A Pathway Into the Holy Scripture, Part 1

A Pathway Into the Holy Scripture · Part 1

¶ A path way īto the holy ſcripture. ❧ ❧ ❧

A pathwaye into holy. &c.

I Do ma…ueyle greatly / derely beloued in Chriſt / that euer any man ſhulde repugne or ſpeke agaynſt the ſcrypture to be hadde in eueryevery language / and that of eueryevery man. For I thought that no man had ben ſo blynd to aſke why lyght ſhuld be ſhewed to them that walke in darknes / where they can nat but ſtomble / & where to ſtomble is the daūger of eternall dampnacion: either ſo diſpytefull that he wolde enuy any man (I ſpeake nat his brother) ſo neceſſary a thing: or ſo bedlem mad to afferme that good is the naturall cauſe of euyll / & darkeneſſe to procede out of lyght / & that lyeng ſhulde be grounded in trouth & verytie / and nat rather clene contrary that lyght diſtroyeth darkenes / and veritye reproueth all maner lyenge.

Neuertheleſſe / ſeyng that it hath pleaſed god to ſende vntounto oure Englyſſhe men / euen to as many as vnfaynedly deſyre it / the ſcrypture in their mother tonge / conſyderynge that there be in eueryevery place falſe techers & blynde leders / that ye ſhuld be diſceyued of no man. I ſuppoſed it very neceſſarye to prepayre this Path way into the ſcripture for you that ye myght walke ſurely & euer know the trewe from the falſe. And aboue al to put you in remēbraunce of certayne pointes which ar: That ye well vnderſtande what theſe wordes meane. The olde Teſtament / the newe Teſtament / the lawe / the goſpell / Moſes / Chriſt / nature / grace / workyng & beleuyng / dedes and fayth. L…t we aſcrybe to the one / that whiche belongeth to the other / and make of Chriſt / Moſes / of the goſpell / the law: diſpyſe grace and robbe fayth: and fall from meke lernynge in to ydle diſpicyons / braulynge and ſcoldinge about wordes. The olde teſtament is a boke wherin is written the lawe of god / & the dedes of them which fulfyll them / & of them alſo which fulfyll them nat.

¶ The newe Teſtament is a boke / wherin are conteyned the promyſes of god / & the dedes of them whiche beleue them / or beleue them nat.

Euāgelion (that we call the goſpel) is a greke worde / & ſygnifyeth good mery / glad / & ioyfull tidynges / that maketh a mannes herte glad / & maketh him ſynge / daunce / & leape for ioye. As whā Dauid had killed Go lyath the giaūt / came glad tidinges vntounto the iewes / that their fearfull & cruell enemy was ſlayne / & they delyuered out of all danger: for gladnes wherof they ſōge / daūſed & wer ioyfull. In lyke maner is the euangelion of god (which we cal goſpel & the new teſtamēt) ioyfull tidyngꝭ and as ſome ſaye: A good herynge publyſſhed by the apoſtels through oute all the worlde / of Chriſte the righte Dauyd / howe that he hathe fought with ſynne / with dethe / and the deuyll / and ouercome them.

Whereby all men that were in bondage to ſynne wounded with dethe / ouercome of the Deuyll / are withoute their owne meryttes or deſeruynges / loſed / iuſtifyed / reſtored to lyfe / and ſaued / brought to lybertie and reconſyled vntounto the fauoure of god and ſet at one with him agayne which tidynges as many as beleue laude / prayſe / and thanke god / are glad / ſynge / daunce for ioye.

¶ This Euangelyon or Goſpell (that is to ſaye / ſuche ioyfull tidynges) is called the newe Teſtament. Becauſe that as a mā whan he ſhal dye / appoynteth his goodes to be delte and diſtributed after his deth amonge them whiche he nameth to be his heyres. Euyn ſo Chriſt before his deth commaunded and appoynted that ſuche Euangelyon / Goſpell or tidynges / ſhulde be declared throughoute all the worlde / and therwith to gyue vntounto all that repent and beleue / all his goodes: that is to ſaye / his lyfe / wherewith he ſwalowed and deuoured vp deth his rightwyſneſſe / wherwith he banyſſhed ſynne: his ſaluacion / wherwith he ouercame eternall dampnacyon. Now can the wretched man (that knoweth him ſelfe to be wrapped in ſyn / and in daunger to dethe and Hell) here no more ioyouſe a thynge / than ſuche gladde and comfortable tidynges of Chriſt / ſo that he can nat but be gladde and laugh from the lowe bottome of his hert / if he beleue that the tidynges are trewe.

¶ To ſtrength ſuch fayth with all / god promyſed this his euangelyon in the olde teſtameut by the prophetes (as Paule ſayth in the fyrſt chapiter vntounto y^e Romayns) Howe that he was choſen out to preche goddes Euangelion / whiche he before had promyſed by the prophetꝭ in the holy ſcriptures that treate of his ſōne which was borne of the ſede of Dauyd. In the thirde chapiter of Geneſis / god ſayth to the ſerpente: I wyll put hatered betwene the & the woman / betwene thy ſeede and her ſede: that ſelfe ſede ſhall treade thy heed vnderunder fote, Chriſt is the womans ſede / he it is that hath troden vnderunder fote the deuyls heede / that is to ſaye: ſynne / dethe / hell / and all his power. For without this ſede can no mā auoyde ſynne / deth / hell / and euerlaſtynge dampnacion. Agayne / Gene. xxii. God promyſed Abraham / ſayeng. In thy ſede ſhall all the generacyons of the erthe be bleſſed. Chriſt is that ſede of Abraham / ſaith ſ. Paul in the third to the Galathyans. He hath bleſſed al the worlde throughe the Goſpell. For where Chriſte is nat / there remayneth the curſe that fell on Adam / as ſone as he had ſynned / ſo that they are in bondage vnderunder the dampnacyon of ſynne / deth / & hell. Againſt this curſe bleſſeth nowe the goſpell all the worlde / in as moch as it cryeth openly vntounto all that knowledge their ſynnes and repent / ſayenge: Who ſo euer beleueth on the ſede of Abraham ſhalbe bleſſed / that is / he ſhall be delyuered from ſynne / deth and hell / and ſhall hence forthe contynewe …ightwyſe & ſaued for euer / as Chriſt him ſelfe ſayth (in the. xi. of Johan.) He that beleued on me ſhall neuer more dye.

¶ The lawe (ſayth Jo. in the fyrſt …ha) was gyuen by Moſes: but grace and vertue by Jeſus Chriſt. The lawe (whoſe minyſter is Moſes) was gyuen to bringe vsus vntounto the knowledge of oure ſelues / that we myght thereby fele & perceyue what we are of nature, The law condemneth vsus & all oure dedes / & is called of Paule (in the third cha. of the. ii. piſtle vntounto the corinthians) the myniſtracyon of dethe. For it kylleth oure conſcyences and drweth vsus to diſperacyon / in as moche as it requyreth of vsus / that which is vnpoſſyble for our nature to do. It requyreth of vsus the dedes of an hole man. It requyreth ꝑfet louelove from the low bottom and grounde of the hert / as well in all thynges which we ſuffre as in tho thiges which we do. But ſayth John̄ in the ſame place▪ grace and veritye is gyuen vsus by Chriſt / ſo that wha… the lawe hathe paſſed vponupon vsus / & condempned vsus to dethe (which is his nature to do) than hauehave we in Chriſt grace / that is to ſay fauour / promyſes of lyfe / of mercy / of pardone / frely by the merytes of Chriſt / & in Chriſt hauehave we veritye and trouth / in that god for his ſake fulfylleth all his promyſes to them that beleue. Therfore is the goſpell the miniſtracion of lyfe. Paule calleth it in the fore reherſed place of y^e ſeconde …ap. to the Corinthiās. the miniſtracion of the ſpirit▪& of rightwyſnes. In the goſpell whan we be leue the promyſes / we receyue the ſpirite of lyfe / and are iuſtifyed in the blode of Chriſt from all thinges whereof the lawe condempneth vsus. And we receyue louelove vntounto the lawe and power to fulfyll it / & grow therin dayly. Of Chriſt it is written in the fore …herſed fyrſte chapiter of John: this is he of whoſe abūdance or fulnes / all we hauehave receyued grace for grace / or fauour for fauoure. That is to ſaye / for the fauour that god hath to his ſon chriſt / he giueth vntounto vsus his fauour & good wyl / & al gyftes of his grace / as a fader to his ſōnes. As affermeth Paule / ſayeng: whiche loued vsus in his beloued before the creatyon of the world. So that Chriſt bringeth the louelove of god vntounto vsus / and nat oure owne holye workes. Chriſt is made lorde ouer all / & is called in ſcripture / goddes mercy ſtole. whoſoeuer therfore flyeth to chriſt / can neither here nor receyue of god any other thynge ſaue ¶ In the olde teſtament (mercy. ar many ꝓmiſes / which ar nothyng els but this euangelyon or goſpell / to ſaue thoſe that beleued thē / from the vengeaunce of the lawe. And in the new teſtament is oft made mencion of the lawe / to condempne thē / which beleue nat the promyſes.

Moreouer the lawe & goſpell maye neuer be ſeperate: for the goſpel and promyſes ſerue but for troubled couſcyences whiche are brought to diſperacion and fele the paynes of hell and deth vnderunder the lawe / and are in captiuyte & bondage vnderunder the law. In all my dedes I muſte hauehave the lawe before me to condempne myne vnꝑfytnes. For all that I do (be I neuer ſo parfyte) is yet dampnable ſynne / whan it is compared to the lawe / which requyreth the grounde and bottome of myne herte. I muſt therefore hauehave alwayes the lawe in my ſyght / that I may be meke ī the ſpirit / & gyue god all the laude and prayſe / aſcribīge to hī all rightwyſnes / & to my ſelfe all vnright wyſenes & ſynne. I muſt alſo hauehave the promyſes before myne eyes / that I diſpeyre nat / in which promyſe I ſe the mercy / fauour / and good wyl of god vpō me in the blode of his ſōne chriſt / which hath made ſatiſfaction for myne vnparfytenes / & fulfylled for me / that which I coulde nat do, ¶ Here maye ye perceyue that two maner of people are ſore diſceyued. Fyrſt they which iuſtifye them ſelfe with outwarde dedes / in that they abſteyne outwardly from that whiche the lawe forbyddeth / and do outwardly that whiche the lawe commaundeth. They compare themſelues to open ſynners / and in reſpecte of them iuſtify thē ſelues / condempnynge the open ſynners. They ſet a vayle on Moſes face / & ſe nat howe the lawe requyreth louelove frō the botthom of the hert / & that louelove only is the fulfyllynge of the lawe. If they dyd they wolde nat condemne their neybours. LoueLove hydeth the multy tude of ſynnes ſayth ſaynt Peter in his fyrſt Piſtle. For whom I louelove from the depe bothom & grounde of myne herte / him condempne I nat / neither reken his ſynnes / but ſuffre his wekeneſſe & infyrmyte / as a mother the wekeneſſe of her ſonne / vntyll he grow vp into a parfyte man. ¶ Thoſe alſo are diſceyued which without all feare of god gyue them ſelues vntounto all manner vyces with full conſent / & full delectacion / hauynge no reſpect to the lawe of god (vnderunder whoſe vengeaunce they are locked vp in captiuytie) but ſaye: God is mercyfull / & Chriſt dyed for vsus / ſuppoſynge that ſuch dremynge and ymaginacion is that fayth whiche is ſo greatly commended in holy ſcripture. Naye / that is nat fayth but rather a folyſſhe blynde opinyon / ſpringynge of their owne corrupt nature / and is nat gyuen them of the ſpirit of god / but rather of the ſpirit of the deuyl / whoſe faith now a dayes / the popyſſhe compare and make equall vntounto the beſt truſt / confidence and beleue / that a repenting ſoule can hauehave in the blode of oure ſauyour Jeſus / vntounto their owne confuſyon / ſhame / & vttrynge what they are within. But trewe fayth is (as ſayth the apoſtle Paule) the gyft of god / & is gyuen to ſynners after the lawe hath paſſed vponupon them / & hath brought their conſeyences vntounto the brim of diſꝑacion & ſorowes of hell.

¶ They that hauehave this right fayth conſente to the lawe that it is right wyſe & good / and iuſtifye god whiche made the lawe / and hauehave delectacyon in the lawe (natwithſtāding that they can nat fulfyll it as they wolde for their wekenes) & they abhorre what ſo euer the lawe forbyddeth / though they can nat alwayes auoyde it. And their great ſorowe is / bycauſe they can nat fulfyll the wyll of god in the lawe / & the ſpirit that is in thē / cryeth to god night & day for ſtrength & helpe with teres (as ſaith Paul) y^t can nat be expreſſed w^t tonge / of which thingꝭ the be lefe of our popiſh or of their father / whom they ſo magnify for his ſtrō ge faith hath none experience at all.

¶ The firſt… that is to ſay / he whiche iuſtifyeth himſelfe with his outward dedꝭ / conſenteth nat to y^e law inward / nether hath delectatiō their in: ye / he wolde rather that no ſuch lawe wer. So iuſtifieth he nat god but hateth hī as a tyrāt / neither careth he for the promyſes / but wyll with his own ſtrēgth be ſauyour of himſelfe / no wiſe glorifyeth he god though he ſeme outwarde to do.

¶ The ſecōd / that is to ſay / the ſenſuall perſon / as a voluptuous ſwyne / neither fereth god in his lawe / neither is thankefull to him for his ꝓmiſes & mercy / which is ſet forthe in Chriſt to all them that beleue.

¶ The right chriſtē man cōſenteth to the lawe that it is rightwyſe / & iuſtifyeth god in the lawe: for he affermeth that god is rightwyſe and iuſt / which is author of the lawe / he beleueth the promyſes of god / & iuſtifyeth god… iugynge him true and beleuing that he wyl fulfyll his promyſes. With the lawe he condempneth him ſelfe & all his dedes / & gyueth all the prayſe to god. He beleueth the promyſes / and aſcrybeth all trauth to god. Thus eueryevery where iuſtifieth he god & prayſeth god.

¶ By nature through the fall of Adam are we the chyldren of wrath / heyres of the vengeaūce of god by byrth / ye / & from our cōception. And we hauehave our felowſhip w^t the dampned deuels vnderunder the power of derknes & rule of Sathan / whyle we ar yet in our moders wōbes / & though we ſhewe nat forth the frutes of ſyn as ſone as we be borne / yet are we full of the naturall poyſon wherof all ſynfull dedes ſpringe / & can nat but ſyn outwardes (be we neuer ſo yonge / as ſone as we be able to worke if occaſyon be gyuē / for our nature is to do ſyn / as is the nature of a ſerpent to ſtynge. And as a ſerpent yet yonge / or yet vnbrought forthe is full of poyſon / and can nat afterwarde (whan the tyme is come and occaſyon gyuen) but bringe forthe the frutes therof. And as an edder / a tode / or a ſnake / is hated of man (nat for the euyll that it hathe done but for the poyſon that is in it / and hurte whiche it can nat but do) ſo are we hated of god for that naturall poyſon which is conceiued and borne with vsus / before we do any outward euyll. And as the euyll which a venomouſe worme dothe / maketh it nat a ſerpente: but bycauſe it is a venomouſe worme / dothe it euyll and poyſoneth: and as the frute maketh nat the tree euyll / but bycauſe it is an euyll tree / therfore bringeth it forth euyll frute / whan the ſeaſon of frute is. Euen ſo do nat our euyl dedes make vsus fyrſt euyll throughe ignorance & blyndnes thorow euyll workynge / harde…eth vsus in euyll & maketh vsus worſe and worſe: but bycauſe that of nature we ar euyl therfore we both thinke & do euyll / and ar vnderunder vengeance / vnderunder the law conuycte to eternall dampnation by the lawe / and ar contrary to the wil of god in all our wyll / & in all thinges conſent to the wyl of the fende.

¶ By grace / that is to ſaye / by fauour / we ar plucked out of Adā / the grounde of all euyll / and graffed in Chriſt the rote of all goodneſſe. In Chriſt god loued vsus his elect & choſen / before the worlde beganne / and reſerued vsus vntounto the knowlege of his ſonne & of his holy goſpell / and whan the goſpell is preached to vsus / openeth oure hertes / and gyueth vsus grace to beleue / and putteth the ſpiryte of Chriſt in vsus / and we know him as our father moſte mercyfull / and conſent to the lawe / and louelove it inwardly in our hert / and deſyre to fulfyll it / and ſorowe bycauſe we cā nat / which wyll (ſyn we of frayltie neuer ſo moch) is ſuffycient tyll more ſtrengthe be gyuen vsus / the blode of Chriſt hath made ſatiſfactiō for the reſt / the blode of Chriſt hath opteyned all thynges for vsus of god. Chriſt is our ſatiſfactyon / redemer delyuered / ſauyour frō vengeance and wrath▪ Obſerue and marke in Paules / Peters / & Jhons piſtels / & in y^e goſpell what chriſt is vntounto vsus,

¶ By faith ar we ſaued only ī beleuynge the promiſes. & though faith be neuer without louelove & good workes / yet is our ſauinge imputed nether to louelove nor vntounto good workes but vntounto faith only. For louelove & workes ar vnderunder the lawe which requyreth perfection / & the groūde & fountayne of the hert / & damneth all imperfytues▪ Now is faith vnderunder the ꝓmyſes which damne nat: but giuegive ꝑdon / grace / mercy / fauour / & whatſoeuer is cōteyned in the promiſes.

¶ Rightwiſnes is dyuers / for blide reaſon imagyneth many maners of rightwiſneſſes. There is the rightwiſnes of workꝭ (as I ſayd before) whan the hert is away & is nat felte how the lawe is ſpūall & can nat be fulfylled but from the botom of the herte. As the iuſt miniſtracyon▪ of al maner of lawes / & the obſeruing of them / for a worldly purpoſe & for our owne profyte & nat of louelove vntounto our neyboure without / all other reſpecte & morall vertues / wherin philoſophers put their felicite & bleſſednes / which all ar nothynge in y^e ſyght of god in reſpect of the lyfe to come. There is in lyke maner the iuſtifye…g of ceremonies which ſōe imagyn their own ſelues / ſome coū terfey…e other / ſayeng in their blide reaſon: ſuch holy perſons dyd thus and thus / and they were holy men / therfore if I do ſo lykewyſe / I ſhal pleaſe god: but they hauehave none anſwere of god / that y^• pleaſeth. The iewes ſeke rightwiſnes in their ceremonies which god gaue vntounto thē nat for to iuſtifye / but to diſcribe & paynt chriſt vntounto thē / of which iues teſtifyeth Paule / ſayeng / how that they hauehave affectyon to god: but nat after knowlege / for they go aboute to ſtablyſſh their owne iuſtyce / & ar nat obedyent to the iuſtyce or rightwyſnes that cometh of god / which is the forgyuenes of ſyn in chriſtes blode / vntounto all that repent & beleue. The cauſe is verily / that excepte a man caſt away his owne imagynacyons & reaſon / he can nat perceyue god / & vnderſtande the vertue and power of the blode of Chriſt. Ther is a full rightwiſnes / whā the lawe is fulfylled from the grounde of the hert. This had nat Peter nor paul in this lyfe parfytly: vntounto the vtter moſt / that they coulde nat be parfyter but ſyghed after it. They were ſo farforth bleſſed in chriſt / that thei hungred & thyrſted after it. Paule had this thirſt / he conſēted to y^e law of god / that it ought ſo to be / but he foūde another luſt in his membres contrarye to the luſt & deſyre of his mynde that letted him / and therfore cryed out ſayeng: Oh wretched mā that I am: who ſhal delyuer me frō this body of deth / thākes be to god thorowe Jeſus Chriſt. The ryghtwyſnes that before god is of value is to beleue the promyſes of god / after the lawe hath confoūded the conſcyence. As whan the tēporall lawe ofte tymes condempneth the thefe or morderer / & bringeth him to execuſyon / ſo that he ſeeth no thynge before him but preſent deth / & than cometh good tydynges / a charter from the kinge and deliuereth him. Lykewyſe whan goddes lawe hath brought the ſynner in a knowlege of him ſelfe / & hath confounded his conſcyence / & opened vntounto him the wrath and vengeance of god / than cometh good tydynges / the Euangelyon ſheweth vntounto him the promyſes of god in Chriſt / & howe that Chriſt hath purchaſed pardon for hī hath ſatiſfyed the lawe for him / and peſed the wrath of god. And y^e pore ſinner beleueth / laudeth & thanketh god / thorowe Chriſt / and breaketh out into excedynge inwarde ioye / & gladnes / for that he hathe eſcaped ſo gret wrath / ſo heuy vengeaunce / ſo ferfull and ſo euerlaſtyng a deth And he hence forthe is an hungred and a thirſt after more rightwiſnes that he myght fulfyll the lawe / and mourneth contynually cōmendyng his wekenes vntounto god in the blode of our ſauyoure Chriſt Jeſu.

¶ Here ſhall ye ſe compēdiouſly & playnly ſet out / the ordre & practyſe of eueryevery thynge afore reherſed.

¶ The fall of Adam hath made vsus heyres of the vengeance & wrath of god & heyres af eternall dāpnation And hath brought vsus īto captiuyte & bōdage vnderunder the deuyll. And the deuyll is our lorde & our ruler / our heed / our gouernour / our prince / ye and our god: and our wyl is locked and knyt faſter vntounto the wyll of the deuyll / thā coude an hūdreth thouſande chaynes bynde a man vntounto a poſt. Unto the deuyls wyll conſent we with all our hertes / with al our myndes / with all our might / power ſtrength / wyl & luſt: ſo that the law & wyll of the deuyl is writtē as wel in our hertes as in our membres / & we ronne hedlonge after the deuyll with full ſeale / & the hole ſwynge of al the power we hauehave / as a ſton caſt vp into the ayre cometh downe naturally of his owne ſelfe / w^t all the vyolence and ſwynge of his owne weyght. With what poyſon dedly / and venomouſe hate / hateth a man his enemyes? With howe great malyce of mynde inwardlye doo we ſleye & murther▪ With what vyolence & rage / ye / and with how feruent luſt commyt we aduoutrye / fornication / & ſuch lyke vnclenneſſe with what pleaſure & dylectacyon inwardly ſerueth a glottō his bely? With what dilygence diſceyue we? Howe buſely ſeke we the thinges of this worlde? Whatſoeuer we do thynke / or ymagin / is abhomynable in the ſyght of god. For we can referre nothinge vntounto the honour of god: neither is his law or wyl written in our membres or in our hertꝭ / neither is there any more power in vsus to folowe the wyll of god / thā in a ſtone to aſcende vpwarde of his owne ſelfe. And beſyde that we are as it were a ſlepe in ſo depe blidnes that we can nether ſe nor fele i what miſery / thraldom & wretchednes we ar in / tyll Moſes come & wake vsus / and publyſſhe the lawe. Whan we here the lawe truly preached / howe that we ought to louelove & honor god with all our ſtrength & might from the lowe bothom of the hert / bycauſe he hath created vsus / & both heuen and erthe for our ſakes / & made vsus lorde therof: and oure neyghbours (ye our enemyes) as our ſelues inwardly from the groūde of the hert bycauſe god hathe made them after the lykenes of his owne image / and they ar his ſonnes as well as we / & Chriſt hathe bought them with his blode / & made them heyres of euerlaſtynge lyfe as well as we: & how we ought to do what ſo euer God biddeth / & abſteyne frō whatſo euer god forbyddeth with all louelove & mekenes / with a feruent & a burnynge luſt from the center of the hert: than beginneth the conſcyence to rage agaynſt the lawe & agaynſt god, No ſee / be it neuer ſo great a tempeſt is ſo vnquyet / for it is nat poſſyble for a naturall man to conſent to y^e lawe that it ſhulde be good / or that god ſhulde be rightwiſe / which maketh the lawe in aſmoch as it is cōtrary vntounto his nature & dampneth him / & all that he can do / & neither ſheweth hi where to fetch helpe / nor precheth any mercy / but onelyonly ſetteth man at varyance with god / as wytneſſeth Paul. Ro. iiii. and prouoketh him and ſtyrreth him to rayle on god / & to blaſpheme him as a cruel tyrant. For it is nat poſſyble for a man tyll he be borne agayne / to thynke that god is rightwyſe to make hi of ſo poiſon a nature / either for his owne pleaſure or for the ſynne of another man / and to gyue him a law that is impoſſyble for him to do / or to conſent to his wytte / reaſon and wyll / beynge ſo faſt glued / ye / nayled and cheyned vntounto the wyll of the deuyll Neither can any creatures loſe the bōdes / ſaue the blode of chriſt only. ¶ This is captiuyte and bondage whēce chriſt delyuered vsus / redemed and loſed vsus. His blode / his deth / his pacience in ſuffrynge rebukes & wronges / his prayers & faſtynges / his mekenes & fulfyllyng of the vtmoſt poynte of the lawe / peaſed the wrath of god / brought y^e fauoure of god to vsus again / opteined that god ſhulde louelove vsus firſt / & be our father and that a merciful father / that wyl conſydre our infirmites & wekenes and wyll gyue vsus his ſpirit againe (whiche was taken awaye in the fall of Adam) to rule / gouerne / and ſtrengthe vsus / & to breke the bondes of Satan / wherin we were ſo ſtreit bounde. Whan Chriſt is thus wyſe preched / and the promyſes reherſed which ar conteyned in the prophettes in the Pſal. & in dyuers places of the fyue bokes of Moſes / whiche preachynge is called the goſpell or glad t…dynges: than the hertes of them which are electe and choſe / begyn to waxe ſofte & to melte at the bountuous mercy of god / and kyndnes ſhewed of Chriſt. For whā the Euangelion is preched / the ſpirite of god entreth into thē / which god hath ordeyned and appoynted vntounto eternall lyfe / and openeth their inwarde eyes / and worketh ſuch bele…e in them, whan the wofull conſcyences fele & caſt howe ſwete a thige the bytter deth of Chriſt is / & howe mercyfull & louyng god is through Chriſtes purchaſynge & merytes / they begyn to louelove agayn / & to conſent to the lawe of god / howe that it is good & oughte ſo to be / and that god is ryghtwyſe whiche made it / and deſyre to fulfyll the lawe / euen as a ſycke man deſyreth to be hole / and ar an hongred and thirſt after more riȝtwyſnes / & aft more ſtrēgth to fulfyll the lawe more parfytly.

And ī all that they do or omyt & leue vndon, they ſeke goddes honour / & his wil w^t mekenes / euer cōdemnīg y^e vnꝑfytnes of their dedꝭ by y^e law. ¶ Nowe Chriſte ſtandeth vsus in double ſteede / and vsus ſerueth two maner wyſe. Fyrſt he is our redemer / delyuerer / reconſyler / medyator / interceſſor / aduocate or turney / ſolyciter / our hope / conforte / ſhelde / protection / defender / ſtrength / helth / ſatiſfaction / & ſaluacion. His blode / his deth / all y^t he euer dyd / is ours. And Chriſt himſelfe with all that he is or can do / is ours. His blode ſhedynge and all that he dyd doth me as good ſeruyce as though I my ſelfe had done it. And god (as gret as he is) is myne with all that he hath as an huſbāde is his wiues thorowe Chriſt & his purchaſynge▪ ¶ Secōdarily / after that we be ouercome with louelove & kyndnes / and now ſeke to do the wyl of god (whiche is a chriſtenmās nature) Than hauehave we chriſt an example to coūter feyt / as ſayth Chriſt hi ſelfe in Joh. I hauehave gyuen you an example. And in another Euāgeliſt / he ſayth: He that wyl be gret amonge you ſhalbe your ſeruaunt & miniſter / as the ſon of man …ame to miniſter & …at to be miniſtred vntounto, & Paul ſaith: coū terfet Chriſt. And peter ſaith / chriſt dyed for you / & left you an enſample to folowe his ſteppes. What ſo euer therfore faith hath receyued of god thorow chriſtes blode & deſeruyng / that ſame muſt louelove ſhede out eueryevery whyt / & beſtowe it on our neybours vntounto their profyt / ye / & that though they be our enemys. By faith we receyue of god / & by louelove we ſhede out again. And that muſt we do frely after the enſāple of Chriſt w^t out any other reſpecte / ſaue oure neybours welth only / & neither loke for rewarde in erth nor yet in heuen for the deſeruīge & merytes of oure dedes as freres prech / though we knowe that good dedes are rewarded▪ bothe in this lyfe & in the lyfe to come: but of pure louelove muſt we beſtow our ſeluꝭ al y^t we hauehave / & al that we ar able to do / euyn on our enemyes to bringe thē to god / cōſyderige nothinge but their welth as chriſt did ours▪ chriſt …yd nat his dedes to obteyne heuen …herby (that had bē a madnes) heuē …as his alredy / he was heyre ther…f / it was his by inherytaunce / but …yd thē frely for our ſakes / conſyde…nge nothinge but our welthe / & to …ringe the fauoure of god to vsus a…ayne / & vsus to god. As no naturall …e that is his fathers heyre / doth …s fathers wyll bycauſe he wolde be heyre / that he is alredy by byrth: his father gaue hī that are he was borne / and is lother that he ſhulde go without it / than he him ſelf hath wytte to be: but of pure louelove dothe he that he doth. And aſke him why he doth any thynge that he doth: he anſwereth: My father bad / it is my fathers wyll / it pleaſeth my father▪ Bonde ſeruauntes worke for hyre. Chyldren for louelove. For their father with all he hath is theirs alredy.

So doth a criſten mā frely all that he doth / conſydereth nothynge but the wyll of god & his neyghbours welth only: if I lyue chaſt / I do it nat to opteyne heuen thereby: For than ſhuld I do wronge to the blod of chriſt. Chriſtes blode hath opteyned me that / Chriſtes merites hath made me heyre therof. He is bothe dore & way thitherwardes, Neither that I loke for an hier roume in heuen than they ſhall hauehave which lyue in wedlocke / either than a hore in y^e ſtewes (if ſhe repent) for that were the pryde of Lucyfere. But frely to wayte on the euangelion: and to auoyde the trouble of the world / and occaſyons that myghte plucke me ther from / and to ſerue my brother withall / euen as one hande helpeth another / or one mēbre another / bycauſe one feleth anothers grefe / and the payne of the one is the payne of the other. Whatſoeuer is done to y^e leſt of vsus (wheder it be good or bad it is done to Chriſt / & what ſo euer is done to my brother (if I be a chriſten man) the ſame is done to me.

Neither doth my broders paine greue me leſſe thā myne own / neither reioyſe. I les at his welth thā at myne owne / if I louelove him as well and as moche as my ſelfe / as the law commaundeth me if it were nat ſo: how ſayth Paule? Let him that reioyſeth reioyſe in the lorde / that is to ſaye Chriſt / which is lorde ouer all creatures / if my merites obteined me heuē or a hier place there than had I▪ wheri I miȝt reioyſe beſydꝭ y^e lorde ¶ Here ſe ye the nature of the lawe and the nature of the Euangelion. Howe the lawe is the key that byndeth & dampneth all men / and the Euangelion is the key that looſeth thē agayne. The lawe goth before and the euāgelion foloweth. Where a precher precheth the lawe / he byndeth all conſciences / & whan he precheth the goſpell / he loſeth them agayne. Theſe two ſalues (I meane the lawe & the goſpell) vſeth god & his precher to heale & cure ſynners with all. The lawe driueth out the diſeaſe / & maketh it appere / & is a ſharpe ſalue / & a fretynge corſey / & kylleth the deed fleſſhe / & loſeth and draweth the ſores out by the rotes / and all corruption. It pulleth from a man the truſt & confydence that he hath in him ſelfe & in his owne workes / merytes / deſeruynges / & cerimonyes / & ro…beth him of all his rightwiſnes and maketh him pore. It kylleth him / ſendeth him downe to hell / & bringeth him to vtter diſperacion / and prepayreth the waye of the lorde / as it is written of Joh. the Baptiſte. For it is nat poſſyble that Chriſt ſhulde come to a mā as longe as he truſteth in him ſelfe / or in any worldly thinge / or hath any rightwyſneſſe of his owne / or ryches of holy workes. Than cometh the Euangelyon / a more gentle plaſter / whiche ſoupleth and ſwageth the woundes of the conſcyence / and bringeth helth. It bringeth the ſpirite of god / which loſeth the bondes of Satan / and coupleth vsus to god and his wyll thorowe ſtronge faith and …eruent louelove / with bondes to ſtronge for the deuyll / the worlde or any creature to loſe thē, And the poore and wretched ſynner feleth ſo gret mercy / louelove / & kyndnes in god that he is ſure in him ſelfe how that it is nat poſſyble that god ſhuld for ſake hī / or withdrawe his mercy & louelove frō him. And boldly crieth out with Paul / ſayeng: Who ſhall ſeperate vsus frō the louelove that god loueth vsus with all? That is to ſaye / what ſhall make me beleue that God loueth me nat? ſhall tribulation? anguyſſhe? perſecution? ſhall hungre nakednes? ſhall ſwerde? Naye / I am ſure that neither dethe nor lyfe / neither angell / neither rule nor power / neither preſent thīges nor thinges to come / neither hye nor lowe / neither any creature is able to ſeperate vsus from the louelove of god which is in Chriſt Jeſus our lorde. In al ſuche tribulacyons a Chriſten man perceyueth that god is his father / and loueth him / euyn as he loued Chriſte whan he ſhed his blode on the croſſe. Fynally / as before whan I was bounde to the Deuyll & his wyll / I wrought all maner euyll & wickednes / nat for helles ſake whiche is the rewarde of ſynne / but bycauſe I was heyre of hell by byrthe and bondage to the deuyll / dyd I euyll. For I coulde non otherwyſe do / to do ſyn was my nature. Euen ſo now / ſyth I am coupled to god by chriſtes blode / do I well / nat for heuens ſake / which is yet y^e reward of well doynge: but bycauſe I am heire of heuē bi grace & chriſtes purchaſynge / & hauehave the ſpirit of god / I do good frely / for ſo is my nature As a good tree brīgeth forthe good frute / & an euyll tree euyll fute. By the frutes ſhal ye know what the treis. A mānes dedes declare what he is within / but make hī neither good nor bad / though after we be created a newe by the ſpirite and doctryne of Chriſt / we wa…e parfyter alway with workynge accordynge to the doctrine / & nat with blynde workes of our owne imaginīg. We muſt be firſt euyl ere we do euyl / as a ſerpēt is firſt poyſoned ere he poiſon. We muſt be alſo good ere we do good▪ as the fyre muſt be fyrſt ho…e / ere it hete another thīge. Take an enſā ple / as thoſe blynd & deffe which ar cured in the goſpel could nat ſe nor here / tyl Chriſt had gyuen thē ſyght and herynge / & thoſe ſycke could nat do the dedes of an hole man / tyll Chriſt had gyuen them helth: So can no man do good in his ſoule / tyll Chriſt hauehave loſed him out of the bondes of Satan / and hauehave gyuen him wherwith to do good / ye / and fyrſte hauehave powred in to him that ſelfe good thinge whiche he ſhewed forth afterwarde on other. What ſo euer is our owne is ſynne. What ſo euer is aboue that / is Chriſtes gi…t purches / doynge / and workynge. He bought it of his fader derely w^t his bloude / ye / with his moſt bytter deth and gaue his lyfe for it.

What ſo euer good thinge is in vsus / that is gyuen vsus frely withoute our deſeruynge or merytes for Chriſtes blodes ſake. That we deſyre to folowe the wyll of god / it is the gyfte of Chriſtes blode. That we nowe hate the deuylles wyll (wherevnto we were ſo faſte locked / and coulde nat but louelove it) is alſo the gyfte of Chriſtes blode / vntounto whom belongeth the prayſe and honoure of our good dedes / and nat vntounto vsus.

¶ Our dedes do vsus thre maner ſer uyce. Fyrſt they certify vsus that wear heyres of euerlaſtynge lyfe. And that the ſpirite of god / which is the erneſt therof is in vsus / in that oure hertes conſent vntounto the law of god and we hauehave power in oure mēbres to do it / though imparfytly. And ſecondarily we tame the fleſſhe ther with / and kyll the ſynne that remayneth yet in vsus / & waxe dayly parfyter & parfyter in the ſpirit therwith and kepe that the luſtes choke nat the worde of God that is ſowen in vsus / nor quence the giftes or workīg of the ſpirite / and that we loſe nat the ſpirite agayne. And thirdly we do our duty vntounto our neybour ther with & help their neceſſite vntounto our owne cōfort alſo / & drawe al mē vntounto the honorīge & praiſynge of god. ¶ And who ſo euer exelleth in the gyftes of grace / let the ſame thinke that they be gyuen him / as moche to do his broders ſeruyce as for his owne ſelfe / and as moch for the louelove which god hath to the weke as vntounto him / vntounto whō god gyueth ſuche gyftes. And he that withdraweth ought that he hath frō his neibours nede / robbeth his neybours & is a thefe. And he that is proude of the gyftes of god & thynketh him ſelfe / by the reaſon of thē better than his feble neyboure / & nat rather as the …ruth is / knowlegeth him ſelfe a ſeruaūte vntounto his poore neybour / by y^• reaſon of them the ſame hath lucyfers ſpirite in him and nat chriſtes. ¶ Theſe thynges to knowe: fyrſt the lawe / howe that it is naturall right & equite / that we hauehave but one god to put our hope & truſt in / and hun to louelove with all the hert / al the ſoule / and all oure myght & power and neither to moue hert nor hande but at his cōmaundement / bycauſe he hathe fyrſte created vsus of nought and heuen and erthe for oure ſakes. And afterward whan we had marred our ſelfe thorowe ſynne / he forgaue vsus and created vsus agayne in the blode of his beloued ſonne.

¶ And that we hauehave y^e name of our one god in feare & reuerence / & that we diſhonoure it nat in ſwearynge therby about lyght tryſles or vanite or call it to recorde for the cōfyrmīg of wickednes or falſhed / or ought / that is to the dyſhonoure of God / which is the brekynge of his lawes or vntounto the hurte of our neighbour.

¶ And inaſmoch as he is our lorde and god / and we his double poſſeſſyon by creacion & redemption / and therfore ought / as I ſaid / neither to moue hert or hande without his cō maūdemēt / it is right that we hauehave nedefull holyedayes to come togyther & lerne his wyll / both the lawe which he wyl hauehave vsus ruled by / & alſo the promyſes of mercy which he wyll hauehave vsus truſt vntounto / & to gyue god thākes togyther of his mercy / and cōmytte our infyrmities to him thorow our ſauyour Jeſus / & to reconſyle our ſelues vntounto him / & eche to other / if ought be betwene brother & brother that requyreth it. And for this purpoſe & ſuche lyke / as to vyſet the ſycke & nedy / and redreſſe peace & vnyt…e / were the holydayes ordeyned only / & ſo farforth ar they to be kepte holy from al maner workes that may be cōuenyently ſpared for the tyme tyll this be done and no further / but than laufully to worke.

¶ And that it is right that we obey father and mother / mayſter / lorde / prince / & kynge / & all the ordynaunces of the worlde bodily and goſtly by whiche god ruleth vsus and miniſtreth frely his benefytꝭ vntounto vsus al. And that we louelove them for the benefytes that we receyue by thē / & fere them for the power they hauehave ouer vsus / to punyſſh vsus if we treſpace the lawe and good ordre. So farre yet ar the worldly powers or rulers to be obeyed onelyonly / as their cōmaūdementes repugne nat agaynſt the cō maundement of god / and than ho. Wherfore we muſt hauehave goddes cō maundement euer in our hertes / & by the hyer lawe interprete the inferyor: that we obey nothīge againſt the belefe of our god / or agaynſt the faith / hope and truſt that is in him only / or agaiſt the louelove of god wher by we do or leaue vndone all thing for his ſake / & that we do nothinge for any mans cōmaūdemēt againſt the reuerence of the name of god / to make it diſpyſed and the leſſe fered and ſet by / & that we obeye nothinge to the hynderaunce of the know lege of the bleſſed doctryne of god / whoſe ſeruaunt the holye daye is.

¶ Nat withſtandynge though the rulers whiche god hath ſet ouer vsus commaunde vsus againſt god / or do vsus opē wronge / & oppreſſe vsus with cruell tyrāny / yet bycauſe they are in goddes rowme / we maye nat auenge our ſelues / but by the proces and ordre of goods law / & lawes of man made by y^e auctorite of goddes law / which is alſo goddes lawe / euer by an hier power & remyttīge y^• vengeāce vntounto god / & in the meane ſeaſon ſuffre vntyll y^• hour be come.

And on y^e other ſyde to know that a man ought to louelove his neibour equally & fully / as well as him ſelfe / bicauſe his neibour (be he neuer ſo ſiple) is equally created of god & as full redemed by the blode of our ſauyour Jeſu Chriſt. Out of whiche cōmaūdemēt of louelove ſpringe theſe. Kyll nat thy neibour / defyle nat his wyfe / bere no falſe witnes agaynſt him / & fynally / nat only do nat theſe thynges in dede / but coueyt nat in thyne herte / his houſe / his wyfe / his manſeruant / maydſeruant / oxe / aſſe or whatſoeuer is his. So that theſe lawes perteynyng vntounto our neyboure are nat fulfylled in the ſyght of god ſaue with louelove. He that loueth nat his neyboure / kepeth nat this cōmaundement: defyle nat thy neighbours wyfe / though he neuer touche her or neuer ſe her / or thinke vponupon her. For the commaundement is / thoughe thy neybours wyfe be neuer ſo fayre / & thou hauehave neuer ſo great oportunytie gyuen the / and ſhe content or haply prouoke the / as Putiphers wyfe dyd Joſeph / yet ſe thou louelove thy neibour ſo well / that for very louelove thou can nat fynde in thyne herte to do that wyckedneſſe. And euen ſo he that truſteth in any thinge ſaue in god onelyonly and in his ſōne Jeſus Chriſte / kepeth no comm…ūdemēt at al in the ſyght of god.

¶ For he that hath truſt ī any creature / wherther in heuen or in erth / faue in god & his ſonne Jeſus / ca… ſe no cauſe to louelove god with all his herte. &c. Neither to abſtayne …rom diſhonourynge his name / nor to kepe the holy daye for the louelove of his doctryne / nor to obey louyngly the rulers of the worlde / nor any cauſe to louelove his neyghboure as him ſelfe / and to abſtayne frome hurtynge him / where he maye get profyte by him / and ſaue him ſelfe harmles. And in lyke wyſe agaynſt this law / louelove thy neibour as thy ſelf. I may obey no worldly power to do ought at any mans cōmaūdemēt vntounto the hurte of my neybour that hath nat …eſerued it / though he be a turke.

¶ And to knowe howe contrarye this law is vntounto our nature / & how it is dampnation / …at to hauehave this lawe written in our hertes / though we neuer cōmytte the dedes: & how there is none other meanes to be ſaued from the dampnacion / thā thorowe repentance toward the law & fayth in Chriſtes blode / which ar y^e very inward baptim of our ſoules / and the waſſhynge & the dippynge of our bodyes in the water / is the outwarde ſygne. The plungyng of the body vnderunder the water ſignifieth that we repent & profeſſe to fyght agaynſt ſynne & luſtes / & to kyll thē eueryevery daye more & more / with the helpe of god & oure dilygence in folowynge the doctrine of Chriſt and the ledynge of his ſpirite / & that we beleue to be waſſhed from oure naturall dampnation in which we are borne / and from all the wrath of the lawe / & from all the infyrmytes and wekneſſe that remayne in vsus / after we hauehave gyuen our conſente vntounto y^e law / & yelded ourſelfe to be ſcolers therof / & from all the imperfytneſſe of all our dedes done with colde louelove / & from all actuall ſynne whiche ſhal chaūce on vsus whyle we enforce the contrary and euer fyght there againſt & hope to ſine no more. And thus / repētaūce & faith begynne at our baptyme & firſt profeſſynge the lawes of god / & contynue vntounto our lyues ende / & growe as we growe in the ſpirite. For the perfyter we be the gretter is our repentaunce / & the ſtronger our faith. And thus as the ſpirit & doctryne on goddes ꝑte and repentaunce and fayth on oure parte beget vsus a new in Chriſt: euē ſo they make vsus grow & waxe parfeyt & ſaue vsus vntounto the ende & neuer leue vsus vntyll all ſyn be put of and we clene purifyed and full fourmed and facyoned after the ſymilytude and lykenes of the perfytnes of our ſauyour Jeſus / whoſe gyfte all is.

And fynally to know that what ſo euer good th…ge is in vsus / that ſame is the gyfte of grace / & therfore nat of deſeruyng / though many thingꝭ be giuen of god / thorow our dilygē ce in working his lawes & chaſteſige our bodyes & in prayenge for thē and beleu…ge his promyſes / whiche els ſhulde nat be gyuen vsus / yet our workinge deſerueth nat the giftes / no more thā the dilygence of a marchaunte in ſekynge a good ſhippe / bringeth the goodes ſafe to lande / though ſuche dilygence doth nowe and than helpe therin. But whan we beleue in god / & than do all that is in our might and nat tempt him / than is god tr…we to abyde by his promiſe and to helpe vsus and performe alone whan our ſtrength is paſt ¶ Theſe thynges I ſay to knowe / is to hauehave al the ſcripture vnlocked & opened before the / ſo that if thou wylt go in & rede / thou canneſt nat but vnderſtande. And in theſe thinges to be ignoraunt / is to hauehave all the ſcrypture locked vp / ſo that the more thou redeſt it the blinder thou arte / & the more contrary thou fyndeſt in it / and the more tangled art thou therin & canſt nowher thorow For if thou adde a gloſe in one place / in another it wyll nat ſerue. And therfore / bycauſe we be neuer taught the ꝓfeſſyon of our baptim / we remayne alwayes vnlerned / as wel the ſpiritualte for all their gret clergy & hye ſcoles / as we ſaye / as the laye people. And nowe bycauſe the laye & vnlerned peple ar taught theſe firſt princyples of our profeſſion therfore they rede the ſcripture and vnderſtande and delyte therin: And our great pyller of holy churche / whiche hauehave nayled a vayle of falſe gloſes on Moſes face / to corrupte the trewe vnderſtandynge of his law / can nat come in. And therfore barke and ſaye / the ſcripture maketh heritykes and it is nat poſſykle for theym to vnderſtande it in Englyſſhe / bycauſe they them ſelues do nat in latyne. And of pure malyce that they can nat hauehave their wyll / they ſley their brethrene for their faith they hauehave in our ſauiour and therwith vtter their blody woluyſſhe tyrannye / and what they be within and whoſe dyſcyples. Here with reder / be commytted vntounto the grace of our ſauyour Jeſus / vntounto whome and god oure father thorow him be prayſe frō euer and for euer.

Amen.

¶ A letter ſent vntounto a certayn frēde / to enſtructe hī in the vnderſtandynge of the ſcripture / tranſlāted out of French into Englyſſhe.

MY welbeloued brother in Chriſt / the ſauyour / the peace and mercy of god be with you / and with al them that wyll the honoure of god and thēcreaſe of his goſpell. Amen. I gyue thankes vntounto our ſauyour / that it hath pleaſed hī (in this gret wretchednes of infydelyte / with the which the pore ſoules bought with the precious blode of Chriſt / were ſore clogged & combred) to gyue vsus knowledge of his worde / the which was holye buryed and drowned by the reaſon of leude lerning fables / and dreames of men which hauehave bē hytherto preched in the place of the right holy & worthy worde of god / which the very ſauyoure & redemer of y^e worlde / the only mediatour betwene god & man / very god & very man Jeſus Chriſt came to ſhew vsus which wordes (I mene the wordes of holy ſcripture / a mā ought to receyue in as gret reuerēce as though our ſauyoure ſpake vntounto vsus in his owne perſon / gretly therfore ought we to thanke him / that it hath pleſed him of his vnſpekeable goodneſſe / to gyue vsus this grace / that we may rede his holy goſpels / and bleſſed be they that ſhall bere theſe holy wordes and kepe them.

¶ In as moche therfore / welbeloued brother / that god of his infinit mercy (and nat by our deſeruyng / which can do nothynge but ſynne) hathe gyuen vsus this grace to rede theſe godly wordes / & to be refreſſhed with this heuenly breed. I deſyre you that in all humilyte & loulynes of hert / knowlegīge that you be nothyng but ſynne & abhomi…ation (as all worldly thīges be) without any maner of preſumyng vponupon your owne witte / knowlege or wiſdome: ye come vntounto the redynge of the holy worde of god / ſettynge all your hert in our lorde / deſyring hī with lowly praier / faithfully that it wolde pleaſe him to gyue you his holy ſpirite / as he hath promiſed to thē that faithfully requyre it of him and ſo with a ſure confydence and faſt hope & truſt of his infinit goodneſſe / deſyre him that he wyll open vntounto you the kyngdome of heuyn / with the key which no man can gyue but he / and that it wyll pleaſe him to lyghten youre herte through pure & trewe vnderſtandyng of the chriſten fayth / to thende you may be made a trewe creature lyuyng no … ger in yourſelf / but all togyther in Jeſu chriſt / & that we louelove nothyng but him & nothing to louelove nother in heuen nor in erth but for the louelove of him: & euen as he cōmaūded you to louelove youre neibour ſocouryng hī in his bodylye nedes / ſo that you ſocour him / & nat noriſſhe him in his dampnable lyfe / as they do whiche gyue the goddes that belonge to their chyldren / & which the pore mē ſhulde hauehave / that thorowe wekenes can nat gette their lyuynge / vntounto a ſort of vyllayn ſwyneheedes & ſtrō ge lubbers / which hauehave ſtrēgth ynough to labour for their lyuynge / the whiche ye ought nat to fede: for he that wyll nat labour (ſayth the Appoſtle) ſhulde nat eate. Furthermore ye ought to louelove your neighbour and his helthe ſo ardentlye that ye ſhulde nat ſtycke to dye for him / yf caſe requyred / the which thinge betokeneth & ſygnifyeth the cōmunyō of the precyouſe body & blode of our lorde / that we be one bodye in Jeſu Chriſte / & lykewyſe as he dyed for vsus / ſo we do dye one for another: for we muſt louelove one another lykewiſe as he loued vsus / for ſo he cōmaūdeth vsus / ſayeng: I gyue you a new commaūdement y^t one of you louelove another / lykewiſe as I hauehave loued you.

¶ In this charite & louelove is y^e ſōme and concluſion of all ſcripture. For that maketh vsus louelove (for the honor of god) fader & moder / huſband / wife / children / brethrē / ſyſters / & all other thinge except god: ye / our ſelue and maketh vsus leaue & forſake / for elles we can nat be the diſcyples of Jeſu Chriſt / & without beynge his diſciples we can hauehave no porcyon nor parte with him / for he that lo…eth any thynge excepte he louelove it only for the louelove of god …he hath nat yet forſaken al thīges: but he that loueth nothinge but for y^e louelove of god and nether doth / nether willeth anythīge / but for the louelove & honoure of god / he hath tru…y forſaken all thinges. Take hede you do nat miſunderſtāde me / for whan I ſaye that you ſhulde forſake all thinge / I do nat meane that you ſhulde entre relygion & make yourſelf a monke / a frere / or a nōne: for there is no …eple in the worlde that hath les forſaken all thinge thā they. Whom ſhall ye ſe more buſyer / more curious about other mens buſynes thā th…y? whō ſhall ye ſe more couetous / hauynge leſſe pitye & mercy on the pore? leſſe feringe & regardynge god & his holy worde / leſſe ferynge to breke his cōmaūdement which ſtandeth all in louelove toward a mans neyboure / whiche they conſydre nat / but gyue …lygence that their bely be full / kepyng thē to the rulers that mā hath made ſettynge lyght by the cōmaūdement of god: ye / & brekynge them dayly …n that they ouercharge and deuour the houſes of poore wydowes and other ſimple people vnderunder y^e coloure of longe prayer & fayned holyneſſe.

¶ To the ende that ſuch as ſeke nō other but to deuoure you / dyſceyue you nat / it is neceſſary that you holde you vntounto the worde of god. And that you maye the lyghtlyer vnderſtande the ſcripture / ye ſhall vnderſtande that in holy ſcripture we hauehave the lawe / whiche is ſo called for the moſt parte / & ſomtyme it is called the lawe of bondage of y^e fleſſhe and of ſynne / we hauehave of workes & of rightuouſnes of man / and alſo of workes of the fleſſhe of the law. On …he otherſyde we hauehave alſo the goſ…ell / the law of lyberte of the ſpirit and of grace: of fayth / and of the rightouſneſſe that cometh of god of the goſpell / fayth and ſpirite.

¶ The lawe is called generally in all ſcripture eueryevery cōmaundement by the which we ar cōmaūded to do or to ſhon & nat do any thynge / as thou ſhalte louelove god aboue all thīge thou ſhalte nat ſley / thou ſhalte nat deſyre any thinge / that is to ſaye / thou ſhalte nat coueyt or deſyre any thynge contrary vntounto the motion of the ſpirite of god: for all concupiſcence of luſt contrary to the wyll of god is ſynne / & whan the lawe is ſet before vsus & giuē vsus / by & by our fleſſhe / that is to ſaye / we our ſelfe which be nothynge but fleſſhe with out the ſpirit of god / begynne for to waxe angry & to be inflamed & ſet a fyre / & to be moued & ſtyrred with great iudignaciō by y^e reſon of our ſynne & filthines which the law ſheweth & openeth vntounto vsus / for before the workyng of the law / mā was in peace brought a ſlepe in ſyn / nat per ceyuynge the concupiſcence & luſtes nat beleuyng that they were ſynnes but whan he hath receyued the lawe he feleth his ſynne / out of the which he can nat draw himſelf / for the more he goth about by his owne workes / vertues and ſtrengthe to ryſe out of ſynne / the more he augmenteth and encreaſeth his ſynne. For (as ſaynt Paule ſayth) god ſent vntounto vsus his ſonne / bycauſe it was impoſſyble for vsus to kepe the lawe by the reaſon of the infirmite that was in vsus / to the ende that the rightouſnes whiche cometh of fayth / myght be parfyt in vsus / for if it had ben poſſyble for vsus to hauehave ben iuſtifyed by the lawe & to hauehave fulfylled it / what nede chriſt to hauehave dyed? And bicauſe it is impoſſyble to accomplyſſhe and fulfyll the lawe withoute the ſpiryte of god / the fleſſhe grudgeth full of angre and malyce / ſayenge: How is it poſſyble that I louelove god aboue all thyng / or by that meanes I ſhulde hauehave my hert alwayes vp to god / which hert of his owne nature can nat thīke nor ymagyne any thinge but vanytie / requyrynge alwayes and in all thinges his owne glory & profyte / and nat the honour of god nor the profyte of myne euen chriſten. Helas / I ſeke nat that thige that ſhuld be to Chriſtes pleſure / but all togyther myne owne commodytie. Howe is it poſſyble but I ſhulde hauehave concupiſcēce & luſtyng cōtrary to the wyll of god / cōſydrīg that I am nothīg but fleſſh / whiche hath euer deſyres agaynſt the ſpiryt by the reaſon wherof I can nat do that thing y^t I wolde? Helas wherfore hath god gyuē this lawe which is ſo burdenous & ſo weighty? And on this facyon the fleſſhe ſore greued with the weight of y^e law / whiche is more than he can bere / perceyuynge how ſore it doth condempne him & all his dedes / begynneth for to curſe & hate the lawe / & ſo conſequently god which made the law. & for this cauſe ſaīt Paul ſaith / The law worketh angre / in as moch as the fleſſhe knowyng his offences & hauynge his offences layde before him by the lawe / and ſeynge that he can nat ryſe out of them / doth wreſtel and ſtryue with himfelfe / & murmurynge agaynſt the lawe / as before is ſayde / queſtyoneth & reaſoneth in him ſelfe: why god gaue the …awe to Adam of the fruite of lyfe / and why he made hī nat of ſuch na…ure that he ſhulde nat ſynne / & ſuch other thinges which by gret ignomynies & blaſphemies againſt god and his hye wiſdome: which mā beyng but aſſhes & duſt / preſ…meth to iuge & reprehende the diuine prudē ce. And it is as moch as to wyl that god were nat god. For if he wer nat rightouſe in eueryevery thynge / he were nat god / & his iuſtyce & rightuouſnes requyre / that ſuch inhibicions & lawes ſhuld be miniſtred to y^e orgulous & proude fleſſhe / for to bringe hī down out of his pride. Wherfore to wyll that theſe holy lawes were nat giuē to men / is to wyll that god were nat: & ſuch be the blaſphemies of the fleſſh whan ſhe receyueth the lawe / which is ſpūall / in the which ſhe hath no intēdemēt nor vnderſtā ding: for ſhe weneth to cōpaſſe it by workes / which thinge onelyonly faythe doth. And now whā he ſeeth & perceiueth / that though he do neuer ſo moch he cā nat accompliſſh or fulfil the law / than is he full of horrour & of diſpeyre / ſeyng that hell is redy for him / bicauſe of the tranſgreſſion of the lawe / & whan he can imagyn …o wayes to auoyde the indignatiō of the law / than all diſolate & full of diſpayre he beg…neth to abhorre the lawe / & without the father of heuen draw him & inſpyre him / the way to fulfyll the lawe / he doth all cōtrary to it. For of hī ſelfe he can nat chuſe but ſynne & do euyll. And therfore is the lawe gyuen vsus / bycauſe we ſhuld know our ſ…nes / & the only of fyce of the lawe is nat to iuſtify vsus: but ſhe we vsus our wekeneſſe & febleneſſe in well doyng / & to ſhew man that he hath deſerued deth & damnation / which by his own power he cā nat ſhon / to the ende that a mā knowyng his owne wekenes & vnablenes to do well / diſpeyre of his own vertue & ſtrength / ſettinge aſyde all cōfydence in any th…ge that he cā do humble him ſelfe / knowleging that if our mercyfull lorde of his vnſpekable mercy / delyuer him nat from deth and dampnacyon / the whiche he hath deſerued thorow tranſgreſſyon of the lawe / he had peryſſhed and ben dampned for euer. For if oure fearſe and proude herte be nat mekened fyrſt by the lawe / and make vsus confeſſe oure ſelfe Synners / we ſhulde neuer be ſaued by Chriſt for he came for to ſaue ſynners and vnrightuous / nat them that be rightuouſe and iuſt / which iuſtify them ſelfe by their workes.

¶ But whan a man knoweth his owne fylthynes & abhomination / & ſeeth that he is condēned rightuouſly to euerlaſtynge deth / thā cometh the goſpell / which is to ſay glad tydynges in vſe & is preſented vntounto hī which ſayth: Thou wretched thefe whiche woldeſt hauehave depriued god of his godheed / & woldeſt hauehave ben thyne owne god thorow thy pride: Thou wretched & deſperate caityfe which after the iuſt iugemēt of god haddeſt deſerued to be hanged on y^e galowes of hell / which haſt the halter about thy necke / that is to ſaye / thy wyl / thy fleſſhe & thy luſtes / whiche be lordes ouer the by reaſō that the ſpirite of god ruleth nat in the. The moſt mercy full god hath ſente the thy pardone / and wyll nat that this iugement be executed / but that thou be quyte and hauehave thy lyfe / & be delyuered from the handes of the deuyll of hell / which was thy hāge man / whom thou dydeſt ſerue and worke to. And he hath nat alonely rydde the from dethe and made the his ſeruant / but alſo graunteth the to be his ſōne and inherytour with our ſwete ſauyoure Jeſus / whiche is become thy brother / & whom the father of his infynite goodnes and kindnes (nat for bicauſe of thy good dedes which haſt done neuer but euyll) hath gyuē for the / to make full ſatiſ factyon for all thy euyll dedes / ſo that thou beleue that he dyed for thy ſynne & roſe agayne to iuſtifye the / which deſyreth none other thig but to ſaue that the which was loſt / that is to ſaye ſynners / whiche thorowe their owne deſeruynges were in the way of dāpnacion. And whā the conſcience which was before full of great drede / hereth this good tydynges (if god gyue thē the grace to gyue credēce therto & beleue thē) than they be certayne / by the reaſon of this fayth / that they be pardoned of all their offēces / thorow the deth and paſſyon of Jeſu Chriſt. Than cōceyue they a gret ioye / myrth & in warde reioyſynge in thē ſelfe. And our mercyfull lorde in gyuynge vsus this fayth gyueth vsus alſo his ſpirit the which maketh vsus the very chyldren of god thorow faith / & the very …ēbres of the body of Jeſu chriſt / & we be in all thynges alwayes conduyted & directe by this holy ſpirite of god / for otherwyſe could we nat be the chyldren of god / for they only be the chyldren of god / which be led by the ſpirit of god. So we hauīg this holy ſpirite in vsus to be our gyde & directour of our iourney / whiche is all charyte & louelove / by the whiche the lawe is accomplyſſhed / the lawe is fulfylled in vsus. And by the reaſon of his holy ſpirit which gydeth vsus / we go no more in the waye of the fleſſh. For the fleſſh hath no lē ger dominion ouer vsus / but is caſte out of his kīgdome (Chriſt reining in vsus by the holy ghoſt) which cauſeth vsus dayly to mortify our fleſſhe which alwayes is contrary vntounto y^e ſpirit / deſtroyeng / pullyng downe and cōſuminge our concupiſcences and luſtes by y^e fyre of charyte. And albeit that this concupiſcens is ſyn ye / & mortall ſynne of his owne nature / neuertheles it is nat imputed nor rekened vntounto vsus which ar membres of Jeſu Chriſt / conſyderynge that by the reaſō of the ſpirit of god we louelove god with all our hert / & deſyre nothing ſo moch / as the wyl of god to be done in vsus. And ſo by the reaſō that we hauehave this good ſpirit in vsus / we neuer ſīne. For this newe natiuyte / by the which we be made the infantes of god / doth cōſerue & kepe vsus / that is y^e holyghoſt / which thorowe fayth is gyuen vsus. But in as moch as all our wyttes / wyll / & intendementes be but fleſſh / as lōg as we be …uironed & clogged with this corruptyble bodye / which is a gret let vntounto the ſoule / we cā nat be without ſinne / ſeing that all thinge that is in vsus / excepte the gyftes of god / which ſue & come of faith / is alwayes contrary vntounto the ſpirit / by the reaſon wherof euermore / as touchynge the olde man & fyrſt Adam / the outward man / the man of ſyn & fleſſhe / we ſyn. And if we ſaye that we hauehave no ſynne / we lye & deceyue our ſelues / & bycauſe of this / hauehave we cauſe euermore to mekē our ſelf and to put awaye all confydence in vsus or in oure workes / gyuynge all glory vntounto god / which of his only grace delyuered vsus from the captyuytie of deth / makynge it of no effecte or power to loſe or diſtroy vsus. For the lyfe which he hath giuen vsus by the ſpirite of his ſonne / is farre gretter than is this deth / and therfore it can nat harme vsus. Whiche is a greate aſſuraunce to a mannes conſcyence / for whan he beleueth ſurely in Jeſu Chriſt / he is aſſured and certifyed that Jeſu Chriſt is in him / & therfore he can be afrayde of nothynge / ſeynge that Jeſu Chriſt is puyſaunt & mighty / whiche hath vaynquyſſhed the worlde & all power contrary vntounto the ſoule / in the which he dwelleth by his holy ſpyryte / ſo that nothynge can ceperate him from his ſouerayne welth / whiche is Jeſu Chriſt / which cōforteth him with his holy promyſes / which eueryevery faythfull ought to hauehave contynually before him. And by this menes is the ſoule delyuered from the gret quakyng & tremblyng that he was in before the goſpell was preſēted vntounto him / which drede the law brought him vntounto / ſhewynge him that he had deſerued dampnacyon in the brekynge therof. But whan he hereth thoſe ſame glad tydīges / he hath an inwarde ioye in himſelfe whiche no herte of man can thinke without that he hauehave proued it.

For the more harder the condemnation is / & the more ſharpe the dethe is that foloweth it / & from the more greuouſneſſe that he is delyuered & brought to this bleſſednes and lyfe / which he neuer loked for / the more is his ioye gret, And therfore y^e ſoule conſyderinge the excedyng goodnes that y^e endles mercy that the father of heuen hath done for him / in gyuyng his ſon for him / ponderīge alſo the moſt ineſtimable ſwetneſſe of the moſt benige Jeſus / who hath ſpent & ſhed his blode for him takīg vponupon him all his ſīnes / cancellyng and makyng voyde the oblygacion of deth in the which he was bonde / waſſhynge him pure & clene in his blode / baptiſynge him with y^e holy ſpirite / the which of an ardent louelove wolde voucheſafe to come downe & dwell in his conſcience for to direct it / & inſtructe it or corroborate it in fayth / gyuyng him vnderſtādynge in the worde of god / layeng al theſe great gyftes & ſondrie benefytes togyther / conceyueth thorow the working of the holyghoſt a maruelous ardent louelove toward god by the reaſon of the whiche he is ſet on fyre / & burneth in the meruelouſe zele that he hath to the honour of god. And whan he ſeeth that he can nat pleaſe god ſo highlye as he wolde do / by the reaſon of the fleſſhe with his aduerſarye vntounto the ſpirite: and that his worke be nothynge parfyte by the reaſon of his infirmite: he mourneth in him ſelfe / deſyring to be delyuered frō his ſeruytute of corrupcyon of ſīne: but than is he brought in quyetnes by y^e holy ſpirit which prayeth for him w^t vnſpeakable ſighes / that this empeſhment or let may be taken away / to the ende he maye fulfyll the wyll and the lawe of god without any gaynſay or contradyc…yon. And in all ſuche rekenynges …he holyghoſt cōforteth him / ſo that at the laſte he taketh all in gree pa…yently / takynge all his pleaſure in god / & that in all temptacyons and trybulacions & afflyctions that ſhal come to him. For the holyghoſt ſheweth him the promyſes whiche are conteyned in holye ſcripture and ſo inſtructe / ſeynge that it is the wyll of god that he ſhuld be ſo vexed / he reioyſeth in all his tēptacions / & all his troubles be lyght & ſwete vntounto him. Howbeit there is one temptation which is more gret & more horryble than all other / that is / whan we be perſecuted on al ſydes / & whā the lorde withdraweth his conſolation and confort from vsus / as though he were angrye agaynſte vsus / for to proue & taſt our fayth and confydence that we hauehave in the goodneſſe of god. for whā our lorde doth comforte vsus & we fele him to be preſent / we ſet lyght of all our trybulaciōs. be it loſſe of goodes / of chyldren / of wyfe / of huſbande / of lyfe / or of all honoure / or whatſoeuer it be. But whā we ꝑ…eyue nat him to be nygh vsus whā he abſenteth himſelfe to our ſemynge / to the profe of our fayth / than we lackyng him lacke all goodnes / full of ſynne & wretchednes / ſe our ſelf abhorred by y^e reaſon of our fylthynes / ſe all thinge agaynſt vsus / ſe hell open to deuour & ſwalow vsus vp / as the forſaken of god. In this maruelous tēptacion it is but a foly to rōne for ſocour to our good workes / for the beſt of thē do but cōdemne vsus. For all the good dedes that come of our ſelfe be but fylthines & abhominacion before god / and as a cloth defyled & contamynate with y^e floures of a woman. In ſuch a tēptacion there is no remedy but fayth that is to hauehave full cōfydence & truſt in the promyſes of god / as be theſe. He that beleueth ī me ſhall nat taſte euerlaſtīge deth. Nothinge is impoſſyble to hī that beleueth. Al they that call on the name of y^e lorde ſhalbe ſaued. And accordynge to your fayth / be it vntounto you. And many other / of which holy ſcripture is full.

¶ Such promyſes as promyſe vsus lyfe & delyueraunce from our euyls …e called euangelique / & be the ve…y goſpell or glad tydynges whiche ſaueth that whiche the lawe damp…eth / which quyteth whan the law condempneth vntounto the deth / ſo that …elefe be gyuen therto. And y^e ſoule alſo hath another thīge which may aſſure him / that is / that our helthe …s nat in our handes / for if it were / we ſhuld hauehave loſt it within a whyle / but in the hande of god / oute of whoſe hande no power can take it. and alſo that we be y^e ſhepe of chriſt which can nat be rauyſſhed oute of his hande / for as him ſelfe ſaythe. No parſon ſhall take thē away nor bereue me of thē. And this muſt we beleue ſurely that he came to ſaue ſynners / & in as moch as we be ſynners / he is com to ſaue vsus / & the more that the ſoule perceyueth hī ſelfe oppreſt with gret & horrible ſynnes ſo moch the more to hauehave confydēce in the deth of our ſauyour / whiche ſatiſfyed for al the ſyn of the world leuynge to hauehave any truſte in hys good workes / but only to hauehave confydence in the greate goodneſſe of god / which he declared habundantlye in the paſſyon and dethe of his ſōne. For if by workes a mā might accomplyſſh & fulfyl the law / chriſt ſuffred deth in vayne. Wherfore on Jeſus only muſt we ſet all our confydence. Now we muſt nat bicauſe Chriſt is come to ſaue ſynners & to helpe thē that be diſeaſed. We muſt nat therefore ſynne ſtyll / to the ende that he ſhulde ſaue vsus ſtyll: for we hauehave done to moche alredye & ſynne eueryevery day & ſynne eueryevery houre ſore / for there is nat ſo rightuouſe a man but he ſynneth / at the leſt ſeuen tymes a day: but thoſe ſame ſinnes of the rightuouſe man be nat imputed vntounto him / bycauſe that the ſpirit of god is within him / for they be nat in him / for as touchyng the inwarde man / and in that that he hath the ſpirit / he ſynneth nat. For the fayth contynueth hole and parfeyte in the ſpiryt / which faith hath put awaye the hole body of ſynne / ſo that ſynne …ygneth nat in vsus / bycauſe we be made newe creatures / though now and than by the reaſon of our wekeneſſe we do ſynne: yet this ſynne is nat imputed bycauſe of the ſtryfe that we hauehave agaīſt it. And for this cauſe muſt we humble our ſelfe before god / & knowlege our ſelfe to be ſīners / & alſo hauehave a ſure belefe that our ſynnes be forgiuen vsus / euyn as we be aſſured by the infallyble promyſes of god / for as moch as we beleue / ſo moch receyue we of god / as he ſayde: Accordyng to your faith ſo be it to you. It is nat poſſyble y^t we beleue our ſynnes to be forgyuē vsus in Chriſt / but they be ſo in dede.

¶ Note well theſe wordes & print thē faſt in your hert that you forget thē nat / for it ſhalbe very neceſſary for you to hauehave recourſe vntounto theſe holy wordes & promyſes / that you may defēde you againſt all temptations. for I am certayn that if you be of Chriſt / louyng him aboue all thinges that the deuyll ſhall lay vntounto you greate aſſaultes for to make you tumble from the faithe of Jeſu Chriſte. Wherfore praye inſtantly god our good lorde that he wyl cō ſerue you & augmēt your faith / and …ndoutedly he wyll angment it as …e hath ꝓmiſed… & loke that you re…yſt all tēptacyons ſtronge in faith.

¶ Welbeloued brother / the worde of god can nat lye / it hath giuen vsus …arnynge. They hauehave perſecuted me & ſo wyl they do you. Wherfore …inke nat the contrary / but if ye fo…we Chriſt / ye muſt be perſecuted …nd mocked / and laughed to ſcorne within the houſe & alſo withoute of …l the worlde / & none ſhall ſpeake …ell of you. If ſo noble a prince & … exellente was made a mockynge …ocke / was reproued & perſecuted … al the worlde▪as was Jeſus our …ed / it can nat be choſē but the mē bres muſt be lykewyſe hated / for it is nat comlye the heede to be full of thornes & the membres full of pleaſure and delytes, Lykewyſe as the heed was nat of the worlde / nomore ſhulde the mēbres be. Wherfore the world diſpyſeth them as enemyes & contrary to their pride / their couetouſnes and their fleſſhly pleaſure. But it is neceſſary that you confort your ſelfe with the bleſſynges that our lorde gyueth to them which take trouble for the honour of him.

And that you laye euermore before you / the ſermon that our ſauyoure Jeſus ſpake in the moūtayne / wher he ſaythe: Bleſſed be they that ſuffer perſecutyon for rightuouſneſſe ſake / that is to ſaye / for the louelove of Jeſu Chriſt / for he is oure right… ouſnes and our wyſdome. And a… ſo he ſaythe: Happye be you whan mē ſhall curſe you and ſaye all euyl agaynſt you lyenge for my ſake / for great ſhalbe your rewarde. &c.

¶ Bicauſe we ſhuld nat diſpeire & thinke our ſelf out of the fauour of god bicauſe we be perſecuted / he gyueth vsus warnynge that the electe & choſen hauehave he perſecuted frō the begynnyng of the worlde: for the enemyes of y^e truth neuer ceſſe nor ſhal ceſſe vntounto the ende of the worlde to perſecute the faythefull… whiche by their fayth & longe pac…ence / at the …aſt ſhall ouercome. And whā their enemyes we…e to hauehave troden them vnderunder the fote / thā ſhal they be moſt victorious, Beleue ſurely that our …orde doth moch for vsus whan he gyueth vsus the grace to endure & ſuffre any thynge for his honoure / for a noble hert which loueth his kynge wel / is meruelous wel apayde whā the kynge maketh him knyght / gyuynge him charge for to do batayle for the quarell & honour of y^e kyng. Likewiſe the faithful ought gretly to thanke god / in that that he ſuffereth for his honour. For al our fely cyte lyeth in this / that we be made conforme & lyke vntounto our captayne and hed Jeſu chriſt / & if we be troubled and vexed in this worlde with him / we ſhall alſo raygne with hi,

¶ It can nat be but there muſte be alwayes debate betwene the world and the faythfull / for they be of contrarye affections.

¶ The worlde is nothynge but pride / couetouſneſſe / all fylthyneſſe and fleſſhely luſtes.

¶ The faythfull & the chyldren of god be all togyther humilyte / & lyberaly tie & all clenneſſe & louers of ſpirituall thinges / full of faith / hope / and charyte / eſtemynge thēſelfe of no goodnes / knowlegyng themſelfe to be but ſine / ſettyng nought by worldly goodes / louyng nothinge but goddes honoure.

¶ The worlde deſyreth nothynge …ut to plucke to him and gather all …at it can catche / and ſnatche by a…y maner of wayes.

¶ The faythfull on the contrarye …arte be as dily gente to dele and to …yue to al them that hauehave nede and …hat they maye ſocoure / for the ho…oure of God / and deſyre none o…her rycheſſe but god.

¶ The worlde deſyreth nothing ſo …etly as to be prayſed / honoured & …agnifyed / takynge more vpō him …ā becometh him / & wyl hauehave none …ayſed or ſpoken of but himſelfe.

¶ The faythfull care nat thoughe …hey …e diſpiſed / diſprayſed or mo… …ed for the honour of god / giuyng …l praiſe and honour vntounto him / de …pringe nothynge ſo moche as the …onour of god only / of whom ryſeth and ſpringeth all goodneſſe.

¶ They that be of the worlde louelove nothyng but them ſelues / and that thynge that pleaſeth theym & them that louelove them / hatynge all thinge contrary to their mynde / all thinge that greueth or diſpleaſeth them / & chefely of al / they cā nat away with the croſſe (though no mā croſſe himſelfe oftener than they) they louelove nothynge worſe than trybularyon & perſecutyon / they hate all thynges that open and ſhewe vntounto thē their fautes / infyrmyties and wekeneſſe they abhorre all inſtructyo… of the amendement of their lyuynge▪ and for a concluſyon / they hate al thing contrary vntounto their pleaſure.

¶ The faithfull louelove nothinge but god hauynge no delyte in them ſelues / neither louelove any thige carnally but louelove that thynge that is contrary to their concupyſcence & deſyres / and aboue all thinges they receyue thankfull the croſſe of Chriſt / whiche is trybulation / afflyction & perſecution / & hauehave thē in gret fauour which ſhewe them their fautes / abhorrynge all flaterers / auoydynge and flyenge to their power all errours / diſtroyeng the knowledge of god / hatyng all thinge that letteth the correctyon and punyſſhment of …yces / loth to medle with any thinge contrary vntounto the wyll of god / …reuounſynge that whiche is of the worlde. And in as moche as their wyl / their …ences & …endment / whiche be but fleſſhly / be of the worlde they forſake & vtterly renoūce themſelfe …in that that they refuſe the deuyll & all his powpes / and by theſe menes they accōplyſſh the worde of god which ſayth / that he y^t wyl nat forſake hiſelf ſhal nat be his diſciple So he doth alſo at the …aptun whā he ſayth. I renounce Satan & all his pompes, In the which baptim there is a great abuſyon nowe / as well as in many other ordynances of the church / for the child knoweth nat what is ſaid / nor the godfaders nor the preeſt that baptyſeth many tymes. And this is done by the preſtes / bycauſe they wolde be made moche of & ordre all thynge at their pleaſure the better / ſayenge all in Latyne / where as the ſymple peple vnderſtande nothynge / which is againſt the cōmaundement of god & ordynaūce of the apoſtle / which cō maundeth that ſuch maner of folke prayeng or ſpekynge on that maner kepe ſylence in the congregacion or churche / or els that they ſpeke that men may vnderſtande them.

¶ By theſe thynges aboue ſayde may you vnderſtande that ther ſhal neuer be peace betwene the worlde and the ſpirit / and that the worldly …hal neuer louelove y^e faithfull / but ſhall …uermore perſecute them by conty…uall battayle / & bycauſe we hauehave …o great & fearfull an enemy / whom it is impoſſyble to reſyſte / if we be …at well armed. We muſt aſke of this noble inſtrument in whom the …olyghoſt wrought▪ we muſt enqui…e of this noble veſſell of electyon▪ …octour of the gentiles ſaynt Paul / …hat armoure is neceſſary / and he …yll tell vsus that we ſhulde nat be defended with armours & ſcyences …f man / neither by any relygyon or …bſeruacion / but with the armours of god. Fyrſt of all we muſt gyrde …ur loynes with the truthe / ſo that …ll our ſtrength ſtande in the truth / …or our loynes betoken ſtrength (as it is written in Job). Than our …rength may nat be in vanytie and …ſynges as ar all the conſtitucions and inuencions of man: for ſeynge that eueryevery mā is a lyer / that the whiche cometh frō him muſt nedes be a leſynge. Therfore we muſte ſetell our ſtrength in verite & truth which is Jeſu chriſt / which giueth vsus hatdynes / ſayeng: HaueHave good confydē ce and truſt / I hauehave ouercomen the world. Thā muſt we take the breſt plate of rightuouſnes / that is Jeſu Chriſt that is oure iuſtycs & our iuſtifycation. For in another place. ſ. Paul admoniſheth vsus that we cloth our ſelfe with Jeſu Chriſt / that is▪ that we hauehave none other protectyon or any other ſocoure to truſt vponupon / but him onelye whiche is the ſure and true protectoure. Nowe / after this we muſt hauehave our fete ſhode in the preparyng of the goſpel of peace that is / that our afflyction & luſtes be mortifyed / that we maye walke after the ſpirit of god. And whā we hauehave al this / we muſt hauehave the ſheld of faithe for to put of tēptaciōs that they hurte nat our conſcyences / havynge a ſure belefe in the holy promyſes of god / the which we muſt ſe…e within our cōſcyence / & nat here and there as many hauehave done / whi…e for lacke of redynge & vnderſtā …nge holy ſcripture / hauehave deuyded …e chriſten people into more ſectes than all the worlde is in beſydes.

…e muſte alſo hauehave a ſallet / that is …ope of helth ▪ that is / that we hauehave …re truſt / that euyn as Jeſus chriſt …yed for vsus / euen ſo we to be ſaued. And euyn as thou haſt faith that he …yed / ſo muſt thou hauehave hope that …e dyed for the / for he that hath nat …is hope / can neuer hauehave a full confidence in god. For to confounde …lſo all the aduerſaryes of the fayth …e muſt gyrde vsus with the ſwerde … y^e ▪ ſpirit / which is y^e word of god. And howe we muſt vſe it our capitayne & heed hath ſhewed vsus. Whā the deuyll came to tempte him / we rede nat that he toke any thynge to reſyſte him but the onelyonly worde of god / ſhewinge vsus that we ſhulde in all temptations hauehave recourſe vntounto that and be contented with that.

¶ In this poynte are the enemyes of Jeſu Chriſt greatly to be reproued / which ſay that the laye people and worldly (for ſo they call them) ought nat to rede the holy ſcripture nor for to commen of the worde of god / as who ſayth / Chriſt ſpake to clerkes only and ſhewed them onelyonly the ſecretes of his father / and nat to the vulgare and cōmen laye people / in as moche as the chefe of his diſcyples were fyſſhers and no doctours: & alſo he thanked his father that it pleaſed him to hyde his ſecretes from the prudent & wyſe of this worlde and had opened it to youn…elynges / that is / vntounto loles after the iudgement of the worlde. For that I can nat merueyle ynoughe of their madnes which wyll forbyd or …et the comen people to rede the ho…y wordes of god / ſeynge that euer from the begynnynge of the worlde god hathe choſen moſte ſymple and …dyotes to the vnderſtandynge of the great miſteryes whiche he hath …ydde from the greate wyſe & ſage …hen / the experyence of the whiche thinge we ſe dayly before our eyes.

¶ But the oute raged cloggers of mennes conſciences / whiche feare …eſt their gaynes and gettynge ſhulde be demynyſſhed / and that they ſhulde nat eate ſo manye fatte mor…lleg / as they do and hauehave done before / feyng that they can nat plucke backe the ſhepe of Chriſt (all ſtor…en and famyſſhed for the worde of god) repleniſſhed with the ſpirit of the deuyll / begyn to blaſpheme the worde of god / and aboue all thinge the writynge of ſaynt Paule / as yt knowe theſe enemies of Chriſt dyd murmure behynde my backe / & yet had they nothynge to anſwere whā I was there / & therfore ſpake they nothynge before me therin / for they knew well that by the grace of god I was fenſed well ynough for them for to de…tes & confoūde their beſtly wordes / reaſons & deuiliſſh obiections. Therfore / if theſe belly beſtes & fylthy ſwyne full of ambicion & auarice / enemyes to all truthe / diſceyuers of mānes ſoule / and bringers of it out of the right way / falſe chriſten men and very ypocrytes make ſuche obiectyon with you: Howe you knowe that the holy bokes that ye rede nowe conteyne the Goſpell… without that the churche had appreued them / and without the counſels is it appereth in the decrees and de …retalles / had alowed them. Nat…ithſtandynge that ſuch queſtions …e ſo folyſſh / that it is but folly to an…er them: yet to the ende that they …ſceyue nat ſymple people / euen as …r maiſter Chriſt aſked the iewes … queſtion / whā they aſked him by that power he did thoſe thingꝭ that … did: for the queſtiōs be euen & pro…ded both of infydelyte. ye ſhall de …aūde of thē / what coloure y^e popes decrees and decretals hauehave to couer …ē ſelf & their fylthyneſſe: but i that they allege wrongfully ſaynt Paul and other workes of the olde & new …ſtamēt / by which thing they ſhew …ydently holye ſcrypture ought to …dge and approue all thynges that … good / and reproue all thynges …t be nought / and nat to be iudged … reproued by any ma…mes learnyng For the holy ſcripture hath be gyuen with ſo euydent and manifeſt ſygnes and tokens that there is no doute of but it is of god / as y^• lawe whiche god gaue by Moſes / which no man douted to be goddes ſeynge that in ſo euydent a token it was gyuen from the mountayne couered with fyre and with clowdes▪ Who was euer ſo hardye to iudge one of the bokes of Moſes or of the Prophetes? euen ſo by more ſtronge argument / the bokes of the new Teſtament / which be ſo moch more perfyte than the olde: how moch more clerely they ſhew Chriſt than the olde. Alſo lykewyſe as Jeſus dyd take no wytnes of men but onlye of the father: lykewyſe the worde of god is nat to be iudged nor maye nat receyue his authoritye o… men / but onelyonly of god. Therfore they that wyl iuge it …he very▪ And chriſtes. For in that they take vponupon theym to iuge it / they exalte theym ſelfe aboue it. He that exalteth him ſelfe aboue the worde of god / exalteth him ſelfe aboue god and the power of god. And therfore theſe maters of decrees and other tradityons / as offerynges / tythes / and other inuentyons / with the whiche …aynt Auguſtyne in his tyme ſayd That they were more charged and …den than the Jewes. But nowe …hat wolde he ſaye if he ſawe the abhominable ſorte of lawes and cō …ttucyons the which they hauehave ma…e to take the ſymple people in their …ettes? And yet they coloure theym …ith holy ſcripture / wraſtīge and …rithynge it at their own pleaſure …s it appereth by their decrees. For …heir lawes had neuer be receyued …ad they nat clokyd theym with ho…e ſcripture. Nowe / bycauſe the faythefull Chriſten in lokynge on the ſcrypture ſhulde nat know what holy horiſons they be / & the effecte of their lawes / as be theſe that preſtes ſhulde nat hauehave wyues by laufull maryage / & that men ſhulde nat eate of ſuche meate as god ſendeth with gyuynge thankes: clene contrary to the cōmaundement of god. And to the ende that theſe thynges ſhuld nat be knowen / they hauehave forbydden that any of the laye people diſpute of the faith / either openly or pryuely. For whan one reaſoneth with them of ſuche maters / he muſt holde his peace / or ſay as they ſaye / orels they wyll curſe him and make an herityke on him: ſayeng / that he ſpeaketh more than becometh him / or to him belōgeth. And one of that ſorte checked me ones / bycauſe I redde the Byble / hauyng nat redde before my Philoſophye / with the whiche they bringe oute of the right courſe all them that be newly planted in the faythe in all vniuerſyties in chriſtendome. But this thīge baſſheth me but lytell: ſeynge that this ordynaunce is made cleane repugnaunt vntounto god / to the ſuſteyninge of all vngracyouſe ſcyences.

¶ Therefore / welbeloued brother / take no regarde vntounto the wordes of theſe outraged dogges / but take vntounto you the worde of god / which only can ſaue youre ſoule. Studye in …hat daye & nyght / and in all places goynge and commynge / let that neuer ſlyde out of your hert nor mynd …ll your ſtudye to rede & vnderſtan…e theſe holye wordes in all humy…ytie of hert. For god ſayth: whom ſhall I regarde / but him that hathe … meke herte / & a contryte ſpirite ferynge my wordes. Therfore ſette …l your confydēce in god / lokyng of him onelyonly the grace to vnderſtande his right worthy wordes / gyuynge dilygence to be obedyente to the holye mocyons of the ſpiryte: ſo that at the laſt thou maiſt do thoſe thynges that thoſe holye wordes commaunde / ſettynge no regarde by any thinge in the worlde: ye / though the Angels in heuen ſhulde tell the / moche leſſe than if that men full of vanytie ſhulde go about to perſwade the / excepte that it be grounded vponupon the worde of god / which can neither diſceyue nor be diſceyued, wherefore it muſte be receyued purely withoute addynge any thynge of mānes therto. For the worde of god is ſo pure / ſo net▪ ſo cleane / and ſo parfyte / that it can ſuffre nothinge to be mengled therto. And for this cauſe remembre the rule which I hauehave ſo often tymes inculcate vntounto you. Do that onelyonly to the Lorde whiche he cōmaundeth you. Thou ſhalte adde nothyng therto / neither diminyſſhe any thinge therfro. Remembre alſo that by faith we be made the membres of Jeſu Chriſt / and that is the thynge whiche ioyneth vsus vntounto him and oure conſcyences. By faythe we be made his eſpouſes and by the reaſon of this maryage he gyueth vsus all his good …edes & merytes / all his rightuouſneſſe and holyneſſe / and taketh vponupon him all our ſynnes which can nat noy him / ſeynge that he bare thē on the croſſe and with the trybulacyon of this worlde / made full ſatiſfactyon for all. And ſo the ſoule hathe fyrme …nd ſtable fayth and charitie / whi…he is gyuen vsus whan we be vned …nd made one with Jeſus / whan he gyueth vsus his holye ſpirite / whiche …oth conduyte and guyde vsus in the …ight waye / all the lawe is accomplyſſhed and fulfylled / as ye maye more largely vnderſtande / if ye dilygently rede the ſcripture / as ye do full well. In the whiche god gyue you grace to contynue with the encreaſe of fayth and ſpirituall vnderſtandynge. The whiche gyue you he whiche hange on the croſſe & dyd cancell the oblygacyon of faythe / in whiche we were dettours / and roſe the thyrde daye to iuſtifye vsus / that hauynge this vnderſtandynge ye maye edifye youre houſholde in the fere of god and your neighbours to the edifyenge of the verye bodye of Jeſu Chriſt / of the whiche we hope to be very membres / whan his glorye ſhal appere: euen as we be now in this mortall lyfe by trew & quick fayth / the which we muſt praye him to augmente / to the ende that worthely we maye offre vp our body by …rew …ortifyeng of this olde Adam and euermore ſtudyenge to be newe borne / and ſo to be made a new creature after the ſhappe of god / a man ſpirituall and interyor man.

The grace of the almighty father the peace of the mercyful Jeſus / the conſolation of the moſt holy ſpirite be alwayes with you. Amen.

I praye you hauehave remembraunce of me in your prayers / that I maye worthely walke in the holye worde of god / to the glory of god. Amen.

¶ Finis.