Whole Works, Biblical prologues · Old Testament · Numbers
An expoſition of certayne wordes of the fourth booke of Moſes, called Numeri.
AVims, a kynde of Giauntes, and the worde ſignifieth crooked, vnright, or weaked.
Beliall, weaked, or weakeueſſe, hee that hath caſt the yoke of God of his necke, and will not obey God.
Bruterer, propheſies or ſouthſayers.
Emims, a kynde of gyantes ſo called, becauſe they were terrible and cruell, for Emim ſignifieth terriblenes.
Enacke, a kinde of Giauntes ſo called happly, becauſe they ware chaynes about their neckes.
Horims, a kynde of Giauntes, and ſignifieth noble, becauſe that of pride they called themſelues nobles, or gentles.
Rocke, God is called a rocke, becauſe both he and hys word laſteth for euer.
Whet them on thy children, that is, exerciſe thy children in them, and put them in vre.
Zamzumims, a kynde of Gyauntes, and ſignifieth miſcheuous, or that be alway imagining.
The Prologue into the fourth boke of Moſes called Numeri.
IN the ſecond and thirde booke they receaued the law. And in this fourth, they beginne to worke, & to practiſe. Of whiche practiſing ye ſee manye good examples of vnbeliefe, and what Freewill and vnbeliefe were the ouerthrow of ou… for e…athers.freewill doth, when ſhe taketh in hand to kepe yt law of her own power, with out helpe of faith in yt promiſes of god: how ſhe leaueth her maiſters carkaſſes by the way in the wilderneſſe, and bringeth them not into the lande of reſt. Why could they not enter in? Becauſe of their vnbeliefe, Hebrue. 3. For had they beleued, ſo had they bene vnderunder grace, and their old ſinnes had ben forgeuē them, and power ſhould hauehave bene geuen them to hauehave fulfilled the law thenceforth, and they ſhould hauehave bene kepte from all temptations that had bene to ſtrong for them. For it is writen, Iohn. 1. He gaue them power to be the ſonnes of God, thorow beleuyng Then cannot they be the childrē of God, which put more truſt in their owne workes, then in ye bloud of Ieſus Chriſt.in hys name. Now to be yt ſonne of God, is to louelove God and hys commaundementes, and to walke in hys way after the enſample of hys ſonne Chriſt. But theſe people tooke vppon them to worke without fayth, as thou ſeeſt in the 14. of this boke, where they would fight and alſo did, without the woorde of promiſe: euen when they were warned that they ſhoulde not. And in the 16. agayne, they woulde pleaſe God with their holye faythleſſe workes (for where Gods woorde is not, there can be no fayth) but the fire of God conſumed their holy workes, as it did Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10. And from theſe vnbeleuers turn thine eyes vntounto the Phariſes whiche before the commyng of Chriſt in hys fleſhe, had layde the foundation of freewyll, after the ſame enſample. Wheron they built holy workes after their owne imagination without fayth of yt word, Faithleſſe workes.ſo feruently, that for the great zeale of them, they ſlewe the king of all holye workes, and the lord of freewil, which onelyonly thorowe hys grace maketh the will free, and looſeth her from bōdage of ſinne, and geueth her louelove, and luſte vntounto the lawes of God, and power to fulfill them. And ſo through their holy workes done by the power of freewil, they excluded themſelues out of the holy The Phariſes by their freewill excluded them ſelues from the ſaluatiōreſt of forgeuenes of ſinnes by fayth in the bloud of Chriſt.
And then looke on our hipocrites, which in lyke manner followyng the doctrine of Ariſtotle, and other hethen Paganes, hauehave agaynſt all the Scripture ſet vp freewill again, vntounto whoſe power they aſcribe the kepyng of the commaundementes of God. For they hauehave ſet vp wilfull pouerty of another maner then any is cōmaunded of god. And yt chaſtitie of matrimony vtterly defied, they hauehave ſet vp another wilful chaſtitie not required of God, whiche they ſwere, vowe and profeſſe to geue God, whether he wyll geue it them or no, and compel all their diſciples thervnto, ſaying that it is in the power of eueryevery mans freewill to obſerue it, contrary … Chriſt. Blaſphemy to chriſtes death.to Chriſt and his apoſtle Paul.
And the obedience of God and man excluded, they hauehave vowed an other wilfull obedience condemned of all the ſcripture, which they wil yet geue god whether he wyll or will not.
And what is become of their wilfull O ſubtle Foxes thorow pouertie made themſelues Lordes of all.pouerty? hath it not robbed the whole worlde, and brought and vnderunder them? Can there be either kyng or emperor, or of whatſoeuer degree it be, except he will hold of them, and be ſworne vntounto them to be their ſeruaunte, to goe and come at their luſt, and to defende▪ their quarels bee they falſe or true? Their wilful pouertie hath alredy eaten vp y• whole world, & is yet ſtil gredier then euer it was, in ſo muche that teune worldes mo were not inough to ſatiſfie the honger thereof.
Moreouer beſides daily corruptyng of other mens wiues, and open whore dome, vntounto what abhominacions (to filthy to be ſpoken of) hath their volū tary chaſtitie brought them?Wilfull chaſtitie is wilful wikednes.
And as for their wilfull obedience, what is it but the diſobedience and the diffiaunce both of al the lawes of God and man? in ſo much that if any Prince begyn to execute any law of man vponupon them, they curſe him vntounto the bottome of h…l, & proclayme him no right kyng, and that hys Lordes ought no longer The Papiſt… wilful obedience, is cō mon diſobedience to all princes.to obey hym, and interdite his commō people as they were heathen Turkes or Saracenes. And if any man preach them gods law, him they make an hereticke and burne him to aſhes. And in ſieade of Gods lawe and mans, they hauehave ſet vp one of their owne imagination, whiche they obſerue with diſpenſations.
And yet in theſe workes they hauehave ſo great confidence that they not onelyonly Our … commeth not by our merites, but thorow ſayth, by the bloud of ou… ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt.truſt to be ſaued therby, and to be hyer in heauen then they yt be ſaued through Chriſt: but alſo promiſe to all other for geuen…u… of their ſinnes, thorough the merites of the ſame. Wherin they reſt, and teach other to reſt alſo, excludyng the whole world from the reſt of forgeueneſſe of ſynnes through fayth in Chriſtes bloud.
And now ſeing that fayth onelyonly letteth Fayth only bringeth vsus to chriſt and vnbe… driueth do from Chriſt.a man in vntounto reſt, and vnbelief excludeth him, what is the cauſe of this vnbeliefe? verely no ſinne yt the world ſeeth, but a Pope holineſſe, and a righteouſnes of their own imagination as Paule ſayth. Roma. x. They bee ignoraunt of the righteouſnes wherewith God iuſtifieth, and hauehave ſet vp a righteouſnes, of their owne makyng thorough which they be diſobedient vntounto the righteouſnes of God. And Chriſt rebuketh not the Phariſeys for groſſe ſinnes whiche the world ſawe, but for Chriſt rebu… the Phariſes for their holy and ….thoſe holy deedes whiche ſo blered the eies of the world, that they were taken as Gods: euen for long prayers, for faſtyng, for tythyng ſo diligently that they lefte not ſo much as their herbes vntithed, for their clenneſſe in waſhyng before meate, and for waſhyng of cups, diſhes, and all maner veſſels, for buildyng ye Prophetes ſepulchers, and for kepyng the holy day, and for turnyng yt heathē vntounto the fayth, & for geuyng of almes. For vntounto ſuch holy dedes they aſcribed righteouſnes, and The phariſes aſcribe righteouſn… workes, & therfore were condemned of Chriſt.therefore when the righteouſneſſe of GOD was preached vntounto them they could not but perſecute it, the deuill was ſo ſtrong in them. Whiche thyng Chriſt well deſcribeth. Luke. xj. ſaying, That after the deuill is caſt out, he commeth agayne, and findeth hys houſe ſwept, and made gay, and then taketh ſeuen woorſe then hym ſelfe and dwelleth therein, and ſo is the ende of that man worſe then the beginnyng. That is, whē they be a litle clēſed from groſſe ſinnes which the world ſeyth, and then made gaye in their own ſight, with the righteouſnes of traditions, then commeth The iuſtifiyng o… our ſelues, maketh the diu… more bu… then he wold be.ſeuen, that is to ſay the whole power of the deuill: for vij. with the Hebrues ſignifieth a multitude without number, and the extremitie of a thyng, and is a ſpeach borowed (I ſuppoſe) out of Leuiticus, where is ſo ofte mention made of ſeuen. Where I would ſay: I wil puniſh thee, that all the world ſhal take an example of thee, there the Iew would ſaye, I will Circumciſe thee or What to meant in the ſcrip… by this … v…. tyme….Baptiſe thee ſeuen tymes. And ſo here by ſeuen is ment all the deuils of hel, and all the might and power of the deuill. For vntounto what further blindneſſe could all the deuils in hell bring them, then to make thē beleue that they were iuſtified thoroughe their owne good workes? For when they once beleued that they were purged frō their ſinnes, and made righteous thoroughe theyr owne holy workes, what rowme was there left for the righteouſnes that is Merit… ger… ye more their blindnes is rebuked, the more they rebell againſt Chriſt and his goly….in Chriſtes bloudſhedyng? And therfore whē they be fallen into this blindneſſe, they can not but hate and perſecute the light. And the more cleare and euidently their deedes be rebuked, the furiouſſer and maliciouſſer blinde are they, vntill they breake out into open blaſphemy, and ſynnyng agaynſte the holy ghoſt, which is the malicious perſecutyng of the cleare trouth ſo manifeſtly proued, that they can not once hiſh agaynſt it: as the Phariſeis perſecuted Chriſt, becauſe hee rebuked their holy dedes. And when he proued hys doctrine with the Scripture and miracles, yet thoughe they could not The doctrine of the phariſes, and the doctrine of our papiſts do well agree.improue hym, nor reaſon agaynſt him, they taught y• the ſcripture muſt hauehave ſome other meanyng, becauſe his inter pretation vndermined their foundatiō and plucked vp by the rootes the ſects which they had plāted, and they aſcribed alſo his miracles to the deuill. And in lyke maner thoughe our hypocrites can not deny but this is the ſcripture, yet becauſe there can be no other ſenſe gathered therof, but that ouerthoweth their buildynges, therefore they euer thinke that it hath ſome other meanyng then as the wordes ſounde, and that no man vnderſtandeth it, or vnderſtode it ſince the tyme of the Apoſtles. Or if they thinke that ſome that wrote vponupon it ſince the Apoſtles vnderſtode it: they yet thinke that w… like maner as we vnderſtand not the text it ſelfe, ſo we vnderſtand not the meanyng of the wordes of that Doctour. For when thou layeſt the iuſtifying of holy workes and denieſt the iuſtifying of fayth, how canſt thou vnderſtand S. Paule, Peter, Iohn and The Papiſtes cannot away with iuſtification by fayth.the Actes of ye Apoſtles or any Scripture at all, ſeyng the iuſtifying of fayth is almoſt all that they entēde to proue?
Finally, concernyng vowes wherof thou readeſt in the xxx. Chapter, there may be many queſtions, whereunto Of vowesI aūſwere ſhortly, that we ought to put ſalt to all our offerynges: that is, we ought to miniſter knowledge in all our workes, and to doe nothyng whereof we could not geue a reaſon out of Gods wordes. We be now in the day light, and all the ſecretes of God, and all hys counſell and wil, is opened vntounto vsus, and he that was promiſed ſhould come and bleſſe vsus, is come alredy, and hath ſhed hys bloud for vsus and hath bleſſed vsus with al maner bleſſinges, and hathe obtayned all grace for vsus, and in hym we hauehave all. Wherfore God henceforth wil receiue God accepteth for vsus none other ſacrifice, but onelyonly Ieſu chriſt his ſonne.no more ſacrifices of beaſtes of vsus as thou readeſt. Hebr. 10. If thou burne vntounto god the bloud or fatte of beaſtes, to obtaine forgeueneſſe of ſinnes therby, or that God ſhould the better heare thy requeſt, then thou doeſt wrong vntounto the bloud of Chriſt, and Chriſt vntounto thee is dead in vayne. For in him God hath promiſed not forgeueneſſe of ſins onelyonly, but alſo what ſoeuer we aſke to keepe vsus from ſinne and temptation with all. And what if thou burne frankencens vntounto him, what if thou burne … holines in our own imaginatiō is a robbing of chriſtes honor.a candle, what if thou burne thy chaſtitie, or virginitie vntounto him for the ſame purpoſe, doeſt thou not lyke rebuke vntounto Chriſts bloud? Moreouer, if thou offer gold, ſiluer, or any other good for the ſame entēt, is there any difference? And euen ſo if thou go in pilgrimage, or faſteſt, or goeſt wolward, or ſpryneleſt thy ſelfe with holy water, or elles what ſoeuer dede it is, or obſerueſt what ſoeuer ceremonie it be, for lyke meanyng, then it is lyke abhominatiō. We muſt therfore bryng the ſalt of the knowledge of Gods word, with al our ſacrifices, or elles we ſhall make no ſwete ſauour vntounto God therof. Thou wilt aſke me, ſhall I vow nothyng at all? yes, Gods commaundemēt, which thou haſt vowed in thy Baptiſme. For what entent? verelye for the louelove of Chriſte, which hath bought thee with his bloud, and made the ſonne & heyre of God with him, that thou ſhouldeſt wayte on hys will and commaundementes, and purifie thy members accordyng to the ſame doctrine that hath purified thyne harte, for if the knowledge of Gods word hath not purified thine hart, ſo yt thou conſenteſt vntounto the law of god yt it is righteous and good, & ſoroweſt, yt thy members moue thee vntounto the contrary, ſo haſt thou no part with Chriſt. For if thou repent not of thy ſinne, ſo it is impoſſible that thou Faith foloweth repentaunce of ſinne.ſhouldeſt beleue that Chriſte had deliuered thee from the daunger therof. If thou beleue not that Chriſt hath deliuered thee, ſo is it impoſſible that thou ſhouldeſt louelove Gods commaundementes. If thou louelove not the commaundementes, ſo is Chriſtes ſpirite not in thee, which is the earneſt of forgeueneſſe of ſinne, and of ſaluation.
For Scripture teacheth, firſt repentaunce, Repentāce goeth before fayth, and prepareth the way vntounto Chriſt.then fayth in Chriſt, that for his ſake ſinne is forgeuen to them that repent: then good workes, whiche are nothyng ſaue the comaundement of God onelyonly. And the commaūdements are nothyng elles, ſaue the helpyng of our neighbours at their nede, and the tamyng of our members, that they might be pure alſo, as the hart is pure thorough hate of vice and louelove of vertue, as Gods word teacheth vsus, which workes muſt procede out of the fayth: that is, I muſt doe them for the louelove How our workes are good in the ſight of God.which I hauehave God, for that great mercy which he hath ſhewed me in Chriſt, or elles I do them not in the ſight of God. And that I fainte not in yt payne of the ſlaying of the ſinne that is in my fleſh, myne helpe is the promiſe of the aſſiſtance of the power of God, and the comforte of the reward to come, which reward I aſcribe vntounto the goodneſſe, mercy, and truth, of the promiſer, that hath choſē me, called me, taught me, & The work ſaueth not, but the word, that it is to ſay, the promiſegeuen me the erneſt therof, & not vntounto the merites of my doynges, or ſufferynges. For all that I do and ſuffer, is but the way to the reward, and not the deſeruyng thereof. As if the kynges grace ſhoulde promiſe to defende mee at home in myne owne realme, yet the way thether is thoroughe the Sea wherin I might happely ſuffer no litle trouble. And yet for all that, if I might lyue in reſt when I come thether, I would thinke, and ſo would other ſay, that my paynes were well rewarded: which reward & benefit, I would not proudly aſcribe vntounto the merites of An apt ſimilitude for reward of good workes.my paynes takyng by the waye: but vntounto the goodneſſe, mercyfulneſſe and conſtant truth of the kynges grace whoſe gifte it is, and to whō the prayſe and thanke thereof belongeth of duety and right. So now a reward is a gift geuen freely of the goodneſſe of the geuer, and not of the deſeruynges of the receauer. Thus it appeareth, that if I vowe what ſoeuer it be, for any other All vowes muſt be made for y• mortifying or tamyng▪ of our members or the edifying of our neighbours, or els they are wicked.purpoſe thē to tame my members, and to be an enſample of vertue and edifying vntounto my neighbour, my ſacrifice is vnſauery, and cleane without ſalt & my lampe without oyle, and I one of the fooliſhe virgines, and ſhalbe ſhut from yt feaſt of the bridegrome whē I thinke my ſelfe moſt ſure to enter in.
If I vow voluntary pouertie, this muſt be my purpoſe, that I will be cō tent with a competent liuyng, whiche commeth vntounto me either by ſucceſſion How we ought to vowe wilfull pouertie.of myne elders, or whiche I get truly with my labour in miniſtryng, & doyng ſeruice vntounto the common wealth, in one office or in an other, or in one occupatiō or other, becauſe that riches and honor ſhall not corrupt my mind, and draw myne hart from God, and to geue an example of vertue and edifying vntounto other, and that my neighbour may hauehave a liuyng by me as wel as I, if I make a cloke of diſſimulation of my vow, laying a net of fayned beggery to catch ſuperfluous aboundaunce Whether fiſhed the Popes prelates with t… n…t or no?of riches, and hye degree and authoritie, and thorough the eſtimatiō of falſe holyneſſe, to feede & maintaine my ſlouthful idlenes with the ſweate, labour, landes, and rentes of other mē (after the example of our ſpiritualtie) robbyng them of their faythes, & God of his honour turnyng vntounto myne hypocriſie that confidence, which ſhould be geuen vntounto the promiſes of GOD onelyonly, am I not a wily foxe, and a rauenyng wolfe in a lambes ſkinne, and a paynted ſepulchre fayre without and filthy with in? In like maner thoughe I ſeeke no worldly promotion thereby, yet if I doe it to be iuſtified therewith, and to get an hyer place in heauen, thinkyng that I doe it of myne owne naturall ſtrength, and of the naturall power of my freewill, and that eueryevery man hath might euen ſo to do, & that they doe it not is their faulte, and negligence, & ſo with the proude Phariſie in compariſon of my ſelfe deſpiſe the ſinnefull Publicanes: what other thyng do I then eate the bloud and fat of my ſacrifice, deuouring that my ſelf, which ſhould be offered vntounto God alone, and his Chriſt. And ſhortly what ſoeuer a man doth of his naturall giftes, of his naturall witte, wiſedom, vnderſtandyng, reaſon, will, and good Our workes do not ſtand in the wiſedome of mā but in the power of God.entēt before he be otherwiſe and cleane contrary taught of Gods ſpirite, and hauehave receaued other witte, vnderſtandyng, reaſon and will, is fleſhe, worldly and wrought in abhominable blindneſſe, with whiche a man can but ſeeke him ſelfe, his owne profite, glory and honour, euen in very ſpirituall matters. As if I were alone in a wilderneſſe, where no man were to ſeke profite or prayſe of, yet if I would ſeeke heauen of God there, I could of myne owne naturall giftes ſeke it no other wayes then for the merites and deſeruyngs of my good workes, and to enter therin by an other way then by the dore Chriſte, whiche were very theft, for Chriſte is Lord ouer all, and what ſoeuer any man will hauehave of God, he muſte hauehave it geuen hym freely for Chriſtes ſake. Now to hauehave heauē for myne owne deſeruyng, is myne owne praiſe and not Chriſtes. For I can not hauehave it by fauour, and grace in Chriſte and by myne owne merites alſo: For Deſert, and free gift are contraries.free geuing, & deſeruyng can not ſtand together.
If thou wilt vow of thy goods vntounto God, thou muſt put ſalt vntounto thys ſacrifice: that is, thou muſte miniſter knowledge in this dede as Peter teacheth. 2. Pet. 1. Thou muſt put oyle of Gods worde in thy Lampe, and do it accordyng to knowledge, if thou wait for the comming of the bridegrome to enter in with hym into his reſt. But thou peraduenture wilt hang it about the image to moue men to deuotion. Deuotion is a feruent louelove vntounto gods commaundementes, and a deſire to be with God, and with hys euerlaſtyng promiſes. Now ſhall the ſight of ſuch riches as are ſhewed at S. Thomas ſhryne, or at Walſingham, moue a mā The ſight of riches, is rather a cauſe of coueteouſnes then a meane to honor Godto louelove the commaundements of god better, and to deſire to bee looſed from his fleſh, and to be with God, or ſhall it not rather make his poore hart ſigh, becauſe he hath no ſuch at home, and to wiſhe part of it in another place? The prieſt ſhall hauehave it in Gods ſtead. Shall the prieſt hauehave it? If the Prieſt be bought with Chriſtes bloude, then he is Chriſtes ſeruaūt & not his owne, and ought therefore to feede Chriſtes flocke with Chriſtes doctrine, and to miniſter Chriſtes Sacramentes vntounto them purely for very louelove, and not for filthy lucres ſake, or to be Lorde ouer them as Peter teatheth. 1. Pet. v. and Paul, Acts. xx. Beſide this, Chriſt is oures, and is a gift geuen vsus, and we be heyres of Chriſt, and of all that, is Chriſtes. Wherefore the Prieſtes doctrine is oures, and we heyres of it, it is the foode of our ſoules. Therfore if Whether dyd the papiſt ſo or nohe miniſter it not truly, and freely vntounto vsus wythout ſellyng, he is a theef, & a ſoule murtherer: and euen ſo is he if he take vponupon hym to feede vsus, & hauehave not wherwith. And for a like concluſion, becauſe we alſo with all that we hauehave, be Chriſtes, therfore is the prieſt heyre with vsus alſo of all that we hauehave receiued of God, wherfore in as much as yt prieſt wayteth on yt word of God, and is our ſeruaunt therin, therfore of right we are his detters, and owe him a ſufficient liuyng of our goodes, and euen thereto a wyfe of our daughters owe we vntounto hym, if hee require her. And nowe when we hauehave appoynted Yet y• ſpiritualities pillage was more then theyr ſtanding ſtipēd.him a ſufficiente liuyng, whether in tythes, rentes, or in yearely wages, he ought to be content and to require no more, nor yet to receaue any more, but to be an enſample of ſoberneſſe and of deſpiſing worldly things vntounto the enſample of hys pariſhioners.
Wilte thou vowe to offer vntounto the poore people? that is pleaſaunt in the A good vowe is to kepe Gods commaundementes.ſight of God, for they be left here to do our almes vponupon in Chriſtes ſtead, and they be the right heyres of all our aboundaunce and ouerplus. Moreouer we muſt hauehave a ſchole to teache Gods worde in (though it needed not to bee ſo coſtly) and therfore it is lawfull to vow vntounto the building or maintenāce therof, & vntounto the helping of all good workes. And we ought to vow to pay cuſtome, tolle, rent, and all maner duties, and whatſoeuer we owe: for that is Gods commaundement.Howe thou mayſt lawfully goe on pilgrimage
If thou wilt vowe pilgrimage, thou muſt put ſalt therto, in like manner, if it ſhall be accepted, if thou vowe to go and viſite the poore, or to heare gods word, or whatſoeuer edifieth thy ſoule vntounto louelove & good worke after knowledge, or whatſoeuer God commaundeth, it is wel done, and a ſacrifice that ſauoureth well, ye wil happly ſay, that ye will go to this or that place, becauſe God hath choſen one place more then another, and wyll heare your petition more in one place then another? As for your prayer it muſt be according to to gods worde. Ye may not deſire god to take vengeaunce on hym, whome Gods worde teacheth you to pity and to pray for. And as for the other gloſe, that God will here you more in one God heareth al that call vppon him in all tymes and at al places alyke.place then in another, I ſuppoſe it ſal infatuatum, ſalt vnſauery, for if it were wiſdome, how could we excuſe yt deth of Steuen Acts 7. which died for that article that God dwelleth not in temples made with handes, we yt beleue in God, are the temple of God (ſayeth Paul.) If a man louelove God, and keepe hys worde, he is the temple of God, & hath God preſently dwellyng in him, as witneſſeth Chriſt, Iohn. 14. ſaying: If a man louelove me, he wyll keepe my worde, and then my father wyll louelove hym, and we wyll come vntounto hym and dwel with hym. And in the 15. he ſaith: if ye abyde in me, and my wordes alſo abyde in you, then aſke what ye wyll God regardeth the hart, and not y• place where wee pray.and ye ſhall hauehave it. If thou beleue in Chriſte and haſt the promiſes whiche God hath made thee in thine hart, then go on pilgrimage vntounto thyne owne hart and there pray and God wil heare thee, for hys mercy and truthes ſake and for his ſonnes Chriſtes ſake, and not for a few ſtones ſakes. What careth GOD for the temple? The very beaſtes in that they hauehave life in them, be much better then an heape of ſtones couched together.
To ſpeake of chaſtity, it is a gift not Wilfull chaſtitie is not mete for all perſons to vow.geuen vntounto all perſones, as teſtifieth both Chriſt and alſo his Apoſtle Paul, wherfore all perſons may not vow it. Moreouer there bee cauſes wherefore many perſons may better lyue chaſt at one tyme then at an other. Many may lyue chaſt at twenty and thirtie for certayne cold diſeaſes folowyng them, which at xl. when their health is come can not do ſo. Many be occupyed with wilde phantaſies in their youth that they care not for mariage, which ſome when they be waxen ſad ſhalbe greatly deſirous, it is a daungerous thyng to make ſinne where none is, and to forſweare the benefite of God & to bynde thy ſelf vnderunder payne of dānation of thy ſoule, that yu wouldeſt not vſe remedy that god hath created, if nede required.
An other thyng is this, beware that thou get thee not a falſe fayned chaſtitie Falſe fayned chaſtitie.made with the vngodly perſuaſiōs of S. Hierome, of Ouide in his filthy booke of the remedy agaynſt louelove, l…ſt when throughe ſuch imaginatiōs thou haſt vtterly deſpiſed, defied and abhorred all womankynde, thou come into ſuch caſe thoroughe the fierce wrath of God, that thou canſt neither lyue chaſt nor finde in thy hart to mary and ſo be compelled to fall into the abhomination of the Pope againſt nature and kynde.
Moreouer, god is a wiſe father and, The Pope reſtrayned that which God permitted and ſetteth at liberty that which God forbiddeth.knoweth all the infirmities of his children, and alſo mercyfull, and therefore hath created a remedy without ſinne, and geuen therto his fauour and bleſſyng. Let vsus not be wyſer then GOD with our imaginatiōs, nor tempt him, for as godly chaſtitie is not eueryevery mās gift: euen ſo he that hath it to day hath not power to continue it, at his owne pleaſure, neither hath God promiſed to geue it him ſtil, and to cure his infirmities without hys naturall remedy, no more then he hath promiſed to ſlake hys hunger without meate or thyrſt without drinke. Wherfore either let all A good adminition to ſuch as wil make vowes.thynges byde free as God hath created them, and neither vowe that which God permitteth thee with his fauour and bleſſing alſo: or els if thou wilte nedes vowe, then vow godly and vnderunder a condition, that thou wilt continue chaſt, ſo long as God geueth thee that gift, and as long as neither thyne own neceſſitie, neither charitie toward thy neighbour, nor the authoritie of thē vnderunder whoſe power thou art, driue thee vntounto the contrary.
The purpoſe of thy vowe muſt bee ſalted alſo with the wiſedome of God. Thou mayeſt not vowe to be iuſtified Wherunto and howe we ſhould apply our vowes.thereby, or to make ſatiſfaction for thy ſinnes, or to wynne heauē, nor an hyer place: for then diddeſt thou wrong vntounto the bloud of Chriſt, and thy vowe were playne Idolatry and abhominable in the ſight of GOD. Thy vow How a vow is to be made.muſt be onelyonly vntounto the furtheraunce of the commaundementes of GOD, which are (as I hauehave ſaid) nothing but the tamyng of thy members, and the ſeruice of thy neighbour: that is if thou thincke thy backe to weake for the burthen of wedlocke, and that thou canſt not rule thy wife, children, ſeruauntes and make prouiſion for them godly, & without ouermuch buſying and vnquietyng thy ſelfe, and drownyng thy ſelfe in worldly buſyneſſe vnchriſtenly, or that thou canſt ſerue thy neighbour in ſome office better beyng chaſt then maryed. And then thy vowe is He that faſteth to any other ende thē to tame his body, that it may waite vponupon God, deceiueth hym ſelfe.good and lawfull. And euen ſo muſt thou vowe abſtinence of meates, and drinkes ſo farre forth as it is profitable vntounto thy neighbours, and vntounto the tamyng of thy fleſhe: But thou mayſt vowe neither of them vntounto the ſlaying of thy body. As Paule commaundeth Tymothe to drincke wyne, & no more water becauſe of his diſeaſes. Thou wilt ſay that Timothy had not happely forſworne wyne. I thinke the ſame, and that the Apoſtles forſware not wedlocke thoughe many of them lyued chaſt, neither yet any meate or drincke, though they abſteined from them, and that it were good for vsus to folow their example. Howbeit though I vowe and ſweare and thinke on none exception, All our doynges muſt tende to the honour of God, and louelove of our neighbour.yet is the breakyng of Gods cō maundemēts except, and all chaunces that hange of God. As if I ſweare to be in a certain place at a certain houre, to make a loueday without exception, yet if the king in the meane tyme commaunde me an other way, I muſt goe by Gods commaundement, and yet breake not myne othe. And in like caſe if my father & mother be ſicke & require my preſence, or if my wife, children or houſhold be viſited that …ny aſſiſtance be required, or if my neighbours houſe be a fire, at the ſame houre and a thouſand ſuch chaunces: in whiche all I breake myne othe, & am not forſworne and ſo forth. Read Gods word diligently & with a good hart, and it ſhall teach thee all thynges.