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
beholde oure sigâ—ne and gage whiche we haue receyved 〈◊〉 god wherby he hath promysed vs 〈◊〉 we be his children and that he wil not 〈◊〉 vs. So say I then that by pure faith atâ— oure sinnes be to vs pardoned aÌ„d that 〈◊〉 be the children of god and that we belonâ— to god and that god shall shewe ouer 〈◊〉 his mercy Here vpon receave we a 〈◊〉 that is the signe of baptesme to thiÌ„teÌ„t thaâ— as oâ—ten as we haue regard vnto this signe we shuld be myndefull of the grace 〈◊〉 mercy that god hath done vnto vs thaâ— we belong to god and that we be the chilâ—ren of god Beholde nowe thou seest well whaâ— thinge the baptesme betokeneth it is 〈◊〉 one byfore god yf thou be .lxxx. yere oldâ— or twenty yere olde when thou receavâ— the baptesme for god regardeth not houâ— thou art but with whate purpose aÌ„d â—tencyon and with whate feith thou reâ—avest this baptesme and grace He regarâ—â—th not whether thou be Iue or paynyâ—e man or woman noble or vnnoble bisâ—â—ope or cytezyn But alonly he that with 〈◊〉 parfait faith and trust comyth vnto god 〈◊〉 maketh violence vnto the euerlastynge 〈◊〉 Mat. 26. getteth it as promyseth Iesu christ 〈◊〉 the gospell ¶ Whate thinge we promyse at the Baptesme and whate professyon we make Chaptre iij. WHen one warneth these worldly people to do any good they say let the monkes and religious do it whiche haue promyâ—ed it as though they were not bounde to 〈◊〉 the doctrine of Iesu christ or as thoâ—gh they had nothing promysed All be it â—hat no monke can promyse more then he â—ath promysed at the baptesme And we be moche more bounde vnto 〈◊〉 promyse made at the baptesme then 〈◊〉 eny religious vnto his professyon For we make no promyse vnto man but vnto god and we promyse not to kept the rule of a man but of the gospell Thinke ye noâ— therfore that it is a small thiÌ„g to be a christen when thou hast promysed to Iesuâ— christ to amend thy life ad that thou 〈◊〉 not live according to the worlde nor acoâ—ding to the flesshe It is a greate thing 〈◊〉 enterpryse the Christen faith whiche 〈◊〉 fewe people do knowe whate thing it coÌ„teyneth namely suche as here after 〈◊〉 world do seme to be verey wise lettered But one might say I have nothing promysed to God I was a child let him kepe it that hath promysed for me For this cause to thintent that no man shulde so say it was sumtyme ordeyned that none shulde be baptysed before that he camâ— to vnderstanding and knowlege to thintent that he might promyse him â—ilfe and forsake the devell and that he might knowe what thing he had promysed If it were not that the children were feble in perill of deth theÌ„ thei must haue bin baptized Nowe alweyes albeit that we oure silfe haue not promysed we be allegally bounde to observe it For if thou haddest dyed wheÌ„ thou were but a yere old thou had dest also be saved thou wilt saye ye by the â—aith of my godfathers godmothers aÌ„d 〈◊〉 holy churche I say ageyn doest thou â—fesse that the faith of thy godfathers aÌ„d â—odmothers is so mighty that thou mayst â—erby be saved The same feith is likewiâ—â— mighty to subiect the binde the to that 〈◊〉 that they haue promysed for the 〈◊〉 paine of thi daÌ„pnacioÌ„ losse of thy 〈◊〉 wherfore thou must as well kepe this â—hat thy pareÌ„tes haue promysed for the as â—hough thou haddest promised it thy silfe The godfathers godmothers be bouÌ„d 〈◊〉 warne the childreÌ„ to helpe them that â—hey be put to stole to thintent that they â—ay vnderstoÌ„d the gospell the ioyfull mesâ—age of god with the epistles of S. Paule For the vnlettered simple people be as â—ell bouÌ„de to knowe theÌ„ as the lettered 〈◊〉 And god hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded for to pubâ—â—she to shewe the gospell not allonly to â—restes but also vnto euery creature Go â—e saith Christ vnto his disciples into the â—niuersal world preche the gospell to euery creature Mar. 16 for we be all egally bouÌ„d to â—now the gospell the doctrine of the newe testameÌ„t saint Paule hath not alloÌ„ly â—â—riteÌ„ his pistles vnto the prestes but also Citezyns and housholders And this witnessith saint Paule him silfe wryting vnto the Corinthians and vnto the Galathians â—Cor 1 where he confesseth that he sendeth his epistles to all the church that is to sey to all thassemble of Christen men and to all theym that call on the name of Iesus And vnto the Romayns he saith To you all that be at Rome the frendes of god Ro. 1. And Iesus Christ hath aswell suffered deth for the comon housholder as for the prestes God shall alwayes requyre the scriptures of the prestes for they be ydell and do not study nor make no diligence to declare theym vnto the simple Therfore it is very nedefull that the common people shulde vnderstond the gospell and the doctrine of the apostles according to the lettre aÌ„d that they knowe theÌ„ by hart with the other storyes of the olde testament for so shulde they more lightly vnderstond the preachers It were also very necessary that every one dyd lerne his children to rede as men were wont to do afore tyme. The Iues had they re lawe in Hebrue the whiche euery one myght vnderstond accordynge to the lettre After this the paynems were converted by saint Paule to whome he wrote-in greke whiche they all dyd vndstond After that was Italy and affryque converted where as well the wymen as the men spake latyn for this cause was the byble translated into latyn to thintent that euery one might vnderstond it and they preached in latyn and the prophetes were redde in the Italien churches in latyn And in that tyme there were many ladyes and wymen whiche vnderstode verey well the scriptures as was Paulâ— aÌ„d Eustochium Demetrias and Marcella â— many other of whome wâ—iteth saint Iherome and the comune housholders redde the bible in they re houses with they re children So is it nowe of greate necessite that the holy scripture be translated into all langages or that all the children lerne the latyn tongue Some man wolde sey euery maÌ„ may not set his children to sâ—ole bicause they be poore wherfore I wolde well that the children of the pore were holde to scole at thexpences of the comynaltye or that folkes shulde take the money whiche they spende so outragioâ—â—ly in making and gilding of ymages aÌ„d in dressing the aultres of the churches and in buylding of Monasteris Chanonryes and chapels and founding of Obites and prebendes Or of the money that men offer in churches and of the whiche men make vessels of golde and silver and other precious ornamentes They might enploy this money a thousand folde better if ther with they dyd holde these yong children to scole till suche tyme that
his hoÌ„des thei yeld no thaÌ„kes vnto god as did S. Paul vnto the ColossiaÌ„s Col. â— sayiÌ„g we gyve thaÌ„kes vnto god the father which hath made vs mete for to the partakers of the inheritauÌ„ce of saintes in light whiche hath delyvered vs from the power of derknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his dere sonne in whome we haue redempcion thorowe his bloude that is to sey forgevenesse of sinnes Such people get lest of all and are in many tymes reprobate and forsaken of god Lu. 18 As the Pharisey whiche rehersed vnto god his good workes as though he had not knoweÌ„ theym But if thou wilt haue the kingdome of heven I counsed the that thou trust nothing in thy good workes but that thou be exercising thi silf after thy power in dedes of charite and mercy toward thy christen brother So as oure lord teacheth yn the gospell saying Lu. 17. when ye haue done all that to you is commaunded yet say ye we be vnproufitable servauntes Suche humble opinion and feling must a christen haâ— if he wil be saved For as saint Petre sayeth God resisteth alweyes the proude but vnto the humble he gyveth grace 1. Pe. 5. for god loveth moche more a sinner whyche humbleth him silf axing mercy then one that thinketh that he is holy and that he hath done many good workes exaltynge him silf in theym and thinkinge that God owith to him the kingdome of heven bycause of his good workes For as I haue seyd God will save none for his good workes but he wil save vs all by his mercy to thintent that we shuld thanke hym for it and to thintent that to him alone aÌ„d to his name may be gyven all glory preyse and grace and that all the worlde may prayse and exalte the goodnesse and mercy of him alone Ro. 3 For saint Paule saieth that the rightuonsnesse that cometh of god ys declared without the fulfillinge of the lalawe and for this cause wold God suffre none to come into euerlasting lyfe byfore the comyng of Iesus christ nether Abraham Isaac nor David Ro. 3 For as saint paule seyth they all haue sinned and lacke the preyse that is of valure byfore God and this he wolde also to thintent that bothe they and we shuld also knowe that all they that haue obteyned or shal opteyne helth haue and shall opteyne it by the deth of Iesu christ and not by they re rightuousnesse or workes for if eny might haue bin saved by his workes Abraham and David had come to heven byfore the comyng of Iesu christ But God wolde it not to thintent that we shuld knowe that all oure helth lyeth in the deth of Iesu Christ which by his mercy he hath suffred for vs There is none other wey for to come to everlastiÌ„g life but by Iesu Christ crucyfied for vs. And therfore we must put all oure trust in God alone we shall take all oure comfort of God onely calling vppon his mercy in this maner O dere lord god almighty I poore sinner confesse byfore thy dyvine pâ—â—ssaunce that by my sinnes I haue deserved the everlasting deth of hell by thy grete iustice But alweyes I take hope and comfort in thy godly promesse wherby thou saydest in thy gospell He that beleveth in the sonne of god shall haue everlasting life Iohn 3 for this cause I poore sinner come toward the dere lord Iesu christ whiche art the onely fontayne of mercy not trusting in my good workes which be but stinkiÌ„g byfore the nor in any worldly thing but onely in the alone for thou alone art the wey the trouth and the lyfe And I pray the that vnto me poore sinnar thou wilt do thy grace and mercy Amen So shall the christeÌ„ huÌ„ble him silf vnderstoÌ„d of hiÌ„silf of his good workes Esaie 64 for as saieth Esai all oure iustice is as it were the clothe of a womaÌ„ suffering the floures God hath saved none by his workes but onely by his divine grace mercy As teacheth saint Paule Ephe. â— ye are saved by grace thorowe faith that not of your silf And if it be by grace as saieth saint Paule ageyn then is it not by the deservinge of workes for then were grace no grace Ro. 1â— Hereby mayst thou perceive that god wil that oure helth come of his grace and mercy and not of oure deservâ—nges For if any may deserve heven by his workes then is it no grace or gift of god but it is vet wages And then god of him silf giveth it not vnto vs but we get it as for vauntes that serve for wages And that can be by no meanes for saint Paule teacheth vs in many places that we be iustified haue obteined helth by the grace of god not by oure good workes but by oure feith for it is a gift of god not hyres or wages for laboure Ephe. â— to thinteÌ„t that we shuld not esteme that we had saved ouresilves for s. Paule saith wheÌ„ we were dede by sinne he hath quickened vs with christ wherfore we shall not glorifie iÌ„ oure silves but iÌ„ god alone for god will not that we serche hiÌ„ for wages as servauntes But he will that we shall love him as children they re father and that we serve him by love without desiringe eny thing but to please him for he him silf hath seid to his apostles Iohn 15 I call you not nowe servauntes but frendes Psal. 21 And Christ hath said by the prophete to his hevenly father I will shewe thy name to my brethereÌ„ And ageyn to his apostles Mat. 23 Call ye no man father on the erth for ye haue one father in heâ—en And therfore hath Iesu christ not learned vs to pray Oure lord whiche arte in heven Mat. 6 but oure father for we be his children and if we be the children of god we be his heyres as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 8 ¶ To whome the grace of god is gyuen Chaptre .vij. ONe myght axe Is thys grace of god gyven to every body Nay but it is gyven to all theym that beleve And all they that beleve in Iesu christ in suche maner as we haue byfore declared and shall all declare more pleynly they be the children of god as wryteth saint Iohn in the gospell saying Iohn 1 Unto as many as receyved him gave he power to be the sonnes of god in that they beleved yn his name And as sayeth saint Paule He that comith to god must beleve that he ys God and that he is a rewarder of theym that seke him Hebre. 1â— Therfore we haue seid that all the newe testament doth teache vs principally none other thing but faith and trust in Iesu christ and therfore the feith is the foundacion of Christendome For this cause if thou wilt that the passion aÌ„d grace of christ be to thy socoure and proufit
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
it behoveth that thou beleve him stedfastly without ony maner waveringe to thinten that thou knowe that it is all grace and not deserving and that the wordes and promyses of god be verey certein and true for god hath called vs his children as saint Paule saieth Because that ye are sonnes god hath sent the sprite of hys sonne into oure hertes crying Abba father Then arte thou nowe no servaunt but a sonne Gala. 4 and if thou be a sonne then art thou also heyre of god by christ aÌ„d so be we delyvered from oure sinnes and from the bondage of the devell and made heyres of the kingdome of heven by the benefit of Iesu christ He beleveth in god that putteth all his trust and hope in god and in the iustice of god living after his power accordinge to the rule of charite having no maner hope nor trust in the world in his good works or good life but alonly in the goodnesse of god and in the merites of Iesu christ beleving certeynly that god will hold to hym that he hath promysed remission of sinnes and certeynte of everlasting life He that doth so is a true christen and beleveth stedfastly that the wordes of god must nedes be true Notwithstanding that according to his workes he thinketh it a thing ympossible Neverthelesse he beleveth that he shal be saved without deservinge of any good workes rather then the wordes of god and all thinges that they do promyse shuld not come to passe As writeth saynt Paule of Abraham which beleved rather that his wife whiche was bareyne out of thage of generacyon shuld conceyve a childe rather theÌ„ the promyse of god shuld not be fulfilled And by this fayth was Abraham reputed iuste byfore God not by his good workes So behoveth it that euery christen do albeit that it seme to him ympossible to be saved bycause he hath done no good he shall neverthelesse stykke stedfastly vnto the goodnesse and mercy of God and vnto hys worde yn suche maner that he doubt not yn nothyng Lu. 2â— For Christ sayeth in Saynt Luke Heven and erth shall passe but my worde shall never passe Of this sayth wryteth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 10. whosoever shall call on the name of the lord God shal be saved He therfore that calleth vppon hym on whome he beleveth not that he may helpe hym loseth but his laboure Therfore thou must first beleve in hym And then if thou call vppon hym with suche a fayth as we haue spoken of thou shalt be saved Of this fayth speaketh also the prophete Esaie as recyâ—eth Saynt Paule the apostle yn the forseyd Chaptre All they that beleue yn hymshall not be ashamed And ageyn saint Paule Ro. 10 If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and that thou beleue with a perfaict herte that God hath reised christ froÌ„ deth thou shalt be saved And the word that Christ preched first as recyteth Saint Marke was The tyme is full come and the kingdome of god is evyn at honde repent and beleve the gospell Mar. 1 Of this faith writeth lyke wise saint Iohn and they be the wordes of Christ vnto Nicodemus as Moyses lift vp the serpent in wildernesse even so must the sonne of man be lift vp that no man that beleveth in him perisshe but haue eternall life Iohn 3 God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely sonne for the entent that none that beleve in him shuld perisshe but shuld haue everlasting life And a lytell after he that beleveth in him shall not be coÌ„dempned and ageyn in the same chaptre He that beleveth on the sonne hath everlasting life and he that beleveth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrathe of god abideth vppon him By all these escriptures here maist thou see that we be all the children of God alonly thorowe faith and this had God lever promyse vnto vs bicause of oure faith then bicause of oure good workes to thintent that we shuld be so moche the more certeyn of oure helth And therfore saith saint Paule by faith is the enheritaunce gyven that it might come of grace that the Ro. 4. promyse be sure and stedfast to all the seade for if god had said whosoever will do suche or suche workes shal be saved we shuld ever haue byn iÌ„certeyn whether we shuld haue byn saved or not for we shuld never haue knowen whether we had dogood ynough to haue deserved the lyfe eternall But nowe god hath promysed it vnto vs bicause of oure faith by hys favoure not by oure workes to thintent that we be the more sure therof For let vs beleve stedfastly and we may knowe for certeyn that we be the childreÌ„ of god Not that we haue deserved it but bycause he hath promysed it And it must nedes be that the word of god be true for this cause if we haue perfeit trust in god and beleve perfeitly in him we shal be sure that we shal be saved It was suche a feith that saint Paule had when he seid 2. Ti. â— I knowe and am sure that he to whome I haue coÌ„mitted and gyven my gage to kepe ys mighty ynough to kepe it for me tyll that day And ageyn I haue fought a good batayl 2. Ti. 4. I haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the faith from hensforth is leyd vp for me a crowne of rightuousnesse whiche the lord that is a rightuous iudge shall give me at that day Not vnto me onely but vnto all theym whiche love hys coming 1. Ioh. 3 And saint Iohn saieth Derely beloved nowe are we the sonnes of God And yet it hath not appered whate we shal be we knew that wheÌ„ he shal appere we shal be like hiÌ„ for we shal see hiÌ„ as he is This faith had also saynt Martine at the houre of his deth when he saide vnto the devell whye art thou here thou bloudy beest thou hast nought in me the seed of Abraham shall receyve me This suertye had likewise saint Imbrose when one axed hym if he feared not the deth he answered whye shuld I feare seyng that we haue one so good a lordâ— For this cause must we love the deth and more desyre to dye aÌ„d to be with god as dyd saint Paule then to feare the deth Phi. 1 for Iesu christ is deede for vs to thintent that we shuld not feare to dye And he hath flayne the deth and hath destroyed the streynght of deth as writeth saint Paule saying 1. Cor. 15 O deth where is thy victory It is swalowed and brought to nought by victory Phi. 1 And vnto the Philippyans Christ is my life and deth is to me advauntage ¶ Howe that feith bryngeth Charyte and Charyte good workes Chaptre .viij. NOwe might one axe when I beleve certeynly that I am the childe of god that Iesu christ hath satisfied for me vnto hys hevenly father
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
making obeysaunce with the hede kneling or in eny other outward thing semblable As testifieth saint Paule vnto the Romains saying The kingdome of god is nother mete nor drinke but it is rightuousnesse peace and ioy in the holy goost If thy hart and entent seche none other thing but the honour and will of God if thou reioyse that thou maist do and suffer all thing for the love of god then art thou sure that thou lovest God and that he loveth the. This let every religious kâ—owe that he may not thinke that he shal be iustified by his outward workes or that he is eny thing better then the seculer man As at this day god amend it we se that many religious esteme theym silves so holye as though they alone were christen And herof many tymes the seculers are cause whiche playne they re life when they behold the life of the religious They prayse the state of religion bicause they regard onely the outward workes and pleyne that god hath not called theym to suche a life wheÌ„ the religious here this they glorifie heryn trust in they re workes and thinke that it is even so and that they be more holy theÌ„ the other This is the most daungerous temptacyon that a religious may haue for by this temptacyon they beginne many tymes to trust and abyde vppoÌ„ they re good workes notwithstonding that they be often done ageynst they re will whiche can never be good As at this day we se howe many monkes and nonnes lyve in they re cloysters ageynst their will And all that they do procedeth from an hart constreyned and not voluntary And out dare thâ—y not go for shame bicause they haue otherwâ—se promysed And they curse oftymes all evill to theym that haue counceyled theym and brought theym into that religyon aud wolde fayne that they re cloyster were buâ—ned And so be they never content in they re hart nether can finde eny rest of conscience and be then moche ferther from god then they were wheÌ„ they were seculers Suche people oftymes do many evelles toward theym silves by impacience and rebellion ageinst god They do nothing by love that they haue to god or bycause that they beleve theym silves to be the childreÌ„ of god but onely by constreynt and ageynst they re will And when they must dye they trust and stikke vppon suche workes by theim done ageynst they re hartes and by constraynt of they re ordre and thinke even thus Behold dere lord my life hath byn to me hard and bitter I haue oftymes had evill will I haue alweyes abiden in my Cloyster I haue kept myn ordre I haue valiantly fought vnto the ende gyve me nowe the crowne of glorye and the everlasting lyfe In all the worlde ys there not a more daungerous synne then this perversyte and ypochrisye It were better for suche people to voyde from they re cloyster For synners knowyng they re synnes and requyryng pardone and grace be receyved vnto grace where as suche ypochrites are reproved of god As we may sein the gospell where god received vnto grace Marye Magdaleine saint Mathew the good theef and meny other open sinnars But he hath lest the scribes and phariseys in they re blyndnesse whiche trusted on they re workes Ye fathers and mothers behold well whate ye do when ye put your children in to religion For ye are causes of all they re sinnes And it suffiseth theim not to lyve alone in suche abusion bâ—t they teache it theim silves vnto other whome they write in theire confraynes and make theÌ„ participant of theire good workes which procede often from an evill willed sprite whiche can never be good bifore god for God will no constreined service Nether is there any worke agreable vnto god but suche as procede from faith charite and out of a willing hart And if God wold haue suche a constreyned service he wold constreyne the devels to pray moche to syng moche to watche moche and to do suche other thinges But god will none of oure workes when he hath not oure hertes And all the workes that we do daily be agreabill vnto god if with all oure hartes we love hiÌ„ beleve and trust in him And all the workes done without suche faith and loue be sinne and dampnabill bifore god aÌ„d if we sâ—ikke vppon theim as though they were good workes And so were it better for the to go out of thy cloyster and to be an open sinnar and to knowlege thy misdoing bifore god as did the publican then so for to trust vnto thy workes as though god for theim did owe vnto the the kingdome of heven But thou saiest I haue promysed it I must abide Iudi. 11. Mar. 6 I sey ageyne None is boâ—nde to hold a promyse whiche is contrarie vnto his helth as did Iepte and Herode whiche had byn better to breke they re othes then to holde theire promyses For none may promise nor holde a thing that is coÌ„trary vnto hys helth S. Fraunceis and saint Dominike had lever that thou were saved in keping the gospel then daÌ„pned trusting vppon thy workes And it is better to be shamed here bifore the worlde then bifore god But whate is it that thou hast promysed when thou madest thy profession hast thou promised that thou wilt not live after the promise that thou hast made at thy baptesme Thoâ— saiest nay But therfore saiest thou I am entred into religion for the better to fulfill the promyse made at baptesme Then whan thou perceyvest that thou livest worse in the monasterye then thou didest when thou were seculer whiâ— darest thou not take ageyn the life astate wherin thou maist worke better for thy helth without offending any parsone but rather amend other Or if thou be entred into religion for to seche the helth of thy soule and findest there more noise envye drinking bankettes diuisions hatredes then from whens thou camest thou maist alweyes sey I am come hyther to amend my lyfe And I finde that I waxe daily worse therfore I will goo there I may amend my life and serve God with more grete rest of conscience Therfore I tell the that it is better to live well in the world then yll in the monasterie to trust vppon thy good workes But thou must thinke not to leve the cloister to haue libertie and carnall pleasure but onely to serve God more frely as saieth Saint Paule Give not youre libertie an occasion vnto the flesshe And none can give the better knowlege herof Ga. 5. then thine ownr conscience when thou axest it counceil for it deceyveth none but saith alwey manifestly the trouth The world hath likewise his daungiers and his perilles and it is impossible to live in the world without sinne Therfore when the religious seith that he may be saved in his cloister â—er hym abide there although he haue there moche to suffre But when thou percey vest that in thy
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
and Idolaâ—rous The poore were not wont byforeâ—yme to axe almesse For they that were stronge were compelled to laboure and â—he old ympotent poore widowes and orâ—hantes were kept and susteyned of the taâ—le of the poore whiche they called the treâ—sure of the churche as teacheth 1. Cor. 16 S. Pauâ—e wryting vnto the Corinthiens counceyâ—ing theym to assemble a treasure for the poore This was also institute of thappoâ—â—les to thintent that the infideles that weâ—e conversaunt emong the Christen shuld not mocke the Christen when they sawe theym haue disease saying that there was â—o Charyte emong the Christen bycause they did not socoure the one the other therfore they axed none almesse at that tyme If were also good nowe at this day thaâ— we shuld not suffer theym that be yong strong parsones abill to get they re living to axe almesse for the worlde is full of suche idell people Oure lorde both nowe at this day thâ—â—silf same miracles that he did when he sedâ— suche a grete nombre of people with .v. loves and .ij. fisshes albeit that by oure vnkindnesse we regard it not Mat. 14 for there are â—â—ve parties of the people in the worlde and one parte of the same .v. partes nourissheth and kepeth the other .iiij. The first partye be prestes monkes chanons freres and clerkes They get nothing but spende all The secunde are the lordes counceylours governours of contreys and other ryche people that lyve of theyr rentes The thirde be auncyent people impotent and children The .iiij. be men of warre theves murtherars ruffiens comon wymen and baudes All these get nothing but spende all The .v. ce comon Cytesins artificers â—nd husbondmeÌ„ that by they re labour get â—heyre owne expences and also thexpences of the other .iiij. partes And so it behoveâ—h that one parsone must nourisshe fyve If it were not that god provideth merueyâ—â—usly for oure necessite howe shulde it be possible For this cause have I saied that the life of Cytesins housholders and husbondmen is moste holsome after the gosâ—ell It behoveth alweyes that the housâ—older come in socoure vnto his neighbour â—nd that he serve him and comfort him as I haue seid bifore by charite For we beâ—l bretheren togyther and membres of oâ—e body And therfore shall the good christen be as sory of the hurt of his neyghboâ—â— as of his owne Ro. â—â— As saieth saint Paule Reioyse you with theym that be ioyfull wepe with theym that wepe And if thou knowe that thy neyghbour is of evell life and that he give evill â—â—sample vnto other God commaundeth â—he in the Gospell that first thou shalt war Mat. 1◠〈◊〉 him bytwene him and the alone sweteâ—y praying him that he wilâ— amend hym And if he here the and obey vnto thy coâ—nceyte Iesus Christ saieth that thou hasâ— wonne thy brother But if he will not here the thou shalt call .ij. or .iij. frendes and shalt reprove him in they re presence And if he will not yet obey thou shalt tell it saieth Christ unto the congregacion that he may be openly reproved And yf he yet abide obstynate not wylling to amend hym then shalt thou take hym foâ— an hethen and publique synnar This is the brotherly reprehension the whiche Christ hath lerned vs in the gospell Somâ— man wold say if I shulde do thus to my christen brother he wolde be angry wyth me and fight with me I tell the to avoyde that thou shalt be ware to warne hym dispitefully or in mocking him But thou shalt pray him swetely and brotherly shewing him howe that a christen shulde lyve And if of adventure he slewe the in sâ—che a case thou shuldest dye for the trouth as did saint Iohn baptist so were thou Mat. 14 Iohn 14 goddes marter for god is the trouth The housholder shal laude rendre graces not onely bicause that he is descended from aâ— highe riche or noble linage but also bicause that he hath made him to be borne in suche astate that he is fayne to get his brede with his laboure For that is the life of a verey christen But he shall not put hys trust therin at tall as though he were therfore better then an other for albeit that yn this mater he kepe the commaundement of God It ys possyble that he kepyth yt not yn other thynges wherfore we must alweyes be verey studyous to abide in humylite God myght nourisshe vs without oure laboure as he nourisshed the .v. thousand persones in the wildernesse and might kepe vs well without having so many occupacioÌ„s in the world But he hath so ordeyned it for to entreteyne to move charyte emong the christen bicause that the one hath nede of the socoure of the other as the baker of the brewer and likewise the brewer of the baker and so of other occupacions to thintent that we shulde so serve ayde the one the other by love aÌ„d that we shulde not be idell And therfore shall the housholder and every craftes man do hys laboure diligently and ioyfully yn tourning all his laboure to the honoure of God beleving that in doing his businesse by suche a good intencion he serveth god that his laboure pleaseth god and that by Iesus Christ in whome he beleveth and trusteth All were it so that ye knowe that ye shulde dye that day ye shall abide at your laboure surely beleving that your laboure is plesaunt vnto god Thou shalt thinke that thou maist not do thy laboure for covense for to waxe riche for to eate drinke delicatly or for to haue good tymes For when thou labourest with suche an intent thy labour is not acceptable to god but is grete offence And if percase thou waxe riche without care therfore thou shalt thanke god and vse it to his honoure but thou shalt not laboure principally to be ryche Nether shalt thou reioyse of thy richesse Nether if thou be pore thou shalt not therfore be sory but shalt do thy laboure truely recommending all to the will of god that he make the poore or ryche after that he knoweth to be helthfull vnto the. Thou shalt not be a bringer vp of newe facyoned garnementes for hereby is the people many tymes enduced vnto sinne vnto the losing of grete expences lost yn waste But thou maist say If I will haue it an other shall make it and then am I not fynder of the newe facyon I tell thâ— ageyn that none shall make it for if thou woldest not make it nor none other it wolde abide vnmade well ynough For thys is not taught for one or .ij. but for all the worlde Thou shalt not dâ—spende thy goodes vnproufitably in making sumptuous buildinges or bying of costly housholde for vaine glory or in making to precyous clothes or in delicate metes or drinkes For all that thou doest thus spende outragiously thou robbest it from god and froÌ„ the poore Thou maist not abuse thy goodes as thou