vs Goddes mercy stole for the remission of synnes that are paste therby prouing that Christes righteousnes which commeth on vs thorowe fayth helpeth vs onely Whiche righteousnes sayeth he is now declared thorow the gospell and was testified of before by the lawe and the Prophetes Furthermore sayeth he the lawe is holpe and furdered thorow faithe though that the workes therof with al theyr boste are brought to nought and proued not to iustifye In the .iiii. Chapter after that now by the .iii. fyrste Chapters the sinnes are opened and the waye of faythe vnto rigteousnes layde he beginneth to aunswere vnto certayne obieccions and cauillacions And fyrste he putteth forthe those blynde reasons whiche commonlye they that wil be iustifyed by their owne woorkes are wont to make when they heare that faythe onelye without woorkes iustifyeth sayinge shall menne do no good woorkes yea and yf faythe onelye iustyfye what nedeth a manne to studye for to do good workes He putteth forthe therfore Abraham for an ensample sayinge What dyd Abraham with hys woorkes was al in vaine came hys workes to no profyte And so coÌ„cludeth that Abraham without before all workes was iustified and made ryghteous In so muche that before the worke of circumcysion he was praysed of the scripture and called ryghteous by his fayth onely Genelis .xv. So that he dyd not the worke of circumcision for to be holpe therby vnto ryghteousnes which yet God coÌ„maunded him to do and was a good worke of obedience So in lyke wyse no doute none other workes help any thing at all vnto a mans iustifyinge but as Abrahams circumcysion was an outewarde signe whereby he declared his righteousnes which he had by faith and his obedience and redynes vnto the wyll of God euen so are all other good workes outwarde signes and outewarde frutes of fayth and of the spirit which iustifye not a man but that a man is iustifyed alredy before God inwardly in the herte thorowe faythe and thorowe the spirite purchased by Chrstes bloud Herewith nowe stablysheth Sayncte Paul his doctryne of fayth afore rehearsed in the .iij. Chapters and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xiij Psalme whiche calleth a manne blessed not of workes but in that hys synne is not reckened and in that faythe is imputed for ryghteousnes though he abyde not afterwarde without good workes when he is once iustifyed For we are iustifyed and receaue the spirite for to do good workes nether were it otherwyse possible to do good workes except we had fyrste the spirite For how is it possible to do any thynge well in the sight of God while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuyll and the deuyll possesseth vs all together and holdeth our hertes so that we cannot ones consent vnto the wil of God No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doing good but the spirite must fyrste come and wake hym out of hys slepe and with the thunder of the lawe feare him and shewe him hys miserable estate and wretchednes and make him abhorre and hate him selfe and to desyre helpe and then comforte hym againe with the pleasant rayne of the Gospell that is to saye with the swete promyses of God in Christe and stiere vp faithe in hym to beleue the promises Then when he beleueth the promises as God was mercifull to promyse so is he true to fulfyll them and will geue hym the spirite and strength bothe to loue the will of God and to worke thereafter So se we that God onelye whiche according to the scripture worketh all in all thinges worketh a mans iustifyinge saluacion and healthe yea and powreth faithe and belefe lust to loue goddes will and strength to fulfill the same into vs euen as water is powred into a vessell and that of his good will and purpose and not of our deseruinges and merites Goddes mercy in promisinge and trueth in fulfilling his promises saueth vs and not we our selues And therfore is al laude praise and glory to bee geuen vnto God for hys mercy and trueth and not vnto vs for oure merites and deseruinges After that he stretcheth hys ensample out agaynste all other good workes of the lawe and concludeth that the Iewes cannot be Abrahams heyres because of bloude and kynred onely much lesse by the workes of the law but must inheryt Abrahams fayth if they wil be the right heires of AbrahaÌ„ for as much as AbrahaÌ„ before the law both of Moses and also of circumcisioÌ„ was thorow faith made righteous called the father of all them that beleue not of them that worke Moreouer the law causeth wrathe in as much as no man can fulfil it with loue and usie And as longe as suche grudgynge hate and indignacyon agaynst the lawe remayneth in the herte and is not taken awaye by the spirite that commeth by fayth so longe no doute the workes of the lawe declare euidently that the wrath of God is vpon vs and not fauoure Wherfore faythe onely receyueth the grace promysed vnto Abraham And these ensamples were not written for Abrahams sake onely sayeth he but for ouâ—es also to whom yf we beleue faythe shal be rekened lykewyse for righteousnes as he sayth in the ende of the Chapter In the .v. Chapter he commendeth the frutes and workes of faythe as are peace reioysing in the conscience inwarde loue to God and man moreouer boldnes trust confydence and a strong and a lusty mynde and stedfast hope in tribulacion and sufferynge For all suche folowe where the ryghte fayth is for the aboundaunte graces sake and gyftes of the spirite whiche God hathe geuen vs in Iesu Christe in that he gaue him to dye for vs yet his enemyes Nowe haue we then that faythe only before al workes iustifyeth and that it foloweth not yet therfore that a man shoulde do no good workes but that the righte shapen workes abyde not behynde but accompanye faythe euen as bryghtnes doth the sunne and are called of Paul the frutes of the spirite where the spirite is there it is alwaies somer and there are alwaies good frutes that is to say good workes This is Pauls order that good workes springe of the spirite the spirit commeth by faith and fayth commeth by hearing the worde of God when the glad tydinges and promises which God hath made to vs iÌ„ Christ are preached truly and receaued in the grounde of the hearte without wauering or doutynge after that the law hath passed vpoÌ„ vs hath damned oure consciences where the word of God is preached purely and receaued in the hert there is faith and the spirite of God and there are also good workes of necessitie when soeuer occasion is geuen where goddes worde is not purely preached but mens dreames tradicions ymaginacions inuencions ceremonies and supersticion there is no faythe and consequentlye no spirite that commeth of God And where Goddes spirite is not there can be no good workes euen as where an apple tre is not there can
theyr charge in al whiche saying yet of yâ— prophete there is of kepyng the lawe no meÌ„cion made Cause is there none therfore though yâ— Iewes be neuer somuche desceÌ„ded of these mens stocke that they should peculiarly chalenge as theyr owne either the blisseful state spoken of by Dauid or the praise of righteousnes geueÌ„ vnto AbrahaÌ„ excludyng the gentiles froÌ„ it The texte Came this blessednes then vpon the vncircumcision or vpon the circumcision also For we say that fayth was rekened to Abraham for righteousnes Howe was it than rekened When he was in the circumcision or when he was in the vncircumcision Not in the tyme of circumcision but when he was yet vncircumcised And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of fayth whiche he had yet beyng vncircumcised that he should be the father of al them that beleue though they be not circuÌ„cised that righteousnes might be imputed to them also and that he might be the father of circumcision not vnto them onely whiche came of the circumcised but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the fayth that was in our father AbrahaÌ„ before the tyme of circumcision If it be reasonable let them answer me to this question whether this blessednes promised by God only appertaine to suche as are circuÌ„cised are therby bouÌ„de to yâ— law or els to suche as also are both ignorant what circuÌ„cision is and what the ceremonies of the lawe meane Thus muche must they at the lest graunt yâ— AbrahaÌ„ for his fayth was coumpted righteous But by Abrahams title as fyrst father and beginner of the Iewes stocke must al his ofspryng be estemed couÌ„pted for righteous For an vnmete thyng is it and against reason that the neuewes shuld by other meanes chaleÌ„ge any right thaÌ„ by suche wherby theyr fyrst pareÌ„t was put in possession A knowen matier is it yâ— AbrahaÌ„ was called righteous but let theÌ„ then tel me for what cause was he so called was it for paryng of a lytle skynne froÌ„ yâ— fore parte of his yarde or was it rather for his faythe 's sake without any coÌ„sideracion had of circuÌ„cision To say that he for his Iewishe circumcision obtained the praise of a righteous man cannot be defended forasmuche as at yâ— time when AbrahaÌ„ was so couÌ„pted neither was he circumcised nor yet coÌ„maunded so to be But long before that be leued â—e that of his sede Christ should be borne through whom all nacions of the world should obtaine this blessednes fatherly praise of righteousnes for this fayth of his was he couÌ„ted for righteous After whiche tyme folowed circumcision not as a meane wherby to make him righteous but to be as a marke token among men onely not before God wherby the Iewes should be knowen to be his children whiche beyng not circumcised beleued God yet vncircuÌ„cised as he was had through his onely fayth pleased God If AbrahaÌ„ had been fyrst circumcised thaÌ„ beleued and so consequently called righteous then would it appeare some what that this holy name of righteousnes appertained onely to the circuÌ„cised but in him was it coÌ„trary as whiche for his faythe 's sake was by God pronounced righteous before that he was circuÌ„cised or coÌ„maunded so to be And afterwarde ensued circuÌ„cision not as a meane to make him righteous for so was he alredy but partely to be as a certain figure of the true circuÌ„cision yâ— is to say of the pure godly life whiche should afterwarde be in suche as would perfitely beleue in Christ whiche kinde of circumcision is not ministred with a sharpe flynte stoone cuttyng of a lytle skynne froÌ„ the fore parte of the yarde but wrought by the spirite of God rootyng out of mens heartes all naughty desyres partely also to be a certaine seale or bonde wherby Abraham should of the promises be assured whiche should not yet foorthw t be accomplished in Isaac whiche onely figured Christ but in due season be perfourmed in yâ— sonne of God that so finally Abraham the fyrst example of fayth might be knowen to be the father vnto all suche as would beleue in Christ as he did though they were not carnally circumcised that as his fayth was coumpted for righteousnes so should the fayth of al suche as are the true and lawfully begotten children of Abraham be of God likewyse accepted And by this also in suche sorte knowen to be father to the gentiles that yet the Iewes are not excluded if they for this onely stande not to muche in theyr owne phantasie because they are lineally descended of the circuÌ„cised Abrahams stocke and haue nothyng els to proue theyr kynred by but onely a bare bodely marke but haue rather that fayth wherby he beyng not yet circuÌ„cised was of God couÌ„pted for righteous For nothyng is there that to yâ— fathers maketh a surer profe that theyr childreÌ„ are theyr owne lawfully begotten than if they folowe theyr fathers vertues And if it so be that men vse to disenherite euen theyr owne children deniyng that suche as growe out of kynde from the good condicions and maners of theyr auncesters are theyrs surely muche more wyll God by like markes seauer bastardes from his lawful children The texte For the promises that he should be the heire of the worlde happened not to AbrahaÌ„ or his sede through the law but through the righteousnes of fayth For if they whiche are of the lawe be heires then is fayth but vayne the promise of none effect because the lawe causeth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression Therfore by fayth is the inheritauÌ„ce geuen that it might come of fauoure that the promise might be sure to all the sede Not to them onely whiche are of the lawe but to them also whiche are of the fayth of Abraham whiche is the father of vs all as it is written I haue made the a father of many nacions euen before God whom he beleued which restored the dead vnto life and calleth those thinges whiche be not as though they were Now as AbrahaÌ„ deserued neither for kepyng of Moses law whiche was not at that tyme geuen nor for his circumcisions sake whiche as I before sayd he had not yet receiued that God should make him suche honorable promises that is to wete that the dominion of the whole worlde shuld by inheritauÌ„ce fal vnto him or to his posteritie but through fayth wherby he deserued to be called righteous no more shuld the Iewes loke to enioye the sayd right of Goddes promise either by the onely title and right of circumcision or of the lawe either A title as ye knowe can by none other wayes be conueied to posteritie than by suche as the fyrst authour and beginner of the stocke came by it For if the possession and enheritaunce of the whole worlde promised vnto Abrahams posteritie generally belong vnto the Iewes by the title of the lawe so
abolished whiche is chauÌ„ged for a better nomore theÌ„ we say that the floures are abolished when in theyr steade fallyng froÌ„ yâ— trees there groweth fruit or when in steade of yâ— shadowe there is placed a very body The .iiii. Chapter The texte What say we then that Abraham our father as pertainyng to the fleashe did fynd If AbrahaÌ„ wer iustified by deedes then hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God For what sayeth the scripture AbrahaÌ„ beleued God it was coumpted vnto him for righteousnes To him that worketh is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of duety To him that worketh not but beleueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly is his fayth couÌ„pted for righteousnes accordyng to yâ— purpose of the grace of god EueÌ„ as Dauid describeth the blissedfulnes of that maÌ„ vnto whoÌ„ God imputeth righteousnes with out dedes Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is that man to whom the lorde will not impute synne ANd yet if now any maÌ„ stubbernly maintein defend the preseÌ„t state of Moses lawe grosse carnal as it is not onely defeÌ„d it â–ª but also vpoÌ„ a coÌ„fideÌ„ce therin put other in hope to be saued Against him will I for exaÌ„ple reherse no meane Iewe but eueÌ„ AbrahaÌ„ him selfe the first chief of al the circumcised of whoÌ„ as father beginner of theyr stocke the whole nacion of Iewes are wont specially to crake glory And yet is AbrahaÌ„ in very dede touching carnal kynred in suche sorte father to the Iewes that yet he is neuerthelesse father to all suche as in fayth reseÌ„ble him are like vnto him in thimage of the soule not somuche in yâ— image of the body As for circuÌ„cision which as I sayd had his fyrst beginnyng in AbrahaÌ„ was but a pledge marke of al Moses law as a maÌ„ may say a special token wherby Iewes are knowen to be Iewes Let vs now therfore coÌ„sider what AbrahaÌ„ gote that whiche he got by what meanes he obtained it That Abraham fyrst was praised for a righteous maÌ„ yâ— scriptures self beare euideÌ„t recorde But now if he either through circumcision or by kepyng of suche other ceremonies as are in Moses lawe prescribed woÌ„ne that coÌ„mendacion than hath he in dede somewhat wherof to reioyce yet not before God but before men And why before men Vndoubtedly because he gotte it through suche externe and bodily meanes as menne vse to iudge of And why not before God Certainly because he obtained it not for his faythe 's sake wherby we are brought into yâ— fauer of God But now so is it that AbrahaÌ„ euen at Gods owne hand obtained the praise of righteousnes Whervpon it foloweth that he got it not by kepyng of any prescripte ceremony of the lawe but by that fayth wherby all men both Iewes Gentiles must now seke for like praise I meane al suche as are the true children of AbrahaÌ„ Nor require I that ye should herein beleue my wordes vnlesse the scriptures clerely euideÌ„tly testify the same In the .xv. chapiter of Genesis â—o thus is it written AbrahaÌ„ beleued God the same belief of his was vnto him couÌ„pted for righteousnes To him had God promised an ofspring as pleÌ„tiful as is the nuÌ„bre of starres in the firmament whiche yet was in the case that both his wyfe was past child bearyng him self had yet none heire And yet vnlikely as it was without delay beleued he the promise maker not coÌ„sideryng the possibilitie of the thing whiche was promised but rather who was the promise maker for that his sure coÌ„fidences sake was he foorthw t couÌ„pted righteous not for his circuÌ„cision which he had not at yâ— time receiued but for his faythe 's sake was in dede so couÌ„ted not before men but before God who was the onely witnes when this mystery was wrought of whoÌ„ this his fayth was couÌ„ted for righteousnes long before that he had done any good dedes suche I meane as are by Moses lawe coÌ„mauÌ„ded Now that call we properly counted or taken for payed whiche beyng not paied in very dede is by yâ— special goodnes of him that so taketh it rekened for payed Now then if euen yâ— Patriarche AbrahaÌ„ him self was not for his circuÌ„cisions sake couÌ„pted righteous but was loÌ„g before his circumcisioÌ„ for his faythe 's sake accepted of God why should the Iewe in yâ— ceremonies of yâ— law put any affiauÌ„ce to whoÌ„ yâ— same was geueÌ„ but for a season And surely muche lesse should the gentiles therin haue any trust to whoÌ„ the same was not geueÌ„ at all For if vnto yâ— Iew subiect vnto the ceremonies of the law any reward be geueÌ„ for keping of them yâ— semeth payed vnto him as wages due by couenaunt rather then geueÌ„ by any fauer mercy of yâ— geuer as of yâ— otherside if for traÌ„gression of yâ— law the same suffre punishmeÌ„t wel worthy is he therof For as yâ— seruauÌ„t wheÌ„ he hath throughly finished his taske he receiueth his wages so if yâ— same forget to do his duetye he is with siâ—ipes and punishmeÌ„t sharply corrected But to the geÌ„tiles to whoÌ„ the ceremonies of the law are vnknowen or to the Iewes either whiche hauyng forsakeÌ„ the bondage of the lawe are become christian men worke no loÌ„ger now as it wer by tasque but vnfainedly purely put theyr trust in him whiche frely geueth perfite iustice euen to the wicked al whose synnes he hath by his death taken away to suche I say geueth fayth as he did vnto AbrahaÌ„ whiche is that they be accouÌ„pted for righteous not for kepyng of the lawe but for theyr onely faythes sake whervnto no maÌ„ is coÌ„pelled but rather geÌ„tely prouoked allured whiche God doth to the entent that our fayth in Christ should be a thyng of vs frely wrought of no coÌ„pulsion and that our deliuerauÌ„ce through him restoryng of vs into the nuÌ„bre of righteous people shuld be a thyng of Gods fre gifte mercy of no debte To this purpose likewise maketh Dauid both kyng prophete the chiefe glory of the Iewes next after AbrahaÌ„ in whoÌ„ Christ thonly fountaine of our welth saluacion was specially promised vnto vs. For in his .xxxi. Psalme describeth he also this blessedfull state of man declared now by the gospel shewyng yâ— it is not geueÌ„ receiued as due vnto vs for the workes of Moses law but by the fre goodnes of God wherby we are moued drawen to beleue Blessed are they sayeth he whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen whose synnes are couered Blessed is that maÌ„ to whoÌ„ the Lorde wyll not impute synne By whiche testimony ye se how vnrighteousnes is forgeuen done against Moses lawe And how also sinnes done against yâ— lawe of nature are couered Briefely ye heare perceiue that suche as through Christ haue attayned this blisseful state haue no kynd of sinne layed vnto
this matier chalengyng nothyng to hymselfe as his own gaue ouer the whole prayse and glorie to god only whome he by his sure and constant fayth both testified to be true of promise as whiche woulde deceyue no man lykewyse to be almightye as whoÌ„ he thoughte able to perfourme his promise were the same neuer somuche passyng all worldly strength This is the glorie wherwith god is chieflye delighted whiche nedeth no seruice of ours and therfore as the scripture sayeth it was reckened vnto hym for ryghteousnes The texte ¶ Neuerthelesse it is not wrytten for hym onelye that it was reckened to hym for ryghteousnes but also for vs to whom it shal be coumpted for ryghteousnes so that we beleue in hym that raised vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead whiche was deliuered for our synnes and was raised agyue for our iustification Nor is it to be supposed that this was wryten onely for Abrahams sake when it is sayd yâ— his faith was reckened vnto hym for righteousnes for yâ— scripture laboreth not so muche for the auauÌ„cemeÌ„t of AbrahaÌ„s glory only but rather to gyue vs which are of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie an example wherby al the world might vnderstande that as Abraham for his faythe 's sake without healpe or ayde of the lawe obteyned before god to be coumpted for righteouse so should none of vs by kepyng of the law only thynke to haue the same AbrahaÌ„ theÌ„ was called righteouse because he beleued god And surely entry haue we none to ryghteousnes vnles we lykewise beleue in the same god whiche to vs hath brought to passe in Iesus Christ oure lorde whome he raysed from death to lyfe euen that he promised to Abraham in the fygure of Isaac therby declaryng that the fayth of Abraham was no vayne fayth whiche beleued yâ— god was suche one as coulde geue lyfe euen to the deade call agayne suche thinges as are not as thoughe they were Let vs not therfore for our righteousnes and cleannes of lyfe thanke Moses but Christ whiche gaue hymselfe to death to the entent he would freely through fayth forgyue our synnes whiche also rose agayne from death to the entent we shoulde abstayne from deadly synne nor displease hym by committyng agayne suche thynges for which his pleasure was to dye He dyed I saye to kyll synne in vs and rose agayne from death to th entent that by hym fyrst dying to oure olde synnes so furthe with hym and by hym beyng brought and restored into a newe kynde of lyfe we may hereafter lyue vnto yâ— ryghteousnes which we haue through his goodnes receyued The .v. Chapiter The texte Because therfore yâ— we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with god through our lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in through fayth vnto this grace wherin we stande reioyse in hope of the glorye of the chyldren of god Not that only but also we reioyse in tribulatioÌ„ knowyng yâ— tribulatioÌ„ bryngeth pacieÌ„ce pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed for the loue of god is shed abrode in our heartes by the holy ghost whiche is geuen vnto vs. COnsyderyng that only syn causeth variaunce betwixt god and man now are we certeynly at peace with god because that of wicked synful people we are made ryghteous that neither by Moses law whiche rather encreased oure offeÌ„ces nor for our workes but as our father AbrahaÌ„ was for oure faythe 's sake reconciled vnto god yâ— father whose frende also through fayth Abraham became that neither through Moses but through the only sonne of god our lorde Iesus Christ which with his bloud washed away our offences by his death reconcilyng vs vnto god beyng before yâ— tyme displeased with vs so opened for vs an entrye yâ— we through lyke fayth without either the lawe or circumcision mighte be brought into this grace of god promysed by the ghospell In whiche fayth we stande stedfaste and not only stande with good wyll couragiouslye but also reioyce not only because we are at peace with god but also for that we are pute in sure hope that through oure stedfastnes of fayth we shal in tyme to come enioye the glorie of heauen Nor enuye we the Iewes through the glory of their circumcision and as we enuye them not so mislike we not our fayth the brynger furthe of suche plentifull fruicte nor yet repent we our glory with hope wherof we for this present tyme are aduaunced vnderpyght Whiche glorie albeit it be suche as cannot yet be seene and thoughe without sufferyng of aduersities and troubles we attayne not therunto yet eueÌ„ the same troubles in the meane season recken we a thyng to reioyce and glorye of as whiche we suffer both to our hyghe prayse are also suche as open vnto vs the gate to life euerlasting For this new example hath Christ both geueÌ„ vs by him also taught are we this excellent doctrine that by sufferyng of tribulatioÌ„s the vertue of pacience is strengthened and as the fyer tryeth golde so throughe pacience become we better tryed and proued both of god man Agayne the more tribulatioÌ„s we suffer the surer hope of rewarde stande we in Nor is it to be feared leste this hope mysse disapoynt vs of our belief make vs ashamed before yâ— wicked people because we haue eueÌ„ now therof in hande a moste sure pledge and earnest penye whiche is the meruaylous and vnspeakeable loue of god towarde vs not onlye externally shewed vnto vs but most pleÌ„tifully printed in our heartes in manier coÌ„pellyng vs to loue hym agayne wrought by the holy ghost in steade of the watryshe letter of the lawe gyuen vnto vs as a gage assuryng vs of his promise herafter surely to be perfourmed The texte For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christ dyed for vs which wer vngodlye Yet scarce wyl any man dye for a ryghteouse man Peraduenture for a good man durste a man dye But god setteth but his loue towarde vs seyng that whyle we were yet synners according to the tyme Christ dyed for vs Muche more then nowe we that are iustified by his bloude shal be saued from wrathe through hym For had not god of his great mercy singulerly loued and pitied vs. Iesus Christ his only sonne had neuer by the wyl of his father descended into earth nor haue taken oure mortall fleshe vpon hym and so haue dyed namely what tyme we were weake thrall and subiecte to beastlye desyres whiche were by the lawe more lyke to be prouoked than to be brydelâ—d and suppressed Bad yet as we then were he loued vs in hope of saluacion yea he loued vs beyng wycked people and deuilyshe ydolaters and so loued vs that for our sakes he wyllyngly suffered death whiche was the greatest euident and moste singuler poynt of loue that euer could be shewed Among men scarcely shal any man fynde
deade so manye in multitude as are starres of the skie and as the sand the which is bi the sea shore innumerable Moreouer his wyfe Sara when she had bothe an olde man to her husband and her selfe was so stricken with age that her matrice lacked natural strength to drawe mannes sede vnto it and retayne the same dyd neuerthelesse coÌ„ceyue and was deliuered of Isaac mistrusting the strength of nature but yet giuing credence vnto God who by an aungell promysed her a man chylde the nexte yeare She gaue no eare to nature reclaming and barking to the contrarie but onely had a sure belefe that God coulde not lye God promysed Abraham a posteritie equall in nombre to the starres and the sande of the sea shore and yet by the course of nature was there no hope of yssue at all That notwithstandyng he had no mystrust And therfore of this one olde man beyng barayne by reason of age there yssued a posteritie so many in numbre as are the starres of the sâ—ye and the sande in the sea shore For he loked for sonnes and nephewes not after the kynred of bloud but after the imitacion of faith wherby al we are the ofspring and posteritie of Abraham whiche do beleue the promises of the gospel Therfore not onely Abraham but also all his true posteritie were of suche constaunt fayth that very death bereaued not them therof The texte These all died according to faith when they had not receyued the promises but saw theÌ„ a far of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers and pilgremes on the yearth For they that say such thinges declare that they seke a couÌ„trey Also if they had bene myndeful of the countrey from wheÌ„ce they came out they had leasure to haue returned agayne but now they desire a better that is to saye an heauenly Wherefore God hymselfe is not a shamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a cytie For all these dyed when they as yet had not the promysses perfourmed but lawe them a farre of by fayth and beleued them and for greate desyre saluted them puttyng so lytle trust in this lande wherein no man maye lyue anye long space that they confessed them selfes straungers and pylgrymes not onely in Palestyne but in the whole worlde For oftetymes they call this lyfe a pilgrimage and straunge dwellyng And Dauid in the mystical Psalme confesseth himselfe to be a pylgryme on the lande as all his forefathers and elders were and yet reigned he in Palestine and builded there a citie And verely this countre y was compassed about with very narrowe lymites and a great parte thereof came not to the possession of the Hebrues the ofspryng successours of Abraham bycause they coulde not driue out the olde possessioners neyther dyd Moyses entre into the same but behelde and saluted if a farre of from a mountayne when he was aboute to passe out of the world and yet had he no mistrust of the promyses Therefore sence they confesse themselues to be pylgrymes they sufficiently declare that they desyre and long for a countrey What countrey seke they after vnto whom all this worlde is an exile and banishement They forsoke their countrey of Chaldey the whiche if they had so sore longed for it was not so farre of but that they myghte haue had conueniente recourse thider at pleasure Therfore they longed not for that but for an other couÌ„trey better then it wherin they myght liue for euer quite exempte and deliured from all greuous sorowes and paynes of this wretched worlde This was that heauenly countrey into the whiche God called them out from theyr owne for the loue wherof he wylled them so to lyue in this worlde as thoughe they were not therin And for this cause almyghtie God where he is the maker soueraigne Lorde of all men calleth himselfe speciallye the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For he is properly the God of those that haue put their whole trust and all aydes of felicitie in him And vnto suche hath he prepared not an earthly but a celestiall citie in the whiche they reygne alwayes in blysse with him for whose sake they contemned all thynges The texte By faith Abraham offered by Isaac when he was proued and offered hym being his only begotten sonne in whom he had receiued the promisses And to hym it was sayd â—â— Isaac shall thy sede be called for he considered that God was hable to rayse hym up agayn from death Therefore receiued he hym also for an ensample of the resurreccy on By faith dyd Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concernynge thynges to come Was not this also a notable exaumple of fayth in Abraham that when God tryeng howe vnfaynedly he trusted hym commaunded hym to offre vp in sacrifice his sonne Isaac where as he was hys onely sonne and he in whose name the posteritie was promysed for these were the wordes of the promyser Thy sede shall be called in Isaac yet he without further delaye dyd as he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to do not reasonyng here with himselfe on this wise Of whom shal I haue posteritie if I sley hym in whom onely resteth all the hope of my posteritie But he consydered this in his mynde that God who made the promyse coulde not lye and that he was able yf it pleased hym to reyse his deade sonne the multiplier of his stocke euen from death And because he beleued the resurrection of the dead it was therfore gyuen him to bryng home his sonne againe with him beyng as it were restored to lyfe notwithstaÌ„dyng he was as much as in the father laye dead who euen then represented by a certayne figure the resurrection of Iesu Christe to come This was also a manyfest example of a mynde hauyng a great confidence in God that when Isaac saye on hys death bedde and had not as yet receyued the felicitie promysed of God yet was he bolde to promyse the same to Iacob and Esau his sonnes when he blessed theÌ„ both foreseyng both theyr lyues and the contrarie rewarde that eche of them shoulde haue So quycke of syght is faith that she seeth euen those thinges as present whiche are farre distant from the bodely senses The texte By faith Iacob when he was in dying blessed bothe the soÌ„nes of Ioseph and boâ—â—â— hymselfe toward the toppe of his scepter By faith Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departynge of the children of Israel and gaue commaundement of his bones It came of lyke faithe that Iacob at the hower of his death blessed all the sonnes of Ioseph not ignoraunt what was to come who crossynge hys armes layed his right hande vpon Ephraim beyng on his left syde and his lefte haÌ„de vpon Manasse standynge on hys ryghte syde nothynge doubtynge but that woulde come to passe which the holy ghost tolde him before shoulde happen But this faithfull olde man saw a greate deale farther what time he kyssinge the toppe of the sceptre
right marke of the whole lawe appeareth as muche as in him is that he will â—â—â—e as ofte as occasion is offred As a man that walketh in the darke â–ª careth not whether he goo â—ute of the waye on the right hande or on the lefte so is he disposed to all manner of errour that hathe once swarued out of the light Therfore he yâ— hath through â—â—atâ—erie preferred the vndeseruing rich man before the deseruing pore man forasmuche as he hathe in thys behalfe broken the laâ—e of loue he is cousen geâ—â—ayn to all naughtynes that is commonly done againste the loue of the neyghbor Nether doeth he lyghtly offende God that is so hardy to defile his lawe in any parte He that ones commaunded charitie did with lyke diligence ones â–ª forbydde â–ª what so euer is repugnaunte againste the loue of the neyghboure For the selfe same that gaue thys lawe Commâ—â—â—ono VVhere â—â—ne ordayned thys Do no murther And if thou absteyne from whoredome and yet committeste murther haste thou not than broken all the whole lawe in that thou hast broken it in one parte The self same one God forbad bothe and forebad them for all one cause that is to saye because they are againste the loue of the neyghbour But he hath not only forbydden those thinges whiche are punnyshed by lawes as thefte murther and whoredome but all manner of thinges vtterly that are contrary to the loue of the Gospell The lawe of Moses would not punnyshe him that estemed lesse the soft sprited pore manne than the proude stately riche manne or him that would wishe euil to his neyghbour But yet the lawe of the Gospell punnysheth him Therfore according to the rule of it frame not only your dedes but also alyour coÌ„municacion and the thoughtes of youre harte that there be nothinge at any tyme that varieth from the loue of the neyghbour Loue is the lawe of libertie not that it is lawfull to synne by meanes of it but in that the euangelical loue causeth the wyllyng to doo of theyr owne accorde the thynge that mannes lawes constrayne the vnwyllyng to doe perforce for feare of peynes Accordynge to thys lawe therfore frame all youre life for somuche as you shall receyue moste high rewarde if you accomplyshe that whiche is prescribed vnto you and contrary wyle you shall suffre moste greuous sore punishmentes in case you ones fall from hym of whome all the whole lawe dependeth You are frely pardoned of the transgressions of your former lyfe The gifte of the heauenly spyrite is frely geuen you by whome you are not onely reconsiled vnto God but also glued together in mutuall charitie The more it is geuen vnto you and is frely geuen without your deserumges so muche the more sharpely shall they bee punnyshed whiche hauinge experyence in them selues of so exceadynge greate mercy of God doe not shew them selues agayne gentil and mercifull towardes theyr neyghbour With what countenaunce shall he aske mercye of God the iudge whiche being a seruaunt sheweth hym selfe vnmercifull towardes hys felowe seruaunt with what mouthe shall he desire to beloued of God whiche doeth not loue hys neyghbour if thou wilt obteyne iudgement myngled with mercy loke thou shewe thy selfe mercifull towardes thy neyghbour whether he be a trespasser or be in necessitie And in dede it is better to decline in to thys parte to leane vnto mercy than vnto iudgement For inasmuch as it is almost altogether of the mercye of God that we haue rather than of his righteousnes we ought to endeuour that we maye rather fynde God mercifull than seuerely strayte He hathe saued vs by hys mercye it is reason also that we be more ready to mercye towardes our neighbour than vnto straytenes For there are many moo wonne by softenes gentylnes and lyberall goodnes than with strayte straungenes that mercy aduaunceing it selfe aboue iudgement maye triumphe in thys behalfe that those whiche hauinge the experience of iudgement shoulde haue peryshed are saued through the benefite of mercy There is none of vs but he falleth daily and shall finde God such a one in condemnyng his faultes as he expresseth him selfe towardes his brother What auayleth it my brethren though a manne saye he hathe faythe yf he haue no dedes Can faythe saue hym If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of dayly fode and one of you saye vnto them departe in peace God sende you warmnes and fode notwithstandynge ye geue them not those thynges whiche are nedefull to the bodye what shall it helpe Euen so faythe if it haue no dedes is dead in it selfe But some manne wil saye thou hast faythe and I haue dedes shewe my thy faythe by thy dedes and I wyll shewe the my fayth by my dedes Beleuest thou that there is one God Thou doest well The deuyls also beleue and tremble But wilt thou vnderstande O thou vayne manne that faythe without dedes is dead Was not Abraham oure father iustified thorow workes when he had offred Isaac hys sonne vpon the aulter Thou seest howe that faythe wrought with his dedes through the dedes was the faith made perfect the scripture was fulfylied whiche sayeth Abraham beleued God and it was reputed vnto hym for tighte wesnes and he was called the frende of God Ye se then howe that of dedes a man is iustifyed and not of faythe onely Likewise also was not Kaab the harlot iustyfyed thorow workes when she had receaued the messagers and had seut them out another waye For as the bodye without the spirite is dead euen so faythe without woorkes is dead also Is it to be thought that the only profession of faythe is ynough of it selfe to obteyne saluacion what is faythe without charytye Charitie is a lyuely thing it ceasseth not it is not idle it expresseth it selfe with good dedes dooing whersoeuer it is present And if they want my brethren shall the vayne name of faythe I praye you saue a manne The faythe is fruteles that worketh not by charitie yea it is no faythe but in title only That which I haue sayed shall more cierely appeare by conference of an example If a manne geue fayre wordes to a brother or a syster that wanteth clothynge or dayly sustenaunce and saye Goe your waye in peace get you heate and get youre bely full of meate and for all his so saying geueth none of those thynges that the bodye hathe nede of is not thys mannes fayre speakynge vnprofytable to the pore nedye folkes They shall starue for colde or bee an hyngred for al hys fayre tale that releueth not theyr necessitie He releueth the in his word of mouth but with his dede he doeth nothing at al. Of like sorte doubtles shall the profession of faith whiche consisteth only in worde and worketh nothynge in dede vee vnauayleable but lyeth slugging like as it were deade neither is it to bee called faythe any more than a deade corps of a manne is worthye to be called a manne The
caused he Timothe to be circumcised as we reade in the xvi chapiter whiche yet had in deede a Iewe to his mother when that his father was a Gentile Suche a difficultie was it to make of a Iewe a christian This nacion beyonde all other hadde a speciall vntowardnes nor was there euer founde any that more stiffely abode in theyr religion as Iosephus wryteth in his boke of the defence of the Iewes antiquitie Moreouer as the Iewes were especially hated of al people of the world to of theyr syde abhorred they againe al other nacions as vncleane cursed and deuilishe so farrefoorth that they disdained to talke with them who thought also yâ— their temple was vtterly suspended if any vncircumcised had entered there into Suche proude lookes had they for a lytle skynnes paryng of Forasmuche as therefore there was no likelyhode that the Grecians and Romaines would receiue suche an odious lawe and that the Iewes on theyr side helde on styl Paule fearyng lest by suche deadly contencion and strife a great parte of the fruite of the gospel might perishe be lost lest also the glory of Christ might by minglyng of Moses name be darkned and defaced in euery place specially laboreth vtterly to abrogate abolishe the ceremonies of the lawe and to persuade them that all assuraunce of attainyng saluacion is through Christ onely And as he sharpely but yet louyngly rebuketh the Galathians for that they fell backe to Iewishnes againe so doeth he prepare fortifie the Romaines lest they might elswyse vnware through false Apostles be snared whoÌ„ he wel wyst neuer ceassed eftsones encouragyng theÌ„ styl to continue in that doctrine whiche they had once begunne heartely to enbrace and fauor There was at Rome a great noumbre of Iewes whether they were brought thether by Pompeius Magnus who spoyled Hierusalem and made them captiues orels whether it were because the prouince of Iury appertained to the Romaines it is vncertaine but sure it is that theyr supersticion is by Horace Iuuenale and Senec oftymes reproued With them also was Paule after his comyng to Rome muche troubled as in the last chapiter of thactes of the Apostles it doeth plainely appeare Paule therfore like a runnyng craftesman with a wonderfull discrecion tempereth his tale betwene these two people the Iewes I say and Gentiles labouryng by all meanes possible to allure them vnto Christ as muche as in them lay procuryng that noman at al should perishe to that capitaine whose souldiar he was One whyle therfore chydeth he one sorte another whyle another and anone after againe comfortably encourageth them bothe The Gentiles pride he abated declaryng that neither the lawe of nature nor their Philosophie wherof they were so proude auayled them so but that they fell nethelesse into all kyndes of mischief Checkyng againe and reprouyng the Iewes arrogant myndes whiche through theyr affiaunce in the law had lost the chiefe grounde therof that is to wete fayth in Iesus Christ he teacheth them that the ceremonies of Moses lawe are abolished through the bright beames of the gospell of Christ whom the shadowes of the lawe rudely represented with diuers other thynges as the reste of the sabboth day the displeasure and paine of circumciâ—ion the comyng about of the calendes the holy dayes whiche thrise yerely came againe theyr choyse of meates makyng foule agayne the bathes euerie daye the boucherye of hurtles beastes the religion of their temple polluted with continuall slaughter of beastes and that all these darke shadowes at the lyght of the truthe appearing vanished awaye and that suche onlye are Abrahams chyldren as expresse Abrahams fayth that suche are the righte and trewe Iewes as professe Christes name and that they were verelye circumcised whose myndes were clensed from filthy desyers That true iustice also perfite blisse is equally gyuen to al people through the gospell and onlye faythe in Christe wythoute helpe of the lawe and that notwythstandyng that saluacyon was specially promysed vnto the Iewes yet was it so promysed vnto them that theyr owne Prophetes letted not to prophecye that the same saluacion beyng refused by the Iewes the preachyng of Christes gospell should be spreade abrode among the Gentiles that no man throughe Moyses lawe whom the Iewes carnally obserued obtayned ryghteousnes but throughe faythe as he proueth as well by the example of Abraham as also by diuerse testimonies of the lawe And after that when he hath by this meanes abated yâ— pryde of both partes by taking away this theyr vayne confidences in the profession of the gospel he maketh them equalle in suche sorte ioyous of the Gentiles saluacion that yet lyke a tender father he bewayleth the blyndnes of hys owne countreye men whome toward hym alwayes he founde moste spitefull and so he doeth mitigate this matier whyche was of it selfe harde that he sayeth that all were not blynded promisyng that the tyme should come when they should be of a better mynde amend beyng through the faith of yâ— Gentiles prouoked so to do And here by the way toucheth Paul manye highe dyuerse poyntes of doctrine as of predestinacion of foreknowleage of vocacioÌ„ of grace and merites of fre wyll of the vnsearcheable counsell of god of the lawe of nature of Moses lawe and of the law of synne Lykewyse herein are sondrye allegories as when he maketh two Adams one in whome we are borne to dye another in whome we be regenerate and borne agayne to lyue euerlastyngly WheÌ„ he maketh also two men an inwarde and an outwarde man the inwarde obedient to the spyryte and reason the outwarde subiecte and thrall vnto lustes desyers of whyche two the fyrste he calleth sometyme the body or membres sometyme the fleashe sumtyme the lawe of synne the other sometime calleth he the spirite When he also maketh two deathes that is to wytte the deathe of the soule and of the bodye and the thryde deathe wherein we dye vnto synne and synfull desyres And when he maketh three kyndes of lyfe a bodyly lyfe a spirituall lyfe and a lyfe wherin we lyue eyther iustely or synfully Agayne when he maketh two kyndes of bondage or libertie one wherewith we beyng made free from synne lyue a godly lyfe or els forsakyng ryghteousnes we do seruyce to synne And when he maketh two sortes of Iewishenes two kyndes of circumcision two degrees of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie two partes of Moyses lawe one lyke vnto the body carnall another whiche is spirituall as it were the lyfe of the lawe Two baptismes also of whiche the fyrste is when we at the fontstone are washed froÌ„ oure olde synnes the seconde is wheÌ„ we renouncyng all worldly pleasures dye with Christe Two kyndes of buryinges a bodely sepuiture wherin Christe laye thre dayes buried and a spirituall wherin we sequestring and as it were withdrawyng our selues from worldly busines do reste in hym Two maners of resurreccion the one paste alreadie in Christe and shall folowe in vs the other wherin we beyng quickened agayne
that they therby only becuÌ„ heyres thaÌ„ is yâ— preachyng of Christes faith but a vayne thing than is gods promise of none effecte synce it is certayne yâ— through the benefite of the lawe noman receyueth yâ— blessyng which god promysed to AbrahaÌ„ Yea I saye so vnable is Moses law to bryng men to this ioyfull welthy state yâ— it rather worketh wrath goddes displeasure whiles therby occasion is ministred more greuously to offend hym wheras faith contrarywyse of yâ— wycked vngodly maketh men righteous For where offences are and displeasures are borne as it is with them which are vnder the lawe there is there for chyldren no inheritaunce dew But nowe yf any man aske how the lawe rather worketh gods displeasure wrathe than righteousnes beholde this wyse it is Experience sheweth that it is vnlawfull to condemne another man as gyltye vnles by some law fyrste made there be a penaltie of condeÌ„nacion proclamed and appoynted But so was it that in Moses lawe were there diuerse thynges commaunded to be done or not done as for example circumcision the Sabboth daye kepyng feastes of the newe Moone the differences of meates touchyng of deade bodyes of strangled beastes of bloude of washynges al which are of this sorte that though we neuer so diligentlye obserue them yet make they vs not righteouse and yet is suche one as dothe in these offende endaungered and subiecte to punyshment But now because by this law no man is bounde but suche as are Iewes and forasmuche as to Abraham was promysed the enheritaunce of all nacions well foloweth it that by the ryght and kepyng of the carnal law the promise of god can not be deriued into all nations and then foloweth it that by fayth is this inheritaunce obteined and goddes pleasure is it should so be to th entent that men should knowe that it is a gyfte gyuen by goddes free mercy and fauour and of no debte And thus shall goddes faythful promyse wherby all Abrahams posteritie is put in hope of this glorious state be certayne and effectuall I call Abrahams posteritie not only suche as by reason of one common lawe giuen vnto them are of one stocke but rather all suche as in fayth resemble theyr fyrst parentes For more agreable vnto reason is it yâ— spirituall kynreÌ„d knytte together thorow fayth wherby Abraham deseruyng the promyse became goddes frende should be a thyng muche more effectuall then is any carnal kynred thorowe the lawe who prouoketh both goddes displeasure and also condemneth vs. A vayne crake is it therfore to saye as the Iewes do that Abraham is onelye theyr father when he is in very dede father to vs all of what nation soeuer we be so yâ— we humbly receyue and embrace Christes gospell That this is true god himselfe in the .xvii. Chapiter of Genesis witnesseth what time he encreased his name and in stede of Abram callyng hym Abraham sayed I haue made the father of many nacioÌ„s Certaine must that be which god spake But then yf Abraham be father to the circumcised people and no mo how standeth it with this yâ— he is father of many nacions Be in this perswaded rather yâ— as there are no more gods but one of al suche as trust vpon him so gods wyl pleasure was yâ— AbrahaÌ„ whiche was a figure of god euen as Isaac fygured Christ should be the father not of this nation or that only but of all them whiche were by lyke fayth ioyned vnto hym Nor coulde Abraham in his belief be deceyued because he had a confidence in his promyses whiche was not only able to make the barayne to be fruytfull but also to restore the deade to lyfe agayne so farfurthe that when he was afterwarde commaunded to sacrifice his only sonne Isaac in whome alone all the hope of his posteritie rested yet nothyng doubted he of the fidelitie of the promise maker by whom Abraham wel wyst that his sonne myght be restored to lyfe agayne and knewe also that god was able to call into a parte of this blessed inheritaunce suche thynges as in the coÌ„mon opinion of men are vetterly nothing as thoughe they wer somwhat The Iewes iuge theÌ„selfes only to lyue and to be somewhat worth abhorryng the GeÌ„tyles as vnmete for any good thyng but to be abiectes to whome yet more auayled the merciful and fauourable callyng of god then carnall kynred auayled the Iewes The texte ¶ Which AbrahaÌ„ contrarie to hope beleued in hope yâ— he should be yâ— father of many natioÌ„s accordyng to yâ— which was spoken EueÌ„ so shal thy seede be as the starres of heaueÌ„ and the sande of the sea And he faynted not in the fayth nor yet considered his owne bodye whiche was now deade euen when he was almost an hundred yere olde neither yet that Sara was paste chyld bearyng He staggared not at the promise of god through vnbelief but became strong in faythe and gaue god the prayse beyng full certified that he whiche had promysed the same was able also to make it good And therfore was it reckened to hym for righteousnes And in dede wel worthy was the strong constante fayth of that good olde man to haue gods fauour whiche vpoÌ„ a trust of goddes promise in suche thynges coÌ„ceyued a sure hope wherin by course of nature there was no hope to be coÌ„ceyued in so doing aswell knowleging the faythfulnes of god yâ— promise maker as also his great almighty power And thoughe hymself was feble and his wyfe lykewyse passed temyng yet nothyng doubted he but that he shoulde be father of many nations and the beginner of suche an infinite posteritie as is the number of sterres in heauen euen as god sayde vnto hym when he had broughte hym into the fieldes and shewed hym the firmament â—et thycke replenished with sterres saying As thou art not able to number these sterres â—o shall thyne ofspryng be innumerable And albeit at that tyme the same promyse by reasoÌ„ of his feble age semed neither apparent nor lyke to be trew yet weake feble as he was in bodely strength he faynted not in yâ— streÌ„gth of fayth nor as mistrusting people do sought for profes how these thinges myght be done or not done nor coÌ„sydered his dry barayne body eueÌ„ theÌ„ worne out not able to haue issue as which was theÌ„ wel nighe an hundred yeares olde nor yet consydred his wyues age neither whose floures by reason of age were dryed vp iÌ„ suche sort yâ— though himself had not ben past al streÌ„gth to beget a chylde yet was she passed chyld bearyng vnable to coÌ„ceyue No suche thyng I saye remeÌ„bred he nothing mistrusted he nothing staggered he but surely with al his heart leaning trustyng vnto yâ— promyses of god as strong in fayth as he was in body weake being in despayre of his own power conceiued a most sure trust vpon the power of him yâ— made the promyse and in al
than is any man no neither the chief aungels whiche order is called a rule and power neither anye heyght or depnes that is to saye whether the same inuade vs frō aboue or from beneth whither it be with a coloure of honestie or not yea though wonders were shewed from heauen or els threatnynges from hell put vs in feare neither thinges present neither yet to come whether we be put in feare of present ieopardyes or in ieopardy of the life to come briefly what soeuer els befall anye where here in earthly thinges whether it maye be sene or not be it neuer so strong and mightie yet shal it not be able to deuide vs from that charitie wherbye we are knyt to god throughe Iesus Christe his sonne The .ix. Chapiter The texte I saye the trueth in Christ and lye not my conscience also bearyng me witnes by the holy ghost that I haue a greate heauines and continual sorow in my hearte For ◠haue wyshed my selfe to be cursed from Christe for my brethren my kynsmen as pertaynyng to the fleshe whiche are the Israelites To whome pertayneth the adoption of y◠chyldren and the glorie and the couenauntes and the law that was gyuen and the seruice of god and the promises whose also are the fathers and they of whom as concernyng the fleshe Christe came whiche is god in al thinges to be praysed for euer Amen TO whome would to god all the Iewes were conuerted forsakyng theyr Moses the Iewes I saye which yet styll continewe in this mynde and thynke that to thattaynyng of saluation it is sufficient to be Abrahams chyldren and in theyr handes to haue the lawe once gyuen vnto them by god whome yet in deede no suche thyng shall auayle and profite vnles by faythe they make themselfes worthy to be drawen and loued of god But of them is Christe promised in the lawe stubbernly refused whom the Gentiles receiue and knowledge This yet speake I not of any displeasure conceyued or borne agaynst my contreye men not withstandyng theyr spitefull myndes toward me but as Christe to whō nothing ▪ is vnknowen is my witnes witnessyng with hym also myne owne conscience whose gouernoure and ouerseer is the holy ghost I wyl saye the truthe and lye not that it troubleth my mynde exceadynglye and aboue measure and with continuall sorowe euen weareth me awaye to see some of them through their owne folye vtterly perishe As for myne owne parte so ferte am I from hatyng the Iewes that yf it myghte any waye be I would euen with myne owne destruction procure theyr amendment and weale nor would refuse euen my selfe of Christe to be forsaken so that all they to whom I am both by countrey aliaunce ioyned were with me in the fayth of Christ lykewyse ioyned that as by stocke bloud they are Israelites they lykewyse were in knowledge of the trueth perfite Israelites whome of all other nacions moste besemed it to receyue hym whom the lawe promised specially sith it is that nation whome god out of al the other many hūdred yeares past specially chose for hym self coumpting all other nations as bastarde children nouryshed these brought thē vp as his naturall trew begotten sonnes moste of all because they aboue other for this honoure and dignitie maye speciallye glorie that they dispising all idolatrye worshipped the verye trewe god In theyr handes is the possession and prerogatyue of the lawe gyuen vnto them by god With them made god and they with god couenauntes and promises In theyr handes is there the right fourme and maner of dewe honouryng of god euen as he hym self commaūded in theyr handes are the prophecies wherin was long before both Christes commyng spoken of and this welthy state wherof I dyd a litle before glorye promysed Which also are lineally descended of the moste famouse chief lanternes of lyght and fyrste begynners of our nacion I meane Abrahā Isaac Iacob with other of whō Christ hymself touchyng his humanitie vouchsaued to be borne so that in this behalfe wyll they or not of aliaunce and kynred muste they nedes be to Christe hymself who ferre ferre excelleth and passeth those fathers of whose title and holines they so greatly auaūt themselfe Be it so that theyr fathers were neuer so good and holy yet wer they nothyng els but men But nowe is Christe in suche sorte man that he therwith is also god not of this nacion or that onlye but of al one and equall with his father whiche ruleth al thinges by whose vnsearcheable wysedome all this geare is wrought to whom onlye for suche vnspeakeable loue borne towarde mankynde al prayse and thankes are dewe for euer Amen The texte ¶ I speake not these thinges as though the wordes of god had take none effect For they are not al Israelites which are of Israel neither are they all chyldren straighte waye that are the seede of Abraham But in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is to saye they whiche are the chyldren of the fleashe are not the children of god But they whiche be the chyldren of promise are coumpted the seede For this is a worde of promise about this tyme wyll I come and Sara shall haue a sonne And surely for this the more detestable is the wickednes of some Iewes whiche vnreuerently gaynsaying and blasphemyng Christe therin dishonour god the father whiche woulde haue his gloryous name set furth by his sōne And yet al this theyr wyckednes outragiouse as it was caused not but that god neuertheles in al poyntes perfourmed as muche as he in his prophetes sayinges promised to do To the people of Israel whiche are Abrahams posteritie was this blysseful lyfe promysed and yet not to all neither but to such only as truly and vnfaynedly are his ofspryng For it is not to be supposed that al suche are very Israelites as are descended of the stocke of Israel but suche rather as are so strong and mightie in fayth that they wyll not with worldly tribulations be ouercomen nor yet with troubles ▪ wherwith god tryeth oure stedfastnes in religion suche I saye worthely none els ought to be called Israelites that is to saye mighty strong to godwarde Nor are al they that come of Abrahams bloude therfore so fer Abrahams chyldren that by this bare title they may chalēge the promised inheritaūce but rather suche as resēble that fayth of Abraham wherby he deserued that this blessed inheritaūce should be deriued giuē vnto al his posteritie To make this more euidēt playne marke whyther y◠worde of god who made y◠promise be not so whiche saythe in Isaac thy sede shal be called To the seede of Abrahā promyse was made that in it by it al nations of the world shoulde famously be spoken of and blessyd But nowe is it not gods wyl that al Abrahās posteritie should be called Abrahams seede vnles they be as Isaac was who was the chylde
of fayth and in figure represented Christe Nowe was not Isaac borne as chyldren are comenly wont to be but by a father whiche was in dede drye and barayne full yet of truste in god and of an olde woman vnmete lykewyse to conceyue any chylde Muche rather therfore begotten was he through the mightye power of god and his fathers faythe than by any power of man or carnall acte What els then meaned god when he sayde in Isaac thy seede shall haue his name but playnlye to declare that not all they whiche are of Abrahā carnally begotten are therfore the chyldren of god and therfore righte inheritours of goddes promyses but suche onlye apertayne and belong to Abrahams seede whiche haue lyke fayth as that was wherby Abraham deserued to receyue the promyse of god But mary yf god vnder this fourme of wordes had made his promise to as manye as shal be begottē of the shall my promyse belong then in dede myghte all suche as are of Abrahams carnall stocke lawfully clayme this glorious inheritaunce ▪ But nowe when god this wyse sayde about this time wyll I come and Sara shall haue a sonne he ment his onlye chylde and the same whiche shoulde be the chylde of fayth whome god had for the same inheritaunce chosen furthe of many not for his circumcisions sake as whiche was not at that tyme borne but for his fathers faythes sake Abraham after that tyme had by other wyues chyldren yet was Abrahams blessyng promised vnto hym only in Isaacs name The texte ¶ Not only this but also Rebecca was with childe by one euen by oure father Isaac For yet the chyldren were borne when they had neither done good neither bad y◠the purpose of god by election might stande it was sayde vnto her not by the reason of workes but by the caller the elder shal serue the yonger As it is wrytten Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated What shall we saye then Is there anye vnrighteousnes with god God forbid For he sayth to Moses I wyl shewe mercie to whomsoeuer I shewe mercie and wyll haue compassion on whomsoeuer I haue compassion So lyeth it not then in mānes wyl or running but in the mercie of god For the scripture saith vnto Pharao euen for this same purpose haue I stiered the vp to shewe my power on the and that my name might be declared through out all the worlde So hath he mercie on whom he will and whome he wyll he maketh hard harted And as it was in Isaac and other of the chyldren of Abraham after lyke sorte and condicion was it in Iacob and Esau Yf this glorious enheritaunce of goddes blessyng onely throughe carnall kynred befel vnto any then shoulde it muche rather belong to Esau the elder sonne than to Iacob the yonger Isaac was father to them both one mother at one time conceyued bothe bothe were at one time borne in their mothers woumbe both were at one time delyuered yet dyd god knowledge one as his natural chylde disinheriting the other as a bastarde and vnlawfully borne saying Iacob I haue loued but Esau haue I hated What was it then y◠thus seuered and made a difference betwixt these twinnes Surely neyther carnall kynred nor kepyng of the lawe nor yet circumcision For of both beyng not yet borne before they had any thing at al done either with the lawe or agaynst it it was sayde the elder shal serue the yonger And why pleased it god so or what intended he in this deede of his to declare vnto vs Surely nothyng els but that noman shoulde either vpon hope of circumcision or of the lawe chalenge the righte of this goddes promise vnles by faith he make hymselfe worthye to be taken among the chosen chyldren of god and to be suche as Isaac and Iacob were For it is not carnal kynred that maketh Abrahams children but the choyse of God And if God refuse and reiecte the Iewes as he once reiected Esau certainely to be descended of Abrahams stocke nothyng auaileth But on the other syde if God through the desert of fayth receiue the Gentiles to this inheritaunce hurte is it none though they to Abraham be of no carnal aliaunce forsomuche as God by another way by the title of adopcion I say doth acknowledge them for his owne children Nor let any deuilishe person wreste that I now haue sayd to this purpose as though in men there wer now no fault but y◠al the faulte is in God who at his pleasure receiueth or refuseth suche as haue either of payne or pleasure nothyng deserued God forbid that any man should conceiue suche a phantasye nor let any manne so take that whiche in the boke of Exodi is by God spoken I wyl shewe mercy to whom soeuer I shewe mercy and wyll haue compassion on whō soeuer I haue compassion forasmuche as it lyeth not in mans wyl or runnyng but in Goddes mercy to attaine vnto saluacion as whiche bothe desyre in vayne al in vayne labor we vnlesse God of his goodnes drawe vs as in deede he doeth suche as it pleaseth him though they nothing deserue it and refuseth suche as haue nothing so deserued And yet of al this it foloweth not that God is to any mā wrongfull but rather y◠he is mercyfull to many Noman condemneth God but for his owne offēce no man is saued without Gods benefite whiche benefite he vouchesaueth to geue vnto suche as it pleaseth him yet in suche sorte that he leaueth occasion why men should for his merciful drawyng thāke him and thou nethelesse without occasion to complayne if thou be geuen ouer to thyne owne leudenes For God doeth not so harden mens heartes that therby men are caused to discredite the gospel of Christ but suche as through malice and stubbernes refuse to beleue vseth God as instrumentes to the magnifiyng of his great benefite and to the settyng foorth of his mightie glorious power And so must that whiche in the both of Exodi is spokē to Pharoa be vnderstāden euen for this purpose haue I stered the vp to shewe my power on the that my name might be declared throughout al y◠worlde The texte Thou wylte say vnto me why then blameth he vs yet For who hath been able to resist his will But O man what art thou whiche disputest with God shal the worke say to the workeman why hast thou made me on this fashion Hath not the potter power ouer the clay euen of the same lumpe to make one vessel vnto honour and another vnto dishonour Euen so God willyng to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath ordained to damnacion and to declare the riches of his glorye on the vessels of mercye whiche he had prepared vnto glory whom also he called not of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentiles As he sayeth also to Osee I wyl cal them my people
they them selfe haue already assayed Why stande they not rather in a watche take hede lest through theyr owne foly they become againe that they wer once Why enuy they at them whom they might folowe wer it not they had more pleasure to striue then to obeye The texte But Esai crieth concernyng Israel though the numbre of the children of Israel be as the sande of the sea yet the remnaunt shal be saued For he finisheth the worde verely and maketh it shorte in righteousnes For a shorte worde wyll God make in yearth And as Esai sayeth before excepte the lorde of Sabboth had left vs seede we had been made as Sodoma and had been likened to Gomorra Now if through mens owne stubbernes the greatest parte of y◠worlde perishe yet to the fewe that wyl beleue wyl God perfourme as muche as was promised to the whole numbre And neuer shal the tyme be but that this inheritaunce shal haue his successors This did the prophete Esai speakyng of the people of Israel without al colouryng clearely testifye saiyng If the numbre of the Israelites wer as many as the sand of the sea and though through theyr owne foly as many also perished yet shal there some alway remaine whiche shal through fayth be saued For be y◠numbre of them that falleth from God neuer so great yet shal not theyr fal make the promise of God vaine Men in promises are wont to breake theyr credence but God is he whiche wyl fully perfourme al that he promised and that briefely and cōpendiously not with deceite falsely but iustly and truely for as the same prophete Esai sayd the Lord in yearth wyl make a shorte worde Shadowes seme not cleare without suspicion of deceite the law selfe is ful of wordes promisyng grosly represētyng cōmaundyng threatnyng sometimes sometimes cōforting But Christ beyng sent into the worlde euen at once gaue al perfourmed y◠was promised opened al y◠was before hidden in figures brought the great multitude of rules contained in y◠law to y◠onely cōmaūdement of charitie of the gospel And thus spread he abrode the seede of his heauenly doctrine and gospel whiche albeit in many of my countreymen be vnfruitful yet some are there in whom it brought foorth fruit Againe the same prophet a litle before sayeth had not the Lord of sabboth left vs sede we had ben made as Sodoma and likened vnto Gomorra Wherfore though the most part of the Iewes fal from Christ yet wyl not Christ suffre the true and natural sede of Abraham vtterly to perishe The texte What shal we say then we say that the gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnes haue ouertaken righteousnes euen the righteousnes whiche cōmeth of fayth Contrarywise Israel whiche felowed the lawe of righteousnes could not attaine to the lawe of righteousnes Wherfore Euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it wer by the workes of the lawe For they haue stumbled at the stūblyng stone As it is written ▪ beholde I haue put in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offēded at And whosoeuer beleueth on him shal not be confounded Synce this is so what shal we say Surely nothyng but as the truth is that is to wete that the gentiles whiche semed farre from righteousnes and without the ceremonies of the lawe haue yet attained the true and perfite righteousnes and not a Iewishe whiche standyng in bodily thinges was nothing but a shadowe onely of christian perfeccion but a holsome an effectual iustice whiche suche haue not as for the workes of the lawe stande muche in theyr owne conceite but suche as through an vnfained fayth submit and yelde them selfes vnto God We may likewyse of the othersyde saye that whiles the people of the Iewes with all theyr power folowyng the iustice of the lawe carnally vnderstanden and stifly cleaue to it with all theyr labour they came not vnto the very law of iustice forasmuche as the same fel from Christ whervnto as to a marke al y◠darke sayinges of Moses law principally directed Here some wyl say how fortuned all this and how ended these purposes so diuersly Without al doubte because God abhorreth suche as are high minded and geueth him selfe his righteousnes to suche as are sobre lowly And therfore y◠gentiles vpō acknowledgyng of theyr owne disease an hūble submission of them selfe to God God receiued y◠proude Iewes of thothersyde whiche falsly vsurped y◠title of righteousnes as theyr owne bearyng them selfe bolde vpon theyr sabboth day kepyng washynges circūcision and suche other small obseruaunces disdainyng to receiue the yoke of fayth hath God set at naught and refused because they denied Christ and deliuered him which is the author of life to death whiche thyng Esai long before knowyng prophecied should be vnder this fourme that Christ whō the law promised should be a sauior by reason of vnbeleif should be vnto the Iewes an occasion of stumlyng and that the same stone whiche should be to the good a sure and a strong defēce shuld be theyr vtter vndoyng whiles they had rather by resistyng stumble at him then with beleif to rest vpon him For so by the prophete Esai speaketh God the father of Christ beholde I putte in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offended at but whoso beleueth in it shall neuer be confounded and put to shame as one disapointed of that he loketh for The .x. Chapiter The texte Brethren my hertes desyre praier to God for Israel is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue a feruent minde to God warde but not accordyng to knowledge For they beyng ignorant of Gods righteousnes and goyng about to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient vnto the righteousnes of God For Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustifie all that beleue ALl whiche thinges brethren speake I with great heauynes because with all my heart I fauer and would them well if I were in any wyse able to do them good beyng in ieopardie of euerlastyng dānacion But now that whiche is the onely thyng I can do in my dayly praiers made vnto God my desyre peticion is that they may once yet amend and not alway continue in suche blyndnes I can not vtterly excuse theyr vnbeleif but yet in the defence of theyr fault some coloure may be made and pretēded As they are not in all pointes in suche sorte straungers to God as the gentiles be so muche the more wishe I that theyr rude beginnynges may once be made perfite that whose shadow they haue for a season borne about with them in theyr bodyes of the same they may now come to the very trueth For albeit they with extreme deuilishnes fastened to the crosse the Lord who was y◠foūtayne of al glorye yet this say I of them and deny not that to Godwarde a certaine zeale and
so chaunced because theyr fall was the occasion why you were called to lyfe euerlastyng that through your example agayne the Iewes at the ende of the world myght be moued to godlye religion that as theyr fallyng from Christe opened yâ— waye for the Gentiles to come to Christe so shoulde your fayth yf it were for nothyng but for enuye prycke yet the Iewes forwarde to beleue as ye do Nowe yf theyr fall occasionally so greatlye profyted that the Iewes forsakyng and fallyng from Christe caused not onlye no hurte but rather that the doctrine of the gospell was preached among many more whiles that in steede of a fewe fallyng awaye the gospel was spred abrode amoÌ„g al so yâ— the losse of one nacion got vnto Christ so many nacioÌ„s how muche more shal the worlde be enryched when that nacion also beyng throughe your godlynes prouoked shal be ioyned to the other You speake I vnto that are Gentiles as myne owne disciples for somuche as I am sente to preache vnto you though I my self be a Iew borne And albeit I for your sakes leaue nothyng vndone yet will I more endeuoure to auaunce the office coÌ„mited vnto me and to allure as many of you as I can to Christe and not only so but also make you worthye of Christes seruice yf by suche meanes I maye prouoke my contrey men whom as touchyng carnall aliaunce I maye so cal albeit in faythe vnlyke to folowe your godlynes though it be but euen for enuie and malice as the propertie of them is to be gyuen to a ialowsye that yf I can not bryng all home to goodnes some yet maye be saued And as I am desyrouse of their amendment so knowe I that ye also desyre the same For yf by thoccasion of the Iewes castyng of al the worlde els was brought into goddes fauer because that whyles they fell from the fauer of god the Gentiles were by goddes goodnes receyued therinto that is to say yf theyr great hurt and losse became good to the worlde howe muche more good were it yf they beyng now estraunged from god were through fayth receyued vnto hym lyke men restored from death to lyfe agayne that finally when the number of the faythfull is throughly fulfilled there remayne nothyng but the resurreccion of bodies For though of the Iewes some are vngodlye we maye not therfore despayre of al. Yf the Gentiles far from god myght throughe goddes callyng be broughte to perfite religion what let shoulde ther be but yâ—â—acioÌ„ which had holie fathers beginners maye likewise be called brought to the faythe agayne Muche more with reason agreable is it yâ— of the good good should be borne forsomuche as al meÌ„ for the moste parte resemble that begynnyng from whence they are descended Yf the leauen be holye nedes muste the whole bache whiche is therwith seasoned be holy and cleane And yf the roote of the tree be holy likely it is that the brauÌ„ches of the same be lykewyse holye The Iewes haue bothe of kynred nacion Abraham theyr begynner whose fayth god allowed and what let is there but that they maye resemble theyr fyrste parentes fayth Yf they this do not then are they not his neuewes nomore thaÌ„ the braunche plucked from his stocke is any lenger nourished with the sappe of the roote The texte Though some of the braunches be broken of and thou beyng a wylde Oliue tree was grafte in among them made partaker of the roote and fatnes of the Oliue tree boste not thy selfe against the braunches For if thou bost thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the roote the. Thou wylt say then the braunches are broken of that I might be grafte in thou sayest wel because of vnbeleif they were broken of and thou stodest stedfast in fayth Be not high minded but feare For seyng that God spared not the natural braunches take hede lest it come to passe that he spare not the also Now if we see braunches to be plucked from the stocke whervpon before they did naturally growe muche lesse meruaile is it if suche be plucked of as are but graffed vpoÌ„ another Then if thou see yâ— Iewes which sprong out of the rote of the true Oliue for lacke of beleif broken doune and plucked froÌ„ theyr stocke so that now to them the roote doth no good and thy selfe contrary wyse wheras thou sprongest out of the wilde Oliues roote graffed into the right Oliue not by nature but by the wyl and kunnyng workemanship of God so sette and planted among his verye braunches that thou beyng takeÌ„ out of thyne vnfruitful stocke art becomen felowe and partaker of a straunge roote and wheras diuers boughes whiche in the same tree growed are now cutte of and withered awaye thy selfe with a newe iuice lusty and plentiful take hede and beware that thou therfore folishly rise not in thine owne conceite and disdaine other braunches whoÌ„ thou seest cutte of If thou vnorderly rise in thine owne phantasy if thou growe proude and therewith be puffed vppe haue this in mynde that the roote beareth the and not thou the roote Beware that no such fonde imaginacion come into thy head to thinke this with thy selfe the natural brauÌ„ches wer broken of because I should be graffed into theyr stocke Thinke not yâ— they wer for thi sake brokeÌ„ of but thervpon in dede folowed it yâ— thou were graffed in And yet herein sayest thou wel that they were broken of wheras they growed out of the roote but marke why they were after suche sorte broken of Without doubt for lacke of fayth lye they on the grounde and are tredde vnderfoote thou through fayth abidest fast vpon the tree Reioyce not at other mens miserie but by theyr euil chaunce rather learne to be lowely and sobre by theyr punishement learne what is to be feared if thou likewyse offende For if thou well see that God spared not the natural brauÌ„ches that it nothyng auauntaged them that they beyng descended from good and holy fathers peculiarly belonged to the people of God great cause hast thou to feare leste he spare not the if thou with arrogancy and vnkyndnes displease him Learne by theyr fal what thou must beware of Lette not thy state cast the in a pride but rather put the in remeÌ„braunce of the goodnes of God shewed toward yâ— Good cause hast thou for thy welth to be glad and good cause hast thou also to rendre God thankes but without cause art thou to reioyce of theyr fal They are for theyr deserte cut out of theyr stocke and thou without thy deseruyng art graffed in it The texte Beholde therfore the kindnes and rigorousnes of God on them whiche fel rigorousnes but towardes the kyndnes If thou continue in his kindnes Or els thou shalt be hewen of and they againe if they abide not styl in vnbeleif shall be graffed in againe For God is of power to grafe them in againe For if thou wast
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
glad tidynges vnto AbrahaÌ„ saying in the shal all nacions be blessed So then they whiche are of fayth are blessed with faythful Abraham Now marke and considre how this my saying scriptures many yeres gon testified and ment that is to wete that al men through fayth should loke for saluacion not onely a fewe Iewes by circumcision That now is preached vnto you by the gospel the same many hundreth yeres gone God promised to Abraham saying in the shal al nacions be blessed and wynne praise But now could it in no wyse be true that al nacions shuld be borne of Abraham and yet through him is the blessyng promised vnto all people as though all were his posteritie as they in dede be not because all are of his bloud and stocke but by resemblyng his fayth For it besemeth children to resemble their parentes Therfore suche as mistrustyng the ceremonies and workes of the lawe haue an vndoubted trust in the promises of the gospel as true children of AbrahaÌ„ shall with theyr faythful father enioy the blessyng promised vnto him from whiche suche shal be excluded as bastardes vnlawfully begotten more worthy to be cursed than blessed as by circumcision trust to be saued The texte For as many as are of the dedes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse For it is writteÌ„ Cursed be euery one that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe to fulfil them For as many as hang vpon the obseruaunces of Moses law whoÌ„ they kepe not in dede but breake are vnder all Goddes indignacion curse The Iewes selfe cannot deny this forasmuche as in the boke of Deuteronomie this wyse it is written cursed be he that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe and doeth not suche thinges as by the lawe are coÌ„maunded By whiche wordes ye see that suche as kepe the lawe ceremonial are not for that promised to be made righteous but the transgressers therof are threatened goddes curse What man is he that is able to perfourme the whole lawe specially synce it is suche a thyng whiche when through inhibicion it hath prouoked men to syn gyueth no strength nor ablenes to suppresse and ouercome desyers The texte That no man is iustified by the lawe in the syght of god it is euident For the iuste shall lyue by fayth The law is noâ— of fayth but the man that fulfilleth the thinges contayned in the lawe shall lyue in them But brieflye to graunt that a man maye throughlye kepe the lawe suche one happely shall among men be taken and accoumpted for ryghteouse but not be lykewyse coumpted before god at whose hande yf no man throughe keping the ceremonial lawe of Moses be iudged for righteous without doubte trewe is it that by the prophet Aâ—acuâ— is wrytten that the righteous lyueth by fayth For as syn is the seede wherof death groweth so is godlye lyfe the begynnyng and wel spryng of lyfe The law hangeth vpon keping of certayne prescript ceremontes and not vpon fayth which ceremonies who so obserueth and kepeth shall lyue in dede â–ª but not the euerlastyng lyfe wherof we are throughe faythe put in assuraunce Looke what righteousnes the lawe gyueth lyke kynde of lyfe gyueth it Among men so is it that whoso breaketh not the rules of the law he is ryghteous and lyueth among men oute of all feare of punishmeÌ„t but before god neither shall he be accouÌ„pted for righteous nor yet for lyuyng vnles he surely truste vpon the promises made in the gospell The texte Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe inasmuche as he was made as cursed for vs. For iâ— is written cursed is euery one that haÌ„geth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Iesus Christe that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth Christe only among other was not vnder the curse of the lawe but as an innocente and hurtles lambe to the law nothing endaungered We were in daunger to it and by reason therof accursed whiche wretchednes and curse he delyuered vs from turnyng our offence into innocencie and oure curse into blessing So that muche lesse woulde he haue you nowe vnder the boÌ„dage of the carnal law But howe delyuered he vs Without doubte by that he beyng without all spot or syn vpon his bodye tooke the payne that was for oure trespaces dewe and the curse vnder whome we were toke vpon hymselfe whereas he was from that free and partaker of blessyng Toâ—e he not oure trespaces vpon hym whiche as an offender among offenders for oure redempcion suffered the shamefull vilanie of the crosse For iâ— the boke of Deuteronomie this we reade cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree And why woulde god haue it so Surelye to the intente that the curse of the lawe beyng taken awaye the blessyng that once was promised to Abraham shoulde in steede of it throughe fayth take place Take place I saye not in the Iewes onlye but in the Gentiles to not throughe the benefite of the lawe whome Christâ— woulde haue abolyshed but by the free mercye of Iesus Christe by whose death we beyng brought agayne into goddes fauour delyuered from the burden of the grosse lawe maye throughe fayth obtayne the blessyng of the gospell promised to Abrahams posteritie the spirituall posteritie I meane and not the carnall Let vs surely truste in god for he wil of his promyse deceyue no manne but what he promised that wyll he perfourme The texte ¶ Brethren I speake after the maner of men though it be but a mannes testament yet yf it be allowed no manne dispiseth it or addeth any thyng therto To Abraham and his seede were the promises made he sayth not in his seedes as manye but in thy seede as of one whiche is Christe But to the intent ye shall the better vnderstand this loe a worldly and familiar example For thoughe betwixt god and man there be no comparison yet a mannes testamente and couenaunte when it is once allowed and ratified no manne either breaketh or putteth any thyng to it contrary to the wyll of the maker howe muche more stable and sure then should the couenauntes and promises of god be God promised Abraham a blessyng whiche by his seede all nacions of the worlde shoulde haue Wherin it is to be obserued and marked that scripture sayde not seedes but seede leste we by Dauid Moses or any other myght loke to haue goddes promise but in his wordes noted the only seede and the verye seede of the euerlastyng Abraham whiche is Iesus Christe into whome throughe baptisme and throughe the receyuyng of the spirite we throughe him loke for the same gyftes whiche god hath already gyuen vnto hym The texte This I saye that the lawe whiche began afterwarde beyonde foure hundred and thirtie yeares dothe not disanull the testamente that was confirmed afore of God vnto Christwarde to make the
promise of none effecte For yf the inheritaunce come of the lawe it commeth not nowe of promise But god gaue it vnto Abraham by promyse But further to compare the former example the promise and couenaūt whiche god before the lawe was gyuen made with Abraham whiche promise he woulde haue to be stable the lawe whiche folowed and was gyuē after the same promise and couenaunt coulde not defete nor disanul And yet shoulde it restrayne and disapoynt the promise yf the inheritaunce of goddes blessing promised to Abrahams posteritie were due to suche only as kepe the lawe forasmuche as in the promyse there is no condicion of y◠lawe expressed For howe coulde therin of the lawe be any mencion made synce the lawe was not at that tyme gyuen For in case the lawe had not folowed the promise at all yet woulde god netheles with Abrahams posteritie haue kepte the couenaunt made with Abraham Nowe yf the promise of this blessed state be due by reason of goddes promise and the promise made before the law had no condicion of keping the law ioyned with it for what cause exclude we frō the promise suche as to y◠law are straūgers and not straungers to fayth For yf by the lawe men enioye thenheritaūce then is goddes promise and couenaunt frustrate and broken whiche god without kepyng of the lawe wyll not perfourme Euen lyke as when a man hath agreed with an other to gyue hym his doughter in mariage after that the bargayne is made he go from his worde denying that he will so do vnles the other agayne wyll promise hym his syster wheras at the bargayne makyng he had no syster borne nor at tyme of the couenaunte of mutual mariage no mencion made The promise of god was free and vpon the onlye condicion of fayth confirmed whom who so perfourmeth the same man hath right to the promise The texte Wherfore then serueth the lawe The lawe was added because of trangression vntyll the seede came to whome the promise was made and it was ordayned by angelles in the hande of a mediator But here some wyll saye yf by fayth in goddes promise euery manne must loke for saluacion for what ende and purpose made god the vnprofitable lawe afterwarde No saye not al vnprofitable for albeit it make not a manne vpright and innocent yet restrayneth it oure libertie to syn whyles it with ceremonies kepeth noughtie desyers and appetites within a due measure and compace of ryght reason And had not the vnrulye malice of men so required there had no lawe be gyuen at al and yet was not the same lawe gyuen neyther that all men shoulde therto wholye for euer be bounde but gyuen by god for a tyme shadowyng for the season Christe to come with punishementes fearyng men from synne and with promises prouokyng them to do well for this purpose made and ordayned by aungels at goddes commaundement to endure vntyll that after many eares the only seede shoulde come wherby the god of Abraham promised saluacion to all Abrahams lawfull chyldren In suche sorte was the law made by angels that yet the whole power and gouernaunce of it had Christe in his handes who in suche wyse was a meane and came betwixt Moses lawe and the grace of the gospell that he was the ende of the one and the begynner of the other in suche sorte also a meane betwixte god and man that to th entent he would betwixt both make atonement in hymselfe he comprised bothe natures The texte A mediatour is not a mediatour of one But god is one Is the lawe then agaynste the promyse of God God forbid Now a mediatour that is a meane betwixte must needes be a meane betwixte many For no man is there that with hymselfe is at dissencion Of them that disagreed god the father was one ▪ who with mākynde was at variaunce Wherfore necessarie was it that there shoulde a certayne thyrde parson be whiche in hymselfe contaynyng both natures shoulde bryng bothe at vnitie and concorde with his death fyrste pacifying gods wrath and then with his doctrine alluring all the worlde to the trewe honouryng of god Is the lawe then contrarie to goddes promises no not so Forasmuche as the lawe folowyng the promyse made by god made not the same promise vayne but kepte men in a continual expectacion loking for goddes promises that by so doyng they myght be more apte and readye to receyue the grace to be offered by the gospell Nor is not the lawe abolyshed because it was agaynst goddes promises but because it was conuenient meete that shadowes should gyue place to the truth and the vnfectuall to that whiche was mightie and effectuall The texte For yf there had bene a lawe giuen whiche coulde haue gyuen lyfe then no doubte righteousnes should haue come by the lawe But the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder syn That the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christe shoulde be gyuen vnto them that beleue But before fayth came we were kepte vnder the lawe and were shutte vp vnto the faythe that should afterwarde be declared For yf there had suche a lawe bene gyuen as coulde vnfaynedlye and truly haue giuen lyfe then should the same neuer haue bene abrogate nor shoulde we haue had any nede of the healpe and ayde of the ghospell for asmuche as then by the lawe euery man might haue attayned vnto perfite righteousenes Sufficient had it bene therfore in that case to truste vpon the lawe for all them that were of euerlastyng saluacion desyrouse But nowe leste men vpon boldenes of theyr workes myghte despise the grace of Christe for this purpose was the lawe gyuen declaryng and prescribyng what was to be done and what was to be auoyded that all men shoulde perceyue themself in daunger of syn whyles they shūne not that they by the lawe knewe was euyll being vndoubtedly ouercommen with theyr noughtie desyers and by these meanes knowyng theyr own disease myght more willyngly embrace the remedie to be offered by the grace of the gospell For before the lawe was gyuen menne without correccion fell to syn to whome all that lyked was streyght thought lawfull and in defence of mennes synfull lyfe some thyng had they to laye for theyr excuse But the lawe had them in suche a brake that they coulde not chuse but graunt that they had well deserued punishement for somuche as it could not be denied but that it was good and honeste whiche was by the lawe commaunded After that god therfore by his great wysedom had by suche meanes taken awaye our vayne confidence in our selfes and had sette before oure iyen our synfull lyuyng than declareth and perfourmeth he his promise made to Abraham and that whiche the Iewes only loked for as peculiarlye belongyng to them beyng as they sayed the only chyldren of Abraham generally to belong to all suche as were through fayth becommen Abrahams very chyldren not for theyr deserte of keapyng the lawe but because they
with all theyr heartes put theyr affiaunce in the ghospel and beleued also that through the death of Iesus Christe godly lyfe shal all people haue and receyue glory also and saluacion For this purpose lykewyse for a season serued Moses lawe that partly with manacyng of punishmentes partly with hope of promises made therin and partly with rude expressing of Christe to come the Iewes after suche sorte within theyr bondes leste Christe at his commyng should haue fouÌ„d them strayed out into all kyndes of mischiefe neither worthy nor yet apte to receyue the grace of his gospell By the promises then of the lawe had the Iewes a certayne rude knowledge of the misterie of the gospell By the obseruaunce of this lawe then were menne so long stayed and vnderpyght vntyll that was by the ghospell opened whiche the law in shadowes represented that yf men wyll nowe awake they maye clearlye see euen that put in vre wherof they before had but a dreame The texte ¶ Wherfore the lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christe that we might be made ryghteouse by faythe But after that fayth is come we are no lenger vnder the scholemaister For ye are the chyldren of God because ye beleue in Christe Iesu For al ye that are baptised haue put on Christ The lawe therfore brought not men to perfite righteousnes but was as a scholemaister gyuen to the rude people that whome the regarde of honestie was not yet able to kepe in good order they myghte with feare of punishemente be kept from extreme noughtines that through suche meanes encreasyng by lytle and lytle they mighte be broughte from trustyng vpon theyr olde ceremonies vnto Christ of whome onely they should loke to receyue perfite righteousnes Nowe is not the chylde â—o vnder his scholemaister that the scholemaister with hym muste al waye be at hande but onlye vntyll suche tyme as they beyng more rype and growen vppe to better knowledge euen of theyr owne accorde fall to honestie nor haue nede with feare of punishemente to be kepte from euyll but by theyr fathers encouragyng freelye and wyllyngly study goodnes and honestie an other whyle nowe rulyng theyr scholemaister whose holsome and sharpe correction they for a tyme endured As the father therfore though he tenderly loue his chyldren compelleth them yet for a tyme to be vnder a scholemaister whose maister the chyldren in shorte tyme after shall be so hathe god with sharpenes of the lawe kepte vnder his rude and grosse people vntyll that they concerning the doctrine of his ghospel beyng made their owne menne should no lenger neede to be vnder correccion of theyr scholemaister but lyue freelye as free chyldren vnder theyr moste mercifull father And though it so were that god gaue vnto the Iewes onely a scholemayster yet toke he not them onelye for his chyldren but â—ather coumpted all suche as by faythe in the ghospell are graffed into the bodye of Iesus Christe and endued with his holye spirite to be goddes chyldreÌ„ as soone as they are with Christe made one Nowe yf that wherby we are ioyned vnto Christe generallye belong to all menne what lette shoulde there be why God shoulde not indifferently coumpte all for his chyldren Throughe baptisme haue ye receyued the spirite of Christe and not by circumcision As many then as are baptised are become with Christ ioynte enheriters in that behalfe no poynt inferior to the Iewes boast they themself of the priuelege of circumcision neuer somuche The texte There is no Iewe neither Gentile there is neither bonde neither free there is neither man nor woman for ye are all one in Christe Iesu Yf ye be Christes then are ye Abrahams seede and heyres accordyng to the promyse In thinges that hange vpon mennes fauer the condicion state and persons are regarded but god woulde this benefite of his to be bothe free and also commen to all men Throughe baptisme are we newe borne agayne and sodenly altered as it were into a newe creature And as touching this gyft it is layed to noman nor passed vpon whether he were before baptisme Iewe or Gentile bonde man or free manne or woman All ye through baptisme are belonging to Christes bodie equally partakers of this goddes gifte whiche is from the head conuayed into all the members And yf Christe be the very seede of Abraham by whom god promised his blessyng to all nacions of the worlde forasmuche as ye are planted in Christe nedes must ye be Abrahams posteritie Farther then yf ye be Abrahams posteritie euen lyke heyres ye haue ryght to yâ— promise of god Yf through the felowshyp of Christe ye become goddes chyldren and into it are all receyued through fayth and baptisme necessarily it foloweth that the inheritaunce equallye appertayneth to all men The fourth Chapiter The texte And I say that the heyre as long as he is a childe differeth not from a seruaunt through he be lord of all but is vnder tuters and gouernours vntil the tyme that the father hath appointed euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the worlde LOng synce by Goddes promise due was the title of inheritauÌ„ce but now and not before are we receiued into it because as we before sayd as by mannes lawes and ordinauÌ„ces the heyre while he is within age vseth not his right yea he nothing differeth froÌ„ a seruauÌ„t where he is borne to be lorde ouer all but is kept vnder with feare and ruled as other men wyll passyng that tyme vnder creansers gouernours vntyl he be growen vp to that rypenes whiche either the lawe or his father hath appointed so likewyse in tyme past when we were yet not apt to receiue this gift whiche requireth euen heaueÌ„ly mindes our vnderstaÌ„dinges also therto not of streÌ„gth sufficient as yet we were like children with suche certaine grosse lawes as were mete for our infirmities kept in due ordre beyng suche at that tyme as could not sauor heauenly learnyng but rather suche as would with suche thinges be more moued as might with our fleshely iyen be seen as are the material thynges of this world for example differences of dayes differeÌ„ces of meates differeÌ„ces in apparel sacrificyng and killyng of beastes circumcision As long as we were not apt to receiue higher instruccions euen as seruauntes we for a season obeyed and were vnder these The texte But when the time was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we through eleccion might receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the natural soÌ„nes But assone as we came out of wardship and were growen vp to a ryper age when that tyme was paste whiche the euerlastyng father in â—â—s secrete couÌ„sel had appointed he suffered vs no leÌ„ger to be vnder the carnal rules of the lawe but sent for our deliueraunce neither Moses nor prophete but his onely sonne Iesus Christ He sent his sonne I
delicates regardynge neyther ordre nor coÌ„mune wealth sparyng nether place nor time ne yet geuing god any thaÌ„kes at al ether for fleshe or fishe meate or drinke as it may appeare by their impudent abominable lyuinge couetous gredynes of worldly pleasures in swearyng whoring dyceing cardyng braullyng raylyng braggyng querelling fighting â–ª piking stealing robbing bawdy talkyng in al kyndes elles of hellishe iniquitie And so by that reason ouer their own daÌ„nable estate the poore symple vntaught weake brother for whom Christe died seyng thys lybertie and thys iniquitie ioyned together is by and by offended and defyeth the worde of God because of that rashe beastly bellyed mannes wyckednesse whiche prateth of the worde and lyueth cleane contrarie agaynst it Thus the deuyll I saye purchaseth to him selfe and to the fyre of hell as many or rather mo slaues by his countrefaite ghospellyng than he did before with open idolatrous popery mayntenyng Nowe therfore goe downe in to thy selfe good reader and see what case thou standest in for thou seest by experience that the dayes are euyll Loâ—e not the good oportunytie that God hath lent thee For all that saye Lorde Lorde shal not entre into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the fathers wyll whiche is in heauen Althoughe we are made ryghteous before God throughe onely fayth yet we muste expresse our fayth by suche charitable workes before men as God commaundeth or els our faythe is deade and become no faythe And thoughe we are saued throughe grace yet we may not abide in synne stil that grace maye abounde For lyke as whan a synner repenteth there is a merye heauen the Angelles reioycing for gladnes euen so whan a man repenteth not but lyueth styll in infidelitie and synne he maketh the holy ghost sadde and a sorowfull heauen And thoughe we are quyckened together with Christe of his owne fre mercye without our deseruynges yet we are commaunded by his holy worde to mortyfie oure carnal membres vpon earth that lyke as we haue in tymes past made them seruauntes of vngodlynes from one naughtynes to an other so we shoulde henceforth make them seruauntes of puritie into santtification For he that gaue vs Christ to be our newe garmente badde vs by his Apostle Paule put of the olde Adam or elles Christe woulde not stycke cleane on our backes onlesse olde Adam be stryped cleane of wyth all his ragged rotten patches of infidelitie and sinfulnes And he that sayeth Let us put on the armour of lyghte sayeth fyrste Let us cast aâ—uaye the uuorkes of darknes For lyke as God loueth to be wourshypped onelye accordynge to his owne worde and byddyng so he curfeth all them that inuent or vse other kyndes of worshyppyng or seruyng of him besydes his worde And lyke as God filleth them with his grace that reuerently and truly vse his holy name so he fylleth them also full of wikednes that be swearours and maketh his plague of vengeaunce to hang styll ouer their houses that abuse Goddes name And lyke as God promyseth reward to them that helpe their pore neyghbours at their nede so he threateneth punishement to them also that hurte their neyghbours by worde or by dede And like as the holy goste alloweth chaste wedlocke for holy and honourable among all men so doeth he pronounce whoredom and bawldrye to be cursed and abominable among all men Christe that geueth the peny to the diligent workers byddeth auaunt I knowe you not to them that are loyterours The Prophete Dauid that sayeth Prope est dnÌ„s oiÌ„bus eum inuocantibus sayeth also Longe a peccatoribus salus And that ghospell which is the power of God to saue all that beleue it shall also be a witnesse at the last daye against all them that shewe them selues in this worlde vnbeleuers by the frutes of their vngodly behauyour Assure thy selfe of thys good reader that lyke as there is God so is there the deuyll As there is heauen so is there hel As there is lyfe and eternall saluation so is there death and eternall damnacion Therfore cast of careles securitie and be diligent in readynge or hearynge Goddes worde If Christe be thy sauiour make no moe mediatours for thee but onely him For lyke as he wyl not geue away the glory of his passion to any other so wyl he not geue awaye the glory of his intercession to any other Cast of feyned custome and laye holde vpon vnfailyng veritie Forsake blynde broade byewayes â–ª and folowe the streight narowe pathe way Awaye with fylthy whoremonging and take thee to chaste wedlocke If thou wilte be chosen make sure thy vocation If thou defyest the deuyll meddle not with false teachers and deuely she lyuyng If thou louest not the deuylles sauour dwell not vpon hys donghill of stynkyng ydolatrie and supersticioÌ„ If thou be the sonne of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham If thou be iustified throughe onely faythe in Christ leade the lyfe and doe the dedes of a faythfull iustifyed christen man If Christe be thy Lorde be thou his true seruaunt If thou wylte take vpon the to be Christes disciple see that thou weare his badge Christen charitie If Christe be thy good shepeherde herken to his voyce and none other If Christe haue borne the on his owne shoulders into his shepefolde whan thou wast runne astraye see thou runne not oute agayne lest thou droppe into the pitte and be drowned throughe thyne owne folye If thou wylte take God for thy father see thou be holy as he is holy If thou wylte haue the holy spirite of God to be thy comfortoure make him not sadde with the resisting waiwardnes of thy spirite And than mayest thou be surely bolde to preace vnto the throne of hys grace and shalte be sure to fynde mercye in conuenient tyme. Take hede by tyme for nowe is the tyme and verye howre for vs to ryse vp from sleape and therfore I saye take tyme of repentaunce whyle tyme is for tyme wyll awaye But and yf thou wylte not aryse and heare the voyce of thy Shepeherde Christ hauing the lybertie of Goddes woorde the rather by the ample enterpretyng of these Godly Paraphrases to teache thee and to be thy warraunt thexample of the Kynges Maiestie with hys gracious Vncle the lord Protectour the test of his most honorable Counsail to encourage ayde and defende thee but wylt tomble and walowe styll in wylful ignoraunce and errour stickyng to olde heathenyshe idolatrous worshippinges supersticious deuisinges masse meritinges beade droppinges popyshe customes disobedyence agaynst superiours and parentes blasphemous swearyng aduouterous lyuing theuyshe stealyng â–ª murder and robbynge couetous cloynynge bawdye talkyng holoweharted flateryng false witnesse bearyng vntrue dealyng craftye deceauyng dronken drinkyng paunche pampryng subtyl vnderminynge and other wyckednesses and vilanies against the wrytten word and commauÌ„dement of God and so differrest repentaunce from daye to daye and heapyng synne vpon synne sayest the mercye of God is greate Tushe let God sende me a mery lyfe
from heauen testifie that he was rightuous and by reason of this most goodly testimonye he is now after so many thousand yeares so much renowined and spoken of of all menne that beyng deade he semeth euen to liue and speake He was slayne to his brotherwarde what tyme he was murthered fautelesse but he was not sleyne to God vnto whome his bloude as yet cryed vengeaunce from the earthe The texte By faith was Enoch translated that he should not se death neither was he founde For God had taken hym away For a fore he was taken away he obtayned a good report that he pleased God But without faith it can not be that anye man should please hym For he that commeth to God muste beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of theÌ„ that seke hym Neither was it any whit preiudiciall vnto godlye Enoch that he was begotten of a wycked father For holye scripture wytnesseth of hym that he was conuersaunt familiar with god euen wheÌ„ he lyued in earth because he pursued by faith not those thinges which are sene but such thinges as are not sene that is to wytte eternall thinges heuenlye for this cause he was taken vp aliue to those thinges that he loued deliuered froÌ„ death For he liued after such a sort before he was taken from the felowshyppe of men that he semed rather to lyue in heauen then in earthe and semed also vnworthye to dye for that he hadde commytted nothyng death worthye to th entent men shoulde firste learne by his example that the open way to immortalitie is by faith and innoceÌ„t lyuing Therfore he was taken awaye bycause he pleased God But he pleased hym chiefely by fayth without the whiche no man pleaseth hym haue he els neuer so many good dedes For whosoeuer desyreth to be brought in fauour with almyghtye God must fyrst of all beleue that God is who can do all thynges and wylleth what is best Then muste he also beleue that God careth for the worlde and that by hym neyther the godly whiche settyng at noughte the visible good thynges of thys worlde searche after God inuisible are defeated of their rewardes be they neuer so muche afflicted and persecuted in this lyfe nether the wicked persones shall lacke their punishementes althoughe they seme here to lyue in prosperitie and haue the worlde at will Therefore Enoch maye thanke his fayth for this I wote nere whether I maye call it glory or felicitie that he is taken awaye from the felowshyppe of men and lyueth with God The texte By fayth Noe beyng warned of God eschued the thynges whych were as yet not sene and prepared the arcke to the â—auyng of his houshold through the whych arcke he condemned the worlde and became heiâ—e of the righteousnes which is according to faith Howbeit Noe shewed a more notable example of faith towardes God euen then this who when he was forewarned by the mouthe of God howe it shoulde come to passe that all kyndes of lyuyng creatures in earth shoulde be destroyed thorow inundation of waters and sawe no apparent argumentes or reasons wherby the saying of God mought be proued bycause the element was fayre and cleare and the people that were feastyng makyng brydeales without any care lawghed to heare these manassyng wordes of the prophecie Yet surely beleuing that it would so come to passe as God had sayde before it should happeÌ„ ordeyned an Arke wherby he both preserued his own houshold coÌ„deÌ„ned other meÌ„ which so mistrusted yâ— wordes of god yâ— they lawghed hym to â—korne as a madde man when he was a framynge the sayde Arke agaynste the commyng of the floude Neyther was he alonely preserued from the flould but also succeded in the prayse of Abell and Enoch his elders who are muche renowmed for that rightuousnesse whiche thorowe faith maketh a man commendable before God The texte By faith Abraham when he was called obtayned to go out into a place whych he shoulde afterwarde receyue to inherytaunce and he went out not knowyng whether he should go By faith he remoued into the lande of promyse as into a strangcouÌ„trey when he had dwelt in tabernacles so dyd Isaac Iacob heires with him of the same promise For he loked for a citie hauing a foundacion whose builder maker is god Nowe howe ofte dyd Abraham gyue an example of a notable faith towardes God First where as there is nothynge more pleasant to man then hys natyfe countrey yet when almyghty God comaunded hym to forsake the same with his affeccions and flyt into an vnknowne lande he made no tarieng but obeyed streight wayes the voyce of God and that prouoked by no other mans example nor put in hope and comforte by any probable reasons how it should so come to passe that after he had forsaken suche landes and patrimonie as he was borne vnto he shoulde possesse by enheritaunce I wot nere what lande wherof as yet he neyther knewe the name nor situation So sure a truste and belefe had he that all should come to passe what so euer God had promysed It proceded of the same fayth that when he came into the lande promysed of God and the matier went not forewarde to hys mynde neyther wyth hym nor his sonne Isaac nor his nephew Iacob where as yet thenheritaunce of thys lande was not promysed to him alone but also to his ofspring and posteritye because he was constrayned oftetymes to fyght with his enemyes and Isaac had muche busynes and trouble with the Philistians and Iacob was dryuen thence by Esau his brother into the couÌ„trey of Mesopotamia froÌ„ whence after he was at the length retourned agayn he was fayne to bye a litle pece of grouÌ„d to pytche his pauillion in yet all these thynges moued not Abraham a whyt to haue any mystrust in God who promised the lande neyther complayned he that he was a bannyshed man and not an enheritour neither regarded he those thynges whiche are sene in earth but heauenly thynges whiche are not sene otherwise then with the eyes of fayth For he perceiued that this was not the lande that God meante of when he made the promes the whiche lande he set so lytle store by that he thought it not necessarie therin to buyld neither house or towne but kepe himselfe and his in tabernacles as a straunger whiche anon shoulde remoue to an other place What dyd he then loke for when he sawe that these promyses were not perfourmed Forsoothe he loked for an other citie whiche was stable and perpetual from whence he should neuer be dryuen out againe farre vnlyke these cyties whiche men do buylde and destroye the maker and buylder wherof was God hymselfe The texte Through faith Sara also receiued strength to conceiue and be with child and was delyuered of child when she was past age because she iudged hym faithfull whych had promised And therfore sprang there of one euen of one whiche was as good as
Likewise ye wiues be in subiection to your husbandes that euen they whych obey not the word may with out the worde be wonne by the conuersacion of the wiues while they behold your chast conuersacion coupled with feare Whose apparel shal not be outwarde with broyded heare and hanginge on of golde ether in puttinge on of gorgeous apparell but let the hid man which is in the heart be without all corruption so that the spirite be at rest quiet which spirite is before God a thing muche set by For after thys maner in the olde tyme dyd the holy wemen which trusted in God tier them selues and were obedyente to their husbandes euen as Sara obeyed Abraham called hym Lorde whose daughters ye are as long as ye do wel and are not afrayed for any terrour NOwe lyke as free men ought to allure yâ— prynces and publyke magistrates and euen so oughte bonde seruauntes to allure their maisters vnto the fauouryng of the gospell by their obedient diligence whych purchaceth frendship in euery place or in dede not to prouoke them by occasion if perauenture they be vncureable euen so ought the wiues also shewe themselues obedyent vnto their husbandes not onelye yf they be Christians but to them also that haue not yet embraced the doctrine of the gospell For in dede it maye possiblie come to passe that suche as oure preaching doeth not stiere the entier vpryghtnes godlynes womanlynes sobrenes chastitie and sufferaunce of the wyfe maye ouercome and mollyfie them and in conclusion wynne them vnto Christ For whan they shall perceaue theyr wyues maners chaunged through baptisme whan they shall see the examplar of true vertue in them they shall peraduenture be enflamed the affeccion of wedlocke not a lytell forewardyng to the same purpose that as they be felowes of one bedde so they would mynd to be felowes of one profession For syncere good demeanour hath very sharpe pryckes whiche yf a man do marke it nerely bryngeth to passe manye tymes that carnall loue is turned into a spirituall loue That maner of loue is occasioned by welfauourednes of beawtie and behauiour of apparel helpyng the fauour of beawtie forewarde And behauiour is occasioned by the fayre goodlynes of an entier good hearte shynyng in her manners Therfore it behoueth not wyues whiche haue professed Christe to deuise howe they maye set forthe themselues pleasauÌ„tly in their husbandes eies after the coÌ„mune custome with theyr heare craftyly broyded or with puttinge on of precious stones or gold and purple rayment and with other trymmyng of the bodye whiche is shewed outwardly For what other thynge shoulde come of this gayre but that they should loue their wyues body for the vse of fleshely lust And what a porcion of man is the body This rather they ought to studye for that theyr husbandes may be enticed by their goodly garnyshed maners and so to loue the secret hidden mynde and hearte yf they shall perceyue her to be pure and spotted wtâ—â— knacke of viciousnes and if they shall see contrarie to the commune maner of women no lyght affeccion in that woman which women communly haue no intemperaunce no wrath no enuye no seking of preeminence no arroganncie â—o ouerthwart bibble bable but a softe mylde tractable gentyll spirit This is an excellent and a gorgeous apparell in the eâ—es of God By this maner of decking they muste chiefly deserue to haue their husbandes heartes By this kynde of wooing euen certayne holy women in times past which fixed their whole hope not in slyppery and transitorye thinges but in God set forth themselues to please their husbandes not with gold or precious stones or purple but with sobrenes obedient diligence wherby the fearcenes of an husbaÌ„des disposition is most easyly aswaged So Sara obeyed Abraham callyng him Lorde where as she was hys wyfe not his drudgeing hande mayde but submitted her selfe vnder his subieccion for sobrenes sake For althoughe it be not fitte for a man to vse a lordlynes towardes his wife yet there is an autoritie which if he in somthynges abuse yet it standeth with the womans modestie to obeye in place To be briefe lyke as they are Abrahams true and very right sonnes that folowe thexample of his fayth euen so are you Saraes daughters which resemble yâ— excellent good womans maners manly substauÌ„tialnes of mynde trymmyng vp your selues with good workes reposing all youre trust in God hauing the fruicion of his ayde there is no cause at al why you should be afrayed of womans frailtie The texte Lyke wyse ye men dwel with them according to knowlege geuing honour vnto the wyfe as vnto the weker vessel as vnto them that are heires also of the grace of lyfe that your praiers be not hindered And as it is the office of matrones with chast obedience holy maners and wyth mylde softenes to ouercome their husbandes euen so is it your parte O you men in no wise to abuse your autoritie towardes your wyues as meÌ„ playng the tyrannes in that they submit theÌ„selues vnto you but be rather so much the lesse lordely towardes them in yâ— they make them selfes your handemaides They are companions of all your estates and thynges what so euer befalleth Let them perceiue you to be handsome men to lyue withall let your wisdome succour the frailtie of their womankynde And the more stronger you are thaâ— they in the strength of hert body so much more it behoueth you to releue womens infirmitie that by youre instruction by your gouernaunce they maye be made better as it were settyng aparte that kynde they maye waxe manlye in gospellike godlynes For they are not Christian husbandes that haue wyues only to the vse of copulacion but they ought rather to endeuour that their wyues maie be theyr coÌ„panions in fastinge almosededes dooing of watching and of prayeng so that those women which are called to the coÌ„mune reward of eternall lyfe as well as their husbandes maye earnestly set their myndes to do these thynges also communely with their husbandes In christian mariage there is nothing or in dede very lytle to be geuen vnto voluptuousnes very muche vnto Godlynes Wherin yf bothe parties will consent and thereupâ—â— you refrayne froÌ„ bodyly dâ—ale your prayers shal not be interrupted And prayer is a sacrifice wherwith god must be sacrificed vnto euery daye The texte In conclusioÌ„ be ye al of one mynd of one heart loue as brethreÌ„ be piteful be courteâ—â—â— meke not rendring euill for euill or rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowâ—â—â— that ye are thereunto called euen yâ— ye should be heires of yâ— blessing For he that doth lâ—â—â— after lyfe and loueth to se good dayes let hym refraine his tonge from euil and his â—â—â—pes that they speake no guyle Let hym eschewe euil and do good let hym seke peace â—â—â— ensue it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghteous and hys eares are open
thinge that the soule is vnto the body the same is charitie vnto faythe so that if charitie be taken aware the worde of faythe is but a dead matter and vneffectuall Nether shall it do the any more good before God to professe an idle faythe with thy mouthe than fayre wordes do vnto the poore neighbour where he ought to be holpen with dede They thynke they are mocked whan a manne sayeth vnto them get you heate get youre bely full of meate whan they haue nether clothe nor meate geuen them Euen so he semeth to mocke God that rehearseth euery daye I beleue in God I beleue in God whan he she weth no tokens of faythfull belefe Like as he hath an vnprofitable charitie that loueth but from the lippes forewarde euen so hathe he a vayne faithe that beleueth not but in worde onely Nowe perchaunce some one starteth out that gooeth about to disseuer the thinges that by nature are moste faste ioyned together and of whom nether can be disseuered from the other and sayeth Thou haste fayth I haue dedes let vs bothe be contented with hys owne porcion Let thy faythe suffice the it is ynough for me to haue good dedes And yet nothers porcion shal be sufficient for him Thou boasteste of faythe and if thou haue true tyght faythe it is requisite that thou declare it wyth thy dedes yf thou haue a deade faythe thou arte neuer the better for it Thou crackest of thy dedes and yet they are not sufficient to get the crown of immortalitie onles they procede of charitie whiche is an vnseperable companyon of faith that bringeth saluacion The thing that flowers and boughes are in a tree the same are the offices of charitie in vs whiche if they breake forthe in theyr tyme they declare that the tree rote is quycke by whose sappe they are noryshed Therfore this is the whole profite of good dedes if they bee not done vpon vayneglory not for thanke at mannes handes not for feare or shame and not vpon hope of lucre but of a lyuely faythe whiche hathe perswaded vs that that is geuen vnto God what so euer is geuen for hys sake vnto our neyghbour and that the rewarde is to be hoped after at none other hande but of him Thou pleasest thy selfe in that thou art perswaded that there is but one God where as the errour of the painymes beleueth ther bee innumerable Goddes Thou doest ryght for in thys behalfe thou excellest them Howbeit it doeth the no good at all to beleue there is God that there is but one God onles thou so beleue that thou shalt of hym obteyne saluacion But that shalt thou not dooe excepte thou couple charytie vnto faythe and testifye by thy godly woorkes that thou bothe beleuest hym and that thou loueste hym If thou beleue there is God beleue also that he is the author of saluacyon beleue hys promyses and lyue after suche sorte that thou mayest appeare to be worthye of hys promyses He hathe promysed mercye yea but vnto them that in thys worlde exercise mercye towardes theyr neyghbour He hathe promysed eternall life yea but to them that despyse the pleasures of thys worlde Thys shalt thou not only beleue there is but one god but thou shalt also repose al thy whole trust in hym only or elles what frute shalt thou haue of thy beleuynge The deuilles do also beleue that God is they beleue that Iesus is the sonne of God and beleue it so muche that they tremble and quake But forasmuche as they beleue onelye and loue hym not they are afrayed of punnyshment at his hande and hope not after rewarde and where they fele hym to bee ryghteous they are not woorthye to fele mercye seynge they are cruell agaynste others But and if thou be so very a fole that thou yet standest in thyne owne conceate hauing but a vayne faythe gooe to I shall brynge the forthe a more famylyar and a more knowen example to teache the that the faythe whiche woorketh not through loue is vnprofitable and deade Abraham of whome as oure head auncetour we moste chyeflye make vaunte deserued the fyrste and pryncypall commendacyon of faythe with God of whome the reputacyon of ryghteousnes was attrybuted vnto hym but in hym faythe was not vnfrutefully baren For he did not onely professe with hys mouthe that he trusted in Goddes promysses but also he doubted not to laye hys onlye sonne Isaac vpon thaultar and slea hym at Goddes commaundement whereas after the ordre of nature there coulde no posterytie bee trusted vpon to hym by anye other but he laying hold on the promises of God whome he knew could raise euen the dead agayn to lyfe at hys pleasure sticked not to do that he was commaunded So that of his dedes he deserued the coÌ„mendacion of righteousnes yea but of those dedes that proceded of faith For ther are also workes of Moses law wherunto they trust in vayne that are without the faith of the gospel What is it that that noble patriarke would not haue done seing he went readily chearfully to the sleaynge of hys only sonne Isaac whome he loued so muche the more tenderlye because he was borne in hys extreme olde age and because that lucky posteryty was promised in his name He was pronounced righteous euen before he did the sacryfyce yea but of God that knewe the olde mannes lyuely workynge faythe woulde refuie nothynge if occasyon were oftred Therfore bothe the matters dyd helpe eyther other Faythe encouraged hym not to feare to offre vp hys sonne whome he doubted not shoulde by the commaundemente of Goddes power by and by lyue agayne but the notable dede set vpon as it were the fynall furnyture of the matter declarynge vnto menne also that Abrahams stedfaste faythe was neyther a deade nor a commune faithe For he nother fayneth nor doubteth whiche stackreth not to auenture in hys onely sonne whome he loued so syngularly Woulde it greue hym to set naught by money for Christes sake that is readye to leade hys sonne whome the father loued dearlier than he did hym selfe vnto death So than of thys so notable a document of faythe it manifestly appeareth to bee perfite that the scripture sayed Abraham beleued God and it was reckoned vnto hym for righteousnes and was called the frende of God And if Abraham should haue lost the frute of faithe and the commendacion of righteousnes if he had gtudged at Goddes commaundement to offre vp his sonne shall his faythe auaâ—le him that at Goddes commaundement grudgeth to geue a cote to hys neyghbour that starueth for colde and that grudgeth to geue meate to the hungrye and drinke to the thurstye as though God would suffre him to perishe for cold or hungre that geueth somwhat of hys substaunce to releue hys brothers necessitie And if the commendacion of righteousnes chaunced not to them of the olde tyme but to suche as tryed their faythe by theyr dedes muche lesse is it to be trusted vpon vnto
them that professe the lawe of perfite charitie But mercie and liberalitie to the neyghbour is so muche auayleable with God that a woman that an harlot that a straunger was commended for keping of hospitalitie and deserued to be nombred in the regestre of Godly people in the regestre of citezens and in the regestre of the moste tryedlye proued Patriarkes Rhahab was not a Iewe she was maystres of a howse of baldrye and gate her lyuyng with no very honest gaynes of occupung and yet in Goddes boke she hathe a worthye commendacion of righteousnes not of faythe only in that she was persuaded that no mannes good dedes should be loste God being the rewarder namely that is bestowed vpon good folkes or at leste in the respecte of God but of that that she not regarding the daunger of her life prouided to saue the life of the spies in that she sent out the messangers whom the guide of yâ— Iewes had sente to spye by stealth an other way lest they should perish She might haue come in no smal fauour with her own couÌ„trey folkes if she had as it was in her hande to haue done betrayed the spyes But she had rather serue the wyll of God than her own gayne nether dystrusted she but that she should bee repayed a more pleynteous rewarde of hym than of menne Likewise than as Abraham had the worthy praise of righteousnes not of naked faithe but of faythe tried by dedes euen so Rhahab had beleued in vayne that the God of the Iewes is the true very God excepte whan occasion serued she had declared by her dedes that she had beleued with her whole harte otherwise faythe as I sayed that is colde of charitie and vttreth not it selfe whan matter requireth it is veryly no faythe at all but only a vayne name of faithe For like as the body being destitue of the soule is dead and vnprofitable euen so faithe if it want working charitie is dead and vneffectuall The .iii. Chapter The texte My brethren be not euery man a maister knowing howe that we shall receaue the greater damnacion for in many thinges we synne all If a manne synue not in worde the same is a perfecte man and able also to came all the bodye Beholde we put byttes into the horses mouthes that they may obey vs and we turne about all the body of them Beholde also the shippes whiche though they be so greate and are dryuen of fearce windes yer are they turned about with a very smal helme whyther soeuer the violente of the gouernour wyl Euen so the tongue is a lytell membre also and boasteth greate thynges GReate is the profitablenes of a mannes tongue if a man teache those thynges that pertaine to true godlynes but it is a perilâ—ous pece of woorke to take thoffice of a teacher in hande and fyrste it requireth that a manne bee excellently learned in the thynges that concerne the doctrine of the gospell and than to be of moste pure affeccions it is not ynough for euery man to teache vprightly but for him that respecteth nothing elles but to the glorye of God Such a teacher like as he may do very much good if he loue that he teacheth euen so whose doctrine is corrupte or whose minde is corrupt with wicked desires with hatred yre desire of reuengemeÌ„t couetousnes ambicion or lecherous lustes he occupieth the roume of a teacher to the greate marring of the people Therfore my brethren couet not euery where to be maisters It is more sure to herken than to speake And a few teachers are ynow to instructe many Therfore he that taketh vpon hym the rowme of a byshop and of a teacher muste often and manye tymes examyne him selfe whether he be mete to take that charge in hande and let hym thinke thys specially with him selfe that he taketh a trauaile in hande endaungered with myghtie peryl and shall rendre a moste streyght reconyng to the moste highe Iudge â–ª if he teache otherwise than becometh him For hys doctryne throweth abrode hys venome so muche the more wyder and perilouslier in that it is set forthe by autoritye of a speaker And there is nothyng of more difficultie than in euery poynt so to tempre the tongue that it neuer speake amysse For in asmuche as the infirmytie of mannes nature is suche that there is no manne but he dayly doeth amysse in many thynges if anye manne canne auoyde all escapes of the tongue he maye be thought a perfite and a mete manne to gouerne the whole bodye as it were with the brydie of reason after that he hathe beue hable to restrayne that moste slyppery membre that it offende not From thys daunger he is farther of that had rather beare the rowme of a scholar than of a teacher It is somwhat to rule the bely it is not nothynge to tempre the eyes and the eares it is somwhat to refrayne the handes but of all other it is the most harde matter to gouerne the tongue perfitely The tongue is a small membre yea but yet the whole bodye dooeth almoste all together depende of it The speche of a man is a certayn effectuous and an excellent thyng of importaunce either to the profite or to the destroying of many It pearceth into the myndes of the hearers it engraffeth or bryngeth forthe noysome opinions it stereth vp or aswageth displeasures it moueth vnto bataille it draweth vnto peace and it strayneth the hearer to thys waye or that waye So we do put brydles in horses mouthes that they maye obey vs and with a small bytte we turne about the horses whole bodye at our owne pleasure The thing that the brydled mouthe is to the sitter the same is the tameo tongue vnto the manne You see what houge weyghtie substaunce the shippes be of they where as whan the sayles are spredde abroade are carryed on the waters with a wonderous violence of wyndes yet are they turned about with a very litell stearne whither so euer the shippe maisters mynde that gouerneth the rother will set it He dryueth the stearne by a sleyght and that so great a weyghtie substaunce is gouerned of the leaste parte of it Therfore the temperate gouernaunce of the tongue is not to be contemned It is a small membre yea but it is a swellinge membre and ful of bragges and entermyngleth destruccion wyde and broade and stereth vp myghty tumultes onles it bee restrayned by the brydle of the mynde it setteth all people and all kyngdomes together by the eares one with an other The texte ¶ Beholde how great a thyng a lytell fyre kyndleth and the tongue is fyre euen a worlde of wyckednesse So is the tonge set amonge oure members that it defyleth the whole body and setteth a fyre all that we haue of nature and is it selfe set a fyre euen of hell All the natures of beastes of byrdes and of serpentes and thynges of the sea art meked and tamed of the nature of man But the
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
and by these he shall make them to be knowen vnto the whole christen congregacion The tâ—â—â—◠¶ And I hearde the nombre of them whiche were sealed and there were sealed an C. and xliiii â— of at the crybes of the children of Israel Of the trybe of Iuda were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ruben were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Gad were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Aser wer sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Neptalim were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Manasses were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Symeon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Leuy were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Isacar were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Zabulon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ioseph were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Beniamin were sealed xii M. Thus hathe our sauiour Iesus Christ chosen into his churche coÌ„gregacion not onely out of the gentyles or heathen but also out of the Iewes of all trybes generacions Out of the whiche euen before the passion of Christ there were infynite noumbres scattered dyspersed abrode thorow out the whole world which were conuerted vnto the christen faithe receyued the baptisme or christendome As the holy Apostles also preached first vnto the Iewes the syncere pure christen faith And the nombre of those Iewes the were conuerted by them was doubtles greate throughout the whole world in continuaunce of tyme increased But here in this place after the customeable vse of the holy scripture is marked or sealed a certen appoynted prescribed nomber for an vncerten an vnprescrybed nomber but yet a full and a perfyght nomber For. xii times xii thousande doe make an hundreth and. xliiii thousande For what cause certen are not here rehersed amonge the. xii trybes it is not necessarye to searche For there are euen as many true christians more also thorowe yâ— wyll of god conuerted vnto the true faythe out of yâ— trybe or flocke of Iacob And more shal be dayly conuerted whan as the Christen religion shal be restored and reformed after the rule and square of holy scripture as it was first bylded of the Apostles bysshops of the prymatyue churche The texte◠¶ After this I behelde and lo a great multitude which no man coulde nombre of al nations people and tonges stooe before the seate and before the lambe clothed with longe whyre garmentes palmes in their handes cryed with a loude voyce saying saluacioÌ„ be assâ—râ—bed to him that sytreth vpon the seate of our god and vnto the lambe And all the angels stode in the compase of the seate of the elders of the foure beastes fell before the seate on their faces worshypped god saying Amen Blessing and glorye wysdom and thankes and honour and power and myght be vnto out god for euermore Amen As was before sayd there wer many turned vnto the christeÌ„ faith out of the tribes of the Israelites after yâ— fleshe But there were many more yea infynite nombres out of all other heatheÌ„ people tounges nacions which eueÌ„ froÌ„ the antyquyte as bothe Sybylla Mercurius also more euydeÌ„tly certeinly yâ— patriarke Iacob in ye. xlix of Genesis lykewyse all the prophetes doe testifie dyd looke and wayte for the sauiour Messias Out of the which the christendome did dayly increase waxe greater in yâ— who le worlde thus they became right children of Abraham Israel after the faith to yâ— glorye prayse of god Where vnto al the holy patriarkes had alwayes more respect thaÌ„ eyther to yâ— lande of Chanaan or to the temple of Ierusalem or yet to yâ— circumcision cuttyng of the foreskynne of their bodily but vnnaturall and dysobedient children and posterite Yea or fynally to all maner of Iewyshe ceremonies For those christians that were conuerted froÌ„ the heatheÌ„ in the whole world dyd imbrace receyue the gospel very desyrously feruently framing their lyues in euery condicion therafter reformyng forsakyng their olde heathnyshe synfull lyfe maners pacient in all maner of affliccions Constant and faythfull euen vnto deathe for the true saythe and relygions sake againste ydolatrye supersticion and false religion And for this they haue receyued euerlastyng blisse wherin they laude honour god in the ioyes of heauen euerlastyngly As they also doe no lesse so long as they remayne in the warrefare of this transitorye lyfe wherin they walke as beyng marked and chosen out in all innocencie vertue and godlynes thus euen vpon earth they possesse their soules with pacience in all maner of assaultes and temptacions with a true confidence in god and with a quiet conscience And by this meanes they take here a tast of the blissed hope and loue vntil they obteyue euerlastynge saluacion The texte ¶ And one of the elders answered saying vnto me what are these whiche are arayed in longe whyte gatmentes and whence came they And I sayde vnto him Lorde thou wotest And he sayde to me these are they whiche came out of great tribulacion and made their garmentes large and made them whyte by the bloude of the lambe therfore are they in the presence of the seare of god and serue him daye and nyght in his temple and he that sytteth in the seate wylld well amonge them They shall honger no more nether thirst nether shall the sunne lyght on them nether eny heate â—or yâ— lambe whiche is in the myddes of the â—eare shall fede them and shall leade them vnto fountaynes of lyuynge water and God shall wype awaye all teares from their eyes A certen elder asked S. Iohn to geue him occasion to teache and to instructe him what he iudged and thought of those blessed ones whiche he saw in suche honour with god garnysshed with whyte garmentes And Iohn made a quicke answer sayeng that all those whiche doe cleaue vnto Christe with a true and a perfyght faith and for the faithe and truthes sake suffer paciently wyllingly what aâ—â—lyctioÌ„ so euer god shal sende vnto them thei shal be in great honour and estimacioÌ„ with god And they are suche as asscâ—ybe al their perfightnes vertue and godlynes not vnto their owne workes nor yet vnto their owne fulfyllyng of the lawe wherin they must nedes knowledge them selues gyltye and synful but all together vnto the merytes of the healthsome passion of Christ whiche is and shall euer be their rightuousnes in whome they put their trust and confydence and for his sake they are readye to suffer whatsoeuer god shall lay vpon them These are the holy blessed whiche beginne in this lyfe to haue a delight in godlynes euen with a free spirite And thorowe faythe they are sure of the grace and mercye of god which shal continue for euer towarde them at length they shall haue the cleare fruicion of all goodnes and shall fully possesse that which they doe here hope and
thryches of his goodnes Agaynste the daye of vengeaunce For whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe shall also c. Whan the the lorde shal iudge the secretes of meÌ„ c. A light of theÌ„ whiche wander in darkenes For the name of god is euil spoken of among the GeÌ„tyles But if thou be a breaker of the lawe the circumcision c. Neither is it circumcision whiche is outwarde in the fleshe c. Whaâ— prefermâ—nt then c. What then though sum of them dyd not c. For if the trueth of god appere more excellent thorough my ly That al mouthes may be stopped and that all the worlde c. WhoÌ„ God hath â—et fâ—rth to be the obteiner of mercy c. Therfore we holde that a man c. Do we then destroy the law through fayth c. If Abraham wee iustified by dedes theÌ„ hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God To him that worketh is the rewarde not reakened of fauer but of duetie c. Blessed are thei whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen How was it then rekened And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale c. And he receiued the signe of circuÌ„cision That he should be the father of all tâ—em that beleue For yf they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres thaÌ„ is faythe but vayne c. Therfore by fayth is thinheritaunce geuen c. I haue made the a father of manye nacions c. And calleth those thynges which be not as thoughe they wer Which Abraham contrary to hope beleued in hope Accordyng to that whiche was spoken euen so shall thy seede be Neuertheles it is not written for hym onlye Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth â–ª we are at peace with god And reioyse in hope of yâ— glorie of the chyldren of god For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christe died for vs. Not onelye this but we also ioye in god c. wherfore as by one man â–ª syn entred in to the world But synne is not imputed where therâ— is no lawe But the gifte is not lyke as the synne For if by the synne of one death raigned by yâ— meanes of one muche more c. For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience c. That as syn raigned vnto death euen so c. Shal we continue in sine God forbid â—now ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him Euen so shall we be partakers of his resurreccion That hence foorth we should not be seruantes vn to synne c. For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once Let not sinne raigne therfore in your mortalbodies And geâ—e ouer your meÌ„bres as instrumeÌ„tes of righteousnes vnto God c. His seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey c. Ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto yâ— rule of yâ— doctrine of that ye be brought vnto For when â—â— wer seruauntes of sinne ye wer voyde of all righteousnes For the ende of those thinges is death For the rewarde of syn is death but eternal life is the gifte of god c. Know ye not c. howe that the lawe hath power ouer the maÌ„ c. For the woman which is in subiection to a man c. So then if while the maÌ„ liueth she couple herselfe with an other c. EueÌ„ so ye also my brethreÌ„ are dead concerning yâ— lawe c. But now are we delyuâ—â—â—â— fâ—om th◠〈◊〉 deâ—◠〈◊〉 it Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by the lawe For sinne loke occasion by yâ— meanes of the commaundement c. wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holy Naye it was synne yâ— syn might appere by it whiche was good c. But I am carnall solde vnder synne If I do now that which I would not I consent c. For I know that in me c. dwelleth no good thyng For to wyl is presente with me but I fide no meanes to perfourme c For I delyghte in the lawe of god c. O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me c. For the lawe of yâ— spirit of life through Iesus Christ hath made me fre from the law of synne and death And sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfall fleshe To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace So then they that are in yâ— fleshe can not please God If any man haue not the spirit of christ the same is none of hâ—s c Wherfore if â— the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from death c. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shal dye c But ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion â–ª c. This spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are notworthy c. For yâ— ferneÌ„â— desyre of the creature abydeth lookyng when yâ— soÌ„nes of God shal appeare â–ª c. For we know that euery creature grâ—neth with vâ— also â–ª c. For we are saued by hope but hope that is seen is no hope For we know not what to desyre as we ought But yâ— spirit maketh intetcession c. And he that search â—â— the hertes knoweth â—â—â—at is the meanyng of the spirite â–ª For these wâ—â—che he knewe before he also ordâ—yâ—ned before And whome he hath called them also he iustified c. If god be on out side who caÌ„ be againste vs It is god yâ— iustifieth who is he yâ— can condeÌ„ne c. Who shal separate vs froÌ„ the loue of god Neuertheles in al theâ—e thiÌ„ges wâ— ouercum through hym that loued vs. Neyther heighte nor loweth c. I say yâ— truth â—n Christ and lâ—e not my coÌ„science also bearing me witnesse c. For I haue wishâ—dde my self â—â— be cursed froÌ„ Christ c. To whome pertayneth yâ— adopcion of the chyldren and the glory c. Whose also are the fathers and they of whom as coÌ„ceâ—nyng the fleshe Christe came They are not all Israelites whiche are of Israel c. But in Isaac shal thy seede bâ— called c. They whiche are yâ— chyldreÌ„ of the fleshe are not the chyldren of god c. Rebecca was with child by one euen by our father Isaac That the purpose of God by election might stande What shal we say then Is there any vnrighteousnes with god For yâ— scripture sayth vnto Pharao euen for this purpose haue I stered yâ— vp c. But O man what arte yâ— whiche disputest with god shal the work say to the workmâ—n c. Hath not the potter power ouer the claye euen of the same luÌ„pe c. Euen so God willyng to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath c. I wyl cal theÌ„ my people whiche were not my people c. Though the numbre of yâ— children of Israel be as the sand