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
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
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
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
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
it behoveth that thou beleve him stedfastly without ony maner waveringe to thinten that thou knowe that it is all grace and not deserving and that the wordes and promyses of god be verey certein and true for god hath called vs his children as saint Paule saieth Because that ye are sonnes god hath sent the sprite of hys sonne into oure hertes crying Abba father Then arte thou nowe no servaunt but a sonne Gala. 4 and if thou be a sonne then art thou also heyre of god by christ aÌ„d so be we delyvered from oure sinnes and from the bondage of the devell and made heyres of the kingdome of heven by the benefit of Iesu christ He beleveth in god that putteth all his trust and hope in god and in the iustice of god living after his power accordinge to the rule of charite having no maner hope nor trust in the world in his good works or good life but alonly in the goodnesse of god and in the merites of Iesu christ beleving certeynly that god will hold to hym that he hath promysed remission of sinnes and certeynte of everlasting life He that doth so is a true christen and beleveth stedfastly that the wordes of god must nedes be true Notwithstanding that according to his workes he thinketh it a thing ympossible Neverthelesse he beleveth that he shal be saved without deservinge of any good workes rather then the wordes of god and all thinges that they do promyse shuld not come to passe As writeth saynt Paule of Abraham which beleved rather that his wife whiche was bareyne out of thage of generacyon shuld conceyve a childe rather theÌ„ the promyse of god shuld not be fulfilled And by this fayth was Abraham reputed iuste byfore God not by his good workes So behoveth it that euery christen do albeit that it seme to him ympossible to be saved bycause he hath done no good he shall neverthelesse stykke stedfastly vnto the goodnesse and mercy of God and vnto hys worde yn suche maner that he doubt not yn nothyng Lu. 2â— For Christ sayeth in Saynt Luke Heven and erth shall passe but my worde shall never passe Of this sayth wryteth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 10. whosoever shall call on the name of the lord God shal be saved He therfore that calleth vppon hym on whome he beleveth not that he may helpe hym loseth but his laboure Therfore thou must first beleve in hym And then if thou call vppon hym with suche a fayth as we haue spoken of thou shalt be saved Of this fayth speaketh also the prophete Esaie as recyâ—eth Saynt Paule the apostle yn the forseyd Chaptre All they that beleue yn hymshall not be ashamed And ageyn saint Paule Ro. 10 If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and that thou beleue with a perfaict herte that God hath reised christ froÌ„ deth thou shalt be saved And the word that Christ preched first as recyteth Saint Marke was The tyme is full come and the kingdome of god is evyn at honde repent and beleve the gospell Mar. 1 Of this faith writeth lyke wise saint Iohn and they be the wordes of Christ vnto Nicodemus as Moyses lift vp the serpent in wildernesse even so must the sonne of man be lift vp that no man that beleveth in him perisshe but haue eternall life Iohn 3 God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely sonne for the entent that none that beleve in him shuld perisshe but shuld haue everlasting life And a lytell after he that beleveth in him shall not be coÌ„dempned and ageyn in the same chaptre He that beleveth on the sonne hath everlasting life and he that beleveth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrathe of god abideth vppon him By all these escriptures here maist thou see that we be all the children of God alonly thorowe faith and this had God lever promyse vnto vs bicause of oure faith then bicause of oure good workes to thintent that we shuld be so moche the more certeyn of oure helth And therfore saith saint Paule by faith is the enheritaunce gyven that it might come of grace that the Ro. 4. promyse be sure and stedfast to all the seade for if god had said whosoever will do suche or suche workes shal be saved we shuld ever haue byn iÌ„certeyn whether we shuld haue byn saved or not for we shuld never haue knowen whether we had dogood ynough to haue deserved the lyfe eternall But nowe god hath promysed it vnto vs bicause of oure faith by hys favoure not by oure workes to thintent that we be the more sure therof For let vs beleve stedfastly and we may knowe for certeyn that we be the childreÌ„ of god Not that we haue deserved it but bycause he hath promysed it And it must nedes be that the word of god be true for this cause if we haue perfeit trust in god and beleve perfeitly in him we shal be sure that we shal be saved It was suche a feith that saint Paule had when he seid 2. Ti. â— I knowe and am sure that he to whome I haue coÌ„mitted and gyven my gage to kepe ys mighty ynough to kepe it for me tyll that day And ageyn I haue fought a good batayl 2. Ti. 4. I haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the faith from hensforth is leyd vp for me a crowne of rightuousnesse whiche the lord that is a rightuous iudge shall give me at that day Not vnto me onely but vnto all theym whiche love hys coming 1. Ioh. 3 And saint Iohn saieth Derely beloved nowe are we the sonnes of God And yet it hath not appered whate we shal be we knew that wheÌ„ he shal appere we shal be like hiÌ„ for we shal see hiÌ„ as he is This faith had also saynt Martine at the houre of his deth when he saide vnto the devell whye art thou here thou bloudy beest thou hast nought in me the seed of Abraham shall receyve me This suertye had likewise saint Imbrose when one axed hym if he feared not the deth he answered whye shuld I feare seyng that we haue one so good a lordâ— For this cause must we love the deth and more desyre to dye aÌ„d to be with god as dyd saint Paule then to feare the deth Phi. 1 for Iesu christ is deede for vs to thintent that we shuld not feare to dye And he hath flayne the deth and hath destroyed the streynght of deth as writeth saint Paule saying 1. Cor. 15 O deth where is thy victory It is swalowed and brought to nought by victory Phi. 1 And vnto the Philippyans Christ is my life and deth is to me advauntage ¶ Howe that feith bryngeth Charyte and Charyte good workes Chaptre .viij. NOwe might one axe when I beleve certeynly that I am the childe of god that Iesu christ hath satisfied for me vnto hys hevenly father
is he that shall separate vs from the love of god shall tribulacion or anguisshe or persecucion or hunger or nakydnesseâ— other parell orswerd we be sure that neither deth nor life nether aungell nether rule nor thiÌ„ges present nor thinges to come nether height nor depnesse nether eny other creature shal be abyll to separat vs from goddis love which is in Iesu christ our lord But I axe you nowe wherby ys it that thou knowest that thou are the childe of god by the service that thou hast done hi Nay Wherby then by the faith wher by thou belevest the worde of god whiche sayth that thou art the childe of god before thou begynnest to serve hym as wryteth saint Paule in all his epistles Thy service and thy workes haue not gyveÌ„ the the faith and trust wherby thou belevest that thou art the childe of god and his heyre for thou haddest that or thou dydest hiÌ„ any service but bicause that thou belevest stedfastly that god hath made the so grete by this faith beginnest thou to loue hym And when thou lovest him so thou doest him all the service that thou knowest ys agreable vnto hiÌ„ Thou â—beyst his coÌ„maundementes alweyes humbly knoweleging thyne ymperfection ascribing all that thou doest vnto God for els as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 4 If oure heretage came of the lawe the feith were but in vayne and the promyse of none effect Behold nowe seest thou that we do not deserve the euerlasting life by oure good workes for God hath promysed it vnto vs all surely bifore that we began to do good wherfore thou must knowe and beleve that good workes make none sure that he shal be the childe of God and hys heyre But contrary wise the feith trust that thou hast in god wherby thou belevest stedfastly that he haâ—h made the hys sonne maketh the to serve god and to kepe his commaundementes by love â–ª wherfore all they are abused Theologyans and doctours that sey that certeynte or hope procedeth out froÌ„ good workes â–ª For contraryly out from the certeynte from the feith wherby thou belevest the goodnesse that god hath done vnto the comith the good works That is to sey wheÌ„ thou belevest thou begynnest to love and when thou lovest thou doest that God wold haue done ¶ Howe that we shall not serve God for hyres or wages Chaptre ix THe workes done in suche fayth and charyte be allonely plesauÌ„t vnto god and worthy to be called good workes for they be the workes of the holy gost that dwelleth in vs by this faith But they that are done by tediousnesse evill will for fere of hell or for desire of paradise be none other thiÌ„g but shadowes of workes makiÌ„g ypochrytes The ende of oure good workes may seÌ„ke nought but to please god knowlegiÌ„g that if we do never so moche we caÌ„ neuer do our duety for they that for feare of hell or for the ioyes of heveÌ„ do serve god do a coÌ„streined service which god will not Suche people do not serve God bicause he is theire god theire father but bicause he is riche for to haue part of his richesse they not god but his wayes and richesse that is to sey they serue for none other purpose but to haue they re rewardes and for to avoide his punissions And suche people be as it were hyred men and waged servauntes and are not children for the service they do is but for wages and hyres But the children of god serve they re father for loue for they knowe the goodnesse that god hath done to theym alredy in that they beleue that god hath made theym hys children and heyres Gala. 3 For saint Paule seith ye are all the children of god by the feith which is in Iesu Christ And ageyn forasmoche as ye be childreÌ„ god hath sent the sprit of his sonne in to your hartes crying Ga. 4 father father Thou art then nowe no servaunt but a sonne And if thou be the sonne thou art also heyre of god by christ as saieth saint Paule ye are all the children of â—ight and children of god Tessa 5 Then the children of god that is the true christen do not desyre to get the heretage by theire service for they knowe by the sure promyses of god whiche they do beleve that God of hym self hath purely and liberally gyueÌ„ it vnto theym alredy Is when a burgoys hath a servaunt and a sonne The servaunt serueth his master and dare not offend hym for feare of losing of his wages whiche he attendeth for for he serveth for wages and after that he hath receyved theym he levith his master axeth no more of him for he demaunded nothing els but his money which he hath receyved alredy The sonne of the house serveth hys father and kepeth his commaundementes not to haue wages but for loue that he hath vnto hys father For he knoweth the goodnesse that his father hath done to him and that he is heyre of the goodes of hys father And knoweth that he shall ever dwelle in his fathers house as saieth saint Iohn Iohn And therfore doth he liberally the will of his father by cause he will not anger him So must euery christen serve god and kepe hys commaundementes by true loue and not by hope to get for his service everlasting life or the heritage of his heveÌ„ly father but knowleging alonly that god hath gyven him that alredy and that he hath made him hys heyre â—yfore he requyred him So shall he serve him by love declaring that god is all good and to shewe that ageynst his goodnesse he wyll not be vnkynd ¶ Howe that we disheret oursilves by oure disobedience Chaptre x. NOwe must euery maÌ„ know that alonly they that by suche love serue God be the children of god his heyres and shal be saved For he that gyveth not thankes to God and loveth hym not of this facyon for the goodnesse that god of hym silf hath willingly done vnto him is cause that he is not the child of god and maketh him silf vnworthye of all the promyses of God Lyke as though there were a maâ— that had gotten some grete rychesse by his laboure that he had .ij. sonnes The. ij sonnes be here egally like nighe vnto the goodes of they re father the herytage of they re father beloÌ„geth egalâ—iâ— vnto theÌ„ for thei be both sonnes But if the one be rebell disobedient vnto his father do to him dishonour after that he come to thage of discretion by suche meanes may hâ— be cause of dishereting of him silf â— he is naturelly sonâ—nd heyre to the goodes as well as his other brother but he disheriteth him silf by his evill life So are all parsones the childreÌ„ of god bought ageyn by Iesu Christ but they that rebell ageinst god and obey not vnto his commaundementes disheryt theym silves aÌ„d theym silves because of they re daÌ„pnacyon God wold
vnto the Romayns where he saieth Ro. â— Every soule shall be subiect vnto the highe powers for there is no power but of god Then he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God Moreâ—ver saint Peter saieth 1. Pe. â— Be ye subiectes to euery humayne creature be it vnto the kinge as vnto the sovereyne be it vnto the hede rulers as by him sent for veÌ„geaunce vnto the offeÌ„ders but for preyse to theym that be good Moreover the right of the seculer power of the ciuile iustice hath bin froÌ„ the begiÌ„niÌ„g of the world for wheÌ„ Cain had slayne his brother Abell he feared moche that he shuld be kild ageyn Likewise after the floude god coÌ„firmed it agein Gene. 9 saying whosoever shede maÌ„nes bloud his bloude shal be shed agein The same ryght was coÌ„fermed agein in the lawe of Moses where he sayde in Exode Exo. 2â— whosoever strike a man willing to kill hiÌ„shall dye of deth And ageyn if any with dede advised iying in a wayte kill his neighboure thou shalt drawe him out of my house and that he dye And in the same lawe it was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take awaye life for life yie for yie to the for to the hand for hand wauÌ„de for wounde so of other Likewise hath our savioure Christ in the gospell confirmed Mat. 25 it saying to saint Petre in the gardeyn of Olivete He that streketh with the swerd with the swerde shall perisshe Then is it all certeyn manifest that it is the will of god that there shulde be a swerd iustice teÌ„porall for the punycion of the evill coÌ„â—â—vacioÌ„ of the good for theÌ„terteyniÌ„g of the publique peace christen comune brotherly love ¶ SecuÌ„dly it semeth to be moche coÌ„trary heruÌ„to that whiche Christ saieth in the gospell in this maner Ye haue herde whate hath byn sayed Mat. 5 In yie for anyie a toth for a toth but I sey vnto you ye shall not resist evill But whosoever strike the on the right cheke touâ—â—e to him the other And to him that will go to lawe with the by force take awey thy core gyve to him also thy gowne And he that will constreyne the to go a myle with him go with him twayne And a litell after Love your enemyes say well of theÌ„ that â—urse you do good to theym that persecuâ—e you with hatred praye for theym that hurt you persecute you And over besides this there are yet many places in the holy scripture for be doing all maner of veÌ„geaunce As in saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 1â— 1. Pe. â— and. 3. Saint Petre in his first epistle and in many other places Wherfore it seâ—â—eth that the swerd of iustice shuld be for bodeÌ„ in the new testameÌ„t emoÌ„g the christeÌ„ Then thirdly for to vnderstond thys well we must fyrst knowe that there are â—wo sortes of people in the worlde The first belong vnto the kingdome of god The other to the kingdome of the worlde They that belong vnto the kingdome of God be all true faythfull people in Iesus Christ and vnder him For Christ is king and lord in the kingdome of God As techeth vs the secunde Psalme and also all the olde and newe testameÌ„t He came also in to the worlde to begyn and to lest vp the kingdome of god in the worlde Therfore saide he to Pylate My kingdome is not of this worlde And whosoever is of the trouth hereth my voice Iohn 18 And in saint Marke sayeth he that the tyme is fulfilled and the kingdome of God shall approche Mar. 1. And in Saynt Mathewe sayeth he Mat. 16. Seche first the kingdome of God He calleth the Gospell a gospell of the kingdome of god bycause the Gospell teacheth governeth and kepeth the same kingdome Then they that are stedfast in the faithe in the love of god yf they obey vnto his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes have nought to do with the swerd of iustice nor of the seculer power to make theym rightuous And yf all the worlde were true and verey Christen that is to sey veri feithfull there nede no governoure king lord sworde nor iustice For wherto shulde they sarve seyng that all true christeÌ„ shulde haue the holy goost whiche governeth and teacheth theym to do no wronge to love all the world to suffre and endure the evell and iniurye of all the worlde willingly and ioyfully ye also the deth And where as all persones are content willingly to suffre wrong and iniurye And where as there is none that doth wronge nor iniurye but where as all persones do ryght there is no dyscord hatred envie nor other discencion And there nedeth no ryght nor punycyon Wherfore it were iÌ„possible that the swerd of iustice shuld haue ought to do emong the verey true christen seyng they do moche more of theym silves then eny man caÌ„commaunde theym or then eny lawe or worldly doctrine can teche theym As sayth saiÌ„t Paule vnto Timoth. vnto the ryghtuous there is no lawe sette but vnto the vnryghtuous 1. Tim. â— And this is thus bicause that the iugement and ryght of a verey true christen fordereth and avaunceth more then all other ryghtes aÌ„d lawes for it procedeth from the holy goost whiche possesseth and inhabiteth the hart of a verey christen But the vnryghtuous do ryght to no man therfore they haue nede of ryght and of lawes wherby they be taught and constreyned to do well A good tree nedeth not that one teche hym to bryng forth good frute for his nature gyveth it without ony reching Likewise are all the verey true christen natured by the holy goost and saith that they do all thinges well and as it aperteyneth more then eny man can commaunde theym by all the coÌ„maundementes in the worlde And for theym silves haue they no nede nether of lawe nether of ryght But some man myght axe whye then hath god gyveÌ„ vnto men so many commaundementes yn the olde and newe testament I answerethe Saint Paule seith as it is sayde byfore vnto the ryghtuous there is set no lawe but to the vnrightuous that is to sey to theym that are not yet true christeÌ„ And forbicause that none is true and verey christeÌ„ or good of nature but be all synnars and evill As witnesseth the prophete sayng God hath loked from heven vppon the children of meÌ„ that he mought se if there be eny vnderstonding Psat. â—3 Rom. 3. or seching god All are fallen and are become abhominable there is none that doeth good no not one Therfore god refreyneth the malice of the people by the lawe that they dare not accomplisshe hit outwardly by worke and dede according to they re evill will Mereover saint Paule gyveth vnto the lawe an other office that is that it letneth vs to knowe oure synnes by the whiche knowelege a man is made meke and yeldeth hym silf to the faith and vnto the mercy and grace of god as is