432

Wolf.

Bnt 1  a  gode  Christen  man  shuld  nothvnge  be  greved  to  obey
vnto  soche  ordinacions,  and  lawes,  as  their  heddes  and  ruelars
institute,  and  make  for  the  commen  well.  Ye  rath-  [fol.  10 b .]
ther  he  shulde  soffre  bo[t]he  bodi  and  goodes  to  perysshe,  then
Bo.  xiij.  once  to  witlistonde  theym,  remembrynge  in  hym  sylfe
Tit.  iij.  that  he  whyche  is  rebelleous  vnto  the  temporall  power,
resistith  agaynst  the  ordinacion  of  God.  So.  Howe  yf  a  man
make  a  vowe,  never  to  eate  of  this  or  of  that  meate,  or  never
to  mary,  is  he  bounde  evermore  to  kepe  it?  Fa.  A  Christen
mannes  worde  shulde  be  ye  ye,  naye  naye.  and  loke  what  he
promeseth,  yf  it  be  to  his  neghborus 2  fordeil, 3  that  ought  he
to  kepe  and  fulfill.  Bnt  yf  it  be  agaynst  the  commaundmentes
of  God,  in  vowynge  it,  he  synneth,  and  when  he  goeth  aboute
to  fulfill  it,  then  synneth  he  doble.  So.  What  sayest  thou?
Fa.  What  soever  he  be  that  byndeth  hym  sylfe  to  eny  exteriall
bondage,  wherby  his  soule  is  captive,  he  evidently  doeth
agaynst  Paulis  learnynge.  For  he  sayeth  in  the  first  chaprer 4
vnto  the  galathians.  Stond  fast  in  the  liberte  wherwith  Christ
hath  made  vs  fre,  and  wrappe  not  youre  selves  agayne  in  the
yoke  of  bondage.  In  soche  case  a  Christen  man  hath  nether
power,  over  body  nor  soule.  but  is  altogether  by  baptem
Bo.  vj.  offered  vp  into  God,  that  he  myght  become  lyke  vnto  the
vüj.  image  of  his  sonne.  And  a  man  lyveth  not  for  hym  sylfe,
bout 5  to  the  lorde,  as  [fol.  11“.]  scripture  sayeth,  wheare  as  it
declareth  that  we  only  are  made  free.  And  tliough  all  tliinges
are  vnder  vs,  and  we  their  lordes.  yet  charite  constrayneth  vs
to  be  servauntes  vnto  all  men.  So  that  it  is  nott  lawfull  in  no
wyse,  for  a  Christen  man  to  withdrawe  hym  sylfe  from  the
due  Service  that  he  owetli  to  his  neghboure,  and  to  submytt
hym  sylfe  to  I  wote  nearewhat  maner  of  supersticious  invencions
  of  the  enemy.  Wer  he  nott  worsse  then  madde,
whyche  wolde  beleve  that  he  ought  to  robbe  and  steale,  that
he  myght  have  wherwith  to  do  almes  dedes?  No  more  is  it
laufull  for  a  man  to  withdrawe  hym  sylfe  from  the  workes  of

1  but.  2  neighbours.  3  =  advantage.  Siehe  Hall  iw  eil,  J.  0.  A
Dict.  of  Archaic  and  Prov.  Words.  Lond.  1847.  Vol.  I.  p.  370.  lind  Stratmann,
F.  H.  A  Dict.  of  the  old  Engl,  language  compiled  from  writings  of  the  XIII.,
XIV.  and  XV.  Cent.  Krefeld.  1867.  p.  211.  4  chapter.  5  but.  6  never.