The Obedience of a Christian Man

Holy workmen think that God rejoiceth in the dead self without any further respect. They think also that God as a cruel tyrant / rejoiceth and hath delectation in our pain taking without any further respect. And therefore many of them martyr them selves without cause / after the ensample of Baals priests which (iij. Regū. xviij) cut them selves to please their God with all and as the old heathen pagans sacrificed their children in the fire unto their Gods. The monks of the charterhouse think that the very eating of fish in it self pleaseth God and refer not the eating unto the chastening of the body. For when they have slain their bodies with cold fleme of fish eating: yet then will they eat no flesh and slay them selves ⟨p. Cix⟩before their days. we also when we offer our sons or daughters and compel or persuade them to vow and profess chastity / think that the very pain and that rage and burning which they suffer in abstaining from a make pleaseth God / and so refer not our chastity unto our neighbours profit. For when we see thousands fall to innumerable diseases thereof and to dye before their days: ye though we see them break the commandments of God daily and also of very impatience work abominations against nature to shameful to bespoken of: yet will we not let them marry / but compel them to continue still with violence. And thus teach our divines as it appeareth by their arguments. He that taketh most pain / say they / is greatest and so forth.

Holy werkmen thinke that God reioyseth in the deade selfe without any forther respecte. They thinke also that God as a cruell tyrant / reioyseth and hath delecration in oure payne takynge without any forther respecte. And therfore many of them marter them selves without cause / after the ensample of Baals prestes which (iij. Regū. xviij) cut them selves to please their God with all and as the olde hethē pagās sacrificed their childern in the fyre vnto their Gods. The mōkes of the charterhouse thinke that the very eatīge of fish in it selfe pleaseth God and referre not the eatinge vnto the chastenynge of ye body. For whē they have slayne their bodies with colde fleme of fysheatinge: yet then will they eate no flesh and sley thē selves ⟨p. Cix⟩before their dayes. we also when we offer oure sonnes or doghters and compell or persuade them to vowe and professe chastite / thinke that the very payne and that rage and burnynge which they sofre in absteyninge from a make pleaseth God / and so referre not oure chastite vnto oure neybours profit. For when we se thousandes fall to innumerable diseases therof and to dye before their dayes: yee though we se thē breake the commaundmentes of God dayly and also of verry impatiency worke abhominations agenst nature to shamefull to bespoken of: yet will we not let them mary / but compell them to cōtinue still with violēce. And thus teach oure devines as it appereth by their argumentes. He that taketh most payne / saye they / is greatest and so forth.