The first part of the Christian instruction, and general so[m]me of the doctrine, contained…

¶ Of such as do resist the truth, & persecute the same through ignorance, and zeal without understanding, and of the excuse of the ignorant.

¶ Of such as do resist the truth, & persecute the same through ignoraunce, and zeale vvithout vnderstandyng, and of the excuse of the ignoraunt.

D. These people are far worse, then are these of whom we now mean to speak, which do not offend but ¹through ignorance, and of a zeal that they have toward God, which is void of knowledge, as many have done before our time, and namely Saint Paul, in the time that he was a persecuto•• of the Christians, for he him self confesseth that he did it of ignorance: wherefore there is more ²hope in these kind of men, then in either of the others. T. But I would gladly know, whether these men shall be excused by their ignorance or no. D. Our Lord Jesus Christ saith, that the servant that knoweth his masters will, and doth it not, shall be more grievously beaten, then he that is ignorant ³thereof, and doth it not: yet for all that both shall be punished. He saith also that those which have thrown the Gospel from them, shall receive greater punishments in the day of judgement, then those of Sodom, and Gomorrah, ⁴unto whom God hath not offered so great grace: yet for all that, he saith not that those of Sodom, and Gomorrah shall escape the judgement. T. This is a marvellous and a horrible threatening.

D. THese people are farre woorse, then are these of whom we nowe meane to speake, whiche do not offende but ¹through ignoraunce, and of a zeale that they haue towarde God, which is voyde of knowledge, as many haue done before our tyme, and namely Saint Paule, in the tyme that he was a persecuto•• of the Christians, for he him selfe confesseth that he did it of ignoraunce: wherefore there is more ²hope in these kynde of men, then in either of the others. T. But I would gladly know, whether these men shalbe excused by their ignoraunce or no. D. Our Lorde Iesus Christ sayth, that the seruaūt that knoweth his maisters will, and doth it not, shalbe more greuously beaten, then he yt is ignoraunte ³thereof, and doth it not: yet for all that both shalbe punished. He sayth also that those whiche haue throwen the Gospel from them, shall receaue greater punishements in the daye of iudgement, then those of Sodome, and Gomorha, ⁴vnto whom God hath not offered so great grace: yet for al that, he sayth not that those of Sodome, and Gomorha shall escape the iudgemente. T. This is a maruelous and a horrible threatnyng.

1. 1Roma. 10
2. 2i. Timo. i
3. 3Luke. xii
4. 4Math x Luke. x

¶ How that the want of the knowledge of God, & his truth, reigneth not in man, without his great fault.

¶ Hovv that the vvāt of the knovvledge of God, & his truth, raigneth not in man, vvithout his great faulte.

T. Then if those that are ignorant in the doctrine of the Lord, and by means of their ignorance do not fo• ⟨p. 16⟩low it at all, shall not be excused by their ignorance: how much less shall they that are not only content to be ignorant of it, but do openly persecute the same? For there is no ignorance in that behalf, but that a great piece of the fault is in our selves. For in how many & sundry sorts doth God daily declare him self to us? By how many means doth he call, and as it were draw us unto him? We do all know that there is one God which is the Lord of all. T. That is very true. D. If he be the Lord of all, then all men are bound to obey his laws and ordinances. T. That is but reason. D. We can not observe and keep them, but first we must know them and understand them. Wherefore before all other things we must seek for this knowledge and understanding. For there is nothing more honest, more profitable, nor more necessary for us; and contrariwise there is no thing more unhonest, more worthy of blame, nor more hurtful, then is the ignorance of the law, and of the will of God. For if the ignorance of any thing that is worthy to be known (men having means to attain to the knowledge thereof) be to be condemned, and that so much the sooner, in so much as the knowledge of the thing is more commendable and more necessary: how much should we esteem unhonest and intolerable the ignorance of the law, and of the will of God? Of the which the knowledge is more necessary for us, then is the light of the sun, and the usage of the fire and water, without the which this humane life can not continue. T. I confess no less. For in as much as the soul of man is more excellent then is the body, even so are the things more excellent & more necessary that do concern the soul, or at the least both soul and body together, then are those which appertain only to the body. For if the soul be well and in good case, the body can not be but well: but if the body be well entreated and delicately used, and the soul evil entreated and negligently looked unto, the evil entreaty ⟨p. 17⟩of the soul shall in the end make the body partaker of the same.

T. THen if those that are ignoraunt in the doctrine of the Lord, and by meanes of their ignoraunce do not fo•

¶ Of the great care and diligence that is in men to get those things that do appertain to this present life, and of their negligence and carelessness that they do use, as touching those things that appertain to the life eternal.

¶ Of the greate care and diligence that is in men to get those thynges that do appertaine to this present life, and of their negligence and carelesnesse that they doo vse, as touchyng those thinges that appartayne to the life eternall.

D. Therefore I do not a little marvel to see the great pains and travails, that men take to maintain this casual and miserable life: which is as it were, of the continuance of one day in comparison, yea in deed very short and full of sorrow and misery, which life also many do not pass through even to the end, and yet do they learn many Arts, Sciences and occupations through great diligence, labour and travail, to the end to be by them sustained and maintained in this present life: & that there are so few that have any care to learn that Art and Science, by the which we may attain to that eternal and most blessed life which shall continue with us for ever. For what is the whole age of a man even from the day of his birth to the day of his death? T. It is as it were the time of one day, and is more short to some, then to others: If we shall compare it with the age of that life which lasteth for ever. D. Yet do we learn Arts, and Sciences and occupations, in number, in manner infinite which can stand us in no stead, but only in this miserable and wretched life: And on the contrary, we have but one to learn which is able to lead us out of all the miseries and wretchedness, wherein we are here wrapped, and to make us happy for ever: and yet we make none account thereof, but fie from it, reject it, and persecute it: Howe shall we now be able to excuse our selves? We will rise three or four hours before day, yea at midnight: We will ride & run day and night, both by sea and land, with great pain and travail, and oftentimes in great danger of life, and ¹all this will we do to gain a little piece of money. But although that God doth send us his Prophets, his Apostles, ⟨p. 18⟩yea his own son, and that he doth teach us by the mouth of his servants, which is his own mouth, through the which he speaketh to us daily in his Church, and doth present unto us his gifts and graces in our own houses, yea even in our beds and tables: Yet notwithstanding we will not vouchsafe once to receive him, we will understand nothing of him, nor yet learn any thing of him. Shall we then allege our ignorance, and excuse our selves by it? Our Lord Jesus Christ did very well understand of this sickness, and of the danger thereof, wherefore he said to those people that did follow him more for their belly, then for any spiritual doctrine:

D. THerfore I do not a litle maruel to se the great paines and trauayles, that men take to maintayne this casuall and miserable lyfe: whiche is as it were, of the continuaunce of one day in comparyson, yea in dede very short and full of sorow and miserie, whiche life also many do not passe thorowe euen to the end, and yet do they learne many Artes, Sciences and occupations through great diligence, labour and trauaile, to the end to be by them sustained and maintayned in this present life: & that there are so few that haue any care to learne that Art and Science, by the which we may attayne to that eternal and most blessed lyfe which shall cōtinue with vs for euer. For what is the whole age of a man euen frō the day of his byrth to the day of his death? T. It is as it were the tyme of one day, and is more shorte to some, then to others: If we shal compare it with the age of that lyfe whiche lasteth for euer. D. Yet doo we learne Artes, and Sciences and occupatiōs, in nomber, in maner infinite whiche can stand vs in no stede, but onely in this miserable and wretched life: And on the contrarie, we haue but one to learne whiche is able to leade vs out of all the miseries and wretchednes, wherin we are here wrapt, and to make vs happy for euer: and yet we make none accoumpte therof, but fiee from it, reiect it, and persecute it: Howe shall we nowe be able to excuse our selues? We will ryse three or foure houres before daye, yea at mydnight: We will ryde & runne day and night, both by sea and lād, with great paine and trauayle, and oftentimes in great daunger of lyfe, and

Employ your selves and travail, not for that meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth ¹into eternal life, the which the son of man shall give unto you. When he nameth by the name of meat his doctrine, which is the doctrine of salvation, and the salvation which he bringeth unto us by means of the same, the which we can find in none but in him only: He therefore giveth us plainly to understand how much this doctrine, and this health are necessary for us, and how earnestly and diligent lye we should labour for them: for so much as they are things that are much more necessary to eternal life, then is the bodily meat, for the corporal life, and it is so much more precious, as is the soul more precious then the body.

Employ your selues and traueil, not for that meate that perisheth, but for that which endureth ¹into eternal lyfe, the which the sonne of man shal giue vnto you. When he nameth by the name of meate hys doctrine, which is the doctrine of saluation, and the saluation which he bringeth vnto vs by meanes of ye same, the which we can finde in none but in him onely: He therefore geueth vs plainly to vnderstand how much this doctrine, and this health are necessary for vs, and how earnestly and diligent lye we shoulde labour for them: for so muche as they are thinges that are much more necessary to eternall lyfe, then is the bodely meate, for the corporal lyfe, and it is so muche more precious, as is the soule more precious then the body.

1. 1John. 6.Iohn. 6.

¶ Of the diligence that is in men to do evil, and of their negligence to do well.

¶ Of the diligence that is in men to do euyl, and of their negligence to doo vvell.

T. Thou sayest nothing at all of such as employ their whole study and travail to do evil, If every one of us would take so great travail in the search of this holy work, whereof thou speakest, as doth the thief to rob, or the whore in the use of her whoredom, we should accomplish a goodly work. The thieves rise up in the night, & put them selves in great danger and, take very great pains to cut ⟨p. 19⟩mens throats: and we will not once lift up our head from our pillow to waken us, and to open our eyes to behold and consider those things that appertain to our salvation. Satan our mortal enemy is so diligent, and continually lieth in wait to find means how to ruinate and destroy ¹us, and we of our part are utterly slothful and negligent in arming our selves against his ambushes and assaults, whereby we might avoid his snares. Wherefore all things well considered, I see very small reason wherewith to excuse men: For there is no man but may find means sufficient to attain to this knowledge of God. If that we were so careful of the eternal life, as we are of this present life, and would as willingly seek for the one, as for the other: for there is nothing that might aid us in that behalf, but God hath given it unto us.

T. THou sayest nothng at all of such as employe theyr whole study and trauayle to do euyl, If euery one of vs would take so great trauayle in the searche of this holy worke, wherof thou speakest, as doth the theefe to rob, or the whore in the vse of her whoredome, we should accomplishe a goodly woorke. The theues rise vp in the night, & put them selues in great daunger and, take very great paynes to cut ⟨p. 19⟩mens throtes: and we wyll not once lift vp our heade from our pillow to waken vs, and to open our eyes to beholde and consider those thinges that appertayne to our saluation. Satan our mortal enemy is so dillgent, and continually lyeth in wayte to find meanes howe to ruinate and destroy ¹vs, and we of our part are vtterly slothful and negligent in arming our selues againste his ambusshes and assaultes, wherby we might auoyde hys snares. Wherefore all thinges wel considered, I see verye small reason wherewith to excuse men: For there is no man but maye fynde meanes sufficient to attayne to this knowledge of God. If that we were so careful of the eternal life, as we are of this present lyfe, and would as wyllinglye seeke for the one, as for the other: for ther is nothing that might ayde vs in that behalfe, but God hath geuen it vnto vs.

¶ Of the vices that make men ignorant of God and of his truth, and how the servants of God continually bring accusation against them.

¶ Of the vices that make men ignoraunt of God and of hys truth, and hovv the seruauntes of God continually bring accusation agaynst them.

D. Saint Paul was not ignorant of this, and therefore although he say that he hath obtained mercy for his ¹persecuting the Church of God through ignorance, yet doth he not excuse himself by the same, nor letteth to show the grievousness of his sin, calling himself the greatest of sinners, a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man full of violence and oppression, and acknowledgeth him self worthy of death and eternal damnation. If God of his great mercy and grace had not succoured him, whereof he should not have needed, if that he had not sinned, or if that his ignorance mought have excused him. For how good so ever his meaning was, or how great so ever his zeal was toward the law of God, yet notwithstanding his ignorance was not without a great portion of that negligence and carelessness which ⟨p. 20⟩is naturally in men as touching the knowledge of God and godly things, nor without some portion of the pride, rashness, wilfulness, presumption, and arrogance of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of hypocrisy and superstition, which are very great vices, from the which even those that are most perfect and holy, cannot well shift them, although they do not appear unto men. T. If then this doth happen to such as are of the most perfect sort, as to Saint Paul: what shall become then of a sort of glorious and arrogant hypocrites, which are much more full of hypocrisy, then of good conscience, and have a greater care for their own glory and profit, then for the glory of God, and the edification of his church, and have such an opinion of their own knowledge, justice and perfection, that they think that no man may amend or correct any jot thereof? For there be very few such ignorant ones amongst the persecutors of the church, as was saint Paul before his conversion. D. There is no doubt of that. Saint Peter doth also impute unto ignorance, in the sermon that he made in Jerusalem ²upon the day of Pentecost, that which the Jews committed against our Lord Jesus Christ, in the delivering of ³him to death, & preferring of Barabbas before him: yet not withstanding doth not he let to lay it greatly to their charges, as very murderers of the true author of life, and very son of God. T. I perceive by that thou sayest, that God requireth of us very great diligence, and a great humility, abjection, and despising of our selves:

and that our negligence, sloth, presumption, and arrogancy, and our vain glory and opinion that we have of our selves, are most commonly the cause of our damnable ignorance. D. It is even so.

and that our negligence, slothe, presumption, and arrogancye, and our vayne glory and opinion that we haue of our selues, are most commonly the cause of our damnable ignorāce. D. It is euē so.

¶ Of such as do contemn the knowledge of God, even as though they did know all things that appertain to true Christianity, and also of the knowledge that men may attain unto in this life, and how to increase it.

¶ Of such as doo contemne the knovvledge of God, euen as though they dyd knovv all thinges that appertaine to true Christianitie, and also of the knovvledge that men maye attaine vnto in this life, and hovv to encrease it.