to Christe And yf eyther of bothe so doe is it not a great gayne But yf that come not to passe yet wyll God approue thy good wyll whiche intendest suche a thing In the meane season whyles it is vncertayne whether it wyll so be or not let the matrimonie vpon good hope continewe and holde on and let not the diuersitie in religion chaunge the state of your lyfe For neyther doeth baptisme delyuer the wyfe from the ryght of her husbande yf he vse it lawfully nor yet the seruaunte out of the dominion of his maister yf he vse hym as ryght and reason would The texte As the Lorde hath called euery man so let him walke and so ordeyne I in all congregacions If any man be called beyng circumcised let hym not adde vncircumcision If any be called vncircumcised let him not be circumcised Circumcision is nothyng and vncircumcsyon is nothyng but the keping of the commaundementes of God Let euery man abyde in the same callyng wherin he was called Art thou called a seruaunt care not for it Neuerthelesse yf thou mayest be fre vse it rather For he that is called in the Lorde beyng a seruaunt is the Lordes freman Lykewyse he that is called beyng fre is Christes seruaunt Ye are dearly bought be not ye the seruauntes of men Brethren let euery manne wherin he is called therin abyde with God As the Lorde hath geuen euery man in thesame let hym serue Christe In what state of lyuing at the tyme of preachyng the ghospell a manne is founde let hym in thesame continewe Our newe religion abolysheth our olde lyfe but it destroyeth not our olde state of lyfe because christian religion agreeth and standeth with euery condicion of lyfe nor was geuen by God to trouble the ciuile policie of the worlde but to the entente that in euery degree and state of lyfe euery manne myght lyue therin godly and deuoutly This is my councell whiche I not onely teache you but also all other congregacions Nor shall it be for you paynfull to folowe that whiche euery manne foloweth Wherfore yf the inspiracion of Gods holy spirite when he calleth fynde the maryed breake not therefore thy matrimony if it fynde the circumcised without cause art thou why thou shouldest loth thy condicion and seke to bee vncircumcised For nothyng eyther furdereth or hyndereth vncircumcision this newe religion Againe yf thesame fynde the vncircumcised no cause haste thou to wyshe to be circumcised For as touching this newe religion lytle force maketh it whether thou be circumcised or vncircumcised But to both sortes this egally belongeth that eche lyue henceforth after the commauÌ„dementes of God whose rule they haue professed not as carnal desyres moue them Sufficient is it to chaunge thy old euil maners as for to chaunge the condicioÌ„ of thy lyfe nothing neadeth because it is suche a thing as cannot be done without disquietnes and trouble And as I haue sayed that ye shoulde doe being called to god in the state of matrimonie or in the state of circumcision euen lyke wyse muste ye iudge of the state of bondage Suche as at the preaching and receuyng of the gospell are bonde let them bee content with theyr fortune nor thinke themselues delyueryd from theyr maisters dominion because they are delyuered from the tyranny of syn Agayn the fre man whiche is called to christian religion hath no cause to chaunge his state and become bonde But rather let euery man endeuoure yf occasion serue to embrace lyberty and chaunge hys bondage Yf the maister for displeasure borne to Christes name reiecte his seruaunt let the same seke no newe maister nor yet be at displeasure with him selfe because he is maisterles synce he hath Christe to his maister whose free seruaunt he is bee come of a bonde man On the other syde he that is borne fre and borne agayne by baptisme let hym for his state neither bee angrie nor pleassed with hym selfe synce that through baptisme he is become bonde seruaunt to Christ so that after sondrye sortes the bondman is made fre and the fremanne made bonde to th entent that eche of them shoulde with more sobrietie beare theyr fortune Fredome and bondage are such thinges wherof Christe hath in maner no regarde Embrace the better yf thou with bondage be oppressed thinke that albeit thy maister hath vpon thy bodie a certayne power and authority yet thy soule being delyuered from synne is to Christe warde fre Yf thy fredom any thyng make the prowde remember that thou were bought by Christe and bought for no smalle price Thou haste a maister to be had in all feare and honoure beware thou phantasie not that thou art fre and mayst lyue at thy pleasure And he that is to anye man bonde is this farfurthe by Christe made fre that yf hys maister commaunde hym to doe any vngodly seruice he is rather bounde to gyue eare to Christe hys newe Lorde and maister than to hys olde whiche by reason of abuse hath loste his tytle And yet reason it were that suche as Christe with the price of his bloud hath made fre shoulde not with any greuouse maister be oppressed I fauer lybertie yf it maye be had For Christes seruice is perfite libertie That a christian manne shoulde serue an heathen semeth an vnmete thinge And reason were it that suche as are to a christian maister seruauntes shoulde of them bee fauoured as brethren and chyldren because bothe haue one comon maister by whome bothe were with one price redeamed But yet leste vnder the coloure of christian religion the state of the comon weale bee disquieted let euery manne suffer hys condicyon and therein abyde and so abyde in it that in the meane season he remember that goddes commauÌ„dementes muste bee set before the commaundementes of menne Obey youre maisters but yet so that god therwith be pleased whiche payed more for you than they Suche poyntes as I haue taught you of freedome and bondage haue also place in the state of matrimonie and single lyfe For he that is vnder the lawe of matrimonie is after a sorte bound But he that is single is in a more fre state of lyfe Therfore menne muste alwaye folowe that whiche is more commodiouse if it maye be Yf it maye be I saye for we maye not so desyre libertie that for loue therof we fall into a greater ieopardie As concernyng virgins I haue no commaundement of the Lorde yet geue I counsell as one that hath obtayned mercye of the Lorde to be faythful I suppose therfore that it is good for the present necessyte For it is good for a man so to be Art thou bounde vnto a wyâ—e seke not to be loosed Art thou loosed from a wyfe seke not a wyfe But and yâ— thou marye a wyfe thou hast not synned Lykewise yf a virgin mary she hath not synned Neuerthelesse such shal haue trouble in theyr fleshe but I fauoure you Thys saye I brethreÌ„ the tyme is shorte It remayneth that they
whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obtained mercy that had not obtained mercy And it shal come to passe that in the place where it was sayd vnto them ye are not my people there shal they be called the children of the liuyng God Of suche saiynges some deuilishe disposed person taketh occasion and sayeth if of whō soeuer he wyl he haue mercy and whō he wyl he maketh hard hearted what hath he then wherin to blame vs Syth his wyl and pleasure noman is able to resist let him laye it to him selfe not to vs if any sinne be cōmitted But heare now of the otherside what may be sayd Noman withstādeth his wyl I graunt yet is not therfore Goddes wyll cause of thy dānacion Nor did god in suche maner hardē y◠heart of Pharao that he wrought the vice of stubbernes therin but rather wheras he wel knew y◠the arrogāt tyran was wel worthy sodenly to be destryed yet vsed God toward him by litle litle suche encrease of punishment as he might therw t haue been amēded had not his malice been an impediment But through Gods gentle fauor vsed in punishyng of him his wicked mynde became worse worse And therfore the mans frowardnes God turned to his glory In this matter for the defēce of Gods righteousnes many thinges might be answered but briefly to say God hateth all hautnes arrogancie And what a greatter point of arrogancie can there be then that a man most vile abiecte should with God reason y◠matter encoūtryng with him as though he were his felowe For who I pray you could abide to heare the yearthen vessel quarel with his maker and say why hast thou made me after this fashion For as clay is in the hāde of y◠potter euen so are we in Gods hādes as by the prophet Esai y◠Lord him selfe sayeth The potter as his mynde standeth worketh some vessels to serue for vile vncleanly vses some other also appointeth he for honest seruice In whiche acte what reason soeuer the workeman folowe therin doeth he lawfully why he so doeth vnmete it is that the clay should requyre any cause The clay of it selfe is nothyng els but clay wherof if y◠potter worke a comly a welfauored cup for that his fayre shape ought he to geue thanke to the craftes man yet to the vile filthy clay is ther no wrong done at al if of it be made a chambre potte or some other vessel of more vile vse Lykewyse is it of God whiche leauyng mā in his sinne because so he was borne doeth him no wrong as callyng man to rightwyse life he therin sheweth his bounteous mercy goodnes In the forsaken person it pleaseth God to shewe his iustice to th entent he would be feared in y◠approued to th entent he would be loued sheweth he his fre mercy Nor besemeth it any mā of God for so doyng to exacte requyre a reason nor why he calleth some one lately some other more tymely nor why he draweth one whiche hath not so deserued and forsaketh another whiche hath deserued better A muche more base creature is mā beyng compared with god then is clay compared with the potter So that then if it be an vnsene and a hiddeous presumpcion that the clay should with the potter pratle reason his matter how muche greatter arrogancie is it for a man to talke of Gods counsels whiche so farre passe our capacities that we therof haue but euen as it were a shadowe or a dreame Begyn to beleue leaue thy reasonyng so shalt y◠muche rather vnderstād Besides this remēbre y◠the potter may be deceiued but in God none error can be foūd It is for y◠ynough to beleue this y◠God by reason of his almightie power may at his pleasure do what him liste and again forasmuche as he is wtout cōparyson beste do wyl he nothing but that whiche is beste Nor should he because our vngodlines he turneth to his honor therfore of vs be blamed but this rather shuld we take as a sure profe of his exceadyng goodnes y◠he suche mischief turneth to good It was not God whiche made the an vncleane vessell But thou thy selfe art he whiche hast made thy selfe filthy through appliyng of thy selfe to vngodly exercises Beside this if God accordyng to his wysdome both for the saluacion of the good and glory of his name abuse thy frowardnes cause hast thou none for y◠to complayne Lawfully art thou for thy sinne punished through thine example the good people wil y◠better take hede whiles through thy blindnes and destruction they the better perceiue how greatly they are bound to the goodnes of God they are with more mery chere encouraged to geue him thankes Nothyng had Pharao to wyte God withal but of his owne naughtynes only perished and yet did that his stubberne malice among the Hebrewes highly auaunce the glory of God And what can there be that they can reproue if as god at that tyme deferred the destruccion of Pharao so likewyse now for a season not without great fauour he beare with and suffre y◠vnbeleuyng and sturdy Iewes beyng vessels whiche haue right well deserued euen out of hand to be crushed in pieces to th entent that all the worlde shall more clearely perceiue that they are well worthy of damnacion whiche beyng so many wayes prouoked amende not to th ende y◠bothe through theyr punishment other should feare almightie God whom we may not through continuaunce in synne prouoke to sure vengeaunce also more plentifully to shewe the greatnes of his might and glory towarde good people whō he hath purged beyng before vncleane vessels and reserued them for holy vses not for theyr circūcision or y◠lawes sake but through the deserte of fayth for whose onely sake they are called to this honoure Called I say not only of y◠Iewes as we be but also of y◠gētiles because herein it is not byrthe whiche maketh inheritors but the choyse of God Nor ought the Iewes to meruaile that the gentiles whiche were before this tyme heathen straungers to God are now by adopcion receiued into the numbre of Gods children syth they them selfe long synce wer for theyr offences done against God dispised reiected and as disinherited when yet afterwarde beyng sory for theyr synnes and amendyng they wer through the great bountyfulnes of God receiued into his fauor That this should so be witnesseth theyr owne prophete Osee saying I wyll call them my people whiche wer not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued her to haue obtained mercye whiche had not obtained mercye so that this shall come to passe that in the place where heretofore it was sayd ye are not my people there shal some be called the children of the liuyng God Why grudge reproue they that thyng in other whiche
christian men the free almes of the Macedonians of them that dwel in Achaia deliuered by them vnto me For so to do they thought good that with a suÌ„me of mony indiffereÌ„tly gathered of suche as were disposed frely to geue to refreshe the pouertie of some that are at Ierusalem whiche beyng poore in substaunce are yet in godly religion riche Noman coÌ„pelled theÌ„ so to do but so thought they in my mynde therin they thought well forasmuche as they are bounden vnto them for religions sake deliuered fyrst vnto them at theyr haÌ„d And for that cause synce the people of IerusaleÌ„ fyrst departed the doctrine of Christ with the geÌ„tiles reasonable it is that they again depart with theÌ„ with some part of theyr mony with suche vile reward recoÌ„pensyng the precious treasure whiche they haue receiued Thone sorte frely departed with suche treasures as belong to yâ— helth of the soules the other frely wyllyngly geue that whiche appertaineth to bodily necessities Therfore as sone as I haue herein done my duetie deliuered this mony to them to whoÌ„ it is purposed for both mynde I to deliuer it my selfe the money sealed lest either any part therof be by some deceitfully takeÌ„ away or els lest my selfe might be suspected as one yâ— hath taken some part therof because I labor in an other mans busines for nothyng I wil in my iourney to Spainward go by you And though I make hastie spede into Spain to preache the gospel vnto them yet wil I not thinke it paineful to tary spende some tyme among you nothyng doubtyng but that when I shal come vnto you I shal so come find you suche yâ— my coÌ„myng shal be to yâ— great glory praise of Christ whiles both ye with godly mindes receiue me merily I through the helpe of God in al pointes satisfie your desyres The texte I beseche you brethren for our lord Iesus Christes sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye helpe me in my busynes with your praiers to God for me that I may be deliuered from them whiche beleue not in Iewry and that this my seruice whiche I haue to do at Ierusalem may be accepted of the saintes that I may come vnto you with ioy by the wyll of God and may be with you refreshed The God of peace be with you al. Amen In the meane season I beseche you for our lorde Iesus Christes sake and for the vnfained charities sake whiche we haue by his spirit receiued that forasmuche as I can not yet presently haue your cuÌ„pany that at lest in your godly prayers peticions made vnto God ye wyl helpe me labouryng trauailyng in suche dauÌ„gerous busines as I do that by his helpe I may be deliuered froÌ„ the misbeleuers that are in Iury suche as resist the gospel of Christ that theyr malice hinder no part of the fruit of our preachyng and that this myne office in deliueraunce of this money whiche I am now about to make at Ieruâ—â—leÌ„ may without any lette be pleasauÌ„t thaÌ„keful to the good deuoute people there that when this is done as I would haue it both my comyng by yâ— wyl of God may be vnto you ioyful that I may after great labors taken be a whyle among you refreshed But to finishe the exhortacion that I begunne I beseche that the God of true peace the father author mainteiner of coÌ„corde may alway abide among you whiche as resisteth goeth farre from proud and sedicious persons so is he gotten kept with mutual coÌ„sent agrement The .xvi. Chapiter The texte I commende vnto you Phebe our syster whiche is a minister of the congregacion of Cenchrea that ye receiue her in the lorde â–ª as it becoÌ„meth saintes and that ye assist her in whatsoeuer busynes she needeth of your ayde For she hath succoured many myne owne selfe Grete Prisca aâ—â—o Aquila my healpers in Christ Iesu whiche haue for my life layd doune theyr owne neckes Vnto whoÌ„ not I onely geue thaÌ„kes but also all the coÌ„gregacions of the gentiles Likewise grete the coÌ„gregacion that is in their house Salute my welbeloued â—penetes whiche is the fyrst fruite of Achaia in Christ â—rete Mari whiche bestowed muche labor ou vs. Salute Andronicus and Iunia my cosyns and prisoners with me also â–ª whiche are well taken among the Apostles and were in Christ before me Grete Amplias my beloued in the lorde Salute VrbaÌ„ out helper in Christ and Stachis my welbeloued Salute â—ppelles approued in Christ Salute them whiche are of Aristobulus houshold Salute Herodian my â—yusman Grete them that be of the houshold of Narcissus whiche are in the lorde Salute â—riphena â—riphosa whiche women labor in the lorde Salute the beloued â—ersis whiche labâ—red muche in the lorde Salute â—ufus chosen in the lorde and his mother and myne Grete Asincritus Phlegon Herman Patrobas Mercurius and the brethren whiche are with them Salute Philologus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olimpa and al the saintes whiche are with them Salute one another with an holy kysse The congregacions of Christ salute you BVt yet by these letters I commende vnto you our sister Phebe who went hence vnto you to whom I deliuered these letters to be brought thither who hath with all diligence succoured and sustained the christian congregacion at Cenchris desiryng you so to receiue and vse her as is mete for such a woman to be receiued as for good people hath done muche and to ayde her in al suche thynges as she shall neede to haue your healpe in And surely mete it is that ye helpe her forasmuche as she hath oftymes both succoured many other good people and me also Grete in my name Prisca and her husbande Aquilla whiche is a Iewe of the countrie of Pontus whiche holpe me when I was in ieopardie of the Iewes liyng in watche for me and that did he lest through some naughtie people the preachyng of Christes doctrine might be setted so farfoorth that for defence of my life they put them selues in ieopardy of theyr owne as folke redy to aueÌ„ture theyr liues for the sauegarde of myne for whiche goodnes not onely I geue them thaÌ„kes but with me al the congregacions of gentiles partly because they do for other likewyse as they haue done for me partly because they thynke that the benefite whereby I was saued generally belongeth to all men And salute not them onely but also all theyr family Grete Epenetus for his laudable maners well worthy to be so called to me for this specially beloued because I maye well call hym the fyrste fruites of Achaia as whome of all that countrey I fyrst brought to Christes religion Greete Maria whiche not without ieopardye and payne hath done muche for me Greete ye Andronicus and Iunia bothe my cosyns and also imprysoned somtyme with me whiche are among the Apoposties wel taken and in
not this playne poynte that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlote becommeth with the same one bodye For so reade we in Genesis of the manne and wyfe of bothe shall one fleshe and one bodye bee made So that then as in lawefull matrimonye the honeste and godlye consente of two myndes makethe one and the lawefull acte of matrimonye betwixte two maketh one so in vnlawefull coumpainying together euery manne beecommeth that wherwyth he is filthylye coupled As greate enormitie therefore as it is that the womanne deceauyng her housebande should with an aduouterer bee conuersaunte as foule an acte is it that the bodye whiche was once consecrate to Christe shoulde bee coupled with a vyle harlote for he whiche is coupled vnto the Lorde Iesu by reason of a commen consente betwyxte the head and the bodye is with hym made one spirite whiche forasmuche as it is moste pure and cleane is to fylthye and fleashelye luste moste contrarye as whiche from manne taketh awaye the vse of reason alteryng hym as it were into a brutishe and beastelye condicion The texte ¶ Fle fornicacion Euery sinne that a manne doth is withoute the bodye But he that is a fornicatour sinneth againste his owne bodye Either knowe ye not howe that youre bodies are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche dwelleth in you whome ye haue of God and howe that ye are not youre owne For ye are derely bought Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirites whiche are Goddes Dyligentelye therefore flee fornicacion All other synnes by synfull persones wrought and done albeeit they haue theyr beginnyng of the body seame yet ioyned with the harme and dyspleasure of an other mannes bodye nor pollute as it seamethe the whole manne But suche as committeth fornicacion doothe wrong and vilanie to his owne bodye whom he in that foule acte abuseth and defileth The adulterer defileth not the hores body except he also defile his own withoute which the offence is not committed The mannequeller that with his swerde kylleth another without hurte of his own body hurteth another mans seameth but in only one part polluted But fornicacion defileth the whole body as euē the cōmen sorte wel vnderstandeth For after suche acte thesame is woone to vse bathes therwith to washe away such filthines as is therby conceiued An hainouse offēce is it to do wrong or hurt to another mans body but a māto be to his own bodye vilainouse reprocheful semeth apointe of extreme madnes And albeit fornicacion do most specially defile the body yet thynke not therfore y◠the offence is smal For euē the body should also haue his honour forasmuch as it is the māsiō of the soule whiche is immortal which being cleansed with the holy water of baptisme is in suche sorte consecrate to God that it beecommeth the temple of the holye ghoste whiche ye in baptisme receyued whereby ye are so ioyned vnto Christe that ye from hym shall neuer bee soondred And if from fornicacion your owne reproche and hurte nothyng moue you yet lette this moue you that suche actes canne not bee do one without the greate iniurie of Christe Once were all ye his into whose bodye ye were coupled and ioyned He hath from deathe boughte you and made you his owne that ye shoulde be his seruauntes and not your owne men The right title of any bodye that is bought is in the byers hande thesame whoso eyther selleth or handeleth otherwyse than the owners will is dothe wrong to hym to whome thesame bodye beelongeth Nor is it to bee supposed that Christe for a litell boughte vs as he that for oure redempcion spente his moste precious bloude Wherefore synce ye are to God wholye consecrated defile not in reproche of hym youre bodies but beare aboute with you aswell in chaste bodies as in vnhurtefull myndes the holye ghoste and among menne auaunce his glorie Bothe are his keape both chaste leste for your filthines sake among eiuil people Christ whose name ye professe bee eyuill spoken of For as the nobilitee of maisters belongeth euen to the seruauntes so the dishonestie of seruauntes is to theyr maisters reprochfull Wherefore albeeit god bee neyther with prayse made more glorious nor with reproche defamed in dede yet is he after a sorte through his naughtye seruauntes dishonoured and with godly maners and holy life glorified whiles among the commen sorte he is by their lyfe esteamed The .vii. Chapter The texte As concernyng the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman Neuerthelesse to auoyde whordome let euerye man haue his wife let euery woman haue her husbande Let the husband geue vnto the wyse due beneuolence Likewyse also the wyfe vnto the husband The wife hath not power of her owne body but the husband And likewise the husbande hath not power of his owne body but the wyfe Withdrawe not your selues one from another except it be with consente for a tyme for to geue your selues to fastyng and prayer And afterwarde come to gether agayne left Satan tempte you for youre incontinencye This I saye of fauoure and not of commaundement For I woulde that all men were as I my selfe am but euery man hath his proper gyfte of God one after thys maner another after that I saye vnto them that be vnmaryed and wyddowes it is good for them yf they abyde euen as I do But and yf they cannot absteyne let them marye For i◠is better to mary then to burne Vnto the maryed commaunde not I but the Lorde Let not the wyfe be seperated frō the husbande If she separate her selfe let her remayn vnmaryed or be reconciled vnto the husband agayne And let not the husband put awaye hys wyfe from hym NOr haue I this muche sayed because I thinke that euery acte of generacion defileth the bodye as some laboure to bring you in mynde to the intente that they lyke hypocrites maye of you bee thoughte to bee holye There is in matrimonye a certayne chaste and lawefull vse but the vnlawefull acte muste generallye of all menne bee auoyded Lawefull matrimonie muste euerye manne so farfurth vse or not vse as is for the preferment of the gospell expediente Wherefore touchyng the questions wherein by letters ye aske myne aduyce these shall be briefly to answere you Fyrste what suche muste doe as are already maryed and then what they ought to doe that are single and widowes what they also muste doe whiche are eyther with paynefull or vnequall matrimony troubled and finally what should bee done in virgins to be maried or not maried Fyrste of all therefore for many causes as the time no we requireth it wer well doen of men wholy for this cause to absteyne from theyr wyues that they maye with more freedome applye Christes gospell and godly lyfe For albeit matrimonie be a holy thyng yet it wrappeth a man will he or not in worldlye care wherein howe muche more laboure is bestowed somuche the
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
to thintent they maye bryng you in hatred of the Gentiles for Christes sake and in displeasure with the Iewes for lacke of circumcision Iewes are they that so teache and feare the displeasure of theyr couÌ„treymen yf they shoulde without circumcision preache Christe as menne abolyshyng the lawe Suche rather stande in feare of men than of God and seeke for prayse at meÌ„nes handes rather than at goddes Suche feare leste the sincere profession of the crosse of Christe mighte stiere vp other yâ— hate Christes name to persecute them and feare also leste they shoulde be coumpted for vnlearned yf they shoulde nothyng elles teache but this simple lesson that Christ was crucified Nor do they this for a very zeale borne to the lawe of theyr countrey as I once erroniouslye dyd persecutyng the flocke of Christ forasmuche as no not the Iewes self kepe yâ— law notwithstandyng they be of theyr forefathers circumcised but abuse your rudenes chargyng you with circumcision to the ende that they among theyr companions maye vaunte themselfe that through theyr preachyng and teachyng ye are fallen to Iewyshnes This policie vse they to pacifie the enuie of theyr countrey men whiche coulde not abyde that throughe the gospell of Christe the lawe should be abrogate As for I neither so feare the hatred of the Iewes nor persecucion of the Gentiles yâ— I should with lesse â—inceritie preache Christes gospell The texte God forbid that I shoulde reioyse but in the crosse of our Lord Iesu Christ Wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde For in Christ Iesu neither circumcision auayleth any thyng at all nor vncircumcision but a newe creature God forbid that I shoulde in anye thyng els reioyce but in the crosse of my lorde Iesu Christe The Gentiles I knowe coumpte his crosse for a vilanie and reproche the Iewes hate and enuie it yet therin onlye put I all my glorie whiche nothyng regarde worldly prayse as one to whome throughe baptisme beyng graffed into the bodie of Christe the worlde is deade and contrary wyse I to the worlde nor am I with aduersities therof a fearde nor with prosperities delited nor passe vpon the displeasure nor couet the commendacion without all feare of worldly reproche and without desyre of vaynglory Christe onlye is for me sufficient both for al and agaynst all To whose profession whether a man come circumcised out of the stocke of the Iewes or not circumcised out of the stocke of the Gentiles it forceth not Into whose bodye whoso through fayth is transfourmed is sodaynely in suche sorte chaunged that he is become a newe creature and called regenerate A button therfore for all worldely differences Whoso professeth Christe let him nothyng els remember but that he is a christian man The texte And as manye as walke acordyng to this rule peace be on them and mercye and vpon Israel that pertayneth to God From hencefurthe let no man put me to busynes For I beare in my body the markes of the lorde Iesu Brethren the grace of oure lorde Iesu Christ be with your spirite Amen Let this be a sure rule whiche rule whosoeuer folowe to them wyshe I peace and mercye â—or meete it is to wyshe them the same thing whiche Dauid wished to the Israelytes in the Psalmes where he saythe peace be vpon Israel But there be of Isralites two sortes one whiche is so acoumpted before men and an other before god For he is not streyght a vecie Israelite whiche is but circumcised but he whose mynde is circumcised and he that through fayth is strong to godwarde To suche Israelites then of whiche noumber ye also be wyshe I peace and mercie Away with false Israelites suche as stubbernly and maliciously stryue agaynst the gospell of Christe they shall neuer from this doctryne moue me but what I haue preached that wyll I euer preache And therfore in this matier let no maÌ„ here after trouble me So far am I from to be moued from the truthe of the gospell with any vilanye or affliccion that whether socuer I go I carie about in my bodye all the spite that I haue for Christe sustayned as emprisonmentes scourgynges chaynes stonynges with other aduersities suffered for Christes name as tokens and markes of my Lorde Iesus Christe blasyng them out as certayne sygnes of my victories coumptyng this for my glorie that I as farre as maye be deserue to folow the crosse of Christ whome I preache The grace and good wyll of our Lorde Iesus Christ brethren be euer with your spirite yâ— through his ayde ye maye continewe in the truthe of the gospell whiche desyer of myne that it maye take effecte he graunte by whose spirite I wrote these Finis To the Christian reader Iohn Olde wysheth grace mercye and peace from God the father and from his sonne Iesu Christ our Lorde onely sauiour FOrasmuche moost gentle reader as euery pryest vndâ—â— a certayne degree in scholes is bounden by the kynges Maiesties most gracious iniunctioÌ„s to haue prouided by a daye lymited for his owne study and erudicion yâ— who le Paraphrase of D. Erasmus vpon the newe testamente â—oth in Latine and Englishe And where I heard neuertheles in the begynnyng of this last somer by the Pryntout â–ª my very hertie good frend Edwarde Whitchurche that the Paraphrases vpon seuen of Paules Epistles that is to saye to the Ephesians Philippians both thepistles to yâ— ThessaloniaÌ„s both to Timothee and thepistle to Philemon were neither translated ready to the Prynte ne yeâ— appoynted certaynly to be translated of any man so as thafore mencioned iniunction should be lyke in this case to be frustrate of his due execucion the ignoraunt priestes iniunction breakers as they are in other thynges ynowe bebesydes that and the symple vulgare people hungryng and thirstynge after ryghteousnes by wantyng of these Paraphrases vnfedde and not onely vnfedde for lacke of suche liuely playne exposicions of the scriptures as the Paraphrases in most thynges are but also by reason of the continuaunce of accustomed vanities yea rather blasphemies in the churche they are broughte throughe the Popishe persuasions of the couetous gredye missal sacryficers into daylye encreace of errour and ignoraunce more and more And althoughe it myght be iustely answered vnto me that it is not the onelye lacke of the translated Paraphrases wherby the commune people communely contynue still in ignoraunce but muche rather the lacke aswell of good wyll as habilitie in the priestes and curates that reade the good Homylies al ready set forth and the scriptures with cuttyng hackynge hummyng cheopping and mynceyng after such sort as yâ— people are in most Parishes not only broughte into a great tedious wearynes bicause of the vnsauery imperfite readynge pronouÌ„ceing pointing of those good thinges but also into a certayne coÌ„teÌ„ptuous lothsomnes hatred therof seing their curates beare so lytell good wyl so vnto warde to the furtherauÌ„ce of gods worde glory to their parisheneâ—s erudicion
the countrey are called Thessalonians They whan they had once receaued the faith persisted in it with suche a constancie that they suffred accordyng to Paules example persecucions euen of their owne Citezens with a glad stomacke and without shrynkyng so as the false Apostles could turne them by no maner of perswasion from the ordinaunce of the gospell And yet Paule beeyng afrayed of it because he knewe the false Apostles ouerth wartnes wel ynough by experience inasmuche as he could not go see them himselfe he sent Timotheus by whome whan he was returned Paule hanyng reporte of theyr constancie prayseth them with thankes geuyng to God This matter he treateth of in the first and second Chapiters In the other three he instructeth them in sondrie offices of godlynesse signifying vnto them as it were with priuie ynclynges that there were some among them whiche were not yet altogether pure from all vncleane demeanoure of lyuyng and that they were not all without suche as beyng geuen to loyteryng were a chargeable burthen to others and a sorte of busye bodyes that disturbe the quietnesse of theyr congregacion he commaundeth to be correcte Moreouer where some were not of a throughly confirmed Iudgement as yet concernyng the resurreccion seyng they bewayled theyr dead frendes as though they had perished and not rather departed vnto better promocions them he enstructeth and confirmeth And on the other syde where some disputed of the daye of the Lordes commyng as though it might well haue bene foreknowen and tolde of before where as it is vncertayne to all men Paule sayeth it shal come sodaynly and whaÌ„ no man looketh for it to the intent we shoulde be the more ready at euery moment This Epistle he wrote from Athenes by Tichicus a ministre after the grekes writinges and our Latine argumentes saye also that Onesimus baxe hym cumpanye howbeit there is no certayne auctour in the commune exemplares ¶ The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the first Epistle of the Apostle S. Paule to the Thessalonians The .i. Chapiter The texte Paul and Syluanus and Timethe Unto the congregacion of the Thessolonians in God the father and in the Lorde Iesus Christe Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe We geue God thankes alwaye for you all makyng mencion of you in our prayers without ceasyng and call you to remembrauÌ„ce because of the worke of your fayth and labour in loue and because ye haue continued in the hope of our Lorde Iesus Christe in the sight of God our father PAul and Siluanus and Tymothe vnto the congregacion of the Thessalonians coÌ„senting together in God the father and in our Lorde Iesus Christe wishe vnto you grace and peace We reioyce as it is conuenient we should for your good forewardenesse and rendre thankes alwayes vnto God making mencion of all you on the behalfe of you all as often as we talke with God in holy supplicacions in that it can neuer be out of our myndes how diligently you trauayled to defend the profession of your fayth than what exceding labour you toke for the loue that you beare vnto the preachers of the gospel how maÌ„fully and without shrinking you abode al thinges through the hope and expectacion of the rewardes which our Lorde Iesus Christe hath promysed in the lyfe to come vnto them that for his names sake care not for the displeasures of this lyfe You shall not lose the hyre of your well doinges for God our father that seeth vpon what respecte you did them is he that shall paye the hyre The texte We knowe brethren beloued of God howe that ye are electe For our gospell came not vnto you by woorde onely but also by power and by the holy ghost and by much certaintie as ye knowe after what maner we behaued our selfes among you for your sake And ye became folowers of vs and of the Lorde receyuing the woorde with muche affliccion with ioy of the holy ghost so that ye were an ensample to al that beleue in Macedonia and Achaia For from you sounded out the woorde of the Lorde not in Macedonia and in Achaia onely but your fayth also whiche ye haue vnto God spred herselfe abrode in all quartars so that it nedeth not vs to speake any thyng at all For they themselfes shewe of you what maner of entryng in we had vnto you howe ye turned to God from ymages for to serue the lyuing and true God and for to loke for his sonne from heauen whom he â—aysed from death euen Iesus whiche deliuereth vs from the wrath to come You your selfes knowe welbeloued brethren that you were not chaunged by the persuasion of man but that you were chosen to these purposes euen by the will of God Neither yet haue we so slenderly preached the gospell vnto you as nothyng hath been shewed vnto you sauyng bare woordes but the power of God hath confirmed our doctrine euen with euident miracles And the holy gost was also geueÌ„ by vs so that we were behinde in nothing that should in any wise make for the perfite beleuyng of the gospels doctrine For whatsoeuer they of Iewry atteined by other mens preaching thesame did you also atteine at our gospel teaching And in this behalfe how sincerely how humbly and how paynefully we behaued our selfes among you you can tell wel ynough For there was nothing whereby we myght wynne you vnto Christe but we abode it And you for your parte shewed not your selues vnto warde scholars but you folowed streyght after the example of vs yea rather not of vs but of the Lorde Iesu that humbled himselfe so lowe and suffred al thinges that he might wynne vs vnto himselfe For you haue so hartely embraced ouâ— gospell preaching that for the loue of it you haue suffred affliccions paciently howe many and howe greuouse soeuer they were not onely with muche boldenesse but also with muche gladnesse because the holy goste whom you receyued by our preaching as a pledge for the time of the felâ— citie to come hath placed himselfe in your hartes through hope of which felicitie al sorowes become swete whatsoeuer are layed vpon vs for the gospel of Christe And the valiauntnesse of your fayth was so passing excellent that you were an ensample to al the faythfull in the rest of Macedonia and Achaia For the example of that noble chiefe citie moued all mennes mindes so sore that the fame of the gospel sounded as it were the noyse of a Trompet wyde and brode and published the feruencie of your fayth that you haue to Godwaâ—de not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in all other countreys so that nowe we see it is no nede for vs to make reporte of your godlynesse For if we begynne at any time to speake of those matters they are more readye of theyr owne mynde to tell vs being instructed by the commune brute than we can tell them howe we entred
shall not spurne it away for it hath a sure protectour euen the Lord Iesus which shall make you stedfaste against their vnruly wickednesse and kepe you from euill and finishe that he hath begunne in you because he is true in his promisses He will not fayle to succoure you so that you fayle not to folowe his goodnesse he will helpe but whom â–ª those that are diligent endeuourers Thus we speake not that we doubt of your constant stedfastnes but we haue rather a firme trust of you that lyke as by the helpe of the Lord Iesu you doe as we gaue you in commaundemeÌ„t so ye wil doe stil hereafter To conclude the Lord Iesus with his grace gouerne your hartes that they may goe on in the right course and grow forward in the charitie of God and in the loking for Iesu Christ Charitie wil cause you to study continually to deserue well of all men like as God is bounteonsly good to all men and the lokyng for Christes commyng shall make you to abyde manfully all maner of affliccions The texte We requyre you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe that ye withdrawe your selues from euery brother that behaueth himselfe inordinately not after the institucion which he receiued of vs. For ye your selues know how ye ought to folow vs. For we behaued not our selues inordinately among you Neither tooke we bread of any man for naught but wrought with labour sweate nyght daye because we would not be chargeable to any of you not but that we had autoritie but to make our selfes an eusaÌ„ple vnto you to folow vs. For when we were with you this we warned you of â–ª that yf any would not worke thesame shoulde not cate For we haue heard saye that there are some whiche walke among you inordinately workyng not at all but beyng busybodyes Them that are suche we commaunde and exhorte by our Lord Iesu Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eate theyr owne bread Brethren be not ye wery in well doyng And yf there be any among you that contemneth to folowe that trade of lyuing whiche we haue prescribed vnto you after the rule of the gospel and lyâ—e carelesly as he lusteth himselfe and through his ydlenes disquiet your commune affaires and yet albeit he doe naught himselfe is a busye medler of other mennes doinges we commaunde you by the autoritie of our Lorde Iesu Christe that you withdrawe your selfes from the company of him if he haue the name of a christian For it shall not yrke other to folowe the example of vs which albeit we vsed both the honour and charge of Apostelship yet it greued vs neuer a whitte to be brought into a basse ordre among you and we tooke no more vpon vs than other men did insomuche that we tooke not somuche as a piece of breade of any mans cost but we forgote the dignitie of our office and gatte with the labour of our haÌ„des working day and night the thinges that were necessaryly requisite to the vse of our lyuing because we would be a burthen to no man Not that we thought it was vnlawfull for vs to doe as the other Apostles doe but we would not vse our right as we myght haue doen because we would set our selues for a forme and an ensample that other men should not be greued to folowe That whiche we our selues did in dede we commaunded you in woorde that yf any would not worke thesame should not eate Those deserue a liuing that watchenight and day for your saluacioÌ„ But idle curiositie and curious idleues deserueth no refreshing For we haue hearde that there be some among you that disquiet your order in that they will not worke and so hauing naught to doe of theyr owne they must nedes medle of other mens busynesse As yet I spare to name them but whosoeuer they be we commaunde them and yf they had leauer we should so doe we hertily beseche them by our Lorde Iesus Christe that they disturbe not the commune quiet through their idlenes and that inasmuche as they doe naught themselfes they hyndre not other that are occupied but lette them quietly worke also getting their liuyng with their owne handes rather than to be greuouse vnto other with shamles crauinges vnsemelines In dede they are worthy to haue nay of what they aske howbeit it staÌ„deth with christian humanitie to doe for them that deserue litle eyther for that that they be men or because peraduenture they maye amende and be better Therfore brethren be not you weary of well doyng to the worthy and also to the vnworthy The texte If any man obey not our saying sende vs woorde of him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed And counte him not as an enemy but warne him as a brother The very Lord of peace geue you peace alwayes by all meanes The Lorde be with you al. The salutacion of me Paul with myue owne hande This is the token in Epistles So I wryte The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe be with you all Amen If there be any maÌ„ that despise to doe after our admonicions aswel that I gaue you whan I was present with you as nowe I wryte beeyng absent from you let this be a punishmeÌ„t ynough for christian charitie that he may haue a lyuing that is of those condicions but yet let him be noted in that he is put out of your company to this only intente that beeyng ashamed he may repent and amende And cast him not out as an vtter enemy but rather admonishe him as a brother that went astray whom your mynde is to haue amended and not destroyed eschewyng his company so as you may loue him in your hartes neucrthelesse For yâ— diuorcement that charitie alloweth is receiued but only for a time that he that hath offended may repent Furthermore the Lord Iesus the autor of peace graunt you perpetuall peace in all your affaires The Lord be euer with you all This is the salutacion that I Paul wryte vnto you agayne with myne owne hande This token you shall obserue in all myne Epistles written eyther to you or other For I wryte this that no man shall deceyue you by counterfayte letters The fauour and beneuolence of our Lorde Iesu Christe be euermore with you all Amen ¶ Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the latter Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians Erasmus of Roterodame to the Ryght reuerende Byshop and mooste excellent Prynce of Traiecte Philip of Burgundye sendeth gretyng ALbeit in these monethes feldes lye here and there bare and barein mooste honourable prelate yet there is no tyme of the yeare but the feldes of learnynge brynge forthe one profytable croppe or other so that there is none so rugged a wynter but some profyte aryseth of the feldes wherin good studyes are sowen Me thynketh it standeth with indyfferent reason than that a great porcion should be cut therout and geuen to
in like manner his free liberall goodnes hathe nowe called vnto the saluacion of the Gospell Ther is nothing that I can wishe vnto you more fortunate than that the goodnes of God would alwayes multiplie in you his giftes mercie peace and charitie Mercie that you may absent your selues dayly more and more from the vices of your former olde life Peace that you may through godlynes of life nourish the concorde which you haue with God and Charitie that you may through mutuall concorde be all of one mynde and eche one bounteously good to other Dearely beloued forasmuche as the loue of the Gospell maketh all thinges commune whether it bee good that chaunce or whether it be badde namely in those matters that perteyne to eternall saluacion I had so great a defier to write vnto you concernyng your saluacion wherof I am no lesse carefull than if it were myne owne forsomuch as brotherly loue pricketh me forwarde therunto so as I could not forbeare but I must exhorte you in this Epistle to stande harde against the false Aposties for the defence of the sincere faythe whiche was once deliuered of the holye Apostles And not onely to labour in this that you contynue stedfaste in youre faythe but also to laye youre helping handes vnto other that they bee not begyled of the deceauours For it is not possible to thinke what a Iewell the treasour of faythe is and it standeth vs in hande to watche so muche the more warely about vs that it be not turned awaye from vs. For where as we deliuered the Gospelles docttyne vnto you purely and syncerely euen as we receyued it of Christe yet there haue a sorte of wiked ones thruste in them selues among in the meane season vnder pretense of religion and like woolues haue crepte into the lordes shepefold settyng them selues out in a shewe of godlynes where in dede they are very enemyes of true godlines And that thys gayre should not disturbe youre myndes as though it were a newe matter it was thus decreed long a goe by the secret counsail of God thus was it spoken before that there shoulde ryse men which with theyr wiked myschieuousnes shoulde bothe exercise youre godlynes and pull condemnacion vpon them selues they turne the free liberall gifte of our God wherewith he hathe once frely pardoned vs our synnes and set vs at free liberty from the sharpenes of the lawe in to an occaâ—ioÌ„ of wantones where as they ought rather to be prouoked through his beneficyall goodnes bothe to maynteyne and furnyshe the Innocencie frely geuen them with godly studious endeuours and being enflamed with the charitie of the Gospel to do with a good wyll the workes of ryghteousnes more plentiously and more exactely than Moses lawe had appoynted beefore But nowe these men abuse the libertye that is geuen them vnto filthynes and licenciousnes to synne and fall of theyr owne accord backe agayne in to theyr olde bonde seruitude from the which Iesus Christ had redemed theÌ„ with his owne bloud denye God whom they once professed where as he is the onely lord maister of all thinges that are in heauen and in earthe and denye also our lorde Iesus Christ which hathe made vs free to him selfe with the price of his owne sacred bloude It auaileth vs nothing to bee redemed onles we contynue stedfaste to th ende in those thinges wherunto we are called I thinke it not necessary that I should teache you seing you forgette nothing but I only put you in remembraunce lest the thing that you knowe should slyppe out of mynde It auailed the Hebrues in tymes past nothyng at all whom being the figure of the tymes that nowe are Iesus trained out of the hard and miserable bondage of the Egipcians through the reade sea in to libertie but euen the same whome he mercifully presetued whan they cryed vnto him he destroyed agayn after a worse sorte whan they distrusted and murmured againste God in the deserte That which the bondage of Egipte was vnto them the bondage of synnes was vnto vs that whiche Pharao that straight and intolerable lorde was vnto them the deuil was thesame vnto vs vnder whose tyranny for our owne synnes sake we were intangled They puttyng theyr truste in God escaped safely through the myddes of the waters in to libertye and we in beleuing the Gospell haue through Baptisme escaped Satans enterest But like as some of them made not spede with all one fayth in to the lande of promise and vnto them the goodnes of God was not onely vnauaylable but also it turned in to the heape of theyr damnacion euen so vnto vs it auayleth nothyng to haue once set aparte our synnes onles we also growe forwarde with constaunt myndes in to better and better and preace to the enheritaunce of the life of heauen Moreouer I would haue you to remembre this also that it profited not euen the aungelles them selues to be so created that they were companions of the Godhead but assone as they had chaunged that moste fortunate nature through theyr owne wickednes and persisted not still in the condicion they were in he threwe them downe headlong out of heauen and hauyng depryued them of the light of heauen he damned them in euerlasting darkenes in hel And there they are reserued in cheynes that can not be loced vnto the day of the last iudgement wherin beyng condemned they shall be commaunded to euerlastyng paynes Nowe Sodome and Gomorre and the residue of the cities therunto adioynyng where as they florished in all pleynteous wealthe of thynges because they abused the liberall bounteousnes of God vnto riot and outragious luste defilyng them selues with wiked and abominable sortes of filthines are dispatched by the wrath of God being consumed with fyre from heauen to thintente they myght bee an example vnto other that abuse the benefites of Christ vnto the filthynes of life For they shall not escape the like peyne that synne after like sorte Doe not they sinne after like sorte which being deluded with slouening dreames of false pleasures doe not only defile theyr owne bodies but also set naught by theyr rulers and those that are in autorytie and are not afrayed to rayle agaynst them vnto whoÌ„ for thautoryties sake they are in they ought to do reuereÌ„ce But Michael tharchangel whan he had disputacioÌ„ with the deuil coÌ„cerning the body of Moses was yet afrayed opeÌ„ly to speake raylingly to the deuill though he were the moste filthye feende But where he could not abyde his wicked talkyng he moderately tempred his curse after this wyse The lorde quod he rebuke thee Than if Michael were afrayed to speake cursedly to the deuill â–ª howe muche more intolerable a thyng do they that are not afrayed to curse or speake euyl of men that are set in autoritie and dignitie ouer them But these mennes peruersitie is so great that where they haue no cause yet they speake euyl to the and nayle agaynst those thynges
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
as muche as they dyd performe and obey his wyll transgressinge the seconde commaundement of ymages and strange goddes which is eueÌ„ as muche as to serue the deuil This euil and wounde was healed longe before of the godlye Emperour Constantine and of the holy bysshoppes throughout the whole christendome and nowe this deuyll bringeth it againe into the churche vnder a pretence of holines out of yâ— which pretence did spring departinge from the faithe and decaye of loue as the Chronicles testifie What wonderfull tokens haue bene wrought in the papacie and to what ende Christ him selfe dyd prophecye longe agoe vnto his disciples and gaue them warning of them Vnto this seconde beaste muste ymages be made euen accordinge vnto the pleasure of the dragon and as the papacye wyll haue it without any respecte whether it be conformable vnto the worde of God or good and profitable for the conscience and soule of man or no. The texte ¶ And he had power to geue a sprete vnto the ymage of the beast and that the ymage of the beaste should speake and should cause that as many as woulde not worship yâ— ymage of the beaste shoulde be kylled And he made all bothe small and great riche and poore fre and bonde to receaue a marke in their right handes or in their forheades And that no man might by or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beaste other the nomber of his name Here is wysdome Let him that hath witte counte the nomber of the beaste â—or it is the nomber of a man and his nomber is syxe hundred three score and syxe This bringethe the dragon to passe to establyshe and confirme the worshipping of ymages whiche began to doe miracles and dyd speake to the great wonder of all men somtyme with the helpe of nicromancie the science of the deuyll by the whiche science many of them came vnto the papacye as their owne stories doe testyfie Out of this dothe it folowe afterwarde that whoso euer wyll not worship this ymage the same must dye euen as the papacye wyll haue it yet vntyll this daye And with parcialite geue them markes that is excommunicate them and dysherite them of their kyngdomes and heretages suche as wyll not worshyppe and honour their ymages Here must men speake warely and circumspectly that they dysplease no man that they maye enioye lyfe bodye estimacion and goodes quietly But goddes worde and wyll commaundeth otherwyse and is an other maner of wysdome God willeth that this beastes nomber and errour shoulde haue an ende Reken from the yeare of our Lorde a thousande v. hundreth and .xx. backewarde this nomber of .vi. hundreth .iii. score and .vi. yeares and looke what tyme it was thaÌ„ with the popes and the Emperours ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I loked and lo a lambe stoode on the mount Sion and with him an hundred and xliiii thousande hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheades And I heard a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a great thounder And I hearde the voyce of harpers harping with their harpes HEre foloweth what rewarde they shall haue whiche folowe not this horned beast nor them that worship it The lambe vpon the mount Sion is our Sauiour Christ rulinge and gouerning in his holy christen churche and sorowing for his faithful elect This great nomber after the customable vse of the scripture sygnifieth the infinite and exceadinge great nomber of gods elect from the beginninge of the worlde vntil the ende therof vnknowen vnto the whole worlde Althoughe the nomber of the wicked and damned sorte be also a great nomber These electe are they whiche without feare shame or compulsion haue confessed knowledged honoured spred furth noysed abrode preached and taught the name of the heauenly father before all the worlde against all the spyte and resistinge of the deuyll of all his ministers and of the wicked worlde The texte ¶ And they song as it were a new song before the seate before the foure beastes and the elders no man coulde learne yâ— song but the hondred foure fourtye thousande whiche were redemed from the earth These are they whiche are not defiled with wemen for they are virgins These folow the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redemed from men beynge the first frutes vnto God and to the lambe and in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are without spot before the trone of god This heauenly voice and moost pleasaunt musycke is the incessaunt continuall and endles prayse thankesgeuinge reioysinge mirthe and ioye of all faithfull and blissed in eternall blisse in the kingdome of God and of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ For they syng a new song of a newe benifite grace and acte of God whiche hathe fulfylled in Christ in tyme conuenient and before ordeyned and appointed that thing whiche from the beginninge of the worlde was promised vnto all holy patriarkes and olde fathers and loked for of all people and nacions and beleued vpon vnto saluacion of the electe whiche are redemed with the deare pryce of the most precious heart bloude of Christ shed vpon the crosse in the earth These electe confessours and singers of laudes and prayses vnto God are they whiche are not defyled with earthly vnsemely pleasures of this worlde more delighting in fleshly lustes and filthines than in any right godly and christen loue of gods worde and heueÌ„ly vertues chast thoughtes or right godly doctrine and ceremonies in the exercyse wherof they shoulde haue suffred no maner of pleasure care or loue of any transitorye thing to haue hyndred them For this cannot be vnderstanded of any suche bodily chastitie or virginitie as religious parsons Monkes Nonnes Priestes Deacons suche other haue pretented falsely made their boast of vnto the world whiche hath be founde to be so rare and so groslye broken and negligeÌ„tly kept and so wonderfull seldome geuen of God vnto the vowers therof And thoughe it were kept yet was it not profitable and necessarye vnto the right christen and godly relygion and gods seruice of the Apostles whiche is onely praysed and commended in yâ— gospel and of S. Paule Would God there were lesse of suche wylde grosse and wanton chastitie and virginitie but lytle praysed of the most auncient holy fathers Oh that it wer lykewyse lesse extolled and estemed of the fathers of our time seyng it hath bene so great a blot vnto Christes true religion Here might muche be said and muche more be lamented our Lord graunt that it may sone be amended and redressed These holy frendes of God as Enoche Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Iudas Ioseph Dauid Moyses and Aaron These patriarkes and prophetes I saye yea and without doubt Peter and Paule with other infinite olde holy bysshops are also in this register withal the blissed elect and they are the most pleasaunt and acceptable frute