¶ The sum of the holy scripture/ and ordinary of the Christian teaching/ the true Christian faith/ by the which we be all justified. And of the virtue of baptism/ after the teaching of the Gospel and of the Apostles/ with an information how all estates should live according to the Gospel.  
Anno. M. CCCCC.XXIX.   

Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber  
seeing that all persons can not read or understand all books/ to th'intent that every man may know whate is the foundation of all the scriptures/ and whate thing they do teach us. I have shortly compiled in this present book/ the foundation and the some of the holy scripture of the which the heed and principal is the faith ●from whom proceed hope and charity. To th'intent that every man may know/ whate he shall believe/ whate he shall hope/ & why he shall love god/ and how god is our father/ and we his children/ and how that we be enheriters of the kingdom of god/ as showeth unto us saint Paul in all his epistles/ in diverse chapters●/ which be many times alleged/ and recited/ in this present book. Also how that without our merits we be justified to th'intent that we should not put our trust in our good works/ as did the jues. Nevertheless albeit that I write in this book that God justifieth us with out our good works and merits/ it is not mine intent to discounsell any man to do good works/ but mine evient is to teach all persons how they shall do the works/ and that they shall not trust upon their good works/ nor in them to seek their hel●●●▪ but all only in the faith of jesus Christ/ and in the grace of god.  
This faith had Abraham/ as writeth saint Paul unto the romans. 
Ro. 4.  For Abraham believed against hope in hope. That is to say/ that which by man's nature and virtue was impossible he believed always it should come to pass/ evyn as god had promised them. So must every christian live against hope in hope/ that is to say/ it behoveth that he repute all his good works for sin/ and think that if god would judge him according to his works he might not be saved. For if I have done any good it is of God/ and not of me/ for. I have done it by the grace of God/ and thereby I deserve no reward And if I have done any thing of my self without the grace of god/ it is ypochrisye and great sin/ and thereby I deserve everlasting death/ wherefore then shall I trust in my good works/ for I have no good works/ all my goodness belongeth to god. So should a christian humble him self and repute all his good works for sin as truly they be As showeth unto us Isaiah saying/ all our righteousness be as a cloth polluted with the flowers of a woman. 
Esa. 64.  And when the person so distrusteth of him self/ and of his good works he shall hope again against hope/ and shall trust in the mercy of God/ and shall believe forth on certainly that he shallbe saved because of the word of God. For god hath promised to us his realm to all them/ that trust in him/ and god is faithful and veritable in his words/ wherefore seeing that god hath promised it unto us▪ let us believe it stebfastly/ and have firm faith that we shallbe saved not by our deserving/ but by the promises of god. And so it behoveth that every christian despair and hope (as did Abraham) despair of him self/ and then a new to trust in the word of god. And these be the two things which the law and the gospel doth. The law maketh us to despair/ because that we never fulfil the commandments of god▪ These gospel (that is to say the grace of the new testament/ maketh us again certainly to hope and to trust. And for to teach these two things be written all the cript●res. The parson shall always abideth humility and always think that if god would judge him according to his works he should never come unto health. As showeth unto us jesus christ in. 
Lu. 17  S. Kuke saying/ when ye have done all the things which to you are commauded say ye/ we be unprousitable servants/ we have done but our duty. And this is the very Christian humility/ as in this present book shallbe more plainly declared And if we can thus repute all our good works for sin/ and in them to have no manner of trust and then again believe that we shallbe saved by the promises of god/ we be the children of Abraham/ of whom all the scriptures bear witness that by his faith he was justified/ and got health. And for that cause he is called the father of believers and of the faithful. And this is the faith whereof I write here in this book to th'intent that all parsons might come to knowledge and know whate is the Christian saith. Of the which all the scriptures do speak/ and namely the Gospel after S. john/ and the epistles of S. Paul/ for heryn do these two apostles comprehend all other scripture.  
And for because that it behoveth that the parson believe that his faith justifieth him/ and not his works I have shortly compiled here and declared how the faith doth justify us/ and how we be the children of God/ and how we must serve our father by charity/ and how that we shalt nothing doubt of our health because of the words of God. And when a parson getteth this hope he learneth to bear pacyenly all tribulation and adversite. For he knoweth that this life is not his life/ and hath great desire aftrr the other life/ and holdeth not this life for his. And this maketh the faith the which is always affectuously attendaunte after Christ our espouse. But he that hath not this faith is all desolate when he hath misfortune/ and if to him it happon well he giveth him self to voluptuousity and sin. And for because he hath no hope of the everlasting life he thinks in him silf I will use this life as long as it is lent me/ And that he doth because he knoweth not whate our faith is/ & whate our hope is/ & how that we be the children, of God.  
To th'intent therefore that none give him self to sin by desperation I have shortly compiled in this present book/ how that we be justified with out our merits. For when any parson hath done his best with all his power/ as I have said/ then let him say yet/ that he is an unprofitable servaunt. And the humble heart whereby he knowlegith his imperfection maketh that his sins/ his evil thoughts and the fragility of his flesh to him be pardoned of god and that little that he hath/ god giveth it him of him self/ and god is his justice/ that is to say/ god maketh him righteous, for jesus christ hath satisfied for us unto his heavenly father/ for to come in succour to our infirmity. And this describeth saint Paul in his first eight chapters unto the romans/ and in the first epistle unto the Corinthyans'/ and saint john in the second chapter of his first epistle. And of this matter treateth this present book.  
The last part of this book showeth how all estates should live/ if they will live according to the gospel. Mine intent is not to reform all estates aswell espirituell as secular. For of that I will not presume. But I show alonely by the scriptures how we should live if we would live according to the gospel/ to th'intent that every man may know/ how far his life is separate from the doctrine of jesus christ/ and that then with the grace of god he may amend and reform his life him self.  
Nether teach I/ that one should not obey unto the superiors 〈…〉 but I teach them by whate mean they shall know how they should live/ and when they do not so live that then they knowledge their defaults/ & do diligence so to live. For else were better before god an humble publican then an holy hypocrite for God regardeth not wh●te thing thou dost outwardly/ but how thou art ordained and disposed inwardly. 〈…〉   

¶ The table of the Chapters in general.  

The first fifteen chapters be of the baptism and of the faith.  
Of the life of Monks and whate it was in times passed. chapter xvi  
Whether the life of a monk be better than the life a● a common Cytezyn. chap. xvij.  
How it is that the Monks go not forward in spiritual life/ but wax o●ten worse. chapter xviij  
Of parents that will put their children in religion chapter xix  
Of the life of nuns and Chanonesses. chapter twenty  
Of the cloisters of Sisters and of their life. chapter xxi  
How man and wife shall live to gyther a doctrine after the gospel. chapter xxij  
how the parents shall teach and govern their children after the Gospel. chapter xxiij  
Of the life of the common citezyns or householders. chapter 24  
how the rich people should live an information and teaching after the Gospel. chapter xxv.  
Of two manner of regiments or governaunces ghostly & secular or worldly. Ca xxvi  
Of Rulers/ judges/ Balives/ and other like/ a information after the Gospel. chapter xxvij  
How that we must pay taxes and subsidies unto our princes. chapter xxviij  
Of men of war and of the war whether the christian may war without sin an information after the gospel. chapter xxix  
how servants should live a doctrine after the gospel. chapter xxx  
Of the life of widows a short information after the Gospel. chapter xxxi    

¶ Of the foundation of Christendom and first whate thing the baptism doth signify  
THe foundation of Christendom is the faith which so few people have perfectli And yet allweyes we think all that we have the very true faith. Saint Paul the worthy apostle doth exhort us to no virtue so strongly as unto the faith. And he in all his epistles praiseth nothing so moche as the faith. Therefore it must needs be that it be a precious vertuen/ for he writeth not one epistle which is not full of faith. We take the faith for the beginning of christian life: but truly he that hath parfaith faith the same hath not only begun the christian life/ but hath fulfilled it. And this error cometh because we know not whate the faith is/ nor whate thing a good christian aught to believe/ for to be saved▪ we think that when we be baptized/ and when we believe that god is god that then we shallbe saved. 
Mar. 19  As writeth. S. Mark saying. He that shall believe & shallbe baptized shallbe saved. But he that believeth not shallbe condemned. It is truth/ but among a thousand there is not one that knoweth whate thing the baptism betokeneth nor whate thing he shall believe.  
The water of baptism taketh not away our sin for then it were a precious water▪ And then it be●oved us daily to ●ass●e us the●i. Nether hath the water of the font any more virtue in her silf than the water that rynneth in the river of Ryne. 
Act. 8  For we may aswell baptize in Ryne/ as in the font. When saint Philip baptized Eunuchus the servaunt of Candace a queen of ethiop (as writeth saint Luke in the acts of thappostles) there was then no hallowed water/ nor candle/ nor salt/ nor cream neither white abite/ but he baptized him in the first water they came to upon the way. Hereby mayst thou perceyve that the virtue of baptism lieth not ●n hallowed water or in other outward things that we have at the font● but in the faith 〈…〉 to say when any parson 〈…〉 he must believe steadfastly that his 〈◊〉 to him are pardoned & that he is made the child of God and that god is become his father/ and y● made certain that he shallbe saved. And is made partaker of the passion of Christ whereof the baptism hath his virtue.  
And when one is baptized he is borne again/ and getteth an other father/ and other brethren for God is made his father/ and he is made the brother of jesus Christ: as writeth Saint Paul unto the romans where he calleth. Christ a son first begotten among other. 
Ro. 8.  And therefore is Christ called in the holy scripture the son first begotten/ for he is the first child of his father/ and we all are begotten afterward when we be baptized. And therefore is the baptism called in the holy scripture the second nati●●te. 
john. 3  As writeth saint john in his gospel. without one be borne again (saith Christ unto Nicodemus) he may not ●ntre into the kingdom of heaven. For we be thereby borne again/ and they that were the children of the devil because of the original sin are made the children of God by baptism. As saith Saint Paul Christ hath healed us by the bath of regeneration and renovation of the holy ghost. 
Ephe. 2  And unto the Ephesyans▪ we were by nature the children of wrath: but when we were deed Christ hath vivified us again by his great love/ And this shalt thou understand in this manner.  
There were sometime two Adam's/ as writeth saint Paul. The first Adam was our first father. The second and new Adam was jesus Christ. For the sin of the old Adam we were all children of the devil made his own and subjecteth unto him by our sin. The second Adam (that is to say jesus Christ) hath bought us again/ and hath put us in liberty/ and hath made us of the children of death/ children of everlasting life, and of the children of wrath children of grace: For jesus Christ hath by his death foughe against the devil hath vanquished the devil/ and death/ and hath taken away all their right they had over us.  
Now then when we be baptized we be made partakers of this grace/ and so is it come to our profit that jesus christ died for us. For (as I have now said) the baptism hath his virtue of the death of jesus christ. Then when we be baptized/ we betoken that we will die with Christ/ we betoken/ I say/ that we will die as unto the life passed as touching our sins & evil concupiscences: and that/ as saith. S. Paul/ we must walk in a new life. 
Ro. 6  And therefore be we plunged under the water: to th'intent that by the manner of speaking/ we should be here deed and buried/ as writeth saint Paul unto the romans 
Ro. 6.  brethren/ saith he/ Esteem ye that ye are deed as concerning sin but allied unto god: by jesus christ our lord. And in the same place: Ye are buried with Christ by baptism into death. So that we shall not live after the life of the world nor after the life of the flesh but we must live as the children of god. And our life shall be hid before the world and also hid with Christ in god/ as writeth saint Paul saying: 
Col. 3  If ye be mortified and your life is hid with jesus christ in god in whate time that jesus christ our life shall show him silf then also shall ye be made manifest with him in glory. Then when our lord shall come again at the last day of judgement our life shallbe made open: but as long as we live here we must learn all to die▪ For we shall not repute this life that we have here for a life.  
This life here is of the world and of worldly things that is to say of them/ that be strangers to God that have no trust of the other life to come. Nether do they look for it nor desire it. Such people joy of this world/ for the world with his vain desires and pleasances belongeth to them. 
john. 15. and, 16.  And they them silves be also called the world in the holy scripture. As sayeth our lord Christ in saint john. You be not of the world/ but I have chosen you from the world. And again. The world shallbe ioyons and you shallbe sorry: Now call we all them worldy which be not monks. Our lord made a distinction between the world & his disciples before the monks came into the world. Wherefore they be not called the world in holy scripture which be not monks: but all those that live after the flesh which desire not here to die with jesus christ/ and to be hidden here after to live with God. All such whatesoever they be are worldly be he monk or chanone/ nun or Sister/ nobil or unnoble great or small. For (as I have said) the life of them which apperteyn to God is here hid/ and they seem to be deed before the world. For they live not commonly according to the life of the world. And therefore they be hated of the world/ for they be not of the world/ as sayeth the Gospel in this manner. They be not of the world/ for if they were of the world/ the world surely would love them as his own. 
john. 15.  But for as much as they (according to their promise made at the font of baptism) do apply them silves to renounce the pleasures of the world and to die with christ in killing of the desires of the flesh/ and also are strongly against the appetites of the flesh in other by ensample of their good lyving therefore be they persecuted of the world.  
And hereby may we always know the disciples and children of God: if they love to gyther the one the other. And y● they live not here after the life of the world nor after the pleasure of the flesh/ and if they do not repute this life for a life/ but abide with a joyful heart the coming of our lord jesus christ. Then shall their life be made open/ and shall appear before God.  
So should we all live here/ as though this life were not our life. For we must abide our life before God/ and we may do none other thing in this life but fight. against our evil desires/ and learn to die (for as the prophet job sayeth) the life of man is a battle upon earth/ that is to say a battle in a ghostly death. 
job. 2  And this do we promise to do when we be baptized/ and we signify even the same/ when we be plunged under the water.   

¶ Whate thing the baptism betokeneth/ and how it is but a sign. chapter. ij.  
THen when we be baptized it behoveth us to know surely and to believe that all our sins to us are pardoned and that we be made the children of god. For god is become our father/ and jesus christ our brother. And that same right that jesus christ hath unto the glory of his father/ have we also gotten/ for the brethren have equal right unto their father's goods. And this have we not gotten by our good works/ for we have yet done no good: when we were baptized But this cometh holly by the grace of god and by our faith/ by that we put our hole trust in him/ and that we knowledge him for our lord and savionre. And that we believe all that he hath done and suffered for us. for he died to make us to live. 
●Cor. 8  He became little and poer to make us great and rich. As saith Saint Paul in this manner ye know the liberality of our lord Christ/ which though he were rich/ yet for your sakes became poor: that ye through his poverty might be made rich/ for jesus christ is wholly given to us of his father/ to th'intent that he should make us great rich and happy by his death For we could not help our silves & therefore he was borne for us. As saith isaiah A child is borne to us. 
Esa. ●  For we were all equally debtors/ and bound to god/ by the sin of Adam.  
Then when we could not help our silves/ for asmuch as we were servants and subjects unto the devil/ god hath given to us two no table gifts/ and hath done two things for the love that he hath unto us. First that he hath bought us and made us free from the devil/ and from our sins. Secondly that he hath made us his children and heriters of his glory/ and that all without our deserving. As said before the prophet. Isaiah saying. 
Esa. ●  The iniquity of jerusalem (that is to say of the man seeing by faith peace in jesus Christ) to him is pardoned/ and he hath received of the hand of the lord god twice as much for all his sins. 
Zacha●  And the prophet Zacharie saith also. Turn you unto defence/ I will give you double● as much. In the which places these two prophets say that for our sins/ for the which we have deserved damnation/ we have received of God two gifts. And therefore is there issued out of the side of jesus Christ two fontaygnes/ that is to say blood and water. By his blood he hath bought us again from the devil. By the water he hath washed and purged us which were defiled and 〈◊〉.) For to offer us pure and clean unto his father. As sayeth Saint Paul unto the ephesians. 
●phe. 5  He hath given him self for us an offering/ and a sacrifice of a sweet savour to god. And the water of the font doth now betoken the water of the side of jesus christ In this water be we purged and sanctified by our faith/ to th'intent that we should come pure and clean before God/ the father which hath received us for his children/ and hath made us inheritors of his glory/ with his son jesus christ our brother. And this is the grace the which cometh to us and is given at the font of baptism.  
But to th'intent that we should not be unkind/ therefore for this grace we do bind our silves again and yield us unto him/ promising that we will serve him/ & deny the devil/ & all his temptation/ pomp/ & counsel/ & that we will serve Christ crucified for us/ and upon this promise receyve we our name/ & god hath written us as in a roll for his champions & servants/ and so be we made proper to god. For he is our father/ and we be his children.  
This baptism was figured unto us when the children of Israel went through the red see out of Egypt/ & 
Exo. 1●  when Pharo with all his company was drowned in the see. The children of Israel went in the see all as though they had gone into death. But for because they believed unto Moses'/ they passed the water by their faith. And be (after the manner of speaking) gone out of the death into life. when they hath gotten on the other side/ on land Pharo followed them/ and so was drowned with his people. So doth everyone upon the font when he is baptized. First he fle●th from Pharo/ when he beginneth for to knowledge his subjection/ and bondage by the which he was subject and servaunt unto the devil/ and when he desireth to be enfranchised from his sin/ and from Pharo that is the devil But he may not escape from Pharo without passing through the red see/ that is to say/ he may not escape from the devil without he must be baptized. And for because that the children of Israel when they saw that Pharo followed them believed god/ therefore upon that faith in god/ they be entered into the see/ as though they were gone into death. But by the mean of three faith/ they have passed the water and are gone as from the death unto life.  
So if any man will escape from the hands of the devil it behoveth him to enter into the water. He entereth therein/ as though he entered into the death/ for he promiseth that he will die as concerning all his evil desires/ and that he will here live before the world as though he were deed (that is to say) that he will not live as the world liveth/ but will hide and cover his life with god. And so enter we by faith into the font (that is to● say) by faith we enterprise to enter into the death/ not into corporal death/ but into the death of sin/ no more willing to live in sin. And yet all be it that it seem to us a pleasant thing to live in sin/ and that we think it an hard thing/ thus to enter into the see (that is to say/ into this death/ we take always courage/ and believe & trust in the pnissaunce and goodness of God/ and so enter we into the see (that is to say) into this espirituell death/ and we enterprise and promise to die as concerning our sins. And as by a steadfast faith and trust we dare begin to enter/ so giveth God unto us grace and strength to pass through that see/ that is to say/ through this espirituell death/ and to come on land on the other side (that is) unto the everlasting life. Pharo (that is to say) the devil with our sins pursue us. but they drown them silves in the water (that is to say) the power of the devil and of all our sins perish when we enter into the water with such a faith.  
When Pharo was deed then song the children of Israel/ and thanked god/ that they were arryved a land out of the water/ as out of the death. So likewise must every christian/ when out of this water/ that is to say/ out of this espirituell death he cometh unto life/ that is to say/ when he dieth he shall thank and praise God because he hath brought him out of such a danger/ unto the health of everlasting life. But as long as he is yet here in this world/ he shallbe in the death/ that is to say/ he shall always die spiritually/ and his life shallbe hidden before the world with God. Here mayst thou well see how that our baptism is signified by the red see/ as writeth saint Paul unto the Corinthyans' saying. 
1. Cor. 10  Our fathers were all under a cloud/ a●d did pass the see all and were all baptized in Moses'/ in the cloud/ and in the see/ and they all did eat one spiritual meat/ and they all did drink one spiritual drink. So seest thou well whate thing signifieth the baptism/ and whate thing we promise in the same.  
Now: to th'intent that we should be always remembering of this that we have promised we be merked with a cross/ and with that water. The faith that we have at the baptism taketh away our sins/ and the water is nothing but a sign or token/ where with we be merked that we must be under the standard/ that is to say under the cross of jesus Christ/ and valiantly fight. As the jews had the token of the circumcision/ whereby men might know whether they were jews or ●aynyms. And as when the servants of the lords bear the badge of their lords/ one may thereby know whose servants they be. So like wise receyve we the sign of baptism at the font/ by the which we give knowledge that Christ is our lord.  
Secondly/ the baptism of the water is also a sign of the grace of God. whereby God maketh us sure/ that we shall enjoy his grace and mercy/ and that he pardoneth us our sins/ and maketh us his children. Here upon giveth he to us the token of baron for a gage/ to th'intent that we should be sure/ that he will not forsake us in our battle and death/ which we lead here in our evil desires and sins. And that he will surely give to us the everlasting life. And to th'intent them that we should enterprise by a steadfast constance to fight/ being assured and certain that god will never forsake us/ for we have ●●●ceyved of him a gage the token of baptism. And if it happon that we miss sum●tyme in the red see (that is to say) in th● enterprise of our battle/ and that 〈◊〉 doubt/ or that our battle seem to us 〈◊〉 hard and bitter/ we shall behold our sig●ne and gauge which we have received 〈◊〉 god/ whereby he hath promised us 〈◊〉 we be his children/ and that he will not 〈◊〉 us.  
So say I then that by pure faith at● our sins be to us pardoned/ and that 〈◊〉 be the children of god/ and that we belon● to god/ and that god shall show over 〈◊〉 his mercy. Here upon receive we a 〈◊〉 that is the sign of baptism to thintent tha● as o●ten as we have regard unto this sign/ we should be mindful of the grace 〈◊〉 mercy that god hath done unto us/ & tha● we belong to god/ and that we be the children of god.  
Behold now thou seest well wha● thing the baptism betokeneth/ & it is 〈◊〉 one before god if thou be lxxx year old● or twenty year old when thou receav● the baptism/ for god regardeth not hou● thou art/ but with whate purpose and ●tencyon/ and with whate faith thou re●avest this baptism and grace. He regar●●th not whether thou be Jew/ or payny●e/ man or woman/ noble or unnoble/ bis●●ope or cytezyn. But alonely he that with 〈◊〉 parfait faith and trust cometh unto god 〈◊〉 maketh violence unto the everlasting 〈◊〉 & 
Mat. 26.  getteth it as promiseth jesus christ 〈◊〉 the gospel.   

¶ Whate thing we promise at the baron and whate profession we make. chapter. iij.  
WHen one warneth these/ worldly people to do any good/ they say/ let the monks and religious do it/ which have promised it/ as though they were not bound to 〈◊〉 the doctrine of jesus christ/ or as tho●gh they had nothing promised. All be it ●hat no monk can promise more than he ●ath promised at the baptism.  
And we be moche more bound unto 〈◊〉 promise made at the baptism/ then 〈◊〉 any religious unto his profession. For we make no promise unto man/ but unto god/ and we promise not to kept the rule of a man but of the gospel. Think ye no● therefore that it is a small thing to be a christian/ when thou hast promised to Iesu● christ to amend thy life/ ad that thou 〈◊〉 not live according to the world/ nor according to the flesh. It is a great thing 〈◊〉 enterprise the Christian faith/ which 〈◊〉 few people do know whate thing it containeth/ namely such as here after 〈◊〉 world do seem to be very wise & lettered.  
But one might say I have nothing promised to God/ I was a child/ let him keep it that hath promised for me. For this cause to th'intent that no man should so say/ it was sometime ordained that none should be baptized before that he cam● to understanding and knowledge/ to th'intent that he might promise him life/ and forsake the devil/ and that he might know what thing he had promised If it were not that the children were feeble & in peril of death them they must have been baptised.  
Now always albeit that we our self have not promised we be allegally bound to observe it. For if thou hadst died when thou were but a year old/ thou had dost also be saved, thou wilt say ye/ by the ●aith of my godfathers & godmothers/ and 〈◊〉 holy church. I say again. dost thou ●fesse that the faith of thy godfathers and godmothers is so mighty that thou mayst ●erby be saved. The same faith is likewise mighty to subject the & bind the to that 〈◊〉 that they have promised for the 〈◊〉 pain of thy damnation/ & loss of thy 〈◊〉. wherefore thou must as well keep this ●hat thy parents have promised for thee/ as ●hough thou hadst promised it thy self. The godfathers & godmothers be bound 〈◊〉 warn the children/ & to help them that ●hey be put to stole/ to th'intent that they ●ay understand the gospel the joyful mes●age of god with the epistles of. S. Paul For the unlettered & simple people be as ●ell bound to know them as the lettered & 〈◊〉. And god hath commanded for to publish & to show the gospel not allonly to ●restes/ but also unto every creature. Go ●e saith Christ unto his disciples/ into the ●niuersal world/ & preach the gospel to every creature, 
Mar. 16  for we be all equally bound to ●now the gospel & the doctrine of the new testament/ & saint Paul hath not alonely written his pistles unto the priests/ but also Citezyns and householders. And this witnesseth saint Paul him self writing unto the Corinthians and unto the Galathians: 
●Cor. 1  where he confesseth that he sendeth his epistles to all the church/ that is to say to all thassemble of Christian men/ and to all them that call on the name of jesus. And unto the romans he saith: To you all that be at Rome the friends of god. 
Ro. 1.  And jesus Christ hath aswell suffered death for the common householder/ as for the priests. God shall always require the scriptures of the priests/ for they be idle and do not study/ nor make no diligence to declare them unto the simple.  
Therefore it is very needful that the common people should understand the gospel and the doctrine of the apostles according to the letter/ and that they know them by heart with the other stories of the old testament/ for so should they more lightly understand the preachers.  
It were also very necessary that every one did learn his children to read as men were wont to do afore tyme. The jews had their law in Hebrew/ the which every one might understand according to the letter. After this the paynims were converted by saint Paul/ to whom he wrote-in greek/ which they all did undstond. After that was Italy and affryque converted where as well the women as the men spoke latin/ & for this cause was the bible translated into latin to th'intent that every one might understand it/ and they preached in latin/ and the prophets were red in the Italien churches in latin. And in that time there were many ladies and women/ which understood very well the scriptures/ as was Paul● and Eustochium Demetrias and Marcelia ● many other/ of whom w●iteth saint Iherome/ and the common householders red the bible in their houses with their children. So is it now of great necessity that the holy scripture be translated into all languages/ or that all the children learn the latin tongue.  
Some man would say every man may not set his children to s●ole because they be poor, wherefore I would well that the children of the poor were hold to school at thexpenses of the commonalty/ or that folks should take the money which they spend so outrageously in making and gild of images/ and in dressing the aultres of the churches/ and in building of monasteries Chanonryes' and chapels and founding of Obites and prebends. Or of the money that men offer in churches/ and of the which men make vessels of gold and silver and other precious ornaments. They might enploy this money a thousand fold better/ if their with they did hold these young children to school/ till such time that they cord read well. For (alas) ye shall find thousands of ancient persons that can not say the pater noster and Crede in their mother tongue/ and of them that say it in latin are many that wot not whate they say/ nor know not of never an article of the faith. Wherefore I say that it is expedient for the christian to set all their children to skole till they can read a●d understand the holy scriptures namely when they be written in their mother tongue. And then they that had not wit and understanding worthy to be continued at school/ should be caused to learn an occupation. If they did thus they should bring into the world double prou●fit. First we should not have such a great number of priests and monks unlettered and knowing nothing in the christian church. For now there are made many priests/ monks and freres/ that for lack of literature are nothing convenient for that office. By the unlettered priests is this great error comen into the world/ that is/ that in the stead of the pure scriptures which is the lyvely word of God/ which they know not/ they preach narrations fables lies and traditions of the invention of the yppochrites/ that (alas) the faithful trust & honour which belongeth to god's word/ they cause the people to give to their fables and lies.  
Secondly it would proufit, for if every body went so long to skole/ they should understand more lightly the preachers/ & if they them silves/ had red the stories or the Gospel after the letre/ then they might rehearse to their children & servants/ in doing of their business/ some thing of the gospel of the stories or of the scripture/ instede of vain fables/ idle words/ & uncovenabill matters which they speak the one to the other. As we see sometime now a days/ that fellows of one craft which have been at school/ sing many times the song in doing their bussynesse/ which they have learned to sing at the school or at the church/ and the other vileyn songs/ for they have learned none other thing.   

¶ Whate thing is the Christian faith/ and whate thing one ought to believe to have health. chapter. iiij.  
I Have said at the beginning that the foundation of Christendom is the faith which so few people have: and understand not whate the faith is, we think that when we believe that god is god/ and can our creed that we have the faith that a Christian is bound to have. The devil believeth also that there is a God/ and one life everlasting and one hell/ but he is never the better for it. Ye and he trembleth always for this faith/ as faith saint james. 
jam. 2.  The devil's believe and they tremble.  
Som● man might axe whate shall I then believe. Thou shalt believe then first plainly and undoubtedly that the father/ the son/ and the holy ghost/ is one only god● And this thou shalt not desire to understand how/ nor busy thy self moche therein: for this is not the principal that we must believe: Our faith lieth not principally therein. For this likewise believe the wicked spirits as is said before and are nothing the better therefore. There is yet an other faith which Christ so moche requireth of us in the gospel/ and where unto also saint Paul almost in all his epistles so strongly exhorteth us. That is that we must first believe the gospel, when our lord began first to preach he said (as rehearseth saint Mark) have repentance and believe in the gospel. 
Mar. 1.   
Thou mayst axe me/ whate thing is the gospel? Hit is a good and joyful message or glad tidings. For it is news of the favour/ grace/ mercy/ and goodness of god toward us. It is (I say) tidings that god hath taken us to mercy/ and therefore song the angels when Christ was borne (as rehearseth saint Luke) 
Lu. ●  I show unto you great joy/ for this day is borne your saviour which is Christ the lord In this gospel that is to say in this message we believe certainly that god the father hath sent hither his son/ for to buy us again to enfraunchise us/ and to deliver us from the devel to whom we were made subjects and servants/ by the sin of our fore father, we could not help ou● silves/ because we were servants and b●nde. None of us was abill to satisfy for us For we were all like wise subjecteth, as saith Saint Paul unto the romans. 
Ro. 3.  They have all sinned and have need to the grace of god. It was needful then that he that should satisfy for us should be without sin without subjection or obligation. And no such patron or mediator was there found in the world. Then this one thing was of necessity that other we must abide lost for ever/ or it behoved that god should be made man. So hath our god almighty had pity and compassion on us by the great love that he had toward us and hath sent his only son jesus christ. 
Heir. 31  As writeth the prophet Hieremye saying: I have loved them a-perpetuell charity/ therefore I have drawn the having mercy. He hath sent him to th'intent/ that b● his death which he had not deserved/ he might appease God and satisfy him for us. 
Co●. 5  As writeth saint Paul. All is of God/ which hath reconcilyed us unto him by christ. Then is Christ made a mediator between god and man and hath offered him self an oblation for us to his father/ whereby he hath reconciled us again and made our peace. And for because the devil did set his hand upon Christ to whom he had no right he hath so lost all his right which he had over us. And so are we delivered from the servitude and subjection of the devil/ and belong unto Christ. And by that that the son of god is now made man/ he is also made our brother. And if we be his brethren/ we be also enheriters with him of the glory of his father. 
Ro. 8.  As writeth saint Paul unto the roman/ saying. If we be children we be also heirs with Christ. And we have as much and as great right to heaven as jesus Christ him self. For christ is a son of God/ so be we/ reserved/ that he is a son natural/ and was for ever without beginning the son of God. But we be the children of God allonly by the goodness and grace of God/ which he hath done to us, as sayeth Saint Paul. 
Ephe. 1.  He hath predestinate us into an election of the children of God. Then is it this comen to pass/ that we must believe surely/ that we be the children of god/ and that god is our father.  
Secondly thou shalt steadfastly believe the words of god/ that is to say/ that all that god hath saide shall come to pass and be done/ without any f●lse. 
e'en. 17 and. 2●  As did the faithful Abraham which when god had promised to him (a thing impossible in all man's reason) that he should have a son of his barren wife Sara/ of whom kings of the people should arise/ and that in his seed all people should be blessed (all be it that it was a thing against nature that a woman of four score and ten years old should conceyve and bear a child) believed undoubtedly/ and as the child was borne god as ●●rforth as could appear unto man's judgement/ working clean contrary to his promise/ commanded that he should s●e him and make sacrifice of him. Abraham albeit that all carnal wisdom would have persuaded him to have despaired in the promise/ never doubted/ was all ready to do it/ beleving steadfastly that it should rather be possible/ that his son should rise again from death/ rather than the word and promise of god should not be true. So steadfast and so certain must we stand unto the word of god/ ye and although it were so/ that all men angels and devil's would persuade us to the contrary/ we must believe surely that the word of god is true/ & that he will fulfil all that he hath promised.  
Whate thing hath god promised us? 
Ma. ● 4 Mar. 16  he hath promised us his everlasting life/ saying: repent the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
Mar. 16  And in an other place: whosoever shall believe and be baptized shall be saved He hath also promised unto us remission of all our sins/ as said saint Peter speaking of Christ to Cornelius the centurion To him (said he) 
Act. 10  giveth all the prophets witness/ that thorough his name shall receyve remission of sins all that believe in him/ that is to say/ that all they that with entire courage forsake they m s●lfe and put all there trust in the grace and mercy of him/ shall have remission of all there sins. Moreover he hath promised us that we shall be the children of God/ as saith saint john. 
john. 1.  He hath given to them power to be the children of god/ to them that believe in his name. All this must we believe steadfastly/ all though that we think it impossibill after our works and sinful life. We must also with a parfait courage put all our trust in god/ as did Abraham for as saint Paul writeth. Abraham believed god and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. 
Ro. 4.  Then when with a parfayt courage/ we do so put all our trust in god/ and in his promises it is impossible that we should perish. For he hath promised us his life everlasting. And for asmuch as he is almighty and may all thing he may well hold to us that he hath promised. And in that that he is merciful and true he will hold to us his promise if we can believe it steadfastly/ and put all our trust in him. For as (without our mertes) he hath made us his children/ and heirs upon the font of baptism/ so may he likewise give to us/ that thing that he hath promised us/ if we can only trust in him/ albeit that we have not 〈◊〉 served it by our works.  
Therefore be not discomfort nor yndesperacyon for thy sins though thou hast not deserved by thy good works ●hat god hath made the his heir. for as sayeth saint Paul: By grace are ye saved by faith and that not of your silves. 
Ephe. 2  And again: It is the gift of god and cometh not of works▪ lest any man should host him silf. For when we were yet sinners/ and before that we have done any good: Ye when we were yet his enemies he hath not spared his own son but (to make ●s likewise his children and heirs by him) 
Ro. 8  hath delivered him unto death/ to make sa●sfaction for our sins/ to purchase us pardon and forgiveness to make us one as he is in Christ/ and Christ in him/ that 
john. 17  ●o we in god and Christ might be one/ that the world may know that he hath loved us as he hath loved Christ that there as he is we may be with him that we may see his glory which he hath given him because he loved him before the world began. 
Ro. 8.  Here mayst thou see (if thou canst believe it) that it is god that justifieth who is it then that shall condemn/ who shall lay any sin to the charge of God's elect/ sith christ is ●eed for our sins/ & risen again for our ●ustificacion which also sitteth at the right hand of god the father and prayeth for us.  
Behold whate a servant occasion go● hath given the to love him/ when thou w●●re yet his enemy. wherefore let no tribulation/ anguish/ persecution/ fere/ imprisonment/ hunger/ nakedness/ nor swords separate us from the love of god. Wherfo●re if any would discomfort us (be he aun●gell or devil) let us not believe him/ 〈◊〉 the promises of god may not be distroyed● If thou canst surely/ and steadfastly believe in god/ he will hold his promise. He hath sworn to us/ to th'intent we should believe him. But if thou believe him not/ and 〈◊〉 by thy sins thou comest in despair/ 〈◊〉 abideth steadfast in his promise/ but tho● holdest not thy faith. As sayeth saint Pa●ul to Timothe. 
2. Timo. 2  A faithful word for if we be ded with him we shall live like wys● with him. For god hath bound him self to us: and for because of his promise he owes unto us heaven/ in case that we believe him. But if we believe him not he oweth to us nothing.  
Reed all the Evangelists thorough● and ye shall not find that our lord Iesu● christ hath so moche exhorted us to anya thing as unto faith/ nor that he hath so 〈◊〉 hated and reproved any thing in his disciples as incredulite. As it is written in 〈◊〉 Mathewe in the xiiij chapter that ●hen saint Petre went upon the water ●nd doubted. O thou of little faith (said ●esus) why diddest thou doubt? Also to 〈◊〉 paralitique (that is to say a man sick of 〈◊〉 paisey) believe son thy sins be forgy●en the. And unto the woman labouring 〈◊〉 a bloody flix. 
Mat. 9  Believe daughter thy ●●nnes are forgiven the. And unto the fa●●er of the possessed in the ix of Mark: If ●●ou couldst believe all things are possible unto him that believeth: and unto thap●ostles which could not cast out the devel ●om the same possessed: O generation without faith how long shall I be with you ●●reby mayst thou lightly know how ●any times our lord Christ hath reproved his disciples of their infidelity. And ●oyses could not bring the people of If ●ell into the land of promission/ because 〈◊〉 gave not the glory to god/ and that he ●egan to doubt of god to th'intent that he●●by we might know that allonly one steadfast faith and trust in God may bring 〈◊〉 unto the lon● of promission of the kingdom of heaven: As it is written in De●teronomion. where the prophet Moyse● saith unto the people of Israel. Thou shalt not enter into the land of promission because of thine own righteousness and the equity of thine heart: but because tha● god will fulfil his word which he hath promised by oath made unto thy father's Abraham Isaac and jacob. And therefore is it called the land of promission: for that we be saved that cometh not thorough 〈◊〉 good works: but that our god hat● so promised. And we must steadfastly and without doubt believe that god will 〈◊〉 power unto his words as far forth a● with a parfait courage we believe in him. For God hath bound him self unto us & hath promised us that he will give us the everlasting life. For he desireth nothing but our health. And he biddeth us that we shall pray unto him. For he will hei● us graciously as he promiseth us in the gospel/ saying. And whate soever ye 〈◊〉 in my name that will I do. 
john. 14.  And he is ready at all hours to forgive us our sins when we have repentance: As saith the prophet ezechiel. 
Eze. 18.  If the wikked tour●he him silf from his sinful life to righteousness he shall live and not die: and I will no more have remembrance of thiniquity that he hath done. And saint Paul unto the romans. All they that believe and trust in him shall not be shamed. And johel the proprete as reciteth saint Paul: All they that shall call on the name of god shallbe saved. That is to say they (that by a steadfast faith abide upon god as did the good thief that was crucified with christ which when he with a steadfast believe had called upon Chryst was answered: this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And as did Mary magdaleyne to whom it was likewise said/ thy faith hath saved the go thou in peace) shallbe saved.  
Thirdli we must also believe that god desireth none other thing but our health. and therefore whatesomever thing happon to us here be we in health or in disease/ rich or poor/ honoured or despised/ noble or unnoble/ alive or deed: we shall always be content whate thing soever god send knowing certainly that nothing cometh without the will & sufferance of god. for if it so be that one lief falleth not from the tree & that a sparrow or a fly descend not on the earth without the will of your father? How moche more cometh there nothing to us without the will and sufferance of god? As writeth saint Mathewe/ where our lord sayeth be not two sparrows sold for a penny and none of them doth light on the ground without your father. Then whate soever thing god send us let us receyve it yielding to him thanks with good heart: 
● Mat. 10  as did Abraham which forsook his country and his land as it is written in the book of Genesis where god said to Abraham: go out of thy country and out of thy lineage/ and go into the land that I will show thee: which also was ready to kill his well-beloved son Isaac. Now seeing that we be the children of Abraham/ and that we have obtained health by mean of the saith of Abraham. As saith our lord in. S john. If ye be the children of Abraham/ do the works of Abraham. And therefore must we bear all things patiently/ and with good will which god will that we shall suffer and bear. For if he knew that they were not covenable and profitable for us/ he would let them they should not come as de●th/ war/ pestilence/ poverty/ malady adversity/ persecution/ discomfort for our children: loss of our temporal goode●: 
Ro. 14.  finally the very death. For as saint Paul saith. whether we live or die we are always the lords. And therefore the Christian shall not be troubled for none such things but shallbe rather joyful as were thappostles whom god had made worthy to suffer any thing for his ●ove. For it is a sure token that thou art the child of god if thou have patience. for it is written by saint. 
Act. 5.  Luke in th'acts of thappostles that th'apostles were joyful that they were reputed worthy to suffer dishonour before the world for the love of god. And god hath promised nothing else to his disciples in this world but pain & tribulation: as Christ saith in saint john 
john. 16  Ye shall weep and lament/ and the world shall rejoice/ and again in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer/ for I have overcome the world.  
And there is not a more certain sign that a man shallbe dampened then when he leadeth here an yvell life & hath always prosperity. for this prosperity shallbe his paradise. On the contrary part there is not a more certain sign of everlasting health then when a man liveth justly/ and hath always adversite: for that is it that god sendeth us for our sins and our purgatory: or so to make open his glory in our patience. And therefore shall the Christian always more rejoice when he suffereth adversity and tribulation then when all things cometh prosperously unto him. For prosperity in an evil life signifieth commonly that god hath reproved the parson. ● it maketh him to forget God. But adversite signifieth commonly that god loveth the person: And the parson is warned by tribulation and sufferance to call upon god for succour. 
Hebre. 12  For as saith saint Paul him that God loveth him doth he chastise: and he stourgeth every child that he receyveth For whate is the child that the father doth not chastise? And if ye be out of the discipline and chastisement of the which all the children of god have been part takers/ ye are then bastards and not sons. And in th'apocalypse speaketh God and sayeth: 
Apo. 3  as many as I love I rebuke and chastise. Also Solomon in the Proverbes saith: them that the lord god loveth he rebuketh. 
Pro. 3●  Therefore let none be sorry when tribulation/ malady/ pestilence/ or also the death it silf cometh/ But let him alweyes accord his will to the will of god/ and suffer patiently & joyfully knowing for troth/ that it is all the good & holy will of God our right good father. And let him thank him that it pleaseth him to make him/ worthy to suffer any manner tribulation for his sake as did job and Thobias/ and many other. For without doubt god knoweth whate thing is healthful for us. And he that murmureth & grudgeth against god in tribulation is not a Christian. For he believeth not that god governeth & entreatith him for his health. But whate are we ought else than earth in the hand of a potter? As saith saint Paul in this manner: 
Ro. 9  O man whate art thou that dost this murmur against god? may the pot say unto him that made him why hast thou made me on this fashion? Nay. And as the potter may make such a pot as he will of the earth so be we in the hands of god▪ & we must be content with all that god will do with us▪ for we be his we live or die saith saint Paul. 
Ro. 14.  For this cause he that with a steadfast faith suffereth and endureth patiently all things & tribulations is a christian. And this is the faith and the steadfast stone upon the which the cristente is founded. For in this doing we believe and trust steadfastly that god is our father and that he will not forsake us: albeit that now he do here chastise us for as I have said there can be no more certain sign that god loveth the. than when sorrow and tribulation happeneth unto the. for all the scriptures of the new testament promise us here nothing but sorrow and sufferance.   

¶ Of the most certain weigh to come to salvation. chapter. v.  
THis must every Christian know that none sins the time of Adam unto this day hath deserved the everlasting life by his good works. And that none by his good works shall deserve it: 
Hebre. 7  as writeth saint Paul unto the Hebrews. The law hath brought nothing unto perfection. wherefore all they do err that think that then they shallbe saved when they have done many good works. And like wise all they that think that they shallbe dampened when they have done no good. For good works make no man certain that he shallbe saved And he that hath done no good is not also certain that he shallbe dampened. The works can give no manner certeynte. For the Pharisey that had done much good which looked for great reward of god was reproved/ and despised. 
Luke. ●  As writeth saint Luke where the pharisee thanked god that he was not as other were extortioners/ unjust/ advoutrers'/ nor as the publican was: and boasted him silf of his good works. And the publican that had done no good and confessed meekly his sins was of God received unto grace, for this cause to th'intent that every man may know that god hath no need of our good works for to save us/ with all I will declare here first how we be justified and obtain health.  
First we must know that by the original sin we were made subjects and servants unto the devil/ and none in the world mought help us for all mankind was debtor unto God. And that worse was we did not knowledge our misery nor are succour of god. Then when there was no comfort nor mean to help us and to deliver us again from the subjection of the devil: Our god almighty by his great mercy and goodness of him silf hath willingly suffered that his only begotten son jesus Christ was made mortal man for us to th'intent that by his death which he had not deserved he might by us again and deliver us from eternal death whereunto we were all subjects. As writeth saint Paul saying. 
Ro. 5  If it be so that by the sin of one man (that is to say of Adam) death hath reigned upon many/ moche more the grace of god and the gift of grace of one man jesuchrist aboundeth upon many. 
Ephe. 2  And unto the Ephesians. Blessed be God father of our lord jesus christ which hath blessed us with a spiritual benediction by his son Christ. Thus is this grace comen hoelly to us from god of his goodness and not by our merit/ or good works. For we did not knowledge our bondage and subjection nor did not once desire to be delivered from our misery.  
Then for asmuch as the devil did se● hand upon Chryst/ to whom he had no right for because he had not sinned christ hath gotten right upon us against the devil and hath made us free and delivered us and we be made his heirs and all his glory is ours: as saint Paul doth largely declare in all his epistles. This hath God given us without our deserving and we need not to labour for these things. For we have all this already. As witnesseth saint john saying: 
john. ●  Behold whate love the father hath showed on us that we should be called the children of God. And in the same chapter. sayeth he. dearly beloved now are we the children of god. This health hath god given to us willingly by his son jesus Christ. For jesus Christ is become man to satisfy unto his father for us and to make our peace with his father. 
Ro. 3  And as writeth Saint Paul unto the romans/ saying we be justified freely by the grace of God and by the redemption which is in jesus Christ. So is Christ made a mediator and a peace maker bywene God the father and man. As sayeth saint Paul unto the Hebrews: he may make them safe for ever that come unto god by him: 
Hebre. 7  he is always lyving for to pray for us Such an high priest it becometh us to have which is holy/ harmless/ undefiled separat from sinners and made higher than heavens. And by his death it is granted us that we be christian and children of God. 
Gala. 3.  As like wise teacheth saint Paul saying Ye are all the children of God by the faith which is in jesus christ. And for asmocheas jesus christ is made man he is also made our brother. And seeing we be his brethren we be also heirs of his glory which he hath with his father: as saith saint Paul unto the romans. which hath not spared his own son: 
Ro. 8.  but hath given him for us all: how shall he not also give unto us all things with him.  
We be then sure that all that is jesus Christ's is ours if we can believe it. Some man mought demand. Hath god the father willingly given us all this? hath none deserved it? No truly: None hath deserved it. None by his deserving or good works hath induced god to do this. But he hath done it of him silf/ and by his great mercy: 
Heir. 3●  as saith the prophet. jeremy In a perpetual charity I have loved the And therefore have I had compassion on the and have taken the to mercy. 
john. 3.  And jesus christ saith in the gospel of saint john. God hath so loved the world that he hath given his only begotten son to th'intent that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life. as writeth. S. Paul. If a law had been given which might have justified the justice should have been truly of the law. 
Gala. ●  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin to th'intent that the promise should be given unto the believers by faith. And unto the romans. If God be for us who is he that may be against us? as though he would say: 
Ro. 7.  None. for we have received all thing of god with his son. But whate thing have we received? this liberty from the subjection of the devil that is remission of all sins/ that is the joy and glory of the everlasting life. And this hath god given unto us by his son. as saint Paul sayeth unto the Hebruwes. The blood of Christ which by the holy ghost hath offered him self without 
Hebre. ●  spot unto God hath cleansed our consciences from mortal works for to serve unto the lyving God. And therefore we have no need to labour by our good works to get everlasting life/ for we have that already: we be all justified we be all the children of God. God hath given us all this of him silf without our deserving.  
Some man might say. I will also do sumwhate to th'intent that I may be so much the more certain to be saved. All they that say so: and all they that think that their good works help any thing or profit for to get the gift of salvation they blaspheme against God/ and rob god of his honour and speak against the might and goodness of God. 
Gala. 5  as writeth saint Paul. If ye be circumcised Christ shall nothing proufit you. that is to say: if ye put any trust in the law or in any works Christ shall not help you. And yet sayeth saint Paul in that same chapter. whosoever will be justified by the law is fallen out of the grace of god. How may the words be more clear. wherefore all they blaspheme against the dyvine puissance that will any manner weigh deserve by their good works. for this cause we must do our good works always by love to the profit of 〈…〉 & not for the necessity of our h●●th for by jesus christ be we made sure of the everlasting life/ as it is bifore said. They that by their works will satisfy unto god be against God/ as though God were not puissant enough of him silf without the help of our works for to pardon us our sins/ and as though the passion of Christ were not virtuous enough without our deservinges for to help us to come unto heaven. Therefore (say I) we must allonly & hoelly trust in the grace & mercy of god/ & not in our works or else christ shall nothing proufit us.   

¶ How that by the only grace of God/ and by nothing else we be saved. chapter. vi.  
Now might some man say/ I know well that god is mighty enough to save me without my works/ but I can not tell whether he will do it if it be not that I live therewith all righteously. peraventure my good works shall induce him to make me righteous & to save me or else he would not do it. All they that so say or think (as I have said) blaspheme against the goodness of god/ as though god were not of him silf merciful and good enough/ except he were first stired unto mercy by our works. 
Ro. 4.  Not withstanding that saint Paul sayeth that the promise was not made unto Abraham by the law but by the justice of the faith. And seeing also that of his proper nature he is nothing else but goodness and mercy/ as he hath always taught and showed when he was teaching in the world/ for he hath never despised nor left none discomforted of any thing that any hath required him but only such as would not believe.  
Wherefore thou must know ones for all that by the only grace of god we be saved. And god will not that thou put thy good works or thy justice with his pretending to help him by thy works/ for he will do it alone/ and will have no manner help. For he hath no need of the counsel nor of the deed nor of the works nor of the justice of any other. 
Ephe. 2  For saint Paul saith: By grace are ye saved thorough faith and that not of your silves for it is the gift of god and cometh not of works lest any man should boast himsilf. Now were it possible to speak it more plainly/ and unto the Romans: 
Ro. 5.  Being justified by faith we are at peace with god. And saint john saith: He is the reconciliation for our sins. 
1. john.  The death of jesus christ and his justice be virtuous enough for to take away all the sins of the world.  
Now might one demand why will god justify us and so save us of him self? God doth it to th'intent that he make his goodness and mercy unto us more clear/ and more open. 
Ephe. 2  As writeth saint Paul unto the Ephesians: God that is rich yn mercy thorough the great love wherewith he loved us even when we were d●ed by sin hath quykned us with Christ by whose grace ye be saved and with him hath raised us up and with him hath made us sit in heavenly things thorough Christ/ for to show in time to come the exceeding richesses of his grace in kindness toward us thorough jesus Christ. Here seest thou by these words the cause why god will do it alone: for if god should justify us/ and should give health because of our works/ he should not do it by his goodness/ but our works had deserved it: and so should we not need to thank God therefore but mo●ght ascribe it to ourselves: and unto our works. But saint Paul and all the prophets do teach us that we be justified and have gotten health by the only grace of God and not by our deservynge/ for we have none. And as god will that we do not thank laud or love other then alonely him. Also like wise will he not that we search elsewhere or of any other health but of him only for god willbe our health and our saviour alone/ and he will not that we search else where comfort but in him and of him/ and not in our self nor in our good works. And for this cause thus writeth saint Paul unto Titus. But after that the kindness and love of our saviour appeared unto man/ not of the deeds of righteousness which we have wrought but of his mercy he hath saved us by the fonteyne of the new birth & with the renewing of the holy ghost which he shed over us abundantly/ thorough jesus christ our saviour. 
Titum. 3  And therefore whosoever think to have deserved the kingdom of heaven by his righteous life/ he robbeth god of his goodness. for god hath freely justified us of him silf. & our lord him silf hath said in the gospel of S. Ioh: None may come unto me except my father that sent me draw him. 
john. 6  And in an other place without me ye can do nothing. 
john. 15  & god spoke by the prophet Osee: O Israel thy perdition cometh of thy silf/ alonely of me cometh thy help. 
Osee. 14  And saint Paul unto the romans. 
Ro. 9  The everlasting life is not his that will or that r●neth after it: but it is in the hands & will of god to give it to whom he will by his mercy.  
Therefore err all they that think that god oweth to them the everlasting life/ or that they have deserved it/ when they have done many good works. for that thing that god only giveth to whom he will/ that would they take from him/ & pluck it out of his hands. & they yield no thanks unto god as did. S. Paul unto the Colossians 
Col. ●.  saying we give thanks unto god the father which hath made us meet for to the partakers of the inheritance of saints in light/ which hath delivered us from the power of darkness/ and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son/ in whom we have redemption thorough his blood/ that is to say forgiveness of sins. Such people get lest of all and are in many times reprobate and forsaken of god. 
Lu. 18  As the Pharisey which rehearsed unto god his good works as though he had not known them. But if thou wilt have the kingdom of heaven. I counsed the that thou trust nothing in thy good works/ but that thou be exercising thy silf after thy power in deeds of charity and mercy toward thy christian brother. So as our lord teacheth in the gospel saying: 
Lu. 17.  when ye have done all that to you is commanded/ yet say ye/ we be unprofitable servants. Such humble opinion and feeling must a christian ha● if he willbe saved. For (as saint Petre sayeth) God resisteth always the proud/ but unto the humble he giveth grace. 
1. Pe. 5.  for god loveth moche more a sinner which humbleth him silf axing mercy/ then one that thinketh that he is holy/ and that he hath done many good works exalting him silf in them and thinking that God oweth to him the kingdom of heaven/ because of his good works. For (as I have said) God will save none for his good works/ but he will save us all by his mercy: to th'intent that we should thank him for it/ and to th'intent that to him alone and to his name may be given all glory praise and grace/ and that all the world may praise and exalt the goodness and mercy of him alone. 
Ro. 3  For saint Paul saith that the rightuonsnesse that cometh of god is declared without the fulfilling of the lalawe and for this cause would God suffer none to come into everlasting life before the coming of jesus christ neither Abraham/ Isaac nor David. 
Ro. 3  For (as saint paul saith (they all have sinned and lack the praise that is of valour before God. and this he would also to th'intent that both they and we should also know that all they that have obtained or shall obtain health have and shall obtain it/ by the death of jesus christ and not by their righteousness or works for if any might have been saved by his works/ Abraham and David had come to heaven before the coming of jesus christ. But God would it not to th'intent that we should know that all our health lieth in the death of jesus Christ/ which by his mercy he hath suffered for us There is none other weigh for to come to everlasting life but by jesus Christ crucified for us. And therefore we must put all our trust in God alone/ we shall take all our comfort of God only calling upon his mercy in this manner.  
O dear lord god almighty/ I poor sinner confess before thy dyvine puissance/ that by my sins. I have deserved the everlasting death of hell by thy great justice. But always I take hope and comfort in thy godly promise whereby thou saidest in thy gospel: He that believeth in the son of god shall have everlasting life. 
john. 3  for this cause I poor sinner come toward the dear lord jesus christ which art the only fountain of mercy not trusting in my good works (which be but stinking before thee) nor in any worldly thing but only in the alone: for thou alone art the weigh the troth and the life. And I pray the that unto me poor sinnar thou wilt do thy grace and mercy Amen.  
So shall the christian humble him silf & understand of hinsilf & of his good works. 
isaiah 64  for (as saith Esai) all our justice is as it were the cloth of a woman suffering the flowers. God hath saved none by his works but only by his divine grace & mercy As teacheth saint Paul: 
Ephe. ●  ye are saved by grace thorough faith & that not of your silf And if it be by grace (as saith saint Paul again) then is it not by the deserving of works for then were grace no grace. 
Ro. 1●  Hereby mayst thou perceive that god will that our health come of his grace and mercy and not of our deservings. For if any may deserve heaven by his works then is it no grace or gift of god: but it is vet & wages. And then god of him silf giveth it not unto us: but we get it as for vaunts that serve for wages. And that can be by no means for saint Paul teacheth us in many places that we be justified & have obtained health by the grace of god & not by our good works but by our faith. for it is a gift of god & not hyres or wages for labour: 
Ephe. ●  to th'intent that we should not esteem that we had saved ouresilves. for. s. Paul saith: when we were deed by sin/ he hath quickened us with christ. wherefore we shall not glorify in our silves/ but in god alone. for god will not that we search him for wages as servants. But he will that we shall love him as children their father and that we serve him by love without desiring any thing but to please him. for he him silf hath said to his apostles: 
john. 15  I call you not now servants/ but friends. 
Psal. 21  And Christ hath said by the prophet to his heavenly father I will show thy name to my brethren. And again to his apostles: 
Mat. 23  Call ye no man father on the earth: for ye have one father in he●en. And therefore hath jesus christ not learned us to pray. Our lord which art in heaven: 
Mat. 6  but our father/ for we be his children/ and if we be the children of god we be his heirs/ as sayeth saint Paul. 
Ro. 8    

¶ To whom the grace of god is given. chapter vij  
ONe might axe: Is this grace of god given to every body: Nay/ but it is given to all them that believe. And all they that believe in jesus christ in such manner as we have before declared/ and shall all declare more plainly they be the children of god/ as writeth saint john in the gospel saying. 
john. 1  Unto as many as received him gave he power to be the sons of god in that they believed in his name. And as sayeth saint Paul. He that cometh to god must believe that he is God and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him. 
Hebre. 1●.  Therefore we have said that all the new testament doth teach us principally none other thing but faith and trust in jesus christ. and therefore the faith is the foundation of Christendom. For this cause if thou wilt that the passion and grace of christ be to thy succour and proufit it behoveth that thou believe him steadfastly without any manner wavering to thinten: that thou know that it is all grace/ and not deserving and that the words and promises of god be very certain and true. for god hath called us his children as saint Paul saith: Because that ye are sons god hath sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba father Then art thou now no servaunt but a son. 
Gala. 4  and if thou be a son than art thou also heir of god by christ/ and so be we delivered from our sins and from the bondage of the devil: and made heirs of the kingdom of heaven by the benefit of jesus christ.  
He believeth in god that putteth all his trust and hope in god and in the justice of god/ living after his power according to the rule of charity/ having no manner hope nor trust in the world/ in his good works or good life/ but alonely in the goodness of god/ and in the merits of jesus christ beleving certainly that god will hold to him that he hath promised remission of sins and certainty of everlasting life. He that doth so is a true christian and believeth steadfastly that the words of god must needs be true. Notwithstanding that according to his works he thinketh it a thing impossible. Nevertheless he believeth that he shallbe saved without deserving of any good works rather than the words of god and all things that they do promise should not come to pass. As writeth saint Paul of Abraham which believed rather that his wife which was barren & out of th'age of generation should conceyve a child rather than the promise of god should not be fulfilled. And by this faith was Abraham reputed just before God & not by his good works. So behoveth it that every christian do/ albeit that it seem to him impossible to be saved because he hath done no good/ he shall nevertheless stick steadfastly unto the goodness and mercy of God and unto his word in such manner that he doubt not in nothing. 
Lu. 2●  For Christ sayeth in Saint Luke. Heaven and earth shall pass but my word shall never pass.  
Of this saith writeth Saint Paul unto the romans. 
Ro. 10.  whosoever shall call on the name of the lord God shallbe saved. He therefore that calleth upon him on whom he believeth not that he may help him loseth but his labour. Therefore thou must first believe in him. And then if thou call upon him with such a faith as we have spoken of thou shalt be saved Of this faith speaketh also the prophet isaiah (as reciteth Saint Paul the apostle in the foresaid chapter) All they that believe in hymshall not be ashamed. And again saint Paul. 
Ro. 10  If thou confess with thy mouth that jesus is the lord/ and that thou believe with a perfaict heart that God hath raised christ from death thou shalt be saved. And the word that Christ preached first as reciteth Saint Mark was: The time is full come and the kingdom of god is evyn at hand repent and believe the gospel. 
Mar. 1  Of this faith writeth like wise saint john and they be the words of Christ unto Nicodemus as Moses lift up the serpent in wilderness/ even so must the son of man be lift up that no man that believeth in him perish but have eternal life. 
john. 3  God so loved the world that he gave his only son for the intent that none that believe in him should perish but should have everlasting life. And a little after he that believeth in him shall not be condemned/ and again in the same chapter. He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life/ and he that believeth not the son/ shall not see life but the wrath of god abideth upon him.  
By all these escriptures here mayst thou see that we be all the children of God/ alonely thorough faith, and this had God liefer promise unto us because of our faith then because of our good works to th'intent that we should be so much the more certain of our health And therefore saith saint Paul/ by faith is the inheritance given that it might come of grace that the 
Ro. 4.  promise be sure and steadfast to all the seed, for if god had said whosoever will do such or such works shallbe saved/ we should ever have been incerteyn whether we should have been saved or not. for we should never have known whether we had dogood enough to have deserved the life eternal. But now god hath promised it unto us because of our faith/ by his favour not by our works/ to th'intent that we be the more sure thereof. For let us believe steadfastly and we may know for certain that we be the children of god. Not that we have deserved it: but because he hath promised it. And it must needs be that the word of god be true for this cause if we have perfeit trust in god and believe perfeitly in him we shallbe sure that we shallbe saved. It was such a faith that saint Paul had when he said: 
2. Ti. ●  I know and am sure that he to whom I have committed and given my gage to keep is mighty enough to keep it for me till that day: And again: I have fought a good battle. 
2. Ti. 4.  I have fulfilled my course and have kept the faith/ from henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the lord that is a righteous judge shall give me at that day: Not unto me only but unto all them which love his coming. 
1. joh. 3  And saint john saith: dearly beloved now are we the sons of God. And yet it hath not appeared whate we shall be we knew that when he shall appear we shallbe like him for we shall see him as he is  
This faith had also saint Martin at the hour of his death when he said unto the devil: why art thou here thou bloody be'st? thou hast nought in me/ the seed of Abraham shall receyve me.  
This surety had likewise saint Imbrose when one axed him if he feared not the death? he answered why should I fear? seeing that we have one so good a lord●  
For this cause must we love the death and more desire to die and to be with god (as did saint Paul) then to fear the death. 
Phi. 1  for jesus christ is deed for us to th'intent that we should not fear to die. And he hath slain the death and hath destroyed the strength of death. as writeth saint Paul saying: 
1. Cor. 15  O death where is thy victory? It is swallowed and brought to nought by victory. 
Phi. 1  And unto the Philippyans. Christ is my life and death is to me advantage.   

¶ How that faith bringeth charity and charity good works chapter eight  
Now might one axe: when I believe certainly that I am the child of god & that jesus christ hath satisfied for me unto his heavenly father/ as teacheth saint Paul saying: 
1. Ti. 2  which hath given him silf a price and ransom for all men. Then when I believe: need I not to do nothing? Nede I not to do no good? shall I not keep the commandments of God? hearken whate saint Paul answereth. The faith (saith he) worketh by love. 
Ga. 5  Then when thou thus believest without doubting that is to say that thou art the son of god/ and that god hath so made the great and rich thou shalt think thus in thy silf. Behold now god hath made me his child inheritor of his glory & brother of jesus christ hath given me pardon of all my sins and I shall shortly be with him in the everlasting life which he hath given me without deserving it 〈◊〉 thing shall I do again to god by love and kindness for all this that he hath given to me? 
Psal. 115  As saith the prophet David: whate shall I yield to god again for all that he hath given to me: when any parson speaketh thus in him silf considering and beholding the great goodness and mercy of god/ then cometh and entreaseth the love of god in him by the faith/ because that he believeth surely that God hath thus made him great and rich. And after that the love is thus entered and enchauffed in the heart of the parson it maketh him to suffer and bear all things & maketh him to labour to think and to do all that he thinketh would please god/ without regarding ●ny thing but the love of god. 
Cor. 13.  as sayeth saint Paul: Love suffereth all things/ love doth nothing in vain. and he that hath such a love toward god: all that he doth is agreeable to god: Ye when he giveth but a drop of water for God's sake as writeth saint Mathewe. for love in god can not sin all that he doth is well done For the holy ghost that hath put this charity in us can not do evil. A●d if of adventure by such a good intent one did any evil by error this evil shul be pardoned incontinent and reputed for good by the good intent and love that he hath towards god. 
Mat. 6.  For Christ saith in the gospel. If thine eye (that is to say thine entencion) be simple and applying to good/ all thy body that is to say (all thine operation) shall be lightened and good. And saint Paul saith: 
Ro. 8  we know that unto them that love god all things work for the best. All they that are constant in this faith and charity be the children of god and please god. As witnesseth saint Petre where he speaketh in th'acts of th appostles. Of a truth I perceyve that god is not partial/ but in all people he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him, for god needeth not our works when he thus hath our hearts albeit that such a love can not be idle.  
This love cometh in us (as I have said) by faith/ when the parson believeth surely that he is the child of God. It needeth not that such a parson be constrained to do good works by any commandments. For the love of god dwelling in him can not be idle. For love (as sayeth saint Paul suffereth long and is courteys' 
1. Cor. 13.  love envieth not/ love is not craving/ swelleth not/ dealeth not dishonestly/ seeketh not her own/ is not provoked to anger/ thinketh not evil/ rejoiceth not in iniquity: but rejoiceth in the truth/ suffereth all thing believeth all things/ hopeth all things/ such a love or charity bringeth a parson to good works/ and not good works a parson unto such a love/ or to such a faith & trust in god. These works spring out of faith and not faith out of these works. for as I have said faith bringeth love and love bringeth good works.  
Like as though there were a rich man with out children or heirs which might take a poor beggar out of the street and make him his heir of his goods. This poor man being this made great and rich if he would be thankful (as becomith him to be) should serve his lord or master (which had thus exalted him & made him rich) truly and with great love Ye and if he once might know the will of his master/ he would not defer the doing thereof till he were commanded: But he would do all things by and by of his own courage for the charity or love that he hath toward his master without commandment.  
Behold this poor man so exalted hath not deserved by his works nor by his service that this rich man should so make him his heir/ but the rich man hath made him his heir of his own goodness without that the poor man had in any manner wise deserved it. And the service that this poor man doth afterward cometh of love and kindness. For he knoweth and believeth surely that he is heir of the gods of his lord bifore that he do any service. And for because that he believeth that the rich man will keep promise with him/ he beginneth to love him by the mean of this faith. And so when he loveth him/ he doth to him willingly and with good heart/ all the service he can/ and fulfil ●●leth joyfully his commandments and all by love. And the more labour & service that he can do for his good master the more great pleasure he taketh.  
So is it of a good Christian, for when he was yet enemy of god by the sin of Adam/ he was accepted of God before he desired it: and before that he had in any manner wise deserved it. Thus hath god made us his children and heirs without our deserving. Then when we believe this steadfastly this faith bringeth love into our hearts: so that we begin to love God by cause that he hath made us so great and excellent. And when we so love him we keep his commandments by love and do all things with good will As saith Christ in saint john: 
john. 14.  He that loveth me keepeth my commandments. And so keep we all things and suffer all things which we think agreeable to god and nothing is to hevy for us, and as sayeth saint Paul: 
Ro. 5  we rejoice in tribulation for we know that tribulation bringeth patience/ patience bringeth feeling/ feeling bringeth hope and hope maketh us not a shamed/ because the love that God hath unto us is shed abroad in our hearts/ by the holy ghost which is given unto us/ which love maketh all things light unto us pleasant/ and easy to bear: so that after the word of Christ in the gospel his yoke is easy and his burden is light. 
Mat. 11. Act. 5   
This faith and love had thappostles (as writeth saint Luke) when they departed from before the judges they rejoiced that they were made worthy and able to suffer shame and dishonour before the world for the love of jesus christ. This char●te had saint Paul when he said unto the romans. 
Ro. 8.  Who is he that shall separate us from the love of god? shall tribulation or anguisshe/ or persecution/ or hunger/ or nakydnesse● other apparel orswerd? we be sure that neither death nor life neither angel neither rule nor things present nor things to come/ neither height nor deepness neither any other creature shallbe abil to separat us from God's love which is in jesus christ our lord.  
But I axe you now whereby is it that thou knowest that thou are the child of god? by the service that thou hast done high? Nay. Whereby then? by the faith where by thou belevest the word of god which saith that thou art the child of god before thou beginnest to serve him/ as writeth saint Paul in all his epistles. Thy service and thy works have not given the the faith and trust whereby thou belevest that thou art the child of god and his heir/ for thou hadst that or thou didst him any service. but because that thou belevest steadfastly that god hath made the so great by this faith beginnest thou to love him. And when thou lovest him so/ thou dost him all the service that thou knowest is agreeable unto him. Thou ●beyst his commandments/ alweyes humbly knoweleging thine ymperfection/ ascribing all that thou dost unto God. for else as sayeth saint Paul. 
Ro. 4  If our heritage came of the law/ the faith were but in vain and the promise of none effect.  
Behold now seest thou that we do not deserve the everlasting life by our good works/ for God hath promised it unto us all surely bifore that we began to do good. wherefore thou must know and believe that good works make none sure that he shallbe the child of God and his heir. But contrary wise the faith & trust that thou hast in god (whereby thou belevest steadfastly that he ha●h made the his son) maketh the to serve god and to keep his commandments by love▪ wherefore all they are abused (Theologyans and doctors: that say that certainty or hope proceedeth out from good works▪ For contraryly/ out from the certainty & from the faith (whereby thou belevest the goodness that god hath done unto thee) cometh the good works. That is to say when thou belevest/ thou beginnest to love and when thou lovest/ thou dost that God would have done.   

¶ How that we shall not serve God for hyres or wages. chapter. ix.  
THe works done in such faith and charity be alonely pleasant unto god and worthy to be called good works. for they be the works of the holy ghost that dwelleth in us by this faith. But they that are done by tediousness & evil will/ for fere of hell or for desire of paradise be none other thing but shadows of works making ypochrytes. The end of our good works may senke nought but to please god knowleging that if we do never so moche we can never do our duty. for they that for fear of hell or for the joys of heaven do serve god do a constrained service which god will not. Such people do not serve God because he is their god & their father: but because he is rich & for to have part of his richesses, they not god but his ways and richesses: that is to say they serve for none other purpose but to have their rewards and for to avoid his punissions. And such people be as it were hired men and waged servants and are not children for the service they do is but for wages and hyres. But the children of god serve their father for love for they know the goodness that god hath done to them already in that they believe that god hath made them his children and heirs. 
Gala. 3  For saint Paul saith ye are all the children of god by the faith which is in jesus Christ: And again: forasmuch as ye be children god hath sent the spirit of his son in to your hearts crying: 
Ga. 4  father father. Thou art then now no servaunt but a son. And if thou be the son thou art also heir of god by christ as saith saint Paul. ye are all the children of ●ight and children of god. 
Tessa. 5  Then the children of god (that is the true christian do not desire to get the heritage by their service for they know by the sure promises of god (which they do believe) that God of himself hath purely and liberally given it unto them already. Is when a burgoys hath a servaunt and a son. The servaunt serveth his master and dare not offend him for fear of losing of his wages which he attendeth for: for he serveth for wages/ and after that he hath received them he levith his master & asketh no more of him for he demanded nothing else but his money which he hath received already. The son of the house serveth his father and keepeth his commandments not to have wages but for love that he hath unto his father. For he knoweth the goodness that his father hath done to him and that he is heir of the goods of his father. And knoweth that he shall ever dwell in his father's house/ as saith saint john. 
john  And therefore doth he liberally the will of his father by cause he will not anger him. So must every christian serve god and keep his commandments by true love and not by hope to get for his service everlasting life or the heritage of his heavenly father but knowledging alonely that god hath given him that already/ and that he hath made him his heir before he required him. So shall he serve him by love declaring that god is all good, and to show that against his goodness he will not be unkind.   

¶ How that we disheret oursilves by our disobedience. chapter. x.  
Now must every man know that alonely they that by such love serve God be the children of god his heirs and shallbe saved. For he that giveth not thanks to God and loveth him not of this fashion for the goodness that god of him silf hath willingly done unto him is cause that he is not the child of god and maketh him silf unworthy of all the promises of God.  
Like as though there were a ma● that had gotten some great richesse by his labour & that he had two sons/ The. ij. sons be here equally like nigh unto the goods of their father & the heritage of their father belongeth egal●i● unto them/ for they be both sons. But if the one be rebel & disobedient unto his father & do to him dishonour after that he come to thage of discretion by such means may h● be cause of dishereting of him silf ● he is naturally son●nd heir to the goods as well as his other brother/ but he disheriteth him silf by his evil life.  
So are all parsons the children of god/ & bought again by jesus Christ but they that rebel against god/ and obey not unto his commandments disheryt them silves and them silves because of their damnation. God would willingly have saved them/ for he did promise to them (among other) the heritage of his kingdom and had made them his children/ but they damn them silves. They are the children of God/ as concerning God's behalf/ but they are always dampened because of their disobedience.  
Ye some time god calleth such people his friends/ not that they be so/ but because they mought have been so. 
Mat. 2  As he said unto judas/ My friend why art thou come hither? 
Mat. 2  And unto him that came unto the wedinge/ my friend how art thou entered here not having the wedding garment. Behold he is called friend & yet nevertheless he suffereth him to be cast into darkness. he had bin the friend of god if he would have consented to the will of god. 
1 john  Saint john saith. There is now many anchristes/ they went out from us were not of us/ for if they had been of us they had bidden with us. So be all people the children of god/ but there be many that make them silves unworthy and departed them silves from god.  
The other son that abideth with his father is a son/ and abideth a son and heir because he is obeisaunt unto his father. He hath not deserved by his good life and obedience the possession and goods of his father/ but he hath only been well aware that he hath not lost them by disobedience: For the father may say. Dear son it is true that thou hast kept to the best of thy power my commandments/ notwithstanding thy goodness had never made the rich if I had not gotten it. Then like wise all though that we keep the commandments of god never so straitly it should profit us nothing if it were not that jesus christ had obtained for us the life eternal before of his hevynly father by his death. Our goodness or justice should profit us nothing if jesus christ had not laboured for us. For (as saith saint Paul) The law hath brought nothing unto perfection. 
Hebr. 7  The jews kept the commandments and the law of god yet they co●de not come unto heaven. It was needful that jesus Christ must first die for them Likewise can we not be saved by our works. Our health is come to us of god For if by our works we may got health ●hen must we needs say that Christ is deed in vain. As saith saint Paul. Ye if works mought have saved? Abraham/ Isaac/ jacob/ David and many other Iu●s had been saved (as we have said) before the nativity of jesus Christ/ for they kept better the commandments of god than we do. But god will do it alone to th'intent that none glorify or boast him silf thereof and that to him alone and to none other he given all honour and glory for ever Amen.  
For (as writeth saint Paul) The scripture concludeth all things under sin that the promise by the faith of jesus Christ should be given unto them that believe. 
Ga. 3  For this cause when the parson knoweth surely that god hath made him child of the everlasting life/ by his death before he had deserved it/ he will do again to god all the service that he can think/ and all by love and kindness showing that he will not be unkind/ not to get any thing of godbut because he is his good father/ and that he hath received all things of him. For we have now already all that wherefore we must serve god. For he hath made us his children/ and his heirs/ while we were his enemies/ and before that we knew him as we have many times before said. And hereyn lieth the deserving of the christian faith/ that thou believe certainly that thou art the child of god and that thou keepest his commandments because thou knowest and belevest steadfastly that he hath so made the rich & great/ and that thou servest him by this faith as a good child his father/ For the child dou●teth not/ but believeth steadfastly that he shall have the substance of his father/ and because he believeth it steadfastly he laboureth for to entreteyne it. So shalt thou believe without doubting any thing that thou art enheryter of heaven. And therefore shalt thou do thy diligence to keep that heritage to the honour of thy father.  
Thou shalt be ware that thou anger him not but thou shalt thank him oft because he hath given the this heavenly heritage.  
Behold now seist thou well bifore thine yien how moche we are bound to thank/ praise and serve god. and to keep his commandments/ and to keep us from sin and to do many good works of faith by very love.   

¶ Of two manner people lyving in this world. chapter. xi  
THere are inthe world. ij. sorts of people/ good & evil/ & be compared unto the two thieves that suffered on the cross with jesus christ▪ the good are berokened by the thief on the right side/ which axed pardon: & they be they that knowledge them silves poor sinners/ & feel meekly of them silves: 
Lu. 18  as did the poor publican that durst not life up his yies toward heaven/ for they know that they have not kept the commandments of god so straitly as they were bound. They perceive also that though they think to keep them never so well they feel them silves failing always in detraction ●n hastiness in anger/ in idle words in infidelity and in lack of love/ albeit that such folk do moche goodyet their conscience is not content and in rest but as concerning them silves ever in sorrow. For they know that they must appear before the righteous judge/ bifore whose face (as sayeth the Psalmist) shall none lyving be justified/ if we should be judged after our deservinges. 
Psal. 142  And therefore come they and cast them silves prostrate before the mercy of god and say with the thief on the right side. 
Lu. 23  Lord have mind on me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Thou hast commanunded me many things and I perceive in my silf that I am frail and cannot entirely keep thy commandments though I look never so well thereto. Nevertheless I know that thou needest not my good works. Seing it is so that thou hast so moche loved me that thou wouldest suffer death for me/ when I did not yet know thee/ and was yet thine enemy I have trust unto the my most merciful god that thou wilt not suffer him to periss he for whom thou hast shed thy blood. For I know that thou art a lord almighty that mayest all things in heaven and in earth. And I knowledge and worship thee/ & am certain that thou wilt not damn me. Albeit that I have not deserved heaven by my good works. I know and believe that thou hast satisfied for me when thou didst suffer death on the cross. Thou hast bought me again with thy precious blood/ and I am thine/ the devil hath no right in me. Nevertheless if thou wilt damn me o merciful god thou mayest well do it and righteously/ for I am thine/ and thou mayst do with me all that thou wilt. I am thy creature. Thy will be fulfilled yn earth as in heaven. 
Mat. 6  Yet always to th'intent that thy dolorous passion be not lost in me I pray the o my most merciful lord jesus christ/ that thou wilt receyve me into grace/ as thou hast done the good these I know that I am not worthy/ and that I have not deserved it. But to th'intent that thy great mercy may be always the more manifest/ unto the augmentation of thy glory/ I require the o God most pnissaunt that thou wilt not put me a back out of thy sight. For thy only passion is mighty enough for to save me/ wythwithout my good works. For if I ●ought deserve the life everlasting by my good works it should seem that thou hadst suffered thy passion in vain and that thou hadst died on the cross in vain. Seeing therefore that thou art surely deed for me and for all the world/ not for thy silf: why should I then be lost o gracious jesus christ? save thou me/ for thou art all good/ and mayst save me/ for thou mayst all things. Wherefore I know no remedy but to come to thy great mercy. and I prostrate at thy feet require of the pardon of all my sins. All they that of an entire heart do thus trust in God/ and trust steadfastly that god will save them/ it shall come unto them according to their faith. And this is the most certeynte and the most sure weigh for to come to heaven & unto the life eternal/ that every one forsake him silf and put all in the hand of god/ alweyes doing his best to keep the commandments of God/ and to live according to the teaching of the gospel/ and altogether distrusting of him silf.  
The other that be signified by the thief on the lift hand are they that put all their trust in their good works. They go daily to the church: they keep & hallow all the festfull days: they fast oft they here mass daily: And when they must die they trust in their good works/ & think that god oweth to them the kingdom of heaven & that they them silves have deserved it. These manner of people be soonest dampened for they knowledge not that god hath satisfied for them/ but make to them gods of the works of their hands counting thereby that they have deserved heaven, for that thing is every man's god wherein he putteth his trust. This is one of the greatest errors that is in christendom. for if a man might save him silf by his good works Christ were deed in vain: As saith saint Paul. Saint john baptist/ Abraham/ Isaac/ and jacob/ with many other patriarchs have lived moche more holily than ever we shall live. 
Ga. 2  Yet could they never by their good works come to heaven. It was needful that christ should first come to suffer death for them that his passion should sa●e them/ not their works/ but the faith and trust that they had in ● Goddis promises/ whereby they believed that jesus Christ should come/ and should deliver them?  
But I do not say these words that the good works done in faith should be evil. No: I do counsel all the world to do many good works/ principally the works of love and mercy toward their neighbours/ yn socouring them in all their necessities only for the love and honour of god/ without seching any other thing and that he should so labour freely & with a joyous heart to obey unto the commandments of God and counsel of the gospel/ doing the works comprised in the holy scripture/ and not them which the covitousnesse of the pharisees have devised.  
But to do these works and to think to deserve everlasting life and so to put his trust in them/ is to live as do now at this-day the jews and very idolaters. For God will have the hole heart and will not that it be fixed on any other thingbut in him alone. Ye he willeth that all that we do in this life/ shallbe none other thing but a token of kindness and giving of thanks of that we have received of him. for if we have steadfast faith and trust in him alone/ we have now received and be sure of that that such tedious and weary workers would get/ as we have said bifore and will say more plainly. And all such scrupulous doers of good works and therein seeking their health and-trusting in them that think they shallbe saved when they have slain noman/ and when they have drawn noman to sin/ and thereupon putting their trust/ be like unto the pharisee of whom Christ speaketh in the gospel which rehearsed his works for to have praise and reproved the poor humble publican knowledging his fault and axing pardon. 
Lu. 18   
It were better for the a thousand fold that thou/ hadst been a sinner and never done good deed/ and that thou knowledge thine offences and evil life unto god asking mercy with good heart lamenting thy sins: then to have done such good works and in them to put thy trust thinking that therefore God were bound unto the. There is nothing which (after the manner of speaking) bindeth God but farm and steadfast faith and trust in him & his promises. for god requireth not principally our good works/ for he needeth them not: but he desireth our hearts and all our intention to seek in all things no thing but his honour: And that we trust not in our works/ but (forsaking our silves) all hoelly in him and not in our deservinges. For we can show unto god no greater honour then faith and trust in him/ for whosoever doth that/ he confesseth that god is true/ good/ mighty/ and merciful. And when we sin it is not the worse unto god. we minish not his glory by our sins for his glory can neither be augmented nor mynisshed uless as it is infinite. And for because that we can do no manner hurt or annoysaunce unto God by our sins therefore is he lightly appeased this stonding that with an entire heart without any feigning we knowledge our default and demand humbly pardon. And likewise when we do any good we do not increase his glory by our works for god abideth always one. All the danger that there is in our sin is the evil example that we give to our neighbour in that we hurt him thereby despising the good council of our good god which he hath given us in his holy commandments/ for because we be unkind against the great grace that he hath done unto us/ which is a thing horrible & worthy of eternal punishment because that it is infinite & eternal (the holy commandment) against which we have offended. But because his proper nature is good & merciful he pardoneth all these that confess him to be such. Therefore loveth god better a sinnar repenting & asking pardon of his sins then he doth a worker of good works proudly boasting him silf & tru●ling in them. For (as it is said) God hath loved better the publican than the pharesey & hath showed more love unto the poor open sinners then to the lindsays & ypochristes to whom it seemed that they had fulfilled the commandments of god/ & that god could nothing demand of them.  
For they reproved jesus christ that he was friend of the sinners & that he eat among them. 
Mat. 9  Our lord demandeth nothing but the heart and when he hath the heart/ he regardeth not whether we fast/ pray/ or here mass/ or whether we bear blue or grey. For all such outward things be indifferent bifore god. When our hearts be ruled in God according to the doctrine of the gospel/ it is all one whate thing we do/ for we have always love/ which teacheth us whate thing we must do/ or leave undone/ for love doth nothing in vain.  
For this cause an humble heart not abiding upon his good works though he do them: but putting all his hope and trust in god and founding him silf upon his goodness/ grace/ and mercy/ belevyng steadfastly that god hath all satisfied for us and that of him silf he hath justified us & given us health/ doth purely and liberally without demanding any wages all the service and all the good he can always knowledging him self to be debtor unto god and axing grace. Such an heart is only pleasant unto god.  
Some might now say. I believe well all this that I am the child of God/ and I must serve god by love and kindness/ in knowledging only by my service the goodness that he hath done unto me but whate shall I do for the better/ how shall I show unto god my kindness and love? Albeit that we have oft touched this matter before/ yet we will declare in the chapter following more plainly the things that shall be needful to this purpose.   

¶ Of good works and by whate mean they be most pleasing to God. chapter twelve  
forasmuch as I have much spoken of the faith and trust yn god to th'intent that the evil and perverse (which interpret and take all things to the worse and corrupt them) shall not say that I do learn and counceyle you to do no good works I will now show you whate things ye shall do.  
I have many times said that faith bringeth charity/ and charity good works. For if thy faith induce the not to do good works: then hast thou not the right faith. Thou dost but only think that thou hast it. For saint james sayeth that faith without works is deed in it silf. 
ja. 2  He faith not that it is little or feeble but that it is deed. And that that is deed is not. Therore when thou art not moved by faith unto the love of god/ and by the love of god unto good works/ thou hast not the faith/ but the faith is deed in the. for the spirit of god that by faith cometh into our hearts to stir up love can not be idle. Every one doth as much as he believeth/ and loveth as much as he hopeth. 
john. 3  As writeth Saint john/ he that hath this hope that he is the son of god purifieth him silf as he is pure. He saith not he that purifieth him silf hath this hope. for the hope must come before/ proceeding from the faith as it behoveth that the tree must first be good which must bring forth good fruit. Then it behoveth to know first that ye are the children of God and afterward to labour.  
But whate shall we do? we shall do and live so with our christian brethren/ as Christ hath lived and done with us that is to say as jesus christ hath offered him silf to us and for us so must we present & give our silves as it were a Christ for to serve them/ and to succour unto their need. 
Phi. 2.  As saith Saint Paul: Let the same mind be in you the which was in Christ jesu/ which being in the shape of god and thought it no robberi to be equal with god Nevertheless he made him silf of no reputation & took on him the shape of a servaunt and all for our profit. And so must we help serve & comfort one an other as jesus christ hath done with us. we may not seek our own proufit avauntage or honour but all things profitable unto our neighbour always mindful to procure the honour of god & that in all things we help our christian brother, for so warneth us. S. paul that none seek his own profit/ but his neighbours & that all that we do be unto the honour of God. we must set before us the life of jesus Christ as a rule of all thing that is expedient for us to do/ or to leve undone. we must take pain to follow him in meekness/ in love/ in sweetness/ and in compassion. And to live so with our neighbour as jesus christ hath lived with us.  
For jesus Christ was not borne for him silf/ nor hath not lived here for him silf/ but for us. He sought not his own honour but his heavenly fathers Likewise shalt thou not seek that is profitable unto the but covenable unto thy neighbour. As teacheth us saint Paul in all his epistles & namely in the first unto the Corinthiens I seek 
●or. 10  not (saith he) that that is necessary & profitable unto me but that that is profitable to many to th'intent that they should be saved. 
Ephe. 4  And unto the Ephesians. He that rob let him rob no more but labour rather with his hands and that is good/ to th'intent that he have whereof to give to him that hath need. 
Ga. 6  And unto the Gaiathiens. Bear (sayeth he) either of you others charges and burdons & so shall yond fulfil the law of god.  
And for because that we speak now of good works. It must be known that we must do some works for our silves & some for our christian brethren/ but all for the love and honour of god. them that we shall do for our silves teacheth us 
Eol. 3  saint Paul saying that we must mortify in us all evil desires/ and all carnal operations as uncleanness covityze/ wrath/ blasphemy/ detraction pride and other like vices. 
Ro. 6  And unto the romans. That sin reign not in your mortal b●dy/ that is to say/ albeit that we can not live without the motion of such evil desires we shall not suffer them to rule in us but shall mortify them in resisting them.  
Whate we should do for our Christian brethren teacheth us like wise saint Paul saying. Serve ye one an other by love & bear ye one an others burden. For christ commandeth us to exercise the works of mercy whereof he shall hold his judgement. All other works that men do at this day in the churches be rather found by avarice then commanded of god/ except the prayers which may in no wise be done to get money/ but alonely by love in praying one for an other.  
Behold now seest thou well how great occasion thou hast to do good. For thou hast alweyes' occasion to mortify thine evil desires to serve thine neighbour/ to comfort him/ to help him/ with work/ with word/ with council/ with exhortation/ and by other semblable means/ In such love towards our neighbour for the love of God lieth all the law and the prophets (as sayeth Christ). Ye and all the very Christente/ and not in fasting/ keeping of halydayes/ watching praying and singing long prayers/ daily and all day hearing of masses/ setting up of candles/ running on pilgrimages/ and other such things/ which aswell the ypochrites/ proud people/ envious/ and subjects to all wicked affections do: Ye and many times enforce them silf more there unto then the good christian. But so to serve and succour the one the other by very love can none do but they that have true faith and the very love of god. And whosoever so loveth his christian brother he is always joyful in his conscience. For he knoweth surely that he is the child of god and that God is his good father/ and is well content in his courage of all that god sendeth unto him. But he that hath not this love is always sorry/ full of anguisshe and woteth not whate to do to deserve more/ he fasteth/ he keepeth halydayes/ now of one saint/ now of an other. He saith his prayers now bifore one alter/ now bifore an other. He runneth on pilgrimage now here now there and can never come unto the rest and quiet of his conscience. For such works make no man sure/ but make rather ypochrites trusting in their works.  
But the very faithful cleveth to god/ for he knoweth that he may never satisfy nor do enough to deserve the everlasting life. And therefore he putteth his trust in god & believeth steadfastly that he hath satisfied for us/ & that he hath justified us. And therefore it is all one to him whate thing he do so that he please him & exercise charity to his neighbour for the love of god for he knoweth that God demandeth nothing but the heart and that he regardeth not how we do the work so that it be according to the teaching of the gospel which commandeth but charity. And so cometh he by faith and trust in God unto rest and quiet of heart and conscience and is well content to die when it pleaseth god   

¶ Of four manner of feythes after the holy scripture and which is the Christian faith. chapter xiij  
THis present chapiter (because I have moche spoken of faith/ & that scarcely of a thousand one knoweth not this faith) teacheth of how many manner feithes there is made mention in the holy scripture/ not as do now the doctors which have found many manner of feythes. I will only speak of iiij. manner of feithes which are most commonly found in the holy scripture. The first faith is this which the merchants hold one to an other and faithful friends/ whereby they keep promise and fidelite the one to the other: 
Eccle. 2●●nd. 27  whereof speaketh the wise saying: possess or keep faith with thy friend/ in his poverty: to th'intent that in his wealth thou mayst be joyful. And again he that discloseth the secret of his friend/ loseth his faith. And in the Proverbes: He that giveth his faith for a stranger shall be vexed with evil. And this is the faith whereof the worldly people complain saying there is no faith in the world.  
The second faith is when we believe that a thing is to come/ and such things as we here or read: as we believe that Rome is a City in italy/ or that Cartage was destroyed of the romans/ and this we believe although we have not seen it. Also we believe that jesus Christ hath he relyved on earth and that he hath preached and that he is d●ed for us/ and that he hath done many other things. when we believe these things after the story we believe that this is our christian faith/ The simple people aloneli doth not believe this but also many doctors in theology which are taken for wise. Ye the devil hath also this faith/ as sayeth saint james: The devil's believe and tremble. 
ja. 2.  for (as we have said before) the devil believeth that god is god/ and that jesus Christ hath here preached/ that he was deed/ buried & risen. This must we also believe/ but yet this is not the faith whereof speaketh the gospel and saint Paul.  
The third faith is that we believe that god may all things/ and that he is righteous/ good and holy. This faith have also the devil's and judas had it also/ and other disciples that did miracles in the name of jesus but they were therefore never the better. for when they boasted them silves and were joyful that by their faith they expulsed the devils in the name of jesus. 
Lu. 10  jesus Christ hath reproved them saying: joy not you that the sprites be under your power/ but rejoice because your names be written in heaven. 
1. Cor. 1●  Of this faith writeth saint Paul unto the Corinthians saying: If that I had all faith so that I could move mountains out of their places/ and yet had no love I were nothing.  
The four faith is our Christian faith/ whereof so moche speak jesus christ/ saint Paul and saint john/ and say that it is the foundation of christendom. And this is the faith whereof I speak in this book None hath this faith but they that put all their trust/ hope comfort/ refuge and finally all their health in god alone searching all these things in him and looking for them of him/ and not of their deservinges or good works. Of this faith speaketh saint Paul saying: whosoever call on the name of god shallbe saved. 
Ro. 10  And the prophet jeremy/ Blessed is that man that trusteth in the lord god. 
jere. 17  And Christ in the Gospel To thinient that none that believe in him should periss he but should have everlasting life. 
john. 3  And in the book called Paralipomenon Believe in your lord God and you shallbe assured and without thought. 
Pa. 20  Believe his Prophets and all happy things shall come unto you. And almost all the Psalms all the prophets and all the leves of the holy Bible teach us that we must believe and hope in God by a stead fast faith. whereof speaketh so moche Saint Paul the apostle/ and which he praiseth so moche in all his epistles. And (as we have abundantly said in the chapters before) none may comprehend this faith/ but he that considereth whate was the faith of Abraham: As writeth saint Paul unto the Galathyans' saying: Abraham believed God and it is reckoned to him for righteousness. 
Ga. ●  For by his faith hath he obtained that he is called our father and we be called his children in the holy scripture/ that is to say/ we be the children of the faith. For by the mean of our faith we be saved/ as Abraham was justified by his faith and hath gotten by his faith that all they that shall have such faith may like wise be justified. For this cause whosoever hath not the faith of Abraham/ nothing can come unto him of that which Abraham believed. That is to say/ when God is not thy hope and thy comfort/ when thou abidest not with a steadfast trust upon God when thou art not ready to suffer and endure all things/ namely also the death for the love and honour of god: And also to lose all that thou hast in the world thou art not the child of Abraham. For Abraham was ready to all things whereunto god would send him. Such was job when he said: 
job. 13  Albeit that he kill me I will put my trust in him And the wise saith. 
Pro. 12  Whatsoever thing come to the righteous let him not sorrow. And saint Pa●le saith who shall separat us from the love of jesus Christ? 
Ro .8.  shall tribulation persecution sword or death? And as saint Petre saith: 
1. Pet. 3.  who is he that may hurt you if ye be haunters and followers of goodness. For all that ever cometh unto the when thou hast this faith be it of man or of the devil all cometh to thy profit. As saith saint Paul unto the Romans To them that love God all things be helping and avauncement to good. 
Ro. 8.   
And therefore pray we always that the will of god be done. For as he is not here come (as he said him silf) to do his will/ 
Mat. 6.  but the will of his heavenly father/ So shall 
john. 5  not the good Christian desire that his own will be done/ but the will of God. And therefore shalt thou bear all things patiently as did Abraham with a steadfast faith knowing surely that god will not forsake the for god is thy father and thou art his child. And it behoveth that he do with the what him pleaseth. For seeing that he is all good he will nothing but thine health.  
None can have such a faith if he have not therewith the love of god. And he that hath the love of god/ hath fulfilled the law for all the scriptures teach us none other thing but that we love god with all our hearts and our neighbour as our silf/ as it is written in saint Mathewe. 
Mat. 22.  None is a true christian but he that hath this love. All other be rather ypochrites then christian. For all good works which be not done by charity/ and of good will are all sin before God as saith saint Austyn: He that doth good against his will/ he doth evil albeit that that that he doth be good. For all that I do against my will I hate it. And when I hate the commandment I hate also him that hath commanded it. And as long as the parson is such he may not be righteous▪ for none may be righteous but he that keepeth & fulfilleth the commandments of God by charity/ and with a joyful heart. And this is a singular grace of god. And therefore may none be proud of it/ for he can not have it of him silf. So hath a man nothing of him silf wherewith he may exalt him silf For without God can we do nothing. 
john. 15  As Christ him silf sayeth/ wit out me can ye do nothing/ No not one's have of your silf one good thought as sayeth saint Paul. 
1. Cor. 4  whate hast thou that thou hast nor received wherefore there is no weigh more sure to come to everlasting life then to humble him silf before God/ and to pray him humbly of mercy nothing trusting in his good works/ but with a farm trust forsaking him silf to knowledge always to god his imperfection. For we can come to nothing by our good works if we put any trust in them. For they are nothing eye but sin/ and stinking before God/ when God helpeth us not by his grace. 
Esai. 64  As saith the prophet isaiah. We are all made unclean and all our justice is as it were a cloth of a woman that suffereth the flux of blood.  
And therefore I can never merveyle enough that many of the religious parsons would make other parttakers of there good works/ by bretheryeldes and fraternytees/ seeing that Christ saith in the Gospel: After that ye have done all that to you is commanded/ say ye/ we be unprofitable servants/ we have done but our duty. For none can do to much. None doth more than he is bound to do/ but only jesus Christ which 
1. Pet. 2.  only (as sayeth Saint Petre the apostle in his two epistle) Never did sin neither was there deceit found in his mouth) hath done that he was not bound to do (And as sayeth the Prophet Isaiah) hath taken upon hum all our languores. 
Csa. 53  And all our sorrows did he bear/ he was wounded for our iniquities/ he was beaten for our offences/ and by his stripe spots were we made hole.  
His justice was only parfait justice for he hath done that he was not bound to do. But we of our silves when we do our best yet can not our justice be parfeyt when after our advice we do more than we are bound to do yet be we unrightuous and if we will be righteous so must god's righteousness make us righteous. for as sayeth saint Pa●le/ Christ of god to us is made wisdom justice sanctification and redemption to th'intent that (as it is written) He that rejoiceth should rejoice in the lord. 
1. Cor. 1  Saint Paul also teacheth us in all his epistles that jesus Christ is our justice and that by him we shallbe saved and by none other.  
Now seest thou well/ that none can do to much. For of him silf none can do enough: and that we must take our comfort of the satisfaction of jesus Christ. Then why will some sell unto us their merits and good works and make us parttakers of them: And if it be not that such ypochristes forsake their trusting upon there good works and that they learn for to trust upon the justice and satisfaction of Christ they them sylves shall never be saved. For the Pharesey had done many good works but because that he stood well in his own conceit glorified and boasted him sylf thereof/ therefore he was forsaken of God.   

¶ In whate thing lieth the Christendom. chapter xiiij  
TKen lieth the very Christianyte in this thing/ that thou do all thing that charity proceeding from thy faith judgeth to be agreeable unto god. And when thou hast all done with the lest evil that thou canst/ that thou judge thy self yet an unprofitable servaunt/ and that by all thy good works thou hast yet deserved nothing/ or if there be any thing well done that it apartayneth to god albeit that by his goodness he will reward it and that he so reward the goodness that he hath done himsilf by his holy spirit being in us. And therefore have we nothing but that that cometh of god upon whom we must abide (for I have often said) Christ is our justice that is to say Christ hath satisfied for us/ not to th'intent that we should not satisfy but because we can not satisfy. And when one understandeth this he seeth well how he should humble him silf before God/ and in whom he shall seek his health. And when we thus distrust in ur silves of our good works we shall forsake our silf and stikke all holly to god with a steadfast faith and parfait trust. And so doing we make force unto the kingdom of heaven.  
And this is it that God requireth of us and then he holdeth to us his promise and he justifieth us when we die with such a trust not for our works/ but for his holy name: For he hath promised us that we shall be his children. So brought he the children of Israel into the land of promission/ not by their merit (for they were many time rebels/ and murmured against him) but to fulfil his promise. For he had promised it to Abraham/ Isaac and jacob.  
So shall not the Christian distrust albeit he find no good in him sylf/ nor in his own virtue/ but he shall yield him sylf hoelly to the mercy of god and axe pardon of his imperfection with a perfayt trust considering how great love Christ hath showed unto him. And thus doing he ge●●e●h an hope and trust in the goodness of God/ and believeth steadfastly that his sins are forgyven not by his good works (for when they be compared unto the goodness required of God there is no comparison) but by jesus Christ to whom he putteth his trust. For jesus Christ possessith the kingdom of heaven/ by double right.  
First for because he is the son of God and very enheryter of his Royalme.  
secondly because he hath gotten it by his passion and death. Of this second right he hath no need/ and therefore he giveth it to all them that believe and trust in him and in his promises.  
For as God the father loveth Christ he loveth likewise all them that love him & believe in him.  
So there shall none discomfort him self when he shall die but he must believe surely that he shallbe saved. And albeit that one have not deserved by his good works yet nevertheless he must believe it because of the promise of god. for god hath promised it to all them that believe it. And if we believe it he oweth it unto us because of his promise and because that he is true.  
But if God had promised heaven unto us because of our works we should ever be unsure of our health for we should never know how moche nor how long we must labour to be saved and should be ever in thought that we had done to little and that more is we should never die joyfully. But god would assure us of heaven/ by his promise to th'intent we should be certain and sure: For he is the truth that can not lie. And also to th'intent that we should have trust and hope in him/ notwithstanding that after the greatness and multitude of our sins it seem to us a thing impossible yet always we shall believe it without any doubt because of his sure promise. And whosoever knoweth this he may joyfully die and abide the judgement of God which else were yntollerabill.   

¶ How that we shall not sorrow for fear of death. chapter xu  
THe health of a Christian lieth not in this life or in that that one liveth long in this world/ but rather in the death. For we can not be saved but by death. Therefore the death in him silf is not yvill but is rather to be desired. As did saint Paul saint Martyne saint Austyn and many other saints which desired all the death for in this life there is no profit/ but alway to sin more and more/ and alweyes unready to die.  
Therefore thou shalt diligently study and exercise thy silf in this present book/ and in the faith whereof I have moche spoken of and then forsaking thy silf entirely thou shalt trust unto the grace mercy and good will of god always rather desiring to die and to be with god then to live here any longer. This shall thy spirit desire. for the flesh can not desire such things. And so shalt thou hold thy silf steadfastly unto god beleving that thou art his child and that he is thy father & that thou belongest to him.  
For God hath bought the again and hath made the his child and his heir when thou were yet his enemy. And if he have bought the when thou knewest him not how moche more will he now take the to mercy when thou knowest him/ and when thou askest mercy with a steadfast faith and trust in him. And because a man can not live here without sin therefore he can never satisfy unto God for his sins. And for this cause shall the Christian willingly yield him silf unto the death for the love of God: As jesus Christ hath done for us. And by such a willing death which is taken with a good will by such faith and trust/ and also by the love that we have to God all sins are clearly defeated and put away. For none can do more great penance then to die willingly for to fulfil the will of God.  
Therefore thou shalt not be sorry for death/ but thou shalt forsake willingly and with a joyful heart all thy goods and all thy friends for to obey god. They that die with such a courage and such a trust in god it is a certain sign that they be saved And to th'intent that none should fear or be discomfort by death/ Christ is first deed him silf and hath taken away the power of death. None shall have horror of the death/ if he have this faith for it is now none other thing but a door and enter whereby one goeth from this life temporal unto the life eternal. For christ saith by the mouth of the prophet Osee. 
Osee. 13 1. Cor. 15  O death I willbe thy death. And saint Paul saith. Death where is thy victory.  
Wherefore it is moche to be rebuked the foolish custom and manner of weeping bewailing and taking of sorrow for the deed as though we had no manner of hope or believe on the other life. Let the paynims weep and wail which have no hope of the everlasting life. I mervayle that we be so moche ynfideles seeing that saint Paul teacheth us not to be sorry for our friends deed saying unto the thessalonians: My brethren we will not that ye be ignorant of them that sleep that is to say of them that be deed to 
1. Tessa. 4  th'intent ye should not be sorry as are other that have no hope. Behold Saint Paul calleth the death none other thing but a sleep from the which jesus Christ shall wake us at the day of judgement. And if we have such a faith/ as is that whereof I have now spoken of we shall be nothing sorry but rather joyful when any dieth. Whosoever is sorry for such thing he sinneth. For he is sorry that the will of god is done. Then let none be sorry therefore for it is but all folly and infidelity.  
Thou shalt not ordain where thou wilt be buried or whate stone thou wilt have on thy tomb for it is all pride and vainglory and proufiteth nothing/ ye it is great sin bifore god. For it is all one bifore god if thou be buried in the church or in the churchyard or in any other place. And all the pomps and ceremonies wherewith the deed are buried is more institute for the proufyt and advantage of the lyving/ then to help the deed. For they proufit or help nothing at all unto the deed.  
The best preparation unto death is to love nothing in this world/ to set his heart on none earthly thing: but so to entreat and use all temporal things that one may be always ready to forsake them and to love better to be with god then here.  
wilt thou now know who dieth helthfully as far as man may have knowledge. Me seemeth after the scripture that when a man or a woman hath loving conversation with his neighbour/ or if they be married to gyther in an holy love/ glad to here talk of god/ giving willingli after their power for God's sake/ and are not sorry or discomforted for the loss of their goods/ or of any other adversite willingly comforting the desolate and dieth in a steadfast faith and with good will it is to be thought that such a parson should be saved.  
Now forbecause I have moche spoken of the faith and how we be the children of god I will write how all estates should live/ and of every estate alone a doctrine after the Gospel and epistles of. S. Paul. And first of monks and nuns.   

¶ Of the life of Monks whate it was in times passed. chapter xvi  
IN times passed there were no holier parsons than monks. And all they that would live according to the gospel were wont to give them silves unto that life because they had a more greater occasion and help to lead a good life/ then with them of the world. A parson mought better keep his simplicity/ chastity/ sobryete/ humility and other virtues in such assemble of holy parsons than he could do among the seculars and worldly which sought but things carnal. So was then the life of monks the fontaygne of christendom. But thou must know that the monks of that time were all other than they of this present tyme. They made no vows no● promises as they do now. None was then constrained to chastity or to other virtues against his will. They were subject and obeissant unto the commandment of their Abbot willingly as though god had commanded them. For their superiors commanded them nothing but the commandments of God and of the Gospel.  
And because I may not rehearse the life of all Monks I will speak here of four manner of Monks/ to th'intent that ye may know how the life of monks is changed.  
The first monks was Helyas & Helizeus/ the sons of jonadab/ the sons of the prophets/ saint john Baptist/ & other like. They were parsons lyvyng in abstinence/ yn wilderness. But the life of them hath no manner similitude unto the life of our monks now a days.  
Not long after that our saviour christ is ascended unto heaven/ is there come an other sect of Monks/ of whom writeth Pi●●lo and Eusebius. These monks had their beginning of the disciples of saint Mark. with them dwelled women and lived to gyther separat from the people in sobryete/ chastity and love. And they lauded God with reading of the psalms/ with fastings and prayers: And lived hoelly after the life which thappostles had first enterprised among whom all things were common. 
Acto. 4  As writeth Saint Luke in th'acts of th appostles.  
Many have followed the life of these mo●kes here as saint Effrem/ saint Machayre/ saint Hierome/ saint Heliodore/ and many other holy parsons that then were in the world as a man may perceyve in the books of saint john chrysostom.  
Of such life was also saint Martyne with his brethren. They were not idle but writing of books and labouring with their hands for to get their expenses. They made no vows nor profession. Every one mought eat fast & read when he would like as did the seculars. They came many times to gyther to communion and prayer. They had no certain masses/ nor hours to sing daily. And when it was noyous unto them they mought avoid out of the company/ for they were not constrained there to abide by any profession. And when a Bishop or an herdman died they took customably one of these monks for a new Bishop and herdman/ for they were then holy and lettered parsons.  
After them came the third sect of monks/ of the which was saint Benet/ Montanus/ Gregory/ and other monks/ of the order of saint Benet. In that time was the life of monks sum what charged with a certain number of Psalms/ with certain prayers/ with one certain habit and order and with other ceremonies. Nevertheless saint Benet did not so charge his order/ but submitted all unto the discretion of the Abbot to dispense change and do all things according as he should think it best convenient after the time. And because they were men of holy life the ●ytesins took of them to their pastors & bishops. So came it afterward to pass that the princes and great parsonages have had favour and love unto the cloisters/ and have given them moche goods and possessions/ and have founded new monasteries/ so that they be thus multiplied in the world/ as thou mayst see. And because that to much goods and possessions have be given unto them their good discipline and life is by little and little brought to nought and corrupted by richesse. So that they have enterprised to make sumpluous bnyldinge/ costly vestments/ and have begun to eat and drink delyca●ly/ have bought precious vessels/ chalices/ and other ornaments in their churches. So have they enterprised to live/ not as monks but as lords By these things here is cooled the sprite and love of God. Thus loving the spirit they have taken the flesh ordaining all their holiness in foreign/ and outward things/ and ceremonies/ as in reading their hours/ in singing/ in kne●●g in habits and many other ceremonies. But humility/ contemptibilite/ sobriety/ patience and poverty they have forgotten. And by such means is the life of monks come unto voluptuousness and unto all vanity by th'abundance of richesse. Thus have they begun to be idle/ and would not get their expenses by labour of their hands/ as it was ordained at the beginning. Thus by idleness are they come unto all evil and perversite and by great heaps be they fled out of their cloisters Monks and nuns. Then was it ordained (as it seemeth) that bifore saint Bernardes' time the monks did make profession.  
After that the life of monks was so corrupted came saint Bernard to cloister and then were the monks reformed. Then did they again diligently take their estate and began again to charge their order with profession and promise and have made many statutes after the which they mought live/ and whereby they might compel men thereto for the willing spirit was clear extinct in them.  
After this is comen the four sect of monks. As Norbertus/ saint Dominyk saint Fraunceys. And of them are now comen many sects/ as the observau●tes/ freres minors/ Collettes/ and Mar●●ās Saint Dominyk hath been as fertile as saint Fraunceys. And thus be the cloisters and monks multiplied without number. But the greater that the number of monks and nuns hath been the gretelyer hath virtue and charity been minished for they have begun to make divysions and parts the one against the other for to know which of their ordres were most holy and better than other and many other follies.  
After this have the monks gotten pope's and cardinals of their religion. And also they have purchased and gotten to the despite and contempt one religion of an other many privileges/ pardons and authorities to make confrayries for the seculars whom thy make parttakers of their good works as though: they did more than they are bound to do. notwithstanding that Christ him silf sayeth in the gospel: 
Lu. 17  After that ye have done all that to you is commanded: yet say ye: we be unprofitable servants we have done but that which we were bound to do.  
Thus are the cloisters and monks multiplied/ and all charity among them minished. In times passed was the life of monks a departing from the world/ and now they are called monks which in the mids of the world by and sell/ judge/ drink/ eat and be conversaunt like seculars/ and yet will still be called monks or racher religious. They do the better to be called religious than monks after the life that they lead now. for monks after the greek word signifieth solitary or lyving alone as they were wont to live before times when their life was good and holy. But religious after the latin is bond and subject. For whate is now the life of the religious but a superstitious subjection unto certain vain ceremonies. Therefore they may now by good reason be called religious that is to say captyves imprisoned in a ceremonial life and all Indaicall/ uless as they keep not their order liberally/ and willingly/ but for the most part by constraint. But there intent is not to be called religious for this cause. For this word religious betokeneth sometime/ holy and given to the servis of god. And therefore they would so be called intending to be taken more holier than other. Albeit that thappostell say: If any man think that he is sum what when in deed he is nothing/ the same deceyveth him silf in his imagination.  
always in old tymereyned all virtue among the religious. They haunte● not the worldly people and therefore might they well be called monks/ that is to say/ solitaryes living alone and also religious that is to say holy and bound unto all virtue. But now ye shall find no where no greater eaters/ banqueters/ drinkers (I dare not say drunkards) chidings nor envy them among them. They think that when they keep their rule outwardly in habit/ kneeling/ becking/ singing/ reading/ fasting/ saying of mass/ and in other semblable ceremonies/ that they be then saints and virtuous/ albeit that all these things thus done without the spirit and fire will be nothing else bifore god but superstition pride and ypochrisie.  
Thus do they daily increase their superstitious ceremonies trusting therun to because they have not the same faith & spirit that the religious had in times passed. Beforetymes the ●ove of God stired them to do such things. Now they do it all of a necessity as though they could not be saved without such things/ making to them idols and Gods of the works of their hands. Then how is it now a religious life? I see nothing wherefore one should enter into religion.   

¶ Whether the life of a Monk be better than the life of a common Eytesyn. chapter xvij  
THe life of monks as it is now used in the world is none other thing but a sect and therein lieth no more holiness then in the life of a good householder. wherefore the state that the monks become to now a days is moche to be plained. And if thou wilt know that I say truth compare the life of a good honsholder unto the life of a good monk/ & behold which agreeth most unto the doctrine of the gospel. The monk is obeissant unto his Abbot/ prior or warden. The householder unto his pastor or herdman in that it pleaseth him to command him in fastings holidays and such like and that many times more willingly than the monk to his Abbot.  
The monk promiseth poverty but he never wanteth as saith Saint Barnard. He is fed and nourished of the goods of other gained by the labour of other. He giveth to none but receyveth every where. The householder liveth not of alms as doth the monk or frere but gaineth his lyving with the labour of his hands/ ye he giveth alms according to his power. So is better herein the householder than the religious: 
〈◊〉 20  For Christ him silf saith that it is more blessed to give then to receive.  
The third thing that the monk promiseth is chas●ite/ nevertheless the state of matrimony pleaseth god also/ for he himsilf hath institute it. The monk promisyth to keep the rule of a man. The householder is content with the promise that he hath made at the font of baptism so that he may keep it well. For the good life lieth not in moche promising/ but in keeping well that which one hath promised. The monk rejoiceth because saint Fraunceys or saint Dommike is his superior. The householder holdeth god for his superior. The monk hath the rule of a man. The householder the rule of god/ that is to say/ the gospel. Then why will the Monk hold him silf more holy than the common householder? God is equally like nigh unto all them that love him with all their heart and live according to the gospel ● be he monk or chanone/ regular or secular.  
The Abit of Monks nor their ceremonies can not help them when their heart is not good/ likewise as the secular abit can not hurt the secular man when the heart is spiritual. For the perfection of Christendom lieth not in meet or drink or in other outward works/ as is fasting/ praying with the mouth/ watching/ reading/ singing/ making obeisance with the heed/ kneeling or in any other outward thing semblable. As testifieth saint Paul unto the Romans/ saying: The kingdom of god is neither meet nor drink/ but it is righteousness/ peace/ and joy in the holy ghost. If thy heart and intent seek none other thing but the honour and will of God/ if thou rejoice that thou mayst do and suffer all thing for the love of god than art thou sure that thou lovest God and that he loveth the.  
This let every religious know that he may not think that he shallbe justified by his outward works/ or that he is any thing better than the secular man: As at this day (god amend it) we see that many religious esteem them silves so holy/ as though they alone were christian. And hereof many times the seculars are cause which plain their life when they behold the life of the religious. They praise the state of religion because they regard only the outward works and plain that god hath not called them to such a life. when the religious here this they glorify heryn trust in their works and think that it is even so and that they be more holy than the other.  
This is the most dangerous temptation that a religious may have for by this temptation they begin many times to trust and abide upon their good works notwithstanding that they be often done against their will which can never be good. As at this day we see how many monks and nuns live in their cloisters against their will: And all that they do proceedeth from an heart constrained and not voluntary. And out dare th●y not go for shame because they have otherwise promised. And they curse oft-times all evil to them that have counseled them and brought them into that religion/ and would fain that their cloister were burned. And so be they never content in their heart neither can find any rest of conscience and be then much ferther from god than they were when they were seculars. Such people oft-times do many evelles toward them silves by impatience and rebellion against god. They do nothing by. love that they have to god or because that they believe them silves to be the children of god but only by constraint and against their will. And when they must die they trust and stikke upon such works by them done against their hearts and by constraint of their order and think even thus.  
Behold dear lord: my life hath been to me hard and bitter: I have oft-times had evil will: I have always abiden in my Cloister/ I have kept mine order/ I have valiantly fought unto the end/ give me now the crown of glory/ and the everlasting life. In all the world is there not a more dangerous sin than this perversyte and ypochrisye.  
It were better for such people to void from their cloister: For sinners knowing their sins and requiring pardon and grace be received unto grace where as such ypochrites are reproved of god: As we may see in the gospel where god received unto grace mary Magdaleine/ saint Matthew/ the good thief and many other open sinnars: But he hath lest the scribes and pharisees in their blindness which trusted on their works.  
Ye fathers and mothers behold well whate ye do when ye put your children in to religion: For ye are causes of all their sins. And it sufficeth them not to live alone in such abusion b●t they teach it them silves unto other/ whom they writ in their confraynes and make them participant of their good works which proceed often from an evil willed spirit which can never be good bifore god for God will no constrained service. Nether is there any work agreeable unto god but such as proceed from faith/ charity and out of a willing heart. And if God would have such a constrained service he would constrain the devil's to pray moche to sing/ moche to watch moche and to do such other things.  
But god will none of our works/ when he hath not our hearts. And all the works that we do daily be agreabill unto god if with all our hearts we love him/ believe and trust in him. And all the works done without such faith and love be sin and dampnabill bifore god/ and if we s●ikke upon them as though they were good works. And so were it better for the to go out of thy cloister and to be an open sinner and to knowledge thy misdoing bifore god as did the publican then so for to trust unto thy works as though god for them did owe unto the the kingdom of heaven.  
But thou sayest: I have promised it I must abide. 
judi. 11. Mar. 6  I say again: None is bound to hold a promise which is contrary unto his health: as did jepte and Herode which had been better to break their oaths than to hold their promises. For none may promise nor hold a thing that is contrary unto his health. S. Fraunceis and saint Dominike had liefer that thou were saved in keeping the gospel than dampened trusting upon thy works. And it is better to be shamed here bifore the world then bifore god.  
But whate is it that thou hast promised when thou madest thy profession? hast thou promised that thou wilt not live after the promise that thou hast made at thy baptism? Tho● sayest nay/ But therefore sayest thou I am entered into religion for the better to fulfil the promise made at baptism. Then when thou perceyvest that thou livest worse in the monastery/ then thou diddest when thou were secular/ whi● darest thou not take again the life & estate wherein thou mayst work better for thy health without offending any parson but rather amend other? Or if thou be entered into religion for to seche the health of thy soul and findest there more noise envy drinking banquets divisions/ hatredes then from whence thou camest thou mayst alweyes say I am come hither to amend my life. And I find that I wax daily worse: therefore I will go there I may amend my life and serve God with more great rest of conscience. Therefore I tell the that it is better to live well in the world then ill in the monastery & to trust upon thy good works.  
But thou must think not to leve the cloister to have liberty and carnal pleasure but only to serve God more freely as saith Saint Paul. Give not your liberty an occasion unto the flesh. And none can give the better knowledge hereof 
Ga. 5.  then thine ownr conscience when thou askest it council for it deceyveth none but saith alway manifestly the troth.  
The world hath likewise his dangers and his perils and it is impossible to live in the world without sin. Therefore when the religious saith that he may be saved in his cloister/ ●er him abide there although he have there much to suffer. But when thou percey vest that in thy cloister thou workest against thy health/ thou mayst then return into the world without sin/ and live according to the Gospel although that it be great shame bifore the world: For it is better to obey unto god/ then unto men/ as said Saint Peter in th'acts of th appostles. 
Act. 5    

¶ How it is that the Monks go not forward in spiritual life but wax often worse. chapter xviij  
WIlt thou know why they live now sloughtfully in the monasteries and wherefore that there be so many that would feign they were out? This happeth for none other cause but that they never entered for that intent that they should have entered. One entereth there of necessity/ to have his expenses: An other to become a great prelate: The third to live idly & to have good times. Many for vain glory to be reputed holy/ and devout/ to be honoured of the common people/ or so in preaching to show them silves that they be wise. None taketh that estate with such a spirit and courage as sometime did saint Fraunceis or saint Benet. And therefore they prouf●t nothing. But the longer they be there/ the more sloughtfull they wax to do good. For to be idle and to be nourished delicately dulleth us and maketh the flesh rebel/ so that they are the more inclined unto lubricite uncleanness hatred envy and slought then the seculars that labour with their hands.  
Some see the religious read moche praising watch go wolwared and were meek clothing: And this pleaseth them. They get a pleasure to serve god in such a sort. They here say that every body promiseth the kingdom of heaven unto the observauntes/ so that they keep well their rule/ and by this mean conceive they spirit and courage/ to learn this life because they consider not what thing is promised them if they keep well the promises made at their baptism. And after that they be thus entered into the cloister they here of none other thing/ they learn none other thing but outward works/ as reading singing/ watching fasting and other like ceremonies. They know none other thing but that the sum of all perfection and health resteth in these things. So think they that they have the principal part of all perfection & that they are sure to be saved when with great unlust and tediousness they have accomplished and observed these outward things And because they think thus they abide hanging and trusting in such things. And so come they never unto the holy and blessed spirit of saint Fraunceys or of s●int Bene●.  
They have never experience how it standeth with a spiritual heart: for they know not whate thing they should do with inforth. They think that all lieth in outward works and because they come not unto the spirit therefore abide they so coide we●y and slought●ull. And so recoil they more backward than they go ferward in goodness. And commonly when they have lived in their religion twenty or thirty year they are less worth as unto the purpose of health than they were at their enter. For they have nought gotten there but a good estimation of them silf of their good works superstition and ypochrisye.  
They have not yet once tasted the sobriety and little estimation that the spiritual parson beareth in his heart of him silf. for they abide always in the flesh and in the letter of their rule and of the commandments. And they do nought by love nor with good heart. And as long as they keep thus their order they are reproved of God with the Pharesey in the xviij chapter of Saint Luke. 
Lu. 18   
For if the law of Moses and the Ceremonies which God him self did ordain might justify nor save none (as writeth Saint Paul the Apostle in all his epistles) how moche less may a monk be justified by his rule and ceremonies which be institute by men. wherefore we must search all in the heart and in the spirit whereby we may be justified.  
For the outward works which we do without the spirit be sometime called flesh by Christ in the Gospel. 
john. ●.   
Such flesh proufiteth nothing: it is the spirit that quykeneth as Christ saith.  
That is to say: All outward and foreign things seem they never so holy if it proceed not from the spirit fulfilled with faith and love. That is to say: if it be not done by charity and love joyfully by the motion of faith and trust that we have to God. All such thing seem it never so holy or have it never so goodly appearance proufyteth nothing but rather hurteth and maketh an ypochryte. For seeing that god is a spirit he lovith nothing but that which proceedeth from the spirit as he him silf saith in the gospel.  
Saint Paul ostymes calleth such outward works elements that is to say 
Ga. 4  Commencementes and entrees into christendom: as though he would say that such things are ordained and institute for them that begin to take upon them the christianity: As the children of the school learn first their. 
Col. 2  A. B. C. He warneth us also that we suffer not our silves to be deceyved & that we serve not nor abide subjects to such elements/ but willeth that we should proceed unto the spirit. For whate profit should a scholar have to abide all his life in his. A. B. C. & learn. no ferther? No more profit bring the works without the spirit and faith. Moreover our saviour Christ calleth them man's constitutions saying. 
Mat. 15  They honour me in vain teaching doctrines and commandments of men. 
1. Tim. 4  Saint Paul also calleth them bodily exercitation/ that is to say things whereby our body is only exercised/ busied and letted to do worse. They of them silves profit nothing unto our souls: For he saith/ exercitation or bodily labour is little thing profitable/ but meekness proufiteth to all th●nges. And this is because that we do it with the body only & that thereby our heart and spirit is not turned to god. Such outward works are much mocked of the prophet Isaiah/ where he speaketh in the parson of god in this manner: 
Esa. ●  Offer me no more sacrifice: Sense to me is abomination: I will no more suffer the feasts of the new moan/ nor of the sabbat/ nor other festes: My soul hath hated your kalends and solempnitees. And again: Heaven is my seat/ the earth is the footstool of my feet: 
Esa. 66  whate is the house that thou canst build to me? And which is the place of my rest? My hand hath made all these things saith the lord God.  
But whereunto shall I take regard but unto the poor and contrite spirit and unto the fearer of my words. He that maketh sacrifice of an ox as he that slew a man. He that killeth a sheep as he that brained a dog he that offereth oblation as he that offered the blood of a hog. He that remembreth the eusence as he that blissed an idol. They have chosen all these things in their ways and their souls have taken pleasure in their abhommations. wherefore I will also rehearse their illusions and deceits. And I will bring unto them the things that they feared because I have called and there was none that answered I have spoken and they have not herd. Think well on these words you all that make such estimation of your Ceremonies/ feasts/ oblations/ sensinge/ and all other outward works. for albeit that ye will say that all these words be spoken of I●es that abode obstinate in the law of Moses: shall they not? ye/ aught they not? Likewise to be understand of all them that follow the I●es in such rites? As do all they that think to do great pleasure to god by their ceremonies/ sumptuous bildinges singings/ pleying at the organs/ sensinge/ diversitees of abites and a thousand other dreams/ which things may be done by any envious parson proud parsonye verily also by a murderer or a the●e as well as by a very christian. But to love god with good heart/ to recognize his imperfection/ to pray for his enemies to succour by very love his christian brother/ to ●ere patiently and with a joyful heart all that god sendeth: these things can none do but he that is all holly given unto god They that be such be only very religious before god. For only such do fulfil there rule. For they do observe it and keep it joyfully/ and with a will free & good. But otherwise when one doth all by constraint and tediousness it is but a small comfort.  
But that there be now so few religious having the very feeling of the spirit/ this is for none other cause but (as I have said bifore) forbecause that they enter not with such a courage & intent as they should do and that they be not instructed as it aperteyneth.  
Therefore whosoever will enter into religion let him be ware above all things that he enter not upon th'intention to deserve the kingdom of heaven by his watchings/ fastings/ abstinences/ prayers/ singings/ redinge/ and other things like. For if th'intent be such/ he trusteth in his works/ and becometh an ypochrite. And the more he doth of such works the more great ypochriste he become And so abideth he always a merchant with god for he serveth for wages. But if thou wilt enter into religion thou must do it for the love of God because god hath made us his children for to thank him again and to i'll the sin which raineth among the worldly. For he that doth thus he thinketh that he can never do service enough unto god for that he hath received already: for love knoweth no measure. He laboureth not for to get the eternal life as the merchant for his wages/ but only to give thanks of the goodness that god hath done unto him already because that he believeth and knoweth of troth that he is the child of God and his heir.  
And therefore when any hath the faith whereof we have bifore spoken he is to be praised that by thankfulness doth separate him silf from the world for to i'll the daungyers thereof. For the world hath a thousand occasions to sin/ principally for young people. Wherefore this is not a thing to be dispraised that a parson yield him in a good religion to amend his life. But if one find now in the monasteries more debates/ drinkinge/ banquettes/ pomps/ hatred/ envy and ypochrysye then in the world it were moche better to abide out/ ye or if one be entered to void out rather then to learn there to haunt such life. For one must go thither to amend his life/ not to wax worse.  
But thou mayst say: I have made profession and promise: I must abide. I have said bifore that none is bound to hold/ ye that none ought to hold any promise that is contrary unto his health. hearken to this that saint Paul sayeth: 
2. Tessa. 3  We command you brethren by the name of jesus Christ that ye withdraw your silves from every brother that walketh inordinately and not after the institution which ye received of us. And again: If he that is called a brother among you be a fornicator or covetous or a worshippper of images 
1. Cor. 5  or a railer or a drunkard or an extorcyonar/ with him that is such see that ye eat not. And in an other place: God hath not called us to live in strife and dissension but in peace and love.   

¶ Osparentes that will put their children into religion. chapter xix  
HEre must we warn the parents that they be ware to put their children into religion without advice which they do often because they seek more their own profit then the health of their children. For some do it because they have many children/ and to th'intent that they may marry the other the more richly they put one or two having some bodily imperfection into religion Some also do it to have honour by their children because they be made monks priests or prelate's. Other do it by hope to be holp and succoured of their children.  
Behold how that by such means there be so few that enter into religion with such intention as I have said above. Hit is not to be praised but greatly to be dispraised when by such occasion any entereth into religion. Therefore should the parents see first whether their children were inclined thereunto or not/ and whether they did desire it or not● and for whate cause they desired it. for if they be not inclined thereunto why wilt thou lose them as though none mought be saved in the world?  
How did men bifore that monks came into the world? And why were not thappostles monks? Ye why were ye not monks your silves that would so have your children? God (as sayeth Saint Paul the apostle) looketh on no man's parson whether he be monk or secular man or woman/ nobil or ignobill/ But he only is agreabill unto God that loveth him with all his heart be he householder or pressed/ religious or lay it is all one to him. And as Saint Peter saith in th'acts of th appostles. 
Acto. 10  There is no respect of parsons bifore God.  
And in these things are many times much guilty the religious that with fair words draw yought unto their cloisters.  
Some times the children them silves because when they see the religious sing/ read/ pray/ watch/ kneel/ avale their heads and do such like things they esteem that to do such things is an holy life. And get a will to do likewise.  
And when they have been there a year they repent that ever they there entered: for they have not the spirit that may comfort them/ and to avoid they are ashamed/ and so make their profession against their will. And even as they began with a cold courage/ so abode they commonly cold and changed f●om god. Wherefore it were well done to abstain him self from making of such profession unto th'age of xxx years/ as biforetyme none was sacred a priest bifore th'age of xxx years in which time one might prove him silf whether he might keep his rule or not. for we see many young people promise chastity but few can keep it.   

¶ Of the life of nuns and Chanonesses. chapter twenty  
ONe may see now a days many monasteries of nuns in the which they sing and read moche. And this I merveyle at from whence cometh their singing. For seeing they understand not whate they sing I can not tell whate proufit it cometh to. 
1. Cor. 14  For saint Paul defendeth to sing in the church (that is to say in th'assemble of the christian) but in a tongue that all may understand. Then the singing of nuns/ can not be agreabill unto God seeing that they do not understand it. No manner spiritual joy can they take thereby nor none amendment but do all by constraint of their rule and against their heart many times seching nothing else but vain glory Moche better were it for them to read their hours in a language that they understood. for when the spirit is not addressed unto god the singing or reading proufiteth nothing. for if singing without understanding pleased God the birds/ lutes/ herpes and other instruments should much please god. Then when any singeth without understanding it proufyteth him little and therefore it were much better that the nuns and other religious did read and sing their hours and their psalter in their common language. Paula and Eustochium and also other ladies of whom writeth saint Hierom did read in their time their service in the latin tongue but that was because they did well understand it. And here●y is it now come to pass that our nuns sing and read in latin and most for vain glory because they understand it not. They think that the latin tongue soundeth more pleasantly bifore the world. Now is there a thing in the life of the nuns moche to be dispraised and that which is contrary to the Gospel/ it is that they are so sumptuously clothed and appareyld. It was the custom of old time (which I do not approve) that such religious women went bareheded and bare nekked and so came to church. This manner hath the bishops wisely reproved and changed/ and have ordained that they should come to church their hedes covered like other women. Thus when any young woman promised chastity the bishop covered her heed and her neck to th'intent that they should not be seen and that none should couvite her. And because there were then no monasteries such virgins kept them silves in the houses of their parents and went not out but with their parents and that only for to go to mass or to the sermon/ or to visit the martyrs in prison.  
One might lightly know them by the cloth that they bore about their heads and nekkes.  
After this Marcelia and Paula did enterprise to build a monastery at Rome for that such virgins did not live without danger in the houses of their parents. Thus hath the cloisters of nuns taken their beginning which were wo●t to get their expenses by the labour of their hands. They sang not as do nuns now a days but red psalms working. Thus served they God in all obedience/ chastity/ labour simplicity/ and meekness/ their raiment was simple to despise the world. their hedes were covered to th'intent that they might see noman and noman them. But now (God amend it) all is turned to pride in such manner of blazing fashion and costly in all their apparel and lyving which was given them in token of sobriety/ chastity/ and meekness so that I can not see whate holiness there is in the nuns lyving as it is now used in the world.  
It is more agreabill unto the world then unto god. For simplicity contemptibilyte/ po●ertie and humility which god requireth is now banished and reproved. All is turned into pride excess and costly apparel as though in these thinnges lay parpayt spiritualty and holiness of religion.   

¶ Of the Cloisters of Sisters/ and of their life. chapter xxi  
There be also diverse cloisters of Sisters whole life seemeth to be more according to the gospel/ For to labour with their hands and to help one an other by love is a christian life. And saint Paul boasteth him silf in his epistles that he hath gotten his expenses in the labour of his hands exorting us strongly to do likewise. As unto the Tessalonians/ we have not (saith he) eaten our breed for nought and without getting of it. And heryn is better the life of sisters then of the nuns for they are always diligent in their labour as in spynning/ knetting/ wesshing/ and other like occupations. So should all parsons do. for to be idle and to be, worth moche is impossible. And (as said saint Jerome) there is nothing worse in a good purpose then idleness. And therefore they of Egypt would receive none to be a monk if he were not ready to gain his expenses in labouring. Saint Austyne holdeth them for heretics that say that religious should not labour.  
But why are all the religious at this day so corrupted and dissolute but because they are become so rich that they will no more labour. wherefore to be much idle to eat and drink dilicatly/ to have all manner of case and yet to abide in goodness/ is a thing impossible. wherefore when the monasteries shallbe empoverisshed again the monks will begin to labour with their hands/ and than will the religious wax better. For bodily labour is commanded to all parsons by the commandment that God gave unto Abdella when he said: 
Gen●. ●.  In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread. Likewise saith the scripture that he that laboureth not should not eat. 
2. T●ssa.  Hereby may ye see whereby it cometh that the religious and priests be so corrupted. This is by none other cause but that they be idle and have to much good whereby all humility and simplesse/ that was in jesus Christ and his apostles in them is wholly perished and quenched. But yet is there an unperfection among these Sister's moche to be dispraised/ it is that they labour to make to sumptuous and pompous edyfices/ monasteries and chapels/ willbe easily lodged/ and are to superstitious in garnysshing with great cost there chapels and altars making sumptuous altar tables altar clothes courteyns and other things like which is all nothing but pride pomp and concupiscence of the yien. As saith saint johan. 
john. 2.  And albeit that some do it/ of a good intent thinking by such things to do great service unto god/ yet is it all nought else but abomination before him/ he setteth not by such things. As witnesseth the prophet isaiah. 
Esa. ●6.  For he loveth all simplicity humility and poverty aswell outward as ynward as he hath showed in all his conversation and doctrine. And this know ye my dear sisters and ye also my religious brethren that ye rob from the poor all the goods that ye dispose and spend upon such pompous buildings and ornaments of your chapels for when one entereth into your monasteries one can see nothing like unto the poverty of jesus Christ which had not where he mought rest his heed. But contraryly your monasteries seem rather the palaces of kings or princes than houses 
Luce. 9  of hospitality to harbour your silues and your▪ poor needy brethren. Remember ye not that good will require the blood of the poor of your hands because they die for hunger by your outrage.  
There is nothing that planteth covytyse in the hearts of the religious and that maketh them beg but this superfluity and outrage for without these things hereit were no need to beg they might get honestly their expenses in the labour of their hands and might do alms handsomely of that that they should have superfluous/ for they should find work enough: And unhappy were he that could not get his expenses/ for all the world would take pleasure to help them to get it/ and to see theirholiness peacible simplicity and conversation. So truly should they live pleasing god and according to the doctrine of the gospel. But one might say whate should they do if ●ny misfortune happened unto them as of pestilence or of other thing? I answer you that it is a demand of unbelief. Think you that God would leave them in danger? I certify you that in such a case he should not think him silf happy that mought not assist and aid them for the lord would move the hearts to do it. For he never leveth his true servants and children in danger if they trust in him. But now when one saith there sumptuous edifices so manifold garnisshinge of altars and images courtey●s of silk and gold and many other costly things which truly represent nothing but vanity unto spiritull hearts one can in no wise take pleasure therein albeit that the worldly make moche thereof and praise it moche because they know but the flesh and letter which slayeth.   

¶ How man and wife shall live together a doctrine after the Gospel. chapter. xxij.  
Our saviour Christ hath commanded nothing so straitly as to love one another ye also to love our enemies/ as it is written in saint Mathewe where he sayeth. 
Mar. 5  Love your enemies. Then how much the more should the man and wife love the one the other which are but one body. 
Ephe. 5  Saint Paul teacheth that the men shall love their wives. But (alas) there are but few that know how they shall love the one the other. For if thou love thy wife only because she is thy wife and because she serveth and pleaseth the after sensual appetite of the flesh in beauty/ noblesse/ richesses▪ and such like/ this is no love bifore god. Of such love speaketh not saint Paul: for such love is among harlots ye among brute beasts. But thou shalt love her because that she is thy sister in the christian faith and that she is enheriter together with the of the glory of god/ and because ye serve together one god because that ye have received together all one baptism and semblable sacraments. Thou shalt also love her for her virtues/ as shamefastness chastity diligence sadness patience attemperance secresye obedience and other ghostly virtues albeit that she be poor of a small lineage and foul. For ye may not love the woman b●t that is in her that is say virtues and the grace of god. Also thou mayst not hate her/ but thou must hate the imperfection that is in her as her vices detraction/ lack of shame lak of chastity vain and idle words/ gloutony dishonest sloughtfulnesse wrath pride and other vices. Likewise shall the woman love or hate that that is in the man. The man shall reprove his wise by good manner when she shall make any fault without hating of her having alweis patience with her as with a frail vessel/ as teacheth saint Petre. When such a good and holy love is between the man and wife then shall the man be 
●. Peti. 3.  the heed and the woman the less. The wife shall willingly serve her husband as her lord. 
Ephe. 5.  The man shall love his wife and honour her as his own body. For although the man be the heed he may not therefore suppress and despise his wife but he must diligently defend her and kept her from ewil as his own body/ he shall more enforce him silf/ that his wife love him/ than that she fear him. He must love her as god hath loved us while we were yet his enemies and yet infect with our sins. So shall the husband love his wife/ albeit that she be foul or difforme/ he shall not be hard or cruel unto her but shall support her pacyentli and shall warn her sweetly. For if thou be heed why wilt thou hurt or despise thy body/ that is to say thy wife.  
The man shall defend warn teach and conduit his wife/ taking heed that she cloth not her silf to sumptuously and pompousely and that she were no jevelles/ for vain glory. For women be naturally given unto such follies unto braguery and pride. It is not expedient that a christian woman should apparel her outwardly as do the paymems for scarcely is she the wife of one man alone that so costly doth apparel her silf outwardly above her estate. Also they that do so give unto many occasion of evil desires. And seeing thou hast a husband why wilt thou go so to please other. Herein shall the man be the heed and lord over the woman and shall defend such superfluite and vain glory in his wife. He shall teach her and exhort her that she do her diligence to please by virtue and holy conversation and not by jewels and costly apparel. For with such things do the most foolish women of all garnish them silves.  
Therefore shall the husband take heed that the wife keep measure herm. Then shall the wife obey unto her husband as unto her so vereygne/ and shall love him as her own body shall honour and fear him as her lord. For so was Sara subject unto her husband Abraham and she called him her lord● 
1. Pe. 3.  as writeth saint Petre. So did Monyca the mother of saint Austyn honour her husband. And when he was wroth or drunken she tempted him not/ but after that it was passed she warned him of it by sweet words. So should all good women do unto their husbands.  
Thus shall there be no sensual or carnal love in the state of marriage but a godly and a spiritual. Then shall both man & wife help the one other for to get their expenses. The woman shall take care for that that must be done within the house and the man without. For such a life is moche pleasant unto god/ as it is written in Ecclesiastes in this manner. In three hath my spirit had pleasure which are approved bifore god and man. 
Eccle. ●5  The concord of brethren/ the love of thy neighbour/ and the man and wife well agreeing together among them silves. Such a life in marriage is pleasant unto god for he him silf did institute marriage in paradise.  
The man shall always attribute somewhat unto the woman for she is a frail vessel. They shall live sometime also in chastity with one purpose and accord to th'intent they may fast and pray.  
It is also always best that in marriage the like take the like. For if a poor man take a rich or nobil woman/ she would be the heed/ and that is against the teaching of saint Paul. And if the poor maydon take a rich and nobil husband she is not fellow to h●m norlsady of the house/ but a servaunt for he knowelegith her not for his wife/ but holdeth her as his servaunt and drug: And this is like wise against the theching of saint Paul. For by such mean the woman hath not gotten an husband but a tyrant and a violent lord. Nether was Eve made of the feet of Adam/ but of his side. Nevertheless when the rich is joined in marriage with the poor/ and love well the one the other after such manner as I have said so that the man be always the heed and that he despise not his wife it is a christian life be they rich or poor/ nobil or unnoble. For in this matter the will of god is more to be considered then poverty or richesse.   

¶ How the parents shall teach and govern their children after the Gospel. chapter xxiij  
NOthing in all Christendom is so necessary as to teach and govern the children/ as it appertaineth. For for defa●te of governance of them cometh all evils into the world. And oft-times it is the fault of the parents that the children be nought because that they keep not them silves from gyving them evil ensample which is a great and dangerous sin. This is the cause of the most part of the sins that be done in the world/ wherefore it behoveth that the parents take good heed that they govern their children well and ●rafiely from the beginning of their yought▪ For heryn may they do service much acceptable unto God.  
Then first▪ shall the parents do their diligence to make their children to learn good manners: And for to keep them from stamering/ lysping/ and pronounsing their words by half/ which vice cometh oft-times by their nurses which speak so to the children and which speech those children learn and follow.  
And this that they learn so yn youth can they scarcely leave. Ye must also take good heed that no body make them afraid of any thing in their yought: For they be sometime fearful all their life after. And when they become to thage of vi or vij years at the uttermost/ let one send them to the school to some good man that feareth God.  
their parents shall often instruct them of God: how that jesus Chryst very god and very man died for us on the cross/ and how that we shall have another better life after this life here and how that god hath made and created all things and that all that is in the world belongeth to him/ and how that he dareth it us for to live with all and to use it well. And how that it is he that nourisheth and entreteyneth us: And how that we must trust and stikke upon him/ and that he will keep us well from all evils And so shall they instruct them by little and little unto the f●ith and trust in God. And how that God is their father and they his children/ as we have showed bifore:  
Wherefore is moche to be plained the evil custom that is among the Christian: that they run into so far countries on pilgrimages and leave their children and meinie at home without heed and governor. It were a thousand times better that they abode at home/ and learned their children in the laws of god. For God requireth not that we should go on pilgrimages. he never commanded nor pressed them. for it is nothing but all incredulite and lack of faith that maketh us to run here and there and to ●●che God in one certain place which is like mighty in all places. But god hath commanded all his people to govern and teach their children and their maynye/ as writeth saint Paul unto Tymo●he saying: 
1. Tim. 5  If any one take not charge and care for his own and principally for his many/ he hath renayed the faith/ and is worse than an infidel or paynim. Who is he that would not tremble hearing these words of this holy apostle O ye fathers & mother's masters & mastresses take these words into your hearts for it is great peril to be worse than a paynim and to renye the faith.  
Take good heed what servants ye take into your house. For your children oft-times will become like unto them.  
Take also good heed that your many tell no vile ta●es/ sing no vile songs/ nor speak no foul words for that doth moche corrupt the children. ye must also be ware that ye do not array or cloth your children pompously to flatter them or to make to much of them showing them to moche foolish love. For when ye give them to much of the bridle ye can not afterward chastise or reprove them. It is expedient also that ye take heed/ that ye cloth not your silves to sumptuously: for if the parents do it: It proufiteth nothing to keep the children from it. For the children will learn it of them silves by the evil ensample of their parents. For when they see their▪ parents do it/ they think it is no sin: notwithstanding that their cometh of it great sin and much evil. Let not your child ●onne where he will but know alway where he is/ and who is with him or in his cu●●pany/ and whate thing he doth. See that your child hanut honest games I say not rythe or nobil games/ but of good manners/ and that they be thereto well instructed.  
Suffer not your children to go to weddings or banquets: for now a days one can learn nothing there but ryba●drye and foul words. For if it be so that thou wilt not suffer thy child to come into a place where he may be in danger to take hurt of his body: How m●che more art thou bound to keep him from coming there where he should flee or hurt his soul. Thou sendest him to the weddings/ where thou knowest well (as the world goeth now a days) that it is likely that he shallbe hurt in his soul by hearing of such words that he shall with great difficulty be made hole/ and yet thou wilt not keep him thence. O world without wit.  
Thou must take heed to whate vices thy child is most inclined whether it be to covetous pride or other uncleanness/ and according thereunto he must be warned and kept. Thus shalt thou do thy diligence to apply h●m to virtue in time whiles he is young for then mayst thou bend apply and coudnyte him as thou wilt. And if thy child be naturally inclined to any virtue/ thou shalt do thy diligence to entreteyn him and to advance him therein. Thou shalt also know that in the men children there raineth commonly other sins than do in the daughters. In the daughters reyveth most pride of beauty and of raiment: In the ●oyes sloth drunkenness/ and harlottrye. So behoveth it that a good father/ and mother consider diligently to whate thing their children are most inclined & to conduit and warn them therein. The parents ought also to be ware that they be not to hard and rigorous unto their children to th'intent they make them not rebels disobedient and fugityves and then run they away vagabonds by the country as many do. They should cause them to learn an occupation whereunto they should have most courage and apt intent which should be lawful without fraud and whereby they might honestly get their expenses in time coming. This should be done in time bifore they be given to the scoles for we see commonly that clerks will put them silves to no craft but become men of war. And although that thou be rich thou shalt always make thi● children to learn an honest and lawful occupation. for in so doing they occupy the time of youth well and keep them silves from drunkenness hasarding and fight/ and from other mischevous business.  
And if by any chance they come to poverty it is good that they can some craft whereby they may get their breed. And if it happon not unto them yet shall they always do sum what that they thereby may the better help the poor for after the scripture none may be idle. For labour is a penance enjoined unto all the world/ not of man but of god/ after that Aban had sinned. And he that laboureth not should not eat after the scripture. Moreover at the festfull days thou shalt bring the children to the church to here the sermon 
Gene. 3 2. Tessa. 3  And when they shallbe comen home thou shalt are them whate they have kept yn memory of the sermon. Then shalt thou admonest them to live well and to put all their hope and trust in God rather to die then to do any thing that is against the will of god.  
Thou shalt also teach them the christian faith after the naner above declared/ exhorting them to patience/ charity and hope in god. And principally thou shalt learn them the contents of the prayer of our saviour Christ called▪ the Pater noster/ and that in their mother tongue/ that is to say/ how they have an other father in heaven of whom they must look for all goodness and without whom one can have no goodness. And how that we may seek nothing in all this life/ in all our works and in all our intents but the honour of this heavenly father. And how they must desire that this father would govern all that we do or desire. And how that we must submit all to his holy will.  
And how that his will can be but good/ and healthful. Finally how that above all worldly things they be mindful of the contents of this prayer/ and set most by it of all other prayers. And for to do this the better thou shalt keep them from reading of all wild stories/ of battles/ of love/ and other fables. Thou shalt buy them wholesome books as is the holy gospel/ the epistles of the holy apostles: Ye and in conclusion both the new and old testament/ that is to say the hole bible in language that they may understand/ and also this present book. And thus thou shalt do to th'intent that thy children may accustume and learn them silves in the holy divine scripture and drink of the swe●e fo●●taigne which is descended from heaven And by such means mayst thou poor out good water when they shallbe old.  
For if thou be careful and dost great labour to get thy children their bodily expenses as thou art bound how moche more art thou bound to get them there spi●●uail expenses of their soul which is made after the similitude and image of god And the more that the soul is worthier than the body/ the more greater care must thou take to learn him his health.  
But whate meet is better to nourish the soul then that of the gospel and of the holy scripture the which only is the nutriment of the soul. Thou hast kept the body of thy child from fire & water when he was young: why wilt thou not now also keep his soul from peril. 
jaco.  It were moche better to be careful in this matter. then to run to Rome or to saint james or else where on pilgrimage.  
For (as I have said) all this is infidelity. for thou hast the help of God as ready at home as else where and if t●ou pray him with a steadfast faith nothing doubting.  
As saith saint james. And if thou find not God in thy heart thou shalt find him no where. The parents can do not greater service to God/ then to teach and learn well their children.  
For herein lieth great virtue. Hereby may one please god singularly. Ye parents also be ware that ye give not to much money to your children. And that that ye give them take heed how they spend it and whereupon. And when they bring any thing home that is not yours/ or if that they report any news of detraction/ ye must sharply reprove them. And when thou wilt do any alms bifore thy house thou shalt do it by thy children to th'intent that they may learn to serve the poor.  
And when they have strived the one against the other thou shalt cause them to come forth in the evening to axe the one the other mercy and forgiveness. And likewise shall they do when they have offended or angered their parents. Thou-must be well aware that thy child grow not up into partinacite/ rebellion/ or incredulity: And that he be no fighter nor striver. and when thou hearest thy child swear/ curse/ strive/ fight/ lie or speak any foul words or sing any rybaud songs thou shalt reprove him sharply. The parents shall always labour that their children shall rather fear them for love and reverence then for pnisshement and fear. For children that obey unto their parents for fear of beting they fear them no longer than the stripes and beting endureth. As all they that serve god for fear of pains they serve him no longer than the pains or tribulation endureth. And after that they be delivered they return again to their old sins. But the children that fear their parents by dilection abide always obedient by that same dilection. The parents must be well aware that they strive not the one against the other/ that they swear not and that they speak none inordinate or dishonest words/ principally bifore their children/ for when they learn any unhappiness in youth they shall with great difficulty leave it in their age.  
Ye may never show your silf sorrowful/ wail nor make complaint bifore your children for loss of earthly goods or because ye have not good gains. For when they here you plain for such things they get a desire and a love of temporal things so that they take pleasure in nothing else but in temporal richesses/ and have sorrow of nothing but for the loss of such things for they learn it of their parents The child followeth nothing so much as that which he seeth his father mother and other friends do.  
Finally thou must mark very diligently whether they have desire or will to be married at the state of marriage or not And as ye perceive it so must you incontinent help them and care for them that they may make a good manage. As Abraham was careful for his son Isaac And forbecause that the parents be many times not careful in such case it cometh to pass that so few come chaste to the state of marriage/ that their children be often deceyved and that they have shame dishonour and sorrow of their children. And this is most the fault of the parents which be more careful for the bodies of their children then for their souls. And therefore they will in no wise that their children be poor but seek rather to marry them richly then helthfully/ and axe more for temporal goods then after virtue good manners and goods spiritual. And for to make them have good times they make them many times priests or religious. And so for to provide them of the case of their bodies they are oft-times cause of the everlasting pain of their souls. For none ought to be brought in unto the state of prysthod/ except he be first chosen to some office in the congregation and that because that we mought see whate life that he leadeth. This thing complaineth saint Austyne in the book of his confessions in the second chapter/ that his parents were not careful for him in this matter.   

¶ Of the life of the common Cyteuns or householders. chapter xxiiij  
IN all the world there is not a more Christian life/ neither more accordant unto the Gospel/ then is the life of common citizens or householders which by the labour of their hands & in the sweat of their visage get their breed & expenses. 
1. Tessa and. 4  for saint Paul rejoiceth that he gained his breed in the labour of his hands. And he rebuketh the idle wodowes that run about pleying from house to house.  
Wherefore it were much better among the christian that every one were set to some occupation/ and that we should not suffer so many young and strong parsons to beg their breed/ but rather cause them to learn some occupation. And if that all young priests/ monks/ and religious did likewise it were neither sin nor shame. will they be better than saint Paul was & the other apostles? we see now a days that they be foreboden to work which is 
Ga' .1.  manifestly appostasie and against the christian faith. It becometh none to forbid them to labour although he were an angel of heaven/ moche less man: The monks also were wont to labour in old tyme. It is plain that there be to many priests and religious in the world by half. And seeing priests will not labour/ then if all the world were priests who should labour the earth? I can not tell whate holiness there is now a days in the life of priests or monks above the life of the housbondman.  
The husbands life is betrer now after the Gospel than the life of a great part of priests monks or freres. For all priests monks and freres which have none office that is necessary unto the christente do ●ate unrighteously the goods of the poor/ and are called of Christ in the Gospel/ 
john. 10  murderers and thieves.  
But let us show unto the householders how they shall live wholesomely. For it behoveth that they also know how they should live.  
The householder shall first (whether he be husband/ crafts man/ or merchant) keep the rule that God hath given in the gospel/ that 
Mat. 7  is to say that in all his merchandise and in all his business he do to another as he would be done unto not seeking his own profit to the hurt or damage of an other. He shall never dispraise his neighbour's goodness but wish him as much good as he would have him self Thus commandeth us saint Paul that 
1. Tessa. 4  none oppress or disceyve his brother in any manner because the lord god is vengear of all such. for we be all brethren and membres of one body. Therefore thou shalt be ware to striveo and to move any manner of dissension with thy neighbour be he rich or poor/ noble or ignoble. for we be all like nobil bifore God/ because we have all together one father. 
Ga' .3.  For saint Paul saith ye are all one in Christ. And therefore shall none despise the poor/ nor cast his poverty in his teeth/ but shall succour him with his goods and comfort him always in his poverty. If thy neighbour or christian brother be sick and poor thou shalt oft go to him and comfort him/ distributing to him of thy goods according to thy power. Thou shalt be ready to serve him and to give thy life for him/ as saith saint john: Here●y know we the love because he hath given his life for us. 
●. john. 3  And we ought also to give our lyves for o●re brethren. And if thou have nothing to give unto him/ thou shalt give knowledge thereof unto them that have/ and shall exhort them to succour this poor parson. Biforetymes it was accustomed to give knowledge to the pastor or curate of the church which did succour the poor with the treasure of the church/ whereof was made mention in the life of saint Laurence & of saint Gregory/ & when there was no more the bishop took the chalices & the other vessels of gold & silver/ broke them & distributed the price thereof unto the poor: The bishops also were wont to warn the ●ytesins that they should give him knowledge when any were diseased or sick.  
But now (God amend it) it is all otherwise/ the bishops take care of no such things/ the treasure of the churcheiss spent ●gilding of images/ in founding of gre● prevendes/ in bilding of tabernacles/ in ●ostly altar tables/ and such superfluous ●rodigalite. And thus are the poor mem●res of Christ deprived of that that to thē●pperteyneth. O world blind and Idolatrous. The poor were not wont byfore●yme to axe alms: For they that were strong were compelled to labour/ and ●he old ympotent poor widows and or●hantes were kept and sustained of the ta●le of the poor which they called the tre●sure of the church/ as teacheth. 
1. Cor. 16  S. Pau●e writing unto the corinthians councey●ing them to assemble a treasure for the poor. This was also institute of thappo●●les to th'intent that the infideles that we●e conversaunt among the Christian should not mock the Christian when they saw them have disease saying that there was ●o charity among the Christian/ because they did not succour the one the other: therefore they axed none alms at that time If were also good now at this day tha● we should not suffer them that be young & strong parsons abill to get their living to axe alms. for the world is full of such idle people.  
Our lord both now at this day th●●silf same miracles that he did when he sed● such a great number of people with .v. loves and two fishes/ albeit that by our unkindness we regard it not. 
Mat. 14  for there are ●●ve parties of the people in the world/ and one part of the same .v. parts nourisheth and keepeth the other four  
The first party be priests/ monks/ canons/ freres and clerks. They get nothing but spend all.  
The second are the lords/ counceylours'/ governors of countries/ and other rich people that live of their rents.  
The third be ancient people/ impotent and children.  
The four be men of war thieves/ murderers/ ruffiens/ common women and bawds. All these get nothing but spend all.  
The .v. ce common citizens/ artificers ●nd husbondmen that by their labour get ●heyre own expenses and also thexpenses of the other four parts. And so it behove●h that one parson must nourish five.  
If it were not that god provideth meruey●●usly for our necessity how should it be possible? For this cause have I said that the life of citizens/ householders/ and husbondmen is most wholesome after the gosnell. It behoveth always that the householder come in succour unto his neighbour ●nd that he serve him and comfort him as I have said bifore by charity. For we be●l brethren together and members of o●e body. And therefore shall the good christian be as sorry of the hurt of his neyghbo●● as of his own. 
Ro. ●●  As saith saint Paul. Rejoice you with them that be joyful/ & weep with them that weep.  
And if thou know that thy neighbour is of evil life/ and that he give evil ●●sample unto other/ God commandeth ●he in the Gospel that first thou shalt war 
Mat. 1●  〈◊〉 him between him and the alone swete●y praying him that he wil● amend him. And if he here the and obey unto thy co●nceyte (jesus Christ saith that) thou has● won thy brother. But if he will not here the thou shalt call two or three friends and shalt reprove him in their presence. And if he will not yet obey thou shalt tell it (saith Christ) unto the congregation that he may be openly reproved. And if he yet abide obstinate not willing to amend him then shalt thou take him fo● an heathen and public sinner. This is the brotherly reprehension the which Christ hath learned us in the gospel. Som● man would say if I should do thus to my christian brother he would be angry with me and fight with me. I tell the to avoid that/ thou shalt be ware to warn him despitefully or in mocking him. But thou shalt pray him sweetly and brotherly showing him how that a christian should live. And if of adventure he slew the in s●che a case thou shouldest die for the troth as did saint john baptist/ & so were thou 
Mat. 14 john. 14  god's martyr for god is the troth. The householder shall laud & render graces' not only because that he is descended from a● high rich or noble lineage: but also because that he hath made him to be borne in such estate that he is fain to get his breed with his labour. For that is the life of a very christian. But he shall not put his trust therein at tall as though he were therefore better than an other. for albeit that in this matter he keep the commandment of God: It is possible that he keepeth it not in other things/ wherefore we must always be very studious to abide in humility.  
God might nourish us without our labour as he nourished the .v. thousand persons in the wilderness and might keep us well without having so many occupations in the world. But he hath so ordained it for to entreteyne & to move charity among the christian/ because that the one hath need of the succour of the other/ as the baker of the brewer and likewise the brewer of the baker and so of other occupations/ to th'intent that we should so serve & aid the one the other by love/ and that we should not be idle. And therefore shall the householder and every crafts man do his labour diligently and joyfully in turning all his labour to the honour of God/ beleving that in doing his business by such a good intention he serveth god & that his labour pleaseth god and that by jesus Christ in whom he believeth and trusteth. All were it so that ye know that ye should die that day ye shall abide at your labour surely beleving that your labour is pleasant unto god. Thou shalt think that thou mayst not do thy labour for covense/ for to wax rich/ for to eat & drink delicately or for to have good times For when thou labourest with such an intent thy labour is not acceptable to god/ but is great offence. And if percase thou wax rich without care therefore thou shalt thank god/ and use it to his honour but thou shalt not labour principally to be rich. Nether shalt thou rejoice of thy richesses. Nether if thou be poor thou shalt not therefore be sorry/ but shalt do thy labour truly recommending all to the will of god that he make the poor or rich after that he knoweth to be healthful unto the. Thou shalt not be a bringer up of new facyoned garnementes for hereby is the people many times induced unto sin & unto the losing of great expenses lost yn waste. But thou mayst say: If I will have it/ a other shall make it: and then am I not finder of the new fashion. I tell th● again that none shall make it/ for if thou wouldest not make it nor none other/ it would abide unmade well enough. For this is not taught for one or two but for all the world.  
Thou shalt not d●spende thy goods unproufitably in making sumptuous buildings or buying of costly household for vain glory or in making to precious clothes/ or in delicate meats or drinks. For all that thou dost thus spend outrageously/ thou robbest it from god and from the poor. Thou mayst not abuse thy goods as thou wilt: for god hath lent them unto the for to use them in all reason/ & for to succour the poor with them: As teacheth saint Paul. Thou shalt cloth the eat and drink after the most resonabill custom of the country where thou dwellest and after the manner of thinhabitauntes the it. For this mayst thou do after the Gospel. Thou mayst never lie/ swear/ nor do nothing that god hath defended for to get temporal goods. Thou shalt not count at evenyng how moche money thou hast gained/ but how moche thou hast prou●ised in goodness and virtue/ and how much goodness thou hast lost in that days journey.  
Thou shalt not vex or grieve by justice or otherwise the poor that own unto the for thou mayst not do it without sin.  
As Christ saith in the gospel. 
Mat. 5  Resist not (saith he) unto the evil. But whosoever streke the on the right cheek turn to him the other. And he that will draw the parforce into right and take away from the thy cote give hinthy gown also. And he that constraineth the to go a mile with him/ go with him twain. Give to him that asketh the. And f●e not from him that desireth to borrow of the. Also it is said more in the same chapter: Love your enemies do good to them that hate you. for if ye love them (saith he) that love you whate great thing do you: do not the nethens even the same. Moreover Saint Paul unto the romans. 
Ro. 12  Bliss them that persecute you/ Bliss them/ but curse them not. And again: Yield not evil for evil circumspectly bringing forth that is honest in the sight of all men/ And if it be possible as much as is in you to live in peace with all men not revenging your silf my well-beloved/ but give place unto wrath. 
Hebre. 10  For it is written: To me be the vengeance/ and I will render it sayeth the lord God. And if thine enemy be hungry give him to eat. And if he be thirsty give him drink. Be not overcome with evil/ but overcome the evil with good. 
1. Pe.  Saint Petre saith also. None shall yield evil for evil nor curse for curse.  
These words and other like seem to mean (ye they will) that the good Christian shall not defend them self by justice in no manner for any manner wrong that they suffer of the evil but should recomend all unto the good will of God/ which shall defend them and rule all things for the best/ and more wholesomely and righteously then all the judges of the world. But of this matter will we speak in the chapter of two manner governementes.  
Thou shalt oft-times lift up thy heart and thought to God as thou dost thy labour/ and shalt say to him a short prayer/ doing thy business with a good will/ and with a joyful heart.  
or god hath enjoined the that labour in paradise in Abam for a penance. 
Gene. 3 Phi. 4  Be always joyful in the lord/ and merry with thy wife servants and many. Hereafter will we tell how the householder shall live with his servants/ and how he shall be obedient unto his prince in paying his taxes fystenes subsidies or such other semblable demands.   

¶ How the rich people should live/ an information and teaching after the Gospel. chapter. xxv.  
HE that is rich and liveth of his rents ought first to know that he may not use nor spend his goods as he will: for he is but a kepar and a dispensatour thereof. For god hath not given the that richesses for to spend it ontragiously in meet and drink or in costly bildinges and pompous clothiges for vain glory or to hazard it at dice/ and at other gaming. But thy goods belong as well unto the poor as unto the For God hath sent the richesse into the world as well for the poor as for the reach. For they must live all aswell the one as the other.  
The rich be none other thing but dispensators and dystributers of the goods of God/ as the lords of this world have their dispensators. And therefore when thou spendest thy goods outrageously in eting and drinking and other excess thou shalt yield account before god at the day of judgement. For the rich man of whom speaketh Christ in the gospel/ was dampened for none other thing but because that he was not merciful and that he lived evil of his richesse being an ill dispensatour. 
Lu. 1●  Wherefore it behoveth that every body be circumspect how he spend. For all that folk spend so without necessity is rob from the poor. for saint Paul saith: when we have our food and wherewith to cover us let us be contented. Our nature is content with little. And they that live so in pleasure taking all their ease are not christian. for they devour that which belongeth to the poor which are their brethren and membres of one body. This let the paynims do that use such voluptuousness pleasance honour and worldly vanity because they have no hope of a better life. The christian shall not love his temporal goods but shall use them to minister unto his necessities and unto his neighbours ever giving thanks unto God to whom all belongeth. And the richer that thou art the more care shalt thou take/ for to the is given more to keep then unto many other. The richesses be not evil/ for Abraham Isaac jacob job and David were rich but evil using of richesse is evil.  
Of such rich speaketh Saint james in this manner: 
I●. 5.  Go to ye rich/ weep ye/ wailing upon your miseries/ which shall come upon you. And Christ in the gospel: woe be to you rich that have here your consolation. 
Lu. 6.  And in another place: Truly (saith he) I tell you that the rich shall with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven: 
Hat .19.  And I tell you again: It is more easy for a camel to pass thorough the eye of a needle then a rich man into the kingdom of heaven.  
Therefore let the rich take heed their richesses be not there everlasting life: & that they have not an other thing after their death As had the rich of whom speaketh our saviour in the gospel saying/ A man was 
Lu. 16  rich & was cloted with purpur & silk & did eat & drink daily costly meats & drinks: and there was a certain beggar called Lazarus lying at his gatefull of sores desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fill from the board of the rich/ but the dogs came and likked his sores. It happened that the beggar died and was borne with angels into the bosom of Abraham/ the rich also died and was buried in hell And lifting up his yies when. he was in his torments he saw Abraham a far of and Lazarus in his bosom/ and he cried and said: Father Abraham have mercy on me ●nd send Lazarus that he may put the end of his finger into the water to coal my tongue/ for I am tormened in this flame. And Abraham said unto him/ Son remember that thou hast received thy goods in thy life/ and Lazarus evil therefore he hath now consolation and thou art tormented. Thus giveth God many times to them that shall not be heirs of the everlasting life the richesses and prosperity of this world/ and payeth them there with.  
Therefore shall not the rich be proud of his richesses: but shall be always in care fearing lest god should pay him in this world and that he shall have nove other thing. 
Tim. ●   
Therefore saith saint Paul unto Timothe: Command (saith he) unto the rich of this world that they be not proud minded and that they trust not in uncertain richesses but in the living god which giveth us all things abundantly to use/ to do well/ to be made rich in good works/ to be made ready to distribute that they may willingly have fellowship in those things bisding to them silf a good foundation in time couring that they may set hand on the everlasting life. And a little bifore: They (saith he) that will be rich fall of times in temptation and in the snare of the devil/ and into many unprofitable and noyous desires the which tumble a man into destruction and perdition: for the rote of all evil is co vitize/ the which while some folks desired they did err from the faith and wrapped them silves into many sorrows. And many other places there are in the holy scripture the which should strongly fear the rich and give great consolation unto the poor. for let all the rich know that when they succour not the poor with their richesses they do as great sin as though they rob any body.  
For god hath not given them the richesse for to boast & brag therewith and to make great cheer neither to make them silves lords but to th'intent that they should be servants of all the world/ & to help all poor parsons/ as are poor virgins/ or young women at thestate of marriage to th'intent they come not to dishonour/ & the poor young people to learn an occupation: And so to give lend and succour one an other. And thus teacheth us saint john where he saith he that hath the richesse of this 
1. john. 3  world & seeth his brother have need & shit ●ith up his heart against him/ that is to say hath no pity of him/ how is the love of god in him? As though he would say he that seeth his brother have need and helpeth him not/ it is not possible that the charity and love of god should be in him. Likewise saith saint Paul: 
Hebre. ●  Forget not hospitality that is to say to log & help the poor) for some thereby have received angels into their houses without knowing thereof. And therefore shalt thou not be ashamed sometime to call the poor out of the streets/ and to give them to eat and drink. 
Lu. 14  For it is the council of our saviour Christ in the gospel where he forbiddeth to bid the rich to the fe●t which may render it to us again. But when thou makest a fest (saith he) call the poor/ the week/ the lame/ the blind/ and thou shalt be happy: for they may not render it to the again: it shall be yoleden to the again in th● gain rising of the righteous.  
But some man would now say: It is mine own I have gained it righteously: why may I not use it at my will? I answer the that is not true that thou hast gained it/ but God hath sent it the he hath not made the lord of it/ nor will not that thou use it at thy pleasure. Thou art but only a dispensatour/ for to distribute it and to use it after the council of the Gospel and of the holy scripture/ that is that thou shalt use it without any manner of outrage in thy house and out of thine house to all poor people as thou shalt see need. For that thou spendest other wise/ thou robbest from God and from the poor which are the members of jesus Christ. And it thou do them any good thou dost it to the parson of jesus Christ. for it is saide in the Gospel: 
Mat. ●●  All that ye do to one of my least brethren ye do to me. Therefore he that doth good unto the poor he doth it to Christ. And he that doth evil unto the poor/ he doth it to Christ. Thou canst not employ thy mo●ey and alms so well upon no thing 〈◊〉 the world as on the poor. For the holy scripture commandeth not to give it ●ny where else. Our saviour Christ shall ●ot praise the at the day of judgement for ●one other cause but that thou hast holp ●he poor in gyving them meet and drin●● and clothing in vysiting them/ and in ●y bing to them of thy goods when th●y were sick. Even as for none other ●●ing shalt thou be reproved but for forgetting of the poor. wherefore thou art ●ot bound to make to be sung many ma●●s and obytes/ to edify chantries/ ●happelles/ churches or aultres or to give ●●eringes to saints or candles of wax/ for of all this shall ye yield none account though ye have lest it undone. For the holy scripture maketh no mention of those things. They are rather invented by the covetous mind of men then otherwise.  
As saith saint john chrysostom: 
chrysostom  so give unto the poor whereof they may live & thou hast edified a reasonable house to God. for men dwell in bildinges but god dwelleth in holy men and in men of good life. Also saint Iherome writing to one called Celautia: 
Ihero●●  when thou givest socouring hand unto the poor/ when thou comest in succour to a man in his necessities/ when thou settest him that erreth into the right weigh thou hast bilt a pleasant temple to god. for the hearts of the holy parsons be called 
1. Cor. 3  the temple of god/ the which whosoever 〈◊〉 violate/ god will destroy him.  
wherefore ye rich people have ye alw●●yes mind on the poor. And see that ye love better to bestow your alms whe●● ye are sure that it is acceptable unto god/ & also where god hath commanded you● to do thsim/ rather than there where as y● know not whether ye do well or evil as in making of images chapels pilgrimages obites and other man's in vencyons whereby the poor be now a days miserably rob & unkindly peeled by them that should aid & help them if they did not search more their own profit then the proufi● and honour of god.   

¶ Of two manner Regiments/ or governaunces/ ghost and secular or worldly. chapter xxvi  
FIrst we must diligently search out the right and secular power/ sword/ and government to thitent that none doubt whether it be of the ordinance of God or not. The words whereby we know that the secu●● power is institute of god be these of saint ●●aule unto the romans where he saith: 
Ro. ●.  Every soul shall be subject unto the high powers/ for there is no power but of god. Then he that resisteth the power/ resisteth the ordinance of God. Moreover saint Peter saith. 
1. Pe. ●  Be ye subjects to every human creature/ be it unto the king as unto the sovereyne/ be it unto the heed ruler's/ as by him sent for vengeance unto the offenders but for praise to them that be good. Moreover the right of the secular power & of the civil justice hath been from the beginning of the world. for when Cain had slain his brother Abel/ he feared moche that he should be killed again. Likewise after the flood god confirmed it again 
Gene. 9  saying whosoever shed man's blood his blood shallbe shed again. The same right was confirmed again in the law of Moses where he said in Exode: 
Exo. 2●  whosoever strike a man willing to kill hinshall die of death And again if any with deed advised iying in a wait kill his neighbour thou shalt draw him out of my house/ and that he die. And in the same law it was commanded to take away life for life/ yeah for eye/ to the for to thee/ hand for hand waunde for wound/ & so of other. Likewise hath our saviour Christ in the gospel confirmed 
Mat. 25  it saying to saint Petre in the garden of Olivete: He that streketh with the sword with the sword shall perish. Then is it all certain & manifest that it is the will of god that there should be a sword & justice temporal for the punition of the evil & concavation of the good & for thenterteyning of the public peace christian & commune brotherly love. ¶ secondly it seemeth to be much contrary hereunto/ that which Christ saith in the gospel in this manner: Ye have herd whate hath been said: 
Mat. 5  In eye for anyie a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you/ ye shall not resist evil. But whosoever strike the on the right cheek tou●●e to him the other. And to him that will go to law with the by force & take away thy core/ give to him also thy gown: And he that will constrain the to go a mile with him go with him twain. And a little after: Love your enemies say well of them that ●urse you do good to them that persecute you with hatred/ pray for them that hurt you & persecute you. And over & besides this there are yet many places in the holy scripture for be doing all manner of vengeance. As in saint Paul unto the romans. 
Ro. 1● 1. Pe. ●. and. 3.  Saint Petre in his first epistle/ and in many other places. Wherefore it se●●eth that the sword of justice should be for boden in the new testament among the christian.  
Then thirdly for to understand this well we must first know that there are: too sorts of people in the world. The first belong unto the kingdom of god. The other to the kingdom of the world. They that belong unto the kingdom of God be all true faithful people in jesus Christ and under him.  
For Christ is king and lord in the kingdom of God/ As teacheth us the second Psalm/ and also all the old and new testament. He came also in to the world to begin and to lest up the kingdom of god in the world. Therefore said he to pilate: My kingdom is not of this world.  
And whosoever is of the troth heareth my voice. 
john. 18  And in saint Mark sayeth he that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God shall approach. 
Mar. 1.  And in Saint Mathewe sayeth he. 
Mat. 16.  seek first the kingdom of God. He calleth the Gospel a gospel of the kingdom of god/ because the Gospel teacheth/ governeth and keepeth/ the same kingdom. Then they that are steadfast in the faith & in the love of god if they obey unto his commandments have nought to do with the sword of justice nor of the secular power to make them righteous. And if all the world were true and very Christian (that is to say) veri faithful there need no governoure king lord sword nor justice. For whereto should they serve seeing that all true christian should have the holy ghost which governeth and teacheth them to do no wrong/ to love all the world/ to suffer/ and endure the evil and injury of all the world willingly and joyfully/ ye also the death. And where as all persons are content willingly to suffer wrong and injury. And where as there is none that doth wrong nor injury/ but where as all persons do right/ there is no discord hatred envy nor other dissension. And there needeth no right nor punition.  
Wherefore it were impossible that the sword of justice should have aught to do among the very true christian/ seeing they do moche more of them silves then any man cancommaunde them or then any law or worldly doctrine can teach them. As saith saint Paul unto Timoth. unto the righteous there is no law set/ but unto the unrighteous. 
1. Tim. ●.  And this is thus because that the judgement and right of a very true christian fordereth and avaunceth more than all other rights and laws: for it proceedeth from the holy ghost which possesseth and inhabiteth the heart of a very christian. But the unrighteous do right to no man/ therefore they have need of right and of laws whereby they be taught and constrained to do well. A good tree needeth not that one teach him to bring forth good fruit for his nature giveth it without any reching. Likewise are all the very true christian natured by the holy ghost and saith that they do all things well and as it aperteyneth more than any man can command them by all the commandments in the world. And for them silves have they no need neither of law neither of right.  
But some man might axe why then hath god given unto men so many commandments/ yn the old and new testament? I answereth. Saint Paul saith as it is said before unto the righteous there is set no law: but to the unrightuous that is to say to them that are not yet true christian. And forbecause that none is true and very christian or good of nature/ but be all synnars and evil: As witnesseth the prophet saying: God hath looked from heaven upon the children of men that he mought see if there be any understanding 
Psat. ●3. Rom. 3.  or seching god. All are fallen and are become abominable there is none that doth good no not one. Therefore god refraineth the malice of the people by the law that they dare not accomplish it outwardly by work and deed according to their evil will.  
Mereover saint Paul giveth unto the law an other office/ that is that it letneth us to know our sins/ by the which knowledge a man is made meek/ and yieldeth him silf to the faith/ and unto the mercy and grace of god as is bifore saide.  
Fourthly all they that be not yet christian belong unto the kingdom of the world and be under the law. In this number are all the evil christian which seek nought else but all worldly pleasure and are called christian but they are not so.  
Seeing then that there be so few good Christian and so many evil people god hath given unto the same evil out of the Christian estate and out of his kingdom an other regiment and governance/ and hath put them under the sword that is to say under the secular power and cyvill right to th'intent that they may not accomplish their malice when they would As a myschevous wild best is tied with chains and bonds that he may neither bite nor strike after his nature albeit that he would sane accomplish his evil nature which is not needful unto a gentle tame best/ for without the chains and without bonds he doth none evil to no man.  
If it were not thus (because that there be many m● evil persons in the world them good/ and that the good do not resist evil) the one would devour and put the other to destruction/ yn such fashion that none should be abill to keep neither wife nor children neither yet be abill to maintain him silf. And by such mean should the world in continuance become waist and with out inhabitants. For this cause hath god ordained these two governementes. The spiritual the which maketh christian and good persons by the holy ghost under the king of that kingdom jesus christ. And the secular governance the which ●●ostreyneth the evil parsons to keep outward peace and to be tame against their will. 
Rom.  Thus teacheth us saint Paul/ to understand the sword and secular justice saying the princes/ are not to be feared to them that be good but unto them that be evil.  
Now if any man would govern the world (that is to say the evil) only after the gospel and cause to cease all worldly law and justice saying that they are baptized and christian to whom the sword of justice needeth not. Unto them may be answered. Hit is of a truth that the true christian have no need of right nor of the sword for their justifying. But do your diligence to fulfil the world with true christian bifore that you govern them christianly and after the gospel which shall be very hard for you to do. For the world is all given to sin and starcely can they abide good christian. They are not all christian that are baptized and called christian. Therefore it is not possible unto the world to observe and keep a common christian governance/ namely also in the iuddes of a great commonty/ for the evil are always more yn number then the good faithful. For this cause to govern a country after the gospel without the sword of justice is as though a man would put together in a stable/ heries wolves lions sheep and other like/ and to suffer all these beasts to be conversaunt together the one with the other/ how long I pray you should they have peace to gyther the one with the other? Ye how long should the poor sheep live/ we therefore must needs have here both these governementes.  
The spiritual or eva●gelye all because it justifieth and bringeth health. The other because it entreteyneth and holdeth peace The one is not sufficient in the world without the other. For without the spiritual government of jesus christ can none be saved nor justified bifore god by the worldly regiment. So may ye perceyve that the rule or government of christ hath not lordship over all persons. For the true christian be always less yn number and be in the mids among the not christian/ as a rose among the thorns. Then where as the worldly governance raineth every where alone/ there can be none other thing but hypocrisy. For without having the holy ghost in the heart can none be made righteous nor saved. Likewise where the spiritual governance raineth every where alone/ there is perversite unbridled and unbound ready for to accomplish all malice for the world can not understand the spiritual governance because that it fighteth only by the sword of the sprite/ which is the word of god. And useth none other sword. Now seest thou well whate the words of onre saviour christ mean (which we have recited bifore) where he sayeth that the christian shall draw noman in to justice/ and that they shall not resist evil. He speaketh that only of his dear christian/ the which alone take it into their hearts and also do it alone for so are thy enolyned and disposed by virtue of the holy ghost working yn their hearts that they do harm to noman but suffer willinglin evil & wrong of every man. Then if all the world were such christian all persons would keep equally this peassible comma●n demente/ & all thing would they do according thereunto. But now because thy be not christian the word of god entereth not into their hearts/ nor they do not according there unto and therefore they appertain unto the other secular governance where by the not christian be constrained to keep peace outwardly/ and to do none evil.  
For this cause hath not jesus christ ●orne the sword nor ordained it in his spiritual kingdom/ for he is king over all the true christian/ ad governeth without sword and without any outward law only by the holy ghost working inwardly in the heart of man. And albeit that god hath orde●ned the secular sword for the correction of the evil/ yet he hath not used it/ for i● belongeth not unto his kingdom/ yn the which kingdom there are none but such as be good and just. And for this cause mought not david build the tempel of god because he had shed moche blood and used the sword/ not that he had done evil or unrighteousness/ but because he might not in this thing be a figure of 
Ephe. 5.  Christ which should have a kingdom peaceable and without sword. But god commanded to solomon which had a peaceable kingdom to build the temple/ for Solomon is as much to say as peaceable by the which kingdom of the very Solomon jesus christ mought be figured and signified Moreover in all the edification of the temple of god was never herd struck of Iron/ nor of hamer/ nor of Axe/ nor 
king. 6.  of none other like thing as it is written in the therd book of kings in the vi chapter. All these things here sigrufied that jesus Christ should have in his kingdom a people willing to serve him without constraint without commandments without sword. 
Esa. 1●  This was also bifore prophesied by isaiah saying: They shall not hurt and shall not slay in all my holy mountain. As●o in his second chapiter They shall turn their sword into cultres and their spears into scythes.  
The one shall not list up a sword against the other and they shallbe no more exercised in than war. These words here and other like be not said of all persons that bear the name of jesus christ but oneli of them that bear both the name and the sprite of christ/ that is to say of all true christian the which willingly do right the one to the other.  
Now might one demand: Seeing that the true christian have no need of the s●rde nor of the secular right for their own righteousness/ then why teacheth saint Paul that every adule shallbe subject unto the high powers: 
Rom. 13.  And likewise saint Peter that the christian shall be 
1. Pe. 2  subjects unto every human creature I answer the that I have taught bifore that the christian among them 〈◊〉 & they among the other have nought to do with the sword nor with the law for that is to them neither needful nor profitable. always for because that the true Chrstian liveth not upon the earth for his own profit but for the profit of his neighbour. He doth by the nature of the holy ghost that whereof his neighbour hath need And because that the sword is a thing very necessary for all the world/ for to keep peace and concord/ for to punish the offenders and to refrain their malice. Therefore the very christian yieldeth him silf willingly under the governance of the sword & temporal justice/ he payeth tailles he honoureth the puissance and worldly highness/ he serveth he helpeth he doth all that ever he may to th'intent that the same puissance may prosper be kept yn honour & feared. albeit that the same puissance to him is neither needful nor profitable. And forbecause he thinketh always whate thing is prou●●●able unto his neighbour/ that both he/ As teacheth saint Paul unto the corinthians. 
1. Cor .10.  Such a service is the work of a christian and bringeth always great profit into the world. And if he should not do so he were no christian/ but should sin against the rule of charity/ for he should give evil ensample unto other that they should not honour the temporal puissance but should despise it: Albeit that it should be always to them very necessary and profitable whereby should come great dispy●ing of the gospel. For such despising of the temporal puissance bringeth dissension and maketh sensual parsons profitable unto nothing:  
The gospel maketh all true christian servants to all the world by the rule of charity the which always in them silves & by them silves be yn true liberty & ha●e need of nothing being sufficed of their lord/ and king jesus Christ and of his governance in them. 
Mat. 17.  So likewise did jesus christ pay the tribute whereunto he was not bound at tall to th●tet that he should not despise the puissance/ and that he would not give them occasion to be offended/ but gave them example of obedience. As he him silf teached in .v. chapter of saint Mathewe. 
Math. 5.  Where he sayeth that the christian shall not resist evil nor sue any man at the law●. He forbiddeth not to be subject and to serve them that have the sword and secular puissant. But the less need that thou hast unto it for thy silf the more shall thou confirm thy silf thereunto. Thou shalt serve therein them which have yet need and are not so steadfast in their faith as thou art and that only by charity supporting them in their ynfirmyte as Christ hath supported us/ and hath made him silf conformable unto us. For albeit that by the steadfastness of thy faith and love that thou hast unto god thou hast no need that any man should punish thine enemy because that thou wilt suffer wrong willingly for the love of Christ. Thy neighbour hath always need because he is yet feeble and therefore thou shalt help him/ to him tent that he may have peace and that his enemy may be refrained and let that he hurt him not: which can not be so done if the temporal power be not had yn honour and fear. Our saviour Christ-sayeth not thou shalt not serve or shalt not be subject unto the temporal puissance/ but he sayeth. Thou shalt not resist evil. As thought he would say: Maintain thy life so that thou be patient that thou have no need of the law of right nor of the temporal puissance for to revenge the. But contrary wise be profitable unto the week/ and feeble multitude in serving them and helping them by obeying the temporal puissance. I would that thou shouldest be so worthy and nobil to have no need of the secular right/ but that that right should have need of the to help to maintain it.  
Thus to use the secular puissance should be a great work of charity whereby a parson is given hoelly to the service of his neighbour/ and seeketh not to defend his own life honour or goods/ but seeketh means only to be profitable unto his neighbour. As writeth Saint Paul unto the corinthians saying. charity seeketh not that is his own/ & this shalt thou not do of intent to render evil for evil/ but only by charity for the conservation & defence of the common christian concord & unto the profit of thy neighbour not to revenge thy silf. 
1. Cor. 14  For touching/ unto thy silf thou abidest upon the gospel. Thou holdest & governest after the word of jesus christ that is thy king. So that thou wilt willingly turn the other cheek vere the blow patiently & let thy mantel go with thy cote/ if it touch but only thine own business. Thus may it well sto●d to gyther that thou be indifferently subject unto both kingdoms (that is) of god and of the world: unto the one ynwardly and unto the other outwardly/ So that thou dost suffer evil and wrong/ and dost always punish & reprove evil & wrong. Thou dost not resist the evil/ and yet thou dost always resist it for in the one thou considerest thy silf and thine own wealth. And in the other thy neighbour and his wealth. Touching unto the and unto thy wealth/ thou holdest thy silf and governest thy silf a●ter the gospel/ thou sufferest injury and like a true christian dost not resist the evil. Touching thy neighbour/ & his wealth/ thou holdest & governest thy silf after the order of love & dost resist the m●●rye which is done unto him/ which the gospel doth not forbid but rather commandeth it.  
Many holy parsons have used the sw●d after this manner sins the beginning of the world. As it is written of Abraham how he delyvered loath the son of his brother 
Gene. 14.  and show four kings and yet was Abraham always an holy man. Also the holy prophet Samuel slew/ likewise 〈◊〉 k●●g Agag. Likewise Helias slew the false prophets of the Idol Ba●●. 
1. king. 15  In like manner did Moses/ joshua/ the children of Israel/ Samson/ David and many other holy kings use the sword as appeareth in the old testament in many places/ Some man might now say. 
3 king. 18  The old testament is now ended and hath no more place/ wherefore we can no more give such ensam●les nor set them forth unto the Christian. I answer the that is not true.  
For faint Paul writeth thou his first epistle unto the Chrinthiens. Our fathers have all eaten one spiritual meet/ and have all drunk one spiritual drink: 
1. Cor. 01.  They drunk of the spiritual stone that followed them/ truly the stone was christ. That is to say they had the same sprite and faith in christ that we have for they believed then that christ was for to come to redeem them/ as we believe now that he is come and hath redeemed us. And so were they christian as well as we. Wherefore seeing that they thus used always the temporal sword from the beginning of the world unto the coming of christ for to depress the outward malice of th'offenders/ likewise may also the christian do unto the end of the world. For the time and outward change make no difference among the christian. The old testament is not so cessed that we need in no manner wise to keep it/ or that he doth evil that observeth every part thereof. But it is so ceased that in some things and some times it is indifferent/ and yn some things and some time it is of necessity to do it or to leve it.  
Hit is not now needful to keep it in all points any more under pain of damnation as it was then. But we must keep it only there where brotherly love requireth it/ As when saint Paul circumsised his disciple Timothe which was not needful unto him for his health/ but he did it to satisfy the mind of the feeble and week jews which thought that he might not be saved without that he were circumsised after the law of Moses to th'intent that by that mean he might draw the more of them to the christian faith. The old testament as concerning the commandments given unto Moses is not yet ceased nor shall not cease unto the end of the world. Hit is of necessity. that art thou bound to observe and keep under pain of damnation as they were in that tyme. As concerning unto their ceremonies they are clearly ceased in Christ/ so that if thou wouldest circum●●se they silf at this day & forbear such meats as were defended unto the jews to e●te and to do other ceremonies not having trust to deserve any thing thereby/ it is to the indifferent in so doing thou hast not offended. But if thou shalt come in the company of jews or of other parsons which reckon that they can not be saved whiles they should keep such ceremonies whom thou wouldest fain win to the christian faith and hast hope and lykelyod in the same there art thou bound by brotherly love which hurteth noman but servith every man to keep their ceremony with them and to do as they do till such time as they may be better taught to know that all their health dependeth upon the faith and trust of jesus christ and upon his merits and deservinges and not in these blind ceremonies. For charity regardeth not whether the thing be new or old that thou dost but only the utility and profit of thy neighbour.   

¶ Of governors/ judges/ bailiffs/ and other like an information ofter the gospel chapiter xxvij.  
THe gospel is written for all parsons and for all estates of the world. And there is none estate in the world but that he may find in the gospel how that he should live if that he will follow it. Let none think that he is not bound to ●yve after the gospel though he be never so great a person/ be he duke prince Emperor or pope. For god hath commanded that the gospel be preached to every creature that is to say to all mankind. B●fore god there is no difference neither distinction whether thou be a common husband man or a governoure/ of a town or of a country/ noble or ignoble/ we have all promised at our baptism the one as much as the other. we have all taken one rule that is the teaching of the gospel after the which we must lead and govern our life. we may not say/ let the monks and priests keep it for we have all promised at our baptism the one as much as the other. Wherefore when the lords will live as they shunned do after the gospel they must first observe and keep two things/ that is to say mercy and justice. And also that they know when they must be merciful and when they must use justice.  
Then ●irst 〈◊〉 ●ehoueth that thine intent be to defend the righteous and innocent and so with the securer right to come yn aid unto the right of the gospel reproving and rebuking openly and without any favour all unrighteousness to th●●tēt that the people may live freely under thy protection preserved from thieves 〈◊〉. therars and from all manner oppression and injury as far forth as it is possible unto thee/ when thou dost so thou art gods servaunt. But it behoveth that thou be well were in such things to avenge thy silf in thy judgement and that thou give no judgement nor sentence but only where thou knowest that thy judgement is rightful and that neither for hatred endye nor favour. And yet thou must do it with as great mercy & compassion & as tenderly as thou wouldest cut of a corrupt member from thine own body/ which by the malice of his corruption if thou didst let him alone would corrupt thy hole body. It were also no hurt in this matter to keep the ordinance sometime made by Theodosius Emperor which ordained that none should be put to death bifore that he had been xxx days yn prison to th'intent that in the mean time he might be well advised to make answer. And to th'intent that the judge should cause no man to die hastily and with out advisement/ but that he mought have time to ●ole his enchauffed courage.  
And when any of the communalty should hap to do any evil by misfortune against right and justice the which hath always bifore been of good life & name/ such a one may a judge help against the laws & procure his deliverance without sin. For if it be so that the law of Moses had so great distretion that thereby they did not put them to death which unwarely & by case of misadventure had committed murder against their will. 
〈◊〉  As it is written in Deuterono. So that Mofes had assigned three cities unto the which they that had committed homicide by misfortune against their will mought i'll for their safeguard. How moche more should we which are christian that live after the gospel and love our enemies have & keep discretion & regard in this matter  
This I say to th'intent that the judges shall not think that they offend if they help such. For when they have hope & lyklyod that the evil doer shall amend they 
〈◊〉. 8  must be always merciful. As christ was unto the woman which was found yn adultery As saint john rehearseth. The temporal law must obey and serve unto the gospel: it may in no wise be contrary thereunto wherefore if en● thing therein ●e against the gospel than the temporal law must give place & perish in that point: For we must always obey more unto god then unto ●en: As teacheth us saint Petre. them that we may amend by warning we shall not correct them by justice. All that a judge may do without sin in the cause of an other he may not do it in his own. For none may adauge his own injury/ nor vex his christian brother for his own profit: As it is bifore said that the true christian never plaineth unto the judge of the injury that men do unto him but suffereth all patiently. As sayeth saint Paul. 
1. Cor.  Now is sin yet always in you because that ye have stryves to gyther ●mong you. why do ye not rather suffer wrong? why do ye not rather receyve hurt. It behoveth the judges to look diligently that the one do not wrong the other without looking that every man should complain unto him & all by charity seching nothing but the rest & quietness of their christian brother whom the evil people do oppress. The prophet isaiah reproveth the princes & inges that in their judgements & sentences take regard unto richesses/ seching their own profit: or bearing favour unto their friends/ saying on this wife: Thy princes be unfaithful/ fellows of thieves. They all love bribes they follow rewards/ they judge not unto the orphans/ and the cause of the widow entereth not unto them. They ought to determine the cause with good advisement and as shortly as were possible/ & to exhort the parties to make brotherly appointment the one with the other showing them by the gospel that the christian ought not to have suit and process among them. They ought to be very sorry of the dissension of their christian brethren/ and of the evil governance of evil doers.  
Hit behoveth also that the lords enforce them silues to put a weigh all evil custumes and that they forbidden straitly that no young strong parsons go on begging. For thereof cometh great evil/ but shall constiayne them to iyrne a cra●●e. There is a place in the Civil law that forbiddeth that no strong parsons being in he●th shall beg their breed. A●d therefore I merveyle greatly that the temporal lords keep not this l●we/ seeing that it is good & not contrary but agreeable unto the gospel which commandeth that he that laboureth not should not eat. The lords should procure and counceyle the rich folk that they should do their diligence to cause the poor young folk to learn a craft to th'intent that they should not go a begging and that they have none occasion to take them to the walet.  
The rulers should also ordain some honest provision that the poor impotent/ young children/ and old people that can not get their breed/ and have not whereof to live/ should not be constrained to go from door to door. But it were ●rather better that they should ordain three or four honest parsons in every parisshe which of a common treasure/ as of the treasure of the poor/ might provide every week as much as should be need to every house of the poor. And that by portion after the number of the poor. And that they should exhort the rich to give their almefie to that common treasure and to bequeath that that they would bequeath by their testaments other ways to that common treasure. For we can find the mean to build great abbeys for to nourish in delicate lyving strong people that may labour and some t●me me whores and bawds also And why can we not aswell find the mean to do our chartable works according to the gospel to the poor impo●ent sick and feeble: we should also by houses for the poor to dwell in as are the hospitals situate in a fair pleasant and large out of the town. And likewise should we provide unto them an honest man that mought every day make unto them a sermon showing unto them the word of god for to comfort them in their poverty/ and languores: which should be a service honest wholesome and very acceptable unto God.   

¶ How that we must pay taxes and subsidies in aid unto our princes. chapter xxviij  
WHen saint Paole had converted the gentiles unto the christian faith: then thought the Christian (seeing that now they had gotten god for their lord) that they should be delivered from their earthly lords/ and that it should be no more needful unto than to honour their temporal lords nor to pay unto them taxes or tailles. which opinion Saint Paul reproved writing unto the romans. 
Ro. 13  And albeit that God almighty hath delivered you by his son jesus Christ from your sins and from the subjection of the devil/ ye may not think that ye be thereby delivered from ●he obedience and service of your princes ●nd lords of this world. For the ●ervice that ye do unto your princes is ●ot hurtful unto your health. Hit can but only hurt or grieve your body and temporal goods if percase ye did pay unto ●heym any taxes or subsidies/ when they ●ad no need to require it. For these thin●s ye shall not therefore murmur/ nor ●udge against the punissaunces/ neither 〈◊〉 rebel against them albeit that it so we 〈◊〉 that they were very tyrants/ to thin-gut that ye star them not to more gret●● anger/ whereby they should take occa●on to do the more greater oppression and ●yefe unto the christian. For ye must al●●yes labour to give good ensample vn●other by your patience for to draw your ●des after that manner from their evil li●as they shall see and behold your holy & affable conversation.  
And therefore to him that exeth you tax 〈◊〉 ●subsidye ye shall give it him. In all 〈◊〉 things shall ye be obedient unto your ●des although they were paynims/ to ●ntent that by that means ye may dra●● them unto the christian faith.  
This is th'obedience that saint Paul● speaketh of in the said chapter. After thi● manner was our saviour Christ obedyen unto the temporal puissance/ and pay● the tribute money for him silf and for sain● Peter. 
Mat .17.  Not that he owed it but because he would give noman occasion to be offe●●ded. This should all the christian considered keep them silves from murmuring an● grudging when subsidy or taxation is a●●ed of them. But when they axe naught thou owest them nought bifore god. fo● as Christ was passed by them that axe● tribute he proffered them none/ for he owed them none/ but when it was axed/ he paid it/ as we have said before. And the lords ought to be well aware that they oppress not their subjects/ for thereof they shall yield a strait account bifore God.   

¶ Of men of war and of the war whether the Christian may war without sin an information after the Gospel. chapter xxix  
THe men of war have nothing in the gospel for the gospel knoweth no men of war nor the war but only peace. Albeit that many doctoures say that the men of war is a thing reasonable & good because of the words of saint john baptist who as (writeth saint Luke in the gospel) answered unto the men of war ax●ing him whate thing they should do to be saved that they should hurt noman but should be contented with their wages. By these words will the doctors and/ Theologyens say that the men of war may war pill and do evil without sin. But they understand not the words of saint john.  
ye must understand that the teaching of saint john brought noman unto full perfection. It did but only make ready the heart of man unto god and unto the teaching o● jesus christ. He rebuked the most grettes● evils by his preaching. He did but only teach the beginning of righteousness/ a● though he would have seyed: If I should all ar●once forbidden you to war/ ye might not yet for your weakness suffer it ● nor ye● might not leve●t all suddenly. But begin first to ●eue the most greatest evil as to do hurt and outrage unto other/ as to burn/ to kill/ to pill and so forth. And be always content with your wages.  
So was saint john Baptist none other thing but as a man that abateth and cutteth of from a piece of timber the most greatest knotres. He doth it not to th'intent that it should abide so. But when the knots and wars be cut of then cometh a better master carpenter that planeth it & maketh it more smooth with a large fine rabot. Likewise did saint john by his preaching/ he did but only abate and cut of the great knots/ that is to say/ the great sins. And yet they were not clean taken away ●nd cut of till an other better master workman came after and ●ut them of with his fine rabot. And therefore was he nothing else but a voyte crying in the desert which cried: 
Esa. 40  Make ready the weigh of the lord: make straight his feet paths.  
He was not the light as saith saint john the Evaungelist. He could not pardon our sins/ for he was not Christ. 
john. 1   
He was but only a voice a foregoar and a shower which made ready the weigh against the coming of Christ.  
And for this cause did Saint john send his disciples to jesus Christ/ when he should die to th'intent that they might learn the full perfection of him. For he had but only made them ready for to come unto christ. for this cause & reason it is all manifest that saint john hath not praised the war by these words/ but hath rather foreboden it: As teacheth all the gospel. for as it is a thing evil agreeing that the hand fight against the heed/ So is it a thing as evil agreeing and great sin that one Christian war against the other. 
Ro. 12  For we are all brethren and members of one body/ the body is Christ/ which in all his life preached peace and concord to all them that he taught.  
Saint john in his first epistle saith: 
1. joh. 4  He that hateth his brother is an homicide We may hate noman/ we must love our enemies/ we must pray for them and do good unto them that persecute us. How can it then be possible after the gospel that we may war without sin? wherein so many people lose their livis and whereby so many parsons come to wildness riot and evil life. There be texts in the canon law that suffer some wars. But the reehing of Christ forbiddeth all wars.  
It is a thing horrible and dangerous for body and soul to enterprise & move a war. For all malice raineth in time of war. Nevertheless when a country is invaded or a town besieged & when the common peace is troubled/ and great violence is done unto the subjects: the lord of that country is bound by brotherly love to help his subjects/ and to defend them to punish the evil/ and to put his life in jeopardy for his subjects.  
But he must always beware that he do it not to revenge his own wrong/ or for to enlarge his land and lordship/ but only to defend his subjects. And so may he use the horrible business of the war/ charitably and christianly.  
But if it were possible to agree for gold or silver/ he is bound to do it. For the life of a chrilrens is more worth than all the richesses of the world.  
A lord shall think always that there is a king above him in have bifore who me all parsons shall yield account at the last day of judgement ye of the lest works and thoughts that he shall do/ be he king or Emperor/ 〈…〉/ nobil or ignoble/ young or old.  
We read that the people of Israel did war many times but their wars were 
1. Co. 10  but all figures/ As saith saint Paul. wherefore it betokeneth to us that we shall likewise fight not the one against the other/ but against our silves/ that is to say/ against our sins against pride wrath covitize/ lechery/ hatred/ envy and such other.   

¶ How servants should live a doctrine after the Gospel. chapter xxx  
Servants that serve their lords/ master's/ ladies and mastresses/ shallbe true unto them as unto them silves and shall always do the profit of their lords and masters as though it touched them silves/ They shall nor do their service only for temporal rewards. For thou mayst by the service that thou dost unto thy master please god as weal as though thou were no servaunt and as though thou were in the church ●prayng on thy knees.  
Therefore thou shalt do thy service by faith and love in god thus thinking in thy silf. Behold dear lord God I thank the that thou hast not made me rich/ I am well content with the state that I am in. I will with a good wil● for the love of the serve all the world. And I thank the that thou hast made me worthy to suffereny thing for thy love/ and that I may in this world be one of the jest and le●t esteemed when thou serve●● thy lord in such a faith with a good will thou receivest not only the reward or wages of men/ towhome thou servest/ but that more is of God.  
Therefore thou shalt do thy labour diligently and joyfully/ not as though thou diddest serve a man/ but as though thou diddest serve God/ as truly thou dost.  
For so doth saint Paul teach the writing to the Ephesians where he saith: 
Ephe.  Servants obey unto your carnal master's/ with fear and trembling in ynnocency of your hearts as unto jesus christ/ not with service in the eye ●ight as men pleasers/ but as the servants of Christ doing the will of god with all your hearts with good will/ even as though ye served the lord and not men.  
Remember also that whatesoever good any man doth/ that shall he receyve again 
Col. 3  of the lord whether he be bond or fire, and again unto the Colossians. Servants (saith he) obey unto your bodily masters in all things/ not with eye service as men plesers/ but in simplicity or ynnocency of heart fearing the lord god. Do all that ye do with a good will/ as though ye did it unto the lord God/ and not as unto men/ knowing that ye shall receive of the lord the reward of enherifaunce for ye vo serve the lord Christ. But he that doth wrong shall receyve for the wrong that he hath done: for there is no respect of parsons. 
1. Pe. ●  And also saint Petre saith in his first epistle. Servants be subject in all fear unto your lords not only unto the good and courteys/ but also though they be froward. For it cometh of grace if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully. For whate praise is it if when ye be beaten for your faults ye take it patiently? But and if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it patiently/ then are ye great thank worthy before god. Therefore thou shalt in all things have god always bifore thine yies and not the men whom thou servest outwardly. As did Paul the bishop which put hinsilf into the service of the lords for the son of a widow. And because that he had given all his goods for the will of God. He gave also him silf into service for the love of God/ for to deliver the son of the widow.  
Be not sorry that thy master both not suffer the to go to the church to here mass For thou mayst please god aswell in doing thy work by such a good intent as though thou were in the church when thou belevest: but thou must do thy labour in such a faith as is bifore said. God regardeth not whate thing we do or in whate place we be: but of whate courage and in whate faith we do it.  
The servants shall take good heed that they anger not their master or mastresse. And when it shall so happon that then incontinent they axe them forgy venesse. He shall always honour his master bearing his hasty words/ keeping him self that he do not rebel and answer spitefully unto his master. 
Gen  For thou art bound to support him and to give place unto him As the angel taught unto Agar the servaunt of Sara● the which fled from her mastresse as it is written in the xvi chapter of Geneuns where the angel came unto her and said: Go and turn toward thy lady and humble thy silf under her hand So should the servaunt humble him stife under his lord/ and when he hath angered him/ to appease him again with humble demeanour and obedience. So did Saint Paul make agreement betwixt Onesimus and Philemon from whom he was fled away: 
〈◊〉 Phile ●onem,   
The lords & masters shall use their servants as men/ not as asses. They shall entreat them lovingly and softly/ & not as tyrants/ for they be their christian brethren and members of one body (that is) of jesus Christ wherefore thou shalt not overcharge them with things not convenient or unreasonable: but thou shalt use them as members of thine own body For Christ is our heed/ and we all to gyther be his body/ & every one of us by him silf is a member of his body be he man/ or woman/ lord or servaunt/ rich or poor: as writeth saint Paul unto the Corinth●ēs For this cause as no man hateth his own 
Cor. 12  members/ but keepeth them a● well as he can: So shall we love the one the other/ & shall serve by charity and succour the one the other as one member succoureth an other. It was sometime the custom that all parsons did call the one the other brethren and sisters. This did ●●appostles institute to th'intent that the heathen might know whate love there was among the Christian. we may find many masters now a days that use their servants like asses/ not like men/ nor like their own members/ whereof they shall yield unto god a full strait account. 
Ephe.  Saint Paul exhorteth you to entrete your servants with all sweetness. Ye masters (saith he) show the same love & dilection unto your servants that they show unto you/ abstaining your silf from threatenings remembering that their master and yours is in heaven/ And there is no respect of persons bifore him. And unto the Colossians: ye masters do unto your servants that which 
Col. 1  is just and equal remembering that ye have also a master in heaven. Nevertheless although the masters be rigorous & hard yet I counceile (with Saint Petre in his first epistle) all servants that they take all that their masters & mastresses lay unto their charge patiently/ & that for the love of god/ if it be not so that they command to do a thing that is against the commandment of god/ for in such a case they must rather obey god then men. As saith saint Pe●er in the acts of th appostles. 
Act.    

¶ Of the widows life a short information after the Gospel. chapter xxxi  
th'apostle saint Paul teacheth us writing unto his disciple Timothe that the widow shall use her liberty unto the honour of god and that she shall serve willingly the poor wesshing their feet/ and socouring them after her power. And to th'intent that she should have whereof to succour the poor she shall not run about idle from house to house clatering/ but shall get her expenses in her own house by her labour. And she must keep her self from idleness/ and from delicate eating & drinking for by such means they f●ll into evil desires and foul sins. Such widows so living in carnal pleasure/ lyving be deed already/ As saint Paul sayeth in the saide place. They live in a dangerous estate/ it were much better that such widows did mary again then so to live in idleness and pleasure.  
But the widow so taking her pleasures desireth not the everlasting life because she hath no travail here/ and this is the greatest blindness that any parson may fall in to. And therefore it were much better that she were married again for the carefulness and rule of house keeping/ and the obedience that the married woman to under her husband delyvereth the parson from evil desires. and for this cause counseleth sa●nt Paul that the young widows marry again.  
¶ Laude and honour be only unto God. AMEN.  
FINIS.