do with vs ▪ for we be his we live or dye saith saint Paule Ro. 14. For this cause he that with a stedfast faith suffereth and endureth paciently all thinges tribulacions is a christen And this is the faith and the stedfast stone vppon the whiche the cristente is founded For in this doing we beleve ād trust stedfastly that god is oure father and that he will not forsake vs albeit that nowe he do here chastise vs for as I haue sayd there can be no more certayn signe that god loveth the. thē whē sorowe and tribulacion happeneth vnto the. for all the scriptures of the newe testament promyse vs here nothing but sorow and sufferaunce ¶ Of the most certayn weye to come to salvacyon Chaptre v. THis must euery Christē knowe that none syns the tyme of Adam vnto this day hath deserved the euerlasting life by his good workes And that none by his good workes shall deserve it Hebre. 7 as writeth saint Paule vnto the Hebrewes The lawe hath brought nothing vnto perfection wherfore all they do erre that thinke that then they shal be saved whē they haue done many good workes And like wise all they that thinke that they shal be dampned when they have done no good For good workes make no mā certeyn that he shal be saved And he that hath done no good is not also certeyn that he shal be dampned The workes can gyve no maner certeynte For the Pharisey that had done moche good whiche loked for grete reward of god was reproved and despised Luke ◠As writeth saint Luke where the pharisey thanked god that he was not as other were extorcioners vniust aduoutrers nor as the publican was and bosted him silf of his good workes And the publican that had done no good and confessed mekely his sinnes was of God receyved vnto grace for this cause to thintent that euery man may knowe that god hath no nede of oure good workes for to save vs with all I will declare here first how we be iustified and obteyne helth First we must knowe that by the originall sinne we were made subiectes and servauntes vnto the devell and none yn the world mought helpe vs for all mankinde was dettoure vnto God And that worse was we did not knowlege oure mysery nor are socoure of god Then when there was no comforte nor meane to helpe vs and to deliver vs ageyne from the subiection of the devell Oure god almightye by his greate mercy and goodnesse of him silf hath willingly suffred that his onely begotten son Iesu Christ was made mortall man for vs to thintent that by his deth whiche he had not deserved he might by vs ageyn and delyuer vs from eternal deth wherunto we were all subiectes As writeth saint Paule saying Ro. 5 If it be so that by the sinne of one man that is to sey of Adam deth hath reygned vppon many moche more the grace of god and the gyft of grace of one man Iesuchrist aboundeth vppon many Ephe. 2 And vnto the Ephesians Blessed be God father of oure lorde Iesu christ whiche hath blessed vs with a spirituall benediction by his son Christ. Thus is this grace comen hoelly to vs from god of his goodnesse and not by oure meryte or good workes For we dyd not knowlege oure bondage and subiectyon nor dyd not ones desyre to be delyvered from oure myserye Then for asmoche as the devell dyd se◠honde vppon Chryst to whome he had no right for bicause he had not sinned christ hath gotten right vppon vs agaynst the devell and hath made vs fre and delyvered vs and we be made his heyres and all his glory is ours as saint Paule doth largely declare in all his epistles This hath God gyven vs without oure deservyng and we nede not to laboure for these thinges For we haue all this alredy As witnessith saynt Iohn saying Iohn ◠Behold whate love the father hath shewed on vs that we shuld be called the children of God And in the same chapter sayeth he Derely beloved nowe are we the children of god This helth hath god gyven to vs willingly by hys sonne Iesu Christ. For Iesu Christ ys bycome man to satisfie vnto hys father for vs and to make oure peace with hys father Ro. 3 And as writeth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns sayīg we be iustified frely by the grace of God and by the redempcyon whyche ys in Iesu Christ. So ys Christ made a mediator and a peace maker bywene God the father and man As sayeth saynt Paule vnto the Hebrewes he may make theym safe for ever that come vnto god by hym Hebre. 7 he is allweyes lyving for to praye for vs Suche an hyghe prest it becometh vs to haue whiche is holy harmles vndefiled separat from sinners and made hygher thē hevens And by his deth it is graūted vs that we be christen and children of God Gala. 3. As lyke wise teacheth saint Paule saying Ye are all the children of God by the faith whiche is in Iesu christ And for asmocheas Iesu christ is made man he is also made oure brother And seyng we be his bretheren we be also heyres of his glory whiche he hath with his father as sayth saint Paule vnto the Romayns whiche hath not spared his owne sonne Ro. 8. but hath gyvē him for vs all howe shall he not also gyue vnto vs all thinges with him We be then sure that all that is Iesu Christes is ours if we can beleve it Some man mought demaund Hath god the father willingly gyven vs all this hath none deserved it No truely None hath deserved it None by his deserving or good workes hath enduced god to do this But he hath done it of him silf and by his greate mercy Hiere 3◠as saieth the prophete Ieremy In a perpetuell charite I haue loved the And therfore haue I had compassion on the and haue taken the to mercy Iohn 3. And Iesu christ saieth in the gospell of saint Iohn God hath so loved the world that he hath gyven his onely begotten sonne to thintent that whosoever beleve yn him shuld not perisshe but haue everlastīg life as wryteth S. Paule If a lawe had byn gyven which might haue iustified the iustice shuld haue byn truely of the lawe Gala. ◠But the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne to thintent that the promyse shuld be gyven vnto the belevers by fayth And vnto the Romayns If God be for vs who is he that may be againste vs as though he wold saye Ro. 7. None for we haue receyved all thing of god with his sonne But whate thing haue we receyved this lybertye from the subiection of the devell that is remission of all sinnes that ys the ioy and glory of the everlastinge life And this hath god gyven vnto vs by his sonne as saint Paule sayeth vnto the Hebruwes The bloude of Christ whiche by the holy
bifore seyde Fourthly all they that be not yet christen belong vnto the kingdome of the worlde and be vnder the lawe In this nombre are all the evill christen whiche seke nought elles but all worldly pleasure and are called christen but they are not so Seyng then that there be so fewe good Christen and so many evill people god hath gyven vnto the same evill out of the Christen astate and out of his kingdome an other regyment and governaunce and hath put theym vnder the swerde that is to sey vnder the seculer power and cyvill ryght to thintent that they may not accoÌ„plisshe they re malice when they wolde As a myschevous wylde best is tyed with chaynes and bondes that he may nether bite nor stryke after his nature albeit that he wolde saine accoÌ„plisshe hys evel nature whiche is not nedefull vnto a gentill tame best for without the cheynes and without bondes he doth noue evill to no man If it were not thus bicause that there be many mâ— evill persones yn the worlde theÌ„ good aÌ„d that the good do not resist evill the one wolde devoure and put the other to destruction yn suche facyon that none shulde be abill to kepe nether wife nor children nether yet be abill to maynteyn hym silf And by suche meane shulde the worlde yn contynuaunce become wast aÌ„d with out inhabitauntes For this cause hath god ordyned these .ij. governemeÌ„tes The spirituall the whiche maketh christen and good persones by the holy gost vnder the king of that kingdome Iesus christ And the seculer gouernaunce the whiche â—â—ostreyneth the evell parsones to kepe outward peace and to be tame ageynst they re will Rom. Thus teacheth vs saint Paule to vnderstond the swerd and seculer instice saying the prynces are not to be feared to theym that be good but vnto theym that be evill Nowe if eny man wold governe the world that is to sey the evill only after the gospell and cause to cease all worldly lawe and iustice saying that they are baptised and christen to whome the swerde of iustice nedeth not Unto theym may be answered Hit is of a truth that the true christen haue no nede of ryght nor of the swerde for they re iustifying But do your dyligence to fulfill the worlde with true christen bifore that you governe theym christenly aÌ„d after the gospell whiche shal be verey hard for you to do For the worlde is all gyven to synne and starcely can they abide good christen They are not all christen that are baptised and called christen Therfore it is not possible vnto the worlde to observe and kepe a comon christen governaunce namely also yn the iuddes of a grete comonte for the evill are alweys more yn nombre then the good feithfull For this cause to governe a cuntrey after the gospell without the swerde of iustice is as though a man wolde put togyther yn a stable heries wolves lyons shepe and other lyke and to suffre all these bestes to be conversaunt togyther the one with the other howe long I pray you shuld they haue peace to gyther the one with the other Ye howe long shuld the poore shepe lyve we therfore must nedes haue here bothe these governementes The spirituall or evaâ—gelye all bicause it iustifieth aÌ„d bryngeth helth The other bicause it entreteyneth and holdeth peace The one is not sufficient in the worlde without the other For without the spirituall governement of Iesus christ can none be saved nor iustified bifore god by the worldly regyment So may ye perceyve that the rule or governemeÌ„t of christ hath not lordship over all persones For the true christeÌ„ be alweys lesse yn nombre aÌ„d be yn the middes among the not christen as a rose emong the thornes Then where as the worldly governaunce reyneth every where alone there can be none other thiÌ„g but ypocrysye For without having the holy goost yn the hert can none be made ryghtuous nor saved Lykewyse where the spirituall governaunce reyneth every where alone there is perversite vnbrydeled aÌ„d vnbound redy for to accoÌ„plisshe all malice for the worlde caÌ„ not vnderstoÌ„d the spirituall governaunce bicause that it fyghteth onely by the swerde of the spryte whiche is the worde of god And vseth none other swerde Nowe seest thou well whate the wordes of onre savioure christ meane whiche we haue recyted bifore where he sayeth that the christeÌ„ shall drawe nomaÌ„ yn to iustice and that they shall not resist evill He speketh that onely of hys dere christeÌ„ the whiche alone take it ynto they re hartes aÌ„d also do it alone for so are thy enolyned aÌ„d disposed by vertue of the holy gost workiÌ„g yn they re hartes that they do harme to nomaÌ„ but suffer williÌ„gliÌ„ evell wrong of every maÌ„ Then if all the worlde were suche christeÌ„ all persones wolde kepe egally this peassible coÌ„maâ—n demeÌ„tes all thing wold they do accordiÌ„g theruÌ„to But nowe because thy be not christen the word of god entreth not ynto they re hertes nor they do not according ther vnto and therfore they apperteyne vnto the other seculer governaunce wher by the not christen be constreyned to kepe peace outwardly and to do none evill For this cause hath not Iesus christ â—orne the swerde nor ordined it yn hys spirituall kingdome for he is king over all the true christen ad governeth without swerde and without ony outward lawe onely by the holy goost working inwardly yn the hert of man And albeit that god hath ordeâ—ned the seculer swerde for the correction of the evill yet he hath not vsed it for iâ— belongeth not vnto hys kingdome yn the whiche kingdome there are none but suche as be good aÌ„d iust And for this cause mought not david bilde the tempel of god bicause he had shed moche blode aÌ„d vsed the swerde not that he had done evill or vnryghtuousnesse but bicause he myght not yn this thing be a figure of Ephe. 5. Christ whiche shuld haue a kingdome peasible and without swerde But god commaunded to solomon whiche had a peasible kingdome to bilde the temple for Salomon is as moche to saye as peasible by the whiche kingdome of the verey Salomon Iesu christ mought be figured and signified Moreover yn all the edificatioÌ„ of the temple of god was never herd stroke of Iron nor of hamer nor of Axe nor king 6. of none other lyke thing as it is writen yn the therd boke of kinges yn the .vi. chaptre All these thinges here sigrufied that Iesus Christ shulde haue yn his kingdome a people willing to serve hym without constreynt without commaundementes without swerde Esa. 1â— This was also bifore prophesied by Esaie saying They shall not hurt and shall not sle yn all my holy mountaigne Asâ—o yn his secunde chapitre They shall tourne they re swordes ynto cultres and they re speres ynto sythes The one shall not lyst vp a swerde ageiÌ„st the other and they shal be
¶ The summe of the holye scripture and ordinarye of the Christen teachyng the true Christen faithe by the which we be all iustified And of the vertue of baptesme after the teaching of the Gospell and of the Apostles with an informacyon howe all estates shulde lyve accordynge to the Gospell Anno. M. CCCCC.XXIX Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber SEing that all persones can not rede or vnderstonde all bokes to th eÌ„tent that every man may knowe whate ys the foundacyon of all the scriptures and whate thinge they do teache vs. I haue shortly compyled in this present boke the foundacyon and the somme of the holy scripture of the which the hede and princypall is the faith â—from whome procede hope and charite To thintent that euery maÌ„ may knowe whate he shall beleve whate he shall hope whye he shall love god and howe god is oure father and we hys children and howe that we be enheriters of the kingdome of god as shewith vnto vs saint Paul in all his epistles in divers chaptersâ— whiche be many tymes alleged and recyted in this present boke Also howe that without oure merites we be iustified to thintent that we shuld not put oure trust in oure good workes as dyd the Iues. Neverthelesse albeit that I wryte in this boke that God iustifieth vs wyth out oure good workes and merites it ys not myne entent to discounsell eny maÌ„ to do good werkes but myne euient is to teche all persones howe they shall do the werkes and that they shall not trust vpoÌ„ theire good werkes nor in theym to seke theire helâ—â—â— â–ª but all only in the feith of Iesu Christ and in the grace of god This faith had Abraham as writeth saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 4. For Abraham beleved agaynst hope in hope That is to saye that whiche by mannes nature and vertue was impossible he beleved alwayes hit shulde come to passe evyn as god had promysed them So must every christen lyve ageinste hope in hope that is to sey hit behoveth that he repute all his good workes for sinne and thinke that if god wolde iudge him accordinge to his workes he might not be saved For if I haue done eny good hit is of God and not of me for I haue done it by the grace of God and therby I deserve no reward And if I haue done eny thinge of my silfe without the grace of god hit is ypochrisye and greate sinne and therby I deserve euerlastinge deth wherfore then shall I trust in my good workes for I haue no good workes all my goodnesse belongeth to god So shulde a christeÌ„ huÌ„ble him silfe and repute all his good workes for sinne as truely they be As sheweth vnto vs Esaye saying all oure rightuousnes be as a clothe polluted with the floures af a woman Esa. 64 â–ª And when the person so distrusteth of him silfe and of his good workes he shall hope agayn ageinst hope and shall trust in the mercy of God and shall beleve forth on certaynly that he shal be saved bycause of the worde of God For god hath promysed to vs his realme to all theym that trust in him and god is faithfull and veritable in his wordes wherfore seyng that god hath promysed it vnto vs â–ª let vs beleve it stebfastly and haue ferme fayth that we shal be saved not by oure deserving but by the promyses of god And so it behoveth that euery christen dispere aÌ„d hope as dyd Abraham dispeyre of him silfe and then a newe to trust in the worde of god And these be the two thinges which the lawe and the gospell doth The lawe maketh vs to dispeyre because that we never fulfill the coÌ„maundementes of god â–ª These gospell that is to say the grace of the newe testament maketh vs agayn certeynly to hope and to trust And for to teache these two thynges be wrytten all the criptâ—res The parson shall alweyes abideâ—â— humylyte and alweyes thynke that if god wolde iudge hym according to hys workes he shulde never come vnto helth As sheweth vnto vs Iesus christe in Lu. 17 S. Kuke sayng when ye haue done all the thinges whiche to you are commauded say ye we be vnprousitable servauntes we haue done but oure dutye And thys is the verey Christen humylite as in this present boke shal be more pleynly declared And if we can thus repute all oure good workes for sinne aÌ„d in theym to have no maner of trust and then ageyn beleve that we shal be saved by the promyses of god we be the children of Abraham of whome all the scriptures bere witnesse that by his faith he was iustified and gat helth And for that cause he is called the father of belevers and of the feithfull And this ys the fayth wherof I wryte here iÌ„ this boke to thintent that all parsones myght come to knowledge and knowe whate ys the Christen sayth Of the whyche all the scriptures do speake and namely the Gospell after S. Iohn and the epistles of S. Paule for heryn do these two apostles coÌ„prehend all other scripture And for bicause that it behoueth that the parson beleve that his faith iustifieth him and not his workes I haue shortly compyled here and declared howe the fayth doth iustifie vs and howe we be the children of God and howe we must serve oure father by charite and howe that we shalt nothyng doubt of oure helth bycause of the wordes of God And when a parson getteth thys hope he learneth to bere pacyenly all tribulacyon and adversite For he knoweth that this lyfe ys not hys lyfe and hath greate desyre aftrr the other lyfe and holdeth not this lyfe for hys And this maketh the fayth the whiche ys alwayes affectuously attendaunte after Christ oure espouse But he that hath not this fayth is all desolate when he hath mysfortune and yf to hym yt happon well he gyveth hym silfe to voluptuosite and sinne And for bicause he hath no hope of the everlasting life he thinkes in him silf I will vse this life as long as it is leÌ„t me And that he doth bicause he knoweth not whate oure feith is whate our hope is howe that we be the children of God To thintent therfore that none gyue him silfe to sinne by desperacion I have shortly compyled in this present boke howe that we be iustified with out oure merites For when eny parson hath done his best with all his power as I haue seyd then let him say yet that he is an vnproufitable servaunt And the humble her te wherby he knowlegith his imperfection maketh that his sinnes his evell thoughtes and the fragilite of his flesshe to him be pardoned of god and that lytell that he hath god gyveth it him of him silfe and god is his iustice that is to saye god maketh him rightuous for Iesu christ hath satisfied for vs vnto his heveÌ„ly father for to come in socoure to oure infirmite And this describeth
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
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
willingly haue saved theym for he did promyse to theym emong other the heritage of his kingdome and had made theim his children but they dampne theym silves They are the children of God as concerning goddis behalf but they are alweyes dampned bicause of they re disobedience Ye some tyme god calleth suche people his freÌ„des not that they be so but bicause thei mought haue bin so Mat. 2 As he said vnto Iudas My freÌ„d whie art thou come hither Mat. 2 And vnto hiÌ„ that came vnto the wediÌ„ges my freÌ„de how art thou entred here not hauiÌ„g the weddiÌ„g garmeÌ„t Behold he is called freÌ„de yet neverthelesse he suffreth hiÌ„ to be cast into darknesse he had biÌ„ the freÌ„d of god if he wold haue coÌ„sented to the wil of god 1 Iohn Saint Iohn saieth There is now mani anÌ„christes thei weÌ„t out froÌ„ vs were not of vs for if they had byn of vs they had bydden with vs. So be all people the children of god but there be many that make theym silves vnworthy aÌ„d depart theym silves from god The other sonne that abideth with his father is a sonne and abydeth a sonne and heyre bicause he is obeisaunt vnto his father He hath not deserved by his good lyfe and obedience the possessyon aÌ„d goodes of his father but he hath onely byn well ware that he hath not lost theym by disobedieÌ„ce For the father may sey Dere son it is true that thou hast kept to the best of thy power my commaundementes notwithstâ—nding thy goodnesse had never made the riche yf I had not gotten it Then lyke wise all though that we kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god never so streytly it shuld profit vs nothing if it were not that Iesu christ had obteyned for vs the lyfe eternall byfore of his hevynly father by his deth Oure goodnesse or iustice shulde profit vs nothing if Iesus christ had not laboured for vs. For as saieth saint Paule The lawe hath brought nothing vnto perfection Hebr. 7 The Iues kept the coÌ„maundementes and the lawe of god yet they coâ—de not come vnto heven It was nedeful that Iesu Christ must first dye for theym Lykewyse can we not be saved by oure workes Oure helth is come to vs of god For if by oure workes we may got helth â—hen must we nedes say that Christ is dede in vayne As saieth saint Paule Ye if workes mought haue saved Abraham Isaac Iacob David and many other Iuâ—s had byn saved as we haue seyd byfore the natiuyte of Iesu Christ for they kept better the commaundementes of god then we do But god will do it alone to thintent that none glorifie or bost him silf therof and that to him alone and to none other he gyven all honour and glory for ever Amen For as wryteth saynt Paule The scripture concludeth al thinges vnder sinne that the promys by the feyth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyven vnto theym that beleve Ga. 3 For this cause when the parsone knoweth surely that god hath made hym childe of the everlasting lyfe by hys deth byfore he had deserved it he will do agayne to god all the service that he can thinke and all by love aud kindnesse shewing that he will not be vnkind not to get eny thing of godbut bycause he is his good father and that he hath receyved al thinges of him For we haue nowe alredy al that wherfore we must serve god For he hath made vs his children and his heyres while we were his enimyes and byfore that we knewe him as we haue many tymes byfore saied And hereyn lyeth the deserving of the christen faith that thou beleve certeynly that thou art the child of god and that thou kepest his commaundementes bicause thou knowest and belevest stedfastly that he hath so made the riche greate and that thou servest him by this faith as a good childe his father For the childe douâ—teth not but beleveth stedfastly that he shall haue the substaunce of his father and bycause he beleveth it stedfastly he laboureth for to entreteyne it So shalt thou beleve without doubting eny thing that thou art enheryter of heven And therfore shalt thou do thy diligence to kepe that herytage to the honour of thy father Thou shalt be ware that thou anger him not but thou shalt thanke him oft bycause he hath gyven the thys hevenly herytage Behold nowe seist thou well bifore thine yien howe moche we are bound to thaÌ„ke prayse and serve god and to kepe hys commaundementes and to kepe vs from sinne and to do many good workes of faith by verey love ¶ Of two maner people lyving in this world Chaptre xi THere are iÌ„the world ij sortes of people good evill be coÌ„pared vnto the two theves that suffred on the crosse with Iesu christ â–ª the good are berokened by the theef on the right side which axed pardoÌ„ thei be thei that knowlege theÌ„ silves pore sinners fele mekely of them silves Lu. 18 as did the poore publican that durst not lyft vp hys yies toward heven for they knowe that they haue not kept the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god so streytly as thei were bound They perceyue also that though thei thiÌ„ke to kepe theÌ„ never so well they fele theim silves failing alweyes in detraction â—n hastinesse in anger in idell wordes in infidelite aÌ„d in lakke of loue albeit that suche folke do moche goodyet they re conscience is not content and in rest but as coÌ„cerning theym silves euer in sorowe For they knowe that they must appere byfore the rightuous iudge bifore whose face as sayeth the Psalmist shall none lyving be iustified if we shuld be iudged after oure deservinges Psal. 142 And therfore come they and cast theym silves prostrate byfore the mercy of god and sey with the thefe on the right syde Lu. 23 Lorde haue mynd on me when thou comest into thy kiÌ„gdome Thou hast commaÌ„unded me many thinges and I perceyue in my silf that I am frayle and caÌ„not entierly kepe thy commaundementes though I loke never so well therto Neverthelesse I knowe that thou nedest not my good workes Seing it is so that thou hast so moche loved me that thou woldest suffer deth for me when I dyd not yet knowe the and was yet thyne enemye I haue trust vnto the my most mercyfull god that thou wilt not suffre hym to periss he for whome thou hast shed thy bloude For I knowe that thou art a lord almightye that mayest all thinges in heven and in erth And I knowlege and worship the am certeyn that thou wilt not dampne me Albeit that I haue not deserved heven by my good workes I knowe and beleve that thou hast satisfied for me wheÌ„ thou dydest suffre deth on the crosse Thou hast bought me agayn with thy precyous bloude and I am thyne the devell hath no ryght in me Neverthelesse yf thou wylt dampne me o mercyfull god thou mayest well do it
and the man without For suche a life is moche plesaunt vnto god as it is wryten in Ecclesâ—astes in this maner In thre hath my sprite had pleasure whiche are approved bifore god and man Eccle. â—5 The concord of bretheren the love of thy neyghboure and the man and wife well agreing togither emong theym silves Suche a life in mariage is pleasaunt vnto god for he hym silf did institute mariage in paradise The man shall alweyes attribute somewhate vnto the woman for she is a frayle vessell They shall live sumtyme also in chastite with one purpose and accord to thintent they may fast and pray It is also alweyes best that in mariage the like take the like For if a poore maÌ„ take a riche or nobill woman she wold be the hede and that is ageynst the teaching of saint Paule And if the poore maydon take a riche and nobill husbond she is not felowe to hâ—m norlsady of the house but a servaunt for he knowelegith her not for his wife but holdeth her as his servaunt and drugge And this is like wise ageynst the theching of saint Paule For by suche meane the woman hath not gotten an husbond but a tyraunt and a violent lord Nether was Eve made of the fete of Adam but of his syde Neverthelesse when the riche is ioyned in maryage with the poore and love well the one the other after such maner as I have seyd so that the man be alweyes the hede and that he dispyse not his wife it is a christen life be they riche or poore nobill or vnnoble For in this mater the will of god is more to be considered then povertye or richesse ¶ Howe the parentes shall teache and governe they re children after the Gospell Chaptre .xxiij. NOthing in all Christendome ys so necessary as to teache and governe the children as it apperteyneth For for defaâ—te of governaunce of theym comyth all evilles into the worlde And oftymes it is the faute of the parentes that the childreÌ„ be nought bicause that they kepe not them silves froÌ„ gyving theym evill ensample whiche is a grete and daungerous sinne This is the cause of the moste part of the synnes that be done in the worlde wherfore it behoveth that the parentes take good hede that they governe they re children well and â—rafiely from the begynnyng of they re yought â–ª For heryn may they do service moche acceptable vnto God Then first â–ª shall the parentes do they re diligence to make they re children to lerne good maners And for to kepe theym from stameryng lysping and pronounsyng they re wordes by half whiche vyce comyth oftymes by they re nouryces whiche speke so to the children and whiche speche those children lerne and folowe And this that they lerne so yn youth can they scarcely leve Ye must also take good hede that no body make theym a frayed of eny thyng yn they re yought For they be sumtyme ferefull all theyr lyfe after And when they become to thage of .vi. or .vij. yeres at the vttermost let one send theym to the scole to some good man that feareth God They re parentes shall often enstruct theym of God howe that Iesus Chryst verey god and verey man died for vs on the crosse and howe that we shall haue another better life after this life here and howe that god hath made and created all thinges and that all that is in the worlde belongeth to him and howe that he lendeth it vs for to lyve with all and to vse it well And howe that it is he that nourissheth and entreteyneth vs And how that we must trust and stikke vppon him and that he will kepe vs well from all evilles And so shall they enstruct theym by lytell and lytell vnto the fâ—ith and trust in God And howe that God ys they re father and they hys â—hyldren as we have shewed bifore Wherfore is moche to be playned the evell custume that is emong the Christen that they ronne into so ferre contreyes on pilgremages and leve they re children and meynye at home without hede and governour It were a thousand tymes better that they abode at home and lerned they re children in the lawes of god For God requyreth not that we shulde go on pilgremages he never commaunded nor preâ—sed theym for it is nothing but all incredulite and lakke of feith that maketh vs to ronne here and there and to â—â—che God in one certeyn place whiche is like mighty in all places But god hath commaunded al his people to governe and teache they re children and they re maynye as writeth saynt Paule vnto Tymoâ—he saying 1. Tim. 5 If eny one take not charge and care for his owne aÌ„d principally for his manye he hath renyed the feith and is worse then an infidele or paynyme Who is he that wold not treÌ„ble hering these wordes of this holy apostell O ye fathers mothers masters mastresses take these wordes into your hartes for it is grete perill to be worse then a paynime and to renye the feith Take good hede what servauntes ye take into your house For your children oftymes will become like vnto theym Take also good hede that your manye tel no vile taâ—es singe no vile songes nor speke no foule wordes for that doth moche corrupt the children ye must also be ware that ye do not aray or clothe your childreÌ„ pompously to flater theym or to make to moche of theym shewing theym to moche folisshe loue For when ye gyve theym to moche of the brydell ye can not afterward chastise or reprove theym It is expedient also that ye take hede that ye clothe not your silves to sumptuously for if the parentes do it It proufiteth nothing to kepe the children from it For the children will lerne it of theym silves by the evill ensample of they re parentes For when they see they re â–ª parentes do it they thinke it is no sinne notwithstonding that they re comyth of hit grete sinne and moche evill Let not your childe â—onne where he will but knowe alwey where he is and who is with him or in his cuâ—â—pany and whate thing he doth Se that your childe hanut honest games I say not rythe or nobill games but of good maners and that they be therto well instructed Suffer not your children to go to weddinges or banquettes for nowe a dayes one can lerne nothing there but rybaâ—drye aÌ„d foule wordes For if it be so that thou wilt nat suffer thy childe to come ynto a place where he may be in daunger to take hurt of his body How mâ—che more art thou bounde to kepe hym from comyng there where he shuld flee or hurt his soule Thou sendest him to the weddinges where thou knowest well as the worlde goeth nowe a dayes that it is likely that he shal be hurt in his soule by hering of suche wordes that he shall with grete difficultye be made hole and yet thou
of Christ doing the will of god with all your hartes with good will even as though ye served the lord and not men Remembre also that whatesoever good eny man doth that shall he receyve ageyn Col. 3 of the lorde whether he be bonde or fre and ageyn vnto the Colossians Servauntes saieth he obey vnto your bodily mastres in all thinges not with yie service as meÌ„ plesers but in simplicite or ynnocency of hert fearing the lord god Do all that ye do with a good will as though ye dyd it vnto the lorde God and not as vnto men knowing that ye shall receive of the lord the reward of enherifaunce for ye vo serve the lord Christ. But he that doth wrong shall receyve for the wrong that he hath done for there is no respect of parsones 1. Pe. â— And also saint Petre saieth in hys first epistle Servauntes be subiect in all feare vnto your lordes not onely vnto the good and courteys but also though they be froward For it comith of grace if a maÌ„ for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully For whate preyse is it if when ye be beten for your fautes ye take it paciently But and if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently then are ye grete thank worthy byfore god Therfore thou shalt in all thinges haue god alweyes bifore thyne yies and not the men whome thou servest outwardly As did Paule the bisshoppe whiche put hiÌ„silf into the service of the lordes for the sonne of a widowe And bicause that he had given all his goodes for the will of God He gaue also him silf into service for the love of God for to deliver the sonne of the wydowe Be not sory that thy mastre both not suffre the to go to the churche to here masse For thou mayst please god aswell in doyng thy worke by suche a good intent as though thou were in the churche wheÌ„ thou belevest but thou must do thy laboure in suche a faith as is bifore sayd God regardeth not whate thing we do or in whate place we be but of whate courage aÌ„d in whate feith we do it The servauntes shall take good hede that they anger not they re maystre or mastresse And when it shall so happon that then incontinent they axe theym forgy venesse He shall alweys honoure his mastre bering his hasty wordes keping him silfe that he do not rebell and answer spitefully vnto his master Gen For thou art bounde to support him and to gyve place vnto hym As the aungell taught vnto Agar the servaunt of Saraâ— the whiche fled from her mastresse as it is writen in the .xvi. chaptre of GeneuÌ„s where the aungell came vnto her and sayde Go and tourne toward thy lady and humble thy silf vnder her honde So shulde the servaunt humble him stife vnder his lord and when he hath angred him to appayse him ageyn with humble demeanure and obedience So did Saint Paule make agremeÌ„t bitwixt Onesimus and Philemon from whome he was fled awey 〈◊〉 Phile â—oneÌ„ The lordes mastres shall vse they re servauntes as meÌ„ not as asses They shal entreate theym lovingly and softly not as tirauntes for they be they re christeÌ„ bretheren and membres of one body that is of Iesus Christ wherfore thou shalt not overcharge theym with thinges not convenient or vnreasonable but thou shalt vse theym as membres of thine owne body For Christ is oure hede and we all to gyther be his body every one of vs by him silf is a membre of his body be he man or woman lord or servaunt riche or pore as writeth saint Paule vnto the Corinthâ—eÌ„s For this cause as no maÌ„ hateth his owne Cor. 12 membres but kepeth theym aâ— well as he can So shall we loue the one the other shall serve by charite and socoure the one the other as one membre socoureth an other It was sometyme the custume that all parsones did call the one the other bretheren and sisters This did â—â—appostles institute to thintent that the hethen might knowe whate love there was emong the Christen we may finde many mastres nowe a dayes that vse they re servauntes like asses not like men nor like they re owne membres wherof they shall yelde vnto god a full streyte accompt Ephe. Saint Paule exhorteth you to entrete your servauntes with all swetenesse Ye masters saieth he shewe the same love dilection vnto your servauntes that they shewe vnto you absteyning your silf from threteninges remeÌ„bring that theire mastre and yours is in heven And there is no respect of persones bifore him And vnto the Colossians ye masters do vnto your servauntes that whiche Col. 1 is iust aÌ„d egall remembring that ye haue also a master in heven Neverthelesse although the mastres be rigorous hard yet I counceile with Saint Petre in his first epistle all servauntes that they take all that theire masters mastresses ley vnto theire charge paciently that for the love of god if it be not so that they commaunde to do a thing that is ageinst the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god for in suche a case they must rather obey god then men As saieth saint Peâ—er in the actes of thappostles Act. ¶ Of the widowes life a shorte informacion after the Gospell Chaptre .xxxi. THappostle saint Paule teacheth vs writiÌ„g vnto his disciple Timothe that the widowe shall vse her libertye vnto the honoure of god and that she shall serve willingly the pore wesshing they re fete and socouring theym after her power And to thintent that she shulde haue wherof to socoure the poore she shall not runne aboute ydell from house to house clatering but shall get her expences in her owne house by her laboure And she must kepe her silfe from ydelnesse and from delicate eating drinking for by suche meanes they fâ—ll into evill desires and foule sinnes Suche widowes so living in carnall pleasure lyving be dede alredy As saint Paule sayeth in the seyde place They lyve in a daungerous estate it were moche better that suche widowes dyd marye ageyn then so to lyve in idelnesse and pleasure But the widowe so taking her pleasures desireth not the everlasting life bicause she hath no travayle here and this is the grettest blyndnesse that eny parsone may fall in to And therfore it were moche better that she were maryed ageyn for the carefulnesse and rule of house keping and the obedience that the maryed woman to vnder her husbonde dely vereth the parsone froÌ„ evill desires aÌ„d for this cause counceyleth saâ—nt Paule that the yong wydowes mary ageyn ¶ Laude and honoure be onely vnto God AMEN FINIS
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