and in fayth growe stronger whervnto ye shal muche rather bryng him by fauourable meanes than by cōtencious reasonyng and disputacions Considre in suche matters how vnmete a thing it is that suche actes as may without offence be done should streight be taken in the worse parte But to th entent that peace and cōcorde may among you be maintained and stedfastly abyde certaine thinges must be wynked at some thinges must be suffered and some thinges must gently be takē Suche gentle fauorable takyng of thinges vpholdeth and preserueth the felowship of this our comen lite And synce mennes mindes among them selues are sondry and diuers surely in a multitude neuer wyl there be stedfast peace vnlesse in diuers pointes one geue place to an other For he that is without all serupulositie thynketh it lawfull without any difference to eate what meate him lust in that acte nothyng els regardyng but what nature requireth Againe he that is yet weake and somewhat supersticious lest he might chaunce either vpō fishe or other meates forbidden either by the Iewes lawe or offered vp to idols liueth with herbes Suche thinges among you ought not so to be regarded that for them brotherly peace be broken Let him that is strong eateth al meates so vse his strength that yet he dispise not the weaker whiche feareth to eate Let him againe whiche folowyng the weakenes of his mynde abstaineth from certayne kyndes of meate neither judge nor condemne him whiche without difference taketh whatsoeuer is sette before him But rather lette him that is strong beare with the weake in this sence takyng it this errour conceiued and gathered by long custome of his former life cannot sodainly be plucked out of his minde it wyll by litle and lytle weare away as in him godlynes groweth supersticion wyll vanishe and auoyde Lykewyse he that is scrupulous when he seeth an other eate all kyndes of meate let him this wyse thynke with him selfe what matter maketh it to me what this man doeth ▪ and likely it is that he doeth it of a good mynde synce God hath receiued and taken him vnto him and made him his owne at whose pleasure heliueth against whom onely he offendeth if there be in suche thinges any offence as of them selfe are not cuil Now if it be an arrogant point to dispise the weakenes of him that is supersticious and deceiued through rudenes how muche more intollerable pride wyl this be thinke ye if suche one as in y◠fayth is but weake take vpō him to iudge and condemne him that is stronger euen as the rule and custome of vnlearned people is whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do and thinke all that good that they allowe Maye not a man wel say to suche one what art thou that iudgest and condemnest an other mannes seruaunt There is but one lord and maister of al Iesus Christ To him stādeth he ▪ if he be strong in fayth to him falleth he if he offende as thou thinkest he doeth For he in dede for this shall not fall but rather be stablished to continue in his strong fayth His maister is sufficiently able and mete to strengthen his seruaunt that he stagger not at all The texte This man putteth difference betwene day day an other mā coumpteth all dayes alike Let euery manues mynde satisfie him selfe He that obserueth the day doeth it vnto the lorde And he that doeth not obserue the day doeth it for the lorde also He that eateth doeth it to please the lorde for he geueth God thankes And he that eateth not eateth not to please the lorde withal and geueth God thankes For noue of vs lyueth for him selfe and no man dyeth for him selfe For if we liue we liue vnto the lorde And if we dye we dye vnto the lorde Whether we liue thefore or dye we are the lordes For Christ therfore dyed and rose againe reuiued that he might be lorde of dead and quicke And that I haue now tolde you of the choyse of meates the same in kepyng the sabboth day and feastes of the newe moone is like wyse to be vnderstande For he that is weake and of vnperfite fayth maketh a difference betwixte day and day as though one were holye and the other were not and thinketh it vnlawful in this day to eate certaine meates or to labor whiche man other day might well and lawfully be done On the other lyde he that is perfite and strong in his fayth conceiueth in dayes no suche difference but rather thinketh al the space of his life consectate and halowed to godly conuersacion Breake not for suche pointes christian concorde among you but without condemnyng of other mennes cōsciences let euery one herein do as he iudgeth best specially synce bothe wayes are without synne and with both standeth the chiefe point of our religion Whoso estemeth and iudgeth in his conscience that euery day is like pure and holy doth so to his lorde and to the little belongeth it how well he doeth Lykewyse he that iudgeth that there is betwixte day and day some difference if he be deceiued he doeth it vnto his lorde thou hast therwith nothyng to do Lykewyse he that without difference eateth all kyndes of meate he eateth to his lorde forasmuche as he geueth thankes to God through whose benefite he eateth whose free goodnes made all thynges for mannes vse Againe whoso through the weakenes of his conscience abstaineth from certaine meates he abstaineth to his lorde and nothyng haste thou to do therwith synce he eatyug hearbes and rootes geueth thankes to God as wel as thou doest If God allowe and accepte his thankes geuyng why art thou so bolde vpō him to geue sentence The cause of both is diuers the matter one both one mynde and one lorde is there of both The one geueth thankes for the libertie he hath to eat what he lust knowing that the gospel putteth a difference betwixte mindes and not betwixt meates ▪ the other whiles he shonneth the occasion of surfettyng by the reason of his abstinence he is kept within the bondes of temperaunce In all suche thinges we are equal so that it besemeth no mā in defēce of his doyng to striue with his brother sufficient it is if God approue it to whō the iudgement of such thinges belōgeth as are either vncertain or els suche as must for the tyme be borne with No christian man hath power further vpon other but y◠eche one do good to another Nor liueth any man for him selfe because we are all his whiche from synne brought vs to goodnes and from death restored vs to life No mā therfore either liueth to him selfe or dyeth to him selfe nomore than any mans seruaunt doeth vpō whose life and death his maister hath ful power authoritie Now if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne nor none other mans auauntage but for the auauntage or disauauntage of his maister If he
and vnto Laodicia The lordes daye is the sondaye whiche the holy Apostles thoroughe the holy goost which they receyued at whytsontyde did institute to be sanctyfyed and kept holy of the Christen churche in the steade of the Iewes Sabboth day not without very necessarye laudable and expediente consyderacions Eusebius wryteth that S. Iohn dyd rule the churche of Ephesus after S. Paules death and lyke wyse also the other churches in Asia and therfore was commauÌ„ded of Christ in this place to sende this wrytynge vnto them forasmuche as he know them best so that in processe of tyme it myght be common vnto all churches for their edefyeng instruccion as it came also to passe And vnto theÌ„ also he wrote his gospel after that he was delyuered out of Pathmos against yâ— heretykes whiche began at that tyme to ryse The texte ¶ And I turned backe to se the voyce that spake to me And whan I was turned I sawe seuen golden candelstyckes and in the myddes of the candelstyckes one lyke vnto yâ— sonne of man clothed with a lynnen garment downe to the fere and gyrde aboute the pappes with a golden gyrdle His heade and his heares were white as whyte woll as snowe and his eyes were as a flame of fyre and his fere lyke vnto brasse as thoughe they brent in a fornaâ—â— and his voyce as the sounde of many warers And he had in his ryght hande scueÌ„stâ—rres And out of his mouthe went a sharpe two edged swearde And his face shone euen as the sunne in his strength What is sygnifyed by the seuen golden candelstyckes and by the vii starres that shall Christ himselfe hereafter declare whiche beyng very god yet he was in euery condicion synne excepte lyke vnto vs all after his mans nature And with his spirite ayde and gouernynge he is present in all churches and shall so remayne vntyll the worldes end He is clothed with innocencye holynes by reason wherof he made oblacion not for his owne but for our synnes He is also gyrded with heauenly myght and power alwayes redy and glad to helpe the faithfull He is the heade full of godly and heauenly wysedome whiche knoweth all thinges from euerlastynge He loketh with a fearfull face and with a terryble and grim countenaunce against al vnfaythfull but a pleasant and louyng countenaunce she with he towarde the electe and faythfull beleuers He is ready with his hote flamynge and burnyng fete to stampe in peces and to destroye the wycked and vngodly His voyce is the holy gospell whiche neyther all the gates of hell all the power vpon earth in hell nor all his enemyes can ouercome all thoughe Paule at the begynnyng beyng blynde and ignorante thought hoped the coÌ„trary The wicked Emperoure Nero lykewyse dyuerse other But they all withall suche lyke were alwayes stryken and ouercomme with the sworde of the almyghtye worde of god And vnto the godly and faythfull the ioyfull and comfortable syght of him is more pleasant and delectable than the bryghtnesse or clearnes of the sonne can be vnto any earthly creature The texte ¶ And whan I sawe him I fell at his fete eueÌ„ as dead And he layde his right hande vpon me sayinge vnto me feare not I am the first and the laste and aâ— alyue and was dead And beholde I am alyue for euermore and haue the keyes of hell and of death Wryte therfore the thinges whiche thou hast sene and the thinges whiche are and the thinges whiche must be fulfylled her after the mysterye of the seuen starres whiche thou sawest in my right hande and the seuen golden candelstyckes The seueÌ„starres are the messengers of the seuen congregacions And the seuen candelstyckes whiche thousawest are the seuen congregacions If this holy Apostle and Euangelyst a dysciple whom Christ loued were not able to suffre nor abyde the presence of Christes glorified manhode Howe wyll the wicked enemyes of the truth and of all godlynes abyde it or what wyll they doe Howe Christ is the firste and the laste god and man the very laluacion it selfe and yet crucified as a synner and how he rose vp againe from death ascended into heauen and receyued power ouer al creatures it nedeth no further interpretacioÌ„ And againe the holy congregacions or churches haue their propre peculiar angels to leade them to guyde them to wayte vpoÌ„ them to serue them and after gods ordinaunce to defende and preserue them The seconde Chapter The texte ¶ Vnto the messenger of the congregacioÌ„ of Ephesus wryte these thinges sayeth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hande and that walketh in the myddes of the seâ—tâ— golden candelstyckes I knowe thy worckes and thy labour and thy pacience and howe thou câ—â—nest not forbeare them whiche are euyll and hast examined them whiche saye they are Apostles and are not and hast founde them lyars and hast suffred And haste pacience and for my names sake hast labored and hast not faynted WHat maner a churche was at Ephesus how Paul behaued hym selfe wrought there howe Tymothye preached taught there and what the false prophetes dyd there enterpryse is to be sene in the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians and sufficientlye descrybed of Erasmus in the Paraphrases of that Epistle And reade more thereof in the christen and godly story of Eusebius in the. v. boke and xxiiii chapter And by these wordes mayst thou vnderstande the hyghe prayse and commendacion of their faythe wherof their good workes beare sufficient wytnes and recorde And this is also to be noted by this place that men shoulde not lyghtly nor rashely beleue all maner of doctrine but first trye and proue whether it be of god or no and to ouercome conuince al maner of errours false doctrine onely with the worde of god whiche is not contrary vnto it selfe yf one place be iustly compared with another but it is profytable vnto the true perfyte vnderstandynge knowledge of god In Iohns tyme as S. Paule was come vnto Rome there were certen heretykes at Ephesus namely Cherinthus Hebyon and after them MarcioÌ„ lyke as there were also in Paules time Himeneus Alexander Philetus Hermogenes But al these wer ouercome with muche adoe thorow long pacieÌ„ce by yâ— godly bishops which were at Ephesus one succedyng another as Eusebius maketh mencion The texte Neuertheles I haue somwhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue RemeÌ„bre therfore fâ—oÌ„ whence yâ— art fallen repent doe yâ— first workes Or elles I wyl coâ—â—e vnto the shortely wil remoue thy candelsticke out of his place excepte yâ— repeÌ„t But this thou hast because thou hatest yâ— dedes of yâ— Nicolaitans which dedes I also hate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyll I geue to eate of the tree of lyfe which is in the myddes of yâ— Parady â—e of god Out of yâ— faintnes and coldnes of
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
The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the newe testament conteynyng the Epistles of S. Paul and other the Apostles Wherunto is added a Paraphrase vpon the Reuelacion of S. Iohn Impriented at London in Fletestrete at the signe of the Sunne by Edwarde Whitchurche the xvi daye of August Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Anno do 1549. ⧠To the most Excellent Prince our moste deare Soueraigne Lorde Kyng Edwarde the sixte by the grace of God Kyng of England Fraunce and Irelande defender of the faith and in erth vnder Christe of the Churche of Englande and Irelande the supreme head SO mercyfully dyd almightie God poure his manifolde benefites vpon hys people of Israell in the tyme of theyr deare Soueraigne Moses that in consideracyon of so gracyous a god who so louynglye had chosen them to himselfe afore all other people done so greate thinges for them euen in the myddes amonge their enemies so wonderfully deliuered them from the tyrannye of Egipte so fatherlye noryshed them in the wildernesse yea and not only gaue them the deare lyght of knowlege by openyng vnto them his holy lawe but also sent them suche a gouernor as aboue al other Princes of the erth in his time scripture witnessing the same bare the name of faithfulnesse and louyng kyndnesse For as he was moste feruente and erneste in the cause of God so was he also moste gracyous toward hys subiectes They I saye considering such euident demonstracyons of gods inestimable loue and fauor toward them thought themselues moste bound as the trueth was euen of veray loue to serue hym agayne whiche thing they notably declared whan at the commaundement geuen them by theyr Soueraigne they shewed them selues so willing so glad so cherefull and so fre harted to further the worke and settyng vp of the Tabernacle To the whiche worke who so brought that he had though it were but brasse fyrre tre or suche other thynges farre vnder the estymacyon of golde siluer or precious stone was yet welcome and accepted for his vnfained hert and good willes sake As was also the poore wedow with her two mytes For as the holy Apostle Paul witnesseth yf the mynde be willynge it is accepted accordynge to that a manne hathe not accordynge to that he hathe not Whiche cherefull readynes of minde in those subiectes as it came onely thorowe the mocion of the holy gooste Euen so dyd it greately reioyce the heart of noble Moses In so muche that as the texte sayeth whan he sawe how vniformely they brought theyr gyftes and endeuored them selues to perfourme euery thing in the Tabernacle according to the coÌ„maundement of the Lorde he blessed them that is to saye commended and praised them for theyr labor So well lyked he theyr doynges and so well was he pleased withall For suche godly prynces are so wedded to almighty god so feruent in settinge forthe his honor so ready to take paynes in redressing such thinges as are amysse so desyrous to haue the house of god repayred hys tabernacle set vp his trewe seruice worship restored his people brought to the vnitie of faythe and loue in hym and amonge them selues that it is theyr onely studye delyte and pleasure to haue suche a louyng sorte of subiectes who beholding and consideringe so greate godlynes and gracious diâ—posicion in theyr Soueraigne muste nedes not onely aknowlage suche infinite kyndnesse of god in him but also at the remembraunce thereof laboure and studie in theyr vocacion to shewe them selues agayne and that gladlie aswell thankefull to so mercifull a god as obedient to so louynge a Prynce and consequently of veray loue to serue them both and to be charitably disposed to theyr neghbours yea moste willynge to brynge that they haue to the furtheraunce of gods honoure to the repayringe of his house and to the edifiyng of his true congregacyon and church And though some laboures of such true subiectes be but rude homely and vnperfecte yet proceade they of a mynde that is both willing to geue that it hathe and deâ—irous also to do more then it yet is able to do Your highnesse as high and chiefe Admirall of the great nauy of the lord of hoostes amongst vs Principall Captaine and gouernour of vs all vnder hym the moste noble ruler of his shippe euen our most comfortable Noah whom the eternal god hath choseÌ„ to be the bringer of vs vnto rest and quietnesse in him your most Royall Maiestie I say going before in your Imperiall office hauyng after you your most intierly beloued vncle the Lord Protectours grace with the residue of your highnes worthy counsailours your nobilitie your clargie your deputies and officers in all estates with al other youre louyng subiectes hath set vp your sayle already and is so well forward on your most godlie iourney the gracious winde of the holy gost seruing you that it maketh many a faythfull subiecte of youres according as his calling requireth to come after a good pase yea and to be aswel occupied as he canne and to do as good seruyce vnder you as to him is possible within the feare of god and your graces obedience Your Royall Maiestie to whome the high gouernaunce of youre realmes and dominions is committed being most godly occupied with the prudent and wholsome aduyce and ministerie of your noble vncle and counsail continueth stil in stopping vp the gappes that Antichriste and his false doctryne hath made into the byneyarde of the Lorde and to buyld agayne the walles of hys house whiche thorowe ydolatrie superstycyon euel custome and horryble abuses hathe bene broken downe Truly youre noble actes and statutes your proclamacions and iniunccions testifie the same The godly Homelies and notable worke of Erasmus Paraphrasis vpon the holy Euangelistes if they be distinctelye red and practised with suche discrecion as youre highnesse hathe commaunded they are worthy to be compared to the ryche Iewels that Moses vsed to the pleasauÌ„t garnishing of the Tabernacle And as for the sacred Byble and volume of gods holy boke set forth by your Maiesties appoyntment to be dewly practised in all holy exercyses within your churches like as it is the fayrest floure of the garden most precious perle of gods iewel house eueÌ„ so because your Maiestie as gods high minister in yâ— behalfe hath so graciously made vs partakers therof thorow your most vertuous proceadinges we againe acknowlege our selfes no lesse bouÌ„d to your Maiesty as yâ— trueth is i dede theÌ„ yâ— Israelites were first to their soueraigne Moses for briÌ„ging theÌ„ out of Egipt c. for setting vp of the tabernacle And afterward to noble king Iosias not only for restoring theÌ„ againe the boke of yâ— law that was cast aside but also for abolishing so great ydolatrie and sinne from among them Who then would not be veray loth to bryng nothing to this moste excellent worke wherin youre Maiestie so godly proceadeth like as youre moste noble
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
they them selfe haue already assayed Why stande they not rather in a watche take hede lest through theyr owne foly they become againe that they wer once Why enuy they at them whom they might folowe wer it not they had more pleasure to striue then to obeye The texte But Esai crieth concernyng Israel though the numbre of the children of Israel be as the sande of the sea yet the remnaunt shal be saued For he finisheth the worde verely and maketh it shorte in righteousnes For a shorte worde wyll God make in yearth And as Esai sayeth before excepte the lorde of Sabboth had left vs seede we had been made as Sodoma and had been likened to Gomorra Now if through mens owne stubbernes the greatest parte of y◠worlde perishe yet to the fewe that wyl beleue wyl God perfourme as muche as was promised to the whole numbre And neuer shal the tyme be but that this inheritaunce shal haue his successors This did the prophete Esai speakyng of the people of Israel without al colouryng clearely testifye saiyng If the numbre of the Israelites wer as many as the sand of the sea and though through theyr owne foly as many also perished yet shal there some alway remaine whiche shal through fayth be saued For be y◠numbre of them that falleth from God neuer so great yet shal not theyr fal make the promise of God vaine Men in promises are wont to breake theyr credence but God is he whiche wyl fully perfourme al that he promised and that briefely and cōpendiously not with deceite falsely but iustly and truely for as the same prophete Esai sayd the Lord in yearth wyl make a shorte worde Shadowes seme not cleare without suspicion of deceite the law selfe is ful of wordes promisyng grosly represētyng cōmaundyng threatnyng sometimes sometimes cōforting But Christ beyng sent into the worlde euen at once gaue al perfourmed y◠was promised opened al y◠was before hidden in figures brought the great multitude of rules contained in y◠law to y◠onely cōmaūdement of charitie of the gospel And thus spread he abrode the seede of his heauenly doctrine and gospel whiche albeit in many of my countreymen be vnfruitful yet some are there in whom it brought foorth fruit Againe the same prophet a litle before sayeth had not the Lord of sabboth left vs sede we had ben made as Sodoma and likened vnto Gomorra Wherfore though the most part of the Iewes fal from Christ yet wyl not Christ suffre the true and natural sede of Abraham vtterly to perishe The texte What shal we say then we say that the gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnes haue ouertaken righteousnes euen the righteousnes whiche cōmeth of fayth Contrarywise Israel whiche felowed the lawe of righteousnes could not attaine to the lawe of righteousnes Wherfore Euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it wer by the workes of the lawe For they haue stumbled at the stūblyng stone As it is written ▪ beholde I haue put in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offēded at And whosoeuer beleueth on him shal not be confounded Synce this is so what shal we say Surely nothyng but as the truth is that is to wete that the gentiles whiche semed farre from righteousnes and without the ceremonies of the lawe haue yet attained the true and perfite righteousnes and not a Iewishe whiche standyng in bodily thinges was nothing but a shadowe onely of christian perfeccion but a holsome an effectual iustice whiche suche haue not as for the workes of the lawe stande muche in theyr owne conceite but suche as through an vnfained fayth submit and yelde them selfes vnto God We may likewyse of the othersyde saye that whiles the people of the Iewes with all theyr power folowyng the iustice of the lawe carnally vnderstanden and stifly cleaue to it with all theyr labour they came not vnto the very law of iustice forasmuche as the same fel from Christ whervnto as to a marke al y◠darke sayinges of Moses law principally directed Here some wyl say how fortuned all this and how ended these purposes so diuersly Without al doubte because God abhorreth suche as are high minded and geueth him selfe his righteousnes to suche as are sobre lowly And therfore y◠gentiles vpō acknowledgyng of theyr owne disease an hūble submission of them selfe to God God receiued y◠proude Iewes of thothersyde whiche falsly vsurped y◠title of righteousnes as theyr owne bearyng them selfe bolde vpon theyr sabboth day kepyng washynges circūcision and suche other small obseruaunces disdainyng to receiue the yoke of fayth hath God set at naught and refused because they denied Christ and deliuered him which is the author of life to death whiche thyng Esai long before knowyng prophecied should be vnder this fourme that Christ whō the law promised should be a sauior by reason of vnbeleif should be vnto the Iewes an occasion of stumlyng and that the same stone whiche should be to the good a sure and a strong defēce shuld be theyr vtter vndoyng whiles they had rather by resistyng stumble at him then with beleif to rest vpon him For so by the prophete Esai speaketh God the father of Christ beholde I putte in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offended at but whoso beleueth in it shall neuer be confounded and put to shame as one disapointed of that he loketh for The .x. Chapiter The texte Brethren my hertes desyre praier to God for Israel is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue a feruent minde to God warde but not accordyng to knowledge For they beyng ignorant of Gods righteousnes and goyng about to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient vnto the righteousnes of God For Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustifie all that beleue ALl whiche thinges brethren speake I with great heauynes because with all my heart I fauer and would them well if I were in any wyse able to do them good beyng in ieopardie of euerlastyng dānacion But now that whiche is the onely thyng I can do in my dayly praiers made vnto God my desyre peticion is that they may once yet amend and not alway continue in suche blyndnes I can not vtterly excuse theyr vnbeleif but yet in the defence of theyr fault some coloure may be made and pretēded As they are not in all pointes in suche sorte straungers to God as the gentiles be so muche the more wishe I that theyr rude beginnynges may once be made perfite that whose shadow they haue for a season borne about with them in theyr bodyes of the same they may now come to the very trueth For albeit they with extreme deuilishnes fastened to the crosse the Lord who was y◠foūtayne of al glorye yet this say I of them and deny not that to Godwarde a certaine zeale and
leaue nothyng vnsayed what soeuer any suche parson shall demaunde of you do therin that thyng whiche is for the commen weale necessarie But among you beyng christians let there be no authoritie or debte but that ye to eche other owe mutuall charitie A charitable man nedeth not by exaction to be compelled but of his owne accorde preuenteth all monicions If ye paye vnto them theyr requeste ye are oute of theyr daunger but the charitable man thoughe he satisfie other yet neuâ—â— satisfieth he hymselfe but euermore heapeth vp one good turne vpon another Charitie therfore enbrace ye who breifly compriseth al lawes Whoso with pure and christian charitie loueth his neighbour he obserueth the whole effecte and purpose of Moses lawe if charitie lacke no lawes be they neuer so many are sufficient if it be had there neadeth none other lawe when charitie onely muche more effectually commaundeth all that is in so many and innumerable lawes comprehended Moses lawe forbiddeth men to do adultrye to commit murder to do any thefte to beare false witnes to desyre any other mannes gooddes to lende mony for vsury with many suche other like But in the compendious rule of charitie are all these preceptes contayned wherin it is briefly sayd Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Charitie asmuche as it can doeth good to al men though they be euil and hurteth no man And then what neede is it with a long tale and special wordes to forbid so many thynges to hurt I say no maÌ„ this way or that way synce her nature is to hurte no man at all Wyl any man trow ye murder him whom he loueth wyll he vnchastly vse an other mannes wyfe whiche loueth his neighbour aswel as him selfe Wyll he robbe an other mannes gooddes whom he is ready to succour with his owne wyl he with false witnes oppresse his neighbour whom with his owne ieopardy he would haue saued wyll he lende any mony for vsurye to him with whom he thynketh all that he hath commen wyll he wyshe him harme whiche wisheth the same to another that he would to him selfe wyll he by any way hurte and displease him for whose sake he knoweth that Christ once dyed Charitie therfore as I sayd in a shorte lesson containeth the whole lawe By her rule we shortly learne what is to be auoyded what is to be folowed The texte This also we knowe the season how that it is tyme that we should now awake out of slepe For now is our saluacion nerer then when we beleued The night is passed the day is come nigh Let vs therfore cast away the deedes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs walke honestly as it wer in the day light not in eatyng and drinkyng neither in chamberyng and wantonnes â–ª neither in strife and enuiyng but put ye on the lorde Iesus Christ And make not prouision for the fleshe to fulfil the lustes of it To the desyre of charitie then euen the consideracion of the tyme exhorteth that we awake arisyng out of the slepe and darkenes of our olde life The night semeth a tyme which geueth occasion liceÌ„ciously to synne forasmuche as at that tyme shame is away But suche yet as in the night are wantonly occupyed and vse them selfe but lightly assone as the day once appeareth euen for very shame to the sight of menne they fashion them selfe better and as though they were becomen newe menne in stede of dronkardes come foorth abrode sobre in steede of lecherous chaste in stede of braulers moderate and colde in stede of sluggardes and heauye heades lusty and quicke Take therfore must we the tyme while it serueth whiche if we vse well our weale is not so farre of as it was when we vpon boldnes of Moses lawe kepyng thought it but euen at hande The night of our former life is gone and passed away that day draweth nigh wherin mennes actes be they neuer so secrete shal be disclosed Let vs be as our day is and cast away our euil maners nightly actes with all suche other wanton pointes as we ought to be ashamed of in the day If when the sunne riseth we vse to sette on more honest apparel leste for lacke of cumly aray mennes iyen be offended muche more nowe at the bright risyng of the gospel let our soules be garnished with thapparel of vertue meete for suche light and with suche as is not vncumly in the sight of God Hencefoorth let vs so frame all our life that all the worlde may see that we walke in the light euen in the sight of God his Angels and menne shakyng of the darkenes of our former life not geuyng our selfe to riottous bankettynges or drunkennes not beastly geuen to foule and fleshely lustes not with strife enuiyng vnsemely braulyng among our selues vnto whiche vices ye were thral whiles ye wandered in yâ— darknes of your former life This apparel belemeth not mans soule But rather synce ye are through baptisme graffed into Christ him put ye on Let it appeare in your life whom ye haue professed Expresse ye him whom ye haue receiued he is chastitie he is peace he is charitie suche apparel is mete for this light of the gospel Suche thynges as ye haue hitherto for your pleasures vsed heÌ„cefoorth vse them for bodily necessitie and suche thynges as heretofore ye haue filthyly geuen you vnto as wanton desyres moued hencefoorth in them let there a sobrenes be vsed and vse them no further than nature requyreth Norishe so the bodye that it liue and be in helth and not waxe wanton Let meate and drinke be vsed to driue away hunger and thyrst not in suche sorte that they prouoke and norishe vncleanly lustes The .xii. Chapiter The texte Him that is weake in the fayth receiue vnto you not in disputyng and troublyng his conscience Due beleueth that he may eate all thinges An other whiche is weake cateth hearbes Let not him that cateth dispise him that cateth noâ— And let not him whiche cateth not iudge him that cateth For God hath receiued him What aâ—t that iudgest an other mans seruauÌ„t whether he stand or fal that pertaineth vnto his owne maister yea he shal be holden vp that he may stand For God is able to make him stand BUt surely albeit in the vse of suche thinges there be no difference nor choyse among suche as are in the fayth of Christ throughly instructed so that they vse them not for pleasure but for neede as I before tolde you yet if there be peraduenture any suche among you as for exaÌ„ple a Iewe borne whiche by reason of his long continued custome and trade of life is some what sctupulous and not yet so growen vp to that ripenes of fayth that he can forgoe al the rules of his old law suche one may not by by disdainfully be reiected but rather with gentle and courtise maners allured and norished vntyl that he like wyse profite
dye it is to the gayne or losse of his maister whereby it appeareth what a point of malapertnes it is when one seruaunt entermedleth in his felowes matter namely if in the meane season the maister be pleased Now among men no seruaunt is so muche his maisters as we are Christes seruauntes who bought vs neither with golde nor siluer but euen with his owne bloud Whether we fall then to him we fal or if we staÌ„d to him we stand or if we liue to him we liue or if we dye to him we dye Other slaues peraduenture are theyr maisters no loÌ„ger after that they are once dead but we whether we liue or dye are the lordes to whoÌ„ all thynges liue Christ hath not onely power vpon them whiche are aliue but euen vpon them also that are dead as whiche for our saluacion gaue bothe his life and death For he for my cause became man and dyed and after for my sake rose againe from death to thenâ—â—nt that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and dead If we liue to godlynes we are bounde to him if we dye to synne we are bounde to him He is our lorde he is our iudge The texte But why doest thou then iudge thy brother Either why doest thou dispise thy brother We shal all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ For it is written as truely as I liue sayth the lorde all knees shal bowe to me and all tongues shall geue praise to God So shal euery one of vs geue accoumptes of him selfe to God Let vs not therfore iudge one an other any more And then why doeth the seruaunt take vpon him any authoritie vpoÌ„ his felowe ouer whom onely God hath power Thou that art somwhat scrupulous with what boldnes I say iudgest thou thy brother whiche is stronger than thou art for that he frely eateth or because he in like sort vseth euery day Or why doest thou whiche art stronger disdaine at and dispâ—se thy weaker brother as though thou were his maister and not rather his felow Why doeth either of you both vsurpe Goddes authoritie and preuent the daye of iudgement One must not iudge an other The onely iudge of all wyll geue sentence vpoÌ„ all For al shal once be brought before yâ— iudgement place of Christ ther by his senteÌ„ce to be quited or coÌ„deÌ„ned who throughly seeth the most hidden secrete partes of our heart Vntyl that day let not one seruaunt play the lorde vpon an other For this honoure hath he for him selfe onely reserued as him selfe sayeth by the prophet Esai as truely as I liue sayeth the lorde all knees shal bowe vnto me and all tongues shal geue praise to God In the meane season let euery man asmuche as he can with all his power endeuoure howe he may for him selfe before this iudge make his accoumpte and take heede that no man iudge others actes to the worse The texte But iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke or an occasion to fail in his brothers way For I knowe am ful certified by the lorde Iesus that there is no thyng comen of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be comen to him it is comen Iâ— thy brother be greued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably Destroye not him with thy meate â–ª for whom Christ dyed Cause not your treasure to be euil spoken of For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy goost For he that in these thinges serueth Christ pleaseth God and is commended of men If we may for this tyme iudge of any thyng let vs for the tyme iudge of this and deuise how one of vs may helpe another and that we neither do any man hurte nor geue occasion of hurte asmuche as we may Let vs comforte them that stagger not make them desperate no nor let vs extinguishe the smolderyng flaxe but enkendle it If the persons dignitie worthynes wer coÌ„sidered the weaker should obey him that is better learned but christian charitie would that the learned should sometyme geue place and beare with the weaker but yet not so that he consent and fauor his errour but either to th entent that he may be amended or els at the lest so stayed that he offende not more greuously And in this matter to speake somewhat of my selfe Moses in his lawe many yeres gon geuen vnto the Iewes noted certaine meates for vncleane and the same meates in his language he calleth comen as a man would say cursed of whoÌ„ men might not lawfully eat certaine meates calleth he cleane whiche euery man might lawfully vse But now know I and am by the spirite of Christ surely persuaded whose pleasure was that the carnal part of the lawe should be abolished that of his owne nature no meate is there vnpure and that there is no choyse of meate at al. But if any be vncleane only to him it is vncleane that so iudgeth of it yâ— is to wete to the weake and scrupulous it is vncleane but to suche one as is strong and a perfite christiaÌ„ nothyng is vncleane but to them that are cleane all thynges are likewyse pure And yet perauenture somtyme it were well done to abstaine froÌ„ that whiche is of it selfe good and pure not because Moses lawe so commauÌ„deth but because brotherly charitte whiche specially belongeth to a christian man so requireth For if for thy bodily foode thy brothers conscience be hurte or greued whom thou shouldest as tendrely loue as thou louest thy selfe then liuest thou to thy self and remembrest not what mutual charitie requireth as whiche regardest not but disdainest the fall ruine of the weake whiche thing thou mightest easly remedy Were it I pray you so great a matter so long to abstaine froÌ„ lawful meates vntil suche tyme as thy neighbor beyng in ieoperdye be holpen therby And albeit thy brother be weaker though he be ruder then thou art yet couÌ„pt him not for so vile as for thy meates sake to suffre him to be destroyed for whose saluacioÌ„ Christ died If suche one as he is the lorde estemed so greatly then should he not of the for a trifle be dispised Nor thynke it sufficient that the thyng thou doest be right wel done but moreouer prouide must yâ— that in it there be no suspicion of euil and beware lest that whiche to the is good turne vnto other mennes harme as it wyl if menne among you see debate and strife for meate and drinke or for suche other smal trifles For as in the world to come in the kyngdome of God I say there shal neither be meate nor drinke whiche are remedyes for this oure mortall state so the doctrine of Christes gospel and perfite christian life standeth neither in differeÌ„ce of meates nor drinkes as which are suche thinges as are not to godlines effectual Rather must we study and haue minde vpoÌ„
they leade or els because that suche were so cōmen that if a man would auoyde theyr company he should be able to be in no company at all And this entreateth he of in the fyfte Chapter Thrydely he sheweth his mynde concernyng sutes of the lawe that if among them any suche accion rose as it were a shame there should among christians to stryue for money which menne should lytle sette by that they should not suffer the matter to goe so farre as to haue it hearde before heathen iugdes but to finishe it among themselfes by the arbitremente of any suche as they thought mete And this entreateth he of in the sixt Chapter whereof a great parte in myne opinion belongeth to the seuenth euen from that place where he being aboute to entreate of matrimonie among other vices condemneth fornicacion aduoutrye and buggorie and this matter prosecuteth he vntill the beginnyng of the nexte Chapter where he sayeth knowe ye not that your membres are the Temple of Christe Fourthly he instructeth them touchyng matrimonie wydowhead vnequall mariage diuorces virginitie by the way warnyng that for christian religions sake they should not goe aboute to chaunge the ciuile state of theyr lyfe In all which treatyse he so encourageth them to single lyfe and chastitie that yet he denieth not the reamydie of mariage to suche as haue nede therof and this doth he in the seuēth Chapter Fiftly he declareth that the flesh offred to Idolles in very dede nothing differeth from other and yet must we abstayne from them if any ieopardy be leste any heathen or weake christian be present which by reason of thyne eatyng is lyke to thynke that thou fauourest Idolatry From suche and other lyke vices dissuadeth he by olde examples And this doeth he in the eight and in parte of the nineth Chapter For in the myddes he entreth into the prayse of himselfe couertly auauncyng his authoritie aboue other Apostles euen aboue the chiefe of them which only among all the rest freely taught the Corinthians the doctryne of the gospell Sixtly teacheth he what were mete to be done in the comen metinges of christians that is to witte that the menne should not haue long heare nor the women be bare headed and that also in the Lordes souper all thinges should be commen and equall shewyng them that it was no bealy matter that there was in hande whiche were more mete to be prouided for at home but in that spirituall feast was represented the souper of the Lorde Furthermore he warneth that none of them be proude for any spirituall gyfte but that euery of them should bestowe his gyfte for the cōmen weale of the churche exhortyng them by the exaumple of the membres of the body soberly to vse other gyftes specially yet laboring for the gifte of charitie without whom other are not onely not good but also hurtful So that among the gyftes of the spirite he geueth the chiefe preeminence to charitie and the nexte to prophecie for by that name calleth he the gyfte of expoundyng holy scripture biddyng them in the vse of this gyfte to auoyde all vnquiet disordre and confusion As he sayth they should if but fewe spake at once and that by course chargeing their wemen in the meane season to holde their peace in somuche that in the cōgregacion he suffreth not them to aske no not for their learnyng All this speaketh he of in the. xi xii xiii and .xiiii. Chapters Seuenthly with dyuerse argumentes he proueth the resurreccion of the dead declaring how and after what maner it shal be and this doeth he in the .xv. Chapter In the last Chapter speaketh he of certayne familiar thinges that is to wit of geuyng of money towarde the reliefe of the poore and of his cūmyng agayne to Corynthe And finally he commendeth vnto them Timothe and certayne other Saincte Ambrose thinketh that this is not the firste Epistle that Saincte Paul wrote to the Corinthians coniecturing so as I thinke by that is written in the firste Chapter I wrote vnto you in an Epistle as though he had before written vnto them of these matters in other letters albeit the Greke interpreters dissente Some thynke that this Epistle was sente by Tim othe because of him mencion is made once or twyes and by Stephana Fortunatus and Achaicus whom he commendeth vnto them Some againe because it is wrytten at the latter ende I will tary at Ephesus vntill the fiftyeth daye suppose that it was sent from Ephesus Some againe thinke that it was sent from Philippos for that title haue the Greke bookes And yet cānot I coniecture with what reason they were ledde that so thought onlesse they gather that it was written by the waye because Paul sayeth I wyll come to you when I go ouer to Macedonia for I will go through Macedonia And straight after for I will not see you no we in my passage ¶ The ende of the argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the first Epistle of the Apostle S. Paule to the Corinthians The .i. Chapiter The texte Paule called an Apostle of Iesus Christe through the will of God and brother Sostenes Vnto the congregacion of God which is at Corinthum To them that are sanctified by Christe Iesu called sainctes with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place ether of theirs or of ours Grace bee vnto you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ I thanke my god alwaies on your behalfe for the grace of God which is geuen you by Iesus Christ that in all thinges ye are made riche by hym in all vtteraunce and in all knowelage by the which thynges the testimony of Iesus Christ was confirmed in you so that ye are behinde in no gift waityng for the apering of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall also strength you vnto the ende that ye maie bee blamelesse in the daye of the commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christe PAule no false Apostle nor vsurper of an Apostles auctoritie as some are among you but called to be the Ambassadoure of Christe and not the messanger of menne Called I saye not throughe myne owne deseruyng but only because it so pleased god the moste mercifull father by my ministerie to spreade abrode the honoure of his sonne whiche calling I certifie you of leste ye shoulde either mislyke me or bee desyrouse to haue an other Paule therfore euen I whome ye knowe well and also with me Sosthenes my brother by profession and felowe in office doe wryte this Epistle not to the sediciouse sectes that stryue one with another but to the congregacion of the churche whiche god of his goodnes at whose commaundemente I laboure in this embassie hathe steadfastly ioyned together in one accorde of mynde and suche mutuall charitie as beseemeth christians at Corinthe buyldyng in the olde citie a newe and an heauenlye placyng there in the steade of an earthlye an heauenlye companye that is to saye a companye purged and
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
call my selfe a father and you my chyldren sith I fyrste of all menne preached the gospell vnto you and syth that throughe me ye are borne agayne vnto Christe Haue not I in maner begoten you What mother hathe taken so muche payne in trauaile with her childe as I suffered when I trauailed with you to make you christians Wherfore yf ye acknowledge this father to be yours yf ye be vnfayned children I beseche you for our mutuall loues sake to folowe your father in liuing and manners Synce ye are begoten by vs why labour ye rather to bee lyke other than to vs Suche thynges wherof ye ate accused vnto me whence they came consider with your selfe surely ye learned not them of me Yf any poynte of our doctryne bee out of youre memorie forasmuche as I canne not come my selfe here I sende vnto you Timothee euen as mine owne selfe which is my sonne not one that groweth out of kynde but through goddes goodnes a faythful childe which as fyrste by me he learned Christe so swarueth he at no tyme from his fathers steppes He shal put you in remembraunce how I ordre my life whiche I bothe folowe and teache after the example of Iesus Christe not vnto you onely but to euery congregacion that professeth Christe As he is one commen autour and rewler of all so muste all menne haue one rewle of lyuyng A naturall childe doth his duety not for feare of payne but gladlye and with all his hearte There are some among you whiche because I am absente are paste shame and so wantonly behaue them selfes as though I would neuer returne But they shal be deceyued for I wyll within a whyle bee with you by goddes grace what tyme I wyll haue a tryall what these menne can doe that this wyse auaunce them selfe not in eloquence but in deedes For the strength of the gospell standeth not in royall and gorgiouse speache which euerye manne maye bse but in a heauenlye strengthe and power which is declared by sufferaunce of troubles by concorde by ryghteousnesse of the wholle lyfe and by myracles Shall I come vnto you I wyll come in deede But take ye heede that ye receyue me as reason woulde In your handes standeth you to make me come eyther as a roughe one and dredfull or as a meeke one and gentyll I haue authorytie geuen vnto me by Christ to punishe rebellions and such as are vnrewlye with the rodde of correccion But rather hadde I not to vse it but woulde wyshe gladlye youre manners were suche that I lyke a louyng mercifull and meeke father may reioyce in your vnhurtefulnesse or yf there bee among you any smalle faultes that the same maye with an easye and fatherly correccyon be amended The .v. Chapter The texte There goeth a commen saying that their is fornicacion among you ▪ and suche fornicacion as is not named among the gentyles that one shoulde haue his fathers wife And ye swel and haue not rather sorowed that he whiche hath doue thys dede might be put frō among you for I verely as absent in body but presente in spirite haue determyned alreadye as though I we◠present concerning hym that hath done thys dede in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe when ye are gathered together and my spirite with you with the power of the Lord Iesus Christ to delyuer hym vnto Satan for the destruccion of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus BVt this is both better knowen than canne bee denyed more grenouse than canne be borne with and more hanouse than were conuenient any longer to bee differred that of you ▪ whome as a temple halowed to god all cleanes beseamed there goeth a cōmen tale and a shamfull rumour of fornicacion and of suche fornicacion as the like reproche hath not been found among painims and suche as to Christe are straungers whiche is that one among you vseth his fathers wyfe as his owne What a greate reproche and slaundre to christian religion thynke ye this that of you suche a foule rummoure shoulde bee spreade abrode And yet ye in the meane season as thoughe so greate infamye nothyng belonged vnto you highlye please youre selfe and are throughe youre worldelye wysedome proude whome it more beseamed with commen mournyng and heauinesse to declare that ye earnestelye disproue this filthie deede by excludyng the dooer of suche an outragiouse offence oute of youre coumpanye and that for three consideracions Fyrste leste yf ye vse hym familiarely and as one of your owne coumpanye whiche hathe not yet shewed hymselfe to bee sorye for hys offence ye myght seame to fauer misdoers and then a gayne leste suche an outragious offence once receued amonge you growe more and more Finally to the entente that the doer of suche a mischefe yf ye auoyde his companye as one by cōmen iudgement condemned for shame repente hym selfe vntyll suche tyme as by perfite sygnes of repentaunce it bee well knowen that he his mete to bee receaued into good peoples company And this shoulde ye haue done strayghte waye assone as it was by commen reporte knowen that the manne whose name yet for causes I rehearce not was of suche abomination Yf I had ben my selfe presente among you I woulde so haue done Nowe I being absente albeit not vtterlye absente for not withstanding my bodye bee awaye yet am I by autoritie of the spirite present absent therfore I saye but as thoughe I were present I gyue sentence whiche ye must folow that in a cōmen assemblye and resorte of manye ye determine because no one man shoulde take suche autoritie vpon hym whiche assemblye must with no carnal desire come together but haue an eye to nothinge but to the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christ wherein I wyll as I sayed onely spirituallye bee present where shall also bee the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christe in whose name ye shall come together whiche by his power shall make my sentence effectuall that he whiche wythout all regarde of honestie hath this outragiouslye dooen bee caste oute of youre congregacion and geuen ouer to Satan to bee punished in his fleshe and made ashamed by mannes iudgement that his spirit and soule be saued before Iesus Christe his iudge whan he shall iudge and shall geue sentence not onely vpon these thynges or this manne but vpon al the world In the meane season expediente is it for hym also to preuente the exacte and rigorous iudgement of god assuryng hymself that better is it to suffre temporal punist ement than to bee condemned to the euerlastyng tourmentes of helle It beseameth vs rather to deuise a playster for the reformacion of offendours than punishmente so vsyng oure selfes with them that they maye remaine to bee amended Nor kyll we the manne but suppresse the vice and saue the manne This is the punishmente wherewith christian gentlenes oughte to bee contented It is the Iewes maner to stone a man to death and
are inspired with the holy gost are not theyr owne men no more then we see rauished men to be But thinke it muche otherwyse in madde men than in suche as haue receyued the spirite of Christe whiche in suche sorte rauysheth the minde that a man is nethlesse his owne man whether the matter require a man to speake or to holde his peace Sober is this inspiracion and nothing els but an enforcemente of a mannes godly mynde to suche thinges as make to Gods glory This spirite should so muche the more serue vnto the common quietnes and so muche be further from contencion because thesame commeth of God whiche is the author of peace and not of confusion and sedicion And synce this is in all congregacions of christian men obserued and kept mete is it also that it be kept in your metynges yf ye wyll haue men to thinke them good leste ye be thought to swarue from other in customes from whom ye dissente not in religion And for this cause lette your wemen in solemne assemblyes holde theyr peace leste yf as that kynde is to muche geuen to babling there aryse an vncomly confusion For wemen are not authorized to preache abrode as chiefe doers of matters but commaunded to be obedient vnto theyr husbandes For in Genesis this speaketh God vnto the woman thou shalt attend vpon thy husbandes will and he shall beare rule ouer the. Let wemen knowledge this lawe not only by coueryng theyr heades but also with silence wherwith womanhead is moste commended Some wyll saye doest thou so farfurth forbid women to speake that thou wylt not suffer them for theyr learnyng to aske a question Vtterly I forbid them in open places to speake but yf there be any thing which they vnderstand not sufficiently and are desyrouse to knowe it let them aske of theyr hushusbandes at home So shall they neyther be defrauded of teaching nor doe any thing vnsemely For surely an vnsemely syght is it to see a woman speake in the chrstian congregacion namely synce so to doe is coumpted a foule thing euen among the paynims What meaneth this ye CorinthiaÌ„s that ye should be greued to kepe that custome whiche is of al other kept The texte Sprong the woorde of God from you Either came it vnto you only If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophete either spirituall let him knowe what thynges I wryte vnto you For they are the commaundementes of the Lorde But and if any man be ignoraunt let him be ignoraunt Wherfore brethren couete to prophecye and forbydde not to speake with tonges Let all thynges be doen honestly and in order among you Came the gospell fyrste from you that other muste be compelled to kepe your customes or is the gospell come only to you Yf ye neither be the fyrste that receaued the gospel nor the onely menne that professe it why disdayne ye to frame your selfes after the customes of other And yf anye among you be a prophete or seme otherwyse indued with spiritual gyftes let hym be assured that suche thynges as I wryte vnto you are no commaundementes of myne but the Lordes But yf any manne through contencion so vse hym selfe as though he were ignoraunte despising these thinges as though they were but mannes rules let suche one at his owne peryll be ignoraunt surely god wyll lykewyse be ignoraunt of hym and refuse hym I wyll not striue with you in this matier but thinke this sufficient for my parte that I haue giueÌ„ you warnyng To finishe therfore this matier labour brethren to haue the gyfte of prophecie being a gyfte of muche more excellency but so that in the meane season such be not restrayned to speake with tounges which haue no gyfte els so that all thynges bee done comly and in an order as I haue tolde you leste by the contrary any dishonesty or trouble chaunce The .xv. Chapter The texte Brethren as pertaynyng to the Gospell which I preached vnto you which ye haue also accepted and in the which ye contynue by the which also ye are saued I do â—ou to wyt after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne BVt now because I heare say brethren that some of you doubte of the rysynge agayne of the deade of suche I meane as through a pride in worldly knowledge styll remaynyng in them cannot yet herein bee persuaded touchyng this article I neede to teache you no newe thynge but onely call to your remembraunce the gospell whiche I fyrste taught you and which ye once receaued wherein hetherto ye continewe and by meane wherof ye obtayne saluacion insomuche that it is bothe for me superfluous to teache you thesame agayne whiche I once wel taught you for you also lytle honestie inconstantly to fal backe from that whiche ye once fauoured speaciallye synce ye haue experience that my preaching of the gospel is a doctrine effectuall to saluacion Now is this poynte to beleue the resurrection of the dead the chiefeste parte of the doctrine of the gospell Wherein ye ought so to be assured that ye therof doubte not onles ye haue gyuen credence thereto in vayne as god forbid ye shoulde For what auayled it to fauer and embrace the gospell yf ye denie the principall parte of thesame that is to wete that the deade shall lyue agayne The texte For fyrst of al I delyuered vnto you that which I receaued how that Christ died for our synnes agreing to the scriptures And that he was buried that he arose againe the thyrd day according to the scriptures that he was sene of Cephas theÌ„ of the twelue Aftâ—r that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren at once of which many remayne vnto this day many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to al the Apostles Me thinketh ye should chiefly remember that thing which I fyrst taught you by mouth and nowe reherse vnto you the same by wrytinge being such also as ye once receaued which is that the Lorde Iesus Christe dyed and by hys deathe deliuered vs from synne makyng a mendes for our offences as the scriptures many hundred yeares before sayed shoulde bee that he should lyke a lambe bee led to the slaughter that through hys strypes he might heale our synnes and by his death vpoÌ„ the crosse raigne and suppresse the tyranny of the deuill Besyde thys ye muste also beleue that he not only verely dyed for you but was also buried and the thyrd daye rose agayne which also was long before prophecied in the darke sayinges of prophetes to th entent ye should the better beleue when that is done in dede whiche god by holy men promised should be For this speaketh O see after two dayes and the thyrd day will we ryse againe and lyue in the syght of hym Againe Dauid thys wyse speaketh thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell And because ye should more stedfastly beleue besyde thys I
taught you also howe after that he was rysen agayne he shewed hym selfe playnly and euedentlye to many fyrst to Cephas then to the twelue after that was he sene of more than fyue hundred brethren gathered al together And lest any might doubt of the trewth of this history of all thys noumber many are alyue euen vntyll thys daye and some are dede After this was be sene of Iames whiche was called brother of the Lord and was fyrste byshope of Hierusalem Then was he sene of all the disciples not only of the twelue whiche were fyrste called apostles whiche name was after deriued into many The texte And laste of all he was seue of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the leaste of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of God I am that I am And hys grace whiche is in me was not in vayne but I laboured more abundauntly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me Therfore whither it were I or they so we preache and so haue ye beleued And last of al was he sene of me as of an vnseasonable borne apostle which after the full tyme was at the laste lyke an vnperfite chyld rather caste than wel borne I complaine not because I laste sawe the Lord but coumpte it a greate matter that I deserued to se hym For I am the leaste of the apostles and vnworthie to be called an apostle because I persecuted the churche of god whome the apostles stablysh Vnworthy therfore was I euen asmuche as at laste to be chosen into the felowshype of thapostles but the fre goodnes of god vouchsaued to gyue me this honoure notwithstandyng I deserued it not so that whatsoeuer I am al is of hys goodnes and not of my deseruynge And I suffered not hys grace in me to be either idle or baraine For albeit in order of time I be laste yet in preaching of the gospel am I not behynde thē but haue laboured more than any other of the apostles which I saye leste for thys any myght lesse esteme myne authoritie because I was laste chosen to bee an apostle Howebeit this labor of myne I vouche not as myne but gyue al to goddes goodnes by whose helpe all was wrought To retourne therfore to the matier whether in preachyng the gospell theyr authoritie bee more or myne it lytle forceth sure is it that we with one assent preache one thinge and that whiche we with one assente preached that beleued ye as a sure and an vndoubted doctrine We alwaye teache one thinge this remayneth that ye lykewyse continewe in one beliefe not nowe doubting agayne of that wherupon ye were once agreed The texte If Christ be preached how that he rose from the dead how saye some among you that there is no resurreccion of the dead If there be no rysing agayne of the dead thē is Christ not rysen agayne If Christ be not ryse agayne then is our preachyng in vaine and your fayth is also in vayne ye and we are founde false witnesses of God For we haue testifyed of God howe that he raysed vp Christ whom he raysed not vp yf it bee so that the deade ryse not agayne For yf the deade ryse not a gayne then is Christ not rysen agayne If it be so that Christe rose not agayne then is your fayth in vayne and ye are yet in your synnes Therfore they which are fallen aslepe in Christ are perysshed It in this lyfe onely we beleue on Chryste then are we of all men most miserable But nowe is Christe rysen from the dead and become the fyrst frutes of them that slept For by a mā came death and by a man came the resurreccion of the dead For as by Adam all dye euen so by Chryst shall all bee made alyue but euery manne in his owne order The firste is Christe then they that are Christes at hys commynge Then cometh the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule and all auctoryte and power Yf by all the apostles wytnesses it hath been and is styll preached that Christe the prince and author of resurreccion is rysen agayne from deathe what malapertnes is it that among you some saye that there is no resurreccion of the deade For yf there be none then foloweth it that not so muche as Christ hym selfe is rysen agayne For to what purpose is it that oure heade and capitayne shoulde ryse but to go before and prepare the resurrection of vs his members openyng the way to vs all And yf Christ be not rysen certaynly vayne is our preaching vayne is also your belefe and truste And yf we be certaynly perswaded that Christe is rysen agayne aswell perswaded and beleue must we that we shall ryse agayne for whose restoring to lyfe he rose Yf we ryse not this foloweth that bothe you and I haue not only loste our labors I in preachyng ye in beleuyng but are also founde wrongful agaynst god of whome we falsly reported that he raysed Christe from death whome he raysed not as he in dede raysed him not yf other dead menne ryse not againe For either muste ye beleue bothe or deny bothe because that of the heade and members there is but one resurreccion Yf the deade ryse not for whose sake Christe rose then Christe hymselfe rose not And yf Christe rose not vayne was your belefe that he is rysen and in vayne beleued ye that through a truste and confidence in him ye were made free from synne Wherupon it also foloweth that ye are styll subiecte to your former synnes nor hath baptisme wherby we in the meane season through Christ spiritually ryse agayne from syn wrought anythyng in vs. They also whiche haue dyed with this truste and with this hope haue paciently suffered cruel martyrdome and death are vtterly goen for euer yf there be no hope of resurreccion And yf all oure hope conceaued of Christe reache no further than for the terme of this present lyfe we be not onely wretched people but also more miserable than they whiche to Christ are straungers For they yet haue after a sorte the pleasures of this present lyfe wheras we are both here in trouble for Christes name and shall after this lyfe haue no rewarde yf we ryse not body and soule agayne But god forbyd that any manne to his owne destruccion haue any suche fonde belefe But rather yf ye beleue that Christ is rysen agayne as euery godly manne dothe therof foloweth necessaryly that we shall also ryse againe For in hym began resurreccion whiche shall in vs bee made perfyte and as he takyng agayne his bodye vpon hym rose from deathe so shal we bothe bodye and soule ryse agayne leste otherwyse the heade myght bee deuyded from his members He as prince and capitayne fyrste rose agayne as the
against such violent aduersaries were it so we had no strength but our owne thankes therfore be geueÌ„ to God which hath caused that if we wil we may wynne this gloryous victory through Iesus Christe our Lorde whiche for our sakes with his death ouercame death and toke vpon hym to purge our synnes Therfore my dearly beloued brethren synce it is certaine that the resurreccion shal be and synce it is knowen what blysse glory men shall enioy therby which yet no man shal receiue but such as here by forsaking sinne and by godly liuing begynne it doubte not of that ye haue once beleued nor suffer your selfes with the talking of vngodly persons to bemoued from your right receyued fayth but rather apply continually to profite in such thynges as may bryng you into Gods fauoure that ye become euery day better than other preparyng your selfes agaynst the resurreccion to come Nor shrynke ye to take paynes assuryng your selfes that through Christes helpe for transitorie labours ye shall receyue ioyes without ende ¶ The .xvi. Chapter The texte Concernyng the gathering for the sainctes as I haue ordeyned in the congregacions of Galacia euen so doe ye Vpon some Sabboth daye lette euery one of you put asyde at home and lay vp whatsoeuer is mete that there be no gatheringes when I come When I am come whosoeuer ye shall alowe by your letters them will I sende to bring your lyberalitie vnto Hierusalem And yf it be mete that I goe also they shal goe with me I will come vnto you whan I goe ouer to Macedonia For I wil goe thorowe our Macedonia COncerning the gathering for the reliefe through your liberalitie of the sainctes whiche are at Hierusalem as I apoynted vnto the Galathians that money should be gathered for that purpose yf any of his owne free wyll were disposed to bestow any euen so would I haue thesame done among you that in this poynte also ye agree with other congregacions Vpon the fyrste daye of the weke that is to say in the sonday let euery one of you set asyde at home and lay vp asmuche as he for this purpose thinketh mete And for this geue I warnyng here of because that which euery man hath purposed to geue may be in a more readines leste when I come there be then a gathering of money to be made But wheÌ„ I come vnto you thither whom soeuer ye shall chuse as messangers them wil I with my letters send to Hierusalem to carie thither your liberalitie Yf ye thinke it nedefull that I also goe my selfe thither they shall goe with me leste any man myght suspecte that I in any wise goe about my owne busynesse I will see you after that I haue gonne through Macedonia for them mynde I only to see by the waye The texte With you peraduenture I will abyde a whyle or els tarye all wynter that ye maye bring me on my waye whyther soeuer I goe I will not see you nowe in my passage but I trust to abyde a whyle with you yf God shall suffer me I wyll tarye at Ephesus vnto the fyftieth daye For a great doore and a frutefull is opened vnto me and there are many aduersaries Yf Timotheus come see that he be without feare with you For he worketh the worke of the Lorde as I doe let no manne therfore despise him but conuay hym forth in peace that he may come vnto me For I loke for him with the brethren With you peraduenture will I abyde for a whyle and am not sure whether I shal tarie with you al the wynter that at the beginning of the nexte spring ye may bring me furth that I may goe whyther soeuer the busynes of the gospell calleth me had not this been I would haue commen to you now but I would not see you now houerly in my passage For I trust I shall at another tyme haue oportunitie to tarie with you certayne dayes if the Lorde Iesus suffer me In the meane season I will tarie at Ephesus vntil yâ— fyftyeth day The matter reâ—uireth some leysure because that albeit in that place there be a great doore opened vnto me and a great hope of auancing the gospel yet many aduersaries are there Yf in the meane season Timothie come vnto you see that he be put in no ieopardie by any high hearted proude persons He is a young man but yet he is my felow and in preaching the gospel laboureth purely and frely as I doe Let no man therfore despise hym because he is young but rather let hym goe without harme and displeasure as an Apostle and my felowe and of loue bring him furth that he maye come to me For hym looke I for with other brethren of his company The texte To speake of brother â—pollo I certifie you that I greatly desyred him to come vnto you with the brethren but his mâ—nde was not at all to come at this time Howbeit he wil come when he shall haue conuenient tyme. Watche ye stande fast in the fayth quyte you lyke men be strong Let all your busynesse be doeu with loue And whereas ye rather desyred that Apollos should haue been sente vnto you surely it came not of me that he weÌ„t not For I vehemently exhorted hym to go to you with certayne brethren but all was in vayne For certayne consideracions in no wyse mynded he nowe to come to you and yet come wyll he assone as conuenient leysure shall serue Watche agaynst the deceytes of suche as geue you euill counsell Stande faste in the faythe whiche ye haue once receyued quite your selfes lyke meÌ„ agaynst suche thinges as resiste the gospell be stronge and valiaunt Whatsoeuer be doen among you let it be doen with loue and not with contencion The texte Brethren ye knowe the house of Stephana and of Fortunatâ—s and Achaicus how that they are the fyrste fruites of Achaâ—a and that they haue appoynted themselues to minister vnto the saynâ—res I beseche you that ye be obedient vnto suche and to all that helpe and laboure I am glad of the commyng of Stephana and Fortunatus and Achaicus for that whiche was lackyng vnto me on your parte they haue supplyed For they haue comforted my spirite and yours Loke therfore that ye knowe them that are suche I beseche you brethren but what nede we besechynges Ye knowe the householde of Sthephana well worthie of you to be made muche of bothe because thesame as first fruites of Achaia I gotte firste vnto Christe and because they are geueÌ„ to helpe the poore Meete is it therfore that ye againe make muche of them and not only of them but of as many as wyth vs promote the gospell and are partakers of our labours If pleased me well that ye sente hyther Stephana Fortunatus and Achaicus For theyr cumming hyther in all your names supplyed wyth theyr gentilnes that whiche was lacking vnto me on your parte For theâ— coumforted my spirite yea I might saye your spirite as
saued by the wishes of many and for the weale of many there may diuersly by many men for our deliueraunce thankes be geuen to god that it maye appeare that this benefite of god in my deliueraunce is not onely bestowed vpon me but vpon al suche as haue good therby The texte For oure reioycyng is this euen the testimonie of oure conscience that in singlenes of heart and godlye purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had ouâ— conuersacion in the worlde and moste of all to youwardes We write none other thynges vnto you then that ye reade and also knowe Ye and I truste ye shall finde vs vnto the ende euen as ye haue founde vs partelye for we are youre reioyâ—ing euen as ye are ours in the daye of the Lorde Iesus Were not this as touchyng my selfe I haue in my owne breste wherewyth to comforte me sufficientlye in the middes of my troubles yea and to make me reioyce and to glorye that is to were my conscience whiche is witnesse and priuy to this poynte that we neuer laboured in the ministerie of Christes gospell sekyng for any gaynes by auauncing our selfes in worldlye wisedome as among you some dooe but taught it with all simplicitie and godly puritie bothe in all Greece and speciallye among you for whose sake albeeit wee haue suffered suche greate thynges yet neuer loked wee for or tooke any rewarde at your handes leste some myght take occasion to thynke that wee for oure aduauntage so muche sought vpon you And this muche haue I sayed not arrogantly but as yâ— trueth is Nor boast we this otherwise of our self than ye haue hadde experience of for neuer founde ye vs other than suche as wee saye we are by these letters which ye reade nor make wee ourselfes other in woordes by writyng than wee among you shewed oureselfes in dooyng Yea and I truste more ouer that of what sorte ye haue hytherto partely founde vs suche shall ye alwayes finde vs hereafter that eche of vs maye glorie of other if ye lyke thankfull and apte children on your sydes in godly lyfe and deedes bee lyke vnto your father teacher as I haue in al pointes bene vnto you goddes true messenger â–ª Lette them in the meane season boste themselfes neuer so muche among menne that disdeine at me as an outcaste and one in affliccions yet certaynelye when the Lorde shall come beefore whome paynted coulours shall nothyng serue then wyl I reioyce of you whom I haue wonne vnto Christ then shall ye also glorie of me whome I nothyng taughte but Christes trewe doctrine The texte And in this confidence was I minded firste to haue come vnto you that I might haue had one pleasure more with you and to passe by you into Macedonia and to haue come againe out of Macedonia vnto you and to bee led foorth of you towarde Iewrye When I thus wise was minded did I vse lightenes Or thynke I carnally those thynges which I thynke that with me shoulde bee yea yea and naye naye God is faithefull For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye For Goddes sonne Iesus Christe whiche was preached among you by â—s euen by me and Siluanus and Tunotheus was not yea and nay but by hym it was yea For all the promises of God by him are yea and are in hym Amen vnto the lawde of God thorow vs. For it is God whiche stablisheth vs with you in Christe and standeth by vs and hath anointed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath geuen the earneste of the spirite in our hertes I call God for a record vnto my soule that for to fauour you with al I came not any more vnto Corinthum Not that we be lordes ouer your fayth but are helpers of your ioye For by faith ye staÌ„d And vpon confidence of this my vpright conscience and hope conceaued of your encrease and furtheraunce occasion had I and minded before this time to visite you therby purposyng to do you double pleasure both with mine epistle fyrste and also by the waye after wyth my presence For my purpose was to see you as I went into Macedonia and agayne in my returnyng from Macedonia to come vnto you as I promissed in my other epistle and thence to be ledde and brought furthe by you into Iewrye But in the meane season some wyll thynke synce I this wyse mynded to dooe whether it came of lightnesse that I chaunged myne intente or whether I perfourme not that of any worldly policie whiche I once purposed to doe in this alteryng my minde as occasion serueth No nor so but for good consideracions and aduisedly folowed I not mine own destre because I wel vnderstode that it was for your weale more expedient to dooe otherwise that by defferryng my retourne some of your congregacion myght bee amended whome I would not see in theyr vncleanesse in this poynte alwayes constaunte and lyke my self that I at all tymes seeke youre weale so that in this behalfe I neuer wauer but alwayes dooe that whiche shall bee for your profite and alwayes shonne that whiche I thynke vnprofitable for you not because I thynke it lyeth in vs to perfourme asmuch as we purposed but because we know that god deceaueth not by whose healpe our woorde wherewith wee preached vnto you his gospell wauered not but was at all times like it selfe For wee preached not vnto you worldlye and carnall matters but taught you a weightye effectuall and an vnchaungeable doctryne constauntly and after one sorte bothe I Siluanus and Timothie that is to weâ—e that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God whose name was not among you vneffectuall but mightye and full of power not by oure strengthe but by his free gyfte Vntil this time haue ye receaued the giftes of the holye ghoste possessing them as an earneste peny and as sure shal ye bee of suche thynges as are in time to come promissed For al thynges that are promissed are through hym sure and out of all doubte in hym to whome this glorye is dewe Neyther are these oure promisses whiche wee layed before you and shewed you of but god is the chief geuer of theÌ„ we are only ministers and messangers So that to his glorie maketh it yf that whiche wee preache in his name bee founde trewe and effectuall Besyde this whereas wee haue constauntelye preached Christe and ye haue constauntelye continewed in Christes religion once receaued that is goddes gifte also whiche because wee should in his promisses haue more coÌ„fidence hath also anointed vs with his secreate gyftes and printed a certaine marke in oure heartes yea and geuen into oure soules his spirite as an earneste and pledge of the blessed state promissed vnto vs hereafter Lette no manne therefore thinke it lightenesse because I vntill this time differred my commyng vnto you god take I to recorde that whereas I hitherto came not to Corinth that was not doone for any displeasure borne towarde you
Christe among them that are saued and â—mong them whiche perishe To the one parte are we the sauoure of death vnto death And vnto the other parte are wee the sauoure of lyfe vnto lyfe And who is meete vnto those thynges â—â— we are not as the moste parte are whiche chop and chaunge with the worde of God but â—â—â—â—â—â—â— of purenes and by the power of God in the sighe of God so speake we in Christe But after that I came to Troas there to preache the Gospell of Christ where there was by the fauoure of god a plentifull hope of encrease opened vnto me greately was my mynde disguieted becaused therwyse than I loked I found not my brother and felowe Titus there of whome I hadde greate neede to beare out that greate and weightie matter Leauing them therefore I went into Macedonia and that not without great ieopardye but thankes geue I vnto god whiche victoriously carrieth aboute by vs the triumphe of christian religion makyng it more glorious by that the glorye of hys Gospell dailye spreadeth more and more whiche by our preachyng enlargeth in all places abrode the knoweledge of hymselfe vsyng vs as though we were swete incense â–ª For when we preache in all places of the world the glorye of his gospell what elles dooe wee but spreade abrode the swete fauoure of Christe of it selfe in deede as I saye to all menne pleasaunte and holsome but yet to some throughe theyr owne faulte deadlye poyson holsom to suche as throughe fayth in the gospell obteyne saluacion vnholsome and deathlye to suche as refuse it thereby doublyng theyr damnacion to deathe euerlastyng as menne encreasyng theyr former offences wyth vnthankefulnes and stubbernesse of myndes But who is meete this to dooe and preache Whoso myndeth to laboure in this muste therein nothyng regarde but the onely glorye of Christe But some there bee whiche teachyng the gospell either for honoure or for aduauntage spreade not somuche abrode the swete sauers of Christe as theyr owne countrefaite deuises profityng themselfes and noâ— Christe whose manners wee abhorre Nor corrupte wee the woorde of God wyth worldlye doctryne sekyng oure own commodities but euen with a pure hearte teache it as a thyng that came from god and not of our selfes and that to the glorie of Iesus Christe as god hymselfe is witnesse ¶ The thyrde Chapter The texte ¶ We begin to praise our selues againe Neede we as some other of epistles of recommendacion vnto you or letters of recommendacion from you Ye are our epistle written in our hertes whiche is vnderstande and red of all men forasmuche as ye declare that ye are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshely tables of the hearte BVt this feare I leste anye manne thynke that we agayne prayse ourselfes vnto you to thyntente wee maye bothe of you other be had in price and more estemed But what nede hath any man to seke for commendacions when the matter self commendeth hym Nede we such letters of recommendacion as false apostles carrie about with them obteyned either of other vnto you or of you to other Nothing passe we vpon such letters The liuely epistle wherwyth we thinke our selfes sufficiently praised are ye Corinthians written in our heartes which I with muche lesse payne carrye aboute with me than they dooe theyrs This epistle in all places where I come euerye manne readeth and vnderstandeth so that I neede none other epistle synce that by youre Godlye lyfe all menne perfeitelye knowe what manner of apostles wee were and so farre foorth assure wee our selfes of youre good wyl towarde vs that seeyng that oure owne diligente labor doth aboundantly coÌ„mend vs wee nede no mens letters of commendacion whiles ye in perfite fayth and christian life declare that ye are Christes epistle written by hym in dede but yet by our ministerie and laboure Written I say not wyth yâ—ke as theirs are which teache humaine and carnall phantasies but with the spirite of the liuing god nor written agayne in tables of stone as mannes lawes are but in the fleashye tables of the hearte Your heartes wherin wee printed the doctrine of the gospell â–ª vsed we in steade of parchmente my tongue was in steade and serued for a penne but Christe himselfe with his holye spirite indited that thing whiche we wrote The texte Suche truste haue we thorowe Christe to Godwarde not that we are sufficient of ouâ— selues to thynke any thing as of oure selues but if we be hable vnto any thyng the same cummethe of God whiche hathe made vs hable to ministre the newe Testamente not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite geueth lyfe If the ministracion of death thorowe the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moses for the glorie of his countenaunce whiche glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite bee muche more glorious For if the ministryng of condemnacion bee glorious muche more dooth the ministracion of righteousnesse excede in glorye For no doubt that which was there glorified is not once glorified in respecte of this exceadyng glorie For if that whiche is destroyed â–ª was glorious muche more that whiche remayneth is glorious Seeyng then that wee haue suche truste wee vse greate boldenesse and dooe not as Moses whiche putte a vayle ouer his face that the children of Israell shoulde not see for what purpose that serued whiche is putte awaye But theyr myndes were blinded For vntill thys daye remaineth the same coueryng vntaken awaye in the lecture of the olde testament whiche vayle shal bee putte awaye in Christe But euen vnto this daye when Moses is reâ—ad the â—aâ—â— hangeth before theyr heartes Neuerthelesse when they tourne to the Lorde the vayle shall be taken awaye The Lorde no doubte is a spirite And where the spirite of the Lorde is then is libertie But we all beholde in a mirroure the glorye of the Lorde wâ—th his face open and aâ— chaunged vnto the same similitude from glorye to glorye euen as of the spyâ—yte of the Lorde But asmuche as the doctrine of the gospell passeth and is better thaâ— Moses lawe somuche more fruitfull and better is our laboure than his Nor yet take we thus muche vpon vs arrogantlye but speake the trueth as God is my recorde whiche by our seruice through Christe perfourmed it that wee speake of For had not his healpe bene certainly farre were we euen from thinkyng vpon any suche thyng of our owne power and muche farther from doyng it But yf we be eyther hable or haue bene hable to doe anye thynge al that came of the free bounteousnesse of God whyche as he hathe healped vs â—â— oure labours so hath he committed vnto vs this ministerye and dispensacion of the newe testamente to th entent wee should bestowe among you
not the grosse olde testament as the false Apostles teache it and standeth in the knowlege of the letter the administracion whereof was committed to Moses but the newe testamente whiche is heauenly and spirituall and standeth in affeccions of mynde and not in ceremonies The lawe and gospel haue both one maker but the ministerye â–ª of boothe is soondrye and of the two the apostles is of muche more excellencie For the letter committed vnto Moses by reasoÌ„ of certain rules lawes driueth men to death forasmuch as it by occasion both prouoketh to sin and also condeÌ„neth yâ— sinner to death whereas contrarie yâ— spirite whiche is geuen by preachyng the ghospel both forgeueth the offences of our former lyfe and to suche as haue deserued deathe offerethe lyfe Nowe and yf the fyrste lawe whyche beeyng grauen in stone wroughte deathe to the transgressour and gaue no grace was of such great maiestie and glorye that when Moses the seconde tyme broughte downe the tables the Hebrues coulde not beeholde his face by reason of the glorie and maiestie of that whiche was sure once yet to bee abolished why shoulde not muche rather the ministerye of the Gospell haue his honoure and maiestie whereby throughe faythe and the free gifte of the spirite euerlastyng saluacion is geuen Yf the lawe whiche coulde condemne and was not hable to saue hadde suche honoure certainelye muche more honoure desearueth the Gospel by preachyng whereof synne is not onely forgeuen â—ut also rihgteousnesse is geuen In whiche twoo thinges suche difference is there that if a manne more narowelye compare eche one of theym with other that whiche by it selfe is glorious wyll appeare but base beyng as it were darkened with the bryght and excellente glorie of the Gospel For if the lawe whiche was geuen but for a season and shoulde wythin a while after bee abrogate was among menne in suche honoure of muche more dignitie is the lawe of the Gospell whiche is bothe generallye geuen to all menne and shall neuer bee abolished For the newe testament whereby the olde is abrogate Christe hymselfe calleth an euerlasting testamente as I in my other epistle taught you Of whiche thyng wee beeyng moste certainlye perswaded and assured in oure â—eachynges vse no darke riddles but freelye and openlye sette furth the lyghte of the Gospell surelye beleuyng that bothe the glorye of this lawe is suche that it shoulde not bee hidden and ye of that â—ireyngthe and clearnesse of conscience that ye are hable to looke thereupon And therefore wee dooe not as it is read that Moses didde whiche when he broughte downe the seconde tables after that the fyrste were broken couered hys face with a vayle that the children of Israell shoulde not looke thereupon nor deaue thereto for euer synce that euen this was a proufe and significacion to them that the glorie of Moses lawe shoulde bee abolished whiche euen at that time when it was made was not verye glorious for in vayne is that thyng glorious whiche a manne canne not see In this figure was represented the grossenesse of that nacion whiche seeyng sawe not and hearyng hearde not insomuche that whiche was doone in Moses face the same was moste verelye done in theyr heartes whiche in them were blynded beeyng as it were ouercaste wyth the vayle of dulnesse Yea and in this daye the blyndenesse remayneth in that nacion stille so that when they reade the bookes of the lawe they vnderstande theym not and with stubberne myndes of a zeale towarde the lawe refuse hym at whose commyng the lawe selfe graunteth that she shall bee abolyshed Therefore when they in suche sorte reade the olde testament that they wyll not embrace the newe promysed therein holde they not faste Moses vayle nor see by faythe castyng of the same that thorowghe Christe all the darkenesse of the lawe is a brogate Stuâ—bernelye yet stycke they to theyr Moses when he is cumme to whome Moses bade them geue eare Hym reade they in theyr synagoges but they reade hym carnallye sekyng for nothyng but corporall thynges wheras the lawe if menne well loke thereupon is in deede spiritual â–ª Letted are thei doubtelesse euen vntyll this day wyth a vayle cast ouer theyr heartes which is remoued through fayth in the gospell But when the tyme shall come that they shall leaue theyr grosse myndes and receauyng the vniuersall fayth tourne vnto the Lorde then shall theyr vayle be taken away so that they shall see suche thynges as without the bryght eyes of fayth can not be seen â–ª Moses was grosse and carnall but the Lorde Iesus is a spirite not teachyng suche thynges as maye bee seene with oure bodyly iyes but thynges inuisible whiche are by fayth beleued Moses law because it with feare of punishemente kepte menne in ordre was a lawe of thraldome and the vayle also is a token of bondage But where the spirite of the Lorde Iesus is whiche secretelye moueth a manne withoute byddyng and compulsion to leadâ— a Godlye lyfe there is libertie No manne is compelled to beleue but he that beleueth as he shoulde of his own accorde auoydeth filthines and vncleanes of lyfe and foloweth al goodnesse dooyng more wyllinglye by the mocion of charitie than coulde euer begotten of the Iewes wyth feare of punishemente Blinde are they therefore that lacke the iyes of faythe when we throughe pure fayth without vayle beholde the glorye of the Lorde whose brightnes whiles we receyue as a glasse altered are we after a sorte into the same glorye plentifully powring vpon other that brightnes which we receyued of God And as then Moses face by that he talked with god shyned euen as glasse doothe layed againste the sonne so is oure soule euerye daye more and more secrâ—atelye enamoured encreasing from glory to glory by reason of the continual conuersacion of the spirite of God who inuisiblye nowe woorkethe in vs that whiche hereafter shal openlye bee accomplished The fourth Chapter The texte ¶ Therefore seeyng that we haue suche an office euen as God hath hadde mercye on vs wee goe not out of kynde but haue caste from vs the clokes of vnhonestie and walke not in craftines neyther handle we the woorde of God discreatefullye but open the trueth and reporte our selues to euerye mannes conscience in the sighte of GOD. If oure Gospell bee yet hydde it is hidde among them that are loste in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them whiche beleue not leste the light of the gospell of the glorie of Christe whiche is the image of God shoulde shyne vnto them SYnce then god of his mercy would haue vs to bee ministers and preachers of suche a blisfull state geuyng vnto vs the authoritie of an apostle we execute not oure commission â—louthfullye but as we preache a veraye gloriouse matter so refuse we all clokes whiche are meete for dishonestie and not for glorye neyther leadyng oure lyfe craftely nor with deceitfulnes of woorldely learning corruptyng the woorde of god
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
delicates regardynge neyther ordre nor coÌ„mune wealth sparyng nether place nor time ne yet geuing god any thaÌ„kes at al ether for fleshe or fishe meate or drinke as it may appeare by their impudent abominable lyuinge couetous gredynes of worldly pleasures in swearyng whoring dyceing cardyng braullyng raylyng braggyng querelling fighting â–ª piking stealing robbing bawdy talkyng in al kyndes elles of hellishe iniquitie And so by that reason ouer their own daÌ„nable estate the poore symple vntaught weake brother for whom Christe died seyng thys lybertie and thys iniquitie ioyned together is by and by offended and defyeth the worde of God because of that rashe beastly bellyed mannes wyckednesse whiche prateth of the worde and lyueth cleane contrarie agaynst it Thus the deuyll I saye purchaseth to him selfe and to the fyre of hell as many or rather mo slaues by his countrefaite ghospellyng than he did before with open idolatrous popery mayntenyng Nowe therfore goe downe in to thy selfe good reader and see what case thou standest in for thou seest by experience that the dayes are euyll Loâ—e not the good oportunytie that God hath lent thee For all that saye Lorde Lorde shal not entre into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the fathers wyll whiche is in heauen Althoughe we are made ryghteous before God throughe onely fayth yet we muste expresse our fayth by suche charitable workes before men as God commaundeth or els our faythe is deade and become no faythe And thoughe we are saued throughe grace yet we may not abide in synne stil that grace maye abounde For lyke as whan a synner repenteth there is a merye heauen the Angelles reioycing for gladnes euen so whan a man repenteth not but lyueth styll in infidelitie and synne he maketh the holy ghost sadde and a sorowfull heauen And thoughe we are quyckened together with Christe of his owne fre mercye without our deseruynges yet we are commaunded by his holy worde to mortyfie oure carnal membres vpon earth that lyke as we haue in tymes past made them seruauntes of vngodlynes from one naughtynes to an other so we shoulde henceforth make them seruauntes of puritie into santtification For he that gaue vs Christ to be our newe garmente badde vs by his Apostle Paule put of the olde Adam or elles Christe woulde not stycke cleane on our backes onlesse olde Adam be stryped cleane of wyth all his ragged rotten patches of infidelitie and sinfulnes And he that sayeth Let us put on the armour of lyghte sayeth fyrste Let us cast aâ—uaye the uuorkes of darknes For lyke as God loueth to be wourshypped onelye accordynge to his owne worde and byddyng so he curfeth all them that inuent or vse other kyndes of worshyppyng or seruyng of him besydes his worde And lyke as God filleth them with his grace that reuerently and truly vse his holy name so he fylleth them also full of wikednes that be swearours and maketh his plague of vengeaunce to hang styll ouer their houses that abuse Goddes name And lyke as God promyseth reward to them that helpe their pore neyghbours at their nede so he threateneth punishement to them also that hurte their neyghbours by worde or by dede And like as the holy goste alloweth chaste wedlocke for holy and honourable among all men so doeth he pronounce whoredom and bawldrye to be cursed and abominable among all men Christe that geueth the peny to the diligent workers byddeth auaunt I knowe you not to them that are loyterours The Prophete Dauid that sayeth Prope est dnÌ„s oiÌ„bus eum inuocantibus sayeth also Longe a peccatoribus salus And that ghospell which is the power of God to saue all that beleue it shall also be a witnesse at the last daye against all them that shewe them selues in this worlde vnbeleuers by the frutes of their vngodly behauyour Assure thy selfe of thys good reader that lyke as there is God so is there the deuyll As there is heauen so is there hel As there is lyfe and eternall saluation so is there death and eternall damnacion Therfore cast of careles securitie and be diligent in readynge or hearynge Goddes worde If Christe be thy sauiour make no moe mediatours for thee but onely him For lyke as he wyl not geue away the glory of his passion to any other so wyl he not geue awaye the glory of his intercession to any other Cast of feyned custome and laye holde vpon vnfailyng veritie Forsake blynde broade byewayes â–ª and folowe the streight narowe pathe way Awaye with fylthy whoremonging and take thee to chaste wedlocke If thou wilte be chosen make sure thy vocation If thou defyest the deuyll meddle not with false teachers and deuely she lyuyng If thou louest not the deuylles sauour dwell not vpon hys donghill of stynkyng ydolatrie and supersticioÌ„ If thou be the sonne of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham If thou be iustified throughe onely faythe in Christ leade the lyfe and doe the dedes of a faythfull iustifyed christen man If Christe be thy Lorde be thou his true seruaunt If thou wylte take vpon the to be Christes disciple see that thou weare his badge Christen charitie If Christe be thy good shepeherde herken to his voyce and none other If Christe haue borne the on his owne shoulders into his shepefolde whan thou wast runne astraye see thou runne not oute agayne lest thou droppe into the pitte and be drowned throughe thyne owne folye If thou wylte take God for thy father see thou be holy as he is holy If thou wylte haue the holy spirite of God to be thy comfortoure make him not sadde with the resisting waiwardnes of thy spirite And than mayest thou be surely bolde to preace vnto the throne of hys grace and shalte be sure to fynde mercye in conuenient tyme. Take hede by tyme for nowe is the tyme and verye howre for vs to ryse vp from sleape and therfore I saye take tyme of repentaunce whyle tyme is for tyme wyll awaye But and yf thou wylte not aryse and heare the voyce of thy Shepeherde Christ hauing the lybertie of Goddes woorde the rather by the ample enterpretyng of these Godly Paraphrases to teache thee and to be thy warraunt thexample of the Kynges Maiestie with hys gracious Vncle the lord Protectour the test of his most honorable Counsail to encourage ayde and defende thee but wylt tomble and walowe styll in wylful ignoraunce and errour stickyng to olde heathenyshe idolatrous worshippinges supersticious deuisinges masse meritinges beade droppinges popyshe customes disobedyence agaynst superiours and parentes blasphemous swearyng aduouterous lyuing theuyshe stealyng â–ª murder and robbynge couetous cloynynge bawdye talkyng holoweharted flateryng false witnesse bearyng vntrue dealyng craftye deceauyng dronken drinkyng paunche pampryng subtyl vnderminynge and other wyckednesses and vilanies against the wrytten word and commauÌ„dement of God and so differrest repentaunce from daye to daye and heapyng synne vpon synne sayest the mercye of God is greate Tushe let God sende me a mery lyfe
them to folowe goodnesse righteousnesse and trueth and generallye to marke rhat thyng alwayes not that is pleasyng vnto meÌ„ nor that is swete or delectable vnto vs but that which is acceptable vnto the wil of god after whose appointmeÌ„t our coÌ„uersacion ought altogether to be gouerned The texte And haue no felowship with the vnfruictful workes of darkenes but rather rebuke them For it is shame euen to name those thinges whiche are doen of theÌ„ in secret but all thinges when they are rebuked of the light are manyfest For whatsoeuer is manyfest the same is light Wherfore he saieth awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the lighte Christe is the fountayne of our dayelyght and yf you wyll continuallye cleane vnto hym your endeuour shal be to doe fruictefull honeste offices of godlines and suche as be worthye of the lyght and from henceforth be a shamed to haue a doe with the vnfruictefull workes of darkenesse Now therfore take so good hede that you sâ—yde not agayne into your olde former darkenesse that you may rather with your lyght bewray and reproue those naughty dedes that they coÌ„mit in theyr darkenes For whaÌ„ thei are not afraied to offend God as oft as the night or secrete place hath takeÌ„ away shame the thynges that they do than are so abominable that it were very shame euen once to make rehersal of them But as long as they offende whyle no lyghte appeareth â–ª they offende â—â—cenciouslye without punishement But as often as they are bewrayed with the open light than the vilenesse of the thyng begynneth to bee knowen and the faultes so beâ—wrayed are amended and turned into better that is to were whan the nyghte is turned into the daye and the blyndenesse of harte vtterly expulsed And yf your conuersacion be light they shal be ashamed of theyr owne filthynes whâ—n they see your Innocencie And than it shall come to passe that beeyng moued through your honeste godlye demeanour they shall bee styrred vp to Innocencie yf they see the lyght of Christe â–ª shynyng in you For in deede thus sayeth the prophete Wake thou that sleapeste and ryse vp from the deade and Christe shall geue the lyght It is a very deade sleape yea rather death it selfe to bee ouer whelmed with the pleasures of this worlde and not to respecte the thynges that are eternall and vnfeynedlye good And yet they cannot otherwyse awake nor by any other meanes returne to lyfe onlesse Christe spring into theyr hartes and wrpe awaye the grosse darkenesse of ignoraunce The texte ¶ Take hede therfore how ye walke circuÌ„spectly not as vnwise but as wise men aâ—oiding occasion because the dayes are euyll Wherfore be ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lord is and be not droncke with wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled with the sprite speakinge vnto your selues in psalmes and hymnes and spyritual songes singyng and making melodie to the Lorde in your hertes geuyng thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ submittyng your selues one to another in the feare of God Therefore you of the Ephesians vnto whome Christe our bryght sunne geueth hys clere lyght take hede and loke about you how and after what maner you walke not leadyng your lyfe nowe after the maner of the gentyles which through blyndenesse of harte perceyue not what is honest but as it becommeth them that vnderstande truelye the doctryne of the Ghospell and with losse of all you haue redeme this oportunitie to obteyne saluacion whiche the more gredelye is to be layed holde vpon yâ— this tyme is so perâ—ously naught and many thynges flowe in on euerie side that are hable to withdrawe vncircumspect men from the synceritie of Christian doctryne Therfore it standeth you in hand to take the more circumspecte hede that throughe vnaduisednesse you geue not occasion vnto the wicked yâ— eyther they maie be open aduersaries to the Gospel or elles drawe you backe from your profession This is the whole Summe of your saluacion and in this behalfe you ought to be warely wyse to wynke at other thynges and to declare that you vnderstande perfeitlye what the lordes wyll is For his desire is to haue al men brought to the saluacion of the Gospel if it were possible And it shal be requisite for such as take that busines in hand to bee sobre For drounkenship is hartelesse and vncircumspecte and not onelye harteles but also rashe and temerarious Therefore be in no wyse drounken with wyne whiche is a thyng vnnecessariâ— and prouoketh â—aâ—ciuiousnes but be you filled with the swete wyne of the holy ghoste For that is a fortunate ebrietie that can stirre vs not to wanton dauncynges or folyshe ballettes wherewith the gentiles crie vpon theyr deuilles but vnto psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songâ—s wherewith to reioyce and syng and make merye amonge your selues vnto the lorde not with vncomly yellyng noyses as madde drounken men are vsed to dooe but in wardelye in your soules and in your hertes This is a pleasure this is a loue this is a baâ—kette woorthye of Christians leste they shoulde excede the gentiles in drounken bankettynges After theyr drounken pastimes sorowe dooeth ensue and many tymes also disease of bodye But your myrth is a continuall merimente For whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you whether it bee gladnesse or whether it bee sadnesse gladnesse from our mercifull God sadnesse from hym that laboureth for your saluacion you are bounden alwayes to geue thankes for all thynges beyng assured that nothyng can happen but to the beste auauntage of your eternall felicitie But the thankes are to bee geuen vnto God the autoure of al good thynges to al menne and thesame is also the father and God of our lord Iesus Christe by whome he geueth vs all thynges and hym he wyll haue praysed in all thinges equally with himselfe Christ hath submitted himselfe obedieÌ„tly vnto yâ— father and in lyke case it becommeth vs to submmitte our selues vnto hym not that it besemeth a Christian to be a terrour vnto a Christian but those that reuerently folow Christ as apperteineth do not grudge to submit theÌ„selfes euerye one to other inasmuch as he beyng the supreme head of al hath submitted himselfe humbly vnder al. Let the inferiour acknoweledge the autoritie of the superiour And on the other syde let the superiour confourme hymselfe vnto yâ— capacitie of the inferiour so as yâ— rather he may do hym good For he that among Christians beareth moste rule ruleth to none other ende but to do the most good he caÌ„ The texte ¶ Ye wemen submitte your selfes vnto your owne housebandes as vnto the Lorde For the housebande is the wyues head euen as Christe is the head of the congregacion and thesame is he that ministreth saluacion vnto the bodye Therefore as the congregacion is in subieccion to Christe likewyse let the wyues also be in subieccion to theyr housbandes in
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 suche sorte in Iesus Christes behalfe preachyng the gospel that he hath in all pointes been found without corrupcion As I therfore by him taught you so by him againe vnderstand I your good wyll againe towarde vs not meanyng suche vsuall good wyll as that is when men wishe well to to theyr frendes and acquaintaunce but a spiritual and heauenly fauor wherwith we vse to loue all suche by whom the glorye of the gospel is set foorth and stablished though we with our bodily iyen neuer sawe them The texte For this cause we also euer synce the day we heard of it haue not ceased to praye for you and to desyre that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstandyng that ye might walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye may please beyng fruitful in al good workes encreasyng of y◠knowledge of God strengthed with all might through his glorious power vnto al pacience and long sufferyng with ioyfulnes geuyng thankes vnto the father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritaūce of saintes in light Whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes hath translated vs vnto the kyngdome of his deare sonne By whō we haue redempcion through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes whiche is the image of the inuisible God fyrst begotten of al creatures for by him wer all thinges created that are in heauen and that are in yearth visible inuisible whether they be maiestie or lordship either rule or power All thinges were created by him and for him and he is before all thinges and by him all thinges haue their beyng And for this cause we againe not as one vnworthy of this your fauor heartely loue you againe though I neuer sawe you by and by euen frō that day wherin we were fyrst certifyed of your fayth and charitie in my dayly prayers callyng vpon God for you and with feruent peticions besechyng him that it may please him in you to make perfite and to bryng at full suche giftes as he hath begunne to geue that ye bothe may more throughly knowe his pleasure beyng taught neither by worldely wisedom nor yet by any supersticious and vaine persuasion of some men but by a spiritual wisedome and policie wherof as yehaue already gotten a good part so would I wishe that ye lacked nothyng that ye may in such godly perfeccion passe ouer your life that the same be to gods honor and in al pointes also please him lettyng no good thing vndone for so doyng is the meane to please him For to geue onely a credence to the gospel is but a beginnyng to saluacion but the same is with godly and holye workes made perfite and full Nor suffiseth it to haue learned through preachyng of the gospel that God through his sonne Iesus Christ is the author and worker of saluacion vnlesse by the same knowledge ye growe vppe and bring foorth the fruites of christian charitie continually profityng from better to better so surely constantly and manfully standyng in them that neither violence nor storme of persecucion driue you out of y◠right course for whose perfourmaūce surely ye nede great assistence and strength Of strength of oure owne powers we cannot assure our selfes God it is whiche must geue it to the ende that the whole glory of all suche thinges as are by vs valiauntly done may be geuen againe vnto him whiche of his goodnes enrycheth vs with great pacience and long sufferyng to endure abyde for Christes gospelles sake all suche troubles as may in the meane tyme befal vs. In whiche persecucions suffering it is not inough to be strong without all feare but rather besemeth it vs euen ioyfully with a good courage to vndertake suffer them geuyng thankes to God the father who hath vouchesaued to call you to suche honour that wheras heretofore ye worshipped deuils idols ye are now of his goodnes called vnto the felowshippe of the Iewes whiche by reason that they worshipped the true God were in comparison of you holy whiche hath also vouchsaued to cal you to the enheritaunce of life euerlastyng in hope wherof al thinges whiche in this world either feare or flatter vs must be despised both for that he hath geuen you wanderyng before in the deepe doungeon of ignoraunce the light of the gospel and for that also ye whiche heretofore were vnder a vile and stauishe bondage subiecte vnto the tyranny of the deuil prince of darkenes are deliuered thence and conueighed into the kyngdome of his most derely beloued sonne to th entent that ye beyng ioyned into his body should with him enioy one kingdome Wherin suche as are thral to synne haue no place and therfore hath God by his sonne made vs free by whō the sinnes of our olde life are forgeuē So that now his are ye becomen by whose benefite mercy ye are restored Consider now how good a chaunge ye haue made Before your reconciliacion ye were membres of the deuil now are ye planted into Christes body whose dignitie is so great that he is the image of God the father whiche father dwelleth in light whervnto no man can come whiche is suche as can be seen of no man though after a certaine sorte he be through the sonne seen whiche to the father is in all pointes verye like equal For neither is the sonne lesse wyse nor lesse of might or of lesse goodnes than is the father Nor of late daies receiued he these perfeccions but euerlastyngly before any thyng was made was he the image of his euerlastyng father not made but borne of him by whō all thynges are made and by him whiche onely hath no beginnyng He therfore of him selfe begotte his sonne and by his sonne and with his sonne made and create al that is either in heauen or yearth both that may be seen and not seen the verye angels selfe not excepted no not the chiefe of them whither they be maiesties lordshippes rules or powers And albeit these orders and powers farre excede all other creatures yet are they passing measure vnder him to whom ye are ioyned forasmuche as whatsoeuer is made must to his maker nedes be inferior Now are al thinges not onely made by Christ but also by him gouerned preserued in whiche pointe he is also to his father like equal Nor was the sonne begotten after other creatures but was before al other thinges by whō al thinges haue theyr beyng and should without
suche sorte in Iesus Christes behalfe preachyng the gospel that he hath in all pointes been found without corruption As I therfore by him taught you so by him againe vnderstand I your good wyll againe towarde vs not meanyng suche vsuall good wyll as that is when men wishe well to to theyr frendes and acquaintaunce but a spiritual and heauenly fauor wherwith we vse to loue all suche by whom the glorye of the gospel is set foorth and stablished though we with our bodily iyen neuer sawe them The texte For this cause we also euer synce the day we heard of it haue not ceased to praye for you and to desyre that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstandyng that ye might walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye may please beyng fruitful in al good workes encreasyng of y◠knowledge of God strengthed with all might through his glorious power vnto al pacience and long sufferyng with ioyfulnes geuyng thankes vnto the father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritaūce of saintes in light Whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkeues hath translated vs vnto the kyngdome of his deare sonne By whō we haue redempcion through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes whiche is the image of the inuisible God fyrst begotten of al creatures for by him wer all thinges created that are in heauen and that are in yearth visible inuisible whether they be maiestie or lordship either rule or power All thinges were created by him and for him and he is before all thinges and by him all thinges haue their beyng And for this cause we againe not as one vnworthy of this your fauor heartely loue you againe though I neuer sawe you by and by euen frō that day wherin we were fyrst certifyed of your fayth and charitie in my dayly prayers callyng vpon God for you and with feruent peticions besechyng him that it may please him in you to make perfite and to bryng at full suche giftes as he hath begunne to geue that ye bothe may more throughly knowe his pleasure beyng taught neither by worldely wisedom nor yet by any supersticious and vaine persuasion of some men but by a spiritual wisedome and policie wherof as yehaue already gotten a good part so would I wishe that ye lacked nothyng that ye may in such godly perfeccion passe ouer your life that the same be to gods honor and in al pointes also please him lettyng no good thing vndone for so doyng is the meane to please him For to geue onely a credence to the gospel is but a beginnyng to saluacion but the same is with godly and holye workes made perfite and full Nor suffiseth it to haue learned through preachyng of the gospel that God through his sonne Iesus Christ is the author and worker of saluacion vnlesse by the same knowledge ye growe vppe and bring foorth the fruites of christian charitie continually profityng from better to better so surely constantly and manfully standyng in them that neither violence nor storme of persecucion driue you out of the right course for whose perfourmaūce surely ye nede great assistence and strength Of strength of oure owne powers we cannot assure our selfes God it is whiche must geue it to the ende that the whole glory of all suche thinges as are by vs valiauntly done may be geuen againe vnto him whiche of his goodnes enrycheth vs with great pacience and long sufferyng to endure abyde for Christes gospelles sake all suche troubles as may in the meane tyme befal vs. In whiche persecucions suffering it is not inough to ve strong without all feare but rather besemeth it vs euen ioyfully with a good courage to vndertake suffer them geuyng thankes to God the father who hath vouchesaued to call you to suche honour that wheras heretofore ye worshipped deuils idols ye are now of his goodnes called vnto the felowshippe of the Iewes whiche by reason that they worshipped the true God were in comparison of you holy whiche hath also vouchsaued to cal you to the enheritaunce of life euerlastyng in hope wherof al thinges whiche in this world either feare or flatter vs must be despised both for that he hath geuen you wanderyng before in the deepe doungeon of ignoraunce the light of the gospel and for that also ye whiche heretofore were vnder a vile and slauishe bondage subiecte vnto the tyranny of the deuil prince of darkenes are deliuered thence and conueighed into the kyngdome of his most derely beloued sonne to th entent that ye beyng ioyned into his body should with him enioy one kingdome Wherin suche as are thral to synne haue no place and therfore hath God by his sonne made vs free by whō the sinnes of our olde life are forgeuē So that now his are ye becomen by whose benefite mercy ye are restored Consider now how good a chaunge ye haue made Before your reconciliacion ye were membres of the deuil now are ye planted into Christes body whose dignitie is so great that he is the image of God the father whiche father dwelleth in light whervnto no man can come whiche is suche as can be seen of no man though after a certaine sorte he be through the sonne seen whiche to the father is in all pointes verye like equal For neither is the sonne lesse wyse nor lesse of might or of lesse goodnes than is the father Nor of late daies receiued he these perfeccions but euerlastyngly before any thyng was made was he the image of his euerlastyng father not made but borne of him by whō all thynges are made and by him whiche onely hath no beginnyng He therfore of him selfe begotte his sonne and by his sonne and with his sonne made and create al that is either in heauen or yearth both that may be seen and not seen the verye angels selfe not excepted no not the chiefe of them whither they be maiesties lordshippes rules or powers And albeit these orders and powers farre excede all other creatures yet ace they passing measure vnder him to whom ye are ioyned forasmuche as whatsoeuer is made must to his maker nedes be inferior Now are al thinges not onely made by Christ but also by him gouerned preserued in whiche pointe he is also to his father like equal Nor was the sonne begotten after other creatures but was before al other thinges by whō al thinges haue theyr beyng and should without him perishe were they not by him mainteined Thus see ye the excellencie and preeminence of Christ whiche thing I tel you of lest any manne of Angels thinke more than he should The texte And he is the head of the body euen of the congregacion he is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead that in all thinges he might haue the preeminence And lest perauenture his glorious and excellent maiestie so
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
it good to doe that by my moste faythfull companion that I coulde not doe by my selfe and to put him in stede of my selfe Therfore we taried still alone at Athenes and from thence sente Tymothe our brother a tryed minister of God and an helpefelowe of our office which we haue to doe in the gospell of Christ because we had leauer wante the comforte of that so deare a singular and so necessarie a companion for the tyme than to geue occasion that you should thinke we had vtterly geuen ouer lokyng to your state of thinges And verily we haue sente hym not for any cause of our owne but chiefly for your sakes that he myght establishe and comforte your consciences and to shewe you that for all these paynfull affliccions wherewith I am tossed hereawaye and therawaye myne harte is nothing discouraged but the glorye of the gospell is a great deale better auaunced leste any of you shoulde be dismayed by reason of myne affliccions whiche you heare tell of For you must not thinke it any neweltie though these thinges happen to the preachers of the gospell in asmuche as you knewe a good while a goe that I was chosen of god to this same ende that through suffring of affliccions of my body I myght auaunce the name of Christ and so in this behalfe to be like my Lord and maister For euen than whan we were present with you we tolde you the same before that we should suffre affliccion for the gospelles sake And as I tolde you before it should be so you see it now happened like as also you haue knowen it happen before As for me there was nothing hapened vnto me vnloked for nor any thig that I tolde not you of afore so as you haue the lesse cause to be discouraged Wherfore considering that for the great care I take for you euen whan all thing is at the surest I coulde not be quiet but long after you still I sent Tymothe as I sayed afore for this purpose that by hym as well in a maner as I were present there my selfe I might knowe the stedfastnesse of your fayth and might trye yf he that kepeth continuall watche to subuerte them that be good had tempted any of the weaker sorte of you and so in them my labour had been loste The texte But nowe lately when Timothe came from you vnto vs and declared to vs your fayth and loue and how that ye haue good remembraunce of vs alwaye desiâ—yng to see vs as we also desyre to see you Therfore brethren we receiued consolacid by you in al our aduersitie and necessitie through your fayth For nowe are we alyue yf ye stande sted fast in the Lord. For what thankes can we recompence to God againe for you ouer al that ioy that we ioy for your sakes before our God praying nyght and daye exceadyngly that we might see you presently and might fulfyll the thynges which are lackyng vnto your fayth God hymselfe our father and our Lord Iesus Christ shall gyde oure iourney vnto you the Lord also shall increace you and make you flowe ouer in loue one towarde another and towarde all men euen as we do toward you that he may make your heartes stable and vnblameable in holynes before God oure father at the commyng of our Lord Iesus Chryst with al saynâ—tes But whan Tymothe of late returned from you to vs againe and brought vs mery tydinges shewing that you persiste aswell constauntly in your fayth without shrinking as also that your vnfeyned charitie is the same that it was and that our beeyng a sondre hathe not brought vs out of remembraunce with you but that you haue vs in mynde alwayes coÌ„tinually and that you are euer desirous to see vs as we are to see you there is no necessitie nor any sorowe that I am pressed withall but I â—an heare it paciently sence I knewe that you abode constantely in your fayth whiche whan I was afrayed of I was nothing afrayed of my selfe For I thinke that I am altogether safe if your fayth continue safe Nowe we liue and thinke our selfes deliuered from al maner of dauÌ„gter in case you through the helpe of Christ Iesu persiste constantly in yâ— you haue begun It yrketh not me to suffre these euils so that the frutes be answerable in you for whose sakes I abyde them Whiche thyng for asmuche as I perceyue to be in dede so as the gospel groweth in acquayntaunce among the Gentiles dayly more and more what thankes worthy so great a benefite are we able to reÌ„dre vnto God by whose goodnes so excellent ioy wherwith we reioyce withal our hartes for your foreward proceding chaunceth vnto vs euen among these sorowes our God bearyng recorde of the same vnto whose goodnesse you are bounde for that you continue stedfaste of whome oure duetie is in our prayers daye and nighte to desyre this thing in more ample wise that by his mercy we may at one tyme or other see you agayne For with personall presence some thing is doen that nother letters nor messenger how trustie so euer he be can be hable to accomplishe For this cause sake therfore I am desirous to see you to the entent if any gospellyke discipline be wanting I might supplie it and amende it Furthermore my prayer is that where I caÌ„not so doe by meanes of wicked persones God himselfe our father and his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde would vouchesafe to take awaye those lettes open me a free passage vnto you and also in the meane season so to encreace you with his gyftes that I may see you to my great comforte Which thyng shal be in case he make you aboundaunte and plenteouse in mutuall charitie among your selues and not among your selues only but also towardes all men like as we also haue a certayne excellencie of loue towardes all you beyng ready euen to suffre death for your saluacion and that he would so confirme your consciences that your vprightenesse cannot be blamed on any behalfe not only with menne but muche rather with God the father whom nothing escapeth in the cumming of our Lorde Iesus Christe at which time it shall openly appeare in the sight of all Sainctes not only what euery one hath doen but also with what conscience euery one hath done it ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte Furthermore we beseche you brethren and exhorte you by the Lord Iesus â–ª that ye increace more and more euen as ye haue receyued of vs how ye ought to walke and to please God For ye knowe what commaundementes we gaue you by our Lord Iesus Christ For this is the will of God euen your holynes that ye should abstaine from fornicacyon and that euery one of you should know how to kepe his vessel in holynes honour not in the luste of concupiscence as doe the hethen which know not God that no man opresse and defraude his brother â—â—â— bargayning because that the Lord is the auenger
immortall life it foloweth of necessitie that we ought to beleue also that god the father whiche raysed vp Iesus wil also bring with him those that professed Iesus and slept in the assured truste of his promyses alyue agayne at the commyng of his sonne so as the heade shal not wante his membres We bable not vnto you an humayne fable but we tell you the thyng that we learned of Christe hymselfe that is to wete that we whiche shall be founde remaining aliue in this world at the lordes cōming shal not be presented in the sight of Iesus before that they whiche were dead afore be presented also Some wil saye how shall it be possible for them to be presented that were buried and turned into duste Euen the Lorde Iesus himselfe by the voyce of the aungell soundyng out of heauen with the trompette of God shal rayse them vp and warne them to awake and come quickly And than suche as had slept in this hope shall returne agayne vnto lyfe and ryse out of theyr graues And that doen we that shall remayne and bee founde alyue in the cumming of Christ shall be sodainly taken vp together with them that are raised againe vnto life through the cloudes that wē may mete the Lorde in the ayer And from thence he shal carrye vs with him into heauen to liue with him perpetuallie Now therfore see you comfort euery one another with these sayinges so as the death of the godly vere you not to sore inasmuche as it is more worthy gratulacions and reioycinges than your sorowfull lamentacions The .v. Chapter The texte Fynally of the tymes and seasons brethren it is no neade that I wryte vnto you ▪ for ye your selues knowe perfectly that the daye of the Lorde shall come euen as a thefe in the nyght For when they shal saye peace and al thynges are safe then shal soden destruccyon come vpon them as sorow commeth vpon a woman trauaylyng with chylde they shal not scape But ye brethren are not in darcaenes that that daye should come on you as a thefe NOw you haue the manier and ordre of the resurreccion inasmuche as it was conuenient for you to knowe it But as for the tymes and the very seasons whan these thinges shal be it is no parte of our office to write vnto you And it is so vnauayleable that euen the lord himself would open no suche thyng vnto his disciples whan they demaunded it of hym For you knowe playnlye and we haue taught you before that the daye of the Lorde shal come sodaynely vpon the world vnloked for euen as a thefe in the night breaketh in vpon them that are aslepe and shall ouerlaye them that are careles than moste chiefely whan it shall be the least loked for For whan suche as beleue not the ghospel shal saye in theyr moste Ioylytie there is no daungier but all is peace and safe the Lord wyll not come than theyr destruccion shall come sodainlye vpon them like as a woman with childe is sodainly payned with sorowe in her trauayle before the daye commeth that she loked for And they shall haue no waye to escape oppression before they fele it sodainly vpon them That daye shall be a dreadful daye to them that beyng blynded in theyr owne viciousnes leade their lyfe as it were in the night but vnto you brethren it is not so dreadefull leste it should take you vnprouyded The texte Ye are all the chyldren of lyght and the chyldren of the daye We are not of the nyght nether of darkenes Therfore let vs not slepe as do other but let vs watche and be sober For they that slepe slepe in the night and they that be drōcken are droncken in the nyght But let vs whiche are of the daye be sober armed with the brest place of fayth and loue with hope of saluacion for an helmet For God hath not appoynted vs to prouoke wrath vnto oure selues but to obtayne saluacyon by the meanes of oure Lord Iesu Chryst which dyed for vs that whether we wake of slepe we should lyue together with hym Wherfore comforte your selues together and edifye euery one another euen as ye do For all you that folowe Christe belong not to the kyngdome of darkenes but to the kyngdome of light and of god namely yf oure diligence of godlynesse be aunswerable to our profession and yf we lyue so as it maye appere that we watche in the dayelight and not lye snourtyng in darkenesse Therfore if we wil not be taken vnwares let vs not sleape as other do that haue no knowlage of Christes lyght but let vs watche and be sobre taking alwayes circumspect hede that we cōmit nothing through vnaduisednesse that maye offende the iyes of God and men For like as they that slepe after the bodie sleape in the night and those that are wynedrunken are drunken in the night euen so those that yawne and slumbre in naughtinesse are occupied in darkenesse of the soule and those that are drunken with the lustes daliaunces of the worlde are entangled with darkenes of the mynde But as for vs vnto whom the daie of the gospel hath cast his light it standeth vs in hande to be sobre and watchyng alwayes prepared and ready agaynst the sodayne assaulte of the enemie that kepeth continuall watche for oure destruccion and to be harnessed with spirituall armour In steade of a breste plate to put on fayth and charitie for the helmet hope of eternall saluacion And than shall you not nede to distruste God will be ready himselfe to defend those that be watching For god hath not called vs to the doctrine of the gospell for this purpose that lyuing otherwyse than it maketh mencion we should double the wrathe and vengeaunce of God vpon vs but that in obeying hym we might obteyne saluacion by the helpe of our Lorde Iesus Christ who suffred death for vs to the intēt that if it chaunce vs to lyue we maye lyue with hym through godlynesse and hope of immortalitie and if it chaunce vs to dye we maye lyue with hym neuer to dye To thintent that you maye so do more and more encourage euery one other with mutuall exhortacions and styrre one another to goe on forwarde like as you do alreadye euen of your owne accorde The texte We beseche you brethren that ye knowe them which laboure among you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and geue you exhortacion that ye haue them in hye repucacion thorow loue for theyr workes sake and be at peace with them Furthermore we beseche you brethren to haue cōsideracion of them that labour among you and haue ouersight of you in teachyng of the ghospell and do admonishe you with what thynges you ought to please Christ that where you are bounden to geue honoure vnto all men yet haue them in regarde aboue others requiting thē the loue that they bestowe vnto you in susteynyng so many laboures and daungiers for your
sakes And yf they reproue you for your faultes at any tyme yet haue peace with them For he is not worthye to be hated that reproueth a man for his profite The texte We desyre you brethren warne them that are vnruelye comforte the feble mynded lyfte vp the weake be pacient towarde all men Se that none recompence euyll for euyll vnto any man but euer folowe that whiche is good both among your selues and to all men Reioyce euer Praye continually In all thynges geue thankes For this is the wyll of God thorow Christ Iesu towarde you Quenche not the spirite Despyse not prophecyinges Eramen all thynges kepe that whiche is good Abstayne from all euel apperaunce The very god of peace sanctifie you thorowe out And I praye God that youre whole spirite and soule and bodye maye be preserued so that in nothyng ye maye be blamed in the commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ Faythfull is he whiche called you whiche will also do it Brethren praye for vs. Grete all the brethren with an holy kysse I charge you in the Lorde that this Epistle be red vnto all the holy brethren The grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ be with you Amen And thus I beseche you euerye man accordyng to his habilitie to laye your helpyng handes to the forewardyng of their offices Admonishe them that lyue after their owne lustes and disquiet the ordre that you obserue Comforte the weake harted releue the feble be gentill and paciēt towardes all men not onely towardes the Christians but also them that are straungers from Christ Beware that none recompense wrong for wrong nor requite euill dede for euill dede For truely it is vnsemyng to folowe the ecample of naughtie persones in a naughty matier and become lyke condicioned vnto them But rather geue diligence to do good vnto all folkes not onely the christians vnto christians but also vnto all maner of folkes whether they haue deserued it or not deserued it beyng certaynly assured that your diligence shall not be lost for Christ is your suertie In consideracion wherof whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you reioyce alwayes so that godlynesse bee safe call vpon God with your prayers continually without ceassyng and geue thankes whatsoeuer befalleth you For so it standeth with gods pleasure that there shall be occasion alwayes to rendre thankes vnto the father for his bounteousnes to you warde by Iesus Christe And this furthermore standeth you in hande to take hede of that no variaunce rise among you by reason of euery ones sondrye sortes of giftes Vnto some one chaunceth the gift of tongues to syng in the spirite albeit it is but a gift of the basest sorte yet quenche it not in any wise but cherishe it rather that it maye profyte better and better Vnto some chaunceth the gifte of prophecie to declare the misticall sence of the scripture reiecte it not in any wyse whatsoeuer is spoken Suffre the one paciently that he maye go on forwarde heare the others setence with iudgement but after suche sorte that he be not to muche molested in his speakyng Let no mā make so muche of his owne giftes that he contemne another mannes Trye al thynges but let euery man holde the thing that he iudgeth requisite Whatsoeuer it be that hath the similitude of a good thyng is not to be despised Notwithstandyng it behoueth you to abhorre so muche from euil that you ought to absteyne euen from those thynges that haue the shewe of euill But vnto these matters it shall be your parte to applie all your diligent studies And god the auctor of peace vnto whō is acceptable both the lyke consent of mynde the like speache of wordes that mē do wholy vse together in suche thynges as be honest bryng to passe that you maye be perfitely holy vnspotted so as the soule maye be answerable vnto the spirite the body aunswerable to the soule the spirite selfe answerable to God y◠there be nothyng to fynde you faultie in that you maye styll perseuer in this state of holynesse continually vntil the cumming of our lord Iesus Christ There is no cause for you to distruste of For he is sure of his promyse that hath called you vnto this holynesse to the rewardes of the same he hymselfe shall finishe that he hath begonne and perfourme that he hath promised Brethren helpe you forewarde with your prayers the labours that we go aboute Salute all the brethren with a kysse not suche a one as the commune sorte of salutours doe geue but with an holye kysse and worthy Christian loue I charge you by the Lorde that this Epistle be rehearsed to al the holy brethren The grace and beneuolent fauour of our Lorde Iesu Christe be alwayes with you Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians The Argument vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as Paul coulde not haue libertie to goe see the Thessalonians agayne he confirmeth their consciences by Epistle that they myght manfully suffre the affliccions layed vpon them for Christes sake seeyng that they shall not want reward nor the aduersaries escape punishmēt Againe concerning the daye of the Lordes cumming wherof he touched somewhat in the farther Epistle he warneth them that they be not styrred with the sayinges of some that affirme as though it were at hande and as some thinke signifieth closely that the Empire of Rome must be first dispatched and Antichriste to come after that Moreouer he beateth into theyr heades very earnestly to restrayne suche as with their idlenes nice curiositie haue been disturbours of the commune quietnes and ordre and to enforce them vnto labour in asmuche as Paul himselfe laboured among them with his owne handes This Epistle he wrote from Athens by thesame men that he sente the farther Epistle by as it is recorded by our argumentes The ende of the argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the. ii Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians The fyrste Chapiter The texte Paul Syluanus Timothe Vnto the congregacion of the Thessaloniās in god our father and in the Lord Iesus Christ Grace be vnto you and peace from god our father from the Lord Iesus Christ We are bound to thanke God alwayes for you brethren as it is mete because that your fayth groweth exceadyngly and euery one of you swymmeth in loue toward another betwene your selues so that we our selues boast of you in the congregacions of God ouer your pacience and fayth in all your persecucyons and tribulacyons that ye suffer whiche is a token of the ryghtewes iudgement of God that ye are counted worthy of the kyngdome of God for which ye also suffer It is verely a ryghtewes thynge with God to recompence tribulacion to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shewe hymselfe from heauen with
the angels of hys power with flaminge fyre whiche shall rendre vengeaunce vnto them that knowe not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Chryst whiche shal be punyshed with euerlastinge damnacyon from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorye of his power when he shall come to be glorifyed in hys saynctes and to become maruelous in al them that beleue because our testimonye that we had to you was beleued euen thesame daye Wherfore also we praye alwayes for you that our God wyll make you worthy of thys callyng and fulfyll all delectacyon of goodnes and the woorke of fayth with power that the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ maye be glorifyed by you and ye by hym accordynge to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ PAul and Siluanus and Tymothe vnto the company of the faithfull that are assembled in spirite at Thessalonica and be of one mynde towardes god our father and the Lord Iesus Chryst We are bounden to render aboundaunt thankes alwayes to god for his aboundaunt liberalytie to you warde in that you dooe not onelye through his helpe continue stedfaste in those thinges that you haue begon but also for that you daylye encreace excedinglye more and more in faythe and loue among your selues one to an other so muche that I thynke it not necessarie now to kyndle you vnto the applyeng of godlynes by the examples of other seyng we rather make boaste of you to the other coÌ„gregacions of god and enflame other vnto vertue by your example in rehearsing your pacience stedfastenes of faythe in all your persecucions and affliccions which you suffer that the iuste iudgemeÌ„t of god may be declared in you hereafter at suche tyme as whan you haue suffred vexacioÌ„ in this world for yâ— glory of his name he shal admit you into the felowshipe of hys kingdome And contrary wyse shall commit them vnto eternal punnyshement that haue persecuted you for malice of him For certaynly thys shall be the dealing of goddes righteousnes to pay vnto either parte rewarde worthie their dedes to them that punnyshe the innocent affliccion and to bestowe vnto you that are troubled with vs refreshing and comforte with vs in that daye whan the promisses of the gospel shall appeare and whan the Lorde Iesus shal shew himselfe out of heauen openly vnto the world not than after a lowe base degre as he did at his first commyng but waited vpon with the companyes of angelles as it is comelye for a myghtie prince nor than gentill and tractable to heale the wicked but armed with an horrible fierie flame to rendre vengeaunce vnto them that would not knowe god in this world nor obeye the gospel of our Lorde Iesus Chryste so as they shall fele by experience that he is righteous and mightie whom being mercifull and gentill they set naught by and so as at leaste they maye learne by their owne punyshmentes perforce to confesse the thinges to be true that the gospel spake of For they inasmuch as they neuer made end of their wicked doing shal suffer paines yâ— neuer shal haue ending whan they haue loked vpon the diuine face of the lorde and the maiestie of his power whoÌ„ thei coÌ„temned in this world as a rascal or a vile persone For at his first commyng he came to saue al men but than he shal come to shewe him selfe gloryous not in himselfe onely but in al his membres also that are godly people to the intent he may appeare wonderful in al them that beleue his gospel For in that daye the thinges shal be openly seen of al men in you which trusted in Christ at our recorde bearing where yâ— vngodly contemned them and would not beleue which daye that it maye be prosperous and ioyfull vnto you we ceasse not to praye to the lord continually for you that forasmuche as it hath pleased him to call you vnto the hope of thys glorye the same maye vouchesafe also to bee presentlye ready to helpe you in your trauaile thitherwarde that your conuexsacion be agreable to your profession and to consuÌ„mate and fynishe perfitely that which of his goodnesse he hath begonne in you and to geue strength vnto your soules that in manfullye bearing the vexations of the vngodly you maye declare howe myghtye the assured hope of eternal felycitie is in you for whose sake you passe not euen vpon the life of your bodies to the intent yâ— like as Christ glorified the father by his death was glorified of hym agayne by his resurreccion so the name of the lord Iesu Christ maye be glorified now by your sufferaunce and you glorified agayn by him in the daye of his commyng not accordyng to your owne desertes but according to the mercy of our god and of the Lorde Iesu Christe without whose helpe all that you go about were of none effect The. ii Chapiter The text We beseche you brethren by the commyng of oure Lord Iesu Chryste and in that we shal assemble vnto him that ye be not sodenly moued from your mynde nor be troubled nethâ—r by spirite neyther by wordes nor yet by letter which shulde some to come from vs as though thâ— daye of Chryst were at hande Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lorde shal not come except ther come a departyng fyrst and that the synful man be opened the soone of perdicyon which is an aduersary and is eralted aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth syt in the temple of God boastynge hymselfe to bee God Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thynges And nowe ye know what with holdeth euen that he myght be vttered at his tyme. For the mistery of the unquite doeth all ready worcke tyll he which now onelye letteth be taken out of the waâ—e And thâ—n shall that wycked bevttred whom the Lorde shal consume with the spirite of hys mouth and shall destroye with the appeareaunce of his commynge FVrthermore brethren we besech you by this coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ wherof we spake a littell afore and by the felowship of the glory wherby we being the membres shal be fastened vnto our head that you be not sodaynlye moued from the mynde you are in though his commyng be prolonged and be not astonyed in your myndes nether by feyned prophecie ne by probable assercioÌ„ nor by Epistle seÌ„t in our name as though the commyng of the Lorde were all ready at hand Let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes For the lorde shal not come onles a departing come first not afore the wicked man appeare the childe of perdicion who like as he is much vnlike vnto Christe so muche is he his enemy is exalted aboue the soÌ„ne of God aboue al that is called God or power that is deuoutly wurshipped so muche that he shall sitte in the temple of God shewing himselfe as God Doe you not
and shewed hym selfe somtimes in a clowde somtymes in fire otherwhiles in a softe whistling winde nowe vnder one likenesse and nowe vnder an other somewhiles by Angels somewhiles by secrete inspiracion of mynde at the length in these laste dayes because he would more manyfestly declare his charitie towardes vs and put vs in more assuraunce he dayned to speake vnto vs not by Angell nor yet by a man Prphete but by hys onely sonne Iesus Christ whome he hath by his eternall appoyntmente and determinacion made heyre and Lorde not alonely of the Iewyshe nacion but of the whole worlde as hym that is his true only sonne who is the Lord of all thinges that are made in heauen in earth according as the father promised before in yâ— psalmeÌ„s Neither is it any merueyle if he would haue the seignory of the whole world commen betwene hys sonne and hym syth that by him he made the same By worde he made the worlde and the sonne is the eternal worde of the euerlastyng father neither made he the worlde by hys sonne as by an instrument or seruaunte but all thynges were so wrought in the creacion therof that there was one the selfe same power of the father creating it and the some For Iesus Christ is not so the sonne of God as godly men are oftetymes called the children of God because they obey gods commaundementes but because he was begotteÌ„ God of God the father and so begotten that he is of the same nature with the father And where as he was the euerlasting bryghtnesse of the fathers glory as light procedyng from light and the very image and resemblaunce of hys substaunce lyke in all poyntes and equall vnto him of whome he was be gotten and where he is not alonely the maker of all creatures but also gouerneth and turneth aboute all thinges that are made and created with his becke and almyghty commaundement together with almighty God the father yet marke whitherto he abased him selfe for our cause He toke vpoÌ„ him mans nature subiecte to al the iniuries of our wretched state and conditioÌ„ and dying offred vp him selfe a sacryfice for our sinnes in the aulter of the crosse wheras before the priest of Moses lawe was woonte to pourge synnes by the offryng of a beastes bloude he purged the offences of all mankynd by shedyng of his owne holy bloude and by this abasyng and humblyng of hymselfe gate so greate glory that after he was reliued and retourned into heauen he sate on the ryght side of the maiestie of God the father wherin he was alwayes egall vnto hym as touching his diuyne nature But his maiestie more plainly appeared vnto the worlde thorowe his humilitie in somuche that he who semed before more lowe and abiecte then the loweste is nowe greater and so takeÌ„ not only then the prophetes but also then the Angels selfes and so much the greater as the name of a sonne hath in it more dignitie then the name of a seruaunt For this worde angell is a vocable or worde signifying a ministre and is a name agreyng to an inferioâ—re Vndoubtedly high and great is the dignitie of aungels for that they alwayes assyste the father and beholde hys visage And amonge them there are some that excell the rest in dignytie The texte For vnto which of the Aungels sayed he at any tyme Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And agayneÌ„ â–ª I wyll be hys father and he shal be my sonne And agayne when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world he sayeth And â—eraâ— the Aungels of God worshyppe hym And vnto the Aungels he sayeth He maketh his angels spyrites his mynisters a flame of fire But vnto the sonne he saith Thy seate O God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kyngdome is a ryght scepter Thou hast loued ryghtewesnes and hated iniquytie Wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes But vnto what Aungell dyd God euer geue so great honour that he vouchesafed to call hym by the name of his sonne wheras he speaketh vnto Christe in the misticall psalme in this wyse thou art my sonne I haue begotten thee to day And again I will be his father he shal be my soÌ„ne For he made angels of nought but his sonne he begate of his owne proper substaunce lyke in euery thing egall vnto hymselfe Agayne when in the mistycall psalme he bryngeth his sonne into the worlde hauing vpon hym the habite of mans body he speaketh in this manour And let al the angels of God worshyp hym True it is that seruauntes are honoured but the soÌ„ne who is egall with the father is adored worshypped But where holy scripture expresseth the dignitie of aungels what sayeth it â–ª who maketh sayth the scripture his angels spyrites his ministers a flame of fyer That angels were created that haue they commen with other thinges which were likewise created of almighty God That they were made spirites and mindes free from the mortalytie corrupcion of mans body that they alwaies burning with godly charitie assiste their maker as quicke and nimble ministers of his godly wyll commauÌ„dement therin vndoubtedly they excell vs. But howe much greater are the wordes that he speaketh vnto the sonne Thy seate o God shalde for euer and euer the scepâ—re of thy kyngdome is a right scepter Ye heare how the name of God is geuen vnto the soÌ„ne ye heare howe the seare of a kingdome is geuen him of a kingdome I saye that neuer shall haue ende It foloweth in the same Psalme Thou hast loued ryghtuousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath enoynted the with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felowes Ye heare that he was specially enoiâ—ted of God the father aboue all hys felowes eyther men or aungels The texte And thou Lorde in the begynning haste layde the foundacion of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shal perishe but thou endurest But they all shall wexe olde also as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them and they shal be chaunged But thou arte euen the same and thy yeâ—es shall not fayle Vnto whych of the aungels sayd he at any tyme sitte on my right hande tyll I make thyne enemyes thy fore stole Are they not all ministryng spyrites that are sente to minister for theyr sakes which shal be heyres of saluacion And agayne marke howe muche autorytâ—e is geuen the sonne in an other Psalme and thou Lord sayth the Prophete in the begynning haste layed the foundacions of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shall peryshe but thou endureste and they all shall waxe olde as doth a garmente and as a vesture shalt thou winde them aboute and they shall sodaynly be chaunged but thou art euen the same and thy yeares shal not fayle To what aungell were these
And verely this vertuous godly man Moses is woorthy to be of great autoritie among vs because he behaued hymselfe faithfully in the same house but yet as a minister or stewarde and not as a sonne he was in an other mannes house and the other that is to saye Christ in his owne And Moses brought onely figures shadowes of those thynges which Christe should afterwardes dysclose and open But Christe as the maker and sonne guided his owne house whereof we all are members whiche thorowe fayth of the gospell bee assembled together vnto hys churche or congregacion so that we perseuer in that we beganne that is to wit if we dooe styll abyde in the concorde and agreaunce of the house and holde fast and stedfastely vnto the ende the faythe whiche the spirite of Christ hath geuen vs and also that glorious hope by the which as the true natural sonnes of god and brethren of Christ we looke for the enheritaunce of heauen For it shall nothyng auayle vs to haue heard the doctrine of the gospell excepte we continually liue thereafter Yea the greatter he is who dayned to speake vnto vs the grieuouser shall our punishment be The texte Wherefore as the holy ghoste saieth to daye yf ye will heare his voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouokyng in the daye of temptacion in the wildernes where youre fathers tempted me proued me and sawe my woorkes fourtye yeare Wherefore I was greued with that generacion and sayed They doe alwaye erre in theyr hartes they verely haue not knowen my wayes so that I sware in my wrath they shal not enter into my reste Take heade brethren leste at any time there bee in any of you a frowarde herye subiecte vnto vnbeliefe that he shoulde departe from the liuyng god but exhorte ye one another daylye while it is called to daye leste any of you wexe harde harted thorowe the deceitfulnes of sinne Wherfore ye must call vnto your remembraunce what the holy gost speaketh in the mistical psalme exhorting the people to obey the voice or wordes of god leste he being prouoked dooe grieuouslye punyshe them and seâ—lude them from the rest and quietnes promised Today sayeth he if ye wil heatâ— hys voice harden not your hartes as ye did when with your murmoâ—â—ing and rebellion ye prouoked God what tyme he proued your pacience in wildernes where sayeth he youre fathers tempted me as men that woulde proue whether I were he that were hable to punishe trespacers of the lawe and offenders and they felte my wrath and suche as woulde not beleue my woordes sawe my woorkes and that the space of fourtie yeres For so long were they ledde about in wildernesse what tyme they flying oute of Egipte went vnto the lande where I promised them quyetenes Wherefore I was not contented with that nacion and sayde with my selfe They doe alwaies erre in theyr hartes folowing theyr owne lustes neyther haue they knowen my wayes And for thys theyr dysobedience I sware in my wrath it shoulde neuer be that they should entre into the lande wherin I promised them rest from the trauayls of theyr iourneys Ye haue heard brethren God threatenyng our fathers that they should not come to the lande promysed them onlesse they woulde continually obey his commaundementes And we that thorowe baptisme are deliuered from oure former synnes and offences are vndoubtedly departed out of Egypte but yet we shall neuer come vnto the immortalitie promissed vs in heauen excepte we styll continue in the obseruaunce of fayth and christian charite If wee looke backe vnto Egypte forsaken that is yf we fall agayne to the lustes of oure olde lyfe we shal bee excluded from the felowshyp and participacion of the heauenly lyfe Se therfore that there bee not in any of you a frowarde harte and rebelling against the commaundementes of the gospell or subiecte vnto vnbelyefe in suche wyse that the same returnyng agayne vnto the vices once forsaken and the prynce of death the deuyll departe awaye from thy lyuyng god But rather with daylye exhortacions make ye one an other strong to suffer continually the paynes and trauayles of thys lyfe whereby God tryeth oure pure and trewe fayth so longe as the tyme is called to daye that is to saye so longe as we beare this mortall bodye and as yet doe trauayll as pilgrymes and straungers in the wildernesse of thys worlde alwayes in ieopardye lest any of vs weryed with the euilles of thys lyfe bee ledde asyde thorowe the alluremente of synne from the iourneye begonne lyke as in tymes paste the Hebrues our forefathers beeyng wery of theyr long trauailing longed after the â—auoure of the pottes whiche they lefte behynde them in Egypte The texte ¶ We are made partakers of Christ if we kepe sure vnto the cude the beginuing of the substaunce so long as it is far de to day if ye will heare hys voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouoking for some when they herde did prouoke howbeit not all that came out of Egipt by Moses But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeres Was he not dyspleased with them that had sinned whose carkases were ouerthrowen in the deserte To whome swaâ—e he that they should not enter into his rest but vnto them that were not obedient And we see that they coulde not enter in because of vnbelieâ—e Certeynly we are graffed in Christe by baptisme and the profession of faith but in such wise that we may thorow our owne defaut fall from him again neyther shall we otherwise come vnto the enheritaunce of mortalitie promised vs excepte we kepe sure and constauntely vnto the ende the beginnyng and foundation of that felicitie whiche was layed in vs by the gospell still goyng forewarde in that was begoonne monyshed thereto by thys saying whiche is continually spoken vnto vs To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouokyng For some when they hearde the Lordes voyce did then by dysobeying the same moue hym prouokyng hys wrathe and indignacion agaynst them Howbeit al dyd not so whiche came out of Egipt vnder yâ— conducte of Moses And vnto these that were not disobediente it was geuen to come vnto the lande flowing with milke and hony With whome was he dyspleased fourtie yeres Was it not with them that had offended howbeit these entred not into rest but their carkases were ouerthrowen in wildernesse with whome elles was he so muche dyspleased that he sware they should neuer entre into the reste promised them but with those whiche obeyed not the voyce of god we see then that god was on both sydes trewe who bothe perfourmed to the obedyent what he promissed theÌ„ and to the disobedient that he manaced them with all The obediente came thereunto by their pacience the other coulde not entre in because of theyr vnbelyfe and incredulitie The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let vs feare therfore lest any of you forâ—aâ—yng the promise of euâ—eyng into
his â—est should seme at any time to haue been disapointed For vnto vs is it declared as wel as vnto them But it profited not them that they heard the worde because thei whiche heard it coupled it not with fayth For we which haue beleued doe entre into his reste as he said Euen as I haue sworne in my wrath they shall not entre into my â—este And that spake he verely longe after yâ— the workes were made and the foundacion of thy world layde For he spake in a certaine place of the seuenth daye on this wise and god dyd rest the seuenth date from al his workes And in this place agayne They shal not entre into my reste THat Moses was vnto oure forefathers and elders thesame is Christe nowe vnto vs. And it was a worldely reste whereunto they hastened We goe vnto the reste celestiall Lette vs therfore feare to despise the voyce of God who daylye speaketh vnto vs by the ghospell leste lyke as many of them were through their owne defaulte disapointed of the hope and expectacion of the rest promised so may it chaunce that some of vs also seme to haue bene disappointed and not to haue attained th ende of hys iourney For vnto vs is shewed a muche more blisful rest and that by a more certayn and faithfull ambassadour then vnto them But it auayled them nothyng that thei receiued the promise of rest and hitherto heard the voice of the lord because thei beleued not the same after thei had heard it For we which haue geuen credence vnto the lordes voyce doe enter into the true rest that shal be free from the vnquiete busines and troubles of worldly euils as on the contrary parte he denieth that they shal enter in who haue not beleued saying As I haue sworne in my wrath they shall not entre into my rest wheras neuertheles the first rest of god had already bene many yeres before euen then when at the creacion of the worlde his woorkes were perfitely finished and in a memorial hereof the Iewes dooe celebrate their resting daye For scripture speakyng of the firste reste whiche chaunced on the seuenth daye after the creacion of the worlde sayth And the lord rested on the seuenth day from al his woorkes And agayne in this place that I alleaged out of the psalme he made mencion of the seconde reste whiche refreshed the Hebrues with the harborow of the lande of Palestine after they were weried with long trauail and iourneying saying they shall not entre into my rest The texte Seeing therfore it foloÌ„weth that shine muste enter therinto and they to whome it was first preached entred not therein for vnbeliefes sake he appointeth a certayn daye after so long a tyme saying in Dauid as it is rehearsed thys day if ye wil heare his voyce harden not your heartes For if Iosue had geuen them reste then woulde be not afterwarde haue spoken of an other day There remayneth therefore yet a reste â–ª to the people of God For he that is entred into his â—est hath ceased also from hys owne woorkes as God dyd from hys Sith therefore it foloweth of these authorities that God first entred in to his reste after he had made the worlde and fewe entred into the seconde reste for theyr vnbelefes sake and consideryng also that the promise shall yet be as voyde excepte some entre therein forasmuche as our forefathers are excluded therefro vnto whome reste was promised by figures and shadowes of the lawe the which reste thesame yet vnto whome it was promysed neuer intred into there is againe in the mistical psalme an other day appointed by the mouth of Dauid after so many yeares that the lande of Palestine was possessed the which day the sayed prophete calleth not the seuenth day butthis daye as it hath bene nowe oftentimes rehearsed before This daye if ye will heare hys voice harden not your hartes For yf that Iesus the sonne of Naue who beeyng capitayne certayne of them entred into Palestine had geuen trewe reste vnto the Israelites God woulde not afterwarde haue made mencion of an other day by the mouthe of Dauid els might they haue sayde what newe reste speakest thou of vnto vs fence we alreadye enioy the reste promised reyguyng in the lande of Iewrye Therefore there remaineth a certayne other restyng daye vnto the people of God there remaineth an other reste not in Palestine but in the countrey celestiall whitherto we hasten Iesu Christe beeyng our captayne but yet it shall neuer chaunce vs to attayne thesame excepte wee haue kepte here purely withoute violacion the resting day of the gospell abstayning from all the woorkes of this worlde For whosoeuer hath entred into this true rest of God hath nowe likewyse rested from his woorkes as God rested from hys after he had created and made the worlde For he is brought into that life where there is no vnquietnes neyther of labours nor of griefes or paynes The texte Let vs study therfore to enter into that rest lest eny man falle after the same ensample of vnbelefe For the worde of God is quyeke and myghty in operacion and sharper then any two edged swerde and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the soule the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marie And is a discerner oâ— the thoughtes and of the intentes of the herte neither is there any creature that is not manifest in the fight of him But all thinges are naked and open vnto the iyes of him of whome we speake Therefore whiles we as yet trauail as straungers in the wildernes of this lyfe let vs not stande still let vs not looke backe but with continuall endeuoyre and feruent desire hasten to that true rest whereunto our Capitayne Iesus calleth vs and let it not be long of vs that any of vs fall by the waye as our forefathers dyd For we shall haue no lesse punyshemente then they had if we doe likewise offende Neyther is that punishement litle to be regarded or passed on that Christ Iesu the woorde of god threarneth with For he is quicke and strong in operacion and sharper then any twoo edged swerde not onelye cuttyng the membres of the bodye but also the moste inwarde affeccions of the mynde insomuch that he cutteth a soondre the soule from the spirite and disseuereth the ioyntes and the marye beeyng a discerner of the secrete thoughtes and ententes of our harte and so trew is it that no parte of mans thought is vnknowen vnto him that there is no creature at all neyther in heauen nor vnder the yearth whiche is not manifeste vnto his syght but al thynges are naked and open to the iyes of hym vnto whoÌ„ we muste geue an accomptes of our lyfe As in times paste the mourmuryng of the Hebrues was not vnknowen vnto god and as there neded no swerde to destroye them but his onelye commaundemente so shall not that man be vnknowen vnto Christ who after he hath
that whensoeuer nede requireth he may make intercessioÌ„ for his vnto god For he hath not so offered a sacrifice that it should profite a fewe a short while but that it should be auaylable to all men and at al times hable to pacifye gods wrath Therfore sens the lawe was heauenlye and perfite it was meete that oure hye prieste shoulde also be such a one that is to say godly without deceyte vndefyled farre seperate from the coumpanye of synners lyfted vp aboue all the heauens who needeth not dayly to offer oppe sacrifice as Moses priestes did first for his own sinnes and then for the peoples sinnes For what manour of atonemakers were they who themselfes had nede to be made at one with god vnto whome they made intercession for other mennes offences what manour a sacrifice was that which for sundrie sinnes was of necessitie ofte tymes to be made again Our hye priest who had no sinne of his owne toke vnto him the sinnes of the whole worlde and once offered vp a sacrifice for all menne not a beast but hys owne proper persone For Moses lawe as it was weake and vnperfite so dyd it ordayne suche hye priestes as were subiect to infirmitie But the worde of the othe that I spake of right now which declareth that a better lawe shall succede in stede of the olde ordeineth not euery man indifferently but the very sonne of god a priest for euer more ready at all times and mete to make intercession for vs for that neyther death can take him away neither any infirmitie let hym to be a conueniente and perfite besecher for vs. The .viii. Chapter The texte Of the thynges whiche we haue spoken this is the pith that we haue suche an hye prieste as sitteth on the ryght hande of the seate of maiestie in heauen and is a mynister of holye thynges and of the trewe tabernacle whiche God pyght and not manne For euerye hye prieste is ordeined to offer giftes and sacrifices wherfore it is of necessitie that this man haue somewhat also to offer For he were not a priest if he were on the earth where are priestes that according to the lawe offer giftes which serue vnto thensaumple shadow of heauenly thynges euen as the answer of God was geuen vnto Moses when he was about to finishe the tabernacle Take hede said he that thou made al thynges accordyng to the patron whiche is shewed to thee in the mount OF the thynges whiche we haue so largelye entreated of before the chiefe poynte and effecte is that hereafter we haue not in admiracion Moses hye prieste synce wee haue one soe excellente in all poyntes that he sytteth on the ryght syde of the royall seate of god in heauen to the entente he maye duely make not those figuratiue sacrifices prescribed by Moses but the trewe and heauenly sacrifices and bee within the tabernacle I meane not that figuratyue tabernacle pytched of man but in the secrete places of the true tabernacle pitched by almightie God disseuering heauenly thinges from earthly Furthermore sens that euery hye priest is wonte to be ordeyned for this intente that he may offer giftes and sacrifices to God howe were it possible for him to be a lawful hie prieste whiche hath nothyng to offer Nowe if it so be that an earthly priesthood were geuen to Christ after lyke manour as vnto other then were he no priest for that he neuer offered ne offereth any of those sacrifices whiche are accustoinably offered of other priestes according to the prescripcion of the lawe the whiche sacrifices are nothing els but shadowes and certayne figures of the heauenly temple and celestiall sacrifyces For whatsoeuer Christe did euen in earth because it was not done after the fleshe but after the spirite came from heauen and thither reÌ„deth thesame compared vnto the grossenes of Moses priesthood is woorthely called heauenly And this god seemeth to haue signifyed when prescrybyng vnto Moses a forme to buylde a temple he speaketh in thys wise Se thou make all thinges according to the patron whiche was shewed thee in the mounte For Moses sawe with his spiritual iyes an other holyer manour of temple an other manour of sacrifyces and priesthood after the patron whereof â—edrew out in the meane season a certayn grosse figure of thinges till the tyme should come that god woulde haue shadowes geue place vnto trew thynges Nowe is the same tyme already presente The texte But nowe hath he obtained a priesthode so much the more eâ—cellente as he is the mediatour of a better testamente whiche was confirmed in better promises For yf that first testamente had been such that no faute coulde haue bâ—â—e found in it then should no place haue bâ—ne sought for the seconde For in rebukyng them he saieth vnto them Behold the daies come sayth the Lorde and I will finishe vpon the house of Israell and vpon the house of Iuda a newe testamente not lyke the testament that I made with they fathers in that daie when I toke them by the handes to leade them out of the lande of Egypte For they continued not in my testamente and I regarded them not saith the Lorde For this is the testament that I wyll make with the house of Israel After those dayes saith the lorde I wyl put my lawes in theyr myndes and in theyr hertes I wyll write them and I will be there God and they shal be my people And they shall not teache euery man his neighboure and euery man his brother saying â–ª knowe the lorde For they shall knowe me from the leaste to the moste of them For I wil be merciful ouer theyr vnrighteousnes and their sinnes and theyr iniquities wyll I thinke vpon nomore In that he sayth a nowe testamente he hath worne oute the olde For that whiche is worne out and weâ—ed olde is readye to vanishe awaye We haue an heauenly hye priest and a priesthood worthie and conueniente for hym so much more excellent then this other priesthood as the new testamente of the gospell excelleth the olde of Moses and as the promises of the new be more magnificeÌ„te and greater then the promises of the olde There the bodyes were cleansed with the bloude of beastes here soules are purified with the bloude of Christe There a lande is promised here are promised heauenly rewardes And in this testament our heauenly hye priest is a mediatoure betwene god and manne after an heauenly manoure If that fyrst testamente had bene suche a one that nothing hadde lacked therein as the Iewes dooe suppose then should there no place haue beene soughte for the seconde For it was but superfluous to adde anything where al thinges were perfite Nowe God complayneth that that fyrste testamente was vnprofitable and promyseth a better and of more efficacie speakynge in the Prophete Ieremye on thys wyse Beholde the dayes come layeth the Lorde I wyll fynishe vpon the house of Israell and vpon the house of Iuda a newe
testamente not lyke the testamente whiche I made wyth their fathers in the day when I toke them by the handes to leade them oute of the lande of Egipte bycause they contynued not in my testament I againe for my part regarded them not sayth the Lorde For thys is the couenaunte that I wyll make wyth the house of Israell sayeth the Lorde when I wyl not graue my lawes in stones or bokes as hath bene proued in vayne but wyll put them into theyr myndes and wryte them in their heartes And I wyl be verely theyr God and agayne they shall be vetely my people Neyther shall they gyue my doctrine by hande one to an other in suche wise that euery man shall be compelled to enstructe hys neyghboure and euery one his brother sayinge knowe the Lorde bycause that not onelye then a fewe Iewes but all the people of the worlde shall knowe me from the leaste vnto the greatest that I wyll be made mercyfull by thyntercessyon of my sonne and forgyue theyr synnes and trespasses neyther wyll I any more thynke vpon theyr wycked dedes Ye haue hearde hys wordes who promiseth a newe testament bycause the olde was vnprofytable Nowe that whiche is called new that is to say spiritual signifieth that the olde that is to wytte the carnall muste be taken awaye and dysanulled Elles coulde not thys testamente be called newe excepte that whiche was before were worne oute and waxen olde Nowe that that is worne oute and waxen olde is nye gone forasmuche as it draweth by lytle lytle to an ende ¶ The .ix. Chapter The texte The olde testament then had verâ—â—y ordinaunces and seruynges of God and worldly holynes For there was a foretabernacle made wherin was the lyght the table and the shew breade whych is called holye But wythin the seconde vayle was ther a tabernacle whyche is called holyest of all whyche had the golden seuser and the Arke of the testament ouerlayde rounde about wyth golde wherin was the golden pot wyth MaÌ„na and Aarons rodde that sprong and yâ— tables of the Testament Ouer the Arke were the Cherubins of glorie shadowyng the scate of grace Of whyche thynges we can not nowe particularly speake SOme man wyll here saye what was the religion of the olde temple a vayne religion Nay not so In tymes past that olde temple also whose religion is nowe at an ende and gonne by the succession of euangelicall veritie had certayne approued customes and prescribed ceremonies the whiche made an vtwarde shewe of iuste and perfyte liuyng It had also a certain holynesse but the same was a worldlye holynesse for that it stoode in vtwarde thynges and visible Of the whiche kynde of holynesse there semed also a great deale to be among the Paynyms and Gentiles But the buyldynge of the temple was suche that one parte therof was counted more holye then an other tyll a man came vnto that parte whiche semed holyest of all For in the fyrste place there was made a tabernacle wherin were kepte with much reuerence the lyght the table and the seuen holye lonues whiche they called the shewe bread by reason they were wonte to be set out for a shewe on the holy table And this parte of the temple they called onely holye bycause it was so seuered from vnholy thynges that it was yet verye farre from those thynges whiche were accompted moste holye But wythin the seconde vayle whiche parted this parte of the temple from other there was an other tabernacle that for the excellencye of holynesse was called holyest of all and in thys were conteyned certayne of the holyer sorte of relyques as the golden Censer the Arcke called the Arcke of the testamente couered townde about wyth plates of golde hauynge in it the golden potte wherin Manna was reserued a monument of an aunciente myracle wrought what tyme the Hebrues beyng very hongry there rayned a newe kynde of meate downe from heauen and Aatons todde the whiche by a wonderfull myracle neuer harde of before bare leaues after it was cut from the stemme and budded out into flowers wherof afterwarde came Almons There were in it also the tables called the tables of the testamente bycause in them were the commaundementes grauen with Goddes fyngre Ouer thys were ymages with wynges called Cherubynes representing the Maiestie and glorye of God whyche ouershadowed the mercy seate with their wynges all the whiche thinges had a certayne signification of holier thinges afterwardes dysclosed by the ghospell But it were to long to speake of euery of the premysses particularly and to shewe what was meante and sygnified by the same It shal be sufficient for vs to compare theffecte or pythe of the whole matter to the priesthode of Christe The texte When these thynges were thus ordayned the priestes went alwayes into the firâ—â— tabernacle which executed the seruice of the bolie thinges But into the second went the bye pryest alone once euerie yere Not wythout bloude whych he offred for hymselfe and for the ignorances of the people Wherewith the holy ghost this signified that the way of holye thynges was not yet opened whyle as yet the first tabernacle was standynge Whyche was a simily tude for the tyme then present in whyche were offred gyftes sacrifices that could not make the minyster perfect as pertaynyng to the conscience wyth only meates and drinkes and diuers washinges and iustifyenges of yâ— fleshe which men ordayned vntyl the tyme of reformacion Nowe when the temple was thus deuyded and the holy reliques bestowed in their places all priestes indifferently whiche executed the cetemouies belongynge vnto the sacrifices entred dayly into that fyrst tabernacle But into that seconde whiche was very holy went the hie prieste who was chiefe in dignitie among the priestes alone once euery yeare and no oftener and that not wythout the bloud of a beaste whiche he there offred first for his owne synnes and then for the synnes of the people edmmytted by errour and ignoraunce By the whiche thinges as it were by certayne darke fygures the holye ghoste sygnified that at that tyme there was as yet no open waye or entraunce vnto those places whiche are in verye dede holye and haue no manour of earthly infeccion For while the hie byshoppe entred into the most secrete parte of the temple and as yet that fyrst tabernacle was standynge whiche hadde a symylytude of those tymes in the whiche the people were by certayne grosse ceremonis kepte howe so euer it were in the Iewyshe religion lest they shoulde haue fallen to greater enormities there were certayne grosse and vulgare ceremonies done by the commen sorte of priestes in the sayd tabernacle Gyftes were offred beastes were kylled and offred vp in sacrifice the whiche thynges had so a certayne similitude of purificacion that they coulde not yet make those perfitly cleane as touching the conscience and soule wherby God estemeth vs who vsed them althoughe as concernynge the bodye and estymation of the worlde they semed to
such sactifices were oftentymes oftred that beynge rather offended therwith he required some one effectuall sacrifice whiche shoulde contynew for euer The texte â–ª Wherfore when he commeth into the world he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not haue but a body haste thou ordayned me Butâ—t offerynges also for synne hast thou not alowed Then sayed â— lo I am here In the begynnynge of the booke it is written of me that I should do thy wyll O God Aboue when he sayth sacryfice and offeryng and burnt sacryfices synne offerynges thou wouldest not haue neâ—â—eâ— haste thou alowed them whyche yet are offered by the lawe then sayde he Lo I am here to do thy wyll O god He taketh a waye the firste to estably she the latter â–ª by whiche wyll we are made holy euen by the offeryng of the body of Iesu Christ once for all For the Sonne as it were about to come into the worlde to make God the father mercifull vnto the same with the sacrifice of his owne mooste precious bodye speaketh vnto hym in the mystycall Psalme on thys wyse Sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest not haue but a bodye haste thou ordeyned me Burnt sacrifices and other sacrifices accusfomablye offered to pourge the peoples synnes thou haste not alowed Than sayed I Loe â–ª sythe that in the begynnynge of the boke I am sygnified to be a sacrifyce I am here to do thy wyll O God Whan therefore he sayeth in these woordes Sacrifyce and offerynge and burnt sacrifices and sacrifices for synne thou wouldest not haue neyther allowedest thou any of these sacrifices whiche were wonte to be offred accordyng vnto the prescription of the olde lawe And immediatlye addeth Loe I am here to obey they wyll O God and to offre a sacrifice pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thy mynde in these wordes I saye he taketh awaye that firste priesthode as dyspleasaunte vnto God to th entent he maye stablyshe the later ther with to satisfye Goddes wyll and pleasure What was this wyll of God who thus lotheth the lawefull sacrifices of the olde testament and greatly desireth a newe kynde of sacrifice For sooth it was this bycause it so lyked his free goodnes towardes vs that his heauenly sonne that is to saye Christe shoulde take vpon hym mannes bodye and dyeng for the synnes of the whole worlde purifie all menne by one sacrifice duely made of their synnes in suche wise that there nedeth nothereafter anye other blodie sacrifices The texte And euery pryest is ready dayly ministring and offeryng often tymes one maner of oblacion wyche can neuer take away synne But this man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set doune for euer on the righte hande of god and from hencefurth tarieth till his foes be made his fote steole For with one offering hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sancrified The holy ghoste himself also beareth vs record euen when he tolde before thys is the Testamente that I wyll make vnto them After those dayes sayth the Lorde I wyll putte my lawes in their heartes and in their myndes wll I write them and theyr synnes and iniquities wil I remeÌ„bre no more And where remission of these thinges is there is no more offering for synne Whosoeuer is a priest of the olde testament is constrayned dayly to ministre and oftentymes to offre the same sacrifices agayne whiche howe ofte so euer they be offred can neuer cleane take awaye synnes so that it is an endlesse busynesse to bothe partes that is to saye both to the offerer and to the priest by whom the oblacion is made But Christe thonely sacrifice once offered for the sinnes of al them which haue do or wyl beleue his promyses sytteth now on the right hande of God the father tarryeng for nothynge els but that whiche onely remayneth that is to saye to haue all the membres of his bodye assembled together and vntyll at the length it come to passe accordyng as it is promysed in the Psalme that his enemyes who are rebelles agaynst the ghospel be made his foote stoole But in the meane season he nedeth not to offre him selfe agayne for vs because that with one oblation he hath sufficiently perfited all those for euer whiche haue deserued to be sanctified thoro we faith in suche wise that none of our olde synnes can be layed vnto oure charge That I saye nowe euen the holy ghoste hym selfe witnesseth speakyng by the mouth of the Prophet and shewyng long before that the same thyng shoulde be whiche we see alreadye come to passe His wordes are these This is the testament that I wyll make vnto them after those dayes sayeth the lorde when I shall put my lawes in their heartes and write them in their myndes and their synnes and iniquities wyll I remembre no more muche lesse then wyll I take vengeauÌ„ce for the same Furthermore after that al synnes be once pardoned for euer what nede is there of the Iewishe sacrifices whiche were made to pourge and take awaye synnes The texte Seyng therefore brethren that by the meanes of the blode of Iesu we haue libertie to entre into the holy place by the newe and lyuyng way whych he hath prepared forvs through the vayle that is to say by his fleshe And seing also that we haue au hie pryest whych is ruler ouer the house of God let vs draw nygh wyth a true hert in a sure faith sprynkeled in our hertes the euil conscince put away washed in out bodyes wyth pure water Let vs kepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised and let vs consider one another to the intente that we may prouoke vnto loue vnto good workes not for saking the felowship that we haue among our selfes as the manet of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so muche the more bycause ye se that the day draweth nygh Seynge therefore brethren that the conscience of synnes is taken awaye whyche feared vs to make intercession to almyghtie God and that we haue an assuraunce gyuen vs to entre into the holy place let vs trustyng vpoÌ„ the most sacred bloud of Iesu which he shedde for our reconciliacion and therby opened vs awaye and entraunce farre dyuerse from the olde waye that is to saye a freshe newe lyuynge and euetlastynge waye whiche after it is once opened can neuer be shutte agayne the whiche waye he beganne vnto vs entryng in fyrst of all thorowe the vayle that is to saye by his fleshe where with his Godhed was couered for a tyme in this worlde â–ª and after the same fleshe was assumpted and taken vp into heauen heuenly thynges were opened And sythe we haue a greate pryest promysed of God after the order of Melehisedeche whom God hathe made ruler ouer all his house that is to saye ouer the Churche chatholyke the whiche churche he gouerneth not as a ministre but as thautour and Lorde thereof lette vs also
in the meane tyme goe whither Christe hath opened vs the waye let vs goe I saye not with bodely feete into a temple made of stones but with a pure hearte and a very sure belefe to obtayne our peticion entre into the heauenly temple but fyrst sprinkled not touchyng the body with the bloud of a beast but touchyng the mynde and spirite with the bloud of Iesu Christ therby purified froÌ„ the coÌ„science of oure olde synnes furthermore washed in our bodyes too with the pure water of Baptysme that scoureth and washeth awaye all the fylthe of the soule Then remayneth it that we perseuer in the thynges we haue once begonne and kepe stedfastly and wythout any wauerynge the hope of immortall lyfe whiche we haue professed in Baptisme trustyng in this one thynge that God who promysed is faythfull and sure of his promyse and cannot deceaue if he would so that we contynue styll in fayth Furthermore bycanse we are made the membres of one bodye let vs cleaue together by mutuall charitee and agrement consideryng with out selues how muche eche of vs hath profited in the profession of the ghospell not bycause to enuye hym who hath ouergone vs or to despise him that is ouergone or left behynde but to prouoke to charitie and good workes by good example and exhortactions gyuyng one to an other The whiche thyng shall come to passe if the goyng forewarde of oure brother do make vs more desyrouse to lyue well and vertuouslye and also yf we perceyuynge anye to be slacke in goyng forewarde doe then with a brotherly carefulnes prycke him forthe to better thynges alwayes reioysynge at them whyche goo before and makynge moche of those that do their diligence not suffring any one to perishe from our flocke by reason he is forsaken as some occasion seruynge thereunto are wont to leaue of from their good begynnynges But let one of vs by al manoure of wayes and meanes possible styre and encourage an other to go forthe to the ende in that we fyrst beganne And thys thynge ought ye so muche the more earnestly to doe bycause ye see that the daye of the Lorde is at hande whiche will gyue euery man rewardes accordyng vnto his desertes and leaue no place or oportunitie to amende what hath bene done amisse but whatsoeuer hath-bene done shall be then examyned with exacte iudgement And suche trespases as are coÌ„mitted by erroure or frayltie of man shall easlye be pardoned The texte For if we sinne wilfully after that we haue receyued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearfull lokinge for iudgement vyolent fyre whyche shall deuoure the aduersaries Be that despyseth â—oses lawe dieth wythout mercye vnder two or three wytnesses howe muche soret suppose ye shal he bâ— punished whych treadeth vnder â—ote the sonne of gods coâ—â—â—eth the bloude of the testamente where with he was sancrified as an vnholy thing and doeth dishonour the spirite of grace For we know hym that hath said it belongeth vnto me to take vengeancé I wil recompence sayth the Lord. And agayne the lorde shall iudge hys people It is a fearfull thinge to fall into the handes of the lyuynge god But after we haue once knowen the trueth by the ghospel beyng taught what we must hope after and what we ought to eschewe and what rewardes good menne shall haue and what yuell yf we then wyllyngly fall agayne into deadly synnes whiche Christ hath once washed away with his preâ—â—â—â—s blouâ— in that he dyed once alonely and neuer wyll dye agayne there remayneth theâ— no Hooste or sacrifice for vs whiche haue so eftesones fallen to oure olde lyâ—â— and synfull lyuyng wherby our synnes maye be freely released agayne thorow baptisme What then remaineth Forsoth a certaine dreadful loking for of the laste iudgement and forthwith a cruell and tourmentyng fyre whiche in reueÌ„gement of the goodnes of God despised â–ª shal deuoure the aduersaries Thynkâ— you that he shall scape vnpunished that hath despysed the lawe of the ghospell The more mercifull and beneficiall that God is the more punyshemente shall he haue who wyllingly and wyttyngly hathe mocked therewith He mockethe with the gospel whiche after he hath bene once called to the nâ—bre of the chyldren of God wylfullye putteth himselfe into the numbre of the Deuels seruauntes If there were so greate punishement among the Iewes that whosoeuer obeyed not the pryest teaching the commaundementes of Moises lawe that is to wytte yf he that was commaunded to absteyne from swynes fleshe dyd notwithstandyng of a selfe wyl or dysobedient frowardenes eate the same and afterwarde beyng firste conuicted by two or three witnesses was done to death without mercye Howe muche greater punishement then deserueth he to haue who treadeth vnderfoâ—e not anye one priest of lowe estimacion but Iesus Christ the sonne of God Creuly he treadeth hym vnderfote whoso despifeth his so greate benefite whoso counteth I saye not the bloude of a beaste but his holye bloud wherwith the newe testament was sanctified as an vnholy thynge specially the same bloude wherwith he was once pourged and made cleane from all hys olde synnes fynallye whoso dyshonoureth the spirite by whom he hath obteyned the grace of the ghospell bycause that spirite once put awaye thorowe hys vycyousnesse he trayterouslye gyuethe vp the temple of God vnto the Dyuell Do we therefore assure our selfes that we shall escape vnpunished bycause men do not by and by take punishement on suche as doe swaâ—ue from the puritie of an euangelicall and christian lyfe We knowe hym that hath sayde It belongeth to me to take vengeaunce I wyll recompence fayth the Lorde And agayne in an other place The Lorde shall iudge the people Let not any synner flatter hym selfe and thynke that he is oute of danger yf he escape the handes of a man reuenger No man can escape the handes of God But it is a dreadfull thyng to fall into the handes of the lyuyng god Nowe the more that ye were to be praysed when ye fyrste began to professe the ghospell the more shame and rebuke shall it be for you to fall agayne into your former lyfe The texte Call to remembraunce the dayes that are passed in the which after ye had receiued lyght ye endured a great fight of aduersities partely whyle all men wondred and gased at you for the shame tribulacion that was doeâ— vnto you partely whyle ye became coÌ„paignions of them which so passes their time For ye became partakers also of the affliccions which happened through my bondes toke in worth the spoyling of your goodes and that with gladnes knowyng in your selfes howe that ye haue in heuen a better and an enduringe substaunce Cast not away therfore your confydence whych hath a greater recompence of rewarde And lest that come to passe cal vnto youre remembraunce the tymes passed in the whiche after ye had receiued lyghte by the doctrine of the ghospell and faythe
not their husbandes though they be heathens but study by their owne maners to prouoke them vnto better He warneth the husbandes to beare with their wyues and to absteyne somtymes from hauing to do with them so as they may the more apply them selues to praier Than he prouoketh men alter the example of Christ to suffre displeasures and not to ymagine howe to requyte wronge with wronge but to deuise howe to ouercome their euyll doers with softenes and well doynges And these matters he treateth of in the thre first Chaptres and in the beginning of the fourth After these he exhorteth men vnto newenesse of life and dissuadeth from the heathens vices He allureth men vnto sobrenesse vnto watching to continual prayers and aboue other vnto mutuall charytie vnto hospitalitie and to do good turnes one for an other Agayne he enticeth men paciently to suffer persecucions layed vpon them for Christes name sake Than he informeth bishops and in them the people vnder their charge In the ende he reporteth that he wrote an other epistle vnto them by Siluanus which was loste This epistle it appeareth he wrote from BabiloÌ„ for in the name of that churhe he saluteth them if any man allowe not the vnderstanding of Rome by Babylon The paraphrase of D. Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ to them that dwell here and there as strangers thorow out Pontus Galacia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia electe accordyng to the â—oreknowledge of God the father thorowe the sanctifying of the spirite vnto obedience and spriâ—eâ—lyng of the â—loude of Iesus Christe Grace be with you and peace be multiplyed PEter somtyme a disciple and a contynuall gâ—â—st but nowe an Embassadour and Apostle of Iesu Christ to all them that dwell here and therein the coastes of litell Asia at Pontus Galacia Cappadocia and in that parte that is properly named Asia whiche the Ephesians haue and Bithiâ—â—a whome either the stormy tempestes of warres haue in tymes paste scatred abroade some to on place some to an other or elles whome the rageing cruellie of them which hated the name of Christe hathe giltelessy dryuen out of the places where their fathers dwelt before them and â—re by that meanes nowe comfortles amonge straâ—nge nacions as it were danyshed men beyng in dede for feare of men thrust out of their natyue countrey but yet not excluded ne banyshed neither depryued frome the offyce of Ghospell preathing which God the prince of al men bestowed chiefly vnto the lande and nacion of Iewes after suche a sorte that he woulde for al that haue it commune to all them whome soeuer he hath chosen For lyke as those are neuer the better for being borne and leading their life at Hierusalem which fet naught by the doctrine of Iesus Christ euen so shal it defâ—aâ—de no man in that he dwelleth amonge the vncircumcised and prophane Gentiles so that in stede of Moses lawe he embrace the grace of the ghospell For it is not the obseruacion of the lawe whâ—t with the Iewes are commonely puffed vp that bringeth true saluacion neither kynredde or place but the free eleccion of God He is a ryght Iewe in dede wihche what countrey soeueâ— he dwell in or what kynred soeuer he is borne of acknowledgeth Iesus Christe to be the aâ—tour of true saluacion which dyed not for one nacion of people alone but for the whole vniuersall worlde But in yâ— we so acknowlege him we are not endebted to the meâ—tte of obseruing the lawe but vnto the free goodnesse of God whiche choseth out of al maner of nacions calleth vnto the lyberal fredome of the gospell whome soeuer it standeth with hys pleasure to â—all vntoit For it neither came of late sodaynly in to hys mynde to saue al maner of mortal men by thys meane ne yet enforced with our wel doinges helayth this vp as a reward for vs as though we had so merited but this was deâ—reed of god the father by his eternal couÌ„saill that he would opeÌ„ the porte of saluacioÌ„ not to the Iewes only but to al nacions vniuersally not by circuÌ„cision not by keping yâ— custome of the sabboth neither by choise of meates ne yet by other ceremonies of Moses lawe which are corporal matters nothing but certain shadowes of spiritual thinges that were geueÌ„ for a time but by true sanctificacion of the spirite which the spiritual lawe of yâ— gospel geueth vnto vs by yâ— which we are truly purged in dede from all oure synnes not for because we haue obserued the prescriptes of the olde law but because we playnly readily put our trust in the promisses of the ghospell not by sprinkling of the bloud of a calfe as it hath been hitherto wont to be done according to the custome of the law but by the sprinking of the precious bloud of the vndefiled and most acceptable sacrifice to God Iesus Christ whose vndeserued death wypeth cleane awaye from vs all the transgressions of oure former conuersacion once for al and after we be borne a new as it were into him through baptisme it restoreth vs vnto a new life And forasmuch as baptisme hath exempted vs from this world engraffed vs into the participacion of heauenly rewardes I will not pray for those goodes in getting and heaping together wherof the toylers of the world thinke theÌ„selfes fortunate but those goodes rather which purge vs cleane from erthly contagious infeccions and make vs worthy the prince of heauen Christ that is to say Grace that in distrusting your owne merites and in putting no confideÌ„ce in the ceremonies of the lawe you may looke for true saluacion of the freÌ„ bounteous liberalitie of God and in purtyng vnfayned trust in the ghospell And besides this I wishe Peace that beyng frely reconsiled to God by the bloud of Christe you may haue concorde both among your selfes and with all other not only hurting no body but also perdonyng other mennes fanites and requityng good turnes for euill the chaunce of which goodes lyke as you haue frely receyued of God euen so it staÌ„deth you in hand to apply your selfes vnto godly studies that you may waxe riche in the encreasing vsury of good workes more and more not onely persisting stedfast in that you haue begonne but also going forward dayly better and better vntill the day come wherin the rewarde of immortalitie shal be openly geuen wherof you haue now conceiued a certaine assured hope out of the ghospell of Christe that we should therby chalenge no prayse vnto our selues The texte Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe which according to his aboundant mercy begatte vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by that that Iesus Christs rose agayne from death to an iuheritaunce immortall and vndefyled and that perisheth not referâ—ed in heauen for you whiche are kept by the power of God thorowe fayth vnto saluacion which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time in the
accordyng to hys desartes For what is a more gloryous thyng than to be praysed of Christes owne mouthe whan you shall heare Come you blessed of my father what thyng is more honorable than to be receaued of God the father into the felowshippe of the kyngdome of heauen together with the sonne But thys glory although it shall be the comen glory of all godly folkes yet it shall chaunce more haboundauntly vnto them that haue suffered greater thynges vpon earth for Christes sake Whiche rewardes in case they were nome presently apparent the strength of faythe should bee no maruclous matter But nowe the special chiefe prayse of good folkes consisteth in this point that where you neuer sawe Christ with your bodyly eies yet with the eies of fayth you see him and loue him and wher as the violence of sorowes doeth openly presently grate vpon you but the rewardes which are kept till a daye doe not nowe appeare yet puttyng assured confidence in hys promisses you suffre these thynges with none other stomacke than yf the glory were presently furnyshed before your iyes neither doe you suffre only with boldenesse but also in the mydle of affliccions you reioyce with an vnspeakable ioy beyng ful of glory before God that is to say of a well hoping conscience and full of a certayne vnfeyned confidēce that where you suffre suche thynges vndeseruedly you shall by the will of God haboundauntly receyue a great fruyte of your fayth that is to wete the eternall saluacion of your soules For it is a great vauntage whan through the loosyng of the mortall body the immortall soule is preserued Thus it was decreed by the eternal counsayle of God that menne should atteyne saluacion by these meanes whereby euen Christe hymselfe came to euerlasting blessednesse The texte Of which saluacion haue the Prophetes enquired and searched which proheryed of the grace that should come vnto you searchyng when or at what tyme the spyryte of Christe which was in them should signifie which spyrite testified before the passiōs that should happen vnto Christ and the glory that should folow aftet vnto which Prophetes it was also declared that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they shoulde minister the thyuges which are nowe shewed vnto you of them which by the holy ghoste sent doune from heauen haue in the gospel preached vnto you the thinges which the Angels desyre to behold For these matters are not by chaunce brought to passe at all auentures but the selfe same thyng that we haue alreadye sene the olde Prophetes which prophecied before hand that you should be saued through faith and the grace of the gospell without the ayde of Moses lawe haue diligently sought and searched out not beyng contenteo to see as it were through a myste what shoulde be to come but they haue also with a godly curiositie searched out of the spirite of Christ which than presently signified vnto the by secret inspiracion what Christe should suffre and vnto what excellente glory he shoulde byanby be aduaunced vnto than what or what maner of tyme that shoulde come to passe forsomuche as theyr myndes were vehemently desirous of his sauing helth And vnto them it was also manifested that these thynges which they prophecied beforehand should come to passe should not be exhibited in their tymes but in yours and the thynges that they opened in their prophecies they opened vnto you not to them felues In dede they would haue wisshed to see that you haue chaunced to see but theyr prophecies were spoken before to thintent that we Apostles should be more certaynly credited which declare nowe vnto you the thynges already done that they had spoken beforehande should come to passe And that you shoulde also not stande in doubt the same spirite of Christe in tymes paste taught them with secret still inspiracions what he had determined to doe which lately cūmyng doune from heauen in fyrietongues instructed vs to thintent we should be preachers in al the whole worlde of the thinges that are come to passe For we preache Christ that became man foral our saluaciō sake was conuersaunt on earth was afflicted with reproches torments finally was nayled on the crosse suffered death for oure sakes and anon ratsed agayne to lyfe was exalted vnto heauen where now he glistreth in maiestie and glory with the father which before semed vpon earth to be but a vile rascall and an abiecte and thither also will he exalte those that his be These mattersinasmuch as they were done by the vnspeakable counsaill of God it is no maruell though the prophetes desired to see them seyng it is so excellently pleasant and acceptable a sight euen to the angels them selues to loke vpon with the beholding wher of they cannot be fulfilled The greater the benefite is which is offred vnto you the more gredyly you ought to embrace it that it be not through your owne fault that you atteyne it not The rewarde is certayn but it shal be your dueties for all that to behaue your selues so that you seme not vnworthy the promises The day that is loked for wil come which shal openly bryng forth the rewardes both of the godly and of the vngodly It wyll come once whansoeuer it shal be and it shal come pleasant and happy to suche as it shall fynde readyly prepared on the contrary parte it shall come fearfully to them that it shall fynde vnfaithfull sluggardes and carelesly mynded The texte Wherfore gyrde vp the loynes of your myndes be sobet trust pefectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the declaryng of Iesus Christ as obedient chyldrcu that ye geue not your selues ouer vnto your olde lustes by whiche ye were led whau as yet ye were ignoraunte of Christe but as he which called you is holy euen so be yeholy also in all maner of conuersacion because it is writen ▪ Be ye holy for I am holy And if so be that ye call on the father which without respecte of person iudgeth accordyng to euery mannes worke se that ye passe the tyme of your pylgremage in feare And forasmuche as Chryst woulde haue that daye to be vncertayn vnto vs it behoueth you not to be in a securitie at any tyme but alwayes hauing the loynes of your myndes girded as menne readyly furnished to mete theyr Lordes comming watchyng and sober being alwayes stiered vp and put in mynde with the certayn and sure loking for of the euerlasting felicitie which now is offred vnto all men that obey the Gospell but yet it shal be possessed at length at suche tyme as our Lorde Iesus Christ shall openly shewe hys maiestie vnto al men and vnto angelles and deuiles howbeit they shall not come to that immortalitie but onely those that in a maner forecast the same in this worlde and according to the example of Iesus being deade to the lustes of this worlde lyue agayne agayne with him vnto innocencie and contynue stedfastly in it like laufull
rather sticke still vnto Moses than vnto him and haue reiected him not willyng to haue hym put in the buylding that they purposed to buylde he is contrary wise a reproche and a very destruccion For him that they disdeyned to haue in their buylding god wold haue to be head stone of the corner by whom he might knyt together and conteyne as it were the wall on eithersyde that is to saye both the sortes of people of the Gentiles and of the Iewes by whose strong defence the buylding should be safely preserued against all assaultes him should who so euer were aduersaries vnto this new buylding stumble at and â—â—ne against And they stumble whosoeuer be offended at the worde of the Gospell and beleue it not seing Moses lawe made them ready before hande to this ende that they shoulde beleue the gospell as sone as the thing was truly performed in dede that the lawe signified in shadow Therfore those that haue disallowed Christ god hathe also disallowed them agayne But as for you whom they reiecte with Christ he hath made that chosen kynred wherof Moses spake in tymes past that holy nacion and peculiar people whom god hath take to him selfe with an excellent price that like as the people of the Hebrues being deliuered in tymes paste by Moses leading from the tyranye of Egipt and conueied through so many daungerous matters into the lande that they had long hoped vpon preached vnto the worlde the goodnes of god shewed to them warde euen so you hauing in remembraunce his fre liberalitie towardes you also should glorifie among al men the wonderfull power of god which by a new meane hauyng conquered the enemies of your saluacion hathe deliuered you out of the darkenes of ignoraunce and vicious lyuing into his woÌ„derful light of the gospels trueth by the which all the errours of the gentiles and shadowes of the Iewes are cleane wyped away Vnto you therfore hathe chaunced this honour that they which persecuted Christ surely reckoned vpoÌ„ to them selues yet cleane contrary the matters being turned vpside downe the thing chaunced that Osee sayd before should come The people which before were the most abiectes that is to say far of from god is now a peculiar people vnto god And the people whom god had reiected as vnworthy of his mercy hath felt by experience the mercy of god without helpe of circâ—cision of the lawe and is receiued through the only gospel like faith into the felowship of the sonne of god The texte Dearlye beloued I beseche you as straungers and pylgrems abstayue â–ª from fleshly Iustes whiche fyght agayâ—ste the soule and se that ye haue honeste conuersacyon amonge the Gentyles that where as they backbyte you as ouyll docâ—s they maye se youre good woorkes and prayse God in the daye of disitacyon Submytte youre selues therfore vnto all manner ordynaunce of manne for the Lordes sake whether it â—ee vnto the Kynge as vnto the â—heâ—e heed other vnto rulars as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punishment of euel dowars but for the laude of them that do well For so is the wyl of God that with wel doyng ye maye stoppe the mouthes of foulyshe and ignoraunte men â–ª as fre and not as hauyng the libertye for a cloke of malicyousnes but euen as the seruauntes of God Honoure all men Loue brotherly felowshipe Feate God honoure the kyng Seruauntes obey your masters with feare not onely yf they be good and courteous but also though they be frowarde For this is thaÌ„ke worthy yf a man for conseyence towarde God endure grefe and suffer wronge vndeserued For what prayse is it yf whell ye be buffeâ—ed for your fautes ye take it paciently But and yf when ye do wel ye suffer wrong and take it paciently then is there thanke with God Than sence ye acknowlege the singular liberalitie of god towardes you whome he hathe redemed with the price of bloud whom he hathe reconsyled vnto himselfe by the deathe of his sonne whome his will was to haue to bee the membres of his onely begotten and the lyuyng stones of the heauenly buylding whome he hathe chosen into the right of children and called into the enheritaunce of immortalitie I beseche you deately beloued to frame youre selues in holynes of life like vnto your owne dignitie like vnto the gentil goodnes of god and vnto so high a rewarde You are regenerate vnto heauen being in this woorlde as foryners and straungers make spede thither where your countrey is where the enheritaunce of heauen is layed vp in stoare for you that you be not called away froÌ„ this desyre by earthlye and grosse appetites which with all manner of engynes make warre and â—atail agaynste the spirite which is gredyly desyrous of heauenly thinges Let your conuersacion accorde with your profession that your maners may allure vnto Christe other folkes also that are paganes among whome you lyue vnto whome it is so muche requisite for you to geue no maner of occasion that they maye rightfully iudge euil of the ghospelles doctrine yf they shoulde perceaue you in the commune custome of life to bee no whit better than other be that the entier vprightenes of your manners and wel doing towardes all menne may stoppe theyr backbyting reportes wherwith they speake euil of you for malice that they beare to Christ and for the hate of religion whiche they suppose to be wicked supersticion whiche thinges euidently perceaued they shal repent also and acknowlege their owne errour being inspired with the mercye of god whan it shal please him whiche hathe chosen you to draw them to him also and that they maye than by your godly workes glorifie him whome before they abhorred because they knew him not This worlde hathe also an order of his owne whiche by occasion of religioÌ„ ought not to be disturbed as much as may be sauing the glory of christ Euen so Christ would haue you to be free from synnes that you shoulde neuertheles suffer euery thing willingly for the gospelles busynes sake obeying and submytting your selues not only vnto Christian magistrates but vnto the heathen magistrates also whether he be a kyng you must obey him as most excellent in the publike autoritie whether they be rulers you muste obey them as by whom being sent to trauail abroade the king administreth the matters of the coÌ„mon wealth Nether let it moue you that they bee heathens that thei be Idolatours but acknowledge their office that is necessarye vnto the coÌ„mune wealthe which consisteth of sondry kyndes of men and religions For they beare rule with autoritie to restrayne offenders and wicked persones by feare of punyshement to allure those that bee good with rewardes to doe theyr duetie You haue not nede of their fearing inasmuch as you do of your owne accorde more than mans lawes require They haue no nede of mannes commendacion whom the rewarde of heauen maketh feruent and yet it is requisite also to acknowlege
Likewise ye wiues be in subiection to your husbandes that euen they whych obey not the word may with out the worde be wonne by the conuersacion of the wiues while they behold your chast conuersacion coupled with feare Whose apparel shal not be outwarde with broyded heare and hanginge on of golde ether in puttinge on of gorgeous apparell but let the hid man which is in the heart be without all corruption so that the spirite be at rest quiet which spirite is before God a thing muche set by For after thys maner in the olde tyme dyd the holy wemen which trusted in God tier them selues and were obedyente to their husbandes euen as Sara obeyed Abraham called hym Lorde whose daughters ye are as long as ye do wel and are not afrayed for any terrour NOwe lyke as free men ought to allure yâ— prynces and publyke magistrates and euen so oughte bonde seruauntes to allure their maisters vnto the fauouryng of the gospell by their obedient diligence whych purchaceth frendship in euery place or in dede not to prouoke them by occasion if perauenture they be vncureable euen so ought the wiues also shewe themselues obedyent vnto their husbandes not onelye yf they be Christians but to them also that haue not yet embraced the doctrine of the gospell For in dede it maye possiblie come to passe that suche as oure preaching doeth not stiere the entier vpryghtnes godlynes womanlynes sobrenes chastitie and sufferaunce of the wyfe maye ouercome and mollyfie them and in conclusion wynne them vnto Christ For whan they shall perceaue theyr wyues maners chaunged through baptisme whan they shall see the examplar of true vertue in them they shall peraduenture be enflamed the affeccion of wedlocke not a lytell forewardyng to the same purpose that as they be felowes of one bedde so they would mynd to be felowes of one profession For syncere good demeanour hath very sharpe pryckes whiche yf a man do marke it nerely bryngeth to passe manye tymes that carnall loue is turned into a spirituall loue That maner of loue is occasioned by welfauourednes of beawtie and behauiour of apparel helpyng the fauour of beawtie forewarde And behauiour is occasioned by the fayre goodlynes of an entier good hearte shynyng in her manners Therfore it behoueth not wyues whiche haue professed Christe to deuise howe they maye set forthe themselues pleasauÌ„tly in their husbandes eies after the coÌ„mune custome with theyr heare craftyly broyded or with puttinge on of precious stones or gold and purple rayment and with other trymmyng of the bodye whiche is shewed outwardly For what other thynge shoulde come of this gayre but that they should loue their wyues body for the vse of fleshely lust And what a porcion of man is the body This rather they ought to studye for that theyr husbandes may be enticed by their goodly garnyshed maners and so to loue the secret hidden mynde and hearte yf they shall perceyue her to be pure and spotted wtâ—â— knacke of viciousnes and if they shall see contrarie to the commune maner of women no lyght affeccion in that woman which women communly haue no intemperaunce no wrath no enuye no seking of preeminence no arroganncie â—o ouerthwart bibble bable but a softe mylde tractable gentyll spirit This is an excellent and a gorgeous apparell in the eâ—es of God By this maner of decking they muste chiefly deserue to haue their husbandes heartes By this kynde of wooing euen certayne holy women in times past which fixed their whole hope not in slyppery and transitorye thinges but in God set forth themselues to please their husbandes not with gold or precious stones or purple but with sobrenes obedient diligence wherby the fearcenes of an husbaÌ„des disposition is most easyly aswaged So Sara obeyed Abraham callyng him Lorde where as she was hys wyfe not his drudgeing hande mayde but submitted her selfe vnder his subieccion for sobrenes sake For althoughe it be not fitte for a man to vse a lordlynes towardes his wife yet there is an autoritie which if he in somthynges abuse yet it standeth with the womans modestie to obeye in place To be briefe lyke as they are Abrahams true and very right sonnes that folowe thexample of his fayth euen so are you Saraes daughters which resemble yâ— excellent good womans maners manly substauÌ„tialnes of mynde trymmyng vp your selues with good workes reposing all youre trust in God hauing the fruicion of his ayde there is no cause at al why you should be afrayed of womans frailtie The texte Lyke wyse ye men dwel with them according to knowlege geuing honour vnto the wyfe as vnto the weker vessel as vnto them that are heires also of the grace of lyfe that your praiers be not hindered And as it is the office of matrones with chast obedience holy maners and wyth mylde softenes to ouercome their husbandes euen so is it your parte O you men in no wise to abuse your autoritie towardes your wyues as meÌ„ playng the tyrannes in that they submit theÌ„selues vnto you but be rather so much the lesse lordely towardes them in yâ— they make them selfes your handemaides They are companions of all your estates and thynges what so euer befalleth Let them perceiue you to be handsome men to lyue withall let your wisdome succour the frailtie of their womankynde And the more stronger you are thaâ— they in the strength of hert body so much more it behoueth you to releue womens infirmitie that by youre instruction by your gouernaunce they maye be made better as it were settyng aparte that kynde they maye waxe manlye in gospellike godlynes For they are not Christian husbandes that haue wyues only to the vse of copulacion but they ought rather to endeuour that their wyues maie be theyr coÌ„panions in fastinge almosededes dooing of watching and of prayeng so that those women which are called to the coÌ„mune reward of eternall lyfe as well as their husbandes maye earnestly set their myndes to do these thynges also communely with their husbandes In christian mariage there is nothing or in dede very lytle to be geuen vnto voluptuousnes very muche vnto Godlynes Wherin yf bothe parties will consent and thereupâ—â— you refrayne froÌ„ bodyly dâ—ale your prayers shal not be interrupted And prayer is a sacrifice wherwith god must be sacrificed vnto euery daye The texte In conclusioÌ„ be ye al of one mynd of one heart loue as brethreÌ„ be piteful be courteâ—â—â— meke not rendring euill for euill or rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowâ—â—â— that ye are thereunto called euen yâ— ye should be heires of yâ— blessing For he that doth lâ—â—â— after lyfe and loueth to se good dayes let hym refraine his tonge from euil and his â—â—â—pes that they speake no guyle Let hym eschewe euil and do good let hym seke peace â—â—â— ensue it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghteous and hys eares are open
â—â—â—â— their prayers Agayne the face of the Lorde is ouer them that do euil Therfore lyke as men haue some one kynd of peculiar offices some haâ—â— other euen so this becometh euery one the rather to remembre him selfe that he which hath professed Christ ought to excel others in those thinges that be maters of tried honestie Howbeit this is the coÌ„mune office of all men yâ— lyke as al haue one self same profession like as through baptisme you are engraffed in to one selfe same body euen so let al be through concord of one self same mind Let not age estate coÌ„dicioÌ„ or soÌ„dry being in diuerse couÌ„tres disseuer you a sondre which thinges among others do many times ministre occasion of hate and contencion But as for you it behoueth you to be most fast ioyned together seyng all one baptisme hath regenerated you vnto God seyng you haue all one father in heaueÌ„ inasmuche as dependyng of one head Christe you are meÌ„bres of all one body and forasmuche as the profession of the gospell hath made you brethren indifferently and for that cause sake the father of heauen hathe called all meÌ„ vnto all one rewarde of immortalitie without differeÌ„ce whether they be poore whether they be riche whether they bonde seruauntes whether they be maisters whether they be husbandes whether they be wyues whether they be Iewes or gentyles In this behalfe there is no difference at all and therfore there oughte to be no dissension nor highe stately lokyng For a greate deale more shall Christian charitie that humbleth it selfe wynne than auctoritie that exacteth For there is no concorde amonge menne that be arrogaunt fearce louers of them selues If the meÌ„bres in a beastes bodye do succour euery one other and in case any thyng chaunce to any one of them whether it be good or badde euerye one of them reconeth it as their owne and if those whom nere kynred of bloud knytteth together are both glad and sorye for the coÌ„modities discommodities of their kynsfolkes how much more coÌ„uenient is it yâ— you beyng knytte together by so manye wayes shoulde expresse this consent to be touched with other mens wealth sorowes no lesse than with your own So shal you expressely shewe a right brotherly charitie if those that be of the more wealthy estate disdeine not them yâ— haue not the worldes wealth but be sory for their euils to their powers succour theÌ„ if they that be in hygh power autoritie presse not nor despise those that are of yâ— lower sort but wyth familiar gentylnes good wordes apply them selues familiarly vnto their inferiours yâ— there may be an indifferent equalitie that christian charitie maye ioyne together those yâ— the state of the worlde hath disseuered God forbyd that you should be desirous of reuengement seyng it is your part to nourishe concorde not only with the brethren suche as be godly but also yf it be possible with all men With those that good are it behoueth to stryue who may do most good with theÌ„ that naught are to stryue in pacient suffryng or in doyng theÌ„ good also by which meanes like as the very wilde beastes are ouercome eueÌ„ so it somtymes mollifieth the malice of men wherin was no hope of amendemeÌ„t Be not you willing therfore to requite wrong for wrong or scoldyng for scoldyng For so shall it come to passe that you shal be euel also in that you folow thexaÌ„ple of them the be euil but rather recompense you a good turne for wrong good wordes for bad the through your inuincible goodnes you may ouercome ouerthrowe their malice For god hath not called you to this ende to haue yâ— vpper hand with naughtie dedes doing naughtie wordes speakynge but yâ— through your weldoyng vnto all men wel speakyng vnto all men you maye worthyly heare yâ— ioyfull word Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome To do euil vnto good meÌ„ it is more thaÌ„ yâ— propretie of mad beastes to speake euil against them yâ— speake wel it excedeth yâ— propretie of vile tongued ruffioÌ„s To deserue well of them that deserue euill and to speake well of them that be euyll speakers and backebytours is thoffice of Christian vertue If any man thynke this an harde matter let him heare the Psalme wryttour enspired with the spirite of God that commaundeth the very same whoso is desirous ê™ he to loue lyfe and to se good dayes let him refrayne his tongue from euell lette him restrayne his lyppes that they speake no deceate let him eschewe euel and doe good let him seke for peace and folowe it For the eies of the Lorde are vpon the ryghteous and his eares are attentiue vnto their prayers Contrarywyse the countenaunce of the Lorde is vpon them that do euyll Therefore yf we wyll haue God to be liberally good vnto vs let vs be good vnto all men yf we wyll escape his vengeaunce let vs hurte no body at all I wyll not heare the reason that mans affeccion wyll perchaunce murmuryngly repyne in this behalfe If I doe not reuenge iniurye the vnpunyshed libertie wyl prouoke many mo to do hurt But there is nothyng that shal kepe you more safe from iniurie than yf you eyther paciently suffre it or els do good for wrong There is none ende of harme doing as often as wyth wretched encouÌ„tryng one with an other reuiling is made double through reuiling againe and iniurie is made double iniurie by iniurie doing agayn If no man resiste naughtinesse shall ceasse or at least waxe faynt The texte Moreouer who is it that wyll harme you if ye folowe that whyche is good Yea happy are ye if any trouble happen vnto you for ryghteousnes sake Be not ye afrayed for any terrour of them neyther be ye troubled but sanctifie the Lorde God in your heartes Be redy alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauing a good conscience that where as they backbyte you as euil doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conuersacyon in Chryste Who would couet to doe harme yf you studye to do good for all men and to hurte no man But yf there be anye found so vtterly blynd that for malyce they beare to vertue or throughe ignoraunce do persecute you I praye you in what thing can they hurt you They wyll take awaye youre money whiche yf they were not you must shortly leaue behynd you they wyll torment the body and wyll slea you which shoulde shortely dye yf they were not All these thynges forasmuche as they are done vnto you for Godlynes sake shall not onely bryng no damage vnto you at all but also greatly encreace your vauntage By these euell turnes doynge they augment your rewarde of euerlastyng felicitie He that loseth a good meanyng hearte he is hurted in dede but whan that is safe all is gayne whatsoeuer the
they that reade them consider that yâ— scripture of prophecyinge before hande is darkly hydden vnder couerte of figures can not be vnderstaÌ„den without interpretacioÌ„ And that is not euery mannes interpretaccion nor after euery mannes arbitrement For the prophetes whiche spake of thinges before hande did not speake after their owne braine nor after the deuyse of their owne mynde but where they were holy men and pure from al humaine lustes yâ— holy gost inspired their hartes vsing them as his instrumeÌ„tes he signified his mynde vnto vs by theÌ„ accordingly The thing yâ— men set forth by mannes deuyse may be perceaued by mannes wytte But yâ— thing the is set forthe by the inspiracion of the holy gost requireth an interpretoure inspired with the lyke spirite They that applye the thing whiche is spoken of Christe vnto any worldlye king they that drawe the thing that is spoken of the lyfe of heauen vnto the felicitie of this worlde they that interprete the thing that is spoken of the treasures of the mynde of the commodities of this worlde doe very farre swerue from the misticall meanyng of the prophecy Nether are they easely perswaded that Christ is come in that by false interpretacion of the prophecie they imagine to them selues a certaine earthlye Messias suche a one as he shewed not him selfe to be And for that cause they acknowledge him not not that he varieth from the spirituall ymage of the prophecye but that he differeth from the ymagined ydole of faslye feyned interpretacion ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte ¶ There were false prophetes also amonge the people euen as there shal be false teachers amonge you whiche preuely shall brynge in damnable sectes euen denyinge the Lorde that hathe bought them and bryng vpon them selues swyfte damnacion and many shal folowe their damnable wayes by whome the waye of trueth shal be euyll spoken of and thorowe couetousnes shall they with fained wordes make marchaundyse of you whose iudgement is now not farre of and their damnacion slepeth not WHosoeuer he be that prophecieth after thaffeccion of his owne mynde is falsely named a prophete Whosoeuer he be that interpreteth the prophetes sayinge vnto his owne couetous appetites is a false interpretoure There were in tymes past false prophetes euen amonge the Iewes whiche eyther to pyke a thanke at yâ— princes hande or elles for vauntage sake or for hatred of other prophecied the thinge whiche the spirite of God spake not but that they had in their assemblyes imagined them selues They countrefaicting their behauiour as thoughe they had ben true prophetes deceaued folyshe people and repyned against the true prophetes with their lyinges And so after my deccasse also there shall aryse suche as shall falsely boaste them selues to be teachers of the gospell where as they shall be nothinge elles but maisters of falseheade They shall swarue from the doctrine of the gospell and bringe in mennes gloses in stede of the trueth that bringeth saluacioÌ„ they shall cloute in pernicious sectes for their owne gayne that partaine rather to their owne glorye and their owne tyrannye than vnto Christes afaires and they shall goe on styll into so great madnesse that they shall not be afrayed vnkyndlye to denye euen their Lorde Iesus by whose bloude they were redemed and whose name they once professed and shall be more wicked than the very heathens whiche neuer professed Christ By the whiche their dooinges they shall prouoke the vengeaunce of God vpon them selues and it shall not onely nothinge auayle them that they once professed Christ but they shall also pull vpon them selues spedy destruccion God taking vengeaunce vpon them Howbeit it were but a small matter yf none were lost but onely they which are already loste but they shall also drawe many with them into destruccion For false doctrine teachers shall fynde disciples of their owne and bearinge them selues boldely vpon theÌ„ they shall not be afrayed to rayle vpon the gospelles trueth whiche you haue receaued of vs nether shall they purely handle the worde of the gospel because they see it maketh nothinge auayleably to their gredynes but beyng bent vnto their owne priuate lucre they shall begyle your simple playnesse with feyned communicacion not going about to wynne you vnto Christe but to plucke to them selues the greatest gayne they can from you For they see that the gospels doctrine is smally pleasaunt vnto them whiche are cralled with the delyces of this worlde they see it is no nyce delycate matter to doe as wee doe defeÌ„de the synceritie of the gospelles doctrine constauntly against the wicked through all deathes Therfore shall they defyle the true doctrine of Christ and in stede of it they shall teache those thinges that are pleasaunt to the grosse hearers rather than holsome and those thinges that purchase theim substaunce and renoume in the worlde and not with God For they shall couet rather for glorye and pleasure that shal last but a while to purchase euerlastinge destruccion bothe to them selues and to others than throughe shorte tormentes of the body to thrust out vnto felicitie that neuer shal die Beware you folow not those guides excepte that you wyll goe streight waye into destruccion Nether let it deceaue you in that they are alofte in hyghe estate in this worlde in that they are riche in that they lyue at their owne ease They shall not long haue the fruicion of this continuaunce of false felicitie For lyke as the godly shal in a while atteyne their rewardes which God hath alreadye decreed long agoe euen so these mennes peyne maketh spedy hast vnto them nether doeth their destruccion slepe that shall sodainlye oppresse those that be careles and lyue in a securitie They maye deceaue mennes iudgementes but they can not beguyle God Howsoeuer men ouer whome they haue autoritie doe forgeue them God which is afrayed of no mans myght wyll not forgeue them The texte ¶ For yf God spared not the aungels that synned but cast them downe into hell and delyuered them into chaynes of darcknes to be punished to be kept vnto iudgement nether spared the olde worlde but saued Noe the eight preacher of rightewysnes and brought in the floude vpon the worlde of the vngodly and turned the cities of zodom and Gomor into asshes ouerthrew them damned them and made on them an ensample vnto those that after shoulde lyue vngodlye And iust Lot vexed with the vnclenly conuersacion of the wicked delyuered he For he beynge righteous and dwelling among them in seyng and hearing vexed his righteous soule from daye to daye with their vnlawfull dedes The Lorde knoweth howe to delyuer the godly out of temptacion and to reserue the vniuste vnto the daye of iudgement for to be punyshed but cheâ—â—y them that walke after the flesshe in the lust of vnclennes despyse auctoritie Presumpteous are they stubborne whiche feare not to speake euyll of them that excell in worshippe When the angels whiche are greater bothe in power and
day by day in vayne For they shal thinke surely that he shall neuer come bycause hys commyng is put of for a tyme. What token saye they is there of the resurreccion Our fathers are dead one after an other and neuer one hathe risen agayn to life yet hytherto And like as sence the creacion of the worlde all thinges are engendred by the enterchaungable courses of the dyeng and of the lyuing euen so vnto thys tyme remayneth the same course of nature where as by mutacion of the worlde that hathe ben before we may gather that there shal be a newnes hereafter And like as the mutacion chaunced what tyme they loked not for it that lyued after theyr owne fylthy lustes euen so shall the nouacion happen whether we beleue it or not beleue it For thys thyng they are not ware of or as I suppose rather they dissemble to knowe that the heauens were created long a goe and also the earthe which the waters wherwith it was couered made bare a great power of waters also hanging alofte And whan mankynde was almoste altogether defiled with vices God being offended sent the flood and destroyed the world of that tyme reseruing only eight persons which had folowed InnoceÌ„cy This vniuersall iudgement God exercised at that tyme in pourgeing and renewing the earth through water Than the heauens contynue yet still as they were created and they are reserued to fyre by the whiche they shall also be purged in the daye of iudgement whan the wicked shal be destroyed by fyre like as in times paste they perished by water Forasmuche than as it is a thing moste certayn that that daye shall come it maketh no matter whether it come later or sooner This only standeth vs in hande to prouide for that when so euer it coÌ„meth it fynde not vs vnready We in out conceytes thinke some thinges leng some thinges shorte but vnto God there is nothing neyther shorte nor long In his promisses he foloweth not the appetites of vs but his owne eternall vnchaungeable decreed counsail vnto whome nothyng is â—â—â—â—er paste nor to come but al thinges are present But vnto vs what so euer he hâ—â—h promised he exhibeteth in the tune that he hath appointed before hande to him self For elles with him al is one whether there be one day past or a thousand yeares With the same faithful assurednes doeth he performe the thing whiche he performeth the later that he doeth the thyng he doeth more spedilyer For as concernyng him selfe he hathe performed euen nowe the thing that he hathe purposed to performe For he dooeth not chaunge his purpose and after the maner of delayers prorogue and put of his promyse as some falsly iudge of him measuring God after their own condicions but he prescribeth the space to be longer somtymes for your sake because vpon his tendre mercye and gentilnes he woulde haue none to perysh but is desitous to haue all men once to repent that those whiche peryshe haue no cause to fynde fault that they wanted space to chaunge their life in to better And that daye shall come vnloked for and shall come creping vpon men none otherwise than a thefe in the night cometh vpon them that are a sleape In that daye there shall be so greate violence of fyre that the heauens shall passe with a mightie greate force in to an other kinde But the elementes whervpon this lower world consisteth shal be dissolued with heate and fynally the earthe and the thinges therin conteyned shal bee butned with fyre and all the whole nature of thinges shal bee cleane purged And if it bee of necessitie that all thinges shal be so pure that these thinges shall also be dissolued whiche offende not howe muche standeth it vs in hande diligently to endeuour that that daye maye fynde vs throughly purged and vpright in all holynes of life and in all studious affayres of godlynes In the meane season this muste bee with muche spedynes forecaste that you be alwaye in a readynes whan so euer that daye shall come whose straight iudgement no manne shal bee hable to escape whiche shall suffre no thyng to be impure so muche that the heauens must be dissolued with fyre and the elementes constrayned to melt with heate And after this we loke accordyng to hys promisse for new heauens and a newe earthe that haue no corrupcion no fault that we in whome shal be no corrupt mynde maye haue the fruicion of them being vncorrupt The texte ¶ Dearly beloued be not ignoraunt of this one thing howe that one daye is with the Lorde as a thousande yeare and a thousande yeare as one daye The Lorde yâ— hath promised is not slacke as some men count slacknes but is pacient to vs warde for asmuch as he would haue no man lost but wyll receaue all men to repentaunce Neuertheles the day of the Lorde wyll come as a thefe in the night in the whiche daye the heauens shall passe awaye in maner of a tempeste and the elementes shall melte with heate the carthe also and the worckes that are therin shall burne Seyng then that all these thinges shall perysshe what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersacion and godlynes lokyng for and vasting vnto the commynge of the daye of God by whome the heauens shal perisshe with fyre and the elementes shall melt with heare Neuertheles we accordynge to his promes loke for a newe heauen and a new earth wherin dwelleth rightewesnes Wherfore dearly beloued seyng that ye loke for suche thinges be diligent that ye maye be fouÌ„de of him in peace without spotte and vndefyled And suppose that the longe sufferynge of the Lorde is faluacion euen as our dearely beloued brother Paule also accordinge to the wysedome geuen vnto him hath wrytten vnto you yea almoost in euery epistle speaking of suche thinges amonge whiche are many thinges harde to be vnderstande whiche they that are vniearned and vnstable peruert as they do also the other scriptures vnto their owne destruccion Ye therfore beloued seyng ye be warned afore hande beware lost ye with other men be also plucked awaye thorowe the erroure of the wycked and fal from your owne stedfastnes But growe in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ To whome be glory bothe nowe and for euer Amen Wherfore most dearely beloued brethren haue this so fearfull a iudgemeÌ„t alwayes before your eyes and geue dilygence that whan the lorde commeth he maye fynde you pure and vnblameable not onely before menne whose iudgemeÌ„tes are many tymes deceaued but also before hi. For he is pure in dede that is pure in the iudgement of God And althoughe paraduenture it be long ere that daye come construe it not so as thoughe he woulde not come at all but consydre that this tender sufferaunce of the lorde wherwith he geueth all men space to repent doeth care for mennes saluacion of whiche matters our mooste deare brother and folowe in office
Paule wrote vnto you so muche the more habundantly as God gaue him the more plenteous gyfte of wysedome and in almost all his epistles exhorteth you to loke for this daye sometyme speakinge after suche a sorte as though the daye of the lorde were already now at hande that he might the rather prycke you forwarde to the studye of godlynes where as that daye because it is vncertaine oughte to be loked for so as thoughe he woulde come this daye but yet after suche wyse that no man prescribe a tyme certaine These and some other matters Paule according to his high wisedom myngled in his Epistles And wheras he spake them most rightly that coulde be yet the ignoraunt and inconstaunt persons wrest them with a peruerse interpretacion as they doe the other scriptures to their owne destruccion that the thing whiche is healthe vnto the good maye be turned throughe their owne faulte in to venome vnto them Therfore brethren sence you are so many waies warned before hande bothe of me and of Paule take hede that you be not deceyued as other are with the fraude of abominable men and fall awaye from your substaunciall stedfastnes whiche you haue expressed yet hitherto but rather geue diligence that you maye continually encrease and goe forewarde in the giftes and knowledge of our lorde and sauiour Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorye bothe now in this lyfe and for euer worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the seconde Epistle of thapostle S. Peter THE LYFE OF SAINCT IVDE after Saincte Hierome IVdas the brother of Iames lefte behynde him a litell epistle whiche is of the seuen catholike epistles And because be taketh witnesse in it out of the boke of Enoch which is Apocryphe that is to say without autoritie it is reiecte of many howbeit it hathe ben taken worthye autoritie bothe for the aunciencie and vse of it and is accompted among the holy scriptures ⧠THE ARGVMENT VPON the Epistle of Iude by D. Erasmus of Roterodame HE is vehemently displeased with many wordes agaynst them that being blynded in theyr owne couetous appetites were aduersaries to the Gospell whiche thyng notwithstanding ought to seme no newe matter inasmuch as they were predestinate to this ende and it was spoken of before by the Apostles that that kynde of men shall lutkingly crepe among the flocke of Christyanes Agaynste these sorte he so armeth them that they may forecast bothe to restrayne them eyther with blamyng or saue them by warnyng geuyng Which thing if they possiblye can not doo yet they prepare them selues readyly agaynst the commyng of Christ Thus endeth the Argument ⧠THE PARAPHRASE OF Erasmus vpon the Epistle of Sainct Iude thapostle The texte ¶ Iudas the seruaunt of Iesus Chryste the brother of Iames. To them which are called and sanctified in God the father and preserued in Iesu Christe Mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Beloued when I gaue all diligence to wryte vnto you of the commen saluacyon it was nedefull for me to write vnto you to exhorte you that ye should continually laboure in the faith whiche was once geuen vnto the saynetes For there are certayn vngodly men craftely crept in of whiche it was written afore tyme vnto suche iudgement They turne the grace of our God vnto wantonues and deuye God whiche is the onely Lorde and oure Lorde Iesus Christe My mynde is therfore to put you in remembraunce for as muche as ye once knowe thys how that the Lorde after that he had deiyuered the people out of Egypte destroyed them which afterward beleued nor The angels also which kepte not theyr first estate but lefte toeyr owne habitacion he hath reserued in euerlastynge chaynes vnder darckenes vnto the iudgement of the greate daye euen as Sodome and Gomor and the cyties aboute them which in lyke maner defiled them selues with fornycacion and folowed straunge sleshe are set forthe for an ensample and suffre the payne of eternall fyer Lykewise these beynge disceaues by dreames defyle the flesh despyse rulars and speake euill of them that are in auctorytie Yet Michael the archangell when he stroue agaynst the deuyll and disputed abouâ—e the body of Moses burst not geue raylynge sentence but sayde the Lorde rebuke the. But these speake euyll of those thynges which they knowe not and what thinges they knowe naturally as beastes which are without reason in those thinges they corrupte them selues Wo bee vnto them for they haue folowed the waye of Cayn and are vtterly geuen to the errour of Balam for lukers sake and perisshe in the treason of Chore. These are spottes whiche of youre kyndnes feaste together without feare fedynge them selues Cloudes they are without water caryed about of wyndes trees withoute frute at gatherynge tyme twyse deed and plucked vp by the rotes They are the ragynge waues of the sea fomynge out theyr owne shame They are wandring stertes to whome is reserued the myst of darckenes for euer Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophecyed before of suche saying Beholde the Lorde shall come with thousandes of saynctes to geue iudgement agaynst all menne and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all theyr vngodly dedes whiche they haue vngodly commytted and of all their cruell speakynges whiche vngodly sinners haue spoken agaynct hym These are mutmuters complayners walking after theyr owne lustes whose mouthes speake proud thynges They haue men in greate teuerence because of auauntage But ye beloued remembre the wordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ howe that they tolde you that there should be begylers in the laste tyme whiche shoulde walke after theyr vngodly lustes These are makers of sectes fleshly hauinge no spirite But ye dearely beloued editie your selues in your moste holy faythe prayinge in the holy ghoste and kepe your selues in the loue of God lokynge for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall lyfe And haue compassion of some seperatyng them and other saue with feare pullyng them out of the fyre and haue compassion on the other and hare the fylthy vesture of the slesh Vnto hym that is able to kepe you fte from synne and to presente you fautles before the presence of hys glory with ioye at the commyng of oure Lorde Iesu Christe to God oure sauiour thorow Iesus Christe our Lorde which onely is wyse be glory maiestie domynion and power before all worldes nowe and euer Amen I Iudas Thadeus the seruaunt of Iesu Christe the brother of Iames write this Epistle not to the Iewes onely nor to other newly conuerted but to all men in commune whome the render mercye of God the father hathe of his owne free will sanctified and hathe also without the helpe of the lawe made godly of vngodly and of Idolatours obedient folowers of true religion whom also the bounteous goodnes of God had preserued in Iesu Christ to this ende that they shoulde not auaunt with other into the dongeon of euerlasting damnacion whom
with the worlde and we are in hym truely in that we folowe hys doctrine and promyses with an vpryght conscience as longe as wee are in hys sonne Iesus Christe whome he sent into the worlde for that intent He is the true god whiche onely ought to be honoured and the true lyfe whiche onelye oughte to bee desyred Lytell chyldren yf you doo truelye knowe the true God beware of false goddes and vayne Images whyche the worlde hathe in honoure He wurshyppeth an Idole that maketh moneye hys God He wurshyppeth an Idole that maketh hys bely hys God He wurshyppeth an Idole that for worldelye honoures sake despysethe the commaundementes of GOD. There be manye suche kyndes of Images Beware you of all yf you wyll abyde in the wurshippe of the true God Whyche humble prayer of myne he vouchesafe to make good by whose goodnes wee are delyuered from oure erroures Amen Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the fyrste epistle of Sainct Iohn The Paraphrase of Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the Seconde Epistle of Iohn The text The elder to the electe lady and her children whom I loue in the trueth and not I onely but also all that haue knowen the trueth for the truthes sake whiche dwelleth in vs and shall be in vs for euer With vs shall be grace mercie and peace from god the father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of the father in trueth loue I reioysed greatly that I founde of thy children walkynge in trueth as we haue receaued a commaundement of the father And now beseche I thee lady not as thoughe I wrote a newe commaundement vnto the but that same which we haue had from the beginninge that we should loue one another And this is the loue that we should walke after his commaundement This cōmaundement is that as ye haue heard from the begynning ye should walke init For many deceauers are entred into the world which confesse nor that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a deceauer and an Antichrist Loke on your selues y◠we lose not that we haue wrought but that we may haue a ful reward Whosoeuer transgresseth bydeth not in the doctrine of Christ hathe not God He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father the sonne If there come any vnto you bring not this learning him receaue not to house nether bid him god spede For he that byddeth him god spede is partaker of his euil dedes Behold I haue tolde you before y◠ye should not be ashamed in the day of the Lord. I had many thinges to write vnto you neuerthelesse I would not wryte with paper ynke but I trust to come vnto you and speake with you mouth to mouth that oure ioye maye be full The sonnes of thy electe syster grete the. Amen I Iohn being an elder wryte vnto the electe lady and to her sonnes also whome I loue syncerely nether doe I thus alone but al that are with me which haue knowē the trueth of the Gospelle nether doe they loue them for any other cause but that they vnderstande the synceritie of the Gospelles profession which we folowe to remayne in vs and shall remayne in vs for euermore Grace mercie and peace be alwayes encreased from God the father and from the Lorde Iesu Christe vnto you that perseuer still in the trueth of the Gospelles doctrine and in mutuall loue one to another I was wonderfully glad whan I perceaued that thy sonnes folowing theyr mothers godlynes contynued still in the truthe of the Gospelles doctrine and not gaue herkenynge vnto false doctours that goe about to turne many awaye from it where the father gaue vs thys in cōmaundement that we shoulde geue eare to the doctrine of hys sonne and that we shoulde not goe out of his fotesteppes Therfore it is no nede nowe ladye for me to instructe thy godlynes with new commaundementes only let vs continue still in that whiche was deliuered from the begynninge that we shoulde loue eche one other with a mutual and a true Christian loue But this beneuolence the consent and all one facion of godly life amonge oure selues must procure that we may lyue in all one purposed studies after the commaundement of God which enioined vs nothing so diligētly as mutual loue amonge oure selues There is no true loue amonge the wiked nor among them that be of vnlike facions Therfore I geue no new commaundement but I geue you warninge diligently to continue still in that which you haue already receaued longe a goe and not to suffre youre selues by any subtilties of the false prophetes to be plucked awaye For in dede there are manye deceauers in the worlde whiche denye that Iesus is Christe whiche shoulde come into the worlde accordinge to the prophetes prophecienges He that teacheth thus is a deceauer and Antichriste him self Christes aduersarie Let euery one take hede to hym selfe leste if he forsake that whiche he hathe well begonne he lose all the frute of those thinges whiche he hathe hitherto done well but let vs geue diligence that we may receaue the full hyre which happeneth not but to them that perseuer still vnto theende Whosoeuer swarueth from the trueth and abydeth not still in the doctrine of Christe he is estraunged also from God the father in that he swarued from the sonne But he that constauntly foloweth his doctrine is in his so doinge dearely beloued both vnto the father and to the sonne The one canne neyther be had nor forsaken without the other Thys is the true doctrine whiche you haue receaued of true recorde bearours from the begynnyng But if any man come vnto you and bringeth a contrary doctrine to this to carye you away from the Gospelles veritie you ought not onely to take no hede vnto him but also he ought not so muche as be admitted in to your house if he desyre lodging nor to be bidden God spede if he chaūce to mete you in the way For it is daunger lest he infecte the household with his familiaritie and for hys lodging requite an euill turne and lest of bidding him God spede there arise communicacion And in dede euil communicaciō corrupteth good maners To be shorte he that saluteth and kepeth company with such a maner deceauour he semeth to be a companyon of his euill dooinges For he geueth a courage vnto the wicked whan he seeth him selfe any whit regarded with them whome he goeth about to subuerte and geueth an outwarde shewe of euill vnto other as though he semed to fauour the naughtynes of hym whose familyaritie he doeth not abhorre There were many other thinges whiche I was desyrous to wryte vnto you concerning these matters howbeit I had rather open them to you presentlye than to put them in wryting For I truste shortly to come see you and talke with you presently mouth to mouthe that the Ioy whiche I haue conceaued of youre constaunt synceritie maye bee more pleynteous and full whan I shall bothe
of the faithfull of all creatures the begynnynge without begynnynge y◠euerlastyng wysdome of god Here marke how hyghly god is dyspleased with suche as be indyfferent neyther who◠nor colde whiche wyll and wyll not not consyderynge the earnest wil and commaūdement of god And wyll suffer nothynge for his sake but are content with the onely shyne and shadowe of godlynes and with the onely name of faythe and obedyence to god Where as Christ wyll haue a more feruent and earnest zeale namely the golde of a stedfast and a constante fayth in all maner of affliccion aduersitie the whyte garmētes of innocencie and purenes of lyfe in their whole conuersacion before god and man y◠bryght and clere iyes of Christen doctrine without any manner of errour That a man beyng riche after this maner may walke before god in his churche with worshyp and honestye and without all dread Whan any mysfortune of this worlde dothe happen vnto the faythfull they ought to thynke vpon these wordes and to be thankefull vnto god in true faythe and charite alwayes studyeng to amende their lyues This is the true repentaunce The lorde is muche more ready to gyue than we are to desyre or to receyue And he delyghteth in vertuous and godly hartes and gyueth them comforte loue and hope and strengthneth their faith that they maye be able to continue and remayne without dreade in the grace and fauour of god This is the very ryght supper of y◠spirite of god withal faithfull beleuers in this world But in the blysse of heauen there shal be the very fruicion and possession of all goodnes and of the most hyghest honour with vnspeakable ioye in god withal the holy sainctes whiche euer haue lyued vertuously in the fauour of god ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ After this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voyce which I hearde was as it were of a trompet talkynge with me whiche sayde come vp hyther and I wyll shewe the thinges which must be fulfylled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauen and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpon lyke vnto a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone And there was a raynebowe about the seate in syght lyke to an Emeralde And about the seate were foure and twentye seates And vpon the seates foure and twenty elders syttyng clothed in whyte rayment and had on their heades crownes of golde HEre doth Iohn looke and see in spirite as all y◠prophetes dyd Beholde the fygure whiche representeth vnto thee what heauenly mysteries of the kyngdome of Christ and of the thinges that should happen afterwarde Iohn dyd see in the heauen beyng opened To be in the spirite is asmuche as to be rapte of the spirite of god into an heauēly traunce aboue al mans witte power or capacyte Gods stoole or seate in heauen sygnified the euerlastynge state and continuaunce of the power myght blisse and ryghtuousnes of god The bryghtnes of the precious stones sygnified y◠hyghe maiestye and glory of god bewtyfyed with the knowledge of al thinges The raynebowe sygnifyeth his mercye and pacient sufferynge yet not without mete and condigne reuengeaunce and iustice The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders doe sygnifye y◠most hyghest iustyce and vnsearcheable councell and iudgement of god and that the most speciall frendes of god bothe of the olde and new testament are incorporate into y◠kyngdome of god bothe Patryarkes Kynges Prophetes Apostles and bysshops All are subiect vnto the lorde in all holynes and ready to honour him eternally And al these doe knowledge that they receyued all goodnes and commendacion that they haue of the bountyfull grace of god The texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtnynges and thondrynges and voyces and there were .vii. lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whiche are the .vii. spirites of god And before the seate there was a sea of glasse lyke vnto Cristall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde aboute y◠seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde And the first beaste was lyke a lyon and the seconde beaste lyke a calfe and the thirde beaste had a face as a man and the fourthe beaste was lyke a flying Egle. And the .iiii. beastes had echone of them syre wynges about him and they were full of eyes within And they had no rest daye nether nyght sayinge Holy holy holy Lord god almightye which was and is and is to come The earnest iudgement and commaundement of god shall be opened and made manyfest vnto all the worlde thorowe the gospell whiche shall be fearful and heauy vnto the wycked but ioyfull and welcome vnto the faithfull godly For vnto them it shall come with the gyftes of the plentifull spirite of God whiche shall appeare in their fruites The sea of glasse maye sygnifye vnto vs the aduersityes of this lyfe whiche serue both to y◠glorye of god and also to the syngular profyte of the faithfull for the frutefull exercyse of their faythe The iiii sondry beastes are interpreted by some of the olde doctours but not by all to sygnifye the .iiii. Euangelystes They maye betoken the .iiii. special mysteries of the Christen faythe As the manhode of Christ maye be sygnified by the face of the man And the passion and death of Christ by the calfe appoynted to be slayne and offered And the resurrection from death by the lyon And the ascencion into heauen by the Egle. All whiche misteries of Christ are plentuously set furth in the holy gospelles and Christ and his kyngdome is descrybed in them vnto all the world as a necessarye and a perfyght doctrine The wynges which are spoken of doe sygnifye here lyke as they doe in the .vi. Chapter of Esaye the obedience and reuerence whiche all creatures doe owe of duty vnto y◠lorde whiche vertues the faythful both willyngly and dylygently doe declare withall redynes and swyftnes of their godly and deuout heartes The multitude of the eyes dothe sygnifye the Christen doctrine and wysedome of god wherof is no want nor scarsenes in the churche And this doctrine must be learned and taken out of the holy scripture geuen by god For the whiche cause al godly and blessed myndes as well of the angels as of men shal neuer cease to prayse and exalt the almightye god to be holy in al his workes onely one in his godly substance and yet a Trinite of persons as it is wonderfully declared and expressed bothe by al holy scriptures and also by the heauenly wysedome of the prophetes and other holy men secretely inspired and lyghtned of god euē certein of the heathē also whiche thorowe true fayth doe knowledge and confesse that there is but one onely god creatour of all thinges and ruler and gouernoure foreuer and immutable The texte ¶ And when those beastes gaue glorye and honour and
shoulde all together be fulfylled that all prophetes dyd euer prophecye of the kyngdome of Messias the sauiour of the whole worlde whiche is the hyghest misterye Of the whiche thinges all patriarkes and prophetes yea and the apostles also and Christ him selfe dyd speake namely of the tyme of the kyngdome of heauen that was commyng and of the commynge of Christ in his highest honour and glorye whiche shal be manifest and knowen vnto all men and vnto the whole world The texte ¶ And the voyce whiche I hearde from heauen spake vnto me againe and sayde go and take the lytle boke whiche is open in the hande of the angell which standeth vpon the sea and vpon the earth And I went vnto the angell and sayde to him geue me the lytle boke and he sayd vnto me take it and eate it vp it shal make thy belly bytter but it shal be in thy mouthe as swete as hony And I toke the lytle boke out of his hande and eate it vp and it was in my mouthe as swete as â—onâ— and assone as I hade eaten it my bellye was bytter And he sayde vnto me thou must prophecye againe amonge the people and nacions and tongues and to many kynges At this place myght the begynnyng of the .xi. muche more conueniently haue bene appoincted but it is no matter Iohn in the person of all faithfull christians and specially in the person of them whiche should be teachers in the churche of god as the holy bysshops and other apostolicall men heareth the voyce of God speakinge thus vnto him If thou wylt doe and performe thy office and vocacion truly and iustly than goe thy waye and appointe thy selfe therunto withall thy might and power and take in thy hande the holy open and mooste cleare cronicle booke of the holy gospell and worde of God receyue the same and the holy vnderstandinge therof from the holy goost thorow feruent praier And reade therin with faythe loue and moost earnest zeale of Christ hym selfe But he telleth him before that he shoulde not onely reade or synge it wryte or endyte it but that he shoulde with a moost gredy desyre euen deuoure it vp as a foode from God and as the heauenly breade of all faythfull beleuers and that â—e dygest it in to his bowels as a moost cleane and holsome foode Whiche thing can not come to passe with out bytternes of repentaunce and of sorowe and heuynes of the hearte and conscience And specially vnto him that knoweth so muche of the wyll of God and feleth that his spirite is so weake and frayle and his fleshe so wylde and dysobedient and his mynde so stubbourne and obstinate against the spirite of god Or els it may be thus vnderstandeÌ„ that whan a man vnderstandeth the worde of god and knoweth that it ought to be spred furth vnto other that is to saye to the whole churche of God and that the truth ought to be spoken vnto the blynde worlde and that it can not yet be done with out great perell danger of bodye and lyfe than is it doutles bytter vnto him But yet not withstandinge it is swete in the mouthe thorowe the comforte and ioye of the truth and thorowe the ioyful promes of the gospell of rightuousnes and holynes thorow Christ the sauiour of the whole world in al tymes Al this did Iohn in a vision and toke also further instruccion thereof as foloweth ¶ The .xi. Chapter The texte ¶ And then was geuen me a rede lyke vnto a rodde and it was sayd vnto me Ryse meat the temple of god and the aulter and them that worshyp therin and the quier whiche is within the temple cast out and meate it not for it is geuen vnto the Gentiles the holy citie shall they treade vnder fote xiii monethes And I wyll geue power vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophesye a thousande two hundered and .ix. dayes clothed in sacke clothe These are two olyue trees and two candelstyckes standynge before the God of the earth And yf any man wyll hurte them fyre shall procede out of their mouthes and consume their enemies And yf any man wil hurte them this wyse must he be kylled These haue power to shut heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their prophesyinge and haue power ouer waters to turne them to bloude and to smite the earth with all maner plages as often as they wyll THe lorde doth teuele and shewe vnto Iohn that he wyll vysyte and reforme his churche beyng so sore fallen and decaied whaÌ„ tyme shal be thorowe apostolical men and godly parsons which haue eaten vp and dysgested the booke of god and with great swetnes and plesantnes haue bene feruent and earnest to further and to set furth the wyl of God And thus he geueth hym a â—eâ—wande in his hande as he dyd also vnto Ezechiell to measure to serche out the rightuousnes of the churches and the state of euery one And specially of them whiche by reason of their office and vocacion ought to haue a speciall respecte and regarde to the seruyce of god among the whiche the bysshops and the highe most speciall doctors and teachers of the churche whiche are vnderstande and ment by the quiere for as muche as they are maisters and rulers of the quiere were the mooste wicked and vngodly And they are compared and lykened vnto the heathen and were geuen and delyuered vp vnto them to be punysshed For the heathen and vngodly and supersticious people geuen to al ydolatrie whether they be spiritual or secular they shal treade down destroy and defyle the churche of Christ a long time whiche is to be vnderstande by the xlii monethes the is to saye .iii. yeares an halfe whiche might well sygnifye .iii. hundreth yeares an halfe from the tyme that muche false doctrine many supersticious ceremonies came first into the churche against the manifest worde of God Whiche thinges sprang vp thorow yâ— pompe pryde couetousnes and presumpcion of the spiritual prelates watchmen as they named them selues and so ought to haue bene in dede by their office callyng The two witnesses of repentaunce amendement of lyfe which should take the gospel in hande againe and should restore bryng forthe the booke againe are Enoche Elyas For in the wicked tyme of the Cainites before Noes floode Enoche studyed went about without doubte bothe with word dede to reforme the world to reduce them vnto the true faith in God perfyght loue to their neyghboure againe Wherunto he was moued by the holy goost whiche did worke speake in him yea parauenture also did write thorowe him For there were once bokes of Enoche whiche nowe are not to be gotten And lyke wyse did Elyas also in yâ— time of the lawe but with a wonderfull zeale feruentnes both in word deed thorow the mocion of the holy goost whiche worketh in the ministers
thryches of his goodnes Agaynste the daye of vengeaunce For whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe shall also c. Whan the the lorde shal iudge the secretes of meÌ„ c. A light of theÌ„ whiche wander in darkenes For the name of god is euil spoken of among the GeÌ„tyles But if thou be a breaker of the lawe the circumcision c. Neither is it circumcision whiche is outwarde in the fleshe c. Whaâ— prefermâ—nt then c. What then though sum of them dyd not c. For if the trueth of god appere more excellent thorough my ly That al mouthes may be stopped and that all the worlde c. WhoÌ„ God hath â—et fâ—rth to be the obteiner of mercy c. Therfore we holde that a man c. Do we then destroy the law through fayth c. If Abraham wee iustified by dedes theÌ„ hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God To him that worketh is the rewarde not reakened of fauer but of duetie c. Blessed are thei whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen How was it then rekened And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale c. And he receiued the signe of circuÌ„cision That he should be the father of all tâ—em that beleue For yf they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres thaÌ„ is faythe but vayne c. Therfore by fayth is thinheritaunce geuen c. I haue made the a father of manye nacions c. And calleth those thynges which be not as thoughe they wer Which Abraham contrary to hope beleued in hope Accordyng to that whiche was spoken euen so shall thy seede be Neuertheles it is not written for hym onlye Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth â–ª we are at peace with god And reioyse in hope of yâ— glorie of the chyldren of god For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christe died for vs. Not onelye this but we also ioye in god c. wherfore as by one man â–ª syn entred in to the world But synne is not imputed where therâ— is no lawe But the gifte is not lyke as the synne For if by the synne of one death raigned by yâ— meanes of one muche more c. For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience c. That as syn raigned vnto death euen so c. Shal we continue in sine God forbid â—now ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him Euen so shall we be partakers of his resurreccion That hence foorth we should not be seruantes vn to synne c. For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once Let not sinne raigne therfore in your mortalbodies And geâ—e ouer your meÌ„bres as instrumeÌ„tes of righteousnes vnto God c. His seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey c. Ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto yâ— rule of yâ— doctrine of that ye be brought vnto For when â—â— wer seruauntes of sinne ye wer voyde of all righteousnes For the ende of those thinges is death For the rewarde of syn is death but eternal life is the gifte of god c. Know ye not c. howe that the lawe hath power ouer the maÌ„ c. For the woman which is in subiection to a man c. So then if while the maÌ„ liueth she couple herselfe with an other c. EueÌ„ so ye also my brethreÌ„ are dead concerning yâ— lawe c. But now are we delyuâ—â—â—â— fâ—om th◠〈◊〉 deâ—◠〈◊〉 it Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by the lawe For sinne loke occasion by yâ— meanes of the commaundement c. wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holy Naye it was synne yâ— syn might appere by it whiche was good c. But I am carnall solde vnder synne If I do now that which I would not I consent c. For I know that in me c. dwelleth no good thyng For to wyl is presente with me but I fide no meanes to perfourme c For I delyghte in the lawe of god c. O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me c. For the lawe of yâ— spirit of life through Iesus Christ hath made me fre from the law of synne and death And sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfall fleshe To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace So then they that are in yâ— fleshe can not please God If any man haue not the spirit of christ the same is none of hâ—s c Wherfore if â— the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from death c. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shal dye c But ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion â–ª c. This spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are notworthy c. For yâ— ferneÌ„â— desyre of the creature abydeth lookyng when yâ— soÌ„nes of God shal appeare â–ª c. For we know that euery creature grâ—neth with vâ— also â–ª c. For we are saued by hope but hope that is seen is no hope For we know not what to desyre as we ought But yâ— spirit maketh intetcession c. And he that search â—â— the hertes knoweth â—â—â—at is the meanyng of the spirite â–ª For these wâ—â—che he knewe before he also ordâ—yâ—ned before And whome he hath called them also he iustified c. If god be on out side who caÌ„ be againste vs It is god yâ— iustifieth who is he yâ— can condeÌ„ne c. Who shal separate vs froÌ„ the loue of god Neuertheles in al theâ—e thiÌ„ges wâ— ouercum through hym that loued vs. Neyther heighte nor loweth c. I say yâ— truth â—n Christ and lâ—e not my coÌ„science also bearing me witnesse c. For I haue wishâ—dde my self â—â— be cursed froÌ„ Christ c. To whome pertayneth yâ— adopcion of the chyldren and the glory c. Whose also are the fathers and they of whom as coÌ„ceâ—nyng the fleshe Christe came They are not all Israelites whiche are of Israel c. But in Isaac shal thy seede bâ— called c. They whiche are yâ— chyldreÌ„ of the fleshe are not the chyldren of god c. Rebecca was with child by one euen by our father Isaac That the purpose of God by election might stande What shal we say then Is there any vnrighteousnes with god For yâ— scripture sayth vnto Pharao euen for this purpose haue I stered yâ— vp c. But O man what arte yâ— whiche disputest with god shal the work say to the workmâ—n c. Hath not the potter power ouer the claye euen of the same luÌ„pe c. Euen so God willyng to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath c. I wyl cal theÌ„ my people whiche were not my people c. Though the numbre of yâ— children of Israel be as the sand
of the sea c. A short word wyll God make in yerth Israel which folowed the law of rightousnes cou'd not attaine yâ— law of righteousnes c. For thei haue stumbled at yâ— stumblyng stone c. Brethren my heartes desire and praier to God for Israel is c They haue a feruentminde to Godward but not accordyng to knoledge c. They goyng aboute to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient to the righteousnes of God c. Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustify al that beleue c. The monne whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby c Saye not yâ— in thyne hert who shall asceÌ„d into heauen c. Yf thou knowlege with thy mouthe that Iesus is the lorde c. For one is Lorde of all which is riche vnto all that call vpoÌ„ him Howe shal they beleue of whome they haue not heard So thaÌ„ faith cummeth by hearyng and hearing cummeth by the word of god I wyl prouoke you to enuye by theÌ„ that are no people I am founde of them that soughte me not I am manifeste vnto them that asked not after me I saye then hath god cast away his people god forbid Wote ye not what scripture sayth of Helias howe he maketh intercession If it be of grace than is it not now of workes Israel hath not obtayned that which he seketh but yâ— eleccion hath obteyned it And Dauid sayd let their table be made a snare c. I saye then haue thei therfore stuÌ„bied yâ— they shoulde vtterly fall away together I speake to you Gentiles in asmuche as I am the apostle of the Gentiles For yf one piece be holye yâ— who le heap is holy Thou beyng a wyld Oliue tre wastgraft in among theÌ„ made partaker of yâ— roote and fatnes of the Oliue tre The brauÌ„ches be broken of that I might be graffed in Towardes yâ— kyndnes if yâ— coÌ„tinue in his kyndnes Thou shalt be hewen of they again if they abyde not stil in vn beleif Vntil the fulnes of the gentiles be come in And so shal all Israel be saued There shall come out of Sion he that doth deliuer The giftes â— callyng of God â—re such that it caÌ„not repent him of them God hath wrapped all nacioÌ„s in vnbeleif that he might haue Mercy on all O the depenes of the riches bothe of the wisdome and knowledge of God Of him and through him and for him are al thiÌ„ges Make your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vn to God Be you chauÌ„ged in your shape by the renuyng of your mynde But I say c. to euery man among ynu that no man stande high in his owne conceite c. So we being many are one body â— Christ If anye man haue the gift of prophecie c. Let him that teacheth take hede to his doctrine Let loue be without dissimulacioÌ„ c. Be kindeone to another with brotherlye loue Apply yourselues to the tyme. Blisse them whiche perstcute you blysse I say and curse not Be not wyse in your own opinion As muche as is in you 〈◊〉 peaceablye with all men In so doyng thou shalt hâ—apâ— coles of â—yâ—â— on his headâ— By not ouercome of euil but ouercome euil with goodnes Let euery soule submit hymself vnto the authoritie of the hyer powers Ther is â—â— power but oâ— god The powers that be are ordained of god Thei that resiste shall recâ—yue to them self damnacion He to the minister of god to take vengeaunce on hym Not only for feare of vengeaunce but also bycause of conscience Owe nothig to anye man but this that ye loue one another For he that loueth an other hath fulfilled yâ— who le lawe Therfore to loue the fulfillyng of the lawe It is tyme that we shuld now awake out of slepe Let vs therfore cast away yâ— deedes of darkenes But put ye on the lorde Iesus Christ Him that is weake in the fayth receiâ—e vnto you â–ª â—â— One beleueth that he map eat al thinges Let not him that eateth â–ª dispise him that eateth not â—t For god hath receiued him â–ª What arte yâ— that iudgest an other maÌ„s seruaunt â–ª This manne putteth differeÌ„ce betwene day and day He yâ— eateth doeth it to please yâ— lord â—oâ— he geueth god thankes None of vs liueth for him seltr c. Whether we liue therfore oâ— dye we are the lordeâ— We shal al â—e brought before the iudgement seate of Christ Let vs not therfore iudge one an other Iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke c. in his brothers way I know and am full certified c that there is nothyng comen of it selfe The kyngdome of God is not meate drinke c. But righteousnes and peace ioye in the holye ghost All thynges are pure but it is euell for that manâ—e which eateth with hurt of conscience Haste thou fayth haue it not with thy selfe before god For whatsoeuer is not of fayth yâ— same is synne We whiche are strong ought o beare he fraylenes of them whiche arâ— weake Whatsoeuer thinges are written afore tyme thei are written for our learning yâ— we through pacience That ye all agreyng together maye with one mouthe prayse god yâ— father c. And this I saye that Iesus Christe was a minister of the circision c. For this cause I wyll prayse the among the GeÌ„tiles and sing vnto thy name c. Neuertheles brethren I haue somewhat more boldly wrytteÌ„ vnto you I haue therfore whereof I maye reioice through Christ Iesu With worde and dede in mightye signes and wonders c. To whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that heare not shal not vnderstande c. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia c. WheÌ„ I haue perfourmed this c I wil come backe by you again into Spain â–ª That this my seruice which I haue to do at Ierusalem may be accepted c. Receiue her in Christ as it becommeth saintes Whiche haue for my life layd doune them owne neckes Whiche are well taken among the Aposties and were â— Christ before me Marke them whiche cause deuision and gyue occasion of eueil I woulde haue you wise vnto yâ— whiche is good c. And I Tertius c. Now is opened by the scriptures of yâ—â—â—hetes at the commauÌ„dement of yâ— c. Grace be vnto you peace from god the father c. That in all thynges ye are made tâ—che by him I beseche you brethren by the name of our lorde Iesus Christ that ye al speake one thyng I holde of Paul I holde of Apollo c. Is Christe deuided Was Paul crucified for you â–ª I thanke God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius Christ sente me not to baptize but to preache â— the gospell â–ª The preaching of the crosse is to them that peryshe folishnes I wyll destroye the wysedome of the wyse Where is the wise