Christians were nowe without fight victorie due triumph ouer sinne being obtained whē as rather it is a warfare and a continuall fight Where as therefore they do now sight and are in the campe it is no meruell if some flie away if some be wounded if some fal yea be euen slaine outright Warre is not made without perill and hurt if it be earnest warre As it becommeth Saincts This he addeth to his exhortation Christians are Saincts therefore must be pure not defiled with vncleannes couetousnes c. as a reason cause shewing why it lieth vpon Christians to take heede that they be not diffamed by these names For they are Saincts now it becommeth such to be chast bountiful ready to giue to teach and doe the same Thou seest here that Paul calleth Christians Saincts while they remain yet in this life are pressed with flesh blood from which nothing cōmeth but sinne which he doth vndoutedly not for their good workes but because of the sanctifying bloode of Christ as he witnesseth 1. Cor 6 But ye are washed but ye are sāctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the Spirit of our God Forasmuch therefore as we are Saincts it is meete that we should shew the same in our workes albeit we be as yet weake neuertheles we must daily endeuour to liue purely farre frō couetousnes to the praise glory of God the edifying of our neighbours euen that Heathen Neither filthines Al vnchast lewd words of bauderie Lewd vncleane and bawdy talke forbidden vncleannes lecherous matters he calleth filthines of which wordes aboundance is wont to be poured forth in Innes victailing houses in the time of eating drinking playing These the Grecians vsed very freely and accustomably more then others as their owne Poets other writers do sufficiently witnes But he especially reproueth here those lewde and wanton wordes which are spoken openly without shame which stirre vp wicked and vnchast thoughts and are cause of many offences especially being spoken amonge youth according to that saying 1. Cor. 15.33 Euill speakings corrupt good manners as the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians And if any Christians should be so careles of their tongue that such wordes should come from them such must be chastised of the Church and if they doe not amend they must not be suffered lest because of them the whole Church be ill reported of as though these things were either taught among Christiās or suffered to be vnpunished as it is wont to be among the Heathen Foolish talking prohibited Neither foolish talking Fables and other trifling speeches iests are called foolish talking which the Grecians also were wont to vse more then other nations being very witty to inuent such vaine speeches Of this sort are those tales which our women maidens are wont to tell spinning at the distaffe also the termes and verses of iuglers and such like fellowes and many common songes which are partly euen filthy partly containe other trifling and vaine things But especially it is vnseemely and vnconuenient for Christians to vse such foolish and trifling talke when they come togither to heare the word of God or to read and serch the Scriptures and yet notwithstanding almost euen such folly hapneth among them whē many come togither For albeit they begin with serious matters neuertheles they are meruelous easily brought vnto trifles from earnest and holy matters to ridiculous and vaine speeches wherewith both the time is spent in vaine and better things are neglected So haue they bene wont certaine yeares hitherto at euery feast of Easter in the tyme of preaching to tel some ridiculous tale to stirre vp the people from sleepe They did not vnlike at the feast of the natiuitie of Christ vsing songes or carrolls wherein they sayd they made discourses of the birth and infancie of Iesus howbeit ridiculous meeter and wordes mouing rather laughter then deuotion as they called it Also they soong many fained fables of the wise men whom they made 3. Kings of the passion of the Lord of the punishmēt of Dorothea many other all which were nothing but foolish talking vain inuētions altogither vnworthy of Christians To the nūber of these I might well adde those histories of Saincts which they call the legends and that flood of lies of miracles and pilgrimages to images and moniments of Saincts Masses and worshippings of Saincts indulgences and innumerable other not so much foolish as vngodly inuentions which in the assemblies of the Church were wont to be chiefly extolled in the pulpit which were so contrary to godlines that they deserue much rather to be called the wicked inuētions of Satan then foolish imaginations of mē For they did not as ridiculous lies are wont to do corrupt good maners onely of which Paule speaketh especially here but they did wholy ouerthrow faith and put out of place the word of God so that they did not only not beseme Saincts but did plainly abolish all Sainctes Those former therefore were fables and tales of men which are not beleeued neither esteemed any thing of but rather laught at although in the mean season they corrupt good maners withdraw Christians from serious matters and make them slack and slothful But these latter are deuilish fables which are beleeued for a truth and counted for serious yea and heauenly matters when as notwithstanding they be nothing els but fained deuises of Satan whereby he with his angells deludeth and mocketh vs. Neither iesting Hereby he vnderstandeth all pleasaunt speeches which they whom they call iesters are wont to vse to make men mery which by pleasaunt discourses and mery tearmes doe moue laughter stirre vp mens minds to mirth cheerefulnes which is wont to be vsuall in ciuill bankers and when ciuill companions meete togither This iesting the Heathen counted for a vertue especially Aristotle Iesting neither allowed nor vsed among Christians But Paul among Christians giueth it place among vices For Christians haue other speeches wherby they may recreat and cheere them selues in Christ which also do bring some profit with them although it easily hapneth that many Christians do offend oftentimes herein But they that are true Christians doe neuer praise it neither doe suffer that any should giue him selfe to this iesting and study to exceede therein but they reproue and prohibit him especially in the Church in the time of preaching and teaching For Christ hath witnessed Matth. 12.36 that we shall in the last day giue an account of euery idle worde It is meete in deede that Christians be an elegant amiable people but therewithall graue that there may be seene in them a seuere gentlenes and a gentle seueritie as the life of Christ is described vnto vs in the Gospells Things which are not comely but rather giuing of thankes This comprehendeth all idle words which want a proper name
crucified but Peter admonisheth him to be of a good there and setteth before him the precept of charitie saying Maister pitie thy selfe there againe he doth earnestly and sharpely blame and rebuke his admonisher and sayth Get thee behinde me Satan thou vnderstandest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men And in a summe he is most impatient of all lawes wherewith they deale with him he will be most free from all commaundements and acknowledged to be the Lord of them He alway giueth such aunswers as with which he represseth the exactors neither wil he keepe any law as though he were compelled to do it Contrariwise when he doth any thinge of his owne accorde then no law is so litle or so light whereunto he doth not willingly obey and doth much more then it requireth Wherefore there can none be founde more gentle and seruiceable then he if he be vrged with the controlement or exaction of none Moreouer he doth so farre humble him selfe Christ humble and seruiceable Matth. 20.28 that he washeth the feete of Iudas which betrayed him according as he him selfe speaketh of him selfe I came not to be serued but to serue others c. which is manifest to them that consider his life howe he walked abroade in Iudea Samaria Galile and in the night stept on the ground fasted forty dayes and tooke no rest at all but patiently sustained so much labour that they feared lest he should be rauished in minde or finally bringe some hurt to his body He doth all thinges that he can but that he refuseth to be compelled and suffereth no lawes to be prescribed vnto him which if any set before him he most stoutely resisteth and striueth against them So he is both of a most stoute and of a most milde spirit Christ both of a most stout and also of a most mild spirit neyther is there any more stoute nor more seruiceable then he whoe can abide to doe none of those thinges that are exacted of him and neuertheles doth all thinges euen most aboundantly and as it were ouerfloweth with a floud of good workes and watereth all thinges no man commaunding him or by way of controlement exacting and requiring any thinge of him but he beinge permitted to doe voluntarily and of his owne accord These thinges are done for our example that we may learne what a true Christian man is after the spirit lest we iudge him according to the lawe and according to our owne wisedom and vnderstanding For Christ is therefore our Lorde that he may make such men of vs as he is him selfe And as he can not suffer him selfe to be tied and bound with lawes but will be Lorde of lawes yea and of all thinges so also ought not the conscience of a Christiā to suffer them For we are so much made free by Christ The conscience of a Christian must not be bound with lawes that our conscience may know nothing cōcerning any law whose iudgement controlement it may abide to suffer Neither ought we any otherwise to be affected according to the state of the inward conscience then if no lawe had bene giuen or made yea as if neither x. cōmaundements nor one either of God or of Bishop or of Cesar were giuē to vs that we may plainly say I know nothing of any law neyther wil I know any thing For in that state and condition wherein we Christians are our workes the workes of all men doe cease yea and all lawes also For where there is no worke neither can there be any law requiring a worke and saying this thing was to be done of thee this to be left vndone But we through Christ are wholly free from all workes and righteous by meere grace and mercy whereby we liue onely before God And this is our treasure whereby we are Christians and liue and stand before God For how we ought to liue in outward conuersation to wit in fleshe and blood before the world it doth nothing pertaine vnto this place A Christian must not suffer his cōscience to be held captiue of any lawe Wherefore a Christian must learne so to rule his conscience that he suffer it not to be held captiue or entangled with any law But whosoeuer will bind and hold it with any law let him stoutly and boldely striue there against and doe as he seeth Christ doe here and else where where he vseth so great stoutnes and earnestnes of minde that no Moses or Exactor of the lawe can preuaile any thinge with him although otherwise he be most humble most sweete and gentle of all men Howbeit this art is aboue measure high and excellent which none but he vnderstandeth whereof he is the Maister who knoweth howe to appease all lawes and teachers of lawes We of our selues are not able to pacifie and appease the lawe We are not able to doe so For the Deuill mightely assaileth vs and as often as he setteth vpon the conscience of man he driueth him to that point that he entreth disputation with him what he hath done or not done Then such a disputation beginneth as wherein is debated of our sinne and righteousnes euen then man is brought into a daungerous case and into the myre where be sticketh neither can he escape or rid him self out but is forthwith deeper and deeper plunged in For he is laden with a heauy burden which he is not able to beare wherefore he walketh musing gnawing consuming his minde neither can he get any quietnes thereof Which I doe plainely feele in my selfe neither can I wrastle out and deliuer my selfe by any trauell although I labour alwayes assaying all meanes to escape out of this goulfe that I may aunswere the lawe and obtaine so much that it may keepe silence and say now at length thou hast done so much wherewith I am constrayned to be content But all endeuour and study is in vayne for such a deepe pit and daungerous goulfe it is out of which no man is able to escape although he ioyne the helpes of all men to him self as they can beare me witnes which haue made triall hereof and doe as yet daily trie it The cause is our nature which will haue to doe with workes and lawes and heare what they say and followe them that say Why doth he eate with Publicanes and sinners if he did eate and drinke with vs he should do wel Also why do thy Disciples plucke the eares of corne on the Sabbath day c. with whom it will haue to do so long til the law sayth now thou art righteous For it can attaine to no higher vnderstanding then that the doctrine of the law is the chiefest doctrine and that the righteousnes thereof is the best life before God In it it continually remaineth so captiue yea and bound neither can it by any meanes deliuer it self out of this prison being not able to pacifie and appease the law that it
be that he will suffer them to be bestowed on him and pray vnto God for him so I may enioy peace and haue no trouble or contention with any man and perhaps I may so profit him that he wil change his life vnto the better and amend Otherwise surely loue being diuided or separated I haue more bitternes and sorrow by them whom I hate then I haue ioy and profit by them whom I loue and keepe companie with And this is sayd to trouble the fountaine or water from whence pure loue can not flowe As it is certaine that the Iewes also did against whom Paule speaketh in this place for they loued them onely of whom they were loued whereby they defiled the synceritie of loue with mans affections and therefore their hart could not be pure But whereby is the hart purified I aunswere Wherby the hart is purified it can not be purified by any other thing better then by that soueraine puritie which is the word of God Receiue that into thy mind and order thy life according to the rule thereof and thy hart is purified As in this place see thou set the word before thee Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe follow that which it commaundeth and by and by thou shalt see whether it purgeth clenseth whatsoeuer desire there is in thee of thyne owne profit or whatsoeuer loue of thy selfe For commaunding thee to loue thy neighbour it maketh exception of none either friend or foe Albeit some man be euill and hath bene oftentimes iniurious vnto thee notwithstanding he doth not therefore lose this name that he is not to be called thy neighbour but neuertheles remaineth thy fleshe and blood and is comprehended in these wordes thou shalt loue thy neighbour c. Therefore I say if thou shalt consider him and so behaue thy self toward him as the word teacheth thee then is thy hart made pure and loue sincere so that thou makest no false difference of persons neither otherwise considerest him then an other which is good and one of thy familiars In deede we can not deny this to be true that an honest man is more worthy to be loued vnto whome also euery one doth more willingly applye him selfe by nature then vnto the conuersation of wicked men whose familiaritie there is no good man that doth not abhorre howbeit flesh and blood is the cause that true and Christian loue is not among vs. For a Christian must not deriue his loue from the person as the world doth as some yong man seeing a maide is in loue with her because of her fayrenes and beautie and a couetous man taketh his loue and desire of his money a Lorde or Prince of honour and power c. For all such loue is sayd to be feyned and proceeding not from whence it ought cleauing to the good thinges wherewith he seeth the person adorned neither doth it continue any longer then that which he loueth continueth and as long as he may enioy it True loue But true loue ought to be such as floweth out of a continuall fountaine and proceedeth from the bottom of the hart as a fresh and continuall water alwayes springing forth which can not be stopped and is neuer dryed vp This loue sayth after this sort I loue thee not for thy honestie or dishonestie for I doe not deriue my loue from thy honestie as from a strange fountaine but out of myne owne fountaine that is out of the word of God which is planted in my hart which commaundeth me to loue my neighbour From hence loue plentifully floweth open to al which haue neede thereof watering all both friendes and foes yea chiefly prepared and ready for foes inasmuch as they haue more neede that they may by my meanes be brought to amendement I praying for them and doing according to my abilitie that which I am able that they also leauing their euill wayes may be deliuered from sinnes and the snares of the Deuill And this is sayd to be loue flowing from the hart and not deriued from without for he that is endued with such loue findeth no such thinge in him whom he loueth from whence he should deriue it But because he is a Christian because he layeth hold on the word which is altogither pure by it selfe by the power of it his hart also is made pure and replenished with true loue Whereupon he poureth forâ—h the treasures of his loue toward euery man neyther is he moued or turned awaye with the person of any whether he be good or euill Behold thus should they preach which will rightly teach loue required of the lawe whereof our bablers knowe nothing neither haue any regard thereof albeit they talke many thinges of the lawe and dispute much of loue They doe not see no they doe not so much as once thinke that loue must be such that it flow out of the hart that the fountaine must be first pure and cleare This neuer descendeth into their hart although they heare read and teach many things of it They are occupied with very vncertayne and vnprofitable cogitations yea rather with dead dreames Wherefore whatsoeuer is preached of workes and of a good life True good workes that onely is well done which proceedeth from the worde of God a pure hart and a true faith This thou mayst see in all states how euery one ought in his calling to doe the office inioyned him and exercise the workes of loue A seruaunt labouring thinking no more then thus My Lorde or Maister payeth me my wages for which onely I serue him otherwise I would not vouchsafe to looke vpon him c hath not a pure hart for he doth not serue but for a peece of bread or for his hyre which being taken away his seruice also ceasseth How a good seruaunt ought to be affected But if he were a right true Christian he would rather be thus affected I will not therefore serue because my Maister payeth me wages because he is honest or vnhonest c but therefore Ephes 6.5 because the word of God doth thus speake vnto me Seruaunts be obedient vnto your Maisters as vnto Christ c. This seruice proceedeth of it owne accord out of the hart which layeth hold on the word and greatly esteemeth it saying I wil serue my Maister and take my wages but this shal be the chiefest thing for which I do this seruice that I may serue my God and Lord Iesus Christ who hath layd the condition and state of a seruaunt vpon me which I knowe doth please him in me c. Here thou seest a true worke proceeding out of a pure hart So also let a Lord or Prince and they which haue the charge of gouerning the common weale thinke thus God hath committed vnto me the office of a Magistrate that I should be a ruler now if I will haue regard vnto this onely that I may enioy my dignitie riches and power it is
requiring him selfe to be counted for a rule whereunto the rest ought to apply and order them selues An old Interpreter translateth it modestie which if thou vnderstand it aright and not for the onely moderation temperancie of meate and apparell as it is wont commonly to be taken is not altogither vnfitly translated namely if thou vnderstand it to be a vertue whereby one thinking modestly of him self endeuoureth to order and apply him selfe vnto all according to the capacitie and abilitie of euery one ready to permit to take in good part to obey to giue place to doe to omit to suffer all thinges as he shall see it will profit his neighbour albeit he must suffer hinderance and losse of his substance name and body thereby That these thinges may be made more playne it shall be good to declare them by examples An example of a patient minde in Paule Paule 1. Cor. 9 writeth thus of him self Vnto the Iewes I become as a Iew that I may winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the lawe as though I were vnder the lawe to them that are without lawe as though I were without lawe when I am not without lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lavve through Christ I am made all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes saue some Behold thou seest here the patient pliant minde rightly obseruing those things which are here commaunded For those things that he writeth of him selfe haue this meaning Sometimes he did eate drinke and doe all thinges as a Iewe albeit it was not necessary that he should so doe sometimes he did eate and drinke with the Gentiles and did all thinges as free from the lawe For onely faith in God and loue toward our neighbour are necessarily required all other thinges are free so that we may freely obserue them for one mans sake omit them for an other mans sake as we shall perceiue it to be profitable to euery one Now it is contrary to this modestie or meekenes if one hauing an impatient mind trusteth to his owne wit An impatient minde what it doth and contendeth that one thing among the rest is necessary which thou must either omit or obserue and so applying him selfe vnto none but contending to haue all other to apply them selues vnto him he neglecteth peruerteth the softnes meekenes which is here taught yea the libertie of faith also such some of the Iewes were vnto whom we must giue no place euen as Paule yeelded not vnto them We see the same example commonly in Christ but specially Matth. 12 Mar. 2. where we reade that he suffered his Disciples to breake the Sabbath he him selfe also when the case so required did breake it when it was otherwise he did keepe it whereof he gaue this reason The Sonne of man is Lord euen of the Sabbath Which is as much to say as the Sabbath is free that thou mayst breake it for one mans sake and commoditie and for the sake and commoditie of an other thou mayst keepe it So Paule caused Timothe to be circumcised because of the Iewes for that they thought that it was of importance to their saluation againe he would not haue Titus circumcised because certain Iewes did vniustly vrge it so that the circumcision of Titus would haue bene rather a confirmation of errour vnto them then haue profited them any thing Paule therefore would keepe circumcision free that he might sometime vse it and sometime not vse it as he should perceiue it to be commodious and profitable to euery one How the ordinaunces decrees of men must be obserued or not obserued So to come to other matters when the Pope commaundeth to make confession to fast to abstaine from or vse this or that kind of meate c and exacteth these thinges as necessary to saluation they are to be vtterly contemned and those thinges that are contrary to these are most freely to be done but if he should not commaund them as necessary if any man might be holpen or edified in any thinge by the obseruation of them surely they were to be obserued but freely and of loue onely as also they are to be omitted if the omitting of them may be profitable to any The reason of this libertie is this The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath if of the Sabbath howe much more of the traditions of men Whatsoeuer thou shalt obserue vpon this libertie it can not hurt any but to obserue them of necessitie it extinguisheth faith and the Gospell Likewise if one liue as yet in a Monasterie if he obserue the vowes and ordinaunces of that life vpon Christian libertie and of loue to his brethren that he may edifie them and of no necessitie neither with the hinderance of his owne or other mens saluation he shall doe godly for he is free but if those thinges be straitly required as necessary to saluation then before thou suffer thy selfe to be brought into this errour Monasteries shauings hoods vowes rules ordinaunces and all such like must be left and the contrary must be done to witnes that onely faith and loue are necessary for a Christian and that all other thinges are free so that he may eyther omit or doe them for the edifying and cause of them with whom he liueth Whatsoeuer thou shalt obserue vpon libertie and of loue is godly but if thou obserue any thing of necessitie it is vngodly The same is to be sayd of all other ordinaunces and decrees of men which are wont to be obserued in Monasteries that whatsoeuer doth not disagree with the worde of God thou mayst being free eyther obserue or omit it according as thou shalt knowe it to be profitable and acceptable to them with whom thou art conuersant but if they be required as necessary reiect them all vtterly and tread them vnder thy feete Hereupon thou now seest what a deuilish thing the Papacie Monasteries be For whatsoeuer things be fre to be permitted to free loue onely they make them necessary Christian liberty turned of the Papistes into meere necessitie and say the keeping of them is of importance to saluation wherby truely as much as is in them they togither peruert and extinguish the Gospell and faith I passe ouer with silence that they hereupon set and sell the care of the bellie in steede of the seruice of God For how many among them at this day do for Gods cause not rather for the bellies sake take vpon them to be Monkes or Clerkes do frequent the quier sing pray say Masse or doe any such thinge wherein they counterfait and corrupt the true worship seruice of God The common subuersion of all Monasteries were the best reformation of all these thinges from which so much discommoditie and no whit of profite may be looked for Before one Monasterie could be perswaded concerning true Christian libertie infinite thousands of soules in others should perish