Exposition Upon Matthew 27(1), Matthew 6

Exposition Upon Matthew 27(1) · Matthew 6

¶ 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 vntounto you / they hauehave 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.

p. lixAs 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 louelove, and wolde hauehave 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 vsus. 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 hauehave 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,Iohan. 16. 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 p. lxmen, and ſo deſpyſed and condempned theyr brethren. with our almoſe which is as moch to ſay as dedes of mercye or cōpaſſyon / we ought to ſeke our fathers glory onelyonly, 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 hauehave the glorye them ſelues.

Concernyng blowynge of trompettes and ryngynge of belles or makynge a crye / Trōpettes To blowe trompettes what.to call men to fet almes (though the ryght way be, that we ſhuld knowe in eueryevery paryſhe all our pore and had a comen coffer for them / & that ſtraungers ſhulde brynge a letter of recommēdacion 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 / Lefte handand euen of pure compaſſyon and louelove to our brethren / and not that oure good deades through ſtandyng in our owne conſayte, ſhulde cauſe vsus to dyſpyce them.Vayne glory. A good remedy… agaynſte it. 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 dāpnable 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.workes iuſtefye not from ſynne …ether deſerue the rewarde promyſed. 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 vsus. I anſwer… fyrſte there is ynoughe ſpoken therof in other places, ſo that to them that hauehave red that, it is p. lxiſuperfluouſe to reherſe the matter agayne. Furthermore the argument is nought and holdeth by no rule. See ye not that the father and mother hauehave more ryght to the chylde and to al it can do, thā 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 recōpence 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 louelove and to prouoke it to be wyllynge to do parte of his duety, And when it hathe done amyſſe, thoughe it hauehave no power to do ſatyſfaccyon, nor luſt or courage to com to the ryght way agayne, yet theyr louelove and mercye abydeth ſtyll ſo greate to it, that vponupon 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 louelove, 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 chyldrē heuen / hath he no power to charge them to louelove 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 cōmaunded 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 p. lxiimake vsus the gladder to do our duetye / and not of the deſeruinge of the receyuer, when we hauehave done al that we cā, we ought to …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 vsus mercye of hys goodneſſe in Chryſt) he myght yet of ryght damme vsus for y^t we hauehave lefte vndone.

And as touchynge forgyuenes of ſynne, though forgyuenes of ſynne be promyſed vntounto 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 mā 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 the excellent knowledges ſake of Chryſt Ieſus my lorde, for whoſe ſake I let all go to loſſe, and counte them as chaffe or refuſe (that is to ſaye, as thynges whiche are purged out and refuſed when a thynge is tryed and made perfecte) that I myght wynne Chryſt and myght be founde in hym / not hauynge my ryghtwyſnes that cometh of the lawe. But that whiche cometh of fayth in Chryſte Ieſu / whiche ryghtwyſneſſe cometh of God thorough fayth / and is to knowe hym and the power of hys reſurreccyon (howe he is lord ouer al ſyn▪ and the only thynge that ſleyeth and vanqueſheth ſyn) and to knowe alſo the felowſhyp of his paſſyons that I myght be made lyke vntounto his dethe. So that when ryghtwyſneſſe and true merytes be tryed, we muſte be content that ours be the chaffe and Chryſtes the pure corne / oures the ſkome and refuſe, and Chryſtes the pure golde And we muſt faſhyō aur ſelues lyke vntounto Chriſt and take eueryevery man his croſſe and ſlee and mortefye the ſynne in the fleſhe,Croſſe. or els we can not be partakers of his paſſyon, The ſynne we do before our conuerſyon is forgyuen clerly thorough fayth if we repent and ſubmyt our ſelues to a newe lyfe. And the ſynne we do agaynſt… our wylles (I meane the wyl of the ſpyryte fo… after our conuerſyon we hauehave two wylles fygtynge one agaynſt the other) that ſynne is alſo forgyuen vsus thorough fayth,workes what they do. yf we repent and ſubmytte our ſelues to amende. And our dylygence in workynge kepeth vsus from ſynnynge agayne and mynyſheth the ſyn that remayneth in the fleſhe and maketh vsus pure and leſſe apte and dyſpoſed to ſynne, and it maketh vsus mery in aduerſytes and ſtronge in temptacyons and bolde to go in to God with a ſtronge and feruent fayth in our prayers / and ſure that we ſhal be harde when we crye for helpe at nede / eyther for our ſelues or our brethren, Nowe they that be neglygent and ſynne / are brought in temptacyon vntounto the poynte of deſperacyon and fele the very paynes of hell, ſo that they ſtande in doute whether God hathe caſte them away or no. And in aduerſyte they be ſorowful and dyſcouraged and thynke that God is angrye and ponyſheth them for theyr ſynnes. p. lxiiiwhen a chylde taketh payne to do hys father pleaſure and is ſure that he ſhall hauehave thanke and rewarde of hys laboure, he is mery and reioyſeth in hys worke and payne that he ſuffreth / and ſo is the aduerſyte of them that kepe them ſelues from ſynnynge. But a chylde when he is beten for hys faute, or when he thynketh his father is angrye and louelove hym not, is anone deſperat and dyſcouraged, ſo is the aduerſyte of them that are weake and ſyn ofte. A chylde that neuer dyſpleſeth hys father, is bolde in hys fathers preſence to ſpeake for hym ſelfe or hys frende. But he that oft offendeth and is correcte or chydde, thoughe the peace be made agayne, yet the remembraunce of hys offēces maketh hym fearefull and to myſtruſt & to thynke his father wolde not heare hym / ſo is the fayth of the weake that ſynne ofte.Promyſe. he that profeſſeth not a newe lyfe hathe no promiſe of mercye in Chryſte. But as for them that profeſſe not a newe lyuynge howe euer ſo moch they dreame of fayth▪ they hauehave no fayth at al, for they hauehave no promyſe, except they be cōuerted to a newe lyfe. And therfore in aduerſytes, temptacyon & deth, they vtterly dyſpare of all mercy and peryſhe.

And when thou prayeſt / thou ſhalt not be lyke the ypocrytes. For they louelove to ſtande & pray in the ſynagoges & in corners of the ſtretes / that they myght be ſene of men. Verely I ſay vntounto you / they hauehave theyr rewarde. Thou therfore when thou prayeſt / go in to thy chābre / & ſhut thy dore & pray to thy father which is in ſecrete. And thy father which ſeyth ī ſecrete / ſhal reward y^e opēly.

Prayers.After almoſe foloweth prayer. For as it is a Chryſten mannes parte, to helpe hys neyghboure and to beare with hym when he is ouercharged / and ſuffer with him, and to ſtande on… by another, as lōge as we lyue here on this ert… Euen ſo becauſe we be euer in ſuche perell and combraunce / that we can not rydde our ſelues out we muſt dayly and hourely cry to God for ayde and ſocoure / as wel for our neyghboures as for our ſelues.

workes muſt be ſeaſoned with gods word if they ſhal pleaſe godTo gyue almoſe / to pray / to faſte / or to do any thynge at all / whether betwene the and God, or betwene the and thy neyghbour / canſt thou neuer do to pleaſe God therwith / except thou hauehave the true knowledge of Gods worde to ſeaſon thy dedes withall. For God hathe put a rule in the ſcripture without whiche thou canſt not moue an heere o… thyne hede but that it is dampnable in the ſyght of God. As it is of the Iewes, though (as Paule beareth them recorde) they hauehave a feruent zele to God / ye and hauehave the ſcripture therto yet becauſe they hauehave not the true vnderſtandynge, all is dampnable p. lxiiiithat they do, ypocrytes with ſcrappes of almoſe gete an hundred folde. And with prayer they get prayſe (as thou ſeyſt here) and praye therto and robbe wydowes houſes / as thou redeſte Math. 23. And with faſtynge they get fatte belyes / full dyſhes / and euer more then ynough. And yet there is none almoſe / prayenge or faſtynge amonge them in the ſyght of God, with theyr prayers they exclude all true prayers, & make it impoſſyble that there ſhuld be any amonge them. For prayer is,Prayer. what it is. eyther alongynge for the honoure of the name of God …hat all men ſhuld feare hym and kepe hys preceptes and beleue in hym. And contrary to that ſeke they theyr owne honoure / that men ſhuld feare them and kepe theyr ordinaunces and be leue in theyr ſwete bleſſynges / prayers / pardones / and what ſo euer they promyſe. If they byd faſt thou muſt do it or be dampned and be an heretyke and rebellyous to holy churche. If they dyſpence and gyue the clene remyſſyō for to eate fleſhe on good fryday (though thou be neuer ſo luſty) thou muſt obey, or els thou art damned & an heretyke, becauſe thou doeſt not beleue in holy church. Eyther prayer is to gyue God thankes for the benefytes receyued· Contrary to which, they wyll fyrſt hauehave thankes of the worlde for theyr prayers, and robbe not onelyonly wydowes houſes. But alſo lord / prynce Emperour / and all the worlde / of houſe and lande ye and of theyr wyttes to. And then they bynde God to thanke thē / and to gyue thē (beſyde the thankes which they hauehave gotten in the worlde) not only heuen and an hyer place, but that he gyue heue to another man, ſaue through theyr merytes.

Eyther prayer is a cōplaynyng and a ſhewynge of thyne owne myſerye and neceſſyte, or of thy neyghboures before God / deſyrynge hym with all the power of thyne harte, to hauehave compaſſyon and to ſocoure. Contrary to this / they hauehave excluded with theyr prayers all neceſſyte and myſerye from amonge them. They be …ordes ouer all, and do what they wyll thorough the whole worlde. Kynge and Emperoure are theyr ſeruauntes, they nede but ſaye the worde, and theyr wyll is fullfylled. And as for theyr neyghboures, they hauehave no compaſſyon vponupon them, to brynge theyr complayntes before God. But with theyr prayers robbe thē of that …ytle they hauehave, and ſo make them more myſerable.

Chamber. To ſhutte thy cha…ber dore, what it meaneth.Of entryng into the chamber and ſhuttynge the dore to. I ſaye as aboue of that the lefte hande ſhulde not knowe what the ryght hande doeth, that the meanynge is / that we ſhulde auoyde all worldly prayſe and profyte, and praye with a ſyngle eye and true entent accordynge to Goddes worde, and is not forboden therby, to praye openly. For we muſte hauehave a place to come to gether to pray in generall, to thanke and to crye to God for the comune neceſſyte aſwell as to preache the worde of God in, where the preſt ought to pray in the mother p. lxv…onge, that the name of God maye be halowed and his worde faythfully taught and truely vnderſtande and fayth and godly lyuyng encreaſed, and for the kyng and rulers, that God wyl gyue them his ſpirite, to louelove y^e comune welth and for peace, that God wyll defende vsus from all ennymyes, for wederynge and frutes, that God wyll kepe away peſtylence and al plages And the preſte ſhulde be an enſample to the people how they ſhuld pray. There be of ſuche thynges as the preſtes and other bable (& not praye) many good collectes that ſhulde muche edifye the people if they were ſpokē in the mother tonge. And then whyle the preſtes ſynge pſalmes, let eueryevery man pray pryuatly and giuegive God thankes for ſuche benefytes as his harte knowed he hath receyued of God and comend to God hys pryuate neceſſytes and the pryuate neceſſytes of his neyboures whiche he knoweth and is pryuy to. Nether is there in al ſuche any ieoperdy of vayne glory. But and if God hauehave gyuen any man the ſpyryte of prayenge, as all men hauehave not lyke gyftes, that he pray oft and when other do not, then to hauehave a ſecrete place to pray in both for the auoydyng of vayne glorye and ſpeche of people / and that thou mayſt be fre / to vſe thy wordes as the luſteth & what ſo euer geſtures and behauoures do moue the moſt to deuocyon is neceſſarye and good.

And fynally what ſo euer neceſſyte thou haſt though thou fele thy ſelfe a great ſynner,Prayer. Gods commandemēt and promyſe ſhuld moue vsus to praye. yet yf thyne harte be to amende / let not that dyſcourage the. But go boldly to thy father / ſeynge thou haſte his commaundement / euer to praye / and promyſe that he wyl heare the / not for thy goodneſſe / but of hys goodneſſe and for hys truthe.

Moreouer when we praye / babyll not muche as the hethen do. For they thynke that they ſhalbe harde for theyr muche bablynges ſake. Be not therfore lyke vntounto them. For your father knoweth of what thinges ye hauehave nede / before ye axe hym. Of thys maner therfore pray ye. Our father which art in heuen / honoured be thy name / thy kyngedome come. Thy wyl be fulfylled / Gyue vsus thys day our dayly brede euen in earthe / as it is in heuen. And forgyue vsus our treſpaſſes / as we forgyue our treſpaſſers. And leade vsus not into temptacyon. But delyuer vsus from euell. For thyne is the kyngedome / the power and the glorye for euer. So be it.

p. lxviAs before he rebuked theyr falſe entent in prayenge / that they ſought prayſe and profyte of that worke whiche ought to be dyrecte to God alone, eyther to gyue hym thankes / that is to ſaye, to be a knowen and to confeſſe in the harte, that all we hauehave cometh of hym, or to cal vponupon hym for ayde and ſocoure in temptacyōs and all neceſſyte. Euen ſo here he rebuked a falſe kynde of prayenge, wherin the tonge and lyppes laboure and al the body is payned, but the harte talketh not with God nor feleth any ſwetnes at all, nor hathe any confydence in the promyſes of God, but truſteth in the multytude of wordes and in the payne and tedyouſnes of the lenght of the prayer / as a coniurar do the in his cyrcles. Characters and ſuperſticyouſe wordes of his coniuracyon. As ye ſe nowe to be among our fryers / mōkes / chanons nunnes / and euen through out al the ſpyrytualty, whiche (as I hauehave proued aboue) hauehave with theyr falſe entent of prayenge, excluded al occaſyons & the whole matter of true prayeng, and hauehave turned it into a bodely laboure, to vexe the tonge, lyppes, eyes, and trouth with roryng,Falſe prayer is paynfull. and to wery al the mēbers, ſo that they ſay (and may truely ſweare it) that there is no greater laboure in the world / then prayer, for no labour what ſoeuer it be, when the body is cōpelled and the harte vnwyllynge, can be other then greuous & paynful.true prayer is pleſaunt But true prayer (if they cōplained & ſought helpe eyther for thē ſelues or for theyr neyghboures & truſted in the promyſe of God) wold ſo conforte the ſoule & courage the harte, that the body (though it were halfe deade & more) wolde reuyue and be luſty agayne, and the laboure wolde be ſhorte and eaſy (as for an enſāple, if thou were ſo oppreſſed that thou were wery of thy lyfe, and wenteſt to the kynge for helpe, and haddeſt ſpede, the ſpirites wold ſo reioyſe, that thy body wold receyue her ſtrēgth agayne & be as luſty as euer it was) euen ſo the promyſes of God worke ioy aboue al meſure. where they be beleued in the harte.

But our hyrelinges hauehave no Goddes worde ſaue truſte in the multytude of wordes, length of bablynge and payne of body as bounde ſeruauntes. Nether knowe they any other vertue to be in prayer, as ye may ſe by the ordynaunces of all foundacyons.Syon. Shene. Kynge Henry the fyfte buylde Syon and the Charterhouſe of ſheue on the other ſyde the water of ſuche a maner that lyppe laboure may neuer ceaſe. For when the fryers of Syon rynge out, the Nunnes begynne And when the Nunnes rynge out of ſeruyce / the Monkes on the other ſyde begynne. And when they rynge out, the fryers begyn agayne / and vexe them ſelues nyght and day. And take payne for Goddes ſake / for whiche God muſt gyue them heuen. Ye and I hauehave knowē of ſom yere this, that for vere payne and tedyouſneſſe hauehave bydden the deuell take theyr founders. They call Lente the holyeſ…e tyme of the yere. But wherin is that holynes, verely in the multytude of wordes and tedyouſ… length of the p. lxviiſeruyce. For let them begynne at ſyxe, and it wylbe twelue or they can ende. In which tyme they be ſo weryed that by the tyme they hauehave dyned / they hauehave luſt to nothynge ſaue to ſlepe And in the ende of all they thynke no farther, then that God muſt rewarde theyr payne. And yf thou axe howe they knowe it. They wyll anſwere, he muſte rewarde it or be vnryghtwyſe. No God loketh not on the payne of thy prayer but on thy fayth in hys promyſe and goodnes nether yet on the multytude of thy wordes or longe babyllynge. For he knoweth thy matter better thē thou thy ſelfe. And though the Iewes and the hethen were ſo folyſhe throughe theyr vnbelefe to bable many wordes, yet were they neuer ſo madde, as to mumble and buffe out wordes that they vnderſtande not. Thou wyll ſaye. what matter maketh it, yf I ſpeke wordes whiche I vnderſtande not. or yf I praye not at all, ſeynge God knoweth my matter al ready. I anſwere, he wyl hauehave the to open thyne harte to hī / to enforme and edefy thyne owne ſelfe, that thou myghteſt knowe howe that all goodnes is of hym, to put thy truſt and confydence in him / and to flee to hym in tyme of nede, and to be thankful / and to louelove hym and obeye his commaundementes, and turne and be cōuerted vntounto thy lorde God, & not to runne wylde / as the vngodly do, whiche knowe not the benefytes of God, & therfore be vnthankeful to obey hys commaundementes.

And that thou mayſt knowe howe and what to praye, he gyueth the a ſhorte inſtructyon and enſample ſayeng / after this maner praye.

The Pater noſter is expounded.O our father whiche art in heuen.

Fyrſt muſt thou go to hym as a mercyful father whiche of his owne goodnes and fatherly louelove y^t he bereth to the, is redy to do more for the than thou canſt deſyre, though thou hauehave no merytes. But becauſe he is thy father / onelyonly yf thou wylte turne and hensforthe ſubmytte thy ſelfe to lerne to do his wyll.

To honour gods name what it is.Honoured be thy name.

Honoured and prayſed be thy name or honoured and prayſed be thou, for to honoure God and to honoure the name of God is all one. And to honoure the name of God is, to dreade hym to louelove hym and to kepe hys commaundementes. For when a chylde obeyeth his father, he honoreth and prayſeth his father and when he is rebellyous and dyſobedient, he dyſhonoreth his father. This is then the vnderſtandynge and meanyng of it. O father / ſeynge thou art father ouer al / powre out thy ſpyryte vponupon al fleſhe / and make all men to feare and drede & louelove the as their father, and in kepyng thy commaundementes to honoure the and thy holy name.

Thy kyngdome come.

That is, ſeyng thou art kynge ouer al, make all to knowe the and make the kynges and rulers which are but thy ſubſtitutes, to cōmaunde p. lxviiinothynge but accordynge to thy worde / and to them make all ſubiectes obey.

Thy wyl befulfylled in erthe / as it is in heuen.

This is al one with that goeth before. For as muche then as thou art father and kyng ouer all, and all we thy chyldren and brethren amonge our ſelues, make vsus all as obedyent to ſeke and to do thy wyll as the aungelles do in heuen. Make that no mā ſeke his owne wyl but all thyne. But and yf thou withdrawe thyne hande to tempte thy chyldren, that the rulers commaunde ought contrarye to thy wyll / then make the ſubiectes to ſtande faſt by thy worde and to offer them ſelues to ſuffer all extremyte, rather then to obey. Fynally when we pray to the in our tēptacions and aduerſites deſirynge the of what ſo euer thynge it be, & meane truely yet yf thou that knoweſt al, ſeyſt a better waye to thy glorye and our profyte, then they wylbe and not oures. As thy ſon Ieſus gaue vsus an enſample / whē he deſyred (if it had ben poſſible) that / that cuppe of better deth myght hauehave deperted from hym ſayenge, yet not as I wyl, but as thou wylt.

Gyue vsus our dayly breade.

By breade is vnderſtande al maner of fuſty naunce in the Ebrue ſpeche / ye and here is vnderſtande therby all that pertayned vntounto the neceſſyte of thys lyfe. If we hauehave bread there is dearth of nothyng that can pynche / namely in that lande. Gyue vsus our dayly breade. Gyue vsus all that the neceſſyte of thys lyfe dayly requyreth. Gyue it vsus day by daye, as we nede it. we deſyre not to hauehave ſtore for many yeres, to exclude all neceſſyce of prayenge to the, and to be as it were out of thy daunger, and to forget the. But mynyſter it day by daye, that we maye daylye fele thy benefytes and neuer forget the. Or if thou gyue vsus aboundaunce aboue that we deſyre, then gyue vsus an harte to vſe it and to beſtowe it for that purpoſe thou gaueſt it and to deale with our neyghboures, & not to louelove it inordynatly, but to thynke that it is thyne, and that thou mayſt take it awaye eueryevery howre and that we be content that thou ſo do at thy pleaſure, and ſo euer to hauehave it but for daylye breade.

Forgyue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgyue our treſpaſſers.

Becauſe he knoweth that our nature is ſo weake that we can not but ſynne dayly, therfore he teacheth vsus daylye to repent and to reconſyle our ſelues to gether / and dayly to axe God forgyuenes. Seynge he commaundeth vsus to axe, we maye be bolde ſo to do, and to beleue that he wyll forgeue vsus. No man therfore nedeth to deſpare that can repent and axe forgyuenes, howe euer ſo depe he hathe ſynned. p. lxixAnd me thynketh, yf we loked a lytle nere vpō thys texte, we neaded not to make the pope ſo great a God for his perdons. For Chriſt (which is a man to be beleued) ſheweth vsus here a more ſure way, ye and that a ſenſyble way which we maye fele that we be perdoned and our ſynnes forgyuen. we can hauehave none experyence of the popes thynges whether they be ſo or no. He can with al his perdons delyuer no man of any purgatorye that God putteth vsus vntounto in thys worlde. He can not bleſſe or heale any man ſo moche as of a pore ague or tothe ache. whiche deſeaſes yet by hys owne confeſſyon God putteth on vsus to purge vsus from ſynne. But where we can not ſee / fele / or hauehave any experyence at all, that it ſo is, there is he myghtye. If I were come whome out of a lande where neuer man was before, and were ſure neuer man ſhulde come, I myght tel as many wonders as mayſter More doth of Vtopia, and no man coulde rebuke me.

But here Chriſt maketh the ſure of perdon, for yf thou canſt forgyue thy brother / god hath bounde hym ſelfe to forgyue the, what if no mā hauehave ſynned agaynſte me? That were harde in this lyfe, neuertheles yet yf that profeſſyon be in thyne harte / that thou knoweſt that it is thy duetye to forgyue thy brother for thy fathers ſake / and art obedyent to thy fathers ordynaunce / and woldeſt forgyue, yf any of thy brethren had offended the and dyd axe the forgiuenes. Then haſt thou that ſame ſpirite which which God deſyreth to be in the. Marke what Chryſt ſayth aboue in the begynnynge of the .5 chapter. Bleſſed be the mercyfull / for they ſhal hauehave mercy / doeſte thou pety thy brethren that ſyn, and doeſt thy beſt to amēde thē, that thy fathers name may be honored. Then haſt thou yf wherby thou art ſure of mercy as ſone as thou deſyreſt it. And agayne. Bleſſed be the peace makers for they ſhalbe Goddes chyldren. Lo, yf there be any varyaūce among thy brethren, that one hauehave offended the other, do thy beſte to ſet them at one, and thou haſt the ſame thynge that God deſyreth of the / for which he hath bounde hym ſelfe to forgyue the.

Leade vsus nat into temptacyon.

That is. Let vsus not ſlyppe out of thy leafe, but holde vsus faſte, gyue vsus not vp nor ceaſe to gouerne vsus, nor take thy ſpirite frō vsus. 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 vsus, yf thou withdrawe thyne hande from vsus. Leade vsus not into temptacyon. Let no temptacyon fall vponupon vsus, greater then thyne helpe in vsus. But be thou ſtronger in vsus than the temptacyon thou ſendeſte or letteſte come vppon vsus. Leade vsus not into tēptacyons. Father though we be neglygent, ye and vnthankful, and dyſobedyent to thy true prophetes / yet let not the dyuell lowſe vponupon vsus to deceyue vsus with hys p. lxxfalſe prophetes and to harden vsus in the waye, in which we gladly walke, as thou dydeſt Pharao with the falſe myracles of hys ſorſerars, as thyne Apoſtle Paule threateneth vsus. 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 vsus 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 louelove 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 downeward… onelyonly, and the deuell and the worlde dryueth therto the ſame waye, howe can we procede further in vertue or ſtāde therin, if thy power ceaſe in vsus. Leade vsus not therfore o mercyfull father into tēptacyon nor ceaſe at any tyme to gouerne vsus. Nowe ſeynge the God of al mercy which knoweth thyne infirmite cōmanded 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 ſtāde of my ſelfe when his power was ready to helpe the, yf tho… hade axed it.

But delyuer vsus from euell.

Fyrſt (as aboue) let vsus 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 vsus out agayne. Thyrdly, delyuer vsus from euel, and plucke vsus out of the fleſhe and the world & the power of the deuel, & put vsus in the kyngdome where we be paſt al ieoperdy and where we can not ſynne any more.

p. lxxiFor the kyngdome and the power and the glorye is thyne for euer. So be it.

Becauſe that t…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 onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 hauehave choſen hym / that is to wete▪ tyll he be choſen by the ordynāce 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 cōmaunded. But nowe theyr auctoryte is but a lymeted power / which when they trāſgreſſe, they ſyn agaynſt theyr brethren, and ought to reconſile them ſelues to their brethren and to axe forgiuenes, and they are boūd to forgyue.

Fynally let kynges / rulers / and officers remēber 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.

A couenaūt where with god is bonde to forgyue vsus, & we to forgyue eche other.This is Goddes couenaunt with vsus and a cō fyrmacyon of the petycyon aboue reherſed in y^e Pater noſter / forgyue vsus 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 cōmytted againſt God, if thou repent and axe hī forgyuenes, thou art ſure that thou art ſo abſolued by theſe wordes, that none in heuē nor erth can bynd the▪ No though our moſt holy father curſſe the as blake as coles,Gods couenaunt is a ſure abſolucyō to al y^t kepe it. ſeuen fote vnderunder the erthe and ſeuen fote aboue, & caſt al his lyghtenynge vponupon 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 p. lxxiithou 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 forgiuene… 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 bloude and in the promyſes made vsus for his ſake, dothe brynge ryghtwyſneſſe into the harte. And the ryghtwyſnes of the harte by fayth, is felt and knowen by the worke. As Peter in the fyrſt of his ſeconde epyſtle commaundeth to do good workes / for to make our vocacyō and election ſure / that we myght fele our fayth, and be certefyed that it is ryght. Eor except a man be proued and tryed, it can not be knowen / nether to hym ſelfe or other men / that he is ryghtwyſe and in the true fayth. Take an enſample leſt thou be begyled with ſophyſtrye Chryſt ſayeth Mat. 13. The kyngdome of heuē is lyke leuen which a womā taketh and hydeth in thre peckes of meale tyll all be leuended or ſoure.Leuen. Leuen is ſome tym taken in an euel ſence for the doctryne of the phareſeys which corrupted the ſwetnes of the worde of God with the leuen of theyr gloſes, and ſome tyme in a good ſens, for the kyngedome of heuen that is to ſay the goſpel and glad tydinges of Chriſt. For as leuen altereth the nature of dowe and maketh it throughe ſowre / euen ſo the goſpell turneth a man into a newe lyfe and altereth him a lytle and a lytle / Fayth.fyrſt the hart and then the mēbers. Fayth in Chryſt fyrſt certyfyeth the conſcyence of the forgeuenes of ſynnes, and delyuereth vsus from feare of euerlaſtynge dampnacyon / and then bryngeth the louelove of God and of hys lawe into the harte, whiche louelove is the ryghtwyſnes of the harte. LoueLove bryngeth good workes in to the members / whiche workes are the outwarde ryghtwyſneſſe and the ryghtwyſneſſe of the members.LoueLove is ryghtwyſnes. To hate the wyll of God is the vnryghtwyſnes of the harte and cauſeth euell workes whiche are the vnryghtwyſneſſe of the members. As when I hatyd my brother / my tonge ſpake euel, my hādes ſmote and ſo forth To louelove is the ryghtwyſneſſe of the harte / and cauſeth good workes whiche are the ryghtwyſnes of the members. As yf I louelove my brother and he hauehave nede of me and be in pouerte, louelove wyll make me put myne hande in to my purſſe or almorye and to gyue hym ſome what to refreſh hym. &c. That the louelove of God and of his commaundementes is the ryghtwyſneſſe of the harte, doeth no man doute ſaue he that is hertleſſe.Fayth bryngeth louelove. And that louelove ſpryngeth of faythe thou mayſt euydently ſee. 1. Iohan. 2. …e that loueth hys brother dwelleth in the lyght. But he that hateth his brother, is in darckeneſſe and walketh in darckeneſſe / and woteth not whether he goeth / for darckeneſſe hathe blynded hys eyes / why is he that hateth / in darckeneſſe (verely becauſe he ſeyth not the louelove of God. For (yf he p. lxxiiiſawe that, he coude not but louelove his brother for ſo kynde a fathers ſake. If any man hate hys brother, thou arte ſure that theſame man is in darkenes and hath not the lyght of true faythe nor ſeyth what Chryſte hathe done. If a man ſo louelove that he can forgyue his brother, thou arte ſure that he is in the lyght of the true fayth and ſeyth what mercy is ſhewed hym in Chryſt.

This is then the ſomme of all together workes are the outwarde ryghtuouſnes before the worlde,workes. and may be called the ryghtuouſnes of the mēbers and ſpryng of inwarde louelove.LoueLove. LoueLove is the ryghtwyſnes of the hart, and ſpryngethe of fayth. Faythe is the truſt in Chriſtes bloude,Faythe. and is the gyfte of God. Ephe. 2. where vntounto a man is drawen of the goodneſſe of God, and dreuē thorowe true knowledge of the lawe and of beholdinge his dedes in y^e lyght of the law and with comparynge the luſt and deſyre of y^e mēbers vntounto the requeſte of the lawe, and with ſeynge hys owne dampnacyon in the glaſſe of the lawe. For yf a man ſawe his owne dampnacion in the law, he ſhuld ymmedyatly hate God and al his workes and vtterly dyſpare, except that God offered hym Chryſte, and forgaue all that were paſte, & made hym his ſon & toke the dampnacyon of the lawe away, and promyſyd that if he wold ſubmytte him ſelfe to lerne and to do his beſt, that he ſhulde be accepte as well as an aungell in heauen, and therto yf he fell of frayltye and not of ma…yce and ſtoburneſſe, it ſhulde be forgeuen vponupon a mēdment, and that God wolde euer take him for his ſon, and only chaſtyce hym at home whē he dyd a myſſe, after the moſt fatherlyeſt maner and as eaſely as his deſeaſes wold ſuffer, but neuer bring hī forthe to be iudged after the rygorouſnes of the lawe And as thou couldeſt not ſe leuen though thou brakeſt vp a loſe, except thou ſmelleſt or taſtedeſt the ſourenes, euen ſo couldeſt thou neuer ſe true fayth or louelove, except thou ſaweſt workes / and alſo ſaweſt the entente & meanynge of the worker, leeſt ypocreſy deceaue the.

Our dedes are the effecte of ryghtwyſnes and therto an outwarde teſtymony and a certefyenge of the inwarde ryghtwyſnes, as ſoureneſſe is of leuen.that faythe iuſtefyeth what it meanethe. And when I ſay faythe iuſtefyeth, the vnderſtandynge is, that fayth receaueth the iuſtefyenge. God promyſeth to forgyue vsus our ſynnes and to impute vsus for ful rightwyſſe And God iuſtefyeth vsus actyuely, that is to ſaye forgeueth vsus & rekeneth vsus, for ful ryghtwyſe And Chryſtes bloude deſerueth it, and fayth in the promyſe receaueth it and certyfyeth the cō ſcyēce therof. Fayth chalengeth it for Chryſtes ſake, which hath deſerued al that is promyſed and cleueth euer to the promyſe & truthe of the promyſer, and pretendeth not the goodneſſe of her worke. But knowledgeth that our workes deſerue it not, ſaue are crowned and rewarded w^t the deſeruynge of Chryſt. Take an enſāple of yonge chyldren, when the father promyſeth them a good thynge for the doynge of ſome tryfle, and when they come for theyr rewarde, p. lxxiiiidalyethe with them ſaynge, what, that thou haſt done is not worth hafe ſo much, ſhulde I geuethe ſo great a thynge for ſo lytle a tryfle? They wyll anſwere, ye dyd promyſe me it, ye ſayde I ſhulde hauehave it, why dyd ye promyſe, and why then dyd ye ſaye ſo? And let hym ſaye what he wyl to dryue them of, they wyl euer ſay agayne ye dyd promyſe me, ſo ye dyd, ye ſayd I ſhuld hauehave it, ſo ye dyd. But hyrelinges wyl pretende theyr worke and ſaye, I hauehave deſerued it, I hauehave done ſo muche, and ſo muche, and my laboure is worthe it.

Nowe at the firſt couenaunt makynge with God and as ofte as we be reconſyled, after we hauehave ſynned,Faythe. the ryghtwyſneſſe cometh of God all together. But after the attonement is made and we reconſyled, then we be partlye ryghtwyſe in our ſelues and vnrightwyſe, ryghtwyſe as ferre as we louelove, and vnryghtwyſe as ferre as the louelove is vnperfecte. And fayth in the promyſe of God that he dothe reken vsus for full ryghtwyſe doth euer ſupply y^t vnryghtwyſnes & imperfectnes, as it is our hole ryghtwyſenes at the begynnynge.

Fynally our workes which God cōmaundeth and vntounto which he annexed hys promyſes that he wyll rewarde them / workes are ſacramētesare 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 vsus 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 vsus not. But God only iuſtefyeth vsus actyuely as cauſe effycient or workeman.Baptym. 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 vntounto them, to take them for hys ſonnes and to louelove them aſwell as though they were ful ryghtwyſe.Chryſte. Chryſte hathe deſerued vsus that promyſe and ryghtwyſneſſe. And faythe do the receaue it. and God dothe gyue it, and impute it to fayth & not the waſſhynge.Faythe. And the waſſhynge dothe teſtefye it / and certyfye vsus 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 vsus / fyrſt aboue all and beſyde all hys other benyfytes / to geue vsus hys owne ſon Ieſus / and with hym to geue vsus hym ſelfe and all, and not content therwith, but to geue vsus ſo many ſacramentes or viſible ſygnes to prouoke vsus and to helpe our weake faythe and to kepe hys mercye in mynde, as baptyme, p. lxxvthe ſacrament of his body and bloude, and as many other ſacramentes as they wyll hauehave / yf they put ſygnyfycacions to thē (for we deſtroy none, but they deſtroy whiche hauehave 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 vsus yet more ſenſyble and ſurer ſacramentes and ſuraunce of his goodnes, euen in our owne ſelues as yf we louelove and gyue almes to our neyghboure, yf we hauehave 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 louelove 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 vntounto men, howe they faſte. Verely I ſay vntounto you, they hauehave theyr rewarde. Thou therfore whē thou faſteſt, annoynte thyne heed & waſhe thy face, that it appere not vntounto men howe thou faſteſte. But vntounto 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 vsus 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 p. lxxviwhich they hauehave taken vponupon them. Bleſſed were he that myght kyſſe the edge of the cote of one of thē. Oh, he that myght hauehave 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,To annoīt the heed what it meneth. 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 vponupon Chryſtes heed at ſouper.

As concernynge faſtyng,Faſtynge. 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 vsus 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 vponupon / 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, that the bodye can not ſyt ſtyll & reſt in one place and cōtynue in hys worke, nor the mynde perſeuer and endure in our purpoſe.

Let them prouyde that ther be diligent fyſſhynge in the ſe, and cōmaunde the ſe coſte and townes whyther fyſhe may eaſely come, to faſt fryday, ſaterday and wēſday to, if nede be, and p. lxxviion the fryday to eate no whyte meate. And let the countryes whiche hauehave none aboundance of fyſhe, yet hauehave whyte meate ynough, faſt fryday & ſaterday from fleſhe only. And let thoſe contreys where ſcaſty of bothe is, faſte frydaye from fleſhe only / and eate fleſhe wenſday and ſaterday. But abſteyne from ſuper or from dyner / or eate ſoberly thoſe dayes, And let them ſo moderate theyr faſtes that the people maye beare it / a prouyſyon made for the olde / the ſycke, and feble, &c. whiche faſte ſhalbe a temporall thynge▪ for a temporall comen welthe only, and not a ſeruyce to God.

Then let the preſtes preache fyrſt the law… truly and teache the people to ſe theyr ſynnes / and ſo brynge them to repentaunce. And ſecondarelye the faythe of Chryſte and the forgyuenes of ſynne thorowe faythe. And thyrdlye almoſe / prayer and faſtynge / which are the hole lyfe of a Chriſten man, and with out which ther is no Chriſten mā a lyue.Almoſe. And let them preache the true vſe of theyr almoſe, whiche is to helpe thy neyghboure with councell, with bodye and goods and al that is in thy power,Prayer. and the true vſe of prayer whiche is to brynge hys neceſſyte & thyne owne before God with a ſtrong fayth in hys promyſes,Faſtynge. and the true vſe of faſtynge which is to tame the fleſhe vntounto the ſpirite, that the ſoule may attēde to the worde of God and pray thorowe faythe.

By theſe thre we kepe the ſpirite of God,Almoſe. Prayer and faſtynge howe neceſſarye. and doth contynue and alſo growe in ryghtwyſnes and waxe perfecter and perfecter in ſoule and body. And yf theſe fayle or that we vnderſtāde not the ryght entent, we loſe the ſpirite agayne and the ryghtwyſneſſe of faythe / and the true vnderſtandyng of the ſcripture, and al our lernynge ſhalbe but darckenes. And then what a blyndenes is that, when the darcknes of hell is called the lyght of heuen.

Almoſe. Prayer and faſtynge are inſeperable.As it is of almoſe and prayer, ſo it is of faſtynge, iudge of al thre, where any one of them is, there are they all thre, and where any one is awaye, there is none at all, we muſte hauehave the profeſſyon of al thre euer wrytten in our hartes I muſt euer louelove my neyghboure and be redy to helpe, and when occaſyon is offered, then do it I ought to conſyder and knowe that al cometh of God, and to knowledge that ſame to him in myne hart. And what ſoeuer we nede we ought to know, that we muſt receaue that of God, and therfore to cal euer to him with a ſtrong fayth. Euen ſo I muſt euer fyght agaynſt my fleſhe, & therfore euer withdrawe from it al that moueth it to rebelle agaynſt the ſpirite.

Faſtynge is not in eatyng and drynkynge onelye.So nowe faſtinge ſtandeth not in eatynge and drynkynge only, and muche leſſe in fleſh alone But in abſtynence of all that mouethe the fleſhe agaynſte the ſpirite, as longe ſleapynge, ydlenes, and fylthye communycacyon and al world lye talkynge, aa of couetouſnes and promocyon and ſuche lyke, and wanton company. ſofte clothes, and ſofte beddes, and ſo forth, which p. lxxviiiare that ryght hande, and ryght eye that muſt be cut of and plucked out, that the holeman peryſhe not. And as ye can put no generall rule of almoſe or prayer, no more can ye of faſtyng But I muſt be all waye redye to cut of what ſo euer I perceaue to ſtrenght the fleſhe againſt the ſpirite. And I muſte hauehave a dylygent eye to the fleſhe and hys complexyon and yf ought ſcape me in worde or dede, ſeke whence the occaſyō came, and attonce cut of that ryght hande and plucke out that eye.

If this faſt be truly preached,workes make ypocrytes, yf the true entent be awaye. then is faſtynge good / and not afore / for makynge of ypocrytes / as Chriſt wolde not let his diſciples faſt before they were lerned, leſte they ſhulde thereby hauehave ben no better then the phareſyes. And then the outwarde faſtynge ordeyned by the temporal rulers helpeth much / for the weakes ſake, ye & though the lande were ſo plenteouſe that it nede not to commaunde ſuche faſt for to auoyde derth, ye they ought to ſet ſuche vp, becauſe of them that can not rule them ſelues,Rulers be ordeyned for them that cā not rule them ſelues. for whoſe ſakes they ought to forbyde exceſſes of tauerns and ale houſes and ryotyng out of ſeaſon. For if the people coulde rule them ſelues, what nede rulers. More ouer if any man pryuatlye ſhewe the preſte hys infyrmytyes / and the preſtes ſe any maner of abſtinence or chaſtifyng apte for the perſon, that let him councel him to do for the ſubdewinge of the fleſhe, and not cō maunde as a tyraunt vnderunder payne of dampnacyon and to make ſatyſfaccyon. Thus wyſe let hym ſay, brother or ſyſter, ye be bounde vnderunder payne of deedlye ſynne to tame your fleſhe by ſome maner of waye that ye ſynne not agaynſte God, and I knowe no better then this, my councell and my deſyre therfore is, that ye vſe thys tyll ether ye hauehave no more nede / or tyll God ſhewe you ſome better. &c. And let the elders conſyder dyligently the courſe of theyr youthe and with wyſdome / councell and dyſcrete gouernaunce / and helpe the yonger to auoyde the perelles and ieoperdyes whiche they hauehave lerned by theyr owne, experyence to be in y^t daungerous iorney.

Preacher the offyce of a true preacher.More ouer when the people be fallen from their profeſſion and from the lawe, as it ſhalbe impoſſyble for the preacher, to kepe the greate multytude to gether, if the temporal ſwerde be ſlacke and necglygent in punyſhynge open offenſes (as they euer hauehave and wylbe, ſaue in thoſe poyntes onelyonly wherin lyeth the pythe of theyr owne profyte and aduauntage / and the weyght of theyr honour and mauntenaunce of theyr dygnytyes) and when God alſo (as hys promyſe is) hathe brought vponupon them the curſes of the lawe, hungre, derth, batayle, peſtilēce and al maner of plages w^t all myſfortune and euell lucke. Then let the true preachers be importune, and ſhewe the people the cauſes of theyr myſ… …d wretched aduerſyte, and expounde the …awe to them and brynge them to knowledge of their ſynnes, and ſo bynde their conſcyences and drawe them to repentaunce p. lxxixand to the apoyntmente and couenaunt of the lorde agayne. As many holy prophetes, preſtes and kynges in the olde teſtamente dyd call the people backe and brought thē agayne in tyme of aduerſyte, vntounto the apoyntmēt of the lorde. And the preſte, prophete, or kynge in Goddes ſtede ſmote handes with thē, and toke an oth of thē, to be y^e lordes people and to turne agayn to the lordes couenaunte, for to kepe hys lawe and to beleue in his promyſes. And God ymedyatly withdrewe his hande and rydde thē out of all captyuyte and daunger, and be came as mercy full as euer before.

But we Chriſten hauehave ben very ſeldome or neuer called agayne to the couenaunte of the lorde y^e lawe of god and fayth of Chryſt. But to the couenaūt of the pope often. As he nowe clocketh a paſe of his chekyns and wyll bothe proue al his olde polyces, and ſeke & ymagyn newe, practikes. And if the people come agayn let the preſte or byſhope after the enſample of the prophetes and hye preſtes of the Iſraelytes take an othe in Goddes ſtede of the kynge and lordes. And let the kyng & lordes receuyng an othe of the people, and folowe the enſample of the Neniuites in faſtynge and prayenge.

Some man wyll ſaye, ſeynge faſtynge is to withdrawe al pleſures frō the body and to punyſhe the fleſhe, then God deliteth in our payn takynge. &c. I anſwere God delyteth in true obedyence and in al that we do at his cōmaundement and for the entent that he cōmaundeth it for. If thou louelove and pety thy neyghbour and helpe hym, thy almoſe is acceptable. If thou do it of vayne glory to hauehave the prayſe that belongeth to God, or for greatter profyte onelyonly, i… to make ſatyſfaccyon for thy ſinnes paſt and to dyſhonoure Chryſtes bloude which hath made it all redye,Payne howe God delyteth in our payne takynge. then is thyne almoſe abhomynable If thy prayer be thankes in thyne harte or callynge to God for helpe, with truſt in him accordynge to his promyſe, then thy prayer pleaſeth If thou beleue in Chriſtes bloud for the remyſſyon of ſynnes, and hence forthe hateſt ſyn, that thou punyſſheſte thy body to flee the luſtes and to kepe them vnderunder that thou ſyn not agayne / then it pleaſeth God exceadyngely. But and yf thou thynke that God delyteth in the worke or the worke it ſelfe / the true entente awaye / and in thy payne for the payne it ſelfe, thou arte as farre out of the way, as from heuen to the erth, If thou woldeſt kyl thy body or whē it is tame ynoughe, payne him furder that thou were not able to ſerue God and thy neyghboure / accordynge to the roume and eſtate thou arte in / thy ſacrefyce were clene with out ſalte and al to gether vnſauery in the taſt of God, & thou madde and out of thy wyt, but and yf thou truſt in thy worke, then art thou abhomynable.

Faſt, The entent of faſtynge what it is.Nowe let vsus loke on the popes faſt. Firſt the entent ſhulde be to tame thy luſtes / not letchery only, but pryde cheflye, wrathe, malyce, hate enuy, and couetouſnes and to kepe the lawe of God / and therfore ſtandethe not in meate and p. lxxxdrynke only, but howe they kepe goodes lawe compare it to their dedes and thou ſhalt ſe.Faſt, Howe the Iewes. faſte. Secondarely the faſt of the olde lawe was, to put …n mournynge clothes as heyre or ſack / and nether to eate nor drynke vntyll nyght, and al the while to pray and to do almoſe dedes & ſhewe mercy. And at euen they eate fleſhe & what god gaue ſoberly as lytle as wold ſuſteyne the body &c. The Popes faſt is comenly,Faſt. The popes faſte. only to eate no fleſhe. I ſay not loke howe lene they be but cō ſydre what tamynge of the fleſhe it is to eate ten or twenty maner of fiſſhes dreſſed after the coſtelyeſt maner, and to ſytte a cople of houres and to poure in of the beſte wyne and ale that may be gotten. And at nyght to bāket w^t dewe (as they ſaye) of al maner of frutes and confectyons Marmeled, Succad, Grenegynger, Comfettes, Suger plate, with Malmeſay, and Romney, burnt with Suger, Synamond, and Cloues wth Baſtade, Muſcadel, & Ypocras, &c. Thinke ye not that ſuche dewes, with drinkynge a pece of ſalt fyſhe or a pyckrell / dothe not tame the body excedyngly?

Furthermore that the true entent is away bothe of theyr faſtynge and prayers / Faſtynge. The true entent is awaye from the Popes faſtynge.it is euydente, fyrſte by the multeplyenge of them / for when the Iewes hade loſt the vnderſtandyng of theyr ſacryfyces and dyd beleue in the worke, then they were mad vponupon them, that well was he that coulde robbe hym ſelfe to offer mooſte in ſo muche y^t the prophetes cryed out agaynſt them, that theyr offerynges ſtanke in the noſe of God. And oures hade ſo multeplyed theyr faſtynge that they coulde no lenger bere them. At the begynnyng they were tollerable for the vauntage. Quia leuis eſt labor cum lucro, But when they had purchaſed ynough and ynough agayne, they became intolerable. And therfore al our mōkes whoſe profeſſyon was neuer to eate fleſhe,Monkes made the Pope a God for his dyſpenſacyons. ſet vp the Pope and toke diſpenſacyons bothe for that faſte and alſo for theyr ſtrayte rules, and made theyr ſtrayte rules as wyde as the hodes of theyr cowles. And as for the ypocryſy of the fratrye where they eate but inuyſible fleſhe, or that is interprete to be no fleſhe is ſpoken of in other places. A nother profe is that they ſo longe a tyme hauehave gyuen pardons of the merytes of theyr faſtynge, as thoughe they had done more then ynoughe for them ſelues / and of that marchaundyſe hauehave gotten al they hauehave, & hauehave brought the knoweledge of Chryſtes bloude clene into darckenes And faſt of al what ſhall I ſay of the open ydolatry of innumerable faſtes, of S. Brādons faſt, S. Patryckes faſt, of .iiii. holy frydayes of S. Anthones betwene S. Mary dayes, of our lady fa…t, eueryevery .vii. yere the ſame daye that her daye falleth on in marche & then begyn, or one yere with brede and water, and all for what purpoſes, ye knowe well yno…ghe and of ſuche lyke. I trowe ten thouſande in the wolde. And who hathe rebuked them?

Se that ye gather you not treaſure p. lxxxivponupon the erthe, where ruſt and mothes corrupt, and where theues breke vp and ſteale. But gather ye you treaſure in heuē, where nether ruſt nor mothes corrupt, and wher theues nether breke vp nor ſteale. For where your treaſure is, there wylbe your hartes alſo.

Note the goodly order of Chryſtes preachynge. Fyrſte he reſtored the true vnſterſtandynge of the lawe, then the true entente of the workes.Couetouſnes what a peſtylence it is. And here conſequētly he rebuketh the mortal ſo and ſworne enemy both of true doctryne and true lyuynge, whiche is couetouſneſſe the ro…e of al euel ſayth Paule. 1. Tim. 6. Couetouſnes is ymage ſeruyce. Collo. 3. Yt maketh men to erre from the faythe. 1. Tymothe. 6. Yt hathe no parte in the kyngdome of Chryſt and God Ephe. 5. Couetouſnes hardened the harte of Pharao that the faythe of the myracles of God coulde not ſynke in to it. Couetouſneſſe dyd make Balam which knewe al the truthe of God. to hate it, and to gyue the moſt peſtilent & poyſon councell agaynſte it that harte coulde ymagyne, euen for to deſtroy it, yf it hade bene poſſyble. Couetouſneſſe taught the falſe prophetes in the olde teſtamente to enterprete the lawe of God faſlye / and to peruerte the meanynge and entente of al the ſacrefices and ceremonyes, and to ſle the true preachers that rebuked them.

And with theyr falſe perſuaſions they dyd le…de all the kynges of Iſrael out of the ryght waye, and the moſt parte of the kinges of Iuda alſo.2. Pe. 2. And Peter in the chapiter epiſtle of his ſeconde epyſtle propheſyeth that there ſhuld be falſe teachers amonge vsus, that ſhoulde folowe the way of Balam (that is to ſaye for couetouſnes perſecute the truth) and thorowe couetouſneſſe with fayned wordes to make marchaundyſe of the people, and to bringe in damnable ſectes to.Couetouſnes can not but erre. And here ye hauehave an infallyble rule that where coutoueſneſſe is / there is no truthe / no thoughe they call them ſelues the churche & ſaye thereto that they can not erre. Couetouſneſſe kepte Iudas ſtyll in vnbelefe thoughe he ſawe and dyd myracles alſo in the name of Chryſte, and compelled hym to ſell hym to the ſcrybes and phareſyes / for couetouſneſſe is a thynge mercyleſſe. Couetouſnes made the phareſyes to lye on Chryſte, to perſecute hym and falſly to accuſe him. And it made Pilate though he founde hym an innocente yet to ſlee hym. It cauſed Herode to perſecute Chryſte yet in hys cradel. Couetouſnes make the ypocrites to perſecute the truth agaynſt their owne conſcyences and to lye to prynces / that the true preachers moue ſedicion and make their ſubiectes to ryſe agaynſte them, and the ſayde couetouſneſſe maketh the prynces to beleue theyr wycked perſwacyons and to lende theyr ſwerde to ſheed p. lxxxiiynnocent bloude.

Fynally couetouſnes maketh many (whom the truthe pleaſeth at the begynnynge) to caſte it vppe agayne and to be afterwarde the moſte cruel ennemyes thereof after the enſample of Symon Magus. Actes. viii. Ye and after the enſample of Syr Thomas More. K.More. whiche knewe the truthe & for couetouſnes forſoke it agayne and conſpyred fyrſt with the Cardynal to dyſceaue the kynge and to leade hym in darckenes And afterwarde when the lyght was ſpronge vponupon them & had dryuen them clene out of the ſcrypture / and had delyuered it out of theyr tyranny, and had expelled the darcke ſtynkynge myſt of theyr deuelyſhe gloſes, and had wyped awaye the cobwebbes whiche thoſe poyſoned ſpyders had ſpeade vponupon the face of the clere texte / ſo that the ſpiritualtye (as they call them ſelues) were aſſhamed of their parte, as ſhameleſſe as they be, yet for all that. Couetouſnes blynded the eyes of that glerynge foxe more and more and hardened hys harte agaynſte the trouthe / with the confydence of hys paynted poetry. babyllynge eloquence and iuggelynge argumentes of ſutle ſophyſtry, groūded on his in wrytten verytes, as true and as autentycke as hys ſtorye of Vtopia. Paule therfore byddeth Tymothe to charge the ryche to beleue in the lyuynge God and not in theyr vncerten ryches, for it is impoſſyble for a couetous ydolater or ymage ſeruer that truſteth in the deed God of hys ryches, to put hys truſt in the lyuinge God.

One myſery is that they which here gather and leye vppe / can not tell for whom. An other i…, ruſt, canker, mothes, and a thouſāde myſfort…nes beſyde theues, extorcyoners, oppreſſers and myghtye tyrantes, to the whiche the ryche …e euer praye. And thoughe they proſper to the ende outwardlye / yet feare euer gnawethe their hartes inwardly. And at the houre of deth they knowe and fele that they hauehave gathered naught / and then ſorowe they and are lyke one that dremeth of recheſſe / and in the mornynge when he fyndeth naughte / is heuye and ſorye for the remembraunce of the pleaſaunt dreme. And fynally when they be moſte lotheſte to dye and hope to lyue longe then they peryſhe ſodaynlye / after the enſample of the ryche man whiche entended to make hym larger barnes and ſtore houſes.Luc. 12.Luke 12 Happy therfore is he that layeth vp treaſure in heuen and is ryche in faythe and good workes, for the rewarde therto promyſed ſhall God kepe ſure for hym. No mā can take it awaye. Here is not forboden to hauehave ry…hes. But to louelove it, to truſt in it, and to be careful for it. For God hathe promyſed to care for vsus and to gyue vsus ynoughe and to kepe that which is gotten, yf we wyll care to kepe his cō maundementes. what ſo euer offyce or degree thou art in, in this worlde, do the dutye of thy offyce dylygently and truſt in God and let him care. If thou be an huſband mā. Eare and ſowe and huſbande thy grounde and let God alone for the reſt he wyll care to make it growe plenteouſly p. lxxxiiiand to ſēde ſeaſonable wether to hauehave it in / and wyll prouyde the a good market to ſell. &c.

In lyke maner yf thou be a kynge, do the offyce of a kyng, and receaue the dutyes of the kynge & let God care to kepe the in thy kyngdome. Hys fauoure ſhall do more for the then a thouſande myllyons of golde / and ſo of all other. He that hathe but a lytle and is ſure that God ſhall kepe bothe him and it, is rycher then he which hath thouſande, & hath no other hope then that he and it muſt be kept with hys owne care and polycye.

And fynally marke one poynt in Lu. 14.Luke. 14.Luke 14 none of them that refuſeth not al that he poſeſſeth can be my dyſcyple, that is / he that caſte the not awaye the louelove of all worldly thynges can be no ſcoler of Chriſtes to lerne hys doctryne, Then he addeth that ſalt is good,Couetouſnes maketh the ſalte of Goddes worde vnſauerye. but if the ſalt be vnſauerye or hathe loſt his vertue / what can be ſeaſoned therwith / verely nothynge. Nowe by ſalt is vnderſtāde the doctryne, and the menynge is, yf ye be couetouſe and louelove worldlye thynges, it wyll corrupte the ſalte of your doctrine, ſo that what ſo euer you pouder therwith it ſhalbe more vnſauery then before.

where your treaſure is / there are your hartes, If your treaſure be in the worlde, ſo is the louelove of youre hartes. And yf ye louelove the worlde and the thinges of the worlde, the louelove of God is not in you,Couetouſnes maketh & the louelove of God is the louelove of hys cōmaundemētes, and he that loueth not Goddes cōmaundementes ſhal neuer preache them truelye,A falſe prophete. becauſe he louethe them not But ſhal corrup them with gloſes that they may ſtande with that which his hart loueth, and vntyl they hauehave a nother ſence thē euer God gaue them. Ergo no couetouſe perſon can be a true prophete. It is not for naught thē that Chriſt ſo oft and ſo dylygētly warneth his dyſcyples to beware of couetouſnes, as of that thinge which he wyſt wyl had euer corrupt the word of God and euer ſhulde.

The lyght of thy body is thyne eye, wherefore yf thyne eye be ſyngle, al thy body ſhalbe ful of lyght. But and yf thyne eye be wycked, then ſhal thy whole body be darcke If therfore the lyght that is in the be darkeneſſe, howe greate is that darkenes.

Darkenes.Note the conclucyon with a proper ſymylytude. The eye is the lyght of the body▪ & by the lyght of the eye all other members ſee and are gouerned. As longe as the eye ſeyth, hande and fote do theyr dutyes, neyther is there any feare that a man ſhulde ſtomble or fall into fyer or water. But yf the eye be blynde, all the body is blynde, and that ſo blynde that there is no remedye at all, ſet a candel before hym he ſeythe not, gyue hym a lanterne in his hāde, and yet he p. lxxxiiiican not go ſtreyght. Brynge hym out into the ſon and poynte hym vntounto that which thou woldeſt hauehave him ſe, it boteth not. Euen ſo,Couetouſnes cauſeth Darkenes. yf couetouſneſſe hauehave blynded the ſpyrytuall eye and peruerted the ryght entent of the lawe of God and of the workes cōmaunded by God and of the ſacrefyce / ceremonyes and ſacramentes / and of al other ordynaūces of God (which entente is the ſpiritual eye) then is al the doctrine darke and verye blyndenes / ye and then howe darcke is the darckeneſſe, when that whiche is pure blyndenes is beleued to be lyght? howe darcke is the doctryne of them that teache that a man may compel God with the workes of frewyll to gyue them hys fauoure and grace / or make God vnryghtwyſe? Howe darcke is the doctrine of thē which (to y^e rebuke of Chriſtes bloude) teache that workes do iuſtefye before God and make ſatyſfaccyon for ſynnes? howe blynde are they whiche thynke prayer to be the paterynge of many wordes and wyll therefore not only be prayſed and payed of the worlde, but alſo by the title therof chalenge heuen and not by the merytes of Chryſtes bloude? Howe darke is the doctryne of thē whoſe fayth is only and al together apoyntmentes which they them ſelues hauehave fayned betwene thē and God, vntounto which yet God neuer ſubſcribed. In which alſo they aſſygne what worke and howe muche they wyll do, and what rewarde, and howe greate God muſt gyue them, or choſe whether he wyll be vnryghtwyſe.

Darkenes.Howe darke is the doctrine of them that ſay ſty…e that the worke of the ſacramentes in it ſelfe (not referrynge it to ſtere vp the faythe of the promyſes …nnexed to them) dothe iuſtefye▪ and affyrme that bodelye payne for the payne it ſelfe (not referrynge it eyther to the louelove of the lawe of God or of their neyghboure) dothe pleaſe God? Howe darke, dāpnable and deuelyſhe is the doctryne of them whiche not onelyonly thynke lucre to be the ſeruyce of God, but alſo are ſo ferre paſt al ſhame that they affyrme they be the holy church and can not erre, and al that they decre, muſt be an artycle of our fayth, and that it is dāpnable once to doubte or ſerche the ſcrypture whether theyr doctryne wyll therto agre or no but ſay their decres muſt be beleued as they ſounde, howe contrary ſo euer the ſcripture be, and the ſcripture muſt be expoūded & made agre to thē. They nede not to regarde the ſcripture, but to do & ſay as theyr holy goſt moueth them, and if the ſcrypture be contrary, thē make it a noſe of waxe and wreſt it this way & that way tyll it agre.

Faythe in workes is darkenes.Fayth of workes was the darkenes of the falſe prophetes / out of the whiche the true coulde not drawe them. Fayth of workes was the blyndeneſſe of the pharyſyes / out of the whiche nether Iohan Baptiſt nor Chriſt coulde brynge them And though Iohan Baptiſt pyped to thē with reaſons of the ſcrypture inuyncible and Chryſt therto added myracles, yet the phareſyes wolde not daunce. For Iohn Baptiſt (as p. lxxxvthey thought) was to madde to lyue ſoo ſtrayte a lyfe, and to refuſe to be iuſtefyed therby. And as for Chryſt and his dyſcyples / the pharyſyes were muche holyer them ſelues, faſted oftener, prayed thycker, & vttered muche mo wordes in theyr prayer then they. Faythe of workes is that belefe of the turkes and Iewes which dryueth them euer awaye form Chryſte. Faythe of workes hathe ben that lyght of darckeneſſe in which a great parte of vsus Chryſtē hauehave walked …er ſēce Pelagius and Fauſtus, wel aboue .xii.C. yeres, and euer mo & mo, and ī which al out …l…gyons hauehave walked al & more to this foure or fyue hundred yere, and in whiche the preſtes alſo hauehave walked a lōge ſeaſon, y^e lorde bring them out agayne.

Fynally howe darke is the darkenes when a phareſye and a verye Pelagyan ſtandeth vp,Darkenes. and preacheth agaynſte the phareſyes and the Pel…gians and is alowed of all the audyence? And in concluſyon when the worlde euer ſence it beganne hathe and dothe of naturall blyndenes beleue in theyr owne workes / then yf the ſcrypture be peruerted to cōfyrme that errour howe ſore are their hartes hardened and howe depe is that darkenes.

No man can ſarue two mayſters, for he ſhall ether hate the one and louelove the other, or cleaue to the one, and deſpyce the other, ye can ſarue God and Mammon.

Mammon what it is.Māmon is reches or aboundance of goodes. and Chryſte concludeth with a playne ſymylitude, that as it is impoſſyble to ſerue two contrary maſters, & as it is impoſſyble to be retayned vntounto two dyuerſe lordes whiche are enymyes one to the other / ſoo is it impoſſyble to ſarue God and Mammon. Two maſters of one minde and one wyl might a mā ſerue, for if one wyll, one mynde and one accorde be in twenty then are they all but one maſter. And two mayſters where one is vnderunder the other and a ſubſtytute, maye a man ſerue. For the ſeruyce of the inferior is the commaundement of the ſuperior As to ſerue and obey father, mother, huſbande maſter and lorde is Goddes commaundement But and yf the inferyor be of a contrarye wyll to the ſuperyor, and commaunde any contrary thyng, thē mayſt thou not obey. For nowe they be two contrary maſters,Mammon is a God. ſo God & Māmon are two contrary maſters▪ ye two cōtrary Godes, & of contrary commaundementes.

¶ God ſayth. I thy lord God am but one, and me ſhalt thou ſerue alone, y^t is, thou ſhalt louelove me with all thy harte, or with thy whole harte / with all thy ſoule and with al thy myght. Thou ſhalt nether ſerue, obey or louelove any thyng ſaue the and that I byd the, and that is far & no farther then I byd the.

¶ …nd Māman ſayth the ſame. For Mammon wylbe a God alſo and ſerued and loued alone

p. lxxxvi¶ God ſayth, ſe thou louelove thy neyghbour, that thou labour with thy handes to get thy lyuynge and ſome what aboue to helpe hym.

¶Māmon ſayth, he is called thy neyghbour becauſe he is nye the. Nowe who is ſo nye the as thy ſelfe. Ergo Proximus eſto tibi, that is louelove thy ſelfe / and make lewde and vyle wretches to laboure dylygentlye to gette the as muche as thou mayſt, and ſome ſcrappes aboue for them ſelues. Or wylt thou be perfecte? Then dyſgyſe thy ſelfe and put on a gray cote,Mammon make men dyſgyſe thē ſelues. a blacke or a pyed and gyue thy ſelfe to deuocyon? deſpyce the world and take a couetous (I wold ſay cō templatiue lyfe) vponupon the. Tel y^e people howe hote purgatory is, and what paynes there muſt be ſuffered for ſmal fautes. And thē geue mercy fully a thouſāde folde for one ſpiritual, for tē poral, geue heuen, and take but houſe & lande and folyſhe temporal thinges.

¶ God ſaythe, iudge trulye betwene thy brethren / and therfore take no gyftes. Mammon ſayth, it is good maner and a poynte of curteſy to take that is offered. And he that geueth y^e loueth the better then ſuch a churle that geueth the …ught, ye & thou art more bounde to fauoure hys cauſe?

¶ God ſayth, ſel and geue almoſe. ¶ Māmon ſayth lay vp to hauehave ynough to mayntene thyn eſtate and to defende the frō thyn enemyes and to ſerue the in thy age.

For as muche then as God and Mammon be two ſo contrary mayſters,The ſeruaū tes of. Mammon are not of Chryſtes churche. that who ſo euer wyl ſerue God muſt gyue vp Mammon,The ſeruaunt of Mammon is no true preacher. and all that wyl ſerue Mammon muſt forſake God, it foloweth that they which are the ſworne ſeruauntes of Mammon, and hauehave his holy ſpirite, and are his faythful churche, are not the true ſeruauntes of God / nor hauehave hys ſpirite of truthe in them or can be hys true churche. More ouer ſeynge that God and Mammon be ſo contrarye that Goddes worde is dethe in Mammons ear…, and hys doctryne poyſon in Mammons mouthe / it foloweth that yf the miniſters of Goddes word do fauour Mammon, they wyl ſo faſſyon theyr ſpeche & ſo ſounde their wordes that they may be pleſaunt in the eares of Mammon.To be Mā mons ſeruaunt what it is.

Fynally al only to hauehave rycheſſe is not to be the ſeruaunt of Mammon, but to louelove it and cleue to it in thyne harte. For yf thou hauehave gooddes onelyonly to maynteyne the offyce whiche God hath put the in, and of the reſt to helpe thy neybours nede,Mammon ſeruaunt howe is he knowen. ſo art thou lorde ouer thy Mā mon and not his ſeruaūt▪ Of them that be riche, howe ſhalt thou knowe the mayſter of Māmon frō the ſeruaūt? verely fyrſt by the gettynge, ſecōdarely when his pore neybour complayneth yf he be Mammons ſeruaunt, Māmon wyl I ſhute vp his harte and make him without cōpaſſyon, Thyrdly the croſſe of Chriſte wyl trye them the one from the other. For when perſecucyon aryſeth for the worde, then wyl the true ſeruaūt of Chriſt byd Mammon a dewe. And the faythful ſeruaūt of Mammon wyl vtter his ypocreſy, &c. not only renounce the doctryne of Chryſte / but p. lxxxviialſo be a cruel and a ſharpe perſecuter therof / to put awaye all ſurmyſe, and that hys fydelyte whiche he hathe in hys mayſter Mammon, maye openly appere.

Therfore I ſaye vntounto you, care not for your lyues what ye ſhal eate, or what ye ſhal drinke, nether for your bodyes what ye ſhal put on. Is not the lyfe more then mete, & the body more then the rayment?

He that buyldeth a coſtely houſe euen to the tylynge, wyl not leue there & loſe ſo great coſt for ſo ſmal a tryfle more. No more wyll he that gaue the ſo precyous a ſoule and ſo beutyful a body, let ether of them periſhe agayne before the day, for ſo ſmal a thing as fode or raymēt. God neuer made mouth but he made mete for it, nor body but he made reymēt alſo. How be it Māmon blyndeth our eyes, ſo that we can nether ſe nor iudge a ryght.

Beholde the fowles of the ayer, how they ſow not, nether reape nor gather into ſtore howſes, and yet your heuenly father feadeth them, And are not ye farre better then they? Whiche of you with takynge thought, is able to put one cubette vntounto hys ſtatute.

Birdes and beſtesteche vsus to put away care.He that careth for the leſt of his creatures wyll muche more care for the greatteſt. The byrddes of the ayre and beaſtes preache all to vsus that we ſhulde leue caringe and put our truſt in our father. But Mammon hathe made vsus ſo dul and ſo clene with out capacyte that no exſample or argumente be if neuer ſo vehement / can enter the wyttes of vsus / to make vsus ſee or iudge a ryght. Fynallye what a madnes is it to take ſoo greate thought for fode or raymente / when the welthe, helthe, lyfe of thy bodye and al to gether is out of the poure. If al the world were thyne thou couldeſte not make thy ſelfe one ynche lenger nor that thy ſtomacke ſhall dyſgeſt the meate that thou putteſt into it. No thou art not ſure that which thou putteſte in to thy mouth ſhal go thorwoe y^e or whether it ſhal choke the. Thou canſt not make whē thou lyeſt or ſytteſt downe that thou ſhalt aryſe agayn, or when thou ſleapeſt that thou ſhal awake agayn or that thou ſhuldeſt lyue one houre lenger. So that he which cared for the when thou couldeſt not care, muſt care for the ſtyl or elſe thou ſhuldeſt peryſhe. And he wyll not care for the to thy ſoules profyte / yf thou myſtruſt hī and care for thy ſelfe.

And for reymente why take ye thought. Beholde the lylyes of the felde, how they growe, they labour p. lxxxviiinot, nether ſpyn. And yet I ſaye to you that euen Sa…om…n in al hys glory was not apparailed like one of thē. Wherfore if the gras whiche is to daye in the feldes and to morowe ſhal be caſte into the furnace, God ſo clothe, howe muche more ſhall he do the ſame vntounto you, O ye of lytle fayth.

Not only fowle and beaſt, but alſo tre, erbe,Care. and al the flowres of the erth do cry vntounto vsus to truſt God to caſt awaye all care that is coupled with couetouſneſſe of more then ſuffycyent to beare the charges which we hauehave in our handes by the reaſon of the ſtate we be in the worlde, and al care that is anexed with myſtruſt y^t God ſhuld not myniſter ynough to beare al our charges, if we endeuer our ſelues to kepe his cōmaū dementes & to do eueryevery man his craft or offyce he is in truly / and (when God to proue vsus, ſofferyth vsus to hauehave nede of our neyboures) we fyrſt cōplayne to God, & deſyre him to prepare the hartes of our neyghboures agaynſt we come to deſyer theyr helpe.

But Māmon pypeth another ſonge,Nammon. ſayenge yf thou ſhuldeſte make no nother maner of laboure for a benefyce, then as yf thou careddeſt not whether thou haddeſt it or haddeſt it not … wolde be longe yet thou gatteſt one, al wolde be take out of thyne hande? I anſwere, as the labour was to get it, ſuche ſhalbe thy behauor in it, as thou flatteredeſt to hauehave it, ſo ſhalt thou in it. And as thou boughteſt and ſoldeſte to get it, ſo ſhalte thou fell in it to be fauoure and to be ſet by in the worlde. If thy pryncypal entend that thou ſekeſte a benefyce for, be lucre / then take hede to the enſāple of thy fore father Symon magus / Actes. 8.Acts 8Let thy care therfore be to do thy office that God putteth the in truly, & the bleſſynge that he coupleth therto y^t take with thankes, and nether care nor couet farther.

Take no thought therfore ſayenge, What ſhall we eate or what ſhall we drynke, or what ſhall we put on? al theſe thynges the hethen ſeke. ye & your heuenly father knoweth that ye nede al theſe thinges. But ſeke fyrſte the kyngedome of God and the ryghtwyſneſſe therof and all theſe thinges ſhalbe mynyſtred vntounto you.

Be not lyke the hethen which hauehave no truſt in God not hys worde / nor beleue any lyfe to come / let them vexe them ſelues and eche be a deuell to another for worldlye thynges: But p. lxxxixcomforte thou thy ſelfe with the hope of a better lyfe in an other worlde,Couenaunt kepe couenaunt with God and he ſhall kepe promyſe with the. euer aſſured that thou lhalt hauehave here ſuffycient, onelyonly yf thou kepe couenaunt with the lorde thy God / and ſeke his kyngedome and the ryghtwyſeneſſe therof aboue all thynges. The kyngedome of God, is the goſpell & doctrine of Chriſt. And the ryghtwyſnes therof, is to beleue Chriſtes bloude for the remyſſyon of ſynnes. Out of whiche ryghtwyſeneſſe ſpringeth louelove to God and thy neyboure for his ſake,Kyngdom of heuen what. whiche is alſo ryghtwyſneſſe as I hauehave ſayd afore, ſo farre as it is perfycte, and that whiche lacketh is ſupplyed by fayth in Goddes worde, in that he hath promiſed to accepte that, tyll more come Then foloweth the outwarde ryghtwyſneſſe of workes by the which and dyligent recording of Goddes worde together,Ryghtwyſnes of the kyngdome of heuen what it is. we growe and waxe perfecte & kepe our ſelues from goynge backe and loſynge the ſpite agayne.

And theſe hauehave our ſpiritualty with theyr corrupte doctryne myngled to gether that is to ſay, the ryghtwyſnes of the kyngedome of God, which is fayth in Chriſtes bloude, & the outwarde ryghtwyſnes of the mēbres that we aſcrybe to y^e one that perteyneth to the other.

Seke the kyngedome of heuen therfore and the ryghtwyſneſſe of the ſame, & be ſure thou ſhalte euer hauehave ſufficient, and theſe thynges ſhalbe mynyſtred vntounto the, that is to ſay, ſhall come of their owne accorde by the promiſe of God, ye Chriſt promyſeth the an hunderfolde euen in this lyfe, of all that thou leueſt for his ſake. If that were true wolde ſome ſay / who wolde nat rather ſerue him thā Mammon? yet it is true. For firſt if thou be ſeruaunt of Mammon, thou muſt kepe thy God, & thy God nat the. And eueryevery man that is ſtronger then thou wyll take thy God from the. Moreouer God wyll take ether the from thy Mammon, or thy Māmon from the, ye… thou woldeſt, to aduēge him ſelfe of thy blynde vnkyndnes, that when he hath made the and geuen the all, thou forſakeſt him and ſerueſt his mortall enemye. But yf thou folowe Chriſt, all the worlde (and let them take all the deuelles in hel to them) ſhal nat be able to diſapoynte the of a ſufficient lyuynge. And though they perſecute the frome houſe to houſe a thouſāde tymes, yet ſhal god prouide the of another with all thynges ſufficient to lyue by. Nowe compare the ſurety of his with the incertayntie of the other, and then the bleſſed ende of this (that heuen is promyſed the alſo) with the myſerable departynge from the other ſo ſore agaynſt thy wyll, then the deſperacion that thy hurte feleth y^t thou art alredy in hel. And thē may nat this be well called a thouſande folde more then y^e other?

Care nat then for the day folowynge, but let the day folowynge care for it ſelfe. For the day that is preſent, hath euer ynough of his p. xcowne trouble.

If thou loke well on the couenaunt that is betwene the & thy lorde God,Care. on the one ſyde and the temptacions of the worlde, the fleſhe and Satan on the other / thou ſhalte ſone perceyue that the day preſēt hath euer ynough to be cared for / and for which thou muſt crye inſtantlye to God for helpe alſo / though thou do thy beſt. Now then ſeynge the day preſent is ouer charged with her owne care / what madneſſe is it to lade vponupon her alſo the care of the day folowyng, ye the care of a yere, ye of .xx. yere, or as though thou neuer entendeſt to dye & to torment and vexe the ſoule thorow myſtruſt and vnbelefe, & to make thy lyfe ſowre and bytter and as vnquyete as the lyfe of the deuelles in hell. ❧ / ❧

Therfore care day by day / and houre by houre erneſtlye to kepe the couenaunt of the lorde thy God an to recorde therin day and nyght and to do thy parte vntounto the vttermoſt of thy power. And as for Goddes parte let hym care for it hym ſelfe, and beleue thou his wordes ſtedfaſtly & be ſure that heuen & erthe ſhal ſoner peryſhe thē one …ote byde behinde of that he hath promyſed. And for thyne owne parte alſo, care nat of that maner / as though thou ſhuldeſt do all alone. Naye. God hath fyrſt promyſed to helpe the. Secondarely to accepte thyne harte, & that lytle that thou art able to do, be it neuer ſo imperfecte. Thyrdly though wynde, wether and the ſtreame cary the cleane cōtrary to thy purpoſe, yet becauſe thou by deſt ſtyll in thy profeſſyon / redy to turne the ryght courſe as ſone as the tempeſte is a lytle ouer blowen, God promiſeth to forgeue that, and nat the leſſe to fulfyll his promyſes of one iote. ❧ ❧

Tempte. why God letteth his chyldren be tēpted with aduerſite.Dothe Chriſte ſo defende his, that they neuer come in daunger of trouble? yes they come in to ſuche ſtraytes ofte that no wytte nor reaſon can ſe any way out / ſaue fayth only is ſure that God hath and wyll make a way thorowe. But that tēptacion is but for an houre to teche them / and to make them fele the goodnes of theyr father / and the paſſyons of theyr bretkren and of theyr maiſter Chriſt alſo, It is but as a louyngge mother / to make her chylde to perceaue and fele her kyndenes (to louelove her agayne an be thankfull) letteth it hunger in a mornynge. And whan it calleth for his breakfaſt maketh as ſhe herde nat, tyll for payne & impacience it begynneth to crye a good. And then ſhe ſtylleth it & geueth it all that it aſketh and more to / to pleaſe it. And whan it is peaſed and begynneth to eate, and reioyſeth and is glade and fayne / ſhe aſketh, who gaue the that / thy mother? and yt ſayth ye. Than ſayth ſhe. Am nat I a good mother that gyue the all thynges? and it anſwereth / ye. And ſhe aſketh. wylt thou louelove thy mother. &c. And yt ſayth ye, and ſo cometh it to the knowledge of his p. xcimothers kyndeneſſe / and is thankfull, Suche is the temptacion of Chriſtes electe, and other wyſe nat, ❧ / ❧

Here is nat forboden all maner of care,what care is forboden. but that worldly and deuelſhe care that ſpringeth of an inordinat louelove to worldly thynges, and of miſtruſt in god. As for an enſample. I couet inordinatly more then ſufficient, or but euen that I hauehave nede of. And it (becauſe I myſtruſt God & hauehave no hope in hym, & therfore pray nat to hym) cometh nat. Then I mourne / ſorow and pyne away / and am whole vnquyet in myne harte. Or whether I hauehave muche or but ſufficient, and louelove it inordinatly, then I care for the kepynge. And becauſe I miſtruſt god & hauehave no hope in hym, that he wyl helpe me therfore whan I hauehave locked dores, chambres and cofers. I am neuer the nere at reſt, but care ſtyl & caſt a thouſande parelles, of which the mooſt parte were nat in my myght to aduoyde though I neuer ſlepe. And where this care is, there can the worde of God hauehave no reſtynge place, but is choked vp as ſone as it is ſowne. ❧ / ❧

There is a nother care that ſpryngeth out of the louelove of God for eueryevery louelove hath here care and is a care to kepe Goddes cōmaundemētes This care muſt eueryevery man hauehave.Care, what care eueryevery man ought to hauehave. For a man lyneth nat by brede only / but muche more by eueryevery worde that procedeth out of the mouth of God.Goddes cōmaundement is mannes lyfe. The kepynge of Goddes commaundemēt is the lyfe of a man, as wel in thꝭ world as in the worlde to cōe. As childe obey father and mother, that thou mayſt longe lyue on the erthe. And by father an mother is vnderſtāde all rulers, whiche yf thou obey, thy bleſſynge ſhalbe longe lyfe, and contrarye if thou diſobeye, ſhort lyfe, and ſhalt ether peryſhe by the ſwerde or by ſome other plage, and that ſhortlye, And euen ſo ſhall the ruler, yf he rule nat as God hath cōmaunded. Opreſſe thou a wedowe and fatherles children (ſayth God) and they ſhal cry to me, and I wyl here their voyce and then wyll my wrathe waxe whote / ſo that I wyl ſmyte you with ſwerde,Exod. 20.Exod 20 and your wyues ſhalbe wydowes and your children fatherles.

why God ſoffereth tyraūtes to proſpere.Some wyll ſay, I ſe none more proſper or longer continue then thoſe that be moſt cruell tyrauntes. what then? yet ſay I that God abydeth euer true. For where he ſetteth vp a tyraunt and contynueth hym in proſperite, it is to be a ſcourge to weked ſubiectes that hauehave forſaken the couenaūt of the lorde their god. And vntounto them his good promyſes pertayn… ant, ſaue his curſſes onelyonly. But yf the ſubiectes wolde turne and repent and folowe the wayes of God, he wolde ſhortely delyuer them. Howe be it yet where the ſuperior corrupteh the inferior whiche elſe is dyſpoſed ynough to goodneſſe, God wyl nat let them longe continue. ✚

FINIS,