¶ The summe of the holye scripture and ordinarye of the Christen teachyng the true Christen faithe by the which we be all iustified And of the vertue of baptesme after the teaching of the Gospell and of the Apostles with an informacyon howe all estates shulde lyve accordynge to the Gospell Anno. M. CCCCC.XXIX Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber SEing that all persones can not rede or vnderstonde all bokes to th eÌ„tent that every man may knowe whate ys the foundacyon of all the scriptures and whate thinge they do teache vs. I haue shortly compyled in this present boke the foundacyon and the somme of the holy scripture of the which the hede and princypall is the faith â—from whome procede hope and charite To thintent that euery maÌ„ may knowe whate he shall beleve whate he shall hope whye he shall love god and howe god is oure father and we hys children and howe that we be enheriters of the kingdome of god as shewith vnto vs saint Paul in all his epistles in divers chaptersâ— whiche be many tymes alleged and recyted in this present boke Also howe that without oure merites we be iustified to thintent that we shuld not put oure trust in oure good workes as dyd the Iues. Neverthelesse albeit that I wryte in this boke that God iustifieth vs wyth out oure good workes and merites it ys not myne entent to discounsell eny maÌ„ to do good werkes but myne euient is to teche all persones howe they shall do the werkes and that they shall not trust vpoÌ„ theire good werkes nor in theym to seke theire helâ—â—â— â–ª but all only in the feith of Iesu Christ and in the grace of god This faith had Abraham as writeth saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 4. For Abraham beleved agaynst hope in hope That is to saye that whiche by mannes nature and vertue was impossible he beleved alwayes hit shulde come to passe evyn as god had promysed them So must every christen lyve ageinste hope in hope that is to sey hit behoveth that he repute all his good workes for sinne and thinke that if god wolde iudge him accordinge to his workes he might not be saved For if I haue done eny good hit is of God and not of me for I haue done it by the grace of God and therby I deserve no reward And if I haue done eny thinge of my silfe without the grace of god hit is ypochrisye and greate sinne and therby I deserve euerlastinge deth wherfore then shall I trust in my good workes for I haue no good workes all my goodnesse belongeth to god So shulde a christeÌ„ huÌ„ble him silfe and repute all his good workes for sinne as truely they be As sheweth vnto vs Esaye saying all oure rightuousnes be as a clothe polluted with the floures af a woman Esa. 64 â–ª And when the person so distrusteth of him silfe and of his good workes he shall hope agayn ageinst hope and shall trust in the mercy of God and shall beleve forth on certaynly that he shal be saved bycause of the worde of God For god hath promysed to vs his realme to all theym that trust in him and god is faithfull and veritable in his wordes wherfore seyng that god hath promysed it vnto vs â–ª let vs beleve it stebfastly and haue ferme fayth that we shal be saved not by oure deserving but by the promyses of god And so it behoveth that euery christen dispere aÌ„d hope as dyd Abraham dispeyre of him silfe and then a newe to trust in the worde of god And these be the two thinges which the lawe and the gospell doth The lawe maketh vs to dispeyre because that we never fulfill the coÌ„maundementes of god â–ª These gospell that is to say the grace of the newe testament maketh vs agayn certeynly to hope and to trust And for to teache these two thynges be wrytten all the criptâ—res The parson shall alweyes abideâ—â— humylyte and alweyes thynke that if god wolde iudge hym according to hys workes he shulde never come vnto helth As sheweth vnto vs Iesus christe in Lu. 17 S. Kuke sayng when ye haue done all the thinges whiche to you are commauded say ye we be vnprousitable servauntes we haue done but oure dutye And thys is the verey Christen humylite as in this present boke shal be more pleynly declared And if we can thus repute all oure good workes for sinne aÌ„d in theym to have no maner of trust and then ageyn beleve that we shal be saved by the promyses of god we be the children of Abraham of whome all the scriptures bere witnesse that by his faith he was iustified and gat helth And for that cause he is called the father of belevers and of the feithfull And this ys the fayth wherof I wryte here iÌ„ this boke to thintent that all parsones myght come to knowledge and knowe whate ys the Christen sayth Of the whyche all the scriptures do speake and namely the Gospell after S. Iohn and the epistles of S. Paule for heryn do these two apostles coÌ„prehend all other scripture And for bicause that it behoueth that the parson beleve that his faith iustifieth him and not his workes I haue shortly compyled here and declared howe the fayth doth iustifie vs and howe we be the children of God and howe we must serve oure father by charite and howe that we shalt nothyng doubt of oure helth bycause of the wordes of God And when a parson getteth thys hope he learneth to bere pacyenly all tribulacyon and adversite For he knoweth that this lyfe ys not hys lyfe and hath greate desyre aftrr the other lyfe and holdeth not this lyfe for hys And this maketh the fayth the whiche ys alwayes affectuously attendaunte after Christ oure espouse But he that hath not this fayth is all desolate when he hath mysfortune and yf to hym yt happon well he gyveth hym silfe to voluptuosite and sinne And for bicause he hath no hope of the everlasting life he thinkes in him silf I will vse this life as long as it is leÌ„t me And that he doth bicause he knoweth not whate oure feith is whate our hope is howe that we be the children of God To thintent therfore that none gyue him silfe to sinne by desperacion I have shortly compyled in this present boke howe that we be iustified with out oure merites For when eny parson hath done his best with all his power as I haue seyd then let him say yet that he is an vnproufitable servaunt And the humble her te wherby he knowlegith his imperfection maketh that his sinnes his evell thoughtes and the fragilite of his flesshe to him be pardoned of god and that lytell that he hath god gyveth it him of him silfe and god is his iustice that is to saye god maketh him rightuous for Iesu christ hath satisfied for vs vnto his heveÌ„ly father for to come in socoure to oure infirmite And this describeth
nowe sayed the baptisme hath his vertue of the deth of Iesu christ Then when we be baptised we betoken that we will dye with Christ we betoken I say that we will dye as vnto the lyfe passed as touching oure sinnes evill concupiscences aÌ„d that as saieth S. Paule we must walke in a newe lyfe Ro. 6 And therfore be we plonged vnder the water to thintent that by the maner of spekinge we shuld be here deed and buryed as wryteth saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 6. Bretheren sayth he Esteme ye that ye are deed as concerning sinne but alyde vnto god by Iesu christ oure lord And yn the same place Ye are buryed with Christ by baptesme into deth So that we shall not lyve after the lyfe of the world nor after the lyfe of the flesshe but we must lyve as the children of god And oure lyfe shal be hyd befor the world and also hyd with Christ in god as wryteth saint Paule saying Col. 3 Yf ye be mortified and your life ys hyd with Iesu christ iÌ„ god in whate tyme that Iesu christ oure life shall shewe hym silf then also shall ye be made manifest with him in glory Then when oure lord shal come agayn at the last day of iudgemeÌ„t oure life shal be made open but as long as we lyve here we must lerne all to dye â–ª For we shall not repute this life that we haue here for a lyfe This life here is of the world and of worldly thinges that is to sey of theym that be estraungers to God that haue no trust of the other life to come Nether doo they loke for it nor desyre it Suche people ioy of this world for the world wyth his vaine desyres and plesaunces belongeth to theym Iohn 15. and 16. And they theym silves be also called the world in the holye scripture As sayeth oure lord Christ in saint Iohn You be not of the world but I haue chosen you from the world And agayn The world shal be ioyons and you shal be sory Nowe call we all theym worldy whiche be not monkes Oure lord made a distinction bytwene the world hys disciples before the monkes came into the worlde Wherfore they be not called the world in holy scripture which be not moÌ„kes but all those that lyve after the flesshe whiche desyre not here to dye with Iesu christ and to be hydden here after to lyve with God All suche whatesoever they be are worldly be he monke or chanone nunne or Syster nobill or vnnoble grete or small For as I have sayed the lyfe of theym whiche apperteyn to God is here hyd and they seme to be deed before the world For they lyve not comunely according to the lyfe of the world And therfore they be hated of the world for they be not of the world as sayeth the Gospell in this maner They be not of the world for if they were of the world the world surely wolde love theym as his owne Iohn 15. But for as moche as they accordyng to they re promyse made at the font of baptesme do applye theym silves to renounce the pleasures of the world and to dye with chryst in killing of the desyres of the flesshe and also are strongly ageynst the appetites of the flesshe in other by ensaumple of they re good lyving therfore be they persecuted of the world And hereby may we alweyes knowe the disciples and children of God yf they love to gyther the one the other And yâ— they lyve not here after the life of the world nor after the pleasure of the flesshe aÌ„d if they do not repute this lyfe for a life but abide with a ioyfull hart the coming of oure lord Iesu christ Then shall they re lyfe be made open and shall appere before God So shuld we all lyve here as though this life were not oure life For we must abide oure life before God and we may do none other thing in this life but fight Ageynst oure evell desires and learne to dye for as the prophet Iob sayeth the lyfe of man is a batayle vpon erth that is to say a batayle in a goostly deth Iob. 2 And thys do we promyse to do when we be baptised and we signifie eveÌ„ the same when we be plonged vnder the water ¶ Whate thing the baptesme betokeneth and howe it ys but a sygne Chaptre ij THen when we be baptised yt behoveth vs to knowe surely and to beleve that all oure sinnes to vs are pardoned and that we be made the childreÌ„ of god For god is bycome oure father aÌ„d Iesus christ oure brother And that same right that Iesus christ hath vnto the glory of his father have we also gotten for the bretheren have egall right vnto they re fathers goodes And this haue we not gotten by oure good workes for we haue yet done no good when we were baptised But this comyth holly bi the grace of god and by oure faith by that we put oure hole trust in hym and that we knowlege hiÌ„ for oure lorde and savionre And that we beleve all that he hath done aÌ„d suffred for vs. for he dyed to make vs to lyve â—Cor 8 He became lytell and poer to make vs greate and ryche As saith Saint Paule in thys maner ye knowe the liberalite of oure lorde Christ whiche though he were ryche yet for your sakes became poore that ye through his povertye myght be made ryche for Iesus christ is holly gyven to vs of his father to thintent that he shulde make vs greate ryche and happy by his deth For we could not helpe oure silves therfore he was borne for vs. As saieth Esaie A childe is borne to vs. Esa. â— For we were all egally dettours aud bound to god by the sinne of Adam Then when we coulde not helpe oure silves for asmoche as we were servauntes and subiectes vnto the devell god hath gyven to us .ij. no table giftes aÌ„d hath done .ij. thinges for the love that he hath vnto vs. First that he hath bought vs aÌ„d made vs fre from the devill and from oure sinnes Secondly that he hath made vs his children and heriters of his glorye aÌ„d that all without oure deserving As saide before the prophete Esaye saying Esa. â— The iniquyte of Ierusalem that is to say of the man seing by faith peace in Iesu Christ to him is pardoned and he hath receyved of the hond of the lorde god twyce as moche for all his sinnes Zachaâ— And the prophet Zacharie saith also Tourne you vnto defence I will gyve you doubleâ— as moche In the whiche places these .ij. Prophetes say that for oure sinnes for the whiche we haue deserved dampnacyon we haue receyved of God .ij. gyftes And therfore is there issued out of the syde of Iesu Christ .ij. fontaygnes that is to say bloud and water By his bloude he hath bought vs agayn from the devell By the
in all mannes reason that he shulde haue a sonne of his baraine wife Sara of whom kinges of the people shuld aryse and that in his sede all people shulde be blessed all be it that it was a thing ageinst nature that a woman of foure score and tenne yeres olde shulde conceyve and bere a childe beleved vndoughtedly aÌ„d as the childe was borne god as â—â—rforth as coude appere vnto mannes iudgement working clene contrary to his promyse commaunded that he shulde sâ—e him and make sacrifice of him Abraham albeit that all carnall wisdome wolde haue persuaded him to haue dispeyred in the promesse never douted was all redy to do it beleving stedfastly that it shulde rather be possible that his son shulde ryse again from deth rather then the worde and promyse of god shulde not be true So stedfast aud so certayn must we stonde vnto the worde of god ye and although it were so that all men aungels and devels wold persuade vs to the coÌ„trary we must beleve surely that the worde of god is true that he will fulfill all that he hath promysed Whate thyng hath god promysed vs Ma. â— 4 Mar. 16 he hath promysed vs his everlasting lyfe saying repent the kingdome of heven is at honde Mar. 16 And in an other place whosoeuer shall beleve and be baptised shall be saved He hath also promysed vnto vs remission of all oure sinnes as seyd saint Peter speking of Christ to Cornelius the centurion To him sayd he Act. 10 gyveth all the prophetes witnesse that thorowe his name shall receyve remission of sinnes all that beleve in him that is to sey that al they that with entyre courage forsake they m sâ—lfe and put all there trust in the grace and mercy of him shall haue remission of all there sinnes Moreover he hath promysed vs that we shall be the children of God as sayth saint Iohn Iohn 1. He hath gyven to theym power to be the childreÌ„ of god to theym that beleve in his name All this must we beleue stedfastly all though that we thinke it impossibill after oure workes and sinfull life We must also with a parfaâ—t courage put all oure trust in god as did Abraham for as saint Paule wryteth Abraham beleved god and hit was imputed vnto him for rightuousnesse Ro. 4. Then when with a parfayt courage we do so put all oure trust in god and in his promyses it is unpossible that we shulde perisshe For he hath promysed vs his life euerlasting And for asmoche as he is almightye and may all thing he may wel holde to vs that he hath promysed And in that that he is mercyfull and true he will holde to vs his promys if we can beleve it stedfastly and put all oure trust in him For as withoâ—t oure meâ—tes he hath made vs his children and heyres vppon the font of baptesme so may he lykewise gyve to vs that thing that he hath promysed vs if we can onely trust in him albeit that we haue not 〈◊〉 served it by oure workes Therfore be not discomfort nor yndesperacyon for thy sinnes though thou hast not deserved by thy good workes â—hat god hath made the his heyre for as sayeth saint Paule By grace are ye saved by faith and that not of your silves Ephe. 2 And agayn It is the gifte of god and cometh not of workes â–ª lest eny man shuld host him silf For when we were yet sinners and before that we haue done eny good Ye when we were yet his enemyes he hath not spared his owne sonne but to make â—s likewise his children aÌ„d heyres by hiÌ„ Ro. 8 hath delyuered him vnto deth to make saâ—sfaction for oure sinnes to purchase vs pardon and forgyuenesse to make vs one as he is in Christ and Christ in him that Iohn 17 â—o we in god and Christ might be one that the worlde may know that he hath loved vs as he hath loued Christ that there as he is we may be with him that we may se his glory which he hath gyven him bicause he loved him before the world began Ro. 8. Here maist thou se if thou caÌ„st beleue it that it is god that iustifieth who is it theÌ„ that shall coÌ„deÌ„pne who shall ley eny sinne to the charge of goddis elect sith christ ys â—eed for oure sinnes risen ageyn for our â—ustificacioÌ„ which also sitteth at the right hoÌ„de of god the father and praieth for vs. Beholde whate a servent occasion goâ— hath gyven the to loue him wheÌ„ thou wâ—â—re yet his enemye wherfore let no tribulacion anguysshe persecucion fere imprisonement hunger nakednesse nor swerdeâ— separate vs from the love of god Wherfoâ—re if eny wolde discomfort vs be he aunâ—gell or devell let vs not beleve hym 〈◊〉 the promyses of god may not be distroyedâ— If thou canst surely and stedfastly beleve in god he will holde his promyse He hath sworne to vs to thintent we shulde beleue him But if thou beleve him not and 〈◊〉 by thy sinnes thou comest in dispeyre 〈◊〉 abideth stedfast in his promyse but thoâ— holdest not thy faith As sayeth saint Paâ—ul to Timothe 2. Timo. 2 A faithfull word for if we be ded with him we shall lyve lyke wysâ— with him For god hath bouÌ„d him silfe to vs aÌ„d for bicause of his promyse he owâ—th vnto vs heven in case that we beleve him But if we beleve him not he oweth to vs nothing Rede all the Euangelistes thoroughâ— and ye shall not finde that oure lord Iesuâ— christ hath so moche exhorted vs to anyâ— thing as vnto faith nor that he hath so 〈◊〉 hated and reproved eny thinge in his â—â—sciples as incredulite As it is wryten in 〈◊〉 Mathewe in the .xiiij. Chaptre that â—hen saint Petre went vppon the water â—nd doubted O thou of lytell faith sayde â—esus whie didest thou doubt Also to 〈◊〉 paralitique that is to sey a maÌ„ sike of 〈◊〉 paisey beleve son thy sinnes be forgyâ—en the. And vnto the woman labouring 〈◊〉 a bloudy flyxe Mat. 9 Beleve doughter thy â—â—nnes are forgiven the. And vnto the faâ—â—er of the possessed in the .ix of Marke If â—â—ou couldest beleve all thinges are possiâ—le vnto him that beleveth and vnto thapâ—ostles whiche coude not cast out the devel â—om the same possessed O generacion wiâ—â—out faith howe loÌ„g shall I be with you â—â—reby mayst thou lightly knowe howe â—any tymes oure lord Christ hath reproâ—ed his disciples of they re infidelite And â—oyses coude not bring the people of If â—ell into the lond of promyssion bycause 〈◊〉 gave not the glory to god and that he â—egan to doubt of god to thintent that heâ—â—by we myght knowe that allonly one â—â—edfast faith and trust in God may bringe 〈◊〉 vnto the lonâ— of promission of the kingdome of heven As it is writen in Deâ—teronomion where the prophete Moyseâ— saieth vnto the people of Israell Thou shalt not entre into the lond
of promission bicause of thyne owne rightuousnesse and the equyte of thine hert but bycause thaâ— god will fulfill his worde wâ—iche he hath promysed by othe made vnto thy fatherâ— Abraham Isaac and Iacob And therfore is it called the lond of promission for that we be saved that comyth not thorowe 〈◊〉 good workes but that oure god hatâ— so promysed And we must stedfastly and without doubt beleve that god will 〈◊〉 power vnto his wordes as ferre forth aâ— with a parfait courage we beleve in hym For God hathe bound him silfe vnto vs hath promysed vs that he will gyve vs the euerlasting life For he desireth nothing but oure helth And he biddeth vs that we shall pray vnto him For he will heiâ— vs graciously as he promyseth vs in the gospell saying And whate soeuer ye 〈◊〉 in my name that will I do Iohn 14. And he is redy at all houres to forgeue vs oure sinnes when we haue repentaunce As saieth the prophete Ezechiell Eze. 18. If the wikked tourâ—he him silf from his sinfull lyfe to rightuousnesse he shall lyve and not dye and I will no more haue remembraunce of thynyquyte that he hath done And seynt Paule vnto the Romayns All they that beleve and trust in hym shall not be shamed And Iohel the proprete as recyteth saint Paule All they that shall call on the name of god shal be saved That is to sey they that by a stedfast feyth abide vppon god as dyd the good thefe that was crucified with christ whiche when he with a stedfast beleue had called vppon Chryst was answered this day shalt thou be with me in paradize And as did Mary magdaleyne to whome it was likewise sayde thy faith hath saved the goo thou in peace shal be saved Thirdli we must also beleve that god desiteth none other thing but oure helth and therfore whatesomever thiÌ„g happoÌ„ to vs here be we in helth or in dysease riche or pore honoured or dispised noble or vnnoble alyve or deed we shall alweyes be coÌ„tent whate thing soeuer god send knowyng certeynly that nothing comith without the wil sufferauÌ„ce of god for if it so be that one leefe falleth not from the tree that a sparowe or a flie descend not on the erth without the will of your father Howe moche more comith there nothinge to vs without the wil aÌ„d suffraunce of god As writeth saint Mathewe where oure lord sayeth be not .ij. sparowes solde for a peny and none of theym doth light on the ground without youre father Then whate soever thing god send vs let vs receyve it yeldinge to him thankes with good hert â— Mat. 10 as dyd Abraham whiche forsoke his contrey and his lond as it is writen in the boke of Genesiâ— where god seyd to Abraham go out of thy contrey and out of thy lynage and go into the lond that I wyll shewe the which also was redy to kill his welbeloved son Isaac Nowe seyng that we be the children of Abraham and that we haue obteyned helth by meane of the saith of Abraham As saith oure lord in S Iohn If ye be the children of Abraham do the workes of Abraham And therfore must we bere all thinges paciently and with good will whiche god will that we shall suffre and bere For if he knewe that they were not covenable and proufitable for vs he wolde let theym they shuld not come as deâ—th warre pestilence povertie malady aduersite persecucion discomfort for oure children losse of oure temporall goodeâ— Ro. 14. finally the verey deth For as saint Paule saieth whether we lyve or dye we are alweyes the lordes And therfore the Christen shall not be troubled for none suche thinges but shal be rather ioyfull as were thappostles whome god had made worthy to suffre any thing for hys â—ove For it is a sure token that thou arte the childe of god if thou haue pacience for it is writen by saint Act. 5. Luke in thactes of thappostles that thapostles were ioyfull that they were reputed worthy to suffre dishonour before the world for the love of god And god hath promysed nothing els to his disciples in this world but payne tribulacion as Christ saieth in saint Iohn Iohn 16 Ye shall wepe and lament and the world shall reioyce and ageyn in the world ye shall haue tribulacion but be of good chere for I have overcome the worlde And there is not a more certeyne signe that a man shal be dampned then when he ledith here an yvell life hath alweyes prosperite for this prosperite shal be hys paradice On the coÌ„trary part there is not a more certeyn signe of euerlasting helth then when a man lyveth iustly and hath alway adversite for that is it that god sendeth vs for oure sinnes and oure purgatory or so to make open his glory in oure pacyence And therfore shall the Christen alweyes more reioyce when he suffreth aduersite and tribulacyon then when all thinges comyth prosperously vnto him For prosperite in an evell life signifieth comoÌ„ly that god hath reproved the parsone â— it maketh him to forget God But adversite signifieth comonly that god loveth the person And the parson is warned by tribulacion aÌ„d sufferaunce to call vppon god for socoure Hebre. 12 For as seith saint Paule him that God loveth him doth he chastise and he stourgeth euery child that he receyveth For whate is the child that the father doth not chastise And if ye be out of the discipline and chastisement of the whiche all the children of god haue byn part takers ye are then bastardes and not sonnes And in thapocalips speaketh God and sayeth Apo. 3 as many as I loue I rebuke and chastyse Also Salomon in the Proverbes saieth theym that the lord god loveth he rebuketh Pro. 3â— Therfore let none be sory when tribulacioÌ„ maladye pestilence or also the deth it silf comith But let him alweyes accord his will to the will of god and suffre paciently ioyfully knowing for trouth that it is all the good holy will of God oure right good father And let him thanke him that it pleaseth him to make hym worthy to suffre any maner trybulacyon for his sake as dyd Iob and Thobias aÌ„d many other For without doute god knoweth whate thiÌ„g is helthfull for vs. And he that murmureth grudgeth ageynste god in tribulacioÌ„ is not a ChristeÌ„ For he beleveth not that god gouerneth entreatith him for his helth But whate are we ought els theÌ„ erth in the hond of a potter As saith saint Paule in this maner Ro. 9 O maÌ„ whate arte thou that doest this murmure ageinst god may the pot say vnto hiÌ„ that made hiÌ„ whie hast thou made me on this facioÌ„ Nay And as the potter may make suche a pot as he will of the erth so be we yn the hoÌ„des of god â–ª we must be coÌ„teÌ„t with all that god wil
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
ghost hath offred hym silfe without Hebre. â— spot vnto God hath clensed oure consciences from mortall workes for to serve vnto the lyving God And therfore we haue no nede to laboure by oure good workes to get euerlasting lyfe for we haue that alredy we be all iustified we be all the children of God God hath gyven vs all thys of him silf without oure deserving Some man might say I will also do sumwhate to thintent that I may be so moche the more certeyn to be saved All they that say so and all they that thinke that they re good workes helpe eny thing or proufit for to get the gift of saluacyon they blaspheme ageynste God and robbe god of his honoure and speke ageynst the might and goodnesse of God Gala. 5 as wryteth saint Paule If ye be circumcised Christ shall nothinge proufit you that is to say if ye put eny trust in the lawe or in any workes Christ shall not helpe you And yet sayeth saint Paule in that same Chaptre whosoever will be iustified by the lawe is fallen out of the grace of god Howe may the wordes be more clere wherfore al they blaspheme ageynst the dyvine puissaunce that will eny maner wey deserve by they re good workes for this cause we must do oure good workes alweys by love to the proufit of 〈…〉 not for the necessite of oure hâ—â—th for by Iesu christ be we made sure of the euerlasting life as it is bifore said They that by they re workes will satisfie vnto god be agaynst God as though God were not puissaunt ynough of him silf without the helpe of oure werkes for to pardone vs oure sinnes and as though the passion of Christ were not vertuouse ynough without oure deservinges for to helpe vs to come vnto heven Therfore say I we must allonly hoelly trust in the grace mercy of god not in oure workes or els christ shall nothing proufit vs. ¶ Howe that by the onely grace of God and by nothing elles we be saved Chaptre vi NOwe might some man sey I knowe wel that god is mightie ynough to save me without my workes but I caÌ„ not tel whether he wil do it if it be not that I live therwith al rightuously paraueÌ„ture my good werkes shal enduce hiÌ„ to make me rightuous to save me or els he wolde not do it All they that so saye or thinke as I haue said blaspheme against the goodnesse of god as though god were not of him silf mercyfull aÌ„d good ynough except he were first stered vnto mercy by oure werkes Ro. 4. Not withstoÌ„ding that saint Paule sayeth that the promesse was not made vnto Abraham by the lawe but by the iustice of the faith And seyng also that of his proper nature he is nothing els but goodnesse and mercy as he hath alweyes taught and shewed wheÌ„ he was teaching in the world for he hath never dispysed nor left none discomforted of eny thing that eny hath requyred him but onely suche as wold not beleve Wherfore thou must knowe ones for all that by the onely grace of god we be saved And god will not that thou put thy good workes or thy iustice with his pretending to helpe him by thy workes for he will do it a lone and will haue no maner helpe For he hath no nede of the couÌ„sell nor of the dede nor of the workes nor of the iustice of any other Ephe. 2 For saint Paule saieth By grace are ye saved thorowe faith and that not of your silves for it ys the gift of god and cometh not of workes lest eny man shulde bost himsilf Now were it possible to speake it more pleynly and vnto the Romains Ro. 5. Being iustified by fayth we are at peace with god And saynt Iohn saieth He is the recoÌ„ciliacion for oure sinnes 1. Iohn The deth of Iesu christ and his iustice be vertuous ynough for to take awey all the sinnes of the world Nowe might one demaunde whi will god iustifie vs and so save vs of him silfe God doth it to thintent that he make hys goodnesse and mercy vnto vs more clere and more open Ephe. 2 As writeth saint Paule vnto the Ephesians God that is riche yn mercy thorowe the grete love wherwyth he loved vs even when we were dâ—ed by sinne hath quykned vs with Christe by whose grace ye be saved and with hiÌ„ hath reysed vs vp and with him hath made vs sitte in hevenly thinges thorowe Christ for to shewe in tyme to come the exceding richesse of his grace in kindnesse towarde vs thorowe Iesus Christ. Here seest thou by these wordes the cause whye god will do it alone for if god shuld iustifie vs aÌ„d shuld gyue helth bicause of oure workes he shuld not do it by his goodnesse but oure workes had deserved it and so shulde we not nede to thanke God therfore but moâ—ght ascribe it to oure selves and vnto oure workes But saint Paule and all the prophetes do teache vs that we be iustified and haue gotten helth by the onely grace of God and not by oure deservynges for we haue none And as god wyll that we do not thanke laude or loue other then alonely him Also like wyse will he not that we serche elswhere or of any other helth but of him onely for god wil be oure helth and oure savioure alone and he will not that we serche els where comfort but in him and of him and not in oure silfe nor in oure good werkes And for this cause thus writeth saint Paule vnto Titus But after that the kindnesse and loue of oure savioure appered vnto man not of the dedys of rightuousnesse which we haue wrought but of his mercy he hath saved vs by the fonteyne of the newe birth with the renewing of the holy gost whiche he shed over vs abundauntly thorow Iesus christ oure savioure TituÌ„ 3 And therfore whosoever thiÌ„ke to haue deserved the kingdome of heven by his rightuous life he robbeth god of his goodnesse for god hath frely iustified vs of hiÌ„ silf oure lord him silf hath seid in the gospel of S. Ioh None may come vnto me except my father that sent me drawe hiÌ„ Iohn 6 And in an other place without me ye caÌ„ do nothing Iohn 15 god spake by the prophete Osee O Israel thi perdicioÌ„ comith of thy silf alonely of me cometh thy helpe Osee. 14 And saint Paule vnto the romains Ro. 9. The enerlasting life is not his that will or that râ—neth after it but it is in the hondes will of god to gyve it to whome he will by his mercy Therfore erre all they that thiÌ„ke that god owith to theym the euerlastiÌ„g life or that they haue deserved it when they haue done many good workes for that thing that god onely gyveth to whome he will that wold they take froÌ„ him plucke it out of
his hoÌ„des thei yeld no thaÌ„kes vnto god as did S. Paul vnto the ColossiaÌ„s Col. â— sayiÌ„g we gyve thaÌ„kes vnto god the father which hath made vs mete for to the partakers of the inheritauÌ„ce of saintes in light whiche hath delyvered vs from the power of derknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his dere sonne in whome we haue redempcion thorowe his bloude that is to sey forgevenesse of sinnes Such people get lest of all and are in many tymes reprobate and forsaken of god Lu. 18 As the Pharisey whiche rehersed vnto god his good workes as though he had not knoweÌ„ theym But if thou wilt haue the kingdome of heven I counsed the that thou trust nothing in thy good workes but that thou be exercising thi silf after thy power in dedes of charite and mercy toward thy christen brother So as oure lord teacheth yn the gospell saying Lu. 17. when ye haue done all that to you is commaunded yet say ye we be vnproufitable servauntes Suche humble opinion and feling must a christen haâ— if he wil be saved For as saint Petre sayeth God resisteth alweyes the proude but vnto the humble he gyveth grace 1. Pe. 5. for god loveth moche more a sinner whyche humbleth him silf axing mercy then one that thinketh that he is holy and that he hath done many good workes exaltynge him silf in theym and thinkinge that God owith to him the kingdome of heven bycause of his good workes For as I haue seyd God will save none for his good workes but he wil save vs all by his mercy to thintent that we shuld thanke hym for it and to thintent that to him alone aÌ„d to his name may be gyven all glory preyse and grace and that all the worlde may prayse and exalte the goodnesse and mercy of him alone Ro. 3 For saint Paule saieth that the rightuonsnesse that cometh of god ys declared without the fulfillinge of the lalawe and for this cause wold God suffre none to come into euerlasting lyfe byfore the comyng of Iesus christ nether Abraham Isaac nor David Ro. 3 For as saint paule seyth they all haue sinned and lacke the preyse that is of valure byfore God and this he wolde also to thintent that bothe they and we shuld also knowe that all they that haue obteyned or shal opteyne helth haue and shall opteyne it by the deth of Iesu christ and not by they re rightuousnesse or workes for if eny might haue bin saved by his workes Abraham and David had come to heven byfore the comyng of Iesu christ But God wolde it not to thintent that we shuld knowe that all oure helth lyeth in the deth of Iesu Christ which by his mercy he hath suffred for vs There is none other wey for to come to everlastiÌ„g life but by Iesu Christ crucyfied for vs. And therfore we must put all oure trust in God alone we shall take all oure comfort of God onely calling vppon his mercy in this maner O dere lord god almighty I poore sinner confesse byfore thy dyvine pâ—â—ssaunce that by my sinnes I haue deserved the everlasting deth of hell by thy grete iustice But alweyes I take hope and comfort in thy godly promesse wherby thou saydest in thy gospell He that beleveth in the sonne of god shall haue everlasting life Iohn 3 for this cause I poore sinner come toward the dere lord Iesu christ whiche art the onely fontayne of mercy not trusting in my good workes which be but stinkiÌ„g byfore the nor in any worldly thing but onely in the alone for thou alone art the wey the trouth and the lyfe And I pray the that vnto me poore sinnar thou wilt do thy grace and mercy Amen So shall the christeÌ„ huÌ„ble him silf vnderstoÌ„d of hiÌ„silf of his good workes Esaie 64 for as saieth Esai all oure iustice is as it were the clothe of a womaÌ„ suffering the floures God hath saved none by his workes but onely by his divine grace mercy As teacheth saint Paule Ephe. â— ye are saved by grace thorowe faith that not of your silf And if it be by grace as saieth saint Paule ageyn then is it not by the deservinge of workes for then were grace no grace Ro. 1â— Hereby mayst thou perceive that god wil that oure helth come of his grace and mercy and not of oure deservâ—nges For if any may deserve heven by his workes then is it no grace or gift of god but it is vet wages And then god of him silf giveth it not vnto vs but we get it as for vauntes that serve for wages And that can be by no meanes for saint Paule teacheth vs in many places that we be iustified haue obteined helth by the grace of god not by oure good workes but by oure feith for it is a gift of god not hyres or wages for laboure Ephe. â— to thinteÌ„t that we shuld not esteme that we had saved ouresilves for s. Paule saith wheÌ„ we were dede by sinne he hath quickened vs with christ wherfore we shall not glorifie iÌ„ oure silves but iÌ„ god alone for god will not that we serche hiÌ„ for wages as servauntes But he will that we shall love him as children they re father and that we serve him by love without desiringe eny thing but to please him for he him silf hath seid to his apostles Iohn 15 I call you not nowe servauntes but frendes Psal. 21 And Christ hath said by the prophete to his hevenly father I will shewe thy name to my brethereÌ„ And ageyn to his apostles Mat. 23 Call ye no man father on the erth for ye haue one father in heâ—en And therfore hath Iesu christ not learned vs to pray Oure lord whiche arte in heven Mat. 6 but oure father for we be his children and if we be the children of god we be his heyres as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 8 ¶ To whome the grace of god is gyuen Chaptre .vij. ONe myght axe Is thys grace of god gyven to every body Nay but it is gyven to all theym that beleve And all they that beleve in Iesu christ in suche maner as we haue byfore declared and shall all declare more pleynly they be the children of god as wryteth saint Iohn in the gospell saying Iohn 1 Unto as many as receyved him gave he power to be the sonnes of god in that they beleved yn his name And as sayeth saint Paule He that comith to god must beleve that he ys God and that he is a rewarder of theym that seke him Hebre. 1â— Therfore we haue seid that all the newe testament doth teache vs principally none other thing but faith and trust in Iesu christ and therfore the feith is the foundacion of Christendome For this cause if thou wilt that the passion aÌ„d grace of christ be to thy socoure and proufit
it behoveth that thou beleve him stedfastly without ony maner waveringe to thinten that thou knowe that it is all grace and not deserving and that the wordes and promyses of god be verey certein and true for god hath called vs his children as saint Paule saieth Because that ye are sonnes god hath sent the sprite of hys sonne into oure hertes crying Abba father Then arte thou nowe no servaunt but a sonne Gala. 4 and if thou be a sonne then art thou also heyre of god by christ aÌ„d so be we delyvered from oure sinnes and from the bondage of the devell and made heyres of the kingdome of heven by the benefit of Iesu christ He beleveth in god that putteth all his trust and hope in god and in the iustice of god living after his power accordinge to the rule of charite having no maner hope nor trust in the world in his good works or good life but alonly in the goodnesse of god and in the merites of Iesu christ beleving certeynly that god will hold to hym that he hath promysed remission of sinnes and certeynte of everlasting life He that doth so is a true christen and beleveth stedfastly that the wordes of god must nedes be true Notwithstanding that according to his workes he thinketh it a thing ympossible Neverthelesse he beleveth that he shal be saved without deservinge of any good workes rather then the wordes of god and all thinges that they do promyse shuld not come to passe As writeth saynt Paule of Abraham which beleved rather that his wife whiche was bareyne out of thage of generacyon shuld conceyve a childe rather theÌ„ the promyse of god shuld not be fulfilled And by this fayth was Abraham reputed iuste byfore God not by his good workes So behoveth it that euery christen do albeit that it seme to him ympossible to be saved bycause he hath done no good he shall neverthelesse stykke stedfastly vnto the goodnesse and mercy of God and vnto hys worde yn suche maner that he doubt not yn nothyng Lu. 2â— For Christ sayeth in Saynt Luke Heven and erth shall passe but my worde shall never passe Of this sayth wryteth Saynt Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 10. whosoever shall call on the name of the lord God shal be saved He therfore that calleth vppon hym on whome he beleveth not that he may helpe hym loseth but his laboure Therfore thou must first beleve in hym And then if thou call vppon hym with suche a fayth as we haue spoken of thou shalt be saved Of this fayth speaketh also the prophete Esaie as recyâ—eth Saynt Paule the apostle yn the forseyd Chaptre All they that beleue yn hymshall not be ashamed And ageyn saint Paule Ro. 10 If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and that thou beleue with a perfaict herte that God hath reised christ froÌ„ deth thou shalt be saved And the word that Christ preched first as recyteth Saint Marke was The tyme is full come and the kingdome of god is evyn at honde repent and beleve the gospell Mar. 1 Of this faith writeth lyke wise saint Iohn and they be the wordes of Christ vnto Nicodemus as Moyses lift vp the serpent in wildernesse even so must the sonne of man be lift vp that no man that beleveth in him perisshe but haue eternall life Iohn 3 God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely sonne for the entent that none that beleve in him shuld perisshe but shuld haue everlasting life And a lytell after he that beleveth in him shall not be coÌ„dempned and ageyn in the same chaptre He that beleveth on the sonne hath everlasting life and he that beleveth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrathe of god abideth vppon him By all these escriptures here maist thou see that we be all the children of God alonly thorowe faith and this had God lever promyse vnto vs bicause of oure faith then bicause of oure good workes to thintent that we shuld be so moche the more certeyn of oure helth And therfore saith saint Paule by faith is the enheritaunce gyven that it might come of grace that the Ro. 4. promyse be sure and stedfast to all the seade for if god had said whosoever will do suche or suche workes shal be saved we shuld ever haue byn iÌ„certeyn whether we shuld haue byn saved or not for we shuld never haue knowen whether we had dogood ynough to haue deserved the lyfe eternall But nowe god hath promysed it vnto vs bicause of oure faith by hys favoure not by oure workes to thintent that we be the more sure therof For let vs beleve stedfastly and we may knowe for certeyn that we be the childreÌ„ of god Not that we haue deserved it but bycause he hath promysed it And it must nedes be that the word of god be true for this cause if we haue perfeit trust in god and beleve perfeitly in him we shal be sure that we shal be saved It was suche a feith that saint Paule had when he seid 2. Ti. â— I knowe and am sure that he to whome I haue coÌ„mitted and gyven my gage to kepe ys mighty ynough to kepe it for me tyll that day And ageyn I haue fought a good batayl 2. Ti. 4. I haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the faith from hensforth is leyd vp for me a crowne of rightuousnesse whiche the lord that is a rightuous iudge shall give me at that day Not vnto me onely but vnto all theym whiche love hys coming 1. Ioh. 3 And saint Iohn saieth Derely beloved nowe are we the sonnes of God And yet it hath not appered whate we shal be we knew that wheÌ„ he shal appere we shal be like hiÌ„ for we shal see hiÌ„ as he is This faith had also saynt Martine at the houre of his deth when he saide vnto the devell whye art thou here thou bloudy beest thou hast nought in me the seed of Abraham shall receyve me This suertye had likewise saint Imbrose when one axed hym if he feared not the deth he answered whye shuld I feare seyng that we haue one so good a lordâ— For this cause must we love the deth and more desyre to dye aÌ„d to be with god as dyd saint Paule then to feare the deth Phi. 1 for Iesu christ is deede for vs to thintent that we shuld not feare to dye And he hath flayne the deth and hath destroyed the streynght of deth as writeth saint Paule saying 1. Cor. 15 O deth where is thy victory It is swalowed and brought to nought by victory Phi. 1 And vnto the Philippyans Christ is my life and deth is to me advauntage ¶ Howe that feith bryngeth Charyte and Charyte good workes Chaptre .viij. NOwe might one axe when I beleve certeynly that I am the childe of god that Iesu christ hath satisfied for me vnto hys hevenly father
as teacheth saynt Paule saying 1. Ti. 2 whiche hath gyven him silf a price and raunsome for all men Then when I beleve nede I not to do nothing Nede I not to do no good shall I not kepe the commaundementes of God Herken whate saint Paule answereth The faith saith he worketh by loue Ga. 5 Then when thou thus beleuest without doutiÌ„g that is to sey that thou art the sonne of god and that god hath so made the grete and riche thou shalt thinke thus in thy â—ilf Behold nowe god hath made me his childe enheritour of his glory brother of Iesus christ hath giveÌ„ me pardoÌ„ of al my sinnes aÌ„d I shall shortly be with hiÌ„ in the euerlasting life which he hath gyveÌ„ me without deserving it 〈◊〉 thiÌ„g shall I do agein to god by love and kindenesse for all this that he hath gyven to me Psal. 115 As saith the prophete David whate shall I yeld to god ageyn for all that he hath gyven to me when eny parson speaketh thus in him silf considering and beholding the greate goodnesse and mercy of god then comith and entreaseth the loue of god in him by the fayth bicause that he beleveth surely that God hath thus made him grete and riche And after that the loue is thus entred and enchauffed in the hert of the parson it maketh him to suffre and bere all thiÌ„ges maketh him to laboure to thinke and to do all that he thinketh wold please god without regarding â—ny thing but the loue of god Cor. 13. as sayeth saint Paule Loue suffreth all thinges loue doth nothing in vaine and he that hath suche a loue toward god all that he doth is agreable to god Ye when he gyveth but a drop of water for goddis sake as writeth saint Mathewe for loue iÌ„ god can not sinne all that he doth is well done For the holy goost that hath put this charite in vs can not do evill Aâ—d if of aduenture by suche a good entent one did any evell by errour this evell shul be pardoned incontinent and reputed for good by the good entent and loue that he hath towardes god Mat. 6. For Christ saieth in the gospell If thyne yie that is to sey thyne entencion be simple and applying to good all thy body that is to sey all thyne operacion shall be lightened and good And saint Paule saieth Ro. 8 we knowe that vnto theym that loue god al thinges worke for the best All they that are constant in this faith and charite be the children of god aÌ„d please god As witnessith saint Petre where he speaketh in thactes of thappostles Of a truth I perceyve that god is not percyall but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh rightuousnesse is accepted with him for god nedeth not oure works when he thus hath oure hertes albeit that suche a loue can not be ydell This loue comith in vs as I haue seid by faith when the parson beleveth surely that he is the childe of God It nedeth not that suche a parsone be constreyned to doo good workes by any commaundementes For the love of god dwelling yn him can not be ydell For loue as sayeth saint Paule suffreth long and is courteys 1. Cor. 13. loue eÌ„vyeth not love is not craving swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seketh not her owne is not provoked to angre thinketh not evell reioyseth not in iÌ„iquite but reioyseth in the truth suffreth al thing beleveth all thinges hopeth all thinges Suche a love or charyte bryngeth a parson to good workes and not good works a parsone vnto suche a love or to suche a faith trust in god These workes spring out of feith and not feith out of these workes for as I haue seid feith bringeth loue and loue bringeth good workes Lyke as though there were a riche maÌ„ with out children or heyres which might take a poore beggar out of the strete and make hym his heyre of his goodes This poore man beyng this made greate and ryche if he wold be thankefull as becomith hym to be shuld serve hys lorde or master whiche had thus exalted hym made him ryche truely and with greate loue Ye and if he ones might knowe the wil of his master he wold not deferre the doing therof till he were commaunded But he wold do all thinges by and by of his owne courage for the charyte or loue that he hath toward his master without commaundement Behold this poore man so exalted hath not deserved by hys workes nor by hys service that this riche man shuld so make him his heyre but the riche man hath made him his heyre of hys owne goodnesse without that the poore maÌ„ had in eny maner wyse deserved it And the service that this poore man doth afterward comith of loue and kyndnesse For he knoweth and beleveth surely that he is heyre of the godes of his lord bifore that he do any service And for bicause that he beleveth that the ryche man will kepe promyse wyth hym he beginneth to love him by the meane of this faith And so when he loveth hym he doth to him willingly and wyth good hert all the service he can and fulfil â—â—leth ioyfully his commaundementes and all by love And the more laboure service that he can do for his good master the more grete pleasure he taketh So is it of a good ChristeÌ„ for wheÌ„ he was yet enemye of god by the sinne of Adam he was accepted of God byfore he â—esyred it and byfore that he had yn eny maner wise deserved it Thus hath god made vs his children and heyres without oure deserving Then when we beleve this stedfastly this faith bringeth loue into oure hertes so that we beginne to love God by cause that he hath made vs so greate and excellent And when we so love him we kepe his commaundemeÌ„tes by loue and do all thinges with good wil As saieth Christ in saint Iohn Iohn 14. He that loveth me kepeth my commaundementes And so kepe we all thinges and suffre all thinges which we thinke agreable to god and nothing is to hevy for vs and as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 5 we reioyce in tribulacioÌ„ for we knowe that tribulacion bringeth pacience pacieÌ„ce bringeth feling feling briÌ„geth hope and hope maketh vs not a shamed bicause the love that God hath vnto vs is shed abrode in oure hertes by the holy goost whiche is gyven vnto vs whiche love maketh all thinges light vnto vs plesaunt and easy to bere so that after the word of Christ in the gospell his yoke ys easy and his burthen is light Mat. 11. Act. 5 This faith and love had thappostles as wryteth saint Luke when they departed from before the iudges they reioysed that they were made worthy and able to suffre shame and dishonoure byfore the worlde for the love of Iesu christ Thys charâ—te had saint Paule when he seid vnto the Romayns Ro. 8. Who
is he that shall separate vs from the love of god shall tribulacion or anguisshe or persecucion or hunger or nakydnesseâ— other parell orswerd we be sure that neither deth nor life nether aungell nether rule nor thiÌ„ges present nor thinges to come nether height nor depnesse nether eny other creature shal be abyll to separat vs from goddis love which is in Iesu christ our lord But I axe you nowe wherby ys it that thou knowest that thou are the childe of god by the service that thou hast done hi Nay Wherby then by the faith wher by thou belevest the worde of god whiche sayth that thou art the childe of god before thou begynnest to serve hym as wryteth saint Paule in all his epistles Thy service and thy workes haue not gyveÌ„ the the faith and trust wherby thou belevest that thou art the childe of god and his heyre for thou haddest that or thou dydest hiÌ„ any service but bicause that thou belevest stedfastly that god hath made the so grete by this faith beginnest thou to loue hym And when thou lovest him so thou doest him all the service that thou knowest ys agreable vnto hiÌ„ Thou â—beyst his coÌ„maundementes alweyes humbly knoweleging thyne ymperfection ascribing all that thou doest vnto God for els as sayeth saint Paule Ro. 4 If oure heretage came of the lawe the feith were but in vayne and the promyse of none effect Behold nowe seest thou that we do not deserve the euerlasting life by oure good workes for God hath promysed it vnto vs all surely bifore that we began to do good wherfore thou must knowe and beleve that good workes make none sure that he shal be the childe of God and hys heyre But contrary wise the feith trust that thou hast in god wherby thou belevest stedfastly that he haâ—h made the hys sonne maketh the to serve god and to kepe his commaundementes by love â–ª wherfore all they are abused Theologyans and doctours that sey that certeynte or hope procedeth out froÌ„ good workes â–ª For contraryly out from the certeynte from the feith wherby thou belevest the goodnesse that god hath done vnto the comith the good works That is to sey wheÌ„ thou belevest thou begynnest to love and when thou lovest thou doest that God wold haue done ¶ Howe that we shall not serve God for hyres or wages Chaptre ix THe workes done in suche fayth and charyte be allonely plesauÌ„t vnto god and worthy to be called good workes for they be the workes of the holy gost that dwelleth in vs by this faith But they that are done by tediousnesse evill will for fere of hell or for desire of paradise be none other thiÌ„g but shadowes of workes makiÌ„g ypochrytes The ende of oure good workes may seÌ„ke nought but to please god knowlegiÌ„g that if we do never so moche we caÌ„ neuer do our duety for they that for feare of hell or for the ioyes of heveÌ„ do serve god do a coÌ„streined service which god will not Suche people do not serve God bicause he is theire god theire father but bicause he is riche for to haue part of his richesse they not god but his wayes and richesse that is to sey they serue for none other purpose but to haue they re rewardes and for to avoide his punissions And suche people be as it were hyred men and waged servauntes and are not children for the service they do is but for wages and hyres But the children of god serve they re father for loue for they knowe the goodnesse that god hath done to theym alredy in that they beleue that god hath made theym hys children and heyres Gala. 3 For saint Paule seith ye are all the children of god by the feith which is in Iesu Christ And ageyn forasmoche as ye be childreÌ„ god hath sent the sprit of his sonne in to your hartes crying Ga. 4 father father Thou art then nowe no servaunt but a sonne And if thou be the sonne thou art also heyre of god by christ as saieth saint Paule ye are all the children of â—ight and children of god Tessa 5 Then the children of god that is the true christen do not desyre to get the heretage by theire service for they knowe by the sure promyses of god whiche they do beleve that God of hym self hath purely and liberally gyueÌ„ it vnto theym alredy Is when a burgoys hath a servaunt and a sonne The servaunt serueth his master and dare not offend hym for feare of losing of his wages whiche he attendeth for for he serveth for wages and after that he hath receyved theym he levith his master axeth no more of him for he demaunded nothing els but his money which he hath receyved alredy The sonne of the house serveth hys father and kepeth his commaundementes not to haue wages but for loue that he hath vnto hys father For he knoweth the goodnesse that his father hath done to him and that he is heyre of the goodes of hys father And knoweth that he shall ever dwelle in his fathers house as saieth saint Iohn Iohn And therfore doth he liberally the will of his father by cause he will not anger him So must euery christen serve god and kepe hys commaundementes by true loue and not by hope to get for his service everlasting life or the heritage of his heveÌ„ly father but knowleging alonly that god hath gyven him that alredy and that he hath made him hys heyre â—yfore he requyred him So shall he serve him by love declaring that god is all good and to shewe that ageynst his goodnesse he wyll not be vnkynd ¶ Howe that we disheret oursilves by oure disobedience Chaptre x. NOwe must euery maÌ„ know that alonly they that by suche love serue God be the children of god his heyres and shal be saved For he that gyveth not thankes to God and loveth hym not of this facyon for the goodnesse that god of hym silf hath willingly done vnto him is cause that he is not the child of god and maketh him silf vnworthye of all the promyses of God Lyke as though there were a maâ— that had gotten some grete rychesse by his laboure that he had .ij. sonnes The. ij sonnes be here egally like nighe vnto the goodes of they re father the herytage of they re father beloÌ„geth egalâ—iâ— vnto theÌ„ for thei be both sonnes But if the one be rebell disobedient vnto his father do to him dishonour after that he come to thage of discretion by suche meanes may hâ— be cause of dishereting of him silf â— he is naturelly sonâ—nd heyre to the goodes as well as his other brother but he disheriteth him silf by his evill life So are all parsones the childreÌ„ of god bought ageyn by Iesu Christ but they that rebell ageinst god and obey not vnto his commaundementes disheryt theym silves aÌ„d theym silves because of they re daÌ„pnacyon God wold
willingly haue saved theym for he did promyse to theym emong other the heritage of his kingdome and had made theim his children but they dampne theym silves They are the children of God as concerning goddis behalf but they are alweyes dampned bicause of they re disobedience Ye some tyme god calleth suche people his freÌ„des not that they be so but bicause thei mought haue bin so Mat. 2 As he said vnto Iudas My freÌ„d whie art thou come hither Mat. 2 And vnto hiÌ„ that came vnto the wediÌ„ges my freÌ„de how art thou entred here not hauiÌ„g the weddiÌ„g garmeÌ„t Behold he is called freÌ„de yet neverthelesse he suffreth hiÌ„ to be cast into darknesse he had biÌ„ the freÌ„d of god if he wold haue coÌ„sented to the wil of god 1 Iohn Saint Iohn saieth There is now mani anÌ„christes thei weÌ„t out froÌ„ vs were not of vs for if they had byn of vs they had bydden with vs. So be all people the children of god but there be many that make theym silves vnworthy aÌ„d depart theym silves from god The other sonne that abideth with his father is a sonne and abydeth a sonne and heyre bicause he is obeisaunt vnto his father He hath not deserved by his good lyfe and obedience the possessyon aÌ„d goodes of his father but he hath onely byn well ware that he hath not lost theym by disobedieÌ„ce For the father may sey Dere son it is true that thou hast kept to the best of thy power my commaundementes notwithstâ—nding thy goodnesse had never made the riche yf I had not gotten it Then lyke wise all though that we kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god never so streytly it shuld profit vs nothing if it were not that Iesu christ had obteyned for vs the lyfe eternall byfore of his hevynly father by his deth Oure goodnesse or iustice shulde profit vs nothing if Iesus christ had not laboured for vs. For as saieth saint Paule The lawe hath brought nothing vnto perfection Hebr. 7 The Iues kept the coÌ„maundementes and the lawe of god yet they coâ—de not come vnto heven It was nedeful that Iesu Christ must first dye for theym Lykewyse can we not be saved by oure workes Oure helth is come to vs of god For if by oure workes we may got helth â—hen must we nedes say that Christ is dede in vayne As saieth saint Paule Ye if workes mought haue saved Abraham Isaac Iacob David and many other Iuâ—s had byn saved as we haue seyd byfore the natiuyte of Iesu Christ for they kept better the commaundementes of god then we do But god will do it alone to thintent that none glorifie or bost him silf therof and that to him alone and to none other he gyven all honour and glory for ever Amen For as wryteth saynt Paule The scripture concludeth al thinges vnder sinne that the promys by the feyth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyven vnto theym that beleve Ga. 3 For this cause when the parsone knoweth surely that god hath made hym childe of the everlasting lyfe by hys deth byfore he had deserved it he will do agayne to god all the service that he can thinke and all by love aud kindnesse shewing that he will not be vnkind not to get eny thing of godbut bycause he is his good father and that he hath receyved al thinges of him For we haue nowe alredy al that wherfore we must serve god For he hath made vs his children and his heyres while we were his enimyes and byfore that we knewe him as we haue many tymes byfore saied And hereyn lyeth the deserving of the christen faith that thou beleve certeynly that thou art the child of god and that thou kepest his commaundementes bicause thou knowest and belevest stedfastly that he hath so made the riche greate and that thou servest him by this faith as a good childe his father For the childe douâ—teth not but beleveth stedfastly that he shall haue the substaunce of his father and bycause he beleveth it stedfastly he laboureth for to entreteyne it So shalt thou beleve without doubting eny thing that thou art enheryter of heven And therfore shalt thou do thy diligence to kepe that herytage to the honour of thy father Thou shalt be ware that thou anger him not but thou shalt thanke him oft bycause he hath gyven the thys hevenly herytage Behold nowe seist thou well bifore thine yien howe moche we are bound to thaÌ„ke prayse and serve god and to kepe hys commaundementes and to kepe vs from sinne and to do many good workes of faith by verey love ¶ Of two maner people lyving in this world Chaptre xi THere are iÌ„the world ij sortes of people good evill be coÌ„pared vnto the two theves that suffred on the crosse with Iesu christ â–ª the good are berokened by the theef on the right side which axed pardoÌ„ thei be thei that knowlege theÌ„ silves pore sinners fele mekely of them silves Lu. 18 as did the poore publican that durst not lyft vp hys yies toward heven for they knowe that they haue not kept the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god so streytly as thei were bound They perceyue also that though thei thiÌ„ke to kepe theÌ„ never so well they fele theim silves failing alweyes in detraction â—n hastinesse in anger in idell wordes in infidelite aÌ„d in lakke of loue albeit that suche folke do moche goodyet they re conscience is not content and in rest but as coÌ„cerning theym silves euer in sorowe For they knowe that they must appere byfore the rightuous iudge bifore whose face as sayeth the Psalmist shall none lyving be iustified if we shuld be iudged after oure deservinges Psal. 142 And therfore come they and cast theym silves prostrate byfore the mercy of god and sey with the thefe on the right syde Lu. 23 Lorde haue mynd on me when thou comest into thy kiÌ„gdome Thou hast commaÌ„unded me many thinges and I perceyue in my silf that I am frayle and caÌ„not entierly kepe thy commaundementes though I loke never so well therto Neverthelesse I knowe that thou nedest not my good workes Seing it is so that thou hast so moche loved me that thou woldest suffer deth for me when I dyd not yet knowe the and was yet thyne enemye I haue trust vnto the my most mercyfull god that thou wilt not suffre hym to periss he for whome thou hast shed thy bloude For I knowe that thou art a lord almightye that mayest all thinges in heven and in erth And I knowlege and worship the am certeyn that thou wilt not dampne me Albeit that I haue not deserved heven by my good workes I knowe and beleve that thou hast satisfied for me wheÌ„ thou dydest suffre deth on the crosse Thou hast bought me agayn with thy precyous bloude and I am thyne the devell hath no ryght in me Neverthelesse yf thou wylt dampne me o mercyfull god thou mayest well do it
and ryghtuously for I am thyne and thou mayst do wyth me all that thou wilt I am thy creature Thy wyll be fulfilled yn erth as yn heven Mat. 6 Yet alweyes to thintent that thy dolorouse passyon be not lost in me I praye the o my most mercyfull lord Iesu chryst that thou wilt receyve me into grace as thou hast done the good these I knowe that I am not worthye and that I haue not deserved yt But to thintent that thy greate mercy may be alweyes the more manyfest vnto the augmentacyon of thy glory I requyre the o God most pnissaunt that thou wilt not put me a bak out of thy syghte For thy onely passyon ys myghty ynough for to save me wythwithout my good workes For if I â—ought deserve the life euerlastiÌ„g by my good workes it shuld seme that thou haddest suffered thy passion in vayne and that thou haddest dyed on the crosse in vayne Seing therfore that thou art surely deed for me and for all the worlde not for thy silf whye shuld I then be lost o gracyous Iesus christ Save thou me for thou art all good and mayst save me for thou mayst all thinges Wherfore I knowe no remedye but to come to thy grete mercy and I prostrate at thy fete requyre of the pardon of all my sinnes All they that of an entier hert do thus trust in God and trust stedfastly that god will save theym it shall come vnto theym accordinge to they re feyth And this is the most certeynte and the most sure wey for to come to heven vnto the lyfe eternall that euery one forsake him silf and put all in the hond of god alweyes doing his best to kepe the commaundementes of God and to lyve accordiÌ„g to the teaching of the gospell and altogyther distrusting of him silf The other that be signified by the thefe on the lyfte honde are they that put all they re trust in they re good workes Thei goo daily to the churche they kepe halowe all the festfull dayes they fast oft they here masse daily And when they must dye they trust in they re good workes thinke that god oweth to theym the kingdom of heven that they theym silves haue deserved it These maner of people be sonest dampned for they knowlege not that god hath satisfied for theym but make to theym goddes of the workes of they re hondes counting therby that they haue deserved heven for that thing is euery mannes god wherin he putteth his trust This ys one of the grettest errours that is in christeÌ„dome for if a man might save him silf by his good workes Christ were deed in vayne As saieth saint Paul Saint Iohn baptist AbrahaÌ„ Isaac aÌ„d Iacob with many other patriarkes have lyved moche more holily then ever we shall lyve Ga. 2 Yet coude they never by they re good workes come to heveÌ„ It was nedefull that christ shuld first come to suffer deth for them that his passion shuld saâ—e theym not they re workes but the feith and trust that they had yn â— Goddis promyses wherby they beleved that Iesu Christ shuld come and shuld deliver theym But I do not sey these wordes that the good workes done in feyth shuld be evill No I do counsell all the world to do many good workes principally the workes of loue and mercy toward they re neyghboures yn socouring theym in all they re necessites onely for the loue and honoure of god without seching any other thing and that he shuld so laboure frely with a ioyous hart to obey vnto the commaundementes of God and counsell of the gospell doing the workes comprysed in the holy scripture and not theym whiche the covitousnesse of the Pharysees have devysed But to do these workes and to thinke to deserve everlasting lyfe and so to put his trust in theym is to lyve as do nowe at this-day the Iues aÌ„d verey Idolatres For God will have the hole hart aÌ„d will not that it be fixed on ony other thingbut in hym alone Ye he willeth that all that we do in this lyfe shal be none other thing but a token of kindnesse and giving of thaÌ„kes of that we haue receyved of hym for if we haue stedfast faith and trust in hym alone we haue nowe receyved aÌ„d be sure of that that suche tedious and wery workers wold get as we haue seid bifore aÌ„d will sey more pleynly And all suche scripulous doers of good workes and therin seking they re helth and-trusting in theym that thinke they shal be saved when they haue slayne noman and when they have drawen noman to sinne and theruppon putting they re trust be like vnto the pharisey of whome Christ speaketh in the gospell whiche rehersed his workes for to haue prayse and reproved the poore humble publican knowleging his faute and axing pardon Lu. 18 It were better for the a thousand fold that thou haddest byn a sinner and never done good dede and that thou knowlege thyne offences and evill life vnto god axing mercy with good hert lamenting thy sinnes then to haue done suche good workes and in theym to put thy trust thinkinge that therfore God were bounde vnto the. There is nothing whiche after the maner of speaking byndeth God but ferme and stedfast feith and trust in him his promyses for god requyreth not principally oure good workes for he nedeth theym not but he desyreth oure hartes aÌ„d all oure intencion to seke in all thinges no thing but his honour And that we trust not in oure workes but forsaking oure silves all hoelly in him and not in oure deservinges For we can shewe vnto god no gretter honour then feith and trust yn him for whosoever doth that he confesseth that god is true good mighty and mercyfull And when we sinne it is not the worse vnto god we mynisshe not his glory by oure sinnes for his glory caÌ„ nether be augmented nor mynisshed forasmoche as it is infinite And for bycause that we can do no maner hurt or annoysaunce vnto God by oure sinnes therfore is he lightly appaised this stonding that with an entier hert without ony fayning we knowlege oure defaute and demaunde humbly pardon And likewise when we do any good we do not encrease his glory by oure workes for god abideth alweyes one All the dauÌ„ger that there is in oure synne is the evyll example that we gyve to oure neyghbour in that we hurt him therby dispising the good councell of oure good god whiche he hath giveÌ„ vs in his holy coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes for bicause we be vnkind ageinst the grete grace that he hath done vnto vs which is a thing horrible worthy of eternall punisshemeÌ„t bicause that it is infinite eternall the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t ageinst whiche we haue offended But bicause his proper nature is good mercyfull he pardoneth all these that confesse him to be suche Therfore loveth god better a sinnar repenting axing pardone of his
sinnes then he doth a worker of good workes proudely bosting him silf truâ—ling in theym For as it is said God hath loved better the publicaÌ„ then the pharesey hath shewed more love vnto the poore opeÌ„ sinners then to the phareseys ypochristes to whome it semed that they had fulfilled the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of god that god coude nothyng demaund of theym For they reproved Iesu christ that he was frende of the sinners that he ete amoÌ„g theim Mat. 9. Oure lord demauÌ„deth nothing but the hert and when he hath the herte he regardeth not whether we fast pray or here masse or whether we bere blewe or gray For all suche outward thiÌ„ges be indifferent bifore god When oure hartes be ruled in God according to the doctrine of the gospell it is all one whate thing we do for we haue alweyes love whiche teacheth vs whate thing we must do or leve vndone for love doth nothing in vayne For this cause an humble hart not abyding vppon his good workes though he do theym but putting all his hope and trust in god and founding him silf vppon his goodnesse grace and mercy belevyng stedfastly that god hath all satisfied for vs and that of him silf he hath iustified vs gyuen vs helth doth purely and liberally without demaunding eny wages all the service and all the good he can alweyes knowleging him silfe to be dettour vnto god and axing grace Suche an hert is onely plesaunt vnto god Some might nowe sey I beleve wel all this that I am the childe of God and I must serve god by love and kindnesse in knowleging onely by my service the godnesse that he hath done vnto me but whate shall I do for the better how shall I shewe vnto god my kyndnesse and loue Albeit that we have oft touched thys mater byfore yet we will declare yn the Chaptre folowing more pleynly the thinges that shall be nedefull to thys purpose ¶ Of good workes and by whate meane they be most pleasing to God Chaptre .xij. FOrasmoche as I haue moche spoken of the feith and trust yn god to thintent that the evill aÌ„d perverse whiche interprete and take all thinges to the worse and corrupt theym shall not sey that I do lerne and counceyle you to do no good workes I will nowe shewe you whate thinges ye shall do I haue many tymes seyd that fayth bringeth Charyte and charite good workes For if thy feith induce the not to do good workes then hast thou not the right fayth Thou doest but onely thinke that thou hast it For saint Iames sayeth that faith without workes is dede in it silf Ia. 2 He feith not that it is lytell or feble but that it is deed And that that is deed is not Therore when thou art not moved by feith vnto the love of god and by the love of god vnto good workes thou hast not the feyth but the feith is deed in the. for the sprite of god that by feyth comith into our hertes to styre vp loue can not be ydell Euery one doth as moche as he beleveth and loveth as moche as he hopeth Iohn 3 As wryteth Saint Iohn he that hath this hope that he is the sonne of god purifyeth hym silf as he is pure He seith not he that purifyeth him silf hath this hope for the hope must come byfore proceding from the feith as it behoveth that the tre must first be good whiche must bring forth good frute TheÌ„ it behoveth to know first that ye are the children of God and afterward to laboure But whate shall we do we shall do and lyve so with oure christen bretheren as Christ hath lived and done with vs that is to sey as Iesu christ hath offred him silf to vs and for vs so must we present give oure silves as it were a Christ for to serve theym and to socoure vnto theire nede Phi. 2. As saieth Saint Paule Let the same mynde be in you the which was in Christ Iesu which being in the shape of god aÌ„d thought it no robberi to be equal with god Neuerthelesse he made him silf of no reputacioÌ„ toke on him the shape of a servauÌ„t aÌ„d all for our proufit And so must we helpe serve comfort one an other as Iesu christ hath done with vs. we may not seke oure owne proufit avauÌ„tage or honoure but al thiÌ„ges profitable vnto our neighbour alweyes miÌ„dfull to procure the honoure of god that in al thiÌ„ges we helpe oure christeÌ„ brother for so warneth vs. S. paule that none seke his owne profit but his neyghboures that all that we do be vnto the honoure of God we must set byfore vs the lyfe of Iesu Christ as a rule of all thing that is expedient for vs to do or to leve vndone we must take payne to folowe hym in mekenesse in love in swetnesse and in compassyon And to lyve so with oure neyghboure as Iesus christ hath lyved with vs. For Iesu Christ was not borne for hym silf nor hath not lived here for hiÌ„ silf but for vs. He sought not his owne honoure but his heveÌ„ly fathers Likewise shalt thou not seke that is proufitable vnto the but â—ovenable vnto thi neighbour As teacheth vs saint Paul in al his epistles namely in the first vnto the CoriÌ„thieÌ„s I seke â—or 10 not saieth he that that is necessary proufitable vnto me but that that is proufitable to many to thintent that they shuld be saved Ephe. 4 And vnto the Ephesians He that robbed let him robbe no more but laboure rather with his hondes and that is good to thintent that he haue wherof to gyve to him that hath nede Ga. 6 And vnto the Gaiathiens Bere sayeth he eyther of you others charges and burdons so shall yon fulfill the lawe of god And for bicause that we speke nowe of good workes It must be knowen that we must do some workes for our silves some for oure christen bretheren but all for the love and honour of god Theym that we shall do for oure silves teacheth vs Eol 3 saint Paule seying that we must mortyfie in vs all evill desires and all carnall operacyons as vnclennesse covityze wrathe blasphemye detraction pryde and other lyke vices Ro. 6 And vnto the Romayns That sinne reygne not in your mortall bâ—dy that is to sey albeit that we caÌ„ not lyve without the mocyon of suche evill desyres we shall not suffre theÌ„ to rule in vs but shall mortyfie theym in resisting theym Whate we shuld do for oure Christen bretheren teacheth vs like wise saint Paule sayng Serve ye one an other by love bere ye one an others burthen For christ commaundeth vs to exercyse the workes of mercy wherof he shall hold his iudgement All other workes that men do at this day in the churches be rather found by auarice then commaunded of god except the prayers whiche
may in no wise be done to get money but alonely by loue yn praying one for an other Behold nowe seest thou well howe grete occasyon thou hast to do good For thou hast alweyes occasion to mortyfie thine evill desires to serve thyne neyghboure to comfort hym to helpe hym with worke with worde with counceyl with exhortacyon and by other semblable meanes In suche loue towardes oure neyghboure for the loue of God lyeth all the lawe and the prophetes as sayeth Christ Ye and all the verey Christente and nat in fasting keping of halydayes watching praying and synging long prayers dayly and all day hering of masses setting vp of candels runnyng on pilgremages and other suche thinges whiche aswell the ypochrites proude people envious and subiectes to all wikked affections doo Ye aÌ„d many tymes enforce theym silf more there vnto then the good christen But so to serve and socoure the one the other by verey love can none do but they that haue true faith and the verey love of god And whosoever so loveth his christen brother he is alweyes ioyfull in his conscience For he knoweth surely that he is the child of god and that God is his good father and is well content in his courage of all that god sendeth vnto him But he that hath not this love is alweyes sory full of anguisshe and woteth not whate to do to deserve more he fasteth he kepeth halydayes nowe of one saint nowe of an other He seyth his prayers nowe bifore one altre nowe bifore an other He renneth on pilgremage nowe here nowe there and can never come vnto the rest and quyet of his coÌ„science For suche workes make no man sure but make rather ypochrites trustyng in they re workes But the verey faithfull cleveth to god for he knoweth that he may never satisfie nor do ynough to deserve the everlasting life And therfore he putteth hys trust yn god beleveth stedfastly that he hath satisfied for vs that he hath iustifyed vs. And therfore it is all one to hiÌ„ whate thiÌ„g he do so that he please him exercyse charyte to his neyghbour for the love of god for he knoweth that God demaundeth nothing but the hert aÌ„d that he regardeth not howe we doo the worke so that yt be according to the teachiÌ„g of the gospell whiche commaundeth but charyte And so comith he by feyth and trust in God vnto rest and quyet of hert and conscience and is well coÌ„tent to dye wheÌ„ it pleaseth god ¶ Of .iiij. maner of feythes after the holy scripture and whiche is the Christen feyth Chaptre .xiij. THis present Chapitre bycause I haue moche spoken of faith that scarcely of a thousand one knoweth not this feith teacheth of how many maner feithes there is made meÌ„cioÌ„ in the holy scripture not as do now the doctours whiche have founde many maner of feythes I will onely speke of iiij maner of feithes whiche are most comunely fouÌ„de in the holy scripture The first faith is this whiche the marchauntes hold one to an other and feithfull frendes wherby they kepe promyse and fidelite the one to the other Eccle. 2â—â—nd 27 wherof speketh the wise saying possesse or kepe feith with thy frende in his povertye to thintent that in his welth thou mayst be ioyfull And ageyn he that discloseth the secret of his frende loseth his faith And in the Proverbes He that gyveth his faith for a straunger shall be vexed with evell And this is the faith wherof the worldly people complaine seying there is no feith in the worlde The seconde feith is when we beleve that a thing is to come and suche thinges as we here or rede as we beleve that Rome is a Cytie in Italye or that Cartage was destroyed of the Romayns and this we beleve although we haue not sene yt Also we beleve that Iesu Christ hath he relyved on erth and that he hath preached and that he is dâ—ed for vs and that he hath done many other thinges when we beleve these thinges after the story we beleve that this is oure christen faith The simple people aloneli doth not beleve this but also many doctours in Theologye which are taken for wise Ye the devell hath also this faith as sayeth saint Iames The devels beleve and tremble Ia. 2. for as we haue seyd byfore the devell beleveth that god is god and that Iesus Christ hath here preached that he was deed buryed rysen This must we also beleve but yet this is not the faith wherof speaketh the gospell and saint Paule The third faith is that we beleve that god may all thinges and that he is rightuous good and holye This faith haue also the devels and Iudas had it also aÌ„d other disciples that did miracles in the name of Iesus but they were therfore never the better for when they bosted theym silves and were ioyfull that by they re faith they expulsed the devils in the name of Iesus Lu. 10 Iesus Christ hath reproved them saying Ioy not you that the spretes be vnder your power but reioyce bicause youre names be writen in heven 1. Cor. 1â— Of this fayth writeth saint Paule vnto the Corinthians saying If that I had all feith so that I coude move mountaignes oute of they re places and yet had no love I were nothing The .iiij. faith is oure Christen fayth wherof so moche speake Iesu christ saynt Paule and saint Iohn and sey that it ys the foundacion of christendome And this is the feith wherof I speake in this boke None hath this faith but they that put all they re trust hope comfort refuge and fynally all theire helth in god alone serching all these thinges in him and loking for theÌ„ of him and not of they re deservinges or good workes Of this feith speaketh saint Paul saying whosoever call on the name of god shal be saved Ro. 10 And the prophete Ieremye Blessed is that man that trusteth in the lord god Iere. 17 And Christ in the Gospell To thinient that none that beleve in him shuld periss he but shuld haue everlasting life Iohn 3 And in the boke called ParalipomenoÌ„ Beleve in your lord God and you shal be assured and without thought Pa. 20 Beleve his Prophetes and all happy thinges shal come vnto you And almost all the Psalmes all the prophetes and all the leves of the holy Byble teache vs that we must beleve and hope in God by a sted fast fayth wherof speaketh so moche Saynt Paule the apostle and whiche he prayseth so moche in all hys epistles And as we haue abundauntly sayd in the Chaptres byfore none may comprehend thys fayth but he that considereth whate was the fayth of Abraham As wryteth saynt Paule vnto the Galathyans saying Abraham beleved God and yt ys rekened to hym for ryghtuousnesse Ga. â— For by hys fayth hath he obteyned that he ys called oure father and we be called hys children
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
reward it and that he so reward the goodnesse that he hath done himsilf by his holy sprite beyng in vs. And therfore haue we nothing but that that comyth of god vppon whome we must abyde for I haue often sayed Christ is oure iustice that is to sey Christ hath satisfied for vs not to thintent that we shuld not satisfye but bycause we can not satisfye And wheÌ„ one vnderstondeth this he seeth well howe he shuld humble him silf byfore God and in whome he shal seke his helth And when we thus distrust in ur silves of oure good workes we shall forsake our silf and stikke all holly to god with a stedfast faith and parfait trust And so doyng we make force vnto the kingdome of heven And this is it that God requyreth of vs and then he holdeth to vs hys promyse and he iustifieth vs when we dye with suche a trust not for oure workes but for hys holy name For he hath promysed vs that we shall be his children So brought he the children of Israell into the lond of promission not by they re meryte for they were many tyme rebelles and murmured ageynst hym but to fulfyll hys promyse For he had promysed it to AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob So shall not the Christen distrust albeit he fynde no good in hym sylf nor yn his owne vertue but he shall yeld hym sylf hoelly to the mercy of god and axe pardon of his imperfection wyth a perfayt trust consydering howe grete love Christ hath shewed vnto hym And thus doyng he geâ—â—eâ—h an hope and trust yn the goodnesse of God and beleveth stedfastly that his synnes are forgyven not by his good workes for when they be compared vnto the goodnesse requyred of God there ys no comparyson but by Iesu Christ to whome he putteth his trust For Iesu Christ possessith the kingdome of heven by double ryght First for bycause he is the sonne of God and verey enheryter of his Royalme Secundly bycause he hath gotten hyt by his passyon and deth Of this secunde right he hath no nede and therfore he gyveth it to all theym that beleve and trust yn hym and yn hys promyses For as God the father loveth Christ he loveth likewise all theym that love him beleve in him So there shall none discomfort hiÌ„ silfe when he shall dye but he must beleve surely that he shal be saved And albeit that one have not deserved by his good works yet neverthelesse he must beleve it bicause of the promyse of god for god hath promysed it to all theym that beleve it And if we beleve it he owith hyt vnto vs bycause of hys promesse and bycause that he ys true But if God had promysed heven vnto vs bycause of oure workes we shuld ever be vnsure of oure helth for we shuld never knowe howe moche nor howe loÌ„g we must laboure to be saved and shuld be ever in thought that we had done to litell and that more is we shuld never dye ioyfully But god wold assure vs of heven by his promesse to thintent we shuld be certeyn and sure For he is the truthe that can not lye And also to thintent that we shuld haue trust aÌ„d hope in him Notwithstonding that after the gretnesse and multitude of oure synnes it seme to vs a thing impossible yet alweyes we shall beleve it without ony doubt bicause of his sure promesse And whosoever knowyth thys he may ioyfully dye and abyde the iudgement of God whyche els were yntollerabill ¶ Howe that we shall not sorowe for feare of deth Chaptre .xv. THe helth of a Christen lyeth not in this life or in that that one lyveth longe yn this world but rather yn the deth For we can not be saved but by deth Therfore the deth in him silf is not yvill but is rather to be desyred As did saint Paule saint Martyne saint Austyn and many other saintes whiche desired al the deth for in this lyfe there is no proufit but alwey to sinne more and more and alweyes vnredy to dye Therfore thou shalt diligently studye and exercise thy silf in this present boke aÌ„d in the faith wherof I haue moche spoken of aÌ„d then forsaking thy silf entyerly thou shalt trust vnto the grace mercy and good will of god alweyes rather desiring to dye and to be with god then to lyve here ony longer This shall thy sprite desyre for the flesshe can not desyre suche thinges And so shalt thou holde thy silf stedfastly vnto god beleving that thou art his childe and that he is thy father that thou belongest to him For God hath bought the ageyn and hath made the his child and his heyre wheÌ„ thou were yet hys enymye And if he haue bought the when thou knewest hym not howe moche more will he nowe take the to mercy when thou knowest hym and when thou axest mercy with a stedfast fayth and trust in hym And bycause a man can not lyve here without synne therfore he can never satisfye vnto God for hys synnes And for this cause shall the Christen willingly yeld hym silf vnto the deth for the love of God As Iesus Christ hath done for vs. And by suche a willing deth which is taken with a good will by suche fayth and trust and also by the love that we have to God all synnes are clerely defeated and put awey For none can do more greate penaunce then to dye wyllingly for to fulfill the will of God Therfore thou shalt not be sory for deth but thou shalt forsake willingly and with a ioyfull hert all thy goodes and all thy frendes for to obey god They that die with suche a courage and suche a trust yn god it is a certeyn signe that they be saved And to thintent that none shuld feare or be discomfort by deth Christ is first deed him silf and hath takeÌ„ awey the power of deth None shall haue horror of the deth if he haue this feith for it is nowe none other thing but a dore and entre wherby one goith from this lyfe teÌ„porall vnto the life eternall For christ saieth by the mouth of the prophete Osee. Osee. 13 1. Cor. 15 O deth I wil be thy deth And saint Paule saieth Deth where is thy victory Wherfore yt is moche to be rebuked the folisshe custume and maner of wepyng bewaylyng and takyng of sorowe for the deed as though we had no maner of hope or beleve on the other lyfe Let the paynems wepe and wayle which haue no hope of the euerlastyng lyfe I mervayle that we be so moche ynfideles seyng that seint Paul teacheth vs not to be sory for oure frendes deed saying vnto the Thessalonyans My bretheren we wyll not that ye be ignoraunt of theym that slepe that ys to sey of theym that be deed to 1. Tessa 4 thintent ye shulde not be sory as are other that have no hope Behold Saynt Paule calleth the deth none other thyng but a
at the beginning Thus by ydelnesse are thei come vnto all evell and perversite and by grete hepes be they fled out of they re cloysters Monkes and Nonnes Then was it ordeyned as it semith that bifore saint Bernardes tyme the monkes did make professyon After that the life of monkes was so corrupted came saint Bernard to cloyster and then were the monkes refourmed Then did they ageyn diligently take they re astate and began ageyn to charge they re ordre with profession and promesse and haue made many statutes after the whiche they mought live and wherby they might compell men therto for the willing sprite was clere extinct in theym After this is comen the .iiij. secte of monkes As Norbertus saint Dominyk saint Fraunceys And of theym are nowe comen many sectes as the observauâ—tes freres minors Collettes and Marâ—â—aÌ„s Saint Dominyk hath byn as fertill as saint Fraunceys And thus be the cloysters and monkes multiplied without noÌ„bre But the gretter that the nombre of moÌ„kes and nonnes hath byn the gretelyer hath vertue and charite ben minisshed for they haue begonne to make divysions and partes the one ageinst the other for to knowe whiche of they re ordres were most holy and better then other and many other folyes After this haue the moÌ„kes gotteÌ„ popes and cardynals of they re relygion And also they haue purchased and gotten to the despyte and contempte one religyon of an other many privileges pardons and auctoritees to make coÌ„frayries for the seculers whome thy make parttakers of they re good workes as though they dyd more then they are bounde to do Notwithstonding that Christ him silf sayeth in the gospell Lu. 17 After that ye haue done all that to you is commaunded yet sey ye we be vnproufitable servauntes we haue done but that whiche we were bound to do Thus are the cloysters and monkes multiplied and all charyte among theym mynysshed In tymes passed was the lyfe of monkes a departing from the world and nowe they are called monkes whiche in the myddes of the world by aÌ„d sell iudge drynk eate and be conversaunt like seculers and yet will still be called monkes or racher religious They do the better to be called religyous then monkes after the life that they lede nowe for monkes after the greke worde signyfieth solytary or lyving alone as they were wont to lyve byfore tymes when they re life was good aÌ„d holye But religyous after the laâ—yne ys bonde and subiect For whate is now the life of the religious but a supersticious subiection vnto certeyn vayne ceremonyes Therfore they may nowe by good reason be called religious that is to sey captyves imprysoned in a ceremoniall life aÌ„d all Indaicall forasmoche as they kepe not they re ordre liberally and willingly but for the most part by constreynt But there intent is not to be called religyous sor thys cause For this worde religious betokeneth sometyme holy and gyven to the servise of god And therfore they wolde so be called entending to be taken more holyer then other Albeit that thappostell sey If eny man thinke that he is sum whate wheÌ„ in dede he is nothing the same deceyveth him silf in his imaginacion Alweyes in old tymereyned all vertue emong the religious They haunteâ— not the worldly people aÌ„d therfore might they well be called monkes that is to sey solitaryes living alone and also religious that is to sey holye and bound vnto all vertue But nowe ye shall finde no where no gretter eaters banqueters drinkers I dare not sey druÌ„kardes chidinges nor envy theÌ„ emong theym They thinke that when they kepe they re rule outwardly in habite kneling becking singing reding fasting seying of masse aÌ„d in other semblable ceremonyes that they be then saintes and vertuous albeit that all these thinges thus done without the sprite and fre will be nothing els bifore god but supersticion pryde and ypochrisie Thus do they dayly encrease they re supersticious ceremonyes trusting therun to bicause they haue not the same feyth sprite that the religious had in tymes passed Beforetymes the â—ove of God stered theym to do suche thinges Nowe they do it all of a necessite as though they coude not be saved without suche thinges making to theym ydols and Goddes of the workes of they re hondes Then howe is it nowe a religious lyfe I se nothing wherfore one shuld entre ynto religyon ¶ Whether the life of a Monke be better then the lyfe of a comon Eytesyn Chaptre .xvij. THe life of monkes as it is nowe vsed in the worlde is none other thing but a secte and theryn lyeth no more holynesse then in the life of a good housholder wherfore the state that the moÌ„kes become to nowe a dayes is moche to be playned And if thou wilt knowe that I sey truth coÌ„pare the life of a good honsholder vnto the life of a good monke behold whiche agreeth most vnto the doctrine of the gospell The monke is obeysaunt vnto hys Abbot Pryour or warden The housholder vnto his pastor or herdman in that it pleasith him to commaund him in fastinges holydayes and suche like and that many tymes more willingly then the monke to his Abbot The monke promyseth povertye but he never wanteth as seith Saynt Barnard He is fedde and nourisshed of the goodes of other gayned by the laboure of other He gyveth to none but receyveth every where The housholder liveth not of almesse as doth the monke or frere but gayneth his lyving with the labour of his hondes ye he giveth almesse according to his power So is better herin the housholder then the religious 〈◊〉 20 For Christ him silf saieth that it is more blessed to give then to receive The thirde thing that the monke promiseth is chasâ—ite neverthelesse the state of matrimonye pleaseth god also for he himsilf hath institute it The monke promisyth to kepe the rule of a man The housholder is content with the promise that he hath made at the font of baptesme so that he may kepe it well For the good life lieth not in moche promising but in kepiÌ„g wel that whiche one hath promised The monke reioyseth bicause saint Fraunceys or saint Dommike is his superiour The housholder holdeth god for his superiour The monke hath the rule of a man The housholder the rule of god that is to say the gospell Then whie will the Monke holde him silf more holy then the comon housholder God is egally like nighe vnto all theym that love him with all theire hert and lyve according to the gospell â— be he monke or chanone reguler or seculer The Abit of Monkes nor they re ceremonyes can not helpe theim when their hert is not good likewise as the seculer abit caÌ„ not hurte the seculer man when the herte is spirituall For the perfection of ChristeÌ„dome lyeth not in mete or drinke or in other outward workes as is fasting praing with the mouth watching reding synging
making obeysaunce with the hede kneling or in eny other outward thing semblable As testifieth saint Paule vnto the Romains saying The kingdome of god is nother mete nor drinke but it is rightuousnesse peace and ioy in the holy goost If thy hart and entent seche none other thing but the honour and will of God if thou reioyse that thou maist do and suffer all thing for the love of god then art thou sure that thou lovest God and that he loveth the. This let every religious kâ—owe that he may not thinke that he shal be iustified by his outward workes or that he is eny thing better then the seculer man As at this day god amend it we se that many religious esteme theym silves so holye as though they alone were christen And herof many tymes the seculers are cause whiche playne they re life when they behold the life of the religious They prayse the state of religion bicause they regard onely the outward workes and pleyne that god hath not called theym to suche a life wheÌ„ the religious here this they glorifie heryn trust in they re workes and thinke that it is even so and that they be more holy theÌ„ the other This is the most daungerous temptacyon that a religious may haue for by this temptacyon they beginne many tymes to trust and abyde vppoÌ„ they re good workes notwithstonding that they be often done ageynst they re will whiche can never be good As at this day we se howe many monkes and nonnes lyve in they re cloysters ageynst their will And all that they do procedeth from an hart constreyned and not voluntary And out dare thâ—y not go for shame bicause they haue otherwâ—se promysed And they curse oftymes all evill to theym that haue counceyled theym and brought theym into that religyon aud wolde fayne that they re cloyster were buâ—ned And so be they never content in they re hart nether can finde eny rest of conscience and be then moche ferther from god then they were wheÌ„ they were seculers Suche people oftymes do many evelles toward theym silves by impacience and rebellion ageinst god They do nothing by love that they haue to god or bycause that they beleve theym silves to be the childreÌ„ of god but onely by constreynt and ageynst they re will And when they must dye they trust and stikke vppon suche workes by theim done ageynst they re hartes and by constraynt of they re ordre and thinke even thus Behold dere lord my life hath byn to me hard and bitter I haue oftymes had evill will I haue alweyes abiden in my Cloyster I haue kept myn ordre I haue valiantly fought vnto the ende gyve me nowe the crowne of glorye and the everlasting lyfe In all the worlde ys there not a more daungerous synne then this perversyte and ypochrisye It were better for suche people to voyde from they re cloyster For synners knowyng they re synnes and requyryng pardone and grace be receyved vnto grace where as suche ypochrites are reproved of god As we may sein the gospell where god received vnto grace Marye Magdaleine saint Mathew the good theef and meny other open sinnars But he hath lest the scribes and phariseys in they re blyndnesse whiche trusted on they re workes Ye fathers and mothers behold well whate ye do when ye put your children in to religion For ye are causes of all they re sinnes And it suffiseth theim not to lyve alone in suche abusion bâ—t they teache it theim silves vnto other whome they write in theire confraynes and make theÌ„ participant of theire good workes which procede often from an evill willed sprite whiche can never be good bifore god for God will no constreined service Nether is there any worke agreable vnto god but suche as procede from faith charite and out of a willing hart And if God wold haue suche a constreyned service he wold constreyne the devels to pray moche to syng moche to watche moche and to do suche other thinges But god will none of oure workes when he hath not oure hertes And all the workes that we do daily be agreabill vnto god if with all oure hartes we love hiÌ„ beleve and trust in him And all the workes done without suche faith and loue be sinne and dampnabill bifore god aÌ„d if we sâ—ikke vppon theim as though they were good workes And so were it better for the to go out of thy cloyster and to be an open sinnar and to knowlege thy misdoing bifore god as did the publican then so for to trust vnto thy workes as though god for theim did owe vnto the the kingdome of heven But thou saiest I haue promysed it I must abide Iudi. 11. Mar. 6 I sey ageyne None is boâ—nde to hold a promyse whiche is contrarie vnto his helth as did Iepte and Herode whiche had byn better to breke they re othes then to holde theire promyses For none may promise nor holde a thing that is coÌ„trary vnto hys helth S. Fraunceis and saint Dominike had lever that thou were saved in keping the gospel then daÌ„pned trusting vppon thy workes And it is better to be shamed here bifore the worlde then bifore god But whate is it that thou hast promysed when thou madest thy profession hast thou promised that thou wilt not live after the promise that thou hast made at thy baptesme Thoâ— saiest nay But therfore saiest thou I am entred into religion for the better to fulfill the promyse made at baptesme Then whan thou perceyvest that thou livest worse in the monasterye then thou didest when thou were seculer whiâ— darest thou not take ageyn the life astate wherin thou maist worke better for thy helth without offending any parsone but rather amend other Or if thou be entred into religion for to seche the helth of thy soule and findest there more noise envye drinking bankettes diuisions hatredes then from whens thou camest thou maist alweyes sey I am come hyther to amend my lyfe And I finde that I waxe daily worse therfore I will goo there I may amend my life and serve God with more grete rest of conscience Therfore I tell the that it is better to live well in the world then yll in the monasterie to trust vppon thy good workes But thou must thinke not to leve the cloister to haue libertie and carnall pleasure but onely to serve God more frely as saieth Saint Paule Give not youre libertie an occasion vnto the flesshe And none can give the better knowlege herof Ga. 5. then thine ownr conscience when thou axest it counceil for it deceyveth none but saith alwey manifestly the trouth The world hath likewise his daungiers and his perilles and it is impossible to live in the world without sinne Therfore when the religious seith that he may be saved in his cloister â—er hym abide there although he haue there moche to suffre But when thou percey vest that in thy
cloister thou workest ageinst thy helth thou maist then retourne into the world without synne and lyve according to the Gospell although that it be grete shame bifore the worlde For it is better to obey vnto god then vnto men as sayd Saint Peter in thactes of thappostles Act. 5 ¶ Howe it is that the Monkes go not forward in spirituaâ—l life but waxe often worse Chaptre .xviij. WIlt thou knowe whie they live nowe sloughtfully in the monasteries and wherfore that there be so many that wold faine thei were out This happeth for none other cause but that they never entred for that entent that they shuld have entred One entreth there of necessite to haue his expences An other to become a greate prelate The thirde to live Idelly to haue good tymes Many for vaine glory to be reputed holy aÌ„d devout to be honoured of the comon people or so in preching to shewe theym silves that they be wise None taketh that astate with suche a sprite and courage as sometyme did saint Fraunceis or saint Benet And therfore they proufâ—t nothing But the longer they be there the more sloughtfull they waxe to do good For to be ydell and to be nourisshed delicatly dulleth vs and maketh the flesshe rebell so that they are the more enclined vnto lubricite vncleÌ„nesse hatred envye and slought then the seculers that labour with they re hondes Some se the religious rede moche praysing watche goo wolwared and were meke clothiÌ„g And this pleaseth them They get a pleasure to serve god in suche a sort They here sey that euery body promiseth the kingdome of heven vnto the observauntes so that they kepe well theire rule and by this meane conceive they sprite aÌ„d courage to lerne this life bicause they consider not what thing is promised theim if they kepe well the promises made at they re baptâ—sme And after that they be thus entred into the cloister they here of none other thing they lerne none other thing but outward workes as reding singing watching fasting and other like ceremonies Thei know none other thing but that the summe of all perfection and helth resteth in these thinges So think they that they haue the principall part of all perfection that they are sure to be saved when with grete vnlust and tediousnesse they haue accomplisshed and observed these outward thinges And bicause they thinke thus thei abide hanging and trusting in suche thinges And so come they never vnto the holy and blissed sprite of saint Fraunceys or of sâ—int Beneâ— They haue never experieÌ„ce howe it stoÌ„deth with a spirituall hart for they know not whate thing they shuld do with inforth They thinke that all lyeth in outward workes and bicause they come not vnto the sprite therfore abide they so coide weâ—y and sloughtâ—ull And so recule they more bakward then they goo ferward in goodnesse And comonly when they haue lived in they re religion twenty or thirty yere they are lesse worth as vnto the purpose of helth then they were at they re entre For they haue nought gotten there but a good estimacyon of theym silf of theyr good workes supersticion and ypochrisye They haue not yet ones tasted the sobriete and lytell estymacyon that the spirituall parson bereth in his hert of him silf for they abide alweys in the flesshe and in the lettre of they re rule and of the commaundementes And they do nought by love nor with good hert And as long as they kepe thus they re ordre they are reproved of God with the Pharesey yn the .xviij. Chaptre of Saint Luke Lu. 18 For if the lawe of Moyses and the Ceremonyes whiche God him silfe did ordeyne might iustifie nor save none as wryteth Saint Paule the Apostle yn all his epistles howe moche lesse may a monke be iustified by his rule and ceremonyes whiche be institute by men wherfore we must serche all in the hert and in the sprite wherby we may be iustified For the outward workes whiche we do without the sprite be sumtyme called flesshe by Christ in the Gospell Iohn â— Suche flesshe proufiteth nothing it is the sprite that quykeneth as Christ saieth That is to sey All outward and forayne thinges seme they never so holy yf yt procede not from the sprite fulfylled with fayth and love That is to sey if it be not done by Charyte and love ioyfully by the mocyon of fayth and trust that we have to God All suche thing seme it never so holy or haue it never so goodly apparaunce proufyteth nothing but rather hurteth and maketh an ypochryte For seing that god is a sprite he lovith nothing but that whiche procedeth from the sprite as he him silf saieth in the gospell Saint Paule ostymes calleth suche outward workes elementes that is to sey Ga. 4 Commencementes and entrees into christendome as though he wold sey that suche thinges are ordined and institute for theym that begyn to take vppon them the christianite As the children of the scole lerne first they re Col. 2 A. B. C. He warneth vs also that we suffer not oure silves to be deceyved that we serve not nor abide subiectes to suche elementes but willeth that we shuld procede vnto the sprite For whate proufit shuld a scoler hane to abide all his life in his A. B. C. lerne no ferther No more proufit bring the workes without the sprite and feith Moreover oure saviour Christ calleth theym mannes constitucions saying Mat. 15 They honour me in vayne teching doctrines and commaundementes of men 1. Tim. 4 Saint Paule also calleth them bodily exercitacion that is to sey thinges wherby oure body is onely exercised busyed and letted to do worse They of theÌ„ silves proufit nothing vnto oure soules For he saieth exercitacioÌ„ or bodily labour is litell thing proufitable but mekenesse proufiteth to all thâ—nges And this is bicause that we do it with the body onely that therby oure hert and sprite is not tourned to god Suche outward workes are moche mocked of the prophete Esaye where he speketh in the parsone of god in this maner Esa. â— Offre me no more sacrifice Sence to me is abhominacion I will no more suffre the festes of the newe mone nor of the sabbat nor other festes My soule hath hated youre calendes and solempnitees And ageyn Heven is my seate the erthe is the fotestole of my fete Esa. 66 whate is the house that thou caÌ„st bild to me And whiche is the place of my rest My hond hath made all these thinges saieth the lord God But wherunto shall I take regarde but vnto the pore and contrite sprite and vnto the fearer of my wordes He that maketh sacrifice of an oxe as he that slewe a man He that killeth a shepe as he that brayned a dogge he that offreth oblacion as he that offered the bloude of a hogge He that remembreth the eusence as he that blissed an ydoll They haue chosen all
my tongue for I am tormeÌ„ed in this flamme And Abraham said vnto him SoÌ„ne remembre that thou hast receyved thy goodes in thy life and Lazarus evill therfore he hath nowe consolacion aÌ„d thou art tormented Thus gyveth God many tymes to theym that shall not be heyres of the everlasting life the richesse and prosperite of this worlde and payeth theym ther with Therfore shall not the riche be proude of his richesse but shal be alweyes in care fearing lest god shuld paye him in this worlde aÌ„d that he shall haue noue other thyng Tim. â— Therfore saieth saint Paule vnto Timothe Commaunde saieth he vnto the riche of this worlde that they be not proude mynded and that they trust not in vncerteyn richesse but in the living god whiche giveth vs all thinges abundauntly to vse to do well to be made ryche yn good workes to be made redy to distribute that they may willingly haue feloweship in those thinges bisding to theym silf a good foundacioÌ„ in tyme couring that they may set hond on the everlasting life And a lytell bifore They saieth he that will be riche fall of tymes in temptacion and in the snare of the devell and into many vnproufitable and noyons desires the whiche tumble a man into destruction and perdicyon for the rote of all evill is co vitize the whiche while some folkes desired they did erre from the faith aÌ„d wrapped them silves into many sorowes And many other places there are in the holy scripture the whiche shulde strongly feare the riche and gyve grete consolacion vnto the poore for let all the riche knowe that when they socoure not the pore with theyr richesse they do as grete sinne as though they robbed eny body For god hath not given theym the richesse for to bost bragge therwith and to make grete chere nether to make theym silves lordes but to thintent that they shuld be servauntes of all the worlde to helpe all pore parsones as are poore virgins or yong wymeÌ„ at thestate of mariage to thintent they come not to dishonour the pore yong people to lerne an occupacioÌ„ And so to give lend and socoure one an other And thus teacheth vs saint Iohn where he saieth he that hath the richesse of thys 1. Iohn 3 world seeth his brother haue nede shit â—ith vp his hert ageinst him that is to sey hath no pytie of him howe is the love of god in him As though he wold saye he that seeth his brother haue nede and helpeth him not it is not possible that the charyte and love of god shuld be in him Likewise saieth saint Paule Hebre. â— Forget not hospitalite that is to sey to logge helpe the poore for some therby haue received aungels into they re houses without knowing therof And therfore shalt thou not be asshamed sometyme to call the poore out of the stretes and to give them to eate and drinke Lu. 14 For it is the counceyle of oure saviour Christ in the gospell where he forbiddeth to byd the riche to the feâ—t whiche may rendre it to vs ageyn But when thou makest a fest saieth he call the poore the weke the lame the blynde and thou shalt be happy for they may not rendre it to the ageyn it shall be yolden to the ageyn in thâ— geyn rising of the rightuous But some man wolde nowe say It is myn owne I haue gayned it rightuously whye may I not vse it at my will I answere the that is not true that thou hast gained it but God hath sent it the he hath not made the lord of it nor will not that thou vse it at thy pleasure Thou art but onely a dispensatour for to distribute it and to vse it after the counceyll of the Gospell and of the holy scripture that is that thou shalt vse it without eny maner of outrage in thy house and out of thyne house to all poore people as thou shalt see nede For that thou spendest other wyse thou robbest from God and from the poore whiche are the membres of Iesus Christ. And it thou do theym eny good thou doest it to the parsone of Iesus Christ. for it is seyde in the Gospell Mat. â—â— All that ye do to one of my lest bretheren ye do to me Therfore he that doth good vnto the poore he doth it to Christ. And he that doeth evill vnto the poore he doeth it to Christ. Thou canst not employ thy moâ—ey and almesse so well uppon no thyng 〈◊〉 the worlde as on the poore For the holy scripture commaundeth not to gyve it â—ny where els Oure savioure Christ shal â—ot preyse the at the day of iudgement for â—one other cause but that thou hast holpe â—he poore in gyving theym mete and drinâ—â— and clothing in vysiting theym and in â—y bing to theym of thy goodes when thâ—y were syke Even as for none other â—â—ing shalt thou be reproved but for forâ—etting of the poore wherfore thou arte â—ot bounde to make to be song many maâ—â—s and obytes to edyfye chaunteryes â—happelles churches or aultres or to give â—â—eringes to saintes or caÌ„dels of waxe for of all this shall ye yelde none accompt though ye haue lest it vndone For the holy scripture maketh no mencion of those thinges They are rather invented by the covetous mynde of men then otherwise As saieth saint Iohn Chrisostome Chrisostome so give vnto the poore wherof they may lyve thou hast edified a resonable house to God for men dwelle in bildinges but god dwelleth in holy men and in men of good life Also saint Iherome writing to one called Celautia Iheroâ—â— when thou givest socouring honde vnto the poore when thou comest in socoure to a man in his necessitees when thou settest hiÌ„ that erreth into the right wey thou hast bilt a plesaunt temple to god for the hertes of the holy parsones be called 1. Cor. 3 the teÌ„ple of god the whiche whosoever 〈◊〉 violat god will distroye him wherfore ye riche people haue ye alwâ—â—yes mynde on the pore And se that ye love better to bestowe your almesse wheâ—â— ye are sure that it is acceptable vnto god also where god hath commaunded youâ— to do thsim rather then there where as yâ— knowe not whether ye do well or evill as in making of ymages chappelles pilgrimages obites and other mannes in vencyons wherby the pore be nowe a dayes miserably robbed vnkindly pilled by theÌ„ that shulde ayde helpe theym if they did not serche more they re owne proufit then the proufiâ— and honour of god ¶ Of two maner Regimentes or governaunces goostly and seculer or worldly Chaptre .xxvi. FIrst we must diligently serche out the right and seculer power swerde and governement to thitent that none doubt whether it be of the ordinaunce of God or not The wordes wherby we knowe that the secuâ—â— power is iÌ„stitute of god be these of saint â—â—aule
vnto the Romayns where he saieth Ro. â— Every soule shall be subiect vnto the highe powers for there is no power but of god Then he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God Moreâ—ver saint Peter saieth 1. Pe. â— Be ye subiectes to euery humayne creature be it vnto the kinge as vnto the sovereyne be it vnto the hede rulers as by him sent for veÌ„geaunce vnto the offeÌ„ders but for preyse to theym that be good Moreover the right of the seculer power of the ciuile iustice hath bin froÌ„ the begiÌ„niÌ„g of the world for wheÌ„ Cain had slayne his brother Abell he feared moche that he shuld be kild ageyn Likewise after the floude god coÌ„firmed it agein Gene. 9 saying whosoever shede maÌ„nes bloud his bloude shal be shed agein The same ryght was coÌ„fermed agein in the lawe of Moses where he sayde in Exode Exo. 2â— whosoever strike a man willing to kill hiÌ„shall dye of deth And ageyn if any with dede advised iying in a wayte kill his neighboure thou shalt drawe him out of my house and that he dye And in the same lawe it was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take awaye life for life yie for yie to the for to the hand for hand wauÌ„de for wounde so of other Likewise hath our savioure Christ in the gospell confirmed Mat. 25 it saying to saint Petre in the gardeyn of Olivete He that streketh with the swerd with the swerde shall perisshe Then is it all certeyn manifest that it is the will of god that there shulde be a swerd iustice teÌ„porall for the punycion of the evill coÌ„â—â—vacioÌ„ of the good for theÌ„terteyniÌ„g of the publique peace christen comune brotherly love ¶ SecuÌ„dly it semeth to be moche coÌ„trary heruÌ„to that whiche Christ saieth in the gospell in this maner Ye haue herde whate hath byn sayed Mat. 5 In yie for anyie a toth for a toth but I sey vnto you ye shall not resist evill But whosoever strike the on the right cheke touâ—â—e to him the other And to him that will go to lawe with the by force take awey thy core gyve to him also thy gowne And he that will constreyne the to go a myle with him go with him twayne And a litell after Love your enemyes say well of theÌ„ that â—urse you do good to theym that persecuâ—e you with hatred praye for theym that hurt you persecute you And over besides this there are yet many places in the holy scripture for be doing all maner of veÌ„geaunce As in saint Paule vnto the Romayns Ro. 1â— 1. Pe. â— and. 3. Saint Petre in his first epistle and in many other places Wherfore it seâ—â—eth that the swerd of iustice shuld be for bodeÌ„ in the new testameÌ„t emoÌ„g the christeÌ„ Then thirdly for to vnderstond thys well we must fyrst knowe that there are â—wo sortes of people in the worlde The first belong vnto the kingdome of god The other to the kingdome of the worlde They that belong vnto the kingdome of God be all true faythfull people in Iesus Christ and vnder him For Christ is king and lord in the kingdome of God As techeth vs the secunde Psalme and also all the olde and newe testameÌ„t He came also in to the worlde to begyn and to lest vp the kingdome of god in the worlde Therfore saide he to Pylate My kingdome is not of this worlde And whosoever is of the trouth hereth my voice Iohn 18 And in saint Marke sayeth he that the tyme is fulfilled and the kingdome of God shall approche Mar. 1. And in Saynt Mathewe sayeth he Mat. 16. Seche first the kingdome of God He calleth the Gospell a gospell of the kingdome of god bycause the Gospell teacheth governeth and kepeth the same kingdome Then they that are stedfast in the faithe in the love of god yf they obey vnto his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes have nought to do with the swerd of iustice nor of the seculer power to make theym rightuous And yf all the worlde were true and verey Christen that is to sey veri feithfull there nede no governoure king lord sworde nor iustice For wherto shulde they sarve seyng that all true christeÌ„ shulde haue the holy goost whiche governeth and teacheth theym to do no wronge to love all the world to suffre and endure the evell and iniurye of all the worlde willingly and ioyfully ye also the deth And where as all persones are content willingly to suffre wrong and iniurye And where as there is none that doth wronge nor iniurye but where as all persones do ryght there is no dyscord hatred envie nor other discencion And there nedeth no ryght nor punycyon Wherfore it were iÌ„possible that the swerd of iustice shuld haue ought to do emong the verey true christen seyng they do moche more of theym silves then eny man caÌ„commaunde theym or then eny lawe or worldly doctrine can teche theym As sayth saiÌ„t Paule vnto Timoth. vnto the ryghtuous there is no lawe sette but vnto the vnryghtuous 1. Tim. â— And this is thus bicause that the iugement and ryght of a verey true christen fordereth and avaunceth more then all other ryghtes aÌ„d lawes for it procedeth from the holy goost whiche possesseth and inhabiteth the hart of a verey christen But the vnryghtuous do ryght to no man therfore they haue nede of ryght and of lawes wherby they be taught and constreyned to do well A good tree nedeth not that one teche hym to bryng forth good frute for his nature gyveth it without ony reching Likewise are all the verey true christen natured by the holy goost and saith that they do all thinges well and as it aperteyneth more then eny man can commaunde theym by all the coÌ„maundementes in the worlde And for theym silves haue they no nede nether of lawe nether of ryght But some man myght axe whye then hath god gyveÌ„ vnto men so many commaundementes yn the olde and newe testament I answerethe Saint Paule seith as it is sayde byfore vnto the ryghtuous there is set no lawe but to the vnrightuous that is to sey to theym that are not yet true christeÌ„ And forbicause that none is true and verey christeÌ„ or good of nature but be all synnars and evill As witnesseth the prophete sayng God hath loked from heven vppon the children of meÌ„ that he mought se if there be eny vnderstonding Psat. â—3 Rom. 3. or seching god All are fallen and are become abhominable there is none that doeth good no not one Therfore god refreyneth the malice of the people by the lawe that they dare not accomplisshe hit outwardly by worke and dede according to they re evill will Mereover saint Paule gyveth vnto the lawe an other office that is that it letneth vs to knowe oure synnes by the whiche knowelege a man is made meke and yeldeth hym silf to the faith and vnto the mercy and grace of god as is