ath. I wis, if it had pleased
him, he might have saved us and never felt pain; but in suffering pains
and death he did give us example, and teach us how we should do one for
another, as he did for us all; for, as he saith himself, "he that will be
mine, let him deny himself, and follow me, in bearing my cross and
suffering my pains." Wherefore we must needs suffer pain with Christ to
do our neighbour good, as well with the body and all his members, as with
heart and mind.

Now I trust you wot what your card meaneth: let us see how that we can
play with the same. Whensoever it shall happen you to go and make your
oblation unto God, ask of yourselves this question, "Who art thou?" The
answer, as you know, is, "I am a christian man." Then you must again ask
unto yourself, What Christ requireth of a christian man? By and by cast
down your trump, your heart, and look first of one card, then of another.
The first card telleth thee, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not be
angry, thou shalt not be out of patience. This done, thou shalt look if
there be any more cards to take up; and if thou look well, thou shalt see
another card of the same suit, wherein thou shalt know that thou art
bound to reconcile thy neighbour. Then cast thy trump upon them both,
and gather them all three together, and do according to the virtue of thy
cards; and surely thou shalt not lose. Thou shalt first kill the great
Turks, and discomfort and thrust them down. Thou shalt again fetch home
Christ's sheep that thou hast lost; whereby thou mayest go both patiently
and with a quiet mind unto the church, and make thy oblation unto God;
and then, without doubt, he will hear thee.

But yet Christ will not accept our oblation (although we be in patience,
and have reconciled our neighbour), if that our oblation be made of
another man's substance; but it must be our own. See therefore that thou
hast gotten thy goods according to the laws of God and of thy prince. For
if thou gettest thy goods by polling and extortion, or by any other
unlawful ways, then, if thou offer a thousand pound of it, it will stand
thee in no good effect; for it is not thine. In this point a great
number of executors do offend; for when they be made rich by other men's
goods, then they will take upon them to build churches, to give ornaments
to God and his altar, to gild saints, and to do many good works
therewith; but it shall be all in their own name, and for their own
glo