wold not defyle hym selfe but to thrust hym into the handes of Phylystynes that they myght sley hym and he hym selfe abyde pure And as our spyrytualtye nowe offer a man mercy once thoughe ye haue spoken agaynste holy chyrche onely yf he wyll but periure and bere a fagot But yf he wyll not they do but dyote hym a season to wynne hym and make hym tell more and then delyuer hym to the lay power sayenge he hathe deserued the dethe by our lawes and ye ought to kyll hym howe be it we deserc it not ¶ But Chryste restoreth the lawe agayne and sayeth to be angry with thy neyghboure to sle hym and to deserue dethe For the lawe goeth as wel on the harte as on the hande He that hateth his brother is a mutherar .i. Io. 3. If then the blynd hande deserue dethe howe moche more those partes which haue the syght of reson And he that sayeth Racha lewde or what so euer sygne of wrath it be or y t prouoketh to wrath ▪ hath not only deserued that men shuld immedyatly pronounce sentence of deth vpon hym but also y t when deth is pronoūced they shuld gather a councel to decre what horryble dethe he shuld suffer And he that calleth hys brother fole hathe synned downe to hel Shal then a man not be angry at al nor rebuke or ponyshe yes yf thou be a father or a mother mayster maystresse husbande lorde or ruler yet with loue and mercye that the anger rebuke or ponyshmente excede not the faute or trespas Maye a man be angrye with loue ye mothers can be so with theyr chyldrē It is a louinge anger that hateth onely the vyce and studyeth to mende the persone But here is forboden not only wrath agaynste father mother and all that haue gouernaunce ouer the whiche is to be angry and to grudge agaynste God hym selfe and that the ruler shall not be wrath without a cause agaynst the subiecte But also al pryuate wrathe agaynst thy neyghbour ouer whome thou haste no rule nor he ouer the no though he do the wronge For he that do the wronge lacketh wytte and dyscrecyon and can not amende tyll he be informed and taught louyngly Therfore thou must refrayne thy wrath and tell hym hys faute louyngly and with kyndenes wyn him to thy father for he is thy brother as wel made and as dere bought as thou and as wel beloued though he be yet chyldyshe and lacke dyscrecyon But some wyl say I wyl not hate my neyghboure nor yet loue hym or do hym good yes thou must loue hym for the fyrst cōmaundemēt out of which all other flowe is thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thyne harte with all thy soule and with all thy myght That is thou must kepe all his commaundementes with loue Loue must kepe y e fro killyng or hurting thy neyboure and frō couetynge in thyne harte what so euer is his And .1 Ioh. 4. Thys commaundement haue we of hym that he whiche loueth God loue his brother also And agayne 1. Iohan. iii. he that hathe substaunce of thys worlde and see hys brother haue necessyte and shutteth vp hys compassyon from him howe is the loue of God in hym he then that helpe the not at neade louethe not God but breketh the fyrste commaundement Let vs loue therfore sayth saynte Io not with worde and tonge but in the dede and of a truthe And agayne saynte Iohā sayd in the sayd place he that loueth not hys brother by deth yet styll in dethe And of loue hath Moyses textes ynoughe But the pharyseys glosed them out sayenge they were but good councelles yf a man desyred to be perfecte but not preceptes Exodi xxiii yf thou mete thyne enemyes oxe or asse goynge a straye thou shalte in any wyse brynge them to hym agayne And yf thou se thyne enemyes asse falle downe vnder his burthen thou shalt helpe him vp agayne And Leuyti xix thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne hart but shalt in any wyse rebuke thy neyghboure that thou beare no syn for hys sake For yf thou studye not to amende thy neyghboure when he synneth so art thou partaker of hys synnes And therfore whē God taketh vengeaunce and sendeth what soo euer plage it be to ponyshe open sinners thou must peryshe with them For thou dydest synne in the syght of God as depe as they because thou dydest not loue the lawe of God to maynteyne it with all thyne harte soule power and myght Is not he that seeth hys nyghboures hous in ieoperdye to be sette on fyer and warneth not nor helpeth in tyme to auoyde the parell worthy yf his neyghboures hous be brent vp that hys be brent also seynge it was in hys power to haue kepte all out of ieoperdy yf he had wolde as he wolde no doute yf he had loued hys neyghboure Euen so when God sendeth a generall pestylence or warre to thy cytye to ponyshe the synne therof arte not thou worthy that thyne house shulde be infected or peryshe yf thou myghtest haue kepte it frō synnynge and thou haddest ben wyllynge therto But yf thou do thy beste to further the lawe of God and to kepe thy land or neyghboures frō synnyng against God thē though it pelpe not thou shalte bere no synne for theyr sakes when they be ponyshed He therfore that loueth the lawe of God may be bolde in tyme of pestylence and all ieoperdy to beleue in God And agayne in the same place thou shalt not auenge thy selfe nor beare hate in mynde agaynste the chyldren of thy people But shall loue thy felowe as thy selfe I am the lorde As who shuld say for my sake shalt thou do it And Deuteronomy .10 The lorde your God is the God of Goddes and lorde of lordes a greate God myghty and terryble which regardeth no mannes persone or degree or taketh gyftes But doth ryghte to the fatherlesse and the wydowe and loueth the staunger to gyue hym rayment and fode loue therfore the straunger for ye were straungers in the lande of Egypt And Leuytycum .xix. yf a straunger soiourne by the in your lande se that ye vexe hym not But let the straunger that dwelleth amonge you be as one of your selfes and loue hym as thy selfe For ye were straungers in the lande of Egypt I am the lorde As who shulde saye loue him for my sake Notwithstandynge when thy neyghboure hathe shewed the more vnkyndenes then God hath loue then mayste thou hate hym and not before But muste loue hym for Goddes sake tyll he fyght agaynste God to destroy the name and glorye of God Therfore when thou offerest thy gyfte at the alter and there remembreste that thy brother hathe ought agaynste the leaue there thy gyfte before the alter and go fyrst and reconsyle thy selfe vnto thy brother and then come and offer thy selfe Agree with thyne aduersarye attonce whyle thou arte in the waye with hym leaste thyne aduersarye
bloude and in the promyses made vs for his sake dothe brynge ryghtwysnesse into the harte And the ryghtwysnes of the harte by fayth is felt and knowen by the worke As Peter in the fyrst of his seconde epystle commaundeth to do good workes for to make our vocacyoÌ„ and election sure that we myght fele our fayth and be certefyed that it is ryght Eor except a man be proued and tryed it can not be knowen nether to hym selfe or other men that he is ryghtwyse and in the true fayth Take an ensample lest thou be begyled with sophystrye Chryst sayeth Mat. 13. The kyngdome of heueÌ„ is lyke leuen which a womaÌ„ taketh and hydeth in thre peckes of meale tyll all be leuended or soure Leuen is some tym taken in an euel sence for the doctryne of the phareseys which corrupted the swetnes of the worde of God with the leuen of theyr gloses and some tyme in a good sens for the kyngedome of heuen that is to say the gospel and glad tydinges of Christ For as leuen altereth the nature of dowe and maketh it throughe sowre euen so the gospell turneth a man into a newe lyfe and altereth him a lytle and a lytle fyrst the hart and then the meÌ„bers Fayth in Chryst fyrst certyfyeth the conscyence of the forgeuenes of synnes and delyuereth vs from feare of euerlastynge dampnacyon and then bryngeth the loue of God and of hys lawe into the harte whiche loue is the ryghtwysnes of the harte Loue bryngeth good workes in to the members whiche workes are the outwarde ryghtwysnesse and the ryghtwysnesse of the members To hate the wyll of God is the vnryghtwysnes of the harte and causeth euell workes whiche are the vnryghtwysnesse of the members As when I hatyd my brother my tonge spake euel my haÌ„des smote and so forth To loue is the ryghtwysnesse of the harte and causeth good workes whiche are the ryghtwysnes of the members As yf I loue my brother and he haue nede of me and be in pouerte loue wyll make me put myne hande in to my pursse or almorye and to gyue hym some what to refresh hym c. That the loue of God and of his commaundementes is the ryghtwysnesse of the harte doeth no man doute saue he that is hertlesse And that loue spryngeth of faythe thou mayst euydently see 1. Iohan. 2. â—e that loueth hys brother dwelleth in the lyght But he that hateth his brother is in darckenesse and walketh in darckenesse and woteth not whether he goeth for darckenesse hathe blynded hys eyes why is he that hateth in darckenesse verely because he seyth not the loue of God For yf he sawe that he coude not but loue his brother for so kynde a fathers sake If any man hate hys brother thou arte sure that thesame man is in darkenes and hath not the lyght of true faythe nor seyth what Chryste hathe done If a man so loue that he can forgyue his brother thou arte sure that he is in the lyght of the true fayth and seyth what mercy is shewed hym in Chryst This is then the somme of all together workes are the outwarde ryghtuousnes before the worlde and may be called the ryghtuousnes of the meÌ„bers and spryng of inwarde loue Loue is the ryghtwysnes of the hart and spryngethe of fayth Faythe is the trust in Christes bloude and is the gyfte of God Ephe. 2. where vnto a man is drawen of the goodnesse of God and dreueÌ„ thorowe true knowledge of the lawe and of beholdinge his dedes in y e lyght of the law and with comparynge the lust and desyre of y e meÌ„bers vnto the requeste of the lawe and with seynge hys owne dampnacyon in the glasse of the lawe For yf a man sawe his owne dampnacion in the law he shuld ymmedyatly hate God and al his workes and vtterly dyspare except that God offered hym Chryste and forgaue all that were paste made hym his son toke the dampnacyon of the lawe away and promysyd that if he wold submytte him selfe to lerne and to do his best that he shulde be accepte as well as an aungell in heauen and therto yf he fell of frayltye and not of maâ—yce and stoburnesse it shulde be forgeuen vpon a meÌ„dment and that God wolde euer take him for his son and only chastyce hym at home wheÌ„ he dyd a mysse after the most fatherlyest maner and as easely as his deseases wold suffer but neuer bring hiÌ„ forthe to be iudged after the rygorousnes of the lawe And as thou couldest not se leuen though thou brakest vp a lose except thou smellest or tastedest the sourenes euen so couldest thou neuer se true fayth or loue except thou sawest workes and also sawest the entente meanynge of the worker leest ypocresy deceaue the. Our dedes are the effecte of ryghtwysnes and therto an outwarde testymony and a certefyenge of the inwarde ryghtwysnes as sourenesse is of leuen And when I say faythe iustefyeth the vnderstandynge is that fayth receaueth the iustefyenge God promyseth to forgyue vs our synnes and to impute vs for ful rightwysse And God iustefyeth vs actyuely that is to saye forgeueth vs rekeneth vs for ful ryghtwyse And Chrystes bloude deserueth it and fayth in the promyse receaueth it and certyfyeth the coÌ„scyeÌ„ce therof Fayth chalengeth it for Chrystes sake which hath deserued al that is promysed and cleueth euer to the promyse truthe of the promyser and pretendeth not the goodnesse of her worke But knowledgeth that our workes deserue it not saue are crowned and rewarded w t the deseruynge of Chryst Take an ensaÌ„ple of yonge chyldren when the father promyseth them a good thynge for the doynge of some tryfle and when they come for theyr rewarde dalyethe with them saynge what that thou hast done is not worth hafe so much shulde I geuethe so great a thynge for so lytle a tryfle They wyll answere ye dyd promyse me it ye sayde I shulde haue it why dyd ye promyse and why then dyd ye saye so And let hym saye what he wyl to dryue them of they wyl euer say agayne ye dyd promyse me so ye dyd ye sayd I shuld haue it so ye dyd But hyrelinges wyl pretende theyr worke and saye I haue deserued it I haue done so muche and so muche and my laboure is worthe it Nowe at the first couenaunt makynge with God and as ofte as we be reconsyled after we haue synned the ryghtwysnesse cometh of God all together But after the attonement is made and we reconsyled then we be partlye ryghtwyse in our selues and vnrightwyse ryghtwyse as ferre as we loue and vnryghtwyse as ferre as the loue is vnperfecte And fayth in the promyse of God that he dothe reken vs for full ryghtwyse doth euer supply y t vnryghtwysnes imperfectnes as it is our hole ryghtwysenes at the begynnynge Fynally our workes which God coÌ„maundeth and vnto which he annexed hys promyses that he
is affyrmed to iustefye of all partyes For fayth in Christes bloude whiche is Goddes promyse quieteth the cōscyence of the true beleuers And a false faythe or truste in workes which is theyr owne fayninge begyleth the blynde ypocrytes for a ceason tyll god for the greatnes of theyr synne when it is full openeth theyr eyes and then they dyspare But the swyne say God is so good that he wyl saue deuelles and al and damne no man perpetually what so euer he do Another cōclusyon is thys to beleue in Christ for the remyssyō of synnes and of a thankfulnes for that mercy to loue the lawe truly that is to say to loue God that is father of all and geueth all and Iesus Chryste that is lorde of vs all and bought vs al with al our hartes soules power myght and our bretheren for our fathers sake because they be created after his image and for our lorde and master Christes sake because they be the pryce of hys bloude and to longe for the lyfe to come because this lyfe can not be ledde with out synne These iii. poyntes I saye are the professyon and relygion of a Chrysten man and the inwarde baptyme of the harte sygnified by the outwarde wasshynge of the body And they be that spiritual charactter badge or sygne wherwith God thorowe hys spyrite marketh all hys immedyatly and assone as they be ioyned to Chryste and made members of hys churche by true faythe The churche of Christ then is the multytude of al thē that beleue in Chryst for the remyssyon of syn and of a thankfulnes for that mercy loue the lawe of God purely and without gloses and of hate they haue to the syn of thys world longe for the lyfe to come Thys is the churche that can not erre dampnablye nor any longe tyme or all of them but assone as anye questyon aryseth the truthe of Goddes promise stereth vp one or other to teche them the truth of euery thynge nedefull to saluacyon out of Goddes worde and lyghteneth the hartes of the other true members to se the same and to consent therto And as all they that haue theyr hartes wasshed with thys inwarde baptyme of the spyryte are of the church and haue the keyes of the scrypture ye and of byndynge and lowsynge and do not erre Euen so they that synne of purpose and wyll not heare when theyr fautes be tolde them but seke lybertyes and pryuyleges to syne vnpunysshed and glose out the lawe of God and mayntene ceremonyes tradicyons and customes to destroy the fayth of Chryste the same be members of Sathan and all theyr doctryne is poyson erroure and darkenes ye thoughe they be Popes Bysshoppes Abbotes Curates and doctoures of dyuynyte and though they can reherse all the scrypture without booke and thoughe they be sene in greke Ebrewe and latyne ye and though they so preache Chryste and the passyon of Chryste that they make the poore wemen wepe and howle agayne For when they come to the poynte that they shulde mynyster Chrystes passyon vnto the saluacyon of our soules there they poyson all together and glose out the lawe that shulde make vs fele our saluacyon in Chryst and dryue vs in that poynte from Chryste and teache vs to put our truste in our owne workes for the remyssion and satysfaccion of our synnes and in the apysplay of ypocrytes which sel theyr merites in stede of christes bloud and passyon Lo now dere reader to beleue in Chrystes bloude for the remyssyon of synne and purchasynge of all the good promyses that helpe to the lyfe to come and to loue the lawe and to longe for the lyfe to come is the inwarde baptyme of the soule the baptyme that onelye aualeth in the syght of God the newe generacyon and ymage of Chryste the onely keye also to bynde and lowse synners The towchestone to trye al doctrynes The lanterne and lyght that skatereth expelleth the myst and darkenes of al ypocrisy and preseruatyue agaynst al erroure and heresy The mother of all good workes The ernest of euerlastynge lyfe and title wherby we chalenge our enherytaunce And though fayth in Chrystes bloude make the maryage betwene our soule and Christe and in properly y e maryage garmēt ye and the signe Thau that defendeth vs from the smytynge and power of the euell aungelles and is also the rocke wheron Chrystes churche is buylte and wheron all that is buylte stondeth agaynste all wether of wynde and tempestes yet myght the professyon of the faythe in Chrystes hloude and of the loue to the lawe and longynge for the lyfe to come be called all these thynges were malyce and frowarde vnderstandynge awaye because that where one of them is there be all thre and where all are not there is none of them And because that the one is knowen by the other and is ympossyble to knowe any of them trulye and not be deceaued but in rispecte and comparyson of the other For yf thou wylte be sure that thy faythe be perfecte then examyne thy selfe whether thou loue the lawe And in lyke maner yf thou wylte knowe whether thou loue the lawe aryght then examyne thy selfe whether thou beleue in Chryst onely for the remyssyon of syn and obtaynynge the promyses made in the scrypture And euen so compare thy hope of the lyfe to come vnto Fayth and loue and to hatyng the synne of thys lyfe whiche hate the loue to the lawe engendereth in the. And yf they accompany not one another all thre together then be sure that all is but ypocresye Yf you say seynge faythee loue and hope bethre vertues inseperable Ergo faythe onely iustefyeth not I answere thoughe they be inseperable yet they haue seperable and sundrye offyces as it is aboue sayd of y e lawe an fayth Fayth onely whiche is a sure and an vndouted truste in Christ and in the father thorowe hym certefyeth the conscyence that the synne is forgeuen and the dampnacyon and impossybylyte of the lawe taken away as it is aboue rehersed in the condycyons of the couenant And with such persuasyons mollefyeth the harte and maketh her loue God agayne and his lawe And as ofte as we synne fayth onely kepeth that we forsake not our professyō and that loue vtterly quenche not and hope fayle and onely maketh the peace agayne For a true beleuer trusteth in Christ onely and not in his owne workes or ought els for the remyssyon of syn And the offyce of loue is to powre out agayne the same goodnes that she hathe receaued of God vpon her neyghboure and to be to hym as she feleth Chryste to her selfe The offyce of loue onely is to haue cōpassyon and to bere with her neyghboure the burthen of hys infyrmytyes And as it is wrytten 1. Pe. 4. Operit multitudinem peccatorum couereth the multytude of synnes That is to saye consydereth the infyrmytyes and interpreteth all to
teche and what my lernynge is concernynge the lawe ye shall shortly here and that in fewe wordes Who so euer breaketh one of these leaste comaundementes and teache men so shalbe called the leaste in the kyngedome of heauen But he that dothe them and teacheth them the same shalbe great in the kyngdome of heuen who so euer studye to destroy one of the commaundementes folowynge whiche are yet the leaste and but chyldyshe thynges in respecte of the perfecte doctryne that shall here after be shewed and of the mysteryes yet hyde in Chryste and teache other men euen so in worde or ensample whether openly or vnder a coloure and thoroughe false gloses of ypocresye that same doctoure shall all they of the kyngedome of heuen abhorre and despyce and caste hym out of of theyr companye as a sethynge potte dothe caste vp her fome and skome purge her selfe So faste shall they of the kyngedome of heauen cleaue vnto the pure lawe of God without all mennes gloses But who so euer shall fyrste fulfyl them hym selfe and then teache other and sette all hys studye to the furtheraunce and mayntenyng of them that doctoure shall all they of the kyngedome of heuen haue in pryce and folowe him and seke hym out as dothe the Egle her praye and cleaue to hym as burres For these commaundementes are but the verye lawe of Moyses the draffe of the phareses gloses clensed out interpreted accordynge to the pure worde of God and as the open text compelleth to vnderstande them yf he loke dylygently theron The kyngdome of heuen take for the congregacyon or churche of Chryste And to be of the kyngedome of heuen is to knowe God for our father and Chryste for our lorde and sauyoure from all synne And to enter in to thys kyngedome it is impossyble excepte the harte of man be to kepe the commaundementes of God pure lye as it is wrytten Iohan. 7. yf any man wyll obaye hys wyll that is to saye the wyl of the father that sent me saythe Chryste he shall knowe of the doctryne whether it be of God or whether I speke of myne owne hede For yf thyne harte be to do the wyll of God whiche is his commaundementes he wyl gyue the a pure eye both to dyscerne the true doctryne from the false and the true doctryne from the howlyng ypocryte And therfore he saythe For I say vnto you except your ryghtwysnes excede y e ryghtwysnes of the scrybes and pharyseys ye can not enter into the kyngdome of heuen The ryghtwysnes of the scrybes and pharyseys can not enter into the kyngdome of heuen the kyngdome of heuen is the true knowledge of God and Chryste ergo the ryghtwysnes of the Scrybes and Pharyseys neyther knowethe God nor Chryste He that is wyllynge to obay the wyll of God vnderstandeth the doctryne of Chryste as it is proued aboue the scrybes and the phariseys vnderstand not the doctryne of Chryste ergo they haue no wyll nor luste to obaye the wyll of God To obaye the wyll of God is to seke the glory of God for the glorye of a mayster is the meke obedyence of hys seruauntes the glorye of a Prynce is the vmble obedyence of hys subiectes the glory of a husbande is the chaste obedyence of hys wyfe the glorye of a father is the louynge obedyence of hys chyldren the scrybes and the pharyseys haue no lust to obay the wyl of God ergo they seke not the glorye of God Furthermore the scrybes and pharyseys seke theyr owne glory they that seke theyr owne glory preache theyr owne doctryne ergo the scrybes and pharyses preache theyr owne doctryne The maior thou hast Math. xxiii the scrybes and pharyseys do all theyr workes to be sene of men they loue to sytte vppermoste at feastes and to haue the chefe seates in the Synagoges and salutacions in the open markettes and to be called Raby And the mynor foloweth the texte aboue rehersed Iho. vii he that speketh of hym selfe or of hys owne heed seketh hys owne glorye that is to saye he that preacheth hys owne doctryne is euer knowen by sekynge hys owne glory so that it is a generall rule to knowe that a man preacheth hys owne doctryne yf he seke hys owne glorye Some man wyll happely say the scrybes and pharyseys had no other lawe then Moses and the prophetes nor any other scrypture and grouÌ„ded theyr sayenges theron That is truthe howe then preached they theyr owne doctryne verely it foloweth in the sayd vii of Iho. He that seketh tbe glorye of hym that sent him y e same is true and there is no vnryghtwysnes iÌ„ him that is to say he wyl do his maysters message truly and not alter it where contraryewyse he y t seketh his owne glory wyl be false when he is seÌ„t and wyl after his masters message to turne his maysters glory vnto his owne selfe Euen so dyd the scrybes and pharyseys alter the word of God for theyr owne profyte and glorye And when Godes word is altered with false gloses it is no more Gods word As when God sayth loue thy neyghbour and thou puttest to thy leuÌ„e and sayest yf my neyghbour do me no hurte nor saye me anye I am boundâ— to loue hym but not to gyue hym at hys neadâ— my gooddes whiche I haue gotten with my sore labour Nowe is thys thy lawe and not Goddes Goddes lawe is pure and single loue thy neyghboure whether he be good or bad And by loue God meanethe to helpe at neade Nowe when God byddeth the to gette thy lyuynge and some what ouer to helpe hym that can not or at atyme hathe not wherwith to helpe hym selfe yf thou and .xxx. or .xl. with the gette you to wyldernesse and not onelye helpe not youre neyghboures but also robbe a greate number of two or thre thousande pounde verelye howe loue ye your neyghboures Suche men helpe the worlde with prayer thou wylte saye to me Thou were better to saye they robbe the worlde with theyr ypocresye saye I to the â–ª and it is truthe in dede that they so do For yf I stycke vppe to the myddle in the myer lyke to peryshe with out present helpe and thou stonde by and wylt not socoure me but knelâ—ste downe and prayeste wyll God here the prayers of suche an ypocryte God byddeth the so to loue me that thou put thy selfe in ioperdye to helpe me and that thyne hartâ— whyle the bodye labourethe do praye and trustâ— in God that he wyll assyste the. and throughe thâ— to saue me An ypocryte that wyll put neyther bodye nor goddes in parell for to helpe me 〈◊〉 my neade louethe me not nether hathe compassyon on me and therfore his harte can not praye thoughe he wagge hys lyppes neuer so muche It is wryten Iohan. ix If a man be a worshypper of God and do hys wyll whiche is the true worshype hym God herethe Nowe the wyl of God is that we
epistle of his seconde epystle prophesyeth that there shuld be false teachers amonge vs that shoulde folowe the way of Balam that is to saye for couetousnes persecute the truth and thorowe couetousnesse with fayned wordes to make marchaundyse of the people and to bringe in damnable sectes to And here ye haue an infallyble rule that where coutouesnesse is there is no truthe no thoughe they call them selues the churche saye thereto that they can not erre Couetousnesse kepte Iudas styll in vnbelefe thoughe he sawe and dyd myracles also in the name of Chryste and compelled hym to sell hym to the scrybes and pharesyes for couetousnesse is a thynge mercylesse Couetousnes made the pharesyes to lye on Chryste to persecute hym and falsly to accuse him And it made Pilate though he founde hym an innocente yet to slee hym It caused Herode to persecute Chryste yet in hys cradel Couetousnes make the ypocrites to persecute the truth agaynst their owne conscyences and to lye to prynces that the true preachers moue sedicion and make their subiectes to ryse agaynste them and the sayde couetousnesse maketh the prynces to beleue theyr wycked perswacyons and to lende theyr swerde to sheed ynnocent bloude Fynally couetousnes maketh many whom the truthe pleaseth at the begynnynge to caste it vppe agayne and to be afterwarde the moste cruel ennemyes thereof after the ensample of Symon Magus Actes viii Ye and after the ensample of Syr Thomas More K. whiche knewe the truthe for couetousnes forsoke it agayne and conspyred fyrst with the Cardynal to dysceaue the kynge and to leade hym in darckenes And afterwarde when the lyght was spronge vpon them had dryuen them clene out of the scrypture and had delyuered it out of theyr tyranny and had expelled the darcke stynkynge myst of theyr deuelyshe gloses and had wyped awaye the cobwebbes whiche those poysoned spyders had speade vpon the face of the clere texte so that the spiritualtye as they call them selues were asshamed of their parte as shamelesse as they be yet for all that Couetousnes blynded the eyes of that glerynge foxe more and more and hardened hys harte agaynste the trouthe with the confydence of hys paynted poetry babyllynge eloquence and iuggelynge argumentes of sutle sophystry grouÌ„ded on his in wrytten verytes as true and as autentycke as hys storye of Vtopia Paule therfore byddeth Tymothe to charge the ryche to beleue in the lyuynge God and not in theyr vncerten ryches for it is impossyble for a couetous ydolater or ymage seruer that trusteth in the deed God of hys ryches to put hys trust in the lyuinge God One mysery is that they which here gather and leye vppe can not tell for whom An other iâ— rust canker mothes and a thousaÌ„de mysfortâ—nes besyde theues extorcyoners oppressers and myghtye tyrantes to the whiche the ryche â—e euer praye And thoughe they prosper to the ende outwardlye yet feare euer gnawethe their hartes inwardly And at the houre of deth they knowe and fele that they haue gathered naught and then sorowe they and are lyke one that dremeth of rechesse and in the mornynge when he fyndeth naughte is heuye and sorye for the remembraunce of the pleasaunt dreme And fynally when they be moste lotheste to dye and hope to lyue longe then they peryshe sodaynlye after the ensample of the ryche man whiche entended to make hym larger barnes and store houses Happy therfore is he that layeth vp treasure in heuen and is ryche in faythe and good workes for the rewarde therto promysed shall God kepe sure for hym No maÌ„ can take it awaye Here is not forboden to haue ryâ—hes But to loue it to trust in it and to be careful for it For God hathe promysed to care for vs and to gyue vs ynoughe and to kepe that which is gotten yf we wyll care to kepe his coÌ„maundementes what so euer offyce or degree thou art in in this worlde do the dutye of thy offyce dylygently and trust in God and let him care If thou be an husband maÌ„ Eare and sowe and husbande thy grounde and let God alone for the rest he wyll care to make it growe plenteously and to seÌ„de seasonable wether to haue it in and wyll prouyde the a good market to sell c. In lyke maner yf thou be a kynge do the offyce of a kyng and receaue the dutyes of the kynge let God care to kepe the in thy kyngdome Hys fauoure shall do more for the then a thousande myllyons of golde and so of all other He that hathe but a lytle and is sure that God shall kepe bothe him and it is rycher then he which hath thousande hath no other hope then that he and it must be kept with hys owne care and polycye And fynally marke one poynt in Lu. 14. none of them that refuseth not al that he posesseth can be my dyscyple that is he that caste the not awaye the loue of all worldly thynges can be no scoler of Christes to lerne hys doctryne Then he addeth that salt is good but if the salt be vnsauerye or hathe lost his vertue what can be seasoned therwith verely nothynge Nowe by salt is vnderstaÌ„de the doctryne and the menynge is yf ye be couetouse and loue worldlye thynges it wyll corrupte the salte of your doctrine so that what so euer you pouder therwith it shalbe more vnsauery then before where your treasure is there are your hartes If your treasure be in the worlde so is the loue of youre hartes And yf ye loue the worlde and the thinges of the worlde the loue of God is not in you the loue of God is the loue of hys coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes and he that loueth not Goddes coÌ„maundementes shal neuer preache them truelye because he louethe them not But shal corrup them with gloses that they may stande with that which his hart loueth and vntyl they haue a nother sence theÌ„ euer God gaue them Ergo no couetouse person can be a true prophete It is not for naught theÌ„ that Christ so oft and so dylygeÌ„tly warneth his dyscyples to beware of couetousnes as of that thinge which he wyst wyl had euer corrupt the word of God and euer shulde The lyght of thy body is thyne eye wherefore yf thyne eye be syngle al thy body shalbe ful of lyght But and yf thyne eye be wycked then shal thy whole body be darcke If therfore the lyght that is in the be darkenesse howe greate is that darkenes Note the conclucyon with a proper symylytude The eye is the lyght of the body â–ª by the lyght of the eye all other members see and are gouerned As longe as the eye seyth hande and fote do theyr dutyes neyther is there any feare that a man shulde stomble or fall into fyer or water But yf the eye be blynde all the body is blynde and that so blynde that there is no remedye at all set a candel
Chryste that they couer ouer with the myste of theyr gloses that the lyght therof myght not be sene As they haue interpretate here the wordes of Chryst wherwith he restoreth the lawe agayne to be but good counselles onely but no preceptes that bynde the conscyence And therto they haue so rofelled and tangeled the temporal and spirituall regimente togyther and made therof suche confusyon that no man can knowe the one from the other to the entent that they wolde seme to haue bothe by the auctorite of Christe which neuer vsurped temporal regyment vnto hym Notwithstandynge moste deare reder yf thou reade thys exposycyon with a good harte only to knowe the truth for the amendynge chefely of thyn owne lyuinge and then of other mēnes as charyte reqyreth where an occasyō is geuen then shalt thou perceyue their falshepe and se their myste expelled with the brightnes of the incuytable truthe A nother conclusyon is this al the good promyses whiche are made vs thorowe out all the scripture for Chrystes sake for his loue his passyon or suffrynge his bloude shedynge or dethe al are made vs on this condicyon and couenaunt on our partye that we henceforth loue the lawe of God to walke therin and to do it and fassyon our lyues therafter In so moche that who so euer hathe not the lawe of God wrytten in hys herte that he loue it haue his luste in it and recorde therin nyght and daye vnderstandynge it as God hathe gyuen it and as Chryst and the Apostles expounde it The same hath no parte in the promyses or can haue any true faythe in the bloude of Chryste because there is no promyse made hym but to them onely that promyse to kepe the lawe Thou wylte happely saye to me agayne yf I can not haue my synnes forgyuen excepte I loue the lawe and of loue endeuour my selfe to kepe it then the kepynge of the lawe iustefyethe me I answere that the argumente is false and but blynde sophestrye and like vnto this argument I can not haue forgyuenes of my synne excepte I haue synned Ergo to haue sinned is the forgeuenes of syn And it is lyke to this also No nan can be heled of the pokes but he that hath thē Ergo to haue the pockes doth heale the pockes And lyke sophestrye are these argumentes yf thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes Matth. xix Ergo the dedes of the lawe iustefye vs. Item the herars of the lawe are not ryghteous in the syght of God but the doers of the lawe shalbe iustefyed Roma ii Ergo the dedes of the lawe iustefye from syn And agayne we must al stande before the iudgement seate of Chryste to receaue euery man accordynge to the dedes which he dyd in the body Ergo the lawe or the dedes of the lawe iustefye These and all suche are naughtye argumentes For ye se that the kinge pardoneth no murderar but on a condycyon that he henceforth kepe the lawe and do no more so and yet ye knowe well ynough that he is saued by grace fauour pardone yer the kepyng of the lawe come Howebeit yf he breake the lawe afterwarde he falleth agayne into the same daunger of dethe Euen so none of vs can be receaued to grace but vpon a condiciō to kepe the lawe nether yet contynue any longer in grace then that purpose lasteth And yf we breake the lawe we muste sue for a newe pardon and haue a newe fyght against syn hel and desperacion yer we can come to a quyet faythe agayne and fele that the synne is forgeuē Nether can ther be in the a stable and an vndouted faythe that thy syn is forgyuen the excepte there be also a lustye courage in thyne herte and a truste that thou wylte synne no more for on that condycyon that thou endeuoure thy selfe to synne no more is the promyse of mercy and forgyuenes made vnto the. And as thy loue to the lawe increaseth so dothe thy faythe in Chryste and so dothe thyne hope and longynge for the lyfe to come And as thy loue is colde so is thy fayth weake and thyne hope and longynge for the lyfe to come lytle And where no loue to the lawe is theyr is nether faythe in Chryste for the forgyuenes of synne nor longynge for the lyfe to come but in stede of faythe wycked ymagynacyon that God is so vnryghteous that he is not offendyd with synne And in stede of hope a desyer to liue euer here and agredynes of worldly voluptuousnes And vnto al suche is the scrypture locked vp and made ympossyble to vnderstande They maye reade it and reherse the stories therof and dyspute of it as the turkes maye and as we may of the turkes lawe And they maye sucke pryde ypocresye and all maner of poyson therout to slaye theyr owne soules and to put stomblynge blockes in other mennes wayes to thruste them from the truthe and to get suche lernynge therin as in Arystotelles Etykes and morall Philosophie and in the preceptes of olde philosophers But it is ympossyble for them to applye one sentence therof to theyr soules helthe or to fassyon theyr lyues therby for to plese God or to make them to loue the lawe or vnderstande it ether to feale the power of Chrystes dethe and myght of his resurrection and swetnes of the lyfe to come So that they euer remayne carnal and fleshly as thou haste an ensample of the Scrybes Pharises and Iewes in the newe testament A nother conclusyon is thys of them that beleue in Chryste for the remyssyon of syn and loue the lawe are a thowsande degrees and not so fewe one perfecter or weaker than another of whiche a greate sorte are so feble that they can nether go forwarde in theyr profession and purpose nor yet stande excepte they be holpen and borne of theyr stronger bretherne and tendyd as yonge chyldren are by the care of theyr fathers and mothers And therfore dothe God commaunde the elder to care for the yonger As Paule techeth Roma xv saynge we that be stronger ought to beare the feblenes of the weaker And. Cala. vi bretheren yf any man be caught in any faute ye that be spirituall and are growen in knowledge and haue gotten the vyctorye of your fleshe teache suche with the spirite of softenes not calynge them heretykes at the fyrste choppe and thretenynge them with fyer and faggotes But alter alterius onera portate sayth he et sic adimplebitis legem Christi That is to saye beare eche others burthen and so shal ye fulfyl the lawe of Chryste Euen so verely shall ye fulfyll the lawe of Christe and not with smytinge your brethren and puttyng stumblinge blockes before theyr weake fete and kyllynge theyr conscience and makyng them more afrayde of shadowes and bugges then to breke theyr fathers commaundementes and to truste in wordes of winde and vanyte more then in theyr fathers promyse And for theyr sakes
the beste and taketh for syn none at al a thousande thinges of which the leste were ynoughe yf a man loued not to goo to lawe for and to trouble and vnquyet an hoole towne and somtyme an hoole realme or two And the offyce of hope is to comforte in aduersyte and make pacyent that we faynt not and falle downe vnder the Crosse or caste it of our backes And thus ye se that these .iii. inseperable in thys lyfe haue yet seperable and sondry offyces and effectes as hete and dryeth beynge inseperable in the fyer haue yet theyr seperable operacyon For he dryeth onely expelleth the moystnes of al that is consumed by fyer and hete onely destroyeth the coldenes For dryeth and colde may stande togyther and so maye hete and moystenes It is not all one to saye the dryeth onely and dryeth that is alone nor all one to saye faythe onely and fayth that is alone Goo to then and desyre God to prynte thys professyon in thyne harte to encrease it dayly more and more that thou mayst be ful shapeÌ„ like vnto the ymage of Christ in knowledge loue meke thy selfe and crepe lowe by the grounde and cleue fast to the rocke of this profession and tye to thy shype this anker of faythe in Chrystes bloude with the gable of loue to easte it out agaynste al tempestes so set vp thy sayle get the to the mayne se of Godes worde And rede here the wordes of Chryste with thys exposycyon folowynge and thou shalte se the lawe fayth and workes restored eche to his ryght vse and true meanynge And therto the clere dyfference betwene the spiritual regyment and the temporal and shalt haue an â—ntraunce and open waye into the rest of all the scrypture wherin and in all other thynges the spyryte of veryte gyde the and thyne vnderstandynge So be it ⸫ ⸫ The .v. chapter of Mathewe WHen he sawe the people he wente vp into a mountayne and sat him downe hys dysyples came to hym and he opened hys mouthe and taught them saynge Blessed be the poore in spirite for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen Chryste Here in his fyrst sarmone begynneth to restore the lawe of the ten commaundementes vnto her ryght vnderstandinge agaynste the scrybes and Pharyses whiche were ypocrytes false prophetes and false preachers and had corrupte the scrypture with the leauen of theyr gloses And it is not without a great mystery that Chryst begynneth hys preachynge at pouertye in spyryte whiche is nether beggery nor agaynste the possessynge of rychesse But a vertue contrarye to the vyce of couetousnesse the inordynate desyre and loue of reches and puttynge truste in rychesse Ryches is the gyfte of God geuen man to mayntayne the degrees of thys worlde and therfore not euell ye and some muste be poore and some ryche yf we shal haue an order in thys worlde And God our father deuydeth rychesse and pouertye amonge hys chyldren accordynge to hys godlye pleasure and wysdome And as rychesse dothe not exclude the from the blessyng so dothe not pouertye certefye the. But to put thy truste in the lyuynge God maketh the heyre therof For yf thou truste in the lyuynge god Then yf thou be poore thou coueteste not to be ryche for thou art certefyed that thy father shall mynystre vnto the fode and rayment and be thy defender and yf thou haue ryches thou knowest that they be but vanyte and that as thou brough teste them not into the worlde so shalte thou not carye them out and that as they be thyne to daye so maye they be another mannes to morowe and that the fauoure of God onely bothe gaue and also kepeth the and them and not thy wysdome or power and that they nether ought els can helpe at nede saue the good wyll of thy heuenly father onely Happy and blessed then are the poore in spyryte that is to saye the ryche that haue not theyr confidence nor consolacyon in the vanyte of theyr rychesse and the poore that desyre not inordynatly to be ryche but haue theyr truste in the lyuynge God for fode and rayment and for all that partayneth ether to the body or the soule for thers is the kingdome of heuen And contrary wyse vnhappy and accursed and that with the fyrste and depest of all cursses are the ryche in spirite that is to saye the couetouse that beynge ryche and trust in thir rychesse or beynge poore longe for the consolacyon of rychesse and comforte not theyr soules with the promyses of theyr heuenlye father confyrmed with the bloude of theyr Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into the kyngedome of heuen then for a camell to enter thorowe the eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no parte in the kyngedome of Chryste and God Ephe. v. Therfore it is euydent why Chryste so dylygentlye warneth all hys to be ware of couetousnes and why he admytted none to be hys dyscyples excepte he fyrste forsake altogether For there was neuer couetous person true yet ether to God or man Yf a couetous man be chosen to preache goddes worde he is a false prophete immedyatlye Yf he be of the laye sorte so ioyneth he hym selfe vnto the false prophetes to persecute the truthe Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke the worde of God in them that posesse it But it is also a dedelye enemye to all that interprete goddes worde trulye All other vyces thoughe they laugh them to scorne that talke godlye yet they can soffre them to lyue and to dwell in the contre But couetousnes can not reste as longe as there is one that cleueth to goddes worde in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therof and be sure yf he be couetous and gape for promocyon that he is a false Prophete and leueth the scrypture for al his câ—yenge fathers fathers holy chyrch and fyftene hundred yeres and for al hys other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shalbe comforted Thys mournynge is also in the spyryte and no kynne to the soure lokynge of Ypocrytes nor to the impacieÌ„t weywardnes of those fleshly which euer whine and complaine that the world is naught because they can not obtayne and enioye theyr lustes therin Nether forbydyth in alwayes to be mery and to laugh and make good chere nowe and then to forget sorowe that ouermoche heuynes swalowe not a man clene vp For the wyse man saythe sorowe hath cost many theyr lyues And prouer .xvii. and heuy spirite dryeth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Phili. iiii to reioyse euer And Roma xii he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorowe with them that sorowe and wepe with theÌ„ that wepe which seme two contraryes This mournynge is that crosse without which was neuer any dysciple of Chryst or euer shalbe For of what so euer state or degree thou be in thys worlde yf thou professe the
can beare recorde what payne ye take and howe ye care for the temporall comune welthe that all degrees therin dyd and had theyr dutye and howe ye put your lyues in aduenture to preache the truthe and to enforme lordes and prynces and to cry vpon them to feare God and to be lerned and to mynyster theyr offyces trulye vnto theyr subiectes and to be mercyfull and an exsample of vertue vnto them And howe helpe ye that youthe were brought vppe in lernynge and vertue and that the pore were prouyded for of fode rayment c. And howe prouyde ye that your prestes be al lerned and preache and do theyr dutyes truly euery man in his paryshe howe prouyde ye that sectes aryse not to poole the people and leade them out of the waye vnder a coloure of longe praynge and ypocretyshe holynes liuynge them selues ydle and beynge vtterlye vnto the comenwealthe improfytable who smelleth not the swete odoure of chastyte that is amonge you what ryghtuousnes is in youre sanctuaryes and what indyfferent equyte is in al youre exempcyons pryueleges and lybertyes By your workes we Iudge you and youre Zele to ryghtuousnes and not by youre sophystycall sottle reasons with whiche ye wolde clawe our eares bleare our eyes and begyle our wyttes to take your tyrannous couetous crudelyte for the Zele of ryghtuousnes Fynally he that wyll not be mercyfull to be blessed of God and to obtayne mercye of hym bothe here and in the lyfe to come let hym be accursed with the vnmercyfull and to hym be iudgement without mercy accordyng to the wordes of saynt Iames in the seconde chapter of his Epystle Blessed be the pure in harte for they shall se God That whiche entreth in to a man defyleth not a man But the thynges that defyle a man proceade fyrste out of his harte as thou mayste se Mat. xv Thence come out euell thoughtes sayeth Chryste as murther adultrye fornycacyon thefe false wytnessynge and blasphemyes These are the thynges which make a man fowle A man then is not fowle in the syghte of God tyll his harte be fowle And the fylthynes of the harte are thoughtes that study to breake goddes commaundementes wherfore the purenes of the harte is the consentynge and studyous purpose to kepe the lawe of God and to mene truly in al thy wordes and workes and to do thē with a true intent It foloweth then that thou mayste be pure harted and therwith do all that God hathe commaunded or not forboden Thou mayste be pure harted and haue a wyfe and gette chyldren be a iudge condempne to deth them that haue deserued it hange or heed euell doers after they be by a iuste processe condempned Thou mayest be pure harted do al y e drudge in the world Lot was pure harted amonge the Sodomytes Nycodemus beynge in the councell amonge them that conspyred the dethe of Ghryst was pure harted and consented not with them to the dethe of that innocent Yf the lawe be wryten in thyne harte it wyll dryue the to Christ which is the ende of the lawe to iustefy al that beleue Ro. x. And Chryste wyll shewe the hys father for no man seeth the father but the sonne and he to whome the sonne wyll shewe hym Luke 10. If thou beleue in Chryste that he is thy sauyoure that faythe wyl leade the in ymmedyatlye and shewe the God with a louely and an amiable countenaunce and meke the feale and se howe that he is thy father all mercyful to the and at one with the and thou his son and hyghlye in hys fauoure and grace and sure that thou pleseste hym when thou do este an hundred thynges whiche some holye people wolde suppose them selues defyled yf they shulde but thynke on them And to se God is the blesshynge of a pure harte Impure and vnclene harted then are all they that study to breke Goddes commaundementes Impure harted are all that beleue not in Chryste to be iustefyed by hym Impure harted are al ypocrytes that do theyr worke for a false purpose ether for prayse profyte or to be iustyfyed therby whiche paynted sepulchers as Chryst calleth them can neuer se God or be sure that they be in state of grace and that theyr workes be accepte because they haue not Goddes worde with them but clene agaynst them Blessed are y e peacemakers for they shalbe called the chyldren of God To enheryte thys blyssynge it is not only required that thou haue peace in thy selfe and that thou take all to the beste and be not offended lyghtly and for euery small tryfle and all waye redye to forgeue not sowe no dyscorde nor aduenge thyne owne wronge But also that thou be feruent and diligent to make peace and to go betwene where thou knowest or herest malice enuye to be or seest bate or stryfe to aryse betwene person and persō and that thou leue nothing vnsought to set them at one And though Chryste here speke not of the temporall swerde but techeth howe euerye man shal lyue for him selfe towarde his neyghboure yet Prynces yf they wyll be Goddes chyldren muste not only geue no cause of warre nor begyn but also thoughe he haue a iust cause soffer hym selfe to be entreated yf he that gaue the cause repent and muste also seke all wayes of peace before he fyght Howe be it when al is sought and nothynge wyll helpe then he ought is boūde to defende his lande and subiectes and in so doynge he is a pece maker as wel as whē he causeth theues and murtherers to be punished for theyr euell doynge and brekynge of the comon peace of hys lande and subiectes If thou haue peace in thy selfe and louest the peace of thy brethern after this maner so is god thorowe Chryste at peace with the and thou hys beloued sonne and heyre also ¶ Moreouer if the wrōge done to the be greter then thou mayst beare as when thou art a person not for thy selfe only But in respecte of other in what soeuer worldly degre it be hast an offyce cōmytted the then when thou haste warned with al good maner him that dyd it and none amēdement wilbe had kepe peace in thyne harte and loue him styl and complayne to them that are set to reforme suche thynges and so art thou yet a peace maker and styll the sonne of God But yf thou aduenge thy selfe or desyreste more then that suche wronge be forboden thou synnest agaynst God in takyng the auctoryte of god vpon the with out hys commaundement God is father ouer all and is of ryght Iudge ouer al hys chyldren and to him only pertayneth all aduengynge who therfore without his cōmaundement aduengeth ether with harte or hande the same dothe cast him selfe into the handes of the sword and loseth the ryght of hys cause And on the other syde cursed be the peace breakes picquarels whysperers backebyters sowers of dyscorde dyspraysers of them that he good to
and froÌ„ herynge his vyces rebuked to amende them so damnable it is for the spyrytuall offycer howe hye so euer he be to withdrawe hym selfe from vnder the kynges correccyon yf he teache false or syn agaynst any temporall lawe Fynally ye muste consyder that Chryst here teacheth his dyscyples and them that shulde be the lyght and salt in lyuynge and doctryne to shyne in the weke and feble eyes of the world deseased with the mygrym and accustomed to darkenes that without greate payne they can behold no lyght to salt theyr olde feastered sores and to frete out the rotten fleshe euen to the harde quycke that it smart agayne spare no degree But tell all men hye and lowe theyr fautes and warne them of the ieoperdye and exhorte them to the ryght waye Nowe suche scole maysters shall fynde small fauoure and frendshyppe with the rulers of thys worlde or defence in theyr lawes As Chryst warneth theÌ„ Mat. 10. sayenge I sende you out as shepe amonge wolues Beware therfore of men for they shal delyuer you vp to their couÌ„celles and shall scorge you in theyr synagoges or councel houses and ye shalbe brought before the chefe rulers kinges for my sake and ther taecheth them as here to arme them selues with pacieÌ„ce and to go forthe boldely with a stronge faythe and truste in the socoure and assystence of God onely and to plante the gospell with all loue and mekenes and to water it with theyr owne bloude as Chryst dyd Thou mayst not in that state come with a swerde to defend eyther thy selfe or thy gospel and to compel men to worshyp the as God and to beleue what thou wylt Nay shepe vse no such regyment amonge wolues If thou be a shepe thou art not in euell takynge yf thou canste brynge to passe that the wolfe be content with thy fleshe onely and to shere the yerely Giue to him that axeth and froÌ„ hym that wolde borowe we turne not away Luke sayeth gyue to whosoeuer axeth the. That is to saye whosoeuer thou seest nede or seest not the contrarye but there may be nede to the vttermost of thy power there open thyne harte and be mercyfull onely And of mercyfulnes sette God thy father and Chryste thy lorde and master for an ensample and enforce to be as lyke theÌ„ as thou canst If thou be mercyful God hath bounde him selfe to be mercyful to the agayne Lo is not this an excedynge great thynge that God which of no ryght ought to be bounde to his creatures hath yet put it hole in thyne owne handes to bynde him against the day of thy trybulacyon then to shewe the mercy Concernynge lendyng procede by the forsayd rule of mercy Many in extreme nede yet ashamed to bâ—gge shal desyre y t to lende Vnto suche in stede of lendynge gyue or saye thys â–ª lo here is as moch as ye requyre If ye can pay it agayne well do and ye shall fynde me redy agaynst a nother tyme to lende or gyue if nede be as moche more But and yf ye shall not be able to paye it agyne trouble not your conscyence I gyue it you we be all one mannes chyldreÌ„ one man hath bought vs all with his bloud and bounde vs to helpe one another And with so doynge thou shalt wynne the harte of hym to thy father Concernynge marchaundyse and chapmen the lesse borowinge were amonge theÌ„ the better shulde the comen welth be if it weâ—â— possyble I wolde it were ware for ware or mony for ware or parte mony and parte ware But yf it wyll not be but that a man to get hys lyuynge with muste nedes lende and call for it agayne to fynde hys householde and to payâ— his dettes then in the lendynge be fyrst syngle and harmeles as a doue and then as wyse as a serpent and take hede to whom thou lendest If when thou hast lent an honest man God vyset him and take away his gooddes with what chaunce it be whether by see or lande that he is not able to paye the then to pryson hym or to sue hym at the lawe or once to speake an vnkynde worde mere agaynst the lawe of loue contrary to shewynge mercy There thou muste suffer with thy neyghboure brother as Chryst dyd with the and as God dothe dayly If an vnthryste haue begyled the and spente thy good awaye and hathe not to paye then holde thyne hande and harte that thou adueÌ„ge not thy selfe But loue hym and pray for hym and remember howe God hath promysed to blesse the pacyeÌ„t and meke Neuerthelesse because such persones corrupt the comen maners and cause the name of God the lesse to be feared men ought to coÌ„playne vpon suche persones to the offycer that is ordayned of God to ponyshe euell doers and the offycer is bounde to ponyshe them If thou haue lent a foxe which with cauelacyon wyll kepe thy good from the then yf the ruler and the lawe wyll not helpe the to thy ryght do as it is aboue sayde of hym that wyll go to lawe with the and take thy cote from the. That is to saye be content to lose that and as moche more to it rather then thou woldest aduenge thy selfe Let not the wykednes of other â—â—en plucke the from God But abyde styll by God and hys blyssynges and â—arye hys iudgement Lyberalyte is mercy fulnes that byndâ—â—â— God to be mercyfull agayne Couetousnes the roote of all euell and father of all false prophâ—tes and the seole mayster that teacheth 〈◊〉 messengers of Sathan to dysguyse them selues lyke to the messengers of Chryste is mercylâ—â— that shall haue iudgement without mercy And therfore exhorteth Chryste al his so dyligently and aboue all thynge to be lyberall and to beware of couetousnes Ye haue harde howe it is sayde thou shalt loue thy neyghbour and hate thyne enemy But I say vnto you loue your enemyes Blesse theÌ„ that curse you do good to theÌ„ that hate you Praye for them which do you wronge and persecute you That ye maybe the chyldreÌ„ of your heuenly father For he maketh hys sonne to aryse ouer the euell and ouer the good and sendeth rayne vpon the ryghtuous and vnryghteous For if ye loue them that loue you what rewarde shall ye haue do not the publycans so and yf ye be frendely to your brethren onely what synguler thyng do ye do not the publycans lykewyse ye shall therfore be perfecte as your father whiche is in heuen is perfecte Thys texte of hatynge a mannes enemye standeth not in any one place of the byble but is gathered of many places in which God commaundeth the chyldren of Israel to destroye theyr enemyes the Cananytes the Amorytes the Amolekites and other hethen people as the Moabites and Amonytes whiche sought to brynge them out of the fauour of God and to destroye the name of God The Amalekites came behynde them and slue al that were fayntye and wery by the waye as they
come out of Egypte The Moabites and Ammonites hyred Balam to curse them and begyle thē with their women and made a great plage amonge them These lyke nacyons were perpetual enemyes to theyr lande which God had gyuen them and also of y e name of God and of their fayth For which cause they not onely myght lawfully but were also bound to hate thē and to study theyr destruccion agayne howe be it they myght not yet hate the sayed nacyons such as were conuerted to theyr faythe Nowe by the reason of such textes as commaunded to hate the comune enemyes of theyr contrye and of God and his lawe and of theyr fayth the pharyseys doctryne was that a man myght lawfully hate all hys pryuate enymyes without excepcion nor was bound to do them good And yet Moyses sayth Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne harte And agayne thou shalt not aduenge thy selfe nor bere hate in mynde agaynst the chyldren of thy people And yf thyne enemyes asse synke vnder hys burthen helpe to lyfte hym vp agayne and yf hys oxe or asse go a straye brynge them home agayne which all no doute the pharyseys dyd enterprete for good councell but for no preceptes wherfore Chryst salteth theyr doctryne and proueth that a man is bounde both to loue and to do good to hys enemye and as a naturall sone though hys brethren be neuer so euel yet to loue them and shewe them kyndnesse for hys fathers sake and to studye to amende them what hast thou to reioyse of yf thy relygyon be not better then the religion of theues For theues loue amonge themselues and so do the couetouse of the worlde as the vsurars and publycans whiche bought in greate the emperoures trybute and to make theyr moste aduauntage dyd ouer sette the people Naye it is not ynough for the to loue thy benefactoures onely as monkes and freres do and them of thyne owne cote and order or the brethren of thyne owne Abbaye onely for amonge some ther loue stretcheth no further and that shall he that is remoued out of another cloysture thyther well fynde ye and in some places charyte reacheth not at all the celles of the same cloysture and to all the monkes that were professed in the same place But lyfte vp thyne eyes vnto thy heuenly father and as thy father doth so do thou loue al thy fathers chyldrē He mynystreth sonne and rayne to good and badde by which two vnderstande all hys benefytes For of the heate and dryeth of the sonne and colde and moyst of the rayne sprynge al thynges that are necessary to the lyfe of man Euen so prouoke thou and drawe thyne euell brethren to goodnes with pacyence with loue in worde and dede and pray for them to hym that is able to make thē better and to conuerte them And so thou shalt be thy fathers natural son perfecte as he is perfecte The text sayth not ye shalbe as perfecte as God But perfecte after his ensample To be perfecte y e scrypture is not to be a monke or a fryer or neuer to syn For chryst teacheth not here monkes or fryers but hys dyscyples and euery Chrysten man and woman And to be in thys lyfe al to gether without syn is impossyble But to be perfect is to haue pure doctryne without false opinyons and that thyne hart be to folowe that lernynge FINIS ¶ An exposycyon of the syxte Capiter TAke hede to your almose that ye do it not before men to be sene of them or els ye get no rewarde of youre father which is in heuen Therfore when thou gyueste almose make not a trompet to be blowen before the as the ypocrytes do in the synagoges and in the streates to be praysed of men Verely I say vnto you they haue theyr rewarde But thou when thou gyuest almose let not thy lefte hande knowe what thy ryght hāde doth that thyne almose may be in secrete And then thy father whiche seeth in secrete shal rewarde the openly As he rebuked theyr doctryne aboue euen so here he rebuketh theyr workes for out of deuelyshe doctryne can sprynge no godly workes But what workes rebuketh he Verelye such as God in the scrypture commaūdeth and without whiche no man can be a chrysten man euen prayer fastynge and almose dede For as the scrypture corrupt with gloses is no more Goddes worde euen so the dedes cōmaunded in the scrypture when the entent of them is peruerted are no more godlye dedes what sayde the scrybes and pharyseys of hym thynke ye when he rebuked suche maner of workes No doute as they sayde when he rebuked theyr false gloses howe he destroyed the lawe and the prophetes interpretyng the scripture after the lyterall sence ▪ whiche kylleth and after hys owne brayne cleane contrarye to the comune fayth of the holy chyrche and myndes of great clerkes and autentyke exposycions of olde holye doctoures Euen so here what other coulde they saye then Beholde the heretyke and dyd not we tell you before wherto he wolde come and that he kepte some myschefe behynde and spued not out all hys venome attonce see to what al his godly newe doctryne that sounded so swetly is come he preached all of loue and wolde haue the people saued by fayth so longe tyl y t nowe at the last he preached clene agaynst all dedes of mercy as prayer fastynge and almose dede and destroyeth al good workes Hys dyscyples faste no more then d◠〈◊〉 they despyce theyr dyuyne seruyce and come not to churche ye and yf the holyest of al saynt Fraunces order axe them almes they byd hym laboure with his handes and gete hys lyuynge and saye that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eate and that God bade that no suche stronge loboures shulde loyter and go a beggynge and be chargeable to the congregacyon and eate vp that other pore men gete with the swete of theyr bodies ye and at the last ye shal see yf we resyste him not be tymes that he shal moue the people to insurreccyon as Cayphas sayd and the Romaynes shall come and take our lande from vs. As ye se in the texte Luke 13. Howe when they coulde not dryue y e people from hym with these persuasyons they accused hym to Pylate sayenge we haue founde thys felowe peruertyng the people and forbyddyng to pay trybute to Cesar and saynge that he is Chryste a kynge wherfore thou canst not be Cesars frend yf thou let hī escape But after al these blasphemies yet must the holy ghost rebuke y e world of their ryghtwisnes ye of theyr false ryghtwysnes and false holynes which are nether ryghtwysnes or holynes but coloure of ypocresye Christ here destroyeth not prayer fastynge and almose dede But preacheth agaynste the false purpose and entent of suche workes and peruertynge the true vse that is to saye theyr sekynge of glorye and that they estemed them selues righteouse therby and better then other men and so
despysed and condempned theyr brethren with our almose which is as moch to say as dedes of mercye or coÌ„passyon we ought to seke our fathers glory onely euen the welth of our brethren and to wyn them to the knowledge of our father and kepynge of hys lawe He that seketh the glorye of hys good workes seketh the glorye that belongeth to God and maketh hym selfe God Is it not a blynd thyng of the world that eyther they wyl do no good workes at all or wyll be God for theyr good workes and haue the glorye them selues Concernyng blowynge of trompettes and ryngynge of belles or makynge a crye to call men to fet almes though the ryght way be that we shuld knowe in euery paryshe all our pore and had a comen coffer for them that straungers shulde brynge a letter of recommeÌ„dacion with them of theyr necessyte and that we had a comen place to receyue them in to for the tyme and though also we ought to flee all occasyons of vayne glorye yet whyle the worlde is out of order it is not dampnable to do it So that the very menynge both that we blowe no trompettes and that the lefte hande knowe not what the ryght hande dothe is that we do as secretly as we can and in no wyse seke glorye or to receyue it yf it were profered But to do our dedes in synglenesse of conscyence to God bycause it is hys commaundemente and euen of pure compassyon and loue to our brethren and not that oure good deades through standyng in our owne consayte shulde cause vs to dyspyce them If thou be tempted to vayne glorye for thy good dedes then loke on thyne euel therto and put the one in the one balaunce the other in the other And then yf thou vnderstande the lawe of God in any thyng at all tell me whether weyeth heuyer If that thou doest do tempte the then consyder what thou doest not If it moue the to set vp thy combe when thou gyueste thy brother a fathynge or an halfe penny ponder in thyne harte howe farre thou arte of from louynge hym as well as thy selfe and carynge for hym as moche as for thy selfe And be sure howe moche thou lakest of that so moche thou art in syn and that in daÌ„pnable syn yf god for Chrystes sake dyd not perdone the because thyne harte morneth therfore and thou fyghteste 〈◊〉 thy selfe to come to such perfeccyon If a pecocke dyd loke well on hys fete and marke the euell fauoure shrykynge of hys voyce he wolde not be so proude of the beutye of hys tayle Fynally that many dyspute because god hath promysed to rewarde our dedes in heuen that our dedes deserue heuen and because he promyseth to shewe mercye to be mercyfull that with our dedes we deserue mercye and because he promyseth forgyuenes of synnes to them that forgyue that our dedes deserue forgyuenes of synne and so iustefye vs. I answerâ— fyrste there is ynoughe spoken therof in other places so that to them that haue red that it is superfluouse to reherse the matter agayne Furthermore the argument is nought and holdeth by no rule See ye not that the father and mother haue more ryght to the chylde and to al it can do thaÌ„ to an oxe or a cowe It is theyr fleshe and bloude nouryshed vp with theyr laboure and cost The lyfe of it and the mayntenaunce and countenaunce therof is theyr benefyte so that it is not able to recoÌ„pence that it oweth to father and mother by a thousand partes And though it be not able to do hys duety nor for blyndnes to knowe hys duety yet the father and mother promyse more gyftes styll without ceasynge and that such as they thynke shuld most make it to see loue and to prouoke it to be wyllynge to do parte of his duety And when it hathe done amysse thoughe it haue no power to do satysfaccyon nor lust or courage to com to the ryght way agayne yet theyr loue and mercye abydeth styll so greate to it that vpon a poyntment of mendinge they not only forgeue that is paste and fulfyll theyr promyse not the later but promyse greater gyftes then euer before and to be better father and mother to it then euer they were Nowe when it can not do the thousande parte of hys duety howe coude it deserue suche promyses of the father and mother as a labourer dothe his hyer the reward therfore cometh of the loue mercy and truthe of the father and mother as wel when the chylde kepeth the apoyntment as when they fulfyll theyr promyse when it hath broken the appoyntment and not of the deseruinge of the chylde Euen so yf we were not thus drowned in blyndenesse we shulde easely see that we can not do the thousande parte of our dutye to God no though there were no lyfe to come If there were no lyfe to come it were not ryght that I shulde touche any creature of God otherwyse then he hath apoynted Though there were no lyfe to come it had neuertheles ben ryght that Adam hade abstayned from the forboden aple tree and from all other to if they had ben forboden Ye though there were no lyfe to com it were not the lesse ryght that I loued my brother and forgaue hym to day seynge I shal syn agaynste hym to morowe Because a father can not gyue his chyldreÌ„ heuen hath he no power to charge them to loue one another and to forgyue and not aduenge one another And hathe he not ryght to bete them yf they smyte eche other because he can not gyue them heuen A boundeman that hathe a mayster more cruell then a reasonable man wolde be to a dogge if there were no heuen myght thys bounde seruaunt accuse God of vnryghtwysnes bycause he hathe not made hym a mayster Nowe then when we can not do our duetye by a thousande partes though there were no such promyses that the thinge coÌ„maunded is no lesse our duety though no such promyse were it is easy to perceyue that the reward promysed cometh of the goodes mercye and truthe of the promyser to make vs the gladder to do our duetye and not of the deseruinge of the receyuer when we haue done al that we caÌ„ we ought to â—ay in our harte that it was our duety and that we ought to do a thousande times more and that God if he had not promysed vs mercye of hys goodnesse in Chryst he myght yet of ryght damme vs for y t we haue lefte vndone And as touchynge forgyuenes of synne though forgyuenes of synne be promysed vnto the yet chalenge it not by thy merytes but by the merytes of Chrystes bloude and heare what Paule saythe Phylyppenses 3. Concernynge the ryghtwysnes of the lawe I was fautlesse or such as no maÌ„ could rebuke But y e thynges that were to vauntage I thought damage for Chrystes sake ye I thynke all thynge to be damage or losse for
teare you The dogges are those obstinate and indurate which for the blynde zele of their leuen wherwith they haue sowred both the doctrine also y e workes maliciously resyst the truth and persecute the mynystres therof and are those wolues amonge whiche Christe sendeth hys shepe warnyng them nat only to be syngle and pure in theyr doctrine but also wyse circumspecte to beware of men For they shulde brynge them before iudges kynges and slay them thynkynge to do God seruice therin that is as Paule to the Romaynes testifyeth of y e Iewes for blind zele to their owne false and fayned ryghtwysnesse persecute the ryghtwysnesse of God ⧠⧠The swyne are they whiche for all they haue receaueth the pure Gospell of Christ wyll yet contynue styll in synne and roule them selues in the podel and myer of their olde fylthye coÌ„uersacion and bothe befose the ignoraunt also the weake vse the vttermost of their libertye enterpretynge it after the largest fassyon and muste fauoure of the fleshe as it were the popes pardon and therwith make the truthe euell spoken of that thousandes whiche else myght haue ben easely wonne wyll nowe nat once here therof and stere vp cruell persecucion whiche els wolde be muche easyer ye and somtyme none at al. And yet wyl those swyne when it cometh to the poynte abyde no persecucion at all But offer them selues wyllynge euen at the fyrst chope for to deny yet they be scasly apposed of theyr doctrine Therfore lay first the lawe of god before them call them to repentauÌ„ce And yf thou se no hope of mendynge in them sease there go no further for they be swyne ¶ But alas it euer was shal be that the greater nombre receaue the wordes for a newnesse curiosite as they say and to seme to be somwhat that they haue not gone to schole in vayne they wyll forthe with yer they haue felte any chaunge of lyuynge in them selfe be scholemasters and begyn at libertie an practise openly before theyr disciples And whan the Phareseyes se theyr tradicions broken they rage persecute immediatly And then our newe scholemasters be nether grounded in the doctrine to defende theyr doynges nor rooted in the profession of a newe lyfe to suffre with Christ c. ⧠⧠Axe and it shalbe geuen you seke and ye shall fynde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you For all that axe receaue and he that seketh fyndeth and to hym that knocketh it shalbe opened For what man is it amonge you yf his son axed hym breade that wolde proffre hym a stone Or yf he asked hym fysshe wolde he offre hym a serpeÌ„t If ye then whiche are euell knowe to geue good gyftes to your chyldren howe muche more shall your father whiche is in heuen geue good thyngê to them y t aske hym Fyrst note of these wordes that to pray is Goddes commaundemen as it is to beleue in god to loue God or to loue thy neyboure and so are almose and fastynge also Nether is it possible to beleue in God to loue hym or to loue thy neyboure But that prayer wyl spring out ther hence immediatly For to beleue in God is to be sure that all thou hast is of hym and all thou nedest must come of hym whiche yf thou do thou canst nat hut coÌ„tinually thanke him for his benefites whiche thou continually without ceasynge receauest of his hande and therto euer cry for helpe for thou arte euer in nede and canst no whence els beholden And thy neyboure is in such necessite also wherfore yf thou loue him yt wyll compelle the to pyte hym and to cry to God for hym continually and to thanke as well for hym as thy selfe Secondarely this heapynge of so many wordes to gether axe seke knocke signify that the prayer must be coÌ„tinuall so dothe the parahle of the wedowe that sued to the weked iudge and the cause is that we are euer in coÌ„tinual necessite as I sayd and all our life but euen a warre fare and a perpetual batayle In whiche we preuayle as longe as we pray be ouercome assonc as we ceasse prayenge as Israel ouercame the Amalechites Exod 1 xviâ— as longe as Moses helde vp his handes in prayer and assone as he had let downe his handes for werynesse the Amalechites preuayled and had the better Christ warned his disciples at his last souper to haue peace in him affirmyng that they shulde haue none in the worlde The false prophetes shall euer impugne the faythe in Christes bloude enforce to quenche the true vnderstandyng of the lawe and the rygâ—â— meanyng and entent of all the workes commauÌ„ded by god which fyght as a fyght aboue all fyghtes First they shalbe in such noÌ„hre that Christes true dyscyples shalbe but a small flocke in respecte of them They shall haue workes like Christes so that fastynge prayer pouerty obedience and chastite shalbe the names of their profession For as Paule sayth to the Corinthians the angelles or messengers of Sathan shal chauÌ„ge theÌ„ selues in to angelles or messengers of lyght and truthe They shall come in Christes name that with signes and myracles and haue the vpper hande also euen to deceaue y e very electe if it were possible Ye and beynde all this yf thou get the victory of the false prophetes plucke a multitude out of theyr handes there shal immediatly ryse of the same set vp a new false secte against the. And agaynst al these Amalechites the only remeady is to lyfte vp the haÌ„des of thy harte to God in coÌ„tinual prayer which handes if thou for werynes once let fall thou goest to the worsse immediatly Then besyde the fyght coÌ„flyctâ— of the sottle sophistrie false myracles desguysed ypocretishe workê of these false prophetes cometh the dogges and wolues of theyr disciples with the seruauntes of MaÌ„mon and the swyne of thyne owne scolers againste whiche al thou hast no nother shyld or defence but prayer Then y e syn luste of thine owne flesh Sathan a thousande temptacions vnto â—ell in the worlde wyll ether dryue the to y e castell and refuge of prayer or take the prisoner ondoutedly Last of all thy neyboures necessite and thyne owne wyl coÌ„pel the to crye Father whiche arte in heuen gyue vs our dayly brede though thou were as ryche as kynge Salomon For Christ coÌ„mauÌ„deth the riche as wel as the pore to cry to God coÌ„tinually for their dayly brede And if they haue no suche nede then is Christ a deceauer and a mocker what nede I to pray the to geue orlende me that is in myne owne possessioÌ„ alredy Is nat y e fyrst commaundement that there is but one God and that thou put thy whole trust in him which yf it were wrytten in thyne harte thou shuldest easely perceaue and though thou haddest as many thousandes as Dauid lefte behynde him and
stycke nor cut teachynge deed workes without fayth loue whiche are the life y e hole goodnes of al workes the only thynge why they please God And therfore their audieÌ„ce abode euer carnal fleshly mynde without fayth to god loue to theyr neyboures Christes wordes were spirite and life Io. vi That is to say they ministred spirite and lyfe and entred into the harte and grated on the coÌ„science and thorowe preachynge the lawe made the herars perceyue theyr dutyes euen what loue they ought to God and whAt to man the right daÌ„pnacion of al them that had nat the loue of God man written iÌ„ their hartes and thorow preachyng of fayth made al y t coÌ„sented to the lawe of god â—ele the mercy of God is Christ and certefyed theÌ„ of theyr saluacion â—or y e word of god is a two edged swerde that perceth and deuydeth the spirite and soule of man a sonder Hebre 4. A man before the preaching of Goddes worde is but one man all fleshe the soule consentyng vnto the lustes of the fleshe to folowe them but the swerde of the worde of God where it taketh effecte diuideth a man in two and setteth hym â—t variaunce agaynst his owne selfe The fleshe â—alynge one way and the spirite drawynge a â—other y e flesh ragyng to folowe lustes the â—pirite callynge backe agayne to folowe the â—awe and wyll of God A man al the whyle he â—oÌ„senteth to the fleshe and before he be borne â—gayne in Christ is called soule or carnal But when he is renewed in Christ thorowe y e word of lyfe and hath the loue of God and of his neyboure and the fayth of Christe wrytten in his harte he is called spirite or spirituall The lorde of all mercye sende vs preachers with power that is to say true expounders of the worde of god and spekers to the harte of man deliuer vs from Scribes Phareseyes ypocrites and all false prophetes Amen ☜ †☞ w. T. ⧠The table whiche shall sende you to all thynges conteyned in this boke The table ALmose prayer and fastyng are inseperable Folio lxxvii s ii Anointe the heed what it is fo 76. s i Almose prayer and fastynge howe necessarye Fo. lxxvii s ii Aduoutrye ⧠⧠fo xxxix s ii Angrye Howe a man may be angrye and synne nat Folio xxv s ii Absolucion Goddes couenaunt is a sure absolucion Fo. lxxi s ii ⧠Baptyme Folio lxxiiii s ii Breade daylye breade Fo. lxv s ii Baptyme the ryght baptyme what fo ix s i. Beame Fo. xciii s i. Belefe To beleue in God what it is fo xcv s i Beleuers without workes and workers without fayth are buylt on sande fo C.vii. s ii †Ceremonies must be salted Fo. xxv s ii Couetousnes what a pestileÌ„ce it is fo 81. s i Care Folio xc s i. Couenaunt kepe couenaunt with God and he shall kepe promyse with the. fo lxxxix s i Couetousnes causeth darkenes Fo. 84. s i. Cursed most accursed who Fo xxiii s ii Care Fo. lxxxviii s i. Couetousnes maketh a false prophete Folio lxxxiii s i. Couetousnes maketh the salt of goddes word vnsauery Fo. lxxxiii s i. Churche of Christe what Fo. ix s i. Clothynge shepes clothynge what fo C. s ii Ceremonyes Folio xciii s ii Ceremonyes He that breaketh vnite for zele of ceremonies vnderstandeth nat the lawe Folio xciii s i. Couetousnes can nat but erre fo lxxxi s ii Care what care euery man ought to haue Folio xci s i. Care what care is forboden fo xci s i Churche what fo 31 s i. Chambre To shut thy chambre dore what it meaneth fo lxiii s ii Couenaunt Goddes couenaunt is a sure absolucion Folio lxxi s ii Couenaunt fo 71. s ii Couetousnes Fo. lvi s ii Cheke To turne the other cheke what it meaneth Fo. lxvii s ii Couetousnes By couetousnes is a false prophete knowen fo xiii s i. Couetousnes is contrary to the worde of god and to the ministres of the lawe Fo 13. s i †Darckenes all knowledge is darkenes tyl the knowledge of Christes passion be in the harte Fo. xxvi s ii Doctrine False doctrine is cause of euell workes fo xxix s ii Doctrine True doctrine is cause of good workes fo 29. s ii Dogges ☜ †☞ fo xciiii s i. Darckenes Fo. lxxxiii s i. fo 84. s ii Dogges loue nat the lawe fo viii s i. Darckenes Fayth in workes is darckenes fo lxxxiiii s ii †Darckenes Fo. 85. s i. Doutes Howe to assoyle doutes fo xcvii s ii Fayth The office of fayth Fol. x. s ii Fayth fo C xiiii s i. fo lxxvi s ii Fayth is our victorie fo xiiii s ii Fayth the differeÌ„ce of faythes howe it is to be vnderstande fayth iustifieth fo viii s ii Fayth Fo. lxxiiii s ii Fayth of swyne what fo viii s ii Fayth maketh the worke good acceptable fo C.iii. s i Fayth loue and hope are inseperable in this lyfe fo v s ii Fayth iustifieth what it meaneh fo lxxiii s ii Fayth in workes is darckenes fo lxxxiiii s ii Fayth and the lawe be of contrary operacioÌ„s folio 3. s i. Fayth is the kernell of all our good workes folio C.iii. s i. Fayth hope charite are iÌ„seperable fo x. s i Faythe true fayth is coupled with loue to the lawe fol. 8. s i. False prophetes what theyr wickednes is folio xcvi s i. False prophetes howe to knowe where they be fo C.vi s ii ⧠⧠Fastynge is nat in eatynge and drinkynge onlye fol lxxvii s ii Fast howe the Iewes dyd fast fo lxxx s i Fastynge the true entent is awaye in the popes fast â–ª ⧠†⧠fo lxxx s i. Ferthynge the last ferthynge fo xxxviii s ii †Glorie he that seketh his owne glorie teacheth his owne doctrine and nat his masters Folio 31 s ii fo 32. s i. Glorie he that seketh his owne glory altereth his masters message Folio xxxii s i. ¶ Hate whan a man may hate his neyboure Folio xxxvii s ii Henry the seconde fo xiiii s ii Herted Impure herted who fo 20. s i. Hope the office of hope· fo xii s i. Honoure to honoure the name of God what Folio lxvii s ii Hundred folde fo xvi s i. Handy craftes are Goddes commaundement Folio C. iiii· s i Holynes of ypocrites fo C.v. s ii ☞ Iustifye Fayth iustifyeth what it meaneth Folio· lxxiii s ii Impure herted who fo xx s i Iudgynge what Iudgynge is rebuked Folio xcii s ii Ignoraunce excuseth nat fo C.vi s ii ☞ Keye what it is· Folio 2. s· ii Kynges ought to be lerned fo xxvii s ii Kyngedome of heuen what fo lxxxix s ii Kynge Iohan. fo xiiii s ii Kyngdome of heuen what it is fo ii s i. ⧠Lawe Folio· xlv s ii Lawe the lawe is restored fo xxxv s i Lawe what her office is fo 2. s ii Lawe