god to vs aâ—ayne vs to god As no naturall â—â—e that is his fathers heyre doth â—s fathers wyll bycause he wolde be heyre that he is alredy by byrth his father gaue hiÌ„ that are he was borne and is lother that he shulde go without it than he him self hath wytte to be but of pure loue dothe he that he doth And aske him why he doth any thynge that he doth he answereth My father bad it is my fathers wyll it pleaseth my father â–ª Bonde seruauntes worke for hyre Chyldren for loue For their father with all he hath is theirs alredy So doth a cristen maÌ„ frely all that he doth consydereth nothynge but the wyll of god his neyghbours welth only if I lyue chast I do it nat to opteyne heuen thereby For than shuld I do wronge to the blod of christ Christes blode hath opteyned me that Christes merites hath made me heyre therof He is bothe dore way thitherwardes Neither that I loke for an hier roume in heuen than they shall haue which lyue in wedlocke either than a hore in the stewes if she repent for that were the pryde of Lucyfere But frely to wayte on the euangelion and to auoyde the trouble of the world and occasyons that myghte plucke me ther from and to serue my brother withall euen as one hande helpeth another or one meÌ„bre another bycause one feleth anothers grefe and the payne of the one is the payne of the other Whatsoeuer is done to the lest of vs wheder it be good or bad it is done to Christ what so euer is done to my brother if I be a christen man the same is done to me Neither doth my broders paine greue me lesse thaÌ„ myne own neither reioyse I les at his welth thaÌ„ at myne owne if I loue him as well and as moche as my selfe as the law commaundeth me if it were nat so how sayth Paule Let him that reioyseth reioyse in the lorde that is to saye Christ which is lorde ouer all creatures if my merites obteined me heueÌ„ or a hier place there than had I â–ª wheri I miÈt reioyse besydê the lorde ¶ Here se ye the nature of the lawe and the nature of the Euangelion Howe the lawe is the key that byndeth dampneth all men and the Euangelion is the key that looseth theÌ„ agayne The lawe goth before and the euaÌ„gelion foloweth Where a precher precheth the lawe he byndeth all consciences whan he precheth the gospell he loseth them agayne These two salues I meane the lawe the gospell vseth god his precher to heale cure synners with all The lawe driueth out the disease maketh it appere is a sharpe salue a fretynge corsey kylleth the deed flesshe loseth and draweth the sores out by the rotes and all corruption It pulleth from a man the trust confydence that he hath in him selfe in his owne workes merytes deseruynges cerimonyes roâ—beth him of all his rightwisnes and maketh him pore It kylleth him sendeth him downe to hell bringeth him to vtter disperacion and prepayreth the waye of the lorde as it is written of Joh. the Baptiste For it is nat possyble that Christ shulde come to a maÌ„ as longe as he trusteth in him selfe or in any worldly thinge or hath any rightwysnesse of his owne or ryches of holy workes Than cometh the Euangelyon a more gentle plaster whiche soupleth and swageth the woundes of the conscyence and bringeth helth It bringeth the spirite of god which loseth the bondes of Satan and coupleth vs to god and his wyll thorowe stronge faith and â—eruent loue with bondes to stronge for the deuyll the worlde or any creature to lose theÌ„ And the poore and wretched synner feleth so gret mercy loue kyndnes in god that he is sure in him selfe how that it is nat possyble that god shuld for sake hiÌ„ or withdrawe his mercy loue froÌ„ him And boldly crieth out with Paul sayeng Who shall seperate vs froÌ„ the loue that god loueth vs with all That is to saye what shall make me beleue that God loueth me nat shall tribulation anguysshe persecution shall hungre nakednes shall swerde Naye I am sure that neither dethe nor lyfe neither angell neither rule nor power neither present thiÌ„ges nor thinges to come neither hye nor lowe neither any creature is able to seperate vs from the loue of god which is in Christ Jesus our lorde In al suche tribulacyons a Christen man perceyueth that god is his father and loueth him euyn as he loued Christe whan he shed his blode on the crosse Fynally as before whan I was bounde to the Deuyll his wyll I wrought all maner euyll wickednes nat for helles sake whiche is the rewarde of synne but bycause I was heyre of hell by byrthe and bondage to the deuyll dyd I euyll For I coulde non otherwyse do to do syn was my nature Euen so now syth I am coupled to god by christes blode do I well nat for heuens sake which is yet the reward of well doynge but bycause I am heire of heueÌ„ bi grace christes purchasynge haue the spirit of god I do good frely for so is my nature As a good tree briÌ„geth forthe good frute an euyll tree euyll fute By the frutes shal ye know what the treis A maÌ„nes dedes declare what he is within but make hiÌ„ neither good nor bad though after we be created a newe by the spirite and doctryne of Christ we waâ—e parfyter alway with workynge accordynge to the doctrine nat with blynde workes of our owne imaginiÌ„g We must be first euyl ere we do euyl as a serpeÌ„t is first poysoned ere he poison We must be also good ere we do good â–ª as the fyre must be fyrst hoâ—e ere it hete another thiÌ„ge Take an ensaÌ„ple as those blynd deffe which ar cured in the gospel could nat se nor here tyl Christ had gyuen theÌ„ syght and herynge those sycke could nat do the dedes of an hole man tyll Christ had gyuen them helth So can no man do good in his soule tyll Christ haue losed him out of the bondes of Satan and haue gyuen him wherwith to do good ye and fyrste haue powred in to him that selfe good thinge whiche he shewed forth afterwarde on other What so euer is our owne is synne What so euer is aboue that is Christes giâ—t purches doynge and workynge He bought it of his fader derely with his bloude ye with his most bytter deth and gaue his lyfe for it What so euer good thinge is in vs that is gyuen vs frely withoute our deseruynge or merytes for Christes blodes sake That we desyre to folowe the wyll of god it is the gyfte of Christes blode That we nowe hate the deuylles wyll wherevnto we were so faste locked and coulde nat but loue it is also the gyfte of Christes blode vnto whom belongeth the prayse and honoure of
It is nat possyble that we beleue our synnes to be forgyueÌ„ vs in Christ but they be so in dede ¶ Note well these wordes print theÌ„ fast in your hert that you forget theÌ„ nat for it shal be very necessary for you to haue recourse vnto these holy wordes promyses that you may defeÌ„de you against all temptations for I am certayn that if you be of Christ louyng him aboue all thinges that the deuyll shall lay vnto you greate assaultes for to make you tumble from the faithe of Jesu Christe Wherfore praye instantly god our good lorde that he wyl coÌ„serue you augmeÌ„t your faith and â—ndoutedly he wyll angment it as â—e hath ê“misedâ— loke that you reâ—yst all teÌ„ptacyons stronge in faith ¶ Welbeloued brother the worde of god can nat lye it hath giuen vs â—arnynge They haue persecuted me so wyl they do you Wherfore â—â—inke nat the contrary but if ye foâ—â—we Christ ye must be persecuted â—nd mocked and laughed to scorne within the house also withoute of â—â—l the worlde none shall speake â—ell of you If so noble a prince â—â— exellente was made a mockynge â—ocke was reproued persecuted â—â— al the worlde â–ª as was Jesus our â—â—ed it can nat be choseÌ„ but the meÌ„bres must be lykewyse hated for it is nat comlye the heede to be full of thornes the membres full of pleasure and delytes Lykewyse as the heed was nat of the worlde nomore shulde the meÌ„bres be Wherfore the world dispyseth them as enemyes contrary to their pride their couetousnes and their flesshly pleasure But it is necessary that you confort your selfe with the blessynges that our lorde gyueth to them which take trouble for the honour of him And that you laye euermore before you the sermon that our sauyoure Jesus spake in the mouÌ„tayne wher he saythe Blessed be they that suffer persecutyon for rightuousnesse sake that is to saye for the loue of Jesu Christ for he is oure rightâ—ousnes and our wysdome And aâ—so he saythe Happye be you whan meÌ„ shall curse you and saye all euyl agaynst you lyenge for my sake for great shal be your rewarde c. ¶ Bicause we shuld nat dispeire thinke our self out of the fauour of god bicause we be persecuted he gyueth vs warnynge that the electe chosen haue he persecuted froÌ„ the begynnyng of the worlde for the enemyes of the truth neuer cesse nor shal cesse vnto the ende of the worlde to persecute the faythefullâ— whiche by their fayth longe pacâ—ence at the â—ast shall ouercome And whaÌ„ their enemyes weâ—e to haue troden them vnder the fote thaÌ„ shal they be most victorious Beleue surely that our â—orde doth moch for vs whan he gyueth vs the grace to endure suffre any thynge for his honoure for a noble hert which loueth his kynge wel is meruelous wel apayde whaÌ„ the kynge maketh him knyght gyuynge him charge for to do batayle for the quarell honour of the kyng Likewise the faithful ought gretly to thanke god in that that he suffereth for his honour For al our fely cyte lyeth in this that we be made conforme lyke vnto our captayne and hed Jesu christ if we be troubled and vexed in this worlde with him we shall also raygne with hi ¶ It can nat be but there muste be alwayes debate betwene the world and the faythfull for they be of contrarye affections ¶ The worlde is nothynge but pride couetousnesse all fylthynesse and flesshely lustes ¶ The faythfull the chyldren of god be all togyther humilyte lyberaly tie all clennesse louers of spirituall thinges full of faith hope and charyte estemynge theÌ„selfe of no goodnes knowlegyng themselfe to be but sine settyng nought by worldly goodes louyng nothinge but goddes honoure ¶ The worlde desyreth nothynge â—ut to plucke to him and gather all â—â—at it can catche and snatche by aâ—y maner of wayes ¶ The faythfull on the contrarye â—arte be as dily gente to dele and to â—yue to al them that haue nede and â—hat they maye socoure for the hoâ—oure of God and desyre none oâ—her rychesse but god ¶ The worlde desyreth nothing so â—â—etly as to be praysed honoured â—agnifyed takynge more vpoÌ„ him â—â—aÌ„ becometh him wyl haue none â—â—aysed or spoken of but himselfe ¶ The faythfull care nat thoughe â—hey â—e dispised dispraysed or moâ—â—ed for the honour of god giuyng â—â—l praise and honour vnto him de â—pringe nothynge so moche as the â—onour of god only of whom ryseth and springeth all goodnesse ¶ They that be of the worlde loue nothyng but them selues and that thynge that pleaseth theym them that loue them hatynge all thinge contrary to their mynde all thinge that greueth or displeaseth them chefely of al they caÌ„ nat away with the crosse though no maÌ„ crosse himselfe oftener than they they loue nothynge worse than trybularyon persecutyon they hate all thynges that open and shewe vnto theÌ„ their fautes infyrmyties and wekenesse they abhorre all instructyoâ— of the amendement of their lyuynge â–ª and for a conclusyon they hate al thing contrary vnto their pleasure ¶ The faithfull loue nothinge but god hauynge no delyte in them selues neither loue any thige carnally but loue that thynge that is contrary to their concupyscence desyres and aboue all thinges they receyue thankfull the crosse of Christ whiche is trybulation afflyction persecution haue theÌ„ in gret fauour which shewe them their fautes abhorrynge all flaterers auoydynge and flyenge to their power all errours distroyeng the knowledge of god hatyng all thinge that letteth the correctyon and punysshment of â—yces loth to medle with any thinge contrary vnto the wyll of god â—reuounsynge that whiche is of the worlde And in as moche as their wyl their â—ences â—â—â—endment whiche be but flesshly be of the worlde they forsake vtterly renouÌ„ce themselfe â—in that that they refuse the deuyll all his powpes and by these menes they accoÌ„plyssh the worde of god which sayth that he that wyl nat forsake hiself shal nat be his disciple So he doth also at the â—aptun whaÌ„ he sayth I renounce Satan all his pompes In the which baptim there is a great abusyon nowe as well as in many other ordynances of the church for the child knoweth nat what is said nor the godfaders nor the preest that baptyseth many tymes And this is done by the prestes bycause they wolde be made moche of ordre all thynge at their pleasure the better sayenge all in Latyne where as the symple peple vnderstande nothynge which is against the coÌ„maundement of god ordynauÌ„ce of the apostle which coÌ„maundeth that such maner of folke prayeng or spekynge on that maner kepe sylence in the congregacion or churche or els that they speke that men may vnderstande them ¶ By these thynges aboue sayde may you vnderstande that ther shal neuer be peace betwene the worlde and
¶ A path way iÌ„to the holy scripture ⧠⧠⧠A pathwaye into holy c. I Do maâ—ueyle greatly derely beloued in Christ that euer any man shulde repugne or speke agaynst the scrypture to be hadde in euery language and that of euery man For I thought that no man had ben so blynd to aske why lyght shuld be shewed to them that walke in darknes where they can nat but stomble where to stomble is the dauÌ„ger of eternall dampnacion either so dispytefull that he wolde enuy any man I speake nat his brother so necessary a thing or so bedlem mad to afferme that good is the naturall cause of euyll darkenesse to procede out of lyght that lyeng shulde be grounded in trouth verytie and nat rather clene contrary that lyght distroyeth darkenes and veritye reproueth all maner lyenge Neuerthelesse seyng that it hath pleased god to sende vnto oure Englysshe men euen to as many as vnfaynedly desyre it the scrypture in their mother tonge consyderynge that there be in euery place false techers blynde leders that ye shuld be disceyued of no man I supposed it very necessarye to prepayre this Path way into the scripture for you that ye myght walke surely euer know the trewe from the false And aboue al to put you in remeÌ„braunce of certayne pointes which ar That ye well vnderstande what these wordes meane The olde Testament the newe Testament the lawe the gospell Moses Christ nature grace workyng beleuyng dedes and fayth Lâ—â—t we ascrybe to the one that whiche belongeth to the other and make of Christ Moses of the gospell the law dispyse grace and robbe fayth and fall from meke lernynge in to ydle dispicyons braulynge and scoldinge about wordes The olde testament is a boke wherin is written the lawe of god the dedes of them which fulfyll them of them also which fulfyll them nat ¶ The newe Testament is a boke wherin are conteyned the promyses of god the dedes of them whiche beleue them or beleue them nat EuaÌ„gelion that we call the gospel is a greke worde sygnifyeth good mery glad ioyfull tidynges that maketh a mannes herte glad maketh him synge daunce leape for ioye As whaÌ„ Dauid had killed Go lyath the giauÌ„t came glad tidinges vnto the iewes that their fearfull cruell enemy was slayne they delyuered out of all danger for gladnes wherof they soÌ„ge dauÌ„sed wer ioyfull In lyke maner is the euangelion of god which we cal gospel the new testameÌ„t ioyfull tidyngê and as some saye A good herynge publysshed by the apostels through oute all the worlde of Christe the righte Dauyd howe that he hathe fought with synne with dethe and the deuyll and ouercome them Whereby all men that were in bondage to synne wounded with dethe ouercome of the Deuyll are withoute their owne meryttes or deseruynges losed iustifyed restored to lyfe and saued brought to lybertie and reconsyled vnto the fauoure of god and set at one with him agayne which tidynges as many as beleue laude prayse and thanke god are glad synge daunce for ioye ¶ This Euangelyon or Gospell that is to saye suche ioyfull tidynges is called the newe Testament Because that as a maÌ„ whan he shal dye appoynteth his goodes to be delte and distributed after his deth amonge them whiche he nameth to be his heyres Euyn so Christ before his deth commaunded and appoynted that suche Euangelyon Gospell or tidynges shulde be declared throughoute all the worlde and therwith to gyue vnto all that repent and beleue all his goodes that is to saye his lyfe wherewith he swalowed and deuoured vp deth his rightwysnesse wherwith he banysshed synne his saluacion wherwith he ouercame eternall dampnacyon Now can the wretched man that knoweth him selfe to be wrapped in syn and in daunger to dethe and Hell here no more ioyouse a thynge than suche gladde and comfortable tidynges of Christ so that he can nat but be gladde and laugh from the lowe bottome of his hert if he beleue that the tidynges are trewe ¶ To strength such fayth with all god promysed this his euangelyon in the olde testameut by the prophetes as Paule sayth in the fyrst chapiter vnto the Romayns Howe that he was chosen out to preche goddes Euangelion whiche he before had promysed by the prophetê in the holy scriptures that treate of his soÌ„ne which was borne of the sede of Dauyd In the thirde chapiter of Genesis god sayth to the serpente I wyll put hatered betwene the the woman betwene thy seede and her sede that selfe sede shall treade thy heed vnder fote Christ is the womans sede he it is that hath troden vnder fote the deuyls heede that is to saye synne dethe hell and all his power For without this sede can no maÌ„ auoyde synne deth hell and euerlastynge dampnacion Agayne Gene. xxii God promysed Abraham sayeng In thy sede shall all the generacyons of the erthe be blessed Christ is that sede of Abraham saith s Paul in the third to the Galathyans He hath blessed al the worlde throughe the Gospell For where Christe is nat there remayneth the curse that fell on Adam as sone as he had synned so that they are in bondage vnder the dampnacyon of synne deth hell Against this curse blesseth nowe the gospell all the worlde in as moch as it cryeth openly vnto all that knowledge their synnes and repent sayenge Who so euer beleueth on the sede of Abraham shal be blessed that is he shall be delyuered from synne deth and hell and shall hence forthe contynewe â—ightwyse saued for euer as Christ him selfe sayth in the. xi of Johan He that beleued on me shall neuer more dye ¶ The lawe sayth Jo. in the fyrst â—ha was gyuen by Moses but grace and vertue by Jesus Christ The lawe whose minyster is Moses was gyuen to bringe vs vnto the knowledge of oure selues that we myght thereby fele perceyue what we are of nature The law condemneth vs all oure dedes is called of Paule in the third cha of the. ii pistle vnto the corinthians the mynistracyon of dethe For it kylleth oure conscyences and drweth vs to disperacyon in as moche as it requyreth of vs that which is vnpossyble for our nature to do It requyreth of vs the dedes of an hole man It requyreth ê‘fet loue from the low bottom and grounde of the hert as well in all thynges which we suffre as in tho thiges which we do But sayth JohnÌ„ in the same place â–ª grace and veritye is gyuen vs by Christ so that whaâ— the lawe hathe passed vpon vs condempned vs to dethe which is his nature to do than haue we in Christ grace that is to say fauour promyses of lyfe of mercy of pardone frely by the merytes of Christ in Christ haue we veritye and trouth in that god for his sake fulfylleth all his promyses to them that beleue Therfore is the gospell the