our good dedes and nat vnto vs. ¶ Our dedes do vs thre maner ser uyce Fyrst they certify vs that wear heyres of euerlastynge lyfe And that the spirite of god which is the ernest therof is in vs in that oure hertes consent vnto the law of god and we haue power in oure meÌ„bres to do it though imparfytly And secondarily we tame the flesshe ther with and kyll the synne that remayneth yet in vs waxe dayly parfyter parfyter in the spirit therwith and kepe that the lustes choke nat the worde of God that is sowen in vs nor quence the giftes or workiÌ„g of the spirite and that we lose nat the spirite agayne And thirdly we do our duty vnto our neybour ther with help their necessite vnto our owne coÌ„fort also drawe al meÌ„ vnto the honoriÌ„ge praisynge of god ¶ And who so euer exelleth in the gyftes of grace let the same thinke that they be gyuen him as moche to do his broders seruyce as for his owne selfe and as moch for the loue which god hath to the weke as vnto him vnto whoÌ„ god gyueth suche gyftes And he that withdraweth ought that he hath froÌ„ his neibours nede robbeth his neybours is a thefe And he that is proude of the gyftes of god thynketh him selfe by the reason of theÌ„ better than his feble neyboure nat rather as the â—ruth is knowlegeth him selfe a seruauÌ„te vnto his poore neybour by yâ— reason of them the same hath lucyfers spirite in him and nat christes ¶ These thynges to knowe fyrst the lawe howe that it is naturall right equite that we haue but one god to put our hope trust in and hun to loue with all the hert al the soule and all oure myght power and neither to moue hert nor hande but at his coÌ„maundement bycause he hathe fyrste created vs of nought and heuen and erthe for oure sakes And afterward whan we had marred our selfe thorowe synne he forgaue vs and created vs agayne in the blode of his beloued sonne ¶ And that we haue the name of our one god in feare reuerence that we dishonoure it nat in swearynge therby about lyght trysles or vanite or call it to recorde for the coÌ„fyrmiÌ„g of wickednes or falshed or ought that is to the dyshonoure of God which is the brekynge of his lawes or vnto the hurte of our neighbour ¶ And inasmoch as he is our lorde and god and we his double possessyon by creacion redemption and therfore ought as I said neither to moue hert or hande without his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t it is right that we haue nedefull holyedayes to come togyther lerne his wyll both the lawe which he wyl haue vs ruled by also the promyses of mercy which he wyll haue vs trust vnto to gyue god thaÌ„kes togyther of his mercy and coÌ„mytte our infyrmities to him thorow our sauyour Jesus to reconsyle our selues vnto him eche to other if ought be betwene brother brother that requyreth it And for this purpose suche lyke as to vyset the sycke nedy and redresse peace vnytâ—e were the holydayes ordeyned only so farforth ar they to be kepte holy from al maner workes that may be coÌ„uenyently spared for the tyme tyll this be done and no further but than laufully to worke ¶ And that it is right that we obey father and mother mayster lorde prince kynge all the ordynaunces of the worlde bodily and gostly by whiche god ruleth vs and ministreth frely his benefytê vnto vs al. And that we loue them for the benefytes that we receyue by theÌ„ fere them for the power they haue ouer vs to punyssh vs if we trespace the lawe and good ordre So farre yet ar the worldly powers or rulers to be obeyed onely as their coÌ„mauÌ„dementes repugne nat agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god and than ho. Wherfore we must haue goddes coÌ„maundement euer in our hertes by the hyer lawe interprete the inferyor that we obey nothiÌ„ge against the belefe of our god or agaynst the faith hope and trust that is in him only or agaist the loue of god wher by we do or leaue vndone all thing for his sake that we do nothinge for any mans coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t against the reuerence of the name of god to make it dispysed and the lesse fered and set by that we obeye nothinge to the hynderaunce of the know lege of the blessed doctryne of god whose seruaunt the holye daye is ¶ Nat withstandynge though the rulers whiche god hath set ouer vs commaunde vs against god or do vs opeÌ„ wronge oppresse vs with cruell tyraÌ„ny yet bycause they are in goddes rowme we maye nat auenge our selues but by the proces and ordre of goods law lawes of man made by the auctorite of goddes law which is also goddes lawe euer by an hier power remyttiÌ„ge yâ— vengeaÌ„ce vnto god in the meane season suffre vntyll yâ— hour be come And on the other syde to know that a man ought to loue his neibour equally fully as well as him selfe bicause his neibour be he neuer so siple is equally created of god as full redemed by the blode of our sauyour Jesu Christ Out of whiche coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of loue springe these Kyll nat thy neibour defyle nat his wyfe bere no false witnes agaynst him fynally nat only do nat these thynges in dede but coueyt nat in thyne herte his house his wyfe his manseruant maydseruant oxe asse or whatsoeuer is his So that these lawes perteynyng vnto our neyboure are nat fulfylled in the syght of god saue with loue He that loueth nat his neyboure kepeth nat this coÌ„maundement defyle nat thy neighbours wyfe though he neuer touche her or neuer se her or thinke vpon her For the commaundement is thoughe thy neybours wyfe be neuer so fayre thou haue neuer so great oportunytie gyuen the and she content or haply prouoke the as Putiphers wyfe dyd Joseph yet se thou loue thy neibour so well that for very loue thou can nat fynde in thyne herte to do that wyckednesse And euen so he that trusteth in any thinge saue in god onely and in his soÌ„ne Jesus Christe kepeth no commâ—uÌ„demeÌ„t at al in the syght of god ¶ For he that hath trust iÌ„ any creature wherther in heuen or in erth faue in god his sonne Jesus caâ—se no cause to loue god with all his herte c. Neither to abstayne â—rom dishonourynge his name nor to kepe the holy daye for the loue of his doctryne nor to obey louyngly the rulers of the worlde nor any cause to loue his neyghboure as him selfe and to abstayne frome hurtynge him where he maye get profyte by him and saue him selfe harmles And in lyke wyse agaynst this law loue thy neibour as thy self I may obey no worldly power to do ought at any mans coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t vnto the hurte of my neybour that hath nat
â—eserued it though he be a turke ¶ And to knowe howe contrarye this law is vnto our nature how it is dampnation â—at to haue this lawe written in our hertes though we neuer coÌ„mytte the dedes how there is none other meanes to be saued from the dampnacion thaÌ„ thorowe repentance toward the law fayth in Christes blode which ar the very inward baptim of our soules and the wasshynge the dippynge of our bodyes in the water is the outwarde sygne The plungyng of the body vnder the water signifieth that we repent professe to fyght agaynst synne lustes to kyll theÌ„ euery daye more more with the helpe of god oure dilygence in folowynge the doctrine of Christ and the ledynge of his spirite that we beleue to be wasshed from oure naturall dampnation in which we are borne and from all the wrath of the lawe from all the infyrmytes and weknesse that remayne in vs after we haue gyuen our consente vnto the law yelded ourselfe to be scolers therof from all the imperfytnesse of all our dedes done with colde loue from all actuall synne whiche shal chauÌ„ce on vs whyle we enforce the contrary and euer fyght there against hope to sine no more And thus repeÌ„tauÌ„ce faith begynne at our baptyme first professynge the lawes of god contynue vnto our lyues ende growe as we growe in the spirite For the perfyter we be the gretter is our repentaunce the stronger our faith And thus as the spirit doctryne on goddes ê‘te and repentaunce and fayth on oure parte beget vs a new in Christ eueÌ„ so they make vs grow waxe parfeyt saue vs vnto the ende neuer leue vs vntyll all syn be put of and we clene purifyed and full fourmed and facyoned after the symilytude and lykenes of the perfytnes of our sauyour Jesus whose gyfte all is And fynally to know that what so euer good thâ—ge is in vs that same is the gyfte of grace therfore nat of deseruyng though many thingê be giuen of god thorow our dilygeÌ„ce in working his lawes chastesige our bodyes in prayenge for theÌ„ and beleuâ—ge his promyses whiche els shulde nat be gyuen vs yet our workinge deserueth nat the giftes no more thaÌ„ the dilygence of a marchaunte in sekynge a good shippe bringeth the goodes safe to lande though suche dilygence doth nowe and than helpe therin But whan we beleue in god than do all that is in our might and nat tempt him than is god trâ—we to abyde by his promise and to helpe vs and performe alone whan our strength is past ¶ These thynges I say to knowe is to haue al the scripture vnlocked opened before the so that if thou wylt go in rede thou cannest nat but vnderstande And in these thinges to be ignoraunt is to haue all the scrypture locked vp so that the more thou redest it the blinder thou arte the more contrary thou fyndest in it and the more tangled art thou therin canst nowher thorow For if thou adde a glose in one place in another it wyll nat serue And therfore bycause we be neuer taught the ê“fessyon of our baptim we remayne alwayes vnlerned as wel the spiritualte for all their gret clergy hye scoles as we saye as the laye people And nowe bycause the laye vnlerned peple ar taught these first princyples of our profession therfore they rede the scripture and vnderstande and delyte therin And our great pyller of holy churche whiche haue nayled a vayle of false gloses on Moses face to corrupte the trewe vnderstandynge of his law can nat come in And therfore barke and saye the scripture maketh heritykes and it is nat possykle for theym to vnderstande it in Englysshe bycause they them selues do nat in latyne And of pure malyce that they can nat haue their wyll they sley their brethrene for their faith they haue in our sauiour and therwith vtter their blody woluysshe tyrannye and what they be within and whose dyscyples Here with reder be commytted vnto the grace of our sauyour Jesus vnto whome and god oure father thorow him be prayse froÌ„ euer and for euer Amen ¶ A letter sent vnto a certayn freÌ„de to enstructe hiÌ„ in the vnderstandynge of the scripture translaÌ„ted out of French into Englysshe MY welbeloued brother in Christ the sauyour the peace and mercy of god be with you and with al them that wyll the honoure of god and theÌ„crease of his gospell Amen I gyue thankes vnto our sauyour that it hath pleased hiÌ„ in this gret wretchednes of infydelyte with the which the pore soules bought with the precious blode of Christ were sore clogged combred to gyue vs knowledge of his worde the which was holye buryed and drowned by the reason of leude lerning fables and dreames of men which haue beÌ„ hytherto preched in the place of the right holy worthy worde of god which the very sauyoure redemer of the worlde the only mediatour betwene god man very god very man Jesus Christ came to shew vs which wordes I mene the wordes of holy scripture a maÌ„ ought to receyue in as gret reuereÌ„ce as though our sauyoure spake vnto vs in his owne person gretly therfore ought we to thanke him that it hath plesed him of his vnspekeable goodnesse to gyue vs this grace that we may rede his holy gospels and blessed be they that shall bere these holy wordes and kepe them ¶ In as moche therfore welbeloued brother that god of his infinit mercy and nat by our deseruyng which can do nothynge but synne hathe gyuen vs this grace to rede these godly wordes to be refresshed with this heuenly breed I desyre you that in all humilyte loulynes of hert knowlegiÌ„ge that you be nothyng but synne abhomiâ—ation as all worldly thiÌ„ges be without any maner of presumyng vpon your owne witte knowlege or wisdome ye come vnto the redynge of the holy worde of god settynge all your hert in our lorde desyring hiÌ„ with lowly praier faithfully that it wolde please him to gyue you his holy spirite as he hath promised to theÌ„ that faithfully requyre it of him and so with a sure confydence and fast hope trust of his infinit goodnesse desyre him that he wyll open vnto you the kyngdome of heuyn with the key which no man can gyue but he and that it wyll please him to lyghten youre herte through pure trewe vnderstandyng of the christen fayth to th ende you may be made a trewe creature lyuyng no â—â—ger in yourself but all togyther in Jesu christ that we loue nothyng but him nothing to loue nother in heuen nor in erth but for the loue of him euen as he coÌ„mauÌ„ded you to loue youre neibour socouryng hiÌ„ in his bodylye nedes so that you socour him nat norisshe him in his dampnable lyfe as they do whiche
weyght With what poyson dedly and venomouse hate hateth a man his enemyes With howe great malyce of mynde inwardlye doo we sleye murther â–ª With what vyolence rage ye and with how feruent lust commyt we aduoutrye fornication such lyke vnclennesse with what pleasure dylectacyon inwardly serueth a glottoÌ„ his bely With what dilygence disceyue we Howe busely seke we the thinges of this worlde Whatsoeuer we do thynke or ymagin is abhomynable in the syght of god For we can referre nothinge vnto the honour of god neither is his law or wyl written in our membres or in our hertê neither is there any more power in vs to folowe the wyll of god thaÌ„ in a stone to ascende vpwarde of his owne selfe And besyde that we are as it were a slepe in so depe blidnes that we can nether se nor fele i what misery thraldom wretchednes we ar in tyll Moses come wake vs and publysshe the lawe Whan we here the lawe truly preached howe that we ought to loue honor god with all our strength might from the lowe bothom of the hert bycause he hath created vs both heuen and erthe for our sakes made vs lorde therof and oure neyghbours ye our enemyes as our selues inwardly from the grouÌ„de of the hert bycause god hathe made them after the lykenes of his owne image and they ar his sonnes as well as we Christ hathe bought them with his blode made them heyres of euerlastynge lyfe as well as we how we ought to do what so euer God biddeth absteyne froÌ„ whatso euer god forbyddeth with all loue mekenes with a feruent a burnynge lust from the center of the hert than beginneth the conscyence to rage agaynst the lawe agaynst god No see be it neuer so great a tempest is so vnquyet for it is nat possyble for a naturall man to consent to the lawe that it shulde be good or that god shulde be rightwise which maketh the lawe in asmoch as it is coÌ„trary vnto his nature dampneth him all that he can do neither sheweth hi where to fetch helpe nor precheth any mercy but onely setteth man at varyance with god as wytnesseth Paul Ro. iiii and prouoketh him and styrreth him to rayle on god to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant For it is nat possyble for a man tyll he be borne agayne to thynke that god is rightwyse to make hi of so poison a nature either for his owne pleasure or for the synne of another man and to gyue him a law that is impossyble for him to do or to consent to his wytte reason and wyll beynge so fast glued ye nayled and cheyned vnto the wyll of the deuyll Neither can any creatures lose the boÌ„des saue the blode of christ only ¶ This is captiuyte and bondage wheÌ„ce christ delyuered vs redemed and losed vs. His blode his deth his pacience in suffrynge rebukes wronges his prayers fastynges his mekenes fulfyllyng of the vtmost poynte of the lawe peased the wrath of god brought the fauoure of god to vs again opteined that god shulde loue vs first be our father and that a merciful father that wyl consydre our infirmites wekenes and wyll gyue vs his spirit againe whiche was taken awaye in the fall of Adam to rule gouerne and strengthe vs to breke the bondes of Satan wherin we were so streit bounde Whan Christ is thus wyse preched and the promyses rehersed which ar conteyned in the prophettes in the Psal in dyuers places of the fyue bokes of Moses whiche preachynge is called the gospell or glad tâ—dynges than the hertes of them which are electe and chose begyn to waxe softe to melte at the bountuous mercy of god and kyndnes shewed of Christ For whaÌ„ the Euangelion is preched the spirite of god entreth into theÌ„ which god hath ordeyned and appoynted vnto eternall lyfe and openeth their inwarde eyes and worketh such beleâ—e in them whan the wofull conscyences fele cast howe swete a thige the bytter deth of Christ is howe mercyfull louyng god is through Christes purchasynge merytes they begyn to loue agayn to consent to the lawe of god howe that it is good oughte so to be and that god is ryghtwyse whiche made it and desyre to fulfyll the lawe euen as a sycke man desyreth to be hole and ar an hongred and thirst after more riÈtwysnes aft more streÌ„gth to fulfyll the lawe more parfytly And iÌ„ all that they do or omyt leue vndon they seke goddes honour his wil with mekenes euer coÌ„demniÌ„g the vnê‘fytnes of their dedê by the law ¶ Nowe Christe standeth vs in double steede and vs serueth two maner wyse Fyrst he is our redemer delyuerer reconsyler medyator intercessor aduocate or turney solyciter our hope conforte shelde protection defender strength helth satisfaction saluacion His blode his deth all that he euer dyd is ours And Christ himselfe with all that he is or can do is ours His blode shedynge and all that he dyd doth me as good seruyce as though I my selfe had done it And god as gret as he is is myne with all that he hath as an husbaÌ„de is his wiues thorowe Christ his purchasynge â–ª ¶ SecoÌ„darily after that we be ouercome with loue kyndnes and now seke to do the wyl of god whiche is a christenmaÌ„s nature Than haue we christ an example to couÌ„ter feyt as sayth Christ hi selfe in Joh. I haue gyuen you an example And in another EuaÌ„gelist he sayth He that wyl be gret amonge you shal be your seruaunt minister as the son of man â—ame to minister â—at to be ministred vnto Paul saith couÌ„terfet Christ And peter saith christ dyed for you left you an ensample to folowe his steppes What so euer therfore faith hath receyued of god thorow christes blode deseruyng that same must loue shede out euery whyt bestowe it on our neybours vnto their profyt ye that though they be our enemys By faith we receyue of god by loue we shede out again And that must we do frely after the ensaÌ„ple of Christ with out any other respecte saue oure neybours welth only neither loke for rewarde in erth nor yet in heuen for the deseruiÌ„ge merytes of oure dedes as freres prech though we knowe that good dedes are rewarded â–ª bothe in this lyfe in the lyfe to come but of pure loue must we bestow our seluê al that we haue al that we ar able to do euyn on our enemyes to bringe theÌ„ to god coÌ„syderige nothinge but their welth as christ did ours â–ª christ â—yd nat his dedes to obteyne heuen â—herby that had beÌ„ a madnes heueÌ„â—as his alredy he was heyre therâ—f it was his by inherytaunce but â—yd theÌ„ frely for our sakes consydeâ—â—nge nothinge but our welthe to â—ringe the fauoure of