dye it is to the gayne or losse of his maister whereby it appeareth what a point of malapertnes it is when one seruaunt entermedleth in his felowes matter namely if in the meane season the maister be pleased Now among men no seruaunt is so muche his maisters as we are Christes seruauntes who bought vs neither with golde nor siluer but euen with his owne bloud Whether we fall then to him we fal or if we staÌ„d to him we stand or if we liue to him we liue or if we dye to him we dye Other slaues peraduenture are theyr maisters no loÌ„ger after that they are once dead but we whether we liue or dye are the lordes to whoÌ„ all thynges liue Christ hath not onely power vpon them whiche are aliue but euen vpon them also that are dead as whiche for our saluacion gaue bothe his life and death For he for my cause became man and dyed and after for my sake rose againe from death to thenâ—â—nt that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and dead If we liue to godlynes we are bounde to him if we dye to synne we are bounde to him He is our lorde he is our iudge The texte But why doest thou then iudge thy brother Either why doest thou dispise thy brother We shal all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ For it is written as truely as I liue sayth the lorde all knees shal bowe to me and all tongues shall geue praise to God So shal euery one of vs geue accoumptes of him selfe to God Let vs not therfore iudge one an other any more And then why doeth the seruaunt take vpon him any authoritie vpoÌ„ his felowe ouer whom onely God hath power Thou that art somwhat scrupulous with what boldnes I say iudgest thou thy brother whiche is stronger than thou art for that he frely eateth or because he in like sort vseth euery day Or why doest thou whiche art stronger disdaine at and dispâ—se thy weaker brother as though thou were his maister and not rather his felow Why doeth either of you both vsurpe Goddes authoritie and preuent the daye of iudgement One must not iudge an other The onely iudge of all wyll geue sentence vpoÌ„ all For al shal once be brought before yâ— iudgement place of Christ ther by his senteÌ„ce to be quited or coÌ„deÌ„ned who throughly seeth the most hidden secrete partes of our heart Vntyl that day let not one seruaunt play the lorde vpon an other For this honoure hath he for him selfe onely reserued as him selfe sayeth by the prophet Esai as truely as I liue sayeth the lorde all knees shal bowe vnto me and all tongues shal geue praise to God In the meane season let euery man asmuche as he can with all his power endeuoure howe he may for him selfe before this iudge make his accoumpte and take heede that no man iudge others actes to the worse The texte But iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke or an occasion to fail in his brothers way For I knowe am ful certified by the lorde Iesus that there is no thyng comen of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be comen to him it is comen Iâ— thy brother be greued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably Destroye not him with thy meate â–ª for whom Christ dyed Cause not your treasure to be euil spoken of For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy goost For he that in these thinges serueth Christ pleaseth God and is commended of men If we may for this tyme iudge of any thyng let vs for the tyme iudge of this and deuise how one of vs may helpe another and that we neither do any man hurte nor geue occasion of hurte asmuche as we may Let vs comforte them that stagger not make them desperate no nor let vs extinguishe the smolderyng flaxe but enkendle it If the persons dignitie worthynes wer coÌ„sidered the weaker should obey him that is better learned but christian charitie would that the learned should sometyme geue place and beare with the weaker but yet not so that he consent and fauor his errour but either to th entent that he may be amended or els at the lest so stayed that he offende not more greuously And in this matter to speake somewhat of my selfe Moses in his lawe many yeres gon geuen vnto the Iewes noted certaine meates for vncleane and the same meates in his language he calleth comen as a man would say cursed of whoÌ„ men might not lawfully eat certaine meates calleth he cleane whiche euery man might lawfully vse But now know I and am by the spirite of Christ surely persuaded whose pleasure was that the carnal part of the lawe should be abolished that of his owne nature no meate is there vnpure and that there is no choyse of meate at al. But if any be vncleane only to him it is vncleane that so iudgeth of it yâ— is to wete to the weake and scrupulous it is vncleane but to suche one as is strong and a perfite christiaÌ„ nothyng is vncleane but to them that are cleane all thynges are likewyse pure And yet perauenture somtyme it were well done to abstaine froÌ„ that whiche is of it selfe good and pure not because Moses lawe so commauÌ„deth but because brotherly charitte whiche specially belongeth to a christian man so requireth For if for thy bodily foode thy brothers conscience be hurte or greued whom thou shouldest as tendrely loue as thou louest thy selfe then liuest thou to thy self and remembrest not what mutual charitie requireth as whiche regardest not but disdainest the fall ruine of the weake whiche thing thou mightest easly remedy Were it I pray you so great a matter so long to abstaine froÌ„ lawful meates vntil suche tyme as thy neighbor beyng in ieoperdye be holpen therby And albeit thy brother be weaker though he be ruder then thou art yet couÌ„pt him not for so vile as for thy meates sake to suffre him to be destroyed for whose saluacioÌ„ Christ died If suche one as he is the lorde estemed so greatly then should he not of the for a trifle be dispised Nor thynke it sufficient that the thyng thou doest be right wel done but moreouer prouide must yâ— that in it there be no suspicion of euil and beware lest that whiche to the is good turne vnto other mennes harme as it wyl if menne among you see debate and strife for meate and drinke or for suche other smal trifles For as in the world to come in the kyngdome of God I say there shal neither be meate nor drinke whiche are remedyes for this oure mortall state so the doctrine of Christes gospel and perfite christian life standeth neither in differeÌ„ce of meates nor drinkes as which are suche thinges as are not to godlines effectual Rather must we study and haue minde vpoÌ„
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
and shewed hym selfe somtimes in a clowde somtymes in fire otherwhiles in a softe whistling winde nowe vnder one likenesse and nowe vnder an other somewhiles by Angels somewhiles by secrete inspiracion of mynde at the length in these laste dayes because he would more manyfestly declare his charitie towardes vs and put vs in more assuraunce he dayned to speake vnto vs not by Angell nor yet by a man Prphete but by hys onely sonne Iesus Christ whome he hath by his eternall appoyntmente and determinacion made heyre and Lorde not alonely of the Iewyshe nacion but of the whole worlde as hym that is his true only sonne who is the Lord of all thinges that are made in heauen in earth according as the father promised before in yâ— psalmeÌ„s Neither is it any merueyle if he would haue the seignory of the whole world commen betwene hys sonne and hym syth that by him he made the same By worde he made the worlde and the sonne is the eternal worde of the euerlastyng father neither made he the worlde by hys sonne as by an instrument or seruaunte but all thynges were so wrought in the creacion therof that there was one the selfe same power of the father creating it and the some For Iesus Christ is not so the sonne of God as godly men are oftetymes called the children of God because they obey gods commaundementes but because he was begotteÌ„ God of God the father and so begotten that he is of the same nature with the father And where as he was the euerlasting bryghtnesse of the fathers glory as light procedyng from light and the very image and resemblaunce of hys substaunce lyke in all poyntes and equall vnto him of whome he was be gotten and where he is not alonely the maker of all creatures but also gouerneth and turneth aboute all thinges that are made and created with his becke and almyghty commaundement together with almighty God the father yet marke whitherto he abased him selfe for our cause He toke vpoÌ„ him mans nature subiecte to al the iniuries of our wretched state and conditioÌ„ and dying offred vp him selfe a sacryfice for our sinnes in the aulter of the crosse wheras before the priest of Moses lawe was woonte to pourge synnes by the offryng of a beastes bloude he purged the offences of all mankynd by shedyng of his owne holy bloude and by this abasyng and humblyng of hymselfe gate so greate glory that after he was reliued and retourned into heauen he sate on the ryght side of the maiestie of God the father wherin he was alwayes egall vnto hym as touching his diuyne nature But his maiestie more plainly appeared vnto the worlde thorowe his humilitie in somuche that he who semed before more lowe and abiecte then the loweste is nowe greater and so takeÌ„ not only then the prophetes but also then the Angels selfes and so much the greater as the name of a sonne hath in it more dignitie then the name of a seruaunt For this worde angell is a vocable or worde signifying a ministre and is a name agreyng to an inferioâ—re Vndoubtedly high and great is the dignitie of aungels for that they alwayes assyste the father and beholde hys visage And amonge them there are some that excell the rest in dignytie The texte For vnto which of the Aungels sayed he at any tyme Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And agayneÌ„ â–ª I wyll be hys father and he shal be my sonne And agayne when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world he sayeth And â—eraâ— the Aungels of God worshyppe hym And vnto the Aungels he sayeth He maketh his angels spyrites his mynisters a flame of fire But vnto the sonne he saith Thy seate O God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kyngdome is a ryght scepter Thou hast loued ryghtewesnes and hated iniquytie Wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes But vnto what Aungell dyd God euer geue so great honour that he vouchesafed to call hym by the name of his sonne wheras he speaketh vnto Christe in the misticall psalme in this wyse thou art my sonne I haue begotten thee to day And again I will be his father he shal be my soÌ„ne For he made angels of nought but his sonne he begate of his owne proper substaunce lyke in euery thing egall vnto hymselfe Agayne when in the mistycall psalme he bryngeth his sonne into the worlde hauing vpon hym the habite of mans body he speaketh in this manour And let al the angels of God worshyp hym True it is that seruauntes are honoured but the soÌ„ne who is egall with the father is adored worshypped But where holy scripture expresseth the dignitie of aungels what sayeth it â–ª who maketh sayth the scripture his angels spyrites his ministers a flame of fyer That angels were created that haue they commen with other thinges which were likewise created of almighty God That they were made spirites and mindes free from the mortalytie corrupcion of mans body that they alwaies burning with godly charitie assiste their maker as quicke and nimble ministers of his godly wyll commauÌ„dement therin vndoubtedly they excell vs. But howe much greater are the wordes that he speaketh vnto the sonne Thy seate o God shalde for euer and euer the scepâ—re of thy kyngdome is a right scepter Ye heare how the name of God is geuen vnto the soÌ„ne ye heare howe the seare of a kingdome is geuen him of a kingdome I saye that neuer shall haue ende It foloweth in the same Psalme Thou hast loued ryghtuousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath enoynted the with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felowes Ye heare that he was specially enoiâ—ted of God the father aboue all hys felowes eyther men or aungels The texte And thou Lorde in the begynning haste layde the foundacion of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shal perishe but thou endurest But they all shall wexe olde also as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them and they shal be chaunged But thou arte euen the same and thy yeâ—es shall not fayle Vnto whych of the aungels sayd he at any tyme sitte on my right hande tyll I make thyne enemyes thy fore stole Are they not all ministryng spyrites that are sente to minister for theyr sakes which shal be heyres of saluacion And agayne marke howe muche autorytâ—e is geuen the sonne in an other Psalme and thou Lord sayth the Prophete in the begynning haste layed the foundacions of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shall peryshe but thou endureste and they all shall waxe olde as doth a garmente and as a vesture shalt thou winde them aboute and they shall sodaynly be chaunged but thou art euen the same and thy yeares shal not fayle To what aungell were these
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
is the lawe death to him torment and martyrdome Not that the law is euill but because that the euyll nature cannot suffre that which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thinge Lyke as a sicke man cannot suffre that a man should desire of him to run to lepe and to do other dedes of an whole manne For whiche cause S. Paul concludeth that where the lawe is vnderstande and perceaued of the beste wise there it doeth no more but vtter synne and bring vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and thereby kyll vs and make vs bonde vnto eternall damnacion and detters of the euerlasting wrathe of god euen as he wel fealeth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the lawe In such daunger were we yer the law came that we knewe not what synne ment nether yet knewe we the wrathe of God vpon synners tyll the lawe had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thing yea and a greater and a more myghty thinge then the lawe to make hym ryghteous and safe They that vnderstande not the lawe on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposyng to satisfie the lawe with workes For they knowe not that the lawe requireth a fre a willinge a lusty and a louynge hearte Therfore they see not Moses ryght in the face the vayle hangeth betwene and hydeth hys face so that they cannot beholde the glorye of hys countenaunce how that the lawe is spirituall requyreth the hearte I may of myne owne strength refraine that I do mine enemy no hurte but to loue hiÌ„ with al mine heart and to put awaye wrathe cleane out of my mynde can I not of myne owne strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put awaye loue vnto riches out of myne hearte can I not do of mine own strength To abstayne from adultery as concerning the outward dede can I do of myne owne strength but not to desyre in mine hearte is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will honger or thurst and yet so the lawe requyreth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the lawe neuer fulfilled we muste haue thereunto goddes fauoure and hys spyryte purchased by Christes bloude Neuerthelesse when I saye a man maye do many thynges outwardly clene againste his hearte we muste vnderstande that man is but dryuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercommeth the lesse and carieth the man awaye violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the inconuenience that is lyke to folowe yf feare be greater I absteyne yf the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I cannot but prosecute the dede as we se by experience in many murtherers and theues which though they bee brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same againe And commen wemen prosecute their lustes because fear and shame are awaye when other whiche haue the same appetites in theyr heartes abstayne at the lestewaye outwardly or worke secretly being ouercome of feare and of shame and so lykewyse is it of al other appetites Furthermore he declareth how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one manne and maketh an ensample of him selfe that we myght lerne to knowe that worke aright I meane to kyll synne in oure selues He calleth both the spirite and also the flesh a lawe because that lyke as the nature of Goddes lawe is to dryue to compell and to craue euen so the fleshe dryueth compelleth craueth and rageth agaynste the spirite and will haue her lustes satisfied On the other syde dryueth the spirite cryeth and fighteth agaynste the fleshe and wyl haue his luste satisfied And this strife duâ—eth in vs as longe as we lyue in some more and in some lesse as the spirite or the fleshe is stronger and the very man his owne selfe is both spirite and the flesh which fyghteth with his owne selfe vntyll synne bee vtterly slaine and we all together spirituall In the .viij. Chapter he comforteth such fighters that they dispaire not because of suche flesh either thinke yâ— they are lesse in fauour with God And he sheweth how that the synne remaining in vs hurteth not for there is no daunger to them that are in Christe whiche walke not after the fleshe but fyght agaynste it And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh and of the spirite is and how the spirite cometh by Christe which spirite maketh vs spyrituall tameth subdueth and mortifieth the fleshe and certyfieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God and also beloued though that synne rage neuer so moche in vs so long as we folowe the spirite and fyght against synne to kyll and mortifye it And because nothynge is so good to the mortifiynge of the fleshe as the crosse and tribulacion he comforteth vs in our passions and affliccions by the assistens of the spirite which maketh intercession to God for vs myghtely with gronynges that passe mans vtteraunce so that mans speche cannot comprehende them and with the mourning also of the creatures with vs of greate desire that they haue that we were looced from synne and corrupcion of the fleshe So se we that these thre chapters the vj.vii.viij do none other thing so muche as to dryue vs vnto the right worke of faithe which is to kil the olde man and mortify the fleshe In the ix.x and .xi. Chapter he treateth of Goddes predestinacion whence it springeth all together whether we shall beleue or not beleue be looced from synne or not bee looced By whiche predestinacion oure iustifying and saluacion are clene taken out of oure handes and put in the handes of God only which thinge is moste necessary of al. For we are so weake and so vncertaine that if it stode in vs there would of a truth no manne be saued the deuyll no doute would deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinacion cannot deceaue him nether can any man withstande or let him and therefore haue we hope and trust agaynst synne But here must a marke be set vnto those vnquyet busye and hie clyming spirites howe farre they shall go whiche fyrste of al bringe hither their hye reasons and pregnant wyttes and begyn fyrst from an hye to serch the botomlesse secretes of Goddes predestinacion whether they bee predestinate or not These muste nedes ether caste them selues doune headlong into desperacion or else coÌ„mit them selues to fre chaunce carelesse But folow thou the order of this epistle and noosell thy selfe with Christe and lerne to vnderstande what the lawe and the gospell meane and the office of both two that thou mayest in the one knowe thy selfe and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength but to sinne and in the other the grace of Christ And then se thou fight agaynste sinne and the fleshe as the .vii. fyrst Chapters teache the. After that when thou art come to the .viij.
that among all other nations vnto them onelye were delyuered the wordes of god as it maye appere eyther for that to them aboue other was committed the law and prophecies or for that to them god only vouchesaued to speake Of whiche bothe the fyrst coulde not be without the great bounteousnes of god whome it pleased so to magnifie that nacion and thē agayne muche more semeth he prepared to the faythe offered by the ghospell whiche knoweth the promyses of the lawe and nygher is he to the truthe whiche hath sumwhat therof albeit it be but a shadowe For the knowledge of Moyses lawe and of the darke sayinges of the Prophetes are as it were a steppe onwarde and a furtheraunce to the doctrine of Christes ghospel And albeit sum of the Iewes beyng to muche stubbernely gyuen to the carnall letter of the lawe woulde not gyue credence to the ghospell yet hurteth not theyr vnbelief suche as vnfaynedly credit it Shall the vnbelief of suche thinke you cause that the faythfull promise of god shall not take effecte so that he beyng therwith displeased wyl as men are comenly wont to do breake his promyse and disapoynt all men of y◠which he hath equally and indifferently promysed to euerie man God forbid it shoulde be so but rather looke surely that god will with all men kepe his promise sauing with suche as refuse to take his offer whiche he doth lest any manne myght at any tyme reproue the fidelitie of the promyse maker and leste it appere not sufficiently that god is trew and as he is trew in dede and cannot lye so is he ready to perfourme whatsoeuer he promised but falsehod and lying cum of men which through theyr own faultes are of the promises of god disapoynted God as he is faythful so neither canne he be deceyued nor deceyue but man in asmuche as he is but manne maye do bothe That the promyses of god ben moste certayne witnesseth also the misticall and heauenlye psalme of Dauid saying To the intente thou in thy sayinges myghteste appeare righteouse and trewe and in dede ouercum as often as menne shall accuse the for suche one as maketh vayne promises falsely and leudly thynking with themself that for myne offences sake thou wylte not perfourme thy promise made to the stocke of Dauid In dede I cannot denye but that I well deserued to be disapoynted of thy promyse but yet muche matier maketh it that thy fidelitie and truthe shoulde throughe my synnes be amōg men more commended and spoken of as it wil whē they shal see the holde on styll not chaungyng thy sentence notwithstandyng all myne vnrighteousnes The texte ¶ But yf our vnrighteousnes make the righteousnes of god more excellent what shall we saye Is god vnrighteouse which taketh vengeaunce I speake after the manner of men god forbid For how then shall god iudge the world for yf the truthe of god appeare more excellent through my ly vnto his prayse why am I hēcefurth iudged as a synner And not rather as men speake euyll of vs and as sum affirme that we saye let vs do euell that good maye cum therof whose damnacion is iuste But here sum man with himself wyll peraduenture thynke this yf by mennes vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of god be more aduaunced and set furthe what shall we thynke Shal we thynke god vnrighteouse and suche as would haue synne to continewe that his iustice maye more clearly appere and be more praysed But now speake I not in myne owne name but in the name of vngodlye people For god forbid that any suche thought shoulde at any tyme enter into any good mannes mynde Yf god be vnrighteouse as this reason semeth how can he be hyghe iudge of this worlde For yf this be goddes ordinaunce that I should be a sinfull lyar to the intent that through my lying his fidelitie truthe might the better be knowen more set furth and that my reprochefull lyfe also should auaūce his glory why is thē my sinful lyfe layed vnto my charge why thynk we not rather as foule tounged people falsly reporte takyng vs as though we this sayed let vs do vnhappely that good maye cum therof yf that through out vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of God be more magnified and praysed But god kepe all good folke farre frō suche frantyke imaginacions Al suche men for theyr vnbelefe are for iuste and lawfull causes by goddes sentence condemned For as they can not laye to goddes charge the synnes wherof themself be wylful workers so thākes shoulde there none be gyuen vnto them yf god of his goodnes turne theyr offences to his glorie The texte What then Are we better than they No in no wyse For we haue all redy proued howe that bothe Iewes and Gentiles are all vnder syn as it is written There is none righteouse no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after god they are all gone out of the waye they are al vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre with theyr tongues they haue deceyued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lyppes Whose mouth is full of cursyng and bitternes Theyr feet are swyft to shed bloude Destruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of god before theyr eyes But now agayne to our purpose what shall we saye Are we that are Iewes in better case thā are y◠paynyms Not a whyt I meane touching gods grace promysed by the gospell though that in the prerogatiue of the lawe gyuen vnto vs by God we seme to passe them For nowe haue we already playnly proued that both Iewes and Gētiles are all subiect and thral vnto synne As for the gētiles y◠matier is more plaine than can be denied And y◠the Iewes are in like case theyr owne scriptures beare euidēt witnes For in the .xiii. psalme of Dauid this wyse is it wryten there is none righteous none is there that vnderstādeth or seketh for God all are wandered out of the waye and therewith also becomen vnprofitable no man is there that doeth well I say not somuche as one Againe in the .v. Psalme theyr shrote is an open sepulchre with theyr tonges haue they deceiued the poyson of the serpent Aspis is vnder theyr lippes In the ix Psalme likewyse whose mouth is ful of bitternes and cursyng With whiche testimonies the prophete Esai agreyng saieth theyr fete are swift to shed bloud destruccion and wretchednes are in theyr wayes the way of peace haue they not knowen there is no feare of God before theyr yies The texte We know that whatsoeuer thyng the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them whiche are vnder the lawe that all mouthes may be stopped that all the worlde may be subdued to God because that by the dedes of the law there shal no fleshe be iustified in his sight For by the lawe cummeth the
are become Christes seruauntes whose seruice is all weale and blisse The texte Knowe ye not howe that to whom soeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Ye knowe both kyndes of seruice Now is it partly in your powers to chose whiche ye wyll for both together ye can not The tyme was when thou stodest in a fredome to kepe thy selfe out of bondage but synce thou hast freely made thy selfe another mannes and hast begunne to be obedient vnto him the same must thou onely obey whose seruaunt thou art become They therfore whiche geue them selues vnto synne and to synne become bondeslaues the fruite of that theyr bondage is death On the othersyde suche as to Christ haue dedicated and geuen them selues him must they obeye whiche they shal do to their owne great cōmoditie For by that theyr obedience nothyng shall Christ wynne but therby get they them slues righteousnes that is to wete the wel agreyng and pleasant company of all vertues knitte together The texte God be thanked that though ye wer the seruauntes of synne ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto the rule of the doctrine that ye be brought vnto Ye are then made free from synne and are becomen the seruauntes of righteousnes I speake grosly because of the infirmitie of your fleshe Glad am I for your sakes and for this geue thankes vnto God that wheras heretofore ye were in this moste miserable bondage wholly geuen to idolatrie and filthy lustes ye are nowe departed from the tyranny of the deuil frely and gladly submittyng your selues to Christes kyngdome and gouernaunce purposyng hencefoorth to liue not as ye are either by wylful desyres or by the law moued but after the new rule of the gospel whervnto ye are brought from your olde errours so brought that ye are become vnder another lawe enfraunchised out of the dominion of synne and thence conueied to serue righteousnes and to do her behestes Nor thynke it harde and paynefull because ye are commaunded to serue righteousnes For as synne and godly life farre differ one from another so are theyr fruites quite cōtrary and the fruites of godly life infinitely more excellente so that if we weighe and consider but euen the thyng selfe muche more cause is there why men shuld more diligently serue God then the deuil For whoso serueth synne serueth the deuil but he that serueth innocencie serueth God But yet wyll not I for a whyle so muche require of you as I might lawfully do but rather temper and measure my writyng to y◠weakenes of them in whom the spirite of God is not yet fully ripe but are rather suche in whō yet the olde naughtie desyres labour to growe vp againe This onely require I that righteousnes be now with you in like condicion as synne before was The texte As ye haue geuen your membres seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie from one iniquitie to another euen so now geue ouer your mēbres seruaūtes vnto righteousnes that ye may be sanctified For when ye were seruauntes of sinne ye were voyde of righteousnes And that as before this tyme you gaue your membres to serue vnclennes and iniquitie so that as blynd desyres led you ye fel frō one iniquitie to another euery day more filthy than other euen so now see that ye likewyse geue your membres to obey righteousnes whose seruauntes ye haue frely made your selfes therin styl encreasyng frō vertue to vertue euery day more pure and holy then other For it is to muche against al reason but that Christ should at lestwyse haue somuche seruice of you as the deuil had before this and as vnreasonable is it but that ye should now begynne to do as good seruice vnder your lady and maistres righteousnes as ye before in another sorte did vnto the tyranny of synne As touchyng your former synful life for your excuse after a sorte some thing may be sayd whiche is that as long as ye were heathens because ye wer bonde seruauntes to synne ye might seme with righteousnes to haue no thing to do nor to be any thyng bounde vnto her as to whom ye had not yet bounde and yelded your selues But now haue ye nothyng to lay for your defence But yet and if the excellent nature of righteousnes selfe moue you not consider and weigh yet the diuerse fruites and profite of bothe seruices you I speake vnto whiche haue of bothe seruices had experience The texte What fruite had ye then in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But now are ye deliuered from sinne and made the seruaūtes of God and haue your fruit to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng life For the rewarde of synne is death but eternall life is the gifte of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Cal to your remembraunce what tyme ye were seruauntes vnto sinne and as vile bonde slaues folowed wanton desyres what rewarde I pray you had ye at the laste Euen the synnes selfe haue theyr punishement ioyned vnto them because the same foorthwith all to defile and corrupt the whole man so vilanously and reprochefully defacyng him that since the tyme ye are amēded and as men awaked out of the dronkenes of syn ye are ashamed of your selfes so that your mindes abhorre to thinke vpō your olde noughtie pleasures And though this wages as ye see be not to be desyred yet besyde the last stipend hyre whiche the deuil payeth to suche as do him seruice is death euerlastyng Howbeit in very dede the life whiche in the meane leason is after this sorte ledde is a most shameful death in dede and not a life Nowe consider what a happye chaunge ye haue made whiche beyng deliuered from the tyranny of the deuil are now becomen the seruaūtes of God By this ye see I am sure how vnlike the maisters are But yf this content you not but that ye loke for a rewarde also fyrste of all wheras ye lyued before fylthy and wycked ye now lyue innocent pure and holy whiche only is the verye lyfe and besyde this after that this shorte tyme of your seruice is finished ye shall receyue your laste wages I saye lyfe euerlastyng Cōpare me nowe god with the deuil with vncleannes holynes with euerlastyng death lyfe euerlastyng Euen as I nowe tolde you so it is the rewarde of the deuyll is death whiche he geueth vnto menne for his fylthy and miserable seruice But contrarie for suche as accordyng to theyr abilities serue god is layde vp lyfe immortall not as hyre wages due for the same but as a free gyfte to be gyuen of God the moste mercifull father not for Moses but for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde whome the father would haue thanked for all his gyftes geuen vnto vs rather then any lawe or circumcision The .vii. Chapiter The texte
whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obtained mercy that had not obtained mercy And it shal come to passe that in the place where it was sayd vnto them ye are not my people there shal they be called the children of the liuyng God Of suche saiynges some deuilishe disposed person taketh occasion and sayeth if of whō soeuer he wyl he haue mercy and whō he wyl he maketh hard hearted what hath he then wherin to blame vs Syth his wyl and pleasure noman is able to resist let him laye it to him selfe not to vs if any sinne be cōmitted But heare now of the otherside what may be sayd Noman withstādeth his wyl I graunt yet is not therfore Goddes wyll cause of thy dānacion Nor did god in suche maner hardē y◠heart of Pharao that he wrought the vice of stubbernes therin but rather wheras he wel knew y◠the arrogāt tyran was wel worthy sodenly to be destryed yet vsed God toward him by litle litle suche encrease of punishment as he might therw t haue been amēded had not his malice been an impediment But through Gods gentle fauor vsed in punishyng of him his wicked mynde became worse worse And therfore the mans frowardnes God turned to his glory In this matter for the defēce of Gods righteousnes many thinges might be answered but briefly to say God hateth all hautnes arrogancie And what a greatter point of arrogancie can there be then that a man most vile abiecte should with God reason y◠matter encoūtryng with him as though he were his felowe For who I pray you could abide to heare the yearthen vessel quarel with his maker and say why hast thou made me after this fashion For as clay is in the hāde of y◠potter euen so are we in Gods hādes as by the prophet Esai y◠Lord him selfe sayeth The potter as his mynde standeth worketh some vessels to serue for vile vncleanly vses some other also appointeth he for honest seruice In whiche acte what reason soeuer the workeman folowe therin doeth he lawfully why he so doeth vnmete it is that the clay should requyre any cause The clay of it selfe is nothyng els but clay wherof if y◠potter worke a comly a welfauored cup for that his fayre shape ought he to geue thanke to the craftes man yet to the vile filthy clay is ther no wrong done at al if of it be made a chambre potte or some other vessel of more vile vse Lykewyse is it of God whiche leauyng mā in his sinne because so he was borne doeth him no wrong as callyng man to rightwyse life he therin sheweth his bounteous mercy goodnes In the forsaken person it pleaseth God to shewe his iustice to th entent he would be feared in y◠approued to th entent he would be loued sheweth he his fre mercy Nor besemeth it any mā of God for so doyng to exacte requyre a reason nor why he calleth some one lately some other more tymely nor why he draweth one whiche hath not so deserued and forsaketh another whiche hath deserued better A muche more base creature is mā beyng compared with god then is clay compared with the potter So that then if it be an vnsene and a hiddeous presumpcion that the clay should with the potter pratle reason his matter how muche greatter arrogancie is it for a man to talke of Gods counsels whiche so farre passe our capacities that we therof haue but euen as it were a shadowe or a dreame Begyn to beleue leaue thy reasonyng so shalt y◠muche rather vnderstād Besides this remēbre y◠the potter may be deceiued but in God none error can be foūd It is for y◠ynough to beleue this y◠God by reason of his almightie power may at his pleasure do what him liste and again forasmuche as he is wtout cōparyson beste do wyl he nothing but that whiche is beste Nor should he because our vngodlines he turneth to his honor therfore of vs be blamed but this rather shuld we take as a sure profe of his exceadyng goodnes y◠he suche mischief turneth to good It was not God whiche made the an vncleane vessell But thou thy selfe art he whiche hast made thy selfe filthy through appliyng of thy selfe to vngodly exercises Beside this if God accordyng to his wysdome both for the saluacion of the good and glory of his name abuse thy frowardnes cause hast thou none for y◠to complayne Lawfully art thou for thy sinne punished through thine example the good people wil y◠better take hede whiles through thy blindnes and destruction they the better perceiue how greatly they are bound to the goodnes of God they are with more mery chere encouraged to geue him thankes Nothyng had Pharao to wyte God withal but of his owne naughtynes only perished and yet did that his stubberne malice among the Hebrewes highly auaunce the glory of God And what can there be that they can reproue if as god at that tyme deferred the destruccion of Pharao so likewyse now for a season not without great fauour he beare with and suffre y◠vnbeleuyng and sturdy Iewes beyng vessels whiche haue right well deserued euen out of hand to be crushed in pieces to th entent that all the worlde shall more clearely perceiue that they are well worthy of damnacion whiche beyng so many wayes prouoked amende not to th ende y◠bothe through theyr punishment other should feare almightie God whom we may not through continuaunce in synne prouoke to sure vengeaunce also more plentifully to shewe the greatnes of his might and glory towarde good people whō he hath purged beyng before vncleane vessels and reserued them for holy vses not for theyr circūcision or y◠lawes sake but through the deserte of fayth for whose onely sake they are called to this honoure Called I say not only of y◠Iewes as we be but also of y◠gētiles because herein it is not byrthe whiche maketh inheritors but the choyse of God Nor ought the Iewes to meruaile that the gentiles whiche were before this tyme heathen straungers to God are now by adopcion receiued into the numbre of Gods children syth they them selfe long synce wer for theyr offences done against God dispised reiected and as disinherited when yet afterwarde beyng sory for theyr synnes and amendyng they wer through the great bountyfulnes of God receiued into his fauor That this should so be witnesseth theyr owne prophete Osee saying I wyll call them my people whiche wer not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued her to haue obtained mercye whiche had not obtained mercye so that this shall come to passe that in the place where heretofore it was sayd ye are not my people there shal some be called the children of the liuyng God Why grudge reproue they that thyng in other whiche
that haâ—ed lawe that consisteth onely in the prescribed carnall ceremonies so that he would neyther alyenate the Iewes nor presse the Gentiles with the burthen of it For he beyng very God and very man after the fleshe obserued the commaundementes of the lawe and yet he testifyed that the saluacyon which he brought after the spirite belonged no lesse to the Gentiles than to the Iewes so that now you shoulde neyther be abhominable because of your vncircumcision nor the Iewes any stouter because of theyr circumcision but that in dispatchyng the olde cankerdnesse of bothe those nacions he mighte of two make one new to growe together into one new man Christ the common sauiour indifferentlye of them both And lyke as he made the Iewes and the Gentiles at one betwene themselues euen so he made them both at one with god that there should be nothing to breake the atonemeÌ„t but that the thinges in heauen and the thynges in earth shoulde bee ioyned together as it were into one body The death of Christe which he suffered for our sinnes hath vnited vs to God with whome no man is at peace that hath delyghte in synne And forasmuche as this peace is bestowed both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles indifferently there is no cause why eyther of them shoulde thinke them better than the other specially in asmuche as the pledge and gage of the holy ghost whereof we spake a litle before is geuen commonlye to them bothe without difference Now we se it come to passe that Esaye by inspiracyon prophecyed long agoe should come For Christ hath not offered the doctrine of the gospell to the Iewes onely vnto whome this blessed felicitie semed to be peculiarely promysed and whiche also after theyr sorte were the true wurshyppers of God but also vnto you whiche were ferre of bothe from the kinred of the people of Iewes and from the wurshippyng of the true God teaching thereby that throughe hys deathe bothe the flockes of shepe shoulde goe together into one shepefolde and knowe hym to bee theyr onely shepehearde He it is that hath opened vnto vs the entraunce to the father who before was displeased at our sinnes and none other hath opened this entraunce to the Iewes than he who hathe opened the same to the Gentiles but we are all bounden to him alone in that we are now bolde to approche bothe to that merciful father hauing confidence in that commune spirite which inspireth this assured trust indifferently into the heartes of vs bothe The texte ¶ Now therfore ye are not straungers and foreyners but citesens with the Saintes and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and propheres Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whome what building soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lorde in whome ye also are built together to be an habitacion of God thorowe the holy ghoste Now therfore to the intente you shoulde not thinke your selues the wurse because you came not of the stocke of Dauid or Abraham as concerning the kinred of the fleshe or because ye are without the lawe of Moses in asmuche as after the spirite ye are citezens and felowes of saintes perteining to the house of God which is builded not of the Iewes onely but of al them that purely beleue the Gospell The foundacions of this house are the Apostles the preachers of the Ghospel and the Prophetes who shewed long a goe in theyr prophecies that the gifte of the Ghospell should now be indifferently common to all men To thys foundacyon you are also faste layed And to be shorte Iesus Christe is the chiefe head stone of this building whiche being layed in the corner coupleth and kepeth the walle together on bothe sydes by whose power and couplyng all the buildyng of the beleuers compacted together on euerye syde dayly encreaseth and ryseth vnto a perfitely holy spirituall temple consecrated of the lord himself And of this holy building you are also parte whilest lyke lyuelye stones layed vpon the same foundacyons and holden togither of the same corner stone you make in purenes of mynde and spirite vnto God an holye habitacle vnspotted from all synnes and voyde of lustes There bee none receyued into Moses temple but Iewes but to this temple all they perteyne indifferentlye that embrace the fayth of the Ghospell ¶ The .iii. Chapiter The texte ¶ For this cause I Paule am a prisoner of Iesus Christe for you Deathen Yf ye haue heard the ministracion of the grace of God whiche is geuen me to youwarde For â—yteuelacion shewed he the mistery vnto me as I wrote afore in fewe woordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowlage in the mistery of Christ which mistery in times passed was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared vnto his holy Apostles and Propheres by the spirite that the Gentiles should be inheritours also and of the same bodiâ— and partakers of his promes in Christe by the meanes of the Ghospell whereof I am made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God whiche is geuen vnto me after the working of hys power Vnto me the leaste of all Saintes is this grace geuen that I should preache among the Gentiles the vnsearcheable riches of Christe and to make all men see what the felowship of the mistery is which from the beginning of the worlde hath bene hid in God whiche made al thinges thorow Iesus Christ to the intent that nowe vnto the ruleâ—s and powers in heauenly thinges mighte be knowen by the congregacion the manifolde wisedome of God according to the eternall purpose whiche he wrought in Christe our lorde â–ª by whome we haue boldenes and enteraunce with the confidence whiche is by the fayth of him ANd that you maye geue the more constaunte credenâ—e hereunto vnderstande that I Paule am laden with these bondes for no cause els that is to say not for any naughtie dede but for Iesus Christes sake vnto whoÌ„e I trauayll to winne you Gentiles wherat the Iewes haue indignacion Yf ye haue heard tell that this office was committed to me of Christ himself that I should preache the saluacion of the Gospel whiche some afore tymeiudged to belong to none but to the Iewes in euery place yea euen among the Gentiles of whose noumber you are This secret mistery being hidden before to other Apostles Christ opened most chiefely to me lyke as we begonne to speake briefely of before in our writynges to other nacions by readyng whereof you may know that I am not ignoraunt of the secret counsel of Christ who whan he tolde Ananias beforehand that I carie his name among the Gentiles he commaunded me than to goe and dooe his message vnto the Gentiles that dwelled farre of Whiche thing before semed abhominable that wieked persones and Image wurshippers should be called to the felowship of the gospel Notwithstanding it was so decreed
al men that you are the veraye ryghte chyldren of God and no bastardes nor vnlawfull chyldren but perfitelye resemblyng youre heauenlye father in youre heauenlye conuersacyon and so ordre youre lyfe in the myddes of a frewarde cruell corrupte nation that youre syncere vpryghtenesse be not spotted in any condicion but rather let youre innocencie of lyfe so shyne amonge their darkenesse as it were certayne lyghtes of the world set before all mennes eyes For you are they of whome Christe speaketh in the ghospell sayeng you are the lyghte of the worlde whiche holde vp the lyuelye woorde of the ghospell that euery bodye maye see and expresse the doctryne of Christe euen in your conuersacion so as I am in assured trust that at the coÌ„ming of Christ I shall also reioyce in you for your constaunt perseuerynge that I haue not laboured in vayne nor runne vnprofitablye in this rase of the ghospel in that I haue wonne suche disciples vnto Christe And I doo not onely not repente my labours whereby I haue offred you as a moste acceptable sacrifice vnto God but also incase I my selfe chaunce to be offred vpon the oblacion and sacrifice of your fayth I shal be gladly contente bothe on youre behalfe and myne owne On youre behalfe in that I haue conuerted you vnto the gospel and offered you as a most acceptable sacrifice vnto Christe and on myne owne behalfe that hauing fynished suche a sacrifice I shall also be offered vp all together my selfe For lyke as I see well that myne afflictions chaunced vnto the furtheraunce of you euen so I knowe that my deathe shall chaunce to the furtheraunce of the ghospell And for this cause sake death shal be euen hartely welcome to me And yf it be conueniente that you shoulde be equall parteners of my ioye you oughte in no wise to be sorye for my death whiche shal bee so pleasauntly welcome to me The texte I trust in the lorde Iesus for to sende Timotheus shortely vnto you that I also maye be of good comforte when I know what case ye stand in For I haue no man that is so lyke minded to me which with so pure affection will care for your matters For al other seke their own and not the thinges which are Iesus Christes Ye know the profe of him how yâ— as a sonne with the father so hath he with me bestowed his setuice in the gospel â–ª Him therfore I hope to send assone as I know how it wil go with me I trust in yâ— lorde that I also my selfe shall come shortly Nowe ye perceyue in what behalfe you are bounden to be glad of my state but I trust throughe the grace of the Lorde Jesu to see you shortly by Tymotheus inasmuche as I can not come my selfe as yet Therefore I sende him euen as it were my selfe to the intent lyke as you are glad now you know what state I am in so I maye be as glad whan Timotheus commeth hither agayne to knowe what state you are in For I thought him chieflye the most mete man to sende vpon this message seyng there is neuer a one of all the rest that contenteth my mynde so wel as he in the ghospelles businesse bicause in applyinge youre necessaries he wyll be as willinglye diligent and faithful as I my selfe For you must vnderstande I haue iuste cause to regarde hym as myne owne sonne There be other whose ministerye I might better sparâ— than his but I woulde sende neuer a one but of throughly tried integritie For all the rest almost seke to be sent on suche messages not to doo so muche good vnto other as to prouide for their owne gayne rather than to wynne vnto Iesus Christe And you knowe that I haue alwayes abhorted suche purposed intentes I thynke it not necessarie that I shoulde prayse hym vnto you bicause you haue all ready seen his demeanour and can remembre afterwhat sorte he behaued him selfe wyth me in the ghospelles affaires and as a ryght sonne did represent me his father in all thynges Hym therefore I truste to sende as soone as I see to what â—nde my matters wyll growe And I truste for all thys by the grace of the Lorde that I my selfe shall also shortely come vnto you The texte But I supposed it necessarie to sende brother Epaphroditus vnto you my companyon in labour and felowe souldier youre Apostle whych also ministreth vnto me at nede For he longed after you all and was full of heuynesse because that ye had hearde saye that he had bene sicke And no doubte he was sicke in somuche that he was nye vnto death But god had mercye on hym and not on hym onelye but on me also leste I shoulde haue sorowe vpon sorowe I sente hym therefore the more dylygently that when ye see hym ye maye reioyce agayne and that I maye be the lesse sorowfull Receynt hym therefore in the Lorde wyth all gladnesse and make muche of suche because that for the worke of Christ he weute so farre that he was nye vnto deathe and regarded not his lyfe to fulfyll that which was lackyng on your part towarde me Furthermore I thoughte thys also veray requisite that Epaphroditus who is bothe my brother and companyon and felowe souldier and youre Apostle shoulde beare Tymotheus companye vnto you to the entente he myghte be commendablye welcome vnto you bothe for my sake and for youre owne who also broughte vnto me youre louyng charitie wherwith you are wonte to releue me at my nedes He was a good while a goe muche desyrous to come see you and was wonderfully afrayed lest it greued you to sore to heare tell that he was so perylouslye sycke It was true that you hearde saye for he was so sooze sycke that he was in ieoperdye of hys lyfe and vearye lyke to haue dyed But God restored hym agayne and had compassyon vpon hys seruaunte and not vpon him onelye but also vpon me that was in ieoperdye whan he was in ieoperdye leste vpon the sorowe that I conceaued by his sickenesse I should haue had double sorowe for the death of so faythfull a felowsouldyour And therfore I was the more diligent to sende hym vnto you specyally that you myghte be glad to see hym well amended agayne and peraduenture not beleue the tale as it was tolde you than that all my sorowe maye be wyped cleane oute of my mynde yf I perceaue you vnfeynedlye ioyous and glad of hys welfare Receyue hym therefore with a louynge Christian affection in all ioyfulnes and haue not hym in price onely but all them also that are lyke him For he whan you sente hym hyther was not onelye nothyng afrayed of Neroes crueltie whome he knewe to be muche greued at me but also for the ghospell of Christe he put him selfe in suche haserde that he was verye lyke to haue died preferrynge the doctrine of the ghospell before his owne healthe for this consideracion that bycause of his beyng awaye he thoughte he
a commune wealthe dependeth of the autoritie of princes and magistrates he woulde not onely not haue their autoritie thoughe they were Ethnykes contemned of the Christianes but also commaundeth them to be prayed for He prescribeth what is comely bothe for men and for women to vse in the open congregacion He paynteth out what a byshop shoulde be and hys householde These he treateth of almoost in al the three firste Chapiters Than he warneth him that he receaue no Iewyshe fables and speaketh of choyse of meates and forbyddyng of mariage And than he teacheth him straightwaies how he shoulde behaue himselfe towardes olde men towardes yongmen towardes olde women towardes yougwomen towardes wydowes as well riche and poore as those that ought to be founde of the commune stocke of the congregacion towardes the yonger women and towardes suche as be as yet of suspecte age Furthermore he prescribeth vnto him what he must commaunde to Maisters what to seruauntes what to ryche men admonyshing him to reiecte with all possyble meanes contencious sophisticall questions that haue nothing but a vayne shewe of learnyng This Epistle he wrote from Laodicea by Tychicus the Deacon Thus endeth the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the fyrst Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to Timothee The first Chapter The texte ¶ Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the commyssion of god our sauioure and lorde Iesus Christ which is oure hope Vnto Timothe his naturall sonne in the faith Grace mercy peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe oure Lorde As I besought the to abide â—â—yll at Ephesus when I depatred into Macedonia euen so do that thou commaunde some that they folowe no straunge docrtine uerber geue hede to fables and endles genealogies which brede doute more then godly edifying whiche is by faith for the ende of the commaundement is loue out of apute herte and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned from the whiche thinges because some haue erred they are turned vnto vayne iangelynge because they woulde be doctours of the lawe and yet vnderstande not what they speake neyther wherof they affirme PAule an Apostle and messagier lest any maÌ„ woulde suspecte that I goe aboute myne owne busynes or humayne affaires and not a messagier of Moses or anye other man but the messagier of Iesu Christ whiche beyng sent of late in his owne person vpon his fathers message dyd faithfullye finyshe the busynes of hym that sent him And as for me I toke not this message vpon me on myne owne head nether receaued I it of man but was not onely called vnto it by the appointement of the euerlastyng god but I was also dryuen perforce vnto it by his commaundement and autoritie in so muche that it was not in my choyse to shyfte inyne handes of that office as payneful as it is whiche was enioyned vnto me by the autoritie of God the onely au toure of all our saluacion For what so euer the sonne hathe enioyned vs by the fathers autoritie that same doe I take as enioyned of the father himselfe by whome we are also bounden vnto him for our saluacion aswell in that we are redemed by his death from eternal destruccion as also in that we are by his mightye helpe delyuered from the rageyng tempestes of afliccions From the which albeit our chaunce be not to be set at lybertie for a tyme yet there is no cause why we shoulde doubte of our safe preseruacion hauynge Christe to our protectoure whome the father hathe appointed to be bothe the example and autour of oure moost certaynly assured hope For lyke as he whan he was whypped and nayled to the crosse suffred corporal death howbeit he rose anon againe to lyfe that neuer shall dye euen so whan we haue bene oppressed with present sorowes of this worlde he shall one daye restore vs alyue againe to the same immortalitie For this respectes sake Paule beyng streynghtened throughe his autoritie and mayntenaunce and an inuincible Apostle writeth vnto Tymothe his true natural sonne whoÌ„ I haue not chosen quod he out of an other mannes flocke but I begat him my selfe out of these bowels of myne through the gospel whaÌ„ he was yet a strauÌ„gier froÌ„ Christ he for his parte is so like so expressely resembleth this father of his in stedfastnes sinceritie of faith pure teaching of the gospell that it appeareth by euident matier in dede that he is no suche as maye be doubted whether he be myne or not but that he is my natural very owne vndoubted bogotten sonne and therfore a great deale more dearely beloued vnto me thaÌ„ yf I had gotten him of my bodily substaunce after the commune maner as men doe The bodely substaunce begetteth children that shall lyue but a whyle but by the gospell are we borne to lyue alwayes and neuer dye If parentes haue a more peculiar and a nerer hattie loue to suche of their children as be mooste lyke fauoured vnto them than to other and therby doe as it wer knowe them suerly to be their very owne howâ— muche more iust cause haue I to loue this sonne whome I begate vnto Christ through the faithe of the gospell and in whome I beholde the synceritie of my faithe borne new againe as it were Let the Iewes make boaste at their pleasure for geating one companion or other as a childe gotten by adopcion to their Moses I boaste that I haue gotten suche a sonne as this to the faythe of the gospell and vnto Christe For it is expedient that the Iewes synagoge should from hence forthe geue ouer bearing of children And it is tyme that the Gospell spreade forthe his frutefulnes of faith abrode in to the whole vniuersall worlde Nowe than lyke as I haue manyfolde causes to boaste of suche a sonne inasmuche as I maye safely committe vnto him the office of gospell preachinge euen so I thynke there is no cause why he shoulde repente the hauyng either of suche an Apostle or of such a father I haue committed a parte of myne owne office vnto him howbeit god hath geue me autoritie thus to doe soe as he can stande in no doubte touching the charge of the congregacions appointed by me onles peraduenture he dysturst the autoritie of god Nowe what shoulde I beyng a mooste louyng father wyshe vnto so entierly a deare beloued sonne what thinges elles than the same that the supreme gouernour of our lyfe woulde haue vs to be ryche and plentuous of and in the whiche he would fayne haue vs to growe stronge dailye more and more vntyll we be growen vnto such a state as Christ may voutchesafe to knowe vs for his owne lawfull brethren Therfore I wyshe Grace vnto him that he maye perfytely vnderstande that all faithfull beleuers are saued by the free benefite of Christ without helpe of Moses law And not onely grace but mercye also to be alwayes ready with present helpe to succoure hym
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
giue some cleanesse and puritie For whatso euer was there done perteyned chiefly vnto the bodye for that it stode in choyse of meates drinke whereas in very dede meate neyther purifieth nor defileth the soule and stode also in diuerse washynges and pourgations of the fleshe whiche were not instituted for this intent that they shoulde gyue manne perfyte ryghtuousnesse but bycause the people shoulde by these rudimentes and fyrste principles fall in vre by lytle and litle with true religion and by shadowes bee brought to veritie and made receyuable of bettre thynges whyche shoulde be opened by the doctrine of the ghospell when tyme shoulde come Here haue ye hearde the effecte of all the religion by reason wherof the Iewes do stande so muche in their awne conceiptes Nowe let vs compare the dignitie of our hie priest with these foresayde thynges The texte But Chryste beyng an hye prieste of good thynges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte tabernacle not made with handes that is to say not of thys buildyng nether by yâ— bloud of goates and calues but by his own bloud he enteed in once into the holiplace founde eternal redempcion For if the bloud of oxen of goates the asshes of a â—â—ng cowe when it was sprinkled purifieth the vnclene as touching the purifing of the flesh howe much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offred hymself wythou â—spot to god pourge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the lyuinge god For Christ beyng an hie priest a promiser and auctour not of corporal purificacion neither of the good thynges of this world whiche haue an ende but of euerlasting and heauenly good thinges entred not by the vayle wrought with mennes handes but by an other tabernacle not made wyth handes that is to saye not of this buyldynge the whyche as menne doe sette it vp so can they pull it downe agayne but by verie heauen entred I say into the places which are verely holy and verely farre from al infeccion of mortalitie not brynginge wyth hym the bloude of goates and calues therewith to pacifie Goddes wrath but his owne precious bloude whiche he shed for vs in the aulter of the crosse wherewyth he redemed not one nationalonelye but all mankynde from all synnes and that not one yeare but for euer vntyl the worldes ende so that they tournynge from their former myflyuynge know Christ and as muche as in them lyethe folowe hym in their lyfe and conuersation For what comparison is it to compare a domme beaste vnto Christe bothe God and man If so be that the bloud of Oxen and Goates or the brent asshes of a younge Cowe sprynkeled vpon vncleane persones clenseth them as touchynge a certayne carnall and figuratiue puritie and holynesse Howe muche more then shall the bloude of Christe who not by corporall fyre but thorowe the eternall spirite desirous of mannes saluation offered not a brute beaste but hym selfe a pure and vndefyled sacryfyce vnto almyghtye God the father puryfie not youre bodyes but youre conscyence from these workes whiche in very dede brynge death vnto the soule Hys death delyuereth vs from endlesse death and hys mooste pure spirite purifieth our spirite whiche was before vncleane In bothe purifications is bloude but yet is there a greate difference In bothe is death but an vnequall death In bothe is a spirite but the one is farre vnlyke the other For what thynge soeuer was there done by shadowes and certayne fygures the same Christ accomplished in dede The texte And for this cause is he the mediator of yâ— new testament that through death which chanced for the redempcion of those transgressyoÌ„s that were vnder the first testamente they whych are called myght receiue yâ— promise of eternal inheritance For where as is a testament there must also of necessytie be the death of hym that maketh the testament For the testament taketh aucthorite when men are dead for it is yet of no value as longe as he that maketh the testament is aliue for whyche cause also nether the first testameÌ„t was or dayned wythout bloude Bycause that he who in the olde testament made intercession and was a mediatour bytwene God and men broughte not the people to the perfyte state of innocencie therefore Christe succeded in his rowme and became a newe mediatoure of a newe testament to th entent that all synnes taken awaye thorow his death the whiche by that first testament coulde not be abolyshed and taken awaye but remayned in suche wise that they broughte vs oute of the fauoure of almyghtie God not onely the Iewes but also all tho whosoeuer haue bene called to Christes felowshippe maye nowe thorowe the doctrine of the gospell receyue the promyse and hope of theternall enheritaunce For wheresoeuer thys worde testament is hearde there must nedes be the death of him that maketh the testamente elles shoulde it be no testamente or yf it were it were of none auctoritie For the death of the testatoure makethe the same of auctoritie whiche hathe not as yet sure strengthe nor is ratifyed so longe as the sayde testatour is alyue Because it lyeth in hys power to altre it yf he wyll Wherefore forasmuche as that olde testament hadde also the name of a testament it was not ordeyned without bloude and death but of a beast and suche a beaste as elswise shoulde haue perished The texte For when Moses had declared all the commauÌ„dement to all the people according to the lawe he toke the bloud of calues and of goates wyth water and purple woolle and ysope and sprynkeled bothe the boke and all the people saying thys is the bloude of the testamente which God hath appoynted vnto you Moreouer he sprinkeled the tabernacle with bloud also and all the ministeryng vesselies And almoste all thynges are by the lawe purged wyth bloude and wythoute shedynge of bloude is no remyssyon For as it is reade in the boke of Exodus whan Moyses had read all the lawe of God vnto the people and declared vnto them what reward they shoulde loke after for kepyng the same and what punishement they should dreade yf they dyd not regarde it accordingly to th entent the couenaunt made betwene God and the people shoulde be confirmed he toke a cuppe and therein myngled the bloude of Calues and Goates wyth water and purple wâ—ll and sprynkled bothe the boke oute of the whiche he read the Lordes commaundementes and lykewyse all the people with â—sope sayeng Thys is the wytnessyng bloude and confirmer of that testament whiche God hathe commaunded you to kepe And was not onely contented thus to doe but sprynkeled also with bloude the tabernacle and all the holy vessels therein whyche they vsed in sacrifices Lykewyse in all other rites and approued customes what thinges so euer were purified accordynge vnto the prescription of Moses lawe were purified with bloude Neyther was there anye remyssion of synnes but by sheddyng of bloude The texte
which ye reioyce though now for a season if nede requyre ye are in â—euâ—nes thorow manyfold temptacions that â—he tryall of your fayth being muche more precious then golde that perysheth though it be tryed with fyre might be founde vnto laude glory and honour at the appering of Iesus Christe whom ye haue not seen and yet loue hym in whom euen nowe though ye see him not yet doe you beleue and reioyce with say vnspeakable and gloryous receiuing the ende of your fayth euen the saluacion of your soules For this so passing a great benefite his liberalitie is to be praysed of whom by Christ coÌ„meth vnto vs whatsoeuer it be that maketh vs truly blessed And that is not Moses but God himselfe the same the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which whan we were lytle fortunately borne of Adam that is to say borne to synne borne to death hath begotten vs new againe into innocencie and hath begotten vs vnto life that neuer shall dye being prouoked by no merites of ours but stiered frely of his owne mercye wherin he most chiefly exceadeth and this hath he done not by yâ— ayde of Moses lawe but by the costeous gyft of his owne soÌ„ne Iesus Christ whom he would haue to suffre death to thintent where we were els desperate wretches he might diliuer vs froÌ„ the tyranny of synne death And him he called anon froÌ„ death to lyfe that we beyng in this worlde dead to worldly lustes hauing remembraunce as it were before our tyes of the resurreccioÌ„ after his exaÌ„ple in vprightnes of conuersacion might haue an assured a ready hope that we also shal once be exempt out of these sorowes atteine with Christ vnto yâ— euerlasting enheritaunce whiche lyke as he beyng our head hath already atteyned so shal al we also folowe as many as be engraffed to yâ— meÌ„bres of Christ are made worthy by folowing of his craÌ„ple to be called his brethren the chyldreÌ„ of yâ— selfe same father that he is that like as we suffre commune affliccions with him so should we haue reward also together with him As long as we were the sonnes of the synful Adam an infortunate enheritauÌ„re abode vs. But as sone as we were made yâ— sonnes of God we make spedy haste to yâ— enheritauÌ„ce of heauen For it besemeth yâ— seing we are borne from heauen we should behold heaueÌ„ly thinges seing we are borne of God we should folo we nothing but godlines They yâ— serue the world goe about to haue rewardes yâ— are transitory wage that is slyppery but for vs there remayneth yâ— happyâ— enheritaunce after these temperal affliccioÌ„s which can neither be corrupted with death ne defited with wearines or heauines ne yet fade a way by age or sluttishnes There is no cause for vs to be afrayed of leste any man should in the meane whyle take this so plenteous an heritage out of our handes We haue an assured fayth full promyse maker And in his haÌ„des it is safely kept layed vp in stoare for vs in heauen howbeit after suche sort that for al that there must an assured hope and as it were a certayne pledge remayne in the meane time with men vpoÌ„ earth not with al maner of men but with you such like as you are buto whom the spirite of Christ is geuen in stede of a gage which albeit ye are for yâ— time tossed on euery syde with condry stormes of sorowes yâ— the frailtie of maÌ„is vtterly vnhable of himselfe to beare out yet by the succour of God which is mighty in al thinges you are preserued not through your owne merites but by fayth vnfained trust wherby you dout not but froÌ„ the last time after yâ— which there shal be no more of this confusion of humayne matters but the euill meÌ„ being appointed to their tormeutes shal be hable to do no body harme the good being safe froÌ„ al inuasions of sorowes shal haue the fruicioÌ„ of euerlasting rest For now yâ— rewardes lye hiddeÌ„ many times after the coÌ„mune peoples estimacioÌ„ thei are in wurse condicioÌ„ yâ— be of yâ— better those seme to perish which are most specially in sanegarde thei seme to florish which most chiefly goe to naught In this worlde there is time to exercise godlines the reward hath his time prescribed vnto it which it behoueth not to preueÌ„t In yâ— meane seasoÌ„ let it be ynough for vs yâ— euerlasting felicitie is kept in safegarde for vs which neither mannor deuil can be hable to take away froÌ„ vs before haÌ„d so yâ— we shrinke not from yâ— fayth wherby we ought to condeÌ„ne mortal mens matters depende wholy of heauen Let there be in yâ— meane seasoÌ„ fearce folkes which being rebels to god trust to the aydes of yâ— world let theÌ„ for yâ— time stampe stare ouer you as though you wer ouercomeÌ„ left succoutles But whan yâ— day shal come the discourse of thiges turned vp side down they shal be tormeÌ„ted you shal reioyce like coÌ„querours yea you ought to reioyce eueÌ„ now also through yâ— vndoubted lokiÌ„g for of so passig a great felicitie For it ought not to seme vnto you a greate or a greuous matter though by affliccions and griefes that are but shorte and shall soone haue an ende you come to the blissed that neuer shall decaye And perchaunce these persecucions also shall once haue an end which notwithstanding as often as they come in vre are to be borne with a myghtye stoute stomake and without dismaying for the glory of God in hope of the lyfe to come For after suche wyse doeth the wysedom of God in prouiding for your commodities permitte that the sinceritie and stedfastnes of your faith may be tried through sondry assaultes of sorowes For yf golde which elles were a thing both lost and would goe to naught be tryed out not only by the touche stone but also is assayed by the fire to thintente it maye thenceforth bee had in so muche the more price as it is the more exactely fyned much more wil God haue your faith wherunto so high honour of duetie belongeth to be tried with sondry experimentes to thintent that whan it shal glister out of these flames of sorowes and affliccions and being farre more pure and more glittering than any golde though it be neuer so fyne it may be precious in the syght of God and that all the matter at length may grow in to cleane contrary condicion that is to were that the thyng which semed to be layed vpon you in this worlde vnto reproche may chaunce vnto prayse and that which semed vnto vilany may be turned vnto glory that whiche semed to be layed vpon you to put you to dishonestie may be turned in to habuÌ„daunce of honour in that day whan Iesus Chrst whose power worketh nowe in you by secrete meanes shal she we forth him selfe openly vnto all men and rendre vnto euery man rewarde
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
hygh and excelleÌ„t and so seynge hym we shall also be transformed vnto hys iykenes not onely in myndes but also in bodyes And we see hym nowe howebeit as it were through a myst with the eyes of fayth But then we shal see hym after such maner as cannot be expressed But that thyng whiche we shal be than perfitely we must forcast nowe i the meane tyme to the vttermost of our possible power To thinteÌ„t we may be liÌ„ke hiÌ„ theÌ„ in glory let vs be pure here froÌ„ all fylthynes To thintent we maye see hym than lette vs clense our eies nowe leste when he shall appeare glisterynge bryght he bee vnto vs more dreadfull than amiable For he is not fortunatelye sene but of them that are lyke hym Therefore whosoeuer hath thys confidence in Christe that he shal than be a companion of his glory let hym in the meane time pourge hymselfe with godly studyes cleane from worldlye affeccions lyke as in hym was no maner of fylthynes of thys worlde but is all together pure and heauenlye Therefore it standeth vs in hande with all our possible powers to bend our endeuours to thys ende that nothyng remayne in vs of yearthye dregges And leite no manne flatter hym selfe sayinge It is ynough for me vnto innocency if I traÌ„sgresse in none of those thinges that Moses lawe forbyddeth nor in those thynges that are punyshed by the kynges lawes as felonye sacrilege adultrie murdre but all maner of synne is vtterly to be eschewed For whosoeuer offendeth by any meane although he offende not agaynst the prescriptes of Moses yet he synneth agaynst the lawe of the gospell whiche is a greate deale holyer than Moses law And for thys cause sake Christ came once into the world to shew the waye whereby his comming agayne shoulde become holesome and luckye vnto vs. He came to take awaye once for all not one synne or two but al our synnes where he onely was subiect vnto no maner of synne He once purged vs frely from all synne to make vs lyke manered vnto hymselfe whiche neither any lawe nor any mortall man coulde be hable to do Through baptisme we are engraffed into hys holy sacred body But it is our part for all that to endeuour in the meane tyme that we fall not from our head We are engraffed through his owne free mercy but we shal fall awaye if we slyde backe agayne into oure olde vices He that abydeth in Christ perseuereth in innocencye and is wonderous ware to shunne from all sinne that he may dayly more and more growe in vertues and be made more lyke hys head He that absteyneth not from sinnes although he bee baptised although he be called a christian hath not yet sene fully nor yet knowen hym For who is it yf he sawe with the eies of fayth what greate dignitie it is to be chosen into the numbre of the sonnes of God and what a fylthy shame it is to be geuen to the father deuyll that woulde abyde to be plucked awaye from suche a bodye to departe from suche a father and to go out of kynde vnto so fylthy a tirannye to slyde of his owne accorde awaye from so hygh rewardes vnto so greate miserie The text Babes lette no man deceyue you he that doeth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the deuil for the deuyl sinneth sence the beginning For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to looce the workes of the deuyll Whosoeuer is borne of God synneth not for hys seed remayneth in hym and he can not synne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the deuyll Whosoeuer doeth not ryghteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not hys brother Babes lette no man deceyue you flatteryng you for your professyng the name of christians as though that were ynoughe vnto felicitie He is not iust that speaketh iustice with his mouthe but he that in his lyfe and maners doeth iustice in dede is iuste lyke as Christe also shewed himselfe in his sayinges and doynges an example of all iustice And he that truely and wholy cleaueth fast vnto him absteyneth as much as he possible may from all vncleanes of sinnes and the purenes of maners selfe declareth hym to be the sonne of God whiche is good by nature and knoweth no synne But he that synneth although he haue receyued the sacramentes of Christe yet he is begotten of hys father the deuyl whiche is the prince and autor of all synne Him whosoeuer foloweth is lyke his father in that same thing that he synneth in declareth hymselfe to be his sonne God alloweth no felowshyppe with synnes for he sent his sonne for thys intent into this worlde to vanquisâ—he the woorkes of the deuyll that is to saye all thynges that are contrarye repugnaunt agaynst the charitie of the gospel Of Adam we are all borne endaungered with sinnes of God we are borne agayne by the sede of yâ— gospelles doctrine As longe as the strength of this seede abydeth in a man he synneth not neither can synne that is to wete because the loue of god byddeth hym naye whiche loue rauisheth hym to the studye of well doyng and calleth hym awaye from all desire of offendynge in that he is the very true sonne of God resembling playnly the behauiour and disposicion of his father and head It is not the title it is not baptisme it is not the sacramentes that descerne the children of God from the children of the deuyll but the puritie of lyfe and charitie expressyng and she wyng it selfe in wel doinges It is not idle if it be there He that sheweth not that neither sheweth in his dede that he loueth his brother he is not borne of God If he were alyuely membre of Christes body he woulde haue loued the other membres for whom Christe died The texte For thys is the tydinges that ye beard from the beginninge that ye shoude loue one another not as Cayn whiche was of that wicked and slewe hys brother And wherefore slewe he him Because his owne workes were euyll and hys brothers good Meruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated from death vnto lyfe because we loue the brethren De that loueth not his brother abideth in deathe Whosoeuer hateth hys brother is a man slear And â—e knowe that no man slear hath eternall life abyding in hym Hereby perceyue we loue â–ª because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue oure lyues for the brethren But whoso hath thys worldes good and seeth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his compassion from hym howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym Thys is the summe of Christen iustice thys is it that Christe gaue first of all vnto vs this is it which we set forth before al thinges vnto you that you shoulde with louynge one an other declare youre selues to be the soÌ„nes of
am Iohn it is as muche to say as thus yf ye beleue my preaching of Christ in other matters because I am the same Iohn whiche was conuersaunte and lyued with Christ than beleue me in this booke also because of the visions syghtes and sayinges which I haue seene hearde my selfe and haue written in this booke And I knowe also and am assured that this angell was an holy angell and therfore I for feare and reuerence woulde haue worshipped him as a seruaunt and minister of God and I dyd also worship him and fell downe at his feete to worship him that I might seme to shewe thankefulnes vnto him for the infinite benefite and grace that he reueled and opened vnto me suche highe and holy secrete misteries But he woulde not accept and receyue suche honour and worship at my handes nor was not content therwith wherby I am taught that I should vtterly honour and worship none but onely the almighty God And althoughe the nature and dignitie of angels be higher than the state and dignite of man yet by the reason of the manhode of Christ and by the reason of the saluacion of mankynde thorowe Christ the nature of man is exalted aboue all angels And therfore from hence forthe the angell wyll not be hygher estemed than as a felowe seruaunt of all men vnto the lorde And lykewyse our sauiour Christ nameth himselfe a felow brother of his disciples and that also after the resurreccion And also the angel nameth Iohn in this place a brother and felow of yâ— apostles onely for this booke and sheweth how acceptable they are vnto the lorde namely reputed euen as the brethren of Christe whiche doe esteme this booke and beleue the wordes whiche are written therin And therfore no man ought to esteme this booke lightly nor to contemne it for as much as in many places it teacheth the misteries of Christ very euidentlye Althoughe in dyuerse thinges prophecied in this booke whiche haue not yet beue sene to be fulfylled because they concerne this tyme of ours the latter tyme it is somewhat darke and obscure The texte ¶ And he sayde vnto me seale not the sayinges of the prophecye of this boke For yâ— tyme is at hande He that doeth euyll let him do euil styll and he whiche is fylthye let him be fylthye styl and he that is righteous let him be more righteous and he that is holy let him be more holy And beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man according as his dedes shadie I am Alpha and Omega the begynnyng and the ende the first and the last Blessed are they that doe his commaundementes that theyr power maye be in the tree of lyfe and maye entre in thorowe the gates into the citie For without shal be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murcherers and ydolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh leasynges In the olde testamente before the commynge of Christe the Prophetes were partly commaunded to seale their prophecyes for lyke as the fulfyllynge of suche thynges as were prophecyed and promised was fatte of euen so myght many dyuers opynyons be amonge the interpreters But here in this place the angell commaundeth Iohn that he should not seale the boke for as muche as suche matters as are prophecied therin shoulde be fulfylled very shortly As it is euydent that dyuerse of them were fulfylled immediately yea euen the great and notable vision of the subuersion and destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem and of the death and banyshment of the Iewes was alreadye fulfylled for the whiche cause he dyd prophecy nothing of it but of dyuerse other thinges which were yet to come he dyd prophecye And therfore also after this booke he wrote his holy gospel of the godheade of Iesus Christ against certen heretikes And therfore he saieth the tyme is at hande for the whiche cause men must suffer the wicked to worke accordynge vnto their wickednes for they shall not practyse it long Men must suffer the wicked Iewes and hethen whiche so wylfullye and maliciouslye doe noye and persecute the faithfull christians to take theyr pleasure Let the false apostles heretikes and hipocrites whiche pretende great holynes althoughe they be shamefully defyled as well inwardly as out wardlye let them remayne defyled and wicked it shall shortely haue an ende the iudgement of God hangeth ouer their heades But he that doeth well and rightlye nedeth not to feare the iudgement and comming of Christ He that is holy thorowe true faithe and loue towarde Christ the same desiereth ernestly from day to daye the commynge of Christ vnto the last and generall iudgement And as sone as he seeth any of those tokens happen which haue any lykelyhode of the approchinge of the end of the worlde and whiche shoulde come to passe before than he lyfteth vp his heade and sygheth and wysheth for the commynge of Christ most desierously that he might be sone rid and delyuered from yâ— myserp and wretchednes of this worlde But now thou Iohn marke and take good hede I wyll come shortly and bringe the rewarde with me for al them that haue laboured and done eyther good or euyll For the tyrannes and workers of iniquite wyll I punyshe with dystresse plages and all other blasphemers lykewyse I am the begynnynge of all thinges I haue created the worlde because I am the worde by the whiche God hath created all thinges And I am also the end for the last daye shall be my daye whan as I shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade They performe and doe gods commaundementes which in true faith and loue indeuour themselues with al diligence to doe the wil and pleasure of God with holy workes vertuous exercises whansoeuer they haue any trouble or a ouersite than they call and praye vnto god for grace and mercye for Christes sake whose rightuousnes they take for the oblacion and ransome for their synnes offerynge vp vnto him the sacrifice of thankesgeuynge with a true and perfyte faythe in the mercye of God thorowe Christ Iesus Suche true faithfull men are lyke vnto a frutefull tree that begynneth to budde out whiche in due tyme bryngeth furthe muche fruite And suche true faithfull beleuers can onely enter thorowe faythe into the Christen churche here vpon earthe and whan the tyme commeth they shall also enter in to the heauenly churche But the vnfaithfull doe shewe and declare also theyr frutes of all wyckednes and fleshely lustes wherin they defyle them selues euen lyke swyne and become shameles in theyr synnes lyke very dogges For the whiche cause they can not enter in to the righte christen churche and congregation neyther sorcerers inchanters whoremongers murtherers worshippers of ydols nor any suche as make lyes of malyce and of an euyll conscience The texte ¶ I Iesus sent myne angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the congregacions I am the rote and the generacion of Dauid and the bright mornynge starâ—e And