rightuous iudgemente and shall vtterly banyshe and consume them accordinge vnto his moost victorious and muincible worde The texte ¶ And another angell came out of the temple which is in heauen hauynge also a sharpe syckle And another angell came out from the aultar whiche had power euer fyre and cryed with a loude crye to him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde thruste in thy sharpe sickle and gaddre the clusters of the earthe for her grapes are rype And the angel thruste in his syckle on the earth and cut downe the grapes of the vyneyarde of the earthe and caste them into the great wynefat of the wrath of god and the wynefat was troden without the cytie and bloude came out of the fat euen vnto the horse brydels by the space of a thousande and syce hundred furlonges Lyke as before the iudgement of Antichrist and his felowship was prophecied in this world with the spirite of Helias and with the syckle of the gospel euen so doth the spirite of god in this place prophecie further of y◠other iudgement which shal happē afterwarde at the latter daye vnto these obstinate impenitent and blynde contemners of gods iudgemēt in euerlastinge damnacion after the latter iudgement Whiche damnaciō or hell is here vnderstande and signified by the great fat of gods wrathe where all the wicked shall come together and with one stampe treadinge of gods iudgement sentence and rightuousnes shal be euerlastingly trodē as muche more greuouslye thā by y◠worldly and temporall punishement in this lyfe as the heate of the fyre is more painefull and intollerable vnto the bodye of man than are the cloudes vnto y◠earthe or any darkenes vnto the eyes Whiche so greuous damnacion and destrucciō is sygnified by the feareful bloude whiche floweth ouer the earth that the horses treade therin euen vnto their brydles Thus vseth the holy scripture to descrybe and paynt the greuous and terryble iudgement of God by suche greate vgsome and terryble figures ¶ The .xv. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe another sygne in heauen great and maruellous seuen angels hauynge the seuen last plages for in them is fulfylled the wrathe of god And I saw as it were a glassy see myngled with fyre and them that had gotten victorye of the beaste and of his ymage and of his marke and of the nomber of his name stande on the glassye sea hauynge the harpes of God and they songe the song of Moses the seruaunt of God and the songe of the lambe sayinge Greate and maruellous are thy workes Lorde God almightye iuste and true are thy wayes thou kyng of sainctes Who shall not feare O Lorde and glorifie thy name For thou onely art holy and al Gentiles shal come and worship before thee for thy iudgementes are made manifest THis is a nother prophecye of the holy apostle S. Iohn reueled and opened vnto him of god that against all the wyt and reason of man against al worldly power against the diuises ymaginacions and hinderances of all enemyes and of all the wicked the gospell shall ryse vp in the dominion of the Romaynes thorowe the dysciples of Christ thorow the holy goost and thorowe the wonderfull and meruelous power of God And also many heuy plages shall come vpon those wicked and vngodlye people and vpon the myghtie rulers of this worlde whiche studye and go about to hynder the procedynge of the gospell All these plages are rekened one after a nother thorowe the .vii. angels and the .vii. vyalles This sea of glasse myxed with fyre sygnifieth the wickednes of this worlde and al wicked enemyes and aduersaries of the trueth and doctrine of the gospell and of all Christen and innocent conuersacion and of all godlye liuynge Against whiche enemyes at all tymes in this worlde and specially at the first beginnynge and springynge vp of the gospell and christen religion the holy electe were fayne to lye in felde and to warre Against the Iewes with miracles against the heathen with holy scripture against the suttell Philosophers and worldlye wyse men with the faythe that the gospel teacheth and with an innocent and a godly lyfe against the tyrannes and the violence of the Romaines with pacience Against ydolatrye false seruice of God with stedfast constantnes euen vnto death cleauynge vnto the vnderstandynge and sentence of the trueth And thus thorowe the power of Christ and thorowe the spirite of Helias they haue gone thorowe them and gotten the victorye against the olde dragon and his wicked spirites and against all vnfaythfull in y◠who le worlde and in al nacions And the laude honoure and triumphe of this victorie they ascribed to no creature but onely to Christ whiche alone can ouercome the wickednes of the worlde all lyes and falsehede the deuyll with all infidels in spyte of all their tyrannye And therfore as Moyses dyd synge a song of prayse and thankes geuynge after the destruccion of Pharao after the ioyfull victorye of the children of Israell euen so also dyd they synge vnto him the song of the lambe whiche belongeth and is dewe vnto him onely sayinge It is gods worcke and not ours whiche the almightye hathe wonderfullye and graciously wrought for vs for his owne glorious sake whiche is rightuous in his iudgementes and true in his promyses whose wayes are iudgement grace rightuousnes and trueth whiche onely preserueth the faithfull electe as a puyssaunt and mighty lorde and as a faithfull and louynge father whome all men ought to feare with suche reuerence as godly childrē geue vnto their fathers and with all hartye obedience other wyse than the wicked whiche lyke vnfaithfull contemptuous children doe despyse and contemne their omnipotent and almightye God and father and rightuous Lorde and iudge whiche knoweth all thinges And therfore he is to be praysed and most highly exalted in the congregacion of the faithfull as he is euerlastingly hated and cursed of the wicked and damned sort to their vtter and eternal damnacion And no man can hynder or auoyde it howe strong and mightye so euer the Emperour of Rome is as Domicianus Nero and other but that al nacions shal heare beleue and receyue the holy gospel whan the tyme is ones come and shall honour and worship the onely eternall almightie God and his Messias promysed vnto them the sauiour of the whole worlde and the redemer of all faithfull electe The texte ¶ And after that I loked and beholde the temple of the tabernacle of testimony was opē in heauen and the seuen angels came out of the temple whiche had the seuen plages clothed in pure and bright lynnen and hauynge their brestes girded with golden girdels And one of the foure beastes gaue vnto the seuen angels seuen golden vyalles full of the wrath of God whiche lyueth for euermore And the temple was full of the smoke of the glorye of God and of his power and no man was able to enter into the temple til y◠seuen
very strength power and wisedome of God so that nowe neyther the Iewes nede to gape for myracles whiche fynde greater in Christe nor the gentyles for wysedome forasmuche as they haue nowe founde Christe the welspring of all wysedō God hath in maner from his hyghe and glorious maiestie submitted hymselfe to our vylenes and from his hygh wysedome is come downe to oure folyshnes and yet that whiche in hym semed but a folyshe poynt passeth all the wysedome of the worlde and that whiche in hym semed weake and feble ouerwayeth and surmounteth al worldly myght and puissaunce What can be more reprochefull than as a trespacer among trespacers to be hanged vpon a crosse and yet by this meanes he only conquered death whome before no man was able to withstande What is more plaine and homely than the learnyng of the ghospel And yet it homely as it is made newe al the world whiche before this tyme no phylosophers learnyng was euer able to bring about All whiche was done of god because hereof the world should clayme no parte as it myght haue doen yf it had been wrought either by menne of power or by ryches eloquence or by great and famouse clearkes Now syth all the worldly wysedome and glorie thereof is by sealy poore fyshers ouerthrowen and vanquished euery man easely seeth that al this glorious acte and y◠renoume therof must be gyuen to god onely whose secrete power hath wrought and brought to passe one contrarie by another That I nowe saye is not onely trewe in poore Christe and his apostles but in your owne company also called to god through his grace ye maye see thesame Howe fewe eloquente and wyse menne be of your noumbre howe fewe menne of power I meane after the common reputacion howe fewe menne of great bloude and parentage labour in the ghospell youre selues brethren see and vnderstande The glorie of the ghospell was by menne of lowe degree setfurthe and auaunced and enlarged by simple persons so that nowe euen the contrarie to that whiche was wonte to be simple menne and lowe vanquishe hygh rude playnes ouerthroweth craftines And therfore chose god furthe especially suche thinges as in worldly estimaciō seme rude and vnlearned to make worldly wyse men more ashamed of theyr vayne enterprise And chose suche meanes as are in the worldes opinion but feble and weake therby to mocke them which either by takyng of partes and ryches by tiranny or any other meanes thinke themselues mightie And vnto hym chose suche thynges as the world thinketh vyle and to be despised yea thinges of no reputacion at all to bryng to nought and abolyshe thynges of highe price to the intent that neither this fleshe of ours nor the worldly wisedome therof shoulde in the presence of god haue any thyng to reioyse of albeit it haue some vayne thyng to boaste vpō in the sight of the world synce that betwixt heauenly earthly thinges there can no cōparison be made And albeit in y◠iudgement of the worlde ye be rascalles outcastes yet haue ye through the great bounteousnes of god the father gotten the greatest honour that can be whiche hath called you into the inheritaunce of his sonne by whome he hath after a nother newe sorte geuen you all thinges whiche the rufflyng and proude worlde promised and was not able to perfourme By hym haue ye receyued the true and wholesome wysedome that ye nede not Philosophie nor suche worldly wisedome by hym haue ye receyued righteousnesse so that nowe ye nede not the helpe of Moses lawe By him haue ye obtayned holynes of lyfe leste any man thynke it came by his owne desertes By him haue ye receiued libertie as by whose bloud we are redemed from the tyranny of synne And to be briefe for al the weale that we stand in bounde are we to thanke only Christe and God the father the chiefe authour of al goodnesse that it may come to passe that is writtē by the Prophete Hieremye let neyther the wise man be proude of his wisedome nor the riche be to bolde vpon trust of his riches nor yet the strong man trust vpon his strength synce none of all these bryng men to the welthy state but yf any man will iustly glory and reioyce let him glory because he knoweth God the very fountayne and geuer of all good thynges but let him so reioyce that he assigne no parte therof to any worldly power and helpe ¶ The .ii. Chapiter The texte And I brethren when I came to you came not in gloriousnes of woordes or of wysedome shewing vnto you the testimony of God Neither shewed I my selfe that I knewe any thyng among you saue Iesus Christe euen thesame that was crucified And I was among you in weakenes and in feare and in muche trembling And my woordes and my preachyng was not with entising woordes of mannes wysedome but in shewyng of the spirite and of power that your fayth should not stande in the wisedome of men but in the power of God LEt them tell me then wherin they are better than you that thus are ashamed of Christes lowlines and crake among you of their lawe of their riches and wisdome I am assured that I conuerted you not to Christe by suche meanes For when I fyrste came vnto you to teache you the preuey and secrete wisedome of the gospell I came furnished neyther with any meruaylouse and gloryouse eloquence nor with any singuler knowledge of Philosophie whiche kynde of menne I knewe howe greatly ye regarded So farre abhorred I to take vpon me any of those thynges which in the face of the worlde are coumpted singular that I shewed my selfe among you to knowe nothyng els but Iesus Christe euen thesame that was crucified I preached of a manne but of suche a manne yet as was by God annoynted and promised by the Prophetes to come and redeme mannekynde From that whiche was in hym of lowest reputacion beganne I the preachyng of the gospell And albeit that my preachyng among you tooke effecte yet thereby claymed I no prayse at all lyuyng among you not lyke a manne of power but as a weake one and feble nor gaped for any greate dominion but as one that stoode in daunger and ieopardie to be assaulted of deuilyshe persones whose tyrannye we with pacience ouercame Looke after what sorte my lyuyng was and after thesame was my preachyng And as my lyfe was kepte in safegarde agaynste the violence of lewde and myscheuouse persons by no mannes hande but by the onely defence of God so lykewyse was my preachyng neyther garnyshed with the floures of thetoryke nor sette furthe with the argumentes of Philosophie thereby to shewe what I coulde in learnyng and eloquence and yet symple as it was of that power and myght was it that it quyte chaunged you not by any braggyng learnyng but by the spirite and myghtie power of God who by his secrete inspiraciō and miracles ayded and assisted my rude preaching that
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
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
suttyltie falsede crafte of suche miracles as are or haue ben done wherby as it hath ben is euident inoughe they haue begyled bothe riche kinges princes and yâ— who le world of their goods possessions thorow their false doctrine And they fight and kepe batel alwayes against yâ— holy gospel as Gog and Magog did against Ierusalem with dyuerse victories and triumphes but they shal be ouercome at length thorowe the power of gods worde and of yâ— gospell reueled and come to light thorowe the spirite of Enoche Helyas of the whiche is before mencioned in the great daye of God the almighty which shall come at suche tyme as no man is ware of and whan all men thincke to be most sure eueÌ„ at suche tyme as the wickednes of these .iii. spirites shal be most strong and at the highest As than shall the godly ministers of the gospel indewed and strengthned with the spirite of Helias ioyfully come furthe against these deuils and against al maner of errours bothe of the faith and of the outwarde lyfe As than shall those be happye whiche watche and are careful with great diligence for the christen doctrine and religion whiche are clothed with the power of the holy goost and with a right zeale whiche set furthe the workes of God as dyd Helyas not onely with wordes and wrytinges but also with lyfe deedes examples continuaunce and constantnes in goodnes without any pryde or desyre of vayne glorye that no man shall euer see any shame by them But the iudgemeÌ„t of God hath gathered the .iii. vncleane spirites into one place into the eternall fyre of damnacion and euerlastinge shame payne and confusion whiche is prepared and promysed to the deuyll and his angels For Harmagdon maye sygnifye as muche as the iudgement of curse The texte ¶ And yâ— seuenth angel powred out his vyalle into the ayre And there came a voyce out of heauen from the seate sayinge it is done And there folowed voyces thonderynges and lightninges and there was a great earthquake suche as was not sence men were vpoÌ„ the earth so mightye an earthquake and so great And the great citie was deuyded into thre parties and the cyties of al nacions fell And great BabiloÌ„ came in remembraunce before God to geue vnto her the cuppe of the wyne of the featcenes of his wrathe Euery yle also fled awaye and the mountaynes were not founde And there fâ—ll a great hayle as it had bene talentes out of heauen vpon the men and the men blasphemed God because of the plage of the hayle for it was great and the plage of it sore This seuenth angell is more harde vncerten to interprete and to expounde than all the other Lyke as it is more vncerten to wryte of thinges to come than of suche thinges as are alredy past It may wel be a great feare in tyme to come that yâ— kyngdom of the Turkes for a short space shal be a great plage sorow an heuy iudgemeÌ„t ouer the corrupte decayed christeÌ„dome Whiche plage may here be founde marked out of these wordes yâ— it shal happeÌ„ come to passe before suche tyme as the Lambe his ministers shal rule vpon yâ— earth that both Iewes heathen shal be conuerted vnto Christ yâ— it may be sayde it is al done and so vp yâ— the full end of the worlde to come the terrible iudgement of God to fal vpoÌ„ one sorte parte of men whiche shall than be a lyue whiche is yâ— first parte And the other part is of them whiche shall ryse vp vnto euerlastynge saluacion And yâ— thirde is of them which are already damned which is and shal be the greatest part Vnto whom this iudgemeÌ„t all that shal goe before or come after it shal be more fearful terrible thaÌ„ any hart can thincke or any toung expresse which terrible heuy thing is here sygnified as muche as is possyble by the terryble voyces thonders lightninges earthquakes ouerthrowing of the greatest mightiest cities kingdomes as BabiloÌ„ Rome were What thing can be thought or ymagined more terrible fearfull Whiche thing this cursed and damnable worlde shall and muste suffer by the rightuous iudgemente of God and it muste fele the great wrathe of God forasmuche as it hath alwayes despised the blessed gospel and Christ our sauiour and redemer And therfore the great and heauye stroke and plage of gods rightuous iudgement shal fal vpon the worlde and yet shall it not amende them but as damned parsons shall cast and set them into euerlastinge blasphemye of God wherin they are hardened and wil not amende Whiche is the highest greatest plage that the lorde God maye or wil sende vpon his enemies ¶ The .xvii. Chapter The texte ¶ And there came one of the seuen angels which had the seuen vialles talked with me saying vnto me come I wil shewe thee yâ— iudgement of the great whore that sytteth vpon many waters with whome haue committed fornicacion the kynges of the earthe and the inhabiters of the earth are droncken with the wyne of her fornicacion And the spirit caried me away into the wildernes And I saw a woman syt vpon a rose coloured beast full of names of blasphemye whiche had seuen heades and ten hornes And the woman was arayed in purple and rose coloure and decked with golde precious stone and perles and had a cup of golde in her hande full of abhominacions and fylthines of her fornicacion And in her forheade was a name wrytten a mistery great Babilon the mother of whordome and abhominacions of the earth And I saw the wyfe droncken with the bloude of sainctes and with the bloude of the witnesses of Iesu And when I sawe her I wondred with great marueyle ONe of the seuen angels whiche spake of the seconde kyngdome and iurisdiccion of Rome of yâ— beast with .ii. hornes commeth now againe wyll speake more largely sufficiently of Antichrist whiche is his chiefe pricke â–ª marke wherat he wil shote Whom he nameth here with a new name the great whore whiche wil be yâ— head chiefe gouernour of many nacioÌ„s whose special abiding is in yâ— lande named Italy which lieth in yâ— see in maner as yâ— lesser Asia dothe With this pompous suttil deceightfull shameles lecherous proude state of yâ— papacy haue kinges coÌ„mitted whordoÌ„ almost these thousaÌ„de yeares beyng sometyme frendes together and sometyme enemyes sometyme one in his chiefe fauour and sometyme another And thus haue all Christen kyngdoms suffred them selues to be ruled and ledde yea to be put in feare and againe in coÌ„forte and ioy by him what with his suspendinge and cursynge vntyll he crepte so farre into the churche of God and became the highest desolacion and decaye therof that euer was This woman vpon the rose coloured beast is not onely arayed with red scarlet robes â–ª lyke as his Cardinales are otherwyse than euer Christ or his
and shall stande a farte of for feare of her punishmeÌ„t saying Alas alas that great citie BabiloÌ„ that mighty citie for at one houre is thy iudgemeÌ„t come And the merchauntes of the earth shal wepe and wayle in them selues for no man wyll bye theyr ware any more the ware of golde and syluer and precious stones nether of pearle raynes and purple and skarlet and al thynne wod and al maner of vessels of yuery and all maner vessels of moost precious wodâ—e and of brasse yron and synamon and odoures and oyntmentes and franckynsence and wyne and oyle and fyne â—â—ouâ—e and wheate beastes and shepe and horsses and charettes and bodyes and soules of men With this Babylon haue princes and prelates yea whole kyngdoms coÌ„mitted whordome For she hathe receyued and geuen them yea hathe set them in and out And all for worldly gayne and for honour sake without any respect of rightuousnes onely for money brybes For there was neuer founde more shamefull marchandyse than that whiche they of the Popes courte specially the Curtysans haue exercysed many yeares with other mennes goodes and with nothing els but with leade and syluer with parchement and byshoprikes with sellyng of their Pallium and Robes whiche shoulde be a spirituall iurisdiccioÌ„ and with first frutes c. Yea there is no ende of suche marchaundyse lyke as in the texte all thinges are named whiche are of any pryce So that in the Popes churche there was nothinge but for mony not so muche as the water or salte of the see nor oyle nor breade nor creame c. All must serue for holynes and for the maintenaunce of the couetousnes of the spiritualtye To be shorte reade but onely a boke that is called the Popes Fayre there is his marchandyse well descrybed and proued by the customes and lawes of the Romaynes The texte ¶ And the apples that thy soule lusted after are departed from the. And al thinges which were deâ—â—tie and had in pryce are departed from the and thou shalte fynde them nomore The maâ—ch aunâ—es of these thinges whiche were wexed ryche shall stande a farre of from her for feare of the punishment of her wepinge and waylinge and saying Alas alas that great cytie that was clothed in raines and purple and scarlet and decked wâ—tâ— golde and precious stones and pearles for at one houre so great riches is come to naught First of all there was muche holynes and muche good example and doctrine in the holy churche of Rome as S. Paule testifieth in his Epistle to the Romaynes and there were many holy byshops and martirs which loued yâ— trueth vnto whome the gospell was a synguler ioy delyght comforte and glorye But in processe of tyme it was turned vpsyde downe So yâ— there was nothing lefte in the rulers and heades of that churche but onely the name of the churche Al that was perfyght godlye and holy was lost and gone And at length their marchandyse whiche they inuented woulde no more be estemed amonge yâ— true godly christianes For they haue inoughe of those thinges whiche these marchauntes doe promyse of the grace and mercye of God and of his word And therfore the Romanystes doe meruell and frete againste the gospel because it bringeth no nother ware with it but her olde ware that is to saye humylite lowlynes pouertye sorowe contempte whiche all men doe flee and abhorte And it maketh an ende also of all worldlye pompe and honour ioy and pleasure ydlenes and wantonnes The outwarde and glorious supersticous wil bryng no more profyte or aduantage precious garmentes and perles wyll not become the professours of the gospell Coules and shauen crounes wyll no longer be taken for holynes of them that haue any vnderstandynge and knowledge Peter and Iohn and all the Apostolicall ministers of Christ wyll contemne and despyse golde and syluer For Christ hath taught them faith loue and truth pouertye and lowlynes The texte ¶ And euery shyppe gouerner and all they that occupyed shyppes and shypmen whiche worke in the see stode a farre of and cryed when they sawe the smoke of her burnynge sayinge what citie is lyke vnto this great citie And they â—ast dust on their heades cryed wepynge and waylynge and sayde Alas alas thaâ— great citye wherin were made riche all that had shyppes in the see by the reason of her costlynes for aâ— one â—oure is she made desolate Reioyce ouer her thou heauen and ye holy Apostles and prophetes for god hath geuen you iudgement vpon her Thus dothe the lorde God shewe and aduenge him selfe of all violent and tyrannous pryde and presumpcion of them whiche perswade them selues that there is no God but they or els that he hath no care of those thinges that are vpon earth Wheras it is euident and manifest out of gods worde what hathe alwayes bene the ende of all proude and presumptuous kyngdoms Whiche the spiritualtye should best haue knowen and haue taught other also And speciallye he that hath had and woulde haue suche a byshoprike And woulde also kepe it vntyll he shoulde peryshe together with it because he hathe not ordered him selfe therin after the wil of god nor after the right rule and square of gods worde and of holy scripture nor hath not done that thinge that his offyce and vocacion hath required as he ought to haue done as it is euident vnto all men They haue desyred and studyed onely to haue great power and dominion vpon yâ— who le earth in all nacions and yles onely for honour and gayne with very small studye or dilygence to rule the worlde well and godlye or to further gods honour and the saluacion of the soule onely And for this cause doeth all the worlde wonder at suche a great and horrible fall And they that seke study after dignite honour and auctorite after worldly lucre they tremble for feare and mourne and bewayle the heuy iudgement of God and their worldly hynderance But the holy and faithfull whiche not onely vpon earth regarde and seke the honour and glorye of God whiche they doe chefely desyre but also in heauen whiche haue the fruicion and perfyght syght and knowledge of the rightuousnes of God they prayse God hartely for the rightuous iudgement whiche is reueled vnto the worlde The texte ¶ And a mightie angell toke vp a stone lyke a great milstone and cast it into the see sayinge with suche violence shall that great citye Babilon be cast and shal be founde no more And the voyce of harpers and musicions and of pypers and tromperters shal be hearde no more in the and no craftes man of whatsoeuer crafte he be shal be founde any more in the. And the sounde of a myll shal be hearde no more in the and the voyce of the brydgrome and of the bryde shal be hearde no more in the for thy marchauntes were the great men of the earth And with thyne â—â—ch auntment were deceaued al ancions and in
bounteouse goodnes or his long bearyng with the in deferryng thy punishement of the dispised as though he wer suche one as woulde either wynke at offences or fauored euyll dedes Nor vnderstandest thou that this goddes long sufferaunce shewed vpon the putteth not offenders in hope of escapyng punishment but fauorably leadeth the to penaunce amendment to the ende that vpon remembraunce of his great benefites towarde the thou shouldest at laste begyn for shame with thy selfe to be displeased The texte But thou after thy stubbernes and heart that can not repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrathe agaynst the daye of vengeaunce when shall be opened the righteouse iudgement of god whiche wyl rewarde euery manne accordyng to his dedes that is to saye prayse honoure and immortalitie to them whiche continewe in good doyng and seeke immortalitie But vnto them that are rebelles and that dothe not obeye the truth but folowe vnrighteousnes shall come indignation and wrath tribulation and anguyshe vpon the soule of euerie man that doth euell of the Iewe fyrst and also of the Gentile â—o euerie man that doeth good shall come prayse and honoure and peace to the Iew first and also to the Gentile For there is no respecte of personnes with god for whosoeuer hath synned wythout the lawe shall also peryshe without lawe And as many as haue synned in the lawe shall be iudged by the lawe For in the syght of god they are not righteouse whiche heare the lawe but the doers of the lawe shal be iustified For when the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe doe of nature the thynges contayned in the lawe then they hauyng not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselfes whiche shewe the dedes of the lawe wrytten in theyr heartes whyle theyr conscience beareth wytnes vnto them and also theyr thoughtes accusyng one another or excusyng at the daye when the Lorde shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christe accordyng to my gospell But thou thy selfe tournest the goodnes of god towardes the to the encreace of thy damnation For whyles thou through suche a stubberne mynde as canne by no meanes be mollified with repeÌ„taunce refusest and forsakest god prouokyng to yâ— amendment nothyng els therin doest thou but procure and laye vp the treasure of goddes wrathe agaynste the. And albeit the wrathe and vengeaunce of God be not nowe presentlye seene and perceyued yet shall it in tyme to come be founde doubtles in that fearefull daye when without al fauour synful people shall so muche more earnestly be punished by how muche more stubbernlye they refused goddes gentle callyng of them to amendement and when before all the worlde the exacte sentence of god shal be opened whiche shall neither erroniously nor parcially pronounce as men are wont to doe but as a most vprighte iudge and one that knoweth all thinge who shall as mennes desertes be gyue rewarde to some lyfe euerlastyng to them I saye whiche hauyng a confidence in the promyses of the ghospel continewe styll in godlye lyfe withoute desyre of transitorye thinges or the vayne pleasures of this present lyfe but are desirouse of lyfe euerlastyng in heauen for theyr shorte reproche here wyll he gyue glorie without ende for despite suffered honoure and for not regardyng theyr temporall lyfe immortalitie to other agayne whiche through frowarde rebellyon had rather obeye vnrighteousnes and falshed than the truthe rewarde shal be gyuen meete for suche desertes without doubt the indignation and wrath of god and therby tribulation and anguyshe of mynde whiche punishment shall indifferently be layed vpon all synfull offenders but specially vpon the Iewe and Gretian to the ende that such be fyrste punyshed to whome god fyrste offered his mercifull fauer on the other syde to euerie suche as throughe fayth hath lyued godlye shall prayse honour peace glorie equally be gyueÌ„ but to yâ— Iew first theÌ„ to yâ— Gretian after that to al other wylde and barbarouse nations For with god ther is of persons no suche respect as ther is among men syttyng in iudgement but he is one to all men and equally iuste Wherfore whosoeuer haue without the lawe synned shall also without the condemnacion of the lawe peryshe and suche shall by the lawe be iudged as receyuing the lawe haue agaynst the same transgressed For in the syght of god to be coumpted for righteouse it is not sufficient to haue ben onlye a hearer of the lawe whiche I saye because thou that art a Iewe shouldest not by so thynkyng deceyue thy self but suche as in workes and godly lyfe expresse and putte the lawe in vre suche I saye and none elles shall by the iudgement of God be taken for righteouse God is suche one as embraceth maketh of good workes albeit there be no law at al and muche more abhorreth suche as hauyng a lawe are not yet obedient therto howbeit in dede no manne is there that is vtterlye without a lawe For when the Gentyles beyng without Moses lawe euen by the course of nature do suche workes as are by the lawe commaunded notwithstandyng they be not put in remembraunce so to do by the rules of Moses lawe yet are they to them selfe in stede of a lawe as well appereth by that in theyr lyfe they expresse the very substaunce therof wryteÌ„ not in tables as the other was but in theyr heartes insomuche that whatsoeuer in the courte of iudgement amonge the Iewes is customablye wonte to be done the same is done in theyr heartes whyles thy conscience beareth wytnes either agaynste the or with the and thy alteryng thoughtes either accuse or excuse the. In tyme to come herafter by this lawe shall god iudge in whiche daye that shal be opened playnlye in the syghte of all men whiche is nowe in mennes heartes secretly wrought where he shal gyue sentence â–ª to whome nothing is vnknowen But yet this iudgement shall god execute by Christe his sonne for this presente tyme our Lorde and sauioure whiche shall than be the iudge of all the worlde And leste anye should thinke that this I nowe tel you is some fable or dreame assure your self that it is a parte of the ghospell whiche I preache vnto you The texte ¶ Beholde thou arte called a Iewe and trustest in the lawe and makest thy boaste of God and knowest his wyll and allowest the thynges that be excellente and arte infourmed by the lawe and beleuest that thou thy selfe arte a guyde of the blynde a lyght of them which are in darkenes an infourmer of them whiche lacke discrecion a teacher of the vnlearned whiche hast the ensample of knowledge and of the truthe by the lawe Thou therfore whiche teachest an other teachest not thy selfe Thou preachest a man shoulde not steale yet thou stealest Thou that sayest a man shoulde not commit aduoutrie breakest wedlocke Thou abhorest ymages and yet robbest god of his honour Thou that makest thy boste of the lawe through breakyng of the lawe dishonourest god For the name of god
therfore this preachers or that preachers buylding endure and abyde in the fyer let suche one looke for no worldely prayse at mens handes but yet sure is he to haue reward of God for whose sake he toke payne but if eythers worke be with fyre destroyed the workeman shall lose his labour and be defrauded of his rewarde although himselfe escape free yet escapeth he as they that out of burnyng conuey themselfes naked for whom there aresteth nothing els to be doen but with charges to buylde agayne vpon the foundacion suche a worke as is meete for the same The chiefe and moste ready waye had been to teache suche as haue professed Christe nothing but that whiche is for a christian man necessarie But if teachers doe not so nor the hearers then must both take double paynes whiche must vnteache theyr scolers that they taught them and to vnlearne those thinges whiche they before learned For there is hope of saluacion as long as Christe the foundacion remayneth Howe agreeth vncleane lyfe with this profession Howe agree colde and waterishe ceremonies with the fyery and burning charitie of Christe Punishement shall they suffre at Gods hande as they haue well deserued whiche with theyr doctrine corrupte you The texte Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God and howe that the sprete of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy whiche temple ye are Let no manne deceyue himselfe If any manne seme wyse among you let him become a foole in this worlde that he may be wise For the wisedome of this worlde is folyshnes with God For it is written he compasseth the wyse in theyr craftinesse And agayn God knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they be vaine Therfore let no man reioyce in men For al thinges are yours whether it be Paul either Apollo either Cephas whether it be the worlde either lyfe either death whether they be presente thynges or thynges to come all are youres and ye are Christes and Christe is Gods Knowe ye not that ye are as a temple consecrate vnto God which the heauenly spirite of God possesseth sanctifieth Yf suche one be punished as doeth defile a temple that is halowed by manne will not God destroy him that defyleth his temple Endeuour must we dilygently that this temple be kepte pure and holy synce God hath once by his holy spirite cleansed and halowed it Kepe it cleane may ye by vnhurtefull lyfe with christian conuersacion and maners But if ye bee to muche desyrouse of honoure or yf ye bee leach â—rouse or geuen to stryfe and debate and to suche other wylfulnes then suspende ye and defile it Sythe then ye are the temple of god buylded with lyuelye stones verye wicked certaynely and vngodlye is he that prouoketh anye of your companye to suche maners condicions and learnynges as are not with Christe agreable Christe deceyueth no manne especiallye none of them that leane to hym Let euery manne beware that he deceyue not hymselfe whyles he vndiscretely trusteth vpon mannes helpe Looke ye not for blysse and felicitie either by your Philosophie or by the lawe Nor lette one manne presumptuously thynke hymselfe better than other because he is in worldlye learnyng excellente but lette hym rather that in worldly reputacion thinketh hymselfe wyse wyselye waxe folyshe that he maye bee wyse in deede Lette hym forsake to be the proude teacher of folyshe wysâ—dome and he shall be meete to be the scholer of verye wyse folyshnes For euen as the ryches of this worlde make not a manne truelye ryche as the honoures of the worlde make not a manne truelye noble and as the pleasures of the worlde make not a manne truely blessed euen so the wysedome of this worlde maketh not a man truely wyse before god whose iudgement no manne can deceyue be he neuer so wyse in the sighte of the worlde God mocketh at this wysedome whiles he declareth it not onely not to be that whereby we attayne saluacion but also to be that whiche hyndereth oure saluacion by reason that it maketh men to be proude and fyerse and therefore very harde to be taught This was long before spoken of in the booke whiche is intitled of the pacience of Iob when of God he speaketh on this wyse whiche compasseth the wise in theyr owne wilines And agayne in the lxiii Psalme the Lorde knoweth the thoughtes of menne that thinke themselues to be wyse that they be vayne and vnable to perfourme suche thynges as they promise Since therfore all the pythe of oure saluacion is altogether of god men maye of this vsurpe no porcion as theyr owne nor geue any parte of this glorye to man as the chiefe doer since the whole shoulde be surrendred to God And synce ye are one bodie ioyned together by mutuall charitie vnmete is it that one of you shoulde sticke to one phantasie and another to another phantasie when all thynges are youres indifferentlye Whether Paule or Apollo or Cephas be of anye authoritie or not this is sure by goddes free gifte they haue one equal authoritie for youre profite or if the worlde bee in a rore agaynste you it shall finallye bee for your profite or if we lyue any longer liue shall we to establyshe you in this learnyng or yf we dye then dye we to strengthen you by oure exaumple or yf we bee in presente pleasures we passe not muche vpon them because they are soone goen or yf thynges to come moue you laboure stoutelye and with a courage towarde them whiche albeit ye see not with youre bodelye iyes yet see ye them with the iyes of your fayth Awaye therfore with names of sectes and diuision since all thynges throughe one chiefe maister are youres equally albeit your selues are not your owne men in suche sorte yâ— ye can geue any man right title vpoÌ„ you but ye long to Iesus Christ to whoÌ„ al we together owe our selues and for Christ are we bounde to god the chiefe Lord and ruler of al thinges whiche by hym hath geuen vs all goodnes The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let a man this wyse esteme vs euen as the ministers of Christe and stewardes of the secretes of God Furthermore it is required of the stewardes that a man be found faithfull With me is it but a very small thyng that I should be iudged of you eyther of maâ—s iudgement No I iudge not myne owne selfe For I knowe â–ª nought by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified It is the Lorde that iudgeth me Therefore iudge nothyng before the tyme vntill the Lorde come which will lighten thinges that are hid in darkenes and â—pen the councels of the hertes And then shall euery man haue prayse of God LEt euery man then that wyll vnfaynedly and truely reioyse glorie and reioyse in his name nor esteme vs as chiefe auctours and maysters but as reason woulde suche shoulde bee regarded
call my selfe a father and you my chyldren sith I fyrste of all menne preached the gospell vnto you and syth that throughe me ye are borne agayne vnto Christe Haue not I in maner begoten you What mother hathe taken so muche payne in trauaile with her childe as I suffered when I trauailed with you to make you christians Wherfore yf ye acknowledge this father to be yours yf ye be vnfayned children I beseche you for our mutuall loues sake to folowe your father in liuing and manners Synce ye are begoten by vs why labour ye rather to bee lyke other than to vs Suche thynges wherof ye ate accused vnto me whence they came consider with your selfe surely ye learned not them of me Yf any poynte of our doctryne bee out of youre memorie forasmuche as I canne not come my selfe here I sende vnto you Timothee euen as mine owne selfe which is my sonne not one that groweth out of kynde but through goddes goodnes a faythful childe which as fyrste by me he learned Christe so swarueth he at no tyme from his fathers steppes He shal put you in remembraunce how I ordre my life whiche I bothe folowe and teache after the example of Iesus Christe not vnto you onely but to euery congregacion that professeth Christe As he is one commen autour and rewler of all so muste all menne haue one rewle of lyuyng A naturall childe doth his duety not for feare of payne but gladlye and with all his hearte There are some among you whiche because I am absente are paste shame and so wantonly behaue them selfes as though I would neuer returne But they shal be deceyued for I wyll within a whyle bee with you by goddes grace what tyme I wyll haue a tryall what these menne can doe that this wyse auaunce them selfe not in eloquence but in deedes For the strength of the gospell standeth not in royall and gorgiouse speache which euerye manne maye bse but in a heauenlye strengthe and power which is declared by sufferaunce of troubles by concorde by ryghteousnesse of the wholle lyfe and by myracles Shall I come vnto you I wyll come in deede But take ye heede that ye receyue me as reason woulde In your handes standeth you to make me come eyther as a roughe one and dredfull or as a meeke one and gentyll I haue authorytie geuen vnto me by Christ to punishe rebellions and such as are vnrewlye with the rodde of correccion But rather hadde I not to vse it but woulde wyshe gladlye youre manners were suche that I lyke a louyng mercifull and meeke father may reioyce in your vnhurtefulnesse or yf there bee among you any smalle faultes that the same maye with an easye and fatherly correccyon be amended The .v. Chapter The texte There goeth a commen saying that their is fornicacion among you ▪ and suche fornicacion as is not named among the gentyles that one shoulde haue his fathers wife And ye swel and haue not rather sorowed that he whiche hath doue thys dede might be put frō among you for I verely as absent in body but presente in spirite haue determyned alreadye as though I we◠present concerning hym that hath done thys dede in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe when ye are gathered together and my spirite with you with the power of the Lord Iesus Christ to delyuer hym vnto Satan for the destruccion of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus BVt this is both better knowen than canne bee denyed more grenouse than canne be borne with and more hanouse than were conuenient any longer to bee differred that of you ▪ whome as a temple halowed to god all cleanes beseamed there goeth a cōmen tale and a shamfull rumour of fornicacion and of suche fornicacion as the like reproche hath not been found among painims and suche as to Christe are straungers whiche is that one among you vseth his fathers wyfe as his owne What a greate reproche and slaundre to christian religion thynke ye this that of you suche a foule rummoure shoulde bee spreade abrode And yet ye in the meane season as thoughe so greate infamye nothyng belonged vnto you highlye please youre selfe and are throughe youre worldelye wysedome proude whome it more beseamed with commen mournyng and heauinesse to declare that ye earnestelye disproue this filthie deede by excludyng the dooer of suche an outragiouse offence oute of youre coumpanye and that for three consideracions Fyrste leste yf ye vse hym familiarely and as one of your owne coumpanye whiche hathe not yet shewed hymselfe to bee sorye for hys offence ye myght seame to fauer misdoers and then a gayne leste suche an outragious offence once receued amonge you growe more and more Finally to the entente that the doer of suche a mischefe yf ye auoyde his companye as one by cōmen iudgement condemned for shame repente hym selfe vntyll suche tyme as by perfite sygnes of repentaunce it bee well knowen that he his mete to bee receaued into good peoples company And this shoulde ye haue done strayghte waye assone as it was by commen reporte knowen that the manne whose name yet for causes I rehearce not was of suche abomination Yf I had ben my selfe presente among you I woulde so haue done Nowe I being absente albeit not vtterlye absente for not withstanding my bodye bee awaye yet am I by autoritie of the spirite present absent therfore I saye but as thoughe I were present I gyue sentence whiche ye must folow that in a cōmen assemblye and resorte of manye ye determine because no one man shoulde take suche autoritie vpon hym whiche assemblye must with no carnal desire come together but haue an eye to nothinge but to the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christ wherein I wyll as I sayed onely spirituallye bee present where shall also bee the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christe in whose name ye shall come together whiche by his power shall make my sentence effectuall that he whiche wythout all regarde of honestie hath this outragiouslye dooen bee caste oute of youre congregacion and geuen ouer to Satan to bee punished in his fleshe and made ashamed by mannes iudgement that his spirit and soule be saued before Iesus Christe his iudge whan he shall iudge and shall geue sentence not onely vpon these thynges or this manne but vpon al the world In the meane season expediente is it for hym also to preuente the exacte and rigorous iudgement of god assuryng hymself that better is it to suffre temporal punist ement than to bee condemned to the euerlastyng tourmentes of helle It beseameth vs rather to deuise a playster for the reformacion of offendours than punishmente so vsyng oure selfes with them that they maye remaine to bee amended Nor kyll we the manne but suppresse the vice and saue the manne This is the punishmente wherewith christian gentlenes oughte to bee contented It is the Iewes maner to stone a man to death and
vs the preachyng of the attonement Now then are we messengers in the rowme of Christe euen as thoughe God dyd beseche you thorowe vs So praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconcyled vnto God for he made hym to bee synne for vs whiche knewe no synne that we by hys meanes shoulde bee that rightewesnes which before God is alowed And therfore what tempestes soeuer befall vs alwayes are we of good there knowing that as longe as we are at home in thys bodylye mansion we straye abrode and are deuided from god to whome by departure out of it we are more nyghly ioyned not meanyng so that god is not for thys presente tyme with vs but that he is not yet so clearly sene as he shall bee then For albeit in the meane season he bee after a sorte seene by faythe yet is it as it were a farre of whiche shall then presently bee seene euen as he is end not obscurely And therfore yf the pleasure of god bee that we in this body shall yet suffer more afflictions in good hope stande we that we shal easyly suffer them in hope of the rewarde to come and yet is thys of vs muche more to bee desyred to departe I saye out of thys bodylye mansion that after suche departure we may be more nyghly ioyned to god Therfore whether we bee compelled to continewe in thys house orels as we muche more desyre to departe hence that is to saye whether we lyue or dye all our endeuoure is to bee allowed of god For vnles a manne departe hence in goddes fauer let hym not loke for the rewarde of immortall lyfe whiche poynte I gyue you warnyng of leste any thinke baptisme a meane sufficent therunto without godly lyuyng As for wycked synners to theyr damnacion they receaue agayne bodyes whiche they here abused in theyr owne synfull lustes and not to the glory of god And as euery mans deseartes haue been for this lyfe suche shall his rewarde be what euery manns deseartes are is a thyng as yet vnkowen but yet must al we in open syght of the worlde appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe where nothyng shal be hydden but euery man shal reape as he hath sowed in hys body and when body and soule are ioyned together enioy suche reward as his workes were whyles he here liued whether they were good or badde We therfore hauing alway that terrible daye before our iyes diligently laboure in all poyntes to please both God man For albeit we deceiue men with some counterfaite kynd of holynes yet doth God throughly knowe vs as which seeth euen the very bottome of our heartes whiche thyng no man can do Howbeit my trust is that I haue in such sort vsed my selfe amoÌ„g you that ye throughly knowe and perceaue the synceritie of my lyfe for with this glorye are we contented For we auaunce not our office agayne eyther because we would of you be more made of or because we seke for any aduauÌ„tage at your handes but forasmuch as I perceiue that some make greate boste for that they were assigned vnto theyr office by chiefe Apostles we geue you occasion to glory lykewyse of vs agaynste them whiche for this respect lytle set by you because ye haue but an abiect and a vile one to your Apostle which albeit sawe not the Lorde in his mortall bodye as other Apostles dyd yet sawe I hym immortall and of hym receiued myne Apostleshyp as other dyd and haue by hys helpe done no lesse than other haue This rehearse I for your sakes because ye shoulde haue some thing wherwith to aunswere them which being not contented with the prayse of their owne conscience for their good dedes with high proude lookes seke for worldly commendacion wheras their consieÌ„ces do inwardly coÌ„demnetheÌ„ Nothing speake we for our own sakes but whether we speake of our great actes and therby seame to be peuishe peuishe are we to godwarde to whose glory we rehearse such thinges as we by his helpe did or yf we kepe a measure in speakyng of our selfes therby seme wise to you are we wise to whose weaknes we teÌ„per our tale We make not our selfes equal with other Apostles by boastyng but the loue of Christ constrayneth vs openly to speake that thing which appertayneth to his glory For to his praise maketh it not to ours if there were by vs through his gyft any thing notable done that all people should the better knowe howe his death was not vnfruitfull forasmuch as it doth indifferentlye profite al people so farfurth that euen by vs whom thei despise it sheweth his power and not by them only which sawe Christ in his manhode nor by such only as haue carnal allyaunce with him But rather this wise reason we the matter with our selfe yf Christe alone indifferently dyed for al than foloweth it that generally all such people were before thrall and subiecte to death as his pleasure was by his death to redeame from death And because he woulde haue all men indifferentlye bounde vnto hym therfore dyed he for all that suche as by hys benefite lyue beyng through hym newe borne agayn shoulde no longer lyue to themselfes but to hym whiche boeth dyed and rose agayne for them By this should men be estemed and not by carnall affinitie Yea and albeit we maye glory our selfes of the stocke of Iewes yet synce that tyme we professed Christes religion we knowe no man because he is one of our stocke but coumpte suche of our kynred as are by lyke fayth ioyned vnto vs. A vayne crake is it therfore whiche some make that they be Christes owne countrey men or els because they are his kynsmen and lyued familiarly with him his fleshe was geuen but for a season presently but now synce that his body is taken awaye and his holy spirite sent his wil and pleasure is to be knowen after the spirite and coumpteth hym nyghest of his kynne whiche hath in his promisses moste affiaunce Nor let any man for this cause lesse esteme vs which are later Apostles because we knew not Christe lyuing here in earth in his mortal body synce that yf we had so knoweÌ„ hym in dede now yet would we haue forgone that knowledge as which hyndred the spirite and woulde nowe synce that he is become spirituall loue hym spiritually Whoso therfore is through baptisme graffed into Christ let hym forsake his olde phantasies nor thinke thys man is a Iewe that man is a Grecian this a bonde man and that is a fre man but remembre rather howe that euery man which is borne agayne to be a newe man is of a carnall man becomen a spirituall Olde thinges are paste and gone and beholde through Christ al thinges are so dayâ—ly made new Away therfore with these wordes this is a GreciaÌ„ this is an aliaunt this is a Iewe this is a worshypper of idoles this is a spoyler of holy places The man hath forsaken
came into the worlde to saue synners of whome I am chefe Notwithstandynge for this cause obtayned I mercy that Iesus Christ shoulde fyrste she we on me all longe pacience to declare an ensample vnto them whiche shoulde beleue on him vnto eternall lyfe So then vnto God kynge euerlastinge immortall inuysyble wyse onely be vonoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen This commaundement commit I vnto thee sonne Tymotheus accordynge to the prophecyes whiche in tyme past were prophecyed of the that thou in them shouldest fyght a good fyght hauyng faith and good conscience which some haue put awaye from them â–ª â—nd as concernyng faith haue made shypwracke Of whose nombre is Hymeneus and Alexander whome I haue delyuered vnto Satan that they maye learne not to blaspheme The Iewes haue nothing to saye againste me althoughe I sayde that I am by the goodnes of god without the helpe of the law becommen of a wicked and a myscheuous man now that that I am But the thinge that semeth vnto them vncredible is by moost euident argumentes vndoubtedly true and the thing that they renounce is withal studious endeuoure to be embraced as they saye with meting armes that Iesus Christe seyng the lawe to be vneffectuall vnto perfite saluacion was made man and came in his owne person into the worlde to thintent that throughe his death he myght geue vs perfyte healthe and in suffring the peynes of our vnrighteousnes he myght geue vnto vs his owne ryghteousnes Fynally albeit I was an earnest mayntenoure of the law of the fathers yet I doe not onely not excepte my selfe out of the nombre of sinners but also I knowledge me to be euen the chiefest among them I wyll not denye myne vncleanesse for it redoundeth vnto the glorye of Christe The lesse that I deserue mercye the more excellent is his clemencye I was worthye punyshement And howe commeth it to passe than that Christ would not onely pardon myne offences and declare his excedynge gentilnes towardes me but also enriche me with so many great free gyftes For what other purpose but through this notable example to prouoke all men to hope after lyke forgeuenesse how fylthily soeuer they haue lyued before so that they put no trust in the ayde of Moses lawe and set all their whole faith in Christes goodnesse that continueth with vs styll vnto euerlastynge lyfe The promysses are great but the promyse maker is trustye and sure And no man shall put any mystrust in the promyses that considereth Christ to be the promyse maker And in case any man coulde contemne him as a man hauyng suffred vpon the crosse yet let him consydre that the moost highe euerlastyng kynge God the father immortall inuisible and onely wyse is the chiefe autor of this busines who by his sonne geueth vs all thinges Therfore nothyng ought to seme incredible that almyghtye God promyseth And as for men they can chalenge to themselues no parte of habilitie to geue this so singuler a treasure forasmuche as he ought to haue all honour and glorye not for a certayne of yeares as the glorye of Moses lawe was but in all ages for euermore For it besemeth the immortall God to haue immortall honour That that I haue sayed is true and as the matter is in dede Than lyke as I do faithfully behaue my selfe in the busynes appointed vnto me euen so doe I geue the this in commaundement my louyng sonne Timothye that thou folowe thy fathers example in accomplyshyng the offyce that thou haste taken vpon the throughly in all poynctes It is goddes busynes that thou takest in hande wherunto thou wast not called by any promocion of man but by the appoinctement and commaundemeÌ„t of god Vnder his baners thou arte a souldiour and of him thou shalte receaue the rewardes of victorie Thou seest what a bande of men thou hast committed to thy credence thou seest with what maner of aduersaries thou haste a doe there is none oportunitie for the to be neglygent or to slepe thy matters And it were the greatest shame in the worlde and a very wycked parte for the to shrynke from him whose wordes thou arte sworne vnto whose name thou hast once professed His iudgemeÌ„t was that thou wouldest proue a valeaunt and a faithful guide for so the spirite of Christ by his inspiracion shewed vnto vs at suc he tyme as we committed autoritie of priesthoode vnto the by layeng on of handes See therfore that thou constauntlye answer aswell the iudgement that God gaue before of the as the faythfull truste that we haue in the so as god maye bothe prayse the for a noble guyde and I maye reknowledge the to be myne owne sonne It is an excellent warre that thou arte occupied in see that thou applye it manfully And that shal be in case thou kepe a syncere perfite fayth and vnto faithe ioyne a good conscience that thou put no doubte in goddes promysses and frame thy selfe in vprightenesse of lyfe accordynge to the synceritie of thy iudgement The purenesse of lyfe ought to be of suche efficacie that it maye be not onely allowed with other men but also that the conscience maye be vpright before God The thinges that decaye the strength of faithe are humayne questions and the appetites of meÌ„ are the thinges that defile the conscience wheras those yâ— pretende to goe about Christes affaires haue respecte to other purposes than vnto Christ Fynallye these two clcaue so faste one to the other that yf the one be decayed the other is in ieoperdie For he that hathe not a syncere conscience can not possibly haue a syncere faithe For howe can the thing be called syncere that is dead Or how can the thinge endure that wanteth lyfe and spirite For it commeth to passe that those whiche haue a naughtie conscience in all thinges at length fall cleane awaye from beleuynge those thinges that the gospell teacheth concernynge the rewardes eyther of an innocent lyfe or of a naughtye lyfe An example of this matter we haue lately seene to muche true alas therfore in Alexander and Himeneus who inasmuch as in the preaching of the gospell they holde not faste the helme of an vpright conscience are fallen into the rockes of Infidelitie and beynge once fallen from the holsome profession of Christ they are so caryed awaye with the waues of naughtye lustes that they rayled with open spitefull wordes against the doctrine of the gospel so that they can not be possybly amended with gentyll monicions And therfore I haue with myne owne sentence geuing cutte them of from the rest of Christes bodye as rotten membres to thintent that beyng so corrected they maye learne throughe shame and reproche to ceasse from their wycked spyghtful railynges and to be lesse hurtefull to other thoughe they can not be good to themselues Those are to be pulled vnder with rigorous handlyng that are growen into so highe wickednes that there can be no good doone vpon them
matchaundice of the gospelles doctrine Vnto vs it is a plentuous great gaynes yf we maye waxe riche in godlynes yf we maye waxe ryche in true goodes of soule and be content with those thinges that suffice vnto y◠necessitie of the lyfe present inasmuche as our spedye iournaye is to the lyfe that neuer shal dye It is a greate matter to heape vp those riches that wyl neuer leaue vs. But to what purpose is it to carke care to heape riches together y◠nother are ours we are by and by enforced to leaue them to others For lyke as we brought none of them into y◠worlde with vs whā we were borne so shall we carye nothing awaye with vs whan we dye To spende ryches wastefully vpon pleasures it is a myschiefe and to hoorde them vp it is a fonde folyshenes As for vs we measure the vse of suche thinges by the bondes of nature and whan we haue competent wherwith to be clothed and fedde we require no further And a competent diet and clothing is easylie had euery where For they are not to be had for excesse but for necessitie A small thing easeth necessitie but the gredynes of riotous excesse is insaciable It is a great winnyng with the losse of money to augment y◠treasure of godlynes And it is a great losse for a lytel sory lucre to lose the riches of immortalitie The care for riches and care for godlynes accorde not together in one For whose hertes are once throughlye occupyed with desyre to be ryche are enticed to many fylthye matters and fall in to snare and many couetous desyres not onely folyshe but also noysome For this couctous lustyng commeth not without companye but bringeth a great rowte of myschiefes with her pryde dysdaine ambicion violence dysceate iniurie riot voluptuousnes and suche maner of other pestilences whiche by lytell lytell burthen a man and drowne him downe in to destruccion and marrynge so as now he shall not onely be to him selfe but also vnto other that he hathe rule ouer a destroyour and a marrer The greater the honour is that he beareth so muche the more ferre it behoueth him to be from the spiece of this myschiefe The hyghest autoritie requireth the highest integritie But nothinge is throughly vprightlye done nothing is without corrupcion done of him whosoeuer he be that hathe auarice of his counsayle whiche is so ferre dystaunte from honestye that it is euen the roote and sede of all maner myschiefes ye a althoughe riches seme to beare a certaine wondrefull shewe of felycitie Some men beyng cralled in this bayte whyle they are griedie after riches haue ben corrupte with couetous desyres and haue wandred astraye from the synceritie of faythe that the gospel teacheth settyng before their eyes an other marke to shote at than Christe and wher as they seke to lyue pleasauntlye they haue wrapped them selues in many sorowes scrapyng that with muche paynes y◠they must kepe with muche care and that whiche yf it shoulde fortune to be taken from them should greuouslye wounde a couetous herte These belonge to suche as haue dedycated themselues to the god Māmon But thou whiche arte consecrated vnto god slee from these thinges y◠are vnworthye thy professiō folowe true riches as righteousnes godlynes faythe charitie pacience mekenes Ryghteousnes to kepe y◠safe withall from all maner of vices godlynes to loue god withall thy neighbour for goddes sake Faithe wherwith hauynge the helpe of god thou shalt not be turmoyled with care of suche thinges charitie to doe good vnto all mē withal patience wherby throughe hope of the immortalitie to come thou mayest contynue stedfaste in aduersities and in stormes of persecucions And mekenes to beare gentlye the weakenes of other These thinges can not the man possiblye kepe safe that thinketh he must doe all thinges for ryches sake As for the thou hast taken vpon the an other maner of course Thou arte entred an excellent great fyght not the fyght of couetousnes but of faythe And it is no small rewarde that is layed vp for it For this mattre is not taken in hande by thee to be riche of momentanye and false feyned goodes here in this worlde but to atteyne lyfe euerlastynge To this pricke to this marke preace thou withal dylygent endeuour To this marke god the true rewarder of thy trauayle hathe called the which of his owne iudgement hathe chosen thee to be a Byshop ouer the people to the glorye of Christ This at the taking of the offyce of an Elder thou dyddest professe and that before many wytnesses Thy profession is of highe excellēcie but to frame thy selfe answerablye lyke vnto it thou hast nede muche dyligentlye to watche aboute the. Albeit thou passe not muche vpon so highe a rewarde yet passe vpon god the loker on let the expectacion of so many lokers on besyde moue thee let the reuerence of so hyghe an offyce that thou hast taken in hande moue thee The texte I geue the charge in the sight of god which quickeneth all thinges and before Iesu Christ whiche vnder Poncius Pilare witnessed a good witnessyng that thou kepe the commaūdement and be without spot and vnrebukeable vntyll the apperyng of oure Lorde Iesus Christ whiche apperyng in his tyme he shall shew y◠is blessed and myghtye onely kinge of kynges and lorde of lordes which onely hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the lyghe that no man can attayne whome no man hath sene nether can se vnto whome be honour and rule euerlastynge Amen This I eftesones commaunde and beseche the by god the father whiche is the autor of lyfe vnto all men and shall rayse the dead to the lyfe that neuer shal dye by his sonne Iesus Christ whiche vnder the iudge Ponce Pilate shronke not from the offyce that he had receyued of the father euen vnto the crosse that thou so behaue thy selfe in the trauayle committed vnto thee that thou geue occasyon to thy selfe of no blotte nor blame worthynes and that see thou doe constauntly not onely vnto mans syght but muche rather lokynge for the commynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christe whiche he shall shewe againe vnto the worlde in his tymes euen that blessed one and onely myghtye kyng of kynges and lorde of lordes whiche onely hathe immortalitie of himselfe whiche onely dwelleth in the lyght that cannot be atteyned vnto whome no man hathe yet seene nor is hable to see To him be honour power world without ende Amen Suche excellēt autors of thyne offyce thou hast y◠thou shouldest despaire nothing of thyne autoritie Suche parfyte lokers on and iudges thou haste that thou shouldest doe nothing otherwyse than thou oughtest to doe Suche valeaunte protectours thou haste that thou shouldest not dreade the stormes of mennes persecucions Suche lyberall rewardours thou haste that thou shouldest nothing doubte of the promysed rewardes And vnto them all the glorye of the gospel is to be referred that man shoulde not therof
wordes euer spoken or els this that is redde in an other Psalme Sytte on my ryght hand till I make thine enmies thy footestole Therfore neither autoritie to create neither the maiestie of a kindome is geueÌ„ vnto angels but they all howe greate so euer they be are spirites appoynted to serue the which are often tymes sente into the worlde to assiste suche as shal be thenheritours of euerlastyng saluacion Such vndoubtedly are the disciples and folowers of Christe The .ii. Chapter The texte Wherfore we ought to geue the more erneste heâ—e to the thynges that are spoken vnto vs leste at any tyme we peryshe For yf the worde which was spoken by angels was stedfaste And euery transgression and disobedience receyued a iuste recompence of rewarde howe shall we escape yf we despyse so greate saluacion whiche at the fyrst beganne to be preached of the Lorde hym selfe and was confirmed vnto vs warde by them that hearde iâ— God beating witnesse therto both with signes and wondres also with dyuers myracles gyftes of the holy ghost accordyng to hys owne will For vnto the aungels hath he not subdued the world to come wherof we speake but one in a certayne place witnesseth saing What is man that thou art mind full of him Or the sonne of man that thou visitest hym Thou madest hym a litell lower then the angels thou haste crowned hym wyth houour and glory and haste sette hym aboue the workes of thy handes Thou haste putte all thynges in subieccion vnder hys feete In that he put all thynges vnder hym he lefte nothing that is not put vnder him Neuertheles we se not yet al thinges subdued vnto him but hym that was made lesse then the angels we se that it was Iesus which is crowned with glory and honour for the suffering of death that he by the grace of God should taste of death for all men MOreuer that I haue so largely declared the dignytie of oure sauiour is for this entent that the greater he is whome the father hath sent into the worlde for our saluacion the more dilygent hede we maye geue to such thynges as he hath spoken vnto vs leste at any tyme we forgette those thynges which the father hath taught and shewed vs by hym Highest is he that sent hym and a greates ambassadoure coulde he not send Hys pleasure was that this shoulde be the last ambassade or legacion neyther is there any hope of saluacion if we despise this and sette it at naught as our elders and forefathers despised Moses the prophetes The greater that the ambassadour is the greater that the cleâ—encye and gentlenesse of God is towardes vs the greuouser shall the faute of oure dysobedience or els negligence be excepte we do after hys wordes and teaching For yf al that God hath hither to commaunded vnto our elders by hys Prophetes or aungels who shewed vnto Moses goddes commaundementes be of weight and autorytie And if those were worthely punyshed that dysobeyed suche thynges as were by them commaunded bycause he semeth to despyse God who so despyseth hys messengers howe shall we then escape punishmente if we despise and sette at naught not Moses coÌ„maundementes but so ready saluacion so notable so euydeut and suche as is frely brought vs not by Moses nor yet by aungels or Prophetes agaynst whome there may be some suspicion of vanitie or lying by one meanes or other ymagyned but by the sonne of God hym selfe who spakenot vnto vs a farre of out of a cloude either in a dreame or by any other waye wherin there myght be any suspicion of deceyte or legerdemayne but was openly heard seene handeled and conuersaunte alonge tyme amonge men declaryng by very many and moste euydente argumentes proofes that he was the very sonne of God and offeryng perfite saluacion vnto al the whole worlde thorowe faith of the gospel And where as the belefe of this so great a thing beganne first to be taught and preached vnto the worlde by our Lord Iesus Chryst him selfe who was not alonely the preacher of euerlasting saluacion but also yâ— autoure therof afterward the same was confirmed of them that were wytnesses of all thynges that he sayde and dyd whyles he was conuersaunte with them and leste theyr preachyng shoulde haue bene of small autorytie and litle regarded God him self coÌ„firmed theyr wordes with diuerse signes of miracles and wonders and other merueylous gyftes the whiche that heauenly spirite diuersly dystributed vnto hys as he thought expediente for mannes saluacion by all which thynges it appered very manyfestly that all thys that was done was nothing partayning to mannes power but to the vertue and power of God and that he who firste hym selfe afterwarde by his disciples shewed these thinges was not a man onely but God couered with the habite of mannes body And also that he was not an aungel the mistical Psalme playnly declareth witnessyng of Christ on this wise what is manne that thou art mindfull of hym or the sonne of manne that thou careste for him Thou haste humbled him a litle while lower then angels And streight wayes it foloweth Thou haste crouned him with glory honour and set him aboue the workes of thy handes Thou haste putte all thynges in subieccion vnder hys feete c. Or euer yâ— God created the eâ—rth it was then decreed by hys godly determynacion that whatsoeuer shoulde be â—â—erin the same shoulde be vnder the obeysaunce and subieccion of Iesu Christe It is not read that God gaue the seignory or Lordshippe of all the worlde in the which aungels are also conteined to any of the aungels For he that sayed All thynges are to be put vnder hym excepted nothyng that is not to be put in subieccion And the prophecie of thys Psalme is partely fulfylled and partely to be accomplished in the world to come For as yet we see not all thynges vnder his subieccion As yet the wicked do rebell and there is a greate conâ—â—ycte bytwene the churche and the worlde But thys we see nowe fulfylled that Iesus who when he was here afflycted wyth diuerse formentes and in conclusion suffred the punyshment of the crosse and for mans cause â—asted that whych by mannes iudgement is moste bytter and dyspleasauÌ„t but tasted it in such wyse yâ— he was not ouercome therwyth semed here by to be made lower then aungels who are neyther subiecte to death nor any greife or payne we see I saye that Iesus is nowe crowned wyth so great glory and honour that yâ— world perceiueth how he beyng a fauâ—elesse parsonne and free from all synne suffred punyshment of death accordyng to the wyl of God wylling by thys meanes to pronyde for mannes safetie For hys death was not a punyshment for any offence by hym commytted but was the mere fauour of God towardes mankynde whom he woulde of hys free beneficence and greate lyberalytie haue to be redemed by yâ— death of his moste innocent soÌ„ne Iesus Christ And as
It is nede then that the simily tudes of heuenly thinges be purified wyth such thinges but that the heuenly thinges themselfes be purified wyth better sacrifices then are those For Christ is not entred into the holye places that are made with handes whyche â—e similitudes of true thinges but is entred into very heuen for to appere nowe in the sight of god for vs not to offre himself often as the hye priest entreth into the holy place euery yere wyth strange bloud for theÌ„ must he haue often suffred sence the worlde began But now in the ende of the worlde hath he apeted once to put synne to slyght by the offeryng vp of hymselfe And as it is apoynted vnto all men that they shall once dye and than coÌ„meth the iudgement euen so Christe was once offered to take awaye the synnes of many and vnto them that loke for hym shall he appere agayne withoute syune vnto â—â—luation And truely it was conuenient that suche thynges as in earth represented the similitude and shadowe of heauenly thynges shoulde be done with suche manour of grosse and carnall purifications But when veritie was once come to lyght then was it mete that the heauenly sacrifices them selfes should be made with better oblacions and cause a trewer puritie For as I haue sayde euen all that Christe did in earth is heauenly For trewely he entred not in to the holye places made with handes whiche are rather supposed holye then be holy in dede and maye be tourned vnto a prophane vse and were nothyng els but certayne shadowes and fygures of thynges that were verelye holye but entred into verye heauen where as dwellethe God immortall wyth hys holy angels before whom he as a leful Byshoppe maketh intercessyon for all mennes synnes purchasyng hymselfe fauourable audience wyth hys owne bloude whiche of his mere and free charitie he shedde for vs and that dyd he with so effectuall a sacrifice that it shall not be nedefull for hym euery yeare to do the same agayne as the hye pryest of the olde testamente entred in to the moste secrete parte of the temple yearely Nether is it anye marueyll that the sacryfice made by the hye prieste of Moyses was not of lyke efficacye sence he was bothe subiecte vnto synnes and offred vp a beastes bloud and not his owne If Christe had bene suche an hye prieste then sythe there hathe soo manye ages and yeares begonne agayne sence the creation of the worlde he shoulde of necessytye often tymes haue offred vp a sactifyce lyke as the priestes of the olde testament dyd Nowe was he suche a one that it was sufficieute for hym once to offre vp himselfe and once with the sprinkeling of his own blode to take awaye the synnes of all ages vntill the worldes ende And that was done not from the begynnynge of the woorlde but nye the ende of the same when it was openly knowen to euery man that al the world was defyled with synne and that there was no remeady but of God onelye bycause it shoulde manyfestly appeare howe effectuall a pryest and of what greate vertue and power he was who with one sacrifice pourged so greate an heape of synnes and lefte behynde him a ready and an easye remedye whych was that the same sacrifice shoulde be sufficient for al menne tyme once of measure that woulde not make them selfes vn worthye therof For he toke vpon hym not only their synnes who manye yeares byfore put hope of saluatyon in hym but also theyrs who would manye yeares after beleue his ghospel Wherefore there is not why the worlde shoulde loke after an other priest or an other sacrifice to pourge synnes but as it is appoynted to al men that they shall once dye without hope to retourne agayne into this lyfe wherein we ofttymes fall and ofttymes are pourged agayne and as there is nothynge loked for after euerye mannes deathe but that extreme iudgement wherby endelesse rewardes shal be adiudged bothe to good and badde so lyke wyse Christe who dyeng once was offered vp for all the world takyng vpon him as moch as in hym laye all mennes synnes bycause he woulde be punyshed for all woulde haue nothyng remayne after this lyfe but that last iudgement wherin he shall appeare agayne vnto the world not as before lyke a sacrifice appoynted to be slayne or lyke a worker of myschiefe and one worthy of punishement but as a glorious persone and one that knoweth no maner of synne he shall I saye appeare to their blysse and saluation who beyng nowe purified thorow his death perseuer in good and vertuous lyuyng tyll he come agayne not to be offred vp but a iudge desired of the good and dreadefull to the wicked ¶ The .x. Chapiter The texte For the lawe hauygâ— the shadowe of good thinges to come not the very fashion of the thinges themselfes can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yere by yere comynually make the commers thereunto perfect For woulde then not those sacryfices â—â—â—â—eased to haue bene offered bicause that the offerers once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of synnes Neuertheles in those sacrifyces is there no mencion made of synnes euery yere For the bloud of oxen and of goates cannot take a way synnes FVrthermore the cause why the hye priest of the olde testament coulde not do the lyke was by reason that that lawe forasmuche as it had not the lyuely and true fashion but onely a certayne shadowe of good thynges whiche rather sygnyfyed somewhat then brought anything to effecte could neuer wyth her vsuall sacrifice of beastes all though they were by those priestes contynually offred yeare by yeare make suche perfite as came to pacifie God wyth vneffectuall oblacions by the mediacion of weake priestes For yf perfeccyon myghte haue bene attayned thereby â–ª shoulde not the same sacrifices once offreo haue ceased tobe offred any more Now in these sacrifices when so euer they be offred agayne there is mention made a freshe of the former synnes whiche thyng playnly declareth that they haue no confydence in one sacrifyce Els for what purpose dyd they euerye yeare offre agayne newe sacrifices if one had so pourged from all synne that no conscience therof had remayned in those whiche had once offred and bene pourged For seyng that synne is the maladie of the soule and not of the bodie a grosse and bodely sacrifice as is the bloude of Oxen and Goates can in no wyse take awaye the dysease of the mynde The onely spirituall and heauenly sacrifyce of Christe is able to doe this thynge sufficiently the whiche thorowe fayth and Baptisme so taketh awaye at once all the synnes of our former lyte be they neuer so manye neuer so heynous that there remayneth no feate or reâ—â—orse in conscience so that we wyl only beware that we fal not agayne into out olde enormyties and detestable dedes For soo farre wyde is it from the trewth that God was made mercifull by reason that
with het bodyly eies than he saw with yâ— eies of his mynde bicause he was strikâ— blynd through coueiousnes of money The texte These are welles without water cloudes that are caried with a tempest to whom the myst of darckenes is reserued for euer For when they haue spoken the greate swellynge wordes of vanyty they entyse thorowe lustes in the volupteousnes of the fleshe them that were cleane escaped euen them that now lyue in errour while they promes them libertie where as they themselues are the bonde seruauntes of corrupcion For of whom a man is ouercome vnto yâ— same is he brought in bondage For yf they after they haue escaped froÌ„ yâ— fylthines of the world thorow yâ— knowledge of yâ— Lord the sauiour Iesus Christe are yet tangled agayn therin ouercome then is yâ— latter ende worsse with them theÌ„ yâ— beginning For it had bene better for theÌ„ not to haue knowen yâ— way of rightewesnes then after they haue knowen it to turne froÌ„ the holy coÌ„maundement that was geuen vnto them But the same is hapened vnto them yâ— is vsed to be spoken by the true proâ—erbe The dogge is turned to his domet agayn yâ—â—ow yâ— was washed is turned agayn to her waloing in yâ— mier These are they that promyse a certayn wonderfull and news doctrine where as they bryng nothyng worthy the profession of the Gospel being like welles that lacke water whereunto if a manne come athurst he can fynde nothing but mudde and claye and like vnto mysly clowdes that are dryuen hither and thâ—ther with the storme of wyndes and seme as they would geue rayne vnto the thrustye grounde where as for all that not so much as one droppe of holsome doctrine falleth from them They promyse the lyght of the Gospelles doctrine and wrappe those folkes in darkenes of errours whom euerlastyng darkenesse abydeth for in hell For whan with their lyeng woordes they speake of certayn great hygh matters with that hope entice and snare them whiche begynne to amende theyr condicions they deceaue them and wrappe them in the delites of the flesh the voluptuous pleasures of this life promysing that they wil delyuer other froÌ„ errour whaÌ„ they them selues are occupied in the greatest errours of al and promysing other men deliueraunce from synnes whan they them selues are the very bonde slaues of filthynes For of whosoeuer a maÌ„ is ouercome and at whose appoyntement he lyueth his bonde seruaunt he is called by right For it auayleth theÌ„ nothyng at all to haue ben once frely delyuered froÌ„ the bondage of synnes if they fall to the same state agayn by their own accorde but the bondage is so much the more vile and so muche the more wretched bicause it is procured without coÌ„straynt after the tasting of libertie That which was done amysse before the Gospell preached is a great parte long of errour and long of Ignoraunce But they whiche hauing once acknowlaged by the preachyng of the Gospell oure lorde and sauiour Iesu Christe haue through Baptisme renounced the filthynes of this world and professed a pure and an heauenly life if they be ouercome agayn with lustes and wrapped in theyr olde vncleanesse theyr baptisme doeth not only nothing helpe theÌ„ at al but also they are in worse state than they were before they knewe Christe For his offence is the lesse that synneth through ignoraunce And they shal bee the more greuously damned whiche haue enlarged the cryme of wikednes with the vice of vnthankefulnes Therfore it had ben better for them to haue not knowen the Gospelles doctrine at al whiche teacheth Innocencye and purenes than after they knewe and receyued it to swarue from the holy commaundement that was once deliuered vnto them For what other thing is befallen them than that which is truly vsed to bee spoken by a commune prouerbe The dogge â—losseth vp agayn that he hath once caste vp and the washen sowe turneth agayn to walowe her selfe in the myre It is but a lost labour for the dogge to haue purged his stomake with vomite if he take agayn that he cast vp And the sowe hath washed awaye her fowle stynking myre in cleane water in vayne if she by and by after she is washen returne to the soylinges that she had gone from The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ This is the seconde epistle that I now wryte vnto you beately beloued wherwith I stete vp your sincere mynde by puttyng you in remembraunce that ye maye be myndfull of the wordes which were tolde before of the holy prophetes and also the commaudement of vs whiche be Apostles of the Lorde and sauiour Thys fyrst vnderstande that were shall come in the laste dayes mockers in dysceatefulnes which wyll walke after theyr owne iustes and saye Where is the promes of his comming For sence the fathers â—yed all thinges continue in the same estate wherin they were at the beginnyng For thys they knowe not and that wylfully how that the heauens greate whyle ago were and the erth oure of the water appeared vp thorowe the water by the worde of God by the whiche thynges the worlde that then was peryshed beyng ouer runne with water But the heauens and erth which are now be kept by hys worde in store and reserued vnto fyre agaynst the daye of iudgement and perdicyon of vngodly men DEarely beloued these matters I beate in with many wordes vnto you and euen now in these myne other letters I warne you of the self same thing not that I doubt of the vprightnesse of your mynde but that you may haue in remembraunce more and more the thinge that you know and hold and do that you do with the more harty chearefulnes and constaunt stedfastnes You shall â—e in the lesse peril of hurting by their vngracious doctrine if you remeÌ„bre that it was spoken of by the holy prophetes in tymes paste whiche gaue warnyng to beware of this kynde of men And if you do remembre that we gaue the same precept whiche are the Apostles of the lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ who forhad that nomanne should geue eare to such as in stede of the Gospelles truth bring in pernicious doctrine This therfore knowe you fyrst of all that there shall come hereafter not preachers but mockers being connyngly furnyshed with sleightes and subtill deceates to beguyle the ignoraunt withall whiche shall not folowe those thynges that Christe taught vs but like as their life shall be after the lustes of their owne hart so shall they teache after their owne appetite those thinges that shal be fitte for suche a maner of life For inasmuche as theyr life is filthy they shall not be desyrous of the lordes commyng And for that cause sake shall they perswade bothe to them selues and others that he shal not come agayn and saye where is the promysed resurreccion where is the iudgement where are the sondrye sortes of rewardes according to the desertes of lyuing whan coÌ„meth he that is loked for
day by day in vayne For they shal thinke surely that he shall neuer come bycause hys commyng is put of for a tyme. What token saye they is there of the resurreccion Our fathers are dead one after an other and neuer one hathe risen agayn to life yet hytherto And like as sence the creacion of the worlde all thinges are engendred by the enterchaungable courses of the dyeng and of the lyuing euen so vnto thys tyme remayneth the same course of nature where as by mutacion of the worlde that hathe ben before we may gather that there shal be a newnes hereafter And like as the mutacion chaunced what tyme they loked not for it that lyued after theyr owne fylthy lustes euen so shall the nouacion happen whether we beleue it or not beleue it For thys thyng they are not ware of or as I suppose rather they dissemble to knowe that the heauens were created long a goe and also the earthe which the waters wherwith it was couered made bare a great power of waters also hanging alofte And whan mankynde was almoste altogether defiled with vices God being offended sent the flood and destroyed the world of that tyme reseruing only eight persons which had folowed InnoceÌ„cy This vniuersall iudgement God exercised at that tyme in pourgeing and renewing the earth through water Than the heauens contynue yet still as they were created and they are reserued to fyre by the whiche they shall also be purged in the daye of iudgement whan the wicked shal be destroyed by fyre like as in times paste they perished by water Forasmuche than as it is a thing moste certayn that that daye shall come it maketh no matter whether it come later or sooner This only standeth vs in hande to prouide for that when so euer it coÌ„meth it fynde not vs vnready We in out conceytes thinke some thinges leng some thinges shorte but vnto God there is nothing neyther shorte nor long In his promisses he foloweth not the appetites of vs but his owne eternall vnchaungeable decreed counsail vnto whome nothyng is â—â—â—â—er paste nor to come but al thinges are present But vnto vs what so euer he hâ—â—h promised he exhibeteth in the tune that he hath appointed before hande to him self For elles with him al is one whether there be one day past or a thousand yeares With the same faithful assurednes doeth he performe the thing whiche he performeth the later that he doeth the thyng he doeth more spedilyer For as concernyng him selfe he hathe performed euen nowe the thing that he hathe purposed to performe For he dooeth not chaunge his purpose and after the maner of delayers prorogue and put of his promyse as some falsly iudge of him measuring God after their own condicions but he prescribeth the space to be longer somtymes for your sake because vpon his tendre mercye and gentilnes he woulde haue none to perysh but is desitous to haue all men once to repent that those whiche peryshe haue no cause to fynde fault that they wanted space to chaunge their life in to better And that daye shall come vnloked for and shall come creping vpon men none otherwise than a thefe in the night cometh vpon them that are a sleape In that daye there shall be so greate violence of fyre that the heauens shall passe with a mightie greate force in to an other kinde But the elementes whervpon this lower world consisteth shal be dissolued with heate and fynally the earthe and the thinges therin conteyned shal bee butned with fyre and all the whole nature of thinges shal bee cleane purged And if it bee of necessitie that all thinges shal be so pure that these thinges shall also be dissolued whiche offende not howe muche standeth it vs in hande diligently to endeuour that that daye maye fynde vs throughly purged and vpright in all holynes of life and in all studious affayres of godlynes In the meane season this muste bee with muche spedynes forecaste that you be alwaye in a readynes whan so euer that daye shall come whose straight iudgement no manne shal bee hable to escape whiche shall suffre no thyng to be impure so muche that the heauens must be dissolued with fyre and the elementes constrayned to melt with heate And after this we loke accordyng to hys promisse for new heauens and a newe earthe that haue no corrupcion no fault that we in whome shal be no corrupt mynde maye haue the fruicion of them being vncorrupt The texte ¶ Dearly beloued be not ignoraunt of this one thing howe that one daye is with the Lorde as a thousande yeare and a thousande yeare as one daye The Lorde yâ— hath promised is not slacke as some men count slacknes but is pacient to vs warde for asmuch as he would haue no man lost but wyll receaue all men to repentaunce Neuertheles the day of the Lorde wyll come as a thefe in the night in the whiche daye the heauens shall passe awaye in maner of a tempeste and the elementes shall melte with heate the carthe also and the worckes that are therin shall burne Seyng then that all these thinges shall perysshe what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersacion and godlynes lokyng for and vasting vnto the commynge of the daye of God by whome the heauens shal perisshe with fyre and the elementes shall melt with heare Neuertheles we accordynge to his promes loke for a newe heauen and a new earth wherin dwelleth rightewesnes Wherfore dearly beloued seyng that ye loke for suche thinges be diligent that ye maye be fouÌ„de of him in peace without spotte and vndefyled And suppose that the longe sufferynge of the Lorde is faluacion euen as our dearely beloued brother Paule also accordinge to the wysedome geuen vnto him hath wrytten vnto you yea almoost in euery epistle speaking of suche thinges amonge whiche are many thinges harde to be vnderstande whiche they that are vniearned and vnstable peruert as they do also the other scriptures vnto their owne destruccion Ye therfore beloued seyng ye be warned afore hande beware lost ye with other men be also plucked awaye thorowe the erroure of the wycked and fal from your owne stedfastnes But growe in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ To whome be glory bothe nowe and for euer Amen Wherfore most dearely beloued brethren haue this so fearfull a iudgemeÌ„t alwayes before your eyes and geue dilygence that whan the lorde commeth he maye fynde you pure and vnblameable not onely before menne whose iudgemeÌ„tes are many tymes deceaued but also before hi. For he is pure in dede that is pure in the iudgement of God And althoughe paraduenture it be long ere that daye come construe it not so as thoughe he woulde not come at all but consydre that this tender sufferaunce of the lorde wherwith he geueth all men space to repent doeth care for mennes saluacion of whiche matters our mooste deare brother and folowe in office
that they vnderstande not On that other parte they are so sore cortupte with ryot and lecherous luste that in those thynges wherin brute beastes being quite without reason lyue well and temperately as in meate drynke and in carnall copulacion in these matters they behaue them selues moste vnthriftyly But woo bee vnto them that shall haue the commune rewarde to happen vpon them with those whose wikednes they folowe the example of For they set not Iesus Christ before their eies to take example at but Cayn that killed his owne brother vnto whome the myschieuous sore of enuie perswaded fyrst of al to doe murther and Balaam who being corrupt with lucre went about to curse the people whoÌ„ God had blessed also Chore who hauyng stered a conspiracie rose against Moses and with his sworne conspirours was by an horrible example quyte dispatched These are they which where you liue purely and chastely and embrace Gospelike charitie are as spottes disgraceing your company and where you fast they geue them selues to ryotous bankettinges one with an other Nether are they restrayned for reuerence or feare of any man from lycencious filthynes but without respecte rashly folowe that thing that pleaseth theyr own appetites And yet in these dedes doing they professe them selues to be teachers of the gospell and guydes to true vertue But they are like vnto cloudes whiche hang a loft and where as they woulde appeare to be disposed to rayne vpon the thyrsty grounde yet they are drye and haue no water to succour the grounde withall but are rashlye caryed about here awaye and there awaye with theyr owne vayne lustes beyng lyke vnto trees whiche in the later ende of corne hatuest be fayre blossomed and make a lyeng hope of fruite whan they muste wyther by and by not onely being all together vnfrutefull but also twyes dead in that they neyther haue life them selues vnto Gospellyke godlynes and drawe other with them into destruccion nether is there any more hope of life in the than trees plucked vp by the rotes wherin is no hope that they shall spryng agayne who inasmuche as they are vnquiet and geuen to sectes they alwayes with some maner of newe vproare dysturbe the quietnes of the congregacyon being like vnto the outragious waues of the sea that rushe them vp on hye and for all that they doe nothyng but caste abroade theyr owne rebukes and shames at other as much as in them lieth and are like vnto starres whiche whan they pretende with shewe of light to be guydes of the waye yet inasmuch as ther are raungers about and folow not constauntly that whiche is streighte but are led awaye by theyr owne affectes now hither now thyther they carye those that bee symple and incircumspecte into shipwrake These maner startes that set out them selues with a false feyned light in this world before men shal not escape the iudgement of God although he doe not nowe presently punysh them but reserueth them to the eternall darkenes of hell These men albeit they are risen vp in our tymes yet leste you should thinke that some new thyng were chaunced vnto you Enoch which was the seuenth from Adam prophecyed of them long agoe and of their tormentes which they must in tyme commyng suffre For he speaketh on this wise Beholde the lorde commeth with an innumerable multitude of his saynctes to practice iudgement agaynste all and to reproue all those that are wiked of all theyr dedes whiche they haue wikedly doone and of all thinges that they haue stubbernely and fearcely spoken agaynst him not only those that are naughty synfull lyuers but also the wiked and contumelious persones agaynste God For in dede they seing they measure yâ— felicitie of this life by the pleasure of the body beare impaciently if they fortune to haue affliccion or discommoditie nether are they afrayed to murmure agaynste God in theyr querilinges that he made manne after suche sorte that he should be but of shorte life that he should be endaungered to diseases wishing this life to be moste exceadingly long and out of daungier of displeasures because they haue no truste of the lyfe to come And yet where they can perceaue these so filthye and so vile matters in theyr myndes yet theyr mouth boasteth of certayn greate high matters and professeth a certayn wonderfull learned loue of wisedome where as they not onely serue voluptuousnes most vilest that may be but also handmaking of gaynes whiche thinge dooeth moste principâ—lly defile the doctrine of Christe For they speake not those thinges that the trueth of the Gospel teacheth but the thinges that are pleasaunt and acceptable to them whom they hope to get any vauntage by Agaynst the poore they are tyrannes but towardes the ryche they are very clawbackes The malice of these men shall the lesse encombre you dearly beloued if ye remembre that it was tolde before hande in tymes paste of the other of the Apostles of our lord Iesu Christe namely of Paule and Peter For they tolde vs that in the later tymes there shoulde rise vp mockers that shoulde defyle the most pure doctrine of Christe with theyr wiked gredynes not lyuing after the rule of the Gospell but after theyr owne wiked and abominable affectes And them a manne maye knowe by thys marke Wheras other that lyue after the spirite of Christe and hauyng contemned earthy thinges set theyr studie vpon heauenly thynges agree in one quiet concorde these stiere vp dissencions because they bee worldelinges and geuyng them selues in to the seruice of worldly affectes and voyde of the spirite they hunt after voluptuous pleasures seke to reigne aloft and scrape after lucre And those that set theyr myndes vpon these matters are not fitte for Christen concorde For they had rather disturbe the tranquilitie of the flocke than to bee brought in to ordre But as for you deare brethren that are spirituall see you geue diligence that you maye be more and more as lyuing stones heaped together in to the buylding of God cleauing fast to the sure foundacion of your moste holy sacred faithe Once you were perswaded that the godly shoulde not want theyr rewardes how sore so euer they are afflycted here in this life require not rewarde therfore in this worlde and the wiked should not faile of theyr deserued tormentes couet not to reuenge your selues And therfore make earnest cryâ—ng for the helpe of God continually with pure and spirituall prayers and preserue you euery one other with mutuall concorde and mutuall charitie For God heareth none but those that be of one harte Nether put you any distrust if you be turmoyled sondry wayes in this worlde for Christes sake â–ª but loke for the mercie of God to be exhibited not in this life but in the lyfe that neuer shall ende In the meane season hauyng consideracion of the persones geue you diligence to saue al men some gently and frendely in calling them agayn vnto better purpose and the other saue
with feare as if you catched them out of the fire and hate not yâ— meÌ„ but this carcas defiled with yearthy affectes wherwith mans mynde is burthened and defiled as it were a cote soyled in filthe And it is conuenient to amende other mens faultes so much the more gentlie in that no man being conuersaunt in this sely body can chose but bee vncleane For that is not in the power of man leste any manne should boastingly chalenge prayse to him selfe but all glorye might empire and power bee onely vnto God our sauiour through Iesus Christ our lord not onely in this world but before all worldes and in all ages to come for euer euer For in dede there is none but god alone that is hable to geue thys vnto those that labour for it that although being enuironed with the sely frayle body the world calleth you on euery side away froÌ„ the purpose of godlynes yet you kepe your selues Innocent still to the ende that not onely meÌ„ can fynd nothing in your maners to fynde faulte at but also that you are ordayned such in the sight of Goddes Maiestie that he is displeased with nothyng in you whiche seeth the moste inwarde passages of your myndes And whan that shall come to passe you shall reioyce and be glad in the commyng of our lorde Iesu Christ whan other shall make heauy cheare whiche seme in the meane space to lyue swetly And that thys maye so be prayer ought to bee made with all earnest desyres Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon Iude. The Argument of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of Sainct Iames thapostle IAmes forasmuche as he was the bishop of Hierusalem writeth also to the residue of the Iewes that wer scattred abroade and dwelt throughout al nacions enformyng and instructing them with sondry preceptes howe to ordre their lyues The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the canonicall Epistle of S. Iames. The fyrste Chapter The texte ¶ Iames the seruaunt of God and of the Lord Iesus Christe sendeth gretinge to the xii trybes whiche are scatered abroade My brethren count yt for an exceadynge â—oye when ye fall into diuers remptacions knowyng thys that the trying of your faithe gendreth pacience and let pacience haue her parfecte worke that ye maye be parfect sounde lackynge nothynge If eny of you lacke wysoome let him aske of hym that geueth it euen God which geueth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth and it shal be geuen him But let hym aske in fayth and wauer not For he that douteth is lyke a waue of the sea whiche is tost of the wyndes and caryed with vyolence Nether let that manne thynke that he shall receaue eny thynge of the Lord. A wauerynge mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes Let the brother whiche is of lowe degre reioyce whan he is eralted Agayne let hym that is ryche reioyce whan he is made lowe For euen as the flower of the grasse shal he passe away For as the sunne ryseth with heat and the grasse widdereth and his flower falleth awaye and the beawâ—y of the fassion of it perysheth euen so shall the ryche manne peryshe in hys wayes Happy is the manne that eudureth temptacion for when he is tryed he shall receaue the crowne of lyfe whiche the Lorde hathe promysed to them that loue hym IAmes that in tymes paste was a worshipper of Moses lawe and now the worshipper and seruauÌ„t of God the father who after the Gospell is set forthe requireth to bee worshipped in spirite and of his sonne Iesu Christe out lorde writeth this Epistle bothe to all them that are reconed to be of Christes profession and namely to those whoÌ„e the storme of persecucion which was raised after the death of Stephane scattred abroade some one waye some another of all the kynreddes of the people of the Iewes which were dryuen awaye out of theyr auncetours possessions but not dryuen downe from the feloweship of the Gospell which were cast out of theyr owne houses but not caste out of the congregacion of Christ wishing vnto them true healthe not this health of the bodye only which the worlde wisheth for but that healthe which Christe geueth vnto those that his are euen in the myddle of destruccions and deathes Forasmuche as the commune profession of the Gospell forasmuche as all one baptisme maketh vs very brethren seing that amonge those that be brethren in dede there ought to bee a feloweship bothe in matters of gladnes and of sadnes this sorowfull calamitie which you abyde woulde greue my mynde exceadingly sore if I had not an assured confidence of youre godlynes For I am not ignoraunt that vnto theÌ„ whtch measure their felicity by the pleasures of this life banyshment is more paynfully greuous than deathe and that it serueth to be the wretchedest thing that may be for a man to be plucked from his moste deare frendes and being driuen out of their olde auncient possessions to be straungers in forayn countryes But as for you whiche haue reposed wholy all blessednes in only Christe and loke for your felicitie not in thys worlde but in the worlde to come it behoueth you to bee moste farre of from their iudgement For God sendeth not these thinges vpon displeasure but vpon hys exceading moste pitie for this purpose doubtles that through temporall affliccions whiche you suffre vndeseruedly your pacience myght bothe become the more notable and youre rewarde the more abundaunte to thyntent that as ofte as you are tossed on euery syde with sondry stormes of sorowes you shoulde not only vnderstande that you ought not to caste downe your hartes as though God had forsaken you but rather that you ought with all youre harte to reioyce that by this euident token God loueth you and cateth for you in that he tryeth youre pacience whiche if it contynue stedfast and geue not place to any assaultes of sorowes it shall doubtles euidently appeare to bee a sure grounded foundacion of a Gospellike faithe For excepte you were vtterly perswaded that the reward of Immortalitie is ordayned for them that here in this worlde are afflicted for the glory of Christes sake you would not willingly and with mery chearefull stomakes suffre so much sorowes Than seing that God woulde haue our saluacion to be moste chiefly ascribed vnto faithe this apperteyneth to the glory of the Gospell that men maye throughly perceaue by sure argumentes that your faithfull truste is no commune tryflyng nether wauering faithe but a strong stedfaste and an inumctble faithe For the thinge that is counterfaicte or vayne or feble is moued out of place whan the storme of sorowes cometh blustreing in But that muste nedes be true and of a sure grounde that is nether ouercome nor beaten awaye with banyshmente nor with pouertie ne with despitefull entreating ne with priâ—oninges ne with whippes nether yet with deathe it self It is counpted a wouderful constancye of â—uynde if a man paciently suffer vnlucky fortune with an
stoare in heauen but as sone as thy backe is turned frō the preacher thou rūnest on with al thy forcasting studies to muckre vp ryches thou carest not how by hoke or by croke as though thou beleuedest that godlynes should not be rewarded after this life And if any among you thinke him selfe wonderous deuout if he kepe hys handes from stealynge and from fighting and other vyces and yet for all that refrayne not hys tongue from backbyting mysreportes from scoldinges from filthie talkinges nether his harte from vncleane thinkinges hys deuocion is vnprofitable vnfrutefull Perchaūce he is not punished by mans lawes that only talketh of whoredome though he doe it not yet he is become an whoremonger before God that in his minde hath cōmitted whoredōe He suffreth no punishment of men that coueteth an other mans good if he may escape vnpunished but he is giltie of thefte before God y◠hath conceaued thefte in his minde We are estemed after y◠manifest dedes before menne for they see not the mynde But God loketh vpon the inwarde affeccions of the mynde and estemeth vs after them A corrupt mynde is vsed for the moste parte to hurst out in to the tongue Among Christen people a reuiling woorde is a kynde of manslaughter but this is playne that true godlynes can in no wise agree with racklenes of tongue Nether yet is it sufficience vnto Christian religion to haue absteyned from synnyng it behoueth also to abounde in good workes For in dede bonde seruauntes absteyne from doing euill yea for feare of punyshment but those that are right children it becometh to haue loue whiche is no idle loytring matter but effectually working and putteth forthe it selfe frely without compulsion to dooe euery good worke But some woulde saye what dedes than are those that make vs ryght religious in dede Those that smell of the Iewes secte set furthe the prayse of religion in Palles and wyde robes in choise of meates in washinges in longe prayers and other ceremomes which are sometymes not altogether to be contemned if by them as by signes we be warned of those thinges whiche are the propre own matters of godlines but thei are pernicious ware yf a man thinke that he is made religious by meane of thē where as of them selues without exposicion they make a man rather an hipocrite Howbeit the obseruing of thē semeth a religious deuoute matter among men that wickedly repose godlines in visible thinges whiche perchaunce are signes of godlynes but not the cause of godlynes seing that of them selues they are nether good nor euill onles they seme to be suche either through custome or in the opinion of menne where as true godlynes is in the inwarde myndes and expresseth it selfe by farre more certaine sure signes than by ceremonies Will you therfore heare what is true religion with God the father whiche estemeth you not after the iudgement of manne Doubtles thys is the pure and vndefyled religyon that like as we haue by experience proued bothe the mercie and liberall goodnes of God towardes vs euen so muste we agayne bee bothe mercyfull and frendely liberall towardes our neighbour and that not vpon any hope of mutuall good turne to be requited to vs agayne but of a mere and a pure vpright loue loking for the rewarde of our wel doing at the handes of none other but of God whiche is contente to haue it reconed to bee done to him selfe what so euer we bestowe for his sake vpon our brother He is a godly and a pure man among the Iewes that toucheth not caryon that is washed with quycke rennyng water but with God he is godly and pure that succoureth the fatherles children and wydowes in theyr trouble that releueth hys oppreste brother and helpeth the nedye with money Among the Iewes he is vncleane that eateth swynes fleshe But with God he is vncleane whose mynde is infected and defieled with the gredye lustes of thys worlde But a manne will saye what be those lustes In the iudgement of the worlde he is counted vile that is poore And he the more honestlie set by that hathe moste possession of riches and for that cause theyr speciall carke and care is to get to them selues the moste substaunce of money He is reconed a lowete and a henneharted rascall that maketh no querell whan wrong is done vnto him He is counted a foole that doeth a good turne for a badde He is estemed a Ioly ruffler that geueth him selfe to excessyue ryot and he is counted a flyncher that foloweth sobrietie He is taken for a gaye felowe that swelleth in haultynes and loketh an heigth ouer menne of lower estimacion He is counted happye that hathe his matter to succede in this worlde after hys owne purpose that floweth in delicacies and voluptuous pleasures and serueth his paunche and glotonie These are the thinges that in dede make a mannes soule wicked and vncleane and he that absteyneth from them is a religious manne whosoeuer is whosoeuer is not in the sight of God the father who hathe exempted vs from earthy thinges and called vs to heauenly thynges and from the thinges that shall perishe and are casuall vnto the thinges that are eternall and hathe taught vs to esteme the worthynes of manne by the thynges that are good in dede and in all that we haue to doe to geue respecte to none other purpose but to hys glorye at whose only handes the requitall of well doynges is to be trusted for And he doeth not requite the offices of true godlynes with transitorye and sone peryshing rewardes as thys worlde is wonte to doe but he geueth blessednes that neuer shall dye It is a homely person it is a poore body whom thou bestowest thy good turne vpō he is not hable to requite the but yet for al that it is farre better to bestowe it vpon him than vpon an other how ryche or of how greate power so euer he be whiche can requite no profit agayne but a slender one and that but for a small season where as for the reliuing of thy pore brother Christ layeth vp in stoare life euerlasting The .ii. Chapter The texte My brethren esteme not the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lorde of glory with respecte of persons For yf there come into your company a man wearing a golden ryng clothed in goodly apparell and there come in also a poore manne in vyle rayment and ye haue a respect to hym that weareth the gaye clothynge and saye vnto him Syt thou here in a good place and saye vnto the poore stande thou there or syt here vnder my fote stole are ye not parciall in youre selues and haue iudged after euyll thoughtes Harken my deare beloued brethren Hath not God chosen the pore of thys worlde soch as are rych in fayth and heyres of the kyngdome whiche he promysed to them that loue hym But ye haue despysed the pore Do not riche men execute tyrannye vpon you and drawe you
losse of his onely begotten sōne If we loue our neighbour in a semblable wyse than the loue of God is perfite in vs declaryng also that God hymselfe is in vs. Lyke as all one spirite knytteth the membres of the body together and maketh them one body euen so the spirite of god doeth in a maner glue together and knytte bothe vs with hym and euery one to other and as it were dryueth perforce all into one And yf the spirite of god which inspireth into our heartes y◠loue of our neighbour be stronge in vs doubtles we knowe by thys token bothe that we abyde in God and God lykewyse in vs. Therefore he is an enemie vnto loue that denyeth Iesus to be the sonne of God whiche gaue hymselfe to redeme mankind But of this matter we were euen lookers vpō we sawe it with our eies we hearde it with our eares we handled it with our handes and of a matter so many waies prouedly knowē we beare witnes to the whole worlde that god sent his sonne to saue the world with his death in case it woulde repent from his olde errours and ordre the life of it from henceforthe accordyng to the rule of the gospell For he dyd not onely sende hym to saue the nacion of the Iewes but he gaue hym also to be a sauiour to al the whole worlde He therfore that confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god whom the prophetes had prophecied before shoulde come he abydeth in God and god in him For he knoweth the trueth and embraceth loue He acknowlageth not the loue of God towarde him that doeth no expresse it in his neighbour But as for vs we haue both knowen by experience and beleue with our harte and confesse wyth oure mouthe and expresse in oure workes the dedes that God hath bestowed vnto vs. It remaineth that we shoulde perseuer in that whiche is begonne and not to offende so as God be not bothe plucked awaye from vs and wee drawen awaye from God God as I sayed before is loue Therfore he that continueth styll in loue continueth styll in God and God lykewyse in hym because the mutuall knotte of the spirite of God abideth Wyl you also haue an other token geuen you whereby you maye trye whether the loue of god bee perfite in you If we know our owne conscience to be good and that we dreade not the daye of iudgement wherein they shall be seperated from Christe that haue not folowed Christ They shall quake when they shal heare that horrible voyce Departe from me But we looke for that daye with a trusty boldenes that is to were knowyng to our selues y◠lyke as he was conuersaunt in the world euen so are we also in the worlde He toke no maner of spotte of the worlde but cleansed the worlde from it owne fylthynes and drewe it as muche as in hym was into hys purenes Euen so wee also to oure powers are not onely not mingled with y◠worlde but also we rather driue it with teachyng of the gospell and chaste examples of lyfe vnto Christe The dreade of goddes iudgemente spryngethe out of an euyll conscience Feare therfore agreeth not with loue For loue encreaseth assured confidence which yf it be perfite shal dryue quite out of minde al feare But it is glad as often as that daye of iudgemente commeth in his mynde first hauyng a very good opinion of the good God and hauing it selfe a good conscience Loue causeth gladnes feare causeth formentynge sorowefulnes Moreouer he that is afrayed declareth hymselfe therin not yet to be perfite in loue As much as wāteth vnto loue so much encreaseth to feare For he is afrayed lest he shall not fynde God the iudge mercyfull vnto hym seyng he shewed hymselfe vntractable vnto his neighbour That daye shal openly declare who hath bene a true louer in thys worlde We loue God and no meruaile seyng he first loued vs. For we coulde not be hable to loue hym excepte he drewe vs vnto hymselfe with hys loue Thys same therefore that we loue God is hys benefite Finally in that we loue God we testifie it in louinge oure neighbour in whome he wyll be loued If a man wyll saye I loue God when he hateth hys brother he is a lyar For when the wycked of whom for the moste parte they doe not onely not loue God but also they beleue not that God is yet for al y◠they after a sort loue their neighbour either because he is their kynsman or ailiaunce or because he is acquaynted and familiar with them or at the leaste because man seeth the other to be a man lyke as the very beastes loue euery one hys own kynd by the instincte of nature howe shall he loue God whome he hath not sene at any tyme whan he hateth hys neyghboure whom he seeth Furthermore howe standethe it together that he loueth God that passeth not vpon the commaundementes of God If a man woulde crye I loue the kyng and for al y◠setteth naught by the kynges proclamacions would there any man beleue hym we haue thys speciall commaundement of oure Emperoure that he whiche loueth God shoulde also loue hys brother whether he bee good or badde Yf he be good let hym loue Christ in hym yf he be badde let hym loue hym to thys ende that he maye be conuerted vnto Christ The .v. Chapter The texte Whosoeuer beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God And euery one that loueth hym whiche begat loueth hym also whiche was begotten of hym By thys we knowe that we loue the children of God when we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For thys is the loue of God that we kepe hys commaundementes and hys commaundementes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And thys is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whiche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This Iesus Christ is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water and bloude And it is the spirite that beareth witnes because the spirite is trueth For there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and the holy ghost And these thre are one And there are thre whiche beare recorde in earth the spirite and water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receyue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater For thys is the witnes of God that is greater whiche ▪ he testifie of his sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of God hath the witnes in himselfe He that beleueth not god hath made hym a lyar because he beleued not the record that god gaue of his son And thys is the recorde howe that God hath geuen vnto vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not the sonne of god hath not lyfe WHo soeuer beleueth that Iesus is
the seuen starres and is the gouernoure of heauen and earth is all one thinge Namely yâ— Messias whiche was before the beginninge of the world the sauiour of al the faithfull our Lorde Iesus Christ Thiatira is a Cathedrall churche and one of the most notable cities in Lydia This churche dothe yâ— spirite of Christ commende and prayse as well for dyuerse vertues as also for waxing bygge and increasyng in them But he rebuketh the synne of the heades and ouerseets which are so neglygent that they doe not roote out nor reforme certen wyckednes As are the seruice and honouring of ydols and fals goddes and other hyghe blasphemies which doe alwayes accompany and wayte vpon ydolatrye Whiche thing is sygnified by the wycked and supersticious woman Iesabell Of this woman reade more in the first of the kynges in the. xviii and. xxii Chapter and in the. ii of the kynges in the. ix and. x. Chapter How she al her posteritie were so greuously punished of god And againe reade the. xiiii Chapter of ye. v. boke of Eusebyus concernynge Montanus his heresies and than shalte thou vnderstande this place muche better The texte And all the coÌ„gregacyons shal knowe that I am he which searcheth yâ— reynes and hertes And â— wyll geue vnto euery one of you accordinge vnto his worckes Vnto you I saye and vnto other of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learnynge and which haue not knowen the depâ—nes of Satan as they saye I wyl put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue alreadye Holde fast tyll I come and whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my worckes vnto the ende to him wyl I geue power ouer nacions and he shal rule them with a rodde of yron and as the vessels of a porter shal they be brokeÌ„ to sheuers â—â—uen as I receaued of my father so wyll I geue him the mornynge starre Let him yâ— hathe eares heare what the sprete sayth to the congregacions This rightuous dreadfull and seuere iudgement of god shall the faithfull knowledge and prayse And shal kepe them selues from suche blasphemies and preuent the wrath and indignacioÌ„ of god and obey folowe his wel for as muche as they heare and parceaue that god is one that knoweth the pryuities of all hartes and all the wycked frutes that spryng out of them and that they shall with all iustyce and equite be punyshed But those whiche eyther at Thiatira or els where do stycke and cleaue stedfastly vnto the worde and wyll of god forsakynge the wycked fynde and refusynge to haue any thing with hym to doe those woulde I not haue ouerladen sayeth god with outwarde ceremonyes and with Iewyshe ordinaunces For faith and loue accordynge vnto the doctrine of the gospell and agreable vnto the same shall be sufficient for them before me bothe for their saluacion and also for a christen and a godly lyfe For that is the seruice which pleaseth me and whiche I wil rewarde Whiche seruice also the very heathen whan they see it shal confesse and knowledge it to be good and godly and to be the very true and ryght gods seruice and beyng ouercome in their infidelyte and mysbelefe they shall fynde in their hartes to consent vnto it and to receyue it and so shall be obedient vnto the gospell forsakynge all their heathnysshe maners and al false gods seruice Euen as the holy prophetes haue sayde long synce that it should come to passe and that the grace and mercy of god was also promysed vnto the heathen thorowe Christe that was to come That they also at length with one harte and mynde should beholde yâ— mornyng starre Christ and his holsome gospell and shoulde in this lyfe thorowe faithe and after this lyfe in the euerlastynge kyngdome of Christ in the heauenly Ierusalem receyue the fruicion of euerlastynge and eternall riches with god and al his electe And in the ende he geueth them an earnest exhortacion to doe good and to esche we euyll that they maye obteyne saluacion and auoyde damnacion as he dothe lykewyse in other places The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the messenger of the congregacion that is at Sardis this sayeth he that hathe the seuen spirires of god and the seuen starres I know thy worckes thou hast a name that thou lyuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges whiche remayne that are readie to dye For I haue not founde thy worckes perfecte before my god Remember therfore how thou hast receaued and hearde and holde fast and repente If thou shalt not watche I wyll come on the as a theâ—e and thou shalte not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon the. AL this dothe Christe speake which is ful of al gyftes of yâ— holy goost without measure dystributeth the same gyftes thorow his spirite vnto all churches to all faythfull ouerseers of the christeÌ„ congregacioÌ„ No hipocrisye nor outwardeshyne of godnes thoughe it be neuer so ful of pompe or solemnitie is of any value before god He wyll haue faith and loue whiche are the pythe and strength of lyfe as infydelitie is of death But this faythe loue must no man vse nor haue for him selfe a lone but he must also moue and further other men vnto the same thorow his instruccioÌ„ good example of lyfe and thorow praier But alas there is great lacke of true faith in the churche whiche thynge maye well be perceyued by the workes and fruites which are sene and appeare For there is but lytle earnest zeale and feruentnes sene in furtherynge of true vertue and godlynes and of the true honour of god done of a pure conscience or in folowynge and practisynge the doctrine of the gospell receyued of the apostles There is but lytle zeale I say in professynge folowynge of this gospell in worde and lyfe together There are but fewe whiche whan they spye any thing amysse in them selues doe earnestlye studye to reforme and amende it or inforce them selues with dilygence to lyue in all godlynes and continuallye to be founde wakynge in vertuous exercyses as it were necessarye for al faythfull to be seyng the glorious commynge of Christ shal sodenly come vpoÌ„ them they can not tell howe soone The texte ¶ Thou hast a few names in Sardis whiche haue not defyled theyr garmentes and they shall walke with me in whyte for they are worthye He that ouercometh shal be thus clothed in whyte araye and I wyll not put out his name out of the booke of lyfe and I wyl confesse his name before my father and before his angels Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayth vnto the congregacions There is but a small nomber amonge you whiche doe lyue innocently and godlye studyeng dyligently to lyue after my wyll and pleasure But this small nombre is worthye of great honour wherwith I shal also indewe them as with blessed immortalitie eternall saluacion of my mere grace mercye aboue al desertes
clothed with a cloude and the raynebowe vpon his hed And his face as it were yâ— Sunne and his feâ—e as it were pyllers of fyre and he had in his hande a lytle boke open and he put his right fote vpon the sea and his lefte fote on the yearth And cried with a loude voyce as when a Lion roreth And when he had cried vii thonders spake their voyces And when the seuen thonders had spoken their voyces I was about to write And I hearde a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Seale vp those thinges which the. vii thonders spake and write theÌ„ not THis strong angel can sygnifye none other thing but our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche reueled suche a vision vnto S. Iohn for the profyte and comfort of the faithfull churche and congregacion and for a warnyng vnto the synfull world For he it is whiche in suche an euil tyme and in suche great perplexyte and dangerous warrefare of the christen churche vpon earth commeth downe from heauen to ayde and succour it according vnto his promes And he appeareth vnto S. Iohn euen as thoughe he were commynge downe from heauen clothed with a very manyfest and visible cloude whiche signifyeth his holy manhode euen as he went vp also vnto heauen and dwelleth with vs with his grace ayde and prouydence The raynebowe sygnifieth his heauenly imperious crowne and his gracious gouernauÌ„ce ouer his faithful electe for the whiche he is carefull and sorowfull with mercye and daylye ayde in all thinges necessarye and expedient for them His face and countenaunce is bryght pleasant and full of mercye euen lyke vnto the sonne For he himselfe is the sonne of the worlde that is to saye the comfort delyght ioye and felicitie of all faithful And againe mighty stronge and rightuous in all his iudgementes towardes yâ— godlesse and wicked whiche he stampeth in peces and burneth them with fire that can neuer be quenched This same Iesus Christ our Lorde and sauiour is come againe from heauen with his lytle meke euangelycall booke namely with the newe testament in the whiche the olde is also comprehended This booke is contemptuous and of no estimacion vnto the sage wyse philosophers highe lerned doctors and pompous proude prelates in so muche that it was cleane lost out of the tempelles for a great space euen as it was in yâ— tyme of Ieremye the prophete beyng songe yearely in their monasteries colleges as their vowes and rules wherunto they were sworne required but without all maner of vnderstandynge or feruentnes of the spirite whiche should be sought and necessarilie required in holy scripture This boke dothe Christ bring â–ª being garnisshed not outwardly with golde siluer and precious stones for a face and a shewe onely so that no man can reade in it as thoughe it were sufficient onely to kysse it but he shal bring it open that euery man maye reade and vnderstaÌ„de it in their owne mother tong and also in all scholes where children are taught He it is that is come into this worlde and hath set his feete vpon al the earth and also in the Iles of the sea whiche were before vnknowen â–ª euen lyke as the true faithe also was which was readyly ioyfully receyued of them whiche before knewe nothing at all and were more ignorant and vnlearned than they that came from the grecians and Romaynes Whiche thing maye be vnderstanden by the left and the right foote And what maye better be vnderstanden by the loude voyce than the great noyse which the holy Byble maketh at suche tyme as it is spred abrode in all speches and tonges ouer hundrethes and thousandes of people in so short tyme to the great wonder and meruell of all faithfull and to the hyghe furtheraunce and edyfieng of the christen doctrine and of the knowledge of God and to the vtter confusion and feare of the whole diuilyshe and hellyshe flocke and congregacion euen as a Lyon of the stocke of Iuda And immediately therupon came vii thonders that is to saye the moost godly and christen interpreters of holy scripture were famous throughout the whole worlde as were these Ambrose Austen Ierom Gregory Cypriane Hylarie and diuerse other whiche in our tyme haue written and taught as excelleÌ„tly and profytablye in the churche and congregacion of Christ as euer they dyd These haue taught and brought into lyght the worde of God very purely and sincerely notwithstandyng whatsoeuer the schole writers and sophysters the pompous byshops and monkyshe mumry haue many yeres decreed dyuised to the contrary with their vncerten and vnstable doctrine fayned ceremonyes fonde tradicions newe strange articles of the faythe whiche haue no grounde in gods worde and cleane contrarye bothe to the vsage and also to the doctrine of the holy auncient fathers in the prymatiue churche And where it is nowe added that it shoulde not be written what these thonders spake let other vnderstande it as they wyll I thinke and coniecture that it is a prophecye of the noble and excellent gyfte of God yâ— science of Prynting geuen first vnto the Germaynes whiche were estemed the moost rude and barbarous people By and thorowe whome not onely the newe testament hath bene renewed interpreted translated euen out of the very naturall fountaine tong wherin it was wrytten but also the whole olde testament out of yâ— holy Hebrew tong Besydes this all these before named many other teachers and wryters of the holy churche went first out into the worlde and bothe with worde and deede noysed abrode the power of the gospell so that the renewynge therof can not be ascribed vnto those onely whiche preache and teache in our tyme but vnto the holy bysshops of the primatyue churche whiche preached and taught first of all throughout the whole christendome where as now all our bysshops for the moost parte are domme and blynde in all godly doctrine vtterly drowned in worldly pompe lustes pleasures and in all wicked dyssolutenes The texte ¶ And the Angell whiche I sawe stande vpon the sea vpon the earth lyfte vp his hande to heauen and sware by him that lyueth for euer more whiche created heauen the thinges that therin are and the sea and the thinges whiche therin are that there should be no lenger tyme but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shall begynne to blowe euen the mysterye of God shal be fynished as he preached by his seruauntes the prophetes Christe taketh anothe and sweareth by God his heauenly father euen with great earnest feruencye and holynes that the tyme of his glorious laste comminge to iudge all the worlde bothe quicke and dead is nowe alreadye nighe and at hande And whan the victorye that was prophecyed to be fulfylled of Antichrist which victorye the seuenth angel Christ him selfe or his spirite that was yet to come in Helyas before the last daye must blowe forth accordinge vnto his office were once past than
of the churche and to the true vnderstandynge of the truth in all landes and nacions of the earth than euer they dyd in their lyfe tyme as it is euydent that it so happened vnto the holy prophetes and martirs And than shal all the wicked enemies and contemners of the worde of god and of Christes true religion treÌ„ble and feare the iudgement of god not vnworthely and they shall vndoutedly receiue their due rewarde that they haue deserued for the extreme cruelty whiche they haue shewed and declared against the faythfull ministers and seruauntes of God Whiche rewarde they shal receyue with feare tremblynge sorowe smart and paine despaire and with euerlasting shame and confusion folowing Whether any suche thinge hath hitherto or maye hereafter happen let euery true christen harte that trusteth in the mercye of god well consyder and wey by him selfe ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte ¶ And the seuenth angell blewe and there were made great voyces in heauen saying the kyngdoms of this worlde are our lordes and his Christes he shall raygne for euer more And the .xxiiii. elders whiche syt before God on their seates fell vpon their faces worshipped God sayinge we geue the thankes O Lorde God almightye which arte and wast and art to come for thou hast receaued thy great might and hast raigned And the nacions were angry and thy wrath is come and the tyme of the dead that they shoulde be iudges and that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruauntes the prophetes Sainctes and to them that feare thy name small and great and shouldest destroye them whiche destroye the earth AL this maye be well referred vnto the texte and vision that went before to this purpose that after all matters before mencioned once past there shoulde be an vniuersall godlynes and christen order eyther thorowe the generall preaching of the gospel thorow out yâ— who le world or els thorow the godly lyfe peace and felicitie whiche maye be at that tyme vpon earth As it is possible inoughe thorowe the grace of god and many good christen heartes doe trust and hope that it shall come to passe Or els it maye be vnderstande after the last iudgement of our sauiour Christ of the quietnes whiche shall than immediately folowe after the cruell persecucion of Antichrist as this blessed and comfortable angel preacheth and declareth with his trompet For sure it is that before the latter daye the kyngdome of Christ shall appeare and be receyued of all nacions and yles of the earth euen of the Iewes also whiche at length shal receyue knowledge of their errour and shall confesse their obstinacy and the wickednes of their belefe and conuersacion whaÌ„ they shall see the grace and knowledge of God manifestly reueled in all tongues and speches thorowe the holy worde of god and shal perceyue the kyngdome of Christ the true Messias not to consist in the strayght and narow corner of Canaan nor in the vnhappy citie of Ierusalem whiche is vnhappye by reason of the dyuision and vnquietnes that is in it but in the whole wyde worlde wherin shall be one onely felowshyp and congregacion of the seruauntes of the onely one and almyghtie god whom alone all the holy prophetes of whose faythe the Iewes haue alwayes made so highe boast haue honoured and praysed and lyke wyse the whole regiment and flocke of theirs and the whole worldes Messias and Sauiour whiche was before the creation of the worlde and hath appeared in the worlde in al humylite more than .xv. hundreth yeares almoost longer than the lawe of Moyses dyd endure and continue among the Iewes from the tyme of their delyueraunce out of Egipte vntyll the commynge of Christ whan he toke his manhode in the tyme of the reygne of Herode whan as their regiment and gouernaunce toke an ende What lyes soeuer they feyne of their lande and regyment in Vtopia whiche they name Caspâ—a wherof they must shortly be a shamed and holde their peace and confesse their deceyte falsehede presumpcion damnable lyes of their Talmude of all their false myserable blynde guydes and Rabbynes whose falsehede is nowe open and manyfest vnto all the worlde for as muche as their bokes are made common thorowe the benefyte of printynge vnto all men of learnynge and knowledge So that this myserable people as the holy apostle S. Paule prayeth hath that thing fulfylled vnto them whiche they hoped for and whiche was promysed of God in their tyme vnto their generacion Euen so maye it come to passe vpon earth and that right sone that the honour and glorye of the kyngdome of Christ and of God shall appeare which shal rule for a tyme vpon earth and after yâ— latter iudgement in heauen in euerlastynge blisse As than al holy patriarkes prophetes apostles and all the martirs that euer haue bene shall haue honour and glorye whiche they shall offre vp vnto the euerlastinge and very true God in the sight of all Goddes electe in euerlastinge blisse in yâ— kyngdome of God and of his Messias our sauiour Iesus Christ according to the doctrine of the infallyble moost true word of god But the wicked and vngodly heathen shall haue no part of this honour glorye and blisse but shall suffer and be damned euerlastingly in eternall wrath enuy hatred malyce and despayre For suche is the righteous iudgement of God ouer all men bothe quicke and deade good and bad Euery one shall be rewarded accordyng to his workes and desertes after the iust iudgement of almyghtye God without all maner of parcialytie or respecte of persons whether they be of high or lowe estimacion in the worlde whether they be riche or poore and of what lande or contrey so euer they be For than the holy and faithful shal receiue of Christ euerlasting saluacion for their trust faith and loue towarde God and contrarye wyse the wicked and vngodly tyrannes aduersaries persecutours of the faithfull seruantes of God for their obstinate blyndnes infydelitie and contemninge of Goddes holy wyll and worde shall peryshe for euer and shall remayne euerlastingly cursed and damned withal wicked spirites Thus farre as semeth vnto me doe the visions and prophecies reache that are hetherto past and mencioned in this boke But nowe that whiche foloweth is another reuelacion pertayning to an other tyme. For a man must not seeke any other order of yâ— scripture in this boke whiche is compact together of many and diuerse visions without any obserued order than in other writinges of the prophetes as they that are learned doe knowe well ynoughe The texte ¶ And the temple of god was opened in heauen and there was sene in his temple the arcke of his testament and there folowed lyghtnynges and voyces and thondrynge and earthquake and muche hayle Here might the .xii. chapter well begynne and these wordes myght be vnderstande and taken for a preparacion vnto the very glorious and newe reuelacioÌ„ which is nowe as I sayde before opened vnto
their wickednes without repentaunce and neuer returning backe vntil their last howre vntyll their very death than is it not possyble but that their damnacion begon here in this worlde in all myschefe wickednes and without sorowe repentance or amendment leauynge example vnto their posterite to committe and to maynteyne lyke wickednes it is not possible I saye but that the smoke of their payne torment shall ascende vp from euerlasting to euerlastinge without any maner of rest daye or night with all those which dyd euer helpe vnto suche vngodlynes or consent vnto it opened such a dore vnto wickednes and woulde be extolled and praysed therfore with their Antichristes marke contrarye to the holy token of gods electe whiche they haue in their foreheades namely the holy worde of God for the whiche they haue suffered muche payne and opprobrye but with excedynge great pacience for Iesus sake The texte ¶ And I hearde a voyce from heauen sayinge vnto me wryte Blessed are the deed which herafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite that they rest from their laboures but their worckes folowe them In so great danger of the faithful vnder the iurisdiccion of Antichristes abhominacion with his .ii. hornes and vnlawfull vsurped power vpon bodye and soule vtterly against the worde of god whiche is the onely comforte of al faithfull soules is it necessary that some comforte come vnto them from heauen aboue whiche the lambe sendeth vnto all true christians thorowe the holy gospell which the spirite of God writeth in their hartes to beleue stedfastlye that it can not be otherwyse in this worlde but that all they whiche wyll folow Christ must beare the crosse euen vnto death as Christe the innocent lambe dyd but afterwardes shall they see nothing but euerlastinge saluacion merited purchased vnto them thorowe the passion and death of Christe to the iustificacion and merite of eternall saluacion of all the electe Whiche comforte shall be muche greater in their soules in the kynkdome of Christe than is possible for al the merites of man to deserue or obteyne And speciallye at suche tyme as the glorified bodye shall be ioyned and vnited againe vnto the blissed soule after the latter daie And therfore the good workes of the faithful as thei doe not goe before their faith and loue but are onely the frutes of them euen so shall they not preuent the merite of Christ for all electe from euerlastinge but as the spirit of Christ saythe they folowe and come after them whan they haue obteyned rest and peace thorowe the free grace and mercye of God and thorowe the merite of Christes rightuousnes after this I saye thorowe faithe haue folowed good workes out of an humble and obedient heart whiche workes the lorde wyl graciouslye crowne as his gyftes and receyue and rewarde them as acceptable vnto him The texte ¶ And I loked and beholde a whyte cloude and vpon the cloude one syttinge lyke vnto the sonne of man hauinge on his heed a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe spckle And another angell came out of the temple cryinge with a loude voyce to him that sate on the cloude Christ in thy syckle and reape for the tyme is come to reape for the corne of the earthe is rype And he that sate on the cloude thrust in his syckle into yâ— earth and the â—arth was reaped Althoughe the right faithfull garnyshed with good workes after yâ— worde of God were euermore sure of their saluacion yet not withstandynge the iudgement of God whan his tyme is come goeth forwarde against all suche thinges as are set vp against the worde of God As it was readye at hande at one tyme by reason of the obscuringe and blyndinge of gods worde amonge yâ— Iewes thorowe the cursed Talmud wherunto they gaue more faith and credence and cleaued more earnestly vnto it than vnto the lawe of God and to the prophetes And lykewyse among the christians specially among the hyghe bysshops and prelates with their glorious tytles of Popes Patriarkes Cardinals Primates and suche other orders of the whiche one euer desiered to be aboue a nother sekyng alwayes their owne glorye lust pompe honour and dignitie and not the wil of God faithe godlynes of lyfe nor yet the gospell whiche they haue alwayes pretended falsely and craftilye to colour and cloke their myschefe and wickednes As concerninge the Turkes faithe we can saye but lytle what their greatest faut wickednes and beastlynes is we haue had more knowledge by writinges than by any profe or experience But it is to be feared yf God be not mercifull vnto vs we shall learne it soner than we woulde In the myddest of all this thorowe the trompet of the gospel beyng blowen out in our tyme after a wonderfull sorte thorowe the spirite of Helyas whiche appeareth commeth abrode plentuouslye and effectuouslye is rysen and daylye ryseth suche a mouynge and sterringe vp of mens hartes suche a knowledge of the truth such a lyght and lanterne of doctrine and such a iudgement of Antichristes workes suche a feare of the wrathe of God so that there is a good hope that yâ— holy and holsome seede of gods worde so plentiously sowne and spred abrode shall not returne againe without great frute and edifâ—enge of the faithe and the lyfe of men For as for the Iewes whether they wyll or no they must nedes despaire of their workinge their faithe their doctrine and of all their state whan as they see that the whole kyngdome of heauen whiche they take to be theirs peculiarely to be taken from them and to be made common vnto all them that feare God thorowe the whole worlde more than euer was founde by them Euen so also amonge the christians the doctrine and profession of the holy gospell true faythe and all godlye vertues shall waxe and increase in the heades and rulers of the christendome as it shall also be ioyfullye receyued of all true Christen subiectes notwithstandynge that the nomber of them shall alwayes be least And also the knowledge vnderstandinge lernynge and readynge of the holy scripture shall somwhat increase amonge the spirituall prelates as it shoulde be hoped for and with most earnest and feruent prayer desired and called for of god And it is well to be thought and to be beleued that the Lord wyll doe his parte also euen in suche wyse as is here promysed so yâ— Antichrist beyng thus put to shame but yet remayninge styll impenitent shall be reaped downe with the syckle of gods worde thorowe the spirite of Helyas and shall be cut downe thresshed not to the destruccion but to the profyte edificacion and saluacioÌ„ of the world This hath our Lorde and sauiour Christ brought to passe whiche is alwayes the heade of the churche who is not onely present therwith but also doth graciouslye rule and gouerne it edifieth and helpeth it and he with and roteth out the enemies and aduersaries with the sickle of his
godlynes oppressours of the innocent frendes of God To be shorte all they whiche beare the marke token of the dragon of the beast whiche is infidelyte misbelefe in Christ lyke as faith in yâ— crucified Christ is the sure marke and token of al the electe These vnfaithfull must lyue eternally in the ponde of fyre and they shall be ponisshed vexed painfully with vnspeakeable sorowe and heuines euen yâ— deuel his seruaÌ„tes together And although some come out of this life with yâ— sworde without faith yet their damnacioÌ„ did begin here shal continue euerlastingly ¶ The .xx. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angell come downe from heauen hauynge the kaye of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hande And he toke the dragon that olde serpent whiche is the deuil and Satanas he bounde him a thousande yeares cast him into yâ— bottomlesse pit he bounde him and set a seale on him that he shoulde deceaue the people nomore tyl the thousande yeares were fulfylled And after that he must be loced for a lytell season THis chapter maye be taken as it wer for a rehersal of the visions reuelacions that were before mencioned And by the waie it describeth againe yâ— honour and maiestie of Christ of gods worde and the power of the holy gospell and the benefites of Christ addeth therunto the last iudgemeÌ„t of the deade whiche shall dye .ii. deathes This angel that commeth from heauen is Christ whiche shoulde come in to this worlde as was promised vnto the firste man in the beginnynge of the worlde that he shoulde treade the old serpent vpon the heade Whiche is nothing els but that he shoulde take his power from him whiche the iust and rightuous God hath suffered him to exercise againste man for the synne of the first dysobedience and transgression Whiche power Sathan hath alwayes exercised and practised with all wicked disceyte and dyuerse errours and specially with ydolatrye after the whiche doe folow blindnes and all maner of synnes This power hath Christ mightily and with force taken from Sathan the deuyll thorowe his rightuousnes and humblenes euen vntyll the crosse satisfieng for all the pryde transgression disobedience and vnfaithfulnes of Adam and Eue. And thus he hath bounde him with the chayne of his well deserued power that is to say hath hindered him of his proude tyrannye shameful wicked power against the faithful electe of god This band should indure a thousande yeares yâ— is to say a long tyme namely euen yâ— tyme of the right Christen faith which after yâ— saying of yâ— olde fathers should indure for .ii. thousande yeares but it is vncerten from what tyme men should begin to teken these yeares that the faith in this tyme should be sore assaulted whiche hath alwayes bene at this point euen in the tyme of yâ— Iewes in yâ— olde testameÌ„t and amoÌ„g gods owne people hath sometime increased and somtime fallen dedecaied And according therunto might SathaÌ„ exercise his power at some tyme more thaÌ„ at a nother And thus thorow Christ Sathan is alwaies bonde vnto the right faithfull But whan the faithe decayeth and goeth backewarde and the falsehede desceite and dysobedience of man increaseth so that gods word is more and more contemned and forsaken than dothe Sathans power increase againe as it hath ofte come to passe that he maye deceyue the people the heathen the vnfaithfull againe and so vse his power and tyranny againe as loÌ„g as there is lacke and want of true faithe in this worlde The texte ¶ And I sawe seates and they sat vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and I sawe the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Iesu and for the worde of God whiche had not worshipped the beast nether his ymage neyther had taken his marke vpon their forheades or on their handes and they lyued and raygned with Christ a M. yere but the other of the dead men lyued not againe vntyll the thousande yere were finysshed This is that first resurreccioÌ„ Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurreccion For on suche shall the seconde death haue no power but they shal be the Prestes of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousande yeres The seates to iudge Sathan and his companye are appointed of Christ vnto the holy apostles and vnto other electe the soules of them whiche for the lambes sake wer beheaded that is to say after diuers maners and fasshions put to death for the gospelles sake whiche woulde not make any oblacions vnto ydols nor false goddes nor woulde not worship the beast that is to saye Antichrist nor woulde not feare nor honour his ymage but dyd manfully fight for the holy gospell and for the true doctrine and religion of the Apostles All these shall haue seates in the kyngdome of Christ to iudge the whole companye and courte of Sathan and to conuince them of their wickednes blasphemies and damnable errours whiche shal be open and manifest vnto the worlde thorowe the gospel And this their condemnacion beyng openly and manifestly knowen and their godles tyrannye shall â–ª be their death from the whiche they shall not ryse vp againe tyll a thousande yeares be past This manifest iudgement victory and honour obteyned with Christ is vnto them the first resurreccion namely a great honour and felicitie not onely in heaueÌ„ with Christ but also vpon earth in the kingdom of Christ which he hath vpon earth with his spirite in the congregacion of the holy electe And they are happy and blessed and their lyfe is euerlasting both in the heuenly company and also in the holy churche congregacion of the faithful godly soules vpon earth For they are the most deare beloued the most acceptable and of highest reputacion with Christ the lord and kynge of heauen as right prestes and ministers ought to be amonge vs and they shall rule and reigne with Christe vnto the ende of the worlde vntyll the last daye of the latter iudgement and in the seconde resurreccion and vntil the last and eternall iudgement of the wicked and damned blasphemers The texte ¶ And when the thousande yeares are eâ—piâ—ed SathaÌ„ shal be losed out of his preson and shal go out to beceaue the people whiche are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog togather them together to battayle whose nombre is as yâ— sande of the see they went vp in the playne of yâ— earth and compassed the centes of the sainctes about the beloued citie And fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them and the deuyll that deceaued them was cast into a lake of fyre and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented daye and night for euer more A lytle tyme before the last day shall Sathan obteyne power againe tyll the ende of the worlde and shal exercyse and practyse it and
a christian parte to cure and heale But suche matters hadde ye no regarde of nor were moued with the commen ieopardie nor wyth the commen reproche but stylle auaunce your selfes as though ye had well doen. The texte ¶ Youre reioysing is not good knowe ye not that a litle leuen sowreth the whole lumpe of dowe Pourge therfore the olde leuen that ye maye bee newe dowe as ye are swere breade For Christ oure passeouer is offred vp for vs. Therefore let vs kepe holy daye not with olde leuen nether with the leuen of maliciousnesse and wickednes but with the swete breade of purenes and truthe Greate difference is there betwixte the reioycing of worldely people and the reioycing of christian menne To glory and reioyce after this sorte is not onely a shame for you but also ieopardouse Put the case ye wyll saye that one hathe done amysse what matter maketh that to the whole congregacion I no we ye not that a litell leauen sauereth a greate batche of dowe and maketh it sower No we is that called leauen whiche remaineth of the whole lumpe whiche is after such sorte made sower Yf any part of your olde lyfe continue and remain in you not agreyng with the simplicitie of Christe the same is leauen whereof ye muste vtterly bee purged that through a newe kynde of lyfe ye maye be come newe dowe so that in the whole batche there be no parte of the olde malice mingled For as Christe hath once made you free from sinne so must ye diligentelye endeuoure that no parte of your olde infeccion in you take place agayne and defile the puritie of your christian lyfe God loueth suche as bee without this leauen Was not this long synce figured in the law what time the Hebrues were passed ouer the reade sea and quite deliuered out of the bondage of Egipte they were for a continuall remembraunce and token of this benefite at a certayne tyme of the yeare commaunded yearlye to sacrifice a lambe of one yeare olde and for seuen dayes to eate swete bread without all manner of leauen euen as they dydde what tyme they prepared to departe out of Egypte In the meane season they carryed furth with them pure flower and lefte all the leauen to the Egypcians Nor anye is there coumpted woorthye to eate of the pascall lambe onles he haue for the space of seuen dayes for borne leauen yea I saye it was a greate offence that for that tyme any Hebrue shoulde asmuche as haue any leauen founde in his house The Iewes had but shadowes but we haue the very trewe passeouer the moste vnspotted lambe whiche is Iesus Christe who for oure redempcion from the most vilanous tyrannye of syn and death was offred vppe vpon y◠crosse neyther was he in vayne offred vppe And synce we haue once already escaped out of Egypte meete it is that we hence foorth kepe holy this feast continually not reioycing and prowdely auauncing oure selues vpon such thynges as we sometime were delited with what tyme we were vnder harde and shamefull bondage that is to saye not in the leauen of Moses law nor in the leauen of old maliciousnes and hypocrisie but in swete bread without all leauen ▪ that is to say in vnhurtefull manners playne pure and without all counterfaictyng The texte I wrote vnto you in a pistle that ye should not compaignie with fornicatours And I ment not at al of the fornicatours of this world either of the couetous or extorcioners either the idolaters for then must ye nedes haue gone out of the world But now I did write vnto you that ye company not together if any that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous or a worshipper of images either a tailer either a dronkard or an extorcioner with him that is such se y◠ye eat not For what haue I to doe to iudge them whiche are without Do ye not iudge them that are within Them that are with out God shall iudge Put awaie the euill from among you But lest ye be deceaued in that poynt whereas I bad you to auoyde the cōpany of all suche as are through foule vnchastnes euyll spoken of I meane not so that ye shoulde auoyde the company of all the vnchast liuers of your countreye and keape coumpany with none suche as eyther for couetousnesse or extorcion are euyl spoken of nor with any one that is geuen to idolatrye when yf ye shoulde so doe since that in euerye place some suche be ye myght surely he compelled to forsake all Greece And yet this also woulde I wyshe if it might be but synce the request is such as can not be done I require not that but this I require that if among you any christian men bee with suche vices infected as far square from christian religion as with fornicacion couetousnes oridolatrie railyng drounkennes or extorcion see that ye so farfurth auoyde that mannes coumpany that ye refuse to eate or drynke with hym vntill suche tyme as he amende Greately standeth it you in hande that your congregation and company be pure without corrupcion As for straūgers after what sorte they lyue litle forceth it theyr sinfull lyfe doth neyther infect you nor dishonour the name of Christe Suche then if suche be among you must ye not suffre to escape vnpunished if their offence be opēly knowē This for me is sufficient For what haue I to doe to iudge of thē also which as they are to Christe straungers so belong they not to vs Is not euerye man iudge and controuler at home in his own house neyther thynketh he to perteine to hym what is done in an other mans Yf a mā se any thing done in his own house that thinketh he to belong to the whole houshold Sufficient is it therfore that we christians iudge of christian men Suche as are from Christes professiō straungers thē leaue we to the iudgement of god And if it so bee that no man will suffre in his own house a mischieuous and a pestilente wretche then thrust ye out of your company the autour of suche a myschiefe so to do is both for you expedient and for him and it belongeth to the honoure of Christes name For both he for shame of hymselfe will amende he shal be safe from the ieopardie of infeccion and suspicion and by so doyng also all menne shall perceiue that Christe approueth no suche matiers whiche taught both godly life and put thesame in practise And this haue I taught you to expel and dryue our from amōg you the pestilent leauen of sedicions stryfe and suche horrible fornicacion The .vi. Chapter The texte Dare one of you hauyng busines with another go to the lawe vnder the wicked not rather vnder the saintes Do ye not know y◠the saintes shall iudge the world If the worlde shal be iudged by you are ye not good inough ▪ to iudge smal trifles Knowe ye not how that we shal iudge the angels
How much more may we iudge thinges that pertayn to yâ— lyfe If ye haue iudgementes of worldly matters take theÌ„ which are despysed in the congregacion â— make them iudges This I say to your shame Is there vtterly no wyse man among you What not one at all that can iudge betwene brother brother but one brother goeth to lawe with another and that vnder the vndelieuers BEsides these faultes I espie also amoÌ„g you some dregges of your former life which sauer of the leauen of couetousnes As to you it nothyng belongeth to iudge of such as are not of the christian congregacioÌ„ so an vnsemely thing is it that christian men shoulde be iudged of suche as are not christians Fyrste of all this meruaile I at how anye christian maÌ„ can finde in his harte in strife for money matters to appeale to any iudge and that whiche maie worsse be borne with to appeale rather vnto a heathen iudge than to a christian Will he trowe ye geue righteous iudgement whose whole life and profession is vnrighteous Se ye not the frowardnes of this doyng that the world whose vngodlines shal in tyme to come by the fayth and godly life of good people be condemned shoulde now as thoughe it were more vpryghte and better geue sentence vpon good mennes mattiers and determyne theyr accions Yf ye wyth so greate a mattier bee putte in truste that by you the lyfe of the whole worlde that is to saye of all wycked people shall bee condemned thynke ye your selfes vnmeete to iudge of small lyghte tryfles Ye are the lighte of the worlde appoynted to reproue the erroures of suche as are vngodlye And howe canne this bee doone of you if in you there bee darkenes and such enormities as are wel woorthye reprofe But now remoue ye your accions and bryng them before wicked iudges as though they were eyther wyser than ye are or as though they were menne of more equitie than are ye Knowe ye not that in tyme to come ye shal not onely iudge menne geuen to the worlde but also wicked angelles the tyrannes of this worlde Thynke it no greate matter among youre selfes to finishe suche lowe quarelles of thynges appertayning to the vse of our bodyly lyfe Your fayth shall condemne theyr incredulitie your godly lyfe theyr vngodlines your vnhurtefulnes shal condemne theyr vnclennes and euen nowe condemneth yf ye bee good and lyue christianlye And forgette ye nowe your honour by makyng suche to bee iudges of your suites of al whose condeÌ„nacion by you in tyme to come sentence shal be geuen But yet if ye be so debatefull and contencious so desirous of transitorye thynges whose contempte ye take vpon you that ye for them are not onelye at dissencion but are in suche sorte at dissencion that youre matters muste needes bee heard of a iudge rather bryng them to the vyleste and loweste of youre congregacion than as ye do I speake not this because I would haue it to bee so but I speake it to make you ashamed of youre braulyng and suite among your selfes before heathen iudges Yf ye bee such as ye take vpon you to bee the moste vile among you is better than he that among the heathen is coumpted chiefeste Why dooe ye so greatlye despyse your selfes Is there among you none so wise as in lyght matters to sitte in iudgemente and to finishe strifes betwyxte christian menne among whom by reason of brotherlye loue and by reason that all thynges are commen it were conuenient that agremente shoulde easily bee made But nowe are ye so farre from agremente that one christian manne gooeth to lawe with an other christian manne and that whiche is more reprochful euen before them whiche to Christe are straungers as though suche were by the rule of mans lawes hable to geue iuste sentence and ye not hable to do thesame by the rule of the Gospell Marke howe many wayes ye offende herein The texte Now theâ—fore there is vtterly a faute among you because ye go to lawe one with another Why rather suffre ye not wrong why rather suffre ye not your selues to haue harme Nay ye yourselues do wroÌ„g and robbe and that the brethren Do ye not knowe how that the vnrighteous shal not inherite the kyngdom of god Be not disceaued For neither fornicatours neyther worshyppers of images neyther aduouterers neyther weakelynges neyther abusers of themselues wyth mankynde neyther theues neyther couetouse neyther drounkardes neyther cursed speakers neyther-pillers shall inherite the kyngdome of God Fyrste it is shame for you that ye among your selfes apease not suche smalle matters nor goe throughe them without greate busines or â—angling as ye myght eyther by geuyng place one to another or at the least ende your matters by arbytremente but are come to suche stoubernes that whiles nether geueth place to thother nor geueth ouer any thing to another the matter in syghte of the people muste bee trauersed before the commen officers Yf suche matters were brought and heard before christian iudges it were not all without faulte but to iangle and stryue at the law before heathen iudges euen for trifles howe foule a sight thynke ye it Our religion is peace and for asmuche as we are nowe through Christe planted and made one bodye we thereby are become more than brethren And beside this vnitie yâ— despising of these vile worldlye goodes for yâ— whiche the grosse people striue for one with another maketh vs verye christian menne But now when menne so eagerlye stryue eche one wyth other so that one christian manne is not ashamed to call another into the lawe and accuse hym beefore a wicked iudge what thynke ye iudge they that looke hereupon Wyll they not thys wyse thynke wyth themselfe where is among these christians shamefastenesse become where is brotherlye charitie Where is the peace that they somuche speake of where is the communitie of possession where is theyr despisyng of ryches where is the myldenesse of the Gospell where by they are commaunded euen gladly to forgoe theyr coate also yf any haue taken away theyr cloke Behold how shamefully for a smal matter thei striue not only with vs but also among theÌ„selfes How coÌ„meth it about ye Corinthians yâ— ye yet somuch set by money yâ— for thesame ye haue so greatly defamed christian name religion But here some one wil answer say onles I prosecute yâ— matter and laboure for my righte I am sure to take wrong onlesse I recouer myne owne title I shal bee in the losyng syde But I woulde aduyse you take hede leste whiles ye feare a small losse of money ye appayre both your Innocencie and good name and cause also the gospell to bee hindered Better were it neuer to winne youre goodes than with the recouerye of them to geue vn beleuers any occasion to mysreporte and speake euil of Christ Better were it not to passe vpon a smal wrong than whiles thou labourest for thy right openlye to declare that thou
before the iudgement seates Do not they speake euyll of that good name whiche is called vpon ouer you HE that loueth his neighbour for Goddes sake and he that loueth God in his neighbour doeth not in this case respecte him because he is a man of greate power or of riches or of nobilitie but in that he is abundauntlie full of diuine goodes But to thys maner of Iudgement a kyng or a riche man is not better of one Iote than any manne howe basse or poore so euer he bee Christe died for all indifferentlie and all are indifferentlye called to thenherytaunce of Immortalitie Therfore my brethren if you doe truly put your trust in the promisses of our Lord Iesu Christ make no difference of persones after the estimacion of worldly thinges For Christ him selfe as touchyng the world was basse and poore But yet it was the fathers will that he shoulde be prince of all glorye He promised the kingdome of heauen not to the wealthie but vnto the pore Now if there come in to youre company a Ioly felowe with a golde ring or ruffling in gaye apparaill and there come in withall a pore manne nether wearing ring on hys fyngers and clothed in pore homely araye and by and by you caste your eies vpon the riche man for none other respecte but that he obseureth the pore manne with hys gorgrous rayment and geue hym the more honourable place saying Sytte thou here VVell And agayne you saye vnto the pore manne as though you lothed him and for no cause elles but for his ouer homely apparaill Stande thou there or sitte thou there under my fote stole would not your harte by and by grudge and secretly condemne your doing in that through flattery you attribute vnto golde and galaunte aray the honour that is due vnto vertue contemnyng him for lacke of chose thinges whiche is muche more acceptable to God for the true riches of the soule than that riche manne The riche mannes fynger glisteryng with the ring and precious stone and his bodye decked in silke maketh you to regarde hym â–ª and doe not you regarde the pore man for hys synceritie of fay the modestie of mynde sobrenes chastitie and other giftes of virtue whiche make a man greate and gorgious in dede Why doeth your iudgement disagree from the iudgement of God Heare me indifferently my welbeloued brethren the thyng that euidentlie appeareth matter in dede to be certaynly true How muche sâ— euer the worlde setteth by the ryche God hym selfe hathe preferred the poore the poore I meane after the worlde whiche nether haue nor seke after autorâ—â—â—e nor kingdomes in this world God hathe let alone the riche with their statelynes and chosen these which are but sely pore folkes for lacke of present substaunce but yet riche and mightye in the lokynge for the kyngdome of heauen and theuerlastynge enherytaunce in that they put their truste in hym that promysed them â–ª whiche nether can deceaue if he woulde and is hable to performe what he will But vnto whome hathe he promised this wonderfull â—â—licitie â–ª â—â— kinges and wealthy folkes no in dede but to them whiche loue him trouly who soeuer they bee whether they be bonde seruauntes or free men whether they be riche or poore And you hauing desired the riche manne to the highest seâ—te and appoynting the pore man to the lowe fotestoles haue preferred hym whome God setteth the lesse by and contemned him that in the sight of God is bothe rich and honourable He hathe honour done vnto him that perchaunce hauyng gotten hys ryches by fraude or rauine auaunceth himselfe and this is contemned whiche had rather be poore than with losse of godlynes to bee riche and hauing spent vp his riches to the releuing of the pore is become poore of hys owne accorde that he myght bee riche in godlynes In dede euery one is not vngodly that is riche not withstanding the riche of this worlde are not very rashe in agreeing with the godlynes of the Gospell but they be of that kynde of men moste chiefly that repugne the Gospell of Christe For who are they that practice tyranny against you for malice of godlynes are they not the riche menne who are they that accuse you and drawe you before Iudgement seates are they not the riche for the moste parte Who are they that speake euill and curse the holy name of our lorde Iesu Christe by Inuocacion wherof you haue atteyned saluacyon and in whom you reioyce Are they not the riche Yea they hate your profession so muche chat the name whiche geueth saluacion and is honourable vnto you is euen deathe and abominable vnto them But the profession of this name is begonne to be healthesome vnto you so as for all that you may through your owne faulte fall from the saluacion that is promised The texte ¶ If ye fulfyll the royall lawe according to the scripture Thou shalt loue thyne neighbour as thy self ye do well But yf ye regarde one person more then another ye commit synne are rebuked of the lawe as transgressours Who soeuer shall kepe the whole lawe and yet fayle in one poynt he is giltie of all For be that sayde Thou shalt not commes adulterye say de also thou shalt not kyl Though thou do no adultery yet if thou â—â— thou arts become a traunsgressour of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of libertye For he shal haue iudgement with our mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercâ—â— reioyceth against iudgement A kynge promiseth rewarde ycâ— but to him that in his dedes accomplysheth the lawe royall wherof no man can be ignoraunte seing it was expreste in writing long agooe and it is on this maner Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Doeth he loue his neighbor after this rule that preferreth the wicked rych manne before the godly pore man The lawe of the Gospell is the lawe of loue and what soeuer is done contracy to it although it be not forbydden by speciall name yet it is synne and that lawe doeth secretly reproue you which hath coinmauÌ„ded almen and in al thinges that thou oughtest to loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Who soeuer swarueth from this rule is a conuicte transgressour of the lawe Nether yet let any manne â—urry fauell with him selfe after this wise The faule is but light the law is broken in nothing but in this parte But the law of the Gospell is suche a lawe that except it be kept in euery parte wholy it semeth to be broken all together on euery parte For inasmuche as the totall Sunnue of all the whole lawe is coutcyned in the loue of God of the neighbour who soeuer he be that swarueth from charitée which is the rote of all the whole lawe he hathe doubtles broken the whole lawe and offended the autor of the lawe vnto whome he is become giltie of all in that he whiche hathe eâ—â—ed from the