put back; and so they have always envy, and do amiss as proud men; for they covet their own worship, and leave the worship of God. The seventh condition of love is, that it seeketh not his own things; but to the worship of God, and to the profit of his church, he intendeth to do his deeds, according to the law that God hath given. And here it seems that the four sects fail in this point. For each seeks that his rule and his order be maintained, more than the common order of Christ, or the law that he hath given. The eighth condition of this love is, that it is not stirred unto wrath. For since he is patient, and knows that God must have his will, he holds himself paid with what befalls, in that it is God's will. And this fails in these four sects, for they take their own vengeance, beside the law that God hath given, as if they were higher than antichrist. The ninth condition of this love is, that it contriveth not evil. For it contrives all to the worship of God, and the means that lead thereto; whereas these four sects cast to have their own will more busily than the will of God, and then they are all evil. The tenth condition of this love is, that it joyeth not of wickedness, but it hath sorrow that any man doeth against God's will. But yet of the same thing hath he both sorrow and joy. He hath sorrow of the sin, by reason that it displeaseth God; and he hath joy of the same by reason God punisheth it well. And here it seems that these four sects have joy of their own things, and say that God forbad that Christ's ordinance should be fulfilled. And thus they reverse in deed the will of God in many manners. The eleventh condition of this love is, that he joyeth in the truth. Truth is God and his law. And when this law is well kept, then this charity hath joy. And here these four orders seem to grudge much against this truth; for they magnify their laws, and execute them busily; but that God's law be broken, they reckon too little, so that their state stand. The twelfth condition of this love is, that it suffereth all things; for it joyeth of all truth, inasmuch as it pleaseth God. Why will not these four sects suffer that God's word reign, and that Christ's ordinance stand whole, since it were best, as they grant? But certainly then all these four sects should leave their patrons and their rules, and come to Christ's sect. And who should grudge against this? The thirteenth condition of this love is, that it believeth all things. For thing and

truth here is all one. And thus it believeth and assenteth to all manner of truth and reason. But faileth he not here that hindereth Christ's ordinance, and doth harm to many, both to their body and to their soul? The fourteenth condition of this love is, that it hopeth all things. For it hopeth that ordained truth helpeth all good men. And this charity hopeth to have part of this help. Here fail these new sects, which dread that they should fail of worldly favour, and worldly winning, and that God's law shall be kept holy. And thus they despair in life of the fruit of God's law. The fifteenth condition of this love is, that it sustaineth all things. For it helpeth to hold all truth, and abideth the end thereof. For after the day of doom shall be the fruit of all truth; and these who are impatient that God's law should right them, fail in this condition, since they trust in men's law. The sixteenth condition, and the last that followeth this charity is, that it never falleth away; neither in this world, nor in the other. For God's love may not fail, since God may not cease to ordain these men to come to bliss, whom he will ever have in bliss. And this love that is in God must have such charity

in man. Look thou at these conditions, whether thou have them all in thee; and if thou have them not, bestir to have them all whole. And then without doubt thou hast this love that must bring thee to bliss. And of this Paul teaches the excellence of charity. And this is the third part of this epistle, and makes end of this glorious lore. Charity is wonderful good, as men may see of words here before. And charity must ever last, either in life, either in half life, for it is not fully clean before we come to bliss.

But whether prophecies should be voided, or that tongues should cease, or that science should be destroyed, and all these three must needs fail, this charity shall never fail. For somewhat we know in certain, as the being of one God; and somewhat we prophesy, as things of the last day; but when that shall come which is perfect, this which is imperfect shall be put away. And so, since at the day of doom men shall have full knowledge and bliss, the degrees of knowledge and joys here must needs pass, and the ending must needs come. And thus saith Paul of himself, and so it is of all this church, When I was little, I spake as young; but when I was made man, I avoided the works

of a young child. And so it is of all men that shall come after to bliss. We see now by a mirror in far sight, and imperfect, but we shall see after in bliss the First Truth, face to face. Paul saith he knoweth now by a part, and not fully; and then he shall know in bliss as he is known fully of God. And of these words may men gather, that these three virtues, belief, and hope, and charity now dwell; but the greatest of these is charity. And so if this epistle of Paul were fully executed, as it should be, the realm of England should be cleared of these four sects that are spoken of. And then might the realm dispend many hundred thousand marks more than it dispendeth now, if all these sects were avoided.* Mark what all these sects dispend in our realm for a year, and give all this to men in charity. For if these four fail in charity, our realm should draw from them this part. But reckon how much this cometh to; and begin thou to learn of them what thing is the sacred command, by reason of God's belief; and that they tell here to the king only things that they will stand by, to suffer martyr dom of men, and loss of all that they have of our realm. And then might the king know how he should put out all these four. And he might dispend more by many a hundred thousand marks, and the realm were more plenteous to bring forth men to the bliss of heaven. And thus it is for kings to do, by the office that God hath given them.

VII.

THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, &c. Ephesians v.

Paul biddeth in this epistle that men should be God's children, and follow Christ in manner of life, as his dear children. And here men should take as belief, that each man is required to follow Christ upon pain of damning in hell.

For if a man will be saved, he must needs be God's child; and if a man be God's child, then he followeth God in manners. And this childhood is the dearest that may fall here to man. Some men are called a man's children

See note respecting the Supplication of the Beggars, Frith, p. 59, for a calculation of the sums collected by the friars,

whom they love for his qualities; and this childhood is dear if it be grounded in virtues. Some men are men's children, for they came of them; and this childhood is better if virtues be joined thereto. But some men are children of God, for they live in virtues, and love God's law to their end; and these are the dearest children; and therefore Paul here biddeth that we should be followers of God, as most dear children. And blind men withstand here again, when men allege Christ's deeds, and his life, and his words, and say, Lo, this heretic would be even (equal) with Christ. But no man may be so. Here, these fools should know that it is different to follow Christ in manner of living, and to be equal with him. Each man should desire the first, but no christian man can be the second; and so each christian man should learn of the life, work, and words of Christ, and thereafter follow him, either near or farther off. For if he depart from Christ in this, he goeth straight to hell. And men may see that this is excusing in sin. And therefore saith Paul after, That we should walk in love, but as Christ hath loved us. And by ensample of this love each man should love his brother. And therefore saith Christ by John, A new commandment I give you, that ye love together, as I have loved you. Christ gave himself for us, both offering and sacrifice to God, that is his Father, into smelling of sweetness.

It is known, by belief, how mankind trespassed to God, and how by God's righteousness that trespass must needs be punished; and how it might not be punished, and yet mankind be saved, unless Christ, both God and man, had offered himself upon the tree. This offering was sacrifice made to God for our good. And here saith Christ, by John, that no man hath more love than this, to put his life for brethren, and thus Christ is of most love. We should follow Christ afar in this love, according to our power, and offer our body to the Father of heaven, for love and profit of our neighbour. And since each man should follow God both by body and by soul, each man should here follow Christ by true service to God. And since this martyrdom of Christ was so sweet before God, Paul well calls it an offering to God into smelling of sweetness. For deeds that please to God must smell well before him. men say, that men slain in worldly cause are but stinking martyrs, and offerings to the fiend.

And here many

Hereof Paul concludes that five sins should be fled,

as is fornication, and all uncleanness; or avarice, sin of the world, not to be named in you as beseemeth holy men; or filthy or foolish speech; or ribaldry, that pertains not to things of bliss. But use ye your speech more cleanly in thinking of God; for know this, and understand as the belief of christian men, that each lecher, or unclean man, ravenous man, or that worshippeth images, hath no heritage in the realm of Christ, who is both God and man. Since each man maketh that his God which he loveth most of all; and a covetous man loveth worldly goods more than he loveth God. Since he leaveth righteousness for love of such worldly goods, it is known that it is false, and out of right belief of God; for he maketh such goods his idols which must needs be false gods.

And thus it is of other sins which men oft fall into. In the first fleshly sin are many sorts; and Paul understandeth them all by uncleanness, as some men say. Other men say well enough, that Paul telleth of these three sins, fleshly sin, and sin of the fiend, and the sin of the world, as all sins. For though all sins are unclean, yet these three sins of the fiend, pride, envy, and ire, three sisters, make more like to the fiend, and by this print of the fiend, they are more foul before God.

Paul bids true men, that no man beguile them in belief by vain words which they speak, that these are not sins, or only light ones. As they say that licentiousness is natural; and that man should have love of his own excellence, since that God hath given it him; and that God hath given this world to man, to serve him by help thereof. Such vain words that excuse sin, do much harm among men. As Adam and Eve were beguiled by vain speech of the serpent, and so were many others by disbelieving the truth of God's law. For if we take heed to God's ire, either in the old law or in the new, it came by sin, that was brought in by such false and beguiling words. And therefore should ye not be perceivers of them, neither speaking thus, nor believing, nor darkening by such false speech. For ye were sometime in darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord. Men that are encumbered in sin are made dark and blind with sin; but men that are in the light of grace know sins, as we see motes in sunbeams. Therefore walk ye, as children of light, in holiness. The fruit of light standeth in these three, in all manner of goodness, and in all manner of righteousness, and in truth.