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
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
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
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
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
am Iohn it is as muche to say as thus yf ye beleue my preaching of Christ in other matters because I am the same Iohn whiche was conuersaunte and lyued with Christ than beleue me in this booke also because of the visions syghtes and sayinges which I haue seene hearde my selfe and haue written in this booke And I knowe also and am assured that this angell was an holy angell and therfore I for feare and reuerence woulde haue worshipped him as a seruaunt and minister of God and I dyd also worship him and fell downe at his feete to worship him that I might seme to shewe thankefulnes vnto him for the infinite benefite and grace that he reueled and opened vnto me suche highe and holy secrete misteries But he woulde not accept and receyue suche honour and worship at my handes nor was not content therwith wherby I am taught that I should vtterly honour and worship none but onely the almighty God And althoughe the nature and dignitie of angels be higher than the state and dignite of man yet by the reason of the manhode of Christ and by the reason of the saluacion of mankynde thorowe Christ the nature of man is exalted aboue all angels And therfore from hence forthe the angell wyll not be hygher estemed than as a felowe seruaunt of all men vnto the lorde And lykewyse our sauiour Christ nameth himselfe a felow brother of his disciples and that also after the resurreccion And also the angel nameth Iohn in this place a brother and felow of yâ— apostles onely for this booke and sheweth how acceptable they are vnto the lorde namely reputed euen as the brethren of Christe whiche doe esteme this booke and beleue the wordes whiche are written therin And therfore no man ought to esteme this booke lightly nor to contemne it for as much as in many places it teacheth the misteries of Christ very euidentlye Althoughe in dyuerse thinges prophecied in this booke whiche haue not yet beue sene to be fulfylled because they concerne this tyme of ours the latter tyme it is somewhat darke and obscure The texte ¶ And he sayde vnto me seale not the sayinges of the prophecye of this boke For yâ— tyme is at hande He that doeth euyll let him do euil styll and he whiche is fylthye let him be fylthye styl and he that is righteous let him be more righteous and he that is holy let him be more holy And beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man according as his dedes shadie I am Alpha and Omega the begynnyng and the ende the first and the last Blessed are they that doe his commaundementes that theyr power maye be in the tree of lyfe and maye entre in thorowe the gates into the citie For without shal be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murcherers and ydolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh leasynges In the olde testamente before the commynge of Christe the Prophetes were partly commaunded to seale their prophecyes for lyke as the fulfyllynge of suche thynges as were prophecyed and promised was fatte of euen so myght many dyuers opynyons be amonge the interpreters But here in this place the angell commaundeth Iohn that he should not seale the boke for as muche as suche matters as are prophecied therin shoulde be fulfylled very shortly As it is euydent that dyuerse of them were fulfylled immediately yea euen the great and notable vision of the subuersion and destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem and of the death and banyshment of the Iewes was alreadye fulfylled for the whiche cause he dyd prophecy nothing of it but of dyuerse other thinges which were yet to come he dyd prophecye And therfore also after this booke he wrote his holy gospel of the godheade of Iesus Christ against certen heretikes And therfore he saieth the tyme is at hande for the whiche cause men must suffer the wicked to worke accordynge vnto their wickednes for they shall not practyse it long Men must suffer the wicked Iewes and hethen whiche so wylfullye and maliciouslye doe noye and persecute the faithfull christians to take theyr pleasure Let the false apostles heretikes and hipocrites whiche pretende great holynes althoughe they be shamefully defyled as well inwardly as out wardlye let them remayne defyled and wicked it shall shortely haue an ende the iudgement of God hangeth ouer their heades But he that doeth well and rightlye nedeth not to feare the iudgement and comming of Christ He that is holy thorowe true faithe and loue towarde Christ the same desiereth ernestly from day to daye the commynge of Christ vnto the last and generall iudgement And as sone as he seeth any of those tokens happen which haue any lykelyhode of the approchinge of the end of the worlde and whiche shoulde come to passe before than he lyfteth vp his heade and sygheth and wysheth for the commynge of Christ most desierously that he might be sone rid and delyuered from yâ— myserp and wretchednes of this worlde But now thou Iohn marke and take good hede I wyll come shortly and bringe the rewarde with me for al them that haue laboured and done eyther good or euyll For the tyrannes and workers of iniquite wyll I punyshe with dystresse plages and all other blasphemers lykewyse I am the begynnynge of all thinges I haue created the worlde because I am the worde by the whiche God hath created all thinges And I am also the end for the last daye shall be my daye whan as I shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade They performe and doe gods commaundementes which in true faith and loue indeuour themselues with al diligence to doe the wil and pleasure of God with holy workes vertuous exercises whansoeuer they haue any trouble or a ouersite than they call and praye vnto god for grace and mercye for Christes sake whose rightuousnes they take for the oblacion and ransome for their synnes offerynge vp vnto him the sacrifice of thankesgeuynge with a true and perfyte faythe in the mercye of God thorowe Christ Iesus Suche true faithfull men are lyke vnto a frutefull tree that begynneth to budde out whiche in due tyme bryngeth furthe muche fruite And suche true faithfull beleuers can onely enter thorowe faythe into the Christen churche here vpon earthe and whan the tyme commeth they shall also enter in to the heauenly churche But the vnfaithfull doe shewe and declare also theyr frutes of all wyckednes and fleshely lustes wherin they defyle them selues euen lyke swyne and become shameles in theyr synnes lyke very dogges For the whiche cause they can not enter in to the righte christen churche and congregation neyther sorcerers inchanters whoremongers murtherers worshippers of ydols nor any suche as make lyes of malyce and of an euyll conscience The texte ¶ I Iesus sent myne angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the congregacions I am the rote and the generacion of Dauid and the bright mornynge starâ—e And
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
immortall life it foloweth of necessitie that we ought to beleue also that god the father whiche raysed vp Iesus wil also bring with him those that professed Iesus and slept in the assured truste of his promyses alyue agayne at the commyng of his sonne so as the heade shal not wante his membres We bable not vnto you an humayne fable but we tell you the thyng that we learned of Christe hymselfe that is to wete that we whiche shall be founde remaining aliue in this world at the lordes cōming shal not be presented in the sight of Iesus before that they whiche were dead afore be presented also Some wil saye how shall it be possible for them to be presented that were buried and turned into duste Euen the Lorde Iesus himselfe by the voyce of the aungell soundyng out of heauen with the trompette of God shal rayse them vp and warne them to awake and come quickly And than suche as had slept in this hope shall returne agayne vnto lyfe and ryse out of theyr graues And that doen we that shall remayne and bee founde alyue in the cumming of Christ shall be sodainly taken vp together with them that are raised againe vnto life through the cloudes that wē may mete the Lorde in the ayer And from thence he shal carrye vs with him into heauen to liue with him perpetuallie Now therfore see you comfort euery one another with these sayinges so as the death of the godly vere you not to sore inasmuche as it is more worthy gratulacions and reioycinges than your sorowfull lamentacions The .v. Chapter The texte Fynally of the tymes and seasons brethren it is no neade that I wryte vnto you ▪ for ye your selues knowe perfectly that the daye of the Lorde shall come euen as a thefe in the nyght For when they shal saye peace and al thynges are safe then shal soden destruccyon come vpon them as sorow commeth vpon a woman trauaylyng with chylde they shal not scape But ye brethren are not in darcaenes that that daye should come on you as a thefe NOw you haue the manier and ordre of the resurreccion inasmuche as it was conuenient for you to knowe it But as for the tymes and the very seasons whan these thinges shal be it is no parte of our office to write vnto you And it is so vnauayleable that euen the lord himself would open no suche thyng vnto his disciples whan they demaunded it of hym For you knowe playnlye and we haue taught you before that the daye of the Lorde shal come sodaynely vpon the world vnloked for euen as a thefe in the night breaketh in vpon them that are aslepe and shall ouerlaye them that are careles than moste chiefely whan it shall be the least loked for For whan suche as beleue not the ghospel shal saye in theyr moste Ioylytie there is no daungier but all is peace and safe the Lord wyll not come than theyr destruccion shall come sodainlye vpon them like as a woman with childe is sodainly payned with sorowe in her trauayle before the daye commeth that she loked for And they shall haue no waye to escape oppression before they fele it sodainly vpon them That daye shall be a dreadful daye to them that beyng blynded in theyr owne viciousnes leade their lyfe as it were in the night but vnto you brethren it is not so dreadefull leste it should take you vnprouyded The texte Ye are all the chyldren of lyght and the chyldren of the daye We are not of the nyght nether of darkenes Therfore let vs not slepe as do other but let vs watche and be sober For they that slepe slepe in the night and they that be drōcken are droncken in the nyght But let vs whiche are of the daye be sober armed with the brest place of fayth and loue with hope of saluacion for an helmet For God hath not appoynted vs to prouoke wrath vnto oure selues but to obtayne saluacyon by the meanes of oure Lord Iesu Chryst which dyed for vs that whether we wake of slepe we should lyue together with hym Wherfore comforte your selues together and edifye euery one another euen as ye do For all you that folowe Christe belong not to the kyngdome of darkenes but to the kyngdome of light and of god namely yf oure diligence of godlynesse be aunswerable to our profession and yf we lyue so as it maye appere that we watche in the dayelight and not lye snourtyng in darkenesse Therfore if we wil not be taken vnwares let vs not sleape as other do that haue no knowlage of Christes lyght but let vs watche and be sobre taking alwayes circumspect hede that we cōmit nothing through vnaduisednesse that maye offende the iyes of God and men For like as they that slepe after the bodie sleape in the night and those that are wynedrunken are drunken in the night euen so those that yawne and slumbre in naughtinesse are occupied in darkenesse of the soule and those that are drunken with the lustes daliaunces of the worlde are entangled with darkenes of the mynde But as for vs vnto whom the daie of the gospel hath cast his light it standeth vs in hande to be sobre and watchyng alwayes prepared and ready agaynst the sodayne assaulte of the enemie that kepeth continuall watche for oure destruccion and to be harnessed with spirituall armour In steade of a breste plate to put on fayth and charitie for the helmet hope of eternall saluacion And than shall you not nede to distruste God will be ready himselfe to defend those that be watching For god hath not called vs to the doctrine of the gospell for this purpose that lyuing otherwyse than it maketh mencion we should double the wrathe and vengeaunce of God vpon vs but that in obeying hym we might obteyne saluacion by the helpe of our Lorde Iesus Christ who suffred death for vs to the intēt that if it chaunce vs to lyue we maye lyue with hym through godlynesse and hope of immortalitie and if it chaunce vs to dye we maye lyue with hym neuer to dye To thintent that you maye so do more and more encourage euery one other with mutuall exhortacions and styrre one another to goe on forwarde like as you do alreadye euen of your owne accorde The texte We beseche you brethren that ye knowe them which laboure among you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and geue you exhortacion that ye haue them in hye repucacion thorow loue for theyr workes sake and be at peace with them Furthermore we beseche you brethren to haue cōsideracion of them that labour among you and haue ouersight of you in teachyng of the ghospell and do admonishe you with what thynges you ought to please Christ that where you are bounden to geue honoure vnto all men yet haue them in regarde aboue others requiting thē the loue that they bestowe vnto you in susteynyng so many laboures and daungiers for your
chalenge to hymselfe any prayse The texte ¶ Charge them whiche are riche in this worlde that they be not hyemynded nor trust in vncerten riches but in the lyuyng God whiche geueth vs abound auntlye all thinges to enioye them that they doe good that they be riche in good workes that they be readye to geue and gladlye to dystribute laynge vp in store for themselues a good foundacion as gainst the tyme to come that they maye obtaine eternal lyfe O Timothe saue that which is geuen the to kepe and a voyde vngostly vanities of voyces and opposicions of science falsly so called whiche science whyle some professed they erred as concernynge the faith Grace be with the. Amen I haue declared how parilous noysome a matter it is for them that professe Christ to set their studie vpō riches And yf there be among our sorte any that haue chaunced vpon those riche substaunces for the whiche this presente worlde recōneth men ryche and fortunate and reuerenceth and honoureth them as halfe goddes commaunde them that they be not as the commune sorte is hyghe mynded in trustyng vpon their ryches nor that they repose their chiefe helping felicitie in thinges that are fyrste vayne than so incertain that yf casualtie take them not awaye yet at lest death despatcheth vs from them But let them rather trust surely in the lyuynge god that neuer forsoke mē eyther quicke or dead inasmuche as he is vnchaungeable of whose lyberalitie commeth whatsoeuer this worlde yeldeth vnto vs plenteouslye of yearely reuenues for oure presēt vse and not to hoorde vp riches And let them rather conuerte their study to this ende that they maye exercyse them selues vnto good workes wherby they maye be made truly ryche and let them be wealthye rather in good dedes thā in lordely possessions that that they haue let them so possede as thoughe it were commune and not their owne and let them therwith be glad to geue vnto the nedye and not dysoayne the rest that are but of small substaunce and let them shewe them selues gentyll and frendly in the company and familiaritie of the commune sorte of lyfe For wealthe hathe commonly these companyons with her dysdeyne statelynes Let them not put their trust in their gorgious great buyldinges for nothing in this world is longe durable But rather with true vertues let them laye for them selues a stronge and a good foundacion againe y◠worlde to come that they maye atteyne to the true lyfe that is to saye the lyfe that euer lasteth For what other thing is this lyfe than a race vnto death we must laye all carefulnes of transitorie thinges asyde and make spedye haste vnto it with all dilygent studye O Tymothie I eftesones desyre beseche the againe kepe faithfully this doctrine as it is committed vnto thee and suffre it not to be defyled with humayne learnynges And that thou canst not possyblye doe onles as I watned the before thou reiecte the chattring vayne byblebable of those mē that goe about to bryng them selues in a false estimacion of knowledge by reason of humayne questions and sophisticall quiddities inasmuche as mans knowledge consistyng of opinions contrarylye repugnaunt amonge them selues is not worthye to be called knowledge We know nothīg more certainlye than that whiche the doctrine and belefe of the gospel hathe perswaded vnto vs. Furthermore some men whyleft they goe aboute to seme learned and wyse throughe humayne reasons throughe sophistical wragglinges through new learnynges whiche they themselues haue deuysed haue wandred astraye frō the spnceritie of y◠faythe of the gospel whose propertie is to beleue not to dyspute nor is caryed awaye with mens decrees from the prescripte commaundementes of god And to thintent thou mayest perceaue that this Epistle is not countrefaicte I wyll subscribe these wordes with myne owne hande that thou well knowest Grace be with the. Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the fyrst Epistle to Tymothie ¶ The Argument vpon the latter Epistle vnto Tymothee by Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as in the former Epistle Paule put Tymothee beyng at Ephesus in hope of his comming agayne vnto him could not perfourme it bicause he was holdē in bondes at Rome he coufirmeth him with lettres that he be not discouraged with stormes of persecutions but after his example to prepare his mynde vnto martirdō For there are perilous times at hande quam he by reason of some that vnder pretence of godlynes turne true godlynes vp syde downe and so prate boastynglye of them selues as thoughe the Christian Religion consisted in wordes and not rather in purenesse of herte Than tellyng that the daye of his death draweth nere and that the moste part haue now forsaken him he byddeth Timothee and Marcus to come to Rome spedely vnto him This Epistle he wrote at Rome whan he was eftesones arraigned at Neros barre Thus endeth thargument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paule to Timothee ¶ The first Chapter ▪ The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God accordynge to the prompyse of lyfe which is in Christ Iesu To Timothee hys beloued sonne Grace mercy and peace from God the father and from Iesu Christ oure Lorde I thanke god whom I setue frō myne elders with pure conscience that without any ceasynge I make mencion of the in my prayers nyght and day desyryng to se the myndefull of thy reares so that I am filled of ioye when I call to remēbraunce the vnfeyned fayth that is in thee which dwelt fyrste in thy graundemother Loys and in thy mother Eunica and I am assured that it dwelleth in the also PAule an Embassadour of Iesu Christ called therunto by the will of God the father to declare howe greate the felicitie of the lyfe to come is whiche he promiseth vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christe that we should not care much for the losse of this life To Tymothee my dearebeloued sonne grace mercie and peace from God the father and from Iesus Christ oure Lorde I thanke God whose seruaunte I begonne not of a late tyme to be but kepte his relygion after the tradicions of myne elders continually with an vpright and a pure conscience and doe kepe styll For I serue all one God now beynge a christian the I lately serued a Iewe though after an other sort throughe whose goodnes we chaunced vpō such a man as thou arte in that thou folowest the exāple of me in sincere preaching of the ghospelles doctrine so as for thine owne deserte I can no lesse hartelye loue thee than mine own very sonne in so muche that I can not forget thee euen whan thou arte absent For in my prayers night and daye wherwith I am accustomed to call vpon God and to commende vnto him suche as I tenderlye loue thou commest alwayes in my mynde and I am very muche desirous to see thee especially as often as I remembre thy teares that thou sheddest at my departyng
and vnto Laodicia The lordes daye is the sondaye whiche the holy Apostles thoroughe the holy goost which they receyued at whytsontyde did institute to be sanctyfyed and kept holy of the Christen churche in the steade of the Iewes Sabboth day not without very necessarye laudable and expediente consyderacions Eusebius wryteth that S. Iohn dyd rule the churche of Ephesus after S. Paules death and lyke wyse also the other churches in Asia and therfore was commauÌ„ded of Christ in this place to sende this wrytynge vnto them forasmuche as he know them best so that in processe of tyme it myght be common vnto all churches for their edefyeng instruccion as it came also to passe And vnto theÌ„ also he wrote his gospel after that he was delyuered out of Pathmos against yâ— heretykes whiche began at that tyme to ryse The texte ¶ And I turned backe to se the voyce that spake to me And whan I was turned I sawe seuen golden candelstyckes and in the myddes of the candelstyckes one lyke vnto yâ— sonne of man clothed with a lynnen garment downe to the fere and gyrde aboute the pappes with a golden gyrdle His heade and his heares were white as whyte woll as snowe and his eyes were as a flame of fyre and his fere lyke vnto brasse as thoughe they brent in a fornaâ—â— and his voyce as the sounde of many warers And he had in his ryght hande scueÌ„stâ—rres And out of his mouthe went a sharpe two edged swearde And his face shone euen as the sunne in his strength What is sygnifyed by the seuen golden candelstyckes and by the vii starres that shall Christ himselfe hereafter declare whiche beyng very god yet he was in euery condicion synne excepte lyke vnto vs all after his mans nature And with his spirite ayde and gouernynge he is present in all churches and shall so remayne vntyll the worldes end He is clothed with innocencye holynes by reason wherof he made oblacion not for his owne but for our synnes He is also gyrded with heauenly myght and power alwayes redy and glad to helpe the faithfull He is the heade full of godly and heauenly wysedome whiche knoweth all thinges from euerlastynge He loketh with a fearfull face and with a terryble and grim countenaunce against al vnfaythfull but a pleasant and louyng countenaunce she with he towarde the electe and faythfull beleuers He is ready with his hote flamynge and burnyng fete to stampe in peces and to destroye the wycked and vngodly His voyce is the holy gospell whiche neyther all the gates of hell all the power vpon earth in hell nor all his enemyes can ouercome all thoughe Paule at the begynnyng beyng blynde and ignorante thought hoped the coÌ„trary The wicked Emperoure Nero lykewyse dyuerse other But they all withall suche lyke were alwayes stryken and ouercomme with the sworde of the almyghtye worde of god And vnto the godly and faythfull the ioyfull and comfortable syght of him is more pleasant and delectable than the bryghtnesse or clearnes of the sonne can be vnto any earthly creature The texte ¶ And whan I sawe him I fell at his fete eueÌ„ as dead And he layde his right hande vpon me sayinge vnto me feare not I am the first and the laste and aâ— alyue and was dead And beholde I am alyue for euermore and haue the keyes of hell and of death Wryte therfore the thinges whiche thou hast sene and the thinges whiche are and the thinges whiche must be fulfylled her after the mysterye of the seuen starres whiche thou sawest in my right hande and the seuen golden candelstyckes The seueÌ„starres are the messengers of the seuen congregacions And the seuen candelstyckes whiche thousawest are the seuen congregacions If this holy Apostle and Euangelyst a dysciple whom Christ loued were not able to suffre nor abyde the presence of Christes glorified manhode Howe wyll the wicked enemyes of the truth and of all godlynes abyde it or what wyll they doe Howe Christ is the firste and the laste god and man the very laluacion it selfe and yet crucified as a synner and how he rose vp againe from death ascended into heauen and receyued power ouer al creatures it nedeth no further interpretacioÌ„ And againe the holy congregacions or churches haue their propre peculiar angels to leade them to guyde them to wayte vpoÌ„ them to serue them and after gods ordinaunce to defende and preserue them The seconde Chapter The texte ¶ Vnto the messenger of the congregacioÌ„ of Ephesus wryte these thinges sayeth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hande and that walketh in the myddes of the seâ—tâ— golden candelstyckes I knowe thy worckes and thy labour and thy pacience and howe thou câ—â—nest not forbeare them whiche are euyll and hast examined them whiche saye they are Apostles and are not and hast founde them lyars and hast suffred And haste pacience and for my names sake hast labored and hast not faynted WHat maner a churche was at Ephesus how Paul behaued hym selfe wrought there howe Tymothye preached taught there and what the false prophetes dyd there enterpryse is to be sene in the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians and sufficientlye descrybed of Erasmus in the Paraphrases of that Epistle And reade more thereof in the christen and godly story of Eusebius in the. v. boke and xxiiii chapter And by these wordes mayst thou vnderstande the hyghe prayse and commendacion of their faythe wherof their good workes beare sufficient wytnes and recorde And this is also to be noted by this place that men shoulde not lyghtly nor rashely beleue all maner of doctrine but first trye and proue whether it be of god or no and to ouercome conuince al maner of errours false doctrine onely with the worde of god whiche is not contrary vnto it selfe yf one place be iustly compared with another but it is profytable vnto the true perfyte vnderstandynge knowledge of god In Iohns tyme as S. Paule was come vnto Rome there were certen heretykes at Ephesus namely Cherinthus Hebyon and after them MarcioÌ„ lyke as there were also in Paules time Himeneus Alexander Philetus Hermogenes But al these wer ouercome with muche adoe thorow long pacieÌ„ce by yâ— godly bishops which were at Ephesus one succedyng another as Eusebius maketh mencion The texte Neuertheles I haue somwhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue RemeÌ„bre therfore fâ—oÌ„ whence yâ— art fallen repent doe yâ— first workes Or elles I wyl coâ—â—e vnto the shortely wil remoue thy candelsticke out of his place excepte yâ— repeÌ„t But this thou hast because thou hatest yâ— dedes of yâ— Nicolaitans which dedes I also hate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyll I geue to eate of the tree of lyfe which is in the myddes of yâ— Parady â—e of god Out of yâ— faintnes and coldnes of
of her selfe but of God with all heauenly graces and vertues and with the ornamentes of all perfeccion In this citie of the heauenly and eternall Ierusalem shall the lorde God in Christ dwell as it were with and among his people and deare beloued spowse and well garnyshed or floryshyng bryde with moste hyghe ioye and delyght and endles blisse and felycitie The texte And God shall wipe awaye all teares from their eyes And there shal be nomore death nether sorowe nether criyng nether shall there bee any more payne for the olde thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seate sayed beholde I make al thinges newe And he sayed vnto me Write for these wordes are faythfull and true And he sayed vnto me it is doen I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ende I wyll geue to hym that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe free He that ouercommeth shal inherite all thinges and I wylbe his God and he shal be my sonne Howe and what this blisse shall be can no man expresse But what thynges shall not be there that doeth he declare First there shall be no teares For there shall no maner of aduersitie trouble or vexacion happen vnto any man There is also no maner of decaye nor weakenes neither of the body nor of the soule no maner of sycknes nor infirmitie of complexions no bodyly hurte nor affliccion no dreade nor feare of death no heuy nor greuous temptacioÌ„ no lacke of any thing no myschanuce no weeping nor waylyng nor payne smart nor impediment For in the state of blisse and saluacion is no thought nor sorowe to be taken for any of these thinges For the first and originall occasion of all these miseries the synne of Adam and Eue for whose sake the worlde was created is altogether past and vtterly ceased ended and finyshed together with death and the deuyll thorowe the rightuousnes of our sauiour Christ Thorowe the whiche rightuousnes all mankynde so many as are faithful is reconciled vnto God for euermore Thus hath Christ syttyng vpon the stoole of his kyngdom and glorye ordeyned all thinges newe This must be stedfastlye confessed and beleued of all faithfull christians as an infallyble trueth therfore it is gods commaundement that it shoulde be wrytten for an euerlasting remembraunce for an holsome doctrine and consolacion that all men should beleue the trueth and so beleuynge obteyne blisse and saluacion For this is the ende of all thinges the blisse and saluacion of mankynde in God whiche wyll declare and dystribute his glorye mercye and louynge kyndnes vnto them whiche he hath chosen from euerlasting vnto his honour and glorye whiche is the begynnynge and ende of all thinges that are euer were or euer shal be Vnto all them which in this vale of mysery dyd thirst after rightuousnes and after the glory of god vnto them wyll the grace and fauorable mercye of God gyue the liuing wel and fountayne of all goodnes and the eternal springynge floode of refreshment vnto saluacion and to perpetuall ioy and felicitie in God But these giftes and rewardes must be obteyned with muche labour and trauell yet not properly as desert or merite for suche great euerlastynge rewarde the hyghest goodnes and felicitie can not be purchased with any labour or trauell of man but it must be obteyned and enherited of and by the free grace and mercye of God Vnto them all whiche shall be thus eternally blessed shall Christ the spouse bryde grome of the churche be their Iesus and sauiour and also their God and theyr perfyte satisfaccion in suche maner and wyse that they shall be as his deare children and louyng sonnes and he Christ shall be their father brother God and their euerlastinge kyng and captayne The texte ¶ But the fearfull and vnbeleuynge and the abhominable and murdrers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolatres and all lyars shal haue their parte in the lake whiche burneth with fyre and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Here foloweth now also the contrary part what Christ the iudge shall ordeine and make with them whiche in this worlde were fearfull and cruell vnto all godly humble and lowly men hiche haue hurte and noyed all men whiche neuer woulde credite nor beleue the holy gospell the holy scripture the euerlastinge worde of God whiche haue handled and dealte abhominably against al kynde and nature and against al loue whiche euen against their natural kynd of very set purpose haue bene murtherers and shedders of innocent bloude whiche haue defyled and stayned the naturall state ordeyned of God with fylthy vnchastnes And haue practised sorcery and witchcrafte contrarye to yâ— honour and lawe of god not without makinge some bande or couenanut with the wicked spirite the arche nemny of God whome they haue serued and obeyed his pleasure and commaundement in setting vp of chapels and altares in seruing honouring worshippinge praying vnto and callynge vpon false goddes vnder the name of sainctes whome they haue sought farre and nere to make their oblacions vnto them against whom the holy prophetes haue alwaies cried out against the false teachers false prophetes and false apostles Theirs and all other lyars and wicked doers part shall be in eternall damnacioÌ„ where nothing is but sorowe angwishe weping and waylyng heuines dystresse delpaite with euerlasting contempt and hatred of God All whiche is the seconde death vnto the whiche men doe come thorowe these forenamed synnes and blasphemies coÌ„mitted in the world without repentance or amendmeÌ„t For the first death is the corporall death of the bodye layed vpon all men of almightye God by reason of synne The texte ¶ And there came vnto me one of the seuen Angels whiche had yâ— seuen vyalles ful of the seuen laste plages and talked with me sayinge come hither I wyll shewe â—hee the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me awaie in the spirite to a great and an hye mountaine and he shewed me the great citie holy Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God hauinge the brightnes of God And her shynyng was like vnto a stone most precious euen lyke a Iasper clere as Christ all and had walles great and hye and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels and names wrytten whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of Israel on the East parte thre gates and on the Northsyde thre gates and towardes the Southe thre gates and from the west thre gates and the wall of the citie had twelue foundacions and in them the twelue names of the lambes .xii. apostles Christ is the angell of the great councell whiche thorowe his angels that serue him worketh and bringeth to passe the ordinances of God with punyshmentes and plages of the wicked and vnfaithfull whiche doe hynder and let his ordinances The rewarde dothe he pay him selfe For he him selfe is the rewarde and the crowne of the blessed This Christ our lorde and sauiour talketh here with Iohn his beloued and of a