Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 3 · Body of tract · Part 2

Whole Works · Tracts 1 · Tract 3 · Body of tract · Part 2

p. 216An expoſition of the ſixt Chapter.

TAke heede to your almoſe, that ye do it not before men, to be ſene of thē, or els ye get no reward of your father whiche is in heauen. Therfore when thou geueſt almoſe, make not a trompet to be blowen before thee, as the hypocrites do in the Synagoges & in the ſtretes, to be prayſed of mē. Ʋerely I ſaye vntounto you, they hauehave their reward. But thou when thou geueſt almoſe, let not thy left hand knowe what thy right hand doth, that thine almoſe may be in ſecret. And then thy father which ſeethin ſecret, ſhall reward thee openly.

AS hee rebuked theyr doctrine aboue, euē ſo here he rebuketh their p. 217workes: for out of deuiliſh doctrine cā Almoſe.ſpryng no godly workes. But what workes rebuketh he? verely ſuch as as God in the Scripture commaundeth, Deedes cō manded by the ſcripture, done to any other ende then they ought are …o good deedes.and without whiche no man can bee a Chriſten man: euen prayer, faſting and almoſe deede. For as the Scripture corrupt with gloſes, is no more Gods word, euen ſo the dedes commaunded in the Scripture (when the entent of them is peruerted) are no more godly deedes. What ſayd the Scribes & Phariſeis of him (thinke ye) when he rebuked ſuch maner of workes? No doubt as they ſayd (when hee rebuked their falſe gloſes) how he deſtroyed the law and the Prophetes, interpretyng the Scripture after the litteral ſence, which killeth, & after his owne brayne, cleane contrary to the common fayth of holy Church, and myndes of great Clerkes and autenticke expoſitions of old holy Doctours. Euen ſo here what other could they ſay, then, behold the hereticke, and dyd not we tell you before whereto hee would come, and that he kept ſome miſchief behynd, and ſpued not out all his venome at once: ſee to what all his godly new doctrine that ſounded ſo ſweetly, is come? he preached all of louelove, and would hauehave the people ſaued by fayth, ſo long till that now at the laſt, he preached cleane agaynſt all deedes of mercy, as prayer, faſting and almoſe deede, and deſtroyeth all good workes. His diſciples faſt no more then dogges, they diſpiſe their deuine ſeruice, & come not to Church, yea and if the holyeſt of all S. Fraunces order aſke themalmes, they bidde hym labour with his handes, and get hys liuing, and ſay that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eate, & that God …ad that no ſuch ſtrong lubbers ſhould loyter, and goe a begging, and be chargeable to the cōgregation, and eate vp that other poore men get with the▪ ſweat of their booyes: yea and at the laſt ye ſhall ſee, if we reſiſte hun not betymes, that he ſhall moue the people to inſurrection, as Cayphas ſayd, and the Romaynes ſhall come & take our land from vsus. As ye ſee in y^e text, Luk. xxiij. How (when they could not driue the people from him wyth thoſe periwaſions) they accuſed hym to Pilate ſaying: we hauehave founde thys fellow peruerting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute to Ceſar, and ſaying that he is Chriſt a kyng. Wherfore thou canſt not be Ceſars frend, if thou …. xvi.let hym eſcape. But after all theſe blaſphemies, yet muſt y^• holy ghoſt rebuke the world of their righteouſnes, yea of their falſe righteouſnes and falſe holines, which are neither righteouſnes nor holines, but colour of hipocriſy.

Chriſt here deſtroyeth not prayer, faſting & almes deede: But preacheth agaynſt the falſe purpoſe and entent of It is the purpoſe & entent of our deedes that make, or marr….ſuch workes, and peruerting the true vſe: that is to ſay, their ſeking of glory, and that they eſtemed themſelues righteous thereby, and better then other men, and ſo deſpiſed and cōdempned their brethren. With our almoſe (which is as much to ſay as deedes of mercy) or compaſſion, we ought to ſeeke our fathers glory onelyonly, euen the wealth of our brethren, and to winne them to the knowledge of our father, and keeping of his lawe. He that ſeeketh the glory of his good workes, ſeketh the glory that belongeth to God, and maketh himſelfe God. Is it not a blynde thyng of y^e world, that eyther they will do no good woorkes at all, or will be God for their good workes, and hauehave the glory themſelues.

Concerning blowing of trumpets, Trumpets To blow trumpetes what.and ringing of belies, or makyng a cry, to call men to …et almes (though y^e right way be, that we ſhould know in eueryevery pariſhe, all ourpoore, & hauehave a cōmon coſer for them, and that ſtraū gers ſhould bring a letter of recommendation with them of their neceſſitie, and that we had a commonplace to receaue them into, for the tyme, and though alſo we ought to flee all occaſions of vayne glory) yet while y^e world is out of order, it is not dampnable to do it. So that the very meaning, both that we blow no trumpets, and that the left hand know not what the right hand doth, is that we do as ſecretly as we can, and in no wiſe ſeeke glory, or to receaue it, if it were proffered: But to do our deedes in ſinglenes of conſcience to God, becauſe it is his commaundement, Lefte hand.and euen of pure compaſſion and louelove to our brethren: and not y^• our good deedes thorough ſtanding in our owne cōceite, ſhould cauſe vsus to diſpiſe them. If thou be tempted Vaine glorie: A good remedy againſt it.to vayne glory for thy good deees, thē looke on thyne euill thereto, and put the one in the one balaunce, and the other in the other. And then if thou vnderſtand the law of God any thyng at all, tell me whether wayeth he…er.

If that y^• thou doeſt, do tempt thee, then conſider what thou doeſt not. If it moue thee to ſet vp thy combe, when p. 218thou geueſt thy brother a farthyng, or an halfepenny: ponder in thine hart, how farre thou art of from louing him as well as thy ſelfe, and caring for him as much as for thy ſelfe. And be ſure how much y^• lackeſt of that, ſo much thou art in ſinne, and that in dampnable ſinne, if God for Chriſtes ſake dyd not pardon thee, becauſe thine hart mourneth therefore, and thou fighteſt with thy ſelf to come to ſuch perſectiō. If a Pecocke did looke well on his feete, and marke the euilfauoured ſhriking of his voyce, he would not be ſo proude of the beauty of hys fayle.

Finally that many diſpute, becauſe Workes iuſtifie not from ſinne, neither deſerue the rewarde promiſed.God hath promiſed to rewarde our deedes in heauen, that our deedes deſerue heauen: and becauſe he promiſeth to ſhew mercy to y^e merciful, that with our deedes we deſerue mercy, and becauſe he promiſeth forgeuenes of ſins to thē y^t forgeue, y^• our deedes deſerue forgeuenes of ſinne, and ſo iuſtifie vsus. I aunſwere: firſt there is inough ſpoken thereof in other places, ſo that to them that hauehave read that, it is ſuperſtuous to rehearſe the matter agayne. Furthermore the argument is nought and holdeth by no rule. See ye not y^t the father and mother hauehave more right to the childe and to all it can do, than to an Oxe or a Cowe. It is their fleſhe and bloud, nouriſhed vp wyth their labour and coſt. The life of it, and the maintenaunce, and continuaunce therof is their benefite, ſo that it is not able to recompence that it oweth to father and mother by a thouſand partes.

And though it be not able to do his dutie, nor for blindneſſe to know hys dutie, yet the father and mother promiſe moe giftes ſtill without ceaſing, and that ſuch as they thinke ſhoulde moſt make it to ſee louelove, & to prouoke it to be willing to do part of his dutie. And when it hath done amiſſe, though it hauehave no power to do ſatiſfaction, nor luſt or courage to come to y^e right way agayne, yet their louelove and mercy abydeth ſtill ſo great to it, that vppon appointment of mending, they not onelyonly forgeue that is paſt, and fulfill their promiſe neuertheles, but promiſe greater giftes then euer before, and to be better father and mother to it thē euer they were. Now when it cannot do y^• thouſand part of his dutie, how coulde it deſerue ſuch promiſes of the father & mother, as a labourer doth his hyre? the rewarde therefore commeth of the louelove, mercy, and truth of the father and mother, as well when the childe keepeth the appointment, as when they fulfill their promiſe, when it hath broken the appointment: and not of the deſeruing of the childe.

Euen ſo, if we were not thus drowned Our rewarde commeth not of our deſerts but th… the louelove that God beareth … thorough faith in Ieſus Chriſt.in blindneſſe, we ſhould eaſely ſee, that we cannot do the thouſand parte of our dutie to God: no though there were no life to come. If there were no life to come, it were not right that I ſhould touch any creature of God, otherwyſe then he hath appoynted. Though there were no life to come, it had neuertheleſſe bene right, that Adā had abſtayned from the forbiddē apple tree, and from all other to, if they had bene forbid. Yea & though there were no life to come, it were not the leſſe right that I loued my brother and forgaue him to day, ſeing I ſhall ſinne agaynſt him to morrow. Becauſe a father cannot geue his children heauen, hath he no power to charge them to louelove one another, and to forgeue, and not aduenge one an other? And hath he not right to beat them if they ſmite ech other, becauſe he cannot geue them heauen? A bondman that hath a maſter more cruell then a reaſonable man would be to a dogge: if there were no heauen, might this bond ſeruaunt accuſe God of vnrighteouſnes, becauſe he hath not made hym a maſter? Now then when we cannot do our dutie by a thouſand partes, though there were no ſuch promiſes: and that the thyng commaunded is no leſſe our dutie, though no ſuch promiſe were, it is eaſie to perceaue that the reward promiſed commeth of the goodnes, mercy, & truth of the promiſer, to make vsus the gladder to do our dutie, and not of the deſeruing of the receauer. When we hauehave done all we can, we ought to ſay in our hart, that it was our dutie, and that we ought to do a thouſand tymes more, and that God (if he had not promiſed vsus mercy, of his goodneſſe in Chriſt) he might yet of right damne vsus, for that we hauehave left vndone.

And as touching forgeueneſſe of ſinne: though forgeueneſſe of ſinne be We may not chalēge the pro… by our merites, but by Chriſtes bloud.promiſed vntounto thee, yet chalenge it not by thy merites, but by the merites of Chriſtes bloud, and heare what Paule ſayth Phil. iij. Concerning the righteouſnes of the law, I was faultleſſe, or ſuch as no man could rebuke. But the thinges that were to vauntage, I thought domage for Chriſtes ſake, ye, I thinke all thing to be dammage or p. 219loſſe, for the excellēt knowledges ſake of Chriſt Ieſus my Lord: for whoſe ſake I let all go to loſſe, and count thē as chaffe or refuſe (that is to ſay, as thinges which are purged out, and refuſed when a thyng is tryed and made perfect) that I might wynne Chriſt, & might be found in him: not hauyng my righteouſnes y^t cōmeth of y^t lawe. But y^• which cōmeth of faith in Chriſt Ieſu, which righteouſnes commeth of God through fayth, and is to know him, and the power of his reſurrection (how he is Lord ouer all ſinne, & the onelyonly thyng that ſlayeth and vanquiſheth ſinne) and to know alſo the felowſhyp of his paſſions that I might be made like vntounto his death.

So that when righteouſneſſe, and true merites be tryed, we muſt be content that ours be the chaffe & Chriſtes the pure corne: ours the ſcome and refuſe, Croſſe.and Chriſtes the pure gold. And we muſt faſhion our ſelues lyke vntounto Chriſt and take eueryevery man his croſſe & ſlea and mortifie the ſinne in the fleſhe: or els we cannot bee partakers of hys paſſion. The ſinne we doe before our conuerſion is forgeuen clearely, thorough fayth, if we repent, and ſubmit our ſelues to a new lyfe. And the ſinne we doe agaynſt our willes (I meane the will of the ſpirite, for after our conuerſion Workes.we hauehave two willes fightyng one agaynſt the other) that ſinne is alſo What they …o….forgeuen vsus through fayth, if we repent and ſubmit our ſelues to amēde. And our diligence in workyng kepeth vsus frō ſinnyng agayne, and miniſheth the ſinne that remaineth in the fleſh & maketh vsus pure and leſſe apte and diſpoſed to ſinne: and it maketh vsus mery in aduerſities and ſtrong in temptations and bold to go into God with a ſtrong & feruent ſayth in our prayers, and ſure that we ſhalbe heard whē we Negligēce … doyng …ed, bryn…th vsus to deſperationcry for helpe at nede, either for our ſelues or our brethren. Now they that be negligent, and ſinne, are brought in temptation vntounto the point of deſperation, and feele the very paynes of hell, ſo that they ſtand in doubt whether God hath caſt them away or no. And in aduerſitie they be ſorowfull and diſcouraged, and thinke that God is angry, & puniſheth them for their ſinnes. Two apte ſimilitudes … well and …l doingsWhen a child taketh payne to do hys father his pleaſure, and is ſure that he ſhal hauehave thāke, & a reward for his labour: he is mery & reioyſeth in worke and paine that he ſuffreth: and ſo is the aduerſitie of them that keepe them ſelues from ſinnyng. But a child whē he is beaten for his faute, or whē he thinketh his father is angry & loueth hym not, is anone deſperate and diſcouraged: ſo is the aduerſitie of them that are weake and ſinne oft. A child that neuer diſpleaſeth his father, is bold in his fathers preſence to ſpeake for hym ſelfe or his frend. But he that oft offē deth and is correct or chidde, though the peace be made agayne, yet the remembraunce of hys offences maketh him fearefull, and to miſtruſt, and to thinke hys father would not heare him: ſo is the fayth of the weake that Promiſe.ſinne oft. But as for them that profeſſe He that profeſſeth not a newe lyfe, hath no promiſe of mercy in Chriſt.not a new liuyng how euer ſo much they dreame of faith, they hauehave no faith at all: for they hauehave no promiſe, except they be conuerted to a new lyfe. And therfore in aduerſities, temptation and death, they vtterly diſpayre of all mercy and periſh.

And when thou prayeſt, thou ſhalt not be like the hipocrites. For they louelove to ſtand and pray in the Sinagoges, and in corners of the ſtreates, that they might be ſene of men. Ʋerely I ſay vntounto you, they hauehave their reward. Thou therfore when thou prayeſt, goe into thy chamber, and ſhut thy doore, and pray to thy father whiche is in ſecret. And thy father which ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward the openly.

After almoſe foloweth prayer. For Prayer.as it is a Chriſten mans part, to helpe his neighbour and to beare with hym when hee is ouer charged, and ſuffer with him, and …o ſtād one by an other, as long as we lyue here on this earth. Euen ſo becauſe we be euer in ſuch perill & combraunce, that we cānot rydde our ſelues out: we muſt dayly & hourely cry to God for aide & ſuccour, as wel for our neighbours as for our ſelues.

To geue almoſe, to pray, to faſt or Workes muſt be ſeaſoned with Gods worde, if they ſhall pleaſe Godto do any thing at all, whether betwen thee and God, or betwen thee and thy neighbour, cāſt thou neuer do to pleaſe God therewith, except thou hauehave the true knowledge of Gods word to ſeaſon thy deedes with all. For God hath put a rule in the Scripture without which thou cauſt not moue an heere of thyne head, but that it is damnable in the ſight of God. As it is of y^• Iewes, though (as Paul beareth them record) they hauehave a feruent zeale to God, yea and hauehave the Scripture therto: yet becauſe p. 220they hauehave not the true vnderſtā dyng, all is dānable that they do. Hypocrites with ſcrappes of almoſe get an hundred fold. And with prayer they get prayſe (as thou ſeeſt here) and pray therto and robbe widowes houſes, as thou readeſt Math. xxiij. And with faſtyng they get fat belyes, full diſhes & euer more then inough. And yet there is none almoſe, praying or faſtyng among them in the ſight of God. With their prayers they exclude all true prayers, and make it impoſſible that there ſhould be any amōg them. For prayer is, either a longyng for the honour of Prayer.the name of God that all men ſhould feare him, and kepe his preceptes, and What it is, and how many wayes it may be named prayer.beleue in him. And contrary to that, they ſeke their owne honour, that men ſhould feare them and keepe their ordinaunces, and beleue in their ſwete bleſſings, prayers, pardons, and what ſoeuer they promiſe. If they byd faſt thou muſt doe it or be damned and be an hereticke and rebellious to holy Church. If they diſpēce and geue thee cleane remiſſion for to eate fleſhe on good friday (though thou be neuer ſo luſtie) thou muſt obey, or els thou art damned and an hereticke, becauſe thou doeſt not beleue in holy Church. Either prayer is, to geue God thākes for the benefites receaued. Contrary to which, they will firſt hauehave thankes of the world for their prayers, and robbe not onelyonly widowes houſes: But alſo Lord, Prince, Emperour and all the world, of houſe and land, yea & of their wittes to. And then they bynde God to thāke them, and to geue them. (Beſide the thankes which they hauehave gotten in the world) not onelyonly heauē and an hygher place but that he geue heauen to no other man, ſaue thorough their merites.

Either prayer is a complaynyng & a ſhewyng of thyne owne miſerie and neceſſitie, or of they neighbours before God: deſiring hym with all the power of thine hart, to hauehave compaſſion and to ſuccour. Coutrary to this, they hauehave excluded with their prayers all neceſſitie, & miſerie from among them. They be Lordes ouer all, and do what they will through the whole world. Kyng and Emperour are their ſeruauntes: they neede but ſay the word, and their wil is fulfilled. And as for their neighbours, they hauehave no compaſſion vponupon them, to bryng their complaintes before God. But with theyr prayers robbe them of that litle they hauehave, and ſo make them more miſerable.

Of enteryng into the chamber and Chamber.ſhuttyng the doore to, I ſay as aboue To ſhut thy chamber doore, what it meaneth.of that the lift hand ſhould not know what the right hand doth: the meanyng is, that we ſhould auoyde all worldly prayſe and profite, and pray with a ſingle eye and true entēt accordyng to Gods word: and is not forbidden therby, to pray openly. For we muſt hauehave a place to come together to pray in generall, to thanke and to crye to God for the common neceſſities, as well as to preach the word of God in. Where the Prieſt ought to pray in the mother toung, that the name of God may be halowed and his word faithfully taught and truly vnderſtode, and fayth and godly liuyng encreaſed: and for the kyng and rulers, that God will geue them his ſpirite, to louelove the common wealth: and for peace, that God will defend vsus from all enemyes: for wederyng and frutes, that God will kepe away peſtilence and all plagues. And the Prieſt ſhould be an example to the people how they ſhould praye. There be of ſuch things as the Prieſts and other bable (and not pray) many good Collectes that ſhould much edifie the people if they were ſpokē in the mother tounge. And then while the Prieſtes ſing Pſalmes, let eueryevery man pray priuatly and geue God thankes for ſuch benefites as his hart knoweth he hath receaued of God, & commende to God his priuate neceſſities, and the priuate neceſſities of his neighbours which he knoweth, & is priuie to. Neither is there in all ſuch any ieopardie of vayne glory. But and if God hauehave geuen any man the ſpirite of praying, as all men hauehave not like giftes, that he pray oft and when other do not: thē to hauehave a ſecret place to pray in, both for the auoydyng of vayne glory, & ſpeach of people, and that thou mayſt be free, to vſe thy wordes as thou luſteſt, and what ſoeuer geſtures and behauiours do moue the moſt to deuotiō, is neceſſarie and good.

And finally what ſoeuer neceſſitie Prayer.thou haſt, though thou feele thy ſelfe a great ſinner, yet if thyne hart be to amend, Gods commaundement and promiſe ſhuld mo… vsus to pray.let not that diſcourage thee. But go boldly to thy father, ſeing thou haſt his commaundemēt, euer to pray, and promiſe that he will heare thee: not for thy goodneſſe, but of his goodneſſe, & for his truth.

Moreouer when ye pray, bable p. 221not much as the heathen do. For they thinke that they ſhalbe heard, for theyr much bablinges ſake. Be not therfore like vntounto them. For youre Father knoweth of what thynges ye hauehave neede, before ye aſke hym. Of this maner therefore pray ye.

O our father which art in heauen, honoured be thy name, thy The Pater noſter.kingdome come. Thy will be fulfilled, euen in earth, as it is in heauen. Geue vsus this daye our dayly bread. And forgeue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgeue our treſpaſſers. And leade vsus not into temptation. But deliuer vsus frō euill. For thine is the kingdome, the power & the glory for euer. Amen.

As before he rebuked their falſe entent in praying, that they ſought praiſe and profite of that worke which ought to be direct to God alone, ether to geue him thākes, that is to ſay, to be a knowen and to confeſſe in the hart, that al we hauehave, commeth of hym: or to call vponupon hym for ayde and ſuccour in tēptations and all neceſſitie. Euen ſo here he rebuketh a falſe kynde of praying, That prayer is vayne wherein y^t hart is not ioyned with the toung.wherin the toung, and lippes laboure, and all the body is payned, but y^• hart talketh not wyth God, nor feeleth any ſweetnes at all, nor hath any confidēce in the promiſes of God: But truſteth in the multitude of wordes, and in the payne and tediouſnes of the length of the prayer, as a coniurar doth in his circles, Characters, and ſuperſtitious wordes of his coniuration. As ye ſee now to be amōg our Fryers, Mōkes, Chanons and Nunnes, and euen thoroughout al the ſpiritualtie. Which (as I hauehave proued aboue) hauehave with their falſe entent of praying, excluded all occaſions, and the whole matter of true prayer, & hauehave turned it into a bodely labour, to vexe the toung, lippes, eyes, and throate with roaring, and to weary all the members: ſo that they ſay (& may truely ſweare it) that there is no Falſe prayer is painefull.greater labour in the world, then prayer: for no labour whatſoeuer it be, when the body is compelled and the hart vnwilling, can be other then greuous and painefull. But true prayer True prayer to pleaſaunt.(if they complayned and ſought helpe either for thēſelues or for their neighboures, and truſted in the promyſe of God) would ſo comfort the ſoule and courage y^• hart, that the body (though it were halfe dead and more) woulde reuiue and be luſty agayne, and the labour woulde be ſhort and eaſy (as for an enſample, if thou we…e ſo oppreſied that thou were wea…y of thy life, and wētteſt to the kyng for helpe, and haddeſt ſped, thy ſpirits would ſo reioyce, that thy bodye woulde receaue her ſtrength agayne, and be as luſty as euer it was) euē ſo the promiſes of God worke ioy aboue all meaſure, where they beleued in the hart.

But our hierlinges hauehave no Gods woorde, but truſt in the multitude of wordes, length of bablyng, and payne of body, as bond ſeruauntes. Neither know they any other vertue to be in prayer: as ye may ſee by the ordinaunces of all foundations. King Henry the fift built Syon, and the Charterhouſe of Shene on the other ſide of the Sion Shen…water, of ſuch a manner that lippe labour may neuer ceaſe. For when the Fryers of Sion ryng out, the Nūnes beginne. And when the Nunnes ring out of ſeruice, the Monkes on the other ſide beginne. And whē they ring out, the Fryers beginne agayne, and vexe themſelues night and day, & take payne for Gods ſake: for which God muſt geue them heauen. Yea & I hauehave knowen of ſome yer this, that for very payne and tediouſnes, hauehave bidden the Deuill take their founders. They call Lent the holyeſt tyme of the yeare: but wherin is that holines, verely in multitude of wordes and tedious lēgth of the ſeruice. For let thē beginne at ſixe, and it will be twelue or they can ende. In which time they be ſo wearied that by the tyme they hauehave dined, they hauehave luſt to nothing ſaue to ſleepe. And in the ende of all they thinke no farther then that God muſt rewarde their payne. And if y^u aſke how they know it. They will aunſwere: he muſt reward it or be vnrighteous. Now god looketh not on the paine of the prayer, Not the multitude of thy …ordes, but thy fayth … praying, God doth reſpect.but on thy faith in his promiſe & goodnes: neither yet on the multitude of thy wordes, or long habling. For he knoweth thy matter better then thou thy ſelfe. And though the Iewes and the heathen were ſo fooliſhe thorough their vnbeliefe, to bable many words, yet were they neuer ſo madde, as to m…mble and buze out woordes that they vnderſtoode not. Thou wilt ſay: what matter maketh it, if I ſpeake wordes which I vnderſtand not, or if I pray not at all, ſeing God knoweth p. 222my matter all ready: I aunſwere, he will hauehave thee to open thine hart to him, to enforme and edifie thine owne ſelfe. That thou mighteſt know how all goodnes is of him, to put thy truſt and confidence in hym, and to flie to him in time of neede, and to be thankfull, and to louelove him and obey his cō maundementes, and turne and be cō uerted vntounto thy Lord God, and not to runne wilde, as the vngodly do, which know not the benefites of God, and therefore be vnthankfull to obey hys commaundementes.

And that thou mayſt know how & what to pray, he geueth thee a ſhort inſtruction and enſample ſaying: after this maner pray.

O our father which art in heauē.The Dater noſter is expounded.

Firſt thou muſt goe to him as a mercifull father, which of his owne goodnes and fatherly louelove that he beareth to thee, is ready to do more for thee then thou cāſt deſire, though thou hauehave no merites. But becauſe he is thy father, onelyonly if thou wilt turne, & henceforth ſubmitte thy ſelfe to learne to do hys wyll.

Honoured be thy name.To honour Gods name, what it is.

Honoured and prayſed be thy name or honoured and prayſed be thou: for to honour God and to honour y^t name of God is all one. And to honour the name of God is, to dread him, to louelove hym, and to keepe hys commaundementes. For whē a childe obeyeth his father, he honoureth and prayſeth hys father: and when he is rebellions and diſobedient, he diſhonoureth hys father. This is then the vnderſtandyng & meaning of it. O father, ſeing thou art father ouer all, powre out thy ſpirite vppon all fleſh, and make all men to feare and dread & louelove thee as their father, & in keeping thy commaundementes, to honour thee and thy holy name.

Thy kingdome come.Kinges muſt commaunde nothyng, nor forbid to do any thing contrary to Gods worde.

That is, ſeyng thou art kyng ouer all, make all to know thee, & make the kynges and rulers which are but thy ſubſtitutes, to commaunde nothyng but according to thy worde, and to them make all ſubiectes obey.

Thy will be fulfilled in earth, as it is in heauen.

This is all one with that goeth before. For as much then as thou art father and kyng ouer all, and all we thy children & brethren among our ſelues, make vsus all as obedient to ſeeke, and to do thy will as the Aungelles do in heauen. Make that no man ſeeke hys owne will but all thine. But & if thou withdraw thyne hād to tempt thy children, that the rulers cōmaunde ought contrary to thy will, then make the ſubiectes to ſtand faſt by thy worde, & to offer themſelues to ſuffer all extremitie, rather then to obey. Finally when we pray to thee in our temptations When we requeſt any thing at Gods hād, we muſt pray that his will be done, & not ours.and aduerſities, deſiring thee of whatſoeuer thyng it be, and meane truely: yet if thou which knoweſt all, ſeeſt a better way to thy glory and our profite, then thy will be, and not ours. As thy ſonne Ieſus gaue vsus an enſample, when he deſired (if it had bene poſſible) that that cuppe of bitter death might hauehave departed frō hym, ſaying: yet not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Geue vsus our dayly bread.

By bread is vnderſtoode all maner Dayly breade, whereby is vnderſtoode all that pertaineth vntounto the neceſſitie of this lyfe.of ſuſtinaunce in the Ebrue ſpeach, yea and here is vnderſtand therby, all that pertayneth vntounto the neceſſitie of thys life. If we hauehave bread, there is dearth of nothing y^t can pinch, namely in that land, Geue vsus our dayly bread. Geue vsus all that the neceſſitie of this life dayly requireth. Geue it vsus day by day, as we nede it. We deſire not to hauehave ſtore for many yeares, to exclude all neceſſitie of praying to thee, and to be as it were out of thy daunger, and to forget thee. But miniſter it day by day, that we may dayly feele thy benefites and neuer forget thee. Or if thou geue vsus aboundaunce aboue that we deſire, then geue vsus an hart to vſe it, and to beſtow it for that purpoſe thou gaueſt it, and to deale with our neighbours, and not to louelove it inordinatly. But to thinke that it is thyne, and that thou mayſt take it away eueryevery houre, and that we be content that thou ſo do ac thy pleaſure: and ſo euer to hauehave it but for dayly bread.

Forgeue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgeue our treſpaſſers.

Becauſe he knoweth that our nature is ſo weake that we cannot but ſinne dayly: therefore he teacheth vsus dayly to repēt and to reconcile our ſelues together, and dayly to aſke God forgeueneſſe. Seing he cōmaundeth vsus to aſke, we may behold ſo to do, and to beleue that he will forgeue vsus. No mā p. 223therfore nedeth to diſpayre that can repent and aſke forgeueneſſe, how euer ſo deepe he hath ſinned. And me thinketh, if we looked ſomewhat nerer to this text, we neded not to make the Pope ſo great a God for his pardons. For Chriſt (which is a man to be beleued) ſheweth vsus here a more ſure A ſurer way then pardons.way, yea and that a ſenſible way, by which we may feele that we be pardoned and our ſinnes forgeuen. We can hauehave no experiēce of the popes thyngs whether they be ſo, or no. He can with all his pardons deliuer no man of any Purgatorie that God putteth vsus vntounto in this world. He cā not bleſſe, or heale any man ſo much as of a poore agew, or totheach, which diſeaſes yet (by hys owne confeſſion) God putteth on vsus to purge vsus from ſinne. But where we cannot ſee, feele, or hauehave any experience at all, that it ſo is, there is hee mightie. If I were come whom out of a land where neuer mā was before, and were ſure neuer mā ſhould come, I might tel as many wonders as Maſter More doth of Vtopia, and no man could rebuke me.

But here, Chriſt maketh thee ſure of How thou mayſt bee ſure of pardon for thy ſinnes.pardon: for if thou canſt forgeue thy brother, God hath bound him ſelfe to forgeue thee. What if no man hauehave ſinned agaynſt me? That were hard in this lyfe: neuertheleſſe yet, if that profeſſion be in thyne hart, that y^u knoweſt that it is thy dutie to forgeue thy brother for thy fathers ſake, and art obedient to thy fathers ordinaunce, and wouldeſt forgeue, if any of thy brethrē had offended thee and did aſke thee forgeueneſſe. Then haſt thou that ſame ſpirit which God deſireth to be in the. Marke what Chriſt ſayth aboue in the begynnyng of the fift chap. Bleſſed be the mercyfull: for they ſhall hauehave mercy. Doeſt thou pitie thy brethen that ſinne, and doeſt thy beſt to amend thē, that thy fathers name may be honoured? Thē haſt thou that, whereby thou art ſure of mercy, as ſoone as thou deſireſt it. And agayne: Bleſſed be the peace makers for they ſhall be Gods children. Lo, if there be any variaunce among thy brethren, that one hauehave offended the other, do thy beſt to ſet thē at one, and thou haſt the ſame thing that God deſireth of thee, and for which he hathe bound himſelfe forgeue thee.

Leade vsus not into temptation.

That is, let vsus not ſlippe out of thy leaſe, but hold vsus faſt: geue vsus not vp nor ceaſe to gouerne vsus, nor take thy ſpirite from vsus. For as an hounde can not but folow his game when he ſeeth We cannot of our ſelues but …all into ….it before him, if he be lowſe, ſo can we not but fall into ſinne when occaſiō is geuen vsus, if thou withdraw thine hand from vsus. Lead vsus not into temptatiō. Let no temptation fall vponupon vsus, greater then thine helpe in vsus: But be thou ſtrōger in vsus then the temptation thou ſendeſt or letteſt come vppon vsus. Lead vsus not into tēptations: Father though we be negligent, yea and vnthankfull, and diſobediēt to thy true Prophetes: yet let not the deuill lowſe vponupon vsus, to deceaue vsus, with his falſe Prophetes, and to harden vsus in the way, in which we gladly walke, as thou diddeſt Pharao with the falſe miracles of his ſorcerers, as thine Apoſtle Paule threateneth vsus. ij. Theſ. ij. A litle threde holdeth a ſtrong man where he gladly is. A litle pullyng draweth a mā whether he gladly goeth. A litle wynde dryneth Small occaſions dr… vsus to… … we are … ly prone.a great ſhyp with the ſtreame. A light perſuaſion is inough to make a lecherous mā beleue that fornication is no ſinne. And an angry mā that it is lawfull to aduēge him ſelfe, and ſo forth by all the corrupt nature of man. A litle miracle is able to conſirme and harden a man in that opinion, and ſaith which his blind reaſon beleueth all ready. A few falſe miracles were ſuffici…t to perſuade the couetouſneſſe of Pharao, and his gredyneſſe (to hold the children of Iſraell in bōdage for their ſeruice) that thy true miracles ſhewed by Moyſes for their deliueraūce, were not of thee: But of the ſame kynd, and done by the ſame craft, as were the miracles of his ſorcerers, and ſo to harden his hart.

Euen ſo father if thou geue vsus ouer for our vnkyndneſſe (ſeyng the blynd nature of man deliteth in euill, and is ready to beleue lyes) a litle thyng is inough to make them that louelove thee all ready not to walke in thy truth, and therfore neuer able to vnderſtand thy ſonnes doctrine. Iohn. vij: But for to beleue y^t fayninges of our moſt holy father, all is ſuperſtitions Poperie and inuiſible bleſſinges, and to hardē them there in. As a ſtone caſt vp into y^• ayre, can neither go any higher neither yee there abyde, whē the power of the hurler ceaſeth to driue it: Euen ſo father, ſeyng our corrupt nature can but go downeward onelyonly, and the deuill and the world driueth therto y^• ſame waye, how can we procede further in vertue p. 224or ſtand there in, if thy power ceaſe in vsus. Leade vsus not therfore O mercyful father into temptation nor ceaſe at any tyme to gouerne vsus. Now ſeyng the God of al mercy which knoweth thine infirmitie, commaundeth thee to pray in all temptation and aduerſitie, and hath promiſed to helpe, if thou truſt in him: what excuſe is it to ſay, whē thou haſt ſinned, I could not ſtand of my ſelfe, when his power was ready to helpe thee, if thou haddeſt aſked.

But deliuer vsus from euill.

Firſt (as aboue) let vsus not fall into temptation. Secondarely, if we be fallen, as who liueth and falleth neuer? for neuer to fall were inough to make Who ſhuld thinke hym ſelfe to be without ſinne were as euill as Lucifer.a mā as euill as Lucifer, and to beleue that he ſtode by his owne power. If therfore we be fallen euen to the bottome, how ſo euer deepe it be, put in thine arme after, for it is long & ſtrong inough, and plucke vsus out agayne. Thirdly, deliuer vsus frō euill, & plucke vsus out of the fleſh, and the world, and the power of the deuill, and place vsus in thy kyngdome, where we be paſt all ieopardy, and where we can not ſinne any more.

For the kingdome, and the power and the glorie is thyne for euer. Amen.

Becauſe that thou onelyonly art y^• king, and all other but ſubſtitutes. And becauſe all power is thyne, and all other mens power but borowed of thee: therfore ought all honour: and obedience to be thyne of right, as chief Lord: and none to be geuen other men, but onelyonly for the office they hold of thee. Neither ought any creature to ſeeke any more in this world, then to be a brother, till thou hauehave put him in office: thē (if brotherlyneſſe will not helpe, whiche he ought firſt to proue) let hym execute thy power. Neither may any mā take authoritie of him ſelfe, till God hauehave choſē him: that is to were, til he be choſen by the ordinaūce that God hath ſet in y^• world, to rule it. Finally no King, Lord, Maſter or what ruler it be, hath abſolute power in this world, & is the very thyng whiche he is called: For then they ceaſed to bee brethren ſtill, neither could they ſinne what ſoeuer they commaunded. But now their authoritie is but a limered power. Which when they tranſgreſſe, they ſinne agaynſt their brethren, and ought to reconcile them ſelues to their brethren & to aſke forgeueneſſe, & they are bounde to forgeue.

Finally let kynges, rulers and officers Kynges … ſubiectes are all one afore God.remember that God is the very kyng, and referre the honour that is geuen to them for their offices ſake, to him, and humble them ſelues to him & knowledge and confeſſe in their harts, that they be but brethren and euen no better before God, then the worſt of their ſubiectes. Amen.

For if ye forgeue men theyr fautes, your heauenly father ſhall forgeue you alſo. But and if ye do not forgeue men their fautes, no more ſhall your father forgeue your fautes.

This is Gods couenaunt with vsus, A couenaūt where with, God is bounde to forgeue vsus, and we to forgeue ech other.and a confirmation of the petition aboue rehearſed in the Pater noſter: forgeue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgeue our treſpaſſers. If thou wilt enter into the couenaūt of thy Lord God, and forgeue thy brother: then what ſoeuer thou haſt committed agaynſt God, if thou repēt and aſke him forgeueneſſe, thou art ſure that thou art ſo abſolued by theſe wordes, that none in heauen nor earth can bynde thee: No though our moſt holy father curſe thee as blacke as coales, ſeuen foote vnderunder the earth and ſeuen, foote aboue, and caſt all his lightenyng vponupon thee, to burne thee to powder Keepe the couenaunt of y^t Lord thy God therfore, and feare no bugges. But and if thon wilt not Gods couenaunt is a ſure abſolution to all that keepe.come within the couenaunt of God, or if whē thou haſt profeſſed it and receaued the ſigne therof, thou caſt the yoke of the Lord from of thy necke: be thou ſure, thou art bound by theſe wordes ſo faſt that none in heauen or in earth can lowſe thee. No, though our earthyſhe God whiſper all his abſolutions ouer thee, & claw thee, & ſtroke thyne head with all his ſwete bleſſynges.

Furthermore though forgeueneſſe of thy ſinnes be annexed to thy worke and forgeuyng thy brother: yet do not (as I ſaid) thy workes iuſtifie thee before God. But the fayth in Chriſtes bloud, & in the promiſes made to vsus for his ſake, doth bryng righteouſneſſe in to the hart. And the righteouſneſſe of the hart by fayth, is felt and knowen by the worke. As Peter in the firſt of his ſecond Epiſtle commaūdeth to do good workes, for to make our vocatiō and election ſure: that we might feele our fayth, & be certified that it is right. For except a man be proued and tryed, p. 225it cannot be knowen, neither to hym ſelfe or other men, that he is righteous and in the true faith. Take an example leaſt thou be beguiled with ſophiſtrie: Chriſt ſayth Math. xiij. the kyngdome of heauen is like leuen which a womā taketh & hideth in thre peckes of meale till all be leuenned or ſour…. Leuen is Leauen how many wayed it is taken.ſometyme takē in an euill ſence, for the doctrine of the Phariſeis, which corrupted the ſweteneſſe of the word of God with the leuē of their gloſes: and ſometime in a good ſence, for the kingdome of heauen, that is to ſay the Goſpell and glad tydinges of Chriſt. For as leuen altereth the nature of dowe and maketh it through ſowre: euen ſo the Goſpell turneth a man into a new life and altereth him a litle and a litle: firſt the hart, and then the members.

Faith in Chriſt firſt certifieth the cō ſciēce Faith, what power it is of, and the fruites that ſpring thereof.of the forgeueneſſe of ſinnes and deliuereth vsus from the feare of euerlaſtyng damnation: and then bryngeth the louelove of God & of his law into the hart, which louelove is the righteouſneſſe of y^• hart. LoueLove bringeth good workes into the mēbers, which workes are y^• outward righteouſneſſe and the righteouſneſſe of the mēbers. To hate the will of God is the vnrighteouſneſſe of the hart, & cauſeth euill workes which are the vnrighteouſneſſe of the members. As whē I hated my brother, my toung ſpake euill, my handes ſmote & LoueLove is righteouſnes.ſo forth. To louelove is the righteouſneſſe of the hart, and cauſeth good workes which are the righteouſneſſe of the mē bers. As if I louelove my brother, and he hauehave nede of me & be in pouertie, louelove will make me put myne hand into my purſe or almory and to geue him ſome what to refreſh him &c. That the louelove of God and of his commaundementes is the righteouſneſſe of the hart, doth no man doubt ſaue he that is hartleſſe. And that louelove ſpryngeth of fayth thou mayſt euidētly ſee. i. Ioh. ij. he y^• loueth Faith bringeth louelove.his brother dwelleth in y^t light. But he that hate: h his brother, is in darkenes, & walketh in darckeneſſe, and wotteth not whether he goeth, for darckeneſſe hath blynded his eyes. Why is he that hateth, in darckneſſe (verely becauſe he ſeeth not the louelove of God in Chriſt. For if he ſaw that, he coulde not but louelove his brother for ſo kynde a fathers ſake. If any man hate his brother, be thou ſure that the ſame mā is in darckneſſe, and hath not y^e light of true faith, nor ſeeth what Chriſt hath done. If a man ſo louelove that he cā forgeue his brother, aſſure thy ſelfe that he is in the light of the true faith, and ſeeth what mercy is ſhewed him in Chriſt.

This is then the ſumme of altogetheri workes are the outward righteouſnes Workes.before y^• world, & may be called the righteouſnes of y^e mēbers, & ſpring LoueLove.of inward louelove. LoueLove is the righteouſnes of the hart, and ſpringeth of faith. Fayth.Faith is the truſt in Chriſtes bloud, & is the gift of God. Epheſ. ij. whereunto a man is drawen of the goodneſſe of God, and driuen thorow true knowledge of the lawe, and of beholding his decdes in the luſt and deſire of the members vntounto the requeſt of the lawe, and with ſeing his owne dampnation in the glaſſe of the lawe. For if a man ſawe his owne dampnation in y^t law, he ſhould immediatly hate God & hys workes, and vtterly diſpayre, except God offered him Chriſt, and forgaue all that were paſt, and made hym hys ſonne, and tooke the dampnatiō of the lawe away, and promiſed that if he would ſubmit himſelf to learne and to do his beſt, that he ſhould be accept as well as an Angell in heauē, and therto if he fell of frailtie, and not of malice and ſtubbornneſſe, it ſhould be forgeuen vponupon amendment, and that God would euer take him for his ſonne, and onelyonly chaſtice him at home whē he dyd amiſſe, after the moſt fatherlyeſt maner, and as eaſely as his diſeaſe would ſuffer, but neuer bring him forth to be iudged after the rigorouſnes of y^t law. As Leauen can not be ſeene in a …oafe without ſmell or taſt, ſo cannot ſaith in vsus without good workes, and y^• intent of the ſame be ſeene or appeare.And as thou couldeſt not ſee Leauen though thou brakeſt vp a loafe, except thou ſmelledſt or taſtedſt the ſourenes, euē ſo couldeſt thou neuer ſee true faith or louelove, except thou ſaweſt workes: & alſo ſaweſt the entent & meaning of y^e worker, leaſt hipocriſie deceaue thee.

Our deedes are the effect of righteouſneſſe, and thereto an outward teſtimonie and certifiyng of the inwarde righteouſnes, as ſourenes is of Leauen. And when I ſay fayth iuſtifieth, the vnderſtanding is, that faith receaueth the iuſtifiyng. God promiſeth to forgeue vsus our ſinnes, and to impute vsus for full righteous. And God iuſtifieth That fayth iuſtifieth, what i… meaneth.vsus actiuely: that is to ſay, forgeueth vsus and reckoneth vsus for full righteous. And Chriſtes bloud deſerueth it, and faith in the promiſe receaueth it, and certifieth the conſcience therof. Faith chalēgeth it for Chriſtes ſake, which hath deſerued all that is promiſed, and cleaueth euer to the promiſe, and truth of the promiſer, and pretendeth not the goodnes of her p. 226worke, but knowledgeth that our works deſerue it not, but are crowned and rewarded with the deſeruinges of Chriſt. Take an enſample of young children, when the father promiſeth them a good thing for y^t doing of ſome trifle, and when they come for their rewarde, delayeth with them ſaying: What, that thou haſt done is not worth halfe ſo much: ſhould I geue thee ſo great a thing for ſo little a trif… ▪ They will aunſwere: ye did promiſe me: ye ſayd I ſhould hauehave it: why did ye promiſe, and why then did ye ſay ſo? And let him ſay what he will to driue them of, they will euer ſay agayne: ye did promiſe me, ſo ye did: ye ſayd I ſhould hauehave it, ſo ye did. But hirelinges wyll pretend their woorke and ſay: I hauehave deſerued it: I hauehave done ſo much, and ſo much, and my labour is worth it.

Now at the firſt couenaunt making with God, and as oft as we be reconciled, after we hauehave ſinned, the righteouſnes commeth of God altogether. But after the attonement is Fayth.made and we reconciled, then we be partly righteous in our ſelues & vnrighteous: righteous as farre as we louelove, and vnrighteous as farre as the louelove is vnperfect. And faith in y^e promiſe of God y^t he doth reckē vsus for full righteous doth euer ſupply y^t vnrighteouſnes & imperfectnes▪ as it is our whole righteouſnes at the beginning.

Finally, our workes which God commaundeth, and vntounto which he annexed his promiſes that he will reward Workes are ſacramentes.them, are as it were very ſacramētes and viſible and ſenſible ſignes, tokens, earneſt obligations, witneſſes, teſtimonies, and a ſure certifiyng of our ſoules, that God hath and will do according to his promiſe, to ſtrēgth our weake fayth, and to keepe the promiſe in mynde. But they iuſtifie vsus not, no more then the viſible workes of the ſacramentes do. As for an example, the worke of baptime, that out ward waſhing, which is the viſible facramēt or ſigne, iuſtifieth vsus not. But God onelyonly iuſtifieth vsus actiuely, as cauſe efficient or workeman. God promiſeth to iuſtifie whoſoeuer is baptiſed to beleue in Chriſt, and to keepe the law of God, that is to ſay, to forgeue Baptim.them their foreſinnes, and to impute righteouſneſſe vntounto them, to take them for his ſonnes, and to louelove them as well as though they were full righteous. Chriſt hath deſerued vsus y^• promiſe, Chriſt.and that righteouſnes. And faith doth receaue it, & God doth geue it & Fayth.impure it to faith, & not to y^• waſhing. And the waſhing doth teſtifie it, and certifie vsus of it, as the Popes letters do certifie the beleuers of the Popes pardons. Now the letters helpe not or hinder, but that the pardōs were as good without them, ſaue onelyonly to ſtabliſhe weake ſoules that could not beleue except they reade the letters, looked on the ſeale, and ſaw the print of Saint Peters keyes.

O a mercifull God and a moſt louing father, how careth he for vsus: firſt aboue all and beſide all his other benefites, to geue vsus hys owne ſonne Ieſus, and with him to geue vsus hymſelfe and all: and not contēt therewith, but to geue vsus ſo many ſacraments, or viſible ſignes to prouoke vsus & to helpe our weake fayth, & to keepe hys mercy in mynde: as baptime, the ſacramēt of his body and bloud, and as many other ſacramentes as they will hauehave, if they put ſignifications to them (for we deſtroy none, but they deſtroy which hauehave put out the ſignifications or fayned ſome without) as wedlocke to ſignifie that Chriſt is the huſband and we his wife and partakers wyth hym, as the wife with her huſband of all his riches. &c. And beyond all thoſe viſible ſacramentes, to geue vsus yet more ſenſible and ſurer ſacramentes & ſuraunces of his goodnes, euen in our owne ſelues: as if we louelove and geue almoſe to our neighbour, if we hauehave compaſſion and pray for him, if we be mercifull and forgeue him, if we deny ourſelues, and faſt, and withdraw all pleaſures from the fleſh for louelove of the life to come: and to keepe the cōmaundemētes of God. For whē ſuch things beyng before impoſſible, and now are eaſie and naturall, we feele, and are ſure that we be altered and of a new creature ſhapen in righteouſneſſe after the image of Chriſt and God our father, ſeing his lawes of righteouſnes are written in our hartes.

When ye faſt, be not ſad as the hipocrites are. For they faſhion them a new countenaunce, that it might appeare vntounto men how they faſt. Ʋerely I ſay vntounto you, they Faſt.hauehave their rewarde. Thou therefore when thou faſteſt, annointe thine head, & waſhe thy face, that it appeare not vntounto men how thou faſteſt. But vntounto thy father which p. 227is in ſecrete. And thy father which ſeeth in ſecrete, ſhall rewarde thee openly.

As aboue of almoſe and prayer: enē ſo here Chriſt rebuketh the falſe entent and hipocriſie of faſting. That they ſought prayſe of that worke that was ordayned for to tame the fleſhe, and vſed If faſting be vſed to any other and then to tame the fleſhe, that thereby we may be the more prone to ſerue God, it is abuſed.ſuch faſhions, that all the worlde might know that they faſted, to prayſe them, and to ſay: O what holy mē are theſe, how pale and pitifull looke they, euen like death, hanging downe their heades, and beholding the earth, as mē cleane out of the world? If theſe come not to heauen, what ſhall become of vsus poore wretches of the worlde? If theſe be not great in the fauour of god, and their prayers be heard whatſoeuer they aſke, in what caſe are we laye people? Happy is he that may be a brother among them, & partaker of their prayers and faſtinges, and other holy liuing. In an vnhappy, in an happy (I woulde ſay) houre was he borne that buildeth them a cell or a cloyſture, or geueth them a portion of his land to comfort them good men, in this painfull liuing and ſtraite penaunce which they hauehave taken vponupon them. Bleſſed were he that might kiſſe the edge of the coate of one of thē. Oh, he that myght hauehave his body wrapped in one of their olde coates at the houre of death, it were as good to him as his Chriſtendome. &c. It appeareth alſo by that they aſked Chriſt why his diſciples faſted not as well as the phariſeyes, that they oft faſted when the common people faſted not, and all to appeare holy. As ours faſt Aduent, and beginne before Lent at Septuageſima, whē Laus tibi domine commethin.

And concerning the annointing of To annoint the head, what it meaneth.thy head. &c. is ment, as afore of turning the other cheeke, and of that the left hand ſhould not know what the right did: that is, that they ſhoulde auoyde all vaine glory, and faſt to god, and for the entent that God ordeyned it for, and that with a merry hart and chearefull countenaunce, thereby to feele the working of God, and to be ſure of his fauour. Such is the meaning, & not to bynde thē that will faſt to annointe their head and waſhe their faces. And the maner or phraſe of ſpeaking commeth of an vſage, that was among the Iewes, to annoint themſelues with ſweete and odoriferous annointmentes whēthey were diſpoſed to be merry and to make good cheare, as ye ſee how Mary of Bethanie powred a boxe of precious ointement vppon Chriſtes head at ſupper.

As cōcerning faſting, it were good, Faſtyng.that kinges and rulers did ſet an order of ſobernes among their ſubiectes, to auoyde dearth, innumerable diſeaſes, and y^e great heape of vices that ſpring of intemperancy, and that they forbio not onelyonly riote and exceſſe: but alſo all maner wanton, delicious, and cuſtomable eating and drinking of ſuch thynges as corrupt the people, & make the men more effeminate then the women, ſo that there remayneth no more tokens of a man in them ſaue theyr beardes. Our faſhions of eating make The heape of inconueniences that ſpring by … rate & ſuperfluous …, and drinking.vsus ſlouthfull and vnluſty to labour & ſtudy: vnſtable, inconſtant, and lyght manered: full of wittes, after witted (as we call it) incircumſpect inconſiderate, heady, raſh, and haſty to begyn vnaduiſedly, and without caſtyng of perils, the end not cōſidered what may folow, nor y^e meanes well looked vppon, how and by what way the matter might be brought to paſſe, triflers, mockers, rude, vnſauery ieſture without all maner of ſalt, and euen very apes and marineſettes, and full of wanton and ribaldiſh communication & lewde geſtures. It corrupteth the witte with fal…e iudgement, and infecteth the body with luſt, and maketh the whole man ſo vnquiet in him ſelfe, that the body cannot ſit ſtill and reſt in one place and continue in his worke, nor the mynde perſeuer and endure in one purpoſe.

Let them prouide that there be diligent fiſhyng in the Sea, & commaunde the Sea coſt and townes whether fiſh may eaſely come, to faſt Friday, Saterday Faſtyng dayes, or dayes of abſtmence are to be ordained for common weales ſake.and Wenſday to if nede be, & on the friday to eate no white meate. And let the countreys which hauehave none aboūdance of fiſh, yet hauehave white meate inough, faſt Friday and Saterday frō fleſh onelyonly. And let thoſe countreys where ſcarſetie of both is, faſt Friday from fleſh onelyonly, and eate fleſh Wenſday and Saterday. But abſtayne from ſupper or from dyner, or eate ſoberly thoſe dayes. And let them ſo moderate their faſtes that the people may beare it, a prouiſiō made for the old, the ſieke and fable &c. Which faſt ſhalbe a temporall thyng, for a temporall common wealth onelyonly, & not a ſeruice to God.

Then let the Prieſtes preach firſt the law truly and teach the people to ſee their ſinnes, and ſo bryng them to repentannce: p. 228And ſecondearely the fayth of Chriſt and the forgiueneſſe of ſinne through fayth: And thyrdly almoſe, prayer, & faſting, which are the whole life of a Chriſtē man, & without which there is no Chriſten man a liue. And let them preach the true vſe of their almoſe, Almoſe.which is to helpe thy neighbour with counſell, with body and goodes and all that is in thy power: and the true vſe of prayer whiche is to bryng Prayer.his neceſſitie and thyne owne before God with a ſtrong fayth in his promiſes: and the true vſe of faſtyng, which Faſting.is to tame y^t fleſh vntounto y^• ſpirit, that the ſoule may attende to the word of God and pray through fayth.

By theſe three we kepe the ſpirite of Almoſe, prayer, and faſting, how neceſſary.God, and both cōtinue and alſo grow in righteouſneſſe and waxe perfecter & perfecter in ſoule & body. And if theſe fayle or that we vnderſtand not the right entēt, we looſe the ſpirite againe, and the righteouſneſſe of fayth, and the true vnderſtandyng of the Scripture, and all our learnyng ſhalbe but pure darckeneſſe. And then what a blyndeneſſe is that, whēthe darckneſſe of hell is called the light of heauen.

As it is of almoſe & prayer, ſo it is Almoſe, prayer, and faſting, are inſeperableof faſtyng: iudge like of all thre. Where any one of them is, there are they all thre: and where any one is away, there is none at all. We muſt hauehave the profeſſion of all three euer written in our harts. I muſt euer louelove my neighbour and be ready to helpe, and when occaſion is offered, then do it. I ought to cōſider and know that all commeth of God, and to knowledge that ſame to him in myne hart. And what ſo euer we neede, we ought to know, that we muſt receaue that of God, and therfore to call euer to him with a ſtrong fayth. Euen ſo I muſt euer fight agaynſt my fleſhe, and therefore euer withdraw from it all that moueth it to rebell agaynſt the ſpirite.

So now faſtyng ſtandeth not in eatyng Faſting is not in eating and drinking onelyonly.and drinkyng onelyonly, and much leſſe in fleſh alone. But in abſtinence of all that moueth the fleſh agaynſt the ſpirite, as long ſleepyng, idleneſſe, and filthy communication and all worldly talkyng, as of couetouſneſſe and promotion and ſuch like, and wanton cō pany, ſoft clothes, and ſoft beddes and ſo forth. Which are that right hand and right eye that muſt be cut of and plucked out, that the whole mā periſh not. And as ye can put no generall rule of almoſe or prayer, no more can ye of faſtyng. But I muſt be all way ready to cut of what ſoeuer I perceaue to ſtrēgth the fleſh agaynſt the ſpirit. And I muſt hauehave a diligent eye to the fleſh and his complexion, and if ought ſcape me in word or dede, ſeke whēce the occaſiō came, and at once cut of that right hand, and plucke out that eye.

If this faſt be truly preached, then is faſting good, and not afore, for making Workes make hipocrites, … y^• true entent be away.of hypocrites: as Chriſt would not let his Diſciples faſt before they were learned, leſt they ſhould therby hauehave bene no better then the Phariſeis. And then the outward faſtyng ordayned by the temporall rulers helpeth much, for the weakes ſake. Yea and though the land were ſo plenteous that it neded not to cōmaūde ſuch faſt for to auoide dearth, yet they ought to ſet ſuch vp. Becauſe of them that cannot rule them ſelues, Rulers be ordained for thē that cannot rule thēſelues.for whoſe ſakes they ought to forbyd exceſſes of tauernes and alehouſes and riotyng out of ſeaſon. For if the people could rule them ſelues, what ned rulers. Moreouer if any man priuately ſhew the Prieſt his infirmities, and the Prieſt ſee any maner of abſtinence or chaſtiſing apte for the perſon, that let him councell him to do for the ſubdueyng of the fleſh, and not commaund as a tyraunt vnderunder payne of damnation and to make ſatiſfaction. Thus wiſe let him ſay: brother or ſiſter: ye be boūd vnderunder payne of deadly ſinne to tame your fleſh by ſome maner of way that ye ſinne not agaynſt God: & I know no better then this: my councell & my deſire therfore is, that ye vſe this till either ye hauehave no more nede, or till god ſhew you ſome better &c. And let the elders conſider diligently the courſe of their youth, and with wiſedome, counſell and diſcrete gouernaunce, helpe the younger to auoyde the perils and ieopardies whiche they hauehave learned by their owne experiēce to be in that daū gerous iourney.

Moreouer when the people be fallē from their profeſſiō and from the law: Preacher: The office of a true preacher.as it ſhalbe impoſſible for the preacher, to kepe the great multitude together, if the temporal ſword be ſlacke and negligent in puniſhing open offences (as Note this well, ye temporall magiſtrates.they euer hauehave and wilbe, ſaue in thoſe poyntes onelyonly wherein lyeth the pith of their owne profite and aduauntage, and the weight of their honour & main tenaunce of their dignities) and when God alſo (as hys promiſe is) hath brought vppon them the curſes of the law: hunger, dearth, battaile, peſtilence p. 229and all maner of plagues with all miſfortune and euill lucke. Then let the true preachers be importune, & ſhew the people the cauſes of their miſerie & wretched aduerſitie, and expounde the law to them and bring them to knowledge of their ſinnes, and ſo binde their conſciences and draw them to repentaunce and to the appointement & couenaunt of the Lord agayne. As many Prophets, Prieſtes, yea and Kynges of the old Teſtamēt zealous Preachers.holy Prophetes, Prieſtes and Kinges in the old Teſtament did call the people backe and brought them agayne in tyme of aduerſitie, vntounto the appoyntement of the Lord. And the Prieſt, Prophete or Kyng in Gods ſtede ſmote handes with them, and tooke an oth of them, to be the Lordes people and to turne agayne to the Lordes couenaūt, for to keepe his law and to beleue in his promiſes. And God immediatly withdrew his hand and ryd them out of all captiuitie and daunger, & became as mercyfull as euer before.

But we Chriſtē hauehave bene very ſeldome or neue called agayne to the couenaunt of the Lord, the law of God Papiſtes hauehave often bene called to the Popes couenaunt, but ſeldome to the Lords.and fayth of Chriſt: But to the couenaunt of the Pope often. As he now clocketh a paſe for his chekyns & will both proue all his old policies, & ſeke and imagine new practiſes. And if the people come agayne let the Prieſt or Byſhop after the enſample of the Prophetes and hygh Prieſtes of the Iſraelites take an oth in Gods ſtede of the Kyng and Lordes. And let the Kyng and Lordes receaue an othe of the people, and folow the example of the Niniuites in faſtyng and praying.

Some man will ſay: ſeyng faſtyng Obiection.is to withdraw all pleaſures from the body and to puniſh the fleſh, then God deliteth in our payne takyng &c. I aū ſwere: God deliteth in true obedience Solution.& in all that we do at his commaundement and for the entent that he commanndeth it for. If thou louelove and pitie thy neighbour and helpe him, thy almoſe is acceptable. If thou do it of vayne glory to hauehave the prayſe that belongeth to God, or for a greater profite onelyonly, or to make ſatiſfactiō for thy ſinnes paſt and to diſhonour Chriſtes bloud, which hath made it all ready: then is thyne almoſe abhominable. If thy prayer be thākes in hart or callyng to God for helpe with truſt in him accordyng Payne.to his promiſe: thē thy prayer pleaſeth. If thou beleue in Chriſtes How God delueth in our payne takyng.bloud for the remiſſion of ſinnes, and henceforth hateſt ſinne, that thou puniſheſt thy body to fle thy luſtes & to kepe them vnderunder that thou ſinne not again, then it pleaſeth God excedingly. But & if thou thinke that God delyteh in the worke for the worke it ſelf, the true intent away, & in thy payne for thy pame it ſelfe, y^• art as farre out of the way as frō heauen to the earth. If y^• wouldeſt kil thy body or whē it is tame inough▪ payne him further that thou were not able to ſerue God & thy neighbour, accordyng to the rowme and eſtate thou art in, thy ſacrifice were cleane without ſalt, & all together vnſauery in the taſt of God, and thou mad and out of thy witte. But and if thou truſt in thy worke, then art thou abhominable.

Now let vsus looke on the Popes Faſt.faſt. Firſt the entent ſhould be to …ame thy luſtes, not lechery onelyonly, but pr… The intent of faſtyng what …s.chiefly, wrath, malice, hate, …, & couetouſnes, and to keepe the lawe of God, and therefore ſtandeth not in meate and drinke onelyonly, but how they keepe Gods lawe, compare it to their deedes and thou ſhalt ſee. Secondarily Faſt.the faſt of the olde lawe was, to put How the Iewes did faſt.on mourning clothes, as heire or ſack, and neither to eate nor drinke v…ll night, and all the while to pray and to do almoſe deedes and ſhewe mercy. And at euen they eate fleſhe and what God geue, ſoberly as little as woulde ſuſtaine the body. &c. The Popes faſt Faſt. The popes faſt.is commonly, onelyonly to eate no fleſhe. I ſay not looke how leaue they be, but conſider what a taming of the fleſhe it is, to eate ten or twenty manner of fiſhes dreſſed af…er the coſtlieſt maner, & to ſitte a cople of houres, and to poure in of the beſt wine and Ale that may be gotten. And at night to banquet with A feaſ…yng faſt.dew (as they ſay) of all maner of fruits and confections, marmelad, Succad, Grenegynger, comffettes, ſugerplate, with malmeſay & romney burnt with ſuger, Synamond & cloues, with baſtarde, Muſcadell and Ipocraſie. &c. Thinke ye not that ſuch dewes wyth drinking a peece of ſaltfiſhe or a Pickrell, doth not tame y^t body excedingly?

Furthermore that the true entent is Faſlyng.away both of their faſting & prayers, it is euident: firſt by the multiplying The true intent is away from the Popes faſtyng.of them, for when the Iewes had loſte the vnderſtanding of their ſacrifices, and did beleue in the worke, then they were mad vponupon them, that well was he that could robbe him ſelfe to offer moſt: in ſo much that the Prophetes cryed out againſt them, that their offeringes ſtanke in the noſe of God. And p. 230ours had ſo multiplyed their faſting that they coulde no longer beare them. At the beginning they were tollerable for the vauntage: quia leuis eſt labor cū l…ro. But when they had purchaſed inough and inough agayne, they became intollerable. And therefore all our Monkes whoſe profeſſion was neuer to eate fleſhe, ſet vp the Pope, & tooke diſpenſations, both for that faſt, and alſo for their ſtraite rules, & made their ſtraite rules as wide as y^e hoodes of their cowles. And as for the hipocriſie Monkes made the Pope a …od for his diſpenſations.of the fratrie where they eate but inuiſible fleſh, or that is interpret to be no fleſhe is ſpoken of in other places. An other prooffe is, that they ſo long a tyme hauehave geuen pardons of the merites of their faſting, as though they had done more then inough for themſelues, and of that marchaundiſe hauehave gotten all they hauehave, and hauehave brought the knowledge of Chriſtes bloude cleane into darckneſſe. And laſt of all, what ſhall I ſay of the open idolatry of innumerable faſtes: of ſaint Brandons faſt, Saint Patrickes faſt, of 4. holy Fridayes, of Saint Antonies betwene Saint Maries dayes, of our Lady faſt, either vij. yeare the ſame day that her day falleth on in March, and then beginne, or one yeare with bread and water, and all for what purpoſes, ye know well inough, and of ſuch like, I trowe ten thouſand in the worlde. And who hath rebuked them?

See that ye gather not treaſure vppon the earth, where ruſt and mothes corrupt, and where theues breake vp and ſteale, But gather you treaſure in heauen, where neither ruſt nor mothes corrupt, and where theeues neither breake vp not ſteale. For where your treaſure is, there will be your hartes alſo.

Note the goodly order of Chriſtes preaching. Firſt he reſtored the true vnderſtanding of the lawe, then y^e true intent of the workes. And here conſequently Couetouſnes … at a… … is.he rebuketh the mortall foe & ſworne enemy, both of true doctrine and true liuing, which is couetouſnes the roote of all euill ſayth Paule. 1. Tim. 6. Couetouſnes is Image ſeruice. Col. 3. It maketh men to erre frō the faith. 1. Tim. 6. It hath no part in the kingdome of Chriſt & God. Ephe. 5. Couetouſnes hardened the hart of Pharad that the fayth of the miracles of God could not ſinke into it. Couetouſnes did make Balam which knew all y^e truth of God to hate it, & to geue the moſt peſtilent and poyſonfull coū cell againſt it, that hart could imagine, euen for to deſtroy it if it had bene poſſible. Couetouſnes taught the falſe prophetes in the olde teſtament to interpret the law of God falſely, and to peruert the meaning and entent of all the ſacrifices and ceremonies, and to ſlea y^e true preachers that rebuked thē.

And with their falſe perſwaſions they did leade all the kinges of Iſraell out of the right way, and the moſt part of the kynges of Iuda alſo. And Peter in the ſecond chapter of his ſecond Epiſtle 2. Pet ….propheſieth that there ſhould be falſe teachers among vsus, that ſhoulde follow the way of Balā (that is to ſay, for couetouſnes perſecute the truth) & thorow couetouſnes with fained wordes to make marchaundiſe of the people, and to bring in dampnable ſectes to. And here ye hauehave an infallible rule Couetouſnes cannot but erre.that where couetouſnes is, there is no truth: no though they call themſelues the church, and ſay thereto that they cānot erre. Couetouſnes kept Iudas ſtil in vnbeliefe though he ſaw and did alſo many miracles in the name of Chriſt, and compelled him to ſell hym to the Scribes and Phariſeis: for couetouſnes is a thyng merciles. Couetouſnes made the Phariſeis to lye on Chriſt, to perſecute hym, and falſely to accuſe hym. And it made Pilat though he founde hym an innocent, yet to ſlay him. It cauſed Herode to perſecute Chriſt yet in his cradell. Couetouſnes maketh hipocrites to perſecute y^e truth againſt their owne conſciences, and to lye to Princes, that the true preachers moue ſedition and make their ſubiects to riſe againſt them, and the ſayd couetouſnes maketh the Princes to beleue their wicked perſwaſions, and to lēde their ſwordes to ſhed innocent bloud.

Finally couetouſnes maketh many (whom the truth pleaſeth at the beginning) to caſt it vp againe and to be afterward the moſt cruell enemies therof, after the enſample of Symon Magus. Act. 8. Yea and after the enſample of Sir Thomas More K. which knew the truth, and for couetouſnes More.forſooke it agayne, and conſpired firſt with the Cardinall to deceaue y^e kyng, and to leade hym in darcknes. And afterwarde when the light was ſprong vponupon them, and had driuen thē cleane out of the ſcripture, and had deliuered it out of their tyranny, and had expelled p. 231the darcke ſtinking miſte of their deueliſh gloſes: and had wiped away the cobwebbes which thoſe poyſoned ſpiders had ſpread vponupon the face of the cleare text, ſo that the ſpiritualtie (as they call themſelues) were aſhamed of their part, as ſhameleſſe as they be: yet for all that, couetouſnes blynded the eyes of that glering Foxe, more & Couetouſnes blinded the eyes, & hardened y^e hart of Sir Thomas More.more, and hardened his hart agaynſt y^e truth, with the confidence of his painted Poetry, babbling eloquence, and iuggeling arguments of ſubtill ſophiſtry, grounded on his vnwritten verities, as true and as autentike as hys ſtory of Ʋtopia. Paule therefore biddeth Timothy to charge the rich to beleue in the liuing god, and not in their vncertaine riches, for it is impoſſible for a couetous Idolater or Image ſeruer, that truſteth in the dead God of his riches, to put hys truſt in the lyuing God.

One miſery is, that they which here gather & lay vp, cannot tell for whom. The cōmodities that folow couetous and worldly rich men.An other is, ruſt, canker, mothes, and a thouſād miſfortunes, beſide, theues, extortioners, oppreſſors, & mighty tirants, to y^e which y^e rich be euer a pray. And though they proſper to y^e end outwardly, yet feare euer guaweth their hartes inwardly. And at the houre of death they know & feele that they hauehave gathered naught, & then ſorrow they, and are like one that dreameth of riches, and in the morning when he findeth nought, is heauy and ſory for the remēbraunce of the pleaſaunt dreame. And finally when they be moſt loth to die and hope to liue long, thē they periſhe ſodainly, after the enſample of y^e rich man which entended to make him larger barnes and ſtore houſes. Happy therfore is he that layeth vp treaſure …uke. xij.in heauen, and is rich in faith and good workes: for the rewarde thereto promiſed ſhall God kepe ſure for him: no man can take it away. Here is not forbidden to hauehave riches. But to louelove it, to truſt in it, and to be carefull for it. For God hath promiſed to care for vsus, and to geue vsus inough, & to keepe that which is gotten, if we will care to keepe his commaundementes. Whatſoeuer office or degree thou art in, in this world, do the dutie of thine office diligently, and truſt in God, & let hym care. If thou be an huſband man, eare and ſow, and huſband thy ground, and let God alone for the reſt, he will care to make it grow plenteouſly, and to ſend ſeaſonable weather to hauehave it in, and will prouide thee a good market to ſell▪ &c.

In like maner, if thou be a kyng, do the office of a king, and receaue the duties of the kyng, and let God care to keepe thee in thy kingdome. His ſauour ſhall do more for thee thē a thouſand millions of golde, and ſo of all other. He that hath but a little and is ſure that God ſhall keepe both him & it, is richer then he which hath thouſandes, and hath none other hope thē that he and it muſt be kept wyth hys owne care and policy.

And finally marke one point in Luke. 14. None of them that re…uſeth Luke. xiiij.not al that he poſſeſſeth cā be my diſciple, that is, he that caſteth not away y^• louelove of all worldly thinges, can be no ſcholer of Chriſtes to learne his doctrine. Thē he addeth that ſalt is good, but if the ſalt be vnſauery or hath loſt his ve…e, what can be ſeaſoned therwith? verely nothing. Now by ſalt is vnderſtand the doctrine, and the meaning Couetouſnes maketh the ſalte of Godes worde vnſauery.is, if ye be couetous and louelove worldly thinges, it will corrupt y^e ſalt of your doctrine, ſo that whatſoeuer you powder therewith it ſhalbe more vnſauery then before.

Where your treaſure is, there are your hartes. If your treaſure be in y^e worlde, ſo is the louelove of your hartes. And if ye louelove the world & the thynges of the world, the louelove of God is not in you, and the louelove of God is the louelove of his commaundements: and he that Couetouſnes maketh a falſe Prophet.loueth not Gods commaundementes ſhall neuer preach them truely, becauſe he loueth them not. But ſhall corrupt them with gloſes that they may ſtand with that which his hart loueth, and vntill they hauehave an other ſence then euer God gaue them. Ergo no couetous perſon can be a true Prophet. It is not for nought then that Chriſt to oft and ſo diligently warneth his diſciples to beware of couetouſnes, as of that thing which he wiſt well had euer corrupt the woorde of God, and euer ſhoulde.

The light of thy body is thyne eye, wherfore if thine eye be ſingle, all thy body ſhall be full of lyght. But and if thine eye be wicked, thā ſhall thy whole body be darcke. If therfore the light that is in thee be darckneſſe, how great is that darkneſſe.

Note the concluſion wyth a proper p. 232ſimilitude. The eye is the light of the body, and by the light of the eye all other Darckeneſſe.members ſee and are gouerned. As long as the eye ſeeth, hand & foote do their duties, neyther is there any feare that a man ſhould ſinnible or fall into fire or water. But if the eye be blynde, all the body is blinde, and that ſo blinde that there is no remedy at al: ſet a candle before him, he ſeeth not, geue hym a lanterne in hys hand, and yet he goeth not ſtraighte. Bring him out into the ſunne & point hym vntounto y^t which thou wouldeſt hauehave hym ſee, yt boteth not. Euen ſo, if couetouſneſſe Couetouſnes cauſeth darckneſſe.hauehave blinded the ſpirituall eye, & peruerted the right entent of the lawe of God, and of the workes commaunded by God, and of the ſacrif…ce, ceremonies, and ſacramentes, and of all other ordinaunces of God (which entent is the ſpirituall eye) then is all the doctrine darcke and very blyndnes: yea and then how darke is the darcknes, when that which is pure blindnes is beleued to be light? how darcke is the doctrine of them that teach that a man may compell God wyth the woorkes of free will to geue them hys fauour & grace, or make God vnrighteous? How darcke is the doctrine of them which (to y^e rebuke of Chriſtes bloud) teach that woorkes do iuſtifie before God, and make ſatifaction for ſinnes? How blinde are they which thinke prayer to be the pattering of many wordes, and will therefore not onelyonly be prayſed and payed of the world, but alſo by the title thereof chalenge heauē & not by y^e merites of Chriſtes bloud? How darcke is the doctrine of them whoſe fayth is onelyonly and all together in appointmentes which they themſelues hauehave fayned betwene them and God, vntounto which yet God neuer ſubſcribed: In which alſo they aſſigne what worke and how much they will do, and what rewarde, and how great God muſt geue them, or chuſe whether he will be vnrighteous.

How darcke is the doctrine of them Darckeneſſe.that ſay ſtifly that the worke of the Sacramentes in it ſelfe (not referring it to ſtyrre vp the faith of the promiſes annexed to thē) doth iuſtifie: and affirme that bodely payne for the payne it ſelfe (not referryng it either to the louelove of y^e law of god or of their neighbour) doth pleaſe God? How darcke, damnable & deueliſh is the doctrine of them which not onelyonly thinke lucre to be the ſeruice of God, but alſo are ſo farre paſt all ſhame that they affirme they be the holy Church and cannot erre, and all that The da… nes of the Popes doctrine here plainely appeareth.they decree, muſt be an article of our fayth, and that it is damnable once to doubt or ſearch the Scripture whether their doctrine will therto agree or no: But ſay their decrees muſt be beleued as they ſound, how contrary ſo euer the Scripture be: and the Scripture muſt be expounded and made agree to them. They neede not to regarde the Scripture, but to do and ſay as their holy Ghoſt moueth them: and if the Scripture be contrary, then make it a noſe of waxe and wreſt it this way and that way till it agree.

Faith of workes was the darckneſſe of the falſe Prophets, out of the which Fayth in workes is darckneſſe.the true could not draw them. Faith of workes was the blyndneſſe of the phariſeis, out of the which neither Iohn Baptiſt nor Chriſt could bryng them. And though Iohn Baptiſt pyped to them with reaſons of the Scripture in uincible, and Chriſt therto added miracles, yet the Phariſeis would not daunce. For Iohn Baptiſt (as they thought) was to mad to lyue ſo ſtrayte a life, and to refuſe to be iuſtified therby. And as for Chriſt & his Diſciples, the Phariſeis were much holyer them ſelues, faſted oftener, and prayed thicker, yea and vttered many mo wordes in their prayer then they. Fayth of workes is that belefe of the Turkes & Iewes which driueth them euer away from Chriſt. Faith of workes hath ben that light of darcknes in which a great part of vsus Chriſten hauehave walked euer ſence Pelagius and Fauſtus, well about xij. C. yeares, and euer mo and mo: & in which all our religious hauehave walked all and more to this foure or fiue hundred yeare: & in which the Prieſtes alſo hauehave walked a long ſeaſon, the Lord bryng them out agayne.

Finally how darcke is the darckneſſe Darcknes.when a Phariſey and a very Pelagian ſtandeth vp, and preacheth agaynſt the Phariſeis & the Pelagians and is alowed of al y^e audience? And in concluſion when the world euer ſence it began hath & doth of naturall blindneſſe beleue in their owne workes, thē if the Scripture be peruerted to confirme that errour, how ſore are their hartes hardened and how depe is that darckeneſſe.

No man can ſerue two maſters, for he ſhal either hate the one, and louelove the other, or cleaue to the p. 233one, and deſpiſe the other. Ye can not ſerue God and Mammon.

Mammon is riches or aboundance Mammon what it is.of goods. And Chriſt concludeth with a plaine ſimilitude, that as it is impoſſible to ſerue two contrary maſters, & as it is impoſſible to be retayned vntounto two diuers Lords, which are enemies one to the other, ſo is it impoſſible to ſerue God and Mammon. Two maſters of one mynde, & one will, might a man ſerue: for if one wil, one mynde, and one accorde be in twenty then are they all but one maſter. And two maſters where one is vnderunder the other and a ſubſtitute, may a man ſerue. For the ſeruice of the inferiour is the cōmaundement of the ſuperiour. As to ſerue & obey Father, Mother, Huſband, Maſter and Lord is Gods commaundement. But and if the inferiour be of a contrary will to the ſuperiour, & commaūde any contrary thing, then mayſt thou not obey. For now they be two cōtrary maſters. So God and Mammon Mammon is a God.are two cōtrary maſters: yea two contrary Gods, and of contrary commaundementes.

God ſayth, I thy Lord God am but one, & me ſhalt y^u ſerue alone: that is, y^u ſhalt louelove me with all thyne hart, or with thyne whole hart, with all thy ſoule & with all thy might. Thou ſhalt neither ſerue, obey or louelove any thyng ſaue me and that I byd thee: & that as farre and no further then I byd thee.

And Mammon ſayth the ſame. For Mammon wilbe a God alſo and ſerued and loued alone.

God ſayth, ſee thou louelove thy neighbour, that thou labour with thine hāds to get thy liuyng and ſomewhat aboue to helpe him.

Māmon ſayth, he is called thy neighbour, becauſe he is nye thee. Now who is ſo nye thee as thy ſelf. Ergo proximus eſto tibi: that is louelove thy ſelfe, & make lewde and vyle wretches to labour diligently to get thee as much as thou mayſt, and ſome ſcrappes aboue for them ſelues. Or wilt thou be perfect? Then diſguiſt thy ſelfe and put on Mammon maketh mē diſguiſe thē ſelues.a gray coate, a blacke or a pyed & geue thy ſelfe to deuotion, deſpiſe the world and take a couetous, (I would ſay a contemplatiue life) vponupon thee. Tell the people how hoate Purgatorie is, and what paynes there muſt be ſuffered for ſmall fantes. And then geue mercyfully a thouſād folde for one, ſpirituall for temporall: geue heauen, and take but houſe and land, and fooliſh temporall thynges.

God ſayth, iudge truly betwene thy brethren, and therefore take no giftes. Mammon ſayth, it is good maner and apoynt of curteſie to take that is offered. And he that geueth thee loueth thee better then ſuch a chur…e that geueth thee naught, yea & thou ar… more bound to fauour his cauſe?

God ſayth, fell and geue almoſe.

Mammon ſayth lay vp to hauehave inough to mainteyne thyne eſtate and to defēd thee from thyne enemyes and to ſerue thee in thyne age. &c.

For as much then as God & Mammon The ſeruauntes of Mammon are not o… Chri…es Church.be two ſo contrary maſters, that whoſoeuer will ſerue God, muſt geue vp Mammon, and all that will ſerue Mammō muſt forſake God: it foloweth that they which are the ſworne ſeruaūts of Mammon, and hauehave his holy ſpirite, and are his faithfull Church, are not the true ſeruaunts of God, nor hauehave his ſpirite of truth in them, or can be his true Church.

Moreouer ſeing that God & Mammon be ſo contrary that Gods worde The ſeruaunt of Mammon to no true preacher.is death in Mammons eare, & his doctrine poyſon in Mammons mouth: it foloweth that if the miniſters of Gods word: do fauour Mammon, they will ſo faſhion their ſpeach & ſo ſound their wordes that they may be pleaſaunt in the eares of Mammon.

Finally alonely to hauehave richeſſe is To bee Mammōs ſeruaunt what it is.not to be the ſeruaūt of Mammon, but to louelove it and clea…e to it in thyne hart. For if thou hauehave goods onelyonly to maint…ine the office whiche God hath put thee in, & of the reſt to helpe thy neighbours nede, ſo art thou Lord ouer thy Mammon and not his ſeruaunt. Of thē that be rich, how ſhalt thou know Mammōs ſeruaunt how he is knowen.the maſter of Mammon from the ſeruaunt? verely firſt by the gettyng, ſecondarely when his poore neighbour complaineth, if he be Mammons ſeruaunt, Mammon wil ſhut vp his hart and make hym without compaſſion. Thirdly the croſſe of Chriſt will trye them the one from the other. For whē perſecution ariſeth for the word: then will the true ſeruaunt of Chriſt byd Mammon …dew. And the faithfull ſeruaunt of Mammon will vtter his hypocriſie, and not onelyonly renounce the doctrine of Chriſt, but alſo be a cruel & a ſharpe perſecuter therof, to put away all ſurmiſe, and that his fidelitie which he hath in his maſter Mammon, map openly appeare.

p. 234Therfore I ſay vntounto you, care not for your lyues what ye ſhall eate, or what ye ſhall drinke, neither for your bodyes what ye ſhall put on. Is not the lyfe more then meate, and the body more then the rayment?

He that bundeth a coſtely houſe euē to the tylyng, will not leaue there and loſe ſo great coſt for ſo ſmall a trifle more. No more will he that gaue thee ſo precious a ſoule & ſo bewtifull a body, The goodnes of god towarde mankynd.let either of them periſh agayne before y^e day, for ſo ſmall a thnig as foode or rayment. God neuer made mouth but he made meate for it, nor body but he made rayment alſo. Howbeit Mā mon blindeth our eyes, ſo that we can neither ſee nor iudge a right.

Behold the foules of the ayre, how they ſow not, neither reape nor gather into ſtorehouſes, and yet your heauenly father fedeth them. And are not ye farre better then they? Which of you with takyng thought, is able to put one cubite vntounto his ſtature?

He that careth for y^• leaſt of his creatures will much more care for y^t greateſt. Byrdes & beaſtes teache vsus to put away care.The byrdes of the ayre and beaſts preach all to vsus that we ſhould leaue caring and put our truſt in our father. But Mammon hath made vsus ſo dull and ſo cleane without capacitie that none example or argument be it neuer ſo vehement, cā enter the wittes of vsus, to make vsus ſee or iudge a right. Finally what a madnes it is to take ſo great thought for fode or rayment, when the wealth, health, life of thy body and all together is out of thy power. If all the world were thyne thou couldeſt not make thy ſelfe one inche lēger, nor that thy ſtomacke ſhall diſgeſte the meate that thou putteſt into it: No thou art not ſure that that whiche thou putteſt into thy mouth ſhall go through thee or whether it ſhall choke thee. Thou canſt not make when thou lyeſt or ſitteſt down that thou ſhalt ariſe agayn, or when thou ſlepeſt that thou ſhalt awake agayne, or that thou ſhouldeſt liue one houre lōger. So that he which cared for thee when thou couldeſt not care, muſt care for thee ſtill or els thou ſhouldeſt periſh. And he will not care for thee to thy ſoules profite, if thou miſtruſt him and care for thy ſelfe.

And for rayment why take ye thought? Behold the lylies of the field, how they grow, they labour not, neither ſpynne. And yet I ſay to you that euen Salomon in all his glorie was not apparelled lyke one of them. Wherefore if the graſſe whiche is to day in the fieldes and to morow ſhalbe caſt into the furnace, God ſo clothe, howe much more ſhal he do the ſame vntounto you, O ye of litle fayth?

Not onelyonly foule and beaſt, but alſo Care.tree herbe, & all the floures of the earth do crye vntounto vsus, to truſt God and to caſt away all care that is coupled with couetouſneſſe of more then ſufficient to beare the charges whiche we hauehave in our handes, by the reaſon of the ſtate we be in the world: and all care that is annexed with miſtruſt, that God ſhuld not miniſter inough to beare all our charges: if we endeuer our ſelues to keepe his commaundementes and to do eueryevery man his craft or office he is in truly, and (when God to proue vsus, ſuffereth vsus to hauehave neede of our neighbours) we firſt complayne to God, & deſire him to prepare the hartes of our neighbours agaynſt we come to deſire their helpe.

But Māmon pypeth an other ſong, ſaying: if thou ſhouldeſt make no other Mammon.maner of labour for a benefice, then as if thou careddeſt not whether thou had deſt it or haddeſt it not, it would be lōg ere thou gatteſt one, all would be take out of thyne hand? I aunſwere: as thy labour was to get it, ſuch ſhalbe thy be hauiour in it: as thou flatteredeſt to hauehave it, ſo ſhalt thou it it. And as thou boughteſt and ſouldeſt to get it, ſo ſhalt thou ſell in it to bye …auour and to be ſet by in the world. If thy principall in tent that thou ſeekeſt a benefice for, be lucre, then take hede to the example of thy forefather Symon Magus. Let thy Actes. ….care therefore be to do the office that God putteth thee in trulye, and the bleſſyng that he coupleth thereto that take with thankes, and neither care nor couet further.

Take no thought therefore ſaying: What ſhall we eate or what ſhall we drinke, or what ſhall we put on? all theſe thynges the heathen ſeke. Yea and your heauenly father knoweth that ye neede all p. 235theſe things. But ſeke firſt the kyngdome of God and the righteouſneſſe therof, and all theſe thynges ſhalbe miniſtred vntounto you.

Be not like the heathen which hauehave no truſt in God nor his word, nor beleue any life to come. Let them vexe them ſelues and ech be a deuill to an other ſor worldly thynges. But comfort Conenaūt. keepe couenaunt with God and he ſhal keepe promiſe wyth thee.thou thy ſelf with y^• hope of a better life in another worlde, euer aſſured that y^• ſhalt hauehave here ſufficient, onelyonly if thou keepe couenaunt with the Lord thy God, and ſeke his kyngdome and the righteouſneſſe therof aboue all things. The kyngdome of God, is the Goſpel and doctrine of Chriſt. And the righteouſneſſe Kingdome of heauen, what.therof, is to beleue in Chriſtes bloud for the remiſſion of ſinnes. Out of which righteouſneſſe ſpringeth louelove to God, & thy neighbour for his ſake, which is alſo righteouſneſſe as I hauehave ſayd afore, ſo farre as it is perfect, and that which lacketh is ſupplied by faith in Gods word, in that he hath promiſed to accept that, til more come. Then Righteouſnes of the kingdome of heauen, what it is.foloweth the outward righteouſneſſe of workes by the which, and diligent recording of Gods word together, we grow and waxe perfect and keepe our ſelues from goyng backe and loſyng the ſpirite agayne.

And theſe hauehave our ſpiritualtie with their corrupt doctrine myngled together: that is to ſay, the righteouſnes of the kyngdome of God, which is fayth in Chriſts bloud: & the outward righteouſnes of the mēbers that we aſcribe to the one that pertaineth to the other.

Seke the kingdome of heauen therfore and the righteouſneſſe of the ſame, and be ſure thou ſhalt euer hauehave ſufficient, and theſe thynges ſhalbe miniſtred vntounto the, that is to ſay: ſhall come of their owne accord by the promiſe of God: yea Chriſt promiſeth thee an hū dredfolde euen in this life, of all that thou leaueſt for his ſake. If that were true would ſome ſay, who would not rather ſerue him then Mammon? yet is it true. For firſt if thou be ſeruaunt of Mammō, thou muſt kepe thy God, and thy God not thee. And eueryevery man that is ſtrōger then thou, will take thy God from thee. Moreouer God will take either thee from thy Mammon, or thy Mammon from thee, ere thou wouldeſt, to aduenge▪ him ſelfe of thy blynd vnkyndneſſe, that when he hath made thee and geuen thee all, thou forſakeſt him and ſerueſt his mortall enemy. But if thou folow Chriſt, all the world (and let them take all the deuils I… thou folow Chriſt, thou canſt not…ſufficient liuing.in hell to them) ſhall not be able to diſappointe thee of a ſufficiēt lyuing. And though they perſecute thee from houſe to houſe a thouſand tymes, yet ſhall God prouide thee of an other with all things ſufficient to liue by. Now compare y^e ſuretie of his, with y^• incertaintie of the other: & then the bleſſed end of this (that heauē is promiſed thee alſo) with the miſerable departyng from the other ſo ſore agaynſt thy will, and then the deſperation that thy hart …eeleth that thou art all ready in hell. And thē may not this be wel called a thouſand fold more then the other.

Care not then for the day folowyng, but let the day folowyng care for it ſelfe. For the day that is preſent, hath euer inough of his owne trouble.

If thou looke well on the conenaūt Care.that is betwene thee & thy Lord God, on the one ſide, and the temptations of the worlde, the fleſhe and Satan on the other: thou ſhalt ſoone perceiue that the day preſent hath euer inough to be cared for, & for which thou muſt …ry inſtantly to God for helpe alſo, though thou do thy beſt. Now thē ſeing y^t day preſent is ouercharged with her owne care, what madneſſe is it to lade vponupon her alſo the care of the day folowing, yea the care of a yeare, ye of xx. yeare, or as though thou neuer entendeſt to die, and to torment and vexe the ſoule thorow miſtruſt and vnbeliefe, & to make thy life ſoure and bitter, and as vnquiet▪ as the lyfe of the deuilles in hell?

Therefore care day by day, & houre What we ought ch… …eſt to care for.by houre earneſtly to keepe the couenaunt of the Lord thy God, and to recorde therein day and night, and to do thy part vntounto the vttermoſt of thy power. And as for Gods part, let hym care for it himſelfe, and beleue thou his wordes ſtedfaſtly: and be ſure that heauen and earth ſhal ſooner periſhe then one iote bide behinde of that he hath promiſed. And for thine owne part alſo, care not of that maner, as though thou ſhouldeſt do all alone. Nay: God hath firſt promiſed to helpe thee: Secondarily to accept thine hart, and that little y^• thou art able to do, be it neuer ſo imperfect: Thirdly though wynde, weather & the ſtreame cary thee cleane contrary to thy purpoſe, yet becauſe thou bideſt ſtill in thy profeſſion, ready p. 236to turne the right courſe as ſoone as y^• tempeſt is a little ouer blowen, God promiſeth to forgeue that, & not y^t leſſe to fulfill his promiſes of one iote.

Doth Chriſt ſo defend his, that they Tempte. Why God letteth hys children be tempted with aduerſitie.neuer come in daunger of trouble? yes they come into ſuch ſtraites oft, that no witte nor reaſon can ſee any way out, ſaue fayth onelyonly is ſure that God hath & will make a way thorow. But that temptation is but for an houre to teach them, and to make them feele the goodnes of their father, and y^e paſſions of their brethren and of their maſter Chriſt alſo. It is but as a louyng mother, to make her childe to perceaue and feele her kindnes (to louelove her aagaine and be thankfull) letteth it hunger in a morning. And when it calleth for his breakfaſt, maketh as ſhe heard not, til for paine and impaciencie it beginneth to cry a good. And then ſhe ſtilleth it and geueth it all that it aſketh and more to, to pleaſe it. And when it is peaced and beginneth to eate, and reioyceth and is glad and fayne, ſhe aſketh who gaue thee that, thy mother? and it ſayth ye: Then ſayth ſhe: Am not I a good mother that geue thee all thynges? and it anſwereth, ye. And ſhe aſketh, wilt thou louelove thy mother. &c. And it ſayth ye, and ſo commeth it to the knowledge of hys mothers kindneſſe, and is thankfull. Such is the temptation of Chriſtes elect, and other wyſe not.

Here is not forbiddin all manner of What care is forbiddē.care, but that worldly and deuilliſhe care that ſpringeth of an inordinate louelove to worldly thynges, and of myſtruſt in God. As for an enſample: I couet inordinatly more then ſufficient, or but euē that I hauehave nede of. And it (becauſe I miſtruſt God and hauehave no hope in hym, and therefore pray not to him) commeth not: Then I mourne, ſorrow and pine away, and am whole vnquiet in mynehart. Or whether I hauehave to much or but ſufficient, and louelove it inordinatly: then I care for the keeking. And becauſe I miſtruſt God, & hauehave no hope in him, that he wil helpe me, therefore when I hauehave locked doores, chambers and cofers, I am neuer the nerer at reſt, but care ſtil and caſt a thouſand perilles, of which the moſt part were not in my might to auoyde though I neuer ſlept. And where this care is, there can the word of God hauehave no reſting place, but is choked vp as ſoone as it is ſowne.

There is an other care that ſpringeth out of the louelove of God (for eueryevery louelove hath her care) & is a care to keepe Care: wh… care eueryevery man ought to hauehave.Gods commaundementes. This care muſt eueryevery man hauehave. For a mā liueth not by bread onelyonly, but much more by eueryevery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The keping of Gods commaundement is the life of a man, as well in this world as in the worlde Gods commaundement is mans lyfe.to come. As childe obey father & mother, that thou mayſt long liue on the earth. And by father & mother is vnderſtand al rulers. which if thou obey, thy bleſſing ſhall be long life: and contrary if thou diſobey, ſhort life: and ſhalt either periſhe by the ſworde, or by ſome other plague, and that ſhortly. And euen ſo ſhal the ruler, if he rule not as God hath commaunded. Oppreſſe thou a widow and fatherleſſe children (ſayth God) and they ſhall cry to me, and I will heare their voyce, & Exod. xx.Exod 20then will my wrath waxe hot: ſo I will ſinite you with ſworde, & your wiues ſhall be widowes, & your children fatherles.

Some will ſay, I ſee none more proſper or longer continue then thoſe Why God ſuffereth tirauntes to proſper.that be moſt cruell tyrauntes. What then? yet ſay I that God abideth euer true. For where he ſetteth vp a tyraūt and continueth him in proſperitie, it is to be a ſcourge to wicked ſubiects that hauehave forſaken the couenaunt of the Lord their God. And vntounto them hys good promiſes pertayne not, ſaue hys curſſes onelyonly. But if y^e ſubiectes would turne and repēt, and folow the wayes of God, he would ſhortly deliuer thē. How be it, yet where the ſuperior corrupteth, the inferior which els is diſpoſed inough to goodnes, God wyll not let them long continue.