Peace I leave to you, and my peace I give you. Christ knew that he himself should soon pass from his children; for on the Thursday at night he said to them these words, and on the morrow at noon he died for their love.

And therefore he promised them that he would leave them peace.

The

But Christ specifieth this general peace, when he saith that he giveth them his own peace. And this shall be first with pursuing of body, that it shall grow after to most full peace. And therefore saith Christ, that not as the world giveth he giveth them, but on a contrary manner. world giveth things that now are pleasing; but by process of time they wax more bitter, and so they come to pain and sorrow which at first were pleasing. And so peace of this world is evermore distressing; but peace of God groweth unto full peace.

And in these words of knowledge Christ comforteth his children, and biddeth them that their hearts be not troubled nor dread. For whoever fully believes this sentence, and hopes fully that he were of the number of these children, he were an untrue man if he dread thus. Apostles dreaded perils that were nigh, but they failed not to believe this truth, that they should not have a good end. And that whatever befell them should fall to them for the better. And as the world is secure of things nigh to it, and in doubt of things afar off, so in a contrary manner, Christ's children are secure of their end, but of things nigh at hand they are sometimes in dread. And the ground of this sentence is christian men's belief. And therefore Christ saith, Ye heard how I said to you, I go, and I come to you. And he that believeth fully these words of Christ, he should not dread this sentence. For Christ saith, as God to whom all things are present, I go, and I come to you for certainty thereof. And as Christ was certain of his death, and his going up, and of his coming again at the day of doom, so should his children be certain of this aforesaid sentence. And yet Christ moveth his children to have joy of his going; and this was a point for which they mourned most. And Christ saith thus to them to abate their mourning, If ye loved me, ye should have joy, for I go to my Father, since he is more than I. For thus by manhood I should increase in bliss. And he that joyeth not therefore, he loveth not Christ; and it is told before how each man should love him. He said, And now I said to you before that it befall, that when it is done ye believe in my saying. And so

should they believe to all things that he had said. For thus he is God that can will all things.

And Christ, teaching his children to mark better his words, saith that he shall now speak but few things unto them, but they should have the most enmity here of the head fiend whom Christ hath overcome. Therefore he telleth them that the prince of this world is come to tempt Christ, and he hath nought in him. And thus in this overcoming should men not dread the fiend; but he saith, All this is done that the world know that I love the Father, and so should ye do. For all things that I do should be ensample to you; and therefore I do as my Father commanded me, for well I know in this I may not fail. And all this sentence of the gospel of John is fully pertaining to the coming of the Holy Ghost.

XII.

OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant, &c. 1 Cor. xii.

Paul moveth in this epistle, that for the former kindness of Christ men should be kind to him again. For clerks say, and truth it is, that both God and kind* hate that a man dwell unkind, after great kindness that he hath taken. For truth it is, that all sin turneth to unkindness to God. And thus Paul brings to these men's mind how much kindness Christ hath done them. Ye know, saith he, when ye were heathen, ye were led to dumb mawmets,† going as beasts from one to another, as if ye had no soul of man.

And since a man's god should be a thing that were the fairest and the best; in which should be the health of men, and make men's soul like to them; the foulest thing that falleth to man, and the most perilous to his soul, is to have a false god, as men have that worship mawmets. For they make their souls foul, to the great peril of their souls. And thus it is a foul thing to be led as a bear to a stake by the untruth of a fiend, to love aught as it were God, which is not God, for all such things are false gods. And thus saith Paul, that none that speaketh in God's Spirit, putteth + Idols. ‡ Salvation.

* Nature.

cursedness to Christ,* since all the Trinity approved him, and both his deeds and his words were holy and full of reason and love.

And thus men say commonly, that false men in three manners put cursedness to Christ, and all these are damnable. First, when men by open sin, are not kindly to Christ, as all sinful men do for the time that their will is turned amiss. The second saying of cursedness that false men put against Christ, is to say with heart and word that Christ was a false prophet, and to curse him by unbelief, as the Jews did long time. The third cursing, and the worst that false men put unto Christ, is, that they feign the name of Christ, and his goodness with his law; and yet they make false this in deed, and say that other law is better; as men of these four sorts, that put behind Christ's law, and take them a new patron and new rule, without Christ.† These men are hypocrites whom Christ hateth most of all.

And thus saith Paul after, as a truth following of his words, That none may say Lord Jesus, but in the Holy Ghost. Paul speaketh here of saying, that is, saying fully formed, as is the saying of true men in heart, word, and in deed, that say rightly to God's worship, in the name of the Trinity. What man can believe we may say, Lord Jesus is our Lord, our Saviour from the fiend, unless the Holy Ghost teach him? for then he maketh no departing from Christ's Godhead and his manhood. But whatever Christ hath ordained or said was done to his church, he at point denies. And into this cursing fall these sects that despise Christ's law, as if his ordinance failed, but their ordinance is much better! For what man should choose another law, unless that law were better than Christ's; for he is a fool of all fools that thus chooseth a worse way, and leaveth the better way to heaven, which is more light and more ready. For he putteth to Jesus Christ both cursing and deceit, when he saith by his deed, that Christ hid the better way and the perfect way, till God had sent these sects. these sects came not fully out till that Satan was unbound. Among all blasphemies that ever sprung, this is the most cursed. For they teach openly in deed, that thus it is, however men gloss.

And

But although the two natures of Christ are diverse in themselves, yet these two are one God, and there are no

No man speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed, 1 Cor. xii. 3. + The four orders of friars.

more gods. And thus men should in their thoughts think how division of things cometh of this one God, the which God is a Spirit. And therefore saith Paul after, that there are divisions of grace, but it is the same Spirit, of whom come all these graces, as of one source come many streams. And thus of the same Spirit must come divisions of services. For this one God must have servants according to the grace that he giveth. For this Lord loveth degrees in his servants. And thus there are divisions of workings, and yet it is the same God that worketh all, in all things. For who should grudge for these divisions, since they are thus ordained of God; as each part of a man must have these three, diverse in order. As first he must have a hidden power; and of this power comes his will; and of this power and this will come workings to men's profit. And thus, as it is in man, so it is in holy church; and joy we of this ordinance of God, since it is both fair and good.

And thus Paul declareth nine degrees of men's workings that God hath ordained in the church. For each member of holy church hath some showing of this Spirit, both to his profit and to the profit of the church. As to some, by gift of God is given the word of wisdom. For some men

have some knowledge here of truths of the high Trinity. And another hath word of knowledge after the same Spirit. For some have knowing of God, both of angels and of heavens; and how this word cometh of God, by fair order that he hath ordained. Other men have belief of hidden and of high things. And all these three come of God, who giveth these to his church. Some have grace of healths,* both bodily and spiritual, both to have them in themselves, and to give them to other brethren. And God is that one Spirit of whom all these graces come. God giveth another to work virtues, and especially to know God's virtue, and how God of his gracious virtue hath given men power to work virtues; as in the parting of the sea, and in the standing up of the same; and in many other wonders that God hath done for man's sake. And yet the wisdom of God for profit of his church, giveth prophecy to some men, to follow good and flee evil; as John had in the Apocalypse, and some men after him have less. To others is given discretion to know spirits. And this is a great gift that cometh of the Holy Ghost. For such spirits move men to divers works. And it is a good gift of God, to know good spirits

from evil; for good spirits move men ever to virtuous deeds; and evil spirits move men to evil, and beguile men.

The same Spirit giveth to men divers manner of languages; as this Holy Ghost gave the apostles knowledge and tongues at Pentecost. And at the last this Spirit giveth men to understand knowledge of words; as the Spirit giveth many men to know what holy writ meaneth. And all these three gifts of God are especially from the Holy Ghost; but yet since all these three persons are one God and one Spirit, none of them giveth any of these, except they all three give them. For one God doth all good, and thus he parteth these things to men after his power, wisdom, and will. And thus he divideth nought amiss, although the reason be hid from us.

XIII.

PAUL'S PREACHING THE GOSPEL.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, &c. 1 Cor. xv.

In this epistle Paul teaches by many reasons how his gospel is to be praised of true men, for the fruit of bliss that cometh thereof; and the word evangele, or gospel, means good tidings of bliss. And thus not only the four gospels, but the epistles of Paul and of the other apostles are called gospel here and in many other places. And thus men are out of belief that deny that these are gospels. And therefore saith Paul, Here I make known to you the gospel that I have preached to you; the which ye have received, in which gospel ye stand yet, and by which, if God will, ye shall be saved.

And thus may true men see how this gospel is to be praised for many reasons, by the fruit that springeth to men by this gospel. First, by authority of God who spake this. For precious liquor and precious vessel, should be praised of them that take it. This liquor is wisdom of God. And this liquor should be thought more dear worth than oil of tombs ;* for it healeth men's souls more than such oil healeth men's bodies. And right taking of this knowledge is another reason to praise it. And since it

*Consecrated oil, supposed to avail to the healing of the sick. See the Rituale Romanum.