TO the which Christ I wold to the almighty God that all the Iewes nowe turning themselues wold forsake their old Moses which at this time conceiueth this opinion amongste them selues that it is sufficient inoughe for their saluation to be the children of Abraham by descente or to kéepe the lawe which by Moses was giuen vnto them Whereas in very déede nothing of all this doth any thing at all profit them except they shew themselues faithful in Christe and after this sort conforme themselues to him that they may be beloued of God his heauenly father But to their great shame it is doutlesse that Christ is thus cast out from amongste them which was so promised vnto them in their owne law and by whose vnfaithfulnesse the Gentiles do now receiue him Notwithstanding this I do not speake any thing héere in despite of the Iewes which be my natural country men whom in Christ I déerely loue at the hart roote thoughe they cannot abide me nor yet once further me their friendly good worde Verily I speake as the thing it self is Christ is my record which knoweth al mens secretes Neither do I make any lie I take witnes of my conscience which the holy ghost perfectly knoweth that I am very sory that with continual dolor thought in my hart for their fal mischance which most apparantly commeth through their owne wilful fault folie For so litle do I hate the Iewes the I with all my hart wold wish to be made their safetie helth yea euen through mine own destruction Neither wold I refuse to be reiected froÌ„ Christ so that I might haue al those that be of my stock kinred adioyned as I now am in the true faith of Iesus Christ And that as they be al Israelites by birth so they might be also very Israelites in the truth veritie For whom it was conuenient aboue all other creatures to haue embraced him which the law had promised before vnto them considering they be of the only nation which God the father from all others did seperate did chuse it only to himself to be his only peculiare proper people and did put away froÌ„ him all other nations couÌ„ting them but reiects as misbegotten bastards and toke only the Israelites for his true natural childreÌ„ which only had the glory dignitie of the world when they did forsake idolatrie gaue themselues to the only worshipping of the true god which only had then the preheminence of the lawe his prerogatiue which only had the couenantes promises of God made vnto them which had only declared vnto theÌ„ the rites ceremonies of religion which only had the prophets sent vnto theÌ„ that promised the comming of Messias many yeares before he came and which only had also made vnto them the promisse of the heaueÌ„ly glory which we receiue through the same only Messias the great God sauior of the world Al which Iewes do come of the stocke of the most noble highe personages Abraham Isaac Iacob and of many other notable worthy men of whose most noble famous lignage Christ him self coÌ„meth as touching the flesh for which cause sake they came not to chuse but whether they will or will not they be of kinred vnto Christe which is much more mightie and of higher maiestie than were those old ancient good fathers whom they so highly extol vpon whom they bost themselues so much For the old fathers though they were godly creatures and worthy great estimation yet amoÌ„gst men they were but men But Christ himselfe is a man in suche sort manner that he is also very God and that not of this or that nation only but of al nations where so euer they be foreseing in himselfe all their saluations vnto whom only be al laud praise honor now and for euermore Amen Neither shall we think that the iniquitie of the Iewes did so abouÌ„d that through the great desart of vengeance for the same God will not for all that performe al such things as he promised before in his Prophets I cannot deny but our felicitie was promised vnto Abraham to the children of Israel how be it not properly to each of them or to theÌ„ only but specially vnto all those that shuld be of his true posteritie possessors of the like faith For we caÌ„not say that they which come of Israel are all Israelites but only those same that be strong in faithe vnvanquished against the incoÌ„ueniences of this world in which God trieth proueth our religion and godlinesse and in al such verily rightly agreeth the name of an Israelite Further they that come of AbrahaÌ„s stock are not al the true childreÌ„ of Abraham haue to themselues the possession of the promisse of God but al they that represent the faith of Abraham by vertue wherof he deserued that the promise shuld be made vnto al his séede And marke I pray you diligeÌ„tly if the words of the promiser do not souÌ„d eueÌ„ the same thing which saith In Isaac shal be named vnto thee they seede And it was promised vnto the sede of Abraham the through it al nations shuld be renoumed blessed But God wil not that al which come of Abraham shuld be called the sede of Abraham except they be in Isaac which is the sonne of faith beareth truely the figure of Christ Isaac was not begotten borne into this world as is the common birth of children but was begotten of an old man worne withered with age which also was past bodily lust yet had always good faith in the promisse power of God born of an old womaÌ„ that was also past bearing of children wherfore the vertue of God and good faith of the father did rather beget him than the power work of that flesh What meaneth God therfore wheÌ„ he saith In Isaac shal be named vnto thee thy seede but only that he wold manifestly declare that they which be borne of Abraham after the flesh are not all the sonnes of Abraham so forthe the heires of the promise but all suche only as haue faith throughe which Abraham deserued to haue the promise made vnto him and those in déede be they that are of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ But otherwise if God shoulde haue made his promise after this fourme and sorte who so euer he be that shall be borne of thée to them shall appertayne my promise then without all doubt they might chalenge his promise by inheritaunce and for theyr duetie what soeuer he be that commeth of Abrahams descents Therefore séeing then that he spake after this maner as the Scriptures do shew About this time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne God menâ—e Isaac to be one onely sonne and that the sonne of fayth whom he elected and chose out to him selfe for the same purpose not for
flesh or from this body of death which is thus subiecte to so many miseries to so many prouocations enticementes to naughtinesse encombred with so many vices and wel nigh confounded with these daily conflictes that alwayes haleth me pulleth me downe and draweth me forcibly to destruction and death Think not you that he hath iust cause thus to bewaile his state and to crie out that in this manner is daily beséeged assaulted and troubled with so many mischéeues cruell and deadly aduersaries But the remedie heereof considered and the most happie meanes remembred for our deliuerance O what cause of great thankfulnesse by bounden duetie and all humblenesse haue we to giue vnto our God which mercifully hath set vs in moste happie state and safetie and deliuered vs from these noysom miseries euen for the onely loues sake he bare vnto vs not through the lawe of Moses or Circumcision but by his onely and moste deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ the which if by him it had not so ben ended and done I my selfe being but one man among others shuld haue bene a runner but in an vnconstant race and drawne in such sorte hither and thither with the impious cordes of inconstancie vanitie that happily now and then I should with ioyfulnesse haue serued the lawe of my God with my spirite in desiring the things that be honest and godly but with my faultie flesh the lawe of sinne in coueting corruptly the things that bée dishonest and by the deadly force thereof my pore spirite alwayes preuailed against and turmoiled with miserie The eight Chapter The lavve of the spirite giueth lyfe The spirite of God maketh vs Gods children and heires with Christ The abundant loue of God can not be separated BVt now although there be yet many blots and stumbling blocks of the old boÌ„dage stil remaining among christen men ther is yet no dout but through their godly study christen endeuer they may easily passe by them and not be so violently drawn vnto such horrible sinnes for they are now entred into the heauenly fréedom of Christ vnited and made one with him through their lyuely faith and true promise made at baptism All whiche by this chaunge haue now cessed to liue again after the illectation or wanton enticing of the sensuall lustes of their flesh in asmuch as the lawe of Christ which is heauenly spiritual and the author of lyfe béeing also strong and full of might hath fréely deliuered them all from the bondage and lawe of sinne from death the famyliar companion of sinne and the iust reward of the same Whiche thing bycause the lawe of Moyses was carnall and in consideration thereof very weake of it selfe God did foresée and prouide for the saluation of man after an other sorte and fashion And lyke as I haue sayde before that in one man there was two menne one carnall and an other spirituall euen so within the precinct of Moses lawe there are two lawes the one grosse and carnall and the other holy and spirituall The fyrst of these two lawes haue Moyses for his auctour and beginner whiche as it was not perpetuall euen so it was not of vertue to giue any saluation to man The seconde lawe is spirituall straunge full of efficacie and immortall whiche Chryste himselfe hath consummate and fulfilled to all suche as beléeue in him Howbeit it was very expedient that one fleshe shoulde abolishe and put awaye an other one sacrifice to preuayle before an other and one death moste mightily to suppresse an other Therfore God the father hungring and thirsting in his mercie after mans saluation sent his onely deare sonne whiche though he were frée from all contagion of sinne yet he toke vpon hym the same fleshe that all other sinners had and became conuersant amongst the wicked as one of them himself for the most precious redemption of man vnto the same saluation And yet verily so vnkyndely he was entreated amongst the sinners so despitefully and cruelly handled that they put him to the moste shamefull death and crucified him among the synfull moste vyle and false théeues Which for mannes sake tooke vpon hym our very body of synne that he might vnder the same fourme and similitude of sinne ouercome sinne and after that abolishe it and putte it cleane awaye Hée was made a sacrifise for oure trespasses and so dying in the fleshe whiche he tooke amongst vs broughte death to subiection and bondage whiche before bare rule ouer vs thorough the lawe and the corrupt affections of our bodies whiche also brought all things to suche a passe that considering the putting away of the grosse and fleshely parte of the Ceremoniall lawe wée shoulde thencefoorthe embrace the seconde part of the lawe whiche is heauenly and spirituall And that ministreth not ire and threatnings as doth the olde parte of the lawe but very rightuousnesse to all suche as doe not leade their liues after the letter and Ceremonies of the Iewes but after the spirite and inwarde minde of the lawe as men regenerate and newe borne againe in Iesus Christ The Iewes in their Ceremonies had as it were but the deade picture and image of rightuousnesse but we haue the verâ—â—â—e liuing and quicke rightuousnesse it selfe and the very perfecte rule of all godlinesse which Christ by his spirit hath wrought in vs Wherfore the true change of our state conditions and fashions of religion declareth the manner of a newe life in vs And we perceiue very euidently that all such of the Iewes which still continue in the rottennesse of their olde forme of religion and in the fleshe or grosenesse of the lawe are delighted and pleased with all suche things as are grose carnall and fleshly Contrariwise all suche as are engrafted into Christ are become spirituall and precise in rightuousnesse vtterly banishing from them all such olde things as appertaine to the fleshe and are constantly rapte in their mindes to all suche things as are spirituall For truely euen suche as the state condition and nature of the man is suche is his desire and common inclination to worke As touching our fleshe we be all mortall but Christe that is immortall hathe nowe called vs to a life in him which is immortall Againe the carnall lawe of the Iewes is alwayes againste Christe and calleth vs from him which for the same cause bringeth death with it in as muche as it contendeth and striueth againste him which is the only author of life By reason whereof the Iewes being stricken with the zeale and loue of the same lawe did put to death the author of their life and iustification But coÌ„trariwise they that set the grosenesse of the lawe at naught and folowe the spirite doe finde most plentuous life in Christe Iesus Neither doe they argue vppon the barren and hungrie obseruances of the lawe but hauing in their hartes the pleasant sauor and taste of charitie be well stayed in them selues liue ioyfully
accomplyshe your fathers commaundementes euen for the loues sake that ye naturally beare vnto hym bicause ye haue now receiued the spirite of God through which you are adopted and numbred hys louing children and not seruaunts And the same spirite also giueth suche an audacitie and boldenesse vnto vs all that when soeuer we haue any necessitie whether for soule or body we shall not feare to call vpon God himselfe and say vnto him father father At which calling euery louing and naturall parent do glory and reioyce Surely if we haue in consideration the glory and highe maiestie of God his mightinesse and heauenly power we should not once dare nor be so bolde to call him father onlesse we were moste perfectly assured through the goodnesse of his holy spirite that we be his very children and he our louing and mercifull father For to this same onely purpose he sente vnto vs his moste holy spirite that it should be a very sure and earnest gage vnto our spirite that we are the vndoubted children of him that gaue vs that heauenly gage Wherefore séeing we be now made the children of God and fully persuaded that he is our father we are no more to be counted seruaunts but rather his very heires For all men that beléeue in Iesus Chryst are the true heires of God and felow heires with Chryst him selfe into whose body béeing engraffed through our Christian profession we haue one father with him and through his onely deseruings we take participation with him of the heauenly inheritaunce The possession of which inheritaunce shall come vnto vs none other wayes than it came vnto Chryst him selfe For he through the afflictions and sufferings of myserable calamities in this lyfe came duely to the possession of thys highe inheritaunce Through his obedience he came to a kingdome through the ignominie and slaunder of the crosse he came to glorie and through the pacient suffering of his death he came to the state of immortalitie Therefore all we muste suffer with him that we may haue the fruition of the inheritaunce with him we muste obey that we may reigne with him we muste paciently beare the slaunders of this worlde that with him we may haue prayse and glory and we muste also dye with him to our sinnes that we may for euermore liue with him After this maner doo we come to our inheritaunce with Chryst which bicause it is euerlasting and of moste high felicitie I thinke that if one onely man him selfe could possibly suffer all the calamities and miseries of thys wretched worlde yet they all should be estéemed but vnworthy light and of no comparison to the great benefite of the glory to come though through the sayde myseries and painfull afflictions he doo séeme dearely to buy the same glory Yea and though we haue receiued the gage of this felicitie and glory to the ende we shoulde not mistruste any thing at all yet for all that our glory can not be consummate and made perfect in vs although our bodies be subiecte to suche sorte of miseries and wretched calamities as be in this present lyfe without we haue our fayth stayed in the onely merites death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Chryst How be it in the meane time through the helpe and comfort of the spirite they are a certayne inwarde taste of the same glory in vs Which glory at the resurrection of the flesh and after the putting away from vs all our mortalitie shall be fully declared and giuen vnto vs At which tyme wée shall all liue immortall with Chryst that is always immortall and euerlasting for our onely faythes sake in his bloud And that is the tyme the which all the godly vniuersally looke continually for as desirous to beholde the comming of the same At that time also shall the full number of the children of God be made and fulfilled and the glory of all these shall be opened vnto them which in this life haue ben afflicted with persecution and imprisonment with thirste hunger sorowes gréefes and other calamities for Chrystes sake And so greatly in subiection are the creatures of this worlde to myseries that the very circuite and compasse of the worlde it selfe séemeth to continue altogither in miserie as in example the ayre the earth the water with all other celestiall bodies yea the very angels them selues are created to none other ende but to set foorth Gods glory and to shew their seruice for the necessities of men For which cause the very buylding of the worlde it selfe shall not be frée from trouble and disquietnesse vntill suche time as perfecte fréedome shall be giuen to the children of god Howbeit the worlde it selfe though it be insensible neither feeleth disquietnesse yet there is in it a certayne naturall taste and desire to come to perfection And in the meane tyme it obeyeth willingly to him for whose pleasure it was to make it in suche wyse subiecte to disquietousnesse Whiche so muche the more paciently abideth his sorowe bicause his naturall inclination dothe recorde to him him selfe that hys sorowe shall not bée perpetuall but vntill suche tyme as the children of God shall fully and plenarily be deliuered from all their gréefe and carefulnesse At whiche tyme shall the whole Cope therof cease from his great vnrest and disquietousnesse Also forasmuche as we sée that all the elements and planets of this worlde do vary at so many and sundry tymes and doo sée likewise the Sunne and the Moone to haue so many Eclipses and Chaunges as also perceyuing by dayly experience what laboures are taken in vayne for the repaire of things in this life which do not continue but fall agayne to their corruption And beholding also the Starres to alter and striue one with another and in conclusion nothing to be in perpetuall reste It can not be chosen but euen the very Angelles also of heauen looking downe by the power of God from an high vpon our infinite miseries and wretchednesse are greatly dismayed of them moued at them and sorowe for them as muche as their creation can suffer them to do Wherfore al the whole number of creatures and things made by the hands of God do euen grone sigh with vs in our misfortunes All which after the maner of women laboring with child wish and long for the ende of their great trauell and sorowes And herein is no maruell though it chaunce to others considering the same happeneth to vs also that firste before all men haue receiued the spirite of Chryst which he gaue moste abundantly vnto vs Yet that notwithstanding we are entangled with thousands of cares and myseries partely for the sustentation of our lyues and partely by the occasion of wycked persons alwayes troubling and conspiring agaynst vs Yea our cares are so many and variable so gréeuous terrible and vnsufferable that we oftentimes doo sorow and lamente our owne wofull causes moste hartily wishing for that happie day when all the
they expected by the law and that for their vnbeléefes sake But they onely attayne to their saluation whiche looke not for it by Circumcision or kéeping of the law but onely of frée mercy and for the election sake of god For all other wayes profiteth not neither Circumcision nor kéeping of the Lawe excepte they yéelde them selues vnto the fayth of Chryst But they in the stubbornenesse of their hearts are all blynded after suche a sorte with their owne pride and malice that though they had dayly shewed amongst them numbers of miracles by Christ yet they beléeued not in him whom they looked for by the promise of the law And all they though they did sée Chryst with their bodily eyes yet with the eyes of their hearts and minds they saw him not And this same dyd Esaias prophesie should come vppon them which at this day as I truely sée it come to passe so with mine vnfayned hart I doo lamente and sorowe it For the which bicause they so wretchedly caste from them the moste gracious and good spirite of Chryst God hath sent vnto them the spirite of vnquietnesse a spirite that is harde full of prickes and very rough to be handled For though they sée with their bodily eyes yet notwithstanding they are so inwardly blinded and amased that they say and so shew them selues to sée nothing at all And though they also heare with their outward eares yet they are therwith no more moued than though they herd nothing at all Such maner of people were there in the time of the Prophets the lyke also was with Chryst him selfe and suche people are there vntill this present day among the preachers of the Gospell Dauid therefore foreseeing in the spirits that these things shoulde come to passe doth prophecie the destruction of them for their disobedience agaynst God and sayth Let their table be made a snare to take them selues withall an occasion to fall and a punishment méete for their actes Let their eyes bée blynded that they sée not and bowe thou downe their backes euen for this speciall cause that they would not thankefully receiue the great benefite of God béeing offered vnto them and would not yelde them selues contented with the sight of Chryst and the hearing of his Gospell but in their disdaynfulnesse were puffed vp holding proudly vp their heades into the ayre and set at nought the benignitie of their maker towards them And cleauing faste vnto the rude letter of the Lawe they had in vtter contempt those things that were heauenly and spirituall and scorning the things that were euerlasting they chose to continue their liues in momentayne and worldely vanities which now beare about with them the bookes of Moses but they doo not vnderstand them which also read the Prophets but they yet deny him whom they prophecied of should come But heere peraduenture a man will demaunde of me for what purpose I discourse so muche agaynst the Iewes Verily euen for this cause they are so manyfestly blinded they are berefte of their senses they be twofolde crooked and are vtterly dubled and amased in their braines But are they in this wise so déepe fallen into the myre or sonke into the tough clay of blindnesse that there is yet no hope lefte of recouerie and to rayse them vp agayne God forbidde for their fall happened vnto them but for a certayne season And their fall was not vnprofitable to you bycause thereby you were occasioned to be called vnto the Gospell And that as the fall of the Iewes opened the way vnto you to take holde of your saluation euen so you agayne by your vertuouse example before the end of the world draw them agayne to godlynesse and stirre them vp by your fruitfull fayth to the true beléefe in Chryste from whiche they fell through their own hateful and most cankred malice Wherfore if the fall of the Iewes did in suche sorte profite you that it was nothing at all preiudiciall or hurtefull but rather occasioned that fayth in many other was muche more quicke and liuely forasmuche as in the stéede of a few that fell the Gospell of Chryst was the more largely spredde amongst all men and the losse of one nation was the cause that so many nations were wonne and brought in to Chryst How muche more then should the worlde be enriched with the Christian flocke if by the vertuouse example of your godly religion and fayth in Iesus Chryst that same nation agayne should be wonne and so ioyned to all the other in the same moste holy profession O ye Gentiles it is euen to you that I now speak which I take as mine owne bicause by appoyntment I am your moste glad Apostle For whose sake though I can find in mine heart to labour and to doo al things be they neuer so harde yet that notwithstanding I am a great deale more bounde to execute my office which with strayte charge is committd vnto me that is to lucrifie and winne you vnto the Gospell of Chryst and to profite you in suche godlynesse of lyfe that if it be possible I may by that meanes conuert and turne agayne my natiue countreymen vnto the same godlynesse whiche peraduenture they will not doo fréely and with a franke courage taking example of you yet that it may be done although at the least for enuie and hatred sake For as the Countrey it selfe is enuiouse agaynst the Gentiles euen so to sée you doo better than themselues they would be lothe or that you shoulde with God be in better case than they Likewise also in thys maner though I am not able to saue them all yet I moste hartily pray you that by your good example of fayth and holy life which you haue promised to perfourme before God I may seeme to bring some of them to goodnesse agayne and I do not doubt of you but you will all wish and desire the same thing with me For if the reiection now of the Iewes hath bene the occasion that the rest of the world is reconciled vnto God bicause their falling from his grace was the cause of the Gentiles admission to it howe muche better shall it then be that all they which be now falne from Christ doe repent and returne vnto grace againe and to become as new born men or restored againe from death taking example of you to accōplishe the same with gladnesse Which thing done there remaineth then nothing else to be loked after but the resurrection of all fleshe Neither should we despaire of all the whole nation for the impious state or vngodlinesse of a fewe of them for séeing the Gentiles being once very farre from all kinde of godly religion were yet at the calling of God brought vnto the true worshipping of him why shuld not in like maner the Iewes be called againe to the grace and fauours of God considering they procéeded of so godly parents which also were beginners of their
vprightly deale in their holy functions woorthy theyr laud and commendation then the honor that is done vnto them is done woorthily vnto God him selfe But contrarywise if they shall abuse the excellencie of their state as men corruptly folowing their owne sinfull lustes and regarde not the vtilitie of the people then the honoure that is done is done only to the magistrate eschuing all vprores breaking no peace but to kéepe an order with humblenesse in all their publike weales To conclude therefore conforme your selues as well to the common tranquilitie of the publike affaires as also to serue the expectation of the magistrates that héerein in any wise there may not be once found in you any offence at all Also among your selues haue this in remembrance that ye make neither chalenge nor paiment of any custome tribute or other earthy taxing one of an other but only of mutuall and brotherly charitie to lead your liues in vnitie Which also that of right by order is to be done amongst you let it be of that perfection and Christen vehemencie that there be no delay towards any person which should lawfully require it and to auoid an extremitie of his condition that after oft demaunds may chaÌ„ce to fal To the magistrates when you haue payed that which they haue taxed vpon you then are you frée for the time and no longer detters in that behalf vnto them But althoughe throughe your godly charitie you haue thus fully satisfied all men to their lawful requests yet it doth neuer satisfie it selfe but alwayes laboreth studieth to heape benefite vpon benefite vnto euery man. Therefore before all other things embrace and kéepe stil amongste you that noble vertue charitie which in it selfe fulfilleth most amplie all the whole law For whatsoeuer he be that in pure christen charitie loueth his neighbor hath in him selfe the very summe of Moses law pleaseth God most singularly But if charitie be awaye the obseruation of many lawes suffiseth not thoughe the number of them be infinite Againe if it beare sway and raigne amongst you there néede none other lawes at all in as much as this only vertue of charitie setteth forthe vnto oure perfect knowledge the ful effecte that the whole commaundements requireth of vs The law of Moses forbiddeth adultry manslaughter theft false witnesse coueting of another mans goods vsurie with many such like but the whole summe of all these is bréefely comprehended in this coÌ„maundement of charitie Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Charitie to hir power séeketh for the profite of all men whether they be good or euill and not to hurte any man Therefore to what purpose doeth it serue to prohibite that you doe no hurte this waye or that waye sithe the nature of charitie is to hurt no man whatsoeuer he be Can he that loueth kill will he that loueth his neighbour as him selfe séeke to defile his neighbours wife will he robbe and spoyle his neighbour of his goodes that is ready to helpe and succour him with his owne gâ—â—d â—â—e will he beare false witnesse to the hurte of his neighbour that vpon his owne perill will saue and defende hym will he set foorth his riches vnto vsurie which thinketh the whole summe of his goodes to be common for others necessitie will he couet another mans losse or misfortune to whom he wisheth as well as to him selfe Or can he with will vexe any man for whoÌ„ Chryst dyed if he vnfainedly loue Chryst and him It is very true therefore that charitie it selfe is the summe of the whole lawe By charitie we all learne what to folowe and what to eschue and put away from vs To the loue of which euen the very nature and condition of the time enforceth vs that is to say that in taking vpon vs true repentaunce and amendement of our liues we awake euen from the sléepe of darkenesse and death the errour of our olde liues The night season in the darkenesse therof séemeth to giue libertie of offence bicause of his owne condition it is shamelesse and darke for in the darkenesse of the nighte all suche as in the vncleannesse of their hearts are inclined to whordome and wantonnesse giue them selues then to fulfill their filthy luste yet notwithstanding as soone as daylighte appeareth they leaue off their sinfull workes of darkenesse and doo decke or fashion them selues agayne to the open shew and face of the worlde Wherein béeing thus in the brightnesse of the day made agayne as new men they shew them selues abroade and are become of filthy wantons chaste and cleane persons of dronkards sober men of sediciouse felowes quiet men and of slouthfull and lumpish lubbors liuely quicke and cherefull men For which cause according to the time we must holily apply and frame our liues which if we in déede shall rightly vse we shall then the more ioyfully account vppon our saluation and to be now néerer at hand vnto vs than in the dayes of Moyses although we then beléeued it to be very nigh vnto vs The night of our olde life is gone past and the clere day is euen at hande which shall make open and manyfest all the moste déepe and darke secrets that lye moste couertly hidde Let vs now therefore in the bright day of Gods grace shining presently vpon vs moste happily embrace it and conforme our selues to the clerenesse of that heauenly light casting away from vs al our deadly darke nightly maners wherof in the fayre light of the day we may be all ashamed And if it be a godly maner that as soone as the light of the day appeareth we gladly yeld to the time and euery of vs decke our bodies with more comely apparell that in the sight of men we may appeare more decent séemely then much rather at the comming of the clere light of the Gospell we should adourne and garnish our soules with the most séemely beautiful vesture of vertue And he that thus worthily walketh in this true light of life let him not drede at any time the sighte of God who euer and in all places beholdeth our dooings And so let vs altogither in this world dispose our liues that it may euidently appeare before the face of God before all his holy angels and vnto all other his creatures that we haue clerely cast from vs the obscuritie and darkenesse of our liues and to walke honestly in the cléere light it self not abusing the time in eating drinking in chambering wantonnesse neither in strife enuying or vnchristenly contending among your selues with al which vices suche like you haue heretofore ben most filthily spotted and foyled walking in the darknesse of your olde liues But now at this time séeing you be altogither vnited vnto christ by baptime take him vpoÌ„ your backs garnish your selues with him yea let him shine in you throgh your holy coÌ„uersation all your life long whose name
Not only the olde man but also euery other creature shall be redéemed and deliuered from vanitie vnder the reuelation of so great a kingdom the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 8. 80 But how Shall the plants reuiue againe and florishe a newe And shal the beastes and liuing things put immortalitie vpon them yea verily but not by themselues in theyr subsistences or beings but in the whole that is in the heade Christ and in the sainctes his body whilest in them their bodies life sense and minde be restored to newnesse glory which degrées conclude the vniuersall perfection bothe of the worke created and also of that which is to be renued and the same in the newe and blessed man Christ Iesus the true God and very eternal sonne of god the father Where is diligently to be marked that we distinct these thrée diligētly in Christ namely a true fleshe and very bones a very soule and minde in déede and the very spirite of his father In such sorte that of euery one of these the nature be seperately distinctly kept and reserued to it selfe in the kingdom of glory not one mixed with an other euen as Christ himselfe did distinct them when after the resurrection he proued and verified to be in him the nature of very flesh and bones In which order the holy ghost obtaineth the highest place as the kingly vnction of the Fathers maiestie The second is the minde the thirde are bones and flesh Which thing if it shal be marked we shal ouercome great difficulties and shall escape most gréeuous errors that are now in these dayes of the flesh of Christ Therefore as by this Christ all things were made both visible and inuisible euen so by the same and in the same all things shall be renued to glory the woorke of restauration so farre passing the first woorke of creation as mutable is excelled of immutable and as that which is renuable is excelled and surmounted of that which already is renued to better and into the best state it may haue 82 This is the merite of the pure bloud of Christe Iesus the heauenly man which being sprinkled abrode vppon all things mundifieth that is maketh cleane al things in heauen and in earth the oldnesse of corruption dissolued the newnesse of incorruptibilitie brought in that shall abide for euer when this shal be spoken Stabilitie of stablenesse al things are stable as hitherto hath bene said vanitie of vanities all things are vanitie while the vanitie of the olde creature raigned Thāks therfore and glory be to God the father who hath giuen vs this victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ the new mā VVho repair in vs integritie and nevvnesse of life after this old corrupt disposition of the olde and first Adam Amen Amen An exhortation sent from a straunger a worthy and famous learned man of God to the righte highe and mightie Prince Edvvard Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Church of England Immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the vvest partes as also in Suffolke and Norfolke In the yeare of our Lord Christ 1549. MY Lorde although God hathe giuen vnto youre grace a singuler prudēce magnanimitie other godly vertues requisite to the place wher he hathe ordained you and for the affaires that he hathe put into your hand neuerthelesse for as muche as ye doe estéeme me for a seruaunte of his sonne Christ whome you aboue all desire to obey I am certaine that for the loues sake of him you will receiue gently that which I nowe wryte vnto you in his name As in déede I pretend none other end but in folowing stil that which you haue already begun you might therein continue and séeke the aduauncement of his glory more and more vntill the time yée haue established his kingdome and raigne in suche perfection as it may rightly be knowne vnto the world And also ye shal know that without aduauncing any thing of mine owne fantasie all that I nowe purpose to wryte shall be drawne oute of his moste pure and holesome doctrine And for as muche as you refuse not to be taughte of the same maister whome I serue but that you rather preferre to all the rest the grace that he hathe giuen vnto you to be one of hys Disciples I thinke that I haue no néede to make vnto you any long excuse or preface bicause I finde you sufficiently disposed to receiue all suche things as shall procéede of him We haue all great cause to render thanks vnto our Lord God and father for that he hath thus willed to be so reuerently obeyed and serued of you in so excellent and high a worke as in setting foorth agayne I meane the pure and true rule of his seruice in Englande and in causing the sincere doctrine of health to haue place and to be there faythfully published to all them that will heare and for that that he hath giuen vnto you such vertue and constancie to continue vnto this time agaynst so many temptations and difficulties and for that he hath also strengthned you in blessing all your counsels and labours for the prospering of them for they be things that stirre all true and faythfull men to magnifie and prayse his name But in the meane time bicause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all meanes possible new combates and that it is a thing of it selfe so harde that there can be nothing more harde than to cause that the worde of God may peaceably rule amongest the people which through the corruption of their owne natures be giuen to lyes and fantasies And forasmuche as there are so many circumstances which impecheth in these dayes the strayght course of the same and aboue all that the superstitions of Antichryst hauing taken roote so long time may not easily be taken away from their hartes It séemeth vnto me yée haue great néede to be confirmed and strengthned by some holy exhortations and I doubt not but the experience therof teacheth you to féele the same whiche shall be the cause to make me procéede more frankly considering that my purpose as I beléeue shall be conformable to your desire And albeit that mine exhortations shall be superfluous yet I am sure that you wil beare with that good zeale affection of mine which vndoubtedly stirreth me to doo it Wherfore I thinke according to reason that the necessitie which ye féele shall cause mine exhortations a great deale the sonner and the better to be receiued whatsoeuer they shal be I beséech your Lordship that it may please you to giue me hearing in some aduertisements that I entende shortely to declare vnto you hoping that when yée shall vnderstande them yée shall at the leaste finde some sauour to be recomforted and to take a greate deale the better courage to continue the holy and moste noble enterpryse vnto which God hath appoynted you at