The .iiii. Chapiter.
Maisters do vnto your seruauntes, that whiche is iuste, and equall, knowyng that ye also haue a maister in heauen.
AGayne ye that are maisters abuse not the authori∣tie gyuen you by mennes lawes, & not for any per∣feccion of nature, to exercise tyranny vpō your ser∣uauntes, but gyue them that is iust and lawfull, departyng with them sufficiently, in suche thynges as are for naturall vses necessarye, & make not for your pleasure to muche of some, intollerablye op∣pressing other, assuring your selues, that ye are ra∣ther with them felowes in seruice, thā maisters, for asmuche as ye haue with them one commen maister in heauen, at whose hāde ye shal fīde like fauer, as your selues haue shewed to your seruātes.
Cōtinue in prayer & watche in the same, wt thākes giuing, praying also for vs, that god maye open vnto vs the doore of vtteraunce, that we maye speake the misterie of Christe, (wherfore I am also in these bōdes) that I maye vtter it, as it becommeth me to speke.
And because I would ye should be more worthie mēbres of Christes bo∣dy, continue in prayer, not as dull & heauy people by reason of any surfet∣tyng, but as sober & wakefull, in the same also geuyng god thankes, so y• ye not only desyer of god thinges to saluaciō profitable, but also gyue him thankes for his dayly giftes, to the intēt that whē he seeth you both thāk∣full & mindefull, he maye be towarde you more beneficiall. In the meane tyme ye shal also desyre god for vs, yt it maye please his goodnes in suche sorte to take awaye al impedimentes, that his gospel maye freely be prea∣ched, y• he through faith openyng mennes heartes the misterie maye enter into al mennes mindes which beyng hitherto hidden, y• father would now haueknowen vnto all, as touchyng Christe, through whom without helpe of the law he offereth vnto al people saluacion, for preaching wherof I lye in these bondes, so yt nothing lette me among al men to publish & sprede a∣brode y• gospel of Christ, which am desirouse so to do freely & wtout feare, euē as he cōmaūded me.
Walke wysely towarde them, that are without, and lose no oportunitie.
Vse your selues soberly & discretly with suche, as are to Christes religiō straungers, so that in your maners nothing appeare, y• maye either moue them to persecute you, or withdrawe theyr myndes & fauer from the gos∣pel. For synce it can not be auoyded, but that ye must nedes with Heathēs, be conuersaūt, and with them liue familierly, let them in you fynde, that through your new profession ye are in all poyntes becommē therby better & more courteyse, namely yf any suche thing chaūce, wherin wtout breache of religion ye maye do them pleasure. Nowe must we specially for the pre∣sent tyme endeuour, that all be allured to the profession of the gospell.