he coulde not promote vs to the felowshyp of immortalytie oâ—lesse he were God so was it not mere that he who created all thynges and by whose moderation all thynges were gouerned should suffre yâ— wholy to perishe which he created and made Where were the sonnes kyndome yf he were alone with the father The texte For it became him for whome are at thinges and by whome are all thynges after that he had brought many sonnes vnto glory that he should make the Lord of theyr saluacion perfecte thorowe affliccions For both he that sanctifyeth and they which are sanctified are all of one For whiche causes sake he is not ashamed to call them brethren sayng I wyll declare thy name vnto my brethren in the myddes of the congregacion wyl I prayse the. And agayne I wyll put my â—â—ust in hym And agayne beholde here am I and the chyldren whome God hath geuen me Therfore it was thought mete conuenient vnto almightie God the father that the sonne beyng the autoure and chiefe causer of all mennes saluacioÌ„ should after he were trâ—ed and proued by many affliccions not only purchase himselfe thenheritaunce of euerlastyng glory but also bring wyth hym many other chyldren reconciled vnto the father by hys death And therfore he toke vpon hym manneÌ„s body because that beyng manne he might puryfie and pourge manne of hys offences For the priest Christ which puryfieth and men that are cleansed and puryfied as touchyng yâ— nature of man do yssue of the same firste parent lyke as they haue one comen father in heauen Wherfore the sonne of God is not ashamed in the Psalmes to call godly folke hys brethren when he speaketh thus as foloweth I wyll declare thy name vnto my brethren and in the myddes of yâ— congregacion wyl I praise thee Doth not he here openly cal his disciples brethren â–ª and againe in a certaine other place I wyl put my truste in him Nowe it is the parte of a proued childe to truste his father with all hys harte Certes sytly the father promissed that he woulde put all thynges vnder hys sonnes fecte there is no doubte but he wyll saue those also with whome the sonne reygneth Agayne in an other place in the Prophete Esaye the Lorde calleth his disciples his children when he sayeth I and my children whom god hath geuen me You heare the vocables or names of kynred The texte For asmuche then as the children are partakers of â—â—she and bloude be also himselfe lykewise toke parte with them that thorowe death he myght expell hym that had lordshyppe ouer death that is to saye the deuyl and that he myght delyuer them whiche thorowe feare of death were all theyr lyfe tyme subduâ—d vnto bondage For he in no place taketh on hym the angels but the seede of â—braham taketh he on hym Wherefore in all thynges it became hym to bee made lyke vnto his brethren that he myghte bee mercifull and a faythfull hye prieste in thynges concernyng God for to pourge the peoples synnes For in that it fortuned hymselfe to bee tempted he is hable to sucker them also that are tempted Because therefore these brethren and children whome he speaketh of be men whiche consiste and haue theyr beyng of fleshe and bloude he that of hys owne nature was heauenly woulde take mans fleshe and bodye vpon hym and therein bee made lyke vnto those whome he woulde call vnto the felowshyp of the eternall kynred that he myghte expell hym who hadde the rule and lordeshyppe ouer death that is to saye the deuyll and sette those at libertie who were alwayes subiect vnto the seruitude and bondage of Satan which thorowe death raigned ouer all mankynde For whosoeuer is in bondage and subieccioÌ„ of sinne thâ— same is subiect vnto death Now Christ neuer gaue any aungell this honour that he woulde take hys nature vpon hym become his brother or his kinseman But according vnto gods promise he tooke on him the sede of Abraham He was borne a Iewe of Iewes a manne of man subiecte vnto all the incommodities and euilles of our nature to thirst hunger heate colde werines payne and death because thys likenes should testifie the true kynred of nature and put vs in a sure beliefe that he woulde not forsake those for whome he had suffered so great euilles displeasures and whom he had ioyned vnto hym with so streighte a bonde of alyaunce or consangâ—â—â—itie Wherefore it was conuenient that he should in all poyntes be made lyke vnto those whome he would haue to be his brethren that he might therby put them in more assuraunce to obtayne pardon in asmuche as he who tooke vpon hym thoâ—yce of an hye priest or bishop to make intercession vnto god to purge al the peoples sinnes and to reconcile mankynde vnto the father shoulde seme by this reason howe he would â—ee mercifull and faythfull to hys not onelye for that he was of the selfe same nature but also because it chaunsed hym to be tryed and proued with innumerable affliccions of this worlde to the intent he shoulde appeare the readyer to succoure those whiche should be bexed with the euils and aduersities of the same The .iii. Chapter Therfore holy brethren partakers of the celestial calling â–ª consider the ambassadour and â—ye priest of our profession Christ Iesus how that he is faythfull vnto hym that put him in the offyce euen was Moses in al his house For looke howe much honoure he that hath builded a house hath more then the house it selfe So muche honoure is he counted worthye of more then Moses For euery house is builded of some man But he that ordeâ—ned all thynges is God And Moses verelye was faythfull in all hys house as a minister to beare witnes of those thynges whiche were to bee spoken afterwarde But Christe as a sonne hath rule ouer the house whose house are we yf we holde fast the confidence and the reioysyng of that hope vnto the ende WHerfore brethreÌ„ now that ye be purified by the bloud of the sonne by the free goodnesse of God called to come to bee partakers of the lyfe celestiall to thentente you maye bee the more answerable vnto his benefites consider howexcellent in dignitie is Iesus Christ the ambassadour and bishop of your profession that is to say of euangelicall fayth and howe purely and vertuously the same behaued hymselfe to godwarde of whome he was ordeyned in the whole congregacion lykewyse as Moyses was commended for that he acquited hymselfe as a faythful minister in all his sinagogue which is the house and familie of god But Christ deserued so much the more honour and dignitie as the maker of the house oughte more to bee honoured then the house it selfe For euerye house is buylded of some man But he that hath ordeyned and made all thinges is god Therefore Moses was so conuersaunt in the house of god that he was a part or member and not the autor and original causer therof
this matier chalengyng nothyng to hymselfe as his own gaue ouer the whole prayse and glorie to god only whome he by his sure and constant fayth both testified to be true of promise as whiche woulde deceyue no man lykewyse to be almightye as whoÌ„ he thoughte able to perfourme his promise were the same neuer somuche passyng all worldly strength This is the glorie wherwith god is chieflye delighted whiche nedeth no seruice of ours and therfore as the scripture sayeth it was reckened vnto hym for ryghteousnes The texte ¶ Neuerthelesse it is not wrytten for hym onelye that it was reckened to hym for ryghteousnes but also for vs to whom it shal be coumpted for ryghteousnes so that we beleue in hym that raised vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead whiche was deliuered for our synnes and was raised agyue for our iustification Nor is it to be supposed that this was wryten onely for Abrahams sake when it is sayd yâ— his faith was reckened vnto hym for righteousnes for yâ— scripture laboreth not so muche for the auauÌ„cemeÌ„t of AbrahaÌ„s glory only but rather to gyue vs which are of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie an example wherby al the world might vnderstande that as Abraham for his faythe 's sake without healpe or ayde of the lawe obteyned before god to be coumpted for righteouse so should none of vs by kepyng of the law only thynke to haue the same AbrahaÌ„ theÌ„ was called righteouse because he beleued god And surely entry haue we none to ryghteousnes vnles we lykewise beleue in the same god whiche to vs hath brought to passe in Iesus Christ oure lorde whome he raysed from death to lyfe euen that he promised to Abraham in the fygure of Isaac therby declaryng that the fayth of Abraham was no vayne fayth whiche beleued yâ— god was suche one as coulde geue lyfe euen to the deade call agayne suche thinges as are not as thoughe they were Let vs not therfore for our righteousnes and cleannes of lyfe thanke Moses but Christ whiche gaue hymselfe to death to the entent he would freely through fayth forgyue our synnes whiche also rose agayne from death to the entent we shoulde abstayne from deadly synne nor displease hym by committyng agayne suche thynges for which his pleasure was to dye He dyed I saye to kyll synne in vs and rose agayne from death to th entent that by hym fyrst dying to oure olde synnes so furthe with hym and by hym beyng brought and restored into a newe kynde of lyfe we may hereafter lyue vnto yâ— ryghteousnes which we haue through his goodnes receyued The .v. Chapiter The texte Because therfore yâ— we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with god through our lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in through fayth vnto this grace wherin we stande reioyse in hope of the glorye of the chyldren of god Not that only but also we reioyse in tribulatioÌ„ knowyng yâ— tribulatioÌ„ bryngeth pacieÌ„ce pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed for the loue of god is shed abrode in our heartes by the holy ghost whiche is geuen vnto vs. COnsyderyng that only syn causeth variaunce betwixt god and man now are we certeynly at peace with god because that of wicked synful people we are made ryghteous that neither by Moses law whiche rather encreased oure offeÌ„ces nor for our workes but as our father AbrahaÌ„ was for oure faythe 's sake reconciled vnto god yâ— father whose frende also through fayth Abraham became that neither through Moses but through the only sonne of god our lorde Iesus Christ which with his bloud washed away our offences by his death reconcilyng vs vnto god beyng before yâ— tyme displeased with vs so opened for vs an entrye yâ— we through lyke fayth without either the lawe or circumcision mighte be brought into this grace of god promysed by the ghospell In whiche fayth we stande stedfaste and not only stande with good wyll couragiouslye but also reioyce not only because we are at peace with god but also for that we are pute in sure hope that through oure stedfastnes of fayth we shal in tyme to come enioye the glorie of heauen Nor enuye we the Iewes through the glory of their circumcision and as we enuye them not so mislike we not our fayth the brynger furthe of suche plentifull fruicte nor yet repent we our glory with hope wherof we for this present tyme are aduaunced vnderpyght Whiche glorie albeit it be suche as cannot yet be seene and thoughe without sufferyng of aduersities and troubles we attayne not therunto yet eueÌ„ the same troubles in the meane season recken we a thyng to reioyce and glorye of as whiche we suffer both to our hyghe prayse are also suche as open vnto vs the gate to life euerlasting For this new example hath Christ both geueÌ„ vs by him also taught are we this excellent doctrine that by sufferyng of tribulatioÌ„s the vertue of pacience is strengthened and as the fyer tryeth golde so throughe pacience become we better tryed and proued both of god man Agayne the more tribulatioÌ„s we suffer the surer hope of rewarde stande we in Nor is it to be feared leste this hope mysse disapoynt vs of our belief make vs ashamed before yâ— wicked people because we haue eueÌ„ now therof in hande a moste sure pledge and earnest penye whiche is the meruaylous and vnspeakeable loue of god towarde vs not onlye externally shewed vnto vs but most pleÌ„tifully printed in our heartes in manier coÌ„pellyng vs to loue hym agayne wrought by the holy ghost in steade of the watryshe letter of the lawe gyuen vnto vs as a gage assuryng vs of his promise herafter surely to be perfourmed The texte For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christ dyed for vs which wer vngodlye Yet scarce wyl any man dye for a ryghteouse man Peraduenture for a good man durste a man dye But god setteth but his loue towarde vs seyng that whyle we were yet synners according to the tyme Christ dyed for vs Muche more then nowe we that are iustified by his bloude shal be saued from wrathe through hym For had not god of his great mercy singulerly loued and pitied vs. Iesus Christ his only sonne had neuer by the wyl of his father descended into earth nor haue taken oure mortall fleshe vpon hym and so haue dyed namely what tyme we were weake thrall and subiecte to beastlye desyres whiche were by the lawe more lyke to be prouoked than to be brydelâ—d and suppressed Bad yet as we then were he loued vs in hope of saluacion yea he loued vs beyng wycked people and deuilyshe ydolaters and so loued vs that for our sakes he wyllyngly suffered death whiche was the greatest euident and moste singuler poynt of loue that euer could be shewed Among men scarcely shal any man fynde
transfourme thē lykewyse into the lykenes shape of hym whiche ouercōmyng the fleshe and death triumphantly went to immortalitie both to teache that al the members of his bodye should themself loke to haue the same which they see alreadie done in the head that by this waye and meanes through his onely sonne he myght to hymselfe geat manye chyldren amonge whome Iesus Christe should be head capitayne as the fyrste begotten departyng yet his inheritaunce with other and to put vs in assuraunce lykewyse that god wyll fully perfourme y◠thyng which he once purposed moreouer whom before al tyme he knew had chosē out being suche of whome he had already in his prophetes darke sayinges shewed his minde them called he also by the gospel that not in vaine but of his goodnes and fauer made them that wer so called of vngodly godly and of hurtful hurtlesse So that now only there remayneth glorifying wherof a great deale we haue already except we thinke it no glorious preeminence to be without syn to floryshe in the renoume of innocent lyfe to be without corrupt desyers to be so planted in Christ that thou arte become one with hym to haue his holy spirite as an earnest peny therof to be the enheritour of god and ioynte enheritour with Christ so that of the reste we can in no wyse doubt but that it shall in dewe tyme be fulfylled The texte What shal we than saye to these thynges Yf god be on our syde who can be against vs which spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all how can it be that with hym he should not gyue vs all thinges also Who shall laye any thyng to the charge of goddes chosen It is god that iustifieth who is he y◠can cōdemne it is Christ that dyed yea rather whiche is rysen agayne whiche is also on the right hand of god and maketh intercession for vs. Now syth all this is so wherfore shoulde any man mistrust it namelye synce god hath by so many and euident wayes shewed vnto vs his special loue and great fauer Who standing on oure syde what is anye aduersarie able to do What can mennes malice preuayle yf god be our defender Or what maye we not boldly looke for at his handes beyng now reconcyled vnto hym whiche what tyme we were out of his fauer for oure sakes spared not his only sonne but sent hym downe into this world for vs all Yea I saye brought hym in maner to nought and deposed hym al to exalte vs makyng hym wel nyghe syn to deliuer vs from syn deliuered hym to death to th entent we myght lyue And therfore syth he hath for vs delyuered his sonne in whom al goodnes is foloweth it not that with the same gyfte he hath gyuen vs all rightes that belong to the sonne vs I saye whome he hath put in lyke state of enheritaunce Or what is it that he wyll not gyue vs synce that he hath once gyuen hym whiche infinitely passeth all creatures And ieopardye ther is none least god thorough the crafty sleyghtes and temptacions of the deuill chaunge and withdrawe this his especiall fauer from vs. For who durst commense anye action agaynste them whome god of purpose and sure determinacion of mynde hath chosen out and taketh for his owne Wyl he heare thynke you anye accusers capciouse complayntes agaynst them all whose synnes he hath freely forgeuen God hymselfe whiche is iudge of all hath forgeuen vs the offences of oure olde lyfe and taketh vs nowe for ryghteous and who is he that can condemne vs beyng by him quited So that we take hede y◠we nomore fall to oure olde lyfe agayne Christe is he which loued vs so tenderly that for our welthe it pleased hym to dye yea he it is which lykewyse rose agayne for our sakes because he would healp and succoure vs his people This great procter iudge syttyng also at the right hand of god his father to whome he is in all poyntes egall entreateth our matier before his maiestie The texte Who shal seperate vs from the loue of god Shall tribulacion or anguishe or persecucion or hunger either nakednes either perill either swearde As it is written for thy sake are we kylled all daye long and are coumpted as sheepe appoynted to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these thynges we ouercome through hym that loued vs. For I am sure that neither death neyther lyfe neither angels nor rule neither power neither thinges present neither thinges to come neither height neither loweth neither any other creature shal be able to depart vs from the loue of god which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde Synce therfore the father hath thorough the death of his sonne forgiuen vs al oure gyltes and offences sythe his sonne so tenderly loueth vs why shoulde men hencefurthe feare the deuyll or any man the diuels minister either accusyng vs or condemnyng Considering also with howe many benefites and speciall gages of loue we are bounde both to god Christ who is he that shal plucke withdraw vs awaye from louyng thē agayne whiche so tenderly loue vs Shall any storme of worldly aduersitie do it Shall any affliccion or distresse Shal hunger or nakeones Shal ieopardy of drownyng or any lyke peryl chaūcyng after lyke sort Shal persecucion of the wycked or the bloudy swearde of death For that suche thynges should in this worlde happē to innocentes the holy psalme wryter Dauid lightened with the spirite of god long before sawe what tyme he sayde that for thy sake o Lorde are we kylled al daye long and coumpted as sheepe appoynted to be slayne Al these troubles thoughe they seme greuouse cause yet is there none why they ought to make vs a frayd Chaunce maye they to vs in dede but yet oppresse vs they can not Yea I saye the more vehemētly they trouble vs the more shal they bothe strengthen oure burnyng charitie to Christward and Christes also to vs because we at al tymes departe hauyng the vpper hand not through any strength and power of oure owne but through his defence whome we are bounde to thanke for altogether Nor wil he whiche in suche sorte loueth vs suffer vs to be ouerthrowen nor we vpon remembraunce of his goodnes towarde vs through any assaultes of aduersities shrinke from louyng hym agayne But yet haue I rehearsed vnto you but lyghte and common mattiers but harken a bolder saying and suche wherof my selfe am moste certaine and am moste certaynly persuaded in More cause were there to feare suche ieopardies as hang ouer oure heade by reason of creatures whiche can not be seene as euil spirites whiche yet neuerthelesse assault mennes soules and not only their bodies whom yf we but once regarde not despise the ieopardies of the other can not make vs a fearde Nor in this haue we any cause to feare seyng that neither meane power of aungels of muche more myght yet
so lowe a foundacion We beyng there were hungerbaned and famyshed and among you so poore and nedye that to gette our dayly lyuyng fayne were we to sowe lether we byle and cruelly vexed syncerely and without corrupcion preached Christ vnto you and are ye now come to this to despise vs by other Apostles councell to be so fyerce through full fedyng and by reason of your ryches so puffed vppe with pryde so wranglyng and sediciouse by reason of your dominion and kyngdome Haue ye taken possession of so great ryches for your selfe and thrust vs out of doore that haue sustayned the greatest brunte of this matter Whether ye haue obtayned any great thing or not iudge your selfes Certaynly I would wishe ye had obtayned such a kingdome as were semely for Christe Then would we thrust our selfes into some one parte or other therof to raygne with you because we layed the foundacion For I cannot be brought in minde to thinke that ye would be so vnmanerly as to thrust such out of the company of your welthy state as vnto you were begynners of thesame vnlesse we be vtterly borne to this misery to haue no rewarde at all but despite famine infamie emprisonmente strypes and to be in ieopardie of our life when other menne with theyr false learning gette them selfes so great a renoume Yf an Apostles office should be recompensed with worldly rewardes I thinke we ought of ryght to haue the beste whiche firste of all with so great ieopardyes haue graffed Christe in you The texte For me thinketh that God hath set forth vs which are Apostles for the lowest of all â–ª as it were menne appoynted to death For we are a gasyng stocke vnto the worlde and to thâ— Angels and to men We are fooles for Christes sake but ye are wise through â–ª Christe We are weaâ—e but ye are strong Ye are honorable but we are despysed Euen vnto this time we honger and thryst are naked and are buffeâ—ed with fystes and haue no certayne dwellyng place and labour working with our owne handes We are reuiled and yet we blesse We are persecuted suffre it We are euill spoken of and we praie We are made as it were the filthines of the world the ofscowring of al thinges euen vnto this daie Yf such lawfully raigne emong you as haue builded vpon the good foundacion we layed but meane thynges then thynke we our selues onelye miserable by the wrath of god Theyr ryches and fame of wysedome hathe broughte them in authoritye and to beare a rule among you but vs as it seameth hath Christe called loweste of all to the apostles office to bee punished and to suffre deathes as they doe whiche for theyr mischeuouse deedes are caste vnto wylde beastes to be an exaumple to the people What courte of iudgemente is there whyther we haue not been draweÌ„ what prison is there that knoweth not our trouble What commen place is there wherein we haue not been openly mocked so that we were not onely a gazyng stocke to the worlde whiche defyeth Christe nor onely to men that are worldly wyse but also to the deuils themselfes whiche are with our troubles delighted O the chaunge of thynges tourned vpsidown and contrarye We are foles for Christes sake despysed because we preached yâ— he humbled hymselfe and was fastened to the crosse ye as wyse men vpon coÌ„fidence in Christ do proudely auaunce your selfes We lyke weake and feble for Christes glorye humbled our selfes ye lyke strong are proude and insolente Despised wer we and rascalles ye are noble and honourable We haue no profyte but our payne and trauayle but al the profite is yours For what reward haue we I praye you for so manye daungers and troubles So farre haue we bene vntill this daye from bearyng any great rule as some dooe that coumpt themselfes for chiefe Apostles that we oftetymes lacke meate oftetymes drynke oftetymes clothyng muche lesse gote we by the ghospell any greate ryches Yea and are oftetymes buffited so far were we from obteynyng honour and that whiche is a playne proufe of extreme nede we wander abrode hauing none appoynted dwellyng place nor house of oure owne wherein to suffre and endure our pouertye with somewhat lesse griefe because it is not seen So far from poulyng and pillyng any manne that we gotte our lyuyng with our own handes We seke not for worldelye prayse but rather suche as reuyle vs we blysse and for vnlanyes and reproche oftetymes done vnto vs we on oure side geue prayses So far are we from oppressing that we without complaint suffer cruel persecucion What nede many wordes Other emong you are in great renoume but we for your sakes haue been coumpted hytherto as outcastes of this world moste vyle and leaste set by Yf I as some men doe woulde caste in your teeth my trauayles my ieopardies and labours should I not haue a very good cause to quarell with you The texte I wryte not these thynges to shame you but as my beloued sonnes I warne you For thoughe ye haue ten thousand instructours in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you thorow the Gospel Wherfore I desire you to folow me as I folowe Christ For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus whiche is my dere sonne and faythfull in the Lorde whiche shall put you in remembraunce of my waies yâ— I haue in Christ euen as I teache euery where in all congregacions Some swell as though I woulde come nomore at you But I wyll come to you shortly if God wyll and wyll knowe not the wordes of them whiche swell but the power for the kingdome of God is not in wordes but in power What wyll ye Shall I come vnto you with a rodde or els in loue in the spyrite of softnesse I write not this nowe as one that for youre vnkyndnes hateth you to make you ashamed but rather as a most louyng father warne you as my most dearly beloued children for your owne profite and not for myne For yf by my onely hurte your matters shoulde well goe forwarde I would not passe vpon myne owne losse but would reioyce in you for whose profite I would not sticke to dye But nowe syth I perceiue that ye through your new Apostles become woorse godlye loue compelleth me to warne you of the ieopardie which I coumpte as mine owne Ye Corinthians maie not despise this good will of myne which is very fatherly without any fayning A great difference is there betwene a scholemaister and a father for he for the tyme is cruell to the vnhurtefull age and doth his duety if he doe it at all either for rewardes sake or for feare of eiuill but a father prouoked thorough a naturall loue prouideth for the profite of his childreÌ„ though he ther by beare losses and damage Though ye chaunce to haue yea ten thousande scholemaisters surely ye shall fynde but fewe of them to be fathers And whye shoulde I not
hymselfe with no other craftie meane more hurteth menne than whan he by dyssemblyng what he is by enchauntemente turneth hymselfe into the lykenesse of a bryghte aungell But suche as are the vnfayned dysciples of Christe vse no deceite thereyn resemblyng theyr maister And it is no new thyng that the minysters of the deuyll take vpon them a contrary persone that whereas they serue vuryghteousnesse they may yet seeme the minysters of ryghteousnesse whiche beeyng moste false traytours pretendyng frendshyp are extreme enemies I vse not yet myne autoritie vpon them but for a quyetnesse leaue them to theyr malyce But they shall not escape punyshement for all euill woorkes shall haue an euil ende The texte ¶ I say agayne leste any manne thynke that I am foolyshe orels euen nowe take ye me as a foole that I also maye boast my selfe a litle That I speake I speake it not aâ—â—â— the â—orde but as it were folyshelye in thys matter of bostyng Seing that many â—â—â—oyâ—e after the â—â—eshe I wyll â—eâ—oyce also For ye suffre fooles gladlye seing ye your selues are wyse For ye suffre if a manne brynge you into boudage if a manne deuoure if a manne take if a manne exalte hym selfe if a manne smite you on the face I speake as concerning rebuke as though we had bene weake in this behalfe And nowe muste I agayne desyre you to beare with me that I may sumwhat truely boaste of my actes leste some thynke it foolishenes for me to praise my selfe Yf I can not obtain this much of you yet beare this muche with my foolyshenesse if ye can that synce these marchaâ—ntes among you so much crake of themselues that I may also somewhat glorye of my selfe For that whiche I am nowe about to say shall not sauer of that pure spirite of Christe but rather worldly foolyshenes for glorye will I of suche thynges whiche nothing the more brynge vs into Goddes fauoure but are suche whereof the foolyshe commensorte is woonte to bragge and crake whereas in them true glorye resteth not I knowe that it is lyke foolyshenesse that I dooe but these false preachers crakes coÌ„pel me to it whom yet ye fondly suffer to glory Since therfore there be among you so manye whiche woulde be coumpted for apostles and yet boaste of no suche thynges as make to an apostles dignitie I wil also sumwhat of my selfe glory in this folowing theyr foolyshenes whiche oure foolyshenes ye shal in the meane season take in good woorthe for wyse menne as ye are gladly beare with other mennes foolyshenesse And good reason is it that amonge so manye as continually glorye ye for a whyle suffer me synce my reioysynge shall not vnto you be paynefull as theyrs is In them ye suffer willyngly to bee broughte into bondage whereas Christe woulde haue you free or if anye of them with costes deuoure and weare you oute whereas we frely taught you in them ye suffer if any by receiuing presentes and giftes diminishe your substaunce if any throughe pryde vse tyrannye vpon you yea and that whiche is a poynte of extreame vilannye smyte you in the face with hys hande or if they thys dooe not yet they so handle you some other way that the vilaâ—â—â—â— is no lesse These for theyr thys dooyng ye thynke hygh apostles hauyng them in pryce for suche thynges for whiche it is commenly coumpted foolyshenes for any manne to auaunte hymselfe As though we coulde not abuse the same tytles with power and autoritie to kepe you vnder had we not rather hadde a greater respecte to youre wealthe than to our dominion The texte Howbeit wherin soeuer any man dare be bolde I speake foolishly I dare be bolde also They are Hchrues euen so am I â–ª They are Israelites euen so am I. They are the sede of AbrahaÌ„ euen so am I. They are the ministers of Christ I speake as a foole I am more In labore more abouÌ„daunt In stâ—â—pâ—s aboue measure In prieson more plentâ—ousâ—y In death out Of yâ— Iewes â—â—ue tâ—mes receiued I euery â—â—ne fortie stripes saue one Thrise was I beaten with â—oddes I was once stoned I suffered thrise â—â—â—pwracke Nyghte and day haue I bene in the dâ—pesâ—a In â—ourneing often â—â— parels of waters â—â— parels of robbers In â—â—opardies oâ—â—â—ne oâ—ne neâ—â—oâ— in â—eoperdies among the Heathen in parels in the â—â—tâ—e in parels in wyâ—dernes in parels in the â—ea in parels â—mong false brethren in labor and trauail in watching oâ—ten in hunger in thiâ—ste in fastâ—nges often in could and in nakednes besyde the thynges which ouâ—â—ardly happen vnto me I â—â—â—â—â— bred dayly and doe â—arâ— for al congregacions â—ho is weake I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not If I â—ust nedes boaste I will boaste oâ— the thinges that concerne myne infirmities And for a while to speake lyke a foole what crake they of or what is it that maketh them so much to stand in their own conceites wherin I can not match theÌ„ They would haue it seme a great mater to bee an Hebrue as though god much regarded of what stoâ—ke a man cuÌ„meth and yet if it bee any thing wurth to bee an Hebrue borne I am an Hebrue also They are Israelites so am I they are of the sede of Abraham euen so am I. For with such vain tytles brag they themselues in which yet if we lusted to glory we are as good as they in such poyntes whiche verely make toward the glorye of an apostle we passe them They are the ministers of Christ let it be so but to speake thys foolishly but yet truely more am I. That I so am I declared neither wth high looke nor with takyng of presentes nor by braggyng of my kyndred but by suche meanes as â—uideÌ„tly proued mine apostolique spirite I haue takeÌ„ more paines than any of them more stryâ—es haue I suffered more oft times emprisoned in â—eopâ—rdie of death more often And if ye lust to heare a particular rehearsall of the Iewes fyue tymes receyued I euery time fortye stripes saue one thryse was I beaten with â—argeauntes roddes once was I stoned thrise suffered I shipwracke night and day haue I bene in the deape sea not without extreme desperacyon of my lyfe What nede I of these to make a syngulare rehearsall synce I for the gospels sake haue ofâ—times bene in ieoperdie not onely by sea but also by lande oftentymes in ieoperdies of waters in peryll of robbers in perill by reason of perâ—ecucion of the Iewes in â—eoperdies among the violent Heathen in perill in the ciâ—â—â—s in peril in wildernes in peril in the sea when we were lyke to haue bene slayne of the mariners in ieoperdie of suche which vnder the false name of christian men resisted our gospel Now wil I let passe my continual labours and trauayls taken for the Gospels sake and not rehearâ—e my continual and often watchinges my huÌ„ger and thrust suffered often times my often fastynges nor the payne of coldenesse and
glad tidynges vnto AbrahaÌ„ saying in the shal all nacions be blessed So then they whiche are of fayth are blessed with faythful Abraham Now marke and considre how this my saying scriptures many yeres gon testified and ment that is to wete that al men through fayth should loke for saluacion not onely a fewe Iewes by circumcision That now is preached vnto you by the gospel the same many hundreth yeres gone God promised to Abraham saying in the shal al nacions be blessed and wynne praise But now could it in no wyse be true that al nacions shuld be borne of Abraham and yet through him is the blessyng promised vnto all people as though all were his posteritie as they in dede be not because all are of his bloud and stocke but by resemblyng his fayth For it besemeth children to resemble their parentes Therfore suche as mistrustyng the ceremonies and workes of the lawe haue an vndoubted trust in the promises of the gospel as true children of AbrahaÌ„ shall with theyr faythful father enioy the blessyng promised vnto him from whiche suche shal be excluded as bastardes vnlawfully begotten more worthy to be cursed than blessed as by circumcision trust to be saued The texte For as many as are of the dedes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse For it is writteÌ„ Cursed be euery one that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe to fulfil them For as many as hang vpon the obseruaunces of Moses law whoÌ„ they kepe not in dede but breake are vnder all Goddes indignacion curse The Iewes selfe cannot deny this forasmuche as in the boke of Deuteronomie this wyse it is written cursed be he that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe and doeth not suche thinges as by the lawe are coÌ„maunded By whiche wordes ye see that suche as kepe the lawe ceremonial are not for that promised to be made righteous but the transgressers therof are threatened goddes curse What man is he that is able to perfourme the whole lawe specially synce it is suche a thyng whiche when through inhibicion it hath prouoked men to syn gyueth no strength nor ablenes to suppresse and ouercome desyers The texte That no man is iustified by the lawe in the syght of god it is euident For the iuste shall lyue by fayth The law is noâ— of fayth but the man that fulfilleth the thinges contayned in the lawe shall lyue in them But brieflye to graunt that a man maye throughlye kepe the lawe suche one happely shall among men be taken and accoumpted for ryghteouse but not be lykewyse coumpted before god at whose hande yf no man throughe keping the ceremonial lawe of Moses be iudged for righteous without doubte trewe is it that by the prophet Aâ—acuâ— is wrytten that the righteous lyueth by fayth For as syn is the seede wherof death groweth so is godlye lyfe the begynnyng and wel spryng of lyfe The law hangeth vpon keping of certayne prescript ceremontes and not vpon fayth which ceremonies who so obserueth and kepeth shall lyue in dede â–ª but not the euerlastyng lyfe wherof we are throughe faythe put in assuraunce Looke what righteousnes the lawe gyueth lyke kynde of lyfe gyueth it Among men so is it that whoso breaketh not the rules of the law he is ryghteous and lyueth among men oute of all feare of punishmeÌ„t but before god neither shall he be accouÌ„pted for righteous nor yet for lyuyng vnles he surely truste vpon the promises made in the gospell The texte Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe inasmuche as he was made as cursed for vs. For iâ— is written cursed is euery one that haÌ„geth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Iesus Christe that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth Christe only among other was not vnder the curse of the lawe but as an innocente and hurtles lambe to the law nothing endaungered We were in daunger to it and by reason therof accursed whiche wretchednes and curse he delyuered vs from turnyng our offence into innocencie and oure curse into blessing So that muche lesse woulde he haue you nowe vnder the boÌ„dage of the carnal law But howe delyuered he vs Without doubte by that he beyng without all spot or syn vpon his bodye tooke the payne that was for oure trespaces dewe and the curse vnder whome we were toke vpon hymselfe whereas he was from that free and partaker of blessyng Toâ—e he not oure trespaces vpon hym whiche as an offender among offenders for oure redempcion suffered the shamefull vilanie of the crosse For iâ— the boke of Deuteronomie this we reade cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree And why woulde god haue it so Surelye to the intente that the curse of the lawe beyng taken awaye the blessyng that once was promised to Abraham shoulde in steede of it throughe fayth take place Take place I saye not in the Iewes onlye but in the Gentiles to not throughe the benefite of the lawe whome Christâ— woulde haue abolyshed but by the free mercye of Iesus Christe by whose death we beyng brought agayne into goddes fauour delyuered from the burden of the grosse lawe maye throughe fayth obtayne the blessyng of the gospell promised to Abrahams posteritie the spirituall posteritie I meane and not the carnall Let vs surely truste in god for he wil of his promyse deceyue no manne but what he promised that wyll he perfourme The texte ¶ Brethren I speake after the maner of men though it be but a mannes testament yet yf it be allowed no manne dispiseth it or addeth any thyng therto To Abraham and his seede were the promises made he sayth not in his seedes as manye but in thy seede as of one whiche is Christe But to the intent ye shall the better vnderstand this loe a worldly and familiar example For thoughe betwixt god and man there be no comparison yet a mannes testamente and couenaunte when it is once allowed and ratified no manne either breaketh or putteth any thyng to it contrary to the wyll of the maker howe muche more stable and sure then should the couenauntes and promises of god be God promised Abraham a blessyng whiche by his seede all nacions of the worlde shoulde haue Wherin it is to be obserued and marked that scripture sayde not seedes but seede leste we by Dauid Moses or any other myght loke to haue goddes promise but in his wordes noted the only seede and the verye seede of the euerlastyng Abraham whiche is Iesus Christe into whome throughe baptisme and throughe the receyuyng of the spirite we throughe him loke for the same gyftes whiche god hath already gyuen vnto hym The texte This I saye that the lawe whiche began afterwarde beyonde foure hundred and thirtie yeares dothe not disanull the testamente that was confirmed afore of God vnto Christwarde to make the
with God long ago yea euen afore the world was made and in a maner opened vnto the prophetes by inspiracion albeit it was not playnly opened to the world as it is now by me that the Gentiles through onely fayth of the Gospel without helpe of Moses law should attayn saluacion yea in so much that the chiefest of the Apostles durst not admit suche as were not circumcised vnto baptisine But nowe it is playnely opened vnto the holye Apostles of Christe and to hys prophetes by inspiracion of the holy goste that the Gentiles through faith are so vnited vnto the Iewes that they are comen in to the felowship of yâ— selfe same enheritaunce and growe in to all one bodye reioycyng in theyr common head Christe and by reason therof are becomen partiners of all the proinisses that abyde suche as beleue the Ghospel of Christ to preache the which Ghospell autoritie is commytted vnto me and I ceasse not to dooe my commaunded office labouring constauntly hitherto in the Ghospels busines euen vnto emprisonmeÌ„tes and fetters not that I am any thing mete of mine owne strength for so painful a busines but he that appoynted that office to me hath laied his owne helping hande to the same And so it is that I being as concerning myne owne habilitie feble and weake am by his benefite strong and full of courage agaynst the stormes of al mischiefes I boast not myne own worthines for I coÌ„fesse that I am the least of Saintes but yet as litle as I am it hath pleased the goodnes of God to putte me in trust with this businesse of moste weightie importaunce that I shoulde publishe and preache among the Gentiles whiche before this time knewe nothyng of God the vnsearcheable richesse of Christ which he offereth plenteously to all men and bryng to lyght the thyng that before was hidden that the benefit of the ghospell is to be dispensed and ministred to all maner of nacions whiche beefore was supposed to be geuen onely to the Iewes although it was otherwyse decreed eternally of God the maker and gouernour of all thynges notwithstanding his will was to haue thys Counsayll of hys diuyne intente to be yet hitherto kepte secrrete whiche in these tymes he woulde so openly manifeste and that by the congregacion wherinto he powred suche aboundaunce of spirituall giftes that his manifolde wisedome whiche with wounderfull deuises disposeth all thinges through death geuyng life through shame exaltyng to glorye through humilitie aduauncyng Goddes maiestie whiche no man in times paste coulde haue Imagined shoulde nowe bee brought to lyght not onely to the brode worlde but euen to prynces and chiefeste of Angelles and deuilles that haue to dooe in the skyes and in the vppermoste parte of the ayer whiche thynges albeit they myght gesse should come to passe that mankynde should once be redemed yet this was not knowen by what reason the wisedome of God had eternallye decreed to bringit to passe whiche thing now at length was openlye knowen whan he sent his sonne into the world who hauing taken vpon him an humain bodye would by vnspeakeable meanes vnite and couple the congregacion to hymselfe whereof our lorde Iesus Christe should bee the head by whome like as Innocencie chaunced vnto vs in that that our sinnes were doen a waye euen so chaunced vnto vs an assured truste also that as children we shoulde not be afraied to approche vnto the father whose displeased countenaunce we durst not afore beholde For what shoulde we bee afrayed of hauyng suche a heade that in no wise suffreth any of his membres to perishe albeit here in the meane season we suffre sum affliccion The texte â–ª Wherfore I desire that ye faint not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whiche is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our lorde Iesus Christ which is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he would graunt you accordyng to the riches of his glorie that ye maye bee strengthed with might by his spirite in the â—â—â—er man that Christe maie dwell in your hertes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue mighte bee hable to comprehende with al sayntes what is that bredth aâ—d length depth and height and to knowe the excellente loue of the knoweledge of Christ that ye mighte bee fulfilled with all fulnes which cummeth of God Vnto him yâ— is hable to doe exceading aboundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in yâ— congregacion by Christe Iesus thorowâ—â—t al generacious from tune to tyme. Amen This secrete counsayle of God forasmuch as I preache boldely in euery place I suffre exceadyng punishemente of such as yet cannot possibly be perswaded of this matter But I beseche you let not myne affliccions whiche I suffre for your sakes anythyng disquiete or dismaye you For there is no cause why you shoulde be ashamed of suche an Apostle though I bee laden with fetters For like as the crosse of Christe is our glorie euen so my fetters which I we are not for any euill dedes but for the sinceritie of the Ghospel are for your honestie and no rebuke For the more displeasures we suffre with a constaunt mynd for the Ghospell of Christe the more entierly we cause the people to beleue that the promises of Christe are not vayne inasmuch as through assured hope of them we faint not for any displeasures of this life And it is not Ioyous to me onely to suffre for the ghospelles businesse but it also becommeth al men that are entred vnto Christe to folowe the example of their autour and head And truely for this cause sake I bowe my knees and praye earnestly euen from the botome of myne harte vnto God our father and the same the father of our lorde Iesus Christe of whome as the supreme head dependeth all spirituall kynred wherby by are incorporated together whether they bee angelles in heauen or faithfull people vpon earth and of whome onely as of the fountaine springeth whatsoeuer is belongyng to true felicitie that like as he hath begonne to declare hys aboundaunte glorye in you so he maye more and more augmente his liberall goodnesse to you ward that as you are engraffed to Christ through baptisme and as it were borne newe agayne so you maye gather courage and strengthe with daylye encrease not accordong to the bodye but accordyng to the mynde and soule that is to saye by the gyfte of the spirite of the father continually encreacyng in vs by whome we are made stronge and valiaunt to withstande al dredes of persecucion and that the constancie of your fayth maye be suche that you thynke surelye that Christe will neuer fayle you but rather dwelle in wardly in your hertes for the faythful trustes sake wherwith you commit your selues wholy vnto him For with such is he most specially presente as distruste theyr owne
nowe anye cause to feare the tyrannye of Satan synce Christe hath in the crosse by his death vanquyshed the authour of death and thereby deliuered vs triumphantly subduyng all the powers and rules of deuylles carying vs into his heauenlye kyngdome as thoughe we had bene a ryche price or botye For then declared he them freely and playnly to be ouercōmen and vnharnysed when that in sight bothe of men and aungels he caryed vs about as it were in a triumphe shewyng that our enemyes were subdued and put to flyght not by the ayde of aungels or men but by his owne myghty power what tyme he vpon the crosse hanged vp so royall a sygne of victorye and that in suche a hyghe place whereas euery manne might see it Onely take hede to this poynt that ye no more fall into youre olde synnes The texte Let no man therfore trouble youre conscience about meate and drynke or for a piece of an holy daye or of the newe Mooue or of the sabboth dayes which are shadowes of thinges to come but the bodye is in Christ Feare not least for dispisyng the ceremonies of Moses lawe any man condempne you either for meate or drynke be it cleane or vncleane or for not puttyng a difference betwixt holye daye and workyng daye or for not kepyng holy the feaste of the newe Moone or for breakyng the reste of the Sabboth daye For thiese obseruaunces were shadowes long before signifieng and rudely purtrahing such thynges as shoulde afterwarde vnfaynedly be exhibite by Christe Wherfore synce we haue nowe the bodye selfe and since we haue the very trouth selfe openly shewed vnto vs why should we any longer feare shadowes Whoso cleaueth to Christe beyng now in heauen regardeth nothyng els but heauenly thinges but walketh furth euen the ryght pathwaye to the rewarde of immortall lyfe The texte Let no man make you shote at a wrong marke by the humblenes and holynes of Aungels in the thynges whiche he neuer saw beyng causeles puft vp with his fleshly mynd and holdeth not the head whereof all the body by ioyntes and couples receyueth nouryshement and is knyt together and encreaseth with the encrasyng that commeth frō god Beware therfore lest any man by callyng you backe agayn to earthly thynges fasly and sleyghtly deceyue you of that reward which ye haue already begon to labour for in stede of heauenly doctrine teachyng you small matters and in stede of Christes true religion a supersticious worshyppyng of Aungels and so auaunce and exalte hymselfe among the simple people of certayne fayned visions beyng desyrous of worldly glorye teachyng the people suche thynges as learned by aungels whiche he hath of his owne head by hymselfe forged and imagened withoute sure truste in him in comparison of whom it besemeth euery christian to despise al thynges be they neuer so hygh in the meane season so trustyng vpō his aungels that he falleth from Christe his heauenly head of whome dependeth the whole bodye of the churche whiche is from it with all spirituall giftes deriued into euery member through the ioyntes and couplynges nouryshed and encreased vnto the hyghest perfeccion spiritual that can be and vnto suche perfeccion as besemeth god to haue to whome we are through Christ ioyned and coupled The texte Wherfore yf ye be dead with Christe from the ordinaunces of the worlde why as though ye yet lyued in the worlde are ye led with tradicious Touche not taste not hādle not whiche all peryshe through the verye abuse after the commaundementes and doctrines of men whiche thynges outwardly haue the similitude of wisedome by supersticion and humblenes of mynde and by hurtyng the bodye in that they do the fleshe no worshyp vnto the neede therof If Christe be to this visible and groce worlde dead and lyue nowe in heauen and if ye in your kynde of lyfe be lykewyse with hym deade to the vsuages of the worlde hauyng an eye to nothyng but to heauenlye thinges wherto maketh it to be subiect to mannes ordinaunces beyng suche as prescrybe no suche thynges as sauer of Christe but are groce and carnall ordinaunces of y◠worlde as though ye were not nowe deade to suche thinges but styll lyued worldlye Why gyue you eare to any Iew prescribyng suche thynges to be obserued accordyng to the carnall meanyng of Moses lawe Touche not this carkas it is not cleane taste not this meat it is not cleane touche not this thing it is holy and may lawfully be touched of no secular person So ready are ye to gyue eare vnto the tradiciōs and doctrine of men whiche labour to bryng you in mynde that in difference of meates in obseruyng of dayes and in other Iewyshe rules godly religion standeth as though it so were that Christes doctrine were not for you sufficient Meate drynke or apparell bryng vs not into goddes fauour but are for bodely nedes vsed and with long longe abuse weare away and are not the stedfast perfeccions of soules which cannot be spēt and yet suche as teache suche doctrine amōg fooles and vnlearned pretēd a fayned colour of wysdome and with how muche more supersticion and faultie humilitie they fyl mēnes myndes by so muche more are they made of For a plaine supersticion is it to make Angels equal with Christ And a faultie humblenes it is through Angels to loke for that whiche shuld of Christ him selfe be asked or at y◠lestwyse through Christ of the father Meates drinkes with suche other visible thinges are geuen not to be compelled with hurt of our bodies to abstaine from them but to the ende that with them our bodyes may be holpen with any kynde of apparel against wynde and wether to be mainteined and succoured be fed with any kynde of meates and that in al tymes and places without any difference whansoeuer it be as muche as for the tyme shal be thought nedeful Iewes they been whose heartes are not yet circumcised frō the grosse and carnal meanyng of the lawe whiche put suche differences The .iii. Chapiter The texte If ye be then risen againe with Christ seke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hande of God Set your affeccion on heauenly thinges and not on yearthly thinges BAse and lowe are these thinges vnbesemyng the true mēbres of Christ But if ye to worldly affayres be verely dead risen againe with Christ to the desyre of high and euerlastyng treasures and commodities sette at naught suche vile matters and seeke for heauēly pleasures and thinges aboue where Christ your head sitteth at the right hand of God his father For mete it is that al the studyes and cares of the membres were directed to that place wheras the head is now present and where the same shall with the head hereafter reigne for euer For there liueth euery man where he loueth The texte For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Whensoeuer Christ whiche is our life
Euangelicall religion he wyll euen excede hym selfe in vpryghtenes and paynfull diligence For euen Iesus Christes connnen wealthe in gouernaunce hath degrees of offycers and certayne ordres wherof the fyrste is of the Deacons the seconde is of the Elders or Byshoppes the hyghest of all is of the Apostles And lyke as in a seculer commen wealthe he is called to be a Mayor that before vsed himselfe stowtely in the wardenshyp and agayn he is promoted from beyng Mayor to be Iudge or the Alderman because he behaued hym selfe well in his Mayoraltye euen so the offyce of the Deacou declareth who is worthye the rowme of a superintendent or an Apostle The texte These thynes wryte I vnto the trustyng to come shortely vnto the but and yf I taty longe that then thou mayste yet haue knowledge howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God whiche is the congregacion of the lyuyng God the pillar and grounde of trueth And without doubte greate is that mystery of godlynes God was shewed in the flesshe was iustifyed in the spirite was sene amonge the angels was preached vnto the Gentiles â–ª was beleued on in earth and receyued vp in glory These thynges write I vnto the derely beloued son not as though I thought I should not come vnto you agayne but my trust is that I shal shortely come agayne to see youre congregacion Neuertheles in case any thing chaunce that I be enforced to be longer ere I come than I trust I shall myne entente was to admonyshe thee in the meane season by my letters that thou shouldest not be ignoraunt howe to behaue thy selfe not in the Iewes temple but in the house of God For why shoulde not I thus call the Christian congregation which is consecrated and dedicared vnto the lyuyng God and shal neuer be destroyed with any stormes of errours and persecutions inasmuche as it is the pyller and sure post of the trueth The temple of Ierusalem had in tymes past his maner of veneration it had his priestes it had his rites and sacrifices But this is a temple much more holy than it that keapeth not misteries in couerte with shadowes and figures but for the Cherubin for the Pome granates for the Belles for the Arke and for suche like fygures it sheweth vs playnlye the whole summe and perfite trueth of the gospel Therfore maruayle not though thou hearest nothyng prescribed herein what maner thynges Moyses appointed with greate diligence vnto the leuites and priestes For there is no cause why we should passe vpon those shadowes in asmuche as God hath made the thynge playnely open vnto vs for whose sake all that misticall furniture was ordayned for a tyme. And there is no cause why the Iewes should haue in admiration or bragge of the Arke or of anye thynge that had the mooste holye thinges called sancta sanctorum locked in it if they be compared with the misteries that we haue And whether their hydde secretes deserue any speciall pretogatyue of worshyp or not leat them see them selues Certes this misterie of the ghospelles godlynes is out of all controuersie whiche maketh vs once free from all maner of supersticion and in this temple is the greatest thyng of all other that is openly declared through the whole vniuersall worlde In dede there is no shewynge of the table or of the Arke or of sacrificed beastes but Christe himselfe is shewed and preached whiche beynge before tyme vnknowen and not passed vpon is now become so manyfestly open that he is playnlye seen to be a man after the fleshe and handled of men and after the spirite hath receyued so great power that hauing done awaye the synnes of all men hathe throughe onely faythe geuen and doeth geue the righteousnes that the lawe was not hable to geue And this misterie of ours is so openly manifested that it was wonderfull euen in the eies of Aungelles that song glory to God on highe and peace vpon earth and vnto men a good wyll All other mysteries ceasse to be of any worshyppe yf they be publyshed â–ª but as for thys mysterye it is preached openly not onelye to the Iewes but also to the Gentyles And the preachyng therof was not vnfrutefull For the thynge that semed to all men agaynste the ordre of nature that no philosophie or mannes eloquence was hable to perswade the same did the symple playne preachyng of the gospel perswade to all the whole world with myraculous wondres witnessynge the same Finally after his death vpon the crosse he rose agayne to lyfe by his owne power and beyng openly accompanyed with Angelles he ascended into the heauens and shewed vs vndoubtedly whether all oure hope oughte to be addressed What is more holy than thys mysterie What is more excellente what is more certayne or euident This thyng yf we truely beleue this thinge yf we worthyly lyue for what purpose should we respecte from henceforth vnto Iewyshe constitucions We haue the misterie of true godlynes why doo we than slyppe backe vnto those thynges that haue more supersticion than godlynesse In case we be laden with syknes here is the mooste assured remyssyon of synnes If we require learnyng here is the rule of true godlynes that we ought to folowe yf we loke for rewarde here is immortalitie wherunto we maye be exalted Therfore leat vs be contented my Tymothee with this religyon and take our leaue of the Iewes vayne prescripcions The .iiii. Chapter The texte The spirite speaketh euydently that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth and shal geue hede vnto spirites of errour and deuylishe doctrines of them which speake faise thorow ipocrisy and haue theyr consicences marked with auâ—hoâ—eyren forbiddynge to mary and commaunding to abstayne from meates which god hath created to be receaued with geuyng thankes of them which beleue and knowe the truth For al the creatures of god are good and nothynge to be refused yf it be receaued with thaÌ„kesgeuyng For it is sanctifyed by the word of god and prayer It thou put the brethren in yâ— remembraunce of these thinges thou shalt be a good minyster of Iesu Christ which hast ben norished vp in the wordes of the fayth and of good doctrine whiche thou hast contynually folowed But cast away vngestly and olde wiues fables THese thynges doe I beate in with so muche the more studyous diligence as I more drede peryll whiche is not nowe gathered by doubtful coniectures seyng the spirite himselfe foreknowyng thynges to come doeth clerely and certaynlye sygnyfye by them whom he hath enspired that in the later tymes some shall spring vp whiche shall departe from the synceritie of fayth that the ghospell teacheth and styde backe vnto a certayne Ieweship and repose the chief principle of godlynes in those thynges that doo not onely nothyng anayle vnto godlynes at all but also doo many tymes hurte and beyng rebelles agaynst the spirite of Christe shall rather take hede to deceauyng spirites and beynge turned awaye frome
deade so manye in multitude as are starres of the skie and as the sand the which is bi the sea shore innumerable Moreouer his wyfe Sara when she had bothe an olde man to her husband and her selfe was so stricken with age that her matrice lacked natural strength to drawe mannes sede vnto it and retayne the same dyd neuerthelesse coÌ„ceyue and was deliuered of Isaac mistrusting the strength of nature but yet giuing credence vnto God who by an aungell promysed her a man chylde the nexte yeare She gaue no eare to nature reclaming and barking to the contrarie but onely had a sure belefe that God coulde not lye God promysed Abraham a posteritie equall in nombre to the starres and the sande of the sea shore and yet by the course of nature was there no hope of yssue at all That notwithstandyng he had no mystrust And therfore of this one olde man beyng barayne by reason of age there yssued a posteritie so many in numbre as are the starres of the sâ—ye and the sande in the sea shore For he loked for sonnes and nephewes not after the kynred of bloud but after the imitacion of faith wherby al we are the ofspring and posteritie of Abraham whiche do beleue the promises of the gospel Therfore not onely Abraham but also all his true posteritie were of suche constaunt fayth that very death bereaued not them therof The texte These all died according to faith when they had not receyued the promises but saw theÌ„ a far of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers and pilgremes on the yearth For they that say such thinges declare that they seke a couÌ„trey Also if they had bene myndeful of the countrey from wheÌ„ce they came out they had leasure to haue returned agayne but now they desire a better that is to saye an heauenly Wherefore God hymselfe is not a shamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a cytie For all these dyed when they as yet had not the promysses perfourmed but lawe them a farre of by fayth and beleued them and for greate desyre saluted them puttyng so lytle trust in this lande wherein no man maye lyue anye long space that they confessed them selfes straungers and pylgrymes not onely in Palestyne but in the whole worlde For oftetymes they call this lyfe a pilgrimage and straunge dwellyng And Dauid in the mystical Psalme confesseth himselfe to be a pylgryme on the lande as all his forefathers and elders were and yet reigned he in Palestine and builded there a citie And verely this countre y was compassed about with very narrowe lymites and a great parte thereof came not to the possession of the Hebrues the ofspryng successours of Abraham bycause they coulde not driue out the olde possessioners neyther dyd Moyses entre into the same but behelde and saluted if a farre of from a mountayne when he was aboute to passe out of the world and yet had he no mistrust of the promyses Therefore sence they confesse themselues to be pylgrymes they sufficiently declare that they desyre and long for a countrey What countrey seke they after vnto whom all this worlde is an exile and banishement They forsoke their countrey of Chaldey the whiche if they had so sore longed for it was not so farre of but that they myghte haue had conueniente recourse thider at pleasure Therfore they longed not for that but for an other couÌ„trey better then it wherin they myght liue for euer quite exempte and deliured from all greuous sorowes and paynes of this wretched worlde This was that heauenly countrey into the whiche God called them out from theyr owne for the loue wherof he wylled them so to lyue in this worlde as thoughe they were not therin And for this cause almyghtie God where he is the maker soueraigne Lorde of all men calleth himselfe speciallye the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For he is properly the God of those that haue put their whole trust and all aydes of felicitie in him And vnto suche hath he prepared not an earthly but a celestiall citie in the whiche they reygne alwayes in blysse with him for whose sake they contemned all thynges The texte By faith Abraham offered by Isaac when he was proued and offered hym being his only begotten sonne in whom he had receiued the promisses And to hym it was sayd â—â— Isaac shall thy sede be called for he considered that God was hable to rayse hym up agayn from death Therefore receiued he hym also for an ensample of the resurreccy on By faith dyd Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concernynge thynges to come Was not this also a notable exaumple of fayth in Abraham that when God tryeng howe vnfaynedly he trusted hym commaunded hym to offre vp in sacrifice his sonne Isaac where as he was hys onely sonne and he in whose name the posteritie was promysed for these were the wordes of the promyser Thy sede shall be called in Isaac yet he without further delaye dyd as he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to do not reasonyng here with himselfe on this wise Of whom shal I haue posteritie if I sley hym in whom onely resteth all the hope of my posteritie But he consydered this in his mynde that God who made the promyse coulde not lye and that he was able yf it pleased hym to reyse his deade sonne the multiplier of his stocke euen from death And because he beleued the resurrection of the dead it was therfore gyuen him to bryng home his sonne againe with him beyng as it were restored to lyfe notwithstaÌ„dyng he was as much as in the father laye dead who euen then represented by a certayne figure the resurrection of Iesu Christe to come This was also a manyfest example of a mynde hauyng a great confidence in God that when Isaac saye on hys death bedde and had not as yet receyued the felicitie promysed of God yet was he bolde to promyse the same to Iacob and Esau his sonnes when he blessed theÌ„ both foreseyng both theyr lyues and the contrarie rewarde that eche of them shoulde haue So quycke of syght is faith that she seeth euen those thinges as present whiche are farre distant from the bodely senses The texte By faith Iacob when he was in dying blessed bothe the soÌ„nes of Ioseph and boâ—â—â— hymselfe toward the toppe of his scepter By faith Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departynge of the children of Israel and gaue commaundement of his bones It came of lyke faithe that Iacob at the hower of his death blessed all the sonnes of Ioseph not ignoraunt what was to come who crossynge hys armes layed his right hande vpon Ephraim beyng on his left syde and his lefte haÌ„de vpon Manasse standynge on hys ryghte syde nothynge doubtynge but that woulde come to passe which the holy ghost tolde him before shoulde happen But this faithfull olde man saw a greate deale farther what time he kyssinge the toppe of the sceptre
and vnto Laodicia The lordes daye is the sondaye whiche the holy Apostles thoroughe the holy goost which they receyued at whytsontyde did institute to be sanctyfyed and kept holy of the Christen churche in the steade of the Iewes Sabboth day not without very necessarye laudable and expediente consyderacions Eusebius wryteth that S. Iohn dyd rule the churche of Ephesus after S. Paules death and lyke wyse also the other churches in Asia and therfore was commauÌ„ded of Christ in this place to sende this wrytynge vnto them forasmuche as he know them best so that in processe of tyme it myght be common vnto all churches for their edefyeng instruccion as it came also to passe And vnto theÌ„ also he wrote his gospel after that he was delyuered out of Pathmos against yâ— heretykes whiche began at that tyme to ryse The texte ¶ And I turned backe to se the voyce that spake to me And whan I was turned I sawe seuen golden candelstyckes and in the myddes of the candelstyckes one lyke vnto yâ— sonne of man clothed with a lynnen garment downe to the fere and gyrde aboute the pappes with a golden gyrdle His heade and his heares were white as whyte woll as snowe and his eyes were as a flame of fyre and his fere lyke vnto brasse as thoughe they brent in a fornaâ—â— and his voyce as the sounde of many warers And he had in his ryght hande scueÌ„stâ—rres And out of his mouthe went a sharpe two edged swearde And his face shone euen as the sunne in his strength What is sygnifyed by the seuen golden candelstyckes and by the vii starres that shall Christ himselfe hereafter declare whiche beyng very god yet he was in euery condicion synne excepte lyke vnto vs all after his mans nature And with his spirite ayde and gouernynge he is present in all churches and shall so remayne vntyll the worldes end He is clothed with innocencye holynes by reason wherof he made oblacion not for his owne but for our synnes He is also gyrded with heauenly myght and power alwayes redy and glad to helpe the faithfull He is the heade full of godly and heauenly wysedome whiche knoweth all thinges from euerlastynge He loketh with a fearfull face and with a terryble and grim countenaunce against al vnfaythfull but a pleasant and louyng countenaunce she with he towarde the electe and faythfull beleuers He is ready with his hote flamynge and burnyng fete to stampe in peces and to destroye the wycked and vngodly His voyce is the holy gospell whiche neyther all the gates of hell all the power vpon earth in hell nor all his enemyes can ouercome all thoughe Paule at the begynnyng beyng blynde and ignorante thought hoped the coÌ„trary The wicked Emperoure Nero lykewyse dyuerse other But they all withall suche lyke were alwayes stryken and ouercomme with the sworde of the almyghtye worde of god And vnto the godly and faythfull the ioyfull and comfortable syght of him is more pleasant and delectable than the bryghtnesse or clearnes of the sonne can be vnto any earthly creature The texte ¶ And whan I sawe him I fell at his fete eueÌ„ as dead And he layde his right hande vpon me sayinge vnto me feare not I am the first and the laste and aâ— alyue and was dead And beholde I am alyue for euermore and haue the keyes of hell and of death Wryte therfore the thinges whiche thou hast sene and the thinges whiche are and the thinges whiche must be fulfylled her after the mysterye of the seuen starres whiche thou sawest in my right hande and the seuen golden candelstyckes The seueÌ„starres are the messengers of the seuen congregacions And the seuen candelstyckes whiche thousawest are the seuen congregacions If this holy Apostle and Euangelyst a dysciple whom Christ loued were not able to suffre nor abyde the presence of Christes glorified manhode Howe wyll the wicked enemyes of the truth and of all godlynes abyde it or what wyll they doe Howe Christ is the firste and the laste god and man the very laluacion it selfe and yet crucified as a synner and how he rose vp againe from death ascended into heauen and receyued power ouer al creatures it nedeth no further interpretacioÌ„ And againe the holy congregacions or churches haue their propre peculiar angels to leade them to guyde them to wayte vpoÌ„ them to serue them and after gods ordinaunce to defende and preserue them The seconde Chapter The texte ¶ Vnto the messenger of the congregacioÌ„ of Ephesus wryte these thinges sayeth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hande and that walketh in the myddes of the seâ—tâ— golden candelstyckes I knowe thy worckes and thy labour and thy pacience and howe thou câ—â—nest not forbeare them whiche are euyll and hast examined them whiche saye they are Apostles and are not and hast founde them lyars and hast suffred And haste pacience and for my names sake hast labored and hast not faynted WHat maner a churche was at Ephesus how Paul behaued hym selfe wrought there howe Tymothye preached taught there and what the false prophetes dyd there enterpryse is to be sene in the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians and sufficientlye descrybed of Erasmus in the Paraphrases of that Epistle And reade more thereof in the christen and godly story of Eusebius in the. v. boke and xxiiii chapter And by these wordes mayst thou vnderstande the hyghe prayse and commendacion of their faythe wherof their good workes beare sufficient wytnes and recorde And this is also to be noted by this place that men shoulde not lyghtly nor rashely beleue all maner of doctrine but first trye and proue whether it be of god or no and to ouercome conuince al maner of errours false doctrine onely with the worde of god whiche is not contrary vnto it selfe yf one place be iustly compared with another but it is profytable vnto the true perfyte vnderstandynge knowledge of god In Iohns tyme as S. Paule was come vnto Rome there were certen heretykes at Ephesus namely Cherinthus Hebyon and after them MarcioÌ„ lyke as there were also in Paules time Himeneus Alexander Philetus Hermogenes But al these wer ouercome with muche adoe thorow long pacieÌ„ce by yâ— godly bishops which were at Ephesus one succedyng another as Eusebius maketh mencion The texte Neuertheles I haue somwhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue RemeÌ„bre therfore fâ—oÌ„ whence yâ— art fallen repent doe yâ— first workes Or elles I wyl coâ—â—e vnto the shortely wil remoue thy candelsticke out of his place excepte yâ— repeÌ„t But this thou hast because thou hatest yâ— dedes of yâ— Nicolaitans which dedes I also hate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyll I geue to eate of the tree of lyfe which is in the myddes of yâ— Parady â—e of god Out of yâ— faintnes and coldnes of
godlynes oppressours of the innocent frendes of God To be shorte all they whiche beare the marke token of the dragon of the beast whiche is infidelyte misbelefe in Christ lyke as faith in yâ— crucified Christ is the sure marke and token of al the electe These vnfaithfull must lyue eternally in the ponde of fyre and they shall be ponisshed vexed painfully with vnspeakeable sorowe and heuines euen yâ— deuel his seruaÌ„tes together And although some come out of this life with yâ— sworde without faith yet their damnacioÌ„ did begin here shal continue euerlastingly ¶ The .xx. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angell come downe from heauen hauynge the kaye of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hande And he toke the dragon that olde serpent whiche is the deuil and Satanas he bounde him a thousande yeares cast him into yâ— bottomlesse pit he bounde him and set a seale on him that he shoulde deceaue the people nomore tyl the thousande yeares were fulfylled And after that he must be loced for a lytell season THis chapter maye be taken as it wer for a rehersal of the visions reuelacions that were before mencioned And by the waie it describeth againe yâ— honour and maiestie of Christ of gods worde and the power of the holy gospell and the benefites of Christ addeth therunto the last iudgemeÌ„t of the deade whiche shall dye .ii. deathes This angel that commeth from heauen is Christ whiche shoulde come in to this worlde as was promised vnto the firste man in the beginnynge of the worlde that he shoulde treade the old serpent vpon the heade Whiche is nothing els but that he shoulde take his power from him whiche the iust and rightuous God hath suffered him to exercise againste man for the synne of the first dysobedience and transgression Whiche power Sathan hath alwayes exercised and practised with all wicked disceyte and dyuerse errours and specially with ydolatrye after the whiche doe folow blindnes and all maner of synnes This power hath Christ mightily and with force taken from Sathan the deuyll thorowe his rightuousnes and humblenes euen vntyll the crosse satisfieng for all the pryde transgression disobedience and vnfaithfulnes of Adam and Eue. And thus he hath bounde him with the chayne of his well deserued power that is to say hath hindered him of his proude tyrannye shameful wicked power against the faithful electe of god This band should indure a thousande yeares yâ— is to say a long tyme namely euen yâ— tyme of the right Christen faith which after yâ— saying of yâ— olde fathers should indure for .ii. thousande yeares but it is vncerten from what tyme men should begin to teken these yeares that the faith in this tyme should be sore assaulted whiche hath alwayes bene at this point euen in the tyme of yâ— Iewes in yâ— olde testameÌ„t and amoÌ„g gods owne people hath sometime increased and somtime fallen dedecaied And according therunto might SathaÌ„ exercise his power at some tyme more thaÌ„ at a nother And thus thorow Christ Sathan is alwaies bonde vnto the right faithfull But whan the faithe decayeth and goeth backewarde and the falsehede desceite and dysobedience of man increaseth so that gods word is more and more contemned and forsaken than dothe Sathans power increase againe as it hath ofte come to passe that he maye deceyue the people the heathen the vnfaithfull againe and so vse his power and tyranny againe as loÌ„g as there is lacke and want of true faithe in this worlde The texte ¶ And I sawe seates and they sat vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and I sawe the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Iesu and for the worde of God whiche had not worshipped the beast nether his ymage neyther had taken his marke vpon their forheades or on their handes and they lyued and raygned with Christ a M. yere but the other of the dead men lyued not againe vntyll the thousande yere were finysshed This is that first resurreccioÌ„ Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurreccion For on suche shall the seconde death haue no power but they shal be the Prestes of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousande yeres The seates to iudge Sathan and his companye are appointed of Christ vnto the holy apostles and vnto other electe the soules of them whiche for the lambes sake wer beheaded that is to say after diuers maners and fasshions put to death for the gospelles sake whiche woulde not make any oblacions vnto ydols nor false goddes nor woulde not worship the beast that is to saye Antichrist nor woulde not feare nor honour his ymage but dyd manfully fight for the holy gospell and for the true doctrine and religion of the Apostles All these shall haue seates in the kyngdome of Christ to iudge the whole companye and courte of Sathan and to conuince them of their wickednes blasphemies and damnable errours whiche shal be open and manifest vnto the worlde thorowe the gospel And this their condemnacion beyng openly and manifestly knowen and their godles tyrannye shall â–ª be their death from the whiche they shall not ryse vp againe tyll a thousande yeares be past This manifest iudgement victory and honour obteyned with Christ is vnto them the first resurreccion namely a great honour and felicitie not onely in heaueÌ„ with Christ but also vpon earth in the kingdom of Christ which he hath vpon earth with his spirite in the congregacion of the holy electe And they are happy and blessed and their lyfe is euerlasting both in the heuenly company and also in the holy churche congregacion of the faithful godly soules vpon earth For they are the most deare beloued the most acceptable and of highest reputacion with Christ the lord and kynge of heauen as right prestes and ministers ought to be amonge vs and they shall rule and reigne with Christe vnto the ende of the worlde vntyll the last daye of the latter iudgement and in the seconde resurreccion and vntil the last and eternall iudgement of the wicked and damned blasphemers The texte ¶ And when the thousande yeares are eâ—piâ—ed SathaÌ„ shal be losed out of his preson and shal go out to beceaue the people whiche are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog togather them together to battayle whose nombre is as yâ— sande of the see they went vp in the playne of yâ— earth and compassed the centes of the sainctes about the beloued citie And fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them and the deuyll that deceaued them was cast into a lake of fyre and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented daye and night for euer more A lytle tyme before the last day shall Sathan obteyne power againe tyll the ende of the worlde and shal exercyse and practyse it and
or in securitie after the lustes of the fleshe rightuously and vnrightuouslye For there shall no colour crafte lyes dissimulacion violence might anger or respecte of parsons auayle or helpe but euery man shall there be iudged accordynge to hys workes And thus shall hell with all suche that belong vnto it shall be damned be nothing els but a fyery lake a terryble and heuy state of damnacion ordeyned and prepared of all the myserie sorowe wickednes and euyll that can be thought or ymagyned This is the seconde death the rewarde punyshment and recompence of all them whiche are not founde writen in the boke of lyfe which shall remayne perpetually with Christ in heauen with all the holy angels and electe in the ioyfull perfyght and eternall blisse and fruicion of all the grace and goodnes that is prepared of God and of Christ our heuenly kynge for all faithfull beleuers But this is incomprehensyble vnto all reason wytte and sense of man onely to consyder it generallye as S. Austen saith saluacion is a state wherin is all perfyghtnes aboundantly of all those thinges that are good and to be desyred eyther in heauen or in earth wherunto God of his mercye will helpe and bryng vs. ¶ The .xxi. Chapter The texte And I sawe a newe heauen and a newe erth For the fyrst heauen and the fyrst erth were vanysshed away there was nomore See And I Iohn saw that holy cytie new Ierusalem come down from God out of heauen prepared as a bride garnisshed for her husband And I harde a great voyce out of heauen saying beholde the tabernacle of God is with men he wyll dwell with them And they shal be his people God himselfe shal be with them and be their God NOwe from this place forth the holy Apostle and Euangelyst S. Iohn describeth the saluation of al suche as are electe their state and the kyngdome of heauen and finally the euerlasting blisse wherof he wrote somewhat in the fyfte chapter but here he wryteth more playnely plentuosly and largely of it As concernynge the newe heauen and newe earth after what maner they shall be it is no place here to dyspute or to contende muche aboute it The testymony of the holy apostle S. Peter and of S. Iohn in thys place is suffycient for vs S. Peter in the thyrde chapter of hys seconde Epistle sayth as Iohn doeth here that thorow the worde of God wherby heauen and earth are created and made shall there be a newe heauen and a newe earthe agayne whiche the faithfull elect shall well see whyche had rather beleue the worde of God than all the weake and deceyueable reason of the phylosophers whiche haue taken in hande to dyspute and discusse such thynges but lytle to the purpose But S. Paule dyscusseth the matter with one worde saying we shal be alwayes with the lord in that same state where Christ our lord the euerlastyng kyng is namely with all them whiche shall be saued both angels and soules and also withal those men whiche dyd ryse and wente vp to heauē with Christ This is certen that like as thorow the synne of Adam thys world is corrupte and infect and the earth also with weedes and vnprofytable thynges whyche hynder and hurte the pleasaunt and good frutes whiche myght serue and be profitable vnto the worlde and the see lykewyse with hir vnquietnes and ragyng doth muche harme so shall the earth and water no more be but altogether with out faute lyke as mankynde shall lykewyse be without any maner of faute in perfyte ioye pleasure and blisse Euen so I saye shall the whole earth be garnyshed after suche a sort that it maye be a very paradyse wythout any maner of labor that the blessed shall wyshe to lyne vpon it but that they are in their contrye in heauen The same heauen whiche was made wyth one worde may likewise be prepared of God with one worde for the whole and persyte blisse of the faythfull electe Let vs content and satysfye oure selfes with this ▪ in this doubte and dysputacyon whiche can not be comprehended nor discussed with any reason of man But the holy citie that Iohn sawe is nothyng els but the state of all the faithfull electe in eternall and full saluation withoute anye maner of imperfeccion with aboundance of all goodnes where nothing more can be desired and with sure and quiet possessyon of all heuenly treasures in the syght and fruicion of God the hyghest and the onely goodnes and felicitie as he can gyue himselfe to be inioyed and that most louingly most cōmfortably and moste blissedly vnto all treatures of knowlege and vnderstandyng And that thorowe the cleare and blissed glasse of the excellent holy and excedyng blessed manhode of Christ the kyng of all honoure and blisse vnto all faithfull elect Whose blessed and sacred body and soule vnited and knytte in one with the holy godhed is a perfite and a cleare glasse wherin hys moste pleasaunte gloryfied manhode maye be beholden In whiche glasse all the blissed sayntes that is to say all that are saued doe beholde and haue the perfite fruicion of all that goodnes whiche the Lorde God is in him selfe and of all benefites that he will gyue vnto all his creatures euerlastyngly This glasse is sygnified by the tabernacle of God wherein God wyll abyde and remayne with man with all grace and louing kyndnes and that in the newe Ierusalem whiche is buylded altogether of moste precious stones of the blyssed frendes of God in whom God hath a pleasure and a delyght to dwell and to remayne and to deale and distribute his ioye felicitie and blisse vnto the faithfull elect For Ierusalem is not the myserable and wretched citie of the Iewes whiche is called Ierusalem and Iebus and I can not tell with howe manye more names besyde whiche was so ofte ouerthrowen for the rebellyon and disobedience of their citizens and for that they forsoke God in the whyche cytie the blynde proude frowarde and obstynace Iewys doe fyxe and set all their hope and felicitie where they hope and desyre to be lordes and to reigne ouer al men with their Messias whom they vaynely beyng grossely deceyued doe looke and gape for but it is that Ierusalem whiche is neyther heauenlye nor earthly but a spirituall Ierusalem a generall felowshyp and brotherhoode of all faythfull seruaūtes of God whiche haue a ryghte Christen fayth and a perfyte loue thorowly furnyshed with all good and holy workes the bondes and lymites whereof are thorout the whole compase of the earth wheresoeuer the Lorde God is rightly knowen and truely serued after his owne wyll expressed in his worde So that there are .iii. maner of Ierusalems But saynct Iohn speaketh in this place of the heauenly and newe cytie of those which are blissed in God whiche citie is in heauen prepared of God and made readye of Christ the brydegrome of all faythfull for them his spouse Whiche spouse is garnished not
of her selfe but of God with all heauenly graces and vertues and with the ornamentes of all perfeccion In this citie of the heauenly and eternall Ierusalem shall the lorde God in Christ dwell as it were with and among his people and deare beloued spowse and well garnyshed or floryshyng bryde with moste hyghe ioye and delyght and endles blisse and felycitie The texte And God shall wipe awaye all teares from their eyes And there shal be nomore death nether sorowe nether criyng nether shall there bee any more payne for the olde thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seate sayed beholde I make al thinges newe And he sayed vnto me Write for these wordes are faythfull and true And he sayed vnto me it is doen I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ende I wyll geue to hym that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe free He that ouercommeth shal inherite all thinges and I wylbe his God and he shal be my sonne Howe and what this blisse shall be can no man expresse But what thynges shall not be there that doeth he declare First there shall be no teares For there shall no maner of aduersitie trouble or vexacion happen vnto any man There is also no maner of decaye nor weakenes neither of the body nor of the soule no maner of sycknes nor infirmitie of complexions no bodyly hurte nor affliccion no dreade nor feare of death no heuy nor greuous temptacioÌ„ no lacke of any thing no myschanuce no weeping nor waylyng nor payne smart nor impediment For in the state of blisse and saluacion is no thought nor sorowe to be taken for any of these thinges For the first and originall occasion of all these miseries the synne of Adam and Eue for whose sake the worlde was created is altogether past and vtterly ceased ended and finyshed together with death and the deuyll thorowe the rightuousnes of our sauiour Christ Thorowe the whiche rightuousnes all mankynde so many as are faithful is reconciled vnto God for euermore Thus hath Christ syttyng vpon the stoole of his kyngdom and glorye ordeyned all thinges newe This must be stedfastlye confessed and beleued of all faithfull christians as an infallyble trueth therfore it is gods commaundement that it shoulde be wrytten for an euerlasting remembraunce for an holsome doctrine and consolacion that all men should beleue the trueth and so beleuynge obteyne blisse and saluacion For this is the ende of all thinges the blisse and saluacion of mankynde in God whiche wyll declare and dystribute his glorye mercye and louynge kyndnes vnto them whiche he hath chosen from euerlasting vnto his honour and glorye whiche is the begynnynge and ende of all thinges that are euer were or euer shal be Vnto all them which in this vale of mysery dyd thirst after rightuousnes and after the glory of god vnto them wyll the grace and fauorable mercye of God gyue the liuing wel and fountayne of all goodnes and the eternal springynge floode of refreshment vnto saluacion and to perpetuall ioy and felicitie in God But these giftes and rewardes must be obteyned with muche labour and trauell yet not properly as desert or merite for suche great euerlastynge rewarde the hyghest goodnes and felicitie can not be purchased with any labour or trauell of man but it must be obteyned and enherited of and by the free grace and mercye of God Vnto them all whiche shall be thus eternally blessed shall Christ the spouse bryde grome of the churche be their Iesus and sauiour and also their God and theyr perfyte satisfaccion in suche maner and wyse that they shall be as his deare children and louyng sonnes and he Christ shall be their father brother God and their euerlastinge kyng and captayne The texte ¶ But the fearfull and vnbeleuynge and the abhominable and murdrers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolatres and all lyars shal haue their parte in the lake whiche burneth with fyre and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Here foloweth now also the contrary part what Christ the iudge shall ordeine and make with them whiche in this worlde were fearfull and cruell vnto all godly humble and lowly men hiche haue hurte and noyed all men whiche neuer woulde credite nor beleue the holy gospell the holy scripture the euerlastinge worde of God whiche haue handled and dealte abhominably against al kynde and nature and against al loue whiche euen against their natural kynd of very set purpose haue bene murtherers and shedders of innocent bloude whiche haue defyled and stayned the naturall state ordeyned of God with fylthy vnchastnes And haue practised sorcery and witchcrafte contrarye to yâ— honour and lawe of god not without makinge some bande or couenanut with the wicked spirite the arche nemny of God whome they haue serued and obeyed his pleasure and commaundement in setting vp of chapels and altares in seruing honouring worshippinge praying vnto and callynge vpon false goddes vnder the name of sainctes whome they haue sought farre and nere to make their oblacions vnto them against whom the holy prophetes haue alwaies cried out against the false teachers false prophetes and false apostles Theirs and all other lyars and wicked doers part shall be in eternall damnacioÌ„ where nothing is but sorowe angwishe weping and waylyng heuines dystresse delpaite with euerlasting contempt and hatred of God All whiche is the seconde death vnto the whiche men doe come thorowe these forenamed synnes and blasphemies coÌ„mitted in the world without repentance or amendmeÌ„t For the first death is the corporall death of the bodye layed vpon all men of almightye God by reason of synne The texte ¶ And there came vnto me one of the seuen Angels whiche had yâ— seuen vyalles ful of the seuen laste plages and talked with me sayinge come hither I wyll shewe â—hee the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me awaie in the spirite to a great and an hye mountaine and he shewed me the great citie holy Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God hauinge the brightnes of God And her shynyng was like vnto a stone most precious euen lyke a Iasper clere as Christ all and had walles great and hye and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels and names wrytten whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of Israel on the East parte thre gates and on the Northsyde thre gates and towardes the Southe thre gates and from the west thre gates and the wall of the citie had twelue foundacions and in them the twelue names of the lambes .xii. apostles Christ is the angell of the great councell whiche thorowe his angels that serue him worketh and bringeth to passe the ordinances of God with punyshmentes and plages of the wicked and vnfaithfull whiche doe hynder and let his ordinances The rewarde dothe he pay him selfe For he him selfe is the rewarde and the crowne of the blessed This Christ our lorde and sauiour talketh here with Iohn his beloued and of a
promise of none effecte For yf the inheritaunce come of the lawe it commeth not nowe of promise But god gaue it vnto Abraham by promyse But further to compare the former example the promise and couenaūt whiche god before the lawe was gyuen made with Abraham whiche promise he woulde haue to be stable the lawe whiche folowed and was gyuē after the same promise and couenaunt coulde not defete nor disanul And yet shoulde it restrayne and disapoynt the promise yf the inheritaunce of goddes blessing promised to Abrahams posteritie were due to suche only as kepe the lawe forasmuche as in the promyse there is no condicion of y◠lawe expressed For howe coulde therin of the lawe be any mencion made synce the lawe was not at that tyme gyuen For in case the lawe had not folowed the promise at all yet woulde god netheles with Abrahams posteritie haue kepte the couenaunt made with Abraham Nowe yf the promise of this blessed state be due by reason of goddes promise and the promise made before the law had no condicion of keping the law ioyned with it for what cause exclude we frō the promise suche as to y◠law are straūgers and not straungers to fayth For yf by the lawe men enioye thenheritaūce then is goddes promise and couenaunt frustrate and broken whiche god without kepyng of the lawe wyll not perfourme Euen lyke as when a man hath agreed with an other to gyue hym his doughter in mariage after that the bargayne is made he go from his worde denying that he will so do vnles the other agayne wyll promise hym his syster wheras at the bargayne makyng he had no syster borne nor at tyme of the couenaunte of mutual mariage no mencion made The promise of god was free and vpon the onlye condicion of fayth confirmed whom who so perfourmeth the same man hath right to the promise The texte Wherfore then serueth the lawe The lawe was added because of trangression vntyll the seede came to whome the promise was made and it was ordayned by angelles in the hande of a mediator But here some wyll saye yf by fayth in goddes promise euery manne must loke for saluacion for what ende and purpose made god the vnprofitable lawe afterwarde No saye not al vnprofitable for albeit it make not a manne vpright and innocent yet restrayneth it oure libertie to syn whyles it with ceremonies kepeth noughtie desyers and appetites within a due measure and compace of ryght reason And had not the vnrulye malice of men so required there had no lawe be gyuen at al and yet was not the same lawe gyuen neyther that all men shoulde therto wholye for euer be bounde but gyuen by god for a tyme shadowyng for the season Christe to come with punishementes fearyng men from synne and with promises prouokyng them to do well for this purpose made and ordayned by aungels at goddes commaundement to endure vntyll that after many eares the only seede shoulde come wherby the god of Abraham promised saluacion to all Abrahams lawfull chyldren In suche sorte was the law made by angels that yet the whole power and gouernaunce of it had Christe in his handes who in suche wyse was a meane and came betwixt Moses lawe and the grace of the gospell that he was the ende of the one and the begynner of the other in suche sorte also a meane betwixte god and man that to th entent he would betwixt both make atonement in hymselfe he comprised bothe natures The texte A mediatour is not a mediatour of one But god is one Is the lawe then agaynste the promyse of God God forbid Now a mediatour that is a meane betwixte must needes be a meane betwixte many For no man is there that with hymselfe is at dissencion Of them that disagreed god the father was one ▪ who with mākynde was at variaunce Wherfore necessarie was it that there shoulde a certayne thyrde parson be whiche in hymselfe contaynyng both natures shoulde bryng bothe at vnitie and concorde with his death fyrste pacifying gods wrath and then with his doctrine alluring all the worlde to the trewe honouryng of god Is the lawe then contrarie to goddes promises no not so Forasmuche as the lawe folowyng the promyse made by god made not the same promise vayne but kepte men in a continual expectacion loking for goddes promises that by so doyng they myght be more apte and readye to receyue the grace to be offered by the gospell Nor is not the lawe abolyshed because it was agaynst goddes promises but because it was conuenient meete that shadowes should gyue place to the truth and the vnfectuall to that whiche was mightie and effectuall The texte For yf there had bene a lawe giuen whiche coulde haue gyuen lyfe then no doubte righteousnes should haue come by the lawe But the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder syn That the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christe shoulde be gyuen vnto them that beleue But before fayth came we were kepte vnder the lawe and were shutte vp vnto the faythe that should afterwarde be declared For yf there had suche a lawe bene gyuen as coulde vnfaynedlye and truly haue giuen lyfe then should the same neuer haue bene abrogate nor shoulde we haue had any nede of the healpe and ayde of the ghospell for asmuche as then by the lawe euery man might haue attayned vnto perfite righteousenes Sufficient had it bene therfore in that case to truste vpon the lawe for all them that were of euerlastyng saluacion desyrouse But nowe leste men vpon boldenes of theyr workes myghte despise the grace of Christe for this purpose was the lawe gyuen declaryng and prescribyng what was to be done and what was to be auoyded that all men shoulde perceyue themself in daunger of syn whyles they shūne not that they by the lawe knewe was euyll being vndoubtedly ouercommen with theyr noughtie desyers and by these meanes knowyng theyr own disease myght more willyngly embrace the remedie to be offered by the grace of the gospell For before the lawe was gyuen menne without correccion fell to syn to whome all that lyked was streyght thought lawfull and in defence of mennes synfull lyfe some thyng had they to laye for theyr excuse But the lawe had them in suche a brake that they coulde not chuse but graunt that they had well deserued punishement for somuche as it could not be denied but that it was good and honeste whiche was by the lawe commaunded After that god therfore by his great wysedom had by suche meanes taken awaye our vayne confidence in our selfes and had sette before oure iyen our synfull lyuyng than declareth and perfourmeth he his promise made to Abraham and that whiche the Iewes only loked for as peculiarlye belongyng to them beyng as they sayed the only chyldren of Abraham generally to belong to all suche as were through fayth becommen Abrahams very chyldren not for theyr deserte of keapyng the lawe but because they
with all theyr heartes put theyr affiaunce in the ghospel and beleued also that through the death of Iesus Christe godly lyfe shal all people haue and receyue glory also and saluacion For this purpose lykewyse for a season serued Moses lawe that partly with manacyng of punishmentes partly with hope of promises made therin and partly with rude expressing of Christe to come the Iewes after suche sorte within theyr bondes leste Christe at his commyng should haue fouÌ„d them strayed out into all kyndes of mischiefe neither worthy nor yet apte to receyue the grace of his gospell By the promises then of the lawe had the Iewes a certayne rude knowledge of the misterie of the gospell By the obseruaunce of this lawe then were menne so long stayed and vnderpyght vntyll that was by the ghospell opened whiche the law in shadowes represented that yf men wyll nowe awake they maye clearlye see euen that put in vre wherof they before had but a dreame The texte ¶ Wherfore the lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christe that we might be made ryghteouse by faythe But after that fayth is come we are no lenger vnder the scholemaister For ye are the chyldren of God because ye beleue in Christe Iesu For al ye that are baptised haue put on Christ The lawe therfore brought not men to perfite righteousnes but was as a scholemaister gyuen to the rude people that whome the regarde of honestie was not yet able to kepe in good order they myghte with feare of punishemente be kept from extreme noughtines that through suche meanes encreasyng by lytle and lytle they mighte be broughte from trustyng vpon theyr olde ceremonies vnto Christ of whome onely they should loke to receyue perfite righteousnes Nowe is not the chylde â—o vnder his scholemaister that the scholemaister with hym muste al waye be at hande but onlye vntyll suche tyme as they beyng more rype and growen vppe to better knowledge euen of theyr owne accorde fall to honestie nor haue nede with feare of punishemente to be kepte from euyll but by theyr fathers encouragyng freelye and wyllyngly study goodnes and honestie an other whyle nowe rulyng theyr scholemaister whose holsome and sharpe correction they for a tyme endured As the father therfore though he tenderly loue his chyldren compelleth them yet for a tyme to be vnder a scholemaister whose maister the chyldren in shorte tyme after shall be so hathe god with sharpenes of the lawe kepte vnder his rude and grosse people vntyll that they concerning the doctrine of his ghospel beyng made their owne menne should no lenger neede to be vnder correccion of theyr scholemaister but lyue freelye as free chyldren vnder theyr moste mercifull father And though it so were that god gaue vnto the Iewes onely a scholemayster yet toke he not them onelye for his chyldren but â—ather coumpted all suche as by faythe in the ghospell are graffed into the bodye of Iesus Christe and endued with his holye spirite to be goddes chyldreÌ„ as soone as they are with Christe made one Nowe yf that wherby we are ioyned vnto Christe generallye belong to all menne what lette shoulde there be why God shoulde not indifferently coumpte all for his chyldren Throughe baptisme haue ye receyued the spirite of Christe and not by circumcision As many then as are baptised are become with Christ ioynte enheriters in that behalfe no poynt inferior to the Iewes boast they themself of the priuelege of circumcision neuer somuche The texte There is no Iewe neither Gentile there is neither bonde neither free there is neither man nor woman for ye are all one in Christe Iesu Yf ye be Christes then are ye Abrahams seede and heyres accordyng to the promyse In thinges that hange vpon mennes fauer the condicion state and persons are regarded but god woulde this benefite of his to be bothe free and also commen to all men Throughe baptisme are we newe borne agayne and sodenly altered as it were into a newe creature And as touching this gyft it is layed to noman nor passed vpon whether he were before baptisme Iewe or Gentile bonde man or free manne or woman All ye through baptisme are belonging to Christes bodie equally partakers of this goddes gifte whiche is from the head conuayed into all the members And yf Christe be the very seede of Abraham by whom god promised his blessyng to all nacions of the worlde forasmuche as ye are planted in Christe nedes must ye be Abrahams posteritie Farther then yf ye be Abrahams posteritie euen lyke heyres ye haue ryght to yâ— promise of god Yf through the felowshyp of Christe ye become goddes chyldren and into it are all receyued through fayth and baptisme necessarily it foloweth that the inheritaunce equallye appertayneth to all men The fourth Chapiter The texte And I say that the heyre as long as he is a childe differeth not from a seruaunt through he be lord of all but is vnder tuters and gouernours vntil the tyme that the father hath appointed euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the worlde LOng synce by Goddes promise due was the title of inheritauÌ„ce but now and not before are we receiued into it because as we before sayd as by mannes lawes and ordinauÌ„ces the heyre while he is within age vseth not his right yea he nothing differeth froÌ„ a seruauÌ„t where he is borne to be lorde ouer all but is kept vnder with feare and ruled as other men wyll passyng that tyme vnder creansers gouernours vntyl he be growen vp to that rypenes whiche either the lawe or his father hath appointed so likewyse in tyme past when we were yet not apt to receiue this gift whiche requireth euen heaueÌ„ly mindes our vnderstaÌ„dinges also therto not of streÌ„gth sufficient as yet we were like children with suche certaine grosse lawes as were mete for our infirmities kept in due ordre beyng suche at that tyme as could not sauor heauenly learnyng but rather suche as would with suche thinges be more moued as might with our fleshely iyen be seen as are the material thynges of this world for example differences of dayes differeÌ„ces of meates differeÌ„ces in apparel sacrificyng and killyng of beastes circumcision As long as we were not apt to receiue higher instruccions euen as seruauntes we for a season obeyed and were vnder these The texte But when the time was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we through eleccion might receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the natural soÌ„nes But assone as we came out of wardship and were growen vp to a ryper age when that tyme was paste whiche the euerlastyng father in â—â—s secrete couÌ„sel had appointed he suffered vs no leÌ„ger to be vnder the carnal rules of the lawe but sent for our deliueraunce neither Moses nor prophete but his onely sonne Iesus Christ He sent his sonne I