not yet as other bare ceremonyes ben / but he hath put in it an excellent ryche treasure / to be delyuered gyuen to all theÌ„ that byleue in this testament / with such preachyng shulde the synner be prouoked / that he beynge sorye for his synnes / may be kyndell with the desyre of this treasoure / therfore it is a great synne of theÌ„ that here not the gospell / and regarde not suche treasoures and so ryche a feaste / to the which they be called / but it is a greatter synne not to preache the gospell and to suffre so manye people / desyrous to here the gospell to peryshe notwithstandynge the strayte commaundemente and ordenaunce of Chryste to the coÌ„trary whiche wyll no masse to be done / but that euen than the gospell also shuld be preached / The gospell oughte to be preached at euery masse as he hymselfe sayde / so ofte as you shall do this / you shall do it in my remeÌ„braunce / wherfore it is a fearful and abhomynable thynge / to be a bysshope / a curate / a parysshe prest / or a precher nowe adayes / for there is no man that lesse knoweth this testamente I tell not howe fewe there be that preache it And yet this is theyr specyall offyce and onelye duetye / Howe harde accompte / therfore shall they make for so many soules lost / for the lacke of suche preachynges WE must praye / Prayer not as it is coÌ„menlye vsed to muÌ„ble vp manye leaues or bedestones but to take in our handes some present troubles / and handel them with all our desyre and in them to exercyse oure faythe and truste towarde god / that we doubte not but that we shall be harde Saynt Bernarde So saynt Bernarde taught his bretherne to praye sayeng / dere bretherne despice not your prayers / for I tell you for a truthe byfore you haue ended youre wordes your prayer is wryten iÌ„ heuen / one of these two / may you be sure of vpon god / that ones youre prayer shall be fulfylled / or yf it be not fulfylled / it shulde not be for your ê“fyte / that it were fulfylled So is prayer a synguler exercyse of the fayth / which faythe maketh the prayer so acceptable to god / that other it shal be fulfylled / or els better shall be gyuen thaÌ„ is asked So sayd saynt Iames / By Iames wordes euery man may perceyue the great force strengthe of a sure fayth yf any that is amonge you lacke wysdome / let him aske of god which gyueth to all men abundantly / and casteth no man in the tethe with his benefyces it shal be gyuen hym / but let hym aske in fayth and wauer not / for he that doubteth is lyke the waues of the see toste of the wynde and caryed with vyoleÌ„ce / nother let that man thinke that he shall receyue any thynge of god Is not this a playne and clere sentence / as it ê“myseth to hym that byleueth / He that byleueth not receyueth no benefyte so it denyeth to hym that byleueth not that he shall nother obtayne that whiche he desyreth nor no better And to sturre vp this same fayth / Christ hym selfe said Marke the .xi. chap. Therfore I say vnto you / what soeuer you desyre whaÌ„ you pray / byleue that you shal haue it it shal be done vnto you And Luke the xi And I say vnto you / aske it shal be gyueÌ„ you / seke you shal fynde / knocke and it shall be opened vnto you / for euery maÌ„ that asketh receyueth / and he that seketh fyndeth / and to hym that knocketh shall it be opened / yf the sone axe breade sayeth Chryste of any of you whiche is his father / wyll he profre hym a stone or yf he aske fysshe / wyll he gyue hym a serpent yf ye than whiche are euyll / knowe howe to gyue good gyftes vnto your chyldren / how moch more shall your father celestyal gyue a good spyryte to them that desyre it of hym WHo is so herde or so stonye whan suche myghty and stronge wordê can not moue to pray merely and boldely with all truste But nowe how many prayers were it nede to reforme yf we shulde praye a ryghte Be not al churches and abbeys full and replenysshed with prayers and songes And howe is it that there coÌ„meth so lytell profyte of them Yea that it is euery daye worse and worse Certeyse there is no other cause but that that saynt Iames sheweth sayenge / ye aske and ye receyue not / because ye aske it euyll / for yf this truste faythe in prayer wante the prayer is deade / nothynge elles but a paynfull labour and werynes / for the which yf there be any thynge gyuen / it is nought but temporall profyte / without any good helpe of the soule / yea rather they be great hurtes and blyndynges of the soules / in the whiche they procede mumblyng moche with the mouthe / not regardynge to trust to obtayne that whiche they desyre / and so they coÌ„tynue styffelye in suche vnfaythefulnes / as in most the worste custome that can be agaynst the vse of faythe / and the nature of prayer Wherof whiche that foloweth / that he that preacheth truelye / doubteth not but that his prayer is for a suretie accepted harde / yea thoughe he obtayne not that that he desyreth For in oure prayer we may sette our trouble before god but yet we can appoynte hym no maner of measure meane ende marke or place to helpe vs / but permyt all vnto hym / whiche wyll gyue other that / or better than we can ymagyne or thynke / As saynte Paule sayeth to the Romaynes the .viii. chapytre / to the Ephesianes the .iii. chapytre And god worketh more profoundely and better / than we perceyue and vnderstande / so that there muste be no doubte but that the prayer is herde and accepted Prouyded alwaye that the tyme place maner and ende be fre to god / whiche knoweth beste howe to ende the mater / as it is moste conuenyent These be the trewe worshyppers / which worshyp the father in spyryte truthe For whosoeuer byleue not theyr prayer to be herde do synne vpon the lyft hande agaynste this coÌ„maundement bowynge to moche from it by vnbyleue But they that sette god a marke or measure synne vpon the ryght hande coÌ„myng to nyghe by temptyng of god But god hathe forbyden / that we shulde swarue from his coÌ„mauÌ„dement eyther vpon the ryght hande or vpon the lyfte haÌ„de / that is that we shuld not synne nother by vnbyleue nor by temptyng of god / but abydynge in the playne and streyght waye of fayth / we shuld truste in hym / not set hym any terme to helpe vs. SO we se that as the seconde commaundement / so this ought to be nothynge els but the exercyse and workynge of the fyrst coÌ„maundement
Here after ensueth a propre treatyse of good workes The preface IT is not vnknowen to all men good chrysten reader but that the true syncere teachers of the infallyble truthe of our sauyour Iesu Chryst ben falsely defamed vnto the vnlearned people theyr good name defaced to the no lytell hynderaunce and reproche of the same truth / in that they as they be borne in haÌ„de vniustly shulde in theyr wrytynges and sermons allure and withdrawe the forsayd rude people from penauÌ„ce froÌ„ prayer from fastyng from watchynge froÌ„ paynes from labours / fynally from all good workê But what they ben and theyr workes also whiche reproue sclaunder calumpnyate and falsely impeche the pure syncere and true worde of god pronounced by the mouthes of those his good and vertuous seruauntes / it is nowe thanked be god ryghte metely well perceyued / ye and for what intent truely for none other thaÌ„ for the mayntenaunce of the god theyr belyes theyr ambycyon theyr symony theyr pryde theyr promocyon theyr treason theyr trechery theyr glotony theyr lecherye theyr murdre with all theyr vngracyousnes God therfore moste good and almyghtye of his excedynge and bountefull mercy and grace to declare and set forth his infinyte goodnes towardes his electe moste welbeloued and faythful seruauntes / that they to theyr great conforte and consolacyon may be proued innocent of this most vntrue accusacyon wrongfully layde vnto theyr charge / and chiefely to the garnysshynge and deckynge of his emperyall glory mayntenauÌ„ce of his vndoubtable truthe hathe sent the here O reder a ryghte famous and excellent worke wherin is comprehended what good workes be / howe we may please god in all oure workes / howe our workes do not please hym and out of what fouÌ„tayne they ought to spryng and flowe yf they shulde please his godhede truely out of the fresshe and lyuyng fountayne of an vndoubted faythe truste / that his moste benygne petye swetnes and gentylnes which is the father of all mercyes the god of all consolacyon and conforte / dothe loue the fauoure the petye the accepte the. And thy workes also done at his coÌ„maundement for the blode passyon redempcyon and satysfaccyon of his moste dere and welbeloued sone Iesu Chryst / in whome by whome and for whose sake thou arte thus entyerly loued fauoured and accepted As wytnessed our father of heuen hym selfe at the baptysme of our sauyour Iesu Christe sayenge This is my welbeloued sone in whom or for whose sake I am well pleased that is to say appeased and swaged of my wrathe immedyately here hym that is to saye beleue truste hym stycke cleaue harde to hym by faythe For it is he for whom I delyte in you loue you fauour you petye you accepte bothe you and your dedes This is the fountayne out of the whiche all the workes of a chrysten man oughte to procede / so that what soeuer buddeth out of the tre of this fayth is accepted and pleasaunte before god / and els it is but synne and not accepted As saynte Paule wryteth in the xiiii chapytre to the Romaynes / what soeuer sayth he is not of faythe is synne And in the .xi. chapytre to the Hebrues without faythe it is impossyble for any man to please god The reason why is this albeit thou bestowe neuer so moche in almes / fast neuer so moch paye neuer so moch watche neuer so moch / yea albeit thou haddest done as many good dedes as all the worlde Yet yf thou haue not the faythe before rehersyd / that god for the blode of his sone doth accept the thy workes / loue the fauoure the petye the / yea and that entyerly and as his owne son heyre by adopcyon all that euer thou doste can not please god / but is abomynable synne and dyspleasyth hym vtterly For howe is it possyble that thou shuldest please hym whan thou art but a Iudas vnto hym doste beare two faces in one hoode / doynge one and thynkynge another In thy dedes thou woldeste seme to be his seruaunte in thy hert thou dost neyther loue hym nor truste that he loueth the. And albeit he hathe made neuer so many and great ê“myses of saluacyon mercye loue pety and fauour in the blod of his sone to al that repent doubt not therof / but assuredly truste vnto it yet thou what soeuer thou arte that haste not this fayth lyke an hethen hounde and an vnfaythfaull myscreaunt by thy infydelyte and false herte dost make no better of hym but a lyer and false of his promyse / a tyraunte and a butchers curre delytyng in blode and neyther doste thou loue hym truste hym nor fauour hym For howe shuldest thou loue hym whan thou accoÌ„ptest no better of hym than I haue sayde And agayne howe is it possyble that he shuld loue the fauoure the petye the accepte other the or thy workes seynge thou doste fyrste abiecte hym by thy synful dyspayre and incredulytie Yea what worldlye prince wold kepe such a wretche in his house yf he knewe hym / howe moche lesse than wolde he loue hym fauoure hym accepte hym or any of his seruyce Agaynste suche workes it is that the true and faythfull mynysters of Chrystes worde haue foughten as done in most false hypocrysye and deuelysshe despayre whiche otherwyse they haue do hyghely prayse and coÌ„mende as whan they be done in true faythe and loue towarde god his coÌ„maundementes as thou shalte se and fynde in this moste goodly and excellente volume of good workes / whiche I beseche god neuer to fauour me yf any of those vntrue men / I wyll not saye false deceyuers dyd euer wryte to teach any thyng halfe so good in theyr lyues But it is an olde prouerbe that a good thyng wyl prayse it selfe / wherfore I commytte it vnto thyne owne iudgement good reader to prayse it euer as thou shalte fynde cause / So bolde I am of the goodnes therof And yf thou fynde my wordê to be true that good workes be here of our auctor requyred taught praysed and coÌ„mended to the vttermost as the truthe is then I beseche the moste gentyll and indyfferent reader to take admytte all false backe byters sclaunderers of goddes true mynysters euermore hereafter as they be not to thynke the contrary but that as they most deadely belye those good men in this behalfe / so they do also in other thynges as I truste in god it shall more playnly appere / bothe to the gentyll reader therto to all the worlde in tyme commyng And that as I beleue vnfayned to the great glorye of the lyuyng god the inestymable solace and comforte of his electe chyldren and the vtter confusyon of the chyldren of Antechrist So be it ¶ Here endeth the preface of this present worke dieu et mon droit De bonis operibus ¶ Here begynneth the boke of good workes IT is fyrst of all to be knowen
that there is no good worke / but that whiche god hath coÌ„maunded / agayne What synne is that there is no synne / but that whiche he hathe forbyden and prohibyted Therfore he that wyll knowe or do good workes nedeth but the knowlege of goddes coÌ„maundementes For so sayth Chryste Math. 16. Mathewe the xvi If thou wylt entre into lyfe / kepe the coÌ„maundementes And also to the yong man / that asked hym what he shulde do to be saued Chryste shewed nothynge but the ten commaundementes Wherfore it is necessarye that we learne the dyfference of good workes not by the vtter shewe greatnes or multytude of the workes in theÌ„ self / no truely neyther after the oppynyon or iudgemeÌ„t of men / neyther after the maner of lawes tradycyons or inuencyons of man / or by any reason appearynge vnto our syght as we haue done hytherto For so shuld it be through our blyndenes to the great dispysyng of goddes coÌ„maundementes THe fyrste and chiefe and most excellent of all good workes is faythe in Chryste Euen as he hym selfe sayeth IohnÌ„ the .vi. IohnÌ„ 6. For to the Iewes askynge hym what they shulde do to worke the workes of god He answered this is the worke of god / that ye beleue in hym whome he hathe sente But we other hearyng or preachyng this thynge / passe ouer it lyghtlye thynkyng it but a tryfle and easye to be done / whan notwithstandyng we ought here to make a staye and faythfullye to remeÌ„bre in our mynde For of this worke and fayth muste all other good workes sprynge and take theyr influence of goodnes / and that men may the better perceyue this thynge / I shall declare it more grosely A man shall fynde many that faste praye and do this thyng and that thynge and lyue a good lyfe to se to before men whome yf thou do aske / whether they be sure that they please god or no bycause they do so lyue They wyll answere that other they knowe not or els that they doubte Moreouer there be some doctours whiche corrupte and deceyue the people / sayenge it is no nede that they be sure of this thynge / and yet they teache vs nothynge els but good workes Beholde all suche workes procede without faythe For suche as is theyr conscyence faythe towarde god / suche ben the workes that ronne out of them But where as is no faythe nor good and a certayned conscyence toward god / there lacketh the hede of good workes all theyr lyfe and goodnes is nothynge worthe at all before god Vpon this it commeth The author is falsely coÌ„dempned of hypocrytes that whyles I prayse make so moche of faythe / and do caste awaye as of no value before god the workes of suche vnfaythfull / there be some whiche blame and accuse me as thoughe I dyd forbydde condempne good workes Howe be it in the meane tyme I desyre no thynge more vehementlye / than that I myghte teache truely the good workes of faythe MOreouer yf thou aske theÌ„ whether they iudge esteme this for a good worke or no / whanne they labour theyr crafte with theyr haÌ„des whan they stande Go eate drynke slepe and do all other maner of workes / other apê‘taynynge to the sustentacyon of the body or necessary for the coÌ„men welth / and whether they byleue that they please god in these thingê or no. Thou shalte fynde some that wyll say nay / and that wyll conclude good workes in so lytell space and defyne theym so straytely / that they wyll take no thyng for good workes / but onely prayenge in the temples / fastyng helpyng the poore with almes / demynge all other thynges to be voyde and vayne / and suche as god settyth not by And so by theyr daÌ„pnable vnbyleue / they mynysshe deceyue and abbreuyate goddes seruyce worshyp to whome serueth / what so euer is done or can be thoughte in faythe So teacheth the wyse man / sayenge Ecclesiastices 9. Go therfore and eate thy breade in myrthe with ioye drynke thy wyne / for thy workes please god / lette thy clothes be whyte at all tymes / and let not thy heade lacke oyle / vse gladlye thy lyfe with thy wyfe whom thou louest in all the dayes of thy lyfe of vnstablenes whiche be gyuen to the all the tyme of thy vanyte Our clothes to be whyte at all tymes / is all oure workes to be good / what name so euer they be called by indyfferently But than they be whyte whaÌ„ I am sure they please god And hauynge this affyrmytie I shal neuer lacke the oyle of a mery and ioyfull conscyence from the heade of my soule / so sayd christ IohnÌ„ the .viii. chapytre I do alwaye those thinges which please hym meanynge of the father IohnÌ„ 8. How dyd he alwayes those thynges / dyd he not at all tymes conuenyent bothe eate drynke and slepe wherupoÌ„ saynt IohnÌ„ saith By this know we / that we be of the truthe / and wyll before hym put our hertes out of doubt / for yf our herte condeÌ„pne vs / god is greater thaÌ„ our hert / knoweth all thynges / we haue truste towarde god / that what soeuer we aske of hym we shal haue it / bycause we kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes do those thynges which be pleasauÌ„t before hym To be borne of god is to byleue and trust in god Also he that is borne of god that is to say / he that byleueth trusteth in god synneth not / nother can he synne Also the xxxiii Psalme / all that trust in the shall not do amysse ye in the ii psalme / blessed be all men that trust in hym / which sayengê yf they be true what soeuer they do muste nedê be good / or at the least if they do synÌ„e it must be be forgyuen ê‘doned Beholde here agayne howe greatly I do extolle fayth / to that which I wyl referre al good workê / but I reiecte what soeuer is done that coÌ„meth not froÌ„ thense HEre maye euery man lyghtly consydre and perceyue / whan he dothe good / and whan he dothe yll / for yf he fynde his herte instructe with this faythe that he byleueth that he pleaseth god / than is his worke good / ye thoughe it be so lytell or so vyle This fayth and conscyence must be grouÌ„ded vppon the worde of god / whiche we muste haue to shewe for vs that we do nothyng but that that is his godly wyll pleasure For with out this worde we can not be sure what he wolde haue done or vndon must therfor coÌ„sequently staÌ„de in dispayre of our dedes whether they ben good or no / which saynt Paule calleth synne as to take vp a strawe / but yf there lacke other trust or hope in god / then the worke is nought / ye yf he shuld rayse vp all deade men / suffre hym selfe to be burned / so taught
/ whether that than they byleue that they please god / and whether they thynke that theyr trouble and aduersyties be mercyfully put to theym by the very fauoure of god or no / and here they wyll saye that god sheweth hym selfe wrothe and angrye / whan neuerthelesse euen in such vexacyons trouble a true chrystyan hath stedfaste truste / persuadeth farre better thinges vnto hym selfe of god / that he beareth moch better good wyll and fauoure than appeareth For in suche case he is hyd euen as the spouse sayeth in the cantycles Beholde he standeth behynde the walle and seeth me through the creastes / that is to saye in vexacyons and aduersyties whiche are lyke almoste to departe vs froÌ„ hym as a wall or a bulwarke / he staÌ„deth hydde and yet lokynge vpon me he forsaketh me not / for he standeth and is redye to helpe me in grace sufferynge hym selfe to be sene by the wyndowes of darke fayth And Hyeremye in the boke of Threnes / he hath loued vs after his herte / and hath caste downe the sones of men / this faythe they knowe not but thynke they be forsaken of god and that god is enemye to them Yea and they rather impute such ylles to men and wycked deuylles / so that they haue no truste at all in god And for this cause theyr troubles suffrynges euen as they be sclaunderous to them / so be they hurtfull And yet in that whyle they go forthe doynge good workes after theyr owne iudgement / lokynge nor carynge nothynge at all for this true faythe But to theÌ„ that byleue in god / and that in suche ylles and troubles haue a stedfaste truste that they please god / suche ylles and aduersyties be precyous merytes and moste noble of all workes Faythe maketh al thynges precyous aboue all mennes estymacyon / for faythe and truste to god maketh al thinges precyous whiche ylles be dampnable / the whiche thynge is wryten euen of dethe / the .115 psalme / the death of his sayntes is precyous in the syghte of the lord / for the more better hygher and stronger that the faythe and truste is / so moche more the sufferynges in the same fayth passe all workes in faythe / And so bytwene workes suche passyons there is an inestymable dyffereÌ„ce of better place coÌ„dycyon pryce MOreouer the hyghest degree of faythe is whan god ponyssheth our coÌ„scyence not onelye with temporall hurtes and persecutyons / The hyghest degre of faythe but with deathe helle and synne / and semeth in a maner to denye his grace and mercye as thoughe he wolde perpetuallye dampne vs / the which thynge very fewe men perceyue / as Dauid coÌ„playneth the .vi. psalme / lorde correcte me not in thy angres / for to byleue then that we please god / is the chiefe worke that may be done of or in any creature / of the whiche these iustytiaryes holy workemen benefactours knowe nothyng at all / He calleth them iustitiaries which truste of forgyuenesse of theyr synnes of saluacy on by theyr owne workes and holynesse for how wolde they here promyse or ê‘suade the goodnes and mercye of god to theÌ„ / whan they be vncertayne in theyr workes / and doubtfull and waueryng yea in the leaste degre of faythe Beholde thus haue I alwayes spoken thus haue I alwayes praysed fayth / thus haue I reiecte al workes done without suche faythe / to th ende that I myght brynge men from this false fayned shynyng pharysaycall and vnfaythefull good workes wherof all Abbeyes teÌ„ples houses al degres and states bothe hygh and lowe be full and replenysshed with to moste and true good faythful workes euen from the grounde / in the whiche thynge no man stryueth or goeth agaynste me / but vnclene beastes whose feate be not clouen as hit is in the lawe of Moyses not sufferyng the dyfference of good workê But they rousshe out so vnaduysed that whan they haue onelye prayed fasted founded this chauntrye or that / coÌ„fessed them / and done satisfactyoÌ„ after theyr owne iudgement / they wold by and by haue all these doynges good / all though in all these thynges they haue no truste of the lyberalytye or gentylnes of god / but rather they than specyally esteme them for good workes / whan they haue done many / great and longe workes / and so they regard not the grace of god nother his pleasure in theyr workes / but put all theyr truste in theyr workes / and so buylde vpon the grauell and the water / wherfore at the laste / they muste neades haue a great fall As Chryste sayeth / Mathewe the .vii. chapytre / but this good wyll and pleasure of god the father towarde vs vpoÌ„ the whiche standeth our trust / the aungelles shewed from heuen that nyghte that our lorde was borne / syngyng prayse be to god aboue / peace in the yerthe / and to men good wyll BEholde nowe this is the worke of the fyrste coÌ„maundement / wherby it is coÌ„maunded that thou shuldest haue no strauÌ„ge god / which is asmoch to saye as thus For asmoche as I am onely god / thou oughtest to put all thy truste hope faythe in me and none els / for it is not to haue one god / yf thou name hym with thy mouthe outwardelye or worshyppe hym with knelynge or other suche gestures / but yf thou truste in hym â—â—th herte and mynde promysyng to thy selfe all goodnes grace and good wyll of hym / as well in ê‘secucyon and aduersytie / as in prosperyte / no lesse in deth than in lyfe / as well in bytter harde thynges / as in pleasaunt easy / lyke as our lorde Chryste / sayde to the woman of Samarytan / god is a spiryte / and they which worshyppe hym / must worshyppe hym in spyryte and truthe And this truste hope and faythe of the herte / is the true full lyuynge of the fyrste coÌ„maundement without the whiche there is no worke at all that maye satysfye this coÌ„mauÌ„dement / and lyke as this coÌ„maundement is chief / hyghest and beste of all other / and out of the whiche all other come / in the whiche all thynges procede / and after the whiche all thynges must be ordered and reweled / so this worke / that is to saye hope and truste in the grace of god is chyef / hyghest and beste of all other workê / out of the whiche all other growe come forth / be orderyd gouerned All other workes therfore coÌ„pared to this worke / staÌ„de without the fulfyllyng of the fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t as nothynge worth / and as thoughe there were no god S. Augustyne wherfore saynt Augustyne sayde excellentlye / that the workes of the fyrste coÌ„maundement be / to byleue truste and loue Moreouer we sayde before that suche fayth and truste bryngen with theym charyte and hope / ye and yf thou wylt well consydre the matter / charyte is
oughte to moue all other to caste away this great pompe with Bulles sealles baners pardons / wherwith the myserable people be moued to buylde temples to gyue and founde abbayes and suche lyke and in the meane tyme fayth is suppressed and put to syleÌ„ce yea rather vtterly oppressed But where fayth hathe no dyffecence bytwyxte workes there is no worke pompous and prowde better one thaÌ„ another after her And of a truth it is the fayth only wyll be the true worshyp seruyce of god not suffryng any such name or prayse to be gyuen to one worke or other / but as far forth as she dothe vouchesalfe / which thynge / she than dothe / whan the worke is done in and of her But this yll was fygured in the olde testament / whan the Iewes forsoke to offre in the temple offred in other places / as in wodes and in hylles / euen so do they which be busye and redy to do all thynges neuer do this heade worke of fayth WHere be they nowe whiche aske what be good workê what they oughte to do or howe they myghte be good ye where be they which saye that we so preche faythe that we teache no good workes and that there oughte none to be done Doth not this fyrst coÌ„maundement make vs more busynes / than any man can fulfyll For yf one man were a thousand meÌ„ / ye all men or all creatures / yet here he had ynoughe to do / and more than he myght away with whyles he is coÌ„maunded to lyue contynue alwaye in fayth / and trust to god / and to put trust in no other / so to haue one true god / seynge than that mannes lyfe can not be one moment wtout dede faute trouble or flyghte / for the lyf of man as we se neuer resteth / let hym that wolde be good and full of good workê begynne to be alwaye in this faythe let hym lerne ofte tyme to do and leaue vndone all thynges in suche trust / for so shall he fynde howe great busynes he hathe to do / and howe all thynges stande in faythe / and that faythe can not be ydell / and that the selfe same ydelnes is somtyme the exercyse and worke of faythe And to be shorte / there is nothynge that can perysshe or lose to vs that byleue that all our workê please god / for thaÌ„ they can not be / out good merytoryous / so sayeth saynt Paule / 1. Corin. 10. whyther therfore ye eate or drynke / or what soeuer you do / do all to the prayse of god / it can not be done in the same name / but yf it be done in the same faythe / Also to the Romaynes / for we knowe well that all thynges worke for the beste to them that loue god Therfore the sayenge of them that say that we forbyde good workes and preache onely fayth / is lyke as I shulde say to a sicke man / yf thou haddest helthe / thou shuldest haue all the workes of thy membres without the whiche / the workes of the meÌ„bres be nothynge / of this he myght vnderstonde That I forbyd the workes of the membres / whan my meanynge is that he muste haue helthe and than worke all the workes of all his membres / so fayth must be the chiefe craftêman buylder and capytayne in all workes / or elles the workes be vtterly noughte BVt yf thou saye / why haue we than soo many Lawes bothe spyrytuall temporall so many cerymonyes of churches monasteryes and abbeys to moue cause and prouoke men to good workes / yf faythe do all thinges after the fyrst coÌ„maundement I answere for no cause but that we al nother haue nor set by this faythe / for yf we all hadde this faythe / we neded no lawes / but euery one of vs shulde do alwayes good workes as the same faythe do teache hym There be foure maner of men / the fyrst nowe named whiche neade no lawe of whome sayeth saynte Paule .i. Timoth .i. The lawe is not gyuen to a ryghtwyse man / the is to a faythfull man For suche maner of men do all what so euer they knowe or may with a free mynde regardyng this onely with a sure and stable faythe that the grace and beneuolence of god helpeth them in all thynges The seconde sorte or kynde of meÌ„ ben they / which wyl mysse vse this lybertie / falsely styckynge beynge bolde of it waxe slowe / of the which speketh saynt Peter in his fyrst epystle the .ii. chapytre / sayeng for so is the wyll of god / that with well doynge / ye shulde stoppe the mouthes of al ingnorauÌ„t meÌ„ / as fre not as thoughe you toke lybertie for a cloke of malicyousnes / but euen as the seruauntes of god / as thoughe he shulde saye / lybertie of faythe gyueth no lycence to synne nother cloketh it / but gyueth power to do all maner of workes / to suffre all thinges / howe soeuer they come to haÌ„de / so that no man is bouÌ„de peculyerly to one worke or to some workê As saynt Paule sayeth to the Galatianes the fyrste chapytre Bretherne ye were called into lybertie / onely let not your lybertie be an occasyon vnto the flesshe / but in loue serue one another / these men therfore must be coÌ„pelled by lawes and kept with doctrynes warnynges The thyrde sorte be wycked men / euer redye to synne and vyce / whiche must be compelled bothe with spyrytual and temporall lawes / euen lyke wylde horses and dogges / and yf they amende not / let theym be punysshed with extreme ponysshement by the teÌ„porall swerde as saynte Paule sayeth to the Romaynes the .xiii. chapytre / for rulers are not to be feared of good doers / but of yll / wylte thou be without feare / of the power Do well than / and so shalt thou be praysed of the same For he is the mynyster of god for thy welthe / but yf thou do yll / thou feare / for he beareth not the swerde for nought / for he is the mynyster of god to take vengeaunce of them that do yll The fourth kynde of men be they / which be yet wyld weake and chyldren in the vnderstandyng of fayth and spyrytuall lyfe / whiche must neades be intysyd tyckled as chylderne with outward wordes cerymonyes with adournyng the churches with organnes / and what soeuer is done in the temple / with prayer fastynge what soeuer is vsed other in the temples or abbeys / vnto they lerne to knowe fayth / howe be it here is a great faute / that rulers offycers alasse for sorowe be so accustomed weryed in these cerymonyes outwarde workes and faythe lette alone which they ought to haue alway to teache aboue these workes lyke as the mother gyueth the chylde with mylke other meate vntyll the chylde it selfe maye eate stronger meate by it selfe BVt for as moch as we
shall do all these thynges BVt yf thou askest wher fayth trust maye be founde from whense they come truelye that is most necessarye to be knowen Fyrst of all without doubt they come not of thy workes or deseruynges but onelye frelye by the gyfte and promyse of Ihesus chryst as Paule wryteth to the. RomÌ„ the .v. chapyter Here mayste thou ferne of saynt paule from whens faythe dothe spriÌ„g why thou mayste coÌ„mytte the wholy vnto Chryst and doubte nothing iÌ„ him albeit thy sinnes be neuer so great God setteth out his loue that he had towarde vs / seyng that whyle we were synners / Chryste dyed for vs / as though he shuld say / shall not this thyng cause vs to haue a stronge vnouercoÌ„med fayth that chyrst is deade for our synnes byfore we asked it / and for the whiche we yet cared not ye euen than whan we were contynuynge in synne / where after it foloweth Moche more than nowe seynge we be iustyfyed in his blode we shall be preserued from wrathe throughe hym / for yf when we were ennemyes we were recoÌ„syled to god by the death of his sone Moche more seynge we be recoÌ„syled / we shall be preserued by his lyfe / lo howe thou oughtest to ymagen christ in the how god hath set forth shewed his mercy to the in hym Without all thy deseruyngê goyng byfore that out of the same ymage of his grace / thou shuldest drawe both fayth and trust of forgyuenes of al synnes wherfore fayth begynneth not of workes nother is it made by workes / for fayth is a worke that ronneth and floweth out of the blode Faythe woundes and deathe of Chryst In the whiche thynge whan thou seest god so mercyfull vnto the / that he wolde gyue his sone for the thy herte must neades wexe swete / and so thou must neades loue hym agayne and so doth spryng the trust of the mere grace of god towarde the / and of his good wyll agayne of thyne towarde hym / for we neuer reade that the holye ghoste was gyuen to any man for workynge but alway to them that here the gospell and mercye of Chryste byleue it out of the whiche worde none other thynge at this daye shulde faythe come forthe / for Chryste is the rocke out of the which as Moyses sayeth / Deuteronomi 3.2 butter and hony be sucked ¶ The seconde coÌ„maundement LO hytherto we haue intreated of the fyrst coÌ„maundement / and that shortly grosely in such hast / that there may many mo thynges be spoken of them Nowe therfore by the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes the folowe we shall more largely seke these workes Therfore the seconde and next worke vnto faythe is the worke of the seconde coÌ„maundement that we shuld honour the name of god not vse it in vayne / the which no more than all other workes can be done without fayth For yf it be done without fayth it is vtter lye nought but Ipocrysye an outward show Next vnto fayth we cannot do a greatter thynge than laude set forth synge and by al maner of wayes extol and magnyfye The aucthor sayd before that there is no dyfference in workes whiche he here declareth more largely sayeth nothyng but the truthe and therfore mysreporte hym not as manye haue done to the coÌ„deÌ„nacyon of theyr owne conscyence the laude honour name of god / And though I sayde afore as it is true that there is no dyfference in workê where fayth is and worketh yet that is to be vnderstonde whan the workê be coÌ„pared to fayth / but comparynge worke to worke they haue dyfference and one is hygher than an other for as the meÌ„bres of the bodye as perteynynge to helthe haue no dyfference and helthe worketh aswell in one as in another and yet neuerthelesse the workes of the membres be dyuers sondry / one hygher nobler more profytable than another / euen so here / to prayse the name and glorye of god / is better than the workes of other coÌ„mauÌ„dementes and yet it must no lesse than all other good workes procede and be done in the same faythe He meaneth that it must be done with suche a sure faythe that we byleue vndoubtedly that god is therewith all vtterly wel pleased that he vnfaynedly enbraseth both vs oure workes for the merytes of chrystes blode wherin and wherfore we make vs so assured But I knowe that this worke is lytell made of / yea it is all vtterly vnknowen / therfore lette vs loke vpon it more dylygently content to haue sayde that this worke ought be done in faythe and truste yf it shal please god / ye forsothe there is noo worke / in the whiche thou shalte more euydentlye or myghtelye perceyue the vehemence of truste and faythe than in the worshyppynge of goddes name And it is a wonderful helpe bothe to then creasyng and stablysshynge of faythe howe be it all good workê profyte to that purpose As sayeth saynt Peter in his .ii. epystle the fyrst chapytre Wherfore bretherne gyue the more dylygence to make youre callynge and eleccyon sure by goddes workes AS the fyrste commaundement forbyddeth vs to haue straunge goddes / so it coÌ„maundeth vs to worshyppe the selfe same one and true god by fayth / truste good wyll hope and charyte / whiche onely be the workê wherwith we maye haue worshyppe and serue god For god can be nother obtayned nor loste by any worke but onely be fayth or vnbyleue / by truste or desperacyon For there is no other worke that toucheth god / and so is forbyde in this seconde worke that we take not the name of god in vayne / The whiche yet is not ynoughe / but here is also commaunded / that we worshyppe / call vpon / preache prayse his name And truely it is not possyble / but that the name of god muste nedes be irreuereÌ„tly taken where it is not reuerently worshypped For all thoughe it be honoured with the mouthe / with knealynge with kyssynge or with suche other gestures / yet yf it be not from the herte by faythe and truste in god it is nothynge / but an outwarde shewe and coloure of ypocrysye and dyssymulacyon Nowe take hede howe many good workes a man maye do at all tymes in this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and neuer to be without the good workes of this coÌ„maundement yf he wyll so that suerly he neadeth not to go farre of Pylgrymage / or vysyte holye places And that to make more playne shewe what momente or tyme maye so soone passe ouer / in the whiche without any interrupcyon / we eyther receyue not goodnes of god / or elles suffer yll aduersytyes / and what other thynges be the benefytes of god or aduersyties / but contynuall warnynges and prouocacyons / to laude worshyp and prayse god / and to calle vpon hym and his name / and so albeit thou be cleane withoute all busynesse / haste thou not yet
ynoughe to do in this commaundement to blysse prayse laude and worshyp god for vnto what other purpose be the tonge voyce sounde mouth made as it is in the psalme / lorde open my lyppes / and my mouth shall shewe forth thy prayse / Also my lyppes shall prayse the. What worke is there in heuen / but of this seconde coÌ„maundement as it is red in the .8.4 psalme Lorde blyssed be they that dwell in thy house for they shall prayse the for euer So Dauid in the .33 plalme his prayse is alwaye in my mouthe / and saynt Paule to the Coryntheans / the fyrste Epystle the .10 chapyter / whyther therfore ye eate or drynke or what soeuer you do do all to the prayse of god / Also to the Collossyans the .3 chapytre and all thynges what soeuer you do in worde or deade do in the name of the lorde Ihesus Chryste gyuyng thankes to god the father by hym So that yf we kepte this worke we shulde here in erthe haue the kyngdome of heuen and we shulde haue ynoughe enoughe to do as haue the blessyd in heuen FRom hence commeth the meruaylous ryght iudgement of god the other whyles the nedy and poore man whome no man regardeth / hath many and great workes with hym / and at home at his house by hym selfe be other prayseth god merelye in his prosperyte / or elles calleth vpon hym in aduersytie / and in that doynge a greatter more acceptable worke / than another that fasteth moch prayeth buyldeth churches goeth pylgrymages and weryeth hym selfe hyther and thyther with many workes And so hence it commeth to this foole that he gapeth ganeth for suche great workes so vtterly blynde that he neuer obserueth the other moste excellent worke of the poore man / so that to prayse god is but a lytell worke in his eyes in comparyson of these great ymages ymagened by his owne workes in the whiche ê‘aduenture he prayseth hym selfe more than god / or at the least taketh more pleasure in theym than in god And so by his good workes he resysteth the seconde coÌ„maundement of god and his workes The publycane and the Pharysie that be in the gospell ben a fygure of all these Where the synner calleth vpon god in his synnes and preaseth hym touchynge the two hyghe commaundementes faythe and the honoure of god but the Pharysye accustomed to neyther of thyse bosteth hym selfe in other good workes by the whiche he reioyceth not in god but in hym self trustynge more in hymselfe than in god Wherfore the one was worthelye reiecte and the other chosen of god the which thiÌ„ge maketh all to this poynt that the hygher better that the workes seme so moche lesse they stablysshe a mannes faythe And to these euery man presumeth that he maye easely do thyse workes for we se that no man semeth so moche to prayse the name and glorye of god as they whiche neuer do it So that when souer the herte is without fayth it causeth the precyousnesse of the worke to be despysed yea saynt Paule doubteth not to saye playnlye that they dyde cheyflye blaspheme the name of god whiche bosted them selfe of the lawe of god For it is but an easye thynge to name / the name of god or to paynte his honoure in paper or cloth or vpon a walle / but to prayse hym from the herte / to thanke hym in his good gyftes boldely to call vpon hym in his aduersyties Thyse trewelye be very selde and the cheyfe of all workes nexte to faythe In so moche that yf we myghte se howe fewe there be of these in Chrystendome we myghte dye for sorowe And yet in the meane tyme thyse hyghe fayre and shynynge workê inueÌ„ted by man be euer encreased whiche iÌ„ dede outwardlye be lyke vnto these true workê but within in the grouÌ„de they be without all fayth and truste and haue no goodnes in them at all So the prophete Esaye the .4.7 chapytre rebuked the people of Israell Ye that be of the house of Iacobe that be called Israell haue come out of the stocke of Iuda whiche do swere in the name of the lorde god of Israel / ye remembre hym nother in veryte nor in truthe / that is to say they dyd these thynges nother in faythe nor truste whiche is the true veryte and ryghtwysenes / but they trusted iÌ„ theyr owne selfe in theyr owne workes and in theyr owne power and yet they called vpon the name of god and praysed it outwardelye the whiche thynges do agre to many nowe a dayes WHerfore the fyrste worke of this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t is to laude god for his benefytê whiche be excedynglye many in so moche that there ought to be no ceasynge or ende of suche laude or gyuyng of thankes For who can prayse hym ynough for this naturall lyfe albeit I lette passe ouer all the temporall and euerlastynge goodnes that we maye receyue of hym Thus is man ouer whelmed and heaped with good workê by the onely begynnynge of this commaundement whiche yf he vse with true fayth he shall not be here Idle / Agayn this precept offende no men more than they that seme holy that stande in theyr owne conceyte that gladly Augustyne saythe that all other vyces be done in yll workes excepte desyre of honour and pleasure whiche is done in and of good workê wherfore yf a man haue no other thynge to do but the seconde worke of this commaundement yet he hathe busynes and laboure all his lyfe to stryue agaynste this vyce it is so subtyll obstynate importunate and stryuynge agaynste hym that wolde cast it out But now all these good workes set a parte we excercyse our selfe in other vyler workes ye rather we subuerte and forget these right workes by other workes only good by our owne iudgement And so the holye name of god is take in vayne and vnreuerently counted throughe our cursed name / pleasure and desyre of honour whiche onely is to be honoured and worshypped the which synne is more greuous in the syght of god than other maÌ„slaughter or adulterye but his poyson is not so clerelye sene as be adulterye and manslaughter / for the hyghnes of it for it is not coÌ„mytted in the grosse flesshe but in the spyryte THere be some that thynke it profytable for youthe to exhorte and moue theym to do well and lyue well by praysynge honoure and laude agayne to dyswade hym frome yll by shame and sclaunder For there be many that do good for loue of honoure and of prayse and leaue yll for feare of sclauÌ„der / or els they wolde nother do the goodnes nor leaue the yll vndone / whome I leaue to theyr owne iudgement But we do serche howe good workes shulde truely be done / to the whiche thynge who soeuer be redy they nede not to be moued other by feare of shame or desyre of honoure / but they haue and oughte to haue a more nobler mocyon
prophete sayeng / euery maÌ„ is a lyer Of a truth all men be false lyers deceyuers / All men be lyers for the cheyf true pryncypall worke sette a parte they garnysshe paynt them selues / with the leste and vyle workes / and yet they wolde be counted good and clymÌ„e to heuen with a sure quyetnes and reste But perauenture some man wyl saye wherfore dothe not god helpe the pore alone seynge that he knoweth maye helpe euery maÌ„ I answere that he knoweth and maye helpe and do it but he wyll not do it alone / for he wyll worke togyther with vs / and by vs / But albeit we refuse to do hym this honoure Yet neuertheles / he wyll perfourme it helpynge the pore dampne suche with the vnryghtwyse as wyl not helpe theym but despyse the great honoure of his worke as men that fauoured the vnryghtwyse And albeit he be blyssed alone yet he gyueth vs the same honoure bycause he wyll not be blyssed alone but wyll haue vs blyssed togyther with hym And moreouer yf god shuld do all these thynges alone his coÌ„maundementes shuld be gyuen in vayne no man hauynge a cause to exercyse hym self in the great workê of his preceptes Nether shulde any man haue any sure profe or experyence whether he trusted faythfully in the name of god or no An innoceÌ„t lyfe good workes ben fyue tokens of a ryghte faythe and allowed it for the hyghest good that is or no. And whether that he wyll put hym selfe in all ieoperdyes for hym or no. IT pertayneth also to this worke to resyste all false peruerse / deceyuable erronyous doctryne and heresyes / and all the abuse of the spyrytuall and ecclesyastycall power the whiche is a merueylouse hyghe thynge / for they straytelye withstonde the name of god / with the name of god / Wherfore it semeth to be greate Ieoperdye to gaynesaye them whan they cloke theym selfes sayenge Who soeuer resysteth them resysteth god and all his sayntes / whose stede they be in and whose power they do vse sayenge that it was spoken to them by Chryst He that heareth you heareth me / and he the despysyth you despysyth me / to the whiche wordê they stycke styffely and be fyerce bolde to coÌ„maunde to do leaue vndone what so euer they wyl / to excoÌ„munycate curse take a waye sleye / and do all other wyckednes rebukes shames after their owne pleasur without any let but Chryst dyd not thynke them to be obeâ—yed in all thynge which they speake and do / but onelye whan they put forthe vnto vs the worde of the gospell and not theyr owne worde / or elles howe shulde we haue knowen to auoyde theyr lyes and synnes for we muste neades haue a rule to shewe wherin they muste be obeyed folowed / whiche rule muste be gyuen to vs not of them but of god to the which we must order and vse our selfes / as we shall here in the fourth coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t Thus therfore muste it be / that in the spyrytuall degre / the more parte be false doctryne prechynges and the abuse of the Ecclesiastycall power to the ende that we maye haue cause and occasyon to do the workes of this commaundement and that we shuld be proued / what we wyll do or leaue vndone for the honoure glorye of god / agaynst the vngodlye blasphemers of hym and his name O I wolde to god / that here we were as we oughte to be Howe often than shuld the false offycyalles sette forth both the popes and the bysshoppes excoÌ„munycacyon in vayne howe greatly then shulde the thundrynges of Rome / faynt and decaye howe ofte shuld he holde his peace / whom all the worlde is coÌ„pelled to here howe fewe prechers shuld than be fouÌ„de in Chrystendome But this myschefe hath so longe preuayled that what soeuer they ordeyne muste be iuste and ryght Here is no man that wyll stryue for the name and glorye of god Truely I byleue that there is no greatter synÌ„e / nother more coÌ„mytted by the outwarde workes / then in this coÌ„maundement For it is hygher then that many can vnderstande and perceyue it / and so ornate with the name and power of god / that it is ieoperdye to touche it But the prophetes were ones chefe / crafte maysters in this thynge and after theym / the Apostles / and specyallye saynte Paule nother regarded nor cared whether the hyghe preest As it appeareth the .2 chapytre to the Galatyens wher Paule rebuketh peter openlye for his dyssymulacion or the lowe preest sayde it / whether he dyd it in the name of god / or that he dyd it in his owne name / for they marked the wordes and the deades and compared theym with the commaundementes of god / not lokynge whether great IohnÌ„ / or lytel Nycholas spake or dyd eyther in goddes name or in mannes And for this cause they were put to deth / of the which thyng moche more / myght be spoken now in our tyme wherin all thiÌ„ges be done out of frame But Chryste paule must hyde these thyngê with theyr holy names all though there can be no more shamfull a cloke of synne in the worlde / than the most holye and blyssed name of chryste Ihesu Wherfore a man maye abhorre this lyfe / onlye for the abuse and blasfeme the holy name of god / And yf these thynge contynue any longer I am a frayde leste for god / they shall worshype the deuyll Our holy and spyrytuall men do all thyngê with suche abhomynable boldnes / and withoute any shame Therfore it is hyghe tyme / that we praye hertely to god / that he wyll sanctyfye his name But the muste be with the blode of them that sette in the goodnes of martyres He meaneth that we be saued by the worde wherfore the martyrs shedde theyr blode and whiche be gotten saued with theyr blode And eueÌ„ they them selues must be martyres agayne / of the whiche thynge / we shall speake more an other tyme. ¶ The thyrde coÌ„maundement WE haue nowe seen howe manye good workes be in the seconde coÌ„maundement of god / whiche be not good in them selues / except they procede out of fayth / trust of the loue of god toward vs / I wolde to god therfore we kept onely this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t so that we were not so occupyed busye with other workê / that we vtterly forget this worke / nowe than foloweth the thyrde coÌ„maundement Kepe thy sabboth day the thou sanctyfye it / as the lorde thy god hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded the / In the fyrst it is coÌ„maunded how that our herte oughte to be byfore god in thoughtes In the seconde both in herte also in mouthe with wordes In this thyrde is coÌ„maunded howe we shuld gyue our selfes to god by workes / And this the ryght fyrste table of Moyses / in the whiche these thre coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes be wryten rulynge man on the right
semeth but lytel / but iÌ„ very dede it is so great / that he that wyll kepe it muste be in ieoperdye of his body and his lyfe of his goodes and fame of his fryndes and all that he hath And yet it comprehendeth no more but the worke of a lytell membre the tonge / that is to saye The truthe and gaynesay lyenge / yf nede requyre / and so here be forbyde many euyll workes of the tonge Fyrst suche as be commytted by speakynge than after suche as be done by holdyng our peace By spekynge whan he that hath an euyl cause in the lawe / laboreth to proue and defende it by an euyll foundacyon to take his neyghbour in a tryppe to laye out all that he can for to set out promote his owne cause / hydynge makynge lesse what soeuer shulde helpe his neyghbours cause / in the which thyng he dothe not to his neyghboure as he wolde be done to There be some that do this for ê“fyte some partly to auoyde losse or sclauÌ„dre / bothe they seke more theyr owne ê“fyte thaÌ„ the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god / they excuse theÌ„ selfes on this facyon The lawe helpeth hym that laboureth as though they were not as well bounde to laboure in theyr neyghbours cause as in theyr owne So they wyllyngly suffre theyr neyghboures cause go to nought all though they know that it be ryght / the which euyl is now a dayes so coÌ„mon that I feare there is no iudgement nor acte / but one ê‘tie synneth agaynst this coÌ„maundement Yea be it so that they be not able to brynge theyr purpose about / yet they haue an euyll mynde wyll to do yll bycause that they wolde haue the good cause of theyr neyghbour decaye theyr owne euyl cause pÌ„uayle And this synne is chefely coÌ„mytted of the iudges / Iudges whan the one part is a great man or ennemye to the iudges For so they wyl be auenged of theyr enemye not haue the dyspleasure of any great man By this meanes are begon flateryng adulacyon / and at the leste suppressynge of the truthe / for here no man wyll suffre dysdayne hurte ieoperdye for the truthe sake / and so the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god must nedes be troden vnder fete And this is now for the most parte the rule ordre of the worlde He that coueteth or wylleth to contynewe in this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t may haue both his handes full of workes be but onely occupyed with his tonge Moreouer oh good Iesu / howe many be there that by gyftes rewardê be dryuen froÌ„ the truth to holde theyr peace so that surelye in euery place it is a hyghe great rathe worke a man not to be a false wytnes agaynst his neyghboure BEsydes these there is yett a greatter wytnessyng of the truthe wherby we be coÌ„pelled to stryue agaynst euyll spirytes / Euyll spirytes be false teachers prechers but this stryfe begynneth not about temporall thynges / but for the gospell / the truthe of the fayth which the deuyll can not suffre but so goeth about all thynges / that the chefe of the people whom it is harde to withstande may resyste persecute the true faythe / of the whiche it is sayde the .81 psalme Take awaye the poore man and delyuer the nedy from the handê of a synner And that this persecucyon is so seldome done and waxen out of vse / oure prelates of the spirytualtie be in the faute / whiche suffre not the gospell to be preched / but to be oppressyd / and so they haue banysshed as moch as in them is the cause for the whiche such persecucyon wytnesse shulde be moued And for the gospel they teache vs theyr owne tradycyons constytucyons and what soeuer please them / therfore Satan resteth For whan the gospell is banysshed / fayth in Chryst must also be banysshed so all thynges come to passe after the deuyls desyre / but yf the gospell shuld be raysed vp agayne and harde of the people / vndoubted all the worlde shulde be troubled sturrynge the greatter parte of kynges prynces bysshoppes doctours spirytuall men to stryue agaynst it as it hath ben alway / so oft as the worde of god came forth to lyght For the worlde can not suffre that thynge that coÌ„meth from god / the which thyng was proued by our sauyour Chryste whiche was the greattest beste beloued and chefe thynge that god had / yet he was more cruellye persecute than al other thynges that came froÌ„ god / so farre was it of that the worlde wolde receyue or take hym And so as in his tyme there be fewe that so fauour the truth of god / that wyll put body lyfe ryches fame / all that they haue in ieoperdye for it And that is the thyng that Chryst hathe promysed to them that folowe hym Sayeng Mathewe the .x. chapytre You shall be hated of all people for my name Also than many shal be sclauÌ„dred But and yf housbaÌ„demen shepardes horsekepers suche fylthy men shulde persecute this truthe / who than myght not or wolde not graunt and wytnesse the truthe but nowe whan the pope and bysshoppes with prynces kynges persecute it / euery man flyeth awaye al men holde theyr peace all flatter lest they shulde lose theyr goodes theyr honour theyr fauour / and at the last theyr lyfe ANd why do they this truelye bycause they haue no faythe in god / nor thynke that they haue any good of god / for where soeuer is this faythe and truste towarde god there is a strauÌ„ge hert bolde and without feare / whiche graunteth standeth by the truthe whether he lose bodye or goodes / whether it be agaynst the bysshoppes or kynges / as we se that the holy martyrs haue done for such an herte is content with the mercy gentylnesse of god / dyspyseth honoure fauour thankes and ryches of all worldly thyngê sufferyng all thyng to go and come that wyll not last tary As it is redde in the .14 psalme He abhorreth suche sclaunderous and noughty ê‘sones / such as worshyppe the lorde he setteth moche by That is tyrantes and men of great power whiche ê‘secute the truthe and dyspyce god those he feareth not regardeth them not he dispyseth them And vpon the other parte / they that suffre persecucyon for the truthe / and feare god more thaÌ„ men Those he foloweth those he standeth by / those he defendeth those he honoureth / who soeuer be dyspleasyd with them As we rede in the 11. chapytre to the Hebrewes That Moyses defended his bretherne the chyldren of Israell / nothyng fearyng the myghty kynge of Egypte Lo agayne in this coÌ„mauÌ„dement / thou seest shortelye howe that faythe is the mayster of this worke for without fayth no man dare worke it / so be all workes grounded vpon faythe / as we haue ofte tymes sayd before And so without faythe all workes be deade thoughe they appere seme and shyne neuer so goodlye / and be called neuer so good For as no man dothe the worke of this coÌ„maundement / but he the is stroÌ„ge sure stedfast in the fayth of the fauour of god / so can not he do any worke of the coÌ„maundementes without this fayth So that of this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t euery man may take a felynge perseueraunce whether he be a chrysten maÌ„ or no / may knowe whether he doth good workê or no. Nowe we se that almighty god hath not onely set before vs our lorde Iesu Chryst / in whome we shulde beleue with suche truste / but also that we shulde haue hym for an exaÌ„ple of suche trust settynge before vs suche good workes in hym / that we shuld byleue in hym folowe hym abyde euermore in hym As he sayth in the .17 cha of IohnÌ„ I am the way Chryste is the way truth and lyfe the truthe the lyfe / he is the way by the whiche we shulde folowe hym / the truth that we may byleue in hym the lyfe that we maye euermore lyue in hym vpoÌ„ these thyngê before rehersyd / it is manyfest that all other workes not coÌ„mauÌ„ded be very ê‘ylous easy to be knowen / as by buyldynge of churches deckyng of theÌ„ pylgrimage to sayntes / what soeuer is wrytten in the popes decrees which disceyueth the world greueth dystroyeth it / maketh mans coÌ„scyence vnquyete hath brought fayth to sylence made it weake / therfore in asmoche as a man hathe busynes ynoughe to do in the commauÌ„dement of god all other set a parte / so that he can neuer do al the good workê coÌ„mauÌ„ded to hym of god / why thaÌ„ doth he seke other which be nother necessary to him nother coÌ„mauÌ„ded these workê necessary coÌ„mauÌ„ded left vndone THe two last coÌ„mauÌ„dementes forbyddynge euyll desyres or lustê of the body / and pleasures loue of temporall thynges be clere in them selfe without hurt to our neyghbour And these lustes last to the graue / for the stryfe agaynste them contynueth vs vnto dethe Therfore saynt Paule wrytynge to the Romayns the .7 chapytre comprehendeth these two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes in one / they be set for one purpose whiche we can not obtayne / but onely we labour and stryue to come to it vnto the honoure of deth For there was neuer man so holy which hath not felte euyll lustes in hym / specyally yf he had any cause or occasyon / for orygynall synne is naturally borne with vs sufferyng it self to be oppressyd / but not to be vtterly plucked awaye but by deth / which deth for the endyng of this orygynall synne is bothe profytable and to be wysshed for / and that we may manfully fyght agaynst this orygynall synne I beseche god to helpe vs. Amen ¶ Finis ¶ Imprynted be me Robert wyer / dwellynge in saynt martyns parysshe besyde charynge Crosse ¶ Cum priuilegio ROBERT WYER