stede of Goddes commaundementes teache the ceremonies and constitucions of menne they that in stede of the Gospelles philosophie set forthe a new Ieweship finally they that preach them selues rather than Christ those mennes wisedome is not that wisedome whiche the father sent downe vnto vs by hys sonne from aboue to call vs from the studie of earthely thynges and to exalte vs vp to heauen but it is a grosse fleshye wysedome and an earthye and therfore it sauoureth of the earthe yea it is a sensuall wisedome and therfore it respecteth more those thynges that are auayleable vnto thys lyfe than vnto the life euerlastyng yea it is a deuelyshe wisedome for it is not of thynspyracyon of the spyryte of God but of the instygacyon of deuylles which suggeste those thynges that maye estraunge vs from the syncerytie of the Gospell Among the professours of worldly wisedome you see how great enuy what braullynges what fallyng out what forcasting to haue the vpper hande what greate inconstauncye of opynyons and maners and in the meane season all the whole life how it is defiled with all kinde of vicious naughtines But contrary wise our wisedome whiche procedeth from aboue of the spirite of Christ is fyrst chaste pure defiled with no wicked affeccions Than it is peaceable and abhorreth from all studie of contencion Moreouer it is modeste not overtwharte besydes this it is tractable curteous not grudging to geue place vnto hym that teacheth better it is full of compassion and mercyfull towarde them that are fallen and deceaued them it studieth rather to saue than spil gently bearyng with them assaying euery way to bring them to amendemeÌ„t it is full of good frutes in that it neuer ceasseth doing good for al men coÌ„uerting the vngodly to godlynes callyng againe them that goe astraye teaching the vntaught releuing them that are fallen pricking forewarde the â—â—outhfull conforting the sorowfully afflicted Nether in the meane while dooeth it damne any body for it is more forcasting to heale than to daÌ„â—e hauing no maner of counterfaict ne simulacion but of an vpright syncere mind wishing wel to all After this sorte they that sowe the pure and quiet doctrine of the Gospell doo both reape vnto them selues the frute of euerlastyng lyfe and bryng other to the studye of the heauenly life whome with theyr striuinges and cruelty they shoulde haue caste awaye The worldely wisedome hathe also a frute of hys owne but it is either a vayne frute or a deathe bryngyng frute But the frute of ryghteousnes that geueth bothe innocencie in this worlde and afterwarde immortalitie is not sowed by contencion but in concorde and peace vnto them that embrace peace For it is not the parte of a good â—â—â—cher maliciously to skirmish with them that seme more obstinate than that they wil obey the doctrine of the Gospell Those it is better for hym to leaue vnto theyr owne stubburnes in case there bee no hope that they wyll comme to amendemente The .iiii. Chapter The texte From whence commeth warre and fightyng among you come thei not here hence euen of your lustes that fyght in youre membres ye luste haue not ye enuye and haue indignacyon and cannot obtayne ye fyght and warre ye haue not because ye aske not ye aske and receaue not because ye aske a mysse euen to consume it vpon your lustes Ye aduouterars and wemen that breke matrimony knowe ye not how that the frendshyppe of the worlde is enemyâ—â—c with God Whosoeuer therfore wylbe a frende of the worlde is made the enemie of God Ether do ye thynke that the scripture sayeth in vayne The spirite that dwelleth to vs lusteth euen contrary to enuy but geueth more grace wherfore he sayeth God resisteth the proude but geueth grace vnto the lowely IT standeth you in hand by al meanes to endeuour your selues that you lyue in one concorde of myndes But that can not bee possiblye done excepte you dryue worldly gredye lustes the poyson of concorde and occasion of debate vtterly out of youre myndes Will you saye that you are not endaungered with suche maner of lustes wherof than cometh warre wherof cometh fighting and stryuyng amonge you wherof come tumultes of contencions and debate Christe hathe taught you peace and concorde and wherof cometh discorde but of that that you serue the luste of humane gredynes more than the loue of the Gospell For if those gredy lustes dyd not kepe warre and were captaines in your membres your tongue should nether teare your neighbour ne your hande beguyle youre brother Yet hitherto the reliques of youre olde lyfe are deprehended in you you haue not yet all together caste of the olde manne one manne coueteth for glorye an other gapeth for gayne thys manne ymagyneth how he may reygne alofte that manne hunteth after voluptuous pleasures And whiles you atteine not the thing that euery one vehemently coueteth for you thrust out him that maketh sure for that that you doe you enuy him that hathe obteyned and stryue with him that semeth lyke to obteine You are vexed in your mynde and are toyled with sondrye tumultes of cares while you can not obteyne the thinge that you gredily seke for And so nether is any man at peace with him selfe nor with other Gredy desyres â—omble in the harte the tongue the hande and the other membres fight and kepe warre out wardlye with their neyghbour And yet in the meane whyle nether are your insacyable desires satisfyed and you youre selues fall from the thynges that are truly good You ought to aske of God if you haue nede of any thing or if any thing did apperteyne vnto true felicitie You aske of the worlde that whiche ought to be asked of God and of him either you aske not at all or if ye doe aske you aske not that you ought to do nor after such wyse as you ought to doe For in dede you either aske hurtfull thynges in stede of holsome thynges or you aske in a wauering distrust or elles you aske vnto a wicked vse that is to saye the thing that should liberally be bestowed to the relief of necessitie of life that you may spend to the satisfieng of your own voluptuous pleasures And seing you doe thus by what name shal I cal you Christianes your dedes say nay I heare the title of Christians but I see the deeds of whoremongers and whores You were ones addicte vnto the spouse Christ ones you were sworne in to hys wordes he it is that redemed you froÌ„ the tyranny of synnes he hathe made you cleane with his own holy sacred bloud to make vnto hym self a spowse vnspotted And how is it that you forget your profession forget the benefite of youre bridegrome forget your wedlocke trouthplight and slide backe againe into the whorysh loues of this world Doo you not know that God is a Ielous louer He wyll bee wholy loued he wylbee loued alone he maye not abyde the wowynge worlde to bee loued
.ix. Chapter The texte Am I not an Apostle am I not fre haue I not seene Iesus Christ our lorde Are ye not my woorke in the Lorde If I bee not an Apostle vnto other yet am I vnto you For the seale of myne Apostleship are ye in the lorde Myne aunswere to them that aske me is this Haue we not power to eate and to drinke Haue we not power to leade about a sister to wife as well as other Apostles and as the brethren of the Lorde and Cephas Either onely I and Barnabas haue not power this to do Who goeth a warrefare any tyme at hys own coste Who planteth a vineyarde and eateth not of the fruicte thereof Or who fedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke CAuse therfore hath no man to complayne and say that he is restrained of his libertie But we may not alway onely consider what may be lawfully done but also what is profitable nor straight doe al that may be defended but rather doe as Christian charitie requireth whiche seketh not so much her own pleasures and commodities as other mens How many thinges haue there bene wherein I mighte haue vsed myne autoritie had not charitie otherwise moued me I staied not for lacke of knowledge and well vnderstode what I might doe but more regarded I that which was for you profitable Many thinges did I which I wel wist made litle to godly life and al was to apeace such as I would not haue from Christ withdrawen And many thynges dyd I not whiche I myght haue done had not your profite moued me other wyse And why shoulde I not Am I not an Apostle as wel as they be that of this title auaunce themself Was not I by Christes commaundement sent to preache vnto the gentiles And if I bee an apostle as well as other why haue I lesse apostolique autoritie and power Was it not geuen to me to see our Lorde Iesus Christe if any man thinke it â— great matier as it is to se him as some did after his resurreccion And if apostles be estemed by theyr famous actes what lacke find they herein in me Is it not an apostolique act to bring Corinthe once wholy geueÌ„ to worldly desires to Christes gospell and hys dominyon And thys acte haue I by gods helpe brought to passe Whether I be an apostle to the Iewes or not let them iudge which labour to mingle Moses Christe together if I be not at the least wiâ—e yet am I vnto you an apostle which through my preaching beleued in Christ which sawe the mightie power of god to assist and strengthen my woorde Yf men therfore loke for actes ye I say are my workemanship albeit in dede all the prayse of this act ought to be geuen vnto Christ and not to me Are ye not my testimoniall and seale whereby if nede were I am able to declare that to me for the glory of Christ is committed an apostles office For so aunswere I them that aske how I can proue that I am an apostle Yf I haue among you done asmuch as hath by the chiefe apostles bene done in any place amoÌ„g other why am I not as well an apostle as they be Nowe if mine authoritie be as greate as other apostles is and yf I haue doone asmuche good as they haue what should let me to be of lyke estate and auctoritye with them and synce I haue laboured asmuche as they haue or paraduenture more whye shoulde I not in rewarde bee equalle with theim Were wee onlye amonge other restrained of that libertie to eate and drinke at their costes to whome we preached the gospel Is it for vs onely vnlawful to leade about with vs christian matrones to helpe vs with such necessaries of theirs as it is for thys our life expedient as other apostles do not such I say as are of the meane sort but euen the chiefe apostles the brethren of the lorde I say Iames and Iohn yea and Cephas also whiche among the apostles is of princypall estimacyon Am I and Barnabas therfore onely without lyke autoritie to liue at reste and to preache the gospel at other mens costes because we doe not as they dooe So farre are we from hunting for any riches by preachyng the gospel that we of gift toke not so muche as a simple and a course liuing as we might haue do one lawfully For who is there that at any time goeth on warfare at his own cost Who planteth a vineyard to eate no parte of the fruite of the same vineyard Who fedeth a flocke and in the meane season eateth nothing of the milke of the flocke In euery labor the charge is borne by him for whoÌ„ the worke is done The texte Say I these thinges after the maner of men Saieth not the lawe thesame also For it is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not mousel the mouth of the â—xe that treadeth out the corne Doeth God take thought for oxen Saith be it not altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written that he which eareth should care in hope and that he which thressheth in hope shoulde be partaker of hys hope If we sowe vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thing if we reape your bodely thinges If other be partakers of this power ouer you wherfore are not we rather But what haue I nothing to proue this with but onely natural reason Confirmeth not the wholy law of god euen the same thing that the law of nature speketh Yes surely for Moses lawe forbiddeth saying thou shalt not mousel the oxes mouth when he is lead about to treade out the corne and al because it is vniust thence not to haue foode wherin any creature laboreth But what maketh this for the apostles some will say Thinke ye it likely that god by this lawe onely made prouision for oxen or is there rather in this some deper meaning which belongeth to vs So farre is god from defrauding the laborer of his liuing that he would not that asmuch as oxen should be defrauded therof Wherfore this sentence is not so much written for oxens sake as for ours to teache that whosoeuer laboureth in the painful laborious tillage of the field of the lord should not be depriued of the hope of rewarde whoso in the floore of the lord treadeth out corne beside the hope of rewarde euerlastyng shoulde also with the reward of worldly nede ease his labour And thinke it not a great mater if when we geue you such thinges as make to life euerlasting we again receiue of you such giftes as apparteine to the bodely nede of this transitorye life nor if when we sow vpon you spirituall giftes that we at your handes receiue carnal coÌ„modities Nor cause is there any why such one should vpbâ—aide a man with his benefites which for moste precious treasour geueth but vyâ—e trifles Neither are we endebted vnto you if we receiue such necessaries as
vs the preachyng of the attonement Now then are we messengers in the rowme of Christe euen as thoughe God dyd beseche you thorowe vs So praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconcyled vnto God for he made hym to bee synne for vs whiche knewe no synne that we by hys meanes shoulde bee that rightewesnes which before God is alowed And therfore what tempestes soeuer befall vs alwayes are we of good there knowing that as longe as we are at home in thys bodylye mansion we straye abrode and are deuided from god to whome by departure out of it we are more nyghly ioyned not meanyng so that god is not for thys presente tyme with vs but that he is not yet so clearly sene as he shall bee then For albeit in the meane season he bee after a sorte seene by faythe yet is it as it were a farre of whiche shall then presently bee seene euen as he is end not obscurely And therfore yf the pleasure of god bee that we in this body shall yet suffer more afflictions in good hope stande we that we shal easyly suffer them in hope of the rewarde to come and yet is thys of vs muche more to bee desyred to departe I saye out of thys bodylye mansion that after suche departure we may be more nyghly ioyned to god Therfore whether we bee compelled to continewe in thys house orels as we muche more desyre to departe hence that is to saye whether we lyue or dye all our endeuoure is to bee allowed of god For vnles a manne departe hence in goddes fauer let hym not loke for the rewarde of immortall lyfe whiche poynte I gyue you warnyng of leste any thinke baptisme a meane sufficent therunto without godly lyuyng As for wycked synners to theyr damnacion they receaue agayne bodyes whiche they here abused in theyr owne synfull lustes and not to the glory of god And as euery mans deseartes haue been for this lyfe suche shall his rewarde be what euery manns deseartes are is a thyng as yet vnkowen but yet must al we in open syght of the worlde appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe where nothyng shal be hydden but euery man shal reape as he hath sowed in hys body and when body and soule are ioyned together enioy suche reward as his workes were whyles he here liued whether they were good or badde We therfore hauing alway that terrible daye before our iyes diligently laboure in all poyntes to please both God man For albeit we deceiue men with some counterfaite kynd of holynes yet doth God throughly knowe vs as which seeth euen the very bottome of our heartes whiche thyng no man can do Howbeit my trust is that I haue in such sort vsed my selfe amoÌ„g you that ye throughly knowe and perceaue the synceritie of my lyfe for with this glorye are we contented For we auaunce not our office agayne eyther because we would of you be more made of or because we seke for any aduauÌ„tage at your handes but forasmuch as I perceiue that some make greate boste for that they were assigned vnto theyr office by chiefe Apostles we geue you occasion to glory lykewyse of vs agaynste them whiche for this respect lytle set by you because ye haue but an abiect and a vile one to your Apostle which albeit sawe not the Lorde in his mortall bodye as other Apostles dyd yet sawe I hym immortall and of hym receiued myne Apostleshyp as other dyd and haue by hys helpe done no lesse than other haue This rehearse I for your sakes because ye shoulde haue some thing wherwith to aunswere them which being not contented with the prayse of their owne conscience for their good dedes with high proude lookes seke for worldly commendacion wheras their consieÌ„ces do inwardly coÌ„demnetheÌ„ Nothing speake we for our own sakes but whether we speake of our great actes and therby seame to be peuishe peuishe are we to godwarde to whose glory we rehearse such thinges as we by his helpe did or yf we kepe a measure in speakyng of our selfes therby seme wise to you are we wise to whose weaknes we teÌ„per our tale We make not our selfes equal with other Apostles by boastyng but the loue of Christ constrayneth vs openly to speake that thing which appertayneth to his glory For to his praise maketh it not to ours if there were by vs through his gyft any thing notable done that all people should the better knowe howe his death was not vnfruitfull forasmuch as it doth indifferentlye profite al people so farfurth that euen by vs whom thei despise it sheweth his power and not by them only which sawe Christ in his manhode nor by such only as haue carnal allyaunce with him But rather this wise reason we the matter with our selfe yf Christe alone indifferently dyed for al than foloweth it that generally all such people were before thrall and subiecte to death as his pleasure was by his death to redeame from death And because he woulde haue all men indifferentlye bounde vnto hym therfore dyed he for all that suche as by hys benefite lyue beyng through hym newe borne agayn shoulde no longer lyue to themselfes but to hym whiche boeth dyed and rose agayne for them By this should men be estemed and not by carnall affinitie Yea and albeit we maye glory our selfes of the stocke of Iewes yet synce that tyme we professed Christes religion we knowe no man because he is one of our stocke but coumpte suche of our kynred as are by lyke fayth ioyned vnto vs. A vayne crake is it therfore whiche some make that they be Christes owne countrey men or els because they are his kynsmen and lyued familiarly with him his fleshe was geuen but for a season presently but now synce that his body is taken awaye and his holy spirite sent his wil and pleasure is to be knowen after the spirite and coumpteth hym nyghest of his kynne whiche hath in his promisses moste affiaunce Nor let any man for this cause lesse esteme vs which are later Apostles because we knew not Christe lyuing here in earth in his mortal body synce that yf we had so knoweÌ„ hym in dede now yet would we haue forgone that knowledge as which hyndred the spirite and woulde nowe synce that he is become spirituall loue hym spiritually Whoso therfore is through baptisme graffed into Christ let hym forsake his olde phantasies nor thinke thys man is a Iewe that man is a Grecian this a bonde man and that is a fre man but remembre rather howe that euery man which is borne agayne to be a newe man is of a carnall man becomen a spirituall Olde thinges are paste and gone and beholde through Christ al thinges are so dayâ—ly made new Away therfore with these wordes this is a GreciaÌ„ this is an aliaunt this is a Iewe this is a worshypper of idoles this is a spoyler of holy places The man hath forsaken
bounteouse goodnes or his long bearyng with the in deferryng thy punishement of the dispised as though he wer suche one as woulde either wynke at offences or fauored euyll dedes Nor vnderstandest thou that this goddes long sufferaunce shewed vpon the putteth not offenders in hope of escapyng punishment but fauorably leadeth the to penaunce amendment to the ende that vpon remembraunce of his great benefites towarde the thou shouldest at laste begyn for shame with thy selfe to be displeased The texte But thou after thy stubbernes and heart that can not repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrathe agaynst the daye of vengeaunce when shall be opened the righteouse iudgement of god whiche wyl rewarde euery manne accordyng to his dedes that is to saye prayse honoure and immortalitie to them whiche continewe in good doyng and seeke immortalitie But vnto them that are rebelles and that dothe not obeye the truth but folowe vnrighteousnes shall come indignation and wrath tribulation and anguyshe vpon the soule of euerie man that doth euell of the Iewe fyrst and also of the Gentile â—o euerie man that doeth good shall come prayse and honoure and peace to the Iew first and also to the Gentile For there is no respecte of personnes with god for whosoeuer hath synned wythout the lawe shall also peryshe without lawe And as many as haue synned in the lawe shall be iudged by the lawe For in the syght of god they are not righteouse whiche heare the lawe but the doers of the lawe shal be iustified For when the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe doe of nature the thynges contayned in the lawe then they hauyng not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselfes whiche shewe the dedes of the lawe wrytten in theyr heartes whyle theyr conscience beareth wytnes vnto them and also theyr thoughtes accusyng one another or excusyng at the daye when the Lorde shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christe accordyng to my gospell But thou thy selfe tournest the goodnes of god towardes the to the encreace of thy damnation For whyles thou through suche a stubberne mynde as canne by no meanes be mollified with repeÌ„taunce refusest and forsakest god prouokyng to yâ— amendment nothyng els therin doest thou but procure and laye vp the treasure of goddes wrathe agaynste the. And albeit the wrathe and vengeaunce of God be not nowe presentlye seene and perceyued yet shall it in tyme to come be founde doubtles in that fearefull daye when without al fauour synful people shall so muche more earnestly be punished by how muche more stubbernlye they refused goddes gentle callyng of them to amendement and when before all the worlde the exacte sentence of god shal be opened whiche shall neither erroniously nor parcially pronounce as men are wont to doe but as a most vprighte iudge and one that knoweth all thinge who shall as mennes desertes be gyue rewarde to some lyfe euerlastyng to them I saye whiche hauyng a confidence in the promyses of the ghospel continewe styll in godlye lyfe withoute desyre of transitorye thinges or the vayne pleasures of this present lyfe but are desirouse of lyfe euerlastyng in heauen for theyr shorte reproche here wyll he gyue glorie without ende for despite suffered honoure and for not regardyng theyr temporall lyfe immortalitie to other agayne whiche through frowarde rebellyon had rather obeye vnrighteousnes and falshed than the truthe rewarde shal be gyuen meete for suche desertes without doubt the indignation and wrath of god and therby tribulation and anguyshe of mynde whiche punishment shall indifferently be layed vpon all synfull offenders but specially vpon the Iewe and Gretian to the ende that such be fyrste punyshed to whome god fyrste offered his mercifull fauer on the other syde to euerie suche as throughe fayth hath lyued godlye shall prayse honour peace glorie equally be gyueÌ„ but to yâ— Iew first theÌ„ to yâ— Gretian after that to al other wylde and barbarouse nations For with god ther is of persons no suche respect as ther is among men syttyng in iudgement but he is one to all men and equally iuste Wherfore whosoeuer haue without the lawe synned shall also without the condemnacion of the lawe peryshe and suche shall by the lawe be iudged as receyuing the lawe haue agaynst the same transgressed For in the syght of god to be coumpted for righteouse it is not sufficient to haue ben onlye a hearer of the lawe whiche I saye because thou that art a Iewe shouldest not by so thynkyng deceyue thy self but suche as in workes and godly lyfe expresse and putte the lawe in vre suche I saye and none elles shall by the iudgement of God be taken for righteouse God is suche one as embraceth maketh of good workes albeit there be no law at al and muche more abhorreth suche as hauyng a lawe are not yet obedient therto howbeit in dede no manne is there that is vtterlye without a lawe For when the Gentyles beyng without Moses lawe euen by the course of nature do suche workes as are by the lawe commaunded notwithstandyng they be not put in remembraunce so to do by the rules of Moses lawe yet are they to them selfe in stede of a lawe as well appereth by that in theyr lyfe they expresse the very substaunce therof wryteÌ„ not in tables as the other was but in theyr heartes insomuche that whatsoeuer in the courte of iudgement amonge the Iewes is customablye wonte to be done the same is done in theyr heartes whyles thy conscience beareth wytnes either agaynste the or with the and thy alteryng thoughtes either accuse or excuse the. In tyme to come herafter by this lawe shall god iudge in whiche daye that shal be opened playnlye in the syghte of all men whiche is nowe in mennes heartes secretly wrought where he shal gyue sentence â–ª to whome nothing is vnknowen But yet this iudgement shall god execute by Christe his sonne for this presente tyme our Lorde and sauioure whiche shall than be the iudge of all the worlde And leste anye should thinke that this I nowe tel you is some fable or dreame assure your self that it is a parte of the ghospell whiche I preache vnto you The texte ¶ Beholde thou arte called a Iewe and trustest in the lawe and makest thy boaste of God and knowest his wyll and allowest the thynges that be excellente and arte infourmed by the lawe and beleuest that thou thy selfe arte a guyde of the blynde a lyght of them which are in darkenes an infourmer of them whiche lacke discrecion a teacher of the vnlearned whiche hast the ensample of knowledge and of the truthe by the lawe Thou therfore whiche teachest an other teachest not thy selfe Thou preachest a man shoulde not steale yet thou stealest Thou that sayest a man shoulde not commit aduoutrie breakest wedlocke Thou abhorest ymages and yet robbest god of his honour Thou that makest thy boste of the lawe through breakyng of the lawe dishonourest god For the name of god
god tourned to our weale and aduauntage The texte ¶ And the gyfte is not ouer one synne as death came through one sinne of one that synned For damnation came of one synne vnto condemnation but the gyfte came to iustifie from many synnes For yf by the synne of one death raigned by the meanes of one muche more they whiche receaue aboundaunce of grace of the gyft of righteousnes shall raigne in lyfe by the meanes of one that is to saye Iesus Christe Agayne thoughe throughe Adams onlye offence damnation entred and through innoceÌ„t Christe saluation yet is not one equal to another For in suche sorte had damnacion her begynnyng that the synne of one man issued into al his posteritie by meane wherof it might in continuauÌ„ce of tyme at the last haue made the whole world thrall to synne but yâ— benefite of god coÌ„trarywyse is in suche sorte gyuen yâ— the sinnes of al the world then gathered together and growen strong are at once by Christes death wyped awaye and not only so but also righteousnes is gyuen And therfore albeit the synne of onlye one man had suche a power that it brought all men vnder the tyranny of death so that all suche as had offended as Adam did could not be but vnder the same yoke that he was yet muche more receaue we through the bountifull and ouer flowyng mercy of god whiche is that all suche as folowyng the example of Christ liue iustlye innocently shall not only be free from the tyranny of synne and death but also through him whiche is the onely authour of our felicitie and welthe raigne themselfes in lyfe euerlastyng The texte ¶ Lykewyse then as by the synne of one there sprang vp euell on all men to condâ—Ì„nation euen so by the righteousnes of one spryngeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of lyfe For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteouse But the lawe in the meane tyme entred in that synne shoulde encrease Neuerthelater where abouÌ„daunce of sinne was there was more plenteousnes of grace That as synne had raygned vnto death eueÌ„ so myght grace raigne through righteousnes vnto eternall life by the helpe of Iesus Christe Herein therfore are bothe lyke that as by the offence of one man syn came into the worlde by meane wherof all became thrall vnto death so through yâ— ryghteousnes of one whiche is deriued into al suche as beleue and submyt themselfe vnto the kyngdom of lyfe are all men of god made righteouse and partakers of the kyngdom of life For as by AdaÌ„ through his disobedience to goddes commaundement many became synners whiles they folowed theyr fyrst fathers traÌ„sgression so shal only Christ which euen vnto the death of the crosse obeyed god his father make many righteouse all suche I saye as are folowers of his obedience But to returne agayne vnto our former purpose yf by suche meanes as we before spake of it pleased god both to take awaye synne also to geue righteousnes lyfe to what purpose was it to geue a law vnable to do any good Whervnto to answer it is to be vnderstanden that in this the lawe dyd good yâ— therby the great mercy of God toward vs became more euident better knoweÌ„ For the more great outragious the power of synne is the more notable is his benefite whiche deliuereth vs from synne Now is by the lawe the tyranny of synne set foorth whiles the same albeit in vaine resisteth it Strong and mightie was this tyranny but muche more mightie was the mercye of God wherof we haue by so muche more perfite experience the greater dauÌ„ger of the sayd tyraÌ„ny we haue hitherto been in And certainly for this also are we bounden to thanke the lawe because therby we perceiue the greatnes of Gods benefite by meane wherof as the deuil through synne winnyng the dominion destroyed mannes soule whiche is very death in dede so should godly life through Gods gifte obteinyng the kyngdome and vpper hande geue life vnto all men through the help of Iesus Christ vnder whom as our lorde and capitaine we reioyce beyng now deliuered from the boÌ„dage of death vnder whose baner we wer not long ago souldiars The .vi. Chapter The texte ¶ What shal we say then Shal we continue in synne that there may be aboundance of grace God forbid How shall we that are dead as touchyng synne liue any longer therin Knowe ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him We are buried then with him by baptisme for to dye that likewise as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by the glory of the father euen so we also should walke in a new life For if we be graft in death like vnto him euen so shal we be partakers of the resurreccion knowyng this that our olde man is crucified with him also that the body of synne might vtterly be destroyed that hensfoorth we should not be seruauntes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustified from synne BVt because we before sayd that through the lawe sinne encreased that of sinne this good came that the grace of God more encreased lest by so saying some take occasion to continue in synne and this wyse thynke with him selfe if synne auaunce and encrease Gods grace towardes maÌ„ well done wer it to synne more often that his fre gifte may more and more encrease Herevnto I answer that pitie were it that any man should so thinke When I so sayd I ment and spake of the synnes of our former life whiche God of his goodnes turned to our weale and profite But now after that we are ons brought froÌ„ the tyraÌ„ny of synne into the kyngdome of innocencie God forbid that we should againe departe from our redemer and fall againe headlong into our olde tyrannous subiection Lyfe and death are so quite contrarye one to another that eche one destroyeth the other nor can they after like consideracion stande together Therfore if that as soone as we begynne to liue to Christ warde we be dead towarde the deuil with what reason standeth it that we should still liue to him warde to whom we are already dead If we liue to Christ then liue we not to yâ— deuil And if we through sinne liue vnto the deuil then are we to Christwarde dead But nowe forasmuche as we liue to Christ it foloweth that we are dead to synne whiche he hath by his death vaÌ„quished For mete it is that ye should know since ye haue receiued the baptisme of Christ what the sayd baptisme in vs doth bothe worke and signifie What tyme we are in Christes name baptised we dye with him touchyng yâ— synnes of our former life which synnes are through his death abolished and not onely so but buried also are we with him that by the same baptisme that as he whiche neuer liued synfully diyng
yet for our synnes was raised vppe again to life euerlastyng not by any worldely power but by the mightie power of his father so should we beyng through him raised out of the death of synne becomen dead to our former life leadyng hereafter a newe life walke in the trade of godly conuersacion continually encreasyng vpwarde from better to better For seyng that we are through baptisme planted into Christes bodye and in maner altered into him mete is it that whatsoeuer we see done in him whiche is oure head the same be of vs whiche are his membres either in life expressed or els loked for in tyme to come Rysen is he againe ascended into heauen and setteth in glorye at the right hande of his father All whiche thynges alreadye done in Christ we maye oure selues finally trust to enioye if for this present tyme as muche as in vs lyeth we folowe the same and diligently put them in vre Therfore if we through baptisme dye vnto our former synnes and fleashely lustes therin as we may resemblyng Christes death euen as mete and conuenient is it that we hensfoorth forsakyng the filthynes of synne and diligently exercisyng our selues in godly workes expresse in our liuyng his holy resurreccion To folowe Christes death is neither to kyl our selfes nor yet to hurt oure bodyes but then as ye well knowe dye we with him if to oure old frowarde appetites we haue suche a dull desyre yâ— to them we seame as dead For accordyng to our double generacion we must in our selfes coÌ„ceiue two menne th one olde grosse and like vnto the yearthly Adam thother newe desyrous of heauenly thynges as whiche hath by Christ sent from heauen his beginnyng Our olde man therfore is as it wer destroyed what tyme it was with Christ fastened vpon the crosse whervpon also were extinguished all oure desyres of transitorye pleasures whose whole rable maye well be called the body of synne This bodye of synne is then in vs effectually and holsomely slaine when hurtefull desyres are in suche sorte destroyed in vs that we no more do seruice vnto synne He that after this sorte as I haue now expressed foloweth Christes death is euen become a righteous man and is no longer subiecte vnto synne from whose tyranny he is already deliuered The texte Wherfore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we also shall liue with him knowyng that Christ beyng raised from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer him For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once And as touchyng that he lyueth he liueth vnto God Lykewyse coÌ„sider ye also that ye are dead as touchyng synne but are aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our lorde Let not synne raigne therfore in your mortal bodye that ye should thervnto obeye by the lustes of it Therfore if as we haue now oftentymes sayd we be to Christ dead so deliuered froÌ„ our former synnes our trust is hereafter through innocent holy life to liue with him so to liue with him that we shall neuer dye more in this also as farre as possible is resemblyng Christ who submitted not him selfe in suche sorte to death that in him death should haue any power after but rose againe to liue euerlastyngly For as touchyng that he dyed vnto synne he dyed but once but touchyng that he nowe liueth he liueth to God his father by whose might he was from death raised to life euerlastyng And as it was in Christ so thynke your selfes once dead to synne by that your olde vâ—cious desyres are destroyed and by that ye are nowe becomen newe men as thoughe ye were raised againe from death to liue a heauenly and an immortall life to Godwarde by whose benefite we are nowe made innocent and holy For if ye this do not ye liue not to Godwarde because that to God noman lyueth but suche as liue godly righteously and in other vertues For synce that we are planted into Christes body and becomen one with him mete is it that we as membres be like vnto our head whiche is Christ And synce that he nowe lyueth to Godwarde for euermore reason it is that we likewyse liue vnto him through the same Iesus Christ our Lorde And as he beyng once raised froÌ„ death suffereth nomore the tyraÌ„ny of death so must ye take hede lest synne beyng nowe once banished out of your soules recouer in you againe the tyranny whiche it hath loste and so renewe his olde title of death As it surely wyll if ye folowe suche beastly desyres with whiche the deuil is wont to allure and bryng vs into our olde bondage The texte Neither geue ye your membres as instrumentes of vnrighteousnes vnto synne but geue ouer your selues vnto God as they that of dead are aliue And geue ouer your membres as instrumentes of righteousnes vnto God For sinne shal not haue power ouer you because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And see that your membres beyng nowe consecrate vnto Christ do hencefoorth nomore seruice at the deuils mocion whom Christ hath subdued and so to worke vnrighteousnes but rather hereafter so vse your selues that by all your life it may appeare that ye with Christ haue forsaken all deadly synne and workes of death and to be altered into a new life And so shal ye in dede do if hencefoorth all your membres that is to say all the powers of your bodyes and soules be applyed not to vice in the deuils seruice but to righteousnes in the seruice of God For reason requireth that we wholly belong to him to whoÌ„ we haue once bouÌ„de our selues and with him to haue nothyng to do from whom we are now departed and whose yoke we haue once shaken of Nor is it to be feared leste synne wyll we or nil we bryng vs backe againe into our olde bondage because ye are nowe no longer vnder the lawe whiche rather prouoked wylfull desyres then suppressed but vnder Goddes grace whiche as it was able to deliuer vs from the bondage of synne so is it able to kepe and preserue vs that we nomore falle thervnto The texte What then shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid And yet nowe God forbid that in the meane season any manne should this wyse take my wordes when I sayd ye were free from the lawe either to thynke that forasmuche as the lawe is abolished ye may do as ye liste or that Goddes free goodnes whiche hath pardoned all our olde offences hath also therwith frely geuen vs libertie to do euil But rather so muche the more ought we to abstaine from synne because we are now nomore like slaues coÌ„pelled to do wel as by a law but are as childreÌ„ are wont to be with desertes loue prouoked therto So that your bondage is chaunged and not vtterly taken away In suche sorte haue ye geuen ouer the seruice of the lawe that ye nowe
are become Christes seruauntes whose seruice is all weale and blisse The texte Knowe ye not howe that to whom soeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Ye knowe both kyndes of seruice Now is it partly in your powers to chose whiche ye wyll for both together ye can not The tyme was when thou stodest in a fredome to kepe thy selfe out of bondage but synce thou hast freely made thy selfe another mannes and hast begunne to be obedient vnto him the same must thou onely obey whose seruaunt thou art become They therfore whiche geue them selues vnto synne and to synne become bondeslaues the fruite of that theyr bondage is death On the othersyde suche as to Christ haue dedicated and geuen them selues him must they obeye whiche they shal do to their owne great cōmoditie For by that theyr obedience nothyng shall Christ wynne but therby get they them slues righteousnes that is to wete the wel agreyng and pleasant company of all vertues knitte together The texte God be thanked that though ye wer the seruauntes of synne ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto the rule of the doctrine that ye be brought vnto Ye are then made free from synne and are becomen the seruauntes of righteousnes I speake grosly because of the infirmitie of your fleshe Glad am I for your sakes and for this geue thankes vnto God that wheras heretofore ye were in this moste miserable bondage wholly geuen to idolatrie and filthy lustes ye are nowe departed from the tyranny of the deuil frely and gladly submittyng your selues to Christes kyngdome and gouernaunce purposyng hencefoorth to liue not as ye are either by wylful desyres or by the law moued but after the new rule of the gospel whervnto ye are brought from your olde errours so brought that ye are become vnder another lawe enfraunchised out of the dominion of synne and thence conueied to serue righteousnes and to do her behestes Nor thynke it harde and paynefull because ye are commaunded to serue righteousnes For as synne and godly life farre differ one from another so are theyr fruites quite cōtrary and the fruites of godly life infinitely more excellente so that if we weighe and consider but euen the thyng selfe muche more cause is there why men shuld more diligently serue God then the deuil For whoso serueth synne serueth the deuil but he that serueth innocencie serueth God But yet wyll not I for a whyle so muche require of you as I might lawfully do but rather temper and measure my writyng to y◠weakenes of them in whom the spirite of God is not yet fully ripe but are rather suche in whō yet the olde naughtie desyres labour to growe vp againe This onely require I that righteousnes be now with you in like condicion as synne before was The texte As ye haue geuen your membres seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie from one iniquitie to another euen so now geue ouer your mēbres seruaūtes vnto righteousnes that ye may be sanctified For when ye were seruauntes of sinne ye were voyde of righteousnes And that as before this tyme you gaue your membres to serue vnclennes and iniquitie so that as blynd desyres led you ye fel frō one iniquitie to another euery day more filthy than other euen so now see that ye likewyse geue your membres to obey righteousnes whose seruauntes ye haue frely made your selfes therin styl encreasyng frō vertue to vertue euery day more pure and holy then other For it is to muche against al reason but that Christ should at lestwyse haue somuche seruice of you as the deuil had before this and as vnreasonable is it but that ye should now begynne to do as good seruice vnder your lady and maistres righteousnes as ye before in another sorte did vnto the tyranny of synne As touchyng your former synful life for your excuse after a sorte some thing may be sayd whiche is that as long as ye were heathens because ye wer bonde seruauntes to synne ye might seme with righteousnes to haue no thing to do nor to be any thyng bounde vnto her as to whom ye had not yet bounde and yelded your selues But now haue ye nothyng to lay for your defence But yet and if the excellent nature of righteousnes selfe moue you not consider and weigh yet the diuerse fruites and profite of bothe seruices you I speake vnto whiche haue of bothe seruices had experience The texte What fruite had ye then in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But now are ye deliuered from sinne and made the seruaūtes of God and haue your fruit to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng life For the rewarde of synne is death but eternall life is the gifte of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Cal to your remembraunce what tyme ye were seruauntes vnto sinne and as vile bonde slaues folowed wanton desyres what rewarde I pray you had ye at the laste Euen the synnes selfe haue theyr punishement ioyned vnto them because the same foorthwith all to defile and corrupt the whole man so vilanously and reprochefully defacyng him that since the tyme ye are amēded and as men awaked out of the dronkenes of syn ye are ashamed of your selfes so that your mindes abhorre to thinke vpō your olde noughtie pleasures And though this wages as ye see be not to be desyred yet besyde the last stipend hyre whiche the deuil payeth to suche as do him seruice is death euerlastyng Howbeit in very dede the life whiche in the meane leason is after this sorte ledde is a most shameful death in dede and not a life Nowe consider what a happye chaunge ye haue made whiche beyng deliuered from the tyranny of the deuil are now becomen the seruaūtes of God By this ye see I am sure how vnlike the maisters are But yf this content you not but that ye loke for a rewarde also fyrste of all wheras ye lyued before fylthy and wycked ye now lyue innocent pure and holy whiche only is the verye lyfe and besyde this after that this shorte tyme of your seruice is finished ye shall receyue your laste wages I saye lyfe euerlastyng Cōpare me nowe god with the deuil with vncleannes holynes with euerlastyng death lyfe euerlastyng Euen as I nowe tolde you so it is the rewarde of the deuyll is death whiche he geueth vnto menne for his fylthy and miserable seruice But contrarie for suche as accordyng to theyr abilities serue god is layde vp lyfe immortall not as hyre wages due for the same but as a free gyfte to be gyuen of God the moste mercifull father not for Moses but for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde whome the father would haue thanked for all his gyftes geuen vnto vs rather then any lawe or circumcision The .vii. Chapiter The texte
cleansed from theyr olde vices and beastelye lustes from pryde throughe ryches and worldlye learnyng and from other diseases by meanes whereof among men debate and dissencion oftetymes arise farre otherwyse than they shoulde whome one God one delyuerer Christ one baptisme one religion one rewarde doeth so dyuersly ioyne and knyt together Once hath Christe frelye taken from you the sinnes of your former lyfe to the entente that hencefoorth by vertuouse exercyse ye shoulde preserue and kepe the godlye state by hym restored vnto you For neyther gote ye it throughe youre owne desertes nor are ye for thesame bounden to thanke youre ryches or Philosophie or the keapyng of Moses lawe eyther but Iesus Christe whiche bothe purged you fyrste with his bloude and after called you to a continuall perfeccion and holynes of lyfe Nor belongen these my woordes onelye to you but generally to all nacions of the worlde that professe the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe whether they bee among the Iewes or among the Gentyles so that they putte no vayne truste in theyr great ryches and possessions but wholy leane and haue a confidence vpon his helpe and succoure There is of all but one churche and christian congregacion all are equallye bounde to Christe onelye bothe for theyr delyueraunce from the moste vilanouse bondage of synne and also for theyr callyng chusyng oute to godlynes of lyfe There is neither place nor countreye that seuereth the ghospell but as all menne haue one Christe so are all his gyftes free to all menne His common grace and peace therfore wyshe I vnto you and to them also whiche bothe no manne els canne geue but he that geueth you all thinges I meane god the father of whome as of the very fountayne all oure weale commeth and oure Lorde Iesus Christe by whome onely his fathers pleasure was to geue you all thynges Grace obtayned shall saue and kepe you vnharmefull and innocente and with an vnharmefull lyfe is ioyned peace and concorde Grace excludeth synne and bryngeth vs into goddes fauoure peace reconcyleth eche one of you to another By the one ye in suche sorte receyue goddes benefite that ye forget not the chief gyuer by the other a declaracion is made that ye are not onelye by name christiannes but also very christiannes in deede By grace partakers are ye of goodes heauenly benefit by peace and concorde according to your abilitie ye bestowe your heauenly gyftes eche one of you vpon another Some thing is there in you by goddes free gyfte for the whiche I am glad in your behalfe and gyue god thankes And some thing againe I mislyke and would wyshe were amended Some are there among you that lyue a christian lyfe and some there bee in whome yet the dregges and fylthynes of theyr olde synfull lyfe remayne styll For as I coumpte youre weale myne owne so yf ought among you bee amisse I thynke my parte therein And therefore on youre behalfe I thanke my God alwayes by whose grace and goodnes Christes free gyfte is in suche plentifull sorte departed among you that whereas heretofore ye buisylye soughte for earthly frayle and transitory riches ye are nowe throughe Christes benefite enriched with heauenlye treasures and suche ryches as shall neuer peryshe but bryng vs vnto the true and perfite weale In token whereof no kynde of language or gyfte of knowledge is there whiche ye haue not obtayned aboundauntly Of late proude were ye of youre vayne Philosophie but synce in the steede of a false ye embraced the true wysedome ye vse your selues discretelye Of late proude were ye by reason of your worldly eloquence highlye standyng in your owne conceytes but synce ye were from aboue inspired with the gifte of tongues ye speake of heauenly matters stedfastlye continuyng in that which ye knowe is beste by meane whereof both the trueth of the ghospel and the faith of Christ is in greatter renoume more strēgthned whiles al mē clearely see perceiue that the fact which is wrought in you was not wrought in you by any worldely policie but by the myght of God which geuing his gyftes vnto vs brought our preaching in credite Insomuche that albeit ye neyther sawe Peter nor Iames whom some coumpt either the only or chiefe Apostles yet no gifte is there wherwith God is wonte to auaunce the ministerie of his Apostles wherin ye ought to thinke your selfes behynde other so farre that euery manne maye well perceyue that notwithstanding the ministers be diuerse yet is the chiefe doer one synce one effecte doeth alwaye folowe And as these giftes are geuen vnto you lyke earnest money or as a pledge of the euerlasting life to come so ye by suche playne and sensible tokens concernyng an hope of thinges that cannot be seen awayte for that daye wherin Christe which nowe yet semeth in his membres to suffre affliccion shall playnly shewe his maiestie and deuyde the godly from the vngodly and deliuer his seruauntes from all trouble and vexacion for desyre of which day ye suffre displeasures and for feare of the same ye doe your dewtie Menne maye peraduenture vnrighteously condemne or quyte but in that day shal God without any wrong at all apoynte you eyther to euerlastyng paynes or euerlasting pleasures But yet distrust ye nothing he for this presente time is your ayder and defender which in that day shal be your iudge Of his goodnesse it is that ye are restored from your olde errours to godly life and as ye haue begūne to leade a godly life and a pure so shal ye likewyse through his goodnesse continew in suche a vertuouse conuersacion that in the fearefull daye of our Lorde Iesus ye be founde blamelesse As my trust is ye shall not by your strength or myne but by the goodnesse of God whiche disapoynteth no man of the hope he standeth in and surely perfourmeth asmuche as he promised The texte ¶ God is faythfull by whom ye are called vnto the felowshippe of his soune Iesus Christe our Lorde I beseche you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe that ye all speake one thyng and that there be no dissencion among you but that ye may be a whole body of one mynde and of one meanyng For it is shewed vnto me my brethren of you by them whiche are of the house of Chloe that there is strife among you I speake of the same that euery one of you sayeth I holde of Paul I holde of Apollo I holde of Cephas I holde of Christe Is Christe deuided Was Paul crucified for you eyther were ye baptized in the name of Paul I thanke God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius leste any should saye that I had baptised in myne owne name I baptized also the house of Stephana Furthermore knowe I not whether I baptized any man of you or no. For Christe sente me not to baptize but to preache the ghospell not with wysedome of woordes leste the crosse of Christe
other that it should haue another kynde of teachyng Worldly wysedome is taught after a worldly fashion but heauenly and spirituall thinges must be taught after a newe sorte and yet not to euery man indiffereÌ„tly but to suche onely as haue receiued the spirite of Christ and are by reason that they are spirituall themselues able to receyue spirituall learnyng It besemeth surely that spirituall learnyng should haue a spirituall hearer which hath bothe his vnderstandyng cleansed by faythe and wylfull desyres corrected by charitie For the grosse and naturall man whiche is proude and arrogant vpon the knowledge of thinges that maye be seene and is ruled by beastly lustes regardeth not suche thynges as apperteyne to the spirite of god but coumpteth for folyshnes and laugheth to skorne whatsoeuer soundeth contrary to that he thynketh Nor beleueth any thyng but that he hath eyther proued by experyence or concluded by natural reason and is without regarde of this learnyng and Phylosophie whiche teacheth that Christe was borne of a virgyn and that he was bothe very god and very man that by dying he ouercame death and after rose agayne to lyfe and wyll perfourme in his membres suche thynges as are already doen in hymselfe that tribulacions are the waye to true blysse and that by death a man shall come to euerlastyng lyfe Suche articles cannot by mannes reason be perceyued but by the inspiracion of the holy ghost To learne this thou nedeste no wylye and craftie wytte but rather haste nede of a simple and a pure fayth Suche an instrument is mete for the holye gooste to worke with as wholy geueth vp it selfe to be framed and wrought vpon by hym But the spirituall manne discusseth and iudgeth all thinge not passing vpon temporall matiers but studiouse of heauenly thinges and yet is he not iudged of any carnall man which hath no skyll vpon this heauenly and secrete wisdome Euen as a man iudgeth not goddes matiers so the carnal man iudgeth not the spirituall As for such poyntes as are by our preachyng taught are no mens inuencions nor phantasies but came furth out of the secrete counsell of god For as the prophete Esai sayde what man is there on liue which of hymself knoweth the mynde of god immortall that he can to him be as it wer one of his priuie counsel It pleased goddes prouidence to deliuer his out of thraldome after such straunge meanes to deceiue therby all mannes vayne curiositie But we knowe goddes wyl and mynde because we haue receaued his spirite The .iii. Chapiter The texte â–ª And I coulde not speake vnto you brethren as vnto spiritual but as vnto carnal euen as vnto babes in Christ I gaue you milke to drinke not meate For ye then wer not stroÌ„g nether are ye as yet For ye are yet carnal As long verely as there is amoÌ„g you enuying stryfe and sectes are ye not carnall and walke after the maner of men For whyle one sayeth I hold of Paule and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal What is paul What thinge is Apollo Onely ministers are they by whome ye beleued euen as the Lorde gaue euery man grace I haue planted Apollo watred but God gaue the encreace So then nether is he that planteth eny thynge nether he that watreth but God that geueth the encreace He that planteth and he that watreth are one Euery man yet shall receaue hys rewarde accordynge to hys laboure Fore we are Goddes labourers ye are Goddes husbandrye ye are Goddes buylding Accordyng to the grace of God geuen vnto me as a wyse buylder haue I layde the foundacion And another buylt theron But let euery man take hede howe he buyldeth vpon For another foundacyon can no man laye then it that is layde which is Iesus Chryst THere are in this learning certayne poyntes mete for begynners certayne mete for them that are wel entred and goyng forwarde and certayne mete for suche as are verie perfite of whiche euerye sorte must be taught accordyng to their capacities Therfore wheÌ„ I fyrst came vnto you I coulde not teache you the deapest poyntes of our religioÌ„ as suche should be taught as are perfitely spiritual but submitted my preachyng to your weakenes amoÌ„g yâ— rude vsyng rudnes among yâ— grosse speaking grossely lisping stameryng with you as wemen doe with theyr chyldren For fayth also hath her encreasinges When I sawe you therfore in Christes learnyng but euen younglynges I fed you as it were with the mylke of grosse learnyng and not with the substancial foode of perfite doctrine not because I was not able to teach you greater poyntes but because ye by reason of carnall affections blyndnes of your former lyfe â—er not able to vnderstand higher learnynge as diuerse among you are not able yet For sum there be among you which albeit through baptisme are become Christes seruauntes haue not yet shaken of al fleshly affeccions Such as are in this case are surely carnal not spiritual What nede I many wordes or why should I feare to speake that of you yâ— the dede selfe speaketh The matier is knowen by your dedes For synce the spirite of Christ bredeth vnitie concorde on the contrarie syde enuy contentions debates ryse of nothing elles but of worldly desyers synce suche thynges are sene among you maye not a man saye to your reproche that ye are entangled with mannes grosse affections Yf ye denye it whence come these wordes that are talked among you sounding to debate and strife but of a corrupte mynde for wheras there is but one chiefe doer and ruler ouer all the world yet among you one sayeth I am of Paules secte another sayeth I am of Apollos secte after which sorte or lyke sorte of titles yâ— studentes in philosophie striue one with another whyles one sayeth I am Aristotles scholer another sayeth I am a Platoniste I am a Stoike I am an Epicure Whiche thinge yet I saye not because any suche strife and sectes are either in my name or in Apollos rysen but because I thought it good to put example in our persons to make you more plainly perceyue the haynousnes of this your offence For yf it be an vnseamly thing to giue vs which are the true apostles of god and suche as haue taught you nothing but that we receyued by the spirite of Christe suche glory and prayse as is onelye due to hym who can beare with you when ye chalenge to be of mennes sectes not moche passing what they bee parauenture false apostles and gyue ouer the gloriouse and myghtye woorke of youre saluacion and profession to vile persons whiche shoulde only be gyuen vnto Christ As yf one named Frangilius or Benotius or Angulius or Carmilius or sum other of any other name for these put I but for an example haue deuised sum worldlye order or rule of lyfe wyll ye straight vpon pride of theyr names be at shamfull variaunce among your selues and by extinguyshing Christes name
haste a mynde desirouse to reuenge But nowe truely so farre are ye from being lyke to mylde christian men without reuenging to suffre losse or iniurye that euen wilfully ye dooe wrong to other maliciouslye deceaue and oppresse other not onely vnbeleiuers but also such as are by religion your brothers Sauer not suche doinges of the leauen of your olde life Square not suche pointes far both from your learnyng and your profession Whosoeuer professeth Christe professeth Innocencie and to such a lyfe is promised the kyngdome of heauen For neyther is it sufficient to bee dipped in water nor yet to bee graffed into Christe onlesse all youre life bee agreable to Christes doctryne And for none other purpose are ye taken out of this world and planted into the body of Christ but to the ende ye should hencefurthe in godlye lyfe bee lyke vnto Christe youre heade Knowe ye not this that vnrighteousse liuers bee they baptised neuer so muche shall bee excluded from the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen And leste anye manne deceaue hymselfe I tell you agayne and agayne and geue you warnyng that neyther fornicatours nor idolators nor aduouterers nor weakelinges whiche growyng out of mannes kynde lyue after an horrible kynde of bodily luste nor suche as in steade of women abuse men nor theues nor couetous men nor dronkardes neither cursed speakers nor violente pillers of other mennes goodes shal be partakers of the kyngdome of God Nothyng shall your newe name or title auayle you if your life be with your olde vices defiled yea to such is Christe rather an occasion of more grieuous and painfull damnacion The texte And suche were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not profitable I maye doe al thynges but I wyll be brought vnder no mannes power Meates are ordeined for the bellye and the belly for meates but God shall destroye both it and them Let not the bodye be applyed vnto fornicacion but vnto the Lord and the Lorde vnto the bodye God hathe raysed vp the Lorde and shall rayse vs vp by hys power Suche as I haue nowe rehersed were some of you before that ye were throughe Christ borne agayne I laye not to your charge that which ye were beefore so that ye fall nomore thereto Washed are ye and deliuered from youre olde synnes and that by Goddes free gyfte beeware that ye bee nomore defiled wyth thē By this washyng hath God not only by his bloud restored you to innocente and hurtlesse lyfe but geuen you also holinesse and righteousnes and that not by the power of the law nor for youre desertes but by Iesus Christe in whose name ye were baptised and by the spirite of oure god by whose secrete inspiraciō the sacramētes of Christes churche been effectual So much more then should euery of you endeuour lest ye through youre owne folye lose this benefite frelye geuen vnto you in so doyng neyther thankfull to the geuer nor yet frendelye nor louyng to your selfe In suche thynges as appertayne to naturall necessities I maye dooe all thynges For no man forbyddeth me to vse lyke authoritie as other apostles vse But it is not paraduenture for you alwayes profitable for me to vse my ryght Suche as are fedde and liue wyth youre meate suche as pyll and polle you beeyng euen as they were bondslaues bought wyth your moneye dare not freely warne you of youre faultes leste ye vpon dyspleasure conceaued there wyth bestowe your liberalitie otherwyse I myght also for my labours take rewarde namely since I tooke more paynes than anye other I wanted not authoritie this to dooe but I woulde not dooe that thyng whereby I myghte bee brought vnder any mānes power and subieccion and seame bounde to any of you to thyntente it myghte more clearely appeare bothe that yf I teache anye thyng that I therein seeke your weale and profite and not myne owne and that also yf I dydde with woordes anye thynge chastice you that ye shoulde pacientely heare me For it is a thyng commenlye seene that suche a mannes free speache offendeth not whiche is nothyng bounde to hym whome he reproueth Elles litell mattier maketh it whose meate a manne eate synce menne muste needes haue meate And synce meates are ordayned for the bealye and likewyse bealyes for meates lette euery manne for this tyme satisfye the presente necessitye and neede For wythin a shorte tyme wyll God destroye bothe bealye and meate whiche is that neyther oure bealyes shall wyth houngre trouble vs nor of meates shall there bee anye vse But as we whiche haue professed Christe muste obeye and serue naturall lackes euen as the heathen and vnchristened dooe so shoulde there yet betwene vs in vyce bee none agremente Of meates I forbydde none lette euerye manne eare what he wyll but filthye bodily luste I forbydde Nor is it lyke that as the bealye is appoynted for meate soe the bodye is prepared for carnall pleasure but rather oure bodye is consecrate vnto the Lorde Iesu and he agayne coupled vnto vs. For so hath it pleased hym that by vs as members and hym as heade hys spirituall and misticall bodye shoulde bee made and kyntte together This knotte holdeth not for a litell season Deathe in deede taketh awaye all necessitie of meates but it breaketh not the knotte wherewyth we are ioyned to Christe For as Godde the father raysed the Lorde Iesus oure heade from deathe so wyll he likewyse rayse vppe agayne vs his membres wyth hym with him rewarde vs with life euerlasting For hable is he of power this to dooe albeit some of you thynke the same vnlykelye As therefore oure soule shall not of that immortall lyfe bee partaker onlesse the same for this presente tyme throughe godlye and continuall meditacions haue hadde thesame lyfe in delygente remembraunce so the bodye raysed agayne shall of that glorye haue no parte onlesse thesame for this presente tyme haue beene free from the contagion of synne What a foule syght is it yf the members seame vnlyke the heade whiche is in euery pointe pure and cleane The texte Eyther konwe ye not that your bodyes are the membres of Christe shall I nowe take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlot is become one body For two saieth he shal bee one flesh But he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite Remembre ye not how that as I before tolde you your bodyes are the members of Christe What then Sal I nowe become so mad notwithstandyng I know this much with the great reproche of the head to take away the membre of Christe and make thereof the membre of an harlote God forbidde And yet what elles dooth he whiche is conuersaunte with an harlote Knowe ye
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
nothyng no not with ieopardye of oure lyfe to preache the trueth of the gospell vndoubtedly assuryng our selues that he whiche raysed the lorde Iesus from death wyll throughe hym rayse vs agayne dying for his sake and bryng vs all together to the generall glorie of resurreccion as we are here in lyke fayth knytte together But whether in the meane season we be troubled or deliuered from trouble all is done for your sakes that the trueth of the gospel maye be more spread abrode among you that the more amende theyr lyfe so manye more geue thankes not to vs but to god to whose glorie it appertayneth that his faithe which he would haue cōmen to all men be moste plentifully enlarged In hope and sure cōfidence that it will so be no troubles werye vs but through them we rather ware stronger knowing wel that albeit oure vtwarde body be by litle and litle worne awaye yet our inwarde and better parte in the dayely and continuall decaye of the body becometh more quicke and sustie as it were with miseries growyng yong agayne and beginnyng to taste of before the lyfe euerlastyng to come For albeit the bodely affliction whiche we for the gospelles sake abyde be lyght and transitory yet lyght as it is it prepareth in vs no small but an exceadyng and an vnspeakable weight of glory whyles both for suche transitory tormentes suffered for Christes sake we are made worthy of blysse euerlastyng and for temporall deathe sustayned for hym we receaue the rewarde of euerlastyng lyfe in hope wherof we lytle esteme oure bodyly lyfe not somuche passing vpon suche thynges as are seene with owre bodylye eyes as vpon suche as are not seene but only with the eyes of faythe For suche thinges as are sene here in this world beside that they are thinges neither throughly good nor throughly bad of whiche sorte are lucre honoure pleasure lyfe losse of godes reproche tormentes and deathe are also not continuallye abydyng whereas suche thinges as are sene with the eyes of faythe are bothe trewe ryches and suche as wyll endure for euer The .v. Chapiter The texte For we knowe that yf oute earthly mansyon of thys dwellyng were destroyed we haue a byldyng of God an habitacyon not made with handes but eternall in heauen For therfore sygh we desyryng to bee clothed with oure mansyon whiche is from heauen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked For we that are in thys tabernacie sygh and are greued because we would not be vnclothed but would be clothed vpon that mortalitie myght be swalowed vp of lyfe He that hath ordeyned vs for thys thynge is God whiche very same hathe geuen vnto vs the erneste of the spirite ANd vpon thys sure truste certaynly lytle regarde we euen oure lyfe knowinge well that yf it chaunce our soules in this worlde to be chaced out of the mansion of oure bodye whiche I myght more properly call a tent than a mansion being suche as a manne maye not long tary in though nomanne dryue hym thence that we haue prepared for vs another howse in heauen from whence we shall neuer be excluded As for this howse of oures because it is made of claye and buylded by manne whether we wyll or not decayeth dayly albeit no man pull it downe euen as we see other buyldynges in continuaunce of tyme to be destroyed Mennes workmanshyp can not be of longe continuaunce but that whiche is repayred by god and once becomen heauenly is out of all suche ieoperdies as chaunce by reason of tyme. And so lytle feare we to departe out of this wretched body that vntyl that be we sygh here desyring to be discharged of the burdayne of our mortal carkas wherewith our soule is here in earth much burdeyned and kept downe desyrouse to flye hence to another place and to be clothed with the mansion of a gloryfied body which shall from heauen be gyuen vnto vs so that when we bee vnclothed of this bodye we bee not founde vtterlye naked but through a confidence of our good lyfe clothed with the hope of lyfe immortall For we grone in thys meane season for the heuynes of oure bodye thrall and subiecte to so manye miseries not because it is a thyng of it selfe to bee desyred of any man to departe hence but because we desyre to haue this bodye restored into a better fourme and for mortalitie by rysyng againe to receaue immortalitie so that we seme not vtterly spoyled of the bodye whiche we for a tyme forsoke but better clothed with the same as who for a corruptible bodye shall receaue an incorruptible And albeit this seme neuer so vnlikely that there shall for a mortall body ryse an immortall fre from all miseries yet muste we not mistruste the sonne It is god whiche hathe prepared vs to receaue the glory of lyfe immortall who hathe also in the meane season gyuen vs as a pledge or an earneste peny his holy spirite to confirme and establyshe vs with his present inspiracion in hope of that whiche is to come The texte Therfore we are alwaye of good cheare and knowe that as longe as we are at home in the body we are absent from God For we walke in fayth not after the outwarde appearaunce Neuerthelesse we are of good comforte and had leuer to be absent from the body and to be present with God Wherfore whether we be at home or from home we endeuour our selues to please hym For we must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue the workes of his body accordyng to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Seyng then that we knowe how the Lorde is to be feared we fate fayre with men For we are knowen wel inough vnto god I trust also that we are knowen in your consciences For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you but geue you an occasyon to reioyce of vs that ye maye haue somewhat agaynst them which reioyce in the face and not in the hearte For yf we bee to feruente to God are we to feruent Or yf we kepe measure for your cause kepe we measure For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs because we thus iudge that yf one dyed for al then were all dead he dyed for al ▪ that they which lyue should not hence furth lyue vnto themselues but vnto him which dyed for them and rose agayne Wherfore henceforth knowe we no man after the fleshe In somuche though we haue knowen Christ after the flesh now yet hence forth know we him so nomore Therfore yf any man be in Christ he is a newe creature Olde thynges are passed away behold all thynges are become newe Neuertheles all thinges are of God whiche hathe reconcyled vs vnto hymself by Iesus Chryst and hathe geuen to vs the office to preache the attonement For God was in Chryste and made agrement betwene the worlde and hym selfe and imputed not theyr synnes vnto them hath commytted to
persecuted the congregacion of god and spoyled it and preuayled in the Iewes waye aboute many of my companions in myne owne nacion beyng a very seruent mainteiner of the tradicions of the elders Of this my tale I thynke you not ignoraunt who of lykelyhod by report knowe after what sorte I vsed my selfe vnder the Iewes lawe for loue borne therto so greatly abhorryng the gospell of Christ whose secret knowledge I had not yet receyued that by all the meanes I could I persecuted the new congregacion which at that tyme by the spirite of god began to be gathered to the doctrine of the gospell and with the moste tyrānie I could destroyed them thinking in the meane season that I dyd a noble acte suche an acte as hyghlye pleased god whyles in dede lyke a foole ignorauntly I fought agaynst god And surely the matier went well forwarde for in my Iewyshe profession whome onely at that tyme I thought good and godly among my companions I got the prayse that I passed well nyghe all that werre of my companions for that rekened more holy and religiouse because I more styfly cleaued vnto my forefathers lawes in so doyng being deceaued for lacke of ryght iudgemēt and knowledge and not for lacke of a good intēt purpose for a zeale borne to the law resisting the maker therof Which blyndnes it pleased god by his secrete counsel to suffer for a tyme to th entent that I beyng sodenly chaunged from so great a bolsterer of the lawe into a preacher of the gospel myght by myne example drawe and prouoke many to Christe The texte But when it pleased god which seperated me from my mothers wombe and called me hereunto by his grace for to declare his sōne by me that I should preache hym amōg the Heathen immediatly I communed not of the matier with fleshe and bloud neither returned I to Ierusalem to them whiche were apostles before me but went my wayes into Arabia and came agayne vnto Damasco Wherfore as sone as it pleased God whiche long before that euen frō my mothers wombe had purposed and chosen me out for his busines vpō me to declare and notifie his pleasure and whereas I no suche thyng deserued of his owne free goodnes to call me to this office that by me as by an instrument the glorie of his sōne Iesus myght be knowen whome as yet but verie fewe of the Iewes knewe and of the Gentiles almoste none among whō specially he would haue me to be preacher what thinke ye dyd I Dyd I styll cleaue vnto my forefathers lawes was I slacke to set vpon the busynes wherwith I was put in trust mistrusted I y◠worde of God compared I my gospell with anye of the Apostles that were my countreymen or went I to any man to aske his aduise went I to Hierusalem to haue my gospell stablyshed by theyr authoritie who because before me they were called to the dignitie of apostleship are highly estemed No I dyd not so Nor thought I it conuenient that it shoulde by mannes authoritie be confirmed whiche was by Christes commaundement immediatly commuted vnto me But furthwith as soone as I perceyued myne errour and had receyued from heauen this commission without any delaye went I into Arabia where I nothyng doubted to preache Christes name beyng as yet to the wylde and harbarouse people either vnknowen or hated with no lesse zeale preachyng then he grace of the gospel than I exste preached Moses lawe And from Arabia retourned I to Damasco where streyght frō my baptisme I had begun to professe Christes name The texte Then after thre yeares I retourned to Ierusalem to se Peter and abode with hym xv dayes Other of the Apostles saw I none saue Iames the Lordes brother The thinges therfore whiche I wryte to you beholde before god I lye not Thence after a thre yeares space came I to Hierusalem rather to see Peter than any thyng to compare with hym And with him abode I nomore but. xv dayes though he among the Apostles semed chiefe As for other of the Apostles laboured I to see none sauing Iames whose surname is Iustus who was for perfit holynes of lyfe called the Lordes brother he therfore became fyrste Byshoppe at Hierusalem So ferre as ye see was I from mistrustyng my gospell and sekyng for any mannes ayde and assistence Nowe that I in all these thynges saye trewe witnes is god hymselfe at whose commaundemente I haue taken vpon me to preache the gospell The texte ¶ After that came I vnto the coastes of Siria and Cicilia was vnknowen as touchyng my person vnto the congregacions of Iewrye whiche were in Christe But this they hearde only that he whiche persecured vs in tyme paste nowe preacheth the fayth whiche he before destroyed And they glorified god in me These thynges done I went into the countreyes of Syria Cilicia in euery place there preachyng the name of Christe For euen in these countreyes a certayne noumber of Iewes began to fauer Christes doctrine but to them yet was I by syghte vnknowen notwithstandyng I was a Iewe borne onelye this they knewe by reporte that I was he whiche by goddes wyll of a persecutor of the christian fayth was sodenly become a preacher of the same fayth so that the same I before to the vtterest of my power assaulted nowe euen with ieopardy of my lyfe I defended For whiche chaunge they two maner of wayes glorified god one for that they were from suche greuouse persecuciō deliuered and for that they had gotten suche a defender of theyr profession The .ii. Chapiter The texte Then fourtene yeares thereafter I went vp agayne to Hierusalem with Barnabas and toke Titus with me I went vp by reuelacion and commoned with them of the gospell whiche I preache among the Gentiles but specially with them whiche were coumpted chief leste I shoulde tunne or had runne in vayne BVt after I had fourtene yeares preached the doctrine of the gospell speacyally to the Gentiles then went I agayne with Titus and Barnabas to Hierusalem whome I minded to take with me as witnes of that whiche was done And this dyd I not nowe of humanitie as I dyd before but at goddes commaundement to the intent the Iewes shoulde better knowe when they should see so great a number of Gentiles without circumcisiō called to euerlastyng lyfe aswell as they that saluacion oughte to be loked for not for circumcisions sake but by fayth geuyng to the gospell With them therfore compared I my gospell whiche I by Christes wyll hitherto preache among the Gentiles and with them especially communed I whose authoritie was among the Iewes moste estemed least anye of them whiche styll beleued that Christes gospell should be myngled with Moses lawe might saye that either I in the course of the gospell had runne in vayne or do styll now yet runne in that through the gyfte of fayth without mencion makyng of circumcision I had promysed them the
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
IerusaleÌ„ and is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem whiche is aboue is free whiche is the mother of vs all Nor is it to be supposed that this tale hath beside the trueth of the historie no secrete hidden misterie For comenly suche is Moses law that as in a maÌ„ne vnder the grosse fleshe and coueryng of the body is hidden the soule the ruler therof so vnder the letter and historie a more priuey thyng and higher mistery is couered Let vs then serche foorth what in the alligorie these two mothers and the two sonnes signifie Surely the twoo mothers represent the twoo testamentes of whom the one brought foorth a people subiecte to the bondage of the lawe the other brought foorth a people through fayth free froÌ„ that burdain For Sina is a mouÌ„taine in Arabia whiche in the Chaldees language hath the name of the bondmaiden Agar and bordereth vpon the mountaine of Sion wherin standeth the cytie that once was called Iebus and is now called Ierusalem Now are they that inhabite the mountaine Agar euen in these daies bonde in theyr state resemblyng the beginner of that nacion But Ierusalem whiche as inheritaunce fel to Isaacs posteritie is free This citie forasmuche as it standeth in a high place representeth heauen into whose freedome we be called That cytie is not onely mother to the Iewes but to all vs whiche beleue in Christ Moses lawe is yearthly the lawe of the gospel forasmuche as it came from heauen is heauenly As the body is seruaunt to the soule so that whiche is grosse is bonde and that whiche is spiritual is free Moses lawe brought foorth her childe fyrst the lawe of the gospel albeit it had issue after yet how many more children brought it to God Moses lawe brought foorth but one nacion the same of no great multitude neither the lawe of the gospel containeth all nacions of the worlde The texte For it is written reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth cry thou that trauailest not For the desolate hath many more children than she whiche hath an husband And lest some thinke that this was but a chaunce Esai long before sayd it should so be who by the spirite of prophecie foreseyng the great noumbre of Gentiles resortyng to the gospel of Christ reâ—oyseth by these wordes Be glad thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth and crye thou that trauailest not for many more children haste thou whiche semedst desolate and barren than hath she that hath a husbaÌ„d and semed to put men in a meruailous hope of posteritie In the Iewes state before tyme fewe were there that came through it vnto Gods fauor but fayth in the gospel hath brought in many and wil without ende bryng in more Thus see ye the twoo mothers and theyr twoo children the beginners of twoo nacions The texte Brethren we are after Isaac the children of promise But as then he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite Euen so is it now Suche as yet styfly cleaue to Moses lawe belong to Ismael whiche was borne of the handmayde But we whiche gyuyng ouer our coÌ„fidence in the lawe through perfite fayth hang only vpon Christ are Isaacs children who was borne of the free lawful wyfe not by the courâ—e of nature but by the promise of god Nor are we receyued into yâ— welthy state taught by the gospell because we were borne vnder the lawe but because god loÌ„g synce promised all them saluacion that thorough fayth woulde come into the felowshyp of his sonne Iesus Christ Yea and in this also the allegorie featly agreeth that bothe posterities sauer of theyr beginners For as thaÌ„ the elder sonne Ismael carnall sonne vnto Abraham persecuted the yonger called Isaac who was borne by goddes promise â–ª eueÌ„ at the tyme wheÌ„ they playeo together takyng more vpon hym than was mere so in this tyme they that cleaue faste to the carnall lawe hate suche as embrace the spiritual lawe of the gospel labouryng to be more esteamed chalengyng as theyrs the ryght of the fyrste begotten whiche is only dewe to Christe labouryng also by the title of aunciencie to make the free mothers chyldren bonde as they be to th entent that being elder seruauntes they maye ouer vs that are yonger beare rule The texte Neuerthelesse what sayeth the scripture â–ª putte awaye the bonde woman and her sonne For the sonne of the bond woman shal not be heyre with the sonne of the free woman so then brethen we are not chyldren of the bond woman â–ª but of the free woman â–ª But the free mother alloweth no suche alteracion nor wyl suffer these two borne after suche a diuerse sorte to be conuersaunt together But as yâ— scripture saythe with great indignacion cryeth out put awaye the bonde woman and her sonne for I wyl not suffer that the bond womaÌ„nes childe shal with my sonne Isaac be inheritour The Iewyshe Synagoge to muche hangeth by them whiche beleue the gospell The Iewes require to muche of christians whose libertie they enuye at Yt the bonde mother wyll not gladly depart let her rather be thrust out than with her slauyshe companye she corrupt my sonne The inheritaunce of euerlastyng lyfe is promised to Isaac and to hym is it dewe Let Agar yf she luste carye furthe with her the water potte of the vnsauery lawe whome she so greatly loueth But my sonne Isaac by drynkyng the effectuall lickor of the gospel shal styll with good lucke growe vp vntill he become a perfite man Wherfore suffer my brethren that the Iewes which to stubbernly delyte in the seruile lawe haue styl theyr owne bondage nor growe oute of kynde from theyr mother We which were sometime our selfe vnder the bondage of the law and lyke vnto the chyldreÌ„ of the bond womaÌ„ Agar persecuted the verie naturall childreÌ„ of yâ— churche are nowe delyuered froÌ„ that olde bondage and receyued into the title of Saraes chyldren And for this libertie thanke we Christ into whome through fayth we are so planted that we are become inheriters of the promised inheritauÌ„ce of heauen So that into what libertie Christe hath by his death after our falling from him restored vs that are Iewes into the same are ye that are Gentiles called through preaching of the gospell The .v. Chapiter The texte ¶ Stande faste therfore in the libertie wherwith Christe hath made vs free and wrappe not youre selues agayne in the yoke of bondage NOwe remayneth there nothyng but that ye stedfastlye continewe in that ye haue once gotten For what madnes is it to forsake the liberall gyfte and freedome wherin Christe of his especiall fauer hath sette you and to become bonde We which of that paynfull bondage haue had experience are glad and reioyse of oure libertie and are ye of youre libertie in suche sorte weaty that ye are content to become bonde The texte ¶ Beholde I Paule saye vnto you that yf ye be circumcised
suppresseth synne that it destroyeth the siner but christiaÌ„ charitie so remedyeth vice that she yet saueth yâ— maÌ„ The better thou arte by so muche the more gentlely condescende thou to thy brothers weakenes If Christes owne example moue the not sufficiently so to do who most mercifully suffered his children vntil tyme they amended at lestwyse yet lette this encourage you because ye knowe that the like may chaunce vnto your selfes The texte Beare ye one an others burdaine and so fulfil the lawe of Christ For if any man seme to him selfe that he is somewhat when in dede he is nothing the same deceiueth his owne minde This man is fallen remember that thou art a fraile man also Let his fall be vnto the a lesson neither to be bolde vpon thy selfe nor yet to trust to muche in thine owne strength Vse thy selfe towarde him that is fallen as thou wouldest be glad to be vsed if the like chauÌ„ced to the. And a mischaunce may befal any worldly man Suche as at the mocion of certaine false Apostles haue staggered must not with cruelnes be banished out of your company but charitably be called againe to theyr olde stedfastnes The tyme may come that they beyng made strong may againe beare with your weakenes He that hath vpoÌ„ him a heauy burdain must be eased and not throwen doune Wherfore if eche of you beare others burdaines then shal ye in euery point fulfill the lawe of charitie whiche lawe is Christes owne lawe Christ wheras he neither was vnder synne nor nigh the ieopardye therof yet bare he vpon him our wickednes and of his great mercy healed vs condemned vs not as one without pitie Let no man thinke him selfe to be righteous and vpon confidence therin despise his brother that is with some kynde of synne entangled For a man to seame iust to him selfe is a profe of a fained righteousnes Wherfore if any man thinke him selfe somethyng when he in dede is nothyng he deceiueth him selfe The texte Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shal he haue reioysyng onely in his owne selfe and not in an other For euery man shal beare his owne burdaine For neither is any man therfore righteous because he auaunceth him selfe before the sinner nor is therfore one man defiled with other mennes synne if he submitte him selfe to restore him againe Nor is he therfore good because he coÌ„pareth him selfe to a worse Euery man shal be iudged by his owne dedes Yet must noman in his owne dedes haue a confideÌ„ce but euery manne must serche with him selfe whether that wherin he beareth him selfe in hand to do well be suche as of God shuld be allowed If thine owne conscience condemne the not yet glory not because other aâ—e weake but glory of thyne owne strength glory inwardly geuyng God thaÌ„kes for his giftes bestowed vpon the nor bost it among other ne dispise them that are not so strong as thou art Helpe him if thou be able if thou be not able let God his iudge alone with him Neither shal his synne diminishe thy rewarde nor thou for an other mannes offence be punished but before God euery man shal beare his owne burdaine The texte Let him that is taught in the worde minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thinges Be not deceiued God is not mocked For what soeuer a man soweth that shal he also reape For he that soweth in his fleshe shal of the fleshe reape corrupcion but he that soweth in the spirite shal of the spirite reape life euerlastyng But as long as we be in this worlde we are bounde eche one to helpe an other And as it belongeth to them whose giftes are aboue others with teachyng comfortyng exhortacion to helpe their brothers weakenes so let suche as be holpen remembre that they be not vnthankeful to suche as haue done for them And so among you shal al good thinges be comen if they that can preache the gospel teache comfort beare vppe the rude and they againe that are taught of theyr substaunce geue theyr teachers and counsailours necessaries so that one do for an other Let them that teache take heede that theyr doctrine be christian and sauor of the spirite of Christ or els better wer it for a maÌ„ not to beleue his teacher at all Besyde that he that for corrupte teachyng the gospel receiueth mede of him whoÌ„ he so teacheth the man he deceiueth yea and him selfe to but God can not of him be deceiued Wherfore my counsail is that ye teache sincerely the gospel for God is not mocked with But suche seede as euery maÌ„ soweth suche shal he mowe Whoso teacheth carnal doctrin for his sede he shal reape fruit which is corruptible But he that teacheth spiritual doctrin shal for his spiritual and heauenly counsail receiue like rewarde whiche is life euerlastyng The texte Let vs not be weary of well doyng For when the tyme is come we shall repe without wearynes Whyle we haue therfore tyme let vs do good vnto all men and especially vnto them whiche are of the housholde of fayth Therfore let vs alwaye endeuoure to do for all men nor cease at any tyme to do good dedes whether we haue gentle scholers or vngentle whether we haue a rewarde of men or not For when the tyme shall come we shall gather fruite whiche shall neuer dye and receyue for our temporall labours wages euerlastyng Sowyng time shall not alwaye continew the tyme shall come when we shal neither with our owne dedes be holpen nor with other mennes For the tyme of this present lyfe we maye with good workes wyll goddes fauour and helpe other but at the daye of iudgemeÌ„t neither shall oure good workes haue place nor we be able to do for anye other Therfore let vs take the tyme whyle it serueth endeuouryng to do bothe for all men and specially for them that are of the same religion and fayth that we be of The Iewe fauoureth none but Iewes but the christian folowyng the example of Christe is desyrouse to do good for all men The texte ¶ Ye se howe large a letter I haue wrytten vnto you with myne owne hand As many as desyre with outwarde apparence to please carnally the same constrayne you to be circumcised only leste they shoulde suffer persecucion for the crosse of Christ For they themselues whiche are circumcised kepe not the lawe but desyre to haue you circumcised that they might reioyse in your fleshe Ye se ye people of Galacia how I am in this matier delited which with myne owne hand wrote vnto you â—o long an epistle Ye knowe my hande wryting No cause haue ye to thinke that it is a counterfaite letter it is all myne and a declaracion of my good wyl towarde you And looke that it with you be of more weight than anye false apostles doctrine Suche as endeuoure rather to please men than god suche I saye moue you to be circumcised
therfore all glorye be to god our father euerlastynglye worlde without ende Amen Salute all them that accordyng to the doctrine of Iesus Christe leade a godly and an vpright cleane lyfe The christian brethren that are with me here at Rome commende them hartelye vnto you And not these onely that are famyliatly conuersaunt with me but all the rest also especially those of the Emperours housholde yâ— haue embraced yâ— doctrine of Christe and are not afrayed to professe Christe for all their â—aging lorde and maister as cruell as he is The gracious sauour and goodnesse of our lorde Iesus Christ be alwayes with your spirite Amen The ende of the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of Paule to the Philippians The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Alia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great leopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto theÌ„ by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with yâ— high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into thesupersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruauÌ„tes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruauÌ„tes The last partsauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timotheus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite consent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may likewyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde The texte We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to all saintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in heauen of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel whiche is come vnto youâ— euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you froÌ„ the day in the whiche ye heard of it and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you yet in my continual praiers made to God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thaÌ„kes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after yâ— by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free bouÌ„teousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whoÌ„ it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called because of him al shuld receiue helth Sauiour because no maÌ„ should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your coÌ„fidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people earnestly mindyng to do for them not for any hoope of auauntage that ye thinke to receiue therby but in hope of the euerlasting life whiche ye wel knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes And suerly iÌ„to this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth yâ— albeit it make great promises suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme yet forsomuch as God is the author of them ye thinke that the same cannot be but true And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged so is it now come to you euery day growyng and encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian
gretynges to you all with myne owne hande with Paules hande I saye whome ye wel knowe Remēber my bondes whom I beare for your sake and lyue after suche sorte that I of them be not made ashamed The grace of Iesus be alwayes with you Amen Finis The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Asia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great ieopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto thē by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with y◠high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into the supersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruaūtes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruaūtes The last part sauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timothcus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite ronsent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may like wyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde The texte We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to all faintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in beauen of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel whiche is come vnto you euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you frō the day in the whiche ye heard of it and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you yet in my continual praiers made to God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thākes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after y◠by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free boūteousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whō it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called because of him al shuld receiue helth Sauiour because no mā should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your cōfidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people carnestly mindyng to do for them not for any hoope of auauntage that ye thinke to receiue therby but in hope of the euerlasting life whiche ye wel knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes And suerly īto this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth y◠albeit it make great promises suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme yet forsomuch as God is the author of them ye thinke that the same cannot be but true And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged so is it now come to you euery day growyng and encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian charitie as it hath done in you growyng styl from better to better euen synce that tyme wherin ye fyrst heard and knewe that through the free goodnes of God all their synnes are forgeuen whiche beleue the gospel if to theyr right fayth they adioyne pure vnfained charitie For so were ye taught by my dearely beloued felow in seruice and messenger of trust Epaphras who hath among you sincerely done myne office after
god In lyke case some folkes good workes are so manifest that they nede no commendacion of man To suche therfore shall euery man accompany himselfe safely lyke as he ought to absteyne from the companye of them that are openly wycked Furthermore those that ordre theyr lyfe with such subtiltye and in outwarde shewe of godlynes dyssemble the malyce of theyr harte after suche sorte that they deceaue the iudgement of man those we wyll leaue to the iudgement of god For christian godlynes is not ouer muche suspicious The vi Chapter The texte ¶ Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte theyr masters worthye of all honour that the name of god and his doctrine be not euyll spoken of Se that they which haue beleuyng masters despyfe them not because they are brethren but rather do seruyce for asmuche as they are beleuinge and beloued and partakers of the benefyte FVrthermore it is not our parte to rebuke the lyfe of them that are straungiers from the profession of Christ it is rather requisite for vs to prouoke them vnto a better mynde with our good turnes than to kyndle them with taunting checkes Religion ought so to be ordred that it seme not to be occasion or sowyng of sedicion In suche affaires as we haue necessarilye to doe with the Ethnikes let theÌ„ perceaue by vs that we are become the more diligente to doe good bycause of religion and not more vnprofytable nor more ouerthwarte For by that meanes they shal be more easylie allured into our felowshyp of religion Therfore as many as beyng bonde seruauntes haue obteined Baptisme let them remembre that they are set at lybertye by manumission from the lordeshyp of synne and not made free from their masters right of autoritie And therfore it is not semely that vpon trust of their profession they shoulde bristle againste their maisters as wycked persons and vnworthye that a Christian shoulde doe seruice vnto them But let them onely consydre that they are their masters and therfore let them esteme them worthye all honour that the name of god and the gospelles doctrine come not into an euyll reporte and hate in case they shall perceaue men become throughe it the more sturdy and more vntractable But let them rather be more diligent in seruice doynge than they were afore and more glade to obeye as doynge seruyce with a good wyll that theyr maisters beyng prouoked with those thinges maye the more easely receyue the gospell preaching Than muche lesse ought those seruauntes that haue Christian maisters to set lesse by them bicause for yâ— profession of the commune saith in stedde of maisters they are become brethren But in asmuche as they withdrawe not their bounden duetie from Ethnike maisters it behoueth them to obey their Christian maisters for two maner of coÌ„sideracions Fyrst in that they are their maisters than in that they are felowes in relygion for stoute statelynes takyng loue for awful maisters beginnyng to be beloued and for threatenyng maisters â–ª become good maisters For more is to be done for yâ— deseruour than for the exactour â–ª more for the louyng maister than imperious coÌ„maundyng maister For that is not properly a bondage but to doe one good turne for an other The texte ¶ These thinges reache echorte If eny man folowe other doctrine and enclyne not unto the wholsome wordes of our Lorde Iesu Christe and to the doctrine whiche is accordyng to godlynes he is puft vp knoweth nothing but wasteth his braynes aboure quetions and stryfe of wordes wherof sprynge enuye stryfe raylynges euyll surmy synges vayne dysputacions of men that hâ—â—e corrupte mindes and that are robbed of the trueth whiche thincke that lucre is godlynesse From them yâ— are soche separate thy selfe Godlynesse is great rychesse yf a man be contenâ— with that he hath For we brought nothynge into the world nether maye we cary any thing out But when we haue fode and ruyment we must therwith be content They that wythe ryche fall into temptacion and snares oâ— the deuyl and into many folysshe and noysom lustes whiche drowne men into perdicion and destruccion For courteousnes of money is the rote of all euyll whiche whyle some lasted after they erred from the faith and tangled them selues with many sorowes But thou man of God flye suche thinges Folowe ryghtewesnes godlynes faith loue â–ª pacience meaknes Fight the good fyght of faith Laye hande on eternall lyfe wherunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses These thinges teache with autoritie vnto these thinges exhorte them that be slacke This doctrine is a true gospellyke doctrine that maketh vnto godlynes of lyfe maketh vs bothe accepted of god and beloued of men Yf any man bryng in a contrarye doctrine vnto this and geueth not himselfe vnto the moost true wordes of the Lorde Iesu Christe nor obeyeth vnto this doctrine whiche beyng agreable vnto the gospell calleth not men vnto supersticious questions but vnto offices of godlynes suche one the lesse true knowledge he hathe the more he taketh vpon him For lyke as knowledge is a modest thinge euen so there is nothing more hyghe mynded or stubburne than folyshe ignoraunce And he yâ— is taken with that dysease and is turned awaye from the synceritie of the gospell outrageth about triflynge questions without consideracion of the lyfe braullyng with wordes which are so lytel auayleable vnto true godlynes yâ— they rather engendre a mischiefe of ChristiaÌ„ godlynes bycause that of suche maner brablyng strifes arryseth enuie whyle by dimynisshynge of other mens autoritie we seke autoritie vnto our selues There aryse also coÌ„tencions whilest by reason of hoot chiding wordes none wyll geue place vnto an other there aryse also scoldinges as often as the mattre groweth in to outrage there aryse also wycked suspicions against god whaÌ„ those thinges that ought to be beleued without questionyng are called by humayne reasonynges in to question as doubtefull thinges And many there be that as it were with a contagiousnes are infected with the rubbyng of this scabbe of men whose myndes are infecte with naughtye couetous lustes and beyng blynded therwith they see not the trueth of the gospel nor conferre their doctrine to this ende but rather they measure godlynes and religion by their owne gayne and woulde haue the thing to seme moost holye not that maketh other men more acceptable to God but that can bryng them selues to be best set by get them mooste auauntage But thou mayest not in any wyse thinke yâ— those men can be ouercommen with any dysputacioÌ„s For lacke knowledge is a stubburne matter And albeit they perceaue the trueth neuer so well yet they acknowledge it not bycause it is not for their profyte in comparison of the thing that they goe about for their owne purpose Sttyue not therfore with them bothe out of fassion and in vayne to But withdrawe thy selfe from their companie Let theim hunt after their pelfe let them make
men that for haters we be made well wyllers euen to theÌ„ that hate vs thys haue we neither by Moses lawe nor yet by our owne merites but by the free goodnes of God by the which we coueite that all men yf it be possyble reioyse with vs in one commune saluation and that the verite of the gospel may shine and geue lyght to all men as it hath geuen lyght to vs. For afore we wandered lyke blynde men in darkenes as the vnbeleuers do styll But nowe after that it is made open thorow the ghospell howe greate the goodnes and charite of God the father which is autor of our saluation is to al men now after that the darkenes of our former lyfe is put away we haue obteyned true lyfe saluation not by the obseruation of the lawe which had a certayne righteousnes in it but yet of small efficacie to geue euerlastyng lyfe but we haue obteined it thorowe the mere mercie of the Godhed For by the holy fonte of baptisme we benewe borne agayne and graffed into Christ the sonne of the euerlastyng father and beyng renewed by his spirite we haue ceased to be carnall and haue begon to be spirituall Therfore what so euer we be we are altogether bounde to God for it whiche into vs nothyng deseruing it hathe shed aboundantlye his spirite whiche the lawe coulde not geue And he hath shed this his holye spirite into vs by Iesus Christ by whom it hath pleased him most liberally to geue vs all thynges that we beyng purged by hys benefite from oure olde synnes should endeuour our selfes by good workes to be made apte to receiue the inheritaunce of the lyfe that endureth for euer of the whiche the doctrine of the gospell doeth put vs in a sure hope Sence that we therefore were once miserable and beyng nowe thorow the onely mercy of the Lorde delyuered from synne we hope for the crowne of euerlastyng lyfe with Christe we muste haue pitie vpoÌ„ other go aboute by al meanes that God may also haue mercy on theÌ„ The texte This is a true saying Of these thinges I wyll that thou certifie that they whiche beleue in God myght be diligent to go forwarde in good workes For these thynges are good and profitable vnto men Let a christian Byshop in the steade of Iewishe fables tel these thynges to the people for they are certaine and not to be doubted of There remayneth nothing more for vs to do but that in all our coÌ„uersation froÌ„ hence forth we shew our selfes not vnmyndful of the great benefite that we haue receyued of God but that we lyue in all thinges accordyng to his godly pleasure or els the professioÌ„ of christiandome of the gospel wil nothyng aduaile vs. Wherfore I wil that thou assure al meÌ„ of these thinges which greatly perteyne vnto our purpose confirme theÌ„ therin also yâ— they whiche haue once beleued in God yâ— by his free mercifulnes they haue bene redemed from their synnes and that he will geue the crowne of immortalitie to all them whiche by vertuouse and godly liuinge do studye to folowe Iesu Christe as nere as they are able maye leade suche a lyfe as maye seme not vnworthy of so greate profession and so hir promisses Nowe they shall declare them selues to be true christians yf they curse not the Ethnikes and the Iewes nor saye euyl by them but yf they be beneficial to al men and by the affection that they haue to piety they reioyse to helpe all men For these thynges shall not onelye ornate and commende the professyon of the gospell as thynges of them selfes honeste but besyde that very profytable to drawe other to Christe and to helpe other whiche be oppressed with any calamitie The chiefe poynte of christiantie is to do good to all men and by benefites euen the very wylde beastes are ouercome and made tame Thou shalte therfore on suche wise speake and preache of these thynges and not as one that is in any dowte of them as some be whiche mouyng many questions seme to haue but a faynte beleue But teache thou with greate confydence of countenaunce and with greate stedfastnes of wordes that euery man maye right well perceyue that thou arte throwlye persuaded in that whiche thou doest laboure to perswade to other Out of these thinges commethe no small frute of true religion The texte Folyshe questyons and genealogies and braulyng thorowe sâ—tyuinges about the lawe auoyde for they are vnprofitable and superfluous But folyshe and vnconnyng questions and entangled genealogies and contenciouse disputacions or rather warre vpon Moses lawe whiche some folowyng the trade of the Iewes do styrre vp to gette them a name thereby and vantage caste them away as superfluous and vuprofytable to the lyfe that is after the gospell For what death it hurte good lyuynge yf I knowe not why Moses graue can no where be founde And whether it be as the Iewes do say lest he should be raysed vp agayne by enchaunters Or yf I knowe not howe many yeares Matusalem lyued Or of what age Salomon was whan he begate Roboam Why Moses did forbyd to eate the fleshe of swine Why the Iewes do suppose that the blode of a Wesell must with so great diligence be purged And many other more folyshe than these In the exposicion whereof what profiteth him to tary that hasteth to the rewarde of a true christian lyfe These thynges must rather â—e cutte awaye than declared and they which professe them as excellente thynges oughte more to be reproued and sharplye rebuked than to be ouercome with disputacion The texte A man that is an auctor of sectes after the firste and the seconde admonicion auoid â–ª knowyng that he that is suche is peruetted and synneth euen damned by him selfe If they whiche mayntaine suche supersticions as haue tofore bene mencioned erre by symplenes whan they be warned therof they wyll amende But yf they do it of a purposed malice eyther to get them a name or for lucre or for some other fylthy cause than wyll they be ready to defende euen those thynges whiche they knowe to be false These men whan thou hast once or twies rebuked them yf they amende not then auoyde them as sedicious and incurable persones leste they do more harme whan they be prouoked than they woulde doe yf they were let alone as men not regarded Yea and lest it may turne to a worse inconuenience that they whiche cannot be brought into a better mynde drawe him that goeth about to instructe them into the same errour that they be in For what auayleth it to geue any oftenar to them the medicine of cortectioÌ„ yf there be no hope of remedy An errour commynge onelye of the fraylenes of man is remedied by one or two warnynges but peruersitie is incurable and made worse by puttyng to of remedies Therefore he that beyng once or twyes rebuked abydeth neuertheles styffe in his opinioÌ„ let him alone in his froward
made partakers of the holy ghost by whome they haue begonne to beleue the blessed promises of euerlastyng lyfe and now as it were to take a saye foretaste of the power of yâ— worlde to come it is not possible I saye for them if they fall agayne thorowe negligence into there former abominable lyfe to be renued by repentaunce the which thing hath once bene done already in baptisme where as the olde manne is once cast away with his dedes and a newe creature commeth out of the bathe or water For suche as requyre to be renued agayne thorowe repentaunce after they haue often tymes fallen againe vnto theyr former sinfull lyuyng what goe they els aboute but as concernyng them selfes to crucyfie the sonne of God a freshe and make as it were a iestyng stocke or mocke of hym He hath once died for vs and we haue once dyed with hym in baptisme He hath once rysen agayne and wyll neuer dye any more In semblable wyse muste we so rise againe with him in a newe lyfe that we fall not eftsones into the dead lyfe once forsaken and by that meanes prouoke God so much the more vnto wrath indignacioÌ„ as he hath the more boâ—ntuously shewed hys lyberalitie vpon vs. Our industrie and diligence ought to be answerable vnto hys liberalytie and boâ—â—teous goodnes towardes vs. He hath put in vs certayne sedes of vertue and goodnesse and therfore we also must do our diligence that the same may growe and come to good The texte For the earth whyche drinketh in the rayne that cometh oft vpon it and bryâ—geth forth herbes meete for them that dresse it receaueth blessyng of God But that grounde which deareth thornes briers is reproued and is nye vnto cursing whose ende is to be burned Neuertheles deare frendes we trust to se better of you and thinges which accompany saluacion thoughe we thus speake For God is not vnryghteous that he shoulde forget your worke and labour that procedeth of loue which loue ye shewe in hys name which haue ministred vnto the saynetes and yet mynyster Yea and we deâ—re that euery one of you shewe the same dylygence to the full stablishyng of hope euen vnto the ende that ye faynte not but be folowers of them which thorowe fayth and pacience receyue the enheritaunce of the promyse For the earth which hath dronken in the rayne that falleth oft vpon it hath brought forth herbes profytable to them that tyll it is praysed of God for that it is not barayne nor kepeth doune and strangleth the sede whych is therin sowed without any frute or profyte But that grounde whych after good seed receiued hath brought forth thornes and thystles is yuell and â—ye vnto goddes cursyng whose ende is not to be mowed downe but to be â—uâ—ned And these thynges speake I dearly beloued only to exhorte you not because the wordes I haue spoken of a baren earth maie well be applied to you Naye rather I haue conceyued a better opynyon of you then so wherby I am ascertayned that by goddes helpe you shall attayne saluacion rather then be damned albeit this similitude vsed I because to styre vp in you the desire of godly chrystian lyuing lost you waxing fainte againe come by litle and litle to vtter confusion God wyll helpe you if you do your endeuoyre to attayne better thynges For he is not vnkynde nor vnrighteous in suche wyse that he wyll forget your good dedes the labour ye haue susteyned not for renownte or vauntage sake but for the loue of his name the which loue ye haue shewed by dedeselfe who both hertofore haue ministred of your goodes benefites vnto the sainctes by whom Christes name is preached and yet do ministre at thys present Furthermore I haue spokâ— these wordes because I am desyrous that ye all among whome there are many the which are fainter then I would they shoulde be perseuer in your doynges and not onely that but also dayly profite more and more tyll ye come to perfeccion that wher as I haue nowe a good hope of you I may haue a sure confidence and belefe perceyuing you styll to go forwarde and to be nothing nye the daunger that such are in as thorow a slowthful faintnesse fall agayne by litle and litle to theyr oldelyfe but rather to folowe the steppes of those who beleuing Christes promyses and hauing sure hope of heauenly rewardes attayne the enheritaunce of the lyfe immortall whych God hath promised vnto hys in yâ— kyngdome of heauen Suche as dystrusting goddes promyses loked backe vnto Egypte forsaken neuer came vnto the lande of behest but Abraham who agaynste all naturall reason constantly beleued goddes promises obtayned that he taried for The texte For when God made promesse to Abraham because he had noue greater to sweare by he sware by hymselfe saying Surely I wyll blesse the and multiply thee in dede And so afterthat he had taried paciently he enioyed the promes For men verely sweare by him that is greater then them selues and an othe to confyrme the thyng is to them an ende of all strife So God wylling very aboundantly to shewe vnto the heyres of promesse the stablenesse of hys councell added an other that by two immutable thynges in whiche it was vnpossyble that God shoulde lye we myghte haue a strong consslacion whiche hâ—ther to haue fled for to holde fast the hope that is sette before vs whiche hope we holde as an auere of the soule both sure and stedfast which hope also cutreth in into those thynges which are wyth in the vayle where the forerunner is for vs entred euen Iesus that is made an hye priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech For God to th entent hys promyse shoulde be the better beleued sware an othe the which amonge menne is wonte to be compted the surest gage that canne be He sware by hymselfe because he had none greater then himselfe to swere by He sware in thys wise I sweare by my selfe because thou dyddest thys thing and sparedst not thy onely begotten sonne Isaac formysake I will blesse the and multyplie thy seede as the starres of heauen and the sande that is in the sea shore Therefore after he hadde perceiued the constancie of thys olde manne who sticked not to sley euen hys owne sonne iâ— whome semed to be al the hope of his of spryng and posteritie he confirmed that thyng by an othe which he promised before For he hauyng to do with man condescended to the fasshions manours of man Men to aggrauate theyr othe doswere by hym that is greater And if they haue any doubte or controuersie amonge theÌ„ selfes the same is discussed ended by the confiâ—macion of an othe And for this cause when God would notably declare the stablenesse of hys counsell vnto the heyres of promyse he added an othe leste any man myght suppose that he wouldelye who had bounde hymselfe wyth two bandes fyrst by promyse and then
afflictions taughte true vertue and godly lyuyng yf you be free from suche fatherlye correction verely it is a manyfest proofe that ye are bastardes not true natural sonnes If we haue not onelye suffred but also gyuen reuerence to oure parentes of whome we are begotten as touchynge the fleshe onely whyles they dyd wyth checkes and lashes teache vs the common behauiour of this lyfe not striuinge agaynst their autoritie but so interpretyng their doynges as thoughe howsoeuer they dalte wyth vs they dyd all of a frendelye mynde and good zeale towardes vs shall not we then muche more submytte and yelde our selfes to the heauenly father who is not onely the auctour of bodyes but of spirites fullye persuaded with our selfes herein that what euyls and aduersities so euer he suffreth vs to be afflicted with all he doeth neuertheles with a fatherly mynde prouyde for our soule health and saluation As the corporall father is not so cruell agaynst his sonne as to sley him but to preserue him and make him better so God chasteneth vs in this worlde to thentente we maye lyue for euer in the worlde to come And those parentes enstructed vs as they would them selfes oftentymes abusyng their autoritie and enstructed vs for a shorte tyme in thynges transitorie and suche thynges as wyll soone perishe as in those which perteyne to the gettynge and mayntenaunce of worldlye substaunce yea and many tymes hauyng an eye to their owne profyte they enstructed vs to thys ende bycause they would be holpen with our obsequious and ready deligence But this father who hathe no nede of vs alwayes regardeth our commodities and that our singuler profites and commodities For he goeth not aboute to haue vs enryched with earthlye goodes neyther to haue vs succede in the lyuelod of a fewe acres of lande but to giue vs his heauenly gyftes that is to witte holynesse in this world and in the worlde to come euerlastyng blysse and felicitie Whoso wyll earnestly consydre with hym selfe this so greate and excellent profite shall easely awaye wyth the temporal grief of this present life For when other parentes do correcte their children that maner of chastysyng hath in it no pleasure but payne and grief for the tyme presente yet after the children be come to mannes state and begynne once to perceiue howe muche good that payne dyd them then do they greatly reioyse that euer they were beaten and chydde and with lawghynge countenaunce rendre them thankes whom they suffred before with wepyng eyes Euen so the calamytie and miserye of this worlde is in the meane tyme whiles it hangeth ouer oure heades and vexeth these mortall bodyes greuous to oure senses But this payne this vexation and trouble wherwith oure soules also by reason of the societie they haue with the body are dysquieted bryngeth forth the quyet and swete fruite of rightuousnes in due season Affliction teacheth godlynesse godlines bryngeth the ioyes of a good mynd or cleare conscience a good mind bryngeth forth immortalitie Therfore lette no mannes harte fayle him in this most godly raase The sweate and labour is greate but the rewardes are hygh and excellente but the rewarde gyuer is faythfull The texte Stretche furthe therfore the handes whych were let downe and the weake knees so that ye haue straight steppes vnto your fete leste any halting turne you out of the waye yea let it rather be healed Folowe peace with all men holynes without the whych no man shall se the Lord. And loke that no man be destitute of the grace of God lest any rote of bytternesse springe vp and trouble therby many be defyled that there be no fornicaâ—â—â—r or vncleane person as Esau whych for one messe of meate sold his birthright For ye know how that afterward when be would by inheritaunce haue obtayned blessynge he was put by For he founde no place of repentaunce though he sought it with teares Folowe you stout wrastelers and lustye runners bestyre youre werye handes plucke vp your weake and foltryng knees and runne streygth to the marke that is set before you Let not the foote tournynge hyther and thyther wander out of the streyght waye Yea rather yf you haue wandered anye whit at all yf ye haue bene heretofore slacke in runnyng see ye make amendes with a newe lustie courage and cherefulnesse Neither is it ynough for you that euery man runne for his own behofe takyng no care for other yea rather be you so conioyned in peace and concorde that by a coÌ„mon diligence one of you be carefull for an other and take hede lest anye runnynge in this common course fall from the grace of God lest any lackyng that holynesse whiche becommeth the membres of Christ to haue and wythout whiche no man shal see God be oneâ—ous vnto the bodye and vnworthye to haue the chief game or reward which is set before vs gyuen hym And fynally lest anye roote of bytternesse sprynge vp and trouble the godlye endeuours of other whiche hasten vnto heauenlye thynges and beyng suffred to spread abrode defyle a greate manye with hys infection Let there be no fornicatour amonge you or any person that is otherwise vncleane and gyuen vnto the bealy For suche lustes and beastly desyres do let you to runne and cause you to tourne out of the ryghte waye and thus commeth it to passe that whiles you regarde suche coloured apparent good thynges ye loose that chiefe game and euerlastyng rewarde So for a suretye chaunced it vnto Esau who beyng hongrey solde his byrthryght for the pleasure of one mease of meate purchasynge himselfe perpetuall repentaunce for a small pleasure that endured but a while For this must you remembre to th entent it maye be an exaumple for you howe that afterwarde when he wente aboute to haue his byrthryghte restored vnto him agayne by his fathers blessyng he was put by and was neuer the better for his late repentauÌ„ce althoughe he testifyed by greate abundaunce of teares that he was sorye for his deedes That byttrenesse whiche springeth of hatered enuye and arrogaunce breaketh brotherly concorde pleasure of the bodye superfluytie and other desyres of fylthy thynges do defyle pure and holy liuyng Nowe these two thynges that is to witte concorde and pure lyuing must not decaye amonge you Neither can the one of them be without the other For amonge vncleane persones and synners there is no concorde wherwith God is pleased neyther can there be any good and vpryght lyuyng where as discorde and debate rayneth Therfore we ought also to take good hede leste we most folyshely exchaunge thenherytaunce of the kyngdome of heauen with the pleasures of this worlde The thinges wherunto we hasten are heauenly wherfore we muste come pure and cleane we must continually walke in the lyght of the gospell Oure holye lyuing must agree with so holy a profession You must nedes be answerable vnto your hye priest and his lawe in your conuersation The texte For ye are not come vnto
for rewarde of his bounteous lyberalitie ¶ The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ The elders whiche are among you I exhorte which am also an elder and a witnes of the afflicciōs of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened Fede ye Christes flocke asmuche as lyeth in you taking the ouersyght of them not as compelled therto but wyllyngly after a godly sorte not for y◠desyre of tylthy lucre but of a good minde not as thoughe ye were lordes ouer the parisshes but that ye be an ensample to the flocke and that with good wyll And when the chefe sheperde shall appeare ye shall receaue a◠incorruptible crown of glorye Lykewyse ye yonger submyt your selues vnto the elder Submit your selues euery man one to another knet youre selues together in lowlynes of mynde For God resisteth the proude and geueth grace to the humble ENdeuour your dilygence vnto this brethren bothe euery one seuerally by your selues and all together in commune that folowynge the fotestepes of Christ you may atteyne vnto his felowship Howbeit it is reason y◠those whiche excede other in autoritie of age should excede also in the study of godlynes Of their example of their maner of teaching and of their autoritie dependeth the resydue of the multitude And it is not inoughe for them to lyue vpryghtly themselues excepte they be carefull for the multitude also For vnto them their graye head augmenteth autoritie vse of thinges augmenteth wysedome and long proued tried vprightenes of lyfe augementeth their credence You therfore I speake to you elders the kepets of the people beynge an elder also my selfe whiche haue performed in mater in dedes the thing y◠I teache that is to say in suffring enprisonmentes stripes for the name of Christ sake beyng ready also euen vnto y◠crosse whā the wil of God so shal be in like maner hauing this very good hope y◠whom he hath vouchesafe to haue suffer for his sake he wil admitte also the same vnto y◠felowship of the glorye of heauen as sone as y◠day shal come wherin he shal openly declare his Maiestie vnto the world y◠wrastlinges of y◠world being at an ende y◠rewardes shal be brought furthe I beseche you for y◠tormentes sakes y◠Christ suffred for you for myne affliccions sakes wherin I folowe my lord to myne vttermost power shew your selues right feders of y◠multitude in dede as it is chaūced to euery mans lotte watche walke about loke on euery syde take hede y◠nothing wante vnto the flocke for whome Christ died nether holy consolacion nether holsome doctrine ne example of gospellyke lyfe You are called Superint endentes accomplyshe in dede y◠thing y◠you are called Fede cure gouerne kepe y◠nothing perishe y◠nothīg runne out of y◠way And see y◠you doe y◠not grudgingly as mē cōstrained through feare either shame or necessitie of office but with diligēt readines gladly with a good wil respectīg nothing elles but what may be acceptable to god It is his busynes that you take in hande and of him you shall receyue euerlastinge rewarde Loke not for rewarde in this lyfe It is a shame to take charge of christian people for vauntage sake whiche charge no man is praysed for takynge but he that dooeth it of his owne accorde and frely without any thinge That man is fallen out of the rewarde of heauen that hunteth after the hyre of his office at mennes handes here in this worlde Next vnto this it is yf any man thoughe he set naught by lucre yet seketh ambiciously after honour and dignitie being desyrous to be a commaunder beyng desirous to be reuerenced that man shall haue no rewarde also with God He hath receaued his rewarde The office of a right bysshop is ferre of from lordinge It is not a tirannye but an administracion A bisshop is put in autoritie for this ende not to scrape to him selfe the more gayne therby not to reigne a lofte and to vse his pleasure the more frely but to doe the more good Therfore you elders remēbre your office behaue your selues so in all thinges that your lyfe maye be an example vnto the people of a gospellyke conuersacion Let them learne of your behauiour to set naught by lucre let them learne to defye dysdeignous statelynes let them learne to hope for the hyre of their duties dooing at Christes handes to haue respecte to none other thing in this worlde but because so it is honest so is it acceptable to God In the meane season playe the good shepherdes frely without any thing Neuertheles in dede it shall not be doen for nothing but whan the prince of shepherdes Iesus Christ shall in th appointed daye openly shew forth him selfe whiche gaue him selfe wholy for his shepe the keping wherof he hath committed vnto your credence than in stede of a vyle mortal triflyng rewarde you shall receyue the glorious crowne of your duetye doinge whiche shal neuer fade Therfore in no wyse take the thing vpon your selues that you ought to loke for at your princes handes preuent not the daye whiche he woulde haue to be vncertaine vnto vs. And like as it is the parte of suche as be Elders to shew them selues as fathers vnto the yonger euen so the yonger ought on the other parte to shewe them selues manerly and obedient vnto the elders and lyke as the Elders submitte them selues throughe gospellyke charitie vnto all men to thintent they maye doe the more good euen so the yong ought not to abuse the gentilnes and facilitie of the Elders but it is rather cōuenient for them to obey them with so muche the more ready diligence as they abuse the lesse their autoritie Where true charitie is there autoritie is nether dysdeinfull nor the youthe is outragiouslye fearce He y◠is set in dignitie goeth about nothinge but this that he may doe good for other and he y◠is a subiecte doeth more of his owne free accorde than he requireth him Let all men therfore haue gentyll sobrenes fyxed vtterly in their hartes and that shall be occasion that nether the Elders shal be weary of their charge nor y◠yonger greued at their autoritie God hateth fearce flowtenes of stomake in men his delyght is in lowe mynded heartes and suche is deiecte them selues he bestoweth his giftes vnto them that take nothing vpon them selues he repelleth forsaketh y◠proude persons as vnworthy his benefites Suche as humble them selues them he aduaunceth and suche as exalte them selues them he throweth downe suche as truste to their owne strengthes them he doeth not vouchesafe to helpe and those that dystruste theyr owne powers and depende wholye at his becke them he chearyssheth and maynteyneth The texte ¶ Submit your selues therfore vnder the mightie hande of God that he may exaite you when the tyme is come Last all youre care vpon him for he euer careth for you Be sober and watche for youre aduersatye
with het bodyly eies than he saw with yâ— eies of his mynde bicause he was strikâ— blynd through coueiousnes of money The texte These are welles without water cloudes that are caried with a tempest to whom the myst of darckenes is reserued for euer For when they haue spoken the greate swellynge wordes of vanyty they entyse thorowe lustes in the volupteousnes of the fleshe them that were cleane escaped euen them that now lyue in errour while they promes them libertie where as they themselues are the bonde seruauntes of corrupcion For of whom a man is ouercome vnto yâ— same is he brought in bondage For yf they after they haue escaped froÌ„ yâ— fylthines of the world thorow yâ— knowledge of yâ— Lord the sauiour Iesus Christe are yet tangled agayn therin ouercome then is yâ— latter ende worsse with them theÌ„ yâ— beginning For it had bene better for theÌ„ not to haue knowen yâ— way of rightewesnes then after they haue knowen it to turne froÌ„ the holy coÌ„maundement that was geuen vnto them But the same is hapened vnto them yâ— is vsed to be spoken by the true proâ—erbe The dogge is turned to his domet agayn yâ—â—ow yâ— was washed is turned agayn to her waloing in yâ— mier These are they that promyse a certayn wonderfull and news doctrine where as they bryng nothyng worthy the profession of the Gospel being like welles that lacke water whereunto if a manne come athurst he can fynde nothing but mudde and claye and like vnto mysly clowdes that are dryuen hither and thâ—ther with the storme of wyndes and seme as they would geue rayne vnto the thrustye grounde where as for all that not so much as one droppe of holsome doctrine falleth from them They promyse the lyght of the Gospelles doctrine and wrappe those folkes in darkenes of errours whom euerlastyng darkenesse abydeth for in hell For whan with their lyeng woordes they speake of certayn great hygh matters with that hope entice and snare them whiche begynne to amende theyr condicions they deceaue them and wrappe them in the delites of the flesh the voluptuous pleasures of this life promysing that they wil delyuer other froÌ„ errour whaÌ„ they them selues are occupied in the greatest errours of al and promysing other men deliueraunce from synnes whan they them selues are the very bonde slaues of filthynes For of whosoeuer a maÌ„ is ouercome and at whose appoyntement he lyueth his bonde seruaunt he is called by right For it auayleth theÌ„ nothyng at all to haue ben once frely delyuered froÌ„ the bondage of synnes if they fall to the same state agayn by their own accorde but the bondage is so much the more vile and so muche the more wretched bicause it is procured without coÌ„straynt after the tasting of libertie That which was done amysse before the Gospell preached is a great parte long of errour and long of Ignoraunce But they whiche hauing once acknowlaged by the preachyng of the Gospell oure lorde and sauiour Iesu Christe haue through Baptisme renounced the filthynes of this world and professed a pure and an heauenly life if they be ouercome agayn with lustes and wrapped in theyr olde vncleanesse theyr baptisme doeth not only nothing helpe theÌ„ at al but also they are in worse state than they were before they knewe Christe For his offence is the lesse that synneth through ignoraunce And they shal bee the more greuously damned whiche haue enlarged the cryme of wikednes with the vice of vnthankefulnes Therfore it had ben better for them to haue not knowen the Gospelles doctrine at al whiche teacheth Innocencye and purenes than after they knewe and receyued it to swarue from the holy commaundement that was once deliuered vnto them For what other thing is befallen them than that which is truly vsed to bee spoken by a commune prouerbe The dogge â—losseth vp agayn that he hath once caste vp and the washen sowe turneth agayn to walowe her selfe in the myre It is but a lost labour for the dogge to haue purged his stomake with vomite if he take agayn that he cast vp And the sowe hath washed awaye her fowle stynking myre in cleane water in vayne if she by and by after she is washen returne to the soylinges that she had gone from The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ This is the seconde epistle that I now wryte vnto you beately beloued wherwith I stete vp your sincere mynde by puttyng you in remembraunce that ye maye be myndfull of the wordes which were tolde before of the holy prophetes and also the commaudement of vs whiche be Apostles of the Lorde and sauiour Thys fyrst vnderstande that were shall come in the laste dayes mockers in dysceatefulnes which wyll walke after theyr owne iustes and saye Where is the promes of his comming For sence the fathers â—yed all thinges continue in the same estate wherin they were at the beginnyng For thys they knowe not and that wylfully how that the heauens greate whyle ago were and the erth oure of the water appeared vp thorowe the water by the worde of God by the whiche thynges the worlde that then was peryshed beyng ouer runne with water But the heauens and erth which are now be kept by hys worde in store and reserued vnto fyre agaynst the daye of iudgement and perdicyon of vngodly men DEarely beloued these matters I beate in with many wordes vnto you and euen now in these myne other letters I warne you of the self same thing not that I doubt of the vprightnesse of your mynde but that you may haue in remembraunce more and more the thinge that you know and hold and do that you do with the more harty chearefulnes and constaunt stedfastnes You shall â—e in the lesse peril of hurting by their vngracious doctrine if you remeÌ„bre that it was spoken of by the holy prophetes in tymes paste whiche gaue warnyng to beware of this kynde of men And if you do remembre that we gaue the same precept whiche are the Apostles of the lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ who forhad that nomanne should geue eare to such as in stede of the Gospelles truth bring in pernicious doctrine This therfore knowe you fyrst of all that there shall come hereafter not preachers but mockers being connyngly furnyshed with sleightes and subtill deceates to beguyle the ignoraunt withall whiche shall not folowe those thynges that Christe taught vs but like as their life shall be after the lustes of their owne hart so shall they teache after their owne appetite those thinges that shal be fitte for suche a maner of life For inasmuche as theyr life is filthy they shall not be desyrous of the lordes commyng And for that cause sake shall they perswade bothe to them selues and others that he shal not come agayn and saye where is the promysed resurreccion where is the iudgement where are the sondrye sortes of rewardes according to the desertes of lyuing whan coÌ„meth he that is loked for
that it bringeth forthe is the naughtiest frute of all euen deathe euerlasting And this is the most heauy frute of that pleasure that is delectable in outwarde appearauÌ„ce and promysing swete geare I wote not what while it hydeth vnder the bayte of pleasure the very angling hoke of death Like therfore as thys lower worlde hath nothing pure and perfite in euery parte but the good thinges are corrupt with the badde and the thinges that are of gladnes are enterchaungeably myngled with sadnesse corrupcion enfecteth the ayer disease and age decayeth the strength of bodye darkenes hyndreth the fauour of light euen so in our myndes as longe as they are entangled with these bodyes there is scarcely any thynge in all partes blessed and pure but it is corrupt with some spotte of humaine desires or with the darkenes of errour and ignoraunce But what so euer naughtynes is in vs we ought to impute it vnto oure selues and not to God For if we were of pure affeccions if we put oure truste with oure whole harte in God if we breathed with all oure inwarde powers vnto the thinges that are euerlasting and heauenly what so euer shoulde bee layed agaynste vs in this life whether it were mery or sory it woulde turne to the increace of Godlynes Therfore deare brethren doe not you as the commune sort of folish men doeth who to thintent they may excuse theyr synnes pleade with the maker of nature at law as though he were the autor of synne Farre be this errour from you whiche haue learned the Gospells philosophie Like as God of his owne nature is purely and moste chiefly good euen so doeth there nothing procede from him but that whiche is good Yf any naughtynes therfore be in vs let vs not ascribe it vnto God but vnto oure owne selues and yf any good thyng yf any true lyght yf any vndefyled wysedome be in vs let vs ascribe it wholy vnto God the autor Yf this grosse worlde haue any lyght it hathe it of the heauenly bodies and especially of the sunne What true knowlage so euer is in vs what pure and syncere affeccion so euer be in vs it ariseth not of vs for we are nothyng elles but synners and ignoraunt persones but it procedeth from aboue what so euer is truly good it commeth from the autor of all goodnes what so euer lawfull and perfite thing there be and such thing as maketh you acceptable vnto God it cometh from the fountayne of all perfeccion what so euer is truly light the father and prince of all true light sendeth it vnto vs froÌ„ him self These thinges he bestoweth not vpoÌ„ oure desertes but he geueth them vnto vs frely as he is liberall of nature They are giftes rather than rewardes it is a liberall larges rather than a hire It is not right therfore that we chalenge any thing therof vnto vs but for our naughtynes let vs call vpon the mercie of God for goodnes bicause it is not ours let vs geue thankes vnto his liberalitie Like as he of his owne nature is the beste euen so he cannot geue but the thynges that are beste lyke as he is vnchaungeable and alwayes like hymselfe so there is nothing with him that is obscured with any course of darkenes This our daye is taken awaye of the night folowing and caste about with cloudes goyng betwene humayne wisedome is darkened with errours of opinions mans vprighteousnes is infected with naughty desires With him there is no mixture of euylles no courses of darkenes It behoueth vs therfore also to conforme our selues to the vttermost of our powers according to his simplicitie that geuing our selues vnto godly studyes and being apte more and more to receyue his giftes we maye be as it were transformed in to hym For it is conuenient that children resemble the nature of their parent We haue vnthirftyly resembled Adam the prynce of this grosse and corrupt birthe He being obscured with the darkenes of synnes hath begotten vs that are entangled with darkenes In that we lothe heauenly thinges in that we are gredy of earthy thinges we resemble the disposicion of hym In that we are blynde in that we doe at al auentures as yâ— blinde man casteth his staffe and in that we fall it is of our carthy parent But the father of heauen hathe more happyly begotten vs agayne that being as it were created newe agayne we myght conforme our selues like vnto our newe bâ—â—the in Innocencie of life and knowlage of euerlasting trueth That earthy father being seduced with the false deceatefull promisses of the serpent begate vs. vnto darkenes And this heauenly father begate vs agayne not of the corrupt sede of our earthye father but of the most pure sede of the eternall and trueth speaking worde The serpentes worde was a lyeng worde and casie downe manne from the state of Innocencie But the worde of the Gospelles doctrine is trâ—â— whereby we are chosen into the enheritaunce of Immortalitie and called in to the felowe shippe of Iesu Christe the sonne of God He was the true light preceding of the moste high light whose doctrine hathe made bright mens myndes and set them free from the doctrine of this worlde And the heauenly worde is of suche efficacie that it doeth not onlye chaunge vs but transformeth vs as it were vtterly in to other men abhorryng now the thynges that we loued muche before and loue that we before abhorred And this is the honoure that the heaueÌ„ly father worthyed vs withal not prouoked by our merites but of his own free goodnes wherby he so determyned from euerlasting that he woulde by suche meanes as hathe not ben hearde tell of make a newe creature in the earthe and woulde that we shoulde bee as it were the fyrst frutes of thys newe estate in that we are called amonge the fyrste vnto the doctrine of the Gospell Forasmuche than as God hathe endued vs with thys honour frely it remayneth that we conforme oure selues lyke vnto hys hounteous goodnes to the vttermost of our power againe we are frely admitted vnto this felicity but we might fall from it agayne for all that through our owne fault onles we studie to kepe through godly forcastes that which is frely geueÌ„ It were of non effecte for vs to be chosen through baptisme and professing of the Gospelles doctrine in to the felowship of the sonne of God excepte we frame oure selues through chast and cleane maners like vnto our profession That like as euerlastyng lighte hathe geuen vs light by the sonne of God so muste all oure life beare witnes that we belonge to the felowship of light We once caste of the olde manne with hys errours with his affectes with hys vices now it is reason that we ensue the cleane contrary thynges Heretofore you had rather seme maisters than disciples for so ambicion perswaded you that the commune people woulde recon him the better learned that was moste ful of bablyng you had rather haue ben
where as lyfe is of it selfe moste shorte so manye casualties so many dyseases make it also moste incertayne and you as though you were at a compacte with death whiske about by sea and by lande to get pelfe for your olde age that peraduenture shall neuer come whan no manne can promyse hym selfe to lyue so much as to morow Whereto put you your confidence so in this life as though it were a stedfaste and a substaunciall matter And what a thyng is this life of yours for the which you set your only care for the which ye labour and forcast and for nothing elles Truelye it is a smoke appearing for a shorte tyme and quyckly vanyshing away Farre be therfore this maner of communicacion froÌ„ Christian folkes mouthes we will go we wil passe of a yeare we will buye and sell we wyll get wynnynge as though it were in your owne handes to knowe the chaunce to come Rather lyue you for the tyme dependyng of Goddes will and saye if the lorde will and if he lende vs life we will dooe this or that These thinges ought lightly to be cared for that make for the shorte and incertayn life of the body but all care ought to be set vpon those thinges that make for the lyfe that neuer shall dye And yet where thys lyfe hath nought to truste surely vnto seing it is subiecte to so many chaunces and so many diseases â—â—ig it is endaungered with so many casualties seinge it is so slyppery and so fugitiue yet you enhaunce your stomackes and are puffed vp with trusting vpon youthe and â—iâ—hes as though you should neuer dye It is right to bee stronge and hartie in the truste of Goddes helpe it is godly to bee chearefull in the loking for heuenly goodes but all thys bragging cheare that you stand in your owne conceate withall of goodes being fyrste false goodes and than goodes that muste shortly be taken from you is not only wycked but also folishe Peraduenture thys were more tolerable in those that were perswaded of theyr elders that there is nothing remaining of man after he is lapped in his wynding sheâ—e and were more excusable in them that gredely vse thys life and loke for none other As for you the Gospelles philosophye hathe taught you that this lyfe is to be contemned and that you ought with all studyous dilygence to make spede to that heauenly life whyche is not prepared by ryches but with godly doynges To conclude he is the more greuous synner whiche whan he knoweth by the Gospelles doctrine what ought to be doone yet being corrupte with euill affections foloweth after â–ª those thinges whiche those men folowe that knowe not Christe The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ Go to nowe ye ryche men Wepe and howle on youre wretchednes that shall come vpon you youre ryches is corrupte youre garmentes are motheaâ—en youre golde and siluer is â—ankâ—ed and the ruste of them shal be a witnes vnto you and shall eate youre fleshe as it were fyre ye haue heaped treasure together euen wrathe to youre selues in youre laste dayes Beholde the hyer of the labourers whiche haue reaped downe youre feldes whiche hyre is of you kepte backe by fraude â—â—yeth and the cries of them whiche haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde Sabaoth Ye haue lyued in pleasure on the erthe and bene wanton ye haue nourished your heartes as in a daye of slaughter ye haue condemned and kylled the iuste and he hathe noâ— resisted you GOe to nowe you ryche men that occupye the felycitie and pleasures of lyfe whiche you ought to loke for eternall in heauen poste haste here in this worlde awaye with your synging laye awaye your voluptuousnes and madde pleasures If you haue any witte wepe and howle and thinke vpon those euerlastinge miseries that shortely hange ouer you Imagine that the time is now presently come that shal shortly come aâ— hâ—nde whan those riches wherin now you most folishly put your confidence being twitched awaye you shal be wise to late and acknowlage that those gaye possessions doe not now helpe you but for a counterfaict felicitie a right true and euerlasting sorow is come Where be now your riches that you haue gotten by hoke and by croke you cared not howe Your ryches are rotten youre clothes are endaungered with mothes Your golde and your siluer is maâ—â—ed with rust in the custody of a nygarde slouening heyre And yâ— rusting shal beare record of youre wickednes which had rather haue it be lost with mowling thaÌ„ to lay it out to the vse of the poore nedy With yâ— expense of these thinges you might haue bought euerlasting life now shall the reste of the money that you haue scraped out of the hard earthe gâ—awe out the guttes of your soules euen as it were fire It shall bee to late and in vayne for you to frette your selues with repentaunce of your naughtyly kept money It shall double youre sorowe that you haue naughtly kept that you haue naughtyly gotten In stede of the mercy of God whiche you might with losse of substaunce haue bought you haue heaped vp for your selues the wrathe and vengeaunce of God You were not only not liberall towardes your nedy brother but you haue also defrauded the symple body of hys due wages Beholde the â—eaper that swette with reapyng downe youre corne being defrauded of hys wages cryeth vnto God and asketh vengeaunce yea and he cryeth so that theyr voyce pearceth through in to the eares of the lorde Sabaoth whiche ought also to be dreadde of you They were not hable to reuenge them of them that are bigger thaÌ„ they they were not hearde of any manne that was a iudge whiche for the most parte fauoureth them that are moste wealthy and they them selues helde theyr peace but the wickednes it selfes cryeth out vnto the iudge God whiche is nether afrayed of the wealthie and also reckoneth the wronge of the poore oppressed to belong vnto him But you for all that are not moued with the sorowfull griefe of the hungrye and thurstye poore Other mennes swette hatched vp you Other mennes hunger and thurste made you fatte Theyr teeth hacked in theyr heade they were staruen for colde they were killed with hungre and thurst And you in the meane while passed your lyfe swetely and in pleasures vpon earthe you lyued wantonly fedde your soules with al kindes of voluptuous pleasures keping dayly feastes as gorgeously as other are wont to doe in a soleÌ„ne holy day whan meate offring is slayne Nether thought you it ynough to haue defrauded the poore manne but you haue condemned and killed the Innocente that made no resystence You thought you shoulde haue doone that without punnyshement alwayes whiche you might doo without punnyshment of men It is a kynde of manslaughter to defraude the symple of theyr lyuynge And yet for all that thys crueltie did not suffice your vnreasonable outragiousnes You thyrsted after theyr blood and whan the faultles people
with vs and that oure felowship maye be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ And thys wryte we vnto you that ye maye reioyce and that youre ioye may be full VVE write not vnto you dearely beloued brethren of stender or meane thinges or of thinges vnknowen but of a newe matter howbeit so newe vnto vs that with God it was from euerlasting This is the worde of God euen Iesus Christe bothe God and manne whiche where he was alwayes the sonne of God woulde of late be the sonne of a mayden and which after hys diuine nature was inuisible to mans eies vouchesafed to take vpon hym an humayne bodye and did vouchesafe to be famyliarly conuersaunte among men that he might â—arye vs vp from the darkenes of our ignoraunce to the lyght of Gospelliâ—â— knowlage and that we myght begynne to beholde him with the eies of our mynde whome we haue presentlye fâ—ne with the eies of our bodye In dede the vnbelefe of mannes harte required that the truthe shoulde bee credited by grosse outwarde experimentes but yet the godlynes of them is more preferred by his owne worde whiche where they neyther had sene him with theyr eyes nâ— handled him with theyr handes yet were moste certaynly perswaded and beleued that he is the sonne of God and thonly autor of mannes saluacyon It is our parte therfore to declare that whiche we haue moste certaynly proued by our bodyly sences vnto those that chaunced not to see it and yet it is expedient to beleue that none ought to trust to haue life nor euerlastinge saluacion but he that beleueth the Gospelles doctrine wherof we are both witnesses and preachers It is not the worde of manne nether of lyght importaunce but it is the worde of God and of heauen that geueth euerlastyng lyfe to them which geue obedient hearyng vnto it and deliueâ—ing from the deathe of sinnes from what so euer relygyon from what so euer kynde of lyfe they shall turne them selues vnto it Of this matter that we speake of we speake of most assured credence yâ— is to wete euen the thing which we yâ— were continual waitours heard with our eares saw with our eies nether sawe we afarre of or passinge by but we loked presently on to the full And to cause a thinge to be credited these are two princypall chief sences and if that also bee but a small matter we did not only heare hym teaching prayinge commaundyng wyndes and deuilles and the father sondry tymes bearing witnes vnto the sonne and we sawe hym not only worke myracles suffre deathe and ryse agayne but also we haue handled with these handes of oures For whan he was rysen agayne from deathe to thyntente to make vs beleue steofastlye that he was no vayne phantasie but euen the lame manne alyue agayne whome we had sene before dead he caused vs to handle him with our handes and laying to our fingres he shewed vs the places of his woundes Mannekynde was deade bycause it was in thraldome of vices and synnes and he suffred deathe for our wickednes that through his goodnesse we myght lyue vnto Innocencie We were in doubt also our selues whan we sawe hym dead whan we sawe hym buried but whan he rose again from death he gaue vs sure hope of life Mankynde had had no maner of hope of eternall life except he had caused vs to see him with oure cies and if he had not plucked awaye all doubtefulnes froÌ„ vs by most manifestly apparent experimentes He beinge manne suffred paynes for our synnes and the same being God dooeth frely gene immortall lyfe to them that put theyr faythfull trust in hym He lyued alwayes with the father and this life was alwayes determinately purposed for vs by the sonne howbeit this counsail was not yet publyshed vnto the world albeit the nacion of the Iewes and yet none but they loked for it by the prophetes oracles as it were in a dreame In the meane while deathe reigned lyfe laye hydden Some tixed theyr hope in Moses some in worldly wisedome but the saluacion and life of all people was Iesus Christe the worde of God the father the teacher of Innocencye and the geuer of Immortalitie For none lyueth but he that lyueth godly nether dooeth any escape deathe â–ª but he that atreyneth Immortalytie At leyngth thys Iesus christe manifested him selfe vnto the world by hym selfe shewing him selfe playnly to all the senses of man and so thrusting him selfe in to the consciences of menne And therfore he would haue vs to be lokers on and witnesses of all thinges that he did on earthe â–ª to thintent they myght be faithfully published by our preachinge throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde that like as we by Iesus haue obteyned lyfe and saluacion in case we perseuer still in the Gospelles doctrine euen so shoulde you also come with vs in to the felowshippe and company of this saluacion in case you geue credence to our witnesse bearing â–ª concernyng the thinge that you neither hearde nor sawe of hym but learne it by our preachinge We are nether vayne witnesses ne yet vncommaunded He had vs to bee faithfull witnesses and we recorde vnto all men with the greate daunger of our head none other thinge than we haue most euydent experience of with all the sences of the bodye We are happye in that our eares and eies haue made vs beleue and yet you are neuertheles happye if you geue credence vnto hys witnesse bearers Our faithe hathe glued vs vnto Christe and made vs the children of God and membres of Christe And your faith also shall engraffe you vnto the same bodye that being ioyned with vs in the feloweshippe of faithe you myght make one bodye And so shall it come to passe that we shall not only bee all of one mynde amonge our selues as the membres of one bodye but we shall also haue peace and league with Iesus Christe and by hym with God hys father from whome we were before farre different that like as the sonne is at moste perfite consent communion of al thinges with the father euen so we also by perfite agrement of the profession of the Gospell shoulde bee heaped togyther in to one bodye of Christe to be made partakers of all the goodes of our heade I know you are ioyous of so happye a feloweship but yet I put you in remembraunce agayne of these thinges in writing to thintent you myght reioyce more fully if euery manne be not all together ioyous of hys owne saluacion but all mens felicitie make euery one glad For thys dooeth christen charitie cause that euery manne must be as glad of other mennes commodities as of his owne The moe that this felicitie is commune vnto the more abundaunt shall euery ones ioye bee Among vs there shall no being of one mynde stande together substauncially excepte we be fast glued together with mutuall charitie We canne not possibly haue peace with God except we be answerably like vnto our head Iesus
that neuer shal haue ende I haue written vnto you yongmen because you haue ouercome the ruflynge nycenesse of youth through the valiaunt strengthe of mynde and because you haue with a constaunte heart kepte the worde of the Gospell and haue by the helpe of Christ ouercome the Deuill the continuall enemye of mankynde Continue you styll in victorye contemne styll that whyche you haue hitherto contemned and loue more and more that you haue begon to loue The worlde enticeth by false imaginacions of transitorye goodes and frayeth with a vayne and false shewe of euilles As for you let those thinges fraye you whiche are euill in dede and neuer haue ende And let these thinges catche you that are good in dede and knowe none ende Folowe the lyght of the gospell and loue heauenly thynges whiche the heauenlye father promyseth vnto whom you are regenerate by Christ Flee the darknes of naughtie lustes wherby this worlde layeth bayte with countrefaict goodes It can not possiblie be that you can loue bothe at ones nor serue both at ones There is none agrement betwene God and the worlde there is no concorde betwene lyght and darknes whosoeuer loueth the worlde swarueth from the loue of God the father I speake not of this worlde which god made wherin we liue wil we nil we The wiked gredy desires of vayne thinges wherein the common sort of menne repose their felicitie forgetting the thinges that are truely good in dede I cal the world It is not the place howe farre of so euer it be not the raymente not the meate not the title that exemteth you froÌ„ the world but a mind that is pure from those desires yâ— I spake of And what hath this world that is not noisomly hurtful There are thre thinges yâ— it most chefely deceineth folishe vncircumspect folkes withall the voluptuous pleasure of the fleshe enticementes of the eies and hyghe statelynes and proude galauntnes of lyfe For it obiecteth certayne iugglinges of vayne pleasures to clawe the senses of the bodye withall for a tyme that the mynde maye in the meane while be called awaye from the studie of heauenlye good thynges For the desyre of suche maner of good thynges the heauenlye spirite suggesteth whom God the father geueth vnto his childreÌ„ that are truly regenerate by Christ The deuill hath also a spirite of his owne by whom he suggesteth a pernicious loue of thynges neyther true nor durable vnto them that haue bent themselues throughly vnto this worlde He suggesteth the naughtye sportes of lechery to title the meÌ„bres of the body withal through a folishe and a filthy itching delite He suggesteth the delite of fyne meates drinke to please yâ— paunche the mouth wÌ„al He suggesteth the swetnes of idlenes slepe that the mynde may waxe the more sluggishe throughe custume He suggesteth wanton songes and shameles fables to anoynt the eares withall He suggesteth the wanton enticementes of beawties and sondry kyndes of thinges to beholde to delite the eies withall He suggesteth the pompes and ioylitie of riches the occasions of ambicion Finally he allureth mennes myndes on euery parte awaye from the true and euerlasting good thinges vnto the vayne imaginacions of good thinges Let him that is entangled with the desire of these thinges knowe that he is not moued by the spirite of the heauenly father but by the spirite of the worlde The worlde lyke as it consisteth vpon elementes that endure but for a time euen so geueth it nothing but that whiche shall shortly perishe God like as he is eternall euen so geueth he freely euerlasting rewardes Therefore he that dependeth vpon the succours of the worlde foloweth a certayne felicitie that is both vayne and shall shortly be taken awaie which euen casualtie that commeth vnthought vpon plucketh away in this worlde or at lest age dispatcheth it Truly death that shall come vn to euery man plucketh quite awaye all the dreame of false pleasures Whan the mater is taken awaye the pleasure perisheth and sorowes come in place Whan the man is taken away al is gone to naught and euerlasting torment cometh in place But he that â—beieth vnto the father that calleth him vnto the loue of an heauenly lyfe his felicitie shal neuer haue ende For he that geueth it knoweth none ende The vnhurtfull commodities of this worlde are to be vsed for the tyme yea but smallye but moderately to the necessitie of nature not to the voluptuouse fulfylling of pleasure But the chiefe studye of mynde ought to be turned to the thynges that be eternall whereunto the vse of all other thynges ought also to be referred The text Lytell children it is the last time and as ye haue hearde howe that Antichrist shall come euen nowe are theremany begonne to be Antichristes already wherby we knowe that it is the laste tyme. They went out from vs but they were not of vs. For yf they had bene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs. But that it might appeare that they werenot of vs. Neuertheles ye haue an oyntment of him that is holy and ye knowe all thynges I haue not written vnto you as though ye knewe not the trueth but as thoughe ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of trueth Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe the same is Antichriste that denieth the father and the sonne Whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father he that knowledgeth the sonne hath the father also Let therefore abyde in you that same which ye heard from the begynnyng The felicitie of godly men doeth not yet appeare but it shal be manyfestly opened in the commyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ The wicked seme to lyue in the meane time swetely here in this worlde but euerlastinge sorowe heâ—geth ouerthem and that shortly For the laste tyme semeth to be present wherin the course of thinges being turned vpsyde downe those shall rayne with Christe that are formented nowe for Christes sake and they shal be brought to naught whiche be nowe rebelles agaynst Christe You haue hearde that Antichrist shall come who being armed with all the mayntenaunce and iugglinges of this worlde shoulde kepe warre against Christe and by and by when Antichriste is ouercomme againe the body of Christe shal be deliuered from all euils and the membres of the deuill shall be laden with the burthens of all euilles Therfore the commynge of thys Antichrist of whom the Apostles tolde you before semeth not to be farre of For thys worlde hath so muche preuayled agaynste the doctrine of the Gospell that there are begonne euen nowe all readye to be a great sorte that deserue the name of Antichrist whose lyfe and doctrine and all theyr hole studye is agaynst Christ For what appeare they to be elles than Antichristes gentilmen husshers and the last tokens of the plage to come For they do lesse hurt vnto Christes people that be vtterly strauÌ„gers from Christ than those that
God the disciples of Christ For in dede the hate of the neghbour is a step vnto murther And malice is cleane coÌ„trary repugnauÌ„t with charitie Cain was not the sonne of god but was borne of the deuyll why because he went out of kynde from his good maker and became lyke the deuill which beyng strycken with enuy was the first that slewe man with deadly stynge Cayn resembled the disposicion of his father in sleaing Abell hys brother But what was the cause of hys hate For so the because their lyfe was not alyke and therfore they were of a contrarye kynde albeit after their bodely kinred they were naturall borne brethren They did bothe resemble their father Abel was an innoceÌ„t man and kyndled to the studious mynde of well dooinge Cain contrariwyse hauinge conceaued an hate against his brother forcasted not howe to amende himselfe but how to slea his brother Lyke as in this case the wicked coulde not abyde the godlye and the deuilles childe coulde not abyde yâ— childe of god euen so you ought to take it for no maruaiâ—e brethren thoughe men geuen to the worlde forsake you They hate them that are giltles Let no man hate them againe They forsomuche as they are vowed vnto deathe and serue the autor of deathe imagine howe to put other to deathe It is our parte to pitie them and not to doe them one harme for an other For in dede the charitie of the gospell hath ledde vs awaye from the studye of harme dooinge vnto the â—â—udie of wel dooing by this token we know that we are predestinat vnto euerlasting life exempte from the tiranny of death in yâ— we loue the brethren He that loueth bothe wisheth well doeth well The body lyueth by the breathe the soule liueth by the spirite of Christ Wher brotherly loue is not there yâ— spirite of Christ is not Whosoeuer therfore hateth his neighbour he is deade lyueth not inwardly For although he haue a faithe yet he hath a dead faith where charitie is not present Doe you make a fliâ—te at the hating of your brother as though it were a light faulte he that hateth his brother is a manâ—lear He hath not thurst his sword in him he hath not poisoned hi he hath not flowen vpon him he hath not cursed him but onely wished him euyll â–ª Mans law doeth not damne him of man laughter but in gods sight he is already damned of manslaughter He yâ— hath receyued hate ones in to his brest as much as in him is he is a maÌ„sâ—ear There are many kyndes of manslaughter He that sleaâ—th with sworde suffreth punisshemeÌ„t euen by temporall lawes He that killeth with poyson is punisshed euen of them that are wicked But he that sticketh his brother with the darte of a venemous tongue although he be quitte by mannes lawes from the crime of manslaughter yet by the lawe of the gospel he is giltie of manslaughter He is as yet hitherto alyue that the hater wissheth euil vnto yet he him selfe is al ready dead That mans lyfe is safe this hath lost euerlastinge lyfe being his owne murtherour Wyll you see brethren howe muche we ought to be farre from the desire of harme dooing Turne your eies to the example of Christ He so loued vs whan we deserued nothinge yea whan we deserued deathe that he spent his lyfe for vs. Howe muche more ought we to put our lyfe in daunger for the saluacioÌ„ of our brethreÌ„ yf occasion so require namely we that succede into Christ our shepherdes rowme He coÌ„mitted not his shepe vnto Peters keping but whan he had thrise sayed he loued him by and by hâ— sheweth him yâ— kynde of death that he might vnderstonde that the saluacioÌ„ of the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto his charge must be defended euen with the losse of lyfe But wil he spende his lyfe that grudgeth to helpe with his money doeth a maÌ„ thinke it inoughe yf he hurt not his brother yf he speake to him gently Christ declared in his dedes howe muche he loued vs. He yâ— seeth his brother waÌ„t meate clothe drincke or lodging hath substaunce to releue his nede withal is not moued with coÌ„passioÌ„ but as thoughe it were no poynt of his charge letteth him alone vnsuccoured how caÌ„ it be beleued yâ— the loue of god is in him â–ª The heatheÌ„ suâ— coureth yâ— heatheÌ„ doest not yâ— being a ChristiaÌ„ succour thine eueÌ„ christened â–ª Thou haste professed brotherly loue and if thou haue it truly present with the why doeth it ceasse in this case whan thy brother is pyned with nede Thou callest him brother and shewest thou no token of brotherly affeccioÌ„ The texte My babes let vs not loue in word neither in tong but in dede in verytie Hereby we know that we are of the verytie can quyet our heartes before hym For if our hearte condemne vs God is greater then oure hearte and knoweth all thynges Dearâ—ly beloued if our hearte condemne vs not then haue we truste to God warde and whatsoeuer we aske we receyue of hym because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges which are pleasant in hys sight And this is his commaundement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement And he that kepeth his commaundementes dwelleth in him and he â—â— him and hereby we knowe that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. My babes let vs not loue one another in wordes onely Let the loue be in the hearte rather than in the tongue and let it expresse it selfe in dedes rather than in speaking Let this worde Brother be in our dayly communicacion yea but that we may be true let the dedes be answerably like to the communicacion as often as occasion serueth let vs declare a true brotherly loue to be in vs in dede Let not our brother want any thing yâ— we haue whether he desire coate or meate or lodging either coÌ„forte teaching or admonicion Thus if we doe with readie good willes we shall knowe by this token that we are the children of the trueth and that we loue not countrefaytlye but purely The trueth is Christe him selfe vnto whose eyes we shall proue oure conscience yâ— we be allowed bothe with God and men and by our dedes men shall knowe that there is no dissembled loue among vs god loketh vpoÌ„ the puritie of the harte We shal succour our brothers nede yea but so as we releue his necessitie not to maintene his riotous prodigalitie and we shal succour him willingly without hope of reward to returne vnto vs therfore nether for dayne glories sake Menne see not the mynde but the mynde knoweth it selfe and is seene vnto the eies of god If menne prayse vs and a naughtie conscience condemne vs howsoeuer we deceaue men we can not escape the iudgement of God Mans heart hathe secret passages to and fro and doubtefull lurking
and hathe to doe in them whiche being addicte to worldly delices fight agaynst the spirite of Christe The texte Lytell children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde They are of the worlde therfore speake they of the worlde and the worlde heareth them We are of God He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of god heareth vs not Herby knowe we the spirite of veritie and the spirite of erroure Dearely beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of god And euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God â—e that loueth not knoweth not god for God is loue In this appeared the loue of god to vs warde because that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we might lyue thorowe him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agrement for our synnes There is no cause why you should be afrayed of these sortes of men litell children Forasmuch as you are of god and haue his spirite you haue by him ouercome the Antichristes In dede you of youre selues are but weake but he that dwelleth in you is greater and myghtier than he that dwelleth in the worlde The deuill fighteth agaynst you by hys membres but God by his spirit defendeth you They forasmuche as they perteyne to the fashion of the worlde and haue receyued the spirite of the worlde are wisely skilled in the worlde and talke of worldely matters and their doctrine is acceptable gear vnto them which are also geuen them selues vnto the worlde No man dooeth lyghtly beleue that he is an enemye to those thinges whiche he behemently loueth They loue earthie thynges their doctrine sauoureth of the earth We are of god he that knoweth hym in dede he knoweth him that loueth him herkeneth vnto vs whiche teache heauenly thinges matters worthy of god He yâ— is not of god heareth not vs but abhorreth froÌ„ the gospelles doctrine which biddeth meÌ„ geue away their ryches defye voluptuous pleasures to reioyce in affliccions to esteme euen life it selfe of no value for righteousnes sake to loke for the rewarde of well done dedes in the resurreccion which they either beleue shal not come at all or woulde not haue it to happen which doctryne coÌ„maundeth also through sincere loue to spend euen a mans life for his neighbours sake where as the man of a worldely spirite prouideth for his owne coÌ„moditie at al handes yea euen with wronging of his brother By these tokens therfore you may knowe the true spirite of god from the false spirite of the worlde Therfore dearely beloued forasmuche as we are of god not of the worlde let vs loue eche one other let euery one serue his neighbours profites rather than his own for loue is of god He therfore that is garnisshed with this loue is borne of god doeth truly knowe god And he that is voide of loue hath not yet knoweÌ„ god because god hiÌ„selfe is loue He geueth him selfe vnto vs as often as he geueth vs his loue He hath declared his loue to vs ward that we should also declare ours towards our neighbour But some man wil say we acknowlage the soÌ„nes charitie but wherby doe we knowe the fathers loue towardes vs Forsothe by this that he sent his onely sonne than the whiche he hath nothing more dearer in to this worlde gaue him vnto death that we by his death shoulde atteyne euerlastyng lyfe And this is also a greater and a more notable miracle of loue that beinge prouoked by no good turne of ours he loued vs so e notablie He that loueth his louer agayne is nothing but thankeful and should haue no humanitie except he dyd it We loued the worlde and were turned from the loue of god and yet God loued vs fyrst and of hys owne accorde And when he was iustly offended at oure synnes neyther was there anye manne vpon yearthe boyde of synne that coulde reconcile vs vnto hym for it behoueth hym to be full of grace that muste make intercession vnto hym that is offended for suche as bee malefactors he sente hys sonne downe from heauen to sacrifice hymselfe vnto the father and with thys most pure oblacion to make hym mercyfull vnto vs. What canne be Imagined more notable than thys loue what can be thought more feruent what can be imagined more plenteous The texte Dearely beloued yf god so loued vs we oughte also to loue one another No man hath sene god at anye tyme. Yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs and hys loue is perfecte in vs. Hereby knowe wee that wee dwell in hym and he in vs because he hathe geuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and doe testifie that the father sent the sonne to bee Sauiour of the worlde Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god in hym dwelleth god and he in god And wee haue knowen and beleue the loue that God hathe to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in god and god in hym Herein is the loue perfecte in vs that wee shoulde haue truste in the daye of iudgemente For as he is euen so are wee in thys worlde I here is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynfulnes â—e that feareth is not perfecte in loue We loue hym for he loued vs fyrste Yf a man saye I loue god and yet hate his brother he is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene loue god whoÌ„ he hath not sene And this commaundement haue we of him that he whiche loueth god shoulde loue his brother also Dearely beloued yf God whiche hathe no nede of vs of hys owne accorde and wyllyngly hath so muche loued vs we ought also after hys example to loue eche one other The sonne of God shewed hym selfe visiblye vnto vs but no man hath sene God the father at any tyme with his bodily eies and yet he is perceyued by the euident tokens of thynges We feele hym angrye we fele hym mercyfull we fele hym to be absent we fele hym to be presente We are hable to testifie our mutuall loue towardes God by none other argumente than yf we loue euery one other lyke as he hathe loued vs. He loued vs frely without cause he loued vs for thys purpose to saue vs. Yf we loue eche one other after such wise god which is loue as I sayed abydeth in vs. It is a coÌ„mune loue to beare good wil to him yâ— deserueth well to loue hym that is hable to requite oure loue and to testifie our good will with one good turne for an other but yâ— loue of god is perfite towardes vs. He loued vs of his own accorde he loued vs being straungers he loued vs of whome no maner requitall coulde returne to hym agayne he loued vs eueÌ„ to the
Christ that is to say him of whom we must nedes aske al the succoures of our salnacion and beleueth that in his hearte he is borne of god and is called alredy into the nūmbre of the sonnes of God In dede he can not chose but loue the is a sonne Thā whosoeuer loueth him heartely that is y◠father loueth him also the was borne of him that is to wete his brother with whome he hath all one commune father By this tokē we proue that we doe truly loue y◠children of God yf we first loue God him selfe heartely For there is nothing truely loued except it be loued for his sake Than that we loue God it shall euidently so appeare yf we kepe his commaundementes and kepe them chearfully and gladly for his commaundementes are none otherwyse greuous For what is greuous to the louer what is greuous to him that goeth post haste to suche maner rewardes The worlde obiecteth terrible appearaunces of euilies pouertie vanyshement slaunder enprisonmentes whippinges deathes It is a great fraye but the victorie is made readye For what soeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde But with what furnitures doeth he ouercome y◠worlde with riches with garisons of men with engines of warre with worldly learning no no they ouercome the worlde as cruelly rageing as it is throughe a stedfast onely faithe wherwith they committe them selues wholy vnto God their protectour Thy riches are snatched awaye yea but what sayeth faithe to that Thou haste a treasure in heauen Thou art throwen out to be a vanished man yea but the countrey of heauen loketh for his countreyman Thy body is turmoyled with tormentes yea but with them are bought euerlasting ioyes Death is deuised for the yea but after it shall folowe lyfe that neuer shall dye Who is it than that ouercometh the worlde not a lorde not the riche man not a philosopher not a kyng but he who soeuer he be that beleueth verely that Iesus is the sonne of God Beleue that which he hath promised and it shal nothing moue thee whatsouer the worlde purposeth against thee He ouercame the world first atteyned immortalitie he came into this world hauīg takē our mortal body to get the victorye for vs to shew the meane of victorye getting to cause y◠rewardes to be certaynely reckoned vpon But with what furnitures came he armed withall He came by water and bloude euen Iesus Christe by water that he myght washe vs cleane from our synnes by bloude that he myght geue vs immortall lyfe Hys owne wyll was to be baptised beinge cleane voyde from all synne that he myght frelye geue vnto vs innocencye hys owne wyll was to dye on the crosse that he myght open vnto vs the waye vnto immortalitie He dyd not onelye testifie by these two tokens that he was Christ and the sauiour of the worlde in that he receyued baptisme as a synfull man in that he dyed as a malefactour where he one onely none among all but he was Innocent from all synne but the spirite also appearynge in the likenes of a doue bare recorde of him that it was he whō the father had geuen to be the sauyour of the worlde For the spirite is also the trueth as the father and the sonne is there is one trueth of all like as there is one nature of all For there are three in heauen that beare recorde vnto Christ the father the worde and the spirite the father whiche sending once and eftsones a voice downe from heauen testified openly that he is his dearly beloued sonne in whom nothing coulde doe amisse the worde whiche hauing done so many miracles whiche in his death and resurreccion declared him selfe to be the true Christ bothe God and man the peacemaker betwene God and men the holy gooste whiche descended vpon his head whan he was baptised and that after his resurreccion fell vpon his disciples And of these three there is all one most perfite agrement the father is the autor the sonne the messanger the holy goost the remembrauncer There are three thinges also on earthe that beare recorde vnto Christ his humayne spirite whiche he put from him one the crosse the water and the bloode that ranne out of his syde whan he was deade And these three witnesses doe agree The other declared him to be God these recorde that he was man Iohn also bare witnesse And yf we receyue witnesse of men it is reason that the witnesse of God be of more importaunce with vs. For the testimonie of God the father is manifest Thys is my VVelbeloued Sonne in VVhom I am pleased heare him What thing can be spoken more plainly or more fully he that beleueth truly in goddes sonne Iesus Christ and hath reposed al the succours of his lyfe in him so that trusting in his promisses he contemneth all thinges that this worlde can make a shewe of whether they be amiable or dreadfull hathe a witnesse in him selfe and beareth witnesse vnto the sonne of God For whan throughe thinspiracion of the spirite of Christe he defieth euen deathes for his loue he beareth no trifling witnesse vnto mē that they are no vaine thīges that Christ hath taught and promised He that trusteth not in god but putteth his trust in the worlde he as muche as in him is maketh god a lyer whiche hath promised felicitie vnto them that woulde herkē vnto his sonne Iesu Christ where as he in his conuersaciō teacheth that felicitie is to be asked of the worlde cleaueth so vnto the cōmodities of this lyfe as thoughe nothing of a man remayned after the deathe of the bodye The father cryeth Heare him And his lyfe that beleueth not sayeth Heare the worlde For whan the sonne prayed the father that those whiche beleued or shoulde beleue in him might haue eternall lyfe the fathers voyce was heard testifiyng as by the sound of a trompet that his prayers should be allowed The father therfore hath geuen vs euerlastyng lyfe shewinge of whome it should be asked euen of his sonne Iesus Christe His doctrine who soeuer embraceth his example whosoeuer foloweth hys promises whosoeuer trusteth vnto he bothe possedeth the sonne and hath life the pledge wherof he kepeth in the meane time euen the spirite of god throughe the vndoubted confidence whereof he is bolde to call God father He that is a straunger from the sonne is estraunged also from lyfe The texte These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god that ye maye knowe howe that ye haue eternall lyfe and that ye maye beleue on the name of the sonne of god And thys is the trust that we haue in hym that yf we aske any thyng accordinge to hys wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heare vs whatsoeuer wee aske we knowe that we haue the peticions that we desire of hym If any man see his brother sinne a synne not vnto death let hym aske and he shall geue hym
lyfe for them that sinne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for whiche saye I not that a man shoulde praye All vnrighteousnes is sin and ther is a synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of god synneth not but he that is begotten of god kepeth himselfe and that wicked toucheth hym not We know that we are of god and the worlde is all together set on wickednes We knowe that the sonne of god is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe hym whiche is true and wee are in him that is true through his sonne Iesus Christ This same is very god and eternal lyfe Babes kepe your selues from images Amen These thinges therfore doe I repete and beate vnto you with so many wordes lest any man shoulde persuade vnto you the contrarye But take it for a sure and an vndoubted certayntie that it is true whiche you haue beleued that euerlastynge lyfe is ordayned for you throughe Iesus Christe whose ioyned felowe heires you are You haue already the ryght clayme and gage and shall haue possession of the thyng selfe in hys tyme. Therefore you that beleue in the sonne of God beleue stedfastlye and put youre sure trust in hym daylye more and more He wyll not fayle you in the promyses of euerlastyng lyfe that fayleth you not nowe euen in thys lyfe For in dede the spirite of Christe geuethe this confidence vnto you that whatsoeuer you shal aske in y◠name of the sonne you should obtaine it if ye aske according to hys wyll that is yf you be suche when you come to praye as he woulde haue you to come that is to saye pure from all maner hate of your brother For he obteyneth nothyng at goddes hande of whom his neyghbour obteyneth not forgeuenes of his fault And if you aske those thinges that are auaileable to the lyfe of heauen and make to the glorye of Christ Or elles we for the moste parte knowe not what we shoulde aske of God and many tymes for holsome thynges we desire hurtfull thynges yf the spirite of Christe put vs not in mynde what were expedient for vs to aske but as ofte as we aske after thys sorte we are sure that god heareth oure prayers we are sure that he wyll frely geue vs whatsoeuer we shall aske So hath he promised vs and is hable to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth and wyll performe whatsoeuer is holsome for vs. Neither shall he onely encrease his giftes in vs being prouoked therunto by oure prayers but also he wyll pardon vs oure daylye offences without whome the feblenes of mans nature can scarcely be hable to endure longe and he shall not onely pardon euery one hys offences yf he desire pardon but he shall also heare the brother praying for the brothers offences so that the sinne bee of suche sorte that it doeth not quenche out brotherly loue althoughe it doe somewhat obscure it For there is a synne that cannot bee imputed vn to weakenes nor be healed with lyght and easye remedies as whan a manne vpon a sette malyce persecuteth the christen felowshyppe where he hymselfe hath professed Christe and in pretence of religion goeth aboute to subuert religiō The desperate frowardnes of suche a one deserueth not the prayer of godly menne and yet perfite charitie prayeth also for suche wyshynge for those thynges that cannot possiblye be done There is no manne that prayeth for the deuyll because he doeth wittynglye throughe malyce oppugne them whome God woulde well vnto Perhappes no prayer should also be made for them that are translated into hys affeccion and are rather to be shunned that they doe no harme than to bee releued with prayers excepte they shewe an hope of their repentaunce Suche a disease nedeth more strong remedies and is greater than can bee taken away by dayly praiers wherby lighter offences are taken away which are done of feble weakenes not of purposed frowardenes Whatsoeuer is committed besyde perfite righteousnes is sin but there be many differences of synnes There is some synne whiche althoughe it demynyshe and blotte innocencye yet it vtterlye quencheth not out christian charytye as whan by occasion we ouershote a worde agaynste oure frende whiche we are sory for by and by that it ouer shot vs whan a sodayne angre hath russhed out at a worde that wee woulde wyshe by and by myghte bee called backe agayne whan throughe the swetenes of meate or drynke receyuyng wee take somewhat more then the necessitie of nature doeth require And to pardon these offences God is easie yf he bee called vpon with mutual prayers Suche maner of faultes of children those that be gentyll parentes doe for the moste parte wynke at whiche woulde not suffre greater offences Albeit there is none so lyght a faulte that ought to be neclected Whatsoeuer is done amysse is euyll and to bee eschewed of godlye folkes and yf it bee neclected it drawethe by lytell and lytell vnto deathe But lyke as spedye remidy oughte to be had for these lighter offences whiche men are scarce hable to auoyde euen so god forbydde that he whiche hath once renounced the worlde and dedicated hymselfe vnto god shoulde be tombled backe agayne into anye greate notable cryme By professing of the gospel we are made the childrē of God and membres of Christ And it is not conuenient that the children should diffre so greatly from the father and the membres from the head Therfore he that throughlye vnderstandeth that he is borne of god taketh more hede that he doe no euyl than of deathe it selfe and kepeth hymselfe that he haue nothynge a doe with that naughtie lorde deuill whom he serued before together with the worlde Lyke as Christe beynge once dead rose agayne to lyfe and rose agayne to lyfe neuer to dye any more euen so he that throughe baptisme is once dead vnto the worlde and risen againe to newnes of lyfe with Christ it is not mete for hym to doe that thynge agayne for the whyche Christe must dye agayne Let them be affrayed of the worlde whiche are not truely borne againe of god which haue not with al the pith of their whole heartes receyued the seede of the gospelles doctrine We knowe that wee are truely of god whome neyther the euyll thynges nor the good thynges of thys world can seperate from Christe The whole world is set all together on naughtines Whiche waye soeuer a man turneth hym there is occasion offred of thynges to turne vs awaye quite from the innocent vpryghtnes of lyfe But from the worldes enchauntmentes the sonne of god hathe once delyuered vs whiche came into the worlde for thys cause to exempte vs out of the contagious infeccion of the worlde He hathe dryuen awaye the darkenes of oure former ignoraunce and hathe geuen vs an vnderstandyng that is lyghtened with the lyght of the gospell to thintent we should knowe the true god the free geuer of al righteousnes who onely had nothyng a doe
faith doe spring want lacke of ryght good workes Euen so came it to passe at Ephesus by yâ— meanes of yâ— false apostles as Paule did before prophecye vnto them at Myletus For yâ— which cause yâ— Lorde requireth exhorteth them to ameÌ„de threatneth them before after yâ— maner of al the prophetes that he wyll els punyshe and condemne them As concernynge the secte of the Nycholaites reade yâ— xxix chapter of yâ— thirde booke of Eusebius Chronicle Whosoeuer thorow true faith loue shall ouercome yâ— teÌ„ptacions assaultes of the enemy the same shall receyue and enioy the euerlastinge reward of blisse yâ— fruicion of god yâ— heuenly father the pleasant sight of the countenauÌ„ce of Iesus Christ in euerlastinge ioye which he nameth in this place yâ— tree of lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the angel of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte These thinges sayth he that is first and the laste which was dead and is alyue I knowe thy worckes and tribulacion and pouerâ—ie but thou art ryche And I knowe the blasphemy of them whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but are the congregacion of Satan Feare none of those thinges whiche thou shalt suffre Beholde the deuyll shall caste some of you into pryson to tempte you and ye shall haue tribulacion ten dayes Be faithfull vnto the death and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayth to the congregacions He that ouercommeth shall not be hurte of the seconde death The false apostles whiche were conuerted from the Iewes vnto the faythe were also at Smirna very busye and vnquiet in maynteynyng the ciâ—cumcysion and other Iewyshe ceremonies Against the whiche the trew apostles and their dysciples as Paule and suche other were fayne to fyght and stryue by reason wherof all the churches in the world were in perplexyte and dysquieted In this place Christ speaketh vnto them of Smirna and calleth them poore in affliccions and ryche in faythe and vertue And thus he teacheth here that it is the worcke of the deuyll and not of man whansoeuer thou arte caste into any perplexyte vexacion or pryson for the faythe and truthes sake And therfore be the more pacient seyng the heauenly father permytteth suche power vnto Sathan against the. Euen so dyd it happen in this citye vnto yâ— good bishop Polycarpus one of Iohns dysciples whiche was burnt of the vnfaythfull for the truth and the christen faythes sake Of this ye maye reade more in the. xiiii and xv Chapter of the. iiii boke of Eusebius chronicle By the seconde deathe vnderstande euerlastynge deathe and damnacion as the first death is yâ— deathe of the bodye and of synne from the whiche we shall be delyuered and be raysed vp againe thorowe a trewe faythe and confydence in the mercye of god ioyned with a perfyght repentaunce The texte ¶ And to the messenger of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte This saythe he whiche hath the sharpe swearde with two edges I know thy worckes and where thou dwellest euen where Satans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not deuyed my fayth And in my dayes Antipas was a faithfull wytnes of myne whiche was â—â—ayne amonge you where Satan dwelleth But I haue a fewe thinges against the because thou hast there them that maynteyne the doctrine of Balam whiche taught in Balake to put occasyon of synne before the children of Israell that they shoulde eate of meate dedycate vnto ydoles and commyt fornicacion Euen so hast thou them that maynteyne the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wyl come vnto thee shortly and wyll fyght against them with the swearde of my mouthe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyl I geue to eat Manna yâ— is byd wyl geue him a whyte stone and in the stone a newe name written whiche no man knoweth sauynge he that receaueth it As coÌ„cerning this church we reade of no maner of accion or worke of faith therof But in al notable cities where right ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ were bothe yâ— christened vnchristened Iewes did styre vp cause much sedicion tumult as their accustomed maner was And they prouoked also the lyuetenauntes of Rome alwayes to hate persecute yâ— right true christiaÌ„s As it happened in this citie vnto the deare faithful seruant of god Antippe which with out doubt preached yâ— gospel truly syncerely therfore was faine to suffre death In such cities wher gods word is coÌ„demned al godly men in continual perell danger of their lyues goodes wher meÌ„ doe both blesse curse for money as Balaam did where abhominable fylthines whoredoÌ„ is mainteined suffered ydolatry set vp wher holy matrimonye is had in no estimacioÌ„ there without doubte dwelleth yâ— deuil For these are no small synnes but very odious and hateful vnto god But they maye repent and amende and so obteyne mercye of god and thorowe the grace and ayde of god they maye withstande and ouercome suche damnable and outragious enormyties whiche thing yf they doe not let them loke for nothinge more sure than eternall damnacion This ought to moue the hartes of all men and to feare and shrugge them that they maye repent and amende their lyues By Manna vnderstande the worde of god and true harty loue And to cleaue faste vnto Christ with a strong and a stedfast faith whiche thing is a syngular pleasure and delyght vnto the godly and faithfull and a very poyson vnto the vngodly vnfaithfull By the white stone is sygnified the eleccion and appoyntment vnto euerlastyng honour before god and all sainctes bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come with the testimonye of a good conscience that feareth god and of a right harty ioye And also the euerlastynge peace rest and sure confydence in the grace and fauoure of god vnto euerlastynge lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion of Thiatira wryte This saith the sonne of god whiche hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre and hys fete are lyke brasse I knowe thy worckes and thy loue seruyce and fayth and thy pacieÌ„ce and thy dedes whiche are moo at the last then at the fyrst Notwithstandynge I haue a feawe thinges agaynste the because thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her selfe a prophetise to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes to make them commyt fornicacyon and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles And I gaue her space to repent of her fornicacyon and she repented not Beholde I wyll cast her in to a bedd and them that coÌ„myt fornicacyon with her into great aduersitye excepte they â—uâ—ue from theyr dedes And I wyll kyll her chyldren with death Here learne that the sonne of god whiche hath the two edged swearde the first and the laste whiche is deade and yet lyueth which hathe
and by these he shall make them to be knowen vnto the whole christen congregacion The tâ—â—â—◠¶ And I hearde the nombre of them whiche were sealed and there were sealed an C. and xliiii â— of at the crybes of the children of Israel Of the trybe of Iuda were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ruben were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Gad were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Aser wer sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Neptalim were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Manasses were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Symeon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Leuy were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Isacar were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Zabulon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ioseph were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Beniamin were sealed xii M. Thus hathe our sauiour Iesus Christ chosen into his churche coÌ„gregacion not onely out of the gentyles or heathen but also out of the Iewes of all trybes generacions Out of the whiche euen before the passion of Christ there were infynite noumbres scattered dyspersed abrode thorow out the whole world which were conuerted vnto the christen faithe receyued the baptisme or christendome As the holy Apostles also preached first vnto the Iewes the syncere pure christen faith And the nombre of those Iewes the were conuerted by them was doubtles greate throughout the whole world in continuaunce of tyme increased But here in this place after the customeable vse of the holy scripture is marked or sealed a certen appoynted prescribed nomber for an vncerten an vnprescrybed nomber but yet a full and a perfyght nomber For. xii times xii thousande doe make an hundreth and. xliiii thousande For what cause certen are not here rehersed amonge the. xii trybes it is not necessarye to searche For there are euen as many true christians more also thorowe yâ— wyll of god conuerted vnto the true faythe out of yâ— trybe or flocke of Iacob And more shal be dayly conuerted whan as the Christen religion shal be restored and reformed after the rule and square of holy scripture as it was first bylded of the Apostles bysshops of the prymatyue churche The texte◠¶ After this I behelde and lo a great multitude which no man coulde nombre of al nations people and tonges stooe before the seate and before the lambe clothed with longe whyre garmentes palmes in their handes cryed with a loude voyce saying saluacioÌ„ be assâ—râ—bed to him that sytreth vpon the seate of our god and vnto the lambe And all the angels stode in the compase of the seate of the elders of the foure beastes fell before the seate on their faces worshypped god saying Amen Blessing and glorye wysdom and thankes and honour and power and myght be vnto out god for euermore Amen As was before sayd there wer many turned vnto the christeÌ„ faith out of the tribes of the Israelites after yâ— fleshe But there were many more yea infynite nombres out of all other heatheÌ„ people tounges nacions which eueÌ„ froÌ„ the antyquyte as bothe Sybylla Mercurius also more euydeÌ„tly certeinly yâ— patriarke Iacob in ye. xlix of Genesis lykewyse all the prophetes doe testifie dyd looke and wayte for the sauiour Messias Out of the which the christendome did dayly increase waxe greater in yâ— who le worlde thus they became right children of Abraham Israel after the faith to yâ— glorye prayse of god Where vnto al the holy patriarkes had alwayes more respect thaÌ„ eyther to yâ— lande of Chanaan or to the temple of Ierusalem or yet to yâ— circumcision cuttyng of the foreskynne of their bodily but vnnaturall and dysobedient children and posterite Yea or fynally to all maner of Iewyshe ceremonies For those christians that were conuerted froÌ„ the heatheÌ„ in the whole world dyd imbrace receyue the gospel very desyrously feruently framing their lyues in euery condicion therafter reformyng forsakyng their olde heathnyshe synfull lyfe maners pacient in all maner of affliccions Constant and faythfull euen vnto deathe for the true saythe and relygions sake againste ydolatrye supersticion and false religion And for this they haue receyued euerlastyng blisse wherin they laude honour god in the ioyes of heauen euerlastyngly As they also doe no lesse so long as they remayne in the warrefare of this transitorye lyfe wherin they walke as beyng marked and chosen out in all innocencie vertue and godlynes thus euen vpon earth they possesse their soules with pacience in all maner of assaultes and temptacions with a true confidence in god and with a quiet conscience And by this meanes they take here a tast of the blissed hope and loue vntil they obteyue euerlastynge saluacion The texte ¶ And one of the elders answered saying vnto me what are these whiche are arayed in longe whyte gatmentes and whence came they And I sayde vnto him Lorde thou wotest And he sayde to me these are they whiche came out of great tribulacion and made their garmentes large and made them whyte by the bloude of the lambe therfore are they in the presence of the seare of god and serue him daye and nyght in his temple and he that sytteth in the seate wylld well amonge them They shall honger no more nether thirst nether shall the sunne lyght on them nether eny heate â—or yâ— lambe whiche is in the myddes of the â—eare shall fede them and shall leade them vnto fountaynes of lyuynge water and God shall wype awaye all teares from their eyes A certen elder asked S. Iohn to geue him occasion to teache and to instructe him what he iudged and thought of those blessed ones whiche he saw in suche honour with god garnysshed with whyte garmentes And Iohn made a quicke answer sayeng that all those whiche doe cleaue vnto Christe with a true and a perfyght faith and for the faithe and truthes sake suffer paciently wyllingly what aâ—â—lyctioÌ„ so euer god shal sende vnto them thei shal be in great honour and estimacioÌ„ with god And they are suche as asscâ—ybe al their perfightnes vertue and godlynes not vnto their owne workes nor yet vnto their owne fulfyllyng of the lawe wherin they must nedes knowledge them selues gyltye and synful but all together vnto the merytes of the healthsome passion of Christ whiche is and shall euer be their rightuousnes in whome they put their trust and confydence and for his sake they are readye to suffer whatsoeuer god shall lay vpon them These are the holy blessed whiche beginne in this lyfe to haue a delight in godlynes euen with a free spirite And thorowe faythe they are sure of the grace and mercye of god which shal continue for euer towarde them at length they shall haue the cleare fruicion of all goodnes and shall fully possesse that which they doe here hope and
him But this temple of God is the holy christen churche and congregacion in this tyme of trouble dyscencion and batell and participacion of the blisse of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe vnto them that wynne and beare awaye the victorye The Arke of the testamente is the blessed and holy manhode of Christ vnited and knit in one with the godlye nature of the euerlasting word of God which is and euer hath bene yâ— Mercye stoole of all the worlde and of al men and the onely comforte refuge and ioye of the faythfull electe But the lyghtenynge the noyse of the voices the thonderynge and earthequake with the great hayle maye sygnifie the terryble damnacion of the wicked for euer or els it maye sygnifie a synguler ernest and wonderfull preparacion of the hearer or of the reader lyke as was of the holy Apostle S. Iohn whiche sawe it to marke and consyder it the more dilygentlye For it is necessarye to marke and consyder suche reuelacions and visions as doe folowe vpon suche tokens the lyke whereunto happened sometymes also vnto the prophetes as the holy scripture declareth The texte ¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moâ—e vnder her fete vpoÌ„ her heade a crowne of .xii. starres And she was with childe cried trauayling in birthe and pained ready to be delyuered And there appeared another wonder in heaueÌ„ for beholde a great red dragon hauing .vii. heddes ten hornes .vii. crounes vpon his heades his tayle drue yâ— thirde part of yâ— starres cast them to yâ— earth As in the prophetes of the olde testament the first dyd write more plainely and manifestly than the last whiche are muche harder to be vnderstanded as Ezechiel Daniel and zacharie are muche harder than Esaye and Ieremy EueÌ„ so in the new testament in this prophetycall boke the latter prophecies reuelacions and visions are more playne and easy to be vnderstanded thaÌ„ the first in so muche as this vision maye in manner be an interpretacioÌ„ of those visions that went before This heauen wherin this great token dyd appeare must nedes be the kyngdome of heauen the christen churche congregacion and felowshyp of all faithfull from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof as Christ him selfe doth interprete it The woman of whome the angell here speaketh is the euerlasting mighty and blissed worde of god whiche is bryght and mightye as the Sunne wherunto all the vnderstanding of man and of all fleshe is subiecte And it is clothed and garnysshed with the faith and confession of the patriarkes â–ª prophetes Apostles and martirs bothe of the olde and of the newe testament This word of God the holy gospel promised vnto vs from the begynnynge and beleued hath performed and thorowe the mercye and goodnes of God hath brought forthe and borne vnto vs Christe the sauiour of the worlde or the true faith in Christ But this came not to passe before suche time as nonother saluacion coulde in any wyse be founde thorow the workes of the lawe throughe the sacrifices nor throughe all other good workes For none of them all had power to satisfye or to make holy but onely the righteousnes of the worde of God that became man namely our sauiour Christe the sonne of God and of Marye whiche had bothe the nature of God and of man in one onely person whiche made satisfaccion for al mankynde This beyng with childe is in this place as muche as an earnest lust and desyre The cryeng is prayer As the holy prophetes dyd euermore desyre this saluacion trusted throughe belefe in yâ— worde of God vnto the promes yâ— was made vnto the whole worlde Against this holy worde of God and this christen faithe dyd appeare an other token in the congregacioÌ„ of the churche beyng called of God namely a bloudy dragon and enemye of mans saluacion and of the true faithe in Christ whiche is yâ— wicked spirite Lucifer his felowshyp by whose .vii. heades is sygnified all blasphemies and wickednes wherwith he worketh all myschiefe And the .x. hornes doe sygnifye his great and manyfolde tyrannye wherby he worketh to hynder and hurt the true faythe and the gospell of Iesus Christ the onely sauiour wherunto he is an enemye an aduersarye with all his might power so farre as almightye God wyll permyt and suffer him whiche he taketh to helpe him namely the louers frendes and gredy folowers of this worlde vngodlye tyrannes againste all godly innocencye and christen faithe This dragons tayle sygnifieth the might power and ministers of the deuell wherby he dysyreth to hurt the electe yf God woulde suffer it as it is possible that he maye that they shoulde fall from the heauenly vertue and godlines vnto the loue of this worlde and vnto earthly and fleshely lustes and affeccions The texte ¶ And the dragon stode before the woman whiche was readye to be delyuered for to deuourt her chylde as sone as it were borne And she brought forthe a man childe whiche shoulde rule all nacions with a rodde of yron And her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his seate And the woman fled into wildernes where she had a place prepared of god that they shoulde fede her there a M.ii. hundred and .lx. dayes The wycked spirite dyd bestowe all his might and power that the promyse of God thorowe the dysobedience of the children of Israell whome he alwayes stirred vp might come to none effecte and that yâ— trueth of God might be dysappoynted and that the faythe in Christ in whome our saluacion dothe consyste might be blemysshed and confounded and also that the gospell might be myxed with mans doctrine interpretacions and errours But the goodnes truth mercye faythfulnes and loue of God is greater than the power and wickednes of the deuell and of al his subtilties and ministers For the childe was borne goddes worde became man truth had the victorye and falsehede laye on yâ— grounde vnder fote The craft and subtiltie of the deuell was defeated by the wysdome of God and was opened and dysclosed vnto the worlde This childe Christ the euerlasting worde of God whiche became man in the moost holy wombe of the virgin Marye was receyued and taken of God the father throughe grace for the satisfaccion of the synne of al the world and he dyd merite and deserue with his highe and most perfyte obedience and humblenes the glorye of yâ— heauenlye father and the kyngdome of heauen wherin he ruleth for euer and euer But the truth of the christen faith religion and of the gospell of Christ dyd alwaies suffre extreme sorowe and payne beyng persecuted euen at the first of the Iewes of the false Apostles of false and coloured christians of Emperours and Kynges of workemongers of false and wicked bysshops of Sorcerers and nigromansers of Sarasens of ydolaters and Epicures of philosophers of the louers
shall worke with the wicked and vngodly in the whole worlde according to his nature wickednes And he shall styrte his wicked armye warriers Gog and Magog of whom the Prophetes do muche speake And they are the greate and infinite nomber of the enemyes of God of the holy doctrine of the ghospel and of all holy congregations of true and faythfull Christians whiche are called and are in dede the very true Ierusalem whiche dwell vpon earth as citizens of a fortunate holy quiet and honorable citie and comunaltie Agaynste this holye citie and comunaltie shal sathan fyght a newe batell with his armye and men of warre with all his power myght and wyckednes and shall attempte and goe aboute to ouercome theÌ„ to deceyue them and to make them to forsake the trueth of God and shall worke all meanes to destroye soules And thys shall he doe in the whole worlde He shall spare no laboure to compasse aboute and to besege not the stony citie of Ierusalem in Iewry but as it is sayde before the holye christendome vpon earth the cytie of the faythfull citizins namely the godlye elect But the grace and mercie of God towarde his beloued and the promesse of Christ towarde his churche is greater and stronger than the wickednes and power of Gog and Magog the wycked warrieis agaynst Christ which shall consume them with fyre euen as he did stryke Senacharibs army vpon an hundreth thousande and .iiii. score and .v. thousand in one night thorough one of his aungels and brought them into asâ—hes with the fyre of Goddes vengeaunce and ryghtuous iudgement And euen vpon that shall folowe the generall iudgement of God by the whiche the deuil with all his hoost coÌ„panye shall be throwen into euerlastyng payne damnation which is resembled vnto a lake graue of fyre and brymstone in the whyche the dragon the beast al false prophetes shal be tormented day and nyght that is to say perpetuallye without ende And that shall be the seconde death The texte And I sawe a great white seate and hym that sat on it from whose face fled awaye both the yearth and heauen their place was nomore founde And I saw the dead bothe great and smale stande before God And the bokes were opened another boke was opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged of those thynges whyche were writen in the bokes accordyng to their dedes and the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death hel deliuered vp the dead which were in theÌ„ they wer iudged euery maÌ„ according to his dedes And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Thys is the seconde death And whosoeuer was not founde writen in the boke of lyfe was cast into the lake of fyre The great general ryghtuous most iust and last iudgement of God whaÌ„ as yâ— who le world shal be iudged is here described by the great and whit stoole Which shall be greuous heuy and intolerable vnto the rebellious disobedyent wycked and obstinate contemners of Gods holy worde the euerlastynge ghospell of Christ But it shall be ioyfull swete pleasant delectable welcome and acceptable as most hartely desyred and loked for vnto the godly faythful humble elcte of God The iudge vpoÌ„ the stoole is our sauiour Iesus Christ dreadful and feareful vnto al the world vnto such earthly meÌ„ which haue set their marke ende loue hope felicitie vpon the earth in those thinges wherin the worlde deliteth as are fleshely lustes pride of life al wickednes lack of loue both toward god the neighbour And therfore the earth sygnifieth yâ— men that dwel vpoÌ„ the earth the deuils which remayne in earth in the ayer which is also called heaueÌ„ which are thrust out of their places habitacions no more found therin but in the place habitacioÌ„ which the iust iudgemeÌ„t omnipotencie of God hath prepared for theÌ„ in the earth that is most wide distant from the kingdom of heauen Vnto this dredfull and terrible iudgement of God shal come stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seate of God and Christ all those whiche were deade both masters and seruauntes great and small hyghe and lowe myghtie and vnmyghtie men and women yong and olde none excepte Than shal the heartes consciences thoughtes and secretes of al men be opened and dysclosed not onely vnto them whiche shal and must than knowledge them selues giltye and worthye of eternall damnacion but also vnto the other For as than shal all wickednes of the conscience be open euydent and manifest For they shall accuse and condemne them selues without any cloke or excuse whan as they shall beholde all men and shall reade with perfyte vnderstandynge and with feare and tremblynge the other great boke of gods rightuousnes and equite of his warnynges doctrine instruccions and threatnynges whiche they haue had sufficiently in this worlde euery one in their tyme thorowe gods mercyfull and fatherly prouision and sendynge but they haue vtterly contemned and despysed them with all the righteousnes godlynes that they haue taught And they woulde nothing regarde nor esteme the holy worde of God which was geuen vnto the worlde in the holy scripture for a perfyte rule and square but they would neuer credyte nor beleue it but rashly against their owne conscience haue refused and contemned it And therfore shall they be wyped out of the regyster booke of the faithfull and of them whiche shall lyue perpetually with God and withal his peculiar electe in eternal ioy blisse And thus they shal remaine continually in the eternall indignacion of God in euerlasting hate enuy most painfull tormentes and great impacience and continuall sorowe in so muche that their eternall death shall also be with corporall payne and tormente of the bodye euen with the whole felowship of the deuyll and that without any ende or ceasynge This iudgement and heuy daye shall no man be able to escape and auoyde whether he be consumed in the earth in the fyre or in the see For all this standeth in the hande of yâ— almightie power of God whiche with one word wyll and commaundement made all elementes heauen and earth and all that is therin And where he sayeth that the hell shoulde geue vp her deade vnderstande therby as in many other places of holy scripture the graues in yâ— earthe or wheresoeuer they be out of the whiche the deade shall ryse vp and they that shall be than alyue as S. Paule saieth shall be changed in a shorte space in the twincklynge of an eye to stande together before the iudgement seate of God with them whiche shall be iudged to euerlastinge lyfe or death But euery one of them whiche shal appeare and shall know them selues manifestly shal iudge them selues accordynge as they haue done after or against the wyll of God in faith or infydelite in loue or contempt of god in the feare of God