yet for our synnes was raised vppe again to life euerlastyng not by any worldely power but by the mightie power of his father so should we beyng through him raised out of the death of synne becomen dead to our former life leadyng hereafter a newe life walke in the trade of godly conuersacion continually encreasyng vpwarde from better to better For seyng that we are through baptisme planted into Christes bodye and in maner altered into him mete is it that whatsoeuer we see done in him whiche is oure head the same be of vs whiche are his membres either in life expressed or els loked for in tyme to come Rysen is he againe ascended into heauen and setteth in glorye at the right hande of his father All whiche thynges alreadye done in Christ we maye oure selues finally trust to enioye if for this present tyme as muche as in vs lyeth we folowe the same and diligently put them in vre Therfore if we through baptisme dye vnto our former synnes and fleashely lustes therin as we may resemblyng Christes death euen as mete and conuenient is it that we hensfoorth forsakyng the filthynes of synne and diligently exercisyng our selues in godly workes expresse in our liuyng his holy resurreccion To folowe Christes death is neither to kyl our selfes nor yet to hurt oure bodyes but then as ye well knowe dye we with him if to oure old frowarde appetites we haue suche a dull desyre yâ— to them we seame as dead For accordyng to our double generacion we must in our selfes coÌ„ceiue two menne th one olde grosse and like vnto the yearthly Adam thother newe desyrous of heauenly thynges as whiche hath by Christ sent from heauen his beginnyng Our olde man therfore is as it wer destroyed what tyme it was with Christ fastened vpon the crosse whervpon also were extinguished all oure desyres of transitorye pleasures whose whole rable maye well be called the body of synne This bodye of synne is then in vs effectually and holsomely slaine when hurtefull desyres are in suche sorte destroyed in vs that we no more do seruice vnto synne He that after this sorte as I haue now expressed foloweth Christes death is euen become a righteous man and is no longer subiecte vnto synne from whose tyranny he is already deliuered The texte Wherfore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we also shall liue with him knowyng that Christ beyng raised from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer him For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once And as touchyng that he lyueth he liueth vnto God Lykewyse coÌ„sider ye also that ye are dead as touchyng synne but are aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our lorde Let not synne raigne therfore in your mortal bodye that ye should thervnto obeye by the lustes of it Therfore if as we haue now oftentymes sayd we be to Christ dead so deliuered froÌ„ our former synnes our trust is hereafter through innocent holy life to liue with him so to liue with him that we shall neuer dye more in this also as farre as possible is resemblyng Christ who submitted not him selfe in suche sorte to death that in him death should haue any power after but rose againe to liue euerlastyngly For as touchyng that he dyed vnto synne he dyed but once but touchyng that he nowe liueth he liueth to God his father by whose might he was from death raised to life euerlastyng And as it was in Christ so thynke your selfes once dead to synne by that your olde vâ—cious desyres are destroyed and by that ye are nowe becomen newe men as thoughe ye were raised againe from death to liue a heauenly and an immortall life to Godwarde by whose benefite we are nowe made innocent and holy For if ye this do not ye liue not to Godwarde because that to God noman lyueth but suche as liue godly righteously and in other vertues For synce that we are planted into Christes body and becomen one with him mete is it that we as membres be like vnto our head whiche is Christ And synce that he nowe lyueth to Godwarde for euermore reason it is that we likewyse liue vnto him through the same Iesus Christ our Lorde And as he beyng once raised froÌ„ death suffereth nomore the tyraÌ„ny of death so must ye take hede lest synne beyng nowe once banished out of your soules recouer in you againe the tyranny whiche it hath loste and so renewe his olde title of death As it surely wyll if ye folowe suche beastly desyres with whiche the deuil is wont to allure and bryng vs into our olde bondage The texte Neither geue ye your membres as instrumentes of vnrighteousnes vnto synne but geue ouer your selues vnto God as they that of dead are aliue And geue ouer your membres as instrumentes of righteousnes vnto God For sinne shal not haue power ouer you because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And see that your membres beyng nowe consecrate vnto Christ do hencefoorth nomore seruice at the deuils mocion whom Christ hath subdued and so to worke vnrighteousnes but rather hereafter so vse your selues that by all your life it may appeare that ye with Christ haue forsaken all deadly synne and workes of death and to be altered into a new life And so shal ye in dede do if hencefoorth all your membres that is to say all the powers of your bodyes and soules be applyed not to vice in the deuils seruice but to righteousnes in the seruice of God For reason requireth that we wholly belong to him to whoÌ„ we haue once bouÌ„de our selues and with him to haue nothyng to do from whom we are now departed and whose yoke we haue once shaken of Nor is it to be feared leste synne wyll we or nil we bryng vs backe againe into our olde bondage because ye are nowe no longer vnder the lawe whiche rather prouoked wylfull desyres then suppressed but vnder Goddes grace whiche as it was able to deliuer vs from the bondage of synne so is it able to kepe and preserue vs that we nomore falle thervnto The texte What then shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid And yet nowe God forbid that in the meane season any manne should this wyse take my wordes when I sayd ye were free from the lawe either to thynke that forasmuche as the lawe is abolished ye may do as ye liste or that Goddes free goodnes whiche hath pardoned all our olde offences hath also therwith frely geuen vs libertie to do euil But rather so muche the more ought we to abstaine from synne because we are now nomore like slaues coÌ„pelled to do wel as by a law but are as childreÌ„ are wont to be with desertes loue prouoked therto So that your bondage is chaunged and not vtterly taken away In suche sorte haue ye geuen ouer the seruice of the lawe that ye nowe
made a sacrifice for our synnes so diyng as touching the fleshe whiche he had taken he subdued death whiche through the desyres of the fleshe and the fleshely lawe bare rule vpon vs and caused that hencefoorth by abolishyng of the carnal meanyng of the lawe the better parte therof whiche we call the spiritual sence or spirite of it should in steade of the other take place and not worke Gods displeasure as the fyrst did but geue perfite righteousnes to them whiche lede not theyr life after y◠lawe carnally vnderstāden as the Iewes do but after the spiritual heauenly meanyng therof as men renued and through Christ new borne In the Iewes was there nothyng drawen painted but a shadowe of righteousnes but the vndoubted and perfite righteousnes is in vs through Iesus Christ throughly and perfitely wrought The texte For they that are carnal are carnally minded But they that are spiritual are gostly minded To be carnally minded is death But to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because that the fleshely minde is enemy against God for it is not obediente to the lawe of God neither can be So then they that are in the fleshe cannot please God The loue good wyll borne to thinges in vs beyng so greatly chaunged make plaine profe of a newe kynde of profession We se how y◠suche as styl holde on theyr Iewishe supersticion because they be yet carnal are with y◠same carnal vsuages muche delited Cōtrary suche as are graffed in Christ and haue now begunne to lede a spiritual life renouncyng all fleshely desyres are rauished enamoured with like conuersacion as is godly spiritual as we comenly see euery man fauour suche thinges as him selfe is bent vnto Mortall we be as touchyng our fleshe but yet hath Christ which is immortal called vs to life who is him self our life Now is the carnal lawe of the Iewes onely litterally obserued euen against Christ by reason therof worketh death kylleth forasmuche as it is against him whiche is the onely authour of life As in the Iewes thē selfes well appeared who for fauour zeale borne therto put to death y◠author of life righteousnes Of the other syde they whiche despisyng y◠carnal lettre of the lawe folowen the spiritual mocions of God fynde in Christ life nor striue for waterishe ceremonies of the law but gladly folowyng the inclinacions of charitie are with al men at peace concorde Supersticion is ful of ianglyng but true godly pytie is quiet peaceable And meruaile it is none that suche with men are at dissēcion whiche are not at peace with god For nothing els is it for a mā to cleaue stike fast to y◠carnal law whō God would through Christ shuld be abolished y◠in steade therof a spiritual law might ensue take place but to rebel agaist God whiche froward minde of any mā synce it squareth frō Gods pleasure cannot be but against him whiche calleth vs to farre vnlike cōtrary rules actes Let noman therfore thinke it a smal peril ieopardy stubbernly to hang vpō the lettre of the law therin to cōtinue And let vs assure our selfes that it is but a vayne thyng to please men vnles we please God also But suche as stubbernly mainteine Moses law litterally carnally vnderstāden except they forsaking the carnalnes therof fal from it to the spirite neither do please God nor can Let the Iewes exacte and requyre theyr feastes of the new moone and theyr sabboth daies kepyng neuer somuche they shal not attaine to that they loke for The texte But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his If Christ be in you the body is dead because of synne but the spirite is aliue for righteousnes sake Wherfore if the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ frō death dwel in you euen he that raised vp Christ from death shall quicken your mortal bodyes because of his spirite that dwelleth in you But to you whiche haue with the carnal law nothing to do these thinges nothing belong since y◠ye are becomen spiritual if ye after suche cōdicion lede your life that it please the holy spirite of God to be a dweller in your heartes For whoso is nothyng els but baptised styl belongeth to the carnal kyngdome of the fleshe excepte he taste also Christ be with his blessed spirite inspired Coupled are we vnto Christ not with ceremonies but with that spirite whō whoso lacketh is to Christ but a straunger But now then if Christ be in you syth he is nothyng els but chastitie but trueth but tēperaūce with other vertues how can in you synne haue any place Whoso hath receiued Christ him must the same mā nedes in suche vertuous pointes expresse He as I before sayd once dyed touchyng his fleshe māhed yet liueth he now a life euerlastyng Then fruitfully expresse resēble we him when the body y◠is to say our grosse part whiche with pleasaunt lustes allureth vs to all vnhappines is dead is without al desyre to synne if therwith our spirit also that is to say y◠better part in vs who alway moueth to goodnes and with his mightie power draweth vs to suche thinges as are good righteous be quicke and aliue Therfore if the spirite of God whiche raised Iesus Christ frō death vnfainedly dwel in you the same wyll not be idle A liuely an effectual thyng is the spirit of God wyll accordyng vnto your capacities in you likewise worke as it did in Christ Him it raised from death and suffereth not to dye againe And so wyl the same raise you frō sinne which is very death in dede to life extynguishyng your froward desyres appetites al whiche he wil do by his blissed spirit the author of life which now dwelleth in you The texte Therfore brethren we are detters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe For if ye liue after the fleshe ye shal dye But if ye through the spirite do mortifye the dedes of the body ye shal liue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion wherby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also the heires I meane of God and heires annexed with Christ If so be that we suffre with him that we may be also glorified together with him Vnder this spirit now therfore liue we his subiectes are we it must we obey not the fleshe whervnto we are now deade For assone as we once begunne to be one with Christ we cast of the bondage
dye it is to the gayne or losse of his maister whereby it appeareth what a point of malapertnes it is when one seruaunt entermedleth in his felowes matter namely if in the meane season the maister be pleased Now among men no seruaunt is so muche his maisters as we are Christes seruauntes who bought vs neither with golde nor siluer but euen with his owne bloud Whether we fall then to him we fal or if we staÌ„d to him we stand or if we liue to him we liue or if we dye to him we dye Other slaues peraduenture are theyr maisters no loÌ„ger after that they are once dead but we whether we liue or dye are the lordes to whoÌ„ all thynges liue Christ hath not onely power vpon them whiche are aliue but euen vpon them also that are dead as whiche for our saluacion gaue bothe his life and death For he for my cause became man and dyed and after for my sake rose againe from death to thenâ—â—nt that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and dead If we liue to godlynes we are bounde to him if we dye to synne we are bounde to him He is our lorde he is our iudge The texte But why doest thou then iudge thy brother Either why doest thou dispise thy brother We shal all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ For it is written as truely as I liue sayth the lorde all knees shal bowe to me and all tongues shall geue praise to God So shal euery one of vs geue accoumptes of him selfe to God Let vs not therfore iudge one an other any more And then why doeth the seruaunt take vpon him any authoritie vpoÌ„ his felowe ouer whom onely God hath power Thou that art somwhat scrupulous with what boldnes I say iudgest thou thy brother whiche is stronger than thou art for that he frely eateth or because he in like sort vseth euery day Or why doest thou whiche art stronger disdaine at and dispâ—se thy weaker brother as though thou were his maister and not rather his felow Why doeth either of you both vsurpe Goddes authoritie and preuent the daye of iudgement One must not iudge an other The onely iudge of all wyll geue sentence vpoÌ„ all For al shal once be brought before yâ— iudgement place of Christ ther by his senteÌ„ce to be quited or coÌ„deÌ„ned who throughly seeth the most hidden secrete partes of our heart Vntyl that day let not one seruaunt play the lorde vpon an other For this honoure hath he for him selfe onely reserued as him selfe sayeth by the prophet Esai as truely as I liue sayeth the lorde all knees shal bowe vnto me and all tongues shal geue praise to God In the meane season let euery man asmuche as he can with all his power endeuoure howe he may for him selfe before this iudge make his accoumpte and take heede that no man iudge others actes to the worse The texte But iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke or an occasion to fail in his brothers way For I knowe am ful certified by the lorde Iesus that there is no thyng comen of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be comen to him it is comen Iâ— thy brother be greued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably Destroye not him with thy meate â–ª for whom Christ dyed Cause not your treasure to be euil spoken of For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy goost For he that in these thinges serueth Christ pleaseth God and is commended of men If we may for this tyme iudge of any thyng let vs for the tyme iudge of this and deuise how one of vs may helpe another and that we neither do any man hurte nor geue occasion of hurte asmuche as we may Let vs comforte them that stagger not make them desperate no nor let vs extinguishe the smolderyng flaxe but enkendle it If the persons dignitie worthynes wer coÌ„sidered the weaker should obey him that is better learned but christian charitie would that the learned should sometyme geue place and beare with the weaker but yet not so that he consent and fauor his errour but either to th entent that he may be amended or els at the lest so stayed that he offende not more greuously And in this matter to speake somewhat of my selfe Moses in his lawe many yeres gon geuen vnto the Iewes noted certaine meates for vncleane and the same meates in his language he calleth comen as a man would say cursed of whoÌ„ men might not lawfully eat certaine meates calleth he cleane whiche euery man might lawfully vse But now know I and am by the spirite of Christ surely persuaded whose pleasure was that the carnal part of the lawe should be abolished that of his owne nature no meate is there vnpure and that there is no choyse of meate at al. But if any be vncleane only to him it is vncleane that so iudgeth of it yâ— is to wete to the weake and scrupulous it is vncleane but to suche one as is strong and a perfite christiaÌ„ nothyng is vncleane but to them that are cleane all thynges are likewyse pure And yet perauenture somtyme it were well done to abstaine froÌ„ that whiche is of it selfe good and pure not because Moses lawe so commauÌ„deth but because brotherly charitte whiche specially belongeth to a christian man so requireth For if for thy bodily foode thy brothers conscience be hurte or greued whom thou shouldest as tendrely loue as thou louest thy selfe then liuest thou to thy self and remembrest not what mutual charitie requireth as whiche regardest not but disdainest the fall ruine of the weake whiche thing thou mightest easly remedy Were it I pray you so great a matter so long to abstaine froÌ„ lawful meates vntil suche tyme as thy neighbor beyng in ieoperdye be holpen therby And albeit thy brother be weaker though he be ruder then thou art yet couÌ„pt him not for so vile as for thy meates sake to suffre him to be destroyed for whose saluacioÌ„ Christ died If suche one as he is the lorde estemed so greatly then should he not of the for a trifle be dispised Nor thynke it sufficient that the thyng thou doest be right wel done but moreouer prouide must yâ— that in it there be no suspicion of euil and beware lest that whiche to the is good turne vnto other mennes harme as it wyl if menne among you see debate and strife for meate and drinke or for suche other smal trifles For as in the world to come in the kyngdome of God I say there shal neither be meate nor drinke whiche are remedyes for this oure mortall state so the doctrine of Christes gospel and perfite christian life standeth neither in differeÌ„ce of meates nor drinkes as which are suche thinges as are not to godlines effectual Rather must we study and haue minde vpoÌ„
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
he had done in tymes past when he myght haue lawfullye done so And this doth Paule in the latter ende of the .xii. chapter and in the xiii The greeke titles declare yâ— this epistle was sent from Philippos by Titus and Lucas But the bryefe argumentes whiche are found in latine bokes without any autours name record and testifie that it was by thesame messangers sent from Troas for of this place Paule maketh mencion in the seconde chapter of this present epistle The ende of the Argument The pharaphrase of Erasmus vpon the second Epistle of Saint Paule to the Corinthyans ¶ The fyrste Chapter The texte â–ª Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christe by the wyll of god and brother Tymothye Vnto the congregacion of god whiche is at Corinthewyth all the Sayntes whiche are in al Achaia Grace be wyth you and peace from god our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe â–ª PAule an ambassadoure in Iesus Christes behalfe authorized by god the father and Timothy in religion my brother and felowe in office vnto the christian companye not of them onelye whiche are at Corinthe but also to all the sayntes that thorowe the whole countreye of Achaia whereof Corinthe is the heade citie dooe faythfull searuyce to Christe Grace wyshe wee vnto you peace and concorde by the free gyfte of our Lorde Iesus Christe and God his father whiche is also father to vs all The texte Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche is the father of mercy and the God of all coumforte whiche coumforteth vs in all oure tribulacion insomuch yâ— we are hable to comfort theÌ„ which are in any maner of trouble with thesame comfort wherwith we our selues are coÌ„forted of God For as the affliccions of Christe are plenteous in â—s euen so is oure consolacion plenteous by Christe With all good and luckye woordes blessed magnified and praysed bee God the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe the very fountayne and autoure of all goodnes no fearefull God to the righteous and godly but one of whom all our comfort commeth whiche ceaseth not to aide and comforte vs his messangers in all suche troubles as maie any wayes befall vs whiche he doothe not onely for our sakes leste we myght happely through vehement persecucion fall from hym but for your sakes also whiche as through oure troubles for yâ— loue ye beare towarde vs are in greate heauinesse so are ye for oure reliefe and â—easte gladde and ioyfull and by our exaumple in hope of goddes healpe manfully continue in suffreyng persecucion and troubles standyng in a sure truste confidence that as god which as ye se aided and strengthned vs beyng oppressed with miseries and wellnygh deade so wyll hein your troubles healpe and succour you whose goodnes is suche as wyll accordyng to oure temptacions measure his mercifull comfort Nor loth we suche affliccions as we suffre and endure for Christes sake and as Christe gaue exaumple knowyng this that yâ— more greuous tormentes he suffered the more comforte and honoure is he in And the greater tormentynges we lykewyse for his glory suffered and a bode by his meane so muche more plentiouslye hath god relieued vs being deliuered out of trouble to the intent ye should lykewyse stande in hope and loke for that whiche ye see alreadye doone in vs. The texte Whether wee bee troubled for your consolacion and health or whether wee bee comforted â—â— is for your comforte and saluacion whiche saluacion sheweth her power in that ye fuâ—â—re thesame same afflicions whiche we also suffre or whether wee bee comforted for your consolacion and saluacion our hope also is stedfast for you in asmuch as we know how that as ye are partakers of the affliccions soâ—â— all ye be partakers also of the consolacion Therefore whether wee bee troubled with aduersities that doeth god to encourage you and for vs so to be is to your wealthe an expediente meane that ye beeyng throughe our exaumple strengthned may stoutly abyde euen the moste extreme violence that maye bee laied vpon you whose sufferaunce albeit ve paynfull yet is it verye holsome or els yf we be refreashed so that the storme of persecucion be paste and alayed euen this doth god also intendyng by relieuyng vs to refreashe youre courages leste ye myghte wyth sorowe and payne faynt and despayre but rather vpon a remembraunce how there is a chaunge from soro we to pleasure ye myght likewyse bee hable to suffre suche troubles as wee dooe And trewlye in greate hope are wee that ye wyll surelye dooe so that ye maye bee also of our ioyes partakers hereafter as ye are alreadye partakers of our affliccions and as ye were heretofore sorye for our affliccions so shoulde ye nowe reioyce of our deliueraunce synce it is meete and conueniente that frendes and louers shoulde bee in lyke condicion of paynes and pleasures The texte Brethren I woulde not haue you ignoraunte of our trouble whiche happened vnto vs in Asia For wee were greued oute of measure passing strengthe so greatlye that we despayred euen of life Also we receaued an answere of death in our selues that we should not put our truste in our selues but in god whiche raysed the dead to lyfe agayne and which deliuered vs from â—o great a death and doth deliuer On whome wee truste that yet hereafter he wil deliuer by the helpe of your prayer for vs that by the meanes of manye occasions thankes maye bee geuen of manye on our behalfe for the grace geuen vnto vs. And perfeitely knowe I ye woulde much more reioyce yf ye throwghlye wiste howe vehement a blaste of persecucion happened vnto vs in Asia For there suffered wee affliccions aboue al measure as which were more vehement than our strength was hable to beare by reason whereof we were broughte to that poynt that we despayred of our life as vtterly vnable to suffre so manye and such extreme troubles Yea and of such violence was that persecucion that not onely other despayred howe we shoulde bee hable to indure them but â—ummyne owne mynde vpon distruste conceaued of my strength had euer death presente so that my hearte gaue me to looke for nothyng but for my last daye To which extremitiâ— it pleased god we shoulde be brought because we shoulde in our own strength put none affiaunce but trust to his healpe which is coÌ„monly most wont theÌ„ to be at hand to succour wheÌ„ al worldly aides most disapoint vs and fayle whiche when his pleasure is not onely deliuereth yâ— oppressed froÌ„ the ieopardies of death but restoreth also suche as are dead to life agayne As for any thyng then that in me was euen than dead was I and destroyed from whiche death yet god than deliuered and dothe euen nowe styll deliuer me of whome also I stande in suche a confidence that he wyll hereafter deliuer vs specially yf ye healpe me with your prayer to procure and obteyne the fauoure of god to the intente that as we were
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
suche a foundacion mete and conuenient And take hede that ye wauer not this waye or that waye as euery blaste of newe doctrine moueth you but staÌ„de stedfast and stable in that ye haue once learned and endeuour not only to stande stedfastly but also to encrease euery daye from better to better that your fayth and fruites of godly lyfe beyng dayly more and more augmented ye maye alwayes haue some newe thing to gyue god thankes for whoÌ„ ye must in dede thanke for all that is by you well done The texte Beware lest any man sporle you through Philosophy and disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of men and after the ordinaunces of the worlde and not after Christe Suche as would bring you froÌ„ your simplicitie watche busely watche muste ye on the other syde lykewyse least beyng as it were enchaunted with the royall and glyttering appacences of theyr Phylosophie ye be â—roÌ„ your sound fayth altred and brought to the vayne deuties of men and so become as it were a spoyle or praye for your aduersaries as ye shall vn doubtedly be if ye turne from the truth of the gospell and beled with the rules of mennes onlye makyng whiche stande in suche thinges as maye with our carnal eyes be sene and in the grosse pointes of this world wher as Christes doctrine is heauenly and spirituall and teacheth the righte and trewe religion whiche standeth in myndes and not in meates and drinkes nor in bodily apparell no nor in keping of dayes nor yet in wasshyng of handes whiche thynges to trewe religion make nothing Suche pointes withdraw vs rather froÌ„ Christe and deuide vs froÌ„ the welspring from whence it were mete we sought for all grace and goodnes The texte For in hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodely and ye are complete in him whiche is the head of all rule and power â–ª by whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision whiche is done with out handes for asmuche as ye haue put of the synfull bodye of the fleshe through the circumcision that is in Christ in that ye are buried with hym through baptisme in whome ye are also tysen agayne through fayth yâ— is wrought by the operacion of God whiche raysed hym from death For into hym are not some certayne giftes deriued as oute of the ryuer a litle water runneth into the dyche but in hym resteth and dwelleth corporally the hole fulnes of the godhead so that yf ye haue hym ye nede not to seke either for the shadowes of Moses lawe or the subtile conueyaunce of worldly wisdome The trouth is playnly delyuered vs as al ouâ— sences beare recorde no nede haue we to seke for figures or doubtfull promises Synce ye are once graffed in Christe and framed into one bodye with hym why shoulde you elswher loke to haue any thyng For since he lacketh nothyng would haue all his treasure coÌ„men to al men through hym in hym needes must ye be made complet whither ye lacke wysdome or power For as he is the welspring of wysedome which can neuer be dryed vp so is he the heade of all power rule Nor is ther any power no not of the hyghest order of Aungels I say but that the same to hym boweth his knees Iewes paradueÌ„ture endeuoure to bring you in minde that it is a weightye matier to haue you circumcised as they be â–ª as though the state of mannes body and suche externe thinges brought vs into goddes fauour But rather be in this persuaded that whosoeuer haue Christ enioye with hym all the glorie and commendacion of circumcision And who so haue not Christe to them is all theyr circumcision vayne and vnprofitable They haue but the shadow of circumcision ye therof in your soules haue the verye truthe For sythe the Iewes circumcision meaneth that groce and carnall desyers should be cut out of al theyr soules which now loke for nothyng but heauenly thinges vncircumcised needes must they be whiche with couetous myndes styll labour to haue more which please their bealyes whiche with enuy malice pyne a way which vayngloriously seke for worldly prayse despayre of heauenly rewardes But ye contrarie are through Christ veryly circumcised not with that circumcisioÌ„ which is done with mannes handes but after a spirituall kynde of circumcision Nor haue ye a litle piece onlye of the carnall man pared awaye but from you is cut the whole bodye defyled with syn and all corrupted with carnal lustes that through the spirituall circumcision of Christ Iesus For as he dying forsoke his bodye that was subiect to death rysyng againe receyued a body whiche coulde not dye so are ye in baptisme throughe the spirite of god with hym spiritually dead castyng of all the synnes of your olde lyfe and not only deade with hym but also buried with hym For wheÌ„ synfull desyers are kylled perfite quyetnes of mynde foloweth And after suche forgoyng of your bodyes which were thral to sinne whiche sinne is the very death of the soule ye are through Christe with hym risen agayne free from synne nor for your desertes but only because ye stedfastly beleue in god who by his mightie power restored Christe agayne from death to lyfe and that he also in you by his power worketh that vpon free remissioÌ„ of all your sinnes through the death of his soÌ„ne ye shoulde hencefurthe liue with him subiect to no sin but through innocent vprighte life make haste forwarde to the life that shall neuer haue ende ThaÌ„kes then should god the father haue for all suche thinges whiche he through his soÌ„ne gyueth you Nothing auauntaged it the Iewes because they were circumcised and vncircumcision to you which are Gentiles was no hinderauÌ„ce But to be vncircumcised was therfore a deadly lacke because ye wer wholy gyuen to groce and wycked desyres and therby subiecte to death or rather because ye were without the grace of god who is the lyfe of mannes soule ye were spiritually deade The texte And ye when ye were dead through synne and through the vncircumcision of youre fleshe hathe he qâ—ickened with hym and hath forgyuen vs all oure trespaces and hath put out the hande wrytyng that was agaynst vs contayned in the lawe wryten that hathe he taken oute of the waye and hath fastened it to his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne persone This kynde of vncircumcision I saye was to both sortes of vs comen whiche god hath with his holy spirite cutte of and taken away forgeuing vs all oure synnes and in suche sorte forgyuyng them that we are oute â—â— the ieopardie of hauyng the same offences any more hereafter to be layed vnto oure charge because we haue aduisedly sworne to be obedieÌ„t to Moses lawe for breache wherof oure aduersary the deuyll myght haue an action agaynste vs as agaynst men bounden by theyr owne hande wryting yea
to gyue god thankes for whoÌ„ ye must in dede thanke for all that is by you well done The texte Beware lest any man spoyle you through Philosophy and disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of men and after the ordinaunces of the worlde and not after Christe Suche as would bring you froÌ„ your simplicitie watche busely watche muste ye on the other syde lykewyse least beyng as it were enchaunted with the royall and glyttering apparences of theyr Phylosophie ye be froÌ„ your sound fayth altred and brought to the vayne deuises oâ— men and so become as it were a spoyle or praye for your aduersaries as ye shall vn doubtedly be if ye turne from the truth of the gospell and be led with the rules of mennes onlye makyng whiche stande in suche thinges as maye with our carnal eyes be sene and in the grosse pointes of this world wher as Christes doctrine is heauenly and spirituall and teacheth the righte and trewe religion whiche standeth in myndes and not in meates and drinkes nor in bodily apparell no nor in keping of dayes nor yet in wasshyng of handes whiche thynges to trewe religion make nothing Suche pointes withdraw vs rather froÌ„ Christe and deuide vs froÌ„ the welspring from whence it were mete we sought for all grace and goodnes The texte For in hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodely and ye are complete in him whiche is the head of all rule and power â–ª by whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision whiche is done with out handes forasmuche as ye haue put of the synfull bodye of the fleshe through the circumcision that is in Christ in that ye are buried with hym through baptisme in whome ye are also rysen agayne through fayth yâ— is wrought by the operacion of God whiche raysed hym from death For into hym are not some certayne giftes deriued as oute of the ryuer a litle water runneth into the dyche but in hym resteth and dwelleth corporally the hole fulnes of the godhead so that yf ye haue hym ye nede not to seke either for the shadowes of Moses lawe or the subtile conueyaunce of worldly wisdome The trouth is playnly delyuered vs as al our sences beare recorde no nede haue we to seke for figures or doubtfull promises Synce ye are once graffed in Christe and framed into one bodye with hym why shoulde you elswher loke to haue any thyng For since he lacketh nothyng would haue all his treasure coÌ„men to al men through hym in hym needes must ye be made complet whither ye lacke wysdome or power For as he is the welspring of wysedome which can neuer be dryed vp so is he the heade of all power rule Nor is ther any power no not of the hyghest order of Aungels I say but that the same to hym boweth his knees Iewes paradueÌ„ture endeuoure to bring you in minde that it is a weightye matier to haue you circumcised as they be as though the state of mannes body and suche externe thinges brought vs into goddes fauour But rather be in this persuaded that whosoeuer haue Christ enioye with hym all the glorie and commendacion of circumcision And who so haue not Christe to them is all theyr circumcision vayne and vnprofitable They haue but the shadow of circumcision ye therof in your soules haue the verye truthe For sythe the Iewes circumcision meaneth that groce and carnall desyers should be cut out of al theyr soules which now loke for nothyng but heauenly thinges vncircumcised needes must they be whiche with couetous myndes styll labour to haue more which please their bealyes whiche with enuy malice pyne away which vayngloriously seke for worldly prayse despayre of heauenly rewardes But ye contrarie are through Christ veryly circumcised not with that circumcisioÌ„ which is done with mannes handes but after a spirituall kynde of circumcision Nor haue ye a litle piece onlye of the carnall man pared awaye but from you is cut the whole bodye defyled with syn and all corrupted with carnal lustes that through the spirituall circumcision of Christ Iesus For as he dying forsoke his bodye that was subiect to death rysyng againe receyued a body whiche coulde not dye so are ye in baptisme throughe the spirite of god with hym spiritually dead castyng of all the synnes of your olde lyfe and not only deade with hym but also buried with hym For wheÌ„ synfull desyers are kylled perfite quyetnes of mynde foloweth And after suche forgoyng of your bodyes which were thral to sinne whiche sinne is the very death of the soule ye are through Christe with hym risen agayne free from synne nor for your desertes but only because ye stedfastly beleue in god who by his mightie power restored Christe agayne from death to lyfe and that he also in you by his power worketh that vpon free remissioÌ„ of all your sinnes through the death of his soÌ„ne ye shoulde hencefurthe liue with him subiect to no sin but through innocent vprighte life make haste forwarde to the life that shall neuer haue ende ThaÌ„kes then should god the father haue for all suche thinges whiche he through his soÌ„ne gyueth you Nothing auauntaged it the Iewes because they were circumcised and vncircumcision to you which are Gentiles was no hinderauÌ„ce But to be vncircumcised was therfore a deadly lacke because ye wer wholy gyuen to groce and wycked desyres and therby subiecte to death or rather because ye were without the grace of god who is the lyfe of mannes soule ye were spiritually deade The texte And ye when ye were dead through synne and through the vncircumcision of youre fleshe hathe he quickened with hym and hath forgyuen vs all oure trespaces and hath put out the hande wrytyng that was agaynst vs contayned in the lawe wryten that hathe he taken oute of the waye and hath fastened it to his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne persone This kynde of vncircumcision I saye was to both sortes of vs comen whiche god hath with his holy spirite cutte of and taken away forgeuing vs all oure synnes and in suche sorte forgyuyng them that we are oute of the ieopardie of hauyng the same offences any more hereafter to be layed vnto oure charge because we haue aduisedly sworne to be obedieÌ„t to Moses lawe for breache wherof oure aduersary the deuyll myght haue an action agaynste vs as agaynst men bounden by theyr owne hande wryting Yea the olde obligacion by ryght wherof the deuyll sued vs hath Christe rased oute assone as we professed the fayth of his gospell through whome the offences of our olde lyfe are forgyuen so that the â—ame are layed to no mannes charge For whatsoeuer myght of vs by ryghte of this wrytyng be requyred that same hath Christe for our sakes payed vpon the crosse where the wrytyng was rente torne and vtterly cancelled Nor haue we
the doctrine of the true God shall geue theyr eares and myndes to the doctrine of deuylls that in outward she we of feyned godlynes shal speake those thynges that are cleane contrarie to the trueth of the ghospell and shall set out theÌ„ selues in the syght of the simple people in outwarde apperaunce of holynes where as in the syghte of God they haue an vncleane conscience defyled and marked and prynted with many markes of worldely lustes Those maner of men where as they swymme inwardly in malicious rancor hatred couetousnes ambicion and other diseases that are cleane contraryly repugnaunt vnto true godlynes yet for that to the intent they maye with a certayne newfangled wondrefull doctrine bryng them selues in opinion of godlynes they shall after the Essenes example forbydde lauful mariage as though wedlocke being chastlye kepte were not honorable before god and the bedde vndefyled and they shall requyre to be estemed for goddes because they liue single vnmaried being neuertheles infected with innumerable pestilent vices are not so free from fylthye luste as from wyues They shall also goo about to drawe men backe agayne to make difference of meates after the maner of the Iewes as thoughe meate it selfe had some impuritie in it where as God hath ordayned all kyndes of meates to thys ende that we shoulde vse them temperately to the necessarye reliefe of oure bodye and to kepe vp the sttength with all thankinge hym for hys gentilues as many of vs as haue embraced the fayth of yâ— Gospel in stedde of Moses law and hauyng wypped awaye the mystes of Iewyshe supersticions are broughte to the lyghte of the trueth knowynge that whatsoeuer is created of almyghtye God is of it owne nature good yf a man vse it as it oughte to be and to that ende that it was created for There is no kynde of meate to be abhorred or refused that is receyued as Goddes bounteous gyfte with thankes geuing Thys is a Iewyshe maner of sayeng and not a Christian Eate not this meate touche not thys bodye weare not this garment to daye do not this thyng nor that thyng There is no creature impure or vncleane yf the conscience of hym that vseth it be pure and cleane And albeit there were any impuritie in the meate yet with hunnes wherwith the larges of god is praysed before meate and with holy wordes and prayers it shoulde be made holy and pure that before was vncleane Those maner of vayne smokes are blowen vnto the people by suche as occupye Christes busines vnfaythfully yea rather go about their own gayne But see that thou auoyde suche maner of tryfles and teache the brethren those thinges that thou hast learned of me and playe the good and vpryght ministre of Christe disposing entierly and faythfully his doctrine that is ferre dyfferent froÌ„ these mennes prescribed appoyntementes And thus it standeth the in hande to doo so muche the rather bycause thou art called to be a teacher of the ghospel being not yet of full growen age whiche is not wonte easylye to swerue in to newe fangles but thou hast ben brought vp as it were euen from thy youth in the fayth of the ghospell and in good learnyng so as thy contynuaunce ought to make the more practiced strong and thou canst not chose but be lyke thy selfe in that thyng that thou hast hitherto constauntly folowed Therefore see thou teache thys doctrine worthy the ghospell vnto those that thyne are But as for other mennes fables and vayne olde wyues tales which as impertinent to the misteries of the Euaungelicall fayth I myght ryghtly cal lewde tales reiecte them rather applye thy selfe to yâ— exercise of true godlines than to contende in woordes with the moste bablyng and most frowarde kynde of men that is The texte Exercise thy selfe rather vnto godlynes For bodely exercyse profyteth lytell but godlynes is profitable vnto al thynges as a thynge which hath promyses of yâ— lyfe that is now and of the lyfe to come Thys is a sure sayinge and by all meanes worthy to be alowed For therfore we laboure and suffre rebuke because we beleue in yâ— lyuyng God which is the sauiour of all men specially of those that beleue Such thinges commaund and teache Let no man despyse thy youth but be vnto them that beleue an ensample in worde in conuersacyon in loue in spyrit in fayth in purenes True godlynes that is placed inwardly in the mynde can not possiblâ—e be diffyned nor sufficiently preseribed with externe grosse matters For fasting or choise of meates and suche other lyke albeit they seme somtyme to be somewhat profitable for the tyme and place in that they prepare the bodye to the dedes of godlines yet that profitablenes is nether perpetual nor of so weighty auaile if it be compared to the inwarde godlynes of the soule but rather of suche maner of obseruations springeth almoste the poyson of true and tyghte godlynes Fastyng is profitable in place and contrariwyse the same otherwise is pestiferous To some man watchyng is holseme and to some it is deadly and hurtfull Some tyme it is good to passe ouer the Sabboth daye with test from laboure And on the coutrary sorte a thyng maye be wherein it were wickedly done to be ydle whan a mannes neighbours nede requireth the dede of charitie But the godlynes that the ghospell teacheth whiche is grounded vpon a syncere faythe and a true charitie is profitable in euery tyme and in euery parte of a mans life and it declareth in a briefe summe what so euer thing is to be desired either in the lyfe presente or to be hoped for in the lyfe to come â–ª so muche that it is not necessarye for vs to seke for anye succour by anye other meanes The thyng that I saye is true and vndoubted and playne worthy to be receaued of all men We teache out of all peraduentures that we bothe fele it and that it is no fable whiche we speake of Or elles what thyng coulde petswade vs willyngly and gladly to suffer the sorowes of this lyfe to beare with a hartie stomacke punishementes done vnto vs by the wicked enprisonmentes and deathes onles that we hope after the heauenlye succour in this worlde and after this life immortalitie And thys hope we haue fexed not in Moses or any other man that myght fayle our hope but in the lyuyng God whiche can helpe euen theÌ„ that are deade of whoÌ„ saluation procedeth vnto al the vniuersall kynde of men but especyallye vnto suche as haue embraced the faith of the ghospell These thynges commaunde and teache constauntlye and boldelye â–ª so as thou mayest shewe in thy selfe the autoritie of a Byshoppe beynge assured that this doctrine proceded from Christ him selfe There is no cause why thou shouldest be afrayed in that thou art but a yonge man althoughe in a matter of so weightie importauÌ„ce or why thou shouldest geue place to the frowardnes of them that teache contrarye doctrine Let
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
which ye reioyce though now for a season if nede requyre ye are in â—euâ—nes thorow manyfold temptacions that â—he tryall of your fayth being muche more precious then golde that perysheth though it be tryed with fyre might be founde vnto laude glory and honour at the appering of Iesus Christe whom ye haue not seen and yet loue hym in whom euen nowe though ye see him not yet doe you beleue and reioyce with say vnspeakable and gloryous receiuing the ende of your fayth euen the saluacion of your soules For this so passing a great benefite his liberalitie is to be praysed of whom by Christ coÌ„meth vnto vs whatsoeuer it be that maketh vs truly blessed And that is not Moses but God himselfe the same the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which whan we were lytle fortunately borne of Adam that is to say borne to synne borne to death hath begotten vs new againe into innocencie and hath begotten vs vnto life that neuer shall dye being prouoked by no merites of ours but stiered frely of his owne mercye wherin he most chiefly exceadeth and this hath he done not by yâ— ayde of Moses lawe but by the costeous gyft of his owne soÌ„ne Iesus Christ whom he would haue to suffre death to thintent where we were els desperate wretches he might diliuer vs froÌ„ the tyranny of synne death And him he called anon froÌ„ death to lyfe that we beyng in this worlde dead to worldly lustes hauing remembraunce as it were before our tyes of the resurreccioÌ„ after his exaÌ„ple in vprightnes of conuersacion might haue an assured a ready hope that we also shal once be exempt out of these sorowes atteine with Christ vnto yâ— euerlasting enheritaunce whiche lyke as he beyng our head hath already atteyned so shal al we also folowe as many as be engraffed to yâ— meÌ„bres of Christ are made worthy by folowing of his craÌ„ple to be called his brethren the chyldreÌ„ of yâ— selfe same father that he is that like as we suffre commune affliccions with him so should we haue reward also together with him As long as we were the sonnes of the synful Adam an infortunate enheritauÌ„re abode vs. But as sone as we were made yâ— sonnes of God we make spedy haste to yâ— enheritauÌ„ce of heauen For it besemeth yâ— seing we are borne from heauen we should behold heaueÌ„ly thinges seing we are borne of God we should folo we nothing but godlines They yâ— serue the world goe about to haue rewardes yâ— are transitory wage that is slyppery but for vs there remayneth yâ— happyâ— enheritaunce after these temperal affliccioÌ„s which can neither be corrupted with death ne defited with wearines or heauines ne yet fade a way by age or sluttishnes There is no cause for vs to be afrayed of leste any man should in the meane whyle take this so plenteous an heritage out of our handes We haue an assured fayth full promyse maker And in his haÌ„des it is safely kept layed vp in stoare for vs in heauen howbeit after suche sort that for al that there must an assured hope and as it were a certayne pledge remayne in the meane time with men vpoÌ„ earth not with al maner of men but with you such like as you are buto whom the spirite of Christ is geuen in stede of a gage which albeit ye are for yâ— time tossed on euery syde with condry stormes of sorowes yâ— the frailtie of maÌ„is vtterly vnhable of himselfe to beare out yet by the succour of God which is mighty in al thinges you are preserued not through your owne merites but by fayth vnfained trust wherby you dout not but froÌ„ the last time after yâ— which there shal be no more of this confusion of humayne matters but the euill meÌ„ being appointed to their tormeutes shal be hable to do no body harme the good being safe froÌ„ al inuasions of sorowes shal haue the fruicioÌ„ of euerlasting rest For now yâ— rewardes lye hiddeÌ„ many times after the coÌ„mune peoples estimacioÌ„ thei are in wurse condicioÌ„ yâ— be of yâ— better those seme to perish which are most specially in sanegarde thei seme to florish which most chiefly goe to naught In this worlde there is time to exercise godlines the reward hath his time prescribed vnto it which it behoueth not to preueÌ„t In yâ— meane seasoÌ„ let it be ynough for vs yâ— euerlasting felicitie is kept in safegarde for vs which neither mannor deuil can be hable to take away froÌ„ vs before haÌ„d so yâ— we shrinke not from yâ— fayth wherby we ought to condeÌ„ne mortal mens matters depende wholy of heauen Let there be in yâ— meane seasoÌ„ fearce folkes which being rebels to god trust to the aydes of yâ— world let theÌ„ for yâ— time stampe stare ouer you as though you wer ouercomeÌ„ left succoutles But whan yâ— day shal come the discourse of thiges turned vp side down they shal be tormeÌ„ted you shal reioyce like coÌ„querours yea you ought to reioyce eueÌ„ now also through yâ— vndoubted lokiÌ„g for of so passig a great felicitie For it ought not to seme vnto you a greate or a greuous matter though by affliccions and griefes that are but shorte and shall soone haue an ende you come to the blissed that neuer shall decaye And perchaunce these persecucions also shall once haue an end which notwithstanding as often as they come in vre are to be borne with a myghtye stoute stomake and without dismaying for the glory of God in hope of the lyfe to come For after suche wyse doeth the wysedom of God in prouiding for your commodities permitte that the sinceritie and stedfastnes of your faith may be tried through sondry assaultes of sorowes For yf golde which elles were a thing both lost and would goe to naught be tryed out not only by the touche stone but also is assayed by the fire to thintente it maye thenceforth bee had in so muche the more price as it is the more exactely fyned much more wil God haue your faith wherunto so high honour of duetie belongeth to be tried with sondry experimentes to thintent that whan it shal glister out of these flames of sorowes and affliccions and being farre more pure and more glittering than any golde though it be neuer so fyne it may be precious in the syght of God and that all the matter at length may grow in to cleane contrary condicion that is to were that the thyng which semed to be layed vpon you in this worlde vnto reproche may chaunce vnto prayse and that which semed vnto vilany may be turned vnto glory that whiche semed to be layed vpon you to put you to dishonestie may be turned in to habuÌ„daunce of honour in that day whan Iesus Chrst whose power worketh nowe in you by secrete meanes shal she we forth him selfe openly vnto all men and rendre vnto euery man rewarde
worlde thynketh is losse and it is blessednes whatsoeuer they thynke is sorowfulnesse Therefore it is in you to bryng to passe that no violence of sorowes can do you harme by any waye Whatsoeuer the naughtynesse of men shall take awaye from you the free larges of God shall restore it agayne with excedyng great vauntage So that yf you haue the fruicion of God you haue no cause to be afrayed of mens threatnynges or to be disquieted with the violence of sorowes neyther be you troubled in your mynde in the myddes of the stormes of affliccions as though you were destitute of Goddes helpe Neither speake you cursedly vnto men that punyshe you throughe ignoraunce but rather glorifie you the lorde God in your heartes whiche to his seruauntes turneth all thynges in to the best whethersoeuer chaunseth ioye or aduersitie Therefore he is euer worthye to be praysed albeit a man can not alwaies with worde of mouthe yet with affeccion of the heart he maye euery where and at all tymes Hys enemyes are not to be prouoked with scoldynges but wheresoeuer anye hope shall offre it selfe that they maye be drawen vnto Christe be you prompte and ready to answere whosoeuer desireth to knowe with what confidence and throughe what hope you set naught by the commodities of this life and suffre the incommodities so paciently And that do you not disdeignefully nor tauntynglye as thoughe you were offended at them but with al mildenes and reuerence that is to say vsing a good conscience of your owne althoughe you can not be hable to perswade them For it is not ynoughe for Christians to speake thinges that are true and worthy of Christ but also to speake after suche sorte that the verye reason of your talke maye declare that you are not in hande with your own busines but that you respecte the glorie of Christe and the saluation of them whiche you speake vnto This shal be the surest argument to make them ashamed which slaundre your conuersation that you leade accordyng to Christes doctrine as thoughe it were a countrefaict and a naughty conuersacion For countrefaicte vertue althoughe it otherwise begile men with his iuggling yet whan it commeth once to suffring of punishementes it breaketh out and bewrayeth it self There is nothing but a good conscience and a conscience that dependeth wholy of God that is hable chearefully to beare all thinges and to be so farre froÌ„ intendyng reuengement that he goeth about also to do good to them of whom he is punished The texte For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doing then for euil doing For asmuche as Chryst hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God and was killed as pertaining to the fleshe but was quickned in the spirit In which spirit he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison whych somtyme had ben disobedient when the long suffering of God was once loked for in the daies of Noe while the Arke was a preparing wherin a few yâ— is to say viii solles were saued by the water lyke as baptisme also now saueth vs not the puttynge away of the fylth of the fleshe but in that a good conscience consenteth to God by the resurreccion of Iesus Christ whyche is on the righte hande of God and is gone into heauen Aungelles powers and myght subdued vnto hym Let it not moue you that you harmeles folkes suffre sorowes at their handes whiche be harmedoers but rather it is in that behalf the more easely to be borne whatsoeuer is done vnto you For it is better for you if it be the wyll of God that you suffre these thinges that you suffre for wel doyng than for euil doyng For he that is punysshed for his euil dedes suffreth that he hath deserued but the punyshementes that you suffre turne to the glory of Christe and to the heaped encreace of your felicitie It is a gloriouse thynge for you to folowe thexample of your prince Thus he aduaunced the glory of God the father he beyng all together without synne was taken bounden beaten spytte vpon crucified and dyed for our synnes where as he had no synne at all The ryghtuous for the vnryghtuous the faultes for the faultye suffred paynes gladly obeyng the fathers will that he myghte presente vs that were synners cleane and without spotte vnto the father that we also folowyng his example shoulde lyue harmeles amonge harmedoers and that we beynge made good shoulde suffre for the wealth of them that naught are He dyed onely once for all and for temporall affliccion was endowed with lyfe euerlastynge that we beyng once redemed from synnes shoulde not slyde backe agayne to the same It is Christ than that hath made vs cleane being delyuered to death for the weakenes of the humaine body which he had receiued but he was raised to life agayne by the power of the spirite whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth any affliccions For the same tyme that his dead body was closed in the graue he being alyue in spirite pearced vnto the helles lyke as vnto men endued with mortall bodye he preached the doctryne of the gospell in his bodylye presence which those that beleued attayned saluacion and those that refused to beleue purchaced to them selues the heape of eternal damnacion euen so his body beyng laied aparte his spirite went vnto them which being deliuered of their bodies lyued in the helles and preached vnto them that nowe is the time present wherein they should receyue the rewarde of their godlines for yâ— in tymes past they â—earing the iustice of god nether reuenged them selues of euilles liued faultles among the faultye and declared that they suffred condyng punyshementes which in the daies of Noe when the Arke was furnisshed the floude was loked for that God being prouoked by mortall mennes wickednes would send vpon them beleued not but abused the gentilnes of God when they sawe the thing that he threatned put of for a certayn of yeares Therfore when the floude came it destroyed all except a very fewe that is to saye no moe but onely eight persons which according to Noes counsel went into the arke were not drowned in the floud And therefore euen in those tymes faythe wanted not hâ—â— rewarde For God suffred not those to perishe that trusted in him with al their whole herâ— Neither can the vnbeleuers escape yâ— vengeauÌ„ce of God although you be no reuengers For it is ynough for you that you obeye God but as for the punyshement of the rest refeâ—re that to hym Nowâ— that whiche Nâ—es Aâ—ke was vnto them is baptisme vnto you that same thyng that the floud was vnto them is the eternal punishement vnto the wicked and preached vnto them that obey not the gospel It was ynough for Noe to haue tolde them of the floud that was to come It was ynough to haue shewed by what meanes they myght escape the daungier
with vs and that oure felowship maye be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ And thys wryte we vnto you that ye maye reioyce and that youre ioye may be full VVE write not vnto you dearely beloued brethren of stender or meane thinges or of thinges vnknowen but of a newe matter howbeit so newe vnto vs that with God it was from euerlasting This is the worde of God euen Iesus Christe bothe God and manne whiche where he was alwayes the sonne of God woulde of late be the sonne of a mayden and which after hys diuine nature was inuisible to mans eies vouchesafed to take vpon hym an humayne bodye and did vouchesafe to be famyliarly conuersaunte among men that he might â—arye vs vp from the darkenes of our ignoraunce to the lyght of Gospelliâ—â— knowlage and that we myght begynne to beholde him with the eies of our mynde whome we haue presentlye fâ—ne with the eies of our bodye In dede the vnbelefe of mannes harte required that the truthe shoulde bee credited by grosse outwarde experimentes but yet the godlynes of them is more preferred by his owne worde whiche where they neyther had sene him with theyr eyes nâ— handled him with theyr handes yet were moste certaynly perswaded and beleued that he is the sonne of God and thonly autor of mannes saluacyon It is our parte therfore to declare that whiche we haue moste certaynly proued by our bodyly sences vnto those that chaunced not to see it and yet it is expedient to beleue that none ought to trust to haue life nor euerlastinge saluacion but he that beleueth the Gospelles doctrine wherof we are both witnesses and preachers It is not the worde of manne nether of lyght importaunce but it is the worde of God and of heauen that geueth euerlastyng lyfe to them which geue obedient hearyng vnto it and deliueâ—ing from the deathe of sinnes from what so euer relygyon from what so euer kynde of lyfe they shall turne them selues vnto it Of this matter that we speake of we speake of most assured credence yâ— is to wete euen the thing which we yâ— were continual waitours heard with our eares saw with our eies nether sawe we afarre of or passinge by but we loked presently on to the full And to cause a thinge to be credited these are two princypall chief sences and if that also bee but a small matter we did not only heare hym teaching prayinge commaundyng wyndes and deuilles and the father sondry tymes bearing witnes vnto the sonne and we sawe hym not only worke myracles suffre deathe and ryse agayne but also we haue handled with these handes of oures For whan he was rysen agayne from deathe to thyntente to make vs beleue steofastlye that he was no vayne phantasie but euen the lame manne alyue agayne whome we had sene before dead he caused vs to handle him with our handes and laying to our fingres he shewed vs the places of his woundes Mannekynde was deade bycause it was in thraldome of vices and synnes and he suffred deathe for our wickednes that through his goodnesse we myght lyue vnto Innocencie We were in doubt also our selues whan we sawe hym dead whan we sawe hym buried but whan he rose again from death he gaue vs sure hope of life Mankynde had had no maner of hope of eternall life except he had caused vs to see him with oure cies and if he had not plucked awaye all doubtefulnes froÌ„ vs by most manifestly apparent experimentes He beinge manne suffred paynes for our synnes and the same being God dooeth frely gene immortall lyfe to them that put theyr faythfull trust in hym He lyued alwayes with the father and this life was alwayes determinately purposed for vs by the sonne howbeit this counsail was not yet publyshed vnto the world albeit the nacion of the Iewes and yet none but they loked for it by the prophetes oracles as it were in a dreame In the meane while deathe reigned lyfe laye hydden Some tixed theyr hope in Moses some in worldly wisedome but the saluacion and life of all people was Iesus Christe the worde of God the father the teacher of Innocencye and the geuer of Immortalitie For none lyueth but he that lyueth godly nether dooeth any escape deathe â–ª but he that atreyneth Immortalytie At leyngth thys Iesus christe manifested him selfe vnto the world by hym selfe shewing him selfe playnly to all the senses of man and so thrusting him selfe in to the consciences of menne And therfore he would haue vs to be lokers on and witnesses of all thinges that he did on earthe â–ª to thintent they myght be faithfully published by our preachinge throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde that like as we by Iesus haue obteyned lyfe and saluacion in case we perseuer still in the Gospelles doctrine euen so shoulde you also come with vs in to the felowshippe and company of this saluacion in case you geue credence to our witnesse bearing â–ª concernyng the thinge that you neither hearde nor sawe of hym but learne it by our preachinge We are nether vayne witnesses ne yet vncommaunded He had vs to bee faithfull witnesses and we recorde vnto all men with the greate daunger of our head none other thinge than we haue most euydent experience of with all the sences of the bodye We are happye in that our eares and eies haue made vs beleue and yet you are neuertheles happye if you geue credence vnto hys witnesse bearers Our faithe hathe glued vs vnto Christe and made vs the children of God and membres of Christe And your faith also shall engraffe you vnto the same bodye that being ioyned with vs in the feloweshippe of faithe you myght make one bodye And so shall it come to passe that we shall not only bee all of one mynde amonge our selues as the membres of one bodye but we shall also haue peace and league with Iesus Christe and by hym with God hys father from whome we were before farre different that like as the sonne is at moste perfite consent communion of al thinges with the father euen so we also by perfite agrement of the profession of the Gospell shoulde bee heaped togyther in to one bodye of Christe to be made partakers of all the goodes of our heade I know you are ioyous of so happye a feloweship but yet I put you in remembraunce agayne of these thinges in writing to thintent you myght reioyce more fully if euery manne be not all together ioyous of hys owne saluacion but all mens felicitie make euery one glad For thys dooeth christen charitie cause that euery manne must be as glad of other mennes commodities as of his owne The moe that this felicitie is commune vnto the more abundaunt shall euery ones ioye bee Among vs there shall no being of one mynde stande together substauncially excepte we be fast glued together with mutuall charitie We canne not possibly haue peace with God except we be answerably like vnto our head Iesus
lyfe for them that sinne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for whiche saye I not that a man shoulde praye All vnrighteousnes is sin and ther is a synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of god synneth not but he that is begotten of god kepeth himselfe and that wicked toucheth hym not We know that we are of god and the worlde is all together set on wickednes We knowe that the sonne of god is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe hym whiche is true and wee are in him that is true through his sonne Iesus Christ This same is very god and eternal lyfe Babes kepe your selues from images Amen These thinges therfore doe I repete and beate vnto you with so many wordes lest any man shoulde persuade vnto you the contrarye But take it for a sure and an vndoubted certayntie that it is true whiche you haue beleued that euerlastynge lyfe is ordayned for you throughe Iesus Christe whose ioyned felowe heires you are You haue already the ryght clayme and gage and shall haue possession of the thyng selfe in hys tyme. Therefore you that beleue in the sonne of God beleue stedfastlye and put youre sure trust in hym daylye more and more He wyll not fayle you in the promyses of euerlastyng lyfe that fayleth you not nowe euen in thys lyfe For in dede the spirite of Christe geuethe this confidence vnto you that whatsoeuer you shal aske in y◠name of the sonne you should obtaine it if ye aske according to hys wyll that is yf you be suche when you come to praye as he woulde haue you to come that is to saye pure from all maner hate of your brother For he obteyneth nothyng at goddes hande of whom his neyghbour obteyneth not forgeuenes of his fault And if you aske those thinges that are auaileable to the lyfe of heauen and make to the glorye of Christ Or elles we for the moste parte knowe not what we shoulde aske of God and many tymes for holsome thynges we desire hurtfull thynges yf the spirite of Christe put vs not in mynde what were expedient for vs to aske but as ofte as we aske after thys sorte we are sure that god heareth oure prayers we are sure that he wyll frely geue vs whatsoeuer we shall aske So hath he promised vs and is hable to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth and wyll performe whatsoeuer is holsome for vs. Neither shall he onely encrease his giftes in vs being prouoked therunto by oure prayers but also he wyll pardon vs oure daylye offences without whome the feblenes of mans nature can scarcely be hable to endure longe and he shall not onely pardon euery one hys offences yf he desire pardon but he shall also heare the brother praying for the brothers offences so that the sinne bee of suche sorte that it doeth not quenche out brotherly loue althoughe it doe somewhat obscure it For there is a synne that cannot bee imputed vn to weakenes nor be healed with lyght and easye remedies as whan a manne vpon a sette malyce persecuteth the christen felowshyppe where he hymselfe hath professed Christe and in pretence of religion goeth aboute to subuert religiō The desperate frowardnes of suche a one deserueth not the prayer of godly menne and yet perfite charitie prayeth also for suche wyshynge for those thynges that cannot possiblye be done There is no manne that prayeth for the deuyll because he doeth wittynglye throughe malyce oppugne them whome God woulde well vnto Perhappes no prayer should also be made for them that are translated into hys affeccion and are rather to be shunned that they doe no harme than to bee releued with prayers excepte they shewe an hope of their repentaunce Suche a disease nedeth more strong remedies and is greater than can bee taken away by dayly praiers wherby lighter offences are taken away which are done of feble weakenes not of purposed frowardenes Whatsoeuer is committed besyde perfite righteousnes is sin but there be many differences of synnes There is some synne whiche althoughe it demynyshe and blotte innocencye yet it vtterlye quencheth not out christian charytye as whan by occasion we ouershote a worde agaynste oure frende whiche we are sory for by and by that it ouer shot vs whan a sodayne angre hath russhed out at a worde that wee woulde wyshe by and by myghte bee called backe agayne whan throughe the swetenes of meate or drynke receyuyng wee take somewhat more then the necessitie of nature doeth require And to pardon these offences God is easie yf he bee called vpon with mutual prayers Suche maner of faultes of children those that be gentyll parentes doe for the moste parte wynke at whiche woulde not suffre greater offences Albeit there is none so lyght a faulte that ought to be neclected Whatsoeuer is done amysse is euyll and to bee eschewed of godlye folkes and yf it bee neclected it drawethe by lytell and lytell vnto deathe But lyke as spedye remidy oughte to be had for these lighter offences whiche men are scarce hable to auoyde euen so god forbydde that he whiche hath once renounced the worlde and dedicated hymselfe vnto god shoulde be tombled backe agayne into anye greate notable cryme By professing of the gospel we are made the childrē of God and membres of Christ And it is not conuenient that the children should diffre so greatly from the father and the membres from the head Therfore he that throughlye vnderstandeth that he is borne of god taketh more hede that he doe no euyl than of deathe it selfe and kepeth hymselfe that he haue nothynge a doe with that naughtie lorde deuill whom he serued before together with the worlde Lyke as Christe beynge once dead rose agayne to lyfe and rose agayne to lyfe neuer to dye any more euen so he that throughe baptisme is once dead vnto the worlde and risen againe to newnes of lyfe with Christ it is not mete for hym to doe that thynge agayne for the whyche Christe must dye agayne Let them be affrayed of the worlde whiche are not truely borne againe of god which haue not with al the pith of their whole heartes receyued the seede of the gospelles doctrine We knowe that wee are truely of god whome neyther the euyll thynges nor the good thynges of thys world can seperate from Christe The whole world is set all together on naughtines Whiche waye soeuer a man turneth hym there is occasion offred of thynges to turne vs awaye quite from the innocent vpryghtnes of lyfe But from the worldes enchauntmentes the sonne of god hathe once delyuered vs whiche came into the worlde for thys cause to exempte vs out of the contagious infeccion of the worlde He hathe dryuen awaye the darkenes of oure former ignoraunce and hathe geuen vs an vnderstandyng that is lyghtened with the lyght of the gospell to thintent we should knowe the true god the free geuer of al righteousnes who onely had nothyng a doe
shall worke with the wicked and vngodly in the whole worlde according to his nature wickednes And he shall styrte his wicked armye warriers Gog and Magog of whom the Prophetes do muche speake And they are the greate and infinite nomber of the enemyes of God of the holy doctrine of the ghospel and of all holy congregations of true and faythfull Christians whiche are called and are in dede the very true Ierusalem whiche dwell vpon earth as citizens of a fortunate holy quiet and honorable citie and comunaltie Agaynste this holye citie and comunaltie shal sathan fyght a newe batell with his armye and men of warre with all his power myght and wyckednes and shall attempte and goe aboute to ouercome theÌ„ to deceyue them and to make them to forsake the trueth of God and shall worke all meanes to destroye soules And thys shall he doe in the whole worlde He shall spare no laboure to compasse aboute and to besege not the stony citie of Ierusalem in Iewry but as it is sayde before the holye christendome vpon earth the cytie of the faythfull citizins namely the godlye elect But the grace and mercie of God towarde his beloued and the promesse of Christ towarde his churche is greater and stronger than the wickednes and power of Gog and Magog the wycked warrieis agaynst Christ which shall consume them with fyre euen as he did stryke Senacharibs army vpon an hundreth thousande and .iiii. score and .v. thousand in one night thorough one of his aungels and brought them into asâ—hes with the fyre of Goddes vengeaunce and ryghtuous iudgement And euen vpon that shall folowe the generall iudgement of God by the whiche the deuil with all his hoost coÌ„panye shall be throwen into euerlastyng payne damnation which is resembled vnto a lake graue of fyre and brymstone in the whyche the dragon the beast al false prophetes shal be tormented day and nyght that is to say perpetuallye without ende And that shall be the seconde death The texte And I sawe a great white seate and hym that sat on it from whose face fled awaye both the yearth and heauen their place was nomore founde And I saw the dead bothe great and smale stande before God And the bokes were opened another boke was opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged of those thynges whyche were writen in the bokes accordyng to their dedes and the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death hel deliuered vp the dead which were in theÌ„ they wer iudged euery maÌ„ according to his dedes And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Thys is the seconde death And whosoeuer was not founde writen in the boke of lyfe was cast into the lake of fyre The great general ryghtuous most iust and last iudgement of God whaÌ„ as yâ— who le world shal be iudged is here described by the great and whit stoole Which shall be greuous heuy and intolerable vnto the rebellious disobedyent wycked and obstinate contemners of Gods holy worde the euerlastynge ghospell of Christ But it shall be ioyfull swete pleasant delectable welcome and acceptable as most hartely desyred and loked for vnto the godly faythful humble elcte of God The iudge vpoÌ„ the stoole is our sauiour Iesus Christ dreadful and feareful vnto al the world vnto such earthly meÌ„ which haue set their marke ende loue hope felicitie vpon the earth in those thinges wherin the worlde deliteth as are fleshely lustes pride of life al wickednes lack of loue both toward god the neighbour And therfore the earth sygnifieth yâ— men that dwel vpoÌ„ the earth the deuils which remayne in earth in the ayer which is also called heaueÌ„ which are thrust out of their places habitacions no more found therin but in the place habitacioÌ„ which the iust iudgemeÌ„t omnipotencie of God hath prepared for theÌ„ in the earth that is most wide distant from the kingdom of heauen Vnto this dredfull and terrible iudgement of God shal come stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seate of God and Christ all those whiche were deade both masters and seruauntes great and small hyghe and lowe myghtie and vnmyghtie men and women yong and olde none excepte Than shal the heartes consciences thoughtes and secretes of al men be opened and dysclosed not onely vnto them whiche shal and must than knowledge them selues giltye and worthye of eternall damnacion but also vnto the other For as than shal all wickednes of the conscience be open euydent and manifest For they shall accuse and condemne them selues without any cloke or excuse whan as they shall beholde all men and shall reade with perfyte vnderstandynge and with feare and tremblynge the other great boke of gods rightuousnes and equite of his warnynges doctrine instruccions and threatnynges whiche they haue had sufficiently in this worlde euery one in their tyme thorowe gods mercyfull and fatherly prouision and sendynge but they haue vtterly contemned and despysed them with all the righteousnes godlynes that they haue taught And they woulde nothing regarde nor esteme the holy worde of God which was geuen vnto the worlde in the holy scripture for a perfyte rule and square but they would neuer credyte nor beleue it but rashly against their owne conscience haue refused and contemned it And therfore shall they be wyped out of the regyster booke of the faithfull and of them whiche shall lyue perpetually with God and withal his peculiar electe in eternal ioy blisse And thus they shal remaine continually in the eternall indignacion of God in euerlasting hate enuy most painfull tormentes and great impacience and continuall sorowe in so muche that their eternall death shall also be with corporall payne and tormente of the bodye euen with the whole felowship of the deuyll and that without any ende or ceasynge This iudgement and heuy daye shall no man be able to escape and auoyde whether he be consumed in the earth in the fyre or in the see For all this standeth in the hande of yâ— almightie power of God whiche with one word wyll and commaundement made all elementes heauen and earth and all that is therin And where he sayeth that the hell shoulde geue vp her deade vnderstande therby as in many other places of holy scripture the graues in yâ— earthe or wheresoeuer they be out of the whiche the deade shall ryse vp and they that shall be than alyue as S. Paule saieth shall be changed in a shorte space in the twincklynge of an eye to stande together before the iudgement seate of God with them whiche shall be iudged to euerlastinge lyfe or death But euery one of them whiche shal appeare and shall know them selues manifestly shal iudge them selues accordynge as they haue done after or against the wyll of God in faith or infydelite in loue or contempt of god in the feare of God
a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
growe no apples but there is vnbelefe the deuels spirite and euyll workes Of thys Goddes spirite and hys frutes haue oure holy ypocrites not once knowen nether yet tasted howe swete they are though they fayne many good workes of theyr owne ymaginacions to be iustyfied with all in whiche is not one crum of true faythe or spirituall loue or of inwarde ioye peace and quyetnes of conscience for as muche as they haue not the worde of God for them that such woorkes please God but they are euen the rotten frutes of a rotten tre After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large and sheweth whence bothe synne and righteousnes deathe and lyfe come And he compareth Adam and Christe together thus wyse reasonynge and dysputynge that Christe muste neades comme as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of hys ryghtewesnes thorowe a newe spyrytuall byrthe without oure deseruynges euen as the fyrste Adam made vs heyres of synne thorowe the bodely generacyon without oure deseruing Whereby is euidently knowen and proued to the vttermost that no man can bring him self out of synne vnto righteousnes nomore then he coulde haue withstande that he was borne bodely And that is proued herewith for as muche as the very lawe of God whiche of right shoulde haue holpe yf any thinge could haue holpen not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euyll and poysoned nature is offended and vtterly displeased with the lawe and the more she is forbyd by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyer to fulfill and satisfye her lustes By the lawe then we se clerely that we must nedes haue Christe to iustifye vs with his grace and to helpe nature In the .vi. Chapter he setteth forth the chiefe and principal worke of faith the battaill of the spirite against the fleshe howe the spirite laboreth and enforseth to kyll the remnaunt of syn and â—â—â— whiche remaine in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapter teacheth vs that we are not so free from synne thorowe faythe that we shoulde hence forth go vp and downe ydle carelesse and sure of our selues as though there were nowe no more synne in vs yes ther is sin remaining in vs but it is not rekened because of faith of the spirite which fight against it Wherfore we haue ynough to do all oure life 's longe to tame our bodies and to compell the membres to obey the spirite and not the appetites that thereby we myght be like vnto Christes death refurreccioÌ„ and might fulfil our baptisme which signifieth the mortifyinge of synnes and the newe life of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last birthe and vntill that sinne be vtterly staine by the death of the bodye This thing I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to do sayeth he seyng we are vnder grace and not vnder the lawe what it is not to be vnder the lawe he hym selfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstande that euery manne maye do what him lusteth But not to be vnder the lawe is to haue a free hearte renewed with the spirite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thyne own accorde to do that which the law commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no lawe For grace that is to saye Goddes fauoure bryngeth vs the spirit and maketh vs to loue the lawe so is there now no more synne neyther is the lawe nowe any more agaynst vs but at one and agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the lawe is to deale with the workes of the lawe and to worke without the spirite and grace â–ª for so longe no doubte synne raygneth in vs thorow the lawe that is to saye the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and that synne hath power and dominion ouer vs seynge we cannot fulfyll the lawe namely within the hearte for as muche as no man of nature fauoreth the lawe consenteth there vnto and delyteth therein Which thyng is exceading great synne that we cannot consent to the law which lawe is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the ryght fredome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe wherof he writeth vnto the ende of thys Chapter that is a fredome to do good onelye with luste and to lyue well without compulcyon of the lawe wherfore thys fredome is a spirituall fredome whiche destoyeth not the lawe but ministreth that whiche the lawe requyreth and where â–ª with the lawe is fulfylled that is to vnderstande luste and loue wherwith the lawe is stylled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more nether hathe ought to craue of vs any more Euen as though thou were in dette to an other man and were not able to paye two maner wayes myghtest thou be lowsed One waye yf he woulde require nothyng of the and breke thyne obligacion An other waye yf some other good man woulde paye for the and geue the as much as thou myghtest â—arâ—sâ—ie thyne obligacion with all Of this wyse hathe Christe made vs fre from the lawe and therfore is this no wylde fleshely libertie that shoulde do nought but that doeth all thinges and is fre from the crauyng and decre of the lawe In the .vij. Chapter he confyrmeth the same with a similytude of the state of matrimony As when the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one looced and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now fyrst of all is she fre and hath power to mary vnto an other man which she coulde not do before tyll she was looced from her fyrst housband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder old Adam the flesh as long as he liueth in vs. For the law declareth that our hertes are bounde that we cannot disconsent from him But when he is mortifyed and kylled by the spirite then is the conscience fre and at lybertye â–ª not so that the conscience shall nowe nought do but now fyrst of al cleueth vnto another that is to were Christ and bringeth forthe the frutes of lyfe So â—ow to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfyll the lawe but to be detter to it and not able to paye that whiche the lawe requyreth And to be looce from the lawe is to fulfyll it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can nowe hence forth are thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the lawe how that thorow the lawe synne reuiueth moueth hir selfe and gathereth strength For the old man and corrupt nature the more he is forboden and kepte vnder of the lawe is the more offended and dyspleased therewith for as muche as he cannot paye that whiche is requyred of the lawe For synne is his nature and of hym selfe he cannot but synne Therefore
caused he Timothe to be circumcised as we reade in the xvi chapiter whiche yet had in deede a Iewe to his mother when that his father was a Gentile Suche a difficultie was it to make of a Iewe a christian This nacion beyonde all other hadde a speciall vntowardnes nor was there euer founde any that more stiffely abode in theyr religion as Iosephus wryteth in his boke of the defence of the Iewes antiquitie Moreouer as the Iewes were especially hated of al people of the world to of theyr syde abhorred they againe al other nacions as vncleane cursed and deuilishe so farrefoorth that they disdained to talke with them who thought also yâ— their temple was vtterly suspended if any vncircumcised had entered there into Suche proude lookes had they for a lytle skynnes paryng of Forasmuche as therefore there was no likelyhode that the Grecians and Romaines would receiue suche an odious lawe and that the Iewes on theyr side helde on styl Paule fearyng lest by suche deadly contencion and strife a great parte of the fruite of the gospel might perishe be lost lest also the glory of Christ might by minglyng of Moses name be darkned and defaced in euery place specially laboreth vtterly to abrogate abolishe the ceremonies of the lawe and to persuade them that all assuraunce of attainyng saluacion is through Christ onely And as he sharpely but yet louyngly rebuketh the Galathians for that they fell backe to Iewishnes againe so doeth he prepare fortifie the Romaines lest they might elswyse vnware through false Apostles be snared whoÌ„ he wel wyst neuer ceassed eftsones encouragyng theÌ„ styl to continue in that doctrine whiche they had once begunne heartely to enbrace and fauor There was at Rome a great noumbre of Iewes whether they were brought thether by Pompeius Magnus who spoyled Hierusalem and made them captiues orels whether it were because the prouince of Iury appertained to the Romaines it is vncertaine but sure it is that theyr supersticion is by Horace Iuuenale and Senec oftymes reproued With them also was Paule after his comyng to Rome muche troubled as in the last chapiter of thactes of the Apostles it doeth plainely appeare Paule therfore like a runnyng craftesman with a wonderfull discrecion tempereth his tale betwene these two people the Iewes I say and Gentiles labouryng by all meanes possible to allure them vnto Christ as muche as in them lay procuryng that noman at al should perishe to that capitaine whose souldiar he was One whyle therfore chydeth he one sorte another whyle another and anone after againe comfortably encourageth them bothe The Gentiles pride he abated declaryng that neither the lawe of nature nor their Philosophie wherof they were so proude auayled them so but that they fell nethelesse into all kyndes of mischief Checkyng againe and reprouyng the Iewes arrogant myndes whiche through theyr affiaunce in the law had lost the chiefe grounde therof that is to wete fayth in Iesus Christ he teacheth them that the ceremonies of Moses lawe are abolished through the bright beames of the gospell of Christ whom the shadowes of the lawe rudely represented with diuers other thynges as the reste of the sabboth day the displeasure and paine of circumciâ—ion the comyng about of the calendes the holy dayes whiche thrise yerely came againe theyr choyse of meates makyng foule agayne the bathes euerie daye the boucherye of hurtles beastes the religion of their temple polluted with continuall slaughter of beastes and that all these darke shadowes at the lyght of the truthe appearing vanished awaye and that suche onlye are Abrahams chyldren as expresse Abrahams fayth that suche are the righte and trewe Iewes as professe Christes name and that they were verelye circumcised whose myndes were clensed from filthy desyers That true iustice also perfite blisse is equally gyuen to al people through the gospell and onlye faythe in Christe wythoute helpe of the lawe and that notwythstandyng that saluacyon was specially promysed vnto the Iewes yet was it so promysed vnto them that theyr owne Prophetes letted not to prophecye that the same saluacion beyng refused by the Iewes the preachyng of Christes gospell should be spreade abrode among the Gentiles that no man throughe Moyses lawe whom the Iewes carnally obserued obtayned ryghteousnes but throughe faythe as he proueth as well by the example of Abraham as also by diuerse testimonies of the lawe And after that when he hath by this meanes abated yâ— pryde of both partes by taking away this theyr vayne confidences in the profession of the gospel he maketh them equalle in suche sorte ioyous of the Gentiles saluacion that yet lyke a tender father he bewayleth the blyndnes of hys owne countreye men whome toward hym alwayes he founde moste spitefull and so he doeth mitigate this matier whyche was of it selfe harde that he sayeth that all were not blynded promisyng that the tyme should come when they should be of a better mynde amend beyng through the faith of yâ— Gentiles prouoked so to do And here by the way toucheth Paul manye highe dyuerse poyntes of doctrine as of predestinacion of foreknowleage of vocacioÌ„ of grace and merites of fre wyll of the vnsearcheable counsell of god of the lawe of nature of Moses lawe and of the law of synne Lykewyse herein are sondrye allegories as when he maketh two Adams one in whome we are borne to dye another in whome we be regenerate and borne agayne to lyue euerlastyngly WheÌ„ he maketh also two men an inwarde and an outwarde man the inwarde obedient to the spyryte and reason the outwarde subiecte and thrall vnto lustes desyers of whyche two the fyrste he calleth sometyme the body or membres sometyme the fleashe sumtyme the lawe of synne the other sometime calleth he the spirite When he also maketh two deathes that is to wytte the deathe of the soule and of the bodye and the thryde deathe wherein we dye vnto synne and synfull desyres And when he maketh three kyndes of lyfe a bodyly lyfe a spirituall lyfe and a lyfe wherin we lyue eyther iustely or synfully Agayne when he maketh two kyndes of bondage or libertie one wherewith we beyng made free from synne lyue a godly lyfe or els forsakyng ryghteousnes we do seruyce to synne And when he maketh two sortes of Iewishenes two kyndes of circumcision two degrees of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie two partes of Moyses lawe one lyke vnto the body carnall another whiche is spirituall as it were the lyfe of the lawe Two baptismes also of whiche the fyrste is when we at the fontstone are washed froÌ„ oure olde synnes the seconde is wheÌ„ we renouncyng all worldly pleasures dye with Christe Two kyndes of buryinges a bodely sepuiture wherin Christe laye thre dayes buried and a spirituall wherin we sequestring and as it were withdrawyng our selues from worldly busines do reste in hym Two maners of resurreccion the one paste alreadie in Christe and shall folowe in vs the other wherin we beyng quickened agayne
from our death by sinne walke furthe from vertue to vertue in this presente lyfe begynnyng the lyfe which is without ende and death asmuche as in vs lyeth Of righteousnes also two kyndes of god that is to saye and man of the iudgemente of God and manne of a double prayse before God and before manne After al whiche pointes disputed he passeth ouer to a commen place belongyng to good maners by the example of the partes in a mannes bodye especiallye exhortyng the Romaines to concorde and because peace and vnitie canne not be whereas pryde and malice raygneth he besecheth them with ready myndes eche one to beare with other and so to nourishe and mayntayne mutual loue and good wil. And desyreth the Romaines for a season to beare with the Iewes infirmitie whiche by reason of long custome in the lawe was rooted in them and on the other syde he requireth the Iewes not to enuye at the Gentiles called to the grace of the gospell but rather with godly mynde to folow their fayth christiā libertie wyllyng them synce y◠there is but one God of al one Christe one grace one rewarde to growe all into one bodye that none arrogantlye presume and take vpon hym but yf he haue anye gyfte wherin he surmounteth other to applye the same to the helpe of his neighbour This place handleth saincte Paule diuerslye instructyng theim howe they should vse themselfe towarde supersticious christians or as he calleth them weake and feble howe towarde theyr superioures howe to their inferioures and felowes towarde heathen princes and magistrates after a sorte yet doyng theyr duties and to be shorte howe they should behaue themselfe in prosperitie and howe in aduersitie After whiche sharpe monicion he apeaseth the matier with the Romaines prayse and auaunceth his authoritie and doth them to witte how muche more he had promoted the ghospell than other shewyng what a desyer he hadde to see them promising that he woulde come thither and what lette he had and why he was compelled to differ it praysing the fre liberalitie of y◠Macedonians and Corinthians bestowed vpon the poore and deuoute people couertlye and as it wer with a reuerence prouokyng the Romaines to do the lyke The laste chapiter almoste spendeth he in commendacions and yet this doth he not with names vnsauerly and at auenture heaped together but with euery mannes prayse maruaylously ioyned with hym Finally because he throughly knewe aswell the malapert wylynes of the false Apostles as also the readie simplicitie of the Romaines eftesones he biddeth them to beware of their fayre speache Albeit moste parte of matiers entreated of in this present epistle specially apertayne to that tyme wherin the churche beyng but young secretly encreased myngled with Iewes and Gentiles together subiect than to heathen rulers yet is there in euery place of it somwhat wherof holsome doctrine maye be learned for this our present tyme necessarie as to beware of supersticion the roote originall of dissencion whiche hauyng a colourable apparence of godlynes is to the same moste repugnante and contrarie herein also sumwhat is there of the vayne assuraūce whiche men haue in worldly wysedome and in theyr owne actes and desertes and of the deserte of fayth of auoydyng hyghnes of mynde of bearyng with sumtimes the weakenes of suche as are not yet fully learned of nouryshyng mutuall concorde throughe eche ones diligent seruice towarde another of suffering in some poyntes euyll rulers and vngodlye byshoppes leste by resistence the cōmen order myght be disquieted troubled of ouercomyng euyll dedes with good and charitable meanes to beware in iudgyng such thynges as belong not vnto vs to take well in worth al suche thynges as maye be done of a good minde with a right cōsciēce to beware of craftie flaterie with suche other lyke pointes wherwith this our cōmē lyfe is to ful But as profitable as this epistle is yet hath it asmuche or welnygh more difficultie than profite whiche principally happeneth for thre causes either through the confoundyng of the right order of speache or els by reason of long sentences not well hangyng together or finallye for that the same are oftetymes as a mā maye saye entriked or entangled and not fully finished but imperfect so that therupon Origen expoundyng this epistle many tymes complayneth here and there laboryng and wrastlyng with suche difficulties Whether this happened throughe Tercius which was sainct Paules scribe or els through Paule hymselfe or throughe the interpreter let therin other men be iudges certaynly Paule hymself confesseth his rudenes of speache albeit he denie that he is ignoraunt touching knowledge And besyde this so far was he from sekyng for suche piked speache as in any parte sauered worldly curiositie y◠he thought the same diligētly to be forborne auoyded leste any parte of the glorie of Christes crosse myght therby be deminished And for this cause Origen thinketh it labour loste for any man in his wrytinges to loke for eloquence Hierome in some place graunteth that he had the arte and craftie setting of wordes and sentences together in some place denieth it agayne saiyng affirming plainly y◠his language was greatly corrupted by the rude people of Cilicia where he was brought vp But Austen out of Paules epistles gathereth floures and ornamentes of Rhetoricke Yea and in the actes of the apostles he is called chiefe capitaine of the vvorde and in his fyrst epistle to the Corinthians he sayeth of hymselfe that he spake vvith languages aboue all other And albeit as sainct Hierome sayeth at the same tyme all the Easte parte of the worlde vsed the Greke toungue lykely yet is it that as the frenche men had not suche puritie of the Latine speache as was vsed in the citie of Rome so might there well be a great difference betwene one of Cilicia and another of Athens speakyng or wrytyng Greke Besyde all these difficulties there is another arysyng through the Hebrue speache whose properties Paule almoste in euery place vseth so wrytyng in Greke that yet a man maye by his wrytyng know that he was a Iewe. The second cause of difficultie is through the darkenes of suche matiers as cannot clearely be expressed because none other epistle is there more in tricate and entermedled with deeper priueye misteries insomuche that Paule hymselfe sometyme leauyng his purposed matier is compelled to make exclamacion and saye O the deapnes of treasures Yea for the nonce sometyme so toucheth he some misteries that he only sheweth thē a far of temperyng his oraciō accordyng to the tymes and as theyr capacities serued to whome he wrote He lawe and knewe certayne thynges whiche myghte be tolde to noman knowyng well how farfurth his disciples had nede of lyght meate as mylke is or of strong foode therwith also knew he the degrees of ages in Christe and what was for euerie age meete So dyd the apostle Peter also when he shoulde preache to the rude
another so frendlye as wyl for his good and wel deseruyng frendes sake suffer death But to graunt that some suche maye some where be founde as for his approued frende wyl paraduenture be contented to dye yet hath god shewed an example passyng all examples of suche earthly loues whom it pleased euen for wycked and vnworthy persons to delyuer his onlye sonne to death Now if god haue for vs beyng wycked people and offenders done thus muche how muche rather wyl he do for vs beyng nowe purged chastised and by the bloud of his sonne reconciled vnto hym that we through sinne fall no more into his displeasure and therby stande in ieopardy of more greuouse daÌ„nation not only for our synful lyfe but also because we should then be vnthankefull Christe dyed for vs but for a season but he rose agayn for euer And as he dyed for vs so arose he agayne for our sakes The texte ¶ For yf when we were enemies we were reconciled to god by the deathe of his sonne muche more seyng we are reconciled we shal be preserued by his lyfe Not onlye this but we also ioye in god by the meanes of oure lorde Iesus Christe by whome we haue nowe obtayned the attonement Now and yf by his death he haue this muche done for vs that where as before that tyme god was with vs highly offended and displeased we haue hym nowe gratiouse and merciful muche rather shal we so through his lyfe be preserued that we nomore fall into his displeasure By his death deliuered are we from synne his lyfe shal preserue vs in innoceÌ„cie his death hath delyuered vs from the power of the deuill his lyfe shall towarde vs continew the loue of his father These are suche euident sygnes of goddes loue towarde vs that they not only put vs in a quyet assuraunce and in a sure hope to be saued from the vengeauÌ„ce of god to come but also gyue vs a lustye courage euen to glorie not of oure deseartes but with thankes geuyng to god the father through whose bountefull mercy we haue receyued this welthy state promysed by hym to be geuen vnto vs neither for the lawes nor for circumcisions sake but through Iesus Christ his sonne by whose meanes we are restored into his fauour agayne to th entent that for all this benefite thankes should be gyuen to noman but to god hymself and to his only sonne Al whiche was done by the meruaylous secrete counsel of god to the ende yâ— the waye meanes of oure restoryng shoulde agree with the waye of oure damnation The texte Wherfore â–ª as by one man syn entred in the worlde and death by the meanes of syn euen so death also went ouer al men insomuche as all men synned For euen vnto the law was syn in the worlde but synne is not imputed where there is no lawe neuerthelesse death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also that had not synned with lyke transgressioÌ„ as dyd Adam which beareth the similitude of hym that was to come Wherfore as by Adam whiche fyrste transgressed the commaundemente of god synne entred into the worlde and by the meanes of synne death because syn is as it were the poyson of mannes soule by whose occasion synne whiche had his begynning in the fyrst of our stocke issued furthe into all his posteritie whyles eche man folowed the exaÌ„ple of their fyrst parente so through Christe alone in whome by fayth al are borne agayne we receyue innocencie and therwyth lyfe whiche blessednes lykewyse hauyng his begynnyng in one fyrst and new authour of generacioÌ„ Christe is spread abrode amonge all them whiche are throughe faythe knyt vnto hym and in hurtlesse lyfe folowe his steppes But when synne had once ouergone the world and poysoned all mankynde suche was the strength therof that it coulde by no meanes neyther by the lawe of nature nor yet by Moses lawe be vanquyshed so that by the lawe nothyng was done but that suche as hadde offended knewe that they were gylty and worthy of damnation For as to chyldren in whoÌ„ the lawe of nature hath no place by reason of theyr teÌ„der age not able as yet to discerne what is good and what is not syn is not yet imputed no more was it layde vnto the Paynyms charge yf they ought dyd agaynst Moyses lawe Therfore before the lawe gyuen whiche shewed men theyr synnes by reason of the law of nature the world in dede was not vtterly without synne but yet bare men at that tyme with themselfes and as it wer without correctioÌ„ fell to all licenciousnes as though they had ben vtterly lawles Forasmuche as therfore he was not yet comen whiche should take awaye the synnes of the world and vanquyshe the tyrannye of death death which enteryng through Adams offence raygned without any resistence euen vpon them also whiche had not maliciously offended agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god as Adam dyd which euen than bare the ymage and fygure of Christ whiche should come loÌ„g after and yet meane I not that he is in euery poynte vnto Christe lyke but that he in some poyntes bare the ymage of Christ In this poynt lyke that both were the begynners of a generation the one of an earthly the other of an heauenly In this lyke also that a certayne thyng is frome both begynners deriued into theyr posterities but the difference is that from the earthly Adam was the begynnyng of vnrighteousnes and synne but by the heauenly Adam is gyuen all grace and goodnes The texte But the gifte is not like as the synne Fâ—â— if through the synne of one many be dead muche more plenteous vpon many was the grace of God and gift by grace whiche was gyuen by one man Iesus Christ But now as these two are partely like so wer they not equal For besides that elswyse of it selfe it is a thing more effectual to saue then to destroy muche more strong and mightye is Christ to saue then was Adam to condempne so that muche more effectual is Christes obedience to geue life then was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to worke death so that in all pointes Christes goodnes ouerwaigheth the offence of Adam which thyng I monishe you of and say leste any man might thynke the synne of our fyrst parent to be so outragious that he should dispaire of his restoryng again to saluacion For it one mannes synne was of suche power that it made so great a numbre of people thral vnto death of muche more power plentyfulnes more general shal the benefite of God be and his mercyful gift which he hath gyneÌ„ vs by one man lykewyse I meane Iesus Christ yâ— author of godly and innocent lyfe by whome he hath not onely taken awaye the tyranny of death and syn but hath also in steade of syn gyuen righteousnes and in the steade of the tyranny of death the kyngdoÌ„ of life so that the offeÌ„ce of Adam through the great mercy of
god tourned to our weale and aduauntage The texte ¶ And the gyfte is not ouer one synne as death came through one sinne of one that synned For damnation came of one synne vnto condemnation but the gyfte came to iustifie from many synnes For yf by the synne of one death raigned by the meanes of one muche more they whiche receaue aboundaunce of grace of the gyft of righteousnes shall raigne in lyfe by the meanes of one that is to saye Iesus Christe Agayne thoughe throughe Adams onlye offence damnation entred and through innoceÌ„t Christe saluation yet is not one equal to another For in suche sorte had damnacion her begynnyng that the synne of one man issued into al his posteritie by meane wherof it might in continuauÌ„ce of tyme at the last haue made the whole world thrall to synne but yâ— benefite of god coÌ„trarywyse is in suche sorte gyuen yâ— the sinnes of al the world then gathered together and growen strong are at once by Christes death wyped awaye and not only so but also righteousnes is gyuen And therfore albeit the synne of onlye one man had suche a power that it brought all men vnder the tyranny of death so that all suche as had offended as Adam did could not be but vnder the same yoke that he was yet muche more receaue we through the bountifull and ouer flowyng mercy of god whiche is that all suche as folowyng the example of Christ liue iustlye innocently shall not only be free from the tyranny of synne and death but also through him whiche is the onely authour of our felicitie and welthe raigne themselfes in lyfe euerlastyng The texte ¶ Lykewyse then as by the synne of one there sprang vp euell on all men to condâ—Ì„nation euen so by the righteousnes of one spryngeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of lyfe For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteouse But the lawe in the meane tyme entred in that synne shoulde encrease Neuerthelater where abouÌ„daunce of sinne was there was more plenteousnes of grace That as synne had raygned vnto death eueÌ„ so myght grace raigne through righteousnes vnto eternall life by the helpe of Iesus Christe Herein therfore are bothe lyke that as by the offence of one man syn came into the worlde by meane wherof all became thrall vnto death so through yâ— ryghteousnes of one whiche is deriued into al suche as beleue and submyt themselfe vnto the kyngdom of lyfe are all men of god made righteouse and partakers of the kyngdom of life For as by AdaÌ„ through his disobedience to goddes commaundement many became synners whiles they folowed theyr fyrst fathers traÌ„sgression so shal only Christ which euen vnto the death of the crosse obeyed god his father make many righteouse all suche I saye as are folowers of his obedience But to returne agayne vnto our former purpose yf by suche meanes as we before spake of it pleased god both to take awaye synne also to geue righteousnes lyfe to what purpose was it to geue a law vnable to do any good Whervnto to answer it is to be vnderstanden that in this the lawe dyd good yâ— therby the great mercy of God toward vs became more euident better knoweÌ„ For the more great outragious the power of synne is the more notable is his benefite whiche deliuereth vs from synne Now is by the lawe the tyranny of synne set foorth whiles the same albeit in vaine resisteth it Strong and mightie was this tyranny but muche more mightie was the mercye of God wherof we haue by so muche more perfite experience the greater dauÌ„ger of the sayd tyraÌ„ny we haue hitherto been in And certainly for this also are we bounden to thanke the lawe because therby we perceiue the greatnes of Gods benefite by meane wherof as the deuil through synne winnyng the dominion destroyed mannes soule whiche is very death in dede so should godly life through Gods gifte obteinyng the kyngdome and vpper hande geue life vnto all men through the help of Iesus Christ vnder whom as our lorde and capitaine we reioyce beyng now deliuered from the boÌ„dage of death vnder whose baner we wer not long ago souldiars The .vi. Chapter The texte ¶ What shal we say then Shal we continue in synne that there may be aboundance of grace God forbid How shall we that are dead as touchyng synne liue any longer therin Knowe ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him We are buried then with him by baptisme for to dye that likewise as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by the glory of the father euen so we also should walke in a new life For if we be graft in death like vnto him euen so shal we be partakers of the resurreccion knowyng this that our olde man is crucified with him also that the body of synne might vtterly be destroyed that hensfoorth we should not be seruauntes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustified from synne BVt because we before sayd that through the lawe sinne encreased that of sinne this good came that the grace of God more encreased lest by so saying some take occasion to continue in synne and this wyse thynke with him selfe if synne auaunce and encrease Gods grace towardes maÌ„ well done wer it to synne more often that his fre gifte may more and more encrease Herevnto I answer that pitie were it that any man should so thinke When I so sayd I ment and spake of the synnes of our former life whiche God of his goodnes turned to our weale and profite But now after that we are ons brought froÌ„ the tyraÌ„ny of synne into the kyngdome of innocencie God forbid that we should againe departe from our redemer and fall againe headlong into our olde tyrannous subiection Lyfe and death are so quite contrarye one to another that eche one destroyeth the other nor can they after like consideracion stande together Therfore if that as soone as we begynne to liue to Christ warde we be dead towarde the deuil with what reason standeth it that we should still liue to him warde to whom we are already dead If we liue to Christ then liue we not to yâ— deuil And if we through sinne liue vnto the deuil then are we to Christwarde dead But nowe forasmuche as we liue to Christ it foloweth that we are dead to synne whiche he hath by his death vaÌ„quished For mete it is that ye should know since ye haue receiued the baptisme of Christ what the sayd baptisme in vs doth bothe worke and signifie What tyme we are in Christes name baptised we dye with him touchyng yâ— synnes of our former life which synnes are through his death abolished and not onely so but buried also are we with him that by the same baptisme that as he whiche neuer liued synfully diyng
are become Christes seruauntes whose seruice is all weale and blisse The texte Knowe ye not howe that to whom soeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Ye knowe both kyndes of seruice Now is it partly in your powers to chose whiche ye wyll for both together ye can not The tyme was when thou stodest in a fredome to kepe thy selfe out of bondage but synce thou hast freely made thy selfe another mannes and hast begunne to be obedient vnto him the same must thou onely obey whose seruaunt thou art become They therfore whiche geue them selues vnto synne and to synne become bondeslaues the fruite of that theyr bondage is death On the othersyde suche as to Christ haue dedicated and geuen them selues him must they obeye whiche they shal do to their owne great cōmoditie For by that theyr obedience nothyng shall Christ wynne but therby get they them slues righteousnes that is to wete the wel agreyng and pleasant company of all vertues knitte together The texte God be thanked that though ye wer the seruauntes of synne ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto the rule of the doctrine that ye be brought vnto Ye are then made free from synne and are becomen the seruauntes of righteousnes I speake grosly because of the infirmitie of your fleshe Glad am I for your sakes and for this geue thankes vnto God that wheras heretofore ye were in this moste miserable bondage wholly geuen to idolatrie and filthy lustes ye are nowe departed from the tyranny of the deuil frely and gladly submittyng your selues to Christes kyngdome and gouernaunce purposyng hencefoorth to liue not as ye are either by wylful desyres or by the law moued but after the new rule of the gospel whervnto ye are brought from your olde errours so brought that ye are become vnder another lawe enfraunchised out of the dominion of synne and thence conueied to serue righteousnes and to do her behestes Nor thynke it harde and paynefull because ye are commaunded to serue righteousnes For as synne and godly life farre differ one from another so are theyr fruites quite cōtrary and the fruites of godly life infinitely more excellente so that if we weighe and consider but euen the thyng selfe muche more cause is there why men shuld more diligently serue God then the deuil For whoso serueth synne serueth the deuil but he that serueth innocencie serueth God But yet wyll not I for a whyle so muche require of you as I might lawfully do but rather temper and measure my writyng to y◠weakenes of them in whom the spirite of God is not yet fully ripe but are rather suche in whō yet the olde naughtie desyres labour to growe vp againe This onely require I that righteousnes be now with you in like condicion as synne before was The texte As ye haue geuen your membres seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie from one iniquitie to another euen so now geue ouer your mēbres seruaūtes vnto righteousnes that ye may be sanctified For when ye were seruauntes of sinne ye were voyde of righteousnes And that as before this tyme you gaue your membres to serue vnclennes and iniquitie so that as blynd desyres led you ye fel frō one iniquitie to another euery day more filthy than other euen so now see that ye likewyse geue your membres to obey righteousnes whose seruauntes ye haue frely made your selfes therin styl encreasyng frō vertue to vertue euery day more pure and holy then other For it is to muche against al reason but that Christ should at lestwyse haue somuche seruice of you as the deuil had before this and as vnreasonable is it but that ye should now begynne to do as good seruice vnder your lady and maistres righteousnes as ye before in another sorte did vnto the tyranny of synne As touchyng your former synful life for your excuse after a sorte some thing may be sayd whiche is that as long as ye were heathens because ye wer bonde seruauntes to synne ye might seme with righteousnes to haue no thing to do nor to be any thyng bounde vnto her as to whom ye had not yet bounde and yelded your selues But now haue ye nothyng to lay for your defence But yet and if the excellent nature of righteousnes selfe moue you not consider and weigh yet the diuerse fruites and profite of bothe seruices you I speake vnto whiche haue of bothe seruices had experience The texte What fruite had ye then in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But now are ye deliuered from sinne and made the seruaūtes of God and haue your fruit to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng life For the rewarde of synne is death but eternall life is the gifte of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Cal to your remembraunce what tyme ye were seruauntes vnto sinne and as vile bonde slaues folowed wanton desyres what rewarde I pray you had ye at the laste Euen the synnes selfe haue theyr punishement ioyned vnto them because the same foorthwith all to defile and corrupt the whole man so vilanously and reprochefully defacyng him that since the tyme ye are amēded and as men awaked out of the dronkenes of syn ye are ashamed of your selfes so that your mindes abhorre to thinke vpō your olde noughtie pleasures And though this wages as ye see be not to be desyred yet besyde the last stipend hyre whiche the deuil payeth to suche as do him seruice is death euerlastyng Howbeit in very dede the life whiche in the meane leason is after this sorte ledde is a most shameful death in dede and not a life Nowe consider what a happye chaunge ye haue made whiche beyng deliuered from the tyranny of the deuil are now becomen the seruaūtes of God By this ye see I am sure how vnlike the maisters are But yf this content you not but that ye loke for a rewarde also fyrste of all wheras ye lyued before fylthy and wycked ye now lyue innocent pure and holy whiche only is the verye lyfe and besyde this after that this shorte tyme of your seruice is finished ye shall receyue your laste wages I saye lyfe euerlastyng Cōpare me nowe god with the deuil with vncleannes holynes with euerlastyng death lyfe euerlastyng Euen as I nowe tolde you so it is the rewarde of the deuyll is death whiche he geueth vnto menne for his fylthy and miserable seruice But contrarie for suche as accordyng to theyr abilities serue god is layde vp lyfe immortall not as hyre wages due for the same but as a free gyfte to be gyuen of God the moste mercifull father not for Moses but for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde whome the father would haue thanked for all his gyftes geuen vnto vs rather then any lawe or circumcision The .vii. Chapiter The texte
Knowe ye not brethren I speake to them that knowe the lawe howe that the law hath power ouer a man as long as it endureth For the woman whiche is in subiection to a man is bounde by the lawe to the man as long as he lyueth But yf the manne be dead she is losed from the lawe of the manne So then yf whyle the man lyueth she couple her selfe with an other man she shal be coumpted a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husbande so that she is no wedlocke breaker thoughe she couple her selfe with an other man ANd good reason is there why we should so doe for Christe hath not onely deliuered vs from the bondage of syn and death but also from the bondage of the lawe whiche was giuen but for a season and hath deliuered not only the gentiles whiche were not to this lawe subiecte but euen the Iewes selfe to which haue hitherto ben vnder Moses lawe That this whiche I haue sayed is trewe maye be proued euen by the wytnes of the lawe it selfe And fyrst what saye ye that are Iewes whiche by reason of the knowledge ye haue in the lawe well perceaue and vnderstande that a man is bounde to the obseruance and kepyng of any lawe euen as ye for example not long synce were bounde to Moses lawe as longe as the same lawe lyueth that is to saye as long as it endureth in his ful power and strength but yf the same be either growen out of vse or els abrogate a man is than no longer bounde therunto For the Iewes bonde towarde the lawe ought no further to be kept then in the bonde of the wyfe to her husbande the same lawe requyreth to be kepte Nowe is the maried woman whiche is vnder her husbandes dominion bounde vnto her husbande as long as he lyueth But as sone as he is once dead she is deliuered from the bonde of that matrimony and after the death of her former husbande straightway at hyr owne libertie Wherfore yf she duryng the husbandes lyfe to whome she belongeth go about to mary another she shal be coūpted a wedlocke breaker as whiche hath forsaken that husbande from whome she myght by no meanes saue onlye deathe be departed But contrary wyse yf she cōtinew in that bādevntyl her husbandes death she is no lēger bound vnto hym but is in suche sorte become her owne woman y◠she may lawfully mary any other whō she wyll For it is not to be supposed that as the maisters title descendeth to his heyre in suche sorte that the seruaunt by the death of his maister chaungeth not his state but his maister that lyke wyse the righte of a husbande vpon his wyfe falleth after his death to an other but the title of mariage reacheth no further than for a mannes owne lyfe Yf it so were that the husbande were immortall the woman shoulde for euer continew bond Now then because Moses lawe in figures and ceremonies was as it were a shadowe of Christ to come it was gyuen to be of force effectual but vntyll the tyme that to y◠bryght lyght shadowes shoulde gyue place vntyl that to the truthe the shadowes of truth shoulde gyue ouer and vanyshe awaye And therfore synce that Moses lawe was as a man might saye a mortall thyng meruayle it is none thoughe it be nowe dead in dede And for this cause as long as the tyme of the lawe continewed the same stode in full power and had full authoritie vpon them whiche had bounde them selfe vnto it The texte ¶ Euen so ye also my brethren are deade concernyng the lawe by the bodye of Christe that ye shoulde be coupled to another I meane to hym that is rysen agayne frō death that we shoulde bring furth fruite vnto god For when we were in the fleshe the iustes of synne whiche were stered vp by the lawe raigned in oure membres to bryng furth fruite vnto death But now are we deliuered from the lawe dead vnto it where vnto we were in bondage that we shoulde serue in a newe conuersation of the spirite and not in the olde conuersation of the letter But nowe haue ye with Moses lawe nothyng to do synce the same is become to you warde dead or yf she lyued styll as she doth not yet are ye at the least to her dead For synce that Christ whiche is the truthe hath shewed his glisteryng beames of the gospell abrogate and abolished is all Moses lawe at the leaste touchyng the carnall meanyng therof And forasmuche as ye are now planted into Christes body coupled vnto hym as y◠wyfe is to her husbande beyng made free frō your former bonde ye are belonging to your newe husbande suche one I saye as is immortal as whiche once rose from death to lyue hereafter for euer insomuche that ye cannot in tyme to come either loke to be maried agayne or to be deuorced for a shamefull vilanye and reproche were it to suche a new husbāde as ye haue gotten in any poynt to hang vpon the olde forasmuche as I saye ye are in this case diligently labour you that as by the lawe whiche for the tyme was as it were your husbande ye brought furth a certayne sorte of fruite not vnlike your husbande so endeuour ye to bryng furth nowe beyng muche better maried then ye before were fruite suche as is conueniente for God youre father in lawe and Christe youre spouse and husbande For as long as we were subiecte to the grosse and carnal law as it wer to a husbande the same seamed as husbandes do to beare rule ouer vs because carnall lustes beyng by reason of the lawe more prouoked had suche power in oure membres that euen lyke slaues we wer drawen to synne and so of that vnhappy mariage vnhappy chyldren had we when that whiche was borne was for nothyng good but to be destroyed and to dye But nowe synce we are delyuered out of y◠bondage of the lawe vnder whome we lyued before or rather because oure lyfe was synfull we lyued not at all but were dead and yet vnder it were we vntyll a certayne time appoynted agaynst reason is it that we shoulde anye longer obeye that carnal husbande that is to wete the letter of y◠law but rather serue oure newe spouse whiche is both heauenly and spirituall not seruyng hym in the olde conuersacion of the letter but in the newe conuersacion of the spirite whiche spirite we haue of hym receyued as a mariage token The texte ¶ What shall we saye then Is the lawe synne God forbid Neuerthelesse I knewe not synne but by the lawe For I had not knowen what luste had meante except the lawe had sayde thou shalte not luste But synne toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundemente and wrought in me all maner of concupiscence For verelye without the lawe syn was dead I once lyued without the lawe But when the
commaundement came syn reuiued and I was dead And the very same commaundement whiche was ordayned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me an occasion of death For syn toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and so deceyued me and by the same slew me Wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holye and iust and good But nowe feare I leste here any captious persone thynke that I condemne the lawe as the authour of synne because we sayed that whyles we were vnder the lawe we ranne forwarde euen to synne and death For suche one wyll not let to reason the matier and saye that as righteousnes worketh lyfe so to sinne it properly appertayneth to worke death so that then yf the law in vs worketh death either semeth it that the same lawe is synne or at the leste ioyned with synne But god forbid that anye man should so thinke For the lawe is not authour of synne but the vtterer and apeacher therof wherof before the lawe gyuen we wer in manner ignoraunt because eche man fauoured his owne folye thynking that he might lawfully do what so hym lusted thinking it also wel done good to desyre that thyng whiche to haue semed pleasaunt This wyse therfore fauoryng my selfe I was in manner ignoraunt that to desyre any other mannes goodes was synne had not the law sayd vnto me thou shalt not luste And in dede the law was gyuen to suppresse synne but through our folye it chaunced otherwise For whyles the lawe shewed a man his sinnes and gaue no power to resist the same vpon that occasion it folowed y◠mānes desyre to syn was more prouoked euen as the propertie of menne is more to be prouoked to suche thynges as are forbidden Therfore forasmuche as before the lawe was gyuen certayne synnes I knewe not and certayne I knewe but yet in suche sorte that I thoughte I myghte lawfully vse them because they were not forbydden my mynde was but houerly and fayntlye moued to synne euen as we are wonte sklenderlye to loue suche thynges wherof we maye when we luste haue our pleasure But when that by the lawe so many wayes and manners of synne were declared the whole rable of naughtie desyres beyng prouoked throughe that prohibition begonne more vehemently to allure to synne And by this occasion synne toke strength and power whiche before the lawe geuen was but dull and in manner dead so that in the meane season I lyued without lawe or rather I thought that I lyued as one that might freely sinne and do as I lusted But after that I was by the commaundement of the law forbydden to syn my synful vsage was not onely not restrayned but also seemed quyckened and to take strength but as sone as synne was after this sorte quyckened I whiche before thoughte my selfe to lyue was deade by the lawe knowyng my synne and yet neuertheles continewyng in it stil Whervpon it folowed that the meane whiche was prouided and ordeyned for the healpe of oure lyfe tourned to my death not throughe anye faulte whiche the lawe had but throughe myne owne faulte For whereas I was of my selfe gyuen to synne my sycke and diseased mynde takyng occasion of sinne by reason of the prohibition of the law became more desyrous to synne And thus the deuill abusyng a good instrument by occasion ministred throughe the law enticed me to synne and by synne slewe me so that then I knewe my selfe gyltie and thrall vnto another No cause is there therfore why we shoulde reproue the law which as it was gyuen by a good god so layeth it before vs good lawful and holy commaundementes For nedes muste that be good whiche forbyddeth euell The texte Was that then which was good made death vnto me God forbid Naye it was syn that syn myght appeare by it whiche was good to worke death in me that synne by the commaundement myght be out of measure synfull For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I allow not that whiche I doe For what I woulde that do I not but what I hate that do I. Yf I do now y◠whiche I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good so then nowe it is not I that doe it but syn that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge But some one will againe encounter and saye synce that lyke bryngeth furth his lyke yf the lawe be good how hath it wrought my death whiche is euell and wonte to be engendred of synne Wherunto the aunswer is easye that this reason were stronge were it so y◠the lawe wrought oure death But this is not so but as I nowe sayed farre otherwyse For it is not to be supposed that the lawe is authour of death but rather that synne is cause of our destruction whiche is a thing of suche infeccion and so full of poyson that it turned that whiche of it selfe is good to oure vndoyng by the which euery man maye euidently perceyue how pestilent a thyng syn is through whose contagion suche thynges as are best tourne to worste Wherof as y◠law gaue occasiō so was the same yet in no fault For the lawe as all we do knowe is spirituall and prouoketh vs to goodnes The cause why that commeth not to passe wherabout the lawe laboureth am I I I saye for example to speake of my selfe whiche am carnal and gyuen to synne and by reason of long custome and continuaunce in synne thral and bonde therto euen as the bondslaue bought for money is boūd to his maister so farfurthe that by reason of blyndnes of synne whiche I am in I wote not what I ought to do For I do not y◠whiche my minde and reason telleth me to be honeste though with my heart I desyre it but rather do that whiche is contrarye to honestie and hate as vnhonest beyng vndoubtedly ouercūmē with naughtie desyres And by this maye euen offenders and hurtefull persons vnderstande that the lawe is not to be reproued For yf through fleshlye desyres mouyng I do suche thynges as my mynde and reason condemneth and abhorreth withoute doubte I consente that the lawe is good as whiche forbad suche thynges to be done and vsed as I by the better parte of my reason condemned and disalowed For nedes muste that be good whiche dothe forbid suche thynges whiche though I do folowyng the fleshe yet knowe I well are euyll and nought But some one wyll saye why doest thou not obeye thyne owne reason then beyng suche as doth consent to honestie and feare the from dishonestie syn But nowe forasmuche as for playnes in teachyng to be vsed I haue taken vpon me y◠person of suche one as is yet subiect to vice and noughtie desyres ye muste in onely me by ymagination conceiue two men the one carnal and grosse the other more pure and not so grosse of whiche two the
one maye be called an outwarde manne the other an inwarde The one beyng subiecte to vnlawful desyres is wholly gyuen to synne the other hauyng yet some sparkes of goodnes remaynyng as it maye laboureth to honestiewarde and in the myddes of oure synfull lyfe asmuche as it maye relisteth and withstandeth Nowe in estemyng what we be rather are we that which we be according vnto the better part in vs. As often therfore as our mynde agreyng vnto the lawe endeuoureth towarde honestie and doth yet in dede the contrary me thynketh I do not that whiche I do for who doth that whiche he would not But in my grosser parte there is a forwardnes to synne and a certayne aptnes therunto by meanes wherof it cummeth to passe that thoughe we would well and godly yet do we the contrary And yf by this parte that is to wit my sensuall parte men esteme and measure me I graunt that in me ther is no goodnes The texte For to wyll is preâ—ent with me but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I woulde do I not but the euyll whiche I would not that do I. Yf I do that I would not â—hen is it not â— that do it but synne that dwelleth in me I fynde then by the lawe that when I would do good â–ª euyll is present with me For I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde manne â—ut I se an other law in my members rebellyng agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduyng me vnto the lawe of syn whiche is in my members O wretch d man that I am who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this bodys subdued vnto death I thanke god through Iesus Christe our Lorde So then with the mynde I serue the lawe of god but with the fleshe the lawe of synne For albeit by the inclination of reason I desyre that which is honeste yet haue I not power to bryng to passe this my good desyer For whyles fleashly luste pluckyng to euyll and fylthy lyfe hath a greater stroke preuayleth more thaÌ„ doth reason prouokyng to goodnes it happeneth that I do not the good whiche I desyre but rather that I disalowe and condemne that is to saye euyll Nowe and yf a man be not thought to do that thyng whiche he dothe agaynst his wyll synce I do yâ— thing which after the better parte of a man I would not then seme not I the authour of that which I do but rather the readines to synne which is in my grocer parte This towardnes or readynes to synne is not taken from me by the lawe but yf at anye tyme I purpose to folowe and obeye her motion the lawe causeth me to vnderstande that my gryef is throughly rooted and fastened in my soule In dede delyghted am I with honestie and goodnes whiche I see and know by the lawe but of the other syde I fynde in the members of myne outwarde man another law whiche is to the lawe of reasoÌ„ quite contrary and continuallye rebelleth agaynst it So that thoughe reason call me one waye and wylful desyres another waye yet in me that beareth rule whiche is worse and that is ouercommen which is better For so depelye rooted in my fleshe is this towardenes and inclination to synne and of suche power is the custome therof beyng as it were now altered into nature yâ— whyther I wyl or not I am drawen to synne O wretched man that I am which am vnder suche a miserable painfull bondage Who shall delyuer me from this fleashe endaungered to so many synnes and contencions whereby I am continuallye drawen to death Maye not a manne whiche is vnder suche a violent and harde necessitie well and lawfully make suche exclamation Certaynely the greater this vnlucky bondage is the more are we bounde to the goodnes of god whiche hath from suche miseries deliuered vs neyther by the lawe nor yet by circumcision but through Iesus Christ our Lord. And had not god thus muche done for vs euen I which am one man shoulde continually haue bene lykewyse pluckte in sunder and deuided that with mynde I should haue serued the lawe of God desyrous of good thynges and with my fleshe the lawe of synne beyng ouer commen with wanton desyres and with the temptacions therof The .viii. Chapiter The texte There is then no damnacion to them whiche are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life through Iesus Christ hath made me free from the lawe of synne and death For what the lawe could not do forasmuche as it was weake because of the fleshe that perfourmed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinneful fleshe and by sinne damned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfylled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite WHerfore though now yet some leauynges and dregges of the former bondage stil remaine in some christian men yet shal they through godly endeuour wel suppresse them nor against theyr wylles be drawen into any suche haynous offence by reason wherof suche might deserue to be dampned as are through fayth and baptisme once graffed into Christes body and haue now intended and purposed to liue no longer as wanton and carnal desyres moued ruled them syth that Christes lawe which is spiritual and an authour of life more effectual subduer of death hath deliuered vs froÌ„ synne also death ioyned thervnto All whiche when Moses lawe could not do inasmuche as it was carnal and therfore not effectual God meruailously prouided for our saluacioÌ„ And therfore as I before tolde you that in one maÌ„ there were as it were two men a carnal and a spiritual man so are there in Moses lawe as it wer two lawes the one grosse and carnal the other heauenly spiritual Of the fyrst part of the law was Moses maker whiche as it endured but for a season so was it not of strength and power sufficient to worke out saluacion The other parte of the lawe is spiritual effectual mightie suche as wyl neuer dye whom Christ beyng as it were a seconde Moses made in all pointes perfite And truely very mete was it that this wyse fleshe shuld abolishe fleshe synne should through synne be ouercomen that also death should subdue death For whiche entent God mercyfully beyng of mans saluacion desyrous sent his sonne though in dede farre from all corrupcion of synne endued yet with suche fleshe as other synners haue for he toke the comen nature of menne vpon him and as though he had bene a synner was among synners conuersaunt yea and was euen fastened vpon a crosse among heynous transgressours as though him selfe had been suche one also Insomuche that he in maner toke vpon him the person of synne to this end that he in the likenes of synne might fyrst ouercome synne foorthwith abolishe it beyng
wherwith we were to the fleshe endaungered Syth this is so God forbid that we hereafter liue as the fleshe ruleth whiche fleshe should rather to the spirite be obedient RemeÌ„bre that ye be called to life but if ye liue carnally then runne ye headlong to deathwarde but contrary if by the power of the spirit ye suppresse al fleshely desyres after suche mortifiyng of them ye shal liue Nor is it to liue after the gouernaunce of the spirite of God a paynefull profession For albeit the same call you foorth to great weightie enterprises yet are ye glad willyng to vndertake them because by it in you is enkienled a feruent charitie to whom nothyng can be hard nothyng can be but swete pleasaunt As the body liueth with his bodily spirite so dâ—eth the soule through a heauenly If our bodily spirites natural powers be weake and faint the wholle body is made dul heauye but if the same be quicke and lustie the wholle bodye is full of courage So likewyse al suche as are with the spirite of God ledde and moued are his childreÌ„ Suche as are towarde childreÌ„ resemble theyr fathers goodnes with a mery chere and frely doyng al suche thinges as they shal suppose wyll please them Bondslaues because there is betwene them and theyr maisters no natural knotte for feare of punishement abstaine froÌ„ euil beyng violeÌ„tly coÌ„pelled do theyr duties Iewes whiche are with yâ— bondage of the lawe delited this wyse do but ye whiche are once deliuered froÌ„ such boÌ„dage wyl nomore so fal to the same that with feare it be nedeful to compel you Endued are ye with the spirite of God through whom ye are by adopcion receiued into the nuÌ„bre not of seruauÌ„tes but of Gods owne children This spirit putteth vs in suche a sure trust and coÌ„fidence that in all our distresses we may boldly speake vnto God those wordes whiche fathers most gentilly fauourably are wont to geue eare vnto callyng vpoÌ„ him O father father Whiche worde we durst not be so bold in our troubles lameÌ„tably to speake vnto him were we not in assurauÌ„ce both that we are his children that he also is our merciful father as loÌ„g as we liue after his coÌ„maundement not by coÌ„pulsion I saye but of free wyl and gladly For were it so that he accoumpted vs not for his childreÌ„ neuer would he haue geuen vs this his holy spirit This benefite of God therfore whether ye cal it a pledge or token of fatherly loue wel assureth our consciences that we are his children whiche gaue vs this pledge Further then if we be his children not his seruauntes than are we also his heyres The heyres I say of God from whoÌ„ as author begynner al thinges come ioynte inheritors with Christ into whose body beyng graffed we now haue the same father that he hath through him enioy one comen enheritaunce It shal we yet none otherwyse possesse but by goyng the same pathe waye to it by whiche it pleased Christ him selfe to walke He by sufferauÌ„ce of miseries came to the possession of his glorious inheritauÌ„ce he by obedience came to his kyngdome he by reproche came to glory by death attained to life euerlastyng Suffer must we therfore with him that we may of his ioyes be partakers obedient must we be with him that we may with him raigne euerlastyngly suffre must we also worldely shame vilany that with him we in heauen may be glorifyed and finally for a season dye also with him that we may in his kyngdome liue for euer The texte For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are not worthy of the glorye whiche shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abideth lokyng when the sonnes of God shal appeare because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wyl therof but for his wyl whiche subdued the same in hope For the same creature shal be deliuered froÌ„ the bondage of corrupcion into the glorious libertie of the soÌ„nes of God For we knowe that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine euen vnto this tyme. These be the wayes and condicions to wynne this inheritaunce by wherof since there shal neuer be an ende the thyng selfe so great that it passeth al mens capacities and estimacion surely if al the affliccions of this life were put vpon one mannes bodye all the same yet were of no weight but euen trifles beyng weighed and compared with the reward of the glory to come whiche men gette in maner bye with suche great displeasures and calamities And though we now already haue an ernest peny of this welthy life to come so that therof nomaÌ„ shuld dispayre yet by reason of oure bodyes subiecte to paynes and death the same is not in euery point perfite and full In the meane tyme by the spirite of God haue we therof inwardly a secrete taste geuen vs but then shall we haue it fully and wholy when our bodies are restored to life and all the miseries of our mortal state are shaken of at what tyme we shall with euerlastyng Christ raigne euerlastyngly For whiche ioyful tyme in the meane season the whole engyne of this worlde ernestly loketh in his maner wishyng for the day wherin after that the numbre of Gods children is fulfilled and restored theyr glory shal plainly appeare whiche beyng yet burdened with theyr mortal bodies are with huÌ„ger with thryst with diseases with diuers paynes and miseries punished yea euen the world selfe after a sorte semeth to be of mannes careful estate partaker because the yearth the water the ayre heauenly bodyes and to be briefe euen the very Angels selfe were by God especially made to helpe mannes necessities And therfore not so muche as the verye worlde selfe shal from suche miseries be free vntyl that Goddes children be sette in perfite fredome so that in the meane season it is in boÌ„dage vnwillyngly For euen in the very dead creatures which haue no life a natural desyre is ther to be made perfite yet abide they nethelesse this boÌ„dage therin obeiyng him at whose pleasure it became subiecte enduryng it so muche the more paciently because it knoweth it selfe not bonde for euer but vnder this coÌ„dicion that as sone as the children of God are fully deliuered from al infeccion of death than shal the worlde no lenger be thral and vnder the displeasures of corrupcion For syth that we see al the elemeÌ„tes of this world so diuersly altered vnder so many corrupcions and see that the Sunne and moone besyde that they almost seme in theyr continual renewyng of corruptible creatures to labor in vayne haue also theyr eclipses synce that the one starres power is also contrary to another synce there is no doubt also but that the whole coÌ„pany of Angels froÌ„ heauen beholdyng our wretchednes are by reason of a pitiful loue borne towarde vs greatly
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
loue haue they but yet not accordyng to knowledge and right iudgement Nor are they deceiued for lacke of a godly minde and purpose but in the choyse and practise of life they rūne farre awry Now better is it to haue some minde to religion then to be al without and of God wel worthy wer that minde of theyrs in goodnes to be encreased were it not that they to the grosse beginnynges of godly life so stubbernly cleaued that they refused the true and perfite religion and wer it not also they so vehemently requyred and auaunced euen shadowes and pictures of trueth that the verye fountayne of trueth they vtterly dispised For whiles they busyly in dede but yet vndiscretely defende and kepe Moses lawe resistyng him for whom the lawe was principally ordained they vtterly fal euen from the whole lawe selfe Kepyng of the sabboth day circumcision abstinence frō certayne kyndes of meates the shonnyng of dead carkasses fastyng dayes the keapyng of high feastes were for this purpose made and decreed for a time that frō suche rude beginnynges men might by litle and litle growe vpwarde to true perfite righteousnes and from a certaine worldly righteousnes encrease and growe vppe to that whiche is in all pointes godly and perfecte If an ordinaunce be purposed and made for a better ende vnseamyng is it for loue of suche a meane to dispise the ende for whiche the sayd meane was appointed But now frowardely so yet do the Iewes whom albeit after the publishyng of the righteousnes of God it besemed to forgoe the carnal iustice of the lawe yet so farrefoorth bolster they out defende theyr olde and at this tyme hurteful and not onely superfluous iustice of the lawe that they not onely wyll not knowledge the heauenly righteousnes of God but also hauyng a confidence in theyr ceremonies withstande and resist the gospel of Christ wherevnto they ought by fayth to submitte them selfe if they euer minded to be truely righteous For we must by imaginacion conceiue as it were twoo kyndes of iustice th one wherof Moses was author the other wherof Christ was beginner The one standeth in ceremonies the other in fayth and obedience And as the rude piece of timbre is matter wherof an image is wrought as bloud is the beginning of liuyng creatures to be brought foorth by generaciō so is the iustice of the lawe a rude grosse beginnyng of thother whiche is more perfite And certainly extreme folishenes is it after that a man is come to perfeccion curiously to sticke styl in rudimentes But now of all Moses law whiche is of it selfe rude vnperfite is Christ the fulfillyng and perfeccion by whom through fayth and not through circumcision we attaine righteousnes whiche way to righteousnes is not onely open for Iewes to entre therinto but also to all true and faythful beleuers The texte For Moses writeth of the righteousnes whiche commeth of the lawe how that the mā whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby But the righteousnes which cōmeth of fayth speaketh on this wyse say not thou in thine heart who shal ascende into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue either who shall descende into the depth that is euen to fetche vp Christ againe from death but what sayth he The worde is nigh the euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Both kyndes of iustice did Moses clearely expresse For the temporal iustice whiche rested in ceremonies to be kept but for a season plainly setteth he out in the boke of y◠Leuites saiyng kepe my lawes decrees this who so doeth shal liue therby But the true euerlastyng iustice whiche we by Christ through a liuely fayth obtaine in the boke of Deuteronomi expresseth he when he sayth neither say thou in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen for that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue Nor yet say thou who shal descende and goe doune into the deapth of the yearth for that were euen to fetche vppe Christ againe from death Of whiche bothe sortes of questioners forasmuche as they require of fayth to haue an experiment neither of both semeth to beleue well But whosoeuer vnfaynedly beleueth is in suche poyntes more surely and better persuaded thē is one which nedeth suche meanes to be taught with either of this I saye that Christe once descended from heauen or els of this that he nowe sytteth at his fathers ryghte hande thoughe he nomore shewe neither of bothe before mennes iyen And though it be of men sene nomore yet beleueth he also that Christ went downe to hell and the thyrde daye rose agayne to lyfe Sufficient is it for vs to beleue that this was once done So that this remayneth that we gyue credence vnto suche as sawe the same And to beleue this we nede not to seke ferre The Iewes sawe and yet beleued not Other heard whiche sawe not and yet gaue they credence The scripture recordeth the same whiche streight after saythe the worde is nyghe the euen in thy mouthe and in thy hearte The texte This same is the worde of faythe whiche we preache For yf thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the lorde and beleue in thy heart that god raysed hym vp frō death thou shalte be saued For to beleue with the hearte iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the Scripture sayth whosoeuer beleueth on hym shal not be confounded And what worde is this whiche Scripture speaketh of Withoute doubt the worde of the gospel which we beyng publyshers of this righteousnes do preache worketh in mennes soules present saluacion so that menne by faythe onely apply theyr myndes therunto But howe is this worde of the gospell in thy mouthe and howe is it in thy hearte Yf thou with thy mouthe confesse and knowledge the Lorde Iesus and with thy heart vnfaynedly beleue that god from death raised hym agayne to lyfe that we through hym beyng restored to lyfe from the death of syn shoulde hereafter lyue in cleannesse of lyfe then shalt thou be saued For with hert beleue we whiche is to ryghteousenes the very entrey but for asmuche as when nede requyreth all men are bounde to glorifie Christe to euerlastyng saluacion it is not sufficient with heart onlye to beleue excepte thou the same with thy mouthe confesse By this seeye that this matter hangeth not vpon ceremonies but vpon fayth Whiche thyng Esai also speakyng of Christe recordeth saying whosoeuer beleueth on hym shall not be confounded The texte There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile For one is lorde of all whiche is riche vnto all that cal vpon hym For whosoeuer dothe call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe Howe then shall they call on hym on whome they haue not beleued Howe shall they beleue on hym of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare withoute a preacher And how shall they
so chaunced because theyr fall was the occasion why you were called to lyfe euerlastyng that through your example agayne the Iewes at the ende of the world myght be moued to godlye religion that as theyr fallyng from Christe opened yâ— waye for the Gentiles to come to Christe so shoulde your fayth yf it were for nothyng but for enuye prycke yet the Iewes forwarde to beleue as ye do Nowe yf theyr fall occasionally so greatlye profyted that the Iewes forsakyng and fallyng from Christe caused not onlye no hurte but rather that the doctrine of the gospell was preached among many more whiles that in steede of a fewe fallyng awaye the gospel was spred abrode amoÌ„g al so yâ— the losse of one nacion got vnto Christ so many nacioÌ„s how muche more shal the worlde be enryched when that nacion also beyng throughe your godlynes prouoked shal be ioyned to the other You speake I vnto that are Gentiles as myne owne disciples for somuche as I am sente to preache vnto you though I my self be a Iew borne And albeit I for your sakes leaue nothyng vndone yet will I more endeuoure to auaunce the office coÌ„mited vnto me and to allure as many of you as I can to Christe and not only so but also make you worthye of Christes seruice yf by suche meanes I maye prouoke my contrey men whom as touchyng carnall aliaunce I maye so cal albeit in faythe vnlyke to folowe your godlynes though it be but euen for enuie and malice as the propertie of them is to be gyuen to a ialowsye that yf I can not bryng all home to goodnes some yet maye be saued And as I am desyrouse of their amendment so knowe I that ye also desyre the same For yf by thoccasion of the Iewes castyng of al the worlde els was brought into goddes fauer because that whyles they fell from the fauer of god the Gentiles were by goddes goodnes receyued therinto that is to say yf theyr great hurt and losse became good to the worlde howe muche more good were it yf they beyng now estraunged from god were through fayth receyued vnto hym lyke men restored from death to lyfe agayne that finally when the number of the faythfull is throughly fulfilled there remayne nothyng but the resurreccion of bodies For though of the Iewes some are vngodlye we maye not therfore despayre of al. Yf the Gentiles far from god myght throughe goddes callyng be broughte to perfite religion what let shoulde ther be but yâ—â—acioÌ„ which had holie fathers beginners maye likewise be called brought to the faythe agayne Muche more with reason agreable is it yâ— of the good good should be borne forsomuche as al meÌ„ for the moste parte resemble that begynnyng from whence they are descended Yf the leauen be holye nedes muste the whole bache whiche is therwith seasoned be holy and cleane And yf the roote of the tree be holy likely it is that the brauÌ„ches of the same be lykewyse holye The Iewes haue bothe of kynred nacion Abraham theyr begynner whose fayth god allowed and what let is there but that they maye resemble theyr fyrste parentes fayth Yf they this do not then are they not his neuewes nomore thaÌ„ the braunche plucked from his stocke is any lenger nourished with the sappe of the roote The texte Though some of the braunches be broken of and thou beyng a wylde Oliue tree was grafte in among them made partaker of the roote and fatnes of the Oliue tree boste not thy selfe against the braunches For if thou bost thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the roote the. Thou wylt say then the braunches are broken of that I might be grafte in thou sayest wel because of vnbeleif they were broken of and thou stodest stedfast in fayth Be not high minded but feare For seyng that God spared not the natural braunches take hede lest it come to passe that he spare not the also Now if we see braunches to be plucked from the stocke whervpon before they did naturally growe muche lesse meruaile is it if suche be plucked of as are but graffed vpoÌ„ another Then if thou see yâ— Iewes which sprong out of the rote of the true Oliue for lacke of beleif broken doune and plucked froÌ„ theyr stocke so that now to them the roote doth no good and thy selfe contrary wyse wheras thou sprongest out of the wilde Oliues roote graffed into the right Oliue not by nature but by the wyl and kunnyng workemanship of God so sette and planted among his verye braunches that thou beyng takeÌ„ out of thyne vnfruitful stocke art becomen felowe and partaker of a straunge roote and wheras diuers boughes whiche in the same tree growed are now cutte of and withered awaye thy selfe with a newe iuice lusty and plentiful take hede and beware that thou therfore folishly rise not in thine owne conceite and disdaine other braunches whoÌ„ thou seest cutte of If thou vnorderly rise in thine owne phantasy if thou growe proude and therewith be puffed vppe haue this in mynde that the roote beareth the and not thou the roote Beware that no such fonde imaginacion come into thy head to thinke this with thy selfe the natural brauÌ„ches wer broken of because I should be graffed into theyr stocke Thinke not yâ— they wer for thi sake brokeÌ„ of but thervpon in dede folowed it yâ— thou were graffed in And yet herein sayest thou wel that they were broken of wheras they growed out of the roote but marke why they were after suche sorte broken of Without doubt for lacke of fayth lye they on the grounde and are tredde vnderfoote thou through fayth abidest fast vpon the tree Reioyce not at other mens miserie but by theyr euil chaunce rather learne to be lowely and sobre by theyr punishement learne what is to be feared if thou likewyse offende For if thou well see that God spared not the natural brauÌ„ches that it nothyng auauntaged them that they beyng descended from good and holy fathers peculiarly belonged to the people of God great cause hast thou to feare leste he spare not the if thou with arrogancy and vnkyndnes displease him Learne by theyr fal what thou must beware of Lette not thy state cast the in a pride but rather put the in remeÌ„braunce of the goodnes of God shewed toward yâ— Good cause hast thou for thy welth to be glad and good cause hast thou also to rendre God thankes but without cause art thou to reioyce of theyr fal They are for theyr deserte cut out of theyr stocke and thou without thy deseruyng art graffed in it The texte Beholde therfore the kindnes and rigorousnes of God on them whiche fel rigorousnes but towardes the kyndnes If thou continue in his kindnes Or els thou shalt be hewen of and they againe if they abide not styl in vnbeleif shall be graffed in againe For God is of power to grafe them in againe For if thou wast
and in fayth growe stronger whervnto ye shal muche rather bryng him by fauourable meanes than by cōtencious reasonyng and disputacions Considre in suche matters how vnmete a thing it is that suche actes as may without offence be done should streight be taken in the worse parte But to th entent that peace and cōcorde may among you be maintained and stedfastly abyde certaine thinges must be wynked at some thinges must be suffered and some thinges must gently be takē Suche gentle fauorable takyng of thinges vpholdeth and preserueth the felowship of this our comen lite And synce mennes mindes among them selues are sondry and diuers surely in a multitude neuer wyl there be stedfast peace vnlesse in diuers pointes one geue place to an other For he that is without all serupulositie thynketh it lawfull without any difference to eate what meate him lust in that acte nothyng els regardyng but what nature requireth Againe he that is yet weake and somewhat supersticious lest he might chaunce either vpō fishe or other meates forbidden either by the Iewes lawe or offered vp to idols liueth with herbes Suche thinges among you ought not so to be regarded that for them brotherly peace be broken Let him that is strong eateth al meates so vse his strength that yet he dispise not the weaker whiche feareth to eate Let him againe whiche folowyng the weakenes of his mynde abstaineth from certayne kyndes of meate neither judge nor condemne him whiche without difference taketh whatsoeuer is sette before him But rather lette him that is strong beare with the weake in this sence takyng it this errour conceiued and gathered by long custome of his former life cannot sodainly be plucked out of his minde it wyll by litle and lytle weare away as in him godlynes groweth supersticion wyll vanishe and auoyde Lykewyse he that is scrupulous when he seeth an other eate all kyndes of meate let him this wyse thynke with him selfe what matter maketh it to me what this man doeth ▪ and likely it is that he doeth it of a good mynde synce God hath receiued and taken him vnto him and made him his owne at whose pleasure heliueth against whom onely he offendeth if there be in suche thinges any offence as of them selfe are not cuil Now if it be an arrogant point to dispise the weakenes of him that is supersticious and deceiued through rudenes how muche more intollerable pride wyl this be thinke ye if suche one as in y◠fayth is but weake take vpō him to iudge and condemne him that is stronger euen as the rule and custome of vnlearned people is whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do and thinke all that good that they allowe Maye not a man wel say to suche one what art thou that iudgest and condemnest an other mannes seruaunt There is but one lord and maister of al Iesus Christ To him stādeth he ▪ if he be strong in fayth to him falleth he if he offende as thou thinkest he doeth For he in dede for this shall not fall but rather be stablished to continue in his strong fayth His maister is sufficiently able and mete to strengthen his seruaunt that he stagger not at all The texte This man putteth difference betwene day day an other mā coumpteth all dayes alike Let euery manues mynde satisfie him selfe He that obserueth the day doeth it vnto the lorde And he that doeth not obserue the day doeth it for the lorde also He that eateth doeth it to please the lorde for he geueth God thankes And he that eateth not eateth not to please the lorde withal and geueth God thankes For noue of vs lyueth for him selfe and no man dyeth for him selfe For if we liue we liue vnto the lorde And if we dye we dye vnto the lorde Whether we liue thefore or dye we are the lordes For Christ therfore dyed and rose againe reuiued that he might be lorde of dead and quicke And that I haue now tolde you of the choyse of meates the same in kepyng the sabboth day and feastes of the newe moone is like wyse to be vnderstande For he that is weake and of vnperfite fayth maketh a difference betwixte day and day as though one were holye and the other were not and thinketh it vnlawful in this day to eate certaine meates or to labor whiche man other day might well and lawfully be done On the other lyde he that is perfite and strong in his fayth conceiueth in dayes no suche difference but rather thinketh al the space of his life consectate and halowed to godly conuersacion Breake not for suche pointes christian concorde among you but without condemnyng of other mennes cōsciences let euery one herein do as he iudgeth best specially synce bothe wayes are without synne and with both standeth the chiefe point of our religion Whoso estemeth and iudgeth in his conscience that euery day is like pure and holy doth so to his lorde and to the little belongeth it how well he doeth Lykewyse he that iudgeth that there is betwixte day and day some difference if he be deceiued he doeth it vnto his lorde thou hast therwith nothyng to do Lykewyse he that without difference eateth all kyndes of meate he eateth to his lorde forasmuche as he geueth thankes to God through whose benefite he eateth whose free goodnes made all thynges for mannes vse Againe whoso through the weakenes of his conscience abstaineth from certaine meates he abstaineth to his lorde and nothyng haste thou to do therwith synce he eatyug hearbes and rootes geueth thankes to God as wel as thou doest If God allowe and accepte his thankes geuyng why art thou so bolde vpō him to geue sentence The cause of both is diuers the matter one both one mynde and one lorde is there of both The one geueth thankes for the libertie he hath to eat what he lust knowing that the gospel putteth a difference betwixte mindes and not betwixt meates ▪ the other whiles he shonneth the occasion of surfettyng by the reason of his abstinence he is kept within the bondes of temperaunce In all suche thinges we are equal so that it besemeth no mā in defēce of his doyng to striue with his brother sufficient it is if God approue it to whō the iudgement of such thinges belōgeth as are either vncertain or els suche as must for the tyme be borne with No christian man hath power further vpon other but y◠eche one do good to another Nor liueth any man for him selfe because we are all his whiche from synne brought vs to goodnes and from death restored vs to life No mā therfore either liueth to him selfe or dyeth to him selfe nomore than any mans seruaunt doeth vpō whose life and death his maister hath ful power authoritie Now if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne nor none other mans auauntage but for the auauntage or disauauntage of his maister If he
other that it should haue another kynde of teachyng Worldly wysedome is taught after a worldly fashion but heauenly and spirituall thinges must be taught after a newe sorte and yet not to euery man indiffereÌ„tly but to suche onely as haue receiued the spirite of Christ and are by reason that they are spirituall themselues able to receyue spirituall learnyng It besemeth surely that spirituall learnyng should haue a spirituall hearer which hath bothe his vnderstandyng cleansed by faythe and wylfull desyres corrected by charitie For the grosse and naturall man whiche is proude and arrogant vpon the knowledge of thinges that maye be seene and is ruled by beastly lustes regardeth not suche thynges as apperteyne to the spirite of god but coumpteth for folyshnes and laugheth to skorne whatsoeuer soundeth contrary to that he thynketh Nor beleueth any thyng but that he hath eyther proued by experyence or concluded by natural reason and is without regarde of this learnyng and Phylosophie whiche teacheth that Christe was borne of a virgyn and that he was bothe very god and very man that by dying he ouercame death and after rose agayne to lyfe and wyll perfourme in his membres suche thynges as are already doen in hymselfe that tribulacions are the waye to true blysse and that by death a man shall come to euerlastyng lyfe Suche articles cannot by mannes reason be perceyued but by the inspiracion of the holy ghost To learne this thou nedeste no wylye and craftie wytte but rather haste nede of a simple and a pure fayth Suche an instrument is mete for the holye gooste to worke with as wholy geueth vp it selfe to be framed and wrought vpon by hym But the spirituall manne discusseth and iudgeth all thinge not passing vpon temporall matiers but studiouse of heauenly thinges and yet is he not iudged of any carnall man which hath no skyll vpon this heauenly and secrete wisdome Euen as a man iudgeth not goddes matiers so the carnal man iudgeth not the spirituall As for such poyntes as are by our preachyng taught are no mens inuencions nor phantasies but came furth out of the secrete counsell of god For as the prophete Esai sayde what man is there on liue which of hymself knoweth the mynde of god immortall that he can to him be as it wer one of his priuie counsel It pleased goddes prouidence to deliuer his out of thraldome after such straunge meanes to deceiue therby all mannes vayne curiositie But we knowe goddes wyl and mynde because we haue receaued his spirite The .iii. Chapiter The texte â–ª And I coulde not speake vnto you brethren as vnto spiritual but as vnto carnal euen as vnto babes in Christ I gaue you milke to drinke not meate For ye then wer not stroÌ„g nether are ye as yet For ye are yet carnal As long verely as there is amoÌ„g you enuying stryfe and sectes are ye not carnall and walke after the maner of men For whyle one sayeth I hold of Paule and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal What is paul What thinge is Apollo Onely ministers are they by whome ye beleued euen as the Lorde gaue euery man grace I haue planted Apollo watred but God gaue the encreace So then nether is he that planteth eny thynge nether he that watreth but God that geueth the encreace He that planteth and he that watreth are one Euery man yet shall receaue hys rewarde accordynge to hys laboure Fore we are Goddes labourers ye are Goddes husbandrye ye are Goddes buylding Accordyng to the grace of God geuen vnto me as a wyse buylder haue I layde the foundacion And another buylt theron But let euery man take hede howe he buyldeth vpon For another foundacyon can no man laye then it that is layde which is Iesus Chryst THere are in this learning certayne poyntes mete for begynners certayne mete for them that are wel entred and goyng forwarde and certayne mete for suche as are verie perfite of whiche euerye sorte must be taught accordyng to their capacities Therfore wheÌ„ I fyrst came vnto you I coulde not teache you the deapest poyntes of our religioÌ„ as suche should be taught as are perfitely spiritual but submitted my preachyng to your weakenes amoÌ„g yâ— rude vsyng rudnes among yâ— grosse speaking grossely lisping stameryng with you as wemen doe with theyr chyldren For fayth also hath her encreasinges When I sawe you therfore in Christes learnyng but euen younglynges I fed you as it were with the mylke of grosse learnyng and not with the substancial foode of perfite doctrine not because I was not able to teach you greater poyntes but because ye by reason of carnall affections blyndnes of your former lyfe â—er not able to vnderstand higher learnynge as diuerse among you are not able yet For sum there be among you which albeit through baptisme are become Christes seruauntes haue not yet shaken of al fleshly affeccions Such as are in this case are surely carnal not spiritual What nede I many wordes or why should I feare to speake that of you yâ— the dede selfe speaketh The matier is knowen by your dedes For synce the spirite of Christ bredeth vnitie concorde on the contrarie syde enuy contentions debates ryse of nothing elles but of worldly desyers synce suche thynges are sene among you maye not a man saye to your reproche that ye are entangled with mannes grosse affections Yf ye denye it whence come these wordes that are talked among you sounding to debate and strife but of a corrupte mynde for wheras there is but one chiefe doer and ruler ouer all the world yet among you one sayeth I am of Paules secte another sayeth I am of Apollos secte after which sorte or lyke sorte of titles yâ— studentes in philosophie striue one with another whyles one sayeth I am Aristotles scholer another sayeth I am a Platoniste I am a Stoike I am an Epicure Whiche thinge yet I saye not because any suche strife and sectes are either in my name or in Apollos rysen but because I thought it good to put example in our persons to make you more plainly perceyue the haynousnes of this your offence For yf it be an vnseamly thing to giue vs which are the true apostles of god and suche as haue taught you nothing but that we receyued by the spirite of Christe suche glory and prayse as is onelye due to hym who can beare with you when ye chalenge to be of mennes sectes not moche passing what they bee parauenture false apostles and gyue ouer the gloriouse and myghtye woorke of youre saluacion and profession to vile persons whiche shoulde only be gyuen vnto Christ As yf one named Frangilius or Benotius or Angulius or Carmilius or sum other of any other name for these put I but for an example haue deuised sum worldlye order or rule of lyfe wyll ye straight vpon pride of theyr names be at shamfull variaunce among your selues and by extinguyshing Christes name
haste a mynde desirouse to reuenge But nowe truely so farre are ye from being lyke to mylde christian men without reuenging to suffre losse or iniurye that euen wilfully ye dooe wrong to other maliciouslye deceaue and oppresse other not onely vnbeleiuers but also such as are by religion your brothers Sauer not suche doinges of the leauen of your olde life Square not suche pointes far both from your learnyng and your profession Whosoeuer professeth Christe professeth Innocencie and to such a lyfe is promised the kyngdome of heauen For neyther is it sufficient to bee dipped in water nor yet to bee graffed into Christe onlesse all youre life bee agreable to Christes doctryne And for none other purpose are ye taken out of this world and planted into the body of Christ but to the ende ye should hencefurthe in godlye lyfe bee lyke vnto Christe youre heade Knowe ye not this that vnrighteousse liuers bee they baptised neuer so muche shall bee excluded from the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen And leste anye manne deceaue hymselfe I tell you agayne and agayne and geue you warnyng that neyther fornicatours nor idolators nor aduouterers nor weakelinges whiche growyng out of mannes kynde lyue after an horrible kynde of bodily luste nor suche as in steade of women abuse men nor theues nor couetous men nor dronkardes neither cursed speakers nor violente pillers of other mennes goodes shal be partakers of the kyngdome of God Nothyng shall your newe name or title auayle you if your life be with your olde vices defiled yea to such is Christe rather an occasion of more grieuous and painfull damnacion The texte And suche were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not profitable I maye doe al thynges but I wyll be brought vnder no mannes power Meates are ordeined for the bellye and the belly for meates but God shall destroye both it and them Let not the bodye be applyed vnto fornicacion but vnto the Lord and the Lorde vnto the bodye God hathe raysed vp the Lorde and shall rayse vs vp by hys power Suche as I haue nowe rehersed were some of you before that ye were throughe Christ borne agayne I laye not to your charge that which ye were beefore so that ye fall nomore thereto Washed are ye and deliuered from youre olde synnes and that by Goddes free gyfte beeware that ye bee nomore defiled wyth thē By this washyng hath God not only by his bloud restored you to innocente and hurtlesse lyfe but geuen you also holinesse and righteousnes and that not by the power of the law nor for youre desertes but by Iesus Christe in whose name ye were baptised and by the spirite of oure god by whose secrete inspiraciō the sacramētes of Christes churche been effectual So much more then should euery of you endeuour lest ye through youre owne folye lose this benefite frelye geuen vnto you in so doyng neyther thankfull to the geuer nor yet frendelye nor louyng to your selfe In suche thynges as appertayne to naturall necessities I maye dooe all thynges For no man forbyddeth me to vse lyke authoritie as other apostles vse But it is not paraduenture for you alwayes profitable for me to vse my ryght Suche as are fedde and liue wyth youre meate suche as pyll and polle you beeyng euen as they were bondslaues bought wyth your moneye dare not freely warne you of youre faultes leste ye vpon dyspleasure conceaued there wyth bestowe your liberalitie otherwyse I myght also for my labours take rewarde namely since I tooke more paynes than anye other I wanted not authoritie this to dooe but I woulde not dooe that thyng whereby I myghte bee brought vnder any mānes power and subieccion and seame bounde to any of you to thyntente it myghte more clearely appeare bothe that yf I teache anye thyng that I therein seeke your weale and profite and not myne owne and that also yf I dydde with woordes anye thynge chastice you that ye shoulde pacientely heare me For it is a thyng commenlye seene that suche a mannes free speache offendeth not whiche is nothyng bounde to hym whome he reproueth Elles litell mattier maketh it whose meate a manne eate synce menne muste needes haue meate And synce meates are ordayned for the bealye and likewyse bealyes for meates lette euery manne for this tyme satisfye the presente necessitye and neede For wythin a shorte tyme wyll God destroye bothe bealye and meate whiche is that neyther oure bealyes shall wyth houngre trouble vs nor of meates shall there bee anye vse But as we whiche haue professed Christe muste obeye and serue naturall lackes euen as the heathen and vnchristened dooe so shoulde there yet betwene vs in vyce bee none agremente Of meates I forbydde none lette euerye manne eare what he wyll but filthye bodily luste I forbydde Nor is it lyke that as the bealye is appoynted for meate soe the bodye is prepared for carnall pleasure but rather oure bodye is consecrate vnto the Lorde Iesu and he agayne coupled vnto vs. For so hath it pleased hym that by vs as members and hym as heade hys spirituall and misticall bodye shoulde bee made and kyntte together This knotte holdeth not for a litell season Deathe in deede taketh awaye all necessitie of meates but it breaketh not the knotte wherewyth we are ioyned to Christe For as Godde the father raysed the Lorde Iesus oure heade from deathe so wyll he likewyse rayse vppe agayne vs his membres wyth hym with him rewarde vs with life euerlasting For hable is he of power this to dooe albeit some of you thynke the same vnlykelye As therefore oure soule shall not of that immortall lyfe bee partaker onlesse the same for this presente tyme throughe godlye and continuall meditacions haue hadde thesame lyfe in delygente remembraunce so the bodye raysed agayne shall of that glorye haue no parte onlesse thesame for this presente tyme haue beene free from the contagion of synne What a foule syght is it yf the members seame vnlyke the heade whiche is in euery pointe pure and cleane The texte Eyther konwe ye not that your bodyes are the membres of Christe shall I nowe take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlot is become one body For two saieth he shal bee one flesh But he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite Remembre ye not how that as I before tolde you your bodyes are the members of Christe What then Sal I nowe become so mad notwithstandyng I know this much with the great reproche of the head to take away the membre of Christe and make thereof the membre of an harlote God forbidde And yet what elles dooth he whiche is conuersaunte with an harlote Knowe ye
taught you also howe after that he was rysen agayne he shewed hym selfe playnly and euedentlye to many fyrst to Cephas then to the twelue after that was he sene of more than fyue hundred brethren gathered al together And lest any might doubt of the trewth of this history of all thys noumber many are alyue euen vntyll thys daye and some are dede After this was be sene of Iames whiche was called brother of the Lord and was fyrste byshope of Hierusalem Then was he sene of all the disciples not only of the twelue whiche were fyrste called apostles whiche name was after deriued into many The texte And laste of all he was seue of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the leaste of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of God I am that I am And hys grace whiche is in me was not in vayne but I laboured more abundauntly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me Therfore whither it were I or they so we preache and so haue ye beleued And last of al was he sene of me as of an vnseasonable borne apostle which after the full tyme was at the laste lyke an vnperfite chyld rather caste than wel borne I complaine not because I laste sawe the Lord but coumpte it a greate matter that I deserued to se hym For I am the leaste of the apostles and vnworthie to be called an apostle because I persecuted the churche of god whome the apostles stablysh Vnworthy therfore was I euen asmuche as at laste to be chosen into the felowshype of thapostles but the fre goodnes of god vouchsaued to gyue me this honoure notwithstandyng I deserued it not so that whatsoeuer I am al is of hys goodnes and not of my deseruynge And I suffered not hys grace in me to be either idle or baraine For albeit in order of time I be laste yet in preaching of the gospel am I not behynde thē but haue laboured more than any other of the apostles which I saye leste for thys any myght lesse esteme myne authoritie because I was laste chosen to bee an apostle Howebeit this labor of myne I vouche not as myne but gyue al to goddes goodnes by whose helpe all was wrought To retourne therfore to the matier whether in preachyng the gospell theyr authoritie bee more or myne it lytle forceth sure is it that we with one assent preache one thinge and that whiche we with one assente preached that beleued ye as a sure and an vndoubted doctrine We alwaye teache one thinge this remayneth that ye lykewyse continewe in one beliefe not nowe doubting agayne of that wherupon ye were once agreed The texte If Christ be preached how that he rose from the dead how saye some among you that there is no resurreccion of the dead If there be no rysing agayne of the dead thē is Christ not rysen agayne If Christ be not ryse agayne then is our preachyng in vaine and your fayth is also in vayne ye and we are founde false witnesses of God For we haue testifyed of God howe that he raysed vp Christ whom he raysed not vp yf it bee so that the deade ryse not agayne For yf the deade ryse not a gayne then is Christ not rysen agayne If it be so that Christe rose not agayne then is your fayth in vayne and ye are yet in your synnes Therfore they which are fallen aslepe in Christ are perysshed It in this lyfe onely we beleue on Chryste then are we of all men most miserable But nowe is Christe rysen from the dead and become the fyrst frutes of them that slept For by a mā came death and by a man came the resurreccion of the dead For as by Adam all dye euen so by Chryst shall all bee made alyue but euery manne in his owne order The firste is Christe then they that are Christes at hys commynge Then cometh the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule and all auctoryte and power Yf by all the apostles wytnesses it hath been and is styll preached that Christe the prince and author of resurreccion is rysen agayne from deathe what malapertnes is it that among you some saye that there is no resurreccion of the deade For yf there be none then foloweth it that not so muche as Christ hym selfe is rysen agayne For to what purpose is it that oure heade and capitayne shoulde ryse but to go before and prepare the resurrection of vs his members openyng the way to vs all And yf Christ be not rysen certaynly vayne is our preaching vayne is also your belefe and truste And yf we be certaynly perswaded that Christe is rysen agayne aswell perswaded and beleue must we that we shall ryse agayne for whose restoring to lyfe he rose Yf we ryse not this foloweth that bothe you and I haue not only loste our labors I in preachyng ye in beleuyng but are also founde wrongful agaynst god of whome we falsly reported that he raysed Christe from death whome he raysed not as he in dede raysed him not yf other dead menne ryse not againe For either muste ye beleue bothe or deny bothe because that of the heade and members there is but one resurreccion Yf the deade ryse not for whose sake Christe rose then Christe hymselfe rose not And yf Christe rose not vayne was your belefe that he is rysen and in vayne beleued ye that through a truste and confidence in him ye were made free from synne Wherupon it also foloweth that ye are styll subiecte to your former synnes nor hath baptisme wherby we in the meane season through Christ spiritually ryse agayne from syn wrought anythyng in vs. They also whiche haue dyed with this truste and with this hope haue paciently suffered cruel martyrdome and death are vtterly goen for euer yf there be no hope of resurreccion And yf all oure hope conceaued of Christe reache no further than for the terme of this present lyfe we be not onely wretched people but also more miserable than they whiche to Christ are straungers For they yet haue after a sorte the pleasures of this present lyfe wheras we are both here in trouble for Christes name and shall after this lyfe haue no rewarde yf we ryse not body and soule agayne But god forbyd that any manne to his owne destruccion haue any suche fonde belefe But rather yf ye beleue that Christ is rysen agayne as euery godly manne dothe therof foloweth necessaryly that we shall also ryse againe For in hym began resurreccion whiche shall in vs bee made perfyte and as he takyng agayne his bodye vpon hym rose from deathe so shal we bothe bodye and soule ryse agayne leste otherwyse the heade myght bee deuyded from his members He as prince and capitayne fyrste rose agayne as the
fyrste fruites of all suche as dye with hope to ryse agayne He began resurreccion other straighte folowed as companyōs of the lordes resurreccion and we in time to come shal folowe them For it is not to be doubted but that he wyll lykewise doe in all his members as he hath done not onely in hym selfe alreadye but also in many holy menne For we muste by imaginacion conceaue two bodyes one subiecte to deathe whiche beganne in Adam another apoynted to lyfe immortall whiche had his beginnyng in Christe Therfore as at the begynnyng through one mannes synne deathe entred whiche being as it were from the heade deriued into the members rageth and infecteth all menne so by one manne whiche was vtterly free from all synne came in resurreccion of the dead For throughe only Adames offence all we that descended of hym are subiecte to deathe and throughe Chrystes only innocencie all suche shal be restored to lyfe immortall as haue desearued to bee ioyned into hys bodye All shall ryse agayne but yet euery manne in his order the fyrste of all is Christe then suche as cleaue vnto Chryste as the partes of the bodye cleaue vnto the heade of whome a certayne goynge out of theyr graues rose with Christe and the reste shall all ryse at hys laste commyng And when the resurreccion of the whole body is done and paste then shall nothynge remayne but an ende of thys worldly alteracions whiche shal not bee before the vtter abolyshment of y◠tyrannye of death what tyme Christe as a victoriouse conquerour shall delyuer vp a quiet and a peasyble kyngdome to god his father to whome by subduyug his enemies he restoreth his dominion and after that he hathe dryuen awaye vtterly from hys whole bodye and brought to nought all the power rule and authoritie of his aduersaries The texte For he muste raigne tyll he haue put all this enemyes vnder hys feete The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death For he hath put all thynges vnder hys feete But when he sayth all thynges are put vnder hym it is manyfeste that he is excepted whiche dyd put all thynges vnder hym When all thynges are subdued vnto hym then shall the sonne also hymselfe be subiecte vnto hym that put all thynges vnder him that God maye be all in al. Elles what do they which are baptised ouer the dead yf the dead ryse not at all Why are they then baptised ouer them yea and why stande we allwaye then in ieoperdye By oure reioysyng whiche I haue in Christe Iesu oure Lorde I dye dayly That I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men what auauntageth it me yf the dead ryse not agayne Let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shall dye Be not ye deceaued euell woordes corrupte good manners Awake truely out of slepe and synne not For some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame For so long necessary is it that the sonne shoulde labor and trauayle about the recouery of the kyngdome to god his father vntyl that he haue vtterly subdued all hys enemies and so treade them downe vnderneyth hys feete that there bee no rebellion at all nor feare of euyll Through synne deathe raigneth and through death y◠deuyll When synne is extinguished then shall deathe raigne no longer And albeit in thys lyfe we to our power labour about it yet shal we not fully haue it vntyll that by the laste resurreccion al the power of death shal be quite abolyshed when our laste enemye of all whiche moste stubbernly rebelled shall bee vanquished for euer For by thys waye hathe the father decreed that all thynges shall become subiecte vnto hys sonne as it is wrytten in the psalmes thou haste put all thinges vnder hys feete But when scripture sayeth that all thynges shal be vnder the fete of the sonne it is not to be vnderstanden that the sonne shall only possesse that kyngdom the father being excluded for the kingdom of the father and the sonne is all one kyngdom This new and peculiar kyngdom wherin there shal be no rebellion of synfull desyres against the will pleasure of God the father recouereth vnto himselfe by his sonne which he in such sorte vseth with his sonne in cōmon that nethlesse in the father the authoritie remayneth as in him of whom the sonne receiued the same kingdom which is in suche sorte fully and wholy the sonnes that yet the father loseth nothyng synce of both there is but one will And then when all thinges shal be subiecte to the sonne then shall the sonne selfe wholy that is to saye with his bodye misticall yelde and submitte hymselfe to the father by whom as chiefe doer al thinges became subiecte to the sonne that thencefurth no not in the members shall there any thing be lefte whiche shall to Christe be contrarie but that the whole sonne shall consente with the father of whom as of the first begynner al thinges shall depende to whom as chiefe doer all men shall geue thankes for all that euer in any tyme and place hath been well done Nowe wheras I long synce taught you this and ye lykewyse learned the same what meaneth this that some no we doubt a freshe whether the dead shall liue againe Wherof if there be no hope vayne is their labour which albeit more supersticiously thā godly in steade of the dead receyue baptisme fearyng leste suche one as dyed without christenyng shall not ryse among ryghteouse people And to auoyde thys they prepare one which in steade of the dead maye aunswere that he beleueth and desyreth baptisme These mennes fayth I allowe but their doynges I allowe not For as it is folyshnes to thynke that another mans baptisme helpeth the dead so beleue they truely and well there shall a resurreccion be For yf they thought that the dead mā should nomore ryse againe neuer would they for his sake be so careful Yea we our selfes do folishly which for Christes doctrin dayly put our life in ieopardie if after such greuous tormētes no reward folow Nor are we only in ieopardie but also in maner dye dayly by that we oftetymes stād in some new ieopardie nor are dispached with one kinde of death And as in this my saying I lye not so may I alwaies glory in this reioysing which I haue through Iesus Christ our lorde to whose glory turne al the miseries which we suffer Wheras amōg the Ephesiās for Christes gospel I suffered so much trouble that I could not chose but fyght with be astes as one most surely apointed to dye what profite was there in or what gayned I therby if the dead ryse not again What madnes is it without compulsion to sustaine so many troubles if assone as a mā is once dead it nothing force howe he hath lyued Yf we after our death be paste all hope what remaineth there but y◠we as the wicked persons spake in Esai distrusting the promises of
Christe among them that are saued and â—mong them whiche perishe To the one parte are we the sauoure of death vnto death And vnto the other parte are wee the sauoure of lyfe vnto lyfe And who is meete vnto those thynges â—â— we are not as the moste parte are whiche chop and chaunge with the worde of God but â—â—â—â—â—â—â— of purenes and by the power of God in the sighe of God so speake we in Christe But after that I came to Troas there to preache the Gospell of Christ where there was by the fauoure of god a plentifull hope of encrease opened vnto me greately was my mynde disguieted becaused therwyse than I loked I found not my brother and felowe Titus there of whome I hadde greate neede to beare out that greate and weightie matter Leauing them therefore I went into Macedonia and that not without great ieopardye but thankes geue I vnto god whiche victoriously carrieth aboute by vs the triumphe of christian religion makyng it more glorious by that the glorye of hys Gospell dailye spreadeth more and more whiche by our preachyng enlargeth in all places abrode the knoweledge of hymselfe vsyng vs as though we were swete incense â–ª For when we preache in all places of the world the glorye of his gospell what elles dooe wee but spreade abrode the swete fauoure of Christe of it selfe in deede as I saye to all menne pleasaunte and holsome but yet to some throughe theyr owne faulte deadlye poyson holsom to suche as throughe fayth in the gospell obteyne saluacion vnholsome and deathlye to suche as refuse it thereby doublyng theyr damnacion to deathe euerlastyng as menne encreasyng theyr former offences wyth vnthankefulnes and stubbernesse of myndes But who is meete this to dooe and preache Whoso myndeth to laboure in this muste therein nothyng regarde but the onely glorye of Christe But some there bee whiche teachyng the gospell either for honoure or for aduauntage spreade not somuche abrode the swete sauers of Christe as theyr owne countrefaite deuises profityng themselfes and noâ— Christe whose manners wee abhorre Nor corrupte wee the woorde of God wyth worldlye doctryne sekyng oure own commodities but euen with a pure hearte teache it as a thyng that came from god and not of our selfes and that to the glorie of Iesus Christe as god hymselfe is witnesse ¶ The thyrde Chapter The texte ¶ We begin to praise our selues againe Neede we as some other of epistles of recommendacion vnto you or letters of recommendacion from you Ye are our epistle written in our hertes whiche is vnderstande and red of all men forasmuche as ye declare that ye are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshely tables of the hearte BVt this feare I leste anye manne thynke that we agayne prayse ourselfes vnto you to thyntente wee maye bothe of you other be had in price and more estemed But what nede hath any man to seke for commendacions when the matter self commendeth hym Nede we such letters of recommendacion as false apostles carrie about with them obteyned either of other vnto you or of you to other Nothing passe we vpon such letters The liuely epistle wherwyth we thinke our selfes sufficiently praised are ye Corinthians written in our heartes which I with muche lesse payne carrye aboute with me than they dooe theyrs This epistle in all places where I come euerye manne readeth and vnderstandeth so that I neede none other epistle synce that by youre Godlye lyfe all menne perfeitelye knowe what manner of apostles wee were and so farre foorth assure wee our selfes of youre good wyl towarde vs that seeyng that oure owne diligente labor doth aboundantly coÌ„mend vs wee nede no mens letters of commendacion whiles ye in perfite fayth and christian life declare that ye are Christes epistle written by hym in dede but yet by our ministerie and laboure Written I say not wyth yâ—ke as theirs are which teache humaine and carnall phantasies but with the spirite of the liuing god nor written agayne in tables of stone as mannes lawes are but in the fleashye tables of the hearte Your heartes wherin wee printed the doctrine of the gospell â–ª vsed we in steade of parchmente my tongue was in steade and serued for a penne but Christe himselfe with his holye spirite indited that thing whiche we wrote The texte Suche truste haue we thorowe Christe to Godwarde not that we are sufficient of ouâ— selues to thynke any thing as of oure selues but if we be hable vnto any thyng the same cummethe of God whiche hathe made vs hable to ministre the newe Testamente not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite geueth lyfe If the ministracion of death thorowe the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moses for the glorie of his countenaunce whiche glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite bee muche more glorious For if the ministryng of condemnacion bee glorious muche more dooth the ministracion of righteousnesse excede in glorye For no doubt that which was there glorified is not once glorified in respecte of this exceadyng glorie For if that whiche is destroyed â–ª was glorious muche more that whiche remayneth is glorious Seeyng then that wee haue suche truste wee vse greate boldenesse and dooe not as Moses whiche putte a vayle ouer his face that the children of Israell shoulde not see for what purpose that serued whiche is putte awaye But theyr myndes were blinded For vntill thys daye remaineth the same coueryng vntaken awaye in the lecture of the olde testament whiche vayle shal bee putte awaye in Christe But euen vnto this daye when Moses is reâ—ad the â—aâ—â— hangeth before theyr heartes Neuerthelesse when they tourne to the Lorde the vayle shall be taken awaye The Lorde no doubte is a spirite And where the spirite of the Lorde is then is libertie But we all beholde in a mirroure the glorye of the Lorde wâ—th his face open and aâ— chaunged vnto the same similitude from glorye to glorye euen as of the spyâ—yte of the Lorde But asmuche as the doctrine of the gospell passeth and is better thaâ— Moses lawe somuche more fruitfull and better is our laboure than his Nor yet take we thus muche vpon vs arrogantlye but speake the trueth as God is my recorde whiche by our seruice through Christe perfourmed it that wee speake of For had not his healpe bene certainly farre were we euen from thinkyng vpon any suche thyng of our owne power and muche farther from doyng it But yf we be eyther hable or haue bene hable to doe anye thynge al that came of the free bounteousnesse of God whyche as he hathe healped vs â—â— oure labours so hath he committed vnto vs this ministerye and dispensacion of the newe testamente to th entent wee should bestowe among you
not the grosse olde testament as the false Apostles teache it and standeth in the knowlege of the letter the administracion whereof was committed to Moses but the newe testamente whiche is heauenly and spirituall and standeth in affeccions of mynde and not in ceremonies The lawe and gospel haue both one maker but the ministerye â–ª of boothe is soondrye and of the two the apostles is of muche more excellencie For the letter committed vnto Moses by reasoÌ„ of certain rules lawes driueth men to death forasmuch as it by occasion both prouoketh to sin and also condeÌ„neth yâ— sinner to death whereas contrarie yâ— spirite whiche is geuen by preachyng the ghospel both forgeueth the offences of our former lyfe and to suche as haue deserued deathe offerethe lyfe Nowe and yf the fyrste lawe whyche beeyng grauen in stone wroughte deathe to the transgressour and gaue no grace was of such great maiestie and glorye that when Moses the seconde tyme broughte downe the tables the Hebrues coulde not beeholde his face by reason of the glorie and maiestie of that whiche was sure once yet to bee abolished why shoulde not muche rather the ministerye of the Gospell haue his honoure and maiestie whereby throughe faythe and the free gifte of the spirite euerlastyng saluacion is geuen Yf the lawe whiche coulde condemne and was not hable to saue hadde suche honoure certainelye muche more honoure desearueth the Gospel by preachyng whereof synne is not onely forgeuen â—ut also rihgteousnesse is geuen In whiche twoo thinges suche difference is there that if a manne more narowelye compare eche one of theym with other that whiche by it selfe is glorious wyll appeare but base beyng as it were darkened with the bryght and excellente glorie of the Gospel For if the lawe whiche was geuen but for a season and shoulde wythin a while after bee abrogate was among menne in suche honoure of muche more dignitie is the lawe of the Gospell whiche is bothe generallye geuen to all menne and shall neuer bee abolished For the newe testament whereby the olde is abrogate Christe hymselfe calleth an euerlasting testamente as I in my other epistle taught you Of whiche thyng wee beeyng moste certainlye perswaded and assured in oure â—eachynges vse no darke riddles but freelye and openlye sette furth the lyghte of the Gospell surelye beleuyng that bothe the glorye of this lawe is suche that it shoulde not bee hidden and ye of that â—ireyngthe and clearnesse of conscience that ye are hable to looke thereupon And therefore wee dooe not as it is read that Moses didde whiche when he broughte downe the seconde tables after that the fyrste were broken couered hys face with a vayle that the children of Israell shoulde not looke thereupon nor deaue thereto for euer synce that euen this was a proufe and significacion to them that the glorie of Moses lawe shoulde bee abolished whiche euen at that time when it was made was not verye glorious for in vayne is that thyng glorious whiche a manne canne not see In this figure was represented the grossenesse of that nacion whiche seeyng sawe not and hearyng hearde not insomuche that whiche was doone in Moses face the same was moste verelye done in theyr heartes whiche in them were blynded beeyng as it were ouercaste wyth the vayle of dulnesse Yea and in this daye the blyndenesse remayneth in that nacion stille so that when they reade the bookes of the lawe they vnderstande theym not and with stubberne myndes of a zeale towarde the lawe refuse hym at whose commyng the lawe selfe graunteth that she shall bee abolyshed Therefore when they in suche sorte reade the olde testament that they wyll not embrace the newe promysed therein holde they not faste Moses vayle nor see by faythe castyng of the same that thorowghe Christe all the darkenesse of the lawe is a brogate Stuâ—bernelye yet stycke they to theyr Moses when he is cumme to whome Moses bade them geue eare Hym reade they in theyr synagoges but they reade hym carnallye sekyng for nothyng but corporall thynges wheras the lawe if menne well loke thereupon is in deede spiritual â–ª Letted are thei doubtelesse euen vntyll this day wyth a vayle cast ouer theyr heartes which is remoued through fayth in the gospell But when the tyme shall come that they shall leaue theyr grosse myndes and receauyng the vniuersall fayth tourne vnto the Lorde then shall theyr vayle be taken away so that they shall see suche thynges as without the bryght eyes of fayth can not be seen â–ª Moses was grosse and carnall but the Lorde Iesus is a spirite not teachyng suche thynges as maye bee seene with oure bodyly iyes but thynges inuisible whiche are by fayth beleued Moses law because it with feare of punishemente kepte menne in ordre was a lawe of thraldome and the vayle also is a token of bondage But where the spirite of the Lorde Iesus is whiche secretelye moueth a manne withoute byddyng and compulsion to leadâ— a Godlye lyfe there is libertie No manne is compelled to beleue but he that beleueth as he shoulde of his own accorde auoydeth filthines and vncleanes of lyfe and foloweth al goodnesse dooyng more wyllinglye by the mocion of charitie than coulde euer begotten of the Iewes wyth feare of punishemente Blinde are they therefore that lacke the iyes of faythe when we throughe pure fayth without vayle beholde the glorye of the Lorde whose brightnes whiles we receyue as a glasse altered are we after a sorte into the same glorye plentifully powring vpon other that brightnes which we receyued of God And as then Moses face by that he talked with god shyned euen as glasse doothe layed againste the sonne so is oure soule euerye daye more and more secrâ—atelye enamoured encreasing from glory to glory by reason of the continual conuersacion of the spirite of God who inuisiblye nowe woorkethe in vs that whiche hereafter shal openlye bee accomplished The fourth Chapter The texte ¶ Therefore seeyng that we haue suche an office euen as God hath hadde mercye on vs wee goe not out of kynde but haue caste from vs the clokes of vnhonestie and walke not in craftines neyther handle we the woorde of God discreatefullye but open the trueth and reporte our selues to euerye mannes conscience in the sighte of GOD. If oure Gospell bee yet hydde it is hidde among them that are loste in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them whiche beleue not leste the light of the gospell of the glorie of Christe whiche is the image of God shoulde shyne vnto them SYnce then god of his mercy would haue vs to bee ministers and preachers of suche a blisfull state geuyng vnto vs the authoritie of an apostle we execute not oure commission â—louthfullye but as we preache a veraye gloriouse matter so refuse we all clokes whiche are meete for dishonestie and not for glorye neyther leadyng oure lyfe craftely nor with deceitfulnes of woorldely learning corruptyng the woorde of god
nothyng no not with ieopardye of oure lyfe to preache the trueth of the gospell vndoubtedly assuryng our selues that he whiche raysed the lorde Iesus from death wyll throughe hym rayse vs agayne dying for his sake and bryng vs all together to the generall glorie of resurreccion as we are here in lyke fayth knytte together But whether in the meane season we be troubled or deliuered from trouble all is done for your sakes that the trueth of the gospel maye be more spread abrode among you that the more amende theyr lyfe so manye more geue thankes not to vs but to god to whose glorie it appertayneth that his faithe which he would haue cōmen to all men be moste plentifully enlarged In hope and sure cōfidence that it will so be no troubles werye vs but through them we rather ware stronger knowing wel that albeit oure vtwarde body be by litle and litle worne awaye yet our inwarde and better parte in the dayely and continuall decaye of the body becometh more quicke and sustie as it were with miseries growyng yong agayne and beginnyng to taste of before the lyfe euerlastyng to come For albeit the bodely affliction whiche we for the gospelles sake abyde be lyght and transitory yet lyght as it is it prepareth in vs no small but an exceadyng and an vnspeakable weight of glory whyles both for suche transitory tormentes suffered for Christes sake we are made worthy of blysse euerlastyng and for temporall deathe sustayned for hym we receaue the rewarde of euerlastyng lyfe in hope wherof we lytle esteme oure bodyly lyfe not somuche passing vpon suche thynges as are seene with owre bodylye eyes as vpon suche as are not seene but only with the eyes of faythe For suche thinges as are sene here in this world beside that they are thinges neither throughly good nor throughly bad of whiche sorte are lucre honoure pleasure lyfe losse of godes reproche tormentes and deathe are also not continuallye abydyng whereas suche thinges as are sene with the eyes of faythe are bothe trewe ryches and suche as wyll endure for euer The .v. Chapiter The texte For we knowe that yf oute earthly mansyon of thys dwellyng were destroyed we haue a byldyng of God an habitacyon not made with handes but eternall in heauen For therfore sygh we desyryng to bee clothed with oure mansyon whiche is from heauen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked For we that are in thys tabernacie sygh and are greued because we would not be vnclothed but would be clothed vpon that mortalitie myght be swalowed vp of lyfe He that hath ordeyned vs for thys thynge is God whiche very same hathe geuen vnto vs the erneste of the spirite ANd vpon thys sure truste certaynly lytle regarde we euen oure lyfe knowinge well that yf it chaunce our soules in this worlde to be chaced out of the mansion of oure bodye whiche I myght more properly call a tent than a mansion being suche as a manne maye not long tary in though nomanne dryue hym thence that we haue prepared for vs another howse in heauen from whence we shall neuer be excluded As for this howse of oures because it is made of claye and buylded by manne whether we wyll or not decayeth dayly albeit no man pull it downe euen as we see other buyldynges in continuaunce of tyme to be destroyed Mennes workmanshyp can not be of longe continuaunce but that whiche is repayred by god and once becomen heauenly is out of all suche ieoperdies as chaunce by reason of tyme. And so lytle feare we to departe out of this wretched body that vntyl that be we sygh here desyring to be discharged of the burdayne of our mortal carkas wherewith our soule is here in earth much burdeyned and kept downe desyrouse to flye hence to another place and to be clothed with the mansion of a gloryfied body which shall from heauen be gyuen vnto vs so that when we bee vnclothed of this bodye we bee not founde vtterlye naked but through a confidence of our good lyfe clothed with the hope of lyfe immortall For we grone in thys meane season for the heuynes of oure bodye thrall and subiecte to so manye miseries not because it is a thyng of it selfe to bee desyred of any man to departe hence but because we desyre to haue this bodye restored into a better fourme and for mortalitie by rysyng againe to receaue immortalitie so that we seme not vtterly spoyled of the bodye whiche we for a tyme forsoke but better clothed with the same as who for a corruptible bodye shall receaue an incorruptible And albeit this seme neuer so vnlikely that there shall for a mortall body ryse an immortall fre from all miseries yet muste we not mistruste the sonne It is god whiche hathe prepared vs to receaue the glory of lyfe immortall who hathe also in the meane season gyuen vs as a pledge or an earneste peny his holy spirite to confirme and establyshe vs with his present inspiracion in hope of that whiche is to come The texte Therfore we are alwaye of good cheare and knowe that as longe as we are at home in the body we are absent from God For we walke in fayth not after the outwarde appearaunce Neuerthelesse we are of good comforte and had leuer to be absent from the body and to be present with God Wherfore whether we be at home or from home we endeuour our selues to please hym For we must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue the workes of his body accordyng to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Seyng then that we knowe how the Lorde is to be feared we fate fayre with men For we are knowen wel inough vnto god I trust also that we are knowen in your consciences For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you but geue you an occasyon to reioyce of vs that ye maye haue somewhat agaynst them which reioyce in the face and not in the hearte For yf we bee to feruente to God are we to feruent Or yf we kepe measure for your cause kepe we measure For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs because we thus iudge that yf one dyed for al then were all dead he dyed for al ▪ that they which lyue should not hence furth lyue vnto themselues but vnto him which dyed for them and rose agayne Wherfore henceforth knowe we no man after the fleshe In somuche though we haue knowen Christ after the flesh now yet hence forth know we him so nomore Therfore yf any man be in Christ he is a newe creature Olde thynges are passed away behold all thynges are become newe Neuertheles all thinges are of God whiche hathe reconcyled vs vnto hymself by Iesus Chryst and hathe geuen to vs the office to preache the attonement For God was in Chryste and made agrement betwene the worlde and hym selfe and imputed not theyr synnes vnto them hath commytted to
seke vpon the succour of the lawe specially synce we well knowe that through the benefite of the lawe no man before God is made righteous If menne were what nede were it to resorte to the fayth of the gospel The texte If while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ then the minister of sinne God forbid And if after our once receiuyng the fayth of the gospel we be neuertheles found subiecte to synne so that we nede yet an other remedy as muche as we had nede of beyng vnder Moses lawe and beyng disapointed of the hope we stoode in so that we now againe are compelled to seke vpon the lawe that of vs was forsaken what shal we say shal we say that Christ whom we beleued to be the author of perfite iustice is the minister of vnrighteousnes who not onely deliuereth vs not from our olde vnrighteousnes but is also an occasion of encrease therof and not onely geueth vnto vs not the welthy state whiche we loked for but also causeth our coÌ„demnacion to be more grieuous forasmuche as vpoÌ„ hope of him we forsoke the lawe whervnto if we againe be compelled to returne we might seme not without fault vnaduisedly to haue forgone it of whiche fault Christ semeth the very occasion But God forbid that any man so iudge of Christ or thinke that the grace of his gospel doeth lacke any perfeccion so that towarde the attainement of saluacion we should nede to seeke somewhat out of Moses law The texte For if I haue builte againe the thinges whiche I destroyed then make I my selfe a trespacer For I through the lawe haue been dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto Christ For to returne againe to Moses after we once haue receiued the lawe of the gospel it is a certain fallyng away from Christ and reproche to the gospel yea what Iewe or straunger soeuer so doeth therin declareth he him selfe also to be a transgressour of Moses lawe For if the lawe any thyng made to saluacion why forsoke he it if it nothyng made why falleth he to it agayne If the buildyng throwen doune with myne owne handes I begynne euen from the foundacion to buylde the same againe whiche I erste destroyed shewe not I therin my foly whiche sette that vp againe whiche I vnaduisedly destroyed No cause is there then why after we haue once embraced the fayth of the gospel by whom the goodnes of Christ would we should receiue perfite righteousnes and saluacion to regarde the succour of the grosse lawe whervnto we are now no lenger bonde For as the death of either of the two maried deliuereth the partie that is left on liue froÌ„ the bonde of matrimony so had I whiche am a Iewe with the lawe somewhat to do as long as that mutual right endured that is to say as long as the lawe liued vnto me and I liued to the lawe The texte I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet now not I but Christ liueth in me The life whiche I now liue in the fleshe I liue by the fayth of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue him selfe for me I dispise not the grace of God For if righteousnes come of the lawe then Christ died in vaine But assone as through the death of Christ and the sacrament of baptisme I became prentice to the spiritual lawe of fayth I was in maner to the grosse and carnal lawe dead yet not so dead that I liued not but so dead that I begunne to liue after a better way and condicion Hitherto liued I to Moses but now liue I to God For God is a spirite As Christ liued before a mortal man hauyng a body subiecte to miseries as ours is so he beyng now dead to the fleshe and also to the world liueth to God the father free from all corrupcion and miseries of death But I whiche through baptisme am crucifyed with Christ and also dead with him am so farre from beyng bonde to these grosse and carnal rather than spiritual and godly obseruaunces that to them I am dead For I liue not grosse and carnal as I once was subiect also to worldly desires Dead is Saule the stoute deâ—ender of the law persecutor of the gospel and yet through the spirite of Christ haue I receiued life now muche better Or rather I liue not my selfe whiche of my selfe am nothyng but carnal but in me liueth Christ whoâ—e holy spirite at his wyll and pleasure gouerneth all myne actes But wheras I am not yet free from all contagion of death but haue stil a body somewhat subiecte to mannes weakenes the discoÌ„modities of this mortall life yet in maner liue I a life immortal conceiued in my soule through sure hope assuryng my selfe vpoÌ„ the promise of the sonne of God through whose bounteous mercy I haue receiued yâ— gift of fayth through fayth righteousnes through righteousnes life euerlastyng not by keapyng of the grosse lawe but through the singular goodnes of Christ who of his owne good wyll loued me deseruyng no suche thyng so greatly that for my synnes he suffered the punishement of the crosse and for my welth gaue him selfe to death Free is all that he geueth His pleasure was that for our saluacion we should to him be beholdyng and not to the kepyng of the lawe He it is whiche frely geueth this benefite to all men He it is whiche taketh a way synne and geueth pure and innocent life Were not I most vnkynde yea were I not spitefull against Christ if I refused his offre And refuseth he not it who after baptisme receiued loketh backe againe for helpe of the lawe as though to abolishe al the synnes of the worlde and to geue euery manne euerlastyng saluacion Christes death were not sufficient If through innocent and hurtleslife we become immortal whence I pray you rather loke we to receiue both by confidence in the law or by the fre mercy of Christ If by his free mercy why hang we styl on the lawe If by keapyng of Moses then is Christ dead in vayne forasmuche as that for whiche his pleasure was to dye by his death we geate not The third Chapiter The texte O ye folishe Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before the eyes now among you crucified COmenly among men for your folishenes and childishnes are ye euil spoken of but this may I truely say O ye folishe Galathians whiche would be brought in to an opinion so farre from all reason that where the Iewes through the fayth of the gospel preached vnto them are deliuered froÌ„ the burden of the law ye beyng free menne borne wyl wilfully cast your selfe into bondage â–ª The harme whiche is herein done I lay not wholy to your charge but blame your lightenes to beleue easynes to be persuaded but much more blame I the malice
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 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
Christe shall profite you nothing at all But this wyse peraduenture ye deceyue your selfe saying we renounce not Christ but because we would be of euerlasting saluacion in more assuraunce we ioyne Christe and the lawe together But I tell you that as Christe would haue this his whole benefite comen to all so woulde he onlye be thanked for all nor in this bounteouse gyfte of his wyll he haue any copartener But because ye shall the better vnderstande how great a ieopardy it is to turne backe to Iewishnes beholde I Paule the Apostell of the Gentiles whome ye well knowe yea and an apostle appointed by Christe hymselfe tell you playnly that yf ye be circumcised Christe shall nothyng at all profite you Yf ye perfitelye beleue that he is able to gyue all men healthe euerlastyng why seeke ye for circumcision I◠ye mistruste and feare leste he be not able then know ye not yet the benefite of Christe wherof suche as mistrust cannot be partakers synce that gyfte is giuen to suche as beleue and truste and not so muche for any desearte of oure workes Either muste ye whollye become Iewes forsake Christ or els christians wholly and forsake Iewyshnes ▪ As for suche as playe with both handes he cannot awaye with nor wyl haue newe wyne poured into olde bottels nor yet olde wyne into newe bottels Nor can he beare with to haue newe clothe sowed or patched to an olde garmente nor olde clothe to be patchedlye sowed into a newe If the bondage of Iewyshenes were easye it neded not peraduenture to be passed vpon yf the rewarde for it were great then should the payne therof in some parte be therby recompensed But nowe besydes that the burden is exceadyng paynful ye shal not only by takyng of it not haue auauntage but also great hurte The texte I testifie agayne to euery man whiche is circumcised that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe Christ is become but in vayne vnto you as manye of you as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace Beware leste with suche standyng in your owne conceytes ye deceyue your selues saying we wyl not to the whole burden of the lawe be bound somewhat wyl we take of the lawe as for example circumcision onlye lest we seme vtterly to refuse it as for sacrificyng of beastes with suche other obseruaunces of the lawe them wyll we not medle with But because ye shall not be deceyued I tell all men playnlye whosoeuer doth circumcise hym selfe whether he be Iewe or Gentile the same man maketh hymselfe bonde to the kepyng of the whole lawe For as throughe baptisme menne wholy belong to Christe so whoso is circumcised byndeth hymselfe to all the law for circumcision is the marke wherby he becommeth a Iew. The vncircumcised Gentiles stande in libertie to gather here and there out of the lawe suche thinges as are nedefull but the circumcised are bounde to the whole lawe Whoso is content to receyue circumcision muste lykewise therwith receyue sacrifices kepyng of the Sabboth feastes of the newe Moone washynges choyse of meates standing fasting dayes with suche other lyke Now wylfully to submit youre selfe to so great a burden is it not a playne poynt of madnes speciallye for no other rewarde but to be vnder a moste paynful and vnprofitable bondage fallyng from Christ y◠only gyuer of libertie and saluacion For yf as I nowe haue ofte tymes tolde you ye looke to purchase perfite iustice by helpe of the law which by a confidence in workes promiseth a certayne perfecciō surely ye are gone and departed ferre from the felowshyp of Christe who woulde haue his gyfte to be free and not gyuen for desertes And then yf ye be once departed from Christes felowshyp the lawe wyll do you no good neither but rather be your confusion For yf there were of the lawe anye vse and profit before the lyght of the gospel as there was al that by the gospel preached and taught is quite gone Yf ye esteme the lawe Christe is abolyshed But if ye receiue Christ then muste the lawe gyue place When I speake of the lawe I vnderstande the groce and carnall parte of Moses lawe whome the Iewes stifly mayntayne by the corporal obseruaunces therof promysing themselues perfite righteousnes thinkyng that the bloud of beastes sprinkled vpon them pourgeth the soule from synne and that washyng in water scoureth out the filthines of soules that cleane or vncleane meat pourgeth or defileth the mynde The texte We looke for hope in the spirite to be iustified through faith For in Iesu Christ neither is circumcision any thyng worthe neither yet vncircūcision but fayth which worketh by loue We contrariwyse embracyng the spirituall parte of the lawe looke not for y◠righteousnes promised by any supersticiouse obseruaunces of corporall ceremonies but by that we throughe the gospel beleue that by Christes death we freelye receyue innocencie of lyfe and full saluacion Nothyng skylleth it whether ye come to Christe circumcised or vncircumcised synce all this mattier standeth not in kepyng of the lawe but in fayth whiche albeit be without the workes of Moses lawe yet is she not idle but secretly worketh a vehement onwardnes to all godlynes not so muche because the lawe so byddeth but for charities sake whiche withoute bydding euen of her owne accorde dothe muche more than is any law with manacing wordes or punishment able to get out Yf ye haue charitie what nede is there to haue the rules of the lawe If ye lacke her what auayleth you the kepyng of the lawe The texte Ye did runne wel who was a let vnto you that ye should not beleue the truthe cōsente vnto noman Euen the counsel whiche came not of hym that calleth you A lytle leauen dothe leauen the whole loumpe of dowe In the course of the gospell ye dyd once runne apace makyng hastye spede euen the very ryght waye towarde the chiefe game of euerlastyng blysse who was he that stayed your course why approue ye not continually that thing wherewith ye were once well pleased Why go ye frō your intended purpose folowing other mennes myndes an other whyle Beware that no mannes authoritie weyghe so muche with you y◠it make you drawe backe from your course apoynted It is a foule shame for you now to fall to shadowes after that ye once gaue credēce to the truthe I taught you nothing but that was commaunded me by god But they y◠labour to persuade you the contrarie lettyng therby the encrease of your fayth and callyng you from youre profession to a Iewyshenes folowe not god as theyr authour who through faythe hath called you into his fauour and not to a Iewyshnes through receyuing of circumcision but folow worldly desyres seekyng for theyr gaynes glorie and maynteynaunce of theyr tyrannie Diligently take hede and beware of theyr persuasions They are but fewe but onles ye auoyde the same fewes companie it is to be feared leste they corrupte the
of all healthe that you may behold hym in the meane while as it were with iyes not with bodily eiyes but with the iyes of the harte and mynde that see through the light of faithe wherewith the thynges are also seen that are to come whiche cannot be seene with the grosse bodily iyes whereby you maye knowe that which no humayne philosophie teacheth how blissed the enheritaunce is whiche he hath called vs to truste vpon and how excellent yâ— dignitie of this most pleÌ„teous enheritauÌ„ce is which the saynctes shal receyue howe great the largenesse and how excedyng the greatnesse of his power is which he declareth eueÌ„ now in vs the which also as it were with a certain secrete enforcement yâ— cannot be expressed with tongue hath transformed alâ—red vs froÌ„ our olde trade after such sorte that we conteÌ„ne al other thiges trust onely to him coÌ„teÌ„ning those thinges which wese we hope after such thinges of him as we se not such as he hath openly declared before in our head Christ whoÌ„ of his mightie power hauing raised from death to life immortal he hath exalted vnto so high honor that he hath set him on his owne right hand in yâ— kingdoÌ„ of heauen geuen him autoritie ouer al other rule potestate power lordship and euery other name of dignitie or power how excellent so euer it be aboue these afore rehearsed eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come that he may be lorde not onely ouer bodely and earthly thinges but also ouer spirituall and heauenly thynges So ferre hath he subdued al thinges without excepcion vnder his feete And to make our hope more stedfast and certayn that we shall also come to the felowship of the same glorye for asmuche as he hath made Christe lorde ouer all thinges his pleasure was also that he shoulde be the head vnto al the whole flocke of the beleuing that cleaue so fast to Christe as the whole body is coupled to the head that the one can not be disceuered froÌ„ the other Finally the glory of the head is common to the rest of the members wherunto the head is so set about that it powreth his good nourishment into euery one of them The bodye is not perfit onleÌ„s the head be at it and the head wanteth sum what if the body be not set to perfitly consummate in all his meÌ„bres wherunto Christ doeth seuerally powre his excellent giftes in such wise that by himselfe he fulfilleth all thiÌ„ges and liueth and reigneth now whole and entierely perfit hauing his members vnited vnto himselfe ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte And you hath he quyckened wher as ye were dead in trespasses and synnes in the whiche in tyme passed ye walked according to the course of this worlde euen after the gouerner that ruleth in the ayre the spiryte that nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbelefe emong whoÌ„ we all had out conuersacion also in tyme past in the lustes of oure fleshe and fuliâ—lled yâ— wyll of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the chyldren of wrath euen as well as other But God whiche is ryche in mercye for his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were deade by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by grace arâ— ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym made vs sytte together with hym emong them of heauen in Chryst Iesu That in tymes to come he myght shewe the exceding riches of his grate in kindnes to vs ward thorow Christ Iesu For by grate are ye made safe thorowe faythe and that not of your selues It is the gyite of God and coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should â—â—ast hym selfe For we are his worckemaÌ„shyppe created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whiche God ordeined that we should walke in them NOwe marke me this how the father hath begon in a maner to accomplish euen now in you that that is accomplished already in Christ shal be after ward accoÌ„plished in you Christ dyed and rose agayn shall neuer after dye any more Certes he was not subiecte to sinne albeit forasmuche as he tooke vpon him an humaine bodie he was subiecte to mortalitie To be briefe like as sin is a certain death of the soule and the forewarning of eternall death euen so is innocencie a certayne life of the soule and the beginning of eternal life But of this maner of lyfe God that geueth vs his spirite is the prince And the deuil is yâ— autor of death hauing also a spirite of his owne wherwith those that ve enspired are rapt vnto the pleasures of this world and plainely distrust the promisses of eternal lyfe Christ dyed for our offences and rose agayn to make vs sure of the immortalitie to come In the meane tyme after hys exaumple you also being engraffed to Christ through baptisme are dead to your sinnes and wickednes wherein as long as you liued vngodly you were dead in dede for asmuche as you had affyaunce in nothing but noysome shadowes of good thinges wherwith this worlde for a tyme disceaueth suche as wantyng the spirite of God are lead by the spirite of Satan whose tirannye in the meane while is permitted ouer this lower element His spirit I say and he himselfe setteth out as it were his own power in them that hauing no trust in the promisses of the Gospell set theyr whole felicitie in visible and transitory thinges and geue no eare to God the father that allureth them to true felicitie but had leauer serue that wieked cruell maister whome in tymes past you serued and not you alone but all we also For albeit the law restrayned vs from the wurshipping of Images yet our lyfe was altogether defyled with noysome lustes of corporall thynges by the enforcemente whereof we passed of the tyme not doyng those thynges whiche the holy ghoste commaunded but those that our owne mynde geuen to filthie affectes bad vs doe By reason wherof it came to passe that like as they which are encorporated to Christe through fayth appertayne to the enheritaunce that is promised to obedient children euen so we as disobedient children should haue belonged to a ferre contrary enheritaunce that is to say we should haue becomen the companions of hym to whome we had ioyned our selues That death is eternal that is appoynted to the wicked Wherunto we also were subiect asmuche as other touchyng our owne state and condicion We had addicted ourselues vnto it of our owne free choice but it was not in our power to wynde vs agayne out of that most miserable seruitude Nowe you haue heard of our death now you haue harde of our destruccion but whereof commeth lyfe whereof commeth saluacyon Truely not of our desertes nor yet by the benefite of Moses lawe Whence than Surely of the free largesse of God the father whose bounteousnesse and louyng affection is so plenteous and so exceadingly great to mankyndewarde that
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
them to folowe goodnesse righteousnesse and trueth and generallye to marke rhat thyng alwayes not that is pleasyng vnto meÌ„ nor that is swete or delectable vnto vs but that which is acceptable vnto the wil of god after whose appointmeÌ„t our coÌ„uersacion ought altogether to be gouerned The texte And haue no felowship with the vnfruictful workes of darkenes but rather rebuke them For it is shame euen to name those thinges whiche are doen of theÌ„ in secret but all thinges when they are rebuked of the light are manyfest For whatsoeuer is manyfest the same is light Wherfore he saieth awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the lighte Christe is the fountayne of our dayelyght and yf you wyll continuallye cleane vnto hym your endeuour shal be to doe fruictefull honeste offices of godlines and suche as be worthye of the lyght and from henceforth be a shamed to haue a doe with the vnfruictefull workes of darkenesse Now therfore take so good hede that you sâ—yde not agayne into your olde former darkenesse that you may rather with your lyght bewray and reproue those naughty dedes that they coÌ„mit in theyr darkenes For whaÌ„ thei are not afraied to offend God as oft as the night or secrete place hath takeÌ„ away shame the thynges that they do than are so abominable that it were very shame euen once to make rehersal of them But as long as they offende whyle no lyghte appeareth â–ª they offende â—â—cenciouslye without punishement But as often as they are bewrayed with the open light than the vilenesse of the thyng begynneth to bee knowen and the faultes so beâ—wrayed are amended and turned into better that is to were whan the nyghte is turned into the daye and the blyndenesse of harte vtterly expulsed And yf your conuersacion be light they shal be ashamed of theyr owne filthynes whâ—n they see your Innocencie And than it shall come to passe that beeyng moued through your honeste godlye demeanour they shall bee styrred vp to Innocencie yf they see the lyght of Christe â–ª shynyng in you For in deede thus sayeth the prophete Wake thou that sleapeste and ryse vp from the deade and Christe shall geue the lyght It is a very deade sleape yea rather death it selfe to bee ouer whelmed with the pleasures of this worlde and not to respecte the thynges that are eternall and vnfeynedlye good And yet they cannot otherwyse awake nor by any other meanes returne to lyfe onlesse Christe spring into theyr hartes and wrpe awaye the grosse darkenesse of ignoraunce The texte ¶ Take hede therfore how ye walke circuÌ„spectly not as vnwise but as wise men aâ—oiding occasion because the dayes are euyll Wherfore be ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lord is and be not droncke with wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled with the sprite speakinge vnto your selues in psalmes and hymnes and spyritual songes singyng and making melodie to the Lorde in your hertes geuyng thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ submittyng your selues one to another in the feare of God Therefore you of the Ephesians vnto whome Christe our bryght sunne geueth hys clere lyght take hede and loke about you how and after what maner you walke not leadyng your lyfe nowe after the maner of the gentyles which through blyndenesse of harte perceyue not what is honest but as it becommeth them that vnderstande truelye the doctryne of the Ghospell and with losse of all you haue redeme this oportunitie to obteyne saluacion whiche the more gredelye is to be layed holde vpon yâ— this tyme is so perâ—ously naught and many thynges flowe in on euerie side that are hable to withdrawe vncircumspect men from the synceritie of Christian doctryne Therfore it standeth you in hand to take the more circumspecte hede that throughe vnaduisednesse you geue not occasion vnto the wicked yâ— eyther they maie be open aduersaries to the Gospel or elles drawe you backe from your profession This is the whole Summe of your saluacion and in this behalfe you ought to be warely wyse to wynke at other thynges and to declare that you vnderstande perfeitlye what the lordes wyll is For his desire is to haue al men brought to the saluacion of the Gospel if it were possible And it shal be requisite for such as take that busines in hand to bee sobre For drounkenship is hartelesse and vncircumspecte and not onelye harteles but also rashe and temerarious Therefore be in no wyse drounken with wyne whiche is a thyng vnnecessariâ— and prouoketh â—aâ—ciuiousnes but be you filled with the swete wyne of the holy ghoste For that is a fortunate ebrietie that can stirre vs not to wanton dauncynges or folyshe ballettes wherewith the gentiles crie vpon theyr deuilles but vnto psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songâ—s wherewith to reioyce and syng and make merye amonge your selues vnto the lorde not with vncomly yellyng noyses as madde drounken men are vsed to dooe but in wardelye in your soules and in your hertes This is a pleasure this is a loue this is a baâ—kette woorthye of Christians leste they shoulde excede the gentiles in drounken bankettynges After theyr drounken pastimes sorowe dooeth ensue and many tymes also disease of bodye But your myrth is a continuall merimente For whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you whether it bee gladnesse or whether it bee sadnesse gladnesse from our mercifull God sadnesse from hym that laboureth for your saluacion you are bounden alwayes to geue thankes for all thynges beyng assured that nothyng can happen but to the beste auauntage of your eternall felicitie But the thankes are to bee geuen vnto God the autoure of al good thynges to al menne and thesame is also the father and God of our lord Iesus Christe by whome he geueth vs all thynges and hym he wyll haue praysed in all thinges equally with himselfe Christ hath submitted himselfe obedieÌ„tly vnto yâ— father and in lyke case it becommeth vs to submmitte our selues vnto hym not that it besemeth a Christian to be a terrour vnto a Christian but those that reuerently folow Christ as apperteineth do not grudge to submit theÌ„selfes euerye one to other inasmuch as he beyng the supreme head of al hath submitted himselfe humbly vnder al. Let the inferiour acknoweledge the autoritie of the superiour And on the other syde let the superiour confourme hymselfe vnto yâ— capacitie of the inferiour so as yâ— rather he may do hym good For he that among Christians beareth moste rule ruleth to none other ende but to do the most good he caÌ„ The texte ¶ Ye wemen submitte your selfes vnto your owne housebandes as vnto the Lorde For the housebande is the wyues head euen as Christe is the head of the congregacion and thesame is he that ministreth saluacion vnto the bodye Therefore as the congregacion is in subieccion to Christe likewyse let the wyues also be in subieccion to theyr housbandes in
Iesus Christ as it becoÌ„meth me so iudge I of you al because I haue you in my berte for asmuche as ye all are companyons of grace wyth me euen in my bondes and in the defendyng and stablyshynge of the gospel For God is my recorde howe greatlye I longe after you all from the very hart rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue may encrease yet more more in knowledge in all vnderstandyng that ye may accepte the thinges that are most excelleÌ„t that ye may be pure and such as hurte no mans coÌ„science vntyl yâ— day of Christ beyng filled with yâ— fruit of rightewisenes whiche fruit coÌ„meth by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of God Verely as often as I call vpon God in my prayers as I doo in dede with out ceassyng I make continuall mention of you all with rendryng of thankes and excedyng reioycyng on all your behalfes that euer synce the fyrst entraunce of your profession euen vnto this daye in that you haue releued me wyth your helpe and gentilnes you haue shewed youre selues to be of the felowshyppe of the gospel And my continuall prayer is that you maye encrease in those vertuous doynges more more not doubtyng but God which hath entred these godly partes in you wyl performe yâ— which he hath begon in you vnto the day yâ— Iesus Christ shall come recompence eternall rewarde to well done dedes For so it is conuenient the I should iudge of you through the helpe of God in asmuche as alwayes hitherto I haue had suche experience of youre constaunte and true gospellike loue to me warde as I may easyly gather that of a very good begynnyng shal come a very good ending For the which cause sake my minde is so affectuously set towardes you the euen in these bandes and whaÌ„ I am arraigned at Neroes barre wher I must pleade for my head giltie or not giltie in other mine afflictions through the which yâ— power of yâ— gospel is not hindred nor obscured but coÌ„firmed aduauÌ„ced I haue euer borne you a singuler good will bicause I haue alwayes perceiued you as glad as my self that the word of Christ doth florishe through my painful afflictioÌ„ For god him selfe knoweth froÌ„ whoÌ„ nothing is hiddeÌ„ how disirously affected I am towardes you all not after the maner of mannes affection either to the intente to get anye thyng of you or yet in anye wyse to flattre you for youre lyberalitie shewed to me but I loue you with a pure christiaÌ„ affectioÌ„ for none other purpose but bycause I see that you loue Iesus Christ constauntly purely I thanke God heartely for bestowynge hys gyftes vpon you I beseche hym that this youre charitie may encrease more and more in all knowledge and in all vnderstandyng that you maye knowe vnto whome youre dutie is to minister the offices of charitie For the commaundement of charitie is that you should mynde to doo good dedes And discretion sheweth howe and where you shoulde doo good dedes Than what so euer you shall bestowe for Christes sake vpon the preachers and promotours of the ghospell it is best bestowed of all other bycause you shall receyue it agayne with greate auauntage And for this cause I wyshe and praye that you may alwayes encrease in both these gyftes so as you maye be hable to proue what is best to be done and that you maye be of a sincere affection to geue respecte to nothyng but onelye to Christe and to set out the profession of the ghospell with suche vprightnes of lyfe that you geue not any man occasion to be offended but rather allute all men to the true wourshyppe of God and so perseuer styll vnto the daye of Christes commynge that you maye than appeare ryche and aboundauntlye ful of good workes wherof in this world you make as it wer a seedenesse and shall reape the frute therof at yâ— day with moste plenteous encrease by the meritours goodnes of Iesus Christ not to the glory of you me but to the glorye and praise of god to whoÌ„ as yâ— fouÌ„taine of al goodnes al thinges are to be referred The texte I would ye should vnderstande brethren that the thynges whiche happened vnto me chaunced vnto the great furtheraunce of the ghospell So that my bondes in Christe are manifest thorow out all the iudgement hall and in al other places In so much that many of the brethren in the lorde beyng encouraged thorowe my bondes dare more boldely speake the worde wythout feare Some preache Christ of enuye and stryfe and some of good wyll The one part preacheth Christ of strife and not sincerely supposyng to adde more aduersitie to my boÌ„des Agayne the other part preache of loue because they know yâ— I am set to defend the gospel What then So that Christe be preached anye maner of waye whether it be by occasion or of true meanyng I am glad therof yea and I will be glad For I know that this shall chaunce to my saluacion thorowe your prayer and ministrynge of the spirit of Iesu Christ accordyng to my expectation and hope that in nothyng I shal be ashamed but that with all bold nesse as alwayes euen so nowe also Christ shal be magnified in my body whether it be thorow lyfe or thorowe death For Christe is to me lyfe and death is to me auauntage If it chaunce me to lyue in the fleshe that thyng is to me frutefull for the worke and what I shal chose I wote nor â—or I am coÌ„strained of these two thynges I desyre to be loâ—ced to be with Christe which is moche farre better Neuerthelesse to abyde in the fleshe is more nedfull for you And this am I sure of that I shal abyde continue with you all for youre furtheraunce and ioye of your fayth that your reioysyng maye be the more aboundant thorow Iesus Christe in me by my commyng to you agayne Now to the intent ye may the more amplye be partakers of my ioye I would ye should vnderstand brethreÌ„ that yâ— emprisonmeÌ„t fetters arraignemeÌ„tes and my other calamities wher with I was tossed turmoyled for the gospel of Christ did not only not hinder the sitting abrod coÌ„firming of the doctrine of the gospel but also happened to the great furtheraunce of it did not only not withdraw the faythfull froÌ„ the profession yâ— they had taken vpon theÌ„ but also confirmed theÌ„ in it a greate deale the more made theÌ„ more hartie of a better courage so as they vnderstode yâ— to be most vndoubtedly true yâ— I preache for yâ— which I am not afraied to suffre these thinges made theÌ„ bold to entreprise yâ— lyke by myne exaÌ„ple For this for the most part is the coÌ„men chauÌ„ce that happeneth to matters of honestye of weightye importauÌ„ce the more they are holden vnder and turmoyled hereawaye and thereawaye so muche more they come forwarde appeare not withstaÌ„ding the
endeuour of the wicked trauailling to the coÌ„trarie So in dede my bondes gaue occasion that the woorde of Christe came not onelye to a fewe and those but of the symple sorte of the commune people as it was afore but it floryshed also throughoute all Neroes hall and all the whole cytie so as sondrye of the brethren whyche professed the ghospell before that tyme as men halfe afrayed nowe beynge encouraged wyth my bondes as the Lorde Iesus ordreth the matter they begynne alid through myne example to professe the woorde of the ghospell more freely and boldelye all drede set aparte And albeit all men dyd it not wyth a lyke synceritie as they dyd not also wyth lyke dylygence yet the matter chaunced by occasion to the furtheraunce of the ghospell For there was among them some that dyd it of a maliciouse purpose to procure the greater hatred against me and to kyndle Neroes stomake so muche the more fearcely agaynste vs as he sawe thys secte encrease and come forwarde whiche in his erronious conceipte he iudgeth to be hurtefull to his Empire In consideration whereof they thoughte he woulde the soner haue dispatched me oute of the waye Perchaunce there be manye that hauynge disdeigne at my glorye whyche notwythstandynge I chalenge not to my selfe but resigne it whollye vnto Christe haue gone aboute throughe malicious enuye to obscure my commendacion if they myght seme to be more diligente than wee Agayne there be of them that preache Christe as I dooe with a syncere good conscience thoughe it be not throughly perfite For as concernynge fauoure after the outwarde maner of man I can not wante anye at theyr handes whyche loue me and see me endaungered for thys cause that I goe stedfastlye about accordyng to the offyce commytted vnto me to defende the ghospell agaynste the wycked althoughe that euen those that preache vpon the moste naughty purpose haue furthered the glorye of the ghospell also For they preache Christe but not of a Christian conscience nor of an vpryghte purpose but labour to the intente they myghte cause me nowe I am taken and bounden to be more greuouslye punyshed in case throughe theyr earnest hoote cockled ghospellyng they coulde haue broughte vs in to more haynous displeasure Thys how so euer it shal happen vnto me shall make no great matter so that it turne to the glorye of Christe vnto whome I owe suche entier hartie loue that I am glad to haue hym notified vnto all men by what occasion so euer it be They deserue the greatest commendation before God that preache Christe vpon the same intente that I doe And they are to be borne wythall that vpon a certayne pryuate affection towardes vs set forwarde the doctrine of the gospel But those yâ— preache Christ for displeasure of me in yâ— they hurte theÌ„selues I am sorye in yâ— they goe about to hurt me I defye theÌ„ in that their froward purpose turneth to the furtheraunce of the gospel I am veray glad so that they teache Christe truelye althoughe theyr entent be nothyng vpryght And I doo not onelye reioyce nowe presentlye but also I wyll reioyce hereafter in rase they goe on styl in despight of me to set out the doctrine of Christ It greueth not me that their intente is by thys meanes to destroye me seynge I knowe well ynoughe that wyth the helpe of youre prayers the spirite of Iesu Christe forwardynge and gouernyng this busines it shall proue vnto my best commoditie whether I dye or lyue And my faythfull truste that I haue coÌ„ceyued of hym shall neuer desceaue me whiche is that I am moste certaynly perswaded that he wil neuer leaue me destitute nor put to shame in preaching the gospell which he hathe coÌ„mytted vnto me so as I shal not be enforced wyth anye afflictions either to reâ—ante it as vayne or holde my tongue from speakyng the thyng that I am sure is mooste true but rather lyke as the afflictions whiche I haue suffered at mennes handes after the bodye haue alwayes hetherto turned to the aduauntage of the ghospell eyther whan I was stoned or whan I was scourged wyth whyppes or whan I was caste to wylde beastes euen so thys afflyction whereby I am in ieoperdye of my heade and lyfe shall proue also to the glorye and prayse of Christe whether I chaunce to lyue or dye For as the former stormes of myne afflictions althoughe they troubled thys caâ—cas dyd neuer for all that wythdrawe myne harte nor made me to shrynke from the stedfast preachyng of Christe no more shall also thys hoote tempest any thyng withdrawe me Yf I lyue I shall defende the trueth of the ghospell boldely yf I shall dye euen my deathe whiche I shall gladlye suffer for the ghospelles sake shall further the glorye of Christ Whether waye so euer happeneth vnto me I shal be in sure sauegarde And as for death I am not onely not afrayed of it but I thynke it also rather to be wyshed for yf it myghte be to the spedye furtheraunce of the ghospell And yet I am not wearye to lyue thoughe I lyue in thys payefull estate for I measure all the felicitie of my lyfe by the successe of the ghospell And on the other parte I am not affrayed of death For it shal be my vauntage and brynge me to the ioyes of heauen where after thys lyfe I shall truely lyue And yet in the meane tyme thys vyle corporall lyfe wanteth not his frute forasmuche as in amplyfyinge of good dedes the rewarde of immortalitie is amplyfyed also and besydes that whyle we lyue in thys worlde the ghospell of Christe is set forwarde and confirmed throughe oure trauayll And it is in the hande of Christe whether hys pleasure be rather that I lyue or dye For myne owne parte I am so readyly prepared for eyther waye that I can not tell whether is better for me to chose There is cause why I shoulde wyshe to dye and there is cause why I shoulde not refuse to lyue But whan I haue cast what is best for me â–ª and examyned myne owne hearte I perceyue it were a greate deale better for me to be losed frome the troublous toylynges of thys lyfe and to be in presente companye wyth Christe and to goe agayne vnto that vnspeakeable felicitie that I had a taste of whan I was â—apte into the thyrde heauen Agayne whan I consider what is best and moste expedyent for you I perceyue it profitable yea rather necessarie for you that I contynue yet for a whyle in thys myne office And I knowe this for a certayntie that I shall tarye styll yet in this life and tarye so as I shall once haue youre companye agayne and be at suche libertie as you shall goe forwarde more aboundauntlye in faithe and as I shall haue muche more cause to be glad of the encreace of your fayth and as you on the other parte maye be glad of my commyng vnto you agayne whan you shall see that by the
al men that you are the veraye ryghte chyldren of God and no bastardes nor vnlawfull chyldren but perfitelye resemblyng youre heauenlye father in youre heauenlye conuersacyon and so ordre youre lyfe in the myddes of a frewarde cruell corrupte nation that youre syncere vpryghtenesse be not spotted in any condicion but rather let youre innocencie of lyfe so shyne amonge their darkenesse as it were certayne lyghtes of the world set before all mennes eyes For you are they of whome Christe speaketh in the ghospell sayeng you are the lyghte of the worlde whiche holde vp the lyuelye woorde of the ghospell that euery bodye maye see and expresse the doctryne of Christe euen in your conuersacion so as I am in assured trust that at the coÌ„ming of Christ I shall also reioyce in you for your constaunt perseuerynge that I haue not laboured in vayne nor runne vnprofitablye in this rase of the ghospel in that I haue wonne suche disciples vnto Christe And I doo not onely not repente my labours whereby I haue offred you as a moste acceptable sacrifice vnto God but also incase I my selfe chaunce to be offred vpon the oblacion and sacrifice of your fayth I shal be gladly contente bothe on youre behalfe and myne owne On youre behalfe in that I haue conuerted you vnto the gospel and offered you as a most acceptable sacrifice vnto Christe and on myne owne behalfe that hauing fynished suche a sacrifice I shall also be offered vp all together my selfe For lyke as I see well that myne afflictions chaunced vnto the furtheraunce of you euen so I knowe that my deathe shall chaunce to the furtheraunce of the ghospell And for this cause sake death shal be euen hartely welcome to me And yf it be conueniente that you shoulde be equall parteners of my ioye you oughte in no wise to be sorye for my death whiche shal bee so pleasauntly welcome to me The texte I trust in the lorde Iesus for to sende Timotheus shortely vnto you that I also maye be of good comforte when I know what case ye stand in For I haue no man that is so lyke minded to me which with so pure affection will care for your matters For al other seke their own and not the thinges which are Iesus Christes Ye know the profe of him how yâ— as a sonne with the father so hath he with me bestowed his setuice in the gospel â–ª Him therfore I hope to send assone as I know how it wil go with me I trust in yâ— lorde that I also my selfe shall come shortly Nowe ye perceyue in what behalfe you are bounden to be glad of my state but I trust throughe the grace of the Lorde Jesu to see you shortly by Tymotheus inasmuche as I can not come my selfe as yet Therefore I sende him euen as it were my selfe to the intent lyke as you are glad now you know what state I am in so I maye be as glad whan Timotheus commeth hither agayne to knowe what state you are in For I thought him chieflye the most mete man to sende vpon this message seyng there is neuer a one of all the rest that contenteth my mynde so wel as he in the ghospelles businesse bicause in applyinge youre necessaries he wyll be as willinglye diligent and faithful as I my selfe For you must vnderstande I haue iuste cause to regarde hym as myne owne sonne There be other whose ministerye I might better sparâ— than his but I woulde sende neuer a one but of throughly tried integritie For all the rest almost seke to be sent on suche messages not to doo so muche good vnto other as to prouide for their owne gayne rather than to wynne vnto Iesus Christe And you knowe that I haue alwayes abhorted suche purposed intentes I thynke it not necessarie that I shoulde prayse hym vnto you bicause you haue all ready seen his demeanour and can remembre afterwhat sorte he behaued him selfe wyth me in the ghospelles affaires and as a ryght sonne did represent me his father in all thynges Hym therefore I truste to sende as soone as I see to what â—nde my matters wyll growe And I truste for all thys by the grace of the Lorde that I my selfe shall also shortely come vnto you The texte But I supposed it necessarie to sende brother Epaphroditus vnto you my companyon in labour and felowe souldier youre Apostle whych also ministreth vnto me at nede For he longed after you all and was full of heuynesse because that ye had hearde saye that he had bene sicke And no doubte he was sicke in somuche that he was nye vnto death But god had mercye on hym and not on hym onelye but on me also leste I shoulde haue sorowe vpon sorowe I sente hym therefore the more dylygently that when ye see hym ye maye reioyce agayne and that I maye be the lesse sorowfull Receynt hym therefore in the Lorde wyth all gladnesse and make muche of suche because that for the worke of Christ he weute so farre that he was nye vnto deathe and regarded not his lyfe to fulfyll that which was lackyng on your part towarde me Furthermore I thoughte thys also veray requisite that Epaphroditus who is bothe my brother and companyon and felowe souldier and youre Apostle shoulde beare Tymotheus companye vnto you to the entente he myghte be commendablye welcome vnto you bothe for my sake and for youre owne who also broughte vnto me youre louyng charitie wherwith you are wonte to releue me at my nedes He was a good while a goe muche desyrous to come see you and was wonderfully afrayed lest it greued you to sore to heare tell that he was so perylouslye sycke It was true that you hearde saye for he was so sooze sycke that he was in ieoperdye of hys lyfe and vearye lyke to haue dyed But God restored hym agayne and had compassyon vpon hys seruaunte and not vpon him onelye but also vpon me that was in ieoperdye whan he was in ieoperdye leste vpon the sorowe that I conceaued by his sickenesse I should haue had double sorowe for the death of so faythfull a felowsouldyour And therfore I was the more diligent to sende hym vnto you specyally that you myghte be glad to see hym well amended agayne and peraduenture not beleue the tale as it was tolde you than that all my sorowe maye be wyped cleane oute of my mynde yf I perceaue you vnfeynedlye ioyous and glad of hys welfare Receyue hym therefore with a louynge Christian affection in all ioyfulnes and haue not hym in price onely but all them also that are lyke him For he whan you sente hym hyther was not onelye nothyng afrayed of Neroes crueltie whome he knewe to be muche greued at me but also for the ghospell of Christe he put him selfe in suche haserde that he was verye lyke to haue died preferrynge the doctrine of the ghospell before his owne healthe for this consideracion that bycause of his beyng awaye he thoughte he
him perishe were they not by him mainteined Thus see ye the excellencie and preeminence of Christ whiche thing I tel you of lest any manne of Angels thinke more than he should The texte And he is the head of the body euen of the congregacion he is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead that in all thinges he might haue the preeminence And lest perauenture his glorious and excellent maiestie so feare you away from him that to aspire and comevnto the fauor of God the father ye thinke it necessarie to seeke vpon some other meane heare againe and learne to knowe how good he is Christ is in suche sorte chiefe ruler and Lorde of Angels as I sayd that he nethelesse vouchesaueth also to be head of the churche whom he hath so ioyned vnto him that it cleaueth is coupled vnto him euen as the natural body cleaueth vnto the head Whatsoeuer therfore is alreadye done in the heade the same must to vs be coÌ„men He fyrst of all other rose againe from death not to the intent he would be immortall onely him selfe but to the ende he might enhaunce vs his membres to the felowship of his immortal life Loke what is in the fyrst fruites of grayne offered the same is generally in the whole heape He is in dede prince and author of resurreccion and so shall we through him also rise againe And as among thynges create he is chiefe in suche sorte yet that himself was not create and made so is he in testoryng creatures chiefe so that as we are for our beyng byrth bounde vnto his goodnes so should we for oure seconde byrthe baptisme to liue euerlastyngly be muche more beholdyng vnto him The texte For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile al thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace by him through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in heauen and thinges in yearth For so hath it pleased the father that the sonne should with all fulnes of godly power and goodnes be replenished which shuld in him so abide and dwel that we should nede no where to borowe any thyng synce the father neither wyll nor can do any thing but that the sonne can do and will And syth the fathers pleasure was that so it should be it besemeth not vs curiously to demaunde and serche why fynce it can not be but best whatsoeuer his wysedome hath once decreed This wyse to do I say God the father thought beste bothe for oure weale and saluacion and most for his owne glory to reconcile al thinges vnto him not by the ministerie of Angels but by his owne sonne whiche with his bloud sheddyng and tourmentyng vpon the crosse should abolishe synne whiche broke the peace and concorde betwixte heauenly and yearthly creatures set all thinges at peace bothe heauenly yerthly makyng them in Christ to agre together and to be at an vnitie one with an other The texte And you whiche were sometyme farre of and enemies because your myndes were set in euil workes hath he now yet reconciled in the body of his fleshe through death in make you holy vnblameable without fault in his owne sight if ye continue grouÌ„ded and stablished in the fayth and be not moued awaye from the hoope of the gospel wherof ye haue heard how that it is preached among all creatures whiche are vnder heauen wherof I Paule am made a minister Of this numbre so reconciled are ye now becomen ye I saye whiche in yeres past were in suche sorte straungers to God that in steede of him ye worshipped images of deuils not only wilfully dissentyng from him but also vsing your selfes as his cruel aduersaries whom he hath yet to him selfe reconciled beyng suche as neither loked for so much at his haÌ„d and muche lesse deserued it and made of you his enemies his frendes sonnes not by the ministery of Aungels but by the bodily death of his onely begotten sonne whom for that purpose his pleasure was that he shuld take our mortal fleshe vpon him And because there can be betwixte God and synners no peace it hath pleased him frely to forgeue al the offences of our former liâ—e to th entent he would in his sight make you holy vnblameable and faultles Who I pray you can lay your olde debtes to your charge if he be once coÌ„tented And surely coÌ„tented wyl he be if once vpoÌ„ his fre receiuyng of you vnto the fayth of the gospel ye continually abide in your profession leanyng vpon this sure and sounde foundacion she we your selfes so stedfast and stable that neither man nor angel be able to moue you froÌ„ Christ of whoÌ„ ye must hope to receiue all suche giftes as the gospel promiseth whet vnto ye gaue credence whiche hath not onely been preached vnto you but also to all nacions contained vnder heauen Unstedfastnes it is to fal away froÌ„ that whiche ye haue once allowed an impudent and a shameles point to reken and coumpte that thing for vaine in belief wherof al the worlde agreeth and finally to flit from that whose preacher and minister I Paule am whiche would not leaue and forgoe infâ—â—e owne countreys law chaunge it with the gospel of Christ were I not fully persuaded that this geare is heauenly and commeth froÌ„ God The texte Now ioy I in my sufftynges for you fulfil that whiche is behynd of the passions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies sake which is the coÌ„gregacion wherof I am made a minister accordyng to the ordinaunce of God which ordinaunce was geuen me vnto you warde to fulfil the worde of God yâ— ministerie whiche hath been hid synce yâ— world begunne and synce the beginnyng of generacions but now is opened to his saiutes to whoÌ„ God would make knowen what the glorious riches of this misterie is among the gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preache warâ—yng all men and teachyng all men in al wysedome to make all men perfite in Christ Jesu Wherin I also labor striue eueÌ„ as farfourth as his streugth worketh in me mightely Now am I so throughly persuaded yâ— the gospel is a thyng of trueth that I not onely am so farre from beyng ashamed or repentyng my selfe therof that I wyll also ioyfully suffre coumpte stripes emprisonment and chaynes euen matier to reioyse and glorie of which tormentynges I endure not for any offence of myne but suffer them for your weale whom I saye though the Iewes neuer so muche saye naye haue no lesse righte to the benefite of the gospell than haue the Iewes themselues And why should I not saye that I for your weale suffer for whom Christ suffered Why should the Apostle be lothe to do that whiche Christ our prince and maister disdayned not to do Christ suffered for vs not onelye in his owne body but also in maner suffereth in oures eueÌ„ as
feare you away from hun that to aspire and come vnto the fauor of God the father ye thinke it necessarie to seeke vpon some other meane heare againe and learne to knowe how good he is Christ is in suche sorte chiefe ruler and Lorde of Angels as I layd that he nethelesse vouchesaueth also to be head of the churche whom he hath so ioyned vnto him that it cleaueth is coupled vnto him euen as the natural body cleaueth vnto the head Whatsoeuer therfore is alreadye done in the heade the same must to vs be coÌ„men He fyrst of all other rose againe from death not to the intent he would be immortall onely him selfe but to the ende he might enhaunce vs his membres to the felowship of his immortal life Loke what is in the fyrst fruites of grayne offered the same is generally in the whole heape He is in dede prince and author of resurreccion and so shall we through him also rise againe And as among thynges create he is chiefe in suche sorte yet that himself was not create and made so is he in restoryng creatures chiefe so that as we are for our beyng byrth bounde vnto his goodnes so should we for oure seconde byrthe baptisme to liâ—e euerlastyngly be muche more beholdyng vnto him The texte For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile al thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace by him through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in heauen and thinges in yearth For so hath it pleased the father that the sonne should with all fulnes of godly power and goodnes be replenished which shuld in him so abide and dwel that we should nede no where to borowe any thyng synce the father neither wyll nor can do any thing but that the sonne can do and will And syth the fathers pleasure was that so it should be it besemeth not vs curiously to demaunde and serche why synce it can not be but best whatsoeuer his wysedome hath once decreed This wyse to do I say God the father thought beste bothe for oure weale and saluacion and most for his owne glory to reconcile al thinges vnto him not by the ministerie of Angels but by his owne sonne whiche with his bloud sheddyng and tourmentyng vpon the crosse should abolishe synne whiche broke the peace and concorde betwixte heauenly and yearthly creatures set all thinges at peace bothe heauenly yerthly makyng them in Christ to agre together and to be at an vnitie one with an other The texte And you whiche were sometyme farre of and enemies because your myndes were set in euil workes hath he now yet reconciled in the body of his fleshe through death in make you holy vnblameable without fault in his owne sight if ye continue grouÌ„ded and stablished in the fayth and be not moued awaye from the hoope of the gospel wherof ye haue heard how that it is preached among all creatures whiche are vnder heauen wherof I Paule am made a minister Of this numbre so reconciled are ye now becomen ye I saye whiche in yeres past were in suche sorte straungers to God that in steede of him ye worshipped images of deuils not only wilfully dissentyng from him but also vsing your selfes as his cruel aduersaries whom he hath yet to him selfe reconciled beyng suche as neither loked for â—o much at his haÌ„d and muche lesse deserued it and made of you his enemies his frendes sonnes not by the ministery of Aungels but by the bodily death of his onely begotten sonne whom for that purpose his pleasure was that he shuld take our mortal fleshe vpon him And because there can be betwixte God and synners no peace it hath pleased him frely to forgeue al the offences of our former life to th entent he would in his sight make you holy vnblameable and faultles Who I pray you can lay your olde debtes to your charge if he be once coÌ„tented And surely coÌ„tented wyl he be if once vpoÌ„ his fre receiuyng of you vnto the fayth of the gospel ye continually abide in your profession leanyng vpon this sure and sounde foundacion shewe your selfes so stedfast and stable that neither man nor angel be able to moue you froÌ„ Christ of whoÌ„ ye must hope to receiue all suche giftes as the gospel promiseth whervn to ye gaue credence whiche hath not onely been preached vnto you but also to all nacions contained vnder heauen Vnstedfastnes it is to fal away froÌ„ that whiche ye haue once allowed an impudent and a shameles point to reken and coumpte that thing for vaine in belief wherof al the worlde agreeth and finally to flit from that whose preacher and minister I Paule am whiche would not leaue and forgoe mine owne countreys law chaunge it with the gospel of Christ were I not fully persuaded that this geare is heauenly and commeth froÌ„ God The texte Now ioy I in my suffrynges for you fulfil that whiche is behynd of the passions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies sake which is the coÌ„gregacion wherof I am made a minister accordyng to the ordinaunce of God which ordinaunce was geuen me vnto you warde to fulfil the worde of God yâ— ministerie whiche hath been hid synce yâ— world begunne and synce the beginnyng of generacions but now is opened to his saintes to whoÌ„ God would make knowen what the glorious riches of this misterie is among the gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preache warnyng all men and teachyng all men in al wysedome to make all men perfite in Christ Iesu Wherin I also labor striue eueÌ„ as farfoorth as his strength worketh in me mightely Now am I so throughly persuaded yâ— the gospel is a thyng of trueth that I not onely am so farre from beyng ashamed or repentyng my selfe therof that I wyll also ioyfully suffre coumpte stripes emprisonment and chaynes euen matier to reioyse and glorie of which tormentynges I endure not for any offence of myne but suffer them for your weale whom I saye though the Iewes neuer so muche saye naye haue no lesse righte to the benefite of the gospell than haue the Iewes themselues And why should I not saye that I for your weale suffer for whom Christ suffered Why should the Apostle be lothe to do that whiche Christ our prince and maister disdayned not to do Christ suffered for vs not onelye in his owne body but also in maner suffereth in oures eueÌ„ as one supplying and fulfilling by his ministers suche thynges as mighte in his affliccions seeme vnperfecte not that his death of it selfe is insufficient but because the affliccions and punishmentes of the head and members of the prince and ministers are in maner one These punishmeÌ„tes the greater and more vehemente they be the more redounde and make they to the fulnes and perfeccion of your saluacion And not for your saluacioÌ„ onely
a commune wealthe dependeth of the autoritie of princes and magistrates he woulde not onely not haue their autoritie thoughe they were Ethnykes contemned of the Christianes but also commaundeth them to be prayed for He prescribeth what is comely bothe for men and for women to vse in the open congregacion He paynteth out what a byshop shoulde be and hys householde These he treateth of almoost in al the three firste Chapiters Than he warneth him that he receaue no Iewyshe fables and speaketh of choyse of meates and forbyddyng of mariage And than he teacheth him straightwaies how he shoulde behaue himselfe towardes olde men towardes yongmen towardes olde women towardes yougwomen towardes wydowes as well riche and poore as those that ought to be founde of the commune stocke of the congregacion towardes the yonger women and towardes suche as be as yet of suspecte age Furthermore he prescribeth vnto him what he must commaunde to Maisters what to seruauntes what to ryche men admonyshing him to reiecte with all possyble meanes contencious sophisticall questions that haue nothing but a vayne shewe of learnyng This Epistle he wrote from Laodicea by Tychicus the Deacon Thus endeth the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the fyrst Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to Timothee The first Chapter The texte ¶ Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the commyssion of god our sauioure and lorde Iesus Christ which is oure hope Vnto Timothe his naturall sonne in the faith Grace mercy peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe oure Lorde As I besought the to abide â—â—yll at Ephesus when I depatred into Macedonia euen so do that thou commaunde some that they folowe no straunge docrtine uerber geue hede to fables and endles genealogies which brede doute more then godly edifying whiche is by faith for the ende of the commaundement is loue out of apute herte and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned from the whiche thinges because some haue erred they are turned vnto vayne iangelynge because they woulde be doctours of the lawe and yet vnderstande not what they speake neyther wherof they affirme PAule an Apostle and messagier lest any maÌ„ woulde suspecte that I goe aboute myne owne busynes or humayne affaires and not a messagier of Moses or anye other man but the messagier of Iesu Christ whiche beyng sent of late in his owne person vpon his fathers message dyd faithfullye finyshe the busynes of hym that sent him And as for me I toke not this message vpon me on myne owne head nether receaued I it of man but was not onely called vnto it by the appointement of the euerlastyng god but I was also dryuen perforce vnto it by his commaundement and autoritie in so muche that it was not in my choyse to shyfte inyne handes of that office as payneful as it is whiche was enioyned vnto me by the autoritie of God the onely au toure of all our saluacion For what so euer the sonne hathe enioyned vs by the fathers autoritie that same doe I take as enioyned of the father himselfe by whome we are also bounden vnto him for our saluacion aswell in that we are redemed by his death from eternal destruccion as also in that we are by his mightye helpe delyuered from the rageyng tempestes of afliccions From the which albeit our chaunce be not to be set at lybertie for a tyme yet there is no cause why we shoulde doubte of our safe preseruacion hauynge Christe to our protectoure whome the father hathe appointed to be bothe the example and autour of oure moost certaynly assured hope For lyke as he whan he was whypped and nayled to the crosse suffred corporal death howbeit he rose anon againe to lyfe that neuer shall dye euen so whan we haue bene oppressed with present sorowes of this worlde he shall one daye restore vs alyue againe to the same immortalitie For this respectes sake Paule beyng streynghtened throughe his autoritie and mayntenaunce and an inuincible Apostle writeth vnto Tymothe his true natural sonne whoÌ„ I haue not chosen quod he out of an other mannes flocke but I begat him my selfe out of these bowels of myne through the gospel whaÌ„ he was yet a strauÌ„gier froÌ„ Christ he for his parte is so like so expressely resembleth this father of his in stedfastnes sinceritie of faith pure teaching of the gospell that it appeareth by euident matier in dede that he is no suche as maye be doubted whether he be myne or not but that he is my natural very owne vndoubted bogotten sonne and therfore a great deale more dearely beloued vnto me thaÌ„ yf I had gotten him of my bodily substaunce after the commune maner as men doe The bodely substaunce begetteth children that shall lyue but a whyle but by the gospell are we borne to lyue alwayes and neuer dye If parentes haue a more peculiar and a nerer hattie loue to suche of their children as be mooste lyke fauoured vnto them than to other and therby doe as it wer knowe them suerly to be their very owne howâ— muche more iust cause haue I to loue this sonne whome I begate vnto Christ through the faithe of the gospell and in whome I beholde the synceritie of my faithe borne new againe as it were Let the Iewes make boaste at their pleasure for geating one companion or other as a childe gotten by adopcion to their Moses I boaste that I haue gotten suche a sonne as this to the faythe of the gospell and vnto Christe For it is expedient that the Iewes synagoge should from hence forthe geue ouer bearing of children And it is tyme that the Gospell spreade forthe his frutefulnes of faith abrode in to the whole vniuersall worlde Nowe than lyke as I haue manyfolde causes to boaste of suche a sonne inasmuche as I maye safely committe vnto him the office of gospell preachinge euen so I thynke there is no cause why he shoulde repente the hauyng either of suche an Apostle or of such a father I haue committed a parte of myne owne office vnto him howbeit god hath geue me autoritie thus to doe soe as he can stande in no doubte touching the charge of the congregacions appointed by me onles peraduenture he dysturst the autoritie of god Nowe what shoulde I beyng a mooste louyng father wyshe vnto so entierly a deare beloued sonne what thinges elles than the same that the supreme gouernour of our lyfe woulde haue vs to be ryche and plentuous of and in the whiche he would fayne haue vs to growe stronge dailye more and more vntyll we be growen vnto such a state as Christ may voutchesafe to knowe vs for his owne lawfull brethren Therfore I wyshe Grace vnto him that he maye perfytely vnderstande that all faithfull beleuers are saued by the free benefite of Christ without helpe of Moses law And not onely grace but mercye also to be alwayes ready with present helpe to succoure hym
But than they myght hurte vs in dede if they could make vs couetous yf they coulde make vs afrayed of deathe yf they coulde make vs desyrous of life if they could make vs ambicious if they could make vs desyrous of reuengement yf they coulde make vs to distrust Christ Therefore Prynces are neyther vnhonestly to be slattered nor sediciously repugned And in case it be godlye requisite at anye tyme in the ghospelles behalfe â—o contemne theyr commaundementes yet it muste be done with suche a temperauÌ„ce that they may perceaue vs to doe it not for the displeasure of them but for a good wyll vnto godlynes Notwithstandynge â–ª I geue not monicion hereof for this purpose that where wee are farre vnhable to matche them in worldlye powers we shoulde prouoke their puyssaunce vpon vs to our owne harme but that in this kinde of lenitie we shoulde resemble Christe oure prince who whan he coulde alone haue done more than all the Prynces and rulers of this worlde yet had leauer wynne the worlde to himselfe in sufferyng of euill than in repellyng or requityng of euyll he had leauer wynne the conquest with gentle dealynge than with reuengyng he had leauer heale than destroye â–ª he had leauer entice than oppresse By this waye wonne he the victorie of this fashion it was the fathers pleasure that the sonne shoulde beare the bell awaye â–ª His example it behoueth vs to folowe in case we wyll haue oure prayers in case we wyll haue our sacrifices welcome and acceptable vnto him He woulde rather be a sauioure vnto vs than a vengeaunce taker with greaâ—e gentilnes he suffred our impietie tyll we came to repentaunce And the thynge that is come to passe in vs the same lyke as he is of a passyng greate goodnes he woulde also haue come to passe in all men yf it were possible He is the sauiour of all he excludeth none from saluation he bryngeth the lyghte of the ghospell vnto all And he that refuseth it he that wythdraweth hymselfe leat hym blame hymselfe for his owne blyndnes and he that perisheth perisheth throughe his owne faulte For what can the Phisician doo yf the sicke doo refuse holsome medicines Verilye it is not long of him that men atteyne not saluation and suppressyng the blyndnesse of the lyfe paste come to the lyght of the euangelycall trueth Christe is the trueth and he that confesseth him â–ª shal be safe from what kynde of lyfe soeuer he come to hym Saluation is all one thynge and commeth all of one and by one alone it is offred vnto all Ther is no thyng in this behalfe that the Iewe maye chalenge to himselfe as his owne There is but one God not peculyaâ— to thys or that sorte of people but the commen God indifferently of all There is but one that reconsyleth mankinde vnto God God and man Christ Jesus For it was conuenient that he whiche shoulde make the arbitreuâ—ente of concorde bytwene God and menne shoulde haue some thynge commen wyth bothe the parties so as beyng God he myghte make intercessyon to God and beynge man myghte reduce men agayne into fauour Why than doeth any man chalenge him properly to hym selfe If the commune father of all sent him to saue al and if he gaue him selfe for the redemption of all it is mete for vs to endeuour by all meanes that hys death maye be indifferently auayleable vnto all In case he died euen for the Ethnikes why shoulde it yrke vs to offre sacrifices of prayers to God for theyr saluation And if it haue bene doubted of at any tyme that Christe came for the vniuersall saluation of the Gentiles nowe it is certaynly manifest and proued matier in dede that Christes death belongeth aswell to the gentiles as to the Jewes In tymes paste the Iewes partiâ—â—cie was somwhat borne withal bycause they should not fynd fault that they were contemned or caste of but anone gods will was to haue it most playnely protested that there is no difference at al of nation of supersticion or condicion of them that flee to the doctrine of the gospel Of this matier goddes pleasure was to haue me chiefely a preacher In this behalf he would haue me be a messagier where as the rest of the Apostles before slowlye wyth leasure and wyth muche a doe admytted the gentyles vnto the grace of the ghospell And at this daye there be not all wantynge that saye there is no entraunce vnto the ghospell but by the lawe of Moses Notwithstandyng Christe hathe appointed the office bothe of a preacher and of an Apostle vnto me that I shoulde preache vnto all men eternall saluation without ayde of the lawe and that we are all bounden to thanke hym for the same and none but him I doe not take this autoritie falslye to my selfe for Christe commaunded me to it And it is no vayne geare that I preache but the thinges that I speake are true and I preache lyke the doctor of the gentiles I vse not arrogauntly to set oute myselfe with vanyties of greate hyghe titles as the false Apostles are wont to do for I haue tryed my selfe vnfeynedly the apostle of yâ— Gentiles which haue not trust in Moses constitucions among them as they doo but the faithe of the ghospell nor castynge before their eies mystes of vayne questions but plaine symple pure veritie teaching those thynges onely that make auayleably vnto true godlynes rather than vnto priuate lucre or vayne ostentacion The texte I wil therfore that the men pray euery where liftyng vp pure handes without wrathe â–ª or doubtyng Likwyse also yâ— women that they araye themselfes in cumly apparel wyth shamefasâ—nesse and discreaâ—e behauiour not with broyded heare ether golde or pearles or rostlye araye but as becommeth women that professe godlynesse throughe good workes Let the wemen learne in silence with al subiection I suffre not a woman to teache neyther to vsurpe aurthoryte ouer the man but to be in sylence For Adam was fyrste fourmed and then Eue â–ª Adam also was not deaceaued but the woman was deceaued â–ª â— was subdued to the transgressyon â–ª Notwithstandynge thorow bearyng of chyldren she shal be saued yf they contynue in fayth and loue and holynes with discrecyon Nowe to thintent we maye returnâ— to the purpose that we communed of afore I woulde haue men to pray not onely in the congregacioÌ„ but also wheresoeuer occasion requyreth The Ieâ—es praye to god in no place but at Hierusalem The Samaritanes pray on mountaines and in groaues But vnto the Christians al places are pure and holy to offer vp sacrifices of prayers They esteme euery place to be an holy teÌ„ple to God and whan they offre as it were a sacrifice they lift vp pure haÌ„des euery where to heauen They haue no nede to wishe for yâ— mercy seate or most holy place called sanctuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ of yâ— temple for God wyll graciouslye heare them in euery place wheresoeuer they be that pray vnto him They nede not to
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
as mooste plentuous witnesses of thyne affection and mutuall loue towardes me By reason wherof I am fylled all together full of ioye whan it commeth to my mynde howe paynlye thou resemblest me in the sinceritie of faythe as a naturall sonne his father And lyke as the integritie of religioÌ„ was in me as it were by enheritauÌ„ce euen so this sinceritie of fayth semeth to be geuen to the by the handes of thyne elders For it dwelt stedfastly fyrst in thy GraÌ„demother Lois thaÌ„ after by by in thy mother Eunica I doubt not but thou wilt become accordigly like a neuew to so right a religious graÌ„dmother a sonne to so right a good mother seing thou hast ben more desyrous to be like to theÌ„ thaÌ„ to thy kyndred of thy fathers syde The texte Wherfore I warne the that thou stiere vp the gyfte of god which is in the by the puttyng on of my handes For god hath not geuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue of sobrenes Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testimony of our lorde nether be ashamed of me which am his prysoner but suffer thou aduersitie with the ghospell accordyng to the power of god which saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not accordyng to our dedes but accordyng to his owne purpose and grace which was geueÌ„ vs thorow Christ Iesu before the worlde began but iâ— now declared openly by yâ— appearyng of our sauiour Iesus Christ which hath put awaye death hath broughte lyft and immortalitie vnto lyght thorowe the gospel wherunto I am appoynted a preacher and Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffre these thinges Neuerthelesse I am not ashamed â–ª For I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is able to kepe that which I haue committed to his kepyng agaynst yâ— day These thinges I remeÌ„bre the of so as thou mayest be of yâ— better courage both by the example of vs and of thyne elders to stiere vp by thyne industrye diligence the gifte of God which thou receyuedst by the laying on of mine handes whan thou waste ordayned a Byshop and boldely and without shrynkynge to accomplyshe the office commytted vnto thee feare not any mens barkinges nor the rageing crueltie of persecutours It is the propertie of Iewes to be afrayed of those thinges that this present life occasioneth but vnto vs whiche through beleuing of the gospell are made the children of God he hathe geuen a ferre other maner spirite not to make vs afrayed discouraged for feare distrust but through an assured trust of innoceÌ„cie hope of yâ— promised immortalitie to be bolde lusty through loue to be free ful of courage eueÌ„ as loue both trusteth altogether vpoÌ„ gods succour shrinketh not for his neyghbours sake to abyde daungier Finally a spirite yâ— suffreth not vs to be disturbed â—â— our mynd but causeth vs alwaies to perseuer to th ende with a whole a preâ—â—â— ready herte Forasmuch thaÌ„ as yâ— hast receyued this spirit set forth his power declare stoutely the thyng the thou hast Be not ashamed of thy profession wherby thou preachest the crosse death of our lord Iesu Christ nor be ashamed to be a disciple of his Apostle though I am ladeÌ„ with these bondes There is nothing more glorious thaÌ„ the crosse of Christ yâ— gaue saluatioÌ„ to yâ— world yâ— brake the deuiles tirannye yâ— hath obteined vs immortalitie Christes crosse is our glory These cheanes the I willingly suffre for the ghospelles busines sake are not to my slaunder but to my glorie rather Therefore refuse not to suffre those thynges that Christ suffred and that I suffre for hys sake But be thou ready also to come into the felowshyppe of afflyctions that are layed vpon vs for the ghospell of Christe What so euer chaunceth there is no cause why we shoulde be afrayed for the matier is not done by oure strengthes but by the succour of God We are feble in dede but he is mightye whiche whan we were lost saued vs by the death of hys sonne hauynge done awaye the trespasses of oure former conuersation and hathe called vs vnto holynes not for any merites of ours but beyng enforced by hys own wil and free goodnes that he bestowed vpon vs not vpon anye late aduisemente but from euerlastynge and before all tyme afore the makynge of thys worlde it was decreed of him to geue these thinges vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christ The matter is no newes to him but that thing that was alwayes in the secret of his mynde he hath lately declared to the worlde by the commyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe who hauyng receyued a bodye subiecte to death hath dispatched awaye death by the crosse and by hys resurreccion hath opened lyfe and immortalitie throughe the preachynge of the ghospell whiche promyseth lyke rewardes vnto them that folowe the exaumple of Christes crosse Thys ghospell preachynge is committed vnto me as the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles to the intent they maye learne by me that not onely the Iewes are called to this gyfte of God but also all mankynde vniuersallye Forasmuche than as I am tyed in cheynes for the ghospelles sake I am not onely nothyng ashamed of thys affliccion but also I esteme it for a pure greate glorye vnto me To suffre for naughtye dedes doyng it is a reproche but to be afflicted for the glorye of Christe it is excellent This stormye tyme doeth feare me nothyng at all For althoughe I am weake yet I knowe and am assured that he whom I haue put my faythfull trust in is hable ynoughe to kepe vnto the vttermost daye the thing that I haue committed to his fidelitie Throughe his ayde bothe the gospelles busines and my saluation and also the prosperitie of the christian flocke is in sauegarde And albeit anye thynge here in thys worlde seme to perishe for a tyme yet whan that daye shall come in the whyche he shall expresse his myghtie power vnto the worlde he shall restore it wyth greate gayne I haue layed my life and my healthe in his handes and he hathe put me in truste to dispence the doctrine of the gospell In case I shall be a trustye fayth keper he wyll not fayle my trust The texte â–ª Se that thou haue the ensample of the holsome wordes which thou hast heard of me with fayth loue that is in Christ Iesu That good thing which was committed to thy keping â—old fast through the holy gost which dwelleth in vs. This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned froÌ„ me Of which sort are Phigelus and Hermogenes The Lord geue mercy vnto the housholde of Onesiphorus for he ofte refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and founde me The lorde graunte vnto hym that he maye fynde
holy scriptures whiche are able to make the learned vnto saluacyon thorowe the fayth whiche is in Christ Iesu All scripture geuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teache to improue to amend to instruct in righte wisues that the man of god maye be perfecte and prepared vnto all good workes But see that thou continue in those thynges whiche thou hast learned of me and be vpright in the office coÌ„mitted vnto the in asmuche as thou knowest the doctrine and ordinaunce that thou hast to be vndoubted in case thou remeÌ„brest both of what autor it proceded and of what teacher thou learnedst it and if thou hast not forgotten the holy scriptures which thou learnedst long a go of thine elders in the tender yeares of thy fyrst childehode whiche scriptures beyng rightly vnderstanden euen without our autoritie are hable to make the learned as ferre as belongeth to the obteynyng of saluation which the gospel promyseth vs not through the obseruacion of Moses lawe but throughe the assured faith wherby we beleue in Christe Iesu â–ª That whiche the gospel partly teacheth to be al ready done the same the olde testament telleth and expresseth before hande shall come And yet it teacheth none other thynge than the ghospell doeth howbeit after an other sorte if it haue a godlye a learned reader There is no reason why we should esteme the bokes of the Prophetes or Moses to be of none effecte after the gospel is published yf through a spirituall vnderstandyng they be applyed vnto Christe and vnto godlynes But al the whole scripture that is set forth vnto vs not by mans witte but by inspiration of the holy gost hath greate profyte eyther to teache the thynges whiche are not vnknowen but with perill of saluation or to reproue them whithe are agaynste the veritie or to correcte and call agayne them in to the waye that erre of ygnoraunce or elles to ordre and informe not in Iewishnes or humayne Philosophie but in true innocencie and vprightenes of lyfe and is so muche auaylable for al thinges that make to the offices of godlynes that the man dedicated to God can be behynde in nothing but to be perfite and fullye furnyshed to all the workes of a Christian lyfe The .iiii. Chapter The texte I testifie therfore before God and before the Lorde Iesu Christe whiche shall iudge the quicke and deade at his apperyng in his kyngdom preache thou the worde be ferueÌ„t in season and out of season Improue rebuke â–ª exhort with al long suffryng and doctrine For the tyme wyl come when they shall not suffre holsome doctryne but after theyr own lustes shall they whose eare itch get theÌ„ an heape of teachers â–ª shal wtdraw their eares froÌ„ the trueth shal be turned vnto fables But watche thou in al thinges suffre afflictions do the worke of an Euangelist fulfyll thyue office vnto the vtmost Be sobre MOreouer I beseche the eftesones by God the father and by Iesus Christ whiche shall iudge the quicke and the dead whose sentence no man shall escape and by his commyng where in he shall come to iudgement not in a lowe estate but myghtie and terrible whiche suffred him selfe here to be iudged and by hys kyngdome whiche no power shal be hable to resiste preache the worde of the ghospel stronglye nether beyng frayed with aduersitie nor lustles in prosperitie Be feruent and earnest in season and out of season For there shal be no tyme but it shall seme in season to the wherin thou mayest haue anye hope to do good in the ghospelles busines Reproue the offender exhorte the sluggarde checke him that still contynueth in errour so as he may be amended with seueritie whiche was not amended with curteous admonicion howbeit checke him so as with the sharpenes of chydyng thou myngle both all lenitie doctrine lest thou seme either to hate him in case thou thoÌ„dre at him with nothing but checkes or elles to chide him without aduisement if thou do nothynge but checke him and teache him not withal For with more ease he is obedient that is perswaded and with a better wyll a man doeth after him that loueth him than him that loueth him not This is rather to be had in vre that we confyrme the consciences of them that ours be forsomuche as herafter shal be as I sayed before a haynous and a perilous tyme wherin some shall departe from the profession of the ghospell and not suffre the true and holsome doctrine of Christe that is contrarie to the lustes of this worlde but lyke as they are of moste fylthie corrupt affeccions that of sondry sortes euen so shal they get lurkyng to themselues sondry new doctours not to teache godlines but that with Iewishe fables and mans inuentions shall â—icle their eares that shal itche with a folishe desyre rather to heare newfangles subtil fyne reasons than mater of profite Vnto their fables they shall conuerte theÌ„selues shal turne their eares froÌ„ the trueth of the gospel But endeuour thou thyself so muche yâ— more vnto yâ— cleane contrarie maner watche beare euery thing for yâ— ghospelles sake shewe thy selfe a right gospel preacher in dede For those that teache their own fantasies though they are named gospell preachers yet veryly they are none The texte For I am nowe ready to be offered and the tyme of my departyng is at hande I haue â—â—ught a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith From hence forth there â—s layed vp for me a crowne of rightwysnes which the lorde that is a ryghteous iudge shall geue me at that day not to me onelye but vnto all them also that loue hys commyng Do thy diligence that thou mayest come shortely vnto me In the ministerie that thou exercisest in my rowme see thou behaue thy selfe so that thou mayest fullye perswade those matters that thou teachest and fasten them throughly in their consciences that they be not lyghtlye shaken out by them that shall goe aboute to teache contrarye thynges Whiche thynge standeth thee in hande so muche the more diligently to loke to in that I shall not helpe you in your trauaylles any longer For I as a sacrifice appoynted to Christ beginne euen now to be offered vp the day afmy death is not long to And I am willyng and glad to be offered vp bothe hauyng a good conscience of my former spent lyfe and beyng assured of my rewarde I haue foughâ—â—â— a ioylye fight I haue fynished a gospellike course I haue done that that was appoynted to the most throughly and faithfully I haue already played my partes nowe for that that is behynde I knowe it is in sauegarde I know that the crowne due to innocencie is layed vp in store for me which the Lorde â—â—all yelde vnto me euen the Emperour whose souldiour I haue bene But he shall not yelde â—â—â—o the in this lyfe wherein is the tyme of fyghtynge but in that daye
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
And verely this vertuous godly man Moses is woorthy to be of great autoritie among vs because he behaued hymselfe faithfully in the same house but yet as a minister or stewarde and not as a sonne he was in an other mannes house and the other that is to saye Christ in his owne And Moses brought onely figures shadowes of those thynges which Christe should afterwardes dysclose and open But Christe as the maker and sonne guided his owne house whereof we all are members whiche thorowe fayth of the gospell bee assembled together vnto hys churche or congregacion so that we perseuer in that we beganne that is to wit if we dooe styll abyde in the concorde and agreaunce of the house and holde fast and stedfastely vnto the ende the faythe whiche the spirite of Christ hath geuen vs and also that glorious hope by the which as the true natural sonnes of god and brethren of Christ we looke for the enheritaunce of heauen For it shall nothyng auayle vs to haue heard the doctrine of the gospell excepte we continually liue thereafter Yea the greatter he is who dayned to speake vnto vs the grieuouser shall our punishment be The texte Wherefore as the holy ghoste saieth to daye yf ye will heare his voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouokyng in the daye of temptacion in the wildernes where youre fathers tempted me proued me and sawe my woorkes fourtye yeare Wherefore I was greued with that generacion and sayed They doe alwaye erre in theyr hartes they verely haue not knowen my wayes so that I sware in my wrath they shal not enter into my reste Take heade brethren leste at any time there bee in any of you a frowarde herye subiecte vnto vnbeliefe that he shoulde departe from the liuyng god but exhorte ye one another daylye while it is called to daye leste any of you wexe harde harted thorowe the deceitfulnes of sinne Wherfore ye must call vnto your remembraunce what the holy gost speaketh in the mistical psalme exhorting the people to obey the voice or wordes of god leste he being prouoked dooe grieuouslye punyshe them and seâ—lude them from the rest and quietnes promised Today sayeth he if ye wil heatâ— hys voice harden not your hartes as ye did when with your murmoâ—â—ing and rebellion ye prouoked God what tyme he proued your pacience in wildernes where sayeth he youre fathers tempted me as men that woulde proue whether I were he that were hable to punishe trespacers of the lawe and offenders and they felte my wrath and suche as woulde not beleue my woordes sawe my woorkes and that the space of fourtie yeres For so long were they ledde about in wildernesse what tyme they flying oute of Egipte went vnto the lande where I promised them quyetenes Wherefore I was not contented with that nacion and sayde with my selfe They doe alwaies erre in theyr hartes folowing theyr owne lustes neyther haue they knowen my wayes And for thys theyr dysobedience I sware in my wrath it shoulde neuer be that they should entre into the lande wherin I promised them rest from the trauayls of theyr iourneys Ye haue heard brethren God threatenyng our fathers that they should not come to the lande promysed them onlesse they woulde continually obey his commaundementes And we that thorowe baptisme are deliuered from oure former synnes and offences are vndoubtedly departed out of Egypte but yet we shall neuer come vnto the immortalitie promissed vs in heauen excepte we styll continue in the obseruaunce of fayth and christian charite If wee looke backe vnto Egypte forsaken that is yf we fall agayne to the lustes of oure olde lyfe we shal bee excluded from the felowshyp and participacion of the heauenly lyfe Se therfore that there bee not in any of you a frowarde harte and rebelling against the commaundementes of the gospell or subiecte vnto vnbelyefe in suche wyse that the same returnyng agayne vnto the vices once forsaken and the prynce of death the deuyll departe awaye from thy lyuyng god But rather with daylye exhortacions make ye one an other strong to suffer continually the paynes and trauayles of thys lyfe whereby God tryeth oure pure and trewe fayth so longe as the tyme is called to daye that is to saye so longe as we beare this mortall bodye and as yet doe trauayll as pilgrymes and straungers in the wildernesse of thys worlde alwayes in ieopardye lest any of vs weryed with the euilles of thys lyfe bee ledde asyde thorowe the alluremente of synne from the iourneye begonne lyke as in tymes paste the Hebrues our forefathers beeyng wery of theyr long trauailing longed after the â—auoure of the pottes whiche they lefte behynde them in Egypte The texte ¶ We are made partakers of Christ if we kepe sure vnto the cude the beginuing of the substaunce so long as it is far de to day if ye will heare hys voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouoking for some when they herde did prouoke howbeit not all that came out of Egipt by Moses But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeres Was he not dyspleased with them that had sinned whose carkases were ouerthrowen in the deserte To whome swaâ—e he that they should not enter into his rest but vnto them that were not obedient And we see that they coulde not enter in because of vnbelieâ—e Certeynly we are graffed in Christe by baptisme and the profession of faith but in such wise that we may thorow our owne defaut fall from him again neyther shall we otherwise come vnto the enheritaunce of mortalitie promised vs excepte we kepe sure and constauntely vnto the ende the beginnyng and foundation of that felicitie whiche was layed in vs by the gospell still goyng forewarde in that was begoonne monyshed thereto by thys saying whiche is continually spoken vnto vs To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouokyng For some when they hearde the Lordes voyce did then by dysobeying the same moue hym prouokyng hys wrathe and indignacion agaynst them Howbeit al dyd not so whiche came out of Egipt vnder yâ— conducte of Moses And vnto these that were not disobediente it was geuen to come vnto the lande flowing with milke and hony With whome was he dyspleased fourtie yeres Was it not with them that had offended howbeit these entred not into rest but their carkases were ouerthrowen in wildernesse with whome elles was he so muche dyspleased that he sware they should neuer entre into the reste promised them but with those whiche obeyed not the voyce of god we see then that god was on both sydes trewe who bothe perfourmed to the obedyent what he promissed theÌ„ and to the disobedient that he manaced them with all The obediente came thereunto by their pacience the other coulde not entre in because of theyr vnbelyfe and incredulitie The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let vs feare therfore lest any of you forâ—aâ—yng the promise of euâ—eyng into
from heauen testifie that he was rightuous and by reason of this most goodly testimonye he is now after so many thousand yeares so much renowined and spoken of of all menne that beyng deade he semeth euen to liue and speake He was slayne to his brotherwarde what tyme he was murthered fautelesse but he was not sleyne to God vnto whome his bloude as yet cryed vengeaunce from the earthe The texte By faith was Enoch translated that he should not se death neither was he founde For God had taken hym away For a fore he was taken away he obtayned a good report that he pleased God But without faith it can not be that anye man should please hym For he that commeth to God muste beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of theÌ„ that seke hym Neither was it any whit preiudiciall vnto godlye Enoch that he was begotten of a wycked father For holye scripture wytnesseth of hym that he was conuersaunt familiar with god euen wheÌ„ he lyued in earth because he pursued by faith not those thinges which are sene but such thinges as are not sene that is to wytte eternall thinges heuenlye for this cause he was taken vp aliue to those thinges that he loued deliuered froÌ„ death For he liued after such a sort before he was taken from the felowshyppe of men that he semed rather to lyue in heauen then in earthe and semed also vnworthye to dye for that he hadde commytted nothyng death worthye to th entent men shoulde firste learne by his example that the open way to immortalitie is by faith and innoceÌ„t lyuing Therfore he was taken awaye bycause he pleased God But he pleased hym chiefely by fayth without the whiche no man pleaseth hym haue he els neuer so many good dedes For whosoeuer desyreth to be brought in fauour with almyghtye God must fyrst of all beleue that God is who can do all thynges and wylleth what is best Then muste he also beleue that God careth for the worlde and that by hym neyther the godly whiche settyng at noughte the visible good thynges of thys worlde searche after God inuisible are defeated of their rewardes be they neuer so muche afflicted and persecuted in this lyfe nether the wicked persones shall lacke their punishementes althoughe they seme here to lyue in prosperitie and haue the worlde at will Therefore Enoch maye thanke his fayth for this I wote nere whether I maye call it glory or felicitie that he is taken awaye from the felowshyppe of men and lyueth with God The texte By fayth Noe beyng warned of God eschued the thynges whych were as yet not sene and prepared the arcke to the â—auyng of his houshold through the whych arcke he condemned the worlde and became heiâ—e of the righteousnes which is according to faith Howbeit Noe shewed a more notable example of faith towardes God euen then this who when he was forewarned by the mouthe of God howe it shoulde come to passe that all kyndes of lyuyng creatures in earth shoulde be destroyed thorow inundation of waters and sawe no apparent argumentes or reasons wherby the saying of God mought be proued bycause the element was fayre and cleare and the people that were feastyng makyng brydeales without any care lawghed to heare these manassyng wordes of the prophecie Yet surely beleuing that it would so come to passe as God had sayde before it should happeÌ„ ordeyned an Arke wherby he both preserued his own houshold coÌ„deÌ„ned other meÌ„ which so mistrusted yâ— wordes of god yâ— they lawghed hym to â—korne as a madde man when he was a framynge the sayde Arke agaynste the commyng of the floude Neyther was he alonely preserued from the flould but also succeded in the prayse of Abell and Enoch his elders who are muche renowmed for that rightuousnesse whiche thorowe faith maketh a man commendable before God The texte By faith Abraham when he was called obtayned to go out into a place whych he shoulde afterwarde receyue to inherytaunce and he went out not knowyng whether he should go By faith he remoued into the lande of promyse as into a strangcouÌ„trey when he had dwelt in tabernacles so dyd Isaac Iacob heires with him of the same promise For he loked for a citie hauing a foundacion whose builder maker is god Nowe howe ofte dyd Abraham gyue an example of a notable faith towardes God First where as there is nothynge more pleasant to man then hys natyfe countrey yet when almyghty God comaunded hym to forsake the same with his affeccions and flyt into an vnknowne lande he made no tarieng but obeyed streight wayes the voyce of God and that prouoked by no other mans example nor put in hope and comforte by any probable reasons how it should so come to passe that after he had forsaken suche landes and patrimonie as he was borne vnto he shoulde possesse by enheritaunce I wot nere what lande wherof as yet he neyther knewe the name nor situation So sure a truste and belefe had he that all should come to passe what so euer God had promysed It proceded of the same fayth that when he came into the lande promysed of God and the matier went not forewarde to hys mynde neyther wyth hym nor his sonne Isaac nor his nephew Iacob where as yet thenheritaunce of thys lande was not promysed to him alone but also to his ofspring and posteritye because he was constrayned oftetymes to fyght with his enemyes and Isaac had muche busynes and trouble with the Philistians and Iacob was dryuen thence by Esau his brother into the couÌ„trey of Mesopotamia froÌ„ whence after he was at the length retourned agayn he was fayne to bye a litle pece of grouÌ„d to pytche his pauillion in yet all these thynges moued not Abraham a whyt to haue any mystrust in God who promised the lande neyther complayned he that he was a bannyshed man and not an enheritour neither regarded he those thynges whiche are sene in earth but heauenly thynges whiche are not sene otherwise then with the eyes of fayth For he perceiued that this was not the lande that God meante of when he made the promes the whiche lande he set so lytle store by that he thought it not necessarie therin to buyld neither house or towne but kepe himselfe and his in tabernacles as a straunger whiche anon shoulde remoue to an other place What dyd he then loke for when he sawe that these promyses were not perfourmed Forsoothe he loked for an other citie whiche was stable and perpetual from whence he should neuer be dryuen out againe farre vnlyke these cyties whiche men do buylde and destroye the maker and buylder wherof was God hymselfe The texte Through faith Sara also receiued strength to conceiue and be with child and was delyuered of child when she was past age because she iudged hym faithfull whych had promised And therfore sprang there of one euen of one whiche was as good as
Barache and of Samson and of Iephthae of Dauyd also Samuell of the â—â—â— phetes whych through fayth subdued kyngdomes wrought tyghteousues obtayned the promyses stopped the mouthes of lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of yâ— swearde out of yâ— wekenes wer made strong wared valyant in fight turned to flyghte the armyes of the alyentes the women receyued their dead raysed to lyfe agayne But seyng that among so many wonderfull actes of oure forefathers and elders there was none at all notably achiued with out the aide of faithe for what purpose shoulde I stande in the particuler rehersall of them all I shoulde soner lacke tyme then examples if I would go forth with the stories of the Captayne Gedeon who trustynge vpon the aydes of God feared not with three hundred men to set vpon the hooste of the Madianites excedyngly wel fournished with men armoure and all other habilimentes of warre And in conclusion dyscomfited and put to flyght a great multitude of them with the sownd of trompettes noyse of pytchers and merueylous and sodayne appearynge of candels in suche wyse that the Hebrues neuer drawyng their swerdes one of them slewe an other Of Barache who trusting vpon the propheceie of the woman Debora set vpoÌ„ the excedyngly well appoynted hooste of the Captayne Selara and slewe the same not leauing one man aliue and finally put kyng Iabin to flight who anon after was slayne of a woman Of Sampson who beyng ayded with the helpe of God achiued manye wonderful enterprises against the Philistians for the defence of his countrey the whiche coulde not be done of a greate manye together nor yet by any puissaunce and strength of mannes bodye Of Iephthae who albeit he was a vile basterd and of base fortune in his countrey yet trustyng vpon Goddes helpe had a merueylous goodly victorie ouer the Immonites enymyes to his people Of Dauid who besydes so many victories by Gods helpe gotten besydes so many ieoperdies as he escaped by the preseruation of almighty God feared not beyng but a younge striplyng and wythout armoure to encountre wyth Goliath well weaponed and armed at all peces whom he ouerthre we with the â—â—oke of a slyng bycause God should haue the whole glory and prayse of this victorie and not man Of Samuell who withoute anye garde of men to defende his personage gouerned many yeares the people of Israell freely executynge the office of a Iudge and chief ruler among them beyng well assured that God woulde rewarde yf any man dyd any thyng aryght in his ministracion Tyme I saye would fayle me yf I would procede in recityng of al such exaÌ„ples I wyll here ouerhyp so many noble Prophetes as puttynge theyr trust in God set naught by the threatnynges of tyrantes so many men of renowmed holines as not by worldly goodes riches but by the ayde of god in whoÌ„ they put their whole affyauÌ„ce dyd woÌ„derful dedes by theyr worthy actes left behynde theÌ„ a memorial of theÌ„ selues vnto posteritie For to make a brief suÌ„marie rehersal of stories omittyng the names of thauctours it is to be ascribed vnto theyr fayth that they beyng as touchyng all other thynges vnable dyd by the helpe of God subdue most wealthye and riche kyngdomes and coulde not by any maner of feare be brought from the kepyng of the lawe that was geuen them lokyng for theyr reward of almyghtie God And because no delayeng of the promises minished their fayth at length they attayned those thynges whiche God promysed vnto their elders They obteyned of him by faithfull prayers that whiche coulde in no wyse be done by the course of nature They were by his preseruation delyuered from excedyng greate daungers The lyons whiche agaynste other are of fiercenesse inuincible they either vanquished or proued harmles as though their mouthes beyng stopped or els their clawes faste bownden they had had no power to hurt those whom God would haue preserued without any anoyaunce When they were cast into the myddes of the fyre they so endured withoute hurte as though they had quenched the naturall violence and heate therof with their bodyes Agayne by the protection of God they escaped awaye safe from their enemyes swerdes that were drawen agaynste them Furthermore God recomfortyng them they receyued after viter desperation exceding greate strength and courage of mynde insomuche that beyng not longe before taken for dead meÌ„ they sodaynly acquited them selues manfully in battayll valiauntly put to flyght their enemies of whom they were inuaded Moreouer the faithe also of the wemen deserued that the mothers sawe their deade children reysed from death to lyfe agayne The texte Other were tacked and woulde not be deliuered that they myght inherite a better resurreccion Agayne other were tried with mockinges and scourgynges moreouer with bondes and prysonemente were stoned were hewen asunder were tempted were slayne with sweard walked vp and downe in shepe skynnes goates skynnes being destitute troubled audvered whiche men the world was not worthy of They wandred in wildernesses and in mountaynes and in dennes caues of the yearth Other beyng racked and sore handled with diuerse kyndes of tourmentes were better wyllyng to dye in suche paynes then to be delyuered with condition to obeye the wycked commaundementes of Prynces yeldynge with greate fayth theyr lyues to almyghtye God whiche they knew ryght wel they should receyue agayne with vauntage in the resuttection of the deade supposynge iâ— muche better to bye immortalitie with the losse of this shorte and transitorie lyfe then for a lytle gayne of small tyme to loose the lyfe eternall Agayne by reason of a constaunt desyre they had to mayntayne the trueth and rightuousnes they were iestynge stockes to all the worlde laughed to skorne of euerye bodye and slaundered for madde menne and workers of myschief and not onlye put to shame for theyr faith towardes God but also had their vertue and goodnesse tryed with scourgynges and moreouer with bondes and emprisonment Furthermore they were stoned hewen a sonder and torne in peces wyth horrible punishemente of bodye To make an ende with what kynde of euyls were they nat tryed with al They dyed with dynt of swerde beynge fully perswaded that good men coulde not by very death be seuered from God Agayne suche of them as chaunced not to make an ende of their tourmentes by death wanne nothyng els by prolongyng of their lyues but that they were tourmented with long martyrdome They were banished from their houses and beyng dryuen oute of townes wandred vp and downe in wyldernesse lyke wilde beastes couered as well as it woulde be with shepe skynnes and Goate skynnes hauyng scarcitie of all necessaries vexed with the cruelnesse of persecutours ready to assayle them on euery syde troubled with the sondrye discomodites and miseries of this lyfe beyng so vnworthy to suffre suche euels and aduersities that the worlde was rather not worthye to haue in it so vertuous and holy men in
suche wyse that God moughte seme euen for this purpose to haue taken them away from the company of men lest they beyng men of pure and chast conuersation should haue ledde their lyues among defyled persons and synners Therfore they wandered aboute in wylde mountaynes hauynge no certayne habitacion or dwellyng place to resorte vnto vsyng Dennes and Caues of the earth in the stede of houses The texte And these al thorow faith obtayned good report receiued not the promyse bicauâ—â— god had prouided a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfâ—â—â—â— And all these before named albeit they haue not yet obteyned the rewarde promysed them for their godly lyuynge whiche rewarde shal be geuen them â—â— the generall resurreccion of the bodyes Yet haue they deserued perpetuall prayse for the constantnesse of their fayth Some man wyll here saye Why hath not euery man his rewarde by and by gyuen him after death For soothe it hath so pleased almyghtye God that all the whole bodye of Christe shall receiue the glory of immortalitie together For we are all membres of the same body and suche as haue gone before vs do gladly tarye for vs to th ende that they maye wholy and ioyntly with theyr bodyes and all the felowshyppe of theyr brethren entre into thenheritaunce of eternal glory and be conioyned vnto their heade ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte Wherefore let vs also seyuge that we are compassed wyth so great a mult ytude of wytnesses laye a waye all that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs run with pacience vnto the battaill that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus yâ— aucrâ—or and finisher of our faith which for the ioye that was set before hym abode the erosse despysed the shame and is set downe on the right hande of the throne of God Consyder therefore howe that he endured suche speaking against hym of sinners lest ye shoulde be werted faint in your mindes For ye haue not yet resisted vnto bloud striuing agaynst sinne And haue forgotten the exhortacyon whych speaketh vnto you as vnto children My soune despise not thou the chastenyug of the Lorde nether faiute when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lord loueth hym he chasteueth yea he sourgeth euery sonne that he receyueth â–ª SEyng then we are compassed with so great a companye and as it were with a cloude of those who euen in the olde testamente witnessed by sufferyng of suche euels as are before rehearsed that they beleued the promyses of God with all their harte let vs also encouraged by their examples see that we caste frome vs the burthen or fardell of corporall thynges and bodelye lustes whiche letteth the mynde laden with cares to desyre thynges celestiall and put awaye synne that helde vs faste on euery syde and fynally beyng incensed and set a fyre with the hope of heauenly thinges runne manfully in this â—â—ase that is set before vs and by no afflyccions nor any withdrawynge of the mynde be stayed and holden backe from runnyng the course that we haue begonne neuer castyng our eyes asyde from Iesu Christe who as he is the verye cause that we haue conceyued this belefe on God so wyll he fynyshe what he hath begonne in vs. Let vs considre what waye he entred in and whitherto he came who whereas he myght by reason he was innocent and gyltlesse haue escaped death and bene as much without all payne and passion as he was without all synne yet he despysynge the ioyes of this worlde suffred death and to th entent his death should be the greuouser hauyng reproche ioyned therwith he suffered the death of the crosse For men make not so muche a doo to suffre a glorious death Ye see whiche waye he entred in Nowe whitherto came he By despisyng of this lyfe he attained immortalitie By despisyng and settyng naught by worldly reproche he attayned euerlastyng glorye in heauen where he nowe sytteth on the ryght hande of the royall throne of God the father When ye withall haste auaunce youre selfes to come to be partakers of this glorie thorowe reproche and dyuerse paynful afflictions then lest you dyscouraged in your myndes shoulde at any tyme by thenforcemente of wearynesse ceaseto runne in the raase that is sette before you considre with your selfes how that youre capytayne who neuer knewe anye manoure of synne dyd neuer thelesse to shewe vs an example of true pacience endure so greate rebukes so muche shame and vylanye suche mysreportes and false accusacions that he let the wycked Iewes compell hym to suffre the very punyshement of the crosse Be not ye therfore dysmayed who beynge not cleane withoute synne do suffre lesse dyspleasures and persecution Better it were for a man to dye a thousande tymes then to fall agayne into his former synfull lyfe Howbeit you who haue hytherto suffred small persecution and aduersitie haue not as yet resisted sinne vnto sheadyng of bloud the whiche synne fierslye assaulteth you stryuynge agaynst it and yet you do by and by suppose that God hath forsaken you and remembre not what the mercyfull father speakethe vnto you as vnto his children in the mysticall prouerbes comfortynge you and with swete and gentle wordes exhortyng you to greate and valiaunte courage of mynde My sonne sayth he despise not thou the chastenyng of the Lorde neither despaire thou when soeuer he rebuketh thee For whom the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth with the euels and aduersities of this lyfe and scourgeth euerye sonne that he receyneth The texte If ye endure chastenyng god offereth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes What soÌ„ne is he whom the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correccyon wherof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Therefore seynge we haue had fathers of our fleshe whych corrected vs we gaue them reuerence shall we nowe not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirites lyue And they verely for a feawe daies nuttered vs after theyr own pleasure but he nurtereth vs for our profite to the intent that he may minister of his holines vnto vs. No maner chastening for the present time semeth to be ioious but greuous neuertheles afterwarde it bringeth the quiete fruit of righteousnes vnto them whyche are exercised thereby If ye paciently endure such chastenyng God acknowledgeth his sonnes and offreth him selfe to you agayne as a mercyfull and louing father doeth not exclude you from thenheritaunce of the lyfe celestial Thynke you that you are therfore hated and nothyng regarded of God bycause ye are afflicted with the euels of this world Nay rather this ought to be an argument that ye are appoynted to be the heyres of the fathers enheritaunce For what father is he that doeth not some whiles chasten his sonne whom he acknowledgeth for his owne Furthermore syth that all vertuouse men and good lyuers whom God eyther doth or hath dearly loued haue bene by temporall
not their husbandes though they be heathens but study by their owne maners to prouoke them vnto better He warneth the husbandes to beare with their wyues and to absteyne somtymes from hauing to do with them so as they may the more apply them selues to praier Than he prouoketh men alter the example of Christ to suffre displeasures and not to ymagine howe to requyte wronge with wronge but to deuise howe to ouercome their euyll doers with softenes and well doynges And these matters he treateth of in the thre first Chaptres and in the beginning of the fourth After these he exhorteth men vnto newenesse of life and dissuadeth from the heathens vices He allureth men vnto sobrenesse vnto watching to continual prayers and aboue other vnto mutuall charytie vnto hospitalitie and to do good turnes one for an other Agayne he enticeth men paciently to suffer persecucions layed vpon them for Christes name sake Than he informeth bishops and in them the people vnder their charge In the ende he reporteth that he wrote an other epistle vnto them by Siluanus which was loste This epistle it appeareth he wrote from BabiloÌ„ for in the name of that churhe he saluteth them if any man allowe not the vnderstanding of Rome by Babylon The paraphrase of D. Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ to them that dwell here and there as strangers thorow out Pontus Galacia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia electe accordyng to the â—oreknowledge of God the father thorowe the sanctifying of the spirite vnto obedience and spriâ—eâ—lyng of the â—loude of Iesus Christe Grace be with you and peace be multiplyed PEter somtyme a disciple and a contynuall gâ—â—st but nowe an Embassadour and Apostle of Iesu Christ to all them that dwell here and therein the coastes of litell Asia at Pontus Galacia Cappadocia and in that parte that is properly named Asia whiche the Ephesians haue and Bithiâ—â—a whome either the stormy tempestes of warres haue in tymes paste scatred abroade some to on place some to an other or elles whome the rageing cruellie of them which hated the name of Christe hathe giltelessy dryuen out of the places where their fathers dwelt before them and â—re by that meanes nowe comfortles amonge straâ—nge nacions as it were danyshed men beyng in dede for feare of men thrust out of their natyue countrey but yet not excluded ne banyshed neither depryued frome the offyce of Ghospell preathing which God the prince of al men bestowed chiefly vnto the lande and nacion of Iewes after suche a sorte that he woulde for al that haue it commune to all them whome soeuer he hath chosen For lyke as those are neuer the better for being borne and leading their life at Hierusalem which fet naught by the doctrine of Iesus Christ euen so shal it defâ—aâ—de no man in that he dwelleth amonge the vncircumcised and prophane Gentiles so that in stede of Moses lawe he embrace the grace of the ghospell For it is not the obseruacion of the lawe whâ—t with the Iewes are commonely puffed vp that bringeth true saluacion neither kynredde or place but the free eleccion of God He is a ryght Iewe in dede wihche what countrey soeueâ— he dwell in or what kynred soeuer he is borne of acknowledgeth Iesus Christe to be the aâ—tour of true saluacion which dyed not for one nacion of people alone but for the whole vniuersall worlde But in yâ— we so acknowlege him we are not endebted to the meâ—tte of obseruing the lawe but vnto the free goodnesse of God whiche choseth out of al maner of nacions calleth vnto the lyberal fredome of the gospell whome soeuer it standeth with hys pleasure to â—all vntoit For it neither came of late sodaynly in to hys mynde to saue al maner of mortal men by thys meane ne yet enforced with our wel doinges helayth this vp as a reward for vs as though we had so merited but this was deâ—reed of god the father by his eternal couÌ„saill that he would opeÌ„ the porte of saluacioÌ„ not to the Iewes only but to al nacions vniuersally not by circuÌ„cision not by keping yâ— custome of the sabboth neither by choise of meates ne yet by other ceremonies of Moses lawe which are corporal matters nothing but certain shadowes of spiritual thinges that were geueÌ„ for a time but by true sanctificacion of the spirite which the spiritual lawe of yâ— gospel geueth vnto vs by yâ— which we are truly purged in dede from all oure synnes not for because we haue obserued the prescriptes of the olde law but because we playnly readily put our trust in the promisses of the ghospell not by sprinkling of the bloud of a calfe as it hath been hitherto wont to be done according to the custome of the law but by the sprinking of the precious bloud of the vndefiled and most acceptable sacrifice to God Iesus Christ whose vndeserued death wypeth cleane awaye from vs all the transgressions of oure former conuersacion once for al and after we be borne a new as it were into him through baptisme it restoreth vs vnto a new life And forasmuch as baptisme hath exempted vs from this world engraffed vs into the participacion of heauenly rewardes I will not pray for those goodes in getting and heaping together wherof the toylers of the world thinke theÌ„selfes fortunate but those goodes rather which purge vs cleane from erthly contagious infeccions and make vs worthy the prince of heauen Christ that is to say Grace that in distrusting your owne merites and in putting no confideÌ„ce in the ceremonies of the lawe you may looke for true saluacion of the freÌ„ bounteous liberalitie of God and in purtyng vnfayned trust in the ghospell And besides this I wishe Peace that beyng frely reconsiled to God by the bloud of Christe you may haue concorde both among your selfes and with all other not only hurting no body but also perdonyng other mennes fanites and requityng good turnes for euill the chaunce of which goodes lyke as you haue frely receyued of God euen so it staÌ„deth you in hand to apply your selfes vnto godly studies that you may waxe riche in the encreasing vsury of good workes more and more not onely persisting stedfast in that you haue begonne but also going forward dayly better and better vntill the day come wherin the rewarde of immortalitie shal be openly geuen wherof you haue now conceiued a certaine assured hope out of the ghospell of Christe that we should therby chalenge no prayse vnto our selues The texte Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe which according to his aboundant mercy begatte vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by that that Iesus Christs rose agayne from death to an iuheritaunce immortall and vndefyled and that perisheth not referâ—ed in heauen for you whiche are kept by the power of God thorowe fayth vnto saluacion which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time in the
accordyng to hys desartes For what is a more gloryous thyng than to be praysed of Christes owne mouthe whan you shall heare Come you blessed of my father what thyng is more honorable than to be receaued of God the father into the felowshippe of the kyngdome of heauen together with the sonne But thys glory although it shall be the comen glory of all godly folkes yet it shall chaunce more haboundauntly vnto them that haue suffered greater thynges vpon earth for Christes sake Whiche rewardes in case they were nome presently apparent the strength of faythe should bee no maruclous matter But nowe the special chiefe prayse of good folkes consisteth in this point that where you neuer sawe Christ with your bodyly eies yet with the eies of fayth you see him and loue him and wher as the violence of sorowes doeth openly presently grate vpon you but the rewardes which are kept till a daye doe not nowe appeare yet puttyng assured confidence in hys promisses you suffre these thynges with none other stomacke than yf the glory were presently furnyshed before your iyes neither doe you suffre only with boldenesse but also in the mydle of affliccions you reioyce with an vnspeakable ioy beyng ful of glory before God that is to say of a well hoping conscience and full of a certayne vnfeyned confidēce that where you suffre suche thynges vndeseruedly you shall by the will of God haboundauntly receyue a great fruyte of your fayth that is to wete the eternall saluacion of your soules For it is a great vauntage whan through the loosyng of the mortall body the immortall soule is preserued Thus it was decreed by the eternal counsayle of God that menne should atteyne saluacion by these meanes whereby euen Christe hymselfe came to euerlasting blessednesse The texte Of which saluacion haue the Prophetes enquired and searched which proheryed of the grace that should come vnto you searchyng when or at what tyme the spyryte of Christe which was in them should signifie which spyrite testified before the passiōs that should happen vnto Christ and the glory that should folow aftet vnto which Prophetes it was also declared that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they shoulde minister the thyuges which are nowe shewed vnto you of them which by the holy ghoste sent doune from heauen haue in the gospel preached vnto you the thinges which the Angels desyre to behold For these matters are not by chaunce brought to passe at all auentures but the selfe same thyng that we haue alreadye sene the olde Prophetes which prophecied before hand that you should be saued through faith and the grace of the gospell without the ayde of Moses lawe haue diligently sought and searched out not beyng contenteo to see as it were through a myste what shoulde be to come but they haue also with a godly curiositie searched out of the spirite of Christ which than presently signified vnto the by secret inspiracion what Christe should suffre and vnto what excellente glory he shoulde byanby be aduaunced vnto than what or what maner of tyme that shoulde come to passe forsomuche as theyr myndes were vehemently desirous of his sauing helth And vnto them it was also manifested that these thynges which they prophecied beforehand should come to passe should not be exhibited in their tymes but in yours and the thynges that they opened in their prophecies they opened vnto you not to them felues In dede they would haue wisshed to see that you haue chaunced to see but theyr prophecies were spoken before to thintent that we Apostles should be more certaynly credited which declare nowe vnto you the thynges already done that they had spoken beforehande should come to passe And that you shoulde also not stande in doubt the same spirite of Christe in tymes paste taught them with secret still inspiracions what he had determined to doe which lately cūmyng doune from heauen in fyrietongues instructed vs to thintent we should be preachers in al the whole worlde of the thinges that are come to passe For we preache Christ that became man foral our saluaciō sake was conuersaunt on earth was afflicted with reproches torments finally was nayled on the crosse suffered death for oure sakes and anon ratsed agayne to lyfe was exalted vnto heauen where now he glistreth in maiestie and glory with the father which before semed vpon earth to be but a vile rascall and an abiecte and thither also will he exalte those that his be These mattersinasmuch as they were done by the vnspeakable counsaill of God it is no maruell though the prophetes desired to see them seyng it is so excellently pleasant and acceptable a sight euen to the angels them selues to loke vpon with the beholding wher of they cannot be fulfilled The greater the benefite is which is offred vnto you the more gredyly you ought to embrace it that it be not through your owne fault that you atteyne it not The rewarde is certayn but it shal be your dueties for all that to behaue your selues so that you seme not vnworthy the promises The day that is loked for wil come which shal openly bryng forth the rewardes both of the godly and of the vngodly It wyll come once whansoeuer it shal be and it shal come pleasant and happy to suche as it shall fynde readyly prepared on the contrary parte it shall come fearfully to them that it shall fynde vnfaithfull sluggardes and carelesly mynded The texte Wherfore gyrde vp the loynes of your myndes be sobet trust pefectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the declaryng of Iesus Christ as obedient chyldrcu that ye geue not your selues ouer vnto your olde lustes by whiche ye were led whau as yet ye were ignoraunte of Christe but as he which called you is holy euen so be yeholy also in all maner of conuersacion because it is writen ▪ Be ye holy for I am holy And if so be that ye call on the father which without respecte of person iudgeth accordyng to euery mannes worke se that ye passe the tyme of your pylgremage in feare And forasmuche as Chryst woulde haue that daye to be vncertayn vnto vs it behoueth you not to be in a securitie at any tyme but alwayes hauing the loynes of your myndes girded as menne readyly furnished to mete theyr Lordes comming watchyng and sober being alwayes stiered vp and put in mynde with the certayn and sure loking for of the euerlasting felicitie which now is offred vnto all men that obey the Gospell but yet it shal be possessed at length at suche tyme as our Lorde Iesus Christ shall openly shewe hys maiestie vnto al men and vnto angelles and deuiles howbeit they shall not come to that immortalitie but onely those that in a maner forecast the same in this worlde and according to the example of Iesus being deade to the lustes of this worlde lyue agayne agayne with him vnto innocencie and contynue stedfastly in it like laufull
and right true sonnes that trust in the promises of god the father and do after his prescribed commaundementes and neuer slyde agayne into their olde conuersacion whiche than through the ignoraunce of the Gospelles doctrine was endaungered with worldly concupiscences For it is conuenient that you diffre from them in affectes and maners from whom you dissent in profession The worlde is naught and from it you are already exempted and engraffed vnto Christ which is righteous holy and Innocent and to this ende are you chosen and called of the father the fountayne of al holines that like as you are in your profession so should you in al your life and doinges be pure vpright and vnblameable For the father will not acknowledge any to be his sonnes but those that be like manered vnto him For in dede this same thing he ment whan he spake to our auncetours Leuitici the xix Chapter Be you holy for I the lord your God am holy The puritie of Moses lawe could not haue ben ynough for you to absteine from touching of dead bodyes to haue your fete washen to absteine from the acte of matrimony God will haue all oure conuersacion and all our whole harte to be fre from al spottes of synnes For in dede these are the thinges that make vs playnly impure in the sight of god And although you cal vpon God by the name of a father crieng for his helpe in al thinges yet if you lyue in a filthy conuersacion you may not trust that he wil be mercifull vnto you or acknowledge you for his children seyng he estemeth noman eyther for his kynred or for his estates sake but onely after the merites of his conuersacion For nether shal the Iewe be pure if his conscience be defiled ne yet shall the vncircumcised be vnpure if he leade a godly and an innocent life The texte For as muche as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thynges as syluer and golde from youre vaine conuersacion whiche ye receauch by the tradicion of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christe as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte which was ordeyned before hande euen before the woorlde was made but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes which by his meanes do beleue on god that raysed him vp from death and glorifyed hym that ye myght haue faythe and hope towarde God euen ye whiche haue purifyed your soules thorowe the spirite in obeyng the truthe with brotherly loue vufayned se that ye loue one another with a pure herte feruently for ye are borne a newe not of mortall seed but of immortal by the word of god which lyueth and lasteth for euer For al flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse The grasse wyddereth and the floure falleth awaye but the worde of the Lorde endureth euer And this is the worde which by the gospel was preached vnto you Therfore it remayneth that you which are desirous to haue this father mercifull vnto you haue his vnauoydable iudgemēt alwayes before your eies while you liue in this exile so order your cōuersaciō that there be nothing wherfore the father may be offended iustly shut you out of the inheritaūce of the celestial countrey as vnnaturall disobedyent children The greater the price is wherwith Christe hath frely redemed you so muche the greater hede ought you to take lest for your wilfulnes and vnthankefulnes you be turned agayn into your former bonde thraldom There is none more myserable a bondage than to bee the slaue of synne Those that for a litle money are made fre frō theyr maisters bondage become of bondmē fre men watch about them by al meanes lest for theyr vnthankefulnes they may be drawen agayne into the bondage that they were in before and will you than commit that offence to fall again into y◠old tyranny to be willingly the bond slaues of Moses lawe had rather serue vaine obseruaunces that your elders deliuered from one to an other vnto you than to obey the gospel of God seing you knowe that you were deliuered once from them not with a commune tryfling price as golde or syluer but with an offring muche more holy than Moses lawe knoweth of For you are not made cleane with the bloud of a calfe sprinkled but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe who like a lābe cleane without any spotte pure and vndefiled from all filthinesse of synne was offred for our synnes on the aultare of the crosse Nether yet was that done by chaunce at all auentures but the sonne of God was appointed to make this sacrifice from euerlastyng and before the makyng of the worlde that he might through his deathe reconcile the father vnto vs howbeit the secret deuice and decre of Goddes purposed mynde which was many long yeares vnknowen to the worlde is now at length in these later times openly manifested and a new matter is set forth before mennes eyes to loke vpon whiche in the purposed mynde of God was not new And it was geuen for your saluacion sake vnto whom Christe that was made man dyed and is preached bestoweth thus muche that wher as you had a vayne truste vpon the ceremonies of the lawe now distrusting your selues you must put your whole trust in God the father who like as he would haue Christe to dye to wype awaye your synnes euen so hathe he raysed him vp from death and for the paynfull trauailes of this life which he suffred he gaue him the glory of immortalitie to thentente that as you haue beleued that whiche he hath done in folowing his example you might also trust surely to haue the same reward to be bestowed on you in that you put your whole affiaūce in God which what he hath already perfourmed in his sonne the same also will he vndoubtedly performe in al them which lyue after suche sort that they may be worthyly accompted among the membres of Christ in to whose body you are engraffed synce that you were regenerate through baptisme in to hym Before that tyme you did after your owne lustes that is to say embraceing carnall shadowes of thinges in stede of true ryght thinges but now since you haue clensed your soules not with the obseruacion of Moses purgeing sacrifices but in that you haue through faith obeyed the trueth of the gospell whiche by the spyryte of Christe hath purged your consciences you must endeuour your selues both to be correspondente vnto the head Christe in vprightnes of life and be answerably like vnto the concorde of the body by an excedyng and a playne brotherly and an vnfeyned loue among your selues that lyke as Christ loued you not after a commen sort nor after a carnall maner of loue euen so should you loue euery one other with a spiritual loue New kynred requireth new affeccion Before this tyme you Iewes loued Iewes after a carnall affeccionate loue but now beyng by a
the deuyll as a roarynge lyon walketh aboute sekynge whome he maye deuour whome resyst stedfast in the faithe knowynge that the same affliccions are appointed vnto your brerbren that are in y◠worlde But the God of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorye by Christ Iesus shall his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a lytle afflicciō make you perfecte settle strength and stablyshe you To him be glorye and domintō for euer and euer Amen By Siluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written breffely exhortinge and testifying howe that this is the true grace of God wherin ye stande The congregacion of them whiche at Babilon are companions of your eleccion saluteth you and so dothe Marcus my sonne Grete ye one another with the kysse of loue Peace be with you al whiche are in Christ Iesu Amen Submitte your selues therfore not for dreade of men but because you trust in the mightie hande of God There is no peril leste you shoulde be troden vnder fote perpetually for euer for he shall aduance and exalce you a lofte whan the day of rewardes cōmeth Loke not waueringly about you haue no distrust be not aftayed lest you be tossed in the sourges of sorowes as thoughe you were vndefended and set naught by for he that is hable in all thinges and seeth all thinges hath charche of you wil not suffer any thing of you to peryshe It is the cōmune custoume of youthe to be bēt vnto pleasures vnto ryot vnto wantonnesse But be you sobre watche you in your myndes beyng alwayes readily attētiue and alwayes circūspecte For y◠aduersarie of your saluaciō y◠thursteth after mannes destrucciō sleapeth not but walketh about lyke an hungrye roaringlion sekeyng in euery place whom he may snatche vp to deuour assaieng by all meanes entraunce vnto you sometyme layeng wayte for you by voluptuous pleasures sometyme openly oppugnyng you by persecucions Geue not place vnto him but resiste him with vnshrinkinge stronge hartes You wil say where haue we power against him that is so mightie He that hathe charge of you is mightier than he Put all the whole trust of your hartes vpon him and your aduersaries power shal be nothinge Against the faithles he is strong but against the faithfull he is feble Yf he shoulde assaulte this man or that man parchaunce it might rightly be takē for a sore greuous afflicciō but now doeth he impugne al the whole flocke of the godly with like malicious hatred He persecuteth Christ in you he enuieth all mens saluacion so that the cōmune afflicciō of all shal be the more easely hable to be borne to stande with agreable myndes agaist the cōmune enemy These matters shal shortly haue an ende Nether wil God from whome proceadeth all goodnes leaue you succourles in the meane season but wil throughly perfourme the thing that he hathe begonne in you He hath geuen you suche stomackes that for his sake you should not be afrayed to suffer tormētes wherby he hath called you vnto his glory that neuer shal haue ende He wyll not suffer you to mysse of the victorie yf you wrestle manfully he wil helpe you in your wrestlynge and wyll garnysshe strengthen and establyshe you that beynge tormented for a shorte season you maye atteine the crowne of immortalitie By his ayde we get the victorye of his free gyfte we shal receyue the rewarde For there is nothing wherin we may chalenge any prayse to our selues vnto God alone is al glorye due not onely in this worlde but also into al ages for euer Amē At this present I wil write no further vnto you For of this selfe same matter I suppose I wrote vnto you of late althoughe in fewe wordes by Siluanus a faithfull brother I doubte not but he delyuered the Epistle well and faithfully In it I desired and hartily besought you to perseuer styl in that which you haue begonne that nothing alter your mynde The waye that you haue entred is the very right true waye vnto saluacion Thus ferre you haue proceded forewarde by the goodnes of God Continue styll stedfastly throughe his helpynge ayde tyll you attayne vnto the victorious rewarde of lyfe that neuer shall dye The congregacion of the christianes commende them vnto you euen the congregacion whome God hath chosen out to himselfe together with you in Babilon whiche in the myddes of wicked ydolatrours folowe the godlynes of the gospell and in myddes of most sylthye corrupte lyuers embrace the purenes of cleane conuersacion You are not alone by your selues God hath his electe in euery place In dede those are but a very fewe howbeit they are a fynely tryed sede to encreace the congregacion in tyme commynge more latgely Marke saluteth you whiche is to me as it were my sonne Salute you euery one other with a kysse not after the sorte that is geuē more custumely than hartely but with an holy pure true christiā mynde which is not doone against the hearte but is the signe of a chaste and a pure vpright louer and not a lyeng countrefaicte token And to make an ende of myne Epistle in lyke sorte as I beganne it Grace and peace be alwayes present with you al which beyng engraffed vnto the bodye of Iesu Christ lyue by his spirite that grace maye couple you vnto God and peace maye glewe you together with mutual concorde whiche thing God that is best and most mightye brynge to passe Amen ¶ Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter thapostle ¶ The argument vpon the later Epistle of S. Peter thapostle by D. Erasmus of Roterodame THis Epistle as it appeareth Peter wrote whan he was greatly growē in age and almost at the pittes brinke for in dede he maketh mencion of his death He writeth generallye to all sortes of christianes exhortinge them to purenes of lyfe and by auncient examples and with the terrour of the laste iudgemēt frayeng them from fylthines and he doeth vehemently blame them whiche corrupte the myndes of the symple with peruerse doctrine in denyeng the commynge of Christ ¶ Thus endeth the Argument ¶ The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the later Epistle of S. Peter thapostle ¶ The first Chapter The texte ¶ Simon Peter a seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to them whiche haue obtained lyke precious faithe with vs thorowe the rightewesnes of our God and sauioure Iesus Christ Grace be vnto you and peace be multiplied thorow the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde Accordynge as his godly power hath geuen vnto vs al thynges that pertayne vnto lyfe and godlynesse thorow the knowledge of him that hath called vs by glory and vertue by the which are geuē vnto vs excellent and most great promyses that by the meanes therof ye might be partetakers of the godlye nature yf ye flye the corrupcion of worldly luste I Simon Peter in tymes paste a diligent folower of Moyses law and
because it is not furnyshed with the same thinges anon as the hote sunne is broken out is destitute of his iuyce wherwith it nourished that fayrenes of the floure for the time And so whā it faynteth in the stalkes it doeth nether nourishe ne susteyne his floure but withereth ageth dyeth falleth away where as a litell before it delited mens eies with so greate a fauour Because therfore no christyan shoulde glorye in those thynges that are nether of sure grounde nor longe enduring let him rather respecte the thinges that are eternall and that are delectable in the sight of God let him rather studie to bee a braunche alwayes grene than a herbe that with a lyght hurte will by and by dye Doest thou see nowe the flower that is sprongen how fayre how goodly how pleasaunte of colour and how swete it is what a gorgiousnes of grene leaues what a glistring what a iuyce what youthe hathe it And anone at a blaste of the southe winde and with the heate of the sunne what fading what ageing what dieng hathe it The floure is sene to spring to come forewarde to be at the best to age and to dye all in one daye And like vnto it is riche mens felicitie He that nowe ruffleth in purple shyneth in gold glistereth in precious stones hathe a great trayne wayting on hym is caried in a charet and is honoured as it were a certaine God among men if fortune blowe backewarde he shall ether bee wyped besydes al his goodes be banished to goe on begging or lye crieng in prison or be trussed vp with a tyburne typper and fede rauens or if none of these thynges happen vnto him yet death shall come vnthought vpon and sodainly dispatche al his galaunt araye It is the parte of the heathens to measure felicitye by these maner of goods which ouer that chei depend vpon fortunes chaunce ouer that thei as nothing elles doeth forsake vs whan we departe hence if thei bee not set naught by bring destruccion It is the office of Christians to folowe those thinges wherby eternall goodes are gotten vpon which nether fortune nether age nether deathe hath any enterest For no manne is blessed because he is riche but he shall be surely blessed if for the profession of the Gospelles sake he haue ben spoyled of those thynges that he had in possession yf he haue defyed the pleasures of thys lyfe whiche he had abundaunce of and suffre tormentes and emprisonmentes for Christes sake if he endure for hys sake in all sorowes euen vnto death with an vnshrinkyng harte interpreting on thys wise that the more he is pressed with the sorowes of thys worlde so muche the more he is loued of God whiche tryeth the pacience of his obedient seruaunte to hys owne glorye that he maye bothe bee an example vnto other to de fie thys worlde and after he hathe valeauntly behaued hym selfe in the conflicte and hathe shewed a lesson of true vertue and of fayth he maye weare the Palme and crowne not of oken bowes and of laurell for they doe wither also after suche sorte as they receyue which hunt after rewarde and prayse of menne but the crowne of immortall lyfe whiche is promysed not of a man that canne deceaue but of God him selfe But he hath promysed it not to them that haue muckred vp the greatest substaunce of riches not to them that haue excelled other in bodyly strength not to them that haue shedde moste bloude but to them that for hys sake haue defied the goodes of thys worlde and haue valeauntly suffred the displeasures of this worlde The texte Let no man saye when he is tempted that he is tempted of God For as God cannot be tempted to euyll so neyther he hym self tempteth any man But euery man is tempted when he is drawne a way entysed of hys own concupiscence Then when lust hathe conceaued she bryngeth forth synne synne whē it is fynyshed bryngeth forth death Do not erre my deare brethren Euery good gyfte and euery parfecte gyfte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lyghtes with whome is no variablenesse nether is he chaunged vnto darkenes Of hys owne will begat he vs with the worde of trueth that we shoulde be the fyrste trutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery man be swyfte to beare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrathe of man worketh not that whiche is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye aparte al fylthynes superfluytie of malicyousnes and receaue with mekenes the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue youre soules Whether a man loue God purely the pleasures of this worlde dooe trye but muche more doeth the hurly burly of affliccions And it is in vs that being furnyshed with the helping ayde of God we maye nether become tendre nycelynges through vayne pleasures ne moued with terrible turmoylinges But if a manne be moued with the delices of the worlde from the right state of mynde or if a man be led by the sorow of afflicciōs out of true godlines he hath nothing to laie vnto Goddes charge He y◠getteth the victorie getteth the victory by the helpe of God and he that is ouercomme is ouercome through hys own faulte For God doeth not geue menne occasyon to synne but the thynge that he geueth according to his own goodnes for the nouryshment and encreace of godlines our mindes being corrupte and as it were cralled with affeccions turneth to thoccasyon of theyr owne destruccion For God doeth somtymes geue vs the vse of habundaunce of goodes and the commodities of life to the intent that being prouoked by his liberall goodnes we should tendre thankes vnto him Againe he suffreth vs somtymes to bee afflicted with aduersities that he may both make our godlines more notably seene encreace our rewarde And if the matter turne to the cotrary parte it is our faulte not his For like as he being by nature good can not bee prouoked with any euilles euen so doth he entice noman vnto euil The thing is of vs that turneth the goodnes of God vnto oure euil He geueth pleintie of meates he geueth the liquor of wyne that beyng moderately refreshed we shoulde geue prayses to the maker And shall he that is dronken with wyne call God vnto the lawe no in no wyse let him accuse his owne mynde whose vicious gredynes entised and drewe him to dronkenes Ther is a certayne readynes vnto vice graffed in oure hartes of our fyrste parentes vice and that is as it were a sede of synne And if it bee receaued in to the harte and receaue nourishment than the mynde hathe as it were all ready conceaued synne And onles the vicious desire be dryuen out of mynde the stynking smell of it groweth and waxeth strong by litell and litell till deadly synne be cōmitted Whiche whan it is in his nombres consūmately done beginneth to bring forthe frute it self agayne And the frute
handes and absteyne from all kynde of euell dooinges clense your hartes that no maner of vngodly lustes kepe residence there you that are now of a double minde partely louing the thinges that are of God partly yâ— thinges that are of yâ— world dedicate your whole hart to Christ alone Why do you seke for the felicitie in this world which is promised in heauen Why are you sincared with the vaine pleasures of this world set naught by the ioyes that neuer shal haue end if you would be truly happy in dede suffre sorow in this world if you will haue ioye euerlastingly mourne here in thys worlde if you will bee mery for euer world endles wepe here in this worlde Let this folish and pernicious laughing be turned into holsome mourning Let outragious ioyousnes be chaunged in to holsoÌ„e sadnes let this high statelines be turned into lowe mekenes Let no manne exalt him selfe alofte but rather caste downe your selues in the sight of God and whan you are so deiected he shall set you vp and make you of a true highe estate The lesse you shall arrogauntly chalenge vnto your selues so much the greater thinges shall he frely geue vnto you Arrogaunce hathe enuye to her companyon and of enuye springeth backbytinge And the moste wicked kynde of pryde is to backbyte thy brothers name that thou mayest appeare the more honeste as though a manne woulde caste myre in an other mannes face that he hym selfe myght seme the fayrer and arraye an other mannes garment with fylthynes that he him selfe myght seme the more trym And what is a more fylthy thynge than the brother to backbyte the brother betwene whome all thynges ought to bee coÌ„mune Is it not euen as yf the right hand should mayme the lefte as though it shoulde be more happye if his felowe membre were in the worse case And yet they that auoyde aduouterie they that auoyde thefte and they that auoide periurie abhorre not backbyting as though it were a lyght faulte where as it is so muche the more hurtefull as it couereth it selfe with the cloke of relygyon For he that rayleth agaynste an other mans faultes appeareth fyrste of all to abhorre from those vices whiche he misâ—iketh in others and than he fayneth him selfe not to be moued of enuye nor of malice but of loue that he beareth to honestie And euen this venome â–ª hathe his fayre spoken flatterie Backbytynge one of an other maketh other folke to thinke the worse of them both nether is there any more present a poyson vnto christian concorde Nowe he that backbiteth his brother or condemneth his neyghbour dooeth wronge not onlye to him whome he backbiteth but also vnto the law whome he appeareth to backbite and condemne If thy brother be faultles if it be not forbydden by the law that he dooeth with what face dooest thou damne the thynge that the lawe of the Gospell damneth not but and if he be faultye why doest thou bewray with thy backbytynge tongue hym that ought to be punnyshed by the lawe The lawe of the Gospell byddeth that we iudge not one an other that we condemne not one an other and vnder pretense of the lawe we dooe after our owne affeccions He that is the offendour shall haue a iudge of his owne why dooest thou than take his office vpon thee before the tyme For thou goest not aboute to haue him amended but to be wondred vpon Therfore who so euer backbiteth his neighbour he either condemneth the lawe in that it correcteth not filthynes or backbiteth it as though it were to muche myngle mangled and walowyshe the office wherof the backbytour taketh vpon hym The worlde hathe here publike lawes to punnyshe faultes But it is the parte of christian softenes to endeuour the amendement of all menne rather than to iudge them There is but one lawe maker whiche is hable bothe to saue and to spill And thinkest thou that it is kepte secret from him that euery manne doeth offende perchaunce he suffreth the offendour that he maye ones repent and he suffreth hym that he maye in his time punnyshe him the more greuouslye Why dooest thou beinge but a rascall paisgent take vpon thee the iudges office Why dooest thou geue sentence before the tyme It is a brotherly parte to monyâ—h it is charity to desire it is the parte of a well wilâ—er to blame but to backbyte it is a pestilent thing and a very pride to iudge If thou obey the lawe why doest thou arrogauntly take vpon thee the office of the law If thou goest before the law thou art not a keper of the law but a iudge of yâ— lawe He that goeth before the lawe goeth before God the maker of the law God will not suffre any thinge to be vnreuenged he knoweth what ought to be punnyshed how to bee punnyshed he is out of daunger of al sinne and none but he Who arte thou that iudgest an other Thou condemnest thy brother where thou thy selfe arte more faultie than he For thou goest about to spill him that thou arte not hable to saue Fynally thou chalengeste to thy selfe aucorytie vpon an other mannes seruaunte and not without reproche of the commune maister of all Leaue him to his owne maister whiche only iudgeth according to right Thou perswadest to thy selfe that to be right which ambicion hate wrathe and malice beareth the in hande and arte many times offended at the moate in thy brothers eie whan thou haste a beame in thyne owne There is no man that more poysonly backbiteth an other mans name than he that is moste farre of from true praise worthynes And no manne beareth more easyly with an other mans weakenes than he that goeth moste forwarde in the studie of true godlynes Now they that with so great studie forcast those thinges that are of the worlde hauyng neclected heauenly goodes ought at lest to be monyshed by the incertayntie and shortenes of this life that it is a folye to set a mannes ioye in those maner of goodes whiche how so euer they chaunce yet they are somtyme sodaynely taken awaye by fortune or if fortune snatche not awaye those goodes frome the owner deathe snatcheth away the owner from the goodes And wher they learne by dayly examples that thus it is yet as cleane forgetting all thys gayre they dreame vpon long life and as though they shoulde alwayes lyue they heape vp to them selues riches for many yeares to lyue vpon whan thys is a thinge moste incertayn how long they shall lyue and a thing moste certain that they shall not lyue longe and they do not prepare for them selues vitayle rather for that life that neuer shall haue ende God to your fooles with what face than saye you to daye or to morowe we wyll gooe forthe in to thys cytie or that and passe the tyme there one yeare and get muche gayne to serue vs â–ª for many yeares whan you are incertayn what shall happen the nexte daye after
where as lyfe is of it selfe moste shorte so manye casualties so many dyseases make it also moste incertayne and you as though you were at a compacte with death whiske about by sea and by lande to get pelfe for your olde age that peraduenture shall neuer come whan no manne can promyse hym selfe to lyue so much as to morow Whereto put you your confidence so in this life as though it were a stedfaste and a substaunciall matter And what a thyng is this life of yours for the which you set your only care for the which ye labour and forcast and for nothing elles Truelye it is a smoke appearing for a shorte tyme and quyckly vanyshing away Farre be therfore this maner of communicacion froÌ„ Christian folkes mouthes we will go we wil passe of a yeare we will buye and sell we wyll get wynnynge as though it were in your owne handes to knowe the chaunce to come Rather lyue you for the tyme dependyng of Goddes will and saye if the lorde will and if he lende vs life we will dooe this or that These thinges ought lightly to be cared for that make for the shorte and incertayn life of the body but all care ought to be set vpon those thinges that make for the lyfe that neuer shall dye And yet where thys lyfe hath nought to truste surely vnto seing it is subiecte to so many chaunces and so many diseases â—â—ig it is endaungered with so many casualties seinge it is so slyppery and so fugitiue yet you enhaunce your stomackes and are puffed vp with trusting vpon youthe and â—iâ—hes as though you should neuer dye It is right to bee stronge and hartie in the truste of Goddes helpe it is godly to bee chearefull in the loking for heuenly goodes but all thys bragging cheare that you stand in your owne conceate withall of goodes being fyrste false goodes and than goodes that muste shortly be taken from you is not only wycked but also folishe Peraduenture thys were more tolerable in those that were perswaded of theyr elders that there is nothing remaining of man after he is lapped in his wynding sheâ—e and were more excusable in them that gredely vse thys life and loke for none other As for you the Gospelles philosophye hathe taught you that this lyfe is to be contemned and that you ought with all studyous dilygence to make spede to that heauenly life whyche is not prepared by ryches but with godly doynges To conclude he is the more greuous synner whiche whan he knoweth by the Gospelles doctrine what ought to be doone yet being corrupte with euill affections foloweth after â–ª those thinges whiche those men folowe that knowe not Christe The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ Go to nowe ye ryche men Wepe and howle on youre wretchednes that shall come vpon you youre ryches is corrupte youre garmentes are motheaâ—en youre golde and siluer is â—ankâ—ed and the ruste of them shal be a witnes vnto you and shall eate youre fleshe as it were fyre ye haue heaped treasure together euen wrathe to youre selues in youre laste dayes Beholde the hyer of the labourers whiche haue reaped downe youre feldes whiche hyre is of you kepte backe by fraude â—â—yeth and the cries of them whiche haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde Sabaoth Ye haue lyued in pleasure on the erthe and bene wanton ye haue nourished your heartes as in a daye of slaughter ye haue condemned and kylled the iuste and he hathe noâ— resisted you GOe to nowe you ryche men that occupye the felycitie and pleasures of lyfe whiche you ought to loke for eternall in heauen poste haste here in this worlde awaye with your synging laye awaye your voluptuousnes and madde pleasures If you haue any witte wepe and howle and thinke vpon those euerlastinge miseries that shortely hange ouer you Imagine that the time is now presently come that shal shortly come aâ— hâ—nde whan those riches wherin now you most folishly put your confidence being twitched awaye you shal be wise to late and acknowlage that those gaye possessions doe not now helpe you but for a counterfaict felicitie a right true and euerlasting sorow is come Where be now your riches that you haue gotten by hoke and by croke you cared not howe Your ryches are rotten youre clothes are endaungered with mothes Your golde and your siluer is maâ—â—ed with rust in the custody of a nygarde slouening heyre And yâ— rusting shal beare record of youre wickednes which had rather haue it be lost with mowling thaÌ„ to lay it out to the vse of the poore nedy With yâ— expense of these thinges you might haue bought euerlasting life now shall the reste of the money that you haue scraped out of the hard earthe gâ—awe out the guttes of your soules euen as it were fire It shall bee to late and in vayne for you to frette your selues with repentaunce of your naughtyly kept money It shall double youre sorowe that you haue naughtly kept that you haue naughtyly gotten In stede of the mercy of God whiche you might with losse of substaunce haue bought you haue heaped vp for your selues the wrathe and vengeaunce of God You were not only not liberall towardes your nedy brother but you haue also defrauded the symple body of hys due wages Beholde the â—eaper that swette with reapyng downe youre corne being defrauded of hys wages cryeth vnto God and asketh vengeaunce yea and he cryeth so that theyr voyce pearceth through in to the eares of the lorde Sabaoth whiche ought also to be dreadde of you They were not hable to reuenge them of them that are bigger thaÌ„ they they were not hearde of any manne that was a iudge whiche for the most parte fauoureth them that are moste wealthy and they them selues helde theyr peace but the wickednes it selfes cryeth out vnto the iudge God whiche is nether afrayed of the wealthie and also reckoneth the wronge of the poore oppressed to belong vnto him But you for all that are not moued with the sorowfull griefe of the hungrye and thurstye poore Other mennes swette hatched vp you Other mennes hunger and thurste made you fatte Theyr teeth hacked in theyr heade they were staruen for colde they were killed with hungre and thurst And you in the meane while passed your lyfe swetely and in pleasures vpon earthe you lyued wantonly fedde your soules with al kindes of voluptuous pleasures keping dayly feastes as gorgeously as other are wont to doe in a soleÌ„ne holy day whan meate offring is slayne Nether thought you it ynough to haue defrauded the poore manne but you haue condemned and killed the Innocente that made no resystence You thought you shoulde haue doone that without punnyshement alwayes whiche you might doo without punnyshment of men It is a kynde of manslaughter to defraude the symple of theyr lyuynge And yet for all that thys crueltie did not suffice your vnreasonable outragiousnes You thyrsted after theyr blood and whan the faultles people
speake As ofte as you denye any thinge denye it with youre whole hearte nether let any thynge elles bee in youre hearte than youre mouthe speaketh that there be no counterfaictynge in you seing you are disciples of the trueth And if there bee any manne sore afflicted amonge you let hym not flee to the remedies of thys worlde to rynges to inchauntmentes to baynes and other easementes of sorowe but let hym turne hym to prayer and lyfte vp hys mynde to God with most assured faithfull trust and he shall fâ—â—de present releaâ—se of his mournyng Agayne if a manne be well content in prosperitie let him not enhaunce him selfe folishely nor behaue hym selfe madlye but let him praise the liberall goodnesse of God in holy songes of thankes geuing Nowe if any manne be punnyshed with syckenes let hym not flee to the remedies of witchecrafte let hym not spende a great sight of money vpon phisicions whose curing is many tymes of suche sorte that it were better pacientlye to departe out of the world but let hym call vnto him the elders of the christian congregacion Let them make theyr prayers to God for the dyseased and annoynte him with oyle not hauyng any prayers of wytchecrafte as the heathen are wont to doe but callyng vpon the name of oure lorde Iesu Christe then the which there is no kinde of enchauntmente more effectuall And let the prayers be done in a trusty faithe and God shall heare and preserue the diseased And there shall not only healthe of bodye bee restored vnto hym if it be expedient for the diseased but also if he bee endaungered with synnes as diseases of bodye spryng for the moste parte of the sorowes of the mynde they shal be forgeuen hym at the elders supplicacions so that the faith of them be commendable that doe praye and of hym for whome they dooe praye The texte Knowledge your fautes one to another and praye one for another yâ— ye may be healed For the feruent prayer of a ryghteous manne auayleth muche Helyas was a man mortall euen as we are and he prayed in hys prayer that it myght not rayne and it rayned not on the earthe by the space of tore yeares and sâ—â—e monethes And he praied againe and the heaueÌ„ gaue raâ—â—â— and the earth brought forth her frute Brethren if any of you do erre from the trueth and anoâ—her conueâ—â—e hym let the same knowe that he whiche conuerteth the synner from goâ—ng astraye out of his waye shal saue a soule from death and shall by de the multytude of synnes And forasmuche as the life of manne consisteth not without light and dayly offences it shal be conuenyentâ— to vse a dayly remedie that you maye bothe releue euery one other with your mutuall prayers and acknowlage euery one hys faulte to other And so shall the remedy be auayleable â–ª if thou acknowlage thy disease and desire helpe Supersticious folkes suppose a secret hydden efficacie to be in theyr enchauntmentes and prayers but in very dede the prayer of a righteous manne is muche worthe whiche through faithe obteyneth what so euer it desireth of God Vpon this condicyon Christe made couenaunt with vs that what so euer we shall aske in a faythfull trusty confidence we shoulde obteyne it onles it be suche a thynge as were beste not to be obteyned Would you fayne haue a doctrine of thys matter Helyas was a pure manne he was a mortall manne as we are and yet at his prayers it rayned not vpon the earthe thre yeares and sixe monethes He prayed agayne that it myght rayne and anone the heauens as hauynge hearde hys prayers gaue rayne and the earthe brought forthe his frute Incase the heauen be obedient to the prayers of one godly manne as though it were bewytched is it any maruayle if God beynge moste readye to forgeue be pleased at the prayers of many Now weight this brethren if it be godly if it be the partes of christyan loue to ease the sickenes of an other mannes bodye through commune prayers how muche more indifferent reason is it that we shoulde succour them that be diseased in mynde For it is no greate matter to obteyne this by prayer that it may be somwhat longer before deathe happen to this man or that man howbeit it muste nedes comme ones but it is a great matter to haue aboyded the disease of minde Therfore if there be any among you that erre from the Gospelles veritie ether to muche cleauyng to the lawe of Moses or be a stubburne folower of heathen relygion deliuered of the elders let no man thinke that he should be dryuen awaye with scoldyng but it behoueth rather to endeuour with all â–ª studies to this ende that he maye turne and reâ—ent from hys errour For who so euer doeth thus shall doo God a greate sacrifice who wisheth not the deathe of a synner but rather that he may turne and lyue For that man doeth a great feate that preserueth the soule from deathe delyuerynge hys brother from synnes wherby he was holden in subieccyon of deathe Nether in the meane â—yme shall he wante hys rewarde for Christe shall forgeue hym hys synnes agayne how many so euer they be that shall kepe his brother from destrucâ—yon ¶ Thus endeth the epistle of S. Iames the apostle The argument vpon the fyrst Epistle of thapostle S. John by Erasmus of Roterodam THat this is Saincte Iohn thapostles epistle whiche wrote the Gospell the very stile of the wordes selfe is a playne argument He maketh muche a dooe in the rehersall of light and darckenes life and deathe hare and loue in often repetinge the wordes as though they were taken out of the sayinge nexte before Of the whiche sorte to open my saying more plainly by example this is one Loue not the Vuorlde nether those thinges that are in the VVorld Yf any manne loue the VVorlde the loue of the father is not in hym for all that is in the VVorlde c. And anon after He is not of the father but of the VVorlde and the Vuorlde passeth aVuaye How often here is the worlde rehearsed Fynally in all hys sayinge there is lesse compendyous shortenes and more open plainesse than in the writynge of the reste of thapostles And as for thepistle it is more euidently plaine than nedeth any argumente like as the two Epistles folowinge are whiche are ascribed to one Iohn a certayne senior and not to Iohn the apostle Thus endeth the Argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the firste Epistle of Sainct Iohn The fyrste Chapter The texte That which was from the beginnyng which we haue herd which we haue sene with our eyes which we haue loked vpon and oure handes haue handled of the worde of the lyfe And â—he lyfe appeared and we haue sene and beare witnes and shewe vnto you that eternall life whiche was with the father and appeared vnto vs. That whithe we haue sene and hearde declare we vnto you that ye also maye haue felowshyp
hygh and excelleÌ„t and so seynge hym we shall also be transformed vnto hys iykenes not onely in myndes but also in bodyes And we see hym nowe howebeit as it were through a myst with the eyes of fayth But then we shal see hym after such maner as cannot be expressed But that thyng whiche we shal be than perfitely we must forcast nowe i the meane tyme to the vttermost of our possible power To thinteÌ„t we may be liÌ„ke hiÌ„ theÌ„ in glory let vs be pure here froÌ„ all fylthynes To thintent we maye see hym than lette vs clense our eies nowe leste when he shall appeare glisterynge bryght he bee vnto vs more dreadfull than amiable For he is not fortunatelye sene but of them that are lyke hym Therefore whosoeuer hath thys confidence in Christe that he shal than be a companion of his glory let hym in the meane time pourge hymselfe with godly studyes cleane from worldlye affeccions lyke as in hym was no maner of fylthynes of thys worlde but is all together pure and heauenlye Therefore it standeth vs in hande with all our possible powers to bend our endeuours to thys ende that nothyng remayne in vs of yearthye dregges And leite no manne flatter hym selfe sayinge It is ynough for me vnto innocency if I traÌ„sgresse in none of those thinges that Moses lawe forbyddeth nor in those thynges that are punyshed by the kynges lawes as felonye sacrilege adultrie murdre but all maner of synne is vtterly to be eschewed For whosoeuer offendeth by any meane although he offende not agaynst the prescriptes of Moses yet he synneth agaynst the lawe of the gospell whiche is a greate deale holyer than Moses law And for thys cause sake Christ came once into the world to shew the waye whereby his comming agayne shoulde become holesome and luckye vnto vs. He came to take awaye once for all not one synne or two but al our synnes where he onely was subiect vnto no maner of synne He once purged vs frely from all synne to make vs lyke manered vnto hymselfe whiche neither any lawe nor any mortall man coulde be hable to do Through baptisme we are engraffed into hys holy sacred body But it is our part for all that to endeuour in the meane tyme that we fall not from our head We are engraffed through his owne free mercy but we shal fall awaye if we slyde backe agayne into oure olde vices He that abydeth in Christ perseuereth in innocencye and is wonderous ware to shunne from all sinne that he may dayly more and more growe in vertues and be made more lyke hys head He that absteyneth not from sinnes although he bee baptised although he be called a christian hath not yet sene fully nor yet knowen hym For who is it yf he sawe with the eies of fayth what greate dignitie it is to be chosen into the numbre of the sonnes of God and what a fylthy shame it is to be geuen to the father deuyll that woulde abyde to be plucked awaye from suche a bodye to departe from suche a father and to go out of kynde vnto so fylthy a tirannye to slyde of his owne accorde awaye from so hygh rewardes vnto so greate miserie The text Babes lette no man deceyue you he that doeth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the deuil for the deuyl sinneth sence the beginning For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to looce the workes of the deuyll Whosoeuer is borne of God synneth not for hys seed remayneth in hym and he can not synne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the deuyll Whosoeuer doeth not ryghteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not hys brother Babes lette no man deceyue you flatteryng you for your professyng the name of christians as though that were ynoughe vnto felicitie He is not iust that speaketh iustice with his mouthe but he that in his lyfe and maners doeth iustice in dede is iuste lyke as Christe also shewed himselfe in his sayinges and doynges an example of all iustice And he that truely and wholy cleaueth fast vnto him absteyneth as much as he possible may from all vncleanes of sinnes and the purenes of maners selfe declareth hym to be the sonne of God whiche is good by nature and knoweth no synne But he that synneth although he haue receyued the sacramentes of Christe yet he is begotten of hys father the deuyl whiche is the prince and autor of all synne Him whosoeuer foloweth is lyke his father in that same thing that he synneth in declareth hymselfe to be his sonne God alloweth no felowshyppe with synnes for he sent his sonne for thys intent into this worlde to vanquisâ—he the woorkes of the deuyll that is to saye all thynges that are contrarye repugnaunt agaynst the charitie of the gospel Of Adam we are all borne endaungered with sinnes of God we are borne agayne by the sede of yâ— gospelles doctrine As longe as the strength of this seede abydeth in a man he synneth not neither can synne that is to wete because the loue of god byddeth hym naye whiche loue rauisheth hym to the studye of well doyng and calleth hym awaye from all desire of offendynge in that he is the very true sonne of God resembling playnly the behauiour and disposicion of his father and head It is not the title it is not baptisme it is not the sacramentes that descerne the children of God from the children of the deuyll but the puritie of lyfe and charitie expressyng and she wyng it selfe in wel doinges It is not idle if it be there He that sheweth not that neither sheweth in his dede that he loueth his brother he is not borne of God If he were alyuely membre of Christes body he woulde haue loued the other membres for whom Christe died The texte For thys is the tydinges that ye beard from the beginninge that ye shoude loue one another not as Cayn whiche was of that wicked and slewe hys brother And wherefore slewe he him Because his owne workes were euyll and hys brothers good Meruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated from death vnto lyfe because we loue the brethren De that loueth not his brother abideth in deathe Whosoeuer hateth hys brother is a man slear And â—e knowe that no man slear hath eternall life abyding in hym Hereby perceyue we loue â–ª because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue oure lyues for the brethren But whoso hath thys worldes good and seeth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his compassion from hym howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym Thys is the summe of Christen iustice thys is it that Christe gaue first of all vnto vs this is it which we set forth before al thinges vnto you that you shoulde with louynge one an other declare youre selues to be the soÌ„nes of
God the disciples of Christ For in dede the hate of the neghbour is a step vnto murther And malice is cleane coÌ„trary repugnauÌ„t with charitie Cain was not the sonne of god but was borne of the deuyll why because he went out of kynde from his good maker and became lyke the deuill which beyng strycken with enuy was the first that slewe man with deadly stynge Cayn resembled the disposicion of his father in sleaing Abell hys brother But what was the cause of hys hate For so the because their lyfe was not alyke and therfore they were of a contrarye kynde albeit after their bodely kinred they were naturall borne brethren They did bothe resemble their father Abel was an innoceÌ„t man and kyndled to the studious mynde of well dooinge Cain contrariwyse hauinge conceaued an hate against his brother forcasted not howe to amende himselfe but how to slea his brother Lyke as in this case the wicked coulde not abyde the godlye and the deuilles childe coulde not abyde yâ— childe of god euen so you ought to take it for no maruaiâ—e brethren thoughe men geuen to the worlde forsake you They hate them that are giltles Let no man hate them againe They forsomuche as they are vowed vnto deathe and serue the autor of deathe imagine howe to put other to deathe It is our parte to pitie them and not to doe them one harme for an other For in dede the charitie of the gospell hath ledde vs awaye from the studye of harme dooinge vnto the â—â—udie of wel dooing by this token we know that we are predestinat vnto euerlasting life exempte from the tiranny of death in yâ— we loue the brethren He that loueth bothe wisheth well doeth well The body lyueth by the breathe the soule liueth by the spirite of Christ Wher brotherly loue is not there yâ— spirite of Christ is not Whosoeuer therfore hateth his neighbour he is deade lyueth not inwardly For although he haue a faithe yet he hath a dead faith where charitie is not present Doe you make a fliâ—te at the hating of your brother as though it were a light faulte he that hateth his brother is a manâ—lear He hath not thurst his sword in him he hath not poisoned hi he hath not flowen vpon him he hath not cursed him but onely wished him euyll â–ª Mans law doeth not damne him of man laughter but in gods sight he is already damned of manslaughter He yâ— hath receyued hate ones in to his brest as much as in him is he is a maÌ„sâ—ear There are many kyndes of manslaughter He that sleaâ—th with sworde suffreth punisshemeÌ„t euen by temporall lawes He that killeth with poyson is punisshed euen of them that are wicked But he that sticketh his brother with the darte of a venemous tongue although he be quitte by mannes lawes from the crime of manslaughter yet by the lawe of the gospel he is giltie of manslaughter He is as yet hitherto alyue that the hater wissheth euil vnto yet he him selfe is al ready dead That mans lyfe is safe this hath lost euerlastinge lyfe being his owne murtherour Wyll you see brethren howe muche we ought to be farre from the desire of harme dooing Turne your eies to the example of Christ He so loued vs whan we deserued nothinge yea whan we deserued deathe that he spent his lyfe for vs. Howe muche more ought we to put our lyfe in daunger for the saluacioÌ„ of our brethreÌ„ yf occasion so require namely we that succede into Christ our shepherdes rowme He coÌ„mitted not his shepe vnto Peters keping but whan he had thrise sayed he loued him by and by hâ— sheweth him yâ— kynde of death that he might vnderstonde that the saluacioÌ„ of the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto his charge must be defended euen with the losse of lyfe But wil he spende his lyfe that grudgeth to helpe with his money doeth a maÌ„ thinke it inoughe yf he hurt not his brother yf he speake to him gently Christ declared in his dedes howe muche he loued vs. He yâ— seeth his brother waÌ„t meate clothe drincke or lodging hath substaunce to releue his nede withal is not moued with coÌ„passioÌ„ but as thoughe it were no poynt of his charge letteth him alone vnsuccoured how caÌ„ it be beleued yâ— the loue of god is in him â–ª The heatheÌ„ suâ— coureth yâ— heatheÌ„ doest not yâ— being a ChristiaÌ„ succour thine eueÌ„ christened â–ª Thou haste professed brotherly loue and if thou haue it truly present with the why doeth it ceasse in this case whan thy brother is pyned with nede Thou callest him brother and shewest thou no token of brotherly affeccioÌ„ The texte My babes let vs not loue in word neither in tong but in dede in verytie Hereby we know that we are of the verytie can quyet our heartes before hym For if our hearte condemne vs God is greater then oure hearte and knoweth all thynges Dearâ—ly beloued if our hearte condemne vs not then haue we truste to God warde and whatsoeuer we aske we receyue of hym because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges which are pleasant in hys sight And this is his commaundement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement And he that kepeth his commaundementes dwelleth in him and he â—â— him and hereby we knowe that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. My babes let vs not loue one another in wordes onely Let the loue be in the hearte rather than in the tongue and let it expresse it selfe in dedes rather than in speaking Let this worde Brother be in our dayly communicacion yea but that we may be true let the dedes be answerably like to the communicacion as often as occasion serueth let vs declare a true brotherly loue to be in vs in dede Let not our brother want any thing yâ— we haue whether he desire coate or meate or lodging either coÌ„forte teaching or admonicion Thus if we doe with readie good willes we shall knowe by this token that we are the children of the trueth and that we loue not countrefaytlye but purely The trueth is Christe him selfe vnto whose eyes we shall proue oure conscience yâ— we be allowed bothe with God and men and by our dedes men shall knowe that there is no dissembled loue among vs god loketh vpoÌ„ the puritie of the harte We shal succour our brothers nede yea but so as we releue his necessitie not to maintene his riotous prodigalitie and we shal succour him willingly without hope of reward to returne vnto vs therfore nether for dayne glories sake Menne see not the mynde but the mynde knoweth it selfe and is seene vnto the eies of god If menne prayse vs and a naughtie conscience condemne vs howsoeuer we deceaue men we can not escape the iudgement of God Mans heart hathe secret passages to and fro and doubtefull lurking
and hathe to doe in them whiche being addicte to worldly delices fight agaynst the spirite of Christe The texte Lytell children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde They are of the worlde therfore speake they of the worlde and the worlde heareth them We are of God He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of god heareth vs not Herby knowe we the spirite of veritie and the spirite of erroure Dearely beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of god And euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God â—e that loueth not knoweth not god for God is loue In this appeared the loue of god to vs warde because that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we might lyue thorowe him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agrement for our synnes There is no cause why you should be afrayed of these sortes of men litell children Forasmuch as you are of god and haue his spirite you haue by him ouercome the Antichristes In dede you of youre selues are but weake but he that dwelleth in you is greater and myghtier than he that dwelleth in the worlde The deuill fighteth agaynst you by hys membres but God by his spirit defendeth you They forasmuche as they perteyne to the fashion of the worlde and haue receyued the spirite of the worlde are wisely skilled in the worlde and talke of worldely matters and their doctrine is acceptable gear vnto them which are also geuen them selues vnto the worlde No man dooeth lyghtly beleue that he is an enemye to those thinges whiche he behemently loueth They loue earthie thynges their doctrine sauoureth of the earth We are of god he that knoweth hym in dede he knoweth him that loueth him herkeneth vnto vs whiche teache heauenly thinges matters worthy of god He yâ— is not of god heareth not vs but abhorreth froÌ„ the gospelles doctrine which biddeth meÌ„ geue away their ryches defye voluptuous pleasures to reioyce in affliccions to esteme euen life it selfe of no value for righteousnes sake to loke for the rewarde of well done dedes in the resurreccion which they either beleue shal not come at all or woulde not haue it to happen which doctryne coÌ„maundeth also through sincere loue to spend euen a mans life for his neighbours sake where as the man of a worldely spirite prouideth for his owne coÌ„moditie at al handes yea euen with wronging of his brother By these tokens therfore you may knowe the true spirite of god from the false spirite of the worlde Therfore dearely beloued forasmuche as we are of god not of the worlde let vs loue eche one other let euery one serue his neighbours profites rather than his own for loue is of god He therfore that is garnisshed with this loue is borne of god doeth truly knowe god And he that is voide of loue hath not yet knoweÌ„ god because god hiÌ„selfe is loue He geueth him selfe vnto vs as often as he geueth vs his loue He hath declared his loue to vs ward that we should also declare ours towards our neighbour But some man wil say we acknowlage the soÌ„nes charitie but wherby doe we knowe the fathers loue towardes vs Forsothe by this that he sent his onely sonne than the whiche he hath nothing more dearer in to this worlde gaue him vnto death that we by his death shoulde atteyne euerlastyng lyfe And this is also a greater and a more notable miracle of loue that beinge prouoked by no good turne of ours he loued vs so e notablie He that loueth his louer agayne is nothing but thankeful and should haue no humanitie except he dyd it We loued the worlde and were turned from the loue of god and yet God loued vs fyrst and of hys owne accorde And when he was iustly offended at oure synnes neyther was there anye manne vpon yearthe boyde of synne that coulde reconcile vs vnto hym for it behoueth hym to be full of grace that muste make intercession vnto hym that is offended for suche as bee malefactors he sente hys sonne downe from heauen to sacrifice hymselfe vnto the father and with thys most pure oblacion to make hym mercyfull vnto vs. What canne be Imagined more notable than thys loue what can be thought more feruent what can be imagined more plenteous The texte Dearely beloued yf god so loued vs we oughte also to loue one another No man hath sene god at anye tyme. Yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs and hys loue is perfecte in vs. Hereby knowe wee that wee dwell in hym and he in vs because he hathe geuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and doe testifie that the father sent the sonne to bee Sauiour of the worlde Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god in hym dwelleth god and he in god And wee haue knowen and beleue the loue that God hathe to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in god and god in hym Herein is the loue perfecte in vs that wee shoulde haue truste in the daye of iudgemente For as he is euen so are wee in thys worlde I here is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynfulnes â—e that feareth is not perfecte in loue We loue hym for he loued vs fyrste Yf a man saye I loue god and yet hate his brother he is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene loue god whoÌ„ he hath not sene And this commaundement haue we of him that he whiche loueth god shoulde loue his brother also Dearely beloued yf God whiche hathe no nede of vs of hys owne accorde and wyllyngly hath so muche loued vs we ought also after hys example to loue eche one other The sonne of God shewed hym selfe visiblye vnto vs but no man hath sene God the father at any tyme with his bodily eies and yet he is perceyued by the euident tokens of thynges We feele hym angrye we fele hym mercyfull we fele hym to be absent we fele hym to be presente We are hable to testifie our mutuall loue towardes God by none other argumente than yf we loue euery one other lyke as he hathe loued vs. He loued vs frely without cause he loued vs for thys purpose to saue vs. Yf we loue eche one other after such wise god which is loue as I sayed abydeth in vs. It is a coÌ„mune loue to beare good wil to him yâ— deserueth well to loue hym that is hable to requite oure loue and to testifie our good will with one good turne for an other but yâ— loue of god is perfite towardes vs. He loued vs of his own accorde he loued vs being straungers he loued vs of whome no maner requitall coulde returne to hym agayne he loued vs eueÌ„ to the
losse of his onely begotten sōne If we loue our neighbour in a semblable wyse than the loue of God is perfite in vs declaryng also that God hymselfe is in vs. Lyke as all one spirite knytteth the membres of the body together and maketh them one body euen so the spirite of god doeth in a maner glue together and knytte bothe vs with hym and euery one to other and as it were dryueth perforce all into one And yf the spirite of god which inspireth into our heartes y◠loue of our neighbour be stronge in vs doubtles we knowe by thys token bothe that we abyde in God and God lykewyse in vs. Therefore he is an enemie vnto loue that denyeth Iesus to be the sonne of God whiche gaue hymselfe to redeme mankind But of this matter we were euen lookers vpō we sawe it with our eies we hearde it with our eares we handled it with our handes and of a matter so many waies prouedly knowē we beare witnes to the whole worlde that god sent his sonne to saue the world with his death in case it woulde repent from his olde errours and ordre the life of it from henceforthe accordyng to the rule of the gospell For he dyd not onely sende hym to saue the nacion of the Iewes but he gaue hym also to be a sauiour to al the whole worlde He therfore that confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god whom the prophetes had prophecied before shoulde come he abydeth in God and god in him For he knoweth the trueth and embraceth loue He acknowlageth not the loue of God towarde him that doeth no expresse it in his neighbour But as for vs we haue both knowen by experience and beleue with our harte and confesse wyth oure mouthe and expresse in oure workes the dedes that God hath bestowed vnto vs. It remaineth that we shoulde perseuer in that whiche is begonne and not to offende so as God be not bothe plucked awaye from vs and wee drawen awaye from God God as I sayed before is loue Therfore he that continueth styll in loue continueth styll in God and God lykewyse in hym because the mutuall knotte of the spirite of God abideth Wyl you also haue an other token geuen you whereby you maye trye whether the loue of god bee perfite in you If we know our owne conscience to be good and that we dreade not the daye of iudgement wherein they shall be seperated from Christe that haue not folowed Christ They shall quake when they shal heare that horrible voyce Departe from me But we looke for that daye with a trusty boldenes that is to were knowyng to our selues y◠lyke as he was conuersaunt in the world euen so are we also in the worlde He toke no maner of spotte of the worlde but cleansed the worlde from it owne fylthynes and drewe it as muche as in hym was into hys purenes Euen so wee also to oure powers are not onely not mingled with y◠worlde but also we rather driue it with teachyng of the gospell and chaste examples of lyfe vnto Christe The dreade of goddes iudgemente spryngethe out of an euyll conscience Feare therfore agreeth not with loue For loue encreaseth assured confidence which yf it be perfite shal dryue quite out of minde al feare But it is glad as often as that daye of iudgemente commeth in his mynde first hauyng a very good opinion of the good God and hauing it selfe a good conscience Loue causeth gladnes feare causeth formentynge sorowefulnes Moreouer he that is afrayed declareth hymselfe therin not yet to be perfite in loue As much as wāteth vnto loue so much encreaseth to feare For he is afrayed lest he shall not fynde God the iudge mercyfull vnto hym seyng he shewed hymselfe vntractable vnto his neighbour That daye shal openly declare who hath bene a true louer in thys worlde We loue God and no meruaile seyng he first loued vs. For we coulde not be hable to loue hym excepte he drewe vs vnto hymselfe with hys loue Thys same therefore that we loue God is hys benefite Finally in that we loue God we testifie it in louinge oure neighbour in whome he wyll be loued If a man wyll saye I loue God when he hateth hys brother he is a lyar For when the wycked of whom for the moste parte they doe not onely not loue God but also they beleue not that God is yet for al y◠they after a sort loue their neighbour either because he is their kynsman or ailiaunce or because he is acquaynted and familiar with them or at the leaste because man seeth the other to be a man lyke as the very beastes loue euery one hys own kynd by the instincte of nature howe shall he loue God whome he hath not sene at any tyme whan he hateth hys neyghboure whom he seeth Furthermore howe standethe it together that he loueth God that passeth not vpon the commaundementes of God If a man woulde crye I loue the kyng and for al y◠setteth naught by the kynges proclamacions would there any man beleue hym we haue thys speciall commaundement of oure Emperoure that he whiche loueth God shoulde also loue hys brother whether he bee good or badde Yf he be good let hym loue Christ in hym yf he be badde let hym loue hym to thys ende that he maye be conuerted vnto Christ The .v. Chapter The texte Whosoeuer beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God And euery one that loueth hym whiche begat loueth hym also whiche was begotten of hym By thys we knowe that we loue the children of God when we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For thys is the loue of God that we kepe hys commaundementes and hys commaundementes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And thys is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whiche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This Iesus Christ is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water and bloude And it is the spirite that beareth witnes because the spirite is trueth For there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and the holy ghost And these thre are one And there are thre whiche beare recorde in earth the spirite and water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receyue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater For thys is the witnes of God that is greater whiche ▪ he testifie of his sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of God hath the witnes in himselfe He that beleueth not god hath made hym a lyar because he beleued not the record that god gaue of his son And thys is the recorde howe that God hath geuen vnto vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not the sonne of god hath not lyfe WHo soeuer beleueth that Iesus is
Christ that is to say him of whom we must nedes aske al the succoures of our salnacion and beleueth that in his hearte he is borne of god and is called alredy into the nūmbre of the sonnes of God In dede he can not chose but loue the is a sonne Thā whosoeuer loueth him heartely that is y◠father loueth him also the was borne of him that is to wete his brother with whome he hath all one commune father By this tokē we proue that we doe truly loue y◠children of God yf we first loue God him selfe heartely For there is nothing truely loued except it be loued for his sake Than that we loue God it shall euidently so appeare yf we kepe his commaundementes and kepe them chearfully and gladly for his commaundementes are none otherwyse greuous For what is greuous to the louer what is greuous to him that goeth post haste to suche maner rewardes The worlde obiecteth terrible appearaunces of euilies pouertie vanyshement slaunder enprisonmentes whippinges deathes It is a great fraye but the victorie is made readye For what soeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde But with what furnitures doeth he ouercome y◠worlde with riches with garisons of men with engines of warre with worldly learning no no they ouercome the worlde as cruelly rageing as it is throughe a stedfast onely faithe wherwith they committe them selues wholy vnto God their protectour Thy riches are snatched awaye yea but what sayeth faithe to that Thou haste a treasure in heauen Thou art throwen out to be a vanished man yea but the countrey of heauen loketh for his countreyman Thy body is turmoyled with tormentes yea but with them are bought euerlasting ioyes Death is deuised for the yea but after it shall folowe lyfe that neuer shall dye Who is it than that ouercometh the worlde not a lorde not the riche man not a philosopher not a kyng but he who soeuer he be that beleueth verely that Iesus is the sonne of God Beleue that which he hath promised and it shal nothing moue thee whatsouer the worlde purposeth against thee He ouercame the world first atteyned immortalitie he came into this world hauīg takē our mortal body to get the victorye for vs to shew the meane of victorye getting to cause y◠rewardes to be certaynely reckoned vpon But with what furnitures came he armed withall He came by water and bloude euen Iesus Christe by water that he myght washe vs cleane from our synnes by bloude that he myght geue vs immortall lyfe Hys owne wyll was to be baptised beinge cleane voyde from all synne that he myght frelye geue vnto vs innocencye hys owne wyll was to dye on the crosse that he myght open vnto vs the waye vnto immortalitie He dyd not onelye testifie by these two tokens that he was Christ and the sauiour of the worlde in that he receyued baptisme as a synfull man in that he dyed as a malefactour where he one onely none among all but he was Innocent from all synne but the spirite also appearynge in the likenes of a doue bare recorde of him that it was he whō the father had geuen to be the sauyour of the worlde For the spirite is also the trueth as the father and the sonne is there is one trueth of all like as there is one nature of all For there are three in heauen that beare recorde vnto Christ the father the worde and the spirite the father whiche sending once and eftsones a voice downe from heauen testified openly that he is his dearly beloued sonne in whom nothing coulde doe amisse the worde whiche hauing done so many miracles whiche in his death and resurreccion declared him selfe to be the true Christ bothe God and man the peacemaker betwene God and men the holy gooste whiche descended vpon his head whan he was baptised and that after his resurreccion fell vpon his disciples And of these three there is all one most perfite agrement the father is the autor the sonne the messanger the holy goost the remembrauncer There are three thinges also on earthe that beare recorde vnto Christ his humayne spirite whiche he put from him one the crosse the water and the bloode that ranne out of his syde whan he was deade And these three witnesses doe agree The other declared him to be God these recorde that he was man Iohn also bare witnesse And yf we receyue witnesse of men it is reason that the witnesse of God be of more importaunce with vs. For the testimonie of God the father is manifest Thys is my VVelbeloued Sonne in VVhom I am pleased heare him What thing can be spoken more plainly or more fully he that beleueth truly in goddes sonne Iesus Christ and hath reposed al the succours of his lyfe in him so that trusting in his promisses he contemneth all thinges that this worlde can make a shewe of whether they be amiable or dreadfull hathe a witnesse in him selfe and beareth witnesse vnto the sonne of God For whan throughe thinspiracion of the spirite of Christe he defieth euen deathes for his loue he beareth no trifling witnesse vnto mē that they are no vaine thīges that Christ hath taught and promised He that trusteth not in god but putteth his trust in the worlde he as muche as in him is maketh god a lyer whiche hath promised felicitie vnto them that woulde herkē vnto his sonne Iesu Christ where as he in his conuersaciō teacheth that felicitie is to be asked of the worlde cleaueth so vnto the cōmodities of this lyfe as thoughe nothing of a man remayned after the deathe of the bodye The father cryeth Heare him And his lyfe that beleueth not sayeth Heare the worlde For whan the sonne prayed the father that those whiche beleued or shoulde beleue in him might haue eternall lyfe the fathers voyce was heard testifiyng as by the sound of a trompet that his prayers should be allowed The father therfore hath geuen vs euerlastyng lyfe shewinge of whome it should be asked euen of his sonne Iesus Christe His doctrine who soeuer embraceth his example whosoeuer foloweth hys promises whosoeuer trusteth vnto he bothe possedeth the sonne and hath life the pledge wherof he kepeth in the meane time euen the spirite of god throughe the vndoubted confidence whereof he is bolde to call God father He that is a straunger from the sonne is estraunged also from lyfe The texte These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god that ye maye knowe howe that ye haue eternall lyfe and that ye maye beleue on the name of the sonne of god And thys is the trust that we haue in hym that yf we aske any thyng accordinge to hys wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heare vs whatsoeuer wee aske we knowe that we haue the peticions that we desire of hym If any man see his brother sinne a synne not vnto death let hym aske and he shall geue hym
faith doe spring want lacke of ryght good workes Euen so came it to passe at Ephesus by yâ— meanes of yâ— false apostles as Paule did before prophecye vnto them at Myletus For yâ— which cause yâ— Lorde requireth exhorteth them to ameÌ„de threatneth them before after yâ— maner of al the prophetes that he wyll els punyshe and condemne them As concernynge the secte of the Nycholaites reade yâ— xxix chapter of yâ— thirde booke of Eusebius Chronicle Whosoeuer thorow true faith loue shall ouercome yâ— teÌ„ptacions assaultes of the enemy the same shall receyue and enioy the euerlastinge reward of blisse yâ— fruicion of god yâ— heuenly father the pleasant sight of the countenauÌ„ce of Iesus Christ in euerlastinge ioye which he nameth in this place yâ— tree of lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the angel of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte These thinges sayth he that is first and the laste which was dead and is alyue I knowe thy worckes and tribulacion and pouerâ—ie but thou art ryche And I knowe the blasphemy of them whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but are the congregacion of Satan Feare none of those thinges whiche thou shalt suffre Beholde the deuyll shall caste some of you into pryson to tempte you and ye shall haue tribulacion ten dayes Be faithfull vnto the death and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayth to the congregacions He that ouercommeth shall not be hurte of the seconde death The false apostles whiche were conuerted from the Iewes vnto the faythe were also at Smirna very busye and vnquiet in maynteynyng the ciâ—cumcysion and other Iewyshe ceremonies Against the whiche the trew apostles and their dysciples as Paule and suche other were fayne to fyght and stryue by reason wherof all the churches in the world were in perplexyte and dysquieted In this place Christ speaketh vnto them of Smirna and calleth them poore in affliccions and ryche in faythe and vertue And thus he teacheth here that it is the worcke of the deuyll and not of man whansoeuer thou arte caste into any perplexyte vexacion or pryson for the faythe and truthes sake And therfore be the more pacient seyng the heauenly father permytteth suche power vnto Sathan against the. Euen so dyd it happen in this citye vnto yâ— good bishop Polycarpus one of Iohns dysciples whiche was burnt of the vnfaythfull for the truth and the christen faythes sake Of this ye maye reade more in the. xiiii and xv Chapter of the. iiii boke of Eusebius chronicle By the seconde deathe vnderstande euerlastynge deathe and damnacion as the first death is yâ— deathe of the bodye and of synne from the whiche we shall be delyuered and be raysed vp againe thorowe a trewe faythe and confydence in the mercye of god ioyned with a perfyght repentaunce The texte ¶ And to the messenger of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte This saythe he whiche hath the sharpe swearde with two edges I know thy worckes and where thou dwellest euen where Satans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not deuyed my fayth And in my dayes Antipas was a faithfull wytnes of myne whiche was â—â—ayne amonge you where Satan dwelleth But I haue a fewe thinges against the because thou hast there them that maynteyne the doctrine of Balam whiche taught in Balake to put occasyon of synne before the children of Israell that they shoulde eate of meate dedycate vnto ydoles and commyt fornicacion Euen so hast thou them that maynteyne the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wyl come vnto thee shortly and wyll fyght against them with the swearde of my mouthe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyl I geue to eat Manna yâ— is byd wyl geue him a whyte stone and in the stone a newe name written whiche no man knoweth sauynge he that receaueth it As coÌ„cerning this church we reade of no maner of accion or worke of faith therof But in al notable cities where right ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ were bothe yâ— christened vnchristened Iewes did styre vp cause much sedicion tumult as their accustomed maner was And they prouoked also the lyuetenauntes of Rome alwayes to hate persecute yâ— right true christiaÌ„s As it happened in this citie vnto the deare faithful seruant of god Antippe which with out doubt preached yâ— gospel truly syncerely therfore was faine to suffre death In such cities wher gods word is coÌ„demned al godly men in continual perell danger of their lyues goodes wher meÌ„ doe both blesse curse for money as Balaam did where abhominable fylthines whoredoÌ„ is mainteined suffered ydolatry set vp wher holy matrimonye is had in no estimacioÌ„ there without doubte dwelleth yâ— deuil For these are no small synnes but very odious and hateful vnto god But they maye repent and amende and so obteyne mercye of god and thorowe the grace and ayde of god they maye withstande and ouercome suche damnable and outragious enormyties whiche thing yf they doe not let them loke for nothinge more sure than eternall damnacion This ought to moue the hartes of all men and to feare and shrugge them that they maye repent and amende their lyues By Manna vnderstande the worde of god and true harty loue And to cleaue faste vnto Christ with a strong and a stedfast faith whiche thing is a syngular pleasure and delyght vnto the godly and faithfull and a very poyson vnto the vngodly vnfaithfull By the white stone is sygnified the eleccion and appoyntment vnto euerlastyng honour before god and all sainctes bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come with the testimonye of a good conscience that feareth god and of a right harty ioye And also the euerlastynge peace rest and sure confydence in the grace and fauoure of god vnto euerlastynge lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion of Thiatira wryte This saith the sonne of god whiche hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre and hys fete are lyke brasse I knowe thy worckes and thy loue seruyce and fayth and thy pacieÌ„ce and thy dedes whiche are moo at the last then at the fyrst Notwithstandynge I haue a feawe thinges agaynste the because thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her selfe a prophetise to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes to make them commyt fornicacyon and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles And I gaue her space to repent of her fornicacyon and she repented not Beholde I wyll cast her in to a bedd and them that coÌ„myt fornicacyon with her into great aduersitye excepte they â—uâ—ue from theyr dedes And I wyll kyll her chyldren with death Here learne that the sonne of god whiche hath the two edged swearde the first and the laste whiche is deade and yet lyueth which hathe
the seuen starres and is the gouernoure of heauen and earth is all one thinge Namely yâ— Messias whiche was before the beginninge of the world the sauiour of al the faithfull our Lorde Iesus Christ Thiatira is a Cathedrall churche and one of the most notable cities in Lydia This churche dothe yâ— spirite of Christ commende and prayse as well for dyuerse vertues as also for waxing bygge and increasyng in them But he rebuketh the synne of the heades and ouerseets which are so neglygent that they doe not roote out nor reforme certen wyckednes As are the seruice and honouring of ydols and fals goddes and other hyghe blasphemies which doe alwayes accompany and wayte vpon ydolatrye Whiche thing is sygnified by the wycked and supersticious woman Iesabell Of this woman reade more in the first of the kynges in the. xviii and. xxii Chapter and in the. ii of the kynges in the. ix and. x. Chapter How she al her posteritie were so greuously punished of god And againe reade the. xiiii Chapter of ye. v. boke of Eusebyus concernynge Montanus his heresies and than shalte thou vnderstande this place muche better The texte And all the coÌ„gregacyons shal knowe that I am he which searcheth yâ— reynes and hertes And â— wyll geue vnto euery one of you accordinge vnto his worckes Vnto you I saye and vnto other of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learnynge and which haue not knowen the depâ—nes of Satan as they saye I wyl put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue alreadye Holde fast tyll I come and whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my worckes vnto the ende to him wyl I geue power ouer nacions and he shal rule them with a rodde of yron and as the vessels of a porter shal they be brokeÌ„ to sheuers â—â—uen as I receaued of my father so wyll I geue him the mornynge starre Let him yâ— hathe eares heare what the sprete sayth to the congregacions This rightuous dreadfull and seuere iudgement of god shall the faithfull knowledge and prayse And shal kepe them selues from suche blasphemies and preuent the wrath and indignacioÌ„ of god and obey folowe his wel for as muche as they heare and parceaue that god is one that knoweth the pryuities of all hartes and all the wycked frutes that spryng out of them and that they shall with all iustyce and equite be punyshed But those whiche eyther at Thiatira or els where do stycke and cleaue stedfastly vnto the worde and wyll of god forsakynge the wycked fynde and refusynge to haue any thing with hym to doe those woulde I not haue ouerladen sayeth god with outwarde ceremonyes and with Iewyshe ordinaunces For faith and loue accordynge vnto the doctrine of the gospell and agreable vnto the same shall be sufficient for them before me bothe for their saluacion and also for a christen and a godly lyfe For that is the seruice which pleaseth me and whiche I wil rewarde Whiche seruice also the very heathen whan they see it shal confesse and knowledge it to be good and godly and to be the very true and ryght gods seruice and beyng ouercome in their infidelyte and mysbelefe they shall fynde in their hartes to consent vnto it and to receyue it and so shall be obedient vnto the gospell forsakynge all their heathnysshe maners and al false gods seruice Euen as the holy prophetes haue sayde long synce that it should come to passe and that the grace and mercy of god was also promysed vnto the heathen thorowe Christe that was to come That they also at length with one harte and mynde should beholde yâ— mornyng starre Christ and his holsome gospell and shoulde in this lyfe thorowe faithe and after this lyfe in the euerlastynge kyngdome of Christ in the heauenly Ierusalem receyue the fruicion of euerlastynge and eternall riches with god and al his electe And in the ende he geueth them an earnest exhortacion to doe good and to esche we euyll that they maye obteyne saluacion and auoyde damnacion as he dothe lykewyse in other places The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the messenger of the congregacion that is at Sardis this sayeth he that hathe the seuen spirires of god and the seuen starres I know thy worckes thou hast a name that thou lyuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges whiche remayne that are readie to dye For I haue not founde thy worckes perfecte before my god Remember therfore how thou hast receaued and hearde and holde fast and repente If thou shalt not watche I wyll come on the as a theâ—e and thou shalte not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon the. AL this dothe Christe speake which is ful of al gyftes of yâ— holy goost without measure dystributeth the same gyftes thorow his spirite vnto all churches to all faythfull ouerseers of the christeÌ„ congregacioÌ„ No hipocrisye nor outwardeshyne of godnes thoughe it be neuer so ful of pompe or solemnitie is of any value before god He wyll haue faith and loue whiche are the pythe and strength of lyfe as infydelitie is of death But this faythe loue must no man vse nor haue for him selfe a lone but he must also moue and further other men vnto the same thorow his instruccioÌ„ good example of lyfe and thorow praier But alas there is great lacke of true faith in the churche whiche thynge maye well be perceyued by the workes and fruites which are sene and appeare For there is but lytle earnest zeale and feruentnes sene in furtherynge of true vertue and godlynes and of the true honour of god done of a pure conscience or in folowynge and practisynge the doctrine of the gospell receyued of the apostles There is but lytle zeale I say in professynge folowynge of this gospell in worde and lyfe together There are but fewe whiche whan they spye any thing amysse in them selues doe earnestlye studye to reforme and amende it or inforce them selues with dilygence to lyue in all godlynes and continuallye to be founde wakynge in vertuous exercyses as it were necessarye for al faythfull to be seyng the glorious commynge of Christ shal sodenly come vpoÌ„ them they can not tell howe soone The texte ¶ Thou hast a few names in Sardis whiche haue not defyled theyr garmentes and they shall walke with me in whyte for they are worthye He that ouercometh shal be thus clothed in whyte araye and I wyll not put out his name out of the booke of lyfe and I wyl confesse his name before my father and before his angels Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayth vnto the congregacions There is but a small nomber amonge you whiche doe lyue innocently and godlye studyeng dyligently to lyue after my wyll and pleasure But this small nombre is worthye of great honour wherwith I shal also indewe them as with blessed immortalitie eternall saluacion of my mere grace mercye aboue al desertes
and by these he shall make them to be knowen vnto the whole christen congregacion The tâ—â—â—◠¶ And I hearde the nombre of them whiche were sealed and there were sealed an C. and xliiii â— of at the crybes of the children of Israel Of the trybe of Iuda were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ruben were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Gad were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Aser wer sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Neptalim were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Manasses were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Symeon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Leuy were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Isacar were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Zabulon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ioseph were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Beniamin were sealed xii M. Thus hathe our sauiour Iesus Christ chosen into his churche coÌ„gregacion not onely out of the gentyles or heathen but also out of the Iewes of all trybes generacions Out of the whiche euen before the passion of Christ there were infynite noumbres scattered dyspersed abrode thorow out the whole world which were conuerted vnto the christen faithe receyued the baptisme or christendome As the holy Apostles also preached first vnto the Iewes the syncere pure christen faith And the nombre of those Iewes the were conuerted by them was doubtles greate throughout the whole world in continuaunce of tyme increased But here in this place after the customeable vse of the holy scripture is marked or sealed a certen appoynted prescribed nomber for an vncerten an vnprescrybed nomber but yet a full and a perfyght nomber For. xii times xii thousande doe make an hundreth and. xliiii thousande For what cause certen are not here rehersed amonge the. xii trybes it is not necessarye to searche For there are euen as many true christians more also thorowe yâ— wyll of god conuerted vnto the true faythe out of yâ— trybe or flocke of Iacob And more shal be dayly conuerted whan as the Christen religion shal be restored and reformed after the rule and square of holy scripture as it was first bylded of the Apostles bysshops of the prymatyue churche The texte◠¶ After this I behelde and lo a great multitude which no man coulde nombre of al nations people and tonges stooe before the seate and before the lambe clothed with longe whyre garmentes palmes in their handes cryed with a loude voyce saying saluacioÌ„ be assâ—râ—bed to him that sytreth vpon the seate of our god and vnto the lambe And all the angels stode in the compase of the seate of the elders of the foure beastes fell before the seate on their faces worshypped god saying Amen Blessing and glorye wysdom and thankes and honour and power and myght be vnto out god for euermore Amen As was before sayd there wer many turned vnto the christeÌ„ faith out of the tribes of the Israelites after yâ— fleshe But there were many more yea infynite nombres out of all other heatheÌ„ people tounges nacions which eueÌ„ froÌ„ the antyquyte as bothe Sybylla Mercurius also more euydeÌ„tly certeinly yâ— patriarke Iacob in ye. xlix of Genesis lykewyse all the prophetes doe testifie dyd looke and wayte for the sauiour Messias Out of the which the christendome did dayly increase waxe greater in yâ— who le worlde thus they became right children of Abraham Israel after the faith to yâ— glorye prayse of god Where vnto al the holy patriarkes had alwayes more respect thaÌ„ eyther to yâ— lande of Chanaan or to the temple of Ierusalem or yet to yâ— circumcision cuttyng of the foreskynne of their bodily but vnnaturall and dysobedient children and posterite Yea or fynally to all maner of Iewyshe ceremonies For those christians that were conuerted froÌ„ the heatheÌ„ in the whole world dyd imbrace receyue the gospel very desyrously feruently framing their lyues in euery condicion therafter reformyng forsakyng their olde heathnyshe synfull lyfe maners pacient in all maner of affliccions Constant and faythfull euen vnto deathe for the true saythe and relygions sake againste ydolatrye supersticion and false religion And for this they haue receyued euerlastyng blisse wherin they laude honour god in the ioyes of heauen euerlastyngly As they also doe no lesse so long as they remayne in the warrefare of this transitorye lyfe wherin they walke as beyng marked and chosen out in all innocencie vertue and godlynes thus euen vpon earth they possesse their soules with pacience in all maner of assaultes and temptacions with a true confidence in god and with a quiet conscience And by this meanes they take here a tast of the blissed hope and loue vntil they obteyue euerlastynge saluacion The texte ¶ And one of the elders answered saying vnto me what are these whiche are arayed in longe whyte gatmentes and whence came they And I sayde vnto him Lorde thou wotest And he sayde to me these are they whiche came out of great tribulacion and made their garmentes large and made them whyte by the bloude of the lambe therfore are they in the presence of the seare of god and serue him daye and nyght in his temple and he that sytteth in the seate wylld well amonge them They shall honger no more nether thirst nether shall the sunne lyght on them nether eny heate â—or yâ— lambe whiche is in the myddes of the â—eare shall fede them and shall leade them vnto fountaynes of lyuynge water and God shall wype awaye all teares from their eyes A certen elder asked S. Iohn to geue him occasion to teache and to instructe him what he iudged and thought of those blessed ones whiche he saw in suche honour with god garnysshed with whyte garmentes And Iohn made a quicke answer sayeng that all those whiche doe cleaue vnto Christe with a true and a perfyght faith and for the faithe and truthes sake suffer paciently wyllingly what aâ—â—lyctioÌ„ so euer god shal sende vnto them thei shal be in great honour and estimacioÌ„ with god And they are suche as asscâ—ybe al their perfightnes vertue and godlynes not vnto their owne workes nor yet vnto their owne fulfyllyng of the lawe wherin they must nedes knowledge them selues gyltye and synful but all together vnto the merytes of the healthsome passion of Christ whiche is and shall euer be their rightuousnes in whome they put their trust and confydence and for his sake they are readye to suffer whatsoeuer god shall lay vpon them These are the holy blessed whiche beginne in this lyfe to haue a delight in godlynes euen with a free spirite And thorowe faythe they are sure of the grace and mercye of god which shal continue for euer towarde them at length they shall haue the cleare fruicion of all goodnes and shall fully possesse that which they doe here hope and
looke for Suche men are the very true seruauntes of god fully stablysshed in the right faythe and true loue From the whiche thorowe the grace of god they shall neuer fall For as muche as god is their father and ouerseâ—r whose deare and louynge children they are And they can lacke no treasure neyther corporall nor spirituall eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come And they lyue blessedly in peace and quientnes of conscience before god readye at the pleasure of god to goe thorowe welthe and woo in this worlde whome no maner of creature can hurte for as muche as the lorde fauoreth them vnto whome they haue vtterly geueÌ„ and committed them selues and haue offred vp vnto him a pleasant sacrifice oblacion in faythe in true Christen loue and perfyght hope For Christ that suffered death for them and redemed them with his bloude will not forsake them but graciously rule gouerne them and thorowe the holy gospel wil instructe them in all rightuousnes which they begynne here in this world and shal enioye the frute therof in the lyfe euerlastyng And thus thorowe yâ— grace mercye of god they shal ouercome al woe and vexacion and remayne pacient in persecucion yea and mery and ioyfull also in him that can strengthen and comforte them whiche dystrybuteth his plentifull grace vnto them to worke al holy vertuous workes For the which also beyng his owne workes he wyll yet crowne and rewarde them as S. Austen sayeth in the kyngdome of heauen eternaliy The .viii. Chapter The texte ¶ And when he had opened the seuenth seale there was sylence in heauen about the space of halfe an houre And I sawe vii angelles standynge before god to them wer geuen seuen trompertes And another angel came and stode before the aulter hauinge a goldeÌ„ senser and muthe of odoures was geuen vnto him that he should offce of the prayers of all saâ—â—â—res vpon the golden aulter which was before the seate And yâ— smoke of the odoures whiche came of the prayers of all saâ—â—â—res ascended vp before god out of the Angelles hande And the Angell toke the senser and fylled it with fyre of the aulter and caste it into the earth and voyces were made and thondrynges and lyghtnynges and earthquake IT hathe ofte bene sene that after great troubles and muche vexacion thorowe the prouysion of god rest and quietnes hath folowed in all tymes And thus shall it continue euen from the ascencion of Christe vntyll the worldes ende that after rayne the sunne shal shyne and afterwarde it wyll be cloudye darcke againe Euen so whan the faythfull haue once ioy in god after the victorye of the dragon then commeth a new dysquietnes and perplexite whan as the wycked Angels and spirites thorowe their membres mynisters shall set vp all abhominacion synne wyckednes hurtefull and noysome vnto the soule as Sathan dyd vnto Iob what tyme he came and accompanyed him selfe with the children of god Here come vii that is to saye very many and those mightye and stronge with power graunted and permitted vnto them to doe harme But Christ the true and faythfull kyng and father of his kyngdome churche and children commeth and standeth as an hyghe pryest at the alter of god with the oblacion of his owne bodye For Christ the lorde is bothe priest altar and the oblacion himselfe and he standeth for his faythfull electe with the golden censers the hyghest loue and humilyte thorowe the whiche he gaue him selfe for the synnes of al the world into the moost bytter and standerous death for a perpetuall reconciliacion for all those that beleue in him Vnto this onely one and eternall priest Christ doe all faythfull holy and blessed christians render and gyue their vnperfyte deuocion thanck es geuynge feruent peticions and prayers their hope loue and fayth All whiche he receyueth in good parte and maketh them acceptable vnto the father with the censers of his prayers and with his swete smellynge rightuousnes and holynes wherwith he is full and aboundant plentuous and sufficient for all the electe from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof And by this meanes and no nother wyse may the prayers of all the holy and faythfull come vnto god namely thorowe the handes and merites of his passioÌ„ so that they take the same with them pleating with god thorowe the same Whiche thing dilyghteth and pleaseth the lord god right well Nowe yf the holy electe shal thus offre vp their necessities praiers vnto god thorowe Christ whiche is the onely medyatour betwene god the father and mankynde than wyll the mercifull god heare them â–ª and shall punyshe the wycked tyrannes and oppressours of the faythfull with his fyerye dartes and thonderboltes and other plages whiche he can and is wont to vse dyuers wayes for the terryble punyshemeÌ„t of the wycked godlesse prynces tyrannes bothe bodely and gostly in so muche that Sathan with his whole kyngdome shal be amased therat The texte ¶ And the seuen Angels which had the seuen trompettes prepared them selues to blowe The first Angell blewe and there was made hadle and fyre whiche were myngled with bloude and they were caste into the earth and the thirde parte of yâ— earth was set on fyre and the thirde parte of trees was burnt and all greue grasse was brente And the seconde angell blewe and as it were a great mountayne burnyng with fyre was caste into the see and yâ— thirde parte of the sea turned to bloude and the thirde parte of the creatures which had lyfe dyed and the thirde parte of shyppes were destroyed Christ bringeth his punyshementes to passe thorowe good and euyll angels euen at his owne pleasure For vnto the lorde there is nothing euell nor vnprofytable for as muche as he onely can make good of euyll well ynoughe The first plage of the churche of Christ was in the vnderstandynge and interpretacion of holy scripture whiche euen at the first was assaulted with dyuerse dangerous heresyes whiche sprang vp by reason of yâ— dyuersytie of vnderstandyng amonge the wryters and teachers by reason wherof infynite Schisemes disseÌ„cions â–ª perels and dangerous vproures did sprynge aryse And for this cause were so many councels holden For the christendome suffred great decaye and many swarued there from at suche tyme as god of his mercye gaue peace and quietnes in the churche but for a small season as I sayde before By the trees we shall vnderstande people of all maner of nacions and degrees in yâ— christendome of no small nomber as in the tyme of Athanasius and after The seconde plage foloweth afterwarde against the whote and natural strength and fearcenes of men and specially that whiche was betwene princes and rulers that were assaulted of the wycked fyende with ambicion for power and dominion The whiche the wycked fyende dyd rayse vp after that the godly and holy teachers had rooted out all errours and heresyes This contencion and
of this world of spiritual prelates and religious monkes and friers c. For all these and other suche lyke are the hornes crounes and the great tayle of this dragon whiche watcheth studieth and seketh all wayes and meanes to hurte and hynder the true faithe the christen lyfe and the holsome doctrine that is to saye our sauiour Christ in the faithfull And for this cause the doctrine of the gospell and the christen faithe hathe bene fayne to suffer muche continually euen from the beginnyng of the worlde and immediately after the christen faith was first taught preached And therfore many holy and faithfull christianes haue bene fayne to flee and yâ— trueth of the gospel in continuaunce of tyme was straunge and vnknowen vnto the moost parte of the hyghe learned doctours and potentates throughout the worlde Althoughe the true christen faithe was alwayes preserued thoughe it were in fewe and in abiecte persons of slender reputaâ—ion And this continued a longe space namely from the tyme of Constantine the Emperour whan as the christen churche semed in maner to haue escaped all daunger and perill of decaye and destruccion vntil our tyme wherin she appeareth againe wonderfully after a straunge maner in despite of al tirannes and of all the power of hell And nombring from that tyme of Constantine I meane vntyll our tyme euen this nomber of yeares shall euydentlye appeare reckenynge dayes for yeares as it is a commune thing in scripture If any man can finde out any plainer vnderstanding of this place for in suche darke and obscure places of scripture no man ought to be frowarde or contencious let them take it and folowe it The texte ¶ And there was a great batayle in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and preuayled not nether was their place founde any more in heauen And the great dragon that olde serpent called the deuell and Sathanas was cast out Whiche deceaueth all the worlde And he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast our also The power of God the holy worde of God and the spirite of Christ which we maye vnderstande by Mychaell who by interpretacion is who is lyke god and Gabriel the strength of God hath in all ages and tymes bene dryuen to holde batel with Lucifer and Sathan with the pryde of mans wysdome whiche haue hindred the true honour of God the true seruice religioÌ„ of God the true faith and haue euer withstanden the holy and pure gospell But this worde of God hath alwayes had the victorie althoughe with muche labour and daunger and sometyme not without harme and losse but not of the electe whiche thing shall continue vntyll suche tyme as our sauiour shall haue his wil and pleasure of this battell and with the breath of his mouthe shall slaye the sonne of the dragon the damnable Antichrist For the whiche thing we ought continuallye to call vpon the mercye and goodnes of God in a stedfast and perfight hope and confidence as he hath taught vs halowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy wyll be done no lesse in earth than it is infalliblye in heauen For the haÌ„de of God is not shortened but is able to gyue whatsoeuer he hath commaunded vs to aske and â—o praye for The peace also and quietnes of the elect and faithfull to lyue in godlynes maye be wysshed to be more perfight as is also promysed thorowe the prophetes than it hath bene hitherto for lacke of the true sounde doctrine of the gospel no smal space althoughe the very perfyght peace can not be obteyned but onely in heauen in the eternall quiet kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And I hearde a loude voyce saying in heauen is nowe made saluacion and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of oure brethren is caste downe whiche accused them before our God daie and night And they oeurcame him by the bloude of the lambe and by the worde of their testimonye and they loued not their lyues vnto the death Therfore reioyce heauens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the deuil is come downe vnto you whiche hathe great wrathe because he knoweth that he hath but a shorte tyme. Thus throughe the spirite of Christ with the continual and sincere preaching of the gospel Sathan and his champioÌ„ Antichrist are ouercome And thus shal the voyce prayse and thankesgeuing of the faythful be heard in the churche as it is here written now is Saluacion thorowe faithe and the strength thorow loue and the kyngdome or dominion in the churche become gods Nowe maye all men see the power of gods worde the iudgement of Christ against the deuel whiche would haue roted out yâ— rightuosnes of faith in Christ would haue directed and appointed christen men vnto the rightuosnes of workes and to the hope of their owne satisfaccion wherby he woulde alwayes haue founde occasion to accuse all men before God vnder a false pretence But the preachinge of the gospell hath disclosed this suttell falsehede and all suche lyke and declareth that onely the bloude of the lambe and nothing els can wype and washe awaye the synnes of all the worlde yf they trust in god thorowe Christ with a true lyuely faith thorowe the grace and mercye of God and the rightuousnes of Christ which he dystributeth vnto al his faithfull electe and maketh them partakers therof That by this meanes Sathan can haue no quarell against the workes of the faithfull whiche lyke thankfull parsons remayne and continue stedfastly in their true faith in al maner of affliccion aduersitie eueÌ„ vnto very death And therfore the true ioye of all godly consciences waxeth and increaseth in the churche And so their blisse and saluacion beginneth in this worlde thorow faith which faith worketh an innocent and a godly lyfe thus continueth euerlastingly in heauen But on yâ— contrarye parte woo vnto them whiche seeke their rightuousnes by men at certen places certaine times certaine workes and certaine meates for they can neuer fynde any true rightuousnes but thorowe the falsehede wickednes of yâ— deuil they fall eyther into desperacion or els into presumpcioÌ„ wherunto SathaÌ„ applieth al his study yâ— they fall not froÌ„ his kingdoÌ„ nor escape out of his fingers For he seketh nothing but yâ— damnacioÌ„ of such The texte ¶ And when the dragon saw that he was caste vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forthe the man childe And to yâ— woman were geuen two winges of a great Egle yâ— she might flye into yâ— wildernes into her place where she is nourished for a tyme times and halfe a tyme from the presence of the serpent And the dragon caste oute of his mouthe water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer because she shoulde haue bene caught of the floude And the earth holpe the
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
thryches of his goodnes Agaynste the daye of vengeaunce For whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe shall also c. Whan the the lorde shal iudge the secretes of meÌ„ c. A light of theÌ„ whiche wander in darkenes For the name of god is euil spoken of among the GeÌ„tyles But if thou be a breaker of the lawe the circumcision c. Neither is it circumcision whiche is outwarde in the fleshe c. Whaâ— prefermâ—nt then c. What then though sum of them dyd not c. For if the trueth of god appere more excellent thorough my ly That al mouthes may be stopped and that all the worlde c. WhoÌ„ God hath â—et fâ—rth to be the obteiner of mercy c. Therfore we holde that a man c. Do we then destroy the law through fayth c. If Abraham wee iustified by dedes theÌ„ hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God To him that worketh is the rewarde not reakened of fauer but of duetie c. Blessed are thei whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen How was it then rekened And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale c. And he receiued the signe of circuÌ„cision That he should be the father of all tâ—em that beleue For yf they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres thaÌ„ is faythe but vayne c. Therfore by fayth is thinheritaunce geuen c. I haue made the a father of manye nacions c. And calleth those thynges which be not as thoughe they wer Which Abraham contrary to hope beleued in hope Accordyng to that whiche was spoken euen so shall thy seede be Neuertheles it is not written for hym onlye Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth â–ª we are at peace with god And reioyse in hope of yâ— glorie of the chyldren of god For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christe died for vs. Not onelye this but we also ioye in god c. wherfore as by one man â–ª syn entred in to the world But synne is not imputed where therâ— is no lawe But the gifte is not lyke as the synne For if by the synne of one death raigned by yâ— meanes of one muche more c. For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience c. That as syn raigned vnto death euen so c. Shal we continue in sine God forbid â—now ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him Euen so shall we be partakers of his resurreccion That hence foorth we should not be seruantes vn to synne c. For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once Let not sinne raigne therfore in your mortalbodies And geâ—e ouer your meÌ„bres as instrumeÌ„tes of righteousnes vnto God c. His seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey c. Ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto yâ— rule of yâ— doctrine of that ye be brought vnto For when â—â— wer seruauntes of sinne ye wer voyde of all righteousnes For the ende of those thinges is death For the rewarde of syn is death but eternal life is the gifte of god c. Know ye not c. howe that the lawe hath power ouer the maÌ„ c. For the woman which is in subiection to a man c. So then if while the maÌ„ liueth she couple herselfe with an other c. EueÌ„ so ye also my brethreÌ„ are dead concerning yâ— lawe c. But now are we delyuâ—â—â—â— fâ—om th◠〈◊〉 deâ—◠〈◊〉 it Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by the lawe For sinne loke occasion by yâ— meanes of the commaundement c. wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holy Naye it was synne yâ— syn might appere by it whiche was good c. But I am carnall solde vnder synne If I do now that which I would not I consent c. For I know that in me c. dwelleth no good thyng For to wyl is presente with me but I fide no meanes to perfourme c For I delyghte in the lawe of god c. O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me c. For the lawe of yâ— spirit of life through Iesus Christ hath made me fre from the law of synne and death And sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfall fleshe To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace So then they that are in yâ— fleshe can not please God If any man haue not the spirit of christ the same is none of hâ—s c Wherfore if â— the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from death c. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shal dye c But ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion â–ª c. This spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are notworthy c. For yâ— ferneÌ„â— desyre of the creature abydeth lookyng when yâ— soÌ„nes of God shal appeare â–ª c. For we know that euery creature grâ—neth with vâ— also â–ª c. For we are saued by hope but hope that is seen is no hope For we know not what to desyre as we ought But yâ— spirit maketh intetcession c. And he that search â—â— the hertes knoweth â—â—â—at is the meanyng of the spirite â–ª For these wâ—â—che he knewe before he also ordâ—yâ—ned before And whome he hath called them also he iustified c. If god be on out side who caÌ„ be againste vs It is god yâ— iustifieth who is he yâ— can condeÌ„ne c. Who shal separate vs froÌ„ the loue of god Neuertheles in al theâ—e thiÌ„ges wâ— ouercum through hym that loued vs. Neyther heighte nor loweth c. I say yâ— truth â—n Christ and lâ—e not my coÌ„science also bearing me witnesse c. For I haue wishâ—dde my self â—â— be cursed froÌ„ Christ c. To whome pertayneth yâ— adopcion of the chyldren and the glory c. Whose also are the fathers and they of whom as coÌ„ceâ—nyng the fleshe Christe came They are not all Israelites whiche are of Israel c. But in Isaac shal thy seede bâ— called c. They whiche are yâ— chyldreÌ„ of the fleshe are not the chyldren of god c. Rebecca was with child by one euen by our father Isaac That the purpose of God by election might stande What shal we say then Is there any vnrighteousnes with god For yâ— scripture sayth vnto Pharao euen for this purpose haue I stered yâ— vp c. But O man what arte yâ— whiche disputest with god shal the work say to the workmâ—n c. Hath not the potter power ouer the claye euen of the same luÌ„pe c. Euen so God willyng to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath c. I wyl cal theÌ„ my people whiche were not my people c. Though the numbre of yâ— children of Israel be as the sand
y◠life to come measuring all the whole state of blysful life by worldly commodities say let vs eate drinke for to morow we shal dye That we toke in thys lyfe that and nothyng els is our owne for after death we be nothing The philosophers or false Apostles syng suche songes in your eares paraduenture but beware leste with theyr tales they deceyue you and bryng you into a perylouse erroure alwayes remembring what was truly sayd of a certaine poete of yours euyll woordes corrupte good maners Of idlenes and wanton lyuyng groweth this distruste whyles some knowing their owne enormities deny that there shall any resurreccion be in suche blyndenes of synne are they which lyue wyth out regarde of godly lyfe But awake ye through the study of ryghteousnes leauing your pleasures leste ye fal with other into the greate ieopardye of distrust For albeit there be some amonge you whiche swell and are proude of their worldely wysedome yet are they ignoraunt of the hyghest parte of wysedome in that they knowe not God nor beleue that by his might the dead can be restored to life againe not with standing his almyghtie power nor yet remembre that it is an easyer thing to restore that whiche is decayed than of nothing to make somewhat This tell I you not of any displeasure but to the entente ye should for shame hēcefurth nomore geue eare to such as labour to make you beleue such folishe and deuilishe poyntes The texte But some man wyll saye howe aryse the dead with what body shall they come Thou foole that whiche thou sowest is not quyckened excepte it dye And what sowest thou Thou sowest not that body that shal be but bare corne as of whete or of some other but God geueth it a body at his pleasure to euery sede his owne body All fleshe is not one maner of fleshe but there is one maner of fleshe of beastes another of fishes and another of byrdes There is also celestiall bodyes and there are bodyes terrestriall But the glory of the celestiall is one the glory of the terrestriall is another There is one maner glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the starres For one starre differeth from an other in glory So is the resurrecciō of the dead It is sowen in corrupcion it ryseth againe in incorrupcion It is sowen in dishonour it ryseth againe in honour It is sowen in weakenes it ryseth again in power It is sowen a naturall body it ryseth again a spiritual body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body as it is also wrytten the fyrst man Adam was made a lyuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickenyng spyrite Howbeit that is not fyrste whiche is spirituall but that whiche is naturall and then that whiche is spirituall The fyrste manne is of the earth erthy the seconde manne is the Lorde from heauen heauenly As is the erthy suche are they that are erthy And as is the heauenly suche are they that are heauenly And as we haue borne the image of the erthy so shal we beare the image of the heauenly This say I brethren that fleshe bloud cannot inherite the kyngdome of God Neither doeth corrupcion inherite vncorrupcion Beholde I shew you a misterie We shall not all slepe but we shall all be chaunged and that in a momente in the twinkling of an lye by the last trompe For the trompe shall blowe and the dead shall ryse incorruptible and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible muste put on incorrupcion and this mortall muste put on immortalytie When this corruptible hath put on incorrupcion and this mortall hath put on immortalytie then shal be brought to passe the saying that is wrytten Death is swalowed vp in victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory The styng of death is synne and the strength of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs victory thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe Therfore my deare brethren be ye stedfast and vnmouable alwayes ryche in the worke of the Lorde for as muche as ye knowe howe that your labour is not in vayne in the Lorde But now synce it is certaine that a general resurrecciō shal be some curious persō wil aske after what sort shal it be in what kind of bodies shal men rise synce the bodies whiche we now haue are tourned into ashes earth or into some other thing more vile Thou foole which maruailest howe God can once doe in renyuing bodies again that nature dayly worketh in a sede cast into the grounde Thou sowest a drye dead sede into the earth there agayne thesame beyng putrified semeth to dye so finally growyng out of the earth as it were lyueth agayne and groweth nor coulde thesame in any wyse lyue agayne onlesse it be fyrste dead and buried But nowe groweth the sede vppe in another fourme that it had when it was cast into the earth Into the earth is cast a lytle vyle blacke and drye grayne which beeng by continaunce of tyme putrified there in due season groweth vp and becommeth fyrst a tender grasse and then a stalke and so at the laste an eare Of all whiche three there appeared none in that small grayne which thou before dydest cast into the earth Euery sede hath his power which when it is growen vp appeareth so that it may now seme vtterly to be an other where thou in dede knowest it to be the same saue that it is chaunged into a better forme Seest thou not of a lyttle kernell howe greate a tree groweth howe myghtye a stemme there is howe the rootes spreade howe large boughes what a noumbre of braunches howe pleasaunte blosomes and plentefulnes of fruyte there is Of all which there was nothyng when thou dyd cast that sealye small kernell into the grounde And yet at that tyme all these thinges didest thou hope for vpon trust conceiued of y◠workes of nature ▪ and darest thou not vpon trust of Gods almyghtye power surely looke for the lyke to be done by God A kernell it was that thou sowedste and not a tree and yet geueth God to that kernell once quickned a body suche as his pleasure is which geueth euery kynde of sede a speciall property that wheras all growe agayne yet haue they not in all poyntes thesame forme they had before And after lyke sorte is it in all kyndes of beastes wherof euery one hath his seueral sede so that of euery seed euery beaste can not be engendred And though this to all beastes be commen to haue a fleshy body yet is there betwixte one flesh and an other no small difference For the flesh of men is of one maner and the flesh of beastes fyshes and byrdes is of another Lykewise also though such creatures as lacke lyfe be called bodies yet is there a diuerse forme in heauenly bodies and in earthly as in stones water