Treatise of Good Works, Commandment 2

Treatise of Good Works · Commandment 2

¶ The ſeconde cōmaundement.

LO hytherto we hauehave intreated of the fyrſt cōmaundement / and that ſhortly, groſely, & in ſuch haſt / y^t there may many mo thynges be ſpoken of them. Nowe therfore by the cōmaūdementes y^e folowe, we ſhall more largely ſeke theſe workes. Therfore the ſeconde and next worke vntounto faythe, is the worke of the ſeconde cōmaundement, that we ſhuld honour the name of god, & not vſe it in vayne / the which no more than all other workes can be done without fayth. For yf it be done without fayth it is vtter lye nought, but Ipocryſye, & an outward ſhow. Next vntounto fayth we cannot do a greatter thynge, than laude, ſet forth, ſynge, and by al maner of wayes extol, and magnyfye,The aucthor ſayd before, y^t there is no dyfference in workes, whiche he here declareth more largely, & ſayeth nothyng but y^e truthe and therfore myſreporte hym not, as manye hauehave done to y^e cō dēnacyon of theyr owne conſcyence. the laude, honour, & name of god / And though I ſayde afore (as it is true) that there is no dyfference in workꝭ, where fayth is, and worketh, yet y^t is to be vnderſtonde whan the workꝭ be cōpared to fayth / but comparynge worke to worke, they hauehave dyfference, and one is hygher than an other, for as the mēbres of the bodye, as perteynynge to helthe, hauehave no dyfference, and helthe worketh aſwell in one as in another, and yet neuertheleſſe the workes of the membres be dyuers & ſondry / & one hygher nobler & more profytable than another / euen ſo here / to prayſe the name and glorye of god / is better than the workes, of other cōmaūdementes, and yet it muſt no leſſe than all other good workes procede, and be done, in the ſame faythe.He meaneth that it muſt be done with ſuche a ſure faythe y^t we byleue vndoubtedly y^t god is therewith all vtterly wel pleaſed, & that he vnfaynedly enbraſeth both vsus & oure workes, for y^e merytes of chryſtes blode, wherin and wherfore we make vsus ſo aſſured. But I knowe that this worke is lytell made of / yea it is all vtterly vnknowen / therfore lette vsus loke vponupon it more dylygently, content to hauehave ſayde, that this worke ought be done in faythe, and truſte, yf it ſhal pleaſe god / ye forſothe there is noo worke / in the whiche thou ſhalte more euydentlye, or myghtelye perceyue the vehemence of truſte and faythe, than in the worſhyppynge of goddes name. And it is a wonderful helpe, bothe to then creaſyng and ſtablyſſhynge of faythe, howe be it all good workꝭ profyte to that purpoſe. As ſayeth ſaynt Peter in his .ii. epyſtle, the fyrſt chapytre. Wherfore bretherne gyue y^e more dylygence to make youre callynge and eleccyon ſure by goddes workes.

AS the fyrſte commaundement forbyddeth vsus to hauehave ſtraunge goddes / ſo it cōmaundeth vsus to worſhyppe the ſelfe ſame one and true god by fayth / truſte, good wyll, hope, and charyte / whiche onelyonly be the workꝭ, wherwith we maye hauehave, worſhyppe, and ſerue god. For god can be nother obtayned nor loſte by any worke, but onelyonly be fayth or vnbyleue / by truſte or deſperacyon. For there is no other worke that toucheth god / and ſo is forbyde in this ſeconde worke, y^t we take not the name of god in vayne / The whiche yet is not ynoughe / but here is alſo commaunded / that we worſhyppe / call vponupon / preache & prayſe his name. And truely it is not poſſyble / but y^t the name of god muſte nedes be irreuerētly taken, where it is not reuerently worſhypped. For all thoughe it be honoured with the mouthe / with knealynge, with kyſſynge, or with ſuche other geſtures / yet yf it be not from the herte by faythe and truſte in god, it is nothynge / but an outwarde ſhewe and coloure of ypocryſye and dyſſymulacyon. Nowe take hede howe many good workes a man maye do at all tymes in this cōmaundemēt, and neuer to be without y^e good workes of this cōmaundement, yf he wyll, ſo that ſuerly he neadeth not to go farre of Pylgrymage / or vyſyte holye places. And that to make more playne, ſhewe what momente or tyme, maye ſo ſoone paſſe ouer / in the whiche without any interrupcyon / we eyther receyue not goodnes of god / or elles ſuffer yll aduerſytyes / and what other thynges be the benefytes of god, or aduerſyties / but contynuall warnynges and prouocacyons / to laude, worſhyp, and prayſe god / and to calle vponupon hym and his name / and ſo albeit thou be cleane withoute all buſyneſſe / haſte thou not yet ynoughe to do, in this commaundement, to blyſſe, prayſe, laude, and worſhyp god? for vntounto what other purpoſe be y^e tonge, voyce, ſounde, & mouth made? as it is in y^e pſalme / lorde open my lyppes / and my mouth ſhall ſhewe forth thy prayſe / Alſo my lyppes ſhall prayſe the. What worke is there in heuen / but of this ſeconde cōmaundement, as it is red in the .8.4. pſalme. Lorde blyſſed be they that dwell in thy houſe, for they ſhall prayſe the for euer. So Dauid in the .33. plalme. his prayſe is alwaye in my mouthe / and ſaynt Paule to the Coryntheans / the fyrſte Epyſtle the .10. chapyter / whyther therfore ye eate or drynke, or what ſoeuer you do, do all to the prayſe of god / Alſo to the Colloſſyans the .3. chapytre. and all thynges, what ſoeuer you do in worde, or deade, do in y^e name of the lorde Iheſus Chryſte, gyuyng thankes to god the father by hym. So that & yf we kepte this worke, we ſhulde here in erthe, hauehave y^e kyngdome of heuen, and we ſhulde hauehave ynoughe & enoughe to do, as hauehave the bleſſyd in heuen.

FRom hence commeth the meruaylous & ryght iudgement of god, y^e other whyles the nedy and poore man, whome no man regardeth / hath many and great workes with hym / and at home at his houſe by hym ſelfe, be other prayſeth god merelye in his proſperyte / or elles calleth vponupon hym in aduerſytie / and in that, doynge a greatter & more acceptable worke / than another that faſteth moch, prayeth, buyldeth churches, goeth pylgrymages, and weryeth hym ſelfe hyther and thyther with many workes. And ſo hence it commeth to this foole, that he gapeth & ganeth for ſuche great workes, ſo vtterly blynde, that he neuer obſerueth the other moſte excellent worke of the poore man / ſo that to prayſe god is but a lytell worke in his eyes, in comparyſon of theſe great ymages, ymagened by his owne workes, in the whiche ꝑaduenture he prayſeth hym ſelfe more than god / or at y^e leaſt taketh more pleaſure in theym than in god. And ſo by his good workes he reſyſteth the ſeconde cōmaundement of god and his workes. The publycane, and the Pharyſie, that be in the goſpell ben a fygure of all theſe. Where the ſynner calleth vponupon god in his ſynnes, and preaſeth hym, touchynge the two hyghe commaundementes, faythe, and the honoure of god, but the Pharyſye accuſtomed to neyther of thyſe boſteth hym ſelfe in other good workes, by the whiche he reioyceth not in god, but in hym ſelf, truſtynge more in hymſelfe, than in god. Wherfore the one was worthelye reiecte, and the other choſen of god, y^e which thī ge maketh all to this poynt, that the hygher & better, that the workes ſeme, ſo moche leſſe they ſtablyſſhe a mannes faythe. And to theſe eueryevery man preſumeth, that he maye eaſely do thyſe workes, for we ſe that no man ſemeth ſo moche to prayſe the name and glorye of god, as they whiche neuer do it. So that when ſouer the herte is without fayth, it cauſeth the precyouſneſſe of the worke to be deſpyſed. yea ſaynt Paule doubteth not to ſaye playnlye that they dyde cheyflye blaſpheme the name of god, whiche boſted them ſelfe of y^e lawe of god. For it is but an eaſye thynge to name / the name of god, or to paynte his honoure in paper or cloth, or vponupon a walle / but to prayſe hym from the herte / to thanke hym in his good gyftes, & boldely to call vponupon hym in his aduerſyties, Thyſe trewelye be very ſelde, and the cheyfe of all workes nexte to faythe. In ſo moche, that yf we myghte ſe howe fewe there be of theſe in Chryſtendome, we myghte dye for ſorowe. And yet in the meane tyme, thyſe hyghe, fayre, and ſhynynge workꝭ inuēted by man, be euer encreaſed, whiche ī dede outwardlye be lyke vntounto theſe true workꝭ, but within & in the groū de, they be without all fayth and truſte and hauehave no goodnes in them at all. So the prophete Eſaye the .4.7. chapytre rebuked the people of Iſraell. Ye that be of the houſe of Iacobe y^t be called Iſraell & hauehave come out of the ſtocke of Iuda, whiche do ſwere in the name of the lorde & god of Iſrael / ye remembre hym nother in veryte nor in truthe / y^t is to ſay, they dyd theſe thynges nother in faythe nor truſte, whiche is the true veryte and ryghtwyſenes / but they truſted ī theyr owne ſelfe, in theyr owne workes, and in theyr owne power, and yet they called vponupon the name of god and prayſed it outwardelye, the whiche thynges do agre to many nowe a dayes.

WHerfore y^e fyrſte worke of this cōmaundemēt, is to laude god for his benefytꝭ whiche be excedynglye many, in ſo moche that there ought to be no ceaſynge or ende of ſuche laude or gyuyng of thankes. For who can prayſe hym ynough, for this naturall lyfe, albeit I lette paſſe ouer all the temporall and euerlaſtynge goodnes that we maye receyue of hym? Thus is man ouer whelmed and heaped with good workꝭ, by the onelyonly begynnynge of this commaundement, whiche yf he vſe with true fayth he ſhall not be here Idle / Agayn this precept offende no men more than they that ſeme holy, that ſtande in theyr owne conceyte, y^t gladly Auguſtyne ſaythe, that all other vyces be done in yll workes, excepte deſyre of honour and pleaſure, whiche is done in and of good workꝭ, wherfore yf a man hauehave no other thynge to do, but the ſeconde worke of this commaundement yet he hathe buſynes and laboure all his lyfe to ſtryue agaynſte this vyce, it is ſo ſubtyll, obſtynate, importunate, and ſtryuynge agaynſte hym that wolde caſt it out. But now all theſe good workes ſet a parte, we excercyſe our ſelfe in other vyler workes, ye rather we ſubuerte and forget theſe right workes, by other workes only good by our owne iudgement. And ſo the holye name of god is take in vayne and vnreuerently counted, throughe our curſed name / pleaſure, and deſyre of honour, whiche onelyonly is to be honoured, and worſhypped, y^e which ſynne is more greuous in the ſyght of god, than other māſlaughter or adulterye, but his poyſon is not ſo clerelye ſene, as be adulterye and manſlaughter / for the hyghnes of it, for it is not cōmytted in y^e groſſe fleſſhe, but in y^e ſpyryte.

THere be ſome that thynke it profytable for youthe to exhorte and moue theym to do well and lyue well, by prayſynge, honoure, and laude, agayne to dyſwade hym frome yll, by ſhame, and ſclaunder. For there be many that do good for louelove of honoure, and of prayſe, and leaue yll, for feare of ſclaū der / or els they wolde nother do the goodnes, nor leaue y^e yll vndone / whome I leaue to theyr owne iudgement. But we do ſerche howe good workes, ſhulde truely be done / to the whiche thynge who ſoeuer be redy they nede not to be moued, other by feare of ſhame, or deſyre of honoure / but they hauehave and oughte to hauehave a more nobler mocyon, that is, the commaundementes of god / the pleaſure of god, and theyr faythe and louelove towarde god. They that hauehave not this mocyon nor care not for it / ſufferynge theym ſelfe to be moued, by honoure, or laude, receyue theyr rewarde here. As Mathewe ſayeth the .vi. chapytre. And ſuche as is the mocyon / ſuche be the worke and the rewarde, and neyther of them good but in the ſyghte of the worlde. I wolde iudge it as eaſye to vſe and moue a yonge man, by the feare and cōmaundementes of god, and nothynge els, but whā this profyteth not / we muſte neades ſuffre theym to good for prayſe, and leaue yll for ſclaunder / as we be bounde to ſuffre yll and vnperfytte men / of whom I ſpeake before. There is nothynge that we ſhulde do more in this / but that we ſaye vntounto theym / howe that theyr deade is not ſuffycyent or ryght in the ſyght of god / ſo ſufferynge theym to theyr owne maners, tyll they maye lerne to do well for god / as chyldren be prouoked by gyftes and promyſes of theyr fathers and mothers to faſte, to praye, and to lerne, the whiche is not good to doo, thoroughe alle theyr lyfe, and neuer to lerne to do well for the feare of god, moche more worſe than is it, yf they be vſed to do well for prayſe or honoure.

YEt neuertheleſſe it is ſyttynge that we hauehave good name & prayſe / therfore let eueryevery man ſo ſhewe hym ſelfe, that there can no yll be ſpoken of hym, nother that any man be offended in hym. As ſaynte Paule ſayeth to the Romaynes, y^e .xii. chapyter prouydyng good thynges, not onelyonly before god, but before al men. And to the Corynthians the .ii. epyſtle, and the iiii. chapytre. We report our ſelfe to eueryevery mannes cōſcyence in the ſyght of god. But here is nede bothe of great delygence and wyſedome, leſt that ſuch honour and good name, ſhulde make vsus proude, & cauſe vsus to hauehave louelove and pleaſure in them. For here procedeth the ſayenge of Salomon: as fyre dothe proue golde in the fournace / ſo a man is proued with y^e mouthe of hym that prayſeth hym. Therfore there cā be but fewe ſo hyghe and ſpyrytuall men, whiche cōtynewe fre, and vp ryght in ſuch prayſe and honour, ſettyng not by them, nor hauynge any pleaſure in them / but wholy abydyng fre & voyde from all ſpyrytuall pryde / aſcrybynge all theyr honoure & name to god onelyonly, referryng to hym, what ſoeuer excellēce they hauehave / nother vſyng them otherwayes than to the glorye of god & the profyte of theyr neyghbours, & to nothynge leſſe, than to theyr owne pryuate welthe and prerogatyue / ſo that they preſume nothyng of theyr honour nother be prowde of it, but can lyue as the moſt vyleſt & fyltheſtꝭ of y^e world But let thē knowlege thē ſelfꝭ to be y^e ſeruaūtes of god / y^e gyuer of ſuch hono^r, to ſerue god & theyr neyghbour, none otherwyſe thā yf he had cōmytted certayne of gold to thē to be diſtrybuted to y^e poore people ī his name. So he ſayeth Mathewe y^e .v. chap. So let your lyght ſhyne before men y^t they may ſe your good workꝭ & prayſe your father which is ī heuen / he ſayde not y^t they myghte prayſe you but your workꝭ & yet y^t they myght ſerue to a more better ꝓfyte y^t by thē they may prayſe god bothe in you & in thē. For this is y^e true vſe of good name & honour, whan god is prayſed by them to y^e profyte of other men. But ſuche men as wolde prayſe vsus / & not god in vsus & our dedes / let vsus not ſuffre in any wyſe, but forbydde & flye ſuch prayſe with all our myght & ſtrength / as the moſt greuous of all ſynnes and robberye of the honour of god.

HEnce it cōmeth, that many tymes by the ſufferaunce of god, a man falleth in to greuous ſynnes / and lyeth wrapped in them, in ſo moche that he appereth a greuous ſynner aſwell in his owne ſyghte, as before other men, or els he coude neuer be ſaued, for the ſtoppe and lette of this excedynge vyce of vayne glorye, yf he ſhulde neuer fall, but contynewe in great gyftes & vertues. For god muſte withſtande this ſynne, with other great ſynnes / that his holy name maye abyde in honoure. So one ſynne is remedy & a medecyne for another / bycauſe of our frowarde malycious nature not onelyonly doyng all yll, but alſo abuſynge all goodnes. Nowe marke howe great buſynes he hath, that wyll do good workes whiche come to his handes by great heapes / with the whiche whan he is compaſſed about on eueryevery ſyde, and hath ynough cō maūded hym to do / yet (alas for ſorowe) he ſeaketh and foloweth other after his owne mynde and wyll, & letteth them lye vndone / ſo y^t no man can ſpeke ynoughe agaynſte this yll / nother exchue it ynough. With this ſynne had the prophetes moche to do / and were ſlayne / Choſen workes of mans owne fantaſye ben forbydden.for bycauſe they reiected and dampned ſuch choſen workes, inuented and taken vp by mannes owne mynde / prechynge onelyonly the cōmaundementes of god / of the which workes ſpeketh Hyeremie the .vii. chapytre / theſe thynges ſayeth y^e lorde of hooſtes of Iſraell / put youre ſacryfyce to your offrynges, and eate the fleſſhe / for I ſpeake not with your fathers / nother commaunded them one worde of ſacryfyce and offrynges / that daye that I brought them out of the lande of Egypte / but this worde I cōmaunded theym, ſayenge. Here ye my voyce, and I ſhal be vntounto you a god / and you ſhal be vntounto me a people, that is to ſay / here ye not that, whiche ſemeth ryght and iuſte to you / but that which I hauehave cōmaūded you / & walke you in all the waye, whiche I ſo bydde you / y^t you maye do well. And the .xii. chapytre of Deuteronomye / do onelyonly to the lorde, y^t whiche I cōmaūde the, do thou nother put to, nor take awaye any thyng. Theſe and innumerable ſuch ſentēces of ſcrypture be ſpoken to plucke a mā / not onelyonly from ſynne, but alſo from the good and iuſte workes of theyr owne opynyon / & onelyonly to brynge theym by this playne ſentence to goddes cōmaundementes / that they may greatlye regarde, and kepe theym onelyonly. As it is ſayd, Exodi the .xiii. chapytre. It ſhall be as a ſygne in thy hande, and as a remembraū ce before thy eyes / y^t the lawe of god may be alway ī thy mouthe. And in the fyrſte pſalme / he ſhall muſe in his lawe daye & nyghte / for we hauehave buſynes ynoughe & more than ynoughe, to fulfyll the cōmaundementes of god. For he hathe gyuen vsus ſuche cō maūdemētes, y^t yf we dyd vnderſtande them / we ſhulde not truely be ydell, the twynkelyng of an eye / and lyghtly forget all other workes. But the yll ſpyryte whiche reſteth not vntyll he pulle vsus on the lyfte hande, into yll workes / loketh ryghtly vntounto theſe choſen and ſhynynge workes / agaynſte the whiche god cōmaundeth, Deuteronomie the .xxvii. and Ioſue the .xxiii. chapytre. Be ye onelyonly ſtrong and buſy, that you may kepe all thynges that be wryten in the boke of Moyſes lawe, & do you not bowe from it, nother on the ryght hande, nor on the lyfte hande.

The thyrde worke of y^e ſeconde commaūdemēt.THe thyrde worke of this cōmaundement, is to call vpō the name of god in all trybulacyōs / for by this god iudgeth his name to be halowed, magnyfyed, & worſhypped / yf we name hym, & cal vponupon hym in perſecucyon and neceſſytie. And for to be ſhorte, this is the very cauſe why he dothe not onelyonly punyſſhe vsus with ſo many neceſſyties, ſuffrynges, perſecucyons, ye & dethe / but alſo ſuffereth vsus to lyue in many yll and ſynfull affeccyons / that by them he maye moue man to ronne to hym / to crye to hym, and to call vponupon his holy name / and ſo to fulfyll the worke of the ſeconde cōmaundement, as he ſayde the 4.9. pſalme. Call vponupon me in the day of thy trouble / And I ſhall delyuer the, and thou ſhalte honour me. Offre to god the ſacryfyce of prayſe, and thou ſhalt honoure me. And this is the waye, wherby thou mayſt come to helthe. For by this worke a mā may perceyue & proue what the name of god is, howe myghty and full of power it is, to helpe thē that call vponupon it / by the whiche ſpryngeth meruaylouſlye truſte and faythe / wherby the chiefe & fyrſt cōmaundement is fulfylled / the whiche thynge Dauyd had proued whan he ſaid the .53. pſalme. I ſhall wyllyngly offre to the / & I ſhall prayſe thy name, for it is good. For thou haſte delyuered me from all trouble / and my eye hath loked ouer all my enemyes. And in the .90. pſalme god ſayth Bycauſe he hathe truſted in me, I ſhall delyuer hym, and I wyll defende hym / bycauſe he hathe knowen my name. Nowe therfore marke, what man there is in the worlde / that hathe not buſynes ynoughe all his lyfe / in this one worke / for who lacketh temptacyon, ye the ſpace of one houre? Albeit in the meane tyme I paſſe ouer, and ſpeake in thynge of the temptacyon of troubles, whiche be infynyte. To this adde that the moſte peryllous temptacyon of all is this, whan there is no temptacyō, nor trouble, but that al thynge gothe after a mannes mynde leſte that he forgette god, and be the more cruell and myſuſe this proſperyte and fortunable ſeaſōs. yea here hath he ten tymes more neaed to call vponupon y^e name of god than in aduerſytye, as it is red the .90. pſalme there ſhall falle a thouſande vponupon thy ryght hāde. Moreouer we ſe clerer than the day, by dayly experyence of men, that there be more greuous vyces & ſyn̄es cōmytted in peace / in welthe of goodes, & in proſperous tyme,Cōtynuall proſperyte is moſt daū gerous. than in warre, peſtylence, ſyckenes, & in al maner of troublous. In ſomoch that Moyſes feared that his people ſhulde forſake y^e cōmaundementes of god / for no other cauſe, but that they were more full ſacyate / and quyete, than was expedyent, as he ſayde Deutronomie the .32. chap. And Iſraell waxed corſye & kycked, waxed corſye, thycke & ſmothe / & let god go y^e made hym & deſpyſed y^e rocke y^e ſaued hym, wherfore almyghty god ſuffred hym to hauehave many other enemyes, who he wolde not put awaye, y^t they ſhulde hauehave no reſt, but excercyſe them ſelfe to kepe the cōmaundementes of god, as it is redde the .iiij. chapytre of Iudyth. Thus he handeleth and punyſſheth vsus with all maner of aduerſytie / he is ſo carefull for vsus, to dryue and teache vsus to call vponupon his name / to deſyre faythe & truſte in hym / and ſo to fulfyll two the fyrſte cō maundementes.

HEre therfore folyſſhe men doo peryllouſly / and ſpecyallye theſe holy workes, whiche chalenge any ſyngularytie to them ſelf, one lerneth to blyſſe hym ſelfe / y^e other to defende hym ſelfe, with letters / ſome ronneth to charmers, propheſyers, and ſothe ſayers / this man ſeketh this, & this man that / & all that they myght be ſafe without aduerſytie. Neyther can it be tolde howe myght lye the deuyls wytchecraftes reygne agaynſt this commaundement by charmynge and coniuryng with ſuperſtycyous, which be all done for this cauſe / that they ſhulde hauehave no neade in the name of god. By y^e whiche thinges there is moche vnreuerence had to the two fyrſte cōmaundementes, bycauſe that ſuch thynges ben ſought of y^e deuyll, man, or other creature, which ought onelyonly to be ſought and foūde of god / by pure, playne, and bare faythe and truſte, with a merye boldeneſſe / and by callyng vponupon his holy name. Doſte not thou thy ſelfe therfore fele at thy fyngers endes, that it is a great folyſſhenes, to beleue the deuyll, man, and creature / and loke for good thynges of them? And yet without ſuche faythe and truſte in theym, it helpeth or profyteth nothyng to cal vpō them. What diſceyte thā ſhal there be ī y^e good & faythfull god? or what ſhulde let vsus to truſt & byleue of moche, yea and farre more in hym as in man or deuyll? Whan that god doth not onelyonly promyſe vsus ſuccour, and ſure helpe, but ſheweth it vsus by al maner occaſions, dryuynge vsus to put ſuch faythe and truſte ī hym. Is it not a pyteous thynge, and to be bewayled, that the deuyll or man cōmaundyng no thynge nother compellynge, but only hyghtynge and promyſynge ſhulde be ſet aboue god, whiche promyſeth, compelleth, and cōmaundeth. Yea and more to be gyuen to the deuyl than to god? we maye well be aſhamed / yf we take but euen take example of them that truſt in y^e deuyll or in man. For yf the deuyll (although he be an yll and a lyenge ſpyryte (kepe his promyſe with them that come in to his felowſhyppe / howe moche more wyll god onelyonly mekeſt and trueſt kepe promyſe with them that truſt in hym? The ryche man truſteth and is bolde in his ryches, and money, and that profyteth hym and wyll not we truſte and be bolde in the lyuynge god? that he wyll and maye helpe vsus? it is a comon ſayenge / ryches maketh man bolde, and it is true. As Barucke wryteth the thyrde chapytre. Whiche treaſure vp ſyluer and golde / in the whiche men truſte, and there is none ende of theyr gettynge. But he is moche more bolde that is moued by the hyghe and euerlaſtynge good / in the which not men / but onelyonly y^e ſonnes of god be bolde and truſtye.

BVt yf no ſuche aduerſyte or trouble dyd compell vsus to cal vponupon the name of god, & to truſte in hym / yet onelyonly ſynne is ſuffycyent to exercyſe and ſtyre vsus to this worke / for ſynne beſegeth vsus with thre ſtronge hooſtes Of the whiche / the fyrſt is, our owne fleſſhe. The ſeconde, the world, the .iii. the deuyl, by whome we be cōtynually prouoked, ſtyred, and greued / for y^e fleſſhe ſeketh pleaſure and reſt, y^e world loketh for ryches / power and honoure, the deuyll ſeaketh pryde, boſtynge, and louelove of hym ſelfe / and deſpyſyng of all other men / whiche be ſo myghty, that eueryevery one of theym alone is ſtronge ynough to oppreſſe & ouercome a man, the whiche truelye we can neuer ouercome / but by callyng vponupon y^e holy name of god, in ſted faſte faythe. As Salomon ſayth the .xviii. chapitre of the prouerbes. The ſtrongeſt towre is the name of god / the ryghtous man ronneth vntounto it, and he ſhall be lyfte vp / ſo Dauyd in the .115. pſalme, I ſhall take the cuppe in the thākefull fyſte, for y^e helpe brought me, and I ſhall call vponupon the name of y^e lord. Alſo the .xvii. pſalme: I magfyed and worſhypped the lorde, & ſo was I ſaued frō my enemyes. Theſe workꝭ, & the power of the name of god, be vnknowen vntounto vsus / & that for bycauſe we hauehave not vſed them, nor euer fought gladly with our ſynnes, as thinkyng that we had no neade to call vponupon the name of god. And this fortuneth bycauſe we be onelyonly exercyſed in our propre workes, whiche we do by our owne power.

ALſo the workes of this commaūdement be / y^t we ſhulde not ſwere, curſe, lye, deceyue, & charme, by y^e holy name of god nother exercyſe any other myſuſes, the whiche be ſo great that they be knowen vnyuerſallye to all men. For theſe ſynnes be onelye (for the moſte parte) preached and ſhewed in this commaundement / in the whiche is alſo comprehended that we ſhulde forbydde other men to ſwere, to lye, to deceyue, to curſe, to charme, or by any other meanes to ſynne, with the name of god, by y^e whiche as there be many cauſes gyuen to do good deades / ſo there be to lette yll.The chyefe cūmaū demēt of this precept. But the chyefe and mooſt weyghtye worke of this cōmaundemente, is to defende the holye name to god agaynſte all the ſpyrytuall myſuſes. and to ſette that forthe amonges all men. For it is not ynoughe that for my ſelfe and in my ſelfe, I prayſe and call vponupon the name of god as well in aduerſytie as in proſperyte / but I muſte neades ſhewe this name for the, and lade my ſelfe with the hatered of all men for the glory of this name / as Chriſte ſaid to his diſcyples, you ſhal be hated of al men for my name. Here we muſt dyſepleaſe father, mother, & our beſt frendes, here we may withſtāde our offycers, and ſegnyours bothe ſpyrytuall and temporall, and we muſte be rebuked as ſtubborne and dyſobedyent. Here the ryght and great lerned men, & they that ſeme holy with the all worldly men muſt be agaynſt vsus. And thoughe they be chyefelye bounde to do theſe thynges, to whome is cōmytted the chyefe of preachynge / yet euerye Chryſten man is bounde to the ſame, whan tyme and place requyreth it / for we ought to pay and to gyue all that we hauehave or may do, for the name of god, and to proue in dede that the name, honoure, and laude of god is derer to vsus, than al other thyngꝭ, & to truſte in hym aboue all thynges / and to loke for all goodnes of hym, & ſo to profeſſe hym that we take hym for y^e hygheſt good of al / and for whoſe name we be redye to leaue and forſake all other thynges.

HEere we muſte withſtande all iniuryes & wyckedneſſe, where as other the treuthe or ryght be in daunger, or ſufferyth vyolence, or neceſſyte. Neyther ſhuld be here hauehave reſpect to any ꝑſone, as many men do, greatlye ſtryuynge for wronge done vntounto the ryche myghtye men, and to theyr frendes, but where as any ſuche thynges fortune to the poore and ſubiecte men, or to theyr ennemyes / they reſte and let theym alone / ſuche men loke not vponupon the name of god in them ſelfe, but throughe a paynted wyndowe meaſurynge the veryte and ryght after the reſpecte of perſones. They fynde neuer out theyr owne falſe eye, whiche loke more vponupon the perſone than the cauſe. Theſe be very flaterers and hypocrytes / hauynge no thynge to defende the truthe with / but clokynge and colouryng. For they knowe very wel that there is no ieoperdy to fauour the ryche, myghty, and connynge men, and theyr frendes, of whome they may receyue thankes, be defended, and honoured agayne. With ſuche eaſynes may a man withſtande wronges done to byſſhoppes, kynges, prynces, & other great men / for to helpe and defende theym, eueryevery man ſtryueth to be beſte. O howe preuye is this diſceytfull Adam with his wytte / whiche goodlye cloketh the couetouſnes of his profyte with y^e name of verytie, and uiſtyce, and with the name fo god. But whā any ſuche thyng happeneth vntounto a neadye or poore man / than this falſe eye fyndeth not ſo moche profyte, thoughe he perceyue neuer ſo well, the hate of the ryche menne, and ſo forſaketh the poore manne, carynge for nothynge leſſe / thanne to helpe hym that is in trouble. Who can nombre the multytude of this ſynne that is in Chryſtendome? So ſayeth god, the .81. Pſalme. Howe longe wyll ye iudge wronge fullye and take vppon you the face of vngodlye menne? Se that you delyuer in iudgement the poore and yonge fatherleſſe / ſette the troubledde and oppreſſyd menne in theyr ryghte / auenge the poore forſakenne, and neadye / and to delyuere theym fromme the handes of the vngodly. But for as moch as they do none of theſe, it foloweth, that they nother knowe nor perceyue any thyng, but ſtycke in the reſpecte and perſones of men, that be of greate power, how vnryghtous ſoeuer they be, and knowe not the pore men, be they neuer ſo rightwyſe.

LO here myghte a mā do many god workꝭ. For y^e greatteſt parte of men of power, ryche men, & our frendꝭ, do wrōge and exercyſe vyolence, & tyrrannye, in the nedy, poore, and aduerſaryes. And y^e geratter a man is, y^e worſe he is cōmenly. Wherfore there as thou canſte not let ſuch vyolēce, & helpe the truthe / yet ſhewe it in wordes, & nother aſſente nor fauour to y^e vnryghtwyſe, but ſpeke y^e truth playnly. For what I pray you, profyteth it a man to do all good workes, ronne to Rome, and to all other holye places / to buylde & founde churches and colledges, to purchaſe all pardons, and yet fynde hym ſelfe fawty in the name and honour of god? bycauſe that his name beynge hyd / and ſuppreſſed they ſet more by theyr owne goodes, honoures, and fauoure of theyr frendes / than they dyd by the truth / whiche is the name and verye honoure of god / yea what man is he / that hath not ſuche good workes, daylye and hourelye cōmynge home to his dores and houſe? that he nedeth not to ronne farther, or inquyre moche for good workes. For yf we wolde loke vponupon the lyfe of man, and marke with how lytell regard all thynges be done both here / and eueryevery where / we ſhuld be compelled to crye with y^e prophete ſayeng / eueryevery mā is a lyer. Of a truth all men be falſe lyers & deceyuers / All men be lyers.for the cheyf true & pryncypall worke ſette a parte, they garnyſſhe & paynt them ſelues / with the leſte and vyle workes / and yet they wolde be counted good, and clym̄e to heuen with a ſure quyetnes, and reſte. But perauenture ſome man wyl ſaye, wherfore dothe not god helpe the pore alone, ſeynge that he knoweth & maye helpe eueryevery mā? I anſwere that he knoweth and maye helpe and do it, but he wyll not do it alone / for he wyll worke togyther with vsus / and by vsus / But albeit we refuſe to do hym this honoure. Yet neuertheles / he wyll perfourme it, helpynge the pore, & dampne ſuche with y^e vnryghtwyſe, as wyl not helpe theym, but deſpyſe the great honoure of his worke, as men that fauoured the vnryghtwyſe. And albeit he be blyſſed alone, yet he gyueth vsus the ſame honoure, bycauſe he wyll not be blyſſed alone, but wyll hauehave vsus blyſſed togyther with hym. And moreouer yf god ſhuld do all theſe thynges alone, his cōmaundementes ſhuld be gyuen in vayne no man hauynge a cauſe to exercyſe hym ſelf, in the great workꝭ of his preceptes. Nether ſhulde any man hauehave any ſure profe or experyence, whether he truſted faythfully in the name of god or no,An innocēt lyfe, & good workes ben fyue tokens of a ryghte faythe. and allowed it for y^e hygheſt good that is or no. And whether that he wyll put hym ſelfe in all ieoperdyes for hym or no.

IT pertayneth alſo to this worke to reſyſte all falſe, peruerſe / deceyuable erronyous doctryne and hereſyes / and all y^e abuſe of the ſpyrytuall and eccleſyaſtycall power, the whiche is a merueylouſe hyghe thynge / for they ſtraytelye withſtonde the name of god / with the name of god / Wherfore it ſemeth to be greate Ieoperdye to gayneſaye them, whan they cloke theym ſelfes, ſayenge. Who ſoeuer reſyſteth them, reſyſteth god and all his ſayntes / whoſe ſtede they be in, and whoſe power they do vſe, ſayenge that it was ſpoken to them by Chryſt. He that heareth you, heareth me / and he y^e deſpyſyth you, deſpyſyth me / to the whiche wordꝭ they ſtycke ſtyffely and be fyerce & bolde to cōmaunde to do & leaue vndone what ſo euer they wyl / to excōmunycate, curſe, take a waye, ſleye / and do all other wyckednes, rebukes, & ſhames after their owne pleaſur without any let, but Chryſt dyd not thynke them to be obe…yed in all thynge which they ſpeake and do / but onelye whan they put forthe vntounto vsus the worde of the goſpell, and not theyr owne worde / or elles howe ſhulde we hauehave knowen to auoyde theyr lyes and ſynnes? for we muſte neades hauehave a rule, to ſhewe wherin they muſte be obeyed & folowed / whiche rule muſte be gyuen to vsus not of them but of god, to the which we muſt order and vſe our ſelfes / as we ſhall here in the fourth cōmaūdemēt. Thus therfore muſte it be / that in the ſpyrytuall degre / the more parte be falſe doctryne, prechynges, and the abuſe of the Eccleſiaſtycall power, to the ende that we maye hauehave cauſe and occaſyon to do the workes of this commaundement, and that we ſhuld be proued / what we wyll do, or leaue vndone, for the honoure & glorye of god / agaynſt the vngodlye blaſphemers of hym and his name. O I wolde to god / that here we were as we oughte to be. Howe often than ſhuld the falſe offycyalles ſette forth, both the popes and the byſſhoppes excōmunycacyon in vayne? howe greatly then ſhulde y^e thundrynges of Rome / faynt and decaye? howe ofte ſhuld he holde his peace / whom all the worlde is cōpelled to here? howe fewe prechers ſhuld than be foūde in Chryſtendome. But this myſchefe hath ſo longe preuayled that, what ſoeuer they ordeyne muſte be iuſte and ryght. Here is no man that wyll ſtryue for the name and glorye of god. Truely I byleue that there is no greatter ſyn̄e / nother more cōmytted by the outwarde workes / then in this cōmaundement. For it is hygher then that many can vnderſtande and perceyue it / and ſo ornate with the name and power of god / that it is ieoperdye to touche it. But the prophetes were ones chefe / crafte mayſters in this thynge, and after theym / the Apoſtles / and ſpecyallye ſaynte Paule nother regarded nor cared, whether the hyghe preeſt,As it appeareth y^e .2. chapytre to the Galatyens wher Paule rebuketh peter openlye, for his dyſſymulacion. or the lowe preeſt ſayde it / whether he dyd it in the name of god / or that he dyd it in his owne name / for they marked the wordes and the deades, and compared theym with the commaundementes of god / not lokynge whether great Iohn̄ / or lytel Nycholas ſpake or dyd eyther in goddes name or in mannes. And for this cauſe they were put to deth / of y^e which thyng, moche more / myght be ſpoken now in our tyme, wherin all thī ges be done out of frame. But Chryſte & paule muſt hyde theſe thyngꝭ, with theyr holy names, all though there can be no more ſhamfull a cloke of ſynne in the worlde / than the moſt holye and blyſſed name of chryſte Iheſu. Wherfore a man maye abhorre this lyfe / onlye for the abuſe and blaſfeme the holy name of god / And yf theſe thynge contynue any longer, I am a frayde leſte, for god / they ſhall worſhype the deuyll. Our holy and ſpyrytuall men do all thyngꝭ with ſuche abhomynable boldnes / and withoute any ſhame. Therfore it is hyghe tyme / that we praye hertely to god / that he wyll ſanctyfye his name. But y^e muſte be with the blode of them that ſette in y^e goodnes of martyres,He meaneth that we be ſaued by the worde, wherfore the martyrs ſhedde theyr blode. and whiche be gotten & ſaued with theyr blode. And euē they them ſelues muſt be martyres agayne / of the whiche thynge / we ſhall ſpeake more an other tyme.