y◠life to come measuring all the whole state of blysful life by worldly commodities say let vs eate drinke for to morow we shal dye That we toke in thys lyfe that and nothyng els is our owne for after death we be nothing The philosophers or false Apostles syng suche songes in your eares paraduenture but beware leste with theyr tales they deceyue you and bryng you into a perylouse erroure alwayes remembring what was truly sayd of a certaine poete of yours euyll woordes corrupte good maners Of idlenes and wanton lyuyng groweth this distruste whyles some knowing their owne enormities deny that there shall any resurreccion be in suche blyndenes of synne are they which lyue wyth out regarde of godly lyfe But awake ye through the study of ryghteousnes leauing your pleasures leste ye fal with other into the greate ieopardye of distrust For albeit there be some amonge you whiche swell and are proude of their worldely wysedome yet are they ignoraunt of the hyghest parte of wysedome in that they knowe not God nor beleue that by his might the dead can be restored to life againe not with standing his almyghtie power nor yet remembre that it is an easyer thing to restore that whiche is decayed than of nothing to make somewhat This tell I you not of any displeasure but to the entente ye should for shame hēcefurth nomore geue eare to such as labour to make you beleue such folishe and deuilishe poyntes The texte But some man wyll saye howe aryse the dead with what body shall they come Thou foole that whiche thou sowest is not quyckened excepte it dye And what sowest thou Thou sowest not that body that shal be but bare corne as of whete or of some other but God geueth it a body at his pleasure to euery sede his owne body All fleshe is not one maner of fleshe but there is one maner of fleshe of beastes another of fishes and another of byrdes There is also celestiall bodyes and there are bodyes terrestriall But the glory of the celestiall is one the glory of the terrestriall is another There is one maner glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the starres For one starre differeth from an other in glory So is the resurrecciō of the dead It is sowen in corrupcion it ryseth againe in incorrupcion It is sowen in dishonour it ryseth againe in honour It is sowen in weakenes it ryseth again in power It is sowen a naturall body it ryseth again a spiritual body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body as it is also wrytten the fyrst man Adam was made a lyuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickenyng spyrite Howbeit that is not fyrste whiche is spirituall but that whiche is naturall and then that whiche is spirituall The fyrste manne is of the earth erthy the seconde manne is the Lorde from heauen heauenly As is the erthy suche are they that are erthy And as is the heauenly suche are they that are heauenly And as we haue borne the image of the erthy so shal we beare the image of the heauenly This say I brethren that fleshe bloud cannot inherite the kyngdome of God Neither doeth corrupcion inherite vncorrupcion Beholde I shew you a misterie We shall not all slepe but we shall all be chaunged and that in a momente in the twinkling of an lye by the last trompe For the trompe shall blowe and the dead shall ryse incorruptible and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible muste put on incorrupcion and this mortall muste put on immortalytie When this corruptible hath put on incorrupcion and this mortall hath put on immortalytie then shal be brought to passe the saying that is wrytten Death is swalowed vp in victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory The styng of death is synne and the strength of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs victory thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe Therfore my deare brethren be ye stedfast and vnmouable alwayes ryche in the worke of the Lorde for as muche as ye knowe howe that your labour is not in vayne in the Lorde But now synce it is certaine that a general resurrecciō shal be some curious persō wil aske after what sort shal it be in what kind of bodies shal men rise synce the bodies whiche we now haue are tourned into ashes earth or into some other thing more vile Thou foole which maruailest howe God can once doe in renyuing bodies again that nature dayly worketh in a sede cast into the grounde Thou sowest a drye dead sede into the earth there agayne thesame beyng putrified semeth to dye so finally growyng out of the earth as it were lyueth agayne and groweth nor coulde thesame in any wyse lyue agayne onlesse it be fyrste dead and buried But nowe groweth the sede vppe in another fourme that it had when it was cast into the earth Into the earth is cast a lytle vyle blacke and drye grayne which beeng by continaunce of tyme putrified there in due season groweth vp and becommeth fyrst a tender grasse and then a stalke and so at the laste an eare Of all whiche three there appeared none in that small grayne which thou before dydest cast into the earth Euery sede hath his power which when it is growen vp appeareth so that it may now seme vtterly to be an other where thou in dede knowest it to be the same saue that it is chaunged into a better forme Seest thou not of a lyttle kernell howe greate a tree groweth howe myghtye a stemme there is howe the rootes spreade howe large boughes what a noumbre of braunches howe pleasaunte blosomes and plentefulnes of fruyte there is Of all which there was nothyng when thou dyd cast that sealye small kernell into the grounde And yet at that tyme all these thinges didest thou hope for vpon trust conceiued of y◠workes of nature ▪ and darest thou not vpon trust of Gods almyghtye power surely looke for the lyke to be done by God A kernell it was that thou sowedste and not a tree and yet geueth God to that kernell once quickned a body suche as his pleasure is which geueth euery kynde of sede a speciall property that wheras all growe agayne yet haue they not in all poyntes thesame forme they had before And after lyke sorte is it in all kyndes of beastes wherof euery one hath his seueral sede so that of euery seed euery beaste can not be engendred And though this to all beastes be commen to haue a fleshy body yet is there betwixte one flesh and an other no small difference For the flesh of men is of one maner and the flesh of beastes fyshes and byrdes is of another Lykewise also though such creatures as lacke lyfe be called bodies yet is there a diuerse forme in heauenly bodies and in earthly as in stones water
and earth Yea and as there is of heauenly bodyes one beautie and comlynes and of earthly an other euen so a diuersitie is there among the heauenly bodyes them selfe Fyrste nether is there lyke glory and bryghtnes of the Moone with the sōne nor of other starres with the Moone and briefly euen the verie starres selfe in brightnesse diffre one from another for all are not as bryght as the day starre is Lykewyse at the resurrection all men shall ryse with theyr owne bodyes but yet in an vnlyke glory without doubte as it shal please God to gyue them and as they in this lyfe haue deserued For the vngodly shall rise in one fourme the good in an other Among them also that are good euerie one as he hath in this lyfe vsed hymselfe so shal he excell other in the gloriousnes of his new bodye Yet generally all good men shall haue a muche more actiue bodye than was that which they by death forsoke And as it is in nature to couer the seed vnder the earth the same is in the matier of resurrection the buriall of the deade bodye And that whiche in the seede is growyng agayne is in the bodye rysyng agayne And as in the one that is muche better which groweth vp than was that which was caste into the earth euen so here albeit it be thesame bodye that ryseth agayne yet is it farre vnlike There is sowen as it were a grayne into the earth a body subiect to corruption but thesame shall ryse againe without all corruption There is hydden in the earth a vyle body lothsome but there shall ryse againe a body both gloriouse and honourable There is buryed a bodye whiche euen when it lyued was weake but it shall ryse agayne full of power and myght There is buryed a bodye which albeit were alyue yet were it grosse and heauye and by the reason of that bourdaynouse to the soule gouernour of the same but there shall ryse agayne not a naturall but a spirituall bodye whiche shall to the soule be no let whither soeuer it moue For this is a difference of bodies also one is naturall whiche hath neede of meate and drynke and is weryed with labour whiche is diseased whiche with age weareth awaye which with his grosse and fautie instrumentes ofttimes letteth the intent of the soule which by reason of froward desyers oftentimes prouoketh to vyce to whome yf the soule be obedient and geue ouer the same is as it were tourned into the body and groweth out of his nature into fleshe another is spirituall which being in this lyfe by lytle and lytle purged from sensual appetites and desiers and after by resurrection renewed agayne is in maner transfourmed into the nature of the soule to whom it by godly desyre applyed it selfe that as oure soule obeyng the spirite of god is rauished and in maner transformed into him so maye our bodyes beyng ▪ obedient vnto the soule be pourged and shakyng of his grossenes be purified into such a body as is very lyke to the soule This grosse and earthly body receiued we of our first father Adā which as he was made of earth so was he subiect to earthly desiers But there is an other secōde Adam not somuche the begynner of our natiuitie as of our resurrection which as he hath an heauenly beginning so was he fre from al infeccion of earthly desyers And so reade we in Genesis The fyrste man Adam was made to lyue through y◠benefite of the soule but yet so that the soule beyng as it were bound to the grosse body should do nothing but by bodily instrumentes or at the leaste by some material meane But after him was geuen a seconde Adam which as he was conceaued by the holy gost so should he geue lyfe to his not this grosse lyfe whiche we haue in many poyntes common with beastes but a spirituall and a heauenly lyfe By Christ therfore are we repayred in al poyntes into a better state For that thing whiche is in time firste is also in substance more grosse and that by the order of nature We nowe beare about with vs a naturall bodye and in tyme to come we shall haue a spirituall bodye As the grosse parent of our stocke went before so folowed Christ the begynner of a newe generacion And what sorte of one the earthly parent was suche are his posteritie that is to saye men gyuen to earthly desyres And agayne what kynde of one the heauenly Adam was such are they which are borne agayne in hym that is to wete wholy delyted with heuenly thinges For we must for this state begyn that here which we intende herafter perfitely to enioye As before baptisme in vngraciouse maners we resemblyd the nature of our fyrst father so being borne agayne vnto Christ through baptisme we muste nowe in heauenly lyfe resemble oure heauenly father And yf we this do not neither shall we be here partes of Christes bodye nor in tyme to come gloriously ryse agayne In deede admitted are we into the kyngdom of god but this I tell you brethren that flesh and bloud that is to say men of the first generacion cannot come to the enheritaunce of the kyngdome of God nor the lyfe whiche is with synne corrupted shall haue the inheritaunce of lyfe immortall And because ye shall be ignoraunt of nothyng apertaynyng to the maner of resurreccion beholde I tell you a misterie We shall not all dye for the laste daye shall peraduenture fynde some of vs alyue but yet shall all we be chaunged to the glory of immortall lyfe whiche here after a sorte abstayning from the infeccion of synne through godly conuersacion beginne the immortal lyfe to come This chaunge shal not be made by lytle lytle as we see natural thinges chaunged but in a minute twynkling of an iye at the sounde of the laste troumpe For the troumpe shall blow at the voyce wherof suche as then are dead shall ryse immortall And we whiche shall at that day be found alyue beyng sodaynly chaunged shall lyue after an other sorte that is to say as they doe which are rysen again For necessary it is that before we perfitly possesse the kingdom of heauen we vtterly put of al earthlynes and that this our corruptible body be made incorruptible and this our mortal body become immortall When this is so than shal that verely be perfourmed which the Prophete O see foreseing sayth reioysing at the vtter destrucciō of death ▪ death is swalowed vp through victory Where is now death thy styng ▪ o hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the lawe which by occasion geuing prouoketh vs to sinne When the law is taken away the power of sinne is faynt and feble when sinne is taken awaye the power of death ceaseth by reason that the styng is taken awaye wherwith she is wounte to stryke vs. Vnable were we vtterly to fyght
a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
growe no apples but there is vnbelefe the deuels spirite and euyll workes Of thys Goddes spirite and hys frutes haue oure holy ypocrites not once knowen nether yet tasted howe swete they are though they fayne many good workes of theyr owne ymaginacions to be iustyfied with all in whiche is not one crum of true faythe or spirituall loue or of inwarde ioye peace and quyetnes of conscience for as muche as they haue not the worde of God for them that such woorkes please God but they are euen the rotten frutes of a rotten tre After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large and sheweth whence bothe synne and righteousnes deathe and lyfe come And he compareth Adam and Christe together thus wyse reasonynge and dysputynge that Christe muste neades comme as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of hys ryghtewesnes thorowe a newe spyrytuall byrthe without oure deseruynges euen as the fyrste Adam made vs heyres of synne thorowe the bodely generacyon without oure deseruing Whereby is euidently knowen and proued to the vttermost that no man can bring him self out of synne vnto righteousnes nomore then he coulde haue withstande that he was borne bodely And that is proued herewith for as muche as the very lawe of God whiche of right shoulde haue holpe yf any thinge could haue holpen not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euyll and poysoned nature is offended and vtterly displeased with the lawe and the more she is forbyd by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyer to fulfill and satisfye her lustes By the lawe then we se clerely that we must nedes haue Christe to iustifye vs with his grace and to helpe nature In the .vi. Chapter he setteth forth the chiefe and principal worke of faith the battaill of the spirite against the fleshe howe the spirite laboreth and enforseth to kyll the remnaunt of syn and â—â—â— whiche remaine in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapter teacheth vs that we are not so free from synne thorowe faythe that we shoulde hence forth go vp and downe ydle carelesse and sure of our selues as though there were nowe no more synne in vs yes ther is sin remaining in vs but it is not rekened because of faith of the spirite which fight against it Wherfore we haue ynough to do all oure life 's longe to tame our bodies and to compell the membres to obey the spirite and not the appetites that thereby we myght be like vnto Christes death refurreccioÌ„ and might fulfil our baptisme which signifieth the mortifyinge of synnes and the newe life of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last birthe and vntill that sinne be vtterly staine by the death of the bodye This thing I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to do sayeth he seyng we are vnder grace and not vnder the lawe what it is not to be vnder the lawe he hym selfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstande that euery manne maye do what him lusteth But not to be vnder the lawe is to haue a free hearte renewed with the spirite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thyne own accorde to do that which the law commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no lawe For grace that is to saye Goddes fauoure bryngeth vs the spirit and maketh vs to loue the lawe so is there now no more synne neyther is the lawe nowe any more agaynst vs but at one and agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the lawe is to deale with the workes of the lawe and to worke without the spirite and grace â–ª for so longe no doubte synne raygneth in vs thorow the lawe that is to saye the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and that synne hath power and dominion ouer vs seynge we cannot fulfyll the lawe namely within the hearte for as muche as no man of nature fauoreth the lawe consenteth there vnto and delyteth therein Which thyng is exceading great synne that we cannot consent to the law which lawe is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the ryght fredome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe wherof he writeth vnto the ende of thys Chapter that is a fredome to do good onelye with luste and to lyue well without compulcyon of the lawe wherfore thys fredome is a spirituall fredome whiche destoyeth not the lawe but ministreth that whiche the lawe requyreth and where â–ª with the lawe is fulfylled that is to vnderstande luste and loue wherwith the lawe is stylled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more nether hathe ought to craue of vs any more Euen as though thou were in dette to an other man and were not able to paye two maner wayes myghtest thou be lowsed One waye yf he woulde require nothyng of the and breke thyne obligacion An other waye yf some other good man woulde paye for the and geue the as much as thou myghtest â—arâ—sâ—ie thyne obligacion with all Of this wyse hathe Christe made vs fre from the lawe and therfore is this no wylde fleshely libertie that shoulde do nought but that doeth all thinges and is fre from the crauyng and decre of the lawe In the .vij. Chapter he confyrmeth the same with a similytude of the state of matrimony As when the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one looced and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now fyrst of all is she fre and hath power to mary vnto an other man which she coulde not do before tyll she was looced from her fyrst housband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder old Adam the flesh as long as he liueth in vs. For the law declareth that our hertes are bounde that we cannot disconsent from him But when he is mortifyed and kylled by the spirite then is the conscience fre and at lybertye â–ª not so that the conscience shall nowe nought do but now fyrst of al cleueth vnto another that is to were Christ and bringeth forthe the frutes of lyfe So â—ow to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfyll the lawe but to be detter to it and not able to paye that whiche the lawe requyreth And to be looce from the lawe is to fulfyll it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can nowe hence forth are thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the lawe how that thorow the lawe synne reuiueth moueth hir selfe and gathereth strength For the old man and corrupt nature the more he is forboden and kepte vnder of the lawe is the more offended and dyspleased therewith for as muche as he cannot paye that whiche is requyred of the lawe For synne is his nature and of hym selfe he cannot but synne Therefore
is the lawe death to him torment and martyrdome Not that the law is euill but because that the euyll nature cannot suffre that which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thinge Lyke as a sicke man cannot suffre that a man should desire of him to run to lepe and to do other dedes of an whole manne For whiche cause S. Paul concludeth that where the lawe is vnderstande and perceaued of the beste wise there it doeth no more but vtter synne and bring vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and thereby kyll vs and make vs bonde vnto eternall damnacion and detters of the euerlasting wrathe of god euen as he wel fealeth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the lawe In such daunger were we yer the law came that we knewe not what synne ment nether yet knewe we the wrathe of God vpon synners tyll the lawe had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thing yea and a greater and a more myghty thinge then the lawe to make hym ryghteous and safe They that vnderstande not the lawe on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposyng to satisfie the lawe with workes For they knowe not that the lawe requireth a fre a willinge a lusty and a louynge hearte Therfore they see not Moses ryght in the face the vayle hangeth betwene and hydeth hys face so that they cannot beholde the glorye of hys countenaunce how that the lawe is spirituall requyreth the hearte I may of myne owne strength refraine that I do mine enemy no hurte but to loue hiÌ„ with al mine heart and to put awaye wrathe cleane out of my mynde can I not of myne owne strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put awaye loue vnto riches out of myne hearte can I not do of mine own strength To abstayne from adultery as concerning the outward dede can I do of myne owne strength but not to desyre in mine hearte is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will honger or thurst and yet so the lawe requyreth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the lawe neuer fulfilled we muste haue thereunto goddes fauoure and hys spyryte purchased by Christes bloude Neuerthelesse when I saye a man maye do many thynges outwardly clene againste his hearte we muste vnderstande that man is but dryuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercommeth the lesse and carieth the man awaye violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the inconuenience that is lyke to folowe yf feare be greater I absteyne yf the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I cannot but prosecute the dede as we se by experience in many murtherers and theues which though they bee brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same againe And commen wemen prosecute their lustes because fear and shame are awaye when other whiche haue the same appetites in theyr heartes abstayne at the lestewaye outwardly or worke secretly being ouercome of feare and of shame and so lykewyse is it of al other appetites Furthermore he declareth how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one manne and maketh an ensample of him selfe that we myght lerne to knowe that worke aright I meane to kyll synne in oure selues He calleth both the spirite and also the flesh a lawe because that lyke as the nature of Goddes lawe is to dryue to compell and to craue euen so the fleshe dryueth compelleth craueth and rageth agaynste the spirite and will haue her lustes satisfied On the other syde dryueth the spirite cryeth and fighteth agaynste the fleshe and wyl haue his luste satisfied And this strife duâ—eth in vs as longe as we lyue in some more and in some lesse as the spirite or the fleshe is stronger and the very man his owne selfe is both spirite and the flesh which fyghteth with his owne selfe vntyll synne bee vtterly slaine and we all together spirituall In the .viij. Chapter he comforteth such fighters that they dispaire not because of suche flesh either thinke yâ— they are lesse in fauour with God And he sheweth how that the synne remaining in vs hurteth not for there is no daunger to them that are in Christe whiche walke not after the fleshe but fyght agaynste it And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh and of the spirite is and how the spirite cometh by Christe which spirite maketh vs spyrituall tameth subdueth and mortifieth the fleshe and certyfieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God and also beloued though that synne rage neuer so moche in vs so long as we folowe the spirite and fyght against synne to kyll and mortifye it And because nothynge is so good to the mortifiynge of the fleshe as the crosse and tribulacion he comforteth vs in our passions and affliccions by the assistens of the spirite which maketh intercession to God for vs myghtely with gronynges that passe mans vtteraunce so that mans speche cannot comprehende them and with the mourning also of the creatures with vs of greate desire that they haue that we were looced from synne and corrupcion of the fleshe So se we that these thre chapters the vj.vii.viij do none other thing so muche as to dryue vs vnto the right worke of faithe which is to kil the olde man and mortify the fleshe In the ix.x and .xi. Chapter he treateth of Goddes predestinacion whence it springeth all together whether we shall beleue or not beleue be looced from synne or not bee looced By whiche predestinacion oure iustifying and saluacion are clene taken out of oure handes and put in the handes of God only which thinge is moste necessary of al. For we are so weake and so vncertaine that if it stode in vs there would of a truth no manne be saued the deuyll no doute would deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinacion cannot deceaue him nether can any man withstande or let him and therefore haue we hope and trust agaynst synne But here must a marke be set vnto those vnquyet busye and hie clyming spirites howe farre they shall go whiche fyrste of al bringe hither their hye reasons and pregnant wyttes and begyn fyrst from an hye to serch the botomlesse secretes of Goddes predestinacion whether they bee predestinate or not These muste nedes ether caste them selues doune headlong into desperacion or else coÌ„mit them selues to fre chaunce carelesse But folow thou the order of this epistle and noosell thy selfe with Christe and lerne to vnderstande what the lawe and the gospell meane and the office of both two that thou mayest in the one knowe thy selfe and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength but to sinne and in the other the grace of Christ And then se thou fight agaynste sinne and the fleshe as the .vii. fyrst Chapters teache the. After that when thou art come to the .viij.
Iosephus of Ioseph This name Paule to them that vnderstande the Heorue toungue signifieth marueilous if we may be suffered to searche the interpretacion of a Latine or Greeke worde out of a straunge laÌ„guage in whiche enterprise albeit in other matiers sainct Hierome semeth to be scrupulous yet herein beareth he with him selfe I wene because the matter is not earneste nor muche weightie For in dede with the Grecians the name soundeth quiet with the Latin menne litle but Saul with the Hebrues signifieth required or if we geue â—redence to sainct Ambrose vnquietnes so doeth it signifie in deede as Ambrose sayth but that is with yâ— Grecians only by this worde Saulos And this muche haue I sayd of Paules name more at large I wene thaÌ„ the nature of an argument doeth wel beare This epistle endited Paule Tertius beyng his scribe as Tertius him selfe at th ende of the Epistle sayth And I tertius salute you also vvhiche vvrote this epistle in the lorde It appeareth that it was sent to Rome froÌ„ Corinthe by Phebe a womaÌ„ of Cenchris Now is Cenchris the Corinthians porte standeth not farre froÌ„ yâ— citie And if any maÌ„ be desirous to know the tyme when it was wryten to suche as weigh the matier diligently it may seme wryten after bothe the epistles to the Corinthians wherof some gather that in it aboue other epistles are coÌ„prised taught the ful perfite rules of ChristiaÌ„ religion wryten aboute the same tyme that he had preached throughout the whole couÌ„trey of Achaia wherin the citie of Corinthe staÌ„deth also through the countrey of Macedonia borderyng nigh thervnto euen vntil the coste of Slauone not only teachyng euery where Christes gospel in suche places where none of the other Apostles els had been but gatheryng also as Peter warned him money of his hearers for the reliefe of the poore people made him selfe ready to repayre vnto Ierusalem thence after that he had bestowed that whiche he had receiued mynded to goe into Spayne by the way to go through Rome there to salute christiaÌ„ men whose fayth godlynes he had onely heard of in dede yet had he not sene them Their state was somethyng vnlike the Galathians For the Galathians beyng at the fyrst well taught by sainct Paule were by fraude of false Apostles deceiued brought backewarde to Iewishnes againe The Romaines coÌ„trariwyse beyng fyrst misse taught by false preachers deceiued assone as they according to theyr wisdome perceiued it they ameÌ„ded theyr fault faste stedfastly after continuyng in suche a trade as they well wyst was good In the infancie fyrst chyldhod of Christes churche some there wer whiche thought that the grace promised by the gospel should not foorthw t be preached vnto the cursed Panymes geuen al to the worshippyng of idols deuils forsomuche as the same semed especially pinised to Abrahams posteritee stocke of the Iewes Of this mynde it appeareth that sainct Peter was as whiche would not haue receiued the capitayne Cornelius into Christes religion had he not been warned by a vision so to do For whiche dede he was troubled at IerusaleÌ„ what tyme they that of Iewes were conuerted to Christ layde vnto his charge that he had been in company among them that wer not circumcised And likely it is that some of them whiche so accused Peter were of thapostles them selfe For in the xi chapiter of the Actes so is it wryten And the Apostles and brethren that were in Iurie heard that the heathen had also receiued the worde of god And when Peter was come vppe to Hierusalem they that were of the circumcision contended against him saiyng why wentest thou in to suche as were not circumcised and diddest eate with them Againe some there were of this mynde which albeit thought not that the Panyms should from the felowship of the gospel vtterly be excluded yet thought they therwith also that suche should not be receiued vnlesse they wer like Iewes circumcised as though it so were that Christ had nede of Moses lawe therby as appeareth laboryng to transpose and alter the glory of Christes gospel in to the glory of theyr owne nacion Agreable with this is that whiche is wryten in the .xi. chapiter of thactes when it is sayd that suche as for the persecucion ensewyng shortely vpon Stephens death were fledde into Phaenicia Cipres and Antioche preached Christ to none but to Jewes onely Againe in the .xv. chapiter certaine Jewes came to Antioche whiche openly preached against Paule and Barnabas that men were without hope of saluacion if they were not as Moses lawe teacheth circumcised By meane whereoâ— there was luche a commocion stirred vp that it was by a commen counsail decreed and appointed that Paule and Barnabas with theyr aduersaries should repayre vnto Ierusalem to the entent that there this contencion might by the Apostles and elders arbitrement be determined where againe through the vehement and contencious labour of some of suche specially as were of Phariseis become christians of whiche secte Paule himself was too there was called a couÌ„sel of Apostles elders wherin by the authoritie of Peter James it was decreed that the Gentiles should not be burdained with the obseruaunces of Moses lawe but onely abstaine from eatyng of strangled beastes from bloud from fleshe offered to idols and from fornicacion whiche pointes were for a tyme onely condescended vpon by reason of the great and stubburne scrupulositie of the Iewes as by this it doeth wel appeare that we now see that thre of them are in these dayes vtterly taken away and abolished Vpon this occasion arose also yâ— notable and famouse coÌ„tencion at Antioche betwene Peter Paule what tyme Paule the Gentiles Apostle seyng his flocke through Peters dissemblyng to be in ieopardye reproued him openly as himselfe in the seconde chapiter of his epistle to the Galathians wryteth Againe at Ierusalem by the counsel of Iames to pourge the rumour than spread among the Iewes for that he semed to drawe men backe froÌ„ Moses law he with other of his company shaued him self and beyng purified as the Iewes custome was made his oblacion in the temple as Luke in the .xxi chapiter of thactes reherseth By the whiche place it appeareth that Iames albeit he before had enfraunchised the Gentiles welnigh from the burdaine of Moses lawe abode styll yet in this opinion that the Iewes should be bounde to the obseruacion of the whole lawe if it were for nothyng els but to appeace suche as had not yet so far profited in the truth of the gospel that they could be content to despise theyr auncestres rites and vsages For so speaketh Iames and all shall knowe that those thinges whiche they haue heard concernyng the are false but that thou thyselfe also walkeâ—t and kepest the lawe And for the same cause I wene shaued he his head at Cenchris accordyng vnto his vowe as appeareth in the .xviii. chapiter And for like consideracion
people Christe whome without any mencion makyng of his godhed he calleth a man The thyrde cause of difficultie maketh I weene the often and soden chaunge of persones whyles he one whyle hath regard of the Iewes speakyng in their persons another while of the Gentiles suÌ„tyme of bothe parties nowe the ryght beleuers and then the faythles takyng vpon him sumtyme the weake sumtyme the strong persones parte sumtyme of the godly and sumtyme of the vngodly By meane wherof it coÌ„meth to passe that the reader wandering vppe and downe as it wer in wrenches or as some call it in a mismase diuersly tournyng and wyndyng neither seeth where he came in nor yet wel knoweth which waye to go out Insomuche that Origen both truly and properly me seameth lykeneth Paule to a man which bryngeth his frende into a very riche princes palace by tournyng of wayes secrete chambers very doubtfull and cumberouse and sheweth hym the great treasures and heapes of goodes sumwhat a farre of and some thinges setteth before his iyen and would haue sum thinges not sene at all oftetymes when he went in by one doore he goeth out at another so that the straunger his frende maruayleth whence he came where he is and whiche waye to get out This knew also sainct Peter in his seconde epistle saying that there wer in Paules epistles certayne pointes harde to be vnderstanden which the vnlearned and vnstable peruerted to theyr owne destruccion Herein haue we asmuche as in vs laye labored to exclude suche difficulties sauyng that sumthynges so peculiarly belong to Paules touÌ„gue that in some places they could not be chauÌ„ged of whiche sorte these be fayth grace the body the fleshe the members the spirite the mynde the sence to edifie with suche other lyke whiche as they should not vtterly be chauÌ„ged so haue we labored to molifie the hardnes of them asmuche as myght be But now let vs heare Paule hymself speakyng to the Romaynes or rather in them more grossely and playnlye to vs all The paraprase vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Romaines by Des Erasmus of Roterodame The first Chapiter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte for the gospel of God whiche he had promised afore by his prophetes in the holy scriptures of his sonne whiche was borne vnto him of the seede of Dauid after the fleashe and hath bene declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirit that sanctifieth synce the tyme that Iesus Christ our lorde rose againe from death by whom we haue receiued grace Apostleship that obedience might be geuen vnto the fayth in his name among all heathen of whose numbre you be the electe of Iesus Christ PAule euen I the very same so becomen of Saule that is to say of an vnquiet person a peacemaker of late subiect to Moses lawe now made fre therof and becomen the seruaunt of Iesus Christ not like a false souldiar that falleth from his capitain or one that like a truant forgoeth his olde profession but called foorth to do this message muche more to my coÌ„tentacion deuided now than at that tyme whaÌ„ I was a mainteiner of the deuided Pharisaical secte vpoÌ„ an vngodly zeale and light persuasion wanderyng out of the right way now and neuer before meete to be called by the surname of vnfained diuision as one deuided and chosen out by Christ him self to labour and trauaile in a muche more weyghtie matâ—er to preache I say the ioyfull tidynges of God whiche is no new found phaÌ„tasie but promised many yeres synce in his owne prophecies whiche remayne still in bookes of no smal credence but in suche as are of an holy and moste vndoubted trueth of his sonne whiche was touchyng his frayle manhed borne in tyme of the seede of Dauid and was neuerthelesse declared to be the euerlastyng sonne of God euerlastyng by the holy gooste as well appeared bothe by diuerse other profes as moostâ— specially by that he ouercame death and rose againe from the dead now becomen to al suche as in him are borne againe the prince and chiefe authour of resurreccion I meane Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we haue obtayned not onely suche fauer as the kepyng of the lawe could not help vs to but also in suche sorte to be his messagier that as by other Apostles Christes gospel hath bene spread abroad among the Iewes so may it by me likewyse be set foorth among all heathens whatsoeuer they be not to trouble them with the burdaine of the lawe but to make them yelde and submit them selfes obediently to the doctrine of Christes fayth stedfastly cleauyng therto not to the vaine wysedome of Philosophers of whiche noumbre of heathens ye Romaines are also touchyng your nacion but by adopcion fatheryng called all to the right title of inheritaunce surname of Iesus Christ whiche point I incidently geue you warnyng of leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square whiche through a fauorable and gentle fatheryng are now made one mans children The texte ¶ To all you that be at Rome beloued of God and called sainctes grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ To al you therfore as many as be at Rome the dearely beloued children of God and to suche as from your former synful life are called to godlynes grace and peace wyshe I vnto you not suche as the worlde coÌ„monly wysheth but a substancial and a new grace that is to wete the fre gift of fayth taught by the gospel perfectly iustifiyng and by it through the vtter abolishement of al the offeÌ„ces of your former life a quiet peace of conscience and a stedfast peace and frendship with God whiche twoo are neither gotten by any helpe of worldly wysdome nor yet by keapyng of Moses lawe but are obteined of al menne by the free gifte of God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The texte First verely I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your fayth is spoken of in all the worlde For God is my wytnes whom I serue with my spirite in the gospel of his sonne that without ceasyng I make mencion of you praiyng alwayes in my prayers besechyng that by some meane at laste one tyme or other a prosperouse iourney by the wyl of god might fortune me to cum vnto you For I long to see you â— I might bestowe among you some spiritual gifte to strength you withal that is that I might haue consolacion together with you through the common fayth whiche bothe ye and I haue And fyrst of all verely in all your names I rendre thankes to God the father whiche through Christ his sonne hath geuen you this that ye whiche heretofore wer faythles are now through your fayth in great renoume in all the worlde and muche spoken of Whiche reporte certaynly for
abolished whiche is chauÌ„ged for a better nomore theÌ„ we say that the floures are abolished when in theyr steade fallyng froÌ„ yâ— trees there groweth fruit or when in steade of yâ— shadowe there is placed a very body The .iiii. Chapter The texte What say we then that Abraham our father as pertainyng to the fleashe did fynd If AbrahaÌ„ wer iustified by deedes then hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God For what sayeth the scripture AbrahaÌ„ beleued God it was coumpted vnto him for righteousnes To him that worketh is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of duety To him that worketh not but beleueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly is his fayth couÌ„pted for righteousnes accordyng to yâ— purpose of the grace of god EueÌ„ as Dauid describeth the blissedfulnes of that maÌ„ vnto whoÌ„ God imputeth righteousnes with out dedes Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is that man to whom the lorde will not impute synne ANd yet if now any maÌ„ stubbernly maintein defend the preseÌ„t state of Moses lawe grosse carnal as it is not onely defeÌ„d it â–ª but also vpoÌ„ a coÌ„fideÌ„ce therin put other in hope to be saued Against him will I for exaÌ„ple reherse no meane Iewe but eueÌ„ AbrahaÌ„ him selfe the first chief of al the circumcised of whoÌ„ as father beginner of theyr stocke the whole nacion of Iewes are wont specially to crake glory And yet is AbrahaÌ„ in very dede touching carnal kynred in suche sorte father to the Iewes that yet he is neuerthelesse father to all suche as in fayth reseÌ„ble him are like vnto him in thimage of the soule not somuche in yâ— image of the body As for circuÌ„cision which as I sayd had his fyrst beginnyng in AbrahaÌ„ was but a pledge marke of al Moses law as a maÌ„ may say a special token wherby Iewes are knowen to be Iewes Let vs now therfore coÌ„sider what AbrahaÌ„ gote that whiche he got by what meanes he obtained it That Abraham fyrst was praised for a righteous maÌ„ yâ— scriptures self beare euideÌ„t recorde But now if he either through circumcision or by kepyng of suche other ceremonies as are in Moses lawe prescribed woÌ„ne that coÌ„mendacion than hath he in dede somewhat wherof to reioyce yet not before God but before men And why before men Vndoubtedly because he gotte it through suche externe and bodily meanes as menne vse to iudge of And why not before God Certainly because he obtained it not for his faythe 's sake wherby we are brought into yâ— fauer of God But now so is it that AbrahaÌ„ euen at Gods owne hand obtained the praise of righteousnes Whervpon it foloweth that he got it not by kepyng of any prescripte ceremony of the lawe but by that fayth wherby all men both Iewes Gentiles must now seke for like praise I meane al suche as are the true children of AbrahaÌ„ Nor require I that ye should herein beleue my wordes vnlesse the scriptures clerely euideÌ„tly testify the same In the .xv. chapiter of Genesis â—o thus is it written AbrahaÌ„ beleued God the same belief of his was vnto him couÌ„pted for righteousnes To him had God promised an ofspring as pleÌ„tiful as is the nuÌ„bre of starres in the firmament whiche yet was in the case that both his wyfe was past child bearyng him self had yet none heire And yet vnlikely as it was without delay beleued he the promise maker not coÌ„sideryng the possibilitie of the thing whiche was promised but rather who was the promise maker for that his sure coÌ„fidences sake was he foorthw t couÌ„pted righteous not for his circuÌ„cision which he had not at yâ— time receiued but for his faythe 's sake was in dede so couÌ„ted not before men but before God who was the onely witnes when this mystery was wrought of whoÌ„ this his fayth was couÌ„ted for righteousnes long before that he had done any good dedes suche I meane as are by Moses lawe coÌ„mauÌ„ded Now that call we properly counted or taken for payed whiche beyng not paied in very dede is by yâ— special goodnes of him that so taketh it rekened for payed Now then if euen yâ— Patriarche AbrahaÌ„ him self was not for his circuÌ„cisions sake couÌ„pted righteous but was loÌ„g before his circumcisioÌ„ for his faythe 's sake accepted of God why should the Iewe in yâ— ceremonies of yâ— law put any affiauÌ„ce to whoÌ„ yâ— same was geueÌ„ but for a season And surely muche lesse should the gentiles therin haue any trust to whoÌ„ the same was not geueÌ„ at all For if vnto yâ— Iew subiect vnto the ceremonies of the law any reward be geueÌ„ for keping of them yâ— semeth payed vnto him as wages due by couenaunt rather then geueÌ„ by any fauer mercy of yâ— geuer as of yâ— otherside if for traÌ„gression of yâ— law the same suffre punishmeÌ„t wel worthy is he therof For as yâ— seruauÌ„t wheÌ„ he hath throughly finished his taske he receiueth his wages so if yâ— same forget to do his duetye he is with siâ—ipes and punishmeÌ„t sharply corrected But to the geÌ„tiles to whoÌ„ the ceremonies of the law are vnknowen or to the Iewes either whiche hauyng forsakeÌ„ the bondage of the lawe are become christian men worke no loÌ„ger now as it wer by tasque but vnfainedly purely put theyr trust in him whiche frely geueth perfite iustice euen to the wicked al whose synnes he hath by his death taken away to suche I say geueth fayth as he did vnto AbrahaÌ„ whiche is that they be accouÌ„pted for righteous not for kepyng of the lawe but for theyr onely faythes sake whervnto no maÌ„ is coÌ„pelled but rather geÌ„tely prouoked allured whiche God doth to the entent that our fayth in Christ should be a thyng of vs frely wrought of no coÌ„pulsion and that our deliuerauÌ„ce through him restoryng of vs into the nuÌ„bre of righteous people shuld be a thyng of Gods fre gifte mercy of no debte To this purpose likewise maketh Dauid both kyng prophete the chiefe glory of the Iewes next after AbrahaÌ„ in whoÌ„ Christ thonly fountaine of our welth saluacion was specially promised vnto vs. For in his .xxxi. Psalme describeth he also this blessedfull state of man declared now by the gospel shewyng yâ— it is not geueÌ„ receiued as due vnto vs for the workes of Moses law but by the fre goodnes of God wherby we are moued drawen to beleue Blessed are they sayeth he whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen whose synnes are couered Blessed is that maÌ„ to whoÌ„ the Lorde wyll not impute synne By whiche testimony ye se how vnrighteousnes is forgeuen done against Moses lawe And how also sinnes done against yâ— lawe of nature are couered Briefely ye heare perceiue that suche as through Christ haue attayned this blisseful state haue no kynd of sinne layed vnto
this matier chalengyng nothyng to hymselfe as his own gaue ouer the whole prayse and glorie to god only whome he by his sure and constant fayth both testified to be true of promise as whiche woulde deceyue no man lykewyse to be almightye as whoÌ„ he thoughte able to perfourme his promise were the same neuer somuche passyng all worldly strength This is the glorie wherwith god is chieflye delighted whiche nedeth no seruice of ours and therfore as the scripture sayeth it was reckened vnto hym for ryghteousnes The texte ¶ Neuerthelesse it is not wrytten for hym onelye that it was reckened to hym for ryghteousnes but also for vs to whom it shal be coumpted for ryghteousnes so that we beleue in hym that raised vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead whiche was deliuered for our synnes and was raised agyue for our iustification Nor is it to be supposed that this was wryten onely for Abrahams sake when it is sayd yâ— his faith was reckened vnto hym for righteousnes for yâ— scripture laboreth not so muche for the auauÌ„cemeÌ„t of AbrahaÌ„s glory only but rather to gyue vs which are of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie an example wherby al the world might vnderstande that as Abraham for his faythe 's sake without healpe or ayde of the lawe obteyned before god to be coumpted for righteouse so should none of vs by kepyng of the law only thynke to haue the same AbrahaÌ„ theÌ„ was called righteouse because he beleued god And surely entry haue we none to ryghteousnes vnles we lykewise beleue in the same god whiche to vs hath brought to passe in Iesus Christ oure lorde whome he raysed from death to lyfe euen that he promised to Abraham in the fygure of Isaac therby declaryng that the fayth of Abraham was no vayne fayth whiche beleued yâ— god was suche one as coulde geue lyfe euen to the deade call agayne suche thinges as are not as thoughe they were Let vs not therfore for our righteousnes and cleannes of lyfe thanke Moses but Christ whiche gaue hymselfe to death to the entent he would freely through fayth forgyue our synnes whiche also rose agayne from death to the entent we shoulde abstayne from deadly synne nor displease hym by committyng agayne suche thynges for which his pleasure was to dye He dyed I saye to kyll synne in vs and rose agayne from death to th entent that by hym fyrst dying to oure olde synnes so furthe with hym and by hym beyng brought and restored into a newe kynde of lyfe we may hereafter lyue vnto yâ— ryghteousnes which we haue through his goodnes receyued The .v. Chapiter The texte Because therfore yâ— we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with god through our lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in through fayth vnto this grace wherin we stande reioyse in hope of the glorye of the chyldren of god Not that only but also we reioyse in tribulatioÌ„ knowyng yâ— tribulatioÌ„ bryngeth pacieÌ„ce pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed for the loue of god is shed abrode in our heartes by the holy ghost whiche is geuen vnto vs. COnsyderyng that only syn causeth variaunce betwixt god and man now are we certeynly at peace with god because that of wicked synful people we are made ryghteous that neither by Moses law whiche rather encreased oure offeÌ„ces nor for our workes but as our father AbrahaÌ„ was for oure faythe 's sake reconciled vnto god yâ— father whose frende also through fayth Abraham became that neither through Moses but through the only sonne of god our lorde Iesus Christ which with his bloud washed away our offences by his death reconcilyng vs vnto god beyng before yâ— tyme displeased with vs so opened for vs an entrye yâ— we through lyke fayth without either the lawe or circumcision mighte be brought into this grace of god promysed by the ghospell In whiche fayth we stande stedfaste and not only stande with good wyll couragiouslye but also reioyce not only because we are at peace with god but also for that we are pute in sure hope that through oure stedfastnes of fayth we shal in tyme to come enioye the glorie of heauen Nor enuye we the Iewes through the glory of their circumcision and as we enuye them not so mislike we not our fayth the brynger furthe of suche plentifull fruicte nor yet repent we our glory with hope wherof we for this present tyme are aduaunced vnderpyght Whiche glorie albeit it be suche as cannot yet be seene and thoughe without sufferyng of aduersities and troubles we attayne not therunto yet eueÌ„ the same troubles in the meane season recken we a thyng to reioyce and glorye of as whiche we suffer both to our hyghe prayse are also suche as open vnto vs the gate to life euerlasting For this new example hath Christ both geueÌ„ vs by him also taught are we this excellent doctrine that by sufferyng of tribulatioÌ„s the vertue of pacience is strengthened and as the fyer tryeth golde so throughe pacience become we better tryed and proued both of god man Agayne the more tribulatioÌ„s we suffer the surer hope of rewarde stande we in Nor is it to be feared leste this hope mysse disapoynt vs of our belief make vs ashamed before yâ— wicked people because we haue eueÌ„ now therof in hande a moste sure pledge and earnest penye whiche is the meruaylous and vnspeakeable loue of god towarde vs not onlye externally shewed vnto vs but most pleÌ„tifully printed in our heartes in manier coÌ„pellyng vs to loue hym agayne wrought by the holy ghost in steade of the watryshe letter of the lawe gyuen vnto vs as a gage assuryng vs of his promise herafter surely to be perfourmed The texte For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christ dyed for vs which wer vngodlye Yet scarce wyl any man dye for a ryghteouse man Peraduenture for a good man durste a man dye But god setteth but his loue towarde vs seyng that whyle we were yet synners according to the tyme Christ dyed for vs Muche more then nowe we that are iustified by his bloude shal be saued from wrathe through hym For had not god of his great mercy singulerly loued and pitied vs. Iesus Christ his only sonne had neuer by the wyl of his father descended into earth nor haue taken oure mortall fleshe vpon hym and so haue dyed namely what tyme we were weake thrall and subiecte to beastlye desyres whiche were by the lawe more lyke to be prouoked than to be brydelâ—d and suppressed Bad yet as we then were he loued vs in hope of saluacion yea he loued vs beyng wycked people and deuilyshe ydolaters and so loued vs that for our sakes he wyllyngly suffered death whiche was the greatest euident and moste singuler poynt of loue that euer could be shewed Among men scarcely shal any man fynde
another so frendlye as wyl for his good and wel deseruyng frendes sake suffer death But to graunt that some suche maye some where be founde as for his approued frende wyl paraduenture be contented to dye yet hath god shewed an example passyng all examples of suche earthly loues whom it pleased euen for wycked and vnworthy persons to delyuer his onlye sonne to death Now if god haue for vs beyng wycked people and offenders done thus muche how muche rather wyl he do for vs beyng nowe purged chastised and by the bloud of his sonne reconciled vnto hym that we through sinne fall no more into his displeasure and therby stande in ieopardy of more greuouse daÌ„nation not only for our synful lyfe but also because we should then be vnthankefull Christe dyed for vs but for a season but he rose agayn for euer And as he dyed for vs so arose he agayne for our sakes The texte ¶ For yf when we were enemies we were reconciled to god by the deathe of his sonne muche more seyng we are reconciled we shal be preserued by his lyfe Not onlye this but we also ioye in god by the meanes of oure lorde Iesus Christe by whome we haue nowe obtayned the attonement Now and yf by his death he haue this muche done for vs that where as before that tyme god was with vs highly offended and displeased we haue hym nowe gratiouse and merciful muche rather shal we so through his lyfe be preserued that we nomore fall into his displeasure By his death deliuered are we from synne his lyfe shal preserue vs in innoceÌ„cie his death hath delyuered vs from the power of the deuill his lyfe shall towarde vs continew the loue of his father These are suche euident sygnes of goddes loue towarde vs that they not only put vs in a quyet assuraunce and in a sure hope to be saued from the vengeauÌ„ce of god to come but also gyue vs a lustye courage euen to glorie not of oure deseartes but with thankes geuyng to god the father through whose bountefull mercy we haue receyued this welthy state promysed by hym to be geuen vnto vs neither for the lawes nor for circumcisions sake but through Iesus Christ his sonne by whose meanes we are restored into his fauour agayne to th entent that for all this benefite thankes should be gyuen to noman but to god hymself and to his only sonne Al whiche was done by the meruaylous secrete counsel of god to the ende yâ— the waye meanes of oure restoryng shoulde agree with the waye of oure damnation The texte Wherfore â–ª as by one man syn entred in the worlde and death by the meanes of syn euen so death also went ouer al men insomuche as all men synned For euen vnto the law was syn in the worlde but synne is not imputed where there is no lawe neuerthelesse death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also that had not synned with lyke transgressioÌ„ as dyd Adam which beareth the similitude of hym that was to come Wherfore as by Adam whiche fyrste transgressed the commaundemente of god synne entred into the worlde and by the meanes of synne death because syn is as it were the poyson of mannes soule by whose occasion synne whiche had his begynning in the fyrst of our stocke issued furthe into all his posteritie whyles eche man folowed the exaÌ„ple of their fyrst parente so through Christe alone in whome by fayth al are borne agayne we receyue innocencie and therwyth lyfe whiche blessednes lykewyse hauyng his begynnyng in one fyrst and new authour of generacioÌ„ Christe is spread abrode amonge all them whiche are throughe faythe knyt vnto hym and in hurtlesse lyfe folowe his steppes But when synne had once ouergone the world and poysoned all mankynde suche was the strength therof that it coulde by no meanes neyther by the lawe of nature nor yet by Moses lawe be vanquyshed so that by the lawe nothyng was done but that suche as hadde offended knewe that they were gylty and worthy of damnation For as to chyldren in whoÌ„ the lawe of nature hath no place by reason of theyr teÌ„der age not able as yet to discerne what is good and what is not syn is not yet imputed no more was it layde vnto the Paynyms charge yf they ought dyd agaynst Moyses lawe Therfore before the lawe gyuen whiche shewed men theyr synnes by reason of the law of nature the world in dede was not vtterly without synne but yet bare men at that tyme with themselfes and as it wer without correctioÌ„ fell to all licenciousnes as though they had ben vtterly lawles Forasmuche as therfore he was not yet comen whiche should take awaye the synnes of the world and vanquyshe the tyrannye of death death which enteryng through Adams offence raygned without any resistence euen vpon them also whiche had not maliciously offended agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god as Adam dyd which euen than bare the ymage and fygure of Christ whiche should come loÌ„g after and yet meane I not that he is in euery poynte vnto Christe lyke but that he in some poyntes bare the ymage of Christ In this poynt lyke that both were the begynners of a generation the one of an earthly the other of an heauenly In this lyke also that a certayne thyng is frome both begynners deriued into theyr posterities but the difference is that from the earthly Adam was the begynnyng of vnrighteousnes and synne but by the heauenly Adam is gyuen all grace and goodnes The texte But the gifte is not like as the synne Fâ—â— if through the synne of one many be dead muche more plenteous vpon many was the grace of God and gift by grace whiche was gyuen by one man Iesus Christ But now as these two are partely like so wer they not equal For besides that elswyse of it selfe it is a thing more effectual to saue then to destroy muche more strong and mightye is Christ to saue then was Adam to condempne so that muche more effectual is Christes obedience to geue life then was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to worke death so that in all pointes Christes goodnes ouerwaigheth the offence of Adam which thyng I monishe you of and say leste any man might thynke the synne of our fyrst parent to be so outragious that he should dispaire of his restoryng again to saluacion For it one mannes synne was of suche power that it made so great a numbre of people thral vnto death of muche more power plentyfulnes more general shal the benefite of God be and his mercyful gift which he hath gyneÌ„ vs by one man lykewyse I meane Iesus Christ yâ— author of godly and innocent lyfe by whome he hath not onely taken awaye the tyranny of death and syn but hath also in steade of syn gyuen righteousnes and in the steade of the tyranny of death the kyngdoÌ„ of life so that the offeÌ„ce of Adam through the great mercy of
Knowe ye not brethren I speake to them that knowe the lawe howe that the law hath power ouer a man as long as it endureth For the woman whiche is in subiection to a man is bounde by the lawe to the man as long as he lyueth But yf the manne be dead she is losed from the lawe of the manne So then yf whyle the man lyueth she couple her selfe with an other man she shal be coumpted a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husbande so that she is no wedlocke breaker thoughe she couple her selfe with an other man ANd good reason is there why we should so doe for Christe hath not onely deliuered vs from the bondage of syn and death but also from the bondage of the lawe whiche was giuen but for a season and hath deliuered not only the gentiles whiche were not to this lawe subiecte but euen the Iewes selfe to which haue hitherto ben vnder Moses lawe That this whiche I haue sayed is trewe maye be proued euen by the wytnes of the lawe it selfe And fyrst what saye ye that are Iewes whiche by reason of the knowledge ye haue in the lawe well perceaue and vnderstande that a man is bounde to the obseruance and kepyng of any lawe euen as ye for example not long synce were bounde to Moses lawe as longe as the same lawe lyueth that is to saye as long as it endureth in his ful power and strength but yf the same be either growen out of vse or els abrogate a man is than no longer bounde therunto For the Iewes bonde towarde the lawe ought no further to be kept then in the bonde of the wyfe to her husbande the same lawe requyreth to be kepte Nowe is the maried woman whiche is vnder her husbandes dominion bounde vnto her husbande as long as he lyueth But as sone as he is once dead she is deliuered from the bonde of that matrimony and after the death of her former husbande straightway at hyr owne libertie Wherfore yf she duryng the husbandes lyfe to whome she belongeth go about to mary another she shal be coūpted a wedlocke breaker as whiche hath forsaken that husbande from whome she myght by no meanes saue onlye deathe be departed But contrary wyse yf she cōtinew in that bādevntyl her husbandes death she is no lēger bound vnto hym but is in suche sorte become her owne woman y◠she may lawfully mary any other whō she wyll For it is not to be supposed that as the maisters title descendeth to his heyre in suche sorte that the seruaunt by the death of his maister chaungeth not his state but his maister that lyke wyse the righte of a husbande vpon his wyfe falleth after his death to an other but the title of mariage reacheth no further than for a mannes owne lyfe Yf it so were that the husbande were immortall the woman shoulde for euer continew bond Now then because Moses lawe in figures and ceremonies was as it were a shadowe of Christ to come it was gyuen to be of force effectual but vntyll the tyme that to y◠bryght lyght shadowes shoulde gyue place vntyl that to the truthe the shadowes of truth shoulde gyue ouer and vanyshe awaye And therfore synce that Moses lawe was as a man might saye a mortall thyng meruayle it is none thoughe it be nowe dead in dede And for this cause as long as the tyme of the lawe continewed the same stode in full power and had full authoritie vpon them whiche had bounde them selfe vnto it The texte ¶ Euen so ye also my brethren are deade concernyng the lawe by the bodye of Christe that ye shoulde be coupled to another I meane to hym that is rysen agayne frō death that we shoulde bring furth fruite vnto god For when we were in the fleshe the iustes of synne whiche were stered vp by the lawe raigned in oure membres to bryng furth fruite vnto death But now are we deliuered from the lawe dead vnto it where vnto we were in bondage that we shoulde serue in a newe conuersation of the spirite and not in the olde conuersation of the letter But nowe haue ye with Moses lawe nothyng to do synce the same is become to you warde dead or yf she lyued styll as she doth not yet are ye at the least to her dead For synce that Christ whiche is the truthe hath shewed his glisteryng beames of the gospell abrogate and abolished is all Moses lawe at the leaste touchyng the carnall meanyng therof And forasmuche as ye are now planted into Christes body coupled vnto hym as y◠wyfe is to her husbande beyng made free frō your former bonde ye are belonging to your newe husbande suche one I saye as is immortal as whiche once rose from death to lyue hereafter for euer insomuche that ye cannot in tyme to come either loke to be maried agayne or to be deuorced for a shamefull vilanye and reproche were it to suche a new husbāde as ye haue gotten in any poynt to hang vpon the olde forasmuche as I saye ye are in this case diligently labour you that as by the lawe whiche for the tyme was as it were your husbande ye brought furth a certayne sorte of fruite not vnlike your husbande so endeuour ye to bryng furth nowe beyng muche better maried then ye before were fruite suche as is conueniente for God youre father in lawe and Christe youre spouse and husbande For as long as we were subiecte to the grosse and carnal law as it wer to a husbande the same seamed as husbandes do to beare rule ouer vs because carnall lustes beyng by reason of the lawe more prouoked had suche power in oure membres that euen lyke slaues we wer drawen to synne and so of that vnhappy mariage vnhappy chyldren had we when that whiche was borne was for nothyng good but to be destroyed and to dye But nowe synce we are delyuered out of y◠bondage of the lawe vnder whome we lyued before or rather because oure lyfe was synfull we lyued not at all but were dead and yet vnder it were we vntyll a certayne time appoynted agaynst reason is it that we shoulde anye longer obeye that carnal husbande that is to wete the letter of y◠law but rather serue oure newe spouse whiche is both heauenly and spirituall not seruyng hym in the olde conuersacion of the letter but in the newe conuersacion of the spirite whiche spirite we haue of hym receyued as a mariage token The texte ¶ What shall we saye then Is the lawe synne God forbid Neuerthelesse I knewe not synne but by the lawe For I had not knowen what luste had meante except the lawe had sayde thou shalte not luste But synne toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundemente and wrought in me all maner of concupiscence For verelye without the lawe syn was dead I once lyued without the lawe But when the
commaundement came syn reuiued and I was dead And the very same commaundement whiche was ordayned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me an occasion of death For syn toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and so deceyued me and by the same slew me Wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holye and iust and good But nowe feare I leste here any captious persone thynke that I condemne the lawe as the authour of synne because we sayed that whyles we were vnder the lawe we ranne forwarde euen to synne and death For suche one wyll not let to reason the matier and saye that as righteousnes worketh lyfe so to sinne it properly appertayneth to worke death so that then yf the law in vs worketh death either semeth it that the same lawe is synne or at the leste ioyned with synne But god forbid that anye man should so thinke For the lawe is not authour of synne but the vtterer and apeacher therof wherof before the lawe gyuen we wer in manner ignoraunt because eche man fauoured his owne folye thynking that he might lawfully do what so hym lusted thinking it also wel done good to desyre that thyng whiche to haue semed pleasaunt This wyse therfore fauoryng my selfe I was in manner ignoraunt that to desyre any other mannes goodes was synne had not the law sayd vnto me thou shalt not luste And in dede the law was gyuen to suppresse synne but through our folye it chaunced otherwise For whyles the lawe shewed a man his sinnes and gaue no power to resist the same vpon that occasion it folowed y◠mānes desyre to syn was more prouoked euen as the propertie of menne is more to be prouoked to suche thynges as are forbidden Therfore forasmuche as before the lawe was gyuen certayne synnes I knewe not and certayne I knewe but yet in suche sorte that I thoughte I myghte lawfully vse them because they were not forbydden my mynde was but houerly and fayntlye moued to synne euen as we are wonte sklenderlye to loue suche thynges wherof we maye when we luste haue our pleasure But when that by the lawe so many wayes and manners of synne were declared the whole rable of naughtie desyres beyng prouoked throughe that prohibition begonne more vehemently to allure to synne And by this occasion synne toke strength and power whiche before the lawe geuen was but dull and in manner dead so that in the meane season I lyued without lawe or rather I thought that I lyued as one that might freely sinne and do as I lusted But after that I was by the commaundement of the law forbydden to syn my synful vsage was not onely not restrayned but also seemed quyckened and to take strength but as sone as synne was after this sorte quyckened I whiche before thoughte my selfe to lyue was deade by the lawe knowyng my synne and yet neuertheles continewyng in it stil Whervpon it folowed that the meane whiche was prouided and ordeyned for the healpe of oure lyfe tourned to my death not throughe anye faulte whiche the lawe had but throughe myne owne faulte For whereas I was of my selfe gyuen to synne my sycke and diseased mynde takyng occasion of sinne by reason of the prohibition of the law became more desyrous to synne And thus the deuill abusyng a good instrument by occasion ministred throughe the law enticed me to synne and by synne slewe me so that then I knewe my selfe gyltie and thrall vnto another No cause is there therfore why we shoulde reproue the law which as it was gyuen by a good god so layeth it before vs good lawful and holy commaundementes For nedes muste that be good whiche forbyddeth euell The texte Was that then which was good made death vnto me God forbid Naye it was syn that syn myght appeare by it whiche was good to worke death in me that synne by the commaundement myght be out of measure synfull For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I allow not that whiche I doe For what I woulde that do I not but what I hate that do I. Yf I do now y◠whiche I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good so then nowe it is not I that doe it but syn that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge But some one will againe encounter and saye synce that lyke bryngeth furth his lyke yf the lawe be good how hath it wrought my death whiche is euell and wonte to be engendred of synne Wherunto the aunswer is easye that this reason were stronge were it so y◠the lawe wrought oure death But this is not so but as I nowe sayed farre otherwyse For it is not to be supposed that the lawe is authour of death but rather that synne is cause of our destruction whiche is a thing of suche infeccion and so full of poyson that it turned that whiche of it selfe is good to oure vndoyng by the which euery man maye euidently perceyue how pestilent a thyng syn is through whose contagion suche thynges as are best tourne to worste Wherof as y◠law gaue occasiō so was the same yet in no fault For the lawe as all we do knowe is spirituall and prouoketh vs to goodnes The cause why that commeth not to passe wherabout the lawe laboureth am I I I saye for example to speake of my selfe whiche am carnal and gyuen to synne and by reason of long custome and continuaunce in synne thral and bonde therto euen as the bondslaue bought for money is boūd to his maister so farfurthe that by reason of blyndnes of synne whiche I am in I wote not what I ought to do For I do not y◠whiche my minde and reason telleth me to be honeste though with my heart I desyre it but rather do that whiche is contrarye to honestie and hate as vnhonest beyng vndoubtedly ouercūmē with naughtie desyres And by this maye euen offenders and hurtefull persons vnderstande that the lawe is not to be reproued For yf through fleshlye desyres mouyng I do suche thynges as my mynde and reason condemneth and abhorreth withoute doubte I consente that the lawe is good as whiche forbad suche thynges to be done and vsed as I by the better parte of my reason condemned and disalowed For nedes muste that be good whiche dothe forbid suche thynges whiche though I do folowyng the fleshe yet knowe I well are euyll and nought But some one wyll saye why doest thou not obeye thyne owne reason then beyng suche as doth consent to honestie and feare the from dishonestie syn But nowe forasmuche as for playnes in teachyng to be vsed I haue taken vpon me y◠person of suche one as is yet subiect to vice and noughtie desyres ye muste in onely me by ymagination conceiue two men the one carnal and grosse the other more pure and not so grosse of whiche two the
one maye be called an outwarde manne the other an inwarde The one beyng subiecte to vnlawful desyres is wholly gyuen to synne the other hauyng yet some sparkes of goodnes remaynyng as it maye laboureth to honestiewarde and in the myddes of oure synfull lyfe asmuche as it maye relisteth and withstandeth Nowe in estemyng what we be rather are we that which we be according vnto the better part in vs. As often therfore as our mynde agreyng vnto the lawe endeuoureth towarde honestie and doth yet in dede the contrary me thynketh I do not that whiche I do for who doth that whiche he would not But in my grosser parte there is a forwardnes to synne and a certayne aptnes therunto by meanes wherof it cummeth to passe that thoughe we would well and godly yet do we the contrary And yf by this parte that is to wit my sensuall parte men esteme and measure me I graunt that in me ther is no goodnes The texte For to wyll is preâ—ent with me but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I woulde do I not but the euyll whiche I would not that do I. Yf I do that I would not â—hen is it not â— that do it but synne that dwelleth in me I fynde then by the lawe that when I would do good â–ª euyll is present with me For I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde manne â—ut I se an other law in my members rebellyng agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduyng me vnto the lawe of syn whiche is in my members O wretch d man that I am who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this bodys subdued vnto death I thanke god through Iesus Christe our Lorde So then with the mynde I serue the lawe of god but with the fleshe the lawe of synne For albeit by the inclination of reason I desyre that which is honeste yet haue I not power to bryng to passe this my good desyer For whyles fleashly luste pluckyng to euyll and fylthy lyfe hath a greater stroke preuayleth more thaÌ„ doth reason prouokyng to goodnes it happeneth that I do not the good whiche I desyre but rather that I disalowe and condemne that is to saye euyll Nowe and yf a man be not thought to do that thyng whiche he dothe agaynst his wyll synce I do yâ— thing which after the better parte of a man I would not then seme not I the authour of that which I do but rather the readines to synne which is in my grocer parte This towardnes or readynes to synne is not taken from me by the lawe but yf at anye tyme I purpose to folowe and obeye her motion the lawe causeth me to vnderstande that my gryef is throughly rooted and fastened in my soule In dede delyghted am I with honestie and goodnes whiche I see and know by the lawe but of the other syde I fynde in the members of myne outwarde man another law whiche is to the lawe of reasoÌ„ quite contrary and continuallye rebelleth agaynst it So that thoughe reason call me one waye and wylful desyres another waye yet in me that beareth rule whiche is worse and that is ouercommen which is better For so depelye rooted in my fleshe is this towardenes and inclination to synne and of suche power is the custome therof beyng as it were now altered into nature yâ— whyther I wyl or not I am drawen to synne O wretched man that I am which am vnder suche a miserable painfull bondage Who shall delyuer me from this fleashe endaungered to so many synnes and contencions whereby I am continuallye drawen to death Maye not a manne whiche is vnder suche a violent and harde necessitie well and lawfully make suche exclamation Certaynely the greater this vnlucky bondage is the more are we bounde to the goodnes of god whiche hath from suche miseries deliuered vs neyther by the lawe nor yet by circumcision but through Iesus Christ our Lord. And had not god thus muche done for vs euen I which am one man shoulde continually haue bene lykewyse pluckte in sunder and deuided that with mynde I should haue serued the lawe of God desyrous of good thynges and with my fleshe the lawe of synne beyng ouer commen with wanton desyres and with the temptacions therof The .viii. Chapiter The texte There is then no damnacion to them whiche are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life through Iesus Christ hath made me free from the lawe of synne and death For what the lawe could not do forasmuche as it was weake because of the fleshe that perfourmed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinneful fleshe and by sinne damned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfylled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite WHerfore though now yet some leauynges and dregges of the former bondage stil remaine in some christian men yet shal they through godly endeuour wel suppresse them nor against theyr wylles be drawen into any suche haynous offence by reason wherof suche might deserue to be dampned as are through fayth and baptisme once graffed into Christes body and haue now intended and purposed to liue no longer as wanton and carnal desyres moued ruled them syth that Christes lawe which is spiritual and an authour of life more effectual subduer of death hath deliuered vs froÌ„ synne also death ioyned thervnto All whiche when Moses lawe could not do inasmuche as it was carnal and therfore not effectual God meruailously prouided for our saluacioÌ„ And therfore as I before tolde you that in one maÌ„ there were as it were two men a carnal and a spiritual man so are there in Moses lawe as it wer two lawes the one grosse and carnal the other heauenly spiritual Of the fyrst part of the law was Moses maker whiche as it endured but for a season so was it not of strength and power sufficient to worke out saluacion The other parte of the lawe is spiritual effectual mightie suche as wyl neuer dye whom Christ beyng as it were a seconde Moses made in all pointes perfite And truely very mete was it that this wyse fleshe shuld abolishe fleshe synne should through synne be ouercomen that also death should subdue death For whiche entent God mercyfully beyng of mans saluacion desyrous sent his sonne though in dede farre from all corrupcion of synne endued yet with suche fleshe as other synners haue for he toke the comen nature of menne vpon him and as though he had bene a synner was among synners conuersaunt yea and was euen fastened vpon a crosse among heynous transgressours as though him selfe had been suche one also Insomuche that he in maner toke vpon him the person of synne to this end that he in the likenes of synne might fyrst ouercome synne foorthwith abolishe it beyng
made a sacrifice for our synnes so diyng as touching the fleshe whiche he had taken he subdued death whiche through the desyres of the fleshe and the fleshely lawe bare rule vpon vs and caused that hencefoorth by abolishyng of the carnal meanyng of the lawe the better parte therof whiche we call the spiritual sence or spirite of it should in steade of the other take place and not worke Gods displeasure as the fyrst did but geue perfite righteousnes to them whiche lede not theyr life after y◠lawe carnally vnderstāden as the Iewes do but after the spiritual heauenly meanyng therof as men renued and through Christ new borne In the Iewes was there nothyng drawen painted but a shadowe of righteousnes but the vndoubted and perfite righteousnes is in vs through Iesus Christ throughly and perfitely wrought The texte For they that are carnal are carnally minded But they that are spiritual are gostly minded To be carnally minded is death But to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because that the fleshely minde is enemy against God for it is not obediente to the lawe of God neither can be So then they that are in the fleshe cannot please God The loue good wyll borne to thinges in vs beyng so greatly chaunged make plaine profe of a newe kynde of profession We se how y◠suche as styl holde on theyr Iewishe supersticion because they be yet carnal are with y◠same carnal vsuages muche delited Cōtrary suche as are graffed in Christ and haue now begunne to lede a spiritual life renouncyng all fleshely desyres are rauished enamoured with like conuersacion as is godly spiritual as we comenly see euery man fauour suche thinges as him selfe is bent vnto Mortall we be as touchyng our fleshe but yet hath Christ which is immortal called vs to life who is him self our life Now is the carnal lawe of the Iewes onely litterally obserued euen against Christ by reason therof worketh death kylleth forasmuche as it is against him whiche is the onely authour of life As in the Iewes thē selfes well appeared who for fauour zeale borne therto put to death y◠author of life righteousnes Of the other syde they whiche despisyng y◠carnal lettre of the lawe folowen the spiritual mocions of God fynde in Christ life nor striue for waterishe ceremonies of the law but gladly folowyng the inclinacions of charitie are with al men at peace concorde Supersticion is ful of ianglyng but true godly pytie is quiet peaceable And meruaile it is none that suche with men are at dissēcion whiche are not at peace with god For nothing els is it for a mā to cleaue stike fast to y◠carnal law whō God would through Christ shuld be abolished y◠in steade therof a spiritual law might ensue take place but to rebel agaist God whiche froward minde of any mā synce it squareth frō Gods pleasure cannot be but against him whiche calleth vs to farre vnlike cōtrary rules actes Let noman therfore thinke it a smal peril ieopardy stubbernly to hang vpō the lettre of the law therin to cōtinue And let vs assure our selfes that it is but a vayne thyng to please men vnles we please God also But suche as stubbernly mainteine Moses law litterally carnally vnderstāden except they forsaking the carnalnes therof fal from it to the spirite neither do please God nor can Let the Iewes exacte and requyre theyr feastes of the new moone and theyr sabboth daies kepyng neuer somuche they shal not attaine to that they loke for The texte But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his If Christ be in you the body is dead because of synne but the spirite is aliue for righteousnes sake Wherfore if the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ frō death dwel in you euen he that raised vp Christ from death shall quicken your mortal bodyes because of his spirite that dwelleth in you But to you whiche haue with the carnal law nothing to do these thinges nothing belong since y◠ye are becomen spiritual if ye after suche cōdicion lede your life that it please the holy spirite of God to be a dweller in your heartes For whoso is nothyng els but baptised styl belongeth to the carnal kyngdome of the fleshe excepte he taste also Christ be with his blessed spirite inspired Coupled are we vnto Christ not with ceremonies but with that spirite whō whoso lacketh is to Christ but a straunger But now then if Christ be in you syth he is nothyng els but chastitie but trueth but tēperaūce with other vertues how can in you synne haue any place Whoso hath receiued Christ him must the same mā nedes in suche vertuous pointes expresse He as I before sayd once dyed touchyng his fleshe māhed yet liueth he now a life euerlastyng Then fruitfully expresse resēble we him when the body y◠is to say our grosse part whiche with pleasaunt lustes allureth vs to all vnhappines is dead is without al desyre to synne if therwith our spirit also that is to say y◠better part in vs who alway moueth to goodnes and with his mightie power draweth vs to suche thinges as are good righteous be quicke and aliue Therfore if the spirite of God whiche raised Iesus Christ frō death vnfainedly dwel in you the same wyll not be idle A liuely an effectual thyng is the spirit of God wyll accordyng vnto your capacities in you likewise worke as it did in Christ Him it raised from death and suffereth not to dye againe And so wyl the same raise you frō sinne which is very death in dede to life extynguishyng your froward desyres appetites al whiche he wil do by his blissed spirit the author of life which now dwelleth in you The texte Therfore brethren we are detters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe For if ye liue after the fleshe ye shal dye But if ye through the spirite do mortifye the dedes of the body ye shal liue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion wherby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also the heires I meane of God and heires annexed with Christ If so be that we suffre with him that we may be also glorified together with him Vnder this spirit now therfore liue we his subiectes are we it must we obey not the fleshe whervnto we are now deade For assone as we once begunne to be one with Christ we cast of the bondage
they them selfe haue already assayed Why stande they not rather in a watche take hede lest through theyr owne foly they become againe that they wer once Why enuy they at them whom they might folowe wer it not they had more pleasure to striue then to obeye The texte But Esai crieth concernyng Israel though the numbre of the children of Israel be as the sande of the sea yet the remnaunt shal be saued For he finisheth the worde verely and maketh it shorte in righteousnes For a shorte worde wyll God make in yearth And as Esai sayeth before excepte the lorde of Sabboth had left vs seede we had been made as Sodoma and had been likened to Gomorra Now if through mens owne stubbernes the greatest parte of y◠worlde perishe yet to the fewe that wyl beleue wyl God perfourme as muche as was promised to the whole numbre And neuer shal the tyme be but that this inheritaunce shal haue his successors This did the prophete Esai speakyng of the people of Israel without al colouryng clearely testifye saiyng If the numbre of the Israelites wer as many as the sand of the sea and though through theyr owne foly as many also perished yet shal there some alway remaine whiche shal through fayth be saued For be y◠numbre of them that falleth from God neuer so great yet shal not theyr fal make the promise of God vaine Men in promises are wont to breake theyr credence but God is he whiche wyl fully perfourme al that he promised and that briefely and cōpendiously not with deceite falsely but iustly and truely for as the same prophete Esai sayd the Lord in yearth wyl make a shorte worde Shadowes seme not cleare without suspicion of deceite the law selfe is ful of wordes promisyng grosly represētyng cōmaundyng threatnyng sometimes sometimes cōforting But Christ beyng sent into the worlde euen at once gaue al perfourmed y◠was promised opened al y◠was before hidden in figures brought the great multitude of rules contained in y◠law to y◠onely cōmaūdement of charitie of the gospel And thus spread he abrode the seede of his heauenly doctrine and gospel whiche albeit in many of my countreymen be vnfruitful yet some are there in whom it brought foorth fruit Againe the same prophet a litle before sayeth had not the Lord of sabboth left vs sede we had ben made as Sodoma and likened vnto Gomorra Wherfore though the most part of the Iewes fal from Christ yet wyl not Christ suffre the true and natural sede of Abraham vtterly to perishe The texte What shal we say then we say that the gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnes haue ouertaken righteousnes euen the righteousnes whiche cōmeth of fayth Contrarywise Israel whiche felowed the lawe of righteousnes could not attaine to the lawe of righteousnes Wherfore Euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it wer by the workes of the lawe For they haue stumbled at the stūblyng stone As it is written ▪ beholde I haue put in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offēded at And whosoeuer beleueth on him shal not be confounded Synce this is so what shal we say Surely nothyng but as the truth is that is to wete that the gentiles whiche semed farre from righteousnes and without the ceremonies of the lawe haue yet attained the true and perfite righteousnes and not a Iewishe whiche standyng in bodily thinges was nothing but a shadowe onely of christian perfeccion but a holsome an effectual iustice whiche suche haue not as for the workes of the lawe stande muche in theyr owne conceite but suche as through an vnfained fayth submit and yelde them selfes vnto God We may likewyse of the othersyde saye that whiles the people of the Iewes with all theyr power folowyng the iustice of the lawe carnally vnderstanden and stifly cleaue to it with all theyr labour they came not vnto the very law of iustice forasmuche as the same fel from Christ whervnto as to a marke al y◠darke sayinges of Moses law principally directed Here some wyl say how fortuned all this and how ended these purposes so diuersly Without al doubte because God abhorreth suche as are high minded and geueth him selfe his righteousnes to suche as are sobre lowly And therfore y◠gentiles vpō acknowledgyng of theyr owne disease an hūble submission of them selfe to God God receiued y◠proude Iewes of thothersyde whiche falsly vsurped y◠title of righteousnes as theyr owne bearyng them selfe bolde vpon theyr sabboth day kepyng washynges circūcision and suche other small obseruaunces disdainyng to receiue the yoke of fayth hath God set at naught and refused because they denied Christ and deliuered him which is the author of life to death whiche thyng Esai long before knowyng prophecied should be vnder this fourme that Christ whō the law promised should be a sauior by reason of vnbeleif should be vnto the Iewes an occasion of stumlyng and that the same stone whiche should be to the good a sure and a strong defēce shuld be theyr vtter vndoyng whiles they had rather by resistyng stumble at him then with beleif to rest vpon him For so by the prophete Esai speaketh God the father of Christ beholde I putte in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offended at but whoso beleueth in it shall neuer be confounded and put to shame as one disapointed of that he loketh for The .x. Chapiter The texte Brethren my hertes desyre praier to God for Israel is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue a feruent minde to God warde but not accordyng to knowledge For they beyng ignorant of Gods righteousnes and goyng about to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient vnto the righteousnes of God For Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustifie all that beleue ALl whiche thinges brethren speake I with great heauynes because with all my heart I fauer and would them well if I were in any wyse able to do them good beyng in ieopardie of euerlastyng dānacion But now that whiche is the onely thyng I can do in my dayly praiers made vnto God my desyre peticion is that they may once yet amend and not alway continue in suche blyndnes I can not vtterly excuse theyr vnbeleif but yet in the defence of theyr fault some coloure may be made and pretēded As they are not in all pointes in suche sorte straungers to God as the gentiles be so muche the more wishe I that theyr rude beginnynges may once be made perfite that whose shadow they haue for a season borne about with them in theyr bodyes of the same they may now come to the very trueth For albeit they with extreme deuilishnes fastened to the crosse the Lord who was y◠foūtayne of al glorye yet this say I of them and deny not that to Godwarde a certaine zeale and
whereas ye are from darkenesse and ignoraunce brought to the lyght of the ghospel beeyng a thyng so vnlyke and hard to bee perswaded in no manne should thinke thesame to bee doen by worldely wysedome or eloquence whiche we take not vpon vs but by the power of God by whom our preachyng was more effectuall and strong than euer was any disputacion of the Philosophers were it neuer so subtile were it neuer so wittye and well set in ordre At my beeyng among you whiche were proude of your worldely wysedome and ignoraunte of the wysedome of God I taught you but playne matters but yet suche were they as were to saluacion necessarie The texte We speake of wysedom among them that are perfecte not the wysedom of this worlde neyther of the rulers of this worlde which goe to naught but we speake the wysedom of God whiche is in secrete and lyeth hyd whiche God hath or deyned before the worlde vnto our glory whiche wysedome none of the rulers of this worlde knewe For had they hadde knowledge they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glory But as it is wrytten The iye hath not seen and the eare hath not heard neyther haue entred into the hert of man the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym We haue of Christe deaper poyntes of wysedome but of them talke we among suche as are perfite Be diligente therfore and laboure to bee perfite that ye maye bee partakers of the secrete and hydden misteries of God Besyde this we that preache the crosse of Christe seme to the faythlesse to preache verye folyshnesse but to suche as stedfastly beleue seme we to preache an excellente wysedome muche differyng from that wysedome whiche laboureth in vayne to serche out by naturall reason the causes of this worlde and farre also from worldely policie wherof the greate estates of this worlde make greate crakes whose authoritie with all theyr wysedome is by Christe abolished and vanquyshed by vtteryng theyr folyshnesse but we preache of a heuenly wysedome whiche hath not an outwarde apparence of that which is not within it but is inwardly myghtie and effectuall There is in this wysedome no curiositie nor pompe and yet symple as it is all menne perceyue it not But as it is secrete so is it knowen by secrete inspiracion and that of none but of suche only as God vouchesaueth to make partakers thereof We lay not furth the priuities of this wysedome before the cōmen sort of people but vtter them secretly to suche as are able and mete to receyue them And albeit this wysedome be nowe at laste in oure tymes publyshed yet god before all tyme by his hygh counsel ordained for his that as the proude persons haue hitherto folyshly craked of theyr carnall wysedome so should henceforth the meke and lowlye haue a more excellente wysedome to reioyse and glorie of This wisdome delyteth to dwell in simple and cleane heartes and for this cause none of the great rulers of this worlde had it nor Magiciens nor Philosophers nor Pilate nor Annas nor Cayphas nor the phariseis nor the deuils themselues neither For had thei knowen that the lowe and folyshe preachyng of Christes crosse woulde with his glisteryng haue darkened the glory of the world and for all the weakenes and feblenes therof haue put to flight and vanquished the tyrannye of death and synne neuer woulde they haue fastened on a crosse the Lorde and capitayne of renoume and glorie For all the learnyng they had in visible thynges for all theyr pryde in knowleage of the lawe ignoraunt were they of this wonderfull misterie mete to bee vttered onely to suche as by humble and sobre myndes are made at one with God That it should so be Esai long before prophecied declaryng that this wysedome whereof we talke should into mens soules be secretely inspired saying suche thynges as neuer were seene with mannes iyes or by mannes eares hearde of or conceyued in any mannes thought hath god prepared for them that hartely loue hym and grounde all theyr disputacions vpon faythe and not vpon mannes reason The texte But God hath opened them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth al thinges ye the botome of goddes secretes For what man knoweth the thynges of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Euen so the thynges of god knoweth no man but the spirite of god And we haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite whiche commeth of god for to knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of God whiche thynges also we speake not with wordes that mannes wisedome teacheth but with wordes which the holy ghost doeth teache makyng spirituall comparisons of spirituall thinges The naturall man perceyueth not the thynges that belong to the spirite of god For they are but folyshnes vnto hym Neyther can he perceyue them because they are spiritually examined But he that is spirituall discusseth all thynges yet he hymselfe is iudged of no man For who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde either who shall informe hym But we vnderstande the mynde of Christe Hygh minded rulers and proude phylosophers were not worthie to receyue this hydden mistery whiche yet god hathe opened to vs his frendes not by any worldly doctrine but by the secrete inspiracion of his holye spyrite Whiche spirite because it is of goddes nature and proceadyng from god searcheth foorth euen the deapest and mooste secrete priuities of God wherunto mannes busye brayne attayneth not Euery man may easily loke on an other mans face but what lieth hidden in the bottome of the hert that is no man able to see for that onely knoweth the spirite of god and a mans owne conscience After like sorte diuers men beholde and search out the properties of goddes creatures but such thinges as lye hidden in goddes counsel and prouidence no body knoweth sauing his euerlastyng spirite whiche beyng of one nature with hym knoweth all suche thynges as he doeth One mā sheweth another his secrete thoughtes by secrete whispering in his eare but god to the good openeth his counsell not by the spirite of man whiche teacheth nothyng but worldly phantasies but by the spirite of god so that of what sorte the spirite is suche doctryne it teacheth This worlde also hath his spirite with whome whosoeuer is rauished bothe sauereth of worldlynes and loueth worldly thynges but the inspiracion of the heauenly spirite of god bryngeth vs in mynde of heauenly treasures and maketh vs to vnderstande what god hath through Christes crosse doen for vs. And this is the phylosophie whiche as we receyued by the spirite of Christe so teache we it agayne to the godly and simple people not with floures and coloures of thetorike as the Philosophers are wonte to teache them that they take in hāde but with rude wordes and set out of ordre beyng yet suche as teache a spiritual doctrine For reason requyreth ▪ that forasmuche as this kynde of wysedome is far vnlyke the
not the grosse olde testament as the false Apostles teache it and standeth in the knowlege of the letter the administracion whereof was committed to Moses but the newe testamente whiche is heauenly and spirituall and standeth in affeccions of mynde and not in ceremonies The lawe and gospel haue both one maker but the ministerye â–ª of boothe is soondrye and of the two the apostles is of muche more excellencie For the letter committed vnto Moses by reasoÌ„ of certain rules lawes driueth men to death forasmuch as it by occasion both prouoketh to sin and also condeÌ„neth yâ— sinner to death whereas contrarie yâ— spirite whiche is geuen by preachyng the ghospel both forgeueth the offences of our former lyfe and to suche as haue deserued deathe offerethe lyfe Nowe and yf the fyrste lawe whyche beeyng grauen in stone wroughte deathe to the transgressour and gaue no grace was of such great maiestie and glorye that when Moses the seconde tyme broughte downe the tables the Hebrues coulde not beeholde his face by reason of the glorie and maiestie of that whiche was sure once yet to bee abolished why shoulde not muche rather the ministerye of the Gospell haue his honoure and maiestie whereby throughe faythe and the free gifte of the spirite euerlastyng saluacion is geuen Yf the lawe whiche coulde condemne and was not hable to saue hadde suche honoure certainelye muche more honoure desearueth the Gospel by preachyng whereof synne is not onely forgeuen â—ut also rihgteousnesse is geuen In whiche twoo thinges suche difference is there that if a manne more narowelye compare eche one of theym with other that whiche by it selfe is glorious wyll appeare but base beyng as it were darkened with the bryght and excellente glorie of the Gospel For if the lawe whiche was geuen but for a season and shoulde wythin a while after bee abrogate was among menne in suche honoure of muche more dignitie is the lawe of the Gospell whiche is bothe generallye geuen to all menne and shall neuer bee abolished For the newe testament whereby the olde is abrogate Christe hymselfe calleth an euerlasting testamente as I in my other epistle taught you Of whiche thyng wee beeyng moste certainlye perswaded and assured in oure â—eachynges vse no darke riddles but freelye and openlye sette furth the lyghte of the Gospell surelye beleuyng that bothe the glorye of this lawe is suche that it shoulde not bee hidden and ye of that â—ireyngthe and clearnesse of conscience that ye are hable to looke thereupon And therefore wee dooe not as it is read that Moses didde whiche when he broughte downe the seconde tables after that the fyrste were broken couered hys face with a vayle that the children of Israell shoulde not looke thereupon nor deaue thereto for euer synce that euen this was a proufe and significacion to them that the glorie of Moses lawe shoulde bee abolished whiche euen at that time when it was made was not verye glorious for in vayne is that thyng glorious whiche a manne canne not see In this figure was represented the grossenesse of that nacion whiche seeyng sawe not and hearyng hearde not insomuche that whiche was doone in Moses face the same was moste verelye done in theyr heartes whiche in them were blynded beeyng as it were ouercaste wyth the vayle of dulnesse Yea and in this daye the blyndenesse remayneth in that nacion stille so that when they reade the bookes of the lawe they vnderstande theym not and with stubberne myndes of a zeale towarde the lawe refuse hym at whose commyng the lawe selfe graunteth that she shall bee abolyshed Therefore when they in suche sorte reade the olde testament that they wyll not embrace the newe promysed therein holde they not faste Moses vayle nor see by faythe castyng of the same that thorowghe Christe all the darkenesse of the lawe is a brogate Stuâ—bernelye yet stycke they to theyr Moses when he is cumme to whome Moses bade them geue eare Hym reade they in theyr synagoges but they reade hym carnallye sekyng for nothyng but corporall thynges wheras the lawe if menne well loke thereupon is in deede spiritual â–ª Letted are thei doubtelesse euen vntyll this day wyth a vayle cast ouer theyr heartes which is remoued through fayth in the gospell But when the tyme shall come that they shall leaue theyr grosse myndes and receauyng the vniuersall fayth tourne vnto the Lorde then shall theyr vayle be taken away so that they shall see suche thynges as without the bryght eyes of fayth can not be seen â–ª Moses was grosse and carnall but the Lorde Iesus is a spirite not teachyng suche thynges as maye bee seene with oure bodyly iyes but thynges inuisible whiche are by fayth beleued Moses law because it with feare of punishemente kepte menne in ordre was a lawe of thraldome and the vayle also is a token of bondage But where the spirite of the Lorde Iesus is whiche secretelye moueth a manne withoute byddyng and compulsion to leadâ— a Godlye lyfe there is libertie No manne is compelled to beleue but he that beleueth as he shoulde of his own accorde auoydeth filthines and vncleanes of lyfe and foloweth al goodnesse dooyng more wyllinglye by the mocion of charitie than coulde euer begotten of the Iewes wyth feare of punishemente Blinde are they therefore that lacke the iyes of faythe when we throughe pure fayth without vayle beholde the glorye of the Lorde whose brightnes whiles we receyue as a glasse altered are we after a sorte into the same glorye plentifully powring vpon other that brightnes which we receyued of God And as then Moses face by that he talked with god shyned euen as glasse doothe layed againste the sonne so is oure soule euerye daye more and more secrâ—atelye enamoured encreasing from glory to glory by reason of the continual conuersacion of the spirite of God who inuisiblye nowe woorkethe in vs that whiche hereafter shal openlye bee accomplished The fourth Chapter The texte ¶ Therefore seeyng that we haue suche an office euen as God hath hadde mercye on vs wee goe not out of kynde but haue caste from vs the clokes of vnhonestie and walke not in craftines neyther handle we the woorde of God discreatefullye but open the trueth and reporte our selues to euerye mannes conscience in the sighte of GOD. If oure Gospell bee yet hydde it is hidde among them that are loste in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them whiche beleue not leste the light of the gospell of the glorie of Christe whiche is the image of God shoulde shyne vnto them SYnce then god of his mercy would haue vs to bee ministers and preachers of suche a blisfull state geuyng vnto vs the authoritie of an apostle we execute not oure commission â—louthfullye but as we preache a veraye gloriouse matter so refuse we all clokes whiche are meete for dishonestie and not for glorye neyther leadyng oure lyfe craftely nor with deceitfulnes of woorldely learning corruptyng the woorde of god
the truth finally in the lawe bondage in the gospel libertie and that it was in the Galathians extreme folishnes after they had tasted of better thynges to fal to worse Whiche pointes saint Paule entreateth of in y◠fyrst the second the third and fourth chapiter then after that he hath very earnestly warned them that by receiuyng circumsicion they should not shamefully cast them selues into the bondage of the lawe he teacheth that christian libertie is not a libertie to do what a manne lust synnefully but a willyng and a ioyfull mynde to do well euen for loue and not because the lawe so cōmaundeth Finally he exhorteth the Galathians to christian concorde to helpe suche as are weake or fallen and to do for suche as haue taught vs christian fayth and that suche workes because they be workes of the spirite are with euerlasting glory rewarded whereas temporal ceremonies deserue but glory temporal incidently bringyng the false Apostles into displeasure and hatred as whiche for nothyng els labored to haue the Galathians circumcised but because they might therof glorye as bryngers to passe of suche an high arte Lyke diseases haue suche now a daies whiche fynde out newe straunge kindes of religions that it may be sayd suche a kynde of men made he All this epistle Paule as it semeth wrote with his owne hand to shewe how tenderly he loued the Galathians whereas in other epistles his maner is nomore but to subscribe The latine argumētes shew that it was written from the cytie of Ephesus but the greke titles reade that it was sent from Rome The paraphrase vpon the epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Galathians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and by God the father whiche raised him vp from death and all the brethren whiche are with me PAule an Apostle and an Apostle of no meane sorte whiche I say lest either some dispise me as one of lesse reputacion or with the power authoritie of other Apostles abate and suppresse myne For neither was I of any man putte in this commission and office as other some haue been whiche either beyng but disciples vnderlynges to the Apostles auaunce them selues as thoughe they were of the highest sorte or els by vnlawfull meanes procuryng mens fauor violently breake into the office of an Apostle Nor was putte in authoritie to preache the gospel by any excellent person but by Iesus Christ him selfe the sonne of God who not with any mannes eleccion or consent had commaunded me to be the preacher of the gospel but by his owne mouth what tyme he was becomen immortal euen from heauen called me foorth to do this busynes vndoubtedly by the decrees and authoritie of God the father who raised his sonne Iesus from death For he is not therfore to be supposed dead because he is of vs no lenger seen But rather if suche be worthyly taken for high Apostles whom Christ appointed beyng as yet among mortal men mortal then surely should I not be coumpted theyr inferior whom he at that tyme from heauen not as man but euen God called to be his Apostle and messenger For as I am in this point equal euen to the highest Apostles in that I was of the same Iesus Christ institute so this preeminence may I lawfully chalenge that Christ chose them what tyme he was to our bodily infirmities subiect but me called he a sonder to be his preacher what tyme he had put of all condicions of mannes weakenes The texte Vnto the congregacion of Galacia Grace be with you and peace from God the father and from our lorde Iesus Christ whiche gaue him selfe for our synnes to deliuer vs from this present euil worlde accordyng to the will of God our father to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen Paule therfore euen I an Apostle and suche an Apostle write this Epistle to as many of you as through the whole countrey of Galacia consent and agre in Christes doctrine and lest one mans authoritie be of to smale weight not onely I but also as many as are here of whom there is a great numbre whiche with me professe the name of Christ which forsakyng Moses lawe embrace the fayth doctrin of the gospel fyrst wishe you grace and than peace and concorde grace that vpon fre deliueraūce from your old lynnes ye may hereafter liue an innocente and a pure life concord that ye neither dissent frō other congregacions nor yet frō your selues whiche both giftes we muste looke to receiue neither of Moses nor of any other mortal man but of God the father from whō as from a welspring al our welth cōmeth of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ by whō it pleased God to geue vs all thinges whō we must both thanke for all the miseries that we haue escaped also for al the goodnes that we haue obtained vnto For Moses circumcision made no man innocent but Christ of his owne fre goodnes offred him self to death because he would for our synnes make amendes purposyng through the grace of the gospel to supply that which Moses law was not able to do that we through his onely benefite beyng deliuered from synne synfull myndes wherevnto the world is bound may neither be slauishely vnder vnclennes nor mans ceremonies For so hath it pleased God our father by whom beyng fyrst made when after through our foly we fell againe into the bondage of synne we were restored againe like men newe borne of yearthly becomen heauenly and of carnall made spiritual To him therfore of whom al our goodnes floweth honor and glory be geuen not transitory as Moses lawe had but suche as shal neuer haue an ende Amen The texte I meruaile that ye are so sone turned frō Christ whiche called you by grace vnto another gospel whiche is nothing els but that there be some whiche trouble you and intende to peruert the Gospel of Christ Wheras I lately preached this vnto you synce that ye once receiued the same I maruaile not a litle what hath chaūced that ye are fallen frō so good a father so sone fallen frō him which frely forgeuyng al your trespaces hath called prouoked you to euerlastyng saluacion not for your kepyng of the lawe but through the grace bounteous mercy and benefite of Iesus Christ that ye are sodenly fallen againe into the bondage of Moses lawe as it were into an other gospel when in dede beside that whiche we preached vnto you there is no other gospel at all Whence is this so great vnstablenes frō whence is this lightnes to chaunge suche fredome as is freely geuen vnto you with suche wylfull bondage As for your wittes I reproue not but thinke this fault rather to be layd to certain false Apostles whiche beyng rather the preachers of Moses than of Christ abuse your rudenes and trouble you with
seke vpon the succour of the lawe specially synce we well knowe that through the benefite of the lawe no man before God is made righteous If menne were what nede were it to resorte to the fayth of the gospel The texte If while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ then the minister of sinne God forbid And if after our once receiuyng the fayth of the gospel we be neuertheles found subiecte to synne so that we nede yet an other remedy as muche as we had nede of beyng vnder Moses lawe and beyng disapointed of the hope we stoode in so that we now againe are compelled to seke vpon the lawe that of vs was forsaken what shal we say shal we say that Christ whom we beleued to be the author of perfite iustice is the minister of vnrighteousnes who not onely deliuereth vs not from our olde vnrighteousnes but is also an occasion of encrease therof and not onely geueth vnto vs not the welthy state whiche we loked for but also causeth our coÌ„demnacion to be more grieuous forasmuche as vpoÌ„ hope of him we forsoke the lawe whervnto if we againe be compelled to returne we might seme not without fault vnaduisedly to haue forgone it of whiche fault Christ semeth the very occasion But God forbid that any man so iudge of Christ or thinke that the grace of his gospel doeth lacke any perfeccion so that towarde the attainement of saluacion we should nede to seeke somewhat out of Moses law The texte For if I haue builte againe the thinges whiche I destroyed then make I my selfe a trespacer For I through the lawe haue been dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto Christ For to returne againe to Moses after we once haue receiued the lawe of the gospel it is a certain fallyng away from Christ and reproche to the gospel yea what Iewe or straunger soeuer so doeth therin declareth he him selfe also to be a transgressour of Moses lawe For if the lawe any thyng made to saluacion why forsoke he it if it nothyng made why falleth he to it agayne If the buildyng throwen doune with myne owne handes I begynne euen from the foundacion to buylde the same againe whiche I erste destroyed shewe not I therin my foly whiche sette that vp againe whiche I vnaduisedly destroyed No cause is there then why after we haue once embraced the fayth of the gospel by whom the goodnes of Christ would we should receiue perfite righteousnes and saluacion to regarde the succour of the grosse lawe whervnto we are now no lenger bonde For as the death of either of the two maried deliuereth the partie that is left on liue froÌ„ the bonde of matrimony so had I whiche am a Iewe with the lawe somewhat to do as long as that mutual right endured that is to say as long as the lawe liued vnto me and I liued to the lawe The texte I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet now not I but Christ liueth in me The life whiche I now liue in the fleshe I liue by the fayth of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue him selfe for me I dispise not the grace of God For if righteousnes come of the lawe then Christ died in vaine But assone as through the death of Christ and the sacrament of baptisme I became prentice to the spiritual lawe of fayth I was in maner to the grosse and carnal lawe dead yet not so dead that I liued not but so dead that I begunne to liue after a better way and condicion Hitherto liued I to Moses but now liue I to God For God is a spirite As Christ liued before a mortal man hauyng a body subiecte to miseries as ours is so he beyng now dead to the fleshe and also to the world liueth to God the father free from all corrupcion and miseries of death But I whiche through baptisme am crucifyed with Christ and also dead with him am so farre from beyng bonde to these grosse and carnal rather than spiritual and godly obseruaunces that to them I am dead For I liue not grosse and carnal as I once was subiect also to worldly desires Dead is Saule the stoute deâ—ender of the law persecutor of the gospel and yet through the spirite of Christ haue I receiued life now muche better Or rather I liue not my selfe whiche of my selfe am nothyng but carnal but in me liueth Christ whoâ—e holy spirite at his wyll and pleasure gouerneth all myne actes But wheras I am not yet free from all contagion of death but haue stil a body somewhat subiecte to mannes weakenes the discoÌ„modities of this mortall life yet in maner liue I a life immortal conceiued in my soule through sure hope assuryng my selfe vpoÌ„ the promise of the sonne of God through whose bounteous mercy I haue receiued yâ— gift of fayth through fayth righteousnes through righteousnes life euerlastyng not by keapyng of the grosse lawe but through the singular goodnes of Christ who of his owne good wyll loued me deseruyng no suche thyng so greatly that for my synnes he suffered the punishement of the crosse and for my welth gaue him selfe to death Free is all that he geueth His pleasure was that for our saluacion we should to him be beholdyng and not to the kepyng of the lawe He it is whiche frely geueth this benefite to all men He it is whiche taketh a way synne and geueth pure and innocent life Were not I most vnkynde yea were I not spitefull against Christ if I refused his offre And refuseth he not it who after baptisme receiued loketh backe againe for helpe of the lawe as though to abolishe al the synnes of the worlde and to geue euery manne euerlastyng saluacion Christes death were not sufficient If through innocent and hurtleslife we become immortal whence I pray you rather loke we to receiue both by confidence in the law or by the fre mercy of Christ If by his free mercy why hang we styl on the lawe If by keapyng of Moses then is Christ dead in vayne forasmuche as that for whiche his pleasure was to dye by his death we geate not The third Chapiter The texte O ye folishe Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before the eyes now among you crucified COmenly among men for your folishenes and childishnes are ye euil spoken of but this may I truely say O ye folishe Galathians whiche would be brought in to an opinion so farre from all reason that where the Iewes through the fayth of the gospel preached vnto them are deliuered froÌ„ the burden of the law ye beyng free menne borne wyl wilfully cast your selfe into bondage â–ª The harme whiche is herein done I lay not wholy to your charge but blame your lightenes to beleue easynes to be persuaded but much more blame I the malice
of certaine who haue altered your former mindes which would God ye would rather haue folowed simple as they are than the vngracious couÌ„sel of some other What was he that through an enuye and grudge borne against your weale vnder whiche ye haue hitherto continued through the libertie of the gospel hath bewitched you and charmyng out your christian mynde hath by enchauntment cast you into this frensye that ye as men mistrustyng Christ should seke for helpe of the colde and baraine lawe Where is that singular confidence become whereby through the death of Christ ye were in sure hope to haue perfite righteousnes and saluacion without healâ—e and ayde of the lawe Ye I say in whose heartes Iesus Christ the onely author of our saluacion was so farfoorth grauen and printed whoÌ„ with the iyen of your fayth ye in suche sorte sawe by his crosse recoÌ„cilyng all the worlde to his father as though he had been painted before your faces and as though your selues had been witnesses of that dede doyng whiche was in dede done at Ierusalem The Iewes that sawe him hangyng on the crosse and yet denied him sawe not so muche as ye did Among you whiche by his death trusted to receiue euerlasting saluacioÌ„ was he verely crucified Your iyen were alwaye vpon the brasen serpent hanged vp vpon the tree of whom onely ye trusted to receiue the holsome remedy of all your synnes And whither now sodainly cast ye your iyen The texte This onely would I learne of you whether ye receiued the spirite by the dedes of the lawe or by preachyng of the fayth Are ye so vnwyse that after ye haue begunne in the spirite ye now ende in the fleshe So many thinges ye haue suffered in vaine if it be also in vaine If there be in you yet any wytte lefte euen consider me this whiche vnlesse ye be blind ye may easily vnderstand and so do I because I wyl not subtily reason the matter with you nor seeke for farre fetched argumentes Ye remembre that lately at my preachyng of the gospel how through baptisme and puttyng of my handes vpon you ye receiued the spirite of Christ It was no vaine persuacion The wonderfull worke of God ensuyng thervpon as the gifte of languages of prophecie of healyng and other giftes made plaine profe that this came by the power of God and by no mannes craftie conueyaunce This spirite of God I say whether I pray you receiued ye it by Moses circumcision or els by that through my preachyng ye beleued the gospel of Christ NotwithstaÌ„dyng that ye to Moses were straungers yet gaue Christ vnto you through fayth his strong and mightie spirite as an ernest peny of the blissed state he promised vnto you And why should ye now elswhere of any other looke for saluacion than of him of whom ye haue receiued so plaine a gage of blisse to come If I to you preached circumcision and if by trust therin ye receiued the heauenly spirite of God then am I content that for some parte of your saluacion ye shal geue thankes to Moses lawe but if I nothyng taught you but Iesus Christ and that by puttyng your confidence in him onely ye found in your selfe euen the same giftes that the Iewes through baptisme receiue why should ye in dispite of Christ seeke for the heauye and paineful burden of Iewishnes Wyse and thriuyng scholers from rude beginnynges growe forwarde and encrease but ye from suche godly and commemdable rudimentes fal backe to the worse The Iewes borne vnder the bondage of the grosse lawe forsakyng the ceremonies of theyr elders repayre vnto the spiritual doctrin of the gospel Ye contrary from the godly beginnyng of the gospel and your heauenly profession growe out of kinde into a Iewishe supersticion They of Iewes become christian menne and labor ye of christians to become Iewes What neded vs to be indaungered and become debter to Christ if Moses law sufficiently worke our saluacion Why forsake ye now him for whose sake ye haue suffered suche affliccions euen of them that hated Christes name and glory For who so through circumcision thinketh to be saued the same man is fallen from Christ Wyll ye in suche sorte vse your selfe that menne of you shal thinke ye haue for Christes sake suffered in vaine suche great affliccions But God forbid that ye haue suffered them in vayne Out of the right way are ye but so are ye not for lacke of good wyl but for lacke of knowledge not of malice in your partie but rather staggeryng through the enticemeÌ„t of other Amende by tymes and feare not but that ye shall nethelesse enioye the fruite of your olde fayth The texte Moreouer he that ministreth to you the spirite and worketh miracles among you doeth he it through the dedes of the lawe or by the preachyng of the fayth euen as Abraham beleued God and it was ascribed to him for righteousnes Tell me now then whether God who geueth you his holy spirit who in meruailous workes by you sheweth his mightie power whether I say doth God this because ye haue through kepyng of Moses law woÌ„ne his fauor or els rather because at our preachyng ye gaue credence to the gospel If Gentiles when they become Iewes worke suche miracles assone as they be circumcised as ye do then some cause were there to be desyrous of the lawe but if these wonderfull workes be seen in none but suche as haue receiued the fayth in the gospel why should you elswhere looke for the ende then whence ye see the same begunne The beginnyng and author of circumcision is Abraham whose children the Iewes glory that they be and are circumcised as he was But not so muche as he obtained through circumcision the praise of perfite iustice but onely by credence geuyng to Goddes promise at what tyme he was not yet circumcised Nor reade we in Genesis Abraham was circumcised and thereby became righteous but Abraham beleued God that to him was coumpted for righteousnes The texte Ye knowe therfore that they whiche are of fayth the same are the children of Abraham The promise therfore made long since to Abrahams posteritie is none of theyrs nor belongeth to any of them that haue nothing els but Abrahams circumcision but to suche as by fayth geuyng to the gospel are his natural children They that of theyr circumcision are proude and boste them selfe to be Abrahams children make suche vaunte and crakes al in vaine synce they be bastardes and not the lawfull begotten children of AbrahaÌ„ For suche none els are natural children to him as faythfully and with all theyr heartes geue credence vnto God as Abraham did put theyr trust in him speakyng vnto vs by his gospel of what stocke so euer they be descended It is not carnal kynred that is herein regarded and estemed but like perfeccion of myndes The texte For the scripture seyng afore hande that God would iustifie the heathen through fayth shewed before hand
glad tidynges vnto AbrahaÌ„ saying in the shal all nacions be blessed So then they whiche are of fayth are blessed with faythful Abraham Now marke and considre how this my saying scriptures many yeres gon testified and ment that is to wete that al men through fayth should loke for saluacion not onely a fewe Iewes by circumcision That now is preached vnto you by the gospel the same many hundreth yeres gone God promised to Abraham saying in the shal al nacions be blessed and wynne praise But now could it in no wyse be true that al nacions shuld be borne of Abraham and yet through him is the blessyng promised vnto all people as though all were his posteritie as they in dede be not because all are of his bloud and stocke but by resemblyng his fayth For it besemeth children to resemble their parentes Therfore suche as mistrustyng the ceremonies and workes of the lawe haue an vndoubted trust in the promises of the gospel as true children of AbrahaÌ„ shall with theyr faythful father enioy the blessyng promised vnto him from whiche suche shal be excluded as bastardes vnlawfully begotten more worthy to be cursed than blessed as by circumcision trust to be saued The texte For as many as are of the dedes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse For it is writteÌ„ Cursed be euery one that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe to fulfil them For as many as hang vpon the obseruaunces of Moses law whoÌ„ they kepe not in dede but breake are vnder all Goddes indignacion curse The Iewes selfe cannot deny this forasmuche as in the boke of Deuteronomie this wyse it is written cursed be he that continueth not in all thinges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe and doeth not suche thinges as by the lawe are coÌ„maunded By whiche wordes ye see that suche as kepe the lawe ceremonial are not for that promised to be made righteous but the transgressers therof are threatened goddes curse What man is he that is able to perfourme the whole lawe specially synce it is suche a thyng whiche when through inhibicion it hath prouoked men to syn gyueth no strength nor ablenes to suppresse and ouercome desyers The texte That no man is iustified by the lawe in the syght of god it is euident For the iuste shall lyue by fayth The law is noâ— of fayth but the man that fulfilleth the thinges contayned in the lawe shall lyue in them But brieflye to graunt that a man maye throughlye kepe the lawe suche one happely shall among men be taken and accoumpted for ryghteouse but not be lykewyse coumpted before god at whose hande yf no man throughe keping the ceremonial lawe of Moses be iudged for righteous without doubte trewe is it that by the prophet Aâ—acuâ— is wrytten that the righteous lyueth by fayth For as syn is the seede wherof death groweth so is godlye lyfe the begynnyng and wel spryng of lyfe The law hangeth vpon keping of certayne prescript ceremontes and not vpon fayth which ceremonies who so obserueth and kepeth shall lyue in dede â–ª but not the euerlastyng lyfe wherof we are throughe faythe put in assuraunce Looke what righteousnes the lawe gyueth lyke kynde of lyfe gyueth it Among men so is it that whoso breaketh not the rules of the law he is ryghteous and lyueth among men oute of all feare of punishmeÌ„t but before god neither shall he be accouÌ„pted for righteous nor yet for lyuyng vnles he surely truste vpon the promises made in the gospell The texte Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe inasmuche as he was made as cursed for vs. For iâ— is written cursed is euery one that haÌ„geth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Iesus Christe that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth Christe only among other was not vnder the curse of the lawe but as an innocente and hurtles lambe to the law nothing endaungered We were in daunger to it and by reason therof accursed whiche wretchednes and curse he delyuered vs from turnyng our offence into innocencie and oure curse into blessing So that muche lesse woulde he haue you nowe vnder the boÌ„dage of the carnal law But howe delyuered he vs Without doubte by that he beyng without all spot or syn vpon his bodye tooke the payne that was for oure trespaces dewe and the curse vnder whome we were toke vpon hymselfe whereas he was from that free and partaker of blessyng Toâ—e he not oure trespaces vpon hym whiche as an offender among offenders for oure redempcion suffered the shamefull vilanie of the crosse For iâ— the boke of Deuteronomie this we reade cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree And why woulde god haue it so Surelye to the intente that the curse of the lawe beyng taken awaye the blessyng that once was promised to Abraham shoulde in steede of it throughe fayth take place Take place I saye not in the Iewes onlye but in the Gentiles to not throughe the benefite of the lawe whome Christâ— woulde haue abolyshed but by the free mercye of Iesus Christe by whose death we beyng brought agayne into goddes fauour delyuered from the burden of the grosse lawe maye throughe fayth obtayne the blessyng of the gospell promised to Abrahams posteritie the spirituall posteritie I meane and not the carnall Let vs surely truste in god for he wil of his promyse deceyue no manne but what he promised that wyll he perfourme The texte ¶ Brethren I speake after the maner of men though it be but a mannes testament yet yf it be allowed no manne dispiseth it or addeth any thyng therto To Abraham and his seede were the promises made he sayth not in his seedes as manye but in thy seede as of one whiche is Christe But to the intent ye shall the better vnderstand this loe a worldly and familiar example For thoughe betwixt god and man there be no comparison yet a mannes testamente and couenaunte when it is once allowed and ratified no manne either breaketh or putteth any thyng to it contrary to the wyll of the maker howe muche more stable and sure then should the couenauntes and promises of god be God promised Abraham a blessyng whiche by his seede all nacions of the worlde shoulde haue Wherin it is to be obserued and marked that scripture sayde not seedes but seede leste we by Dauid Moses or any other myght loke to haue goddes promise but in his wordes noted the only seede and the verye seede of the euerlastyng Abraham whiche is Iesus Christe into whome throughe baptisme and throughe the receyuyng of the spirite we throughe him loke for the same gyftes whiche god hath already gyuen vnto hym The texte This I saye that the lawe whiche began afterwarde beyonde foure hundred and thirtie yeares dothe not disanull the testamente that was confirmed afore of God vnto Christwarde to make the
promise of none effecte For yf the inheritaunce come of the lawe it commeth not nowe of promise But god gaue it vnto Abraham by promyse But further to compare the former example the promise and couenaūt whiche god before the lawe was gyuen made with Abraham whiche promise he woulde haue to be stable the lawe whiche folowed and was gyuē after the same promise and couenaunt coulde not defete nor disanul And yet shoulde it restrayne and disapoynt the promise yf the inheritaunce of goddes blessing promised to Abrahams posteritie were due to suche only as kepe the lawe forasmuche as in the promyse there is no condicion of y◠lawe expressed For howe coulde therin of the lawe be any mencion made synce the lawe was not at that tyme gyuen For in case the lawe had not folowed the promise at all yet woulde god netheles with Abrahams posteritie haue kepte the couenaunt made with Abraham Nowe yf the promise of this blessed state be due by reason of goddes promise and the promise made before the law had no condicion of keping the law ioyned with it for what cause exclude we frō the promise suche as to y◠law are straūgers and not straungers to fayth For yf by the lawe men enioye thenheritaūce then is goddes promise and couenaunt frustrate and broken whiche god without kepyng of the lawe wyll not perfourme Euen lyke as when a man hath agreed with an other to gyue hym his doughter in mariage after that the bargayne is made he go from his worde denying that he will so do vnles the other agayne wyll promise hym his syster wheras at the bargayne makyng he had no syster borne nor at tyme of the couenaunte of mutual mariage no mencion made The promise of god was free and vpon the onlye condicion of fayth confirmed whom who so perfourmeth the same man hath right to the promise The texte Wherfore then serueth the lawe The lawe was added because of trangression vntyll the seede came to whome the promise was made and it was ordayned by angelles in the hande of a mediator But here some wyll saye yf by fayth in goddes promise euery manne must loke for saluacion for what ende and purpose made god the vnprofitable lawe afterwarde No saye not al vnprofitable for albeit it make not a manne vpright and innocent yet restrayneth it oure libertie to syn whyles it with ceremonies kepeth noughtie desyers and appetites within a due measure and compace of ryght reason And had not the vnrulye malice of men so required there had no lawe be gyuen at al and yet was not the same lawe gyuen neyther that all men shoulde therto wholye for euer be bounde but gyuen by god for a tyme shadowyng for the season Christe to come with punishementes fearyng men from synne and with promises prouokyng them to do well for this purpose made and ordayned by aungels at goddes commaundement to endure vntyll that after many eares the only seede shoulde come wherby the god of Abraham promised saluacion to all Abrahams lawfull chyldren In suche sorte was the law made by angels that yet the whole power and gouernaunce of it had Christe in his handes who in suche wyse was a meane and came betwixt Moses lawe and the grace of the gospell that he was the ende of the one and the begynner of the other in suche sorte also a meane betwixte god and man that to th entent he would betwixt both make atonement in hymselfe he comprised bothe natures The texte A mediatour is not a mediatour of one But god is one Is the lawe then agaynste the promyse of God God forbid Now a mediatour that is a meane betwixte must needes be a meane betwixte many For no man is there that with hymselfe is at dissencion Of them that disagreed god the father was one ▪ who with mākynde was at variaunce Wherfore necessarie was it that there shoulde a certayne thyrde parson be whiche in hymselfe contaynyng both natures shoulde bryng bothe at vnitie and concorde with his death fyrste pacifying gods wrath and then with his doctrine alluring all the worlde to the trewe honouryng of god Is the lawe then contrarie to goddes promises no not so Forasmuche as the lawe folowyng the promyse made by god made not the same promise vayne but kepte men in a continual expectacion loking for goddes promises that by so doyng they myght be more apte and readye to receyue the grace to be offered by the gospell Nor is not the lawe abolyshed because it was agaynst goddes promises but because it was conuenient meete that shadowes should gyue place to the truth and the vnfectuall to that whiche was mightie and effectuall The texte For yf there had bene a lawe giuen whiche coulde haue gyuen lyfe then no doubte righteousnes should haue come by the lawe But the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder syn That the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christe shoulde be gyuen vnto them that beleue But before fayth came we were kepte vnder the lawe and were shutte vp vnto the faythe that should afterwarde be declared For yf there had suche a lawe bene gyuen as coulde vnfaynedlye and truly haue giuen lyfe then should the same neuer haue bene abrogate nor shoulde we haue had any nede of the healpe and ayde of the ghospell for asmuche as then by the lawe euery man might haue attayned vnto perfite righteousenes Sufficient had it bene therfore in that case to truste vpon the lawe for all them that were of euerlastyng saluacion desyrouse But nowe leste men vpon boldenes of theyr workes myghte despise the grace of Christe for this purpose was the lawe gyuen declaryng and prescribyng what was to be done and what was to be auoyded that all men shoulde perceyue themself in daunger of syn whyles they shūne not that they by the lawe knewe was euyll being vndoubtedly ouercommen with theyr noughtie desyers and by these meanes knowyng theyr own disease myght more willyngly embrace the remedie to be offered by the grace of the gospell For before the lawe was gyuen menne without correccion fell to syn to whome all that lyked was streyght thought lawfull and in defence of mennes synfull lyfe some thyng had they to laye for theyr excuse But the lawe had them in suche a brake that they coulde not chuse but graunt that they had well deserued punishement for somuche as it could not be denied but that it was good and honeste whiche was by the lawe commaunded After that god therfore by his great wysedom had by suche meanes taken awaye our vayne confidence in our selfes and had sette before oure iyen our synfull lyuyng than declareth and perfourmeth he his promise made to Abraham and that whiche the Iewes only loked for as peculiarlye belongyng to them beyng as they sayed the only chyldren of Abraham generally to belong to all suche as were through fayth becommen Abrahams very chyldren not for theyr deserte of keapyng the lawe but because they
with all theyr heartes put theyr affiaunce in the ghospel and beleued also that through the death of Iesus Christe godly lyfe shal all people haue and receyue glory also and saluacion For this purpose lykewyse for a season serued Moses lawe that partly with manacyng of punishmentes partly with hope of promises made therin and partly with rude expressing of Christe to come the Iewes after suche sorte within theyr bondes leste Christe at his commyng should haue fouÌ„d them strayed out into all kyndes of mischiefe neither worthy nor yet apte to receyue the grace of his gospell By the promises then of the lawe had the Iewes a certayne rude knowledge of the misterie of the gospell By the obseruaunce of this lawe then were menne so long stayed and vnderpyght vntyll that was by the ghospell opened whiche the law in shadowes represented that yf men wyll nowe awake they maye clearlye see euen that put in vre wherof they before had but a dreame The texte ¶ Wherfore the lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christe that we might be made ryghteouse by faythe But after that fayth is come we are no lenger vnder the scholemaister For ye are the chyldren of God because ye beleue in Christe Iesu For al ye that are baptised haue put on Christ The lawe therfore brought not men to perfite righteousnes but was as a scholemaister gyuen to the rude people that whome the regarde of honestie was not yet able to kepe in good order they myghte with feare of punishemente be kept from extreme noughtines that through suche meanes encreasyng by lytle and lytle they mighte be broughte from trustyng vpon theyr olde ceremonies vnto Christ of whome onely they should loke to receyue perfite righteousnes Nowe is not the chylde â—o vnder his scholemaister that the scholemaister with hym muste al waye be at hande but onlye vntyll suche tyme as they beyng more rype and growen vppe to better knowledge euen of theyr owne accorde fall to honestie nor haue nede with feare of punishemente to be kepte from euyll but by theyr fathers encouragyng freelye and wyllyngly study goodnes and honestie an other whyle nowe rulyng theyr scholemaister whose holsome and sharpe correction they for a tyme endured As the father therfore though he tenderly loue his chyldren compelleth them yet for a tyme to be vnder a scholemaister whose maister the chyldren in shorte tyme after shall be so hathe god with sharpenes of the lawe kepte vnder his rude and grosse people vntyll that they concerning the doctrine of his ghospel beyng made their owne menne should no lenger neede to be vnder correccion of theyr scholemaister but lyue freelye as free chyldren vnder theyr moste mercifull father And though it so were that god gaue vnto the Iewes onely a scholemayster yet toke he not them onelye for his chyldren but â—ather coumpted all suche as by faythe in the ghospell are graffed into the bodye of Iesus Christe and endued with his holye spirite to be goddes chyldreÌ„ as soone as they are with Christe made one Nowe yf that wherby we are ioyned vnto Christe generallye belong to all menne what lette shoulde there be why God shoulde not indifferently coumpte all for his chyldren Throughe baptisme haue ye receyued the spirite of Christe and not by circumcision As many then as are baptised are become with Christ ioynte enheriters in that behalfe no poynt inferior to the Iewes boast they themself of the priuelege of circumcision neuer somuche The texte There is no Iewe neither Gentile there is neither bonde neither free there is neither man nor woman for ye are all one in Christe Iesu Yf ye be Christes then are ye Abrahams seede and heyres accordyng to the promyse In thinges that hange vpon mennes fauer the condicion state and persons are regarded but god woulde this benefite of his to be bothe free and also commen to all men Throughe baptisme are we newe borne agayne and sodenly altered as it were into a newe creature And as touching this gyft it is layed to noman nor passed vpon whether he were before baptisme Iewe or Gentile bonde man or free manne or woman All ye through baptisme are belonging to Christes bodie equally partakers of this goddes gifte whiche is from the head conuayed into all the members And yf Christe be the very seede of Abraham by whom god promised his blessyng to all nacions of the worlde forasmuche as ye are planted in Christe nedes must ye be Abrahams posteritie Farther then yf ye be Abrahams posteritie euen lyke heyres ye haue ryght to yâ— promise of god Yf through the felowshyp of Christe ye become goddes chyldren and into it are all receyued through fayth and baptisme necessarily it foloweth that the inheritaunce equallye appertayneth to all men The fourth Chapiter The texte And I say that the heyre as long as he is a childe differeth not from a seruaunt through he be lord of all but is vnder tuters and gouernours vntil the tyme that the father hath appointed euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the worlde LOng synce by Goddes promise due was the title of inheritauÌ„ce but now and not before are we receiued into it because as we before sayd as by mannes lawes and ordinauÌ„ces the heyre while he is within age vseth not his right yea he nothing differeth froÌ„ a seruauÌ„t where he is borne to be lorde ouer all but is kept vnder with feare and ruled as other men wyll passyng that tyme vnder creansers gouernours vntyl he be growen vp to that rypenes whiche either the lawe or his father hath appointed so likewyse in tyme past when we were yet not apt to receiue this gift whiche requireth euen heaueÌ„ly mindes our vnderstaÌ„dinges also therto not of streÌ„gth sufficient as yet we were like children with suche certaine grosse lawes as were mete for our infirmities kept in due ordre beyng suche at that tyme as could not sauor heauenly learnyng but rather suche as would with suche thinges be more moued as might with our fleshely iyen be seen as are the material thynges of this world for example differences of dayes differeÌ„ces of meates differeÌ„ces in apparel sacrificyng and killyng of beastes circumcision As long as we were not apt to receiue higher instruccions euen as seruauntes we for a season obeyed and were vnder these The texte But when the time was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we through eleccion might receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the natural soÌ„nes But assone as we came out of wardship and were growen vp to a ryper age when that tyme was paste whiche the euerlastyng father in â—â—s secrete couÌ„sel had appointed he suffered vs no leÌ„ger to be vnder the carnal rules of the lawe but sent for our deliueraunce neither Moses nor prophete but his onely sonne Iesus Christ He sent his sonne I
Christe shall profite you nothing at all But this wyse peraduenture ye deceyue your selfe saying we renounce not Christ but because we would be of euerlasting saluacion in more assuraunce we ioyne Christe and the lawe together But I tell you that as Christe would haue this his whole benefite comen to all so woulde he onlye be thanked for all nor in this bounteouse gyfte of his wyll he haue any copartener But because ye shall the better vnderstande how great a ieopardy it is to turne backe to Iewishnes beholde I Paule the Apostell of the Gentiles whome ye well knowe yea and an apostle appointed by Christe hymselfe tell you playnly that yf ye be circumcised Christe shall nothyng at all profite you Yf ye perfitelye beleue that he is able to gyue all men healthe euerlastyng why seeke ye for circumcision I◠ye mistruste and feare leste he be not able then know ye not yet the benefite of Christe wherof suche as mistrust cannot be partakers synce that gyfte is giuen to suche as beleue and truste and not so muche for any desearte of oure workes Either muste ye whollye become Iewes forsake Christ or els christians wholly and forsake Iewyshnes ▪ As for suche as playe with both handes he cannot awaye with nor wyl haue newe wyne poured into olde bottels nor yet olde wyne into newe bottels Nor can he beare with to haue newe clothe sowed or patched to an olde garmente nor olde clothe to be patchedlye sowed into a newe If the bondage of Iewyshenes were easye it neded not peraduenture to be passed vpon yf the rewarde for it were great then should the payne therof in some parte be therby recompensed But nowe besydes that the burden is exceadyng paynful ye shal not only by takyng of it not haue auauntage but also great hurte The texte I testifie agayne to euery man whiche is circumcised that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe Christ is become but in vayne vnto you as manye of you as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace Beware leste with suche standyng in your owne conceytes ye deceyue your selues saying we wyl not to the whole burden of the lawe be bound somewhat wyl we take of the lawe as for example circumcision onlye lest we seme vtterly to refuse it as for sacrificyng of beastes with suche other obseruaunces of the lawe them wyll we not medle with But because ye shall not be deceyued I tell all men playnlye whosoeuer doth circumcise hym selfe whether he be Iewe or Gentile the same man maketh hymselfe bonde to the kepyng of the whole lawe For as throughe baptisme menne wholy belong to Christe so whoso is circumcised byndeth hymselfe to all the law for circumcision is the marke wherby he becommeth a Iew. The vncircumcised Gentiles stande in libertie to gather here and there out of the lawe suche thinges as are nedefull but the circumcised are bounde to the whole lawe Whoso is content to receyue circumcision muste lykewise therwith receyue sacrifices kepyng of the Sabboth feastes of the newe Moone washynges choyse of meates standing fasting dayes with suche other lyke Now wylfully to submit youre selfe to so great a burden is it not a playne poynt of madnes speciallye for no other rewarde but to be vnder a moste paynful and vnprofitable bondage fallyng from Christ y◠only gyuer of libertie and saluacion For yf as I nowe haue ofte tymes tolde you ye looke to purchase perfite iustice by helpe of the law which by a confidence in workes promiseth a certayne perfecciō surely ye are gone and departed ferre from the felowshyp of Christe who woulde haue his gyfte to be free and not gyuen for desertes And then yf ye be once departed from Christes felowshyp the lawe wyll do you no good neither but rather be your confusion For yf there were of the lawe anye vse and profit before the lyght of the gospel as there was al that by the gospel preached and taught is quite gone Yf ye esteme the lawe Christe is abolyshed But if ye receiue Christ then muste the lawe gyue place When I speake of the lawe I vnderstande the groce and carnall parte of Moses lawe whome the Iewes stifly mayntayne by the corporal obseruaunces therof promysing themselues perfite righteousnes thinkyng that the bloud of beastes sprinkled vpon them pourgeth the soule from synne and that washyng in water scoureth out the filthines of soules that cleane or vncleane meat pourgeth or defileth the mynde The texte We looke for hope in the spirite to be iustified through faith For in Iesu Christ neither is circumcision any thyng worthe neither yet vncircūcision but fayth which worketh by loue We contrariwyse embracyng the spirituall parte of the lawe looke not for y◠righteousnes promised by any supersticiouse obseruaunces of corporall ceremonies but by that we throughe the gospel beleue that by Christes death we freelye receyue innocencie of lyfe and full saluacion Nothyng skylleth it whether ye come to Christe circumcised or vncircumcised synce all this mattier standeth not in kepyng of the lawe but in fayth whiche albeit be without the workes of Moses lawe yet is she not idle but secretly worketh a vehement onwardnes to all godlynes not so muche because the lawe so byddeth but for charities sake whiche withoute bydding euen of her owne accorde dothe muche more than is any law with manacing wordes or punishment able to get out Yf ye haue charitie what nede is there to haue the rules of the lawe If ye lacke her what auayleth you the kepyng of the lawe The texte Ye did runne wel who was a let vnto you that ye should not beleue the truthe cōsente vnto noman Euen the counsel whiche came not of hym that calleth you A lytle leauen dothe leauen the whole loumpe of dowe In the course of the gospell ye dyd once runne apace makyng hastye spede euen the very ryght waye towarde the chiefe game of euerlastyng blysse who was he that stayed your course why approue ye not continually that thing wherewith ye were once well pleased Why go ye frō your intended purpose folowing other mennes myndes an other whyle Beware that no mannes authoritie weyghe so muche with you y◠it make you drawe backe from your course apoynted It is a foule shame for you now to fall to shadowes after that ye once gaue credēce to the truthe I taught you nothing but that was commaunded me by god But they y◠labour to persuade you the contrarie lettyng therby the encrease of your fayth and callyng you from youre profession to a Iewyshenes folowe not god as theyr authour who through faythe hath called you into his fauour and not to a Iewyshnes through receyuing of circumcision but folow worldly desyres seekyng for theyr gaynes glorie and maynteynaunce of theyr tyrannie Diligently take hede and beware of theyr persuasions They are but fewe but onles ye auoyde the same fewes companie it is to be feared leste they corrupte the
of all healthe that you may behold hym in the meane while as it were with iyes not with bodily eiyes but with the iyes of the harte and mynde that see through the light of faithe wherewith the thynges are also seen that are to come whiche cannot be seene with the grosse bodily iyes whereby you maye knowe that which no humayne philosophie teacheth how blissed the enheritaunce is whiche he hath called vs to truste vpon and how excellent yâ— dignitie of this most pleÌ„teous enheritauÌ„ce is which the saynctes shal receyue howe great the largenesse and how excedyng the greatnesse of his power is which he declareth eueÌ„ now in vs the which also as it were with a certain secrete enforcement yâ— cannot be expressed with tongue hath transformed alâ—red vs froÌ„ our olde trade after such sorte that we conteÌ„ne al other thiges trust onely to him coÌ„teÌ„ning those thinges which wese we hope after such thinges of him as we se not such as he hath openly declared before in our head Christ whoÌ„ of his mightie power hauing raised from death to life immortal he hath exalted vnto so high honor that he hath set him on his owne right hand in yâ— kingdoÌ„ of heauen geuen him autoritie ouer al other rule potestate power lordship and euery other name of dignitie or power how excellent so euer it be aboue these afore rehearsed eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come that he may be lorde not onely ouer bodely and earthly thinges but also ouer spirituall and heauenly thynges So ferre hath he subdued al thinges without excepcion vnder his feete And to make our hope more stedfast and certayn that we shall also come to the felowship of the same glorye for asmuche as he hath made Christe lorde ouer all thinges his pleasure was also that he shoulde be the head vnto al the whole flocke of the beleuing that cleaue so fast to Christe as the whole body is coupled to the head that the one can not be disceuered froÌ„ the other Finally the glory of the head is common to the rest of the members wherunto the head is so set about that it powreth his good nourishment into euery one of them The bodye is not perfit onleÌ„s the head be at it and the head wanteth sum what if the body be not set to perfitly consummate in all his meÌ„bres wherunto Christ doeth seuerally powre his excellent giftes in such wise that by himselfe he fulfilleth all thiÌ„ges and liueth and reigneth now whole and entierely perfit hauing his members vnited vnto himselfe ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte And you hath he quyckened wher as ye were dead in trespasses and synnes in the whiche in tyme passed ye walked according to the course of this worlde euen after the gouerner that ruleth in the ayre the spiryte that nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbelefe emong whoÌ„ we all had out conuersacion also in tyme past in the lustes of oure fleshe and fuliâ—lled yâ— wyll of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the chyldren of wrath euen as well as other But God whiche is ryche in mercye for his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were deade by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by grace arâ— ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym made vs sytte together with hym emong them of heauen in Chryst Iesu That in tymes to come he myght shewe the exceding riches of his grate in kindnes to vs ward thorow Christ Iesu For by grate are ye made safe thorowe faythe and that not of your selues It is the gyite of God and coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should â—â—ast hym selfe For we are his worckemaÌ„shyppe created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whiche God ordeined that we should walke in them NOwe marke me this how the father hath begon in a maner to accomplish euen now in you that that is accomplished already in Christ shal be after ward accoÌ„plished in you Christ dyed and rose agayn shall neuer after dye any more Certes he was not subiecte to sinne albeit forasmuche as he tooke vpon him an humaine bodie he was subiecte to mortalitie To be briefe like as sin is a certain death of the soule and the forewarning of eternall death euen so is innocencie a certayne life of the soule and the beginning of eternal life But of this maner of lyfe God that geueth vs his spirite is the prince And the deuil is yâ— autor of death hauing also a spirite of his owne wherwith those that ve enspired are rapt vnto the pleasures of this world and plainely distrust the promisses of eternal lyfe Christ dyed for our offences and rose agayn to make vs sure of the immortalitie to come In the meane tyme after hys exaumple you also being engraffed to Christ through baptisme are dead to your sinnes and wickednes wherein as long as you liued vngodly you were dead in dede for asmuche as you had affyaunce in nothing but noysome shadowes of good thinges wherwith this worlde for a tyme disceaueth suche as wantyng the spirite of God are lead by the spirite of Satan whose tirannye in the meane while is permitted ouer this lower element His spirit I say and he himselfe setteth out as it were his own power in them that hauing no trust in the promisses of the Gospell set theyr whole felicitie in visible and transitory thinges and geue no eare to God the father that allureth them to true felicitie but had leauer serue that wieked cruell maister whome in tymes past you serued and not you alone but all we also For albeit the law restrayned vs from the wurshipping of Images yet our lyfe was altogether defyled with noysome lustes of corporall thynges by the enforcemente whereof we passed of the tyme not doyng those thynges whiche the holy ghoste commaunded but those that our owne mynde geuen to filthie affectes bad vs doe By reason wherof it came to passe that like as they which are encorporated to Christe through fayth appertayne to the enheritaunce that is promised to obedient children euen so we as disobedient children should haue belonged to a ferre contrary enheritaunce that is to say we should haue becomen the companions of hym to whome we had ioyned our selues That death is eternal that is appoynted to the wicked Wherunto we also were subiect asmuche as other touchyng our owne state and condicion We had addicted ourselues vnto it of our owne free choice but it was not in our power to wynde vs agayne out of that most miserable seruitude Nowe you haue heard of our death now you haue harde of our destruccion but whereof commeth lyfe whereof commeth saluacyon Truely not of our desertes nor yet by the benefite of Moses lawe Whence than Surely of the free largesse of God the father whose bounteousnesse and louyng affection is so plenteous and so exceadingly great to mankyndewarde that
came into the worlde to saue synners of whome I am chefe Notwithstandynge for this cause obtayned I mercy that Iesus Christ shoulde fyrste she we on me all longe pacience to declare an ensample vnto them whiche shoulde beleue on him vnto eternall lyfe So then vnto God kynge euerlastinge immortall inuysyble wyse onely be vonoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen This commaundement commit I vnto thee sonne Tymotheus accordynge to the prophecyes whiche in tyme past were prophecyed of the that thou in them shouldest fyght a good fyght hauyng faith and good conscience which some haue put awaye from them â–ª â—nd as concernyng faith haue made shypwracke Of whose nombre is Hymeneus and Alexander whome I haue delyuered vnto Satan that they maye learne not to blaspheme The Iewes haue nothing to saye againste me althoughe I sayde that I am by the goodnes of god without the helpe of the law becommen of a wicked and a myscheuous man now that that I am But the thinge that semeth vnto them vncredible is by moost euident argumentes vndoubtedly true and the thing that they renounce is withal studious endeuoure to be embraced as they saye with meting armes that Iesus Christe seyng the lawe to be vneffectuall vnto perfite saluacion was made man and came in his owne person into the worlde to thintent that throughe his death he myght geue vs perfyte healthe and in suffring the peynes of our vnrighteousnes he myght geue vnto vs his owne ryghteousnes Fynally albeit I was an earnest mayntenoure of the law of the fathers yet I doe not onely not excepte my selfe out of the nombre of sinners but also I knowledge me to be euen the chiefest among them I wyll not denye myne vncleanesse for it redoundeth vnto the glorye of Christe The lesse that I deserue mercye the more excellent is his clemencye I was worthye punyshement And howe commeth it to passe than that Christ would not onely pardon myne offences and declare his excedynge gentilnes towardes me but also enriche me with so many great free gyftes For what other purpose but through this notable example to prouoke all men to hope after lyke forgeuenesse how fylthily soeuer they haue lyued before so that they put no trust in the ayde of Moses lawe and set all their whole faith in Christes goodnesse that continueth with vs styll vnto euerlastynge lyfe The promysses are great but the promyse maker is trustye and sure And no man shall put any mystrust in the promyses that considereth Christ to be the promyse maker And in case any man coulde contemne him as a man hauyng suffred vpon the crosse yet let him consydre that the moost highe euerlastyng kynge God the father immortall inuisible and onely wyse is the chiefe autor of this busines who by his sonne geueth vs all thinges Therfore nothyng ought to seme incredible that almyghtye God promyseth And as for men they can chalenge to themselues no parte of habilitie to geue this so singuler a treasure forasmuche as he ought to haue all honour and glorye not for a certayne of yeares as the glorye of Moses lawe was but in all ages for euermore For it besemeth the immortall God to haue immortall honour That that I haue sayed is true and as the matter is in dede Than lyke as I do faithfully behaue my selfe in the busynes appointed vnto me euen so doe I geue the this in commaundement my louyng sonne Timothye that thou folowe thy fathers example in accomplyshyng the offyce that thou haste taken vpon the throughly in all poynctes It is goddes busynes that thou takest in hande wherunto thou wast not called by any promocion of man but by the appoinctement and commaundemeÌ„t of god Vnder his baners thou arte a souldiour and of him thou shalte receaue the rewardes of victorie Thou seest what a bande of men thou hast committed to thy credence thou seest with what maner of aduersaries thou haste a doe there is none oportunitie for the to be neglygent or to slepe thy matters And it were the greatest shame in the worlde and a very wycked parte for the to shrynke from him whose wordes thou arte sworne vnto whose name thou hast once professed His iudgemeÌ„t was that thou wouldest proue a valeaunt and a faithful guide for so the spirite of Christ by his inspiracion shewed vnto vs at suc he tyme as we committed autoritie of priesthoode vnto the by layeng on of handes See therfore that thou constauntlye answer aswell the iudgement that God gaue before of the as the faythfull truste that we haue in the so as god maye bothe prayse the for a noble guyde and I maye reknowledge the to be myne owne sonne It is an excellent warre that thou arte occupied in see that thou applye it manfully And that shal be in case thou kepe a syncere perfite fayth and vnto faithe ioyne a good conscience that thou put no doubte in goddes promysses and frame thy selfe in vprightenesse of lyfe accordynge to the synceritie of thy iudgement The purenesse of lyfe ought to be of suche efficacie that it maye be not onely allowed with other men but also that the conscience maye be vpright before God The thinges that decaye the strength of faithe are humayne questions and the appetites of meÌ„ are the thinges that defile the conscience wheras those yâ— pretende to goe about Christes affaires haue respecte to other purposes than vnto Christ Fynallye these two clcaue so faste one to the other that yf the one be decayed the other is in ieoperdie For he that hathe not a syncere conscience can not possibly haue a syncere faithe For howe can the thing be called syncere that is dead Or how can the thinge endure that wanteth lyfe and spirite For it commeth to passe that those whiche haue a naughtie conscience in all thinges at length fall cleane awaye from beleuynge those thinges that the gospell teacheth concernynge the rewardes eyther of an innocent lyfe or of a naughtye lyfe An example of this matter we haue lately seene to muche true alas therfore in Alexander and Himeneus who inasmuch as in the preaching of the gospell they holde not faste the helme of an vpright conscience are fallen into the rockes of Infidelitie and beynge once fallen from the holsome profession of Christ they are so caryed awaye with the waues of naughtye lustes that they rayled with open spitefull wordes against the doctrine of the gospel so that they can not be possybly amended with gentyll monicions And therfore I haue with myne owne sentence geuing cutte them of from the rest of Christes bodye as rotten membres to thintent that beyng so corrected they maye learne throughe shame and reproche to ceasse from their wycked spyghtful railynges and to be lesse hurtefull to other thoughe they can not be good to themselues Those are to be pulled vnder with rigorous handlyng that are growen into so highe wickednes that there can be no good doone vpon them
once professed a christian lyfe priuely loueth worldly thinges and doth not with pure minde and affeccion hasten vnto the reste promised The texte Seyng then that we haue a greate hye priest which is entred into heauen euen Iesus the sonne of god let vs holde the profession of our hope For we haue not an hie priest which cannot haue compassion on our infirmities but was in all pointes â–ª tempted like as we are but yet without synne Let us therefore goe boldely vnto the seate of grace that we maye obtayne mercie and finde grace to helpe in tyme of nede Seeyng then we haue an hye priest who is verely great Iesus Christ the sonne of god whiche after the sacrifice made for our reconciliacion entred not into the moste secrete parte of the temple made with handes but into heauen to make the father mercifull vnto vs Let vs abide stil in our professioÌ„ folowing the way that he hath shewed vs and hastening to those thynges whiche he hath promised Let not his greatenesse feare vs but his mercye rather encourage vs. Trueth it is that he dwelleth in heauen but he was before a man conuersaunt in earth Let vs not therefore ymagyne that we haue an hye priest which caÌ„not take compassion on our infirmitie He was tempted withall kynde of euils the which oure lyfe ys combred with all howbeit he retourned agayne into heauen a conquerour to th entent yâ— we trustyng on hys ayde shoulde not be weried or ouercome with affliccions but couragiously goe thorowe vnto the reste of euerlastyng felicitie the whych he came vnto For he was for no other cause afflicted beaten spytte vpon and crucified as an harmfull person where he was innocent and gyltlesse but onely to pourge vs who are in very dede hurtfull caytifes and inners from al oure sinnes and iniquities He hath not thaâ—â—ged hys affeccion towardes vs so that we tourne hym not awaye from vs by oure owne vicyous behauioure and frowardnesse Therfore trustyng on hys mercy let vs goe vnto hys seate not hys terrible but appesable seate whych is ready to helpe and not to destroye vs let vs come boldly putting no doubtes to obtaine mercy at his handes wherby dure synnes maye be pardoned and grace also geuen that maye furnyshe vs with heauenly gyftes and helpe vs so ofte as nede shall require For we muste desire no aydes but of hym onely of whome we truste to haue ouâ— rewardes The .v. Chapter The texte For euery hye presâ—e that is taken from amonge men is ordained for men in thinges pertayning to God to offer giftes and sacrifrces for sinne which can haue compassion on the ignoâ—aâ—â—te and on them that erâ—e out of the waye â—oâ—asmuch as he hym selfe also is compassed with infyrmitie And for the same infyrmities sake he is bounde to offer for sinnes as well for hym selfe as for the people And no man taketh honoure vnto him selfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron FVrthermore it is an vsage amonge the Iewes that euery hye priest chosen from amonge men be ordayned for thys purpose yâ— in such businesses as chaunce betwene God and man he as a mediatoure betwene both maie make intercession for menne in such wise that yf God be any thyng dyspleased wyth mennes offences he may appease his wrath by giftes and sacrifices duely offred the which hie priest for the dignities sake of hye priesthoode canne in suche wise do muche with God that he is not yet free from mannes infirmitie to theâ—tent he maye be the readyer to take compassion on them who haue sinned thorowe erroure and ignoraunce in asmuche as he hym selfe is subiecte vnto the same infirmitie in that he is of the selfe same nature that they he of For suche are sooner sory for other mennes euils and dyspleasures as haue them selues learned mercy and compassion by the tastyng of lyke euils aduersities and he is gladder to reamedy other mennes errours and offences which falleth oftentymes hym selfe or at the leastwyse is in ieopardie to fall And for thys cause Moses priest ought as well to offre sacrifice for hys owne synnes as he offreth for the peoples offences Nowe Christ had so a tommune nature with vs subiecte vnto paynes and death that he was notwithstandyng with out all manour of synne He had experience of payne who neuer knewe any synne Furthermore accordyng to the ordinaunces of Moses lawe no man taketh vpon him and vsurpeth the honourable ministracion of hye priest hod of hys owne accorde but he onely taketh it in hande that is called thereunto by goddes commaundement lykewyse as Aaron was called For he semeth vn worthâ— of honour whoso by reason of ignoraunce ambiciously desireth digintie and that man is not meete for a rowme or ministracion whych intrudeth hym selfe into the same The texte Euen so Christ also glorifyed not him selfe to be made the hye prieste but he that safed vnto hym thou art my sonne thys daye haue I beâ—otten the gloryfyed hym As he saieth also in another place thou art a Prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech Whâ—che in the dayes of his fleshe when he had offered vp praiers suppsicacions â–ª with strong criyng and teares vnto him that was able to saue â—iâ— from death and was heard because of his reuerence thoughe he were ehe sonne of God yet learned he obedience â–ª by those thynges whych he suffered anâ— he beyng perfecte was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto al them that obeyed hym and is called of God an hye priest after the order of Melchisedech And herein also Christ gaue vs an ensample of a lawfull bishop For he toke not vpon him of his owne accord the glorious dignitie of an hie priest but was allowed of hys father who firste acknowledged Iesus to be hys true sonne when he sayed Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And also he ordeâ—neth hunanon after a true and lawful hie priest when he sayeth Thou art a priest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Ye haue hearde howe he was ordeyâ—ed Nowe herken howe he was tempted and proued When as yet he had a mortall body in earth he offred prayers and supplicacions vnto god the father who could haue preserued him from the punyshment of the crosse excepte he had bene more desyrous to prouyde for mannes safetie by the death of hys sonne He offred them with seruent affeccion greate crying and plentifull teares and was hearde by reason of hys charytie and soueraygne dignitie with the father He obteyned hys desyre For hys wyll and desyre was not to escape the punyshment of the crosse but to procure vs soule health by hys death He felte greate feare he felte the torment anguyshe of death but the loue that he bare towardes mankynde preuayled He was the sonne and coulde haue obtayned any thyng of the father if he had desired it but thus was it thought to be more conuenyent for our health that he beyng afflicted with
giue some cleanesse and puritie For whatso euer was there done perteyned chiefly vnto the bodye for that it stode in choyse of meates drinke whereas in very dede meate neyther purifieth nor defileth the soule and stode also in diuerse washynges and pourgations of the fleshe whiche were not instituted for this intent that they shoulde gyue manne perfyte ryghtuousnesse but bycause the people shoulde by these rudimentes and fyrste principles fall in vre by lytle and litle with true religion and by shadowes bee brought to veritie and made receyuable of bettre thynges whyche shoulde be opened by the doctrine of the ghospell when tyme shoulde come Here haue ye hearde the effecte of all the religion by reason wherof the Iewes do stande so muche in their awne conceiptes Nowe let vs compare the dignitie of our hie priest with these foresayde thynges The texte But Chryste beyng an hye prieste of good thynges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte tabernacle not made with handes that is to say not of thys buildyng nether by yâ— bloud of goates and calues but by his own bloud he enteed in once into the holiplace founde eternal redempcion For if the bloud of oxen of goates the asshes of a â—â—ng cowe when it was sprinkled purifieth the vnclene as touching the purifing of the flesh howe much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offred hymself wythou â—spot to god pourge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the lyuinge god For Christ beyng an hie priest a promiser and auctour not of corporal purificacion neither of the good thynges of this world whiche haue an ende but of euerlasting and heauenly good thinges entred not by the vayle wrought with mennes handes but by an other tabernacle not made wyth handes that is to saye not of this buyldynge the whyche as menne doe sette it vp so can they pull it downe agayne but by verie heauen entred I say into the places which are verely holy and verely farre from al infeccion of mortalitie not brynginge wyth hym the bloude of goates and calues therewith to pacifie Goddes wrath but his owne precious bloude whiche he shed for vs in the aulter of the crosse wherewyth he redemed not one nationalonelye but all mankynde from all synnes and that not one yeare but for euer vntyl the worldes ende so that they tournynge from their former myflyuynge know Christ and as muche as in them lyethe folowe hym in their lyfe and conuersation For what comparison is it to compare a domme beaste vnto Christe bothe God and man If so be that the bloud of Oxen and Goates or the brent asshes of a younge Cowe sprynkeled vpon vncleane persones clenseth them as touchynge a certayne carnall and figuratiue puritie and holynesse Howe muche more then shall the bloude of Christe who not by corporall fyre but thorowe the eternall spirite desirous of mannes saluation offered not a brute beaste but hym selfe a pure and vndefyled sacryfyce vnto almyghtye God the father puryfie not youre bodyes but youre conscyence from these workes whiche in very dede brynge death vnto the soule Hys death delyuereth vs from endlesse death and hys mooste pure spirite purifieth our spirite whiche was before vncleane In bothe purifications is bloude but yet is there a greate difference In bothe is death but an vnequall death In bothe is a spirite but the one is farre vnlyke the other For what thynge soeuer was there done by shadowes and certayne fygures the same Christ accomplished in dede The texte And for this cause is he the mediator of yâ— new testament that through death which chanced for the redempcion of those transgressyoÌ„s that were vnder the first testamente they whych are called myght receiue yâ— promise of eternal inheritance For where as is a testament there must also of necessytie be the death of hym that maketh the testament For the testament taketh aucthorite when men are dead for it is yet of no value as longe as he that maketh the testament is aliue for whyche cause also nether the first testameÌ„t was or dayned wythout bloude Bycause that he who in the olde testament made intercession and was a mediatour bytwene God and men broughte not the people to the perfyte state of innocencie therefore Christe succeded in his rowme and became a newe mediatoure of a newe testament to th entent that all synnes taken awaye thorow his death the whiche by that first testament coulde not be abolyshed and taken awaye but remayned in suche wise that they broughte vs oute of the fauoure of almyghtie God not onely the Iewes but also all tho whosoeuer haue bene called to Christes felowshippe maye nowe thorowe the doctrine of the gospell receyue the promyse and hope of theternall enheritaunce For wheresoeuer thys worde testament is hearde there must nedes be the death of him that maketh the testamente elles shoulde it be no testamente or yf it were it were of none auctoritie For the death of the testatoure makethe the same of auctoritie whiche hathe not as yet sure strengthe nor is ratifyed so longe as the sayde testatour is alyue Because it lyeth in hys power to altre it yf he wyll Wherefore forasmuche as that olde testament hadde also the name of a testament it was not ordeyned without bloude and death but of a beast and suche a beaste as elswise shoulde haue perished The texte For when Moses had declared all the commauÌ„dement to all the people according to the lawe he toke the bloud of calues and of goates wyth water and purple woolle and ysope and sprynkeled bothe the boke and all the people saying thys is the bloude of the testamente which God hath appoynted vnto you Moreouer he sprinkeled the tabernacle with bloud also and all the ministeryng vesselies And almoste all thynges are by the lawe purged wyth bloude and wythoute shedynge of bloude is no remyssyon For as it is reade in the boke of Exodus whan Moyses had read all the lawe of God vnto the people and declared vnto them what reward they shoulde loke after for kepyng the same and what punishement they should dreade yf they dyd not regarde it accordingly to th entent the couenaunt made betwene God and the people shoulde be confirmed he toke a cuppe and therein myngled the bloude of Calues and Goates wyth water and purple wâ—ll and sprynkled bothe the boke oute of the whiche he read the Lordes commaundementes and lykewyse all the people with â—sope sayeng Thys is the wytnessyng bloude and confirmer of that testament whiche God hathe commaunded you to kepe And was not onely contented thus to doe but sprynkeled also with bloude the tabernacle and all the holy vessels therein whyche they vsed in sacrifices Lykewyse in all other rites and approued customes what thinges so euer were purified accordynge vnto the prescription of Moses lawe were purified with bloude Neyther was there anye remyssion of synnes but by sheddyng of bloude The texte
It is nede then that the simily tudes of heuenly thinges be purified wyth such thinges but that the heuenly thinges themselfes be purified wyth better sacrifices then are those For Christ is not entred into the holye places that are made with handes whyche â—e similitudes of true thinges but is entred into very heuen for to appere nowe in the sight of god for vs not to offre himself often as the hye priest entreth into the holy place euery yere wyth strange bloud for theÌ„ must he haue often suffred sence the worlde began But now in the ende of the worlde hath he apeted once to put synne to slyght by the offeryng vp of hymselfe And as it is apoynted vnto all men that they shall once dye and than coÌ„meth the iudgement euen so Christe was once offered to take awaye the synnes of many and vnto them that loke for hym shall he appere agayne withoute syune vnto â—â—luation And truely it was conuenient that suche thynges as in earth represented the similitude and shadowe of heauenly thynges shoulde be done with suche manour of grosse and carnall purifications But when veritie was once come to lyght then was it mete that the heauenly sacrifices them selfes should be made with better oblacions and cause a trewer puritie For as I haue sayde euen all that Christe did in earth is heauenly For trewely he entred not in to the holye places made with handes whiche are rather supposed holye then be holy in dede and maye be tourned vnto a prophane vse and were nothyng els but certayne shadowes and fygures of thynges that were verelye holye but entred into verye heauen where as dwellethe God immortall wyth hys holy angels before whom he as a leful Byshoppe maketh intercessyon for all mennes synnes purchasyng hymselfe fauourable audience wyth hys owne bloude whiche of his mere and free charitie he shedde for vs and that dyd he with so effectuall a sacrifice that it shall not be nedefull for hym euery yeare to do the same agayne as the hye pryest of the olde testamente entred in to the moste secrete parte of the temple yearely Nether is it anye marueyll that the sacryfice made by the hye prieste of Moyses was not of lyke efficacye sence he was bothe subiecte vnto synnes and offred vp a beastes bloud and not his owne If Christe had bene suche an hye prieste then sythe there hathe soo manye ages and yeares begonne agayne sence the creation of the worlde he shoulde of necessytye often tymes haue offred vp a sactifyce lyke as the priestes of the olde testament dyd Nowe was he suche a one that it was sufficieute for hym once to offre vp himselfe and once with the sprinkeling of his own blode to take awaye the synnes of all ages vntill the worldes ende And that was done not from the begynnynge of the woorlde but nye the ende of the same when it was openly knowen to euery man that al the world was defyled with synne and that there was no remeady but of God onelye bycause it shoulde manyfestly appeare howe effectuall a pryest and of what greate vertue and power he was who with one sacrifice pourged so greate an heape of synnes and lefte behynde him a ready and an easye remedye whych was that the same sacrifice shoulde be sufficient for al menne tyme once of measure that woulde not make them selfes vn worthye therof For he toke vpon hym not only their synnes who manye yeares byfore put hope of saluatyon in hym but also theyrs who would manye yeares after beleue his ghospel Wherefore there is not why the worlde shoulde loke after an other priest or an other sacrifice to pourge synnes but as it is appoynted to al men that they shall once dye without hope to retourne agayne into this lyfe wherein we ofttymes fall and ofttymes are pourged agayne and as there is nothynge loked for after euerye mannes deathe but that extreme iudgement wherby endelesse rewardes shal be adiudged bothe to good and badde so lyke wyse Christe who dyeng once was offered vp for all the world takyng vpon him as moch as in hym laye all mennes synnes bycause he woulde be punyshed for all woulde haue nothyng remayne after this lyfe but that last iudgement wherin he shall appeare agayne vnto the world not as before lyke a sacrifice appoynted to be slayne or lyke a worker of myschiefe and one worthy of punishement but as a glorious persone and one that knoweth no maner of synne he shall I saye appeare to their blysse and saluation who beyng nowe purified thorow his death perseuer in good and vertuous lyuyng tyll he come agayne not to be offred vp but a iudge desired of the good and dreadefull to the wicked ¶ The .x. Chapiter The texte For the lawe hauygâ— the shadowe of good thinges to come not the very fashion of the thinges themselfes can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yere by yere comynually make the commers thereunto perfect For woulde then not those sacryfices â—â—â—â—eased to haue bene offered bicause that the offerers once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of synnes Neuertheles in those sacrifyces is there no mencion made of synnes euery yere For the bloud of oxen and of goates cannot take a way synnes FVrthermore the cause why the hye priest of the olde testament coulde not do the lyke was by reason that that lawe forasmuche as it had not the lyuely and true fashion but onely a certayne shadowe of good thynges whiche rather sygnyfyed somewhat then brought anything to effecte could neuer wyth her vsuall sacrifice of beastes all though they were by those priestes contynually offred yeare by yeare make suche perfite as came to pacifie God wyth vneffectuall oblacions by the mediacion of weake priestes For yf perfeccyon myghte haue bene attayned thereby â–ª shoulde not the same sacrifices once offreo haue ceased tobe offred any more Now in these sacrifices when so euer they be offred agayne there is mention made a freshe of the former synnes whiche thyng playnly declareth that they haue no confydence in one sacrifyce Els for what purpose dyd they euerye yeare offre agayne newe sacrifices if one had so pourged from all synne that no conscience therof had remayned in those whiche had once offred and bene pourged For seyng that synne is the maladie of the soule and not of the bodie a grosse and bodely sacrifice as is the bloude of Oxen and Goates can in no wyse take awaye the dysease of the mynde The onely spirituall and heauenly sacrifyce of Christe is able to doe this thynge sufficiently the whiche thorowe fayth and Baptisme so taketh awaye at once all the synnes of our former lyte be they neuer so manye neuer so heynous that there remayneth no feate or reâ—â—orse in conscience so that we wyl only beware that we fal not agayne into out olde enormyties and detestable dedes For soo farre wyde is it from the trewth that God was made mercifull by reason that
which ye reioyce though now for a season if nede requyre ye are in â—euâ—nes thorow manyfold temptacions that â—he tryall of your fayth being muche more precious then golde that perysheth though it be tryed with fyre might be founde vnto laude glory and honour at the appering of Iesus Christe whom ye haue not seen and yet loue hym in whom euen nowe though ye see him not yet doe you beleue and reioyce with say vnspeakable and gloryous receiuing the ende of your fayth euen the saluacion of your soules For this so passing a great benefite his liberalitie is to be praysed of whom by Christ coÌ„meth vnto vs whatsoeuer it be that maketh vs truly blessed And that is not Moses but God himselfe the same the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which whan we were lytle fortunately borne of Adam that is to say borne to synne borne to death hath begotten vs new againe into innocencie and hath begotten vs vnto life that neuer shall dye being prouoked by no merites of ours but stiered frely of his owne mercye wherin he most chiefly exceadeth and this hath he done not by yâ— ayde of Moses lawe but by the costeous gyft of his owne soÌ„ne Iesus Christ whom he would haue to suffre death to thintent where we were els desperate wretches he might diliuer vs froÌ„ the tyranny of synne death And him he called anon froÌ„ death to lyfe that we beyng in this worlde dead to worldly lustes hauing remembraunce as it were before our tyes of the resurreccioÌ„ after his exaÌ„ple in vprightnes of conuersacion might haue an assured a ready hope that we also shal once be exempt out of these sorowes atteine with Christ vnto yâ— euerlasting enheritaunce whiche lyke as he beyng our head hath already atteyned so shal al we also folowe as many as be engraffed to yâ— meÌ„bres of Christ are made worthy by folowing of his craÌ„ple to be called his brethren the chyldreÌ„ of yâ— selfe same father that he is that like as we suffre commune affliccions with him so should we haue reward also together with him As long as we were the sonnes of the synful Adam an infortunate enheritauÌ„re abode vs. But as sone as we were made yâ— sonnes of God we make spedy haste to yâ— enheritauÌ„ce of heauen For it besemeth yâ— seing we are borne from heauen we should behold heaueÌ„ly thinges seing we are borne of God we should folo we nothing but godlines They yâ— serue the world goe about to haue rewardes yâ— are transitory wage that is slyppery but for vs there remayneth yâ— happyâ— enheritaunce after these temperal affliccioÌ„s which can neither be corrupted with death ne defited with wearines or heauines ne yet fade a way by age or sluttishnes There is no cause for vs to be afrayed of leste any man should in the meane whyle take this so plenteous an heritage out of our handes We haue an assured fayth full promyse maker And in his haÌ„des it is safely kept layed vp in stoare for vs in heauen howbeit after suche sort that for al that there must an assured hope and as it were a certayne pledge remayne in the meane time with men vpoÌ„ earth not with al maner of men but with you such like as you are buto whom the spirite of Christ is geuen in stede of a gage which albeit ye are for yâ— time tossed on euery syde with condry stormes of sorowes yâ— the frailtie of maÌ„is vtterly vnhable of himselfe to beare out yet by the succour of God which is mighty in al thinges you are preserued not through your owne merites but by fayth vnfained trust wherby you dout not but froÌ„ the last time after yâ— which there shal be no more of this confusion of humayne matters but the euill meÌ„ being appointed to their tormeutes shal be hable to do no body harme the good being safe froÌ„ al inuasions of sorowes shal haue the fruicioÌ„ of euerlasting rest For now yâ— rewardes lye hiddeÌ„ many times after the coÌ„mune peoples estimacioÌ„ thei are in wurse condicioÌ„ yâ— be of yâ— better those seme to perish which are most specially in sanegarde thei seme to florish which most chiefly goe to naught In this worlde there is time to exercise godlines the reward hath his time prescribed vnto it which it behoueth not to preueÌ„t In yâ— meane seasoÌ„ let it be ynough for vs yâ— euerlasting felicitie is kept in safegarde for vs which neither mannor deuil can be hable to take away froÌ„ vs before haÌ„d so yâ— we shrinke not from yâ— fayth wherby we ought to condeÌ„ne mortal mens matters depende wholy of heauen Let there be in yâ— meane seasoÌ„ fearce folkes which being rebels to god trust to the aydes of yâ— world let theÌ„ for yâ— time stampe stare ouer you as though you wer ouercomeÌ„ left succoutles But whan yâ— day shal come the discourse of thiges turned vp side down they shal be tormeÌ„ted you shal reioyce like coÌ„querours yea you ought to reioyce eueÌ„ now also through yâ— vndoubted lokiÌ„g for of so passig a great felicitie For it ought not to seme vnto you a greate or a greuous matter though by affliccions and griefes that are but shorte and shall soone haue an ende you come to the blissed that neuer shall decaye And perchaunce these persecucions also shall once haue an end which notwithstanding as often as they come in vre are to be borne with a myghtye stoute stomake and without dismaying for the glory of God in hope of the lyfe to come For after suche wyse doeth the wysedom of God in prouiding for your commodities permitte that the sinceritie and stedfastnes of your faith may be tried through sondry assaultes of sorowes For yf golde which elles were a thing both lost and would goe to naught be tryed out not only by the touche stone but also is assayed by the fire to thintente it maye thenceforth bee had in so muche the more price as it is the more exactely fyned much more wil God haue your faith wherunto so high honour of duetie belongeth to be tried with sondry experimentes to thintent that whan it shal glister out of these flames of sorowes and affliccions and being farre more pure and more glittering than any golde though it be neuer so fyne it may be precious in the syght of God and that all the matter at length may grow in to cleane contrary condicion that is to were that the thyng which semed to be layed vpon you in this worlde vnto reproche may chaunce vnto prayse and that which semed vnto vilany may be turned vnto glory that whiche semed to be layed vpon you to put you to dishonestie may be turned in to habuÌ„daunce of honour in that day whan Iesus Chrst whose power worketh nowe in you by secrete meanes shal she we forth him selfe openly vnto all men and rendre vnto euery man rewarde
before the iudgement seates Do not they speake euyll of that good name whiche is called vpon ouer you HE that loueth his neighbour for Goddes sake and he that loueth God in his neighbour doeth not in this case respecte him because he is a man of greate power or of riches or of nobilitie but in that he is abundauntlie full of diuine goodes But to thys maner of Iudgement a kyng or a riche man is not better of one Iote than any manne howe basse or poore so euer he bee Christe died for all indifferentlie and all are indifferentlye called to thenherytaunce of Immortalitie Therfore my brethren if you doe truly put your trust in the promisses of our Lord Iesu Christ make no difference of persones after the estimacion of worldly thinges For Christ him selfe as touchyng the world was basse and poore But yet it was the fathers will that he shoulde be prince of all glorye He promised the kingdome of heauen not to the wealthie but vnto the pore Now if there come in to youre company a Ioly felowe with a golde ring or ruffling in gaye apparaill and there come in withall a pore manne nether wearing ring on hys fyngers and clothed in pore homely araye and by and by you caste your eies vpon the riche man for none other respecte but that he obseureth the pore manne with hys gorgrous rayment and geue hym the more honourable place saying Sytte thou here VVell And agayne you saye vnto the pore manne as though you lothed him and for no cause elles but for his ouer homely apparaill Stande thou there or sitte thou there under my fote stole would not your harte by and by grudge and secretly condemne your doing in that through flattery you attribute vnto golde and galaunte aray the honour that is due vnto vertue contemnyng him for lacke of chose thinges whiche is muche more acceptable to God for the true riches of the soule than that riche manne The riche mannes fynger glisteryng with the ring and precious stone and his bodye decked in silke maketh you to regarde hym â–ª and doe not you regarde the pore man for hys synceritie of fay the modestie of mynde sobrenes chastitie and other giftes of virtue whiche make a man greate and gorgious in dede Why doeth your iudgement disagree from the iudgement of God Heare me indifferently my welbeloued brethren the thyng that euidentlie appeareth matter in dede to be certaynly true How muche sâ— euer the worlde setteth by the ryche God hym selfe hathe preferred the poore the poore I meane after the worlde whiche nether haue nor seke after autorâ—â—â—e nor kingdomes in this world God hathe let alone the riche with their statelynes and chosen these which are but sely pore folkes for lacke of present substaunce but yet riche and mightye in the lokynge for the kyngdome of heauen and theuerlastynge enherytaunce in that they put their truste in hym that promysed them â–ª whiche nether can deceaue if he woulde and is hable to performe what he will But vnto whome hathe he promised this wonderfull â—â—licitie â–ª â—â— kinges and wealthy folkes no in dede but to them whiche loue him trouly who soeuer they bee whether they be bonde seruauntes or free men whether they be riche or poore And you hauing desired the riche manne to the highest seâ—te and appoynting the pore man to the lowe fotestoles haue preferred hym whome God setteth the lesse by and contemned him that in the sight of God is bothe rich and honourable He hathe honour done vnto him that perchaunce hauyng gotten hys ryches by fraude or rauine auaunceth himselfe and this is contemned whiche had rather be poore than with losse of godlynes to bee riche and hauing spent vp his riches to the releuing of the pore is become poore of hys owne accorde that he myght bee riche in godlynes In dede euery one is not vngodly that is riche not withstanding the riche of this worlde are not very rashe in agreeing with the godlynes of the Gospell but they be of that kynde of men moste chiefly that repugne the Gospell of Christe For who are they that practice tyranny against you for malice of godlynes are they not the riche menne who are they that accuse you and drawe you before Iudgement seates are they not the riche for the moste parte Who are they that speake euill and curse the holy name of our lorde Iesu Christe by Inuocacion wherof you haue atteyned saluacyon and in whom you reioyce Are they not the riche Yea they hate your profession so muche chat the name whiche geueth saluacion and is honourable vnto you is euen deathe and abominable vnto them But the profession of this name is begonne to be healthesome vnto you so as for all that you may through your owne faulte fall from the saluacion that is promised The texte ¶ If ye fulfyll the royall lawe according to the scripture Thou shalt loue thyne neighbour as thy self ye do well But yf ye regarde one person more then another ye commit synne are rebuked of the lawe as transgressours Who soeuer shall kepe the whole lawe and yet fayle in one poynt he is giltie of all For be that sayde Thou shalt not commes adulterye say de also thou shalt not kyl Though thou do no adultery yet if thou â—â— thou arts become a traunsgressour of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of libertye For he shal haue iudgement with our mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercâ—â— reioyceth against iudgement A kynge promiseth rewarde ycâ— but to him that in his dedes accomplysheth the lawe royall wherof no man can be ignoraunte seing it was expreste in writing long agooe and it is on this maner Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Doeth he loue his neighbor after this rule that preferreth the wicked rych manne before the godly pore man The lawe of the Gospell is the lawe of loue and what soeuer is done contracy to it although it be not forbydden by speciall name yet it is synne and that lawe doeth secretly reproue you which hath coinmauÌ„ded almen and in al thinges that thou oughtest to loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Who soeuer swarueth from this rule is a conuicte transgressour of the lawe Nether yet let any manne â—urry fauell with him selfe after this wise The faule is but light the law is broken in nothing but in this parte But the law of the Gospell is suche a lawe that except it be kept in euery parte wholy it semeth to be broken all together on euery parte For inasmuche as the totall Sunnue of all the whole lawe is coutcyned in the loue of God of the neighbour who soeuer he be that swarueth from charitée which is the rote of all the whole lawe he hathe doubtles broken the whole lawe and offended the autor of the lawe vnto whome he is become giltie of all in that he whiche hathe eâ—â—ed from the
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
thryches of his goodnes Agaynste the daye of vengeaunce For whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe shall also c. Whan the the lorde shal iudge the secretes of meÌ„ c. A light of theÌ„ whiche wander in darkenes For the name of god is euil spoken of among the GeÌ„tyles But if thou be a breaker of the lawe the circumcision c. Neither is it circumcision whiche is outwarde in the fleshe c. Whaâ— prefermâ—nt then c. What then though sum of them dyd not c. For if the trueth of god appere more excellent thorough my ly That al mouthes may be stopped and that all the worlde c. WhoÌ„ God hath â—et fâ—rth to be the obteiner of mercy c. Therfore we holde that a man c. Do we then destroy the law through fayth c. If Abraham wee iustified by dedes theÌ„ hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God To him that worketh is the rewarde not reakened of fauer but of duetie c. Blessed are thei whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen How was it then rekened And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale c. And he receiued the signe of circuÌ„cision That he should be the father of all tâ—em that beleue For yf they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres thaÌ„ is faythe but vayne c. Therfore by fayth is thinheritaunce geuen c. I haue made the a father of manye nacions c. And calleth those thynges which be not as thoughe they wer Which Abraham contrary to hope beleued in hope Accordyng to that whiche was spoken euen so shall thy seede be Neuertheles it is not written for hym onlye Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth â–ª we are at peace with god And reioyse in hope of yâ— glorie of the chyldren of god For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christe died for vs. Not onelye this but we also ioye in god c. wherfore as by one man â–ª syn entred in to the world But synne is not imputed where therâ— is no lawe But the gifte is not lyke as the synne For if by the synne of one death raigned by yâ— meanes of one muche more c. For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience c. That as syn raigned vnto death euen so c. Shal we continue in sine God forbid â—now ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him Euen so shall we be partakers of his resurreccion That hence foorth we should not be seruantes vn to synne c. For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once Let not sinne raigne therfore in your mortalbodies And geâ—e ouer your meÌ„bres as instrumeÌ„tes of righteousnes vnto God c. His seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey c. Ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto yâ— rule of yâ— doctrine of that ye be brought vnto For when â—â— wer seruauntes of sinne ye wer voyde of all righteousnes For the ende of those thinges is death For the rewarde of syn is death but eternal life is the gifte of god c. Know ye not c. howe that the lawe hath power ouer the maÌ„ c. For the woman which is in subiection to a man c. So then if while the maÌ„ liueth she couple herselfe with an other c. EueÌ„ so ye also my brethreÌ„ are dead concerning yâ— lawe c. But now are we delyuâ—â—â—â— fâ—om th◠〈◊〉 deâ—◠〈◊〉 it Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by the lawe For sinne loke occasion by yâ— meanes of the commaundement c. wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holy Naye it was synne yâ— syn might appere by it whiche was good c. But I am carnall solde vnder synne If I do now that which I would not I consent c. For I know that in me c. dwelleth no good thyng For to wyl is presente with me but I fide no meanes to perfourme c For I delyghte in the lawe of god c. O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me c. For the lawe of yâ— spirit of life through Iesus Christ hath made me fre from the law of synne and death And sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfall fleshe To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace So then they that are in yâ— fleshe can not please God If any man haue not the spirit of christ the same is none of hâ—s c Wherfore if â— the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from death c. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shal dye c But ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion â–ª c. This spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are notworthy c. For yâ— ferneÌ„â— desyre of the creature abydeth lookyng when yâ— soÌ„nes of God shal appeare â–ª c. For we know that euery creature grâ—neth with vâ— also â–ª c. For we are saued by hope but hope that is seen is no hope For we know not what to desyre as we ought But yâ— spirit maketh intetcession c. And he that search â—â— the hertes knoweth â—â—â—at is the meanyng of the spirite â–ª For these wâ—â—che he knewe before he also ordâ—yâ—ned before And whome he hath called them also he iustified c. If god be on out side who caÌ„ be againste vs It is god yâ— iustifieth who is he yâ— can condeÌ„ne c. Who shal separate vs froÌ„ the loue of god Neuertheles in al theâ—e thiÌ„ges wâ— ouercum through hym that loued vs. Neyther heighte nor loweth c. I say yâ— truth â—n Christ and lâ—e not my coÌ„science also bearing me witnesse c. For I haue wishâ—dde my self â—â— be cursed froÌ„ Christ c. To whome pertayneth yâ— adopcion of the chyldren and the glory c. Whose also are the fathers and they of whom as coÌ„ceâ—nyng the fleshe Christe came They are not all Israelites whiche are of Israel c. But in Isaac shal thy seede bâ— called c. They whiche are yâ— chyldreÌ„ of the fleshe are not the chyldren of god c. Rebecca was with child by one euen by our father Isaac That the purpose of God by election might stande What shal we say then Is there any vnrighteousnes with god For yâ— scripture sayth vnto Pharao euen for this purpose haue I stered yâ— vp c. But O man what arte yâ— whiche disputest with god shal the work say to the workmâ—n c. Hath not the potter power ouer the claye euen of the same luÌ„pe c. Euen so God willyng to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath c. I wyl cal theÌ„ my people whiche were not my people c. Though the numbre of yâ— children of Israel be as the sand
against such violent aduersaries were it so we had no strength but our owne thankes therfore be geueÌ„ to God which hath caused that if we wil we may wynne this gloryous victory through Iesus Christe our Lorde whiche for our sakes with his death ouercame death and toke vpon hym to purge our synnes Therfore my dearly beloued brethren synce it is certaine that the resurreccion shal be and synce it is knowen what blysse glory men shall enioy therby which yet no man shal receiue but such as here by forsaking sinne and by godly liuing begynne it doubte not of that ye haue once beleued nor suffer your selfes with the talking of vngodly persons to bemoued from your right receyued fayth but rather apply continually to profite in such thynges as may bryng you into Gods fauoure that ye become euery day better than other preparyng your selfes agaynst the resurreccion to come Nor shrynke ye to take paynes assuryng your selfes that through Christes helpe for transitorie labours ye shall receyue ioyes without ende ¶ The .xvi. Chapter The texte Concernyng the gathering for the sainctes as I haue ordeyned in the congregacions of Galacia euen so doe ye Vpon some Sabboth daye lette euery one of you put asyde at home and lay vp whatsoeuer is mete that there be no gatheringes when I come When I am come whosoeuer ye shall alowe by your letters them will I sende to bring your lyberalitie vnto Hierusalem And yf it be mete that I goe also they shal goe with me I will come vnto you whan I goe ouer to Macedonia For I wil goe thorowe our Macedonia COncerning the gathering for the reliefe through your liberalitie of the sainctes whiche are at Hierusalem as I apoynted vnto the Galathians that money should be gathered for that purpose yf any of his owne free wyll were disposed to bestow any euen so would I haue thesame done among you that in this poynte also ye agree with other congregacions Vpon the fyrste daye of the weke that is to say in the sonday let euery one of you set asyde at home and lay vp asmuche as he for this purpose thinketh mete And for this geue I warnyng here of because that which euery man hath purposed to geue may be in a more readines leste when I come there be then a gathering of money to be made But wheÌ„ I come vnto you thither whom soeuer ye shall chuse as messangers them wil I with my letters send to Hierusalem to carie thither your liberalitie Yf ye thinke it nedefull that I also goe my selfe thither they shall goe with me leste any man myght suspecte that I in any wise goe about my owne busynesse I will see you after that I haue gonne through Macedonia for them mynde I only to see by the waye The texte With you peraduenture I will abyde a whyle or els tarye all wynter that ye maye bring me on my waye whyther soeuer I goe I will not see you nowe in my passage but I trust to abyde a whyle with you yf God shall suffer me I wyll tarye at Ephesus vnto the fyftieth daye For a great doore and a frutefull is opened vnto me and there are many aduersaries Yf Timotheus come see that he be without feare with you For he worketh the worke of the Lorde as I doe let no manne therfore despise him but conuay hym forth in peace that he may come vnto me For I loke for him with the brethren With you peraduenture will I abyde for a whyle and am not sure whether I shal tarie with you al the wynter that at the beginning of the nexte spring ye may bring me furth that I may goe whyther soeuer the busynes of the gospell calleth me had not this been I would haue commen to you now but I would not see you now houerly in my passage For I trust I shall at another tyme haue oportunitie to tarie with you certayne dayes if the Lorde Iesus suffer me In the meane season I will tarie at Ephesus vntil yâ— fyftyeth day The matter reâ—uireth some leysure because that albeit in that place there be a great doore opened vnto me and a great hope of auancing the gospel yet many aduersaries are there Yf in the meane season Timothie come vnto you see that he be put in no ieopardie by any high hearted proude persons He is a young man but yet he is my felow and in preaching the gospel laboureth purely and frely as I doe Let no man therfore despise hym because he is young but rather let hym goe without harme and displeasure as an Apostle and my felowe and of loue bring him furth that he maye come to me For hym looke I for with other brethren of his company The texte To speake of brother â—pollo I certifie you that I greatly desyred him to come vnto you with the brethren but his mâ—nde was not at all to come at this time Howbeit he wil come when he shall haue conuenient tyme. Watche ye stande fast in the fayth quyte you lyke men be strong Let all your busynesse be doeu with loue And whereas ye rather desyred that Apollos should haue been sente vnto you surely it came not of me that he weÌ„t not For I vehemently exhorted hym to go to you with certayne brethren but all was in vayne For certayne consideracions in no wyse mynded he nowe to come to you and yet come wyll he assone as conuenient leysure shall serue Watche agaynst the deceytes of suche as geue you euill counsell Stande faste in the faythe whiche ye haue once receyued quite your selfes lyke meÌ„ agaynst suche thinges as resiste the gospell be stronge and valiaunt Whatsoeuer be doen among you let it be doen with loue and not with contencion The texte Brethren ye knowe the house of Stephana and of Fortunatâ—s and Achaicus how that they are the fyrste fruites of Achaâ—a and that they haue appoynted themselues to minister vnto the saynâ—res I beseche you that ye be obedient vnto suche and to all that helpe and laboure I am glad of the commyng of Stephana and Fortunatus and Achaicus for that whiche was lackyng vnto me on your parte they haue supplyed For they haue comforted my spirite and yours Loke therfore that ye knowe them that are suche I beseche you brethren but what nede we besechynges Ye knowe the householde of Sthephana well worthie of you to be made muche of bothe because thesame as first fruites of Achaia I gotte firste vnto Christe and because they are geueÌ„ to helpe the poore Meete is it therfore that ye againe make muche of them and not only of them but of as many as wyth vs promote the gospell and are partakers of our labours If pleased me well that ye sente hyther Stephana Fortunatus and Achaicus For theyr cumming hyther in all your names supplyed wyth theyr gentilnes that whiche was lacking vnto me on your parte For theâ— coumforted my spirite yea I might saye your spirite as