wold not defyle hym selfe but to thrust hym into the handes of Phylystynes that they myght sley hym and he hym selfe abyde pure And as our spyrytualtye nowe offer a man mercy once thoughe ye haue spoken agaynste holy chyrche onely yf he wyll but periure and bere a fagot But yf he wyll not they do but dyote hym a season to wynne hym and make hym tell more and then delyuer hym to the lay power sayenge he hathe deserued the dethe by our lawes and ye ought to kyll hym howe be it we deserc it not ¶ But Chryste restoreth the lawe agayne and sayeth to be angry with thy neyghboure to sle hym and to deserue dethe For the lawe goeth as wel on the harte as on the hande He that hateth his brother is a mutherar .i. Io. 3. If then the blynd hande deserue dethe howe moche more those partes which haue the syght of reson And he that sayeth Racha lewde or what so euer sygne of wrath it be or y t prouoketh to wrath ▪ hath not only deserued that men shuld immedyatly pronounce sentence of deth vpon hym but also y t when deth is pronoūced they shuld gather a councel to decre what horryble dethe he shuld suffer And he that calleth hys brother fole hathe synned downe to hel Shal then a man not be angry at al nor rebuke or ponyshe yes yf thou be a father or a mother mayster maystresse husbande lorde or ruler yet with loue and mercye that the anger rebuke or ponyshmente excede not the faute or trespas Maye a man be angrye with loue ye mothers can be so with theyr chyldrē It is a louinge anger that hateth onely the vyce and studyeth to mende the persone But here is forboden not only wrath agaynste father mother and all that haue gouernaunce ouer the whiche is to be angry and to grudge agaynste God hym selfe and that the ruler shall not be wrath without a cause agaynst the subiecte But also al pryuate wrathe agaynst thy neyghbour ouer whome thou haste no rule nor he ouer the no though he do the wronge For he that do the wronge lacketh wytte and dyscrecyon and can not amende tyll he be informed and taught louyngly Therfore thou must refrayne thy wrath and tell hym hys faute louyngly and with kyndenes wyn him to thy father for he is thy brother as wel made and as dere bought as thou and as wel beloued though he be yet chyldyshe and lacke dyscrecyon But some wyl say I wyl not hate my neyghboure nor yet loue hym or do hym good yes thou must loue hym for the fyrst cōmaundemēt out of which all other flowe is thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thyne harte with all thy soule and with all thy myght That is thou must kepe all his commaundementes with loue Loue must kepe y e fro killyng or hurting thy neyboure and frō couetynge in thyne harte what so euer is his And .1 Ioh. 4. Thys commaundement haue we of hym that he whiche loueth God loue his brother also And agayne 1. Iohan. iii. he that hathe substaunce of thys worlde and see hys brother haue necessyte and shutteth vp hys compassyon from him howe is the loue of God in hym he then that helpe the not at neade louethe not God but breketh the fyrste commaundement Let vs loue therfore sayth saynte Io not with worde and tonge but in the dede and of a truthe And agayne saynte Iohā sayd in the sayd place he that loueth not hys brother by deth yet styll in dethe And of loue hath Moyses textes ynoughe But the pharyseys glosed them out sayenge they were but good councelles yf a man desyred to be perfecte but not preceptes Exodi xxiii yf thou mete thyne enemyes oxe or asse goynge a straye thou shalte in any wyse brynge them to hym agayne And yf thou se thyne enemyes asse falle downe vnder his burthen thou shalt helpe him vp agayne And Leuyti xix thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne hart but shalt in any wyse rebuke thy neyghboure that thou beare no syn for hys sake For yf thou studye not to amende thy neyghboure when he synneth so art thou partaker of hys synnes And therfore whē God taketh vengeaunce and sendeth what soo euer plage it be to ponyshe open sinners thou must peryshe with them For thou dydest synne in the syght of God as depe as they because thou dydest not loue the lawe of God to maynteyne it with all thyne harte soule power and myght Is not he that seeth hys nyghboures hous in ieoperdye to be sette on fyer and warneth not nor helpeth in tyme to auoyde the parell worthy yf his neyghboures hous be brent vp that hys be brent also seynge it was in hys power to haue kepte all out of ieoperdy yf he had wolde as he wolde no doute yf he had loued hys neyghboure Euen so when God sendeth a generall pestylence or warre to thy cytye to ponyshe the synne therof arte not thou worthy that thyne house shulde be infected or peryshe yf thou myghtest haue kepte it frō synnynge and thou haddest ben wyllynge therto But yf thou do thy beste to further the lawe of God and to kepe thy land or neyghboures frō synnyng against God thē though it pelpe not thou shalte bere no synne for theyr sakes when they be ponyshed He therfore that loueth the lawe of God may be bolde in tyme of pestylence and all ieoperdy to beleue in God And agayne in the same place thou shalt not auenge thy selfe nor beare hate in mynde agaynste the chyldren of thy people But shall loue thy felowe as thy selfe I am the lorde As who shuld say for my sake shalt thou do it And Deuteronomy .10 The lorde your God is the God of Goddes and lorde of lordes a greate God myghty and terryble which regardeth no mannes persone or degree or taketh gyftes But doth ryghte to the fatherlesse and the wydowe and loueth the staunger to gyue hym rayment and fode loue therfore the straunger for ye were straungers in the lande of Egypt And Leuytycum .xix. yf a straunger soiourne by the in your lande se that ye vexe hym not But let the straunger that dwelleth amonge you be as one of your selfes and loue hym as thy selfe For ye were straungers in the lande of Egypt I am the lorde As who shulde saye loue him for my sake Notwithstandynge when thy neyghboure hathe shewed the more vnkyndenes then God hath loue then mayste thou hate hym and not before But muste loue hym for Goddes sake tyll he fyght agaynste God to destroy the name and glorye of God Therfore when thou offerest thy gyfte at the alter and there remembreste that thy brother hathe ought agaynste the leaue there thy gyfte before the alter and go fyrst and reconsyle thy selfe vnto thy brother and then come and offer thy selfe Agree with thyne aduersarye attonce whyle thou arte in the waye with hym leaste thyne aduersarye
that the bodye can not syt styll rest in one place and coÌ„tynue in hys worke nor the mynde perseuer and endure in our purpose Let them prouyde that ther be diligent fysshynge in the se and coÌ„maunde the se coste and townes whyther fyshe may easely come to fast fryday saterday and weÌ„sday to if nede be and on the fryday to eate no whyte meate And let the countryes whiche haue none aboundance of fyshe yet haue whyte meate ynough fast fryday saterday from fleshe only And let those contreys where scasty of bothe is faste frydaye from fleshe only and eate fleshe wensday and saterday But absteyne from super or from dyner or eate soberly those dayes And let them so moderate theyr fastes that the people maye beare it a prouysyon made for the olde the sycke and feble c. whiche faste shalbe a temporall thynge â–ª for a temporall comen welthe only and not a seruyce to God Then let the prestes preache fyrst the lawâ— truly and teache the people to se theyr synnes and so brynge them to repentaunce And secondarelye the faythe of Chryste and the forgyuenes of synne thorowe faythe And thyrdlye almose prayer and fastynge which are the hole lyfe of a Christen man and with out which ther is no Christen maÌ„ a lyue And let them preache the true vse of theyr almose whiche is to helpe thy neyghboure with councell with bodye and goods and al that is in thy power and the true vse of prayer whiche is to brynge hys necessyte thyne owne before God with a strong fayth in hys promyses and the true vse of fastynge which is to tame the fleshe vnto the spirite that the soule may atteÌ„de to the worde of God and pray thorowe faythe By these thre we kepe the spirite of God and doth contynue and also growe in ryghtwysnes and waxe perfecter and perfecter in soule and body And yf these fayle or that we vnderstaÌ„de not the ryght entent we lose the spirite agayne and the ryghtwysnesse of faythe and the true vnderstandyng of the scripture and al our lernynge shalbe but darckenes And then what a blyndenes is that when the darcknes of hell is called the lyght of heuen As it is of almose and prayer so it is of fastynge iudge of al thre where any one of them is there are they all thre and where any one is awaye there is none at all we muste haue the professyon of al thre euer wrytten in our hartes I must euer loue my neyghboure and be redy to helpe and when occasyon is offered then do it I ought to consyder and knowe that al cometh of God and to knowledge that same to him in myne hart And what soeuer we nede we ought to know that we must receaue that of God and therfore to cal euer to him with a strong fayth Euen so I must euer fyght agaynst my fleshe therfore euer withdrawe from it al that moueth it to rebelle agaynst the spirite So nowe fastinge standeth not in eatynge and drynkynge only and muche lesse in flesh alone But in abstynence of all that mouethe the fleshe agaynste the spirite as longe sleapynge ydlenes and fylthye communycacyon and al world lye talkynge aa of couetousnes and promocyon and suche lyke and wanton company softe clothes and softe beddes and so forth which are that ryght hande and ryght eye that must be cut of and plucked out that the holeman peryshe not And as ye can put no generall rule of almose or prayer no more can ye of fastyng But I must be all waye redye to cut of what so euer I perceaue to strenght the fleshe against the spirite And I muste haue a dylygent eye to the fleshe and hys complexyon and yf ought scape me in worde or dede seke whence the occasyoÌ„ came and attonce cut of that ryght hande and plucke out that eye If this fast be truly preached then is fastynge good and not afore for makynge of ypocrytes as Christ wolde not let his disciples fast before they were lerned leste they shulde thereby haue ben no better then the pharesyes And then the outwarde fastynge ordeyned by the temporal rulers helpeth much for the weakes sake ye though the lande were so plenteouse that it nede not to commaunde suche fast for to auoyde derth ye they ought to set suche vp because of them that can not rule them selues for whose sakes they ought to forbyde excesses of tauerns and ale houses and ryotyng out of season For if the people coulde rule them selues what nede rulers More ouer if any man pryuatlye shewe the preste hys infyrmytyes and the prestes se any maner of abstinence or chastifyng apte for the person that let him councel him to do for the subdewinge of the fleshe and not coÌ„maunde as a tyraunt vnder payne of dampnacyon and to make satysfaccyon Thus wyse let hym say brother or syster ye be bounde vnder payne of deedlye synne to tame your fleshe by some maner of waye that ye synne not agaynste God and I knowe no better then this my councell and my desyre therfore is that ye vse thys tyll ether ye haue no more nede or tyll God shewe you some better c. And let the elders consyder dyligently the course of theyr youthe and with wysdome councell and dyscrete gouernaunce and helpe the yonger to auoyde the perelles and ieoperdyes whiche they haue lerned by theyr owne experyence to be in y t daungerous iorney More ouer when the people be fallen from their profession and from the lawe as it shalbe impossyble for the preacher to kepe the greate multytude to gether if the temporal swerde be slacke and necglygent in punyshynge open offenses as they euer haue and wylbe saue in those poyntes onely wherin lyeth the pythe of theyr owne profyte and aduauntage and the weyght of theyr honour and mauntenaunce of theyr dygnytyes and when God also as hys promyse is hathe brought vpon them the curses of the lawe hungre derth batayle pestileÌ„ce and al maner of plages w t all mysfortune and euell lucke Then let the true preachers be importune and shewe the people the causes of theyr mysâ—â—d wretched aduersyte and expounde the â—awe to them and brynge them to knowledge of their synnes and so bynde their conscyences and drawe them to repentaunce and to the apoyntmente and couenaunt of the lorde agayne As many holy prophetes prestes and kynges in the olde testamente dyd call the people backe and brought theÌ„ agayne in tyme of aduersyte vnto the apoyntmeÌ„t of the lorde And the preste prophete or kynge in Goddes stede smote handes with theÌ„ and toke an oth of theÌ„ to be y e lordes people and to turne agayn to the lordes couenaunte for to kepe hys lawe and to beleue in his promyses And God ymedyatly withdrewe his hande and rydde theÌ„ out of all captyuyte and daunger and be came as mercy full as euer before But we
stycke nor cut teachynge deed workes without fayth loue whiche are the life y e hole goodnes of al workes the only thynge why they please God And therfore their audieÌ„ce abode euer carnal fleshly mynde without fayth to god loue to theyr neyboures Christes wordes were spirite and life Io. vi That is to say they ministred spirite and lyfe and entred into the harte and grated on the coÌ„science and thorowe preachynge the lawe made the herars perceyue theyr dutyes euen what loue they ought to God and whAt to man the right daÌ„pnacion of al them that had nat the loue of God man written iÌ„ their hartes and thorow preachyng of fayth made al y t coÌ„sented to the lawe of god â—ele the mercy of God is Christ and certefyed theÌ„ of theyr saluacion â—or y e word of god is a two edged swerde that perceth and deuydeth the spirite and soule of man a sonder Hebre 4. A man before the preaching of Goddes worde is but one man all fleshe the soule consentyng vnto the lustes of the fleshe to folowe them but the swerde of the worde of God where it taketh effecte diuideth a man in two and setteth hym â—t variaunce agaynst his owne selfe The fleshe â—alynge one way and the spirite drawynge a â—other y e flesh ragyng to folowe lustes the â—pirite callynge backe agayne to folowe the â—awe and wyll of God A man al the whyle he â—oÌ„senteth to the fleshe and before he be borne â—gayne in Christ is called soule or carnal But when he is renewed in Christ thorowe y e word of lyfe and hath the loue of God and of his neyboure and the fayth of Christe wrytten in his harte he is called spirite or spirituall The lorde of all mercye sende vs preachers with power that is to say true expounders of the worde of god and spekers to the harte of man deliuer vs from Scribes Phareseyes ypocrites and all false prophetes Amen ☜ †☞ w. T. ⧠The table whiche shall sende you to all thynges conteyned in this boke The table ALmose prayer and fastyng are inseperable Folio lxxvii s ii Anointe the heed what it is fo 76. s i Almose prayer and fastynge howe necessarye Fo. lxxvii s ii Aduoutrye ⧠⧠fo xxxix s ii Angrye Howe a man may be angrye and synne nat Folio xxv s ii Absolucion Goddes couenaunt is a sure absolucion Fo. lxxi s ii ⧠Baptyme Folio lxxiiii s ii Breade daylye breade Fo. lxv s ii Baptyme the ryght baptyme what fo ix s i. Beame Fo. xciii s i. Belefe To beleue in God what it is fo xcv s i Beleuers without workes and workers without fayth are buylt on sande fo C.vii. s ii †Ceremonies must be salted Fo. xxv s ii Couetousnes what a pestileÌ„ce it is fo 81. s i Care Folio xc s i. Couenaunt kepe couenaunt with God and he shall kepe promyse with the. fo lxxxix s i Couetousnes causeth darkenes Fo. 84. s i. Cursed most accursed who Fo xxiii s ii Care Fo. lxxxviii s i. Couetousnes maketh a false prophete Folio lxxxiii s i. Couetousnes maketh the salt of goddes word vnsauery Fo. lxxxiii s i. Churche of Christe what Fo. ix s i. Clothynge shepes clothynge what fo C. s ii Ceremonyes Folio xciii s ii Ceremonyes He that breaketh vnite for zele of ceremonies vnderstandeth nat the lawe Folio xciii s i. Couetousnes can nat but erre fo lxxxi s ii Care what care euery man ought to haue Folio xci s i. Care what care is forboden fo xci s i Churche what fo 31 s i. Chambre To shut thy chambre dore what it meaneth fo lxiii s ii Couenaunt Goddes couenaunt is a sure absolucion Folio lxxi s ii Couenaunt fo 71. s ii Couetousnes Fo. lvi s ii Cheke To turne the other cheke what it meaneth Fo. lxvii s ii Couetousnes By couetousnes is a false prophete knowen fo xiii s i. Couetousnes is contrary to the worde of god and to the ministres of the lawe Fo 13. s i †Darckenes all knowledge is darkenes tyl the knowledge of Christes passion be in the harte Fo. xxvi s ii Doctrine False doctrine is cause of euell workes fo xxix s ii Doctrine True doctrine is cause of good workes fo 29. s ii Dogges ☜ †☞ fo xciiii s i. Darckenes Fo. lxxxiii s i. fo 84. s ii Dogges loue nat the lawe fo viii s i. Darckenes Fayth in workes is darckenes fo lxxxiiii s ii †Darckenes Fo. 85. s i. Doutes Howe to assoyle doutes fo xcvii s ii Fayth The office of fayth Fol. x. s ii Fayth fo C xiiii s i. fo lxxvi s ii Fayth is our victorie fo xiiii s ii Fayth the differeÌ„ce of faythes howe it is to be vnderstande fayth iustifieth fo viii s ii Fayth Fo. lxxiiii s ii Fayth of swyne what fo viii s ii Fayth maketh the worke good acceptable fo C.iii. s i Fayth loue and hope are inseperable in this lyfe fo v s ii Fayth iustifieth what it meaneh fo lxxiii s ii Fayth in workes is darckenes fo lxxxiiii s ii Fayth and the lawe be of contrary operacioÌ„s folio 3. s i. Fayth is the kernell of all our good workes folio C.iii. s i. Fayth hope charite are iÌ„seperable fo x. s i Faythe true fayth is coupled with loue to the lawe fol. 8. s i. False prophetes what theyr wickednes is folio xcvi s i. False prophetes howe to knowe where they be fo C.vi s ii ⧠⧠Fastynge is nat in eatynge and drinkynge onlye fol lxxvii s ii Fast howe the Iewes dyd fast fo lxxx s i Fastynge the true entent is awaye in the popes fast â–ª ⧠†⧠fo lxxx s i. Ferthynge the last ferthynge fo xxxviii s ii †Glorie he that seketh his owne glorie teacheth his owne doctrine and nat his masters Folio 31 s ii fo 32. s i. Glorie he that seketh his owne glory altereth his masters message Folio xxxii s i. ¶ Hate whan a man may hate his neyboure Folio xxxvii s ii Henry the seconde fo xiiii s ii Herted Impure herted who fo 20. s i. Hope the office of hope· fo xii s i. Honoure to honoure the name of God what Folio lxvii s ii Hundred folde fo xvi s i. Handy craftes are Goddes commaundement Folio C. iiii· s i Holynes of ypocrites fo C.v. s ii ☞ Iustifye Fayth iustifyeth what it meaneth Folio· lxxiii s ii Impure herted who fo xx s i Iudgynge what Iudgynge is rebuked Folio xcii s ii Ignoraunce excuseth nat fo C.vi s ii ☞ Keye what it is· Folio 2. s· ii Kynges ought to be lerned fo xxvii s ii Kyngedome of heuen what fo lxxxix s ii Kynge Iohan. fo xiiii s ii Kyngdome of heuen what it is fo ii s i. ⧠Lawe Folio· xlv s ii Lawe the lawe is restored fo xxxv s i Lawe what her office is fo 2. s ii Lawe
neuer reste on the erthe and to haue thy dayes shortened therto God hathe promysed if thou he meke and soft and soffer a lytle persecucyon to geue the not onely the lyfe to come but also an hundred folde here in this lyfe that is to say to geue the hys owne selfe and to be thy protector and to minyster the euer ynough whiche may of right be called an hundred folde and that is a treasure passynge the treasure of al prynces Fynally Chryste teacheth here howe euery man muste lyue for hym selfe amonge them to whom he is a neyghboure and in pryuat matters in whiche he is but as a neyboure thoughe he be a kynge and in whiche thou canste not be to softe But and yf thou be an offycer then thou must be good kynde and mercyful but not a mylkesoppe and neegligent As to whom thou art a father them muste thou rule and make obay and that with sharpenes if softenes wyll not be harde and so in all other offyces Blessed are they that honger and thyrste for ryghtwysnesse for they shalbe fulfylled Ryghteousnes in thys place is not taken for the pryncypall ryghtuousnes of a chrysten man thorowe which the person is good and accepted before God For these .viii. poyntes are but doctryne of the frutes and workes of a chrysten man before whiche the faythe muste be there to make ryghteous without all deseruynge of workes and as a tre out of which al suche frutes and workes muste sprynge wherfore vnderstande here the outwarde ryghteousnes before the worlde and true and faythful dealynge eche with other and iuste executynge of the offyces of all maner degrees and meke obedyence of all that are vnder power So that the meanynge is happy are they whiche not onely do theyr dutyes to all men but also studye and helpe to the vttermoste of theyr power with worde deade councel and exortynge that all other deale trulye also aceordynge to the degre that euery man beareth in the wolde be as desyerous to further good order order and ryghtuous dealynge as the hongrye and thyrsty be desyrous to eate and drynke And not that it is not for naught that he sayth hongre and thurst For excepte thy soule hongre and thyrste for thys ryghteuosnes of her newe nature as the bodye dothe for meate and drynke of hys olde nature the deuell and the chyldren of thys worlde whiche can not soffer that a man ether deale truly hym selfe or helpe other wyll so resyste the plage the and so wery the that thou haddeste leuer of very mystruste and desperacion that ought shulde be better forsake al and make thy selfe a monke or a fryer ye and to ronne into a straunge contrey and leue all thy freÌ„des then to abyde in the world and to let it chose whether it wyl synke or swyme But to comforte vs that we faynte not or be wery of wel doynge Chryste promyseth that all that haue thys thruste and hongre shall haue theyr lust satysfied and be traÌ„slated into a kyngdome where none vnryghtwysnes is be sydes y t thou shalt here and se at leÌ„gth many come to the ryghtway and helpe with the and many thynges that cannot be al together meÌ„ded yet somewhat better more tolerable so that all ryghtwysnes shal not be quenched And contrary wyse cursed be all they that are full as Luke in the .vi. saythe â— that is to saye they pocrytes whiche to auoyde all laboure so rowe care comberaunce and sofferynge with theyr bretheren get them to dennes to lyue at rest and to fyll theyr belyes the wealth of other men not regarded No it were a grefe to them that other were better that they alone maye be taken for holye and that who so euer wyl to heuen must bye it of them ye they be so ful that they compare them selues to other poore synners and loâ—â— as narowly on them as the phareseye dyd on the publycane thankynge God that he alone was good and the other euell Cursed are they yet for al their fulnes for they shal honger with euerlastynge honger where none shall geue them to eate nor they haue any refresshynge of theyr paynes To be mercyfull is to haue compassyon and to feale a nother mannes desease and to mourne with them that mourne and soffer with them that soffer and to helpe and socoure them that are in trybulacyon and aduersyte and to comforte them with good councell and wholsome instruccyon and louynge wordes And to be mercyfull is louyngly to forgeue them that offended the assone as they knowledge theyr mysdoynge and axe the mercy To be mercefull is pacyently longe to abyde the conuersyon of synners with a lusty courage and hope that God wyl at the last conuerte them and in the meane tyme to praye instauntlye for them and euer when he seythe an occasyon to exhorte them warne them monyshe them and rebuke them And to be mercyfull is to enterprete all to the best to loke thorowe the fyngers at many thynges and not to make a greuous synne of euery small tryfle and to soffer and forbere in hys owne cause the malyse of them that wyll not repente nor be a knowen of theyr wekednes as longe as he can soffer it and as longe as it ought to be soffred and when he can no lenger then to complayne to them that haue auctoryte to forbyde wronge and to punyshe suche euell doers But the ypocrytes clene contrary condempne all them for greuous synners saue them onely that bye theyr holynes of them And because they wyll soffer with no man they get them to sylence And because they wyll helpe no man â—ll that they haue they saye partayneth to the couent and is none of theyrs And yf they be offended they wyll be aduenged immedyatly And to cloke that they shulde not seme to aduenge them selues the mater saye they paâ—tayneth to God and holy churche or to some saynte or to one or other holye thynge as if thou smyte one of them on the one cheke he wyll turne to hym the other yer he wyll aduenge hym selfe But the iniurye of the holye Oyle wherewith he was anoynted that muste he aduenge and that with a spyrytuall punyshmente that thou muste be accursed as blacke as a colyer and delyuered to Sathan And yf thou come not in and axe absolucyon and offer thy selfe to penaunce and to paynge therto they wel not soffer tyll the deuell fetche the. But wyll delyuer the to the fyer in the meane tyme. And al for zele of ryghtwysnes say they O ypocrytes the Zele of ryghtwysnes is to hongre and thryste for ryghteousnes as it is aboue descrybed that is to care and study and to do the vttermoste of thy power that all thynges went in the right course and due order bothe thorowe all degrees of the temporalty and also of the spyrytualty and to Ieoperde lyfe and goodes theron Al the worlde
Christen haue ben very seldome or neuer called agayne to the couenaunte of the lorde y e lawe of god and fayth of Chryst But to the couenauÌ„t of the pope often As he nowe clocketh a pase of his chekyns and wyll bothe proue al his olde polyces and seke ymagyn newe practikes And if the people come agayn let the preste or byshope after the ensample of the prophetes and hye prestes of the Israelytes take an othe in Goddes stede of the kynge and lordes And let the kyng lordes receuyng an othe of the people and folowe the ensample of the Neniuites in fastynge and prayenge Some man wyll saye seynge fastynge is to withdrawe al plesures froÌ„ the body and to punyshe the fleshe then God deliteth in our payn takynge c. I answere God delyteth in true obedyence and in al that we do at his coÌ„maundement and for the entent that he coÌ„maundeth it for If thou loue and pety thy neyghbour and helpe hym thy almose is acceptable If thou do it of vayne glory to haue the prayse that belongeth to God or for greatter profyte onely iâ— to make satysfaccyon for thy sinnes past and to dyshonoure Chrystes bloude which hath made it all redye then is thyne almose abhomynable If thy prayer be thankes in thyne harte or callynge to God for helpe with trust in him accordynge to his promyse then thy prayer pleaseth If thou beleue in Christes bloud for the remyssyon of synnes and hence forthe hatest syn that thou punyssheste thy body to flee the lustes and to kepe them vnder that thou syn not agayne then it pleaseth God exceadyngely But and yf thou thynke that God delyteth in the worke or the worke it selfe the true entente awaye and in thy payne for the payne it selfe thou arte as farre out of the way as from heuen to the erth If thou woldest kyl thy body or wheÌ„ it is tame ynoughe payne him furder that thou were not able to serue God and thy neyghboure accordynge to the roume and estate thou arte in thy sacrefyce were clene with out salte and al to gether vnsauery in the tast of God thou madde and out of thy wyt but and yf thou trust in thy worke then art thou abhomynable Nowe let vs loke on the popes fast First the entent shulde be to tame thy lustes not letchery only but pryde cheflye wrathe malyce hate enuy and couetousnes and to kepe the lawe of God and therfore standethe not in meate and drynke only but howe they kepe goodes lawe compare it to their dedes and thou shalt se Secondarely the fast of the olde lawe was to put â—n mournynge clothes as heyre or sack and nether to eate nor drynke vntyll nyght and al the while to pray and to do almose dedes shewe mercy And at euen they eate fleshe what god gaue soberly as lytle as wold susteyne the body c. The Popes fast is comenly only to eate no fleshe I say not loke howe lene they be but coÌ„sydre what tamynge of the fleshe it is to eate ten or twenty maner of fisshes dressed after the costelyest maner and to sytte a cople of houres and to poure in of the beste wyne and ale that may be gotten And at nyght to baÌ„ket w t dewe as they saye of al maner of frutes and confectyons Marmeled Succad Grenegynger Comfettes Suger plate with Malmesay and Romney burnt with Suger Synamond and Cloues wth Bastade Muscadel Ypocras c. Thinke ye not that suche dewes with drinkynge a pece of salt fyshe or a pyckrell dothe not tame the body excedyngly Furthermore that the true entent is away bothe of theyr fastynge and prayers it is euydente fyrste by the multeplyenge of them for when the Iewes hade lost the vnderstandyng of theyr sacryfyces and dyd beleue in the worke then they were mad vpon them that well was he that coulde robbe hym selfe to offer mooste in so muche y t the prophetes cryed out agaynst them that theyr offerynges stanke in the nose of God And oures hade so multeplyed theyr fastynge that they coulde no lenger bere them At the begynnyng they were tollerable for the vauntage Quia leuis est labor cum lucro But when they had purchased ynough and ynough agayne they became intolerable And therfore al our moÌ„kes whose professyon was neuer to eate fleshe set vp the Pope and toke dispensacyons bothe for that faste and also for theyr strayte rules and made theyr strayte rules as wyde as the hodes of theyr cowles And as for the ypocrysy of the fratrye where they eate but inuysible fleshe or that is interprete to be no fleshe is spoken of in other places A nother profe is that they so longe a tyme haue gyuen pardons of the merytes of theyr fastynge as thoughe they had done more then ynoughe for them selues and of that marchaundyse haue gotten al they haue haue brought the knoweledge of Chrystes bloude clene into darckenes And fast of al what shall I say of the open ydolatry of innumerable fastes of S. BraÌ„dons fast S. Patryckes fast of .iiii. holy frydayes of S. Anthones betwene S. Mary dayes of our lady faâ—t euery .vii. yere the same daye that her daye falleth on in marche then begyn or one yere with brede and water and all for what purposes ye knowe well ynoâ—ghe and of suche lyke I trowe ten thousande in the wolde And who hathe rebuked them Se that ye gather you not treasure vpon the erthe where rust and mothes corrupt and where theues breke vp and steale But gather ye you treasure in heueÌ„ where nether rust nor mothes corrupt and wher theues nether breke vp nor steale For where your treasure is there wylbe your hartes also Note the goodly order of Chrystes preachynge Fyrste he restored the true vnsterstandynge of the lawe then the true entente of the workes And here consequeÌ„tly he rebuketh the mortal so and sworne enemy both of true doctryne and true lyuynge whiche is couetousnesse the roâ—e of al euel sayth Paule 1. Tim. 6. Couetousnes is ymage seruyce Collo 3. Yt maketh men to erre from the faythe 1. Tymothe 6. Yt hathe no parte in the kyngdome of Chryst and God Ephe. 5. Couetousnes hardened the harte of Pharao that the faythe of the myracles of God coulde not synke in to it Couetousnesse dyd make Balam which knewe al the truthe of God to hate it and to gyue the most pestilent poyson councell agaynste it that harte coulde ymagyne euen for to destroy it yf it hade bene possyble Couetousnesse taught the false prophetes in the olde testamente to enterprete the lawe of God faslye and to peruerte the meanynge and entente of al the sacrefices and ceremonyes and to sle the true preachers that rebuked them And with theyr false persuasions they dyd leâ—de all the kynges of Israel out of the ryght waye and the most parte of the kinges of Iuda also And Peter in the chapiter