The Parable of the Wicked Mammon, Parable · Part 23

The Parable of the Wicked Mammon · Parable · Part 23

PRayer is amorninge a longinge and a desire of the spirite to godWhat prayer is. ward for that which she lacketh as a sick morneth and soroweth in his hert longinge for health. Fayth euer praieth. For after that by fayth wee are recōsiled to God and hauehave receyued merciemercy and forgiuenes of God the spirite longeth and trusteth for strengeth to do the will of God, and that God maye be honoured, hys name halowede, and hysThe condiciōs and propreties of prayer. pleasure and wyll fulfilles. The spiryte waiteth and watcheth on the will of god and euer hath hir owne fragilite & weaknes before hyr eyes, and when she seeth tentacion and perell drawe nye, she torneth to God & to the testamente that God hath made to all that beleue and truste in Christes bloud and desireth God for his mercy, trueth and for the louelove he hath to Christe, that he wyl fulfill hys promyse, that he shall soccur and helpe and giuegive vsus strength, and that he wyll sanctifie hys name in vsus and fulfill hys godly wyll in vsus, and y^t he wil not loke on our sin and iniq…ite, but on his mercy, on his trueth, and on the louelove that he oweth to his sone Christ and for hys sake to kepe vsus from tentacion, that we be not ouercome and that he delyuer vsus from euyll, and what so euer moueth vsus contrary to hys Godly wyll. More ouer of hys owne experienceLette the sam mind be in yon that was in Ie su Christ which. &c. he fealeth other mens neade, and no lesse commendeth to God the infirmites of other then hys owne knowynge that ther is no strength, no helpe, no succure but of God only. And as mercyfull as he fealeth god in his hert to him selfe warde so mercyfull is he to other, and as greatly as he fealeth his owne miseri, so grate cōpassiō hath he on other. Hys neibours is no lesse care to hym then hym selfe. He fealeth hys neybours grieffe no lesse then his owne. And when so euer he seeth occa siō he can not but pray for his neibour as well as for him selfe: his nature is to seke the honour of god in al men, and to draw (as much as in him is) all men vntounto God

This is the lawe of louelove whiche spring eth out of Christes bloude in to y^e hertes of al thē that hauehave their trust in hym. No man nedeth to byd a christen man to pray if he se his neybours neade: if he se it not put hym in remembraunce only, and then he can not but do his dutye.

Nowe as toutchynge y^t we desier one aOne to praye for au other. nother to pray for vsus, that do wee to put oure neybour in remēbraunce of his dutie and not that we truste in his holynes. Oure truste is in God, in Christe and in the trueth of goddes promyses, we hauehave also a promise that when .ii. or ▪iii. or moe agre togethere in any thynge accordynge to the wil of God, God heareth vsus. Not wythstandynge as God hearethe many: so heareth he few, …nd so heareth he one, if he pray after the wyl of god and desire the honour of God. He that desireth mer cye, the same fealeth hys ow…e mysery, and sinne and morneth in his hert for to be delyuered, that he might honour God and God for hys trueth must heare hym, which saieth by y^e mouth of christ Mat. v. Blessed are they that hōger and thurst after rightousnes, for they shalbe fulfyllled. God for hys truethes sake muste put the rightuousnes of Christe in him andIn what hour the sinner sigh eth I shal hear hym. washe his vnrightuousnes awaye in the bloude of Christ. And be the sinner neuer so weke, neuer so feable and frayle, syne he neuer so oft & so areuousli, yet so long as this lust desire and morninge to be deliuered remaineth in hym, God seeth not hys sinnes, rekeneth them not, for hys truethes sake and louelove to Christe. He is not a sinner in the sight of God, y^e would be no sinner. He that would be del…uered hath his hert loose already. His hert sinneth not, but morneth repenteth, and cō senteth vntounto the lawe and wyll of God and iustifith God, that is, beareth record that God whiche made the law is rightu ous and iustc. And such an hert trustinge in Christes bloude, is accepted for full rightuous. And hys weaknes, infirmitie and frayltie is pardoned and hys synnes not lokede vponupon: vntyll God put more strength in hym and fulfyll his lust.

When the weake in the fayth and vnexpert in the misterites of Christe desire vsus to pray for thē, thē ought we to leade then to the trueth and promises of God, and teach them to put their truste in the promises of God, in y^e louelove y^t God hathThe louelove of God to ch…ste is inf…t▪ to Christe and to vsus for his sake, and to strength ther weke consciēces, shewing… and prouinge by the scripture, that as longe as they folowe the spirite & resyste sinne it is impossible they shoulde faule so depe that God shal not pulle them vp agayne, if they hold fast by the anker of fayth hauinge truste and confydence in Christe. The louelove that God hath to Christe is infinite, and Christe dyd and suffered all thynges, not for hym selfe, to optaine fauouer or ought else: for he had euer the full fauoure of God and was euer Lorde ouer all thinges, but to rec…nsile vsus to God and to make vsus heyres with him of his fathers kyngdome. And God hath promised, that whosoeuer calleth on his name shall neuer be confūded or a shamed Ro. ii, Yf the ryghtwis fall (saith the scriptur) he shal not be broised, the Lorde shall put his hande vnderunder him.

Who is rightuous but he that trusteth in Christes bloude, be he neuer so weak?Who is rightuouse. Christe is our ryghtuousnes and in hym ought we to teach all men to truste, and to expounde vntounto al mē y^e testament that God hath made to vsus sinners in Christes bloude. Thys ought wee to do and not make a praye of them to leade them captyue, to sitte in ther conscyences and to teach them to truste in our holynes, good deades and prayers, to the entēt that we woulde fede oure ydle and slowe belyes of their great labour and sweate, and so to make our selues Christes & sauiours.

For if I take on me to saue other by mi merites, make I not my selfe a Christ and a sauioure, and am in deade a false prophete and a true antichrist, and exalt my selfe and sytte in the temple of God, that is to wyt the consciences of men? A mōg Christē men louelove maketh al thingesLoueLove makethe all thynges cō mon. commune: eueri man is others detter and eueryevery man is bōūde minister to his neigh boure, and to supplye hys neyghbours lacke, of that where wyth God hath endued hym. As thou seeest in the worlde howe the Lordes and offycers minister peace in the commune wealth, punyshe murderers, theues and euyll doers, and to maynteine ther ordre and estate do the communes minister to them agayne rēt, trybute, tolle and custome So in y^e Gospell the curates whyche in eueryevery paryshe preach the Gospel ought of dutie to receyue an honest lyuing for them and theyr how sholdes and euen so ought the other officers whiche are necessarilye repu…ed in the commune wealth of Christ. Wee neade not to vse fylthy lucre in the Gospell,He y^t seruethe y^e aultare oug hte to lyue of y^e aultare also to chope and chaunge and to playe the tauernars, altering y^e word of God, as they do their wynes to theyr moste a vauntage, and to fascion Goddes word after eueryevery mans mouth, or to abse the name of Christe to optayne therby autorite & power, to feede oure slowe bealies. Now seest thou what prayer is, the ende therof, and wherfore it serueth,

If thou giuegive me a thousand pownde to praye for the I am no more boūde thē I was before. Mans ymaginacion canTemporal rewarde nother augmente the▪ nor miny sheth Charitie. make the commaundement of God nether greater nor smaller nether can it eyther adde to the lawe of God or minishe. … Goddes commaundement is as grater as hym selfe. I am bownde to louelove the Turke wyth all my myght and power, yea and aboue my power euen from the grounde of my hert, after the ensample that Christ loued me, nether to spare god des, bodye or life to win him to Christe. And what can I do more for the if thou gaueste me all the worlde? Where I see neade ther can I not but pray if Godes spirite be in me.

Almes is a greake worde and sygnifyeth mercy One Christen is detter to a nother at hys neade of all that he is able to do for him vntill his neade be suffised. E uery Christen man ought to hauehave Christ all ways before his eyes, as an ensample to counterfaite and folowe, and to do to his neyboure as Christ hath done to him as Paule teacheth in all his epystles and Peter in his fyrst and Iohn in his fyrsteThe order of Paule in settynge forthe of Christ. also. This order vseth Paule in all hys epistles. Fyrste he preacheth the lawe and proueth that the whole nature of man is damned in that the hert lusteth contrary to the will of God.

For if we were of God, no doubt we shoulde hauehave lust in his will. Then preacheth he Christ, the Gospel the promises, and the mercye that God hath set forth to all men in Christes bloude. Whyche they that beleue and take for an erueste thing, turne thē selues to God, begininge to louelove God agayne, and to prepare thē selues to hys wyll by the working of the spirite of God in thē. Last of all exorteth he to vnite, peace & sobernes, to a voyde braulinges, sectes, opinions, disputinge and arguinge a bowt wordes, & to walke in the playne and syngle fayth and fealinge of the spirite, and to louelove one an other after the ensample of Christe, euen as Christe loued vsus and to be thankfull, and to walke worthy of the Gospell and as it …e cometh Christ and wyth the ensāpel of pure liuing to draw al to Christ.

Christ is Lord ouer al, and eueryevery christē is heyre ānered with Christ and therfore Lorde of all, and eueryevery one lord of what soeuer a nother hath.

Yf thy brother or neyboure therforeBy what reasone al thynge is commune. neade & thou hauehave to healpe hym and yet showest not mercy but wythdrawest thy handes from hym: then robbest thou h…m of hys owne and art a thefe. A Christen mā hath Christes spirite. Now is Christ a mercyful thinge: if therfore thou be not mercyfull after the ensample of Christe then hast thou not hys spirite. Yf thou hauehave not Christes spirite, then art thou none of hys Ro. viii. nor haste any parte with, him. More ouer though thou sh…we mercye vntounto thy neiboure, yet if thou do it not with such burning louelove as Christe dyd vntounto y^e, so must thou knowledge thy sine and desyre mercy in Christ. A christē man hath nought to reioyse in, as concer ninge hys deades. Hys reioysinge is that Christe died for hym, and that he is washed in Christes bloude. Of hys deades reioyseth he not, nether countech his merites, nether giueth pardons of them, nether seketh an hier place in heauē of thē, nether maketh hym selfe a sauoure of other men, thorow hys good workes. But geueth al honour to God, and in his grea tist deades of mercye knowleageth hym selfe a sinner vnfaineadly, and is a bundantly content wyth the place that is pre pared for hym of Christe. And his good deades are to him a signe onli y^t Christes spirite is in hym, and he in Christe, and thorowe Christe electe to eternall lyfe.

The order of louelove or charite which, some dreame, the Gospell of Christe showeth not of that a man should beginne at hym selfe fyrste and then descende I wot not by what steppes. LoueLove seketh not hyr owne profet. ii. Cor. xii. but maketh a mā Ther is no order in charitie.to forgette him selfe, and to turne his pro fet and other man, as Christe sought not hym selfe or is owne profit but oures.

This terme my selfe is not in the Gospell, nether yet father, mother sister, brother, kinsman, that one shoulde be preferred in louelove aboue a nother. But Christ is all in all thinges. EueryEvery christen man to an other is Christe him self, and thy neyg bours neade hath as good ryghte in thy goodes as hath Christe hym selfe whiche is heyre & Lorde ouer all. And loke what thou owest to Christe that thou owest to thy neybours neade. To thy neybour owest thou thine herte, thi selfe and al that thou▪ haste and canste do. The louelove that springeth out of Christ excludeth no mā nether putteth differēce betwene one and an other. In Christe we are all of one degree wythout respecte of persons. Not withstandinge thought a Christen mans hert be open to all men, and receyueth all men. Yet because that his abilite of good des extendeth not so ferre, this prouision is made, that eueryevery man shall care for his owne howsehold, as father and mother and thyne elders that hauehave holpē y^e, wife childerne and seruātes. If thou shouldest not care & prouide for thyne howseholde, then, wert thou an infidele, seynge thou haste taken on the so to do, & for as moch as that is thy parte committed to the of the congregacion.

Whē thou hast done thy dutie to thineHowe and to whome almes oughte to bee geuen▪ howescholde, and yet hast farder aboundance of the blessinge of God, that owest thou to y^e pore y^t cā not labour or would laboure & can gette no worke, and are des titute of frēdes, to y^e pore I meāe whych thou knoweste, to them of thyne own pa rysh. For that prouision ought to be had in the congregaciō, that eueryevery parish care for ther pore. If thi neibours which thou knowest be serued, and thou yet hauehave su pers…uyte, & hearest necessite to be amōge the bretherne a thousand myle of, to thē ar… thou detter. Yea to the very infydels we be detters, if they neade, as ferforth as we mayntene thē not agaynste Christ or to blasfeme Christ. Thus is eueryevery mā that neadeth thy healpe, thy father, mother, syster, and brother in Christe: euen as eueryevery man that doth the will of the fa ther, is father, mother, sister, and brother vntounto Christe.

More ouer if any be an infydele and a fals Christen and forsake hys houshold, hys wyfe, chylder and such as can not healpe them selues, then art thou bound and thou hauehave where w^t, euen as much as to thine own houshold. And they hauehave as good ryght in thy goodes, as thou thy selfe. And if thou with drawe mercye frō them, and haste wherewith to healp thē: thē art thou a thefe. Yf thou showe mercye,Whoe is a thefe. so doest thou thy dutie & art a faythfull minister in the houshold of Christe, and of Christ shalt thou hauehave thi reward and thanke. Yf the whole worlde were thine, yet hath eueryevery brother his ryght in thy goodes and is heyre with the, we are all heyres with Christe. More ouer the rych and they that hauehave wysdome wyth them must se the pore set a worke, that as many as are able maye feade them selues with the laboure of there owne handes, accordinge to the scripture and cōmaundement of God.

Nowe se…st thou what almes deades meaneth & wherefore it serueth. He that seketh wyth hys almes more than to be mercyful, to be a neybour, to succonr his brother, to giuegive his brother that he owith him, the same is blind and seth not what i… is to be a Christen man, and to hauehave felowship in Christes bloude.

As partayning to good workes, vnderstand that all workes are good which areAlworkes y^e be done in faithe are good. done with in y^e lawe of God in faith and with thankes geuing to God, and vnderstande that thou in doinge them pleasest God, what so euer thou doiste wyth in that lawe of God, as when thou makest water. And trust me if other wind or wa ter were stopped y^u shouldeste feale what a preciouse thinge it were to do ether of both, and what thankes oughte to be geuē to God therefore. More ouer put no difference betwene workes, but what so euer cometh in to thy handes that do as tyme, place and occasion geueth, and as God hath put the in degre hye or lowe.

For as toutching to please God, ther is no worke better then an other. God loketh not fyrste on thy worke as the world doeth, as though the bewtifulnes of the worke pleased him, as it doeth the world or as though he had neade of them. But God loketh fyrst on thy hert, what faith thou hast to hys wordes, how thou beleuest hym, trustest hym and how thou louest him for his merciemercy y^t he hath shewed the, he loketh with what hert thou workest, and not what thou workest, howe thou acceptest the degre that he hath put the in and not of what degre y^u art, whether y^u be an Apostle or a showe maker.

Set thys ensample before thyne eyes.An example of diuersitie of estates. Thou arte a ketchin page & washeste thy masters dyshes, an other is an Apostle and preacheth the worde of God. of thys Apostle herke what Paule sayth in the secōde to y^e Corinthians. ix. If I preach (sayeth he) I hauehave nought to reioyse in, for necessite is put vntounto me as who shuld say, God hath made me so.

Woe is vntounto me if I preache not. If I do it wylingly (sayth he) then hauehave I my rewarde that is, thē am I sure that goddes spirite is in me and that I am electe to eternall lyfe. Yf I do it agaynste my wyll an offyce is cōmitted vntounto me, that is, if I do it not of louelove to God, but to gete aliuing ther by and for a worldli put pose and had, leuer other ways lyue, then do I that office which God hath put me in and yet please not God my selfe. Note now if thys Apostle preach not as many do not, whiche only make them selues Apostles, but also compell men to take thē for greatter then Apostles, yea for great ter then Christ hym selfe, then wo is vntounto hym, that is, his damnacion is iust. If he preach and hys hert not right, yet mynistreth he the office that God hath put hym in, and they that hauehave the spirite of God here the voyce of God, yea though he speake in an Asse▪ More ouer howe so euer he preacheth he hath not to reioyse, in that he preacheth.

But and if he preach willyngly, wyth a true hert and of conscience to God: then hath he his rewarde, that is, then fealeth he the ernest of eternall lyfe and the workinge of the spirite of God in hym. And as he fealeth Gods goodnes and mercye, so be thou sure he fealeth his owne infir mite, weaknes and vnworthynes, and morneth and knowledgeth hys synne, in that y^e hert wyll not arise to worke with that full luste and louelove that is in Christe oure Lorde. And neuerthelesse is yet at peace with God thorowe faith and trust in Christ Iesu. For the ernest of the spirite that worketh in hym testyfyeth and beareth wytnes vntounto hys hert▪ that GodThe ernest of the spirite hath chosen hym, and that hys grace, shal suffi…e hym, which grace is now not ydle in hym. In hys workes putteth he no trust. Nowe thou that ministerest in the …tchē and art but a kechēpage receyuest al thinge of y^e hand of God knowest that God hath put the in that office, submittest thy selfe to his will and serueste thy master, not as a man, but as Christe hym selfe with a pure hert, acordinge as Paul teacheth vsus, puttest thi trust in God, and with hym seekest thy rewarde. More ouer ther is not a good deade done, but thi hert reioyseth therin, yea when thou hereste that the worde of God is preached by this Apostle and seest the people trune to God, thou consentest vntounto the deade, thine hert breaketh out in ioye, springeth and leapeth in thy brest, that God is honoured And in thyne hert doist the same that the Apostle doeth and happly wyth greate delectacion and a more feruēt spirit. Now he that receyueth a prophete in the name of a prophete shal receiue the re warde of aprophete. Math. x. that is he concēteth to y^e dede of a prophete & main teineth it, the same hath the same spirite and ernest of euerlastinge life whiche the prophete hath and is electe as y^e prophete is. Now if thou compare deade to deade ther is difference betwixt, washing of dis ches and preaching of the worde of God.

But as toutchinge to plaise God none at all. For nother that nor this pleaseth, but as ferforth as God hath chosē a mā, hath put his spirite in hym and purified his hert by fayth and trust in Christe.

Let eueryevery man therfore wayte on the office wherin Christe hath put hym andLet eueryevery mā wayte vponupon the office that Christe hathe put hym in. therin serue hys bretherue. If he be of lowe degre lette hym paciently therein abyde tyll God promote hym and e…alte hym hier. Let kinges & hed officers seke Christe in ther▪ offices and ministre peace and quietnes vntounto y^e bretherne, punyshe synne, and that wyth mercye▪ euen wyth the same sorowe and grefe of minde as they woulde cutt of a fynger or ioynte a legge or arme of their own bodie if theyr were such disease in thē, that either they must be cutte of or else all the body must perish. Let eueryevery mā of what soeur craft or occupaciō he be of, whether bruer baker,Howe the cra ftesmā ought to lyue godly and according to the gospell. tailer, vitailer, marchaūt, or husbāde man refer hys craft and occupacion vntounto the commune wealth, and serue hys bretherne as he woulde do Christe hym slefe. Let hym bye and sell truely and not set dice on hys bretherne, and so showeth he mercy, & hys occupacion pleaseth God.

And when thou receyuest mony for thy laboure or ware thou receiuest thy dutie. For wherin so euer thou minister to thy bretherne, thy brether are detters to geue the where with to maintene th… selfe and thy houshold. And let your superf…uites succoure the poore, of whyche sort shall euer be some in al townes cityes, and vil lages, and that I suppose the greatest nombre. Remembre that wee are membres of one bodye and oughte to minyster one to an other mercyfully. And remembre that what so euer we hauehave, it is geuen vsus of God to bestowe it on oure bretherne. Let hym that eatethe eate and gyue God thankes, onelyonly lette not thy meate pulle thine hert from God. And let hym that drynketh do lyke wyse. Let him that hath a wife gyue God thankes for hys libertie, only let not thy wife wyth drawe thyne hert from God and then ple sest thou God and hast the worde of god for the. And in al thinges loke on y^e word of God and there in put thy truste, and not in a visure in a disgysed garmēt and … cutte sho….

Seke the worde of God in all thinges, and wyth out the worde of God do nothinge, though it appere neuer so gloryouse. What so euer is done with out the worde of God, that coūt ydolatrye. The kingdome of heauen is wyth in vsus. Luc. xvii. Wonder therfore at no monstrous shappne… at any outwarde thinge whythThe worlde was neuer deceyued but w^t outwarde appearaunce. out, that worde. For the worlde was neuer drawn from God, but with an outwarde showe and glorious appearaunce and shininge of hypocrisie and of fained and visured fastinge, praing, watchinge offeringe sacrificinge, halowinge of supersti…ous ceremonies and monstrouse disgising. Take this for an exēple. Iohn baptist whiche had testimonie of Christe and of the Gospell, that their neuer rose a greatter among wymennes chyldern, wyth hys fasting, watching, praing, rayment and straite lyuing deceiued y^e iewes and brought thē in doute, whether IohnIohn deceyueth y^e Iewes opinion. were very Christ or not and yet no scrip ture or miracle testif…ing it, so greatly the blynd nature of man loketh on the outward shining of workes, and regardeth not the inwarde worde whyche speaketh to the herte. When they sent to Iohn axinge hym whether he ware Christ, he denied it. Whā thei axed him what he was and what he said of him self. He answered not. I am he that watcheth, praieth, drinketh no wine nor strōge drike, eateth …other fysh nor flesh, but lyue with wild hony and grashopers and weare a cote of camels heare and a girdle of a skinne: but sayd I am a voyce of a criar. My voice only pertaineth to you. Those outwarde thinges whiche ye wonder at, pertayne to my selfe only vntounto the taminge of my bodye To you am I a voyce onlyThe straygh… nes of lyfe pe tayneth to Iohn onli b… the voyce to Iewes. and that which I preach. My preachinge (if it be receiued in to a penitent or repentinge hert) shall teache you howe to lyue and please God, accordynge as God shal shed oute hys grace on euerye man. Iohn preached repentaunce, saynge prepare the Lordes waye & make his pathes straigh… The lordes waye is repentaunce and notIt is impossible for Christe to come wyth out the synne bee knoledged truely wyth repentaunce. hypocrisie of mans imagynacion and in uencion. It is not possible that the Lorde Christe shoulde come to a man, except he knowe hym selfe and his sinne and truly repent. Make his pathes streight: the pathes are the lawe, if thou vnderstande it aryght as God hath geuen it.

Christe sayeth in. xvii. of Mat. Helyas shall fyrst come, that is shall come before Christe and restore all thynges meanyng of Io. bap. Io. bap. dyd restore the lawe and the scriptur vntounto y^e ryght sence and vnderstādinge, which the pharyseis part li had darkned and made of none effecte, thorowe their owne tradicions Math. xv. where Christe rebuketh them sainge: why transgresse ye the commaundementes of God thorow your tradicions: and partly had corrupt it wyth gloses & false interpretatiōs, that no man coulde vnderunder stande it. Wherefore Christe rebuketh them Math xxiii. sainge: woo …e to you pharises hypocrites which shut vppe the kingdome of heauē before men: ye enter not youre selues, nether suffer them that come, to enter in: and partli dyd begile the people and blinde ther eyes in disgisinge them selues, as thou redest in that same. xxiii. Cha. howe they made brode & large philatries, and ded all ther workes to be sene of men, that the people shoulde won der at ther disgisinges and visuringe of them selues other wyse then God had made thē: and partly mocked them with hypocrisie of false holines in fasting, pra inge and almes giuinge Mat. vi. and this did thei for luker to be in authorite, to sit in y^e cōsciences of y^e people and to be coū ted as God hym selfe, y^t the people should truste in ther holynes and not in God, as thou redeste in the place a boue rehersed Mat. xxiii. wo be to you phareses hypocrites whiche deuoure wydowes houses vnderunder a colour of long praier. Coūterfet therfore nothinge without the worde of God when thou vnderstandeste that, it shall teach the all thinges howe to applye outwarde thinges, and where vntounto refer them. Beware of thy good enten…, goodBeware of en terpriseynge ought of a good intent. minde, good affection or zele as they call it. Peter of a good minde and of a good affection or zele chode Christ Math. xvi. be…cause he saide that he must goe to Hie rusalem and there bee slaine.

But Christe called hym satan for hys laboure a name that belongeth to the deuil. And saye that he perceyued not godly thynges but worldly. Of a good e…tent and of a feruent affection to Christe the sonnes of zebedei woulde hauehave hade fyre to come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Lu ix. But Christe rebuked them saienge that they wist no… … what spirite thei were: that is, that the… vnderstande not how that they were altogether worldly and fleshly minded.

Peter smo…e malchus of a good zele: but Christe condemned his dede. The ve ry Iewes of a good entente & of a good zele: slew Christ & persecuted the apostles as Paull vereth them recorde Ro. x. I beare them recorde (sayeth he) that they hauehave a feruente mynde to God warde but not accordnge to knowelege. It is a nother thinge thē, to do of a good minde and to do of knoweledge.

Labour for knoweledge that thou maist knowe goddes wyll and what he would hauehave the to do. Oure mynd, entent, and affection or zele are blind, and al that we do of them is damned of God, and for that cause hath God made a testamente betwene hym a…d vsus where in is contayGod hath made an euerlastynge couenaūt with vsus that we shulde no more go astraye after our good intēt ned boeth what he would hauehave vsus to do, and what he woulde hauehave vsus to axe of hym. Se therefore that thou do no thing to please God wth all but that he commaundeth, nether are any thinge of hym but that he hath promised the.

The Iewes also (as it appereth Act. vii) s…ewe Steuen of a good zele. Because he proued by the scripture, that God dwellethe not in Churches or templs made wyth hādes. The churches at the beginnyng were ordeined, y^t the people should thyther resorte to here the word of GodThe vse of tē ples or churches. there preached only, and not for the vse where in they now are. The tēple where in God will be worshipped is the h…rte of man. For God is a spirite (sayth Christe Io. iiii.) and wylbe worshiped in the spirite and in trueth: That is, when a penitent herte consenteth vntounto the lawe of God, and wyth a stronge fayth longeth for the pormyses of God. So is God ho nored on al sydes in that we counte himThe honoure of God. rightuous in all hys lawes & ordinaūces and also true in all his promyses. Other worshiping of God is there none, except we make an yd…le of hym.