a more sore and heynous name of singular and prepensed malice and of desyre too doo harme which euen delyghteth in wickednesse too whom it is euen meate and drink too doo another man displeasure and to hurt him wickedly as in Nero Diocletian and Iulian c. But with the sweete breade of purenesse and truthe that is too say with the pure doctrine concerning God and with pure acknowledgement and confession of the doctrine and with true faith true feare of God true inuocation true and vnfeyned loue of God and ones neyghbour thankesgiuing and continuall obedience which is not counterfet nor hypocritish but voyd of craft guyle and leude lustes pure and true And so dooth Paule in these twoo woordes purenesse and truthe comprehend the whole lyfe of a Christen man and all the duties of godlynesse or all vertues Vppon the second and third holydayes in Easter weeke ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv BRethren as parteyning too the Gospell which I preached vntoo you which yee haue also accepted and in the which yee continue by the which also yee are saued I doo you too wyt after what maner I preached vntoo you if ye kepe it except yee haue beleeued in vaine For first of all I haue deliuered vnto you that which I receyued how that Chryst died for our sinnes agreeing too the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose ageine the third day according too the scriptures and that he was seene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was seen of mo than fiue hundred brethrē at once of which many remaine vntoo this day and many are fallen a sleepe After that appeared hee too Iames then too all the Apostles And last of all he was seen of mee as one that was born out of due time For I am the least of the Apostles which am not worthy too bee called an Apostle bicause I persecuted the cōgregation of god But by the grace of God I am that I am And his grace which is in mee was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with mee Therfore whether it were I or they so wee preach and so haue yee beleeued If Chryst bee preached how that hee rose from the deade how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead If there be no rising agein of the dead then is Chryst not risen If Chryst bee not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also in vain yea and wee are found also false witnesses of god For wee haue testified of God how that he raysed vp Chryst whom hee raised not vp if it bee so that the dead rise not ageine For if the dead rise not agein then is Chryst not risen agein If it bee so that Chryst rose not then is your faith in vain and yet are yee in your sinnes Therfore they which are fallē a sleep in Christ are perished If in this lyfe onely wee beleeue on Chryst then are wee of all men the myserablest But now is Chryst rysen from the dead and is become the first fruites of thē that sleep For by a man came death and by a man came the Resurrection of the deade For as by Adam all die euen so by Chryst shal all bee made alyue and euery man in his owne order The first is Chryst then they that are Chrystes at his comming Then cometh the ende when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome too God the father when hee hath put downe all rule authoritie and power For he must raigne till he haue put all his enemies vnder his feete The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death For he hath put all thinges vnder his feete But when he saith all things are put vnder him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things vnder him When all things are subdued vnto him then shall the sōne also him selfe be subiect vntoo him that did put all things vnder him that God may be all in all things Els what do they whiche are baptised ouer the dead if the dead rise not at all Why are they then baptised ouer the dead Yea and why stand we in in ieoperdy euery houre Be my reioysyng which I haue in Chryst Iesu our Lord I die dayly That I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men what auantageth it me if the deade ryse not ageine Let vs eate and drinke For to morow we shall dye Be not deceiued euyll speakings corrupt good manners Awake truly out of sleepe and sinne not For some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this too youre rebuke But some man will say howe aryse the deade with what body come they Thou foole that whiche thou sowest is not quickned excepte it dye And what sowest thou Thou sowest not that body that shall bee but bare corne I meane eyther of wheate or of some other and GOD giueth it a body at his pleasure to euery seede his owne body All flesh is not one manner of fleshe but there is one manner flesh of men another manner fleshe of Beastes another manner flesh of fyshes another of byrdes There are also celestiall bodyes and there are bodies terrestrial But the glory of the celestiall is one and the glorye of the terrestriall is an other there is one maner glory of the Sunne and an other of the Moone and an other glory of the Starres For one Starre differeth from another in glory So is the resurrection of the dead It is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruption It is sown in dishonor and ryseth in glory It is sowen in weakenesse riseth in power It is sown in a natural body riseth a spirituall body There is a naturall body and there is a spyrituall bodye as it is also wrytten the first man Adam was made alyuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickenynge spiryte Howbeit that is not first which is spirituall but that vvhiche is naturall and then that vvhiche is spirituall The first man is of the earthe earthy the seconde man is the LORDE from heauen As is the earthy suche are they that are earthy And as is the heauenly suche are they that are heauenly And as wee haue borne the Image of the earthy so shall wee beare the image of the heauenly This say I brethren that flesh and bloud can not enherit the kingdome of god Neither doothe corruption inherite vncorruption Beholde I shewe you a mysterie Wee shall not all sleepe But wee shall all bee changed and that in a mooment in the twinckelyng of an eye at the sounde of the laste trumpe For the trumpe shall blow and the deade shall ryse incorruptible and wee shall bee chaunged For thys corruptible muste put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie When this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on immortalitie then shall bee brought too passe the saying
Also there bee heauenly bodyes and there bee earthly bodyes that is too say there shall bée a difference betwéene the bodyes of the godly and the bodyes of the vngodly There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone and another glorie of the starres y is to say euē amōg the godly and the Saincts in heauen there shall bée a differente of glorie For like as one Starre excelleth another in bryghtnesse so shall Chryst the Prophetes Apostles and other constant Martyrs and acknowledgers of the sonne of God shyne bryghter than the other common sort of the godly as is sayd Dan. xij Then shall the lerned shyne like the bryghtnesse of heauen and those that haue instructed many in ryghtuousnesse shall shyne like the Starres for euer and euer Then declareth he by foure Iscolies set one ageinst another what maner of bodyes the bodyes of them that ryse agein shalbée verely euen the selfsame that they bée at their buriall as touching their substāce but immortal made bright and glorified Wherein the phrase of Paules wryting is too bée considered how the nowne adiectiue in forme of a substantiue is ioyned too the subiect by the preposition In. It is sowen in corruption that is too say it is buried in the ground a mortall or corruptible bodye ▪ It ryseth in incorruption that is too say it ryseth an incorruptible or immortall bodye It is sowen in dishonour that is too say a foule or ylfauoured bodye stinking and crawling full of wormes It ryseth in glorie that is too say glorious shyning cléered and pure from all blemish It is sowen in weaknesse that is too say weake frayle transitorie of a dayes continaunce a shadowe a froth a Ghoste a steme a blast a fether a breth a puffe a dreame a bubble a flud a temple a strydey a wynd a dust It ryseth in power that is too say myghtie strong florisshing and frée from all infirmitie It is sowen a natural body that is too say liuing the naturall lyfe by reason sense and nourishing power which is susteyned with meat and drink and is encreased and begetteth and may dye It ryseth a spirituall body that is too say liuing the spirituall lyfe kindled by the holy Ghoste which is not maynteyned with meate drink ne begetteth ne dyeth but is like the lyfe of the Angels Math. xxij and like the lyfe of God. The first man was made a liuing soule Gen. ij That is too wit not simply as the beastes liue but such a one as Chryst should also with his spirit quicken without meat and drink too the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe The first man is of the earth earthly Hée alludeth too the originall of the woord Adam which signifyeth earth or clay whereof he was made like as also among the Latines man is called Homo of Humus which signifyeth the earth as if he had sayd made of the earth clay and earthly The second man is the Lord from heauen Chryste being risen from Death hath now a heauenly immortall and glorious body too which our bodies shall in all respectes bée like and conformable when they are raised ageine from Death Phil. ij Like as before Death they were altoogither like Adams body which was subiect too Death and other miseries Flesh and blud cannot inherite the kingdom of God that is too say this corruptible body defiled with sinfull inclinations and fleshly affections and subiect too death cannot possesse the kingdome of God vnlesse it bée altered of a body mortall defyled and stained with sinne bée made a body pure and cleane and fined from all filthinesse immortal The same flesh that is buryed shal rise agein and the same substance of flesh and blud shall remaine still as Iob sayth I shal sée God in my self whom I my self shall sée and none other for mée For as Tertullian reasoneth plainly in his bóoke concerning the resurrection of the flesh God forbid that God should for euermore abandon too destruction mannes flesh which is the woorke of his handes the care of hart the case of his breth the Quéene of his woorkes the heire of his liberalitie the préest of his religion the souldyer of his warfare and the sister of his Chryst ▪ c. Behold I shew you a mysterie that is too say I will more plainly expoūd and declare that which I told you more darkly in my former woords when I sayd that flesh bloud shuld not possesse the kingdome of god For that saying is too hée vnderstood not of the substance of fleshe and bloud but of the exchaunge of their properties For it behoueth this corruptible body which wée now beare about vs too put on incorruption and this selfsame mortal body too put on immortalitie before it can obtein possession of Gods kingdom Some also shall not die at all whom the sonne of God shal find aliue at his comming too iudgement but they shalbée sodeinly changed endued with new lyght glory power immortalitie The third part of the Chapter THen shal the saying be fulfilled which is written Esay xxv Osee xiij Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks bee to God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of the raysing of our bodyes and of restoremēt of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who in his Death hath swalowed vp our Death and by his ryghtuousnesse obedience hath purged our sinnes and pacifying Gods wrath taking away the curse of the law hath gottē vs victorie ageinst sin death and the curse of Gods law For these thrée are the cruellest enemies of mankynd and the chéef mischeues plages which moost cruelly and féersly make hauock of all mankind without difference killing them and deuouring them euerychone Therfore Paul in this place by feining a person peinteth out death like a most mischeuous outlaw or cruell souldier armed with a pike or a darte that is too wit with sinne wherwith he assaileth all mankind without gainsaying and pusheth all men through and killeth them For by reason of sin all men are subiect too death and are slaine by death as is sayd Rom. v. By one man sinne entered intoo the world and by sinne death And so death ran ouer al men bicause al men haue sinne Also sinne reigned by death slaying all men The very same is the méening of the woords in this text the sting of Death is sinne that is too say all men are slaine by Death bycause of sinne Now when this sting or speare of Death wexeth dul and blunt so as sin cannot execute his ful force vppon vs and bée felt Gods law like a whetstone sharpneth sin and both sheweth the greatnesse and horriblenesse of sin and also maketh it more
place vnto wrath For it is writtē vengeaunce is mine I wil reward sayth the lord Therfore if thine enemy hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drink For in so dooing thou shalt heape coles of fire on his head Bee not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse HE procedeth in the register of precepts of vertues or good woorkes by the exercise wherof Christenfolk must shew their obedience too Godward 1 Bee not wise in your owne opinions Mildnesse and willingnesse too bée taught not chalenging greater wisdome too it selfe than is agréeable too ones infirmitie nor trusting in ones own gifts but héering others and giuing place too such as giue good aduice is a vertue that perteineth to the iiij and viij precept of the ten commaundements The vices that encounter it are pride stiffenesse of opinion or wilfulnesse and Academical douting 2 Render to no man euil for euil Méekenesse repressing desire of reuenge The ful doctrine of this vertue is woont to be recited in the opening of the fifth commaundement 3 Prouide things honest in the sight of al mē Warenesse of eschuing stumbling blocks which withdraw the minds of the weake from the true doctrine Now an offence or stumbling block is a false doctrine or a misbehauior in life which impeacheth Gods glory and other mennes saluation either bicause it seduceth or bicause it giueth occasion of slaūdering the gospell and the Church or else bicause it prouoketh other too doo like wise Too this poynt may al the whole doctrine bée referred which is set forth in the place that concerneth offences With the méening of this Epistle agréeth the saying of Christ Mat. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they seing your good works may glorifie your father which is in heauē 4 If it be possible as much as in you is haue peace wyth all men The desire of peace perteineth too the .v. cōmaundemēt 5 Auenge not your selues but giue place to the wrath that is to wit of God. Vntoo the fifth commaundement of the ten perteineth méeknesse which represseth anger desire of reuengemēt giuing place too the wrath of God who either by himselfe without meane or by the Magistrate punisheth wrongs For in the chapter folowing Paul establisheth the vengeance that is doone by the magistrate Thou shalt heape coles of fire vppon his head That is too say thou shalt heape punishment For the more vnthankfull he is towards thée for thy weldooing so muche the sorer shall he be punished Or thou shalt set him on fire with loue of thée when it shal greeue him too bée ouercome with thy kindnesse and curtesie Vppon the fourth Sunday after the Epiphanie ¶ The Epistle Rom. xiij OWe nothing to any man but that you loue one an other For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the law For these other commaundements Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not lust and so foorth if ther bee any other commaundement they are all comprehended in this saying loue thy neighbour as thy self loue hurteth not his neybor Therfore is loue the fulfilling of the lawe The disposement THe state of this Epistle is a general exhortation too loue or too good works enioyned in the .x. commaundementes The chéefe places of Doctrine are thrée 1 Of this saying Owe nothing too any man but that yée loue one another 2 Of louing a mannes neybor which comprehendeth all the vertues and good woorks of the second table of the ten commaundements 3 Of the fulfilling of the lawe The first place PAy all men their dues and oweno mā any thing saue mutuall loue It is an old and vsuall definition that rightuousnesse is a vertue which yéeldeth too euery body that which is his own or which yéeldeth too euery body that which is due And it cōprehendeth all the other vertues a mannes full obedience towards the whole law of God or the .x. commaundements which are the rule that sheweth what dueties wée owe too God what too other men and what too our selues All the dueties that are to be performed immediatly vnto God himself are comprised in the vertues and commaundements of the first table namely true knowledge and calling vppon God fear of God aboue all things faith loue glorifying acknowledgment c. Vntoo magistrates is due honor obedience loue reuerence toll of things growing vpon the ground custome of things brought in from forren landes and seruice bothe in matters of peace and warre Ageine too parentes schoolemaisters maisters of housholds and gardens there is too be yeelded reuerence honor obedience and thankfulnesse And vntoo the rest of men and cheefly too fréendes husbandes wiues chyldren kinsefolke straungers or fremfolke there must bée yeelded all the dues of good will of faithfulnesse and of wel dooing In bargaines in borowings in buying in hyring and letting and other things the mony and wares and all other things that are due are too bée performed too euery man For these things are due euen by bond of ciuill order and euen the Magistrate punisheth those that pay them not Therfore Paule in this place commaundeth these things to bée performed in suche wyse that afterward wée may bée vtterly frée from the bond of ciuill gouernment But the bond of nature and of God is of another sort binding all men too performe too their neybors mutuall loue in hart and also outward dueties which the ciuil magistrate cōpelleth no man too doo As for example the Samaritane doth good too the wounded wayfarer and the préest and the Leuite ouerpassing him are not punished by the magistrate although they wickedly neglect mercy due by the bond of nature Euen so by the bond of God and nature wée bée bound too ayde such as stand in néede of our helpe with counsel doctrine defence trauell mony and other almesse deedes although the ciuill magistrate punisheth not such as let slip these dueties This is the meening of the words Owe nothing too any man saue mutuall loue Of the second TO loue a mannes neybor is vpon the true knowledge of Christ foreshining in our harts and vppon faith assuring vs y God of his meere goodnesse loueth vs for his sōnes sake too submit our selues on the other side vnto God and too obey him for his sake to embrace other mē with harty good will and to impeche no mans life body name or goods but too the vttermost of our power to do thē good by al y meanes we cā The speciall kindes or dueties of loue towards a mannes neybor are al vertues or good woorks enioyned in the second table of the .x. commaundements which are cōprehended all toogither in this saying loue thy neibor as thy self Mat. xxij In the fourth commaundement we are willed to loue our parēts children brethren maisters magistrates subiects c. Vntoo the fifth which is thou shalt not kill
perteine these dueties of louing too woorke none euill too our neybor or too impaire no mannes body good name or goodes but too defend and mayntein them too our power Which vertue is named ryghtfulnesse and manlinesse Also too this commaundement perteineth frindship which is a cherisher of mutual good wil a faithfulnesse a séeking of coÌ„cord a méeknesse which yéeldeth not to anger and desire of reuengement a gentlenesse which beareth with the blemishes or defaults of other men c. Vntoo the sixth commaundement thou shalt not commit aduoutry perteineth the mutual loue of maried couples earnest pure not lusting after other men or other womeÌ„ Also chastitie which appaireth not the cleÌ„nesse of it self or of others And stayednesse which yéeldeth honor to the parties own body Vntoo the sâ—uenth thou shalt not steale belongeth ryghtfulnesse absteining from other mennes goods and weldoing or liberalitie towards whosoeuer is in néede Vntoo the eight thou shalt not bear false witnesse is referred not to hurt a mannes neibor by false witnesse slauÌ„ders back bitings raylings or other vntruths but in al a mannes dooings sayings to be soothfast freÌ„dly curteous faithfull c. In the nynth commaundement thou shalt not couet is required a perfect soundnesse of all the powers and desires of mannes nature agréeable with the rule of Gods law burning with the pure and chast fire of the loue of God and our neybor and voyde of all lust or concupiscence or of all sinfull inclinations affections or desires of corrupted nature wherwith men being now stirred vp do set more by mony or glory than by God himself like as that foolish loouer in Plautus crieth out I had leuer this woman loued mee than all the Gods that â—n the world bee So Paule in this place referreth almost al the vertues of good woorks to this one poynt of louing and maketh the precepts of the. x commaundements too bee the ground and rule of loue or of all good woorks For God wil haue al the whole life of christen folke al their thoughts deuises endeuers and dooings too bée ruled by the squire of the woord which he hath left among vs as he sayth in Deut. xij What I commaund thée that doo thou vnto the Lord neither put thou too neither take thou away Ezech. xx Walk not in the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of your Fathers for I am the Lord your God walke in my commaundements and keepe my iudgements and doo them Then are not the .x. coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts to bée hissed out of the church out of the life of christiaÌ„s as the Antinomians cauil which banish the law into the court of the ciuil magistrate or else bear folk in haÌ„d that the law serueth to none other purpose but too accuse condemn For wée see that Paul in this place vrgeth the .x. commaundements vpon christiaÌ„s as the squire and rule of good woorks and of all their lyfe Of the third LOue is the fulfilling of the lawe that is to say sound perfect and continuall obedience towards al the commaundements of Gods law without any sinne or blemish such as is required in the law of god Deut. vj. Math. xxij Loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule thy neybor as thy self .j. Iohn â–ª v. This is the louing of God that wée kéepe al his coÌ„maundements Such a louing of God and our neybor burning perfect with the whole hart without any lusts or sinful inclinatioÌ„s without any sin befalleth to no man Christ only excepted For in al men yeÌ„a euen in those the be regenerated the law of the members or y sinfull inclinations affectioÌ„s keepe war like enimies ageinst the law of god Gal. v. Roâ— vij and they striue against the spirit of god And in al meÌ„ yea eueÌ„ in the holiest there remaines lothsom filthinesse of sin which hindereth our loue obedience that it cannot fully perfectly satisfie y law of God nor of it own woorthynesse please God .j. Ioh. ij If wee say wee haue no sin wée deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. Then séeing no mannes loue bée he neuer so holy is the perfect fulfilling of Gods lawe it is plaine too bee séene that no man is iustified before God by his owne loue or his own good woorks but that wée are freely for Christes only sake deliuered by faith from the cursse of the law from sin death and restored too rightuousnesse and lyfe Gal. iij. Rom. iij. Now when wee through the frée mercy of God for Chrystes sake are receiued and iustified by faith and endued with the holy ghost then also is the law stablished by faith not only bicause that through faith the full perfect rightuousnesse which Gods lawe claimeth is imputed too vs as though wée our selues had throughly satisfied Gods law but also bicause that through faith the true knowledgment of Chryst foreshining in our harts through the help of the holy ghost mouing our harts ther is kindled in our mind a new brighter light a stedier assent a confidence gladnesse settling it selfe in God a childly awe a pure and more burning loue of God a stedier purpose of obeying God according too all the commaundements of his holy law Which newbegonne obedience liketh God not for the owne worthinesse thereof but through faith in Christ that is too wit bicause the person of him that obeyeth is accepted by faith for Chrystes sake as in .j. Pet. ij is sayd Offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable too God by Iesus Chryst Vpon the Sunday called Septuagesima ¶ The Epistle .j. Cor. ix and .x. PErceiue ye not how that they which run in a race run all yet but one receiueth the reward So run that yee may obteine Euery man that proueth masteryes absteyneth from all thinges And they doo it too obteine a corruptible crowne but wee too obteine an vncorruptible crowne I therefore so run not as at an vncertaine thing So fight I not as one that beateth the ayre but I tame my body and bring it vntoo subiection lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to other I my selfe should bee a castaway The .x. Chapter BRethren I would not that yee should be ignoraunt of this how that our fathers were all vnder a cloude and all passed thorowe the sea and were al baptised vnder Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate of one spirituall meat and did all drinke of one maner of spirituall drinke For they dranke of the spiritual rock that folowed them and that rocke was Chryst The cheefe places are three 1 Of diligence and busying our selues in the woorks of our owne vocation and in the folowing of the actions of all our whole lyfe in suche wyse as they may serue too Gods glory and atteine reward in euerlasting life 2 A generall exhortation too new obedience or a lyfe agréeing with Gods will and too shunne the offences
which as God punished in the fathers wādering in the wildernesse so will he also punish horribly in vs if wée commit the like faultes 3 That the church of the fathers and of the Christians is all one which is gathered by the woorde and the sacraments and is fed and mainteined all with one spirituall meat and drinke The first place THe rule which Paul in this place putteth forth garnished with the twoo similitudes taken of running wrestling is a most profitable necessary rule not only of the duety of teachers or ministers of the church but also of our studies of all the deuises and dooings of our whole life In all vocations and in ordering all the deuises endeuers and deedes of our life aright wee must needes haue a certeine end and bound set before vs to which as it were to a marke wee may leuel all our businesse that we take in hand Agein it behoueth vs skilfully to chose the meanes that lead directly to the same ende and to vse necessary heedfulnesse exercise earnestnesse and stedfastnesse in necessary heedfulnesse exercise earnestnesse stedfastnesse in getting and keping those meanes Like as the rūners in a race haue their eye alwais vppon the marke set vp before them with all earnestnesse and pains taking doo enforce endeuer themselues the streightest way too it And as the wrestlers bend thēselues wholy ageinst their copemates that they may giue the foile obtaine the wished rewarde of victorie For as Plato sayth A man must not wanderingly gaze at many things but stedfastly ame one thing at the same leuell all his doings as it were at a marke This is the common and vttermost end of all vocations of the whole lyfe of man which Paul himself hath a whyle after appoynted doo yee all things too the glory of God and bee not a stumbling blocke too Gods church That is too say let the end of al your dooings bée of God or the true acknowledgment inuocatiō and glorifying of God and the welfare and quietnesse of Gods church Besides this euery seueral vocation hath peculiar boūds and endes by it self as the ciuill magistrates boundes and ends are too bridle the misbehauiors of his countrymen with honest lawes too decide controuersies by rightfull iustice too mainteine peace too defend the good and too punishe the vnthriftes and offenders The ends of the ministerie of the gospell are too teach the true doctrine of the gospel aright too minister the sacramēts and too performe the other partes of their office faithfully for the glory of God and that many men may bée saued The ends of scholers life or of our studies are wisdom power of vtterāce or wyse eloquēt godlinesse or too haue good skil to iudge aright of things that is too say wel liue wel Too the entent wée may attein and retein these ends wée must chuse the meanes that lead the right way too them like the runner which taketh his next way too the marke stragleth not with vncertein mouing and blind starting this way that way in his race For he that mindeth too attein too the place that he ameth at must folow but one way not wander many wayes For that I may vse the woords of Seneca that wer not too go but too gad So the champion Eutellus settles himself ageinst his aduersary only He beateth not the aire in vaine but standeth stiffe stout in sight with eyther hand he thumpes a maine on Dare as thicke as he can smite Therefore like as the runners looke euer too their marke and the champions employ all their shiftes and practises too smite their aduersarie and start not aside with blind braids ne beat the air with rash strokes so let euery man in his vocation and specially the teachers ministers of the church chuse out wisely the meanes that lead streight too the ryght end and in exercising the same let them vse diligence cōtinuance that they may in the eternal life attein the promised reward of their diligence Let thē teach the pure doctrin of the gospel faithfully Let them continually beat vpon the places of doctrine that are necessary and most auailable too the norishment of true godlinesse as the places of repentance of faith of the person office and benefites of Chryst of true inuocation of the crosse of good woorkes c. Let them attemper them selues too the capacitie of their hearers Let them examine instruct and strengthen the rawer sort Let them stedfastly and stoutlye stand wyth the truthe against Heretikes Let them fight against their owne nature and their sinfull lusts Let them beare with some infirmities and offences for common quietnesse sake Let them allure their héerers with examples of all vertues Let them brydle ambition wrathe desire of reuengement couetousnesse and other affections that they deface not the doctrine of the gospel with stūbling blockes and themselues become castawayes or lose the inheritance of eternall life Like as Paule saith that he looked narowly too himselfe or chastised his body subdewing it taming it bringing it in subiection that is too say with great héede and streightnesse he restreyned and kept vnder foote the sinfull inclinations and lusts of his hart and compelled both the inward powers of his soule the outward members of his body as his tung his eyes his handes and his féete too bée seruiceable and obedient too the iudgement of his mind or to Gods will. Most men in the world are in bondage to their affections and are ruled by thē so as they béeing enflamed with loues hatreds couetings fond hopes c. doo take in hand vnrightuous and vnnecessary dooings in which they perish as for example Paris was brought in bōdage too his own loue Pompey gaue himself ouer to ambition malice and spitefulnesse Xerxes being pricked with pryde desirousnesse of reuengement made warre ageinst the Gréekes Many heritikes being set a gog with vaine glory sprede abrode and mainteine false opinions Othersome doo brable about néedlesse questions rather curious than profitable Other teachers giue thēselues too sluggishnesse other too medling with many matters and othersome too other affections Paule therefore euen by his owne example exhorteth all ministers and doctors of the church with singular care héedfulnesse and diligence too hold in and too bridle their mindes willes harts outward members that they serue not their owne sinfull inclinations or the Diuell spurring them foreward but the will and woord of God. But the text of this presēt Epistle shal become more cléer to the eye if the auncient maner of the Gréekish gaming 's be considered and the termes of them well vnderstood Among the Greekes in their gaming places there were fyue kynds of exercises most auncient Running Buffeting Leaping Coyting and Wrestling And these were called the naked Games bycause the Gamers exercised thēselues naked in those games The Runners that ran
a furlong through that is to wit sixhundred foote or half a quarter of a myle were called Stadiodromoi that is too say Furlongers And they that ran the race duble or which when they came at the marke ran backe agein to the baryers were called Dubblefurlongers The Buffeters encountred eyther with fistes or with sandbagges as Entellus and Dares doo in Virgill The Leapers contended eyther in the swiftnesse or in the hyghnesse or in the farnesse of the leape The Coyters were those that exercised themselues in throwing a coyt of stone or yron vp in heyghth or out at length with which kynd of exercyse Apollo is reported too haue slayne Hyacinthus and Peleus his brother Phocus by mischance The Wrestlers being naked and anoynted with oyle besprent with dust and gryping one another stryued to cast eyther other to the ground These exercises were vsed both in the common scooles of euery seuerall Citie as in Lycey and Academie at Athens and specially in their holy Gaming 's as they termed them that is to wit the Olympians Nemeans Pythians and Isthmians In whiche the Gamers absteyned from meates and pleasures that weaken mennes bodyes kept themselues to a certeyn dyet necessarie to make the powers of their bodye strong and stedye And they that wan the maystrie hauing deliuered to them a braunche of Palme by the ouerséeer or iudge of the games were woont to bée proclaymed victors in the holy Games and to bée crowned with a garlond at Olympus of Olif and at Nemea of Apium And the Gaming 's of Olympus were had in so great estimation in Greeke that it was in maner a greater and more honorable thing too haue obteyned the reward or garlond in those holy Gaming 's than too haue triumphed at Rome Therefore Plato in his fifth booke of Lawes sayeth that he is the best Citizen of all others that counteth it a greater beautie and honor too him too obey reuerently the lawes of his countrye than too win the maysterie in the Gaming of Olympus or in any other Gaming Out of this auncient custome of the Gréekish Games Paule taketh in this place many notable woordes Euery man sayeth he that tryeth maysteries whither it bée in running wrestling or buffeting dooth with great warenesse and diligence forbeare the meats pleasures and all other things that weaken the powers of the bodye or whiche may abate their nimblenesse eyther hinder or disappoynt them of the victorie Euen so Chrysts souldiours susteyning a continuall encounter and wrestling with the Deuill and their own sinfull lusts and outward entycements must throughout the whole race of their lyfe absteyne from al things that offend eyther God or godly and weake persones and specially from Idolatrous meats of which Paule doth chéefly entreate this whole disputation of the .viij. ix and .x. Chapters They that run in a race Hercules is reported to haue run ful 120. paces with one breth at the gaming of Olympus That space is properly called a fur long Also the lists wherin they contend in running is termed by the same name But one receyueth the rewarde The Gréeke woord is Brauion whiche signifieth the reward or the palmbraunch that was giuen too the victor by the ouerséer and iudge of the game who bare in his hand Rabdon that is to say an officers warder and gaue too the victor a braunch of Palme And therevppon the sayd woord Brabion is thought too come by transposing of letters They do it to obteyn a corruptible crown namely in the gaming 's at Olympus of wyld Olif at Isthmo of Pynetrée at Nemea of Apium in the Pythians of Appletrée c. And the victors were woont too take the garlonds foort with from their heads and set them vppon the Altars of the Gods immortall méening thereby that victorie is the gift of God that they acknowledge their receiuing of victorie at gods hand Hontos pycténo that is too say So play I the champion or so contend I with many stroks as did Entellus and Dares in the fifth booke of Virgils Aeneas Hupopyazo mou to soma Suidas interpreteth these woords thus I looke diligently or narowly too my bodye that is too say I vse a singular warenesse circūspectnesse to rule all the motions both of my body my mynd in such wise as I may obteyne the wished reward that I contend for Also this woord Hupopia signifieth the blewnesse about the eyes and generally the swellings that ryse of labor properly called knubbes or y come of strypes called wales whiche ryse vp blewish or blackish where the body hath bin smittē by reason that the blud being forced out of his propre place and gathering about the place that is striken dooth there fester and cause the skin too looke black and blew Paule therfore ment by this terme a hard chastisement of his body and such a repressing of his lusts as was annexed with great payn The second place A Generall exhortation too new obedience or too endeuer and diligence too doo goods déeds The arguments are three FIrst of the profit or rewards wherwith diligence in going through faithfully with the labours of a mannes voratiō in framing y intents dooings of a mannes lyfe according to the rule of gods wil shal without fayle bée recōpēsed in the euerlasting lyfe For like as they y run in a race or they y ouercome in Buffeting are crowned with a garlond So in the warfare of a Christen mannes lyfe and specially in the ministerie they that feight faithfully shal receyue an vncorrupt crowne of glorie in the euerlasting lyfe .j. Pet. v. ij Tim. iiij Secondly of the discommoditie or penalties Least it may by any meanes come to passe that when I haue preached vntoo others I my self may become a castaway that is too say lose the heritage of eternall lyfe Thirdly by examples of the fathers or of the Israelites in the wildernesse who falling away and defyling thēselues with Idolatrie whordome and impaciencye lost the grace of God and were piteously ouerthrowen and destroyed in the desert The third place THe Church of the Fathers or Israelites and of the Christians is all one which is gathered togither by the woord of the Gospell and by the Sacramentes and is fed and preserued by all one spirituall meate and drink For there is but one selfsame Chryst for whose sake all the holy men of all tymes haue obteyned remission of sinnes And there is but one selfsame Gospell by whiche all Chrystes benefites are offered and applyed too men But the outward fashions of the Sacramentes differ And the clowd that couered the people Exod. xiij and the water of the red sea through whiche the Israelites passed Exod. xiiij were representations of Baptim For euen as God couered and defended his people with the clowd and led them safe through the waues of the sea by the seruice of Moyses and by these
vs of whiche is spoken in the first and fifth commaundements Men offend very sore in all their lyfe but specially in their aduersities hurting themselues and others through impatience Therefore let vs haue before our eyes the admonishements of other wise meÌ„ as O foole anger in aduersitie auayleth not And in the same Tragedie Thou giuest place too anger which alwayes vndooth thée And also inespecially this saying of Iames The wrath of man worketh not the things that are ryghtfull before God like as Theodosius in his angre flew fyue thousand giltlesse people at Thessalonica Iob Ieremie and many other godly persones offended in their troubles thorough wrathfulnesse Therefore let vs brydle wrath partly with thinking vppon other caces and perilles and inespecially with the example of Chryste who sayeth Lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart The fifth is A generall exhortation too eschewe sin and too embrace and hold faythfully the woord of God which is the power of god Therfore laying asyde all vnclennesse that is too say sinne that is bred and borne with vs and abundance of malice that is too say the maliciousnesse and actuall sinnes that flowe out of it Embrace yée faythfully kéepe yée the séede of Gods woord sowen in you of which you bée borne a new as he sayd afore Of his owne good will begate he vs with the woord of truthe by which onely and none otherwyse God imparteth forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluation vntoo vs. Vppon the Sunday called Vocem Iucunditatis or the .v. Sunday after Easter VTter yée the voyce of gladnesse and let it bée heard Halleluia Shewe it foorth too the vttermost boundes of the earth for the Lord hath deliuered his people Halleluia ¶ The Epistle Iacob â— SEe that yee be doers of the woord and not heerers only deteyning your own selues For if any man heare the woord and declareth not the same by his workes he is like vntoo a man beholding his bodyly face in a glasse For assoone as he hath loked on himselfe he goeth his way and forgetteth immediatly what his fashion was But who so looketh in the perfect law of libertie and continueth therin yf hee bee not a forgetfull hearer but a dooer of the worke the same shall bee happy in his deede If any man among you seeme too be deuoute and refrayneth not his toung but deceyueth his owne hearte this mans deuocion is in vayne Pure deuocion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visit the fatherles and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world IN the Sermon of this day Tauler expounding this moste swéete promisse of Chrystes Howe muche rather shal your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost too those that aske reciteth that excellent saying which is cited in the place concerning Inuocation and which otherwyse also is woont too bée often repeated and beaten intoo mennes heades in our churches Mannes mynd is neuer so greedy too receyue but that God is much more redy too giue for he is soothfast and a kéeper of his promisses It was the custome of all Christendome a late yéeres too make publike processions these twoo dayes folowing intoo the féeldes néere vntoo their Cities and tounâ—s and too make solemne prayers for obteinment of luckie encrease of the frutes of the earth and for peace and other good things at gods haÌ„d And therupon it was called Rogation weeke or the wéek of publike prayers and the Sunday was called the Rogation day Now forasmuch as true inuocation is the chéefest highest woorshipping of God and the chéefe â—uttresse and wall of the Church and of all the godly and in those Letanies or opeÌ„ Rogations there were many corruptions of true inuocatioÌ„ and in especiall Idolatrous woorshipping of Sainctes receiued and stablished it is bée houefull too open too the héerers a sound summe of the true doctrine concerning the ryght inuocation of God compreheÌ„ded in this most swéete saying of this dayes gospel Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye ask of the father in my name he will giue it you Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect Therefore I exhort the well mynded that in the publike exposition of this dayes gospel they diligently coÌ„sider the doctrine of true inuocation and often beat vpon it and daily apply the same to their vse For Inuocation is the chéef most hyghest honoring of God wherby our harts being stirred through the instinct of the holy ghost doo with true and earnest motion vppon trust of our mediator Chryst aske and look for all good things both ghostly and bodily preseÌ„t and too come at the true God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst assuredly warranting our selues that wée are herd and obtein the good things which wée aske according too his promisses The partes of all true Inuocation or Prayer are sixe FIrst the calling vpon the true God the eternal father of our Lord Iesus Chryst made manifest in his church by his assured woord and by his soÌ„ne now sent Not feyned Gods not Iupiter Apollo or Pallas not holy men that are dead but the only true God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost must bée called vppon Secondly the consideration of Gods moste streight commaundement which willeth the good things that are promised too bée demaunded and looked for at Gods hand as in this dayes gospel Aske and ye shall receiue Luke â–ª xviij Pray alwayes Psal xlix Cal vpon mée in the day of thy trouble Thirdly repentance or acknowledgement of our sinnes and of our owne vnwoorthinesse as Daniel confesseth himself in his ix chapter wée haue sinned wée haue doone amisse To thée O Lord bee rightuousnesse but vntoo vs confusion offace Fourthly the calling too mynd of the promisses coÌ„cerning remissioÌ„ of sinnes the héering of our prayers for Christ our mediators sake as is said in this dayes gospel whatsoeuer ye shall aske of the father in my name he will giue it you â–ª if yée aske it in such maner as he hath expressed in his woord Spirituall benefites peremptorily and without any condition and temporall or worldly benefites and deliuerance from troubles with exception first of our owne profit welfare if he of his fatherly wisdome shall think the thing too bée profitable and wholsom which wee aske Secondly of â–ª the crosse or chastisement of the godly as is sayd in Marke they shall receiue house and lands howbéeit with tribulation Thirdly wée must not apoint God the maner and time of our deliuerance according too this saying if the Lord make taryance abide thou his leysure And fourthly bodily benefits are not too bée gotten by our owne deuises before God bestow them vppon vs. Fifthly faith embrasing gods promis and assuring it self certainly that a mannes sinnes are released and his prayers herd for Chryst the mediators sake Sixthly the reckening vp of the things that are too bée asked as well Ghostly as bodily which
a churche out of mankynde too acknowledge him and set foorth his prayse and that God ageyne on the other syde may communicate himselfe too those that acknowledge hym And too the intent hée myght bee knowne hee hath of his excéeding greate goodnesse disclosed himselfe to mankind by deliuering him a certeyn doctrine of the Law and the Gospell concerning his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whom he hath set foorth too bée a mediator and redéemer too the ende that men being receyued for his sake myghte bée endued with godly lyght wisedome ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe For although God could without mean haue conuerted men vntoo him and coulde garnysh them with hys lyghte and glorie yet notwithstanding of his woonderfull wisedom he hath appointed this order to the intent that men in this lyfe myght thorough the doctrine of the lawe bée stirred vp to acknowledge their sinnes and too repent them earnestly for the same and by the Gospell conceyue Fayth wherthrough they may in their extréeme gréefes flée vntoo the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who dyed and rose ageyne for vs and for his sake obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes ryghtuousnesse and the inheritance of euerlasting life Wherefore too the intent this doctrine of the lawe and the gospell by whiche only and not any otherwise God hath determined to conuert men vntoo him and too gather an euerlasting church too himselfe myght bée continually knowne and spread abroade among mankynde GOD of his vnmeasurable goodnesse hath ordeyned the ministerie of publik teaching and preaching his doctrine and hath appointed certeyne persons to teache partely by him selfe without meanes and partly by his Church And the sonne of God himselfe was the first preacher or minister of the Gospell in Paradyse vttering the woonderfull promis concernyng the séede by which our first parentes were receyued intoo fauour Afterward hée raysed vp Patriarks and Prophets and by his power in them maynteined the ministration of his doctrine ageynst the furiousnesse of féendes and tyrants At length taking mans nature vpon him he hym selfe preached visibly vpon earth and wrought miracles And as soone as he was risen from death he sent his apostles sainct Mathew and the rest too spreade this doctrine abroade through the whole world By these were others called too bée teachers and ministers of the Churche and so from thensfoorth by continuall succession vntoo our tymes the ministerie of the Gospel hath bin preserued and maynteined by the infinite goodnesse and power of the son of god And therfore sayth Paule in this place And the very Son of God our Lorde Iusus Christe hathe gyuen some apostles that is too say ministers called and sent immediatly by Chryst him selfe too teache the Gospell euery where hauing assurednesse that they doo not erre To the doctrine of these must wée certeinly giue credit as too the voyce of God sounding from heauen Some prophets that is to say teachers or interpreters of the scriptures written by the prophetes and Apostles furnished with singular giftes for the setting vp ageyne of the doctrine héeretofore darkened and decayed such as were Austin Luther and others Some Euangelists that is to say ministers that teach the Gospell receyued of the Apostles and sette vp churches in mo places as Timothie ij Tim. iiij Some shepherds that is to say ministers called not immediatly of God but by men to teach the Gospell to minister the Sacraments and to rule some one churche in some certeine place These doothe Paule call Elders and Bishops who when they step asyde from the rule of the Apostles doctrine do erre and fall And some teachers which in the churche in schooles or in mens houses doo teach the true doctrin of God but minister not the Sacramentes To the building vp of the Saincts intoo the woorke of the ministerie that is to say that the holy church may be builded vp by the ministerie of the Gospel and that mē which are drawen away from God may bée lynked too GOD ageyne To the building vp of the bodie of Chryst that is too say that the Church which is Chrystes body may be buylded that is to say that out of mankynde there may bée gathered a congregation of men that rightly acknowledge and prayse God and his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe and become heires of the euerlasting lyfe Till wee come into the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of Gods sonne that is too say vntill we all come too one fayth whiche is the acknowledgement of the Sonne of God. Intoo a perfect man after the measure of age of the fulnesse of Chryst that is too say vntill fayth which at the beginning is small babish and weake may by little and little grow and become strong manly and fulsome or perfect For he taketh a similitude of the age of men whervnto he compareth the encreasments of Faith. That we may be no longer children wauering and caryed about with euery wynde of doctrine that is too say that the one true and vncorrupt doctrine of the gospel may be preserued among men the losse whereof maketh infinite errours to créepe in as it is to bée séene among the Heathen folke and the Papistes And Paule vseth lyghtsome metaphors 1. First of the childish age whiche is vnconstant and easy to be bowed changed 2. Of a ship floting on the waues 3. of a réed which yeldeth to euery blast of wind In the lewdnesse of men and craftynesse wherby they hem vs in with errour That is to say by the sleights and wyles of men wherwith they compasse vs to deceiue vs. But let vs folow the truth in loue and in all things let vs grow into him that is the head euen Chryst that is too say Wée that bee godly teachers let vs with agreeable endeuer spreade abroade the true doctrine of the Gospell and by our ministration knit ageyn vnto our one head Chryst all men that bée pulled away from God. In whome all the bodie is coupled and knit togither in euery ioynt by the ministration according too the operation as euery part hath his measure and encreaseth the bodie too the edifiyng of it selfe in loue that is to say Like as in mās body the power or spirite of lyfe spreadeth from the head into the rest of the membres knitte togyther by ioyntes that they maye excecute their propre seruices or offices according too the operation that is giuen too eche seuerall limbe whiche serue too the encrease perfection and welfare of the whole body Euen so in the churche gathered togither by the ministerie of the Gospel all the members of the churche being knit too Chryst the head by ioyntes that is to say by the ministers of the gospel doo vndertake sundry seruices and duties according as Christ hath giuen too euery of them conuenient power and ablenesse woorking in suche wyse that the body of the Church may growe and bée buylded in