rance of God, and blindness of heart, without repentance give themselves to all uncleanness.

The Apostle here useth great wisdom, in that he setteth the faults of others before their face, and maketh them abominable in their sight, and worthy to be reproved and condemned, although he might have laid to their charge and have reproved these Ephesians, for that they, seeing their faults condemned in others, much more should think worthy of condemnation in themselves, that which they condemned in others.

Mark the gentleness of Saint Paul, in that he desired them, when he might have commanded them, and his wisdom in that he affeareth them from sin, used among them by the example of others, and willeth they shall not follow the vanity of their own mind, lest they run in darkness and in obstinate blindness, ever desiring to sin, and continue in sin, and never to forsake sin and uncleanness, which is the most perilous vice that can be, and a sure sign that all such be utterly rejected of God and from his favour for evermore. Of this place we may learn, that those, that give themselves to vanity of their mind, and carnal pleasure, and will do whatsoever carnal lust moveth them to, do go from one sin to another, and heap up sin upon sin, and at the last, they come to this point, that they would not forsake sin, nor be sorry for it, nor repent, but ever continue with unsatiable lust and desire to sin. Therefore, follow not the vanity of your own mind, but God's word; walk not in ignorance, but in the light of the Gospel, that so clearly shineth, that you may walk surely, and in the truth.

Ver. 20-24. But ye have not so learned Christ, if so be ye have heard of him, and are taught of him, even as the truth is in Jesus. So then, as concerning the conversation in time past, lay from you that old

man, which marreth himself through deceivable lusts, but be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on that new man which is shapen after God in true righteousness and holiness.

Before, he sheweth in what vices evil men did walk, as in vanity of their minds, in ignorance, and darkness, in blindness of heart without all fear of God, without sorrow for sin, or any repentance, but in lust and pleasure ever to continue in sin. Now, he sheweth that they have not learned Christ so, that they should walk in sin; but that they should repent, and sin no more, nor follow any more their vanities of mind, or lusts, or uncleanness of body, nor other unlawful desires of the old man, but that they should put off the old man, and put on the new man, and be renewed with the Spirit of God which moveth to all virtue, as to faith, hope, charity, patience, meekness, long-suffering, unity, concord, peace, righteousness, equity, justice, cleanness, and to all holy conversation of life in all truth.

This place sheweth, who have truly learned Christ, surely all they which be taught of Christ to forsake sin, to mortify their carnal affections, and do put away sin and the old man with all his carnal lusts and affections, and mortify them by the truth, and walk in the truth according to the truth: those that do so, it is a sign that they have learned Christ, and put away the old man with all his concupiscence, and put on the new man which is made after God by justice and holiness; of the which we may learn, that it is of God that sinners repent them of their old evil, and now take a new life and lead an holy conversation.

The true knowledge of Christ, which is the truth, moveth us to forsake sin, in the which we have walked in times past for lack of knowledge, and in that we have obeyed our old man and his concupiscence too

much, which bringeth to death. (Gal. v. Rom. viii.) The affection of the flesh is death: therefore let us put away the old man with all his carnal desires or lusts, alway ready to sin and to swerve from the truth of God's word, and bring to death; and let us be renewed in the spirit and put on a new man made after God in all justice and virtue, that moveth us alway to virtue and goodness. By the putting away of the old man, he understandeth the putting away of all sin; as to put away vanity of mind, darkness, ignorance of God, blind obstinacy of heart, unsorrowfulness for sin, uncleanness, and all other vices, and in their places to put on virtues, and desire to follow God's word, with knowledge of it, and readiness to apply ourselves to do God's will and pleasure in all truth and justice. And such do appear to be renewed by the Spirit of God, whom their old life in sin did displease, and their new life in virtue doth please; whose minds are willing and glad to know the truth, and to live after the truth of God's word in all virtue and goodness.

Ver. 25-28. Wherefore, put away lying, and speak every man the truth with his neighbour; forasmuch as we are members one of another. Be angry, but sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the backbiter; he that hath stolen, let him steal no more, but let him labour rather, and do some good with his hands, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

The Apostle here exhorteth men to put away certain vices, and to take in their places virtue. First, he exhorteth men to put away lying; by lying, he understandeth all craft, subtilty, falsehood, and deceit in word or in deed, by the which, crafty men deceive others that be simple, or such as fear no craft, guile, or falsehood in bargaining; as in selling, buying, or in other business of the world necessarily to be used amongst men in this world; and under lying may

be

contained delaying of matters to deceive men, and to make them spend more money for the expedition of their matters. And in this he reproveth lawyers, and all others that delay matters for lucre sake.

Here are also reproved, all them that falsely accuse and slander others, that go about to deceive others by fair speaking, goodly words, or promises, when they intend to do nothing. Here is also reproved, all manner of flattery, or dissembling, yea, all perjury in selling of their ware; which vice is so commonly used, unpunished of God or of man, that in a manner it is counted a virtue, and he to be the best servant, that can with most perjury and greatest swearing, deceive his chapman. But let such repent and amend themselves, for God will not suffer unpunished his holy name so to be taken in vain, so unreverently to be brought for a testimony in a false matter and a dissembled purpose. God will not suffer perjury unpunished, but he will either punish it here in this world, or else in the world to come, or in both; in this world, and also in the world to come. And in this world, such perjured persons God punisheth often with corporal punishments, as with poverty, sickness, diseases, and with unfaithfulness, that they be least believed, that be most swearers.

Men were wont to cry out of them that did eat eggs, butter, milk, cheese, and otherlike white meat in Lent season, and held their peace at perjury, unreverence, taking the name of God in vain, and bringing it in to be witness or record in a false matter, for the which God threateneth punishment (Deut. v.), saying; "He that taketh the name of God in vain shall not be unpunished." At the breaking out of God's law, we hold our peace: at the breaking of man's law we cry out, and call them Lollards and heretics, that eat white meat in Lent season, which is a lawful thing by God's law, and may lawfully be done, so it be not

done with contempt of the authority, and with offence to weak persons, and against their conscience, thinking that thing unlawful, and yet eat it against conscience. To take the name of God in vain is alway unlawful, and forbidden by God's law.

Also, the Apostle not only forbiddeth lying, but he commandeth that men shall speak the truth, and that simply and plainly, without all dissembling in words and deeds, and to keep the profitable truth towards all men alway, as well in bargains as without, in buying and selling, chopping or changing. And here the Apostle teacheth, that it is the office of a faithful preacher, not only to reprove vice, used amongst men, but also to shew a medicine for every vice, and to heal every vice with its proper medicine, and to set virtue in the place of sin, sin being clearly put away.

This place reproveth them that go about to deceive their neighbours by craft, falsehood, subtilty, or by any crafty means, and specially those that be simple, and trust no falsehood, believing that no man would deceive them, if he might; but, alack! for pity, that craft, falsehood, and perjury is suffered of rulers and magistrates unpunished, as if they were not forbid of God, but at man's pleasure and will; so sin unpunished, is counted oftentimes to be no sin, or small sin, yea, peradventure, a virtue, a worldly wisdom, and a good worldly policy, and a sign of a wise fellow, that will thrive. So, to use craft and falsehood, is reckoned to be thrifty; but howsoever such thrive before the world, they thrive not before God Almighty, that forbiddeth such thrift, and condemneth all such thrivers, yea, as leasers and breakers of his law.

He sheweth the cause, why we should not use craft or falsehood, one to deceive another; the cause is, that we be members of one body; one member doth