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
loue haue they but yet not accordyng to knowledge and right iudgement Nor are they deceiued for lacke of a godly minde and purpose but in the choyse and practise of life they rūne farre awry Now better is it to haue some minde to religion then to be al without and of God wel worthy wer that minde of theyrs in goodnes to be encreased were it not that they to the grosse beginnynges of godly life so stubbernly cleaued that they refused the true and perfite religion and wer it not also they so vehemently requyred and auaunced euen shadowes and pictures of trueth that the verye fountayne of trueth they vtterly dispised For whiles they busyly in dede but yet vndiscretely defende and kepe Moses lawe resistyng him for whom the lawe was principally ordained they vtterly fal euen from the whole lawe selfe Kepyng of the sabboth day circumcision abstinence frō certayne kyndes of meates the shonnyng of dead carkasses fastyng dayes the keapyng of high feastes were for this purpose made and decreed for a time that frō suche rude beginnynges men might by litle and litle growe vpwarde to true perfite righteousnes and from a certaine worldly righteousnes encrease and growe vppe to that whiche is in all pointes godly and perfecte If an ordinaunce be purposed and made for a better ende vnseamyng is it for loue of suche a meane to dispise the ende for whiche the sayd meane was appointed But now frowardely so yet do the Iewes whom albeit after the publishyng of the righteousnes of God it besemed to forgoe the carnal iustice of the lawe yet so farrefoorth bolster they out defende theyr olde and at this tyme hurteful and not onely superfluous iustice of the lawe that they not onely wyll not knowledge the heauenly righteousnes of God but also hauyng a confidence in theyr ceremonies withstande and resist the gospel of Christ wherevnto they ought by fayth to submitte them selfe if they euer minded to be truely righteous For we must by imaginacion conceiue as it were twoo kyndes of iustice th one wherof Moses was author the other wherof Christ was beginner The one standeth in ceremonies the other in fayth and obedience And as the rude piece of timbre is matter wherof an image is wrought as bloud is the beginning of liuyng creatures to be brought foorth by generaciō so is the iustice of the lawe a rude grosse beginnyng of thother whiche is more perfite And certainly extreme folishenes is it after that a man is come to perfeccion curiously to sticke styl in rudimentes But now of all Moses law whiche is of it selfe rude vnperfite is Christ the fulfillyng and perfeccion by whom through fayth and not through circumcision we attaine righteousnes whiche way to righteousnes is not onely open for Iewes to entre therinto but also to all true and faythful beleuers The texte For Moses writeth of the righteousnes whiche commeth of the lawe how that the mā whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby But the righteousnes which cōmeth of fayth speaketh on this wyse say not thou in thine heart who shal ascende into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue either who shall descende into the depth that is euen to fetche vp Christ againe from death but what sayth he The worde is nigh the euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Both kyndes of iustice did Moses clearely expresse For the temporal iustice whiche rested in ceremonies to be kept but for a season plainly setteth he out in the boke of y◠Leuites saiyng kepe my lawes decrees this who so doeth shal liue therby But the true euerlastyng iustice whiche we by Christ through a liuely fayth obtaine in the boke of Deuteronomi expresseth he when he sayth neither say thou in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen for that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue Nor yet say thou who shal descende and goe doune into the deapth of the yearth for that were euen to fetche vppe Christ againe from death Of whiche bothe sortes of questioners forasmuche as they require of fayth to haue an experiment neither of both semeth to beleue well But whosoeuer vnfaynedly beleueth is in suche poyntes more surely and better persuaded thē is one which nedeth suche meanes to be taught with either of this I saye that Christe once descended from heauen or els of this that he nowe sytteth at his fathers ryghte hande thoughe he nomore shewe neither of bothe before mennes iyen And though it be of men sene nomore yet beleueth he also that Christ went downe to hell and the thyrde daye rose agayne to lyfe Sufficient is it for vs to beleue that this was once done So that this remayneth that we gyue credence vnto suche as sawe the same And to beleue this we nede not to seke ferre The Iewes sawe and yet beleued not Other heard whiche sawe not and yet gaue they credence The scripture recordeth the same whiche streight after saythe the worde is nyghe the euen in thy mouthe and in thy hearte The texte This same is the worde of faythe whiche we preache For yf thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the lorde and beleue in thy heart that god raysed hym vp frō death thou shalte be saued For to beleue with the hearte iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the Scripture sayth whosoeuer beleueth on hym shal not be confounded And what worde is this whiche Scripture speaketh of Withoute doubt the worde of the gospel which we beyng publyshers of this righteousnes do preache worketh in mennes soules present saluacion so that menne by faythe onely apply theyr myndes therunto But howe is this worde of the gospell in thy mouthe and howe is it in thy hearte Yf thou with thy mouthe confesse and knowledge the Lorde Iesus and with thy heart vnfaynedly beleue that god from death raised hym agayne to lyfe that we through hym beyng restored to lyfe from the death of syn shoulde hereafter lyue in cleannesse of lyfe then shalt thou be saued For with hert beleue we whiche is to ryghteousenes the very entrey but for asmuche as when nede requyreth all men are bounde to glorifie Christe to euerlastyng saluacion it is not sufficient with heart onlye to beleue excepte thou the same with thy mouthe confesse By this seeye that this matter hangeth not vpon ceremonies but vpon fayth Whiche thyng Esai also speakyng of Christe recordeth saying whosoeuer beleueth on hym shall not be confounded The texte There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile For one is lorde of all whiche is riche vnto all that cal vpon hym For whosoeuer dothe call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe Howe then shall they call on hym on whome they haue not beleued Howe shall they beleue on hym of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare withoute a preacher And how shall they
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
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
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
and exceading poore yet suche hearty myndes had they that the litle whiche was lefte in theyr emptie cofers they departed with for the reliefe of the poore By meane wherof the poorer they became and more broughte to neede throughe theyr godly liberalitie the rycher are they growen in gentle heartes and singlenes For we not onely founde them not harde in geuyng theyr goodes but also beare true witnes with them that thei would of good wyll not onely geue accordyng to theyr abilities but also more than theyr abilities were insomuche that when we fearyng leste after suche exceading great liberalitie by reason of nede they might of that they had doen be sorte refused to receyue theyr free offer they moste instantelye besoughte vs to suffer them to be partakers of this prayse whiche is that they geuyng some parte of theyr substaunce for the reliefe of saynctes might agayne be partakers of theyr godlynes in so doyng not onely satisfying my desyre but also doing more than I loked for which not onely offered theyr goodes but also frely gaue theÌ„selues first to god and then to vs also as the wil of god was by whose inspiracion they were moued so gladly to obey vs. â— hose good minde so greatly pleased me that I exhorted Titus that as by hys good counsell ye had already begun this liberalitie vpon good people he would in you accomplishe that whiche was begun to the intent ye shoulde be the more beholding vnto him by whome ye haue obteyned this godly prayse of beneuolence that in this poynt ye be behinde none other The texte Nowe therefore as ye ate â—ychein all parties in fayth in woorde in knowlage in al feruentues and in loue whiche ye haue to vs euen so see that ye be plenteous in this beneuolence also This saye I not commaunding but because of feruentues I doe alow the unfainednes of your loue towarde other men For ye knowe the liberalitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ that though he was tyche yet for your sakes he became poore yâ— ye through his pouertie might be made riche And I geue counsell hereto For this is expediente for you whiche began not to doe â—uâ—ly but also to will a yere agoe Nowe therfore performe the thing whiche ye began to doe that as there was in you a tedines to will euen so ye may perfourme the dede of that whiche ye haue For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not But rather as ye in other gyftes passe other that is to wit in the gift of fayth in the gift of tonges in the gift of knowledge in the gift of diligent ministring in the gift of charitie which ye haue declared toward vs be ye likewise in this gift excellent not because I require so much of you but for this rehearse I the ready mindes of the Macedonians that ye being through their example prouoked frely declare your vnfayned charitie in this behalfe folowing the lorde Iesus Christe asmuch as ye be able who albeit he were ryche and lorde of al yet because he would doe vs good of hys free goodnes made himselfe poore and hydyng hys almightye power became manne to the ende that throughe hys pouertie ye might bee enryched makyng as it were a chaunge wherein he receiued the pouertie of our humanitie because he woulde make vs partakers of the riches of his Godhead Therfore as in my other letters I required you not to leade a syngle lyfe but for your weale and profite counsayled you thereto so in thys matier I commaunde you not but geue you counsell and for this geue you counsell because I thynke it shall be profitable for you namely since the thynge I geue you counsell in is suche as ye haue alreadye without my counsell not onely begunne to dooe but also gladly of your owne myndes begunne to will it Nowe remayneth thys that suche thynges as ye haue begun to dooe ye perfourme in dede that as ye willyngly mynded this a yere paste so ye perfourme it as the Macedonians gaue you exaumple not aboue your habilitie as they dyd but euery manne as he is able That which a manne geueth against hys will is not acceptable if a mannes will bee good and ready it is sufficiente though his gift be measured by hys habilitie for no man is required to geue that he hath not The texte ¶ It is not my mynde that other be set at ease and ye brought into cumbrauÌ„ce but that there be egalnes now at this time and that your aboundaunce maye succour their lacke and that theyr aboundaunce supplye your lacke that there maye be equalitie agreeing to that whiche is written he that had much had not the more aboundaunce and he that bad litle bad neuerthelesse ThaÌ„kes be vnto god which put the same good minde for you in the herte of Titus which accepted the requeste ye rather he was so well willing that of his owne accorde he came vnto you Nor must men so vse theyr liberalitie that such vpon whome it is bestowed liue at rest and pleasauntly and they that geue be brought to pouertie But for an egalnes to be kept among you that is to witte that through youre riches wherof ye haue abouÌ„dauÌ„ce their pouerty may be relieued and again that their fayth godlines wherin they passe you may recompence that that perchaunce wanteth in you whyles eche of you departeth with other so that neyther of you lacke anye thyng but that there bee an equalitie obserued As we reade it chaunced with oure elders in gatheryng manna that he whiche had gathered more with hym remayned there no more than with an other whiche had gathered lesse For so is it written in the booke of Exodiâ—he that had muche had not the more aboundaunce and he that had litle had neuerthelesse These temporall riches haue we but for a season to liue by them from tyme to tyme because no man should long beefore caste hys penyworthes what he shall haue lefte hym For if ye goe that way to worke no man will thinke that he hath for himself sufficient and spare to geue vnto other For this present tyme this man hath nede and thou hast to much Of that which thou hast more than inough geue as the presente nede requireth If hereafter it chaunce that thou thyselfe nede thou shalt with like liberalitiie by some other be eased And thankes geue I vnto god whiche inspired this good purpose in Titus hearte as well as in myne which gladly accepted my request being elswise well disposed thereto yea which came vnto you â–ª not so much at my request as of his own good wil albeit he was through myne encouraging the better willed The texte We haue sente with hym the brother whose laude is in the gospell throughout all the congregacions and not that onely but is also chosen of the congregacyons to bee a felowe with vs in our iourney
nakednes But the paines which I haue hitherto rehersed appertain onely to bodely affliccion which in the meane season was lykewyse in no lesse trouble and carefulnesse of mynde which I take for suche a multitude of congregacions which I so hartely tender that whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto them I thinke it to chauÌ„ce vnto my self For whose miseries am I not as sory as for myne owne Who is weake and diseased with whose weakenes I am not also gâ—ieued my selfe Who is offeÌ„ded with whose displeasures I am not in mind offeÌ„ded Yf I must nedes bost rather wil I bost of such thinges which shew mine infirmitie than of such as shew my greatnes Let other bost how for yâ— gospels sake they are much made of that they grow riche that vnder Christes tytle they beare great rule more â—uÌ„ly thinke â— it to boast yâ— I for Christes sake haue suffered vilany affliccion The texte The God and farher of ouâ—â— Lorde Iesus Christe whiche is blessed for euermore kneweth that I lye not In the â—ne of Damasco the gouâ—â—nouâ—e of the people vnder kyng â—retas layde watche in the citie of the Damascens and woulde haue caughte me and at a wyndâ—we was I let downe in a basket thorowe the wall and so scaped I his handes God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe knoweth that I lye nothyng When I was at Damasco he whome kyng Areta father in lawe to Herode hadde made ruler ouer that countreye had layed watche in the citie of Damasco labouryng by all the meanes he coulde to take me to do the Iewes a pleasure and woulde haue kylled me as the auctour of sedicion what shoulde I do Learned had I of the Lorde sometyme in cruell persecucion to flye My mynde gaue me that the tyme was not yet comen to suffer martyrdome but rather that the tyme required to preache the gospell abrode but the tyranne had rounde about besette me so that refuge was there none but that in a basket throughe a wyndowe from the wall I was with a rope lette downe and thus escaped I the rulers handes The .xii. Chapter The texte Doubtlesse it is not expedient for me to boast I wyll come to visions and reuelacions of the Lorde I knowe a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeares a goe whether he were in the bodye I cannot tell or whether he were out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth howe that he was taken vp into the thyrde heauen And I know thesame man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth howe that he was taken vp into Paâ—adyse and heard secrete wordes whiche no maâ— can vtter Of this man will I boast but of my selfe wyll I â—or boast eâ—cepte it be of myne infirmities For thoughe I would bâ—aâ—â— I â—â— â–ª al not be a fole for I would saye the trouth Neuerthelesse I spare you leste any man shoulde thynke of me aboue that whiche he seeth me to be or that he heareth of me And leste I shoulde be exalted out of measure thorowe the excellencye of the reuelacious there was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorow the fleshe euen the messenger of Sataâ— to buffer me â–ª because I shoulde not be exalted ouâ— of measure For this thyng besought I the Lorde thryse that it might departe from me And he sayed vnto me my grace is sufficient for the. For my strength is made perfect thorowe weakenesse Very gladly therfore wyll â— â–ª â—â—ioyce of my weakenes that the strength of Christ mayâ— dwell in me THis farre foorth haue we rehearsed suche thinges as declare cure troubles and miseries and suchâ— maâ—iers as in mennes iudgementes brâ—ng vs rather in contempte than in any renoume But nowe whether I should also rehearse other thinges or not I haue not fully determined of whiche yet some falsly boaste theÌ„selues Shoulde I glorie or not Yea sometyme expediente is it to glorie namely since the brifte of myne epistle hath brought me to the visions and reuelacions of the Lorde Iesus of whiche sorte synce false apostles fayne manye and wantonlye boaste them euen agaynste my wyll as one compelled leste in this I seeme behynde theÌ„ I wyll rehâ—arse but onelye one and that not to my glorie neither but to the glorie of god I knowe a certayne manne whiche aboue xiiii yeares a goe was taken vp whether it were in the bodye or without the bodye I cannot tell god knoweth whiche yet was taken vp into the thyrde heauen and â—hence agayne taken vp into paradise and in bothe places hearde secrete woordes whiche no manne can vtter For this mannes sake to whome through gods fre goodnes such blisfulnes befell glory will I but of my selfe boast wil I not sauing in the rehearsing of such thinges as declare my weakenes and infirmitie And yet if I in this matier also minded sumwhat to speake of my selfe since I should neither lie nor of my selfe speake vaingloriously though I haue acknowledged folishnes yet could I not iustly be condemned thereof but yet for your sakes and not for myne owne abstayne I from rehearsing of them leste some thinke more in me thaÌ„ there is and suppose that I am some greater one thaÌ„ either myne actes or my preaching pretende And peraduenture it is not without ieopardie neither to glorye of suche thinges as make vs great and thereby nigh vnto the ieopardie of arrogancie For this cause leste I myghte bee to proude by reason of high reuelacions or els among men be taken for greater than it is expedient I shoulde I haue by the sufferaunce of the moste merciful god gyuen vnto me vnquietnes and affliccion of bodye bothe to put me in remembraunce of my condicion and also to teache all men that I am a mortall manne vnder lyke miseries as other been There is geuen I saye to truble me whiche do Christes seruice the messanger and minister of Satan to resiste my gospell and with mooste cruell persecucions to vexe me as one that on the heade gyueth me buffettes keapyng vnder and suppressyng me leste I mighte to muche bee exalted And because this punishemente exceadynglye disquieted me thryse besoughte I the Lorde that he woulde from this affliccion delyuer me but he seeyng what was better for me than I coulde my selfe he aunswered me after this sorte Paule bee contente with my goodnes towardes thee and desyre nomore As for thyne affliccions appertayne bothe to the magnifying of my glorye as who throughe my ayde canste not bee ouercommen bee the stormes neuer so greate and also to thy saluacion whiche by bodilye affliccions arte in spirituall treasures of the soule dayelye more and more enriched And so dooeth mannes weakenes make perfite the power of God and infirmitie accomplyshe strengthe For when by preachyng of vile and weake personnes the gospell not onelye holdeth on but also flourisshethe agaynste the deuyll and the worlde vsyng agaynste it all kyndes of cruelnesse it maketh a playne profe that this geare is not by anye worldelye
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
shall not spurne it away for it hath a sure protectour euen the Lord Iesus which shall make you stedfaste against their vnruly wickednesse and kepe you from euill and finishe that he hath begunne in you because he is true in his promisses He will not fayle to succoure you so that you fayle not to folowe his goodnesse he will helpe but whom â–ª those that are diligent endeuourers Thus we speake not that we doubt of your constant stedfastnes but we haue rather a firme trust of you that lyke as by the helpe of the Lord Iesu you doe as we gaue you in commaundemeÌ„t so ye wil doe stil hereafter To conclude the Lord Iesus with his grace gouerne your hartes that they may goe on in the right course and grow forward in the charitie of God and in the loking for Iesu Christ Charitie wil cause you to study continually to deserue well of all men like as God is bounteonsly good to all men and the lokyng for Christes commyng shall make you to abyde manfully all maner of affliccions The texte We requyre you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe that ye withdrawe your selues from euery brother that behaueth himselfe inordinately not after the institucion which he receiued of vs. For ye your selues know how ye ought to folow vs. For we behaued not our selues inordinately among you Neither tooke we bread of any man for naught but wrought with labour sweate nyght daye because we would not be chargeable to any of you not but that we had autoritie but to make our selfes an eusaÌ„ple vnto you to folow vs. For when we were with you this we warned you of â–ª that yf any would not worke thesame shoulde not cate For we haue heard saye that there are some whiche walke among you inordinately workyng not at all but beyng busybodyes Them that are suche we commaunde and exhorte by our Lord Iesu Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eate theyr owne bread Brethren be not ye wery in well doyng And yf there be any among you that contemneth to folowe that trade of lyuing whiche we haue prescribed vnto you after the rule of the gospel and lyâ—e carelesly as he lusteth himselfe and through his ydlenes disquiet your commune affaires and yet albeit he doe naught himselfe is a busye medler of other mennes doinges we commaunde you by the autoritie of our Lorde Iesu Christe that you withdrawe your selfes from the company of him if he haue the name of a christian For it shall not yrke other to folowe the example of vs which albeit we vsed both the honour and charge of Apostelship yet it greued vs neuer a whitte to be brought into a basse ordre among you and we tooke no more vpon vs than other men did insomuche that we tooke not somuche as a piece of breade of any mans cost but we forgote the dignitie of our office and gatte with the labour of our haÌ„des working day and night the thinges that were necessaryly requisite to the vse of our lyuing because we would be a burthen to no man Not that we thought it was vnlawfull for vs to doe as the other Apostles doe but we would not vse our right as we myght haue doen because we would set our selues for a forme and an ensample that other men should not be greued to folowe That whiche we our selues did in dede we commaunded you in woorde that yf any would not worke thesame should not eate Those deserue a liuing that watchenight and day for your saluacioÌ„ But idle curiositie and curious idleues deserueth no refreshing For we haue hearde that there be some among you that disquiet your order in that they will not worke and so hauing naught to doe of theyr owne they must nedes medle of other mens busynesse As yet I spare to name them but whosoeuer they be we commaunde them and yf they had leauer we should so doe we hertily beseche them by our Lorde Iesus Christe that they disturbe not the commune quiet through their idlenes and that inasmuche as they doe naught themselfes they hyndre not other that are occupied but lette them quietly worke also getting their liuyng with their owne handes rather than to be greuouse vnto other with shamles crauinges vnsemelines In dede they are worthy to haue nay of what they aske howbeit it staÌ„deth with christian humanitie to doe for them that deserue litle eyther for that that they be men or because peraduenture they maye amende and be better Therfore brethren be not you weary of well doyng to the worthy and also to the vnworthy The texte If any man obey not our saying sende vs woorde of him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed And counte him not as an enemy but warne him as a brother The very Lord of peace geue you peace alwayes by all meanes The Lorde be with you al. The salutacion of me Paul with myue owne hande This is the token in Epistles So I wryte The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe be with you all Amen If there be any maÌ„ that despise to doe after our admonicions aswel that I gaue you whan I was present with you as nowe I wryte beeyng absent from you let this be a punishmeÌ„t ynough for christian charitie that he may haue a lyuing that is of those condicions but yet let him be noted in that he is put out of your company to this only intente that beeyng ashamed he may repent and amende And cast him not out as an vtter enemy but rather admonishe him as a brother that went astray whom your mynde is to haue amended and not destroyed eschewyng his company so as you may loue him in your hartes neucrthelesse For yâ— diuorcement that charitie alloweth is receiued but only for a time that he that hath offended may repent Furthermore the Lord Iesus the autor of peace graunt you perpetuall peace in all your affaires The Lord be euer with you all This is the salutacion that I Paul wryte vnto you agayne with myne owne hande This token you shall obserue in all myne Epistles written eyther to you or other For I wryte this that no man shall deceyue you by counterfayte letters The fauour and beneuolence of our Lorde Iesu Christe be euermore with you all Amen ¶ Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the latter Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians Erasmus of Roterodame to the Ryght reuerende Byshop and mooste excellent Prynce of Traiecte Philip of Burgundye sendeth gretyng ALbeit in these monethes feldes lye here and there bare and barein mooste honourable prelate yet there is no tyme of the yeare but the feldes of learnynge brynge forthe one profytable croppe or other so that there is none so rugged a wynter but some profyte aryseth of the feldes wherin good studyes are sowen Me thynketh it standeth with indyfferent reason than that a great porcion should be cut therout and geuen to
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
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
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
as muche as they dyd performe and obey his wyll transgressinge the seconde commaundement of ymages and strange goddes which is eueÌ„ as muche as to serue the deuil This euil and wounde was healed longe before of the godlye Emperour Constantine and of the holy bysshoppes throughout the whole christendome and nowe this deuyll bringeth it againe into the churche vnder a pretence of holines out of yâ— which pretence did spring departinge from the faithe and decaye of loue as the Chronicles testifie What wonderfull tokens haue bene wrought in the papacie and to what ende Christ him selfe dyd prophecye longe agoe vnto his disciples and gaue them warning of them Vnto this seconde beaste muste ymages be made euen accordinge vnto the pleasure of the dragon and as the papacye wyll haue it without any respecte whether it be conformable vnto the worde of God or good and profitable for the conscience and soule of man or no. The texte ¶ And he had power to geue a sprete vnto the ymage of the beast and that the ymage of the beaste should speake and should cause that as many as woulde not worship yâ— ymage of the beaste shoulde be kylled And he made all bothe small and great riche and poore fre and bonde to receaue a marke in their right handes or in their forheades And that no man might by or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beaste other the nomber of his name Here is wysdome Let him that hath witte counte the nomber of the beaste â—or it is the nomber of a man and his nomber is syxe hundred three score and syxe This bringethe the dragon to passe to establyshe and confirme the worshipping of ymages whiche began to doe miracles and dyd speake to the great wonder of all men somtyme with the helpe of nicromancie the science of the deuyll by the whiche science many of them came vnto the papacye as their owne stories doe testyfie Out of this dothe it folowe afterwarde that whoso euer wyll not worship this ymage the same must dye euen as the papacye wyll haue it yet vntyll this daye And with parcialite geue them markes that is excommunicate them and dysherite them of their kyngdomes and heretages suche as wyll not worshyppe and honour their ymages Here must men speake warely and circumspectly that they dysplease no man that they maye enioye lyfe bodye estimacion and goodes quietly But goddes worde and wyll commaundeth otherwyse and is an other maner of wysdome God willeth that this beastes nomber and errour shoulde haue an ende Reken from the yeare of our Lorde a thousande v. hundreth and .xx. backewarde this nomber of .vi. hundreth .iii. score and .vi. yeares and looke what tyme it was thaÌ„ with the popes and the Emperours ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I loked and lo a lambe stoode on the mount Sion and with him an hundred and xliiii thousande hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheades And I heard a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a great thounder And I hearde the voyce of harpers harping with their harpes HEre foloweth what rewarde they shall haue whiche folowe not this horned beast nor them that worship it The lambe vpon the mount Sion is our Sauiour Christ rulinge and gouerning in his holy christen churche and sorowing for his faithful elect This great nomber after the customable vse of the scripture sygnifieth the infinite and exceadinge great nomber of gods elect from the beginninge of the worlde vntil the ende therof vnknowen vnto the whole worlde Althoughe the nomber of the wicked and damned sorte be also a great nomber These electe are they whiche without feare shame or compulsion haue confessed knowledged honoured spred furth noysed abrode preached and taught the name of the heauenly father before all the worlde against all the spyte and resistinge of the deuyll of all his ministers and of the wicked worlde The texte ¶ And they song as it were a new song before the seate before the foure beastes and the elders no man coulde learne yâ— song but the hondred foure fourtye thousande whiche were redemed from the earth These are they whiche are not defiled with wemen for they are virgins These folow the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redemed from men beynge the first frutes vnto God and to the lambe and in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are without spot before the trone of god This heauenly voice and moost pleasaunt musycke is the incessaunt continuall and endles prayse thankesgeuinge reioysinge mirthe and ioye of all faithfull and blissed in eternall blisse in the kingdome of God and of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ For they syng a new song of a newe benifite grace and acte of God whiche hathe fulfylled in Christ in tyme conuenient and before ordeyned and appointed that thing whiche from the beginninge of the worlde was promised vnto all holy patriarkes and olde fathers and loked for of all people and nacions and beleued vpon vnto saluacion of the electe whiche are redemed with the deare pryce of the most precious heart bloude of Christ shed vpon the crosse in the earth These electe confessours and singers of laudes and prayses vnto God are they whiche are not defyled with earthly vnsemely pleasures of this worlde more delighting in fleshly lustes and filthines than in any right godly and christen loue of gods worde and heueÌ„ly vertues chast thoughtes or right godly doctrine and ceremonies in the exercyse wherof they shoulde haue suffred no maner of pleasure care or loue of any transitorye thing to haue hyndred them For this cannot be vnderstanded of any suche bodily chastitie or virginitie as religious parsons Monkes Nonnes Priestes Deacons suche other haue pretented falsely made their boast of vnto the world whiche hath be founde to be so rare and so groslye broken and negligeÌ„tly kept and so wonderfull seldome geuen of God vnto the vowers therof And thoughe it were kept yet was it not profitable and necessarye vnto the right christen and godly relygion and gods seruice of the Apostles whiche is onely praysed and commended in yâ— gospel and of S. Paule Would God there were lesse of suche wylde grosse and wanton chastitie and virginitie but lytle praysed of the most auncient holy fathers Oh that it wer lykewyse lesse extolled and estemed of the fathers of our time seyng it hath bene so great a blot vnto Christes true religion Here might muche be said and muche more be lamented our Lord graunt that it may sone be amended and redressed These holy frendes of God as Enoche Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Iudas Ioseph Dauid Moyses and Aaron These patriarkes and prophetes I saye yea and without doubt Peter and Paule with other infinite olde holy bysshops are also in this register withal the blissed elect and they are the most pleasaunt and acceptable frute
their wickednes without repentaunce and neuer returning backe vntil their last howre vntyll their very death than is it not possyble but that their damnacion begon here in this worlde in all myschefe wickednes and without sorowe repentance or amendment leauynge example vnto their posterite to committe and to maynteyne lyke wickednes it is not possible I saye but that the smoke of their payne torment shall ascende vp from euerlasting to euerlastinge without any maner of rest daye or night with all those which dyd euer helpe vnto suche vngodlynes or consent vnto it opened such a dore vnto wickednes and woulde be extolled and praysed therfore with their Antichristes marke contrarye to the holy token of gods electe whiche they haue in their foreheades namely the holy worde of God for the whiche they haue suffered muche payne and opprobrye but with excedynge great pacience for Iesus sake The texte ¶ And I hearde a voyce from heauen sayinge vnto me wryte Blessed are the deed which herafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite that they rest from their laboures but their worckes folowe them In so great danger of the faithful vnder the iurisdiccion of Antichristes abhominacion with his .ii. hornes and vnlawfull vsurped power vpon bodye and soule vtterly against the worde of god whiche is the onely comforte of al faithfull soules is it necessary that some comforte come vnto them from heauen aboue whiche the lambe sendeth vnto all true christians thorowe the holy gospell which the spirite of God writeth in their hartes to beleue stedfastlye that it can not be otherwyse in this worlde but that all they whiche wyll folow Christ must beare the crosse euen vnto death as Christe the innocent lambe dyd but afterwardes shall they see nothing but euerlastinge saluacion merited purchased vnto them thorowe the passion and death of Christe to the iustificacion and merite of eternall saluacion of all the electe Whiche comforte shall be muche greater in their soules in the kynkdome of Christe than is possible for al the merites of man to deserue or obteyne And speciallye at suche tyme as the glorified bodye shall be ioyned and vnited againe vnto the blissed soule after the latter daie And therfore the good workes of the faithful as thei doe not goe before their faith and loue but are onely the frutes of them euen so shall they not preuent the merite of Christ for all electe from euerlastinge but as the spirit of Christ saythe they folowe and come after them whan they haue obteyned rest and peace thorowe the free grace and mercye of God and thorowe the merite of Christes rightuousnes after this I saye thorowe faithe haue folowed good workes out of an humble and obedient heart whiche workes the lorde wyl graciouslye crowne as his gyftes and receyue and rewarde them as acceptable vnto him The texte ¶ And I loked and beholde a whyte cloude and vpon the cloude one syttinge lyke vnto the sonne of man hauinge on his heed a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe spckle And another angell came out of the temple cryinge with a loude voyce to him that sate on the cloude Christ in thy syckle and reape for the tyme is come to reape for the corne of the earthe is rype And he that sate on the cloude thrust in his syckle into yâ— earth and the â—arth was reaped Althoughe the right faithfull garnyshed with good workes after yâ— worde of God were euermore sure of their saluacion yet not withstandynge the iudgement of God whan his tyme is come goeth forwarde against all suche thinges as are set vp against the worde of God As it was readye at hande at one tyme by reason of the obscuringe and blyndinge of gods worde amonge yâ— Iewes thorowe the cursed Talmud wherunto they gaue more faith and credence and cleaued more earnestly vnto it than vnto the lawe of God and to the prophetes And lykewyse among the christians specially among the hyghe bysshops and prelates with their glorious tytles of Popes Patriarkes Cardinals Primates and suche other orders of the whiche one euer desiered to be aboue a nother sekyng alwayes their owne glorye lust pompe honour and dignitie and not the wil of God faithe godlynes of lyfe nor yet the gospell whiche they haue alwayes pretended falsely and craftilye to colour and cloke their myschefe and wickednes As concerninge the Turkes faithe we can saye but lytle what their greatest faut wickednes and beastlynes is we haue had more knowledge by writinges than by any profe or experience But it is to be feared yf God be not mercifull vnto vs we shall learne it soner than we woulde In the myddest of all this thorowe the trompet of the gospel beyng blowen out in our tyme after a wonderfull sorte thorowe the spirite of Helyas whiche appeareth commeth abrode plentuouslye and effectuouslye is rysen and daylye ryseth suche a mouynge and sterringe vp of mens hartes suche a knowledge of the truth such a lyght and lanterne of doctrine and such a iudgement of Antichristes workes suche a feare of the wrathe of God so that there is a good hope that yâ— holy and holsome seede of gods worde so plentiously sowne and spred abrode shall not returne againe without great frute and edifâ—enge of the faithe and the lyfe of men For as for the Iewes whether they wyll or no they must nedes despaire of their workinge their faithe their doctrine and of all their state whan as they see that the whole kyngdome of heauen whiche they take to be theirs peculiarely to be taken from them and to be made common vnto all them that feare God thorowe the whole worlde more than euer was founde by them Euen so also amonge the christians the doctrine and profession of the holy gospell true faythe and all godlye vertues shall waxe and increase in the heades and rulers of the christendome as it shall also be ioyfullye receyued of all true Christen subiectes notwithstandynge that the nomber of them shall alwayes be least And also the knowledge vnderstandinge lernynge and readynge of the holy scripture shall somwhat increase amonge the spirituall prelates as it shoulde be hoped for and with most earnest and feruent prayer desired and called for of god And it is well to be thought and to be beleued that the Lord wyll doe his parte also euen in suche wyse as is here promysed so yâ— Antichrist beyng thus put to shame but yet remayninge styll impenitent shall be reaped downe with the syckle of gods worde thorowe the spirite of Helyas and shall be cut downe thresshed not to the destruccion but to the profyte edificacion and saluacioÌ„ of the world This hath our Lorde and sauiour Christ brought to passe whiche is alwayes the heade of the churche who is not onely present therwith but also doth graciouslye rule and gouerne it edifieth and helpeth it and he with and roteth out the enemies and aduersaries with the sickle of his
rightuous iudgemente and shall vtterly banyshe and consume them accordinge vnto his moost victorious and muincible worde The texte ¶ And another angell came out of the temple which is in heauen hauynge also a sharpe syckle And another angell came out from the aultar whiche had power euer fyre and cryed with a loude crye to him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde thruste in thy sharpe sickle and gaddre the clusters of the earthe for her grapes are rype And the angel thruste in his syckle on the earth and cut downe the grapes of the vyneyarde of the earthe and caste them into the great wynefat of the wrath of god and the wynefat was troden without the cytie and bloude came out of the fat euen vnto the horse brydels by the space of a thousande and syce hundred furlonges Lyke as before the iudgement of Antichrist and his felowship was prophecied in this world with the spirite of Helias and with the syckle of the gospel euen so doth the spirite of god in this place prophecie further of y◠other iudgement which shal happē afterwarde at the latter daye vnto these obstinate impenitent and blynde contemners of gods iudgemēt in euerlastinge damnacion after the latter iudgement Whiche damnaciō or hell is here vnderstande and signified by the great fat of gods wrathe where all the wicked shall come together and with one stampe treadinge of gods iudgement sentence and rightuousnes shal be euerlastingly trodē as muche more greuouslye thā by y◠worldly and temporall punishement in this lyfe as the heate of the fyre is more painefull and intollerable vnto the bodye of man than are the cloudes vnto y◠earthe or any darkenes vnto the eyes Whiche so greuous damnacion and destrucciō is sygnified by the feareful bloude whiche floweth ouer the earth that the horses treade therin euen vnto their brydles Thus vseth the holy scripture to descrybe and paynt the greuous and terryble iudgement of God by suche greate vgsome and terryble figures ¶ The .xv. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe another sygne in heauen great and maruellous seuen angels hauynge the seuen last plages for in them is fulfylled the wrathe of god And I saw as it were a glassy see myngled with fyre and them that had gotten victorye of the beaste and of his ymage and of his marke and of the nomber of his name stande on the glassye sea hauynge the harpes of God and they songe the song of Moses the seruaunt of God and the songe of the lambe sayinge Greate and maruellous are thy workes Lorde God almightye iuste and true are thy wayes thou kyng of sainctes Who shall not feare O Lorde and glorifie thy name For thou onely art holy and al Gentiles shal come and worship before thee for thy iudgementes are made manifest THis is a nother prophecye of the holy apostle S. Iohn reueled and opened vnto him of god that against all the wyt and reason of man against al worldly power against the diuises ymaginacions and hinderances of all enemyes and of all the wicked the gospell shall ryse vp in the dominion of the Romaynes thorowe the dysciples of Christ thorow the holy goost and thorowe the wonderfull and meruelous power of God And also many heuy plages shall come vpon those wicked and vngodlye people and vpon the myghtie rulers of this worlde whiche studye and go about to hynder the procedynge of the gospell All these plages are rekened one after a nother thorowe the .vii. angels and the .vii. vyalles This sea of glasse myxed with fyre sygnifieth the wickednes of this worlde and al wicked enemyes and aduersaries of the trueth and doctrine of the gospell and of all Christen and innocent conuersacion and of all godlye liuynge Against whiche enemyes at all tymes in this worlde and specially at the first beginnynge and springynge vp of the gospell and christen religion the holy electe were fayne to lye in felde and to warre Against the Iewes with miracles against the heathen with holy scripture against the suttell Philosophers and worldlye wyse men with the faythe that the gospel teacheth and with an innocent and a godly lyfe against the tyrannes and the violence of the Romaines with pacience Against ydolatrye false seruice of God with stedfast constantnes euen vnto death cleauynge vnto the vnderstandynge and sentence of the trueth And thus thorowe the power of Christ and thorowe the spirite of Helias they haue gone thorowe them and gotten the victorye against the olde dragon and his wicked spirites and against all vnfaythfull in y◠who le worlde and in al nacions And the laude honoure and triumphe of this victorie they ascribed to no creature but onely to Christ whiche alone can ouercome the wickednes of the worlde all lyes and falsehede the deuyll with all infidels in spyte of all their tyrannye And therfore as Moyses dyd synge a song of prayse and thankes geuynge after the destruccion of Pharao after the ioyfull victorye of the children of Israell euen so also dyd they synge vnto him the song of the lambe whiche belongeth and is dewe vnto him onely sayinge It is gods worcke and not ours whiche the almightye hathe wonderfullye and graciously wrought for vs for his owne glorious sake whiche is rightuous in his iudgementes and true in his promyses whose wayes are iudgement grace rightuousnes and trueth whiche onely preserueth the faithfull electe as a puyssaunt and mighty lorde and as a faithfull and louynge father whome all men ought to feare with suche reuerence as godly childrē geue vnto their fathers and with all hartye obedience other wyse than the wicked whiche lyke vnfaithfull contemptuous children doe despyse and contemne their omnipotent and almightye God and father and rightuous Lorde and iudge whiche knoweth all thinges And therfore he is to be praysed and most highly exalted in the congregacion of the faithfull as he is euerlastingly hated and cursed of the wicked and damned sort to their vtter and eternal damnacion And no man can hynder or auoyde it howe strong and mightye so euer the Emperour of Rome is as Domicianus Nero and other but that al nacions shal heare beleue and receyue the holy gospel whan the tyme is ones come and shall honour and worship the onely eternall almightie God and his Messias promysed vnto them the sauiour of the whole worlde and the redemer of all faithfull electe The texte ¶ And after that I loked and beholde the temple of the tabernacle of testimony was opē in heauen and the seuen angels came out of the temple whiche had the seuen plages clothed in pure and bright lynnen and hauynge their brestes girded with golden girdels And one of the foure beastes gaue vnto the seuen angels seuen golden vyalles full of the wrath of God whiche lyueth for euermore And the temple was full of the smoke of the glorye of God and of his power and no man was able to enter into the temple til y◠seuen
his kyngdome wexed derke and they gnewe their tonges for sorowe and blasphemed the God of heauen for sorowe and payne of their sores and repented not of their dedes The fourthe plage went ouer the seconde regiment of Rome whiche had both the temporal spiritual gouernance and was twise worse than the first For as muche as thorow her .ii. hornes it had power bothe ouer bodye and soule ouer the doctrine and ouer the polytike lawes with mouthe and hande againste God and also against the temporall gouernaunce against Christe and all his ministers Howe it hath dealte with the Emperours and what rule they haue kepte amonge them selues one Romyshe Pope against another practising all wicked sciences of the deuil bothe with quicke and also with deade mē against many good and godly Kynges and Emperours and againe how ofte Rome and the Papacye hath bene greuously plaged of God with rebellyon treason murther poysonynge nigromancye and with suche other kindes of wickednes as are neuer herde of in any other storyes we maye reade in the storyes of the Popes and of the Emperours from the time of Charles the great vntyll late dayes That by this meanes the summe of christen vertue and godlynes is turned into very desceite fraude falsehede and hipocrisie And the moste parte of all the wicked Popes were religious men and mooste false traytours to the gospell of Christe As for repentaunce there is none founde by this deuilyshe flocke The fyfte angell with his fyfte plage fallen vpon the seate of pestilence is rebellyon and resistance against the gospell raysed vp thorow false teachers whiche haue preached bothe without and also against the holy lawe and scripture of the lorde and haue rayled against many godly and faithfull men leauynge and refusynge holy scripture and settynge vp the studye of Aristotle in the steade therof whiche in the papacye hath bene more regarded and estemed than the holy worde of God By the meanes wherof so many greuous errours are crepte into the churche as well in matters of faythe and relygion as of dyscipline and Christen behauour Muche deuision many sectes by the meanes of so many orders of religions and so many glorious names and tytles yea and heresyes also Of the which al stories are full from Emperour Fryderiche the first of that name vntyl y◠ende of the thirde Frydierche In the whiche tyme there was muche trouble raysed vp in the christendome in the seculer iurisdiccion thorowe the Turke and in the spirituall thorowe the beggyng orders of religious parsons and of the hyghe heathnyshe scholes and vniuersities Of the which times muche might be wrytten heuy inoughe to be red but to auoyde tediousnes vnto the reader it shall be intermitted at this tyme. The texte ¶ And the syxte angell poured out his vyall vpon the great ryuer Euphrates and y◠water dryed vp that the wayes of the kynges of the east shoulde be prepared And I saw thre vncleane spirites lyke frogges come out of the mouthe of the dragon and out of y◠mouthe of the beast and out of the mouthe of the false prophet For they are y◠spirites of deuyls workynge miracles to go out vnto the kynges of the earthe and of the whole worlde to gather them to the batayle of y◠great daye of God almighty Beholde I come as a thefe ▪ Happie is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes lest he walke naked and men see his fylthines And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon Consyder and waye yf this angell maye not sygnifye the spirite of Helias in oure tyme whiche spreedeth abrode the gospell in to all the worlde bothe with worde and dede to the confusion and vtter destruccion of all errours and to the profyte and reformacion of the worlde in all states and degrees For this seede can brynge forthe no nother frute But the great Euphrates ▪ of the pretensed spiritualtye is so sore fallē from their first rule that it is become more worldly and secular than the very secular state in so muche that it is vtterly dryed vp and wythered from the gospel syncerely preached Which is not to be merueyled at for it is euen of very necessitie For falsehede deceyte lyes and Hypocrisye must be opened and dysclosed by the trueth of gods word and by the preachinge of the gospell that syncere loue trueth and faythe in the worde of God with a sure confydence of the harte in the lorde God myght be taught and prynted into the naturall wyt and vnderstandinge of man And therfore it is necessarie that suche wrestynge of the true knowledge and doctrine shoulde be dysclosed vnto suche as haue any vnderstandynge and are not vtterly corrupte euen vnto worldlye princes and hygher powers and that the innocencye and clearnes ▪ and also the synguler profyte of the doctrine of the gospell might come to lyght that they myght see and confesse that it is the very trueth and so acknowledge and imbrace this Sunne rysinge vp Althoughe this doctrine be to stronge for their bloude and fleshe and they beyng fleshlye ouer weake in strengthe to lyue after the gospell Nowe against this euangelicall Sunne and manyfest knowledge of the trueth shall aryse .iii. maner of enemyes whiche shall assaulte it First the deuyllyshe dragon the great enemye of God and of all goodnes the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse with whome the mercye and goodnes of God dalyeth and playeth to shewe and declare his mercye and goodnes manifestlye before men The seconde is the beaste at Rome of whome we spake before the very right Antichrist whiche speaketh and worketh all that he can against the gospell of Iesus Christe wherunto he preferreth his decretalles and wyll be Lorde ouer the scripture ouer the churche and ouer the whole world and yet he wyll be taken and estemed for the vycar and debyte of Christ and S. Peters frende and the most holy father and for the head of the whole holy christendome And whosoeuer contraryeth or gainesayth this he must dye and also be cursed and made the deuylles by the power of this beastes mouthe The thirde is the false prophete not one person but an whole order and multitude of byshops and relygions parsons monckes friers c. Whiche by their office and callynge ought to mainteine and supporte the true doctrine but haue appoynted and bent them selues their whole lyfe and state vtterly against the doctrine of the gospel that nothing can be more vnlike the state of the Apostles eyther in doctrine religion or lyfe than is their order and state Wherof it is not nedefull to make manye wordes howe they haue alwayes resisted the doctrine of the gospell These are suche .iii. foule vncleane spirites as none can be founde more vncleane whiche notwithstandynge doe worke great tokens and miracles The deuyll with great wonders bothe amonge the Turkes and the Christians The papacy by forcerye witchcrafte and nigromancie The monkes and religious spirituall sorte withall
of her selfe but of God with all heauenly graces and vertues and with the ornamentes of all perfeccion In this citie of the heauenly and eternall Ierusalem shall the lorde God in Christ dwell as it were with and among his people and deare beloued spowse and well garnyshed or floryshyng bryde with moste hyghe ioye and delyght and endles blisse and felycitie The texte And God shall wipe awaye all teares from their eyes And there shal be nomore death nether sorowe nether criyng nether shall there bee any more payne for the olde thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seate sayed beholde I make al thinges newe And he sayed vnto me Write for these wordes are faythfull and true And he sayed vnto me it is doen I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ende I wyll geue to hym that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe free He that ouercommeth shal inherite all thinges and I wylbe his God and he shal be my sonne Howe and what this blisse shall be can no man expresse But what thynges shall not be there that doeth he declare First there shall be no teares For there shall no maner of aduersitie trouble or vexacion happen vnto any man There is also no maner of decaye nor weakenes neither of the body nor of the soule no maner of sycknes nor infirmitie of complexions no bodyly hurte nor affliccion no dreade nor feare of death no heuy nor greuous temptacioÌ„ no lacke of any thing no myschanuce no weeping nor waylyng nor payne smart nor impediment For in the state of blisse and saluacion is no thought nor sorowe to be taken for any of these thinges For the first and originall occasion of all these miseries the synne of Adam and Eue for whose sake the worlde was created is altogether past and vtterly ceased ended and finyshed together with death and the deuyll thorowe the rightuousnes of our sauiour Christ Thorowe the whiche rightuousnes all mankynde so many as are faithful is reconciled vnto God for euermore Thus hath Christ syttyng vpon the stoole of his kyngdom and glorye ordeyned all thinges newe This must be stedfastlye confessed and beleued of all faithfull christians as an infallyble trueth therfore it is gods commaundement that it shoulde be wrytten for an euerlasting remembraunce for an holsome doctrine and consolacion that all men should beleue the trueth and so beleuynge obteyne blisse and saluacion For this is the ende of all thinges the blisse and saluacion of mankynde in God whiche wyll declare and dystribute his glorye mercye and louynge kyndnes vnto them whiche he hath chosen from euerlasting vnto his honour and glorye whiche is the begynnynge and ende of all thinges that are euer were or euer shal be Vnto all them which in this vale of mysery dyd thirst after rightuousnes and after the glory of god vnto them wyll the grace and fauorable mercye of God gyue the liuing wel and fountayne of all goodnes and the eternal springynge floode of refreshment vnto saluacion and to perpetuall ioy and felicitie in God But these giftes and rewardes must be obteyned with muche labour and trauell yet not properly as desert or merite for suche great euerlastynge rewarde the hyghest goodnes and felicitie can not be purchased with any labour or trauell of man but it must be obteyned and enherited of and by the free grace and mercye of God Vnto them all whiche shall be thus eternally blessed shall Christ the spouse bryde grome of the churche be their Iesus and sauiour and also their God and theyr perfyte satisfaccion in suche maner and wyse that they shall be as his deare children and louyng sonnes and he Christ shall be their father brother God and their euerlastinge kyng and captayne The texte ¶ But the fearfull and vnbeleuynge and the abhominable and murdrers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolatres and all lyars shal haue their parte in the lake whiche burneth with fyre and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Here foloweth now also the contrary part what Christ the iudge shall ordeine and make with them whiche in this worlde were fearfull and cruell vnto all godly humble and lowly men hiche haue hurte and noyed all men whiche neuer woulde credite nor beleue the holy gospell the holy scripture the euerlastinge worde of God whiche haue handled and dealte abhominably against al kynde and nature and against al loue whiche euen against their natural kynd of very set purpose haue bene murtherers and shedders of innocent bloude whiche haue defyled and stayned the naturall state ordeyned of God with fylthy vnchastnes And haue practised sorcery and witchcrafte contrarye to yâ— honour and lawe of god not without makinge some bande or couenanut with the wicked spirite the arche nemny of God whome they haue serued and obeyed his pleasure and commaundement in setting vp of chapels and altares in seruing honouring worshippinge praying vnto and callynge vpon false goddes vnder the name of sainctes whome they haue sought farre and nere to make their oblacions vnto them against whom the holy prophetes haue alwaies cried out against the false teachers false prophetes and false apostles Theirs and all other lyars and wicked doers part shall be in eternall damnacioÌ„ where nothing is but sorowe angwishe weping and waylyng heuines dystresse delpaite with euerlasting contempt and hatred of God All whiche is the seconde death vnto the whiche men doe come thorowe these forenamed synnes and blasphemies coÌ„mitted in the world without repentance or amendmeÌ„t For the first death is the corporall death of the bodye layed vpon all men of almightye God by reason of synne The texte ¶ And there came vnto me one of the seuen Angels whiche had yâ— seuen vyalles ful of the seuen laste plages and talked with me sayinge come hither I wyll shewe â—hee the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me awaie in the spirite to a great and an hye mountaine and he shewed me the great citie holy Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God hauinge the brightnes of God And her shynyng was like vnto a stone most precious euen lyke a Iasper clere as Christ all and had walles great and hye and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels and names wrytten whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of Israel on the East parte thre gates and on the Northsyde thre gates and towardes the Southe thre gates and from the west thre gates and the wall of the citie had twelue foundacions and in them the twelue names of the lambes .xii. apostles Christ is the angell of the great councell whiche thorowe his angels that serue him worketh and bringeth to passe the ordinances of God with punyshmentes and plages of the wicked and vnfaithfull whiche doe hynder and let his ordinances The rewarde dothe he pay him selfe For he him selfe is the rewarde and the crowne of the blessed This Christ our lorde and sauiour talketh here with Iohn his beloued and of a