a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
commaundement came syn reuiued and I was dead And the very same commaundement whiche was ordayned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me an occasion of death For syn toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and so deceyued me and by the same slew me Wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holye and iust and good But nowe feare I leste here any captious persone thynke that I condemne the lawe as the authour of synne because we sayed that whyles we were vnder the lawe we ranne forwarde euen to synne and death For suche one wyll not let to reason the matier and saye that as righteousnes worketh lyfe so to sinne it properly appertayneth to worke death so that then yf the law in vs worketh death either semeth it that the same lawe is synne or at the leste ioyned with synne But god forbid that anye man should so thinke For the lawe is not authour of synne but the vtterer and apeacher therof wherof before the lawe gyuen we wer in manner ignoraunt because eche man fauoured his owne folye thynking that he might lawfully do what so hym lusted thinking it also wel done good to desyre that thyng whiche to haue semed pleasaunt This wyse therfore fauoryng my selfe I was in manner ignoraunt that to desyre any other mannes goodes was synne had not the law sayd vnto me thou shalt not luste And in dede the law was gyuen to suppresse synne but through our folye it chaunced otherwise For whyles the lawe shewed a man his sinnes and gaue no power to resist the same vpon that occasion it folowed y◠mānes desyre to syn was more prouoked euen as the propertie of menne is more to be prouoked to suche thynges as are forbidden Therfore forasmuche as before the lawe was gyuen certayne synnes I knewe not and certayne I knewe but yet in suche sorte that I thoughte I myghte lawfully vse them because they were not forbydden my mynde was but houerly and fayntlye moued to synne euen as we are wonte sklenderlye to loue suche thynges wherof we maye when we luste haue our pleasure But when that by the lawe so many wayes and manners of synne were declared the whole rable of naughtie desyres beyng prouoked throughe that prohibition begonne more vehemently to allure to synne And by this occasion synne toke strength and power whiche before the lawe geuen was but dull and in manner dead so that in the meane season I lyued without lawe or rather I thought that I lyued as one that might freely sinne and do as I lusted But after that I was by the commaundement of the law forbydden to syn my synful vsage was not onely not restrayned but also seemed quyckened and to take strength but as sone as synne was after this sorte quyckened I whiche before thoughte my selfe to lyue was deade by the lawe knowyng my synne and yet neuertheles continewyng in it stil Whervpon it folowed that the meane whiche was prouided and ordeyned for the healpe of oure lyfe tourned to my death not throughe anye faulte whiche the lawe had but throughe myne owne faulte For whereas I was of my selfe gyuen to synne my sycke and diseased mynde takyng occasion of sinne by reason of the prohibition of the law became more desyrous to synne And thus the deuill abusyng a good instrument by occasion ministred throughe the law enticed me to synne and by synne slewe me so that then I knewe my selfe gyltie and thrall vnto another No cause is there therfore why we shoulde reproue the law which as it was gyuen by a good god so layeth it before vs good lawful and holy commaundementes For nedes muste that be good whiche forbyddeth euell The texte Was that then which was good made death vnto me God forbid Naye it was syn that syn myght appeare by it whiche was good to worke death in me that synne by the commaundement myght be out of measure synfull For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I allow not that whiche I doe For what I woulde that do I not but what I hate that do I. Yf I do now y◠whiche I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good so then nowe it is not I that doe it but syn that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge But some one will againe encounter and saye synce that lyke bryngeth furth his lyke yf the lawe be good how hath it wrought my death whiche is euell and wonte to be engendred of synne Wherunto the aunswer is easye that this reason were stronge were it so y◠the lawe wrought oure death But this is not so but as I nowe sayed farre otherwyse For it is not to be supposed that the lawe is authour of death but rather that synne is cause of our destruction whiche is a thing of suche infeccion and so full of poyson that it turned that whiche of it selfe is good to oure vndoyng by the which euery man maye euidently perceyue how pestilent a thyng syn is through whose contagion suche thynges as are best tourne to worste Wherof as y◠law gaue occasiō so was the same yet in no fault For the lawe as all we do knowe is spirituall and prouoketh vs to goodnes The cause why that commeth not to passe wherabout the lawe laboureth am I I I saye for example to speake of my selfe whiche am carnal and gyuen to synne and by reason of long custome and continuaunce in synne thral and bonde therto euen as the bondslaue bought for money is boūd to his maister so farfurthe that by reason of blyndnes of synne whiche I am in I wote not what I ought to do For I do not y◠whiche my minde and reason telleth me to be honeste though with my heart I desyre it but rather do that whiche is contrarye to honestie and hate as vnhonest beyng vndoubtedly ouercūmē with naughtie desyres And by this maye euen offenders and hurtefull persons vnderstande that the lawe is not to be reproued For yf through fleshlye desyres mouyng I do suche thynges as my mynde and reason condemneth and abhorreth withoute doubte I consente that the lawe is good as whiche forbad suche thynges to be done and vsed as I by the better parte of my reason condemned and disalowed For nedes muste that be good whiche dothe forbid suche thynges whiche though I do folowyng the fleshe yet knowe I well are euyll and nought But some one wyll saye why doest thou not obeye thyne owne reason then beyng suche as doth consent to honestie and feare the from dishonestie syn But nowe forasmuche as for playnes in teachyng to be vsed I haue taken vpon me y◠person of suche one as is yet subiect to vice and noughtie desyres ye muste in onely me by ymagination conceiue two men the one carnal and grosse the other more pure and not so grosse of whiche two 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
as mooste plentuous witnesses of thyne affection and mutuall loue towardes me By reason wherof I am fylled all together full of ioye whan it commeth to my mynde howe paynlye thou resemblest me in the sinceritie of faythe as a naturall sonne his father And lyke as the integritie of religioÌ„ was in me as it were by enheritauÌ„ce euen so this sinceritie of fayth semeth to be geuen to the by the handes of thyne elders For it dwelt stedfastly fyrst in thy GraÌ„demother Lois thaÌ„ after by by in thy mother Eunica I doubt not but thou wilt become accordigly like a neuew to so right a religious graÌ„dmother a sonne to so right a good mother seing thou hast ben more desyrous to be like to theÌ„ thaÌ„ to thy kyndred of thy fathers syde The texte Wherfore I warne the that thou stiere vp the gyfte of god which is in the by the puttyng on of my handes For god hath not geuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue of sobrenes Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testimony of our lorde nether be ashamed of me which am his prysoner but suffer thou aduersitie with the ghospell accordyng to the power of god which saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not accordyng to our dedes but accordyng to his owne purpose and grace which was geueÌ„ vs thorow Christ Iesu before the worlde began but iâ— now declared openly by yâ— appearyng of our sauiour Iesus Christ which hath put awaye death hath broughte lyft and immortalitie vnto lyght thorowe the gospel wherunto I am appoynted a preacher and Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffre these thinges Neuerthelesse I am not ashamed â–ª For I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is able to kepe that which I haue committed to his kepyng agaynst yâ— day These thinges I remeÌ„bre the of so as thou mayest be of yâ— better courage both by the example of vs and of thyne elders to stiere vp by thyne industrye diligence the gifte of God which thou receyuedst by the laying on of mine handes whan thou waste ordayned a Byshop and boldely and without shrynkynge to accomplyshe the office commytted vnto thee feare not any mens barkinges nor the rageing crueltie of persecutours It is the propertie of Iewes to be afrayed of those thinges that this present life occasioneth but vnto vs whiche through beleuing of the gospell are made the children of God he hathe geuen a ferre other maner spirite not to make vs afrayed discouraged for feare distrust but through an assured trust of innoceÌ„cie hope of yâ— promised immortalitie to be bolde lusty through loue to be free ful of courage eueÌ„ as loue both trusteth altogether vpoÌ„ gods succour shrinketh not for his neyghbours sake to abyde daungier Finally a spirite yâ— suffreth not vs to be disturbed â—â— our mynd but causeth vs alwaies to perseuer to th ende with a whole a preâ—â—â— ready herte Forasmuch thaÌ„ as yâ— hast receyued this spirit set forth his power declare stoutely the thyng the thou hast Be not ashamed of thy profession wherby thou preachest the crosse death of our lord Iesu Christ nor be ashamed to be a disciple of his Apostle though I am ladeÌ„ with these bondes There is nothing more glorious thaÌ„ the crosse of Christ yâ— gaue saluatioÌ„ to yâ— world yâ— brake the deuiles tirannye yâ— hath obteined vs immortalitie Christes crosse is our glory These cheanes the I willingly suffre for the ghospelles busines sake are not to my slaunder but to my glorie rather Therefore refuse not to suffre those thynges that Christ suffred and that I suffre for hys sake But be thou ready also to come into the felowshyppe of afflyctions that are layed vpon vs for the ghospell of Christe What so euer chaunceth there is no cause why we shoulde be afrayed for the matier is not done by oure strengthes but by the succour of God We are feble in dede but he is mightye whiche whan we were lost saued vs by the death of hys sonne hauynge done awaye the trespasses of oure former conuersation and hathe called vs vnto holynes not for any merites of ours but beyng enforced by hys own wil and free goodnes that he bestowed vpon vs not vpon anye late aduisemente but from euerlastynge and before all tyme afore the makynge of thys worlde it was decreed of him to geue these thinges vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christ The matter is no newes to him but that thing that was alwayes in the secret of his mynde he hath lately declared to the worlde by the commyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe who hauyng receyued a bodye subiecte to death hath dispatched awaye death by the crosse and by hys resurreccion hath opened lyfe and immortalitie throughe the preachynge of the ghospell whiche promyseth lyke rewardes vnto them that folowe the exaumple of Christes crosse Thys ghospell preachynge is committed vnto me as the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles to the intent they maye learne by me that not onely the Iewes are called to this gyfte of God but also all mankynde vniuersallye Forasmuche than as I am tyed in cheynes for the ghospelles sake I am not onely nothyng ashamed of thys affliccion but also I esteme it for a pure greate glorye vnto me To suffre for naughtye dedes doyng it is a reproche but to be afflicted for the glorye of Christe it is excellent This stormye tyme doeth feare me nothyng at all For althoughe I am weake yet I knowe and am assured that he whom I haue put my faythfull trust in is hable ynoughe to kepe vnto the vttermost daye the thing that I haue committed to his fidelitie Throughe his ayde bothe the gospelles busines and my saluation and also the prosperitie of the christian flocke is in sauegarde And albeit anye thynge here in thys worlde seme to perishe for a tyme yet whan that daye shall come in the whyche he shall expresse his myghtie power vnto the worlde he shall restore it wyth greate gayne I haue layed my life and my healthe in his handes and he hathe put me in truste to dispence the doctrine of the gospell In case I shall be a trustye fayth keper he wyll not fayle my trust The texte â–ª Se that thou haue the ensample of the holsome wordes which thou hast heard of me with fayth loue that is in Christ Iesu That good thing which was committed to thy keping â—old fast through the holy gost which dwelleth in vs. This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned froÌ„ me Of which sort are Phigelus and Hermogenes The Lord geue mercy vnto the housholde of Onesiphorus for he ofte refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and founde me The lorde graunte vnto hym that he maye fynde
the loue I beare towarde you can not be vnto me but very pleasant For God the father is my wytnes whom I now beyng deliuered from Moses law do seruice vnto not with the grosse and carnall ceremonies therof but spiritually by preachyng the gladsome tidynges of his sonne for this seruice pleaseth him beste that alwayes and without ceasyng I remembre you in my prayers besechyng his goodnes if it maye by any meane be that my long desyre made vnto him may at last ous take effect whiche is that his pleasure may be I may prosperously and with a mery iourney cum to you For surely a great longyng haue I to see you not for any aduauntage of myne to be had for so doyng but to bestowe some gifte among you not the grosse gifte of Moses lawe but the spiritual gifte of Christ to establishe you more surely in that ye haue already begunne orels to speake it better that euery one of vs maye be to other comfortable whyles I shal be ioyfull for you fayth and ye likewyse agayne reioyce of myne by meane wherof this wyll insue that bothe our faythes shal through mutual coÌ„fortyng be more ayded and strengthned The cause why this hath not hitherto bene done rose not of me The texte I would that ye should knowe brethren how that I haue often tymes purposed to cum vnto you but haue bene leat hitherto to haue also sum fruite among you as among other of the geÌ„tiles I am debter bothe to the grekes to the vngrekes to the lerned to the vnlearned so that as muche as in me is I am ready to preache the gospel to you that are at Rome also For I am not ashamed of the gospell of Christ because it is the power of God vnto saluacion to euery one that beleueth to the Iewe first and also to the gentile Muche rather assure your selfes brethren that ofteÌ„tymes purposed I to see you but vntil this tyme some one lette or other hath chaunced that I could not and for this cause desired I so muche to see you that I might among you also do sum good as I haue heretofore done among other nacions Nor am I bounde to bestowe this my labour of preachyng the gospel wherwith I am by God putte in truste peculiarly vpoÌ„ this nacion or that but as he is indifferently God of all the worlde so is Christes gospel equally due to all people I cal yâ— gospel a meane wherby a man is made righteous through fayth in Iesus Christ the sonne of God whom the lawe promised and in figure represented Debter therfore am I herein not onely to the Grecians but also to barbarous nacions not to the learned and eloquente onely but to the rude also and vnlearned whosoeuer he be that renounceth it not nor disdayneth it So that asmuche as in me is I am in a ioyful readynes to preache the gospell euen vnto you also that are at Rome No neither the maiestie of thempier of Rome maketh me afrayde so to do nor thinke I the preachyng of Christes gospel any suche thyng wherof I ought to be ashamed For as to the wicked and vnfaythfull the gospell seameth a matier to be laughed at and vaine so whoso beleueth it to him it is the mightye power of God effectual to saluacion and perfecte quietyng of mennes coÌ„sciences whiche thynges neither Iewes tradicions nor your Philosophie nor yet your dominion are able to bryng aboute And albeit this mightie power of the gospel be in like condicion auailable to al men yet as Goddes pleasure was so for honoures sake fyrst was it offered to the Iewes after that streight by the preachers of the gospel to be spread abroade among the grecians and al other nacions of the worlde to the ende al men should bothe knowledge their owne vnrighteousnes also seeke to be made righteous by God whither they be Englishmen or Frenchemen For farre is that man froÌ„ saluacion whiche neither knoweth his owne disease nor woteth where to seeke for remedy The texte ¶ For by it is the righteousnes of god opened from fayth to fayth As it is writen The iuste shal liue by fayth And whereas before this tyme sondrie men thought righteousnes to stande in sondrie pointes now by preachyng of Christes gospel all men knowe righteousnes not of Moses I say but of God him selfe whiche standeth not in supersticious worshippyng of idolles nor in Iewishe ceremonies but is wonne by fayth whiles men knowledge and consent that God nowe perfourmeth that whiche he long synce by the mouth of his prophetes promised to do Euen as Abacuâ— also prophecied saying my righteous shal liue by fayth The texte For the wrath of God appeareth from heauen against all vngodlynes and vnrighteousnes of men whiche withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnes seyng that it whiche may be knowen of God is manifest among them for God hath shewed it vnto theÌ„ Yea his inuisible thinges that is to say his eternall power and godhead are sene for asmuche as they are vnderstand by the workes from yâ— creacion of the world so that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God they glorified him not as god neither wer thankefull but waâ—ed full of vanities in their imaginacions and they folishe heart was blynded When they coumpted them selues wyse they became fooles and turned the glory of the immortal God vnto an image made not onely after the similitude of a mortall man but also of birdes and foure footed beastes and creaâ—yng beastes Wherfore God gaue them vppe to vncleanes through the lustes of their owne heartes to defile their owne bodies among them selues Whiche turned his trueth to a lye and worshipped and serued the thynges that be made more then him that made them whiche is blessed for euer and euer Amen For wheras before this tyme all people in maner without al punishement and correccion and as though God bare with and fauoured mens synnes fell to mischiefe now declareth he openly by his sonne sent from heauen that his wrath is for good cause sette on fyer and ready to take vengeaunce vpon al men after what sorte soeuer they be vngodly or vnrighteouse yea euen vpon them that to Moses lawe are straungers because the trueth in maner knowen vnto them they applied not to godly and vertuouse conuersacion but helde on neuertheles in theyr synfull lyfe styll and because also they knowyng muche more of God than the rude and ignoraunt people wer yet no lesse deuilishe than the other God in dede wholly and perfitely as he is can in no wyse by mannes wytte be knowen and yet asmuche as by it might be vnderstanden men haue obtayned albeit not so muche neither without his great goodnes For neuer had they gotten somuche had not God opened it vnto them as he in dede did albeit not by the bookes of the prophetes in whoÌ„ men thought he onely spake vnto the Iewes at lestewyse yet by the wonderfull creacion of
and in fayth growe stronger whervnto ye shal muche rather bryng him by fauourable meanes than by cōtencious reasonyng and disputacions Considre in suche matters how vnmete a thing it is that suche actes as may without offence be done should streight be taken in the worse parte But to th entent that peace and cōcorde may among you be maintained and stedfastly abyde certaine thinges must be wynked at some thinges must be suffered and some thinges must gently be takē Suche gentle fauorable takyng of thinges vpholdeth and preserueth the felowship of this our comen lite And synce mennes mindes among them selues are sondry and diuers surely in a multitude neuer wyl there be stedfast peace vnlesse in diuers pointes one geue place to an other For he that is without all serupulositie thynketh it lawfull without any difference to eate what meate him lust in that acte nothyng els regardyng but what nature requireth Againe he that is yet weake and somewhat supersticious lest he might chaunce either vpō fishe or other meates forbidden either by the Iewes lawe or offered vp to idols liueth with herbes Suche thinges among you ought not so to be regarded that for them brotherly peace be broken Let him that is strong eateth al meates so vse his strength that yet he dispise not the weaker whiche feareth to eate Let him againe whiche folowyng the weakenes of his mynde abstaineth from certayne kyndes of meate neither judge nor condemne him whiche without difference taketh whatsoeuer is sette before him But rather lette him that is strong beare with the weake in this sence takyng it this errour conceiued and gathered by long custome of his former life cannot sodainly be plucked out of his minde it wyll by litle and lytle weare away as in him godlynes groweth supersticion wyll vanishe and auoyde Lykewyse he that is scrupulous when he seeth an other eate all kyndes of meate let him this wyse thynke with him selfe what matter maketh it to me what this man doeth ▪ and likely it is that he doeth it of a good mynde synce God hath receiued and taken him vnto him and made him his owne at whose pleasure heliueth against whom onely he offendeth if there be in suche thinges any offence as of them selfe are not cuil Now if it be an arrogant point to dispise the weakenes of him that is supersticious and deceiued through rudenes how muche more intollerable pride wyl this be thinke ye if suche one as in y◠fayth is but weake take vpō him to iudge and condemne him that is stronger euen as the rule and custome of vnlearned people is whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do and thinke all that good that they allowe Maye not a man wel say to suche one what art thou that iudgest and condemnest an other mannes seruaunt There is but one lord and maister of al Iesus Christ To him stādeth he ▪ if he be strong in fayth to him falleth he if he offende as thou thinkest he doeth For he in dede for this shall not fall but rather be stablished to continue in his strong fayth His maister is sufficiently able and mete to strengthen his seruaunt that he stagger not at all The texte This man putteth difference betwene day day an other mā coumpteth all dayes alike Let euery manues mynde satisfie him selfe He that obserueth the day doeth it vnto the lorde And he that doeth not obserue the day doeth it for the lorde also He that eateth doeth it to please the lorde for he geueth God thankes And he that eateth not eateth not to please the lorde withal and geueth God thankes For noue of vs lyueth for him selfe and no man dyeth for him selfe For if we liue we liue vnto the lorde And if we dye we dye vnto the lorde Whether we liue thefore or dye we are the lordes For Christ therfore dyed and rose againe reuiued that he might be lorde of dead and quicke And that I haue now tolde you of the choyse of meates the same in kepyng the sabboth day and feastes of the newe moone is like wyse to be vnderstande For he that is weake and of vnperfite fayth maketh a difference betwixte day and day as though one were holye and the other were not and thinketh it vnlawful in this day to eate certaine meates or to labor whiche man other day might well and lawfully be done On the other lyde he that is perfite and strong in his fayth conceiueth in dayes no suche difference but rather thinketh al the space of his life consectate and halowed to godly conuersacion Breake not for suche pointes christian concorde among you but without condemnyng of other mennes cōsciences let euery one herein do as he iudgeth best specially synce bothe wayes are without synne and with both standeth the chiefe point of our religion Whoso estemeth and iudgeth in his conscience that euery day is like pure and holy doth so to his lorde and to the little belongeth it how well he doeth Lykewyse he that iudgeth that there is betwixte day and day some difference if he be deceiued he doeth it vnto his lorde thou hast therwith nothyng to do Lykewyse he that without difference eateth all kyndes of meate he eateth to his lorde forasmuche as he geueth thankes to God through whose benefite he eateth whose free goodnes made all thynges for mannes vse Againe whoso through the weakenes of his conscience abstaineth from certaine meates he abstaineth to his lorde and nothyng haste thou to do therwith synce he eatyug hearbes and rootes geueth thankes to God as wel as thou doest If God allowe and accepte his thankes geuyng why art thou so bolde vpō him to geue sentence The cause of both is diuers the matter one both one mynde and one lorde is there of both The one geueth thankes for the libertie he hath to eat what he lust knowing that the gospel putteth a difference betwixte mindes and not betwixt meates ▪ the other whiles he shonneth the occasion of surfettyng by the reason of his abstinence he is kept within the bondes of temperaunce In all suche thinges we are equal so that it besemeth no mā in defēce of his doyng to striue with his brother sufficient it is if God approue it to whō the iudgement of such thinges belōgeth as are either vncertain or els suche as must for the tyme be borne with No christian man hath power further vpon other but y◠eche one do good to another Nor liueth any man for him selfe because we are all his whiche from synne brought vs to goodnes and from death restored vs to life No mā therfore either liueth to him selfe or dyeth to him selfe nomore than any mans seruaunt doeth vpō whose life and death his maister hath ful power authoritie Now if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne nor none other mans auauntage but for the auauntage or disauauntage of his maister If he
whereas ye are from darkenesse and ignoraunce brought to the lyght of the ghospel beeyng a thyng so vnlyke and hard to bee perswaded in no manne should thinke thesame to bee doen by worldely wysedome or eloquence whiche we take not vpon vs but by the power of God by whom our preachyng was more effectuall and strong than euer was any disputacion of the Philosophers were it neuer so subtile were it neuer so wittye and well set in ordre At my beeyng among you whiche were proude of your worldely wysedome and ignoraunte of the wysedome of God I taught you but playne matters but yet suche were they as were to saluacion necessarie The texte We speake of wysedom among them that are perfecte not the wysedom of this worlde neyther of the rulers of this worlde which goe to naught but we speake the wysedom of God whiche is in secrete and lyeth hyd whiche God hath or deyned before the worlde vnto our glory whiche wysedome none of the rulers of this worlde knewe For had they hadde knowledge they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glory But as it is wrytten The iye hath not seen and the eare hath not heard neyther haue entred into the hert of man the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym We haue of Christe deaper poyntes of wysedome but of them talke we among suche as are perfite Be diligente therfore and laboure to bee perfite that ye maye bee partakers of the secrete and hydden misteries of God Besyde this we that preache the crosse of Christe seme to the faythlesse to preache verye folyshnesse but to suche as stedfastly beleue seme we to preache an excellente wysedome muche differyng from that wysedome whiche laboureth in vayne to serche out by naturall reason the causes of this worlde and farre also from worldely policie wherof the greate estates of this worlde make greate crakes whose authoritie with all theyr wysedome is by Christe abolished and vanquyshed by vtteryng theyr folyshnesse but we preache of a heuenly wysedome whiche hath not an outwarde apparence of that which is not within it but is inwardly myghtie and effectuall There is in this wysedome no curiositie nor pompe and yet symple as it is all menne perceyue it not But as it is secrete so is it knowen by secrete inspiracion and that of none but of suche only as God vouchesaueth to make partakers thereof We lay not furth the priuities of this wysedome before the cōmen sort of people but vtter them secretly to suche as are able and mete to receyue them And albeit this wysedome be nowe at laste in oure tymes publyshed yet god before all tyme by his hygh counsel ordained for his that as the proude persons haue hitherto folyshly craked of theyr carnall wysedome so should henceforth the meke and lowlye haue a more excellente wysedome to reioyse and glorie of This wisdome delyteth to dwell in simple and cleane heartes and for this cause none of the great rulers of this worlde had it nor Magiciens nor Philosophers nor Pilate nor Annas nor Cayphas nor the phariseis nor the deuils themselues neither For had thei knowen that the lowe and folyshe preachyng of Christes crosse woulde with his glisteryng haue darkened the glory of the world and for all the weakenes and feblenes therof haue put to flight and vanquished the tyrannye of death and synne neuer woulde they haue fastened on a crosse the Lorde and capitayne of renoume and glorie For all the learnyng they had in visible thynges for all theyr pryde in knowleage of the lawe ignoraunt were they of this wonderfull misterie mete to bee vttered onely to suche as by humble and sobre myndes are made at one with God That it should so be Esai long before prophecied declaryng that this wysedome whereof we talke should into mens soules be secretely inspired saying suche thynges as neuer were seene with mannes iyes or by mannes eares hearde of or conceyued in any mannes thought hath god prepared for them that hartely loue hym and grounde all theyr disputacions vpon faythe and not vpon mannes reason The texte But God hath opened them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth al thinges ye the botome of goddes secretes For what man knoweth the thynges of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Euen so the thynges of god knoweth no man but the spirite of god And we haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite whiche commeth of god for to knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of God whiche thynges also we speake not with wordes that mannes wisedome teacheth but with wordes which the holy ghost doeth teache makyng spirituall comparisons of spirituall thinges The naturall man perceyueth not the thynges that belong to the spirite of god For they are but folyshnes vnto hym Neyther can he perceyue them because they are spiritually examined But he that is spirituall discusseth all thynges yet he hymselfe is iudged of no man For who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde either who shall informe hym But we vnderstande the mynde of Christe Hygh minded rulers and proude phylosophers were not worthie to receyue this hydden mistery whiche yet god hathe opened to vs his frendes not by any worldly doctrine but by the secrete inspiracion of his holye spyrite Whiche spirite because it is of goddes nature and proceadyng from god searcheth foorth euen the deapest and mooste secrete priuities of God wherunto mannes busye brayne attayneth not Euery man may easily loke on an other mans face but what lieth hidden in the bottome of the hert that is no man able to see for that onely knoweth the spirite of god and a mans owne conscience After like sorte diuers men beholde and search out the properties of goddes creatures but such thinges as lye hidden in goddes counsel and prouidence no body knoweth sauing his euerlastyng spirite whiche beyng of one nature with hym knoweth all suche thynges as he doeth One mā sheweth another his secrete thoughtes by secrete whispering in his eare but god to the good openeth his counsell not by the spirite of man whiche teacheth nothyng but worldly phantasies but by the spirite of god so that of what sorte the spirite is suche doctryne it teacheth This worlde also hath his spirite with whome whosoeuer is rauished bothe sauereth of worldlynes and loueth worldly thynges but the inspiracion of the heauenly spirite of god bryngeth vs in mynde of heauenly treasures and maketh vs to vnderstande what god hath through Christes crosse doen for vs. And this is the phylosophie whiche as we receyued by the spirite of Christe so teache we it agayne to the godly and simple people not with floures and coloures of thetorike as the Philosophers are wonte to teache them that they take in hāde but with rude wordes and set out of ordre beyng yet suche as teache a spiritual doctrine For reason requyreth ▪ that forasmuche as this kynde of wysedome is far vnlyke the
sight let her by couering her head shew her selfe subiect to her husbande The texte A man ought not to couer his head for asmuche as he is the image and glory of God But the woman is the glory of the man For the manne is not of the woman but the woman â—â— the man Neither was the man created for the womans sake but the womaÌ„ for the mansake For this cause ought the woman to haue power on her head for the angels sake Neuertheles neyther is the man without the woman neither the woman without the mâ—n in the lord For as the woman is of the man euen so is the man by yâ— woman but al of god But yet so to do â–ª beseemeth not the manne whiche beareth the ymage of God whiche is in suche sorte heade and gouernoure to the womanne as Christe is to his churche and muche more synce that by hym is sette foorthe goddes glorye whiche shoulde not be couered On the other syde as the womanne is subiecte vnto her husbande so is she apparayled to his honoure agaynste whom well maye she be coumpted reprochefull yf she by vncoueryng her heade in open places shewe her owne vnshamefastenesse and as though she were free refuse obedience to her husbande And as Christ is honoured yf the manne do hym seruice and preache his glorie bare headed so is the husbande honoured yf his wife with reuerence silence and comelye apparel shewe in her a sober obedience But some one wyll saye by what lawe is the womanne compelled to be subiecte to her husbande and not coÌ„trarye the husbande to his wyfe Because what tyme god fyrste made mankynde the manne came not of the womanne but contrarye the womanne of the manne First was Adam made of earthe and by the spirite of god a soule was geuen him and then shortely after was Eue taken furth of hys syde as she were a certayne porcion of the manne and euen contrary to the commen course of nature first was made that whiche was more perfite and than afterward was made the imperfiter For that that reason is in manne the same in matrimonie is the husbaÌ„d and that which is affeccioÌ„ in the man the same in matrimonie is the woman Beside this the man was not made for the womans sake but the woman was made and geuen to the manne for his comforte and for a helpe to bring furth issue by generacion in whiche act as the man is principall doer and fashioner so is the womanne but the matier and sufferer Nowe good reason is it that to hym the preeminence shoulde be geuen whiche was both first made and onely made of God and not to the womanne And for asmuche as at the firste begynnyng of nature the husbande hath geuen vnto hym the tytle of preeminence surelye the womanne oughte to acknowledge her condicioÌ„ and not onely with a readynes to please shewe her subieccion towarde hym but also in reuerente behaueour to hym But as the shauen head declareth a libertie so is the coueryng of the head a token of subieccion But and yf any womanne bee so farre paste shame that she regarde not the syght of menne yet for Aungels sakes and theyr testimonie beyng also presente at your solemne meetynges lette her heade be couered and in so doyng she acknowledgeth what doeth beseme her And yet speake I not this either to encourage the husbande to vse his wife as a vile dreuell because she is commaunded to obeye or to discoumforte the wyfe because she is subiecte to her husbande synce bothe are in christian religion equall besydes that oftetymes the husbande also needeth aswell his wyues healpe as the wyfe her husbandes And albeit at the begynnyng womanne was made of manne yet nowe neyther the wyfe bryngeth foorth chylde without the manne nor the manne canne become a father withoute a womanne And yet there is no cause why anye person shoulde for this with hymselfe be eyther to muche pleased or grieued synce it is the ordinaunce of god whiche after suche sorte setteth all thinges in an ordre The texte Iudge in your selues whether it be comely that a woman praye vnto God bare headed Doeth not nature it selfe teache you that it is a shame for a manne yf he haue long heare and a prayse to a womanne yf she haue long heare For her heare is geuen to her to couer her withall Yf any manne luste to striue we haue no suche custome neither the congregacions of God But to returne agayne to the mattier wherwith I beganne yf yet with so manye argumentes I sufficientlye proue not howe vncomelye a thyng it is for a womanne openlye to praye bare headed let euen euerie manne after his owne iudgemente and reason weyghe the mattier for I thynke no manne is so verye a blockeheade that hathe loste the iudgemente of nature Doeth not nature her selfe teache you that it is shame for a manne to haue long heare lyke a womanne And contrarie that it is to a womanne a furniture to haue long heare to whome of nature is gyuen a more thicke and more large growyng of heare than to the manne that she whiche is subiecte to her husbande mighte not at any tyme lacke a vayle And this haue I shewed you what I thynke more seemely If anye in this mattier luste contenciouslye to defende his opinion lette hym take his pleasure so that he knowe that neither haue we any suche custome nor other congregacions of god Whether it for you be meete to swarue bothe from your Apostles rules and exaumples and from the custome of other congregacions bee ye iudges Lesse hurte were it yf ye in suche poyntes agreed synce they bee but externe mattiers nor make so muche to the furtheraunce of Gospellike godlynesse But this I earnestlye require of you and am offended that ye kepe it not beyng a thyng whiche I taught you The texte This I warne you of and commende not that ye come not together after a better maner but after a worse For fyrst of all when ye come together in the congregacion I heare that there is discencion among you and I partely beleue it For there muste be sectes among you that they whiche are perfect among you myght be knowen Wheras in other thinges ye remember myne ordinaunces I much commende you but wheras in this poynte ye remember me not wherin it were moste mete ye dyd that commende I not I taught you that ye should quietly orderly come together without excesse without strife and with al equalitie which specyally nourisheth coÌ„corde so vsing your selues together that euery man might returne to his house ameÌ„ded But now are ye come to such vnrulynes that better were it not to come together at all than after suche sorte to assemble and that for many causes for ye offende many wayes Fyrste when ye come solemlye together I heare saye that there is dissencion among you whiche truely is a thyng more shamefull than I am glad to beleue but yet vpon
but rather of a louynge mynde lefte yf I hadde commen rather I shoulde haue beene compelled to vse extremitie towarde suche as were not yet amended whome I trusted yet woulde in the meane season cumme to amendemente Better thoughte I it sommewhat the later to cumme vnto you so that my cummyng mighte bee bothe to you and me more pleasaunte than to bee among you after an earneste behauioure and sad Nor lette any thynke these my woordes to bee spoken proudelye and after a threatening sorte but for youre correccion Wee beare no lordelye rule vpon anye other than suche as haue sinned Touchyng therefore your fayth wherein ye continue wee beare no rule vpon you but in the ordre of lyfe some thyng is there whiche I woulde were amended And so farre are wee from threatenynge suche eiuil liuers to shewe thereby what authoritie we haue vpon you that by these wayes wee prouide to kepe you in gladdenesse whiche I woulde not should through the corrupt maners of some and mine earnestnesse which I could not choose but vse bee in any wyse appayred with sorowefulnesse The seconde Chapter The texte But I determined this in my self that I woulde not come again to you in heauines For if I make you sory who is it that shoulde make me glad but the same whiche is made sory by me And I wrote this same vnto you leste if I came vnto you I shoulde take heauines vpon heauines of them of whome I ought to reioyce This confidence haue I towarde you all that my ioye is the ioye of you all For out of greate affliccion and anguish of hert I wrote vnto you with many teares not that ye shoulde be made sorie but that ye mighte perceaue the loue whiche I haue moste specially vnto you BVt rather forasmuche as I with my former letters of necessitie made you heauye and pensife by condemning the incestuouse fornicatoure I thoughte it not meete with my comming thither with anye newe heauinesse to vexe and trouble eyther you or my self Fayne would I alwayes vnto you bee pleasaunte and neuer painful â—nlesse ye prouoke me But yf I at anye tyme bee thoroughe your outragiousnesse compelled whiles I correcte a fewe to make you all sorye when I my self am by these meanes made sorye who canne make me gladde agayne but the same manne whiche is by me made heauye and sadde And surely ioyfull shall I bee yf I through suche sharpe correccion finde him healed and fynde you likewise nowe reioysing of his recouerye as ye to fore were of his sorowe partakers And euen for this cause wrote I this epistle vnto you beefore my cummyng leste yf when I come vnto you I might by suche take sorow by whome mete were it and seaming that I toke pleasure and comfort specially synce I surely perswade my selfe that ye are after suche sorte minded towardes me that whether I mourne for the correccion and punishemente of some that my heauinesse will bee commen to you all or if I bee gladde for some of youre amendementes ye will also all bee gladde with me Nothyng is there more greuous vnto me than if I among you see suche thynges as beseame not your religion and agayne no man is more gladde than yf I see nothyng in you woorthie reprofe I therefore beeyng exceadynglye astonied with suche an outragiouse offence being such as was wel knoweÌ„ amoÌ„g you wrote vnto you the same letters not without greate heauinesse of hearte and great affliccion nor without many teares not with them to make you sory but that ye might perceaue my loue and good wil towarde you which the more readie it is and more plentiful toward you so much the more greueth it me if there be any dishonestie amoÌ„g you The texte ¶ Yf any man hathe caused sorowe the same hathe not made me sory but partelye 〈◊〉 I shoulde greue you all It is sufficiente vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many So that now contrarye wyse ye ought rather to forgeue him and coumforte him leste the same persone shoulde bee swalowed vp wyth ouer muche heauines Wherfore I exhort you that loue maye haue strengthe ouer him For this cause verelye didde I write that I â—ighte knowe the profe of you whether ye shoulde bee obediente in all thynges To whome ye forgeue anye thyng I forgeue also For yf I forgaue anye thyng to whome I forgaue it for your sakes forgaue I it in the syght of Christe leste Satan shoulde preuente vs. For his thoughtes are not vnknowen vnto vs. And yf any manne haue geuen you occasion to bee sorye the same hathe not onely made me sorye synce he hath with me made also all you sorye As for the manne whose name I vtter not nor yet rehearse the fault whereof the doâ—â— is ashamed is sufficiently punished in that he was in suche sorte openly rebuked beefore all the people and auoyded of euerye mannes coumpanye This muche was done vnto hym partelye to cure his disease and partelye to feare other from the lyke Nowe remaineth this that ye increase not his sorow but rather forgeue hym vpon his repentaunce whom for offence ye abhorred and coÌ„fort hym in his sorowe leste he bee with desperacion swallowed vppe Wherefore I beseche you that forasmuche as ye condemned hym euen of loue and not for displeasure and for no purpose elles condemned hym but to the intente he shoulde amende and bee saued see that he in this fynde youre loue effectuall towarde him by receauyng hym hartylye and louyngly whome ye excluded with heauinesse For this also was another cause why I wrote these letters vnto you because I woulde haue a tryall whether ye woulde in all poyntes obeye my commaundementes In condemnyng hym whome I commaunded to bee condemned ye obeyed me and likewyse wyll ye I truste obeye me receauyng hym into youre fauoure to whome I woulde haue you reconciled that once wylles maie in euerye poynte agre Whome so euer ye forgeue anye thing him forgeue I also coumptyng my selfe fullye contente yf I see you satisfied For if I forgaue anye thyng for youre sakes forgaue I it as Iesus Christe is my witnesse and approuer leste Satan elswise myght take any of ours from vs thorowe desperacion and vse theÌ„ as his own Nor are his sleighty thoughtes vnknowen vnto vs whiche doth not onely lye in watche to disceaue vs by pleasures but also by heauinesse and sorowe by th one alluring vs to outragious offences by thother casting vs downe headlong into the depe do ungeon of desperacion The texte When I was come to Troas for Christes Gospels sake and a greate doore was apeâ—â—â— vnto me of the Lorde I had no reste in my spirite because I founde not Titus my brother but toke my leaue of them and wente awaye into Macedonia Thankes bee vnto God whiche alwayes geueth vs the victorye in Christe and openeth the fauoure of his knowledge by vs in euery place For we are vnto god the swete fauour of
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
vs the preachyng of the attonement Now then are we messengers in the rowme of Christe euen as thoughe God dyd beseche you thorowe vs So praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconcyled vnto God for he made hym to bee synne for vs whiche knewe no synne that we by hys meanes shoulde bee that rightewesnes which before God is alowed And therfore what tempestes soeuer befall vs alwayes are we of good there knowing that as longe as we are at home in thys bodylye mansion we straye abrode and are deuided from god to whome by departure out of it we are more nyghly ioyned not meanyng so that god is not for thys presente tyme with vs but that he is not yet so clearly sene as he shall bee then For albeit in the meane season he bee after a sorte seene by faythe yet is it as it were a farre of whiche shall then presently bee seene euen as he is end not obscurely And therfore yf the pleasure of god bee that we in this body shall yet suffer more afflictions in good hope stande we that we shal easyly suffer them in hope of the rewarde to come and yet is thys of vs muche more to bee desyred to departe I saye out of thys bodylye mansion that after suche departure we may be more nyghly ioyned to god Therfore whether we bee compelled to continewe in thys house orels as we muche more desyre to departe hence that is to saye whether we lyue or dye all our endeuoure is to bee allowed of god For vnles a manne departe hence in goddes fauer let hym not loke for the rewarde of immortall lyfe whiche poynte I gyue you warnyng of leste any thinke baptisme a meane sufficent therunto without godly lyuyng As for wycked synners to theyr damnacion they receaue agayne bodyes whiche they here abused in theyr owne synfull lustes and not to the glory of god And as euery mans deseartes haue been for this lyfe suche shall his rewarde be what euery manns deseartes are is a thyng as yet vnkowen but yet must al we in open syght of the worlde appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe where nothyng shal be hydden but euery man shal reape as he hath sowed in hys body and when body and soule are ioyned together enioy suche reward as his workes were whyles he here liued whether they were good or badde We therfore hauing alway that terrible daye before our iyes diligently laboure in all poyntes to please both God man For albeit we deceiue men with some counterfaite kynd of holynes yet doth God throughly knowe vs as which seeth euen the very bottome of our heartes whiche thyng no man can do Howbeit my trust is that I haue in such sort vsed my selfe amoÌ„g you that ye throughly knowe and perceaue the synceritie of my lyfe for with this glorye are we contented For we auaunce not our office agayne eyther because we would of you be more made of or because we seke for any aduauÌ„tage at your handes but forasmuch as I perceiue that some make greate boste for that they were assigned vnto theyr office by chiefe Apostles we geue you occasion to glory lykewyse of vs agaynste them whiche for this respect lytle set by you because ye haue but an abiect and a vile one to your Apostle which albeit sawe not the Lorde in his mortall bodye as other Apostles dyd yet sawe I hym immortall and of hym receiued myne Apostleshyp as other dyd and haue by hys helpe done no lesse than other haue This rehearse I for your sakes because ye shoulde haue some thing wherwith to aunswere them which being not contented with the prayse of their owne conscience for their good dedes with high proude lookes seke for worldly commendacion wheras their consieÌ„ces do inwardly coÌ„demnetheÌ„ Nothing speake we for our own sakes but whether we speake of our great actes and therby seame to be peuishe peuishe are we to godwarde to whose glory we rehearse such thinges as we by his helpe did or yf we kepe a measure in speakyng of our selfes therby seme wise to you are we wise to whose weaknes we teÌ„per our tale We make not our selfes equal with other Apostles by boastyng but the loue of Christ constrayneth vs openly to speake that thing which appertayneth to his glory For to his praise maketh it not to ours if there were by vs through his gyft any thing notable done that all people should the better knowe howe his death was not vnfruitfull forasmuch as it doth indifferentlye profite al people so farfurth that euen by vs whom thei despise it sheweth his power and not by them only which sawe Christ in his manhode nor by such only as haue carnal allyaunce with him But rather this wise reason we the matter with our selfe yf Christe alone indifferently dyed for al than foloweth it that generally all such people were before thrall and subiecte to death as his pleasure was by his death to redeame from death And because he woulde haue all men indifferentlye bounde vnto hym therfore dyed he for all that suche as by hys benefite lyue beyng through hym newe borne agayn shoulde no longer lyue to themselfes but to hym whiche boeth dyed and rose agayne for them By this should men be estemed and not by carnall affinitie Yea and albeit we maye glory our selfes of the stocke of Iewes yet synce that tyme we professed Christes religion we knowe no man because he is one of our stocke but coumpte suche of our kynred as are by lyke fayth ioyned vnto vs. A vayne crake is it therfore whiche some make that they be Christes owne countrey men or els because they are his kynsmen and lyued familiarly with him his fleshe was geuen but for a season presently but now synce that his body is taken awaye and his holy spirite sent his wil and pleasure is to be knowen after the spirite and coumpteth hym nyghest of his kynne whiche hath in his promisses moste affiaunce Nor let any man for this cause lesse esteme vs which are later Apostles because we knew not Christe lyuing here in earth in his mortal body synce that yf we had so knoweÌ„ hym in dede now yet would we haue forgone that knowledge as which hyndred the spirite and woulde nowe synce that he is become spirituall loue hym spiritually Whoso therfore is through baptisme graffed into Christ let hym forsake his olde phantasies nor thinke thys man is a Iewe that man is a Grecian this a bonde man and that is a fre man but remembre rather howe that euery man which is borne agayne to be a newe man is of a carnall man becomen a spirituall Olde thinges are paste and gone and beholde through Christ al thinges are so dayâ—ly made new Away therfore with these wordes this is a GreciaÌ„ this is an aliaunt this is a Iewe this is a worshypper of idoles this is a spoyler of holy places The man hath forsaken
concernyng thys beneuolence that is minystred by vs vnto the prayse of the same lorde and to stiere vp your prompt mynde For thys we exchewe that any manne shoulde rebuke vs in thys plenteous distribucion that is ministred by vs to the glory of the lorde and make prouision for honest thinges not onely in the sight of the lord but also in the sight of meÌ„ With hym haue wee sent the brother whose faythe and entyrenesse in preachynge the gospell throughout all the congregacions is well tryed and so wel tryed that of all the congregacyons he was chosen out of the reste to bee as it were a felowe and companyon of our iourney to bee my helper in gatheryng money whiche ye of your liberalytye geue to the glorye of the lorde by whose mocyâ—n thys matier is wroughte for a playne declaracyon to all menne of your prompte myndes Dyscrecion would that perfite and tryed menne were put to thys busynesse leste weake personnes conceyue a suspicion that thys great summe of money whiche ye of your free goodnesse geue is not so much gathered for other as for our selues whereas wee thereof take nothing to our selues but the labor trauaile to gather it and to conuay it For wel know we that to gather money specyally if the summe bee great hath an apparentesuspicyon of griedines and aswel knowe we that mennes consciences is with nothyng sooner corrupted The texte We haue sente with them a brother of ours whome we haue ofte times proued diligent in many thynges but nowe muche more diligente The great confidence whiche I haue in you hath caused me thys to dooe partely for Titus sake whiche is my felowe and helper as concerning you Partely because of other whiche are our brethren and the messengers of the congregacions and the glorye of Christe Wherefore shewe ye vnto them the proofe of your loue and of our boasting of you in the sighte of the congregacions â–ª To these two of whome ye haue good experience we haue adioyned the thirde a certain brother of ours whome albeit ye knowe not so well yet in diuerse thynges haue we oft tymes founde hym dilygente and faythfull and in thys businesse more diligent than in other so that I nothyng doubte but that ye will with any summe of money truste them partely vpon consideracion of Titus whiche is my felowe and partaker of the labors whiche I vndertake for your sakes and partely in consideracion also of other adioyned with him whiche besides that they be our brethren are also chosen to dooe this businesse by the voyces of the congregacions by whome the glorye of the gospell is so set foorthe that they may be well called not onely Apostles but also the glory of Christe With these shall ye in such sorte vse your selues that ye nowe specially declare howe greatly ye loue vs that I haue not without cause boasted of you vnto them And suche gentlenes as ye shewe vnto them ye shall shewe toward all congregacions whose messengers they are ¶ The .ix. Chapter The texte ¶ Of the ministring to the saintes it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you for I knowe the redines of your mynde whereof I boaste my selfe vnto them of Macedonia that Achia was prepared a yere agoe and your ensaumple hath prouoked many Neuerthelesse yet haue I sent these brethren lest our boasting whiche I make of you should be in vayne in this behalfe that ye as I haue sayde may prepare your selues leste peraduenture if they of Macedonia come with me and fynde you vnprepared wee I will not say ye shoulde be ashamed in this matter of boasting Wherfore I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren to come before hand vnto you and to prepare your good blesâ—yng promised afore that it might be readie so that it be a blessing and not a detraudyng HOwe for me to bestow any labour with my letters to moue you to be charitable vpon the poore I thinke it superfluous synce I haue of your readie good myndes suche sure and perfite knowledge that I nothynge doubte to boaste thereof among the Macedonians so farre that by your exaumple not onely Corinthe but welnyghe all Achaia is dysposed ready and well mynded to lyke liberalitie And albeit we were well assured of youre good mynde beefore yet thought we it not amysse to sende these our brethren before lest it happely appeare by some meane â–ª that we haue of you made a vayne boaste in this poynte whiche in other thynges hitherto haue done as I sayde of you Nowe the purpose why we sent them before is that as wee before wrote vnto you the money be gathered in good tyme and that it bee in a redinesse whiche euery man is willyng to geue leste if the Macedonians to whome I haue boasted of you come with me and fynde you vnprepared we bee put to shame as one that hath made a vayne bragge of you I will not saye leste ye bee put to shame as menne in thys vnlike your selues whiche in all other giftes excell other And for thys cause thoughte I it good to desyre these brethren to goe thether vnto you beefore I came myselfe to prepare the contribucion whiche ye had before purposed and appoynted that it mighte be in a more readines wont to be called when we speake Greke eulogia that is to saye a blessyng because euerye benefite shoulde gladlye and without murmuryng be both geuen and taken if it so bee not than is it rather extorcion than a fre gifte He that wil geue let hym freely geue and asmuche as he will Thys poynte I warne you of the more a manne geueth the more rewarde shall he haue The texte Thys yet I say he whiche soweth litle shall reape litle and he that soweth plenteously shall reape plenteously And let euery manne dooe accordyng as he hath purposed in his hearte not grudginglye or of necessitie For god loueth a cherefull geuer God is hable to make you ryche in all grace that ye in all thynges hauyng sufficient vnto the vtmoste may bee ryche vnto all maner of good woorke as it is written He hath sparsed abrode and hath geuen to the poore his righteousnes remaineth for euer He that ministrethe seede vnto the sower ministre bread also for foode and multiply your seede and increase the fruites of your righteousnesse that on al partes ye may be made rich into al singlenes which causeth thorow vs that thankes are geuen vnto God For the office of thys ministracyon not onelye supplyeth the nede of the sainctes but also is aboundaunte herein that for this laudable ministryng thankes might be geuen to God of many whiche prayse God for the obedience of your consentyng to the Gospell of Christ and for your synglenes in distributing to them and to all men and in theyr praiers for you whiche long after you for the aboundaunte grace of god in you Thankes be vnto god for hys vnspeakable gifte Whoso soweth litle shall reape but
purposed in himselfe to haue it declared when the time was ful come that he might set vp al thinges perfitly by Christ both the thinges which are in heauen and the thinges whiche are in earth euen by him by whome we are made heyrs and were therto predestynaâ—e accordyng to the purpose of hym by whose power all thynges are wrought according to the purpose of his owne will that we which before beleued in Christ should be vnto the prayse of his glorie In whom also we beleue for asmuche as we haue heard the woorde of trueth euen the Ghospell of your saluacion wherin when ye had beleued ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promes which is the earnest of our enheritaunce forthe recouering or the purchased possession vnto the prayse oâ— his glory PAule an apostle not of Moses nor of any man but of Iesus Christe whose businesse I take in hande being sence not vpon myne owne head or by mennes Commissyon but by the Autoritie and commaundemente of God the father whiche by hys sonne hathe commannded me to preache the doctryne of the Ghospell among the Heathens I write this Epistle to al them that leade theyr lyfe at Ephesus and leade theyr lyfe after suche sorte that they applye theyr endeuoure to kepe them vnspotted from the vices and vncleanesses of this world and with a sincere conscience beleue the Ghospell of Iesus Christe not lookyng for rewarde of innocencye and holynesse any where elles than from whence they receiued the example nor waiting for the ende of their felicitie of any other than of whome sprong the beginnyng In the meane season I wish vnto you not as those vse to doe that measure their felicitie by the dignities of thys worlde but I wyshe that God the Autour of all goodnesse whome nowe we may call euen our father not for that that he created vs onely but muche rather that being engraffed vnto the body of Christe we are receaued into the enherytaunce of Chyldren maye daylye encrease in you hys beneficence wherwith he hathe frely deliuered you from the transgressyons of youre olde life and of vngodlye hathe made you folowers of Innocencye and righteousnes and so continue you in concorde that you maye bee of one mynde amonge your selues and that being reconsiled once to God you maye take hede that you breake not in fallyng to synnes agayne the promysse that you couenaunted with hym through Iesus Christ his sonne by whome and with whome he geueth vnto vs al thinges whom also we shal from hensfoorth woorthely call our lorde forasmuche as he hath set vs at libertie from the tirannye of the deuil with the pryce of his holy sacred bloud and taken vs to himselfe and hauing deliuered vs from the deuilles seruitude hath made vs his owne The seruitude is fortunate that vniteth vs to Christ How beit this thyng happened not vnto vs by chaunce nor by oure owne meryte But God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ is altogether to be praised on our behalfe that of hys free fauour hath powred all gentle kyndenesse vpon vs not bestowyng those thinges vnto vs that perteyne to the vse of this lyfe and bodelye susteynaunce onelye but also those excellent giftes that auayle to the saluacion of soule and lyfe immortall which lyfe abydeth vs in heauen through Christ by whome the father hath set heauen gate wyde open And because no manne shoulde be curious to aske how commeth this so an exceadyng fauour from whence cummeth such a wonderfull gentlenes It was so resolutelye determined throughe the goodnes of God by an eternall decree euen before the foundacions of the worlde were layed For euen than he had chosen vs that by hys sonne by whome he created gouerneth and restoreth all thynges our former vicious liuing should be wyped awaye and we be cummen holy and faultles not onely in the syght of men but also of God himselfe who estemeth man according to the secret affectes of the minde and that not with the terror of Moses lawe the seueritie wherof is tryed vnto thys purpose altogether vneffectuall but with the beliefe and loue required in the Ghospell whiche wynneth more of suche as be willyng than the lawe enforced by rigorous compellyng For it is not a perfite seruice that the seruauntes doe constrainedly for feare of inconuenience or for theyr maisters dyspleasure but that that children dooe vncompelled byloue and good affeccyon Which thyng was impossible to bee perfourmed by any strength of vs had not God by hys eternall decree chosen vs into the roume and heritage of children through onely Iesus Christe vnto whome he hath so incorporated vs through fayth and loue that beyng made his members we may be one with him so that by his participacion we attain that thyng that was not due to our deseruynges And therefore we may in no wyse attribute any thankes vnto our selues In asmuche as it stoode with the good pleasure of hym that is naturally good to declare and manifest his free liberalitie bestowed vpon vs more playne and open to the whole worlde We as concerning our own strength could not possibly be any thing els than the enemies of God and very abiect slaues but that he hath reconsiled vs to himselfe by Christ whome he loueth more than can be expressed and of damnable wretches hathe made vs acceptable deare children As long as beyng shared with the daunger of sinne we were meÌ„bers of the deuil we coulde neither loue God nor be loued of God But masmuch as his most dere sonne hath redemed vs with the price of his most holy bloud from the bondage of sin and encorporated vs as meÌ„bers vnto himselfe the father can not possibly choose but loue those whome it pleased him to make partners with hys sonne This benefite is surely inestimable but notwithstanding suche was the will bounteous largesse of almightie god which although it be manifestly appareÌ„t in euery thing yet it more peculiarely abounded vpon vs forasmuche as he openeth vnto vs as a merciful harted father vnto his children the secret mistery of his eternal wil so many long yeres hidden from the world the knowlage wherof is most hygh wisedome and chiefe prudence much more excellent than that knowlege wherin being singularely learned in humayne disciplines ye haue excelled other sortes of men euer vnto this day Mannes wit atteineth the knowlege of the secretes of nature yet whan they are knowen to the vttermost they make no man anything more godly at al. But this secret mistery that we here speake of no reason of mannes mynde coulde attaine onles God himselfe had opened it vnto our knowledge to bring vs to true perfite felicitie But if a man would aske for what cause hath God kept it close so long and now at length manifested it planiely I haue nothing to aunswer but that it so pleased the good wil of him that willeth al for the beste in asmuche as he is
the gospel of Christ which am desirouse so to do freely wtout feare euē as he cōmaūded me The texte Walke wysely towarde them that are without and lose no oportunitie Vse your selues soberly discretly with suche as are to Christes religiō straungers so that in your maners nothing appeare that maye either moue them to persecute you or withdrawe theyr myndes fauer from the gospel For synce it can not be auoyded but that ye must nedes with Heathēs be conuersaūt and with them liue familierly let them in you fynde that through your new profession ye are in all poyntes becommē therby better more courteyse namely yf any suche thing chaūce wherin wtout breache of religion ye maye do them pleasure Nowe must we specially for the present tyme endeuour that all be allured to the profession of the gospell The oportunitie wherof must not with ianglyng and vayne contencions be ioste but be bought rather with all the precious goodes and treasures that we haue For this gyue ouer your honoure departe with youre moneye for this awaye with your desyer to reuenge Yf with the losse of suche thinges the gospell be furthered then thinke as it is in dede that your aduauntage is great The texte Let your speache be alwayes well sauoured and poudred with salte that ye maye knowe howe ye ought to answere euery man Let not your speache to them be reprochefull and roughe but let it sauoure of courtesy and gentlenes be poudred with the salte of wysdome remēbryng that gentle speache rather soupleth fierse stomackes discrecion teacheth what to whome with what sobernes we ought to answer We must otherwise vse our selfe towarde princes and gouernours of the worlde otherwyse with meane men otherwise with lowe persons after one sorte with suche as are gentle after an other sorte with suche as are furnishe otherwise with learned otherwise with vnlearned After suche sorte muste oure language be tempered vnto euery mānes condicion that it may further promote the gospel Some time better is it to gyue place when he whome ye intende to teache with reprochefull wordes gaynsayth your teachyng or he whome thou speakest vnto goeth couertly aboute to hurte thy doctrine The texte Of all my busines shall ye be certified by Tychicus the beloued brother and faithfull minister and felowe seruaunt in the lorde whom I haue sent vnto you for the same purpose that he myght knowe what ye doe and that he might comfort your heartes with one Onesimus a faithfull and beloued brother whiche is one of you They shall shewe you of all thinges whiche are a doyng heree Of my state I wryte not vnto you but of that shal Tichicus the bearet of these letters certifie you through one cōmen profession my well beloued brother faithfull minister felowe seruaunt in preaching the gospel whome I for this purpose sente thither both to the intent that by hym ye shoulde knowe what is here done among vs and by hym to be certified howe ye doe that youre myndes maye through his communicacion be refreshed and myne also by his good reporte made of you And with Tychichus haue I sent Onesimus whome I would ye shoulde not esteme and iudge by his olde kynde of lyfe synce he is nowe my faythful and beloued brother whome for this cause ye oughte to make the more of because he is a Gentile as ye be and of an vncircumcised one tourned to Christe These two shall to you make faythfull reporte of suche thinges as are here done among vs as ferre as is expedient for you to knowe The texte Aristarchus my prison felowe saluteth you and Marcus Barnabas systers sonne touchynge whom ye receyued commaundementes Yf he come vnto you receyue hym and Iesus whiche is called Iustus whiche are of the circumcision These onely are my workefelowes vnto the kyngdome of god whiche haue bene vnto my consolacion Aristarchus saluteth you and albeit he be a Iew yet for his like faith ye should make muche of hym For hym haue I for Christes gospels sake of my enprisonment felow and pertaker Mareus also Barnabas systers sonne whom ye wel knowe saluteth you whome I at an other tyme commended vnto you cōmaunding you than as we nowe do that if he come to you that ye with al gentlenes receyue and enterteyne him Iesus also whose surname is Iustus greteth you These are in dede to you of a straunge nacion I saye of the Iewes and yet of you worthie to be fauoured because they in preachyng the kyngdō of god are my workefelowes and were vnto me in the affliccions whiche I suffer very cherefull The texte Epaphras the seruaunte of Christe which is one of you saluteth you and alwayes laboureth feruently for you in prayers that ye maye stande perfite and ful in al the wil of god For I beare hym recorde that he hath a feruēt mynde for you and them that are of Laodicia and them that are of Hierapolis Epaphras greeteth you whiche is one of you not only by the profession of Christes name but also one of the same countrey whose hartelye fauoreth you that he moste feruently for you maketh his prayer to god y◠ye y his helpe maye stedfastly continew in that ye haue begunne and not be vnperfit christiās but in doing al suche thinges as god requireth perfite and full For in this I beare hym recorde that he hath a feruent loue towarde you and not toward you onely but also towarde all them that are of Laodicia and Hierapolis whiche border nigh vnto you The texte Deare Lucas the physicion greteth you and Demas Salute the brethren whiche are of Laodicia and salute Nymphas and the congregacion whiche is in his house Lucas the physicion whō I singulerly loue greteth you so doth also Demas whiche as yet is with me Salute aswell other brethren that be at Laodicia as also especially Nympha with all the congregacion that is in his house The texte And when the epistie is red of you make that it be red also in the congregacion of the Laodicians and that ye lykewyse reade the epistle of Laodicia Assone as this epistle is rehearsed among you cause that the same also be read in the congregacion of the Laodicians and agayne read ye the Epistle which from Laodicia I wrote to Timothie that they maye profite more The texte And saye to Archippus take hede to thy office that thou haste receyued in the lorde that thou fulfyll it The salutacion by the hand of me Paule remember my bondes the grace of our lorde Iesu Christ be with you Amen Saye in my name these wordes to Archippus your ruler loke about and take hede what charge thou hast taken in hande It is no mannes busynes and cure but gods which is cōmitted vnto the. See thou perfourme that thou haste vndertaken as whiche shalte therof to the lorde yelde accoumpte But because this Epistle with you shoulde be of more credite lo I subscribe
with HeatheÌ„s be conuersauÌ„t and with them liue familierly let them in you fynde that through your new profession ye are in all poyntes becommeÌ„ therby better more courteyse namely yf any suche thing chauÌ„ce wherin wtout breache of religion ye maye do them pleasure Nowe must we specially for the present tyme endeuour that all be allured to the profession of the gospell The oportunitie wherof must not with ianglyng and vayne contencions be loste but be bought rather with all the precious goodes and treasures that we haue For this gyue ouer your honoure departe with youre moneye for this awaye wrth your desyer to reuenge Yf with the losse of suche thinges the gospell be furthered then thinke as it is in dede that your aduauntage is great The texte Let your speache be alwayes well sauoured and poudred with salte that ye maye knowe howe ye ought to answere euery man Let not your speache to them be reprochefull and roughe but let it sauoure of courtesy and gentlenes be poudred with the salte of wysdome remeÌ„bryng that gentle speache rather soupleth fierse stomackes discâ—ecion teacheth what to whome with what sobernes we ought to answer We must otherwise vse our selfe towarde princes and gouernours of the worlde otherwyse with meane men otherwise with lowe persons after one sorte with suche as are gentle after an other sorte with suche as are fumishe otherwise with learned otherwise with vnlearned After suche sorte muste oure language be tempered vnto euery maÌ„nes condicion that it may further promote the gospel Some time better is it to gyue place when he whome ye intende to teache with reprochefull wordes gayusayth your teachyng or he whome thou speakest vnto goeth couertly aboute to hutte thy doctriue The texte Of all my busines shall ye be certified by Tychicus the beloured brother and faithfull minister and felowe seruaunt in the lorde whom I haue sent vnto you for the same purpose that he myght knowe what ye doe and that he might comfort your heartes with one Onesimus a faithfull and beloued brother whiche is one of you They shall shewe you of all thinges whiche are a doyng heree Of my state I wryte not vnto you but of that shal Tichicus the bearer of these letters certifie you through one coÌ„men profession my well beloued brother faithfull minister felowe seruaunt in preaching the gospel whome I for this purpose sente thither both to the intent that by hym ye shoulde knowe what is here done among vs and by hym to be certified howe ye doe that youre myndes maye through his communicacion be refreshed and myne also by his good reporte made of you And with Tychichus haue I lent Onesimus whome I would ye shoulde not esteme and iudge by his olde kynde of lyfe synce he is nowe my faythful and beloued brother whome for this cause ye oughte to make the more of because he is a Gentile as ye be and of an vncircumcised one tourned to Christe These two shall to you make faythfull reporte of suche thinges as are here done among vs as ferre as is expedient for you to knowe The texte Aristarchus my prison felowe saluteth you and Marcus Barnabas systers sonne touchynge whom ye receyued commaundementes Yf he come vnto you receyue hym and Iesus whiche is called Iustus whiche are of the circumcision These onely are my workefelowes vnto the kyngdome of god whiche haue bene vnto my consolacion Aristarchus saluteth you and albeit he be a Iew yet for his like faith ye should make muche of hym For hym haue I for Christes gospels sake of my enprisonment felow and pertaker Marcus also Barnabas systers foâ—ne whom ye wel knowe saluteth you whome I at an other tyme commended vnto you coÌ„maunding you than as we no we do that if he come to you that ye with al gentlenes receyue and enterteyne him Iesus also whose surname is Iustus greteth you These are in dede to you of a straunge nacion I saye of the Iewes and yet of you worthie to be fauoured because they in preachyng the kyngdoÌ„ of god are my workefelowes and were vnto me in the affliccions whiche I suffer very cherefull The texte Epaphras the seruaunte of Christe which is one of you saluteth you and alwayes laboureth feruently for you in prayers that ye maye stande perfite and ful in al the wil of god For I beare hym recorde that he hath a ferueÌ„t mynde for you and them that are of Laodicia and them that are of Hierapolis Epaphras greeteth you whiche is one of you not only by the profession of Christes name but also one of the same countrey who so hartelye fauoreth you that he moste feruently for you maketh his prayer to god yâ— ye by his helpe maye stedfastly continew in that ye haue begunne and not be vnperfit christiaÌ„s but in doing al suche thinges as god requireth perfite and full For in this I beare hym recorde that he hath a feruent loue towarde you and not toward you onely but also towarde all them that are of Laodicia and Hierapolis whiche border nigh vnto you The texte Deare Lucas the physicion greteth you and Demas Salute the brethren whiche are of Laodicia and salute Nymphas and the congregacion whiche is in his house Lucas the physicion whoÌ„ I singulerly loue greteth you so doth also Demas whiche as yet is with me Salute aswell other brethren that be at Laodicia as also especially Nympha with all the congregacion that is in his house The texte And when the epistle is red of you make that it be red also in the congregacion of the Laodicians and that ye lykewyse reade the epistle of Laodicia Assone as this epistle is rehearsed among you cause that the same also be read in the congregacion of the Laodicians and agayne read ye the Epistle which from Laodicia I wrote to Timothie that they maye profite more The texte And saye to Archippus take hede to thy office that thou haste receyued in the lorde that thou fulfyll it The salutacion by the hand of me Paule remember my bondes the grace of our lorde Iesu Christ be with you Amen Saye in my name these wordes to Archippus your ruler loke about and take hede what charge thou hast taken in hande It is no mannes busynes and cure but gods which is coÌ„mitted vnto the. See thou perfourme that thou haste vndertaken as whiche shalte therof to the lorde yelde accoumpte But because this Epistle with you shoulde be of more credite lo I subscribe gretynges to you all with myne owne hande with Paules hande I saye whome ye wel knowe RemeÌ„ber my bondes whom I beare for your sake and lyue after suche sorte that I of them be not made ashamed The grace of Iesus be alwayes with you Amen Finis The Argument vpon the first Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to the Thessalonians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THessalon'ca is the principall Citie of Macedonia wherof the enhabitauntes of
firste vnto you to open the Gospels doctrine and with what diligent readinesse you receyued vs â—etting al perils asyde that semed like to happen vnto you for our sakes and howe eaâ—ely you were trayned from the supersticion of your forefathers wherwith you wurshipped the images of deuils vnto the true wurshippe of God so as euer sence that tyme you abhorre false and dead Gods and serue the true liuing God and trusting vpon his promisses you passe nothing vpon yâ— pleasures of this lyfe no more than you do vpon the displeasures of it but looke that his sonne Iesus by whom he hath deliuered vs freely vnto saluacioÌ„ promised vs the rewardes of the lyfe to come shal come againe from heauen and geue opeÌ„ly vnto the world the thinges that he hath promised For God raysed hym vp againe vnto lyfe to this ende that we might also be raysed againe vnto lyfe by him and to haue the fruicion of the good thinges that neuer shall dye which in this life suffre the displeasures of this worlde for his sake And than his commyng shal be ioyfully welcome vnto vs inasmuche as he hath clensed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloude and reconciled vs vnto God and deliuered vs from the eternall punishemente that was due for our transgressions ¶ The. if Chapter The texte For ye your selues brethren knowe of our entraunce in vnto you howe that it was not â—â— vayne but euen after that we had suffred before and were shamefully entreated at Philippos as ye knowe then were we bolde in our God to speake vnto you the gospell of God in muche stâ—yuing For our erhortacion was not to bring you to errour nor yet to vnclennes neither was it with gyle but as we were alowed of God that the gospel should be committed vnto vs euen so we spake not as they that please menne but God whiche tryeth our hertes Neither led we our conuersacion aâ— any time with flattering woordes as ye knowe neither by occasion of couetousnesse God is recorde neither sought we prayse of menne neither of you nor yet of any other when we might haue been in autoritie as the Apostles of Christe but we were tendre among you euen as a norsse cherisheth her chrildren so were we affeccioned toward you ouâ— good will was to haue deaâ—te vnto you not the gospell of God only but also ouâ— owne soules because ye were deare vnto vs. WHat nedeth vs to make rehersall seing ye your selues knowe that albeit we came not vnto you with bragging and staring nor curiously mincing a sorte of great wordes nor setting out any high Philosophie Yet our entraunce vnto you was not vneffectuall But where as wee had suffred many thinges at Philippos before as you your selues knowe and were shamefully handled with many spightefull rebukes and so was Sâ—â—as also bicause of castyng the prophecieng spirite out of the Damsel that was possessed yet neuertheles through the helpe of our God we were not afraied euen to preache the gospel of Christ frelye among you also and not without excedyng great daungier wheras in case we had preached a forged vayne thyng we should neuer haue ben in daunger of our head for that matter For suche men as teache theyr owne doctrine and not that whiche they haue receaued of Christ and teache for theyr owne avauntage intending therby to disceaue others for theyr owne lucres sake those haue no autoritie of theyr doctrine at al and drawe themselues quite a way as sone as they drede any daungier of theyr lyues or substaunce But the doctrine wherunto we allured you was not couÌ„terfaicted ne fayned neyther purposed vnto disceate ne yet vnder colourable pretence of it we haue cloked impure sciences as the false apostles do nor haue doen any thing frauduleÌ„tlie â–ª pretending in outwarde apperaunce one waye and purposyng inwardly clene contrarie an other waye and vnder the title of Chryste go about our owne pelfe after the maner of them that make themselues Apostles but like as god by his sonne hathe chosen vs vnto this office that we shoulde syncerely preache the gospell committed vnto vs euen so do we preache vnto all men not to crepe in fauour or commendacion with menne but to do our office so as god may allowe it who seeth the inward secretes of our hartes and accordyng therto estemeth euery man For we haue not flatred any man as you know at least nether haue we turned the worde of the gospel nor your tractable beleuyng in to oure owne gayne god himselfe is witnesse vnto our consciences nether haue we hunted after the prayse of men by meanes of the gospell either at your handes or of any other wheras we myght haue vsed our autoritie and brag no lesse thaÌ„ the false Apostles which though they teache vayne thinges to their own gayne yet they require to be honoured waited vpon of you But we considering what becometh the apostles of Christe which humbled himself for our saluacions sake haue not taken vpoÌ„ vs to brag loke hygh but haue shewed our selues gentill sobre among you not eagrely abusing you as disciples but with al lenitie bearing with your weaknesse none otherwise than a mother nource would chearishe the tender age of her children so we being louingly affected towardes you wer hartely desirous to impart vnto you not onlye the ghospell of god as the foode of your soules but also to bestowe our owne life not that we loked for any reward at your handes but that we loued you entierly with all our hertes none otherwise than a mother loueth her owne children We vpbrayd you not of our diligence but we rehearse our louing affeccion The texte Ye remember brethren oure laboure trauayle For we laboured daye and nyght because we would not be chargeable vnto any of you preached vnto you the gospel of God Ye are witnesses so is god how holyly iustly and vnblameably we behaued our selues among you that beleued as ye knowe how that we bare suche affeccion vnto euery one of you as a father doth vnto children exhortyng confortynge and besechyug you that ye woulde walke worthy of God whiche hath called you vnto hys kyngdome and glory For thys cause thanke we God also without ceassynge because that when ye reaceaued of vs the woord wherewith ye learned to knowe God ye receaued it not as the worde of man but euen as it was in dede the word of God which worketh also in you that beleue You remembre brethren that we forsoke no laboure nor no trauaile for your sakes thyrsting nor mynding any other thyng els than your saluacion And we hunted so litell for rewarde at your handes that we wrought with our handelabour daye and night to get our lyuing withal because we would be a burthen to none of you all The false apostles cloute in their gospel among you and wrythe to them selues as muche as they can get and we haue preached the gospel
thinges and thinges of small worthe vnto him that geueth a thinge of ferre greater price The labourour ought of duetye to haue his lyuing in somuche that Moses lawe forbyddeth the oxe mouthe to be mousâ—ed as longe as he is occupied in treadynge out the corne And doubtles it is more besydes humanitie to suffre him that trauailleth in the gospel preachinge to hungre or thurste He hunteth not after his hyre but the workeman is so muche the more worthye his hyre It is to the commendacion of his godlynes yf he labour without hyre but for all that the people are in great faulte yf they grudge to releue the necessitie of him that deserueth good and maye be succoured with a liâ—ell Moreouer thou shalte geue this prerogatyue to the autoritie of the Elders that thou receyue not lyghtly enformacion against them of those whome it becommeth to stande in awe to them lest a wyndowe be opened also vnto them rashelye to depraue the lyfe of the Elders againste whome ther ought no light sinistre suspicioÌ„ to be receyued wherby their autoritie myght be dyminisshed He ought not to be herde that maketh the informacion onles he proue his obiection with two or thre witnesses But in case it be to apparent and to muche playne that it can not be cloked but they haue offended their correccion must be so moderated that thou nether geue place to the accusours crueltie ne yet that their escaping without punishement ministre a pernicious example to the commen multitude But reproue thou them with thine owne mouthe openlye that the rest maye be more in drede of a bysshoppes checke yf they perceiue therby that euen the elders be not pardoned in case they doe any thing worthye correccion The texte ¶ I testifye before god and the Lord Iesus Christ and the electe angels that thou obserue these thinges without hastynesse of iudgement and do nothinge parcially La ye handes sodeÌ„ly on no maÌ„ nether be partaker of other mennes sinnes kepe thy selfe pure Drincke no lenger water but vse a lytell wyne for thy stomackes sake and thine often dyseases Some mennes synnes are open before hande and goe before vnto iudgemente and some mennes synnes folow after Lykewyse also good workes are manifest before hande and they that are otherwyse cannot bee hyd Prophane Iudges are boundeÌ„ by their prophane lawes in relygion that they be not corrupte with affeccions and so geue wronge iudgement Howe muche more vprightenes besemeth a Byshop either in iudgementes or in puttinge magistrates in office They are monyshed of their othe whan they shall sytte on gementes and are afrayed with the religion of false goddes But I charge the Tymothie by God the father who beyng witnesse and autour this matter is practised and by Iesus Christe whose ministres we are and by the electe angelles arbitrours and lokers on of those thinges that we goe aboute that in practisynge of iudgementes thou obserue those thinges that I prescribe vnto the so as thou maiest come to the hearing of causes vpryghtlye and vncorruptelye not bryngynge the sentence with the that fauoure or malyce or dyspleasure or any other affeccion hath secretlye sowked into thee but of the thing selfe in dede knowen takynge matter to geue right sentence of declynynge nether to this parte nor that parte This vprightenes it is necessarye to expresse not onely in hearing of causes but also in chosynge those men that thou coÌ„mittest ecclesiasticall administracion vnto For an hyghe speciall myschiefe springeth vnto Christian people of none other fountayne than whan vnprofytable or elles pestilent hurtfull men be put in office Therfore laye not handes vpon any man without delyberate aduisement It standeth the in hande to trye and searche that man muche and long whome thou muste committe thautoritie of a bysshop vnto who yf he vse the honour committed to hun otherwyse than he ought to doe it shal be imputed vnto thee whatsoeuer he doeth amysse For thou shalte seme to haue fauoured his naughtines seyng thou knewest him whan thou committedest suche a trauayle vnto him But and yf he haue deceaned the yet thou shalte not be hable to escape the blameworthines of negligeÌ„ce by cause thou committedest so ieoperdous a matter vnto one whome thou hadest not tryed For it ought not to be ynoughe in chosing of a byshop thoughe he be not euyll reported of but it behoueth him to be excellentlie commended many wayes for his wel doinges It is not ynoughe also for a byshop to set forthe his owne innocencie but his duetie is also to make good the integritie of them whome he ordeyneth In these thinges therfore see thou kepe thy selfe chaste and pure vnto the Religion wherof thou hast charge Thy temperate diet is more notably perceaued vnto me than I nede to warne the from delicatenes Howbeit this thou arte to be warned of that abstinence ought so to be mesured as the feblenes of the bodye be not suche that it be not hable to goe aboute the offices of godlynes Lyke as a fatte and vnreasonable lustye bodye dothe many tymes holde downe the soule from myndynge heaueÌ„ly thinges euen so sycklines of bodye oftentymes hyndreth the strength of the soule that it can not expresse nor set forthe it selfe frely by workes of charitie I thincke it therfore ynough for the to haue kepte abstinence to this tyme hitherto From henceforthe drincke not water but vse rather moderate wyne Concernynge thyne abstynence from wyne vnto this tyme let that be practised bycause of the heate of thy freshe youthe but nowe thy healthe must be loked vnto that thou maiest be hable to accomplyshe and doe all the partes of a byshop The stomake is refreshed with moderate drinkyng of wyne and with drinking of water it is chiefely decayed To th entent therfore thou mayest bothe helpe thy stomake and fail seldomer in to sycklynes than thou arte wonte to doe vse wyne in stedde of medycine lest afterwarde whan thy strenght is gone thou be inforced to seke helpe of phisicians But to returne to the purpose that I nowe beganne bycause thou shouldest not thinke that all the synnes of those that thyne are shoulde be imputed to the some mens synnes are so manifest that they tary not the last iudgemeÌ„t of god but runne before the iudgement of theyr owne swynge beyng damned by themselues before they be broughte in to that iudgement For bothe the lyfe and doctrine of suche men dyffereth manifestlye from the doctrine of Christe For in steade of gospellyke godlynes they teache Iewyshe supersticion and as for their lyfe it is infecte with ambicion hastyng hande makyng and other myscheuous desyres As for these maner of men lyke as thou mayest lawfully iudge of them so must thou rendre accompte of them Moreouer some folkes naughtines is so closely hydden that it can not be deprehended by mans iudgement but is reserued to the iudgement of god wherin all thinges shal be made naked for those mens faulte thou shalt not be in daungier before
are they which enter into houses and bryng into bondage women laden with synne which women are led with dyuerse lustes euer learnyng and neuer able to come vnto the knowledge of the truth THerfore it is requisite that we arme vs not onely agaynste the persecucions of the Iewes and the Ethnikes but also agaynst the malice of these maner of men For we must not dissemble but ouercome that whiche can not be auoided This take for a certayntie that the spirite sayeth before hande it shal come to passe that in the last dayes shall come moste haynous tymes whan pure godlynes shall growe out of kynde and the charitie of the ghospel wexe colde men shal be louers onely of them selues geuen to couetousnes of money disdaynefull proude cursed speakers disobedient to fathers and mothers vnthankefull wycked lackynge good will towarde those that be their owne and of their nere kynted promyse breakers false accusours ryotours vngentyll haters of goodnes traitours of their felowes and frendes rashe swellyng more louing of voluptuousnesses than of God Through tytle appareli ceremonies and hypocrisye makynge an outwarde shewe of godlynes whan they denye the chiefe poynte of true godlynes beyng so muche the more pestilent in that vnder an outwarde apperaunce of relygion they are both of moste fylthy spotted conuersacyon and also defyle the syncertitie of the ghospelles doctrine with Iewishe fables and mennes inuentions Perchaunce it is to see at this presente daye that some tende to these abhominable sortes of behauiours See therefore that thou also auoyde suche persons And to thintent thou mayest the more certaynly doo so I shall partely paynte oute theyr maners vnto the. Of this sorte in dede be those that wyth settyng out of fayned religion in sluttishe clothes with a couÌ„trefaicte grauitie of countenaunce with a craftye pale colour they conueye them selues in to other mens houses and there the fyrst thyng they doo they goe aboute to inueagle the folishe women so as they maye by meanes of theÌ„ the more easylye begyle the husbandes euen as the serpent by meanes of Eue deceaued Adam For fyrst the weaker sexe is the more apte to be deceaued Than they entangle not the sadde and the true godlye matrones but the lyghte women whiche so professe Christe that they be for al that laden with synne and forasmuch as they do not substauntially endeuour them selues vnto perfite godlines they wauer and are caried aboute with diuerse lustes not beyng content to haue learned once of vs that whiche is sufficient vnto true godlynes but are often tymes gredye to learne newfangles and for that cause they prouyde them doctours mete for their owne lustes that teache them to knowe nothyng and neuer bring them to the knowledge of the trueth But rather vnder the pretence of teachyng the ghospell they cloke their moste fylthy lyfe and thoughe they professe Christe openlye yet they teache suche geares secretlye as be cleane contrarie repugnaunte with the doctrine of Christe The texte As Iannes and Iambres with stode Moses eueÌ„ so do these also resist the trueth men they are of corrupte myndes leude as coÌ„cernyng the fayth but they shall preuayil â—â— longer For their madnes shal be vttered vnto all meÌ„ euen as theirs was But thou hast sene the experience of my doctrine fashion of lyuing purpose fayth long suffryng loue pacience persecutions and afflictions whiche happened vnto me at Antioche at I comum at Listra whiche persecutions I suffered paciently And froÌ„ them al yâ— lorde delyuered me Yea and all they that wil lyue gooly in Christ Iesu shall suffre persecution But the euill men and disceiâ—ers shall waxe wourse and wourse while they disceyue are disceyued them selues It ought to seme no maruayle yf there arise some euen nowe whose naughtynes is enemye to the ghospell It is an olde example For lyke as in times paste in Egipte Iannes and Iambres with their enchauntementes wente about to put those myraculous wonders out of credence that Moses by the power of God did euen so these men also vnder a certaine false pretence of godlynes resist the trueth of the ghospell beyng desperate men that are not onelye infecte with most shamefull lustes of mynde but also depraue the syncertitie of the ghospelles doctrine and of faythe vnto their owne purposes And vnto this tyme they haue in dede deceyued some but from henceforthe they shal not so muche preuayle with their sleyghtes For it shall come to passe that their madnes shall be openly vttred vnto all men euen as those learned enchauntours craftye conueyaunce beyng detected caused them to be contemned and laughed to scorne For whose maners and conscience are vncleane their doctrine is not possible to be cleane And to be shorte countrefaicte wares endure not alwaies The thing that countrefaicting hath for a while couered in secret tyme doeth bryng forth into open lyght But thou which art farre vnlyke vnto theyr condicions see that the doctrine of the ghospell whiche I delyuered purely vnto thee thou distribute also purely and constauntlye vnto other Suche as my doctrine was suche was also my lyfe wherof thou canst best be wytnesse whiche hast bene a great while conueâ—â—aunt with me and hast by experience sene in me synceritie of doctryne and demeanour of my lyfe agreable to the same hertye forewardenes of stomake that sterted backe at nothynge strength of faythe that coulde not be moued with any sorowes lenitie towardes such as were of wrong iudgement charitie wherby I was desyrous to doo good euen for myne enemies and pacience in persecucions and affliccioÌ„s which thou knowest chaunced vnto me at Antroche Icomum and Listra Thou knowwest what greuous stormes of persecucions I haue susteyned aboue mannes strengthe And yet the Lorde hathe delyuered me from them all by whose ayde I continued without shrynkyng Neuertheles these fortuned not vnto me either by myne owne peculy at destenye neyther yet for any euill that I dyd but for the purenesse bothe of my ghospell preachynge and also of my lyuing I was turmoyled with so many sorowes Yea and whosoeuer will after myne example and Christes folowe true godlynes must necessarylye after his example and myne prepare them selues to suffre affliccions For the world shall neuer be without suche as for the mayntenaunce of their feyned religioÌ„ shall trouble and goe aboute to oppresse them that be folowers of true godlynes Howbeit thys trouble shall be for our aduauntage euen as vnto those wycked ones and deceauours their prosperitie shall be vnto their more greuous damnacion for they shall suffre paynes for two speciall causes aswell in that they them selues swarued from the trueth as also bycause they snared others in their errours But as for theÌ„ in case they repent not leue them to their owne peyne The texte â–ª But continue thou in â—he thynges whiche thou hast learned which also were coÌ„mitted vnto the knowyng of whom thou hast learned theÌ„ for as muche also as of a chylde thou hast knowen the
seconde tome that is to wyte the paraphrase vpon the Epistles of saincte Paule and the other Apostles Wherefore wyllynge to helpe to the furtheraunce of so godly an entente and to bryng in at the lâ—â—ste my farthinge into the treasorye of the lorde I haue loked ouer againe my sayde translacion and haue amended the places that wer faulty And besyde â–ª I haue so annexed the paraphrase to the texte that the readers shall I trust easyly atteyne therby to the true vnderstandynge of saincte Paules mynde Whiche my labour I do dedycate vnto your mastershyp whome I knowe to loue gods worde synceretly and vnto whome I knowledge my selfe to be moste hyghlye bounde of all men as vnto the chefe and onely socourer of myne olde age humbly beseching you to accepte this lytle gyfte as a token of my faithfull harte and I trust with goddes helpe or it be long to sende vnto you other monimentes of myne industrye which I trust shal be no lesse pleasynge vnto you and no lesse profytable to the readers ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule vnto Cyâ—us By Erasmus of Roterodame THe apostle Paule had made his dysciple Titus ouersear of the christian congregacioÌ„ in the noble I le of Crete now named Candye whome for the excellent gyftes that were in him Paul loued as tenderly as yf he had bene his owne naturall sonne And at his departinge out of that contrey he made hym the head ouersear of the faythfull that were there Afterwarde he wrote this Epistle or lettre vnto him from a citye of Epirus called Nicople lyinge on the sea coaste in a clyffe named of the olde Cosmographers Leucate or the clyffe of Aâ—tâ—um â–ª at whiche tyme all thinges as it semeth were quiet with the christians for here is no mencion made of any persecucion In this Epistle he putteth Tâ—tus in remembraunce to fynishe and perfyte tho thinges whiche he hymselfe had begone among the same men of Crete and that in euery citie of the Ne whiche as writers doe testifye were an hundred he shoâ—lde ordeyne ouersears whiche we nowe call byshoppes and here they are of the Apostle named elders And for this cause Paule prescribeth vnto him the true forme of a Byshop or Shepherd of Christes flocke Furthermore bycause false apostles were come also into that partes whiche went aboute to put theyr Iewyshe ceremonies into mennes heddes Paule here geueth him a courage strongly to confute and reiecte them After these thinges he sheweth what is the dutye of euery persone and age lyke as he dyd to Tymothie addyng this that no man ought to resiste prynces and magistrates executynge their office and power yea though they were infidels but rather to tolerate them paciently that they maye the sooner by suche our modestye be called to yâ— folowyng of the gospell Laste of all he wylleth Tytus to come to him at Nicopli but not afore yâ— he had sent Artemas or Tychicus whiche were his dysciples into Crete to him least paraduenture the Cretians woulde els thinke them selfes destitute of the conforte of an heade or chiefe ouersear whome we call an Archebysshope The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus The first Chapter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunte of God and apostle of Iesu Christ accordyng to the faithe of goddes electe and accordynge to the knowledge of the trueth whiche is after godlynes in the hope of eternall lyfe whiche god that cannot lye promysed afore the worlde began but hathe opened his worde at the tyme appoynted thorowe preaching whiche is committed vnto me accordynge to the commaundement of god our saueour to Titus his naturall sonne after the continue faythe Grace mercy and peace from god the father and from the lorde I esu Christ our saueoure I Paule my selfe the addict seruaunt obeyer not of Moses lawe as I was once but of God yâ— father ambassadour of his sonne Iesus Christ of the which my message the whole summe is that suche as god hath electe to attayne to euerlastynge saluacion thorowe the gospel them I should exhorte not to the obseruacioÌ„ of the law or to put their confideÌ„ce in workes but vnto faythe which onely openeth to al meÌ„ yâ— entryng into euerlasting saluacioÌ„ thorowe yâ— fre beneficence of Iesus Christ And my coÌ„mission is to call them not to faythe onely but also to yâ— knowledge of trueth which among yâ— Ethnikes was ouer heaped with the inuencions of mans wysedom among the Iewes it was hydde wrapped vp in the shadowes of mysticall figures ceremonyes I am charged I saye to call meÌ„ to the knowledge of the trueth not yâ— whiche the philosophers of this worlde do teache disputinge on the causes of natural thinges but to the knowledge of that trueth which coÌ„pendyously sheweth in what thinges a ryght christian lyfe consisteth yâ— ende rewarde wherof is lyfe euerlastynge to folowe after this shorte lyfe that we leade here in the worlde whiche euerlastynge lyfe men ought with the more truste to hope for how great troubles soeuer they endure while they be here First because he that promysed this euerlastynge lyfe was not a mortall man that myght bothe be deceyued him selfe also deceyue other but it is god that doeth it Who as it cannot be chosen but he must neades abyde alwayes god so can nothing surely procede froÌ„ him but onely the mere trueth And again bycause this yâ— he promysed he dyd not promes it by a chauÌ„ce or but now of late but afore the the world was made it was fully determined by the diuine vnchauÌ„geable decree of his mynde to do yâ— which he now doeth There is no newe thing that hath altered his purpose but yâ— thing which for secret causes onely knowen to his godheed he would haue to be couered hyd hitherto yâ— would he haue to be opened to al the world at this tyme the which he had afore by his eternall wysedome appointed to yâ— reuelyng therof Neither would he that there should be onely shewed to the Iewes a shadowe darkened with the mystes of figures but his wil is that yâ— cleare trueth should by the preaching of yâ— gospel be declared to al meÌ„ withoute any dyffereÌ„ce of nacion or language This is yâ— who le effecte of yâ— doctrine of yâ— gospel yâ— preaching wherof I haue not takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ me of myne own head but it was coÌ„mitted to me not coÌ„mitted by men but by out saueour god who dyd not onely cal me to the occupieng of an apostles office but besyde that he enioyned it to me and so charged me therwith that it was not lawful for me to refuse that whiche he so earnestly commaunded me to do These wordes haue I spoken that no man shoulde thynke myne autoritie or els the autoritie of him whome I haue put in my stede to be but of lyghte estimacion I therfore the same Paule beyng beyng in suche autorite do wryte this Epistle or lettre to Titus my very
naturall â—on not by bodyly generacion but by yâ— sead of faithe whiche I haue so shedde into him and in the whiche he so well resembleth me that I seame to be renewed in him lyke as a father is in his owne naturall childe To him I wyshe grace and peace from him from whome all true goodnes dothe come that is to wytte from god the father and his sonne Iesu Christe the onely autoure of our saluacion For in suche ryches as grace and peace are my desire is to haue my children made ryche The texte ¶ For this cause I lefte the in Crete that thou shouldest reforme the thinges that are vnperfecte and shouldest ordaine elders in euery citie as I had appointed the. But to speake nowe to the my sonne Titus Sith I dyd knowe right well the nature of this ylande againe I dyd not doubte but that they had neade of a faythefull and dilygente curate or ouersear I haue for that cause lefte the in Crete as one representyng myne owne persone bycause that the busynes of the gospell calleth me to other places that suche thinges as haue bene there begon to be â—orrected thou as my deputye maye fynishe them And bycause thou alone art not able to ouer loke so many cities as this I le is replenysshed with thou shalte ordayne in euery citie an ouersear or byshop as I dyd bydde the whan I went from thence But beware that thou admytte no man to so hyghâ— an offyce without great dyscression for he must be a very proued man to whâ—m thou shalte betake this charge and not all onely of a knowen and testified honestie but also he must be cleare from all suspicion of any maner of faulte what soeuer it be Suche a byshop or ouersear to the entente that thou mayste the better and surelyar chose out I wyll set him forth by certaine sygnes yea and in a maner paynte him to the. The texte ¶ If any be blameles the husbande of one wyfe hauynge faithfull children whiche aâ—â— not slaundred of riot neâ—her are dysobedyent If thou knowe any man of that maners and vpright lyuinge that no faulte can proueably be layed to him yf he be contente with one wyfe geuynge no token of vnchaste lyuynge yf he haue children so instructe and brought vp that they shew them selfes to be christians not onely with their mouthe but also in their deades and innocencie of lyuynge that is to say they haue none euyl name of ryotous and dysfolute maners as the commune sorte of yong meÌ„ haue nether are they dysobedyent to their parentes suche a man shal be meete to haue this charge committed to him For he that shal be counted worthy to occupye the rowme of a bishop must be so fer wyde bothe from all vyce and all suspicion of vyce that he maye be at all tymes readye to make answer not onely for his owne selfe but also for the honest conuersacion of all his whole familye For the faultes of the children are wonte communely to be reproched to the fathers and mothers Nowe whatsoeuer hurteth the good name of a byshop it turneth to the slaunder of the gospel of Christ The texte For a byshop must be blamelesse as yâ— stewarde of god not stubborne not angrye not geue to muche wyne no fighter not geuen to fylthie lucte but a keper of hospitalie one yâ— loueth Goodnes prudente sobre righteous godly temperate and suche as cleueth vnto the true worde of doctrine that he maye be able also to exhorte by wholsome lernynge and to improue them that say against it It is necessarye therfore that he whiche in a maner standeth in goddes steade and to whom the treasour of euangelicall doctrine is committed not to be hurded vp but to be faithfully bestowed abrode be in all poyntes without blame and far from the vices of them that mooste communely beare offices that suche as be vnder him maye be vnder him wyllynglye and withall their hartes He must loke vpon nothinge but the soule health of the flocke that he hathe charge of He must studye to helpe them and redres that is amysse in them and not to oppresse them to teache them and not to compell them to leade them and not violently to pull them he must rather perswade then extorte he must ouercome more by benefytes gentylnes thaÌ„ by lordelynes or emperiouse coÌ„maundemeÌ„t He that setteth his mynde to these thinges must not be wilfull nor of hye looke nor full of hasty language whiche wyll cause men soner to withdrawe theyr hartes from his doctrine than to come to any amendement He must also by all meanes auoyde the cryme of auarice and gapyng after lucre for that thinge is vyle and pestilente euen in a laye officer and muche more to be abhorred in a byshop whiche is a spirituall officer For he that is infecte with couetyse dothe nothing vprightly and as ought of equite to be done but rather a byshop must be suche a one as wyl lyberallye bestowe his goodes in refresshyng of the neady and in especiall straungers Besyde it besemeth a byshop to be more in loue with vertue and goodmen than with money He must also be sobre iust and of an innocent and pure lyfe godly in the obseruacion of the christian faithe subiect to no euyll affeccions but ferre aboue all suche desyres wherwith the commune sorte of men are led vp and downe But chefely he muste be a fast holder of the wordes of the gospell wherin he is bounde to be well instructe that he maye be able to teache them that be ignoraunt what appartayneth to the saluacion of their soules and that he maye with holsome doctrine exhorte and call forewarde suche as be slow and fynally reproue them that speake against the truethe The texte ¶ For there are many vnrewlye and talkers of vanitie and dysceauers of myndes specyally they that are of the circumsicion whose mouthes must be stopped whiche peâ—ueâ—ie whole houses teachinge thinges whiche they ought not bycause of fylthye lucre I doe not warne the of these thinges without a cause for there be many waywarde parsones brablers and deceyuers of mennes myndes These not geuing an eare to the teaching of the gospel brynge in in steade of it vayne and vnprofytable fables of the Iewes wherby they maye get them a name of learnyng among the people and also gaynes By these fables they begyle the myndes of some symple folke and vnder the coloure of the gospell they crepe into yâ— hartes of their hearers insomuche that many tymes they corrupte not one or two but they ouerturne whole householdes and kynreddes teaching shamefull thinges and far square from the veritie of the gospell Yet do they neuertheles abuse the tytle of the gospell to the lucre whiche they do vilaynousely daylye hunt after Wherefore see that thou rebuke them sharpely and stoppe their mouthes Yea and there be some of the gentiles that be combred with this enormite but chiefly thou shalt fynde them to be
men that for haters we be made well wyllers euen to theÌ„ that hate vs thys haue we neither by Moses lawe nor yet by our owne merites but by the free goodnes of God by the which we coueite that all men yf it be possyble reioyse with vs in one commune saluation and that the verite of the gospel may shine and geue lyght to all men as it hath geuen lyght to vs. For afore we wandered lyke blynde men in darkenes as the vnbeleuers do styll But nowe after that it is made open thorow the ghospell howe greate the goodnes and charite of God the father which is autor of our saluation is to al men now after that the darkenes of our former lyfe is put away we haue obteyned true lyfe saluation not by the obseruation of the lawe which had a certayne righteousnes in it but yet of small efficacie to geue euerlastyng lyfe but we haue obteined it thorowe the mere mercie of the Godhed For by the holy fonte of baptisme we benewe borne agayne and graffed into Christ the sonne of the euerlastyng father and beyng renewed by his spirite we haue ceased to be carnall and haue begon to be spirituall Therfore what so euer we be we are altogether bounde to God for it whiche into vs nothyng deseruing it hathe shed aboundantlye his spirite whiche the lawe coulde not geue And he hath shed this his holye spirite into vs by Iesus Christ by whom it hath pleased him most liberally to geue vs all thynges that we beyng purged by hys benefite from oure olde synnes should endeuour our selfes by good workes to be made apte to receiue the inheritaunce of the lyfe that endureth for euer of the whiche the doctrine of the gospell doeth put vs in a sure hope Sence that we therefore were once miserable and beyng nowe thorow the onely mercy of the Lorde delyuered from synne we hope for the crowne of euerlastyng lyfe with Christe we muste haue pitie vpoÌ„ other go aboute by al meanes that God may also haue mercy on theÌ„ The texte This is a true saying Of these thinges I wyll that thou certifie that they whiche beleue in God myght be diligent to go forwarde in good workes For these thynges are good and profitable vnto men Let a christian Byshop in the steade of Iewishe fables tel these thynges to the people for they are certaine and not to be doubted of There remayneth nothing more for vs to do but that in all our coÌ„uersation froÌ„ hence forth we shew our selfes not vnmyndful of the great benefite that we haue receyued of God but that we lyue in all thinges accordyng to his godly pleasure or els the professioÌ„ of christiandome of the gospel wil nothyng aduaile vs. Wherfore I wil that thou assure al meÌ„ of these thinges which greatly perteyne vnto our purpose confirme theÌ„ therin also yâ— they whiche haue once beleued in God yâ— by his free mercifulnes they haue bene redemed from their synnes and that he will geue the crowne of immortalitie to all them whiche by vertuouse and godly liuinge do studye to folowe Iesu Christe as nere as they are able maye leade suche a lyfe as maye seme not vnworthy of so greate profession and so hir promisses Nowe they shall declare them selues to be true christians yf they curse not the Ethnikes and the Iewes nor saye euyl by them but yf they be beneficial to al men and by the affection that they haue to piety they reioyse to helpe all men For these thynges shall not onelye ornate and commende the professyon of the gospell as thynges of them selfes honeste but besyde that very profytable to drawe other to Christe and to helpe other whiche be oppressed with any calamitie The chiefe poynte of christiantie is to do good to all men and by benefites euen the very wylde beastes are ouercome and made tame Thou shalte therfore on suche wise speake and preache of these thynges and not as one that is in any dowte of them as some be whiche mouyng many questions seme to haue but a faynte beleue But teache thou with greate confydence of countenaunce and with greate stedfastnes of wordes that euery man maye right well perceyue that thou arte throwlye persuaded in that whiche thou doest laboure to perswade to other Out of these thinges commethe no small frute of true religion The texte Folyshe questyons and genealogies and braulyng thorowe sâ—tyuinges about the lawe auoyde for they are vnprofitable and superfluous But folyshe and vnconnyng questions and entangled genealogies and contenciouse disputacions or rather warre vpon Moses lawe whiche some folowyng the trade of the Iewes do styrre vp to gette them a name thereby and vantage caste them away as superfluous and vuprofytable to the lyfe that is after the gospell For what death it hurte good lyuynge yf I knowe not why Moses graue can no where be founde And whether it be as the Iewes do say lest he should be raysed vp agayne by enchaunters Or yf I knowe not howe many yeares Matusalem lyued Or of what age Salomon was whan he begate Roboam Why Moses did forbyd to eate the fleshe of swine Why the Iewes do suppose that the blode of a Wesell must with so great diligence be purged And many other more folyshe than these In the exposicion whereof what profiteth him to tary that hasteth to the rewarde of a true christian lyfe These thynges must rather â—e cutte awaye than declared and they which professe them as excellente thynges oughte more to be reproued and sharplye rebuked than to be ouercome with disputacion The texte A man that is an auctor of sectes after the firste and the seconde admonicion auoid â–ª knowyng that he that is suche is peruetted and synneth euen damned by him selfe If they whiche mayntaine suche supersticions as haue tofore bene mencioned erre by symplenes whan they be warned therof they wyll amende But yf they do it of a purposed malice eyther to get them a name or for lucre or for some other fylthy cause than wyll they be ready to defende euen those thynges whiche they knowe to be false These men whan thou hast once or twies rebuked them yf they amende not then auoyde them as sedicious and incurable persones leste they do more harme whan they be prouoked than they woulde doe yf they were let alone as men not regarded Yea and lest it may turne to a worse inconuenience that they whiche cannot be brought into a better mynde drawe him that goeth about to instructe them into the same errour that they be in For what auayleth it to geue any oftenar to them the medicine of cortectioÌ„ yf there be no hope of remedy An errour commynge onelye of the fraylenes of man is remedied by one or two warnynges but peruersitie is incurable and made worse by puttyng to of remedies Therefore he that beyng once or twyes rebuked abydeth neuertheles styffe in his opinioÌ„ let him alone in his froward
once professed a christian lyfe priuely loueth worldly thinges and doth not with pure minde and affeccion hasten vnto the reste promised The texte Seyng then that we haue a greate hye priest which is entred into heauen euen Iesus the sonne of god let vs holde the profession of our hope For we haue not an hie priest which cannot haue compassion on our infirmities but was in all pointes â–ª tempted like as we are but yet without synne Let us therefore goe boldely vnto the seate of grace that we maye obtayne mercie and finde grace to helpe in tyme of nede Seeyng then we haue an hye priest who is verely great Iesus Christ the sonne of god whiche after the sacrifice made for our reconciliacion entred not into the moste secrete parte of the temple made with handes but into heauen to make the father mercifull vnto vs Let vs abide stil in our professioÌ„ folowing the way that he hath shewed vs and hastening to those thynges whiche he hath promised Let not his greatenesse feare vs but his mercye rather encourage vs. Trueth it is that he dwelleth in heauen but he was before a man conuersaunt in earth Let vs not therefore ymagyne that we haue an hye priest which caÌ„not take compassion on our infirmitie He was tempted withall kynde of euils the which oure lyfe ys combred with all howbeit he retourned agayne into heauen a conquerour to th entent yâ— we trustyng on hys ayde shoulde not be weried or ouercome with affliccions but couragiously goe thorowe vnto the reste of euerlastyng felicitie the whych he came vnto For he was for no other cause afflicted beaten spytte vpon and crucified as an harmfull person where he was innocent and gyltlesse but onely to pourge vs who are in very dede hurtfull caytifes and inners from al oure sinnes and iniquities He hath not thaâ—â—ged hys affeccion towardes vs so that we tourne hym not awaye from vs by oure owne vicyous behauioure and frowardnesse Therfore trustyng on hys mercy let vs goe vnto hys seate not hys terrible but appesable seate whych is ready to helpe and not to destroye vs let vs come boldly putting no doubtes to obtaine mercy at his handes wherby dure synnes maye be pardoned and grace also geuen that maye furnyshe vs with heauenly gyftes and helpe vs so ofte as nede shall require For we muste desire no aydes but of hym onely of whome we truste to haue ouâ— rewardes The .v. Chapter The texte For euery hye presâ—e that is taken from amonge men is ordained for men in thinges pertayning to God to offer giftes and sacrifrces for sinne which can haue compassion on the ignoâ—aâ—â—te and on them that erâ—e out of the waye â—oâ—asmuch as he hym selfe also is compassed with infyrmitie And for the same infyrmities sake he is bounde to offer for sinnes as well for hym selfe as for the people And no man taketh honoure vnto him selfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron FVrthermore it is an vsage amonge the Iewes that euery hye priest chosen from amonge men be ordayned for thys purpose yâ— in such businesses as chaunce betwene God and man he as a mediatoure betwene both maie make intercession for menne in such wise that yf God be any thyng dyspleased wyth mennes offences he may appease his wrath by giftes and sacrifices duely offred the which hie priest for the dignities sake of hye priesthoode canne in suche wise do muche with God that he is not yet free from mannes infirmitie to theâ—tent he maye be the readyer to take compassion on them who haue sinned thorowe erroure and ignoraunce in asmuche as he hym selfe is subiecte vnto the same infirmitie in that he is of the selfe same nature that they he of For suche are sooner sory for other mennes euils and dyspleasures as haue them selues learned mercy and compassion by the tastyng of lyke euils aduersities and he is gladder to reamedy other mennes errours and offences which falleth oftentymes hym selfe or at the leastwyse is in ieopardie to fall And for thys cause Moses priest ought as well to offre sacrifice for hys owne synnes as he offreth for the peoples offences Nowe Christ had so a tommune nature with vs subiecte vnto paynes and death that he was notwithstandyng with out all manour of synne He had experience of payne who neuer knewe any synne Furthermore accordyng to the ordinaunces of Moses lawe no man taketh vpon him and vsurpeth the honourable ministracion of hye priest hod of hys owne accorde but he onely taketh it in hande that is called thereunto by goddes commaundement lykewyse as Aaron was called For he semeth vn worthâ— of honour whoso by reason of ignoraunce ambiciously desireth digintie and that man is not meete for a rowme or ministracion whych intrudeth hym selfe into the same The texte Euen so Christ also glorifyed not him selfe to be made the hye prieste but he that safed vnto hym thou art my sonne thys daye haue I beâ—otten the gloryfyed hym As he saieth also in another place thou art a Prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech Whâ—che in the dayes of his fleshe when he had offered vp praiers suppsicacions â–ª with strong criyng and teares vnto him that was able to saue â—iâ— from death and was heard because of his reuerence thoughe he were ehe sonne of God yet learned he obedience â–ª by those thynges whych he suffered anâ— he beyng perfecte was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto al them that obeyed hym and is called of God an hye priest after the order of Melchisedech And herein also Christ gaue vs an ensample of a lawfull bishop For he toke not vpon him of his owne accord the glorious dignitie of an hie priest but was allowed of hys father who firste acknowledged Iesus to be hys true sonne when he sayed Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And also he ordeâ—neth hunanon after a true and lawful hie priest when he sayeth Thou art a priest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Ye haue hearde howe he was ordeyâ—ed Nowe herken howe he was tempted and proued When as yet he had a mortall body in earth he offred prayers and supplicacions vnto god the father who could haue preserued him from the punyshment of the crosse excepte he had bene more desyrous to prouyde for mannes safetie by the death of hys sonne He offred them with seruent affeccion greate crying and plentifull teares and was hearde by reason of hys charytie and soueraygne dignitie with the father He obteyned hys desyre For hys wyll and desyre was not to escape the punyshment of the crosse but to procure vs soule health by hys death He felte greate feare he felte the torment anguyshe of death but the loue that he bare towardes mankynde preuayled He was the sonne and coulde haue obtayned any thyng of the father if he had desired it but thus was it thought to be more conuenyent for our health that he beyng afflicted with
them with the other For this is the will of the most hyghe God youre Prynce that you geue none occasion vnto their inconsiderate ignoraunce whereby they myghte proueably call the gospelles profession to blame if they perceaued you to set naught by their autoritie That whiche other doe for feare of the lawes do you willyngly of your owne accorde yea more habundauntlye than other doe that you maye declare youre selues to be ryght free men in dede For he is free that of his owne mind and willyngly doeth as he shoulde doe rightly God forbydde that you should abuse the pretence of the gospelles veritie to synne more licenciously You owe not bonde seruice vnto men but inasmuche as you are the seruauntes of God you shall submitte youre selues for his glories sake vnto all men gladlre and willynglye If any duetie therfore if any honour be duely belongyng euen to them that be heathens either for the publike office sake that they beare or for affinitie sake do that throughly vnto all men lest they being anye whit offended be broughte more farther of from the profession of the gospell yet for all that it is reason that you loue them specially whom the commune profession hath made brethren vnto you Feare God whose eies no man can begile And concernyng the kyng there is no cause why you should be afrayed of him seing he is dreadfull to none but to euyll doers but yet acknowledge hys autoritie in those thynges that he exacieth of you without hynderaunce of godlynes He demaundeth custome paye it him he exacteth tribute geue it him That which those that be free ought to do to the Magistrates thoughe they be heathens bonde seruauntes ought to do vnto their maisters from seruing of whoÌ„ baptisme maketh them not free But they ought rather with greater reuerence to acknowledge them not onely yf they be good and sobre men but also if they be sore men and harde sharpe men lest peraduenture beyng offended with your frowarde maners doyng otherwise than you ought to doe they laye the fauite vnto the profession and be dryuen the more farther of from it whereunto they ought rather to be encensed and allured by your honest behauiour Some wyl saye It is a sore mater to beare the tyrannye of Prynces it is a sore mater to abyde the crueltie of maisters For Prynces spoyle exacte and punyshe and maysters wyth whyppes and buffeâ—tes all to teare them that are faultles These maters woulde ryghtly seme not worthye to be borne if it were ascribed vnto them and not rather vnto God Their wickednes deserueth not thus muche that these thynges should be suffred at their handes but so is the wil of God that youre goodnes shoulde turne their maliciousnes in to the glorie of Christ For after suche sorte is your pacience acceptable to God whan beyng afflicted vndeseruedly you suffre neuertheles contentedly not for feare of men but for the glory of God Communely there is no despyght more impaciently taken than whan men are not faultye But among Christians it is ferre otherwise for among them like as euery one is the beste euen so doeth he couet to be mooste acceptable vnto God And the more inwaâ—â—â—ly he loueth God so muche the more chearfullye he suffreth whatsoeuer â—pperteyneth to the glorye of God But what garmercye were it yf you suffre whan you are buffetted for naughtye doynges The conscience of the faulte teacheth thys that euery man can abyde his deserued peynes and holde his peace But whan you suffre patiently the sorowes that are done vnto you for weldoinges you come in fauour with god for whose cause sake you suffre wyllynglye The texte For hereunto verely were ye called for Christ also suffered for vs leuinge vs an ensample that ye shoulde folowe his steppes which dyd no sinne nether was there gyle founde in his mouth â–ª which when he was reuiled reuiled not agayne when he suffered he thretened not but committed the vengeaunce to hym that iudgeth righteouslye whyche hys owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body â—n the tree that we beinge delyueted from synne shoulde lyue vnto righteousnes By whose stripes ye were healed For ye were as shepe going astray but are nowe turned vnto the shepherd and byshop of your solles Your innocencie might disdaynfully grudge at this but that Christe beyng innocent suffred greater haynous peines for your sake This is your profession vpon this condicion are you called into his body that you myghte folow the example of suffryng which he hath left vnto you and entring in by the same fotesteppes you might thrust in vnto euerlastyng glory by the same way that he atteyned vnto it What sorowe was it that he suffred not whiche was crucified with theues And what is more innocent than he which not only commytted no faulte at all but also there was no maner of gyle at any tyme found in his tongue whaÌ„ they bitterly reuiled him he gaue none euill wordes again but rather besought the father to forgyue them Whan he was bounden whan he was beaten whan he was nayled on the crosse he threatened no vengeaunce but referred all vengeaunce vnto the father whiche iudgeth not of affeccion but accordynge to iustice Christe in the meane tyme playng the intercessour and not the on settour As for vs albeit we now folowe innocencie yet with our naughtye synfulnes we had afore tyme iustely deserued the vengeaunce of God But Christe forasmuche as he was indaungered with no synne yet he caryed the burthen of our synnes vpon his owne bodye that he myghte ease vs of oure burthen and was offred on the tree of the crosse as a brent offerynge for oure synnes and by hys vndeserued death he put awaye the deathe that was due vnto vs that we shoulde in the meane tyme folowe the example of his death and resurreccion and that beyng dead vnto our olde synnes and lustes wherunto we were addicte and dyd seruice we shoulde lyue from henceforth vnto innocencie vnto the which he being the fountayne of all innocencie hath consecrated vs whiche hathe taken ouâ—e wickednes him selfe that he myght geue his righteousnes vnto vs. We had offended and he was beaten The fault was ours and the punyshement lyght cruelly vpon him So yâ— accordyng to Esayes prophecie we were made whole by his stripes Him therfore you are bounden to thanke for youre innocencie and in that God imputeth not the synnes of your former lyfe you are bounde to thanke his bondes his scourgeinges his woundes his crosse and his death For ye were scatred before tyme lyke shepe withoute a keper strayenge some one waye some an other as euerye mannes phantasye ledde him thynkyng you myghte lawfullye do whatsoeuer lyked youre selfe but you are nowe conuerted from youre olde erroure vnto Christe Iesus the shepehearde and Curate of youre soules Yf you folowe hym in sufferynge afflyecyons of sorowes wythoute deseruynge you shall throughe hys leadynge come vnto the glory of immortalitie ¶ The .iii. Chapter The texte
worlde thynketh is losse and it is blessednes whatsoeuer they thynke is sorowfulnesse Therefore it is in you to bryng to passe that no violence of sorowes can do you harme by any waye Whatsoeuer the naughtynesse of men shall take awaye from you the free larges of God shall restore it agayne with excedyng great vauntage So that yf you haue the fruicion of God you haue no cause to be afrayed of mens threatnynges or to be disquieted with the violence of sorowes neyther be you troubled in your mynde in the myddes of the stormes of affliccions as though you were destitute of Goddes helpe Neither speake you cursedly vnto men that punyshe you throughe ignoraunce but rather glorifie you the lorde God in your heartes whiche to his seruauntes turneth all thynges in to the best whethersoeuer chaunseth ioye or aduersitie Therefore he is euer worthye to be praysed albeit a man can not alwaies with worde of mouthe yet with affeccion of the heart he maye euery where and at all tymes Hys enemyes are not to be prouoked with scoldynges but wheresoeuer anye hope shall offre it selfe that they maye be drawen vnto Christe be you prompte and ready to answere whosoeuer desireth to knowe with what confidence and throughe what hope you set naught by the commodities of this life and suffre the incommodities so paciently And that do you not disdeignefully nor tauntynglye as thoughe you were offended at them but with al mildenes and reuerence that is to say vsing a good conscience of your owne althoughe you can not be hable to perswade them For it is not ynoughe for Christians to speake thinges that are true and worthy of Christ but also to speake after suche sorte that the verye reason of your talke maye declare that you are not in hande with your own busines but that you respecte the glorie of Christe and the saluation of them whiche you speake vnto This shal be the surest argument to make them ashamed which slaundre your conuersation that you leade accordyng to Christes doctrine as thoughe it were a countrefaict and a naughty conuersacion For countrefaicte vertue althoughe it otherwise begile men with his iuggling yet whan it commeth once to suffring of punishementes it breaketh out and bewrayeth it self There is nothing but a good conscience and a conscience that dependeth wholy of God that is hable chearefully to beare all thinges and to be so farre froÌ„ intendyng reuengement that he goeth about also to do good to them of whom he is punished The texte For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doing then for euil doing For asmuche as Chryst hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God and was killed as pertaining to the fleshe but was quickned in the spirit In which spirit he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison whych somtyme had ben disobedient when the long suffering of God was once loked for in the daies of Noe while the Arke was a preparing wherin a few yâ— is to say viii solles were saued by the water lyke as baptisme also now saueth vs not the puttynge away of the fylth of the fleshe but in that a good conscience consenteth to God by the resurreccion of Iesus Christ whyche is on the righte hande of God and is gone into heauen Aungelles powers and myght subdued vnto hym Let it not moue you that you harmeles folkes suffre sorowes at their handes whiche be harmedoers but rather it is in that behalf the more easely to be borne whatsoeuer is done vnto you For it is better for you if it be the wyll of God that you suffre these thinges that you suffre for wel doyng than for euil doyng For he that is punysshed for his euil dedes suffreth that he hath deserued but the punyshementes that you suffre turne to the glory of Christe and to the heaped encreace of your felicitie It is a gloriouse thynge for you to folowe thexample of your prince Thus he aduaunced the glory of God the father he beyng all together without synne was taken bounden beaten spytte vpon crucified and dyed for our synnes where as he had no synne at all The ryghtuous for the vnryghtuous the faultes for the faultye suffred paynes gladly obeyng the fathers will that he myghte presente vs that were synners cleane and without spotte vnto the father that we also folowyng his example shoulde lyue harmeles amonge harmedoers and that we beynge made good shoulde suffre for the wealth of them that naught are He dyed onely once for all and for temporall affliccion was endowed with lyfe euerlastynge that we beyng once redemed from synnes shoulde not slyde backe agayne to the same It is Christ than that hath made vs cleane being delyuered to death for the weakenes of the humaine body which he had receiued but he was raised to life agayne by the power of the spirite whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth any affliccions For the same tyme that his dead body was closed in the graue he being alyue in spirite pearced vnto the helles lyke as vnto men endued with mortall bodye he preached the doctryne of the gospell in his bodylye presence which those that beleued attayned saluacion and those that refused to beleue purchaced to them selues the heape of eternal damnacion euen so his body beyng laied aparte his spirite went vnto them which being deliuered of their bodies lyued in the helles and preached vnto them that nowe is the time present wherein they should receyue the rewarde of their godlines for yâ— in tymes past they â—earing the iustice of god nether reuenged them selues of euilles liued faultles among the faultye and declared that they suffred condyng punyshementes which in the daies of Noe when the Arke was furnisshed the floude was loked for that God being prouoked by mortall mennes wickednes would send vpon them beleued not but abused the gentilnes of God when they sawe the thing that he threatned put of for a certayn of yeares Therfore when the floude came it destroyed all except a very fewe that is to saye no moe but onely eight persons which according to Noes counsel went into the arke were not drowned in the floud And therefore euen in those tymes faythe wanted not hâ—â— rewarde For God suffred not those to perishe that trusted in him with al their whole herâ— Neither can the vnbeleuers escape yâ— vengeauÌ„ce of God although you be no reuengers For it is ynough for you that you obeye God but as for the punyshement of the rest refeâ—re that to hym Nowâ— that whiche Nâ—es Aâ—ke was vnto them is baptisme vnto you that same thyng that the floud was vnto them is the eternal punishement vnto the wicked and preached vnto them that obey not the gospel It was ynough for Noe to haue tolde them of the floud that was to come It was ynough to haue shewed by what meanes they myght escape the daungier
from the loue whereof he hathe delyuered you with so greate a price he alone is sufficient to accomplishe all thynges What is the cause than that you aske of the worlde parte of youre blessednes Doe you not knowe that God hateth them that halte on bothe sydes He can not abyde a seruaunte that is not contente to serue one onely maister What maried manne is so pacient that canne suffre hys enemye goynge about to wowe hys wyfe to come in her company And haue you thought it possyble for you to please bothe the worlde and God at ones Doe you not vnderstande that like as a wife if she couple her selfe to an whoremonger falleth quite awaye from the loue of her husbande euen so a Christian if â—e assaye to haue frendshyp agayne with the worlde doeth vtterly receaue vnfrendshyp with God who hathe no concord with the worlde This therfore take for a certayntye whosoeuer studyeth to be loued of this world in the same his so doing he maketh him selfe an enemye vnto God There is no concorde betwene lyght and darkenes nor betwene God and Belial A maried husbande can not abyde hys wyfe to be playing with an whoremonger he canne not suffre the loues of wedlocke to be deuyded in partes though he haue maryed a woman of greate possessyon though he haue maried a gentilwoman borne though he haue maryed a woman of neuer so greate wealthe in all thynges And wyll Chryste suffre hys spouse whome he hathe saued from destruccion whome he hathe set at libertye from bondage whome he hathe washen from the fylthynes of synne whome whan she was naked he hathe clothed whome whan she was poore he hathe richely endowed with so many free gyftes to haue a doo with the aduouterer the deuill Thinke you it is written in the holy scriptures for naught that the spirite whiche dwelleth in you lusteth vnto enuie In the lawe of Moses somwhat was geuen to mannes affeccyons they myght without punyshmente hate theyr enemye it was lawfull for them to set theyr forcastes vpon muckryng vp of riches he was taken for no vniuste manne that requitte violence with violence and one despightfull worde with an other But the spirite of the Gospell which now dwelleth in you is full of gelosie and as I may so speake enuious he requireth more for he wyll bee vehemently loued agayne so that for hys sake he will haue wife chyldern yea and euen lyfe contemned He canne not abyde to haue his resting house defyled with worldly lustes he requireth pure cleane thinges he requireth heauenly thynges he leapeth backe he runneth away he is offended if a manne bring the sluttish filthynes of thys world in to hys temple Howbeit like as he requireth of vs a certayne exceadynge greate loue and a greate deale purer loue than Moses lawe dooeth euen so it geueth a more plenteous grace It is a very hard matter to accomplysh that it requireth but it geueth strength to thys ende that we maye easylye doo it There is nothynge harde to the louing willer This same is hys gyfte that we shoulde loue him or rather loue him agayne He drewe vs with hys loue fyrst and whan we were turned from hym he reconciled vs agayn vnto hym He will encrease hys giftes in vs in case we geue our selues all together and wholy vnto him if we depend of hym onely and of none but him if we haue nothyng a doe with this worlde nor with the deuill the prynce of the worlde Whan I speake of the world I meane nothyng elles but wicked gredy lustes of vysyble thynges wherin thys worlde promyseth a certayne false feyned felicitie They are great matters that are required but thei be greater matters that are promised He that is hable lyberally to geue myghty greate thynges the same is hable also to geue encrease of strength he that wil largely geue excellent thinges to them that deserue naught the same will vouchesafe also to geue encrease of strength to them that bee weake Only let vs distruste oure owne helpes and the helpes of this worlde and repose all our whole hope and assured confidence in hym He forsaketh them that arrogauntly truste in theyr owne substaunce and he succoureth them that ascribe nothing to them selues but trust wholy to the goodnes of God In dede thys is the thynge that the lorde spake in tymes paste by Salomon God resisteth the stately hygh mynded and stoute but he bestoVVeth his fauour Vnto the meke and poore castaVVayes The texte Submyt youre selues therfore to God but resyste the deuyll and he wyll flye from you Drawe â—ye to God and he will drawe nye to you Clense youre handes ye synners and pourge your hertes ye wtâ—ueryng mynded Suffer afflyccions and mouâ—â—e and wepe Let poure laughter be tourned to mournynge and youre ioye to heuynes Dumble youre selues in the syght of the Lorde and he shall lyft you vp Backbyte not one another brethren He that backbyteth hys brother and he that iudgeth his brother backbyteth the lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and it thou iudge the lawe thou arte not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge There is one lawe geuer and iudge whiche is able to saue and to destroye What art thou that iudgest another Go to now ye that saie to date and to moâ—owe let vs gooe into suche a cytye and contynue there a yeare and bye and sell and wynne and yet cannot ye tell what shal happen on the morowe For what thinge is your lyfe â–ª It is euen a vapour that apeareth for a lytell tyme and then vanisheth a waye For that ye ought to saye yf the Lorde wyll and yf we lyue let vs do this or that But nowe ye reioyce in youre boastinges All suche reioysing is euyll Therfore to hym that knoweth how to doe good and doeth it not to him it is synne God would haue you to be most fast ioyned to him shewe your selues obedient as the wife obeyeth her husbande And if the deuill gooe about to diuorce you from the loue of him dryue awaye the aduouterer deuill with his iuggling knackes and he shall geue ouer greuing you He shal be afraied of you if he see you stedfaste and constaunt in the loue of youre brydgrome Christ Therfore disseuer your selues from him whether he feare you or speake you faire and in godly studies and in holy and chast purposes apply your selues to God and he shall applie him selfe to you agayne Whiche waye so euer the lustes of mynde doo leane thider you goe If affeccions carie you vnto honestie and vnto heauenlynes you goo vnto God but and if they drawe you to the enticementes of the fleshe you ryde poste to the deuil You ought euermore to make haste to all one selfe same waye and not to wauer now hither nowe thider If you doo acknowlage Christe to be youre brydesgrome it is requysite that you be cleane Therfore you that yet hitherto are soyled in the filthie puddle of synnes make cleane your
him selfe from the felowship of the sonne he neither pertaineth to the body of Christ whiche is the catholike churche nor hath felowshippe with God the father whiche agreeth in all thinges with the sonne You see with what great Ieoperdie foles disseuer themselues from the sonne Therefore continue you styll in the gospelles trueth which you receiued first of the surely tried Apostles Let not the lyeng tales of the false Apostles drawe you awaye The texte If that which ye hearde from the begynnyngest all remayne in you ye also shall contynewe in the sonne and in the father And thys is the promes that he hath promysed vs euen eternall lyfe These thinges haue I written vnto you concerninge them that disceaue you And the anoyntyng which ye haue receaued of him dwelleth in you And ye nede not that anye manne teache you but as the anoynting teacheth you of all thynges and is true and no lye and as it hath taught you euen so byde therin And now babes abyde in him that when he shall appeare we may be bold and not be made ashamed of him at his comming if ye know that he is righteous know also that euery one which doth rightewisenes is borne of him Yf you continue stedfast in that thyng whyche we delyuered fyrst vnto you you shal abyde in the felowship of God the father and of his sonne Iesus If anye man thynke it an harde matter to perseuer in the professynge of the Gospell because of the affliccions of the wicked thinke vpon the rewarde God requireth an harde matter but the rewarde is greate that he promiseth For he promiseth nether riches nor kyngdome nether the pleasure of this worlde but lyfe euerlastynge He that byeth that byeth it good chepe although he lose his life for it These thinges doe I beate vpon and put you in remembraunce of with so many wordes beyng carefull lest the wicked that are gone from Christ shoulde chaunce to beguyle anye wyth theyr iugglynges Albeit without our warnynge I thynke the spirite of Christ him selfe teacheth you sufficiently whom you haue a continuall remembrauncer and teacher in youre heartes As longe as he continueth styll in you it is no nede that any man teache you what you ought to auoyde He is a secret teacher but he is the most sure teacher of all other He beinge once receyued of you teacheth you of all thynges like as the sonne hath also promysed For the spirite is true by nature and can not lye Therefore perseuer in that whiche he hathe ones taught you You holde the ryghte doctrine you remembre it there lacketh nothing but that you persist still in it vnto the commyng of Christe which I suppose is not farre to I beseche you eftesones agayne lytle children persist in the doctrine of the spirite that whan our prince and iudge shal appeare the conscience of a good conuersacion maye geue vs a sure trust in him and that we maye come forthe so as he be not ashamed to acknowledge vs for hys dysciples nor we ashamed to come in to his syghte For with what mouthe shall we call hym mayster and Lorde yf we haue neyther taken heede to hys teachynge nor obeyed his commaundement with what mouth shall we call God father yf we be out of kynde in all our life longe frō his ordinaunces It is not simple baptisme but the obserued righteousnes that maketh vs the children of God For what shall they heare that cast out deuilles in the name of Iesu that tolde thynges before hande that excelled in miracles I knoVVe you no◠He taketh thē for straūgers in whō he seeth not the righteousnes of the gospell And if you be persuaded y◠God is the autor of thys righteousnes know this also that whosoeuer not with wordes but with endeuours doynges and maners accomplysheth the ryghteousnes of the Gospell he is borne of God vnto whom he maye with a good conscience preace with that boldenes that obedient children are wonte to preace to a mercyfull father withall He wyll acknowlage them that are lyke hym but those that are not lyke hym he will not acknowlage The .iii. Chapter The texte Beholde what loue the father hathe shewed on vs that we shoulde bee called and be in dede the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not hym Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doeth not appeare what we shawe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shal be lyke hym For we shall see hym as he is And euery man that hath this hope in hym pourgeth hym selfe euen as he also is pure Whosoeuer committeth sinne committeth vnryghteousnes also and sinne is vnrighteousnes And ye knowe that he appeared to take away oure synnes and in hym is no synne As many as byde in hym sinne not whosoeuer sinneth hath not sene hym neither knowen hym WHere syncere loue is there is a trusty confidence and feare is awaye See therefore what a notable loue he hath geuen vnto vs whiche hauing contemned the worlde with his entisementes and terrours perseuer styl in the gospelles doctrine that we shoulde be named and be not onely faythfull seruauntes not onely frendes but the children of God For so Christ taught that we should cal vpō the heuēly father yf we haue nede of any thynge It is a moste high honour to be called the children of God and a moste high felicitie to be the children of God And forasmuche as we cleaue vnto hym with a constaunt godlynes and are acknowlaged of hym the world acknowlegeth vs not but abhorreth and curseth vs as sedicious persons It is no meruayle though the world acknowlage not y◠childrē of God seing it acknowlageth not God himselfe in that it denieth his sonne Iesus let it nothing trouble your mindes dearely beloued that the world estemeth you as rascalles and abiecte persones For with God we haue euen nowe thys excellent dignitie that we are the sonnes of God and are glad at our heartes feling in our selues the spirite not of bondage but of children vpon assured confidence wherof we crye Abba father The dignitie is present but the dignitie hath not yet appeared As yet it is the time of batayle the daye of triumphe is not yet come That daye shall declare vnto all men howe greate a dignitie they haue howe greate a felicitie they haue that constauntly shewe themselues the children of God It is not yet come to lyght what we shal be in the comming of Christ howbeit we hold thys vpon a sure hope that as soone as he shall appeare to rendre vnto euery one rewardes accordinge to hys dedes we that were in this worlde companions of affliccions shall also be companions of the ioyes we that were lyke hym in the contempte of the worlde shal be lyke hym also in the maiestie of glorye We sawe hym here in thys world afflicted and of lowe estate then shal we see him as he is and euer was
lyfe for them that sinne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for whiche saye I not that a man shoulde praye All vnrighteousnes is sin and ther is a synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of god synneth not but he that is begotten of god kepeth himselfe and that wicked toucheth hym not We know that we are of god and the worlde is all together set on wickednes We knowe that the sonne of god is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe hym whiche is true and wee are in him that is true through his sonne Iesus Christ This same is very god and eternal lyfe Babes kepe your selues from images Amen These thinges therfore doe I repete and beate vnto you with so many wordes lest any man shoulde persuade vnto you the contrarye But take it for a sure and an vndoubted certayntie that it is true whiche you haue beleued that euerlastynge lyfe is ordayned for you throughe Iesus Christe whose ioyned felowe heires you are You haue already the ryght clayme and gage and shall haue possession of the thyng selfe in hys tyme. Therefore you that beleue in the sonne of God beleue stedfastlye and put youre sure trust in hym daylye more and more He wyll not fayle you in the promyses of euerlastyng lyfe that fayleth you not nowe euen in thys lyfe For in dede the spirite of Christe geuethe this confidence vnto you that whatsoeuer you shal aske in y◠name of the sonne you should obtaine it if ye aske according to hys wyll that is yf you be suche when you come to praye as he woulde haue you to come that is to saye pure from all maner hate of your brother For he obteyneth nothyng at goddes hande of whom his neyghbour obteyneth not forgeuenes of his fault And if you aske those thinges that are auaileable to the lyfe of heauen and make to the glorye of Christ Or elles we for the moste parte knowe not what we shoulde aske of God and many tymes for holsome thynges we desire hurtfull thynges yf the spirite of Christe put vs not in mynde what were expedient for vs to aske but as ofte as we aske after thys sorte we are sure that god heareth oure prayers we are sure that he wyll frely geue vs whatsoeuer we shall aske So hath he promised vs and is hable to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth and wyll performe whatsoeuer is holsome for vs. Neither shall he onely encrease his giftes in vs being prouoked therunto by oure prayers but also he wyll pardon vs oure daylye offences without whome the feblenes of mans nature can scarcely be hable to endure longe and he shall not onely pardon euery one hys offences yf he desire pardon but he shall also heare the brother praying for the brothers offences so that the sinne bee of suche sorte that it doeth not quenche out brotherly loue althoughe it doe somewhat obscure it For there is a synne that cannot bee imputed vn to weakenes nor be healed with lyght and easye remedies as whan a manne vpon a sette malyce persecuteth the christen felowshyppe where he hymselfe hath professed Christe and in pretence of religion goeth aboute to subuert religiō The desperate frowardnes of suche a one deserueth not the prayer of godly menne and yet perfite charitie prayeth also for suche wyshynge for those thynges that cannot possiblye be done There is no manne that prayeth for the deuyll because he doeth wittynglye throughe malyce oppugne them whome God woulde well vnto Perhappes no prayer should also be made for them that are translated into hys affeccion and are rather to be shunned that they doe no harme than to bee releued with prayers excepte they shewe an hope of their repentaunce Suche a disease nedeth more strong remedies and is greater than can bee taken away by dayly praiers wherby lighter offences are taken away which are done of feble weakenes not of purposed frowardenes Whatsoeuer is committed besyde perfite righteousnes is sin but there be many differences of synnes There is some synne whiche althoughe it demynyshe and blotte innocencye yet it vtterlye quencheth not out christian charytye as whan by occasion we ouershote a worde agaynste oure frende whiche we are sory for by and by that it ouer shot vs whan a sodayne angre hath russhed out at a worde that wee woulde wyshe by and by myghte bee called backe agayne whan throughe the swetenes of meate or drynke receyuyng wee take somewhat more then the necessitie of nature doeth require And to pardon these offences God is easie yf he bee called vpon with mutual prayers Suche maner of faultes of children those that be gentyll parentes doe for the moste parte wynke at whiche woulde not suffre greater offences Albeit there is none so lyght a faulte that ought to be neclected Whatsoeuer is done amysse is euyll and to bee eschewed of godlye folkes and yf it bee neclected it drawethe by lytell and lytell vnto deathe But lyke as spedye remidy oughte to be had for these lighter offences whiche men are scarce hable to auoyde euen so god forbydde that he whiche hath once renounced the worlde and dedicated hymselfe vnto god shoulde be tombled backe agayne into anye greate notable cryme By professing of the gospel we are made the childrē of God and membres of Christ And it is not conuenient that the children should diffre so greatly from the father and the membres from the head Therfore he that throughlye vnderstandeth that he is borne of god taketh more hede that he doe no euyl than of deathe it selfe and kepeth hymselfe that he haue nothynge a doe with that naughtie lorde deuill whom he serued before together with the worlde Lyke as Christe beynge once dead rose agayne to lyfe and rose agayne to lyfe neuer to dye any more euen so he that throughe baptisme is once dead vnto the worlde and risen againe to newnes of lyfe with Christ it is not mete for hym to doe that thynge agayne for the whyche Christe must dye agayne Let them be affrayed of the worlde whiche are not truely borne againe of god which haue not with al the pith of their whole heartes receyued the seede of the gospelles doctrine We knowe that wee are truely of god whome neyther the euyll thynges nor the good thynges of thys world can seperate from Christe The whole world is set all together on naughtines Whiche waye soeuer a man turneth hym there is occasion offred of thynges to turne vs awaye quite from the innocent vpryghtnes of lyfe But from the worldes enchauntmentes the sonne of god hathe once delyuered vs whiche came into the worlde for thys cause to exempte vs out of the contagious infeccion of the worlde He hathe dryuen awaye the darkenes of oure former ignoraunce and hathe geuen vs an vnderstandyng that is lyghtened with the lyght of the gospell to thintent we should knowe the true god the free geuer of al righteousnes who onely had nothyng a doe
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
woman and the earth opened her mouth and swalowed vp the ryuer which the dragon cast out of his mouth And y◠dragon was wroth with y◠woman wēt and made warre with the remnaunt of her sede which kepe y◠cōmaundementes of God and haue the testimonye of Iesus Christe And I stode on the sea sande After that Sathan whiche is a spirite of lyes marketh the power of faithe whiche commeth springeth of gods worde howe Christ beyng borne in the faithful doth waxe increase in them thorowe holy godly workes acceptable vnto god than he goeth about to persecute y◠gospel the true holsom doctrine and the spirite of Christ in the electe But the circumspecte quickesyghted and highe flyeng Eagle of gods spirite resisteth the dragō geueth might power with his grace vnto the Christen soule to flee into a sure place whiche is y◠contempt of this worlde the loue of the world to come the solitarines of a quiet conscience in y◠crosse of Christ the comfort in y◠remembraunce of gods word With these wynges she escapeth from Sathan and from al his spirites snares and suggestions This foode noryshment is geuē throughe the grace mercy of god vnto all the electe children of God from such time as the word was firste writen throughe Moyses and afterwarde declared throughe y◠prophetes and fulfilled through Christ preached in al y◠world throughe y◠apostles in our tyme throughe the mercye goodnes of God renewed againe for a thousande and .ii. thousande yeares y◠is .iii. thousande yet lōger how lōg so euer it please God which wil not haue it hidden vnknowen vnto vs. And for this cause the nombre of the yeares both in this boke in other is obscure not without a synguler cōsideracion As y◠disciples of Helyas receyuing it of their maister also sayde y◠.ii. thousande yeares were past before the lawe that the lawe of Moyses should continue lykewyse .ii. thousande yeares the kingdome of Messias vpō earth also about .ii. thousande yeares not so precisely reckened nor fullye accomplyshed as the Rabbines interpreters of y◠Iewes doe for the most part cōfesse declare But the serpēt which he named before a dragō doth neuer seace since y◠tyme of Adam Eue to persecute y◠faith in y◠worde of God the secret misterie of Christ For y◠merciful rightuous god taketh vseth y◠falsehede wickednes o◠Sathan euē for a game a sport as a mā may say And the more y◠Sathan goeth about to hinder the worcke grace of god the performaunce of his promises the more doeth his damnacion his wrath enuy and malyce increase and gods grace throughe his mercye is the more aboundantlye multiplyed in all men and the true rightuousnes of the holy and blessed seede our sauiour Christ is the more perfight and effectuous and maketh more hast to the full and perfyght blisse and saluacion of all faithfull electe Althoughe notwithstandinge the infinite wickednes of Sathan neuer ceaseth and is euer more angrye deuyseth continually one mischefe vpon anothers necke against the faithful but all to their furtheraūce honour profite at length yea to the preseruacion of y◠trueth of the eternal worde of God to the furtheraunce and confirmacion of y◠true faith loue hope against y◠whiche the olde serpente is wont continually to fight with al his felowship companie of wicked spirites and of all kyndes of blasphemies and vices whiche are his seede generacion lyke as all maner of vertues grace holynes innocencye saluaciō are y◠frutes of gods worde of the spirite of Christ out of the whiche dothe spring obediēce and obseruacion of the cōmaundementes of God so farre as the weakenes and imperfightenes of man is able The whiche weakenes y◠sauiour of mankynde and y◠first borne of y◠children of God doth accomplyshe helpeth the lacke of mans weakenes for y◠which cause he became man our brother y◠he might the better knowe our infirmitie and weakenes And thus was this vision reueled vnto me as I thought standinge vpon the sande of the sea ¶ The .xiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe a beast ryse out of y◠sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes and vpon his bornes ten crownes and vpon his heade the name of blasphemye And the beaste whiche I saw was lyke a catte of the mountayne his fete were as the fete of a beare his mouth as y◠mouth of a lion And the dragon gaue him his power and his feare great auctorite BY this beast which was sene to ryse vp in the raging sea of this worlde is signified y◠kingdome of Rome vnder y◠dominion of whiche kingdom Christ was borne suffred his passion vnder y◠same kyngdōe also S. Iohn did write both this boke and his holy gospel For this kingdom obteyned power dominion ouer many nacions landes and ouercame very many kinges Whiche thinges came not to passe for y◠vertue godlines of y◠Romaynes for they knew not their Lord God much lesse did they honour him For they dyd ascribe their wealth good fortune successe their victorie not vnto y◠true lyuing God but vnto their false goddes And diuerse Emperours of Rome haue set out them selues also for goddes haue suffred oblacions sacrifices to be made done vnto them And thus haue they blasphemed y◠true god creatour gouernour of al thīges whose seruice religiō yea his temple priesthode and sacrifices they did vtterly abolishe subuert most spitefully contemptuously and set vp al false religiō ydolatrie to please y◠people For whose pleasure they buylded set vp a churche of Pantheon for y◠honour of all sainctes goddes whiche remaineth at Rome vntil this day The errours riches blasphemous vices of y◠who le world which wer gotten in batel are like vnto a cat of y◠mountayne with her many speckles spottes whiche with her smacke souour draweth many beastes vnto her which she destroieth Euē as the Romaynes vnder y◠pretēce of their glorious name title haue gottē great power auctoryte wherby they haue oppressed hurt y◠who le world in so much y◠at length it was intollerable The Beare hath a weake heade but very strōg feete which signifieth y◠power of his tyrannye the weakenes feblenes of their captaines of their Emperours which for y◠most part haue had shamful endes after their wicked shameful liues And it was as spoilful gredy to deuour as a Liō had his power might strēgth of all mighty god but yet they haue not cōfessed it nor ascrybed it vnto him but vnto their own ydolles and false goddes and vnto Lucifer the kyng and head of their false goddes whiche is here named a dragon and wyll be estemed and taken for a Lorde of