pine away, and am whole unquiet in mine heart. Or whether I have too much, or but sufficient, and love it inordinately, then I care for the keeping. And because I mistrust God, and have no hope in him that he will help me; therefore, when I have locked doors, chambers, and coffers, I am never the nearer at rest, but care still, and cast a thousand perils, of which the most part were not in my might to avoid, though I never slept. And where this care is, there can the word of God have no restingplace, but is choaked up as soon as it is sown.

Care. What care ought to

every man

have.

God's come mandment is man's

life.

There is another care that springeth out of the love of God (for every love hath her care) and is a care to keep God's commandments. This care must every man have. For a man liveth not by bread only, but much more by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The keeping of God's commandment is the life of a man, as well in this world as in the world to come. As children obey father and mother, that thou mayest long live on the earth. And by father and mother is understood all rulers; which, if thou obey, thy blessing shall be long life; and contrary if thou disobey, short life: and shalt either perish by the sword, or by some other plague, and that shortly. And even so shall the ruler, if he rule not as God hath commanded. Oppress thou a widow and fatherless children (saith God) and they shall cry to Exod. xx. me, and I will hear their voice, and then will my wrath wax hot; so I will smite you with sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

Some will say, I see none more prosper, or longer continue, than those that be most cruel tyrants. What then? Yet say I that God abideth ever true: for where he setteth up a tyrant, and continueth him in prosperity, it is to be a scourge to wicked subjects that have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God. And unto them his good promises pertain not, save his curses only. But if the subjects would turn and repent, and follow the ways

Why God

suffereth tyrants to prosper.

of God, he would shortly deliver them. Howbeit, yet where the superior corrupteth the inferior, which else is disposed enough to goodness, God will not let them long continue.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE SEVENTH CHAPTER.

Judging.

What judg

ing is to be

rebuked.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For as ye judge, so shall ye be judged. And with what measure ye mete, with the same shall it be measured to you again. Why lookest thou on the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and markest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Let me pluck out the mote out of thine eye, and, behold, there is a beam in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite, pluck first the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to pluck the mote out of thy brother's eye.

This is not meant of the temporal judgments, for Christ forbad not that, but oft did stablish it, as do Peter and Paul in their Epistles also. Nor here is not forbidden to judge those deeds which are manifest against the law of God; for those ought every Christian man to persecute, yet must they do it after the order that Christ hath set. But when he saith, Hypocrite, cast out first the beam that is in thine own eye, it is easy to understand of what manner of judging he meaneth.

The hypocrites will have fastings, prayings, kneeling, crouching, ducking, and a thousand ceremonies of their own invention. And whosoever do not as they do, him they count a damned soul by and by. To Christ they say, Why fast not thy disciples, as the pharisees do? Why pluck they the ears of corn and rub them in their hands, (though they did it compelled with pure hunger) and do

that is not lawful on the Sabbath day? Why break ye the traditions of our elders, and wash not when ye sit down to meat? Yea, and why dost thou thyself heal the people upon the holy day? Why didst thou not only heal him that was bedrid thirty-eight years, but also badest him bear his bed away upon the Sabbath-day? Be there not working days sufficient to do good deeds to the praise of God, and profit of thy neighbour, but that thou must break thy Sabbath day? He cannot be but a damned person that breaketh the holy day, and despiseth the ordinance of the holy church.

All days ferent to do good deeds,

are indif

to the

praise of God, and the profit of our

neighbour.

He eateth butter on Fridays without a dispensation of our holy father the pope; yea, and cake-bread, made with milk and eggs too, and white meat in the Lent; he taketh no holy water when he cometh to the church; he heareth no mass from Sunday to Sunday. And either he hath no beads at all, or else you shall not hear a stone clink in the hand of him, nor yet his lips wag all the mass and matins while, &c. O hypocrite! cast out first the beam that is The beam. in thine own eye, and then thou shalt see better. Thou understandest all God's laws falsely, and therefore thou keepest none of them truly: his laws require mercy, and not sacrifice. Moreover, thou hast a false intent in all the works that thou doest, and therefore are they all damnable in the sight of God. Hypocrite! cast out the beam that is in thine own eye, learn to understand the law of God truly, and to do thy works aright, and for the intent that

God ordained them. And then thou shalt see whether thy brother have a mote in his eye or not, and if he have, how to pluck it out, and else not.

nies: he that break

eth unity ceremonies eth not

for zeal of

For he that knoweth the intent of the law and of works, Ceremothough he observe a thousand ceremonies for his own exercise, he shall never condemn his brother, or break unity with him, in those things which Christ never commanded, but left indifferent. Or if he see a mote in his brother's eye, that he observeth not with his brethren some certain ordinance made for a good purpose, because he Ceremo

understand.

God's law.

nies.

Measures.

Dogs, who they be, and what is signified thereby.

knoweth not the intent, he will pluck it out fair and softly, and instruct him lovingly, and make him well content. Which thing, if our spiritualty would do, men would not so abhor to obey their tyranny. But they be hypocrites, and do and command all their works for a false purpose, and therefore judge, slay, and shed their brethren's blood mercilessly. God is the father of all mercy, and therefore gave not hypocrites such absolute power to compel their brethren to obey what they list, or to slay them without pity, shewing either no cause of their commandments at all, but So will we have it! or else assigning an intent damnable, and contrary to all Scripture. Paul (Rom. xiv.) saith to them that observed ceremonies, that they should not judge them that did not; for he that observeth and knoweth not the intent, judgeth at once; and to them that observed not, that they should not despise them that observed; he that observeth not ought not to despise the weakness or ignorance of his brother, till he perceive that he is obstinate and will not learn.

Moreover, such measure as thou givest, thou shalt receive again: that is, if thou judge thy neighbour, God shall judge thee; for if thou judge thy neighbour in such things, thou knowest not the law of God, nor the intent of works, and art therefore condemned of God, &c.

Give not that holy thing unto dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and the other turn again and all to tear you.

The dogs are those obstinate and indurate, which, for the blind zeal of their leaven, wherewith they have soured both the doctrine and also the works, maliciously resist the truth, and persecute the ministers thereof; and are those wolves among which Christ sendeth his sheep, warning them not only to be single and pure in their doctrine, but also wise and circumspect, and to beware of men. For they should bring them before judges and kings, and slay

them, thinking to do God service therein; that is, as Paul to the Romans testifieth of the Jews, for blind zeal to their own false and feigned righteousness, persecute the righteousness of God.

described.

The swine are they, which, for all they have received Swine truly the pure gospel of Christ, will yet continue still in sin, and roll themselves in the puddle and mire of their old filthy conversation, and both before the ignorant, and also the weak, use the uttermost of their liberty, interpreting it after the largest fashion, and most favour of the flesh, as it were the pope's pardon, and therewith make that truth evil spoken of, that thousands which else might have been easily won, will now not once hear thereof; and stir up cruel persecution, which else would be much easier, yea, and sometimes none at all. And yet will those swine, when it cometh to the point, abide no persecution at all; but offer themselves willing, even at the first chop, for to deny all ere they be scarcely apposed of their doctrine. Therefore, lay first the law of God before them, and call them to repentance. And if thou see no hope of mending in them, cease there and go no farther; for they be swine.

But, alas! it ever was, and shall be, that the greater number receive the words for a newness and curiosity (as they say,) and to seem to be somewhat, and that they have not gone to school in vain, they will forthwith, ere they have felt any change of living in themselves, be schoolmasters, and begin at liberty, and practise openly before their disciples. And when the pharisees see their traditions broken, they rage and persecute immediately. And then our new schoolmasters be neither grounded in the doctrine to defend their doings, nor rooted in the profession of a new life to suffer with Christ, &c.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For all that ask receive; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him