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

¶ 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.

1. 11. Peter. •

¶ 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.

T. I May well understand by these, what excuses those men may allege, that say, when they are willed to §21enquire of the will of God, and of his word, and in what sort they should live, that they will understand and know no more in that behalf then they do already know: for that they do already know as much as they ought to know, even as though a man in this whole life time were able to come to such perfection of knowledge and understanding of godly things, that nothing mought be added thereunto. D. Saint Paul, who was taken up into the third ¹heaven, and did there understand of things, of the which it is not lawful for any man to speak: was never of that opinion. For he doth declare, that all that ever we may understand upon the earth, of those matters, is nothing else but ²as we should behold a thing in a glass, or in a dark cloud or mist. Wherefore whilst that we do live in this world, we must think that we are always like unto little children, as touching this godly understanding, and that we have need to profit and increase in the same daily, even as do the little children that are at the school: and that we shall never see it as it is, until that we be with God, and see him face to face, and know him as he hath known us. For if there be no man of so excellent a spirit, that ever may attain unto the perfect understanding of human and visible things, nor yet of one of those sciences that appertaineth unto this earthly life: how great presumption is it then for man, which is wholly created ignorant, as touching godly things, so much to challenge to him self the knowledge and understanding of those things, of the which the Angels themselves cannot perfectly understand: T. Surely it is a great presumption of us, if we think that we be more perfect then are the Angels.

T. I May well vnderstande by these, what excuses those men may alledge, that saye, when they are wylled to §21enquire of the wyll of God, and of his woorde, and in what sorte they should liue, that they wyl vnderstand and knowe no more in that behalfe then they do already know: for that they do already knowe as muche as they ought to knowe, euen as though a man in thys whole lyfe tyme were able to come to suche perfection of knowledge and vnderstanding of godly thinges, that nothing mought be added therunto. D. Saynt Paule, who was taken vp into the thyrde

¶ Of the true knowledge of God, and of the true manner how to know his will, and of the contemplative and active knowledge of the same.

¶ Of the true knovvledge of God, and of the true maner hovv to knovv hys vvyll, and of the contemplatiue and actiue knovvledge of the same.

D. OF the other part there is one thing to be considered in the knowledge and understanding of the will §22of God, which thing few men do note. That is, that we may not judge of that science and knowledge, as we do of divers humane sciences, of the only knowledge where of many men hold them well satisfied, without any further practise of the same. For this godly knowledge consisteth not only in contemplation, requiring nothing but contemplative teachers, to instruct the mind of man, but require also the will, and active Teachers and practisers. And for this cause Christ doth not say only, he that will know, but he that will do the will of him that sent me, he shall know of my doctrine, whether it be of God, or ¹whether I speak of my self. For there are, that for curiosity and for some other affection that they have that are desirous to know the will of God, but not to that end to direct their lives according to the same. And therefore our Lord Jesus Christ declareth plainly by these words, that there is nothing that letteth men from the knowledge of the truth of God, but only the want of the fear of God, and of good will to obey and honour him: Wherefore it followeth that there is no true knowledge of God, but only that which is joined with this good and prompt will, and that none can judge of the Lords doctrine, but those that are of such a mind. T. If the matter be so, a man may not think, that he understandeth or knoweth any thing, although he have all the holy scriptures by hart, and that he can devise and discourse thereof at pleasure like an Angel: if he have not the effect of that doctrine imprinted in his hart, and that he be as it were clothed with the same, in such sort as he may put the same in practise at all times.

D. OF the other parte there is one thing to be considered in the knowledge and vnderstanding of the wil §22of God, which thing fewe men doo note. That is, that we may not iudge of that science and knowledge, as wee doo of diuers humane sciences, of the onelye knowledge wher of many men hold them well satisfied, wythoute anye further practise of the same. For thys godlye knowledge consisteth not onelye in contemplacion, requiring nothing but contemplatiue teachers, to instruct the mynde of man, but requyre also the wyll, and actiue Teachers and practisers. And for thys cause Christ doth not say onely, hee that wyll knowe, but he that wyll doo the wyll of hym that sent me, he shall knowe of my doctrine, whether it be of God, or

¶ Of the true study of the holy scriptures, and of the true fruit that cometh of the same.

¶ Of the true study of the holy scriptures, and of the true fruite that commeth of the same.

D. That is very true. For if it were sufficient to have only a bare knowledge of Gods word, and so behold §23it in the air, without having of the will reformed by the same, the devil should in this sort exceed all men in religion: For he hath knowledge and understanding enough, if that he had a will according to the same. And therefore, it is not only needful for us to hear the word of God, and to study the same, for to understand that, that is contained in that same doctrine, and then to proceed no further, and to make it as it were a study of Philosophy contemplative: But we do chiefly need to wrap and clothe us therein, and to put in use, and to practise in our lives that which we do understand and know, or else to what end doth our knowledge and understanding serve?

D. THat is verye true. For if it were sufficient to haue onely a bare knowledge of Gods woorde, and so beholde §23it in the ayre, wythout hauing of the wyll reformed by the same, the deuill shoulde in thys sorte exceede al men in religion: For hee hath knowledge and vnderstandyng inoughe, if that he had a wyll according to the same. And therfore, it is not onelye needefull for vs to heare the word of God, and to studye the same, for to vnderstande that, that is contayned in that same doctrine, and then to proceede no further, and to make it as it were a studye of Philosophye contemplatiue: But we doo chiefly neede to wrap and clothe vs therein, and to put in vse, and to practise in our lyues that whych we doo vnderstande and knowe, or els to what ende doth our knowledge and vnderstanding serue?

For to what end doth a man learn an occupation? Is it for that he will never use it, or else only to talk of it, without practising the same. Wouldest thou think him perfect in any occupation, that never did practise the same, nor never declared his experience by any piece of his work? T. No truly. D. Wouldest thou then think him to be a good Christian, that only doth boast him of the name and knowledge of Christianity, without the declaring of the same by his works. T. No in deed.

For to what ende doth a manne learne an occupacion? Is it for that he wyll neuer vse it, or els onelye to talke of it, wythout practising the same. Wouldest thou thyncke hym perfect in anye occupation, that neuer did practise the same, nor neuer declared hys experience by anye peece of hys woorke? T. No truelye. D. Wouldest thou then thinke hym to be a good Christian, that onelye doth boaste hym of the name and knowledge of Christianitye, wythoute the declaryng of the same by hys woorkes. T. No in deede.

¶ Of such Christians as are ignorant of the word of God, and of those that abuse their knowledge in the same.

¶ Of suche Christians as are ignoraunt of the vvorde of God, and of those that abuse theyr knovvledge in the same.

D. And now, which thinkest thou more worthy of blame, either he that doth know no occupation, and worketh not: or else he that hath a good occupation, and had rather to loiter, and to be slothful and idle, ⟨p. 24⟩then to work at his occupation? T. This last man, which doth most abuse the gift of God. Wherefore, if I should see such men in necessity, I would not very willingly give alms to him that hath had so small care to learn some occupation, whereby he might justly live: much less to give unto him that had rather fast, and become a beggar, then to work and travail for his living, when he may. D. And how wouldest thou handle him, that hath a goodly wit, and is well exercised and very excellent in some occupation, and doth travail in the same with all diligence, but not to do any thing, whereby the glory of God, or the wealth of his neighbour might be advanced: but rather to let and hinder both the one and the other, and to live in all villainy and filthiness? T. I would judge him worthy to be hanged, or at the least to be whipped. For if the others be worthy to be accounted unprofitable and wicked, this kind of man is much more worthy to be so accounted of: in as much as he is not ¹only content to hide in the earth the talents that God hath given him, and so to keep them without yielding any profit of them: but that worse is, he bestoweth them wickedly, employing them in all that he may, to the hindrance and loss of his master, and to make wars against him, at whose hands he hath received them. D. Then consider thou well, whether the Christian be worthy of great blame, that hath no understanding of Christianity, nor of that occupation, whereof he beareth the name. What honour is this man worthy of, that hath the knowledge thereof, and abuseth the same, and doth not only, not practise the same in life, but converteth the gifts that he hath received of God, into weapons wherewith to make wars against him, and against his own salvation: to what end serveth this knowledge? T. It serveth to his more speedy condemnation, and to increase his judgement more and more.

D. ANd nowe, whyche thynkest thou more woorthye of blame, eyther hee that doth knowe no occupacion, and woorketh not: or els hee that hathe a good occupacion, and hadde rather to loyter, and to be slothfull and idle, ⟨p. 24⟩