēce and hope that we haue in Christ and his kindnes we go to God boldly as vnto our father and receaue life, that is to say loue vn∣to God and vnto the law also.

That whiche we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye may haue felowshyppe with vs, and that our felowshyppe may be with the father, and with his sonne Ie∣sus Christ. And these thynges we write vnto you that your ioye may be full.

To bryng vnto the felowshyp of * 1.13 God and Christ, and of them that be∣leue in Christ, is the finall intent of all the Scripture, why it was giuen of God vnto man, and the onely thyng which all true preachers seke, & wher∣by ye shall euer know and discerne the true word of God from all false, and counterfayted doctrine of vayne tradi∣tions & the true preacher from the wy∣lie hypocrite. We preache vnto you (sayth Iohn) y^t euerlastyng lyfe which we haue heard, and in hearyng recea∣ued through fayth and are sure of it, to draw you to vs out of the felowshyp that ye haue with the damned deuils in sinnefull lustes and ignoraunce of God, for we seeke you and not yours as sayth Paul. ij. Cor. xij. We loue you * 1.14 as our selues in God, & therfore wold haue you felowes, and equall with vs, & build you vpon the foundation layd of the Apostles and Prophetes which is Christ▪ Iesus, and make you of the houshold of God for euer, that ye, and we, felowes and brethren, and coupled together in one spirit, in one fayth and in one hope, might haue our felowship thereby with God, and become his sonnes & heyres, & with Iesus Christ, beyng his brethren and coheyres, and to make your ioy ful through that glad tydinges, as the aungell sayd vnto the shepheardes Luke. ij. Behold I shew you great ioye that shalbe vnto all the people, how that there is a Sauiour borne vnto you this day whiche is Christ the Lord. And these tydinges we bryng you with the worde of God onely which we receaued of his spirit, and out of the mouth of his sonne as true messengers.

We preach not our selues, but Christ * 1.15 our Lord, and vs your seruauntes for hys sake, we do not loue our selues, to seke yours vnto vs, that after we had with wiles robbed you of all ye haue, we should exalte our selues ouer you & separate our selues frō you and make our selues a seuerall kyngdome, free and frāke raygnyng ouer you as hea∣then tyrauntes & holdyng you in bon∣dage to serue our lucre and lustes tan∣glyng your conscience with doctrine of man whiche draweth from God and Christ and fearing you with the bugge of excommunication agaynste Gods word. Or if that serued not, shakyng a sword at you.

And this is the tydinges whiche we haue heard of hym, and declare vnto you, that God is lyght and in hym is no darknes at all. If we say that we haue felowshyp with hym,

and yet walke in darkenes we lye, and do not the truth. But and if we walke in light as he is in light, then haue we felowshyp together, and the bloud of Christ his sonne clen∣seth vs from all sinne.

As the deuill is darknes and lyes, so is God light and truth onely, and * 1.16 there is no darknes of falshead & con∣sentyng to wickednes in hym. And the brightnes of his light is his word and doctrine, as the. C. and. xix. Psalme sayth. Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete & a light to my pathes. And Christe is the light that lightneth all men. And the Apostles are called the light of the world, because of the doc∣trine. And all that knowe truth are light. Ye were once darkenes sayth Paule. Ephes. v. but now light in the Lord, walke therfore as the children of * 1.17 lyght. And good workes are called the frutes of light. And all that lyue in ig∣noraūce are called darknes, as he sayth afterward, he that hateth his brother walketh in darknes. For if the light of the glorious Gospell of Christe dyd shyne in his hart, he could not hate his brother.

By walking vnderstande consen∣ting, doing, and working. If then we * 1.18 walke in darcknes, that is, consent and worke wickednes, and say we haue fe∣lowship with God, we ly. For to haue felowship with him, is to knowe, and consent, and professe his doctrine in our hartes. Now if the commaunde∣mentes of GOD bee written in our hartes, our members can not but prac∣tise thē & shew the fruite. So whether light or darknes be in the hart, it will appeare in y^t walking. For though our members be neuer so dead vnto ver∣tue, yet if our soules knowledge the truth, & consent vnto righteousnes, we haue the sprite of life in vs. And Paule sayth, Rom. viij. If the spirite of him y^t * 1.19 raysed vp Iesus from death be in you, thē wil he y^t raised vp Iesus frō death, quicken your mortall bodies, by the reasō of the spirit that dwelleth in you. So that it is not possible for him that knoweth the truth, & consenteth there∣to, to continue in sinne. And then fi∣nally if we haue the light in our harts, and walke therein, then we haue fel∣lowship with God, and are his sonnes and heires, and are purged from all sinne through Christes bloud.

If we say we haue no sinne, we deceaue our selues, and trueth is not in vs.

If we think there is no sinne in vs, * 1.20 we are beguiled, and blinde, and the light of Gods word is not in vs, and eyther folow sinne as beastes without consciēce at all. Or if we see the grosse sinnes, as murther, theft, and adultery, yet we haue hanged a vayle of false glo¦ses vpon Moses face, and see not the brightnes of the law, how that it re∣quireth of vs, as pure an hart to God, and as great loue vnto our neighbours as was in our sauiour Iesus, & ceaseth not before to condemne vs as sinners.

If we knowledge our sinnes, he is faythfull and iust to forgeeue vs our sinnes, and to clense vs from all vnrigh teousnes.

If we confesse our sinnes, not in the * 1.21 preistes eare (though that tradition re∣stored vnto the right vse were not dā∣nable,) but in our hartes to God with true repentaunce and fast beleife: then is he faythfull to forgeue and to purge vs, because of his mercifull truth and promise. For he promised Abraham, that in his seede all the worlde should be blessed from the curse of sinne. And hath aboundantly renued his euerla∣sting mercy vnto vs in the new testa∣ment, promising that our sinnes shall be forgeuen vs in Christes bloud, if we repent and trust thereto.

If we say we haue not sinned, we make him a lyer, and hys woord is not in vs.

For his word testifyeth against vs, * 1.22 that wee are all sinners, yea, and els Christ dyed in vayne. Salomon sayth, 3. Reg. 8. That there is no man that sinneth not agaynst God. And Paule proueth by the authoritie of the Scrip∣ture vnto the Romaines, that we are all sinners without exception. And the scripture witnesseth that we are dam∣nable sinners, and that our nature is to sinne. Which corrupt and poysoned nature, though it be begō to be healed, yet it is neuer through whole vntil the houre of death. For the which cause with all our best fruites, there growe weedes among. Neither can there be any deed so perfect that could not be a∣mended. When a blind bungler won∣dreth at his glorious woorkes, a cun∣ning workeman y^t hath a cleare iudge∣ment,

perceaueth that it is vnpossible to make a woorke that coulde not bee * 1.23 made better. Now the law requireth workes of vs in the highest degree of perfection, and ceaseth not to accuse vs vntill our workes flow naturally, as glorious in perfection as the woorkes of Christ. And Christ teacheth vs to pray in our Pater noster: Forgeeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue our tres∣passers. Whereby ye may easelye vn∣derstande, that we sinne dayly one a∣gainst another, and all agaynst God. Christ taught also to pray that our Fa∣ther should not let vs slip into tempta¦tion: signifying that our nature cannot but sinne if occasions be geuen, except that God of his especiall grace keepe vs backe. Which readinesse to sinne is damnable sinne in the lawe of God. Dauid prayed Psal. 68. Let not the tem¦pest drowne me, let me not fall into the bottome, and let not the pitte shut her mouth vpon me: as who shoulde say: First keepe me O God from sinning, then if I shall chaunce to fall, as no flesh can escape, one time or other, then * 1.24 call me shortly backe agayne, and let me not sincke to deepe therein: and though I yet fall neuer so deepe, yet Lord let not the way of mercy be stop∣ped: signifying that it is vnpossible to stand of our selues, and much lesse to rise againe. Which impotencie and fe∣blenes is damnable in the law of God except that wee saw it, and repented, and were fled to Christ for mercy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ Ioh. 1.
• * 1.2

  S. Iohn witnesseth that Christ is very God.
• * 1.3

  That Christ is very man.
• * 1.4

  He that be∣leueth that Christ is the sonne of God, & also very man, hath euer∣lasting life.
• * 1.5

  To beleue in Christ.
• * 1.6

  To beleue that Christ is God and man, is to put all our trust, hope, & confidēce in him.
• * 1.7

  Moses.
• * 1.8

  Christ is our life.
• * 1.9

  By nature we are the children of wrath.
• * 1.10

  The law cōdemneth vs.
• * 1.11

  Christ.
• * 1.12

  If we sub∣mit our sel∣ues to Christ, & knowledge our weake∣nes he will of his great mercy re∣ceaue vs.
• * 1.13

  The touch stone of all true doc∣trine and preachers.
• * 1.14

  The mo∣dest & chari¦table ma∣ner of S. Paules doctrine.
• * 1.15

  S. Paule preached Christ and not hym selfe.
• * 1.16

  As God is light, so the deuill is darkenes.
• * 1.17

  Good workes are the frutes of lyght.
• * 1.18

  Walkyng in darknes or in light.
• * 1.19

  If wee haue the spirite of God in vs, then will he rayse vs vp with Iesus Christ.
• * 1.20

  Hee that sayth hee hath no sinne de∣ceaueth him selfe.
• * 1.21

  If we con∣fesse our sinnes to God with true fayth and repen∣taunce he will for∣geue vs.
• * 1.22

  All mē are sinners.
• * 1.23

  Nothing can be so well done, but it may be amēded.
• * 1.24

  All the na∣ture of mā is sinfull.