clothed with a cloude and the raynebowe vpon his hed And his face as it were yâ— Sunne and his feâ—e as it were pyllers of fyre and he had in his hande a lytle boke open and he put his right fote vpon the sea and his lefte fote on the yearth And cried with a loude voyce as when a Lion roreth And when he had cried vii thonders spake their voyces And when the seuen thonders had spoken their voyces I was about to write And I hearde a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Seale vp those thinges which the. vii thonders spake and write theÌ„ not THis strong angel can sygnifye none other thing but our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche reueled suche a vision vnto S. Iohn for the profyte and comfort of the faithfull churche and congregacion and for a warnyng vnto the synfull world For he it is whiche in suche an euil tyme and in suche great perplexyte and dangerous warrefare of the christen churche vpon earth commeth downe from heauen to ayde and succour it according vnto his promes And he appeareth vnto S. Iohn euen as thoughe he were commynge downe from heauen clothed with a very manyfest and visible cloude whiche signifyeth his holy manhode euen as he went vp also vnto heauen and dwelleth with vs with his grace ayde and prouydence The raynebowe sygnifieth his heauenly imperious crowne and his gracious gouernauÌ„ce ouer his faithful electe for the whiche he is carefull and sorowfull with mercye and daylye ayde in all thinges necessarye and expedient for them His face and countenaunce is bryght pleasant and full of mercye euen lyke vnto the sonne For he himselfe is the sonne of the worlde that is to saye the comfort delyght ioye and felicitie of all faithful And againe mighty stronge and rightuous in all his iudgementes towardes yâ— godlesse and wicked whiche he stampeth in peces and burneth them with fire that can neuer be quenched This same Iesus Christ our Lorde and sauiour is come againe from heauen with his lytle meke euangelycall booke namely with the newe testament in the whiche the olde is also comprehended This booke is contemptuous and of no estimacion vnto the sage wyse philosophers highe lerned doctors and pompous proude prelates in so muche that it was cleane lost out of the tempelles for a great space euen as it was in yâ— tyme of Ieremye the prophete beyng songe yearely in their monasteries colleges as their vowes and rules wherunto they were sworne required but without all maner of vnderstandynge or feruentnes of the spirite whiche should be sought and necessarilie required in holy scripture This boke dothe Christ bring â–ª being garnisshed not outwardly with golde siluer and precious stones for a face and a shewe onely so that no man can reade in it as thoughe it were sufficient onely to kysse it but he shal bring it open that euery man maye reade and vnderstaÌ„de it in their owne mother tong and also in all scholes where children are taught He it is that is come into this worlde and hath set his feete vpon al the earth and also in the Iles of the sea whiche were before vnknowen â–ª euen lyke as the true faithe also was which was readyly ioyfully receyued of them whiche before knewe nothing at all and were more ignorant and vnlearned than they that came from the grecians and Romaynes Whiche thing maye be vnderstanden by the left and the right foote And what maye better be vnderstanden by the loude voyce than the great noyse which the holy Byble maketh at suche tyme as it is spred abrode in all speches and tonges ouer hundrethes and thousandes of people in so short tyme to the great wonder and meruell of all faithfull and to the hyghe furtheraunce and edyfieng of the christen doctrine and of the knowledge of God and to the vtter confusion and feare of the whole diuilyshe and hellyshe flocke and congregacion euen as a Lyon of the stocke of Iuda And immediately therupon came vii thonders that is to saye the moost godly and christen interpreters of holy scripture were famous throughout the whole worlde as were these Ambrose Austen Ierom Gregory Cypriane Hylarie and diuerse other whiche in our tyme haue written and taught as excelleÌ„tly and profytablye in the churche and congregacion of Christ as euer they dyd These haue taught and brought into lyght the worde of God very purely and sincerely notwithstandyng whatsoeuer the schole writers and sophysters the pompous byshops and monkyshe mumry haue many yeres decreed dyuised to the contrary with their vncerten and vnstable doctrine fayned ceremonyes fonde tradicions newe strange articles of the faythe whiche haue no grounde in gods worde and cleane contrarye bothe to the vsage and also to the doctrine of the holy auncient fathers in the prymatiue churche And where it is nowe added that it shoulde not be written what these thonders spake let other vnderstande it as they wyll I thinke and coniecture that it is a prophecye of the noble and excellent gyfte of God yâ— science of Prynting geuen first vnto the Germaynes whiche were estemed the moost rude and barbarous people By and thorowe whome not onely the newe testament hath bene renewed interpreted translated euen out of the very naturall fountaine tong wherin it was wrytten but also the whole olde testament out of yâ— holy Hebrew tong Besydes this all these before named many other teachers and wryters of the holy churche went first out into the worlde and bothe with worde and deede noysed abrode the power of the gospell so that the renewynge therof can not be ascribed vnto those onely whiche preache and teache in our tyme but vnto the holy bysshops of the primatyue churche whiche preached and taught first of all throughout the whole christendome where as now all our bysshops for the moost parte are domme and blynde in all godly doctrine vtterly drowned in worldly pompe lustes pleasures and in all wicked dyssolutenes The texte ¶ And the Angell whiche I sawe stande vpon the sea vpon the earth lyfte vp his hande to heauen and sware by him that lyueth for euer more whiche created heauen the thinges that therin are and the sea and the thinges whiche therin are that there should be no lenger tyme but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shall begynne to blowe euen the mysterye of God shal be fynished as he preached by his seruauntes the prophetes Christe taketh anothe and sweareth by God his heauenly father euen with great earnest feruencye and holynes that the tyme of his glorious laste comminge to iudge all the worlde bothe quicke and dead is nowe alreadye nighe and at hande And whan the victorye that was prophecyed to be fulfylled of Antichrist which victorye the seuenth angel Christ him selfe or his spirite that was yet to come in Helyas before the last daye must blowe forth accordinge vnto his office were once past than
him But this temple of God is the holy christen churche and congregacion in this tyme of trouble dyscencion and batell and participacion of the blisse of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe vnto them that wynne and beare awaye the victorye The Arke of the testamente is the blessed and holy manhode of Christ vnited and knit in one with the godlye nature of the euerlasting word of God which is and euer hath bene yâ— Mercye stoole of all the worlde and of al men and the onely comforte refuge and ioye of the faythfull electe But the lyghtenynge the noyse of the voices the thonderynge and earthequake with the great hayle maye sygnifie the terryble damnacion of the wicked for euer or els it maye sygnifie a synguler ernest and wonderfull preparacion of the hearer or of the reader lyke as was of the holy Apostle S. Iohn whiche sawe it to marke and consyder it the more dilygentlye For it is necessarye to marke and consyder suche reuelacions and visions as doe folowe vpon suche tokens the lyke whereunto happened sometymes also vnto the prophetes as the holy scripture declareth The texte ¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moâ—e vnder her fete vpoÌ„ her heade a crowne of .xii. starres And she was with childe cried trauayling in birthe and pained ready to be delyuered And there appeared another wonder in heaueÌ„ for beholde a great red dragon hauing .vii. heddes ten hornes .vii. crounes vpon his heades his tayle drue yâ— thirde part of yâ— starres cast them to yâ— earth As in the prophetes of the olde testament the first dyd write more plainely and manifestly than the last whiche are muche harder to be vnderstanded as Ezechiel Daniel and zacharie are muche harder than Esaye and Ieremy EueÌ„ so in the new testament in this prophetycall boke the latter prophecies reuelacions and visions are more playne and easy to be vnderstanded thaÌ„ the first in so muche as this vision maye in manner be an interpretacioÌ„ of those visions that went before This heauen wherin this great token dyd appeare must nedes be the kyngdome of heauen the christen churche congregacion and felowshyp of all faithfull from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof as Christ him selfe doth interprete it The woman of whome the angell here speaketh is the euerlasting mighty and blissed worde of god whiche is bryght and mightye as the Sunne wherunto all the vnderstanding of man and of all fleshe is subiecte And it is clothed and garnysshed with the faith and confession of the patriarkes â–ª prophetes Apostles and martirs bothe of the olde and of the newe testament This word of God the holy gospel promised vnto vs from the begynnynge and beleued hath performed and thorowe the mercye and goodnes of God hath brought forthe and borne vnto vs Christe the sauiour of the worlde or the true faith in Christ But this came not to passe before suche time as nonother saluacion coulde in any wyse be founde thorow the workes of the lawe throughe the sacrifices nor throughe all other good workes For none of them all had power to satisfye or to make holy but onely the righteousnes of the worde of God that became man namely our sauiour Christe the sonne of God and of Marye whiche had bothe the nature of God and of man in one onely person whiche made satisfaccion for al mankynde This beyng with childe is in this place as muche as an earnest lust and desyre The cryeng is prayer As the holy prophetes dyd euermore desyre this saluacion trusted throughe belefe in yâ— worde of God vnto the promes yâ— was made vnto the whole worlde Against this holy worde of God and this christen faithe dyd appeare an other token in the congregacioÌ„ of the churche beyng called of God namely a bloudy dragon and enemye of mans saluacion and of the true faithe in Christ whiche is yâ— wicked spirite Lucifer his felowshyp by whose .vii. heades is sygnified all blasphemies and wickednes wherwith he worketh all myschiefe And the .x. hornes doe sygnifye his great and manyfolde tyrannye wherby he worketh to hynder and hurt the true faythe and the gospell of Iesus Christ the onely sauiour wherunto he is an enemye an aduersarye with all his might power so farre as almightye God wyll permyt and suffer him whiche he taketh to helpe him namely the louers frendes and gredy folowers of this worlde vngodlye tyrannes againste all godly innocencye and christen faithe This dragons tayle sygnifieth the might power and ministers of the deuell wherby he dysyreth to hurt the electe yf God woulde suffer it as it is possible that he maye that they shoulde fall from the heauenly vertue and godlines vnto the loue of this worlde and vnto earthly and fleshely lustes and affeccions The texte ¶ And the dragon stode before the woman whiche was readye to be delyuered for to deuourt her chylde as sone as it were borne And she brought forthe a man childe whiche shoulde rule all nacions with a rodde of yron And her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his seate And the woman fled into wildernes where she had a place prepared of god that they shoulde fede her there a M.ii. hundred and .lx. dayes The wycked spirite dyd bestowe all his might and power that the promyse of God thorowe the dysobedience of the children of Israell whome he alwayes stirred vp might come to none effecte and that yâ— trueth of God might be dysappoynted and that the faythe in Christ in whome our saluacion dothe consyste might be blemysshed and confounded and also that the gospell might be myxed with mans doctrine interpretacions and errours But the goodnes truth mercye faythfulnes and loue of God is greater than the power and wickednes of the deuell and of al his subtilties and ministers For the childe was borne goddes worde became man truth had the victorye and falsehede laye on yâ— grounde vnder fote The craft and subtiltie of the deuell was defeated by the wysdome of God and was opened and dysclosed vnto the worlde This childe Christ the euerlasting worde of God whiche became man in the moost holy wombe of the virgin Marye was receyued and taken of God the father throughe grace for the satisfaccion of the synne of al the world and he dyd merite and deserue with his highe and most perfyte obedience and humblenes the glorye of yâ— heauenlye father and the kyngdome of heauen wherin he ruleth for euer and euer But the truth of the christen faith religion and of the gospell of Christ dyd alwaies suffre extreme sorowe and payne beyng persecuted euen at the first of the Iewes of the false Apostles of false and coloured christians of Emperours and Kynges of workemongers of false and wicked bysshops of Sorcerers and nigromansers of Sarasens of ydolaters and Epicures of philosophers of the louers
father of moste famous memory moste valeauntly begonne Certes whan I loke behinde me and call to remembraunce but euen the shorte daies of my tyme how sore we haue bene blynded seduced and hindred from the true waye of Christes doctrine how strongly the wicked delusion of Antichriste according to S. Paules prophecie hath preuailed what sectes of perdicion what deuelishe doctrines what straunge inuencions of corrupte menne what vayne pylgremages what offerynges and lyghtes to stockes and stones what costly deckyng lyckinge censinge and worshipping of ymages what horrible abusing of gods holy sacramentes and good creatures with thousandes moe inconueniences that moste wicked beast of Rome hathe brought specially in to thys youre realme howe shamefully and presumtuously euen after the nature of proude Lucifer he hathe vsurped the Imperiall power therof how horryblye he hathe abused the Maiestie of the kynges your highnesse moste noble progenitours in this your realme of Englande howe cruelly also and vnreuerently he and his hathe dealte with theyr moste Royall personnes yea and howe theâ—ishlye vnder the colour of gods seruyce he hath robbed both them and theyr good herted subiectes of theyr substaunce goodes Thus my moste deare soueraigne whan I remembre this moste lamentable case wherein your graces realme hath bene and considre now againe on the other syde the moste pleasaunt shape and bewtifull face of the same as conceâ—nynge the deare knowlege of god in your Maiesties most gracious proceadinges moste like vnto the prosperous raigne of the blessed kinge Iosias I fynde myselfe most dette bound and so doe all other youre graces trewe subiectes esteme them selues without doubte not onely with all thankefulnesse moste humbly to embrace suche inestymable kyndnesse of God but also to sprede the same abrode and that in suche a godly and quyet sorte as maye serue moste to the sainctifiyng and halowing of hys holy name to the furtheraunce of hys kingdome to the encoraging of other men to increase in the knowlage of his good pleasure and will and gladly to obeye the same Considering then that your Maiestie is in the saide most godlie worke of the Lordes Tabernacle all ready youre worthy counsaillours officers seruauntes and other your heauenly endewed subiectes bothe of the clargie of the laitie bringing to the same some gold some siluer some brasse sum other presentes c. according to the measure of such giftes as Almightie god hath richely reposed in them youre trew and faithfull subiectes the Translatours and Printer of this right fruteful volume coÌ„teining the Paraphrasis of the famous Clarke Erasmus vpon the Epistles of the holy Apostles moste humblye offre vnto your highnesse their trewe and faithfull diligence herein and that with such chereful hertes glad and good willes as they trust youre Royall Maiestie after the ensample of noble Moses will bothe blesse and graciously accepte According as your pryncely benignitie can not but fauoure those that desyre none other wyse to spende theyr time saue onely as may be moste to the glory of god and to the discharge of the duties of the vnfayned loue and obedience that they within hys feare do owe to your grace The comfortable remembraunce of the whiche moste vertuous disposicion in your Royall Maiestie hathe greatly encoraged me as I was desyred moste humblye to wryte thys litle epystle vnto the same and not so muche to be afrayed thus to doe at the respecte of myne owne greate vnworthynesse as I was moued therto thorowe the most plentifull grace of almightie god and incomparable clemencye whiche is so notablye placed in your highnesse For all we your graces trewe faythfull and louynge subiectes that beholde and se how lyke ye are vnto the auncient Kynges and Princes as Moses Iosua Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias and such other in the moste rightfull and wholesome administracion of your highe Imperiall office can not but as to oure greate comforte we finde it all ready euen so still to loke for like prosperous successe of welth felicitie with increase and contynuaunce Whiche in dede muste nedes ensue and folowe amongst vs yf thorowe the wicked perswasyon of Sathan and corrupte examples of the world we our selues increase not in vnthankfulnesse As for your moste Royall Maiestie like as it is called of God to thys supreme office of gouernyng his people and enclyned by the moste blessed mocion of his holy spirite still to excute the same in al gracious wise Euen so proceading therin your highnesse may be assured to haue the same most gracious defence from god with like prosperous increase of his moste excellent giftes that the sayd noble kinges were partakers of The eternall euerliuing god possessor of heauen and erthe strengthen and establish your highnesse in suche sorte as maye be moste to the glory of his holy name to the increase of his kyngdome to the cherefull perfourmynge of hys wyll to the honour and quietnesse of your Maiestie and fynallye to the comforte and welthe of all youre louynge subiectes Your Maiesties most humble and faithfull subiecte Myles Couerdall Amen ⧠A prologe vpon the Epistle of Sainct Paule to the Romaynes FOr as much as thys epistle is the principall and moste excellente parte of the newe testament and moste pure Euangelion that is to saye glad tydinges and that we call Gospell and also a light and a waye in vnto the whole scripture I thinke it mete that euery Christen man not only know it by rote and without the boke but also exercyse hym selfe therein euermore continually as with the dayly breade of the soule No man verely can rede it to ofte or studye it to well for the more it is studyed the easier it is the more it is shewed the pleasanter it is and the more groundely it is serched the precyouser thynges are founde in it so greate treasure of spirituall thynges lyeth hyd therin I will therfore bestowe my laboure and diligence thorow this lytel preface or Prologue to prepare a waye in there vnto so farforth as God shal geue me grace that it maye be the better vnderstande of euery man For it hathe bene hetherto euyll darckened with gloses and wonderfull dreames of Sophisters that no man coulde spie out the entent and meaning of it Which neuerthelesse yet of it selfe is a bryght lyght and sufficient to geue light vnto all the scripture Fyrst we muste marke diligentlie the maner of speaking of the Apostle and aboue all thing know what Paul meaneth by these wordes the Law Syn Grace Faith Righteousnes Flesh sprite such like or els rede thou it neuer so ofte thou shalt but lose thy labour This word Law may not be vnderstand here after the coÌ„mune maner to vse Paules terme after the maner of men or after mans waies that thou wouldest say the law here in this place wer nothing but learning which teacheth what ought to be done what ought not to be done as it goeth with mans lawe where the law is fulfilled with
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
thankes to him that sate on the seate whiche lyueth for euer and euer the foure and twentye elders fel downe before him that sate on the trone worshypped him that lyueth for euer cast their crownes before the trone sayinge thou arte worthye O lorde our god to receaue glorye and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy wylles sake they are were created One creature geueth euermore occasion to another to knowe and to honour by al meanes possyble the vnsearcheable highe maiesty power wysoome and mercy of the onely creatour and maker al the world knowledgyng al goodnes that can be founde or sene in all maner of creatures to come onely of God whiche is the well sprynge of all goodnes And for that cause he is onely to be honored inuocated and feared with all reuerence and submission as muche as euer is possible for al creatures to performe which haue all that they haue what soeuer it be lyfe power actiuite and altogether of god and can ascribe nothing that good is vnto them selues The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe in the right hande of him that sate in the trone a boke wryten within and on the backe syde sealed with seuen seales And I sawe a stronge aungell whiche preached with a loude voyce Who is worthy to open the boke and to lose the seales therof And no man in heauen nor in erth nether vnder yâ— erth was able to open yâ— boke nether to loke theron And I wepte muche because no man was founde worthy to open to reade yâ— boke nether to loke theron And one of the elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde a lyon of the trybe of Iuda the rote of Dauid hath optayned to open the boke to loce the seuen seales therof THis boke in the hande of god is the holy scripture and doctrine of god inspired by the holy goost written thorowe the prophetes sealed vp and vnknowen vnto all men whiche wyll enterpryse to reade and interprete it after their naturall reason and after the capacyte of their owne suttyll wittes onely whether it be after the spirituall sence or after the very letter For yâ— which cause fewe of the cyuyll and polytique learned men geuen altogether vnto worldly wysedom dyd euer but lytle medle with this booke or beare any minde vnto it And therfore Ezechiel and Daniel were commaunded to set a locke vpon it notwithstandynge that this booke is the truth necessarye and profytable for al the electe children of god to beleue But that man alone and none els can open this booke at all tymes whiche hath the spirite of Christ neyther dyd any other euer open it from the begynnynge For lyke as Christ was alwayes present with the Patriarkes and Prophetes in al suche thinges as concerned his honour rulynge instructyng yâ— faythful churche thorow faythe Euen so was the spirite of god present in all the electe plentyfullye to directe them in al matters concerning the necessitie of their saluacion althoughe secretly not manyfestly Wherfore truly this booke is shut vp vnto all worldly and natural reason not onely vnto the heathen but also vnto the fleshely Iewes with their stony hartes as the most part of them were and vnto all suche as without the spirite of Christe doe enterpryse to medle with the wrytinges of holy scripture And therfore Iohn bewayleth the ignoraunce and blyndnes of the Iewyshe people and that not without a cause But yet this comforte hath he that it wyll amende and be better at suche tyme as the spirite of Christe thorowe the merytes of the death and passion of Christ shall take awaye the blyndnes of all maner of errours bothe of the heathen and of the Iewes And then thorowe the spirite of god in the apostles shall be opened the mysteries of the holy gospel which were hidden in tholde testament not onely vnto the good Iewes but also vnto the heathen whersoeuer they dwel in yâ— world This hath Iesus Christ yâ— sauiour of yâ— world deserued brought to passe with his lyonyshe might with his shepâ—she symplicitie mekenes with his pacience wyllyng passion eueÌ„ according as the prophetes dyd tell signifie long before And specially Iacob in his blessing ouer the trybe of Iuda For the which cause Christ is called a Lion of yâ— tribe of Iuda And he is also named of Esay and of other prophetes of Dauids stocke As S. Mathew declareth in the genealogie of the birth of Christ yâ— he is not onely the sonne of Abraham and Iacob but also the sonne of Dauid The texte ¶ And I behelde lo in the myddes of the seate of the foure beastes in the myddes of the elders stode a lambe as thoughe he had bene kylled hauynge seuen hornes seueÌ„ eyes which are the seuen spirites of god sent inâ—o al the world And he came toâ—e the boke our of the right hande of him that sate vpon the seate And when he had taken the boke yâ— foure beastes .xxiiii. elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one of them harpes golden vyalles full of odoures which are the prayers of sainctes and they songe a newe longe saying thou art worthy to take the boke to open the seales thereof for thou wast killed and hast redemed vs by thy bloude our of al kinredes tonges people nacions and hast made vs vnto oure god kynges and priestes and we shall raygne on the earthe By the declaracion of the wordes before maye this that foloweth wel euideÌ„tly be vnderstande Euen as yâ— foure euangelistes haue described Christ to be the lambe yâ— was woryed slayne ful of the giftes of yâ— holy goost accordynge vnto the nomber of yâ— seueÌ„ principal articles of our christen faith coÌ„cerning Christ namely of his manhode his passion his buriall his resurreccioÌ„ his ascensioÌ„ the sendynge of the holy goost his coÌ„mynge at the latter daye to iudge the whole worlde All whiche articles are spred a brode knowe vnto the whole world and once receyued thorowe the gospel preaching of the Apostles And thus is the desyre of al the holy patriarkes prophetes fulfilled whiche desyred nothinge more hartely thaÌ„ the manifestacion of the honour of god the true knowledge loue religion of the very true onely one god Whiche thing is come to passe thorow the spreadyng abrode of the gospel thus is the swete smellyng oblacioÌ„ of thanckes geuynge institute begon in al the world all maner of old stynekyng ydolatry is abolyshed And thorowe Christe his holy Apostles the true honour and religion of god is spred abrode preserued And the synne of al the world is cleane wyped away thorow the bloude of Christ once offered vpoÌ„ the crosse And the errors and supersticion of al people with all false seruice of god is vtterly suppressed the rightuousnes of the true faith is restored the
the spirit and the bryde say come And let him that heareth say also come And let him that is a thirste come And let whosoeuer wyll take of the water of lyfe free Lyke as almightie God saieth vnto Moyses I am the God of thy fathers â–ª c. euen so saieth the angell here in the person of Christe by the inspiracion of Christes spirite that this prophecy was opened and reueled euen of Christ him selfe thorowe the angell vnto holy Iohn and therfore all men ought to credyte and beleue all these sightes visions and reuelacions And they ought also to be propouned and preached vnto the congregacions for their edifienge that the faithfull maye take diligent hede and beware of the terryble and shameful perels daungers and euyls which shal preuayle in the christen church and shortly aryse and beginne as is alredy happened and shall daylye be fulfylled more and more one after a nother as is before sayd But now howe Christ is yâ—â—oole of Dauid marke this wel for as much as for his sake Dauids kingdom was preserued and his posterite also was preserued in the extreme and troblesome affliccions of the Iewishe nacion vntyll suche tyme as Christ our lorde sautout was borne of the stocke and progeny of Dauid For not withstandynge all the synnes wherwith Dauid dyspleased God and dyd in maner greater and more heynous synnes than Saule dyd yet coulde he vse the helpe of no nother thing fauynge onely of faith in the promes of God whiche assured and promised him that Christ the lorde and promised Messâ—as should be borne of his seede wherin he might well reioyse bothe for him selfe and also for al his posteritie other Kynges and Lordes And therfore our lord sauiour Christ is the tooâ—e and generacion of Dauid by reason of his manhode but concernyng his godheade he hath an vnknowen rysinge vp and begynnynge and an vnknowen commynge furthe of an euerlastinge birthe And lykewyse Christ accordynge to his manhode is a bryght mornynge starre whiche should drawe and allure the eyes of al men vnto him as vnto the risyng vp vnto blisse and vnto all saluacion All this is the voyce of Christ â–ª the brydegrome And now foloweth the voyce and desyre of the bryde and spouse whiche out of a true faithe and an heartye desyre and zeale in all faithfull and electe desireth and wyssheth after the seconde comminge of Christ vnto the latter iudgement and so consequently to inioy the participacion of the blessed and perfyte kyngdome in heauen with all faithfull electe bothe with bodye and soule For all the electe children of God doe hunger and thirst after the honour and glorye of Christ in the kingdome of heauen as well they that are vpon earthe as they that are already in heauen â–ª for they wyshe and desyre in their spirite the fulfyllyng of gods wyll and pleasure wherunto with all humblenes and submission they doe vtterly submitte their wyll for they knowe that his wyll is best and moost perfyte And this desire and wyshe of the faithfull electe â–ª pleaseth God well And althoughe he wyl not heate them at suche tyme as they desyre euen at the very same Moment yet he dothe promyse vnto them his gracious ayde and mercye in the meane tyme whiche he wyll doutles performe And all of mere grace and mercye without any maner of deserte The texte ¶ I testifye vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophecye of this booke yf any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shal adde vnto him the plages that are written in this booke And yf any man shall minishe of the workes of this prophecye God shal take awaye his patre out of the dooke of lyfe and out of the holy â—â—â—â—e and from the thinges whiche are written in this boke He whiche testifieth these thinges saithe be it I come quâ—â—ly Amen Euen so come Lorde Iesu The grace of our Lord Iesu Christe be with you all Amen In this place first after the speakynge of Christ and againe after the speakynge of the holy bryde and of the christen churche maye the holy Apostle S. Iohn speake these wordes in his owne parson as he dyd in the begynnynge of the booke to warne and exhorte al men there by yâ— no man adde any thing vnto this booke as a new vision no more than to any other booke of holy scripture nor take any thing there from as thoughe any thing might be mysunderstande therin and so refused as vnholy and not good For God wyll not suffer any suche thing to be vnpunysshed nor vnaduenged this is the very intent meanyng of these wordes And therfore such men doe amysse and synne very greatly whiche doe refuse this whole booke as thoughe it were not autentical where as it is euident yâ— it hath bene alwayes songe and reade in yâ— holy churche from the begynnynge to the ende Now are those bookes called Apocripha and vnautenticall whiche men might well reade out of the churche priuately by them selues but not in the churche and congregacion Nor it is not lawfull to confirme and mainteyne any maner of doctrine concerninge our faithe and relygion by the auctoritie of any suche vnautenticall bookes except it were in all pointes conformable vnto other holy scriptures And now that that foloweth here after where as he sayeth he which testifieth these thinges saieth c. These wordes maye be referred vnto that that goeth before where Christ speaketh of the callynge of the bryde Euen the same Christe sayeth here at the last ende againe yea I come without doubte take no thought nor thincke it not long the tyme is not long vnto me whiche am that I am Amen that is to saye without any doubt After this dothe holy S. Iohn conclude and ende this booke after the maner of the apostles desiring eâ—nestly the commynge of the kyngdome of Christ â–ª very quickely as all faithfull Christians doe The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with all faithfull electe Christians whiche shall be vntyll the ende of the worlde and specially with them whiche reade this booke with faithe and an holy Christen desyre and mynde Amen ¶ The ende of the Reuelacion of S. Iohn thus brefely expounded by the seruaunt of Christ Leo Iude a minister in the churche of Tigury and translated out of the high Duche by Edmonde Alen. Num. xii Eccle. xlv Hebr. iii. Marke xii Luâ— xxi â— Cor. viii Put aparte for yâ— gospel By whoÌ„ we haue receiued grace and Apostleship c. Grace be with you c. For I loue to see you that I might c. I am debter bothe to the grekes and vngrekes For I am not ashamed of the gospel Abacuâ— â—â— Which withhold yâ— truthe â—n vnrighteousnes c. Because that whan they knew god c. And as they regarded not to knowe God c. Whiche men though they knewe the righteousnes of God c. But we are sure that the iudgement of God c. Either dispisest thou
people Christe whome without any mencion makyng of his godhed he calleth a man The thyrde cause of difficultie maketh I weene the often and soden chaunge of persones whyles he one whyle hath regard of the Iewes speakyng in their persons another while of the Gentiles suÌ„tyme of bothe parties nowe the ryght beleuers and then the faythles takyng vpon him sumtyme the weake sumtyme the strong persones parte sumtyme of the godly and sumtyme of the vngodly By meane wherof it coÌ„meth to passe that the reader wandering vppe and downe as it wer in wrenches or as some call it in a mismase diuersly tournyng and wyndyng neither seeth where he came in nor yet wel knoweth which waye to go out Insomuche that Origen both truly and properly me seameth lykeneth Paule to a man which bryngeth his frende into a very riche princes palace by tournyng of wayes secrete chambers very doubtfull and cumberouse and sheweth hym the great treasures and heapes of goodes sumwhat a farre of and some thinges setteth before his iyen and would haue sum thinges not sene at all oftetymes when he went in by one doore he goeth out at another so that the straunger his frende maruayleth whence he came where he is and whiche waye to get out This knew also sainct Peter in his seconde epistle saying that there wer in Paules epistles certayne pointes harde to be vnderstanden which the vnlearned and vnstable peruerted to theyr owne destruccion Herein haue we asmuche as in vs laye labored to exclude suche difficulties sauyng that sumthynges so peculiarly belong to Paules touÌ„gue that in some places they could not be chauÌ„ged of whiche sorte these be fayth grace the body the fleshe the members the spirite the mynde the sence to edifie with suche other lyke whiche as they should not vtterly be chauÌ„ged so haue we labored to molifie the hardnes of them asmuche as myght be But now let vs heare Paule hymself speakyng to the Romaynes or rather in them more grossely and playnlye to vs all The paraprase vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Romaines by Des Erasmus of Roterodame The first Chapiter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte for the gospel of God whiche he had promised afore by his prophetes in the holy scriptures of his sonne whiche was borne vnto him of the seede of Dauid after the fleashe and hath bene declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirit that sanctifieth synce the tyme that Iesus Christ our lorde rose againe from death by whom we haue receiued grace Apostleship that obedience might be geuen vnto the fayth in his name among all heathen of whose numbre you be the electe of Iesus Christ PAule euen I the very same so becomen of Saule that is to say of an vnquiet person a peacemaker of late subiect to Moses lawe now made fre therof and becomen the seruaunt of Iesus Christ not like a false souldiar that falleth from his capitain or one that like a truant forgoeth his olde profession but called foorth to do this message muche more to my coÌ„tentacion deuided now than at that tyme whaÌ„ I was a mainteiner of the deuided Pharisaical secte vpoÌ„ an vngodly zeale and light persuasion wanderyng out of the right way now and neuer before meete to be called by the surname of vnfained diuision as one deuided and chosen out by Christ him self to labour and trauaile in a muche more weyghtie matâ—er to preache I say the ioyfull tidynges of God whiche is no new found phaÌ„tasie but promised many yeres synce in his owne prophecies whiche remayne still in bookes of no smal credence but in suche as are of an holy and moste vndoubted trueth of his sonne whiche was touchyng his frayle manhed borne in tyme of the seede of Dauid and was neuerthelesse declared to be the euerlastyng sonne of God euerlastyng by the holy gooste as well appeared bothe by diuerse other profes as moostâ— specially by that he ouercame death and rose againe from the dead now becomen to al suche as in him are borne againe the prince and chiefe authour of resurreccion I meane Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we haue obtayned not onely suche fauer as the kepyng of the lawe could not help vs to but also in suche sorte to be his messagier that as by other Apostles Christes gospel hath bene spread abroad among the Iewes so may it by me likewyse be set foorth among all heathens whatsoeuer they be not to trouble them with the burdaine of the lawe but to make them yelde and submit them selfes obediently to the doctrine of Christes fayth stedfastly cleauyng therto not to the vaine wysedome of Philosophers of whiche noumbre of heathens ye Romaines are also touchyng your nacion but by adopcion fatheryng called all to the right title of inheritaunce surname of Iesus Christ whiche point I incidently geue you warnyng of leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square whiche through a fauorable and gentle fatheryng are now made one mans children The texte ¶ To all you that be at Rome beloued of God and called sainctes grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ To al you therfore as many as be at Rome the dearely beloued children of God and to suche as from your former synful life are called to godlynes grace and peace wyshe I vnto you not suche as the worlde coÌ„monly wysheth but a substancial and a new grace that is to wete the fre gift of fayth taught by the gospel perfectly iustifiyng and by it through the vtter abolishement of al the offeÌ„ces of your former life a quiet peace of conscience and a stedfast peace and frendship with God whiche twoo are neither gotten by any helpe of worldly wysdome nor yet by keapyng of Moses lawe but are obteined of al menne by the free gifte of God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The texte First verely I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your fayth is spoken of in all the worlde For God is my wytnes whom I serue with my spirite in the gospel of his sonne that without ceasyng I make mencion of you praiyng alwayes in my prayers besechyng that by some meane at laste one tyme or other a prosperouse iourney by the wyl of god might fortune me to cum vnto you For I long to see you â— I might bestowe among you some spiritual gifte to strength you withal that is that I might haue consolacion together with you through the common fayth whiche bothe ye and I haue And fyrst of all verely in all your names I rendre thankes to God the father whiche through Christ his sonne hath geuen you this that ye whiche heretofore wer faythles are now through your fayth in great renoume in all the worlde and muche spoken of Whiche reporte certaynly for
they leade or els because that suche were so cōmen that if a man would auoyde theyr company he should be able to be in no company at all And this entreateth he of in the fyfte Chapter Thrydely he sheweth his mynde concernyng sutes of the lawe that if among them any suche accion rose as it were a shame there should among christians to stryue for money which menne should lytle sette by that they should not suffer the matter to goe so farre as to haue it hearde before heathen iugdes but to finishe it among themselfes by the arbitremente of any suche as they thought mete And this entreateth he of in the sixt Chapter whereof a great parte in myne opinion belongeth to the seuenth euen from that place where he being aboute to entreate of matrimonie among other vices condemneth fornicacion aduoutrye and buggorie and this matter prosecuteth he vntill the beginnyng of the nexte Chapter where he sayeth knowe ye not that your membres are the Temple of Christe Fourthly he instructeth them touchyng matrimonie wydowhead vnequall mariage diuorces virginitie by the way warnyng that for christian religions sake they should not goe aboute to chaunge the ciuile state of theyr lyfe In all which treatyse he so encourageth them to single lyfe and chastitie that yet he denieth not the reamydie of mariage to suche as haue nede therof and this doth he in the seuēth Chapter Fiftly he declareth that the flesh offred to Idolles in very dede nothing differeth from other and yet must we abstayne from them if any ieopardy be leste any heathen or weake christian be present which by reason of thyne eatyng is lyke to thynke that thou fauourest Idolatry From suche and other lyke vices dissuadeth he by olde examples And this doeth he in the eight and in parte of the nineth Chapter For in the myddes he entreth into the prayse of himselfe couertly auauncyng his authoritie aboue other Apostles euen aboue the chiefe of them which only among all the rest freely taught the Corinthians the doctryne of the gospell Sixtly teacheth he what were mete to be done in the comen metinges of christians that is to witte that the menne should not haue long heare nor the women be bare headed and that also in the Lordes souper all thinges should be commen and equall shewyng them that it was no bealy matter that there was in hande whiche were more mete to be prouided for at home but in that spirituall feast was represented the souper of the Lorde Furthermore he warneth that none of them be proude for any spirituall gyfte but that euery of them should bestowe his gyfte for the cōmen weale of the churche exhortyng them by the exaumple of the membres of the body soberly to vse other gyftes specially yet laboring for the gifte of charitie without whom other are not onely not good but also hurtful So that among the gyftes of the spirite he geueth the chiefe preeminence to charitie and the nexte to prophecie for by that name calleth he the gyfte of expoundyng holy scripture biddyng them in the vse of this gyfte to auoyde all vnquiet disordre and confusion As he sayth they should if but fewe spake at once and that by course chargeing their wemen in the meane season to holde their peace in somuche that in the cōgregacion he suffreth not them to aske no not for their learnyng All this speaketh he of in the. xi xii xiii and .xiiii. Chapters Seuenthly with dyuerse argumentes he proueth the resurreccion of the dead declaring how and after what maner it shal be and this doeth he in the .xv. Chapter In the last Chapter speaketh he of certayne familiar thinges that is to wit of geuyng of money towarde the reliefe of the poore and of his cūmyng agayne to Corynthe And finally he commendeth vnto them Timothe and certayne other Saincte Ambrose thinketh that this is not the firste Epistle that Saincte Paul wrote to the Corinthians coniecturing so as I thinke by that is written in the firste Chapter I wrote vnto you in an Epistle as though he had before written vnto them of these matters in other letters albeit the Greke interpreters dissente Some thynke that this Epistle was sente by Tim othe because of him mencion is made once or twyes and by Stephana Fortunatus and Achaicus whom he commendeth vnto them Some againe because it is wrytten at the latter ende I will tary at Ephesus vntill the fiftyeth daye suppose that it was sent from Ephesus Some againe thinke that it was sent from Philippos for that title haue the Greke bookes And yet cānot I coniecture with what reason they were ledde that so thought onlesse they gather that it was written by the waye because Paul sayeth I wyll come to you when I go ouer to Macedonia for I will go through Macedonia And straight after for I will not see you no we in my passage ¶ The ende of the argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the first Epistle of the Apostle S. Paule to the Corinthians The .i. Chapiter The texte Paule called an Apostle of Iesus Christe through the will of God and brother Sostenes Vnto the congregacion of God which is at Corinthum To them that are sanctified by Christe Iesu called sainctes with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place ether of theirs or of ours Grace bee vnto you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ I thanke my god alwaies on your behalfe for the grace of God which is geuen you by Iesus Christ that in all thinges ye are made riche by hym in all vtteraunce and in all knowelage by the which thynges the testimony of Iesus Christ was confirmed in you so that ye are behinde in no gift waityng for the apering of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall also strength you vnto the ende that ye maie bee blamelesse in the daye of the commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christe PAule no false Apostle nor vsurper of an Apostles auctoritie as some are among you but called to be the Ambassadoure of Christe and not the messanger of menne Called I saye not throughe myne owne deseruyng but only because it so pleased god the moste mercifull father by my ministerie to spreade abrode the honoure of his sonne whiche calling I certifie you of leste ye shoulde either mislyke me or bee desyrouse to haue an other Paule therfore euen I whome ye knowe well and also with me Sosthenes my brother by profession and felowe in office doe wryte this Epistle not to the sediciouse sectes that stryue one with another but to the congregacion of the churche whiche god of his goodnes at whose commaundemente I laboure in this embassie hathe steadfastly ioyned together in one accorde of mynde and suche mutuall charitie as beseemeth christians at Corinthe buyldyng in the olde citie a newe and an heauenlye placyng there in the steade of an earthlye an heauenlye companye that is to saye a companye purged and
glad tidynges vnto AbrahaÌ„ saying in the shal all nacions be blessed So then they whiche are of fayth are blessed with faythful Abraham Now marke and considre how this my saying scriptures many yeres gon testified and ment that is to wete that al men through fayth should loke for saluacion not onely a fewe Iewes by circumcision That now is preached vnto you by the gospel the same many hundreth yeres gone God promised to Abraham saying in the shal al nacions be blessed and wynne praise But now could it in no wyse be true that al nacions shuld be borne of Abraham and yet through him is the blessyng promised vnto all people as though all were his posteritie as they in dede be not because all are of his bloud and stocke but by resemblyng his fayth For it besemeth children to resemble their parentes Therfore suche as mistrustyng the ceremonies and workes of the lawe haue an vndoubted trust in the promises of the gospel as true children of AbrahaÌ„ shall with theyr faythful father enioy the blessyng promised vnto him from whiche suche shal be excluded as bastardes vnlawfully begotten more worthy to be cursed than blessed as by circumcision trust to be saued The texte For as many as are of the dedes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse For it is writteÌ„ Cursed be euery one that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe to fulfil them For as many as hang vpon the obseruaunces of Moses law whoÌ„ they kepe not in dede but breake are vnder all Goddes indignacion curse The Iewes selfe cannot deny this forasmuche as in the boke of Deuteronomie this wyse it is written cursed be he that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe and doeth not suche thinges as by the lawe are coÌ„maunded By whiche wordes ye see that suche as kepe the lawe ceremonial are not for that promised to be made righteous but the transgressers therof are threatened goddes curse What man is he that is able to perfourme the whole lawe specially synce it is suche a thyng whiche when through inhibicion it hath prouoked men to syn gyueth no strength nor ablenes to suppresse and ouercome desyers The texte That no man is iustified by the lawe in the syght of god it is euident For the iuste shall lyue by fayth The law is noâ— of fayth but the man that fulfilleth the thinges contayned in the lawe shall lyue in them But brieflye to graunt that a man maye throughlye kepe the lawe suche one happely shall among men be taken and accoumpted for ryghteouse but not be lykewyse coumpted before god at whose hande yf no man throughe keping the ceremonial lawe of Moses be iudged for righteous without doubte trewe is it that by the prophet Aâ—acuâ— is wrytten that the righteous lyueth by fayth For as syn is the seede wherof death groweth so is godlye lyfe the begynnyng and wel spryng of lyfe The law hangeth vpon keping of certayne prescript ceremontes and not vpon fayth which ceremonies who so obserueth and kepeth shall lyue in dede â–ª but not the euerlastyng lyfe wherof we are throughe faythe put in assuraunce Looke what righteousnes the lawe gyueth lyke kynde of lyfe gyueth it Among men so is it that whoso breaketh not the rules of the law he is ryghteous and lyueth among men oute of all feare of punishmeÌ„t but before god neither shall he be accouÌ„pted for righteous nor yet for lyuyng vnles he surely truste vpon the promises made in the gospell The texte Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe inasmuche as he was made as cursed for vs. For iâ— is written cursed is euery one that haÌ„geth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Iesus Christe that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth Christe only among other was not vnder the curse of the lawe but as an innocente and hurtles lambe to the law nothing endaungered We were in daunger to it and by reason therof accursed whiche wretchednes and curse he delyuered vs from turnyng our offence into innocencie and oure curse into blessing So that muche lesse woulde he haue you nowe vnder the boÌ„dage of the carnal law But howe delyuered he vs Without doubte by that he beyng without all spot or syn vpon his bodye tooke the payne that was for oure trespaces dewe and the curse vnder whome we were toke vpon hymselfe whereas he was from that free and partaker of blessyng Toâ—e he not oure trespaces vpon hym whiche as an offender among offenders for oure redempcion suffered the shamefull vilanie of the crosse For iâ— the boke of Deuteronomie this we reade cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree And why woulde god haue it so Surelye to the intente that the curse of the lawe beyng taken awaye the blessyng that once was promised to Abraham shoulde in steede of it throughe fayth take place Take place I saye not in the Iewes onlye but in the Gentiles to not throughe the benefite of the lawe whome Christâ— woulde haue abolyshed but by the free mercye of Iesus Christe by whose death we beyng brought agayne into goddes fauour delyuered from the burden of the grosse lawe maye throughe fayth obtayne the blessyng of the gospell promised to Abrahams posteritie the spirituall posteritie I meane and not the carnall Let vs surely truste in god for he wil of his promyse deceyue no manne but what he promised that wyll he perfourme The texte ¶ Brethren I speake after the maner of men though it be but a mannes testament yet yf it be allowed no manne dispiseth it or addeth any thyng therto To Abraham and his seede were the promises made he sayth not in his seedes as manye but in thy seede as of one whiche is Christe But to the intent ye shall the better vnderstand this loe a worldly and familiar example For thoughe betwixt god and man there be no comparison yet a mannes testamente and couenaunte when it is once allowed and ratified no manne either breaketh or putteth any thyng to it contrary to the wyll of the maker howe muche more stable and sure then should the couenauntes and promises of god be God promised Abraham a blessyng whiche by his seede all nacions of the worlde shoulde haue Wherin it is to be obserued and marked that scripture sayde not seedes but seede leste we by Dauid Moses or any other myght loke to haue goddes promise but in his wordes noted the only seede and the verye seede of the euerlastyng Abraham whiche is Iesus Christe into whome throughe baptisme and throughe the receyuyng of the spirite we throughe him loke for the same gyftes whiche god hath already gyuen vnto hym The texte This I saye that the lawe whiche began afterwarde beyonde foure hundred and thirtie yeares dothe not disanull the testamente that was confirmed afore of God vnto Christwarde to make the
gloryes sake in stede of true godlynesse they teache Iewyshe obseruations circumcision of the foreskynne choyse of meates dyfference of dayes to the intent that other men beyng burthened with these wares they them selues maye reigne and lyue at ease for all that as though after this lyfe they loked after none other But let the ende of them fraye vs awaye from their condicions For lyke as through slaunderous reproche of man we drawe to eternall glorye and by afflictions of this world preace vnto immortall felicitie euen so they by transitorye pleasures of the worlde procure to them selues euerlastyng destruction bycause in stede of God they honour their belye that can not helpe them and by countrefaicte vayne glorye among men whiche they repose not in Christe but in thinges that they ought to be ashamed of they make spede to euerlastynge shame For what soeuer is earthly is but temporall and countrefayte and what so euer is heauenly is true and euerlastynge But they studye for nothynge elles but those thinges that are of the earthe In them they repose their glorye in them they set their pleasure in them they put theyr hope of helpe and so runne astraye ferre from the marke of the gospell But we that folowe Christ aright though our bodyes be deteyned vpon earthe yet in soule our conuersacion is in heaueÌ„ sighing continuallye thither as our head is gonne afore from whence also through faythe we loke for our lorde Iesus Christ whiche shall rayse vs from death and delyuer vs possession of those thinges that he promyseth vs and shall transforme this vyle naughtye bodye of ours and make it lyke vnto his owne glorious bodye for this consyderacion that the membres which wer felowes of his afflictions in this worlde shoulde be called there into the felowshyp of hys felicitye This matter shall not seme vncredible to any man that wyll dyligentlye pondre the great power of him that shall doo this dede For there is nothinge but he can brynge it to passe in whose hande it is also to subdue all thinges to himselfe at his owne pleasure This power he shall openlye shewe than vnto al men although in the meane season he doo many times kepe it close The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ Therfore my brethren dearly beloued and longed for my ioye and crowne so continue in the Lorde ye beloued I praye Euodias and beseche Sintiches that they be of â—ne accorde in the Lorde Yee and I beseche the faythfull rockefelowe helpe the wemen whiche laboured with me in the ghospell and with Clement also and with other my labourfelowes whose names are in the boke of lyfe INasmuche therfore as you are established with the hope of such great hyghe matters my dearly beloued brethren and longed for whose good successe I repute to be myne owne ioye whose victorye I take to be my crowne lyke as you haue begonne see yâ— you so continue suffre not your selues to be draweÌ„ away froÌ„ Iesus Christ Moreouer my welbeloued brethren I eftesones beseche Euodias and I desire Sintiches and eyther of them by them selues that they agree in one true concorde of myndes in promotynge the gospell of Christe And I also require the myne owne true naturall wyfe whiche agreist with me in the trauayle of the gospel helpe these women that were partetakers of my labours and daungers in the gospel and Clement also with the rest that wet my labourfelowes in yâ— gospell Whose names what nedeth me to rehearse inasmuche as they are wrytten in the boke of lyfe and shall neuer be scraped out In that boke are the names of all them wrytten that with their dilygences helpe forewarde the businesse of the gospell of whose nombre you are also The texte ¶ Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye and againe I saye reioyce Let youre softenesse be knowen vnto all men The Lorde is euen at hande Be careful for nothinge but in all prayer and supplycacion let youre pericyons be manifest vnto God with geuynge of thanckes And the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandynge kepe your hertes and myndes thorow Christ Iesu For these causes sakes reioyce alwayes euen in the myddes of your afflyctions Againe I eftesones saye reioyce and be of good cheare And how hottely so euer the iniquitie of the wicked rage against you yet let youre patience and modest softenes be knowen and seen vnto all maner of men not only vnto the brethren but to them also that are straungers from Christe so that they beyng prouoked the rather by your good demenoure maye be allured vnto the felowshyp of the gospell For gentilnesse of behauioure wynneth and breaketh the vngodly Couet not in any wise to reuenge you of theÌ„ nor yet enuy not them their pleasaunt delytes For the commyng of Christ is at hande whiche shall rendre vnto you the ioyes of immortalitie for contemnyng the commodities of this worlde And as for them they shall suffre the peynes of their owne fonde folyshenes Lyue you for your parte without care for any thinge But care for this onely that whan Christe shall come he maye fynde you readyly prepared of him depende you entierlye with all youre hartes Yf you haue nede of any thinge truste not to the helpe of the worlde but call vpon god with continuall supplicacions and make your moane to him with feruent desires whan you require any thing And geue him thankes what so euer chaunceth to you prosperitie or aduersite beynge certainlye assured that he wyll also turne your aduersitie into prosperitie For he knoweth well ynoughe what is profytable for you althoughe you aske nothynge But yet he loueth to be called vpon with suche manner of intercessions he loueth to be entreated and as it wer enforced with godly besechinges And so the peace wherby you are reconsyled vnto god beyng a thing of more gracious efficacie than mannes reason is hable to perceaue shall strengthen your hartes and your consciences against all terrouts that can possiblye happen in this worlde For what should that man be afraied of whiche knoweth that God loueth him dearly through Iesus Christ Therfore lyke as I woulde haue you without care of those thinges wherwith this worlde either flattereth or maketh afrayed â–ª euen so you must applye your selues with all your diligent endeuours to ware â—iche in vertues whiche maye make you acceptable to God The texte ¶ Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer thinges are true what soeuer thinges are honâ—â—â— whatsoeuer thinges are iust what soeuer thinges are pure what soeuer thinges are coÌ„â—â—nyent what soeuer thinges are of honeste reporte yâ— there be any vertue yâ— there be any prayse of lernynge those same haue ye in youre mynde whiche ye haue both learned and receaued hearde also and sene in me those thinges dâ— and the God of peace shal be with you I reioyce in the Lorde greatly that nowe at the last youre â—are is reuyued againe for me in that wherin ye were also carefull but ye lacked oportunitie I speake out because
mercye wyth the Lorde at that daye And in howe many thinges he ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well The thynge that I receyued of Christe I haue lykewise commytted vnto thy fydelitie therefore seyng thou haste the forme and example of dispensynge the ghospell and of syncere doctrine whiche thou learnedst of me not beynge grounded of tryflynge and doubtefull questions but of faythe and charitie whiche Christ Iesus hath bothe taught and exhibited vnto vs loke diligentlye thou kepe that whyche is commytted vnto thee The thynge that I commytted vnto thee is sincere and pure see that it be not defyled throughe thy negligence I know that many goe aboute and shall goe aboute to corrupte the doctrine of the ghospell but loke that thou stowtely and constauntlye maynteyne that whiche thou haste taken in hande through the helpe of the ghospellike spirit that dwelleth in vs By whose ayde we shal be hable easylie to contemne and also to put to flyght what so euer daungiers shall fall And those that wante that spirite are frayed with the storme of displeasures geue ouer the gospels busines For I suppose it is not vnknowen vnto thee that all the others that cleaued vnto me in Asia afterwarde forsoke me and inasmuche as they were with me but with faynt holowe hartes by and by throughe occasion their countrefaicte gospellinge beganne to appere and they beganne also at Rome to geue me ouer And among other there was Phigellus and Hermogenes I will not vtter all their names But as for them both their names euen by the sounde of the wordes declare them inconstaunt The forther hathe his name of his rennynge awaye and the other of subtill Mercurie It is not my parte to wishe them that they haue deserued But this it standeth me in hande to praye for that God the rewarder of wel done dedes whose pleasure is to recken it doone to him selfe what so euer is bestowed vpon his seruauntes blesse Onesiphorus housholde For he hathe oftentymes other wayes bothe comforted and refreshed me in these hoote affliccions and euen at that tyme was not ashamed of my bondes perceauinge that it is a glorious thynge to be afflicted for Christes sake nor was any thyng afrayed to be in the same peryll wyth me by reason of the ghospelles promysses but whan he was at Rome he dyd not onely not refuse to speake with me whan I was in pryson but also with greate diligence soughte me and woulde not rest tyll he had founde me In dede he founde matier to exercise mercie the Lorde Iesus graunte him that he maye likewyse fynde mercie with him in that daye wherin euerye one shal be rewarded accordyng to their dedes and that he may fynde God benefyciall to him that was diligent to be beneficial to me in myne affliccion For I wyll not here make rehersall in howe many thynges he dyd for me at Ephesus seyng thou knowest it better than I. And lyke as he shewed himselfe there the same was he towardes me also at Rome For true charitie is not frayed with any stormes of affliccions ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte Thou therefore my sonne be strong in the grace that is thorow Christ Iesu and in yâ— thinges that thou hast heard of me by many witnesses The same coÌ„myt thou to faythful men which shal be apte to teache other also Thou therfore suffer afflyctions as a good souldier of Iesu Christ No man that warreth entangleth him selfe with worldly busines and that because he maye please him which hath chosen him to be a souldier And though a man stryue for a mastery yet is he not crowned except he stryue lawfully The husbandman that laboureth must fyrst receaue of the fruites Consyder what I saye The lorde geue the vnderstandyng in all thynges â–ª THerfore acccordyng to Onesiphorus example and myne take thou a strong stomake vnto thee laying hold vpon the goodnes of God whiche we haue by Christe Iesus and beyng prepared and armed agaynst all periles that syncere doctrine of the ghopell whiche I delyuered vnto thee not in hucker mucker but openly before manye wytnesses see that thou dearelye beloued sonne delyuer likewise by handes vnto others to be published abrode not to euery bodye at auenture but to those that thou shalt thynke wil be faithfull ministres and that shall appeare apte not only to folowe that thyng them selues that they haue receiued but also to powre it purely abrode vnto others Thou seest that suche as be appoyntedto the ministeries of warre set all matters aparte and leaue nothing vnwrought or vndone that they maye vse their feates with commendacions And Christe hath euen his maner of warre also And he it is in to whose boke thy name is written and to serue hym thou haste taken thyne othe and he hath made the Captayne of his armyes Se therefore that as it becometh a valiaunt captayne agaynst al sorowes that fortune thou shewe thy selfe hartie and worthy thyne Emperour Iesu Christ whiche contynued stedfastly in the offyce commytted vnto hym euen vnto the crosse Be not careful for the pelfe that man lyueth by in this world Cast yâ— care al together vpon the emperour be thou altogether in this mind that what he hathe coÌ„mauÌ„ded the go hertely about it It behoueth not vs to appeare more slacke in the warefare of Christ thaÌ„ we see yâ— coÌ„men sort of souldiours be in yâ— seculat warres For which of theÌ„ is it yâ— whan he hath once appoynted himself to the kyng or Emperours warres is carefull for clothe or meate The prouision of these maters the Emperour taketh vpon hymselfe A souldiour hath nothyng to â—are for but to make hys trauil acceptable to the Emperour of whom he was chosen as a valiaunt and a faythfull souldiour vnto thys busynes For he knoweth hys rewarde is ready in thempoerurs handes in case he deserue it Also among suche as haue gyuen them selues to wrastle for Mastries it is not ynoughe for euery one that wrastleth to wrastle it maketh no mater howe so that he wrastle but he stryueth to wynne the victorie beyng assured that there is a crowne readily prepared yea but for him that behaueth hym selfe hartilye and stowtelye in wrastlyng After the same sorte a diligent husbandeman whan he breaketh vp his ground whan he donggeth it whan he soweth it whan he wâ—â—deth it he is all together in his worke and thinketh no labour paynefull to him in hope of the frute that he knoweth the good grounde wyll yelde in his season Howe muche more behoueth it vs to doe the same whiche are occupied in the ghospelles affaires that being prouoked with the rewarde of immortalitie we should suffer all thynges willynglye in this worlde speciallye forasmuche as we haue an Emperour that nother wil nor can deceaue vs Considre what I meane by these similitudes The lord geue thee vnderstandyng not only in these but also in all other thinges Hereof coÌ„meth no losse at all but rather whan affliccyons encreace
wherein he euen that ryghteous iudge shall rendre vnto euerye one reward accordyng to their desertes For it is not for me only that this crowne of immortalitie is prepared but for all them also that laye holde vpon his promysses and kepe them selues vpryght and vndefyled waytynge gladlye for â—â—s commyng among whom I trust thou arte one of the chiefe Doo thy diligence to come to me as shortely as thou canst The pryson hyndreth me that I can not walke hyther and thyther to goe aboute the ghospelles busines and I am for saken al mooste of euerye bodye And to be shorte there are some thynges that I am desyrous to commende vnto the by myne owne mouthe â—ore my departyng The texte For Demas hath forsaken me and loueth this preseat worlde and is departed vnto â—hessalonicâ— â–ª Crescens is gone to Galacia â–ª â—itus vnto Dalmacia Only Lucas is with me â—ake â—arke and bryng him with the for he is profitable vnto me for the ministraâ—yon â–ª and Tichicus haue I sent to Ephesus The cloke that I left at Troada with Catpus â–ª â—â—eâ—â—hâ—â— comâ—est bryng with the and the bokes but specially the parchement Alexander the coppersmyth dyd me muche euyll the Lorde rewarde hym accordyng to his dedes of whom be thou ware also For he hath greatly withstande our wordes Demas hath forsaken me hauyng leauer to possesse thys worldes pleasures than in hope of immortal rewarde to be companion of myne affliccions Vpon this purpose he went to Thessalonica Crescens is gone hence into Galacia for busines that he hath there Titus in to Dalmatia Luke onely is with me for he neuer geueth ouer folowyng me what fortune so euer falleth Whan thou comest bryng Marke with thee for I haue nede of his seruice For I haue sent Tichicus about certaine busines vnto Ephesus And whan thou comest bring the cloke with thee that I left behynde me at Troada with Carpus that I maye weare it both in winter in prison also the reÌ„naunt of bokes that I left behynd me there especially those that are writen in perchemeÌ„t Alexander yâ— copper smyth hath not only forsakeÌ„ me in these stormes but hath also done me much sorow It is not my part to reueÌ„ge it but yâ— lord reward him as he hath deserued of whoÌ„ also be thou ware For he did not onely not assiste me but he did also vehemently withstande our sayinges The texte ¶ At my first answeringe no man assysted me but al forfoke me I praye god that it maye not be layde to their charges Not withstandynge the Lorde assysted me and strenghted me that by me the preaching should be fulfylled to the vtmoste and that all the Gentiles shoulde heare And I was delyuered out of the mouthe of the Lyon And the Lord shal delyuer me from all euyll doynge and shal kepe me vnto his heauenly kyngdome To whom be prayse for euer and euer Amen At the fyrst tyme that I was put to make answere at the Emperours barre no man assysted me all were afrayed and forsoke me Ther fell vpon them a certaine humayne toye I woulde not wyshe it to be imputed vnto them For albeit I was destitute of mans helpe the lorde forsoke me not but assisted me and gaue me strength that the preaching of the gospelles faythe should be perswaded to the vtmost by me and that the fame of it shoulde be spreade abrode vnto the eares of all the gentyles For vpon this consyderacion I suppose his wyll was to haue me tossed aboute throughe dyuerse countries at length to be brought vnto Rome so as that gospelles doctrine should be spred yâ— more farther abroade By the helpe of him that is mightier than any tyranne I was delyuered from the moste rageing lyons cheawes And myne assured trust is moreouer that the same lorde wyll delyuer me also hereafter from al the wyckednesse of yâ—â—â—ked that I shall not shrynke by any occasion from the syncerite of the gospell And yf I shall suffre death here yet he wyll preserue his seruaunt souldiour vnto his heauenly kyngdome vnto whome be glorye for euermore Amen The texte ¶ Salute Prisca and Aquila and yâ— housholde of Onesiphorus Erastus abode at Coâ—thum Trophimus haue I lefte at Miletum sicke Do thy diligence that thou maist câ—â—â— before wynter Eubolus greteth the and so do the Pudence and Lynus Claudya and â—â—â— the brethren The Lorde Iesus Christ be with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen Salute Prisilla and Aquila myne hospte and myne hospetes and Onâ—â—phorus househoulde vnto whom I am very muche bounden Erastus taryed styl at Corinthum To conclude I left Tromphimus behinde me at Myletus very euyll at ease Doe what thou canst to come hyther before wynter maâ—â— the waye to make it latte iournayeng Eubelus greteth the well and Pudeâ—â— and Claudia and all the rest of the brethren The lorde Iesus Christe which hathe alwayes assisted me be also with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen This haue I subscribed with myne owne hande that the Epistle maye be the more surely credited Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the later Epistle of the Apostle Paule to Tymothie To the right worshipfull master Iohn Hales his seruaunt Leonarde Coxe wysheth long and prosperouse welfare AFter that the Kynges Maiestie had by the aduyse and consent of his moste deare and prudente vncle my lorde protectoure and other of his moste honourable counsayle vpon certaine iuste consideracions put all the preachours within his graces dominions to silence for a space I howbeit of al the vnworthiest yet neuertheles one of yâ— nombre that is by his Maiestie licenced to declare the worde of god to his people thought it not mete for my parte to let this tyme of sylence to passe ouer onely in myne owne pryuate studyes but in the meane tyme to wryte some thinge that myghte be no lesse frutefull to the readers theÌ„ was my tongue afore to the hearers For this purpose I chose vnto me an autour of venerable antiquitie named Marke the heremite who in the Greke tongue had wrytten two ryght vertuouse and godly treatyses the one of the lawe of thâ— spirite and the other of them that thynke to be iustifyed by their workes But whyle I was on hande with this translacion Master Iohn Olde a man of ryght good learnynge and my very frende brought vnto me the paraphrase of Erasmus of Roterdame vpon saincte Paules Epistle to Titus the whiche I had certaineyeares gone translated into englyshe requiryng that I woulde peruse it againe and amende suche faultes as were therin eyther by the printers neglygence or myne ouersyght And so to place the texte with the paraphrase that it might easyly be perceaued what parte of the paraphrase to what parte of the Epistle is correspondeÌ„t And he shewed me also that as the first tome or volume of the same paraphrase vpon yâ— gospelles and actes of the Apostles was all readye printed so was the printer nowe about to go on hande with the
testamente not lyke the testamente whiche I made wyth their fathers in the day when I toke them by the handes to leade them oute of the lande of Egipte bycause they contynued not in my testament I againe for my part regarded them not sayth the Lorde For thys is the couenaunte that I wyll make wyth the house of Israell sayeth the Lorde when I wyl not graue my lawes in stones or bokes as hath bene proued in vayne but wyll put them into theyr myndes and wryte them in their heartes And I wyl be verely theyr God and agayne they shall be vetely my people Neyther shall they gyue my doctrine by hande one to an other in suche wise that euery man shall be compelled to enstructe hys neyghboure and euery one his brother sayinge knowe the Lorde bycause that not onelye then a fewe Iewes but all the people of the worlde shall knowe me from the leaste vnto the greatest that I wyll be made mercyfull by thyntercessyon of my sonne and forgyue theyr synnes and trespasses neyther wyll I any more thynke vpon theyr wycked dedes Ye haue hearde hys wordes who promiseth a newe testament bycause the olde was vnprofytable Nowe that whiche is called new that is to say spiritual signifieth that the olde that is to wytte the carnall muste be taken awaye and dysanulled Elles coulde not thys testamente be called newe excepte that whiche was before were worne oute and waxen olde Nowe that that is worne oute and waxen olde is nye gone forasmuche as it draweth by lytle lytle to an ende ¶ The .ix. Chapter The texte The olde testament then had verâ—â—y ordinaunces and seruynges of God and worldly holynes For there was a foretabernacle made wherin was the lyght the table and the shew breade whych is called holye But wythin the seconde vayle was ther a tabernacle whyche is called holyest of all whyche had the golden seuser and the Arke of the testament ouerlayde rounde about wyth golde wherin was the golden pot wyth MaÌ„na and Aarons rodde that sprong and yâ— tables of the Testament Ouer the Arke were the Cherubins of glorie shadowyng the scate of grace Of whyche thynges we can not nowe particularly speake SOme man wyll here saye what was the religion of the olde temple a vayne religion Nay not so In tymes past that olde temple also whose religion is nowe at an ende and gonne by the succession of euangelicall veritie had certayne approued customes and prescribed ceremonies the whiche made an vtwarde shewe of iuste and perfyte liuyng It had also a certain holynesse but the same was a worldlye holynesse for that it stoode in vtwarde thynges and visible Of the whiche kynde of holynesse there semed also a great deale to be among the Paynyms and Gentiles But the buyldynge of the temple was suche that one parte therof was counted more holye then an other tyll a man came vnto that parte whiche semed holyest of all For in the fyrste place there was made a tabernacle wherin were kepte with much reuerence the lyght the table and the seuen holye lonues whiche they called the shewe bread by reason they were wonte to be set out for a shewe on the holy table And this parte of the temple they called onely holye bycause it was so seuered from vnholy thynges that it was yet verye farre from those thynges whiche were accompted moste holye But wythin the seconde vayle whiche parted this parte of the temple from other there was an other tabernacle that for the excellencye of holynesse was called holyest of all and in thys were conteyned certayne of the holyer sorte of relyques as the golden Censer the Arcke called the Arcke of the testamente couered townde about wyth plates of golde hauynge in it the golden potte wherin Manna was reserued a monument of an aunciente myracle wrought what tyme the Hebrues beyng very hongry there rayned a newe kynde of meate downe from heauen and Aatons todde the whiche by a wonderfull myracle neuer harde of before bare leaues after it was cut from the stemme and budded out into flowers wherof afterwarde came Almons There were in it also the tables called the tables of the testamente bycause in them were the commaundementes grauen with Goddes fyngre Ouer thys were ymages with wynges called Cherubynes representing the Maiestie and glorye of God whyche ouershadowed the mercy seate with their wynges all the whiche thinges had a certayne signification of holier thinges afterwardes dysclosed by the ghospell But it were to long to speake of euery of the premysses particularly and to shewe what was meante and sygnified by the same It shal be sufficient for vs to compare theffecte or pythe of the whole matter to the priesthode of Christe The texte When these thynges were thus ordayned the priestes went alwayes into the firâ—â— tabernacle which executed the seruice of the bolie thinges But into the second went the bye pryest alone once euerie yere Not wythout bloude whych he offred for hymselfe and for the ignorances of the people Wherewith the holy ghost this signified that the way of holye thynges was not yet opened whyle as yet the first tabernacle was standynge Whyche was a simily tude for the tyme then present in whyche were offred gyftes sacrifices that could not make the minyster perfect as pertaynyng to the conscience wyth only meates and drinkes and diuers washinges and iustifyenges of yâ— fleshe which men ordayned vntyl the tyme of reformacion Nowe when the temple was thus deuyded and the holy reliques bestowed in their places all priestes indifferently whiche executed the cetemouies belongynge vnto the sacrifices entred dayly into that fyrst tabernacle But into that seconde whiche was very holy went the hie prieste who was chiefe in dignitie among the priestes alone once euery yeare and no oftener and that not wythout the bloud of a beaste whiche he there offred first for his owne synnes and then for the synnes of the people edmmytted by errour and ignoraunce By the whiche thinges as it were by certayne darke fygures the holye ghoste sygnified that at that tyme there was as yet no open waye or entraunce vnto those places whiche are in verye dede holye and haue no manour of earthly infeccion For while the hie byshoppe entred into the most secrete parte of the temple and as yet that fyrst tabernacle was standynge whiche hadde a symylytude of those tymes in the whiche the people were by certayne grosse ceremonis kepte howe so euer it were in the Iewyshe religion lest they shoulde haue fallen to greater enormities there were certayne grosse and vulgare ceremonies done by the commen sorte of priestes in the sayd tabernacle Gyftes were offred beastes were kylled and offred vp in sacrifice the whiche thynges had so a certayne similitude of purificacion that they coulde not yet make those perfitly cleane as touching the conscience and soule wherby God estemeth vs who vsed them althoughe as concernynge the bodye and estymation of the worlde they semed to
such sactifices were oftentymes oftred that beynge rather offended therwith he required some one effectuall sacrifice whiche shoulde contynew for euer The texte â–ª Wherfore when he commeth into the world he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not haue but a body haste thou ordayned me Butâ—t offerynges also for synne hast thou not alowed Then sayed â— lo I am here In the begynnynge of the booke it is written of me that I should do thy wyll O God Aboue when he sayth sacryfice and offeryng and burnt sacryfices synne offerynges thou wouldest not haue neâ—â—eâ— haste thou alowed them whyche yet are offered by the lawe then sayde he Lo I am here to do thy wyll O god He taketh a waye the firste to estably she the latter â–ª by whiche wyll we are made holy euen by the offeryng of the body of Iesu Christ once for all For the Sonne as it were about to come into the worlde to make God the father mercifull vnto the same with the sacrifice of his owne mooste precious bodye speaketh vnto hym in the mystycall Psalme on thys wyse Sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest not haue but a bodye haste thou ordeyned me Burnt sacrifices and other sacrifices accusfomablye offered to pourge the peoples synnes thou haste not alowed Than sayed I Loe â–ª sythe that in the begynnynge of the boke I am sygnified to be a sacrifyce I am here to do thy wyll O God Whan therefore he sayeth in these woordes Sacrifyce and offerynge and burnt sacrifices and sacrifices for synne thou wouldest not haue neyther allowedest thou any of these sacrifices whiche were wonte to be offred accordyng vnto the prescription of the olde lawe And immediatlye addeth Loe I am here to obey they wyll O God and to offre a sacrifice pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thy mynde in these wordes I saye he taketh awaye that firste priesthode as dyspleasaunte vnto God to th entent he maye stablyshe the later ther with to satisfye Goddes wyll and pleasure What was this wyll of God who thus lotheth the lawefull sacrifices of the olde testament and greatly desireth a newe kynde of sacrifice For sooth it was this bycause it so lyked his free goodnes towardes vs that his heauenly sonne that is to saye Christe shoulde take vpon hym mannes bodye and dyeng for the synnes of the whole worlde purifie all menne by one sacrifice duely made of their synnes in suche wise that there nedeth nothereafter anye other blodie sacrifices The texte And euery pryest is ready dayly ministring and offeryng often tymes one maner of oblacion wyche can neuer take away synne But this man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set doune for euer on the righte hande of god and from hencefurth tarieth till his foes be made his fote steole For with one offering hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sancrified The holy ghoste himself also beareth vs record euen when he tolde before thys is the Testamente that I wyll make vnto them After those dayes sayth the Lorde I wyll putte my lawes in their heartes and in their myndes wll I write them and theyr synnes and iniquities wil I remeÌ„bre no more And where remission of these thinges is there is no more offering for synne Whosoeuer is a priest of the olde testament is constrayned dayly to ministre and oftentymes to offre the same sacrifices agayne whiche howe ofte so euer they be offred can neuer cleane take awaye synnes so that it is an endlesse busynesse to bothe partes that is to saye both to the offerer and to the priest by whom the oblacion is made But Christe thonely sacrifice once offered for the sinnes of al them which haue do or wyl beleue his promyses sytteth now on the right hande of God the father tarryeng for nothynge els but that whiche onely remayneth that is to saye to haue all the membres of his bodye assembled together and vntyll at the length it come to passe accordyng as it is promysed in the Psalme that his enemyes who are rebelles agaynst the ghospel be made his foote stoole But in the meane season he nedeth not to offre him selfe agayne for vs because that with one oblation he hath sufficiently perfited all those for euer whiche haue deserued to be sanctified thoro we faith in suche wise that none of our olde synnes can be layed vnto oure charge That I saye nowe euen the holy ghoste hym selfe witnesseth speakyng by the mouth of the Prophet and shewyng long before that the same thyng shoulde be whiche we see alreadye come to passe His wordes are these This is the testament that I wyll make vnto them after those dayes sayeth the lorde when I shall put my lawes in their heartes and write them in their myndes and their synnes and iniquities wyll I remembre no more muche lesse then wyll I take vengeauÌ„ce for the same Furthermore after that al synnes be once pardoned for euer what nede is there of the Iewishe sacrifices whiche were made to pourge and take awaye synnes The texte Seyng therefore brethren that by the meanes of the blode of Iesu we haue libertie to entre into the holy place by the newe and lyuyng way whych he hath prepared forvs through the vayle that is to say by his fleshe And seing also that we haue au hie pryest whych is ruler ouer the house of God let vs draw nygh wyth a true hert in a sure faith sprynkeled in our hertes the euil conscince put away washed in out bodyes wyth pure water Let vs kepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised and let vs consider one another to the intente that we may prouoke vnto loue vnto good workes not for saking the felowship that we haue among our selfes as the manet of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so muche the more bycause ye se that the day draweth nygh Seynge therefore brethren that the conscience of synnes is taken awaye whyche feared vs to make intercession to almyghtie God and that we haue an assuraunce gyuen vs to entre into the holy place let vs trustyng vpoÌ„ the most sacred bloud of Iesu which he shedde for our reconciliacion and therby opened vs awaye and entraunce farre dyuerse from the olde waye that is to saye a freshe newe lyuynge and euetlastynge waye whiche after it is once opened can neuer be shutte agayne the whiche waye he beganne vnto vs entryng in fyrst of all thorowe the vayle that is to saye by his fleshe where with his Godhed was couered for a tyme in this worlde â–ª and after the same fleshe was assumpted and taken vp into heauen heuenly thynges were opened And sythe we haue a greate pryest promysed of God after the order of Melehisedeche whom God hathe made ruler ouer all his house that is to saye ouer the Churche chatholyke the whiche churche he gouerneth not as a ministre but as thautour and Lorde thereof lette vs also
shoulde all together be fulfylled that all prophetes dyd euer prophecye of the kyngdome of Messias the sauiour of the whole worlde whiche is the hyghest misterye Of the whiche thinges all patriarkes and prophetes yea and the apostles also and Christ him selfe dyd speake namely of the tyme of the kyngdome of heauen that was commyng and of the commynge of Christ in his highest honour and glorye whiche shal be manifest and knowen vnto all men and vnto the whole world The texte ¶ And the voyce whiche I hearde from heauen spake vnto me againe and sayde go and take the lytle boke whiche is open in the hande of the angell which standeth vpon the sea and vpon the earth And I went vnto the angell and sayde to him geue me the lytle boke and he sayd vnto me take it and eate it vp it shal make thy belly bytter but it shal be in thy mouthe as swete as hony And I toke the lytle boke out of his hande and eate it vp and it was in my mouthe as swete as â—onâ— and assone as I hade eaten it my bellye was bytter And he sayde vnto me thou must prophecye againe amonge the people and nacions and tongues and to many kynges At this place myght the begynnyng of the .xi. muche more conueniently haue bene appoincted but it is no matter Iohn in the person of all faithfull christians and specially in the person of them whiche should be teachers in the churche of god as the holy bysshops and other apostolicall men heareth the voyce of God speakinge thus vnto him If thou wylt doe and performe thy office and vocacion truly and iustly than goe thy waye and appointe thy selfe therunto withall thy might and power and take in thy hande the holy open and mooste cleare cronicle booke of the holy gospell and worde of God receyue the same and the holy vnderstandinge therof from the holy goost thorow feruent praier And reade therin with faythe loue and moost earnest zeale of Christ hym selfe But he telleth him before that he shoulde not onely reade or synge it wryte or endyte it but that he shoulde with a moost gredy desyre euen deuoure it vp as a foode from God and as the heauenly breade of all faythfull beleuers and that â—e dygest it in to his bowels as a moost cleane and holsome foode Whiche thing can not come to passe with out bytternes of repentaunce and of sorowe and heuynes of the hearte and conscience And specially vnto him that knoweth so muche of the wyll of God and feleth that his spirite is so weake and frayle and his fleshe so wylde and dysobedient and his mynde so stubbourne and obstinate against the spirite of god Or els it may be thus vnderstandeÌ„ that whan a man vnderstandeth the worde of god and knoweth that it ought to be spred furth vnto other that is to saye to the whole churche of God and that the truth ought to be spoken vnto the blynde worlde and that it can not yet be done with out great perell danger of bodye and lyfe than is it doutles bytter vnto him But yet not withstandinge it is swete in the mouthe thorowe the comforte and ioye of the truth and thorowe the ioyful promes of the gospell of rightuousnes and holynes thorow Christ the sauiour of the whole world in al tymes Al this did Iohn in a vision and toke also further instruccion thereof as foloweth ¶ The .xi. Chapter The texte ¶ And then was geuen me a rede lyke vnto a rodde and it was sayd vnto me Ryse meat the temple of god and the aulter and them that worshyp therin and the quier whiche is within the temple cast out and meate it not for it is geuen vnto the Gentiles the holy citie shall they treade vnder fote xiii monethes And I wyll geue power vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophesye a thousande two hundered and .ix. dayes clothed in sacke clothe These are two olyue trees and two candelstyckes standynge before the God of the earth And yf any man wyll hurte them fyre shall procede out of their mouthes and consume their enemies And yf any man wil hurte them this wyse must he be kylled These haue power to shut heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their prophesyinge and haue power ouer waters to turne them to bloude and to smite the earth with all maner plages as often as they wyll THe lorde doth teuele and shewe vnto Iohn that he wyll vysyte and reforme his churche beyng so sore fallen and decaied whaÌ„ tyme shal be thorowe apostolical men and godly parsons which haue eaten vp and dysgested the booke of god and with great swetnes and plesantnes haue bene feruent and earnest to further and to set furth the wyl of God And thus he geueth hym a â—eâ—wande in his hande as he dyd also vnto Ezechiell to measure to serche out the rightuousnes of the churches and the state of euery one And specially of them whiche by reason of their office and vocacion ought to haue a speciall respecte and regarde to the seruyce of god among the whiche the bysshops and the highe most speciall doctors and teachers of the churche whiche are vnderstande and ment by the quiere for as muche as they are maisters and rulers of the quiere were the mooste wicked and vngodly And they are compared and lykened vnto the heathen and were geuen and delyuered vp vnto them to be punysshed For the heathen and vngodly and supersticious people geuen to al ydolatrie whether they be spiritual or secular they shal treade down destroy and defyle the churche of Christ a long time whiche is to be vnderstande by the xlii monethes the is to saye .iii. yeares an halfe whiche might well sygnifye .iii. hundreth yeares an halfe from the tyme that muche false doctrine many supersticious ceremonies came first into the churche against the manifest worde of God Whiche thinges sprang vp thorow yâ— pompe pryde couetousnes and presumpcion of the spiritual prelates watchmen as they named them selues and so ought to haue bene in dede by their office callyng The two witnesses of repentaunce amendement of lyfe which should take the gospel in hande againe and should restore bryng forthe the booke againe are Enoche Elyas For in the wicked tyme of the Cainites before Noes floode Enoche studyed went about without doubte bothe with word dede to reforme the world to reduce them vnto the true faith in God perfyght loue to their neyghboure againe Wherunto he was moued by the holy goost whiche did worke speake in him yea parauenture also did write thorowe him For there were once bokes of Enoche whiche nowe are not to be gotten And lyke wyse did Elyas also in yâ— time of the lawe but with a wonderfull zeale feruentnes both in word deed thorow the mocion of the holy goost whiche worketh in the ministers
shall worke with the wicked and vngodly in the whole worlde according to his nature wickednes And he shall styrte his wicked armye warriers Gog and Magog of whom the Prophetes do muche speake And they are the greate and infinite nomber of the enemyes of God of the holy doctrine of the ghospel and of all holy congregations of true and faythfull Christians whiche are called and are in dede the very true Ierusalem whiche dwell vpon earth as citizens of a fortunate holy quiet and honorable citie and comunaltie Agaynste this holye citie and comunaltie shal sathan fyght a newe batell with his armye and men of warre with all his power myght and wyckednes and shall attempte and goe aboute to ouercome theÌ„ to deceyue them and to make them to forsake the trueth of God and shall worke all meanes to destroye soules And thys shall he doe in the whole worlde He shall spare no laboure to compasse aboute and to besege not the stony citie of Ierusalem in Iewry but as it is sayde before the holye christendome vpon earth the cytie of the faythfull citizins namely the godlye elect But the grace and mercie of God towarde his beloued and the promesse of Christ towarde his churche is greater and stronger than the wickednes and power of Gog and Magog the wycked warrieis agaynst Christ which shall consume them with fyre euen as he did stryke Senacharibs army vpon an hundreth thousande and .iiii. score and .v. thousand in one night thorough one of his aungels and brought them into asâ—hes with the fyre of Goddes vengeaunce and ryghtuous iudgement And euen vpon that shall folowe the generall iudgement of God by the whiche the deuil with all his hoost coÌ„panye shall be throwen into euerlastyng payne damnation which is resembled vnto a lake graue of fyre and brymstone in the whyche the dragon the beast al false prophetes shal be tormented day and nyght that is to say perpetuallye without ende And that shall be the seconde death The texte And I sawe a great white seate and hym that sat on it from whose face fled awaye both the yearth and heauen their place was nomore founde And I saw the dead bothe great and smale stande before God And the bokes were opened another boke was opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged of those thynges whyche were writen in the bokes accordyng to their dedes and the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death hel deliuered vp the dead which were in theÌ„ they wer iudged euery maÌ„ according to his dedes And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Thys is the seconde death And whosoeuer was not founde writen in the boke of lyfe was cast into the lake of fyre The great general ryghtuous most iust and last iudgement of God whaÌ„ as yâ— who le world shal be iudged is here described by the great and whit stoole Which shall be greuous heuy and intolerable vnto the rebellious disobedyent wycked and obstinate contemners of Gods holy worde the euerlastynge ghospell of Christ But it shall be ioyfull swete pleasant delectable welcome and acceptable as most hartely desyred and loked for vnto the godly faythful humble elcte of God The iudge vpoÌ„ the stoole is our sauiour Iesus Christ dreadful and feareful vnto al the world vnto such earthly meÌ„ which haue set their marke ende loue hope felicitie vpon the earth in those thinges wherin the worlde deliteth as are fleshely lustes pride of life al wickednes lack of loue both toward god the neighbour And therfore the earth sygnifieth yâ— men that dwel vpoÌ„ the earth the deuils which remayne in earth in the ayer which is also called heaueÌ„ which are thrust out of their places habitacions no more found therin but in the place habitacioÌ„ which the iust iudgemeÌ„t omnipotencie of God hath prepared for theÌ„ in the earth that is most wide distant from the kingdom of heauen Vnto this dredfull and terrible iudgement of God shal come stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seate of God and Christ all those whiche were deade both masters and seruauntes great and small hyghe and lowe myghtie and vnmyghtie men and women yong and olde none excepte Than shal the heartes consciences thoughtes and secretes of al men be opened and dysclosed not onely vnto them whiche shal and must than knowledge them selues giltye and worthye of eternall damnacion but also vnto the other For as than shal all wickednes of the conscience be open euydent and manifest For they shall accuse and condemne them selues without any cloke or excuse whan as they shall beholde all men and shall reade with perfyte vnderstandynge and with feare and tremblynge the other great boke of gods rightuousnes and equite of his warnynges doctrine instruccions and threatnynges whiche they haue had sufficiently in this worlde euery one in their tyme thorowe gods mercyfull and fatherly prouision and sendynge but they haue vtterly contemned and despysed them with all the righteousnes godlynes that they haue taught And they woulde nothing regarde nor esteme the holy worde of God which was geuen vnto the worlde in the holy scripture for a perfyte rule and square but they would neuer credyte nor beleue it but rashly against their owne conscience haue refused and contemned it And therfore shall they be wyped out of the regyster booke of the faithfull and of them whiche shall lyue perpetually with God and withal his peculiar electe in eternal ioy blisse And thus they shal remaine continually in the eternall indignacion of God in euerlasting hate enuy most painfull tormentes and great impacience and continuall sorowe in so muche that their eternall death shall also be with corporall payne and tormente of the bodye euen with the whole felowship of the deuyll and that without any ende or ceasynge This iudgement and heuy daye shall no man be able to escape and auoyde whether he be consumed in the earth in the fyre or in the see For all this standeth in the hande of yâ— almightie power of God whiche with one word wyll and commaundement made all elementes heauen and earth and all that is therin And where he sayeth that the hell shoulde geue vp her deade vnderstande therby as in many other places of holy scripture the graues in yâ— earthe or wheresoeuer they be out of the whiche the deade shall ryse vp and they that shall be than alyue as S. Paule saieth shall be changed in a shorte space in the twincklynge of an eye to stande together before the iudgement seate of God with them whiche shall be iudged to euerlastinge lyfe or death But euery one of them whiche shal appeare and shall know them selues manifestly shal iudge them selues accordynge as they haue done after or against the wyll of God in faith or infydelite in loue or contempt of god in the feare of God
also all that is abhominacion vnto the lorde as ydolatry abhominable blasphemies forged lyes false doctrine shall haue no place in the right churche For vnto the right holy churche which is knoweÌ„ onely vnto God and inuisible vpon earthe doe onely the electe children of God perteyne whose names are wrytten in heauen in the booke of the lyuynge ¶ The .xxii. Chapter The texte ¶ And he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe clere as Christ all procedyng out of the seate of God and of the lambe In the myddes of the strete of it and of eâ—her â—yde of yâ— ryuer was ther wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of frutes gaue frute euery moneth and yâ—â—eues of the wood serued to heale the people with al. And ther shal be no more cuâ—se but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal se his face his name shal be in their forheades And ther shal be no night there and they nede no candle nether lyght of the sunne for the Lorde geueth them lighte and they shall raygne for euermore CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes as farre furth as is requisite necessary for the christen doctrine And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water very clere whiche is the holy scripture the worde of god the doctrine of Christ the holy gospel of our saluacioÌ„ That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart mynde not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue care of yâ— worlde nor with any temptacions of the flesshe This holy doctrine procedeth commeth out froÌ„ the holy spirite of god and of Christ For he is one God with yâ— father the sonne He is the seate of glorye of omnipotencie of the godheade He procedeth out from the welspring of all wysedom grace mercye and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche which is the citie of god of the lambe And of both sides of yâ— riuer doe staÌ„de glorious bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase their leaues and frute of the moysture of the riuer And these trees are the holy fathers of the faithful christen churche of the olde new testament whiche by their faith and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture of the lawe of the prophetes and of the gospell haue lyued taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes that is to saye many frutes and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good woâ—kes and vertuous exercises The leaues frute and sappe of these holy trees were very holsome and soueraine as were also the frutes of the dysciples of the prophetes and apostles For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde dyd make repentance faithfull holy and christen people by their preachinge â—eachinge wrytinge prayers and christen example of lyfe of them whiche were before very hethen And in this churche there is no cursed frute and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge and with all temperatenes and measure Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God but he shall prouyde ministers of God and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence that they shall profyte goe forwarde and procede frutefully in all goodnes and thorowe true faithe they shall knowe the face of God his gracious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant warrfarynge churche but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face euen as he is and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly And these ministers and seruantes of God shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse the name of god the christen faith the holy gospel They shal beare about preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly with ioy delyght and pleasure And neyther Sunne nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge for the spirite of God shall doe all together And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne and Moone the glasse of the godheade the excellent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore The texte ¶ And be sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithful and true And the Lorde God of saintes and prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche must shortly be fulfylled Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth the sayinge of the Prophecy of this boke I am Iohn whiche saw these thinges and hearde them And wheÌ„ I had hearde sene I fell downe to worship before yâ— fete of the angel which shewed me these thinges And he said vnto me sâ— thou â—â— it not for I am thy felow seruaunt the felowe seruaunt of â—hy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the saynges of this booke But worshippe God Christ speaketh vnto Iohn and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken thorow an angell vnto Iohn that he should write it and should leaue it behynde him in yâ— faithfull and holy churche of Christ Euen yâ— same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come the very same God hath now sent his angel geuen him in commission to open reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come whiche should happen come to passe be fulfilled very shortly yâ— is to say they should shortly begin so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte forme yâ— we should carfully diligently wayte for it continuallye lyke as true faithful seruantes doe waite watche vpoÌ„ yâ— returning of theyr masters doe neuer slepe as Christ teacheth in yâ— gospel And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell that he is happye that is to saye he is the seruaunte of God and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be partaker of grace and saluacion whiche beleueth this booke â–ª taketh all thinges that are written therin for true holy and estemeth yâ— prophecies of this boke whiche are many and diuerse no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes other holy prophecies And where as he saieth â–ª I
am Iohn it is as muche to say as thus yf ye beleue my preaching of Christ in other matters because I am the same Iohn whiche was conuersaunte and lyued with Christ than beleue me in this booke also because of the visions syghtes and sayinges which I haue seene hearde my selfe and haue written in this booke And I knowe also and am assured that this angell was an holy angell and therfore I for feare and reuerence woulde haue worshipped him as a seruaunt and minister of God and I dyd also worship him and fell downe at his feete to worship him that I might seme to shewe thankefulnes vnto him for the infinite benefite and grace that he reueled and opened vnto me suche highe and holy secrete misteries But he woulde not accept and receyue suche honour and worship at my handes nor was not content therwith wherby I am taught that I should vtterly honour and worship none but onely the almighty God And althoughe the nature and dignitie of angels be higher than the state and dignite of man yet by the reason of the manhode of Christ and by the reason of the saluacion of mankynde thorowe Christ the nature of man is exalted aboue all angels And therfore from hence forthe the angell wyll not be hygher estemed than as a felowe seruaunt of all men vnto the lorde And lykewyse our sauiour Christ nameth himselfe a felow brother of his disciples and that also after the resurreccion And also the angel nameth Iohn in this place a brother and felow of yâ— apostles onely for this booke and sheweth how acceptable they are vnto the lorde namely reputed euen as the brethren of Christe whiche doe esteme this booke and beleue the wordes whiche are written therin And therfore no man ought to esteme this booke lightly nor to contemne it for as much as in many places it teacheth the misteries of Christ very euidentlye Althoughe in dyuerse thinges prophecied in this booke whiche haue not yet beue sene to be fulfylled because they concerne this tyme of ours the latter tyme it is somewhat darke and obscure The texte ¶ And he sayde vnto me seale not the sayinges of the prophecye of this boke For yâ— tyme is at hande He that doeth euyll let him do euil styll and he whiche is fylthye let him be fylthye styl and he that is righteous let him be more righteous and he that is holy let him be more holy And beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man according as his dedes shadie I am Alpha and Omega the begynnyng and the ende the first and the last Blessed are they that doe his commaundementes that theyr power maye be in the tree of lyfe and maye entre in thorowe the gates into the citie For without shal be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murcherers and ydolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh leasynges In the olde testamente before the commynge of Christe the Prophetes were partly commaunded to seale their prophecyes for lyke as the fulfyllynge of suche thynges as were prophecyed and promised was fatte of euen so myght many dyuers opynyons be amonge the interpreters But here in this place the angell commaundeth Iohn that he should not seale the boke for as muche as suche matters as are prophecied therin shoulde be fulfylled very shortly As it is euydent that dyuerse of them were fulfylled immediately yea euen the great and notable vision of the subuersion and destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem and of the death and banyshment of the Iewes was alreadye fulfylled for the whiche cause he dyd prophecy nothing of it but of dyuerse other thinges which were yet to come he dyd prophecye And therfore also after this booke he wrote his holy gospel of the godheade of Iesus Christ against certen heretikes And therfore he saieth the tyme is at hande for the whiche cause men must suffer the wicked to worke accordynge vnto their wickednes for they shall not practyse it long Men must suffer the wicked Iewes and hethen whiche so wylfullye and maliciouslye doe noye and persecute the faithfull christians to take theyr pleasure Let the false apostles heretikes and hipocrites whiche pretende great holynes althoughe they be shamefully defyled as well inwardly as out wardlye let them remayne defyled and wicked it shall shortely haue an ende the iudgement of God hangeth ouer their heades But he that doeth well and rightlye nedeth not to feare the iudgement and comming of Christ He that is holy thorowe true faithe and loue towarde Christ the same desiereth ernestly from day to daye the commynge of Christ vnto the last and generall iudgement And as sone as he seeth any of those tokens happen which haue any lykelyhode of the approchinge of the end of the worlde and whiche shoulde come to passe before than he lyfteth vp his heade and sygheth and wysheth for the commynge of Christ most desierously that he might be sone rid and delyuered from yâ— myserp and wretchednes of this worlde But now thou Iohn marke and take good hede I wyll come shortly and bringe the rewarde with me for al them that haue laboured and done eyther good or euyll For the tyrannes and workers of iniquite wyll I punyshe with dystresse plages and all other blasphemers lykewyse I am the begynnynge of all thinges I haue created the worlde because I am the worde by the whiche God hath created all thinges And I am also the end for the last daye shall be my daye whan as I shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade They performe and doe gods commaundementes which in true faith and loue indeuour themselues with al diligence to doe the wil and pleasure of God with holy workes vertuous exercises whansoeuer they haue any trouble or a ouersite than they call and praye vnto god for grace and mercye for Christes sake whose rightuousnes they take for the oblacion and ransome for their synnes offerynge vp vnto him the sacrifice of thankesgeuynge with a true and perfyte faythe in the mercye of God thorowe Christ Iesus Suche true faithfull men are lyke vnto a frutefull tree that begynneth to budde out whiche in due tyme bryngeth furthe muche fruite And suche true faithfull beleuers can onely enter thorowe faythe into the Christen churche here vpon earthe and whan the tyme commeth they shall also enter in to the heauenly churche But the vnfaithfull doe shewe and declare also theyr frutes of all wyckednes and fleshely lustes wherin they defyle them selues euen lyke swyne and become shameles in theyr synnes lyke very dogges For the whiche cause they can not enter in to the righte christen churche and congregation neyther sorcerers inchanters whoremongers murtherers worshippers of ydols nor any suche as make lyes of malyce and of an euyll conscience The texte ¶ I Iesus sent myne angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the congregacions I am the rote and the generacion of Dauid and the bright mornynge starâ—e And
the number of the. lxxii famouse in godly religion yea whiche go beyond me in this tytle of dignitie that they professed Christ before I dyd For yf we lawfully honoure suche as were fyrst borne of theyr parentes how muche more lawfully ought we to honoure them that are fyrst borne agayne in Christe Salute Amplia whome for his singular godlynes sake I loue with all my hearte Salute Vrban the felow and helper of my labours in suche thynges as apertayne to Christes gospell and Stachis his felowe whom I tenderly loue Salute Apelles whiche hath by many affliccions sufferyng for Christes sake bene well assayed tryed and founde sure Salute them that are of Aristobulus housholde Salute Herodion my kynsman Greete them that be of the house of Narcissus especially them that are new borne in Christe Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa whiche women with theyr busye labour and care promote the gospell Salute Persis whome I â—yngulerlye loue as one yâ— hath taken muche payne in auauncyng the gospel of Christ Salute Rufus a vertuouse and a religiouse man and his mother whome I coumpte euen as myne owne mother also Salute Asyncritus Phlegon Hermes Patrobas Herman and other brethren that are with them Salute Philologus and his wyfe Iulia Nereus and his syster and Olympa with al good people that lyue with them Salute eche one another of you with a holy kysse with a chaste kysse without dissimulacion and suche one as maketh a playne profe of perfite concorde All the coÌ„gregacions of Christ salute you whose good wyll and loue borne vnto you I well knowe And this thyng I desyre you brethren to beware of them which sowe deuision gyue occasion of euyll among you labouring to bryng you into a newe kynde of doctrine contrarie to that ye haue receyued laboryng to myngle christian religioÌ„ and Iewyshe ceremonies together Knowe suche that vpon the same ye maye auoyde them And it is not hard to know them For they teache not sincerely right doctrine nor go vnfaynedly aboute Christes busynes but go aboute theyr bealyes and other aduauntage whyles they with flatteryng and pleasaunt wordes rather than with holsome deceyue simple mennes myndes whom they easely deceyue vnder the coloure of holynes For your obedience is in euery place spoken of abrode for the whiche I am very glad For the fyrst step to godly lyfe is to be obedient But yet muste euery man diligently take hede whom he doth obeye Simplenes is a thyng worthy prayse but because the same suspecteth nothyng it is oftetymes deceyued Wherfore I would haue you in suche sort to be simple that ye neither hurt nor deceyue any man but yet be wyse well aduysed to folowe suche thynges as are good and to auoyde suche thynges as corrupt godly lyfe I am not ignoraunt that there be many yâ— resiste the gospell of Christ which by Satan labour to let mennes saluacion Some persecute some vnder a false coulour of religion drawe men from Christ allure them to Moses law Do ye nomore but continue on god wyl assiste your endeuoures who being your defeÌ„der no cause haue ye why to feare For as he is mightier so wyll he trede downe breake into pieces Satan your mortal enemie and wyth his power ouercome bryng hym vnder your feete and yâ— within short time The grace of our lord Iesus Christ be alway with you al. The texte Timothie my worke felowe and Lucius and Iason and Sosipater my kynsmen salute you I Tertius salute you whiche wrote this epistle in the lorde Caius my hoste the hoste of al the congregacions saluteth you Erastus the chamberlayne of the citie saluteth you And quartus a brother saluteth you The grace of our lorde Iesu Christe be with you all Amen Timothie of Derbe my companion in preachyng the gospel greteth you with him Lucius and Iason of Thessalonica Sosipater the sonne of Pyrrhus of Beroe my kynsmen And I Tertius salute you whiche for a charitable zeale borne towarde you wrote this epistle whyle Paule endyted it Caius also one among fewe of them that I baptized saluteth you at whose house I nowe lodge and not onlye I but all the congregacion of christiaÌ„ men to whoÌ„ all he is a gentill hoste when nede is And Erastus chamberlayne of the citie of Corinthe saluteth you And also Quartus a brother The fauer of our lorde Iesus Christ be alway with you al which my desyre god graunt to establishe and make sure The texte To hym that is of power to stablyshe you accordyng to my gospel and preachyng of Iesus Christ in vtteryng of the misterie whiche was kepte secrete synce the worlde began but nowe is opened by the scriptures of the prophetes at the commaundemente of the euerlastyng god to stere vp obedience to the fayth published among all nacions to yâ— same god whiche alone is wyse be honour prayse through Iesus Christ for euer Ame. To hym that without my helpe is of power and able to stablyshe confirme you in this kind of life which ye haue by my ghospel learned wherin I preache Iesus Christe by whiche gospell Moses lawe is not vtterlye abolyshed but the secrete purpose of god whiche many yeares paste hath ben hydden is now accordyng to the olde sayinges of prophetes through the brighte lyght of the gospell spreade abrode and opened and that by the ordinaunce and commaundement of god who hathe put vs in truste to preache and declare the same secrete misterie that when the secret point of religion expressed in the gospell is playnly shewed to all men wherby all worshipping of deuils is abrogate and the ceremonies of Moses law cease all shoulde through fayth be obedient and submit themselfe to god who only hath the true wysedoÌ„ to hym I saye geue we thankes through Iesus Christ to whom be glorie and prayse for euer Amen FINIS The Argument and whole mattier of the first Epistle of thapostle saint Paule to the Corinthians by Erasmus of Roterodame COrinthe once the chiefe Citie of Achaia was for the commodiouse hauens therof for it is almoste an Iland the moste famouse and richest marte towne of all Asia The maners of suche Cities are commonly wonte to be verie corrupte and bad partely by reason of the resorte of al nacions whiche bring in rather exaumples of vice than of good maniers and partely also because marchauÌ„â— men aboue other take vpon them to lyue licenciously Therfore albeit the Corinthians had by the preachyng of S. Paule alreadye receaued the gospelle yet remayned there in them some leauynges of theyr former lyfe and properties insomuche that it was to be feared leste they mighte from true christianitie be withdrawen either by Philosophers who disdayned the preachyng of Christes crosse as a base and an vnlearned doctrine or els by false Apostles prouokyng them to Iewishnes Suche a harde matier is it to alter and chaunge one man into a newe maÌ„ bothe from suche customes as the
same was borne vnder and from suche as a man hath been nozeled in Yea so harde is it that saynt Hierome in the preface of the second booke of his comentaries vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth that some suche faultes as Paule layeth to the Corinthians charge remayned in the people of Achaia euen vntil his time And in this our time also some suppose y◠to be but dipped in a litle water is a sufficient meane to make a perfect christian man Paule therfore knowyng well that it is as great an acte to bolde that whiche is once gotten as it is to conquere with as great laboure and payne as he had gotten his children to Christe for he was among them a yeare and a halfe with like diligence he calleth them agayne to Christe and establisheth them in the doctryne of the ghospell sometyme vsyng his apostolique authoritie reprouyng them chiding and thretning sometime like a louing father speaking fayre encouraging and mollifying the vehemencie of his necessarie reprouing by praysing of them And as the maner of a wise phisician is temperyng sower and vnpleasaunt medicines with swete suger eftsoues prouiding also for euery maladie mete and conuenient reamedies Firste after riches ▪ foloweth pryde and vurulines And among vnruly persones oftentimes arise sectes whiles neither will geue place vnto an other but eche man thinketh hymselfe beste Besides this welthines bringeth ryot and delicate fare And of riot groweth leachery And to be couetous is a thing geuen peculiarly to marchante men Nor were the Corinthians proude onely by reason of there welthe but also because they were learned in the grecians philosophy and therfore dessoised they suche as were not learned therein as rude and barbarouse Of pride it came that euery of them auaunced hymselfe vpon the singularnes of that Apostle of whome he was baptised Therof rose these sediciouse wordes I holde of Apollo I holde of Cephas I hold of Paule Of pryde also it came that in their solēne assemblies and meetynges they disagreed amonge them selfes because euery manne thought his spiritual gifte beste and whiles in one gyfte neither woulde gyue place to other there was suche disordre and confusion so that euen theyr wemen in open places both spoke and taughte Of ryot and pryde also was it that as ofte as they came to the holye supper whiche Paule calleth the Lordes supper wherin it were moste mete to shewe christian concord the ryche men without lokynge for the poore fell to their meate and gorged thē selues vntill they were drounke whiles other were hungrye insomuche as at that supper there was not only dissencion and distemperaunce but also a certayne vnseemyng inequalitie not accustomed to bee vsed in that supper And where as some among them dysdayned Paule countyng hym but a poore rascalle lackynge eloquence rude and vnlearned that rose partlye through pryde and partlye through Philosophie But wheras they doubted of the resurrection of the dead whiche is euen the pryncipall article and foundacion of our religion that only came of Philosophie Of intemperaunce and riot it came that they vsed indifferently to eate suche meates as than were offered to ymages of dyuelles without regardyng of theyr consciences which were weake Of Leacherye it came whiche was in no place lesse punished than in Corinthe ▪ so farre that beside other enormyties in thys kynde there was one found among them which had in incestuouse aduoutrie abused his fathers wyfe that is to wytte his owne steppe mother nor was beyng giltie of such an offence banyshed out of their company so that the Corinthians kept company with him and other christian menne which were outragiouse liuers as though thei had euen fauered theyr wickednes Of like wantones came this also that the men vnsemely had long bushes their women were not a shamed in the church to be bare headed by their bodylye aparayle vtteryng their lewed womannyshe and wanton maniers Of couetousnes was it that they went to lawe one with another not to recouer their good name nor for auoyding anye bodyly ieoperdye but for money amōg whom the desyre of money was growen so far that christian men which had vowed the despisyng of suche thinges not without the great dyshonour of Christes name went to the lawe before heathen wicked iudges were so farre frō despisyng the losse of a litle money that in suche matiers they went aboute wilfullye to deceaue other Finallye they stryued among them selues of matrimonye by reason that euen at that tyme some christian men styflye defended that mē should wholy abstayne from mariage because they sawe the Apostles abstayne from their wyues And thus haue I declared the dyseases of the Corynthians not of all but of some by whome leste the rest myght be infected Paule prouideth these reamydies First of al after that he hath told them of his trust that they would stedfastly contynewe in the gospel of Christ he earnestlye reproueth and byddeth them beware not contenciously to glorie in men but with one assent and concorde to glory in Christes name whom men are bounde to thanke for all that we haue by the waye declaryng that the verye welspryng of al suche dissention is pryde From pride therfore through worldly Philosophie he calleth them backe to the mekenes of the crosse which albeit it be symple and without all bragges yet sayth he that it is myghty and effectual And then sheweth he also that the beginners of this mischief were false Apostles whiche after Paules departure thrust themselues in eftsones warning them howe he had layed a good and sure foundacion and that thei should take hede leste they builded any thing therupon which should afterward be plucked downe that is to say that the Corinthians should learne nothing which they should anone after be fayne to forgette After that like a father he reasoneth the matter with his children reprouyng in them that they were growen so great that they no we despised their firste teacher as an abiect person because that he for the gospels sake had suffred al maner of troubles whom for thesame thei were much more bound to fauer After which he encourageth his children to folow the steppes of their father and not wilfully to yelde them selfe to be bounde to newe scholemaisters And these poyntes intreateth Paul of specially in y◠firste the secound the third the fourth Chapters Now in myne opiniō the end of the fourth Chapter belongeth to the begynnyng of the fyfte Wherein he gyueth commaundement touchyng the incestuouse aduoutrer and willeth by commen consent that men should auoyde his company partly that he might amende for shame and partly leste by his company other myght be corrupted not onely warning thē to auoyde his company but also the company of all suche which beyng called after a sorte christian men lyue viciously and slaunderously As for the company of Paynims he sayth nedeth not so muche to be auoyded eyther because it lytle belongeth to christians what lyfe