6. Do you not knowe that all we that are christened in Christe Iesus / that in his deathe we are christened / buryed with Christe by baptysme in to death / that we myght aryse with Christ / and be partakers of his glory Marke the ordre of Saynte Paule / and then se howe it foloweth consequently / that we must be christened of necessitie / yf we wyll be partakers of his glorye and kyngdome The nynth reason The Apostles christened hole householdes / as Paule christened LydiaÌ„ a seller of purple and hyr hole householde Actu 18. He christened Chripum an hye ruler of the Synagoge / with his hole householde Actu 19. Stephe householde 1. Cor. 1. It is very lyke that amonges these hole householdes he christened chyldren / seynge chyldren be of the householdes The Apostles with all inwardes instructions and outward signes dyd brynge men to Christe / as moche as laye in them / and wolde that euerye man shulde knowe them that were the seruauntes of God / and that seruauntes shulde be made certayne / that they were the seruauntes of Christe by some outwarde token whiche was by baptysme And therfore the Apostles baptysed all them that wolde become the seruauntes of Christe / and beleue in Christ / and take Christe for theyr Lorde and Mayster / whose outwarde bagge was baptysme / as appereth by Saynte Paule Ephe. 4. wher he moueth men to vnitie by reason of baptysme / sayeng One god / one fayth / one baptyme / one Lorde god and father of all that worketh all in all The tenth reason The trouth of goddes wordes / and the true vse of them hath ben alwayes in his churche / and in the coÌ„gregacion of god / that chyldren shulde be christened hath euer ben vsed in Christes church sence Christes tyme / tyl these Anabaptistes dyd come / wherfore these Anabaptistes denyenge baptysme to chyldren / greatly are to be blamed / seynge ther be so many scriptures that proueth euydentely that chyldren must be christened / as I haue here shewed by some scripture / and 〈◊〉 places maye be brought for the purpose to proue the baptyme of childreÌ„ Nowe I wyll brynge in the reasons of the Anabaptistes / that they brynge for theyr purpose / and shewe howe weake and slender reasons they be / how farre disagreynge from the scriptures / that no man shulde be ouer come and broughte iÌ„ an erroure or heresy by such reasons / that be of no weghtynes and withoute scripture / ye contrary to holy scripture They say that these that shal be christened must fyrste beleue / and then be christened ChyldreÌ„ they saye can not beleue / for fayth is gotten by hearynge / and hearynge by the worde of god So chyldreÌ„ can not haue fayth / sayth these Anabaptistes / wherfor they say that chyldren shulde not be christened To this reason I answere and saye / that chyldren maye haue fayth / althoughe they haue it not by hearynge / yet they haue faythe by infusion of the holy ghost as the holy prophetes hadde / and many holy men in the olde lawe had Also saythe is the gyfte of God the worke of the holy ghoste Who shulde let God to gyue his gyftes where he wyll / seynge faythe is the gyft of God Ephe. 2. Philip. 1. He maye gyue fayth aswell to chyldren as to olde men Fayth also is the worke of God Ihon. 6. not of man of mannes wyll or reason Who shall let god to worke where he â—yst / therfore it is not vnpossible for chyldreÌ„ to haue fayth as these anabaptistes falsely suppose Also god regardeth no persons / but geueth his gyftes withoute all regarde of perosonnes / to be a chylde or olde man be counted as personnes in scriptures / wherfore it foloweth playnely that god gyueth not fayth to an olde maÌ„ / or denyeth fayth to a chyld / because he is a chylde / for then god shuld regarde persoÌ„nes / which he doth nat And where they say that they must expresse their fayth before they be christened what wyl they do with deie and doÌ„me meÌ„ that get nat fayth by hearinge nor caÌ„ nat expresse theyr fayth by wordes wyll they exclude theÌ„ from baptysme / condeÌ„ne theÌ„ to hel pyt And also suÌ„ aged peraduenture wyll disseÌ„ble and say they haue fayth / wheÌ„ they haue nat fayth / and yf they wyl christen none without they be certayn of ther fayth / then shal they chrysteÌ„ none / neyther yonge nor olde / seynge that olde may disseÌ„ble / and saye they haue faythe when they haue nat fayth And where they say there is no exaÌ„ple in scripture by expressed wordes that children shuld be christenned To this I answere that it is ynoughe that it may be iustly gathered of the holy scriptures truely vnderstanded / as of the scriptures I haue shewed before / of many mo / as of that the Apostles christened hole housoldes that they chrystened some chyldren I suppose the Scripture doth nat brynge forth example of chyldren chrystened / nat because there was no chyldren chrystened of the Apostles / but because the scripture dothe nat muche speake of wemen nor of chyldren but vnderstande them in the maÌ„ For I suppose there was many mo womeÌ„ christened of the Apostles then is mention made of in the scripture Wemen and chyldren are vnderstande in men of the masculyne kiÌ„de / as Roma 5. He sayth siÌ„ne came vpon all men by Adam / and by christ were all men iustified / that is all men / all womeÌ„ al chyldren / were deade by the synne of Adam / And all men / all women / all chyldreÌ„ made ryghtuous and iustified by Christe although it is spokeÌ„ after the Greke tong in the masculyne gender and no mention made of the femynyne gender / nor of children / but they be bothe vnderstande in the masculyne gender / euen as well as mention were made of them bothe / and wemen / and chyldren be as wel redemed by Christ and wasshed from sinnes by Christ as meÌ„ So I thiÌ„ke that scripture doth nat speke of chyldren / when it commaundeth baptyme but includeth all men of the masculyne gendre al wemen / and chyldren to be christened / when it commaundeth that al creatures shuld be christened / chyldren are to be couÌ„ted amongest creatures / and people of God These thinges I haue spoken as touchynge the baptyme of yonge chyldren / whose baptyme the scriptures dothe approue and allowe and codempneth the deuyllyshe erronious opinion of the Anabaptistes whiche be fallen into an errour and an heresie / and hath brought other to theyr errour be reasons of no strength nor weyght / folyshe and contrary to the scripture / whiche at the fyrst hath peradueÌ„ture semed apparentet to the ignoraunte in the Scripture / but to them that be learned in the scripture they be of no pythe nor effect nor proue the thiÌ„g they go about / therfore let euery man bewarre of these
and callynge and that only for god / haue no respecte to our selfe Thus we maye heare / knowe what frute commeth of the worde of god preached / that is to saye / throughe the holy spirite is gyuen / certantye of goddes fauour / knowledge of goddes wyll / of our offyce and dutye bothe to god and also to our neighbour and lyfe euerlasting ¶ Wherfore also in so muche as I haue hearde of the fayth whiche ye haue in the lorde Iesu of your loue vnto the sayntes / I cease nat to gyue thankes for you / make mentyon of you in my prayers / that the god of our lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory may gyue vnto you the spirite of wisdome / open vnto you that knowledge of hym selfe and lyghten the eyes of your vnderstandynge that ye may knowe what is the hope of your callynge and what the ryches of his gloryous inheritance is vpon the saintes Saynt Paule here sheweth the offyce of one christen man toward an other / that it is to geue thankes to god for fayth / hope / charyte / other gyftes spirytuall geuen to other of god And in this he teacheth christen men what they shulde do when they heare that the worde of god is puerly truly preached without all dregges of mans inuentyon dreames / or phantasyes / and that other receyue faythe and exercyse the workes of charyte to the pore people / that they shuld gyue laude prayse and thankes to the lorde for it / to desyre of god that they may continue in the truth go forward in it / and encrease euery day more and more in all godly knowlege and spirytual wysdome that they maye knowe what is the hope / that is to saye the thyng that they hoped for / whiche is the heuenly inherytaunce whiche they hope and loke for to the whiche god hath called them / these be the dutyes of a chrysten man one to an other to wysshe and desyre of god / and nat to be sory that so muche spirytuall knowlege of God be shewed to the rude and ignoraunt people as is nowe shewed in our tyme. And here Saynte Paule reproueth those that be sory that there is so muche knowledge of goddes worde shewed and opened to the symple people as is / it checketh also all them that dysswadeth the laye people vnlearned / from the hearynge of the worde of god from the readyng of it / from the study of it 22. Vertue can nat be byd where someuer it is but it wyll be knowen although they wolde it shuld nat be knowen that do vertuously to auoyde prayse of men / as the fayth and charyte of these Ephesians came to Paule in prison / for the whiche Saynt Paule praysed them / and vertue shal not lacke his prayse or reward in this worlde / or at the lesse in the worlde to come 23. Saynt Paule commendeth these Ephesians / nat for theyr goodly temple / nor yet for their noble worshyppinge of Diane / nor yet for their religyouse men called of dyuers sectes / and of dyuerse habytes / for theyr goodly syngynge in the queare / or theyr orgaynes and playeng in their churches / or for other goodly ceremonyes / nor for their tapers / torches / carued paynted / or gylded Images / or for theyr goodly greate belles or multitude of masses or suche lyke / but for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ / and their charyte to the poore people that hathe nede of helpe and socour And Paule cōmendeth them nat bicause he wolde make them proude / but bicause he wolde prouoke them to go forwarde and continue in faythe and charyte / and encrease them euery day more and more / and that they shulde knowe good workes nat to lacke his reward with god in the world to come 4. In this prayer he teacheth vs what thynges we shulde desyre of god in our prayers / that it wolde please God to gyue vs the spirite of spirytuall wysdome and knowledge / that we myght be lyghtened with all godly knowledge / that we myght knowe howe ryche is our hope in the thynge we hope for / the heauenly inherytaunce / vnto the whiche Christ hath bought vs with his preciouse bloude shed for vs / of this place we maye learne that we can not knowe what is our hope / glorye / and inheritaunce whiche we loke for after this present lyfe / except that God shewe it to vs by his spiryte of wysdome and knowledge / and open our eyes that we may see and perceyue it And to optayne this spiryte of God / and that we maye euery daye encrease more and more in this diuyne knowledge / saynt Paule moneth vs to praye to god which alone doth geue this spiryte This place maketh agaynst them that wolde the ignorant symple people shulde haue no furder knowlege of god then be conteyned in the pater noster / and to be contented wtih that knowledge / and desyre no furder / but to leue to hie dyuynes the furder knowledge in the scriptures of god / but let suche blynde gydes and ignorāt teachers put away theyr blyndnes and ignoraunce / and learne better knowlege of god / desyre it in faythe by prayer / by study / by hearyng and reading of holy scriptures / that they may encrease in more knowledge and teache other better to seke to more knowledge / that they may come to the more knowledge of god / and of the celestyall kyngdome / whiche thinges they know better the more knowledge they haue in the holy scryptures of god Also saynt Paule sheweth here that faythe / charyte / knowledge of godly wysdome may be encreased in sayntes lyuing here in his world / and therfor he exorteth euery man to encrease theyr faythe / theyr charite / theyr knowledge / in the which he sheweth that there is no man so good but that he maye be better encrease in goodnes / in the whiche he exorteth euery one to encrease / euery day be better better ¶ And what is the excedyng gretnes of his power toward vs which beleue accordynge to the working of his myghty powre whiche he wrought in Christ when he raysed him vp from the deade and set him on his ryght hand in heuenly thinges aboue al rule / powre / might and domynatiō and aboue al that maye be named / nat onely in this worlde / but also in the worlde to cōe And hathe put all thynges vnder his fete / hathe made hym aboue al thinges / the head of the congregacyon whiche is his body the fulnes of hym that fylleth all in all The Apostle goeth forth with his prayer for these Ephesyans and desyreth God that they myghte knowe by the spirite of wisdome and knowledge of god that they myght knowe the excellent power of god which god hath declared myghtely in the raisynge vp his sonne Iesus Chryst from deathe to lyfe / and made him
that lyueth here in the ayre gyue them selfe to serue the deuyll rather then God / and many mo there is that serue the deuil then god / for there is many mo vnfaythfull then faythfull / mo synners then good lyuers / mo that folowe the honours of the worlde / the pleasures of the flesshe / then that truely serueth god by true fayth and faythfull workes of charyte commaunded in the scrypture / mo that abuse the gooddes of the worlde then that vse them as they shulde do / of all abusers of goodes of the worlde the deuyll is the Prynce and captayne / for they do the wyll of the deuyl so we maye learne of whome the deuyll is prynce / what he maketh his seruauntes to do / workes of darcknes / and deathe / and where he vseth his power / here in the ayre where as euyl men lyueth folowyng the lustes of the flesshe / worldely honours / and pleasures of men / sekinge theyr owne pleasure more then goddes glorye / or the profyte of theyr neyghboure 5. Amonge whome we also had our coÌ„uersation / as he shulde say / nat only you Gentiles were deade by syn / going frome one synne to an other doynge the wyll of the prince of the ayre / but also all we Iewes were dead by sinne / had deserued euerlastyng death for our syn worthye to haue bene for euermore excluded the kingdom of heauen / wherfore insomuch the we with you be delyuered from syn / death / hel / eternal dampnacyon / it is is nat to be imputed to our merytes or deseruinges but only to the goodnes of God / to whome we Iewes gyue thankes glorifye god for it / as you Gentyles / for God by his sonne Iesus Christ hathe delyuered vs all from death 6. Men that be out of the fauor of god walke frome one synne to an other / do the lustes of theyr flesshe / and of theyr owne wyll contrary to the wyll of god / here we maye learne what we can do of our selfe / leste to our owne myghtes and powers yf we lacke the grace of God / surely we can do nothing elles but sinne / and folowe the desyres of our corrupte fleshe / as adultery glotony / drunkennes / Enuy / malyce / tancor hatred / pride / couitousnes / error heresy Idolatry / other suche lyke of the which commeth death eternal dampnacion 7. And were naturally the chyldren of wrath aswell as other Saint Paule extolethe the Iewes nothynge aboue the Gentyls as touchyng health iustifycacyon and lyfe euerlastynge / but maketh the Iewes and the Gentyles equall shewing them doth by their owne nature to be children of wrath and of dampnacyon that al prayse and glorye myght be gyuen onely to God for our iustifycacyon / forgyuenes of synne / and the gyfte of lyfe euerlastyng in ioye and blysse and no parte ascrybed to man to mannes myght or power merites or deseruynges ¶ But god which is ryche in mercy throughe his greate loue wherwith he loued vs / euen whan we were deade in synnes hath quyckened vs with Christ for by grace are ye saued and hathe raysed vs vp with hym / and set vs vp with hym in heauenly thinges through Chryst Iesus that in tymes to coÌ„e he myght shewe the excedynge ryches of his grace in kyndenes to vs warde in Christ Iesu The Apostle nowe sheweth howe that bothe the Iewes and the Gentyles deade by synnes haue opteyned lyfe nat by their owne merites / but onely by the grace of god / and that whan all hope of lyfe was paste after mannes iudgement or by the myghtê of maÌ„nes nature for howe coulde there be any hope of lyfe of them whiche were by nature the chyldren of the wrathe of god / and condeÌ„ned to deathe But then god whiche is by nature good / gentyl and mercyfull / ryche in mercy Of his greate charite and loue towarde vs hathe restored vs deade by synne to lyfe agayne by Iesus Christe / and that nat of our good workes / but frely and for Christes sake only / by whome is our lyfe The goodnes of god in this poynt is more to be noted towarde vs. That he hath loued vs whan we were his enemies euyll wycked synners that then he wolde nat suffre vs to perysshe in our synnes / but hath delyuered vs frome deathe to lyfe to be heyres of his kyngdome 2. And that he wolde make vs sure of perpetuall healthe and lyfe He sayeth that god hath quyckened vs raysed vs agayne with Christe and made vs to syt amonge the heauenly company with Christe / and that by the onely mercy grace of god by the which we are saued Here the Apostle speketh in the tyme past for the tyme to come / for the certayntie of the thynge to come by Christe And leaste anye shulde be wauerynge in hope or doubtefull of the promysses of God to be fulfylled as at mannes promysses God wylleth that men shulde be as sure of his ê“misses as yf they were receyued in dede by fayth and hope of them / whiche hope is neuer disceyued 3. The raysyng vp of Christe from death to lyfe maketh vs sure that we shall aryse fromde deathe to lyfe Ye we whiche are in this laste tymes in the whiche thynge is shewed the ryche grace of god / and his myghty power to all the worlde and for all tymes ⧠FOR by grace are ye saued throughe fayth that nat of your selues for it is the gyfte of god nat of workes lest any man shulde boste hym sealfe For we are his workmanshype created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes to the whiche god ordeyned vs before that we shulde walke in them ♣ Here we may lerne of Paule oftymes if nede be to repete one thynge whiche we wolde haue surely knoweÌ„ / and prynted in mennes hertes / specially this thyng / that our saluation coÌ„meth nat of our selfe / of our workes or merites of man / but onely of the grace of god throughe faythe In the which wordes saynt Paule reproueth all theÌ„ that thynke our iustification dothe come by other thynges then by the grace of god by Christe as by prayers / beades halowed at Syon / by masses of Scala celi / by rosaryes of our Lady / by saint Francis gyrdle / cote / coule or habit / hose / shoes or botes / gyrdeles / purse or knyfe / matyns masses or euen songe / or any other suche lyke without the grace of god without fayth of the which cometh lyfe euerlastyng 2. To fayth in the scripture is attributed our iustification / nat because fayth is the author of our iustification For the author of our iustification is Christe / but iustification is attributed to fayth because faythe receyueth the mercy of god beleueth the promysses of god made to iuste men and beleuers to be fulfylled So faythe is the organe the meane by the whiche we perceyue our
iustification to come of the only mercy of god / and it maketh vs to beleue the scriptures that shewes that we are iustified by grace throughe faythe without all workes Good workes go nat before fayth / but they folowe fayth and our iustification by the faythe maketh vs certayne that we be iustified as shal be god willing more playnly here after declared 3. Al be it that we be iustified by faythe knowe we haue our synnes forgyuen of goddes goodnes throughe faythe / yet we haue no cause why we shulde glory in our selfe For faythe is nat of vs / but it is the gyfte of god nat the worke of our power as sayth saynt Paule 2. Corin. 3. we are nat able of our sealfe to thynke any good thought / as of our selfe but all our habilite is of the lorde Also saynt Paule to the RomÌ„ 2. sayeth Yf by grace we be saued nowe it is nat of workes / for grace is then no grace but yf it be of workes nowe it is no grace ⧠⚹ ⧠4. Nat of workes leaste any man shulde boste hym sealfe Our healthe iustice is nat of any workes For yf it were of workes / then myght men boste them sealfe in theyr workes but man hath nat where in he may boste hym sealfe For what haste thou o man that thou haste nat receyued and yf thou hast receyued / why doste thou glory / as thoughe thou haddest nat receyued it Therfore he that wyl glory let hym glory in god / of whome cometh redeÌ„ption iustification / healthe / saluation and lyfe euerlastynge in blysse ⧠⧠5. But some paraueÌ„ture wyll say Yf our workes do nat iustifye vs / we wyll do no good workes / or what shulde it profite vs to do good workes yf by workes we be nat iustified To this saynte Paule here maketh answere sayenge / that we are the creatures of god made to do good workes / whiche god hath prepared that we shulde walke iÌ„ them So we may nat ceasse from doynge of good workes / althoughe good workes do nat iustifye vs. For good workes are to be done to the glorye of god / without blasphemye of god It is blasphemye to god to attribute to workes that is to be attributed and gyuen onely to god It is to be ascribed onely to god our iustification / our saluation / forgyuenes of synnes ad lyfe euerlastynge Wherefore good workes are nat to be done for this intent that they shulde iustifye vs / deserue the grace of god / take aware synnes brynge lyfe euerlastyng by reason of the worke in it selfe But good workes are to be done of christen men to shewe declare our fayth to vs and to al the worlde To declare our loue and kyndenes of our herte towardes god for hê benefites geuen to vs. To make our callynge certayne and sure so that we myght do the wyll of god / and auoyde his displeasure bothe in this worlde also in the worlde to come 1. Corin. 2. That we myght shewe our redynesse to do the wyll of god that we myght prouoke other men to glorifye god with vs. Math. 5. That we myght agree to our creacyon / profite other men in goodes gyftes gyuen vs of god for that ende And that we shulde be alwayes to the glorye of god with out faute before hym by loue Ephe. 1. For these causes diuerse other / good workes are to be done ⧠⧠⧠⧠6. Some parauenture wyl say If good workes do nat iustifye vs / take nat away synne geue euerlastynge lyfe Wherfore in the scriptures is iustificatioÌ„ / forgiuenes of synne and lyfe eternall attributed to good workes so ofte To thys I answere that scripture oftymes speaketh after the maner of men The father oftymes entyseth his soÌ„ne to do his wyl by promyse of a rewarde So the scripture speaketh after the maner of fathers or of men where as it promiseth iustification / forgeuenes of sinne / lyfe euerlastyng to them that kepe the coÌ„mandementes of god that be faythfull as Christe sayeth Math. 18. If thou wyll entre in to lyfe kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god Here the scripture speaketh after the maner of men entisynge euery man to kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes / promisyng them a rewarde / if they kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes He meaneth nat here that the kepynge of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes deserueth lyfe euerlastyng but rather that lyfe euerlastyng is frely geuen to theÌ„ that kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god / and they may be sure of lyfe in ioye blysse to come that kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes And they that kepe nat goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes may be sure they shal haue no lyfe in the worlde to come / but shal be dampned ê‘petually in hel Furthermore where as the scriptures do apere to geue to workes forgeuenes of synnes The scriptures speaketh of suche workes that be done in fayth / which hath alway annexed forgeuenes of synnes / nat for the workê sake / but rather for the fayth that they were done in / bycause they that worke these workes were iustified before god through fayth before they dyd worke Fynally sometyme in the scripture iustificacyon is attributed to workes / because workes declareth men to them selues and to other that they haue a true and lyuely saythe by the whiche they be iustified before god And so iustification of workes is the declaracyon of a true faythe / and so is iustification takeÌ„ some tymes in the scripture as in Iames. 2. Luce. 16. where Christe sayeth to the Phariseis You are they whiche iustify your selues before men / god knoweth your hertes 7. We be the creatures of god ordinated to do good workê Here in these wordes two thyngê we be taught Fyrste is that we be the creatures of god his workemanshyp made of him Of the whiche we may fully persuade to vs the loue of god / for no man hateth his owne worke but loueth it and wyll nat suffer it to peryshe / and if we be the worke of god as we be iÌ„ dede We may nat be proude agaynst our maker or be displeased with hym sayeng why haste thou made me after this fashyon or that fashyoÌ„ it is nat mete that the pot shuld say to the potter / why hast thou made me to this vse or that fylthy vse / and another that deserueth no better then I to be had in honour glory / of this thynge there is none other cause to be geueÌ„ but the wyl of the potter / and it is conuenient that euery pot shulde be content with the wyl of the potter / and nat that he shulde murmure agaynste the potter that hathe prefarred another before hym sythe the pote is in nothers det / and both pottes haue that that they haue only of the wyll of the potter The seconde thyng is that we shulde learne to knowe for what ende we were created of god / that is to say / nat that we shulde be ydle
thynke men leue Christe run to sayntes parsuadyng with them selfe that Christe wyl heare no synners / therfore they run to the sayntes desyryng theyr healpe as who shulde saye there were more mercyfulnes / more gentylnes and loue in sayntes then in Christ / whiche opinion to haue in Christe is euyl and damnable Some there be defenders of prayeng to sayntes moued by dyuers reasons / one reason is this / they saye that sayntes departed be membres of the same body of Christe that we be of / and al membres are profitable one to another Sayntes departed can nat profite vs lyuynge meÌ„bres nowe but by theyr prayers / wherfore they thynke that sayntes departed praye for vs / that we be helped by theyr prayer / to this reasoÌ„ may be answered thê° fyrste to the maior / that sayntes departed are membres of the same body that we be of to obteyne lyfe and glory euerlasting in heauen with Christe / but whether they be membres to profite other meÌ„bres by workes of charite as lyuyng membres shulde profite one another I am vncertayne by the holy scriptures I suppose they haue done theyr worke appoynted theÌ„ to do of god / and this sayeng me thynke S. Paule dothe confyrme Ro. 12. Ephe. 4. Where he sheweth the workes of the membres / also Gala. 6. sayeng Whyle we haue tyme let vs worke good to all men / chefly to theÌ„ that be of the housholde of faythe / also if al membres be profitable one to another I wolde gladly knowe howe profitable be the lyuyng membres to the holy sayntes in heauen that nedes nat our helpe / seyng we be meÌ„bres of the same body of Christe that they be of / or howe profitable be one saynte to another To the minor / they say that sayntes departed can nat profyte vs but by theyr prayer / thys reason may be denyed / for sayntes departed other waye profyte and do profyte vs / they confyrme our fayth to trust surely in god / and that our trust shal nat be deceaued / but that we shall haue the rewarde that we truste for they certifye vs of the goodnes of god / of the lyfe and glorye to come after this lyfe They shewe vs the merite of goddes promysses They teache vs to folowe theyr fote stepes to haue faythe as they had / hope charite / patience / nickenes / mercifulnes and other vertues / in the whiche they gyue vs example to folowe them make vs sure of lyfe and glorye after this lyfe / as they be in After thê facion I thiÌ„ke the sayntes departed profyte vs / and this profyte maye be gathered oftymes in the scriptures / but that they profite vs nowe by theyr prayer I haue nat redde in the scriptures I knowe nat by the scriptures that they pray for me no more then they do almosse dedes for me / seynge bothe he workes of charyte Also they haue an other reason that moueth them to thynke that sayntes departed praye for them / whiche is this They saye sayntes departed hath lost none of theyr charite that they had in this worlde / but rather hath theyr charite encrease more more they of theyr charite prayed for vs beyng on lyue Muche more they say nowe they praye for vs. To this I aunswere that theyr loue be encreased towardê god more and more / but as towardes man I am in doubte I wolde gladly of it be made certayn And where as they saye that they lyuynge of theyr charite prayed for vs / muche more nowe they pray for vs. So I may say that they lyuyng of theyr charite preached to vs the worde of god / a worke of charite as necessary as prayer / ergo they preache to vs nowe Heare is to be proued what workes of charite sayntes departed nowe in theyr state may do or do The holy scriptures sayth that workes muste be done in faythe that please god / saiÌ„tes haue nat fayth / wherfore it semeth to folowe that sayntes do nat worke after this present lyfe / or els theyr worke shulde be done in faythe that they myght please god Also scripture promyseth a rewarde for euery good worke / prayer is a good worke / prayer therfore doth nat want his rewarde before god But for the prayer of sayntes departed I reade no rewarde promysed of god / but euery man shall haue his rewarde for workes done in this present lyfe in the body Gal. 6. 2. Cor. 5. sayth saynt Paule All we shall stande before the iustice of god / and shall euery one receyue accordynge to his doynges the tyme he was in his bodye / shall receyue good or euyl Finably as thuchinge prayer to sayntes departed I thynke it no damnable thynge to pray to them / nor yet no neceessary thyng to pray to them I thiÌ„ke it shulde be more for the glorye of god to kepe sure trust and true confidence in god and to knowe that all goodnes / healthe / lyfe / saluacion / glorye eternall cometh only of god of his mere mercy towardes vs. If no prayer at al were made to sayntes departed For by prayer made to sayntes goddes honor hath ben take awaye his power mynyshed Honor due for god gyuen to sayntes / trust coÌ„fidence taken from god and put in sayntes / the blynde ignoraunt people more redy to go to sayntes / ye to the Images of sayntes then to god and desire helthe socoure of them suche hath ben our blynde ignoraunce This prayenge to sayntes hath ben the cause of muche Idolatry / of muche false trust confidence in sayntes and in Images / that so many hath desyred healthe of sayntes rather then of god for theyr dyseases / as of saynt Loy for our horse / of saynt Anthony for our pyge / of Roch for the pestileÌ„ce / of Appoline for the tothache of Iohan Shorne for the axes and in a maner for euery sycknes one saiÌ„t or other was the helper / so god was sette a syde / of whome all healthe doth come / and saintes called on in whome is no healthe nor no helpe can graunt without god Therfore if all prayer to sayntes departed were set a syde I thynke god shulde be better honored / more trust confidence put in hym / al helpe / socour / confort / and all goodnes to come of god of none other better knowen and belyued of the onlerned people / that haue ben longe in blyndnes for lacke of true teachers of the worde of god One thynge in this matter I wolde gladly knowe what hurte shulde it be to christen men / if men shulde nat cal desire sayntes departed to praye for them But of saintê shulde lerne to folowe theyr fotestepes in fayth / hope / charite / patieÌ„ce / mekenes / coÌ„temnyng of honour / ryches / worldly plesures and in other suche lyke vertues / for the whiche thynges scripture putteth vs in remembraunce of holy men departed I
pray you what necessary thing dyd Christen people wante before Popes ordeyned the Letanye to be songe and sayde in the Churches / but as for prayenge to sayntes departed / I wyll nat muche contende in this matter I wyll nat condemne them that do desyre theyr prayers / nor yet commende them I thynke it an indifferente thynge / that may be done well and omyttyd / and nat as a thyng necessaryly to be done / or that he shulde be counted as an heretyke that shulde nat pray to sayntes / or he a good christenman for that worke that shulde desyre the prayers of sayntes departed I thinke it shuld be more for the honour of god / for the true fayth to be had amonges christen men / to withstande the opynyon of Sayntes nowe had / that no prayers shulde be made to sayntes departed Then if any shulde desyre Sayntes to pray with them / and for them Yf this my mynde do agre with the scriptures take it / Yf nat refuse it I wyll nat be obstinate in this matter / I wolde be glad to lerne the veryte by the holy scriptures Whiche in al doutes is able to try out the trueth yf we wyll be delygent to searche / and leue mannes fantasyes and dreames / whiche hathe blynded vs longe that we coulde nat se the trueth But nowe let vs retourne agayne to saynt Paule ☞ Nowe therfore ye are no more gestes and strauÌ„gers / but citesyns with the sayntes and of the householde of god buylded vpon the fuÌ„dacion of the Apostles and prophetes where Iesus Christe is the heade corner stone in whom euery buyldyng coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the Lorde in whome ye are buylded also together to be an habytacion of god in the spyryte ¶ Before saynte Paule fayde they were gestes and straungers to the householde of God / nowe he sayeth they be no more straungers but of the householde of god cytesyns of sayntes made by Christe / before they were farre frome the householde of Israel / nowe they be receyued to be of the householde of Israel / that is to saye they be made felowes of sayntes that is of the Iewes whiche counte them selfes sayntes in comparyson to the Gentyles and parte takers of the heuenly inherytaunce and of euerlastyng helth by Christ buylded vpon the fundation of the Apostles prophetes / that is to say vpon Christ vpon whome the Apostles and prophetes dyd buylde and made Christe to be theyr fundacion for as Saynte Paule sayeth 1. Corin. 3. No man can set an other fundacion besyde that fundacyon set whiche is Christe Iesus / and nat the Byshoppe of Rome For Christe is the heade of the Churche and of all them that beleueth / nat the byshoppe of Rome / and Christe is the corner stone that kepethe and ioyneth the buyldynges together that couples the Iewes and the Gentyles together / by his spyryte kepeth them bothe in vnite and concorde / fayth / hope / and charite / in al goodnes Saynte Paule sayenge the Gentyles beleuynge to be buylded vpon Christe the fundation of the Apostles and prophetes / reproueth al them that sayeth or thinketh the byshoppe of Rome to be the fundacion vpon whome Christe hathe buylded his Churche / for that fundacion is Christe none other Neyther the byshop of Rome nor yet no other man / creature / nor Angell But Christe is the fundacyon of all faythfull byleuers the corner stone that wyl nat be remouid with no blast of wind 3 Euery buyldynge vpon Christe dothe growe and encrease in an holy temple to the Lorde Here he sheweth the difference bytwene the buyldyng buylded vpoÌ„ christ and vpon other thynges or creatures / yf it be buylded vpon Christe / it wyll stande and encrease yf it be buylded vpon man / or vpon maÌ„nes inuentions / dreames and phantices it wyll fall and decaye at euery blaste of wynde or tempest whiche thyng dothe agre with Christes saynge Ma. 15. Euery grafte that my father of heueÌ„ hath nat grafted shal be plucked vp by the rotes Here we may lerne / pylgrimage / pardon / payntyng of Images to be honoured / nat to haue bene of god MoÌ„kes / Freers Chanons and suche lyke religion of men inueÌ„ted / nat to haue ben of god / for they decay and fall awaye / and theyr fayned religion lytle set by Also all these that go nat forwarde frome vertu to vertue and encrease dayly in vertue / nat to be buylded of god For the buyldyng of Christ encreaseth dayly and be made more and more the habitacle 1. dwellynge place of God by the holy Ghoste by whome they encrease / whiche wyll nat suffer them to be idle / vnprofitable to other / or euyl occupyed / but moueth and styrryth alwayes to do the wyll and pleasure of god / and suffreth nat his to be idle or euyll occupyed ¶ The thyrd chapiter to the Ephesyans FOR this cause I Paule am a prysoner of Iesus Christe for you hethen accordyng as you haue harde of the office of the grace of god which is gyuen me to you warde For by reuelacion was thê mistery shewed vnto me as I wrote aboue in few wordes wherby whan ye rede yt / ye may perceyue myne vnderstandynge in the mystery of Christ whiche mysterye in tymes paste was nat opened vnto the chyldren of men as it is nowe declared to hys holy Apostles and Prophetes by the spyrite namely that the hethen shulde be inheritours also And of the same body and ê‘takers of his promes in Christe by the Gospell wherof I am made a mynister accordynge to the gyfte of the grace of god whiche is gyuen me accordyng to the workyng of his power SAynt Paule here merueylously doth bryng and get to hym the fauour and the beneuolence of these Ephesyans / in that he sayeth and truely sayeth that he suffered prisonment / and was in stockes in fetters for theyr sakes for theyr helth and saluacion / that is to saye because he preached to the Ephesians and to other Gentyles the Gospell of Iesus Christe / of the whiche Gospell preached the Ephesyans and the other Gentyles receyued fayth in Christ Iesu / and so through faith came to lyfe and eternall saluation For this cause and for none other Paule was caste in prison in cheynes and in fetters at Rome by Nero the Emperour wher he was when he wrote this Epystle / and in pryson / and therfore he sayeth I Paule the prisoner of Iesus Christe bounde fast inprisone nat for myne owne sake or for my cause / but for Christe sake and for his Gospell / whiche was the helthe of the GeÌ„tyles When these Ephesyans shulde here these thynges / howe coulde it be but they muste nedes fauoure and loue Paule and embrase his doctryne whiche for Christes sake and for theyr healthe and saluacyon was in prison and suffred paynes for their cause Kynde men can nat but they muste loue
them agayn that suffreth for theyr sakes for theyr helthe Thus saynt Paule opteyned the fauoure of these Ephesyans and of the gentyles 2 Paule caste in pryson nat for his synnes or any notable fautes or crymes / but because he preached to the Gentyles the Gospell of Christe by the whiche the GeÌ„tyles were delyuered from synne / deathe / hell and eternall damnation and made good / iuste / and opteyned eternal lyfe and partakers of the heuenly inheritaunce / this Saynte Paule sheweth that it is no newe thynge that true preachers of goddes worde to be caste in prisone and suffer paynes for the Gospels sake of euyll men he moueth theÌ„ to take pacieÌ„tly theyr patnes in prysone and afflyccyons that they may be with Paule the prysoner of Christ suffrynge onely for the Gospels sake and nat for theyr owne fautes crimes / or deseruynges 3 Learne here that a good and an holy man saynt Paule ye an apostle of Christ was caste in prisone / nat for no euyll / but for good for preachynge of the Gospel to the saluacion of the people He was caste in prisone of an euyll man and of a cruell tyrante called Nero an Emperour of Rome At whose coÌ„maundement saynt Paul was caste in prison and leyd in fetters / so the good Apostle of God was in pryson / and the euyll tyrante Nero at libertie / so god suffereth in thys worlde the euyll maÌ„ to haue the vpper hande of the good man ye god suffreth that the good is punyshed in this worlde / and the euyll escapes punyshemente / but in the worlde to come the good shal be in ioye / and the euyll in payne This place sheweth playnly that saynte Paule was in pryson when he wrote this Epistle to these Ephesyans / whose helthe he more regarded then his delyueraunce out of prisone 4 These that put saynte Paule in pryson / peraduenture they thought they dyd an acceptable worke or sacrifice to god so doynge / thynkynge Paule a greate malefactour a breker of yeâ—aw they thought it was nat laweful that the Gospel shulde be preached to the Gentyles / ye agayne the lawe of god / that forbad the Iewes to haue company with the Gentyles / or to make mariages with the Gentiles / much more they thought it was nat lawfull to preache the Gospell to the Gentyles / whiche was a thynge hyd from the worlde / neuer herde leson before / therfore they castynge Saynte Paule in pryson thought they dyd an hye sacrifice to god / suche meÌ„ full of theyr good zeales but without goddes worde hath ben amoÌ„ges vs that hath caste men in prison for preachynge that it was lawfull for lay men or lay women to haue the new Testamente in Englyshe / we maye se what blynde zeales without goddes worde dothe / and howe it hathe euer caste the true seruaÌ„tes of God in pryson and brought to trouble / payne / punyshement infamy in the worlde / although they were the newe and faythfull seruantes of god But at the laste god delyuered his seruantes / and punyshed these blynde â—eales and so he wyll do nowe / if they wyl nat repent and amende 5 Accordynge as you haue herde of the office of the grace of God gyuen to me towarde you Here the Apostle sheweth the disposition of the Gospel was commytted to him / nat of him selfe / nor yet of his wyl mynde / merites / or deseruynges but alone of the mere mercy and grace of god / and that when it pleased god to cal him by reuelacion from his inquite and synne as is wryten Actes .9 .22 that the hole prayse and lawde maye be gyuen nat to man / but to god alone / of the whiche we may lerne that true preachers of goddes worde be sente of God / for the saluacyon of men to whome the Gospell is purely preached it is a sure token that god wyll saue those to whome he sendes true preachers of his worde / of the herers part is requyred that they shulde dylygently heare the worde of God / gyue credence to it / and lyue accordynge to goddes doctryne / or elles it profiteth them nothynge / the Gospell truely preached of faythful men sende of god 6 When ye rede it ye may perceyue myn vnderstande in the mystery of Christe / as he shulde saye I haue shewed you before â— I was called to be the minister of god / receyued the knowledge of the Gospel by reuelacion / and that office committed to me of God to preache the Gospell of Christe Iesus to the Gentiles / whiche thyng you may konwe yf you wyll rede that I haue wryten before in these wordes he gyueth them libertie to reade this Epistle / wyllyth that they shuld perfectly knowe what thinges he had writen to them / this place maketh agaynst them that wolde nat the laye people shulde reade the scriptures in there vulgare tonge Saynt Paule wolde haue had his wrytinges knowen of euery one / bothe prest lay man and lay woman / that euery one myght haue profyte by his wrytynge / what profyte I pray you shuld the lay man haue of it if it were nat lawefull for hym to rede it in the language he vnderstandeth 7 In tymes paste this mistery was nat opened to the chyldren of men What was this mystery that was hyd from the chyldren of men in tymes paste It was the open preachynge of Christes gospel as wel to the GeÌ„tyles as to the Iewes and that the Gentyles shulde be saued by / Christe as the Iewes / and that the gentyles perteyned to the heuenly inheritaunce as the Iewes / this mystery was nat knowen to the worlde to Christes incarnacion / and to after his death chefely / it was knowen to a fewe that beleued both of the Iewes and also of the Gentyles whiche was saued by fayth in Christ to come before christes incarnacion / but they were sene in coÌ„parison to them that dyd nat know it / and therfore it was couÌ„ted to be hyd from the worlde / and also these that beleuyd dyd knowe that the gospell shulde come to the Gentyles and by it there saluacyon / yet they knewe it nat so clerely howe it shulde come / and by what meanes / as these that were after Christes incarnacion and beleued in Christe / nor yet there was nat so many before Christes incarnacion that beleued in Christ as was after / for this mistery was shewed muche more playnlye / more clerely to mo after Christes passion then before his passion / for as Saynte Hierome sayeth / that it is another thyng in the spirite to knowe thynges to come / rose them fulfylled in dede This mystery of the gospel to be preached to the geÌ„tiles was so hyd frome men / that the Apostles of Christe dyd nat knowe it at the begynnynge / and dyd doute whether it were lawfull for them to preache the gospell to the Gentyles or no /
pareÌ„tes that kepe theyr chyldren in to much awe or feare of them / by whose fiersnes hastynes / the chyldren be almoste marred and broughte to suche feare that they be without al sence and for feare they caÌ„ nat tell what they shulde answere or do / ye for feare they can nat speake one worde right this thynge causeth the fiersnes or rygorousnes of some to muche seuere fathers towardes theyr chyldren whom by awe feare they thynke to make wyse / by that meanes they make them starke foles / and without senses / as they be that be angry or in a fury / whiche be paste them selfe for ire or fury / that for a tyme they can nat tel what they say or do / or what is spoken to them / to whose madnes or furye the Apostle doth appere to allude here wheÌ„ he saith Ye fathers prouoke nat youre chyldren to wrath / as he wolde say / Ye fathers by your hardnes or rigorusnes prouoke nat youre chyldren to be without sense or in such fere that they can nat tell what to say or do for feare Therfore let parentes take hede as they bryng vp theyr children / let theÌ„ nat vse to muche teÌ„dernes nor yet to much rigorousnes ouer theyr chyldren / brynge them vp in the knowledge of god / in loue and feare of God / in feare to breake Goddes coÌ„maundementes / in the loue of goddes worde / of the whiche the chyldreÌ„ may learne what is the true worshyppe of god howe they shall truely honoure and worshyppe god / what is true vertue and holynes / what workes please god beste what please him nat / it pertayneth to the parentes to teache their chyldren to loue vertu / and to hate vyce / to walke in vertu go forwardes encrease in vertu euery daye also to gyue to their chyldren holy examples of lyuynge / that the children maye se in the parentes no fylthynes / vnclennes / nor euylnes to folowe And also the chyldren may nat all togyther be without correction / but the rod must be had somtimes to correcte the wantonnes of children and there negligence to make them obediente to holsome admonitions and teachynges nor yet the rode of correctnon may nat be vsed to muche / leaste by to muche betynge the children be dulled and care nat for betynge Therfore chyldren must be ordered somtyme by fayre meanes / somtyme by correctyon And it chaunceth oftymes that a man shal do more amongest chyldreÌ„ with an apple then with a rod / so it becommeth the parentes to brynge vp theyr children in learnynge and in correction of the lorde / yf they can by them selfe / yf they can nat or wyl nat take the payne / then let theÌ„ put theyr chyldren to good scolemaysters that can and wyll brynge them vp vertuously in good learnynge and in correction as nede shall require to correcte theyr waÌ„tonnes or neglygence The cause and the fountayne of all euyl is that chyldren and the youth are nat wel brought vp in learnynge and sufficient chastmente / chyldren are brought vp in to muche tendernes / sofnes / slouggyshenes / ydlenes / wantonnes / pryde of mynde / and elecion of harte / and in arrogaÌ„cy / they are taught nat to know god but them selfes / to know them selues nat euyll the chyldren of ire and of darkenes by nature / but ot be gentylmeÌ„ lordes to be preferred before other / and to ê“ferre them selues before other / and to contemne other Children are nat brought vp in the learnynge of the lorde / as in the readynge of the holy scripture / in the knowledge of god and of our lorde Iesus Christ / but if they be brought vp in learning they are for the moste parte brought vp in prophane learnynge and in the readynge of prophane authors / of the whiche they maye learne eloquence and worldely wysdome for the ende prophane authors do serue / and nat to reache Christian fayth or maners / and as chyldren be brought vp in prophane learnynge and of them lernes prophane maners / so they walke in prophane maners and conditions / and so contynewe shewe in theyr leuynge prophan maners and conditions / and be so affected as the gentyle authors be that they haue red / and forme theyr iudgemeÌ„tes after theÌ„ examples there be to many Therfore let chyldren learne eloquence worldly wisedome of gentile authors if they wyl / and a christian fayth and godly maners to order theyr lyuynge accordynge to the doctryne of Christ and of the holy scripture which alone teacheth fayth / true iudgementes good maners I wyll nat speake of them that be so brought vp in learnynge / that nat onely they do nat rede the holy scriptures / but rather teache other to be ware of holye scriptures / nat to loke on them / nat to study them / as thynges vnmete to loke on for chyldren I wyll nat saye that to contemne dispise and set holy scripture at nought / or to regarde it nat so much as a prophane author / ye to haue a naturall hatred agaynste it / in so muche that they wyl nat ones vouchesafe to rede it theÌ„self nor yet suffer other to rede it / and this euyl bryngyng vp hath bene the cause / why so many be so loth to receyue holy scripture / and why they be so euyl affected in iudgementes towardes the holy scripture that as yet scarse they can bere one to haue the newe Testamente in Englyshe to rede it / to theyr comforte and edyfyeng / and may nat here the trueth to be preached to them suche hath bene theyr euyll bryngynge vp and the smel of the liqoure that was fyrst put in their newe Botelles Therfore loke diligentely ye fathers and mothers what liquor ye put in the newe Bottels / that is in your chyldren in their youthe for they wyll smell of the same liquor in theyr age Therfore yf you wyll haue them good / holy / vertuouse obediente to you / loke they be brought vp in the lernyng of holy scripture which alone teacheth all goodnes / true holynes / true vertue / and due obedyence to God and his commaundemeÌ„tes to father and mother and to all other accordynge I wyll nat speake of Gentylmennes childreÌ„ that be brought vp in ydelnes wantonnes / in / playe / in pastyme / in huntynge and haukyng / rydynge / in kepyng of horses and dogges / in syngyng daunsynge / lepynge / riottynge and reuellynge / in hearynge vnclenly songes or balettes / other wayes called mery soÌ„ges mete for a gentylman as who shulde say the offyce of Gentylmen or noble men is nothynge elles but to hunt and hauke / to be idle / to take pastyme and pleasure as who shulde say theyr landes possessyons was gyuen for that ende Let theÌ„ rede the scriptures and they shal fynde that they be appoynted to other offices whiche requireth great labous paynes / and great
to teache the people the gospell symply and and playnely Doctours they taught the people the worde of God and dyd dryue a waye the wolfe frome the flocke of Christe / and so did Pastures / but these offyces be nat so deuyded but one maÌ„ may be an Apostle / a Pprophete / an EuaÌ„gelyste / a Pastoure / a Doctour / they haue diuerse names for the diuersite of there offyces and of their gyftes 2 In that God hathe in his Church so many ministers / he wolde haue some to be heaters and nat all to be Pastoures And in this he reproueth them that wold haue euery man to be preachers Some muste be preachers and some hearers in the congregacion The ministers in the Church they shulde eyther be Apostles / Prophetes or Doctours / or els Leuites decaynes to prouyde for the pore / for Purgatorye prestes or popishe prestes that can do nothing elles but momble or patter ouer a payre of popyshe Mattyns or Masse I finde no place in the scripture / ignorant prestes nat lerned in the scriptures / nat able to teache and to edyfye other by holy doctryne ar nat alowed of saynte Paule to be counted as prestes or Byshoppes / as appereth 1. Timo. 3. Titum 1. 3 For what ende was these ministers in the Church ordayned is here shewed / that it was to instruct other in the trueth / and to edyfye other by holsome doctrine / and nat that they shulde deceyue any be errours / heryses / superstitions / fayned holynes / false trustes / backwarde or peruerse iudgmeÌ„tes / the Churche is edifyed when it is instructed in treu fayth good workes approued by god / al erronious opinions / superstitions errours heryses put awaye / it is distroyed by false opynyons / superstitiousnes / euyl iudgemeÌ„tes errours and heresyes of minysters in the Churche that serue nat for the edyfycatyon of the bodye of Christe I can nat tell for what purpose they serue / as many Purgatorye popyshe priestes that knowe nat Goddes word nor wyl nat lerne it to edifye them selfe other in the trueth / but wyl hynder and let is as much as they can / and speake euyll of Goddes worde as farre as they dare 4. Here he sheweth howe longe it is necessarye to haue Apostles preachers teachers of goddes worde in the Churche of god / they be necessarye tyll we come all to the vnitie of fayth and ful knoweledge of god / and tyll we come to be perfite men in Christe whiche is nat in this worlde / but in the worlde to come / for nowe we haue vnperfyte knoweledge / then we shal haue perfyte knowledge / nowe we knowe by fayth / then we shal knowe face to face He willeth that we shal encrease dayly more more in the knowlege of god / which knowledge encreaseth as our fayth encreaseth as there is encreasynge in age / so there is encreasynge in fayth / of the whiche encresynge is here a similitude taken And he wylleth that men shulde encrease in fayth and in knoweledge of goddes worde / and go forwarde in good workes / as men do encrease in age / and this encreasynge in fayth is by the preachynge of the worde of God whyche maye nat ceasse as longe as we shall lyue in this worlde ⧠That we be no more chyldren wauerynge and caryed aboute wyth euerye wynde of Doctryne throughe the wyckednes of men / and craftynes / wherby they laye wayte for vs to deceyue vs but let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thynges growe in hym whiche is the heade euen Christe / in whome all the bodye is coupled togyther / and one membre hangeth by an other throughe out all the ioyntes / wherby one mynystereth vnto an other accordynge to the operacyon as euery membre hath hys measure / and makethe that the body groweth to the edyfyeng of it selfe in loue ☞ The Apostle declareth hym selfe and sheweth when they shal be made perfyte men howe / that is / when they shall nat be chyldren and wauerynge with euerye blaste of doctryne and be drawyng this way and that way he wolde nat haue theÌ„ chyldren that be vnconstant / folyshe / mutable and wauerynge hyther and thyther / but he wolde haue them children in malice and in knowledge men constante in the doctrine of trueth and in fayth / and that they wolde nat suffer them selfes to be deceyued by any doctryne of meÌ„ which shulde come in shepes clothynge and vnder pretence of holynes and vertue / whiche shulde be inwardly gredy wolfes Here the Apostle reproueth these that be vnconstance in doctrine and in fayth / and lyght of credence to euery doctryne nowe folowynge this waye / nowe that waye Newe rather theÌ„ true doctrine pleaseth better for a time and suche there is many / whiche be better pleased with the doctrine of falsed / then with the olde doctrine of trueth / and therfore they get them newe masters of errour and beleueth them and contemneth the olde trueth Maysters of errour be they that hath preached pylgrimage / painting of blockes and stockes offerynge vp of candels to ymages / perdons / and other wyll workes neyther commaunded of God nor of man / leuynge the workes of God commaunded in holy scripture And also these anabaptistes be maisters of errour haue deceyued some by theyr newe doctryne of falsed errour and heresye 2 He sheweth howe these maysters of errour haue deceyued men and broughte from the reueth of holy scripture / by falsed crafte and pretence of vertue and holynes / and of the worshyp of God but these by there pretensed holynes haue deceyued many and brought from the trueth to errour and heresy Suche was the doctrine of them that wolde haue the Byshoppe of Rome to be the heade corner of the Churche of Christe in earth makynge al holynes in fastynge prayeng / halowynge / ryngynge / fyngynge / relygiousnes / rites / ceremonies / customes / or otherwaies brought in by the byshoppe of Rome / and nat spokyng of in scripture Such deceyuable doctrine was the doctrine of them that moued men to put theyr truste and confidence in creatures / in theyr owne workes dedes merites / in sayntes ye incarued and grauen ymages / in pardons / to pylgrimages in masses ad Scala celi / in cotes / coulles / habytes / voyse / showes / boutes / gyrldelles purses / knyfes / and in other such lyke bag gashe and inuentions of man inuented for lucre sake Whiche inuentions hathe bene profytable so Byshoppes of Rome / inuentours and makers of this holines from al suche deceyuable doctrine the Apostle mouethe men to be waere / and take hede of theyr wylye craftynes and sleeth â—â—glynge / by the whiche they haue deceyued simple men that trusted / no euyl nor falsed and wylleth that men shall take that truth and folowe the truthe by charite / and do forwardes by fayth and good workes approued and appointed of god
in holy scripture and nat to leue these workes and to folowe our owne dreames or fantases inuention of man without goddes worde 3 The Apostle here goeth furth in his metaphore of buyldynge / by the whiche he wylleth no other thynge but that he wolde mē buyldyng vpon Christ the sure fundacion shulde go forth in true fayth in true knowledge of Christe and in al good workes in charite by the which al vertues be coupled and knyte together / that they myght be a perfyte buyldynge in Christe and come to his glorye / of the whiche also we may lerne that it is the office of a preacher nat onely to reproue vyce and synne / but also to shewe the remedye for thē / how men shall gette true vertue to moue to go forwardes in vertue and in all good workes and dedes commaunded in scripture / after the example of saynt Paule ¶ This I say therfore and testify in the Lord that ye walke no more as the other heythen walke in the vanyte of theyr mynde blynded in theyr owne vnderstandynge beynge straungers frome the lyfe whiche is in god throughe the ignoraunce that is in them because of the blindnes of theyr harte whiche beynge past repentaunce haue gyuen them selfes ouer to wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredynesse ¶ That the Apostle maye more moue vs to holy lyfe / holy maners and conditions / he setteth before our eyes the fylthye and abominable lyfe of gentyles that knowe nat Christe nor his doctrine / and wylleth that we shulde walke no more after the wayes of gentyls which walke in vanite of theyr myndes folowynge theyr owne imaginaciōs phantises and dreames the lustes and pleasures of theyr owne myndes / whiche be blynded with ignoraunce of the trueth / full of superstitiousnes / vayne holynes false trustes and vayne hopes corrupt iudgementes / so blinded that they can nat or wyll nat se the trueth / but continewe styll in blyndnes / in ignoraunce / in supersticion and in al vyces vsed before and condempned by the holy scripture of God / and wyll nat admytte the trueth to entre they re hartes / nor walke in the truth of goddes worde They be also far frome god / frome eternal lyfe with god for ignoraunce that is in them / blyndnes of hert by the whiche they knowe nat God nor yet wyll or desyre to knowe hym / whiche is moste blyndnes of al / and a greate tokē that god hathe vtterly reyected them and forsaken them / from the which ignorance I pray god saue vs / and from theyr ignorance blyndnes they come to that point that they wyl nat repente of their synnes nat leue them / but contynewe styll in all vnhappynes and myschefe / gyuynge thē selfes to all vnclennes pollutynge them selues with al fylthynes / with vnsaciable gredines with suche degrees and steppes goeth euyl men to all wyckednes / impiete and vngracyousnes / by the which we may knowe in what state they be in that know nat god nor his worde / nor wyl nat folow goddes worde but them selfes in vanite of mynde ignoraunce of God and blyndnes of herte without repentaunce gyue them selfes to all vnclennes 2 The Apostle here vseth great wysdome in that he setteth the fautes of other before theyr face and make them abhomynable in theyr fyght and worthy to be reproued and condēmned / although he might haue layde to theyr charge and haue reproued these Ephesyans for thē that they seynge theyr fautes condempned in other muche more shulde thynke them worthy condempnatyon in them selfe that they condemne in other 3 Marke the gentylnes of saynt Paule in that he desyred them when he myght haue commaunded thē / and his wysdome in that he affraeth them from synne vsed amonges them by the example of other / wylleth they shall nat folowe the vanite of theyr owne mynde / leaste they runne in darkenes and in obstinate blyndes euer desyrynge to synne and contynewe in siue and neuer to forsake fynne and vnclennes whiche is the moste perilous vice that can be a sure sygne that all suche be vtterlye reiected of god and frome his fauoure for euermore of this place we may lerne that these that gyue thē selfe to vanitie of theyr mynde and carnall pleasure and wyll do what fomeauer carnall luste moneth them doth go frō one synne to another and heape vp synne vpon synne / and at the lastes they come to this poynt that they wolde nat forsake synne / nor be sory for it / nor repent / but euer contynewe with vnsaciable luste and desyre to synne Therfore folow nat the vanitie of your owne mynde / but goddes worde Walke nat in ignoraunce but in the lyght of the gospell that so clerely shyneth that you may walke surelye / and in the truth ⧠But ye haue nat so learned Christe yf so be it ye haue herde of hym and are taught of hym euen as the trueth is in Iesu So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tyme paste laye frome you that olde man whiche marreth hī selfe throughe deceyuable lustes but be ye renued in the spirite of youre mynde and put on that newe man whiche is shapen after God in true ryghtuousnes and holynesse ¶ Before he sheweth in what vyces euyll men dyd walke in / as in vanite of theyr myndes in ignorance darkenes in blyndnes of harte without al feare of god / without sory for synne or any repentaunce / but in luste and pleasure euer to contynewe in synne Nowe he sheweth that they haue nat lerned Christ so / that they shulde walke in sīne but that they shulde forsake sīne repente and synne no more / nor folowe no more theyr vanites of mynde or lustes or vnclennes of body / nor other vnlawful desyres of the olde man / but that they shulde put of the olde man and put on the newe mā / and be renued with the spirite of god whiche moueth to all vertu / as to fayth hope / charite / patience / mekenes / long sufferynge / vnite / concorde / peace / rightuousnes / equite / iustice / cleanes / and to all holy conuersacion of lyfe in al trueth 2 This place sheweth / who hath truely lerned Christe / surely all they whiche be taught of Christ to forsake synne / to mortyfye theyr carnall affections / and do put away synne and the olde man with al his carnal lustes and affections / and mortifye thē by the trueth / and walke in the trueth accordynge to the trueth / these that do so it is a sygne that they haue lerned Christe and put awaye the olde man with all his concupiscence and put on the newe man which is made after god by iustice and holynes of the whiche we maye lerne that it is of God that synners repente them of theyr olde euyl and nowe take a newe lyfe and leade an holy conuersacion 3 The true knowledge of Christ / which is the trueth / moueth vs