An exposicyon of the .xv. psalme made by mayster Erasmus of Rotherdame in whiche is full purely declared the pure and clene behauoure that ought to be in the pure churche of Chryst which is the multytude of all trewe chrysten people De puritate ecclesiae Christi. English Erasmus, Desiderius, d. 1536. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A00380 of text S109924 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 10495). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 121 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 67 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A00380 STC 10495 ESTC S109924 99845556 99845556 10463 2240873779

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A00380) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 10463) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 39:07) An exposicyon of the .xv. psalme made by mayster Erasmus of Rotherdame in whiche is full purely declared the pure and clene behauoure that ought to be in the pure churche of Chryst which is the multytude of all trewe chrysten people De puritate ecclesiae Christi. English Erasmus, Desiderius, d. 1536. [136+] p. J. Waylande, [London : 1537] Imprint from STC. Signatures: A⁴ B-J. Imperfect; lacks leaves J1, J5 and all after J8. Reproduction of the original in the Cambridge University Library. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms -- Criticism, interpretation, etc. -- Early works to 1800. eebo An exposicyon of the .xv. psalme made by mayster Erasmus of Rotherdame in whiche is full purely declared the pure and clene behauoure that ought to be Erasmus, Desiderius, 1537 133 22273 854 0 0 0 0 0 383.42 F The rate of 383.42 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2002-03 Assigned for keying and markup 2002-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-04 Sampled and proofread 2002-04 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

An exposicyon of the .xv. psalme made by mayster Erasmus of Rotherdame in whiche is full purely declared the pure and clene behauoure that ought to be in the pure churche of Chryst which is the multytude of all trewe chrysten people .

you be the lyght of the worlde . Let therfore your lyght so shyne before men that they may see youre good workes and so glorifye your father which is in heuen . Mattheu . v.
To the chrysten reader .

IF my grosse endeuer coulde so purely haue sette forth in Englys●he the exposicion of this most godly and pure psalme as it is purely wrytten in pure latyne by mayster Erasmus / than truely durste I promyse the that to reade it o moost pure and gentylle reader shulde be to the a passynge pure and profytable pastyme . It is intytled by the sayde mayster Erasmus . De puritate ecclesie / that is to wytte it dothe declare the purenes whiche ought to be in all chrysten or pure people called the churche or congregacyon of god . And I doubte nat ( my grosse translacy●on natwithstandynge ) but who s● euer shall please to reade it purely the same shall fynde godlynes in it so purely shewed that it shal synke pleasauntly and purely in to theyr breastes / and consequently aryse out of the same agayne in pure and godly behauoure to the honour of god and to the wealthe bothe of them selues and of other theyr neyghbours abydynge about them . And moreouer the pure and pleasaunt style or forme of eloquente speache whiche this wryter mayster Erasmus passynge all other dothe generally vse in wrytynge / shall delyte the passynge any other mynstrelsye . For no harmonye is so pleasaunte as eloquence beynge an vndoubted and singuler good gyfte of the holy ghoste / and lykewyse a gyfte more vtyle than any other mynstrelsye or harmonye mundayne . And moreouer no mynstrel or musicyan I dare say & can well proue was euer better experte in any kynde of musyke / than was Erasmus in eloquence . Whiche as it is declared in al other his noble workes / so dothe it in this moost souerayntly appeare ioyned with moste pure prophesye and declaracyon of scripture that is musyke and harmony celestiall . So that yf thys our author dyde euer vtter these his passynge swete and melodyous gyftes of eloquence & pure prophesye in any other his workes ( as vndoubtedly he hathe done ) yet dyd he neuer more frelye declare hym selfe and his sayd vertues or gyftes than in this treatyse / & as I wene neuer so frely . Whiche worke oughte and shall delyte the so moche the more / that he doth shewe this his musyke to accorde with the moost pure expositers of scripture / whome god hathe gra●cyouslye nowe in our tyme rayse● vp to the expulsyon of fylthye an● grosse errours / that otherwyse b● called of vnpure preachers vn●wrytten verytes / and to the redu●synge or restorynge of the pure veryte contayned in scripture holy / whiche god graunte shortely to be knowen and folowed of vs all to his pure honoure . Amen .

The texte of the psalme .

LOrde who shal dwell in thy tabernacle ? Who shall reste vpon thy holy hylle ?

Euen he that entreth in with out spot or leadeth an vncorrupte lyfe / & doth the thynge whiche is ryght . He which speaketh the truthe from the harte / and vseth no disceyte in his tonge and dothe none euyll to his neyghbour / and sclaundreth nat his neyghbours .

In whose syght the vngodlye is nought set by / but doth glorifye or make moche of those whiche do dreade the lorde .

He whiche sweareth to his neyghbour and disceyueth hym nat / he that gyueth not forth his money vpon vsurye / and taketh no rewarde agaynste the innocent .

Who so dothe these thynges shall neuer be remoued .

A Paraprhase of the psalme .

LOrde who shall be receyued in to thy tabernacle ? Who shall abyde with the in heuen beyng as a mountayne in whiche thy holy maiestye doth appere ?

A man walking syncerely witho●● crafte or dissimulacion doyng th●● is ryght and which speaketh th●● he sayth faythfully with harte a●● mynde .

Whiche loueth to hurte no ma● with tong / which doth none euy● to his neyghboure nor sclaūderet● hym or rayseth no rebuke or ign●●mynye vpon hym .

Which set noughte by the wicke● or vngodly / but estemeth hyely th● which do loue god / which wyll na● go from that thinge which he hat● sworne or earnestly promysed .

Whiche hath nat with his mone● occupyed vsurye / nouther doth● take brybe or mede to the domag● of an innocente / he that loueth to do these thinges shall neuer perysshe .

Finis .
Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ?

FOr so moche as there is one onely way vnto saluacyon , & life eternall / whiche is to know god , & to obeye his comaundementes . The prophete in the psalme goyng nexte before , dyd bewayle & lamente more , than blynde madnes of men / amonges whome were founde so fewe / whiche ioyfully and gladly wolde receyue or embrace the gentle , and redely offered mercye of our creatour and redemer . But contrarye wyse , all they for the more parte beynge corrupte with theyr owne lustes and concupiscences , were so broughte into a peruerse mynde , that in theyr harte they wolde say : there is no god . And out of this fountayne of wycked persuasyon which they had of god / dyd spryng all maner of myscheuous dedes● done towarde our neighbour . Nother can any man loue his neygh●bour with herte and mynde , whic● dothe nat loue god . Unb●l●f● is the ro●● o● al ●●sche●ou● ded●s l●ke as ●aithe is the ro●● o● cha●●●● . And no ma● dothe loue his neyghbour verely / except he doth loue him for goddes sake . From fayth , as from the rote do sprynge the workes of charyte . Who soeuer therfore spekynge or talkynge with hym selfe / doth saye in hart that there is no god ( for asmoch as he hath an hart , full wyc●kedly & noughtely corrupte / from whens doth procede his speche wit● all other his fautes or doynges ) ● the same dothe breathe nothyng vpon his neyghboure but moos● Psal. xiii foule stynche / suche as dothe issue out of sepulchres or graues / nothynge but fraude and disceyte , & the venyme of adders / whiche an other psalme doth calle incurable● Deutero xxxii . From this corrupte harte dothe procede all leudenesse of myscheuous wordes / all bytternes of detractyon or backebytynge / from whiche princyples & begynnynges do men go forth , vntyll they come vnto the lust or desyre of blode shedynge / whiche is the vttermoste poynt , or buttell of rancoure & hatered / accordyng to that saynge of Iohum : i. Io. iii. He that hateth his brother , is a murtherer or manqueller . For all thoughe he dothe nat alwayes actuall murther / whiche doth hate or beare rancoure / yet natwithstandynge in that , To hate oure neyghbour is murth●r . he folowyng his yre or wrathe dothe studye to harme his neyghboure / he dothe in that approche to murther / and in that so farforthe as in hym is , he is an homicyde or murtherer . For lyke as accordynge to the testymony of Iohn Iohn . iii. / no greater ioy is vnto godlye people / than whan they do se many men come to the knowlege of the ●●uthe / & to walke in the waye of ●he veryte euangelycall : Euen so is no dolour or grefe to them more bytter & payneful , The mos● bytte● d●lour of a ●rue chrysten / is to se his neighbour ●a●ke in ig●oraūce . than whan they do consyder in the great multytude of men so grosse ignoraunce / so great contempte of god moste benygne & g●acyous / so great lacke of charyte to our neyghbours / and contrarywyse to se in so fewe men , any signe or semblaunce to appere of verye fayth and true charyte . Nother do the Epicures only say in theyr hart there is no god / but that I can nat speke without greuous syghes & doloure / we may fynde men innumerable amonge the christyane , whiche in theyr hart do saye , there is no god . And wolde god there were no ●hrysten people , whiche wolde vomyte or thruste forth such deuelysshe and wycked sayenges amonges the christyanes . But for because we shulde lette passe suche monstrous and wonderfull wycked wordes / we wyll touche thynges more vsuall , and commen , or familyare . T●ey whiche haue no loue or regarde of spirituall thynges / but do all coueyte & gape after ryches / worldly honoures , excesse , or lechery , and suche lyke volu●tes / in sekynge to gette these thynges / outher by ryght or wronge / by periurye , brybery , and thefte / or suche other lyke feates or craftes : which whan they haue obtayned suche thynges , do thynke them selues blessyd or happye / and whan they do lose them , be redy to blaspheme bothe god and his sayntes . Do nat suche also shewe them selues to say in theyr harte : Titus . i. there is no god ? In mouth they do professe god / but in deades they do renye hym . Of such is so great a multytude & plentye / and contrarye wyse of those which shulde truely drede god , is so great Psalme . xiii . scarcyte that the prophete doth bryng forth god lokynge out of heauen whether any creature at all shulde be in the earth hauynge vnderstandynge and requirynge or sekynge after god / and in beholdynge with his eyes from aboue all mankynde / he founde none , except one whiche is Chryste Iesus / with whome be they , natwithstandynge all ioyntly recounted & nombred / who soeuer ●y faythe and charyte be made one with hym . Ergo they whic●●o tru●t in 〈◊〉 good work●s as th●y calle th●● do nat plea●se god . For no creature syth the worlde was fyrste made , dyd euer please god / excepte the same hathe put his confydence in the free and mere mercy of god offered vnto all men through Christ . For although dyuers haue be saued vnder the lawe of nature / and many vnder the lawe of Moyses / and yet more vnder the lawe of the gospell / yet saluacyon or sauetie , is nat properly due , ne to be ascrybed vnto any lawe / but al onely vnto the mercye of god throughe Chryst. the churche of Chr●●●● was ●u●r s●the the b●gyn●●nge of the worlde . From the very begynnynge of the worlde was the church or congregacion of rightwyse men , whiche is the bodye of Chryste / and euen from that tyme , was the euangely or gospell / that is to say remissyon of synnes reueled of god from heuen throughe the mere and free mercye of god for Chrystes sake / & euen from the tyme also was grace , whiche throughe faythe dyd purefye the hartes of men / althoughe by Chryste incarnate , Actes . xv and by the prechynge of the apostelles / it was than the more largely spredde abrode / and dyd also shyne the more clerely . So that than it appered full true , that the apostell Paule doth so often inculcate or repete : very ryghtwysenes doth come vnto no man by the lawe , Rom̄ . iii. or by workes of the lawe / but by faythe and confydence in Chryste But all men had nat fayth , by wh●●che they shulde beclyppe and em●brase the grace offered . Lyke as also nowe a dayes all though ther● be f●l many which do professe faith with theyr mouthe / yet be there rygh● fewe whiche do beare true fayth in harte / the● be I saye ryght fewe , yf so they be compared with those , which outher be alyantes from the gospell / or els with a pharisa●call mynde do the gospel admytte and receyue . This paucyte and smalle nombre of true faythfull people , dyd Esay see and bewayle , Esay . lii . Paule alledgynge the place of his sayde prophecye , which is thus : Roma . x. O lorde who haue beleued oure wordes ? And that whiche Chryste yet abydynge in the earth , dyd saye to his discyples in this wyse . Luke . xii . Feare you nat o lytle flocke , for the kyngdome of god is your or dothe pertayne to you / the same may euen nowe be sayd of those whiche haue verely fastened all theyr confydence in Chryste . yet natwithstandynge in the same full fewe ryght christyanes / all thynges be weake , inchoate or begonne and vnperfytte ( I mought also saye ) vnpure . After that , therfore this oure prophete Dauid had bewayled so great a paucyte and smalle nombre of innocente people / and that contrarywyse , there is so great a turbe or multytude of vnryghtwyse & wycked people / And where as he also dyd se , that there is no hope of sauetie but in the tabernacle of god , and in the holy mountayne , whiche is the church or congregacyon / In whiche no man is graunted to abyde or rest , excepte he be throughe faythe implanted in the body of Chryst / which same , Chryst dothe crye vnto vs in the gospell saynge : Mat. xi . Come vnto me all ye which do labour and be gre●ued or burdened / and I shall eas● & refresshe you . He consyderyng● the impuryte & fylthynes of men where as is requyred synguler & perfyte puryte , yf we shulde be made one with Christ , and so abyde with hym in the house of god / the sayde prophete I tell you with full great feare & care , dothe thus crye to the father : O lorde who shall abyd● in thy tabernacle , or who shal rest● in thy holy mountayne ? Therfore after the playne & moste vulgare sence / the tabernacle which Moy●ses by the commaundement of god had made , Erodi . xl was at Hierusalem in 〈◊〉 mounte Syon / vntyll Salomon by the worde of god dyd buylde a iii. of kinges . vi . newe in the same place / the passyng ryche noble & famous temple that was had in a reuerence euen of the hethen people & panymes . There also was the regall palace of Dauid . And as the iewes dyd boste them selues to be the chyldre or posteryte of Abraham and of Dauid / euen so had they a peculyer reioyse and glorye for the cytie of Hierusalem / by whiche as by an holy thynge they dyd swere as we may perceyue by the gospell . Matth. v. They were proude and holy mynded for the temple & the aulter whiche were in the cytie / wherof dyd come that checke gyuen to them by the prophete Ieremye : The temple of the lord / the temple of the lorde / the temple of the lorde . &c. Ieremie . vii . There dyd they beleue god to dwel there dyd they recken he shulde be worshypped & odoured / that there he wold be prayed vnto / that there he wolde be offered vnto , and pacefyed with sacrifyces / that there the lawe ought to be inquyred and the questyons of the lawe / there was the propicyatorye , Erody . xxvi . H●brues ix . out of whiche god dyd gyue and shewe forth dyuyne oracles or answeres / ther● were the tables written vpon wit● the fynger of god . There was Aa●rons rodde , & the arke of the testament / the holy table / the potte o● Manna / the cherubym There was sanctum sanctorum / that is to say , the holyest of all holy / in to whiche no man mought entre , excepte the hye preest onely / and yet mought he nat that do , but ones in the yere . Of these thynges before shewed , dyd aryse pryde and presumpcyon in the people of the iewes / wherby they also contempned and dispysed all other nacyons . Fynally they had the temple in suche great reuerence / that they dyd obiecte it agaynste Chryste , for a cryme moost horryble and outragyous that he sayd : Iohn . ii . vndo or distroy you this temple / and I in .iii. dayes shall rayse it vp agayne / wherby he dyd couertly signyfye , that he shulde be s●ayne of the iewes / and within .iii. ●a●●● , he s●ulde reuyue or lyue agayne . Therfore after my mynde this psalme after the lytterall sence / doth pe●ulyerly belonge to the leuytes and preestes / Whose duetye was to abyde and reaste in the temple , to whiche they were deputed minys●ers . Of these was requyred hye and perfyte puryte and synguler sanctemonye or holynes / but whiche the commen sorte of the iewes dyd yet thynke to consyste in exteryor ceremonyes . Theiues do recken holynesse to consiste in ceremonyes . Concernynge which holynes , they had holy consecracyon , & often locyons or wasshynges of the heed / of the handes● & also of theyr garmentes . It was was nat lefull for the preestes to be present at a buryall / nor to touche a deed caryone / nor to eate prophane or vnhalowed breed / nor to vysyte Mat. xii . theyr wyues and chyldren / nor to moue theyr fote out of the temple , in especyall vpon those dayes in whiche they dyd minyster in th● temple / leste they shulde gette o● take some impurite or vnclennes● But all these thynges were nothynge els / but shadowes and fygures of thynges farre more excellent and precyous . For our true Dauid ) to whome promyse was made , that his kyngdome shulde be enlarged euen vnto the vttermost costes and marches of the worlde / which kyngdome shulde contynewe so longe as the sonne or mone / and to whome is gyuen al power , Psalme . lxxi . both in heuen and in earth ) , Matthe . xxviii . is Chryste anointed nat with the oyle of prestes / but with grace celestyall , Psalme . ●liiii . ouer and aboue all the chyldren of men . His regall palace is the churche or congregacyon , whiche the lorde hym selfe dothe otherwhyles call the kyngdome of heuen . His imperye or dominyon , is the lyberte of the spiryte . The tabernacles is the congregacyon of all true beleuynge people in all or euery nacyon . Hierusalem is that mystycall cytie , which saynt Iohn dyd se in the reuelacyon .xxi. beynge buylde of lyuely stones / Chryst beyng the heed corner stone . ii . Peter● ii . The holy mountayne is the sublymyte or hyghnes of the doctryne euangelycall / and the inuiolable veryte , vpon which the buyldynge of the temple dothe leane & is grounded vpon . Of whiche is also thus mencyoned in an other psalme : Psalme C.xxiiii he that trusteth in the lord / shall as the mounte Syon , neuer be moued / whiche abydeth in Ierusalem . The prophete therfore contemplatynge with spirituall eyes / the wonderfull maiestye and sanctymonye or holynes of the church / whiche holynes the fygures of the olde lawe before shewed with other lyke dyd signefye / by the glorye of whiche churche also those thynge● whiche dyd appere very gloryou● to the iewes , were obscured & dar●kened / & after the interpretacyo● of Paule , ii . Corin. iii. were made without glo●rye . The same prophete also , seyn● that there is no mortall man which ca● abyde pure in the house of god , and offre to god lacrefyce acceptable ● he tournynge to the father or heuen doth crye thus : O lorde who shall abyde in thy tabernacle , or reste in thy holy mountayne ? The t●ue knowlege of god is drawen and coarted in to a very strayte or narowe angle of the worlde . The other nacyons do worshyppe for god , stockes and stones / they do sacrefyce vnto deuelles / after whose luste and pleasure , they be drawen as oxen by the nose vnto all kynde of myschefe . And amonge the selfe same nacyons or people , whome thou haste chosen aparte to the / whome thou haste excited or called by so many wonders and myracles to the knowelege of thy maiestye / whome thou haste by so many benefites prouoked to loue the / whome thou haste fensyd with so many preceptes and commaundementes / whome thou haste instructe by so many prophetes / amonges the same people is none that accordynglye dothe worshyppe the. They haue one god in theyr mouthe / but in theyr harte haue they many goddes . Whyles one dothe serue yre , enuye , and desyre of vengeaunce / another serueth auaryce / and some ambicyon & pryde . And they which do appere to them selues excellently iuste or ryghtwyse for obseruynge the lawe / do nat yet obserue that whiche is the heed of the lawe . For who doth loue the with all his hart , with all his mynde , & with all his power / & his neyghboure as hym selfe ? Thus thy lawe ( where as of it selfe , it is good ) doth come euyll to passe with them , turnynge them to euyll / nother doth it pacefye the , but prouoke the to angre / nother doth it see quyte , or dismysse them founde gyltye or fautye / but it doth accuse & condempne them . A great sorte of men dothe worshyppe the after the commaundementes of men / & with ceremonyes , they do walke in thy temple , they do kylle sacrefyces / they do offer oblacions . worshyppynge of god ●fter ●n●s commaundementes & ●●remon●es is neare reb●ked & in the gospell such is called ●als worshyppe . Actes . vii and .xvii. God ●●th nat abide in temples or churches made with h●nde nother requyreth he to be there worshypped more than in other places . But thou whome all the whole worlde doth nat comprehende arte nat inclosed in temples , or edifyces made with mannes hande / nother doste thou regarde suche worshyppers , whiche do worshyppe the with in walles buylded by the scyence of worke men . But for so moche as thou arte the hye and full parfyte truth or veryte / thou doste requyre true worshyppers , whiche shulde adoure or worshippe the in spiryte and veryte . Thy soule or mynde dothe abhorre our sabbote dayes & holy dayes of the newe mone / and thou doste requyre no sacrefyce for Iohn . iiii Isaye . i. synne / nother haste thou any nede of our good dedes / we do sacrefyce to the of thyne owne . Psalme . xxxix . But thou doste deteste & defye the sacrefyce of them whose handes be full of blode . Psalme . xv . The blode of gotes or of calues , Isay● . i. can purge no man from synnes . Thou arte parfyte & doste requyre thynges parfyte . H●brues x. But the lawe dothe brynge no man to perfectyon . All the whole nature of man is vtterly infecte and poysoned , euen frome the very rote throughe the vyce or synne of our fyrst parentes . ii . Corin. v. I perceyue that thou doste lothe and disdāyne Apocal. xxi . olde thynges / thou doste requyre all newe thinges / thou doste renewe the temple / thou doste renewe the lawe / thou doste renewe the rytes and the preesthode . But what preest is he so clene and immaculate / so in thy fauoure or acceptable , that he can reconsyle the to all men beynge angrye or displeased ? Who shall abyde in this tabernacle , which dothe come from heuen ? Who shal dwell in thy holy mountayne , vnto whiche no man coin●uynate or defyled may approche ? Who shall offre a sacrefyce so effectuall , that it can verely purefye the hartes of men ? To this feare & sollicytude of the prophete , doth the lorde make this answere : I do renye none of these thynges which thou haste tolde / thou sayste truthe , I in very dede do ordayne a newe temple / I do requyre a newe sacrefyce / for I w●s full a good whyle before of the olde . I wyll make a newe preest nat that is of the earth earthly / but that shall be from heuen heuenly / whiche shall make newe euery creature / nat doynge sacrefyce by course or often tymes / Hebrues vii . but which after one sacrefyce made shall remayne a preest for euer , Psalme . C.x. after the ordre of Melchisedech / whom I wyll descrybe vnto the : Chryste described shortely according to scripture . he shall walke in the earth amonges men / but he alone shall be without all spotte . He shall be conuersant with synners / but that he may iustefye them . He shall worke ryghtwysenes , and do iustyce full parfytely / In suche wyse , that he onely may saye : who amonges you can accuse or rebuke me for synne ? Ioh. viii . The deuyll which is an euyll speaker , and the prynce of this worlde shal come vnto hym / but he shal fynde no defaute in hym . Io. ●iiii . He shall speake truth in his harte / for he shall be the very truth it selfe . Nother shall he commytte or do any gyle with his tonge / for he shall speake nothynge , but that he shall be commaunded of me to speake . Nother shall he flatter the wycked / nor yet fode or fede the godly with vaynes promyses : but he shall promyse remyssyon of synnes by fayth gyuen vnto hym / and he shall truely gyue it : he shall promyse resurreccyon & lyfe eternall / and he shall performe it . And so moche shall he eschewe to do euyll vnto his neyghbour / that he wyll bestowe his owne lyfe euen for his enemyes / & for them shall he make intercessyon to me / of whome he shall be slayne . Iohn . iii. For he shall come nat to destroye or cause any to perysshe / but to preserue and saue : He shall come nat to iudge or condempne / but to reconcyle & to make peace betwyxte god and man . Nother wyll he begynne to rebuke or sclaunder his neyghbours / whiche dyenge wyl crye for his most cruell torm●ntours or murtherers : Luk● . xxiii . Father forgyue them for they wote nat what they do / whiche also shall caste to the grounde the deuyll that is the accuser of mankynde in makyng hym domme and spechelesse / the obligacyon beyng anulled and made of none effecte / by whiche he intended accyon and accusacyon agaynste all men . Coloss. i. And all thoughe he accordyng to his malyce by reason wherof he dothe enuye the sauetye and saluacyon of men / in so moche that he wyll fence and sette forth in armes or harnes all his power or armyes agaynste my preest / and wyll so declare all his gyles and trechery in bendyng his artyllarye agaynste me : yet shal he no whytte profyte or auayle / but he shall be broken to peaces and be brought to nought : Nother shall the rage or crueltye of the wycked worke any other thynge than that the victorye and glory of hym shall be the more clerely knowen and honoured / whome they dyd coueyte with great force but in al vayne to be extinte and vtterly abolysshed out of the mynde of men . Ieremye xi . And they by the same shal purchase none other thynge to them selues than confusyon or shame euerlastynge & most greuous dethe or destruccyon . For this my preest whome I wyll ordayne Hebrues ii . chefe ruler in my newe temple and in my kyngdome shall by deth ouercome the author of deth / and by shamefull deth of the crosse he shall haue moste honorable tryumphe of the spirytes or deuylles his aduersaryes . And partakers of this glorye shall he make all them whiche fearynge to offende the father wyll heare and obey my welbeloued sonne . Matth. xvii . In whome onely I shal haue so great pleasure and lykynge that nothynge at all can offende or displease me . He moreouer shall be in so great bothe fauour & auctoryte with me that I wyll denye hym nothing . In the meane whyle it is ryght and true glorye to ouercome the worlde to ouercome the flesshe and to ouercome the deuyll . But lyke as the glory of my sonne shall in maner be hydde or vnknowen amonges men / whan he shall be in the shappe or semblaunce of a poore and humble or vyle seruaunte / yea and of a synner / whan he shal be rebuked and reuyled accused condempned and put vpon a crosse : Euen so shall the glorye also of them which do drede god be hydde and vtterly vnknowen amonges men by reason of infirmyte of the flesshe / or at the leaste it shal be obscured and darkened . But whan he beynge nowe condempned and crucifyed betwyxte two theues shal come agayne in his maiestye with thousandes of aungelles vnnumerable / all godly people also rysyng together with hym vnto lyfe / and they whiche were partakers with hym of tribulacyons shall be also partakers with hym of glory : Than shall the wicked se whome they haue smytten and wounded : They shall than se them ( whome before they haue conculcate and troden downe ) with theyr excellent bryghtnes to obscure or darken the clerenes of the sonne / where as they them felues shall lamente and bewayle theyr ow●e madnes . These thynges haue I thought good to touche / for because I do se that of the olde doctours some haue applyed all this whole psalme vnto the persone of Chryst / to whome do full parfytly quadre and agree these wordes hytherto spoken . But the wordes folowynge do nat seme to accorde so well to his person : Which sweareth to his neighbour and doth not disceyue hym / whiche hath nat gyuen forth his money to vsurye / & hathe nat taken brybes or rewardes vpon innocentes . Nother is it any great prayse nat to haue done those thynges / whiche without a great cryme can nat be commytted or done / Suche as these be : to worke falsehede by periurye / to increase worldly substaunce by vsuryes / to be corrupte with brybes / to condem●ne or to beare false wytnes against an innocente body . They whiche vsed to do suche thynges were recounted euyll doers euen amonges the hethen and myscreantes / & they were punysshed by the lawes : ii . questyons moued . Agaynew●rde they whiche dyd no suche thynges dyd nat receyue any publicke rewarde vsed to be gyuen to suche men as had done for the commune weale . But nothynge dothe appertayne to Christ but th●t is of hye perfeccyon / and that surmounteth all the pr●ceptes of the lawe . Here aryseth vp also an other qu●●●tyon : wherfore in the discrybyng 〈◊〉 Chryst doth he recyte these forsay● vyces more than other whiche al● the lawe dothe condempne as 〈◊〉 ensample : whiche dothe not steal E●odi . xix . which doth nat kylle or slee / whi●● doth no aduoutrye or fornicacyo●● But these doubtes do prycke a●● somwhat trouble vs thoughe 〈◊〉 shuld applye this present place 〈◊〉 vnto the persone of Christ / but o●ther vnto the minysters of the churc● or els vnto euery membre of t●● churche . The explicacyon of the diffyculties dothe parhappes r●●quyre an hye or excellente wytte / that is well exercysed in holy scrip●tures / I natwithstandynge accor●dynge to my feblenes wyll shew forth my mynde or thought in suc● wyse that no man shall be stoppe● from sayeng his deuyse / yf he hat● any better matter to brynge forth● scripture doth in dyuers fassions ●●structe vs to lerne vertue & god●ynesse . Other whyle it doth kepe the ●rdre of nature in callyng vs backe ●yrste from vyces / & there after ex●ortyng vs to vertues . what ordre or fassions scripture doth vse in teachinge or exhorting . For to for●ette euyll and vyces is naturally ●he fyrste and former thynge . And ●he seconde or nexte to that is to go ●nto goodnes and vertues / lyke as naturally fyrste is the thynge whiche is vnparfyte and ( as the Apostle doth calle it ) naturall / and there after that is parfyte and spi●ytuall . i. Corin. xv . This ordre dothe here the ●piryte of god kepe whan he sayth : Psalme . xxxiiii . Auoyde or declyne from euyll and ●o good / seke peace & pursue therafter . In a lyke wyse dothe Esaye sayenge : Take ye awaye the euyll of your cogitacyons or thoughtes from my eyes / leaste you do peruersly / and learne you to do well . Esaye . i. Forthwith doth he ioyne thereunder the preceptes of charyte saye●● socour the nedy / do iudgement 〈◊〉 the fatherlesse chylde / defende t●● wydowe . &c. In lykewyse also i●●parable of the gospell : Matthe . xii . The hou●● is fyrste made cleane & afterwar●● commaunded to be anourned . Cle●●n●s that is to say innocencye doth come by faythe and baptysme / the ornamentes be good workes . Such a lyke thyng is that also spoken by Paule : Romans ●iii . let vs caste away the workes of darkenes / and let vs put on the armoure of lyght . Also Colossians iii : Nowe put you of all thynges wrathe . &c. This ordre is somtyme also tourned / that is to witte whe●e as those thynges be fyrst commaunded whiche be parfyte / and those thynges after be forbydde that be contrarye . Of whiche sorte is this sayeng of Paule : Romans ●iii . So that we may walke honestly as in the day nat in fraunchynge or surfettynges & in dronkenes / nat in chambryng and vnclennes / nat in contencyon & enuyenge . And these fassyons be often tymes myxte or myngled together as in the word●s of Chryste sayenge : Blesse ●hem which do persecute you / blesse & curse nat . Roma●s xii . Other whyles good thynges onely be commaunded as for ●xample : Thou shalte loue thy lorde god with all thyne hart . &c. Matth●● xxii . And thy ●●yghbour as thy selfe . The prohibytynge of euyll thynges doth rather agree to harde and obstynate people : the commaundynge of good thynges is agreable to suche as be ob●dyent / & of theyr owne accorde inflamed to vertue and godlynes . Howe scripture d●th tempre d●ct●yne accordynge to the 〈◊〉 posicyons of all men In suche fassyons doth the scripture procure the helth of all persones / so that the parfyte maye therin fynde howe they shulde procede & go forwarde : And the weake or forgetfull may there also haue howe they shulde be refrayned & also admonysshed● The rudenes or dulnes of oure nature in receuyng godly doctry●e The rudenes & slouthe or dulne● of mannes mynde is meruaylous● And therfore the lawe of the .x. commaundementes which were giuen vnto the grosse and rebellyous o● obstynate people dothe contayne thre onely preceptes whiche do commaunde thynges honeste and vertuous / the other do prohibyte synnes and enormyties : Thou shalte nat stele / thou shalt nat slee or kyll / thou shalte do no fornicacyon . &c. But so often as bothe these fassyons be myngled to gether it moughte appere a thynge superfluous / excepte that our nature dyd requyre suche inculcacyons or repeticyons . For els whan the lorde had sayde : blesse you them which do persecute you / what nede he to adde blesse ye , but curse nat / except that he wolde the more deapely fasten the sayde lessone in the myndes of hys dysciples ? Therfore bothe these fassyons of speche be eche one vnderstande in other . In christes preceptes is an affirmatyue alway contayned in a negatyue and a negatyue in an af●irmatyue . As whan the scrypture do●h bydde god to be loued aboue all thynges & our neyghboure as our selues / the same doth vndoutedly forbyd al thinges which do discorde with the loue of god & of our neyghbour / & those be thynges innumerable . Agayne whan the lawe dothe faye : Thou shalte nat kylle / it hath well and iustly commaunded all the dedes of charite by which we can helpe our neyghbour . Also whan it sayth : thou shalte nat do fornicacyon / it dothe bydde all thynges whiche do preserue clennes / sobernes / laboures / fastyng / prayeng . &c. But thynges whiche be hydde & vnknowen doth nat the rude or vnlerned people vnderstande . And therfore haue the prophetes Christ and the Apostles opened vnto vs those thinges whiche haue be spoken compendiously & couertly . Therfore in this psalme is propowned & set forth in a preposterous ordre / fyrst the content & summe of perfyte religyon & godlynes / & than for the ruder sorte be the thynges expressed by name whiche be contrary to the sayd descripcyon & image . For whan he sayth : he which doth entr● without spotte & dothe worke ryght●wysenes / he hath in the same compr●●hēded al ryghtfulnes . For he whiche doth entre without spot doth commytte no vyce or synne / & agaynewarde he doth omytte no vertue a●cordyng to ryght & his duetye . Accordyng to this intellygence or vn●derstādynge it is no faynte or febl● prayse whan christ is denied to hau● done any gyle with his tonge . For s● do we knowe hym alone to be suc● one in whose wordes that is to wytte Agaynste veretyes vnwrytten . all the whole canonicall scripture / eternall & vndoubted truth doth valyauntly remayne without any spo● or blemysshe of erroure . Whan he is denyed to haue done euyl vnto his neyghbour / we do vnderstande that all his lyfe & his dethe was ordayned and ordered to the helthe of all men . Whan he is denyed to haue begonne any rebuke or ygnomynye agaynste his neyghbours / we perceyue that he dyd make intercessyon vnto his father euen for the wycked and open euyll doers . Whan he is denyed to haue deceyued his neyghbour by periurye / we be admonysshed that what soeuer thing Chryste dyd euer promyse by his prophetes ( for by them dyd he speke ) the same hathe he ryght faythfully performed . Hebrues i. He hath promysed great thynges / and that be vnnethes ●redyble to any mannes capacyte / ●hat is howe god shulde come in flesshe / that he by his dethe shulde ●edeme mankynde / that he shulde within thre dayes reuy●e agayne from deth / that he shuld ascende in to heauen / that he shulde come agayne in glorye to iudge the quyck● and the deed / & to receyue his people raysyd vnto lyfe to blessyd im●mortalyte . All these thinges for th● most parte hath he all ready acco●●plysshed / and that is remaynyng● wyll he perfourme in lyke fidelyte● Whan he is reported that he dy● nat lende or gyue forth his mone● vnto vsurye / we vnderstande tha● he was full pure from all earthl● concupiscences / whiche was frel● beneficyall to all men sekyng non● outher profyte imperye or glory● for so doynge : He dyd frely gyue● he dyd heale frely the sycke / he dy● frely redeme vs / and he be stowe● frely hym selfe all whole / & all tha● he had for our sakes : Matthe viii . he had nat 〈◊〉 this worlde wherupon to reste h●● Iohan. xviii . heed / he dyd professe hym and h●● kyngdome nat to be of this world / he sought nat his owne glorye / but the glorye of his father . Iohan. viii . So farre wyde was he from takyng rewardes agaynste innocentes that he gaue hym selfe to be a ransome to redeme innocentes sufferynge deth for them that he shulde brynge them beynge reconsyled vnto lyfe euerlastyng . These thynges as they be surmountynge and passyng great / euen so dyd he onely perfourme & accomplysshe them / & therfore shal he neuer be moued . H●brues xiii . For Iesus Chryst as sayth the Apostle yesterday & to day he is all one for euer . And thus farforth haue I sayd concernynge the fyrst questyon which mought brynge the reader in doubt / as if these commendacyons or prayses were semynge vnmete and vnworthy for Chryst. The so●lucyon of the s●conde questyon . Nowe is the other questyon to be soluted whiche is why the prophete dothe free and ●elyuer Chryste from these onely vyces / seynge ●hat he was all to●gether free and quyte from all maner crymes or vyces ? The prophet appereth by these forsayd poyntes to haue properly deuyded the person of Christ from all other . But in th● onely persone of chryst were many personages / as the personage of a kynge / of a preest / of a prophete / o● a iudge / & of a doctour .

In the on●ly personage of Christ be many pe●sonages comprehended .

Luke . xi . Christ is a p●rfyte k●ng● .

In a kyn● whiche coulde bynde the strong● one mencyoned of in the gospell ● entrynge in to his house violentl● take away his goodes was requy●red a power more than humayne ● angelicall . And therfore it is sayd● T●e malygner in his presence i● broughte to noughte . Christ is ● passing hy● preest In a pree●● whiche onely shulde purge & clen●● the spottes of all men was requy●red a wonderfull clennes / which I can nat se founde in any man . ●●h●s . ii Psal. l. Fo● we be all borne the chyldren of yre and wrathe / and accordynge to the testymonye of Dauid we be conceyued in synnes . The onely sonne of god dyd come without carnall copulacyon in to the wombe of a virgyne / and dyd nat by his entrance in to her defyle but consecrate her purenes or clennes . And suche as was his concepcyon and natiuyte / suche was also all his lyuyng . And this noteth the prophete say●nge : And he worketh ryghtewysenes . " But there was neuer any preest whose concepcyon & natiuyte hath be with out all spotte / or whose lyfe hath be by all maner wyse incontaminate . Aaron the hye and the fyrst preest of all dyd so procede from his mother / that he neaded circumsicyon / E●odi ●xxii . 1. of ●ynges . ii . nother dyd he a lytle offende god folowynge the furye of the people in makynge a goldynge calfe . H●ly dyd synne by ouermoche cockerynge or tenderynge his sonnes . Incredulyte was imputed & layde agaynste zachary the father of Iohn Luke . i. Baptyste / for which he was punisshed / the vsage of his tonge for a whyle taken away . But why do I recyte these ? The very lawe dothe declare no man to be without synne / Hebrues v. which therfore doth prescrybe a sacrefyce that the preest ought to offre for his owne synne . I wyll here let passe to mencyon of the false prophetes / For amonges the holy and commendable prophetes was neuer any pure frome all spotte or blemysshe . Isay. vi . For Isaye dyd nede of a quycke cole / which shulde purefy ● his lyppes . There was none of th● but that was ignoraunte in som●ethynge / nother was the spiryte of prophecye alwaye present with them / & thoughe he were present , yet dyd he nat put them in remembraunce of all thynges . For a certayne prophete doth complayne sayeng : iiii . of kinges . iiii . God hath hydde from me this worde or thynge . To all was gyuen the gyft of prophecye accordyng to the proporcyon or measure of theyr fayth : Coloss. ●● but in onely Chryste dyd inhabyte the fulnes of the godhede corpo●ally / nother was he admonysshed or taught in a dreame or visyon / but he brought with hym from the father the full parfyte knowlege of all thynges that be paste present & ●o come . To this pertayneth that is here sayd : He spake the truth in his harte / and wrought no gyle in his tonge . In a iudge is requyred parfyte knowlege of causes / integryte or parfyte ryghtfulnes / and a mynde vncorrupte . Chryst is a synguler trewe iustyce or iudge . Iohn . v. The lorde doth reporte of him selfe in the euangely sayeng : The father doth iudge no man / but hath gyuen all iudgemente to the sonne / and in the Crede is testefyed that he shall come to iudge the quycke and the deed . He onely dothe iudge truely & verely Luke . xvi which doth nat iudge after the ou●●warde shewe or apparence but doth innerly se & beholde the hartes / & regardeth nat the estates of any men / knowynge no parcyalyte / but rendreth vnto euery man accordyng● to the workes done in his body . Romans ii . ii . Corin. v. And accordyn to the sayenge of the gospell they which in the last iudgemen● shal go about to wynne the fauour of the iudge by allegacyon of old● familyaryte or acquoyntaunce o● of workes exteryor / to suche shal● be sayde : Luke . xiii I saye vnto you truely I knowe you nat . The same thynge● all be welnye requyred in a doctou● or teacher / whiche be requisyte in a prophete .

A prophete is a doctoure or teacher .

Chryst is an ●xcellent doctour .

For a prophete is also a doctour or teacher / lyke as he whiche is a kyng is also a iudge . In a doctour whiche is a teacher be requisyte wysdome fidelyte authoryte / and lyuynge according to his doctryne or learnynge . Coloss. ii In onely Chryste was all fulnes of dyuyne sapyence or wysdome / he was both a faythfull and ryght prudent distrybuter of mysteryes celestyall / which dyd bryng forth of his treasurye thynges bothe newe & olde . And as touchyng authorite it was neuer sayd absolutely of any other than of Chryste / whose wordes all were spryte & lyfe : The authorite of chryst . heare you hym . Therfore the prophet doth recyte those Iohn . vi . crymes or defautes chefely / which all the personages before shewed & conteyned Matthe● xvii . in christ are wont to be subget vnto & fautye of . So that all the whole worlde shulde vnderstande that in conclusyon one man shulde come which shulde parfitly declare him selfe to be an innocent kyng / a preest throughly & in all poyntes pure / a ꝓphete in al thinges iuste & true / a doctour or teacher teaching other men nothing / which he him selfe dyd nat in dedes perfourme a iudg● vncorrupte . ●gay●ste vnwryt●en ve●y●ies and tradicyons of men . So that there is no●thynge that we oughte to seke in thi● lyfe without or besydes chryste . I● is no nede to tell that to all men is knowen / that is to wytte howe grea● harme dyuers kinges do vnto me● by reason of theyr power & cruelte / Whan they polle the people wit● vnryghtfull exaccyons / whan the● do breake good lawes and mak● euyll / whan they moue vniust war●res / whan they harken to tale bea●rers and promoters or false accu●sers / whan they rage and shewe rygoure to innocente and harmeless● people / whan for money they do commytte or gyue offyces to men vnmete and vnworthye . But let vs leaue to speake of discommendable prynces and preestes of whiche is a passynge great nombre . With howe great and noble testimonyes of scrypture was Moyses anourned / agaynst whome natwithstandyng was obiecte the cryme of impiete and wyckednes / for because N●●●●● . xx . whan the people dyd thurste after waters he dyd nat glorifye god / & therfore it was nat graunted hym to entre in to the lande of promyse / howe soeuer he be excused for kyllynge the Egypcyan . Exodi . ii . Nother was it any small blotte in Aaron that he folowed the mynde of the people requyryng ydolles or false goddes to be made them . Exodi . xxxii . Dyd nat Dauid of whome remayneth this noble testimonye of goddes worde ( I ii . of ●ynges . ●iii . haue founde a man occordynge to myne owne appetite & harte ) ioyne a detestable cryme with his cruelnes that is to saye , adulterye with murther ? i. of Pa●●lippo . xxvii . He was called a man of blode or blody man / and recounted vnworthy to buylde a temple to the lorde . iii. of ki●ges . ii●● . Salomon receyued an excellent testimonye of scripture / but with howe many crymes and outragyous dedes dyd he ob●uscate and dymine that glory . Two ryght famous and soueraigne men haue I noted & shewed vnto you / the other do I nat mencyon of lesse I shulde be ouer prolixe and tedyous . But he whiche is our Dauid and very ryght kynge of Syon where as he had a kyngdome sempiternall and vncorruptible / yet natwithstanding accordynge to the prophecye of zacharye zacharye ix . he came nat agaynst vs but for vs / nat with violence and tyranny but with ryghtwysenes / nother beynge an oppressor of the people but a sauyour / nother came he dredefully by reason of fearcenes or statelynes / but myldely & quietly syttynge vpon an asse . Nowe all though other shulde be broughte forth beyng neuer so moche laudable & commendable / & anourned with the testymonyes of ryghtwysnes / yet they all beynge compared to Chryst be synners . Psal. l. Euery man is conceyued in iniquyte ( of the virgyn Mary do I gyue no sentence ) euery yet was she saued by chryst & his deth Luke . ● . one is borne the chylde of yre and wrath / euery one doth beare about concupiscence beynge faste roted in the nature of man / all though none other spotte shuld contamynate our lyfe . But of these wyll I make no longe rehersall / seyng it sufficyent that I haue now shewed you the vyces before named / vnto the which many of those personages amonge the iewes were subget & fautye of / which personages al we do fynde in christ hyly reuerent & worshipful . This is here to be noted that the argument of this psalme doth nat differre from the argument or mater of the psalme goyng before . For whan he there had recyted howe mankynde was on euery Romans iii. syde corrupte / and howe that god Gala. iii. hadde concluded and compassed all thynges vnder synne to then●tent that he shulde take mercy vp●on all : He there also consyderyng● that nother the lawe was sufficyē● to pacefye so great wrathe of go●● conceyued agaynst vs ( which law● dyd rather prouoke the wrathe o● Romans iii. & .iiii. god agaynste vs than pacefye o● aswage it ) nor that any sacrefyce● prescrybed of Moyses were to thi● sufficyent : But that we had nead● of a newe kynge godly myghtye● stronge which shulde do awaye th● tyrannye of Satan / and that w●● had neade of a newe preest which● shulde be voyde of all spottes tha● so he shulde offer a sacrefyce farr● more effectuall than was the blod● of beastes / and yet he coulde fynd● no suche preest amonges all man●kynde / he beynge conuerted to go● doth thus make exclamacyon : wh● shal gyue saluacyon or helth to Is●rael of or from Syon ? And he hea●reth answere agayne : whan the lorde shall turne awaye the captiuyte of ●is people / Iacob shal reioyse and ●sraell shall be glad . In the mounte of Syon as we haue shewed before was bothe the tabernacle and the ●ynges palace . In whiche bothe is signyfyed the church which is also called the kyngdome of heauen / & in to whiche who so●uer be admyt●ed or chosen they be called by the i. Peter . ii . ●estymonye of saynt Peter an holy ●acyon & a royall prees●hode . But what a captiuyte was that whiche dyd nat suffre the Israelytes to be ●lad and reioyse ? For at that tyme ●he people of Israell whiche were Hebrues were captyue or in seruitu●● to no maner of men . Gala. iii. & .iiii. But it was a sore captiuyte to be vnder the ma●ediccyon of the lawe whiche was ●n harde scole mayster to the peo●le wantyng the spryte . ii . Corin. iii. For where soeuer the spryte is nat / there also is no lybertie or franchyse . And where as the terrore of the law● dothe manace vengeaunce ther● is no pure gladnes of harte . Fo● because therfore there was no hope of saluacyon in men the fathe● dyd sende his only begotten sonn● beynge more myghty than the de●uyll beyng a tyrante / which shuld● auerte & put awaye the captiuyt● of his people delyuerynge or makynge vs fre by grace from the malediccyon of the lawe . He sent hy● beynge a preest full of efficacy●● H●brues v. whiche makynge intercessyon fo● his electe shuld be graciously her● for loue of his reuerence and godlynes . And thus in conclusyon dy● Iacob reioyse and Israell wa● glad and ioyfull . Iacob & Israe●● be the names of one man / all be 〈◊〉 that here accordyng to the custom● of scripture they be vsed for the pe●●ple of Israell . Furthermore bot●e the wordes do signyfye a wrestler / for Iacob to the Hebrues is a supplanter / & Israell a stronge man towarde god . Iacob truely ( as is contayned in the holy historye ) dyd wrastle with Esau in his mothers belly . Genes. xxv . The same dyd also wrastle with the angell / for the whiche wrastlynge he obtayned the name Genes. xxxii . of Israell . For I sayth he wyll nat let the departe excepte thou shalte blesse me . His brother beynge supplanted / he dyd obtayne his fathers blessynge : He inforsynge the angell dyd purchase the blessynge of god . Nother oughte it to be thought any inconuenyence if a man be sayd to wrastle with god / seynge we do heare our sauyoure hym selfe sayenge in the gospell that Matthe . xi . the kyngdome of heuen doth suffre violence / and that men violently commynge to it do pulle it to them . The Samaritans and gentles or infydeles dyd russhe in to it before theyr tyme / & as a man wolde say● the dor●s broken vp . Matth. x. For fyrst was the lorde sent vnto the loste shepe of the house of Israell . But wha● vyolence is that by which the kyngdome of heuen is with violence ouercome ? The kingdome of god how it is got●n with violence . It is fayth● a thynge myghtye and importune / whiche in a maner doth wreste out from god that no merytes do purchase or obtayne . ●atthe . xv . Doth nat the woman of Cananye in a maner appere to wrastle with the lorde Iesu / prouokynge hym with importune crye to heare to heare her / whan he pretended that he wolde nat . Of the ●omā of Canante wras●eling with chryst . Agayne whan she was dryuen from hym beynge called by the rebukefull name of a dogge / yet dyd she stylle craue for cromes naming her selfe a whelpe . Doth nat she than appere to saye with Iacob : I wyll nat let the departe except thou shalt blesse me ? Forthwith there after whan the lorde sayth : O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto the as thou wylte haue it / both it nat appere to be the worde or voyce of a man ouercome in wrastlyng ? Wyl ye than heare howe puyssant pugnant and victoryous a thynge faith is ? The puy●sance & vertue of fayth . Onely sayth he beleue for all thynges are possyble to hym that beleueth . Marke . ix . But for to returne from this digressyon to a shorte conclusion . Lyke as in the psalme before the prophete doth demaunde after the saluacion of mankynde sayeng who shal arise to helpe & remedy the world beyng so desperate : In like fassyon doth he heare crye sayeng : O lorde who shal abyde in thy tabernacle / or who shal reaste in thy holy mountayne ? In that he nameth a tabernacle he requireth an hye preest / and whan he nameth a holy mountayne he desyreth a kynge of more puissaunce than is the puissaunce of Satan / and he heareth answere made to hym of the sprite : he whiche entreth without spotte and dothe worke ryghtwysenes . By the which testimonye or prayse is signyfyed the persone of Christ which onely with out all excepcyon was pure & clene from all blemys●he or spotte . Whose doctryne doth sauer of no vylenes or basenes / but as it dyd come from heuen euen so doth it vtter & speke heuenly thynges . Mounte Syon wherof it is so denominate . Mounte Syon hath his denominacyon or name of speculacyon or beholdynge / In whiche who souer dothe reaste he beynge hyer than all thynges terrestryall or earthly doth beholde & desyre no thynges but celestyall . And he dyd nat only worke ryghtwysenes which in all poyntes dyd accomplisshe the workes of his father / but he also wrought ryghtwysenes for vs and to vs . For vnto i. Corin. i vs saith the Apostle was he made ryghtwysenes whiche nother had any of our owne / nother coulde haue any / in lykewyse as we can nowe also haue none of our owne or propre . Thus hytherto haue I applyed this psalme vnto the persone of Chryste . Nother do they amysse whiche do interprete this psalme of the lyfe heuenly . For in heauen also is bothe a temple and a tabernacle / in which without inintercessyon or cessynge is offered the sacrefyce of prayse and of thankes gyuyng / lyke as is sayd in an other psalme : Blessyd be they whiche do dwell in thy house O lorde / Psalme . lxxxiii . in worlde without ende shall they prayse the. The gospell also dothe make mencyon of tabernacles aduertysyng vs that we shulde heare purchase vs fryndes with the Mammon Luke . xvi of iniquyte whiche shulde receyue vs beyng destytute and succourles in to euerlastynge tabernacles . There therfore is the templ● of god thorowly pure and wholy / there is the mounte Syon in which the veyle taken awaye we shall se the glorye of god presently / there is the holy cytie of Hierusalem for there is fynally parfyte and true reaste . But in to this temple and in to this palace is none entrance or ingate by ceremonyes or the Po●pes

Agaynste ceremonyes and the popes bulles .

Matthe . xxv .

bulles / but by a mynde purefyed by faythe / hauynge no euyll conscience / & by the dedes of charyte which done vnto our neyghbour / Chryste wylleth them to be imputed done to hym . Natwithstandyng we at this tyme had leauer to intreate vpon and to declare the moralle The moral sence . sense / whiche all though it doth appeare the more base or lowe / yet in my iudgement is it for vs most profitable . And thus the prophete consyderynge the great maiestye of the house of god / and the great purite of his church or congregacyon / which the lorde hym selfe dyd wasshe with his blode to exhibyte & make it to hym selfe a spouse hauynge nother spotte ne wryncle : Ephesians . v. And agayne warde he consideryng howe great the impuryte of man is / doth saye : O lorde who shall abyde in thy tabernacle / or who shall reaste in thy holy mountayne ? All though this place dothe peculyerly and properly belonge vnto them whiche be prelates in the churche of god whiche be appoynted to minystre the worde of god to the people / & to shyne or shewe lyght vnto them in puryte of lyuynge / all they natwithstandynge whiche by fayth & baptisme be admytted into the mistical body of christ do dwell in this tabernacle / & do in a maner offre vp them selfes a sacrefyce liuyng acceptable & pleasynge god / & they reygnyng with Christ do Romans xii . ouerc●me the deuyll / as by contempte of thynges vyle and corruptyble they fynde reaste in hope of thynges heuenly and celestyall . This thynge in the meane waye is to b● obserued and noted ( all though i● doth appere of smalle importance● that this worde Entre in / i● nat heare vsed as the contrarye t● goynge out . Whiche worde hau● yet deceyued some interpretyng that we be made immaculate by 〈◊〉 very entrynge / and that by bap●tysme we do entre into the church Nother is it wrytten Eselthei bu● Porefetai which is to saye goyng passyng or walking lyke as it is d●●clared in an other passage : Psalme . C.xviii . Blessy● are they whiche be immaculate i● the waye / whiche do walke in th● lawe of the lorde . Erodi . xiiii . For after that w● dyd forsake Egypte / and dyd leau● or put of all our spottes in the redd● see / this is remaynyng that we d● from henseforth walke pure & immaculate vntyll we do come vnto that blessyd lande / which god hath promysed to men perseuerynge in the loue of hym . To stande in the waye of the lorde is to go backewarde .

To stande in the waye of the lorde is to go backewarde / & yet is there acōmēdable standyng .

Philip. ii

Paule dyd walke whi●he forgettynge those thynges that were left behynde hym dyd stretche hym selfe to those thynges whiche were before hym . Natwithstandynge some standyng is yet commendable . For so wryteth Paule sayenge : Stande ye in the faythe in whiche ye be called that is perseuer you / nat so that you shulde nat go forwarde to thynges more parfyte / but that ye do nat fall backewarde to worse thynges . There is also a ronnynge in the waye of vertue & godlynes as is shewed in the psalmes : Psalme . C.xviii . I haue ronne the waye of thy commaundementes whan thou dyddest dilate or comfort myne harte . And in the cantycles or balades o● Salomon : canticles fyrst . we shall ronne in the odr● or swete sauoure of thy oyntemen●tes . And thou Apostle sayth : i. Corintheos . i● . So rōn● that ye may obtayne . He walketh ● goeth forwarde . He standeth whic● perseuereth in goodnes beynge i● readynes agaynste the assautes o● sculkewatch of the deuyll . He dot● ronne whiche with great luste & cou●rage / and with stronge feruentness● of the spryte is rauisshed to do th● workes of fayth & godlynes . An● lyke degrees be in the waye of th● wycked . He is iudged blessed whi●che doth nat walke in the waye o● the wycked and vngodly . Psal. i. This i● the fyrst degree to wyckednes an● impiete : And doth nat stande or cō●syste in the way of synners / this i● the seconde degree of men perseue●ryng in euyll : Nother doth sytte i● in the chayre or seate of pestylence● And this is the thyrde degree of men whiche do glorye in all euyll thynges & vngracyousnes . The way of the wycked hath also a propre ronnynge : Isay. lix . The feate sayth he of them doth ronne vnto myschefe . Nowe is there a certayne vayne & turnesycke walkyng / of which the scripture doth mencyon sayenge : Psal. xi . The wycked do walke in a circuyte or ambage . For whan they be caryed about with desyres & concupiscence of vayne and transitory thynges / so that the more they gette or purchase the more they desyre & luste for / & whan they be caryed from one lust or desyre to an other / as from the the loue of ryches to ambicyon & to the desyre of honoures / or to worldly pleasures neuer fyndyng that can satisfye or content theyr mynde / do they nat seme or appeare to be rolled or tourned vp set downe in a circuyte or cyrcle ? Therfore who soeuer wyll walke pure and immaculate he muste walke within the tabernacle . For without the churche b● euen those thynges maculate and foule whiche do appere bryght● & clere . Bothe Heretykes & Scysmatykes do faste / saye psalmes / gyue almes / lyue chaste / preache the worde of god / and exerc●●se suche other dedes whiche hau● the shewe or semblaunce of ver●tue and godlynes . But all thes● thynges for so moche as they b● done without the tabernacle / the● be nothynge els than spottes an● blottes . And they whiche do sek● very true reaste ought nat to de●parte from the holy mountayne o● god in which is buylded the chur●che . The prophete hath in this on● lyttelll verse as is sayde before cō●prehēded vnyuersally all vertues● He whiche entreth without spott● & dothe worke ryghtwysenes . Th● fyrst poynt is to wante al crymes ● and the seconde to anourne thy lyfe with good workes . The fyrste is wrought by fayth in the lorde Iesn / the other is caused by charite whiche is the companyon of pure fayth . Matth. xii . Nother is it surely accordynge to the parable of the gospell to leaue the house swepte and made clene / voyde or emptye / but it muste be anourned & garnysshed with dyuers stuffe and apparayle of good workes / leaste the ende be worse than the begynnynge . There be some whiche haue meruaylously extolled the vertue of faythe / nother be they in this deceyued / they do iudge faythe to be of full hye value and power / but holy scripture do nat without a cause commende vnto vs full greatlye in dyuers and many places good workes . Scripture doth calle all synne spottes . Nowe do all spottyng remayne in the hart / and out of suche spottynge in the harte as out of the rote do workes sprynge & aryse : There is the fountayne of al our workes and dedes / the veyne wherof if it be syncere / i● spryngeth forth fyrst in to the tonge ● & so therafter in to workes . Such● a veyne had he whiche sayde : Psalme . xliiii . My tonge hathe bolked out a good worke . But yf this veyne be īfect● it bubbleth or boyleth out fyrst i● to speche and wordes / and so fort● in to workes pestiferous . And th● murren or spottes of the harte d● russhe out in none other wyse / thā● the very pockes do floure & bu●●gene out in to the skynne of them ● whiche haue the inner partes o● theyr body infecte with euyll and noysome humoures . As for example heresye is a foule spotte / and s● is diffidencye a foule blotte / to hat● our neyghbour is a foule thynge● & the loue of money or of volup●e● is fylthy . Suche spottes whyle● they lay hydde in the harte they do defyle him onely which hath them without infectynge of other / but they can nat abyde longe hydde . For whan the preuye euyll shal be faste roted it wyl breath out pestylente speache / and breake forthe in to abhomynable dedes . There is also a spotte whiche we all haue taken of the poysone of olde Adam . Fynally concupiscence whiche we feale innerly fastened and implanted in our flesshe maye ryght●ully be called a spotte . Euyden● signes of concupyscence shewed euen in infantes . Of whiche concupiscence we do se euen in some babes and infantes an euydent prynte or simylytude as the prynte of Enuye / of Wrath / & of vengeablenes . Whiche affeccyons whan they can nat expresse in wordes yet do they shewe them in whynynge / weapynge / & channyyng / or chatterynge / and in theyr frowarde countynaunce . So that saynt Augustyne was nat without a caus● brought in to doubtfulnes whethe● that age of infancye was coinquynate nat onely with the synne called oryginall / but also with the synn● whiche is called personall or actuall● Seynge than it is thus some may thus make obieccyon howe may it " agre to vs , To entre without spot● seynge that Iohn the Euangelys● spekynge of suche as be regenerat● in Chryst doth playnly testefye :

Howe chrysten men be ●potted & also with out spottes .

1 Iohn . i.

I● we shal saye that we haue no synn● we do deceyue our selues and th● truth of god is nat in vs . Saynt● Paule also doth crye out sayenge● Romans vii . O wretched man that I am wh●● shall delyuer me from this body o● deth ? If synne be in vs howe sha●● we be called immaculate or with● out spotte ? Euen they whiche 〈◊〉 ryghtewyse haue spottes / for e●● shulde they nat crye vnto the f●●ther : Matthe . vi . Forgyue vs our trespasse● lyke as we forgyue them whiche haue trespassyd agaynste vs . Who is he whiche dothe nat often tymes and commenly offende god ? Or who is he whiche at some tyme doth nat vexe & greue his neyghbour ? But suche spottes whiche be in suche men dothe the flesshe that is so whyte as snowe of the immaculate lambe Iesus Chryste couer . Romans viii . For there is no dampnacyon to those persones whiche be in Iesu Chryste . Romans xiii . Nat in chamberynges ( sayth the Aoostle ) and in Lecherye or vnclennes / nat in surfettynges and dronkenes / And thus do you heare of spottes / but put ye on the lorde Iesu Chryste● in which you may parceyue a coue● for the spottes of mankynde . O● our selues we be all spottye / but in Chryste we be immaculate and without spotte / yf so we abyde in hym .

And the psalmyst doth reporte them Psalme . xxxi . to be blessyd whose synnes be couered / and to whome the lorde hath nat imputed or layde synne to theyr charge . And nowe do I speke of the synnes which by the infyrmyte of men can nat be auoyded . For Lecherye or vnclennes dronkenes & surfettynge or glotony with suche lyke crimynal synnes or outrages be ones couered in Baptysme / bu● therafter do nat they agree with the flesshe of the lambe immaculate . Who soeuer hath commytted a deed●ly synne / he hathe caste awaye th● whyte garment or crysome which he dyd take in Baptysme / & hath put on the blacke vesture or garment of the deuyll / Natwithstandynge that they in whiche doth dwel● the vertue and power of fayth d● lyghtly retourne to theyr olde in●nocencye nat by Baptysme but b● repentaunce . And excepte they d● repent all though they do appeare to abyde in the tabernacle by professyng of the catholyke fayth and communyon of the sacramentes / yet in very dede they do nat abyde or dwell in the tabernacle of the lorde . The ryghtewyse man therfore whiche doth abyde or dwell in the tabernacle of god and doth reaste in his holy mountayne / after that he hathe forsaken Egypte he doth nat cease / but the fyre or lyght of god shynynge before hym he doth alwaye walke beyng immaculate vnto perfeccyon vntyll that he shall attayne & come vnto that stable & vnmouable blysse & felicyte / whiche is signyfyed by the fygure of the lande of beheste . It partayneth to innocencye to hurte no man . And charyte wyll be ready to profyte or helpe all men . And therfore it foloweth : And doth worke ryghtwysenes . " what ryghtwysenes doth signefye in scrypture . Ryghtwysenes in the scripture is comenly thus vsed & taken / nat that it shulde be one parte of the morall or cardynall vertues distyncte from prudence fortytude and temperance / but that it shulde be taken for all maner of good doynge : Ezechiel . xviii . I shal saith he nat remembre al his ryghtwysenes . And in Esay : Isay. lviii . And ryghtwysenes shall go before thy face / where as a lytle before he had reckened vp the dedes of charyte towarde our neyghboure sayynge : Breake vnto the hongry thy bredde . &c. All the lyfe of Chryste what other thynge was it than bountefulnes and good doynge alwayes open and ready to helpe all men . So that it becommeth hym whiche hathe put on Chryste to folowe so farforth as he may so well the parfyte bountefulnes or good doynge of Chryste as hys perfyte innocencye / lyke as teacheth saynt Iohn sayenge : i. Iohn . ii he whiche sayth that he abydeth in Christ oughte to walke / lyke as Chryste walked . Thus hathe the prophete in one verse comprehended the summe of all godlynes and vertue / nowe dothe he dyscende vnto the kyndes of vertues and to the specyall names of vyces sayenge : whyche dothe speake truthe in his harte / whiche hathe wroughte no gyle or deceyte with hys tonge . The moost parte both of good and also of euyll workes is wroughte with the tonge . In the very mynde is also a tonge with whyche the mynde dothe speake to it selfe and to god . From the harte dothe procede lyfe and dethe . It skylleth therfore very moche what thynges euery man dothe speake with hym selfe in his harte . Nouther can he speake true thynges to his neyghboure / which doth lye or speke falsely vnto hym selfe in his owne harte / True thynges I saye nat onely whiche be contrarye to falseheed / but whiche be spoken symplye / sincerely / and with harte and mynde . The Pharises whan they sayd vnto Chryst : Matthe . x● . i . M●yster we wote that thou teache●t the w●ye of god truely and thou regardest no mannes estate . In this they sayde no false thynges yet dyd they nat speake true thynges / for somoche as they spake with a gyleful and disceytefull mynde . And Dauus in a prophane or secular comedye doth● worke disceyte in speakynge true thynges / whiche is a kynde of lyynge most vngracyous or myscheuous . Truthe disceytefullye or vntruely spoken is a kynde of lyynge most pernicyous . How man begyleth him self● with lies which he speaketh to hym selfe . In this wyse do many speke vnto them selues in theyr harte lawghynge or smylynge at theyr owne vyces / theyr conscyence yet repynynge . But deth approchyng doth vrter and bewray theyr falsehede or lyenge . For than are they vexed and tormented and be fayne to confesse that they before haue nat spoken truely in theyr harte / but that they haue with flatery or fayre wordes disceyued them selues . Thus doth it vsually come to passe to suche as by pardones haue purchasyd Agaynste pardons remyssyon of all theyr synnes / or to suche as by defraudynge o● good men by thefte and by brybery wyll seke the iustefyenge as they call it of thynges gotten . But he whiche without fraude or dissymulacyon dothe speke the truthe in his hart / suche one euyn whan the parell of deth dothe pynche hym obtayneth styll his former & olde hope or confydence . The folysshe man which hath vsed to say in his harte there is no god hath pernicyously spoken lyes vnto hym selfe . Psalme xiii . Also heretykes whiche do persuade vnto them selues false doctrynes / & vpon the same do promyse to them selues trāquillyte of mynde / suche do speake to them selues falseheed & lyes . To be shorte all they which do beheste to them selues any felycyte in this lyfe / the same do nat speke the truth in theyr harte . The ryche man mencyoned of in the gospell dyd deceyue & lye to hym selfe sayeng : Luke . xii . Soule thou haste moche goodes enioye thou them many yeares longe / where as yet he was inforsyd in the same nyght to gyue vp the ghoste & to departe or dye : Who soeuer doth thynke or rightfully iudge of the artycles of the fayth doth speke the truthe in his harte : Agaynste ●re wyll . Who soeuer doth knowledge that by his owne power he can do nothynge / but that all his helpe and supportacyon is of the free mercye of god : Who soeuer doth confesse or acknowledge his synne and with a syncere mynde dothe desyre the mer●y● of the lorde / the s●me doth speake the truth● in his harte : Who soeuer dothe speake false thynges in his harte dothe deceyue hym selfe / but who so●uer dothe beare or worke disceyte or gyle in his tonge / he dothe dysceyue his neyghboure . Agaynewarde he which speaketh the truth in his harte dothe profyte hym selfe : And he which hath his tonge voyde of all gyle dothe ede●ye his neyghboure / So that the one foloweth vpon the other . For howe shall he whiche lyeth to hym selfe in his harte speke true thynges to his neyghboure ? And lyke as by this halfe verse : He whiche dothe speake the truthe in hys harte is excluded all errore all peruerse oppynyons / all euyll yea and also ydle thoughtes or cogitacyons All ydlenes is falsehede & vanyte . ( for all thyng● is false & vayne what soeuer is ydle ) and agaynewarde as by the same half● verse be vnderstande all godly opinyons / all affeccyons pure and vncorrupte / Euen so by the other halfe verse , Whiche hath nat wrought● gyle or deceyte in his tonge , is excluded euery worde which hurteth our neyghbour . All thynge is disceyte or gyle which doth hurte the soule . By the same particle is also excluded as I haue shewed euery vayne or ydle worde . For euery thynge whiche profyteth nat doth hurte . Matth● . v. The lorde commaundeth that our communycacyon shulde be yea yea and naye naye / that is to saye we shulde afferme nothynge but that is true / nor denye any thynge but that is false . ●olo . iiii And Paule dothe bydde that our speache shulde alwayes be wel fauoured & poudred ●ith salte . ●ol● . iii. The same also byddeth that we shulde deceyue no man with lyenge / but that we shulde speke y ● ●ruthe amonges our selues and to all men . If it pertayneth to Christen purenes nat to disceyue the infydels or myscreantes with disceytefull wordes / Is it nat than a shame to vs Chrysten people to se so fewe amonge vs whiche with harte do speke truely to our neyghbour ? Is nat all the occupyenge of the people abrode commonly full of fraude / disceyte / and lyenge ? Howe many be there whiche for loue of a lytle lucre wyll nat blynde and begyle his neyghbour ? Nother hath done euyll to his neyghbour . Passynge moche myschefe is wrought with the tonge / and from the speche of the tonge we do come to euyll dedes / of whiche the tonge is the entyser and procurer . Natwithstandyng it is somwhat to abyde with in d●ceyuablenes w●ought by t●● tonge & nat to passe it . Thou has● sclaundered thy neyghboure an● wounded hym with thy tonge / add thou n●t there vnto euyll doyng whiche is wrought with thy hand 〈◊〉 or with other thy membres . It shul● seme but a werisshe or f●ynte prayse / that he hathe nat done euyll vnt● his neyghboure / but as I hau● shewed tofore one contrarye is t● be vnderstande by an other . One contrary vnderstande by an other . So ● the ryghtwyse man which is repo●●ted to haue done euyll to his neyghbour is vnderstande he whiche hath holpen his neyghboure with all maner of gentylues and honest dedes . In omyttynge to helpe our neyghbour we do hurte hym . For he hath hurte his neigh●bour & done to hym euyll● / who so euer hathe nat holpen hym & done hym good whan nede was / & that he so mought . Lyke as gyle or disceyte is also wrought with the tonge / so often as charyte dothe requyre good doynge / and the same dothe nat her offyce in well doynge . As for example thou hearest thy neyghbour to be sclaundered & thou doste holde thy peace or doste nat speke / thou hast in that committed gyle with thy tonge . By sylence kepyng we do often speke deceyte agaynste our neyghbo●● . Thou seest thy frynde in errore & doste nat warne hym therof / disceyte is so commytted with thy tonge / & by sylence or nat speakynge thou speakest fraude and disceyte . In lyke wyse thou doste se thy neyghbour to be hurte and iniured / & thou ( where as thou mayste ) doste nat helpe hym / thou so doste to thy neyghbour wronge and iniurye . Also thou doste se thy neyghboure to be payned with nede and penurye / & thou doste nat socour hym whan thou haste wherwith to do it / in so leauyng him vnsocoured thou hast spoyled & robbed him . It is thefte & robbery that thou doste in leauing thy duety vndone . Behold nowe whether the parcell folowyng doth agree to this sence or no ?

And he hath nat enterprised an● sclaunder agaynst his neyghbours● Thou doste appere to thy selfe in●nocente & harmelesse in that ( wha● other do brynge vp a rebuke o● sclaunder vpon your neyghboure thou arte styll and doste kepe sy●lence . In howe many wayes a man doth sclaunder his neighboure . But a ryghtwyse man is na● onely ware leaste he shulde sclaun●der or rebuke an other man / but h● also wyll nat suffre or wynke at it● yf an other man shall sclaunder a● innocente . He that holdynge hi● peace wyll wynke to se or heare hi● brother infamed / the same doth● cause and worke the infamye . H● is nat onely infamed or sclaundre● whiche is reuyled and ignomyny●ouslye spoken vpon / but also wh●●soeuer is moued or prouoked to d● synne . They sclaunder men whiche do en●●se them to synne . They which do moue a ma● to dronkennes / do go about to d● great reproche & villanye to theyr frynde / and he whiche dothe nat mysproue or blame the entyser or mouer ( whan it is oportunyte ) in reuokynge or withdrawynge the man entysed or moued hath enterprysed to sclaunder his neyghbour . He whiche doth tempte a mayde to Lechery or vnclennes / doth cause great ignomynye and sclaunder . And he whiche in suche a case doth nat tell the man temptynge of his defaute / & doth nat helpe the mayde beyng in parell or redy to fall with good counsayle / the same doth begynne to sclaunder his neyghbour makynge hym selfe pertaker of an other mans cryme or trespasse . Some man wyl yet peraduenture thynke that forsomoche as the world is full of men temptynge and prouokynge to vyces / yf a ryghtwyse or iuste man shuld assaye to reprehende or admonysshe them all / he els coulde do nothing / & yet shulde he gette to hym selfe mortall hate & displeasure . But I answere that the qualyte of some persone dothe excuse our sylence . whan we shall be excused thoughe we do nat repr●hende synne in wordes● The sonne of a man beynge yonge doth nat synne if he doth nat rebuke his father or mother / or if a chylde shulde kepe hym sylente before his elder / or if a subgette and man of lowe degree doth nat mysproue or reprehende a prince . The place also doth other whyle excuse our sylence . As no man dothe reprehende the preacher in churches : and to reprehende one before many shuld rather chafe the mysdoer than correcte or amende hym / In especyall if in the same nombre be suche persones present / before whome it is nat expedyente that the authoryte of the man trespassynge be hyndered or dimynysshed / as if the chyldren of an housholder or the subgettes of a prynce shulde be presente . The doctryne of the gospell doth also teache this moderacyon of reformynge or admonicyon gyuyng / so that the fyrst admonicyon shulde wante testes / the seconde shulde admytte .ii. or .iii. Matthe● xviii . and the thyrde shulde be presented before the church or congregacion . Generally where as appeareth no hope of amendement it is lef●ll to kepe sylence . Intercessyon or prayer doth often tymes worke the same thynge that a rebuke shulde do or chydynge . Nowe is this kynde of reprehensyon or rebukynge graunted Reprehension of synne by shewyng of do●o●● in countynaunce . to al men / to signyfye by heuynes of countenaunce that he dothe nat commende those thynges which be done or sayd . Contrary wyse do they whiche with a mery cheare do heare a backebyter or sclaunderous body / whiche do reioyse in fowle or rybaldy ●ales / which do smyle vpon seruyle flatterers / or ●estynge byters . From suche maners dothe the ryghtwyse man full greatlye abhorre . Ecclesiasticus . xxviii . He dothe close his eares with thornes that he shulde nat heare the wordes of men sclaunderynge or backebytyng theyr neyghbour . Many haue delyte in obtrectacyon or to heare backebyters countynge the vitupery or blame of other to be theyr laude and prayse . With suche be tale bearers set by whome the iuste and ryghtwyse man doth abhorre and defye . For in the presence of hym ( as heare sayth the prophete ) is the malygner brought to nought . It is extreme contempte to counte one for noughte or nothynge . what a maligner is . He is a malygner and enuyous persone whiche dothe nat suffre the honeste fame or name of his neyghbour / but in what soeuer wyse he can doth spotte or blotte it . A malygner is in dyuerse wayes broughte to noughte . Suche one is dyuers wayes brought to nought / as whan he outher is openly contemned / or whan he is chastysed for euyll spekynge / or els whan he is with holden frome that vyce by wholesome admonicyon . whan a mal●gner is blessydly and for his welth broughte to noughte . He is blessydly broughte to nought whiche of an euyll speaker is made a good speaker / of a reprehender or rebuker a prayser or commender / of an enuyous or malicyous man gentle & innocent . A backebyter or euyll speker is a great pestylence . But the iuste man for because he dothe knowe howe great a pestylence a backebyter or euyll speaker is in this life wyll whytesaue to gyue to such one none honour / but he doth flye from hym abhorrynge hym . The venyme ( sayth he ) of adders Psalme . xiii . is in theyr lyppes / theyr tethe be weapons and arowes / and theyr Psalme . lvi . tonge is a sharpe swearde / theyr mouthe is full of cursyd speache & bytternes / theyr wyne is the galle of dragons . De●ter . x●●●i . What thynge can be more horryble than suche a beaste ? If at any tyme he loketh or speaketh fayre / he reacheth forthe the gall of dragons for wyne . A malygner is a beaste most horryble . If he onely dothe breathe vpon the / he breatheth poyson or venyme . If he byteth / his tethe be arowes dypped in venyme . If he smyteth with his tonge / he sleeth with a swearde . If he openeth his lyppes / he powreth out the venyme of aspes / or rather a poyson that is worse or mor● hurtefull than the venyme of aspes .

The venym of a maligner is many wayes 〈◊〉 more hurtefull than the venym of add●rs .

Psalme . C.x.x.

The styngynge of an aspe or adde● doth slee the body onely / but this venyme doth kylle the soule / wherfore the prophete beynge afrayde therof doth crye : Delyuer O lorde my soule from vngracious lyppes and from a gylefull tonge . He is a ferde of hys soule and nat of hys body . An aspe or adder all though he dothe slee with styngynge / yet doth he cause an easy deth and nothynge paynefull . For he that is ●tynged is broughte therby in to a ●leape / and that so without all maner of payne / that he doth dye with some fealynge of pleasure . But it is a deth most cruell that a sclaunderer doth cause . Whose venyme is than the more sore and venymous / whan it is cloked with the coloure or apparence of amyte and beneuolence . The venym of a maligner is than moste venymous whan it is cloked with apparence of amyte . There be some whiche before one be louesome & flatteryng / but they powre out priuely beynge with other men deedly poysone . There wyll they make couenante for sylence to be kepte / whiche sylence The malygner doth requyre sylence peruerse . they do vnwysely requyre of other / seynge they them selues can nat kepe it . They tell to one / and after to an other / and so often to one and to other that euery man doth knowe it / and there secrete huszynge & buszynge doth breake out in to a commen rumoure of the people . This vyce dyd scarcely neuer so sore rage as in this our ag● or tyme . All the worlde is full o● obloquye / nouther be any bokes more desyrouslye redde than those which be full of raylynge or malycyous wordes . And nowe do they ●eare away the prayse of eloquence / which be nat afrayde to shote forth all maner rebukes or opprobrye agaynste euery man . But the iuste man dothe recounte all suche for moste refuse parsones and abiectes supposynge them onely precyous whiche do feare the lorde . A ryghtwyse man wyll nat sclaunder hys neyghbour but excuse hys . For who soeuer doth feare and drede the lorde he wyll nat sclaunder or distayne his neyghbour for whome the lorde dyd dye / but suche thynges as be doubtfull doth he interprete to the beste wyse / those thynges which be well doth he gently prayse / & those thinges which be more manyfestly euyll than that they can be excused doth he yet dimynysshe if by none other coloure / yet at the leaste by the greatnes of the temptacyon / sayeng thus if a like temptacyon had happened to vs we shuld haue synned more greuously . Now doth folowe Whiche sweareth to his neyghbour and doth nat disceyue hym .

IT is a detestable cryme to disceyue men by periurye / whiche vyce to wante is no very greate prayse . Fidelyte of prom●ses na● hold●n doth dissolue all good societe or ●elyshippe● But by this forsayd sayeng of the psalme is commended fydelyte in all promyses / without which all socyete or company in this worlde is broken and dissolued . And nowe a dayes be they taken for infamous persones whiche haue be conuycte of periurye . But if a man wolde narowly loke vpon the matter the veyle or couer of custome beynge put away he shall fynde the lyfe of chrysten p●ople / on euery syde ful● of periuryes . The lyfe of christen men is more full of periurye than many do thinke it . The abbotte doth● sweare to the monkes . The monkes do sweare to the abbote . The bysshoppes do sweare to the other clergye . And the clergye is sworne agaynewarde to the bysshoppe . The prynce dothe sweare to his subiectes / and the subiectes be agaynewarde sworne to the prynce . He doth sweare whiche doth take an offyce or is made a ruler . And before tyme who soeuer was made a consull or sheryffe dyd adde ouer and besydes his othe an horryble execracyon or curse sayeng : I do curse or gyue me and myne from god to the deuyll / if I shall wyttynglye disceyue you / or worke a●y falsehede . The iudge dothe sweare and so doth the testis commynge before hym . The deuyne doth sweare takynge the authoryte of a doctour / and so fynally doth a Notary / yea and the poore carpynter leaste I shulde further procede to make rehersall of all . Go thou nowe and consydre me what euery one dothe professe by his othe made / and also examyne whether they do perform the thynges whiche they haue professed or no / and I feare leaste thou shalte fynde many multytudes of false othes & periuryes . Euyl c●stomes do make men blynde in iugement . But vsage and custome doth cause that suche thinges be nat counted periuryes / only is he noted fautye of periurye which doth forsweare a thinge put to his custodye or credyte as be pledges and suche other / or whiche doth forsweare money lent to hym . Nowe all though there is made none othe betwyxte partyes / yet who so euer doth● receyue any charge or offyce / the same doth secretely sweare to his neyghboure / which charge excepte he shal faithfully performe he is nat all clere of periurye . As who soeuer shall tak● vpon him to be a legate or embassatoure / or to defende and pleade a mater in the lawe / or to instructe youth in learnynge and good maners / the same doth oblige hym selfe by a secrete othe in the takynge of any suche charge that he wyll do 〈◊〉 faythfully . A carpenter that couenaunteth vpon a pryce to buylde an house / all though there be none othe expressyd / yet is he bounde to perfourme it by the secrete lawe of his conscyence . A tayler whiche taketh in hande to make a garment / or a goldesmyth which taketh vpon hym to make a cuppe / A carye● or shypman whiche taketh in hand● to cary or conuey marchandyse / i● he doth commytte fraude or disceyte / he doth couple thefte with periurye / all though suche maner or fourme of speche is nat had betwyxte you : wylte thou sweare to keape fidelyte / and he answeareth ye wyll I sweare . Nother doth it skyll whether he doth adde this for more assuraunce : I do gyue me from god to the deuyll if I be nat faythfull . For he hath all ready gyuen hym selfe to the deuyll which wyttingly hath disceyued his neyghbour . I do knowe the pykynge or pety thefte of myllers / & of caryers drynkyng out the wynes of other men . But in chrysten people oughte to be so great synceryte or p●renes that a symple or syngle promyse shulde be so substanciall or weyghtye as a solempne othe . Nother ought we ●ccomplysshe to our neyghboure onely what soeuer thynge we do sweare / but to our enemyes also / & & to the myscreantes or infydeles / if so it be nat a thynge mischeuous ●r malycyous that thou haste promysed . Whiche hathe nat gyuen out his money to vsurye . Deuter● xxiii . It was a detestable cryme in the olde lawe ● if one iewe shuld lende a thynge t● an other iewe intending to receyu● more than the summe lent out . For it was graunted them to occupy● vsurye with straungers or alyātes● But amonge chrysten people ( whiche ought to be coupled one to an other with more strayte bandes of amyte than before tyme were th● iewes ) the worde or name of vsur● is verely odyous and spyteful / b●● wolde god the thynge selfe were so spytefull detestable and abhorred● The hethen Philosophers dyd al●so thynke vsurye to be a thinge de●testable / for so moche as money t● engendre or gette money is a thing● agaynste nature . Usurye hated of th● hethen Ph●losophers as a thynge contrary to nature But besydes tha● kynde of vsurye whiche is cōmyt●ted in the open face or syght of th●● worlde . Moche preuy vsury that is not so counted of the doers Howe many bargaynes ● couetous craftes to gette luker ● subteltyes be there so nye appro●chynge and accordynge to vsurye that they be many tymes more wycked and euyll than it ? These do we than most chefely vse / whan necessyte doth pynche or greue our neyghbour / and in suche a case as he oughte to be holpen or releaued frely and without any mede or money . Agaynste ingrossers of corne . The husbande or ploughman is in nede / than wyl the ryche man or vsurer for a small summe of money bargayne with hym / that he shal euery yeare delyuer to the ryche vsurer so moche wheate as shall come of the husbandes landes / or so moche money as the wheate is worthe . Whan men do feare small increase or renuynge to come of fruyte and corne / or whan neade of thynges necessary doth come vpon / than they which haue corne in store wyll auaunce and set vp the pryce . He whiche dothe lende out a thousande crownes in syluer / that he by the bargayne shulde receyue s● moche in golde ( whiche commonly is more in value ) doth he nat many●festly commytte vsurye ? Agaynste auaūsers of the val●acyō in coynes for couetousnes . From the whiche vsurye they be nat farre wyde which do procure the valuacyon of money to be outher dyminysshed or els to be set vp or auaū●syd to th entente they may thero● haue profyte and vauntage . Nouther be they which do enforce they● credytours to gyue them a quyt●tance testefyenge them fully payd● and contented ( whan they haue re●ceyued but a p●ace of the whol● summe ) clere & free from the crym● of vsurye . But suche false craftes of vsurye can I nowe nat recke● vp . For they be infynyte / from th● whiche all natwithstandynge h● ought to be quyte and fre whiche wyll dwell in the tabernacle of god● Nowe if so it lyke you we may interprete or declare further this place after the morall sence . Euery gyfte of god by whiche a man may helpe his neyghbour is money . By money maye be vnderstande al● giftes gyuen to vs of god . As in example to this man is gyuen the gyfte of eloquence or langages / to that man is gyuen learnynge and faculte to iudge thynges ryghtefully / to some man is gyuen a feate or conueyance to gouerne / some can well gyue counsayle / an other is in authoryte with the people or lordes . He that with his gyfte gyuen of god doth frely and kyndely helpe his neyghbour is to be praysed by this testymonye of scripture : Whiche hath nat gyuen or lent out his money to vsurye . Matthe . xxv . But here ryseth a doubte sayeng that the seruaunt in the gospell is condempned / whiche dyd nat gyue the money lente hym to the vsurers / Howe doth it agree that he shulde heare be praysed whiche hath nat gyuen out his money to vsurye and for vaūtage● These thynges be no whytt● r●●pugnante . Laudable vsury The lorde doth loue vsurye whiche doth brynge to hy● lucre or vauntage / but he doth h●●e vsurye whiche the seruaunte doth gette or clayme to hym selfe . He whiche by the gyfte of eloquence or langages doth gather glorye and profyte to him selfe is ryghtwysely condempned / for the vauntage ●r lucre belongeth to hym which dy● gyue or lende out the first stocke ●r lent money . But he whiche doth so distrybute the worde of god that many may be inflamed to the loue ●f god / and that in them god may ●e glorifyed / the same man doth exe●●cyse a laudable vsurye . And so is 〈◊〉 be sayde of other thynges . But the ●uste or rightwyse man which do●h conuert all the gyftes of god vnto 〈◊〉 profyte of his neyghboure / for so moch as he doth knowe & acknowledge the very same po●er or ha●●lyte by which he doth profyte othe● to come of goddes bountefulnes & lyberalyte and to be his gyfte / he thervpon doth ●ndeuer himselfe to the beste of his power to bestowe well the lordes money / but in such wyse that he yet wyll seke therfore no prayse or worldly profyte to hym selfe / but he wyll gette & brynge all the lucre or vauntage to god / whiche dyd lende vnto him the fyrst stocke or summe . Thou than wylt obiecte if we muste labour frely / than is nat the workeman worthy of his reward or hyre ? yea rather shal no man haue a more plentuous rewarde than he whiche doth frely bestowe & deale abrode the gyftes of god . Howe this is to be vnderstande . He hath a gracyous and bountefull detter who soeuer doth gyue out or lende for vauntage to god .

The workman is worthi of his hyre .

1. Timo. v.

Furthermore this sentence of the Apostle the worke man is worthye of hys mede and hyre is nat spoken to those whiche do distrybute o● deale abrode the gyftes of god / bu● Romans xv . to them which thorowe the distrybucyon or bestowyng of suche gyftes be holpen . ● . Corint . ix . Such ought to gyue theyr carnall goodes to those of whome they do receyue spirituall goodes . But a faythfull steward● and distrybuter shall take of the●● whome he hath profyted and don● good to / and yet nat all thynges● nor euery where / or in all places ● nor of all men . Howe a fayth●ull stewarde shall receyue● of whome worldlye liuynge / but with out requiryng them as duety . This is agaynste our beneficed men whiche wyll sue in the lawe for tythes when they yet preache not . He shall suche thinges nat requyre as duety / but he shall loke to receyue his mede or ●●warde of god / whose worke & bu●synes he doth . In lyke wyse as 〈◊〉 is to be supposed that saynt Paul● dyd receyue or take at some tyme● of some men some thynges / which● were wyllyngly offered and gyuen i. Corintheos . ix . to hym / but of the Corinthyans dy● he receyue or take nothyng / and i● ii . Corin. theos . xi is nat redde that he requyred of an● man any thynge at all . No man doth lesse in vayne bestowe good we do nat rede that Paule euer required any temporal lyuynge for preachyng● doynge vpon his neyghbour / than he whiche is to them beneficyall frely without respecte of any mede or vauntage . Nowe do this thyng whiche foloweth appeare to be a smale prayse : Whiche hath taken no rewardes or brybes agaynste innocentes . He was abhomynable euen amonge the infydels whiche beyng corrupte with mede or with a brybe shulde condemne innocentes / or whiche for money receyued shulde oppresse an innocente with false wytnes / or if an attourney in the lawe for loue of luker & vauntage shulde defende a mysdoer agaynste one whome he dyd knowe to be an innocente . Agaynste false wytnes & attourneys in the lawe The playntyue in a matter of lawe sweareth his forged cause or cautell to be trewe / & his attourney sweareth to support or defende it faythfully . Whiche thynge wolde to god it shuld● nat so often ( as it is ) be perceyued amonge christen people . But this sentence of the texte dothe procede more largely . Ta●yng of brybes agaynste an innocent hath a large intendement or sence . He doth take a brybe against an innocent who soeuer for loue of any commodyte or vauntag● doth nat socour an innocent whan ● or where as he may . As for ensample : If thou da●te se thy neighbour wronged / & thou for because of on● man or other doste wynke at it / ● wylte nat consydre to ease or remedy it / than doste thou take a brybe a●gaynste an innocente . He that thu● thynketh if I do supporte or ayd●●his man / he whiche oppressed him where as before he hath be to me ●eneficyall ) wyll withdrawe hys hande / and so wyll stoppe his main●tenaūce of the ryght / than the profyte or vauntage whiche he was wonte to take / is a brybe taken agaynste an innocente . He that ●oth these thynges shall neuer be ●oued . It is sayd he that doth / ●at he whiche speaketh . ●atth . ●v . God doth ●bhorre them of whome he is ho●oured with lyppes . The Pharyse 〈◊〉 dyd well knowe and per●e●ue which was the hye and chefe ●omaundement in the lawe dothe heare of the lorde : Luke . x. Do this & thou shalte lyue . He therfore that doth these thynges . Whiche thynges ? Entre with out ●pot / worke that is ryght / speake the truthe in his harte & all the other thynges whiche he hath before recyted . Iames● ii For they al do ioyne together / so that if any is faylyng / all be marred . But what frute or profite shall fynally come to the worker or accōplysshe● of th● ? He shall neuer be moued / of y● whiche wordes may be double intendement or meanyng . That is he shal neuer be moued / or els if he be moued for a tyme he shal nat be moued etern●lly or for euer but he shall aryse after fallyng and shall come agayne in fauoure with god . Lyke as he whiche trusteth in the lorde shall nat be asshamed for euer / al though that for a whyle he be shamed or put to shame before men : Euen so he whiche abydeth honestly in the tabernacle of the lord and doth reste in his holy mountayne / the same shall nat be remoued for euer . Lyke as is testefyed in an other Psalme : He whiche trusteth in the lorde is as mount● Syon / he shall nat be remoued which abydeth in Hierusalem . Psalme . C.xxiiii . Th● cyte sayth Israell of our strength / the lorde shall be set in it the walle and the fortresse . This is the onely cyte of whiche the lorde spake sayynge ? Matthe . xvi . And the gates of helle shall nat preuayle agaynste it . Thinges condemned by thys psalme . In this psalme is condempned all exteryor worshyppyng of god which is nat coupled with very deuocyon of the mynde / and al knowledge or learnynge whiche is ioyned with corrupte maners . Ieremye doth intreate this matter in the .vii. chapiter : Stande thou ( sayth he ) in the gate of the lordes house and preache thou there this worde or message : Heare the worde of the lorde al● ye of Iuda / whiche do entre by these gates to honoure the lorde / Thus sayth the lorde of hostes the god of Israell / take you good wayes and folowe good counsayles and I shall dwell with you in this place / trust you nat in false lyenge wordes sayeng heare is the temple of the lorde / the temple of the lorde / the temple of the lorde / but rather amende your wayes & counsayles / if you wyll iudge ryght betwyxte man and his neyghbour / if ye wyll nat wronge the straunger the fatherlesse and the wydowe / if ye wyl nat shede innocente blode in this place if ye wyll nat go awaye after straunge goddes to your owne distruccyon than wyll . I dwell with you in this place and in the lande that I gaue afore tyme to your fathers for euer . And a litle therafter : what thynke ye that this house whiche beareth my name / is a denn● of theues ? Thus se you as th● lorde in these wordes lyke as in o●ther folowynge doth conceyue in●dignacyō with great stomake agains● those which dyd put confydence in y●● temple & in the ceremonyes of the temple hauyng theyr mynde & lyfe coin●●uynate with sinfulnes . Agay●ste ceremonial persones Such do na● purefye the temple / but rather they d● pollute the temple . More playnly & sharpely doth Esaye handell this matter in the fyrst chapyter . There doth god in this wyse stomake th● thynge agaynst those whiche worshypped him with ceremonyes of the temple / where as els they lyued pollutely : why offre you sayth he to me so many sacrefyces ? I am ouer ful and wery of them I wold nat haue the burnte offerynges of wethers / and the fatnes of fedde beastes / and the blode of calues / and of lambes / and of gotes . Whan ye shulde come before me / who dyd requyre these thynges of youre handes / to th enten● you shulde walke in my porches ? Off●e ye no more oblacyons thus to me in vayne / Incense is abomynacyon to me / I may nat awaye with your newe mones / youre sabbotte dayes and suche solempne feastes my soule doth hate / your calendes and solempnytes they are to me paynefull and greuous . &c. Moughte nat the grosse people and rebellyous to god make answeare agayne to this : What hath chaunsed the O lorde ? Doste thou nowe saye : Who dydde are or requyre these thynges of youre handes ? Where as the lawe which thou haste gyuen vs by Moyses doth so dilygentlye prescrybe and appoynte to vs all these thynges promysynge great benefytes to the obseruers / and thretenynge deth to the transgressers . Nowe doste tho● saye that incense is to the abomyn●cyon / whiche thou dyddest befor● saye was a swete odoure . Now● doth thy soule hate the feastefu●● dayes / in whiche before thou dyddest reioyse to be presente . From● whense commeth this so great mutacyon and varyete in hym / whic● onely abydeth immutable ? Wha● answeare shall god make to th● mutterynge and rebellyous people ? I am ( shal he saye ) immutable / but ye do nat obserue those thynges whiche I haue commaunded / nouther haue I so prescrybed thes● ryghtes or ceremonyes / that yo● shulde put parfyte truste and confydence of ryghtwysenes in them / but that partely they shulde be signes by whiche you shulde be admonysshed / and partely thynges furtherynge or promotynge vs to very vertue and holynes . Which if it be absent all other thinges be vayne / & to me be they so lytell pleasaunte / that they do prouoke me the more to wrathe . Romans vli . The lawe is spirytuall & doth requyre the workes of charyte to be done with puryte of mynde / which workes except they be ioyntely added / let outwarde worshyppynge and ceremonyes be kepte howe moche so euer you please / yet is the lawe vyolate and broken & all your doynge hypocrysye . What thynge than is it ( wyll they saye ) that thou chefely doste requyre of vs ? Be you wasshed sayth he and made cleane . The sayynge of Isay accordyng● to thys psalme of Dauid . This verely is the ●hynge whiche the psalme dothe heare say : Which doth e●ire with out spotte● Take awaye your euyl thought as from my syght . Which● thinge is thus spoken in the psalme : Whiche doth speake the truthe in his hart . Seke to do ryght iudgemente / delyuer the oppressed / hel●e the orphlyne or fatherl●sse to the●● ryght / defend the ●ydowe . That 〈◊〉 psalme doth thus recorde : Whiche worketh ryghtwysenes or doth 〈◊〉 is ryghte . The same people in th● lviii . chapy. of the same ꝓphete dot● mutter agaynst god sayeng . Wh●● fore haue we fasted & thou hast na● beholden it ? Fastyng dyscōmēded . Why haue we chastise● our soules & thou hast nat knowe● or regarded it ? But what answear● do they heare agayne of the lorde ? Is the fastynge saith he which I haue chosen of such a sorte that a man for a day shuld chastyse hym selfe ? Or to wrythe his heed about as a cy●●●● or rynge & to caste vpon hym 〈◊〉 ●lothe and asshes ? Or call you thi● fasting / & an acceptable day vnto the lorde ? What thynge therfore in ex●●ryor matters or doynges can b● pleasaunt vnto god / if fasting solē●ly done in sacke clothe & asshes dothe displease him ? iii. of Kinges . xxi . Or dyd nat the Nyny●ites Achab & other ful many turne the yre of god vnto mercye with such fastyng ? Fastyng when and whereby it is ●●●mend●ble Fastyng therfore doth nat displease god / but than finally doth it please him / if puryte of mynde annexed with the dedes of charite be ad●●d therto . And therfore it foloweth : Dissolue thou the bandes of iniquyte / lowse the burdens whiche do oppresse or presse downe / let them go ●re which are impotent & broken with labours / & breke all charges / deale thy breed vnto the hongry / the nedy & way farynge men brynge into thy house / whan thou shalte se a na●ed man couer hym / and dispyse ●hou nat thyne owne flesshe / tha● shall thy lyght breake forth as the mornyng and thy health shall sone aryse / and ryghtwysenes shall go before thy face / & the glorye of the lorde shall couer the / than shalte thou praye and the lorde shall gracyously heare the / thou shalte crye and he shall saye / lo I am present / for I thy god am a mercyful lorde . Of this sentence doth the prophete intreate largelye and with many wordes : The lorde is mercyfull / & therfore is he chefely delyted or pleased with the sacrefy●e of mercyfull doynge . To this doth Christ exhorte in the gospel sayeng : Matt. v. Be ye parfyte lyke as your father is pa●fyte . How or in what wyse parfyte ? How we shall be ꝑ●yte as our heuenly father . In doynge good to all men with out excepcyon . And therfore is added : whiche causeth his sonne to ●●ryse vpon the good and vpon th● euyll / and doth sende rayne vpo● the iuste & vniuste men . The sa●● ryghtwysenes in thynges exteryor and haue sought to be recounted holy & vertuous before men rather than before god . Whose supersticyon the lorde dothe often & commonly reprehende in the ●uangely . But we had nede dilygently to forsee & take hede whether suche thynges do pertayne vnto vs or no / whiche althoughe we offre or sacrifyce no beastes / yet haue we ceremonyes & rytes pretendyng a wonderful shewe of holynes / to which men ꝑhappes do truste neglectyng & leauynge a parte puryte of mynde . Some do with great coste anourne churches or temples / founde aulters / edifye monasteryes or cloisters Churche buylders and founders of aulters & cloysters . / & yet do they nat gyue to theyr nedy neyghbour that they owe to gyue / nother do they restore theyr euyl goten goodes / nor chaunge theyr corrupt lyuyng / & yet ●hey reioyse in them se●ues / as though god were greatly beholden to them for theyr good doynge / yea suche wyll cause them selues to be paynted and theyr ymages to be grauen in the temples ascrybynge therto theyr names and tytles . But I feare leaste god wyll also saye vnto them : Who dyd requyre these thynges of y●ur handes that you shulde wa●ke in my porches / I Isay. i. meane that ye s●u●de occupye the temple and myne aulters with your tytles nam●s and ymages ? Some do beleue that he hath gotten god by the fote / and that he is full godlye or holy if he do gyue money for masses to be songe or celebrate for hym in certayne places / and vpon certayne prescrybed day●s . An other dothe beleue in lyke wyse that he is all so well sped if he do bestowe money that the morowe masse may be solemplye songe in the honour of oure Lady with the quer●s●●●● and the organs goynge / and that an antemne be songe agayne at euen in the worshyppe of her with moost melodyous harmony of syng●n●e men / of the organs and with ieolyiynglynge or chymynge of the belles . If these thynges be done with myndes vnpurefyed / or with out mercye associate / is it nat to be doubted leaste they shal heare sayd agayne to them : Isay. i. And whan you shall crye vnto me I wyll nat gracyouslye heare you ? What than shall we neglecte and dyspyse exteryor● worshyppynge or ceremomonyes ? Of e●t●r●or worsh●pp●ng god . Nay verely but we shall brynge it backe from supersticyon to ryghte holynes and deuocyon / from vnmeasurable excessyue and suꝑ●luous coste to a chrysten measurablenes . Tha● ought we pri●cypally and aboue all thynges / cause that kynde of sacrefyces to be occupyed / which be to god princypally delycyous and pleasaunt . And whiche be those ? A mynde through fayth and innocencye immaculate / and through charyte all redy to do good to all men . Matthe . ●xiii . These thynges sayeth the lorde shulde y● do / and the other oughte nat to haue be omytted . What thynges than be those whiche we oughte to do accordynge to thys sayenge of this psalme : He that doth these thynges shall neuer be moued ? These thynges be they whiche of them selues do commende vs to god / all thoughe the other without our blame be nat with them ioyntely added . As for example . The churche hathe assygned or commaunded fastynge / and thou doste obserue it . But yet doste thou nat refrayne from voluptuousnes / frome wrathe / but thou arte more ready than thou war●e wonte to take vengeau●ce . Thus is thy fastynge displeasynge god which cryeth agaynst the : Thynke ye this fastynge pleaseth me ? or that this is the fastynge whiche I haue chosen ? Thou haste lefte vndone that thou oughtest do / and thou haste done the thynge whiche thou oughtest nat omytte . Thou doste celebrate masse but / thou arte at discencyon with thy neyghboure / knowe thou tha● that thy sacrifyce or masse is dyspleasaunt to god . Thou cryeste to god mercye / mercye / mercye / but thou doste shewe no mercye to thy brother . Thou prayest that god wolde delyuer the frome peryll / whan thou denyeste healpe vnto thy brother beyng in peryll . Therfore so many of vs as do professe the name of Chryste and w●ll be recounted his membres that we may worthely abyde in his tabernacle / and that we may fynde reast in his holy mountayne / Lette vs caste awaye all malyce that we may walke in his syghte without spotte beynge of one accorde in the truthe and of one mynde . For there wanteth no spotte where as is dyscorde / nouther is there veryte in the harte where dyuersyte is of opynyons / nouther is in the tonge synceryte where as of doctryne is dyuersyte . More ouer let vs dayly off●e sacrefyces p●easynge to hym / whiche hathe offered hym selfe for vs / that we shulde verelye be a verye preesthode . And lette vs also fyghte strongely with the deuyll that we may verely be a royall generacion . Lette vs keape oure selues pure frome all corrupcyon or pollucyons of the flesshe that we maye Be ye holy for I am holy the lorde your god . Leuitici. xi . i. Peter . ● Aaron him selfe was nat all only consecrate but all his garmentes & al the instrumentes or vessels of the temple . Nouther was any so presumptuous to applye any suche thynges to any occupyenge in his house / Howe moche more religyously than and reuerently oughte we to be ware leaste we do violently or vnreuerently take aw●ye any of those thynges ( whiche be conse●rate vnto the seruyce & worshyppe o●●od ) vnto a prophane / vnholye and fylthy vsage . The vesse●s & garmentes of our temple . The vessels or implementes of our temple be all our membres / all the powers of our mynde . The garmentes be our dedes or workes by whiche we be anourned to the glory of god . we be the precyous temple of god . Thou wondreste vpon and doste esteme holy a temple edifyed with whyte marble / glysterynge with golde & precyous stones . But thou arte a temple more precious . Thou abydest religyously & deuoutly in a temple which the bysshop hath consecrate or halowed with vnccyon or oyle . But y● arte more holy & more consecrate . Thou art nat anoy●ted with the preystes oyle . But what than ? Nouther was christ euer anoynted with Moyses oyle / where as yet he is kyng of kynges / & a preest for euer . The ointement with whiche we be halowed Thy crowne & handes be nat anoynted with oyle which is made of the poticaries / but thou arte all whole & throughly anoynted wit● the blode of ●he immaculate lambe Iesu Chryste . He is gracyously and blessedly anoynted whiche hathe hys harte anoynted with the vnccyon of the holy ghoste . And yet natwithstandynge thou doste nat lacke exteryor vnccyon . Thou arte anoynted in baptisme / thou arte anoynted in confirmacion . In the fyrst thou arte anoynted to be a preest & into preesthode . And in the seconde thou arte anoynted to warre & to be a warryour . In olde tyme men were baptysed with onely water .

In olde tyme men were baptysed with water onely .

Psalme . C.iiii.

The authoryte of the fathers dyd adde therto oyle which they call chrisme . Our lorde doth crye by the ꝓphete : Touche nat ye my christes that is to saye myne anoynted . And Iohn doth say : i. Iohn . ii The vnccyon of him shal teache you of al thinges / where he speketh nat only of preestes / but of people which be ●●secrate to christ . Let therfore euery one of vs se & take hede that we beynge pure may off●e pure sacrefyces / & beyng chaste may offre chaste sacrifices euery man in his ow●e temple . What facrifyces ( wyl you say ) doste thou meane ? Our sacrifyces 〈◊〉 a●te● sacrifys●d . He that in him selfe hath quenched the feruent heate or carnall luste of lechery / hath both sacrifised to god a precious gote / & also strystryken Satan oure enemy with a deedly wounde . He that hathe dryuen out of his mynde the mocyons of enuye hath offered to god a pleasaunte oblacyon . He that hath oppressed feruent and boylyng yre or wrath hath immolate a lyon . He that hath caste awaye foly & ignorance hath sacrifysed a shepe . He whiche in trouble and adfliccyons doth submytte hym selfe all whole to the wyll of god hathe offered a sacrefyce passynge acceptable . He that dothe refrayne petulancye or wantones doth offre a calfe . 〈◊〉 reiecteth fraude or deceyte taky●g to hym simplicyte & playnes dothe sacrefyce a foxe . He whiche dothe correcte or reforme excesse in meates or drynke with sobernes and temperance hath offered vp a swyne . He that forgetteth fosysshe prattelynge or clatterynge hath sacrifysed a pye . So that in this maner of sacrifyces be all maner of beastes sacrifysed & offered / whether they haue the fygure or fassyon of any vyce / or els do resemble or represent any vertue . As he which doth lyue chaste with his laufull wyfe doth offre vp a couple of tyrtle doues to the lord . The maryed ma● is tha●●e which occupyeth his onely lau●ull wyfe . He that doth syghe for desyre of lyfe heuenly and doth in all thynges loue simplicyte or playnes / the same hath of●er●d vp a payre of pegyons .

we ought to offre vp bo●he vices subdued and vertues obtained ●o god / & why .

mattheu . v.

For we ought to offre vp bothe vyces subdued and also ve●tues gotten to the lorde / ●●thout whose ayde we can do no●●●●● the one ne the other . He which so doth leade his lyfe that men seynge his good workes may gloryfye the father whiche is in heauen / the same doth offre vp moste swete incense . Accordyng to the worde of Paule which is thus : ii . Cor. ii . we be a good ●auer to god in all places . Pure prayers also and geuynge of thankes do make to god a ꝑfume more pleasante / than any incense myr●he and galbanus . ●salme . ix . There is a sacrifyce of prayse geuynge with which god doth loue to be honoured . There is a sacrifyce of mercye by which we do prouoke the mercy of the lorde . He that for chrystes sake dothe socour● 〈◊〉 helpe the nedy / or dothe forgyue the trespasser hath offered no vyle but a pr●cyous oblacyon to the lorde . ●phe . ● . ●ol●os● . ● . And if accordynge to the admonicyon of the Apostle we do contynually syng with hymnes and songes spirytuall in our ha●●●es vnto the lorde / this melody 〈◊〉 ●xcelle all other instrumentes of musycke . Let vs therfore contynually and alwayes sacrifice vnto the ●orde with suche sacrifyces / with ●uche perfumes / with suche obla●yons / with suche songes / fyght●nge also by his ayde and suppor●yon agaynst Satan / that we may ●e transposed and remoued frome this tabernacle into the tabernacle

Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
Notes for div A00380-e390