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
lyklyod that the evill doer shall ameÌ„de they 〈◊〉 8 must be alweys mercyfull As christ was vnto the woman whiche was founde yn aduoutrye As saint Iohn reherseth The temporall lawe must obey and serve vnto the gospell hit may in no wyse be coÌ„trary therunto wherfore if enâ— thing theryn â—e ageinst the gospell then the teÌ„porall lawe must gyve place perisshe yn that poynt For we must alweys obey more vnto god then vnto â—en As teacheth vs saint Petre Theym that we may amende by warnyng we shall not correct theym by iustice All that a iuge may do without synne yn the cause of an other he may not do it yn hys owne For none may adâ—â—ge hys owne iniurye nor vexe his christeÌ„ brother for his owne proufit As it is bifore sayde that the true christen never playneth vnto the iuge of the iniurye that men do vnto hym but suffreth all pacyently As sayeth saint Paule 1. Cor. Nowe is synne yet alweys yn you bicause that ye haue stryves to gyther â—mong you whi do ye not rather suffre wroÌ„ge whye do ye not rather receyve hurte It behoveth the iuges to loke dylygeÌ„tly that the one do not wroÌ„g the other without lokiÌ„g that euery maÌ„ shuld coÌ„pleyne vnto him al by charite seching nothing but the rest quietnesse of they re christeÌ„ brother whome the evill people do oppresse The prophete Esaie reproveth the princes inges that in theire iugementes sentences take regard vnto richesse seching theire owne proufit or bering favoure vnto theire frendes saying on this wife Thy princes be vnfeithfull felowes of theves They al love bribes they folowe rewardes they iuge not vnto the orphantes and the cause of the wydowe entreth not vnto theym They ought to determine the cause with good aduysement and as shortly as were possible to exhort the parties to make brotherly appoyntement the one with the other shewing theym by the gospell that the christen ought nat to haue sute and proces among theym They ought to be verey sory of the dissention of they re christeÌ„ bretheren and of the evill governaunce of evill doers Hit behoueth also that the lordes enforce theym silues to put a wey al evill custumes and that they forbid streytly that no yong stronge parsones go on beggyng For therof comyth grete evill but shall coÌ„stiayne theyme to iâ—rne a craâ—â—e There is a place yn the Ciuile lawe that forbiddeth that no strong parsones beyng yn heâ—th shall begge they re brede Aâ—d therfore I merveyle gretely that the temporall lordes kepe not this lâ—we seyng that it is good not coÌ„trary but agreable vnto the gospell whiche coÌ„maundeâ—h that he that laboureth not shulde not eate The lordes shulde procure and counceyle the riche folke that they shulde do they re dyligence to cause the pore yong folke to lerne a crast to thintent that they shulde not go a begging and that they haue none occasion to take theym to the wâ—let The ruelars shulde also ordeyne some honest provision that the poore impotent yong children and old peple that can not get they re brede and haue not wherof to lyve shulde not be constreyned to go from dore to dore But it wer â—rather better that they shulde ordeyne thre or foure honest parsones yn enery parisshe whiche of a comon treasure as of the treasure of the poore myght provide every weke as moche as shulde be nede to enery house of the poore And that by porcyon after the nombre of the poore And that they shulde exhorte the ryche to gyve they re almefie to that comon treasure and to bequeth that that they wold bequeth by they re testamentes other weys to that comon treasure For we can fynde the meane to buylde grete abbayes for to nourisshe yn delicate lyving strong people that may laboure and some tâ—me me hores and bawdes also And whye can we not aswell fynde the meane to do oure charytable workes according to the gospell to the poore impoâ—ent syke and feble we shulde also by houses for the poore to dwell yn as are the hospitalles situate yn a fayre plesaunt and large out of the towne And likewise shulde we provide vnto theym an honest maÌ„ that mought every day make vnto theym a sermon shewing vnto them the word of god for to comforte theym in they re povertye and languores whiche shulde be a service honest holsome and verey acceptable vnto God ¶ Howe that we must paye taxes and subsidies yn ayde vnto oure prynces Chaptre .xxviij. WHen saint Paole had converted the gentiles vnto the christen fayth then thought the Christen seing that nowe they had gotten god for they re lorde that they shulde be delyuered from they re erthly lordes aÌ„d that it shuld be no more nedefull vnto theÌ„ to honoure they re temporall lordes nor to pay vnto theym taxes or tailles whiche opinion Saynt Paule reproved writing vnto the Romayns Ro. 13 And albeit that God almighty hath delivered you by his sonne Iesu Christ from your sinnes aÌ„d from the subiection of the devill ye may not thinke that ye be therby delivered from â—he obedience ond service of your princes â—nd lordes of this worlde For the â—ervice that ye do vnto youre princes ys â—ot hurfull vnto your helth Hit can but â—nely hurt or greve your body and temâ—orall goodes if percase ye did paye vnto â—heym eny taxes or subsidies when they â—ad no nede to requyre it For these thinâ—s ye shall not therfore murmure nor â—udge ageynst the punissaunces nether 〈◊〉 rebell ageynst theym albeit that it so we 〈◊〉 that they were uerey tirauntes to thinâ—ut that ye sterre theym not to more gretâ—â— anger wherby they shulde take occaâ—on to do the more gretter oppressyon and â—yefe vnto the christen For ye must alâ—â—yes laboure to give good ensample vnâ—other by your pacieÌ„ce for to drawe your â—des after that maner from theire evill liâ—as they shall se and beholde your holy â—â—fible conuersacion And therfore to him that exeth you taxe 〈◊〉 â—subsidye ye shall give it him In all 〈◊〉 thinges shall ye be obedieÌ„t vnto your â—des although they were paynems to â—ntent that by that meanes ye may draâ—â— theym vnto the christen faith This is thobedience that saint Paulâ— speketh of in the sayd Chaptre After thiâ— maner was our saviour Christ obedyen vnto the temporall puissaunce and payâ— the tribute money for him silf and for sainâ— Peter Mat .17 Not that he owed it but bycausâ— he wolde gyve noman occasion to be offeâ—â—ded This shuld all the christen considreâ— kepe theym silves from murmuryng anâ— grudging when subsidie or taxacion is aâ—â—ed of theym But when they axe noughâ— thou owest theym nought bifore god foâ— as Christ was passed by theym that axeâ— tribute he profered theym none for he owed theym none but when yt was axed he payed it as we have sayde byfore And the lordes ought to be well ware that they oppresse not theyr
yn the holye scripture that ys to sey we be the childern of the fayth For by the meane of oure fayth we be saved as Abraham was iustified by his fayth and hath gotten by hys fayth that all they that shall haue suche fayth may lyke wyse be iustyfyed For this cause whosoever hath not the fayth of Abraham nothing can come vnto hym of that whiche Abraham beleved That ys to say when God ys not thy hope and thy comforte when thou abydest not wyth a stedfast trust vppon God when thou art not redy to suffer and endure all thinges namely also the deth for the loue and honour of god And also to lose all that thou hast in the world thou art not the childe of Abraham For Abraham was redy to all thinges wherunto god wold send hym Suche was Iob when he sayed Iob. 13 Albeit that he kill me I will put my trust in him And the wise saieth Pro. 12 Whatsoever thing come to the rightuous let him not sorowe And saint Paâ—le saieth who shall separat vs from the love of Iesu Christ Ro .8 shall tribulacion persecucion â—werd or deth And as saint Petre saieth 1. Pet. 3. who is he that may hurte you if ye be haunters and folowers of goodnesse For all that ever comyth vnto the when thou hast this feith be it of maÌ„ or of the devell all comyth to thy proufit As saieth saint Paule vnto the Romains To theym that love God all thinges be helping and avauncement to good Ro. 8. And therfore pray we alweyes that the will of god be done For as he is not here come as he seyd him silf to do his will Mat. 6. but the will of his hevenly father So shall Iohn 5 not the good Christen desyre that hys owne will be done but the will of God And therfore shalt thou bere al thinges paciently as did Abraham with a stedfast feyth knowing surely that god will not forsake the for god is thy father and thou art his childe And it behoveth that he do with the what him pleaseth For seyng that he is all good he will nothing but thine helth None can have suche a feyth if he haue not therwith the love of god And he that hath the loue of god hath fulfilled the lawe for all the scriptures teache vs none other thing but that we loue god with all oure hartes and oure neyghbour as oure silf as it is writen in saint Mathewe Mat. 22. None is a true christen but he that hath this loue All other be rather ypochrites then Christen For all good workes which be not done by charyte and of good will are all synne byfore God as saieth saint Austyn He that doth good ageynst his will he doth evill albeit that that that he doth be good For all that I do ageynst my will I hate it And when I hate the commaundement I hate also him that hath coÌ„maunded it And as long as the parsone ys suche he may not be rightuous â–ª for none may be rightuous but he that kepeth fulfilleth the commaundementes of God by charyte and with a ioyfull hart And this is a singular grace of god And therfore may none be proude of it for he caÌ„ not haue it of him silf So hath a man nothing of him silf wherwith he may exalt him silf For without God can we do nothing Iohn 15 As Christ him silf sayeth wit out me caÌ„ ye do nothing No not ones haue of your silf one good thought as sayeth saint Paule 1. Cor. 4 whate hast thou that thou hast nor receyved wherfore there is no wey more sure to come to everlasting life then to humble him silf byfore God and to pray hym humbly of mercy nothing trusting in hys good workes but with a ferme trust forsaking him silf to knowlege alweyes to god his imperfection For we can come to nothing by oure good workes if we put eny trust in theym For they are nothing eis but sinne and stinking byfore God when God helpeth vs not by hys grace Esai 64 As saieth the prophete Esaie We are all made vnclene and all oure iustice is as yt were a clothe of a womaÌ„ that suffreth the fluxe of bloude And therfore I can never merveyle ynough that many of the religyous parsones wolde make other parttakers of thyre good workes by bretheryeldes and fraternytees seyng that Christ saieth yn the Gospell After that ye haue done all that to you ys commaunded say ye we be vnproufitable servauntes we haue done but oure duetye For none can do to moche None doth more then he ys bound to do but onely Iesu Christ whyche 1. Pet. 2. onely as sayeth Saynt Petre the apostle yn his .ij. epistle Never dyd synne nether was there deceyte found yn hys mouth hath done that he was not bound to do And as sayeth the Prophete Esaye hath taken vppon hum all oure languores Csa 53 And all oure sorowes dyd he beare he was wounded for oure inyquytees he was beten for oure offences and by hys strype spottes were we made hole His iustice was onely parfait iustice for he hath done that he was not bouÌ„d to do But we of our silves wheÌ„ we do our best yet can not oure iustice be parfeyt when after oure advice we do more then we are bounde to do yet be we vnrightuous and if we will be rightuous so must goddes rightuousnes make vs rightuous for as sayeth saint Paâ—le Christ of god to vs is made wisdome iustice sanctificacyon and redempcion to thintent that as it is wryten He that reiâ—yseth shuld reioyce in the lord 1. Cor. 1 Saint Paule also teacheth vs yn all his epistles that Iesus Christ is oure iustice and that by him we shal be saved aÌ„d by none other Nowe seest thou well that none can do to moche For of him silf none can do ynough and that we must take oure comfort of the satisfaction of Iesus Christ. Then whye will some sell vnto vs they re merytes aud good workes and make vs parttakers of theym And if it be not that suche ypochristes forsake they re trusting vppon there good workes and that they lerne for to trust vppon the iustice aÌ„d satisfaction of Christ they theym sylves shall never be saved For the Pharesey had done many good workes but bycause that he stode well yn hys owne conceyte gloryfyed and bosted hym sylf therof therfore he was forsaken of God ¶ In whate thing lyeth the Christendome Chaptre .xiiij. TKen lyeth the verey Christianyte in this thing that thou do all thing that Charyte proceding from thy faith iudgeth to be agreable vnto god And wheÌ„ thou hast all done with the lest evill that thou canst that thou iudge thy silfe yet an vnproufitable servaunt and that by all thy good workes thou hast yet deserved nothing or yf there be eny thing well done that it apartayneth to god albeit that by his goodnesse he will
wylt not kepe hym thence O world without witte Thou must take hede to whate vices thy childe ys most enclyned whether it be to covetous pryde or other vnclennesse and accordyng therunto he must be warned and kept Thus shalt thou do thy diligence to applye hâ—m to vertue yn tyme whiles he is yong for then maist thou bend applye and coudnyte him as thou wilt And if thy childe be naturally enclyned to any vertue thou shalt do thy diligence to entreteyn him and to avaunce him therin Thou shalt also knowe that in the men children there reyneth comonly other synnes then do in the doughters In the doughters reyueth most pryde of beautye and of rayment In the â—oyes slouth dronkennesse and harlottrye So behoveth it that a good father and mother consyder dilygently to whate thing they re children are most enclyned to conduyte and warne theym theryn The parentes ought also to be ware that they be not to hard and rigorous vnto they re children to thintent they make theÌ„ not rebelles disobedient and fugityues aÌ„d then rynne they awey vacabundes by the cuntrey as many do They shulde cause theym to lerne an occupacion wherunto they shuld haue most courage and apte intent whiche shuld be laufull without fraude and wherby they might honestly get they re expences in tyme coming This shulde be done in tyme bifore they be gyven to the scoles for we se comonly that clerkes will put theym silves to no craft but become men of warre And although that thou be riche thou shalt alweyes make thiâ— children to lerne an honest and laufull occupacion for in so doyng they occupye the tyme of youth well and kepe theim silves from dronkeÌ„nesse hasarding and fighting and from other mischevous busynesse And if by ony chaunce they come to povertye it is good that they can some craft wherby they may get they re breed And if it happon not vnto theym yet shall they alweyes do sum whate that they thereby may the better helpe the pore for after the scripture none may be ydell For laboure is a penaunce enioyned vnto all the worlde not of man but of god after that AbaÌ„ had sinned And he that laboureth not shuld not eate after the scripture Moreover at the festfull dayes thou shalt bring the children to the churche to here the sermon Gene. 3 2. Tessa 3 And when they shal be comen home thou shalt are theym whate they haue kept yn memory of the sermon Then shalt thou admonest theym to lyve well and to put all they re hope and trust in God rather to die then to do eny thing that is ageinst the will of god Thou shalt also teche theym the christen faith after the naner aboue declared exhorting theim to pacience charite and hope in god And principally thou shalt lerne theym the contentes of the prayer of oure saviour Christ called â–ª the Pater noster and that in they re moder tongue that ys to sey howe they haue an other father in heven of whome they must loke for all goodnesse and without whome one can haue no goodnesse And howe that we may seke nothing in al this life in all oure workes and in all oure ententes but the honour of this hevenly father And howe they must desire that this father wolde governe all that we do or desire And howe that we must submyt all to his holy will And howe that his will can be but good and helthfull Finally howe that aboue all worldly thinges they be myndfull of the contentes of this prayer and set most by it of all other prayers And for to do this the better thou shalt kepe theym from reding of all wilde storyes of batailles of love and other fables Thou shalt bye theym holsome bokes as is the holy Gospell the epistles of the holy appostles Ye and in conclusion both the newe and olde testament that is to sey the hole bible yn langagâ— that they may vnderstond and also this present boke And thus thou shalt do to thintent that thy children may accustume and lerne theym silves in the holy divine scripture and drinke of the sweâ—e foâ—â—taigne whiche is descended from heveÌ„ And by suche meanes mayst thou poore out good water when they shal be old For if thou be carefull and doest grete laboure to get thy children they re bodely expences as thou art bouÌ„de howe moche more art thou bounde to get theym there spiâ—â—uail expences of they re soule whiche is made after the similitude and image of god And the more that the soule is worthyer then the body the more gretter care must thou take to lerne him his helth But whate mete is better to nourisshe the soule then that of the gospell and of the holy scripture the whiche onely is the nutriment of the soule Thou hast kept the body of thy childe from fyre water wheÌ„ he was yong whye wilt thou not nowe also kepe his soule from perill Iaco â–ª It were moche better to be carefull in this mater then to runne to Rome or to saint Iames or elles where on pilgremage For as I haue seyd all this is infidelite for thou hast the helpe of God as redy at home as els where and if tâ—ou pray him with a stedfast fayth nothyng doutyng As saieth saint Iames. And if thou fynd not God yn thy hert thou shalt fynd him no where The parentes can do not gretter service to God then to teache and lerne well they re children For herin lyeth grete vertue Hereby may one please god singulerly Ye parentes also be ware that ye give not to moche money to your children And that that ye give theym take hede howe they spende it and wheruppon And when they bringe eny thing home that is not yours or yf that they report any newes of detraction ye must sharply reprove theim And wheÌ„ thou wilt do any almesse bifore thy house thou shalt do it by thy childreÌ„ to thinteÌ„t that they may lerne to serve the poore And when they have strived the one ageinst the other thou shalt cause theym to come forth in the evening to axe the one the other mercy and forgivenesse And likewise shall they do wheÌ„ they haue offended or angred they re parentes Thou-must be well ware that thy childe growe not vp into partinacite rebellion or incredulyte And that he be no fighter nor striver and when thou herest thy child swere curse strive fight lye or speke eny foule wordes or sing eny rybaud songes thou shalt reprove him sharply The parentes shall alweyes laboure that they re children shall rather feare theym for love and reverence then for pnisshement and feare For children that obey vnto they re parentes for feare of beting they feare theym no lenger theÌ„ the stripes and beting endureth As all they that serve god for feare of peynes they serve him no longer then the peynes or tribulacion endureth And after that they be delivered they retourne ageyn to
subiectes for therof they shall yeld a streyte accompt bifore God ¶ Of men of warre and of the warre whether the Christen may warre without synne an informacyon after the Gospell Chaptre .xxix. THe men of warre haue nothing in the gospell for the gospell knoweth no meÌ„ of warre nor the warre but onely peace Albeit that many doctoures sey that the men of warre is a thing resonable good bicause of the wordes of saint Iohn baptist who as writeth saint Luke in the gospell answered vnto the men of warre axâ—ing him whate thing they shulde do to be saved that they shuld hurte nomaÌ„ but shulde be contented with theire wages By these wordes will the doctours and Theologyens saye that the men of warre may warre pill and do evill without synne But they vnderstond not the wordes of saint Iohn ye must vnderstond that the teching of saint Iohn brought noman vnto full perfectioÌ„ It did but onely make redy the hert of man vnto god and vnto the teaching oâ— Iesu christ He rebuked the most grettesâ— euilles by his preaching He did but onely teche the beginning of rightuousnesse aâ— though he wolde haue seyed If I shuld all arâ—once forbid you to warre ye mighâ— not yet for your wekenesse suffer it â— nor yeâ— might not leveâ—t all sodeynly But beginne first to â—eue the most grettest evill as to do hurt and outrage vnto other as to burne to kill to pill and so forth And be alweyes content with your wages So was saint Iohn Baptist none other thing but as a man that abateth and cutteth of from a pece of timber the most gretest knotres He doth it not to thintent that it shulde abide so But wheÌ„ the knottes and warres be cut of then comith a better master carpenter that planeth it maketh it more smothe with a large fine rabot Likewise did saint Iohn by his preaching he did but onely abate and cut of the grete knottes that is to sey the grete sinnes And yet they were not clene taken away â—nd cut of till an other better master workman came after and â—ut them of with his fine rabot And therfore was he nothing els but a voyte crying in the deserte whiche cryed Esa. 40 Make redy the wey of the lorde make â—â—reyght his fete pathes He was not the light as saieth saint Iohn the Evaungelist He coude not pardone oure sinnes for he was not Christ. Iohn 1 He was but onely a voyce a foregoar and a shewer whiche made redy the wey ageinst the coming of Christ. And for this cause did Saint Iohn sende his disciples to Iesu Christ when he shulde die to thintent that they might lerne the full perfection of him For he had but onely made them redy for to come vnto christ for this cause reason it is al manifest that saint Iohn hath not preised the warre by these wordes but hath rather forboden it As teacheth all the gospell for as it is a thing evill agreing that the hoÌ„de fight ageinst the hede So is it a thing as evell agreing and grete sinne that one Christen warre ageinst the other Ro. 12 For we are all bretheren and membres of one body the body is Christe whiche in all his life preached peace and concorde to all theim that he taught Saynt Iohn in his fyrst epistle saieth 1. Ioh. 4 He that hateth his brother is an homicide We may hate noman we must love oure enemyes we must pray for theym and do good vnto theym that persecute vs. How can it then be possible after the gospell that we may warre without sinne wherin so many people lose they re livis and wherby so many parsones come to wildenesse ryot and evill life There be textes in the canon lawe that suffre some warres But the reehing of Christ forbiddeth all warres It is a thing horrible and daungerous for body and soule to enterpryse move a warre For all malice reyneth in tyme of warre Neverthelesse when a cuntrey is invaded or a towne beseged wheÌ„ the comon peace is troubled and grete violence is done vnto the subiectes the lord of that cuntrey ys bounde by brotherly love to helpe hys subiectes and to defende theym to punysshe the evyll and to put hys lyfe yn ieoperdy for hys subiectes But he must alweyes beware that he do it not to revenge his owne wronge or for to enlarge his londe and lordship but onely to defende his subiectes And so may he vse the horrible businesse of the warre charitably and christenly But if it were possible to agre for golde or silver he is bounde to do it For the life of a chrilren is more worth then all the richesse of the worlde A lorde shall thinke alweyes that there is a king aboue him in heve bifore who me all parsones shall yeld accompte at the last day of iugement ye of the lest workes and thoughtes that he shall do be he king or Emperour 〈…〉 nobill or ignoble yong or olde We rede that the people of Israell did warre many tymes but theire warres were 1. Co. 10 but all figures As saieth saint Paule wherfore it betokeneth to vs that we shal likewise fight not the one ageynst the other but ageynst oure silves that is to sey ageynst oure synnes ageynst pryde wrath covitize lechery hatred envye and suche other ¶ Howe servauntes shulde lyve a doctrine after the Gospell Chaptre .xxx. SErvauntes that serve theyr lordes mastres ladyes and mastresses shal be true vnto theym as vnto theym silves and shall alweyes do the proufit of they re lordes and mastres as though it touched theym silves They shall nor do they re service onely for temporall rewardes For thou mayst by the service that thou doest vnto thy master please god as wele as though thou were no servaunt and as though thou were in the churche â—prayng on thy knees Therfore thou shalt do thy service by faith and love in god thus thinking in thy silf Behold dere lorde God I thanke the that thou hast not made me riche I am well content with the state that I am yn I will with a good wilâ— for the love of the serve all the worlde And I thanke the that thou hast made me worthy to suffereny thing for thy love and that I may in this worlde be one of the lest and leâ—t estemed when thou serveâ—â— thy lorde in suche a faith with a good will thou receivest not onely the rewarde or wages of men towhome thou servest bnt that more is of God Therfore thou shalt do thy laboure diligently and ioyfully not as though thou didest sarve a man but as though thou didest serve God as truely thou doest For so doeth saint Paul teche the writing to the Ephesians where he saieth Ephe. Servauntes obey vnto youre carnall mastres with feare and trembling in ynnocency of your hartes as vnto Iesu christ not with service in the yie â—ight as men pleasers but as the servauntes