with them and not of the sauour of him who giueth rewards Agayne if they haue any punishment for not kéeping of the lawe they duely suffer it for their iust deserts In which things they bée likened to a dayly workeman which if he worke and make an ende of his charge and appoynted taske he hath his wages therefore but if he loyter and â—â—outhfully driue the day away with idlenesse he is then duely punished for it But the Gentiles which knowe not the Ceremonies of the law and the Iewes that forsake the sayde Ceremonies turning to the fayth in Chryst and worke not according to the couenaunts of the law but â—â—â—â—ly and wholly beléeue in him whiche giueth iustification of his owne frée motion and fauour in all suche the fayth of Abraham is an occasion that they be iustified Which procéedeth not of the dignitie of the lawe but of onely fayth to the which no man is enforced or constrayned but is gently desired and allured therevnto through the ioyfull and swéete promises of God and the deseruings of his deare sonne Iesus Chryst to the ende that the sayde fayth should be voluntarie and not seruile or bond by which we beléeue in Chryst And that it may come of the grace of God and not of any couenaunt that we be numbred among the iuste by him the kingly Prophete Dauid the highest glory among all the Iewes after Abraham in whom was promised vnto vs Chryst the onely fountayne of our iustification maketh muche for our parte in this poynt For he describeth vnto vs in the .xxxij. Psalme our iustification not to come of the workes of the Law as due vnto vs but onely of the goodnesse of God as it is declared in the Gospell Blessed are they sayth he whose offences be forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered And blessed is that man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth no sinne Héere you perceiue that the sinnes be forgiuen which are done agaynst the lawe of Moyses Also you perceiue those offences to be forgiuen that are done agaynst the law of Nature And you perceiue also that no kynde of sinne is imputed vnto him that hath obteyned his blessednesse by Chryst and that without any mention making of kéeping the law Therefore the Iewes haue no good ground to say that the blessednesse described of Dauid and the prayse of iustification that was imputed to Abraham appertayneth onely to them and not also vnto the Gentiles let them answere me and tell me whether this blessednesse that is here promised doth onely appertayne to them that be circumcised and kéepe the custome of the law and not also to the vncircumcised which know not the ceremonies thereof I doubte not but they will say that iustification was imputed to Abraham before circumcision which considering he was the head and the beginning of all the Iewish nation it is necessarie that all the 〈…〉 be so ordered For the children can chalenge none other right than their fathers had before It is openly knoweÌ„ that Abraham was called righteous but they can not say that it was for circumcisioÌ„ sake but only for his faith without any mention of circuÌ„cision And al the Iewes do know that his iustification could not come to him throgh his circumcision séeing that at the present time wheÌ„ he was called righteous he was neither circumcised nor coÌ„maunded to be circumcised And yet he beleued long before that Christ shold be borne of his posteritie by whoÌ„ they shold al obteine this blessednesse all nations else and for this cause Abraham was pronounced righteous Then after that he was circuÌ„cised not to the ende it should iustifie him but that it should be a certaine badge or note amongst men and not with God by which all men should be knowen to be his children and of his posteritie aswell they that were circumcised as not circumcised so that they onely beléeued in Iesus Chryst If the circumcised had beléeued and had ben onely called righteous it might peraduenture haue ben thought that saluation perteined onely vnto the Iewes But before Abraham was commaunded to be circuÌ„cised he was called righteous through the dignitie of his faith for which cause the Gentiles through their faith in christ are become the children of Abraham Yet notwithstanding it was necessarie for him to be circumcised not for that it should iustifie him which was alredy fulfilled but that it should be a certayne figure of the true circumcision to come that is of an innocent and chast life to be in all such as should beléeue in Iesus Chryst Which maner of circumcision is not wrought with a flint stone to cut therwith the priuie meÌ„bers but with the spirit to cut away all the vaine thoughts of the hart And further circumcision was giuen to AbrahaÌ„ that it might be a sure testimonie vnto him that the promise of god for his posterity shold not immediatly be perfourmed in his sonne Isaac but at the time appoynted to be accomplished in the sonne of god And after this sort béeing the example of fayth be is vnderstanded the father of al nations which imitating folowing him beleue in Iesus Christ without al carnal circumcision therfore like as iustification was imputed to AbrahaÌ„ without circuÌ„cisioÌ„ so it shal be imputed to al other natioÌ„s for their iustification the beleue in christ as the true begotten children of AbrahaÌ„ Howbeit AbrahaÌ„ is the father of all natioÌ„s after such a sort that the Iewes be not secluded from him so that they glory not in their circuÌ„cision and proudly boast that they come onely of the stock of Abraham béeing his kinsmen by lyneall descente but rather doo expresse his fayth by which he was pronounced iuste before circumcision Neither is there any stronger argument to proue that a childe is no bastarde than by folowing the very steppes of his fathers vertues And wheras it is a custome amongst men not to take theÌ„ for their children which do not only not resemble their complexions and conditions but also do degenerate from them in their conuersation of life muche rather wil God make a difference betwixte his lawful child and a bastarde Furthermore Abraham deserued not to be pronounced righteous by kéeping of the lawe of Moyses which was not at that time declared neither by the merit of circumcision neither yet had he deserued any suche thing of God that he shoulde promise to hym so noble a gyfte as was to be the father of all Nations and that the Lorde of all the worlde shoulde descende from him vnto his posteritie as by inheritaunce but it was onely through the dignitie of his fayth by vertue whereof he was called iuste Euen so the Iewes shoulde suppose that the goodnesse and frute of his promise commeth not to them for their circumcision or for the names sake of their law but that it commeth to the posteritie in such sort as it began first in the head For if all
Lawe Further fayth is conceiued in the hart of man not by the experience of outward things but only by godly Sermons and preachings of the true Apostles of Christ that is fayth is not conceyued by the eyes but by the eares the office of which conueyeth the preachings and godly exhortations into the obedient and lowly harte of man Now therefore sith the light of the Gospell is declared throughout all the worlde and the name of Chryst preached to euery body what meaneth it then that so fewe of the Iewes doo beléeue in him Can they excuse them selues say that they haue not heard of Chryst yea verily the same thing is now already fulfilled which the Prophete Dauid did Prophesie Throughout the whole earth wente foorth the sounde of them and their wordes vnto the endes of the earth Wherfore in as much as Chryst hath bene promised before times by the mouth of so many Prophets and now preached also of the Apostles his very true witnesses in all nations and regions of the worlde can the Iewes then excuse them selues and say that they heard not of him No verily for they haue séene the light of the worlde yet their malice hath blinded their eyes They haue heard the Gospell but their enuie hath stopped their eares For they had rather be enuiers of the Gentiles which are called to saluation than to folow their fayth And of both these two things did Moyses and Esaias heretofore prophesie that is that the Iewes would caste the Gospell away from them and that the Gentiles woulde receiue it And Moyses in Deuteronomij prophecied of the same wheras he speaketh of the person of God as offended with the vnbeléefe of the Iewes and sayth I will prouoke you to enuie and by a foolish nation I will anger you which hitherto in comparison of you was not taken nor counted for any nation And you which doo séeme in your selues to bée wise I will anger you through the same foolish and beastly nation and cause your anger to be a great deale the more hotte in you And Esaias folowing Moyses doubted not to testifie that the obedience of the Gentiles was much more acceptable to God than the pertinacie and stubbornesse of the Iewes for thus he speaketh in the person of Chryst I am founde of them that sought me not and haue appeared vnto them that asked not after me Lo what a worthy witnesse Chryst him selfe here recordeth of the Gentiles fayth But agayne the children of Israell whom it dyd specially become to embrace Chryst and his Gospell hearken here what Esay sayth All the day long sayth he haue I stretched foorth mine hande vnto a people that beleeueth not but speaketh agaynst me For which cause Chryst sayth by the same I haue sent prophetes vnto the Iewes which they haue all slayne and put to death and by the multitude of miracles done amongst them I haue stirred and prouoked them but in stéede of the thanks which they should haue giuen me for them they say that I had the diuell within me and that with the helpe and power of Béelzebub the prince of the Diuels I wrought all the sayde miracles And euen thus they despised all humilitie and obedience and misconstrued to euill parte the great vertue and power of almightie God. The .xj. Chapter All the Iewes are not caste away therefore Paule warneth the Gentiles that be called not to be high minded nor to despise the Iewes for the iudgements of God are deepe and secret BVt what of al this that we haue here spoken or for what purpose is it thus vttered It is to declare that the Gentiles are adopted and taken to God for their faythe 's sake though before they were all straungers from him and that all the chosen and peculiar people of God are now cast off and vtterly put away from him for their vnbeléefes sake No surely it were not conuenient that the same people shoulde be vtterly reiected and caste away from God which hitherto he hath alwayes taken and made an account of them to be his owne deare dearlings and creatures Certesse if God had caste all hys owne people away from hym then shoulde not I now haue preached Chryst foras muche as I am by birthe a very Iewe descending from the stocke of Abraham which appertayneth to the Trybe of Beniamin Whiche also thoughe I dyd moste cruelly persecute the godly and well dysposed people towardes God yet for all that I am now called to preache the Gospell of his deare Sonne Chryste Also I doo not doubte but yée very well remember what is written in the thirde Booke of Kinges where Helias the Prophete speaketh vnto GOD by accusation and complaynte vnto hym of the Iewes vngodlynesse and sayth Lorde they haue slayne thy Prophetes they haue ouerturned thyne Altares and I am lefte alone behynde and they lay also in wayte for me to take my lyfe from me Wherein also mée thinketh that God mighte iustely vppon this greate vnkindenesse and incredulitie of the Iewes haue caste them vtterly from him and neuer afterwards haue looked towardes them But yet for all this marke what aunswere was made of God vnto Helias I haue reserued sayth he vnto my selfe seuen thousande men which haue not bowed their knees vnto Baal Which thing as it dyd chaunce in the dayes of Helias that God woulde not then altogither renounce his people but of an infinite number of sinners reserued some a few of them to him selfe euen so doothe the same thyng chaunce vnto them at this tyme For God hathe not suffered all the whole Nation to perish and to caste them selues away neither suffreth he all men of any other Nation to continue alwayes in their sinnes and to dye in them Of bothe whiche though there be but a few that do beléeue in comparison of them that doo not beléeue yet God for his benignities sake reserued some of his owne people to him selfe not bicause they were Iewes borne or bicause they obserued the Law of Moyses but onely bicause he chose them out from all the reste to bestow vpon them his good graces blessings and benefites in as muche as it came by the election and the benefite of God and not of any their deseruings least they should extoll the largenesse of their owne will and power or glory in the beautie of their owne workes for the goodnesse that is bestowed vppon men for their well dooing is properly to be called a rewarde and not a benefite That is truely to be called a benefite whiche of good will is employed vnto them that doo not deserue it But if a man should heape vp all his good works and seruice togyther and lay them agaynst the benefite and for their sakes to chalenge the same then the benefite loseth the name of a benefite and becommeth playnely a iuste rewarde And why did it thus happen vnto the Iewes verily bicause they attayned not to that thing which
time God truely as a God of mercy did for his parte that which was well séeming to the vttermoste poynt but they woulde not so take it at his mercifull hands Therefore in their sinne of contempt they still slipt from grace they fell farre from their God and denied also his sonne Iesus Chryst that came to redéeme both them and all mankinde as you haue heard before And the effecte of this matter shall the Reader haue more perfectly discussed in his place folowing of this sayde Epistle which I thought héere sufficiente inoughe onely to touche and to put him in minde thereof agaynst he come to the texte it selfe Therefore séeing we haue now brought it vnto this conclusion that God truely is cleare and not to be blamed for any mans fal but saueth him froÌ„ it euen through his great mercy in his onely sonne Iesus Chryst we may not then leaue so muche to our selues nor haue any confidence at all in our owne workes in our owne deuised toyes or vayne imaginations neither yet in the kéeping of any ceremonies whether they be of the law of Moses or otherwise not for Chryst in his comming and by his death hath not onely taken vpon his backe the heauy burthen or most terrible curse of the Law from them which beléeue in him but hath also put cleane away all the Ceremonies thereof inasmuche as by his comming now in our flesh all suche things are clearely finished for whose onely cause they were firste made and had therefore by him their shorter continuaunce The circumcision therefore of the law the feast of the newe Moone the Iewish Sabbat dayes with all the reste of suche obseruances and Ceremonies are vtterly now to be banyshed and neuer henceforth any more to be exercised among christian men in the true Church of God and Chryst For to vpholde by any state that those Ceremonies shoulde still continue amongst men and the professours of Chryst is flatly to deny the comming of Chryst into this worlde in our flesh denying in effecte the vertue of his death and therefore 〈◊〉 worthy the name of Ethnikes thâ—â— Christians 〈◊〉 lesse 〈◊〉 the multitude of â—â—â—â—sh 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ioyes â—euiled of mortall men be vsed in Châ—â—â—â—e◠〈◊〉 Church among all other Churches 〈◊〉 that the Ceremonies whiche God him selfe appoynted are now made frustrate and to be cleane put away from amongst vs How be it Moyses hath within the limites of his law as it were two lawes which is thus to be vnderstandes one the Table of the commaundements and the other Morall and â—â—ill instructions which Paule calleth a spiritual bâ—â—â—â—e which is still to be looked vpon daily practised and folowed also there be Ceremonies Rites Vsages and Customes which is called a grosse and carnall lawe and is to be banished from euery true christian man And euen héere I would that the gâ—â—tle Reader should diligently remember that the whole law of Moyses was proclaymed onely to the Iewes which God tooke at that time for his owne and onely dearlings and that the Gentiles had no parte thereof but in the â—â—ede thereof the law of nature which is a naturall aptnesse or inclination to follow honest ciuilitie to be gentle and of good behauiour This same lawe of nature was grafted of God in the hearts of the Gentiles at their very beginning and fiâ—tâ—â— creatiâ—â— which hath in it a certayne knowledge of God as many of the Gentiles had a certayne loue towardes him to speake well of him to cal dayly vpon him to feare him to loue their neighbours and not to hurte the simple or their inferiour with many other suche godly vertues of honestie or godly qualities but the moste parte of them did abuse the same ciuile and honest lawe which was giuen vnto them of God to vse it to his glory and honor And many of them also were so blinded in Idolatrie false worshipping and leaning many wayes to their owne damnable imaginations that they could not follow the nature of that lawe Therfore S. Paule sayth Though they had not the written law of Moyses amongest them yet they were all saued or condemned according to their lawe of nature bicause it prescribed that in effecte to the Gentile which the lawe of Moyses did vnto the Iewes and euen so all men were found sinfull and wretched before the face of god But it was prouided through the woÌ„derfull wisedome of God that when the Iewes did forsake their owne profession and denyed the sauioure Christe that came to saue them and all mankinde according to his fathers truth that theÌ„ this same law of Moses and the frute of Christes comming should be turned vnto the Gentiles for their conuersion and saluation Howe be it this benefite of God is not so to be taken as though he had nowe broken promisse with the Iewes or that they shuld vtterly be depriued of his mercie and goodnesse but that they may all haue the profitte and commoditie therof as wel as the Gentiles if they wil forsake in time their pride malice and stoutnesse and submit humbly them selues to the true faithe in Iesus Christe And whereas Paule speaketh against the trust that the Iewes haue in their law and circumcision he meaneth vnder the same all kindes of Ceremonies and customes of religion as yet be nowe vsed among Christen men Thus for the better declaration of all the premisses I do entend to referre the Reader vnto Sainct Paule him self in his Epistle to the Romanes which I haue according to the grace and gift giueÌ„ me of God written more plainly out than appeareth in the very bare text it self which is no commentarie or glose vpon the said text but as it were altogether one vniforme Epistle or Paraphrase like and in suche order so drawne out neare to the nakednesse of the text it selfe euen as though the Apostle him self did wholely write the same aâ—â— euen so the Reader muste consider thereof and take it Whome I beséeche God almightie to assist and further after suche a sort in the reading therof that he may therby take no lesse aduauntage and profite than it should not repente him to receiue the free mercie of God and his eternall saluation through the only merites deathe and Passion of his sonne Iesus Christ Amen ⧠The Contentes of this Booke A Paraphrase vppon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Romanes Fol. 1. Huldricke Zuinglius in his friendly exposition to Luther touching the Eucharist confesseth vvhat he acknovvledgeth of Iesus Christe Fol. 68 A fevve vvordes touching the Couenaunt that God made vnto his Church in Christ translated out of Huldrick Zuinglius in his Subsidie annexed to the vvorke aforesaid Fol. 69 Of Vanitie by Martinus Cellarius Fol. 72 Of Vovves by Martinus Cellarius Fol. 75 Of the Olde man and the Nevve vvhich be compared togither by Martinus Cellarius vpon the seuenth of the Preacher 78 An Exhortation sent from a straunger a vvorthie and famous learned man of God to the righte highe
and mightie Prince Edvvarde Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Churche of Englande immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the VVest partes as also in Suffolke and Nâ—â—â—olke in the yeare of our Lord Christe 1549. 86 ¶ A Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of the holy Apostle S. Paule to the Romanes The first Chapter I Paul whom men heretofore haue called Saule that is to say one which is now become of a busie and troublesome felow or of a very tyrant and persecuter a well stayed peaceable and quiet man and was bound many yeres agone vnder the law of Moyses strayghtly to serue and obey him but now at this tyme â—n made frée from him set at libertie and prefâ—rred to the highe fréedome seruice and dignitie of the great God our Lorde Iesus Chryst yet notwithstanding I am not thereby falne into the corrupte state of Apostacie or a cleane forsaker of Moyses institutions but am called to be Chrystes true messanger and therefore now more highly aduaunced than when I was one of the stoute and mightie dâ—â—â—â—ders of the Pharisies secte against Moyses For the cause thereof was that béeing then not truely godly nor ledde by the spirite of truthe and although learned yet not rightly learned but a wanderer in darkenesse and error I missed very farre from the veritie and from the true vnderstanding of the holy law of god But now I may rightly be called a true Pharisie that is one which by grace am chosen separated and put aparte by the Lorde Iesus Chryst him selfe who hath endued me with the spirite of truth to preach and teache the Gospell of his eternall father which is not any new Gospell of lately inuented but the same that was promised long before by the holy Prophets vppon the sonne of man which at hys tyme appoynted was borne of the stocke of Dauid as touching the fleshe and was also declared of the holy Ghoste to bée the eternall Sonne of the euerlasting God as moste truely appeareth bycause after hys bodily death and buriall in the Sepulchre he triumphantly rose agayne euen with the same very flesh In which mightie and notable mysterie he dyd not only teache vs the resurrection also to come of our fleshe but also him selfe to be the beginner and onely author of the same By whom I am appoynted to the function and high office of an Apostle that like as the Gospell of God hath ben promulgate and taught among the nation of the Iewes so it might also by me be declared vnto the Gentiles Not to any suche intente that they should be burdened with the mightinesse and charges of the law but rather that they shoulde submitte them selues to the onely true fayth in Iesus Chryste and to be brought herevnto not by the vayne gloses of Philosophers of the which sort all you be that are Gentiles but by receiuing the name of Chryst in holy baptisme and so made the children of God by adoption to refrayne your selues from al vayne and fantasticall persuasions paynted and damnable opinions as be now and long hath ben amongst you inasmuche as the adoption it selfe is through grace in Chryst Iesus generally offered to all men Therfore I say to al you that be at Rome the faythfull louers of God and forsakers of your olde iniquities I wish the grace mercy and peace of God not such peace verily as the world giueth but the very true perfect and new peace which onely procéedeth from the father almightie God of heauen And first of all things I thanke the same father of heauen for you that it hath pleased him by his sonne Iesus Chryst to giue this inestimable benefite vnto you Which although you haue ben heretofore al infidels miscreants and idolaters deserued by Gods iustice to be eternally damned yet now he wil that your fayth and profession shuld in such sort be changed made 〈…〉 strong in him that it may most happily redounde to your â—â—â—noume and speciall commendation throughout all the whole world The which thing considering my deare tender loue towards you can not be but most ioyfull and comfortable to me for God the father is my recorde whom I now serue not in vayne and dead Ceremonies but in the powre of his spirite preaching the glad tidings of his deare sonne that always from time to time I haue you in my thought remembraunce praying continually to God that if it be possible I might once come vnto you and sée you at Rome for I thinke very long there to sée you and to be made ioyfull of your godly companies Not séeking therby mine owne profite or singuler aduauntage but most hartily desirous to bestow vpon you some healthsome frute of my Apostleship and to exhibite vnto you not the grosse seruice or dead Ceremonies of Moses but the very delectable yea most swete and spiritual good taste of the sauiour Iesus Christ and to speake vnto you after mine affection familiaritie togither to the ende that one of vs may comfort another in the onely true fayth which wée now haue in our Lord Iesus and to the confirmation establishing one another in the same heauenly gifte All whiche though they be not yet hitherto done as moste rightly behoueth surely for my parte I am in no faulte thereof for I haue most earnestly wished to haue ben among you but alas I haue had many impediments and lets to the contrary And for this cause specially I haue desired to sée you that it might bée my lotte and good happe aswell to profite you and to doo you good as I haue doone vnto other Nations For as God him selfe is an vniuersall God and Lorde of mercy to all men euen so by his mercy is the Gospell vniuersall and in time to be vttered to all nations Wherefore in déede I confesse it my duetie not onely to declare the holy Gospell to the Iew but also to the Gentile not onely to the wise and learned but also to the most barbarous rude vnlearned yea to euery man whatsoeuer he be without exception onlesse he most wickedly and with fixed will withstande and resist the same For which consideration in the zeale of my Lorde Chryst to do you good mine hart melteth within me vntil I preache the Gospell also vnto you that be at Rome And you shall vnderstande that as I feare not at all the state of your great mighty famouse and pompouse Empire so am I not ashamed of the humble and base state or appearaunce of Chrysts kingdome nor of the preaching of his holy Gospell in the simplicitie and plainenesse therof which although it bée to the vnfaythfull but a scoffe a mocke or scorne yet is the same to all the faythfull the moste high mightie and puissaunt vertue of GOD through which onely they bée brought to the hauen of felicitie and to eternall saluation The
Prophets spoken and the law declared And héere peraduenture some man will aske me How dyd it chaunce then that the Iewes did so sodenly forsake and shake off Chryst Verily euen bicause God can not abide the stubborne and proude men but giueth him selfe wholly vnto the méeke gentle and lowely hearted And bicause the Iewes were stubborne proude and wilfull and would not beléeue the Gospell of Chryst and his promises he dyd renounce and forsake them For which cause the Gentiles acknowledging their wretchednesse and submitting them selues to the fayth in Chryst God receiued them to hys grace whereas the Iewes he reiected and caste off bycause they gloried in a false righteousnesse in their holy dayes in their washing in their circumcision and in suche their lyke obserucāes which refused to submit them selues to the faith of Chryst and denied him and put him the author of their life vnto death the which selfe thing Esay did prophecie should come to passe that is that Chryst whom the law before had promised to be a sauiour should be vnto them for their vnfaythfulnesse sake an occasion of their fall and he should also be a stone wherevpon the faythfull should repose them selues and vnto the Iewes it should be turned to their destruction inasmuche as they rather did chose to stumble at it and to be at variaunce among them selues agaynst it than to take their rest vpon it through the vertue of their beléefe For euen so dothe the father of Chryst him selfe speake by the prophet and sayth Beholde I put in Syon a stone to stumble at and a rocke to fall vpon But who soeuer shall beléeue on it shall not be ashamed of his beléefe The .x. Chapter The vnfaythfulnesse of the Iewes Two maner of righteousnesses DEare brethren verily I say this vnto you not without great sorow and heauinesse of harte bicause I inwardly wishe with the same the happie state and prosperitie of the Iewes And if it were in mine abilitie and power I would most gladly reléeue them and ease them of their fal and most wretched mischaunce But of this thing they be all assured and out of doubt that I pray to God dayly and hartily for them that they may yet once agayne turne to repentaunce and not thus alwayes to continue in their damnable blyndnesse Surely I can not excuse them of their vnbeléefe howbeit somewhat may yet be sayde in that behalfe for their comforts for they be not so farre from Chryst as the Gentiles were for asmuche as he is somewhat néerer the truthe that knoweth some parte thereof than he that knoweth yet nothing at all For which cause I would the rather wish that the same thing may now be brought to good effecte in them which they heretofore went about and that they may now obtayne the very truth it selfe wherof long since they haue had but the tipe and shadowe And although they did fall into a moste horrible and lamentable vice in that they so maliciously crucified the Lord which was the fountaine of al glory yet notwithstanding the same I muste néedes confesse that they did it for some loue which they bare towardes God thoughe it were done neither with wisdome nor iudgement For their entent was to call himself the sonne of God which in their opinions was a detestable blasphemie to the Father of heauen but in this pointe their carnall reason was deceyued Wherefore they did not altogither misse in the affection of godlynesse thoughe the same did misse in the ordering and in the right applying therof and better it is to haue some one kinde of religion thā to haue none at all Also they did deserue thoughe they had but little godlinesse in them to haue had more giuen vnto them if they had not bene so stiffe necked in their firste rules of godlinesse hauing in contempte the true godlinesse it selfe when it was once offered vnto them and also if they had not maintained and so stoutly fortified theyr shadowes and only similitudes of truthe and in steade therof to deride and mocke the veritie and perfect truth it selfe And euery of them though they should not then haue caste of from them their lawe of Moses yet they did strius for the fortification thereof without all knowledge or godly iudgement In the doing of which they contended against him for whom the whole lawe was firste made and proclaimed For theyr holy dayes their Circumcision their differences of meates the auoyding from deade carcases their Fastings their Festiuall dayes were all appoynted for this intent that they shoulde passe foorthe for their time in these sortes of beginning and to pretende by the outwarde or worldly rightuousnesse therof a comming at the time appoynted to the true rightuousnesse of almightie God. Howe be it it was not conuenient for them that for the loues sake and affection they then had to their Ceremoniall rightuousnesse to despise cast him away frō them for whose only cause al their lawe Ceremonies were ordained but the more pitie it is that the Iewes though they had in most large and godly maner declared truely vnto them all the righteousnesse of God yet they would not forsake the worldly righteousnesse of their Ceremonies but moste peruersly and without all good order sought to vpholde the continuaunce of them For they so stiffely defended their olde righteousnesse which in déede was made of none effecte and is now rather become to all men which trust therein their deadly wound and sting that they would not once know the true ryghteousnesse of God but stil wasting their liues in Ceremonies they resisted the Gospell of Chryst wherevnto they should haue submitted them selues with all humblenesse and thankesgiuing if in very déede they had ben mindefull to be righteous For we must imagine thus with our selues as though there were before vs two kinde of righteousnesses the one hath Moyses for their author the other hath Chryst The firste standeth in the fulfilling of Ceremonies the seconde consisteth in the fayth of Iesus Chryst and in the obedience to his Gospell The first of these two was but the preamble and first beginning of the seconde euen as a stocke or rough péece of woode is the beginning of the Image that is made thereof or else as the crudding togither of the bloud is the beginning of the issue that commeth therof Therfore it shall be but extreme foolishnesse to sticke to the beginning and to be setled with delight therein when we haue once receiued the perfecte issue and true thing it selfe And euen thus is Chryst the very perfect issue or ende of Moyses law which was in déede but a very weake and vnperfecte beginning of our righteousnesse And this same issue is fedde and nourished to be our helpe and comforte in time to come with the moste delicate deyntie and sweete milke of fayth and not with the da lying toyes of Circumcision or other the like trifling Ceremonies The comming vnto
owne seruaunte from stumbling Neither wyll his Lorde take it for any stumbling at all to mysse herein bicause he séeth that hys faythe and conscience doo kéepe him quiete and safe from all the daungers thereof And euen thus as it is héere spoken of the choyse of meates that enter into a mans body so lykewise it is to be vnderstanded of the obseruation of Holy dayes and feastes of the newe Moone with all other suche Ceremonies which are onely to be suffered for the weaklings sake or else for no cause at all For to obserue them amongest men that are perfecte it is greatly repugning the will of God and the holy Gospell Also the weake man in his fayth maketh difference betwixt day and day as though one day were holy and another vnholy and that it is lawfull to eate that thing vpon one day which may not be eaten vppon another day But contrary he that is strong and sounde in his fayth taketh vnto hym selfe all dayes indifferently and iudgeth the whole tyme of his life to be consecrate and appoynted altogither to godlynesse and true Religion For the disputation or questioning about these matters let not the Christian concord be broken amongest you in any case but let euery man for the tyme follow his owne iudgement and not condemne any other mans opinion inasmuche as either of the parties may be without offence in either of them a time of perfection may be séene to grow to true vnderstanding and godlynesse But that man which iudgeth to him selfe that all days alike be holy and are dedicate to all godly vses he iudgeth aright vnto the Lord neither is it material vnto thée how much it is that he iudgeth Also he that maketh difference of dayes if he doo erre therin he erreth vnto his Lord and it maketh no matter at all vnto thée Further he that without scrupulositie eateth of all kinds of meats the same also eateth for the Lords pleasure inasmuche as he therfore giueth thanks vnto him thorough whose onely benefite he eateth and through whose gracious benignitie al things are created for the vse of mankind Againe he that abstaineth frō sundry meates by reason of his weaknes he abstaineth for the lords pleasure this is nothing materiall vnto thee considering that though he eate but herbs rootes yet notwithstanding he yeldeth his harty thanks vnto the lord euen as thou thy self also doest vnto him Wherin if God shall allow and accept his thanks what hast thou then to do with him for it The cause of this matter is not one but the matter it selfe is one and the minde is one and the Lorde also is one This man is thankfull to God for his bountifull goodnesse hauing libertie by him to eate what him list and that bicause the law of the Gospell maketh rather a difference and choyse of our minds than it dothe of meats And another man thanketh him for his frugality and temperaunce in meates considering that by occasion of his weaknes in this behalfe eschueth surfetting vnnatural contagion by reason hereof kéepeth also him selfe within the limites of chastitie In suche things we be all of like affecte neither oughte we for the vpholding of our fantasticall opinions in these poynts be therfore at variaunce with our brother or one christian man with another It shal be sufficient vnto either partie to be contented if god him self do allow the thing vnto whom onely appertayneth the moste true and iuste iudgemente For the thing it selfe is indifferente and to bée borne withall according to the condition of tyme One Christian man hath no further to doo with another but onely to profite one another Neither dothe any man liue his owne seruaunte or properly to him selfe considering wée be all seruauntes to the Lorde which hathe boughte vs from vyce to godlynesse and from death vnto lyfe Therefore there is no man that either liueth or dyeth his owne seruaunte but the seruaunte of another maister whych hathe power ouer him euen bothe for lyfe and death Thus then if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne pleasure and honour but onely for the Lords honour or otherwise for his dishonour Which if he dye he doth it also to fulfill the wil of the Lorde Wherefore whether he liue or dye if the Lordes will therein bée doone it commeth of him selfe and not of thée neither will he therfore chalenge any thing at thy hand How shamefull a thyng then shall it be for one seruaunts to be comptroller of another seruaunte which is felow seruaunte with him in the seruice of God if he to whom the seruyce is doone bée sufficiently therewith contented And there is no bondeman amongest men so muche bonde vnto hys maister as wée béeing all seruauntes are bounde to our maister Chryst which hathe bought vs and redéemed vs not with siluer nor golde but onely with his most precious bloud Therfore if we fall we fall vnto him and if we stand we stand vnto him Agayne if we liue we liue to him and if we dye we dye vnto him All other bonde men doo ceasse to bée any more bounde to their Lorde and Mayster after they be once dead but all we that haue Chryst to our Lord be in suche case with him that whether we liue or whether we dye we be alwayes his for whose sake all things do◠liue and haue their béeing For Chryst hathe authoritie not onely vppon them that bée aliue but also vppon them that be deade inasmuche as he employeth bothe his life and deathe for our saluation For thy sake he was made man and for thy loue he once dyed and the same rose agayne from his death vnto lyfe to the ende he shoulde bée Lorde bothe of the quicke and of the deade If wée liue vnto godlynesse we may thanke hym for it if wée bee deade to our vyces wée may refer it to his only goodnesse he is the Lorde and he is the Iudge And why then shoulde one seruaunt take authoritie vpon him agaynst another forasmuch as the thing onely appertayneth vnto the lord Thou that art superstitious how darest thou be so bold to iudge him that is stronger than thou thy self which eateth without any questiō of al kind of meats and vseth al daies alike in the seruice of god or else thou that art strong why darest thou haue thy brother in contempte that is weaker than thou thy selfe as though a man woulde say that thou shewest thy selfe rather his Lorde than felowe seruant with him To what end doth either this or that man take vpon him the roume of the Lord preuenteth the iudgements of God which shall be onely at the last day at the glorious appeasaunce of Iesus Christ Wherfore one man may not iudge another but one must helpe and instruct an other in the most holy and perfect state of religion For Christ that is Lorde vnto vs all will giue iudgement vppon all at what tyme wée
séeth that he wente about this that we should trust to the Lorde and serue him in holinesse and innocencie of life And whereas through the faulte and calamitie which destroyed our nature at the beginning we be so tyed to affections that we doe none of those things which God requireth of vs rightly and as we ought to do It commeth also to passe that the iustice of God feareth vs on the other side For howsoeuer we call him good and mercifull yet are we compelled to acknowledge him to be iust also Neither shoulde it bée truely good that lacked iustice Now that his iustice also might continue inuiolate and yet man which doth nothing worthy of iustice should not euer be depriued of his companie he found a way by the which both his iustice should be satisfied and the poore miser restored again to the company of god He sent his sonne therfore which should be made our iustice sanctification and price of Redemption and for them onely to be so made which being chosen of God and taught within forth by his spirite beléeued this firmly that by one way of the mercy of God for that he pacyfied his iustice by offring his sonne it is lykewise the work of mercie the way should be open vnto eternal blessednesse nowe of this mercie his sonne is made the pledge and suretie For howe shall he not giue vs all things which hath giuen vs his sonne Not being eaten but made the foundation our hope Not in that he is fleshe but in that he is the sonne of God that tooke fleshe Thus thou hast in few wordes howe I knowledge Christe Namely that he is the light and moste high wisedome which hathe so lightned the worlde that he mighte sée God to be pleased with none other seruices than with the seruice of innocencie That heauen is wonne with none other price or tribute but with the redemption of the sonne of god That a man is stirred vp to the exercise of true vertue with none other spurres than by the inflammation of the spirit That true comfort is brought into our soules by no other instruments then by the watring influence of the same spirite Thus I know Christ Nowe if this be not to knowe Christe earnestly I will confesse me not to haue knowne him yet A fewe wordes touching the Couenaunt that God hath made vnto his Churche in Christe translated oute of Huldrich Zuinglie in his Subsidie annexed to the woorke aforesaide THEY bring the woordes of Paule againste me ◠Cor. 11. Where he sayth thus This cup is the newe couenant in my bloud Of which woordes they thus withstand me that which is héere giuen is the newe couenant But the new couenaunt is not any signe but the very bloud of Christ For as muche then as this cuppe is the newe couenant it muste néedes be the corporall bloud of Christ for the bloud is the couenaunt I am glad that this place is laide against me and specially for this cause that the variation of the couenaunte which is found in many places of the scriptures may be a little excussed Couenaunt as in this pointe is nothing else than a condition promised of god As when the Lord stroke a bargaine or couenaunt with Abraham I am God almightie saythe he walke before me and be perfecte and I wil put my couenant betweene me thée and betwéene thy séede after thée in their generations with an euerlasting couenant that I be thy god and the God of thy séede after thee And I will giue to thée and to thy séede after thee the land of thy Pilgrimage and all the land of Canaan in possession for euer and I will be thy god Héere is nothing spoken but the couenaunte which God by fauoure vouchedsafe to make with Abraham But what containeth this couenaunte With what conditions is it made These be then the conditions I will be thy god Thou shalt walke before me moste purely I will make thée a father of many Nations I will géeue the séede of Sara And I wil be the God of that posteritie of thine also which I promise I will giue to thée and to thy séede the lande in the which thou art now a stranger The which cōditions be euen the very couenaunte selfe But to the couenauntes are added signes Which althoughe they be called by the names of the couenaunts be not the couenaunts for all that as it is manifest in the same place For it foloweth on this wise This is my couenant that thou shalt kéepe betwéene me and thee and thy séede after thée Let euery mā childe of you be circumcised Sée howe he calleth the circumcision the couenaunte When for all that it was not the couenant but the signe of the couenant euen as the diuine saying it selfe teacheth on this wise And yée shal circumcise the fleshe of your foreskin that it may be a token or signe betwéene me and you We sée it to be now called the signe of the couenaunt which a little before was called the couenaunt It is therefore euident inoughe that the signes of the couenaunts be not the couenants although they haue sometimes the names of the couenaunts put vpon them As when circumcision is héere called the couenant wheras it is yet but the signe of the couenaunt And Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. is taken for Christ when he saythe that we are saued by baptisme yet are we saued by only Christ This is the text of S. Peter When the long suffering of God was once loked for in the dayes of Noe while the Arke was a preparing wherin fewe that is to say eight soules were saued by the water like as Baptisme nowe saueth vs Not the putting away the filthe of the fleshe but in that a good conscience consenteth to God by the resurrection of Iesus Christe Zuinglie expoundeth this place in his subsidie or helpe as folovveth vve thought it not necessary to repeat any further those things vvhich vve broughte in our commentarie for vve truste that vve haue satisfied them that be godly and somevvhat more grovvne in the faithe vvhich commit them selfe to Christ in this floud that drovvneth this vvorlde none othervvise then Noe did in the olde time committe him selfe and his and the remnaunts of the vvhole vovrld that forthvvith shuld be destroyed to that greate shippe as men borne after the deathe of their father For they that put their confidence in Christe require Christe no more according to the fleshe for they knovve that fleshe profiteth nothing as is vvritten in the sixth of Ihon if thou eate it but then knovv that it profiteth much if thou beleeue Christ to be slaine for thee in the fleshe And that thou put thy confidence in that In this vvinde they svvimme safely to land In this shippe they are saued But Baptisme is as well the signe of the Christian people which haue receiued of God this couenaunt that his sonne is oures As the Circumcision was in the olde
Not only the olde man but also euery other creature shall be redéemed and deliuered from vanitie vnder the reuelation of so great a kingdom the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 8. 80 But how Shall the plants reuiue againe and florishe a newe And shal the beastes and liuing things put immortalitie vpon them yea verily but not by themselues in theyr subsistences or beings but in the whole that is in the heade Christ and in the sainctes his body whilest in them their bodies life sense and minde be restored to newnesse glory which degrées conclude the vniuersall perfection bothe of the worke created and also of that which is to be renued and the same in the newe and blessed man Christ Iesus the true God and very eternal sonne of god the father Where is diligently to be marked that we distinct these thrée diligētly in Christ namely a true fleshe and very bones a very soule and minde in déede and the very spirite of his father In such sorte that of euery one of these the nature be seperately distinctly kept and reserued to it selfe in the kingdom of glory not one mixed with an other euen as Christ himselfe did distinct them when after the resurrection he proued and verified to be in him the nature of very flesh and bones In which order the holy ghost obtaineth the highest place as the kingly vnction of the Fathers maiestie The second is the minde the thirde are bones and flesh Which thing if it shal be marked we shal ouercome great difficulties and shall escape most gréeuous errors that are now in these dayes of the flesh of Christ Therefore as by this Christ all things were made both visible and inuisible euen so by the same and in the same all things shall be renued to glory the woorke of restauration so farre passing the first woorke of creation as mutable is excelled of immutable and as that which is renuable is excelled and surmounted of that which already is renued to better and into the best state it may haue 82 This is the merite of the pure bloud of Christe Iesus the heauenly man which being sprinkled abrode vppon all things mundifieth that is maketh cleane al things in heauen and in earth the oldnesse of corruption dissolued the newnesse of incorruptibilitie brought in that shall abide for euer when this shal be spoken Stabilitie of stablenesse al things are stable as hitherto hath bene said vanitie of vanities all things are vanitie while the vanitie of the olde creature raigned Thāks therfore and glory be to God the father who hath giuen vs this victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ the new mā VVho repair in vs integritie and nevvnesse of life after this old corrupt disposition of the olde and first Adam Amen Amen An exhortation sent from a straunger a worthy and famous learned man of God to the righte highe and mightie Prince Edvvard Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Church of England Immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the vvest partes as also in Suffolke and Norfolke In the yeare of our Lord Christ 1549. MY Lorde although God hathe giuen vnto youre grace a singuler prudēce magnanimitie other godly vertues requisite to the place wher he hathe ordained you and for the affaires that he hathe put into your hand neuerthelesse for as muche as ye doe estéeme me for a seruaunte of his sonne Christ whome you aboue all desire to obey I am certaine that for the loues sake of him you will receiue gently that which I nowe wryte vnto you in his name As in déede I pretend none other end but in folowing stil that which you haue already begun you might therein continue and séeke the aduauncement of his glory more and more vntill the time yée haue established his kingdome and raigne in suche perfection as it may rightly be knowne vnto the world And also ye shal know that without aduauncing any thing of mine owne fantasie all that I nowe purpose to wryte shall be drawne oute of his moste pure and holesome doctrine And for as muche as you refuse not to be taughte of the same maister whome I serue but that you rather preferre to all the rest the grace that he hathe giuen vnto you to be one of hys Disciples I thinke that I haue no néede to make vnto you any long excuse or preface bicause I finde you sufficiently disposed to receiue all suche things as shall procéede of him We haue all great cause to render thanks vnto our Lord God and father for that he hath thus willed to be so reuerently obeyed and serued of you in so excellent and high a worke as in setting foorth agayne I meane the pure and true rule of his seruice in Englande and in causing the sincere doctrine of health to haue place and to be there faythfully published to all them that will heare and for that that he hath giuen vnto you such vertue and constancie to continue vnto this time agaynst so many temptations and difficulties and for that he hath also strengthned you in blessing all your counsels and labours for the prospering of them for they be things that stirre all true and faythfull men to magnifie and prayse his name But in the meane time bicause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all meanes possible new combates and that it is a thing of it selfe so harde that there can be nothing more harde than to cause that the worde of God may peaceably rule amongest the people which through the corruption of their owne natures be giuen to lyes and fantasies And forasmuche as there are so many circumstances which impecheth in these dayes the strayght course of the same and aboue all that the superstitions of Antichryst hauing taken roote so long time may not easily be taken away from their hartes It séemeth vnto me yée haue great néede to be confirmed and strengthned by some holy exhortations and I doubt not but the experience therof teacheth you to féele the same whiche shall be the cause to make me procéede more frankly considering that my purpose as I beléeue shall be conformable to your desire And albeit that mine exhortations shall be superfluous yet I am sure that you wil beare with that good zeale affection of mine which vndoubtedly stirreth me to doo it Wherfore I thinke according to reason that the necessitie which ye féele shall cause mine exhortations a great deale the sonner and the better to be receiued whatsoeuer they shal be I beséech your Lordship that it may please you to giue me hearing in some aduertisements that I entende shortely to declare vnto you hoping that when yée shall vnderstande them yée shall at the leaste finde some sauour to be recomforted and to take a greate deale the better courage to continue the holy and moste noble enterpryse vnto which God hath appoynted you at
meane time I say not but that it is good and also necessarie to binde and restraine the Pastoures and Curates to a certaine order and forme wrytten for to supplie the ignoraunce and simplenesse of some of them and for to shew the better conformitie and concorde with all Churches Thirdly for to bridle and ouerthrowe all vaine curiositie and newe inuentions of such as desireth nothing but to runne riotte the sayd Cathechisme as I haue before rehearsed shal serue and be a good bridell for suche folkes And also in suche sorte and order are the ministring of the holy Sacramentes to be giuen and in like manner the publike Prayers And in the meane season your grace muste take héede to auoide suche pollicies as may destroy the strength and vertue that oughte to be in the preaching of the Gospell and that you employ your laboure and diligence as muche as yée can possible that there be liuely and good Trumpettes whose sounde may enter into the déepenesse of their hartes For there is danger and great doutfulnesse that yée shall not sée great profit of such reformation howe great holy so euer it be vnlesse euen at once with it the power and vertue of good preaching be displayed and set foorthe togither It is not without cause which is saide that Iesus Christ shal strike the earth by the scepter of his mouthe and shall destroy the euill by the spirite of his lips It is Gods disposed good way wherby he will ouerthrowe vs in destroying all that which is againste him And for that cause the gospell is also called the power the raigne or kingdome of god And notwithstāding that the ordinances and statues of Princes be good helpes to aduance and maintaine the state of christianitie yet will God haue his soueraigne vertue declared in the spirituall swoorde of his woorde which is set foorthe by his appoynted pastoures And to the ende I will not long trouble your Lordship I wil come to the second point that I haue purposed to shewe vnto you Which is to abolishe and take cleane away the abuses and corruptions that Sathan héeretofore hath mingled with the ordinance of god We know that vnder the Pope there is a bastarde christianitie that God shall disalowe at the laste day for as muche as at this day he hath condemned it by his woorde If we desire to flée backe and retire from the worlde and from suche approued perdition there is nothing better than to folowe the example of S. Paule the which willing to correcte the euill that the Corrinthians had ioyned to the supper of the Lord said vnto them I haue receiued of the Lorde that which I haue giuen vnto you Of that we must al gather one generall instruction that is to returne to the righte and naturall commaundement of God if we will haue a good and an approued reformation of him For as many minglings as men hathe aduaunced of their owne wicked inuentions so many infections be there throughe the which we are turned from the holy vsage of that which God hathe giuen vnto vs for our sauing health Therfore to fall to cropping or cutting off but only half the branches of such rotten abuses it cannot bring again the good things into their perfect pure estate bicause that we shall then haue amongst vs a christianitie continually mixed and counterfayte I say thys bicause that some vnder the colour of moderation be of opinion to suffer many abuses in the Churche without taking them cleane away and they thinke that it is inough to haue taken oute the roote onely of the principall abuses But to the contrarie wée sée howe muche the lothesome séedes of Hypocrisie and lyes are fertile and that one grayne thereof is sufficient to fill and annoy all the worlde within thrée dayes as men bée aptely enclined and giuen thereunto Our Lorde God who is all goodnesse and truthe and vnto whom wée ought onely enclyne giueth vs other instruction For when Dauid speaketh of Idolles he saythe that their names shall not passe by hys mouthe to the entente to declare vnto vs in what detestation and contempte wée oughte alwayes to haue them And if in suche wyckednesse wée oughte to consider well howe greately wée haue offended GOD in the tyme of our ignoraunce howe muche rather oughte wée nowe to remember the eschewing of Sathans inuentions that hathe and dothe yet styll prouoke vs to committe suche euilles as are allurementes whiche serueth not but onely to seduce the poore simple soules On the other side wée sée that although men bée sufficiently warned of their faultes and erroures and bée aduertised of them as muche as is possible yet neuerthelesse they bée so hardened that no man can attayne to their good and perfect ende Then if there shall bée lefte vnto them some Reliques or fonde fantasies to remayne it shall bée a nourishemente in déede of muche more contempte and greater obstinacie and a couerture to darken and hyde all doctrine that may bée proponed vnto them I confesse that as it is conuenient to obserue some moderation and that too greate extremitie is not good nor profitable so likewise it is not vnséemely to vse the Ceremonies according to the time and grosnesse of the people but it may not be that any thing which is of Sathan and of Antechryst should once passe vnder any such colour For that cause the holy Scripture commendeth those good kinges which did destroy the Idolatries neuerthelesse in not plucking away altogither gaue yet vnto them a marke for that they had not destroyed the Chappels and places of vayne and foolish deuotion Wherefore my Lorde séeing that God hathe hitherto preserued you raysed you vp to honoure and hathe broughte you now so farre forwardes in his workes I pray you goe on and continue your dooing without any exception to the ende he may approue you his diligente ouerséer and setter foorth of his temple in suche wise that the time of the king your Nephew may be compared vnto the time of Iosias and that you shall put all things in such good estate as there shall remaine nothing to him but to maintaine the good established order which God shall haue prepared vnto him by your gracious meane I will alleage vnto you an example of suche dregges that may peraduenture reste to be a little leauen which in the ende will make the paaste sowre They vse in your Countrey of Englande some kinde of prayer for the dead when the Communion is receiued I know well that it is not to aduouch the Purgatorie of the Pope I know also that it may be alleaged by auncient custome to doo some remembraunce for the dead to the ende to ioyne togither all the members of the body But there is an apparentorie argumente to the contrarie that the Supper of Iesus Chryst is so holy a thing that it ought not to be defiled by no inuention of
image of the holy vnion that wée haue with the sonne of God is defiled and that the alyaunce 〈…〉 â—dissoluble is moste cor◠〈…〉 â—e take not these thinges to 〈…〉 it is a playne signe that wée 〈…〉 â—o god Touching also whore◠〈…〉 â—s that S. Paule doth compare it to 〈…〉 as by the same the temples of God 〈…〉 â—es be prophaned and defiled Also that 〈…〉 â—eration of whormongers of what estate or 〈…〉 they be in the worlde or how holy soeuer they 〈◊〉 â—o the worlde God who séeth the fylthinesse of their â—s dothe banish them from his eternall region and kingdome as also drunkardes and are playnely forbidden not to vse any coÌ„pany or familiaritie with them God also threatneth to plague among all the reste those cursed vyces of pride and excesse which now so horribly ouerrunneth the earth Wherefore it followeth that suche euils ought not to be suffered in the Churche of God without sharpe punishement for the auoyding of the wrath of god And these things are the cause that so many and great tribulations be at thys day vppon the earth for insomuche as men doo pardon and winke at suche enormities and greate abuses it muste vndoubtedly follow that God by his iustice wil take vengeance vpon vs Wherfore my Lorde to the intente that his great yre and wrath may be preuented I pray you holde short the bridle to cause them the rather that be the hearers and fauorers of the doctrine of Chrystes holy Gospell doo also proue them selues to be Christian men by the holynesse of their lyues For as Chrystes holy doctrine is the soule of the Churche to giue life so the discipline of the Church and correction of vices be as the sinowes to mainteyne the body of the same in his cleane force and strength It is the office of Byshops and Curates diligent and faythfull Pastours to take good héede to so gret a charge to the intent that the Supper of our Lorde be not polluted defiled by folkes of slaunderous dishonest life But considering the authoritie which God hath committed vnto you the high and principal charge returneth vnto you to sée that the Christian fauourers of the Gospell of truthe ma◠〈…〉 ende that euery one 〈…〉 â—cause with godly 〈…〉 order which is moste go◠〈…〉 â—ly reuerenced and obserueâ— Now my Lorde folowing the 〈…〉 héere made before I will not excuse my 〈…〉 â—ther of the prolixitie or largenesse of my Le◠〈…〉 which I haue liberally declared according to m◠〈…〉 I trust that mine affection is knowen vnto your gr◠〈◊〉 I humbly referre to the iudgement of your wisedome 〈◊〉 as you be exercised in the holy scriptures you sée out of whâ— fountayne I haue drawen all that which is herein contayned Wherefore I doo not feare that I haue béene importune and tedious vnto your Lordeshippe in declaring the best of my power through the good desire which I haue that the name of God be daily by you more largely glorified for the which I dayly call vpon him praying that it may please his diuine Maiestie to poure abundauntly his grace vpon you and to confirme you by his holy spirite in a perfecte and inuincible constancie mayntayning you agaynst your enimies alwayes hauing you with your whole houshold in his holy protection and that you may also administer happily the charge which is committed vnto you so that the King that godly yong Prince may hereafter haue occasion to giue thanks to his Lorde God for that he hath had suche a gouernour in his tender and yong age aswell of his person as also of his Realme Thus I make an ende and haue me moste hartily commended vnto your good Grace The .xxij. of October In the yere of our Lord. 1549. Act. 8.9.26 Act. 13. Act. 13. Deut. 18. Act. 3. Math. 1. 2. Timo. 3. Act. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Gala. 1. 2. Tit. 1. The cause whi Paule desireth to be at Rome Paule excuseth himselfe and shewith the cause of his going to Rome The gospell of Christ is offered vnto al meÌ„ without exception Paules boldenesse in preaching the gospell Ignoraunce of the soules sicknesse From whence our sure iustification floweth Abac. 2. Hebr. 10. The iust cause of Gods fury after the knowen light of the Gospell Act. 18. One way how to knowe almighty god The workes of God. The world hath his beginning and ending God without beginning or ending Psalm 106. Iere. 2. Eze. 14. Great abhomination 2. Reg. 11. Ezechi 14. A grosse sinne yet remaining among the professors of Christ Leuit. 18. Prouerb 1. Act. 7. Greate are the abhominations of manne where the grace of God is withdravveÌ„ God terribly plageth after his grace once offered and vnthankfully taken or wilfully neglected Ose 7. Math 7. 2. Reg. 12. An exhortation to auoid rashe condemnation and iudgement Esay 30. Act. 17. The lenitie of God abused Psalm 61. God by his loue and long suffering stirreth man to repentaunce and to flye therby the terror of his veÌ„geaÌ„ce Psalm 61. Thessa. 1. Act. 10. Ephe. 6. Gala 2. Math. 7. Luc. 6. Iac. 1. Gods lavve knovven and practised requireth sharpe punishment Math. 25. Iohn 8. The lawe what it worketh To trust to the lawe is daungerouse Math. 7. Esay 52. Ezechi 36. Iohn 8. Roma 9. Collos 2. Rom. 2. 2. Timo. Iohn 3. Psalm 115. Psalme 50. Psalme 14. Psalme 53. Aspis is a smal serpent and greatly venemouse bredd in Affricke Psalm 35. Gala. 3. Hebr. 7. Esay 53. Exod. 25. Hebr. 5. Our reconciliation vnto god the father coÌ„meth not by ceremonies by figures or by workes of the lawe but only by the innoceÌ„t bloud of christ shed vppon the crosse Gala â— Esay 51. Gene. 15. Gala. 3. Iaco. 2. Whether they be Iewes or Gentiles they be all only the children of Abraham that haue the faith of Abraham Gene. 15. Gala. 3. Iaco. 2. Psalm 32. Gene. 15. Gene. 17. Abraham was couÌ„ted righteouse before the deedes of the lawe through the only dignitie of his faith Circumcision what it meaneth Abraham the father of all the faithfull As Abraham was iustified without the deedes of the lawe so shal al nations that haue the faith of Abraham How to know the true childe of the father from a bastard Gala. 3. The lawe what it worketh The Iewes deceiued Esay 51. Gene. 17. Luc. 13. â—â— Iohn 2. Gala. 17. Gene. 17. The acceptable faith of Abraham and the sure trust in him of the promise of God. Gene. 15. Abraham as strong in fayth as weake in bodye Psalm 114. Roman 15. 1. Tim. 1. Gala. 1. Christ onely is to bee thanked for our iustification and not the lawe of Moyses Esay 26. Iohn 6. Hebr. 3. A man may not think that the troubles which we here suffer wil bring vs to saluatioÌ„ or els be helpers therevnto for the thing beloÌ„geth only vnto Christes death But they secretly witnes vnto euery maÌ„ that he which suffereth any such troubles for Christes sake and the truth