thou hast the same thynge that God desyreth of the for which he hath bounde hym selfe to forgyue the. Leade vs nat into temptacyon That is Let vs not slyppe out of thy leafe but holde vs faste gyue vs not vp nor cease to gouerne vs nor take thy spirite froÌ„ vs. For as an hounde can not but folowe his game when he seyth it before him yf he be lowse so can we not but fall into synne when occasyon is gyuen vs yf thou withdrawe thyne hande from vs. Leade vs not into temptacyon Let no temptacyon fall vpon vs greater then thyne helpe in vs. But be thou stronger in vs than the temptacyon thou sendeste or letteste come vppon vs. Leade vs not into teÌ„ptacyons Father though we be neglygent ye and vnthankful and dysobedyent to thy true prophetes yet let not the dyuell lowse vpon vs to deceyue vs with hys false prophetes and to harden vs in the waye in which we gladly walke as thou dydest Pharao with the false myracles of hys sorserars as thyne Apostle Paule threateneth vs. 2. The. 2. A lytle threde holdeth a stronge man where he gladly is A lytle pullyng draweth a man whether he gladly goeth A lyght wynde dryueth a greate shyppe with the screme A lyght persuasyon is ynoughe to make a lecherous man beleue that fornycacyon is no synne And an angrye man that it is lawful to aduenge him selfe and so forth by all the corrupt nature of man A lytle myracle is able to confirme and harden a man in that openyon and faythe whiche hys blynde reason beleueth all redye A fewe false myracles were ynoughe to persuade the couetousnes of Pharao and hys gredynes to holde the chyldren of Israel in bondage for theyr seruyce that thy true myracles shewed by Moyses for theyr delyueraunce were not of the. But of the same kynde and done by the same crafte as were the myracles of hys sorserars and so to harden his harte Euen so father yf thou gyue vs ouer for our vnkyndenesse seynge the blynde nature of man delyteth in euell and is ready to beleue lyes a lytle thynge is ynoughe to make them that loue not to walke in thy truthe and therfore neuer able to vnderstande thy sonnes doctryne Iohan. 7 for to beleue the faynynges of our most holy father al is superstycyous popetry and inuysyble blessynges and to harden them therin As a stone caste vp in to the ayer can nether go any hyer nether yet there abyde when the power of the hurler ceaseth to dryue it Euen so father seynge our corrupt nature can but go downewardâ— onely and the deuell and the worlde dryueth therto the same waye howe can we procede further in vertue or staÌ„de therin if thy power cease in vs. Leade vs not therfore o mercyfull father into teÌ„ptacyon nor cease at any tyme to gouerne vs. Nowe seynge the God of al mercy which knoweth thyne infirmite coÌ„manded the to pray in al temptacion and aduersite and hath promysed to helpe yf thou trust in hym what excuse is it to say when thou hast synned I coulde not staÌ„de of my selfe when his power was ready to helpe the yf thoâ— hade axed it But delyuer vs from euell Fyrst as aboue let vs not fal into temptacyon Seconderely yf we be fallen as who lyueth and falleth neuer for neuer to falle were ynough to make a man as euell as Lucyfer and to beleue that he stode by hys owne power If therfore we be fallen euen to the botome howe so euer depe it be put in thyne arme after for it is longe and stronge ynough and plucke vs out agayne Thyrdly delyuer vs from euel and plucke vs out of the fleshe and the world the power of the deuel put vs in the kyngdome where we be past al ieoperdy and where we can not synne any more For the kyngdome and the power and the glorye is thyne for euer So be it Because that tâ—ou only art the kynge and al other but substytutes And because al power is thyne and all other mennes power but borowed of the therfore ought all honoure and obedyence to be thyne of ryght as chefe lorde and none to be gyuen other men but onely for the offyce they holde of the. Nether ought any creature to seke any more in thys worlde then to be a brother tyl thou haue put hym in offyce then yf brotherlynes wyll not helpe whiche he ought fyrste to proue let hym execute thy power Nether maye any man take auctorite of hym selfe tyll God haue chosen hym that is to wete â–ª tyll he be chosen by the ordynaÌ„ce that God hath set in the worlde to rule it Fynally no kynge lorde mayster or what ruler it be hath absolute power in this worlde and is the very thynge whiche he is called For then they ceased to be brethren styl nether could they syn what so euer they coÌ„maunded But nowe theyr auctoryte is but a lymeted power which when they traÌ„sgresse they syn agaynst theyr brethren and ought to reconsile them selues to their brethren and to axe forgiuenes and they are bouÌ„d to forgyue Fynally let kynges rulers and officers remeÌ„ber that God is the very kynge and referre the honoure that is gyuen to them for theyr offyces sake to hym and vmble them selues to hym and knowledge and confesse in theyr hartes that they be but brethren and euen no better before God then the worst of theyr subiectes So be it For yf ye forgyue men theyr fautes your heuenly father shall forgyue you also But and yf ye do not forgyue men theyr fautes no more shal your father forgiue your fautes This is Goddes couenaunt with vs and a coÌ„fyrmacyon of the petycyon aboue rehersed in y e Pater noster forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue our trespassers If thou wylt enter into the couenaunt of thy lorde God and forgyue thy brother then what so euer thou hast coÌ„mytted against God if thou repent and axe hiÌ„ forgyuenes thou art sure that thou art so absolued by these wordes that none in heueÌ„ nor erth can bynd the â–ª No though our most holy father cursse the as blake as coles seuen fote vnder the erthe and seuen fote aboue cast al his lyghtenynge vpon the to burne the to powder Kepe the couenaunt of the lorde thy God therfore feare no bugges But and if thou wylt not come with in the couenaunt of God or yf when thou haste professed it and receyued the signe therof thou cast the yoke of the lorde from of thy necke be thou sure thou art bounde by these wordes so fast y t none in heuen or in erthe can lowse the. No though our erthyshe god whysper al his absolucyons ouer the clawe the and stroke thy hede with al his swete blessynges Furthermore though forgiueneâ— of thy synnes be annexed to thy worke and forgeuynge thy brother yet doeth not as I sayd thy workes iustefye the before God But the faythe in Chrystes
the beste and taketh for syn none at al a thousande thinges of which the leste were ynoughe yf a man loued not to goo to lawe for and to trouble and vnquyet an hoole towne and somtyme an hoole realme or two And the offyce of hope is to comforte in aduersyte and make pacyent that we faynt not and falle downe vnder the Crosse or caste it of our backes And thus ye se that these .iii. inseperable in thys lyfe haue yet seperable and sondry offyces and effectes as hete and dryeth beynge inseperable in the fyer haue yet theyr seperable operacyon For he dryeth onely expelleth the moystnes of al that is consumed by fyer and hete onely destroyeth the coldenes For dryeth and colde may stande togyther and so maye hete and moystenes It is not all one to saye the dryeth onely and dryeth that is alone nor all one to saye faythe onely and fayth that is alone Goo to then and desyre God to prynte thys professyon in thyne harte to encrease it dayly more and more that thou mayst be ful shapeÌ„ like vnto the ymage of Christ in knowledge loue meke thy selfe and crepe lowe by the grounde and cleue fast to the rocke of this profession and tye to thy shype this anker of faythe in Chrystes bloude with the gable of loue to easte it out agaynste al tempestes so set vp thy sayle get the to the mayne se of Godes worde And rede here the wordes of Chryste with thys exposycyon folowynge and thou shalte se the lawe fayth and workes restored eche to his ryght vse and true meanynge And therto the clere dyfference betwene the spiritual regyment and the temporal and shalt haue an â—ntraunce and open waye into the rest of all the scrypture wherin and in all other thynges the spyryte of veryte gyde the and thyne vnderstandynge So be it ⸫ ⸫ The .v. chapter of Mathewe WHen he sawe the people he wente vp into a mountayne and sat him downe hys dysyples came to hym and he opened hys mouthe and taught them saynge Blessed be the poore in spirite for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen Chryste Here in his fyrst sarmone begynneth to restore the lawe of the ten commaundementes vnto her ryght vnderstandinge agaynste the scrybes and Pharyses whiche were ypocrytes false prophetes and false preachers and had corrupte the scrypture with the leauen of theyr gloses And it is not without a great mystery that Chryst begynneth hys preachynge at pouertye in spyryte whiche is nether beggery nor agaynste the possessynge of rychesse But a vertue contrarye to the vyce of couetousnesse the inordynate desyre and loue of reches and puttynge truste in rychesse Ryches is the gyfte of God geuen man to mayntayne the degrees of thys worlde and therfore not euell ye and some muste be poore and some ryche yf we shal haue an order in thys worlde And God our father deuydeth rychesse and pouertye amonge hys chyldren accordynge to hys godlye pleasure and wysdome And as rychesse dothe not exclude the from the blessyng so dothe not pouertye certefye the. But to put thy truste in the lyuynge God maketh the heyre therof For yf thou truste in the lyuynge god Then yf thou be poore thou coueteste not to be ryche for thou art certefyed that thy father shall mynystre vnto the fode and rayment and be thy defender and yf thou haue ryches thou knowest that they be but vanyte and that as thou brough teste them not into the worlde so shalte thou not carye them out and that as they be thyne to daye so maye they be another mannes to morowe and that the fauoure of God onely bothe gaue and also kepeth the and them and not thy wysdome or power and that they nether ought els can helpe at nede saue the good wyll of thy heuenly father onely Happy and blessed then are the poore in spyryte that is to saye the ryche that haue not theyr confidence nor consolacyon in the vanyte of theyr rychesse and the poore that desyre not inordynatly to be ryche but haue theyr truste in the lyuynge God for fode and rayment and for all that partayneth ether to the body or the soule for thers is the kingdome of heuen And contrary wyse vnhappy and accursed and that with the fyrste and depest of all cursses are the ryche in spirite that is to saye the couetouse that beynge ryche and trust in thir rychesse or beynge poore longe for the consolacyon of rychesse and comforte not theyr soules with the promyses of theyr heuenlye father confyrmed with the bloude of theyr Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into the kyngedome of heuen then for a camell to enter thorowe the eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no parte in the kyngedome of Chryste and God Ephe. v. Therfore it is euydent why Chryste so dylygentlye warneth all hys to be ware of couetousnes and why he admytted none to be hys dyscyples excepte he fyrste forsake altogether For there was neuer couetous person true yet ether to God or man Yf a couetous man be chosen to preache goddes worde he is a false prophete immedyatlye Yf he be of the laye sorte so ioyneth he hym selfe vnto the false prophetes to persecute the truthe Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke the worde of God in them that posesse it But it is also a dedelye enemye to all that interprete goddes worde trulye All other vyces thoughe they laugh them to scorne that talke godlye yet they can soffre them to lyue and to dwell in the contre But couetousnes can not reste as longe as there is one that cleueth to goddes worde in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therof and be sure yf he be couetous and gape for promocyon that he is a false Prophete and leueth the scrypture for al his câ—yenge fathers fathers holy chyrch and fyftene hundred yeres and for al hys other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shalbe comforted Thys mournynge is also in the spyryte and no kynne to the soure lokynge of Ypocrytes nor to the impacieÌ„t weywardnes of those fleshly which euer whine and complaine that the world is naught because they can not obtayne and enioye theyr lustes therin Nether forbydyth in alwayes to be mery and to laugh and make good chere nowe and then to forget sorowe that ouermoche heuynes swalowe not a man clene vp For the wyse man saythe sorowe hath cost many theyr lyues And prouer .xvii. and heuy spirite dryeth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Phili. iiii to reioyse euer And Roma xii he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorowe with them that sorowe and wepe with theÌ„ that wepe which seme two contraryes This mournynge is that crosse without which was neuer any dysciple of Chryst or euer shalbe For of what so euer state or degree thou be in thys worlde yf thou professe the
brynge them out of fauore interpreters to euell that is done for a good purpose fynders of faultes wher none is sterers vp of princes to batayle and warre aboue al cursed be they that fasly bely the true prechers of goddes word to brynge them into hate and to shede theyr bloude wrongfully for hate of the truth For all suche are the chyldren of the deuel Blessed are they that suffer persecucyon for ryghteuousnes sake for theyrs is the kyngedome of heuen Yf the faythe of Chryste and lawe of God in whiche two all ryghtuousnes is contayned be wrytten in thyne harte that is yf thou beleue in Christ to be iustefyed from syn or for remyssyon of syn and consentest in thyne harte to the lawe that it is good holy and iuste and thy duty to do it and submytest thy selfe so to do and ther vp on goest forth and testefyeth that fayth and lawe of ryghteousnes openly vnto the worlde in worde and deade Then wyll Sathan stere vp his members agaynste the and thou shalte be persecuted on euerye syde But be of good comforte and faynte not Call to mynde the saynge of Paule 2. Tymo 3. howe al that wyl lyue godly in chryst Iesu shal so fer persecucyon Remember howe al the prophetes that weÌ„t before the were so dealt with Luke vi Remember the ensamples of the apostels and of Chryste hym selfe and that the dyscyple is no better then hys mayster and that Chryste admytteh no descyple whiche not onely leueth not all but also taketh his crosse to we be not called to a softe liuynge and to peace in this worlde But vnto peace of conscyence in God our father thorowe Iesus Chryst and to warre in thys worlde Moreouer comforte thy selfe with the hope of the blessynge of the enherytaunce of heuen there to be gloryfyed with Chryste yf thou here soffer with hym For yf we be lyke Chryste here in his passyons and beare his ymage in soule and bodye and fyght manfully ye that Sathan blot it not out and soffer with Chryste for berynge recorde to ryghtuousnes then shall we be lyke to hym in glorye Saynt Iohan saythe in the .iii. Chapter of hys fyrste pystle yet it apereth not what we shalbe But we knowe that when he apereth we shalbe lyke hym And Paule Phil. 3. oure conuersacyon is in heuen whence we loke for a sauyour the Lorde Iesus Chryst which shal chaunge our vyle bodyes and make them lyke his gloryous body It is an happy thynge to soffer for ryghteousnes sake but not for vnryghtuousnes For what prayse is it say the Peter in the seconde of hys fyrste epystle though ye soffer when ye be bofetted for your offenses wherfore in the fourthe of the same he saythe se that none of you soffer as a murtherar or a these or an euell doer or a busye body in other mennes maters Suche sofferynge gloryfyeth not God nor thou arte therby heyre of heuen Beware therfore that thou deserue not that thou sofferest But yf thou do then beware moche more of them that wolde bere the in hande howe that suche sofferynge shulde be satysfaccyon of thy synnes and a deseruynge of heuen No sofferynge for ryghtuousnes thoughe heuen be promysed theyrto yet dothe it not deserue heuen nor yet make satysfaccyon for the fore synnes Chryste dothe bothe twane But and yf thou repente and beleue in Chryst for the remissyon of synne and them confesse not onely before God but also open before all that se the soffer howe that thou haste deserued that thou soffrest for breakynge the good and ryghtwyse lawe of thy father and then takest thy punyshement paciently as an holsome medecyne to hele thy fleshe that it synne no more and to feare thy brethern that they fall not in to lyke offence as Moyses teacheth euery where Then as thy pacyence in sofferynge is plesaunt in the syght of thy brethren whiche beholdeth petye the and soffer with the in theyr hertes euen so is it in y e syght of God and it is to the a sure token that thou haste true faythe and true repentaunce And as they be blessed which suffer for ryghtousnes euen so are they accursed which ronne away and let it be troden vnder the fete and wyll not suffer for the faythe of theyr Lorde and lawe of theyr father nor stande by theyr neyghboures in theyr iuste causes Blessed are ye when they reuyle you and persecute you and saye all maner of euell saynges agaynst you for my sake and yet lye Reioyse and be glade for your rewarde is great in heuen Euen so verely they persecuted the prophetes that were before you Heâ—â— seyst thou the vttermoste what a Chrysten man must loke for It is not ynoughe to soffer for ryghtwysnes But that no bytternes oâ— poyson be lefte out of thy cuppe thou shalte be reuyled and rayled vpon and euen whan thou art condempned to dethe then be excomunycate and delyuered to sathan depryued the felowshype of holy church the company of the angelles and of thy parte in Chrystes bloud â–ª and shalt be cursed downe to hell defyed detestat and execrate with all the plasphemous ralynges that the poyson hartes of ypocrytes caÌ„ thinke or ymagyne and shalt se before thy face wheÌ„ thou goest to thy deth that al the worlde is perswaded and brought in beleue that thou hast sayde and done that thou neuer thoughteste and that thou dyest for that thou art as gyltles of as the chylde that is vnborne well thoughe inequite so hyly preuayle and the truthe for which thou dyest be so lowe kepte vnder and be not once knoweÌ„ before the world in so moche that it semeth rather to be hyndered by thy dethe then furthered whiche is of all greffes the greateste yet lâ—â— not thyne harte fayle the nether dyspare as thoughe God hade forsaken the or loue the not But comforte thy selfe with olde ensamples howe God hath sufred all hys olde frendes to be so entreated and also hys onely and deare sonne Iesus â–ª whose ensample aboue all other set before thyne eyes because thou art sure he was beloued aboue all other that thou doute not but thou arte beloued also and so moche the more beloued the more thou art lyke to the ymage of hys ensample in sufferynge Dyd not the ypocrytes watche him in al hys sermones to trappe hym in hys owne wordes was he not subtellye aposed whether it were lawfull to paye trybute to Cesar were not all hys wordes wronge reported were not hys myracles ascrybed to Belsabub sayde they not he was a Samarytane and had a deuell in hym was he not called a breaker of the Sabothe a wyne drynker a frende of publicans and synners dyd he ought wherwith no faute was fouÌ„de and that was not interprete to be done for an euell purpose was nat the pretense of hys dethe the destroynge of the temple to brynge hym in to the harte of all men was he not therto accused of treson that he
natural wyt and vnderstandynge and all truste and confydence in what so euer it be saue in the bloude of Chryst he is condempned of God and dysalowed of all them that cleaue to the truthe In what case stande they then that haue benefyces and preache not verely though they stande at the alter yet are they excomunycate and cast out of the lyuynge churche of almyghtye God And what yf the doctryne be not true salte verely then is it to be troden vnder fote As muste all wery she and vnsauerye ceremonyes whiche haue loste theyr sygnyfycacyons and not only teache not and are become vnprofytable and do no more seruyce to man But also haue obtayned auctoryte as God in the harte of man that man serueth them and putteth in them the trust and confydence that he shuld put in God hys maker thorough Iesus Chryst hys redemer Are the instytucyons of man better then Godes ye are Godes ordynaunces better nowe then in the olde tyme The prophetes troden vnder fote and defyed the temple of God and the sacrefyces of God and all ceremonyes that God had ordayned with fastynges and prayenges and all that the people peruerted and comytted ydolatrye with we haue as strayte a commaundement to salte and to rebuke al vngodlynesse as had the prophetes wyll they then haue theyr ceremonyes honorably spoken of then let them restore them to the ryght vse and put the salt of the true meanyng and signyficacyons of them to them agayne But as they be nowe vsed none that loueth Chryste can speke honorably of them what true Chrysten man can gyue honor to that that taketh al honoure frō Chryst who can gyue honoure to that that sleyeth the soule of hys brother and robbeth his herte of that truste and confydence whiche he shulde gyue to hys lorde that hathe bought hym with hys bloude Ye are the lyght of the worlde A cytie that lyeth on a hyl can nat be hyd neyther do men lyght a candel and put it vnder a bushell but on a cādelstyke and also geueth it lyght to all that are in the house Lette youre lyght so shyne before men that they see youre good workes and prayse youre father that is in heuen Christ goeth forthe and describeth the offyce of an apostle and true preacher by another lykenesse callynge them as before the salte of the erthe Euen so here the lyght of the worlde sygnyfyenge therby that all the doctryne all the wysdome and hye knoweledge of the worlde whether it were phylosophye of naturall conclusyons of maners and vertue or of lawes of ryghtuousnes whether it were of the hole scrypture and of God hym selfe was yet but a darckenes vntyll the doctryne of hys Apostles came That is to saye vntyll the knowledge of Chryste came howe that he is the sacrefyce for our synnes our satysfaccyon our peace attonement and redempcyon our lyfe therto and resurreccyon what soeuer holynesse wysdome vertue perfectnesse or ryghtwysnes in the worlde amonge men howe so euer perfecte and holye they appere yet is all damnable darckenes except the right knowledge of Chrystes bloude be there fyrste to iustefye the harte before all other holynes Another conclusyon As a cetye buylt on a hyl can not be hyd no more can the lyght of Chrystes gospel Let the world rage as moche as they wyll yet it wyl shyne on theyr sore eyes whether they be content or no. Another conclusyon as men lyght not a candell to whelme it vnder a bushell but to put it on a candelstycke to lyght al that are in the hous euen so the lyght of Chrystes gospell maye not be hyde nor make a seuerall thynge as thoughe it pertaynethe to some certayne holye persons onelye Naye it is the lyght of the whole worlde and pertaynethe to all men and therfore maye not be made seuerall It is a madnesse that dyuerse men say the lay people maye not knowe it excepte they can proue that the laye people be not of the worlde Moreouer it wyll not be hyde but as the lyghtenynge that breakyth out of the cloudes shynethe ouer all euen so dothe the gospell of Chryste For where it is truely receyued there it purefyeth the harte and makethe the parson to consente to the lawes of God and to begynne a newe and a Godlye lyuynge facyoned after godes lawes and without all dyssymulacyon And then it wyll kyndle so greate loue in hym towarde hys neyghboure that he shall not onely haue compassyon on hym in hys bodely aduersyte but moche more petye hym ouer the blyndnes of hys soule and to mynyster to hym Chrystes gospell wherfore yf they say it is here or there in saint Fraunces cote or Domynykes and suche lyke and that yf thou thou wylt put on that cote thou shalt fynde it there it is false For yf it were there thou shuldeste se it shyne abrode de thoughe thou crepeste not into a sel or a monkes coulle as thou seest lyghtenyng without crepyng into the cloudes ye theyr lyght wolde so shyne that men shuld not onely le the lyght of the gospell but also theyr good workes which wolde as fast come out as they nowe ronne in In so moche that thou shuldest se them make themselfes pore to helpe other as they nowe make other pore to make them selues ryche This lyght and salte partayned not then to the Apostles and nowe to our byshoppes and spiritualty onely No it pertayneth to the temporal men also For all kynges and all rulers are bound to be salt and lyght not onely in exsample of lyuyng but also in teachyng of doctryne vnto theyr subiectes as well as they be bounde to punyshe euell doers Dothe not the scrypture testefye that kynge Dauyd was chosen to be a sheparde and to feade hys people with Godes worde It is an euel skole mayster that can nought saue bete only But it is a good skole master that so teacheth that fewe nede be beaten This salt and lyght therfore pertayne to the temporalty also and that to euery member of Chrystes church so that euery mā ought to be salt and lyght to other Euery man then may be a comen preacher thou wylt say and preache euery where by his owne auctoryte Nay verely No man maye yet be a comen preacher saue he that is called and chosen therto by the comen ordynaunce of the cōgregacion as longe as the preacher teacheth the true worde of God But euery priuate man ought to be in vertuous lyuyng both lyght and salt to his neyghbour in so moche that the poreste ought to stryue to ouercome the byshope and to preache to hym in ensample of lyuyng Moreouer euery man ought to preach in wordand deade vnto his houshold and to them that are vnder hys gouernaunce c. And thoughe no man may preache openly saue he that hath the offyce commytted to hym yet ought euery man to endeuoure hym selfe to be as well lerned as the preacher
come out of Egypte The Moabites and Ammonites hyred Balam to curse them and begyle thē with their women and made a great plage amonge them These lyke nacyons were perpetual enemyes to theyr lande which God had gyuen them and also of y e name of God and of their fayth For which cause they not onely myght lawfully but were also bound to hate thē and to study theyr destruccion agayne howe be it they myght not yet hate the sayed nacyons such as were conuerted to theyr faythe Nowe by the reason of such textes as commaunded to hate the comune enemyes of theyr contrye and of God and his lawe and of theyr fayth the pharyseys doctryne was that a man myght lawfully hate all hys pryuate enymyes without excepcion nor was bound to do them good And yet Moyses sayth Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne harte And agayne thou shalt not aduenge thy selfe nor bere hate in mynde agaynst the chyldren of thy people And yf thyne enemyes asse synke vnder hys burthen helpe to lyfte hym vp agayne and yf hys oxe or asse go a straye brynge them home agayne which all no doute the pharyseys dyd enterprete for good councell but for no preceptes wherfore Chryst salteth theyr doctryne and proueth that a man is bounde both to loue and to do good to hys enemye and as a naturall sone though hys brethren be neuer so euel yet to loue them and shewe them kyndnesse for hys fathers sake and to studye to amende them what hast thou to reioyse of yf thy relygyon be not better then the religion of theues For theues loue amonge themselues and so do the couetouse of the worlde as the vsurars and publycans whiche bought in greate the emperoures trybute and to make theyr moste aduauntage dyd ouer sette the people Naye it is not ynough for the to loue thy benefactoures onely as monkes and freres do and them of thyne owne cote and order or the brethren of thyne owne Abbaye onely for amonge some ther loue stretcheth no further and that shall he that is remoued out of another cloysture thyther well fynde ye and in some places charyte reacheth not at all the celles of the same cloysture and to all the monkes that were professed in the same place But lyfte vp thyne eyes vnto thy heuenly father and as thy father doth so do thou loue al thy fathers chyldrē He mynystreth sonne and rayne to good and badde by which two vnderstande all hys benefytes For of the heate and dryeth of the sonne and colde and moyst of the rayne sprynge al thynges that are necessary to the lyfe of man Euen so prouoke thou and drawe thyne euell brethren to goodnes with pacyence with loue in worde and dede and pray for them to hym that is able to make thē better and to conuerte them And so thou shalt be thy fathers natural son perfecte as he is perfecte The text sayth not ye shalbe as perfecte as God But perfecte after his ensample To be perfecte y e scrypture is not to be a monke or a fryer or neuer to syn For chryst teacheth not here monkes or fryers but hys dyscyples and euery Chrysten man and woman And to be in thys lyfe al to gether without syn is impossyble But to be perfect is to haue pure doctryne without false opinyons and that thyne hart be to folowe that lernynge FINIS ¶ An exposycyon of the syxte Capiter TAke hede to your almose that ye do it not before men to be sene of them or els ye get no rewarde of youre father which is in heuen Therfore when thou gyueste almose make not a trompet to be blowen before the as the ypocrytes do in the synagoges and in the streates to be praysed of men Verely I say vnto you they haue theyr rewarde But thou when thou gyuest almose let not thy lefte hande knowe what thy ryght hāde doth that thyne almose may be in secrete And then thy father whiche seeth in secrete shal rewarde the openly As he rebuked theyr doctryne aboue euen so here he rebuketh theyr workes for out of deuelyshe doctryne can sprynge no godly workes But what workes rebuketh he Verelye such as God in the scrypture commaūdeth and without whiche no man can be a chrysten man euen prayer fastynge and almose dede For as the scrypture corrupt with gloses is no more Goddes worde euen so the dedes cōmaunded in the scrypture when the entent of them is peruerted are no more godlye dedes what sayde the scrybes and pharyseys of hym thynke ye when he rebuked suche maner of workes No doute as they sayde when he rebuked theyr false gloses howe he destroyed the lawe and the prophetes interpretyng the scripture after the lyterall sence ▪ whiche kylleth and after hys owne brayne cleane contrarye to the comune fayth of the holy chyrche and myndes of great clerkes and autentyke exposycions of olde holye doctoures Euen so here what other coulde they saye then Beholde the heretyke and dyd not we tell you before wherto he wolde come and that he kepte some myschefe behynde and spued not out all hys venome attonce see to what al his godly newe doctryne that sounded so swetly is come he preached all of loue and wolde haue the people saued by fayth so longe tyl y t nowe at the last he preached clene agaynst all dedes of mercy as prayer fastynge and almose dede and destroyeth al good workes Hys dyscyples faste no more then d◠〈◊〉 they despyce theyr dyuyne seruyce and come not to churche ye and yf the holyest of al saynt Fraunces order axe them almes they byd hym laboure with his handes and gete hys lyuynge and saye that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eate and that God bade that no suche stronge loboures shulde loyter and go a beggynge and be chargeable to the congregacyon and eate vp that other pore men gete with the swete of theyr bodies ye and at the last ye shal see yf we resyste him not be tymes that he shal moue the people to insurreccyon as Cayphas sayd and the Romaynes shall come and take our lande from vs. As ye se in the texte Luke 13. Howe when they coulde not dryue y e people from hym with these persuasyons they accused hym to Pylate sayenge we haue founde thys felowe peruertyng the people and forbyddyng to pay trybute to Cesar and saynge that he is Chryste a kynge wherfore thou canst not be Cesars frend yf thou let hī escape But after al these blasphemies yet must the holy ghost rebuke y e world of their ryghtwisnes ye of theyr false ryghtwysnes and false holynes which are nether ryghtwysnes or holynes but coloure of ypocresye Christ here destroyeth not prayer fastynge and almose dede But preacheth agaynste the false purpose and entent of suche workes and peruertynge the true vse that is to saye theyr sekynge of glorye and that they estemed them selues righteouse therby and better then other men and so
despysed and condempned theyr brethren with our almose which is as moch to say as dedes of mercye or coÌ„passyon we ought to seke our fathers glory onely euen the welth of our brethren and to wyn them to the knowledge of our father and kepynge of hys lawe He that seketh the glorye of hys good workes seketh the glorye that belongeth to God and maketh hym selfe God Is it not a blynd thyng of the world that eyther they wyl do no good workes at all or wyll be God for theyr good workes and haue the glorye them selues Concernyng blowynge of trompettes and ryngynge of belles or makynge a crye to call men to fet almes though the ryght way be that we shuld knowe in euery paryshe all our pore and had a comen coffer for them that straungers shulde brynge a letter of recommeÌ„dacion with them of theyr necessyte and that we had a comen place to receyue them in to for the tyme and though also we ought to flee all occasyons of vayne glorye yet whyle the worlde is out of order it is not dampnable to do it So that the very menynge both that we blowe no trompettes and that the lefte hande knowe not what the ryght hande dothe is that we do as secretly as we can and in no wyse seke glorye or to receyue it yf it were profered But to do our dedes in synglenesse of conscyence to God bycause it is hys commaundemente and euen of pure compassyon and loue to our brethren and not that oure good deades through standyng in our owne consayte shulde cause vs to dyspyce them If thou be tempted to vayne glorye for thy good dedes then loke on thyne euel therto and put the one in the one balaunce the other in the other And then yf thou vnderstande the lawe of God in any thyng at all tell me whether weyeth heuyer If that thou doest do tempte the then consyder what thou doest not If it moue the to set vp thy combe when thou gyueste thy brother a fathynge or an halfe penny ponder in thyne harte howe farre thou arte of from louynge hym as well as thy selfe and carynge for hym as moche as for thy selfe And be sure howe moche thou lakest of that so moche thou art in syn and that in daÌ„pnable syn yf god for Chrystes sake dyd not perdone the because thyne harte morneth therfore and thou fyghteste 〈◊〉 thy selfe to come to such perfeccyon If a pecocke dyd loke well on hys fete and marke the euell fauoure shrykynge of hys voyce he wolde not be so proude of the beutye of hys tayle Fynally that many dyspute because god hath promysed to rewarde our dedes in heuen that our dedes deserue heuen and because he promyseth to shewe mercye to be mercyfull that with our dedes we deserue mercye and because he promyseth forgyuenes of synnes to them that forgyue that our dedes deserue forgyuenes of synne and so iustefye vs. I answerâ— fyrste there is ynoughe spoken therof in other places so that to them that haue red that it is superfluouse to reherse the matter agayne Furthermore the argument is nought and holdeth by no rule See ye not that the father and mother haue more ryght to the chylde and to al it can do thaÌ„ to an oxe or a cowe It is theyr fleshe and bloude nouryshed vp with theyr laboure and cost The lyfe of it and the mayntenaunce and countenaunce therof is theyr benefyte so that it is not able to recoÌ„pence that it oweth to father and mother by a thousand partes And though it be not able to do hys duety nor for blyndnes to knowe hys duety yet the father and mother promyse more gyftes styll without ceasynge and that such as they thynke shuld most make it to see loue and to prouoke it to be wyllynge to do parte of his duety And when it hathe done amysse thoughe it haue no power to do satysfaccyon nor lust or courage to com to the ryght way agayne yet theyr loue and mercye abydeth styll so greate to it that vpon a poyntment of mendinge they not only forgeue that is paste and fulfyll theyr promyse not the later but promyse greater gyftes then euer before and to be better father and mother to it then euer they were Nowe when it can not do the thousande parte of hys duety howe coude it deserue suche promyses of the father and mother as a labourer dothe his hyer the reward therfore cometh of the loue mercy and truthe of the father and mother as wel when the chylde kepeth the apoyntment as when they fulfyll theyr promyse when it hath broken the appoyntment and not of the deseruinge of the chylde Euen so yf we were not thus drowned in blyndenesse we shulde easely see that we can not do the thousande parte of our dutye to God no though there were no lyfe to come If there were no lyfe to come it were not ryght that I shulde touche any creature of God otherwyse then he hath apoynted Though there were no lyfe to come it had neuertheles ben ryght that Adam hade abstayned from the forboden aple tree and from all other to if they had ben forboden Ye though there were no lyfe to com it were not the lesse ryght that I loued my brother and forgaue hym to day seynge I shal syn agaynste hym to morowe Because a father can not gyue his chyldreÌ„ heuen hath he no power to charge them to loue one another and to forgyue and not aduenge one another And hathe he not ryght to bete them yf they smyte eche other because he can not gyue them heuen A boundeman that hathe a mayster more cruell then a reasonable man wolde be to a dogge if there were no heuen myght thys bounde seruaunt accuse God of vnryghtwysnes bycause he hathe not made hym a mayster Nowe then when we can not do our duetye by a thousande partes though there were no such promyses that the thinge coÌ„maunded is no lesse our duety though no such promyse were it is easy to perceyue that the reward promysed cometh of the goodes mercye and truthe of the promyser to make vs the gladder to do our duetye and not of the deseruinge of the receyuer when we haue done al that we caÌ„ we ought to â—ay in our harte that it was our duety and that we ought to do a thousande times more and that God if he had not promysed vs mercye of hys goodnesse in Chryst he myght yet of ryght damme vs for y t we haue lefte vndone And as touchynge forgyuenes of synne though forgyuenes of synne be promysed vnto the yet chalenge it not by thy merytes but by the merytes of Chrystes bloude and heare what Paule saythe Phylyppenses 3. Concernynge the ryghtwysnes of the lawe I was fautlesse or such as no maÌ„ could rebuke But y e thynges that were to vauntage I thought damage for Chrystes sake ye I thynke all thynge to be damage or losse for
wyll rewarde them are as it were very sacramentes and visyble and sensible sygnes tokens yernest oblygacyons wytnesses testimonyes and a sure certefyenge of our soules that God hath wyl do accordynge to his promyse to strengthe our weake faythe and to kepe the promyse in mynde But they iustefye vs not no more thē the visible workes of the sacramentes do As for an ensample the worke of baptyme that outwarde wasshynge whiche is the vysyble sacrament or sygne iustefyeth vs not But God only iustefyeth vs actyuely as cause effycient or workeman God promyseth to iustefye who so euer is baptysed to beleue in Christ to kepe the lawe of God that is to say to forgyue them theyr fore synnes and to impute ryghtwysnesse vnto them to take them for hys sonnes and to loue them aswell as though they were ful ryghtwyse Chryste hathe deserued vs that promyse and ryghtwysnesse And faythe do the receaue it and God dothe gyue it and impute it to fayth not the wasshynge And the wasshynge dothe testefye it and certyfye vs of it as the Popes letters do certyfye the beleuers of the Popes perdones Nowe the letters helpe not or hyndre but that the perdone were as good without them as with them saue onelye to stablyshe weake soules that coulde not beleue excepte they rede the letters loked on the seale and sawe the prynte of saynt Peters keyes O mercyfull God and a moste louynge father howe careth he for vs fyrst aboue all and besyde all hys other benyfytes to geue vs hys owne son Iesus and with hym to geue vs hym selfe and all and not content therwith but to geue vs so many sacramentes or visible sygnes to prouoke vs and to helpe our weake faythe and to kepe hys mercye in mynde as baptyme the sacrament of his body and bloude and as many other sacramentes as they wyll haue yf they put sygnyfycacions to thē for we destroy none but they destroy whiche haue put out the sygnificaciōs or fayned some without as wedlocke to sygnefy that Christ is the husbāde and we his wyfe and partakers w t him as the wyfe with her husbande of al his ryches c. and beyonde all those vysible sacramentes to geue vs yet more sensyble and surer sacramentes and suraunce of his goodnes euen in our owne selues as yf we loue and gyue almes to our neyghboure yf we haue cōpassyon and pray for hym yf we be mercyful and forgeue him yf we deny our selues and faste and withdrawe all plesures from the fleshe for loue of the lyfe to come and to kepe the commaundementes of God For when suche thynges beinge before impossible and nowe are easye and naturall we fele and are sure that we be altered and of a newe nature and a newe creature shapen in ryghtwysnes after the ymage of Christ and God our father seynge hys lawes of ryghtwysnesse are wrytten in our hartes When ye fast be not sade as the ypocrites are For they fassyon them a newe countenaunce that it myght appere vnto men howe they faste Verely I say vnto you they haue theyr rewarde Thou therfore whē thou fastest annoynte thyne heed washe thy face that it appere not vnto men howe thou fasteste But vnto thy father whiche is in secrete And thy father whiche seythe in secrete shall rewarde the openly As aboue of almose and prayer euen so here Chryste rebuketh the false entente and ypocrysye of fastyng That they sought prayse of that worke that was ordeyned for to tame the flesh and vsed suche fassyons that all the worlde myght knowe that they fasted to prayse them and to saye O what holye men are these howe pale and petyfull they loke euen lyke deathe hangynge downe theyr hedes and beholdynge the erthe as men clene out of the worlde If these come not to heauen what shall become of vs poore wretches of the worlde If these be not greate in the fauoure of God and theyr prayers harde what soo euer they axe in what case are we laye people Happy is he that may be a brother amonge them and partaker of theyr prayers and fastynges and other holye lyuynge In an vnhappy In an happy I wolde saye houre was he borne that buyldethe them a sell or a cloysture or geueth them a porcyon of hys lande to comforte them good men in thys paynefull lyuynge and strayte penaunce which they haue taken vpon them Blessed were he that myght kysse the edge of the cote of one of thē Oh he that myght haue hys body wrapped in one of theyr olde cotes at the houre of dethe it were as good to hym as his Chrystendome c. It apereth also by y t they axed Christe why hys dyscyples fasted not as well as the pharyses y t they oft fasted whē the comen people fasted not al apere holy As oures fast aduent and begyn before lent at Septuagesima when Laus tibi domine cometh in And concernynge the annoyntynge of thy heed c. is ment as afore of turnyng the other cheke and of that the lefte hande shulde not knowe what the ryght dyd that is y t they shuld auoyde al vayne glory and fast to god and for the entent that God ordeyned it for and that with a mery hart and cherful countenaūce therby to fele the workyng of God and to be sure of his fauoure Such is the meaninge and not to bynde thē that wyl fast to anoynt theyr heed washe theyr faces And the maner or phrase of spekynge cometh of an vsage that was among the Iewes to anoynt thē selues with swete and odoryferouse annoyntmentes when they were dysposed to be mery and to make good chere as ye se howe Mary of Bethany poured a boxe of precyouse oyntmente vpon Chrystes heed at souper As concernynge fastyng it were good that kynges and rulers dyd sette an order of sobernesse amonge theyr subiects to auoyde derthe innumerable deseases and the great hepe of vyces that sprynge of intēperancy and that they forbade not onelye ryote and excesse But also all maner wanton delycyous and customable eatynge and drynkynge of such thynges as corrupte the people and make the men more effeminate then the woman so that there remayneth no more tokens of a man in thē saue theyr berdes Our fassyons of eatinge make vs slouth full and vnlusty to laboure and study vnstable inconstant and lyght manered full of wyttes after wytted as we call it incyrcumspecte in consyderat hedy rashe and hastye to begynne vnaduysedly and without castynge of parelles the ende not consydered what may folowe nor the meanes well loked vpon howe and by what way the mater might be brought to passe tryfelers mockers rude vnsauery iestere with out all maner of salte and euen very apes and Marmesettes and full of wanton and rebaldyshe communycacyon and lewde gestures It corrupteth the wyte with false iudgement and infecteth the body with luste and makethe the hole man so vnquyet in hī selfe