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
growe no apples but there is vnbelefe the deuels spirite and euyll workes Of thys Goddes spirite and hys frutes haue oure holy ypocrites not once knowen nether yet tasted howe swete they are though they fayne many good workes of theyr owne ymaginacions to be iustyfied with all in whiche is not one crum of true faythe or spirituall loue or of inwarde ioye peace and quyetnes of conscience for as muche as they haue not the worde of God for them that such woorkes please God but they are euen the rotten frutes of a rotten tre After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large and sheweth whence bothe synne and righteousnes deathe and lyfe come And he compareth Adam and Christe together thus wyse reasonynge and dysputynge that Christe muste neades comme as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of hys ryghtewesnes thorowe a newe spyrytuall byrthe without oure deseruynges euen as the fyrste Adam made vs heyres of synne thorowe the bodely generacyon without oure deseruing Whereby is euidently knowen and proued to the vttermost that no man can bring him self out of synne vnto righteousnes nomore then he coulde haue withstande that he was borne bodely And that is proued herewith for as muche as the very lawe of God whiche of right shoulde haue holpe yf any thinge could haue holpen not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euyll and poysoned nature is offended and vtterly displeased with the lawe and the more she is forbyd by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyer to fulfill and satisfye her lustes By the lawe then we se clerely that we must nedes haue Christe to iustifye vs with his grace and to helpe nature In the .vi. Chapter he setteth forth the chiefe and principal worke of faith the battaill of the spirite against the fleshe howe the spirite laboreth and enforseth to kyll the remnaunt of syn and â—â—â— whiche remaine in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapter teacheth vs that we are not so free from synne thorowe faythe that we shoulde hence forth go vp and downe ydle carelesse and sure of our selues as though there were nowe no more synne in vs yes ther is sin remaining in vs but it is not rekened because of faith of the spirite which fight against it Wherfore we haue ynough to do all oure life 's longe to tame our bodies and to compell the membres to obey the spirite and not the appetites that thereby we myght be like vnto Christes death refurreccioÌ„ and might fulfil our baptisme which signifieth the mortifyinge of synnes and the newe life of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last birthe and vntill that sinne be vtterly staine by the death of the bodye This thing I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to do sayeth he seyng we are vnder grace and not vnder the lawe what it is not to be vnder the lawe he hym selfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstande that euery manne maye do what him lusteth But not to be vnder the lawe is to haue a free hearte renewed with the spirite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thyne own accorde to do that which the law commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no lawe For grace that is to saye Goddes fauoure bryngeth vs the spirit and maketh vs to loue the lawe so is there now no more synne neyther is the lawe nowe any more agaynst vs but at one and agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the lawe is to deale with the workes of the lawe and to worke without the spirite and grace â–ª for so longe no doubte synne raygneth in vs thorow the lawe that is to saye the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and that synne hath power and dominion ouer vs seynge we cannot fulfyll the lawe namely within the hearte for as muche as no man of nature fauoreth the lawe consenteth there vnto and delyteth therein Which thyng is exceading great synne that we cannot consent to the law which lawe is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the ryght fredome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe wherof he writeth vnto the ende of thys Chapter that is a fredome to do good onelye with luste and to lyue well without compulcyon of the lawe wherfore thys fredome is a spirituall fredome whiche destoyeth not the lawe but ministreth that whiche the lawe requyreth and where â–ª with the lawe is fulfylled that is to vnderstande luste and loue wherwith the lawe is stylled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more nether hathe ought to craue of vs any more Euen as though thou were in dette to an other man and were not able to paye two maner wayes myghtest thou be lowsed One waye yf he woulde require nothyng of the and breke thyne obligacion An other waye yf some other good man woulde paye for the and geue the as much as thou myghtest â—arâ—sâ—ie thyne obligacion with all Of this wyse hathe Christe made vs fre from the lawe and therfore is this no wylde fleshely libertie that shoulde do nought but that doeth all thinges and is fre from the crauyng and decre of the lawe In the .vij. Chapter he confyrmeth the same with a similytude of the state of matrimony As when the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one looced and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now fyrst of all is she fre and hath power to mary vnto an other man which she coulde not do before tyll she was looced from her fyrst housband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder old Adam the flesh as long as he liueth in vs. For the law declareth that our hertes are bounde that we cannot disconsent from him But when he is mortifyed and kylled by the spirite then is the conscience fre and at lybertye â–ª not so that the conscience shall nowe nought do but now fyrst of al cleueth vnto another that is to were Christ and bringeth forthe the frutes of lyfe So â—ow to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfyll the lawe but to be detter to it and not able to paye that whiche the lawe requyreth And to be looce from the lawe is to fulfyll it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can nowe hence forth are thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the lawe how that thorow the lawe synne reuiueth moueth hir selfe and gathereth strength For the old man and corrupt nature the more he is forboden and kepte vnder of the lawe is the more offended and dyspleased therewith for as muche as he cannot paye that whiche is requyred of the lawe For synne is his nature and of hym selfe he cannot but synne Therefore
suche thynges as may with vs be conueied hence to that heauenly life And what thinges bene they Withoute doubte iustice peace ioye whiche are not gyuen by obseruyng differences of meates but by the holy goost Ianglyng for meates worketh malice and debate it worketh sorowe it worketh displeasures grudges But the spirite of god in stede of disseÌ„cioÌ„ worketh peace in stede of sorowe causeth gladnes for displeasure wroÌ„g perfyte ryghteousnes For as it belongeth to iustice to hurte noman so to peace belongeth it to stryue with noman and the office of charitie is to trouble and greue noman These are spiritual giftes of god in these who so serueth Christe bothe pleaseth god whyles he dothe suche thynges as to hym are moste acceptable and pleaseth also men whiles he by diligente wayes auoydeth all suspicion occasion of euyll Carnall they be whiche stryuen eche one with other for meates and dayes They serue the spirite of Christe that stande not in defence of theyr owne actes but rather suche as charitably please eche one another and chaunge themselfe into euery sorte to wynne all to Christe fashionyng themselues to all mennes vsuages to th entent they maye please euery man The texte Let vs therfore folowe those thinges whiche make for peace and thynges wherewith one maye edifie an other Destroye not the worke of god for a litle meates sake All thinges are pure but it is euyl for the man whiche eateth with hurte of conscience It is good neither to eate fleashe neither any thinge wherby thy brother stombleth either falleth or is made weake Haste thou fayth haue it with thy selfe before god Happye is he that condemneth not hymselfe in that thing whiche he alloweth For he that maketh conscience is damned yf he eate because he eatethe it not of fayth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth that same is syn We therfore that are spiritual leauyng suche contenciouse disputacions let vs folow suche thynges as make to peace suche thynges as nouryshe concorde suche thinges as encrease mutuall loue and to be briefe all such trade of lyfe as maye make vs better yâ— one maye the better helpe another not suche as other maye therwith be offeÌ„ded This is the chiefe and principall poynte of our religion Thou that arte stronger beware yâ— for thy meates sake thou destroye not the worke of God Muche rather lose thy meate than through occasion therof yâ— thing be destroyed whiche god redemed by the death of his sonne As for meate is a thing yâ— belongeth to man is requisite for the ayde of worldly necessitie but charitie is gods matier when both be in ieopardy let rather that gyue place whiche beareth lesse weight not because in the meate eatyng there is any synne or because one is pure another vnpure as the Iewes would haue it or because it is any offence to eate of euery kynde of meate but because therby occasion of stoumblyng and misdeming is giuen not because thou eatest it but because throughe eatyng therof thou greuest thy weake and feble brother by meane wherof the meate whiche by nature is cleane forsomuche as thou in vsyng it regardest not thy neyghbours ieopardye becommeth vncleane This poynte muste we so greatly take hede vnto and thynke that better it were altogether to abstayne from fleashe and to eate hearbes yea altogether to forbeare the drynkyng of wyne than by eating or drynkyng to gyue thy brother occasion of sclaunder Nor saye thou this agayne vnto me why feareth he where no nede is myne owne fayth and conscience condemneth me not nor saye thou what haue I with other mennes weakenes to do Doest thou couÌ„sel me to leaue myne owne mynde and to folowe his and so begynne to folowe and vse a certayne choyse and difference in meates No not so I require not of thee to folowe his weakenes but rather for a tyme to condescende vnto it vpon hope of his amendmente I allowe this confidence of thine in that thou despiseste suche differences of meates but yet hide and couer this thy boldnes yf thou see that thy brother be lyke to fall into ieopardye therby Be contente that god in the meane tyme knoweth and approueth the strengthe of thy conscience And yet muste the same for that tyme be dissembled whyles thou auoydeste the daunger and weakenyng of thy neighbours conscience by leanyng fashionyng thy selfe to his weaknes And in the meane tyme take hede of this that where thou sayest thou regardest no suche choyse of meates that this thy saying come furth and procede of a strong coÌ„science and not made for a colour to maynteine the pleasure whiche thou hast to eatyng and drynking nor for wantones Beware also leste whiles thou dispisest and reprouest another for his supersticion in abstaynyng from meates thy self in thy conscience doubte and so be more strong in worde than thou arte in fayth Blessed is that man whiche is of that strengthe in faythe that in the acte which he amoÌ„g men approueth and maynteneth he feele not within hym his conscience murmuring agaynst it and in his hearte secretly condemne that which in the face of the worlde it approueth For who soeuer doubteth iudgyng with hymself yâ— it is vnlawful to eate is euen by his owne conscience condeÌ„ned And why is he coÌ„demned Because the acte he doth coÌ„meth not of a stroÌ„g fayth and an vpright conscience but of a conscience grudgyng agaynste his doyng For what soeuer commeth not of fayth is ioyned with syn For when a manne doubtyng of an acte whether it be euyll or not whiche of it selfe is not euyll in dede doth it yet nethelesse he in so doyng declareth yâ— he woulde do a verie euyll thyng in dede yf occasion serued Perfite godlynes in whome it is surely auoydeth all suche thynges as haue but euen an apparence of euyll Whoso of malyce doth synfully is well worthy to be reproued yf suche one wyll not be refourmed euen his company must be auoyded also But when yâ— errour groweth by reason of infirmitie he that is in suche errour muche more deserueth to be taught and warned and not to be disdayned or mocked at The .xv. Chapiter The texte ¶ We whiche are stronge ought to beare the fraylnes of them whiche are weake and not to stande in oure owne conceites Let euâ—rie man please his neighbour vnto his welthe and edifieng For Christe pleaâ—ed not hymselfe â–ª but as it is written the rebukes of them â–ª whiche rebuked the fell on me What soeuer thinges are written afâ—re tyme they are wrytten for our learnyng that we through pacience and comfort of the scriptures myght haue hope NOwe then yf we be stronger than other as we in dede be in somuche yâ— we herein nede nomaÌ„ to giue vs counsel yet muste we take hede lest whyle we reproue an other mannes small erroure and call it supersticion we our selues fal into yâ— fer more haynous vice of arrogancie but rather the stronger we be the
all ioye and concorde that through faythe that the hope whiche ye haue now already conceyued of god maye dayly more and more be enriched and encreased through a confidence of a good and a cleare coÌ„science throughe the mighty power of the holy ghost The texte ¶ I my self am full certified of you my brethren that ye also are ful of goodnes and filled with all knowledge are able to exhorte one another Neuerthelesse brethreÌ„ I haue sumwhat more boldely wrytten vnto you partly to put you in remembraunce through the grace yâ— is gyuen me of god that I should be the minister of Iesu Christe among the Gentiles and should minister the gospel of god â–ª that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable and sanctified by the holy ghost I haue therfore wherof I maye reioyce through Christe Iesu in those thynges whiche pertayne to god For I dare not speake of anye of those thinges which Christ hathe not wrought by me to make yâ— GeÌ„tiles obedient with worde and dede in mightie signes and wonders by the power of the spirite of god so that from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde about vnto Illiricum I haue fylled all countreyes with the gospell of Christe And this speake I not because I mistrust your goodnes as of whome I am thus ferfurth persuaded that ye of youre owne good wyll are ful of charitie and endewed with suche knowelege as are without my councell able to gyue eche other of you in these matiers good aduise But yet haue I sumwhat familiarly and liberally wrytten vnto you not to teache you as ignoraunte neither to commaunde you as people ylwylled but to put you in remembraunce what is beste to be done to th entent that it whiche ye well know muste be done and your selfes frely doe ye do the same more plentifullye throughe myne encoragyng in this behalf doing my duetie committed vnto me by god being therof vnworthy folowyng the wyl and pleasure of Iesus Christe whose worke I labour in to the vtterest of my power â–ª that by the auauncyng of the glorie of his ghospell among you whiche are Gentiles I maye vnto hym offer a pure sacrifice And this thynke I to hym a moste accepted sacrifice yf I offer you vnto hym in suche cleannesse as besemeth hym eueÌ„ as a holy sacrifice and pourged not wyth carnall cerimonies but with the holy ghost whiche is the onlye authoure of perfite holynes And synce I see that I haue alreadye in manye of you brought this to passe surely I maye lawfully glorie not bosting myselfe before the world but reioysing before god of my prosperouse preachyng for whiche yet neither thanke I my selfe nor my labour but Iesus Christ whose deputie I am by whose assisteÌ„ce I execute the office of preachyng coÌ„mitted vnto me My mynde can not abyde to make rehearsall of other mennes actes leste in so doyng I might seme to take vpon me the prayse which they haue deserued but only speake wyl I of suche thinges as Christ hath by my own ministerie done whiche is that the wycked Gentiles all gyuen to ydolatrie are nowe become obedient to the gospel moued therto partely by my wordes and deedes and partely by the great myracles and wonderfull workes by me shewed for the establyshment of my doctrine shewed I saye not so muche by my power and strength as by the myghtie power of the spirite of god to whome I am nothyng els but as an instrument and minister So that then whyles I thus glorie of the luckie successe of my preachyng I do not so muche auaunce my owne glorie as the glorie of Christe And in this behalfe do I lawfullye glorie whiche in suche sorte gyue the prayse of my preachyng to god that I yet therin gyue place to no manne The texte ¶ So haue I enforsed my self to preache the gospel not where Christ was named leste I shoulde haue buylte on another mannes foundacion but as it is written to whoÌ„ he was not spoken of they shall see and they that heare not shall vnderstande For this cause I haue â—ene ofte let and am let as yet that I coulde not come vnto you but now seyng I haue nomore to do in these countreyes and also haue bene desirouse many yeares to come vnto you whensoeuer I take my iourney into Spayne I wyll come to you for I trust to see you in my iourneye and to be brought on my waye thitherwarde by you after that I haue somewhat enioyed your aquaintaunce Nor haue I preached the gospell after a commen sorte but haue vntyl this tyme preached in suche countreies where Christes name was not yet hearde of and laboured busilye for that prayse at goddes hande that by me the foundacions of christian religion myght be more enlarged and the compasse of his dominioÌ„ more spread abrode Nor mynded I to build vpon the foundacions â–ª whiche other of the apostles had layde because as it is a harder poynte to sette vp the begynnynges of religion than to mayntayne that which is set vp already so thought I that this acte more belonged to the gospel specyally synce I perceyued that it was so long before sayde by the moste holy prophete Esai To whome sayth he he was not spoken of they shal see and they that hearde not of hym shall vnderstande And this desyre to enlarge the faythe of Christe hathe so greatlye troubled me that hitherto I coulde not see you albeit I was verye desyrouse to do so but wheras I oftentymes purposed to come thither vnto you â–ª busines styll hindered me I thinke the spirite of Christ so gouerning me But nowe after that I haue gone ouer all Achaia and Macedonia in whiche countreyes I see no place but that in it I haue set the foundacioÌ„s of christian fayth and am nowe this manye eares in great desyre to see you I truste I shall haue occasion to satisfye this my desyer that when I go into Spaine by the way thitherwarde I shal see you and by you be brought on my way thitherwarde and yet not before that I haue taryed with you for certaine daies haue with your good coÌ„pany partely satisfied my desyre And this I trust by yâ— fauor of Christ shal shortly be done The texte Now goe I to Ierusalem and minister vnto the saintes For it hath pleased them of Macedoâ—â—a and Achaia to make a certaine distribucion vpoÌ„ the poore saintes which are at Ierusalem It hath pleased them verely and theyr debters are they For if the gentyles be made partakers of theyr spiritual thinges theyr duetie is to minister vnto theÌ„ in bodily thynges When I haue perfourmed this haue brought them this fruite sealed I wyl come backe againe by you into Spaine I am sure that when I come vnto you I shal come with aboundaunce of the blessyng of the gospel of Christ But at this present tyme purpose I to go to IerusaleÌ„ to deliuer vnto the poore Iewes that there are are
by age stronger euen by the course of nature suffer and nouryshe the weaker accordyng as Christe gaue exaumple so ought suche ▪ as are in faythe stronger sometymes please and beare with the weaker vntyll that by continuaunce of tyme they growe more strong But as in this daye among the Iewes christened some there bee whiche by reason of theyr olde and long continued religion canne not despyse suche thynges notwithstandyng the holye prophetes playnely prophecied that it shoulde so bee and Christe hymselfe commaunded thesame so were there some at the fyrste publishyng of the ghospell yea and in this daye to some there bee whiche albeit they confesse Christe are not yet quite oute of feare of theyr auncetours religion but eate fleshe offered in sacrifice to ydolles not as foode necessarie to satisfie the hungrie stomacke but as holy thinges vowed to this deuyll or that deuill When suche one seeth thee whome he thinketh in learnyng and iudgemente to passe the common sorte sytte at table with Paynims at suche offered meates supposyng that thou eateste euen with lyke mynde and conscience as he doeth thesame manne is throughe thyne exaumple hurte and foloweth thy dede amisse whose mynde and conscience he knoweth not And thus he whiche before staggered but a litle and was but somewhat supersticiouse is throughe this occasion become more supersticiouse I speake not this because I allowe either his supersticion or suspicyon For christian charitie teacheth not that suche infirmities shoulde bee praysed or nouryshed but that it shoulde rather in some tyme and place bee borne with suffered Nor thinke I it conuenient alwayes to geue place to the desyres of suche as are weake For so to do what els were it but styl without ende to nourishe supersticion and in suche sorte to please the weake that thou forsake thyne owne strength Suche one as is weake muste be taught warned and reproued whiche when by reason that he is weaker shoulde gyue eare vnto and folowe the stronger yet in his conscience iudgeth he and condemneth hym that is his better and where it beseemed him by folowing the others exaumple to encrease in the strengthe of faythe rather strengtheneth he the disease of his mynde and where it behoued hym to laboure for lyke perfeccion he constrayneth the stronge to gyue place to his weakenes But in case the manne bee not yet able to take instruccions and counsell christian charitie wylleth that the stronger for a whyle beare with the weaker beeyng yet suche one as wyl amende chiefelye in suche a matier wherein two poyntes are speciallye to bee weyghed fyrste that the supersticiouse mynde conceyued in our childehoode and by long custome and tyme established is suche a thyng as canne scarcely bee shaken of and also that there is no ieopardie more to bee feared than the ieopardye of ydolatrie But the mater of the weaker wil we in another place intreate of In the meane season because among you I see men more often offende in the other side endeuoure muste we rather to suppresse thys arrogante and proude knowledge without charitie I allow this thy saying meate maketh vs not acceptable to God For since God for mannes vse made all thinges and of vs requireth nothing but godly life what matier is it to hym whether we eate fishe or beastes or wyldefoule None of all these eyther encreaseth or abateth godlines In these a difference obserued may make a manne supersticyouse but godly it maketh none since Christ himselfe taughte men to obserue among them no suche difference A light poynt is it therfore and a rashe if a miserable man will goe about to charge vs with suche constitucions But let rather euery man accordyng to the state of hys body eate what hym lyste so that it be doone sparelye and soberlye for all thynges geuyng thankes to God neyther condemnynge an other manne because he eateth not of the same nor in thyne hearte proude because for preseruyng thy bodylye healthe thou forbearest these meates or these In some other thynges there is not paraduenture soe greate a ieopardie but herein where presēte ieopardie is regarde muste be had of some suche as are weaker Whether thou eate suche meates as are offered vp to Idoles nothing shall thou be the better or yf thou eate them not shalte thou be anye poynte the worse But of this yet in the meane season must euery man be ware leste by vsing suche libertie to eate all meates ye geue the weake an occasion of ruine and stoumblyng And muste it not nedes bee so if one that is as yet some what supersticiouse see the whiche arte coumpted in learning and iudgemente to passe other to eate like meates as they dooe which haue sacrificed to an idole albeit with an other conscience than they dooe yet in apparence with lyke Shall not this mannes conscience I saye beeyng something ready to fall to his olde supersticion by thyne exaumple be mayntayned and prouoked to idolatrie and moued with an euyll conscience to eate suche meates as thy selfe vsest with a good and a strong faithe ioyned with an vpright conscience What matter maketh it thought it so be thou wilt saye Certaynely herein thys ieoperdie is there leste by the occasyon of thy strength thy weake brother peryshe whiche although he bee neuer so weake yet is he thy brother that is to say a christian man whom Christe hymselfe so farfurth despised not that for his deliueraunce he vouchsalued to dye Christ for the weake vsed his lyfe as a thyng litle woorth regardest thou thy brothers weale so litle that for a litle sorye meates sake thou wilte despyse hys peryll and ieoperdie namely when thou lackest not wherwith without danger of thy brother thou maist prouide for thy bealies nede But that ye should not thinke it a smal offence to trespace against a man whē as often as after this sorte ye offend the weake persons by such a suspicious example woundyng theyr weake consciences Ye must vnderstand also that ye offend displease Christ Be they neuer so muche younglynges be they neuer so weake yet doeth Christ acknowledge them for his members and as in them he thinketh himselfe offended so what soeuer is done for them he taketh as done vnto hymselfe Nor is it causelesse that he so often tymes bade vs beware of offendyng of the weake No manne better knoweth than I that in meates there is no parte of goodlynes or vngodlinesse and yet if I perceyue thys ieopardye nygh that by occasion therof my brother as yet somewhat geuen to supersticion myght be prouoked to eate such thinges as he eateth with a grudging conscience I would rather all my life wholly abstayn from eating of fleshe than through me Christes owne mēber should be in ieoperdy Meate offered vnto an idol defileth not y◠cōscience of the strong y◠eateth of it I graunte But the despysyng of any brothers ieoperdie defileth him y◠eateth whō we are bounde aswel to loue as oure selues ¶ The
came into the worlde to saue synners of whome I am chefe Notwithstandynge for this cause obtayned I mercy that Iesus Christ shoulde fyrste she we on me all longe pacience to declare an ensample vnto them whiche shoulde beleue on him vnto eternall lyfe So then vnto God kynge euerlastinge immortall inuysyble wyse onely be vonoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen This commaundement commit I vnto thee sonne Tymotheus accordynge to the prophecyes whiche in tyme past were prophecyed of the that thou in them shouldest fyght a good fyght hauyng faith and good conscience which some haue put awaye from them â–ª â—nd as concernyng faith haue made shypwracke Of whose nombre is Hymeneus and Alexander whome I haue delyuered vnto Satan that they maye learne not to blaspheme The Iewes haue nothing to saye againste me althoughe I sayde that I am by the goodnes of god without the helpe of the law becommen of a wicked and a myscheuous man now that that I am But the thinge that semeth vnto them vncredible is by moost euident argumentes vndoubtedly true and the thing that they renounce is withal studious endeuoure to be embraced as they saye with meting armes that Iesus Christe seyng the lawe to be vneffectuall vnto perfite saluacion was made man and came in his owne person into the worlde to thintent that throughe his death he myght geue vs perfyte healthe and in suffring the peynes of our vnrighteousnes he myght geue vnto vs his owne ryghteousnes Fynally albeit I was an earnest mayntenoure of the law of the fathers yet I doe not onely not excepte my selfe out of the nombre of sinners but also I knowledge me to be euen the chiefest among them I wyll not denye myne vncleanesse for it redoundeth vnto the glorye of Christe The lesse that I deserue mercye the more excellent is his clemencye I was worthye punyshement And howe commeth it to passe than that Christ would not onely pardon myne offences and declare his excedynge gentilnes towardes me but also enriche me with so many great free gyftes For what other purpose but through this notable example to prouoke all men to hope after lyke forgeuenesse how fylthily soeuer they haue lyued before so that they put no trust in the ayde of Moses lawe and set all their whole faith in Christes goodnesse that continueth with vs styll vnto euerlastynge lyfe The promysses are great but the promyse maker is trustye and sure And no man shall put any mystrust in the promyses that considereth Christ to be the promyse maker And in case any man coulde contemne him as a man hauyng suffred vpon the crosse yet let him consydre that the moost highe euerlastyng kynge God the father immortall inuisible and onely wyse is the chiefe autor of this busines who by his sonne geueth vs all thinges Therfore nothyng ought to seme incredible that almyghtye God promyseth And as for men they can chalenge to themselues no parte of habilitie to geue this so singuler a treasure forasmuche as he ought to haue all honour and glorye not for a certayne of yeares as the glorye of Moses lawe was but in all ages for euermore For it besemeth the immortall God to haue immortall honour That that I haue sayed is true and as the matter is in dede Than lyke as I do faithfully behaue my selfe in the busynes appointed vnto me euen so doe I geue the this in commaundement my louyng sonne Timothye that thou folowe thy fathers example in accomplyshyng the offyce that thou haste taken vpon the throughly in all poynctes It is goddes busynes that thou takest in hande wherunto thou wast not called by any promocion of man but by the appoinctement and commaundemeÌ„t of god Vnder his baners thou arte a souldiour and of him thou shalte receaue the rewardes of victorie Thou seest what a bande of men thou hast committed to thy credence thou seest with what maner of aduersaries thou haste a doe there is none oportunitie for the to be neglygent or to slepe thy matters And it were the greatest shame in the worlde and a very wycked parte for the to shrynke from him whose wordes thou arte sworne vnto whose name thou hast once professed His iudgemeÌ„t was that thou wouldest proue a valeaunt and a faithful guide for so the spirite of Christ by his inspiracion shewed vnto vs at suc he tyme as we committed autoritie of priesthoode vnto the by layeng on of handes See therfore that thou constauntlye answer aswell the iudgement that God gaue before of the as the faythfull truste that we haue in the so as god maye bothe prayse the for a noble guyde and I maye reknowledge the to be myne owne sonne It is an excellent warre that thou arte occupied in see that thou applye it manfully And that shal be in case thou kepe a syncere perfite fayth and vnto faithe ioyne a good conscience that thou put no doubte in goddes promysses and frame thy selfe in vprightenesse of lyfe accordynge to the synceritie of thy iudgement The purenesse of lyfe ought to be of suche efficacie that it maye be not onely allowed with other men but also that the conscience maye be vpright before God The thinges that decaye the strength of faithe are humayne questions and the appetites of meÌ„ are the thinges that defile the conscience wheras those yâ— pretende to goe about Christes affaires haue respecte to other purposes than vnto Christ Fynallye these two clcaue so faste one to the other that yf the one be decayed the other is in ieoperdie For he that hathe not a syncere conscience can not possibly haue a syncere faithe For howe can the thing be called syncere that is dead Or how can the thinge endure that wanteth lyfe and spirite For it commeth to passe that those whiche haue a naughtie conscience in all thinges at length fall cleane awaye from beleuynge those thinges that the gospell teacheth concernynge the rewardes eyther of an innocent lyfe or of a naughtye lyfe An example of this matter we haue lately seene to muche true alas therfore in Alexander and Himeneus who inasmuch as in the preaching of the gospell they holde not faste the helme of an vpright conscience are fallen into the rockes of Infidelitie and beynge once fallen from the holsome profession of Christ they are so caryed awaye with the waues of naughtye lustes that they rayled with open spitefull wordes against the doctrine of the gospel so that they can not be possybly amended with gentyll monicions And therfore I haue with myne owne sentence geuing cutte them of from the rest of Christes bodye as rotten membres to thintent that beyng so corrected they maye learne throughe shame and reproche to ceasse from their wycked spyghtful railynges and to be lesse hurtefull to other thoughe they can not be good to themselues Those are to be pulled vnder with rigorous handlyng that are growen into so highe wickednes that there can be no good doone vpon them
also to be marked in the chosyng of a Byshoppe not onelye howe entierly vpryghte he hathe behaued hymselfe in hys owne pryuate affaires but also howe longe it is sence he came to the professyon of Christe Baptysme in dede engraffeth a man to the body of Christe but perfite godlynes chaunceth not so sodaynlye to a man Baptysme openeth the entraunce in to the congregacion but in this case it remayneth that euery man for him selfe muste stryue and preace to the marke of holynes Throughe baptysme we are borne a newe but for all that it remayneth that in greate processe of tyme we muste gather streyngth and bygnesse and waxe stronge with daylye encreases of godlynes in to full growen age Therfore diligent hede must be taken that no newe scholer that is to saye none that is lately called in to the felowshyppe of faythe be put in autoritie ouer so weyghtye a businesse He is a good graffe but yet tender and vnmete peraduenture to beare a greate heauy burthen And it is Ieoperdye leste yf a man that is but rawe and not yet suffycientlye confirmed in religion be aduaunced to honoure that he had not before be puffed vp with pride and begynne perniciously to stande in hys owne conceipte as thoughe he were chosen in to the company of religion for thys intent that he myghte haue preeminence ouer relygion and by that meanes it come to passe that beyng cralled in the deuilles snares which he layeth manyfoldely but none more disceatfully than he doeth the snares of ambicion and behauyng hym selfe to muche statelye in the honour commytted vnto him he escape not the mysreportes of euyll speakers whyche wyll thus entreprete that he couered the Christian religion vpon this purpose that where he was but of lowe estate amonge his owne secte â–ª he myght be in autoritie and honour among the Christians He forsoke vs in a good howre wyll they saye he chaunged his religion for his more aduauntage he had leauer be a Christian Byshoppe than to lyue lyke a pryuate person among vs. From thys maner of suspicion that maÌ„ shal be quite that a long season hath expressed speciall tokens of true godlynes and sobrenes in hym selfe I wyll not heare thys obieccion yf a maÌ„ woulde saye what matter maketh it to me thoughe the Ethnikes doo mysreporte me it is ynough for me to be well taken among myne owne But vnto me this is not ynoughe to be respected in a Byshoppe for hys fame oughte to be so cleane and vnspotted from all suspicion of faulte that it shoulde be but a small matter to be well reported of among his owne vnto whom he is more nerely and familiarly knowen onles he be well allowed also by the testimonye of them that be wythout whiche can not see hys true godlynes so perfytely as it is yea and take occasyon to rayse slaunder of euery thyng that doe nothyng but onely appere outwardlye to be euyll Wherefore hede muste be warely taken by all meanes that none occasion oâ—slaunder be geuen to them that are straungers from the professyon that we be of nor as I maye so speake it that they maye be hable probablye to obiecte not onely any naughtye faulte but also any false feyned vpbrayed For that they also shoulde haue a good opinion of vs not onelye thys frute commeth of it that it maketh to the glorye of Christe but also they shall the more easyly turne to amendemente from their wickednes in case they haue good opinion of our godlynes The texte Lykewyse must the ministers be honest not double tounged not geuen vnto much wine nether gredy of fylthy lucre but holdyng yâ— mistery of the fayth with a pure conscience And let them fyrst be proued and then let them minister so that no manne be hable to reproue them Euen so muste theyr wyues be hourst not euil speakers but sobet and faithfull in al thinges Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wife such as rule their children well and theyr owne housholdes For they that minister well get theym selues a good degree and greate lyberaltie in the fayth whiche is in Christ Iesu Nowe for asmuche as the faultes of the ministers redounde vnto the infamye of the autouts it shall not be ynoughe to take circumspecte hede what a maner man he muste be that thou callest to the office of a Byshoppe but also what maner of persoues hys houscholde folkes and ministers be that are as membres of the Byshoppes For they oughte necessarylye to be answeablye lyke vnto their prelate in all thynges in all the behauyour of theyr lyuyng graue and manerly and voyde of those faultes that the commen sorte of seruauntes is commenly wont to be geuen to They muste not be double tounged not gyuen to muche wyne nor gapyng after fylthy lucres Those that are entred in the mysteries of faythe whiche commeth by preachynge the ghospell after suche sorte that they euidently shewe in theyr conuersacion that they are Christians not for the pleasures of theyr maisters but purely and of a good coÌ„science For the vpryghtnes of coÌ„uersatioÌ„ is the token of a syncere professyon Neuerthelesse my meanyng is not that they shoulde haue the admynistracion of holy thynges by and by commytted vnto them but after thou shalt haue tryed them a great whyle and after they haue ledde an innocent lyfe long after their baptisme and haue behaued them selues so as no faulte at all can be layed to their charge than let them at lengthe be admytted to the holye administration Moreouer I requyre semblablye the lyke sobrenes and integritie of lyfe in the Byshoppes and Deacons wyues bycause they also haue somwhat to do in the ministerie and suche maners as they haue the lyke must be rekoned that their husbandes or those that they minister vnto haue Therfore they oughte to be farre frome the faultes of the commen forte of wyues that they be not lyght or folyshe ne back bytyng raylers nor intemperate but sobre women â–ª not bablexs or women of slyppie credence but faythfull and constaunt in all thynges To be shorte the chastitie of the Deacons oughte in this behalf to be so aunswetably lyke vnto the Byshoppes trade of lyfe that they must also be the husbandes of one wyfe lest often mariage shoulde cause any suspicion of intemperaunce and they muste shewe their owne demenour so in the honest bringyng vp of their children and diligent ordryng of theyr own housholde as they woulde proue to be in the holy ministerie For albeit the Deacons office is infeciour than the Byshoppes and Apostles office yet who so euer behaueth hym selfe in that degree comelye and vprightlye preferreth him selfe no litell vnto hygher offices aswell in that beyng acquaynted wyth the practice of godlynes in him selfe he hathe the better trust in hys owne constauncie as also in that other men conceyue a greater coÌ„fidence in him because of hys vpryght behauiour in hys offyce that whan he is promoted to hygher degrees of
and right true sonnes that trust in the promises of god the father and do after his prescribed commaundementes and neuer slyde agayne into their olde conuersacion whiche than through the ignoraunce of the Gospelles doctrine was endaungered with worldly concupiscences For it is conuenient that you diffre from them in affectes and maners from whom you dissent in profession The worlde is naught and from it you are already exempted and engraffed vnto Christ which is righteous holy and Innocent and to this ende are you chosen and called of the father the fountayne of al holines that like as you are in your profession so should you in al your life and doinges be pure vpright and vnblameable For the father will not acknowledge any to be his sonnes but those that be like manered vnto him For in dede this same thing he ment whan he spake to our auncetours Leuitici the xix Chapter Be you holy for I the lord your God am holy The puritie of Moses lawe could not haue ben ynough for you to absteine from touching of dead bodyes to haue your fete washen to absteine from the acte of matrimony God will haue all oure conuersacion and all our whole harte to be fre from al spottes of synnes For in dede these are the thinges that make vs playnly impure in the sight of god And although you cal vpon God by the name of a father crieng for his helpe in al thinges yet if you lyue in a filthy conuersacion you may not trust that he wil be mercifull vnto you or acknowledge you for his children seyng he estemeth noman eyther for his kynred or for his estates sake but onely after the merites of his conuersacion For nether shal the Iewe be pure if his conscience be defiled ne yet shall the vncircumcised be vnpure if he leade a godly and an innocent life The texte For as muche as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thynges as syluer and golde from youre vaine conuersacion whiche ye receauch by the tradicion of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christe as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte which was ordeyned before hande euen before the woorlde was made but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes which by his meanes do beleue on god that raysed him vp from death and glorifyed hym that ye myght haue faythe and hope towarde God euen ye whiche haue purifyed your soules thorowe the spirite in obeyng the truthe with brotherly loue vufayned se that ye loue one another with a pure herte feruently for ye are borne a newe not of mortall seed but of immortal by the word of god which lyueth and lasteth for euer For al flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse The grasse wyddereth and the floure falleth awaye but the worde of the Lorde endureth euer And this is the worde which by the gospel was preached vnto you Therfore it remayneth that you which are desirous to haue this father mercifull vnto you haue his vnauoydable iudgemēt alwayes before your eies while you liue in this exile so order your cōuersaciō that there be nothing wherfore the father may be offended iustly shut you out of the inheritaūce of the celestial countrey as vnnaturall disobedyent children The greater the price is wherwith Christe hath frely redemed you so muche the greater hede ought you to take lest for your wilfulnes and vnthankefulnes you be turned agayn into your former bonde thraldom There is none more myserable a bondage than to bee the slaue of synne Those that for a litle money are made fre frō theyr maisters bondage become of bondmē fre men watch about them by al meanes lest for theyr vnthankefulnes they may be drawen agayne into the bondage that they were in before and will you than commit that offence to fall again into y◠old tyranny to be willingly the bond slaues of Moses lawe had rather serue vaine obseruaunces that your elders deliuered from one to an other vnto you than to obey the gospel of God seing you knowe that you were deliuered once from them not with a commune tryfling price as golde or syluer but with an offring muche more holy than Moses lawe knoweth of For you are not made cleane with the bloud of a calfe sprinkled but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe who like a lābe cleane without any spotte pure and vndefiled from all filthinesse of synne was offred for our synnes on the aultare of the crosse Nether yet was that done by chaunce at all auentures but the sonne of God was appointed to make this sacrifice from euerlastyng and before the makyng of the worlde that he might through his deathe reconcile the father vnto vs howbeit the secret deuice and decre of Goddes purposed mynde which was many long yeares vnknowen to the worlde is now at length in these later times openly manifested and a new matter is set forth before mennes eyes to loke vpon whiche in the purposed mynde of God was not new And it was geuen for your saluacion sake vnto whom Christe that was made man dyed and is preached bestoweth thus muche that wher as you had a vayne truste vpon the ceremonies of the lawe now distrusting your selues you must put your whole trust in God the father who like as he would haue Christe to dye to wype awaye your synnes euen so hathe he raysed him vp from death and for the paynfull trauailes of this life which he suffred he gaue him the glory of immortalitie to thentente that as you haue beleued that whiche he hath done in folowing his example you might also trust surely to haue the same reward to be bestowed on you in that you put your whole affiaūce in God which what he hath already perfourmed in his sonne the same also will he vndoubtedly performe in al them which lyue after suche sort that they may be worthyly accompted among the membres of Christ in to whose body you are engraffed synce that you were regenerate through baptisme in to hym Before that tyme you did after your owne lustes that is to say embraceing carnall shadowes of thinges in stede of true ryght thinges but now since you haue clensed your soules not with the obseruacion of Moses purgeing sacrifices but in that you haue through faith obeyed the trueth of the gospell whiche by the spyryte of Christe hath purged your consciences you must endeuour your selues both to be correspondente vnto the head Christe in vprightnes of life and be answerably like vnto the concorde of the body by an excedyng and a playne brotherly and an vnfeyned loue among your selues that lyke as Christ loued you not after a commen sort nor after a carnall maner of loue euen so should you loue euery one other with a spiritual loue New kynred requireth new affeccion Before this tyme you Iewes loued Iewes after a carnall affeccionate loue but now beyng by a
yf throughe repentaunce they would haue aswaged yâ— wrath of god which they had prouoked vpon theÌ„selues by theyr own wickednes And so let your vpryghtenes be ynoughe vnto you let it be ynough for you to haue declared vnto other what rewarde iâ— prepared for them that beleue the gospel what peyne abideth the vnbeleuers If there be but a fewe saued by fayth it shall not be layed to your charge If a great part of men perishe throughe vnbelefe they perishe through their owne faulte After this sorte it was the wyll of God to vtter the difference betwene the good and the badde Baptisme receiued as it ought to be preserueth agaynst destruccion and wassheth awaye the fylthynes not of bodyes but of soules But baptisme beyng broken promisse withall destroyeth for euer and wyndeth into so muche the more haynous rageing streames of wickednessâ— Therfore the thing that is saluacion to some hauing faythe doth bringe destruccion to the vnbeleuers and suche as are rebellions agaynst fayth Notwithstandynge it is not ynough for you that through the floude of baptisme your sinnes are perished and that wicked lustes of the former conuersacion are lost onles ther be present a good conscience also in all the lyfe after correspondent to the benefit of God Christ died howbeit but only once he is risen again neuer to dye and vnto vs the synfulnesses of oure former olde lyfe are in lyâ—â— sort slayne by the death of Christ that we shoulde afterwarde lyue agayne to innocencie and neuer slyde backe agayne in to synnes as muche as lyeth in vs. That shall come to passe if we shall as it were settyng inortalytie apart desiâ—ou sly aspire vnto yâ— countrey of heauen with al our whole hertes the enheritauÌ„ce whâ—rof abydeth them that obey the gospel For so Iesus Christe rose agayne thaâ— he would not make long taringe after that vpon earth but coÌ„ueyed him selfe out of mortall mennes companye vp into heauen and there hauynge the fruicion of the glory of immortalitie sitteth on the fathers right hande not wtout a body but suche a body as death hath now no title to it at all And whyle death goeth about the swalowe vp the innocente it is vtterly swalowed vp it selfe and while death surely reconeth to haue gotten a great praye it became a praye it selfe Finally Christes victorie is our victorye and the glory that went before in him is shewed vnto vs in case we continue styll in the thyng that we haue begon and sticke harde in his fotesteppes Againste him the tormentes of the wicked preuailed nothing at all but in his pacient suffryng of them he gate the victorie he trihumpheth and raigneth alofte sittyng in heauen aboue all aungelles or whatsoeuer vertue and power there is besydes Vnto you he hathe opened the waye into heauen that by the same way that he entred in you maye also thrust in thycke and treefolde into the same place The enheritaunce is ready and certaine the possession wherof he hath also entred for your sakes so that you expresse your selues worthy of it that is to saye if you set your studies vpon the innocencie which he hath frely geuen to do good vnto all men yea euen to the euyll and those that punyshe you as much as vnto you perteyneth ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte For as much then as Christ hath suffred for vs in the fleshe arme ye your selues lykewyse with the same mynde for he which suffereth in the fleshe ceaseth from sinne that he hence forwarde shoulde lyue as muche tyme as he remayneth in the fleshe not after the lustes of men but after the wyl of God For it is suffycient for vs that we haue spent the tyme that is past of the life after the will of the Gentils walkyng in wantones lustes in excesse of wines in excesse of eating in excesse of drinking in dronkennes and in abhominable idolatry And it semeth to them an inconuenient thing that ye runne not also with them vnto the same excesse of riot and therfore speake they euil of you which shall geue accomces to him that is ready to iudge quicke dead For vnto this purpose verelie was the Gospel preached also vnto the dead that they shoulde be iudged lyke other men in yâ—â—â—she but should liue before God in the spirit The end of al thinges is at hand â–ª FOr as muche than as Christe your Prynce and head folowed not the pleasures of thys lyfe but throughe suffrynge of afflyceions for a tyme came vnto the glorye of heauen and seing that he hath conquered the aduersaries with the weapons of paciente sufferaunce it is reason that you which professe your selues to be his disciples shoulde arme your selues with the lyke purpose of mynde Innocencie of lyfe is the most surest armour and christian pacience is the fortresse that can not be beaten downe He that is gyrded with pacience is sure that no man can be hable to hurt him Whosoeuer is deade together with Christ after the fleshe hath so geuen ouer the synfulnes of his former conuersacion that he is playnly deade to humayne desyres so that nowe he is not tickled with gredynes of renowme he is not prouoked with desyre of reuengemente but all the reste of hys tyme that is geuen hym in thys sely carkas lyueth all together whole to the wyll of God whom onelye his â—esyre is to please of whom also he lokethe for the rewarde of a good conscience and vnto him he referreth the vengeaunce takyng of the wycked Whosoeâ—er is readily prepared to suffre martyrdome is not touched with the pleasure â— of this worlde For thys he thynketh with him selfe God forbydde that I beyng once done vpon the crosse with my Christ shoulde goe downe to the vices that I haue forsaken and that I beyng once appointed vnto euerlastyng felicitie shoulde be tombled backe agayne to this worldes delices whiche are not only shorte but also folyshe It is euen large ynough that I being a straunger froÌ„ Christe haue spent the tyme past in folyshe lustes whiche the prophane Heathens do filthiely serue beyng addicte and geueÌ„ to wantones to fleshly lustes to dronkenes to excessyue bankettynges and to abomynable image worshyppynges These prankes we are glad we haue left behynde vs by the goodnes of Christe and as often as we loke backe at them we shrugge for feare to remembre suche fylthynes of lyfe and so great blynde darkenes of ignoraunce Nowe in stedde of outragious luste chastitie is pleasaunte for â—iote temperate fare for wynnebybbyng sobrietie for supersticious worshypping of images true godlynes and deuoute worshyppyng of the lyuyng God vnto whoÌ„ the mooste acceptable sacrifice that maye be is a mynde pure and vnspotted from all vncleanes of synne Those that haue theyr blynde darkenes yet styll haue maruaile at this so great a chaungeing of myndes and lyfe in you and thynke scorne that their riotousnes is condemned by your temperate faâ—e and that their lyfe whiche floweth ouer with all kyndes of
euen as Christe is yâ— head of the congregacioÌ„ Ye housbaÌ„des loue your wiues as Christ al to hath louedtde congregacion He that Loueth his wife loueth himself Ye seruauÌ„tes be obedieÌ„t to your bodely masters c We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirite Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs mete to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the begâ—nnyng and first begotten of the dead c That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioye I in my suffâ—riÌ„ges for you c. For his bodies sake whiche is the congregacioÌ„ Whome we preache warnyns all men and teaching c. â— That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull van tie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye â—c In whom ye are also râ—seÌ„ again through fayth â—â— And hath â—ut out the hâ—nâ—wryâ—ing â—â—â—t was agaâ—â—â—t vs c Whiche are shadowes of thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all â–ª c. And â—â—uetonsnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made hâ—m Take hede to thy office We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the trae worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirits Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c. Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs meâ—e to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead â— That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioyâ— I in my sufâ—â—riÌ„geâ— fo◠〈◊〉 c. For his bodies sake â— whiche is â—â—e congregacioâ— Whome we preache warnyng all men and teaching c. That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye c. In whom ye ate also riseÌ„ again through fayth c. And hath put out the handwryting that was against vs. c. Whiche aâ—â— shadowâ—s â—â— thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all c. And couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made him Take hede to thy office Thessalonica God make vs Englishmen â—â—ght Thessalonians God sende vs suche preachers This is the will of god euen your holynesse By the coÌ„mission of god our sauiour To his natural sonne In the faith Grace mercy peace As I besought the. That thou commaunde some The ende of the lawe is loue The law is good The lawe is not geueÌ„ vnto a righteous man We haue the lyke aduersaries but not the lyke diligeÌ„t preachers Paul made a priest by layeng on of haÌ„des without anoputynge Faith and conscience The cause of the decay of faith and good conscience The chiefe pollicie that bringeth meÌ„ to Christ is christian charitie Elders as we in oure commen speche vse to cal them Aldermen All prelates maye learne diligence at this mooste diligeÌ„t preachinge prelate the deuyll The charitie of the Gospel maketh one to be as glad of an others good to be as sory for an others hurt as though it were to him self not al worldly suâ— staunce to be thinune as the â—hant asâ—icall Anabaptistes do wikedly dreame The tree of lyfe The seconde death The fyrste death Manna The whyte stone Iesabel The whyte araye The open dore To be in the spirite Gods seate The precious stones The raynebowe The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders The sea of glasse The foure sondry beastes The face of the man The calfe The lyon The Egle. The wynges The eyes Foure angels The earth the sea and the trees The holy angell A certen nomber put for to signifye an vncerten multitude The trees Locustes The raynebowe vii thonders The quier xlii monethes The .ii. witnesses The great citie The temple of God The Arke The lyghtnyng thondering c. Heauen The womaÌ„ with childe The crienge The dragoÌ„ The .vii. heades The .x. hornes â—â—e tayle The taile of the dragon or of the deuyll The wynges The catte The Beare Tabernacle Ludouicus pius .viii. hundreth lvi The lambe This name is nowe turned and called al sainctes
vs Goddes mercy stole for the remission of synnes that are paste therby prouing that Christes righteousnes which commeth on vs thorowe fayth helpeth vs onely Whiche righteousnes sayeth he is now declared thorow the gospell and was testified of before by the lawe and the Prophetes Furthermore sayeth he the lawe is holpe and furdered thorow faithe though that the workes therof with al theyr boste are brought to nought and proued not to iustifye In the .iiii. Chapter after that now by the .iii. fyrste Chapters the sinnes are opened and the waye of faythe vnto rigteousnes layde he beginneth to aunswere vnto certayne obieccions and cauillacions And fyrste he putteth forthe those blynde reasons whiche commonlye they that wil be iustifyed by their owne woorkes are wont to make when they heare that faythe onelye without woorkes iustifyeth sayinge shall menne do no good woorkes yea and yf faythe onelye iustyfye what nedeth a manne to studye for to do good workes He putteth forthe therfore Abraham for an ensample sayinge What dyd Abraham with hys woorkes was al in vaine came hys workes to no profyte And so coÌ„cludeth that Abraham without before all workes was iustified and made ryghteous In so muche that before the worke of circumcysion he was praysed of the scripture and called ryghteous by his fayth onely Genelis .xv. So that he dyd not the worke of circumcision for to be holpe therby vnto ryghteousnes which yet God coÌ„maunded him to do and was a good worke of obedience So in lyke wyse no doute none other workes help any thing at all vnto a mans iustifyinge but as Abrahams circumcysion was an outewarde signe whereby he declared his righteousnes which he had by faith and his obedience and redynes vnto the wyll of God euen so are all other good workes outwarde signes and outewarde frutes of fayth and of the spirit which iustifye not a man but that a man is iustifyed alredy before God inwardly in the herte thorowe faythe and thorowe the spirite purchased by Chrstes bloud Herewith nowe stablysheth Sayncte Paul his doctryne of fayth afore rehearsed in the .iij. Chapters and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xiij Psalme whiche calleth a manne blessed not of workes but in that hys synne is not reckened and in that faythe is imputed for ryghteousnes though he abyde not afterwarde without good workes when he is once iustifyed For we are iustifyed and receaue the spirite for to do good workes nether were it otherwyse possible to do good workes except we had fyrste the spirite For how is it possible to do any thynge well in the sight of God while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuyll and the deuyll possesseth vs all together and holdeth our hertes so that we cannot ones consent vnto the wil of God No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doing good but the spirite must fyrste come and wake hym out of hys slepe and with the thunder of the lawe feare him and shewe him hys miserable estate and wretchednes and make him abhorre and hate him selfe and to desyre helpe and then comforte hym againe with the pleasant rayne of the Gospell that is to saye with the swete promyses of God in Christe and stiere vp faithe in hym to beleue the promises Then when he beleueth the promises as God was mercifull to promyse so is he true to fulfyll them and will geue hym the spirite and strength bothe to loue the will of God and to worke thereafter So se we that God onelye whiche according to the scripture worketh all in all thinges worketh a mans iustifyinge saluacion and healthe yea and powreth faithe and belefe lust to loue goddes will and strength to fulfill the same into vs euen as water is powred into a vessell and that of his good will and purpose and not of our deseruinges and merites Goddes mercy in promisinge and trueth in fulfilling his promises saueth vs and not we our selues And therfore is al laude praise and glory to bee geuen vnto God for hys mercy and trueth and not vnto vs for oure merites and deseruinges After that he stretcheth hys ensample out agaynste all other good workes of the lawe and concludeth that the Iewes cannot be Abrahams heyres because of bloude and kynred onely much lesse by the workes of the law but must inheryt Abrahams fayth if they wil be the right heires of AbrahaÌ„ for as much as AbrahaÌ„ before the law both of Moses and also of circumcisioÌ„ was thorow faith made righteous called the father of all them that beleue not of them that worke Moreouer the law causeth wrathe in as much as no man can fulfil it with loue and usie And as longe as suche grudgynge hate and indignacyon agaynst the lawe remayneth in the herte and is not taken awaye by the spirite that commeth by fayth so longe no doute the workes of the lawe declare euidently that the wrath of God is vpon vs and not fauoure Wherfore faythe onely receyueth the grace promysed vnto Abraham And these ensamples were not written for Abrahams sake onely sayeth he but for ouâ—es also to whom yf we beleue faythe shal be rekened lykewyse for righteousnes as he sayth in the ende of the Chapter In the .v. Chapter he commendeth the frutes and workes of faythe as are peace reioysing in the conscience inwarde loue to God and man moreouer boldnes trust confydence and a strong and a lusty mynde and stedfast hope in tribulacion and sufferynge For all suche folowe where the ryghte fayth is for the aboundaunte graces sake and gyftes of the spirite whiche God hathe geuen vs in Iesu Christe in that he gaue him to dye for vs yet his enemyes Nowe haue we then that faythe only before al workes iustifyeth and that it foloweth not yet therfore that a man shoulde do no good workes but that the righte shapen workes abyde not behynde but accompanye faythe euen as bryghtnes doth the sunne and are called of Paul the frutes of the spirite where the spirite is there it is alwaies somer and there are alwaies good frutes that is to say good workes This is Pauls order that good workes springe of the spirite the spirit commeth by faith and fayth commeth by hearing the worde of God when the glad tydinges and promises which God hath made to vs iÌ„ Christ are preached truly and receaued in the grounde of the hearte without wauering or doutynge after that the law hath passed vpoÌ„ vs hath damned oure consciences where the word of God is preached purely and receaued in the hert there is faith and the spirite of God and there are also good workes of necessitie when soeuer occasion is geuen where goddes worde is not purely preached but mens dreames tradicions ymaginacions inuencions ceremonies and supersticion there is no faythe and consequentlye no spirite that commeth of God And where Goddes spirite is not there can be no good workes euen as where an apple tre is not there can
Chapter and arte vnder the crosse and suffring of tribulacion the necessitie of predestinacion will waxe swete and thou shalt well fele how preciouse a thinge it is For except thou haue borne the crosse of aduersitie and temptacion and haste felte thy selfe brought vnto the very brymme of desperacion yea vnto hell gates thou canst neuer medle with the sentence of predestinacion without thine owne harme and without secret wrathe and grudging inwardly agaynst God for otherwise it shal not be possible for the to thinke that God is righteous and iuste Therfore muste Adam be well mortifyed and the fleshely witte brought vtterly to nought yer that thou mayest awaye with this thinge and drynke so stronge wyne Take hede therfore vnto thy selfe that thou drinke not wyne whyle thou art yet but a suklinge For euery learnynge hath her tyme measure and age and in Christ is there a certayne chyldehod in which a man must be content with mylke for a season vntil he waxe stronge and growe vp vnto a perfecte manne in Christ and be able to eate of more strong meate In the .xii. Chap. he geueth exhortacion For this maner obserueth Paul in all his epistles fyrst he teacheth Christ and the faythe then exhorteth he to good workes and vnto contynuall mortifyinge of the fleshe So here teacheth he good workes in dede and the true seruynge of God and maketh al meÌ„ Priestes to offre vp not money and beastes as the maner was in the tyme of the lawe but their owne bodyes with kyllynge and mortifyinge of the lustes of the flesh After that he describeth the out warde conuersacion of Christen men how they ought to behaue them selues in spirituall thinges how to teache preach rule in the congregacion of Christ to serue one another to suffre all thinges pacientlye and to commyt the wrâ—ke and vengeaunce to God in conclusyoÌ„ how a Christen man ought to behaue him selfe vnto al men to frende to foo or what soeuer he be These are the right workes of a Christen man whiche springe out of faithe For faythe kepeth not holy daye nether suffereth anye man to be ydâ—e whersoeuer she dwelleth In the .xiii. he teacheth to honour the worldly and temporall swearde For though that mans lawe and ordinaunce make nor a man good before God nether iustify hi in the hert yet are they ordeyned for the furtherauÌ„ce of the commune welth to mayntene peace to punish the euyl and to defend the good Therfore ought the good to honoure the temporall swerde and to haue it in reuerence though as concerning them selues they nede it not but woulde absteyne from euyll of theyr owne accorde yea and do good with out maÌ„s law but by the law of the spirite which gouerneth the herte and gideth it vnto all that is the wyll of God Fynally he comprehendeth knitteth vp all in loue Loue of her owne nature bestoweth al that she hath and euen her owne selfe on that whiche is loued Thou nedest not to byd a kynd mother to be louyng vnto her only sonne Moche lesse spirituall loue which hath eyes geuen her of God neadeth mans lawe to teache her to do her dutye And as in the begynnynge he dyd put forthe Christe as the cause and auctor of our ryghtewesnes and saluacion euen so here setteth he him forth as an ensample to counterfayte that as he hathe done to vs euen so shulde we do one to another In the .xiiii. chapter he teacheth to deale soberly with the consciences of the weake in the fayth whiche vnderstand not yet the libertye of Christe perfectly ynough and to fauer them of Christen loue and not to vse the libertie of the fayth vnto hynderaunce but vnto the furderaunce and edifyinge of the weake For where suche consyderacion is not ther foloweth debate despising of the Goâ—pell It is better therfore to forbeare the weake a whyle vntyll they waxe stronge then that the learnynge of the Gospell should come al together vnderfote And such worke is the singular worke of loue and where loue is perfecte there must nedes be such a respecte vnto the weake a thynge that Christe commaunded and charged to be had aboue all thinges In the .xv. Chapter he setteth forthe Christe againe to be folowed that we also by hys ensample shoulde suffre other that are yet weake as them that are fraile open sinners vnlerned vnexperte and of lothesome maners and not to caste them awaye forthwith but to suffre them tyll they ware better and exhorte them in the meane time For so dealte Christ in the Gospell and now dealeth with vs dayly sufferyng our vnperfectnes weaknes conuersacion and maners not yet fassioned after the doctryne of the Gospel but smel of the fleshe yea sometime breake forth into outward dedes After that to conclude withal he wysheth them encreace of faith peace and ioye of conscience prayseth them and committeth them to God and magnifyeth his office and admynistracyon in the Gospell and soberly and with greate discrecion desyreth succoure and ayde of them for the poore saynctes of Ierusalem and it is al pure loue that he speaketh or dealeth with al. So fynde we in this epistle plenteously vnto the vttermost whatsoeuer a Christen man or woman ought to know that is to were what the Lawe the Gospell Synne Grace Faith Righteousnes Christ God good workes Loue Hope and the crosse are and euen wherein the pythe of all that pertayneth to the Christen fayth standeth and how a Christen manne ought to behaue him selfe vnto euery man be he perfect or a synner good or bad stronge or weake frende or foo and in conclusion how to behaue oure selues both toward God and toward our selues also And all thinges are profoundely grouÌ„ded in the scriptures and declared with ensamples of hiÌ„ self of the fathers of the prophetes that a man can here desyre nomore Wherfore it appereth euydently that Pauls mynde was to comprehende brefely in thys Epistle all the whole learnyng of Christes Gospell and to prepare an introduccion vnto all the olde testamente For without doute whosoeuer hath this pistle perfectly in his herte the same hath the lyght and the effecte of the olde testamente with him wherefore let euery man without excepcion exercyse him selfe therin diligently and recorde it nyght and daye continually vntyll he be full acquaynted therwith The last Chapter is a chapter of recoÌ„mendacioÌ„ wherin he yet mingleth a good monicion that we shulde beware of the tradicions and doctryne of men which begyle the simple with sophistry and lernynge that is not after the Gospel and drawe them from Christ and noosell them in weake and feble and as Paul calleth them in the pistle to the Galathyans in beggerly ceremonyes for the entent that they would lyue in fatte pastures and be in auctoritie and be taken as Christ yea and aboue Christe and syt in the temple of God that is to wit in the consciences of meÌ„ where God only his worde and his
Christ ought to sytte Compare therfore all maner doctrine of men vnto the scripture and se whether they agre or not And commytte thy selfe whole and all together vnto Christe and so shall he with his holy spirite and with all his fulnes dwell in thy soule The summe and whole cause of the wrytynge of thys epystle is to proue that a man is iustified by fayth onely which proposicion who soeuer denyeth to him is not onely this epistle and al that Paul wryteth but also the whole scripture so locked vp that he shall neuer vnderstande it to hys soules health And to bringe a man to the vnderstandinge and felynge that faith onely iustifyeth Paul proueth that the whole nature of manne is so poisoned and so corrupte yea and so dead concerning godly liuing or godly thinkinge that it is impossible for her to kepe the lawe in the sight of God that it to saye to loue it and of loue and lust to do it as naturally as a man eateth or drincketh vntill she be quickened again and healed thorow faith And by iustifying vnderstand none other thing then to be reconciled to God to be restored vnto his fauour to haue thy sinnes forgeuen the. As wheÌ„ I say God iustifieth vs vnderstaÌ„d therby that God for Christes sake merites deseruinges only receaueth vs vnto hys mercy fauour grace forgeueth vs our sinnes And when I say Christ iustifieth vs vnderstand therby that Christ onely hath redemed vs bought deliuered vs out of the wrath of God damnacioÌ„ hath with his workes only purchased vs the mercy the fauour grace of God the forgeuenes of our sinnes And wheÌ„ I say that faith onely iustifieth vnderstand therby that faith trust in the truth of God in the mercy promysed vs for Christes sake for his deseruing workes only doth quiet the coÌ„science certify her that our sinnes be forgeuen we in the fauour of God Furthermore set before thyne eyes Christes workes thine owne workes Christes workes only iustifie the make satisfaccion for thy sinne and thyne owne workes not that is to say quieteth thy conscyence and make the sure that thy synnes are forgeuen the and not thine owne workes For the promise of mercye is made the for Christes workes sake not for thine owne workes sake Wherfore seinge God hathe not promysed that thyne owne workes shall saue the therfore faithe in thine owne workes can neuer quyet thy conscience nor certifie the before God wheÌ„ God coÌ„meth to iudge to take a reconing yâ— thy sinnes are forgeuen the. Beyond all this mine owne workes caÌ„ neuer satisfie the law or pay her that I owe her For I owe the law to loue her with all mine heart soule power might Whiche thing to paye I am neuer able whyle I am compassed with fleshe No I cannot once beginne to loue the lawe excepte I be fyrste sure by fayth that God loueth me and forgeueth me Finallye that we saye fayth only iustifieth ought to offende no man For if this be trewe that Christ only redemed vs Christ only bare our synnes made satisfaccion for them purchased vs the fauour of God then must it nedes be true that the trust only in Christes deferning in the promyses of God the father made vs for Christes sake doth onely quiet the conscience certifie her that the sinnes are forgeuen And when they say a man must repent forsake sin haue a purpose to sin no more as nye as he can loue the lawe of God Ergo fayth alone iustifieth not I aunswere that al like argumentes are nought like to this I must repent be forye the Gospel must be preached me I must beleue it or els I cannot be partaker of the mercye which Christe hath deserued for me Ergo Christ only iustifieth me or not Christ onely hathe not made satisfaccion for my sinnes As this is a naughty argumeÌ„t so is the other Now go to reader according to the order of Paules wryting eueÌ„ so do thou Fyrst behold thy selfe diligeÌ„tly in the lawe of God se there thy iust damnacion Secondarely turne thyne eyes to Christe and se there the exceading mercy of thy most kynde and louinge father Thirdly remembre that Christe made not thys attonement that thou shouldest anger God againe nether dyed he for thy synnes that thou shouldest lyue styll in them nether clensed he the that thou shouldest retourne as a swyne vnto thyne olde puddell againe but that thou shouldest be a newe creature and lyue a newe lyfe after the will of God and not of the fleshe And be diligent least thorowe thine own negligence and vnthankfulnes thou lose this fauoure and mercy againe ¶ Fare well The vvhole matier and argument of sainct Paules Epistle to the Romaines by Eraâ—mus of Roterodame AL the beginnyng to make the matier more plaine this shal bee briefely to declare the summe and contentes of this presente Epistle And fyrst to beginne with the authors name albeit I knowe that sainct Hierome in his commentaries he wrote vpon the Epistle to Philemon is of the minde that Paul was fyrst called Saule and afterwarde called him self Paule in remeÌ„braunce of the great and victorious acte wherby he wonne vnto Christ Sergius Paule lieuetenaunt of Paphos in Cipres as it is wryten in the .xiii. chapiter of the Actes of thapostles And though againe I knowe that other some be of the mynde that Paule for the tyme wherin he liued vnder the Iewes lawe was called Saule that at the fyrst beginnyng of his newe religion he chaunged his name yet the one opinion semeth vnlikely forsomuche as S. Luke in the chapiter before rehersed then Saule vvhiche is also called paule beyng full of the holy goste plainly by these wordes declareth that he had two names before Sergius Paules conuersion the other opinion semeth more vnlikely as it appeareth as well by that some els where as especially in the same chapiter euen at that tyme when he preached Christes gospel he is called Saule the holy gooste speakyng these wordes deuide me Barnabas and saule Me thinketh therfore that Origens opinion is in this point nigher yâ— trueth For as in the bookes of the olde testament we fynde some whiche had diuers names as for exaÌ„ple one in one place is called Idida whiche in an other is called Salomon likewyse an other is in some place called Ozias whom scripture elswhere calleth Azarias in the gospel of Luke he is called Leui whiche in his owne gospel calleth him selfe Mathewe so is it to be supposed that Paule had two names though that in his Epistles he neuer vseth to call him selfe Saule but in euerye place Paule peraduenture because yâ— name of Paule was more familiar among them that he wrote vnto I meane the Romaines and Grecians Now is the Latine worde Saulus after like sorte deriued out of this Hebrue worde Saul as the Grecians fourme
people Christe whome without any mencion makyng of his godhed he calleth a man The thyrde cause of difficultie maketh I weene the often and soden chaunge of persones whyles he one whyle hath regard of the Iewes speakyng in their persons another while of the Gentiles suÌ„tyme of bothe parties nowe the ryght beleuers and then the faythles takyng vpon him sumtyme the weake sumtyme the strong persones parte sumtyme of the godly and sumtyme of the vngodly By meane wherof it coÌ„meth to passe that the reader wandering vppe and downe as it wer in wrenches or as some call it in a mismase diuersly tournyng and wyndyng neither seeth where he came in nor yet wel knoweth which waye to go out Insomuche that Origen both truly and properly me seameth lykeneth Paule to a man which bryngeth his frende into a very riche princes palace by tournyng of wayes secrete chambers very doubtfull and cumberouse and sheweth hym the great treasures and heapes of goodes sumwhat a farre of and some thinges setteth before his iyen and would haue sum thinges not sene at all oftetymes when he went in by one doore he goeth out at another so that the straunger his frende maruayleth whence he came where he is and whiche waye to get out This knew also sainct Peter in his seconde epistle saying that there wer in Paules epistles certayne pointes harde to be vnderstanden which the vnlearned and vnstable peruerted to theyr owne destruccion Herein haue we asmuche as in vs laye labored to exclude suche difficulties sauyng that sumthynges so peculiarly belong to Paules touÌ„gue that in some places they could not be chauÌ„ged of whiche sorte these be fayth grace the body the fleshe the members the spirite the mynde the sence to edifie with suche other lyke whiche as they should not vtterly be chauÌ„ged so haue we labored to molifie the hardnes of them asmuche as myght be But now let vs heare Paule hymself speakyng to the Romaynes or rather in them more grossely and playnlye to vs all The paraprase vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Romaines by Des Erasmus of Roterodame The first Chapiter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte for the gospel of God whiche he had promised afore by his prophetes in the holy scriptures of his sonne whiche was borne vnto him of the seede of Dauid after the fleashe and hath bene declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirit that sanctifieth synce the tyme that Iesus Christ our lorde rose againe from death by whom we haue receiued grace Apostleship that obedience might be geuen vnto the fayth in his name among all heathen of whose numbre you be the electe of Iesus Christ PAule euen I the very same so becomen of Saule that is to say of an vnquiet person a peacemaker of late subiect to Moses lawe now made fre therof and becomen the seruaunt of Iesus Christ not like a false souldiar that falleth from his capitain or one that like a truant forgoeth his olde profession but called foorth to do this message muche more to my coÌ„tentacion deuided now than at that tyme whaÌ„ I was a mainteiner of the deuided Pharisaical secte vpoÌ„ an vngodly zeale and light persuasion wanderyng out of the right way now and neuer before meete to be called by the surname of vnfained diuision as one deuided and chosen out by Christ him self to labour and trauaile in a muche more weyghtie matâ—er to preache I say the ioyfull tidynges of God whiche is no new found phaÌ„tasie but promised many yeres synce in his owne prophecies whiche remayne still in bookes of no smal credence but in suche as are of an holy and moste vndoubted trueth of his sonne whiche was touchyng his frayle manhed borne in tyme of the seede of Dauid and was neuerthelesse declared to be the euerlastyng sonne of God euerlastyng by the holy gooste as well appeared bothe by diuerse other profes as moostâ— specially by that he ouercame death and rose againe from the dead now becomen to al suche as in him are borne againe the prince and chiefe authour of resurreccion I meane Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we haue obtayned not onely suche fauer as the kepyng of the lawe could not help vs to but also in suche sorte to be his messagier that as by other Apostles Christes gospel hath bene spread abroad among the Iewes so may it by me likewyse be set foorth among all heathens whatsoeuer they be not to trouble them with the burdaine of the lawe but to make them yelde and submit them selfes obediently to the doctrine of Christes fayth stedfastly cleauyng therto not to the vaine wysedome of Philosophers of whiche noumbre of heathens ye Romaines are also touchyng your nacion but by adopcion fatheryng called all to the right title of inheritaunce surname of Iesus Christ whiche point I incidently geue you warnyng of leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square whiche through a fauorable and gentle fatheryng are now made one mans children The texte ¶ To all you that be at Rome beloued of God and called sainctes grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ To al you therfore as many as be at Rome the dearely beloued children of God and to suche as from your former synful life are called to godlynes grace and peace wyshe I vnto you not suche as the worlde coÌ„monly wysheth but a substancial and a new grace that is to wete the fre gift of fayth taught by the gospel perfectly iustifiyng and by it through the vtter abolishement of al the offeÌ„ces of your former life a quiet peace of conscience and a stedfast peace and frendship with God whiche twoo are neither gotten by any helpe of worldly wysdome nor yet by keapyng of Moses lawe but are obteined of al menne by the free gifte of God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The texte First verely I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your fayth is spoken of in all the worlde For God is my wytnes whom I serue with my spirite in the gospel of his sonne that without ceasyng I make mencion of you praiyng alwayes in my prayers besechyng that by some meane at laste one tyme or other a prosperouse iourney by the wyl of god might fortune me to cum vnto you For I long to see you â— I might bestowe among you some spiritual gifte to strength you withal that is that I might haue consolacion together with you through the common fayth whiche bothe ye and I haue And fyrst of all verely in all your names I rendre thankes to God the father whiche through Christ his sonne hath geuen you this that ye whiche heretofore wer faythles are now through your fayth in great renoume in all the worlde and muche spoken of Whiche reporte certaynly for
leaue nothyng vnsayed what soeuer any suche parson shall demaunde of you do therin that thyng whiche is for the commen weale necessarie But among you beyng christians let there be no authoritie or debte but that ye to eche other owe mutuall charitie A charitable man nedeth not by exaction to be compelled but of his owne accorde preuenteth all monicions If ye paye vnto them theyr requeste ye are oute of theyr daunger but the charitable man thoughe he satisfie other yet neuâ—â— satisfieth he hymselfe but euermore heapeth vp one good turne vpon another Charitie therfore enbrace ye who breifly compriseth al lawes Whoso with pure and christian charitie loueth his neighbour he obserueth the whole effecte and purpose of Moses lawe if charitie lacke no lawes be they neuer so many are sufficient if it be had there neadeth none other lawe when charitie onely muche more effectually commaundeth all that is in so many and innumerable lawes comprehended Moses lawe forbiddeth men to do adultrye to commit murder to do any thefte to beare false witnes to desyre any other mannes gooddes to lende mony for vsury with many suche other like But in the compendious rule of charitie are all these preceptes contayned wherin it is briefly sayd Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Charitie asmuche as it can doeth good to al men though they be euil and hurteth no man And then what neede is it with a long tale and special wordes to forbid so many thynges to hurt I say no maÌ„ this way or that way synce her nature is to hurte no man at all Wyl any man trow ye murder him whom he loueth wyll he vnchastly vse an other mannes wyfe whiche loueth his neighbour aswel as him selfe Wyll he robbe an other mannes gooddes whom he is ready to succour with his owne wyl he with false witnes oppresse his neighbour whom with his owne ieopardy he would haue saued wyll he lende any mony for vsurye to him with whom he thynketh all that he hath commen wyll he wyshe him harme whiche wisheth the same to another that he would to him selfe wyll he by any way hurte and displease him for whose sake he knoweth that Christ once dyed Charitie therfore as I sayd in a shorte lesson containeth the whole lawe By her rule we shortly learne what is to be auoyded what is to be folowed The texte This also we knowe the season how that it is tyme that we should now awake out of slepe For now is our saluacion nerer then when we beleued The night is passed the day is come nigh Let vs therfore cast away the deedes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs walke honestly as it wer in the day light not in eatyng and drinkyng neither in chamberyng and wantonnes â–ª neither in strife and enuiyng but put ye on the lorde Iesus Christ And make not prouision for the fleshe to fulfil the lustes of it To the desyre of charitie then euen the consideracion of the tyme exhorteth that we awake arisyng out of the slepe and darkenes of our olde life The night semeth a tyme which geueth occasion liceÌ„ciously to synne forasmuche as at that tyme shame is away But suche yet as in the night are wantonly occupyed and vse them selfe but lightly assone as the day once appeareth euen for very shame to the sight of menne they fashion them selfe better and as though they were becomen newe menne in stede of dronkardes come foorth abrode sobre in steede of lecherous chaste in stede of braulers moderate and colde in stede of sluggardes and heauye heades lusty and quicke Take therfore must we the tyme while it serueth whiche if we vse well our weale is not so farre of as it was when we vpon boldnes of Moses lawe kepyng thought it but euen at hande The night of our former life is gone and passed away that day draweth nigh wherin mennes actes be they neuer so secrete shal be disclosed Let vs be as our day is and cast away our euil maners nightly actes with all suche other wanton pointes as we ought to be ashamed of in the day If when the sunne riseth we vse to sette on more honest apparel leste for lacke of cumly aray mennes iyen be offended muche more nowe at the bright risyng of the gospel let our soules be garnished with thapparel of vertue meete for suche light and with suche as is not vncumly in the sight of God Hencefoorth let vs so frame all our life that all the worlde may see that we walke in the light euen in the sight of God his Angels and menne shakyng of the darkenes of our former life not geuyng our selfe to riottous bankettynges or drunkennes not beastly geuen to foule and fleshely lustes not with strife enuiyng vnsemely braulyng among our selues vnto whiche vices ye were thral whiles ye wandered in yâ— darknes of your former life This apparel belemeth not mans soule But rather synce ye are through baptisme graffed into Christ him put ye on Let it appeare in your life whom ye haue professed Expresse ye him whom ye haue receiued he is chastitie he is peace he is charitie suche apparel is mete for this light of the gospel Suche thynges as ye haue hitherto for your pleasures vsed heÌ„cefoorth vse them for bodily necessitie and suche thynges as heretofore ye haue filthyly geuen you vnto as wanton desyres moued hencefoorth in them let there a sobrenes be vsed and vse them no further than nature requyreth Norishe so the bodye that it liue and be in helth and not waxe wanton Let meate and drinke be vsed to driue away hunger and thyrst not in suche sorte that they prouoke and norishe vncleanly lustes The .xii. Chapiter The texte Him that is weake in the fayth receiue vnto you not in disputyng and troublyng his conscience Due beleueth that he may eate all thinges An other whiche is weake cateth hearbes Let not him that cateth dispise him that cateth noâ— And let not him whiche cateth not iudge him that cateth For God hath receiued him What aâ—t that iudgest an other mans seruauÌ„t whether he stand or fal that pertaineth vnto his owne maister yea he shal be holden vp that he may stand For God is able to make him stand BUt surely albeit in the vse of suche thinges there be no difference nor choyse among suche as are in the fayth of Christ throughly instructed so that they vse them not for pleasure but for neede as I before tolde you yet if there be peraduenture any suche among you as for exaÌ„ple a Iewe borne whiche by reason of his long continued custome and trade of life is some what sctupulous and not yet so growen vp to that ripenes of fayth that he can forgoe al the rules of his old law suche one may not by by disdainfully be reiected but rather with gentle and courtise maners allured and norished vntyl that he like wyse profite
and in fayth growe stronger whervnto ye shal muche rather bryng him by fauourable meanes than by cōtencious reasonyng and disputacions Considre in suche matters how vnmete a thing it is that suche actes as may without offence be done should streight be taken in the worse parte But to th entent that peace and cōcorde may among you be maintained and stedfastly abyde certaine thinges must be wynked at some thinges must be suffered and some thinges must gently be takē Suche gentle fauorable takyng of thinges vpholdeth and preserueth the felowship of this our comen lite And synce mennes mindes among them selues are sondry and diuers surely in a multitude neuer wyl there be stedfast peace vnlesse in diuers pointes one geue place to an other For he that is without all serupulositie thynketh it lawfull without any difference to eate what meate him lust in that acte nothyng els regardyng but what nature requireth Againe he that is yet weake and somewhat supersticious lest he might chaunce either vpō fishe or other meates forbidden either by the Iewes lawe or offered vp to idols liueth with herbes Suche thinges among you ought not so to be regarded that for them brotherly peace be broken Let him that is strong eateth al meates so vse his strength that yet he dispise not the weaker whiche feareth to eate Let him againe whiche folowyng the weakenes of his mynde abstaineth from certayne kyndes of meate neither judge nor condemne him whiche without difference taketh whatsoeuer is sette before him But rather lette him that is strong beare with the weake in this sence takyng it this errour conceiued and gathered by long custome of his former life cannot sodainly be plucked out of his minde it wyll by litle and lytle weare away as in him godlynes groweth supersticion wyll vanishe and auoyde Lykewyse he that is scrupulous when he seeth an other eate all kyndes of meate let him this wyse thynke with him selfe what matter maketh it to me what this man doeth ▪ and likely it is that he doeth it of a good mynde synce God hath receiued and taken him vnto him and made him his owne at whose pleasure heliueth against whom onely he offendeth if there be in suche thinges any offence as of them selfe are not cuil Now if it be an arrogant point to dispise the weakenes of him that is supersticious and deceiued through rudenes how muche more intollerable pride wyl this be thinke ye if suche one as in y◠fayth is but weake take vpō him to iudge and condemne him that is stronger euen as the rule and custome of vnlearned people is whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do and thinke all that good that they allowe Maye not a man wel say to suche one what art thou that iudgest and condemnest an other mannes seruaunt There is but one lord and maister of al Iesus Christ To him stādeth he ▪ if he be strong in fayth to him falleth he if he offende as thou thinkest he doeth For he in dede for this shall not fall but rather be stablished to continue in his strong fayth His maister is sufficiently able and mete to strengthen his seruaunt that he stagger not at all The texte This man putteth difference betwene day day an other mā coumpteth all dayes alike Let euery manues mynde satisfie him selfe He that obserueth the day doeth it vnto the lorde And he that doeth not obserue the day doeth it for the lorde also He that eateth doeth it to please the lorde for he geueth God thankes And he that eateth not eateth not to please the lorde withal and geueth God thankes For noue of vs lyueth for him selfe and no man dyeth for him selfe For if we liue we liue vnto the lorde And if we dye we dye vnto the lorde Whether we liue thefore or dye we are the lordes For Christ therfore dyed and rose againe reuiued that he might be lorde of dead and quicke And that I haue now tolde you of the choyse of meates the same in kepyng the sabboth day and feastes of the newe moone is like wyse to be vnderstande For he that is weake and of vnperfite fayth maketh a difference betwixte day and day as though one were holye and the other were not and thinketh it vnlawful in this day to eate certaine meates or to labor whiche man other day might well and lawfully be done On the other lyde he that is perfite and strong in his fayth conceiueth in dayes no suche difference but rather thinketh al the space of his life consectate and halowed to godly conuersacion Breake not for suche pointes christian concorde among you but without condemnyng of other mennes cōsciences let euery one herein do as he iudgeth best specially synce bothe wayes are without synne and with both standeth the chiefe point of our religion Whoso estemeth and iudgeth in his conscience that euery day is like pure and holy doth so to his lorde and to the little belongeth it how well he doeth Lykewyse he that iudgeth that there is betwixte day and day some difference if he be deceiued he doeth it vnto his lorde thou hast therwith nothyng to do Lykewyse he that without difference eateth all kyndes of meate he eateth to his lorde forasmuche as he geueth thankes to God through whose benefite he eateth whose free goodnes made all thynges for mannes vse Againe whoso through the weakenes of his conscience abstaineth from certaine meates he abstaineth to his lorde and nothyng haste thou to do therwith synce he eatyug hearbes and rootes geueth thankes to God as wel as thou doest If God allowe and accepte his thankes geuyng why art thou so bolde vpō him to geue sentence The cause of both is diuers the matter one both one mynde and one lorde is there of both The one geueth thankes for the libertie he hath to eat what he lust knowing that the gospel putteth a difference betwixte mindes and not betwixt meates ▪ the other whiles he shonneth the occasion of surfettyng by the reason of his abstinence he is kept within the bondes of temperaunce In all suche thinges we are equal so that it besemeth no mā in defēce of his doyng to striue with his brother sufficient it is if God approue it to whō the iudgement of such thinges belōgeth as are either vncertain or els suche as must for the tyme be borne with No christian man hath power further vpon other but y◠eche one do good to another Nor liueth any man for him selfe because we are all his whiche from synne brought vs to goodnes and from death restored vs to life No mā therfore either liueth to him selfe or dyeth to him selfe nomore than any mans seruaunt doeth vpō whose life and death his maister hath ful power authoritie Now if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne nor none other mans auauntage but for the auauntage or disauauntage of his maister If he
saued by the wishes of many and for the weale of many there may diuersly by many men for our deliueraunce thankes be geuen to god that it maye appeare that this benefite of god in my deliueraunce is not onely bestowed vpon me but vpon al suche as haue good therby The texte For oure reioycyng is this euen the testimonie of oure conscience that in singlenes of heart and godlye purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had ouâ— conuersacion in the worlde and moste of all to youwardes We write none other thynges vnto you then that ye reade and also knowe Ye and I truste ye shall finde vs vnto the ende euen as ye haue founde vs partelye for we are youre reioyâ—ing euen as ye are ours in the daye of the Lorde Iesus Were not this as touchyng my selfe I haue in my owne breste wherewyth to comforte me sufficientlye in the middes of my troubles yea and to make me reioyce and to glorye that is to were my conscience whiche is witnesse and priuy to this poynte that we neuer laboured in the ministerie of Christes gospell sekyng for any gaynes by auauncing our selfes in worldlye wisedome as among you some dooe but taught it with all simplicitie and godly puritie bothe in all Greece and speciallye among you for whose sake albeeit wee haue suffered suche greate thynges yet neuer loked wee for or tooke any rewarde at your handes leste some myght take occasion to thynke that wee for oure aduauntage so muche sought vpon you And this muche haue I sayed not arrogantly but as yâ— trueth is Nor boast we this otherwise of our self than ye haue hadde experience of for neuer founde ye vs other than suche as wee saye we are by these letters which ye reade nor make wee ourselfes other in woordes by writyng than wee among you shewed oureselfes in dooyng Yea and I truste more ouer that of what sorte ye haue hytherto partely founde vs suche shall ye alwayes finde vs hereafter that eche of vs maye glorie of other if ye lyke thankfull and apte children on your sydes in godly lyfe and deedes bee lyke vnto your father teacher as I haue in al pointes bene vnto you goddes true messenger â–ª Lette them in the meane season boste themselfes neuer so muche among menne that disdeine at me as an outcaste and one in affliccions yet certaynelye when the Lorde shall come beefore whome paynted coulours shall nothyng serue then wyl I reioyce of you whom I haue wonne vnto Christ then shall ye also glorie of me whome I nothyng taughte but Christes trewe doctrine The texte And in this confidence was I minded firste to haue come vnto you that I might haue had one pleasure more with you and to passe by you into Macedonia and to haue come againe out of Macedonia vnto you and to bee led foorth of you towarde Iewrye When I thus wise was minded did I vse lightenes Or thynke I carnally those thynges which I thynke that with me shoulde bee yea yea and naye naye God is faithefull For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye For Goddes sonne Iesus Christe whiche was preached among you by â—s euen by me and Siluanus and Tunotheus was not yea and nay but by hym it was yea For all the promises of God by him are yea and are in hym Amen vnto the lawde of God thorow vs. For it is God whiche stablisheth vs with you in Christe and standeth by vs and hath anointed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath geuen the earneste of the spirite in our hertes I call God for a record vnto my soule that for to fauour you with al I came not any more vnto Corinthum Not that we be lordes ouer your fayth but are helpers of your ioye For by faith ye staÌ„d And vpon confidence of this my vpright conscience and hope conceaued of your encrease and furtheraunce occasion had I and minded before this time to visite you therby purposyng to do you double pleasure both with mine epistle fyrste and also by the waye after wyth my presence For my purpose was to see you as I went into Macedonia and agayne in my returnyng from Macedonia to come vnto you as I promissed in my other epistle and thence to be ledde and brought furthe by you into Iewrye But in the meane season some wyll thynke synce I this wyse mynded to dooe whether it came of lightnesse that I chaunged myne intente or whether I perfourme not that of any worldly policie whiche I once purposed to doe in this alteryng my minde as occasion serueth No nor so but for good consideracions and aduisedly folowed I not mine own destre because I wel vnderstode that it was for your weale more expedient to dooe otherwise that by defferryng my retourne some of your congregacion myght bee amended whome I would not see in theyr vncleanesse in this poynte alwayes constaunte and lyke my self that I at all tymes seeke youre weale so that in this behalfe I neuer wauer but alwayes dooe that whiche shall bee for your profite and alwayes shonne that whiche I thynke vnprofitable for you not because I thynke it lyeth in vs to perfourme asmuch as we purposed but because we know that god deceaueth not by whose healpe our woorde wherewith wee preached vnto you his gospell wauered not but was at all times like it selfe For wee preached not vnto you worldlye and carnall matters but taught you a weightye effectuall and an vnchaungeable doctryne constauntly and after one sorte bothe I Siluanus and Timothie that is to weâ—e that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God whose name was not among you vneffectuall but mightye and full of power not by oure strengthe but by his free gyfte Vntil this time haue ye receaued the giftes of the holye ghoste possessing them as an earneste peny and as sure shal ye bee of suche thynges as are in time to come promissed For al thynges that are promissed are through hym sure and out of all doubte in hym to whome this glorye is dewe Neyther are these oure promisses whiche wee layed before you and shewed you of but god is the chief geuer of theÌ„ we are only ministers and messangers So that to his glorie maketh it yf that whiche wee preache in his name bee founde trewe and effectuall Besyde this whereas wee haue constauntelye preached Christe and ye haue constauntelye continewed in Christes religion once receaued that is goddes gifte also whiche because wee should in his promisses haue more coÌ„fidence hath also anointed vs with his secreate gyftes and printed a certaine marke in oure heartes yea and geuen into oure soules his spirite as an earneste and pledge of the blessed state promissed vnto vs hereafter Lette no manne therefore thinke it lightenesse because I vntill this time differred my commyng vnto you god take I to recorde that whereas I hitherto came not to Corinth that was not doone for any displeasure borne towarde you
you of all thynges whome I haue sente vnto you for the same purpose that ye mighte knowe what case we stande in and that he might coumforte your hartes Peace â—e vnto the brethren and loue with faith from God the father and from the lorde Iesus Christ Grace be with al them whiche loue our lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly Amen Therfore it standeth vs in hande to pray alway vnto him with continual supplicacions and to desyre this of him from the bottome of our hartes without ceassing in our praiers day and night that al saintes may haue the vpper hand by this sweorde of the spirite And it is also your duetie to helpe me with your prayers and to beseche God that he would geue me plenteous vtteraunce of the gospel whansoeuer I shall preache it and that it would please him to vse my mouth as an instrument vnto his owne glory and to your saluacion so as I may boldly and without shrinking declare vnto al men the mistical doctrine of the gospel wherunto all men are called indifferently And that I be not hindred by suche as labour by all possible meanes that the glorye of the Gospell should not be spred abrod for the doing wherof I am made an embassadour yea euen now being laden with chaynes and suffering excedingly that I may boldely goe about the office committed vnto me And that this mind may still perseuer with me vnto the ende and that by the helpe of Christe I may freely speake as it becummeth me to speake For it is a rebuke for a preacher of the gospel to be afrayd of anything that should hinder him from doyng the office of the gospell To conclude as concernyng the state of myne owne thinges howe the matter standeth with me here you shall knowe all of Tichicus my welbeloued brother and not a brother onely for the sinceritie of his fayth but also a minister and an helper in the gospels businesse whome I haue sent vnto you for this purpose that you might know certainly in what state we are and that you should be much couÌ„forted by his beyng there lest your hartes should be discouraged through myne affliccions For I am so tyed and bounde that the gospell of Christ doeth triumphe notwithstanding euen out of the prieson My prayer is that peace and mutual loue ioyned with sincere fayth may be vnto al the brethren Of faith springeth charitie charitie nourisheth concord These thre with prosperous procedyng graunt vnto you God the father and the lorde Iesus Christe The loue and merciful goodnesse of God be for euer with all them that with an vnfained conscience and vnspotted life loue the lorde Iesus Christe and despysyng the transitory tryfles of this worlde folowe the thynges that are eternall and heauenly And to confirme this mine hartie praier I beseche god grauÌ„t mercifully Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule the Apostle to the Philippians By D. Erasmus or Roterdaine THe Philippians are in the first parte of Macedonia as it is declared in the. xvi of the Actes a people deducted oute of the citie of Philippos so called of Philip the buyldour of it And Thessalonica is the head citie of the Philippians whiche are worthilye muche praysed of the Apostle bicause they persisted constauntlie in the faythe after they once receyued it and woulde not allowe the false apostles among them wheras the Corinthians and Galathians had receyued them and geuen credence vnto them Unto these Philippians Paule beyng warned of the holy ghost wente and taried among them a good maynye of dayes not without greate trauayll For there Paule was scourged with whippes and was caste with Silas in to pryson â–ª at which tyme the keper of the prison and all his household were Baptized In this citie was also Lydia the purpleseller who fyrst beyng coÌ„uerted receaued Paule into her house There also the souldiours knowing that Paule was a cetezen of Rome desired him of theyr owne mynde to goo whither he woulde and so the name of Christe was notified abroade with luckye prosperous successe And also whan Paule was in prison at Rome these Philippians sent to hym suche thynges as were necessarie for him to lyue with by Epaphroditus as they had doon afore whan he was at Thessalonica as he him selfe witnesseth in this Epistle For the whiche hauyng set them forthe with prayses and commendacions he exhorteth them to perseuer and goo forewarde shewyng them that they ought to reioyce euen in those afflictions which make for the aduauÌ„cement of Christes gospel and that he was not onely not afrayed of death but also that he woulde gladlye wishe it yf Christ so would Than he gyueth them a speciall exhortacion to mutuall concorde whiche can not possible be amonge suche as be stoute stomaked And because they shoulde be the better content he promyseth to sende Tymotheus vnto them and that he will come againe to them shortlye him selfe In the meane tyme he sendeth Epaphroditus whiche was amended of his extreme daungerous sickenesse These he treateth of in the two first chapters for in the thyrd he confirmeth theyr consciences against the false apostles alluryng men euery where vnto the Iewyshe secte whom he calleth dogges the workers of wickednes the enemyes of Christes crosse and makyng their belyes their god and in no place he is more apertely stomaked against them than in this Epistle The fourth chapter is ful of coÌ„mendacions and salutacions but onely that he intermingleth certain monicions here and there by the way and thanketh the Philippians for their liberall gentilnesse shewed towardes him This epistle he wrote from the citie of Rome by Epaphroditus whaÌ„ he was layed the seconde tyme in prison for after his firste defense he was leadde agayne in to prison wherof he maketh reporte in his Epistle to Tymothee The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to the Philippians â–ª The .i. Chapter The texte Paule and Tymothe the seruauntes of Iesu Christ To all the sayntes in Christe Iesu whiche are at Philippos with the Bishoppes and Deacons Grace be vnto you peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ PAule and Timothe felowes in the office of the gospel and seruauntes of Iesus Christe To all the companye of the sayntes that purelye and entierlye professe the name of Christe and to them also that haue the ouersight ministracion of the ChristiaÌ„ flocke at Philippos We wishe grace and peace vnto you from god our father and from the Lorde Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my God with al remembraunce of you alwayes in al my prayers for you praye with gladnes because ye are come into the felowship of the gospel froÌ„ the frist day vnto now And am surely certified of this that he which hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntil the day of
in his trauayle amonge so many daungerous mutacions of thinges For I am not all ignoraunt what combrous stormes the lyfe of such as be preachers is endaungered withall Fynally as it is the propretye of our profession I wyshe him peace and concorde and that he loke not to receyue these benefites of the worlde whose succours are but vayne nether of Moses because it is a pernicious matier to haue any trust in his shadowes sence the true lighte of the gospell shoone clearly forthe ne yet of any other mortall man but of god the father who forsaketh not those that faithfully trust in him of his sonne Iesus Christ our lorde who lyke as he hath all thinges commune with the father euē so he fayleth not to helpe those that haue ones wholy committed them selues vnto his fidelitie as faithfull seruauntes that depende all together of suche a maister as none is to be compared vnto him either in goodnesse or power Thou knowest naturall deare sonne what hurly burly we had and what daungyer of our lyfes we were in to wynne some congregacion vnto Christe and it is not vnknowen vnto the howe dilygentlye the false apostles watche in euery place goe about to drawe vnto Moses those lately entred yonglinges whom we haue gathered together vnto the gospel for none other purpose but to get a flocke of dysciples to them selues and to be had in estimacion among the commune people And as for me my studye is to enlarge the deminions of the gospelles possession to the vttermoost of my power so that neuertheles we maye maynteyne that that is all ready gotten To be shorte forasmuche as we can not be personally present in all places we must nedes accomplyshe that whiche is behynde partely with sendynge of Epistles partly by the ministerie of felowe officers In consyderacion wherof at such tyme as I went againe into Macedonia about the necessarie affaires of the gospel bycause the Ephesiās shoulde not be vtterly destitute of me I left the there euē as my selfe to haue the autoritie as a notable vicegerent in so excellent and so paynefull an office Thou seest the generall sorte of men wonderfullye enclyned bothe to supersticion and vnto curious artes notwithstandyng the glorye of the gospel is so muche the more highly aduaunced And again there be aduersaries so many and so cruell that we had nede to set both fete fast to the grounde as they saye that we stande stronglye against them Wherfore the thing that whan I went thence I required the to doe the same beyng now absent I eftsones beseche and praye the to doe that is that thou warne some corrupte apostles there whose names I passe ouer aduysedly at this tyme lest beyng therby prouoked they waxe more shameles that they defyle not ne subuert the pure doctrine of the gospel that we taught to the Ephesians with their new doctrine And on the other parte warne the faithfull flocke before hande that they geue not light eare nor intendaunce to suche false apostles to their owne peryll for they teache not those thinges that auayle to eternall saluacion and are worthye the gospel of Christ but cloute in a sorte of vnfrutefull Iewyshe fables touching the supersticious constitucions of men which auayle not a rote to true godlines of a perplexe ordre of pedegree rehearsed from grandefathers great grandefathers and great great grandefathers as thoughe the gyfte of saluacion taught in the gospel were deriued vnto vs by corporall lynage descending from a sorte of degrees of sondry auncetours and not rather by heauēly goodnes powred once vntuersally vpon all them that embrace the fayth of the gospel And this geare they preache not to the glorye of Christ but partly that they them selues maye be had in pryce amonge you to be commended for noble doctours partly to the intent forasmuche as the gospelles doctrine is playne and symple eyther to be taken for so muche the greater learned men bycause they can cloute in a meignye of doubtefull dyfficulties that neuer can be made playne and a sorte of riedles that haue no exposicion as thoughe those thinges were not mooste beste that are moost playne The gospel bryngeth saluacion to the beleuer in a small towme But this kynde of mennes doctrine bryngeth in question vpon question and not onely is nothing auayleable vnto heauenly godlynes that God geueth vs throughe faythe but also it turneth vp syde downe the chyefe poynt of the gospelles religion Whosoeuer beleueth purely passeth not vpon questions And he that knytteth and vnknitteth the knottes of questions what other thing doeth he teache men but to stande in doubte Curiositie of questionyng is an aduersarye to fayeth Yf they beleue God what a doe haue they to quarell with his promysses Yf the faythe and loue of the gospel geue saluacion without muche a doe to what purpose are mennes phantasies myngled with all as cuttynge of the foreskynne wasshynge of handes choyse of meates and obseruacion of dayes They make vaunt vnto you that the lawe was geuen of god and yet those that teache it teache it more greuously than learnedly and vnderstande not the summe nor the ende of the lawe Wherto should a man labour for saluacion by meanes of so many wiery obseruacions seyng he maye let them alone and flye streight waye to the prycke it selfe That mā is conynglye learned ynough in Moses lawe that hathe atteyned the effectes of the law To be briefe the thing that comprehēdeth accomplisheth al the whole efficacie of Moses lawe in a shorte summe is loue in case it procede from a pure herte and an vpright conscience and an vnfeyned faith without holownes A perfite syncere loue telleth a great deale ryghtelyer what is to be doen than any constitucions howe many soeuer they be In case this loue be presente what nede the prescriptes of the lawe yf it be not present what auayleth the obseruacion of the lawe An humayne loue because it is many times blotted with affecciōs standeth many tymes with a corrupte conuersacion and somtymes comprehendeth not a full entier trust in god But the Euangelicall loue is of this propertie that it neuer deceaueth neuer wauereth and can neuer ceasse from doynge godly For it geueth respecte to none other purpose but to the glorye of Christ and cōmoditie of his neighbour ne dependeth of any other but onely of Christ Of this pricke forasmuche as some mysse therfore in stedde of the sure doctrine of Christ they strawe abrode vayne smokes mystes of Iewishe questions to thintent they might seme gaye doctours of the law and set out them selues with vayne bablyng whan they vnderstande not for all that the specialties of those thinges that they speake of nor wherof they affirme For all the whole lawe of Moses although it be otherwyse dyuerse and dyffuse is collected into Christe alone Than seyng the lawe selfe applieth vnto Christ it is shame for a man to professe him selfe a doctoure of the
with gentyll remedyes Therfore not onely the iudgement of god touching thy synceritie not onely myne example not onely thyne owne profession and in yâ— thou arte a souldiour of Christ but also suche mennes abominable example ought to kyndle thy harte to doe thyne offyce throughly as thou shouldest doe The .ii. Chapter The texte ¶ I exhorte therfore that aboue all thinges prayers supplicacions intercessions and geuyng of thankes be had for all men for kynges and for all that are in auctorite that we maye lyue a quiete and a peaceable life with all godlynes auâ— honesty For that is good and accepted in the syght of god our sauioure whiche wyll haue all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the trueth For there is one God and one mediatoure betwene God and man euen the man Christ Jesus whiche gaue hym selfe a raunsome for all men that it shoulde be testifyed at his tyme whenunto I am ordeyned a preacher and an Apostle I tell the trueth in Christ and lye not beynge the teacher of the Gentyls wiâ—â— faith and veritie IT is not ynoughe for the to be without fault thy selfe but it is the parte of a byshop to prescriâ—e also vnto other what is necessarye for them to doe And those ought to be suche thinges as maye appeare worthy an Euangelical conscience To be briefe it standeth them in hande that professe Christ to be moost ferre of â—â—om desyre of reuengement from desyre of hurte doing and from all kynde of dyspleasure Therfore see thou exhorte those that thyne are to begynne the first thing they doe in the mornynge to vse godlynes and to worshyp Christ And first of al let them praye to god to put awaye all thinges that trouble and disquiet the state of Religion and of the commune wealthe Than let them aske of him those thinges that are auayleable to godlye doyng and to the tranquillitie of the commune wealth This doen let them beseache Christe nothing elles against suche as persecute his flocke but his ayde and succoure Laste of all let thankes be rendred vnto him for those thinges that by goddes goodnes haue happened and earnest supplicacions made for the thinges that haue not yet happened And let these be doen not onely for the Christians but for all maner of men also lest Christian loue shoulde appeare to be but a straite laced loue as though it fauoured none but of his owne sorte but set it be extended abrode in moost large maner after thexample of god bothe to the good and to the badde lyke as he beyng parfitely good and beneficiall to all as much as in him is bestoweth his sonne to shyne vnto the iuste and also to the vniust And in asmuche as god geueth vs publique quietnesse by meanes of Ethnike rulers it is reason that thankes be rendâ—ed also for them â–ª And it is vncertayne to vs whether that ruler beyng a wycked ymage worshypper shall in shorte space receyue the gospel For that cause Christian loue wyssheth the saluacioÌ„ of al. The Iewe loueth the Iewe the newly entred into a secte loueth his lyke the Greke loueth the greke the borther loueth the brother the kynsman loueth the kynsman This is not a Gospellyke loue but that is a gospellyke loue that loueth the godlye for Christ and loueth the wycked that they maye once re pente and turne vnto Christ They doe sacrifice vnto deuylles and curse y ou bytterlye And you contrary wyse cleaue harde to the fotesteppes of Christe who whan he was exalted vpon the crosse and was reuiled with such spyght full rebukes as were more greuous than the punyshemente of the crosse selfe he gaue none euyll wordes againe he cursed not bytterly againe but with an excedynge great crye besought the father to forgeue them And praier is to be made not onely for yâ— who le general sorte of meÌ„ but also especially for kinges yea though they be Ethnikes and straungiers from the profession of Christe and for all them that after the publique ordre of the worlde are set in any autoritie And let not this moue you that of them we be afflicted we be beaten we be caste in pryson we be put to death Rather theyr blyndenes is to be pitied and not malyce requitte with malyce Or elles they shalbe neuer the better and we shall ceasse also to be Christians This waye pleased Christe as a waye of mooste speciall efficacie wherwith he woulde haue all dryuen to him selfe And thoughe there be some vpon whom our loue is lost yet wee wyll not geue ouer to be lyke oure selues for al that This world hath his ordre which it is not expedyent that we shoulde dysquyet seyng it is our duetye to procure peace in euery place Their power and autoritie in some purpose doeth seruice vnto the iustyce of God in that they holde vnder the euyll doers with punishementes in that they kept the naughtye ones in their duetie doing in that they put awaye robberyes in that with their martiall powers they defende the publique peace in that they gouerne the commune wealthe with their lawes These thinges albeit they doe not for the loue of Christ yet in a generaltye it is not expedient that the state of the commune wealth shoulde be dysturbed by meanes of vs lest the doctrine of the gospell shoulde seme a sedicious doctrine and than we shoulde begynne to runne in a hatered not bycause we professe Christe but bycause we hynder the publique peace And in case they abuse their power vpon vs at any tyme it is a Christian mans parte to forget the euyll turnes and remembre the good turne In this we are bounden to their autoritie in this we are boundeÌ„ to their defence and marciall powers yea we are rather bounden to God by them in this that we maye be safe from sedicions safe from robbynge safe from battayles and leade a quiet lyfe without trouble It woulde doe well to haue in remembraunce what a greate sea of myschiefes the hurly burly of warre bryngeth in with it and what coÌ„modities peace hath in it Many are the myschiefes that beggerly nede of necessarie thinges procureth Peace bryngeth plentie In peace there is oportunitie to vse godlynesse and warre teacheth all maner of wyckednes Our profession loueth chaste behauiour and in warre who can be safely chaste as he shoulde be And thoughe men for the moost parte abuse the benefyte of peace to wycked sensuall purposes yet for all that let vs vse the publique peace to the seruing of god and integritie of honest manners obeying princes in the meane season in al thinges that they eyther commaunde vs rightely accordinge to their office or elles doe nothing vnto vs but make vs punyshed persons and not wicked persons They take awaye our substaunce but yet no parte of our honestye is dyminished They lade vs with fetters but they drawe vs not away from Christ They slea the body and sende vs ouer to the hauen of immortalitie
chalenge to hymselfe any prayse The texte ¶ Charge them whiche are riche in this worlde that they be not hyemynded nor trust in vncerten riches but in the lyuyng God whiche geueth vs abound auntlye all thinges to enioye them that they doe good that they be riche in good workes that they be readye to geue and gladlye to dystribute laynge vp in store for themselues a good foundacion as gainst the tyme to come that they maye obtaine eternal lyfe O Timothe saue that which is geuen the to kepe and a voyde vngostly vanities of voyces and opposicions of science falsly so called whiche science whyle some professed they erred as concernynge the faith Grace be with the. Amen I haue declared how parilous noysome a matter it is for them that professe Christ to set their studie vpō riches And yf there be among our sorte any that haue chaunced vpon those riche substaunces for the whiche this presente worlde recōneth men ryche and fortunate and reuerenceth and honoureth them as halfe goddes commaunde them that they be not as the commune sorte is hyghe mynded in trustyng vpon their ryches nor that they repose their chiefe helping felicitie in thinges that are fyrste vayne than so incertain that yf casualtie take them not awaye yet at lest death despatcheth vs from them But let them rather trust surely in the lyuynge god that neuer forsoke mē eyther quicke or dead inasmuche as he is vnchaungeable of whose lyberalitie commeth whatsoeuer this worlde yeldeth vnto vs plenteouslye of yearely reuenues for oure presēt vse and not to hoorde vp riches And let them rather conuerte their study to this ende that they maye exercyse them selues vnto good workes wherby they maye be made truly ryche and let them be wealthye rather in good dedes thā in lordely possessions that that they haue let them so possede as thoughe it were commune and not their owne and let them therwith be glad to geue vnto the nedye and not dysoayne the rest that are but of small substaunce and let them shewe them selues gentyll and frendly in the company and familiaritie of the commune sorte of lyfe For wealthe hathe commonly these companyons with her dysdeyne statelynes Let them not put their trust in their gorgious great buyldinges for nothing in this world is longe durable But rather with true vertues let them laye for them selues a stronge and a good foundacion againe y◠worlde to come that they maye atteyne to the true lyfe that is to saye the lyfe that euer lasteth For what other thing is this lyfe than a race vnto death we must laye all carefulnes of transitorie thinges asyde and make spedye haste vnto it with all dilygent studye O Tymothie I eftesones desyre beseche the againe kepe faithfully this doctrine as it is committed vnto thee and suffre it not to be defyled with humayne learnynges And that thou canst not possyblye doe onles as I watned the before thou reiecte the chattring vayne byblebable of those mē that goe about to bryng them selues in a false estimacion of knowledge by reason of humayne questions and sophisticall quiddities inasmuche as mans knowledge consistyng of opinions contrarylye repugnaunt amonge them selues is not worthye to be called knowledge We know nothīg more certainlye than that whiche the doctrine and belefe of the gospel hathe perswaded vnto vs. Furthermore some men whyleft they goe aboute to seme learned and wyse throughe humayne reasons throughe sophistical wragglinges through new learnynges whiche they themselues haue deuysed haue wandred astraye frō the spnceritie of y◠faythe of the gospel whose propertie is to beleue not to dyspute nor is caryed awaye with mens decrees from the prescripte commaundementes of god And to thintent thou mayest perceaue that this Epistle is not countrefaicte I wyll subscribe these wordes with myne owne hande that thou well knowest Grace be with the. Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the fyrst Epistle to Tymothie ¶ The Argument vpon the latter Epistle vnto Tymothee by Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as in the former Epistle Paule put Tymothee beyng at Ephesus in hope of his comming agayne vnto him could not perfourme it bicause he was holdē in bondes at Rome he coufirmeth him with lettres that he be not discouraged with stormes of persecutions but after his example to prepare his mynde vnto martirdō For there are perilous times at hande quam he by reason of some that vnder pretence of godlynes turne true godlynes vp syde downe and so prate boastynglye of them selues as thoughe the Christian Religion consisted in wordes and not rather in purenesse of herte Than tellyng that the daye of his death draweth nere and that the moste part haue now forsaken him he byddeth Timothee and Marcus to come to Rome spedely vnto him This Epistle he wrote at Rome whan he was eftesones arraigned at Neros barre Thus endeth thargument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paule to Timothee ¶ The first Chapter ▪ The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God accordynge to the prompyse of lyfe which is in Christ Iesu To Timothee hys beloued sonne Grace mercy and peace from God the father and from Iesu Christ oure Lorde I thanke god whom I setue frō myne elders with pure conscience that without any ceasynge I make mencion of the in my prayers nyght and day desyryng to se the myndefull of thy reares so that I am filled of ioye when I call to remēbraunce the vnfeyned fayth that is in thee which dwelt fyrste in thy graundemother Loys and in thy mother Eunica and I am assured that it dwelleth in the also PAule an Embassadour of Iesu Christ called therunto by the will of God the father to declare howe greate the felicitie of the lyfe to come is whiche he promiseth vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christe that we should not care much for the losse of this life To Tymothee my dearebeloued sonne grace mercie and peace from God the father and from Iesus Christ oure Lorde I thanke God whose seruaunte I begonne not of a late tyme to be but kepte his relygion after the tradicions of myne elders continually with an vpright and a pure conscience and doe kepe styll For I serue all one God now beynge a christian the I lately serued a Iewe though after an other sort throughe whose goodnes we chaunced vpō such a man as thou arte in that thou folowest the exāple of me in sincere preaching of the ghospelles doctrine so as for thine owne deserte I can no lesse hartelye loue thee than mine own very sonne in so muche that I can not forget thee euen whan thou arte absent For in my prayers night and daye wherwith I am accustomed to call vpon God and to commende vnto him suche as I tenderlye loue thou commest alwayes in my mynde and I am very muche desirous to see thee especially as often as I remembre thy teares that thou sheddest at my departyng
of this malyciouse secte whiche be Iewes conuerted to Christ but not syncerely For they so professe the gospell that they mengle Moses lawe therwith and wyll not cleane forsake their Iewyshe supersticion The texte ¶ One of them selues euen a prophet of their owne sayde the Cretyans are alwayes â—lyats euil beastes sâ—owe belyes This witnesse is true Wherfore rebuke thou them sharply that they maye be sounde in the faithe not takynge hede to Iewes fables and coÌ„maundementes of men that turne awaye the trueth Vnto yâ— pure are all thinges pure but vnto them that are defyled and vnbeleuynge is nothinge pure but euen the mynde and conscience of them is defyled Nether is it any meruayle to haue suche men founde in Crete that feade their belyes with vaine wordes and naughtye wayes sythen many yeares agone a poete called Epimenedes whiche was a Cretian him selfe dyd speake these wordes of his owne countreymen Men of Crete be alwayes â—â—ars euyl beastes and slowe belyes This wytnesse is so trew that it myght be taken for a worde of goddes owne mouthe Be not they naturaly lyars which feare not to darken the most cleare lyght of the trueth of the gospell with their fables Be not they noyfull beastes whiche is euery place blowe their venome on symple persones that be not ware of them Be not they slowe belyes whiche had leauer by false doctryne lyue in ydlenes and rankly then for the defence of the gospell to suffre hungre and be many tymes shrewdely handled as I am Wherfore rebuke such naughtypackes earnestly that they may ones waxe good and leuyng the trust that they haue in the ceremonies of the olde lawe they maye geue them selfes wholy to yâ— truethe of the gospel and that they geue not them selfes to such lewde tales of the Jewes throughe the whiche the commaundementes of Christ be let go and constitucions of men brought in in the steade of them As the obsetuacions of newe Mones the kepinges of the sabbothe circumsicion wasshynges choyse of meates dyuersyte of clothing to beware that they touche not certayne thinges and of the house to be seuen dayes vncleane with many other lyke to these Whiche god for a tyme commaunded to be kepte of the Jewes partely that that nacion beyng rebellious and vnweyldy to be ordered might be holden and kepte vnder by the multitude of preceptes partely that those thiÌ„ges should be as shadowes of true thinges to come But they are nowe of none effecte at al insomuche that yf any man wyll contynewe to kepe them styll after the maner of the Jewes nothing can turne him more awaye from the veritie of the gospel For there is no nacion that more stubbornely dothe rebell againste the gospell than the Jewes do which can in no wyse leue these vayne thinges This meate saye they is vncleane eate it not This bodye is vncleane touche it not Thus speake they but awaye with these dyffereÌ„ces eyther of meates or clothinges among them that be trew Christians to whoÌ„ beyng cleane all thinges be cleane Neyther ought they to thynke any thinge that god hathe made to the vse of maÌ„ to be holyar or vnholyar one than an other whether it be meate clothinge or any suche lyke thing And as to them yâ— be pure christians nothing is vncleane so to the Jewes whose myndes are fylthye nothinge is pure and cleane not so muche as those that the lawe permytteth to them for cleane For seynge they haue not trust in him who after the openyng of the gospel would not haue these thinges to be obserued after the fleshly and lyterall sense but to be referred to the workes of the soule what thing can be pure to them whose myndes are infected with mysbeleue and their lyfe defyled with inordinate waste ambicion couetyse and other vices The texte ¶ They confesse that they knowe god but with the deades they denye him seyng that they are abominable and dysobedient and vnapte to euery good worke They vpholde the lawe with to the and nayle and yet they wote not what the lawe meaneth They haue their prepâ—ce circumcysed but the mynde within is vncircumcysed They go into yâ— temple with handes and fete wasshed but the soule and conscience is vnwassed They kepe their Sabbothe holy froÌ„ bodyly workes but in the meane time they haue their breaste vnquieted with hatered anger and other infections of the sowle They feare to be contaminate yf they eate eyther porke or pigge but they thinke themselues cleane whan they with gredy eares â—eaâ—e foule communication and back byting of other They thinke them selfes defyled yf they touche caren but yet they abhorre not to touche an hoore or a thing that is stolen They thinke it a fowle synne yf they vse any garment of lynen and woleâ— mengled together but they stande not amysse in their owne conceite whan they haue theyr breast ouercouered with so many foule vyces It is a great shame therfore to them to boaste them selues that they alone knowe god seyng that they deny him in their deedes more thaÌ„ any other Do they not deny him whan they are so spotted with the fylthynes of the soule that vnto moste men they are abominable yea and for their vnbelefe vntractable And fynally whan in all the deades of true faythe wherby we should cause god to be mercifull to vs they be farre worse than all other men be The seconde Chapter The texte ¶ But speake thou the thinges whiche become wholsome learnyng That the elder men be sobrr sage dyserete sounde in the faithe in loue in pacieuce BBut let them go with their fables let the naughtynes of these men moue the nothing at all but that thou remembre thy dutie and that thou speake those thinges that be in very deade mete for the iernynge of the gospell that is to saye yâ— whiche maye make vs commendable before god for our pure myndes manners declare that we be yâ— disciples of Christ Here thou wilt aske me what thiges theiâ—e yâ— I would haue theeso to speake and to instructe other in them Thou shalt warne the elders of the people yâ— they be sobre watchfull dilygent to all godly workes And that they ouercome the vnlustynes of their age with yâ— couragiousnes of faith Besyde that they be graue not playing the fooles lyke yonge men in their olde age but that they vse sage maners that the youthe maye haue them in renerence and awe Teache them to moderate them selfes that they be not way warde and soone angry as the commune sorte of olde men is but greatly commended not onely for the integrite of their faithe but besyde for their charitable deades and pacience in suffrynge of all aduersities in especiall suche as happen to them for the gospell of Christ The texte ¶ The elder wemen lyke wyse that they be in suche raymente as becometh holynes not beyng false accusats not geuen to muche wyne but that they teache honeste thinges to make the yonge wemen sobre mynded to
It is nede then that the simily tudes of heuenly thinges be purified wyth such thinges but that the heuenly thinges themselfes be purified wyth better sacrifices then are those For Christ is not entred into the holye places that are made with handes whyche â—e similitudes of true thinges but is entred into very heuen for to appere nowe in the sight of god for vs not to offre himself often as the hye priest entreth into the holy place euery yere wyth strange bloud for theÌ„ must he haue often suffred sence the worlde began But now in the ende of the worlde hath he apeted once to put synne to slyght by the offeryng vp of hymselfe And as it is apoynted vnto all men that they shall once dye and than coÌ„meth the iudgement euen so Christe was once offered to take awaye the synnes of many and vnto them that loke for hym shall he appere agayne withoute syune vnto â—â—luation And truely it was conuenient that suche thynges as in earth represented the similitude and shadowe of heauenly thynges shoulde be done with suche manour of grosse and carnall purifications But when veritie was once come to lyght then was it mete that the heauenly sacrifices them selfes should be made with better oblacions and cause a trewer puritie For as I haue sayde euen all that Christe did in earth is heauenly For trewely he entred not in to the holye places made with handes whiche are rather supposed holye then be holy in dede and maye be tourned vnto a prophane vse and were nothyng els but certayne shadowes and fygures of thynges that were verelye holye but entred into verye heauen where as dwellethe God immortall wyth hys holy angels before whom he as a leful Byshoppe maketh intercessyon for all mennes synnes purchasyng hymselfe fauourable audience wyth hys owne bloude whiche of his mere and free charitie he shedde for vs and that dyd he with so effectuall a sacrifice that it shall not be nedefull for hym euery yeare to do the same agayne as the hye pryest of the olde testamente entred in to the moste secrete parte of the temple yearely Nether is it anye marueyll that the sacryfice made by the hye prieste of Moyses was not of lyke efficacye sence he was bothe subiecte vnto synnes and offred vp a beastes bloud and not his owne If Christe had bene suche an hye prieste then sythe there hathe soo manye ages and yeares begonne agayne sence the creation of the worlde he shoulde of necessytye often tymes haue offred vp a sactifyce lyke as the priestes of the olde testament dyd Nowe was he suche a one that it was sufficieute for hym once to offre vp himselfe and once with the sprinkeling of his own blode to take awaye the synnes of all ages vntill the worldes ende And that was done not from the begynnynge of the woorlde but nye the ende of the same when it was openly knowen to euery man that al the world was defyled with synne and that there was no remeady but of God onelye bycause it shoulde manyfestly appeare howe effectuall a pryest and of what greate vertue and power he was who with one sacrifice pourged so greate an heape of synnes and lefte behynde him a ready and an easye remedye whych was that the same sacrifice shoulde be sufficient for al menne tyme once of measure that woulde not make them selfes vn worthye therof For he toke vpon hym not only their synnes who manye yeares byfore put hope of saluatyon in hym but also theyrs who would manye yeares after beleue his ghospel Wherefore there is not why the worlde shoulde loke after an other priest or an other sacrifice to pourge synnes but as it is appoynted to al men that they shall once dye without hope to retourne agayne into this lyfe wherein we ofttymes fall and ofttymes are pourged agayne and as there is nothynge loked for after euerye mannes deathe but that extreme iudgement wherby endelesse rewardes shal be adiudged bothe to good and badde so lyke wyse Christe who dyeng once was offered vp for all the world takyng vpon him as moch as in hym laye all mennes synnes bycause he woulde be punyshed for all woulde haue nothyng remayne after this lyfe but that last iudgement wherin he shall appeare agayne vnto the world not as before lyke a sacrifice appoynted to be slayne or lyke a worker of myschiefe and one worthy of punishement but as a glorious persone and one that knoweth no maner of synne he shall I saye appeare to their blysse and saluation who beyng nowe purified thorow his death perseuer in good and vertuous lyuyng tyll he come agayne not to be offred vp but a iudge desired of the good and dreadefull to the wicked ¶ The .x. Chapiter The texte For the lawe hauygâ— the shadowe of good thinges to come not the very fashion of the thinges themselfes can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yere by yere comynually make the commers thereunto perfect For woulde then not those sacryfices â—â—â—â—eased to haue bene offered bicause that the offerers once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of synnes Neuertheles in those sacrifyces is there no mencion made of synnes euery yere For the bloud of oxen and of goates cannot take a way synnes FVrthermore the cause why the hye priest of the olde testament coulde not do the lyke was by reason that that lawe forasmuche as it had not the lyuely and true fashion but onely a certayne shadowe of good thynges whiche rather sygnyfyed somewhat then brought anything to effecte could neuer wyth her vsuall sacrifice of beastes all though they were by those priestes contynually offred yeare by yeare make suche perfite as came to pacifie God wyth vneffectuall oblacions by the mediacion of weake priestes For yf perfeccyon myghte haue bene attayned thereby â–ª shoulde not the same sacrifices once offreo haue ceased tobe offred any more Now in these sacrifices when so euer they be offred agayne there is mention made a freshe of the former synnes whiche thyng playnly declareth that they haue no confydence in one sacrifyce Els for what purpose dyd they euerye yeare offre agayne newe sacrifices if one had so pourged from all synne that no conscience therof had remayned in those whiche had once offred and bene pourged For seyng that synne is the maladie of the soule and not of the bodie a grosse and bodely sacrifice as is the bloude of Oxen and Goates can in no wyse take awaye the dysease of the mynde The onely spirituall and heauenly sacrifyce of Christe is able to doe this thynge sufficiently the whiche thorowe fayth and Baptisme so taketh awaye at once all the synnes of our former lyte be they neuer so manye neuer so heynous that there remayneth no feate or reâ—â—orse in conscience so that we wyl only beware that we fal not agayne into out olde enormyties and detestable dedes For soo farre wyde is it from the trewth that God was made mercifull by reason that
such sactifices were oftentymes oftred that beynge rather offended therwith he required some one effectuall sacrifice whiche shoulde contynew for euer The texte â–ª Wherfore when he commeth into the world he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not haue but a body haste thou ordayned me Butâ—t offerynges also for synne hast thou not alowed Then sayed â— lo I am here In the begynnynge of the booke it is written of me that I should do thy wyll O God Aboue when he sayth sacryfice and offeryng and burnt sacryfices synne offerynges thou wouldest not haue neâ—â—eâ— haste thou alowed them whyche yet are offered by the lawe then sayde he Lo I am here to do thy wyll O god He taketh a waye the firste to estably she the latter â–ª by whiche wyll we are made holy euen by the offeryng of the body of Iesu Christ once for all For the Sonne as it were about to come into the worlde to make God the father mercifull vnto the same with the sacrifice of his owne mooste precious bodye speaketh vnto hym in the mystycall Psalme on thys wyse Sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest not haue but a bodye haste thou ordeyned me Burnt sacrifices and other sacrifices accusfomablye offered to pourge the peoples synnes thou haste not alowed Than sayed I Loe â–ª sythe that in the begynnynge of the boke I am sygnified to be a sacrifyce I am here to do thy wyll O God Whan therefore he sayeth in these woordes Sacrifyce and offerynge and burnt sacrifices and sacrifices for synne thou wouldest not haue neyther allowedest thou any of these sacrifices whiche were wonte to be offred accordyng vnto the prescription of the olde lawe And immediatlye addeth Loe I am here to obey they wyll O God and to offre a sacrifice pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thy mynde in these wordes I saye he taketh awaye that firste priesthode as dyspleasaunte vnto God to th entent he maye stablyshe the later ther with to satisfye Goddes wyll and pleasure What was this wyll of God who thus lotheth the lawefull sacrifices of the olde testament and greatly desireth a newe kynde of sacrifice For sooth it was this bycause it so lyked his free goodnes towardes vs that his heauenly sonne that is to saye Christe shoulde take vpon hym mannes bodye and dyeng for the synnes of the whole worlde purifie all menne by one sacrifice duely made of their synnes in suche wise that there nedeth nothereafter anye other blodie sacrifices The texte And euery pryest is ready dayly ministring and offeryng often tymes one maner of oblacion wyche can neuer take away synne But this man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set doune for euer on the righte hande of god and from hencefurth tarieth till his foes be made his fote steole For with one offering hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sancrified The holy ghoste himself also beareth vs record euen when he tolde before thys is the Testamente that I wyll make vnto them After those dayes sayth the Lorde I wyll putte my lawes in their heartes and in their myndes wll I write them and theyr synnes and iniquities wil I remeÌ„bre no more And where remission of these thinges is there is no more offering for synne Whosoeuer is a priest of the olde testament is constrayned dayly to ministre and oftentymes to offre the same sacrifices agayne whiche howe ofte so euer they be offred can neuer cleane take awaye synnes so that it is an endlesse busynesse to bothe partes that is to saye both to the offerer and to the priest by whom the oblacion is made But Christe thonely sacrifice once offered for the sinnes of al them which haue do or wyl beleue his promyses sytteth now on the right hande of God the father tarryeng for nothynge els but that whiche onely remayneth that is to saye to haue all the membres of his bodye assembled together and vntyll at the length it come to passe accordyng as it is promysed in the Psalme that his enemyes who are rebelles agaynst the ghospel be made his foote stoole But in the meane season he nedeth not to offre him selfe agayne for vs because that with one oblation he hath sufficiently perfited all those for euer whiche haue deserued to be sanctified thoro we faith in suche wise that none of our olde synnes can be layed vnto oure charge That I saye nowe euen the holy ghoste hym selfe witnesseth speakyng by the mouth of the Prophet and shewyng long before that the same thyng shoulde be whiche we see alreadye come to passe His wordes are these This is the testament that I wyll make vnto them after those dayes sayeth the lorde when I shall put my lawes in their heartes and write them in their myndes and their synnes and iniquities wyll I remembre no more muche lesse then wyll I take vengeauÌ„ce for the same Furthermore after that al synnes be once pardoned for euer what nede is there of the Iewishe sacrifices whiche were made to pourge and take awaye synnes The texte Seyng therefore brethren that by the meanes of the blode of Iesu we haue libertie to entre into the holy place by the newe and lyuyng way whych he hath prepared forvs through the vayle that is to say by his fleshe And seing also that we haue au hie pryest whych is ruler ouer the house of God let vs draw nygh wyth a true hert in a sure faith sprynkeled in our hertes the euil conscince put away washed in out bodyes wyth pure water Let vs kepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised and let vs consider one another to the intente that we may prouoke vnto loue vnto good workes not for saking the felowship that we haue among our selfes as the manet of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so muche the more bycause ye se that the day draweth nygh Seynge therefore brethren that the conscience of synnes is taken awaye whyche feared vs to make intercession to almyghtie God and that we haue an assuraunce gyuen vs to entre into the holy place let vs trustyng vpoÌ„ the most sacred bloud of Iesu which he shedde for our reconciliacion and therby opened vs awaye and entraunce farre dyuerse from the olde waye that is to saye a freshe newe lyuynge and euetlastynge waye whiche after it is once opened can neuer be shutte agayne the whiche waye he beganne vnto vs entryng in fyrst of all thorowe the vayle that is to saye by his fleshe where with his Godhed was couered for a tyme in this worlde â–ª and after the same fleshe was assumpted and taken vp into heauen heuenly thynges were opened And sythe we haue a greate pryest promysed of God after the order of Melehisedeche whom God hathe made ruler ouer all his house that is to saye ouer the Churche chatholyke the whiche churche he gouerneth not as a ministre but as thautour and Lorde thereof lette vs also
accordyng to hys desartes For what is a more gloryous thyng than to be praysed of Christes owne mouthe whan you shall heare Come you blessed of my father what thyng is more honorable than to be receaued of God the father into the felowshippe of the kyngdome of heauen together with the sonne But thys glory although it shall be the comen glory of all godly folkes yet it shall chaunce more haboundauntly vnto them that haue suffered greater thynges vpon earth for Christes sake Whiche rewardes in case they were nome presently apparent the strength of faythe should bee no maruclous matter But nowe the special chiefe prayse of good folkes consisteth in this point that where you neuer sawe Christ with your bodyly eies yet with the eies of fayth you see him and loue him and wher as the violence of sorowes doeth openly presently grate vpon you but the rewardes which are kept till a daye doe not nowe appeare yet puttyng assured confidence in hys promisses you suffre these thynges with none other stomacke than yf the glory were presently furnyshed before your iyes neither doe you suffre only with boldenesse but also in the mydle of affliccions you reioyce with an vnspeakable ioy beyng ful of glory before God that is to say of a well hoping conscience and full of a certayne vnfeyned confidēce that where you suffre suche thynges vndeseruedly you shall by the will of God haboundauntly receyue a great fruyte of your fayth that is to wete the eternall saluacion of your soules For it is a great vauntage whan through the loosyng of the mortall body the immortall soule is preserued Thus it was decreed by the eternal counsayle of God that menne should atteyne saluacion by these meanes whereby euen Christe hymselfe came to euerlasting blessednesse The texte Of which saluacion haue the Prophetes enquired and searched which proheryed of the grace that should come vnto you searchyng when or at what tyme the spyryte of Christe which was in them should signifie which spyrite testified before the passiōs that should happen vnto Christ and the glory that should folow aftet vnto which Prophetes it was also declared that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they shoulde minister the thyuges which are nowe shewed vnto you of them which by the holy ghoste sent doune from heauen haue in the gospel preached vnto you the thinges which the Angels desyre to behold For these matters are not by chaunce brought to passe at all auentures but the selfe same thyng that we haue alreadye sene the olde Prophetes which prophecied before hand that you should be saued through faith and the grace of the gospell without the ayde of Moses lawe haue diligently sought and searched out not beyng contenteo to see as it were through a myste what shoulde be to come but they haue also with a godly curiositie searched out of the spirite of Christ which than presently signified vnto the by secret inspiracion what Christe should suffre and vnto what excellente glory he shoulde byanby be aduaunced vnto than what or what maner of tyme that shoulde come to passe forsomuche as theyr myndes were vehemently desirous of his sauing helth And vnto them it was also manifested that these thynges which they prophecied beforehand should come to passe should not be exhibited in their tymes but in yours and the thynges that they opened in their prophecies they opened vnto you not to them felues In dede they would haue wisshed to see that you haue chaunced to see but theyr prophecies were spoken before to thintent that we Apostles should be more certaynly credited which declare nowe vnto you the thynges already done that they had spoken beforehande should come to passe And that you shoulde also not stande in doubt the same spirite of Christe in tymes paste taught them with secret still inspiracions what he had determined to doe which lately cūmyng doune from heauen in fyrietongues instructed vs to thintent we should be preachers in al the whole worlde of the thinges that are come to passe For we preache Christ that became man foral our saluaciō sake was conuersaunt on earth was afflicted with reproches torments finally was nayled on the crosse suffered death for oure sakes and anon ratsed agayne to lyfe was exalted vnto heauen where now he glistreth in maiestie and glory with the father which before semed vpon earth to be but a vile rascall and an abiecte and thither also will he exalte those that his be These mattersinasmuch as they were done by the vnspeakable counsaill of God it is no maruell though the prophetes desired to see them seyng it is so excellently pleasant and acceptable a sight euen to the angels them selues to loke vpon with the beholding wher of they cannot be fulfilled The greater the benefite is which is offred vnto you the more gredyly you ought to embrace it that it be not through your owne fault that you atteyne it not The rewarde is certayn but it shal be your dueties for all that to behaue your selues so that you seme not vnworthy the promises The day that is loked for wil come which shal openly bryng forth the rewardes both of the godly and of the vngodly It wyll come once whansoeuer it shal be and it shal come pleasant and happy to suche as it shall fynde readyly prepared on the contrary parte it shall come fearfully to them that it shall fynde vnfaithfull sluggardes and carelesly mynded The texte Wherfore gyrde vp the loynes of your myndes be sobet trust pefectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the declaryng of Iesus Christ as obedient chyldrcu that ye geue not your selues ouer vnto your olde lustes by whiche ye were led whau as yet ye were ignoraunte of Christe but as he which called you is holy euen so be yeholy also in all maner of conuersacion because it is writen ▪ Be ye holy for I am holy And if so be that ye call on the father which without respecte of person iudgeth accordyng to euery mannes worke se that ye passe the tyme of your pylgremage in feare And forasmuche as Chryst woulde haue that daye to be vncertayn vnto vs it behoueth you not to be in a securitie at any tyme but alwayes hauing the loynes of your myndes girded as menne readyly furnished to mete theyr Lordes comming watchyng and sober being alwayes stiered vp and put in mynde with the certayn and sure loking for of the euerlasting felicitie which now is offred vnto all men that obey the Gospell but yet it shal be possessed at length at suche tyme as our Lorde Iesus Christ shall openly shewe hys maiestie vnto al men and vnto angelles and deuiles howbeit they shall not come to that immortalitie but onely those that in a maner forecast the same in this worlde and according to the example of Iesus being deade to the lustes of this worlde lyue agayne agayne with him vnto innocencie and contynue stedfastly in it like laufull
the seuen starres and is the gouernoure of heauen and earth is all one thinge Namely yâ— Messias whiche was before the beginninge of the world the sauiour of al the faithfull our Lorde Iesus Christ Thiatira is a Cathedrall churche and one of the most notable cities in Lydia This churche dothe yâ— spirite of Christ commende and prayse as well for dyuerse vertues as also for waxing bygge and increasyng in them But he rebuketh the synne of the heades and ouerseets which are so neglygent that they doe not roote out nor reforme certen wyckednes As are the seruice and honouring of ydols and fals goddes and other hyghe blasphemies which doe alwayes accompany and wayte vpon ydolatrye Whiche thing is sygnified by the wycked and supersticious woman Iesabell Of this woman reade more in the first of the kynges in the. xviii and. xxii Chapter and in the. ii of the kynges in the. ix and. x. Chapter How she al her posteritie were so greuously punished of god And againe reade the. xiiii Chapter of ye. v. boke of Eusebyus concernynge Montanus his heresies and than shalte thou vnderstande this place muche better The texte And all the coÌ„gregacyons shal knowe that I am he which searcheth yâ— reynes and hertes And â— wyll geue vnto euery one of you accordinge vnto his worckes Vnto you I saye and vnto other of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learnynge and which haue not knowen the depâ—nes of Satan as they saye I wyl put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue alreadye Holde fast tyll I come and whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my worckes vnto the ende to him wyl I geue power ouer nacions and he shal rule them with a rodde of yron and as the vessels of a porter shal they be brokeÌ„ to sheuers â—â—uen as I receaued of my father so wyll I geue him the mornynge starre Let him yâ— hathe eares heare what the sprete sayth to the congregacions This rightuous dreadfull and seuere iudgement of god shall the faithfull knowledge and prayse And shal kepe them selues from suche blasphemies and preuent the wrath and indignacioÌ„ of god and obey folowe his wel for as muche as they heare and parceaue that god is one that knoweth the pryuities of all hartes and all the wycked frutes that spryng out of them and that they shall with all iustyce and equite be punyshed But those whiche eyther at Thiatira or els where do stycke and cleaue stedfastly vnto the worde and wyll of god forsakynge the wycked fynde and refusynge to haue any thing with hym to doe those woulde I not haue ouerladen sayeth god with outwarde ceremonyes and with Iewyshe ordinaunces For faith and loue accordynge vnto the doctrine of the gospell and agreable vnto the same shall be sufficient for them before me bothe for their saluacion and also for a christen and a godly lyfe For that is the seruice which pleaseth me and whiche I wil rewarde Whiche seruice also the very heathen whan they see it shal confesse and knowledge it to be good and godly and to be the very true and ryght gods seruice and beyng ouercome in their infidelyte and mysbelefe they shall fynde in their hartes to consent vnto it and to receyue it and so shall be obedient vnto the gospell forsakynge all their heathnysshe maners and al false gods seruice Euen as the holy prophetes haue sayde long synce that it should come to passe and that the grace and mercy of god was also promysed vnto the heathen thorowe Christe that was to come That they also at length with one harte and mynde should beholde yâ— mornyng starre Christ and his holsome gospell and shoulde in this lyfe thorowe faithe and after this lyfe in the euerlastynge kyngdome of Christ in the heauenly Ierusalem receyue the fruicion of euerlastynge and eternall riches with god and al his electe And in the ende he geueth them an earnest exhortacion to doe good and to esche we euyll that they maye obteyne saluacion and auoyde damnacion as he dothe lykewyse in other places The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the messenger of the congregacion that is at Sardis this sayeth he that hathe the seuen spirires of god and the seuen starres I know thy worckes thou hast a name that thou lyuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges whiche remayne that are readie to dye For I haue not founde thy worckes perfecte before my god Remember therfore how thou hast receaued and hearde and holde fast and repente If thou shalt not watche I wyll come on the as a theâ—e and thou shalte not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon the. AL this dothe Christe speake which is ful of al gyftes of yâ— holy goost without measure dystributeth the same gyftes thorow his spirite vnto all churches to all faythfull ouerseers of the christeÌ„ congregacioÌ„ No hipocrisye nor outwardeshyne of godnes thoughe it be neuer so ful of pompe or solemnitie is of any value before god He wyll haue faith and loue whiche are the pythe and strength of lyfe as infydelitie is of death But this faythe loue must no man vse nor haue for him selfe a lone but he must also moue and further other men vnto the same thorow his instruccioÌ„ good example of lyfe and thorow praier But alas there is great lacke of true faith in the churche whiche thynge maye well be perceyued by the workes and fruites which are sene and appeare For there is but lytle earnest zeale and feruentnes sene in furtherynge of true vertue and godlynes and of the true honour of god done of a pure conscience or in folowynge and practisynge the doctrine of the gospell receyued of the apostles There is but lytle zeale I say in professynge folowynge of this gospell in worde and lyfe together There are but fewe whiche whan they spye any thing amysse in them selues doe earnestlye studye to reforme and amende it or inforce them selues with dilygence to lyue in all godlynes and continuallye to be founde wakynge in vertuous exercyses as it were necessarye for al faythfull to be seyng the glorious commynge of Christ shal sodenly come vpoÌ„ them they can not tell howe soone The texte ¶ Thou hast a few names in Sardis whiche haue not defyled theyr garmentes and they shall walke with me in whyte for they are worthye He that ouercometh shal be thus clothed in whyte araye and I wyll not put out his name out of the booke of lyfe and I wyl confesse his name before my father and before his angels Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayth vnto the congregacions There is but a small nomber amonge you whiche doe lyue innocently and godlye studyeng dyligently to lyue after my wyll and pleasure But this small nombre is worthye of great honour wherwith I shal also indewe them as with blessed immortalitie eternall saluacion of my mere grace mercye aboue al desertes
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
doctrine And haue made it as it were pale bleaked for very sorow heuynes And this myschiefe hath preuayled in very many landes and in the whole christendom which was at that tyme as great as euer it was And than were dyuerse godly byshops and other Christians persecuted to death in all places for the true faythes sake The trees ¶ And wheÌ„ he had opened the fyfte seale I sawe vnder the aulter the soules of them that were kylled for the word of god for the testimonye whiche they had they cryed with a loude voyce saying How long tariest thou Lorde holy true to iudge and to auenge our bloude on them yâ— dwel on the earth And long whyte garmentes were geueÌ„ vnto euery one of them And it was sayd vnto them yâ— they should rest yet for a lytle season vntyl the nomber of their felowes brethren of them yâ— should be kylled as they were were fulfylled The fyfte seale and the aulter with the soules vnder it maye sygnifye the ryght godly Christen men whiche syghe crye yâ— they might ones see the true honour of god shyne floryshe al rightuousnes to increase And yâ— to procede of yâ— very true fayth true vnderstandynge of the word of god and againe they crye also against the tyrannous gouernour of yâ— wycked magistrates Vnto them is geuen comforte of conscience stedfast trust coÌ„fidence in yâ— promyses of god which can not deceyue them yf they crye earnestly ferueÌ„tly For yâ— is a token of the redempcioÌ„ great comforte yâ— is at hande And in yâ— meane tyme yâ— very same doe obteyne saluacioÌ„ of their soules immediately after their death in yâ— ioyes of heauen wheras they doe wyllyngly and paciently wayte after the resurreccion of their bodyes at suche tyme as the nomber of their felowes shal be accomplisshed and fulfylled Whiche tyme and nomber is onely knowen vnto the lorde The texte ¶ And I beheld wheÌ„ he had opened the syxt seale and lo there was a great earth quake and the sunne was as blacke as sacke clothe made of heare And the mone wexed all euen as bloude the starres of heaueÌ„ fell vnto the earthe eueÌ„ as a fygge tree casteth from her her fygges when she is shaken of a myghtye wynde And heauen vanysshed awaye as a scroll when it is rolled together And al mountaynes yles were moued out of their places And the kynges of the earth the great men the ryche men the chefe captaynes the myghty men euery bondman euery free man hyd them selues in deÌ„nes in rockes of the hylles sayd to the hylles rockes fall on vs byde vs froÌ„ the preseÌ„ce of him that sytteh on the seate and from the wrathe of the lambe for the great day of his wrathe is come and who is hable to endure This syxte seale maye be vnderstande of the great mysery and affliccion which shal aryse be procured thorow anty christ which shal be a very enuy of Christ and of all true holynes whiche shal esteme make himselfe a god And he shall set furthe in al thinges his owne glorye honour pompe iust pleasure against the holy word of god And all this shall he doe with all wylfulnes tyrannye false doctrine hypocritical and supersticious holynes with mans ordinaunces and he shal haue wonderful successe ther with And therfore there shall great affliccions aryse in the world and terryble earthquakes shal be sene whiche shal euidently declare the greuous myseries whiche shal ensue ther vpon And all these thinges shal be knowne accordyng vnto the maner of the scripture the prophetes and of Christ himselfe also thorow yâ—â—â—lypse darckenyng of the sunne â–ª of the Moone and tokens of bloode thorow the fallynge of the starres WhaÌ„ as in the holy state vnderstande yâ— spiritualty standerous persons shal reygne whiche shall blemyshe that ordre state with wyckednes shal do muche hurt bothe vnto the bodyes and soules of them for whose welth and saluacions sake they ought by dutye and office wyllyngly and gladly to gyue and to loose their owne bodyes and lyues For truth it is yâ— after the tyme of the heretikes the enemye of Christ that hell hounde Mahomet dyd aryse in the East parties of the worlde And the maynteyners of ydols and ymages monkery false religions daÌ„nable perpetuall vowes purgatory byeng sellyng of masses for mony the pryde pompe of the spiritualtie specially of yâ— sea of Rome of her decrees cursyng of Emperors Kynges theft robberies warres murthers in finite without noÌ„ber which brought suche misery slaÌ„der heuines as no tong can expresse these I say did aryse in yâ— west partes of yâ— world And this wyl the holy goost sygnifye expresse in this place with suche wordes as men doe vse whaÌ„ they wyl expresse the hyghest sorowes perplexites myseries of any tyme. ¶ The .vii. Chapter The texte ¶ And after that I sewe foure Angels stande on the foure corners of the earth holdyng the foure wyndes of yâ— earth yâ— the wynde should not blowe on yâ— earth nether on the see nether on eny tree And I saw another angel ascende from the rysinge of the sunne which had the seale of the lyuynge god and he cryed with a loude voyce to the foure Angels to whome power was geuen to hurte the earth the sea saying hurte not yâ— earth nether the sea nether the trees tyll we haue sealed the seruauntes of our god in their forheades THis perteyneth also vnto the syxt seale as a syngular comforte vnto yâ— right faithfull whiche are tossed and persecuted in this worlde for the truthes sake and for godlynes By these iii.angelles are vnderstande noysome ministers whiche goe aboute to hynder bothe the lyfe and doctrine of the gospel and the true faith These are yâ— messengers of Antichrist scattrid thoroweout the whole worlde they doe great hurte vnto al men of euery degre whiche is sygnified by the earth the sea the trees The holy angel which ascendeth from the rysing of yâ— sonne hath the token or seale of the lyuyng god is our lord Iesus Christ which hath not onely coÌ„maunded the gospel to be preached vnto al creatures but also thorowe his godly power he doth hinder such as would stop or let it And this he doth thorow his ordinary ministers as wel of yâ— spirituall as also of the temporall sorte And for this cause some men haue vnderstanden by this angell the good Emperour Constantyne But it maye also be some other by whome out fauiour Christe dothe further and set for the the doctryne of the gospell and a Christen lyfe againste all tyannes and Antychrystes This angell therfore shall delyuer the electe children of god from the myddes of the wycked worlde and shall marke or seale them with the token or marke of the blessed whiche is fayth loue and innocency
of this world of spiritual prelates and religious monkes and friers c. For all these and other suche lyke are the hornes crounes and the great tayle of this dragon whiche watcheth studieth and seketh all wayes and meanes to hurte and hynder the true faithe the christen lyfe and the holsome doctrine that is to saye our sauiour Christ in the faithfull And for this cause the doctrine of the gospell and the christen faithe hathe bene fayne to suffer muche continually euen from the beginnyng of the worlde and immediately after the christen faith was first taught preached And therfore many holy and faithfull christianes haue bene fayne to flee and yâ— trueth of the gospel in continuaunce of tyme was straunge and vnknowen vnto the moost parte of the hyghe learned doctours and potentates throughout the worlde Althoughe the true christen faithe was alwayes preserued thoughe it were in fewe and in abiecte persons of slender reputaâ—ion And this continued a longe space namely from the tyme of Constantine the Emperour whan as the christen churche semed in maner to haue escaped all daunger and perill of decaye and destruccion vntil our tyme wherin she appeareth againe wonderfully after a straunge maner in despite of al tirannes and of all the power of hell And nombring from that tyme of Constantine I meane vntyll our tyme euen this nomber of yeares shall euydentlye appeare reckenynge dayes for yeares as it is a commune thing in scripture If any man can finde out any plainer vnderstanding of this place for in suche darke and obscure places of scripture no man ought to be frowarde or contencious let them take it and folowe it The texte ¶ And there was a great batayle in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and preuayled not nether was their place founde any more in heauen And the great dragon that olde serpent called the deuell and Sathanas was cast out Whiche deceaueth all the worlde And he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast our also The power of God the holy worde of God and the spirite of Christ which we maye vnderstande by Mychaell who by interpretacion is who is lyke god and Gabriel the strength of God hath in all ages and tymes bene dryuen to holde batel with Lucifer and Sathan with the pryde of mans wysdome whiche haue hindred the true honour of God the true seruice religioÌ„ of God the true faith and haue euer withstanden the holy and pure gospell But this worde of God hath alwayes had the victorie althoughe with muche labour and daunger and sometyme not without harme and losse but not of the electe whiche thing shall continue vntyll suche tyme as our sauiour shall haue his wil and pleasure of this battell and with the breath of his mouthe shall slaye the sonne of the dragon the damnable Antichrist For the whiche thing we ought continuallye to call vpon the mercye and goodnes of God in a stedfast and perfight hope and confidence as he hath taught vs halowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy wyll be done no lesse in earth than it is infalliblye in heauen For the haÌ„de of God is not shortened but is able to gyue whatsoeuer he hath commaunded vs to aske and â—o praye for The peace also and quietnes of the elect and faithfull to lyue in godlynes maye be wysshed to be more perfight as is also promysed thorowe the prophetes than it hath bene hitherto for lacke of the true sounde doctrine of the gospel no smal space althoughe the very perfyght peace can not be obteyned but onely in heauen in the eternall quiet kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And I hearde a loude voyce saying in heauen is nowe made saluacion and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of oure brethren is caste downe whiche accused them before our God daie and night And they oeurcame him by the bloude of the lambe and by the worde of their testimonye and they loued not their lyues vnto the death Therfore reioyce heauens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the deuil is come downe vnto you whiche hathe great wrathe because he knoweth that he hath but a shorte tyme. Thus throughe the spirite of Christ with the continual and sincere preaching of the gospel Sathan and his champioÌ„ Antichrist are ouercome And thus shal the voyce prayse and thankesgeuing of the faythful be heard in the churche as it is here written now is Saluacion thorowe faithe and the strength thorow loue and the kyngdome or dominion in the churche become gods Nowe maye all men see the power of gods worde the iudgement of Christ against the deuel whiche would haue roted out yâ— rightuosnes of faith in Christ would haue directed and appointed christen men vnto the rightuosnes of workes and to the hope of their owne satisfaccion wherby he woulde alwayes haue founde occasion to accuse all men before God vnder a false pretence But the preachinge of the gospell hath disclosed this suttell falsehede and all suche lyke and declareth that onely the bloude of the lambe and nothing els can wype and washe awaye the synnes of all the worlde yf they trust in god thorowe Christ with a true lyuely faith thorowe the grace and mercye of God and the rightuousnes of Christ which he dystributeth vnto al his faithfull electe and maketh them partakers therof That by this meanes Sathan can haue no quarell against the workes of the faithfull whiche lyke thankfull parsons remayne and continue stedfastly in their true faith in al maner of affliccion aduersitie eueÌ„ vnto very death And therfore the true ioye of all godly consciences waxeth and increaseth in the churche And so their blisse and saluacion beginneth in this worlde thorow faith which faith worketh an innocent and a godly lyfe thus continueth euerlastingly in heauen But on yâ— contrarye parte woo vnto them whiche seeke their rightuousnes by men at certen places certaine times certaine workes and certaine meates for they can neuer fynde any true rightuousnes but thorowe the falsehede wickednes of yâ— deuil they fall eyther into desperacion or els into presumpcioÌ„ wherunto SathaÌ„ applieth al his study yâ— they fall not froÌ„ his kingdoÌ„ nor escape out of his fingers For he seketh nothing but yâ— damnacioÌ„ of such The texte ¶ And when the dragon saw that he was caste vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forthe the man childe And to yâ— woman were geuen two winges of a great Egle yâ— she might flye into yâ— wildernes into her place where she is nourished for a tyme times and halfe a tyme from the presence of the serpent And the dragon caste oute of his mouthe water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer because she shoulde haue bene caught of the floude And the earth holpe the