ghost hath offred hym silfe without Hebre. â— spot vnto God hath clensed oure consciences from mortall workes for to serve vnto the lyving God And therfore we haue no nede to laboure by oure good workes to get euerlasting lyfe for we haue that alredy we be all iustified we be all the children of God God hath gyven vs all thys of him silf without oure deserving Some man might say I will also do sumwhate to thintent that I may be so moche the more certeyn to be saved All they that say so and all they that thinke that they re good workes helpe eny thing or proufit for to get the gift of saluacyon they blaspheme ageynste God and robbe god of his honoure and speke ageynst the might and goodnesse of God Gala. 5 as wryteth saint Paule If ye be circumcised Christ shall nothinge proufit you that is to say if ye put eny trust in the lawe or in any workes Christ shall not helpe you And yet sayeth saint Paule in that same Chaptre whosoever will be iustified by the lawe is fallen out of the grace of god Howe may the wordes be more clere wherfore al they blaspheme ageynst the dyvine puissaunce that will eny maner wey deserve by they re good workes for this cause we must do oure good workes alweys by love to the proufit of 〈…〉 not for the necessite of oure hâ—â—th for by Iesu christ be we made sure of the euerlasting life as it is bifore said They that by they re workes will satisfie vnto god be agaynst God as though God were not puissaunt ynough of him silf without the helpe of oure werkes for to pardone vs oure sinnes and as though the passion of Christ were not vertuouse ynough without oure deservinges for to helpe vs to come vnto heven Therfore say I we must allonly hoelly trust in the grace mercy of god not in oure workes or els christ shall nothing proufit vs. ¶ Howe that by the onely grace of God and by nothing elles we be saved Chaptre vi NOwe might some man sey I knowe wel that god is mightie ynough to save me without my workes but I caÌ„ not tel whether he wil do it if it be not that I live therwith al rightuously paraueÌ„ture my good werkes shal enduce hiÌ„ to make me rightuous to save me or els he wolde not do it All they that so saye or thinke as I haue said blaspheme against the goodnesse of god as though god were not of him silf mercyfull aÌ„d good ynough except he were first stered vnto mercy by oure werkes Ro. 4. Not withstoÌ„ding that saint Paule sayeth that the promesse was not made vnto Abraham by the lawe but by the iustice of the faith And seyng also that of his proper nature he is nothing els but goodnesse and mercy as he hath alweyes taught and shewed wheÌ„ he was teaching in the world for he hath never dispysed nor left none discomforted of eny thing that eny hath requyred him but onely suche as wold not beleve Wherfore thou must knowe ones for all that by the onely grace of god we be saved And god will not that thou put thy good workes or thy iustice with his pretending to helpe him by thy workes for he will do it a lone and will haue no maner helpe For he hath no nede of the couÌ„sell nor of the dede nor of the workes nor of the iustice of any other Ephe. 2 For saint Paule saieth By grace are ye saved thorowe faith and that not of your silves for it ys the gift of god and cometh not of workes lest eny man shulde bost himsilf Now were it possible to speake it more pleynly and vnto the Romains Ro. 5. Being iustified by fayth we are at peace with god And saynt Iohn saieth He is the recoÌ„ciliacion for oure sinnes 1. Iohn The deth of Iesu christ and his iustice be vertuous ynough for to take awey all the sinnes of the world Nowe might one demaunde whi will god iustifie vs and so save vs of him silfe God doth it to thintent that he make hys goodnesse and mercy vnto vs more clere and more open Ephe. 2 As writeth saint Paule vnto the Ephesians God that is riche yn mercy thorowe the grete love wherwyth he loved vs even when we were dâ—ed by sinne hath quykned vs with Christe by whose grace ye be saved and with hiÌ„ hath reysed vs vp and with him hath made vs sitte in hevenly thinges thorowe Christ for to shewe in tyme to come the exceding richesse of his grace in kindnesse towarde vs thorowe Iesus Christ. Here seest thou by these wordes the cause whye god will do it alone for if god shuld iustifie vs aÌ„d shuld gyue helth bicause of oure workes he shuld not do it by his goodnesse but oure workes had deserved it and so shulde we not nede to thanke God therfore but moâ—ght ascribe it to oure selves and vnto oure workes But saint Paule and all the prophetes do teache vs that we be iustified and haue gotten helth by the onely grace of God and not by oure deservynges for we haue none And as god wyll that we do not thanke laude or loue other then alonely him Also like wyse will he not that we serche elswhere or of any other helth but of him onely for god wil be oure helth and oure savioure alone and he will not that we serche els where comfort but in him and of him and not in oure silfe nor in oure good werkes And for this cause thus writeth saint Paule vnto Titus But after that the kindnesse and loue of oure savioure appered vnto man not of the dedys of rightuousnesse which we haue wrought but of his mercy he hath saved vs by the fonteyne of the newe birth with the renewing of the holy gost whiche he shed over vs abundauntly thorow Iesus christ oure savioure TituÌ„ 3 And therfore whosoever thiÌ„ke to haue deserved the kingdome of heven by his rightuous life he robbeth god of his goodnesse for god hath frely iustified vs of hiÌ„ silf oure lord him silf hath seid in the gospel of S. Ioh None may come vnto me except my father that sent me drawe hiÌ„ Iohn 6 And in an other place without me ye caÌ„ do nothing Iohn 15 god spake by the prophete Osee O Israel thi perdicioÌ„ comith of thy silf alonely of me cometh thy helpe Osee. 14 And saint Paule vnto the romains Ro. 9. The enerlasting life is not his that will or that râ—neth after it but it is in the hondes will of god to gyve it to whome he will by his mercy Therfore erre all they that thiÌ„ke that god owith to theym the euerlastiÌ„g life or that they haue deserved it when they haue done many good workes for that thing that god onely gyveth to whome he will that wold they take froÌ„ him plucke it out of
as teacheth saynt Paule saying 1. Ti. 2 whiche hath gyven him silf a price and raunsome for all men Then when I beleve nede I not to do nothing Nede I not to do no good shall I not kepe the commaundementes of God Herken whate saint Paule answereth The faith saith he worketh by loue Ga. 5 Then when thou thus beleuest without doutiÌ„g that is to sey that thou art the sonne of god and that god hath so made the grete and riche thou shalt thinke thus in thy â—ilf Behold nowe god hath made me his childe enheritour of his glory brother of Iesus christ hath giveÌ„ me pardoÌ„ of al my sinnes aÌ„d I shall shortly be with hiÌ„ in the euerlasting life which he hath gyveÌ„ me without deserving it 〈◊〉 thiÌ„g shall I do agein to god by love and kindenesse for all this that he hath gyven to me Psal. 115 As saith the prophete David whate shall I yeld to god ageyn for all that he hath gyven to me when eny parson speaketh thus in him silf considering and beholding the greate goodnesse and mercy of god then comith and entreaseth the loue of god in him by the fayth bicause that he beleveth surely that God hath thus made him grete and riche And after that the loue is thus entred and enchauffed in the hert of the parson it maketh him to suffre and bere all thiÌ„ges maketh him to laboure to thinke and to do all that he thinketh wold please god without regarding â—ny thing but the loue of god Cor. 13. as sayeth saint Paule Loue suffreth all thinges loue doth nothing in vaine and he that hath suche a loue toward god all that he doth is agreable to god Ye when he gyveth but a drop of water for goddis sake as writeth saint Mathewe for loue iÌ„ god can not sinne all that he doth is well done For the holy goost that hath put this charite in vs can not do evill Aâ—d if of aduenture by suche a good entent one did any evell by errour this evell shul be pardoned incontinent and reputed for good by the good entent and loue that he hath towardes god Mat. 6. For Christ saieth in the gospell If thyne yie that is to sey thyne entencion be simple and applying to good all thy body that is to sey all thyne operacion shall be lightened and good And saint Paule saieth Ro. 8 we knowe that vnto theym that loue god al thinges worke for the best All they that are constant in this faith and charite be the children of god aÌ„d please god As witnessith saint Petre where he speaketh in thactes of thappostles Of a truth I perceyve that god is not percyall but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh rightuousnesse is accepted with him for god nedeth not oure works when he thus hath oure hertes albeit that suche a loue can not be ydell This loue comith in vs as I haue seid by faith when the parson beleveth surely that he is the childe of God It nedeth not that suche a parsone be constreyned to doo good workes by any commaundementes For the love of god dwelling yn him can not be ydell For loue as sayeth saint Paule suffreth long and is courteys 1. Cor. 13. loue eÌ„vyeth not love is not craving swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seketh not her owne is not provoked to angre thinketh not evell reioyseth not in iÌ„iquite but reioyseth in the truth suffreth al thing beleveth all thinges hopeth all thinges Suche a love or charyte bryngeth a parson to good workes and not good works a parsone vnto suche a love or to suche a faith trust in god These workes spring out of feith and not feith out of these workes for as I haue seid feith bringeth loue and loue bringeth good workes Lyke as though there were a riche maÌ„ with out children or heyres which might take a poore beggar out of the strete and make hym his heyre of his goodes This poore man beyng this made greate and ryche if he wold be thankefull as becomith hym to be shuld serve hys lorde or master whiche had thus exalted hym made him ryche truely and with greate loue Ye and if he ones might knowe the wil of his master he wold not deferre the doing therof till he were commaunded But he wold do all thinges by and by of his owne courage for the charyte or loue that he hath toward his master without commaundement Behold this poore man so exalted hath not deserved by hys workes nor by hys service that this riche man shuld so make him his heyre but the riche man hath made him his heyre of hys owne goodnesse without that the poore maÌ„ had in eny maner wyse deserved it And the service that this poore man doth afterward comith of loue and kyndnesse For he knoweth and beleveth surely that he is heyre of the godes of his lord bifore that he do any service And for bicause that he beleveth that the ryche man will kepe promyse wyth hym he beginneth to love him by the meane of this faith And so when he loveth hym he doth to him willingly and wyth good hert all the service he can and fulfil â—â—leth ioyfully his commaundementes and all by love And the more laboure service that he can do for his good master the more grete pleasure he taketh So is it of a good ChristeÌ„ for wheÌ„ he was yet enemye of god by the sinne of Adam he was accepted of God byfore he â—esyred it and byfore that he had yn eny maner wise deserved it Thus hath god made vs his children and heyres without oure deserving Then when we beleve this stedfastly this faith bringeth loue into oure hertes so that we beginne to love God by cause that he hath made vs so greate and excellent And when we so love him we kepe his commaundemeÌ„tes by loue and do all thinges with good wil As saieth Christ in saint Iohn Iohn 14. He that loveth me kepeth my commaundementes And so kepe we all thinges and suffre all thinges which we thinke agreable to god and nothing is to hevy for vs and as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 5 we reioyce in tribulacioÌ„ for we knowe that tribulacion bringeth pacience pacieÌ„ce bringeth feling feling briÌ„geth hope and hope maketh vs not a shamed bicause the love that God hath vnto vs is shed abrode in oure hertes by the holy goost whiche is gyven vnto vs whiche love maketh all thinges light vnto vs plesaunt and easy to bere so that after the word of Christ in the gospell his yoke ys easy and his burthen is light Mat. 11. Act. 5 This faith and love had thappostles as wryteth saint Luke when they departed from before the iudges they reioysed that they were made worthy and able to suffre shame and dishonoure byfore the worlde for the love of Iesu christ Thys charâ—te had saint Paule when he seid vnto the Romayns Ro. 8. Who
is he that shall separate vs from the love of god shall tribulacion or anguisshe or persecucion or hunger or nakydnesseâ— other parell orswerd we be sure that neither deth nor life nether aungell nether rule nor thiÌ„ges present nor thinges to come nether height nor depnesse nether eny other creature shal be abyll to separat vs from goddis love which is in Iesu christ our lord But I axe you nowe wherby ys it that thou knowest that thou are the childe of god by the service that thou hast done hi Nay Wherby then by the faith wher by thou belevest the worde of god whiche sayth that thou art the childe of god before thou begynnest to serve hym as wryteth saint Paule in all his epistles Thy service and thy workes haue not gyveÌ„ the the faith and trust wherby thou belevest that thou art the childe of god and his heyre for thou haddest that or thou dydest hiÌ„ any service but bicause that thou belevest stedfastly that god hath made the so grete by this faith beginnest thou to loue hym And when thou lovest him so thou doest him all the service that thou knowest ys agreable vnto hiÌ„ Thou â—beyst his coÌ„maundementes alweyes humbly knoweleging thyne ymperfection ascribing all that thou doest vnto God for els as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 4 If oure heretage came of the lawe the feith were but in vayne and the promyse of none effect Behold nowe seest thou that we do not deserve the euerlasting life by oure good workes for God hath promysed it vnto vs all surely bifore that we began to do good wherfore thou must knowe and beleve that good workes make none sure that he shal be the childe of God and hys heyre But contrary wise the feith trust that thou hast in god wherby thou belevest stedfastly that he haâ—h made the hys sonne maketh the to serve god and to kepe his commaundementes by love â–ª wherfore all they are abused Theologyans and doctours that sey that certeynte or hope procedeth out froÌ„ good workes â–ª For contraryly out from the certeynte from the feith wherby thou belevest the goodnesse that god hath done vnto the comith the good works That is to sey wheÌ„ thou belevest thou begynnest to love and when thou lovest thou doest that God wold haue done ¶ Howe that we shall not serve God for hyres or wages Chaptre ix THe workes done in suche fayth and charyte be allonely plesauÌ„t vnto god and worthy to be called good workes for they be the workes of the holy gost that dwelleth in vs by this faith But they that are done by tediousnesse evill will for fere of hell or for desire of paradise be none other thiÌ„g but shadowes of workes makiÌ„g ypochrytes The ende of oure good workes may seÌ„ke nought but to please god knowlegiÌ„g that if we do never so moche we caÌ„ neuer do our duety for they that for feare of hell or for the ioyes of heveÌ„ do serve god do a coÌ„streined service which god will not Suche people do not serve God bicause he is theire god theire father but bicause he is riche for to haue part of his richesse they not god but his wayes and richesse that is to sey they serue for none other purpose but to haue they re rewardes and for to avoide his punissions And suche people be as it were hyred men and waged servauntes and are not children for the service they do is but for wages and hyres But the children of god serve they re father for loue for they knowe the goodnesse that god hath done to theym alredy in that they beleue that god hath made theym hys children and heyres Gala. 3 For saint Paule seith ye are all the children of god by the feith which is in Iesu Christ And ageyn forasmoche as ye be childreÌ„ god hath sent the sprit of his sonne in to your hartes crying Ga. 4 father father Thou art then nowe no servaunt but a sonne And if thou be the sonne thou art also heyre of god by christ as saieth saint Paule ye are all the children of â—ight and children of god Tessa 5 Then the children of god that is the true christen do not desyre to get the heretage by theire service for they knowe by the sure promyses of god whiche they do beleve that God of hym self hath purely and liberally gyueÌ„ it vnto theym alredy Is when a burgoys hath a servaunt and a sonne The servaunt serueth his master and dare not offend hym for feare of losing of his wages whiche he attendeth for for he serveth for wages and after that he hath receyved theym he levith his master axeth no more of him for he demaunded nothing els but his money which he hath receyved alredy The sonne of the house serveth hys father and kepeth his commaundementes not to haue wages but for loue that he hath vnto hys father For he knoweth the goodnesse that his father hath done to him and that he is heyre of the goodes of hys father And knoweth that he shall ever dwelle in his fathers house as saieth saint Iohn Iohn And therfore doth he liberally the will of his father by cause he will not anger him So must euery christen serve god and kepe hys commaundementes by true loue and not by hope to get for his service everlasting life or the heritage of his heveÌ„ly father but knowleging alonly that god hath gyven him that alredy and that he hath made him hys heyre â—yfore he requyred him So shall he serve him by love declaring that god is all good and to shewe that ageynst his goodnesse he wyll not be vnkynd ¶ Howe that we disheret oursilves by oure disobedience Chaptre x. NOwe must euery maÌ„ know that alonly they that by suche love serue God be the children of god his heyres and shal be saved For he that gyveth not thankes to God and loveth hym not of this facyon for the goodnesse that god of hym silf hath willingly done vnto him is cause that he is not the child of god and maketh him silf vnworthye of all the promyses of God Lyke as though there were a maâ— that had gotten some grete rychesse by his laboure that he had .ij. sonnes The. ij sonnes be here egally like nighe vnto the goodes of they re father the herytage of they re father beloÌ„geth egalâ—iâ— vnto theÌ„ for thei be both sonnes But if the one be rebell disobedient vnto his father do to him dishonour after that he come to thage of discretion by suche meanes may hâ— be cause of dishereting of him silf â— he is naturelly sonâ—nd heyre to the goodes as well as his other brother but he disheriteth him silf by his evill life So are all parsones the childreÌ„ of god bought ageyn by Iesu Christ but they that rebell ageinst god and obey not vnto his commaundementes disheryt theym silves aÌ„d theym silves because of they re daÌ„pnacyon God wold
sinnes then he doth a worker of good workes proudely bosting him silf truâ—ling in theym For as it is said God hath loved better the publicaÌ„ then the pharesey hath shewed more love vnto the poore opeÌ„ sinners then to the phareseys ypochristes to whome it semed that they had fulfilled the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of god that god coude nothyng demaund of theym For they reproved Iesu christ that he was frende of the sinners that he ete amoÌ„g theim Mat. 9. Oure lord demauÌ„deth nothing but the hert and when he hath the herte he regardeth not whether we fast pray or here masse or whether we bere blewe or gray For all suche outward thiÌ„ges be indifferent bifore god When oure hartes be ruled in God according to the doctrine of the gospell it is all one whate thing we do for we haue alweyes love whiche teacheth vs whate thing we must do or leve vndone for love doth nothing in vayne For this cause an humble hart not abyding vppon his good workes though he do theym but putting all his hope and trust in god and founding him silf vppon his goodnesse grace and mercy belevyng stedfastly that god hath all satisfied for vs and that of him silf he hath iustified vs gyuen vs helth doth purely and liberally without demaunding eny wages all the service and all the good he can alweyes knowleging him silfe to be dettour vnto god and axing grace Suche an hert is onely plesaunt vnto god Some might nowe sey I beleve wel all this that I am the childe of God and I must serve god by love and kindnesse in knowleging onely by my service the godnesse that he hath done vnto me but whate shall I do for the better how shall I shewe vnto god my kyndnesse and loue Albeit that we have oft touched thys mater byfore yet we will declare yn the Chaptre folowing more pleynly the thinges that shall be nedefull to thys purpose ¶ Of good workes and by whate meane they be most pleasing to God Chaptre .xij. FOrasmoche as I haue moche spoken of the feith and trust yn god to thintent that the evill aÌ„d perverse whiche interprete and take all thinges to the worse and corrupt theym shall not sey that I do lerne and counceyle you to do no good workes I will nowe shewe you whate thinges ye shall do I haue many tymes seyd that fayth bringeth Charyte and charite good workes For if thy feith induce the not to do good workes then hast thou not the right fayth Thou doest but onely thinke that thou hast it For saint Iames sayeth that faith without workes is dede in it silf Ia. 2 He feith not that it is lytell or feble but that it is deed And that that is deed is not Therore when thou art not moved by feith vnto the love of god and by the love of god vnto good workes thou hast not the feyth but the feith is deed in the. for the sprite of god that by feyth comith into our hertes to styre vp loue can not be ydell Euery one doth as moche as he beleveth and loveth as moche as he hopeth Iohn 3 As wryteth Saint Iohn he that hath this hope that he is the sonne of god purifyeth hym silf as he is pure He seith not he that purifyeth him silf hath this hope for the hope must come byfore proceding from the feith as it behoveth that the tre must first be good whiche must bring forth good frute TheÌ„ it behoveth to know first that ye are the children of God and afterward to laboure But whate shall we do we shall do and lyve so with oure christen bretheren as Christ hath lived and done with vs that is to sey as Iesu christ hath offred him silf to vs and for vs so must we present give oure silves as it were a Christ for to serve theym and to socoure vnto theire nede Phi. 2. As saieth Saint Paule Let the same mynde be in you the which was in Christ Iesu which being in the shape of god aÌ„d thought it no robberi to be equal with god Neuerthelesse he made him silf of no reputacioÌ„ toke on him the shape of a servauÌ„t aÌ„d all for our proufit And so must we helpe serve comfort one an other as Iesu christ hath done with vs. we may not seke oure owne proufit avauÌ„tage or honoure but al thiÌ„ges profitable vnto our neighbour alweyes miÌ„dfull to procure the honoure of god that in al thiÌ„ges we helpe oure christeÌ„ brother for so warneth vs. S. paule that none seke his owne profit but his neyghboures that all that we do be vnto the honoure of God we must set byfore vs the lyfe of Iesu Christ as a rule of all thing that is expedient for vs to do or to leve vndone we must take payne to folowe hym in mekenesse in love in swetnesse and in compassyon And to lyve so with oure neyghboure as Iesus christ hath lyved with vs. For Iesu Christ was not borne for hym silf nor hath not lived here for hiÌ„ silf but for vs. He sought not his owne honoure but his heveÌ„ly fathers Likewise shalt thou not seke that is proufitable vnto the but â—ovenable vnto thi neighbour As teacheth vs saint Paul in al his epistles namely in the first vnto the CoriÌ„thieÌ„s I seke â—or 10 not saieth he that that is necessary proufitable vnto me but that that is proufitable to many to thintent that they shuld be saved Ephe. 4 And vnto the Ephesians He that robbed let him robbe no more but laboure rather with his hondes and that is good to thintent that he haue wherof to gyve to him that hath nede Ga. 6 And vnto the Gaiathiens Bere sayeth he eyther of you others charges and burdons so shall yon fulfill the lawe of god And for bicause that we speke nowe of good workes It must be knowen that we must do some workes for our silves some for oure christen bretheren but all for the love and honour of god Theym that we shall do for oure silves teacheth vs Eol 3 saint Paule seying that we must mortyfie in vs all evill desires and all carnall operacyons as vnclennesse covityze wrathe blasphemye detraction pryde and other lyke vices Ro. 6 And vnto the Romayns That sinne reygne not in your mortall bâ—dy that is to sey albeit that we caÌ„ not lyve without the mocyon of suche evill desyres we shall not suffre theÌ„ to rule in vs but shall mortyfie theym in resisting theym Whate we shuld do for oure Christen bretheren teacheth vs like wise saint Paule sayng Serve ye one an other by love bere ye one an others burthen For christ commaundeth vs to exercyse the workes of mercy wherof he shall hold his iudgement All other workes that men do at this day in the churches be rather found by auarice then commaunded of god except the prayers whiche
willingly haue saved theym for he did promyse to theym emong other the heritage of his kingdome and had made theim his children but they dampne theym silves They are the children of God as concerning goddis behalf but they are alweyes dampned bicause of they re disobedience Ye some tyme god calleth suche people his freÌ„des not that they be so but bicause thei mought haue bin so Mat. 2 As he said vnto Iudas My freÌ„d whie art thou come hither Mat. 2 And vnto hiÌ„ that came vnto the wediÌ„ges my freÌ„de how art thou entred here not hauiÌ„g the weddiÌ„g garmeÌ„t Behold he is called freÌ„de yet neverthelesse he suffreth hiÌ„ to be cast into darknesse he had biÌ„ the freÌ„d of god if he wold haue coÌ„sented to the wil of god 1 Iohn Saint Iohn saieth There is now mani anÌ„christes thei weÌ„t out froÌ„ vs were not of vs for if they had byn of vs they had bydden with vs. So be all people the children of god but there be many that make theym silves vnworthy aÌ„d depart theym silves from god The other sonne that abideth with his father is a sonne and abydeth a sonne and heyre bicause he is obeisaunt vnto his father He hath not deserved by his good lyfe and obedience the possessyon aÌ„d goodes of his father but he hath onely byn well ware that he hath not lost theym by disobedieÌ„ce For the father may sey Dere son it is true that thou hast kept to the best of thy power my commaundementes notwithstâ—nding thy goodnesse had never made the riche yf I had not gotten it Then lyke wise all though that we kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god never so streytly it shuld profit vs nothing if it were not that Iesu christ had obteyned for vs the lyfe eternall byfore of his hevynly father by his deth Oure goodnesse or iustice shulde profit vs nothing if Iesus christ had not laboured for vs. For as saieth saint Paule The lawe hath brought nothing vnto perfection Hebr. 7 The Iues kept the coÌ„maundementes and the lawe of god yet they coâ—de not come vnto heven It was nedeful that Iesu Christ must first dye for theym Lykewyse can we not be saved by oure workes Oure helth is come to vs of god For if by oure workes we may got helth â—hen must we nedes say that Christ is dede in vayne As saieth saint Paule Ye if workes mought haue saved Abraham Isaac Iacob David and many other Iuâ—s had byn saved as we haue seyd byfore the natiuyte of Iesu Christ for they kept better the commaundementes of god then we do But god will do it alone to thintent that none glorifie or bost him silf therof and that to him alone and to none other he gyven all honour and glory for ever Amen For as wryteth saynt Paule The scripture concludeth al thinges vnder sinne that the promys by the feyth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyven vnto theym that beleve Ga. 3 For this cause when the parsone knoweth surely that god hath made hym childe of the everlasting lyfe by hys deth byfore he had deserved it he will do agayne to god all the service that he can thinke and all by love aud kindnesse shewing that he will not be vnkind not to get eny thing of godbut bycause he is his good father and that he hath receyved al thinges of him For we haue nowe alredy al that wherfore we must serve god For he hath made vs his children and his heyres while we were his enimyes and byfore that we knewe him as we haue many tymes byfore saied And hereyn lyeth the deserving of the christen faith that thou beleve certeynly that thou art the child of god and that thou kepest his commaundementes bicause thou knowest and belevest stedfastly that he hath so made the riche greate and that thou servest him by this faith as a good childe his father For the childe douâ—teth not but beleveth stedfastly that he shall haue the substaunce of his father and bycause he beleveth it stedfastly he laboureth for to entreteyne it So shalt thou beleve without doubting eny thing that thou art enheryter of heven And therfore shalt thou do thy diligence to kepe that herytage to the honour of thy father Thou shalt be ware that thou anger him not but thou shalt thanke him oft bycause he hath gyven the thys hevenly herytage Behold nowe seist thou well bifore thine yien howe moche we are bound to thaÌ„ke prayse and serve god and to kepe hys commaundementes and to kepe vs from sinne and to do many good workes of faith by verey love ¶ Of two maner people lyving in this world Chaptre xi THere are iÌ„the world ij sortes of people good evill be coÌ„pared vnto the two theves that suffred on the crosse with Iesu christ â–ª the good are berokened by the theef on the right side which axed pardoÌ„ thei be thei that knowlege theÌ„ silves pore sinners fele mekely of them silves Lu. 18 as did the poore publican that durst not lyft vp hys yies toward heven for they knowe that they haue not kept the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god so streytly as thei were bound They perceyue also that though thei thiÌ„ke to kepe theÌ„ never so well they fele theim silves failing alweyes in detraction â—n hastinesse in anger in idell wordes in infidelite aÌ„d in lakke of loue albeit that suche folke do moche goodyet they re conscience is not content and in rest but as coÌ„cerning theym silves euer in sorowe For they knowe that they must appere byfore the rightuous iudge bifore whose face as sayeth the Psalmist shall none lyving be iustified if we shuld be iudged after oure deservinges Psal. 142 And therfore come they and cast theym silves prostrate byfore the mercy of god and sey with the thefe on the right syde Lu. 23 Lorde haue mynd on me when thou comest into thy kiÌ„gdome Thou hast commaÌ„unded me many thinges and I perceyue in my silf that I am frayle and caÌ„not entierly kepe thy commaundementes though I loke never so well therto Neverthelesse I knowe that thou nedest not my good workes Seing it is so that thou hast so moche loved me that thou woldest suffer deth for me when I dyd not yet knowe the and was yet thyne enemye I haue trust vnto the my most mercyfull god that thou wilt not suffre hym to periss he for whome thou hast shed thy bloude For I knowe that thou art a lord almightye that mayest all thinges in heven and in erth And I knowlege and worship the am certeyn that thou wilt not dampne me Albeit that I haue not deserved heven by my good workes I knowe and beleve that thou hast satisfied for me wheÌ„ thou dydest suffre deth on the crosse Thou hast bought me agayn with thy precyous bloude and I am thyne the devell hath no ryght in me Neverthelesse yf thou wylt dampne me o mercyfull god thou mayest well do it
and ryghtuously for I am thyne and thou mayst do wyth me all that thou wilt I am thy creature Thy wyll be fulfilled yn erth as yn heven Mat. 6 Yet alweyes to thintent that thy dolorouse passyon be not lost in me I praye the o my most mercyfull lord Iesu chryst that thou wilt receyve me into grace as thou hast done the good these I knowe that I am not worthye and that I haue not deserved yt But to thintent that thy greate mercy may be alweyes the more manyfest vnto the augmentacyon of thy glory I requyre the o God most pnissaunt that thou wilt not put me a bak out of thy syghte For thy onely passyon ys myghty ynough for to save me wythwithout my good workes For if I â—ought deserve the life euerlastiÌ„g by my good workes it shuld seme that thou haddest suffered thy passion in vayne and that thou haddest dyed on the crosse in vayne Seing therfore that thou art surely deed for me and for all the worlde not for thy silf whye shuld I then be lost o gracyous Iesus christ Save thou me for thou art all good and mayst save me for thou mayst all thinges Wherfore I knowe no remedye but to come to thy grete mercy and I prostrate at thy fete requyre of the pardon of all my sinnes All they that of an entier hert do thus trust in God and trust stedfastly that god will save theym it shall come vnto theym accordinge to they re feyth And this is the most certeynte and the most sure wey for to come to heven vnto the lyfe eternall that euery one forsake him silf and put all in the hond of god alweyes doing his best to kepe the commaundementes of God and to lyve accordiÌ„g to the teaching of the gospell and altogyther distrusting of him silf The other that be signified by the thefe on the lyfte honde are they that put all they re trust in they re good workes Thei goo daily to the churche they kepe halowe all the festfull dayes they fast oft they here masse daily And when they must dye they trust in they re good workes thinke that god oweth to theym the kingdom of heven that they theym silves haue deserved it These maner of people be sonest dampned for they knowlege not that god hath satisfied for theym but make to theym goddes of the workes of they re hondes counting therby that they haue deserved heven for that thing is euery mannes god wherin he putteth his trust This ys one of the grettest errours that is in christeÌ„dome for if a man might save him silf by his good workes Christ were deed in vayne As saieth saint Paul Saint Iohn baptist AbrahaÌ„ Isaac aÌ„d Iacob with many other patriarkes have lyved moche more holily then ever we shall lyve Ga. 2 Yet coude they never by they re good workes come to heveÌ„ It was nedefull that christ shuld first come to suffer deth for them that his passion shuld saâ—e theym not they re workes but the feith and trust that they had yn â— Goddis promyses wherby they beleved that Iesu Christ shuld come and shuld deliver theym But I do not sey these wordes that the good workes done in feyth shuld be evill No I do counsell all the world to do many good workes principally the workes of loue and mercy toward they re neyghboures yn socouring theym in all they re necessites onely for the loue and honoure of god without seching any other thing and that he shuld so laboure frely with a ioyous hart to obey vnto the commaundementes of God and counsell of the gospell doing the workes comprysed in the holy scripture and not theym whiche the covitousnesse of the Pharysees have devysed But to do these workes and to thinke to deserve everlasting lyfe and so to put his trust in theym is to lyve as do nowe at this-day the Iues aÌ„d verey Idolatres For God will have the hole hart aÌ„d will not that it be fixed on ony other thingbut in hym alone Ye he willeth that all that we do in this lyfe shal be none other thing but a token of kindnesse and giving of thaÌ„kes of that we haue receyved of hym for if we haue stedfast faith and trust in hym alone we haue nowe receyved aÌ„d be sure of that that suche tedious and wery workers wold get as we haue seid bifore aÌ„d will sey more pleynly And all suche scripulous doers of good workes and therin seking they re helth and-trusting in theym that thinke they shal be saved when they haue slayne noman and when they have drawen noman to sinne and theruppon putting they re trust be like vnto the pharisey of whome Christ speaketh in the gospell whiche rehersed his workes for to haue prayse and reproved the poore humble publican knowleging his faute and axing pardon Lu. 18 It were better for the a thousand fold that thou haddest byn a sinner and never done good dede and that thou knowlege thyne offences and evill life vnto god axing mercy with good hert lamenting thy sinnes then to haue done suche good workes and in theym to put thy trust thinkinge that therfore God were bounde vnto the. There is nothing whiche after the maner of speaking byndeth God but ferme and stedfast feith and trust in him his promyses for god requyreth not principally oure good workes for he nedeth theym not but he desyreth oure hartes aÌ„d all oure intencion to seke in all thinges no thing but his honour And that we trust not in oure workes but forsaking oure silves all hoelly in him and not in oure deservinges For we can shewe vnto god no gretter honour then feith and trust yn him for whosoever doth that he confesseth that god is true good mighty and mercyfull And when we sinne it is not the worse vnto god we mynisshe not his glory by oure sinnes for his glory caÌ„ nether be augmented nor mynisshed forasmoche as it is infinite And for bycause that we can do no maner hurt or annoysaunce vnto God by oure sinnes therfore is he lightly appaised this stonding that with an entier hert without ony fayning we knowlege oure defaute and demaunde humbly pardon And likewise when we do any good we do not encrease his glory by oure workes for god abideth alweyes one All the dauÌ„ger that there is in oure synne is the evyll example that we gyve to oure neyghbour in that we hurt him therby dispising the good councell of oure good god whiche he hath giveÌ„ vs in his holy coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes for bicause we be vnkind ageinst the grete grace that he hath done vnto vs which is a thing horrible worthy of eternall punisshemeÌ„t bicause that it is infinite eternall the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t ageinst whiche we haue offended But bicause his proper nature is good mercyfull he pardoneth all these that confesse him to be suche Therfore loveth god better a sinnar repenting axing pardone of his
may in no wise be done to get money but alonely by loue yn praying one for an other Behold nowe seest thou well howe grete occasyon thou hast to do good For thou hast alweyes occasion to mortyfie thine evill desires to serve thyne neyghboure to comfort hym to helpe hym with worke with worde with counceyl with exhortacyon and by other semblable meanes In suche loue towardes oure neyghboure for the loue of God lyeth all the lawe and the prophetes as sayeth Christ Ye and all the verey Christente and nat in fasting keping of halydayes watching praying and synging long prayers dayly and all day hering of masses setting vp of candels runnyng on pilgremages and other suche thinges whiche aswell the ypochrites proude people envious and subiectes to all wikked affections doo Ye aÌ„d many tymes enforce theym silf more there vnto then the good christen But so to serve and socoure the one the other by verey love can none do but they that haue true faith and the verey love of god And whosoever so loveth his christen brother he is alweyes ioyfull in his conscience For he knoweth surely that he is the child of god and that God is his good father and is well content in his courage of all that god sendeth vnto him But he that hath not this love is alweyes sory full of anguisshe and woteth not whate to do to deserve more he fasteth he kepeth halydayes nowe of one saint nowe of an other He seyth his prayers nowe bifore one altre nowe bifore an other He renneth on pilgremage nowe here nowe there and can never come vnto the rest and quyet of his coÌ„science For suche workes make no man sure but make rather ypochrites trustyng in they re workes But the verey faithfull cleveth to god for he knoweth that he may never satisfie nor do ynough to deserve the everlasting life And therfore he putteth hys trust yn god beleveth stedfastly that he hath satisfied for vs that he hath iustifyed vs. And therfore it is all one to hiÌ„ whate thiÌ„g he do so that he please him exercyse charyte to his neyghbour for the love of god for he knoweth that God demaundeth nothing but the hert aÌ„d that he regardeth not howe we doo the worke so that yt be according to the teachiÌ„g of the gospell whiche commaundeth but charyte And so comith he by feyth and trust in God vnto rest and quyet of hert and conscience and is well coÌ„tent to dye wheÌ„ it pleaseth god ¶ Of .iiij. maner of feythes after the holy scripture and whiche is the Christen feyth Chaptre .xiij. THis present Chapitre bycause I haue moche spoken of faith that scarcely of a thousand one knoweth not this feith teacheth of how many maner feithes there is made meÌ„cioÌ„ in the holy scripture not as do now the doctours whiche have founde many maner of feythes I will onely speke of iiij maner of feithes whiche are most comunely fouÌ„de in the holy scripture The first faith is this whiche the marchauntes hold one to an other and feithfull frendes wherby they kepe promyse and fidelite the one to the other Eccle. 2â—â—nd 27 wherof speketh the wise saying possesse or kepe feith with thy frende in his povertye to thintent that in his welth thou mayst be ioyfull And ageyn he that discloseth the secret of his frende loseth his faith And in the Proverbes He that gyveth his faith for a straunger shall be vexed with evell And this is the faith wherof the worldly people complaine seying there is no feith in the worlde The seconde feith is when we beleve that a thing is to come and suche thinges as we here or rede as we beleve that Rome is a Cytie in Italye or that Cartage was destroyed of the Romayns and this we beleve although we haue not sene yt Also we beleve that Iesu Christ hath he relyved on erth and that he hath preached and that he is dâ—ed for vs and that he hath done many other thinges when we beleve these thinges after the story we beleve that this is oure christen faith The simple people aloneli doth not beleve this but also many doctours in Theologye which are taken for wise Ye the devell hath also this faith as sayeth saint Iames The devels beleve and tremble Ia. 2. for as we haue seyd byfore the devell beleveth that god is god and that Iesus Christ hath here preached that he was deed buryed rysen This must we also beleve but yet this is not the faith wherof speaketh the gospell and saint Paule The third faith is that we beleve that god may all thinges and that he is rightuous good and holye This faith haue also the devels and Iudas had it also aÌ„d other disciples that did miracles in the name of Iesus but they were therfore never the better for when they bosted theym silves and were ioyfull that by they re faith they expulsed the devils in the name of Iesus Lu. 10 Iesus Christ hath reproved them saying Ioy not you that the spretes be vnder your power but reioyce bicause youre names be writen in heven 1. Cor. 1â— Of this fayth writeth saint Paule vnto the Corinthians saying If that I had all feith so that I coude move mountaignes oute of they re places and yet had no love I were nothing The .iiij. faith is oure Christen fayth wherof so moche speake Iesu christ saynt Paule and saint Iohn and sey that it ys the foundacion of christendome And this is the feith wherof I speake in this boke None hath this faith but they that put all they re trust hope comfort refuge and fynally all theire helth in god alone serching all these thinges in him and loking for theÌ„ of him and not of they re deservinges or good workes Of this feith speaketh saint Paul saying whosoever call on the name of god shal be saved Ro. 10 And the prophete Ieremye Blessed is that man that trusteth in the lord god Iere. 17 And Christ in the Gospell To thinient that none that beleve in him shuld periss he but shuld haue everlasting life Iohn 3 And in the boke called ParalipomenoÌ„ Beleve in your lord God and you shal be assured and without thought Pa. 20 Beleve his Prophetes and all happy thinges shal come vnto you And almost all the Psalmes all the prophetes and all the leves of the holy Byble teache vs that we must beleve and hope in God by a sted fast fayth wherof speaketh so moche Saynt Paule the apostle and whiche he prayseth so moche in all hys epistles And as we haue abundauntly sayd in the Chaptres byfore none may comprehend thys fayth but he that considereth whate was the fayth of Abraham As wryteth saynt Paule vnto the Galathyans saying Abraham beleved God and yt ys rekened to hym for ryghtuousnesse Ga. â— For by hys fayth hath he obteyned that he ys called oure father and we be called hys children
cloister thou workest ageinst thy helth thou maist then retourne into the world without synne and lyve according to the Gospell although that it be grete shame bifore the worlde For it is better to obey vnto god then vnto men as sayd Saint Peter in thactes of thappostles Act. 5 ¶ Howe it is that the Monkes go not forward in spirituaâ—l life but waxe often worse Chaptre .xviij. WIlt thou knowe whie they live nowe sloughtfully in the monasteries and wherfore that there be so many that wold faine thei were out This happeth for none other cause but that they never entred for that entent that they shuld have entred One entreth there of necessite to haue his expences An other to become a greate prelate The thirde to live Idelly to haue good tymes Many for vaine glory to be reputed holy aÌ„d devout to be honoured of the comon people or so in preching to shewe theym silves that they be wise None taketh that astate with suche a sprite and courage as sometyme did saint Fraunceis or saint Benet And therfore they proufâ—t nothing But the longer they be there the more sloughtfull they waxe to do good For to be ydell and to be nourisshed delicatly dulleth vs and maketh the flesshe rebell so that they are the more enclined vnto lubricite vncleÌ„nesse hatred envye and slought then the seculers that labour with they re hondes Some se the religious rede moche praysing watche goo wolwared and were meke clothiÌ„g And this pleaseth them They get a pleasure to serve god in suche a sort They here sey that euery body promiseth the kingdome of heven vnto the observauntes so that they kepe well theire rule and by this meane conceive they sprite aÌ„d courage to lerne this life bicause they consider not what thing is promised theim if they kepe well the promises made at they re baptâ—sme And after that they be thus entred into the cloister they here of none other thing they lerne none other thing but outward workes as reding singing watching fasting and other like ceremonies Thei know none other thing but that the summe of all perfection and helth resteth in these thinges So think they that they haue the principall part of all perfection that they are sure to be saved when with grete vnlust and tediousnesse they haue accomplisshed and observed these outward thinges And bicause they thinke thus thei abide hanging and trusting in suche thinges And so come they never vnto the holy and blissed sprite of saint Fraunceys or of sâ—int Beneâ— They haue never experieÌ„ce howe it stoÌ„deth with a spirituall hart for they know not whate thing they shuld do with inforth They thinke that all lyeth in outward workes and bicause they come not vnto the sprite therfore abide they so coide weâ—y and sloughtâ—ull And so recule they more bakward then they goo ferward in goodnesse And comonly when they haue lived in they re religion twenty or thirty yere they are lesse worth as vnto the purpose of helth then they were at they re entre For they haue nought gotten there but a good estimacyon of theym silf of theyr good workes supersticion and ypochrisye They haue not yet ones tasted the sobriete and lytell estymacyon that the spirituall parson bereth in his hert of him silf for they abide alweys in the flesshe and in the lettre of they re rule and of the commaundementes And they do nought by love nor with good hert And as long as they kepe thus they re ordre they are reproved of God with the Pharesey yn the .xviij. Chaptre of Saint Luke Lu. 18 For if the lawe of Moyses and the Ceremonyes whiche God him silfe did ordeyne might iustifie nor save none as wryteth Saint Paule the Apostle yn all his epistles howe moche lesse may a monke be iustified by his rule and ceremonyes whiche be institute by men wherfore we must serche all in the hert and in the sprite wherby we may be iustified For the outward workes whiche we do without the sprite be sumtyme called flesshe by Christ in the Gospell Iohn â— Suche flesshe proufiteth nothing it is the sprite that quykeneth as Christ saieth That is to sey All outward and forayne thinges seme they never so holy yf yt procede not from the sprite fulfylled with fayth and love That is to sey if it be not done by Charyte and love ioyfully by the mocyon of fayth and trust that we have to God All suche thing seme it never so holy or haue it never so goodly apparaunce proufyteth nothing but rather hurteth and maketh an ypochryte For seing that god is a sprite he lovith nothing but that whiche procedeth from the sprite as he him silf saieth in the gospell Saint Paule ostymes calleth suche outward workes elementes that is to sey Ga. 4 Commencementes and entrees into christendome as though he wold sey that suche thinges are ordined and institute for theym that begyn to take vppon them the christianite As the children of the scole lerne first they re Col. 2 A. B. C. He warneth vs also that we suffer not oure silves to be deceyved that we serve not nor abide subiectes to suche elementes but willeth that we shuld procede vnto the sprite For whate proufit shuld a scoler hane to abide all his life in his A. B. C. lerne no ferther No more proufit bring the workes without the sprite and feith Moreover oure saviour Christ calleth theym mannes constitucions saying Mat. 15 They honour me in vayne teching doctrines and commaundementes of men 1. Tim. 4 Saint Paule also calleth them bodily exercitacion that is to sey thinges wherby oure body is onely exercised busyed and letted to do worse They of theÌ„ silves proufit nothing vnto oure soules For he saieth exercitacioÌ„ or bodily labour is litell thing proufitable but mekenesse proufiteth to all thâ—nges And this is bicause that we do it with the body onely that therby oure hert and sprite is not tourned to god Suche outward workes are moche mocked of the prophete Esaye where he speketh in the parsone of god in this maner Esa. â— Offre me no more sacrifice Sence to me is abhominacion I will no more suffre the festes of the newe mone nor of the sabbat nor other festes My soule hath hated youre calendes and solempnitees And ageyn Heven is my seate the erthe is the fotestole of my fete Esa. 66 whate is the house that thou caÌ„st bild to me And whiche is the place of my rest My hond hath made all these thinges saieth the lord God But wherunto shall I take regarde but vnto the pore and contrite sprite and vnto the fearer of my wordes He that maketh sacrifice of an oxe as he that slewe a man He that killeth a shepe as he that brayned a dogge he that offreth oblacion as he that offered the bloude of a hogge He that remembreth the eusence as he that blissed an ydoll They haue chosen all
yn the holye scripture that ys to sey we be the childern of the fayth For by the meane of oure fayth we be saved as Abraham was iustified by his fayth and hath gotten by hys fayth that all they that shall haue suche fayth may lyke wyse be iustyfyed For this cause whosoever hath not the fayth of Abraham nothing can come vnto hym of that whiche Abraham beleved That ys to say when God ys not thy hope and thy comforte when thou abydest not wyth a stedfast trust vppon God when thou art not redy to suffer and endure all thinges namely also the deth for the loue and honour of god And also to lose all that thou hast in the world thou art not the childe of Abraham For Abraham was redy to all thinges wherunto god wold send hym Suche was Iob when he sayed Iob. 13 Albeit that he kill me I will put my trust in him And the wise saieth Pro. 12 Whatsoever thing come to the rightuous let him not sorowe And saint Paâ—le saieth who shall separat vs from the love of Iesu Christ Ro .8 shall tribulacion persecucion â—werd or deth And as saint Petre saieth 1. Pet. 3. who is he that may hurte you if ye be haunters and folowers of goodnesse For all that ever comyth vnto the when thou hast this feith be it of maÌ„ or of the devell all comyth to thy proufit As saieth saint Paule vnto the Romains To theym that love God all thinges be helping and avauncement to good Ro. 8. And therfore pray we alweyes that the will of god be done For as he is not here come as he seyd him silf to do his will Mat. 6. but the will of his hevenly father So shall Iohn 5 not the good Christen desyre that hys owne will be done but the will of God And therfore shalt thou bere al thinges paciently as did Abraham with a stedfast feyth knowing surely that god will not forsake the for god is thy father and thou art his childe And it behoveth that he do with the what him pleaseth For seyng that he is all good he will nothing but thine helth None can have suche a feyth if he haue not therwith the love of god And he that hath the loue of god hath fulfilled the lawe for all the scriptures teache vs none other thing but that we loue god with all oure hartes and oure neyghbour as oure silf as it is writen in saint Mathewe Mat. 22. None is a true christen but he that hath this loue All other be rather ypochrites then Christen For all good workes which be not done by charyte and of good will are all synne byfore God as saieth saint Austyn He that doth good ageynst his will he doth evill albeit that that that he doth be good For all that I do ageynst my will I hate it And when I hate the commaundement I hate also him that hath coÌ„maunded it And as long as the parsone ys suche he may not be rightuous â–ª for none may be rightuous but he that kepeth fulfilleth the commaundementes of God by charyte and with a ioyfull hart And this is a singular grace of god And therfore may none be proude of it for he caÌ„ not haue it of him silf So hath a man nothing of him silf wherwith he may exalt him silf For without God can we do nothing Iohn 15 As Christ him silf sayeth wit out me caÌ„ ye do nothing No not ones haue of your silf one good thought as sayeth saint Paule 1. Cor. 4 whate hast thou that thou hast nor receyved wherfore there is no wey more sure to come to everlasting life then to humble him silf byfore God and to pray hym humbly of mercy nothing trusting in hys good workes but with a ferme trust forsaking him silf to knowlege alweyes to god his imperfection For we can come to nothing by oure good workes if we put eny trust in theym For they are nothing eis but sinne and stinking byfore God when God helpeth vs not by hys grace Esai 64 As saieth the prophete Esaie We are all made vnclene and all oure iustice is as yt were a clothe of a womaÌ„ that suffreth the fluxe of bloude And therfore I can never merveyle ynough that many of the religyous parsones wolde make other parttakers of thyre good workes by bretheryeldes and fraternytees seyng that Christ saieth yn the Gospell After that ye haue done all that to you ys commaunded say ye we be vnproufitable servauntes we haue done but oure duetye For none can do to moche None doth more then he ys bound to do but onely Iesu Christ whyche 1. Pet. 2. onely as sayeth Saynt Petre the apostle yn his .ij. epistle Never dyd synne nether was there deceyte found yn hys mouth hath done that he was not bound to do And as sayeth the Prophete Esaye hath taken vppon hum all oure languores Csa 53 And all oure sorowes dyd he beare he was wounded for oure inyquytees he was beten for oure offences and by hys strype spottes were we made hole His iustice was onely parfait iustice for he hath done that he was not bouÌ„d to do But we of our silves wheÌ„ we do our best yet can not oure iustice be parfeyt when after oure advice we do more then we are bounde to do yet be we vnrightuous and if we will be rightuous so must goddes rightuousnes make vs rightuous for as sayeth saint Paâ—le Christ of god to vs is made wisdome iustice sanctificacyon and redempcion to thintent that as it is wryten He that reiâ—yseth shuld reioyce in the lord 1. Cor. 1 Saint Paule also teacheth vs yn all his epistles that Iesus Christ is oure iustice and that by him we shal be saved aÌ„d by none other Nowe seest thou well that none can do to moche For of him silf none can do ynough and that we must take oure comfort of the satisfaction of Iesus Christ. Then whye will some sell vnto vs they re merytes aud good workes and make vs parttakers of theym And if it be not that suche ypochristes forsake they re trusting vppon there good workes and that they lerne for to trust vppon the iustice aÌ„d satisfaction of Christ they theym sylves shall never be saved For the Pharesey had done many good workes but bycause that he stode well yn hys owne conceyte gloryfyed and bosted hym sylf therof therfore he was forsaken of God ¶ In whate thing lyeth the Christendome Chaptre .xiiij. TKen lyeth the verey Christianyte in this thing that thou do all thing that Charyte proceding from thy faith iudgeth to be agreable vnto god And wheÌ„ thou hast all done with the lest evill that thou canst that thou iudge thy silfe yet an vnproufitable servaunt and that by all thy good workes thou hast yet deserved nothing or yf there be eny thing well done that it apartayneth to god albeit that by his goodnesse he will
reward it and that he so reward the goodnesse that he hath done himsilf by his holy sprite beyng in vs. And therfore haue we nothing but that that comyth of god vppon whome we must abyde for I haue often sayed Christ is oure iustice that is to sey Christ hath satisfied for vs not to thintent that we shuld not satisfye but bycause we can not satisfye And wheÌ„ one vnderstondeth this he seeth well howe he shuld humble him silf byfore God and in whome he shal seke his helth And when we thus distrust in ur silves of oure good workes we shall forsake our silf and stikke all holly to god with a stedfast faith and parfait trust And so doyng we make force vnto the kingdome of heven And this is it that God requyreth of vs and then he holdeth to vs hys promyse and he iustifieth vs when we dye with suche a trust not for oure workes but for hys holy name For he hath promysed vs that we shall be his children So brought he the children of Israell into the lond of promission not by they re meryte for they were many tyme rebelles and murmured ageynst hym but to fulfyll hys promyse For he had promysed it to AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob So shall not the Christen distrust albeit he fynde no good in hym sylf nor yn his owne vertue but he shall yeld hym sylf hoelly to the mercy of god and axe pardon of his imperfection wyth a perfayt trust consydering howe grete love Christ hath shewed vnto hym And thus doyng he geâ—â—eâ—h an hope and trust yn the goodnesse of God and beleveth stedfastly that his synnes are forgyven not by his good workes for when they be compared vnto the goodnesse requyred of God there ys no comparyson but by Iesu Christ to whome he putteth his trust For Iesu Christ possessith the kingdome of heven by double ryght First for bycause he is the sonne of God and verey enheryter of his Royalme Secundly bycause he hath gotten hyt by his passyon and deth Of this secunde right he hath no nede and therfore he gyveth it to all theym that beleve and trust yn hym and yn hys promyses For as God the father loveth Christ he loveth likewise all theym that love him beleve in him So there shall none discomfort hiÌ„ silfe when he shall dye but he must beleve surely that he shal be saved And albeit that one have not deserved by his good works yet neverthelesse he must beleve it bicause of the promyse of god for god hath promysed it to all theym that beleve it And if we beleve it he owith hyt vnto vs bycause of hys promesse and bycause that he ys true But if God had promysed heven vnto vs bycause of oure workes we shuld ever be vnsure of oure helth for we shuld never knowe howe moche nor howe loÌ„g we must laboure to be saved and shuld be ever in thought that we had done to litell and that more is we shuld never dye ioyfully But god wold assure vs of heven by his promesse to thintent we shuld be certeyn and sure For he is the truthe that can not lye And also to thintent that we shuld haue trust aÌ„d hope in him Notwithstonding that after the gretnesse and multitude of oure synnes it seme to vs a thing impossible yet alweyes we shall beleve it without ony doubt bicause of his sure promesse And whosoever knowyth thys he may ioyfully dye and abyde the iudgement of God whyche els were yntollerabill ¶ Howe that we shall not sorowe for feare of deth Chaptre .xv. THe helth of a Christen lyeth not in this life or in that that one lyveth longe yn this world but rather yn the deth For we can not be saved but by deth Therfore the deth in him silf is not yvill but is rather to be desyred As did saint Paule saint Martyne saint Austyn and many other saintes whiche desired al the deth for in this lyfe there is no proufit but alwey to sinne more and more and alweyes vnredy to dye Therfore thou shalt diligently studye and exercise thy silf in this present boke aÌ„d in the faith wherof I haue moche spoken of aÌ„d then forsaking thy silf entyerly thou shalt trust vnto the grace mercy and good will of god alweyes rather desiring to dye and to be with god then to lyve here ony longer This shall thy sprite desyre for the flesshe can not desyre suche thinges And so shalt thou holde thy silf stedfastly vnto god beleving that thou art his childe and that he is thy father that thou belongest to him For God hath bought the ageyn and hath made the his child and his heyre wheÌ„ thou were yet hys enymye And if he haue bought the when thou knewest hym not howe moche more will he nowe take the to mercy when thou knowest hym and when thou axest mercy with a stedfast fayth and trust in hym And bycause a man can not lyve here without synne therfore he can never satisfye vnto God for hys synnes And for this cause shall the Christen willingly yeld hym silf vnto the deth for the love of God As Iesus Christ hath done for vs. And by suche a willing deth which is taken with a good will by suche fayth and trust and also by the love that we have to God all synnes are clerely defeated and put awey For none can do more greate penaunce then to dye wyllingly for to fulfill the will of God Therfore thou shalt not be sory for deth but thou shalt forsake willingly and with a ioyfull hert all thy goodes and all thy frendes for to obey god They that die with suche a courage and suche a trust yn god it is a certeyn signe that they be saved And to thintent that none shuld feare or be discomfort by deth Christ is first deed him silf and hath takeÌ„ awey the power of deth None shall haue horror of the deth if he haue this feith for it is nowe none other thing but a dore and entre wherby one goith from this lyfe teÌ„porall vnto the life eternall For christ saieth by the mouth of the prophete Osee. Osee. 13 1. Cor. 15 O deth I wil be thy deth And saint Paule saieth Deth where is thy victory Wherfore yt is moche to be rebuked the folisshe custume and maner of wepyng bewaylyng and takyng of sorowe for the deed as though we had no maner of hope or beleve on the other lyfe Let the paynems wepe and wayle which haue no hope of the euerlastyng lyfe I mervayle that we be so moche ynfideles seyng that seint Paul teacheth vs not to be sory for oure frendes deed saying vnto the Thessalonyans My bretheren we wyll not that ye be ignoraunt of theym that slepe that ys to sey of theym that be deed to 1. Tessa 4 thintent ye shulde not be sory as are other that have no hope Behold Saynt Paule calleth the deth none other thyng but a
these thinges in they re wayes and theire soules haue takeÌ„ pleasure in theire abhommacions wherfore I will also reherce they re illusions and deceites And I will bring vnto theym the thinges that they feared bicâ—use I haue called and there was none that answered I haue spoken and they haue not herd Thinke well on these wordes you all that make suche estimacion of your Ceremonies festes oblacions sensinges and all other outward workes for albeit that ye will sey that all these wordes be spoken of Iâ—es that abode obstinate in the lawe of Moyses shall they not ye ought they not Likewise to be vnderstond of all theym that folowe the Iâ—es in suche rites As do all they that thinke to do grete pleasure to god by they re ceremonies sumptuous bildinges singinges pleying at the organs sensinges diversitees of abites and a thousand other dreames whiche thinges may be done by any envious parson proude parsonye verely also by a murtherer or a theâ—e as well as by a verey christen But to love god with good hert to recognise his imperfection to pray for his enemies to socoure by verey loue his christen brother to â—ere paciently and with a ioyfull hart all that god sendeth these thinges can none do but he that is all holly given vnto god They that be suche be onely verey religious byfore god For onely suche do fulfill there rule For they do observe it and kepe it ioyfully and with a will fre good But otherwyse when one doth all by constreynt and tediousnesse it is but a small comfort But that there be nowe so fewe religious having the verey feling of the sprite this is for none other cause but as I haue seid bifore forbicause that they eÌ„tre not with suche a courage entent as they shuld do and that they be not enstructed as it aperteyneth Therfore whosoever will entre yntâ— religion let him be ware aboue all thinges that he entre not vppon thintencion to deserve the kingdome of heven by his watchinges fastinges abstinences prayers singinges redinges and other thinges lyke For if thintent be suche he trusteth yn hys workes and becometh an ypochrite And the more he doth of suche workes the more great ypochriste he becomyth And so abideth he alweyes a merchaunte with god for he serveth for wages But if thou wilt entre into religion thou must do it for the love of God bicause god hath made vs his children for to thanke him ageyn and to fle the synne whiche reyneth emong the worldly For he that doeth thus he thinketh that he can never do service ynough vnto god for that he hath receyved alredy for loue knoweth no measure He laboureth not for to get the eternall lyfe as the merchaunt for his wages but onely to give thankes of the goodnesse that god hath done vnto him alredy bycause that he beleveth and knoweth of trouth that he is the childe of God and his heyre And therfore when eny hath the feith wherof we haue bifore spoken he is to be praysed that by thankfulnesse doth separate him silf from the worlde for to fle the daungyers therof For the worlde hath a thousand occasyons to synne principally for yong people Wherfore this is not a thing to be dispraysed that a parson yelde him in a good religion to amend his lyfe But if one fynde nowe in the Monasteryes more debates drinkinges banquettes pompes hatred envye and ypochrysye then in the worlde it were moche better to abyde out ye or if one be entred to voyde out rather then to lerne there to haunt suche life For one must go thider to amend his life not to waxe worse But thou mayst saye I haue made profession and promesse I must abide I haue seid bifore that none is bounde to holde ye that none ought to hold eny promyse that is contrary vnto his helth Herken to this that saint Paule sayeth 2. Tessa 3 We commaunde you bretheren by the name of Iesu Christ that ye withdrawe your silves from every brother that walketh inordinatly and not after the institucion whiche ye receyved of vs. And ageyn If he that is called a brother emong you be a fornicatour or covitous or a worshippper of images 1. Cor. 5 or a rayler or a dronkard or an extorcyonar wyth hym that ys suche see that ye eate not And in an other place God hath not called vs to lyve in strife and discencion but in peace and love ¶ Osparentes that will put they re children into religion Chaptre .xix. HEre must we warne the parentes that they be ware to put theire children into religion without advice whiche they do often bicause they seche more they re owne proufit then the helth of they re children For some do it bicause they haue many children and to thintent that they may mary the other the more richely they put one or .ij. hauing some bodily imperfection into religioÌ„ Some also do it to haue honour by they re children bicause they be made monkes prestes or prelates Other do it by hope to be holpe and socoured of they re children Behold howe that by suche meanes there be so fewe that entre into relygyon with suche intâ—ncion as I haue seid aboue Hit is not to be preysed but gretely to be dispreysed when by suche occasion eny entreth into religion Therfore shulde the parentes se first whether they re children were enclyned therunto or not and whether they dyd desire it or notâ— and for whate cause they desired it for if they be not enclined therunto whye wilt thou lese theÌ„ as though none mought be saved yn the worlde Howe dyd men bifore that monkes came into the world And why were not thappostles moÌ„kes Ye why were ye not monkes your silves that wolde so haue your children God as sayeth Saint Paule the apostle loketh on no mannes parson whether he be monke or seculer man or woman nobill or ignobill But he onely is agreabill vnto God that loveth him with all his hert be he housholder or preste religious or lay yt ys all one to him And as Saynt Peter saieth in thactes of thappostles Acto 10 There is no respect of parsones bifore God And in these thinges are manye tymes moche giltye the religious that with fayre wordes drawe yought vnto they re cloysters Some tymes the children theym silves because when they se the religyous syng rede pray watche knele avale they re hedes and do suche lyke thynges they esteme that to do suche thinges ys an holy life And get a will to do likewise And when they haue byn there a yere they repent that ever they there entred for they haue not the sprite that may comfort theym and to avoyde they are asshamed and so make they re profession ageynst theire will And even as they began with a cold courage so abode they comunely cold and chaunged fâ—om god Wherfore it were well done to absteyne him silfe from making of suche
as he hath shewed in all hys conuersacion and doctrine And this knowe ye my dere sisters aÌ„d ye also my relygious brethereÌ„ that ye robbe from the poore all the goodes that ye dispose and spende vppon suche pompous buyldinges and ornamentes of your chapelles for wheÌ„ one entreth ynto your monasteryes one can se nothing like vnto the povertie of Iesu Christ whiche had not where he mought rest hys heed But contraryly your monasteries seme rather the palaces of kinges or princes then houses Luce. 9. of hospitalite to harbour your silues and your â–ª poore nedy bretheren Remember ye not that good will requyre the bloude of the poore of your hondes bicause they dye for hunger by your outrage There is nothing that planteth covytyse yn the hertes of the religious and that maketh theym begge but this superfluyte and outrage for without these thinges hereit were no nede to begge thei myght get honestly they re expences yn the laboure of they re hondes and myght do almesse holsomly of that that they shuld haue superfluous for they shuld fynde worke yâ—oâ—gh And vnhappy were he that could not get hys expenses for al the worlde wolde take pleasure to helpe theym to get it and to se they re holynesse peaâ—ible symplicite and conuersacyon So truly shuld they live pleasing god and accordiÌ„g to the doctrine of the gospell But one might saye whate shuld they do if â—ny misfortune happened vnto theym as of pestilence or of other thing I answere you that it is a demaund of vnbeleve Thinke you that God wold leve theym in daunger I certifie you that in suche a case he shulde not thinke him silf happy that mought not assist and ayde theym for the lord wold move the hertes to do it For he never leveth his true servauntes and children in daunger if they trust in him But nowe when one seith there sumptuous edifices so manyfold garnisshinges of aulters and ymages courteyâ—s of silke and gold and many other costly thinges whiche truely represent nothing but vanyte vnto spiritull hartes one can in no wyse take pleasure theriÌ„ albeit that the worldly make moche therof and prayse it moche bycause they knowe but the flesshe aÌ„d lettre whiche sleyth ¶ Howe man and wife shall lyve togyther a doctrine after the Gospell Chaptre xxij OUre savioure Christ hath commaunded nothing so streytly as to love one another ye also to love oure enemyes as it is writen in saint Mathewe where he sayeth Mar. 5 Love youre enemyes Then how moche the more shuld the man and wif love the one the other whiche are but one body Ephe. 5 Saint Paule teacheth that the meÌ„ shall love they re wives But alas there ar but fewe that knowe howe they shall love the one the other For if thou love thy wife onely bicause she is thy wife and bicause she serveth and pleaseth the after sensuall appetite of the flesshe in beautye noblesse richesse â–ª and suche like this is no love bifore god Of suche love speaketh not saint Paule for suche love is among harlottes ye among brute bestes But thou shalt love her bicause that she is thy sister in the christen feith and that she is enheriter togyther with the of the glory of god and bicause ye serve togyther one god bycause that ye have receyved togither all one baptesme and semblable sacramentes Thou shalt also love her for her vertues as shamefastnesse chastite diligeÌ„ce sadnesse pacyence attemperaunce secresye obedience and other gostly vertues albeit that she be poore of a small lynage and foule For ye may not love the woman bâ—t that is in her that is sey vertues aÌ„d the grace of god Also thou maist not hate her but thou must hate the imperfection that is yn her as her vices detraction lakke of shame lak of chastite vayne and ydell woordes gloutony dishoneste sloughtfulnesse wrath pryde and other vices Lykewise shall the woman love or hate that that is yn the man The man shall reprove his wise by good maner when she shall make eny faute without hating of her having alweis pacyence with her as with a frayle vessell as teacheth saint Petre. When suche a good and holye love is bytwene the man and wife then shall the man be â— Peti 3. the hede and the woman the lesse The wife shall willingly serve her husbond as her lorde Ephe. 5. The man shal love hys wife and honour her as his owne body For although the man be the hede he may not therfore suppresse and dispise his wife but he must dyligently defend her and kept her from ewill as his owne body he shall more enforce hym silf that his wife love hym theÌ„ that she feare hym He must love her as god hath loved vs while we were yet hys enemyes and yet enfect with oure synnes So shal the husbond love his wife albeit that she be foule or difforme he shal not be hard or cruel vnto her but shal support her pacyentli and shall warne her swetely For if thou be hede whye wilt thou hurt or dispise thy body that is to sey thy wife The man shall defende warne teache and conduyte his wife taking hede that she clothe not her silf to sumptuously and poÌ„pousely and that she were no Ievelles for veyne glory For wymen be naturally gyven vnto suche folyes vnto braguery and pryde It is not expedient that a christen woman shuld appareill her outwardly as do the paymems for scarcely is she the wife of one man alone that so costly doth appareil her silf outwardly aboue her astate Also they that do so gyve vnto many occasion of evill desires And seing thou hast a husbond whye wilt thou go so to please other Herin shall the man be the hede and lorde over the woman and shall defende suche superfluite and vaine glory in his wife He shall teche her and exhort her that she do her diligence to please by vertue and holy conversacion and not by Iewelles and costly appareil For with suche thinges do the most folisshe wymeÌ„ of all garnisshe theym silves Therfore shall the husbond take hede that the wife kepe measure herm Then shall the wife obey vnto her husbond as vnto her so vereygne and shall love hym as her owne body shall honour and feare him as her lord For so was Sara subiect vnto her husbond Abraham and she called him her lordâ— 1. Pe. 3. as writeth saint Petre. So did Monyca the mother of saint Austyn honour her husbond And when he was wrothe or dronken she tempted him not but after that it was passed she warned hym of yt by swete wordes So shuld all good wymen do vnto they re husbondes Thus shall there be no sensuall or carnall love in the state of mariage but a godly and a spirituall Then shall both man wife helpe the one other for to get theire expences The woman shall take care for that that must be done within the house
wylt not kepe hym thence O world without witte Thou must take hede to whate vices thy childe ys most enclyned whether it be to covetous pryde or other vnclennesse and accordyng therunto he must be warned and kept Thus shalt thou do thy diligence to applye hâ—m to vertue yn tyme whiles he is yong for then maist thou bend applye and coudnyte him as thou wilt And if thy childe be naturally enclyned to any vertue thou shalt do thy diligence to entreteyn him and to avaunce him therin Thou shalt also knowe that in the men children there reyneth comonly other synnes then do in the doughters In the doughters reyueth most pryde of beautye and of rayment In the â—oyes slouth dronkennesse and harlottrye So behoveth it that a good father and mother consyder dilygently to whate thing they re children are most enclyned to conduyte and warne theym theryn The parentes ought also to be ware that they be not to hard and rigorous vnto they re children to thintent they make theÌ„ not rebelles disobedient and fugityues aÌ„d then rynne they awey vacabundes by the cuntrey as many do They shulde cause theym to lerne an occupacion wherunto they shuld haue most courage and apte intent whiche shuld be laufull without fraude and wherby they might honestly get they re expences in tyme coming This shulde be done in tyme bifore they be gyven to the scoles for we se comonly that clerkes will put theym silves to no craft but become men of warre And although that thou be riche thou shalt alweyes make thiâ— children to lerne an honest and laufull occupacion for in so doyng they occupye the tyme of youth well and kepe theim silves from dronkeÌ„nesse hasarding and fighting and from other mischevous busynesse And if by ony chaunce they come to povertye it is good that they can some craft wherby they may get they re breed And if it happon not vnto theym yet shall they alweyes do sum whate that they thereby may the better helpe the pore for after the scripture none may be ydell For laboure is a penaunce enioyned vnto all the worlde not of man but of god after that AbaÌ„ had sinned And he that laboureth not shuld not eate after the scripture Moreover at the festfull dayes thou shalt bring the children to the churche to here the sermon Gene. 3 2. Tessa 3 And when they shal be comen home thou shalt are theym whate they haue kept yn memory of the sermon Then shalt thou admonest theym to lyve well and to put all they re hope and trust in God rather to die then to do eny thing that is ageinst the will of god Thou shalt also teche theym the christen faith after the naner aboue declared exhorting theim to pacience charite and hope in god And principally thou shalt lerne theym the contentes of the prayer of oure saviour Christ called â–ª the Pater noster and that in they re moder tongue that ys to sey howe they haue an other father in heven of whome they must loke for all goodnesse and without whome one can haue no goodnesse And howe that we may seke nothing in al this life in all oure workes and in all oure ententes but the honour of this hevenly father And howe they must desire that this father wolde governe all that we do or desire And howe that we must submyt all to his holy will And howe that his will can be but good and helthfull Finally howe that aboue all worldly thinges they be myndfull of the contentes of this prayer and set most by it of all other prayers And for to do this the better thou shalt kepe theym from reding of all wilde storyes of batailles of love and other fables Thou shalt bye theym holsome bokes as is the holy Gospell the epistles of the holy appostles Ye and in conclusion both the newe and olde testament that is to sey the hole bible yn langagâ— that they may vnderstond and also this present boke And thus thou shalt do to thintent that thy children may accustume and lerne theym silves in the holy divine scripture and drinke of the sweâ—e foâ—â—taigne whiche is descended from heveÌ„ And by suche meanes mayst thou poore out good water when they shal be old For if thou be carefull and doest grete laboure to get thy children they re bodely expences as thou art bouÌ„de howe moche more art thou bounde to get theym there spiâ—â—uail expences of they re soule whiche is made after the similitude and image of god And the more that the soule is worthyer then the body the more gretter care must thou take to lerne him his helth But whate mete is better to nourisshe the soule then that of the gospell and of the holy scripture the whiche onely is the nutriment of the soule Thou hast kept the body of thy childe from fyre water wheÌ„ he was yong whye wilt thou not nowe also kepe his soule from perill Iaco â–ª It were moche better to be carefull in this mater then to runne to Rome or to saint Iames or elles where on pilgremage For as I haue seyd all this is infidelite for thou hast the helpe of God as redy at home as els where and if tâ—ou pray him with a stedfast fayth nothyng doutyng As saieth saint Iames. And if thou fynd not God yn thy hert thou shalt fynd him no where The parentes can do not gretter service to God then to teache and lerne well they re children For herin lyeth grete vertue Hereby may one please god singulerly Ye parentes also be ware that ye give not to moche money to your children And that that ye give theym take hede howe they spende it and wheruppon And when they bringe eny thing home that is not yours or yf that they report any newes of detraction ye must sharply reprove theim And wheÌ„ thou wilt do any almesse bifore thy house thou shalt do it by thy childreÌ„ to thinteÌ„t that they may lerne to serve the poore And when they have strived the one ageinst the other thou shalt cause theym to come forth in the evening to axe the one the other mercy and forgivenesse And likewise shall they do wheÌ„ they haue offended or angred they re parentes Thou-must be well ware that thy childe growe not vp into partinacite rebellion or incredulyte And that he be no fighter nor striver and when thou herest thy child swere curse strive fight lye or speke eny foule wordes or sing eny rybaud songes thou shalt reprove him sharply The parentes shall alweyes laboure that they re children shall rather feare theym for love and reverence then for pnisshement and feare For children that obey vnto they re parentes for feare of beting they feare theym no lenger theÌ„ the stripes and beting endureth As all they that serve god for feare of peynes they serve him no longer then the peynes or tribulacion endureth And after that they be delivered they retourne ageyn to
their old sinnes But the children that feare they re parentes by dilection abide alweyes obedient by that same dilection The parentes must be well ware that they strive not the one ageinst the other that they swere not and that they speke none inordinate or dishonest wordes principally bifore they re children for when they lerne eny vnhappinesse in youthe they shall with grete difficultie leve it in theire age Ye may never shewe your silf sorowfull waile nor make compleynt bifore your children for losse of erthly goodes or bicause ye haue not good gaines For when they here you plaine for suche thinges thei get a desire and a love of temporall thinges so that they take pleasure in nothing els but in temporall richesse and have sorowe of nothing but for the losse of suche thinges for they lerne it of they re pareÌ„tes The childe foloweth nothing so moche as that whiche he seeth his father mother aÌ„d other frendes do Finally thou must marke verey diligently whether they haue desire or will to be maryed at the state of mariage or not And as ye perceive it so must you incontynent helpe theym and care for theym that they may make a good manage As AbrahaÌ„ was carefull for his sonne Isaac And forbicause that the parentes be many tymes not carefull in suche case it comyth to passe that so fewe come chast to the state of maryage that they re children be often deceyved and that they haue shame dishonour and sorowe of they re children And this is most the faute of the parentes whiche be more carefull for the bodyes of theire children then for they re soules And therfore they will in no wise that they re children be poore but seke rather to mary theym richely then helthfully aÌ„d axe more for temporall goodes then after vertue good maners and goodes spirituall And for to make theym haue good tymes they make theym many tymes prestes or relygious And so for to provide theym of the case of they re bodyes they are oftymes cause of the everlasting payne of they re soules For none ought to be brought in vnto the state of prysthod except he be first chosen to some office in the congregacyon and that bycause that we mought se whate lyfe that he ledith This thyng compleyneth saint Austyne in the boke of his confessions in the secunde Chaptre that hys parentes were not carefull for him in this mater ¶ Of the lyfe of the comune Cyteuns or housholders Chaptre .xxiiij. IN all the worlde there is not a more Christen life nether more accordaunt vnto the Gospell then is the life of comune Citesins or housholders whiche by the labour of they re hondes in the swette of they re visage get they re brede expences 1. Tessa and. 4 for saint Paule reioyseth that he gayned his brede in the labour of his hondes And he rebuketh the idell wâ—dowes that ronne about pleying from house to house Wherfore it were moche better emong the christen that euery one were set to some occupacion and that we shulde not suffer so many yong and strong parsones to begge theire brede but rather cause theim to lerne some occupacion And if that all yong prestes monkes and religious did likewise it were nether sinne nor shame wil thei be better then saint Paule was the other appostles we se nowe a dayes that thei be forboden to worke whiche is Ga .1 manifestly appostasie and ageinst the christen faith It becometh none to forbid theÌ„ to laboure although he were an angell of heven moche lesse man The monkes also were wont to laboure in olde tyme. It is plaine that there be to many prestes and religious in the world by half And seing prestes will not laboure then if all the world were prestes who shulde laboure the erth I can not tell whate holinesse there is now a dayes in the life of prestes or moÌ„kes aboue the life of the housbondman The husbondes life is betrer nowe after the Gospell then the life of a grete parte of prestes monkes or freres For all prestes monkes and freres whiche haue none office that is necessary vnto the christenâ—e do â—ate vnrightuously the goodes of the poore and are called of Christ in the Gospell Iohn 10 murtherars and theves But let vs shewe vnto the housholders howe they shall live holsomely For it behoveth that they also knowe howe they shulde live The housholder shall first whether he be husbond craftes man or marchauÌ„t kepe the rule that God hath given in the gospell that Mat. 7 is to sey that in all his marchaundise and in all his businesse he do to another as he wolde be done vnto not seking his owne proufit to the hurt or dammage of an other He shall never dispreyse his neighbours goodnesse but wisshe him as moche good as he wolde haue him silfe Thus commaundeth vs saint Paule that 1. Tessa 4 none oppresse or disceyve his brother in any maner bicause the lord god is vengear of all suche for we be all bretheren and meÌ„bres of one body Therfore thou shalt be ware to striveo and to move eny maner of dissention with thy neighbour be he riche or poore noble or ignoble for we be all like nobill bifore God bicause we have all togyther one father Ga .3 For saint Paule saieth ye are all one in Christ. And therfore shall none dispise the poore nor cast hys povertye in his teth but shall socoure him with his goodes and comfort him alweyes in his povertye If thy neyghboure or christen brother be sike and poore thou shalt oft go to him and comfort him distributing to him of thy goodes according to thy power Thou shalt be redy to serve him and to gyve thy life for him as saieth saint Iohn Hereâ—y knowe we the love bicause he hath given his life for vs. â— Iohn 3 And we ought also to gyve oure lyves for oâ—re bretheren And if thou haue nothing to gyve vnto him thou shalt gyve knowlege therof vnto theim that haue and shall exhort theym to socoure this pore parson Biforetymes it was accustumed to gyve knowlege to the pastor or curate of the churche whiche did socoure the poore wyth the treasure of the churche wherof was made mencyon in the life of saint Laurence of saint Gregory wheÌ„ there was nomore the bisshop toke the chalices the other vessels of gold silver brake theÌ„ distributed the price therof vnto the pore The bisshoppes also were wont to warne the â—ytesins that they shuld gyve him knowlege when eny were diseased or syke But nowe God amend it it is all otherwise the Bisshoppes take care of no suche thinges the treasure of the churcheis speÌ„t â—gilding of ymages in founding of greâ— prevendes in bilding of tabernacles in â—ostly auter tables and suche superfluous â—rodigalite And thus are the poore memâ—res of Christ deprived of that that to theÌ„â—pperteyneth O world blynd
vnto the Romayns where he saieth Ro. â— Every soule shall be subiect vnto the highe powers for there is no power but of god Then he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God Moreâ—ver saint Peter saieth 1. Pe. â— Be ye subiectes to euery humayne creature be it vnto the kinge as vnto the sovereyne be it vnto the hede rulers as by him sent for veÌ„geaunce vnto the offeÌ„ders but for preyse to theym that be good Moreover the right of the seculer power of the ciuile iustice hath bin froÌ„ the begiÌ„niÌ„g of the world for wheÌ„ Cain had slayne his brother Abell he feared moche that he shuld be kild ageyn Likewise after the floude god coÌ„firmed it agein Gene. 9 saying whosoever shede maÌ„nes bloud his bloude shal be shed agein The same ryght was coÌ„fermed agein in the lawe of Moses where he sayde in Exode Exo. 2â— whosoever strike a man willing to kill hiÌ„shall dye of deth And ageyn if any with dede advised iying in a wayte kill his neighboure thou shalt drawe him out of my house and that he dye And in the same lawe it was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take awaye life for life yie for yie to the for to the hand for hand wauÌ„de for wounde so of other Likewise hath our savioure Christ in the gospell confirmed Mat. 25 it saying to saint Petre in the gardeyn of Olivete He that streketh with the swerd with the swerde shall perisshe Then is it all certeyn manifest that it is the will of god that there shulde be a swerd iustice teÌ„porall for the punycion of the evill coÌ„â—â—vacioÌ„ of the good for theÌ„terteyniÌ„g of the publique peace christen comune brotherly love ¶ SecuÌ„dly it semeth to be moche coÌ„trary heruÌ„to that whiche Christ saieth in the gospell in this maner Ye haue herde whate hath byn sayed Mat. 5 In yie for anyie a toth for a toth but I sey vnto you ye shall not resist evill But whosoever strike the on the right cheke touâ—â—e to him the other And to him that will go to lawe with the by force take awey thy core gyve to him also thy gowne And he that will constreyne the to go a myle with him go with him twayne And a litell after Love your enemyes say well of theÌ„ that â—urse you do good to theym that persecuâ—e you with hatred praye for theym that hurt you persecute you And over besides this there are yet many places in the holy scripture for be doing all maner of veÌ„geaunce As in saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 1â— 1. Pe. â— and. 3. Saint Petre in his first epistle and in many other places Wherfore it seâ—â—eth that the swerd of iustice shuld be for bodeÌ„ in the new testameÌ„t emoÌ„g the christeÌ„ Then thirdly for to vnderstond thys well we must fyrst knowe that there are â—wo sortes of people in the worlde The first belong vnto the kingdome of god The other to the kingdome of the worlde They that belong vnto the kingdome of God be all true faythfull people in Iesus Christ and vnder him For Christ is king and lord in the kingdome of God As techeth vs the secunde Psalme and also all the olde and newe testameÌ„t He came also in to the worlde to begyn and to lest vp the kingdome of god in the worlde Therfore saide he to Pylate My kingdome is not of this worlde And whosoever is of the trouth hereth my voice Iohn 18 And in saint Marke sayeth he that the tyme is fulfilled and the kingdome of God shall approche Mar. 1. And in Saynt Mathewe sayeth he Mat. 16. Seche first the kingdome of God He calleth the Gospell a gospell of the kingdome of god bycause the Gospell teacheth governeth and kepeth the same kingdome Then they that are stedfast in the faithe in the love of god yf they obey vnto his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes have nought to do with the swerd of iustice nor of the seculer power to make theym rightuous And yf all the worlde were true and verey Christen that is to sey veri feithfull there nede no governoure king lord sworde nor iustice For wherto shulde they sarve seyng that all true christeÌ„ shulde haue the holy goost whiche governeth and teacheth theym to do no wronge to love all the world to suffre and endure the evell and iniurye of all the worlde willingly and ioyfully ye also the deth And where as all persones are content willingly to suffre wrong and iniurye And where as there is none that doth wronge nor iniurye but where as all persones do ryght there is no dyscord hatred envie nor other discencion And there nedeth no ryght nor punycyon Wherfore it were iÌ„possible that the swerd of iustice shuld haue ought to do emong the verey true christen seyng they do moche more of theym silves then eny man caÌ„commaunde theym or then eny lawe or worldly doctrine can teche theym As sayth saiÌ„t Paule vnto Timoth. vnto the ryghtuous there is no lawe sette but vnto the vnryghtuous 1. Tim. â— And this is thus bicause that the iugement and ryght of a verey true christen fordereth and avaunceth more then all other ryghtes aÌ„d lawes for it procedeth from the holy goost whiche possesseth and inhabiteth the hart of a verey christen But the vnryghtuous do ryght to no man therfore they haue nede of ryght and of lawes wherby they be taught and constreyned to do well A good tree nedeth not that one teche hym to bryng forth good frute for his nature gyveth it without ony reching Likewise are all the verey true christen natured by the holy goost and saith that they do all thinges well and as it aperteyneth more then eny man can commaunde theym by all the coÌ„maundementes in the worlde And for theym silves haue they no nede nether of lawe nether of ryght But some man myght axe whye then hath god gyveÌ„ vnto men so many commaundementes yn the olde and newe testament I answerethe Saint Paule seith as it is sayde byfore vnto the ryghtuous there is set no lawe but to the vnrightuous that is to sey to theym that are not yet true christeÌ„ And forbicause that none is true and verey christeÌ„ or good of nature but be all synnars and evill As witnesseth the prophete sayng God hath loked from heven vppon the children of meÌ„ that he mought se if there be eny vnderstonding Psat. â—3 Rom. 3. or seching god All are fallen and are become abhominable there is none that doeth good no not one Therfore god refreyneth the malice of the people by the lawe that they dare not accomplisshe hit outwardly by worke and dede according to they re evill will Mereover saint Paule gyveth vnto the lawe an other office that is that it letneth vs to knowe oure synnes by the whiche knowelege a man is made meke and yeldeth hym silf to the faith and vnto the mercy and grace of god as is
subiectes for therof they shall yeld a streyte accompt bifore God ¶ Of men of warre and of the warre whether the Christen may warre without synne an informacyon after the Gospell Chaptre .xxix. THe men of warre haue nothing in the gospell for the gospell knoweth no meÌ„ of warre nor the warre but onely peace Albeit that many doctoures sey that the men of warre is a thing resonable good bicause of the wordes of saint Iohn baptist who as writeth saint Luke in the gospell answered vnto the men of warre axâ—ing him whate thing they shulde do to be saved that they shuld hurte nomaÌ„ but shulde be contented with theire wages By these wordes will the doctours and Theologyens saye that the men of warre may warre pill and do evill without synne But they vnderstond not the wordes of saint Iohn ye must vnderstond that the teching of saint Iohn brought noman vnto full perfectioÌ„ It did but onely make redy the hert of man vnto god and vnto the teaching oâ— Iesu christ He rebuked the most grettesâ— euilles by his preaching He did but onely teche the beginning of rightuousnesse aâ— though he wolde haue seyed If I shuld all arâ—once forbid you to warre ye mighâ— not yet for your wekenesse suffer it â— nor yeâ— might not leveâ—t all sodeynly But beginne first to â—eue the most grettest evill as to do hurt and outrage vnto other as to burne to kill to pill and so forth And be alweyes content with your wages So was saint Iohn Baptist none other thing but as a man that abateth and cutteth of from a pece of timber the most gretest knotres He doth it not to thintent that it shulde abide so But wheÌ„ the knottes and warres be cut of then comith a better master carpenter that planeth it maketh it more smothe with a large fine rabot Likewise did saint Iohn by his preaching he did but onely abate and cut of the grete knottes that is to sey the grete sinnes And yet they were not clene taken away â—nd cut of till an other better master workman came after and â—ut them of with his fine rabot And therfore was he nothing els but a voyte crying in the deserte whiche cryed Esa. 40 Make redy the wey of the lorde make â—â—reyght his fete pathes He was not the light as saieth saint Iohn the Evaungelist He coude not pardone oure sinnes for he was not Christ. Iohn 1 He was but onely a voyce a foregoar and a shewer whiche made redy the wey ageinst the coming of Christ. And for this cause did Saint Iohn sende his disciples to Iesu Christ when he shulde die to thintent that they might lerne the full perfection of him For he had but onely made them redy for to come vnto christ for this cause reason it is al manifest that saint Iohn hath not preised the warre by these wordes but hath rather forboden it As teacheth all the gospell for as it is a thing evill agreing that the hoÌ„de fight ageinst the hede So is it a thing as evell agreing and grete sinne that one Christen warre ageinst the other Ro. 12 For we are all bretheren and membres of one body the body is Christe whiche in all his life preached peace and concorde to all theim that he taught Saynt Iohn in his fyrst epistle saieth 1. Ioh. 4 He that hateth his brother is an homicide We may hate noman we must love oure enemyes we must pray for theym and do good vnto theym that persecute vs. How can it then be possible after the gospell that we may warre without sinne wherin so many people lose they re livis and wherby so many parsones come to wildenesse ryot and evill life There be textes in the canon lawe that suffre some warres But the reehing of Christ forbiddeth all warres It is a thing horrible and daungerous for body and soule to enterpryse move a warre For all malice reyneth in tyme of warre Neverthelesse when a cuntrey is invaded or a towne beseged wheÌ„ the comon peace is troubled and grete violence is done vnto the subiectes the lord of that cuntrey ys bounde by brotherly love to helpe hys subiectes and to defende theym to punysshe the evyll and to put hys lyfe yn ieoperdy for hys subiectes But he must alweyes beware that he do it not to revenge his owne wronge or for to enlarge his londe and lordship but onely to defende his subiectes And so may he vse the horrible businesse of the warre charitably and christenly But if it were possible to agre for golde or silver he is bounde to do it For the life of a chrilren is more worth then all the richesse of the worlde A lorde shall thinke alweyes that there is a king aboue him in heve bifore who me all parsones shall yeld accompte at the last day of iugement ye of the lest workes and thoughtes that he shall do be he king or Emperour 〈…〉 nobill or ignoble yong or olde We rede that the people of Israell did warre many tymes but theire warres were 1. Co. 10 but all figures As saieth saint Paule wherfore it betokeneth to vs that we shal likewise fight not the one ageynst the other but ageynst oure silves that is to sey ageynst oure synnes ageynst pryde wrath covitize lechery hatred envye and suche other ¶ Howe servauntes shulde lyve a doctrine after the Gospell Chaptre .xxx. SErvauntes that serve theyr lordes mastres ladyes and mastresses shal be true vnto theym as vnto theym silves and shall alweyes do the proufit of they re lordes and mastres as though it touched theym silves They shall nor do they re service onely for temporall rewardes For thou mayst by the service that thou doest vnto thy master please god as wele as though thou were no servaunt and as though thou were in the churche â—prayng on thy knees Therfore thou shalt do thy service by faith and love in god thus thinking in thy silf Behold dere lorde God I thanke the that thou hast not made me riche I am well content with the state that I am yn I will with a good wilâ— for the love of the serve all the worlde And I thanke the that thou hast made me worthy to suffereny thing for thy love and that I may in this worlde be one of the lest and leâ—t estemed when thou serveâ—â— thy lorde in suche a faith with a good will thou receivest not onely the rewarde or wages of men towhome thou servest bnt that more is of God Therfore thou shalt do thy laboure diligently and ioyfully not as though thou didest sarve a man but as though thou didest serve God as truely thou doest For so doeth saint Paul teche the writing to the Ephesians where he saieth Ephe. Servauntes obey vnto youre carnall mastres with feare and trembling in ynnocency of your hartes as vnto Iesu christ not with service in the yie â—ight as men pleasers but as the servauntes