Exposition Upon Matthew 27(1), Matthew 5 · Verse 21
Ye hauehave harde / howe it is ſayde / an eye for an eye / tothe for a tothe, But I ſay vntounto you / that ye withſtande not wronge. But yf a man giuegive the a blowe on ye ryght cheke / turne to hym the other alſo. And yf any man wyll go to lawe with the and take away thy cote / let hī hauehave thy cloke therto. And yf any man compell the to go a myle / go with him twane. Gyue to him that axeth and from hym that wolde borowe turne not awaye.
Chryſt here entēdeth not to diſanul the temporall regyment, and to forbyd rulers to punyſhe euell doers, no more then he ment to deſtroy matrymony when he forbade to luſt and couet another mannes wyfe in thy harte. But as he there forbade, that defyleth matrymonye, euē ſo he forbeddeth here yt which troubleth, vnquyeteth and deſtroyeth the temporal regyment, and that thynge whiche to forbydde, the temporal regyment was ordyned which is that no man aduenge hym ſelfe.
Chriſt medleth not with the temporal regyment. But in al this lōge ſermō fyghteth againſt the phareſeys falſe doctryne and ſalteth the law, to purge it of the corrupcion of their fylthy gloſes, and to brynge it vntounto ye ryght taſt and true vnderſtandynge agayne.
For the phareſeys had ſo enterpret that lawe of Moyſes (which partayned only vntounto the rulers) that eueryevery pryuat perſon myght adueng hym ſelfe, and do his aduerſary as moch harme agayne as he had receyued of hym.
Nowe if he that is angry hauehave deſerued that then pronounce dethe vponupon hym, and he that ſayeth Racha hath deſerued that men ſhuld rather a councell to determyne ſome ſundry and cruel deth for ſo haynouſe a cryme, and he that calleth his brotherfole, hauehave deſerued hel what deſerueth he yt ſmyteth or aduengeth him ſelfe with his owne hand. Here is forboden therfore pryuate wrathe onelyonly, and that a man aduenge hym ſelfe.
Cheke. To turne. the other cheke what it is.To turne the other cheke is maner of ſpeakynge and not to be vnderſtande as the wordes ſounde as was to cutte of the hande and to plucke out the eye. And as we commaunde our chyldren not onelyonly not to come nye a brooke or a water, but alſo not ſo herdye as once to loke that waye▪ eyther to loke on fyer or once to thynke on fyer, whiche are impoſſyble to be obſerued. More is ſpoken then ment to feare them and to make them perceyue that it is erneſt that we comaūde. Euen ſo is the meanynge here that we in no wyle aduenge / but be prepared euer to ſuffer as moche more / and neuer to thynke it lawfull to aduenge, howe great ſo euer the iniury be, for he hym ſelfe turned not the other cheke, when he was ſmyten before the byſhope, nor yet Paulus when he was bofetted before the byſhoppe alſo. But ye hauehave harde a lytle aboue.Mekenes. Bleſſed are the meke, for they ſhall poſſeſſe the erthe. Let all the worlde ſtudye to do the wronge, ye lette them do the wronge, and yet yf thou be meke, thou ſhalte hauehave fode and rayment ynoughe for the and thyne. And more ouer yf the worſte come, God ſhall yet ſet ſuche a tyraunt ouer the, that (yf thou be meke and canſt be content that he poll the properly,Pollynge howe to aduoyde it. and euen thou mayſte beare) ſhall defende the from al other who is polled intollerably, that hys lyfe is better and euen deathe to hym, ſaue he that is impacyent and can not ſuffer to be polled. Ye, poll thy ſelfe. and preuent other, and gyue the baylly or lyke offycer nowe a capon, nowe a pygge. nowe a gooſe, and ſo to thy land lorde lykewyſe, or yf thou hauehave a greate ferme, nowe a lambe / nowe a calfe / and let thy wyfe vyſet thy lande ladye thre or foure tymes in a yere▪ with ſpyſed kakes and apples / perrs / chyreſe and ſuche lyke. And be thou redye with thyne oxen or horſes thre or foure, or halfe a doſſen dayes in a yere to ſet whome theyr woodde or to plowe theyr lande, ye and yf thou hauehave a good horſe, let thē hauehave hym good chepe or take a worſe for him, and they ſhalbe thy ſhylde and defende the / though they be tyrantes and care not for God / that no man els ſhal dare poll the. And therto thou mayſt withwyſdome get of them, that ſhal recompence al that thou doyſt to them. All this I meane if thou be pacyent and wyſe and feare God, therto, and louelove thyne neyghbour and do none euell, For if thou kepe thy ſelfe in fauour with hurtynge thy neyghbour / thyne ende wyl be euell / and at the laſte deſperacyon in thys worlde and hell after.
But and yf thou canſt not pol thy ſelfe with wyſdome, and laugh and bere a good countenaunce as though thou reioyſedeſt whyle ſuche perſones poll the, eueryevery man ſhal poll the and they ſhal maynteyne them / and not defēde the. Let thys the fore be a comen prouerbe / be contented to be polled of ſome man / or be polled of eueryevery man.
Ye muſt vnderſtande that there be two ſtates or degrees in thys worlde / Two maaer ſtates. degrees, of regymētes.the kyngedome of heuen which in the regyment of the goſpel. And the kyngdome of this worlde which is the temporall regyment. In the fyrſt ſtate there is nether father / mother / ſonne / doughter / neyther mayſter / mayſtres / mayde / man ſeruaunt / nor huſbande nor wyfe / nor lorde or ſubiecte, nor man or woman, but Chyrſte is all, and eche to other is Chryſt hym ſelfe. There is none better then other, but al lyke good, al brethren, & Chriſt only is lord ouer al. Nether is there any other thynge to do or other lawe ſaue to louelove one another as Chryſt loued vsus. In the tēporal regyment is huſbande / wyfe / father / mother / ſon / doughter / mayſter / mayſtres / mayde / man ſeruant / lorde and ſubiecte,
EueryEvery man is of ye ſpyrytualty & of the temporaltye bothe.Nowe is eueryevery perſon a double perſon and vnderunder bothe the regymentes. In the fyrſt regyment thou arte a perſon for thyne owne ſelfe / vnderunder Chriſt and his doctrine, and mayſt nether hate or be angry and moch les fyght or aduēge But muſte after the enſample of Chryſte vmble thy ſelfe, forſake and denye thy ſelfe, and hate thy ſelfe, and caſt thy ſelfe awaye, and bemeke and pacyent, and let eueryevery man go ouer the▪ and treade the vnderunder fote and do the wronge, and yet louelove them and pray for them, as Chriſt dyd for his crucyfyers. For louelove is al and what is not of louelove / that is damnable and caſt out of that kyngedome.
LoueLove. He that loueth not. his neyghboure hath not the true faythe of Chryſt….For that kyngdome is the kyngdome of God and Chryſte. But he that loueth not / knoweth nether God nor Chryſt, therfore he that loueth not is not of that kyngdome. The minor is this wyſe proued / he that knowith God and Chriſt ſeeth lyght, for Chryſt is lyght. But he that hateth hys brother / is in darckenes and walketh in darkenes and wotteth not whyther he goeth for darkenes hathe blynded his eyes. 1. Ioh. 2, Ergo he that hateth his brother / knoweth not what Chryſte hath done for hym, and therfore hath no true fayth / nor is of the ſpyritual kyngdome of God.
To hate thy ſelfe, hat ſhalt thou gete, if thou conſyder thyne owne ſynnes and depe dampnacyon that longe therto with due repentaunce And to louelove that ſhalt thou obtayne if thou beholde the great and infinyte mercy of God with ſtronge fayth. There is none ſo great an enemy to ye in this world. But thou ſhalt lyghtly louelove hym if thou loke wel on the louelove that God ſhewed the in Chryſte.
In the temporall regyment thou art a perſon in reſpecte of other, thou art an huſbande / The temporal regimētfather / mother / mayſter / mayſtreſſe / lorde / ruler / or wyfe / ſon / doughter / ſeruaunt / ſubiecte. And there thou mayſte do accordynge to thyne offyce. If thou be a father / thou muſt do the offyce of a father and rule or els thou dampneſt thy ſelfe. Thou muſte brynge all vnderunder obedyence whether by fayre meanes or foule. Thou muſte hauehave obedyence of thy wyfe / of thy ſeruauntes / and of thy ſubiectes / and the other muſte obeye. If they wyll not obey with louelove, thou muſt chyde and fyght / as farre as the lawe of God and the lawe of the lande wyll ſuffer the. And when thou canſte not rule them / thou art boūde in many caſes / to delyuer them vntounto the hyer offycer of whome thou dydeſt take the charge ouer them.
Vyolence. Not to reſyſt vyolēce hawe it is vnderſtād.Nowe to our purpoſe, whether a man may reſyſte vyolence and defende or aduenge hym ſelfe. I ſaye naye in the fyrſte ſtate, where thou art a perſone for thy ſelfe alone and Chryſtes dycyple. There thou muſt louelove, and of louelove do ſtudye and enforce ye and ſuffer all thynge (as Chryſt dyd to make peace / that the bleſſyng of God maye come vponupon the / which ſayth. Bleſſed be the peace makers, for they ſhalbe the chyldren of God. If thou ſuffer and kepeſt peas in thy ſelfe onelyonly, the bleſſynge is, the poſſeſſyon of this worlde. But if thou ſo louelove the peas of thy brethren that thou leaue nothynge vndone or vnſuffred to forther it / thy bleſſynge is, thou ſhalt be Goddes ſonne and conſequently poſſeſſe heuen.
But in the worldly ſtate / where thou art no pryuate man, but a perſon in reſpecte of other▪ thou not onelyonly mayſte / but alſo muſte and … bound vnderunder payne of dampnacyon to execute thyne offyce, where thou art a father, thou muſt hauehave obedyence by fayre meanes or by fowle, and to whom thou art an huſband / of her thou muſt requyre obedyence and chaſtyte / and that to gete, tempte all that the lawe of the lande commaundeth and wyll. And of thy ſeruauntes thou muſt exacte obedyence and feare, & mayſt not ſuffer thy ſelfe to be dyſpyſed. And where thou arte a ruler therto appoynted, thou muſte take, pryſon and ſlee to / not of malyce and hate, to aduenge thy ſelfe / but to defende thy ſubiectes, and to maynteyne thyne offyce.
Concernyng thy ſelfe, oppreſſe not thy ſubiectes with rent, fynes or cuſtome at all, / neyther pylle them with taxes and ſuche lyke / to maynteyne thyne owne luſtes. But be louynge and kynde to them, as Chryſte was to the / for they be hys and the pryce of hys bloude. But thoſe that be euell doers amonge them and vexe theyr brethren, and wyll not knowe the for theyr iudge, and feare thy lawe, thē ſmyte, and vponupon them drawe thy ſwerde, and put it not vp vntyll thou hauehave done thyne offyce, yet without hate to thy perſon for hys maſters ſake and becauſe he is in the fyrſt regyment thy brother / but amende hym onelyonly / or yf it can not be / but that thou muſte loſe one to ſaue many / then execute thyne offyce with ſuche affeccyon / with ſuche compaſſyon and ſorowe of harte, as thou woldeſte cutte of thyne owne arme to ſaue the reſte of thy body.
Take an exſample,An ex…pul of two reamentes. thou arte in thy fathers houſe amonge thy brethren and ſyſters. There yf one fyght with a nother / or yf any do the wronge, thou mayſte not aduenge nor ſmyte. But that perteyneth to thy father onelyonly. But yf thy father gyue the auctoryte in his abſens, and commande the to ſmyte yf they wyll not be ruled▪ nowe thou arte another perſone. Notwithſtandyng yet thou haſte not put of the fyrſt perſone / but art a brother ſtyll / and muſt euer louelove and proue all thynge to rule with louelove. But yf louelove wyll not ſerue, then thou muſte vſe the offyce of the other perſone or ſynne agaynſte thy father. Euen ſo when thou art a temporal perſon, thou putteſt not of the ſpyrytual. Therfore thou muſte euer louelove. But when louelove wyll not helpe, thou muſt with louelove execute the offyce of the temporall perſone or ſynne agaynſte God. A mother can ſmyte & louelove, and ſo mayſt thou with louelove execute the offyce of thy ſecond ſtate And the wyfe / ſonne / ſeruaūt / and ſubiecte are brethren in the fyrſt ſtate and put not that perſon of / by reaſon of the ſeconde degree, and therfore muſt they louelove euer▪ and with louelove pay cuſtome / trybute / feare / honoure and obediēce to whome they belonge as Paule teacheth Roma. 13. And thoughe the other do not his duety and louelove the, but rule the with rigorouſnes and deale vnkyndly with the / thou not deſeruynge cleaue thou to Chryſt and louelove ſtyl / and let not his euell ouercome thy goodnes / and make the euell alſo.
And as after the enſample aboue / thy father hath power ouer the to comaūde the to vſe hye power ouer thy brethren / euen ſo hath thy mayſter / to gyue the his auctoryte ouer thy felowes which when thou haſt thou muſt remember that thou art a felowe ſtyll / and bounde to louelove ſtyl. But yf louelove alone wyl not helpe / then put thy mayſters auctoryte vntounto thy louelove. And ſo hathe the ruler power ouer the / to ſende the to vſe vyolence vponupon thy neyghboure, to take hym / to pryſon him and happely to kyl him to And thou muſt euer louelove thy neyghbour in thy… harte by the reaſon that he is thy brother in the fyrſt ſtate, and yet obeye thy rular and go with the conſtable or lyke offycer and breake open thy neyghbours dore / yf he wyll not open it in the kynges name / ye and if he wyl not yelde in the kynges name / thou muſt laye on and ſmyte hym to grounde tyll he be ſubdued. And loke what harme he getteth / ye though he be ſlayne / that be on hys owne hede. For thyne harte loued hym and deſyredeſt hym louyngly to obey and haſte not aduenged thy ſelfe in that ſtate where thou arte a brother / but in the worldly ſtate where thou arte another maner perſone in thys caſe / thou haſte executed the auctoryte of hym that hath ſuche power of God to comaūde the and where thou were dampned of God, yf thou dyddeſt not obey.
And lyke it is / yf thy lorde or prynce ſende the a warfare into a nother lande,How to be a warry ou… thou muſte obey at Goddes commaundement and go and auenge thy princes quarel which thou knoweſt not but that it is ryght. And when thou comeſt thyther / remēber that thou arte in the fyrſt ſtate with them agaynſt whom thou muſt fyght, howe that they be thy brethrē and as depely bought with Chryſtes bloude as thou, and for Chryſtes ſake to be beloued in thyne h…rte. And ſe that thou deſyre nether theyr lyfe or gooddes, ſaue to aduenge thy prynces quarell and to brynge them vnderunder thy princes power. And be content with thy prynces wages and with ſuche part of the ſpoyle (whē thou haſt wonne) as thy prynce or hys debyte appoynted the / for yf thou hate them in thyne harte and coueteſt theyr goodes and art glade that an occaſyon is founde (thou …areſt not whether it be ryght or wronge) that thou mayſte go a robbynge & murtherynge vnponyſhed, then arte thou a murtherar in ye ſight of God / and thy bloude wyll be ſheed agayne for it / eyther in the ſame warre folowynge, or when thou art come home (as thou there dydeſt in thyne harte) ſo ſhalt thou robbe and ſteale / and be hāged for thy labour, or ſlayne by ſome other myſchefe.
Goodes.Nowe concernynge the goodes of thys worlde it is eaſy to iudge. In the fyrſte ſtate or degree thou oughteſt to be thankeful to Chriſt. and to louelove / to gyue and to lende to them that are bought with hys precyous bloude / all that thou art able. For all that thou oweſt to Chryſt whoſe ſeruaunt thou arte to do hys wyll / that muſte thou paye them.…ath. 25. And that thou doeſt to them / that ſame doeſt thou to Chryſte / and that thou art not redye to do for them / that denyeſt thou to do for Chryſt. But and any of thy brethren wyl with holde or take away by force aboue that thou mayſte ſpare by the reaſon of ſome offyce that thou haſt in the ſeconde ſtate / or inuade the vyolently / and laye more on thy backe then thou canſte beare, then holde thyne harte and hande, that thou nether hate or ſmyte and ſpeake fayre and louyngly / and let neyghboures go betwene. And whē thou haſt proued almenes of louelove in vayne, then cōplayne to the lawe and the offycer that is ſet to be thy father and defende the, and to iudge betwene the and thy brother.
Thou wylt ſaye the texte forbyddeth me to go to lawe, for it ſayeth,To go to lawe. yf a man wyl law with the and take thy cote / thou muſte let hym hauehave gowne and all. If I muſte ſuffer my ſelfe to be robbed by the lawe, wylte thou ſaye / by what ryght can I with lawe recouer myne owne? I anſwere. Beholde the texte dylygently. For by no ryght of lawe can a man take thy cote from the. For the lawe was ordeyned of God / to maynteyne the in thy ryght and to forbyd that wronge ſhulde be done the, wherfore the texte meaneth thus, yt where the lawe is vniuſtly mynyſtred, and the gouerners and iudges corrupt and take brybes and be percyal / there be pacyent & redy to ſuffer euer as much more, what ſoeuer vnryght be done the / rather then of impacyency, thou ſhuldeſte aduenge thy ſelfe on thy neyghbour and rayle or make inſurreccyon againſt the ſuperyours which God hath ſet ouer the. For to ryſe againſt them is to rebel againſt God and agaynſt thy father when he ſcourgeth the for thyne offence, and a thouſande tymes more ſynne then to aduenge the on thy neyghbour. And to rayle on them is to rayle on God as though thou woldeſt blaſpheme hym / yf he make the ſyke, pore or of lowe degre or otherwyſe then thou woldeſt be made thy ſelfe.
Prynces / whether they maye be reſyſted or putte downe of theyr ſubiectes in any caſe.Thou wylt happely ſaye, the ſubiectes euer choſe the ruler and make hym ſwere to kepe theyr lawe and to maynteyne theyr priuyleges and lydertyes / and vponupon that ſubmytte theyr ſelues vntounto hym. Ergo yf he rule amyſſe they ar not bounde to obeye. But may reſyſte hym and put hym downe agayne? I aunſwere your argument is nought. For the huſbande ſwereth to his wyfe / ye though he forſwere hym ſelfe / ſhe hath no power to compell hym. Alſo thoughe a mayſter kepe not couenaunt with his ſeruaūt, or one neyghboure with a nother, yet hathe nether ſeruaunt / no nor yet neyghboure (thoughe he be vnderunder none obedyence) power to aduenge. But the vengyaunce pertayneth euer to an hyer offycer / to whom thou muſte complayne,
Ye but thou wyl ſay / it is not lyke. For the hole body of the ſubiectes choſe ye ruler. Now Cuius eſt ligare, eius eſt ſoluere. Ergo yf he rule amyſſe, they that ſette hym vp / maye putte hym downe agayne. I anſwere, God (and not the comen people) choſeth the prynce / though he choſe hym by them. For Deutero. 16. God commaundeth to choſe and ſette vp offycers / and therfore is God the chefe choſer and ſetter vp of them / and ſo muſte he be the chefe putter downe of them agayne, ſo that without his ſpecyall commaundement, they maye not be putte downe agayne. Nowe hath God gyuen no commaundement to put them downe agayne. But contrary wyſe / when we hauehave anoynted a kyng ouer vsus at hys commaundement / he ſayethe, Touche not myne anoynted. And what ieoperdye it is to ryſe agaynſte thy prynce that is anoynted ouer the / howe euell ſo euer he be, ſe in the ſtorye of Kynge Dauyd and through out al the bokes of the kynges. The auctoryte of the kynge is the auctoryte of God, and all the ſubiectes compared to the kynge, are but ſubiectes ſtyll (thoughe the kynge be neuer ſo euell) as a thouſande ſonnes gathered to gether are but ſonnes ſtyll / and the commaundement obeye your fatehrs goeth ouer all as wel as ouer one. Euen ſo goethe the commaundement ouer all the ſubiectes / obeye your prynce and the hyer power / and he that reſyſteth him, reſyſteth God and geteth hym dampnacyon. And vntounto your argumēt. Cuius eſt ligare, eius eſt ſoluere. I anſwere, he that byndeth with abſolute power / & without any hyer auctoryte, hys is the myght to lowſe agayne. But he that byndeth at a nother mannes commaundement, maye not lowſe agayne with out the commaundement of the ſame. As they of London choſe them a mayre. But may not put hym downe agayne how euel he be with out the auctoryte of him with whoſe ly…ence they choſe him. As long as the powers or offycers be one vnderunder another / yf the inferior do the wronge, complayne to the hyer. But if the hyeſt of al do the wronge, thou muſt complayne to God onelyonly. wherfore the onelyonly remedy agaynſte euell doers is, that thou turne thyne eyes to thy ſelfe and thyne owne ſynne / and then loke vp to God and ſaye. O father, for our ſyn and the ſynne of our fathers is thy… miſery come vponupon vsus. we knowe not the as our father, to obey the and to walke in thy wayes / and therfore thou knoweſt not vsus as thy ſonnes to ſet louinge ſcole maſters ouer vsus, we hate thy lawe, and therfore haſte thou through the wyckednes of vnryghtwyſe iudges, made that lawe that was for our defence, to be a tyraunt moſte cruel and to opreſſe vsus and to do vsus iniurye aboue al other kyndes of vyolence & robbyng. And amende thy lyuynge, and be meke and pacyent, and let them robbe as moch as they wyl. yet ſhal God gyue the fode and rament and an honeſt poſſeſſion in the earth to maynteyne the and thyne with all.
Gooddes.Moreouer concernynge thy goodes / thou muſt remember howe that thou art a perſon in the temporall regyment, and the kynge as he is ouer thy body, euen ſo is he lorde of thy good and of hym thou holdeſt them, not for thy ſelfe onelyonly, but for to meynteyne thy wyfe, chyldren and ſeruauntes, and to meynteyne the kynge / the realme and the country and towne or cetye where thou dwelleſt, wherfore thou mayſte not ſuffer thē to be waſted / that thou were not able to do thy dutye, no more then a ſeruaunt maye ſuffer hys maſters good to go to wracke neglygently. Eor he that prouydeth not for hys, and namely for them of his owne houſehold, fayth Paule / denyeth the faythe and is worſe then an infydell. But eueryevery man is bounde to laboure dylygently and truely and therwith ſo ſoberly to lyue, that he may hauehave ynough for hym and hys and ſomewhat aboue for them that can not labour or by chaunce are fallen into neceſſyte. And of that gyue and lende and loke not for it agayne. And if that ſuffice not thy neybours neceſſyte, then ſpeake & make labour to thy brethren. to helpe alſo. For it is a comē prouerbe many handes make lyght worke / & many may beare that one alone can nor.
And thy wyfe / thy chyldren / and ſeruauntes art thou bounde to defende. If any man wolde force thy wyfe / thy doughter / or thy mayde / it is not ynough forthe to loke on and ſay. God amende you. Naye thou muſt execute thyne offyce and auctoryte whiche the kynge gyueth the. And by the waye thou muſte defende thy mayſter and hys good / and the kynges good / whiche thou haſte to maynteyne thy wyfe and houſehold, and thy neyghbour that goeth with the agaynſte theues and murtherars.
And agaynſte al ſuche perſones lay aboute the, and do as thou woldeſte do yf thou were vnderunder the kynges ſtanderde agaynſte hys enemyes whiche had inuaded the realme. For all ſuche perſones are mortall enemyes to the realme and ſeke to put downe kyng & lawe and altogether, and to make that it myght be lawfull to ſynne vnponyſhed. And of thys maner▪ yf thou marke well the dyfference of theſe two ſtates and regymētes / thou mayſt ſoyle al lyke doutes that ſhalbe layde agaynſte the.
Regymentes. EueryEvery man is vnderunder bothe regimētes.More ouer when I ſaye, there be two regymentes, the ſpyrytual and the temporall. Euen ſo I ſaye that eueryevery perſone baptyſed to kepe the lawe of God and to beleue in Chryſt. is vnderunder bothe the regymentes, and is both a ſpyrytuall perſon and alſo a temporall / and vnderunder the offycers of both the regymentes / ſo that the kynge is as depe vnderunder the ſpyrytual offycer, to heare out of Goddes worde what he ought to beleue and howe to lyue and howe to rule / as is the poreſt begger in the realme. And euen ſo the ſpyrytuall offycer yf he ſyn agaynſte hys neyghbour or teache falſe doctryne, is vnderunder ye kynges or temporall correccyon, howe hye ſo euer he be. And loke howe dampnable it is for the kynge to withdrawe hym ſelfe frō the obedyence of the ſpyrytual offycer / that is to ſaye / from heringe his duty, to do it, and frō herynge his vyces rebuked, to amende them / ſo damnable it is for the ſpyrytuall offycer, howe hye ſo euer he be, to withdrawe hym ſelfe from vnderunder the kynges correccyon, yf he teache falſe or ſyn agaynſt any temporall lawe.
A preacher of the goſpell maye vſe no vyolence.Fynally ye muſte conſyder that Chryſt here teacheth his dyſcyples and them that ſhulde be the lyght and ſalt in lyuynge and doctryne / to ſhyne in the weke and feble eyes of the world deſeaſed with the mygrym and accuſtomed to darkenes / that without greate payne they can behold no lyght, & to ſalt theyr olde feaſtered ſores and to frete out the rotten fleſhe euen to the harde quycke. that it ſmart agayne, & ſpare no degree. But tell all men hye and lowe, theyr fautes, and warne them of the ieoperdye / and exhorte them to the ryght waye. Nowe ſuche ſcole mayſters ſhall fynde ſmall fauoure and frendſhyppe with the rulers of thys worlde or defence in theyr lawes. As Chryſt warneth thē. Mat. 10. ſayenge (I ſende you out as ſhepe amonge wolues. Beware therfore of men / for they ſhal delyuer you vp to their coūcelles, and ſhall ſcorge you in theyr ſynagoges or councel houſes / and ye ſhalbe brought before the chefe rulers & kinges for my ſake) and ther taecheth them as here / to arme them ſelues with paciēce and to go forthe boldely with a ſtronge faythe and truſte in the ſocoure and aſſyſtence of God onelyonly / and to plante the goſpell with all louelove and mekenes and to water it with theyr owne bloude, as Chryſt dyd. Thou mayſt not in that ſtate come with a ſwerde / to defend eyther thy ſelfe or thy goſpel, and to compel men to worſhyp the as God and to beleue what thou wylt Nay, ſhepe vſe no ſuch regyment amonge wolues. If thou be a ſhepe, thou art not in euell takynge yf thou canſte brynge to paſſe that the wolfe be content with thy fleſhe onelyonly and to ſhere the yerely. GiueGive to him that axeth, and frō hym that wolde borowe we turne not away, Luke ſayeth, gyue to whoſoeuer axeth the. That is to ſaye, whoſoeuer thou ſeeſt nede or ſeeſt not the contrarye but there may be nede, to the vttermoſt of thy power there open thyne harte and be mercyfull onelyonly. And of mercyfulnes ſette God thy father and Chryſte thy lorde and maſter for an enſample and enforce to be as lyke thē as thou canſt. If thou be mercyful God hath bounde him ſelfe to be mercyful to the agayne Lo / is not this an excedynge great thynge, that God which of no ryght ought to be bounde to his creatures / hath yet put it hole in thyne owne handes, to bynde him againſt the day of thy trybulacyon, then to ſhewe the mercy?
Concernynge lendyng, procede by the forſayd rule of mercy, Many in extreme nede, yet aſhamed to b…gge, ſhal deſyre yt to lende. VntoUnto ſuche in ſtede of lendynge gyue, or ſaye thys▪ lo / here is as moch as ye requyre. If ye can pay it agayne well, do / and ye ſhall fynde me redy agaynſt a nother tyme to lende or gyue (if nede be) as moche more. But and yf ye ſhall not be able to paye it agyne / trouble not your conſcyence, I gyue it you, we be all one mannes chyldrē, one man hath bought vsus all with his bloud and bounde vsus to helpe one another. And with ſo doynge / thou ſhalt wynne the harte of hym to thy father. Concernynge marchaundyſe and chapmen the leſſe borowinge were amonge thē the better ſhulde the comen welth be, if it we… poſſyble, I wolde it were / ware for ware or mony for ware / or parte mony and parte ware. But yf it wyll not be / but that a man to get hys lyuynge with muſte nedes lende and call for it agayne to fynde hys houſeholde / and to pay… his dettes / then in the lendynge / be fyrſt ſyngle and harmeles as a doue / and then as wyſe as a ſerpent / and take hede to whom thou lendeſt. If when thou haſt lent an honeſt man / God vyſet him / and take away his gooddes with what chaunce it be / whether by ſee or lande / that he is not able to paye the / then to pryſon hym or to ſue hym at the lawe, or once to ſpeake an vnkynde worde, mere agaynſt the lawe of louelove & contrary to ſhewynge mercy. There thou muſte ſuffer with thy neyghboure & brother as Chryſt dyd with the, and as God dothe dayly, If an vnthryſte hauehave begyled the, and ſpente thy good awaye and hathe not to paye / then holde thyne hande and harte that thou aduēge not thy ſelfe But louelove hym and pray for hym and remember howe God hath promyſed to bleſſe the pacyēt and meke. Neuertheleſſe becauſe ſuch perſones corrupt the comen maners and cauſe the name of God the leſſe to be feared / men ought to cō playne vponupon ſuche perſones to the offycer that is ordayned of God to ponyſhe euell doers / and the offycer is bounde to ponyſhe them. If thou hauehave lent a foxe which with cauelacyon wyll kepe thy good from the / then yf the ruler and the lawe wyll not helpe the to thy ryght. do as it is aboue ſayde of hym that wyll go to lawe with the and take thy cote from the. That is to ſaye / be content to loſe that and as moche more to it / rather then thou woldeſt aduenge thy ſelfe. Let not the wykednes of other …en plucke the from God. But abyde ſtyll by God and hys blyſſynges and …arye hys iudgement.Couetouſnes. Lyberalyte is mercy fulnes that bynd… God to be mercyfull agayne. Couetouſnes (the roote of all euell and father of all falſe proph…tes, and the ſeole mayſter that teacheth … meſſengers of Sathan to dyſguyſe them ſelues lyke to the meſſengers of Chryſte) is mercyl… that ſhall hauehave iudgement without mercy.Iaco. 2. And therfore exhorteth Chryſte al his ſo dyligently and aboue all thynge, to be lyberall and to beware of couetouſnes.