For in this world they lose the favour both of God and man, they lose their good name & fame, & are called of every man extortioners, bribers pollers & piellers, devourers of widows houses, & oppressors of fatherless and motherless children. And what a gaining is it I pray you, by purchasing of a little land herein this life to ⟨p. ci⟩purchase therewithal everlasting damnation in hell? What profiteth it a man (sayeth Christ) if he win all the world and lose his own soul? what did David win, when he lusted after the wife of Uriah, & had his pleasure of her? did not God therefore so punish him, that he himself lost all his own wives? For his son Absalom in the sight of all the people entered unto his fathers wife, and deflowered them all in his fathers own house, and after did pursue his father David even unto death. What did it profit Ahab, that he slew Naboth & toke possession of his vineyard? Verily God did punish him therefore in such sort, that he caused him to be slain in the next battle that he went unto and toke the kingdom from all his succession, & destroyed ⟨image 124⟩all his linage, and left not one man alive, and beside all this, the dogs licked Ahab's blood in the same place where he caused Naboth to be slain. What gained Judas, when he sold our Lord Jesus Christ for thirty peaces of silver? verily he was punished of God therefore, and was so tormented with the horrible fear of conscience, that he ran to the halter for succour, and hanged himself. Wherewith as he ended the miseries of this life, so he began, the pains of the other life. Likewise God, even now a days doth punish these glyerynge kites, that seek their pray in every place, for commonly either they be deceived of their expectation for all their gaping and prying, or if they obtain their pray, they purchase to themselves therewith great misfortune ⟨p. cii⟩and evil ends. Wherefore good children let this commandment deeply sink into your hearts, and consider well, that it is no man, nor creature, but God himself, that saith unto you, Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife, his man servant, woman servant, ox, ass, or any other thing that is his. For to desire these things, is a very heinous sin, & God will not suffer it to escape unpunished.
For in this worlde they lese ye fauoure both of God and man, they lese their good name & fame, & ar called of euery man extorcioners, brybers pollers & piellers, deuourers of widowes houses, & oppressers of fatherles and motherles children. And what a gaynyng is it I praye you, by purchasynge of a lytle lande herein this lyfe to ⟨p. ci⟩purchase therwithal euerlastynge damnacion in hel? What profyteth it a man (sayeth Christ) yf he wynne all the worlde and lese hys awne soulle? what dyd Dauid wynne, when he lusted after the wyfe of Urie, & had his pleasure of her? did not God therfore so punyshe him, that he hymselfe lost all his awne wifes? For his sonne Absolon in the sight of al the people entred vnto his fathers wyfe, and defloured them all in his fathers owne house, and after dyd purswe his father Dauid euē vnto death. What did it profit Achab, that he slewe Naboth & toke possession of his vyneyarde? Ueryly God did punyshe him therfore in such sorte, that he caused him to be slayne in the next battayle that he went vnto and toke the kyngdom from al his succession, & destroyed ⟨image 124⟩all hys lynage, and lefte not one man alyue, and beside all this, the dogges licked Achabes bloude in the same place wher he caused Naboth to be slayne. What gayned Iudas, when he solde oure Lorde Iesus Christ for thirtie peaces of syluer? verilye he was punyshed of God therefore, and was so tormented with the horrible feare of cōscience, that he ran to the halter for succour, and hanged himselfe. Wherwith as he ended ye miseries of this life, so he began, the paines of the other lyfe. Lykewyse God, euen nowe a dayes doth punyshe these glyerynge keytes, that seke their pray in euery place, for commonly either they be deceaued of theyr expectacion for all their gapyng and pryenge, or yf they obteyne their praye, they purchase to themselfes therwith great mysfortune ⟨p. cii⟩and euel endes. Wherefore good children let this commaundement deapely synke into youre hartes, and considre wel, that it is no mā, nor creature, but God himselfe, yt saith vnto you, Thou shalt not desier thy neyghbours wyfe, his man seruant, woman seruant, oxe, asse, or any other thing that is hys. For to desier these thinges, is a very heynous synne, & God will not suffre it to escape vnpunished.
