as teacheth saynt Paule saying 1. Ti. 2 whiche hath gyven him silf a price and raunsome for all men Then when I beleve nede I not to do nothing Nede I not to do no good shall I not kepe the commaundementes of God Herken whate saint Paule answereth The faith saith he worketh by loue Ga. 5 Then when thou thus beleuest without doutiÌ„g that is to sey that thou art the sonne of god and that god hath so made the grete and riche thou shalt thinke thus in thy â—ilf Behold nowe god hath made me his childe enheritour of his glory brother of Iesus christ hath giveÌ„ me pardoÌ„ of al my sinnes aÌ„d I shall shortly be with hiÌ„ in the euerlasting life which he hath gyveÌ„ me without deserving it 〈◊〉 thiÌ„g shall I do agein to god by love and kindenesse for all this that he hath gyven to me Psal. 115 As saith the prophete David whate shall I yeld to god ageyn for all that he hath gyven to me when eny parson speaketh thus in him silf considering and beholding the greate goodnesse and mercy of god then comith and entreaseth the loue of god in him by the fayth bicause that he beleveth surely that God hath thus made him grete and riche And after that the loue is thus entred and enchauffed in the hert of the parson it maketh him to suffre and bere all thiÌ„ges maketh him to laboure to thinke and to do all that he thinketh wold please god without regarding â—ny thing but the loue of god Cor. 13. as sayeth saint Paule Loue suffreth all thinges loue doth nothing in vaine and he that hath suche a loue toward god all that he doth is agreable to god Ye when he gyveth but a drop of water for goddis sake as writeth saint Mathewe for loue iÌ„ god can not sinne all that he doth is well done For the holy goost that hath put this charite in vs can not do evill Aâ—d if of aduenture by suche a good entent one did any evell by errour this evell shul be pardoned incontinent and reputed for good by the good entent and loue that he hath towardes god Mat. 6. For Christ saieth in the gospell If thyne yie that is to sey thyne entencion be simple and applying to good all thy body that is to sey all thyne operacion shall be lightened and good And saint Paule saieth Ro. 8 we knowe that vnto theym that loue god al thinges worke for the best All they that are constant in this faith and charite be the children of god aÌ„d please god As witnessith saint Petre where he speaketh in thactes of thappostles Of a truth I perceyve that god is not percyall but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh rightuousnesse is accepted with him for god nedeth not oure works when he thus hath oure hertes albeit that suche a loue can not be ydell This loue comith in vs as I haue seid by faith when the parson beleveth surely that he is the childe of God It nedeth not that suche a parsone be constreyned to doo good workes by any commaundementes For the love of god dwelling yn him can not be ydell For loue as sayeth saint Paule suffreth long and is courteys 1. Cor. 13. loue eÌ„vyeth not love is not craving swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seketh not her owne is not provoked to angre thinketh not evell reioyseth not in iÌ„iquite but reioyseth in the truth suffreth al thing beleveth all thinges hopeth all thinges Suche a love or charyte bryngeth a parson to good workes and not good works a parsone vnto suche a love or to suche a faith trust in god These workes spring out of feith and not feith out of these workes for as I haue seid feith bringeth loue and loue bringeth good workes Lyke as though there were a riche maÌ„ with out children or heyres which might take a poore beggar out of the strete and make hym his heyre of his goodes This poore man beyng this made greate and ryche if he wold be thankefull as becomith hym to be shuld serve hys lorde or master whiche had thus exalted hym made him ryche truely and with greate loue Ye and if he ones might knowe the wil of his master he wold not deferre the doing therof till he were commaunded But he wold do all thinges by and by of his owne courage for the charyte or loue that he hath toward his master without commaundement Behold this poore man so exalted hath not deserved by hys workes nor by hys service that this riche man shuld so make him his heyre but the riche man hath made him his heyre of hys owne goodnesse without that the poore maÌ„ had in eny maner wyse deserved it And the service that this poore man doth afterward comith of loue and kyndnesse For he knoweth and beleveth surely that he is heyre of the godes of his lord bifore that he do any service And for bicause that he beleveth that the ryche man will kepe promyse wyth hym he beginneth to love him by the meane of this faith And so when he loveth hym he doth to him willingly and wyth good hert all the service he can and fulfil â—â—leth ioyfully his commaundementes and all by love And the more laboure service that he can do for his good master the more grete pleasure he taketh So is it of a good ChristeÌ„ for wheÌ„ he was yet enemye of god by the sinne of Adam he was accepted of God byfore he â—esyred it and byfore that he had yn eny maner wise deserved it Thus hath god made vs his children and heyres without oure deserving Then when we beleve this stedfastly this faith bringeth loue into oure hertes so that we beginne to love God by cause that he hath made vs so greate and excellent And when we so love him we kepe his commaundemeÌ„tes by loue and do all thinges with good wil As saieth Christ in saint Iohn Iohn 14. He that loveth me kepeth my commaundementes And so kepe we all thinges and suffre all thinges which we thinke agreable to god and nothing is to hevy for vs and as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 5 we reioyce in tribulacioÌ„ for we knowe that tribulacion bringeth pacience pacieÌ„ce bringeth feling feling briÌ„geth hope and hope maketh vs not a shamed bicause the love that God hath vnto vs is shed abrode in oure hertes by the holy goost whiche is gyven vnto vs whiche love maketh all thinges light vnto vs plesaunt and easy to bere so that after the word of Christ in the gospell his yoke ys easy and his burthen is light Mat. 11. Act. 5 This faith and love had thappostles as wryteth saint Luke when they departed from before the iudges they reioysed that they were made worthy and able to suffre shame and dishonoure byfore the worlde for the love of Iesu christ Thys charâ—te had saint Paule when he seid vnto the Romayns Ro. 8. Who
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
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
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
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
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