saint Paule in his first .viij. chapters vnto the Romayns and in the first epistle vnto the Corinthyans and saynt Iohn in the seconde chaptre of his first epistle And of this mater treateth this present boke The last part of this boke sheweth howe all estates shulde lyve if they will lyve according to the gospell Myne intent is not to refourme all estates aswell espirituell as seculer For of that I will not presume But I shewe alonely by the scriptures howe we shulde lyve if we wolde lyve according to the gospell to thinteÌ„t that every man may knowe howe farre his life is separate from the doctrine of Iesu christ and that then wyth the grace of god he may amende and refourme his lyfe him silfe Nether teache I that one shulde not obey vnto the superiours 〈…〉 but I teache them by whate meane they shall knowe howe they shulde lyve and when they do not so lyve that then they knowlege they re defautes do diligence so to lyve For els were better before god an humble publican then an holy ypocrite for God regardeth not whâ—te thinge thou doest outwardly but howe thou art ordeyned and disposed inwardly 〈…〉 ¶ The table of the Chapters in generall The first fiftene chapters be of the baptesme and of the fayth Of the life of Monkes and whate it was in tymes passed chaptre .xvi. Whether the life of a monke be better then the life aâ— a common Cytezyn chap. xvij Howe it is that the Monkes go not forward in spirituall life but waxe oâ—ten worsse chaptre .xviij. Of parentes that will put they re childreÌ„ in relygion chaptre .xix Of the life of Nonnes and Chanonesses Chaptre .xx. Of the cloysters of Systers and of they re life chaptre .xxi Howe man and wyfe shall live to gyther a doctrine after the gospell chaptre .xxij Howe the parentes shall teache and gouerne they re chyldren after the Gospell Chaptre .xxiij Of the life of the comon citezyns or housholders chaptre .xxiiij Howe the riche people shulde lyve an informacion and teaching after the Gospell chaptre xxv Of two maner of regimentes or governauÌ„ces gostly seculer or worldly Ca. xxvi Of Rulers Iudges Balives and other like an informacion after the Gospell chaptre .xxvij. Howe that we must pay taxes and subsidies vnto oure princes chaptre .xxviij Of meÌ„ of warre aÌ„d of the warre whether the christen may warre without sinne an informacion after the gospell chaptre .xxix Howe servauntes shulde lyve a doctrine after the gospell chaptre .xxx Of the lyfe of wydowes a short informacion after the Gospell chaptre .xxxi ¶ Of the foundacion of Christendome aÌ„d first whate thinge the baptesme dothe signifye THe foundacioÌ„ of ChristeÌ„dome is the faithe whiche so fewe people haue perfectli And yet allweyes we thinke all that we haue the verey true fayth Saint Paul the worthy apostell doth exhorte vs to no vertue so strongly as vnto the faith And he in all his epistles â—â—ayseth nothinge so moche as the faith Therfore it must nedes be that it be a precyous vertueÌ„ for he wryteth not one epistle which is not full of faith We take the faith for the beginnynge of christen life but truely he that hath parfaith faith the same hath not onely begonne the christen lyfe but hath fulfilled it And this erroure comith because we knowe not whate the fayth is nor whate thing a good christeÌ„ ought to beleve for to be saved â–ª we thinke that when we be baptised and when we beleve that god is god that theÌ„ we shal be saved Mar. 19 As writeth S. Marke sayiÌ„g He that shal beleve shal be baptised shal be saved But he that beleveth not shal be coÌ„deÌ„pned It is truth but emong a thousand there is not one that knoweth whate thing the baptesme betokeneth nor whate thing he shall beleve The water of baptesme taketh not away oure sinne for then it were a precious water â–ª And then it beâ—oved vs dayly to â—assâ—e vs theâ—i Nether hath the water of the font eny more vertue in hir silf theÌ„ the water that rynneth in the river of Ryne Act. 8 For we may aswell baptyse in Ryne as in the font When saint Phillip baptysed Eunuchus the servaunt of Candace a quene of Ethyope as wryteth saint Luke in the actes of thappostles there was then no halowed water nor candell nor salt nor creame nether whyte abite but he baptised him in the first water they came to vpon the way Hereby mayst thou perceyve that the vertue of baptesme lyeth not â—n halowed water or in other outward thiges that we haue at the fontâ— but in the fayth 〈…〉 to sey when any parsone 〈…〉 he must beleve stedfastly that his 〈◊〉 to him ar pardoned that he is made the childe of God and that god is become his father and yâ— made certayne that he shal be saved And is made parttaker of the passion of Christ whereof the baptesme hath his vertue And when one ys baptysed he is borne agayn and getteth an other father and other bretheren for God ys made hys father and he ys made the brother of Iesus Christ as wryteth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns where he calleth Christ a sonne first begotten emong other Ro. 8. And therfore is Christ called yn the holy scripture the sonne fyrst begotten for he ys the first childe of hys father and we all are begotten afterward when we be baptysed And therfore is the baptesme called in the holy scripture the seconde natiâ—â—te Iohn 3 As wryteth saynt Iohn in hys gospell without one be borne ageyn sayth Christ vnto Nicodemus he may not â—ntre into the kyngdome of heven For we be therby borne agayn and they that were the children of the devell bicause of the originall synne are made the children of God by baptesme As saith Saynt Paule Christ hath healed vs by the bath of regeneracyon and renovacyon of the holy gost Ephe. 2 And vnto the Ephesyans â–ª we were by nature the children of wrath but wheÌ„ we were deed Christ hath viuified vs agayn by his greate love And thys shalt thou vnderstond in this maner There were sumtyme .ij. Adams as writeth saint Paule The first AdaÌ„ was oure first father The seconde and newe Adam was Iesus Christ. For the sinne of the olde Adam we were all children of the devell made hys owne and subiected vnto hym by oure synne The seconde Adam that ys to sey Iesus Christ hath bought vs agayn and hath put vs yn lybertie and hath made vs of the children of deth children of everlastynge lyfe and of the chyldren of wrathe children of grace For Iesu Christe hath by hys deth foughe ageynste the devell hath vaynquysshed the devell and deth and hath taken away all they re ryght they had over vs. Nowe then when we be baptised we be made partakers of this grace and so is it come to oure proufit that Iesu christ dyed for vs. For as I haue
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
water he hath wasshed and purged vs whiche were defiled and 〈◊〉 For to offer vs pure and clene vnto his father As sayeth Saynt Paule vnto the Ephesyans â—phe 5 He hath gyven hym silfe for vs an offering and a sacryfice of a swete savoure to god And the water of the font doth nowe betoken the water of the syde of Iesu christ In this water be we purged and sanctified by oure faith to thintent that we shulde come pure and clene before God the father whiche hath receyved vs for hys children and hath made vs enheritours of his glorye with hys sonne Iesu christ oure brother And this is the grace the whiche comyth to vs and is gyven at the font of baptesme But to thintent that we shulde not be vnkinde therfore for this grace we do binde oure silves ageyn and yelde vs vnto him promysing that we will serve him denye the devell all his temptacion poÌ„pe counsell that we will serve Christ crucified for vs and vpon this promyse receyve we oure name god hath writeÌ„ vs as in a rolle for his Champyons servauntes and so be we made propre to god For he is oure father and we be his children This baptesme was figured vnto vs when the children of Israell went thorough the redde see out of Egipt Exo. 1â— when Pharo with all his company was drowned in the see The children of Israell went in the see all as though they had gone into deth But for bicause they beleved vnto Moyses they passed the water by they re fayth And be after the maner of spekinge gone out of the deth into lyfe when they hath gotten on the other syde on londe Pharo folowed theym and so was drowned wyth his people So doth everyone vppon the font when he is baptised First he fleâ—th from Pharo when he beginneth for to knowlege his subiection and bondage by the which he was subiect and servaunt vnto the devell and when he desyreth to be enfraunchised from hys synne and from Pharo that is the devell But he may not escape from Pharo without passyng through the redde see that is to say he may not escape from the devell without he must be baptised And for bicause that the children of Israell when they sawe that Pharo folowed theym beleved god therfore vpon that faith in god they be entred into the see as though they were gone into deth But by the meane of thre faith they haue passed the water and are gone as from the deth vnto life So if eny man will escape from the hoÌ„des of the devill it behoveth him to entre into the water He entreth therin as though he eÌ„tred into the deth for he promyseth that he will dye as concernynge all his evell desyres and that he will here lyve before the worlde as though he were deed that is to say that he will not live as the worlde lyveth but will hyde aÌ„d cover his life with god And so entre we by faith into the font that is toâ— say by faith we enterpryse to entre into the deth not into corporall deth but into the deth of sinne no more willing to lyve in sinne And yet all be it that it seme to vs a pleasauâ—t thinge to lyve in sinne and that we thinke yt an harde thing thus to entre into the see that is to sey into this deth we take alwayes courage and beleve trust in the pnissaunce and goodnesse of God and so entre we into the see that is to sey into this espirituell deth and we enterpryse and promyse to dye as concerning oure sinnes And as by a stedfast faith and trust we dare begynne to entre so gyveth God vnto vs grace and streyngth to passe through that see that is to say through this espirituell deth and to come on londe on the other syde that is vnto the everlasting lyfe Pharo that is to sey the devill with oure sinnes pursue vs. but they drowne theym silves in the water that is to sey the power of the devill and of all oure sinnes perisshe when we entre into the water with suche a feith WheÌ„ Pharo was deed then songe the children of Israell and thanked god that they were arryved a londe out of the water as out of the deth So lykewyse must every christen when out of this water that is to say out of this espirituell deth he comyth vnto life that is to sey when he dyeth he shall thanke and preyse God bycause he hath brought hym out of suche a daunger vnto the helth of euerlastyng life But as long as he is yet here in thys worlde he shal be in the deeth that is to say he shall alweyes dye spiritually and his life shal be hydden byfore the worlde with God Here mayst thou well see how that oure baptesme is signified by the redde see as writeth saynt Paule vnto the Corinthyans saying 1. Cor. 10 Oure fathers were all vnder a clowde aâ—d did passe the see all and were all baptyzed in Moyses in the clowde and in the see and they all did eate one spirituell meate and they all dyd drynke one spirituell drynke So seest thou well whate thing â—ignifieth the baptesme and whate thing we promyse in the same Nowe to thintent that we shulde be alweyes remembryng of this that we haue promysed we be merked with a crosse and with that water The fayth that we haue at the baptesme taketh away oure sinnes and the water is nothynge but a sygne or token wher with we be merked that we must be vnder the standard that is to sey vnder the crosse of Iesu Christ aÌ„d valiauntly fight As the Iues had the token of the circumcision wherby men might knowe whether they were Iues or â—aynyms And as when the servauntes of the lordes bere the badge of they re lordes one may therby knowe whose servauntes they be So lyke wyse receyve we the signe of baptesme at the font by the whiche we gyve knowlege that Christ is oure lorde Secondly the baptesme of the water ys also a sygne of the grace of God wherby God maketh vs sure that we shall enioy hys grace and mercy and that he pardoneth vs oure synnes and maketh vs hys chyldren Here vppon gyveth he to vs the token of Baptesme for a gage to thyntent that we shulde be sure that he wyll not forsake vs yn oure batayle and deeth whyche we leade here yn oure evyll desyres and synnes And that he will surely gyve to vs the euerlastyng lyfe And to thintent theÌ„ that we shulde enterpryse by a stedfast constance to fight being assured and certayn that god will never forsake vs for we haue â—â—â—ceyved of him a gage the token of baptesme And if it happon that we mysse sumâ—tyme in the redde see that is to sey in thâ— entrepryse of oure batayle and that 〈◊〉 doubt or that oure bataile seme to vs 〈◊〉 harde aÌ„d bytter we shall
¶ 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
nowe sayed the baptisme hath his vertue of the deth of Iesu christ Then when we be baptised we betoken that we will dye with Christ we betoken I say that we will dye as vnto the lyfe passed as touching oure sinnes evill concupiscences aÌ„d that as saieth S. Paule we must walke in a newe lyfe Ro. 6 And therfore be we plonged vnder the water to thintent that by the maner of spekinge we shuld be here deed and buryed as wryteth saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 6. Bretheren sayth he Esteme ye that ye are deed as concerning sinne but alyde vnto god by Iesu christ oure lord And yn the same place Ye are buryed with Christ by baptesme into deth So that we shall not lyve after the lyfe of the world nor after the lyfe of the flesshe but we must lyve as the children of god And oure lyfe shal be hyd befor the world and also hyd with Christ in god as wryteth saint Paule saying Col. 3 Yf ye be mortified and your life ys hyd with Iesu christ iÌ„ god in whate tyme that Iesu christ oure life shall shewe hym silf then also shall ye be made manifest with him in glory Then when oure lord shal come agayn at the last day of iudgemeÌ„t oure life shal be made open but as long as we lyve here we must lerne all to dye â–ª For we shall not repute this life that we haue here for a lyfe This life here is of the world and of worldly thinges that is to sey of theym that be estraungers to God that haue no trust of the other life to come Nether doo they loke for it nor desyre it Suche people ioy of this world for the world wyth his vaine desyres and plesaunces belongeth to theym Iohn 15. and 16. And they theym silves be also called the world in the holye scripture As sayeth oure lord Christ in saint Iohn You be not of the world but I haue chosen you from the world And agayn The world shal be ioyons and you shal be sory Nowe call we all theym worldy whiche be not monkes Oure lord made a distinction bytwene the world hys disciples before the monkes came into the worlde Wherfore they be not called the world in holy scripture which be not moÌ„kes but all those that lyve after the flesshe whiche desyre not here to dye with Iesu christ and to be hydden here after to lyve with God All suche whatesoever they be are worldly be he monke or chanone nunne or Syster nobill or vnnoble grete or small For as I have sayed the lyfe of theym whiche apperteyn to God is here hyd and they seme to be deed before the world For they lyve not comunely according to the lyfe of the world And therfore they be hated of the world for they be not of the world as sayeth the Gospell in this maner They be not of the world for if they were of the world the world surely wolde love theym as his owne Iohn 15. But for as moche as they accordyng to they re promyse made at the font of baptesme do applye theym silves to renounce the pleasures of the world and to dye with chryst in killing of the desyres of the flesshe and also are strongly ageynst the appetites of the flesshe in other by ensaumple of they re good lyving therfore be they persecuted of the world And hereby may we alweyes knowe the disciples and children of God yf they love to gyther the one the other And yâ— they lyve not here after the life of the world nor after the pleasure of the flesshe aÌ„d if they do not repute this lyfe for a life but abide with a ioyfull hart the coming of oure lord Iesu christ Then shall they re lyfe be made open and shall appere before God So shuld we all lyve here as though this life were not oure life For we must abide oure life before God and we may do none other thing in this life but fight Ageynst oure evell desires and learne to dye for as the prophet Iob sayeth the lyfe of man is a batayle vpon erth that is to say a batayle in a goostly deth Iob. 2 And thys do we promyse to do when we be baptised and we signifie eveÌ„ the same when we be plonged vnder the water ¶ Whate thing the baptesme betokeneth and howe it ys but a sygne Chaptre ij THen when we be baptised yt behoveth vs to knowe surely and to beleve that all oure sinnes to vs are pardoned and that we be made the childreÌ„ of god For god is bycome oure father aÌ„d Iesus christ oure brother And that same right that Iesus christ hath vnto the glory of his father have we also gotten for the bretheren have egall right vnto they re fathers goodes And this haue we not gotten by oure good workes for we haue yet done no good when we were baptised But this comyth holly bi the grace of god and by oure faith by that we put oure hole trust in hym and that we knowlege hiÌ„ for oure lorde and savionre And that we beleve all that he hath done aÌ„d suffred for vs. for he dyed to make vs to lyve â—Cor 8 He became lytell and poer to make vs greate and ryche As saith Saint Paule in thys maner ye knowe the liberalite of oure lorde Christ whiche though he were ryche yet for your sakes became poore that ye through his povertye myght be made ryche for Iesus christ is holly gyven to vs of his father to thintent that he shulde make vs greate ryche and happy by his deth For we could not helpe oure silves therfore he was borne for vs. As saieth Esaie A childe is borne to vs. Esa. â— For we were all egally dettours aud bound to god by the sinne of Adam Then when we coulde not helpe oure silves for asmoche as we were servauntes and subiectes vnto the devell god hath gyven to us .ij. no table giftes aÌ„d hath done .ij. thinges for the love that he hath vnto vs. First that he hath bought vs aÌ„d made vs fre from the devill and from oure sinnes Secondly that he hath made vs his children and heriters of his glorye aÌ„d that all without oure deserving As saide before the prophete Esaye saying Esa. â— The iniquyte of Ierusalem that is to say of the man seing by faith peace in Iesu Christ to him is pardoned and he hath receyved of the hond of the lorde god twyce as moche for all his sinnes Zachaâ— And the prophet Zacharie saith also Tourne you vnto defence I will gyve you doubleâ— as moche In the whiche places these .ij. Prophetes say that for oure sinnes for the whiche we haue deserved dampnacyon we haue receyved of God .ij. gyftes And therfore is there issued out of the syde of Iesu Christ .ij. fontaygnes that is to say bloud and water By his bloude he hath bought vs agayn from the devell By the
in all mannes reason that he shulde haue a sonne of his baraine wife Sara of whom kinges of the people shuld aryse and that in his sede all people shulde be blessed all be it that it was a thing ageinst nature that a woman of foure score and tenne yeres olde shulde conceyve and bere a childe beleved vndoughtedly aÌ„d as the childe was borne god as â—â—rforth as coude appere vnto mannes iudgement working clene contrary to his promyse commaunded that he shulde sâ—e him and make sacrifice of him Abraham albeit that all carnall wisdome wolde haue persuaded him to haue dispeyred in the promesse never douted was all redy to do it beleving stedfastly that it shulde rather be possible that his son shulde ryse again from deth rather then the worde and promyse of god shulde not be true So stedfast aud so certayn must we stonde vnto the worde of god ye and although it were so that all men aungels and devels wold persuade vs to the coÌ„trary we must beleve surely that the worde of god is true that he will fulfill all that he hath promysed Whate thyng hath god promysed vs Ma. â— 4 Mar. 16 he hath promysed vs his everlasting lyfe saying repent the kingdome of heven is at honde Mar. 16 And in an other place whosoeuer shall beleve and be baptised shall be saved He hath also promysed vnto vs remission of all oure sinnes as seyd saint Peter speking of Christ to Cornelius the centurion To him sayd he Act. 10 gyveth all the prophetes witnesse that thorowe his name shall receyve remission of sinnes all that beleve in him that is to sey that al they that with entyre courage forsake they m sâ—lfe and put all there trust in the grace and mercy of him shall haue remission of all there sinnes Moreover he hath promysed vs that we shall be the children of God as sayth saint Iohn Iohn 1. He hath gyven to theym power to be the childreÌ„ of god to theym that beleve in his name All this must we beleue stedfastly all though that we thinke it impossibill after oure workes and sinfull life We must also with a parfaâ—t courage put all oure trust in god as did Abraham for as saint Paule wryteth Abraham beleved god and hit was imputed vnto him for rightuousnesse Ro. 4. Then when with a parfayt courage we do so put all oure trust in god and in his promyses it is unpossible that we shulde perisshe For he hath promysed vs his life euerlasting And for asmoche as he is almightye and may all thing he may wel holde to vs that he hath promysed And in that that he is mercyfull and true he will holde to vs his promys if we can beleve it stedfastly and put all oure trust in him For as withoâ—t oure meâ—tes he hath made vs his children and heyres vppon the font of baptesme so may he lykewise gyve to vs that thing that he hath promysed vs if we can onely trust in him albeit that we haue not 〈◊〉 served it by oure workes Therfore be not discomfort nor yndesperacyon for thy sinnes though thou hast not deserved by thy good workes â—hat god hath made the his heyre for as sayeth saint Paule By grace are ye saved by faith and that not of your silves Ephe. 2 And agayn It is the gifte of god and cometh not of workes â–ª lest eny man shuld host him silf For when we were yet sinners and before that we haue done eny good Ye when we were yet his enemyes he hath not spared his owne sonne but to make â—s likewise his children aÌ„d heyres by hiÌ„ Ro. 8 hath delyuered him vnto deth to make saâ—sfaction for oure sinnes to purchase vs pardon and forgyuenesse to make vs one as he is in Christ and Christ in him that Iohn 17 â—o we in god and Christ might be one that the worlde may know that he hath loved vs as he hath loued Christ that there as he is we may be with him that we may se his glory which he hath gyven him bicause he loved him before the world began Ro. 8. Here maist thou se if thou caÌ„st beleue it that it is god that iustifieth who is it theÌ„ that shall coÌ„deÌ„pne who shall ley eny sinne to the charge of goddis elect sith christ ys â—eed for oure sinnes risen ageyn for our â—ustificacioÌ„ which also sitteth at the right hoÌ„de of god the father and praieth for vs. Beholde whate a servent occasion goâ— hath gyven the to loue him wheÌ„ thou wâ—â—re yet his enemye wherfore let no tribulacion anguysshe persecucion fere imprisonement hunger nakednesse nor swerdeâ— separate vs from the love of god Wherfoâ—re if eny wolde discomfort vs be he aunâ—gell or devell let vs not beleve hym 〈◊〉 the promyses of god may not be distroyedâ— If thou canst surely and stedfastly beleve in god he will holde his promyse He hath sworne to vs to thintent we shulde beleue him But if thou beleve him not and 〈◊〉 by thy sinnes thou comest in dispeyre 〈◊〉 abideth stedfast in his promyse but thoâ— holdest not thy faith As sayeth saint Paâ—ul to Timothe 2. Timo. 2 A faithfull word for if we be ded with him we shall lyve lyke wysâ— with him For god hath bouÌ„d him silfe to vs aÌ„d for bicause of his promyse he owâ—th vnto vs heven in case that we beleve him But if we beleve him not he oweth to vs nothing Rede all the Euangelistes thoroughâ— and ye shall not finde that oure lord Iesuâ— christ hath so moche exhorted vs to anyâ— thing as vnto faith nor that he hath so 〈◊〉 hated and reproved eny thinge in his â—â—sciples as incredulite As it is wryten in 〈◊〉 Mathewe in the .xiiij. Chaptre that â—hen saint Petre went vppon the water â—nd doubted O thou of lytell faith sayde â—esus whie didest thou doubt Also to 〈◊〉 paralitique that is to sey a maÌ„ sike of 〈◊〉 paisey beleve son thy sinnes be forgyâ—en the. And vnto the woman labouring 〈◊〉 a bloudy flyxe Mat. 9 Beleve doughter thy â—â—nnes are forgiven the. And vnto the faâ—â—er of the possessed in the .ix of Marke If â—â—ou couldest beleve all thinges are possiâ—le vnto him that beleveth and vnto thapâ—ostles whiche coude not cast out the devel â—om the same possessed O generacion wiâ—â—out faith howe loÌ„g shall I be with you â—â—reby mayst thou lightly knowe howe â—any tymes oure lord Christ hath reproâ—ed his disciples of they re infidelite And â—oyses coude not bring the people of If â—ell into the lond of promyssion bycause 〈◊〉 gave not the glory to god and that he â—egan to doubt of god to thintent that heâ—â—by we myght knowe that allonly one â—â—edfast faith and trust in God may bringe 〈◊〉 vnto the lonâ— of promission of the kingdome of heven As it is writen in Deâ—teronomion where the prophete Moyseâ— saieth vnto the people of Israell Thou shalt not entre into the lond
ghost hath offred hym silfe without Hebre. â— spot vnto God hath clensed oure consciences from mortall workes for to serve vnto the lyving God And therfore we haue no nede to laboure by oure good workes to get euerlasting lyfe for we haue that alredy we be all iustified we be all the children of God God hath gyven vs all thys of him silf without oure deserving Some man might say I will also do sumwhate to thintent that I may be so moche the more certeyn to be saved All they that say so and all they that thinke that they re good workes helpe eny thing or proufit for to get the gift of saluacyon they blaspheme ageynste God and robbe god of his honoure and speke ageynst the might and goodnesse of God Gala. 5 as wryteth saint Paule If ye be circumcised Christ shall nothinge proufit you that is to say if ye put eny trust in the lawe or in any workes Christ shall not helpe you And yet sayeth saint Paule in that same Chaptre whosoever will be iustified by the lawe is fallen out of the grace of god Howe may the wordes be more clere wherfore al they blaspheme ageynst the dyvine puissaunce that will eny maner wey deserve by they re good workes for this cause we must do oure good workes alweys by love to the proufit of 〈…〉 not for the necessite of oure hâ—â—th for by Iesu christ be we made sure of the euerlasting life as it is bifore said They that by they re workes will satisfie vnto god be agaynst God as though God were not puissaunt ynough of him silf without the helpe of oure werkes for to pardone vs oure sinnes and as though the passion of Christ were not vertuouse ynough without oure deservinges for to helpe vs to come vnto heven Therfore say I we must allonly hoelly trust in the grace mercy of god not in oure workes or els christ shall nothing proufit vs. ¶ Howe that by the onely grace of God and by nothing elles we be saved Chaptre vi NOwe might some man sey I knowe wel that god is mightie ynough to save me without my workes but I caÌ„ not tel whether he wil do it if it be not that I live therwith al rightuously paraueÌ„ture my good werkes shal enduce hiÌ„ to make me rightuous to save me or els he wolde not do it All they that so saye or thinke as I haue said blaspheme against the goodnesse of god as though god were not of him silf mercyfull aÌ„d good ynough except he were first stered vnto mercy by oure werkes Ro. 4. Not withstoÌ„ding that saint Paule sayeth that the promesse was not made vnto Abraham by the lawe but by the iustice of the faith And seyng also that of his proper nature he is nothing els but goodnesse and mercy as he hath alweyes taught and shewed wheÌ„ he was teaching in the world for he hath never dispysed nor left none discomforted of eny thing that eny hath requyred him but onely suche as wold not beleve Wherfore thou must knowe ones for all that by the onely grace of god we be saved And god will not that thou put thy good workes or thy iustice with his pretending to helpe him by thy workes for he will do it a lone and will haue no maner helpe For he hath no nede of the couÌ„sell nor of the dede nor of the workes nor of the iustice of any other Ephe. 2 For saint Paule saieth By grace are ye saved thorowe faith and that not of your silves for it ys the gift of god and cometh not of workes lest eny man shulde bost himsilf Now were it possible to speake it more pleynly and vnto the Romains Ro. 5. Being iustified by fayth we are at peace with god And saynt Iohn saieth He is the recoÌ„ciliacion for oure sinnes 1. Iohn The deth of Iesu christ and his iustice be vertuous ynough for to take awey all the sinnes of the world Nowe might one demaunde whi will god iustifie vs and so save vs of him silfe God doth it to thintent that he make hys goodnesse and mercy vnto vs more clere and more open Ephe. 2 As writeth saint Paule vnto the Ephesians God that is riche yn mercy thorowe the grete love wherwyth he loved vs even when we were dâ—ed by sinne hath quykned vs with Christe by whose grace ye be saved and with hiÌ„ hath reysed vs vp and with him hath made vs sitte in hevenly thinges thorowe Christ for to shewe in tyme to come the exceding richesse of his grace in kindnesse towarde vs thorowe Iesus Christ. Here seest thou by these wordes the cause whye god will do it alone for if god shuld iustifie vs aÌ„d shuld gyue helth bicause of oure workes he shuld not do it by his goodnesse but oure workes had deserved it and so shulde we not nede to thanke God therfore but moâ—ght ascribe it to oure selves and vnto oure workes But saint Paule and all the prophetes do teache vs that we be iustified and haue gotten helth by the onely grace of God and not by oure deservynges for we haue none And as god wyll that we do not thanke laude or loue other then alonely him Also like wyse will he not that we serche elswhere or of any other helth but of him onely for god wil be oure helth and oure savioure alone and he will not that we serche els where comfort but in him and of him and not in oure silfe nor in oure good werkes And for this cause thus writeth saint Paule vnto Titus But after that the kindnesse and loue of oure savioure appered vnto man not of the dedys of rightuousnesse which we haue wrought but of his mercy he hath saved vs by the fonteyne of the newe birth with the renewing of the holy gost whiche he shed over vs abundauntly thorow Iesus christ oure savioure TituÌ„ 3 And therfore whosoever thiÌ„ke to haue deserved the kingdome of heven by his rightuous life he robbeth god of his goodnesse for god hath frely iustified vs of hiÌ„ silf oure lord him silf hath seid in the gospel of S. Ioh None may come vnto me except my father that sent me drawe hiÌ„ Iohn 6 And in an other place without me ye caÌ„ do nothing Iohn 15 god spake by the prophete Osee O Israel thi perdicioÌ„ comith of thy silf alonely of me cometh thy helpe Osee. 14 And saint Paule vnto the romains Ro. 9. The enerlasting life is not his that will or that râ—neth after it but it is in the hondes will of god to gyve it to whome he will by his mercy Therfore erre all they that thiÌ„ke that god owith to theym the euerlastiÌ„g life or that they haue deserved it when they haue done many good workes for that thing that god onely gyveth to whome he will that wold they take froÌ„ him plucke it out of
reward it and that he so reward the goodnesse that he hath done himsilf by his holy sprite beyng in vs. And therfore haue we nothing but that that comyth of god vppon whome we must abyde for I haue often sayed Christ is oure iustice that is to sey Christ hath satisfied for vs not to thintent that we shuld not satisfye but bycause we can not satisfye And wheÌ„ one vnderstondeth this he seeth well howe he shuld humble him silf byfore God and in whome he shal seke his helth And when we thus distrust in ur silves of oure good workes we shall forsake our silf and stikke all holly to god with a stedfast faith and parfait trust And so doyng we make force vnto the kingdome of heven And this is it that God requyreth of vs and then he holdeth to vs hys promyse and he iustifieth vs when we dye with suche a trust not for oure workes but for hys holy name For he hath promysed vs that we shall be his children So brought he the children of Israell into the lond of promission not by they re meryte for they were many tyme rebelles and murmured ageynst hym but to fulfyll hys promyse For he had promysed it to AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob So shall not the Christen distrust albeit he fynde no good in hym sylf nor yn his owne vertue but he shall yeld hym sylf hoelly to the mercy of god and axe pardon of his imperfection wyth a perfayt trust consydering howe grete love Christ hath shewed vnto hym And thus doyng he geâ—â—eâ—h an hope and trust yn the goodnesse of God and beleveth stedfastly that his synnes are forgyven not by his good workes for when they be compared vnto the goodnesse requyred of God there ys no comparyson but by Iesu Christ to whome he putteth his trust For Iesu Christ possessith the kingdome of heven by double ryght First for bycause he is the sonne of God and verey enheryter of his Royalme Secundly bycause he hath gotten hyt by his passyon and deth Of this secunde right he hath no nede and therfore he gyveth it to all theym that beleve and trust yn hym and yn hys promyses For as God the father loveth Christ he loveth likewise all theym that love him beleve in him So there shall none discomfort hiÌ„ silfe when he shall dye but he must beleve surely that he shal be saved And albeit that one have not deserved by his good works yet neverthelesse he must beleve it bicause of the promyse of god for god hath promysed it to all theym that beleve it And if we beleve it he owith hyt vnto vs bycause of hys promesse and bycause that he ys true But if God had promysed heven vnto vs bycause of oure workes we shuld ever be vnsure of oure helth for we shuld never knowe howe moche nor howe loÌ„g we must laboure to be saved and shuld be ever in thought that we had done to litell and that more is we shuld never dye ioyfully But god wold assure vs of heven by his promesse to thintent we shuld be certeyn and sure For he is the truthe that can not lye And also to thintent that we shuld haue trust aÌ„d hope in him Notwithstonding that after the gretnesse and multitude of oure synnes it seme to vs a thing impossible yet alweyes we shall beleve it without ony doubt bicause of his sure promesse And whosoever knowyth thys he may ioyfully dye and abyde the iudgement of God whyche els were yntollerabill ¶ Howe that we shall not sorowe for feare of deth Chaptre .xv. THe helth of a Christen lyeth not in this life or in that that one lyveth longe yn this world but rather yn the deth For we can not be saved but by deth Therfore the deth in him silf is not yvill but is rather to be desyred As did saint Paule saint Martyne saint Austyn and many other saintes whiche desired al the deth for in this lyfe there is no proufit but alwey to sinne more and more and alweyes vnredy to dye Therfore thou shalt diligently studye and exercise thy silf in this present boke aÌ„d in the faith wherof I haue moche spoken of aÌ„d then forsaking thy silf entyerly thou shalt trust vnto the grace mercy and good will of god alweyes rather desiring to dye and to be with god then to lyve here ony longer This shall thy sprite desyre for the flesshe can not desyre suche thinges And so shalt thou holde thy silf stedfastly vnto god beleving that thou art his childe and that he is thy father that thou belongest to him For God hath bought the ageyn and hath made the his child and his heyre wheÌ„ thou were yet hys enymye And if he haue bought the when thou knewest hym not howe moche more will he nowe take the to mercy when thou knowest hym and when thou axest mercy with a stedfast fayth and trust in hym And bycause a man can not lyve here without synne therfore he can never satisfye vnto God for hys synnes And for this cause shall the Christen willingly yeld hym silf vnto the deth for the love of God As Iesus Christ hath done for vs. And by suche a willing deth which is taken with a good will by suche fayth and trust and also by the love that we have to God all synnes are clerely defeated and put awey For none can do more greate penaunce then to dye wyllingly for to fulfill the will of God Therfore thou shalt not be sory for deth but thou shalt forsake willingly and with a ioyfull hert all thy goodes and all thy frendes for to obey god They that die with suche a courage and suche a trust yn god it is a certeyn signe that they be saved And to thintent that none shuld feare or be discomfort by deth Christ is first deed him silf and hath takeÌ„ awey the power of deth None shall haue horror of the deth if he haue this feith for it is nowe none other thing but a dore and entre wherby one goith from this lyfe teÌ„porall vnto the life eternall For christ saieth by the mouth of the prophete Osee. Osee. 13 1. Cor. 15 O deth I wil be thy deth And saint Paule saieth Deth where is thy victory Wherfore yt is moche to be rebuked the folisshe custume and maner of wepyng bewaylyng and takyng of sorowe for the deed as though we had no maner of hope or beleve on the other lyfe Let the paynems wepe and wayle which haue no hope of the euerlastyng lyfe I mervayle that we be so moche ynfideles seyng that seint Paul teacheth vs not to be sory for oure frendes deed saying vnto the Thessalonyans My bretheren we wyll not that ye be ignoraunt of theym that slepe that ys to sey of theym that be deed to 1. Tessa 4 thintent ye shulde not be sory as are other that have no hope Behold Saynt Paule calleth the deth none other thyng but a