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
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
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
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
speciall trust and loue towardes him he sheweth him his spouse and wyfe and nameth her the lambes wyfe but it is the christen churche the felowship of all saintes and holy electe This christen churche is in .ii. maner of states In the first state she is mylitant euer striuynge and fightyng euer in warrefare assaulted with much trouble and vexacion sorowfull vnperfyte and euer waxyng and increasynge And in the other state she is triumphant victorious euer triumphinge quiet free without care or sorowe for any vexacion perfyte heauenly blessed and euerlasting Of bothe these states for certen fewe properties the earthly Ierusalem the citie of the Iewes is set for a figure comparison example and counterpane Whiche Ierusalem of the Iewes lyeth vpon an hyll hath .xii. gates and great hyghe walles and lyeth on highe towarde the whole lande rounde about on euery behalfe Of the whiche they that wyll knowe more maye reade Iosephus which writeth largely therof Nowe here speaketh Christ of the spirituall Ierusalem in her double state It lyeth also highe for as muche as it is highly indewed with gods grace and glorious giftes for whose sake almightie God sent his onely begotten sunne vpon earth to clense and to make her pure to bylde her to bewtifie and to garnyshe her and to make her glorious euen for an euerlastynge kingdome and for a deare beloued spouse for him selfe This citie is great for it reacheth vnto all the endes and coastes of the worlde and it is also holy for it is sanctified with the holy and blessed presence of Christ with his precious hearte bloode which was shedde in the highest loue and obedience towarde god and mankynde and that washeth a waye the synnes of all the worlde in that are al the faythful purged clensed This descending of the heuenly citie Ierusalem or holy chrysten churche sygnifieth the comon felowshyp and participacion of the churche â—riumphant that reygnyth in victory with the churche mylytant that contyneweth and remaineth in battel and warrefare For they bothe are one churche deuided and sondred in .ii. onely in this worlde by reason of the tyme. For that churche whiche is nowe militant and lyeth in warrefare vpon earthe shal shortly be in heaueÌ„ victorious and triumphant This churche both vpon earthe and in heauen hathe one godly glorye al honour vertue prayse might and blisse commeth vnto her from God The light of this churche is the most precious stone namely vpon earth faythe with loue and in heauen trueth and saluacioÌ„ in Christ The walles which defende preserue and kepe this citie is the faith and belefe in the holy worde of god by the whiche the faithfull beleuers are kept and preserued The .xii. gates maye we take and vnderstande for the .xii. articles of the holye Christen faythe vpon the gates the xii apostles or patriarkes or prophetes whiche haue their glorious and holy names not onely written in heauen aboue all other holy saintes but also vpoÌ„ earth in the militant or warrefaring chutch These gates of the articles are wel and orderly set and appointed of the father of the sunne of the holy gost of the grace and rewarde of redempcion The .xii. foundacions of these walles maye be taken for the bokes of the olde and newe testament vpon the whiche the wall of the christen churche the holy faithe whiche is but one bothe of the christianes of the olde and of the newe testament bothe of the prophetes and of the Apostles is and ought to be founded and grounded And where as the Apostles are here more named than the prophetes it is done for this purpose for as much as thorow the Apostles the doctrine of the prophetes and the gospell promysed in the prophetes was spredde abrode and publyshed in the whose wyde worlde whiche gospell the prophetes dyd preache and wryte onely vnto the children of Israel and to their neighbours the people nexte about them of the lande of Israell and againe because the apostles were witnesses in their owne parsons of the slaying and death of the lambe The texte ¶ And be that talked with me had a golden rede to measure the citie with all and the gates therof and the wal therof And the citie was buylt foure square and the length was as large as the bredth and he measured the citie with the rede twelue â—â— furlonges and the length and the bredth the heyght of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an cxliiii câ—bytes the measure that the angell had was after the measure that man vseth And the buildyng of the wal of it was of Iasper And the citie was pure golde lyke vnto cleare glasse and the foundacions of the wall of the citie were garnished with all maner of precious stones The first foundacion was Iaspis the seconde Saphire the thirde a Calcedony the fourthe an Emeralde the fyfte Sardoniâ— the syrie Sardoes the seuenth Crysolite the eight Beral the nynth a Topas the tenth a Chrisoprasos the eleeuenth a Iaciute the twelue than Amâ—chist In the .xliiii. of Ezechiell and lykewyse in zacharie doe we reade of yâ— mystery of this holy citie whiche is here described as thoughe it shoulde be measured how long how brode and howe highe it were But it is done of Christ after the maner of a vision and as it were in a misterie For Christ knoweth his churche well inoughe and all whiche are the rin or belong therunto The golden reed is as it were a golden met wonde and it signifieth the right square of the holy scripture whiche onely declareth and sheweth certenly and truly what is ryghte or croked wel or amisse in the religion and doctrine ceremonies and dyscipline of the churche And where as the citie lyeth foure square it sygnifieth the .iiii. quarters of the worlde in the whiche the almightie God hath alwayes had his peculier electe faithful folowers and obseruers of the true loue of God and of the neighbour wherin consisteth the lawe and the prophetes and also the commaundement of Christ the sauiour of the whole worlde The length is from the east to the west the bredth is from the northe to the south and the higth is euen from the earth to the heauen So that heauen and earth and the whole churche both triumphant in heauen militant vpon earth are full of the glory of God of the power and kyngdome of Christ whiche the father gaue him whan as he dyd set him at his right hande in the moost hyghe honour glorye and blisse for a mirrour vnto all faithfull and holy electe An hundreth and .xliiii. is a full and a perfite nomber euen .xii. tymes .xii. And it signifieth all perfeccion of the grace of God the holy goost and of all true and perfite vertues whiche true faithe onely preserueth and maketh good and perfight and also acceptable vnto God The true faithe and belefe which hath alwaies bene preached and preserued in the holy churche as well by the Israelites as by the
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
suche thynges as may with vs be conueied hence to that heauenly life And what thinges bene they Withoute doubte iustice peace ioye whiche are not gyuen by obseruyng differences of meates but by the holy goost Ianglyng for meates worketh malice and debate it worketh sorowe it worketh displeasures grudges But the spirite of god in stede of disseÌ„cioÌ„ worketh peace in stede of sorowe causeth gladnes for displeasure wroÌ„g perfyte ryghteousnes For as it belongeth to iustice to hurte noman so to peace belongeth it to stryue with noman and the office of charitie is to trouble and greue noman These are spiritual giftes of god in these who so serueth Christe bothe pleaseth god whyles he dothe suche thynges as to hym are moste acceptable and pleaseth also men whiles he by diligente wayes auoydeth all suspicion occasion of euyll Carnall they be whiche stryuen eche one with other for meates and dayes They serue the spirite of Christe that stande not in defence of theyr owne actes but rather suche as charitably please eche one another and chaunge themselfe into euery sorte to wynne all to Christe fashionyng themselues to all mennes vsuages to th entent they maye please euery man The texte Let vs therfore folowe those thinges whiche make for peace and thynges wherewith one maye edifie an other Destroye not the worke of god for a litle meates sake All thinges are pure but it is euyl for the man whiche eateth with hurte of conscience It is good neither to eate fleashe neither any thinge wherby thy brother stombleth either falleth or is made weake Haste thou fayth haue it with thy selfe before god Happye is he that condemneth not hymselfe in that thing whiche he alloweth For he that maketh conscience is damned yf he eate because he eatethe it not of fayth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth that same is syn We therfore that are spiritual leauyng suche contenciouse disputacions let vs folow suche thynges as make to peace suche thynges as nouryshe concorde suche thinges as encrease mutuall loue and to be briefe all such trade of lyfe as maye make vs better yâ— one maye the better helpe another not suche as other maye therwith be offeÌ„ded This is the chiefe and principall poynte of our religion Thou that arte stronger beware yâ— for thy meates sake thou destroye not the worke of God Muche rather lose thy meate than through occasion therof yâ— thing be destroyed whiche god redemed by the death of his sonne As for meate is a thing yâ— belongeth to man is requisite for the ayde of worldly necessitie but charitie is gods matier when both be in ieopardy let rather that gyue place whiche beareth lesse weight not because in the meate eatyng there is any synne or because one is pure another vnpure as the Iewes would haue it or because it is any offence to eate of euery kynde of meate but because therby occasion of stoumblyng and misdeming is giuen not because thou eatest it but because throughe eatyng therof thou greuest thy weake and feble brother by meane wherof the meate whiche by nature is cleane forsomuche as thou in vsyng it regardest not thy neyghbours ieopardye becommeth vncleane This poynte muste we so greatly take hede vnto and thynke that better it were altogether to abstayne from fleashe and to eate hearbes yea altogether to forbeare the drynkyng of wyne than by eating or drynkyng to gyue thy brother occasion of sclaunder Nor saye thou this agayne vnto me why feareth he where no nede is myne owne fayth and conscience condemneth me not nor saye thou what haue I with other mennes weakenes to do Doest thou couÌ„sel me to leaue myne owne mynde and to folowe his and so begynne to folowe and vse a certayne choyse and difference in meates No not so I require not of thee to folowe his weakenes but rather for a tyme to condescende vnto it vpon hope of his amendmente I allowe this confidence of thine in that thou despiseste suche differences of meates but yet hide and couer this thy boldnes yf thou see that thy brother be lyke to fall into ieopardye therby Be contente that god in the meane tyme knoweth and approueth the strengthe of thy conscience And yet muste the same for that tyme be dissembled whyles thou auoydeste the daunger and weakenyng of thy neighbours conscience by leanyng fashionyng thy selfe to his weaknes And in the meane tyme take hede of this that where thou sayest thou regardest no suche choyse of meates that this thy saying come furth and procede of a strong coÌ„science and not made for a colour to maynteine the pleasure whiche thou hast to eatyng and drynking nor for wantones Beware also leste whiles thou dispisest and reprouest another for his supersticion in abstaynyng from meates thy self in thy conscience doubte and so be more strong in worde than thou arte in fayth Blessed is that man whiche is of that strengthe in faythe that in the acte which he amoÌ„g men approueth and maynteneth he feele not within hym his conscience murmuring agaynst it and in his hearte secretly condemne that which in the face of the worlde it approueth For who soeuer doubteth iudgyng with hymself yâ— it is vnlawful to eate is euen by his owne conscience condeÌ„ned And why is he coÌ„demned Because the acte he doth coÌ„meth not of a stroÌ„g fayth and an vpright conscience but of a conscience grudgyng agaynste his doyng For what soeuer commeth not of fayth is ioyned with syn For when a manne doubtyng of an acte whether it be euyll or not whiche of it selfe is not euyll in dede doth it yet nethelesse he in so doyng declareth yâ— he woulde do a verie euyll thyng in dede yf occasion serued Perfite godlynes in whome it is surely auoydeth all suche thynges as haue but euen an apparence of euyll Whoso of malyce doth synfully is well worthy to be reproued yf suche one wyll not be refourmed euen his company must be auoyded also But when yâ— errour groweth by reason of infirmitie he that is in suche errour muche more deserueth to be taught and warned and not to be disdayned or mocked at The .xv. Chapiter The texte ¶ We whiche are stronge ought to beare the fraylnes of them whiche are weake and not to stande in oure owne conceites Let euâ—rie man please his neighbour vnto his welthe and edifieng For Christe pleaâ—ed not hymselfe â–ª but as it is written the rebukes of them â–ª whiche rebuked the fell on me What soeuer thinges are written afâ—re tyme they are wrytten for our learnyng that we through pacience and comfort of the scriptures myght haue hope NOwe then yf we be stronger than other as we in dede be in somuche yâ— we herein nede nomaÌ„ to giue vs counsel yet muste we take hede lest whyle we reproue an other mannes small erroure and call it supersticion we our selues fal into yâ— fer more haynous vice of arrogancie but rather the stronger we be the
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
of certaine who haue altered your former mindes which would God ye would rather haue folowed simple as they are than the vngracious couÌ„sel of some other What was he that through an enuye and grudge borne against your weale vnder whiche ye haue hitherto continued through the libertie of the gospel hath bewitched you and charmyng out your christian mynde hath by enchauntment cast you into this frensye that ye as men mistrustyng Christ should seke for helpe of the colde and baraine lawe Where is that singular confidence become whereby through the death of Christ ye were in sure hope to haue perfite righteousnes and saluacion without healâ—e and ayde of the lawe Ye I say in whose heartes Iesus Christ the onely author of our saluacion was so farfoorth grauen and printed whoÌ„ with the iyen of your fayth ye in suche sorte sawe by his crosse recoÌ„cilyng all the worlde to his father as though he had been painted before your faces and as though your selues had been witnesses of that dede doyng whiche was in dede done at Ierusalem The Iewes that sawe him hangyng on the crosse and yet denied him sawe not so muche as ye did Among you whiche by his death trusted to receiue euerlasting saluacioÌ„ was he verely crucified Your iyen were alwaye vpon the brasen serpent hanged vp vpon the tree of whom onely ye trusted to receiue the holsome remedy of all your synnes And whither now sodainly cast ye your iyen The texte This onely would I learne of you whether ye receiued the spirite by the dedes of the lawe or by preachyng of the fayth Are ye so vnwyse that after ye haue begunne in the spirite ye now ende in the fleshe So many thinges ye haue suffered in vaine if it be also in vaine If there be in you yet any wytte lefte euen consider me this whiche vnlesse ye be blind ye may easily vnderstand and so do I because I wyl not subtily reason the matter with you nor seeke for farre fetched argumentes Ye remembre that lately at my preachyng of the gospel how through baptisme and puttyng of my handes vpon you ye receiued the spirite of Christ It was no vaine persuacion The wonderfull worke of God ensuyng thervpon as the gifte of languages of prophecie of healyng and other giftes made plaine profe that this came by the power of God and by no mannes craftie conueyaunce This spirite of God I say whether I pray you receiued ye it by Moses circumcision or els by that through my preachyng ye beleued the gospel of Christ NotwithstaÌ„dyng that ye to Moses were straungers yet gaue Christ vnto you through fayth his strong and mightie spirite as an ernest peny of the blissed state he promised vnto you And why should ye now elswhere of any other looke for saluacion than of him of whom ye haue receiued so plaine a gage of blisse to come If I to you preached circumcision and if by trust therin ye receiued the heauenly spirite of God then am I content that for some parte of your saluacion ye shal geue thankes to Moses lawe but if I nothyng taught you but Iesus Christ and that by puttyng your confidence in him onely ye found in your selfe euen the same giftes that the Iewes through baptisme receiue why should ye in dispite of Christ seeke for the heauye and paineful burden of Iewishnes Wyse and thriuyng scholers from rude beginnynges growe forwarde and encrease but ye from suche godly and commemdable rudimentes fal backe to the worse The Iewes borne vnder the bondage of the grosse lawe forsakyng the ceremonies of theyr elders repayre vnto the spiritual doctrin of the gospel Ye contrary from the godly beginnyng of the gospel and your heauenly profession growe out of kinde into a Iewishe supersticion They of Iewes become christian menne and labor ye of christians to become Iewes What neded vs to be indaungered and become debter to Christ if Moses law sufficiently worke our saluacion Why forsake ye now him for whose sake ye haue suffered suche affliccions euen of them that hated Christes name and glory For who so through circumcision thinketh to be saued the same man is fallen from Christ Wyll ye in suche sorte vse your selfe that menne of you shal thinke ye haue for Christes sake suffered in vaine suche great affliccions But God forbid that ye haue suffered them in vayne Out of the right way are ye but so are ye not for lacke of good wyl but for lacke of knowledge not of malice in your partie but rather staggeryng through the enticemeÌ„t of other Amende by tymes and feare not but that ye shall nethelesse enioye the fruite of your olde fayth The texte Moreouer he that ministreth to you the spirite and worketh miracles among you doeth he it through the dedes of the lawe or by the preachyng of the fayth euen as Abraham beleued God and it was ascribed to him for righteousnes Tell me now then whether God who geueth you his holy spirit who in meruailous workes by you sheweth his mightie power whether I say doth God this because ye haue through kepyng of Moses law woÌ„ne his fauor or els rather because at our preachyng ye gaue credence to the gospel If Gentiles when they become Iewes worke suche miracles assone as they be circumcised as ye do then some cause were there to be desyrous of the lawe but if these wonderfull workes be seen in none but suche as haue receiued the fayth in the gospel why should you elswhere looke for the ende then whence ye see the same begunne The beginnyng and author of circumcision is Abraham whose children the Iewes glory that they be and are circumcised as he was But not so muche as he obtained through circumcision the praise of perfite iustice but onely by credence geuyng to Goddes promise at what tyme he was not yet circumcised Nor reade we in Genesis Abraham was circumcised and thereby became righteous but Abraham beleued God that to him was coumpted for righteousnes The texte Ye knowe therfore that they whiche are of fayth the same are the children of Abraham The promise therfore made long since to Abrahams posteritie is none of theyrs nor belongeth to any of them that haue nothing els but Abrahams circumcision but to suche as by fayth geuyng to the gospel are his natural children They that of theyr circumcision are proude and boste them selfe to be Abrahams children make suche vaunte and crakes al in vaine synce they be bastardes and not the lawfull begotten children of AbrahaÌ„ For suche none els are natural children to him as faythfully and with all theyr heartes geue credence vnto God as Abraham did put theyr trust in him speakyng vnto vs by his gospel of what stocke so euer they be descended It is not carnal kynred that is herein regarded and estemed but like perfeccion of myndes The texte For the scripture seyng afore hande that God would iustifie the heathen through fayth shewed before hand
vnto the prayse of God the father Let not this wycked thought come in any of your myndes why shoulde I beyng the better gyue place wyttynglye and wyllynglye vnto hym that is worse Be not ashamed to folowe the example of Christe For why doth it not become you beyng companyons and but felowe lyke to be so louinglye mynded one to an other as Christe was to vs all In case he haue chalenged superioritie to hym selfe In case he haue gredylye soughte after hys owne gayne than maye you honestlye ynoughe stryue one wyth an other for suche thynges But he where he was veray God by nature and declared hym selfe to be God by expresse dedes in that that he restored dead men vnto lyfe agayne with a becke in that he altred the elementes and natures of thynges in that he maketh deuilles obedyent to his commaundement in that he healeth all kyndes of dyseases wyth a worde yet to the intente he myghte set vs an example of perfite modestie he thoughte it no rauyne to be equall wyth God and neuertheles humbled and made hymselfe basse among men lokynge to receyue glorye of the father the entraunce wherunto his example teacheth to be not by proude ambition but by lowe humilitie And where he was the moste hyghest he humbled him selfe so lowe neuerthelesse that he was not onelye conuersaunt as a man amonge men beyng payned for lacke of slepe and suffryng thurste honger wearynesse pouertie and other daungiers and iniuries after the condicion of vs but also he toke vpon hym the shape of a seruaunte and that of an hurtefull seruaunte wheras he is very innocencie it selfe For what is it elles but the desertes of an hurtefull seruaunte to be taken to be bounden to be scourged with whippes and to be spytte vpon But Christe submitted hym selfe not to abyde thus muche onely but also as thoughe he had bene an euell dooer he humblye suffred the punishement of death and that the mooste shamefull deathe of the crosse Suche was the decreed wyll of the father that Christe shoulde suffre these paynes for oure offences and he shewed hymselfe wyllynglye obedyent in all thynges not shrynkyng in any condition to abyde what so euer was auayleable to our saluation They that are of a worldely affected mynde are corruptelye prouoked vnto feyned boastyng of them selues throughe ambicion and stryfe thoughe other deserue the prayse But he that is a christian and seketh after true glorye that neuer shall decaye muste preace vnto it the same waye that Christe entred into it The waye vnto true glorye is by false feyned slaunders and the entrie vnto immortall thirfte is throughe losse of transitorie thynges that fade awaye in a moment It behoueth not to stryue for commendacion but to deserue commendacion Will you heare what Christe deserued by hys humilytie Certes he vsed not arrogauntlye amonge men to boaste of hys maiestie before the time but God the father aduaunced his sonne vnto mooste excellente hyghnesse and throughe humilitie and shame of the crosse exalted hym and gaue him a name that passeth all the glorye that man can reporte of y◠is to say y◠in the name of y◠same Iesus which was spitte vpō crucified euery knee should bowe make courtesie not only of thynges that that are on earth but of al thinges also y◠are ether vnder the earth or in the heauens aboue And that there should be no kynd of tongue either of men or of aungelles or deuilles but it shoulde confesse that Iesus is the prince and Lorde of all thynges and that he sytteth on God the fathers ryghte hande as equall possessor of all hys kyngdome and glorye and that vnto the glorye of God the father frome whome procedeth and vnto whom redoundeth all the glory of the sonne What mannes ambicion what ryches what kyngdome what humayne diligence dyd euer wynne any man so excellente renoume with men as Christes humilitie wonne vnto hym And as for these thynges he did all for our sakes and not for his owne For he neyther deserued to be brought lowe nor neded to be aduaunced hygher But that you should learne to practise lyke humilitie in asmuche as without it you can not possyblye be preserued The texte Wherfore my dearely beloued as ye haue alwayes obeyed not whē I was presēt only but now much more in myne absence euen so worke our youre owne saluacyon wyth feare and tremblyng For it is God whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the deede euen of good wyl Do al thynge without murmuring and dysputyng that ye maye be suche as no man can complayne on and vnfained sonnes of god without rebuke in y◠middes of a croked and peruerse nation among whom see that ye shyne as lightes in the world holdyng fast the worde of lyfe that I maye reioyce in the daye of Christ how that I haue not tunne in vayne neither haue laboured in vayne Yea though I be offred vp vpon the offryng and sacrifice of your faith I reioyce reioyce with you all For the same cause also do ye reioyce and reioyce with me Nowe therefore my dearely beloued brethren see that you goe forwarde also in thys behalfe to be lyke youre selues styll that euen lyke as accordyng to the example of Christ you haue alwayes obeied the ghospel preached by vs so loke you do styll herafter not onely whan we shal be present but much more nowe when we are absente and shewe that diligente endeuour one to an other that I would haue bestowed vnto you in case I had ben present with you Doe the businesse of youre saluation not carelesly but with all carefulnes and tremblyng and considre howe weyghtie a cause you muste take in hande to defende and what maner of aduersaties you muste haue to doe with all There is no oportunitie to slepe or to be careles and agayne there is no cause why you shoulde be discouraged For youre parte is to stycke to it with all your possyble powers But it is God that worketh thys habilitie in you that as perteynynge to youre saluation you maye bothe wyll and doe the thyng that your good purpose putteth you in mind that you should not be ignoraunt vu to whom it is to be ascribed yf your will put any thyng in to your mynde It standeth you in hande with all circumspect behauiour to commende the doctrine of the ghospell expressely in your owne conuersacion euen to them that be straungers to it Whiche thing you shall doe in case they see you lyue in perfite concorde and like trusly affiaūce and that what so euer you doe be done without murmurynges and puttyng of doubtes of which the one apperteyneth to them that doe thynges agaynst theyr willes the other commeth of theym that haue none affiaunce in that they doe But be you rather syncerely vyryghte in all thynges and of so pure and vnspotted demeanour that no man be hable iustlye to complayne of you and that it maye euindently appeare vnto
in the meane tyme goe whither Christe hath opened vs the waye let vs goe I saye not with bodely feete into a temple made of stones but with a pure hearte and a very sure belefe to obtayne our peticion entre into the heauenly temple but fyrst sprinkled not touchyng the body with the bloud of a beast but touchyng the mynde and spirite with the bloud of Iesu Christ therby purified froÌ„ the coÌ„science of oure olde synnes furthermore washed in our bodyes too with the pure water of Baptysme that scoureth and washeth awaye all the fylthe of the soule Then remayneth it that we perseuer in the thynges we haue once begonne and kepe stedfastly and wythout any wauerynge the hope of immortall lyfe whiche we haue professed in Baptisme trustyng in this one thynge that God who promysed is faythfull and sure of his promyse and cannot deceaue if he would so that we contynue styll in fayth Furthermore bycanse we are made the membres of one bodye let vs cleaue together by mutuall charitee and agrement consideryng with out selues how muche eche of vs hath profited in the profession of the ghospell not bycause to enuye hym who hath ouergone vs or to despise him that is ouergone or left behynde but to prouoke to charitie and good workes by good example and exhortactions gyuyng one to an other The whiche thyng shall come to passe if the goyng forewarde of oure brother do make vs more desyrouse to lyue well and vertuouslye and also yf we perceyuynge anye to be slacke in goyng forewarde doe then with a brotherly carefulnes prycke him forthe to better thynges alwayes reioysynge at them whyche goo before and makynge moche of those that do their diligence not suffring any one to perishe from our flocke by reason he is forsaken as some occasion seruynge thereunto are wont to leaue of from their good begynnynges But let one of vs by al manoure of wayes and meanes possible styre and encourage an other to go forthe to the ende in that we fyrst beganne And thys thynge ought ye so muche the more earnestly to doe bycause ye see that the daye of the Lorde is at hande whiche will gyue euery man rewardes accordyng vnto his desertes and leaue no place or oportunitie to amende what hath bene done amisse but whatsoeuer hath-bene done shall be then examyned with exacte iudgement And suche trespases as are coÌ„mitted by erroure or frayltie of man shall easlye be pardoned The texte For if we sinne wilfully after that we haue receyued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearfull lokinge for iudgement vyolent fyre whyche shall deuoure the aduersaries Be that despyseth â—oses lawe dieth wythout mercye vnder two or three wytnesses howe muche soret suppose ye shal he bâ— punished whych treadeth vnder â—ote the sonne of gods coâ—â—â—eth the bloude of the testamente where with he was sancrified as an vnholy thing and doeth dishonour the spirite of grace For we know hym that hath said it belongeth vnto me to take vengeancé I wil recompence sayth the Lord. And agayne the lorde shall iudge hys people It is a fearfull thinge to fall into the handes of the lyuynge god But after we haue once knowen the trueth by the ghospel beyng taught what we must hope after and what we ought to eschewe and what rewardes good menne shall haue and what yuell yf we then wyllyngly fall agayne into deadly synnes whiche Christ hath once washed away with his preâ—â—â—â—s blouâ— in that he dyed once alonely and neuer wyll dye agayne there remayneth theâ— no Hooste or sacrifice for vs whiche haue so eftesones fallen to oure olde lyâ—â— and synfull lyuyng wherby our synnes maye be freely released agayne thorow baptisme What then remaineth Forsoth a certaine dreadful loking for of the laste iudgement and forthwith a cruell and tourmentyng fyre whiche in reueÌ„gement of the goodnes of God despised â–ª shal deuoure the aduersaries Thynkâ— you that he shall scape vnpunished that hath despysed the lawe of the ghospell The more mercifull and beneficiall that God is the more punyshemente shall he haue who wyllingly and wyttyngly hathe mocked therewith He mockethe with the gospel whiche after he hath bene once called to the nâ—bre of the chyldren of God wylfullye putteth himselfe into the numbre of the Deuels seruauntes If there were so greate punishement among the Iewes that whosoeuer obeyed not the pryest teaching the commaundementes of Moises lawe that is to wytte yf he that was commaunded to absteyne from swynes fleshe dyd notwithstandyng of a selfe wyl or dysobedient frowardenes eate the same and afterwarde beyng firste conuicted by two or three witnesses was done to death without mercye Howe muche greater punishement then deserueth he to haue who treadeth vnderfoâ—e not anye one priest of lowe estimacion but Iesus Christ the sonne of God Creuly he treadeth hym vnderfote whoso despifeth his so greate benefite whoso counteth I saye not the bloude of a beaste but his holye bloud wherwith the newe testament was sanctified as an vnholy thynge specially the same bloude wherwith he was once pourged and made cleane from all hys olde synnes fynallye whoso dyshonoureth the spirite by whom he hath obteyned the grace of the ghospell bycause that spirite once put awaye thorowe hys vycyousnesse he trayterouslye gyuethe vp the temple of God vnto the Dyuell Do we therefore assure our selfes that we shall escape vnpunished bycause men do not by and by take punishement on suche as doe swaâ—ue from the puritie of an euangelicall and christian lyfe We knowe hym that hath sayde It belongeth to me to take vengeaunce I wyll recompence fayth the Lorde And agayne in an other place The Lorde shall iudge the people Let not any synner flatter hym selfe and thynke that he is oute of danger yf he escape the handes of a man reuenger No man can escape the handes of God But it is a dreadfull thyng to fall into the handes of the lyuyng god Nowe the more that ye were to be praysed when ye fyrste began to professe the ghospell the more shame and rebuke shall it be for you to fall agayne into your former lyfe The texte Call to remembraunce the dayes that are passed in the which after ye had receiued lyght ye endured a great fight of aduersities partely whyle all men wondred and gased at you for the shame tribulacion that was doeâ— vnto you partely whyle ye became coÌ„paignions of them which so passes their time For ye became partakers also of the affliccions which happened through my bondes toke in worth the spoyling of your goodes and that with gladnes knowyng in your selfes howe that ye haue in heuen a better and an enduringe substaunce Cast not away therfore your confydence whych hath a greater recompence of rewarde And lest that come to passe cal vnto youre remembraunce the tymes passed in the whiche after ye had receiued lyghte by the doctrine of the ghospell and faythe
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
after the manifest ioyfull preachinge of the gospell as muche as is possible in the whole world whan as both Iewes and Turkes shal become Christen shal prayse thancke the almighty God for suche syngular grace and mercie which hath hitherto bene hindered kept downe with such force and violence by Antichrist As thaÌ„ shal the glory prayse of god increase in yâ— christen churche which is the kingdome of Christ And thorow the gospell promysed vnto Christ the bridegrome â–ª which church as a faithful and deare beloued spouse which here in this world loueth honoureth Christ as muche as she can shall be fylled and satisfied with all goodnes in eternall blisse and saluacion The sylken aray is the innocency of lyfe in this world thorow yâ— grace of Christ and in heauen it is the immortal glorificacion of body soule For than shall man be right blissed whaÌ„ as he shal be fully satisfied in god thorow Christ with aboundaÌ„ce plentuousnes of all benefites and goodnes which can be desiered or wyshed That same is yâ— euerlasting supper of the mariage of Christ wherwith Christ shal honour his electe make them blissed And in al this whiche Iohn seeth in this vision it is said also vnto him yâ— al these thinges visions reuelacions came vnto him from God to the honour of God whiche he as a true faithfull minister should further with al diligence But as Iohn would haue worshipped yâ— parson of yâ— angel whiche spake vnto him yâ— angel would in no wyse suffer him like as no saint neither in heaueÌ„ nor in earth wil suffer any such thiÌ„g nor take it vpoÌ„ theÌ„ nor yet in good worth For god onely must be worshipped froÌ„ whoÌ„e onely al goodnes commeth and must be desired and looked for of him onely The angels wil be takeÌ„ estemed for nothiÌ„g els but for brethreÌ„ freÌ„des felow seruauÌ„tes of yâ— onely one coÌ„mon general lord felowes withal them yâ— beleue in Christ are ready for his sake vnto al goodnes to suffer al maner of thiÌ„ges eueÌ„ vnto death But this is the right perfyte and sure wysedome which the worldly wyse doe not knowe neyther desyre nor regarde The texte ¶ And I sawe heauen open and beholde a white horse and he that sat vpon hym was called faythfull and true in ryghteousnesse dyd iudge make barrell His eyes were as a frame of fire and on his head were many crownes he had a name written that noman knew but he himselfe And he was clothed with a vesture dypt in bloude and his name is called the worde of God And the warriers whiche were in heauen folowed him vpon whyte horses clothed with white pure raynes and out of his mouth went out a sharpe two edged swerde that with it he should smyte the hethen And he shall rule them with a rodde of yron and he trode the wynefat of fearsnes and wrathe of almightie God And hath on his vesture on his thighe a name writteÌ„ King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes The spirite of God must speake with men after the maner of men yf he should be vnderstande And therfore he describeth the maiestie of Christ euen after the maiestie of an Emperour For the highe powers are wont to be honoured euen as Christ is here described with his honour laude and name For he is yâ— word of God wherwith this S. Iohn beginneth his gospel and wherby all thinges are made whiche is also God and manne the obiecte of faith that is to saye the thing wherunto yâ— faith of al electe hath her respecte And he is also the rightuous iudge ouer all that euer is in heauen or in earth whiche hath a fyerye and burning zeale and hate against all wicked whiche contemne and despyse his worde but crowneth all the godly and faithfull with the crowne of his rightuousnes His name is vnknowen vnto all the world the trueth wherof he would not expresse before Pilate and yet trueth gods worde is all one thing This rightuousnes of Christ is signified by the sworde althoughe the worde of God also doth perce thorowe the inwarde harte and mynde of the faithfull as it is written in the .iiii. to the Hebrues But here the sworde is taken for the rightuousnes in gods kyngdome wherwith Christ ruleth the kingdom whych hys father hath geuen hym for his herytage as Dauid sayth For like as he hath ioy in euerlastynge blisse with his wariers hoost that folowe him euen so doth he presse and treade downe all the wicked with eternall damnacion before whome also he trode yâ— presse vntil his vesture was blody But they toke it for a mocke and a folyshe yesâ— as it was vnto the Iewes a slander But yet their knees must bowe vnto him not onely the angels and men in heaueÌ„ and earth but also they that are in hell shall be troden of him with the wrathe of God almightie For without dout he is the king of all kynges and lorde of all lordes The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angel stande soche sonne and he cryed with a loude voyce saying to all the foules that flye by the myddes of heauen come and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God that ye maye eate the fleshe of kynges and the fleshe of â—ye captaines and the fleshe of mightie men and the fleshe of horses and of them that syt on them and the fleshe of all fre â—â—â— and bonde men and of small and great And I sawe the beast and the kinges of the earth and their warriers gathered together to make batayle against him that sat on the horse and against his souldiers And the beast was taken and with him that false prophet that wrought miracles before him with whiche he deceaued them that receaued the beastes marke and them that worshipped his ymage These bothe were cast into a ponde of fire burnynge with brimstone and the remnaunt wer slayne with the swearde of him that sat vpon the horse whiche swearde proceaded out of his mouthe â–ª and all the foules were fulfylled with their fleshe Lyke as Chryst maketh a supper vnto hys chyldren and seruauntes in heauen euen so doth he also beynge the sonne of ryghtuousnes make a supper vnto the deuylles to al dampned sowles In euerlasting supper of al bitternes vnblessydnes wherof they maye eate and be partakers altogether And there is than desperacion hate enuye wrathe and murmuringe againste God and all kyndes of euil whiche are sygnified by corporall thinges accordynge to our capacite and after suche wyse as men maye be most moued therby yâ— they must of necessitie marke and consyder it And it is to be noted that S. Iohn seeth these gestes of the deuell in hell that they are the destrâ—yers of yâ— worlde tyrantes of all maner of degrees the beast with .ii. hornes the dragon false prophete all enemyes of gods trueth religion and of all maner 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
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
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
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