more besemeth it vs to beare with the weakenes of other For as they that are eyther elder or stronger of body vse not therfore to throw downe nor to trede vnder feete their yoÌ„gers or suche as are not in strengthe able to matche with theÌ„ euen as though god had for yâ— purpose geueÌ„ meÌ„ streÌ„gthe to hurte therwith whome they wyll but rather the stronger they de the more shame coumpte they it to hurte tender youthe or feable olde age so the more iudgement and learning we haue somuche the rather are we bounde to temper oure selues to the weakenes of other rather than whyles we are of our learnyng proude and highly stande in oure owne conceyte we prouoke to anger our weake brother rather than either to suffer hym or to cure his disease Let noman therfore for his gyfte please hymselfe as though it wâ—re giuen hym to brag therwith out let hym rather dispysyng hymsefe please his neyghboure not that he shoulde for euerye purpose do so but to do hym good therwith and to make hym better than he is And this waye of curyng other mennes erours Christ hymselfe taught vs whiche beyng the very fountayne of al goodnes vsed not the same as one yâ— pleaseth him selfe to the auauncyng of his owne glorie but to helpe suche as were out of the waye and had but weake feeble consciences not onely despised the glorie whiche he was worthy of but was contented to be spitefully handled euen as Dauid inspired with his spirite sayde before that it shoulde be in his .ix. psalme the rebukes of them whiche rebuked the fell on me Which sentence is not only wrytten in the psalmes to th entent we should know it but to folow it also by his ensample learning how paciently and myldely our neyghbour should be suffered and borne with vntyll suche tyme as he growe vp and be rype in Christes religion and haue caste of his weake chyldyshnes As he therfore submitted hym self to our vilenes to th end he would by lytle and lytle exalt vs to a hygher state so meete is it also that we of hym take example how to allure our neyghbour to true godlynes the example wherof layde playnly before oure iyes as it were in a table in holye scriptures muste we continually haue in remeÌ„braunce that as he bought vs not by any worldly meane but by his sufferaunce redemed and saued vs and for his humblenes sake was finally exalted to trewe and perfite glorie so lykewyse shoulde we throughe sufferaunce of the weaker and the comforte of holy scriptures prouokyng vs to doe as Christe dyd truste to receyue suche rewarde as is prepared for all suche as folowe his steppes The texte The god of pacience and consolacion graunt you to be lyke mynded one towardes another after the ensample of Christ Iesu that ye all agreyng together maye with one mouthe praise god yâ— father of our lord Iesê° Wherfore receyue ye one another as Christ receyued vs to the prayse of god And this I saye that Iesus Christe was a minister of the circumcision for the truthe of god to confirme the promises made vnto the fathers and that the Gentiles might prayse god for his mercye as it is written For this cause I wyll prayse the among the Gentiles and syng vnto thy name And agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people And agayne prayse the Lord al the Gentiles and laude him al ye nacioÌ„s together And agayne Esai sayth there shal be the rooâ—e of Iesse and he that shall ryse to raigne ouer the Gentiles in hym shall the Gentiles truste The god of hope fyll you with all ioye and peace in belieuing that ye maye be riche in hope through the power of the holy ghost The general rule and summe of your profession is peace and concorde And therfore beseche I god the authour of pacience and hym whiche by his secrete wrytynges encourageth vs to sufferaunce withoute whose helpe we can do nothyng at all that he vouchesaue to graunte that ye be in one mynde and consent knyt together therin folowyng the example of Iesus Christe who nothyng somuche praysed vnto vs as mutuall loue and concorde And by this waye shall we well auaunce the glorie of god the father of Christe Iesus yf as he taught and dyd towarde vs we lykewyse do one to another and by this meane shall men also vnderstand that we are vnfaynedly Christes scholers if as ye in one assente speake of Christe ye through brotherly consente declare also that ye are all knytte together in one mynde Among you therfore whiche are Gentiles called from your ydolatrie to Christe and you yâ— are Iewes called from the shadowes of the law to perfite righteousnes let there no dissencion remayne but labour rather gladly to please eche one another of you Receyue and maynteyne eche other of you with your healping hande euen as our maister Christe gladly receyued you not coumptynge vpon the offences of your former lyfe but brotherly embracyng you all to th entent he would among men set furth the glorie of God his father that ye doyng as he did one to another of you his owne glory myght also be set out and spreade abrode Christe pleased both kyndes of men fyrste the Iewes to declare that god the father was trewe in his worde whiche perfourmed to theyr posteritie eueÌ„ the same thing that he in his prophetes sayinges had promised to theyr forefathers because they should gyue him thaÌ„kes whose good lucke was to receyue yâ— truthe of such thynges as Moses law in figures shadowes only represented Christ pleased also the Gentiles whiche had no suche promyse made vnto them to th entent they beyng receyued into this welthy state withoute any deserte yea without any hope therof shoulde for that magnifie the goodnes of god To th entent I saye the Iewes shoulde be glad that they haue at the laste attayned vnto that they haue long loked for the Gentiles also because they haue that thei loked not for That this shoulde so be was by the counsell of god long before decreed For in the psalmes this wyse speaketh Christe to his father For this cause wyll I set furthe thy glorie among the Gentiles and vnto thy name syng a song of prayse Agayne in the canticle of the Deuteronomie it is sayde Reioyse ye Gentiles with his people And agayne in the. Cxvi Psalme Prayse the lorde all ye Gentiles and laude hym all ye nacions together Agayne the same also long before prophesied Esaie saying Ther shal be in that daye the roote of Iesse and he that shall ryse to raigne ouer the GeÌ„tiles and in hym shall the Gentiles trust And now ferther I beseche god whiche by his prophetes saying hath put you in this hope that it maye please him now more aboundantly to perfourme that thing in you which he long synce promysed to do that all heauines and dissencion secluded it maye please hym to fulfyll you with
ye offer vs but vnthankefull were you to denie vnto them a liuing which labor and trauil for your weal. But now and if some haue among you vsed this autoritie and if apostles such as they be for of theÌ„ for a while pronounce I nothing vse it stil how much more lawfully might we doe the same which both first among al other and most of all other haue for your weale taken paines The texte â—â—uâ—rthelesse we haue not vsed this power but suffer all thinges lest we should â—inder the gospel of Christ Doe ye not know how yâ— they which minister about holy thinges liue of the sacrifices They whiche waite of the temple are partakers of the temple Euen so also did the lorde ordain that they whiche preache the gospell should liue of the gospell But I haue vsed none of these thinges Neuerthelesse I wrote not these that it should be so doen vnto me For it were better for me to die then that any man should take this reioysing from me For it I preache the gospell I haue nothyng to reioyce of For necessitye iâ— put vnto me But wo is it vnto me if I preache not the gospel If I do it with a good wil I haue a rewarde But if I doe it against my will an office is committed vnto me What is my reward then Verely that when I preache the gospel I make the gospell of Christâ— free that I misuse not mine aucthoritie in the Gospell And yet wittingly and well aduised vsed we not among you our right not because it was vnlawful so to doe or because we had sufficiente otherwyse but rather in our great lacke of necessaries we suffered great hardnes leste otherwise some such thing might happen whereby the increase of Christes doctrine myght be hindred For had it not bene that we more regarded your weale than our own profite we well knew that ye were certainly assured that as among the grecians they whiche minister about holy thinges haue a liuing of the sacrifices euen so among the Iewes suche as wayte vpon the aulter are partakers of the aulter And euen so hath the lorde Iesus ordayned it that suche as preache and teache the gospell should by the gospel haue a liuyng geuen them And with a meane and a conuenient liuyng euen he that faythfully laboreth iâ— Christes seruice ought to be content For god forbid that any man shoulde by that growe ryche whereby we are taughte to despise riches And thys ye sâ—e for how many causes and consideracions I myght lawfully haue done as other doe and yet none of them moued me to take anye thyng of you Nor purpose I at any tyme hereafter to take ought of you lest any man suspect that I for this brought so many reasons because I woulde with more excuse dooe that hereafter whiche I heretofore neuer dyd Of wiche mynde I not onelye not repent my selfe but would also rather die for huÌ„ger than any man should take this glory from me whiche since I haue once embraced I intende steadfastly to kepe Nor sustayne we suche lackes with sorowfull cheare but take them for a pleasure rather coumptyng it my glorye freely to preache the gospell synce so to doe I see it for your weale expedient that ye also may by myne exaumple learne sumtyme to abstayne from that whiche is lawfull if it he for other mens weale profitable For if I preache the gospell as other doe cause haue I none to glorye of The Lorde hath geuen me thys offyce whome whether I will or not I muste obey Prayse then deserue I none if I execute and doe that office whiche is geuen vnto me in commission but on the other syde assured am I of punishement if I in preachyng the gospell be slacke Yf I willingly and without byddyng haue preached the gospell god shall for that my readye good will rewarde me and if I doe it against my wil yet must I nedes doe that whiche I am put in trust with The gospell is deliuered vnto me not to hyde and kepe it to my selfe but to preache it to the Gentiles Nowe if I bestowe it I bestowe the treasure of the lorde and not myne owne if I bestowe it not wrong doe I to the Lorde whiche with my selfe kepe that talent without fruite and â—arayn whiche he would haue encreased with vsury But here ye wil say if such one as doth not his duetie be sure to be punished he that doeth his duetie haue no rewarde what hast thou theÌ„ Paule to glory vpon Certainly therby shal euery maÌ„ haue praise if he do more then he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded The lorde gaue vs in commaundement to preache the gospel but he bade vs not so to doe for nothyng and at our owne fyndyng but rather gaue vs autoritie to eate and drynke of such thynges as those people offered to whome we preached the gospell That therefore whiche his pleasure was should for vs be lawfull I would not take and vse as lawfull and for thys vsed I not the autoritie geuen vnto me because I knew that so to doe was both more for your profite and for the auauncement of gods worde frely to preache vnto you the doctrine of the gospell to thintent I myghte with more libertie warne you of your dueties and also â—echuse it should now more clerely appere that I teache not for aduauntage as some doe whiche seke theyr owne profite and not the honour of Iesus Christe The texte For though I be fre from all menne yet haue I made my selfe seruaunt vnto all menne that I mighte win the moe Vnto the Iewes I became as a Iewe to win the Iewes To them that were vnder the lawe was I made as though I had bene vnder the law when I was not vnder the law to win them that were vnder the lawe To them that were without lawe became I as though I had bene without lawe when I was not without law as perteinyng to God but vnder the lawe of Christ to win them that were without law To the weake became I as weake to win the weake In all thynges I fashioned my selfe to all menne to saue at the leastway some And this I doe for the gospels sake that I might haue part therof And as in this point I vsed not my power autoritie so in some other pointes submitted I my selfe as though I had to such thinges bene bounde where I was in dede fre and might haue choseÌ„ For where as I am not vnder the gentiles lawes and am by the grace of the gospel made free from the law of Moses yet of myne owne accorde euen as one bounde therto I please all men to the ende I may wynne more vnto my lorde To the Iewes therfore fashioned I my selfe sometime making a vowe and shauing my head and causing also Timothie to be circumcised as though I had bene a very Iewe when in dede I well wist that Moses lawe was abrogate and this diâ— I to thintent that such
Christe among them that are saued and â—mong them whiche perishe To the one parte are we the sauoure of death vnto death And vnto the other parte are wee the sauoure of lyfe vnto lyfe And who is meete vnto those thynges â—â— we are not as the moste parte are whiche chop and chaunge with the worde of God but â—â—â—â—â—â—â— of purenes and by the power of God in the sighe of God so speake we in Christe But after that I came to Troas there to preache the Gospell of Christ where there was by the fauoure of god a plentifull hope of encrease opened vnto me greately was my mynde disguieted becaused therwyse than I loked I found not my brother and felowe Titus there of whome I hadde greate neede to beare out that greate and weightie matter Leauing them therefore I went into Macedonia and that not without great ieopardye but thankes geue I vnto god whiche victoriously carrieth aboute by vs the triumphe of christian religion makyng it more glorious by that the glorye of hys Gospell dailye spreadeth more and more whiche by our preachyng enlargeth in all places abrode the knoweledge of hymselfe vsyng vs as though we were swete incense â–ª For when we preache in all places of the world the glorye of his gospell what elles dooe wee but spreade abrode the swete fauoure of Christe of it selfe in deede as I saye to all menne pleasaunte and holsome but yet to some throughe theyr owne faulte deadlye poyson holsom to suche as throughe fayth in the gospell obteyne saluacion vnholsome and deathlye to suche as refuse it thereby doublyng theyr damnacion to deathe euerlastyng as menne encreasyng theyr former offences wyth vnthankefulnes and stubbernesse of myndes But who is meete this to dooe and preache Whoso myndeth to laboure in this muste therein nothyng regarde but the onely glorye of Christe But some there bee whiche teachyng the gospell either for honoure or for aduauntage spreade not somuche abrode the swete sauers of Christe as theyr owne countrefaite deuises profityng themselfes and noâ— Christe whose manners wee abhorre Nor corrupte wee the woorde of God wyth worldlye doctryne sekyng oure own commodities but euen with a pure hearte teache it as a thyng that came from god and not of our selfes and that to the glorie of Iesus Christe as god hymselfe is witnesse ¶ The thyrde Chapter The texte ¶ We begin to praise our selues againe Neede we as some other of epistles of recommendacion vnto you or letters of recommendacion from you Ye are our epistle written in our hertes whiche is vnderstande and red of all men forasmuche as ye declare that ye are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshely tables of the hearte BVt this feare I leste anye manne thynke that we agayne prayse ourselfes vnto you to thyntente wee maye bothe of you other be had in price and more estemed But what nede hath any man to seke for commendacions when the matter self commendeth hym Nede we such letters of recommendacion as false apostles carrie about with them obteyned either of other vnto you or of you to other Nothing passe we vpon such letters The liuely epistle wherwyth we thinke our selfes sufficiently praised are ye Corinthians written in our heartes which I with muche lesse payne carrye aboute with me than they dooe theyrs This epistle in all places where I come euerye manne readeth and vnderstandeth so that I neede none other epistle synce that by youre Godlye lyfe all menne perfeitelye knowe what manner of apostles wee were and so farre foorth assure wee our selfes of youre good wyl towarde vs that seeyng that oure owne diligente labor doth aboundantly coÌ„mend vs wee nede no mens letters of commendacion whiles ye in perfite fayth and christian life declare that ye are Christes epistle written by hym in dede but yet by our ministerie and laboure Written I say not wyth yâ—ke as theirs are which teache humaine and carnall phantasies but with the spirite of the liuing god nor written agayne in tables of stone as mannes lawes are but in the fleashye tables of the hearte Your heartes wherin wee printed the doctrine of the gospell â–ª vsed we in steade of parchmente my tongue was in steade and serued for a penne but Christe himselfe with his holye spirite indited that thing whiche we wrote The texte Suche truste haue we thorowe Christe to Godwarde not that we are sufficient of ouâ— selues to thynke any thing as of oure selues but if we be hable vnto any thyng the same cummethe of God whiche hathe made vs hable to ministre the newe Testamente not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite geueth lyfe If the ministracion of death thorowe the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moses for the glorie of his countenaunce whiche glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite bee muche more glorious For if the ministryng of condemnacion bee glorious muche more dooth the ministracion of righteousnesse excede in glorye For no doubt that which was there glorified is not once glorified in respecte of this exceadyng glorie For if that whiche is destroyed â–ª was glorious muche more that whiche remayneth is glorious Seeyng then that wee haue suche truste wee vse greate boldenesse and dooe not as Moses whiche putte a vayle ouer his face that the children of Israell shoulde not see for what purpose that serued whiche is putte awaye But theyr myndes were blinded For vntill thys daye remaineth the same coueryng vntaken awaye in the lecture of the olde testament whiche vayle shal bee putte awaye in Christe But euen vnto this daye when Moses is reâ—ad the â—aâ—â— hangeth before theyr heartes Neuerthelesse when they tourne to the Lorde the vayle shall be taken awaye The Lorde no doubte is a spirite And where the spirite of the Lorde is then is libertie But we all beholde in a mirroure the glorye of the Lorde wâ—th his face open and aâ— chaunged vnto the same similitude from glorye to glorye euen as of the spyâ—yte of the Lorde But asmuche as the doctrine of the gospell passeth and is better thaâ— Moses lawe somuche more fruitfull and better is our laboure than his Nor yet take we thus muche vpon vs arrogantlye but speake the trueth as God is my recorde whiche by our seruice through Christe perfourmed it that wee speake of For had not his healpe bene certainly farre were we euen from thinkyng vpon any suche thyng of our owne power and muche farther from doyng it But yf we be eyther hable or haue bene hable to doe anye thynge al that came of the free bounteousnesse of God whyche as he hathe healped vs â—â— oure labours so hath he committed vnto vs this ministerye and dispensacion of the newe testamente to th entent wee should bestowe among you
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
to thintent they maye bryng you in hatred of the Gentiles for Christes sake and in displeasure with the Iewes for lacke of circumcision Iewes are they that so teache and feare the displeasure of theyr couÌ„treymen yf they shoulde without circumcision preache Christe as menne abolyshyng the lawe Suche rather stande in feare of men than of God and seeke for prayse at meÌ„nes handes rather than at goddes Suche feare leste the sincere profession of the crosse of Christe mighte stiere vp other yâ— hate Christes name to persecute them and feare also leste they shoulde be coumpted for vnlearned yf they shoulde nothyng elles teache but this simple lesson that Christ was crucified Nor do they this for a very zeale borne to the lawe of theyr countrey as I once erroniouslye dyd persecutyng the flocke of Christ forasmuche as no not the Iewes self kepe yâ— law notwithstandyng they be of theyr forefathers circumcised but abuse your rudenes chargyng you with circumcision to the ende that they among theyr companions maye vaunte themselfe that through theyr preachyng and teachyng ye are fallen to Iewyshnes This policie vse they to pacifie the enuie of theyr countrey men whiche coulde not abyde that throughe the gospell of Christe the lawe should be abrogate As for I neither so feare the hatred of the Iewes nor persecucion of the Gentiles yâ— I should with lesse â—inceritie preache Christes gospell The texte God forbid that I shoulde reioyse but in the crosse of our Lord Iesu Christ Wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde For in Christ Iesu neither circumcision auayleth any thyng at all nor vncircumcision but a newe creature God forbid that I shoulde in anye thyng els reioyce but in the crosse of my lorde Iesu Christe The Gentiles I knowe coumpte his crosse for a vilanie and reproche the Iewes hate and enuie it yet therin onlye put I all my glorie whiche nothyng regarde worldly prayse as one to whome throughe baptisme beyng graffed into the bodie of Christe the worlde is deade and contrary wyse I to the worlde nor am I with aduersities therof a fearde nor with prosperities delited nor passe vpon the displeasure nor couet the commendacion without all feare of worldly reproche and without desyre of vaynglory Christe onlye is for me sufficient both for al and agaynst all To whose profession whether a man come circumcised out of the stocke of the Iewes or not circumcised out of the stocke of the Gentiles it forceth not Into whose bodye whoso through fayth is transfourmed is sodaynely in suche sorte chaunged that he is become a newe creature and called regenerate A button therfore for all worldely differences Whoso professeth Christe let him nothyng els remember but that he is a christian man The texte And as manye as walke acordyng to this rule peace be on them and mercye and vpon Israel that pertayneth to God From hencefurthe let no man put me to busynes For I beare in my body the markes of the lorde Iesu Brethren the grace of oure lorde Iesu Christ be with your spirite Amen Let this be a sure rule whiche rule whosoeuer folowe to them wyshe I peace and mercye â—or meete it is to wyshe them the same thing whiche Dauid wished to the Israelytes in the Psalmes where he saythe peace be vpon Israel But there be of Isralites two sortes one whiche is so acoumpted before men and an other before god For he is not streyght a vecie Israelite whiche is but circumcised but he whose mynde is circumcised and he that through fayth is strong to godwarde To suche Israelites then of whiche noumber ye also be wyshe I peace and mercie Away with false Israelites suche as stubbernly and maliciously stryue agaynst the gospell of Christe they shall neuer from this doctryne moue me but what I haue preached that wyll I euer preache And therfore in this matier let no maÌ„ here after trouble me So far am I from to be moued from the truthe of the gospell with any vilanye or affliccion that whether socuer I go I carie about in my bodye all the spite that I haue for Christe sustayned as emprisonmentes scourgynges chaynes stonynges with other aduersities suffered for Christes name as tokens and markes of my Lorde Iesus Christe blasyng them out as certayne sygnes of my victories coumptyng this for my glorie that I as farre as maye be deserue to folow the crosse of Christ whome I preache The grace and good wyll of our Lorde Iesus Christ brethren be euer with your spirite yâ— through his ayde ye maye continewe in the truthe of the gospell whiche desyer of myne that it maye take effecte he graunte by whose spirite I wrote these Finis To the Christian reader Iohn Olde wysheth grace mercye and peace from God the father and from his sonne Iesu Christ our Lorde onely sauiour FOrasmuche moost gentle reader as euery pryest vndâ—â— a certayne degree in scholes is bounden by the kynges Maiesties most gracious iniunctioÌ„s to haue prouided by a daye lymited for his owne study and erudicion yâ— who le Paraphrase of D. Erasmus vpon the newe testamente â—oth in Latine and Englishe And where I heard neuertheles in the begynnyng of this last somer by the Pryntout â–ª my very hertie good frend Edwarde Whitchurche that the Paraphrases vpon seuen of Paules Epistles that is to saye to the Ephesians Philippians both thepistles to yâ— ThessaloniaÌ„s both to Timothee and thepistle to Philemon were neither translated ready to the Prynte ne yeâ— appoynted certaynly to be translated of any man so as thafore mencioned iniunction should be lyke in this case to be frustrate of his due execucion the ignoraunt priestes iniunction breakers as they are in other thynges ynowe bebesydes that and the symple vulgare people hungryng and thirstynge after ryghteousnes by wantyng of these Paraphrases vnfedde and not onely vnfedde for lacke of suche liuely playne exposicions of the scriptures as the Paraphrases in most thynges are but also by reason of the continuaunce of accustomed vanities yea rather blasphemies in the churche they are broughte throughe the Popishe persuasions of the couetous gredye missal sacryficers into daylye encreace of errour and ignoraunce more and more And althoughe it myght be iustely answered vnto me that it is not the onelye lacke of the translated Paraphrases wherby the commune people communely contynue still in ignoraunce but muche rather the lacke aswell of good wyll as habilitie in the priestes and curates that reade the good Homylies al ready set forth and the scriptures with cuttyng hackynge hummyng cheopping and mynceyng after such sort as yâ— people are in most Parishes not only broughte into a great tedious wearynes bicause of the vnsauery imperfite readynge pronouÌ„ceing pointing of those good thinges but also into a certayne coÌ„teÌ„ptuous lothsomnes hatred therof seing their curates beare so lytell good wyl so vnto warde to the furtherauÌ„ce of gods worde glory to their parisheneâ—s erudicion
of one body should among your selfes be of one mynde The texte And see that ye be thankeful Let the worde of Christ dwel in you plenteously with al wisedome Teache and exhorte your owne selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spiritual songes syngyng with grace in your heartes to the lorde Be not vnthankeful and forgetful of Goddes great goodnes toward you With him should we not now haue been at peace had he not freely forgeuen vs all our sinnes and doeth one brother forgettyng this make battel againe his brother for a lytle displeasure Striue not among your selfe for preeminence in worldly wysedome Let the worde of Christ whiche teacheth thinges belongyng to perfite godlynes dwel and continue in you pleÌ„tifully that in him ye sauer growe wise so that not only your selfe knowe what is to Christ acceptable but be also able one to teache an other if any be out of the way and to geue an other warnyng if he in his dutie be slacke in yâ— meane season at all tyme mery and ioyful in hope of the blâ—sse to come geuyng praise to God in Psalmes in Hymnes and in spiritual songes praisyng God not with our mouth onely but also more speacially with our heart For suche are the songes with whoÌ„ God is delited lest any thinke it a great praise to God onely with his mouth to make a noyse The texte And whatsoeuer ye do in worde or dede do all in the name of the lord Iesu geuyng thankes to God the father by him Fynally whatsoeuer ye do either in worde or dede do it so that it make to the glory of our lorde Iesus so that all your life and conuersacion sauer expresse and resemble him Whyles ye are this wyse doyng if any thing befal you whether it be prosperouse or other wyse be not ther with either proude or dismayed but for all geue thankes to God the father through his sonne by whom he turneth all suche chaunces to oure weale and auauntage The texte Ye wyues submitte your selues to your owne husbandes as it is comly in the lorde Ye husbandes loue your wyues and be not bitter vnto them Ye children obey your fathers and mothers in all thinges for that is well pleasyng vnto the lorde Ye wyues submitte your selues obediently vnto your husbandes so besemeth it suche as haue taken vpoÌ„ them Christes name for whom it is mete in all goodnes to go beyond other Ye husbandes againe loue your wyues whom ye must remembre in suche condicion to be subiecte vnto you that yet to them ye should not be sharpe and bitter Ye children be in all thinges obedient to your fathers and mothers though they commaunde you paineful busines so that the same be not vngodly For it is Christes wyll and pleasure that ye should so do The texte Ye fathers prouoke not your children to aâ—get lest they be of a desperate mynde Ye seruauntes be obedient vnto them that are your bodily maisters in all thinges not with iye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearyng God And whatsoeuer ye do do it heartely as though ye did it to the lorde and not vnto men knowyng that of the lorde ye shal receiue the rewarde of inheritauÌ„ce for ye serue the lord Christ Againe ye fathers abuse not your authoritie vpon your children nor prouoke them so with cruelnes that they dispayre Ye seruauntes in all pointes obeye y our maisters whom by the lawe of man ye are bounde to serue not onely because they see and loke vpon you and for feare as the comen sorte of heathen seruauntes are wonte to do thinkyng that they haue done theyr dueties if they offende not theyr master veyng but a maÌ„ but also with a simple and an vnfamed heart doyng your duetie not only for feare of man but also for feare of God who seeth with what mynde ye do whatsoeuer ye do Nor consider in your seruice what your master beyng but a man deserueth but what seruice soeuer ye do vnto him what kynde of one soeuer he be coumpte it as done to Christ and not to men assuryng your selfe that of him ye shall receiue the rewarde of heauenly inheritaunce though your vnkynde maister geue you nothyng for your labor nor accoumpte you among his children For whiles ye for Christes sake do seruice to vnmete maisters ye serue Christ The texte But he that doeth synne shal receiue for his sinne Neither is there any respecte of persons with God For as the maister yf he against his seruauÌ„t any thing offende though he among men be not punyshed he shall not yet before god escape punishment so the seruaunt that well doth his duetie albeit he haue no rewarde of men whiche with themselues thynke that they to theyr seruauntes are nothyng bound when they haue done theyr dueties yet shal they not loose theyr rewarde at gods hand who putteth no differeÌ„ce betwixte persoÌ„s but betwixt myndes nor coÌ„sidereth a mannes condicion but how wel he doth â–ª The .iiii. Chapiter The texte Maisters do vnto your seruauntes that whiche is iuste and equall knowyng that ye also haue a maister in heauen AGayne ye that are maisters abuse not the authoritie gyuen you by mennes lawes not for any perfeccion of nature to exercise tyranny vpoÌ„ your seruauntes but gyue them that is iust and lawfull departyng with them sufficiently in suche thynges as are for naturall vses necessarye make not for your pleasure to muche of some intollerablye oppressing other assuring your selues that ye are rather with them felowes in seruice thaÌ„ maisters for asmuche as ye haue with them one commen maister in heauen at whose haÌ„de ye shal fiÌ„de like fauer as your selues haue shewed to your seruaÌ„tes The texte CoÌ„tinue in prayer watche in the same with thaÌ„kes giuing praying also for vs that god maye open vnto vs the doore of vtteraunce that we maye speake the misterie of Christe wherfore I am also in these boÌ„des that I maye vtter it as it becommeth me to speke And because I would ye should be more worthie meÌ„bres of Christes body continue in prayer not as dull heauy people by reason of any surfettyng but as sober wakefull in the same also geuyng god thankes so that ye not only desyer of god thinges to saluacioÌ„ profitable but also gyue him thankes for his dayly giftes to the inteÌ„t that wheÌ„ he seeth you both thaÌ„kfull mindefull he maye be towarde you more beneficiall In the meane tyme ye shal also deiyre god for vs that it maye please his goodnes in suche sorte to take awaye al impedimentes that his gospel maye freely be preached that he through faith openyng mennes heartes the misterie maye enter into al mennes mindes which beyng hitherto hidden the father would now haue knowen vnto all as touchyng Christe through whom without helpe of the law he offereth vnto al people saluacion for preaching wherof I lye in these bondes so that nothing lette me among al men to publish sprede abrode
vs all our sinnes and doeth one brother forgettyng this make battel againe his brother for a lytle displeasure Striue not among your selfe for preeminence in worldly wysedome Let the worde of Christ whiche teacheth thinges belongyng to perfite godlynes dwel and continue in you pleÌ„tifully that in him ye sauer growe wise so that not only your selfe knowe what is to Christ acceptable but be also able one to teache an other if any be out of the way and to geue an other warnyng if he in his dutie be slacke in yâ— meane season at all tyme mery and ioyful in hope of the blisse to come geuyng praise to God in Psalmes in Hymnes and in spiritual songes praisyng God not with our mouth onely but also more speacially with our heart For suche are the songes with whoÌ„ God is delited lest any thinke it a great praise to God onely with his mouth to make a noyse The texte And whatsoeuer ye do in worde or dede do all in the name of the lord Iesu geuyng thankes to God the father by him Fynally whatsoeuer ye do either in worde or dede do it so that it make to the glory of our lorde Iesus so that all your life and conuersacion sauer expresse and resemble him Whyles ye are this wyse doyng if any thing befal you whether it be prospetouse or other wyse be not therwith either proude or dismayed but for all geue thankes to God the father through his sonne by whom he turneth all suche chaunces to oure weale and auauntage The texte Ye wyues submitte your selues to your owne husbandes as it is comly in the lorde Ye husbandes loue your wyues and be not bitter vnto them Ye children obey your fathers and mothers in all thinges for that is well pleasyng vnto the lorde Ye wyues submitte your selues obediently vnto your husbandes so besemeth it suche as haue taken vpoÌ„ them Christes name for whom it is mete in all goodnes to go beyond other Ye husbandes againe loue your wyues whom ye must remembre in suche condicion to be subiecte vnto you that yet to them ye should not be sharpe and bitter Ye children be in all thinges obedient to your fathers and mothers though they commaunde you paineful busines so that the same be not vngodly For it is Christes wyll and pleasure that ye should so do The texte Ye fathers prouoke not your children to anger lest they be of a desperate mynde Ye seruauntes be obedient vnto them that are your bodily maisters in all thinges not with lye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearyng God And whatsoeuer ye do do it heartely as though ye did it to the lorde and not vnto men knowyng that of the lorde ye shal receiue the rewarde of inheritauÌ„ce for ye serue the lord Christ Againe ye fathers abuse not your authoritie vpon your children nor prouoke them so with cruelnes that they dispayre Ye seruauntes in all pointes obeye your maisters whom by the lawe oâ— man ye are bounde to serue not onely because they see and loke vpon you and for feare as the comen â—orte of heathen seruauntes are wonte to do thinkyng that they haue done theyr dueties if they offende not theyr master beyng but a maÌ„ but also with a simple and an vnfained heart doyng your duetie not only for feare of man but also for feare of God who seeth with what mynde ye do whatsoeuer ye do Nor consider in your seruice what your master beyng but a man deserueth but what seruice soeuer ye do vnto him what kynde of one soeuer he be coumpte it as done to Christ and not to men assuryng your selfe that of him ye shall receiue the rewarde of heauenly inheritaunce though your vnkynde maister geue you nothyng for your labor nor accoumpte you among his children For whiles ye for Christes sake do seruice to vnmete maisters ye serue Christ The texte But he that doeth synne shal receiue for his sinne Neither is there any respecte of persons with God For as the maister yf he against his seruauÌ„t any thing offende though he among men be not punyshed he shall not yet before god escape punishment so the seruaunt that well doth his duetie albeit he haue no rewarde of men whiche with themselues thynke that they to theyr seruauntes are nothyng bound when they haue done theyr dueties yet shal they not loose theyr rewarde at gods hand who putteth no differeÌ„ce betwixte persoÌ„s but betwixt myndes nor coÌ„sidereth a mannes condicion but how wel he doth â–ª The .iiii. Chapiter The texte Maisters do vnto your seruauntes that whiche is iuste and equall knowyng that ye also haue a maister in heauen AGayne ye that are maisters abuse not the authoritie gyuen you by mennes lawes not for any perfeccion of nature to exercise tyranny vpoÌ„ your seruauntes but gyue them that is iust and lawfull departyng with them sufficiently in suche thynges as are for naturall vses necessarye make not for your pleasure to muche of some intollerablye oppressing other assuring your selues that ye are rather with them felowes in seruice thaÌ„ maisters for asmuche as ye haue with them one commen maister in heauen at whose haÌ„de ye shal fiÌ„de like fauer as your selues haue shewed to your seruaÌ„tes The texte CoÌ„tinue in prayer watche in the same with thaÌ„kes giuing praying also for vs that god maye open vnto vs the doore of vtteraunce that we maye speake the misterie of Christe wherfore I am also in these boÌ„des that I maye vtter it as it becommeth me to speke And because I would ye should be more worthie meÌ„bres of Christes body continue in prayer not as dull heauy people by reason of any surfettyng but as sober wakefull in the same also geuyng god thankes so yâ— ye not only desyer of god thinges to saluacioÌ„ profitable but also gyue him thankes for his dayly giftes to the inteÌ„t that wheÌ„ he seeth you both thaÌ„kfull mindefull he maye be towarde you more beneficiall In the meane tyme ye shal also desyre god for vs that it maye please his goodnes in suche sorte to take awaye al impedimentes that his gospel maye freely be preached yâ— he through faith openyng mennes heartes the misterie maye enter into al mennes mindes which beyng hitherto hidden yâ— father would now haueknowen vnto all as touchyng Christe through whom without helpe of the law he offereth vnto al people saluacion for preaching wherof I lye in these bondes so that nothing lette me among al men to publish sprede abrode yâ— gospel of Christ which am desirouse so to do freely wtout feare eueÌ„ as he coÌ„mauÌ„ded me The texte Walke wysely towarde them that are without and lose no oportunitie Vse your selues soberly discretly with suche as are to Christes religioÌ„ straungers so that in your maners nothing appeare yâ— maye either moue them to persecute you or withdrawe theyr myndes fauer from the gospel For synce it can not be auoyded but that ye must nedes
that among all other nations vnto them onelye were delyuered the wordes of god as it maye appere eyther for that to them aboue other was committed the law and prophecies or for that to them god only vouchesaued to speake Of whiche bothe the fyrst coulde not be without the great bounteousnes of god whome it pleased so to magnifie that nacion and thē agayne muche more semeth he prepared to the faythe offered by the ghospell whiche knoweth the promyses of the lawe and nygher is he to the truthe whiche hath sumwhat therof albeit it be but a shadowe For the knowledge of Moyses lawe and of the darke sayinges of the Prophetes are as it were a steppe onwarde and a furtheraunce to the doctrine of Christes ghospel And albeit sum of the Iewes beyng to muche stubbernely gyuen to the carnall letter of the lawe woulde not gyue credence to the ghospell yet hurteth not theyr vnbelief suche as vnfaynedly credit it Shall the vnbelief of suche thinke you cause that the faythfull promise of god shall not take effecte so that he beyng therwith displeased wyl as men are comenly wont to do breake his promyse and disapoynt all men of y◠which he hath equally and indifferently promysed to euerie man God forbid it shoulde be so but rather looke surely that god will with all men kepe his promise sauing with suche as refuse to take his offer whiche he doth lest any manne myght at any tyme reproue the fidelitie of the promyse maker and leste it appere not sufficiently that god is trew and as he is trew in dede and cannot lye so is he ready to perfourme whatsoeuer he promised but falsehod and lying cum of men which through theyr own faultes are of the promises of god disapoynted God as he is faythful so neither canne he be deceyued nor deceyue but man in asmuche as he is but manne maye do bothe That the promyses of god ben moste certayne witnesseth also the misticall and heauenlye psalme of Dauid saying To the intente thou in thy sayinges myghteste appeare righteouse and trewe and in dede ouercum as often as menne shall accuse the for suche one as maketh vayne promises falsely and leudly thynking with themself that for myne offences sake thou wylte not perfourme thy promise made to the stocke of Dauid In dede I cannot denye but that I well deserued to be disapoynted of thy promyse but yet muche matier maketh it that thy fidelitie and truthe shoulde throughe my synnes be amōg men more commended and spoken of as it wil whē they shal see the holde on styll not chaungyng thy sentence notwithstandyng all myne vnrighteousnes The texte ¶ But yf our vnrighteousnes make the righteousnes of god more excellent what shall we saye Is god vnrighteouse which taketh vengeaunce I speake after the manner of men god forbid For how then shall god iudge the world for yf the truthe of god appeare more excellent through my ly vnto his prayse why am I hēcefurth iudged as a synner And not rather as men speake euyll of vs and as sum affirme that we saye let vs do euell that good maye cum therof whose damnacion is iuste But here sum man with himself wyll peraduenture thynke this yf by mennes vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of god be more aduaunced and set furthe what shall we thynke Shal we thynke god vnrighteouse and suche as would haue synne to continewe that his iustice maye more clearly appere and be more praysed But now speake I not in myne owne name but in the name of vngodlye people For god forbid that any suche thought shoulde at any tyme enter into any good mannes mynde Yf god be vnrighteouse as this reason semeth how can he be hyghe iudge of this worlde For yf this be goddes ordinaunce that I should be a sinfull lyar to the intent that through my lying his fidelitie truthe might the better be knowen more set furth and that my reprochefull lyfe also should auaūce his glory why is thē my sinful lyfe layed vnto my charge why thynk we not rather as foule tounged people falsly reporte takyng vs as though we this sayed let vs do vnhappely that good maye cum therof yf that through out vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of God be more magnified and praysed But god kepe all good folke farre frō suche frantyke imaginacions Al suche men for theyr vnbelefe are for iuste and lawfull causes by goddes sentence condemned For as they can not laye to goddes charge the synnes wherof themself be wylful workers so thākes shoulde there none be gyuen vnto them yf god of his goodnes turne theyr offences to his glorie The texte What then Are we better than they No in no wyse For we haue all redy proued howe that bothe Iewes and Gentiles are all vnder syn as it is written There is none righteouse no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after god they are all gone out of the waye they are al vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre with theyr tongues they haue deceyued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lyppes Whose mouth is full of cursyng and bitternes Theyr feet are swyft to shed bloude Destruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of god before theyr eyes But now agayne to our purpose what shall we saye Are we that are Iewes in better case thā are y◠paynyms Not a whyt I meane touching gods grace promysed by the gospell though that in the prerogatiue of the lawe gyuen vnto vs by God we seme to passe them For nowe haue we already playnly proued that both Iewes and Gētiles are all subiect and thral vnto synne As for the gētiles y◠matier is more plaine than can be denied And y◠the Iewes are in like case theyr owne scriptures beare euidēt witnes For in the .xiii. psalme of Dauid this wyse is it wryten there is none righteous none is there that vnderstādeth or seketh for God all are wandered out of the waye and therewith also becomen vnprofitable no man is there that doeth well I say not somuche as one Againe in the .v. Psalme theyr shrote is an open sepulchre with theyr tonges haue they deceiued the poyson of the serpent Aspis is vnder theyr lippes In the ix Psalme likewyse whose mouth is ful of bitternes and cursyng With whiche testimonies the prophete Esai agreyng saieth theyr fete are swift to shed bloud destruccion and wretchednes are in theyr wayes the way of peace haue they not knowen there is no feare of God before theyr yies The texte We know that whatsoeuer thyng the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them whiche are vnder the lawe that all mouthes may be stopped that all the worlde may be subdued to God because that by the dedes of the law there shal no fleshe be iustified in his sight For by the lawe cummeth the
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
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
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
be out of his faithful houshold congregacion whiles ye be receiued into it y◠they in tyme to come through the callyng of God amendyng theyr life may as ye do obtaine Gods mercy whiche God doeth because neither should reuile other but eche be of other gladde findyng like mercye at Goddes hande For so doeth God by his vnspeakable wysedome rule and ordre all thinges that no kynde of men should be fre from synne not that he is author of the same but that for a season he suffereth men through theyr owne faultes to fal into synne that when they know theyr owne offences they may wel perceiue how that they are saued not for theyr owne desertes but through the fre mercye of God leste they otherwyse might waxe proud And whiles he this doth so farre is he frō puttyng euil into mens mindes that of his goodnes in a meruailous sorte other mennes euil he turneth to our good The texte O the depnes of the riches both of the wisdome knowledge of God how vnsercheable are his iudgemētes and his wayes paste findyng out For who hath knowen the minde of the lorde Or who hath been his coūsailour either who hath geuen vnto him first and he shal be recom̄pensed againe For of him and through him and for him are all thinges To him be glory for euer Amen But into this secrete pointe happely I entre more deapely than is mete for any manne to do among men But am with consideracion of the vnspeakable way and counsel of God as one astonned that whereas I cannot expresse the same this exclamacion make I O the depenes of the most aboundaunt and ouerflowyng wysedome of God how vnable are mens wyttes to searche out and conceiue his iudgementes how vnmete are mens wittes to fynde out his wayes For who euer knewe the minde of the Lord or who was at any tyme his counsailour What mā is there that fyrst prouoked him with any good turne in suche sorte that the benefite of God geuen to him againe may seme a rewarde wages geuen for his well deseruyng In suche sorte prouideth God for our saluacion by suche meanes in dede as mennes wittes are not able to finde out but yet so wel that it cannot be amended in suche condicion his pleasure is we should of his benefite be partakers that for the same we should for no parte therof thanke our selues If any euil be for that may we thāke our selfe All the goodnes that euer is of him cōmeth it as from a fountaine by him as author are all thinges geuen in him be they as keper and defender of his giftes because no manne should of this praise presumptuously take vpō him any parte syth the beginnyng mydle and ende belong to him to whom for the same honour praise and glory is due for euer of whiche glory it is vnlawful for any man to chalenge any parte The .xii. Chapiter The texte I beseche you therfore brethren by the mercyfulnes of God that ye make your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable seruyng of God and fashion not your selues like vnto this worlde but be ye chaunged in your shape by the renuyng of your minde that ye may proue what thing that good acceptable and perfite wyl of God is For I say through the grace that vnto me geuē is to euery man among you that no man stande hye in his owne conceite more then it becōmeth him to esteme of him selfe but so iudge of him selfe that he be gentle and sobre accordyng as God hath dealte to euery man the measure of fayth SYth now then by the goodnes of God ye are from your olde supersticion brought to perfite religion and syth ye are deliuered from the burdain of Moses lawe I heartely beseche and pray you brethren for the great mercies sake whiche God hath diuersly shewed and styl sheweth towardes you whose free goodnes ye should thanke for the welthy state ye stande in that ye hencefoorth vnto him offre suche sacrifices as become your professiō not gootes shepe or oxen whiche as the Iewes and Paynyms custome is are chosen out as cleane beastes and meete for diuine sacrifice Ye haue in suche grosse sacrifices vntyll this tyme sufficiently had your wyll hencefoorth requireth God of you farre vnlike customes another kynde of worshippyng with other newe sacrifices that is to say that ye vnto him offre euen your owne bodyes not makyng them lame but subduyng your naughtie desyres in them not offeryng vnto him dead beastes but a liuyng sacrifice in al poinctes pure and holy thankeful and acceptable vnto God a reasonable sacrifice a sacrifice I say of the soule and of no brute beast As long as the carnal lawe continued God was contented that corporal beastes should be offered vnto him But after that the lawe once became spiritual with spiritual sacrifice worshippe him must we In stede of a calfe kyl thy proude thoughtes in stede of a ramme kyl thy feruent malice in stede of a goote burne vppe thy fylthy lust in stede of dooues and turtles sacrifice vnto God thy fraile and wanton thoughtes These and none els are mete sacrifices for christian men these are the sacrifices whom Christ gladly receiueth God is a spirite and with spiritual oblacions is his fauor wonne Nor requireth he so muche to be honoured with ceremonies as to be enbraced with a pure hearte and mynde In stede of circumcision cutte out of thy mynde superfluous and vnsemyng desyres In stede of kepyng thy sabboth kepe thy minde quiet frō troublous desyres Christ for our sakes once offered him selfe mete is it that we againe offre our selfes to him And then wyl this folowe that as ye are takē out of this worlde and haue betaken your selfes to an heauēly profession so shall ye in life and myndes dissent all together from your olde state and asmuche as maye be altered into newe and heauenly men though not with bodies immortall yet at lestwyse with newe desyres of myndes so that hencefoorth no suche thyng shal please you as cursed people and suche as are geuen to transitory pleasures doe greatly esteme but desyre onely suche thynges as please God nor be any lenger vnder the Iewishe rules of menne but in all your desyres and in all your doynges hang at the wyll and gouernaunce of God whiche regardeth no grosse thyng nor that whiche is vnperfite but that whiche is perfitely good and acceptable and for Goddes honour and godly religion mete and conuentent Among them that sette by the world a custome it is that suche as are welthy disdaine the poore he that is poore enuyeth the riche man But I commaunde euery one of you whosoeuer he be be he riche or of the cōmon sorte so that he be of the christian flocke and taken out of the felowshippe of this worlde that through pryde he thynke nomore of him selfe than is besemyng but that he be of
christian men the free almes of the Macedonians of them that dwel in Achaia deliuered by them vnto me For so to do they thought good that with a suÌ„me of mony indiffereÌ„tly gathered of suche as were disposed frely to geue to refreshe the pouertie of some that are at Ierusalem whiche beyng poore in substaunce are yet in godly religion riche Noman coÌ„pelled theÌ„ so to do but so thought they in my mynde therin they thought well forasmuche as they are bounden vnto them for religions sake deliuered fyrst vnto them at theyr haÌ„d And for that cause synce the people of IerusaleÌ„ fyrst departed the doctrine of Christ with the geÌ„tiles reasonable it is that they again depart with theÌ„ with some part of theyr mony with suche vile reward recoÌ„pensyng the precious treasure whiche they haue receiued Thone sorte frely departed with suche treasures as belong to yâ— helth of the soules the other frely wyllyngly geue that whiche appertaineth to bodily necessities Therfore as sone as I haue herein done my duetie deliuered this mony to them to whoÌ„ it is purposed for both mynde I to deliuer it my selfe the money sealed lest either any part therof be by some deceitfully takeÌ„ away or els lest my selfe might be suspected as one yâ— hath taken some part therof because I labor in an other mans busines for nothyng I wil in my iourney to Spainward go by you And though I make hastie spede into Spain to preache the gospel vnto them yet wil I not thinke it paineful to tary spende some tyme among you nothyng doubtyng but that when I shal come vnto you I shal so come find you suche yâ— my coÌ„myng shal be to yâ— great glory praise of Christ whiles both ye with godly mindes receiue me merily I through the helpe of God in al pointes satisfie your desyres The texte I beseche you brethren for our lord Iesus Christes sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye helpe me in my busynes with your praiers to God for me that I may be deliuered from them whiche beleue not in Iewry and that this my seruice whiche I haue to do at Ierusalem may be accepted of the saintes that I may come vnto you with ioy by the wyll of God and may be with you refreshed The God of peace be with you al. Amen In the meane season I beseche you for our lorde Iesus Christes sake and for the vnfained charities sake whiche we haue by his spirit receiued that forasmuche as I can not yet presently haue your cuÌ„pany that at lest in your godly prayers peticions made vnto God ye wyl helpe me labouryng trauailyng in suche dauÌ„gerous busines as I do that by his helpe I may be deliuered froÌ„ the misbeleuers that are in Iury suche as resist the gospel of Christ that theyr malice hinder no part of the fruit of our preachyng and that this myne office in deliueraunce of this money whiche I am now about to make at Ieruâ—â—leÌ„ may without any lette be pleasauÌ„t thaÌ„keful to the good deuoute people there that when this is done as I would haue it both my comyng by yâ— wyl of God may be vnto you ioyful that I may after great labors taken be a whyle among you refreshed But to finishe the exhortacion that I begunne I beseche that the God of true peace the father author mainteiner of coÌ„corde may alway abide among you whiche as resisteth goeth farre from proud and sedicious persons so is he gotten kept with mutual coÌ„sent agrement The .xvi. Chapiter The texte I commende vnto you Phebe our syster whiche is a minister of the congregacion of Cenchrea that ye receiue her in the lorde â–ª as it becoÌ„meth saintes and that ye assist her in whatsoeuer busynes she needeth of your ayde For she hath succoured many myne owne selfe Grete Prisca aâ—â—o Aquila my healpers in Christ Iesu whiche haue for my life layd doune theyr owne neckes Vnto whoÌ„ not I onely geue thaÌ„kes but also all the coÌ„gregacions of the gentiles Likewise grete the coÌ„gregacion that is in their house Salute my welbeloued â—penetes whiche is the fyrst fruite of Achaia in Christ â—rete Mari whiche bestowed muche labor ou vs. Salute Andronicus and Iunia my cosyns and prisoners with me also â–ª whiche are well taken among the Apostles and were in Christ before me Grete Amplias my beloued in the lorde Salute VrbaÌ„ out helper in Christ and Stachis my welbeloued Salute â—ppelles approued in Christ Salute them whiche are of Aristobulus houshold Salute Herodian my â—yusman Grete them that be of the houshold of Narcissus whiche are in the lorde Salute â—riphena â—riphosa whiche women labor in the lorde Salute the beloued â—ersis whiche labâ—red muche in the lorde Salute â—ufus chosen in the lorde and his mother and myne Grete Asincritus Phlegon Herman Patrobas Mercurius and the brethren whiche are with them Salute Philologus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olimpa and al the saintes whiche are with them Salute one another with an holy kysse The congregacions of Christ salute you BVt yet by these letters I commende vnto you our sister Phebe who went hence vnto you to whom I deliuered these letters to be brought thither who hath with all diligence succoured and sustained the christian congregacion at Cenchris desiryng you so to receiue and vse her as is mete for such a woman to be receiued as for good people hath done muche and to ayde her in al suche thynges as she shall neede to haue your healpe in And surely mete it is that ye helpe her forasmuche as she hath oftymes both succoured many other good people and me also Grete in my name Prisca and her husbande Aquilla whiche is a Iewe of the countrie of Pontus whiche holpe me when I was in ieopardie of the Iewes liyng in watche for me and that did he lest through some naughtie people the preachyng of Christes doctrine might be setted so farfoorth that for defence of my life they put them selues in ieopardy of theyr owne as folke redy to aueÌ„ture theyr liues for the sauegarde of myne for whiche goodnes not onely I geue them thaÌ„kes but with me al the congregacions of gentiles partly because they do for other likewyse as they haue done for me partly because they thynke that the benefite whereby I was saued generally belongeth to all men And salute not them onely but also all theyr family Grete Epenetus for his laudable maners well worthy to be so called to me for this specially beloued because I maye well call hym the fyrste fruites of Achaia as whome of all that countrey I fyrst brought to Christes religion Greete Maria whiche not without ieopardye and payne hath done muche for me Greete ye Andronicus and Iunia bothe my cosyns and also imprysoned somtyme with me whiche are among the Apoposties wel taken and in
whereas ye are from darkenesse and ignoraunce brought to the lyght of the ghospel beeyng a thyng so vnlyke and hard to bee perswaded in no manne should thinke thesame to bee doen by worldely wysedome or eloquence whiche we take not vpon vs but by the power of God by whom our preachyng was more effectuall and strong than euer was any disputacion of the Philosophers were it neuer so subtile were it neuer so wittye and well set in ordre At my beeyng among you whiche were proude of your worldely wysedome and ignoraunte of the wysedome of God I taught you but playne matters but yet suche were they as were to saluacion necessarie The texte We speake of wysedom among them that are perfecte not the wysedom of this worlde neyther of the rulers of this worlde which goe to naught but we speake the wysedom of God whiche is in secrete and lyeth hyd whiche God hath or deyned before the worlde vnto our glory whiche wysedome none of the rulers of this worlde knewe For had they hadde knowledge they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glory But as it is wrytten The iye hath not seen and the eare hath not heard neyther haue entred into the hert of man the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym We haue of Christe deaper poyntes of wysedome but of them talke we among suche as are perfite Be diligente therfore and laboure to bee perfite that ye maye bee partakers of the secrete and hydden misteries of God Besyde this we that preache the crosse of Christe seme to the faythlesse to preache verye folyshnesse but to suche as stedfastly beleue seme we to preache an excellente wysedome muche differyng from that wysedome whiche laboureth in vayne to serche out by naturall reason the causes of this worlde and farre also from worldely policie wherof the greate estates of this worlde make greate crakes whose authoritie with all theyr wysedome is by Christe abolished and vanquyshed by vtteryng theyr folyshnesse but we preache of a heuenly wysedome whiche hath not an outwarde apparence of that which is not within it but is inwardly myghtie and effectuall There is in this wysedome no curiositie nor pompe and yet symple as it is all menne perceyue it not But as it is secrete so is it knowen by secrete inspiracion and that of none but of suche only as God vouchesaueth to make partakers thereof We lay not furth the priuities of this wysedome before the cōmen sort of people but vtter them secretly to suche as are able and mete to receyue them And albeit this wysedome be nowe at laste in oure tymes publyshed yet god before all tyme by his hygh counsel ordained for his that as the proude persons haue hitherto folyshly craked of theyr carnall wysedome so should henceforth the meke and lowlye haue a more excellente wysedome to reioyse and glorie of This wisdome delyteth to dwell in simple and cleane heartes and for this cause none of the great rulers of this worlde had it nor Magiciens nor Philosophers nor Pilate nor Annas nor Cayphas nor the phariseis nor the deuils themselues neither For had thei knowen that the lowe and folyshe preachyng of Christes crosse woulde with his glisteryng haue darkened the glory of the world and for all the weakenes and feblenes therof haue put to flight and vanquished the tyrannye of death and synne neuer woulde they haue fastened on a crosse the Lorde and capitayne of renoume and glorie For all the learnyng they had in visible thynges for all theyr pryde in knowleage of the lawe ignoraunt were they of this wonderfull misterie mete to bee vttered onely to suche as by humble and sobre myndes are made at one with God That it should so be Esai long before prophecied declaryng that this wysedome whereof we talke should into mens soules be secretely inspired saying suche thynges as neuer were seene with mannes iyes or by mannes eares hearde of or conceyued in any mannes thought hath god prepared for them that hartely loue hym and grounde all theyr disputacions vpon faythe and not vpon mannes reason The texte But God hath opened them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth al thinges ye the botome of goddes secretes For what man knoweth the thynges of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Euen so the thynges of god knoweth no man but the spirite of god And we haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite whiche commeth of god for to knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of God whiche thynges also we speake not with wordes that mannes wisedome teacheth but with wordes which the holy ghost doeth teache makyng spirituall comparisons of spirituall thinges The naturall man perceyueth not the thynges that belong to the spirite of god For they are but folyshnes vnto hym Neyther can he perceyue them because they are spiritually examined But he that is spirituall discusseth all thynges yet he hymselfe is iudged of no man For who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde either who shall informe hym But we vnderstande the mynde of Christe Hygh minded rulers and proude phylosophers were not worthie to receyue this hydden mistery whiche yet god hathe opened to vs his frendes not by any worldly doctrine but by the secrete inspiracion of his holye spyrite Whiche spirite because it is of goddes nature and proceadyng from god searcheth foorth euen the deapest and mooste secrete priuities of God wherunto mannes busye brayne attayneth not Euery man may easily loke on an other mans face but what lieth hidden in the bottome of the hert that is no man able to see for that onely knoweth the spirite of god and a mans owne conscience After like sorte diuers men beholde and search out the properties of goddes creatures but such thinges as lye hidden in goddes counsel and prouidence no body knoweth sauing his euerlastyng spirite whiche beyng of one nature with hym knoweth all suche thynges as he doeth One mā sheweth another his secrete thoughtes by secrete whispering in his eare but god to the good openeth his counsell not by the spirite of man whiche teacheth nothyng but worldly phantasies but by the spirite of god so that of what sorte the spirite is suche doctryne it teacheth This worlde also hath his spirite with whome whosoeuer is rauished bothe sauereth of worldlynes and loueth worldly thynges but the inspiracion of the heauenly spirite of god bryngeth vs in mynde of heauenly treasures and maketh vs to vnderstande what god hath through Christes crosse doen for vs. And this is the phylosophie whiche as we receyued by the spirite of Christe so teache we it agayne to the godly and simple people not with floures and coloures of thetorike as the Philosophers are wonte to teache them that they take in hāde but with rude wordes and set out of ordre beyng yet suche as teache a spiritual doctrine For reason requyreth ▪ that forasmuche as this kynde of wysedome is far vnlyke the
therfore this preachers or that preachers buylding endure and abyde in the fyer let suche one looke for no worldely prayse at mens handes but yet sure is he to haue reward of God for whose sake he toke payne but if eythers worke be with fyre destroyed the workeman shall lose his labour and be defrauded of his rewarde although himselfe escape free yet escapeth he as they that out of burnyng conuey themselfes naked for whom there aresteth nothing els to be doen but with charges to buylde agayne vpon the foundacion suche a worke as is meete for the same The chiefe and moste ready waye had been to teache suche as haue professed Christe nothing but that whiche is for a christian man necessarie But if teachers doe not so nor the hearers then must both take double paynes whiche must vnteache theyr scolers that they taught them and to vnlearne those thinges whiche they before learned For there is hope of saluacion as long as Christe the foundacion remayneth Howe agreeth vncleane lyfe with this profession Howe agree colde and waterishe ceremonies with the fyery and burning charitie of Christe Punishement shall they suffre at Gods hande as they haue well deserued whiche with theyr doctrine corrupte you The texte Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God and howe that the sprete of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy whiche temple ye are Let no manne deceyue himselfe If any manne seme wyse among you let him become a foole in this worlde that he may be wise For the wisedome of this worlde is folyshnes with God For it is written he compasseth the wyse in theyr craftinesse And agayn God knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they be vaine Therfore let no man reioyce in men For al thinges are yours whether it be Paul either Apollo either Cephas whether it be the worlde either lyfe either death whether they be presente thynges or thynges to come all are youres and ye are Christes and Christe is Gods Knowe ye not that ye are as a temple consecrate vnto God which the heauenly spirite of God possesseth sanctifieth Yf suche one be punished as doeth defile a temple that is halowed by manne will not God destroy him that defyleth his temple Endeuour must we dilygently that this temple be kepte pure and holy synce God hath once by his holy spirite cleansed and halowed it Kepe it cleane may ye by vnhurtefull lyfe with christian conuersacion and maners But if ye bee to muche desyrouse of honoure or yf ye bee leach â—rouse or geuen to stryfe and debate and to suche other wylfulnes then suspende ye and defile it Sythe then ye are the temple of god buylded with lyuelye stones verye wicked certaynely and vngodlye is he that prouoketh anye of your companye to suche maners condicions and learnynges as are not with Christe agreable Christe deceyueth no manne especiallye none of them that leane to hym Let euery manne beware that he deceyue not hymselfe whyles he vndiscretely trusteth vpon mannes helpe Looke ye not for blysse and felicitie either by your Philosophie or by the lawe Nor lette one manne presumptuously thynke hymselfe better than other because he is in worldlye learnyng excellente but lette hym rather that in worldly reputacion thinketh hymselfe wyse wyselye waxe folyshe that he maye bee wyse in deede Lette hym forsake to be the proude teacher of folyshe wysâ—dome and he shall be meete to be the scholer of verye wyse folyshnes For euen as the ryches of this worlde make not a manne truelye ryche as the honoures of the worlde make not a manne truelye noble and as the pleasures of the worlde make not a manne truely blessed euen so the wysedome of this worlde maketh not a man truely wyse before god whose iudgement no manne can deceyue be he neuer so wyse in the sighte of the worlde God mocketh at this wysedome whiles he declareth it not onely not to be that whereby we attayne saluacion but also to be that whiche hyndereth oure saluacion by reason that it maketh men to be proude and fyerse and therefore very harde to be taught This was long before spoken of in the booke whiche is intitled of the pacience of Iob when of God he speaketh on this wyse whiche compasseth the wise in theyr owne wilines And agayne in the lxiii Psalme the Lorde knoweth the thoughtes of menne that thinke themselues to be wyse that they be vayne and vnable to perfourme suche thynges as they promise Since therfore all the pythe of oure saluacion is altogether of god men maye of this vsurpe no porcion as theyr owne nor geue any parte of this glorye to man as the chiefe doer since the whole shoulde be surrendred to God And synce ye are one bodie ioyned together by mutuall charitie vnmete is it that one of you shoulde sticke to one phantasie and another to another phantasie when all thynges are youres indifferentlye Whether Paule or Apollo or Cephas be of anye authoritie or not this is sure by goddes free gifte they haue one equal authoritie for youre profite or if the worlde bee in a rore agaynste you it shall finallye bee for your profite or if we lyue any longer liue shall we to establyshe you in this learnyng or yf we dye then dye we to strengthen you by oure exaumple or yf we bee in presente pleasures we passe not muche vpon them because they are soone goen or yf thynges to come moue you laboure stoutelye and with a courage towarde them whiche albeit ye see not with youre bodelye iyes yet see ye them with the iyes of your fayth Awaye therfore with names of sectes and diuision since all thynges throughe one chiefe maister are youres equally albeit your selues are not your owne men in suche sorte yâ— ye can geue any man right title vpoÌ„ you but ye long to Iesus Christ to whoÌ„ al we together owe our selues and for Christ are we bounde to god the chiefe Lord and ruler of al thinges whiche by hym hath geuen vs all goodnes The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let a man this wyse esteme vs euen as the ministers of Christe and stewardes of the secretes of God Furthermore it is required of the stewardes that a man be found faithfull With me is it but a very small thyng that I should be iudged of you eyther of maâ—s iudgement No I iudge not myne owne selfe For I knowe â–ª nought by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified It is the Lorde that iudgeth me Therefore iudge nothyng before the tyme vntill the Lorde come which will lighten thinges that are hid in darkenes and â—pen the councels of the hertes And then shall euery man haue prayse of God LEt euery man then that wyll vnfaynedly and truely reioyse glorie and reioyse in his name nor esteme vs as chiefe auctours and maysters but as reason woulde suche shoulde bee regarded
lesse is god serued Besyde this the vse of matrimonye hath in it a grosse thyng whiche for the tyme swaloweth vppe and deuoureth the whole man whiche beeyng after restored to hymselfe is somewhat lesse a man than he was before I well see what were specially to be wished and yet dare I not so muche exacte of you as I would desire leste whiles ye vnluckely labour towarde the beste by occasion fall into worse I knowe howe vnruly and violente fleashelye desyre is and as sure am I howe ye specially among other are prone and muche geuen vnto it A surer waye therefore thynke I it that euery man haue his owne wyfe and euerye wife her housebande that by mutuall seruice eche one maye remeadye others intemperancie For albeeit elswise in other pointes the housebandes authoritie be more yet herein haue bothe equal power for neither is the housebād so farfurth lorde and maister of his owne bodye that touchyng the vse of matrimonie he can defraude his wyfe thereof and geue it to another nor the right of the wyues bodye agayne concerninge the vse of matrimonie is in such sorte her owne that she maye denye her husband the vse therof and geue it to another but hyr bodye is the husbandes ryghte The debte of eche towardes the other is lyke and when tyme requireth must of both parties be delyuered and payed as they haue made promise Let the housebande then geue that which he by the law of mariage is bounden to geue to his wife The wife likewyse geue to her housebande that she is by the lawe of wedlocke bounde to geue him In this eche one of them is in lyke sorte bounde to the other in other poyntes paraduenture the whole gouernaunce and autoritye is in the housebandes handes To denye this right yf eyther of bothe aske it is a defraudyng For not onelye suche defraude whiche paye not the money that they are bounde to paye but suche also as refuse to doe that they are bound to doe Let neither of both therfore for loue of chastitye defraude other excepte it bee with consente of bothe to absteine for a season that ye maye with more cleane myndes geue your selfes to fasting holye prayers and to the remembraunce of heauenlye thinges whose perfeite freashnes suche carnall conuersacion is greatly woonte to make dulle Let either bothe therefore or neither absteyne and that by comen consente not vpon euerye flyght occasion but for loue of heauenlye thynges nor to long neither but for a certayne tyme and so after that returne agayne to your olde custome not because I thinke it not beste to lyue in continuall prayer but because I knowe that there is ieopardy leste Satan which styll lieth in watche to destroye you perceauyng your toward disposicion to incontinencie by occasion thereof prouoke you to worse Rather had I haue in you that whiche is of lesse perfeccion so that it bee ieoperdlesse than that whiche is muche more commendable beeyng yet suche as is ioyned with no small perill But yet speake I not this because I woulde either compell any man to marie or forbyd any man to lyue continually chaste if he be able so to do and if there be a mutuall cōsente in matrimonie but I prouyde vpon knowledge that I haue of youre weakenes a remeadye agaynste your perilles Yf this were not yf it might be I woulde wyshe that all men were as my selfe whiche is that they were free from the bonde of matrimonye or els vsed theyr wyues as theyr sisters lyuyng with them in all purenes and chastitie But I dare not of you exacte that thyng whiche Christe neuer required of his disciples and hearers Blessed are they saith he that for the loue of the kingdom of god haue made themselues chaste but yet refuseth he not suche as chastlye and soberly liue vnder the lawe of matrimonie Continuall chastitie taken vpon anye man for the auauncement of Christes affayres is a highe thing And so is lawfull matrimonie an honeste state whose chiefe ordeyner and halower was God hymselfe But betwene bodyes and soules a meruaylous great difference is there nor are goddes gyftes in euerye manne lyke It is peraduenture a thyng aboue mannes power wholye to abstayne from the acte of matrimonie Blessed are they to whome god hath gyuen suche strength but god in his people hath loued this varietie that some in gyftes shoulde excelle other all whiche varietie shoulde wonderfullye make towarde the swete armonie and comlynes of the whole Lette no manne therfore reproue another mannes state nor be sorye for his owne but let euerye manne accordyng to his power godlye vse that gyfte whiche god hath geuen hym There is a chaste wedlocke and there is an vnchaste virginitie And this haue ye my counsel touchyng marying and kepyng youre wyues Nowe vnderstande my mynde lykewyse as touchyng youre question of seconde mariages For among you as I heare some are there whiche albeit denye not but that ye are in a fredome and maye marrye yet when one by the deathe of the other is made free they woulde not haue you marrye agayne Of these doubtes this thinke I. Yf any manne by reason of the death of his wyfe become single or yf anye womanne by reason of her husbandes death be wydowe very well doen were it if they be able thencefurth to lyue chaste yf neither he seeke for a wyfe nor she for another husbande but that bothe dedicate theyr freedome vnto goddes seruice That haue I for myne owne parte chosen whiche I thoughte beste because nothing shoulde lette me from preachyng gods worde whiche I so hartely fauoure that for loue thereof I litle set by suche pleasures as are in marriage Nowe and yf I knewe that all menne were of thesame mynde I woulde not lette to call and exhorte euery manne to doe as I doe But synce the disposicions of mennes myndes and bodyes are so vnlyke vnmeete is it to gyue all menne one kynde of counsell but in this rather lette euerye manne weyghe his owne strengthe and so folowe that kynde of lyfe whereunto by nature he thynketh hymselfe moost meete Lette suche one as vpon a profe had of Matrimonie feeleth hymselfe vnable to resiste the violente and burnyng assaultes of the fleshe rather marrye agayne that by lawfull matrimonie he maye remedye his vnchastnes than by lyuyng syngle through the vehemente desyre of the fleshe be in ieopardie of a more grieuouse offence So that in this neither compel I men to marie nor yet forbyd mariage but leaue euery man in fredome to weyghe with hymselfe what is expediente For nothyng haue I herein to prescribe vnto you as taught vnto me of the Lorde But this require I of you as commaunded by Iesus Christe Suche as are vnmaried stande free as I saye either to marie or not marye as they iudge best so that in theyr doinges they haue an iye to nothing but to Christes glorye But when a man is once maried I
mans conscience For if I take my parte with thankes why am I eyuil spoken of for that thynge wherefore I geue thankes Whether therfore ye eate or drynke or whatsoeuer ye dooe doe all to the prayse of God Se that ye geue none occasion of eiuill neither to the Iewes nor yet to the gentiles neither to the congregacion of god euen as I please all men in al thinges not seking myne owne profite but the profite of many that they might be saued Elsewise whatsoeuer is solde in the fleshe market that eate nothing askyng whether it were offered to idols or not and that for consciences sake for occasion of slaunder muste be auoyded and not geuen if anye suche matter chaunce No such thing is of itself vncleane since al thinges are the lordes Nor can that be vncleane which by him was made for mans vse as the psalme writer recordeth saying the earth is the lordes and all that therein is Yf any vncleanes be that groweth of mens myndes and not of meates Yf therfore any that is to Christ a straunger bid you to supper and ye also be disposed to goe whatsoeuer is set before you at table that eate neyther puttyng any difference nor asking anye questyon whether suche meates as are set at table were sacrificed or not and so doe for consciences sake But if some one of his owne mocion tel you that this was offered to an idoll eate not of it not for your owne sake but for his which gaue you that warning not for feare of hurting thy consciēce which is vpright and strong inough but for y◠others sake which by his warning semeth to thinke it vnlawful for a christiā man to eate flesh offered to idols And it is to be feared lest the same man either thinke vs the deuils frēdes or deuourers this wise thinke with himselfe howe muche soeuer christian men with wordes abhorre our goddes yet abhorre they not the fleshe which to them is offered which they would not do if they with theyr hart so much despised our religion as they doe with wordes For this mans conscience therfore a waye must be founde as there may be without any great trouble The man is in an errour but thou must for a time beare therewith since it is such as thou canste not take away In such thynges Christe woulde haue vs to vse all libertie as which neither commaunded nor for bad any kynde of meate Why is then my libertie iudged of an other mans conscience Why is that which may be well done taken suspiciously Yf I eate such meates as the goodnes of god hath geuen vs for the preseruacion of our life why am I for that of any man eiuil spoken of since for the vse therof I geue god thankes and not deuils With thys condicion therfore ye shal eate or not eate y◠whether ye drinke or eate or whatsoeuer ye do that ye direct al to the glory of god so ordring al your life according to y◠times condicions of mē that in you there be nothing found wherwith any mā may iustly be offended be he either Iew gētile or christian therin folowing mine exaumple which in al pointes fashion my self to euery man eating not eating taking not taking vsyng Iewishnes not vsyng tempering all suche thynges as for the tyme may eyther bee well doone or well omytted not for myne owne weale but to the profite of manye whome I with my diligence labour to winne not to haue by them anye aduauntage but to allure them to euerlasting saluacion ¶ The .xi. Chapter The texte ¶ Be ye the folowers of me as I am the folower of Christ I commend you brethren that ye remember me in all thinges and kepe the ordinaunces euen as I deliuered the◠to you But I woulde haue you to knowe that Christe is the head of euery man And the man is the womans head And God is Christes head Euery man praying or prophecying hauing any thing on hys head shameth his head Euery woman that prayeth or prophecieth bare headed dyshonesteth her heade For that is euen all one as if she were shauen ▪ Yf the woman be not couered let her also be shorne Yf it be shame for a woman to be shorne or shauen let her couer her head NOr be ye ashamed to folow your Apostles exaumple synce it is not so muche myne as the very exaumple of Iesus Christ Who to the entent he might win vs to his father in al pointes applyed hymselfe to our infirmities Him folow I as my lord and maister ye children folow me your father ye disciples folow your Apostle And thys hitherto thinke I the mariers of eatyng of fleshe and of auoydyng the paynims sacrifices sufficiently spoken of Hence furth will I nowe touche certayn pointes what I would haue in your commen assemblies obserued and kepte and what I woulde were auoyded that in them nothing be done eyther vnorderly or contenciously or ryottously And first of al I commend you brethren that in al other thinges ye remember suche poyntes as I gaue you in commaundement and mayntayn such ordinaunces as in your solemne metinges I appoynted you to kepe One thing more must I tell you which is yet of no great importaunce nor much weightie but suche as may if the tyme and place so require bee chaunged But yea◠this would I haue you to knowe that as Christ is the head of euery man and the head of euery wyfe is the husband so is god the head of Christ Albeit the husbande be the wiues gouernour yet is he vnderlyng and subiect to Christe his lorde and maister and Christe hymselfe in all poyntes acknowlegeth the autoritie of god his father to whome whosoeuer be subiect must nedes dooe all thyng for hys glory In secrete places a man may doe as he shall thinke expedient but what man soeuer in the commen assembly eyther prayeth or prophecieth hauyng any thyng on hys head shameth hys head shewing himselfe by coueryng the same to be bonde when besyde Christ he hath no maister for whose glory it were conuenient that he vncouered his head not onely by puttyng of his cap but also by shauyng of hys heere For the heere is rather a coueryng of the body than any parte therof On the other side if a woman in the cōmen assembly pray or prophecie bare headed she dishonoreth her hed which should in secret places peraduenture for her husbandes pleasure be open headed and not in the congregacion where Christ is honoured and not their husbandes For as it is in a man to bee shorne or shauen the lyke is it in a woman to cast of her vayle And then if it bee comely for a woman to caste of the vayle from her head as men dooe let her lykewise as menne doe either be shorne or rounded and in open places preache and prophecie bare headed ▪ But if thys wise to doe by all mens consent be in a woman a foolyshe and an euil fauered
punyshed for violating this misterie albeit in the meane season some also for thesame offence are presently punyshed for of this cuÌ„meth it that among you so many syckely persons are founde vexed with sondrye feuers and diseases yea and many dye before theyr tyme all which punyshmentes are certayne begynnynges and threatnynges of the iudgemente to come The texte For if we had iudged our selues we should not haue been iudged But when we are iudged of the Lord we are chastened that we should not be damned with the world Wherfore my brethren when ye come together to eate â–ª â—arry one for an other If any man honger let hym eate at home that ye come not together vnto condemnacion Other thynges wyll I sette in order when I come For yf before receyuing we had tryed and iudged our selfes we should not so haue been iudged of the Lorde But yet better is it in the meane tyme to be iudged here than in that dredfull daye to bee damned For when we by goodes iudgement are here with temporall and lyght meanes punyshed we are not vtterly destroyed but with punyshment chastised leste we myght with synners hereafter bee damned for euer Which thing I saye because no manne shoulde flater hymselfe yf vpon vnworthy abusyng of thys mistery he neuerthelesse bee whole and sounde in bodye Therfore my brethren when you resorte to thys feaste to th entent the same maye as Christ gaue example bee equall tary one of you for another That and yf among you any be so hungrye that he can not for a tyme abstayne let hym eate at home and not at the misticall and common feast lest that whiche was for your weale ordayned be an occasion of your damnacion And this haue I nowe herof sufficiently spoken As for other thinges to this belonging I wyll sette in order when I come The .xii. Chapter Concernyng spiritual thynges brethren I would not haue you ignorauÌ„t ye know that ye were Gentyles and went your wayes vnto dome ymages euen as ye were led Wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speakyng by the spirite of God defyeth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost There are diuersities of gyftes yet but one spirite And there are differences of adminystratyons and yet but one Lorde And there are diuers maners of operacyons yet but one God whiche worketh all in all The gyfte of the spirite is geuen to euery man to edefye withall For to one is geuen thorowe the spirite the vtteraunce of wysdom To another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the same spirite To another is geuen fayth hy thesame spirite To another the gyftes of healyng by the same spirite To another power to do myracles To another prophecy To another iudgemente to discerne spirites To another dyuers tonges To another the interpretacyon of tonges But these al woorketh euen the selfe same spirite diuiding to euery man a seueral gyfte euen as he will BVt now to speake some thyng concernyng the gyftes of the holy goste forasmuch as herein ye agre not wel neither bretherne I would haue you remember how that ye once were gentiles at whiche tyme accordyng vnto the supersticion of your elders as ye were lead to deade and dome images so went ye furth and folowed Then were ye lead with errour but now are ye gouerned by the spirite of Christ Now your former errour is not imputed vnto you so that this remaineth that as at that tyme your custome and vsage of lyfe was euen as badde as your deuylysh religion so muste now the same bee vpryght and godly as your newe religion is trewe and holy so that it appeare that whatsoeuer is doen among you thesame seme to be doen by the motion of the holy goste Whatsoeuer is sayed or soung to the glorye of Christe that same cometh of his spirite Wherfore I declare vnto you that no manne inspired with the spirite of god the father defieth Iesus hys sonne Nor can any manne with a true heart saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste For all the goodnes therfore that is in you his fre beneuoleÌ„ce ought ye to thanke and to his glory it shoulde bee bestowed And though all men haue one spirit in dede yet are his giftes diuers whiche he as his pleasure is diuersly gyueth to diuers menne The vse also and administracion of suche gyftes are in sondrye wyse bestowed wheras the Lorde whose gyftes they are is but one Yea and yâ— effect and operacion of the spirite in diuerse men diuersly worketh and gyueth lyfe whereas yet there is of al men but one god of whome the power and actiuitie of al thinges howsoeuer they be wrought in men haue theyr begynnynges Al gyftes therfore are to be ascribed to god onely whether they be high or lowe and there is no cause why any man of them should be proude Another mannes gyfte is it that he hathe and whatsoeuer a man hath by the inspiracion of the holy gooste that same is for the comon profite gyuen hym to edifie with all and not to be proude of it hymselfe only For to some one is giuen through the spirite of god wisdome to gyue there with sage and trustie counsell Agayne another hath by the goodnes of the same spirite gyuen vnto hym by vtteraunce of knowledge and rules of good order to helpe the comon weale Another hath by the same spirite gyuen vnto hym a stronge confidence whiche according to the Lordes promyse moueth yea mountaines out of theyr places Another hath by the same the gyfte to cure diseases Some there bee also that haue a singular power to worke miracles Some hath the gyfte of prophecie therwith either to open thinges to come or els other hydden mysteries Another hathe gyuen vnto hym through wyttie iudgement to put difference betwixte the spirites in menne whether they bee of god or not Some haue the gyfte to speake diuerse languages whiche is a meane that greatly serueth towarde the knowledge of holy scriptures Another hath geuen vnto hym either by inspiracion or by knowledge of secret learnyng to expounde and declare that which the other spoke For it is not to be supposed that whosoeuer knoweth a language alwaye vnderstandeth the secrete meanynge therof But for hauyng suche gyftes let no man either stande in his owne conceyte synce that he hathe is gyuen hym by another nor yet for lacke of them bee greued forasmuche as the gyfte is by the holye gooste frelye gyuen hym whiche beyng but one workemanne bestoweth all these gyftes as diuerse and soundrie as they be in soundrye persons gyuynge euery manne as his pleasure is wyllyng that through mutuall charitie eche mannes gyftes shoulde be comon to other to thentente that thys varietie myght make a pleasaunt consent and comlynes and not dissencion And why shoulde it not so bee in the misticall bodie of Christe as we se it is in a naturall bodye The texte
fyrste fruites of all suche as dye with hope to ryse agayne He began resurreccion other straighte folowed as companyōs of the lordes resurreccion and we in time to come shal folowe them For it is not to be doubted but that he wyll lykewise doe in all his members as he hath done not onely in hym selfe alreadye but also in many holy menne For we muste by imaginacion conceaue two bodyes one subiecte to deathe whiche beganne in Adam another apoynted to lyfe immortall whiche had his beginnyng in Christe Therfore as at the begynnyng through one mannes synne deathe entred whiche being as it were from the heade deriued into the members rageth and infecteth all menne so by one manne whiche was vtterly free from all synne came in resurreccion of the dead For throughe only Adames offence all we that descended of hym are subiecte to deathe and throughe Chrystes only innocencie all suche shal be restored to lyfe immortall as haue desearued to bee ioyned into hys bodye All shall ryse agayne but yet euery manne in his order the fyrste of all is Christe then suche as cleaue vnto Chryste as the partes of the bodye cleaue vnto the heade of whome a certayne goynge out of theyr graues rose with Christe and the reste shall all ryse at hys laste commyng And when the resurreccion of the whole body is done and paste then shall nothynge remayne but an ende of thys worldly alteracions whiche shal not bee before the vtter abolyshment of y◠tyrannye of death what tyme Christe as a victoriouse conquerour shall delyuer vp a quiet and a peasyble kyngdome to god his father to whome by subduyug his enemies he restoreth his dominion and after that he hathe dryuen awaye vtterly from hys whole bodye and brought to nought all the power rule and authoritie of his aduersaries The texte For he muste raigne tyll he haue put all this enemyes vnder hys feete The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death For he hath put all thynges vnder hys feete But when he sayth all thynges are put vnder hym it is manyfeste that he is excepted whiche dyd put all thynges vnder hym When all thynges are subdued vnto hym then shall the sonne also hymselfe be subiecte vnto hym that put all thynges vnder him that God maye be all in al. Elles what do they which are baptised ouer the dead yf the dead ryse not at all Why are they then baptised ouer them yea and why stande we allwaye then in ieoperdye By oure reioysyng whiche I haue in Christe Iesu oure Lorde I dye dayly That I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men what auauntageth it me yf the dead ryse not agayne Let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shall dye Be not ye deceaued euell woordes corrupte good manners Awake truely out of slepe and synne not For some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame For so long necessary is it that the sonne shoulde labor and trauayle about the recouery of the kyngdome to god his father vntyl that he haue vtterly subdued all hys enemies and so treade them downe vnderneyth hys feete that there bee no rebellion at all nor feare of euyll Through synne deathe raigneth and through death y◠deuyll When synne is extinguished then shall deathe raigne no longer And albeit in thys lyfe we to our power labour about it yet shal we not fully haue it vntyll that by the laste resurreccion al the power of death shal be quite abolyshed when our laste enemye of all whiche moste stubbernly rebelled shall bee vanquished for euer For by thys waye hathe the father decreed that all thynges shall become subiecte vnto hys sonne as it is wrytten in the psalmes thou haste put all thinges vnder hys feete But when scripture sayeth that all thynges shal be vnder the fete of the sonne it is not to be vnderstanden that the sonne shall only possesse that kyngdom the father being excluded for the kingdom of the father and the sonne is all one kyngdom This new and peculiar kyngdom wherin there shal be no rebellion of synfull desyres against the will pleasure of God the father recouereth vnto himselfe by his sonne which he in such sorte vseth with his sonne in cōmon that nethlesse in the father the authoritie remayneth as in him of whom the sonne receiued the same kingdom which is in suche sorte fully and wholy the sonnes that yet the father loseth nothyng synce of both there is but one will And then when all thinges shal be subiecte to the sonne then shall the sonne selfe wholy that is to saye with his bodye misticall yelde and submitte hymselfe to the father by whom as chiefe doer al thinges became subiecte to the sonne that thencefurth no not in the members shall there any thing be lefte whiche shall to Christe be contrarie but that the whole sonne shall consente with the father of whom as of the first begynner al thinges shall depende to whom as chiefe doer all men shall geue thankes for all that euer in any tyme and place hath been well done Nowe wheras I long synce taught you this and ye lykewyse learned the same what meaneth this that some no we doubt a freshe whether the dead shall liue againe Wherof if there be no hope vayne is their labour which albeit more supersticiously thā godly in steade of the dead receyue baptisme fearyng leste suche one as dyed without christenyng shall not ryse among ryghteouse people And to auoyde thys they prepare one which in steade of the dead maye aunswere that he beleueth and desyreth baptisme These mennes fayth I allowe but their doynges I allowe not For as it is folyshnes to thynke that another mans baptisme helpeth the dead so beleue they truely and well there shall a resurreccion be For yf they thought that the dead mā should nomore ryse againe neuer would they for his sake be so careful Yea we our selfes do folishly which for Christes doctrin dayly put our life in ieopardie if after such greuous tormētes no reward folow Nor are we only in ieopardie but also in maner dye dayly by that we oftetymes stād in some new ieopardie nor are dispached with one kinde of death And as in this my saying I lye not so may I alwaies glory in this reioysing which I haue through Iesus Christ our lorde to whose glory turne al the miseries which we suffer Wheras amōg the Ephesiās for Christes gospel I suffered so much trouble that I could not chose but fyght with be astes as one most surely apointed to dye what profite was there in or what gayned I therby if the dead ryse not again What madnes is it without compulsion to sustaine so many troubles if assone as a mā is once dead it nothing force howe he hath lyued Yf we after our death be paste all hope what remaineth there but y◠we as the wicked persons spake in Esai distrusting the promises of
against such violent aduersaries were it so we had no strength but our owne thankes therfore be geueÌ„ to God which hath caused that if we wil we may wynne this gloryous victory through Iesus Christe our Lorde whiche for our sakes with his death ouercame death and toke vpon hym to purge our synnes Therfore my dearly beloued brethren synce it is certaine that the resurreccion shal be and synce it is knowen what blysse glory men shall enioy therby which yet no man shal receiue but such as here by forsaking sinne and by godly liuing begynne it doubte not of that ye haue once beleued nor suffer your selfes with the talking of vngodly persons to bemoued from your right receyued fayth but rather apply continually to profite in such thynges as may bryng you into Gods fauoure that ye become euery day better than other preparyng your selfes agaynst the resurreccion to come Nor shrynke ye to take paynes assuryng your selfes that through Christes helpe for transitorie labours ye shall receyue ioyes without ende ¶ The .xvi. Chapter The texte Concernyng the gathering for the sainctes as I haue ordeyned in the congregacions of Galacia euen so doe ye Vpon some Sabboth daye lette euery one of you put asyde at home and lay vp whatsoeuer is mete that there be no gatheringes when I come When I am come whosoeuer ye shall alowe by your letters them will I sende to bring your lyberalitie vnto Hierusalem And yf it be mete that I goe also they shal goe with me I will come vnto you whan I goe ouer to Macedonia For I wil goe thorowe our Macedonia COncerning the gathering for the reliefe through your liberalitie of the sainctes whiche are at Hierusalem as I apoynted vnto the Galathians that money should be gathered for that purpose yf any of his owne free wyll were disposed to bestow any euen so would I haue thesame done among you that in this poynte also ye agree with other congregacions Vpon the fyrste daye of the weke that is to say in the sonday let euery one of you set asyde at home and lay vp asmuche as he for this purpose thinketh mete And for this geue I warnyng here of because that which euery man hath purposed to geue may be in a more readines leste when I come there be then a gathering of money to be made But wheÌ„ I come vnto you thither whom soeuer ye shall chuse as messangers them wil I with my letters send to Hierusalem to carie thither your liberalitie Yf ye thinke it nedefull that I also goe my selfe thither they shall goe with me leste any man myght suspecte that I in any wise goe about my owne busynesse I will see you after that I haue gonne through Macedonia for them mynde I only to see by the waye The texte With you peraduenture I will abyde a whyle or els tarye all wynter that ye maye bring me on my waye whyther soeuer I goe I will not see you nowe in my passage but I trust to abyde a whyle with you yf God shall suffer me I wyll tarye at Ephesus vnto the fyftieth daye For a great doore and a frutefull is opened vnto me and there are many aduersaries Yf Timotheus come see that he be without feare with you For he worketh the worke of the Lorde as I doe let no manne therfore despise him but conuay hym forth in peace that he may come vnto me For I loke for him with the brethren With you peraduenture will I abyde for a whyle and am not sure whether I shal tarie with you al the wynter that at the beginning of the nexte spring ye may bring me furth that I may goe whyther soeuer the busynes of the gospell calleth me had not this been I would haue commen to you now but I would not see you now houerly in my passage For I trust I shall at another tyme haue oportunitie to tarie with you certayne dayes if the Lorde Iesus suffer me In the meane season I will tarie at Ephesus vntil yâ— fyftyeth day The matter reâ—uireth some leysure because that albeit in that place there be a great doore opened vnto me and a great hope of auancing the gospel yet many aduersaries are there Yf in the meane season Timothie come vnto you see that he be put in no ieopardie by any high hearted proude persons He is a young man but yet he is my felow and in preaching the gospel laboureth purely and frely as I doe Let no man therfore despise hym because he is young but rather let hym goe without harme and displeasure as an Apostle and my felowe and of loue bring him furth that he maye come to me For hym looke I for with other brethren of his company The texte To speake of brother â—pollo I certifie you that I greatly desyred him to come vnto you with the brethren but his mâ—nde was not at all to come at this time Howbeit he wil come when he shall haue conuenient tyme. Watche ye stande fast in the fayth quyte you lyke men be strong Let all your busynesse be doeu with loue And whereas ye rather desyred that Apollos should haue been sente vnto you surely it came not of me that he weÌ„t not For I vehemently exhorted hym to go to you with certayne brethren but all was in vayne For certayne consideracions in no wyse mynded he nowe to come to you and yet come wyll he assone as conuenient leysure shall serue Watche agaynst the deceytes of suche as geue you euill counsell Stande faste in the faythe whiche ye haue once receyued quite your selfes lyke meÌ„ agaynst suche thinges as resiste the gospell be stronge and valiaunt Whatsoeuer be doen among you let it be doen with loue and not with contencion The texte Brethren ye knowe the house of Stephana and of Fortunatâ—s and Achaicus how that they are the fyrste fruites of Achaâ—a and that they haue appoynted themselues to minister vnto the saynâ—res I beseche you that ye be obedient vnto suche and to all that helpe and laboure I am glad of the commyng of Stephana and Fortunatus and Achaicus for that whiche was lackyng vnto me on your parte they haue supplyed For they haue comforted my spirite and yours Loke therfore that ye knowe them that are suche I beseche you brethren but what nede we besechynges Ye knowe the householde of Sthephana well worthie of you to be made muche of bothe because thesame as first fruites of Achaia I gotte firste vnto Christe and because they are geueÌ„ to helpe the poore Meete is it therfore that ye againe make muche of them and not only of them but of as many as wyth vs promote the gospell and are partakers of our labours If pleased me well that ye sente hyther Stephana Fortunatus and Achaicus For theyr cumming hyther in all your names supplyed wyth theyr gentilnes that whiche was lacking vnto me on your parte For theâ— coumforted my spirite yea I might saye your spirite as
saued by the wishes of many and for the weale of many there may diuersly by many men for our deliueraunce thankes be geuen to god that it maye appeare that this benefite of god in my deliueraunce is not onely bestowed vpon me but vpon al suche as haue good therby The texte For oure reioycyng is this euen the testimonie of oure conscience that in singlenes of heart and godlye purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had ouâ— conuersacion in the worlde and moste of all to youwardes We write none other thynges vnto you then that ye reade and also knowe Ye and I truste ye shall finde vs vnto the ende euen as ye haue founde vs partelye for we are youre reioyâ—ing euen as ye are ours in the daye of the Lorde Iesus Were not this as touchyng my selfe I haue in my owne breste wherewyth to comforte me sufficientlye in the middes of my troubles yea and to make me reioyce and to glorye that is to were my conscience whiche is witnesse and priuy to this poynte that we neuer laboured in the ministerie of Christes gospell sekyng for any gaynes by auauncing our selfes in worldlye wisedome as among you some dooe but taught it with all simplicitie and godly puritie bothe in all Greece and speciallye among you for whose sake albeeit wee haue suffered suche greate thynges yet neuer loked wee for or tooke any rewarde at your handes leste some myght take occasion to thynke that wee for oure aduauntage so muche sought vpon you And this muche haue I sayed not arrogantly but as yâ— trueth is Nor boast we this otherwise of our self than ye haue hadde experience of for neuer founde ye vs other than suche as wee saye we are by these letters which ye reade nor make wee ourselfes other in woordes by writyng than wee among you shewed oureselfes in dooyng Yea and I truste more ouer that of what sorte ye haue hytherto partely founde vs suche shall ye alwayes finde vs hereafter that eche of vs maye glorie of other if ye lyke thankfull and apte children on your sydes in godly lyfe and deedes bee lyke vnto your father teacher as I haue in al pointes bene vnto you goddes true messenger â–ª Lette them in the meane season boste themselfes neuer so muche among menne that disdeine at me as an outcaste and one in affliccions yet certaynelye when the Lorde shall come beefore whome paynted coulours shall nothyng serue then wyl I reioyce of you whom I haue wonne vnto Christ then shall ye also glorie of me whome I nothyng taughte but Christes trewe doctrine The texte And in this confidence was I minded firste to haue come vnto you that I might haue had one pleasure more with you and to passe by you into Macedonia and to haue come againe out of Macedonia vnto you and to bee led foorth of you towarde Iewrye When I thus wise was minded did I vse lightenes Or thynke I carnally those thynges which I thynke that with me shoulde bee yea yea and naye naye God is faithefull For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye For Goddes sonne Iesus Christe whiche was preached among you by â—s euen by me and Siluanus and Tunotheus was not yea and nay but by hym it was yea For all the promises of God by him are yea and are in hym Amen vnto the lawde of God thorow vs. For it is God whiche stablisheth vs with you in Christe and standeth by vs and hath anointed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath geuen the earneste of the spirite in our hertes I call God for a record vnto my soule that for to fauour you with al I came not any more vnto Corinthum Not that we be lordes ouer your fayth but are helpers of your ioye For by faith ye staÌ„d And vpon confidence of this my vpright conscience and hope conceaued of your encrease and furtheraunce occasion had I and minded before this time to visite you therby purposyng to do you double pleasure both with mine epistle fyrste and also by the waye after wyth my presence For my purpose was to see you as I went into Macedonia and agayne in my returnyng from Macedonia to come vnto you as I promissed in my other epistle and thence to be ledde and brought furthe by you into Iewrye But in the meane season some wyll thynke synce I this wyse mynded to dooe whether it came of lightnesse that I chaunged myne intente or whether I perfourme not that of any worldly policie whiche I once purposed to doe in this alteryng my minde as occasion serueth No nor so but for good consideracions and aduisedly folowed I not mine own destre because I wel vnderstode that it was for your weale more expedient to dooe otherwise that by defferryng my retourne some of your congregacion myght bee amended whome I would not see in theyr vncleanesse in this poynte alwayes constaunte and lyke my self that I at all tymes seeke youre weale so that in this behalfe I neuer wauer but alwayes dooe that whiche shall bee for your profite and alwayes shonne that whiche I thynke vnprofitable for you not because I thynke it lyeth in vs to perfourme asmuch as we purposed but because we know that god deceaueth not by whose healpe our woorde wherewith wee preached vnto you his gospell wauered not but was at all times like it selfe For wee preached not vnto you worldlye and carnall matters but taught you a weightye effectuall and an vnchaungeable doctryne constauntly and after one sorte bothe I Siluanus and Timothie that is to weâ—e that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God whose name was not among you vneffectuall but mightye and full of power not by oure strengthe but by his free gyfte Vntil this time haue ye receaued the giftes of the holye ghoste possessing them as an earneste peny and as sure shal ye bee of suche thynges as are in time to come promissed For al thynges that are promissed are through hym sure and out of all doubte in hym to whome this glorye is dewe Neyther are these oure promisses whiche wee layed before you and shewed you of but god is the chief geuer of theÌ„ we are only ministers and messangers So that to his glorie maketh it yf that whiche wee preache in his name bee founde trewe and effectuall Besyde this whereas wee haue constauntelye preached Christe and ye haue constauntelye continewed in Christes religion once receaued that is goddes gifte also whiche because wee should in his promisses haue more coÌ„fidence hath also anointed vs with his secreate gyftes and printed a certaine marke in oure heartes yea and geuen into oure soules his spirite as an earneste and pledge of the blessed state promissed vnto vs hereafter Lette no manne therefore thinke it lightenesse because I vntill this time differred my commyng vnto you god take I to recorde that whereas I hitherto came not to Corinth that was not doone for any displeasure borne towarde you
not the grosse olde testament as the false Apostles teache it and standeth in the knowlege of the letter the administracion whereof was committed to Moses but the newe testamente whiche is heauenly and spirituall and standeth in affeccions of mynde and not in ceremonies The lawe and gospel haue both one maker but the ministerye â–ª of boothe is soondrye and of the two the apostles is of muche more excellencie For the letter committed vnto Moses by reasoÌ„ of certain rules lawes driueth men to death forasmuch as it by occasion both prouoketh to sin and also condeÌ„neth yâ— sinner to death whereas contrarie yâ— spirite whiche is geuen by preachyng the ghospel both forgeueth the offences of our former lyfe and to suche as haue deserued deathe offerethe lyfe Nowe and yf the fyrste lawe whyche beeyng grauen in stone wroughte deathe to the transgressour and gaue no grace was of such great maiestie and glorye that when Moses the seconde tyme broughte downe the tables the Hebrues coulde not beeholde his face by reason of the glorie and maiestie of that whiche was sure once yet to bee abolished why shoulde not muche rather the ministerye of the Gospell haue his honoure and maiestie whereby throughe faythe and the free gifte of the spirite euerlastyng saluacion is geuen Yf the lawe whiche coulde condemne and was not hable to saue hadde suche honoure certainelye muche more honoure desearueth the Gospel by preachyng whereof synne is not onely forgeuen â—ut also rihgteousnesse is geuen In whiche twoo thinges suche difference is there that if a manne more narowelye compare eche one of theym with other that whiche by it selfe is glorious wyll appeare but base beyng as it were darkened with the bryght and excellente glorie of the Gospel For if the lawe whiche was geuen but for a season and shoulde wythin a while after bee abrogate was among menne in suche honoure of muche more dignitie is the lawe of the Gospell whiche is bothe generallye geuen to all menne and shall neuer bee abolished For the newe testament whereby the olde is abrogate Christe hymselfe calleth an euerlasting testamente as I in my other epistle taught you Of whiche thyng wee beeyng moste certainlye perswaded and assured in oure â—eachynges vse no darke riddles but freelye and openlye sette furth the lyghte of the Gospell surelye beleuyng that bothe the glorye of this lawe is suche that it shoulde not bee hidden and ye of that â—ireyngthe and clearnesse of conscience that ye are hable to looke thereupon And therefore wee dooe not as it is read that Moses didde whiche when he broughte downe the seconde tables after that the fyrste were broken couered hys face with a vayle that the children of Israell shoulde not looke thereupon nor deaue thereto for euer synce that euen this was a proufe and significacion to them that the glorie of Moses lawe shoulde bee abolished whiche euen at that time when it was made was not verye glorious for in vayne is that thyng glorious whiche a manne canne not see In this figure was represented the grossenesse of that nacion whiche seeyng sawe not and hearyng hearde not insomuche that whiche was doone in Moses face the same was moste verelye done in theyr heartes whiche in them were blynded beeyng as it were ouercaste wyth the vayle of dulnesse Yea and in this daye the blyndenesse remayneth in that nacion stille so that when they reade the bookes of the lawe they vnderstande theym not and with stubberne myndes of a zeale towarde the lawe refuse hym at whose commyng the lawe selfe graunteth that she shall bee abolyshed Therefore when they in suche sorte reade the olde testament that they wyll not embrace the newe promysed therein holde they not faste Moses vayle nor see by faythe castyng of the same that thorowghe Christe all the darkenesse of the lawe is a brogate Stuâ—bernelye yet stycke they to theyr Moses when he is cumme to whome Moses bade them geue eare Hym reade they in theyr synagoges but they reade hym carnallye sekyng for nothyng but corporall thynges wheras the lawe if menne well loke thereupon is in deede spiritual â–ª Letted are thei doubtelesse euen vntyll this day wyth a vayle cast ouer theyr heartes which is remoued through fayth in the gospell But when the tyme shall come that they shall leaue theyr grosse myndes and receauyng the vniuersall fayth tourne vnto the Lorde then shall theyr vayle be taken away so that they shall see suche thynges as without the bryght eyes of fayth can not be seen â–ª Moses was grosse and carnall but the Lorde Iesus is a spirite not teachyng suche thynges as maye bee seene with oure bodyly iyes but thynges inuisible whiche are by fayth beleued Moses law because it with feare of punishemente kepte menne in ordre was a lawe of thraldome and the vayle also is a token of bondage But where the spirite of the Lorde Iesus is whiche secretelye moueth a manne withoute byddyng and compulsion to leadâ— a Godlye lyfe there is libertie No manne is compelled to beleue but he that beleueth as he shoulde of his own accorde auoydeth filthines and vncleanes of lyfe and foloweth al goodnesse dooyng more wyllinglye by the mocion of charitie than coulde euer begotten of the Iewes wyth feare of punishemente Blinde are they therefore that lacke the iyes of faythe when we throughe pure fayth without vayle beholde the glorye of the Lorde whose brightnes whiles we receyue as a glasse altered are we after a sorte into the same glorye plentifully powring vpon other that brightnes which we receyued of God And as then Moses face by that he talked with god shyned euen as glasse doothe layed againste the sonne so is oure soule euerye daye more and more secrâ—atelye enamoured encreasing from glory to glory by reason of the continual conuersacion of the spirite of God who inuisiblye nowe woorkethe in vs that whiche hereafter shal openlye bee accomplished The fourth Chapter The texte ¶ Therefore seeyng that we haue suche an office euen as God hath hadde mercye on vs wee goe not out of kynde but haue caste from vs the clokes of vnhonestie and walke not in craftines neyther handle we the woorde of God discreatefullye but open the trueth and reporte our selues to euerye mannes conscience in the sighte of GOD. If oure Gospell bee yet hydde it is hidde among them that are loste in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them whiche beleue not leste the light of the gospell of the glorie of Christe whiche is the image of God shoulde shyne vnto them SYnce then god of his mercy would haue vs to bee ministers and preachers of suche a blisfull state geuyng vnto vs the authoritie of an apostle we execute not oure commission â—louthfullye but as we preache a veraye gloriouse matter so refuse we all clokes whiche are meete for dishonestie and not for glorye neyther leadyng oure lyfe craftely nor with deceitfulnes of woorldely learning corruptyng the woorde of god
nothyng no not with ieopardye of oure lyfe to preache the trueth of the gospell vndoubtedly assuryng our selues that he whiche raysed the lorde Iesus from death wyll throughe hym rayse vs agayne dying for his sake and bryng vs all together to the generall glorie of resurreccion as we are here in lyke fayth knytte together But whether in the meane season we be troubled or deliuered from trouble all is done for your sakes that the trueth of the gospel maye be more spread abrode among you that the more amende theyr lyfe so manye more geue thankes not to vs but to god to whose glorie it appertayneth that his faithe which he would haue cōmen to all men be moste plentifully enlarged In hope and sure cōfidence that it will so be no troubles werye vs but through them we rather ware stronger knowing wel that albeit oure vtwarde body be by litle and litle worne awaye yet our inwarde and better parte in the dayely and continuall decaye of the body becometh more quicke and sustie as it were with miseries growyng yong agayne and beginnyng to taste of before the lyfe euerlastyng to come For albeit the bodely affliction whiche we for the gospelles sake abyde be lyght and transitory yet lyght as it is it prepareth in vs no small but an exceadyng and an vnspeakable weight of glory whyles both for suche transitory tormentes suffered for Christes sake we are made worthy of blysse euerlastyng and for temporall deathe sustayned for hym we receaue the rewarde of euerlastyng lyfe in hope wherof we lytle esteme oure bodyly lyfe not somuche passing vpon suche thynges as are seene with owre bodylye eyes as vpon suche as are not seene but only with the eyes of faythe For suche thinges as are sene here in this world beside that they are thinges neither throughly good nor throughly bad of whiche sorte are lucre honoure pleasure lyfe losse of godes reproche tormentes and deathe are also not continuallye abydyng whereas suche thinges as are sene with the eyes of faythe are bothe trewe ryches and suche as wyll endure for euer The .v. Chapiter The texte For we knowe that yf oute earthly mansyon of thys dwellyng were destroyed we haue a byldyng of God an habitacyon not made with handes but eternall in heauen For therfore sygh we desyryng to bee clothed with oure mansyon whiche is from heauen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked For we that are in thys tabernacie sygh and are greued because we would not be vnclothed but would be clothed vpon that mortalitie myght be swalowed vp of lyfe He that hath ordeyned vs for thys thynge is God whiche very same hathe geuen vnto vs the erneste of the spirite ANd vpon thys sure truste certaynly lytle regarde we euen oure lyfe knowinge well that yf it chaunce our soules in this worlde to be chaced out of the mansion of oure bodye whiche I myght more properly call a tent than a mansion being suche as a manne maye not long tary in though nomanne dryue hym thence that we haue prepared for vs another howse in heauen from whence we shall neuer be excluded As for this howse of oures because it is made of claye and buylded by manne whether we wyll or not decayeth dayly albeit no man pull it downe euen as we see other buyldynges in continuaunce of tyme to be destroyed Mennes workmanshyp can not be of longe continuaunce but that whiche is repayred by god and once becomen heauenly is out of all suche ieoperdies as chaunce by reason of tyme. And so lytle feare we to departe out of this wretched body that vntyl that be we sygh here desyring to be discharged of the burdayne of our mortal carkas wherewith our soule is here in earth much burdeyned and kept downe desyrouse to flye hence to another place and to be clothed with the mansion of a gloryfied body which shall from heauen be gyuen vnto vs so that when we bee vnclothed of this bodye we bee not founde vtterlye naked but through a confidence of our good lyfe clothed with the hope of lyfe immortall For we grone in thys meane season for the heuynes of oure bodye thrall and subiecte to so manye miseries not because it is a thyng of it selfe to bee desyred of any man to departe hence but because we desyre to haue this bodye restored into a better fourme and for mortalitie by rysyng againe to receaue immortalitie so that we seme not vtterly spoyled of the bodye whiche we for a tyme forsoke but better clothed with the same as who for a corruptible bodye shall receaue an incorruptible And albeit this seme neuer so vnlikely that there shall for a mortall body ryse an immortall fre from all miseries yet muste we not mistruste the sonne It is god whiche hathe prepared vs to receaue the glory of lyfe immortall who hathe also in the meane season gyuen vs as a pledge or an earneste peny his holy spirite to confirme and establyshe vs with his present inspiracion in hope of that whiche is to come The texte Therfore we are alwaye of good cheare and knowe that as longe as we are at home in the body we are absent from God For we walke in fayth not after the outwarde appearaunce Neuerthelesse we are of good comforte and had leuer to be absent from the body and to be present with God Wherfore whether we be at home or from home we endeuour our selues to please hym For we must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue the workes of his body accordyng to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Seyng then that we knowe how the Lorde is to be feared we fate fayre with men For we are knowen wel inough vnto god I trust also that we are knowen in your consciences For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you but geue you an occasyon to reioyce of vs that ye maye haue somewhat agaynst them which reioyce in the face and not in the hearte For yf we bee to feruente to God are we to feruent Or yf we kepe measure for your cause kepe we measure For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs because we thus iudge that yf one dyed for al then were all dead he dyed for al ▪ that they which lyue should not hence furth lyue vnto themselues but vnto him which dyed for them and rose agayne Wherfore henceforth knowe we no man after the fleshe In somuche though we haue knowen Christ after the flesh now yet hence forth know we him so nomore Therfore yf any man be in Christ he is a newe creature Olde thynges are passed away behold all thynges are become newe Neuertheles all thinges are of God whiche hathe reconcyled vs vnto hymself by Iesus Chryst and hathe geuen to vs the office to preache the attonement For God was in Chryste and made agrement betwene the worlde and hym selfe and imputed not theyr synnes vnto them hath commytted to
concernyng thys beneuolence that is minystred by vs vnto the prayse of the same lorde and to stiere vp your prompt mynde For thys we exchewe that any manne shoulde rebuke vs in thys plenteous distribucion that is ministred by vs to the glory of the lorde and make prouision for honest thinges not onely in the sight of the lord but also in the sight of meÌ„ With hym haue wee sent the brother whose faythe and entyrenesse in preachynge the gospell throughout all the congregacions is well tryed and so wel tryed that of all the congregacyons he was chosen out of the reste to bee as it were a felowe and companyon of our iourney to bee my helper in gatheryng money whiche ye of your liberalytye geue to the glorye of the lorde by whose mocyâ—n thys matier is wroughte for a playne declaracyon to all menne of your prompte myndes Dyscrecion would that perfite and tryed menne were put to thys busynesse leste weake personnes conceyue a suspicion that thys great summe of money whiche ye of your free goodnesse geue is not so much gathered for other as for our selues whereas wee thereof take nothing to our selues but the labor trauaile to gather it and to conuay it For wel know we that to gather money specyally if the summe bee great hath an apparentesuspicyon of griedines and aswel knowe we that mennes consciences is with nothyng sooner corrupted The texte We haue sente with them a brother of ours whome we haue ofte times proued diligent in many thynges but nowe muche more diligente The great confidence whiche I haue in you hath caused me thys to dooe partely for Titus sake whiche is my felowe and helper as concerning you Partely because of other whiche are our brethren and the messengers of the congregacions and the glorye of Christe Wherefore shewe ye vnto them the proofe of your loue and of our boasting of you in the sighte of the congregacions â–ª To these two of whome ye haue good experience we haue adioyned the thirde a certain brother of ours whome albeit ye knowe not so well yet in diuerse thynges haue we oft tymes founde hym dilygente and faythfull and in thys businesse more diligent than in other so that I nothyng doubte but that ye will with any summe of money truste them partely vpon consideracion of Titus whiche is my felowe and partaker of the labors whiche I vndertake for your sakes and partely in consideracion also of other adioyned with him whiche besides that they be our brethren are also chosen to dooe this businesse by the voyces of the congregacions by whome the glorye of the gospell is so set foorthe that they may be well called not onely Apostles but also the glory of Christe With these shall ye in such sorte vse your selues that ye nowe specially declare howe greatly ye loue vs that I haue not without cause boasted of you vnto them And suche gentlenes as ye shewe vnto them ye shall shewe toward all congregacions whose messengers they are ¶ The .ix. Chapter The texte ¶ Of the ministring to the saintes it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you for I knowe the redines of your mynde whereof I boaste my selfe vnto them of Macedonia that Achia was prepared a yere agoe and your ensaumple hath prouoked many Neuerthelesse yet haue I sent these brethren lest our boasting whiche I make of you should be in vayne in this behalfe that ye as I haue sayde may prepare your selues leste peraduenture if they of Macedonia come with me and fynde you vnprepared wee I will not say ye shoulde be ashamed in this matter of boasting Wherfore I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren to come before hand vnto you and to prepare your good blesâ—yng promised afore that it might be readie so that it be a blessing and not a detraudyng HOwe for me to bestow any labour with my letters to moue you to be charitable vpon the poore I thinke it superfluous synce I haue of your readie good myndes suche sure and perfite knowledge that I nothynge doubte to boaste thereof among the Macedonians so farre that by your exaumple not onely Corinthe but welnyghe all Achaia is dysposed ready and well mynded to lyke liberalitie And albeit we were well assured of youre good mynde beefore yet thought we it not amysse to sende these our brethren before lest it happely appeare by some meane â–ª that we haue of you made a vayne boaste in this poynte whiche in other thynges hitherto haue done as I sayde of you Nowe the purpose why we sent them before is that as wee before wrote vnto you the money be gathered in good tyme and that it bee in a redinesse whiche euery man is willyng to geue leste if the Macedonians to whome I haue boasted of you come with me and fynde you vnprepared we bee put to shame as one that hath made a vayne bragge of you I will not saye leste ye bee put to shame as menne in thys vnlike your selues whiche in all other giftes excell other And for thys cause thoughte I it good to desyre these brethren to goe thether vnto you beefore I came myselfe to prepare the contribucion whiche ye had before purposed and appoynted that it mighte be in a more readines wont to be called when we speake Greke eulogia that is to saye a blessyng because euerye benefite shoulde gladlye and without murmuryng be both geuen and taken if it so bee not than is it rather extorcion than a fre gifte He that wil geue let hym freely geue and asmuche as he will Thys poynte I warne you of the more a manne geueth the more rewarde shall he haue The texte Thys yet I say he whiche soweth litle shall reape litle and he that soweth plenteously shall reape plenteously And let euery manne dooe accordyng as he hath purposed in his hearte not grudginglye or of necessitie For god loueth a cherefull geuer God is hable to make you ryche in all grace that ye in all thynges hauyng sufficient vnto the vtmoste may bee ryche vnto all maner of good woorke as it is written He hath sparsed abrode and hath geuen to the poore his righteousnes remaineth for euer He that ministrethe seede vnto the sower ministre bread also for foode and multiply your seede and increase the fruites of your righteousnesse that on al partes ye may be made rich into al singlenes which causeth thorow vs that thankes are geuen vnto God For the office of thys ministracyon not onelye supplyeth the nede of the sainctes but also is aboundaunte herein that for this laudable ministryng thankes might be geuen to God of many whiche prayse God for the obedience of your consentyng to the Gospell of Christ and for your synglenes in distributing to them and to all men and in theyr praiers for you whiche long after you for the aboundaunte grace of god in you Thankes be vnto god for hys vnspeakable gifte Whoso soweth litle shall reape but
Christes let him consider this agayne af himselfe that as â—e is Christes euen so are wee Christes For though I boast my self sâ—mâ—what more of oure authoritie whiche the Lorde hath geuen vs to edifie and not to destroy you it shal not bee to my shame leste I shoulde seame as thoughe I wente aboute to make you afrayed with letters For the epistles saieth he are sore and strong but his bodily presence is weake and his speche rude Let him that is suche thinke on this wise yâ— as wee are in woordes by letters when we are absente suche are wee in deedes when we are presente For a tyme I nothyng speake of false apostles but generally speakyng this I saye yf any man thynke that he is Christes eyther because he saw him in his mortall bodye here in earth or because he is vnto hym of nigh aliaunce and kinred lette hym agayne likewise remembre this wyth hymselfe that as he is Christes so are wee Christes and so in this beehalfe wee are as good as he so yâ— nothing hath he wherewith to please hymselfe and to despyse vs. It is the spirite whiche maketh vs â—igher to Christe and not carnall kynred Nothyng dooe I yet hytherto but make my selfe equall with other apostles But now yf I somewhat tooke vpon me aboue them and gloried of myne authoritie or rather not myne but geuen vnto me of the Lorde and geuen vnto me to dooâ— you good and not to hurte I thynke it should not be to my shame as thoughe I had more vaynly bosted of my self than truely But of my hyghe authoritye will I speake nothyng lest any thinke that I with threatening epistles would make you afrayed For so sayeth one whome I for honours sake name not Paule sendeth arrogante and vehemente letters But when he is presente he is altogether vnlike hymselfe that is to weâ—e both of a weake bodye wherein there is no maiestye and in hys speche so rude that it in no parte resembleth that authoritye wherwyth his epistles as it were thunder and lyghten He that for this despiseth our authoritie I do hym well to weâ—e that as my speche is in myne epistles when I am absence whiche these menne saye is vehemente suche is oure power and authoritie beeyng presente yf wee see cause why to vse it To bragge wyth woordes suche thynges as I cannot in deede perfourme is for lyghte persones and not for me The texte â–ª For wee cannot fynde in oure hertes to make oure selues of the noumbre of them or to compare oure selfes to them whiche prayse themselues Neuerthelesse whyle they measure themselues wyth themselues and compare themselues wyth themselues they vnderstande noughte But we will not reioyce aboue measure but accordyng to the measure of the rule whiche God hath distributed vnto vs a measure to reache euen vnto you For wee stretche not oure selues beyonde measure as thoughe wee reached not vnto you For euen to you also haue we come wyth the Gospel of Christ and wee boaste not oure selues oute of measure in other menâ—es labours Yea and wee hope it wyll cumme to passe that when your faith is increased among you wee shal bee magnified accordyng to oure measure more largelye and that I shal preache the Ghospell in those regions whiche are beeyonde you and not to boaste of those thynges whiche by another mannes measure are prepared alreadye But lette hym that reioyseth reioyce in the Lorde For he that prayseth hymselfe is not alowed but he whoÌ„ the Lorde prayseth Nor canne wee fynde in oure heartes to accoumpt our selfes in the noumbre of them or to compare oure authoritie wyth suche as wyth deceytefull meanes and crakyng woordes auaunce themselfes and not with deedes whiche in the meane season forgeaâ—e howe they measure not themselfes by theyr owne dooynges but settefoorthe themselfes in comparison of menne without courage as they themselfes bee nor by anye other waye proue theyr owne syngularnesse but by deprauynge other mennes actes and praysynge theyr owne God forbydde that wee shoulde wythoute ende glorye as these dooe For and yf euerye manne hadde the desyre to bee taken for so greate as he with arrogauncye woulde make hymselfe certaynelye there woulde bee of boastyng neyâ—her measure nor ende Nor yet take wee vpon vs other mennes glorye but accordyng vnto the measure and condicion of suche actes as we haue by Goddes helpe doone esteame oure selues as wee bee So that asmuche as he gaue vs so muche take we vpon vs and beyonde thys glory not we And surelye wee haue not sklendrelye enlarged the dominion of oure capitayne as whiche came euen as farre as to you not of myne owne head onely but sente by God A sufficient matter to glorye of haue wee in that we came not vnto you after the commen sorte but after suche a sorte that by vs the gospell of Christe was preached vnto you so that wee neede not with hyghe woordes to prayse oure selfes as thoughe wee in deede reached not vnto you whyche els wyse were not verye easye to bee woâ—â—e Nor came wee vnto you beyng alreadye brought into beliefe as false apostles vse to do but fyrst of al other perswaded you in it Nor boaste wee oure selfes aboue measure of other mennes labours takynge vpon vs the prayse of other mennes actes as cowardly capitaines dooe which chalenge the prayses of winnyng a holde whiche another manne gote But rather wee truste that as your fayth daylye encreaseth and groweth more and more wee shall also through you geate more praise accordyng vnto the marke appoynted vnto vs by God and preache also the gospell of Christe in countreyes beyonde you and so auaunce hys banners further then wee haue hytherto doone not dooyng these actes throughe anothers guidyng as an vnder souldier nor enteryng vpon that which is already gotten and so malapertly taking vpon vs yâ— praise of other mennes labours but at this point are wee rather not onely not to boaste our selfes of other mennes actes but also not to take vpon me the glorye of myne owne knowyng that whosoeuer doth reioyce muste reioyce in Christes name whose businesse he doeth Nor is he commended of god whiche bloweth abrode hys own prayses but he that is chosen of God as a meete persone and faythefullye doothe the office coÌ„mitted vnto hym is the onely one whome the Lorde approueth and prayseth The .xi. Chapter The texte Woulde to God ye could haue suffered me a litle in my folishnesse yea ye dooe also forbeare me For I am gelous ouer you with godly gelouslye For I haue coupled you to oâ—â— manne to make you a chaste virgin to Christe NOr can I yet refrayne but that I muste somewhat gloriouslye sette foorth my selfe notwithstandyng I knowe that it is taken for a pointe of folishnes yf a manne prayse hyâ— selfe but would to god ye woulde a litle while suffre me tâ— playe the foole yea I doubâ—â— not but ye wil beare with me For to this folishenesse am I dryuen neither of an
nakednes But the paines which I haue hitherto rehersed appertain onely to bodely affliccion which in the meane season was lykewyse in no lesse trouble and carefulnesse of mynde which I take for suche a multitude of congregacions which I so hartely tender that whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto them I thinke it to chauÌ„ce vnto my self For whose miseries am I not as sory as for myne owne Who is weake and diseased with whose weakenes I am not also gâ—ieued my selfe Who is offeÌ„ded with whose displeasures I am not in mind offeÌ„ded Yf I must nedes bost rather wil I bost of such thinges which shew mine infirmitie than of such as shew my greatnes Let other bost how for yâ— gospels sake they are much made of that they grow riche that vnder Christes tytle they beare great rule more â—uÌ„ly thinke â— it to boast yâ— I for Christes sake haue suffered vilany affliccion The texte The God and farher of ouâ—â— Lorde Iesus Christe whiche is blessed for euermore kneweth that I lye not In the â—ne of Damasco the gouâ—â—nouâ—e of the people vnder kyng â—retas layde watche in the citie of the Damascens and woulde haue caughte me and at a wyndâ—we was I let downe in a basket thorowe the wall and so scaped I his handes God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe knoweth that I lye nothyng When I was at Damasco he whome kyng Areta father in lawe to Herode hadde made ruler ouer that countreye had layed watche in the citie of Damasco labouryng by all the meanes he coulde to take me to do the Iewes a pleasure and woulde haue kylled me as the auctour of sedicion what shoulde I do Learned had I of the Lorde sometyme in cruell persecucion to flye My mynde gaue me that the tyme was not yet comen to suffer martyrdome but rather that the tyme required to preache the gospell abrode but the tyranne had rounde about besette me so that refuge was there none but that in a basket throughe a wyndowe from the wall I was with a rope lette downe and thus escaped I the rulers handes The .xii. Chapter The texte Doubtlesse it is not expedient for me to boast I wyll come to visions and reuelacions of the Lorde I knowe a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeares a goe whether he were in the bodye I cannot tell or whether he were out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth howe that he was taken vp into the thyrde heauen And I know thesame man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth howe that he was taken vp into Paâ—adyse and heard secrete wordes whiche no maâ— can vtter Of this man will I boast but of my selfe wyll I â—or boast eâ—cepte it be of myne infirmities For thoughe I would bâ—aâ—â— I â—â— â–ª al not be a fole for I would saye the trouth Neuerthelesse I spare you leste any man shoulde thynke of me aboue that whiche he seeth me to be or that he heareth of me And leste I shoulde be exalted out of measure thorowe the excellencye of the reuelacious there was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorow the fleshe euen the messenger of Sataâ— to buffer me â–ª because I shoulde not be exalted ouâ— of measure For this thyng besought I the Lorde thryse that it might departe from me And he sayed vnto me my grace is sufficient for the. For my strength is made perfect thorowe weakenesse Very gladly therfore wyll â— â–ª â—â—ioyce of my weakenes that the strength of Christ mayâ— dwell in me THis farre foorth haue we rehearsed suche thinges as declare cure troubles and miseries and suchâ— maâ—iers as in mennes iudgementes brâ—ng vs rather in contempte than in any renoume But nowe whether I should also rehearse other thinges or not I haue not fully determined of whiche yet some falsly boaste theÌ„selues Shoulde I glorie or not Yea sometyme expediente is it to glorie namely since the brifte of myne epistle hath brought me to the visions and reuelacions of the Lorde Iesus of whiche sorte synce false apostles fayne manye and wantonlye boaste them euen agaynste my wyll as one compelled leste in this I seeme behynde theÌ„ I wyll rehâ—arse but onelye one and that not to my glorie neither but to the glorie of god I knowe a certayne manne whiche aboue xiiii yeares a goe was taken vp whether it were in the bodye or without the bodye I cannot tell god knoweth whiche yet was taken vp into the thyrde heauen and â—hence agayne taken vp into paradise and in bothe places hearde secrete woordes whiche no manne can vtter For this mannes sake to whome through gods fre goodnes such blisfulnes befell glory will I but of my selfe boast wil I not sauing in the rehearsing of such thinges as declare my weakenes and infirmitie And yet if I in this matier also minded sumwhat to speake of my selfe since I should neither lie nor of my selfe speake vaingloriously though I haue acknowledged folishnes yet could I not iustly be condemned thereof but yet for your sakes and not for myne owne abstayne I from rehearsing of them leste some thinke more in me thaÌ„ there is and suppose that I am some greater one thaÌ„ either myne actes or my preaching pretende And peraduenture it is not without ieopardie neither to glorye of suche thinges as make vs great and thereby nigh vnto the ieopardie of arrogancie For this cause leste I myghte bee to proude by reason of high reuelacions or els among men be taken for greater than it is expedient I shoulde I haue by the sufferaunce of the moste merciful god gyuen vnto me vnquietnes and affliccion of bodye bothe to put me in remembraunce of my condicion and also to teache all men that I am a mortall manne vnder lyke miseries as other been There is geuen I saye to truble me whiche do Christes seruice the messanger and minister of Satan to resiste my gospell and with mooste cruell persecucions to vexe me as one that on the heade gyueth me buffettes keapyng vnder and suppressyng me leste I mighte to muche bee exalted And because this punishemente exceadynglye disquieted me thryse besoughte I the Lorde that he woulde from this affliccion delyuer me but he seeyng what was better for me than I coulde my selfe he aunswered me after this sorte Paule bee contente with my goodnes towardes thee and desyre nomore As for thyne affliccions appertayne bothe to the magnifying of my glorye as who throughe my ayde canste not bee ouercommen bee the stormes neuer so greate and also to thy saluacion whiche by bodilye affliccions arte in spirituall treasures of the soule dayelye more and more enriched And so dooeth mannes weakenes make perfite the power of God and infirmitie accomplyshe strengthe For when by preachyng of vile and weake personnes the gospell not onelye holdeth on but also flourisshethe agaynste the deuyll and the worlde vsyng agaynste it all kyndes of cruelnesse it maketh a playne profe that this geare is not by anye worldelye
the titles of high Apostles manacyng threatenyng you as though it so stode with you that ye could without circumcision not attaine vnto saluacion in so doyng not onely laboryng to renue the ceremonies of the olde lawe whoÌ„ it were meete were now abrogate and abolished but vnder this colour also vtterly peruertyng the gospel of Christ For synce that the same gospel through fayth godly life assureth al men that embrace it of perfite weale and saluacion well may it be coumpted a vayne a deceiptful doctrine if as they teache no man haue entrey to euerlastyng welth vnlesse he be circumcised as the custome of Moses lawe requireth God defende that any mannes authoritie should remoue you froÌ„ the purenes and sinceritie of the gospel The texte Neuertheles though we our selues or an Angel froÌ„ heaueÌ„ preache any other gospel vnto you then that whiche we haue preached vnto you let him be acursed As we sayd before so saye I nowe againe if any man preache any other gospell then that ye haue receiued let him be accursed Rather be so farre froÌ„ beyng moued through the names of Peter Iames Ihon be yâ— same neuer so great whiche names men abuse to bring you vnder the burdaine of the lawe that if euen an angel sent froÌ„ heauen preache vnto you any gospel other then that we preached let the same of you not onely not be heard but be also taken as one to be abhorred and accursed And lest any thynke that these my wordes are spoken either of hastynes or of vnpacience I reherse theÌ„ again again that whosoeuer whether he be an angel or an Apostle of high name preache vnto you otherwyse then ye haue learned of vs before accursed I saye be he abhominable The texte Do I now persuade men or God Either go I aboute to please menne For if I had hitherto studied to please men I were not the seruaunt of Christ For as often as men are in hand with the right line of Christes fayth neither mans authoritie no nor angels ought to preuail or take place Who so preacheth Christes gospel laboreth in no mans busynes but in Gods And if this be so why should I feare any mans authoritie I was by no man but by God put in trust to preache yâ— gospel In whiche office I pray you whether should I in suche wyse haÌ„dle my selfe to please men or God whoÌ„ onely I acknowledge for my author and maister The Iewes vpon a worldly zeale labor to set furth among al men theyr rites ceremonies to th entent that they may vnder this coloure be the more made of as the nature of men would haue euer suche waies seme best wherin them selfes were brought vp Wherfore some sekyng to haue the Iewes fauor labor to bryng men in minde to be circumcised preache of kepyng the sabboth day with obseruyng a difference in meates as though when they so reache they taught men a high a singular point But God forbid that I should so farfoorth labor to please the Iewes beyng rather carnal then spiritual that I should suffre with any Iewishe ceremonies the puritie of the gospel to be corrupted When I in tyme past was geuen to Iewishenes I pleased my countreymen by all wayes I could persewyng them that professed the name of Christ But whiles I went about to please men I displeased God who would haue Moses abolished the glory of his sonne Christ to be set foorth As long as I was bonde to the lawe al myne entent and endeuoure was to kepe Moses rules for that sought I praise at mens handes but now hath God called me an other way whose onely praise I desyre and loke for If I should hence foorth styl loke for the same praise of menne certainly I were not Christes seruaunt For how can any man thinke me his seruauÌ„t if I more apply my selfe to winne the fauor of men thaÌ„ to do his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes if I more feare to displease the Iewes than God the father of Christ and author of the gospel I was neuer slauishely bonde to the ceremonies of Moses lawe whoÌ„ I well wyst were through the light of Christes gospel quite abolished after suche tyme as I had once wholy geuen my selfe to Christ For albeit once or twyse for appeasyng of a commocion whiche might elswyse haue been beyng among the Iewes I obserued certain of theyr customes yet neuer thought I in theÌ„ any hope of saluacion but for a tyme applyed my selfe to the myndes of my countreymen that I might therby bryng more vnto Christ But synce I perceyue that this submyssion of myne is by them wrest into a wrong meanyng so that nowe the matier is gone so ferre that they stycke not to charge with the burden of the lawe as a thing necessarie euen them whom the gospell founde free from that burden I thynke it hyghe tyme freely and playnly to speake agayne Moses rites and openly to deteste all that maketh to the derogacion of Christes glorie And from so doyng shall there none Apostles authoritie feare me be he neuer so notable assuryng my selfe wholye of Christe whose wyll and commaundement I folowe through thycke and thyn in all ieopardye The texte I certifie you brethren that the gospell whiche was preached of me was not after the maner of men For I neither receiued it nor learned it of man but by the reuel acâ—on of Iesus Christe But because ye shall the better vnderstande that I not without consideracion fell from Moses lawe and nowe with suche boldnes preache the libertie of the gospell Ioo you to wil brethren that the gospell whiche I taught you is no suche worldly ordinaunce as maye for any mannes pleasure be altered as that maye be whiche is made by man Suche as to you preache circumcision let them for theyr parte take hede whence they learned theyr gospell Surely the ioyfull tydynges which I taught you neither receyued nor learned I of man by meane wheroâ— I myght be coupelled either to leane to his authoritie or to folow other mennes interpretacions Christe hymself vouchesaued to shewe vnto me the misterie of the newe lawe and the abolyshment of the olde because no man shall thynke that I was without consideracion and rashely chaunged or els receyued the gospell whiche I preache of no person of graue authoritie Christe is in suche sorte man that yet he is no mortall man nor yet vnder suche delites as all men els are Christe is also in suche condicion man that he therwith is also God by whose secrete power and spirite I was sodenly chauÌ„ged into a new man being elswyse more stubbernly gyuen to Moses law taught vnto me by myne elders to be had in reuerence and honoure than was lyke by any worldly perswasion to be plucked out of my heade had not the holye ghost enspired myne hearte The texte For ye haue heard of my conuersacion in tyme paste in the Iewes waye how that beyond measure I
so diligent to coÌ„tinue aduaunce their popyshe pryuate masses other straunge tounged seruice to passe awaye the tyme to kepe both theÌ„selues the people blynde styll yet myne vnfeyned hope trust is that lyke as yâ— almyghtie euerlyuing God the father of our lorde Iesu Christe by Christe of al perfite christians hath of his owne vnspeakeable mercye to this mooste Emperiall Realmewarde geuen so gracious so godly so vertuous so learnedly toward and so faythful a Christen Kyng and most worthy supreme head eueÌ„ our most soueraine lord king Edward yâ— .vi. to rule gouerne nourishe defend it who by thaduise ministery and trauaile of his victorious most noble vncle the Lorde Protectours grace other of his moste honourable Counsayll seketh the kyngdome of heauen and the righteousnes therof aswell in free settyng forth of the most holy sacred scriptures by iniunccions and visitoures as in diligent placeing and sendyng abroade of moste excellently learned readers and preachers to instructe his subiectes in the true knowledge of them selues and of God and in theyr bounden dueties to theyr superiors and also in christian charitie to their neighbours so he will also of his moste haboundaunte ryches of mercye and inscrutable power contynue wyth daylye encreace suche forewarde hertynes and hertye forewardenes of earnest godly procedynges in the Kynges moste Roial Maiestie by the aduise ministerie and trauayle foresayed as the ignoraunt ministers being charitably amoued from their ecclesiasticall cures hauyng competent in other trades of lyfe to rest vpon and reasonable necessarie prouision for the honest mayntenaunce of learnyng good ministers beyng had that father of mercies and Lorde of glorye whose waies are vnsearcheable and iudgementes incomprehensyble by whose wisedome all thynges are swetely disposed and ordred wyll in case we be seruent in hearâ—â—e prayer and not slacke in rendryng thankes vnto him for his excedynge manifolde benefites sende conuenient wâ—llyng and lâ—stye forewarde workemen into this his most copious great haruest of Englande aswel to the extirpacion banyshement and â—oâ—yng out of popyshe faythe false religion cankred opinions heathnyshe rites idoiatrous worshyppynges supersticious deuoucions disguysed myssall sacrificeinges aduouterous conuersacion and other grosse vile iniquities arysyng and growing to the contempt and dishonour of the liuyng God as braunches out of the roote of the Romyshe Antichristian religion as also to the plantyng settyng forth and glorifyeng of the moste vndefyled lawe of the Lorde that conuerteth soules from naughtynes to godlynes to the syncere teaching of the most sacred religion of Christ and the true wourshyp of God to the reformacion of maners and also to the expressyng of godly behauiour in outwarde conuersacion both in the ministre and parisheneâ— to walke in loue as Christ hathe loued vs in Christen almose dedes in scripturely fastyng in ghospellike prayer in rendryng thankes in lifting vp pure handes in pacience long suffryng perfite charitie temperaunce sobrietie chastitie brotherly compassion and true obedience towardes the Kynges maiestie and all other set in autoritie vnder hym and in other offices workes dedes and vertues that God requireth and commaundeth by his actes proclamacions and decrees most earnestlye and straightely mentioned in his mooste holy perfite boke the Byble so as God I doubt not shall vouchesafe long to preserue vnto thys Realme yâ— most vnspeakable worthy Iewel yâ— kynges hyghnes and defendyng it froÌ„ the daungerous plagues curses due vnto the wicked children of vnbelefe shall vouchesafe also to powre vpon it the mercies blessynges in most pleyntuous habundaunce that he hath promised by the same boke to the beleuing chyldren of obedience Vpon these respectes hope consideracion and seing thaforenamed seuen Epistles whiche in dede are as necessarye requisite pieces of scripture to the furtheraunce of Christes religion christen maners as yâ— rest of the newe testameÌ„t is to be left vntraÌ„slated I toke in haÌ„de to traÌ„slate theÌ„ at such seldome leasures as I possiblie could froÌ„ mine other prophane trauailes incideÌ„t to my drudging vocacioÌ„ spare now at last haue finished theÌ„ not doubting albeit I coÌ„fesse my self eueÌ„ froÌ„ yâ— botome of mine heâ—t as vnmete for this kinde of office as a cartes of husbaÌ„dry to be a caruer at a noble mans table yet yâ— this my rude traÌ„slacioÌ„ is bothe accordyng to yâ— texte in euerye sentence agreably to the Paraphrastes mynde and playnlye Englished to the vnderstandyng of the moste vnlearned Englyshe men for whose erudicion I did take vpon me thys laboure For althoughe curious soughte termes of Rhetoricall Englishe in thys translacion woulde better please the delicate eares and fyne wyttes of men fynely broughte vp in trickynge of termes and tounges yet in asmuche as these translated Paraphrases are set forth for the informacion and playne teaching of the Kynges maiesties playne Englyshe subiectes that vnderstande none other but theyr owne natiue barayne tongue I thoughte it rather better to seke the edification of the playne vnlearned by playne termyng of wordes than by tedious circumâ—ocucion to make a Paraphrase vpon a Paraphrase and by that meanes not onelye to leaue the simple vulgare people vntaught or neuer the better but also in vayne sekynge after curiositie to be iustly laught to scorne for bunglyng at the thyng that is ferre aboue my capacitie Therefore where vnnecessary fynesse wanteth accept true meanyng playnesse And good reader be not of the noÌ„bre of those men whiche leade and get an easye and a wealthye lyfe almoste altogether by deprauinge comptrollyng querellyng mysreportyng and fault fyndyng at other mennes doynges whose studye is to doe some good and loyter the tyme them selues and do no good at all But in case thou chauncest to fynde any notable faulte in this my grosse translacion whiche hathe escaped me either for lacke of leasure or learnynge I beseche thee correcte it charitably with aduysednes so as the readers and hearers thereof maye the better and more expressely perceaue the Paraphrastes mynde â–ª considrynge howe profitable doctrine for these oure present daungerous dayes the Paraphrases doe importe aswell in teachynge Christ sincerely and in settyng forthe of Christen manners playnlye as in rebukyng vice wicked customes sharpely I ment not by thys my translation to hunt after worldly commendacion or temporall rewardes God is my witnes but to do good to the best of my poore vnlearned talente vnto the symple vulgare sort who I perceiued by most euident experience at yâ— kynges highnes visitacion wherin I vnworthye was a wayting ministre were glad conformablye willyng to heare the pure word of God obedient to receyue the Kynges most godly iniuÌ„ccions traynyng them to yâ— same so they would contynue in case theyr ordinaries Curates ministers were not tryâ—lers and hynderours therof and if they were not seduced and taught by sedicious earewhisperours contrary to the worde of God the Kynges hyghnes mooste godly gracious procedinges onely for pelfe belycheare ease and lucre But take me not that
goodnes it selfe That that is new vnto vs is not new with him For that that he shewed open to the world in sending his sonne now in the later dayes was eternally decreed with the father and the sonne albeit he would by his certayn vnspekable counsail haue it secretly hidden vntil his determined time were fulfilled to open this secret vnto mankynde Wherin the losses of tyme that the people in times past miâ—â—enâ— in vaine seking saluacion some by the outward obseruacion of Moses saw some by the studie of philosophie some by supersticyous religion wurshipping of deuils should be expelled and the whole suÌ„me of all thinges yâ— apperteine to true innocencie to true godlines should be ascribed only to Christ besides whom no man ought to desyre any thing for asmuch as he being the only foantayn is content to gratify our peticious â–ª with any good thyng that is eyther in heauen or earth For God the father hath appoynted him to be the head of all that all men should depend of hym onely and to trust to receiue at his hand whatsoeuer is rightly to be desired and to acknowelege that it cummeth of him whatsoeuer he of his bounteous liberalitie bestoweth vpon vs. By whome also such aboundant felicitie hath chaunsed vnto vs that we wer chosen vnto the lotte and enheritaunce of immortalitie not of our owne deseruinges but because we were predestinate to it by his decrâ— loÌ„g a go by whose arbitrement and power all thinges are ordred and disposed by his vnscarcheable counsel on our behalfe according to his owne wil who forasmuch as he is the best the most wise he cannot possibly wil any thyng but those thinges that are both best wisest Such was his determinate wil that we should be called vnto this enheritaunce felowship of Christ noâ— for our own desertes but of his frâ— benignitie we that through the monicyon of the prophetes sayinges had in a maner fixed our hope in Christ promised vnto vs yea eâ—â— afore the trueth of the gospelcame to light so that this benefit should not be ascribed to the obseruacion of Moses law but that al the praise should wholy redound to the glory of the goodnes of God who was content frely to geue it to vs by his sâ—â—â— Neuertheles we Iewes wer not called alone to the promised felowship of Christ although in distrusting the shadowes of Moses lawe we haue embraced the trueth of the ghospell wherof we trust assuredly to receiue true saluacion yea without any helpe of the lawe at all but you also albeit you are vncircumcised yet assone as ye beleued in the same gospell you were chosen inâ—â— thesame felowship For we are not debtours vnto CircuÌ„cisioÌ„ in yâ— we are receiued into the hope of immortalitle but vnto fayth which if you haue as wel as the Iewes what should let you froÌ„ the geÌ„tle goodnes of god The cutting a way of yâ— foreskin is a marke to discerne yâ— Iewe froÌ„ the Heathen But yâ— marke of the gospel exteÌ„deth further is not printed vpon the bodye but in the soule With this signe all are marked indifferentlye of what nacion soeuer they be that embrace the doctrine of the gospel and beleue his promisses Some will aske what token is it that discerneth the Christians from the wieked â–ª Truely the holy gost and the inward affect not a seruile bonde affect but such a one as is commonly in good children which maketh vs with al our hart to beleue the promisses of the gospel yea although they do not yet in this world presently appere For yâ— enheritaunce wherinto we are engraffed shal not be fully performed but at the resurreccion of yâ— bodyes How beit he geueth vs his spirite in the meane season as a pledge ernest of yâ— promised enheritaunce By thys token we are surely certified yâ— god accepteth vs for his childreÌ„ not doubting but he wil take his owne to himselfe whoÌ„ he hath redemed by yâ— deathe of his soÌ„ne For yâ— merciful geÌ„tilnesse of god is desirous to winne many wold haue his â–ª magnificence most specially knoweÌ„ notified to maÌ„kind whiche yâ— more it is opened abrode yâ— mo shall speake of it God in times past cared peculiarlye for yâ— Iewes in that he deliuered theÌ„ froÌ„ the seruitude of yâ— Egipcians But it was a small matter to haue yâ— goodnesse of god set forth only in one nacioÌ„ His wil is to be praysed extolled of al meÌ„ inaâ—nuche as he hath frely redemed al froÌ„ the bondage of sinne For yâ— he estemeth as pertinent to his glory yâ— not only the Iewes but al the nacions of yâ— who le world through beliefe of the gospel should be partakers of saluatioÌ„ The texte Wherfore I also after that I heard of the faith which ye haue in the Lord Iesu and loâ—â— vnto all the sainctes cease not to geue thankes for you making mencioÌ„ of you in my praieâ—â— that the God of our Lord Iesue Christ the father of glory maye geue vnto you the spiryte oâ— wisdoÌ„ reuelaâ—oÌ„ by the knowlage of him selfe lighteÌ„ the eyes of pour myndes yâ— ye may know what the hope is wherunto he hath called you and how riche the glory is â—t his inherytaunce vpon the sainctes and what is the excedyng greatenes of his power to vsâ—â—â—e which beleue accordig to the working of that his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised hym from the dead and set him on his right hand in heauenly thinges about all rule and power and myght and domymon and aboue euery name yâ— is named not in this worlde onely but also in the world to come and hath pur all thinges vnder his fâ—â—e and hath made hym aboue all thinges the head of the congregacion whiche is his bodye and the fulnes of him that sylleth all in all For this coÌ„sideracioÌ„ I passe not whether you be circuÌ„cised or not whaÌ„ I seeuident tokens in you of euaÌ„gelical saluacioÌ„ first in that you haue reposed your whole trust in the lord Iesu thaÌ„ in that you declare your Christian charitie towardes al Saintes the meÌ„bers of Christ For this cause I ceasse not to geue thaÌ„kes for you For EuaÌ„gelicall sincerite is of suche efficacie yâ— it causeth vs to be glad of other mennes coÌ„modities no lesse thaÌ„ of our owne And I make alwaies meÌ„cion of you in my prayers wher with I daily call vpon God for yâ— aduauÌ„cement of the gospels businesse yâ— he which is god of al sortes of people indifferentile of Iesu Christ also after his humaine nature of whoÌ„ also Christ hath to be god vnto whoÌ„ as vnto the autor fouÌ„taine of al goodnes the sâ—â—â—e of al glory doth wholy beloÌ„g may geue vnto you more more yâ— ernest when of I haue spokeÌ„ his spirite to inspire into your mindes this heauenly wisedoÌ„ and the knowlage of this mysterie that you maye knowe hym that is thouly autor
of all healthe that you may behold hym in the meane while as it were with iyes not with bodily eiyes but with the iyes of the harte and mynde that see through the light of faithe wherewith the thynges are also seen that are to come whiche cannot be seene with the grosse bodily iyes whereby you maye knowe that which no humayne philosophie teacheth how blissed the enheritaunce is whiche he hath called vs to truste vpon and how excellent yâ— dignitie of this most pleÌ„teous enheritauÌ„ce is which the saynctes shal receyue howe great the largenesse and how excedyng the greatnesse of his power is which he declareth eueÌ„ now in vs the which also as it were with a certain secrete enforcement yâ— cannot be expressed with tongue hath transformed alâ—red vs froÌ„ our olde trade after such sorte that we conteÌ„ne al other thiges trust onely to him coÌ„teÌ„ning those thinges which wese we hope after such thinges of him as we se not such as he hath openly declared before in our head Christ whoÌ„ of his mightie power hauing raised from death to life immortal he hath exalted vnto so high honor that he hath set him on his owne right hand in yâ— kingdoÌ„ of heauen geuen him autoritie ouer al other rule potestate power lordship and euery other name of dignitie or power how excellent so euer it be aboue these afore rehearsed eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come that he may be lorde not onely ouer bodely and earthly thinges but also ouer spirituall and heauenly thynges So ferre hath he subdued al thinges without excepcion vnder his feete And to make our hope more stedfast and certayn that we shall also come to the felowship of the same glorye for asmuche as he hath made Christe lorde ouer all thinges his pleasure was also that he shoulde be the head vnto al the whole flocke of the beleuing that cleaue so fast to Christe as the whole body is coupled to the head that the one can not be disceuered froÌ„ the other Finally the glory of the head is common to the rest of the members wherunto the head is so set about that it powreth his good nourishment into euery one of them The bodye is not perfit onleÌ„s the head be at it and the head wanteth sum what if the body be not set to perfitly consummate in all his meÌ„bres wherunto Christ doeth seuerally powre his excellent giftes in such wise that by himselfe he fulfilleth all thiÌ„ges and liueth and reigneth now whole and entierely perfit hauing his members vnited vnto himselfe ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte And you hath he quyckened wher as ye were dead in trespasses and synnes in the whiche in tyme passed ye walked according to the course of this worlde euen after the gouerner that ruleth in the ayre the spiryte that nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbelefe emong whoÌ„ we all had out conuersacion also in tyme past in the lustes of oure fleshe and fuliâ—lled yâ— wyll of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the chyldren of wrath euen as well as other But God whiche is ryche in mercye for his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were deade by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by grace arâ— ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym made vs sytte together with hym emong them of heauen in Chryst Iesu That in tymes to come he myght shewe the exceding riches of his grate in kindnes to vs ward thorow Christ Iesu For by grate are ye made safe thorowe faythe and that not of your selues It is the gyite of God and coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should â—â—ast hym selfe For we are his worckemaÌ„shyppe created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whiche God ordeined that we should walke in them NOwe marke me this how the father hath begon in a maner to accomplish euen now in you that that is accomplished already in Christ shal be after ward accoÌ„plished in you Christ dyed and rose agayn shall neuer after dye any more Certes he was not subiecte to sinne albeit forasmuche as he tooke vpon him an humaine bodie he was subiecte to mortalitie To be briefe like as sin is a certain death of the soule and the forewarning of eternall death euen so is innocencie a certayne life of the soule and the beginning of eternal life But of this maner of lyfe God that geueth vs his spirite is the prince And the deuil is yâ— autor of death hauing also a spirite of his owne wherwith those that ve enspired are rapt vnto the pleasures of this world and plainely distrust the promisses of eternal lyfe Christ dyed for our offences and rose agayn to make vs sure of the immortalitie to come In the meane tyme after hys exaumple you also being engraffed to Christ through baptisme are dead to your sinnes and wickednes wherein as long as you liued vngodly you were dead in dede for asmuche as you had affyaunce in nothing but noysome shadowes of good thinges wherwith this worlde for a tyme disceaueth suche as wantyng the spirite of God are lead by the spirite of Satan whose tirannye in the meane while is permitted ouer this lower element His spirit I say and he himselfe setteth out as it were his own power in them that hauing no trust in the promisses of the Gospell set theyr whole felicitie in visible and transitory thinges and geue no eare to God the father that allureth them to true felicitie but had leauer serue that wieked cruell maister whome in tymes past you serued and not you alone but all we also For albeit the law restrayned vs from the wurshipping of Images yet our lyfe was altogether defyled with noysome lustes of corporall thynges by the enforcemente whereof we passed of the tyme not doyng those thynges whiche the holy ghoste commaunded but those that our owne mynde geuen to filthie affectes bad vs doe By reason wherof it came to passe that like as they which are encorporated to Christe through fayth appertayne to the enheritaunce that is promised to obedient children euen so we as disobedient children should haue belonged to a ferre contrary enheritaunce that is to say we should haue becomen the companions of hym to whome we had ioyned our selues That death is eternal that is appoynted to the wicked Wherunto we also were subiect asmuche as other touchyng our owne state and condicion We had addicted ourselues vnto it of our owne free choice but it was not in our power to wynde vs agayne out of that most miserable seruitude Nowe you haue heard of our death now you haue harde of our destruccion but whereof commeth lyfe whereof commeth saluacyon Truely not of our desertes nor yet by the benefite of Moses lawe Whence than Surely of the free largesse of God the father whose bounteousnesse and louyng affection is so plenteous and so exceadingly great to mankyndewarde that
with God long ago yea euen afore the world was made and in a maner opened vnto the prophetes by inspiracion albeit it was not playnly opened to the world as it is now by me that the Gentiles through onely fayth of the Gospel without helpe of Moses law should attayn saluacion yea in so much that the chiefest of the Apostles durst not admit suche as were not circumcised vnto baptisine But nowe it is playnely opened vnto the holye Apostles of Christe and to hys prophetes by inspiracion of the holy goste that the Gentiles through faith are so vnited vnto the Iewes that they are comen in to the felowship of yâ— selfe same enheritaunce and growe in to all one bodye reioycyng in theyr common head Christe and by reason therof are becomen partiners of all the proinisses that abyde suche as beleue the Ghospel of Christ to preache the which Ghospell autoritie is commytted vnto me and I ceasse not to dooe my commaunded office labouring constauntly hitherto in the Ghospels busines euen vnto emprisonmeÌ„tes and fetters not that I am any thing mete of mine owne strength for so painful a busines but he that appoynted that office to me hath laied his owne helping hande to the same And so it is that I being as concerning myne owne habilitie feble and weake am by his benefite strong and full of courage agaynst the stormes of al mischiefes I boast not myne own worthines for I coÌ„fesse that I am the least of Saintes but yet as litle as I am it hath pleased the goodnes of God to putte me in trust with this businesse of moste weightie importaunce that I shoulde publishe and preache among the Gentiles whiche before this time knewe nothyng of God the vnsearcheable richesse of Christ which he offereth plenteously to all men and bryng to lyght the thyng that before was hidden that the benefit of the ghospell is to be dispensed and ministred to all maner of nacions whiche beefore was supposed to be geuen onely to the Iewes although it was otherwyse decreed eternally of God the maker and gouernour of all thynges notwithstanding his will was to haue thys Counsayll of hys diuyne intente to be yet hitherto kepte secrrete whiche in these tymes he woulde so openly manifeste and that by the congregacion wherinto he powred suche aboundaunce of spirituall giftes that his manifolde wisedome whiche with wounderfull deuises disposeth all thinges through death geuyng life through shame exaltyng to glorye through humilitie aduauncyng Goddes maiestie whiche no man in times paste coulde haue Imagined shoulde nowe bee brought to lyght not onely to the brode worlde but euen to prynces and chiefeste of Angelles and deuilles that haue to dooe in the skyes and in the vppermoste parte of the ayer whiche thynges albeit they myght gesse should come to passe that mankynde should once be redemed yet this was not knowen by what reason the wisedome of God had eternallye decreed to bringit to passe whiche thing now at length was openlye knowen whan he sent his sonne into the world who hauing taken vpon him an humain bodye would by vnspeakeable meanes vnite and couple the congregacion to hymselfe whereof our lorde Iesus Christe should bee the head by whome like as Innocencie chaunced vnto vs in that that our sinnes were doen a waye euen so chaunced vnto vs an assured truste also that as children we shoulde not be afraied to approche vnto the father whose displeased countenaunce we durst not afore beholde For what shoulde we bee afrayed of hauyng suche a heade that in no wise suffreth any of his membres to perishe albeit here in the meane season we suffre sum affliccion The texte â–ª Wherfore I desire that ye faint not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whiche is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our lorde Iesus Christ which is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he would graunt you accordyng to the riches of his glorie that ye maye bee strengthed with might by his spirite in the â—â—â—er man that Christe maie dwell in your hertes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue mighte bee hable to comprehende with al sayntes what is that bredth aâ—d length depth and height and to knowe the excellente loue of the knoweledge of Christ that ye mighte bee fulfilled with all fulnes which cummeth of God Vnto him yâ— is hable to doe exceading aboundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in yâ— congregacion by Christe Iesus thorowâ—â—t al generacious from tune to tyme. Amen This secrete counsayle of God forasmuch as I preache boldely in euery place I suffre exceadyng punishemente of such as yet cannot possibly be perswaded of this matter But I beseche you let not myne affliccions whiche I suffre for your sakes anythyng disquiete or dismaye you For there is no cause why you shoulde be ashamed of suche an Apostle though I bee laden with fetters For like as the crosse of Christe is our glorie euen so my fetters which I we are not for any euill dedes but for the sinceritie of the Ghospel are for your honestie and no rebuke For the more displeasures we suffre with a constaunt mynd for the Ghospell of Christe the more entierly we cause the people to beleue that the promises of Christe are not vayne inasmuch as through assured hope of them we faint not for any displeasures of this life And it is not Ioyous to me onely to suffre for the ghospelles businesse but it also becommeth al men that are entred vnto Christe to folowe the example of their autour and head And truely for this cause sake I bowe my knees and praye earnestly euen from the botome of myne harte vnto God our father and the same the father of our lorde Iesus Christe of whome as the supreme head dependeth all spirituall kynred wherby by are incorporated together whether they bee angelles in heauen or faithfull people vpon earth and of whome onely as of the fountaine springeth whatsoeuer is belongyng to true felicitie that like as he hath begonne to declare hys aboundaunte glorye in you so he maye more and more augmente his liberall goodnesse to you ward that as you are engraffed to Christ through baptisme and as it were borne newe agayne so you maye gather courage and strengthe with daylye encrease not accordong to the bodye but accordyng to the mynde and soule that is to saye by the gyfte of the spirite of the father continually encreacyng in vs by whome we are made stronge and valiaunt to withstande al dredes of persecucion and that the constancie of your fayth maye be suche that you thynke surelye that Christe will neuer fayle you but rather dwelle in wardly in your hertes for the faythful trustes sake wherwith you commit your selues wholy vnto him For with such is he most specially presente as distruste theyr owne
vnto the prayse of God the father Let not this wycked thought come in any of your myndes why shoulde I beyng the better gyue place wyttynglye and wyllynglye vnto hym that is worse Be not ashamed to folowe the example of Christe For why doth it not become you beyng companyons and but felowe lyke to be so louinglye mynded one to an other as Christe was to vs all In case he haue chalenged superioritie to hym selfe In case he haue gredylye soughte after hys owne gayne than maye you honestlye ynoughe stryue one wyth an other for suche thynges But he where he was veray God by nature and declared hym selfe to be God by expresse dedes in that that he restored dead men vnto lyfe agayne with a becke in that he altred the elementes and natures of thynges in that he maketh deuilles obedyent to his commaundement in that he healeth all kyndes of dyseases wyth a worde yet to the intente he myghte set vs an example of perfite modestie he thoughte it no rauyne to be equall wyth God and neuertheles humbled and made hymselfe basse among men lokynge to receyue glorye of the father the entraunce wherunto his example teacheth to be not by proude ambition but by lowe humilitie And where he was the moste hyghest he humbled him selfe so lowe neuerthelesse that he was not onelye conuersaunt as a man amonge men beyng payned for lacke of slepe and suffryng thurste honger wearynesse pouertie and other daungiers and iniuries after the condicion of vs but also he toke vpon hym the shape of a seruaunte and that of an hurtefull seruaunte wheras he is very innocencie it selfe For what is it elles but the desertes of an hurtefull seruaunte to be taken to be bounden to be scourged with whippes and to be spytte vpon But Christe submitted hym selfe not to abyde thus muche onely but also as thoughe he had bene an euell dooer he humblye suffred the punishement of death and that the mooste shamefull deathe of the crosse Suche was the decreed wyll of the father that Christe shoulde suffre these paynes for oure offences and he shewed hymselfe wyllynglye obedyent in all thynges not shrynkyng in any condition to abyde what so euer was auayleable to our saluation They that are of a worldely affected mynde are corruptelye prouoked vnto feyned boastyng of them selues throughe ambicion and stryfe thoughe other deserue the prayse But he that is a christian and seketh after true glorye that neuer shall decaye muste preace vnto it the same waye that Christe entred into it The waye vnto true glorye is by false feyned slaunders and the entrie vnto immortall thirfte is throughe losse of transitorie thynges that fade awaye in a moment It behoueth not to stryue for commendacion but to deserue commendacion Will you heare what Christe deserued by hys humilytie Certes he vsed not arrogauntlye amonge men to boaste of hys maiestie before the time but God the father aduaunced his sonne vnto mooste excellente hyghnesse and throughe humilitie and shame of the crosse exalted hym and gaue him a name that passeth all the glorye that man can reporte of y◠is to say y◠in the name of y◠same Iesus which was spitte vpō crucified euery knee should bowe make courtesie not only of thynges that that are on earth but of al thinges also y◠are ether vnder the earth or in the heauens aboue And that there should be no kynd of tongue either of men or of aungelles or deuilles but it shoulde confesse that Iesus is the prince and Lorde of all thynges and that he sytteth on God the fathers ryghte hande as equall possessor of all hys kyngdome and glorye and that vnto the glorye of God the father frome whome procedeth and vnto whom redoundeth all the glory of the sonne What mannes ambicion what ryches what kyngdome what humayne diligence dyd euer wynne any man so excellente renoume with men as Christes humilitie wonne vnto hym And as for these thynges he did all for our sakes and not for his owne For he neyther deserued to be brought lowe nor neded to be aduaunced hygher But that you should learne to practise lyke humilitie in asmuche as without it you can not possyblye be preserued The texte Wherfore my dearely beloued as ye haue alwayes obeyed not whē I was presēt only but now much more in myne absence euen so worke our youre owne saluacyon wyth feare and tremblyng For it is God whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the deede euen of good wyl Do al thynge without murmuring and dysputyng that ye maye be suche as no man can complayne on and vnfained sonnes of god without rebuke in y◠middes of a croked and peruerse nation among whom see that ye shyne as lightes in the world holdyng fast the worde of lyfe that I maye reioyce in the daye of Christ how that I haue not tunne in vayne neither haue laboured in vayne Yea though I be offred vp vpon the offryng and sacrifice of your faith I reioyce reioyce with you all For the same cause also do ye reioyce and reioyce with me Nowe therefore my dearely beloued brethren see that you goe forwarde also in thys behalfe to be lyke youre selues styll that euen lyke as accordyng to the example of Christ you haue alwayes obeied the ghospel preached by vs so loke you do styll herafter not onely whan we shal be present but much more nowe when we are absente and shewe that diligente endeuour one to an other that I would haue bestowed vnto you in case I had ben present with you Doe the businesse of youre saluation not carelesly but with all carefulnes and tremblyng and considre howe weyghtie a cause you muste take in hande to defende and what maner of aduersaties you muste haue to doe with all There is no oportunitie to slepe or to be careles and agayne there is no cause why you shoulde be discouraged For youre parte is to stycke to it with all your possyble powers But it is God that worketh thys habilitie in you that as perteynynge to youre saluation you maye bothe wyll and doe the thyng that your good purpose putteth you in mind that you should not be ignoraunt vu to whom it is to be ascribed yf your will put any thyng in to your mynde It standeth you in hande with all circumspect behauiour to commende the doctrine of the ghospell expressely in your owne conuersacion euen to them that be straungers to it Whiche thing you shall doe in case they see you lyue in perfite concorde and like trusly affiaūce and that what so euer you doe be done without murmurynges and puttyng of doubtes of which the one apperteyneth to them that doe thynges agaynst theyr willes the other commeth of theym that haue none affiaunce in that they doe But be you rather syncerely vyryghte in all thynges and of so pure and vnspotted demeanour that no man be hable iustlye to complayne of you and that it maye euindently appeare vnto
of god vnto you frely without any thing And you are my witnesses and god himselfe is my recorde how holily how vprightelye and how vnblameablie we haue behaued oure selues towarde you that beleued as you know by proued experience with how syncere a loue we did al thinges that towardes euery one of you we were euen so affected as any father is towardes his owne children now beseching now comforting now chargyng you not to geue vs any thing but to leade a lyfe worthy of god whiche whan you were afore tyme voyde of all godlynesse hath called you through fayeth to the studie of true godlinesse and hathe also through temporall affliccions called you into his kingdome and glory Immortal Al is well you acknowlage the goodnesse of God and for that cause we also redet thankes vnto him continuallie for kendlyng your heartes after suche sorte that whan we came in a poore basse estate vnto you and hauyng no shewe of dignitie to set vs forwarde yet as soone as you had hearde the gospell preached of vs you receaued it not as a fable or the word of maÌ„ but as the word that came froÌ„ god himself as it was in dede for he himselfe spake eueÌ„ by vs. The texte For ye brethren became folowers of the congregacyons of God whiche in Iewry are in Chryst Iesu for ye haue suffered lyke thynges of your kyâ—smenne as we oure selues haue suffered of the Iewes Which as they kylled the Lord Iesus and theyr owne Prophetes euen so haue they persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrary to all men and hynder vs that we should not speake vnto the Gentiles that they myght be saued to fulfil theyr synnes alwaye For the wrath of God is come on them euen to the vtmost The word of man is weake vneffectual but the word of god is effectually mightie which as sone as you had dronken of it was not ydle but began to worke his power in you so as it might euidently ynough appeare yâ— you had receaued thesame spirite in yâ— you incontinently began to folow the exaÌ„ples of the other congregacioÌ„s of god yâ— professed Iesus Christ in Iewrie That which Christ that that we that that the rest of the Iewes whiche embrace the doctrine of the gospel haue suffred of their owne countrey menne vnto whome this doctrine is odious the like haue you also suffred of your owne townes men For like as they kylled the lorde Iesus slewe his prophetes before him bicause they could not abyde the trueth euen so do they also persecute vs that are the true gospel preachers with such blindnes of harte that they prouoke euen the wrath of god vpon themselues because they rebell against his will go against al men as the very enemyes of mankinde as men that enuie al mens saluacion which is offred through faith go about to draw al men with them into destruccioÌ„ For they do not let vs after this sort of any priuate displeasure but they enuy all the gentiles their wealthe and trouble vs for this intent that we should not preache the gospell vnto the gentiles wherby they myght be saued as though it were but a smal matter for theÌ„ to haue slayne the Prophetes before and byanby Christ after the Prophetes except they persecute and dispatch vs out of the waye also so as they may finish the whole heape of their mischeues and lay this as it were the SuÌ„me totall of their wickednesse alwayes to be like manered to themselues and neuer to repent from their madnesse By reason wherof they prouoke the wrathe of God so sore vpon them that they are to be despaired of forsomuch as of a purposed malice they spurne awaie the mercy of God from theÌ„ and by al possible meanes oppugne the gospel through whose onely helpe they myght be deliuered from destruccion The texte For as muche brethren as we are kept from you for a season as coÌ„cerning the bodely presence but not in the herte we enforced the more to see you personally with great desyre And therfore we would haue come vnto you I Paul once and agayne but Satan withstode vs. For what is ouâ— hope or ioy or crowne of reioysing are not ye it in the presence of our Lorde Iesus Christes at his cumming yes ye are our glory and ioy But the more I loue you brethren for the readinesse and promptitude of your faythe the more I am enflamed with the louyng desyre of you because beyng kepte from you for a tyme I coulde not haue the fruicion of your company wherof I was wondrefully desirous although we were neuer absent in minde And yet this could not satisfie yâ— lone that we beare towardes you except I should also presentlie se you euen with my bodylyeies Wherfore I thought it not ynough to send any bodye to you or to speake with you by letters but I Paul went about once and eftesones to come to you my selfe so as I myght the more throughly confirme your consciences But Satan withstode this purposed endeuour which by the wicked Iewes hyndred my cumyng vnto you And what maruayle is it though I bee so desirous of you For what other thyng is there in this world wherwith I can content myselfe wherof I may aduauÌ„ce myselfe wherof I maye perswade myselfe to enherite felicitie I defie all thinges incomparison of the gospel of Christ Than what is our hope or what is our ioye or what is our crowne Among others of the gentiles whom I haue wonne vnto Christ are not you also albeit not in the sight of the worlde yet veryly it is with the Lorde Iesus Christ Whan the enemyes of the gospell are throwen vnder foote and the triumphe openly kepte at his cuÌ„ming what ensignes and what other tokens of victory shal I bring forthe in that royall cumpany but you and suche other like as you be In the meane tyme I am inassured hope of these thinges You are the frute the matier of our glorye you are our ioye in case you perseuer vnto the ende in those thinges that you haue begonne The .iii. Chapiter The texte Wherfore sence we coulde no lenger forbeare we thought it good to remayne at Athens alone and sent Tymothe ouâ— brother minister of God and the helper forth of our labour in the gospel of Christe to stablishe you and to comforte you concerning oute faith that no man should be moued in these affliccyons For ye youre selues knowe that we are euen appoynted thereunto For when we were with you we tolde you before that we should suffer tribulacion euen as it came to passe and as ye knowe For thys cause when I coulde no lenger forbeare I sent that I might haue knowleage of your faith lest by some meanes the tempter had tempted you and lest ouâ—e labour had â—eue bestowed in vayne THerfore inasmuche as we coulde not suffre the wante of you any longer and seeyng I coulde not come my selfe to you I thought
the angels of hys power with flaminge fyre whiche shall rendre vengeaunce vnto them that knowe not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Chryst whiche shal be punyshed with euerlastinge damnacyon from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorye of his power when he shall come to be glorifyed in hys saynctes and to become maruelous in al them that beleue because our testimonye that we had to you was beleued euen thesame daye Wherfore also we praye alwayes for you that our God wyll make you worthy of thys callyng and fulfyll all delectacyon of goodnes and the woorke of fayth with power that the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ maye be glorifyed by you and ye by hym accordynge to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ PAul and Siluanus and Tymothe vnto the company of the faithfull that are assembled in spirite at Thessalonica and be of one mynde towardes god our father and the Lord Iesus Chryst We are bounden to render aboundaunt thankes alwayes to god for his aboundaunt liberalytie to you warde in that you dooe not onelye through his helpe continue stedfaste in those thinges that you haue begon but also for that you daylye encreace excedinglye more and more in faythe and loue among your selues one to an other so muche that I thynke it not necessarie now to kyndle you vnto the applyeng of godlynes by the examples of other seyng we rather make boaste of you to the other coÌ„gregacions of god and enflame other vnto vertue by your example in rehearsing your pacience stedfastenes of faythe in all your persecucions and affliccions which you suffer that the iuste iudgemeÌ„t of god may be declared in you hereafter at suche tyme as whan you haue suffred vexacioÌ„ in this world for yâ— glory of his name he shal admit you into the felowshipe of hys kingdome And contrary wyse shall commit them vnto eternal punnyshement that haue persecuted you for malice of him For certaynly thys shall be the dealing of goddes righteousnes to pay vnto either parte rewarde worthie their dedes to them that punnyshe the innocent affliccion and to bestowe vnto you that are troubled with vs refreshing and comforte with vs in that daye whan the promisses of the gospel shall appeare and whan the Lorde Iesus shal shew himselfe out of heauen openly vnto the world not than after a lowe base degre as he did at his first commyng but waited vpon with the companyes of angelles as it is comelye for a myghtie prince nor than gentill and tractable to heale the wicked but armed with an horrible fierie flame to rendre vengeaunce vnto them that would not knowe god in this world nor obeye the gospel of our Lorde Iesus Chryste so as they shall fele by experience that he is righteous and mightie whom being mercifull and gentill they set naught by and so as at leaste they maye learne by their owne punyshmentes perforce to confesse the thinges to be true that the gospel spake of For they inasmuch as they neuer made end of their wicked doing shal suffer paines yâ— neuer shal haue ending whan they haue loked vpon the diuine face of the lorde and the maiestie of his power whoÌ„ thei coÌ„temned in this world as a rascal or a vile persone For at his first commyng he came to saue al men but than he shal come to shewe him selfe gloryous not in himselfe onely but in al his membres also that are godly people to the intent he may appeare wonderful in al them that beleue his gospel For in that daye the thinges shal be openly seen of al men in you which trusted in Christ at our recorde bearing where yâ— vngodly contemned them and would not beleue which daye that it maye be prosperous and ioyfull vnto you we ceasse not to praye to the lord continually for you that forasmuche as it hath pleased him to call you vnto the hope of thys glorye the same maye vouchesafe also to bee presentlye ready to helpe you in your trauaile thitherwarde that your conuexsacion be agreable to your profession and to consuÌ„mate and fynishe perfitely that which of his goodnesse he hath begonne in you and to geue strength vnto your soules that in manfullye bearing the vexations of the vngodly you maye declare howe myghtye the assured hope of eternal felycitie is in you for whose sake you passe not euen vpon the life of your bodies to the intent yâ— like as Christ glorified the father by his death was glorified of hym agayne by his resurreccion so the name of the lord Iesu Christ maye be glorified now by your sufferaunce and you glorified agayn by him in the daye of his commyng not accordyng to your owne desertes but according to the mercy of our god and of the Lorde Iesu Christe without whose helpe all that you go about were of none effect The. ii Chapiter The text We beseche you brethren by the commyng of oure Lord Iesu Chryste and in that we shal assemble vnto him that ye be not sodenly moued from your mynde nor be troubled nethâ—r by spirite neyther by wordes nor yet by letter which shulde some to come from vs as though thâ— daye of Chryst were at hande Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lorde shal not come except ther come a departyng fyrst and that the synful man be opened the soone of perdicyon which is an aduersary and is eralted aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth syt in the temple of God boastynge hymselfe to bee God Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thynges And nowe ye know what with holdeth euen that he myght be vttered at his tyme. For the mistery of the unquite doeth all ready worcke tyll he which now onelye letteth be taken out of the waâ—e And thâ—n shall that wycked bevttred whom the Lorde shal consume with the spirite of hys mouth and shall destroye with the appeareaunce of his commynge FVrthermore brethren we besech you by this coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ wherof we spake a littell afore and by the felowship of the glory wherby we being the membres shal be fastened vnto our head that you be not sodaynlye moued from the mynde you are in though his commyng be prolonged and be not astonyed in your myndes nether by feyned prophecie ne by probable assercioÌ„ nor by Epistle seÌ„t in our name as though the commyng of the Lorde were all ready at hand Let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes For the lorde shal not come onles a departing come first not afore the wicked man appeare the childe of perdicion who like as he is much vnlike vnto Christe so muche is he his enemy is exalted aboue the soÌ„ne of God aboue al that is called God or power that is deuoutly wurshipped so muche that he shall sitte in the temple of God shewing himselfe as God Doe you not
remembre that whaÌ„ I was yet with you I told you these thinges And now you know what is the let that Christ cummeth not In dede that the wicked man as I saied afore may in his propre tyme openly practise his tyranny vpon the Sainctes For now wickednesse worketh his crueltie vnderhand by him and the deuill by wicked menne rageth against the professours of the gospell and as you perceyue by my tellyng there is nothyng that letteth the aduersarie of Christe from shewyng himselfe openly but only that in the meane while euery one should holde still that he holdeth vntil that kingdome wherwith all other are holden in subieccion be dispatched quyte out of the waye And as soone as that shall come to passe than shall that wicked one shew himselfe abrode openly furnished with al kynde of iuggling castes and wylie disceytes to bryng mankynde to destruccion But for all his rageing with his deuilish spirite the Lord Iesus shall cheoke him with the mightie blast of his mouthe and for all his bostyng of his false counterfaite shew of diuinitie the Lorde shall obscure and abolishe him with the excellente clearenes of his cummyng euen as monstreous sightes of the night time and vayne appearaunces of thinges vanishe and goe a waye at the shynyng out of the bright sonne beames The texte Euen hym whose cumming is after the workyng of Satan with all lying power signes and woonders and with all deceyuabâ—enes of vntyghtewesnes among them that perish because they receyued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleue lyes that all they might be damned whiche beleued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrightewesnes But we are bounde to geue thankes alwaye to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord for because that God hath from the begynnyng chosen you to saluacion thorow sanctifyeng of the spirite and thorow beleuyng of the trueth wherunto he called you by oure Gospel to obtayn the glory of our lorde Iesu Christ For that wylie deceiuer shall at his cuÌ„ming be furnyshed with the spirite of Satan for the Deuil shal practise his crueltie by him And to the intente he maye the more cruelly worke his myschiefe he shall not onely be armed with a puyssaunt great power to make mens consciences afrayed but also with lyeng countrefaict castes of signes and wondres wherin he shall pretende to folowe Christ euen as the learned enchauntours folowed the example of Moses among the Egipcians To be briefe there shall be no kynde of fraude but he shal be perfitely conyng in it to worke wickednesse Howbeit it shal not availe him in any wise but only to the hurting of such as perishe though he were not through their owne vnbelefe For thus their obstinate rebellion against Christ demeriteth this is a reward worthy their desertes that seing they receiued not Christ by whom they might haue been saued who for his charitie sake was desyrous to haue al meÌ„ne saued for his trueth sake opened playnly the thinges that belonged to saluacion now by the suffraunce of God falsehead taketh place with theÌ„ in stede of trueth tyranny for charite a destroyour for a saue our and so as thei shal beleue a wicked maÌ„s lyenges inasmuch as thei refused to beleue the sonne of God that preached nothing but truth Thus shal it come to passe that where thei should otherwise haue also perished because of their obstinate mysbelefe than it shall manifestly appeare in all mennes sight that they are iustly damned forasmuche as they spightfully forsoke Christe and gaue credence at the first woorde to a craftie deceiuour and a wicked person This stormy tempest lyke as it shal declare them worthy damnacioÌ„ so shall it sette forth your stedfastnesse more clearely By reason whereof we are bounde to rendre alwayes thankes vnto God my christianly welbeloued brethren in that he suffred you not to continue still in errour but chosed you vnto saluacion from the beginning not by the meanes of Moses law but by his owne spirite the geuer of holynes and by your obedience wherwith you beleued the trueth simply and playnly Besydes this lyke as he chosed you eternally from the begynning so dyd he call you by our gospell preaching to the intent the saluacion of you whiche beleued whan the Iewes beleued not should growe to the glorye of our Lorde Iesus Christe The texte Therfore brethren stande fast and kepe the ordinaunces which ye haue learned whether it were by oure preachynge or by Epistle Oure Lorde Iesu Christ hymselfe and God our father which hath loued vs and hath geuen vs euerlastyng consolacyon and good hope thorowe grace comforte youre hertes and stablyshe you in all good saying and doynge The gospell that I delyuered vnto you was the true and very right gospell so that there is none other that you ought to loke for Therfore stand fast in it brethren and holde the thinges that we delyuered vnto you and that you learned of vs eyther by our preachyng or by our Epistle Vnto those it shall be your parte to applie your endeuour with all watching diligence Moreouer the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and god oure father which loued vs of his owne accorde and called vs vnto saluacion and by his spirite hathe geuen vs eternall consolacion euen in these affliccions to loke in good hope for the rewardes of the life in heauen not by meanes of our deseruinges but by his owne free mercie conforte your hartes more and more and establishe and confirme you to perseuer in all goodnes both in worde and in dede The .iii. Chapter The texte Furthermore brethren praye ye for vs that the worde of God maye haue passage and be gloryfyed as it is also with you and that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and froward men For al men haue not fayth but the Lord is faythfull which shall stablyshe you and preserue you from cuyll We haue confydence thorowe the Lorde to you warde that ye bothe do and wyl do the thynges which we commaunde you And the Lorde gyde your hertes to the loue of God and pacience of Chryste FVrthermore brethren like as we in oure supplicacions to god helpe foreward the busynesse of your saluacion euen so it is reasoÌ„ that you in semblable case set forward the thinges that I goe about with your prayers to him also that like as the doctrine of the gospel had spedy prosperous encrease among you so it may runne abrode and be published among all menne For the more spedynesse whereof praye you that we maye through his helpe be delyuered from suche men as be peruerse and frowarde whiche hyndre withall theyr possible meanes that the doctrine of Christe be not sowen without lette or hinderaunce For all they beleue not the Gospell that heare the Gospell and yet there is no cause why you should not beleue for all theyr wicked endeuours They spurne against the Gospell but they
the gayne of saluation whiche is preached by the ghospel encreaceth also For so is it Goddes pleasure to declare his myghtye power We haue sene in the heade what we maye trust vpon in our selues The texte Remember that Iesus Christ of the sede of Dauid tose a gayne from death according to my gospell wherin I suffte trouble as an euyll doaâ— euen vnto bandes But the word of god was not bounde Therefore I suffre all thynges for the electes sakes that they myght also obtayne that saluacion which is in Christ Iesu with eternal glory It is a true sayinge for yf we be dead with hym we shall also lyue with hym If we be pacient we shall also reigne with him If we d eny hym be al so shal denye vs. If we beleue not yet abyderh he faythful He cannot denye himself Of these thinges put them in remembraunce and testifye before the Lorde that they folowe no contencious wordes whiche are to no profite but to the peruerting of the hearers It is requisite to haue in remembraunce as thou knowest that Christe Iesus beyng made mortall man of the sede of Dauid hath enhaunced the glorye of the ghospell throughe suffrynge of rebukes and after the punishemente of the crosse was exalted to the rewarde of immortalitie This is the ghospell that I preache yet hitherto without shrynkynge beyng neyther afrayed of the Iewes malice nor of the Gentyles feare And for the ghospelles sake I am afflicted with many displeasures of them both yea euen vnto pryson and bondes as thoughe I were an euyll dooer And for all that I doo not so geue ouer the preachyng of the ghospell My bodye is bounden yetto but â—â— toungue that preacheth Christ could not be bounden And beyng a prysoner as muche as doeth possyblie lye in me I allure as many as I can vnto Christ of what sorte so euer they be It maketh no matier to me what I suffre so that I maye encrease some gaynes to the ghospell of Christ For this cause sake I suffre all thynges wyllynglye beyng assured of mine owne saluacion and that they also throughe preachynge of the ghospell shall atteyne saluation whoÌ„ God hathe appoynted to this felicitie whiche saluation is offered to all men not throughe Moses lawe but throughe Iesus Christe who lyke as he hathe suffred for vs so lykewise it becometh vs to suffre for his gospelles sake and for the saluacion of our brethren and lyke as he throughe sondry afflictions and spyghtefull entreatyng was exalted to the glorye of heauen euen so muste we preace to the same ende by the same waye This matier vnto manye semeth hard vncredible but vnto vs it ought to be vndoubted For yf we bethrough baptisme dead together with Christ vnto the lustes of this world or also yf we perseuer in the professyon of baptisme so it chaunce vs to be turmoyled with the sorowes of this world it shal come to passe that we shal also liue with Christ yâ— is to wete we shall be coÌ„panions of immortalitie with him whiche were coÌ„panyons of death with him And yf we suffer wyth hym and for his glorie we shall vndoubtedly reigne with him also For god is of most perfite equitie wil not suffre those to be shut out from the felowshippe of reygnyng whom he would haue to be felowes of sorowes suffryng Yf we professe him boldely in this worlde before men he shall acknowlege vs also in his Maiestie But and if we shall denye him for he denyeth him that refuseth his crosse it shall come to passe that in the laste daye we shall heare that terrible voice I knowe you not It we put our trust in him we do for our owne wealthe but if we distrust him he shall haue no losse For concernyng our opinion of him there commeth neyther wynnyng nor losyng to him therof He of his owne nature is true and can not chose but be lyke hymselfe Whether we beleue or beleue not that shall come to passe that he hath promysed to the godly lyfe that neuer shal dye and to the vngodlye deathe that shall neuer haue ende Thys is the foundacion of the ghospelles doetrine Of this see thou warne all men wythoute disputyng and wrangglyng with humayne argumentes but charge them by the Lord Iesus the autor of this doctrine and the witnesse of thy monicion yea and the reueÌ„get of vngodlynes excepte they will repent beyng warned By this manner of sadde earnest charge geuyng thou shalt doo more good than with disputing Mynde not in any wise to stryue with wordes after the maner of Sophisters nor couet with humayne reasones to affirme the thinge that oughte to be perceaued by faythe For that matter doeth not onely auayle nothyng to the furtheraunce of godlynes but also it weakeneth the strength of faythe and at length subuerteth the myndes of the hearers that euerye thinge is called in to question and with philosophicall reasones the thyng now set vp now throwen â—â—â—ne whereof it is not lawfull to doubte and so ariseth question vpon question that there is nether ende nor measure of questionyng The texte â–ª Study to shew thy selfe laudable vnto god a workeman that neadeth not to be ashamed destributyng the word of truth iustly As for vngostly vanites of voyces passe thou ouer them for they wylencreace vnto greater vngodlynes and their wordes shall frete euen is both the disease of a Cancre of whose nomber is Dimeneus and Philetus which as â—â—â—â—nyng the truth haue erred saying that the resurteccion is past already and doe â—â—â—roy the fayth of some But the sure ground of god standeth styl and hath this scaâ—e the Lord knoweth them that are hys And let euery man that calleth on the name of christ depart from iniquitie Notwithstandyng in a great house are not onely vesselles of gold and of sâ—â—uer but also of wood and of yerth some for honoure and some for dishonour If a man therfore purge hym selfe from suche men he shal be a vessel sanctified vnto honouer mete for the vses of the Lorde and prepared vnto all good workes See that thou rather let suche maner of wranglynges passe and studye to shewe thy selfe a ghospellyke workeman not a disputour but a woorkeman laudable not vnto men but vnto God and behaue thy selfe so in the ghopels affayres as he that hath chosen thee nede not to be ashamed of thee And that shalte thou doe in case thou wylte thwyte of vayne fonde disputacions and teache faith to be the summe total of the ghospels doctrine and yf thou brushe awaye the brambles of doubtefull questions and deuyde and dystribute the worde of God wyth vprighte iudgemente propoundyng onely those thynges that properlye belong to the matier of saluation and of Godlynes Moreouer reiecte boldely vayue brablyng of wordes whiche yf they be once receyued venome appeareth by lytle and lytle and they shall growe alwayes to wickednes more and more and at length the mater shall come to that ende that mans
wherein he euen that ryghteous iudge shall rendre vnto euerye one reward accordyng to their desertes For it is not for me only that this crowne of immortalitie is prepared but for all them also that laye holde vpon his promysses and kepe them selues vpryght and vndefyled waytynge gladlye for â—â—s commyng among whom I trust thou arte one of the chiefe Doo thy diligence to come to me as shortely as thou canst The pryson hyndreth me that I can not walke hyther and thyther to goe aboute the ghospelles busines and I am for saken al mooste of euerye bodye And to be shorte there are some thynges that I am desyrous to commende vnto the by myne owne mouthe â—ore my departyng The texte For Demas hath forsaken me and loueth this preseat worlde and is departed vnto â—hessalonicâ— â–ª Crescens is gone to Galacia â–ª â—itus vnto Dalmacia Only Lucas is with me â—ake â—arke and bryng him with the for he is profitable vnto me for the ministraâ—yon â–ª and Tichicus haue I sent to Ephesus The cloke that I left at Troada with Catpus â–ª â—â—eâ—â—hâ—â— comâ—est bryng with the and the bokes but specially the parchement Alexander the coppersmyth dyd me muche euyll the Lorde rewarde hym accordyng to his dedes of whom be thou ware also For he hath greatly withstande our wordes Demas hath forsaken me hauyng leauer to possesse thys worldes pleasures than in hope of immortal rewarde to be companion of myne affliccions Vpon this purpose he went to Thessalonica Crescens is gone hence into Galacia for busines that he hath there Titus in to Dalmatia Luke onely is with me for he neuer geueth ouer folowyng me what fortune so euer falleth Whan thou comest bryng Marke with thee for I haue nede of his seruice For I haue sent Tichicus about certaine busines vnto Ephesus And whan thou comest bring the cloke with thee that I left behynde me at Troada with Carpus that I maye weare it both in winter in prison also the reÌ„naunt of bokes that I left behynd me there especially those that are writen in perchemeÌ„t Alexander yâ— copper smyth hath not only forsakeÌ„ me in these stormes but hath also done me much sorow It is not my part to reueÌ„ge it but yâ— lord reward him as he hath deserued of whoÌ„ also be thou ware For he did not onely not assiste me but he did also vehemently withstande our sayinges The texte ¶ At my first answeringe no man assysted me but al forfoke me I praye god that it maye not be layde to their charges Not withstandynge the Lorde assysted me and strenghted me that by me the preaching should be fulfylled to the vtmoste and that all the Gentiles shoulde heare And I was delyuered out of the mouthe of the Lyon And the Lord shal delyuer me from all euyll doynge and shal kepe me vnto his heauenly kyngdome To whom be prayse for euer and euer Amen At the fyrst tyme that I was put to make answere at the Emperours barre no man assysted me all were afrayed and forsoke me Ther fell vpon them a certaine humayne toye I woulde not wyshe it to be imputed vnto them For albeit I was destitute of mans helpe the lorde forsoke me not but assisted me and gaue me strength that the preaching of the gospelles faythe should be perswaded to the vtmost by me and that the fame of it shoulde be spreade abrode vnto the eares of all the gentyles For vpon this consyderacion I suppose his wyll was to haue me tossed aboute throughe dyuerse countries at length to be brought vnto Rome so as that gospelles doctrine should be spred yâ— more farther abroade By the helpe of him that is mightier than any tyranne I was delyuered from the moste rageing lyons cheawes And myne assured trust is moreouer that the same lorde wyll delyuer me also hereafter from al the wyckednesse of yâ—â—â—ked that I shall not shrynke by any occasion from the syncerite of the gospell And yf I shall suffre death here yet he wyll preserue his seruaunt souldiour vnto his heauenly kyngdome vnto whome be glorye for euermore Amen The texte ¶ Salute Prisca and Aquila and yâ— housholde of Onesiphorus Erastus abode at Coâ—thum Trophimus haue I lefte at Miletum sicke Do thy diligence that thou maist câ—â—â— before wynter Eubolus greteth the and so do the Pudence and Lynus Claudya and â—â—â— the brethren The Lorde Iesus Christ be with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen Salute Prisilla and Aquila myne hospte and myne hospetes and Onâ—â—phorus househoulde vnto whom I am very muche bounden Erastus taryed styl at Corinthum To conclude I left Tromphimus behinde me at Myletus very euyll at ease Doe what thou canst to come hyther before wynter maâ—â— the waye to make it latte iournayeng Eubelus greteth the well and Pudeâ—â— and Claudia and all the rest of the brethren The lorde Iesus Christe which hathe alwayes assisted me be also with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen This haue I subscribed with myne owne hande that the Epistle maye be the more surely credited Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the later Epistle of the Apostle Paule to Tymothie To the right worshipfull master Iohn Hales his seruaunt Leonarde Coxe wysheth long and prosperouse welfare AFter that the Kynges Maiestie had by the aduyse and consent of his moste deare and prudente vncle my lorde protectoure and other of his moste honourable counsayle vpon certaine iuste consideracions put all the preachours within his graces dominions to silence for a space I howbeit of al the vnworthiest yet neuertheles one of yâ— nombre that is by his Maiestie licenced to declare the worde of god to his people thought it not mete for my parte to let this tyme of sylence to passe ouer onely in myne owne pryuate studyes but in the meane tyme to wryte some thinge that myghte be no lesse frutefull to the readers theÌ„ was my tongue afore to the hearers For this purpose I chose vnto me an autour of venerable antiquitie named Marke the heremite who in the Greke tongue had wrytten two ryght vertuouse and godly treatyses the one of the lawe of thâ— spirite and the other of them that thynke to be iustifyed by their workes But whyle I was on hande with this translacion Master Iohn Olde a man of ryght good learnynge and my very frende brought vnto me the paraphrase of Erasmus of Roterdame vpon saincte Paules Epistle to Titus the whiche I had certaineyeares gone translated into englyshe requiryng that I woulde peruse it againe and amende suche faultes as were therin eyther by the printers neglygence or myne ouersyght And so to place the texte with the paraphrase that it might easyly be perceaued what parte of the paraphrase to what parte of the Epistle is correspondeÌ„t And he shewed me also that as the first tome or volume of the same paraphrase vpon yâ— gospelles and actes of the Apostles was all readye printed so was the printer nowe about to go on hande with the
loue their husbandes to loue their children to be dyscret chaste housewyfely good obedyente to their husbandes that the word of god be not euyil spoken of Yong men lykewyse exhorte that they be sobre mynded On the same maner thou shalt warne olde wemen that they go apparayled after suche maner as becommeth them that wylbe named christian persones they must not fynde fautes with the lyuyng of other whiche faulte is peculiare to this sex and age They must not be geuen to ouermuche drinkynge of wyne How be it the vse of wyne must not be denyed to age so yâ— it be moderate They must teache maydens and yong wemen suche thinges as be honest no nycenes neyther euyll fasshions and so instruete them that they be wyse and loue theyr husbandes and childreÌ„ that they be sobre and chaste and kepars of their house and playe the good housewyfes For this is the hyest prayse yâ— can be in wemen to be knowen to be subiecte and obedyent to their husbandes that the name of God whose religion they professe be not flaundered thorowe their lewde maners For sithen we see the wyues of heathen men to behaue them selfes â—yghte womanly in suche poyntes belongyng to womanhed what shall the vnfaithful say whan they see our christen wemen worse in this behalfe theÌ„ their wemen are seyng it becometh them in al good maners to excell other Now what thing olde wemen must by thyne instruccion teache yong maydens and yong wyfes that same shalte thou thy selfe teache yong men exhortynge them to be sobre and of moderate affeccions that the heate of youthe ouerthrowe them not hedlonge into vice The texte ¶ In all thinges shewe thy selfe an ensample of good worckes in thy doctrine with honestye grauitie and with yâ— wholsome worde which cannot be rebuked that he whiche withstandeth maye be a shamed hauyng no euyll thinge to saye of you And that thou mayest the more effectuousely perswade these thinges firste of all be thou thy selfe an example vnto them of honest doynges in al that is the dutie of a true christian man to do For no man doeth soner perswade men to folowe his doctrine then he that doeth the same that he byddeth other men to do Thou shalte therfore so teache the youthe that together with thy doctryne thou shewe â–ª thy selfe a lyuely example of a pure and vpright lyfe corrupte with no maner of vyce at al. And that thou kepe suche grauitie that they haue theyr teacher in reuerence and be afeared to offende him Se therfore that thou moderate all thy lyfe and also thy wordes that there maye nothinge be founde in the that maye be contemned that not onely they whiche be vnder thy lore maye obey the but also they whiche afore were against the gospell maye be ashamed of their euyll saying whan they shall se all thinges in the so withoute blame that euen they that lye in wayte for the and seke all the meanes they can to get some occasion to laye somwhat against the can fynde nothing at all to brynge their entent to passe neyther in the nor in thyne The texte ¶ Exhorte seruauntes to be obedyent vnto their owne masters and to please them in all thinges not answerynge againe neyther to be pyckers but yâ— they shewe all good faithfulnes that they maye doe worshyp to the doctrine of god our saueour in all thinges Exhorte seruauntes that they be obediente to their masters and seruiceable in al thinges leste they maye seame thorowe the profession of yâ— christian faithe to be made worse than they were afore and so by them the naughtines of euyll parsons shal be reproched to yâ— gospell Let them not therfore be full of answers against their maysters and euyll wylled to do their commaundementes neither must they be pyekers as the commune sorte of vnthrifty seruauntes be that as they professe the faythe of Christe lykewyse they declare them selfes in all seruice to be done to their maysters to be dyligent and true yea thoughe theyr maisters do but lytle deserue it of them So that thorowe their honeste behauoure they commende and set forthe the doctrine of our saueoure god and that by them mo men maye be drawen to the folowynge therof whan theyse suche as knowledge themselfes to be christians to be more gentle and amyable then other in all their conuersacion The texte ¶ For the grace of god that bryngeth saluacion vnto all men hath appered and teacheth vs that we shoulde deny vngodlynes and wordlye lustes and that we should liue sobrely and righteously and godlye in this presente worlde lokynge for that blessed hope and appearynge of the glorye of the great god and of oure saueour Iesu Christe whiche gaue him selfe for vs to redeme vs from all vnrighteousnes and to purge vs a peculyar people vnto him selfe feruently geuen vnto good workes For in this thorowe the gospell hath shyned the bountefulnes and exceading great mercy of god our saueour whiche was afore vnknowen And it hath not shyned onely to the Iewes but egallye to all men not that nowe beyng delyuered from the burden of Moses lawe we shoulde lyue after our owne wyll but we be taught that after that by baptisme the faultes of our lyfe afore passed be forgeuen vs and that we swerynge to abyde in Christes doctrine haue ones renounced and geuen vp wyeked relygion and worshypping of images and al worldly desires we shoulde so lyue hereafter in this worlde that it may appere manifestly that we be truly new borne againe in Christe and made altogether other meÌ„ than we were afore And where as we tofore were the seruantes of wickednes synne anâ— fylthye concupiscence we must from hence forthe kepe suche moderacion that we be in no wyse oppressed with the desyres of worldly thinges Let vs so obserue the iustyce of liuynge that we do good to euery man as muche as lyeth in vs and that we hurte no man that we maye nowe with a pure conscience geue that honour and worshyp to god that we gaue afore to deuyls And thoughe paraduent are we be punished with pouertie infamie reuilynges enprisonement tormentes and dyuerse other euyls â–ª yet let vs not thynke yâ— oure faith and godly lyuyng is baraine and vnfrutefull nether let vs hunte after rewardes of this worlde whiche in comparison of thinges to come be neyther greate nor of any contynuaâ—ce but let vs â—oke for that greater rewarde of euerlastyng lyâ—e which shall then chaunce when after the ende of this worlde in the whiche the membres of Christ be vexed with many afflictions and ignomies god the father shall open his glorye and magnificence in them that be his true worshyppers all their miseries beyng cleane expussed At the whiche tyme he shal not appeare humble but gloriouse terrible to the wycked And together with yâ— father shal appeare in the same glorie our lord saueouer Iesus Christ geuyng vnto his membres yâ— glorye of immortalitie in yâ— which he now shyneth He bycause
for rewarde of his bounteous lyberalitie ¶ The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ The elders whiche are among you I exhorte which am also an elder and a witnes of the afflicciōs of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened Fede ye Christes flocke asmuche as lyeth in you taking the ouersyght of them not as compelled therto but wyllyngly after a godly sorte not for y◠desyre of tylthy lucre but of a good minde not as thoughe ye were lordes ouer the parisshes but that ye be an ensample to the flocke and that with good wyll And when the chefe sheperde shall appeare ye shall receaue a◠incorruptible crown of glorye Lykewyse ye yonger submyt your selues vnto the elder Submit your selues euery man one to another knet youre selues together in lowlynes of mynde For God resisteth the proude and geueth grace to the humble ENdeuour your dilygence vnto this brethren bothe euery one seuerally by your selues and all together in commune that folowynge the fotestepes of Christ you may atteyne vnto his felowship Howbeit it is reason y◠those whiche excede other in autoritie of age should excede also in the study of godlynes Of their example of their maner of teaching and of their autoritie dependeth the resydue of the multitude And it is not inoughe for them to lyue vpryghtly themselues excepte they be carefull for the multitude also For vnto them their graye head augmenteth autoritie vse of thinges augmenteth wysedome and long proued tried vprightenes of lyfe augementeth their credence You therfore I speake to you elders the kepets of the people beynge an elder also my selfe whiche haue performed in mater in dedes the thing y◠I teache that is to say in suffring enprisonmentes stripes for the name of Christ sake beyng ready also euen vnto y◠crosse whā the wil of God so shal be in like maner hauing this very good hope y◠whom he hath vouchesafe to haue suffer for his sake he wil admitte also the same vnto y◠felowship of the glorye of heauen as sone as y◠day shal come wherin he shal openly declare his Maiestie vnto the world y◠wrastlinges of y◠world being at an ende y◠rewardes shal be brought furthe I beseche you for y◠tormentes sakes y◠Christ suffred for you for myne affliccions sakes wherin I folowe my lord to myne vttermost power shew your selues right feders of y◠multitude in dede as it is chaūced to euery mans lotte watche walke about loke on euery syde take hede y◠nothing wante vnto the flocke for whome Christ died nether holy consolacion nether holsome doctrine ne example of gospellyke lyfe You are called Superint endentes accomplyshe in dede y◠thing y◠you are called Fede cure gouerne kepe y◠nothing perishe y◠nothīg runne out of y◠way And see y◠you doe y◠not grudgingly as mē cōstrained through feare either shame or necessitie of office but with diligēt readines gladly with a good wil respectīg nothing elles but what may be acceptable to god It is his busynes that you take in hande and of him you shall receyue euerlastinge rewarde Loke not for rewarde in this lyfe It is a shame to take charge of christian people for vauntage sake whiche charge no man is praysed for takynge but he that dooeth it of his owne accorde and frely without any thinge That man is fallen out of the rewarde of heauen that hunteth after the hyre of his office at mennes handes here in this worlde Next vnto this it is yf any man thoughe he set naught by lucre yet seketh ambiciously after honour and dignitie being desyrous to be a commaunder beyng desirous to be reuerenced that man shall haue no rewarde also with God He hath receaued his rewarde The office of a right bysshop is ferre of from lordinge It is not a tirannye but an administracion A bisshop is put in autoritie for this ende not to scrape to him selfe the more gayne therby not to reigne a lofte and to vse his pleasure the more frely but to doe the more good Therfore you elders remēbre your office behaue your selues so in all thinges that your lyfe maye be an example vnto the people of a gospellyke conuersacion Let them learne of your behauiour to set naught by lucre let them learne to defye dysdeignous statelynes let them learne to hope for the hyre of their duties dooing at Christes handes to haue respecte to none other thing in this worlde but because so it is honest so is it acceptable to God In the meane season playe the good shepherdes frely without any thing Neuertheles in dede it shall not be doen for nothing but whan the prince of shepherdes Iesus Christ shall in th appointed daye openly shew forth him selfe whiche gaue him selfe wholy for his shepe the keping wherof he hath committed vnto your credence than in stede of a vyle mortal triflyng rewarde you shall receyue the glorious crowne of your duetye doinge whiche shal neuer fade Therfore in no wyse take the thing vpon your selues that you ought to loke for at your princes handes preuent not the daye whiche he woulde haue to be vncertaine vnto vs. And like as it is the parte of suche as be Elders to shew them selues as fathers vnto the yonger euen so the yonger ought on the other parte to shewe them selues manerly and obedient vnto the elders and lyke as the Elders submitte them selues throughe gospellyke charitie vnto all men to thintent they maye doe the more good euen so the yong ought not to abuse the gentilnes and facilitie of the Elders but it is rather cōuenient for them to obey them with so muche the more ready diligence as they abuse the lesse their autoritie Where true charitie is there autoritie is nether dysdeinfull nor the youthe is outragiouslye fearce He y◠is set in dignitie goeth about nothinge but this that he may doe good for other and he y◠is a subiecte doeth more of his owne free accorde than he requireth him Let all men therfore haue gentyll sobrenes fyxed vtterly in their hartes and that shall be occasion that nether the Elders shal be weary of their charge nor y◠yonger greued at their autoritie God hateth fearce flowtenes of stomake in men his delyght is in lowe mynded heartes and suche is deiecte them selues he bestoweth his giftes vnto them that take nothing vpon them selues he repelleth forsaketh y◠proude persons as vnworthy his benefites Suche as humble them selues them he aduaunceth and suche as exalte them selues them he throweth downe suche as truste to their owne strengthes them he doeth not vouchesafe to helpe and those that dystruste theyr owne powers and depende wholye at his becke them he chearyssheth and maynteyneth The texte ¶ Submit your selues therfore vnder the mightie hande of God that he may exaite you when the tyme is come Last all youre care vpon him for he euer careth for you Be sober and watche for youre aduersatye
the deuyll as a roarynge lyon walketh aboute sekynge whome he maye deuour whome resyst stedfast in the faithe knowynge that the same affliccions are appointed vnto your brerbren that are in y◠worlde But the God of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorye by Christ Iesus shall his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a lytle afflicciō make you perfecte settle strength and stablyshe you To him be glorye and domintō for euer and euer Amen By Siluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written breffely exhortinge and testifying howe that this is the true grace of God wherin ye stande The congregacion of them whiche at Babilon are companions of your eleccion saluteth you and so dothe Marcus my sonne Grete ye one another with the kysse of loue Peace be with you al whiche are in Christ Iesu Amen Submitte your selues therfore not for dreade of men but because you trust in the mightie hande of God There is no peril leste you shoulde be troden vnder fote perpetually for euer for he shall aduance and exalce you a lofte whan the day of rewardes cōmeth Loke not waueringly about you haue no distrust be not aftayed lest you be tossed in the sourges of sorowes as thoughe you were vndefended and set naught by for he that is hable in all thinges and seeth all thinges hath charche of you wil not suffer any thing of you to peryshe It is the cōmune custoume of youthe to be bēt vnto pleasures vnto ryot vnto wantonnesse But be you sobre watche you in your myndes beyng alwayes readily attētiue and alwayes circūspecte For y◠aduersarie of your saluaciō y◠thursteth after mannes destrucciō sleapeth not but walketh about lyke an hungrye roaringlion sekeyng in euery place whom he may snatche vp to deuour assaieng by all meanes entraunce vnto you sometyme layeng wayte for you by voluptuous pleasures sometyme openly oppugnyng you by persecucions Geue not place vnto him but resiste him with vnshrinkinge stronge hartes You wil say where haue we power against him that is so mightie He that hathe charge of you is mightier than he Put all the whole trust of your hartes vpon him and your aduersaries power shal be nothinge Against the faithles he is strong but against the faithfull he is feble Yf he shoulde assaulte this man or that man parchaunce it might rightly be takē for a sore greuous afflicciō but now doeth he impugne al the whole flocke of the godly with like malicious hatred He persecuteth Christ in you he enuieth all mens saluacion so that the cōmune afflicciō of all shal be the more easely hable to be borne to stande with agreable myndes agaist the cōmune enemy These matters shal shortly haue an ende Nether wil God from whome proceadeth all goodnes leaue you succourles in the meane season but wil throughly perfourme the thing that he hathe begonne in you He hath geuen you suche stomackes that for his sake you should not be afrayed to suffer tormētes wherby he hath called you vnto his glory that neuer shal haue ende He wyll not suffer you to mysse of the victorie yf you wrestle manfully he wil helpe you in your wrestlynge and wyll garnysshe strengthen and establyshe you that beynge tormented for a shorte season you maye atteine the crowne of immortalitie By his ayde we get the victorye of his free gyfte we shal receyue the rewarde For there is nothing wherin we may chalenge any prayse to our selues vnto God alone is al glorye due not onely in this worlde but also into al ages for euer Amē At this present I wil write no further vnto you For of this selfe same matter I suppose I wrote vnto you of late althoughe in fewe wordes by Siluanus a faithfull brother I doubte not but he delyuered the Epistle well and faithfully In it I desired and hartily besought you to perseuer styl in that which you haue begonne that nothing alter your mynde The waye that you haue entred is the very right true waye vnto saluacion Thus ferre you haue proceded forewarde by the goodnes of God Continue styll stedfastly throughe his helpynge ayde tyll you attayne vnto the victorious rewarde of lyfe that neuer shall dye The congregacion of the christianes commende them vnto you euen the congregacion whome God hath chosen out to himselfe together with you in Babilon whiche in the myddes of wicked ydolatrours folowe the godlynes of the gospell and in myddes of most sylthye corrupte lyuers embrace the purenes of cleane conuersacion You are not alone by your selues God hath his electe in euery place In dede those are but a very fewe howbeit they are a fynely tryed sede to encreace the congregacion in tyme commynge more latgely Marke saluteth you whiche is to me as it were my sonne Salute you euery one other with a kysse not after the sorte that is geuē more custumely than hartely but with an holy pure true christiā mynde which is not doone against the hearte but is the signe of a chaste and a pure vpright louer and not a lyeng countrefaicte token And to make an ende of myne Epistle in lyke sorte as I beganne it Grace and peace be alwayes present with you al which beyng engraffed vnto the bodye of Iesu Christ lyue by his spirite that grace maye couple you vnto God and peace maye glewe you together with mutual concorde whiche thing God that is best and most mightye brynge to passe Amen ¶ Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter thapostle ¶ The argument vpon the later Epistle of S. Peter thapostle by D. Erasmus of Roterodame THis Epistle as it appeareth Peter wrote whan he was greatly growē in age and almost at the pittes brinke for in dede he maketh mencion of his death He writeth generallye to all sortes of christianes exhortinge them to purenes of lyfe and by auncient examples and with the terrour of the laste iudgemēt frayeng them from fylthines and he doeth vehemently blame them whiche corrupte the myndes of the symple with peruerse doctrine in denyeng the commynge of Christ ¶ Thus endeth the Argument ¶ The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the later Epistle of S. Peter thapostle ¶ The first Chapter The texte ¶ Simon Peter a seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to them whiche haue obtained lyke precious faithe with vs thorowe the rightewesnes of our God and sauioure Iesus Christ Grace be vnto you and peace be multiplied thorow the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde Accordynge as his godly power hath geuen vnto vs al thynges that pertayne vnto lyfe and godlynesse thorow the knowledge of him that hath called vs by glory and vertue by the which are geuē vnto vs excellent and most great promyses that by the meanes therof ye might be partetakers of the godlye nature yf ye flye the corrupcion of worldly luste I Simon Peter in tymes paste a diligent folower of Moyses law and
asmuche as I am sure that shortly I must put of this my tabernacle â–ª euen as our Lorde Iesus Christ shewed me I wyll euer also geue my diligence that ye maye haue wherwith to stere vp the remembraunce of these thinges after my departinge And therfore brethren let it not make you to lyue in a securitie and to be careles in that the goodnes of God hathe whan you deserued nothing called you vnto the profession of the gospell hauynge once pardoned all the synnes of your former lyfe but endeuour your selues so muche the more that the goodnes of God wherwith he hath called you wherwith he hath chosen you be nâ—t turned to your destruccion and heape of damnacion in case beyng forgetful of his bounteous gentilues you be tombled backe in to yâ— same state from whence he raunsomed you with his owne death But procure rather with well doinges that God seine not to haue called and chosen you in vaine And some parte of this mater lyeth euen in you For yf you consyder from whence God hathe called you to what thinges he hath called you and what rewardes he hathe set forthe for you and yf you wyll preace therunto by these meanes whiche I haue declared a lytell before you shall neuer slyppe out of the right course of godlynes For yf you preace this waye Goddes assistinge helpe shal be plenteouslye present with you and shal succour you with his riche relyefe that at length beynge conquerours of this worlde you maye atteyne to the euerlastinge kyngdome of our Lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ to possesse with him the treasures of heauen for whose sake you haue set naught by the treasures of yâ— earthe The rewarde is exceadynge great but it must be procured with exceadynge greate diligence Wherfore I wyl neuer cease to geue you warnynge of these maters althoughe I suppose it not necessarie seynge you both doe and remembre what you ought to doe and are also confirmed nowe by longe processe of godlynes in the acquainted knowledge of the trueth a great while whiche hauynge embraced you constantlye folowe yet hitherto notwithstandyng to thintent you maye more and more watche styll in that you haue begonne I recken it my parte that remembringe my lordes precepte â–ª whiche commaunded me yâ— beynge conuerted my selfe I shoulde confirme my brethren as longe as I lyue among you beyng a straunger vpon earthe in yâ— tabernacle of this sely body I should stere vp pricke forewarde the studye of godlynes in you and in dede so muche the more because I knowe I shall shortly be stripped out of the dwellynge of this sely bodye and chaunge this exile of the earthe for yâ— fraunchised free citie of heauen For our Lorde Iesus Christ signified so vnto me whome I serue yet hitherto as a souldier in this tabernacle Nowe therfore I shall geue dilygence that these matters maye in the meane space be so surely fixed in youre hartes with often admonicion that you maye remembre them after my deathe whan I can not warne you by worde of mouthe For seyng the thinge is most certaine that you haue receyued of vs it behoueth you not to swarue from it The texte ¶ For we haue not folowed deccatfull fables when we opened vnto you the power and commynge of our Lorde Iesus Christ but with our eyes we sawe his maiestie euen then verely when he receaued of God the father honour and glory and when there came suche a voyce to him from the excellent glorye This is my deare beloued sonne in whome I haue delyte This voyce we hearde come from heaueÌ„ when we were with him in the holy mount We haue also a right sure worde of prophecie wherunto yf ye take hede as vnto a light that shyneth in a darcke place â–ª ye do well vntil the daye dawne and the day starre aryse in your heartes So that ye first knowe this that no prophecye in the scripture hath any priuace enterpretacion For the scripture came neuer by the wyll of man but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy ghost For our doctrine was not suche gayre as the philosophers teache whose drifte is to perswade by crafulye conueyed fables and humayne subtilties the thing that they them selues vnderstande not and dysagree also amonge them selues But we haue in no wyse folowed these wayes in openynge vnto you the power and comminge of our lorde Iesu Christ and in preachinge vnto you his maiestie whiche we haue sene with these iyes For he vouchedsafe to exhibite vnto certaine of his owne afore his death some special token with what mightie power and with what glorye he shall once come to iudge the quicke and the dead and what wonderfull felicitie he shal geue vnto them that loue him stedfastlye For where God the father endued him all wholy with glorye and honour insomuche that his countenaunce shoone as bright as the sunne and his clothes were more white than the snowe so farre that mannes iyes coulde not abyde to beholde the heauenly syght and there came also an exceadynge most honourable testimonie of the fathers voyce whiche was brought downe from highe vnto him from the glorious maiestie of yâ— father And it was after this sorte This is my welbeloued sonne whiche hathe delyghted my mynde heare him There coulde haue ben no witnesse geuen eyther more fully or more excellent And it was pronounced not of any prophet but of the fathers owne maiestie These thinges we haue sene with our iyes these haue we hearde with our eares whan we were present with him in the holy mount Thabor If so be that the prophetes playne oracles be in a great weightie estimacion among you which prophecied by figuratyue darke shadowes of Christ of much more grauitie ought so euident a declaracion by the father himselfe of his sonne be The prophetes agree with the fathers voice yf a man doe rightly interprete them They with their promisses prepare as it were mennes myndes to the trueth of his gospell in that they shadowe and as it were couertly poynt out the thing that the gospell doeth openly preache Therfore I doe not disallowe that the Iewes beyng vehementlye geuen to the prophetes prophecienges seke there for the commynge of Messias For it is a steppe somewhat vnto the faythe of the gospel to beleue that Christ shoulde come For a man shall the more soner beleue that Christe is come yf he be parswaded that he shoulde come Therfore there is good hope of him that beynge not yet lightened with the lyght of the Gospell is attentiue vnto the prophetes as to a candell appearinge in a darcke place For it is better to haue some lyght than no light tyll the sunne come and the daye dawne to dryue awaye all darkenes and to obscure euen that candell and that the daye sterre of gospell preachinge maye shyne bryght in your hartes whiche declareth that the sonne is at hande The sayinges of the prophetes are to this vse profytable yf
day by day in vayne For they shal thinke surely that he shall neuer come bycause hys commyng is put of for a tyme. What token saye they is there of the resurreccion Our fathers are dead one after an other and neuer one hathe risen agayn to life yet hytherto And like as sence the creacion of the worlde all thinges are engendred by the enterchaungable courses of the dyeng and of the lyuing euen so vnto thys tyme remayneth the same course of nature where as by mutacion of the worlde that hathe ben before we may gather that there shal be a newnes hereafter And like as the mutacion chaunced what tyme they loked not for it that lyued after theyr owne fylthy lustes euen so shall the nouacion happen whether we beleue it or not beleue it For thys thyng they are not ware of or as I suppose rather they dissemble to knowe that the heauens were created long a goe and also the earthe which the waters wherwith it was couered made bare a great power of waters also hanging alofte And whan mankynde was almoste altogether defiled with vices God being offended sent the flood and destroyed the world of that tyme reseruing only eight persons which had folowed InnoceÌ„cy This vniuersall iudgement God exercised at that tyme in pourgeing and renewing the earth through water Than the heauens contynue yet still as they were created and they are reserued to fyre by the whiche they shall also be purged in the daye of iudgement whan the wicked shal be destroyed by fyre like as in times paste they perished by water Forasmuche than as it is a thing moste certayn that that daye shall come it maketh no matter whether it come later or sooner This only standeth vs in hande to prouide for that when so euer it coÌ„meth it fynde not vs vnready We in out conceytes thinke some thinges leng some thinges shorte but vnto God there is nothing neyther shorte nor long In his promisses he foloweth not the appetites of vs but his owne eternall vnchaungeable decreed counsail vnto whome nothyng is â—â—â—â—er paste nor to come but al thinges are present But vnto vs what so euer he hâ—â—h promised he exhibeteth in the tune that he hath appointed before hande to him self For elles with him al is one whether there be one day past or a thousand yeares With the same faithful assurednes doeth he performe the thing whiche he performeth the later that he doeth the thyng he doeth more spedilyer For as concernyng him selfe he hathe performed euen nowe the thing that he hathe purposed to performe For he dooeth not chaunge his purpose and after the maner of delayers prorogue and put of his promyse as some falsly iudge of him measuring God after their own condicions but he prescribeth the space to be longer somtymes for your sake because vpon his tendre mercye and gentilnes he woulde haue none to perysh but is desitous to haue all men once to repent that those whiche peryshe haue no cause to fynde fault that they wanted space to chaunge their life in to better And that daye shall come vnloked for and shall come creping vpon men none otherwise than a thefe in the night cometh vpon them that are a sleape In that daye there shall be so greate violence of fyre that the heauens shall passe with a mightie greate force in to an other kinde But the elementes whervpon this lower world consisteth shal be dissolued with heate and fynally the earthe and the thinges therin conteyned shal bee butned with fyre and all the whole nature of thinges shal bee cleane purged And if it bee of necessitie that all thinges shal be so pure that these thinges shall also be dissolued whiche offende not howe muche standeth it vs in hande diligently to endeuour that that daye maye fynde vs throughly purged and vpright in all holynes of life and in all studious affayres of godlynes In the meane season this muste bee with muche spedynes forecaste that you be alwaye in a readynes whan so euer that daye shall come whose straight iudgement no manne shal bee hable to escape whiche shall suffre no thyng to be impure so muche that the heauens must be dissolued with fyre and the elementes constrayned to melt with heate And after this we loke accordyng to hys promisse for new heauens and a newe earthe that haue no corrupcion no fault that we in whome shal be no corrupt mynde maye haue the fruicion of them being vncorrupt The texte ¶ Dearly beloued be not ignoraunt of this one thing howe that one daye is with the Lorde as a thousande yeare and a thousande yeare as one daye The Lorde yâ— hath promised is not slacke as some men count slacknes but is pacient to vs warde for asmuch as he would haue no man lost but wyll receaue all men to repentaunce Neuertheles the day of the Lorde wyll come as a thefe in the night in the whiche daye the heauens shall passe awaye in maner of a tempeste and the elementes shall melte with heate the carthe also and the worckes that are therin shall burne Seyng then that all these thinges shall perysshe what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersacion and godlynes lokyng for and vasting vnto the commynge of the daye of God by whome the heauens shal perisshe with fyre and the elementes shall melt with heare Neuertheles we accordynge to his promes loke for a newe heauen and a new earth wherin dwelleth rightewesnes Wherfore dearly beloued seyng that ye loke for suche thinges be diligent that ye maye be fouÌ„de of him in peace without spotte and vndefyled And suppose that the longe sufferynge of the Lorde is faluacion euen as our dearely beloued brother Paule also accordinge to the wysedome geuen vnto him hath wrytten vnto you yea almoost in euery epistle speaking of suche thinges amonge whiche are many thinges harde to be vnderstande whiche they that are vniearned and vnstable peruert as they do also the other scriptures vnto their owne destruccion Ye therfore beloued seyng ye be warned afore hande beware lost ye with other men be also plucked awaye thorowe the erroure of the wycked and fal from your owne stedfastnes But growe in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ To whome be glory bothe nowe and for euer Amen Wherfore most dearely beloued brethren haue this so fearfull a iudgemeÌ„t alwayes before your eyes and geue dilygence that whan the lorde commeth he maye fynde you pure and vnblameable not onely before menne whose iudgemeÌ„tes are many tymes deceaued but also before hi. For he is pure in dede that is pure in the iudgement of God And althoughe paraduenture it be long ere that daye come construe it not so as thoughe he woulde not come at all but consydre that this tender sufferaunce of the lorde wherwith he geueth all men space to repent doeth care for mennes saluacion of whiche matters our mooste deare brother and folowe in office
Paule wrote vnto you so muche the more habundantly as God gaue him the more plenteous gyfte of wysedome and in almost all his epistles exhorteth you to loke for this daye sometyme speakinge after suche a sorte as though the daye of the lorde were already now at hande that he might the rather prycke you forwarde to the studye of godlynes where as that daye because it is vncertaine oughte to be loked for so as thoughe he woulde come this daye but yet after suche wyse that no man prescribe a tyme certaine These and some other matters Paule according to his high wisedom myngled in his Epistles And wheras he spake them most rightly that coulde be yet the ignoraunt and inconstaunt persons wrest them with a peruerse interpretacion as they doe the other scriptures to their owne destruccion that the thing whiche is healthe vnto the good maye be turned throughe their owne faulte in to venome vnto them Therfore brethren sence you are so many waies warned before hande bothe of me and of Paule take hede that you be not deceyued as other are with the fraude of abominable men and fall awaye from your substaunciall stedfastnes whiche you haue expressed yet hitherto but rather geue diligence that you maye continually encrease and goe forewarde in the giftes and knowledge of our lorde and sauiour Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorye bothe now in this lyfe and for euer worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the seconde Epistle of thapostle S. Peter THE LYFE OF SAINCT IVDE after Saincte Hierome IVdas the brother of Iames lefte behynde him a litell epistle whiche is of the seuen catholike epistles And because be taketh witnesse in it out of the boke of Enoch which is Apocryphe that is to say without autoritie it is reiecte of many howbeit it hathe ben taken worthye autoritie bothe for the aunciencie and vse of it and is accompted among the holy scriptures ⧠THE ARGVMENT VPON the Epistle of Iude by D. Erasmus of Roterodame HE is vehemently displeased with many wordes agaynst them that being blynded in theyr owne couetous appetites were aduersaries to the Gospell whiche thyng notwithstanding ought to seme no newe matter inasmuch as they were predestinate to this ende and it was spoken of before by the Apostles that that kynde of men shall lutkingly crepe among the flocke of Christyanes Agaynste these sorte he so armeth them that they may forecast bothe to restrayne them eyther with blamyng or saue them by warnyng geuyng Which thing if they possiblye can not doo yet they prepare them selues readyly agaynst the commyng of Christ Thus endeth the Argument ⧠THE PARAPHRASE OF Erasmus vpon the Epistle of Sainct Iude thapostle The texte ¶ Iudas the seruaunt of Iesus Chryste the brother of Iames. To them which are called and sanctified in God the father and preserued in Iesu Christe Mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Beloued when I gaue all diligence to wryte vnto you of the commen saluacyon it was nedefull for me to write vnto you to exhorte you that ye should continually laboure in the faith whiche was once geuen vnto the saynetes For there are certayn vngodly men craftely crept in of whiche it was written afore tyme vnto suche iudgement They turne the grace of our God vnto wantonues and deuye God whiche is the onely Lorde and oure Lorde Iesus Christe My mynde is therfore to put you in remembraunce for as muche as ye once knowe thys how that the Lorde after that he had deiyuered the people out of Egypte destroyed them which afterward beleued nor The angels also which kepte not theyr first estate but lefte toeyr owne habitacion he hath reserued in euerlastynge chaynes vnder darckenes vnto the iudgement of the greate daye euen as Sodome and Gomor and the cyties aboute them which in lyke maner defiled them selues with fornycacion and folowed straunge sleshe are set forthe for an ensample and suffre the payne of eternall fyer Lykewise these beynge disceaues by dreames defyle the flesh despyse rulars and speake euill of them that are in auctorytie Yet Michael the archangell when he stroue agaynst the deuyll and disputed abouâ—e the body of Moses burst not geue raylynge sentence but sayde the Lorde rebuke the. But these speake euyll of those thynges which they knowe not and what thinges they knowe naturally as beastes which are without reason in those thinges they corrupte them selues Wo bee vnto them for they haue folowed the waye of Cayn and are vtterly geuen to the errour of Balam for lukers sake and perisshe in the treason of Chore. These are spottes whiche of youre kyndnes feaste together without feare fedynge them selues Cloudes they are without water caryed about of wyndes trees withoute frute at gatherynge tyme twyse deed and plucked vp by the rotes They are the ragynge waues of the sea fomynge out theyr owne shame They are wandring stertes to whome is reserued the myst of darckenes for euer Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophecyed before of suche saying Beholde the Lorde shall come with thousandes of saynctes to geue iudgement agaynst all menne and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all theyr vngodly dedes whiche they haue vngodly commytted and of all their cruell speakynges whiche vngodly sinners haue spoken agaynct hym These are mutmuters complayners walking after theyr owne lustes whose mouthes speake proud thynges They haue men in greate teuerence because of auauntage But ye beloued remembre the wordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ howe that they tolde you that there should be begylers in the laste tyme whiche shoulde walke after theyr vngodly lustes These are makers of sectes fleshly hauinge no spirite But ye dearely beloued editie your selues in your moste holy faythe prayinge in the holy ghoste and kepe your selues in the loue of God lokynge for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall lyfe And haue compassion of some seperatyng them and other saue with feare pullyng them out of the fyre and haue compassion on the other and hare the fylthy vesture of the slesh Vnto hym that is able to kepe you fte from synne and to presente you fautles before the presence of hys glory with ioye at the commyng of oure Lorde Iesu Christe to God oure sauiour thorow Iesus Christe our Lorde which onely is wyse be glory maiestie domynion and power before all worldes nowe and euer Amen I Iudas Thadeus the seruaunt of Iesu Christe the brother of Iames write this Epistle not to the Iewes onely nor to other newly conuerted but to all men in commune whome the render mercye of God the father hathe of his owne free will sanctified and hathe also without the helpe of the lawe made godly of vngodly and of Idolatours obedient folowers of true religion whom also the bounteous goodnes of God had preserued in Iesu Christ to this ende that they shoulde not auaunt with other into the dongeon of euerlasting damnacion whom
stoare in heauen but as sone as thy backe is turned frō the preacher thou rūnest on with al thy forcasting studies to muckre vp ryches thou carest not how by hoke or by croke as though thou beleuedest that godlynes should not be rewarded after this life And if any among you thinke him selfe wonderous deuout if he kepe hys handes from stealynge and from fighting and other vyces and yet for all that refrayne not hys tongue from backbyting mysreportes from scoldinges from filthie talkinges nether his harte from vncleane thinkinges hys deuocion is vnprofitable vnfrutefull Perchaūce he is not punished by mans lawes that only talketh of whoredome though he doe it not yet he is become an whoremonger before God that in his minde hath cōmitted whoredōe He suffreth no punishment of men that coueteth an other mans good if he may escape vnpunished but he is giltie of thefte before God y◠hath conceaued thefte in his minde We are estemed after y◠manifest dedes before menne for they see not the mynde But God loketh vpon the inwarde affeccions of the mynde and estemeth vs after them A corrupt mynde is vsed for the moste parte to hurst out in to the tongue Among Christen people a reuiling woorde is a kynde of manslaughter but this is playne that true godlynes can in no wise agree with racklenes of tongue Nether yet is it sufficience vnto Christian religion to haue absteyned from synnyng it behoueth also to abounde in good workes For in dede bonde seruauntes absteyne from doing euill yea for feare of punyshment but those that are right children it becometh to haue loue whiche is no idle loytring matter but effectually working and putteth forthe it selfe frely without compulsion to dooe euery good worke But some woulde saye what dedes than are those that make vs ryght religious in dede Those that smell of the Iewes secte set furthe the prayse of religion in Palles and wyde robes in choise of meates in washinges in longe prayers and other ceremomes which are sometymes not altogether to be contemned if by them as by signes we be warned of those thinges whiche are the propre own matters of godlines but thei are pernicious ware yf a man thinke that he is made religious by meane of thē where as of them selues without exposicion they make a man rather an hipocrite Howbeit the obseruing of thē semeth a religious deuoute matter among men that wickedly repose godlines in visible thinges whiche perchaunce are signes of godlynes but not the cause of godlynes seing that of them selues they are nether good nor euill onles they seme to be suche either through custome or in the opinion of menne where as true godlynes is in the inwarde myndes and expresseth it selfe by farre more certaine sure signes than by ceremonies Will you therfore heare what is true religion with God the father whiche estemeth you not after the iudgement of manne Doubtles thys is the pure and vndefyled religyon that like as we haue by experience proued bothe the mercie and liberall goodnes of God towardes vs euen so muste we agayne bee bothe mercyfull and frendely liberall towardes our neighbour and that not vpon any hope of mutuall good turne to be requited to vs agayne but of a mere and a pure vpright loue loking for the rewarde of our wel doing at the handes of none other but of God whiche is contente to haue it reconed to bee done to him selfe what so euer we bestowe for his sake vpon our brother He is a godly and a pure man among the Iewes that toucheth not caryon that is washed with quycke rennyng water but with God he is godly and pure that succoureth the fatherles children and wydowes in theyr trouble that releueth hys oppreste brother and helpeth the nedye with money Among the Iewes he is vncleane that eateth swynes fleshe But with God he is vncleane whose mynde is infected and defieled with the gredye lustes of thys worlde But a manne will saye what be those lustes In the iudgement of the worlde he is counted vile that is poore And he the more honestlie set by that hathe moste possession of riches and for that cause theyr speciall carke and care is to get to them selues the moste substaunce of money He is reconed a lowete and a henneharted rascall that maketh no querell whan wrong is done vnto him He is counted a foole that doeth a good turne for a badde He is estemed a Ioly ruffler that geueth him selfe to excessyue ryot and he is counted a flyncher that foloweth sobrietie He is taken for a gaye felowe that swelleth in haultynes and loketh an heigth ouer menne of lower estimacion He is counted happye that hathe his matter to succede in this worlde after hys owne purpose that floweth in delicacies and voluptuous pleasures and serueth his paunche and glotonie These are the thinges that in dede make a mannes soule wicked and vncleane and he that absteyneth from them is a religious manne whosoeuer is whosoeuer is not in the sight of God the father who hathe exempted vs from earthy thinges and called vs to heauenly thynges and from the thinges that shall perishe and are casuall vnto the thinges that are eternall and hathe taught vs to esteme the worthynes of manne by the thynges that are good in dede and in all that we haue to doe to geue respecte to none other purpose but to hys glorye at whose only handes the requitall of well doynges is to be trusted for And he doeth not requite the offices of true godlynes with transitorye and sone peryshing rewardes as thys worlde is wonte to doe but he geueth blessednes that neuer shall dye It is a homely person it is a poore body whom thou bestowest thy good turne vpō he is not hable to requite the but yet for al that it is farre better to bestowe it vpon him than vpon an other how ryche or of how greate power so euer he be whiche can requite no profit agayne but a slender one and that but for a small season where as for the reliuing of thy pore brother Christ layeth vp in stoare life euerlasting The .ii. Chapter The texte My brethren esteme not the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lorde of glory with respecte of persons For yf there come into your company a man wearing a golden ryng clothed in goodly apparell and there come in also a poore manne in vyle rayment and ye haue a respect to hym that weareth the gaye clothynge and saye vnto him Syt thou here in a good place and saye vnto the poore stande thou there or syt here vnder my fote stole are ye not parciall in youre selues and haue iudged after euyll thoughtes Harken my deare beloued brethren Hath not God chosen the pore of thys worlde soch as are rych in fayth and heyres of the kyngdome whiche he promysed to them that loue hym But ye haue despysed the pore Do not riche men execute tyrannye vpon you and drawe you
before the iudgement seates Do not they speake euyll of that good name whiche is called vpon ouer you HE that loueth his neighbour for Goddes sake and he that loueth God in his neighbour doeth not in this case respecte him because he is a man of greate power or of riches or of nobilitie but in that he is abundauntlie full of diuine goodes But to thys maner of Iudgement a kyng or a riche man is not better of one Iote than any manne howe basse or poore so euer he bee Christe died for all indifferentlie and all are indifferentlye called to thenherytaunce of Immortalitie Therfore my brethren if you doe truly put your trust in the promisses of our Lord Iesu Christ make no difference of persones after the estimacion of worldly thinges For Christ him selfe as touchyng the world was basse and poore But yet it was the fathers will that he shoulde be prince of all glorye He promised the kingdome of heauen not to the wealthie but vnto the pore Now if there come in to youre company a Ioly felowe with a golde ring or ruffling in gaye apparaill and there come in withall a pore manne nether wearing ring on hys fyngers and clothed in pore homely araye and by and by you caste your eies vpon the riche man for none other respecte but that he obseureth the pore manne with hys gorgrous rayment and geue hym the more honourable place saying Sytte thou here VVell And agayne you saye vnto the pore manne as though you lothed him and for no cause elles but for his ouer homely apparaill Stande thou there or sitte thou there under my fote stole would not your harte by and by grudge and secretly condemne your doing in that through flattery you attribute vnto golde and galaunte aray the honour that is due vnto vertue contemnyng him for lacke of chose thinges whiche is muche more acceptable to God for the true riches of the soule than that riche manne The riche mannes fynger glisteryng with the ring and precious stone and his bodye decked in silke maketh you to regarde hym â–ª and doe not you regarde the pore man for hys synceritie of fay the modestie of mynde sobrenes chastitie and other giftes of virtue whiche make a man greate and gorgious in dede Why doeth your iudgement disagree from the iudgement of God Heare me indifferently my welbeloued brethren the thyng that euidentlie appeareth matter in dede to be certaynly true How muche sâ— euer the worlde setteth by the ryche God hym selfe hathe preferred the poore the poore I meane after the worlde whiche nether haue nor seke after autorâ—â—â—e nor kingdomes in this world God hathe let alone the riche with their statelynes and chosen these which are but sely pore folkes for lacke of present substaunce but yet riche and mightye in the lokynge for the kyngdome of heauen and theuerlastynge enherytaunce in that they put their truste in hym that promysed them â–ª whiche nether can deceaue if he woulde and is hable to performe what he will But vnto whome hathe he promised this wonderfull â—â—licitie â–ª â—â— kinges and wealthy folkes no in dede but to them whiche loue him trouly who soeuer they bee whether they be bonde seruauntes or free men whether they be riche or poore And you hauing desired the riche manne to the highest seâ—te and appoynting the pore man to the lowe fotestoles haue preferred hym whome God setteth the lesse by and contemned him that in the sight of God is bothe rich and honourable He hathe honour done vnto him that perchaunce hauyng gotten hys ryches by fraude or rauine auaunceth himselfe and this is contemned whiche had rather be poore than with losse of godlynes to bee riche and hauing spent vp his riches to the releuing of the pore is become poore of hys owne accorde that he myght bee riche in godlynes In dede euery one is not vngodly that is riche not withstanding the riche of this worlde are not very rashe in agreeing with the godlynes of the Gospell but they be of that kynde of men moste chiefly that repugne the Gospell of Christe For who are they that practice tyranny against you for malice of godlynes are they not the riche menne who are they that accuse you and drawe you before Iudgement seates are they not the riche for the moste parte Who are they that speake euill and curse the holy name of our lorde Iesu Christe by Inuocacion wherof you haue atteyned saluacyon and in whom you reioyce Are they not the riche Yea they hate your profession so muche chat the name whiche geueth saluacion and is honourable vnto you is euen deathe and abominable vnto them But the profession of this name is begonne to be healthesome vnto you so as for all that you may through your owne faulte fall from the saluacion that is promised The texte ¶ If ye fulfyll the royall lawe according to the scripture Thou shalt loue thyne neighbour as thy self ye do well But yf ye regarde one person more then another ye commit synne are rebuked of the lawe as transgressours Who soeuer shall kepe the whole lawe and yet fayle in one poynt he is giltie of all For be that sayde Thou shalt not commes adulterye say de also thou shalt not kyl Though thou do no adultery yet if thou â—â— thou arts become a traunsgressour of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of libertye For he shal haue iudgement with our mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercâ—â— reioyceth against iudgement A kynge promiseth rewarde ycâ— but to him that in his dedes accomplysheth the lawe royall wherof no man can be ignoraunte seing it was expreste in writing long agooe and it is on this maner Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Doeth he loue his neighbor after this rule that preferreth the wicked rych manne before the godly pore man The lawe of the Gospell is the lawe of loue and what soeuer is done contracy to it although it be not forbydden by speciall name yet it is synne and that lawe doeth secretly reproue you which hath coinmauÌ„ded almen and in al thinges that thou oughtest to loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Who soeuer swarueth from this rule is a conuicte transgressour of the lawe Nether yet let any manne â—urry fauell with him selfe after this wise The faule is but light the law is broken in nothing but in this parte But the law of the Gospell is suche a lawe that except it be kept in euery parte wholy it semeth to be broken all together on euery parte For inasmuche as the totall Sunnue of all the whole lawe is coutcyned in the loue of God of the neighbour who soeuer he be that swarueth from charitée which is the rote of all the whole lawe he hathe doubtles broken the whole lawe and offended the autor of the lawe vnto whome he is become giltie of all in that he whiche hathe eâ—â—ed from the
God the disciples of Christ For in dede the hate of the neghbour is a step vnto murther And malice is cleane coÌ„trary repugnauÌ„t with charitie Cain was not the sonne of god but was borne of the deuyll why because he went out of kynde from his good maker and became lyke the deuill which beyng strycken with enuy was the first that slewe man with deadly stynge Cayn resembled the disposicion of his father in sleaing Abell hys brother But what was the cause of hys hate For so the because their lyfe was not alyke and therfore they were of a contrarye kynde albeit after their bodely kinred they were naturall borne brethren They did bothe resemble their father Abel was an innoceÌ„t man and kyndled to the studious mynde of well dooinge Cain contrariwyse hauinge conceaued an hate against his brother forcasted not howe to amende himselfe but how to slea his brother Lyke as in this case the wicked coulde not abyde the godlye and the deuilles childe coulde not abyde yâ— childe of god euen so you ought to take it for no maruaiâ—e brethren thoughe men geuen to the worlde forsake you They hate them that are giltles Let no man hate them againe They forsomuche as they are vowed vnto deathe and serue the autor of deathe imagine howe to put other to deathe It is our parte to pitie them and not to doe them one harme for an other For in dede the charitie of the gospell hath ledde vs awaye from the studye of harme dooinge vnto the â—â—udie of wel dooing by this token we know that we are predestinat vnto euerlasting life exempte from the tiranny of death in yâ— we loue the brethren He that loueth bothe wisheth well doeth well The body lyueth by the breathe the soule liueth by the spirite of Christ Wher brotherly loue is not there yâ— spirite of Christ is not Whosoeuer therfore hateth his neighbour he is deade lyueth not inwardly For although he haue a faithe yet he hath a dead faith where charitie is not present Doe you make a fliâ—te at the hating of your brother as though it were a light faulte he that hateth his brother is a manâ—lear He hath not thurst his sword in him he hath not poisoned hi he hath not flowen vpon him he hath not cursed him but onely wished him euyll â–ª Mans law doeth not damne him of man laughter but in gods sight he is already damned of manslaughter He yâ— hath receyued hate ones in to his brest as much as in him is he is a maÌ„sâ—ear There are many kyndes of manslaughter He that sleaâ—th with sworde suffreth punisshemeÌ„t euen by temporall lawes He that killeth with poyson is punisshed euen of them that are wicked But he that sticketh his brother with the darte of a venemous tongue although he be quitte by mannes lawes from the crime of manslaughter yet by the lawe of the gospel he is giltie of manslaughter He is as yet hitherto alyue that the hater wissheth euil vnto yet he him selfe is al ready dead That mans lyfe is safe this hath lost euerlastinge lyfe being his owne murtherour Wyll you see brethren howe muche we ought to be farre from the desire of harme dooing Turne your eies to the example of Christ He so loued vs whan we deserued nothinge yea whan we deserued deathe that he spent his lyfe for vs. Howe muche more ought we to put our lyfe in daunger for the saluacioÌ„ of our brethreÌ„ yf occasion so require namely we that succede into Christ our shepherdes rowme He coÌ„mitted not his shepe vnto Peters keping but whan he had thrise sayed he loued him by and by hâ— sheweth him yâ— kynde of death that he might vnderstonde that the saluacioÌ„ of the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto his charge must be defended euen with the losse of lyfe But wil he spende his lyfe that grudgeth to helpe with his money doeth a maÌ„ thinke it inoughe yf he hurt not his brother yf he speake to him gently Christ declared in his dedes howe muche he loued vs. He yâ— seeth his brother waÌ„t meate clothe drincke or lodging hath substaunce to releue his nede withal is not moued with coÌ„passioÌ„ but as thoughe it were no poynt of his charge letteth him alone vnsuccoured how caÌ„ it be beleued yâ— the loue of god is in him â–ª The heatheÌ„ suâ— coureth yâ— heatheÌ„ doest not yâ— being a ChristiaÌ„ succour thine eueÌ„ christened â–ª Thou haste professed brotherly loue and if thou haue it truly present with the why doeth it ceasse in this case whan thy brother is pyned with nede Thou callest him brother and shewest thou no token of brotherly affeccioÌ„ The texte My babes let vs not loue in word neither in tong but in dede in verytie Hereby we know that we are of the verytie can quyet our heartes before hym For if our hearte condemne vs God is greater then oure hearte and knoweth all thynges Dearâ—ly beloued if our hearte condemne vs not then haue we truste to God warde and whatsoeuer we aske we receyue of hym because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges which are pleasant in hys sight And this is his commaundement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement And he that kepeth his commaundementes dwelleth in him and he â—â— him and hereby we knowe that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. My babes let vs not loue one another in wordes onely Let the loue be in the hearte rather than in the tongue and let it expresse it selfe in dedes rather than in speaking Let this worde Brother be in our dayly communicacion yea but that we may be true let the dedes be answerably like to the communicacion as often as occasion serueth let vs declare a true brotherly loue to be in vs in dede Let not our brother want any thing yâ— we haue whether he desire coate or meate or lodging either coÌ„forte teaching or admonicion Thus if we doe with readie good willes we shall knowe by this token that we are the children of the trueth and that we loue not countrefaytlye but purely The trueth is Christe him selfe vnto whose eyes we shall proue oure conscience yâ— we be allowed bothe with God and men and by our dedes men shall knowe that there is no dissembled loue among vs god loketh vpoÌ„ the puritie of the harte We shal succour our brothers nede yea but so as we releue his necessitie not to maintene his riotous prodigalitie and we shal succour him willingly without hope of reward to returne vnto vs therfore nether for dayne glories sake Menne see not the mynde but the mynde knoweth it selfe and is seene vnto the eies of god If menne prayse vs and a naughtie conscience condemne vs howsoeuer we deceaue men we can not escape the iudgement of God Mans heart hathe secret passages to and fro and doubtefull lurking
and of all thinges that he sawe Happye is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophesye kepe those thinges which are wrytten therin For the tyme is at hande VNto our sauiour Iesus Christe after his manhode was geuen of god his father not onely all sufficiencie and fulnes of grace but also the knowledge and reuelacion of all suche secret mysteries as shoulde happen from tyme to tyme in Christendome vntyll suche tyme as he shoulde come againe vnto the lattre iudgement whiche secretes our sauiour Christ dyd reuele and open throughe his angels vnto his electe seruauntes and specially vnto holy S. Iohn I meane vnto that Iohn whiche bare wytnes of the worde of god and of Iesus Christ and dyd recorde all suche matters and doctrine as he himselfe had sene and lerned Whiche doctrine shall be very profytable vnto euery one that shall reade vnderstande this prophecye so far as he shal endeuer himselfe to lyue therafter preparinge appointynge himselfe thorowe a true faith and a christen conuersacion to please the lorde in this lyfe whiche is shorte and transitorye and the ende therof vncerten ▪ The texte ¶ Iohn to the seuen congregacions in Asia Grace be vnto you peace from him whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come and from the seuen spirites whiche are before his trone and from Iesus Christ whiche is a faythful witnes and first begotten of the dead and Lorde ouer the Kynges of the earth Vnto him that loued vs wasshed vs from our synnes in his awne bloude and made vs kynges and prestes vnto god his father be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen In lytle Asia were notable churches and congregacions set vp institute of the holy apostles speciallye of S. Paule vnto whiche also S. Peter wryteth confirmeth them in the faythe and vnto the same dothe S. Iohn wryte specially in consyderacion that this doctrine shoulde concerne all churches generally whiche were at that tyme standynge or shoulde afterwarde be institute thorowe out the whole world And he wysheth vnto them all as muche good as he can thincke or dyuyfe from god whiche is onely the gyuer of all good thinges is and remayneth for euer vnmutable ruleth gouerneth all thinges wherunto he vseth the ministraciō seruice of his angels which are infynyte in nombre whiche thing the nombre of seuen dothe sygnifye accordynge vnto the vse of holy scripture And with this eternall father holy spirite one god reygneth our lord Iesus Christ which is appointed to be the ruler of al thīges in heauen earth of al sensyble creatures both gostly as the spirites are bodily He in his mans nature for very loue toward mankinde was sēt for the comforte and wealth of y◠who le world testifyed most faithfully vnto al the world the wil of his father in the gospel accordyng as it was before promysed in all the prophetes that he shoulde be the founder and performer of the newe testament and should be offered vp and dye for the synnes of the whole world and in the resurrectiō or vprisynge againe of the bodye and soule he shoulde goe before all the resydue of the faythfull and be their guyde vnto euerlastynge lyfe whiche lyfe he onely hath meryted and purchaced thorowe his perfyte obedyence vpon the erosse vnto death And therefore is he exalted as concernynge his manhode aboue all creatures and hath receyued the moost worthiest and hyghest name and tytle that can be named eyther in this world or in the worlde to come And he hath purchaced and deserued for all the holy elect children of god the honour and glorye of the euerlastynge kyngdome and also grace to rule and gouerne our selues vertuouslye and to offre vp dayly and continually a pleasant sacryfyce of thanckes geuynge in true faith in god thorow Iesus Christ Vnto hym therfore alone parteyneth all honour and glorye The texte ¶ Beholde he commeth with cloudes and al eyes shal see him and they also which pearsed him And all kynreds of the earth shall wayle ouer him Euen so Amen Euen in despyte and against the wyll and mynde of all them that crucifyed Christ and woulde not take nor knowledge him for a kyng yet he commeth in the hyghest maiestye whiche excelleth all glorye and power of all otherkynges that euer were and nowe sheweth hym selfe and appeareth thorowe fayth vnto all his electe as the very messias and sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long desyered and loked for And whan he shal come at the latter daye to iudge the quycke and the deade than shall all the Iewes and vnfaythful whiche despysed him at his first commynge whan he came with suche humblenes crucyfyeng and putting him to death and woulde not receyue nor knowledge hym for a sauioure and a messias they shall than see him with feare and tremblyng and he shall appeare dreadfull vnto them The texte ¶ I am Alpha and Omega the begynnynge and the endynge sayeth the Lorde almighty whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come I Iohn your brother and companion in tribulacion and in the kyngdome and pacience in Iesu Christe was in the yle that is called Pathmos for the word of god and for the witnessynge of Iesus Christ This doth Christ speake to declare his godly maiestye and his eternall substaunce his almyghtye power without ende or begynnynge And he speaketh after the maner of the grecians amonge the whiche Alpha is the first letter Omega the last And after this speaketh S. Iohn the Euangelist again of his owne parson without any worldly boasting reioysyng as it becommeth a Christē man not in any honour or ryches of the world nor yet in any holynes the is in himselfe but onely in the affliccions persecuciōs pacience mysery partycypacion of the rightuousnes in Christ wherof he is a witnes a partener in sufferyng for Christes sake which thing hapned vnto him for the gospel by the procurement commaundemēt of Domicianus the Emperour which would haue bene honoured for a God where as Iohn taught that the onely lyuynge god and none els ought to be honoured and called vpon For y◠whiche cause Iohn was banyshed sent into Pathmos where god dyd shewe this reuelacion vnto him bad him wryte it so by that meanes thorow his wryting to set furth to further the glorye of Christ in his banyshemēt more thā euer he had bene able to haue done with his wordes or preachinge onely yf he had styll remayned amonge his frendes in his countrey The texte I was in the spirite on a sondaye and hearde be hynde me a great voyce as it had bene a trempe saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the sast That thou seest wryt in a booke and sende it vnto the seuen congregacions whiche are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamos and vnto Thiatira and vnto Sardis and vnto Philadelphia
thankes to him that sate on the seate whiche lyueth for euer and euer the foure and twentye elders fel downe before him that sate on the trone worshypped him that lyueth for euer cast their crownes before the trone sayinge thou arte worthye O lorde our god to receaue glorye and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy wylles sake they are were created One creature geueth euermore occasion to another to knowe and to honour by al meanes possyble the vnsearcheable highe maiesty power wysoome and mercy of the onely creatour and maker al the world knowledgyng al goodnes that can be founde or sene in all maner of creatures to come onely of God whiche is the well sprynge of all goodnes And for that cause he is onely to be honored inuocated and feared with all reuerence and submission as muche as euer is possible for al creatures to performe which haue all that they haue what soeuer it be lyfe power actiuite and altogether of god and can ascribe nothing that good is vnto them selues The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe in the right hande of him that sate in the trone a boke wryten within and on the backe syde sealed with seuen seales And I sawe a stronge aungell whiche preached with a loude voyce Who is worthy to open the boke and to lose the seales therof And no man in heauen nor in erth nether vnder yâ— erth was able to open yâ— boke nether to loke theron And I wepte muche because no man was founde worthy to open to reade yâ— boke nether to loke theron And one of the elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde a lyon of the trybe of Iuda the rote of Dauid hath optayned to open the boke to loce the seuen seales therof THis boke in the hande of god is the holy scripture and doctrine of god inspired by the holy goost written thorowe the prophetes sealed vp and vnknowen vnto all men whiche wyll enterpryse to reade and interprete it after their naturall reason and after the capacyte of their owne suttyll wittes onely whether it be after the spirituall sence or after the very letter For yâ— which cause fewe of the cyuyll and polytique learned men geuen altogether vnto worldly wysedom dyd euer but lytle medle with this booke or beare any minde vnto it And therfore Ezechiel and Daniel were commaunded to set a locke vpon it notwithstandynge that this booke is the truth necessarye and profytable for al the electe children of god to beleue But that man alone and none els can open this booke at all tymes whiche hath the spirite of Christ neyther dyd any other euer open it from the begynnynge For lyke as Christ was alwayes present with the Patriarkes and Prophetes in al suche thinges as concerned his honour rulynge instructyng yâ— faythful churche thorow faythe Euen so was the spirite of god present in all the electe plentyfullye to directe them in al matters concerning the necessitie of their saluacion althoughe secretly not manyfestly Wherfore truly this booke is shut vp vnto all worldly and natural reason not onely vnto the heathen but also vnto the fleshely Iewes with their stony hartes as the most part of them were and vnto all suche as without the spirite of Christe doe enterpryse to medle with the wrytinges of holy scripture And therfore Iohn bewayleth the ignoraunce and blyndnes of the Iewyshe people and that not without a cause But yet this comforte hath he that it wyll amende and be better at suche tyme as the spirite of Christe thorowe the merytes of the death and passion of Christ shall take awaye the blyndnes of all maner of errours bothe of the heathen and of the Iewes And then thorowe the spirite of god in the apostles shall be opened the mysteries of the holy gospel which were hidden in tholde testament not onely vnto the good Iewes but also vnto the heathen whersoeuer they dwel in yâ— world This hath Iesus Christ yâ— sauiour of yâ— world deserued brought to passe with his lyonyshe might with his shepâ—she symplicitie mekenes with his pacience wyllyng passion eueÌ„ according as the prophetes dyd tell signifie long before And specially Iacob in his blessing ouer the trybe of Iuda For the which cause Christ is called a Lion of yâ— tribe of Iuda And he is also named of Esay and of other prophetes of Dauids stocke As S. Mathew declareth in the genealogie of the birth of Christ yâ— he is not onely the sonne of Abraham and Iacob but also the sonne of Dauid The texte ¶ And I behelde lo in the myddes of the seate of the foure beastes in the myddes of the elders stode a lambe as thoughe he had bene kylled hauynge seuen hornes seueÌ„ eyes which are the seuen spirites of god sent inâ—o al the world And he came toâ—e the boke our of the right hande of him that sate vpon the seate And when he had taken the boke yâ— foure beastes .xxiiii. elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one of them harpes golden vyalles full of odoures which are the prayers of sainctes and they songe a newe longe saying thou art worthy to take the boke to open the seales thereof for thou wast killed and hast redemed vs by thy bloude our of al kinredes tonges people nacions and hast made vs vnto oure god kynges and priestes and we shall raygne on the earthe By the declaracion of the wordes before maye this that foloweth wel euideÌ„tly be vnderstande Euen as yâ— foure euangelistes haue described Christ to be the lambe yâ— was woryed slayne ful of the giftes of yâ— holy goost accordynge vnto the nomber of yâ— seueÌ„ principal articles of our christen faith coÌ„cerning Christ namely of his manhode his passion his buriall his resurreccioÌ„ his ascensioÌ„ the sendynge of the holy goost his coÌ„mynge at the latter daye to iudge the whole worlde All whiche articles are spred a brode knowe vnto the whole world and once receyued thorowe the gospel preaching of the Apostles And thus is the desyre of al the holy patriarkes prophetes fulfilled whiche desyred nothinge more hartely thaÌ„ the manifestacion of the honour of god the true knowledge loue religion of the very true onely one god Whiche thing is come to passe thorow the spreadyng abrode of the gospel thus is the swete smellyng oblacioÌ„ of thanckes geuynge institute begon in al the world all maner of old stynekyng ydolatry is abolyshed And thorowe Christe his holy Apostles the true honour and religion of god is spred abrode preserued And the synne of al the world is cleane wyped away thorow the bloude of Christ once offered vpoÌ„ the crosse And the errors and supersticion of al people with all false seruice of god is vtterly suppressed the rightuousnes of the true faith is restored the
and shall stande a farte of for feare of her punishmeÌ„t saying Alas alas that great citie BabiloÌ„ that mighty citie for at one houre is thy iudgemeÌ„t come And the merchauntes of the earth shal wepe and wayle in them selues for no man wyll bye theyr ware any more the ware of golde and syluer and precious stones nether of pearle raynes and purple and skarlet and al thynne wod and al maner of vessels of yuery and all maner vessels of moost precious wodâ—e and of brasse yron and synamon and odoures and oyntmentes and franckynsence and wyne and oyle and fyne â—â—ouâ—e and wheate beastes and shepe and horsses and charettes and bodyes and soules of men With this Babylon haue princes and prelates yea whole kyngdoms coÌ„mitted whordome For she hathe receyued and geuen them yea hathe set them in and out And all for worldly gayne and for honour sake without any respect of rightuousnes onely for money brybes For there was neuer founde more shamefull marchandyse than that whiche they of the Popes courte specially the Curtysans haue exercysed many yeares with other mennes goodes and with nothing els but with leade and syluer with parchement and byshoprikes with sellyng of their Pallium and Robes whiche shoulde be a spirituall iurisdiccioÌ„ and with first frutes c. Yea there is no ende of suche marchaundyse lyke as in the texte all thinges are named whiche are of any pryce So that in the Popes churche there was nothinge but for mony not so muche as the water or salte of the see nor oyle nor breade nor creame c. All must serue for holynes and for the maintenaunce of the couetousnes of the spiritualtye To be shorte reade but onely a boke that is called the Popes Fayre there is his marchandyse well descrybed and proued by the customes and lawes of the Romaynes The texte ¶ And the apples that thy soule lusted after are departed from the. And al thinges which were deâ—â—tie and had in pryce are departed from the and thou shalte fynde them nomore The maâ—ch aunâ—es of these thinges whiche were wexed ryche shall stande a farre of from her for feare of the punishment of her wepinge and waylinge and saying Alas alas that great cytie that was clothed in raines and purple and scarlet and decked wâ—tâ— golde and precious stones and pearles for at one houre so great riches is come to naught First of all there was muche holynes and muche good example and doctrine in the holy churche of Rome as S. Paule testifieth in his Epistle to the Romaynes and there were many holy byshops and martirs which loued yâ— trueth vnto whome the gospell was a synguler ioy delyght comforte and glorye But in processe of tyme it was turned vpsyde downe So yâ— there was nothing lefte in the rulers and heades of that churche but onely the name of the churche Al that was perfyght godlye and holy was lost and gone And at length their marchandyse whiche they inuented woulde no more be estemed amonge yâ— true godly christianes For they haue inoughe of those thinges whiche these marchauntes doe promyse of the grace and mercye of God and of his word And therfore the Romanystes doe meruell and frete againste the gospel because it bringeth no nother ware with it but her olde ware that is to saye humylite lowlynes pouertye sorowe contempte whiche all men doe flee and abhorte And it maketh an ende also of all worldlye pompe and honour ioy and pleasure ydlenes and wantonnes The outwarde and glorious supersticous wil bryng no more profyte or aduantage precious garmentes and perles wyll not become the professours of the gospell Coules and shauen crounes wyll no longer be taken for holynes of them that haue any vnderstandynge and knowledge Peter and Iohn and all the Apostolicall ministers of Christ wyll contemne and despyse golde and syluer For Christ hath taught them faith loue and truth pouertye and lowlynes The texte ¶ And euery shyppe gouerner and all they that occupyed shyppes and shypmen whiche worke in the see stode a farre of and cryed when they sawe the smoke of her burnynge sayinge what citie is lyke vnto this great citie And they â—ast dust on their heades cryed wepynge and waylynge and sayde Alas alas thaâ— great citye wherin were made riche all that had shyppes in the see by the reason of her costlynes for aâ— one â—oure is she made desolate Reioyce ouer her thou heauen and ye holy Apostles and prophetes for god hath geuen you iudgement vpon her Thus dothe the lorde God shewe and aduenge him selfe of all violent and tyrannous pryde and presumpcion of them whiche perswade them selues that there is no God but they or els that he hath no care of those thinges that are vpon earth Wheras it is euident and manifest out of gods worde what hathe alwayes bene the ende of all proude and presumptuous kyngdoms Whiche the spiritualtye should best haue knowen and haue taught other also And speciallye he that hath had and woulde haue suche a byshoprike And woulde also kepe it vntyll he shoulde peryshe together with it because he hathe not ordered him selfe therin after the wil of god nor after the right rule and square of gods worde and of holy scripture nor hath not done that thinge that his offyce and vocacion hath required as he ought to haue done as it is euident vnto all men They haue desyred and studyed onely to haue great power and dominion vpon yâ— who le earth in all nacions and yles onely for honour and gayne with very small studye or dilygence to rule the worlde well and godlye or to further gods honour and the saluacion of the soule onely And for this cause doeth all the worlde wonder at suche a great and horrible fall And they that seke study after dignite honour and auctorite after worldly lucre they tremble for feare and mourne and bewayle the heuy iudgement of God and their worldly hynderance But the holy and faithfull whiche not onely vpon earth regarde and seke the honour and glorye of God whiche they doe chefely desyre but also in heauen whiche haue the fruicion and perfyght syght and knowledge of the rightuousnes of God they prayse God hartely for the rightuous iudgement whiche is reueled vnto the worlde The texte ¶ And a mightie angell toke vp a stone lyke a great milstone and cast it into the see sayinge with suche violence shall that great citye Babilon be cast and shal be founde no more And the voyce of harpers and musicions and of pypers and tromperters shal be hearde no more in the and no craftes man of whatsoeuer crafte he be shal be founde any more in the. And the sounde of a myll shal be hearde no more in the and the voyce of the brydgrome and of the bryde shal be hearde no more in the for thy marchauntes were the great men of the earth And with thyne â—â—ch auntment were deceaued al ancions and in
after the manifest ioyfull preachinge of the gospell as muche as is possible in the whole world whan as both Iewes and Turkes shal become Christen shal prayse thancke the almighty God for suche syngular grace and mercie which hath hitherto bene hindered kept downe with such force and violence by Antichrist As thaÌ„ shal the glory prayse of god increase in yâ— christen churche which is the kingdome of Christ And thorow the gospell promysed vnto Christ the bridegrome â–ª which church as a faithful and deare beloued spouse which here in this world loueth honoureth Christ as muche as she can shall be fylled and satisfied with all goodnes in eternall blisse and saluacion The sylken aray is the innocency of lyfe in this world thorow yâ— grace of Christ and in heauen it is the immortal glorificacion of body soule For than shall man be right blissed whaÌ„ as he shal be fully satisfied in god thorow Christ with aboundaÌ„ce plentuousnes of all benefites and goodnes which can be desiered or wyshed That same is yâ— euerlasting supper of the mariage of Christ wherwith Christ shal honour his electe make them blissed And in al this whiche Iohn seeth in this vision it is said also vnto him yâ— al these thinges visions reuelacions came vnto him from God to the honour of God whiche he as a true faithfull minister should further with al diligence But as Iohn would haue worshipped yâ— parson of yâ— angel whiche spake vnto him yâ— angel would in no wyse suffer him like as no saint neither in heaueÌ„ nor in earth wil suffer any such thiÌ„g nor take it vpoÌ„ theÌ„ nor yet in good worth For god onely must be worshipped froÌ„ whoÌ„e onely al goodnes commeth and must be desired and looked for of him onely The angels wil be takeÌ„ estemed for nothiÌ„g els but for brethreÌ„ freÌ„des felow seruauÌ„tes of yâ— onely one coÌ„mon general lord felowes withal them yâ— beleue in Christ are ready for his sake vnto al goodnes to suffer al maner of thiÌ„ges eueÌ„ vnto death But this is the right perfyte and sure wysedome which the worldly wyse doe not knowe neyther desyre nor regarde The texte ¶ And I sawe heauen open and beholde a white horse and he that sat vpon hym was called faythfull and true in ryghteousnesse dyd iudge make barrell His eyes were as a frame of fire and on his head were many crownes he had a name written that noman knew but he himselfe And he was clothed with a vesture dypt in bloude and his name is called the worde of God And the warriers whiche were in heauen folowed him vpon whyte horses clothed with white pure raynes and out of his mouth went out a sharpe two edged swerde that with it he should smyte the hethen And he shall rule them with a rodde of yron and he trode the wynefat of fearsnes and wrathe of almightie God And hath on his vesture on his thighe a name writteÌ„ King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes The spirite of God must speake with men after the maner of men yf he should be vnderstande And therfore he describeth the maiestie of Christ euen after the maiestie of an Emperour For the highe powers are wont to be honoured euen as Christ is here described with his honour laude and name For he is yâ— word of God wherwith this S. Iohn beginneth his gospel and wherby all thinges are made whiche is also God and manne the obiecte of faith that is to saye the thing wherunto yâ— faith of al electe hath her respecte And he is also the rightuous iudge ouer all that euer is in heauen or in earth whiche hath a fyerye and burning zeale and hate against all wicked whiche contemne and despyse his worde but crowneth all the godly and faithfull with the crowne of his rightuousnes His name is vnknowen vnto all the world the trueth wherof he would not expresse before Pilate and yet trueth gods worde is all one thing This rightuousnes of Christ is signified by the sworde althoughe the worde of God also doth perce thorowe the inwarde harte and mynde of the faithfull as it is written in the .iiii. to the Hebrues But here the sworde is taken for the rightuousnes in gods kyngdome wherwith Christ ruleth the kingdom whych hys father hath geuen hym for his herytage as Dauid sayth For like as he hath ioy in euerlastynge blisse with his wariers hoost that folowe him euen so doth he presse and treade downe all the wicked with eternall damnacion before whome also he trode yâ— presse vntil his vesture was blody But they toke it for a mocke and a folyshe yesâ— as it was vnto the Iewes a slander But yet their knees must bowe vnto him not onely the angels and men in heaueÌ„ and earth but also they that are in hell shall be troden of him with the wrathe of God almightie For without dout he is the king of all kynges and lorde of all lordes The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angel stande soche sonne and he cryed with a loude voyce saying to all the foules that flye by the myddes of heauen come and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God that ye maye eate the fleshe of kynges and the fleshe of â—ye captaines and the fleshe of mightie men and the fleshe of horses and of them that syt on them and the fleshe of all fre â—â—â— and bonde men and of small and great And I sawe the beast and the kinges of the earth and their warriers gathered together to make batayle against him that sat on the horse and against his souldiers And the beast was taken and with him that false prophet that wrought miracles before him with whiche he deceaued them that receaued the beastes marke and them that worshipped his ymage These bothe were cast into a ponde of fire burnynge with brimstone and the remnaunt wer slayne with the swearde of him that sat vpon the horse whiche swearde proceaded out of his mouthe â–ª and all the foules were fulfylled with their fleshe Lyke as Chryst maketh a supper vnto hys chyldren and seruauntes in heauen euen so doth he also beynge the sonne of ryghtuousnes make a supper vnto the deuylles to al dampned sowles In euerlasting supper of al bitternes vnblessydnes wherof they maye eate and be partakers altogether And there is than desperacion hate enuye wrathe and murmuringe againste God and all kyndes of euil whiche are sygnified by corporall thinges accordynge to our capacite and after suche wyse as men maye be most moued therby yâ— they must of necessitie marke and consyder it And it is to be noted that S. Iohn seeth these gestes of the deuell in hell that they are the destrâ—yers of yâ— worlde tyrantes of all maner of degrees the beast with .ii. hornes the dragon false prophete all enemyes of gods trueth religion and of all maner of
c Hath not God made the wisedom of this worlde folishnes For the Iewes require asigne c. We preach Christe crucified c. The folishnes of God is wyser theÌ„ mâ—n God hath chosen the foâ—yâ—â—e thinges of the worlde to confounde the wyse Wâ— haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde He that is spirituall discusseth al thynges I haue plaÌ„ted Apollo watered Let no man deceiue you He compasseth the wise in theyr craftimes Ye are Christes Christe is goddes It is the Lorde that iudgeth me What haste thou that thou haste not receyued Wherefore I desire you to folowe me as I folowe Christe The kindome of God is not in wordes yf any that is called a brother bee a fornicatoure I maie doâ— all thing But al thinges are not profitable Let not the bodye bee applied vnto fornicacion For ye are dearely boughte Let euery man haue his owne wife Wythdrawe not your selfes one froÌ„ another excepte it be with consent for a time Euery man hathe his proper gift of god If they cannot abstayne lette theÌ„ marry for it is better to marry than to burne Let not the wyfe be seperated froÌ„ the husbaÌ„d For the vnbeleuâ—ng husband iâ— sanctified by the wyfe c. But and yf the vnbeleuing depart let hym departe Ye are derely boughte be not ye the seruauntes of men Lykewyse if a virgine marrye she hathe noâ— synned I would haue you without care This speake I for your profite not to tangle you in a snare He that ioyneth his virgine in mariage doeth well Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth We are sure that an image is nothyng Meate maketh vs not acceptable to god Wherfore if meate hurte my brother â–ª c. Haue I not seene Iesus Christ our lorde But woe is it vnto me if I preache not the gospell Let rather him that thinketh he standeth c. For why is my libertie iudged c. The maÌ„ is yâ— womans head c. Neither was the maÌ„ created for the womaÌ„s sake Let a man eâ—amâ—â— hymselfe so let him eate of the breade and drinke of the cup. He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men for theyr edifying Let hym that speaketh with toÌ„gue pray that he may interprete also Prophecy serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which beleue For God is no causer of strife but of peace For yf the deade ryse not againe theÌ„ is Christ not rysen agayne By out reioysing whiche I haue in Christe Iesu out lorde I dye dayly All fleshe is not one maner of flesh The fyrste manne is of the earth earthly Death is swalowed vp in victorie c. For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye c. Not that we be lordes oâ—eâ— youre fayth But we haue this treaâ—ure in earthen vessels We are knowen wel ynough vnto God For if we be to feruente to God are we to feruente Therfore yf any man be in Christe he is a new creature God was in Christe and made agremente betwene the world and hymselfe By the armoure of ryghteousnesse I promise vnto you like rewarde as vnto children We haue huâ—t â—o maÌ„ we haue defrauded no man God that comforteth the abiecte comforted vs by the cuÌ„myng of Titus Godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saiuacion There was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorowe the fleshe For my strengthe is made perfect thorow weakenesse For in nothing was I inferioure vnto the chiefe Apostles For I seâ—â— not yours but you Dyd I pyll you by any of them whoÌ„ I sent vnto you We can do nothyng againste the trueth but for the trueth But â—y Iâ—sê° Christ and by God the father Whiche called you by grace vnto an other gospel Either go I aboute to please men For if I had hitherto studied to please men c. For I neither receiued it nor learned it of man I communed not of yâ— matur with fleshe and bloude I wâ—t vp by reuelacion coÌ„muned â—â— them And that because of incuÌ„mers c. I withstode hym openâ—y He dyd eate with the GeÌ„tiles And yâ— other Iewes disseÌ„bled aswelas he If thou beyng a Iew. c A man is not iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe Is Christ theÌ„ the minister of synne Not I but Christ liueth in me c. I dispise not the grace of God c. That ye should not beleue yâ— truth To Abraham and his seede were the promises made For if the inheritaunce cuÌ„ of the law c. The lawe was addeâ— because of transgressioÌ„ But yâ— scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne That we mighte be â—â—de righteous through feyth For ye are yâ— chyldren of god because ye beleue it For ye are al one in Christ Iesu Thaâ— we through eleccion myghte receyue thinheritaunce But now after that ye haue knowen God c. How is it that ye turne againe vnto the weake beggerly ordinauÌ„ces c. Ye haue not hurt me at al. I would I wer with you now â— coâ—â—â— chaunge my voyce Abraham had two soÌ„nes c. For these are two testameÌ„tes â–ª c. But Ierusalem whiche is aboue â—s free c. Put awayâ— the bond womanne wtâ—â—â— sonne As manye of you as are â—â— stified by the lawe c. Who was a lette to you yâ— ye should not beleue the truthe Why do I thâ—n suffer persecucion For the lawe is fulfilled in one word c. The fleshe lusteth coÌ„trary to yâ— spirit The dedes oâ— the fleshe c. are thâ—se adultrie c. Consideryng thy selfe lest yâ— be tempted Beare ye one anothers burdaine Be not deceiued God iâ—m not mocked When the time â—o come we shâ—l reape without weâ—â—yn â— Wherby the worlde is cruâ—â—â—ified vnto me I vnto the world I beare in my bodye the markes of yâ— lorde Iesu Grace be vnto you â— peace Blessed bee God the father According as he had chosen vs. Through loue Which ordayned vs. To the praise of the glory of his grace In al wisdome and prudence According to his good pleasure That â—e may to his prayse In whome we also Which is yâ— earnest Vnto the praise of his glorye May geue vnto you yâ— spirite of â—â—sedome He hath wrought in Christe c. And hath made him aboue all thinges the head In the children of unbeliefe And were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrathe But God whiche is riche in mercie By grace are ye made safe Iâ— is the gift of god For we are his workemanship Vnto good workes whiche god ordayned Hauing no hope Gene .xxii. But nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesu For be is ouâ— peace Through his fleshe Making peace To you which were a ferre of By â—â—uelation shewed he this mestery vnto me Vnto me the least of al Saintes is this grace geuen c. That he â—â—ulâ— graunt you accordiÌ„g to yâ— riches oâ— his glory which is father of all Ye beeyng rooted and grounded in loue myght bee hable to coÌ„prehende Unto hym that is hable The houseband is the wiues head