All that I have (sayeth he) I have gotten with great care and travel, wherefore then should I bestow them upon others in vain? What is it to me, that others do not so take heed unto their own, as I do? What owe I unto them? I answer: ⟨image 23⟩Christ bestowed no small thing•, redeeming thee upon the cross with his blood: & for thy sake he became poor to make thee rich. Then what is it to Christ that we take no better heed unto our salvation: And besides these, what thou owest unto thy brother, hear the Apostle: Ye owe nothing unto any man sayeth he, but that ye love one an other. Ro .13. Thou owest therefore unto thy needy brother love, & also unto god thou owest thy self, & not only money. Wherefore because Christ hath loved us & given him self for us, therefore we ought to bestow our lives for our brethren 1. Jo .3. We do all much fail in this thing, that without the affection of true love, we look upon the slenderness and humility of our brethren, & not rather upon the will of god & his manifest commandments, ⟨image 23⟩albeit I keep in silence the unmeasurable worthiness of our free redemption. Is the pore man unworthy, unto whom thou shouldst give freely? But Christ is not unworthy, which requireth this of thee. The pore hath not deserved this benefit. Christ hath deserved it. Is not the poor able to restore that, which he receiveth? Christ is able to restore an hundred fold, and to give life everlasting, as he also hath promised Mat .19. Sixthly because covetousness is the most toughest wrangler, the usurer as yet replieth, saying: how should I live? How shall I provide for me and mine, if I must so lend that I receive nothing? I answer, it is said of the lord: first seek the kingdom of God & the righteousness thereof, and all these shall be cast unto you. And ⟨image 24⟩the gentiles seek all these things. Therefore neither doeth this w• ge•inge waywardness belong unto Christians: neither ought we to fear, lest •, by helping needy brethren, we do not well provide or see to our own things. For thus we read Pro .11. Some distribute their own and become richer, some catch that, which is not their own, and be ever in need The soul, which blesseth, that is to say, which doth good, shall be filled with fatness: & he, which giveth drink, shall be satisfied with drink. And Esa .58. Break unto the hungry (sayeth he) thy bread and the needy & wanderers lead into thy house.
All yt I haue (sayeth he) I haue gotten wt great care and trauell, wherefore then shoulde I bestowe them vpon others in vayne? What is it to me, that others doe not so take hede vnto theyr owne, as I doe? What owe I vnto thē? I answer: ⟨image 23⟩Christ bestowed no smal thing•, redemyng thee vpō the crosse wt his bloud: & for thy sake he becāe poore to make thee rich. Thē what is it to Chryst yt we take no better hede vnto our saluaciō: And beesydes these, what thou owest vnto thy brother, heare the Apostle: Ye owe nothing vnto any manne sayeth he, but that ye loue one an other. Ro .13. Thou owest therfore vnto thy nedy brother loue, & also vnto god yu owest thy selfe, & not only money. Wherefore beecause Christ hath loued vs & geuē hym selfe for vs, therfore we ought to bestow our lyues for our brethrē 1. Io .3. We doe all muche fayle in thys thyng, yt without the affection of true loue, we loke vpon the slendernesse and humilite of oure brethren, & not rather vpō the wil of god & his manifest commaundements, ⟨image 23⟩albeit I keepe in silēce the vnmeasurable worthynes of our free redempcion. Is the pore mā vnworthi, vnto whō yu sholdst geue freely? But Christ is not vnworthy, which requireth thys of thee. The pore hath not deserued thys benefite. Chryst hath deserued it. Is not the poore able to restore that, whiche he receaueth? Christe is able to restore an hundreth folde, and to geue life euerlasting, as he also hath promysed Mat .19. Sixtly because couetousnes is the most toughest wrangeler, the vsurer as yet replieth, saying: how should I live? How shal I prouyde for me and myne, if I must so lend yt I receaue nothīg? I answer, it is said of ye lord: first seke the kyngdome of God & the rightuousnesse thereof, and all these shalbe cast vnto you. And ⟨image 24⟩the gentils seke all these thinges. Therfore neither doeth thys w• ge•inge waywardnesse belong vnto Chrystians: neyther ought we to feare, lest •, by helpyng nedye brethren, we doe not well prouide or see to our own thynges. For thus we reade Pro .11. Some distribute their own and become rycher, some catche that, whyche is not their own, and be euer in nede The soule, which blesseth, that is to say, which doth good, shall bee fylled wt fatnes: & he, whyche geueth drynke, shalbe satisfied wt drinke. And
