now a seruaunt and Embassadour of Iesus Christ whose gospel euē as y◠day light wipeth and driueth awaye all the shadowes of the olde testament write vnto all maner of men without parciall excepcion either of people or religiō either of kynde or state or yet condicion For we esteme all people to be kynsfolkes and most nerely ioyned vnto vs whosoeuer haue deserued to be made like vnto vs in the profession of the faith of the gospel by the which we haue atteyned true rightuousnes not by circumcision or by sacrifices of the lawe but by the goodnes of our God and by the deathe of our sauiour Iesu Christ who hath frely pardoned vs our olde synnes to th entēt we should hence forthe folowe gospellyke righteousnes which dooeth not consiste in ceremonies but in true godlines of mynde hath a certaine farre greater perfecciō than the Iewes righteousnes whiche is nothinge but a shadowe of true righteousnes And I praye y◠lyke as you haue yet hitherto gon aboundantlye forwarde in the grace of y◠gospel alwayes somwhat augmentyng in thencreaces of godlynes drawinge nerer brotherly concorde amonge your selues daylye more and more so the liberall goodnes of God woulde vouchesafe to make perfite his gyftes in you which Iewelles encrease so much y◠more largely in you as you grow forewarde into y◠knowledge of God y◠father of his sonne our Lord Iesu Christ the acknowledginge of whome is eternall lyfe For it is the chiefe poynte of saluacion to acknowledge the autor of saluacion that we chalenge no parte therof to our owne desertes and strengthes or to the prescripcions of Moses lawe inasmuche as whatsoeuer is perteyninge to true lyfe and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto true godlynes his diuine power hath bestowed it vnto vs without helpe of circumcision onely by faithe wherby we acknowlage God the father from whome procede all thinges and Iesus Christ by whome onely we haue al thinges geuen vnto vs. These thinges are not geuen throughe our merites but by his free bounteouse gyfte whiche of his owne accorde hathe called vs vnto the benefite of saluacion and to them that were voyde of glory and vertue he hath bestowed bothe his owne glorye and vertue to thintent that wheras being addicte vnto our owne vicious naughtines lyke fylthye vyle slaues we scrued ydoles we shoulde be engraffed vnto Christe and be made bothe pure and glorious hauing y◠wickednes taken out of the waye wherin we were fylthily soyled He hathe translated our vyle naughtines vpon himselfe that he mighte choose vs of his owne free pleasure into the felowship of his glory Our trespasses he hath taken vpon himselfe that we might enioye his innocencye Nowe these same are very great matters but those are farre greater of muche more excellencie that are promissed vs in tyme to come not by the lawe of Moses as we haue often sayed before but by thacknowlageing of Iesu Christ But what is it that is promysed Forsoothe that albeit you perteyne not to the kynredde of the Iewes yet you maye be made with them companions of the diuine nature beyng chosen into the nomber of y◠children of god to possesse thenheritaunce of immortal lyfe so that you set your study vpon a certaine immortalitie by vncorrupte conuersacion in the meane season here in this worlde and flee from al corrupcion of vices and naughtie lustes wherwith a mynde that is infected tēdeth to euerlastinge deathe The texte ¶ And herunto geue all diligence in your faithe minister vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge temperaunce in temperaunce pacience in pacience godlynesse in godlynesse brotherly kyndnesse in brotherly kyndnesse loue For yf these thinges be amonge you and be plenteous they wyll make you that ye nether shal be ydle nor vnfrutefull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ But he that lacketh these thinges is blynde and gropeth for the waye with his hande and hath forgotten y◠he was pourged from his olde synnes ▪ God hathe once geuen innocencye frely and it is not inoughe to mainteine it but applyeng withall studious diligence endeuour your selues to be made riche in well doinges that your faithe be not ydle but that it be accompanyed with good behauiour that nothing be doone or sayed but that whiche is vertuous Than let good behauiour entreteyne knowlage that you maye not onely folowe the thinges that be vpright but also discerne what thinge in what place amonge whome after what sorte and by what meanes ought worthilye to be done Let knowledge be accompanied with temperaunce that the mynde beynge vnmoueably strong against all the wanton enticementes of the worlde maye constantlye without shrinkynge folowe the thing that it hathe iudged to be best Vnto temperaunce let pacience be ioyned that whan you doe wel you maye chearefully suffer sorowes For those men whom the flateringe pleasures of the worlde doe not bringe in to a fine fingred nicenes are somtymes broken with impacient suffring of sorowes with pacience let godlynes be present that what soeuer you doe or suffre you referre it to the glorye of God Let godlynes be accompanied with brotherly charitie that like as you loue God for himselfe euen so for his sake you maye loue all them that professe God And let brotherly charitie be augmented and vpheaped with loue to studye to doe good for all men not onely them that are godly and Christian folkes but also for them that are wicked These are the frutes of an euangelicall faithe whiche yf you haue them aboundauntlye shall brynge to passe that where you haue acknowledged our lorde Iesus Christ throughe faithe it should not be vnprofytable and vnfrutefull vnto you althoughe you haue nothing to doe with circumcision For in these thinges consisteth the whole summe of Christen godlynes and yf any mā want thē he hath professed Christ in vaine forasmuche as he slydeth backe from the light of the Gospell in to his olde former darkenes euen as it were a blynde man that groapeth the waye with his hande and is caried aboute hereawaye and therawaye throughe the mases of worldly lustes neither seeth he the waye to come to the felowship of Christ beynge vnthankefull also for the benefite of Christ of whome where he is once frely clensed from his olde transgressions yet as a man forgetfull of this so exceadynge a mercye he slydeth backe in to the same againe The texte ¶ Wherfore brethrē geue the more diligence for to make your callynge and eleccion sure by good workes For yf ye doe suche thinges ye shall neuer fall Yea and by this meanes an entringe in shal be ministre◠vnto you aboundantly into the euerlastinge kyngdome of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ Wherfore I wil not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembraunce of suche thinges thoughe ye knowe them your selues and he stablished in the present trueth Notwithstandynge I thinke it mete as longe as I am in this tabernacle to stere you vp by putting you in remembraunce for
worke faith in thyne herte for else shalt thou remaine euermore faithlesse fayne thou ymagin thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen suche fayth and is called Goddes righteousnes or righteousnes that is of valoure before God For it is Goddes gyfte and it altereth a man and chaungeth him to a newe spirituall nature and maketh him fre and liberall to paye euery manne his duetie For thorow faith is a manne purged of his sinnes and obteineth luste vnto the lawe of God wherby he geueth God his honour and paieth him that he oweth him and vnto men he doeth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his dutie Such righteousnes can nature fre will and our owne strength neuer bring to passe For as no maÌ„ can geue him selfe fayth so can he not take away vnbelefe howe then can he take awaye any thyng at all Wherfore all is false ypocrisy syn what soeuer is done without faith or in vnbelefe as it is euident in the xiiiâ— Chap. vnto yâ— Romains though it appere neuer so glorious or beautifull outwardes Flesh spirite mayst thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were only that which pertaineth vnto vnchastitie the spirite that whiche inwardly pertaineth to the hearte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn .iii. Al that is borne of flesh the is to were the whole man with life soule body witte wil reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within without because that these al and all that is in man study after the worlde and the fleshe Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as longe as we are without the spirite of God we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all workes whiche are done withoute grace and without the workynge of the spirite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seme to bee as thou mayest proue by the .v. Chap. vnto the Galathians wher Paul numbreth worshipping of ydols witchecrafte enuy and hate amonge the dedes of the fleshe and by the .viii. vnto the Romaynes where he sayeth that the lawe by the reason of the fleshe is weake Whiche is not vnderstande of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and moste specially of vnbelefe whiche is a vice moste spirituall and ground of all sinnes And as thou callest him which is not renewed with the spirite and borne againe in Christ flesh and all his dedes euen the very mocions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine contemplacion of hie thinges his preachinge teaching and study in the scripture bildinge of churches foundinge of abbeys geuyng of almes masse mattence whatsoeuer he doth though it seme spirituall after the lawes of God So contrary wyse call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and al his dedes which springe of faith seme they neuer so grosse as the washynge of the disciples fete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurreccion yea and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall yf they proceade of fayth and whatsoeuer is done with iÌ„ the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shoes such lyke how soeuer grosse they appeare outward Without suche vnderstandyng of these wordes canste thou neuer vnderstande this epistell of Paul nether any other place in the holy scripture Take hede therfore for whosoeuer vnderstandeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstandeth not Paul whatsoeuer he bee Nowe will we prepare oure selues vnto the epistle For as muche as it becometh the preacher of Christes glad tydynges fyrst thorowe openinge of the lawe to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thinges synne that procede not of the spirite and of fayth in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and how that to synne is theyr nature and that by nature they cannot otherwise do then to synne and therwith to abate the pryde of man and to brynge hym vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserye and wretchednes that he might desyre helpe Euen so doeth saynct Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grosse synnes whiche all men se as ydolatrye and as the grosse synnes of the hethen were and as the synnes nowe are of all them whiche liue in ignorance without fayth and without the fauoure of God and sayeth The wrathe of God of heauen appereth thorow the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodlynes and vnholye liuynge For though it be knowen and dayly vnderstande by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of her selfe without the spirite grace so corrupt so poisoned that men nether can thanke him nether worshippe him nether geue him his due honour but blinde them selues fall without ceasing into worse case euen vntyll they come vnto worshyppyng of ymages and workyng of shamefull synnes which are abominable and agaynst nature and moreouer suffre the same vnrebuked in other hauing delectacion and pleasure therin In the .ii. Chapter he proceadeth further and rebuketh all those holye people also whiche without luste and loue to the lawe lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde and condemne other gladly as the nature of al ypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respecte of open sinners and yet hate the lawe inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuye and of all vnclennes Mat .xxiij. These are they whiche despise the goodnes of God and according to the hardenes of theyr heartes heape together for them selues the wrathe of God Furthermore saynct Paul as a true expounder of the lawe suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that al they are vnder synne whiche of fre wil and of nature will liue well and suffreth them not â—o be better then the open synners yea he calleth them harde herted and suche as cannot repente In the .iii. Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onelye that the Iewes had the worde of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not theron yet is goddes trueth and promise thereby nether hurte nor minished and he taketh in hys waye and allegeth the sayinge of the L. Psal that God myght abyde true in hys woordes and ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to hys purpose agayne and proueth by the scripture that all men without difference or excepcion are synners and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified but that the lawe was geuen to vtter and to declare synne onely Then he beginneth and sheweth the righte waye vnto rightewesnes by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe and sayeth They are all synners and without prayse before God and muste without their own deseruinges be made righteous thorow faith in Christ whiche hathe deserued suche ryghteousnes for vs and is become vnto
the loue I beare towarde you can not be vnto me but very pleasant For God the father is my wytnes whom I now beyng deliuered from Moses law do seruice vnto not with the grosse and carnall ceremonies therof but spiritually by preachyng the gladsome tidynges of his sonne for this seruice pleaseth him beste that alwayes and without ceasyng I remembre you in my prayers besechyng his goodnes if it maye by any meane be that my long desyre made vnto him may at last ous take effect whiche is that his pleasure may be I may prosperously and with a mery iourney cum to you For surely a great longyng haue I to see you not for any aduauntage of myne to be had for so doyng but to bestowe some gifte among you not the grosse gifte of Moses lawe but the spiritual gifte of Christ to establishe you more surely in that ye haue already begunne orels to speake it better that euery one of vs maye be to other comfortable whyles I shal be ioyfull for you fayth and ye likewyse agayne reioyce of myne by meane wherof this wyll insue that bothe our faythes shal through mutual coÌ„fortyng be more ayded and strengthned The cause why this hath not hitherto bene done rose not of me The texte I would that ye should knowe brethren how that I haue often tymes purposed to cum vnto you but haue bene leat hitherto to haue also sum fruite among you as among other of the geÌ„tiles I am debter bothe to the grekes to the vngrekes to the lerned to the vnlearned so that as muche as in me is I am ready to preache the gospel to you that are at Rome also For I am not ashamed of the gospell of Christ because it is the power of God vnto saluacion to euery one that beleueth to the Iewe first and also to the gentile Muche rather assure your selfes brethren that ofteÌ„tymes purposed I to see you but vntil this tyme some one lette or other hath chaunced that I could not and for this cause desired I so muche to see you that I might among you also do sum good as I haue heretofore done among other nacions Nor am I bounde to bestowe this my labour of preachyng the gospel wherwith I am by God putte in truste peculiarly vpoÌ„ this nacion or that but as he is indifferently God of all the worlde so is Christes gospel equally due to all people I cal yâ— gospel a meane wherby a man is made righteous through fayth in Iesus Christ the sonne of God whom the lawe promised and in figure represented Debter therfore am I herein not onely to the Grecians but also to barbarous nacions not to the learned and eloquente onely but to the rude also and vnlearned whosoeuer he be that renounceth it not nor disdayneth it So that asmuche as in me is I am in a ioyful readynes to preache the gospell euen vnto you also that are at Rome No neither the maiestie of thempier of Rome maketh me afrayde so to do nor thinke I the preachyng of Christes gospel any suche thyng wherof I ought to be ashamed For as to the wicked and vnfaythfull the gospell seameth a matier to be laughed at and vaine so whoso beleueth it to him it is the mightye power of God effectual to saluacion and perfecte quietyng of mennes coÌ„sciences whiche thynges neither Iewes tradicions nor your Philosophie nor yet your dominion are able to bryng aboute And albeit this mightie power of the gospel be in like condicion auailable to al men yet as Goddes pleasure was so for honoures sake fyrst was it offered to the Iewes after that streight by the preachers of the gospel to be spread abroade among the grecians and al other nacions of the worlde to the ende al men should bothe knowledge their owne vnrighteousnes also seeke to be made righteous by God whither they be Englishmen or Frenchemen For farre is that man froÌ„ saluacion whiche neither knoweth his owne disease nor woteth where to seeke for remedy The texte ¶ For by it is the righteousnes of god opened from fayth to fayth As it is writen The iuste shal liue by fayth And whereas before this tyme sondrie men thought righteousnes to stande in sondrie pointes now by preachyng of Christes gospel all men knowe righteousnes not of Moses I say but of God him selfe whiche standeth not in supersticious worshippyng of idolles nor in Iewishe ceremonies but is wonne by fayth whiles men knowledge and consent that God nowe perfourmeth that whiche he long synce by the mouth of his prophetes promised to do Euen as Abacuâ— also prophecied saying my righteous shal liue by fayth The texte For the wrath of God appeareth from heauen against all vngodlynes and vnrighteousnes of men whiche withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnes seyng that it whiche may be knowen of God is manifest among them for God hath shewed it vnto theÌ„ Yea his inuisible thinges that is to say his eternall power and godhead are sene for asmuche as they are vnderstand by the workes from yâ— creacion of the world so that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God they glorified him not as god neither wer thankefull but waâ—ed full of vanities in their imaginacions and they folishe heart was blynded When they coumpted them selues wyse they became fooles and turned the glory of the immortal God vnto an image made not onely after the similitude of a mortall man but also of birdes and foure footed beastes and creaâ—yng beastes Wherfore God gaue them vppe to vncleanes through the lustes of their owne heartes to defile their owne bodies among them selues Whiche turned his trueth to a lye and worshipped and serued the thynges that be made more then him that made them whiche is blessed for euer and euer Amen For wheras before this tyme all people in maner without al punishement and correccion and as though God bare with and fauoured mens synnes fell to mischiefe now declareth he openly by his sonne sent from heauen that his wrath is for good cause sette on fyer and ready to take vengeaunce vpon al men after what sorte soeuer they be vngodly or vnrighteouse yea euen vpon them that to Moses lawe are straungers because the trueth in maner knowen vnto them they applied not to godly and vertuouse conuersacion but helde on neuertheles in theyr synfull lyfe styll and because also they knowyng muche more of God than the rude and ignoraunt people wer yet no lesse deuilishe than the other God in dede wholly and perfitely as he is can in no wyse by mannes wytte be knowen and yet asmuche as by it might be vnderstanden men haue obtayned albeit not so muche neither without his great goodnes For neuer had they gotten somuche had not God opened it vnto them as he in dede did albeit not by the bookes of the prophetes in whoÌ„ men thought he onely spake vnto the Iewes at lestewyse yet by the wonderfull creacion of
that among all other nations vnto them onelye were delyuered the wordes of god as it maye appere eyther for that to them aboue other was committed the law and prophecies or for that to them god only vouchesaued to speake Of whiche bothe the fyrst coulde not be without the great bounteousnes of god whome it pleased so to magnifie that nacion and thē agayne muche more semeth he prepared to the faythe offered by the ghospell whiche knoweth the promyses of the lawe and nygher is he to the truthe whiche hath sumwhat therof albeit it be but a shadowe For the knowledge of Moyses lawe and of the darke sayinges of the Prophetes are as it were a steppe onwarde and a furtheraunce to the doctrine of Christes ghospel And albeit sum of the Iewes beyng to muche stubbernely gyuen to the carnall letter of the lawe woulde not gyue credence to the ghospell yet hurteth not theyr vnbelief suche as vnfaynedly credit it Shall the vnbelief of suche thinke you cause that the faythfull promise of god shall not take effecte so that he beyng therwith displeased wyl as men are comenly wont to do breake his promyse and disapoynt all men of y◠which he hath equally and indifferently promysed to euerie man God forbid it shoulde be so but rather looke surely that god will with all men kepe his promise sauing with suche as refuse to take his offer whiche he doth lest any manne myght at any tyme reproue the fidelitie of the promyse maker and leste it appere not sufficiently that god is trew and as he is trew in dede and cannot lye so is he ready to perfourme whatsoeuer he promised but falsehod and lying cum of men which through theyr own faultes are of the promises of god disapoynted God as he is faythful so neither canne he be deceyued nor deceyue but man in asmuche as he is but manne maye do bothe That the promyses of god ben moste certayne witnesseth also the misticall and heauenlye psalme of Dauid saying To the intente thou in thy sayinges myghteste appeare righteouse and trewe and in dede ouercum as often as menne shall accuse the for suche one as maketh vayne promises falsely and leudly thynking with themself that for myne offences sake thou wylte not perfourme thy promise made to the stocke of Dauid In dede I cannot denye but that I well deserued to be disapoynted of thy promyse but yet muche matier maketh it that thy fidelitie and truthe shoulde throughe my synnes be amōg men more commended and spoken of as it wil whē they shal see the holde on styll not chaungyng thy sentence notwithstandyng all myne vnrighteousnes The texte ¶ But yf our vnrighteousnes make the righteousnes of god more excellent what shall we saye Is god vnrighteouse which taketh vengeaunce I speake after the manner of men god forbid For how then shall god iudge the world for yf the truthe of god appeare more excellent through my ly vnto his prayse why am I hēcefurth iudged as a synner And not rather as men speake euyll of vs and as sum affirme that we saye let vs do euell that good maye cum therof whose damnacion is iuste But here sum man with himself wyll peraduenture thynke this yf by mennes vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of god be more aduaunced and set furthe what shall we thynke Shal we thynke god vnrighteouse and suche as would haue synne to continewe that his iustice maye more clearly appere and be more praysed But now speake I not in myne owne name but in the name of vngodlye people For god forbid that any suche thought shoulde at any tyme enter into any good mannes mynde Yf god be vnrighteouse as this reason semeth how can he be hyghe iudge of this worlde For yf this be goddes ordinaunce that I should be a sinfull lyar to the intent that through my lying his fidelitie truthe might the better be knowen more set furth and that my reprochefull lyfe also should auaūce his glory why is thē my sinful lyfe layed vnto my charge why thynk we not rather as foule tounged people falsly reporte takyng vs as though we this sayed let vs do vnhappely that good maye cum therof yf that through out vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of God be more magnified and praysed But god kepe all good folke farre frō suche frantyke imaginacions Al suche men for theyr vnbelefe are for iuste and lawfull causes by goddes sentence condemned For as they can not laye to goddes charge the synnes wherof themself be wylful workers so thākes shoulde there none be gyuen vnto them yf god of his goodnes turne theyr offences to his glorie The texte What then Are we better than they No in no wyse For we haue all redy proued howe that bothe Iewes and Gentiles are all vnder syn as it is written There is none righteouse no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after god they are all gone out of the waye they are al vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre with theyr tongues they haue deceyued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lyppes Whose mouth is full of cursyng and bitternes Theyr feet are swyft to shed bloude Destruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of god before theyr eyes But now agayne to our purpose what shall we saye Are we that are Iewes in better case thā are y◠paynyms Not a whyt I meane touching gods grace promysed by the gospell though that in the prerogatiue of the lawe gyuen vnto vs by God we seme to passe them For nowe haue we already playnly proued that both Iewes and Gētiles are all subiect and thral vnto synne As for the gētiles y◠matier is more plaine than can be denied And y◠the Iewes are in like case theyr owne scriptures beare euidēt witnes For in the .xiii. psalme of Dauid this wyse is it wryten there is none righteous none is there that vnderstādeth or seketh for God all are wandered out of the waye and therewith also becomen vnprofitable no man is there that doeth well I say not somuche as one Againe in the .v. Psalme theyr shrote is an open sepulchre with theyr tonges haue they deceiued the poyson of the serpent Aspis is vnder theyr lippes In the ix Psalme likewyse whose mouth is ful of bitternes and cursyng With whiche testimonies the prophete Esai agreyng saieth theyr fete are swift to shed bloud destruccion and wretchednes are in theyr wayes the way of peace haue they not knowen there is no feare of God before theyr yies The texte We know that whatsoeuer thyng the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them whiche are vnder the lawe that all mouthes may be stopped that all the worlde may be subdued to God because that by the dedes of the law there shal no fleshe be iustified in his sight For by the lawe cummeth the
than is any man no neither the chief aungels whiche order is called a rule and power neither anye heyght or depnes that is to saye whether the same inuade vs frō aboue or from beneth whither it be with a coloure of honestie or not yea though wonders were shewed from heauen or els threatnynges from hell put vs in feare neither thinges present neither yet to come whether we be put in feare of present ieopardyes or in ieopardy of the life to come briefly what soeuer els befall anye where here in earthly thinges whether it maye be sene or not be it neuer so strong and mightie yet shal it not be able to deuide vs from that charitie wherbye we are knyt to god throughe Iesus Christe his sonne The .ix. Chapiter The texte I saye the trueth in Christ and lye not my conscience also bearyng me witnes by the holy ghost that I haue a greate heauines and continual sorow in my hearte For ◠haue wyshed my selfe to be cursed from Christe for my brethren my kynsmen as pertaynyng to the fleshe whiche are the Israelites To whome pertayneth the adoption of y◠chyldren and the glorie and the couenauntes and the law that was gyuen and the seruice of god and the promises whose also are the fathers and they of whom as concernyng the fleshe Christe came whiche is god in al thinges to be praysed for euer Amen TO whome would to god all the Iewes were conuerted forsakyng theyr Moses the Iewes I saye which yet styll continewe in this mynde and thynke that to thattaynyng of saluation it is sufficient to be Abrahams chyldren and in theyr handes to haue the lawe once gyuen vnto them by god whome yet in deede no suche thyng shall auayle and profite vnles by faythe they make themselfes worthy to be drawen and loued of god But of them is Christe promised in the lawe stubbernly refused whom the Gentiles receiue and knowledge This yet speake I not of any displeasure conceyued or borne agaynst my contreye men not withstandyng theyr spitefull myndes toward me but as Christe to whō nothing ▪ is vnknowen is my witnes witnessyng with hym also myne owne conscience whose gouernoure and ouerseer is the holy ghost I wyl saye the truthe and lye not that it troubleth my mynde exceadynglye and aboue measure and with continuall sorowe euen weareth me awaye to see some of them through their owne folye vtterly perishe As for myne owne parte so ferte am I from hatyng the Iewes that yf it myghte any waye be I would euen with myne owne destruction procure theyr amendment and weale nor would refuse euen my selfe of Christe to be forsaken so that all they to whom I am both by countrey aliaunce ioyned were with me in the fayth of Christ lykewyse ioyned that as by stocke bloud they are Israelites they lykewyse were in knowledge of the trueth perfite Israelites whome of all other nacions moste besemed it to receyue hym whom the lawe promised specially sith it is that nation whome god out of al the other many hūdred yeares past specially chose for hym self coumpting all other nations as bastarde children nouryshed these brought thē vp as his naturall trew begotten sonnes moste of all because they aboue other for this honoure and dignitie maye speciallye glorie that they dispising all idolatrye worshipped the verye trewe god In theyr handes is the possession and prerogatyue of the lawe gyuen vnto them by god With them made god and they with god couenauntes and promises In theyr handes is there the right fourme and maner of dewe honouryng of god euen as he hym self commaūded in theyr handes are the prophecies wherin was long before both Christes commyng spoken of and this welthy state wherof I dyd a litle before glorye promysed Which also are lineally descended of the moste famouse chief lanternes of lyght and fyrste begynners of our nacion I meane Abrahā Isaac Iacob with other of whō Christ hymself touchyng his humanitie vouchsaued to be borne so that in this behalfe wyll they or not of aliaunce and kynred muste they nedes be to Christe hymself who ferre ferre excelleth and passeth those fathers of whose title and holines they so greatly auaūt themselfe Be it so that theyr fathers were neuer so good and holy yet wer they nothyng els but men But nowe is Christe in suche sorte man that he therwith is also god not of this nacion or that onlye but of al one and equall with his father whiche ruleth al thinges by whose vnsearcheable wysedome all this geare is wrought to whom onlye for suche vnspeakeable loue borne towarde mankynde al prayse and thankes are dewe for euer Amen The texte ¶ I speake not these thinges as though the wordes of god had take none effect For they are not al Israelites which are of Israel neither are they all chyldren straighte waye that are the seede of Abraham But in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is to saye they whiche are the chyldren of the fleashe are not the children of god But they whiche be the chyldren of promise are coumpted the seede For this is a worde of promise about this tyme wyll I come and Sara shall haue a sonne And surely for this the more detestable is the wickednes of some Iewes whiche vnreuerently gaynsaying and blasphemyng Christe therin dishonour god the father whiche woulde haue his gloryous name set furth by his sōne And yet al this theyr wyckednes outragiouse as it was caused not but that god neuertheles in al poyntes perfourmed as muche as he in his prophetes sayinges promised to do To the people of Israel whiche are Abrahams posteritie was this blysseful lyfe promysed and yet not to all neither but to such only as truly and vnfaynedly are his ofspryng For it is not to be supposed that al suche are very Israelites as are descended of the stocke of Israel but suche rather as are so strong and mightie in fayth that they wyll not with worldly tribulations be ouercomen nor yet with troubles ▪ wherwith god tryeth oure stedfastnes in religion suche I saye worthely none els ought to be called Israelites that is to saye mighty strong to godwarde Nor are al they that come of Abrahams bloude therfore so fer Abrahams chyldren that by this bare title they may chalēge the promised inheritaūce but rather suche as resēble that fayth of Abraham wherby he deserued that this blessed inheritaūce should be deriued giuē vnto al his posteritie To make this more euidēt playne marke whyther y◠worde of god who made y◠promise be not so whiche saythe in Isaac thy sede shal be called To the seede of Abrahā promyse was made that in it by it al nations of the world shoulde famously be spoken of and blessyd But nowe is it not gods wyl that al Abrahās posteritie should be called Abrahams seede vnles they be as Isaac was who was the chylde
loue haue they but yet not accordyng to knowledge and right iudgement Nor are they deceiued for lacke of a godly minde and purpose but in the choyse and practise of life they rūne farre awry Now better is it to haue some minde to religion then to be al without and of God wel worthy wer that minde of theyrs in goodnes to be encreased were it not that they to the grosse beginnynges of godly life so stubbernly cleaued that they refused the true and perfite religion and wer it not also they so vehemently requyred and auaunced euen shadowes and pictures of trueth that the verye fountayne of trueth they vtterly dispised For whiles they busyly in dede but yet vndiscretely defende and kepe Moses lawe resistyng him for whom the lawe was principally ordained they vtterly fal euen from the whole lawe selfe Kepyng of the sabboth day circumcision abstinence frō certayne kyndes of meates the shonnyng of dead carkasses fastyng dayes the keapyng of high feastes were for this purpose made and decreed for a time that frō suche rude beginnynges men might by litle and litle growe vpwarde to true perfite righteousnes and from a certaine worldly righteousnes encrease and growe vppe to that whiche is in all pointes godly and perfecte If an ordinaunce be purposed and made for a better ende vnseamyng is it for loue of suche a meane to dispise the ende for whiche the sayd meane was appointed But now frowardely so yet do the Iewes whom albeit after the publishyng of the righteousnes of God it besemed to forgoe the carnal iustice of the lawe yet so farrefoorth bolster they out defende theyr olde and at this tyme hurteful and not onely superfluous iustice of the lawe that they not onely wyll not knowledge the heauenly righteousnes of God but also hauyng a confidence in theyr ceremonies withstande and resist the gospel of Christ wherevnto they ought by fayth to submitte them selfe if they euer minded to be truely righteous For we must by imaginacion conceiue as it were twoo kyndes of iustice th one wherof Moses was author the other wherof Christ was beginner The one standeth in ceremonies the other in fayth and obedience And as the rude piece of timbre is matter wherof an image is wrought as bloud is the beginning of liuyng creatures to be brought foorth by generaciō so is the iustice of the lawe a rude grosse beginnyng of thother whiche is more perfite And certainly extreme folishenes is it after that a man is come to perfeccion curiously to sticke styl in rudimentes But now of all Moses law whiche is of it selfe rude vnperfite is Christ the fulfillyng and perfeccion by whom through fayth and not through circumcision we attaine righteousnes whiche way to righteousnes is not onely open for Iewes to entre therinto but also to all true and faythful beleuers The texte For Moses writeth of the righteousnes whiche commeth of the lawe how that the mā whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby But the righteousnes which cōmeth of fayth speaketh on this wyse say not thou in thine heart who shal ascende into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue either who shall descende into the depth that is euen to fetche vp Christ againe from death but what sayth he The worde is nigh the euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Both kyndes of iustice did Moses clearely expresse For the temporal iustice whiche rested in ceremonies to be kept but for a season plainly setteth he out in the boke of y◠Leuites saiyng kepe my lawes decrees this who so doeth shal liue therby But the true euerlastyng iustice whiche we by Christ through a liuely fayth obtaine in the boke of Deuteronomi expresseth he when he sayth neither say thou in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen for that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue Nor yet say thou who shal descende and goe doune into the deapth of the yearth for that were euen to fetche vppe Christ againe from death Of whiche bothe sortes of questioners forasmuche as they require of fayth to haue an experiment neither of both semeth to beleue well But whosoeuer vnfaynedly beleueth is in suche poyntes more surely and better persuaded thē is one which nedeth suche meanes to be taught with either of this I saye that Christe once descended from heauen or els of this that he nowe sytteth at his fathers ryghte hande thoughe he nomore shewe neither of bothe before mennes iyen And though it be of men sene nomore yet beleueth he also that Christ went downe to hell and the thyrde daye rose agayne to lyfe Sufficient is it for vs to beleue that this was once done So that this remayneth that we gyue credence vnto suche as sawe the same And to beleue this we nede not to seke ferre The Iewes sawe and yet beleued not Other heard whiche sawe not and yet gaue they credence The scripture recordeth the same whiche streight after saythe the worde is nyghe the euen in thy mouthe and in thy hearte The texte This same is the worde of faythe whiche we preache For yf thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the lorde and beleue in thy heart that god raysed hym vp frō death thou shalte be saued For to beleue with the hearte iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the Scripture sayth whosoeuer beleueth on hym shal not be confounded And what worde is this whiche Scripture speaketh of Withoute doubt the worde of the gospel which we beyng publyshers of this righteousnes do preache worketh in mennes soules present saluacion so that menne by faythe onely apply theyr myndes therunto But howe is this worde of the gospell in thy mouthe and howe is it in thy hearte Yf thou with thy mouthe confesse and knowledge the Lorde Iesus and with thy heart vnfaynedly beleue that god from death raised hym agayne to lyfe that we through hym beyng restored to lyfe from the death of syn shoulde hereafter lyue in cleannesse of lyfe then shalt thou be saued For with hert beleue we whiche is to ryghteousenes the very entrey but for asmuche as when nede requyreth all men are bounde to glorifie Christe to euerlastyng saluacion it is not sufficient with heart onlye to beleue excepte thou the same with thy mouthe confesse By this seeye that this matter hangeth not vpon ceremonies but vpon fayth Whiche thyng Esai also speakyng of Christe recordeth saying whosoeuer beleueth on hym shall not be confounded The texte There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile For one is lorde of all whiche is riche vnto all that cal vpon hym For whosoeuer dothe call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe Howe then shall they call on hym on whome they haue not beleued Howe shall they beleue on hym of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare withoute a preacher And how shall they
cutte out of a natural wylde Oliue tree and waste graffed contrarye to nature in a true Oliue tree How much more shal the natural brauÌ„ches be graffed in theyr owne Oliue tree again Considre in God bothe his mercye and his exacte iustice and by the one learne to be thankefull to God and by the other forget to be proude and disdaineful Of Goddes exacte iustice the Iewes felte example whiche from theyr fyrst state fel to suche blyndnes that Christ for whom they so many yeares loked they maliciously and cruelly persecuted Of Goddes great goodnes hast thou whiche arte a Gentile a playne experience in that he of his goodnes made the of that blissefull life partaker whoÌ„ neither thy heathen stocke neither thy wicked life in any wise deserued Once hath God freely forgeuen the offences of thy former life once art thou through Goddes fauor receiued into the numbre of his childreÌ„ but yet art thou so receiued that as thou without thy deserte wert called vnto it so through thyne owne foly thou mayest againe fal from it God wyll froÌ„ the beyng vnthankeful withdrawe his gifte vnlesse thou knowledge his goodnes vnlesse thou mekely vse his benefite Thy vnkindnes wyl lose al that his goodnes gaue Thy pryde wyl destroye that thy obedience wonne In whiche pointes if thou be not ware thou shalt froÌ„ the true Oliue in whom thou art now planted be againe cutte our Lykewyse the Iewes if they chaunge and forsake that which deuideth them from God I say theyr vnbeleif they shall into that tree be new planted from whence they were cutte So that fayth shall to that place restore them againe from whence through vnbeleif they wer once deposed For if thou whiche wast prophane and cursed beyng as it were cut out of the wylde Oliue contrarye to nature be graffed into the true Oliue how muche rather wyll this be done that the Iewes whiche came of good pareÌ„tes come to theyr kynde and be planted into that good stocke againe from whence they were cut The texte I would not that this secrete should be hid from you my brethren lest ye should be wyse in your owne conceiptes that partly blindnes is happened in Israel vntyl the fulnes of the gentiles be come in and so al Israel shal be saued As it is written there shal come out of Sion he that doeth deliuer and shal turne away vngodlines from Iacob And this is my couenaunt vnto them when I shal take away their synnes As coÌ„cernyng the gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touchyng the eleccion they are loued for theyr fathers sakes I wyll brethren open vnto you a hidden mistery whiche should parauenture not be spoken of at al wer it not that the same is for you very expedient to be knowen lest ye proudly take to muche vpoÌ„ you forsomuch as ye thinke your selfes to be sette before the Iewes The blyndnes I spake of whervnto the Iewes are fallen neither fell vpon the whole nacion nor shall continue styl Of them many knowledge Christ the rest shal so long coÌ„tinue in theyr blyndnes vntyl that the numbre of gentiles be throughly filled vp whiche through the Iewes fal haue had an entry into this condicion But when after long tyme they shal see all the whole worlde to florishe in the fayth of Christ that they in vaine looke for theyr Messias and that theyr cytie theyr temple theyr sacrifices and all theyr whole nacion is dispersed and scatered abrode through the light of vnderstandyng they wyll at the last begyn to knowledge theyr errour and wel vnderstande that Christ is the very true Messias So that albeit some of them are now growen out of kinde yet shal then the whole numbre of the Israelites be saued Then shal they for good skil be called right Israelites when with the light of fayth they shal begyn to se that Christ is bothe God and the sonne of God and through theyr strength in fayth more then vpon any confidence in workes wreste out with strong hande the benediccion of God And because ye shal beleue this the better the same was also by yâ— prophete Esai long before sayd Bothe were prophecied of that is to wete bothe that they should fall also rise againe and amende the one see we already done so yâ— and yâ— thyng self coÌ„firmeth establisheth yâ— prophecie thother with like fayth we loke hereafter to ensue The prophecie is this there shal come out of SioÌ„ he that shal deliuer and shal turne away vngodlynes froÌ„ Iacob and this is my couenaunt with them when I shal take away theyr sinnes With this nacion made God once a couenaunt whiche beyng surely made and decreed though some make them self vnworthy of Goddes promise yet for theyr vnworthynes God wyll not suffre his promise to be vtterly vayne Some shal yet remaine that shal receiue the whole stockes right For notwithstandyng they are fallen from the grace of God yet are they not so fallen that they can not be recoÌ„ciled As many of them as receiue not the gospel of Christ but cleaue styll faste to the letter of the law are eueÌ„ yâ— enemies of God that but be not proud of it turned you to good for vpon theyr refusal and forsaking of the gospel the same was to you by so muche yâ— rather offered But yet in asmuche as they are descended of godly and holy parentes and are that nacion whom among all other God chose out peculiarly for him selfe for theyr sakes God greatly regardeth them so that if they amende they shall the rather be receiued into his fauor because that whiche we now preache God long synce promised to theyr fore fathers The texte For verely the giftes and callyng of God are suche that it cannot repent him of them for lyke as ye in tyme passed haue not beleued God yet haue now obtained mercy through their vnbeleif euen so now haue they not beleued the mercy which is happened vnto you that they also may obtaine mercy For God â—â—th wrapped al nacions in vnbeleif that he might haue mercy on al. For God doth not in suche sorte promise to do any thyng nor in suche sorte fathereth his children yâ— he after forthinkyng him self wyl chaunge his purpose as men are wont to do God cannot be chaunged but rather as he cannot be deceiued so wyl he not be sory for that he hath done As sone as the Iewes no lenger refuse him then wyl he of his syde remembre his promise There is a chauÌ„ge in al thinges As at theyr fal therfore thou shouldest not reioyce if thou therby woÌ„ne so shouldest thou be glad of theyr amendment For yâ— ye were once the same al the Iewes welnigh are now that is to say vnfaythful to God yet did not God refuse you for euer synce we now of his mercye see it done yâ— as vpon theyr refusall made ye were receiued so now suffereth God them for a tyme to
other that it should haue another kynde of teachyng Worldly wysedome is taught after a worldly fashion but heauenly and spirituall thinges must be taught after a newe sorte and yet not to euery man indiffereÌ„tly but to suche onely as haue receiued the spirite of Christ and are by reason that they are spirituall themselues able to receyue spirituall learnyng It besemeth surely that spirituall learnyng should haue a spirituall hearer which hath bothe his vnderstandyng cleansed by faythe and wylfull desyres corrected by charitie For the grosse and naturall man whiche is proude and arrogant vpon the knowledge of thinges that maye be seene and is ruled by beastly lustes regardeth not suche thynges as apperteyne to the spirite of god but coumpteth for folyshnes and laugheth to skorne whatsoeuer soundeth contrary to that he thynketh Nor beleueth any thyng but that he hath eyther proued by experyence or concluded by natural reason and is without regarde of this learnyng and Phylosophie whiche teacheth that Christe was borne of a virgyn and that he was bothe very god and very man that by dying he ouercame death and after rose agayne to lyfe and wyll perfourme in his membres suche thynges as are already doen in hymselfe that tribulacions are the waye to true blysse and that by death a man shall come to euerlastyng lyfe Suche articles cannot by mannes reason be perceyued but by the inspiracion of the holy ghost To learne this thou nedeste no wylye and craftie wytte but rather haste nede of a simple and a pure fayth Suche an instrument is mete for the holye gooste to worke with as wholy geueth vp it selfe to be framed and wrought vpon by hym But the spirituall manne discusseth and iudgeth all thinge not passing vpon temporall matiers but studiouse of heauenly thinges and yet is he not iudged of any carnall man which hath no skyll vpon this heauenly and secrete wisdome Euen as a man iudgeth not goddes matiers so the carnal man iudgeth not the spirituall As for such poyntes as are by our preachyng taught are no mens inuencions nor phantasies but came furth out of the secrete counsell of god For as the prophete Esai sayde what man is there on liue which of hymself knoweth the mynde of god immortall that he can to him be as it wer one of his priuie counsel It pleased goddes prouidence to deliuer his out of thraldome after such straunge meanes to deceiue therby all mannes vayne curiositie But we knowe goddes wyl and mynde because we haue receaued his spirite The .iii. Chapiter The texte â–ª And I coulde not speake vnto you brethren as vnto spiritual but as vnto carnal euen as vnto babes in Christ I gaue you milke to drinke not meate For ye then wer not stroÌ„g nether are ye as yet For ye are yet carnal As long verely as there is amoÌ„g you enuying stryfe and sectes are ye not carnall and walke after the maner of men For whyle one sayeth I hold of Paule and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal What is paul What thinge is Apollo Onely ministers are they by whome ye beleued euen as the Lorde gaue euery man grace I haue planted Apollo watred but God gaue the encreace So then nether is he that planteth eny thynge nether he that watreth but God that geueth the encreace He that planteth and he that watreth are one Euery man yet shall receaue hys rewarde accordynge to hys laboure Fore we are Goddes labourers ye are Goddes husbandrye ye are Goddes buylding Accordyng to the grace of God geuen vnto me as a wyse buylder haue I layde the foundacion And another buylt theron But let euery man take hede howe he buyldeth vpon For another foundacyon can no man laye then it that is layde which is Iesus Chryst THere are in this learning certayne poyntes mete for begynners certayne mete for them that are wel entred and goyng forwarde and certayne mete for suche as are verie perfite of whiche euerye sorte must be taught accordyng to their capacities Therfore wheÌ„ I fyrst came vnto you I coulde not teache you the deapest poyntes of our religioÌ„ as suche should be taught as are perfitely spiritual but submitted my preachyng to your weakenes amoÌ„g yâ— rude vsyng rudnes among yâ— grosse speaking grossely lisping stameryng with you as wemen doe with theyr chyldren For fayth also hath her encreasinges When I sawe you therfore in Christes learnyng but euen younglynges I fed you as it were with the mylke of grosse learnyng and not with the substancial foode of perfite doctrine not because I was not able to teach you greater poyntes but because ye by reason of carnall affections blyndnes of your former lyfe â—er not able to vnderstand higher learnynge as diuerse among you are not able yet For sum there be among you which albeit through baptisme are become Christes seruauntes haue not yet shaken of al fleshly affeccions Such as are in this case are surely carnal not spiritual What nede I many wordes or why should I feare to speake that of you yâ— the dede selfe speaketh The matier is knowen by your dedes For synce the spirite of Christ bredeth vnitie concorde on the contrarie syde enuy contentions debates ryse of nothing elles but of worldly desyers synce suche thynges are sene among you maye not a man saye to your reproche that ye are entangled with mannes grosse affections Yf ye denye it whence come these wordes that are talked among you sounding to debate and strife but of a corrupte mynde for wheras there is but one chiefe doer and ruler ouer all the world yet among you one sayeth I am of Paules secte another sayeth I am of Apollos secte after which sorte or lyke sorte of titles yâ— studentes in philosophie striue one with another whyles one sayeth I am Aristotles scholer another sayeth I am a Platoniste I am a Stoike I am an Epicure Whiche thinge yet I saye not because any suche strife and sectes are either in my name or in Apollos rysen but because I thought it good to put example in our persons to make you more plainly perceyue the haynousnes of this your offence For yf it be an vnseamly thing to giue vs which are the true apostles of god and suche as haue taught you nothing but that we receyued by the spirite of Christe suche glory and prayse as is onelye due to hym who can beare with you when ye chalenge to be of mennes sectes not moche passing what they bee parauenture false apostles and gyue ouer the gloriouse and myghtye woorke of youre saluacion and profession to vile persons whiche shoulde only be gyuen vnto Christ As yf one named Frangilius or Benotius or Angulius or Carmilius or sum other of any other name for these put I but for an example haue deuised sum worldlye order or rule of lyfe wyll ye straight vpon pride of theyr names be at shamfull variaunce among your selues and by extinguyshing Christes name
indued wyth learnyng and rules of good order maye bestowe that they haue for the common profite Fourthly such as worke miracles to kepe vnder and subdue the power of deuyls and to auaunce with them the name and glory of Christe Fyftly suche as can heale diseases And after them suche as can with theyr autoritie and counsel help other that are in trouble through a singuler discreacion kepe the multitude in obedieÌ„ce And laste of al such as by knowledge of the toÌ„gues may be to other profitable This varietie doth not only encourage but also coÌ„pell you to mutual loue concord forasmuch as eche one of you hath nede of others helpe Are al Apostles are al Prophetes are al teachers are all workers of myracles haue all men the gyft of healing doe all men speake diuerse languages haue all men the gyft to expounde No not so but euery maÌ„ hath his owne proper gyft No man must be disdayned but yet must euery man endeuour to be endewed with such gyftes as among these are chiefe and so styll encrease to such as are better For it is not to be supposed that euery man hath his gyfte so geuen vnto him that he is without hope to receiue better And leste ye growe to arrogant of theÌ„ I say vnto you they are the gyftes of the spirite but yet is the holy spirite of God wont with our endeuour prayers to be prouoked both to geue his gyftes and to encrease mayntaine theÌ„ Excellent gyftes are these which I haue nowe rehearsed but suche as may be in vngodly men But I wil shewe you a more excellent waie than al these wherunto euery man must spicially endeuour synce that without it nothyng auayle these gyftes whiche we haue spoken of and whiche ye yet in suche sorte folowe as though there were none other ¶ The .xiii. Chapter The texte Though I speake with the tongues of men and of Angels and haue no loue I am euen as â—ounding brasse or as a tynkâ—yng cymball And though I could prophecy and vnderstode all secretes and all knowledge ye yf I haue all fayth so that I can moue mountaynes out of theyr places and yet haue no loue I am nothyng And though I bestowe all my goodes to fede the poore and though I geue my body euen that I burned and yet haue no loue it profyteth me nothyng AHygh gyft is it to speake with tonges for whiche ye specially please your selfe But though I speake with all tonges not of meÌ„ only but to encrease the matter also with the tonge of Angels and haue not a feruent desyre to doe for my neyghbour to bestowe the gyft of God to the profite of all men as vnprofitable shall I bee as brasse that with his vayne sounde breaketh the ayer or as a cymball that with his vnprofitable tinklyng troubleth the eares Yea if I haue also a more excellent gyft than this for example the gyft of prophecie wherby I know all the secrete senses of the scriptures of God if somuch haue chaunced to any one man to vnderstand al yea if therwith â—e ioyned a perfite knowledge of all learnynges haue finally so strong a fayth that I could with thesame moue euen mountaynes out of their places lacke charitie in vayne haue I all the other forasmuch as they profite no body Yf I haue so great a gyft to helpe other yâ— what substance so euer I haue I would be content to bestow it al together for the reliefe of the poore yea if for yâ— ayde of such as are oppressed I would put my body in al ieopardy yea euen to be burned yet yf it may possybly be lacke charitie yâ— is to say a mynde desirouse euen freely to doe wel to other of all my other gyftes haue I none aduauntage By charitie only are we taught how we should vse other giftes which to haue is for a maÌ„ but vayne if he cannot vse them Other gyftes are sometime defaced with ambicion sometime with malyce sometime with dissencion from al which infeccions farre is charitie Eche other gyft hath his owne peculiar coÌ„moditie but charitie can neither be corrupted and her vse is moste commen The texte Loue suffereth long and is courteous Loue enuyeth not Loue doeth not frowardly swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seketh not her owne is not prouoked to anger thinketh no euill reioyseth not in iniquitie but reioyseth in the trueth suffreth al thinges beleueth all thinges hopeth all thinges endureth all thinges Though that prophecyinges fayle either tonges cease or knowledge vanyshe awaye yet loue falleth neuer awaye Charitie is mylde to suffer wronges and also for this present lyfe commodiouse courteouse Charitie enuieth no man but asmuch as she hath bestoweth vpon other Not euill tounged but pleasing euery manne not swelling but lowly humblyng herselfe to other nor thinketh any thing vnsemely for her so that she maye doe good nor seketh her owne priuate lucre nor is thorough iniurye prouoked to reuenge and so farre from doyng wrong for wrong that she not somuche as myndeth to be reuenged so farre from doyng wrong herselfe that she cannot in other abyde it but rather reioyseth she in pure and godly maners and of a readie desyre to doe good suffereth all thynges be they neuer so paynfull so farre from conceyuing any euyll suspicion in any other that he beleueth all thynges and despaireth lyghtly of no man but through a sure trust of amendemente stedfastly contineweth in hope And to be briefe charitie neuer fayleth so farre that after this life when one manne shal haue no nede of an others seruice yet shall charitable loue of myndes abyde styll and neuer cease And in what gyft soeuer for this time a manne encreaseth charitie is neuer awaye but is a perpetuall gyft spread generally through the whole lyfe and state of christian menne though it chaunce prophecying to fayle or tounges to cease or knowledge to be abolished by excesse of more ample knowledge The texte For our knowledge is vnperfecte and our prophecying is vnperfecte But whan that whiche is perfecte is come then that whiche is vnperfecte shal be doen awaye When I was a chylde I spake as a chylde I vnderstoode as a chylde I imagined as a chylde But assone as I was a manne I putte awaye chyldyshnes Nowe we see in a glasse euen in a darke speakyng but then shall we see face to face Nowe I knowe vnperfectly but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen Nowe abydeth fayth hope and loue euen these three but the chiefe of these is loue For that whiche we of these thynges as yet possesse is vnperfite so that neyther our knowledge neyther vnderstanding of misteries through prophecie is yet ful and perfite But when that is come which is perfite that which is nowe but halfe perfite shall after a sorte be abolyshed Euen as it is in nature so hath christian religion her degrees ages and increase of ages When I was
and exceading poore yet suche hearty myndes had they that the litle whiche was lefte in theyr emptie cofers they departed with for the reliefe of the poore By meane wherof the poorer they became and more broughte to neede throughe theyr godly liberalitie the rycher are they growen in gentle heartes and singlenes For we not onely founde them not harde in geuyng theyr goodes but also beare true witnes with them that thei would of good wyll not onely geue accordyng to theyr abilities but also more than theyr abilities were insomuche that when we fearyng leste after suche exceading great liberalitie by reason of nede they might of that they had doen be sorte refused to receyue theyr free offer they moste instantelye besoughte vs to suffer them to be partakers of this prayse whiche is that they geuyng some parte of theyr substaunce for the reliefe of saynctes might agayne be partakers of theyr godlynes in so doyng not onely satisfying my desyre but also doing more than I loked for which not onely offered theyr goodes but also frely gaue theÌ„selues first to god and then to vs also as the wil of god was by whose inspiracion they were moued so gladly to obey vs. â— hose good minde so greatly pleased me that I exhorted Titus that as by hys good counsell ye had already begun this liberalitie vpon good people he would in you accomplishe that whiche was begun to the intent ye shoulde be the more beholding vnto him by whome ye haue obteyned this godly prayse of beneuolence that in this poynt ye be behinde none other The texte Nowe therefore as ye ate â—ychein all parties in fayth in woorde in knowlage in al feruentues and in loue whiche ye haue to vs euen so see that ye be plenteous in this beneuolence also This saye I not commaunding but because of feruentues I doe alow the unfainednes of your loue towarde other men For ye knowe the liberalitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ that though he was tyche yet for your sakes he became poore yâ— ye through his pouertie might be made riche And I geue counsell hereto For this is expediente for you whiche began not to doe â—uâ—ly but also to will a yere agoe Nowe therfore performe the thing whiche ye began to doe that as there was in you a tedines to will euen so ye may perfourme the dede of that whiche ye haue For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not But rather as ye in other gyftes passe other that is to wit in the gift of fayth in the gift of tonges in the gift of knowledge in the gift of diligent ministring in the gift of charitie which ye haue declared toward vs be ye likewise in this gift excellent not because I require so much of you but for this rehearse I the ready mindes of the Macedonians that ye being through their example prouoked frely declare your vnfayned charitie in this behalfe folowing the lorde Iesus Christe asmuch as ye be able who albeit he were ryche and lorde of al yet because he would doe vs good of hys free goodnes made himselfe poore and hydyng hys almightye power became manne to the ende that throughe hys pouertie ye might bee enryched makyng as it were a chaunge wherein he receiued the pouertie of our humanitie because he woulde make vs partakers of the riches of his Godhead Therfore as in my other letters I required you not to leade a syngle lyfe but for your weale and profite counsayled you thereto so in thys matier I commaunde you not but geue you counsell and for this geue you counsell because I thynke it shall be profitable for you namely since the thynge I geue you counsell in is suche as ye haue alreadye without my counsell not onely begunne to dooe but also gladly of your owne myndes begunne to will it Nowe remayneth thys that suche thynges as ye haue begun to dooe ye perfourme in dede that as ye willyngly mynded this a yere paste so ye perfourme it as the Macedonians gaue you exaumple not aboue your habilitie as they dyd but euery manne as he is able That which a manne geueth against hys will is not acceptable if a mannes will bee good and ready it is sufficiente though his gift be measured by hys habilitie for no man is required to geue that he hath not The texte ¶ It is not my mynde that other be set at ease and ye brought into cumbrauÌ„ce but that there be egalnes now at this time and that your aboundaunce maye succour their lacke and that theyr aboundaunce supplye your lacke that there maye be equalitie agreeing to that whiche is written he that had much had not the more aboundaunce and he that bad litle bad neuerthelesse ThaÌ„kes be vnto god which put the same good minde for you in the herte of Titus which accepted the requeste ye rather he was so well willing that of his owne accorde he came vnto you Nor must men so vse theyr liberalitie that such vpon whome it is bestowed liue at rest and pleasauntly and they that geue be brought to pouertie But for an egalnes to be kept among you that is to witte that through youre riches wherof ye haue abouÌ„dauÌ„ce their pouerty may be relieued and again that their fayth godlines wherin they passe you may recompence that that perchaunce wanteth in you whyles eche of you departeth with other so that neyther of you lacke anye thyng but that there bee an equalitie obserued As we reade it chaunced with oure elders in gatheryng manna that he whiche had gathered more with hym remayned there no more than with an other whiche had gathered lesse For so is it written in the booke of Exodiâ—he that had muche had not the more aboundaunce and he that had litle had neuerthelesse These temporall riches haue we but for a season to liue by them from tyme to tyme because no man should long beefore caste hys penyworthes what he shall haue lefte hym For if ye goe that way to worke no man will thinke that he hath for himself sufficient and spare to geue vnto other For this present tyme this man hath nede and thou hast to much Of that which thou hast more than inough geue as the presente nede requireth If hereafter it chaunce that thou thyselfe nede thou shalt with like liberalitiie by some other be eased And thankes geue I vnto god whiche inspired this good purpose in Titus hearte as well as in myne which gladly accepted my request being elswise well disposed thereto yea which came vnto you â–ª not so much at my request as of his own good wil albeit he was through myne encouraging the better willed The texte We haue sente with hym the brother whose laude is in the gospell throughout all the congregacions and not that onely but is also chosen of the congregacyons to bee a felowe with vs in our iourney
with God long ago yea euen afore the world was made and in a maner opened vnto the prophetes by inspiracion albeit it was not playnly opened to the world as it is now by me that the Gentiles through onely fayth of the Gospel without helpe of Moses law should attayn saluacion yea in so much that the chiefest of the Apostles durst not admit suche as were not circumcised vnto baptisine But nowe it is playnely opened vnto the holye Apostles of Christe and to hys prophetes by inspiracion of the holy goste that the Gentiles through faith are so vnited vnto the Iewes that they are comen in to the felowship of yâ— selfe same enheritaunce and growe in to all one bodye reioycyng in theyr common head Christe and by reason therof are becomen partiners of all the proinisses that abyde suche as beleue the Ghospel of Christ to preache the which Ghospell autoritie is commytted vnto me and I ceasse not to dooe my commaunded office labouring constauntly hitherto in the Ghospels busines euen vnto emprisonmeÌ„tes and fetters not that I am any thing mete of mine owne strength for so painful a busines but he that appoynted that office to me hath laied his owne helping hande to the same And so it is that I being as concerning myne owne habilitie feble and weake am by his benefite strong and full of courage agaynst the stormes of al mischiefes I boast not myne own worthines for I coÌ„fesse that I am the least of Saintes but yet as litle as I am it hath pleased the goodnes of God to putte me in trust with this businesse of moste weightie importaunce that I shoulde publishe and preache among the Gentiles whiche before this time knewe nothyng of God the vnsearcheable richesse of Christ which he offereth plenteously to all men and bryng to lyght the thyng that before was hidden that the benefit of the ghospell is to be dispensed and ministred to all maner of nacions whiche beefore was supposed to be geuen onely to the Iewes although it was otherwyse decreed eternally of God the maker and gouernour of all thynges notwithstanding his will was to haue thys Counsayll of hys diuyne intente to be yet hitherto kepte secrrete whiche in these tymes he woulde so openly manifeste and that by the congregacion wherinto he powred suche aboundaunce of spirituall giftes that his manifolde wisedome whiche with wounderfull deuises disposeth all thinges through death geuyng life through shame exaltyng to glorye through humilitie aduauncyng Goddes maiestie whiche no man in times paste coulde haue Imagined shoulde nowe bee brought to lyght not onely to the brode worlde but euen to prynces and chiefeste of Angelles and deuilles that haue to dooe in the skyes and in the vppermoste parte of the ayer whiche thynges albeit they myght gesse should come to passe that mankynde should once be redemed yet this was not knowen by what reason the wisedome of God had eternallye decreed to bringit to passe whiche thing now at length was openlye knowen whan he sent his sonne into the world who hauing taken vpon him an humain bodye would by vnspeakeable meanes vnite and couple the congregacion to hymselfe whereof our lorde Iesus Christe should bee the head by whome like as Innocencie chaunced vnto vs in that that our sinnes were doen a waye euen so chaunced vnto vs an assured truste also that as children we shoulde not be afraied to approche vnto the father whose displeased countenaunce we durst not afore beholde For what shoulde we bee afrayed of hauyng suche a heade that in no wise suffreth any of his membres to perishe albeit here in the meane season we suffre sum affliccion The texte â–ª Wherfore I desire that ye faint not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whiche is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our lorde Iesus Christ which is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he would graunt you accordyng to the riches of his glorie that ye maye bee strengthed with might by his spirite in the â—â—â—er man that Christe maie dwell in your hertes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue mighte bee hable to comprehende with al sayntes what is that bredth aâ—d length depth and height and to knowe the excellente loue of the knoweledge of Christ that ye mighte bee fulfilled with all fulnes which cummeth of God Vnto him yâ— is hable to doe exceading aboundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in yâ— congregacion by Christe Iesus thorowâ—â—t al generacious from tune to tyme. Amen This secrete counsayle of God forasmuch as I preache boldely in euery place I suffre exceadyng punishemente of such as yet cannot possibly be perswaded of this matter But I beseche you let not myne affliccions whiche I suffre for your sakes anythyng disquiete or dismaye you For there is no cause why you shoulde be ashamed of suche an Apostle though I bee laden with fetters For like as the crosse of Christe is our glorie euen so my fetters which I we are not for any euill dedes but for the sinceritie of the Ghospel are for your honestie and no rebuke For the more displeasures we suffre with a constaunt mynd for the Ghospell of Christe the more entierly we cause the people to beleue that the promises of Christe are not vayne inasmuch as through assured hope of them we faint not for any displeasures of this life And it is not Ioyous to me onely to suffre for the ghospelles businesse but it also becommeth al men that are entred vnto Christe to folowe the example of their autour and head And truely for this cause sake I bowe my knees and praye earnestly euen from the botome of myne harte vnto God our father and the same the father of our lorde Iesus Christe of whome as the supreme head dependeth all spirituall kynred wherby by are incorporated together whether they bee angelles in heauen or faithfull people vpon earth and of whome onely as of the fountaine springeth whatsoeuer is belongyng to true felicitie that like as he hath begonne to declare hys aboundaunte glorye in you so he maye more and more augmente his liberall goodnesse to you ward that as you are engraffed to Christ through baptisme and as it were borne newe agayne so you maye gather courage and strengthe with daylye encrease not accordong to the bodye but accordyng to the mynde and soule that is to saye by the gyfte of the spirite of the father continually encreacyng in vs by whome we are made stronge and valiaunt to withstande al dredes of persecucion and that the constancie of your fayth maye be suche that you thynke surelye that Christe will neuer fayle you but rather dwelle in wardly in your hertes for the faythful trustes sake wherwith you commit your selues wholy vnto him For with such is he most specially presente as distruste theyr owne
strength and depende wholye of his helpe And this shall the rather come to passe yf hauyng a Ghospellike fayth you practyse also a Ghospellike charitie knittyng the oue to thother so as it maie vtterlye reste and take rote in your soules to the entent that being established and grouÌ„ded vpon this sure fouÌ„dacion you maye ware greater and greater in your spirite and after a certayn wise be correspondent to the vnmeasurable spirite of God that you maie grow and go forward so perfitely that not onelye with the Iewes but also with the vniuersall multitude of Sayntes whiche are encorporated to the bodye of Christe through the beliefe of the Ghospell you maie bee hable to comprehend how infinitely the goodnesse of God extendeth it selfe and how it is not restrained within narrowe bondes and limittes in heigth reachyng vp to the angels in depth pearcyng downe to the helles in length and breadth spreadyng it selfe vnto all coastes of the worlde and that you maye be hable also to vnderstand the inestimable charitie of Christe towardes mankynde whose knowledge excelleth all the knowledge of man how excellente so euer it be And that you may in these gyftes so encreace that as perfite and lustye membres you maye bee answerably mete for so noble a heade and so hygh a father For lyke as the bodyly byrth hath degrees of ages hath his encreases and hath his measure as long as his growing time endureth euen so this spiritual generacion also hath his childehood hath his springing time and than his perfite lusty growen age For these thynges I saye I praye often vpon my knees vnto God the father Which thinges in dede although thei be greate and far about mannes power yet I desyre them of hym whose power is so myghty that we cannot possibly Imagyne so great a matter but he is hable to dooe muche greatter and is so good and so gentill that he dooeth not onelye accoumplishe our desyres wyth his owne liberalitye but also geueth vs muche more than we can hope for And yet there is nothyng in this behalfe dooen other throughe our merites or powers For we are nothyng elles but the instrument of the diuyne power that woorketh his owne myghte in vs so that all glorye that florisheth in the congregacion is wholy to be ascribed to hys largesse through Christ Iesus by whose participacion the congregacion is endowed with so excellente gyftes and of this glorye there shall bee no ende but it shall endure through all ages to ternally like as the congregacion of Christ shal also haue none end That that I haue sayed is certayne and vndoubtedly true The .iiii. Chapter The texte I Therfore whiche am a prysoner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherewith ye are called with al lowlines and mekenes with humblenes of mynde forbearyng one an other thorowe loue and be diligente to kepe the vnitie of the 〈◊〉 thorowe the bonde of peace being one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling Let there bee but one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whiche is aboue all and thorowe all and in you all NOw inasmuche as ye perceiue from how vyle a condicion vnto what great dignitye from how depe desperacion to what excellente benefites you are called I beseche you for these cheines sakes wherwith I am tyed not for mine own faultes but for the glorye of God and your saluacion that asmuche as remaineth behynde you would conforme youre selues in honest coÌ„uersacion answerably to your professioÌ„ to the mercifulnes that God hath shewed to youwardes And that shal be doen in case the excellencye of your profession make you not to hygh minded nor to fearcely stomaked But see that all the custome of your life resemble in all thynges true modestye gentilnesse and lenyte of mynde so that one disdeyne not an other but euerye one suffre other through mutual charitie rather one bearyng with an others weakenesse for the tyme than whan euerye one goeth about to holde his owne with tothe and nayle you breake concorde and vniforme loue wherwith you are made one and vnited together through the bonde of peace For it is not conueniente that such mennes myndes should be deuided among theÌ„selues that haue so many thynges commune You are al one bodye you depende all of one heade you haue all receiued of one selfe spirite of Christ and you are also indifferentely called all into one hope of inheritaunce There is one lord of al Iesus Christ al haue but one profession of faith there is but one baptisme of al that by the meanes of Christes death is indifferently effectuall vnto all that beleue the Ghospell whether they bee circumcised or vncircumcised Finallye there is but one God and father of al that as the prynce autour of all thynges hath dominion ouer vs all in suche sorte that by his spirite wherewith he gouerneth vs he geueth hymselfe vnto all and kepeth continual residence with vs releuyng and helpyng vs in all thynges so that it is the gifte of onely one what good thyng soeuer we haue The texte Unto euery one of vs is geuen â—race according to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Wherefore he saieth when he went vp on hye he led captiuitie captiue gaue gyftes vnto men That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earthe He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all thinges And the verye same made some Aposties some Prophetes some EuaÌ„gelistes some shepeherdes and teachers to yâ— edifiyng of the saintes to the worke and ministracion euen to the edifiyng of the bodye of Christe till we all come to the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfeit man vnto the measure of the full perfeit age of Christe This ought in no wyse to hynder our concorde that the giftes of God bee not all after one sorte nor all alyke appearyng in al menne no more than we see the meÌ„bres of the body not agre or to be racked one froÌ„ an other because thei be not indiffereÌ„tly apte al to one vse or fele not al alike the influence of the head But this maner varietie ought rather to be the occasion of vnitie For inasmuch as no meÌ„bre of the body is hable fully to vphold himself of himself it commeth to passe that euerye one muste haue nede of an others offyce so that one maye not contemne an other But this distribucion of gyftes dependeth not of vs but of the wyll of God who distributeth vnto euerye man lesse or more as it semeth expedient in his owne syghte There is no cause why he shoulde bee disdeyned that hath lesse nor why he shoulde exalte hymselfe that hathe more That one is after Goddes measuryng thys other is after Goddes plenteous enlargyng and all by Christe which geueth
hindred me neuer so litell from the doctrine of Christ not that I condemne the lawe yf a man vse it as it ought to be but that I attribute so muche vnto the gospell of Christe my lorde that I doo not onely set lesse by the carnall lawe of Moses wherin these men boast thaÌ„ the excellent knowledge of Christ but also I thinke it losse what soeuer this world hathe of how excellent or of howe glittering a shewe soeuer it be This knowledge therefore as sone as I begonne any whitte to taste there is no aduauntage of any thing how goodly so euer it be but I esteme it as losse yea I regarde it no more than the rubbyshe of a rotten wall or yf any thinge be more vyle than it so that with the losse of it I maye wynne Christe the fountayne of all good thinges that are truely good I take myne owne ryghteousnesse to be nothing worthe where in obseruyng of Moses lawe my ryghteousnesse was thought among men to haue ben muche auayleable so that I maye atteyne vnto true righteousnes which I may not call myne forasmuch as it is not gotten by our owne merites but frelye geuen to them yâ— dystrust them selues put their whole coÌ„fydence symplye in Christ Neuertheles there springeth a certaine ryghteousnes also of the lawe howbeit it is not auaylable to geue saluacion But that righteousnes whiche is geuen of god is so not ours that notwithstandynge it geueth vs true perfite saluacion in case we beleue the gospel and through faith come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ whose natiuitie is more wanderful than can be vnderstanden by any mortall mannes wysedom whose resurrection is of more power than can be perswaded by any argumentes of man Onlye faith is hable to perswade these vnto vs and hathe so perswaded in dede that beyng establyshed in the hope of the promysses I am gladly content to come vnto the felowshyp of his affliccions to be bounden and to dye for his gospelles sake lyke as he was beaten and crucified for vs that it maye by some meanes chaunce vnto me that lyke as I folowe the example of hys death so I maye come to the glory of his resurrection beyng raysed vp by him This moost certaine constaunt hope doeth so comforte me in these afflictions bycause I assuredly trust in the promysses of Christe who hath promysed the feloweshyp of his kyndome to them that wyll not shrynke from the felowshyp of his crosse Nothwithstandyng I ment not to speake thus as though it were in me to atteyne so hyghe a worthynesse For I am not come as yet to the ende of my race I haue not yet wonne the game the matche is not yet all together at an ende howbeit I preace vnto it to the vttermoste of my power that I maye atteyne the thing that I pursue after For euery bodye wynneth not the game how so euer he runneth but he that preaceth lustily and he that laboureth constauntlye I am in good hope that I shall catche it in asmuche as Christ hath catched me to this same ende that beyng pulled backe in the myddle of my race which in times past I purposed wickedly against his congregacion I might runne well in the race of the gospell and wynne the game oâ— immortalitie lest you should fall into slouthe and naughty securitie in trustyng to the promised game Brethren I doo not thinke that I haue yet atteyned the thinge that I goe about and hope to atteyne It is a very weightye matter of importaunce that I folowe and is not lyghtlye atteyned by any man I knowe that Christ is true but the nature of man is so frayle and so mutable that it wyll not suffre me as yet to be careles Wherefore by the meanes of this excellente greate hope I set all thinges a syde and goe about this one thing onely that in the race of the gospel I maye forget as it were the thinges that are behynde me and preace with all my possible endeuour to those thinges that are afore me howbeit I rushe not here awaye and there awaye rashely I care not whither for he loseth his game that runneth naught But I bende my selfe streyghte towardes the pricke of the gospel that is set before our eâ—es and to the rewarde of immortalitie wherunto God the maister of our game lokyng out of heauen vpon our endeuour calleth vs by the helpe of Christ Iesus Therfore what other thing goe those men about that myngle the lawe with the gospel than to hyndre vs in our race And for that cause as many of vs as be perfite let vs be of this affected mynde that wee set nothinge before vs to runne at but the very marke of the gospel And yf there be any amonge you that be somwhat weaker than can vtterly contemne the law of their fathers wherin they haue ben nousled let them be borne withall vntyll they waxe perfite also God hathe shewed vnto you that the ayde of the lawe is nothing necessarie and so peraduenture it shall come to passe that he wyll reuele the same also vnto them The texte ¶ Brethren be folowers together of me and loke on them whiche walke euen so as ye haue vs for an ensample For many walke of whome I haue tolde you often and nowe tell you wepynge that they are the enemyes of the crosse of Christe whose ende is damnacion whose bellye is their God and glory to their shame which are worldly minded But our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we lake for the sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whiche shall chaunge our vyle body yâ— he maye make it lyke vnto his glorious body accordyng to the workyng wherby he is able also to subdue all thinges vnto him selfe Now whyle we are in this worlde let vs goo on styll in the race that we haue taken in hande accordynge to the rule prescribed vnto vs and let vs truely agree in it that we suffre not oure selues to be drawne backe from that purpose but let vs make spedye haste euery man to his power to atteine the game of immortalitie Ther be some yâ— kepe not the race a right them it is not good to folowe But rather folowe me for I runne streyght to the gospelles game And marke them that you see treade forwarde after the example of vs. Christ hath set vs the best facion of example after the whiche you see me preace to the same place that he went vnto All they that runne in this race wyune not the game and therfore it is not good folowing of euery one that runneth before For there be very many whome I haue oftentymes tolde you of before and now I tell you againe with wepyng teares that preache Christ after such sorte that they are the enemyes of Christes crosse for all that For they wyll in no wyse folowe the example of his lyfe and deathe to the intent they may euerlastinglye lyue with him but for their owne lucre and vayne
seconde tome that is to wyte the paraphrase vpon the Epistles of saincte Paule and the other Apostles Wherefore wyllynge to helpe to the furtheraunce of so godly an entente and to bryng in at the lâ—â—ste my farthinge into the treasorye of the lorde I haue loked ouer againe my sayde translacion and haue amended the places that wer faulty And besyde â–ª I haue so annexed the paraphrase to the texte that the readers shall I trust easyly atteyne therby to the true vnderstandynge of saincte Paules mynde Whiche my labour I do dedycate vnto your mastershyp whome I knowe to loue gods worde synceretly and vnto whome I knowledge my selfe to be moste hyghlye bounde of all men as vnto the chefe and onely socourer of myne olde age humbly beseching you to accepte this lytle gyfte as a token of my faithfull harte and I trust with goddes helpe or it be long to sende vnto you other monimentes of myne industrye which I trust shal be no lesse pleasynge vnto you and no lesse profytable to the readers ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule vnto Cyâ—us By Erasmus of Roterodame THe apostle Paule had made his dysciple Titus ouersear of the christian congregacioÌ„ in the noble I le of Crete now named Candye whome for the excellent gyftes that were in him Paul loued as tenderly as yf he had bene his owne naturall sonne And at his departinge out of that contrey he made hym the head ouersear of the faythfull that were there Afterwarde he wrote this Epistle or lettre vnto him from a citye of Epirus called Nicople lyinge on the sea coaste in a clyffe named of the olde Cosmographers Leucate or the clyffe of Aâ—tâ—um â–ª at whiche tyme all thinges as it semeth were quiet with the christians for here is no mencion made of any persecucion In this Epistle he putteth Tâ—tus in remembraunce to fynishe and perfyte tho thinges whiche he hymselfe had begone among the same men of Crete and that in euery citie of the Ne whiche as writers doe testifye were an hundred he shoâ—lde ordeyne ouersears whiche we nowe call byshoppes and here they are of the Apostle named elders And for this cause Paule prescribeth vnto him the true forme of a Byshop or Shepherd of Christes flocke Furthermore bycause false apostles were come also into that partes whiche went aboute to put theyr Iewyshe ceremonies into mennes heddes Paule here geueth him a courage strongly to confute and reiecte them After these thinges he sheweth what is the dutye of euery persone and age lyke as he dyd to Tymothie addyng this that no man ought to resiste prynces and magistrates executynge their office and power yea though they were infidels but rather to tolerate them paciently that they maye the sooner by suche our modestye be called to yâ— folowyng of the gospell Laste of all he wylleth Tytus to come to him at Nicopli but not afore yâ— he had sent Artemas or Tychicus whiche were his dysciples into Crete to him least paraduenture the Cretians woulde els thinke them selfes destitute of the conforte of an heade or chiefe ouersear whome we call an Archebysshope The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus The first Chapter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunte of God and apostle of Iesu Christ accordyng to the faithe of goddes electe and accordynge to the knowledge of the trueth whiche is after godlynes in the hope of eternall lyfe whiche god that cannot lye promysed afore the worlde began but hathe opened his worde at the tyme appoynted thorowe preaching whiche is committed vnto me accordynge to the commaundement of god our saueour to Titus his naturall sonne after the continue faythe Grace mercy and peace from god the father and from the lorde I esu Christ our saueoure I Paule my selfe the addict seruaunt obeyer not of Moses lawe as I was once but of God yâ— father ambassadour of his sonne Iesus Christ of the which my message the whole summe is that suche as god hath electe to attayne to euerlastynge saluacion thorowe the gospel them I should exhorte not to the obseruacioÌ„ of the law or to put their confideÌ„ce in workes but vnto faythe which onely openeth to al meÌ„ yâ— entryng into euerlasting saluacioÌ„ thorowe yâ— fre beneficence of Iesus Christ And my coÌ„mission is to call them not to faythe onely but also to yâ— knowledge of trueth which among yâ— Ethnikes was ouer heaped with the inuencions of mans wysedom among the Iewes it was hydde wrapped vp in the shadowes of mysticall figures ceremonyes I am charged I saye to call meÌ„ to the knowledge of the trueth not yâ— whiche the philosophers of this worlde do teache disputinge on the causes of natural thinges but to the knowledge of that trueth which coÌ„pendyously sheweth in what thinges a ryght christian lyfe consisteth yâ— ende rewarde wherof is lyfe euerlastynge to folowe after this shorte lyfe that we leade here in the worlde whiche euerlastynge lyfe men ought with the more truste to hope for how great troubles soeuer they endure while they be here First because he that promysed this euerlastynge lyfe was not a mortall man that myght bothe be deceyued him selfe also deceyue other but it is god that doeth it Who as it cannot be chosen but he must neades abyde alwayes god so can nothing surely procede froÌ„ him but onely the mere trueth And again bycause this yâ— he promysed he dyd not promes it by a chauÌ„ce or but now of late but afore the the world was made it was fully determined by the diuine vnchauÌ„geable decree of his mynde to do yâ— which he now doeth There is no newe thing that hath altered his purpose but yâ— thing which for secret causes onely knowen to his godheed he would haue to be couered hyd hitherto yâ— would he haue to be opened to al the world at this tyme the which he had afore by his eternall wysedome appointed to yâ— reuelyng therof Neither would he that there should be onely shewed to the Iewes a shadowe darkened with the mystes of figures but his wil is that yâ— cleare trueth should by the preaching of yâ— gospel be declared to al meÌ„ withoute any dyffereÌ„ce of nacion or language This is yâ— who le effecte of yâ— doctrine of yâ— gospel yâ— preaching wherof I haue not takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ me of myne own head but it was coÌ„mitted to me not coÌ„mitted by men but by out saueour god who dyd not onely cal me to the occupieng of an apostles office but besyde that he enioyned it to me and so charged me therwith that it was not lawful for me to refuse that whiche he so earnestly commaunded me to do These wordes haue I spoken that no man shoulde thynke myne autoritie or els the autoritie of him whome I haue put in my stede to be but of lyghte estimacion I therfore the same Paule beyng beyng in suche autorite do wryte this Epistle or lettre to Titus my very
mynde as a man quite ouerturned and paste all remedy Neyther hast thou any neade to laboure in the condemnynge of him sythen he is condemned by his owne iudgement If he peryshe he is lost and cast awaye by his owne faulte For he cannot laye this excuse for him I was deceyued and went oute of the waye thorowe ignoraunce no man warned me of myne â—â—â—oure This excuse it but vayne For what shal one do to a sicke man that wil take no medicine peraduenture yf he were contemned and not passed on he woulde wexe wyser If he wyll not yet the fewer resorte vnto him the fewer shall the contagion of his madnes infecte The texte When I shall sende Artemas vnto the or Tithycus be diligente to come to me vnto Nicâ—â—opolis For I haue determined there to wynter Bryng zenas the lawear Apollos en theyr iorney diligently that nothynge be lackyng vnto them And let oures also learne to â—â—cell in good woorkes as farforth as nede requireth that they be not vnfruteful All that are with me saluâ—e the. Grete them that loue vs in the fayth Grace be with you all Amen I woulde fayne haue the with me a fewe dayes but I woulde not it should be to the damage of the christian congregacions in Crete which haue bene but late conuerted to the faith and therefore they haue the more nede of a diligente ouerseat whiche maye buylde vpon the foundacion nowe all ready layed Se therefore that thou mete with me at Nicopole But come not afore I send Artemas or Tichicus to thee to be there for thee in my steade leste thy departing shoulde leue Crete destitute and as it were an Orpheline Thou shalte not neade to feare that I wyll in the meane tyme go any where els and so thou to lese thy laboure For I am purposed all this nexte wynter to be at Nicopole whiche is a citie of Trace Whan Zenas sometyme a doctor of Moses law but nowe a noble preacher of the ghospell and Apollos whiche is a man greatlye approued in the doctrine of Christe wyll departe from the bryng them forthward with all the humanite that maye be and see that they lacke nothyng that shal be necessary for their iornaye If these offices of humanitie be exhibited of the Ethnikes that they doo for good maners sake brynge their frende onwarde on his iorney and gyue him at his departyng sufficiently bothe of vytayles and otherthynges necessarye for him in his way I thynke it very right that our men also whiche profelse Christe do learne to vse suche gentyle fashions and to gyue due thankes to them that do deserue it Not that they shuld make them riche with greate gyftes but to geue them suche thinges as be necessarye for their lyuing whan nede shall requyre For seyng that they whiche do not knowe Christe be yet taught of nature to geue them thankes whiche haue done for them truly it is very vnsemely that christian men should be barayne and vnfruteful to them of whom they haue receiued any good turne As many as be here with me commende them vnto the. Do thou agayne coÌ„mende me to as many there as loue me not with worldely affeccion but with Euangelicall and christian loue whiche the commune profession of faythe doeth engendre in vs. The free beneficence of Goddes mercy be with you all for euer Amen ¶ Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Philemon by Erasmus of Roterodame â–ª THis Philemon after the Grekes writing was a Phrigiâ— borne whiche nacion of people is vntractable â—â—anyshe as the Greekes owne prouerbe maketh often mencion Stripes make the Phrigian to amende And yet Paul reconned this Philemon one of hys speciall frendes bycause of his godlynes diligence done to yâ— sayntes And a seruaunt of his one Onesimus had runne away froÌ„ him to Rome and had theuishlye stollen somwhat from him as seruauntes are for the moste parte vsed to doe There whan he had hearde Paule who at that tyme was in bondes he receiued the doctrine of the gospel and serued Paule in prison But lest the maister should be vexed in his mynde for his seruauntes runnynge awaye he sendeth him home agayne with a wonderfull diligence and ciuilitie he reconsileth vnto the Maister his seruaunt that had bene both a runneagate and a piker and offreth him selfe to be suertie to make good what soeuer he had piked at his runnyng awaye This Epistle he wrote from the prison by the sayd Onesimus whom he also calleth his sonne Thus endeth the Argument ¶ The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Philemon ¶ The .i. Chapter The texte Paule the prysoner of Christe brother Timothee Vnto Philemon the beloued and oute helper and to the beloued Appia and to Archippus oure felowe souldier and to the congregacion that is of thy house Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure father from the Lorde Iesus Christe PAule before this tyme an Apostle and seruaunte of Iesu Christ and nowe his prysoner also for why shoulde not I be glad to be hys prysoner for whose ghospelles sake I weare these bondes not for the punyshement of any euyil that I haue done but as a notable badge of a free valeaunt preacher and also my felowe ghospellpreacher brother Timothee vnto Philemon in the profession of the commune faith a brother singulerly worthye to be beloued and not a brother onely but also my companion in very many affaires partaker in the office of the gospel to his wyfe Appia my moste welbeloued syster as concernyng the kynred of fayth to Archippus our felowe souldier and to the rest of the congregacion whiche is at his house Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure coÌ„mune father froÌ„ his sonne the lord Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my god making mencioÌ„ alwayes of the in my prayers when I heare of thy loue and fayth whiche thou haste towarde the Lorde Iesu and towarde all sayntes so that the fellowshyppe of thy fayth is fruteful in the knowledge of euery good woorke whiche is in you towarde Iesus Christe For we haue great ioye and consolacion in thy loue because that by thee brother the sayntes hertes are comforted In my prayers wherwith I am accustomed to sacrifice daylye vnto God I undre thankes vnto him alwayes on thy behalfe For I ascribe it thankefully vnto him that I heare spoken openly of all men that is to say both the purenesse thy ryght gospelling charitie which thou bearest towardes the lord Iesus not towardes hym only but also towardes al saintes yâ— is to were his meÌ„bres vnto whoÌ„ what so euer is bestowed hys wyl is to reckeÌ„ it done to him self And this I also beseche him to augment his mercifulnes vpon thee that this thy faith whiche is not idle in the may expresse his power dayly more more to enforce
the deuyll as a roarynge lyon walketh aboute sekynge whome he maye deuour whome resyst stedfast in the faithe knowynge that the same affliccions are appointed vnto your brerbren that are in y◠worlde But the God of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorye by Christ Iesus shall his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a lytle afflicciō make you perfecte settle strength and stablyshe you To him be glorye and domintō for euer and euer Amen By Siluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written breffely exhortinge and testifying howe that this is the true grace of God wherin ye stande The congregacion of them whiche at Babilon are companions of your eleccion saluteth you and so dothe Marcus my sonne Grete ye one another with the kysse of loue Peace be with you al whiche are in Christ Iesu Amen Submitte your selues therfore not for dreade of men but because you trust in the mightie hande of God There is no peril leste you shoulde be troden vnder fote perpetually for euer for he shall aduance and exalce you a lofte whan the day of rewardes cōmeth Loke not waueringly about you haue no distrust be not aftayed lest you be tossed in the sourges of sorowes as thoughe you were vndefended and set naught by for he that is hable in all thinges and seeth all thinges hath charche of you wil not suffer any thing of you to peryshe It is the cōmune custoume of youthe to be bēt vnto pleasures vnto ryot vnto wantonnesse But be you sobre watche you in your myndes beyng alwayes readily attētiue and alwayes circūspecte For y◠aduersarie of your saluaciō y◠thursteth after mannes destrucciō sleapeth not but walketh about lyke an hungrye roaringlion sekeyng in euery place whom he may snatche vp to deuour assaieng by all meanes entraunce vnto you sometyme layeng wayte for you by voluptuous pleasures sometyme openly oppugnyng you by persecucions Geue not place vnto him but resiste him with vnshrinkinge stronge hartes You wil say where haue we power against him that is so mightie He that hathe charge of you is mightier than he Put all the whole trust of your hartes vpon him and your aduersaries power shal be nothinge Against the faithles he is strong but against the faithfull he is feble Yf he shoulde assaulte this man or that man parchaunce it might rightly be takē for a sore greuous afflicciō but now doeth he impugne al the whole flocke of the godly with like malicious hatred He persecuteth Christ in you he enuieth all mens saluacion so that the cōmune afflicciō of all shal be the more easely hable to be borne to stande with agreable myndes agaist the cōmune enemy These matters shal shortly haue an ende Nether wil God from whome proceadeth all goodnes leaue you succourles in the meane season but wil throughly perfourme the thing that he hathe begonne in you He hath geuen you suche stomackes that for his sake you should not be afrayed to suffer tormētes wherby he hath called you vnto his glory that neuer shal haue ende He wyll not suffer you to mysse of the victorie yf you wrestle manfully he wil helpe you in your wrestlynge and wyll garnysshe strengthen and establyshe you that beynge tormented for a shorte season you maye atteine the crowne of immortalitie By his ayde we get the victorye of his free gyfte we shal receyue the rewarde For there is nothing wherin we may chalenge any prayse to our selues vnto God alone is al glorye due not onely in this worlde but also into al ages for euer Amē At this present I wil write no further vnto you For of this selfe same matter I suppose I wrote vnto you of late althoughe in fewe wordes by Siluanus a faithfull brother I doubte not but he delyuered the Epistle well and faithfully In it I desired and hartily besought you to perseuer styl in that which you haue begonne that nothing alter your mynde The waye that you haue entred is the very right true waye vnto saluacion Thus ferre you haue proceded forewarde by the goodnes of God Continue styll stedfastly throughe his helpynge ayde tyll you attayne vnto the victorious rewarde of lyfe that neuer shall dye The congregacion of the christianes commende them vnto you euen the congregacion whome God hath chosen out to himselfe together with you in Babilon whiche in the myddes of wicked ydolatrours folowe the godlynes of the gospell and in myddes of most sylthye corrupte lyuers embrace the purenes of cleane conuersacion You are not alone by your selues God hath his electe in euery place In dede those are but a very fewe howbeit they are a fynely tryed sede to encreace the congregacion in tyme commynge more latgely Marke saluteth you whiche is to me as it were my sonne Salute you euery one other with a kysse not after the sorte that is geuē more custumely than hartely but with an holy pure true christiā mynde which is not doone against the hearte but is the signe of a chaste and a pure vpright louer and not a lyeng countrefaicte token And to make an ende of myne Epistle in lyke sorte as I beganne it Grace and peace be alwayes present with you al which beyng engraffed vnto the bodye of Iesu Christ lyue by his spirite that grace maye couple you vnto God and peace maye glewe you together with mutual concorde whiche thing God that is best and most mightye brynge to passe Amen ¶ Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter thapostle ¶ The argument vpon the later Epistle of S. Peter thapostle by D. Erasmus of Roterodame THis Epistle as it appeareth Peter wrote whan he was greatly growē in age and almost at the pittes brinke for in dede he maketh mencion of his death He writeth generallye to all sortes of christianes exhortinge them to purenes of lyfe and by auncient examples and with the terrour of the laste iudgemēt frayeng them from fylthines and he doeth vehemently blame them whiche corrupte the myndes of the symple with peruerse doctrine in denyeng the commynge of Christ ¶ Thus endeth the Argument ¶ The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the later Epistle of S. Peter thapostle ¶ The first Chapter The texte ¶ Simon Peter a seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to them whiche haue obtained lyke precious faithe with vs thorowe the rightewesnes of our God and sauioure Iesus Christ Grace be vnto you and peace be multiplied thorow the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde Accordynge as his godly power hath geuen vnto vs al thynges that pertayne vnto lyfe and godlynesse thorow the knowledge of him that hath called vs by glory and vertue by the which are geuē vnto vs excellent and most great promyses that by the meanes therof ye might be partetakers of the godlye nature yf ye flye the corrupcion of worldly luste I Simon Peter in tymes paste a diligent folower of Moyses law and
speake As ofte as you denye any thinge denye it with youre whole hearte nether let any thynge elles bee in youre hearte than youre mouthe speaketh that there be no counterfaictynge in you seing you are disciples of the trueth And if there bee any manne sore afflicted amonge you let hym not flee to the remedies of thys worlde to rynges to inchauntmentes to baynes and other easementes of sorowe but let hym turne hym to prayer and lyfte vp hys mynde to God with most assured faithfull trust and he shall fâ—â—de present releaâ—se of his mournyng Agayne if a manne be well content in prosperitie let him not enhaunce him selfe folishely nor behaue hym selfe madlye but let him praise the liberall goodnesse of God in holy songes of thankes geuing Nowe if any manne be punnyshed with syckenes let hym not flee to the remedies of witchecrafte let hym not spende a great sight of money vpon phisicions whose curing is many tymes of suche sorte that it were better pacientlye to departe out of the world but let hym call vnto him the elders of the christian congregacion Let them make theyr prayers to God for the dyseased and annoynte him with oyle not hauyng any prayers of wytchecrafte as the heathen are wont to doe but callyng vpon the name of oure lorde Iesu Christe then the which there is no kinde of enchauntmente more effectuall And let the prayers be done in a trusty faithe and God shall heare and preserue the diseased And there shall not only healthe of bodye bee restored vnto hym if it be expedient for the diseased but also if he bee endaungered with synnes as diseases of bodye spryng for the moste parte of the sorowes of the mynde they shal be forgeuen hym at the elders supplicacions so that the faith of them be commendable that doe praye and of hym for whome they dooe praye The texte Knowledge your fautes one to another and praye one for another yâ— ye may be healed For the feruent prayer of a ryghteous manne auayleth muche Helyas was a man mortall euen as we are and he prayed in hys prayer that it myght not rayne and it rayned not on the earthe by the space of tore yeares and sâ—â—e monethes And he praied againe and the heaueÌ„ gaue raâ—â—â— and the earth brought forth her frute Brethren if any of you do erre from the trueth and anoâ—her conueâ—â—e hym let the same knowe that he whiche conuerteth the synner from goâ—ng astraye out of his waye shal saue a soule from death and shall by de the multytude of synnes And forasmuche as the life of manne consisteth not without light and dayly offences it shal be conuenyentâ— to vse a dayly remedie that you maye bothe releue euery one other with your mutuall prayers and acknowlage euery one hys faulte to other And so shall the remedy be auayleable â–ª if thou acknowlage thy disease and desire helpe Supersticious folkes suppose a secret hydden efficacie to be in theyr enchauntmentes and prayers but in very dede the prayer of a righteous manne is muche worthe whiche through faithe obteyneth what so euer it desireth of God Vpon this condicyon Christe made couenaunt with vs that what so euer we shall aske in a faythfull trusty confidence we shoulde obteyne it onles it be suche a thynge as were beste not to be obteyned Would you fayne haue a doctrine of thys matter Helyas was a pure manne he was a mortall manne as we are and yet at his prayers it rayned not vpon the earthe thre yeares and sixe monethes He prayed agayne that it myght rayne and anone the heauens as hauynge hearde hys prayers gaue rayne and the earthe brought forthe his frute Incase the heauen be obedient to the prayers of one godly manne as though it were bewytched is it any maruayle if God beynge moste readye to forgeue be pleased at the prayers of many Now weight this brethren if it be godly if it be the partes of christyan loue to ease the sickenes of an other mannes bodye through commune prayers how muche more indifferent reason is it that we shoulde succour them that be diseased in mynde For it is no greate matter to obteyne this by prayer that it may be somwhat longer before deathe happen to this man or that man howbeit it muste nedes comme ones but it is a great matter to haue aboyded the disease of minde Therfore if there be any among you that erre from the Gospelles veritie ether to muche cleauyng to the lawe of Moses or be a stubburne folower of heathen relygion deliuered of the elders let no man thinke that he should be dryuen awaye with scoldyng but it behoueth rather to endeuour with all â–ª studies to this ende that he maye turne and reâ—ent from hys errour For who so euer doeth thus shall doo God a greate sacrifice who wisheth not the deathe of a synner but rather that he may turne and lyue For that man doeth a great feate that preserueth the soule from deathe delyuerynge hys brother from synnes wherby he was holden in subieccyon of deathe Nether in the meane â—yme shall he wante hys rewarde for Christe shall forgeue hym hys synnes agayne how many so euer they be that shall kepe his brother from destrucâ—yon ¶ Thus endeth the epistle of S. Iames the apostle The argument vpon the fyrst Epistle of thapostle S. John by Erasmus of Roterodam THat this is Saincte Iohn thapostles epistle whiche wrote the Gospell the very stile of the wordes selfe is a playne argument He maketh muche a dooe in the rehersall of light and darckenes life and deathe hare and loue in often repetinge the wordes as though they were taken out of the sayinge nexte before Of the whiche sorte to open my saying more plainly by example this is one Loue not the Vuorlde nether those thinges that are in the VVorld Yf any manne loue the VVorlde the loue of the father is not in hym for all that is in the VVorlde c. And anon after He is not of the father but of the VVorlde and the Vuorlde passeth aVuaye How often here is the worlde rehearsed Fynally in all hys sayinge there is lesse compendyous shortenes and more open plainesse than in the writynge of the reste of thapostles And as for thepistle it is more euidently plaine than nedeth any argumente like as the two Epistles folowinge are whiche are ascribed to one Iohn a certayne senior and not to Iohn the apostle Thus endeth the Argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the firste Epistle of Sainct Iohn The fyrste Chapter The texte That which was from the beginnyng which we haue herd which we haue sene with our eyes which we haue loked vpon and oure handes haue handled of the worde of the lyfe And â—he lyfe appeared and we haue sene and beare witnes and shewe vnto you that eternall life whiche was with the father and appeared vnto vs. That whithe we haue sene and hearde declare we vnto you that ye also maye haue felowshyp
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
of the faithfull of all creatures the begynnynge without begynnynge y◠euerlastyng wysdome of god Here marke how hyghly god is dyspleased with suche as be indyfferent neyther who◠nor colde whiche wyll and wyll not not consyderynge the earnest wil and commaūdement of god And wyll suffer nothynge for his sake but are content with the onely shyne and shadowe of godlynes and with the onely name of faythe and obedyence to god Where as Christ wyll haue a more feruent and earnest zeale namely the golde of a stedfast and a constante fayth in all maner of affliccion aduersitie the whyte garmētes of innocencie and purenes of lyfe in their whole conuersacion before god and man y◠bryght and clere iyes of Christen doctrine without any manner of errour That a man beyng riche after this maner may walke before god in his churche with worshyp and honestye and without all dread Whan any mysfortune of this worlde dothe happen vnto the faythfull they ought to thynke vpon these wordes and to be thankefull vnto god in true faythe and charite alwayes studyeng to amende their lyues This is the true repentaunce The lorde is muche more ready to gyue than we are to desyre or to receyue And he delyghteth in vertuous and godly hartes and gyueth them comforte loue and hope and strengthneth their faith that they maye be able to continue and remayne without dreade in the grace and fauour of god This is the very ryght supper of y◠spirite of god withal faithfull beleuers in this world But in the blysse of heauen there shal be the very fruicion and possession of all goodnes and of the most hyghest honour with vnspeakable ioye in god withal the holy sainctes whiche euer haue lyued vertuously in the fauour of god ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ After this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voyce which I hearde was as it were of a trompet talkynge with me whiche sayde come vp hyther and I wyll shewe the thinges which must be fulfylled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauen and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpon lyke vnto a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone And there was a raynebowe about the seate in syght lyke to an Emeralde And about the seate were foure and twentye seates And vpon the seates foure and twenty elders syttyng clothed in whyte rayment and had on their heades crownes of golde HEre doth Iohn looke and see in spirite as all y◠prophetes dyd Beholde the fygure whiche representeth vnto thee what heauenly mysteries of the kyngdome of Christ and of the thinges that should happen afterwarde Iohn dyd see in the heauen beyng opened To be in the spirite is asmuche as to be rapte of the spirite of god into an heauēly traunce aboue al mans witte power or capacyte Gods stoole or seate in heauen sygnified the euerlastynge state and continuaunce of the power myght blisse and ryghtuousnes of god The bryghtnes of the precious stones sygnified y◠hyghe maiestye and glory of god bewtyfyed with the knowledge of al thinges The raynebowe sygnifyeth his mercye and pacient sufferynge yet not without mete and condigne reuengeaunce and iustice The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders doe sygnifye y◠most hyghest iustyce and vnsearcheable councell and iudgement of god and that the most speciall frendes of god bothe of the olde and new testament are incorporate into y◠kyngdome of god bothe Patryarkes Kynges Prophetes Apostles and bysshops All are subiect vnto the lorde in all holynes and ready to honour him eternally And al these doe knowledge that they receyued all goodnes and commendacion that they haue of the bountyfull grace of god The texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtnynges and thondrynges and voyces and there were .vii. lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whiche are the .vii. spirites of god And before the seate there was a sea of glasse lyke vnto Cristall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde aboute y◠seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde And the first beaste was lyke a lyon and the seconde beaste lyke a calfe and the thirde beaste had a face as a man and the fourthe beaste was lyke a flying Egle. And the .iiii. beastes had echone of them syre wynges about him and they were full of eyes within And they had no rest daye nether nyght sayinge Holy holy holy Lord god almightye which was and is and is to come The earnest iudgement and commaundement of god shall be opened and made manyfest vnto all the worlde thorowe the gospell whiche shall be fearful and heauy vnto the wycked but ioyfull and welcome vnto the faithfull godly For vnto them it shall come with the gyftes of the plentifull spirite of God whiche shall appeare in their fruites The sea of glasse maye sygnifye vnto vs the aduersityes of this lyfe whiche serue both to y◠glorye of god and also to the syngular profyte of the faithfull for the frutefull exercyse of their faythe The iiii sondry beastes are interpreted by some of the olde doctours but not by all to sygnifye the .iiii. Euangelystes They maye betoken the .iiii. special mysteries of the Christen faythe As the manhode of Christ maye be sygnified by the face of the man And the passion and death of Christ by the calfe appoynted to be slayne and offered And the resurrection from death by the lyon And the ascencion into heauen by the Egle. All whiche misteries of Christ are plentuously set furth in the holy gospelles and Christ and his kyngdome is descrybed in them vnto all the world as a necessarye and a perfyght doctrine The wynges which are spoken of doe sygnifye here lyke as they doe in the .vi. Chapter of Esaye the obedience and reuerence whiche all creatures doe owe of duty vnto y◠lorde whiche vertues the faythful both willyngly and dylygently doe declare withall redynes and swyftnes of their godly and deuout heartes The multitude of the eyes dothe sygnifye the Christen doctrine and wysedome of god wherof is no want nor scarsenes in the churche And this doctrine must be learned and taken out of the holy scripture geuen by god For the whiche cause al godly and blessed myndes as well of the angels as of men shal neuer cease to prayse and exalt the almightye god to be holy in al his workes onely one in his godly substance and yet a Trinite of persons as it is wonderfully declared and expressed bothe by al holy scriptures and also by the heauenly wysedome of the prophetes and other holy men secretely inspired and lyghtned of god euē certein of the heathē also whiche thorowe true fayth doe knowledge and confesse that there is but one onely god creatour of all thinges and ruler and gouernoure foreuer and immutable The texte ¶ And when those beastes gaue glorye and honour and
deuysion in the churche betwene the rulers of the laytie and clergye hath bene the occasion of very great myseries betwene the grecians and yâ— Romaynes Emperors and Kynges Popes and byshops bothe in the spirituall and temporall regiment For this deuyllyshe burning fyre of pryde hathe bredde infynite and vnspeakeable hurte vnto yâ— churche of Christ For euen out of yâ— sprang so many warres battels burnynges and destroyng of landes And suche common harmes wyll the spirite of god sygnifye by the trouble losse and destruccion in all the elemeÌ„tes yâ— fyre water ayer the earth For there was no man sure and in safegarde The texte ¶ And the thirde angel blew and there fell a great starre from heauen burnyng as it weâ— a lampe and it fell into the thirde parte of the ryuers and into fountaines of waters and the name of the starre is called wormwod And yâ— thirde parte was turned to wormworde And many men dyed of the waters because they were made bytter And the fourth Angell blewe and the thirde parte of the sonne was smytten and the thirde parte of the mone and the thirde parte of starres so that the thyrde parte of them was darckned And yâ— daye was smytten that yâ— thirde parte of it shoulde not shyne and lykewyse the nyght And I behelde and hearde an angell flyinge thorowe the myddes of heauen saying with a loude voyce Woo woo woo to the inhabiters of the earth because of the voyces to come of the trompe of the thre angels whiche were yet to blowe The thirde plage came vpon yâ— starres of heauen that is vpon the most holyest people whiche were taken for the spirituall state and order as monckes fryers and priestes whiche thorowe their hypocrysye haue heaped vnto them selues money goodes and treasures and haue gotten landes and dominions for the whiche great dyuision was among them â–ª And wheras the world should haue learned of them faith loue and knowledge it was nothing but slandered offended deceyued seduced and sore hyndered by them bothe in faythe and in godly lyuynge and behaueour bothe whiche were vtterly decayed in these parsons â–ª to the great vndoyng and dystruccion bothe of bodye and of soule And thus the swete hony of christen loue and concorde among these orders is turned in to bytter wormewoode by the which many soules are destroyed The fourthe plage maye well be vnderstande to be the breakyng in of the Turkes Sarasens whiche is as it were a worthye and well deserued scourge or whyppe whiche shoulde scourge and punyshe the christendome fallyng into synne and dyssolutenes As it hath already happened in the .iii. partes of the earth Asya Europa and Africa All these hath he gotten wholy into his handes And hathe also dyuerse tymes attempted Italy and Spaine And hath alreadye gotten Austry Etschlande and parte of Hungry He yâ— thinketh not this a great losse and a wonderfull destruccion the same hath no vnderstandynge at all Suche great myseries perplexites and destruccions dothe the scripture sygnifye in diuerse places by the darcknes of the Sunne Moone and Starres And where as he sayth that onely the thirde parte was destroyed he syngnifyeth thereby that all this dyd not continue in dyuerse places For men addressyng theÌ„selues vnto repentaunce and amendement haue dysappoynted suche enemyes dyscharged them selues of them But not euery where nor at all tymes For all these myseries and plages returned againe afterwarde and were more dangerous hurtful and intollerable than they were before And bothe these and other plages dyd increase and get the ouerhande daylye more and more lykewyse also the synne against the worde of god against true loue againste peace and quietnes and against all vertue and godlynes dyd not cease but raged contynually against the manyfest and clere gospel euen by the spirituall sort which haue their lyuynge of the gospel wherunto they are the most extreme enemyes bothe in worde and deade a thousande partes more than the secular and laye sorte And yet all vnder the pretence coloure of a Christen good zeale wheras they seke nothing but their owne pryuate lucre as it is euydent manyfest ¶ The .ix. Chapter The texte ¶ And the fyfte angell blewe and I sawe a starre fall from heauen vnto the earth And to him was geuen the kaye of the bottomlesse pyt And he opened the botomlesse pyt and the smoke of the pyt arose as the smoke of a great fornace And the sunne and the ayer were darckned by the reason of the smoke of the pyt And there came out of the smoke locustes vpon the earth vnto them was geuen power as the scorpyons of the earth haue power And it was coÌ„maunded them that they shoulde not hurte the grasse of the earthe nether any grene thinge nether any tree but onely those men whiche haue not the seale in theyr foreheades And to them was commaunded that they should not kyll them but that they should be vexed fyue monethes their payne was as yâ— payne that commeth of a scorpion when he hath stoâ—ge a man LYke as in the openyng of the fourthe seale god is become man to washe away all synnes and wyckednes euen so the deuyll whiche is a counterfetter of gods workes imageneth by all meanes that he can to set vp and stablyshe all maner of intollerable errours and to augment his kyngdome And goeth about to make him selfe a god and to fyght and stryue againste the gospell and against all godlynes But thorowe the iudgement of god he is fallen downe from heauen vnto the earthe and hath receyued thorowe the iudgement of god and thorowe his permission the key of hell and of the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse euen lyke as Christ is ascended and gone vp and thorow his merites and rightuousnes hath opened the heauen and hath receyued the kyngdome of god for all the faithfull electe And out of this hellyshe botomles pyt arose a smoke of worldly wysdome of fleshly lustes by the whiche al godlynes planted of Christ and of the apostles thorow the preachyng of the gospel is obscured and darckened And there are rysen vp locustes that is to say false teachers heretykes and worldly suttell prelates sâ—olemen and sophisters which thorow their proude doctrine and mans ordinances pompe and couetousnes haue done muche harme in the churche in the heartes of the faythful thorow the permission of god And all this is suffered euen for the synne of contemnynge gods worde and for that men haue loued them selues muche more than Christ Whiche worde of god they haue made more to be contemned with their syngyng and fast or swyfte mumblynge vp therof without vnderstandynge than they haue profyted or edyfied eyther them selues or any other therby And also in their hyghe scoles and vniuersyties with their Aristotle and their Phylosophy they haue made yâ— worde of god darcke obscure And with their Philosophical dysputacions they haue made it vncerten and doubtfull and vnprofytable 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
his kyngdome wexed derke and they gnewe their tonges for sorowe and blasphemed the God of heauen for sorowe and payne of their sores and repented not of their dedes The fourthe plage went ouer the seconde regiment of Rome whiche had both the temporal spiritual gouernance and was twise worse than the first For as muche as thorow her .ii. hornes it had power bothe ouer bodye and soule ouer the doctrine and ouer the polytike lawes with mouthe and hande againste God and also against the temporall gouernaunce against Christe and all his ministers Howe it hath dealte with the Emperours and what rule they haue kepte amonge them selues one Romyshe Pope against another practising all wicked sciences of the deuil bothe with quicke and also with deade mē against many good and godly Kynges and Emperours and againe how ofte Rome and the Papacye hath bene greuously plaged of God with rebellyon treason murther poysonynge nigromancye and with suche other kindes of wickednes as are neuer herde of in any other storyes we maye reade in the storyes of the Popes and of the Emperours from the time of Charles the great vntyll late dayes That by this meanes the summe of christen vertue and godlynes is turned into very desceite fraude falsehede and hipocrisie And the moste parte of all the wicked Popes were religious men and mooste false traytours to the gospell of Christe As for repentaunce there is none founde by this deuilyshe flocke The fyfte angell with his fyfte plage fallen vpon the seate of pestilence is rebellyon and resistance against the gospell raysed vp thorow false teachers whiche haue preached bothe without and also against the holy lawe and scripture of the lorde and haue rayled against many godly and faithfull men leauynge and refusynge holy scripture and settynge vp the studye of Aristotle in the steade therof whiche in the papacye hath bene more regarded and estemed than the holy worde of God By the meanes wherof so many greuous errours are crepte into the churche as well in matters of faythe and relygion as of dyscipline and Christen behauour Muche deuision many sectes by the meanes of so many orders of religions and so many glorious names and tytles yea and heresyes also Of the which al stories are full from Emperour Fryderiche the first of that name vntyl y◠ende of the thirde Frydierche In the whiche tyme there was muche trouble raysed vp in the christendome in the seculer iurisdiccion thorowe the Turke and in the spirituall thorowe the beggyng orders of religious parsons and of the hyghe heathnyshe scholes and vniuersities Of the which times muche might be wrytten heuy inoughe to be red but to auoyde tediousnes vnto the reader it shall be intermitted at this tyme. The texte ¶ And the syxte angell poured out his vyall vpon the great ryuer Euphrates and y◠water dryed vp that the wayes of the kynges of the east shoulde be prepared And I saw thre vncleane spirites lyke frogges come out of the mouthe of the dragon and out of y◠mouthe of the beast and out of the mouthe of the false prophet For they are y◠spirites of deuyls workynge miracles to go out vnto the kynges of the earthe and of the whole worlde to gather them to the batayle of y◠great daye of God almighty Beholde I come as a thefe ▪ Happie is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes lest he walke naked and men see his fylthines And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon Consyder and waye yf this angell maye not sygnifye the spirite of Helias in oure tyme whiche spreedeth abrode the gospell in to all the worlde bothe with worde and dede to the confusion and vtter destruccion of all errours and to the profyte and reformacion of the worlde in all states and degrees For this seede can brynge forthe no nother frute But the great Euphrates ▪ of the pretensed spiritualtye is so sore fallē from their first rule that it is become more worldly and secular than the very secular state in so muche that it is vtterly dryed vp and wythered from the gospel syncerely preached Which is not to be merueyled at for it is euen of very necessitie For falsehede deceyte lyes and Hypocrisye must be opened and dysclosed by the trueth of gods word and by the preachinge of the gospell that syncere loue trueth and faythe in the worde of God with a sure confydence of the harte in the lorde God myght be taught and prynted into the naturall wyt and vnderstandinge of man And therfore it is necessarie that suche wrestynge of the true knowledge and doctrine shoulde be dysclosed vnto suche as haue any vnderstandynge and are not vtterly corrupte euen vnto worldlye princes and hygher powers and that the innocencye and clearnes ▪ and also the synguler profyte of the doctrine of the gospell might come to lyght that they myght see and confesse that it is the very trueth and so acknowledge and imbrace this Sunne rysinge vp Althoughe this doctrine be to stronge for their bloude and fleshe and they beyng fleshlye ouer weake in strengthe to lyue after the gospell Nowe against this euangelicall Sunne and manyfest knowledge of the trueth shall aryse .iii. maner of enemyes whiche shall assaulte it First the deuyllyshe dragon the great enemye of God and of all goodnes the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse with whome the mercye and goodnes of God dalyeth and playeth to shewe and declare his mercye and goodnes manifestlye before men The seconde is the beaste at Rome of whome we spake before the very right Antichrist whiche speaketh and worketh all that he can against the gospell of Iesus Christe wherunto he preferreth his decretalles and wyll be Lorde ouer the scripture ouer the churche and ouer the whole world and yet he wyll be taken and estemed for the vycar and debyte of Christ and S. Peters frende and the most holy father and for the head of the whole holy christendome And whosoeuer contraryeth or gainesayth this he must dye and also be cursed and made the deuylles by the power of this beastes mouthe The thirde is the false prophete not one person but an whole order and multitude of byshops and relygions parsons monckes friers c. Whiche by their office and callynge ought to mainteine and supporte the true doctrine but haue appoynted and bent them selues their whole lyfe and state vtterly against the doctrine of the gospel that nothing can be more vnlike the state of the Apostles eyther in doctrine religion or lyfe than is their order and state Wherof it is not nedefull to make manye wordes howe they haue alwayes resisted the doctrine of the gospell These are suche .iii. foule vncleane spirites as none can be founde more vncleane whiche notwithstandynge doe worke great tokens and miracles The deuyll with great wonders bothe amonge the Turkes and the Christians The papacy by forcerye witchcrafte and nigromancie The monkes and religious spirituall sorte withall
also all that is abhominacion vnto the lorde as ydolatry abhominable blasphemies forged lyes false doctrine shall haue no place in the right churche For vnto the right holy churche which is knoweÌ„ onely vnto God and inuisible vpon earthe doe onely the electe children of God perteyne whose names are wrytten in heauen in the booke of the lyuynge ¶ The .xxii. Chapter The texte ¶ And he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe clere as Christ all procedyng out of the seate of God and of the lambe In the myddes of the strete of it and of eâ—her â—yde of yâ— ryuer was ther wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of frutes gaue frute euery moneth and yâ—â—eues of the wood serued to heale the people with al. And ther shal be no more cuâ—se but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal se his face his name shal be in their forheades And ther shal be no night there and they nede no candle nether lyght of the sunne for the Lorde geueth them lighte and they shall raygne for euermore CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes as farre furth as is requisite necessary for the christen doctrine And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water very clere whiche is the holy scripture the worde of god the doctrine of Christ the holy gospel of our saluacioÌ„ That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart mynde not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue care of yâ— worlde nor with any temptacions of the flesshe This holy doctrine procedeth commeth out froÌ„ the holy spirite of god and of Christ For he is one God with yâ— father the sonne He is the seate of glorye of omnipotencie of the godheade He procedeth out from the welspring of all wysedom grace mercye and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche which is the citie of god of the lambe And of both sides of yâ— riuer doe staÌ„de glorious bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase their leaues and frute of the moysture of the riuer And these trees are the holy fathers of the faithful christen churche of the olde new testament whiche by their faith and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture of the lawe of the prophetes and of the gospell haue lyued taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes that is to saye many frutes and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good woâ—kes and vertuous exercises The leaues frute and sappe of these holy trees were very holsome and soueraine as were also the frutes of the dysciples of the prophetes and apostles For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde dyd make repentance faithfull holy and christen people by their preachinge â—eachinge wrytinge prayers and christen example of lyfe of them whiche were before very hethen And in this churche there is no cursed frute and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge and with all temperatenes and measure Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God but he shall prouyde ministers of God and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence that they shall profyte goe forwarde and procede frutefully in all goodnes and thorowe true faithe they shall knowe the face of God his gracious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant warrfarynge churche but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face euen as he is and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly And these ministers and seruantes of God shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse the name of god the christen faith the holy gospel They shal beare about preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly with ioy delyght and pleasure And neyther Sunne nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge for the spirite of God shall doe all together And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne and Moone the glasse of the godheade the excellent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore The texte ¶ And be sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithful and true And the Lorde God of saintes and prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche must shortly be fulfylled Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth the sayinge of the Prophecy of this boke I am Iohn whiche saw these thinges and hearde them And wheÌ„ I had hearde sene I fell downe to worship before yâ— fete of the angel which shewed me these thinges And he said vnto me sâ— thou â—â— it not for I am thy felow seruaunt the felowe seruaunt of â—hy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the saynges of this booke But worshippe God Christ speaketh vnto Iohn and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken thorow an angell vnto Iohn that he should write it and should leaue it behynde him in yâ— faithfull and holy churche of Christ Euen yâ— same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come the very same God hath now sent his angel geuen him in commission to open reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come whiche should happen come to passe be fulfilled very shortly yâ— is to say they should shortly begin so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte forme yâ— we should carfully diligently wayte for it continuallye lyke as true faithful seruantes doe waite watche vpoÌ„ yâ— returning of theyr masters doe neuer slepe as Christ teacheth in yâ— gospel And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell that he is happye that is to saye he is the seruaunte of God and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be partaker of grace and saluacion whiche beleueth this booke â–ª taketh all thinges that are written therin for true holy and estemeth yâ— prophecies of this boke whiche are many and diuerse no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes other holy prophecies And where as he saieth â–ª I
euen as Christe is yâ— head of the congregacioÌ„ Ye housbaÌ„des loue your wiues as Christ al to hath louedtde congregacion He that Loueth his wife loueth himself Ye seruauÌ„tes be obedieÌ„t to your bodely masters c We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirite Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs mete to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the begâ—nnyng and first begotten of the dead c That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioye I in my suffâ—riÌ„ges for you c. For his bodies sake whiche is the congregacioÌ„ Whome we preache warnyns all men and teaching c. â— That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull van tie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye â—c In whom ye are also râ—seÌ„ again through fayth â—â— And hath â—ut out the hâ—nâ—wryâ—ing â—â—â—t was agaâ—â—â—t vs c Whiche are shadowes of thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all â–ª c. And â—â—uetonsnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made hâ—m Take hede to thy office We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the trae worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirits Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c. Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs meâ—e to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead â— That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioyâ— I in my sufâ—â—riÌ„geâ— fo◠〈◊〉 c. For his bodies sake â— whiche is â—â—e congregacioâ— Whome we preache warnyng all men and teaching c. That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye c. In whom ye ate also riseÌ„ again through fayth c. And hath put out the handwryting that was against vs. c. Whiche aâ—â— shadowâ—s â—â— thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all c. And couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made him Take hede to thy office Thessalonica God make vs Englishmen â—â—ght Thessalonians God sende vs suche preachers This is the will of god euen your holynesse By the coÌ„mission of god our sauiour To his natural sonne In the faith Grace mercy peace As I besought the. That thou commaunde some The ende of the lawe is loue The law is good The lawe is not geueÌ„ vnto a righteous man We haue the lyke aduersaries but not the lyke diligeÌ„t preachers Paul made a priest by layeng on of haÌ„des without anoputynge Faith and conscience The cause of the decay of faith and good conscience The chiefe pollicie that bringeth meÌ„ to Christ is christian charitie Elders as we in oure commen speche vse to cal them Aldermen All prelates maye learne diligence at this mooste diligeÌ„t preachinge prelate the deuyll The charitie of the Gospel maketh one to be as glad of an others good to be as sory for an others hurt as though it were to him self not al worldly suâ— staunce to be thinune as the â—hant asâ—icall Anabaptistes do wikedly dreame The tree of lyfe The seconde death The fyrste death Manna The whyte stone Iesabel The whyte araye The open dore To be in the spirite Gods seate The precious stones The raynebowe The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders The sea of glasse The foure sondry beastes The face of the man The calfe The lyon The Egle. The wynges The eyes Foure angels The earth the sea and the trees The holy angell A certen nomber put for to signifye an vncerten multitude The trees Locustes The raynebowe vii thonders The quier xlii monethes The .ii. witnesses The great citie The temple of God The Arke The lyghtnyng thondering c. Heauen The womaÌ„ with childe The crienge The dragoÌ„ The .vii. heades The .x. hornes â—â—e tayle The taile of the dragon or of the deuyll The wynges The catte The Beare Tabernacle Ludouicus pius .viii. hundreth lvi The lambe This name is nowe turned and called al sainctes