have all goodness. And that this is true, it is evident and clear, because the very true christian is a christian by Christ. And the true christian feeleth inwardly, by Christ, so much goodness of God, that even troublous life and death are sweet unto him, and miseries are happiness. The true christian, by Christ, is disburdened from the servitude of the law, having the law of grace, graven by the Spirit, inhabiting his heart, and from sin that reigned in him, from the power of the infernal spirits, from damnation, and from every evil; and is made a son of God, a brother of Christ, heir of heaven, and lord of the world; so that, in Christ and by Christ, he possesses all good things.

But let us know that Christ yet fighteth in spirit in his elect vessels, and shall fight even to the day of judgment; at which day shall that great enemy, death, be wholly destroyed, and shall be no more. Then shall the children of God rejoice in him, saying, O death, where is thy victory and sting? there shall be then no more trouble nor sin; nay, rather, none evil, but heaven for the good, and hell for the wicked. Then shall wholly be discovered the victory and triumph of Christ, who, according to Paul, shall present unto his Father the kingdom, together with his chosen saved by him.

It was no little favour towards his children, that Christ was chosen of God to save us, his elect, so highly by the way of the cross. Paul calleth it a grace, and a most singular grace. We may well think, that he, having been to the world so valiant a captain of God, was full of light, grace, virtue, and spirit; therefore, he might justly say, "It is finished." We, seeing then that the triumph and victory of our Captain Christ is so marvellous, glorious, and noble, to the which war we are appointed; let us force ourselves to follow him, with bearing our cross, that we may have fellowship with him in his kingdom.

THE SIXTH CHAPTER.

That we ought to submit ourselves to the school of the cross, and still look and learn in the book of the cross.

TRULY, it may be most justly verified, that to behold Christ crucified in spirit, is the best meditation that can be. I certainly never knew mine own miseries and wretchedness so well by book, admonition, or learning, as I have

done by looking into the spiritual book of the cross. I lament much I have passed so many years, not regarding that divine book; but I judged, and thought myself to be well instructed in the same; whereas now I am of this opinion, that if God would suffer me to live here a thousand years, and I should study continually in the same divine book, I should not be filled with the contemplation thereof. Neither hold I myself contented, but always have a great desire to learn and study more therein. I never knew mine own wickedness, neither lamented for my sins truly, until the time God inspired me with his grace, that I looked in this book; then I began to see perfectly, that mine own power and strength could not help me, and that I was in the Lord's hand, even as the clay is in the potter's hand; then I began to cry and to say:

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Alas! Lord, that ever I have so wickedly offended thee, being to me, from the beginning, so gracious, and so good a Father, and, most specially, now thou hast declared and showed thy goodness unto me, when, in the time, I have done thee most injury, to call me, and also to make me know, and take thee for my Saviour and Redeemer."

Such are the wonderful works of God, to call sinners to repentance, and to make them to take Christ, his well-beloved Son, for their Saviour; this is the gift of God, and of all christians to be required and desired. For, except this great benefit of Christ crucified be felt and fixed surely in man's heart, there can no good work be done acceptable before God; for in Christ is all fulness of the Godhead, and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge even he is the water of life, whereof whosoever shall drink, he shall never more thirst, but it shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. St. Paul saith, There is no damnation to them that are in Christ, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Moreover he saith, If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved by his death. It is no little or small benefit we have received by Christ, if we consider what he hath done for us, as I have perfectly declared heretofore. Wherefore, I pray the Lord, that this great benefit of Christ crucified may be stedfastly fixed and printed in all christians' hearts, that they may be true lovers of God, and work as children, for love, and not as servants, compelled with threatenings, or provoked with hire.

The sincere and pure lovers of God do embrace Christ with such fervency of spirit, that they rejoice in hope, are bold in danger, suffer in adversity, continue in prayer, bless their persecutors. Further, they are not wise in their own opinion, neither high-minded in their prosperity, neither abashed in their adversity, but humble and gentle always to all men. For they know, by their faith, they are members all of one body, and that they have all possessed one God, one faith, one baptism, one joy, and one salvation. If these pure and sincere lovers of God were thickly sown, there should not be so much contention and strife growing on the fields of our religion as there is. Well, I shall pray to the Lord to take all contention and strife away, and that the sowers of sedition may have mind to cease their labour, or to sow it among the stones, and to have grace to sow gracious virtues, where they may both take root, and bring forth fruit, with sending also a godly unity and concord amongst all christians, that we may serve the Lord in true holiness of life.

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER.

A christian bewailing the miserable ignorance and blindness of men.

THE example of good living is required of all christians; but especially in the ecclesiastical pastors and shepherds. For they are called in scripture, workmen with God, disbursers of God's secrets, the light of the world, the salt of the earth; at whose hands all others should take comfort in working, knowledge of God's will, and sight to become children of light, and to taste of seasonable wisdom. They have, or should have, the Holy Spirit, abundantly to pronounce and set forth the word of God, in verity and truth. If ignorance and blindness reign amongst us, they should, with the truth of God's word, instruct and set us in the truth, and direct us in the way of the Lord.

But thanks be given unto the Lord, that hath now sent us such a godly and learned king, in these latter days, to reign over us; that, with the virtue and force of God's word, hath taken away the veils and mists of errors, and brought us to the knowledge of the truth, by the light of God's word; which was so long hid and kept under, that the people were nigh famished, and hungred, for lack of

spiritual food. Such was the charity of the spiritual curates and shepherds. But our Moses, and most godly wise governor and king, hath delivered us out of the captivity and bondage of Pharaoh. I mean by this Moses, king Henry the eighth, my most sovereign favourable lord and husband; one, if Moses had figured any more than Christ, through the excellent grace of God, meet to be another expressed verity of Moses's conquest over Pharaoh.* And I mean by this Pharaoh, the bishop of Rome, who hath been, and is a greater persecutor of all true christians, than ever was Pharaoh of the children of Israel; for he is a persecutor of the gospel and grace, a setter forth of all superstition and counterfeit holiness, bringing many souls to hell with his alchemy and counterfeit money, deceiving the poor souls under the pretence of holiness; but so much the greater shall be his damnation, because he deceiveth and robbeth under Christ's mantle. The Lord keep and defend all men from his jugglings and sleights, but especially the poor, simple, and unlearned souls. And this lesson I would all men had of him, that, when they began to mislike his doing, then only begin they to like God, and certainly not before.

As for the spiritual pastors and shepherds, I think they will cleave and stick to the word of God, even to the death; to vanquish all God's enemies, if need shall require ; all respects of honour, dignity, riches, wealth, and their private commodities, laid apart; following also the examples of Christ, and his chosen apostles, in preaching and teaching sincere and wholesome doctrine, and such things as make for peace, with godly lessons, wherewith they may edify others; that every man may walk after his vocation in holiness of life, in unity and concord, which unity is to be desired of all true christians.

It is much to be lamented, the schisms, varieties, contentions, and disputations that have been, and are in the world about the christian religion, and no agreement nor concord of the same among the learned men. Truly, the devil hath been the sower of the seed of sedition, and shall be the maintainer of it, even till God's will be fulfilled.

• Although these expressions are too favourable for one who was such a slave to his appetites and lusts, yet it must not be forgotten that to Henry the eighth we are indebted, as an instrument, for the scriptures in our own language, and for the beginning of the reformation. He was a coarse instrument, yet well suited to break the iron bands of popery.

There is no war so cruel and evil as this, for the war with sword killeth but the bodies, and this slayeth many souls; for the poor unlearned persons remain confused, and almost every one believeth and worketh after his own way; and yet there is but one truth of God's word, by the which we shall be saved. Happy are they that receive it, and most unhappy are they which neglect and persecute the same. For it shall be more easy for Sodom and Gomorrah, at the day of judgment, than for them. And not without just cause, if we consider the benevolence, goodness, and mercy of God, who hath declared his charity towards us, greater, and more inestimable, than ever he did to the Hebrews. For they lived under shadows and figures, and were bound to the law. And Christ, we being his greatest enemies, hath delivered us from the bondage of the law, and hath fulfilled all that was figured in their law, and also in their prophecies; shedding his own precious blood to make us the children of his Father, and his brethren, and hath made us free, setting us in a godly liberty; I mean not license to sin, as many are glad to interpret the same, when christian liberty is godly entreated of.

Truly, it is no good spirit that moveth men to find fault at every thing, and when things may be well taken, to pervert them into an evil sense and meaning. There are in the world many speakers of holiness and good works, but very rare and seldom is declared, which are the good and holy works. The works of the Spirit are almost never spoken of, and, therefore, very few know what they are. I am able to show the ignorance of the people to be great, not in this matter alone, but in many others, the which were most necessary for christians to know. Because I have had just proof of the same, it makes me thus much to say, with no little sorrow and grief in my heart, for such a miserable ignorance and blindness amongst the people.

I doubt not but we can all say, “Lord, Lord;" but I fear God may say unto us, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. God desireth nothing but the heart, and saith, He will be worshipped in spirit and truth. Christ condemned all hypocrisy and feigned holiness, and taught sincere, pure, and true godliness; but we, worse than frantic, or blind, will not follow Christ's doctrine, but trust to men's doctrines, judgments, and sayings, which bedims our eyes, and so the