haste a mynde desirouse to reuenge But nowe truely so farre are ye from being lyke to mylde christian men without reuenging to suffre losse or iniurye that euen wilfully ye dooe wrong to other maliciouslye deceaue and oppresse other not onely vnbeleiuers but also such as are by religion your brothers Sauer not suche doinges of the leauen of your olde life Square not suche pointes far both from your learnyng and your profession Whosoeuer professeth Christe professeth Innocencie and to such a lyfe is promised the kyngdome of heauen For neyther is it sufficient to bee dipped in water nor yet to bee graffed into Christe onlesse all youre life bee agreable to Christes doctryne And for none other purpose are ye taken out of this world and planted into the body of Christ but to the ende ye should hencefurthe in godlye lyfe bee lyke vnto Christe youre heade Knowe ye not this that vnrighteousse liuers bee they baptised neuer so muche shall bee excluded from the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen And leste anye manne deceaue hymselfe I tell you agayne and agayne and geue you warnyng that neyther fornicatours nor idolators nor aduouterers nor weakelinges whiche growyng out of mannes kynde lyue after an horrible kynde of bodily luste nor suche as in steade of women abuse men nor theues nor couetous men nor dronkardes neither cursed speakers nor violente pillers of other mennes goodes shal be partakers of the kyngdome of God Nothyng shall your newe name or title auayle you if your life be with your olde vices defiled yea to such is Christe rather an occasion of more grieuous and painfull damnacion The texte And suche were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not profitable I maye doe al thynges but I wyll be brought vnder no mannes power Meates are ordeined for the bellye and the belly for meates but God shall destroye both it and them Let not the bodye be applyed vnto fornicacion but vnto the Lord and the Lorde vnto the bodye God hathe raysed vp the Lorde and shall rayse vs vp by hys power Suche as I haue nowe rehersed were some of you before that ye were throughe Christ borne agayne I laye not to your charge that which ye were beefore so that ye fall nomore thereto Washed are ye and deliuered from youre olde synnes and that by Goddes free gyfte beeware that ye bee nomore defiled wyth thē By this washyng hath God not only by his bloud restored you to innocente and hurtlesse lyfe but geuen you also holinesse and righteousnes and that not by the power of the law nor for youre desertes but by Iesus Christe in whose name ye were baptised and by the spirite of oure god by whose secrete inspiraciō the sacramētes of Christes churche been effectual So much more then should euery of you endeuour lest ye through youre owne folye lose this benefite frelye geuen vnto you in so doyng neyther thankfull to the geuer nor yet frendelye nor louyng to your selfe In suche thynges as appertayne to naturall necessities I maye dooe all thynges For no man forbyddeth me to vse lyke authoritie as other apostles vse But it is not paraduenture for you alwayes profitable for me to vse my ryght Suche as are fedde and liue wyth youre meate suche as pyll and polle you beeyng euen as they were bondslaues bought wyth your moneye dare not freely warne you of youre faultes leste ye vpon dyspleasure conceaued there wyth bestowe your liberalitie otherwyse I myght also for my labours take rewarde namely since I tooke more paynes than anye other I wanted not authoritie this to dooe but I woulde not dooe that thyng whereby I myghte bee brought vnder any mānes power and subieccion and seame bounde to any of you to thyntente it myghte more clearely appeare bothe that yf I teache anye thyng that I therein seeke your weale and profite and not myne owne and that also yf I dydde with woordes anye thynge chastice you that ye shoulde pacientely heare me For it is a thyng commenlye seene that suche a mannes free speache offendeth not whiche is nothyng bounde to hym whome he reproueth Elles litell mattier maketh it whose meate a manne eate synce menne muste needes haue meate And synce meates are ordayned for the bealye and likewyse bealyes for meates lette euery manne for this tyme satisfye the presente necessitye and neede For wythin a shorte tyme wyll God destroye bothe bealye and meate whiche is that neyther oure bealyes shall wyth houngre trouble vs nor of meates shall there bee anye vse But as we whiche haue professed Christe muste obeye and serue naturall lackes euen as the heathen and vnchristened dooe so shoulde there yet betwene vs in vyce bee none agremente Of meates I forbydde none lette euerye manne eare what he wyll but filthye bodily luste I forbydde Nor is it lyke that as the bealye is appoynted for meate soe the bodye is prepared for carnall pleasure but rather oure bodye is consecrate vnto the Lorde Iesu and he agayne coupled vnto vs. For so hath it pleased hym that by vs as members and hym as heade hys spirituall and misticall bodye shoulde bee made and kyntte together This knotte holdeth not for a litell season Deathe in deede taketh awaye all necessitie of meates but it breaketh not the knotte wherewyth we are ioyned to Christe For as Godde the father raysed the Lorde Iesus oure heade from deathe so wyll he likewyse rayse vppe agayne vs his membres wyth hym with him rewarde vs with life euerlasting For hable is he of power this to dooe albeit some of you thynke the same vnlykelye As therefore oure soule shall not of that immortall lyfe bee partaker onlesse the same for this presente tyme throughe godlye and continuall meditacions haue hadde thesame lyfe in delygente remembraunce so the bodye raysed agayne shall of that glorye haue no parte onlesse thesame for this presente tyme haue beene free from the contagion of synne What a foule syght is it yf the members seame vnlyke the heade whiche is in euery pointe pure and cleane The texte Eyther konwe ye not that your bodyes are the membres of Christe shall I nowe take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlot is become one body For two saieth he shal bee one flesh But he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite Remembre ye not how that as I before tolde you your bodyes are the members of Christe What then Sal I nowe become so mad notwithstandyng I know this much with the great reproche of the head to take away the membre of Christe and make thereof the membre of an harlote God forbidde And yet what elles dooth he whiche is conuersaunte with an harlote Knowe ye
transfourme thē lykewyse into the lykenes shape of hym whiche ouercōmyng the fleshe and death triumphantly went to immortalitie both to teache that al the members of his bodye should themself loke to haue the same which they see alreadie done in the head that by this waye and meanes through his onely sonne he myght to hymselfe geat manye chyldren amonge whome Iesus Christe should be head capitayne as the fyrste begotten departyng yet his inheritaunce with other and to put vs in assuraunce lykewyse that god wyll fully perfourme y◠thyng which he once purposed moreouer whom before al tyme he knew had chosē out being suche of whome he had already in his prophetes darke sayinges shewed his minde them called he also by the gospel that not in vaine but of his goodnes and fauer made them that wer so called of vngodly godly and of hurtful hurtlesse So that now only there remayneth glorifying wherof a great deale we haue already except we thinke it no glorious preeminence to be without syn to floryshe in the renoume of innocent lyfe to be without corrupt desyers to be so planted in Christ that thou arte become one with hym to haue his holy spirite as an earnest peny therof to be the enheritour of god and ioynte enheritour with Christ so that of the reste we can in no wyse doubt but that it shall in dewe tyme be fulfylled The texte What shal we than saye to these thynges Yf god be on our syde who can be against vs which spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all how can it be that with hym he should not gyue vs all thinges also Who shall laye any thyng to the charge of goddes chosen It is god that iustifieth who is he y◠can cōdemne it is Christ that dyed yea rather whiche is rysen agayne whiche is also on the right hand of god and maketh intercession for vs. Now syth all this is so wherfore shoulde any man mistrust it namelye synce god hath by so many and euident wayes shewed vnto vs his special loue and great fauer Who standing on oure syde what is anye aduersarie able to do What can mennes malice preuayle yf god be our defender Or what maye we not boldly looke for at his handes beyng now reconcyled vnto hym whiche what tyme we were out of his fauer for oure sakes spared not his only sonne but sent hym downe into this world for vs all Yea I saye brought hym in maner to nought and deposed hym al to exalte vs makyng hym wel nyghe syn to deliuer vs from syn deliuered hym to death to th entent we myght lyue And therfore syth he hath for vs delyuered his sonne in whom al goodnes is foloweth it not that with the same gyfte he hath gyuen vs all rightes that belong to the sonne vs I saye whome he hath put in lyke state of enheritaunce Or what is it that he wyll not gyue vs synce that he hath once gyuen hym whiche infinitely passeth all creatures And ieopardye ther is none least god thorough the crafty sleyghtes and temptacions of the deuill chaunge and withdrawe this his especiall fauer from vs. For who durst commense anye action agaynste them whome god of purpose and sure determinacion of mynde hath chosen out and taketh for his owne Wyl he heare thynke you anye accusers capciouse complayntes agaynst them all whose synnes he hath freely forgeuen God hymselfe whiche is iudge of all hath forgeuen vs the offences of oure olde lyfe and taketh vs nowe for ryghteous and who is he that can condemne vs beyng by him quited So that we take hede y◠we nomore fall to oure olde lyfe agayne Christe is he which loued vs so tenderly that for our welthe it pleased hym to dye yea he it is which lykewyse rose agayne for our sakes because he would healp and succoure vs his people This great procter iudge syttyng also at the right hand of god his father to whome he is in all poyntes egall entreateth our matier before his maiestie The texte Who shal seperate vs from the loue of god Shall tribulacion or anguishe or persecucion or hunger either nakednes either perill either swearde As it is written for thy sake are we kylled all daye long and are coumpted as sheepe appoynted to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these thynges we ouercome through hym that loued vs. For I am sure that neither death neyther lyfe neither angels nor rule neither power neither thinges present neither thinges to come neither height neither loweth neither any other creature shal be able to depart vs from the loue of god which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde Synce therfore the father hath thorough the death of his sonne forgiuen vs al oure gyltes and offences sythe his sonne so tenderly loueth vs why shoulde men hencefurthe feare the deuyll or any man the diuels minister either accusyng vs or condemnyng Considering also with howe many benefites and speciall gages of loue we are bounde both to god Christ who is he that shal plucke withdraw vs awaye from louyng thē agayne whiche so tenderly loue vs Shall any storme of worldly aduersitie do it Shall any affliccion or distresse Shal hunger or nakeones Shal ieopardy of drownyng or any lyke peryl chaūcyng after lyke sort Shal persecucion of the wycked or the bloudy swearde of death For that suche thynges should in this worlde happē to innocentes the holy psalme wryter Dauid lightened with the spirite of god long before sawe what tyme he sayde that for thy sake o Lorde are we kylled al daye long and coumpted as sheepe appoynted to be slayne Al these troubles thoughe they seme greuouse cause yet is there none why they ought to make vs a frayd Chaunce maye they to vs in dede but yet oppresse vs they can not Yea I saye the more vehemētly they trouble vs the more shal they bothe strengthen oure burnyng charitie to Christward and Christes also to vs because we at al tymes departe hauyng the vpper hand not through any strength and power of oure owne but through his defence whome we are bounde to thanke for altogether Nor wil he whiche in suche sorte loueth vs suffer vs to be ouerthrowen nor we vpon remembraunce of his goodnes towarde vs through any assaultes of aduersities shrinke from louyng hym agayne But yet haue I rehearsed vnto you but lyghte and common mattiers but harken a bolder saying and suche wherof my selfe am moste certaine and am moste certaynly persuaded in More cause were there to feare suche ieopardies as hang ouer oure heade by reason of creatures whiche can not be seene as euil spirites whiche yet neuerthelesse assault mennes soules and not only their bodies whom yf we but once regarde not despise the ieopardies of the other can not make vs a fearde Nor in this haue we any cause to feare seyng that neither meane power of aungels of muche more myght yet
For as the body is one and hath many membres and all the membres of one bodye though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ For by one spirite are we all baptysed to make one bodye whether we be Iewes or Gentyles whether we be bond or fre and haue all droncke of one spirite For the body is not one member but many If the fote saye I am not the hande I am not of the body is he therfore not of the body And yf the care saye I am not the eye I am not of the body is he therfore not of the body If at the body wer an eye where wer thē the eare If al were hearing where wer the smelling But now hath God set the membres euery one seuerally in the bodye as it hathe pleased hym If they were al one member where were the body Now are there many membres yet but one body And the eye cannot saye vnto the hand I haue no nede of the. Agayne the heade cannot saye to the fete I haue no nede of you For as albeit euery mannes bodye bee one whole thinge yet is it made of diuerse members framed together but so yet that one spirite geueth lyfe to all the members of whome notwithstandinge euery one by hymselfe consydered are many and diuers yet is there of all made but one bodye euen so woulde Christe haue it to bee in hys bodye the churche wherof we bee because all we hauyng equallye receyued baptisme are through the selfe same one spirite framed into one bodye whether we be Iewes or Grecians bonde or fre men or women maried or single hygh or lowe And thesame spirite haue we all receyued not withstanding it haue in diuerse of vs didiuerse operacions Nor is our body made of one parte onely but of manye and diuerse Nowe and yf the foote abasyng it selfe saye I am not the hande I haue with the reste of the body nothyng to doe is it therfore no parte of the body Or yf the eare bewayling her condicion saye I am not the iye I haue with the reste of the body nothing to doe is it therfore not of the body The diuers placyng and vse is not to the member reprochful but this varietie rather apertayneth to the welth of the whole body And what office soeuer is geuen to any part thesame is geuen vnto it to helpe the whole body The iye is a goodly parte of the body but yf the whole body were an iye where were thē the eares Again if the whole body were aneare where were the nose God forseing this made y◠body of dyuerse members gaue euery mēber his proper place and office not as they deserued but as his pleasure was Now yf thys multitude and diuersitie of mēbers were al brought to one for example to a nose or an iey where were the armonie and comlynes of the bodye become But nowe so is it not but wheras euery member seuerally differeth from other yet by reasō they haue but one soule the same make but one body so that one member cannot lothe an other be it neuer so vile For neither can the iye as a more excellent parte of the body or as a more familiar instrument of the soule say vnto the hande as a more vile parte I haue no nede of thy helpe Nor yet can the head albeit it be the palace of our soules saye vnto the fete as lowest partes I care not for your seruice The texte Yea rather a great deale those membres of the body whiche seme to be more feble are necessary And vpon those membres of the body whiche we thynke leaste honeste put we more honestie on And our vngoodly partes haue more bewtie on For our honeste membres nede it not But God hath so disposed the bodye and hath geuen the more honour to that parte whiche lacked leste there should be any stryfe in the body but that the membres should indifferently care one for an other And yf one membre suffre all suffer with hym if one membre be had in honour all membres be gladde also So farre vnsemyng is it that any membre of the body should be despised that rather contrarie wyse suche as seme imperfiter partes of the body vpon them as necessarie haue we a speciall care and suche as in comen estimacion are thought partes of lesse honestie to them outwardly we geue great honour and suche as seme vngoodly to them ioyne we some comly vesture with our diligence recompensyng that whiche elswyse semeth vnperfite knowyng well that by the vncomlynesse of any parte the whole body is diswurshypped For suche partes as of themselfe are beautiful nede none outward ornament for example neither our faces nor handes when that yet our priuey partes must be couered with honest apparel And for this cause hath God the creatour of all so wondrefully tempered and disposed the whole body in a meruaylouse consent agrement of so sondry partes that to suche as semed to lacke some semelynes albeit by nature no parte of the body is there vnsemely by our diligence more honour should be adioyned leaste among the mēbres selfe there myght dissenciō rise among whom none is there whose vse is not necessarie but rather that eche one should indifferently care for and defende other leste yf whyles through dissencion eche of them pryuately fauoureth it selfe the whole bodye and hys membres decaye and peryshe But muche rather yf to any membre anye commoditie or discommoditie chaunce the reste thynke thesame to belong to themselfe or if any membre bee greued with thesame the rest also are greued or if anye one certayne membre bee honoured also the other be gladde and reioyce therof Wyll ye not at leastwise by this example leaue your stryuing one with an other you I say whiche are by the spirite of Christe more surely ioyned in one than the membres of one bodye are by the naturall spirite coupled to gether The texte Ye are the body of Christ membres one of an other And God hath also ordeyned in the congregacion first Apostles secondarily Prophetes thyrdly teachers then them that doe myracles after that the gyftes of healyng helpers gouerners diuersitie of tonges Are all Apostles Are all Prophetes Are all teachers Are all doars of myracles Haue al the gyftes of healyng Doe all speake with tonges Doe all interprete Couete after the beste gyftes And yet shewe I vnto you a more excellente waye Howe is it that nature can doe more than grace Are ye not the bodye of Christ or at the leaste some parte of his members whom he hath after suche sorte placed in his bodye whiche is the churche that he hath geuen euery of them a conuenient degree and office And in the firste and chiefe place hath he ordayned Apostles whiche beyng as stuardes of the grace of the gospell execute here Christes office Secondarely Prophetes eyther to shewe thinges to come or els to declare secret thinges Thrydly teachers whiche beeing
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
also these thynges equally with the father Certaynly this is the thyng that the Psalmiste by the inspiracion of the holy gost spake of so long agoe For Christe hauyng all ready conquered the helles is ascended alyue agayne into the hygh kyngdome of the father and hath caryed with him the ensigne of his conqueste euen the flocke of vs myserable captiues whom he hath frely deliuered from the tyranny of the deuyl and synne And from thence of the fathers liberalitie he hathe geuen throughe the holye ghoste soondrye kyndes of gyftes and bestowed them among menne as it is the solemne manner of suche as wynne the maistrye in a tryumphe to throwe downe tokens of tryumphe abrode among the people He sente downe giftes from heauen and heauenly thynges they were that he sente To be briefe where it is sayed he ascended doeth it not consequently folowe that he before descended And there is no descencion but from aboue so that the descencion is before and the ascencion after For none deserueth worthelye to bee exalted on hyghe but onelye throughe lowlinesse and humbleyng of hymselfe To conclude after moste lowe humblyng foloweth moste hygh aduauncing From the moste hyghe heauen than the whiche nothyng can be higher Christ deiected himself euen vnto the helles than the which nothyng can be lower And for this cause sake he was worthily exalted aboue the higheste of all the heauens and so tooke his bodily presence out of oure syghte to the intente to accomplishe all thynges from aboue wyth heauenly giftes and after an other maner of reason to be now more effectually presente with vs than whan he was conuersaunt emong vs vpon earth He forsoke not his body but deuyded his gyftes vnto euery of his membres after suche wyse as none of them all should want anye thyng albeeit some were endued with more excellent giftes than some For some he would haue to be chief as Apostles ryng leaders autours of the Gospel preahing some to be prophetes that coulde expounde the hidde meanynges of Moses lawe some to be euangelistes to occupye the Apostles roumes and to carrye aboute the gospell from place to place And some to be pastours and doctours as byshoppes to feede the flocke of Christe with the meate of holy doctryne and holsome example of goodlyfe And the teste he instructed some with one gyfte and some with an other to the intente that of all these conferred together the coumpanye of saynctes shoulde bee perfeitelye consummate and furnyshed to the vse of euerye good offyce and that the perfeit bodye of Christe beyng fully growen together in all his menbres shoulde so bee cherished one with the succour of an other and that the stronger membre shoulde beate for the tyme with the weaker and the weaker marke and folowe the exaumple of the stronger vntill we maye all at length cumme to equall strength of fayth and with lyke perfeccion knowe the sonne of God throughe whose helpe we maye waxe bygge and lustye in the secrete encrease of mynde after such sorte that at length we may growe vnto a perfeit manne and accordyng to oure measure frame oure selues aunswerably to our most perfite head In whome was neither imbecillitie nor erroure neyther yet any defaulte The texte That the hence forth should be nomore children waueryng caried about with euery winde of doctryne by the wylmes of men thorowe craftyues whereby they laye awayte tor vs to deceyue vs. But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thynges growe in hym whiche is the head euen Christe in whome yf all the bodye be coupled and knitte together thorowoute euery ioynt wherwith one ministreth to an other accordyng to the operacion as euerye parte hath his measure he encreaseth the bodye vnto the edifiyng of it selâ—e thorowe loue There is an age of the bodye that geueth full strength to all the membres and putteth away the tendernesse of chyldehood And in semble ble wyse vnto this there is a lyke procedyng in the ordre of godlinesse whereunto we ought all to geue diligent endeuour that we be not from hencefoorth as we haue been waueryng lyke children in vncertayne opinious not addicte to any certayne decrees to attayne saluacion but as men voyde of trueth catryed about now into this nowe into that iudgemente with euery wynde of doctryne submittyng our selues as it were pieuishe chyldren to the subtiltie and crafte of some certayne men whiche trauayle not to teache vs Christe sincerely but to catche vs through theyr subtill artes and to snare vs with their craftie deceates or with philosophicall reasons to bryng vs in doubte of those thynges which by faith ought in no wise to be doubted of or elles in stede of the Gospelles veritye to set before vs the shadowes of Moses lawe But no we hauyng once embraced the veritie of the Gospel lette vs rather ioyne vnto it sincere charitable loue towardes al men enforcing our cominuall studye to this ende that we maye profite not onelye in the knowledge of the trueth but also in the continual diligente workes of charitie so as all we beyng membres maye be answerably like vnto our head And truely Christe is our head who also is the trueth selfe and hathe so loued vs that he hath geuen hymselfe to make vs safe To this head it is requisite that the membres be agreable Inasmuche as from hym the spirite of lyfe floweth into all the whole bodye beyng compacte and set together of sondrye membres ioyned ordrelye one to an other and pearcyng throughe euerye ioynt of the lymmes which coulde not be excepte the partes of the bodye were ioyned agreably one to an other that lyfe may haue passage into theÌ„ from one membre to an other For the hande or the fote beeyng cutte of cannot possiblye haue any parte of the vertue that commeth from the toppe of the heade But forasmuche as the whole bodye is perfeitly conglutinate in it self it commeth to passe that the spirite of Christe practiseth his efficacie in euerye membre accordyng to their seuerall capacitie and ordre and forasmuche as all the membres studye through mutuall loue to profite euerye one other the whole bodye wareth bygger and bygger and is made lustye and stronge so as it wyll not geue place in any condicion to the wyndes of false opinions alluryng this way and that ware to bryng it out of the trueth The texte This I saye therefore and testifie thorowe the Lord that ye hence forth walke not as other Beutiles walke in banitie of theyr minde while they are blinded in their vnderstanding being farte from a godly lyfe by the meanes of the ignorauncie that is in theÌ„ and because of the blindenes of their hartes whiche being paste repentaunce haue geuen themselues ouer vnto wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredines But ye haue not so learned Christe If so bee that ye haue hearde of hym and haue beene taught in him as the trueth is in Iesu as
yet for our synnes was raised vppe again to life euerlastyng not by any worldely power but by the mightie power of his father so should we beyng through him raised out of the death of synne becomen dead to our former life leadyng hereafter a newe life walke in the trade of godly conuersacion continually encreasyng vpwarde from better to better For seyng that we are through baptisme planted into Christes bodye and in maner altered into him mete is it that whatsoeuer we see done in him whiche is oure head the same be of vs whiche are his membres either in life expressed or els loked for in tyme to come Rysen is he againe ascended into heauen and setteth in glorye at the right hande of his father All whiche thynges alreadye done in Christ we maye oure selues finally trust to enioye if for this present tyme as muche as in vs lyeth we folowe the same and diligently put them in vre Therfore if we through baptisme dye vnto our former synnes and fleashely lustes therin as we may resemblyng Christes death euen as mete and conuenient is it that we hensfoorth forsakyng the filthynes of synne and diligently exercisyng our selues in godly workes expresse in our liuyng his holy resurreccion To folowe Christes death is neither to kyl our selfes nor yet to hurt oure bodyes but then as ye well knowe dye we with him if to oure old frowarde appetites we haue suche a dull desyre yâ— to them we seame as dead For accordyng to our double generacion we must in our selfes coÌ„ceiue two menne th one olde grosse and like vnto the yearthly Adam thother newe desyrous of heauenly thynges as whiche hath by Christ sent from heauen his beginnyng Our olde man therfore is as it wer destroyed what tyme it was with Christ fastened vpon the crosse whervpon also were extinguished all oure desyres of transitorye pleasures whose whole rable maye well be called the body of synne This bodye of synne is then in vs effectually and holsomely slaine when hurtefull desyres are in suche sorte destroyed in vs that we no more do seruice vnto synne He that after this sorte as I haue now expressed foloweth Christes death is euen become a righteous man and is no longer subiecte vnto synne from whose tyranny he is already deliuered The texte Wherfore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we also shall liue with him knowyng that Christ beyng raised from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer him For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once And as touchyng that he lyueth he liueth vnto God Lykewyse coÌ„sider ye also that ye are dead as touchyng synne but are aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our lorde Let not synne raigne therfore in your mortal bodye that ye should thervnto obeye by the lustes of it Therfore if as we haue now oftentymes sayd we be to Christ dead so deliuered froÌ„ our former synnes our trust is hereafter through innocent holy life to liue with him so to liue with him that we shall neuer dye more in this also as farre as possible is resemblyng Christ who submitted not him selfe in suche sorte to death that in him death should haue any power after but rose againe to liue euerlastyngly For as touchyng that he dyed vnto synne he dyed but once but touchyng that he nowe liueth he liueth to God his father by whose might he was from death raised to life euerlastyng And as it was in Christ so thynke your selfes once dead to synne by that your olde vâ—cious desyres are destroyed and by that ye are nowe becomen newe men as thoughe ye were raised againe from death to liue a heauenly and an immortall life to Godwarde by whose benefite we are nowe made innocent and holy For if ye this do not ye liue not to Godwarde because that to God noman lyueth but suche as liue godly righteously and in other vertues For synce that we are planted into Christes body and becomen one with him mete is it that we as membres be like vnto our head whiche is Christ And synce that he nowe lyueth to Godwarde for euermore reason it is that we likewyse liue vnto him through the same Iesus Christ our Lorde And as he beyng once raised froÌ„ death suffereth nomore the tyraÌ„ny of death so must ye take hede lest synne beyng nowe once banished out of your soules recouer in you againe the tyranny whiche it hath loste and so renewe his olde title of death As it surely wyll if ye folowe suche beastly desyres with whiche the deuil is wont to allure and bryng vs into our olde bondage The texte Neither geue ye your membres as instrumentes of vnrighteousnes vnto synne but geue ouer your selues vnto God as they that of dead are aliue And geue ouer your membres as instrumentes of righteousnes vnto God For sinne shal not haue power ouer you because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And see that your membres beyng nowe consecrate vnto Christ do hencefoorth nomore seruice at the deuils mocion whom Christ hath subdued and so to worke vnrighteousnes but rather hereafter so vse your selues that by all your life it may appeare that ye with Christ haue forsaken all deadly synne and workes of death and to be altered into a new life And so shal ye in dede do if hencefoorth all your membres that is to say all the powers of your bodyes and soules be applyed not to vice in the deuils seruice but to righteousnes in the seruice of God For reason requireth that we wholly belong to him to whoÌ„ we haue once bouÌ„de our selues and with him to haue nothyng to do from whom we are now departed and whose yoke we haue once shaken of Nor is it to be feared leste synne wyll we or nil we bryng vs backe againe into our olde bondage because ye are nowe no longer vnder the lawe whiche rather prouoked wylfull desyres then suppressed but vnder Goddes grace whiche as it was able to deliuer vs from the bondage of synne so is it able to kepe and preserue vs that we nomore falle thervnto The texte What then shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid And yet nowe God forbid that in the meane season any manne should this wyse take my wordes when I sayd ye were free from the lawe either to thynke that forasmuche as the lawe is abolished ye may do as ye liste or that Goddes free goodnes whiche hath pardoned all our olde offences hath also therwith frely geuen vs libertie to do euil But rather so muche the more ought we to abstaine from synne because we are now nomore like slaues coÌ„pelled to do wel as by a law but are as childreÌ„ are wont to be with desertes loue prouoked therto So that your bondage is chaunged and not vtterly taken away In suche sorte haue ye geuen ouer the seruice of the lawe that ye nowe
a sobre and of an humble mynde that fyrst he take nomore vpon him than is meere and nexte remembre that all that he hath was geuen him by God not for his workes but for his faythe 's sake geuen not therwith to please him selfe but with the same to do euery man good God doeth in sondrywyse bestow his giftes lest either one should disdaine at an other or lest any man might thynke him selfe sufficiente but let brotherly charitie make eche mannes gifte comen to all other The texte For as we haue many membres in one body al membres haue not one office so we beyng many are one body in Christ and euery manne among our selues one anothers membres Seyng that we haue diuerse giftes accordyng to the grace that is geuen vnto vs if any man haue the gifte of prophesie let him haue it that it be agreyng vnto the fayth Let him that hath an office wayte on his office Let him that teacheth take hede to his doctrine Let him that exhorteth geue attendaunce to his eâ—hortacion If any man geue let him do it with singlenes Let him that ruleth do it with diligence If any man shewe mercy let him do it with cherefulnes Let loue be without disstmulacion Hate that whiche is euil and cleaue vnto that whiche is good Be kinde one to another with brotherly loue In geuyng honour go one before another Be not slouth full in the busynes whiche ye haue in hande Be feruent in the spirite Applye your selues to the tyme. Reioyce in hope Be pacient in tribulacion Continue in praier Destribute vnto the necessitie of the saintes be ready to harbour Blesse them whiche persecute you blisse I say and curse not Be merye with them that are merye wepe also with them that wepe Be of like affeccion one towardes another Be not hye minded but make your selues equal to them of the lower sorte For vnmeete is it that the grace of Christ in you haue lesse power than hath the power of nature in euery beastes body For as in the body of beastes there is of the partes among them self a certaine felowshippe so is there betwixte all suche people as of diuerse sectes and sondrye nacions are shaped into the felowship of Christ For as this sensible bodye albeit it be but one yet is it framed of manye membres together nowe hath not euerye membre like office forsomuche as the iyes haue one the feete another the stomacke and handes another and yet doeth not the iye see onely for it selfe but for the whole body nor the stomacke for it self prepareth not foode but for all the members Now in what condicion the office of euery member is in the bodye in lyke are the sondrie gyftes after diuerse sortes gyuen to diuerse of vs. As then the lymmes whiche are more noble for example the iyes disdayne not the viler but with that they canne do helpe and succoure al or els shoulde the whole bodye vtterlye decaye so lette euery manne be his gyfte singuler or els be it meane for his parte bestowe the same for the weale of the whole bodye synce we are once planted into Christe oure heade and with hym becommen one spirituall bodye For as one member is to another member of the same bodye so is one christian manne to another christian manne But yet hath euery manne as I before sayde sondry gyftes gyuen vnto hym gyuen vnto hym I saye not for his owne desertes but by the liberall bounteousnes of god whiche gyueth euery manne as he knoweth is expediente Let nomanne therfore of his gyfte be proude but discretlye and soberly vse it for the weale of all menne yf he haue the gyfte of prophecie to expounde vnknowen learnynges lette hym accordyng vnto the perfeccion of his fayth whom onelye god regardeth and not his other desertes without disdayne vpon other bestowe this his gyfte or yf he be in suche condicion and place where he maye helpe his brother therin let hym soberly do his dutie yf he haue the gyfte of learnyng lette hym not disdayne to enstructe and teache other or yf he canne out of yâ— Scriptures with preachyng rauyshe menne to pitifull and godlye lyfe and condicions let hym with sobernes vse that his gyft yf he haue gooddes wher with to helpe the poore and nedie lette hym also gyue vnto suche as haue neede and therwith helpe other neither for glorye neither for hope to haue aduauntage therbye but with a liberall and free hearte or yf god haue gyuen hym to beare rule ouer other and therin canne do well lette hym not of that office be anye thyng the prouder but carefull of his charge nor lette hym rule his office for himself but for theyr weale whose charge and gouernaunce he hath taken in hande or yf he helpe the wretched and miserable lette it be done withoute sadnes and louryng for that is a discouraging of hym that is so holpen and beware that with thy benefite thou hyt him not in the teethe but let thy thankeful gyfte be encreased and doubled with a mery looke and cherefulnes so that whatsoeuer ye gyue seme to gyue it euen as it were an other mannes and with all youre heartes Heathen peoples good deedes be all for the moost parte by suche wayes corrupted yea thoughe elswyse they seme to be liberallye done In you lette dissimulacion haue no place but lette there among you raigne loue and charitie whiche neither canne counterfaicte nor dissemble but make euery mannes doynges accepted of god Beware also that ye measure not thynges after youre desyre as noughtie people are wonte to do but esteme and measure thynges by vertue only or vice abhorring all lewdnes stedfastly cleauyng to goodnes And forasmuche as ye are brethren daylye desyre your commen fathers helpe synce ye are all appoynted to one enheritaunce lette eche of you to other through brotherly charitie be readye and well wyllyng Carnall men stryue for preeminence in honour stryue ye eche with other howe one of you maye prefer an other before hymselfe Let noman idely liue to himselfwarde but let euery man for his parte labour to do his dutie nor be slouthfull and â–ª stuggyshe as men that are with the infirmitie of the fleshe faynte but be in spirite couragiouse and feruent Ye haue forsaken your carnalnes and begunne now to be spirituall A fleshly poynte is it to be flouthful for the spirite of god is a thyng of actiuitie and lyuely Withstande not euell personnes but do as the tyme requireth applying youre selfe to that whiche is presente yf anye hurte chaunce auoyde it yf ye can well so doe or els suffer it not with heauye heartes as men that are in wanhope but be in aduersities mery ioyful for hope of the rewarde that is to come This wise in the meane season thynke with your self yf ye any thyng either beare with or forgyue another ye suffer it for goddes sake whiche wyll without doubte with auauntage make
not this playne poynte that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlote becommeth with the same one bodye For so reade we in Genesis of the manne and wyfe of bothe shall one fleshe and one bodye bee made So that then as in lawefull matrimonye the honeste and godlye consente of two myndes makethe one and the lawefull acte of matrimonye betwixte two maketh one so in vnlawefull coumpainying together euery manne beecommeth that wherwyth he is filthylye coupled As greate enormitie therefore as it is that the womanne deceauyng her housebande should with an aduouterer bee conuersaunte as foule an acte is it that the bodye whiche was once consecrate to Christe shoulde bee coupled with a vyle harlote for he whiche is coupled vnto the Lorde Iesu by reason of a commen consente betwyxte the head and the bodye is with hym made one spirite whiche forasmuche as it is moste pure and cleane is to fylthye and fleashelye luste moste contrarye as whiche from manne taketh awaye the vse of reason alteryng hym as it were into a brutishe and beastelye condicion The texte ¶ Fle fornicacion Euery sinne that a manne doth is withoute the bodye But he that is a fornicatour sinneth againste his owne bodye Either knowe ye not howe that youre bodies are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche dwelleth in you whome ye haue of God and howe that ye are not youre owne For ye are derely bought Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirites whiche are Goddes Dyligentelye therefore flee fornicacion All other synnes by synfull persones wrought and done albeeit they haue theyr beginnyng of the body seame yet ioyned with the harme and dyspleasure of an other mannes bodye nor pollute as it seamethe the whole manne But suche as committeth fornicacion doothe wrong and vilanie to his owne bodye whom he in that foule acte abuseth and defileth The adulterer defileth not the hores body except he also defile his own withoute which the offence is not committed The mannequeller that with his swerde kylleth another without hurte of his own body hurteth another mans seameth but in only one part polluted But fornicacion defileth the whole body as euē the cōmen sorte wel vnderstandeth For after suche acte thesame is woone to vse bathes therwith to washe away such filthines as is therby conceiued An hainouse offēce is it to do wrong or hurt to another mans body but a māto be to his own bodye vilainouse reprocheful semeth apointe of extreme madnes And albeit fornicacion do most specially defile the body yet thynke not therfore y◠the offence is smal For euē the body should also haue his honour forasmuch as it is the māsiō of the soule whiche is immortal which being cleansed with the holy water of baptisme is in suche sorte consecrate to God that it beecommeth the temple of the holye ghoste whiche ye in baptisme receyued whereby ye are so ioyned vnto Christe that ye from hym shall neuer bee soondred And if from fornicacion your owne reproche and hurte nothyng moue you yet lette this moue you that suche actes canne not bee do one without the greate iniurie of Christe Once were all ye his into whose bodye ye were coupled and ioyned He hath from deathe boughte you and made you his owne that ye shoulde be his seruauntes and not your owne men The right title of any bodye that is bought is in the byers hande thesame whoso eyther selleth or handeleth otherwyse than the owners will is dothe wrong to hym to whome thesame bodye beelongeth Nor is it to bee supposed that Christe for a litell boughte vs as he that for oure redempcion spente his moste precious bloude Wherefore synce ye are to God wholye consecrated defile not in reproche of hym youre bodies but beare aboute with you aswell in chaste bodies as in vnhurtefull myndes the holye ghoste and among menne auaunce his glorie Bothe are his keape both chaste leste for your filthines sake among eiuil people Christ whose name ye professe bee eyuill spoken of For as the nobilitee of maisters belongeth euen to the seruauntes so the dishonestie of seruauntes is to theyr maisters reprochfull Wherefore albeeit god bee neyther with prayse made more glorious nor with reproche defamed in dede yet is he after a sorte through his naughtye seruauntes dishonoured and with godly maners and holy life glorified whiles among the commen sorte he is by their lyfe esteamed The .vii. Chapter The texte As concernyng the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman Neuerthelesse to auoyde whordome let euerye man haue his wife let euery woman haue her husbande Let the husband geue vnto the wyse due beneuolence Likewyse also the wyfe vnto the husband The wife hath not power of her owne body but the husband And likewise the husbande hath not power of his owne body but the wyfe Withdrawe not your selues one from another except it be with consente for a tyme for to geue your selues to fastyng and prayer And afterwarde come to gether agayne left Satan tempte you for youre incontinencye This I saye of fauoure and not of commaundement For I woulde that all men were as I my selfe am but euery man hath his proper gyfte of God one after thys maner another after that I saye vnto them that be vnmaryed and wyddowes it is good for them yf they abyde euen as I do But and yf they cannot absteyne let them marye For i◠is better to mary then to burne Vnto the maryed commaunde not I but the Lorde Let not the wyfe be seperated frō the husbande If she separate her selfe let her remayn vnmaryed or be reconciled vnto the husband agayne And let not the husband put awaye hys wyfe from hym NOr haue I this muche sayed because I thinke that euery acte of generacion defileth the bodye as some laboure to bring you in mynde to the intente that they lyke hypocrites maye of you bee thoughte to bee holye There is in matrimonye a certayne chaste and lawefull vse but the vnlawefull acte muste generallye of all menne bee auoyded Lawefull matrimonie muste euerye manne so farfurth vse or not vse as is for the preferment of the gospell expediente Wherefore touchyng the questions wherein by letters ye aske myne aduyce these shall be briefly to answere you Fyrste what suche muste doe as are already maryed and then what they ought to doe that are single and widowes what they also muste doe whiche are eyther with paynefull or vnequall matrimony troubled and finally what should bee done in virgins to be maried or not maried Fyrste of all therefore for many causes as the time no we requireth it wer well doen of men wholy for this cause to absteyne from theyr wyues that they maye with more freedome applye Christes gospell and godly lyfe For albeit matrimonie be a holy thyng yet it wrappeth a man will he or not in worldlye care wherein howe muche more laboure is bestowed somuche the
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
taught you also howe after that he was rysen agayne he shewed hym selfe playnly and euedentlye to many fyrst to Cephas then to the twelue after that was he sene of more than fyue hundred brethren gathered al together And lest any might doubt of the trewth of this history of all thys noumber many are alyue euen vntyll thys daye and some are dede After this was be sene of Iames whiche was called brother of the Lord and was fyrste byshope of Hierusalem Then was he sene of all the disciples not only of the twelue whiche were fyrste called apostles whiche name was after deriued into many The texte And laste of all he was seue of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the leaste of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of God I am that I am And hys grace whiche is in me was not in vayne but I laboured more abundauntly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me Therfore whither it were I or they so we preache and so haue ye beleued And last of al was he sene of me as of an vnseasonable borne apostle which after the full tyme was at the laste lyke an vnperfite chyld rather caste than wel borne I complaine not because I laste sawe the Lord but coumpte it a greate matter that I deserued to se hym For I am the leaste of the apostles and vnworthie to be called an apostle because I persecuted the churche of god whome the apostles stablysh Vnworthy therfore was I euen asmuche as at laste to be chosen into the felowshype of thapostles but the fre goodnes of god vouchsaued to gyue me this honoure notwithstandyng I deserued it not so that whatsoeuer I am al is of hys goodnes and not of my deseruynge And I suffered not hys grace in me to be either idle or baraine For albeit in order of time I be laste yet in preaching of the gospel am I not behynde thē but haue laboured more than any other of the apostles which I saye leste for thys any myght lesse esteme myne authoritie because I was laste chosen to bee an apostle Howebeit this labor of myne I vouche not as myne but gyue al to goddes goodnes by whose helpe all was wrought To retourne therfore to the matier whether in preachyng the gospell theyr authoritie bee more or myne it lytle forceth sure is it that we with one assent preache one thinge and that whiche we with one assente preached that beleued ye as a sure and an vndoubted doctrine We alwaye teache one thinge this remayneth that ye lykewyse continewe in one beliefe not nowe doubting agayne of that wherupon ye were once agreed The texte If Christ be preached how that he rose from the dead how saye some among you that there is no resurreccion of the dead If there be no rysing agayne of the dead thē is Christ not rysen agayne If Christ be not ryse agayne then is our preachyng in vaine and your fayth is also in vayne ye and we are founde false witnesses of God For we haue testifyed of God howe that he raysed vp Christ whom he raysed not vp yf it bee so that the deade ryse not agayne For yf the deade ryse not a gayne then is Christ not rysen agayne If it be so that Christe rose not agayne then is your fayth in vayne and ye are yet in your synnes Therfore they which are fallen aslepe in Christ are perysshed It in this lyfe onely we beleue on Chryste then are we of all men most miserable But nowe is Christe rysen from the dead and become the fyrst frutes of them that slept For by a mā came death and by a man came the resurreccion of the dead For as by Adam all dye euen so by Chryst shall all bee made alyue but euery manne in his owne order The firste is Christe then they that are Christes at hys commynge Then cometh the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule and all auctoryte and power Yf by all the apostles wytnesses it hath been and is styll preached that Christe the prince and author of resurreccion is rysen agayne from deathe what malapertnes is it that among you some saye that there is no resurreccion of the deade For yf there be none then foloweth it that not so muche as Christ hym selfe is rysen agayne For to what purpose is it that oure heade and capitayne shoulde ryse but to go before and prepare the resurrection of vs his members openyng the way to vs all And yf Christ be not rysen certaynly vayne is our preaching vayne is also your belefe and truste And yf we be certaynly perswaded that Christe is rysen agayne aswell perswaded and beleue must we that we shall ryse agayne for whose restoring to lyfe he rose Yf we ryse not this foloweth that bothe you and I haue not only loste our labors I in preachyng ye in beleuyng but are also founde wrongful agaynst god of whome we falsly reported that he raysed Christe from death whome he raysed not as he in dede raysed him not yf other dead menne ryse not againe For either muste ye beleue bothe or deny bothe because that of the heade and members there is but one resurreccion Yf the deade ryse not for whose sake Christe rose then Christe hymselfe rose not And yf Christe rose not vayne was your belefe that he is rysen and in vayne beleued ye that through a truste and confidence in him ye were made free from synne Wherupon it also foloweth that ye are styll subiecte to your former synnes nor hath baptisme wherby we in the meane season through Christ spiritually ryse agayne from syn wrought anythyng in vs. They also whiche haue dyed with this truste and with this hope haue paciently suffered cruel martyrdome and death are vtterly goen for euer yf there be no hope of resurreccion And yf all oure hope conceaued of Christe reache no further than for the terme of this present lyfe we be not onely wretched people but also more miserable than they whiche to Christ are straungers For they yet haue after a sorte the pleasures of this present lyfe wheras we are both here in trouble for Christes name and shall after this lyfe haue no rewarde yf we ryse not body and soule agayne But god forbyd that any manne to his owne destruccion haue any suche fonde belefe But rather yf ye beleue that Christ is rysen agayne as euery godly manne dothe therof foloweth necessaryly that we shall also ryse againe For in hym began resurreccion whiche shall in vs bee made perfyte and as he takyng agayne his bodye vpon hym rose from deathe so shal we bothe bodye and soule ryse agayne leste otherwyse the heade myght bee deuyded from his members He as prince and capitayne fyrste rose agayne as the
fyrste fruites of all suche as dye with hope to ryse agayne He began resurreccion other straighte folowed as companyōs of the lordes resurreccion and we in time to come shal folowe them For it is not to be doubted but that he wyll lykewise doe in all his members as he hath done not onely in hym selfe alreadye but also in many holy menne For we muste by imaginacion conceaue two bodyes one subiecte to deathe whiche beganne in Adam another apoynted to lyfe immortall whiche had his beginnyng in Christe Therfore as at the begynnyng through one mannes synne deathe entred whiche being as it were from the heade deriued into the members rageth and infecteth all menne so by one manne whiche was vtterly free from all synne came in resurreccion of the dead For throughe only Adames offence all we that descended of hym are subiecte to deathe and throughe Chrystes only innocencie all suche shal be restored to lyfe immortall as haue desearued to bee ioyned into hys bodye All shall ryse agayne but yet euery manne in his order the fyrste of all is Christe then suche as cleaue vnto Chryste as the partes of the bodye cleaue vnto the heade of whome a certayne goynge out of theyr graues rose with Christe and the reste shall all ryse at hys laste commyng And when the resurreccion of the whole body is done and paste then shall nothynge remayne but an ende of thys worldly alteracions whiche shal not bee before the vtter abolyshment of y◠tyrannye of death what tyme Christe as a victoriouse conquerour shall delyuer vp a quiet and a peasyble kyngdome to god his father to whome by subduyug his enemies he restoreth his dominion and after that he hathe dryuen awaye vtterly from hys whole bodye and brought to nought all the power rule and authoritie of his aduersaries The texte For he muste raigne tyll he haue put all this enemyes vnder hys feete The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death For he hath put all thynges vnder hys feete But when he sayth all thynges are put vnder hym it is manyfeste that he is excepted whiche dyd put all thynges vnder hym When all thynges are subdued vnto hym then shall the sonne also hymselfe be subiecte vnto hym that put all thynges vnder him that God maye be all in al. Elles what do they which are baptised ouer the dead yf the dead ryse not at all Why are they then baptised ouer them yea and why stande we allwaye then in ieoperdye By oure reioysyng whiche I haue in Christe Iesu oure Lorde I dye dayly That I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men what auauntageth it me yf the dead ryse not agayne Let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shall dye Be not ye deceaued euell woordes corrupte good manners Awake truely out of slepe and synne not For some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame For so long necessary is it that the sonne shoulde labor and trauayle about the recouery of the kyngdome to god his father vntyl that he haue vtterly subdued all hys enemies and so treade them downe vnderneyth hys feete that there bee no rebellion at all nor feare of euyll Through synne deathe raigneth and through death y◠deuyll When synne is extinguished then shall deathe raigne no longer And albeit in thys lyfe we to our power labour about it yet shal we not fully haue it vntyll that by the laste resurreccion al the power of death shal be quite abolyshed when our laste enemye of all whiche moste stubbernly rebelled shall bee vanquished for euer For by thys waye hathe the father decreed that all thynges shall become subiecte vnto hys sonne as it is wrytten in the psalmes thou haste put all thinges vnder hys feete But when scripture sayeth that all thynges shal be vnder the fete of the sonne it is not to be vnderstanden that the sonne shall only possesse that kyngdom the father being excluded for the kingdom of the father and the sonne is all one kyngdom This new and peculiar kyngdom wherin there shal be no rebellion of synfull desyres against the will pleasure of God the father recouereth vnto himselfe by his sonne which he in such sorte vseth with his sonne in cōmon that nethlesse in the father the authoritie remayneth as in him of whom the sonne receiued the same kingdom which is in suche sorte fully and wholy the sonnes that yet the father loseth nothyng synce of both there is but one will And then when all thinges shal be subiecte to the sonne then shall the sonne selfe wholy that is to saye with his bodye misticall yelde and submitte hymselfe to the father by whom as chiefe doer al thinges became subiecte to the sonne that thencefurth no not in the members shall there any thing be lefte whiche shall to Christe be contrarie but that the whole sonne shall consente with the father of whom as of the first begynner al thinges shall depende to whom as chiefe doer all men shall geue thankes for all that euer in any tyme and place hath been well done Nowe wheras I long synce taught you this and ye lykewyse learned the same what meaneth this that some no we doubt a freshe whether the dead shall liue againe Wherof if there be no hope vayne is their labour which albeit more supersticiously thā godly in steade of the dead receyue baptisme fearyng leste suche one as dyed without christenyng shall not ryse among ryghteouse people And to auoyde thys they prepare one which in steade of the dead maye aunswere that he beleueth and desyreth baptisme These mennes fayth I allowe but their doynges I allowe not For as it is folyshnes to thynke that another mans baptisme helpeth the dead so beleue they truely and well there shall a resurreccion be For yf they thought that the dead mā should nomore ryse againe neuer would they for his sake be so careful Yea we our selfes do folishly which for Christes doctrin dayly put our life in ieopardie if after such greuous tormētes no reward folow Nor are we only in ieopardie but also in maner dye dayly by that we oftetymes stād in some new ieopardie nor are dispached with one kinde of death And as in this my saying I lye not so may I alwaies glory in this reioysing which I haue through Iesus Christ our lorde to whose glory turne al the miseries which we suffer Wheras amōg the Ephesiās for Christes gospel I suffered so much trouble that I could not chose but fyght with be astes as one most surely apointed to dye what profite was there in or what gayned I therby if the dead ryse not again What madnes is it without compulsion to sustaine so many troubles if assone as a mā is once dead it nothing force howe he hath lyued Yf we after our death be paste all hope what remaineth there but y◠we as the wicked persons spake in Esai distrusting the promises of
with all theyr heartes put theyr affiaunce in the ghospel and beleued also that through the death of Iesus Christe godly lyfe shal all people haue and receyue glory also and saluacion For this purpose lykewyse for a season serued Moses lawe that partly with manacyng of punishmentes partly with hope of promises made therin and partly with rude expressing of Christe to come the Iewes after suche sorte within theyr bondes leste Christe at his commyng should haue fouÌ„d them strayed out into all kyndes of mischiefe neither worthy nor yet apte to receyue the grace of his gospell By the promises then of the lawe had the Iewes a certayne rude knowledge of the misterie of the gospell By the obseruaunce of this lawe then were menne so long stayed and vnderpyght vntyll that was by the ghospell opened whiche the law in shadowes represented that yf men wyll nowe awake they maye clearlye see euen that put in vre wherof they before had but a dreame The texte ¶ Wherfore the lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christe that we might be made ryghteouse by faythe But after that fayth is come we are no lenger vnder the scholemaister For ye are the chyldren of God because ye beleue in Christe Iesu For al ye that are baptised haue put on Christ The lawe therfore brought not men to perfite righteousnes but was as a scholemaister gyuen to the rude people that whome the regarde of honestie was not yet able to kepe in good order they myghte with feare of punishemente be kept from extreme noughtines that through suche meanes encreasyng by lytle and lytle they mighte be broughte from trustyng vpon theyr olde ceremonies vnto Christ of whome onely they should loke to receyue perfite righteousnes Nowe is not the chylde â—o vnder his scholemaister that the scholemaister with hym muste al waye be at hande but onlye vntyll suche tyme as they beyng more rype and growen vppe to better knowledge euen of theyr owne accorde fall to honestie nor haue nede with feare of punishemente to be kepte from euyll but by theyr fathers encouragyng freelye and wyllyngly study goodnes and honestie an other whyle nowe rulyng theyr scholemaister whose holsome and sharpe correction they for a tyme endured As the father therfore though he tenderly loue his chyldren compelleth them yet for a tyme to be vnder a scholemaister whose maister the chyldren in shorte tyme after shall be so hathe god with sharpenes of the lawe kepte vnder his rude and grosse people vntyll that they concerning the doctrine of his ghospel beyng made their owne menne should no lenger neede to be vnder correccion of theyr scholemaister but lyue freelye as free chyldren vnder theyr moste mercifull father And though it so were that god gaue vnto the Iewes onely a scholemayster yet toke he not them onelye for his chyldren but â—ather coumpted all suche as by faythe in the ghospell are graffed into the bodye of Iesus Christe and endued with his holye spirite to be goddes chyldreÌ„ as soone as they are with Christe made one Nowe yf that wherby we are ioyned vnto Christe generallye belong to all menne what lette shoulde there be why God shoulde not indifferently coumpte all for his chyldren Throughe baptisme haue ye receyued the spirite of Christe and not by circumcision As many then as are baptised are become with Christ ioynte enheriters in that behalfe no poynt inferior to the Iewes boast they themself of the priuelege of circumcision neuer somuche The texte There is no Iewe neither Gentile there is neither bonde neither free there is neither man nor woman for ye are all one in Christe Iesu Yf ye be Christes then are ye Abrahams seede and heyres accordyng to the promyse In thinges that hange vpon mennes fauer the condicion state and persons are regarded but god woulde this benefite of his to be bothe free and also commen to all men Throughe baptisme are we newe borne agayne and sodenly altered as it were into a newe creature And as touching this gyft it is layed to noman nor passed vpon whether he were before baptisme Iewe or Gentile bonde man or free manne or woman All ye through baptisme are belonging to Christes bodie equally partakers of this goddes gifte whiche is from the head conuayed into all the members And yf Christe be the very seede of Abraham by whom god promised his blessyng to all nacions of the worlde forasmuche as ye are planted in Christe nedes must ye be Abrahams posteritie Farther then yf ye be Abrahams posteritie euen lyke heyres ye haue ryght to yâ— promise of god Yf through the felowshyp of Christe ye become goddes chyldren and into it are all receyued through fayth and baptisme necessarily it foloweth that the inheritaunce equallye appertayneth to all men The fourth Chapiter The texte And I say that the heyre as long as he is a childe differeth not from a seruaunt through he be lord of all but is vnder tuters and gouernours vntil the tyme that the father hath appointed euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the worlde LOng synce by Goddes promise due was the title of inheritauÌ„ce but now and not before are we receiued into it because as we before sayd as by mannes lawes and ordinauÌ„ces the heyre while he is within age vseth not his right yea he nothing differeth froÌ„ a seruauÌ„t where he is borne to be lorde ouer all but is kept vnder with feare and ruled as other men wyll passyng that tyme vnder creansers gouernours vntyl he be growen vp to that rypenes whiche either the lawe or his father hath appointed so likewyse in tyme past when we were yet not apt to receiue this gift whiche requireth euen heaueÌ„ly mindes our vnderstaÌ„dinges also therto not of streÌ„gth sufficient as yet we were like children with suche certaine grosse lawes as were mete for our infirmities kept in due ordre beyng suche at that tyme as could not sauor heauenly learnyng but rather suche as would with suche thinges be more moued as might with our fleshely iyen be seen as are the material thynges of this world for example differences of dayes differeÌ„ces of meates differeÌ„ces in apparel sacrificyng and killyng of beastes circumcision As long as we were not apt to receiue higher instruccions euen as seruauntes we for a season obeyed and were vnder these The texte But when the time was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we through eleccion might receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the natural soÌ„nes But assone as we came out of wardship and were growen vp to a ryper age when that tyme was paste whiche the euerlastyng father in â—â—s secrete couÌ„sel had appointed he suffered vs no leÌ„ger to be vnder the carnal rules of the lawe but sent for our deliueraunce neither Moses nor prophete but his onely sonne Iesus Christ He sent his sonne I
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
strength and depende wholye of his helpe And this shall the rather come to passe yf hauyng a Ghospellike fayth you practyse also a Ghospellike charitie knittyng the oue to thother so as it maie vtterlye reste and take rote in your soules to the entent that being established and grouÌ„ded vpon this sure fouÌ„dacion you maye ware greater and greater in your spirite and after a certayn wise be correspondent to the vnmeasurable spirite of God that you maie grow and go forward so perfitely that not onelye with the Iewes but also with the vniuersall multitude of Sayntes whiche are encorporated to the bodye of Christe through the beliefe of the Ghospell you maie bee hable to comprehend how infinitely the goodnesse of God extendeth it selfe and how it is not restrained within narrowe bondes and limittes in heigth reachyng vp to the angels in depth pearcyng downe to the helles in length and breadth spreadyng it selfe vnto all coastes of the worlde and that you maye be hable also to vnderstand the inestimable charitie of Christe towardes mankynde whose knowledge excelleth all the knowledge of man how excellente so euer it be And that you may in these gyftes so encreace that as perfite and lustye membres you maye bee answerably mete for so noble a heade and so hygh a father For lyke as the bodyly byrth hath degrees of ages hath his encreases and hath his measure as long as his growing time endureth euen so this spiritual generacion also hath his childehood hath his springing time and than his perfite lusty growen age For these thynges I saye I praye often vpon my knees vnto God the father Which thinges in dede although thei be greate and far about mannes power yet I desyre them of hym whose power is so myghty that we cannot possibly Imagyne so great a matter but he is hable to dooe muche greatter and is so good and so gentill that he dooeth not onelye accoumplishe our desyres wyth his owne liberalitye but also geueth vs muche more than we can hope for And yet there is nothyng in this behalfe dooen other throughe our merites or powers For we are nothyng elles but the instrument of the diuyne power that woorketh his owne myghte in vs so that all glorye that florisheth in the congregacion is wholy to be ascribed to hys largesse through Christ Iesus by whose participacion the congregacion is endowed with so excellente gyftes and of this glorye there shall bee no ende but it shall endure through all ages to ternally like as the congregacion of Christ shal also haue none end That that I haue sayed is certayne and vndoubtedly true The .iiii. Chapter The texte I Therfore whiche am a prysoner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherewith ye are called with al lowlines and mekenes with humblenes of mynde forbearyng one an other thorowe loue and be diligente to kepe the vnitie of the 〈◊〉 thorowe the bonde of peace being one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling Let there bee but one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whiche is aboue all and thorowe all and in you all NOw inasmuche as ye perceiue from how vyle a condicion vnto what great dignitye from how depe desperacion to what excellente benefites you are called I beseche you for these cheines sakes wherwith I am tyed not for mine own faultes but for the glorye of God and your saluacion that asmuche as remaineth behynde you would conforme youre selues in honest coÌ„uersacion answerably to your professioÌ„ to the mercifulnes that God hath shewed to youwardes And that shal be doen in case the excellencye of your profession make you not to hygh minded nor to fearcely stomaked But see that all the custome of your life resemble in all thynges true modestye gentilnesse and lenyte of mynde so that one disdeyne not an other but euerye one suffre other through mutual charitie rather one bearyng with an others weakenesse for the tyme than whan euerye one goeth about to holde his owne with tothe and nayle you breake concorde and vniforme loue wherwith you are made one and vnited together through the bonde of peace For it is not conueniente that such mennes myndes should be deuided among theÌ„selues that haue so many thynges commune You are al one bodye you depende all of one heade you haue all receiued of one selfe spirite of Christ and you are also indifferentely called all into one hope of inheritaunce There is one lord of al Iesus Christ al haue but one profession of faith there is but one baptisme of al that by the meanes of Christes death is indifferently effectuall vnto all that beleue the Ghospell whether they bee circumcised or vncircumcised Finallye there is but one God and father of al that as the prynce autour of all thynges hath dominion ouer vs all in suche sorte that by his spirite wherewith he gouerneth vs he geueth hymselfe vnto all and kepeth continual residence with vs releuyng and helpyng vs in all thynges so that it is the gifte of onely one what good thyng soeuer we haue The texte Unto euery one of vs is geuen â—race according to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Wherefore he saieth when he went vp on hye he led captiuitie captiue gaue gyftes vnto men That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earthe He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all thinges And the verye same made some Aposties some Prophetes some EuaÌ„gelistes some shepeherdes and teachers to yâ— edifiyng of the saintes to the worke and ministracion euen to the edifiyng of the bodye of Christe till we all come to the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfeit man vnto the measure of the full perfeit age of Christe This ought in no wyse to hynder our concorde that the giftes of God bee not all after one sorte nor all alyke appearyng in al menne no more than we see the meÌ„bres of the body not agre or to be racked one froÌ„ an other because thei be not indiffereÌ„tly apte al to one vse or fele not al alike the influence of the head But this maner varietie ought rather to be the occasion of vnitie For inasmuch as no meÌ„bre of the body is hable fully to vphold himself of himself it commeth to passe that euerye one muste haue nede of an others offyce so that one maye not contemne an other But this distribucion of gyftes dependeth not of vs but of the wyll of God who distributeth vnto euerye man lesse or more as it semeth expedient in his owne syghte There is no cause why he shoulde bee disdeyned that hath lesse nor why he shoulde exalte hymselfe that hathe more That one is after Goddes measuryng thys other is after Goddes plenteous enlargyng and all by Christe which geueth
all thynges Ye housebandes loue your wyues euen as Christe also loued the congregacion and gaue hymselfe for it to sancrifye it and clensed it in the fountayne of water throughe the woorde to make it vnto hymselfe a glorious congregacion withoute spot or wrinkle or anye suche thyng but that it should he holye and withoute blame So ought menne to loue their wyues as theyr owne bodyes He that loueth his wyfe loueth hymselfe For no manne euer yet bāted his owne fleshe but nouryshéth and cherisheth it eue◠as the Lorde dooeth the congregacion For we are membres of his bodye of hys flesh of his bones For this cause shal a man leaue father mother shal be ioyned vnto his wife and of two shal be made one fleshe This is a great secret but I speake of Christ of the congregaciō Neuerthelesse dooe ye so y◠euery one loue his wife euē as himselfe And lette the wyfe feare her husbande Let the wyues therefore acknowledge the autoritie of theyr housebandes and be in subieccion vnto them none otherwyse than the congregacion is in subieccion to the Lorde Iesu For lyke as Christe is the heade of the congregacion euen so is euery housband the head of his own wife Neuertheles like as y◠head hath preeminence ouer the bodye to the entent the health of the body should depende of it euen so is the housebande in autoritye ouer the wyfe not to thintente to vse her cruelly like a tyranne but to prouide for her wealth because hys witte is more substanciall than hers And yet the wife maye not bristle against her housebande because he seeketh at her handes to bee more loued than feared But her duety is to be somuch more in subieccion in al pointes like as the congregaciō is so much the more in subieccion vnto Christ as he hath more lowly submitted himself for the saluacion of her his spouse And on the other parte you that be housbādes a buse not your autoritie lyke tyrannes ouer your wiues but rather vse them with like louyng charitie as Christ hath and doeth loue his congregacion whome beyng an aduouterer and an obstinate rebel he did not onely not caste of but also gaue hymselfe vnto death for the redemyng of her saluacion and so of adefiled one he made her pure and holye and where she was vncleane and foule he made her fayre and goodlye and yet caste her not in the teeth with her vyle filthinesse but washed her cleane with the streame of his own bloud and scoured her in the fountaine of lyfe that worketh profitably by the inuocacion of the name of God so as through his owne diligent goodnes he myght prepare for hymselfe a glorious wife euen the congregacion whiche nowe should neyther haue spotte nor wrincle nor any suche lyke that might be displeasaunt in the housebandes iye but in euery point both fayre and faultles And so it becommeth the housebandes to be lykewise affected to wardes theyr wiues that they leaue nothing vndone whereby they maye make theyr wines perfite Christian woomen and to bee no lesse carefull for their wyues healthe than the head is carefull for the health of the bodye For the wyfe is the housebandes body Admitte thy wyfe be of croked condicions or a nyce wanton or geuen to other vnthriftynesse destroyeher not with ragyng crueltie but heale her and amende her with so bre lenitie Correcte the faulres so as thou loue thy wife neuerthelesse for all that For what would the head doe yf it see his bodye be full of sickenes or disease would it beginne to hate it and for sake it or rather heale it if it coulde and if it coulde by no meanes heale it yet at least beare with it and cherishe it Might it not be thought a great absurditie if the head would wishe euill to his owne bodye He that loueth his wyfe loueth hymself for she is parte of hymselfe what man had euer so litle felyng of the senses of nature to hate his owne bodye What man dooeth not rather nourishe and cherishe hys bodye what a maner a one so euer it bee to make it better and lustier Seyng that the very Ethnikes doe naturally no lesse than so why doeth not Christian charitie worke the same in vs a great deale more inasmuche as we are moued thereunto by the exaumple of Christe who did not forsake his wife the congres gacion though she was disteyned before tyme many sondry wāyes and a very whorishe naughty packe but he clensed her he pyked her and made her perfectly trimme in euery poynt Therefore you house bandes doe the same vnto your wyues that Christe hath dooen vnto vs that are the membres of his body whiche is the congregacion lyke as the wyfe is the bodye of the housebande of whose fleshe and bones she is made to thintente it maye be manifestlye knowen that that thyng oughte in no wyse to bee diuorced asondre that is all one selfe same thing For thus we reade in the booke of Genesis For the wyues sake man shal rather forsake father and mother than forsake his wyfe vnto whom he shall so kepe hymselfe that of twoo there bee made one in moste perfite coupling together both of bodies and soules Nexte after God we are most bounden to father and mother yet the wife is preferred a boue them Herin is ment a certain vnspeakeable great misterie howe that the thyng that was doen in Adam Eue vnder a figure should be performed in effect mistically in Christ and in the congregacion This inseparable cōiuncciō whosoeuer wil wel weigh shal perceiue that there lyeth hidde a great mistery For lyke as Christ is one with the father euen so would he haue all his to be al one with him And albeit this mistery importeth greater circumstaunce than can be nowe presently expressed yet it is inough to haue applyed the exaumple to this ende that euery man should loue his wife none otherwise than he loueth himselfe and considre that both he and she are al one selfesame thing euen as Christ loued his congregacion whome he vnited entierely to himselfe Finally it shall be the wyues parte not only to loue her husband agayn as her companion to liue together but also reuerence him for the autoritie sake that he hath ouer her And than shall hartie loue continue long together goodly in case both parties doe theyr dueties accordingly ¶ The .vi. Chapter The texte Children obey your fathers and mothers in the Lorde for that is right Honoure thy father and mother the same is the firste cōmaundement in the promes that thou mayest prosper and liue long on the earthe Ye fathers moue not youre children to wrathe but ye shall bryng them vp through the norter and informacion of the Lorde Ye scruauntes bee obedient vnto them that are your bodely masters with feare and tremblyng euen with the synglenes of youre hearte as vnto Christe not dooyng seruice vnto the eye
And hys will is that you care for youre seruauntes commoditie through reasonable commaunding and not to presse theÌ„ with tirannie These thynges that we haue hitherto treated of tend to this end that you should aswel be lyke vnto your head Christ in holines of life as to agree together among your selues in mutuall concorde The texte Finally my brethren be stronge through the Lorde and through the power of his might Put on all the armoure of God that ye maye stande againste the assaultes of the deuill For we wrestle not against bloode and fleshe but againste rule against power against worldly rulers euen gouernoures of the darckenes of this worlde against spirituall craâ—tyues in heueÌ„ y thinges Whertore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resist in the euell daie and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and your loynes girde with the trueth hauyng on the brestplate of righteousnes and hauing shoes on youre â—ere that ye maye bee prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shilde of faithe where with ye maye quenche all the ficrie dartes of the wicked And take the helmet of saluacion and the â—â—â—â—de of the spirite whiche is the woorde of God Now this remayneth for a finall conclusyon that forasmuche as the wieked doe lay sundry engines to ouerthrowe your tranquillitie you must also bee armed with a strong lustie inward conscience to resist them not with the ayde of your owne powers but by the meane of the lorde Jesus your defendour who will not suffer hys bodye to be destitute Verely as for vs we are feble members but he is valeaunt and mightie that hath taken vpon him to be our protectour Desyre therefore of him all maner of spirituall armour and weapons that therwith being in euery poynt surely harnessed you may be hable to stand valeauntly agaynst the assaultes of the deuil For we haue not warre and battayl with men whose wronges our duetie is to ouercome with pacyence But our battayl is with wicked spirites the enemyes and foes of Christe whose champions and instrumentes those are that ragingly assault vs. And by their ministery the princes and powers of deuils geue battail against vs froÌ„ aboue and exercise theyr tirannye vpon suche as bee addycte vnto them throughe the naughtinesse of thys worlde and lay wayte in the darkenes of this worlde for those that loue the lyght of the Gospel Agaynste those I say we must necessarily abyde battayll and they are not onely mightye of strength but also exceadingly perfite in spirituall pollicie and that in the coastes of the ayre so as they may the easelier come vpon vs and so as it is the harder for vs to apprehende them To warre agaynst this kinde of enemies no humayne weapons nor armour can doe any good But it is the onely armour of God that must defende vs from harme Therefore as often as you must entre battayl with your aduersaries doe alwayes as noble warriers are accustomed whan they haue a doe with a daungerous enemie Get on all your harnesse and doe euery thyng accordyngly that whan the daunger of the battayl shal be you may be hable to kepe your place and stedfastly stand vpon the sure rocke Christ Whan menne goe to warre one agaynst an other fyrste they couer themselues on euery syde that they lye not open any way to theyr enemies ordinaunce Than they make ready to beaâ—e backe the inuader The middle partes of theyr bodies because of the tendernes they girde with an Apron of maile The vpper partes they harnesse with a brest plate Upon the legges and feete they weare bootes and an helmet vpon the head Than on the lefte syde a shylde is buckled to kepe of all arowe shot And so in like case you that haue spiritual battayl with wicked spirites continually in steede of the girdle put on trueth to girde vp the loines of your mynde so as you stande vpryghte and shrynke not at any naughtie enticement of false goodes and false opinions For the breste plate put on innocencie and righteousnes to kepe the inward partes of your mynd safe and sure with the mayles of vertue and godlines For bootes to put on the legges and fete loke you haue a sincere affeccion that coueteth after nothing but such thinges as be heauenly and is afrayde of nothyng but onely of vngodlines so as you may be alwayes readilye prepared to defende the Gospell whose defence consilieth not in styrryng of tumulte but in patience and quietnesse And for that cause sake it is called the gospel of peace The preachers wherof the prophete in times past respecting was in an admiracion to considre howe excellently fayre their feete were But we must diligently see yâ— we haue in continual readinesse on euery syde yâ— buckeler of faythe wherby we maye assuredly trust to all the promyses of God What larum so euer happeneth with this buckeler it shal be vaynquished what fyrie dartes so euer our subtill aduersary shall throwe at vs this buckeler shal kepe theim of so as none of theim shal pearce any parte of oure liuely membres For what thing can wounde the soule that defieth death it selfe And if you haue also with this buckler the helmet of a vigilaunt mynde that can take good circumspect hede you nede not in any wise to be afraid of your health Finally haue alwaies in your right hand the sword of the spirite aswel to cut of naughtie lustes from your mindes and to pearce to the inwarde partes of the harte as also to kepe of the resistours of the gospels veritie and to suppresse false head that trueth may preuayle This sworde is the worde of God that pearceth with a constaunt power of fayth not after the maner of mannes cutting reason but rather renneth through than cutteth For the woorde of man is but a weake watrishe woorde forasmuche as it entreateth onely of vayne transitorye matters But the woorde of god is effectual and can skil of nothing out of heauenly thinges and pearceth through vnto the ioyntes of the soule and searcheth euen to the inwarde boanes and marye These be the enemies that Christians haue battail withal wheras with men they are at peace And these are the weapoÌ„s wherwith they defend themselues and get the vietorie not with their own powers but by the helpe of Christ the mightie Captayn through whose luckie ayde theyr batayl hath good successe The texte And praye alwayes with all maner of praier and supplication in the spirite watche therunto with all instaunce and supplicacion for all sainctes and for me that vtteraunce maye bee geuen vnto me that I maye open my mouthe frely to vtter the secretes of my gospet whereof I am messenger in bondes that therein I may speake frely as I ought to speake But that ye may also knowe what condicion I am in and wher I dooe Tichicus the dere brother and faythfull minister in the Lorde shall shewe
endeuour of the wicked trauailling to the coÌ„trarie So in dede my bondes gaue occasion that the woorde of Christe came not onelye to a fewe and those but of the symple sorte of the commune people as it was afore but it floryshed also throughoute all Neroes hall and all the whole cytie so as sondrye of the brethren whyche professed the ghospell before that tyme as men halfe afrayed nowe beynge encouraged wyth my bondes as the Lorde Iesus ordreth the matter they begynne alid through myne example to professe the woorde of the ghospell more freely and boldelye all drede set aparte And albeit all men dyd it not wyth a lyke synceritie as they dyd not also wyth lyke dylygence yet the matter chaunced by occasion to the furtheraunce of the ghospell For there was among them some that dyd it of a maliciouse purpose to procure the greater hatred against me and to kyndle Neroes stomake so muche the more fearcely agaynste vs as he sawe thys secte encrease and come forwarde whiche in his erronious conceipte he iudgeth to be hurtefull to his Empire In consideration whereof they thoughte he woulde the soner haue dispatched me oute of the waye Perchaunce there be manye that hauynge disdeigne at my glorye whyche notwythstandynge I chalenge not to my selfe but resigne it whollye vnto Christe haue gone aboute throughe malicious enuye to obscure my commendacion if they myght seme to be more diligente than wee Agayne there be of them that preache Christe as I dooe with a syncere good conscience thoughe it be not throughly perfite For as concernynge fauoure after the outwarde maner of man I can not wante anye at theyr handes whyche loue me and see me endaungered for thys cause that I goe stedfastlye about accordyng to the offyce commytted vnto me to defende the ghospell agaynste the wycked althoughe that euen those that preache vpon the moste naughty purpose haue furthered the glorye of the ghospell also For they preache Christe but not of a Christian conscience nor of an vpryghte purpose but labour to the intente they myghte cause me nowe I am taken and bounden to be more greuouslye punyshed in case throughe theyr earnest hoote cockled ghospellyng they coulde haue broughte vs in to more haynous displeasure Thys how so euer it shal happen vnto me shall make no great matter so that it turne to the glorye of Christe vnto whome I owe suche entier hartie loue that I am glad to haue hym notified vnto all men by what occasion so euer it be They deserue the greatest commendation before God that preache Christe vpon the same intente that I doe And they are to be borne wythall that vpon a certayne pryuate affection towardes vs set forwarde the doctrine of the gospel But those yâ— preache Christ for displeasure of me in yâ— they hurte theÌ„selues I am sorye in yâ— they goe about to hurt me I defye theÌ„ in that their froward purpose turneth to the furtheraunce of the gospel I am veray glad so that they teache Christe truelye althoughe theyr entent be nothyng vpryght And I doo not onelye reioyce nowe presentlye but also I wyll reioyce hereafter in rase they goe on styl in despight of me to set out the doctrine of Christ It greueth not me that their intente is by thys meanes to destroye me seynge I knowe well ynoughe that wyth the helpe of youre prayers the spirite of Iesu Christe forwardynge and gouernyng this busines it shall proue vnto my best commoditie whether I dye or lyue And my faythfull truste that I haue coÌ„ceyued of hym shall neuer desceaue me whiche is that I am moste certaynly perswaded that he wil neuer leaue me destitute nor put to shame in preaching the gospell which he hathe coÌ„mytted vnto me so as I shal not be enforced wyth anye afflictions either to reâ—ante it as vayne or holde my tongue from speakyng the thyng that I am sure is mooste true but rather lyke as the afflictions whiche I haue suffered at mennes handes after the bodye haue alwayes hetherto turned to the aduauntage of the ghospell eyther whan I was stoned or whan I was scourged wyth whyppes or whan I was caste to wylde beastes euen so thys afflyction whereby I am in ieoperdye of my heade and lyfe shall proue also to the glorye and prayse of Christe whether I chaunce to lyue or dye For as the former stormes of myne afflictions althoughe they troubled thys caâ—cas dyd neuer for all that wythdrawe myne harte nor made me to shrynke from the stedfast preachyng of Christe no more shall also thys hoote tempest any thyng withdrawe me Yf I lyue I shall defende the trueth of the ghospell boldely yf I shall dye euen my deathe whiche I shall gladlye suffer for the ghospelles sake shall further the glorye of Christ Whether waye so euer happeneth vnto me I shal be in sure sauegarde And as for death I am not onely not afrayed of it but I thynke it also rather to be wyshed for yf it myghte be to the spedye furtheraunce of the ghospell And yet I am not wearye to lyue thoughe I lyue in thys payefull estate for I measure all the felicitie of my lyfe by the successe of the ghospell And on the other parte I am not affrayed of death For it shal be my vauntage and brynge me to the ioyes of heauen where after thys lyfe I shall truely lyue And yet in the meane tyme thys vyle corporall lyfe wanteth not his frute forasmuche as in amplyfyinge of good dedes the rewarde of immortalitie is amplyfyed also and besydes that whyle we lyue in thys worlde the ghospell of Christe is set forwarde and confirmed throughe oure trauayll And it is in the hande of Christe whether hys pleasure be rather that I lyue or dye For myne owne parte I am so readyly prepared for eyther waye that I can not tell whether is better for me to chose There is cause why I shoulde wyshe to dye and there is cause why I shoulde not refuse to lyue But whan I haue cast what is best for me â–ª and examyned myne owne hearte I perceyue it were a greate deale better for me to be losed frome the troublous toylynges of thys lyfe and to be in presente companye wyth Christe and to goe agayne vnto that vnspeakeable felicitie that I had a taste of whan I was â—apte into the thyrde heauen Agayne whan I consider what is best and moste expedyent for you I perceyue it profitable yea rather necessarie for you that I contynue yet for a whyle in thys myne office And I knowe this for a certayntie that I shall tarye styll yet in this life and tarye so as I shall once haue youre companye agayne and be at suche libertie as you shall goe forwarde more aboundauntlye in faithe and as I shall haue muche more cause to be glad of the encreace of your fayth and as you on the other parte maye be glad of my commyng vnto you agayne whan you shall see that by the
gloryes sake in stede of true godlynesse they teache Iewyshe obseruations circumcision of the foreskynne choyse of meates dyfference of dayes to the intent that other men beyng burthened with these wares they them selues maye reigne and lyue at ease for all that as though after this lyfe they loked after none other But let the ende of them fraye vs awaye from their condicions For lyke as through slaunderous reproche of man we drawe to eternall glorye and by afflictions of this world preace vnto immortall felicitie euen so they by transitorye pleasures of the worlde procure to them selues euerlastyng destruction bycause in stede of God they honour their belye that can not helpe them and by countrefaicte vayne glorye among men whiche they repose not in Christe but in thinges that they ought to be ashamed of they make spede to euerlastynge shame For what soeuer is earthly is but temporall and countrefayte and what so euer is heauenly is true and euerlastynge But they studye for nothynge elles but those thinges that are of the earthe In them they repose their glorye in them they set their pleasure in them they put theyr hope of helpe and so runne astraye ferre from the marke of the gospell But we that folowe Christ aright though our bodyes be deteyned vpon earthe yet in soule our conuersacion is in heaueÌ„ sighing continuallye thither as our head is gonne afore from whence also through faythe we loke for our lorde Iesus Christ whiche shall rayse vs from death and delyuer vs possession of those thinges that he promyseth vs and shall transforme this vyle naughtye bodye of ours and make it lyke vnto his owne glorious bodye for this consyderacion that the membres which wer felowes of his afflictions in this worlde shoulde be called there into the felowshyp of hys felicitye This matter shall not seme vncredible to any man that wyll dyligentlye pondre the great power of him that shall doo this dede For there is nothinge but he can brynge it to passe in whose hande it is also to subdue all thinges to himselfe at his owne pleasure This power he shall openlye shewe than vnto al men although in the meane season he doo many times kepe it close The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ Therfore my brethren dearly beloued and longed for my ioye and crowne so continue in the Lorde ye beloued I praye Euodias and beseche Sintiches that they be of â—ne accorde in the Lorde Yee and I beseche the faythfull rockefelowe helpe the wemen whiche laboured with me in the ghospell and with Clement also and with other my labourfelowes whose names are in the boke of lyfe INasmuche therfore as you are established with the hope of such great hyghe matters my dearly beloued brethren and longed for whose good successe I repute to be myne owne ioye whose victorye I take to be my crowne lyke as you haue begonne see yâ— you so continue suffre not your selues to be draweÌ„ away froÌ„ Iesus Christ Moreouer my welbeloued brethren I eftesones beseche Euodias and I desire Sintiches and eyther of them by them selues that they agree in one true concorde of myndes in promotynge the gospell of Christe And I also require the myne owne true naturall wyfe whiche agreist with me in the trauayle of the gospel helpe these women that were partetakers of my labours and daungers in the gospel and Clement also with the rest that wet my labourfelowes in yâ— gospell Whose names what nedeth me to rehearse inasmuche as they are wrytten in the boke of lyfe and shall neuer be scraped out In that boke are the names of all them wrytten that with their dilygences helpe forewarde the businesse of the gospell of whose nombre you are also The texte ¶ Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye and againe I saye reioyce Let youre softenesse be knowen vnto all men The Lorde is euen at hande Be careful for nothinge but in all prayer and supplycacion let youre pericyons be manifest vnto God with geuynge of thanckes And the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandynge kepe your hertes and myndes thorow Christ Iesu For these causes sakes reioyce alwayes euen in the myddes of your afflyctions Againe I eftesones saye reioyce and be of good cheare And how hottely so euer the iniquitie of the wicked rage against you yet let youre patience and modest softenes be knowen and seen vnto all maner of men not only vnto the brethren but to them also that are straungers from Christe so that they beyng prouoked the rather by your good demenoure maye be allured vnto the felowshyp of the gospell For gentilnesse of behauioure wynneth and breaketh the vngodly Couet not in any wise to reuenge you of theÌ„ nor yet enuy not them their pleasaunt delytes For the commyng of Christ is at hande whiche shall rendre vnto you the ioyes of immortalitie for contemnyng the commodities of this worlde And as for them they shall suffre the peynes of their owne fonde folyshenes Lyue you for your parte without care for any thinge But care for this onely that whan Christe shall come he maye fynde you readyly prepared of him depende you entierlye with all youre hartes Yf you haue nede of any thinge truste not to the helpe of the worlde but call vpon god with continuall supplicacions and make your moane to him with feruent desires whan you require any thing And geue him thankes what so euer chaunceth to you prosperitie or aduersite beynge certainlye assured that he wyll also turne your aduersitie into prosperitie For he knoweth well ynoughe what is profytable for you althoughe you aske nothynge But yet he loueth to be called vpon with suche manner of intercessions he loueth to be entreated and as it wer enforced with godly besechinges And so the peace wherby you are reconsyled vnto god beyng a thing of more gracious efficacie than mannes reason is hable to perceaue shall strengthen your hartes and your consciences against all terrouts that can possiblye happen in this worlde For what should that man be afraied of whiche knoweth that God loueth him dearly through Iesus Christ Therfore lyke as I woulde haue you without care of those thinges wherwith this worlde either flattereth or maketh afrayed â–ª euen so you must applye your selues with all your diligent endeuours to ware â—iche in vertues whiche maye make you acceptable to God The texte ¶ Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer thinges are true what soeuer thinges are honâ—â—â— whatsoeuer thinges are iust what soeuer thinges are pure what soeuer thinges are coÌ„â—â—nyent what soeuer thinges are of honeste reporte yâ— there be any vertue yâ— there be any prayse of lernynge those same haue ye in youre mynde whiche ye haue both learned and receaued hearde also and sene in me those thinges dâ— and the God of peace shal be with you I reioyce in the Lorde greatly that nowe at the last youre â—are is reuyued againe for me in that wherin ye were also carefull but ye lacked oportunitie I speake out because
him perishe were they not by him mainteined Thus see ye the excellencie and preeminence of Christ whiche thing I tel you of lest any manne of Angels thinke more than he should The texte And he is the head of the body euen of the congregacion he is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead that in all thinges he might haue the preeminence And lest perauenture his glorious and excellent maiestie so feare you away from him that to aspire and comevnto the fauor of God the father ye thinke it necessarie to seeke vpon some other meane heare againe and learne to knowe how good he is Christ is in suche sorte chiefe ruler and Lorde of Angels as I sayd that he nethelesse vouchesaueth also to be head of the churche whom he hath so ioyned vnto him that it cleaueth is coupled vnto him euen as the natural body cleaueth vnto the head Whatsoeuer therfore is alreadye done in the heade the same must to vs be coÌ„men He fyrst of all other rose againe from death not to the intent he would be immortall onely him selfe but to the ende he might enhaunce vs his membres to the felowship of his immortal life Loke what is in the fyrst fruites of grayne offered the same is generally in the whole heape He is in dede prince and author of resurreccion and so shall we through him also rise againe And as among thynges create he is chiefe in suche sorte yet that himself was not create and made so is he in testoryng creatures chiefe so that as we are for our beyng byrth bounde vnto his goodnes so should we for oure seconde byrthe baptisme to liue euerlastyngly be muche more beholdyng vnto him The texte For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile al thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace by him through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in heauen and thinges in yearth For so hath it pleased the father that the sonne should with all fulnes of godly power and goodnes be replenished which shuld in him so abide and dwel that we should nede no where to borowe any thyng synce the father neither wyll nor can do any thing but that the sonne can do and will And syth the fathers pleasure was that so it should be it besemeth not vs curiously to demaunde and serche why fynce it can not be but best whatsoeuer his wysedome hath once decreed This wyse to do I say God the father thought beste bothe for oure weale and saluacion and most for his owne glory to reconcile al thinges vnto him not by the ministerie of Angels but by his owne sonne whiche with his bloud sheddyng and tourmentyng vpon the crosse should abolishe synne whiche broke the peace and concorde betwixte heauenly and yearthly creatures set all thinges at peace bothe heauenly yerthly makyng them in Christ to agre together and to be at an vnitie one with an other The texte And you whiche were sometyme farre of and enemies because your myndes were set in euil workes hath he now yet reconciled in the body of his fleshe through death in make you holy vnblameable without fault in his owne sight if ye continue grouÌ„ded and stablished in the fayth and be not moued awaye from the hoope of the gospel wherof ye haue heard how that it is preached among all creatures whiche are vnder heauen wherof I Paule am made a minister Of this numbre so reconciled are ye now becomen ye I saye whiche in yeres past were in suche sorte straungers to God that in steede of him ye worshipped images of deuils not only wilfully dissentyng from him but also vsing your selfes as his cruel aduersaries whom he hath yet to him selfe reconciled beyng suche as neither loked for so much at his haÌ„d and muche lesse deserued it and made of you his enemies his frendes sonnes not by the ministery of Aungels but by the bodily death of his onely begotten sonne whom for that purpose his pleasure was that he shuld take our mortal fleshe vpon him And because there can be betwixte God and synners no peace it hath pleased him frely to forgeue al the offences of our former liâ—e to th entent he would in his sight make you holy vnblameable and faultles Who I pray you can lay your olde debtes to your charge if he be once coÌ„tented And surely coÌ„tented wyl he be if once vpoÌ„ his fre receiuyng of you vnto the fayth of the gospel ye continually abide in your profession leanyng vpon this sure and sounde foundacion she we your selfes so stedfast and stable that neither man nor angel be able to moue you froÌ„ Christ of whoÌ„ ye must hope to receiue all suche giftes as the gospel promiseth whet vnto ye gaue credence whiche hath not onely been preached vnto you but also to all nacions contained vnder heauen Unstedfastnes it is to fal away froÌ„ that whiche ye haue once allowed an impudent and a shameles point to reken and coumpte that thing for vaine in belief wherof al the worlde agreeth and finally to flit from that whose preacher and minister I Paule am whiche would not leaue and forgoe infâ—â—e owne countreys law chaunge it with the gospel of Christ were I not fully persuaded that this geare is heauenly and commeth froÌ„ God The texte Now ioy I in my sufftynges for you fulfil that whiche is behynd of the passions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies sake which is the coÌ„gregacion wherof I am made a minister accordyng to the ordinaunce of God which ordinaunce was geuen me vnto you warde to fulfil the worde of God yâ— ministerie whiche hath been hid synce yâ— world begunne and synce the beginnyng of generacions but now is opened to his saiutes to whoÌ„ God would make knowen what the glorious riches of this misterie is among the gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preache warâ—yng all men and teachyng all men in al wysedome to make all men perfite in Christ Jesu Wherin I also labor striue eueÌ„ as farfourth as his streugth worketh in me mightely Now am I so throughly persuaded yâ— the gospel is a thyng of trueth that I not onely am so farre from beyng ashamed or repentyng my selfe therof that I wyll also ioyfully suffre coumpte stripes emprisonment and chaynes euen matier to reioyse and glorie of which tormentynges I endure not for any offence of myne but suffer them for your weale whom I saye though the Iewes neuer so muche saye naye haue no lesse righte to the benefite of the gospell than haue the Iewes themselues And why should I not saye that I for your weale suffer for whom Christ suffered Why should the Apostle be lothe to do that whiche Christ our prince and maister disdayned not to do Christ suffered for vs not onelye in his owne body but also in maner suffereth in oures eueÌ„ as
thinges aboue where Christ your head sitteth at the right hand of God his father For mete it is that al the studyes and cares of the membres were directed to that place wheras the head is now present and where the same shall with the head hereafter reigne for euer For there liueth euery man where he loueth The texte For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Whensoeuer Christ whiche is our life shal shewe him selfe then shal ye also appeare with him in glory To this world ye seme dead as whiche are neither delited with worldly wealth nor yet regarde suche phātalies wherwith the worldly people are delited Wherfore ye liue not here among men yet liue ye with Christ before God though y◠in the meane season after y◠iudgement of the world your life be hidden But whattyme Christ shall come againe and shewe both his glory and the glory of his body to all the worlde then shall men see you with your head partakers of glory The texte Mortifie therfore your yearthly membres fornicacion vncleanes vnnatural lust euil concupiscence and couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols for whiche thinges sake the wrath of God vseth to come on the children of vnbelief among whom ye walked sometyme when ye liued in them But now put ye also away frō you al such thinges wrath fiersnes maliciousnes cursed speakyng filthy communicacion out of your mouth In the meane season diligently endeuour that all the body be like vnto the high and heauenly head whose mēbres if they here dye not vtterly to carnal desyres they cannot in heauen liue with Christ The deuil hath also his body whiche I els where called the body of synne His membres are fornicacion whiche among worldly people is euē praised vnclennes vnnatural luste and suche other desyres more filthy than are mete to be named desyre of hurtful thinges as of glorye honour and vengeance especially desyre of money which synne among al other nighest draweth to the most outragious wickednes of all that is to were to the worshippyng of idols To these sinnes whosoeuer be subiecte cannot be partaker of the glory of Christ So farre are they from beyng the true children of God whiche are with suche outragious vices corrupted that for the like he fiersely raged euen vpon his owne people the Iewes destroiyng and disenherityng them as disobedient children With suche like horrible vices was your life also once corrupted what tyme ye were not yet through baptisme dead with Christ but liued as your frowarde desyres led you Now synce Christ hath in him lefte nothyng that is mortal and yearthly meete it is synce through him ye are borne againe that ye cast away all the filthynes of your olde and former life And not onely cast away suche great enormities as we now spoke of but also suche thinges wherin the comen sorte of mē is wont to beare with them selfes as wrath fyersenes maliciousnes cursed speakyng that ye not onely haue your heartes pure from suche desyres but also your mouth cleane frō al filthy communicacion The texte ▪ Lye not one to an other seyng that ye haue put of the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man whiche is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him where is neither Gentile nor Iewe circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarus or Sithian bonde or free but Christ is all in all thing Christ is trueth selfe it is not mete that ye beyng his membres should lye one to an other of you And to be briefe synce ye haue put on Christ put of all the old yearthly man with al his workes desyres and put on a new mā whiche wyl neuer be olde but by reason that in him the knowledge of God dayly more and more encreaseth florisheth and buddeth vp into better and greater after the image of Christ which beyng a new mā him selfe builded in vs a new man extinguishyng the olde For as many of vs as are planted into Christes bodye are so farre gone from that we were as though we were newe made againe in somuche that now no difference is there betwixt Gentile and Iewe betwixte the circumcised and vncircumcised betwixte the wylde Scithian and the Grecian and man of Athens nor yet betwixt the free and the bonde Among menne suche differences are passed vpon but before God there is of suche thynges no regarde but Christ whiche is indifferently comen to all onely geueth al thinges to al men Christ is to the bondman fredome to the poore man ryches to the wylde and barbarous ciuilitie to the vncircumcised circumcision And to be briefe through him among you are all thinges made equal because none should disdaine other The texte Therfore as clecte of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kyndnes humblenes of minde mekenes long sufferyng for bearyng one an other and forgeuyng one an other if any mā haue a quarel against an other as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Wherfore instede of your vile membres and vnbesemyng Christ put on other membres contrary to those filthy membres which we before rehersed and instede of them putte on suche as are mete for thē whom God hath chosen out to be holy and vouchsaued to loue What membres are they some wyl say without doubt suche as Christ him selfe both taught and put in execucion I say tender mercy that ye be in a readynes to help the weakenes of other kyndnes because ye should in comen cōuersacion of life be tractable humblenes of mynd lest ye arrogantly auaunce your selfe before other mekenes lest ye vpon offenders vse crueltie long sufferyng leste ye be hasty to reuenge but beare eche one with other of you eche forgeue other if through mannes infirmitie any thyng be among you by reason wherof one might haue a quarel againe an other It besemeth you to forgeue eche others offences synce Christ who offended no man forgaue vs all our trespaces The texte Aboue all these thinges putte on loue whiche is the bonde of perfitenes And the peace of God rule in your heartes to whiche peace ye are called in one body But aboue all other garmentes especially apparel your selfes with christian charitie who is so farre from hurtyng any man that it laboreth to do euery man good yea to do good for euil This is the perfite most sure bonde wherwith the body of Christ is ioyned together and the membres abide fast whiche would els fal on sonder With charitie wyl folow peace and concorde not the comen peace whiche men speake of but suche as is made and mainteined by the mightie power of Christ stedfastly Let her alway in your heartes wynne and haue the vpper hande let her against malice pride wrath and contencion haue the victory For God hath called you to concorde and hath for that purpose reconciled you all vnto him and made you as it were one body to the entent y◠ye like membres
feare you away from hun that to aspire and come vnto the fauor of God the father ye thinke it necessarie to seeke vpon some other meane heare againe and learne to knowe how good he is Christ is in suche sorte chiefe ruler and Lorde of Angels as I layd that he nethelesse vouchesaueth also to be head of the churche whom he hath so ioyned vnto him that it cleaueth is coupled vnto him euen as the natural body cleaueth vnto the head Whatsoeuer therfore is alreadye done in the heade the same must to vs be coÌ„men He fyrst of all other rose againe from death not to the intent he would be immortall onely him selfe but to the ende he might enhaunce vs his membres to the felowship of his immortal life Loke what is in the fyrst fruites of grayne offered the same is generally in the whole heape He is in dede prince and author of resurreccion and so shall we through him also rise againe And as among thynges create he is chiefe in suche sorte yet that himself was not create and made so is he in restoryng creatures chiefe so that as we are for our beyng byrth bounde vnto his goodnes so should we for oure seconde byrthe baptisme to liâ—e euerlastyngly be muche more beholdyng vnto him The texte For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile al thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace by him through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in heauen and thinges in yearth For so hath it pleased the father that the sonne should with all fulnes of godly power and goodnes be replenished which shuld in him so abide and dwel that we should nede no where to borowe any thyng synce the father neither wyll nor can do any thing but that the sonne can do and will And syth the fathers pleasure was that so it should be it besemeth not vs curiously to demaunde and serche why synce it can not be but best whatsoeuer his wysedome hath once decreed This wyse to do I say God the father thought beste bothe for oure weale and saluacion and most for his owne glory to reconcile al thinges vnto him not by the ministerie of Angels but by his owne sonne whiche with his bloud sheddyng and tourmentyng vpon the crosse should abolishe synne whiche broke the peace and concorde betwixte heauenly and yearthly creatures set all thinges at peace bothe heauenly yerthly makyng them in Christ to agre together and to be at an vnitie one with an other The texte And you whiche were sometyme farre of and enemies because your myndes were set in euil workes hath he now yet reconciled in the body of his fleshe through death in make you holy vnblameable without fault in his owne sight if ye continue grouÌ„ded and stablished in the fayth and be not moued awaye from the hoope of the gospel wherof ye haue heard how that it is preached among all creatures whiche are vnder heauen wherof I Paule am made a minister Of this numbre so reconciled are ye now becomen ye I saye whiche in yeres past were in suche sorte straungers to God that in steede of him ye worshipped images of deuils not only wilfully dissentyng from him but also vsing your selfes as his cruel aduersaries whom he hath yet to him selfe reconciled beyng suche as neither loked for â—o much at his haÌ„d and muche lesse deserued it and made of you his enemies his frendes sonnes not by the ministery of Aungels but by the bodily death of his onely begotten sonne whom for that purpose his pleasure was that he shuld take our mortal fleshe vpon him And because there can be betwixte God and synners no peace it hath pleased him frely to forgeue al the offences of our former life to th entent he would in his sight make you holy vnblameable and faultles Who I pray you can lay your olde debtes to your charge if he be once coÌ„tented And surely coÌ„tented wyl he be if once vpoÌ„ his fre receiuyng of you vnto the fayth of the gospel ye continually abide in your profession leanyng vpon this sure and sounde foundacion shewe your selfes so stedfast and stable that neither man nor angel be able to moue you froÌ„ Christ of whoÌ„ ye must hope to receiue all suche giftes as the gospel promiseth whervn to ye gaue credence whiche hath not onely been preached vnto you but also to all nacions contained vnder heauen Vnstedfastnes it is to fal away froÌ„ that whiche ye haue once allowed an impudent and a shameles point to reken and coumpte that thing for vaine in belief wherof al the worlde agreeth and finally to flit from that whose preacher and minister I Paule am whiche would not leaue and forgoe mine owne countreys law chaunge it with the gospel of Christ were I not fully persuaded that this geare is heauenly and commeth froÌ„ God The texte Now ioy I in my suffrynges for you fulfil that whiche is behynd of the passions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies sake which is the coÌ„gregacion wherof I am made a minister accordyng to the ordinaunce of God which ordinaunce was geuen me vnto you warde to fulfil the worde of God yâ— ministerie whiche hath been hid synce yâ— world begunne and synce the beginnyng of generacions but now is opened to his saintes to whoÌ„ God would make knowen what the glorious riches of this misterie is among the gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preache warnyng all men and teachyng all men in al wysedome to make all men perfite in Christ Iesu Wherin I also labor striue eueÌ„ as farfoorth as his strength worketh in me mightely Now am I so throughly persuaded yâ— the gospel is a thyng of trueth that I not onely am so farre from beyng ashamed or repentyng my selfe therof that I wyll also ioyfully suffre coumpte stripes emprisonment and chaynes euen matier to reioyse and glorie of which tormentynges I endure not for any offence of myne but suffer them for your weale whom I saye though the Iewes neuer so muche saye naye haue no lesse righte to the benefite of the gospell than haue the Iewes themselues And why should I not saye that I for your weale suffer for whom Christ suffered Why should the Apostle be lothe to do that whiche Christ our prince and maister disdayned not to do Christ suffered for vs not onelye in his owne body but also in maner suffereth in oures eueÌ„ as one supplying and fulfilling by his ministers suche thynges as mighte in his affliccions seeme vnperfecte not that his death of it selfe is insufficient but because the affliccions and punishmentes of the head and members of the prince and ministers are in maner one These punishmeÌ„tes the greater and more vehemente they be the more redounde and make they to the fulnes and perfeccion of your saluacion And not for your saluacioÌ„ onely
shal shewe him selfe then shal ye also appeare with him in glory To this world ye seme dead as whiche are neither delited with worldly wealth nor yet regarde suche phaÌ„taâ—ies wherwith the worldly people are delited Wherfore ye liue not here among men yet liue ye with Christ before God though yâ— in the meane season after yâ— iudgement of the world your life be hidden But what tyme Christ shall come againe and shewe both his glory and the glory of his body to all the worlde then shall men see you with your head partakers of glory The texte Mortifie therfore your yearthly membres fornicacion vncleanes vnnatural lust euil concupiscence and couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols for whiche thinges sake the wrath of God vseth to come on the children of vnbelief among whom ye walked sometyme when ye liued in them But now put ye also away froÌ„ you al such thinges wrath fiersnes maliciousnes cursed speakyng filthy communicacion out of your mouth In the meane season diligently endeuour that all the body be like vnto the high and heauenly head whose meÌ„bres if they here dye not vtterly to carnal desyres they cannot in heauen liue with Christ The deuil hath also his body whiche I elswhere called the body of synne His membres are fornicacion whiche among worldly people is eueÌ„ praised vnclenues vnnatural luste and suche other desyres more filthy than are mete to be named desyre of hurtful thinges as of glorye honour and vengeance especially desyre of money which synne among al other nighest draweth to the most outragious wickednes of all that is to wete to the worshippyng of idols To these sinnes whosoeuer be subiecte cannot be partaker of the glory of Christ So farre are they from beyng the true children of God whiche are with suche outragious vices corrupted that for the like he fiersely raged euen vpon his owne people the Iewes destroiyng and disenherityng them as disobedient children With suche like horrible vices was your life also once corrupted what tyme ye were not yet through baptisme dead with Christ but liued as your frowarde desyres led you Now synce Christ hath in him lefte nothyng that is mortal and yearthly meete it is synce through him ye are borne againe that ye cast away all the filthynes of your olde and former life And not onely cast away suche great enormities as we now spoke of but also suche thinges wherin the comen sorte of meÌ„ is wont to beare with them selfes as wrath fyersenes maliciousnes cursed speakyng that ye not onely haue your heartes pure from suche desyres but also your mouth cleane froÌ„ al filthy communicacion The texte Lye not one to an other seyng that ye haue put of the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man whiche is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him where is neither Gentile nor Iewe circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarus or Sithian bonde or free but Christ is all in all thing Christ is trueth selfe it is not mete that ye beyng his membres should lye one to an other of you And to be briefe synce ye haue put on Christ put of all the old yearthly man with al his workes desyres and put on a new maÌ„ whiche wyl neuer be olde but by reason that in him the knowledge of God dayly more and more encreaseth florisheth and buddeth vp into better and greater after the image of Christ which beyng a new maÌ„ him selfe builded in vs a new man extinguishyng the olde For as many of vs as are planted into Christes bodye are so farre gone from that we were as though we were newe made againe in somuche that now no difference is there betwixt Gentile and Iewe betwixte the circumcised and vncircumcised betwixte the wylde Scithian and the Grecian and man of Athens nor yet betwixt the free and the bonde Among menne suche differences are passed vpon but before God there is of suche thynges no regarde but Christ whiche is indifferently comen to all onely geueth al thinges to al men Christ is to yâ— bondman fredome to the poore man ryches to the wylde and barbarous ciuilitie to the vncircumcised circumcision And to be briefe through him among you are all thinges made equal because none should disdaine other The texte Therfore as electe of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kyndnes humblenes of minde mekenes long sufferyng forbearyng one an other and forgeuyng one an other if any maÌ„ haue a quarel against an other as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Wherfore in stede of your vile membres and vnbesemyng Christ put on other membres contrary to those filthy membres which we before rehersed and in stede of them putte on suche as are mete for theÌ„ whom God hath chosen out to be holy and vouchsaued to loue What membres are they some wyl say without doubt suche as Christ him selfe both taught and put in execucion I say tender mercy that ye be in a readynes to help the weakenes of other kyndnes because ye should in comen coÌ„uersacion of life be tractable humblenes of mynd lest ye arrogantly auaunce your selfe before other mekenes lest ye vpon offenders vse crueltie long sufferyng leste ye be hasty to reuenge but beare eche one with other of you eche forgeue other if through mannes infirmitie any thyng be among you by reason wherof one might haue a quarel againe an other It besemeth you to forgeue eche others offences synce Christ who offended no man forgaue vs all our trespaces The texte Aboue all these thinges putte on loue whiche is the bonde of perfitenes And the peace of God rule in your heartes to whiche peace ye are called in one body But aboue all other garmentes especially apparel your selfes with christian charitie who is so farre from hurtyng any man that it laboreth to do euery man good yea to do good for euil This is the perfite most sure bonde wherwith the body of Christ is ioyned together and the membres abide fast whiche would els fal on sonder With charitie wyl folow peace and concorde not the comen peace whiche men speake of but suche as is made and mainteined by the mightie power of Christ stedfastly Let her alway in your heartes wynne and haue the vpper hande let her against malice pride wrath and contencion haue the victory For God hath called you to concorde and hath for that purpose reconciled you all vnto him and made you as it were one body to the entent yâ— ye like membres 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 I eache 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
yâ— mystical psalme should be said to be instituted not after the ordre of Aaron but after the order of Melchisedech For seeyng the auctoritie and fourme of the lawe is ioyned with the fourme of priesthood it is nedefull if priesthood be translated into an other fourme that the fourme of the lawe bee lyke wyse translated and chaunged Certes the chaunging of the tribe sufficiently declareth that the manour or fourme of priesthood must nedes be chaunged For he whome the prophecie of the psalme speaketh of was none of the tribe of Leut but of thatâ—â—â—be wherof neuer man as yet serued at the aulter because it is euydent that our lorde Iesus sprong of the trybe of Iuda But when Moses did institute the rite and auctoritie of priesthood he made no mencion of thys priesthoode whiche shoulde bee of the same kynred with the tribe of Iuda Furthermore that the priesthood whereof the psalme speaketh is not the same manoure of priesthood that Moses priesthood is of it doeth appeare more manifestly in that the prophecie playnely addeth these woordes folowing After the order of Melchisedech signifying therby a priest vnly â—e vnto Aaron and like to Melchisedech to thentente we shoulde vnderstande that there is no lesse difference betwene the one persone and the other then is betwene the rite or ceremonte and efficacie of priesthood What meaneth this after the ordre of Melchisedech nothing els but which doeth not sacrifice beastes prescrybed â—y the grosse and carnall lawe but can by heauenlye grace bryng vs to lyfe euerlasting For the law did purifie the fleshe by washinges and diuers purgacions but grace purifieth our soules with a sacrifice of more strength and efficacy For as Aaron contineweth not for euer so his priesthood was not euerlastyng and as it is sayde of Melchisedech that he continueth for euer so hys priesthoode shall haue no ende And that these thynges verelye agreeth with Christ the mistical psalme declareth saying Thou art a priest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech The priesthood that contineweth but for a season geueth place to the euerlastyng priesthood and the mortall hye prieste geueth place vnto the immortall Certes as the vâ—â—perfiter priesthood geueth place vnto the perfiter euen so the vnperfit lawe geueth place to the perfiter lawe of the gospell wherby the constitucions and lawes of Moses conteyned in the olde testament be as it were dyssanulled for that they were not of strength sufficiente nor so profitable as they shoulde haue been The texte For the lawe brought nothyng to perfeccion but was an introduccion to a better hope by the whiche we drawe uye vnto god And therefore is it a better hope because the thyuge was not done without an oth For those priestes wer made without an othe but this priest with an othe by him that sayde vnto hym The Lorde sware and will not repente Thou art a priest for euer after the ordre of Melthisedech And for that cause was Iesus a stabliâ—her of a better testamente For god woulde vs to be made perfite but that lawe broughte nothyng to perfeccion neyther was it geuen for that purpose yet was it not geuen in vayne Truelye it was geuen for a season to thentente it shoulde be a certaine griece or stayre to bring vs at the length to a better hope For it promysed a fruitfull lande wherein they shoulde lyue a quietlyfe who had kepte the commaundementes of Moses lawe The law was grosse and so was the rewarde but thus god prouided for the grosse capacities of menne that by sensible thinges they shoulde by litle and litle fall in vrewith thinges spiritual It was coÌ„maunded that they should not sâ—ey that they should not steale that they shoulde pourge the handeling of carayne with certayne ceremonies A lande was promised them wherein they should liue quietly a few yeres but vnto vs heauen is promised where we may liue in euerlasting ioye and felicitie and in the meane while we are commaunded to loue euen oure very enemies Theyr prieste when he was most deuoutly occupyed about sacrifice to make intercession vnto God for the people went into the inwarde partes of the vayle But our priest entred euen into the very heauens there to pleade our cause before god the father whome we are made nye vnto by our ambassadour Christ Iesu who is the head of the churche For it is not possyble that the bodye be awaye where the head is present And by reason of suche an hye prieste we haue a surer hope then the Iewes had by meanes of theyr hye priestes because theyr priestes were ordeined without an othe and ours with an oth the which god would haue made to thentente we shoulde haue a more sure confidence in hys promises if the priest by whose mediacion we hope after the immortall felicitie promised vs were by an othe approued an euerlastyng hye prieste and that of god which elsewise can not lye For thus speaketh he in the propheticall psalme The lorde sware and will not repent thou art a priest foreuer after the ordre of Melchisedech Therefore looke howe muche difference there is betwene heauen and yearth betwene thynges that lasteth for a tyme and thinges eternall betwene those that are mortal and such as are immortal betwene worldlye thynges and heauenlye of so muche a better testamente was oure hye pryeste Iesus made promiser and so much the certayner promyser as the promyse among men confyrmed with an othe is of more certaintye then a simple promyse The texte And among them manye were made priestes because they were not suffered to endure by the reason of death But this man because he endureth euer hath an euerlasting priesthode Wherfore he is able also euer to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by hym seyng he euer lyueth to make intercession for vs. For suche an hye Priest it became vs to haue which is holy haemiesse vndefiled separate from sinners made hier then heauen Which nedeth not dayly as yoâ—der hye priestes to offer vp sacryfyce Fyrst for his owne synnes and then for the peoples synnes For that did he once when he offered vp himselfe For the lawe maketh menne priestes whiche haue infirmitie but the worde of the oth that came synce the lawe maketh the sonne prieste whiche is perfecte for euermore Moreouer vnder the law of Moses it was needefull to haue manye priestes instituted eyther because they shoulde execute the priestes offyce by tournes appoynted eyther because that death woulde not suffer them alwayes to continue in theyr ministracion and by that meanes the promiser oftentymes chaunged was verye vncertayne of hys promise But thys our prieste is one for all and needeth not anye successoure but by reason he endureth for euer he hath a continuall priesthood Wherfore he is hable to bring those vnto saluacioÌ„ whom he hath begun to saue because they haue hym alwayes a redy prieste by whose meanes they may come vnto god For Christ liueth euer to thinteÌ„te
suche wyse that God moughte seme euen for this purpose to haue taken them away from the company of men lest they beyng men of pure and chast conuersation should haue ledde their lyues among defyled persons and synners Therfore they wandered aboute in wylde mountaynes hauynge no certayne habitacion or dwellyng place to resorte vnto vsyng Dennes and Caues of the earth in the stede of houses The texte And these al thorow faith obtayned good report receiued not the promyse bicauâ—â— god had prouided a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfâ—â—â—â— And all these before named albeit they haue not yet obteyned the rewarde promysed them for their godly lyuynge whiche rewarde shal be geuen them â—â— the generall resurreccion of the bodyes Yet haue they deserued perpetuall prayse for the constantnesse of their fayth Some man wyll here saye Why hath not euery man his rewarde by and by gyuen him after death For soothe it hath so pleased almyghtye God that all the whole bodye of Christe shall receiue the glory of immortalitie together For we are all membres of the same body and suche as haue gone before vs do gladly tarye for vs to th ende that they maye wholy and ioyntly with theyr bodyes and all the felowshyppe of theyr brethren entre into thenheritaunce of eternal glory and be conioyned vnto their heade ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte Wherefore let vs also seyuge that we are compassed wyth so great a mult ytude of wytnesses laye a waye all that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs run with pacience vnto the battaill that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus yâ— aucrâ—or and finisher of our faith which for the ioye that was set before hym abode the erosse despysed the shame and is set downe on the right hande of the throne of God Consyder therefore howe that he endured suche speaking against hym of sinners lest ye shoulde be werted faint in your mindes For ye haue not yet resisted vnto bloud striuing agaynst sinne And haue forgotten the exhortacyon whych speaketh vnto you as vnto children My soune despise not thou the chastenyug of the Lorde nether faiute when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lord loueth hym he chasteueth yea he sourgeth euery sonne that he receyueth â–ª SEyng then we are compassed with so great a companye and as it were with a cloude of those who euen in the olde testamente witnessed by sufferyng of suche euels as are before rehearsed that they beleued the promyses of God with all their harte let vs also encouraged by their examples see that we caste frome vs the burthen or fardell of corporall thynges and bodelye lustes whiche letteth the mynde laden with cares to desyre thynges celestiall and put awaye synne that helde vs faste on euery syde and fynally beyng incensed and set a fyre with the hope of heauenly thinges runne manfully in this â—â—ase that is set before vs and by no afflyccions nor any withdrawynge of the mynde be stayed and holden backe from runnyng the course that we haue begonne neuer castyng our eyes asyde from Iesu Christe who as he is the verye cause that we haue conceyued this belefe on God so wyll he fynyshe what he hath begonne in vs. Let vs considre what waye he entred in and whitherto he came who whereas he myght by reason he was innocent and gyltlesse haue escaped death and bene as much without all payne and passion as he was without all synne yet he despysynge the ioyes of this worlde suffred death and to th entent his death should be the greuouser hauyng reproche ioyned therwith he suffered the death of the crosse For men make not so muche a doo to suffre a glorious death Ye see whiche waye he entred in Nowe whitherto came he By despisyng of this lyfe he attained immortalitie By despisyng and settyng naught by worldly reproche he attayned euerlastyng glorye in heauen where he nowe sytteth on the ryght hande of the royall throne of God the father When ye withall haste auaunce youre selfes to come to be partakers of this glorie thorowe reproche and dyuerse paynful afflictions then lest you dyscouraged in your myndes shoulde at any tyme by thenforcemente of wearynesse ceaseto runne in the raase that is sette before you considre with your selfes how that youre capytayne who neuer knewe anye manoure of synne dyd neuer thelesse to shewe vs an example of true pacience endure so greate rebukes so muche shame and vylanye suche mysreportes and false accusacions that he let the wycked Iewes compell hym to suffre the very punyshement of the crosse Be not ye therfore dysmayed who beynge not cleane withoute synne do suffre lesse dyspleasures and persecution Better it were for a man to dye a thousande tymes then to fall agayne into his former synfull lyfe Howbeit you who haue hytherto suffred small persecution and aduersitie haue not as yet resisted sinne vnto sheadyng of bloud the whiche synne fierslye assaulteth you stryuynge agaynst it and yet you do by and by suppose that God hath forsaken you and remembre not what the mercyfull father speakethe vnto you as vnto his children in the mysticall prouerbes comfortynge you and with swete and gentle wordes exhortyng you to greate and valiaunte courage of mynde My sonne sayth he despise not thou the chastenyng of the Lorde neither despaire thou when soeuer he rebuketh thee For whom the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth with the euels and aduersities of this lyfe and scourgeth euerye sonne that he receyneth The texte If ye endure chastenyng god offereth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes What soÌ„ne is he whom the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correccyon wherof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Therefore seynge we haue had fathers of our fleshe whych corrected vs we gaue them reuerence shall we nowe not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirites lyue And they verely for a feawe daies nuttered vs after theyr own pleasure but he nurtereth vs for our profite to the intent that he may minister of his holines vnto vs. No maner chastening for the present time semeth to be ioious but greuous neuertheles afterwarde it bringeth the quiete fruit of righteousnes vnto them whyche are exercised thereby If ye paciently endure such chastenyng God acknowledgeth his sonnes and offreth him selfe to you agayne as a mercyfull and louing father doeth not exclude you from thenheritaunce of the lyfe celestial Thynke you that you are therfore hated and nothyng regarded of God bycause ye are afflicted with the euels of this world Nay rather this ought to be an argument that ye are appoynted to be the heyres of the fathers enheritaunce For what father is he that doeth not some whiles chasten his sonne whom he acknowledgeth for his owne Furthermore syth that all vertuouse men and good lyuers whom God eyther doth or hath dearly loued haue bene by temporall
with vs and that oure felowship maye be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ And thys wryte we vnto you that ye maye reioyce and that youre ioye may be full VVE write not vnto you dearely beloued brethren of stender or meane thinges or of thinges vnknowen but of a newe matter howbeit so newe vnto vs that with God it was from euerlasting This is the worde of God euen Iesus Christe bothe God and manne whiche where he was alwayes the sonne of God woulde of late be the sonne of a mayden and which after hys diuine nature was inuisible to mans eies vouchesafed to take vpon hym an humayne bodye and did vouchesafe to be famyliarly conuersaunte among men that he might â—arye vs vp from the darkenes of our ignoraunce to the lyght of Gospelliâ—â— knowlage and that we myght begynne to beholde him with the eies of our mynde whome we haue presentlye fâ—ne with the eies of our bodye In dede the vnbelefe of mannes harte required that the truthe shoulde bee credited by grosse outwarde experimentes but yet the godlynes of them is more preferred by his owne worde whiche where they neyther had sene him with theyr eyes nâ— handled him with theyr handes yet were moste certaynly perswaded and beleued that he is the sonne of God and thonly autor of mannes saluacyon It is our parte therfore to declare that whiche we haue moste certaynly proued by our bodyly sences vnto those that chaunced not to see it and yet it is expedient to beleue that none ought to trust to haue life nor euerlastinge saluacion but he that beleueth the Gospelles doctrine wherof we are both witnesses and preachers It is not the worde of manne nether of lyght importaunce but it is the worde of God and of heauen that geueth euerlastyng lyfe to them which geue obedient hearyng vnto it and deliueâ—ing from the deathe of sinnes from what so euer relygyon from what so euer kynde of lyfe they shall turne them selues vnto it Of this matter that we speake of we speake of most assured credence yâ— is to wete euen the thing which we yâ— were continual waitours heard with our eares saw with our eies nether sawe we afarre of or passinge by but we loked presently on to the full And to cause a thinge to be credited these are two princypall chief sences and if that also bee but a small matter we did not only heare hym teaching prayinge commaundyng wyndes and deuilles and the father sondry tymes bearing witnes vnto the sonne and we sawe hym not only worke myracles suffre deathe and ryse agayne but also we haue handled with these handes of oures For whan he was rysen agayne from deathe to thyntente to make vs beleue steofastlye that he was no vayne phantasie but euen the lame manne alyue agayne whome we had sene before dead he caused vs to handle him with our handes and laying to our fingres he shewed vs the places of his woundes Mannekynde was deade bycause it was in thraldome of vices and synnes and he suffred deathe for our wickednes that through his goodnesse we myght lyue vnto Innocencie We were in doubt also our selues whan we sawe hym dead whan we sawe hym buried but whan he rose again from death he gaue vs sure hope of life Mankynde had had no maner of hope of eternall life except he had caused vs to see him with oure cies and if he had not plucked awaye all doubtefulnes froÌ„ vs by most manifestly apparent experimentes He beinge manne suffred paynes for our synnes and the same being God dooeth frely gene immortall lyfe to them that put theyr faythfull trust in hym He lyued alwayes with the father and this life was alwayes determinately purposed for vs by the sonne howbeit this counsail was not yet publyshed vnto the world albeit the nacion of the Iewes and yet none but they loked for it by the prophetes oracles as it were in a dreame In the meane while deathe reigned lyfe laye hydden Some tixed theyr hope in Moses some in worldly wisedome but the saluacion and life of all people was Iesus Christe the worde of God the father the teacher of Innocencye and the geuer of Immortalitie For none lyueth but he that lyueth godly nether dooeth any escape deathe â–ª but he that atreyneth Immortalytie At leyngth thys Iesus christe manifested him selfe vnto the world by hym selfe shewing him selfe playnly to all the senses of man and so thrusting him selfe in to the consciences of menne And therfore he would haue vs to be lokers on and witnesses of all thinges that he did on earthe â–ª to thintent they myght be faithfully published by our preachinge throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde that like as we by Iesus haue obteyned lyfe and saluacion in case we perseuer still in the Gospelles doctrine euen so shoulde you also come with vs in to the felowshippe and company of this saluacion in case you geue credence to our witnesse bearing â–ª concernyng the thinge that you neither hearde nor sawe of hym but learne it by our preachinge We are nether vayne witnesses ne yet vncommaunded He had vs to bee faithfull witnesses and we recorde vnto all men with the greate daunger of our head none other thinge than we haue most euydent experience of with all the sences of the bodye We are happye in that our eares and eies haue made vs beleue and yet you are neuertheles happye if you geue credence vnto hys witnesse bearers Our faithe hathe glued vs vnto Christe and made vs the children of God and membres of Christe And your faith also shall engraffe you vnto the same bodye that being ioyned with vs in the feloweshippe of faithe you myght make one bodye And so shall it come to passe that we shall not only bee all of one mynde amonge our selues as the membres of one bodye but we shall also haue peace and league with Iesus Christe and by hym with God hys father from whome we were before farre different that like as the sonne is at moste perfite consent communion of al thinges with the father euen so we also by perfite agrement of the profession of the Gospell shoulde bee heaped togyther in to one bodye of Christe to be made partakers of all the goodes of our heade I know you are ioyous of so happye a feloweship but yet I put you in remembraunce agayne of these thinges in writing to thintent you myght reioyce more fully if euery manne be not all together ioyous of hys owne saluacion but all mens felicitie make euery one glad For thys dooeth christen charitie cause that euery manne must be as glad of other mennes commodities as of his owne The moe that this felicitie is commune vnto the more abundaunt shall euery ones ioye bee Among vs there shall no being of one mynde stande together substauncially excepte we be fast glued together with mutuall charitie We canne not possibly haue peace with God except we be answerably like vnto our head Iesus
hygh and excelleÌ„t and so seynge hym we shall also be transformed vnto hys iykenes not onely in myndes but also in bodyes And we see hym nowe howebeit as it were through a myst with the eyes of fayth But then we shal see hym after such maner as cannot be expressed But that thyng whiche we shal be than perfitely we must forcast nowe i the meane tyme to the vttermost of our possible power To thinteÌ„t we may be liÌ„ke hiÌ„ theÌ„ in glory let vs be pure here froÌ„ all fylthynes To thintent we maye see hym than lette vs clense our eies nowe leste when he shall appeare glisterynge bryght he bee vnto vs more dreadfull than amiable For he is not fortunatelye sene but of them that are lyke hym Therefore whosoeuer hath thys confidence in Christe that he shal than be a companion of his glory let hym in the meane time pourge hymselfe with godly studyes cleane from worldlye affeccions lyke as in hym was no maner of fylthynes of thys worlde but is all together pure and heauenlye Therefore it standeth vs in hande with all our possible powers to bend our endeuours to thys ende that nothyng remayne in vs of yearthye dregges And leite no manne flatter hym selfe sayinge It is ynough for me vnto innocency if I traÌ„sgresse in none of those thinges that Moses lawe forbyddeth nor in those thynges that are punyshed by the kynges lawes as felonye sacrilege adultrie murdre but all maner of synne is vtterly to be eschewed For whosoeuer offendeth by any meane although he offende not agaynst the prescriptes of Moses yet he synneth agaynst the lawe of the gospell whiche is a greate deale holyer than Moses law And for thys cause sake Christ came once into the world to shew the waye whereby his comming agayne shoulde become holesome and luckye vnto vs. He came to take awaye once for all not one synne or two but al our synnes where he onely was subiect vnto no maner of synne He once purged vs frely from all synne to make vs lyke manered vnto hymselfe whiche neither any lawe nor any mortall man coulde be hable to do Through baptisme we are engraffed into hys holy sacred body But it is our part for all that to endeuour in the meane tyme that we fall not from our head We are engraffed through his owne free mercy but we shal fall awaye if we slyde backe agayne into oure olde vices He that abydeth in Christ perseuereth in innocencye and is wonderous ware to shunne from all sinne that he may dayly more and more growe in vertues and be made more lyke hys head He that absteyneth not from sinnes although he bee baptised although he be called a christian hath not yet sene fully nor yet knowen hym For who is it yf he sawe with the eies of fayth what greate dignitie it is to be chosen into the numbre of the sonnes of God and what a fylthy shame it is to be geuen to the father deuyll that woulde abyde to be plucked awaye from suche a bodye to departe from suche a father and to go out of kynde vnto so fylthy a tirannye to slyde of his owne accorde awaye from so hygh rewardes vnto so greate miserie The text Babes lette no man deceyue you he that doeth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the deuil for the deuyl sinneth sence the beginning For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to looce the workes of the deuyll Whosoeuer is borne of God synneth not for hys seed remayneth in hym and he can not synne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the deuyll Whosoeuer doeth not ryghteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not hys brother Babes lette no man deceyue you flatteryng you for your professyng the name of christians as though that were ynoughe vnto felicitie He is not iust that speaketh iustice with his mouthe but he that in his lyfe and maners doeth iustice in dede is iuste lyke as Christe also shewed himselfe in his sayinges and doynges an example of all iustice And he that truely and wholy cleaueth fast vnto him absteyneth as much as he possible may from all vncleanes of sinnes and the purenes of maners selfe declareth hym to be the sonne of God whiche is good by nature and knoweth no synne But he that synneth although he haue receyued the sacramentes of Christe yet he is begotten of hys father the deuyl whiche is the prince and autor of all synne Him whosoeuer foloweth is lyke his father in that same thing that he synneth in declareth hymselfe to be his sonne God alloweth no felowshyppe with synnes for he sent his sonne for thys intent into this worlde to vanquisâ—he the woorkes of the deuyll that is to saye all thynges that are contrarye repugnaunt agaynst the charitie of the gospel Of Adam we are all borne endaungered with sinnes of God we are borne agayne by the sede of yâ— gospelles doctrine As longe as the strength of this seede abydeth in a man he synneth not neither can synne that is to wete because the loue of god byddeth hym naye whiche loue rauisheth hym to the studye of well doyng and calleth hym awaye from all desire of offendynge in that he is the very true sonne of God resembling playnly the behauiour and disposicion of his father and head It is not the title it is not baptisme it is not the sacramentes that descerne the children of God from the children of the deuyll but the puritie of lyfe and charitie expressyng and she wyng it selfe in wel doinges It is not idle if it be there He that sheweth not that neither sheweth in his dede that he loueth his brother he is not borne of God If he were alyuely membre of Christes body he woulde haue loued the other membres for whom Christe died The texte For thys is the tydinges that ye beard from the beginninge that ye shoude loue one another not as Cayn whiche was of that wicked and slewe hys brother And wherefore slewe he him Because his owne workes were euyll and hys brothers good Meruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated from death vnto lyfe because we loue the brethren De that loueth not his brother abideth in deathe Whosoeuer hateth hys brother is a man slear And â—e knowe that no man slear hath eternall life abyding in hym Hereby perceyue we loue â–ª because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue oure lyues for the brethren But whoso hath thys worldes good and seeth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his compassion from hym howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym Thys is the summe of Christen iustice thys is it that Christe gaue first of all vnto vs this is it which we set forth before al thinges vnto you that you shoulde with louynge one an other declare youre selues to be the soÌ„nes of
moued and are as farre as may staÌ„de with theyr blessed state sory for our miseries Appeareth it not by this that al natural thynges mourne with vs and like a woman trauailyng with chylde wyshe an ende of labor and sorowes The texte Not onely it but we also whiche haue the fyrst fruites of the spirit mourne in our selues also and wayte for the adopcion of the children of God euen the deliueraunce of our body For we are saued by hope But hope that is seen is no hope For how can a manne hope for that whiche he seeth But and if we hope for that we see not then do we with pacience abide it Now should it seme muche lesse meruaile if suche sorowe befal vnto other creatures syth that euen we also whiche after our sauiours commyng were fyrst of al replenished with the spirit of Christ and that after no meane sorte but fully are yet styl vnder so many miseries partely through diuerse necessities of this life partly through the obstinacie of vngodly people that we ofteÌ„tymes mourne with our selfe and are dayly compelled to be sorye euen for other mennes calamities also desyryng coÌ„tinually in our prayers made to God for that day wherein the whole body of Christ ful and perfite in al his membres shal be deliuered from all noysomnes and of grosse and carnal become spiritual heauenly and immortal In the meane season al the calamities that chaunce vnto vs we abyde suffre in hope of that blisse whiche is promised through Christ Of whom albeit we haue here receiued an earnest penye assuryng vs of saluacion to come yet hath he not presently geuen vs full saluacion but would haue vs to looke for it in the tyme to come Christian mennes perfite weale is in thinges to come wherof we haue a sure hope Now is there no hope in suche thynges as are already present and seen with our iyen but of suche as do not yet appeare If this be not so I pray you tel me of whom was it euer sayd that he hoped to see that whiche he sawe with his iyen already Nor were there in this our life any commendacion of fayth hope if we were euen now preseÌ„tly put in possession of suche thynges as Christ hath promysed vnto vs but then is our fayth well worthye prayse if through the clearenes therof we see suche thynges as with our carnal iyes cannot be perceiued in the meane season continuyng styl in sufferyng paynes with ful hope lookyng for that whiche was once promised And though in the meane season suche bodily affliccions be heauy and payneful yet is it perhapse expedient for vs so to be punished The texte Lykewyse also the spirite helpeth our infirmities For we knowe not what to desyre as we ought but the spirite maketh intercession for vs with grouynges whiche cannot be erpreâ—sed And he that sercheth the heartes knoweth what is the meanyng of the spirit for he maketh intercession for the saintes accordyng to the pleasure of God These troubles our spiritual and inwarde maÌ„ in dede taketh in good worth and striueth with bodily infirmities but the spirit of God stayeth with grace aydyng the weakenes of our fleshe with hope encouragyng vs to suffer al thinges euermore at hand shewyng vs what we ought to desyre and what we should refuse For we of our owne might inclinaâ—ion wote not what is to be desyred nor how we ought to desyre by meanes wherof it oftymes coÌ„meth to passe that in steede of holsome thinges we pray for hurteful euen as it fortuned vnto my self whiche beyng not content with myne affliccions bodily desyred importunely Gods helpe thrise makyng my prayer vnto him that satan by whom at that tyme I was troubled might nomore teÌ„pte me wherin because I desyred of God that whiche was not for me expedient to attaine my tequest toke not effecte And therfore in stede of pleasures receiued I holsome giftes In dede God heareth the peticions of his children so yet that they make no carnal prayer but pray vnto him accordyng vnto the mocion of his blessed spirite secretely mouyug our heartes The same spirite also though we hold our peace is yet a peticioner and meane to God praiyng for vs not as men are wont to do but with sighes vnspeakable The spirite of man sometyme with great mournyng desyreth god to preserue hym from bodely trouble and affliccion or els it desyreth worldlye pleasures and commoditeis muche esteming such thinges as are in very dede but trifles but the heauenly spirite graffed and planted in godly meÌ„nes heartes desyreth of god suche perticions whiche yâ— we lacke are to be desyred of god with syghes vnspeakeable forasmuche as the same obteyned and had bryng with them the verye trew perfit weale and blysse Of men must thou with wordes outwardely pronounced and spoken desyre that thou myndest to obtayne as whiche neither know what we would haue except they heare it nor yet sufficiently vnderstande what is best for vs to be asked but god whiche searcheth euen the moste secret parte oâ— mannes harte throughly loketh into it knoweth though we holde oure peace what oure spirite desireth and pitiyng mannes miseries as often as it maketh intercession for suche as are godly prayeth not as man woulde haue it to do but as goddes holy wil pleasure is And desyreth nothing but suche as apertayne to euerlastyng saluatioÌ„ â–ª and suche thynges as encrease gods honor glory Whosoeuer desyreth such thinges albeit he per adueÌ„ture erre in choyse electioÌ„ yet is his inteÌ„t purpose good Wherfore god graunteth not alwaye yâ— whiche is of hym desyred but yâ— rather which is most profitable to yâ— ende wherunto thou directedst al thy peticions The texte We know that al thynges worke for the best vnto them that loue god which also are called of purpose For those whiche he knewe before he also ordayned before that they shoulde be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his sonne that he myght be the fyrste begotteÌ„ sonne amoÌ„g many brethreÌ„ Moreouer whoÌ„ he appoynted before theÌ„ also he called And whoÌ„ he hath called them also he iustified whoÌ„ he iustified theÌ„ he also glorified Nor ought meÌ„ to feare leste they beyng ouercoÌ„meÌ„ through the weightâ—nes of outragious persecution vtterly fal froÌ„ hym since we know this for most certayne yâ— what affliccion soeuer chaunce vnto deuoute godly people al the same shal be for the best Suche is gods fauer towardes theÌ„ whoÌ„ he hath of purpose choseÌ„ out and called to this welthy lyfe Endeuour must we and do what in vs lyeth â–ª but th ende of al hangeth of gods ordinaunce God without couÌ„â—el or vnaduisedly choseth none but wel knoweth al such as are his long before he cal them And not only knoweth them whom he calleth â–ª but had also euen at the same tyme surely purposed with himselfe to graffe and plante them into the bodye of his sonne Iesus yea and to
one supplying and fulfilling by his ministers suche thynges as mighte in his affliccions seeme vnperfecte not that his death of it selfe is insufficient but because the affliccions and punishmentes of the head and members of the prince and ministers are in maner one These punishmeÌ„tes the greater and more vehemente they be the more redounde and make they to the fulnes and perfeccion of your saluacion And not for your saluacioÌ„ onely but for yâ— weale also of Christes whole body whiche is the churche do I the office committed vnto me for to me is committed the cure and ouer sight of the congregacion For Christe hath set and placed me in his stede and hath deliuered vnto me the custody of his owne bodye specially for that porcion whiche is of the Gentiles to be receyued to the gospell to the intente I should with my labour supply that whiche he semed to lacke and to publyshe yâ— which was so many hundred yeares before this tyme hidden from the Gentiles and to teache that not only the Iewes but the GeÌ„tiles also haue through fayth an entry into this welthy state of the gospel This to do was by god long since purposed but yet was this his purpose hidden vntill this tyme from the worlde and is nowe through my preachyng opened to all suche as forsakyng theyr former vngraciouse lyfe embrace yâ— doctrine of Christ to whome it hath pleased god to declare howe glorious his ryches is towarde vs when by publyshing this his so long hidden misterie the whole worlde perceyueth howe that free saluacion whiche men firste thoughte was offered onely to the Iewes is nowe commen vnto al nacions that the kepyng of Moses lawe is not requyred but fayth onelye so that men doubte not of the promises made in the gospell In stede of all suche thynges wherin the Iewes haue had a foolyshe confidence Christ onely is for you sufficient If he be in you ye haue no cause to be sorye of the hope ye stande in beyng both sure ynough and also through hym glorious who of hymselfe wyll vndoubtedly perfourme as muche as he hath promised Hym preache we of and not Moses nor aungels aduertisyng teaching not onely the Iewes but also all people of the world and in so doong leauyng nothyng vntouched which appertayneth to the wisdome of the gospell And this do we to the intent all men should vnderstand that whither they be circumcised or not circumcised theyr weale is in nothyng els to be set but in Christ Iesus To bryng whiche fayth into mennes myndes I in suche sorte labour that for auauncing therof I thynke it not paynfull to put my selfe in so many ieopardies and perilles which are in dede more weightie than our weakenes is able to abyde suffer But strong mightie is he by whose ayde and mayntenaunce I do these actes who also wheÌ„ nede requireth with working of myracles by vs bryngeth my preaching in eredence The ii Chapiter The texte For I woulde that ye knewe howe great care that I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia and for as many as haue not sene my person in the fleshe that theyr hertes myght be comforted when they are knyt together in loue and in al riches of full vnderstanding for to knowe the misterie of God the father and of Christe in whome are hydde all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge ANd this muche haue I sayde ye Colossians not to boste my self vnto you but because I couete yâ— ye should knowe howe carefull I am and what ieopardies I put my selfe in not only for suche as I haue presently taught the gospell vnto but for them also whiche by syghte know me not especially for you and the Laodicians whom thoughe I neuer sawe with my bodely iyen yet see I them coÌ„tinuallye with the iyen of my hearte glad of your encrease furtheraunce fearful it I espye your entiernes and godly condicions either to be in ieoperdie or to be inconstant wauer Nor is it for my selfe so greatly anaylable that suche as neuer sawe me know what labours paynes I take for them as it dothe auauntage them For by my pensyfenes by my ieopardies and affliccions are they more pricked furth and enforced to consent and cleaue more together in godly charitie lyke yâ— members of one body knyt and surely mortised wherby also menne more clearely perceyue and more certaynely beleue the bountifull goodnes of god the father toward all mankynde yea toward al creatures aboundaÌ„tly flowyng abrode by openyng nowe throughe Iesus Christe the secrete misterie which hath hitherto bene hidden whiche is that besyde hym onely we should desyre no worldly wysdome be that neuer so great which the wyse Philosophers promisen or teachers of Moses lawe or anye suche as boste that they by speakyng with aungels are taughte forasmuche as in hym alone are contayned and hydden all the treasures of wysedome and fruytful knowledge Of this fountayne maye we easly drawe asmuche as is to perfite saluacion requyred The texte This I saye lesse any man should beguyle you with entising wordes For thoughe I be absent in the fleshe yet am I with you in the spirite ioying and beholding youre order and your stedfast fayth in Christe These poyntes for this ende thought I it good to warne you of because ye should with all diligence take hede least any beyng instruct with worldly wysdome agaynst the playnes of Christes gospel blynde and deceyue you with false tales beyng yet suche tales as haue a colourable apparence of trouth and lykelynes For so are the wyse men of this world with capâ—touse and subtile reasons of theyr inuencion wont to entangle simple people of whiche sorte I know that some there are among you watching how they maye corrupte your fayth For albeit I be absent from you and see not presentlye what is done there yet am I in mynde among you present with all my herte reioysyng to see the good order and condicion of your lyfe and therwith the soundnes and strength of the sure confidence whiche ye haue in Iesus Christe to whome ye haue once wholy commytted your selues The texte As ye haue therfore receyued Christ Iesu the lord euen so walkeye in hym so that ye be roted and buylte in hym and stablyshed through faythe as ye haue learned and therin be plenteous with geuyng thankes Nowe remayneth this that ye vpon this good beginnyug continue and profit more and more and as ye haue once receyued and beleued that Iesus Christe our lorde is all goodnes the head and welspring of our felicitie so set all your lyfe agree and consent with your fayth and profession prouiding alwayes that as ye are through baptisme graffed into him that ye lyke wyse abide in hym and gather strength And as the sure and strong foundacion of the doctrine of Christes gospell is once alredy layed in you so labour ye to buylde vp ther vpon suche a worke as is for