another so frendlye as wyl for his good and wel deseruyng frendes sake suffer death But to graunt that some suche maye some where be founde as for his approued frende wyl paraduenture be contented to dye yet hath god shewed an example passyng all examples of suche earthly loues whom it pleased euen for wycked and vnworthy persons to delyuer his onlye sonne to death Now if god haue for vs beyng wycked people and offenders done thus muche how muche rather wyl he do for vs beyng nowe purged chastised and by the bloud of his sonne reconciled vnto hym that we through sinne fall no more into his displeasure and therby stande in ieopardy of more greuouse daÌ„nation not only for our synful lyfe but also because we should then be vnthankefull Christe dyed for vs but for a season but he rose agayn for euer And as he dyed for vs so arose he agayne for our sakes The texte ¶ For yf when we were enemies we were reconciled to god by the deathe of his sonne muche more seyng we are reconciled we shal be preserued by his lyfe Not onlye this but we also ioye in god by the meanes of oure lorde Iesus Christe by whome we haue nowe obtayned the attonement Now and yf by his death he haue this muche done for vs that where as before that tyme god was with vs highly offended and displeased we haue hym nowe gratiouse and merciful muche rather shal we so through his lyfe be preserued that we nomore fall into his displeasure By his death deliuered are we from synne his lyfe shal preserue vs in innoceÌ„cie his death hath delyuered vs from the power of the deuill his lyfe shall towarde vs continew the loue of his father These are suche euident sygnes of goddes loue towarde vs that they not only put vs in a quyet assuraunce and in a sure hope to be saued from the vengeauÌ„ce of god to come but also gyue vs a lustye courage euen to glorie not of oure deseartes but with thankes geuyng to god the father through whose bountefull mercy we haue receyued this welthy state promysed by hym to be geuen vnto vs neither for the lawes nor for circumcisions sake but through Iesus Christ his sonne by whose meanes we are restored into his fauour agayne to th entent that for all this benefite thankes should be gyuen to noman but to god hymself and to his only sonne Al whiche was done by the meruaylous secrete counsel of god to the ende yâ— the waye meanes of oure restoryng shoulde agree with the waye of oure damnation The texte Wherfore â–ª as by one man syn entred in the worlde and death by the meanes of syn euen so death also went ouer al men insomuche as all men synned For euen vnto the law was syn in the worlde but synne is not imputed where there is no lawe neuerthelesse death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also that had not synned with lyke transgressioÌ„ as dyd Adam which beareth the similitude of hym that was to come Wherfore as by Adam whiche fyrste transgressed the commaundemente of god synne entred into the worlde and by the meanes of synne death because syn is as it were the poyson of mannes soule by whose occasion synne whiche had his begynning in the fyrst of our stocke issued furthe into all his posteritie whyles eche man folowed the exaÌ„ple of their fyrst parente so through Christe alone in whome by fayth al are borne agayne we receyue innocencie and therwyth lyfe whiche blessednes lykewyse hauyng his begynnyng in one fyrst and new authour of generacioÌ„ Christe is spread abrode amonge all them whiche are throughe faythe knyt vnto hym and in hurtlesse lyfe folowe his steppes But when synne had once ouergone the world and poysoned all mankynde suche was the strength therof that it coulde by no meanes neyther by the lawe of nature nor yet by Moses lawe be vanquyshed so that by the lawe nothyng was done but that suche as hadde offended knewe that they were gylty and worthy of damnation For as to chyldren in whoÌ„ the lawe of nature hath no place by reason of theyr teÌ„der age not able as yet to discerne what is good and what is not syn is not yet imputed no more was it layde vnto the Paynyms charge yf they ought dyd agaynst Moyses lawe Therfore before the lawe gyuen whiche shewed men theyr synnes by reason of the law of nature the world in dede was not vtterly without synne but yet bare men at that tyme with themselfes and as it wer without correctioÌ„ fell to all licenciousnes as though they had ben vtterly lawles Forasmuche as therfore he was not yet comen whiche should take awaye the synnes of the world and vanquyshe the tyrannye of death death which enteryng through Adams offence raygned without any resistence euen vpon them also whiche had not maliciously offended agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god as Adam dyd which euen than bare the ymage and fygure of Christ whiche should come loÌ„g after and yet meane I not that he is in euery poynte vnto Christe lyke but that he in some poyntes bare the ymage of Christ In this poynt lyke that both were the begynners of a generation the one of an earthly the other of an heauenly In this lyke also that a certayne thyng is frome both begynners deriued into theyr posterities but the difference is that from the earthly Adam was the begynnyng of vnrighteousnes and synne but by the heauenly Adam is gyuen all grace and goodnes The texte But the gifte is not like as the synne Fâ—â— if through the synne of one many be dead muche more plenteous vpon many was the grace of God and gift by grace whiche was gyuen by one man Iesus Christ But now as these two are partely like so wer they not equal For besides that elswyse of it selfe it is a thing more effectual to saue then to destroy muche more strong and mightye is Christ to saue then was Adam to condempne so that muche more effectual is Christes obedience to geue life then was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to worke death so that in all pointes Christes goodnes ouerwaigheth the offence of Adam which thyng I monishe you of and say leste any man might thynke the synne of our fyrst parent to be so outragious that he should dispaire of his restoryng again to saluacion For it one mannes synne was of suche power that it made so great a numbre of people thral vnto death of muche more power plentyfulnes more general shal the benefite of God be and his mercyful gift which he hath gyneÌ„ vs by one man lykewyse I meane Iesus Christ yâ— author of godly and innocent lyfe by whome he hath not onely taken awaye the tyranny of death and syn but hath also in steade of syn gyuen righteousnes and in the steade of the tyranny of death the kyngdoÌ„ of life so that the offeÌ„ce of Adam through the great mercy of
outward workes only though the herte be neuer so farre of But God iudgeth the grounde of the heart yea and the thoughtes and the secret monynges of the mynde therfore his lawe requyreth the grounde of the herte loue from the botome therof is not contente with the outwarde worke onely but rebuketh those workes most of all whiche spring not of loue from the ground and low botome of the herte though they appere outward neuer so honest and good As Christ in the Gospel rebuketh the Pharises aboue al other that were open sinners and calleth them ypocrites that is to saye simulars and painted sepulcres Which Pharises yet lyued no men so pure as perteyning to the outewarde dedes and workes of the lawe yea and Paul in the thyrd Chapter of hys epistle vnto the Philippians confesseth of hym selfe that as touchynge the lawe he was suche a one as no man coulde complayne on and not withstanding was yet a murderer of the Christen persecuted them and formented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ was all together mercilesse as many which now fayne outwarde good workes are For this cause the .cxv. Psalme calleth all men lyars because that no in anne kepeth the lawe from the grounde of the herte nether can kepe it though he appeare outward full of good workes For all men are naturally enclyned vnto euyll and hate the lawe We fynde in oure selues vnlust and tediousnes to do good but lust and delecracion to do euyll Nowe where no fre lust is to do good there the botome of the hert fulfilleth not the lawe and there no doubte is also sinne and wrath is deferued before God though there be neuer so greate an outwarde shew and appearaunce of honest liuinge For this cause concludeth saynte Paule in the seconde Chapter that the Iewes are al sinners and transgressors of the lawe though thei make men beleue thorow ypocrisy of outwarde workes how that they fulfil the law and sayeth that he onely whiche doeth the lawe is righteous before God meanyng therby that no man with outward workes fulfilleth the lawe Thou â—ayeth he to the Iewe teachest a maÌ„ should not breake wedlocke yet breakest wedlocke thy selfe Wherin thou iudgest an other man therin condemnest thou thy selfe for thou thy self doest euen the very same thinges which thou iudgest As though he woulde saye thou liuest outwardly well in the workes of the lawe and iudgest them that liue not so Thou teachest other menne and seest a moote in an other mannes eye but art not ware of the beame that is in thyne owne eye For though thou kepe the lawe outwardly with workes for feare of rebuke shame and punnyshment eyther for loue of rewarde vauntage and vayne glory yet doest thou all without luste and loue towarde the lawe and haddest leuer a greate deale otherwise do yf thou diddest not feare the lawe yea inwardly in thine hert thou wouldest that there were no lawe no nor yet God the auctor and vengear of the lawe yf it were possible so paynefull it is vnto the to haue thyne appetites refrayned and to be kepte downe Wherfore then it is a plaine conclusion that thou from the ground and boâ—ome of thine hearte arte an enemy to the lawe what preuayleth it now that thou teacheste an other man not to steale when thou thyne owne selfe arte a thefe in thyne hert outwardly wouldest faine steale yf thou durst though that the outward dedes abyde not alwaye behinde with suche ipocrites and dissimulars but breake forth amonge euen as an euyll scabbe or a pocke cannot allwayes be kepte in with violence of medicine Thou teachest an other man but teachest not thy selfe yea thou woteste not what thou teachest for thou vnderstandest not the lawe a right howe that it cannot be fulfilled satisfyed but with an vnfained loue affeccion so greately it cannot be fulfylled with outwarde dedes and workes onely Moreouer the lawe encreaseth synne as he sayeth in the fyfte Chapter because that man is an enemye to the lawe for as muche as it requyreth so many thynges clene contrarie to his nature whereof he is not able to fulfyll one pointe or title as the lawe requireth it And therfore are we more prouoked and haue greater lust to breake it For whiche causes sake he sayeth in the seuenth Chapter that the law is spirituall as though he woulde saye yf the lawe were fleshlye and but mans doctrine it myght be fulfylled satysfyed and stylled with outwarde dedes But nowe is the lawe gostly and no man fulfilleth it excepte that all that he doeth springe of loue from the botome of the hert Suche a newe herte and lusty corage vnto the lawe warde canste thou neuer come by of thyne owne strength and enforcement but by the operacion and workinge of the spirite For the spirite of God only maketh a manne spiritual and lyke vnto the lawe so that now henceforth he doeth nothinge of feare or for lucre or vantages sake or of vayne glory but of a fre hert and of inwarde lust The law is spirituall and wil be bothe loued and fulfylled of a spirituall hearte and therfore of necessitie requireth it the spirite that maketh a mannes her fre and geueth him lust and courage vnto the lawe ward Where such a spirite is not there remayneth synne grudginge and hatred agaynste the lawe which lawe neuerthelesse is good righteous and holy Acquaynte thy selfe therfore with the maner of speaking of the Apostle and let this now sticke faste in thyne herte that it is not bothe one to do the dedes and workes of the lawe and to fulfyll the lawe The worke of the lawe is what so euer a manne doeth or can do of his owne free wyll of his owne proper strength and enforsyng Not withstandyng though there bee neuer â—o greate workinge yet as longe as there remayneth in the hearte vnluste tediousnes grudgynge grife payne lothsumnes and compulsion toward the law so long are all the workes vnprofitable lost yea and damnable in the sight of God This meaneth Paul in the thirde Chapter where he sayeth by the dedes of the lawe shall no fleshe bee iustyfyed in the sight of God Hereby perceauest thou that those sophisters are but deceauers which teache that a manne maye and muste prepare him selfe to grace and to the fauoure of God with good workes before he haue the spirite and true faithe of Christe Howe can they prepare them selues vnto the fauoure of God and to that whiche is good when they them selues can do no good nor cannot once thinke a good thought or consent to do good the deuyl possessing their hertes myndes and thoughtes captiue at his pleasure Canne those workes please God thynkest thou whiche are done with gryfe payne and tediousnes with an euyll wyll with a contrary and grudgyng mynde O holy sayncte Prosperus how myghtely with the scripture of Paul dyddest thou confound this heresie aboute I trowe a twelue hundred yeares
is the lawe death to him torment and martyrdome Not that the law is euill but because that the euyll nature cannot suffre that which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thinge Lyke as a sicke man cannot suffre that a man should desire of him to run to lepe and to do other dedes of an whole manne For whiche cause S. Paul concludeth that where the lawe is vnderstande and perceaued of the beste wise there it doeth no more but vtter synne and bring vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and thereby kyll vs and make vs bonde vnto eternall damnacion and detters of the euerlasting wrathe of god euen as he wel fealeth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the lawe In such daunger were we yer the law came that we knewe not what synne ment nether yet knewe we the wrathe of God vpon synners tyll the lawe had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thing yea and a greater and a more myghty thinge then the lawe to make hym ryghteous and safe They that vnderstande not the lawe on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposyng to satisfie the lawe with workes For they knowe not that the lawe requireth a fre a willinge a lusty and a louynge hearte Therfore they see not Moses ryght in the face the vayle hangeth betwene and hydeth hys face so that they cannot beholde the glorye of hys countenaunce how that the lawe is spirituall requyreth the hearte I may of myne owne strength refraine that I do mine enemy no hurte but to loue hiÌ„ with al mine heart and to put awaye wrathe cleane out of my mynde can I not of myne owne strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put awaye loue vnto riches out of myne hearte can I not do of mine own strength To abstayne from adultery as concerning the outward dede can I do of myne owne strength but not to desyre in mine hearte is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will honger or thurst and yet so the lawe requyreth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the lawe neuer fulfilled we muste haue thereunto goddes fauoure and hys spyryte purchased by Christes bloude Neuerthelesse when I saye a man maye do many thynges outwardly clene againste his hearte we muste vnderstande that man is but dryuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercommeth the lesse and carieth the man awaye violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the inconuenience that is lyke to folowe yf feare be greater I absteyne yf the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I cannot but prosecute the dede as we se by experience in many murtherers and theues which though they bee brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same againe And commen wemen prosecute their lustes because fear and shame are awaye when other whiche haue the same appetites in theyr heartes abstayne at the lestewaye outwardly or worke secretly being ouercome of feare and of shame and so lykewyse is it of al other appetites Furthermore he declareth how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one manne and maketh an ensample of him selfe that we myght lerne to knowe that worke aright I meane to kyll synne in oure selues He calleth both the spirite and also the flesh a lawe because that lyke as the nature of Goddes lawe is to dryue to compell and to craue euen so the fleshe dryueth compelleth craueth and rageth agaynste the spirite and will haue her lustes satisfied On the other syde dryueth the spirite cryeth and fighteth agaynste the fleshe and wyl haue his luste satisfied And this strife duâ—eth in vs as longe as we lyue in some more and in some lesse as the spirite or the fleshe is stronger and the very man his owne selfe is both spirite and the flesh which fyghteth with his owne selfe vntyll synne bee vtterly slaine and we all together spirituall In the .viij. Chapter he comforteth such fighters that they dispaire not because of suche flesh either thinke yâ— they are lesse in fauour with God And he sheweth how that the synne remaining in vs hurteth not for there is no daunger to them that are in Christe whiche walke not after the fleshe but fyght agaynste it And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh and of the spirite is and how the spirite cometh by Christe which spirite maketh vs spyrituall tameth subdueth and mortifieth the fleshe and certyfieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God and also beloued though that synne rage neuer so moche in vs so long as we folowe the spirite and fyght against synne to kyll and mortifye it And because nothynge is so good to the mortifiynge of the fleshe as the crosse and tribulacion he comforteth vs in our passions and affliccions by the assistens of the spirite which maketh intercession to God for vs myghtely with gronynges that passe mans vtteraunce so that mans speche cannot comprehende them and with the mourning also of the creatures with vs of greate desire that they haue that we were looced from synne and corrupcion of the fleshe So se we that these thre chapters the vj.vii.viij do none other thing so muche as to dryue vs vnto the right worke of faithe which is to kil the olde man and mortify the fleshe In the ix.x and .xi. Chapter he treateth of Goddes predestinacion whence it springeth all together whether we shall beleue or not beleue be looced from synne or not bee looced By whiche predestinacion oure iustifying and saluacion are clene taken out of oure handes and put in the handes of God only which thinge is moste necessary of al. For we are so weake and so vncertaine that if it stode in vs there would of a truth no manne be saued the deuyll no doute would deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinacion cannot deceaue him nether can any man withstande or let him and therefore haue we hope and trust agaynst synne But here must a marke be set vnto those vnquyet busye and hie clyming spirites howe farre they shall go whiche fyrste of al bringe hither their hye reasons and pregnant wyttes and begyn fyrst from an hye to serch the botomlesse secretes of Goddes predestinacion whether they bee predestinate or not These muste nedes ether caste them selues doune headlong into desperacion or else coÌ„mit them selues to fre chaunce carelesse But folow thou the order of this epistle and noosell thy selfe with Christe and lerne to vnderstande what the lawe and the gospell meane and the office of both two that thou mayest in the one knowe thy selfe and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength but to sinne and in the other the grace of Christ And then se thou fight agaynste sinne and the fleshe as the .vii. fyrst Chapters teache the. After that when thou art come to the .viij.
god tourned to our weale and aduauntage The texte ¶ And the gyfte is not ouer one synne as death came through one sinne of one that synned For damnation came of one synne vnto condemnation but the gyfte came to iustifie from many synnes For yf by the synne of one death raigned by the meanes of one muche more they whiche receaue aboundaunce of grace of the gyft of righteousnes shall raigne in lyfe by the meanes of one that is to saye Iesus Christe Agayne thoughe throughe Adams onlye offence damnation entred and through innoceÌ„t Christe saluation yet is not one equal to another For in suche sorte had damnacion her begynnyng that the synne of one man issued into al his posteritie by meane wherof it might in continuauÌ„ce of tyme at the last haue made the whole world thrall to synne but yâ— benefite of god coÌ„trarywyse is in suche sorte gyuen yâ— the sinnes of al the world then gathered together and growen strong are at once by Christes death wyped awaye and not only so but also righteousnes is gyuen And therfore albeit the synne of onlye one man had suche a power that it brought all men vnder the tyranny of death so that all suche as had offended as Adam did could not be but vnder the same yoke that he was yet muche more receaue we through the bountifull and ouer flowyng mercy of god whiche is that all suche as folowyng the example of Christ liue iustlye innocently shall not only be free from the tyranny of synne and death but also through him whiche is the onely authour of our felicitie and welthe raigne themselfes in lyfe euerlastyng The texte ¶ Lykewyse then as by the synne of one there sprang vp euell on all men to condâ—Ì„nation euen so by the righteousnes of one spryngeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of lyfe For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteouse But the lawe in the meane tyme entred in that synne shoulde encrease Neuerthelater where abouÌ„daunce of sinne was there was more plenteousnes of grace That as synne had raygned vnto death eueÌ„ so myght grace raigne through righteousnes vnto eternall life by the helpe of Iesus Christe Herein therfore are bothe lyke that as by the offence of one man syn came into the worlde by meane wherof all became thrall vnto death so through yâ— ryghteousnes of one whiche is deriued into al suche as beleue and submyt themselfe vnto the kyngdom of lyfe are all men of god made righteouse and partakers of the kyngdom of life For as by AdaÌ„ through his disobedience to goddes commaundement many became synners whiles they folowed theyr fyrst fathers traÌ„sgression so shal only Christ which euen vnto the death of the crosse obeyed god his father make many righteouse all suche I saye as are folowers of his obedience But to returne agayne vnto our former purpose yf by suche meanes as we before spake of it pleased god both to take awaye synne also to geue righteousnes lyfe to what purpose was it to geue a law vnable to do any good Whervnto to answer it is to be vnderstanden that in this the lawe dyd good yâ— therby the great mercy of God toward vs became more euident better knoweÌ„ For the more great outragious the power of synne is the more notable is his benefite whiche deliuereth vs from synne Now is by the lawe the tyranny of synne set foorth whiles the same albeit in vaine resisteth it Strong and mightie was this tyranny but muche more mightie was the mercye of God wherof we haue by so muche more perfite experience the greater dauÌ„ger of the sayd tyraÌ„ny we haue hitherto been in And certainly for this also are we bounden to thanke the lawe because therby we perceiue the greatnes of Gods benefite by meane wherof as the deuil through synne winnyng the dominion destroyed mannes soule whiche is very death in dede so should godly life through Gods gifte obteinyng the kyngdome and vpper hande geue life vnto all men through the help of Iesus Christ vnder whom as our lorde and capitaine we reioyce beyng now deliuered from the boÌ„dage of death vnder whose baner we wer not long ago souldiars The .vi. Chapter The texte ¶ What shal we say then Shal we continue in synne that there may be aboundance of grace God forbid How shall we that are dead as touchyng synne liue any longer therin Knowe ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him We are buried then with him by baptisme for to dye that likewise as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by the glory of the father euen so we also should walke in a new life For if we be graft in death like vnto him euen so shal we be partakers of the resurreccion knowyng this that our olde man is crucified with him also that the body of synne might vtterly be destroyed that hensfoorth we should not be seruauntes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustified from synne BVt because we before sayd that through the lawe sinne encreased that of sinne this good came that the grace of God more encreased lest by so saying some take occasion to continue in synne and this wyse thynke with him selfe if synne auaunce and encrease Gods grace towardes maÌ„ well done wer it to synne more often that his fre gifte may more and more encrease Herevnto I answer that pitie were it that any man should so thinke When I so sayd I ment and spake of the synnes of our former life whiche God of his goodnes turned to our weale and profite But now after that we are ons brought froÌ„ the tyraÌ„ny of synne into the kyngdome of innocencie God forbid that we should againe departe from our redemer and fall againe headlong into our olde tyrannous subiection Lyfe and death are so quite contrarye one to another that eche one destroyeth the other nor can they after like consideracion stande together Therfore if that as soone as we begynne to liue to Christ warde we be dead towarde the deuil with what reason standeth it that we should still liue to him warde to whom we are already dead If we liue to Christ then liue we not to yâ— deuil And if we through sinne liue vnto the deuil then are we to Christwarde dead But nowe forasmuche as we liue to Christ it foloweth that we are dead to synne whiche he hath by his death vaÌ„quished For mete it is that ye should know since ye haue receiued the baptisme of Christ what the sayd baptisme in vs doth bothe worke and signifie What tyme we are in Christes name baptised we dye with him touchyng yâ— synnes of our former life which synnes are through his death abolished and not onely so but buried also are we with him that by the same baptisme that as he whiche neuer liued synfully diyng
commaundement came syn reuiued and I was dead And the very same commaundement whiche was ordayned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me an occasion of death For syn toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and so deceyued me and by the same slew me Wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holye and iust and good But nowe feare I leste here any captious persone thynke that I condemne the lawe as the authour of synne because we sayed that whyles we were vnder the lawe we ranne forwarde euen to synne and death For suche one wyll not let to reason the matier and saye that as righteousnes worketh lyfe so to sinne it properly appertayneth to worke death so that then yf the law in vs worketh death either semeth it that the same lawe is synne or at the leste ioyned with synne But god forbid that anye man should so thinke For the lawe is not authour of synne but the vtterer and apeacher therof wherof before the lawe gyuen we wer in manner ignoraunt because eche man fauoured his owne folye thynking that he might lawfully do what so hym lusted thinking it also wel done good to desyre that thyng whiche to haue semed pleasaunt This wyse therfore fauoryng my selfe I was in manner ignoraunt that to desyre any other mannes goodes was synne had not the law sayd vnto me thou shalt not luste And in dede the law was gyuen to suppresse synne but through our folye it chaunced otherwise For whyles the lawe shewed a man his sinnes and gaue no power to resist the same vpon that occasion it folowed y◠mānes desyre to syn was more prouoked euen as the propertie of menne is more to be prouoked to suche thynges as are forbidden Therfore forasmuche as before the lawe was gyuen certayne synnes I knewe not and certayne I knewe but yet in suche sorte that I thoughte I myghte lawfully vse them because they were not forbydden my mynde was but houerly and fayntlye moued to synne euen as we are wonte sklenderlye to loue suche thynges wherof we maye when we luste haue our pleasure But when that by the lawe so many wayes and manners of synne were declared the whole rable of naughtie desyres beyng prouoked throughe that prohibition begonne more vehemently to allure to synne And by this occasion synne toke strength and power whiche before the lawe geuen was but dull and in manner dead so that in the meane season I lyued without lawe or rather I thought that I lyued as one that might freely sinne and do as I lusted But after that I was by the commaundement of the law forbydden to syn my synful vsage was not onely not restrayned but also seemed quyckened and to take strength but as sone as synne was after this sorte quyckened I whiche before thoughte my selfe to lyue was deade by the lawe knowyng my synne and yet neuertheles continewyng in it stil Whervpon it folowed that the meane whiche was prouided and ordeyned for the healpe of oure lyfe tourned to my death not throughe anye faulte whiche the lawe had but throughe myne owne faulte For whereas I was of my selfe gyuen to synne my sycke and diseased mynde takyng occasion of sinne by reason of the prohibition of the law became more desyrous to synne And thus the deuill abusyng a good instrument by occasion ministred throughe the law enticed me to synne and by synne slewe me so that then I knewe my selfe gyltie and thrall vnto another No cause is there therfore why we shoulde reproue the law which as it was gyuen by a good god so layeth it before vs good lawful and holy commaundementes For nedes muste that be good whiche forbyddeth euell The texte Was that then which was good made death vnto me God forbid Naye it was syn that syn myght appeare by it whiche was good to worke death in me that synne by the commaundement myght be out of measure synfull For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I allow not that whiche I doe For what I woulde that do I not but what I hate that do I. Yf I do now y◠whiche I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good so then nowe it is not I that doe it but syn that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge But some one will againe encounter and saye synce that lyke bryngeth furth his lyke yf the lawe be good how hath it wrought my death whiche is euell and wonte to be engendred of synne Wherunto the aunswer is easye that this reason were stronge were it so y◠the lawe wrought oure death But this is not so but as I nowe sayed farre otherwyse For it is not to be supposed that the lawe is authour of death but rather that synne is cause of our destruction whiche is a thing of suche infeccion and so full of poyson that it turned that whiche of it selfe is good to oure vndoyng by the which euery man maye euidently perceyue how pestilent a thyng syn is through whose contagion suche thynges as are best tourne to worste Wherof as y◠law gaue occasiō so was the same yet in no fault For the lawe as all we do knowe is spirituall and prouoketh vs to goodnes The cause why that commeth not to passe wherabout the lawe laboureth am I I I saye for example to speake of my selfe whiche am carnal and gyuen to synne and by reason of long custome and continuaunce in synne thral and bonde therto euen as the bondslaue bought for money is boūd to his maister so farfurthe that by reason of blyndnes of synne whiche I am in I wote not what I ought to do For I do not y◠whiche my minde and reason telleth me to be honeste though with my heart I desyre it but rather do that whiche is contrarye to honestie and hate as vnhonest beyng vndoubtedly ouercūmē with naughtie desyres And by this maye euen offenders and hurtefull persons vnderstande that the lawe is not to be reproued For yf through fleshlye desyres mouyng I do suche thynges as my mynde and reason condemneth and abhorreth withoute doubte I consente that the lawe is good as whiche forbad suche thynges to be done and vsed as I by the better parte of my reason condemned and disalowed For nedes muste that be good whiche dothe forbid suche thynges whiche though I do folowyng the fleshe yet knowe I well are euyll and nought But some one wyll saye why doest thou not obeye thyne owne reason then beyng suche as doth consent to honestie and feare the from dishonestie syn But nowe forasmuche as for playnes in teachyng to be vsed I haue taken vpon me y◠person of suche one as is yet subiect to vice and noughtie desyres ye muste in onely me by ymagination conceiue two men the one carnal and grosse the other more pure and not so grosse of whiche two the
one maye be called an outwarde manne the other an inwarde The one beyng subiecte to vnlawful desyres is wholly gyuen to synne the other hauyng yet some sparkes of goodnes remaynyng as it maye laboureth to honestiewarde and in the myddes of oure synfull lyfe asmuche as it maye relisteth and withstandeth Nowe in estemyng what we be rather are we that which we be according vnto the better part in vs. As often therfore as our mynde agreyng vnto the lawe endeuoureth towarde honestie and doth yet in dede the contrary me thynketh I do not that whiche I do for who doth that whiche he would not But in my grosser parte there is a forwardnes to synne and a certayne aptnes therunto by meanes wherof it cummeth to passe that thoughe we would well and godly yet do we the contrary And yf by this parte that is to wit my sensuall parte men esteme and measure me I graunt that in me ther is no goodnes The texte For to wyll is preâ—ent with me but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I woulde do I not but the euyll whiche I would not that do I. Yf I do that I would not â—hen is it not â— that do it but synne that dwelleth in me I fynde then by the lawe that when I would do good â–ª euyll is present with me For I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde manne â—ut I se an other law in my members rebellyng agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduyng me vnto the lawe of syn whiche is in my members O wretch d man that I am who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this bodys subdued vnto death I thanke god through Iesus Christe our Lorde So then with the mynde I serue the lawe of god but with the fleshe the lawe of synne For albeit by the inclination of reason I desyre that which is honeste yet haue I not power to bryng to passe this my good desyer For whyles fleashly luste pluckyng to euyll and fylthy lyfe hath a greater stroke preuayleth more thaÌ„ doth reason prouokyng to goodnes it happeneth that I do not the good whiche I desyre but rather that I disalowe and condemne that is to saye euyll Nowe and yf a man be not thought to do that thyng whiche he dothe agaynst his wyll synce I do yâ— thing which after the better parte of a man I would not then seme not I the authour of that which I do but rather the readines to synne which is in my grocer parte This towardnes or readynes to synne is not taken from me by the lawe but yf at anye tyme I purpose to folowe and obeye her motion the lawe causeth me to vnderstande that my gryef is throughly rooted and fastened in my soule In dede delyghted am I with honestie and goodnes whiche I see and know by the lawe but of the other syde I fynde in the members of myne outwarde man another law whiche is to the lawe of reasoÌ„ quite contrary and continuallye rebelleth agaynst it So that thoughe reason call me one waye and wylful desyres another waye yet in me that beareth rule whiche is worse and that is ouercommen which is better For so depelye rooted in my fleshe is this towardenes and inclination to synne and of suche power is the custome therof beyng as it were now altered into nature yâ— whyther I wyl or not I am drawen to synne O wretched man that I am which am vnder suche a miserable painfull bondage Who shall delyuer me from this fleashe endaungered to so many synnes and contencions whereby I am continuallye drawen to death Maye not a manne whiche is vnder suche a violent and harde necessitie well and lawfully make suche exclamation Certaynely the greater this vnlucky bondage is the more are we bounde to the goodnes of god whiche hath from suche miseries deliuered vs neyther by the lawe nor yet by circumcision but through Iesus Christ our Lord. And had not god thus muche done for vs euen I which am one man shoulde continually haue bene lykewyse pluckte in sunder and deuided that with mynde I should haue serued the lawe of God desyrous of good thynges and with my fleshe the lawe of synne beyng ouer commen with wanton desyres and with the temptacions therof The .viii. Chapiter The texte There is then no damnacion to them whiche are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life through Iesus Christ hath made me free from the lawe of synne and death For what the lawe could not do forasmuche as it was weake because of the fleshe that perfourmed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinneful fleshe and by sinne damned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfylled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite WHerfore though now yet some leauynges and dregges of the former bondage stil remaine in some christian men yet shal they through godly endeuour wel suppresse them nor against theyr wylles be drawen into any suche haynous offence by reason wherof suche might deserue to be dampned as are through fayth and baptisme once graffed into Christes body and haue now intended and purposed to liue no longer as wanton and carnal desyres moued ruled them syth that Christes lawe which is spiritual and an authour of life more effectual subduer of death hath deliuered vs froÌ„ synne also death ioyned thervnto All whiche when Moses lawe could not do inasmuche as it was carnal and therfore not effectual God meruailously prouided for our saluacioÌ„ And therfore as I before tolde you that in one maÌ„ there were as it were two men a carnal and a spiritual man so are there in Moses lawe as it wer two lawes the one grosse and carnal the other heauenly spiritual Of the fyrst part of the law was Moses maker whiche as it endured but for a season so was it not of strength and power sufficient to worke out saluacion The other parte of the lawe is spiritual effectual mightie suche as wyl neuer dye whom Christ beyng as it were a seconde Moses made in all pointes perfite And truely very mete was it that this wyse fleshe shuld abolishe fleshe synne should through synne be ouercomen that also death should subdue death For whiche entent God mercyfully beyng of mans saluacion desyrous sent his sonne though in dede farre from all corrupcion of synne endued yet with suche fleshe as other synners haue for he toke the comen nature of menne vpon him and as though he had bene a synner was among synners conuersaunt yea and was euen fastened vpon a crosse among heynous transgressours as though him selfe had been suche one also Insomuche that he in maner toke vpon him the person of synne to this end that he in the likenes of synne might fyrst ouercome synne foorthwith abolishe it beyng
seke vpon the succour of the lawe specially synce we well knowe that through the benefite of the lawe no man before God is made righteous If menne were what nede were it to resorte to the fayth of the gospel The texte If while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ then the minister of sinne God forbid And if after our once receiuyng the fayth of the gospel we be neuertheles found subiecte to synne so that we nede yet an other remedy as muche as we had nede of beyng vnder Moses lawe and beyng disapointed of the hope we stoode in so that we now againe are compelled to seke vpon the lawe that of vs was forsaken what shal we say shal we say that Christ whom we beleued to be the author of perfite iustice is the minister of vnrighteousnes who not onely deliuereth vs not from our olde vnrighteousnes but is also an occasion of encrease therof and not onely geueth vnto vs not the welthy state whiche we loked for but also causeth our coÌ„demnacion to be more grieuous forasmuche as vpoÌ„ hope of him we forsoke the lawe whervnto if we againe be compelled to returne we might seme not without fault vnaduisedly to haue forgone it of whiche fault Christ semeth the very occasion But God forbid that any man so iudge of Christ or thinke that the grace of his gospel doeth lacke any perfeccion so that towarde the attainement of saluacion we should nede to seeke somewhat out of Moses law The texte For if I haue builte againe the thinges whiche I destroyed then make I my selfe a trespacer For I through the lawe haue been dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto Christ For to returne againe to Moses after we once haue receiued the lawe of the gospel it is a certain fallyng away from Christ and reproche to the gospel yea what Iewe or straunger soeuer so doeth therin declareth he him selfe also to be a transgressour of Moses lawe For if the lawe any thyng made to saluacion why forsoke he it if it nothyng made why falleth he to it agayne If the buildyng throwen doune with myne owne handes I begynne euen from the foundacion to buylde the same againe whiche I erste destroyed shewe not I therin my foly whiche sette that vp againe whiche I vnaduisedly destroyed No cause is there then why after we haue once embraced the fayth of the gospel by whom the goodnes of Christ would we should receiue perfite righteousnes and saluacion to regarde the succour of the grosse lawe whervnto we are now no lenger bonde For as the death of either of the two maried deliuereth the partie that is left on liue froÌ„ the bonde of matrimony so had I whiche am a Iewe with the lawe somewhat to do as long as that mutual right endured that is to say as long as the lawe liued vnto me and I liued to the lawe The texte I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet now not I but Christ liueth in me The life whiche I now liue in the fleshe I liue by the fayth of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue him selfe for me I dispise not the grace of God For if righteousnes come of the lawe then Christ died in vaine But assone as through the death of Christ and the sacrament of baptisme I became prentice to the spiritual lawe of fayth I was in maner to the grosse and carnal lawe dead yet not so dead that I liued not but so dead that I begunne to liue after a better way and condicion Hitherto liued I to Moses but now liue I to God For God is a spirite As Christ liued before a mortal man hauyng a body subiecte to miseries as ours is so he beyng now dead to the fleshe and also to the world liueth to God the father free from all corrupcion and miseries of death But I whiche through baptisme am crucifyed with Christ and also dead with him am so farre from beyng bonde to these grosse and carnal rather than spiritual and godly obseruaunces that to them I am dead For I liue not grosse and carnal as I once was subiect also to worldly desires Dead is Saule the stoute deâ—ender of the law persecutor of the gospel and yet through the spirite of Christ haue I receiued life now muche better Or rather I liue not my selfe whiche of my selfe am nothyng but carnal but in me liueth Christ whoâ—e holy spirite at his wyll and pleasure gouerneth all myne actes But wheras I am not yet free from all contagion of death but haue stil a body somewhat subiecte to mannes weakenes the discoÌ„modities of this mortall life yet in maner liue I a life immortal conceiued in my soule through sure hope assuryng my selfe vpoÌ„ the promise of the sonne of God through whose bounteous mercy I haue receiued yâ— gift of fayth through fayth righteousnes through righteousnes life euerlastyng not by keapyng of the grosse lawe but through the singular goodnes of Christ who of his owne good wyll loued me deseruyng no suche thyng so greatly that for my synnes he suffered the punishement of the crosse and for my welth gaue him selfe to death Free is all that he geueth His pleasure was that for our saluacion we should to him be beholdyng and not to the kepyng of the lawe He it is whiche frely geueth this benefite to all men He it is whiche taketh a way synne and geueth pure and innocent life Were not I most vnkynde yea were I not spitefull against Christ if I refused his offre And refuseth he not it who after baptisme receiued loketh backe againe for helpe of the lawe as though to abolishe al the synnes of the worlde and to geue euery manne euerlastyng saluacion Christes death were not sufficient If through innocent and hurtleslife we become immortal whence I pray you rather loke we to receiue both by confidence in the law or by the fre mercy of Christ If by his free mercy why hang we styl on the lawe If by keapyng of Moses then is Christ dead in vayne forasmuche as that for whiche his pleasure was to dye by his death we geate not The third Chapiter The texte O ye folishe Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before the eyes now among you crucified COmenly among men for your folishenes and childishnes are ye euil spoken of but this may I truely say O ye folishe Galathians whiche would be brought in to an opinion so farre from all reason that where the Iewes through the fayth of the gospel preached vnto them are deliuered froÌ„ the burden of the law ye beyng free menne borne wyl wilfully cast your selfe into bondage â–ª The harme whiche is herein done I lay not wholy to your charge but blame your lightenes to beleue easynes to be persuaded but much more blame I the malice
firste vnto you to open the Gospels doctrine and with what diligent readinesse you receyued vs â—etting al perils asyde that semed like to happen vnto you for our sakes and howe eaâ—ely you were trayned from the supersticion of your forefathers wherwith you wurshipped the images of deuils vnto the true wurshippe of God so as euer sence that tyme you abhorre false and dead Gods and serue the true liuing God and trusting vpon his promisses you passe nothing vpon yâ— pleasures of this lyfe no more than you do vpon the displeasures of it but looke that his sonne Iesus by whom he hath deliuered vs freely vnto saluacioÌ„ promised vs the rewardes of the lyfe to come shal come againe from heauen and geue opeÌ„ly vnto the world the thinges that he hath promised For God raysed hym vp againe vnto lyfe to this ende that we might also be raysed againe vnto lyfe by him and to haue the fruicion of the good thinges that neuer shall dye which in this life suffre the displeasures of this worlde for his sake And than his commyng shal be ioyfully welcome vnto vs inasmuche as he hath clensed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloude and reconciled vs vnto God and deliuered vs from the eternall punishemente that was due for our transgressions ¶ The. if Chapter The texte For ye your selues brethren knowe of our entraunce in vnto you howe that it was not â—â— vayne but euen after that we had suffred before and were shamefully entreated at Philippos as ye knowe then were we bolde in our God to speake vnto you the gospell of God in muche stâ—yuing For our erhortacion was not to bring you to errour nor yet to vnclennes neither was it with gyle but as we were alowed of God that the gospel should be committed vnto vs euen so we spake not as they that please menne but God whiche tryeth our hertes Neither led we our conuersacion aâ— any time with flattering woordes as ye knowe neither by occasion of couetousnesse God is recorde neither sought we prayse of menne neither of you nor yet of any other when we might haue been in autoritie as the Apostles of Christe but we were tendre among you euen as a norsse cherisheth her chrildren so were we affeccioned toward you ouâ— good will was to haue deaâ—te vnto you not the gospell of God only but also ouâ— owne soules because ye were deare vnto vs. WHat nedeth vs to make rehersall seing ye your selues knowe that albeit we came not vnto you with bragging and staring nor curiously mincing a sorte of great wordes nor setting out any high Philosophie Yet our entraunce vnto you was not vneffectuall But where as wee had suffred many thinges at Philippos before as you your selues knowe and were shamefully handled with many spightefull rebukes and so was Sâ—â—as also bicause of castyng the prophecieng spirite out of the Damsel that was possessed yet neuertheles through the helpe of our God we were not afraied euen to preache the gospel of Christ frelye among you also and not without excedyng great daungier wheras in case we had preached a forged vayne thyng we should neuer haue ben in daunger of our head for that matter For suche men as teache theyr owne doctrine and not that whiche they haue receaued of Christ and teache for theyr owne avauntage intending therby to disceaue others for theyr owne lucres sake those haue no autoritie of theyr doctrine at al and drawe themselues quite a way as sone as they drede any daungier of theyr lyues or substaunce But the doctrine wherunto we allured you was not couÌ„terfaicted ne fayned neyther purposed vnto disceate ne yet vnder colourable pretence of it we haue cloked impure sciences as the false apostles do nor haue doen any thing frauduleÌ„tlie â–ª pretending in outwarde apperaunce one waye and purposyng inwardly clene contrarie an other waye and vnder the title of Chryste go about our owne pelfe after the maner of them that make themselues Apostles but like as god by his sonne hathe chosen vs vnto this office that we shoulde syncerely preache the gospell committed vnto vs euen so do we preache vnto all men not to crepe in fauour or commendacion with menne but to do our office so as god may allowe it who seeth the inward secretes of our hartes and accordyng therto estemeth euery man For we haue not flatred any man as you know at least nether haue we turned the worde of the gospel nor your tractable beleuyng in to oure owne gayne god himselfe is witnesse vnto our consciences nether haue we hunted after the prayse of men by meanes of the gospell either at your handes or of any other wheras we myght haue vsed our autoritie and brag no lesse thaÌ„ the false Apostles which though they teache vayne thinges to their own gayne yet they require to be honoured waited vpon of you But we considering what becometh the apostles of Christe which humbled himself for our saluacions sake haue not taken vpoÌ„ vs to brag loke hygh but haue shewed our selues gentill sobre among you not eagrely abusing you as disciples but with al lenitie bearing with your weaknesse none otherwise than a mother nource would chearishe the tender age of her children so we being louingly affected towardes you wer hartely desirous to impart vnto you not onlye the ghospell of god as the foode of your soules but also to bestowe our owne life not that we loked for any reward at your handes but that we loued you entierly with all our hertes none otherwise than a mother loueth her owne children We vpbrayd you not of our diligence but we rehearse our louing affeccion The texte Ye remember brethren oure laboure trauayle For we laboured daye and nyght because we would not be chargeable vnto any of you preached vnto you the gospel of God Ye are witnesses so is god how holyly iustly and vnblameably we behaued our selues among you that beleued as ye knowe how that we bare suche affeccion vnto euery one of you as a father doth vnto children exhortyng confortynge and besechyug you that ye woulde walke worthy of God whiche hath called you vnto hys kyngdome and glory For thys cause thanke we God also without ceassynge because that when ye reaceaued of vs the woord wherewith ye learned to knowe God ye receaued it not as the worde of man but euen as it was in dede the word of God which worketh also in you that beleue You remembre brethren that we forsoke no laboure nor no trauaile for your sakes thyrsting nor mynding any other thyng els than your saluacion And we hunted so litell for rewarde at your handes that we wrought with our handelabour daye and night to get our lyuing withal because we would be a burthen to none of you all The false apostles cloute in their gospel among you and wrythe to them selues as muche as they can get and we haue preached the gospel
lawe that interpreteth the lawe contrary to Christes mynde Howbeit we speake not thus as though we condemned the law of Moses The texte ¶ We knowe that the lawe is good yf a man vse it lawfully knowynge this how that the lawe is not geuen vnto a ryghteous man but vnto the vnryghteous and dysobedient to the vngodly and to synners to vnholy and vncleane to murtherers of fathers murtherers of mothers to mansâ—ears to whormongers to them that defyle theÌ„selues which mankynde to menstealers to lyars to periured and yf there be eny other thing that is coÌ„trarye to the holsome doctrine accordynge to the gospel of the glorye of the blessed God whiche gospel is committed vnto me And I thancke Christe Iesus our Lorde with hath made me stronge for he counted me true and put me in offyce where as before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and a syraunt But I obtayned mercy because I dyd it ignorauntlye thorowe vnbelefe Neuerthelesse the grace of our Lorde was exceadynge aboundaunt with faith and loue whiche is by Christ Iesu We doe bothe knowe and acknowledge that the law is good onles it be vnlawfully vsed And he is an abusour of the lawe that expoundeth it otherwyse than it meaneth it selfe The chiefest purpose of the lawe was to lede vs vnto Christ So that he turneth the lawe whiche is good into his owne destruccioÌ„ that by the lawe draweth folkes awaye from Christ And he that dyscerneth and espieth in what behalfe the law that was geuen but for a tyme must geue place to the gospell and in what parte it oughte to continue in his perpetuall strenght he that vnderstandeth after what sorte to applye the grosse lettre of the lawe vnto the spirituall doctrine of the gospel and he that perceaueth how they whome Christ hath redemed with his bloude from the tyrannye of synne and doe more vpon their owne accorde at the mocion of loue than Moses law appointeth haue no nede of the feare nor admonicion of the lawe eyther to be restrayned from naughtines or stiered to their duetye doyng to him in dede the lawe is good For he vnderstandeth that the lawe belongeth not to him that hathe learned by the gospell not onely to hurte no bodye but also to doe good vnto his enemyes Wherto shoulde an horse nede brydle or spurre that runneth frely and well as he shoulde doe They that are ledde and ordred by the spirite of Christ runne vncompelled and doe more than al the whole law requireth and hauyng once frely atteyned ryghteousnes abhorte from all vnryghteousnes Therfore the lawe that by feare restrayneth from euyll doinges is not geuen in any wyse vnto them that doe wyllynglye and gladly that whiche the lawe requireth althoughe they haue not the wordes of the law For whom thaÌ„ is the lawe ordayned Veraylye vnto them that turne the deafe eare towardes the lawe of nature and beyng without loue readyly enclyned to al myscheafe are guyded by their owne lustes onles they be holden backe with the barre of the lawe And in case the lawe suffre them to synne vnpunished thaÌ„ they returne by and by to their owne dysposicion and become the same openly that they wer inwardelye that is to saye vniuste rebelles wycked and vngodlye dysobedieÌ„t impure kyllers of fathers and mothers horemongers defylers of themselues with mankynde man robbyng theues lyers and periured persons The threatnynges of the lawe were iustlye obiected against the Iewes because they were prone to these myschiefes to restraine their slauyshe vyle natures from these wicked dooinges before rehearsed for feare of punyshement all other maner of naughtines that is againste the excellent lawe of the gospell whiche Moses gaue vs not but the blessed god him selfe delyuered vs by his onely sonne Iesus The Iewes make boaste that their law is glorious the lawe that we haue is muche more glorious They bragge of their autor Moses and wee with a great deale iuster cause boaste of our autor god and Christ They preache the lawe of Moses yâ— restrayneth a certaine sorte of great notable crymes through punyshement and I preache the lawe of the gospell whiche dyspatcheth all lustes at once that are contrarye to true godlynes And who is their autour of preachynge Moses lawe leat them loke to that them selues But in dede I am put in trust to preache this honourable myghtye puyssaunte gospell that nedeth none ayde of the law and it was not coÌ„mitted vnto me by men but by god him selfe not that I thinke me worthye in any condicion to haue so weightye a matter committed vnto me It was not of my deseruynge but of the goodnesse of god vnto whome I rendre thankes for geuing strenght vnto suche a wretched bodye as I am so ferre vnmete for this office to glorifye Iesus Christe our Lorde whose busynes I doe faithfully lyke a faithfull seruaunt and yet I chalenge none other commendacion to my selfe but that lyke as he hathe thought me a faithfull minister to preache the gospell euen so doe I syncerelye and vnfeynedlye laboure in the office that he hathe put me in trust withal without any folowynge of their example that preache Moses lawe to Christes reproche onely seruyng their owne gayne and the glorye of them selues and not of Iesus Christ I confesse that in tymes past I was ledde in the same blyndenes that they are as long as I continued in the zeale of the lawe of the fathers I was a blasphemer against the name of Christ I was so cruell a persecutour that I coulde neuer lynne doynge of vyolence For I persecuted the springing glorie of yâ— gospel not onely with braulinges but also eueÌ„ vnto enprisonynge and murtherynge Yet hitherto I am behynde these men in nothing peraduenture in this case I am to be preferred before them inasmuche as I dyd these thinges by the onely symple stickyng to the lawe throughe errour and ignoraunce inasmuche as I was not yet called to the feloweshyp of the gospell But they haue once professed Christ and yet beyng enemyes of his glorye and to muche desyrous of their owne doe of a malicious obstinacie cloute in the vnprofitable burthen of Moses lawe And for this cause sake seyng I dyd thus onely of ignoraunce God had mercye vpon me wher as they are blynded euery daye more and more The more feruentlye that I fought than for the lawe agaynst Christ the more hartylye do I nowe defende the doctrine of Christ against the affirmours of the law For in stede of that earnest vehement studye of the law whiche is to be put awaye grace hathe succeded haboundauntly And in stedde of the trustyng of the lawe the faithfull trustyng in Christ is commen in place In stede of the malicious hatred of the Iewes charitie towardes all men is entred whiche we haue obteyned bothe by the example and gyfte of Christ The texte ¶ This is a true sayinge and by all meanes worthye to be receaued of vs that Christ Iesus
in like manner his free liberall goodnes hathe nowe called vnto the saluacion of the Gospell Ther is nothing that I can wishe vnto you more fortunate than that the goodnes of God would alwayes multiplie in you his giftes mercie peace and charitie Mercie that you may absent your selues dayly more and more from the vices of your former olde life Peace that you may through godlynes of life nourish the concorde which you haue with God and Charitie that you may through mutuall concorde be all of one mynde and eche one bounteously good to other Dearely beloued forasmuche as the loue of the Gospell maketh all thinges commune whether it bee good that chaunce or whether it be badde namely in those matters that perteyne to eternall saluacion I had so great a defier to write vnto you concernyng your saluacion wherof I am no lesse carefull than if it were myne owne forsomuch as brotherly loue pricketh me forwarde therunto so as I could not forbeare but I must exhorte you in this Epistle to stande harde against the false Aposties for the defence of the sincere faythe whiche was once deliuered of the holye Apostles And not onely to labour in this that you contynue stedfaste in youre faythe but also to laye youre helping handes vnto other that they bee not begyled of the deceauours For it is not possible to thinke what a Iewell the treasour of faythe is and it standeth vs in hande to watche so muche the more warely about vs that it be not turned awaye from vs. For where as we deliuered the Gospelles docttyne vnto you purely and syncerely euen as we receyued it of Christe yet there haue a sorte of wiked ones thruste in them selues among in the meane season vnder pretense of religion and like woolues haue crepte into the lordes shepefold settyng them selues out in a shewe of godlynes where in dede they are very enemyes of true godlines And that thys gayre should not disturbe youre myndes as though it were a newe matter it was thus decreed long a goe by the secret counsail of God thus was it spoken before that there shoulde ryse men which with theyr wiked myschieuousnes shoulde bothe exercise youre godlynes and pull condemnacion vpon them selues they turne the free liberall gifte of our God wherewith he hathe once frely pardoned vs our synnes and set vs at free liberty from the sharpenes of the lawe in to an occaâ—ioÌ„ of wantones where as they ought rather to be prouoked through his beneficyall goodnes bothe to maynteyne and furnyshe the Innocencie frely geuen them with godly studious endeuours and being enflamed with the charitie of the Gospel to do with a good wyll the workes of ryghteousnes more plentiously and more exactely than Moses lawe had appoynted beefore But nowe these men abuse the libertye that is geuen them vnto filthynes and licenciousnes to synne and fall of theyr owne accord backe agayne in to theyr olde bonde seruitude from the which Iesus Christ had redemed theÌ„ with his owne bloud denye God whom they once professed where as he is the onely lord maister of all thinges that are in heauen and in earthe and denye also our lorde Iesus Christ which hathe made vs free to him selfe with the price of his owne sacred bloude It auaileth vs nothing to bee redemed onles we contynue stedfaste to th ende in those thinges wherunto we are called I thinke it not necessary that I should teache you seing you forgette nothing but I only put you in remembraunce lest the thing that you knowe should slyppe out of mynde It auailed the Hebrues in tymes past nothyng at all whom being the figure of the tymes that nowe are Iesus trained out of the hard and miserable bondage of the Egipcians through the reade sea in to libertie but euen the same whome he mercifully presetued whan they cryed vnto him he destroyed agayn after a worse sorte whan they distrusted and murmured againste God in the deserte That which the bondage of Egipte was vnto them the bondage of synnes was vnto vs that whiche Pharao that straight and intolerable lorde was vnto them the deuil was thesame vnto vs vnder whose tyranny for our owne synnes sake we were intangled They puttyng theyr truste in God escaped safely through the myddes of the waters in to libertye and we in beleuing the Gospell haue through Baptisme escaped Satans enterest But like as some of them made not spede with all one fayth in to the lande of promise and vnto them the goodnes of God was not onely vnauaylable but also it turned in to the heape of theyr damnacion euen so vnto vs it auayleth nothyng to haue once set aparte our synnes onles we also growe forwarde with constaunt myndes in to better and better and preace to the enheritaunce of the life of heauen Moreouer I would haue you to remembre this also that it profited not euen the aungelles them selues to be so created that they were companions of the Godhead but assone as they had chaunged that moste fortunate nature through theyr owne wickednes and persisted not still in the condicion they were in he threwe them downe headlong out of heauen and hauyng depryued them of the light of heauen he damned them in euerlasting darkenes in hel And there they are reserued in cheynes that can not be loced vnto the day of the last iudgement wherin beyng condemned they shall be commaunded to euerlastyng paynes Nowe Sodome and Gomorre and the residue of the cities therunto adioynyng where as they florished in all pleynteous wealthe of thynges because they abused the liberall bounteousnes of God vnto riot and outragious luste defilyng them selues with wiked and abominable sortes of filthines are dispatched by the wrath of God being consumed with fyre from heauen to thintente they myght bee an example vnto other that abuse the benefites of Christ vnto the filthynes of life For they shall not escape the like peyne that synne after like sorte Doe not they sinne after like sorte which being deluded with slouening dreames of false pleasures doe not only defile theyr owne bodies but also set naught by theyr rulers and those that are in autorytie and are not afrayed to rayle agaynst them vnto whoÌ„ for thautoryties sake they are in they ought to do reuereÌ„ce But Michael tharchangel whan he had disputacioÌ„ with the deuil coÌ„cerning the body of Moses was yet afrayed opeÌ„ly to speake raylingly to the deuill though he were the moste filthye feende But where he could not abyde his wicked talkyng he moderately tempred his curse after this wyse The lorde quod he rebuke thee Than if Michael were afrayed to speake cursedly to the deuill â–ª howe muche more intolerable a thyng do they that are not afrayed to curse or speake euyl of men that are set in autoritie and dignitie ouer them But these mennes peruersitie is so great that where they haue no cause yet they speake euyl to the and nayle agaynst those thynges
thryches of his goodnes Agaynste the daye of vengeaunce For whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe shall also c. Whan the the lorde shal iudge the secretes of meÌ„ c. A light of theÌ„ whiche wander in darkenes For the name of god is euil spoken of among the GeÌ„tyles But if thou be a breaker of the lawe the circumcision c. Neither is it circumcision whiche is outwarde in the fleshe c. Whaâ— prefermâ—nt then c. What then though sum of them dyd not c. For if the trueth of god appere more excellent thorough my ly That al mouthes may be stopped and that all the worlde c. WhoÌ„ God hath â—et fâ—rth to be the obteiner of mercy c. Therfore we holde that a man c. Do we then destroy the law through fayth c. If Abraham wee iustified by dedes theÌ„ hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God To him that worketh is the rewarde not reakened of fauer but of duetie c. Blessed are thei whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen How was it then rekened And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale c. And he receiued the signe of circuÌ„cision That he should be the father of all tâ—em that beleue For yf they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres thaÌ„ is faythe but vayne c. Therfore by fayth is thinheritaunce geuen c. I haue made the a father of manye nacions c. And calleth those thynges which be not as thoughe they wer Which Abraham contrary to hope beleued in hope Accordyng to that whiche was spoken euen so shall thy seede be Neuertheles it is not written for hym onlye Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth â–ª we are at peace with god And reioyse in hope of yâ— glorie of the chyldren of god For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christe died for vs. Not onelye this but we also ioye in god c. wherfore as by one man â–ª syn entred in to the world But synne is not imputed where therâ— is no lawe But the gifte is not lyke as the synne For if by the synne of one death raigned by yâ— meanes of one muche more c. For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners so by the obedience c. That as syn raigned vnto death euen so c. Shal we continue in sine God forbid â—now ye not that all we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him Euen so shall we be partakers of his resurreccion That hence foorth we should not be seruantes vn to synne c. For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once Let not sinne raigne therfore in your mortalbodies And geâ—e ouer your meÌ„bres as instrumeÌ„tes of righteousnes vnto God c. His seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey c. Ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto yâ— rule of yâ— doctrine of that ye be brought vnto For when â—â— wer seruauntes of sinne ye wer voyde of all righteousnes For the ende of those thinges is death For the rewarde of syn is death but eternal life is the gifte of god c. Know ye not c. howe that the lawe hath power ouer the maÌ„ c. For the woman which is in subiection to a man c. So then if while the maÌ„ liueth she couple herselfe with an other c. EueÌ„ so ye also my brethreÌ„ are dead concerning yâ— lawe c. But now are we delyuâ—â—â—â— fâ—om th◠〈◊〉 deâ—◠〈◊〉 it Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by the lawe For sinne loke occasion by yâ— meanes of the commaundement c. wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holy Naye it was synne yâ— syn might appere by it whiche was good c. But I am carnall solde vnder synne If I do now that which I would not I consent c. For I know that in me c. dwelleth no good thyng For to wyl is presente with me but I fide no meanes to perfourme c For I delyghte in the lawe of god c. O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me c. For the lawe of yâ— spirit of life through Iesus Christ hath made me fre from the law of synne and death And sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfall fleshe To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace So then they that are in yâ— fleshe can not please God If any man haue not the spirit of christ the same is none of hâ—s c Wherfore if â— the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from death c. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shal dye c But ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion â–ª c. This spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are notworthy c. For yâ— ferneÌ„â— desyre of the creature abydeth lookyng when yâ— soÌ„nes of God shal appeare â–ª c. For we know that euery creature grâ—neth with vâ— also â–ª c. For we are saued by hope but hope that is seen is no hope For we know not what to desyre as we ought But yâ— spirit maketh intetcession c. And he that search â—â— the hertes knoweth â—â—â—at is the meanyng of the spirite â–ª For these wâ—â—che he knewe before he also ordâ—yâ—ned before And whome he hath called them also he iustified c. If god be on out side who caÌ„ be againste vs It is god yâ— iustifieth who is he yâ— can condeÌ„ne c. Who shal separate vs froÌ„ the loue of god Neuertheles in al theâ—e thiÌ„ges wâ— ouercum through hym that loued vs. Neyther heighte nor loweth c. I say yâ— truth â—n Christ and lâ—e not my coÌ„science also bearing me witnesse c. For I haue wishâ—dde my self â—â— be cursed froÌ„ Christ c. To whome pertayneth yâ— adopcion of the chyldren and the glory c. Whose also are the fathers and they of whom as coÌ„ceâ—nyng the fleshe Christe came They are not all Israelites whiche are of Israel c. But in Isaac shal thy seede bâ— called c. They whiche are yâ— chyldreÌ„ of the fleshe are not the chyldren of god c. Rebecca was with child by one euen by our father Isaac That the purpose of God by election might stande What shal we say then Is there any vnrighteousnes with god For yâ— scripture sayth vnto Pharao euen for this purpose haue I stered yâ— vp c. But O man what arte yâ— whiche disputest with god shal the work say to the workmâ—n c. Hath not the potter power ouer the claye euen of the same luÌ„pe c. Euen so God willyng to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath c. I wyl cal theÌ„ my people whiche were not my people c. Though the numbre of yâ— children of Israel be as the sand
a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
thys loue is not wrytten in our heartes is that we beleue not the fyrste parte that our Lorde God is one God For wist I what these wordes one Lorde and one God meaneth that is to saye yf I vnderstode that he made all and ruleth all and that what soeuer is done to me whether it bee good or bad is yet his will and that he onely is the Lorde that ruleth and doeth it and wist thereto what this worde myne meaneth that is to saye yf myne heart beleued and felte the infinite benefytes and kyndenes of God to me warde and vnderstode and ernestly beleued the manyfolde couenauntes of mercy wherwith God hathe bounde him selfe to be mine wholy and all together with all his power loue mercye and might then shoulde I loue him with all myne heart soule power and myght and of that loue euer kepe his commaundementes So se ye now that as faythe is the mother of al goodnes and of al good workes so is vnbelefe the grounde and rote of all euyll and all euyll workes Finally yf any man that hath forsaken sinne and is conuerted to put hys trust in Christe and to kepe the lawe of god doth fall at a time the cause is that the fleshe thorowe negligence hathe choked the spirite and oppressed her and taken from her the foode of her strength whiche fode is her meditacion in God and in his wonderfull dedes and in the manyfolde couenauÌ„tes of his mercye Wherfore then before all good workes as good frutes there muste nedes be faythe in the heart whence they springe And before al bad dedes as bad frutes there muste be vnbelefe in the hearte as in the roâ—e fountayne pith and strength of all synne Which vnbelefe and ignoraunce is called the head of the serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seed Christ must treade vnder fote as it was promysed vnto Adam Grace and gyft haue this difference Grace properly is Goddes fauoure beneuolence or kinde mind which of his owne selfe without desecuyng of vs he beareth to vs wherby he was moued and enclined to geue Christ vnto vs with all his other gyftes of grace Gyfte is the holy goost his working whome he powreth in to the heartes of them on whome he hath mercy and whome he fauoureth Though the gyftes of the spirite encrease in vs daylye and haue not yet their full perfeccion yea and though there remayne in vs yet euyil lustes and synne whiche fight against the spirite as he sayeth here in the .vii. Chapter and in the .v. to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the .iii. Chapter of Gene. of the debate betwene the womans seed and the sede of the serpent yet neuerthelesse Gods fauoure is so great and â—o strong ouer vs for Christes sake that we are counted for full whole and perfecte before God For Goddes fauour towardes vs deuydeth not her selfe encreasinge a lytell and a lytell as do the gyftes but receaueth vs whole and al together in full loue for Christes sake our intercessor and mediatour and because that the gyftes of the spirite and the batayle betwene the spirite and euyll lustes are begonne in vs al ready Of this now vnderstandest thou the .vii. Chapter where Paul accuseth him selfe as a synner and yet in the .viii. Chapter sayeth there is no damnacioÌ„ to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the giftes of the spirite are begonne in vs. Sinners we are because the fleshe is not full kylled and mortified Neuerthelesse in as muche as we beleue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde fayne be perfecte God is so louinge and fauourable vnto vs that he will not loke on suche synne nether will counte it as sinne but will deale with vs according to oure belefe in Christ and according to his promyses which he hath sworne to vs vntyll the synne be full slaine and mortified by deathe Faythe is not mans opynyon and dreame as some ymagin and fayne when they heare the storie of the gospell Which when they se that there folow no good workes nor mendement of liuing though they heare yet can bable many thinges of fayth then they fall from the right waye and saye fayth only iustifyeth not a manne must haue good workes also yf he will be righteous and safe The cause is when they heare the Gospell or glad tydinges they fayne of theyr owne strength certayne ymagynacyons and thoughtes in theyr hertes saying I haue hearde the Gospell I remembre the storie â—o I beleue And that they counte righte faythe which neuerthelesse as it is but mans ymaginacion and faininge euen so profiteth it not nether folow there any good workes or mendement of liuyng But right fayth is a thinge wroughte by the holy gooste in vs whiche chaungeth vs turneth vs in to a newe nature and begetteth vs a newe in God and maketh vs the sonnes of God as thou redest in the fyrst of Iohn and killeth the olde Adam and maketh vs altogether newe in the hearte mynde will lust and in al oure affeccions and powers of the soule the holy gost euer accompanying her and rulinge the hearte Faith is a liuely thing mightie in working valiaunt and stronge euer doing euer frutefull so that it is vnpossible that he whiche is endued therewith shoulde not worke alwayes good workes without ceasing He axeth not whether good workes are to be done or not but hathe done them all redy yeâ— mencion be made of them and is all waye doinge for suche is his nature nowe quicke faithe in his herte and liuely mouinge of the spirite driue him and stere him therevnto Whosoeuer doeth not good workes is an vnbeleuynge person and faythlesse and loketh round about gropinge after fayth and good workes wotteh not what fayth or good workes meane though he babil neuer so many thinges of fayth and good workes Faithe is then a liuely and stedfast truste in the fauoure of God wherewith we committe oure selues all together vnto God and that truste is so surely grounded and stycketh so faste in our heartes that a manne woulde not once doute of it though he shoulde dye a thousande tymes therfore And suche trust wrought by the hooly goost throughe faith maketh a man glad lusty cherefull and true herted vnto God and to all creatures By the meanes whereof willingly and without compulcion he is glad and redy to do good to euery man to do seruice to euery man to suffer all thinges that God may be loued and praysed which hathe geuen him suche grace so that it is impossible to separat good workes from faithe euen as it is impossible to seperate heere and burninge from fyre Therfore take hede to thy selfe and beware of thine owne fantasies and ymaginacions whiche to iudge of faith and good workes will sâ—me wyse when in dede they are starke blinde and of al thinges most folysshe Praye God that he wyll witesafe to
that among all other nations vnto them onelye were delyuered the wordes of god as it maye appere eyther for that to them aboue other was committed the law and prophecies or for that to them god only vouchesaued to speake Of whiche bothe the fyrst coulde not be without the great bounteousnes of god whome it pleased so to magnifie that nacion and thē agayne muche more semeth he prepared to the faythe offered by the ghospell whiche knoweth the promyses of the lawe and nygher is he to the truthe whiche hath sumwhat therof albeit it be but a shadowe For the knowledge of Moyses lawe and of the darke sayinges of the Prophetes are as it were a steppe onwarde and a furtheraunce to the doctrine of Christes ghospel And albeit sum of the Iewes beyng to muche stubbernely gyuen to the carnall letter of the lawe woulde not gyue credence to the ghospell yet hurteth not theyr vnbelief suche as vnfaynedly credit it Shall the vnbelief of suche thinke you cause that the faythfull promise of god shall not take effecte so that he beyng therwith displeased wyl as men are comenly wont to do breake his promyse and disapoynt all men of y◠which he hath equally and indifferently promysed to euerie man God forbid it shoulde be so but rather looke surely that god will with all men kepe his promise sauing with suche as refuse to take his offer whiche he doth lest any manne myght at any tyme reproue the fidelitie of the promyse maker and leste it appere not sufficiently that god is trew and as he is trew in dede and cannot lye so is he ready to perfourme whatsoeuer he promised but falsehod and lying cum of men which through theyr own faultes are of the promises of god disapoynted God as he is faythful so neither canne he be deceyued nor deceyue but man in asmuche as he is but manne maye do bothe That the promyses of god ben moste certayne witnesseth also the misticall and heauenlye psalme of Dauid saying To the intente thou in thy sayinges myghteste appeare righteouse and trewe and in dede ouercum as often as menne shall accuse the for suche one as maketh vayne promises falsely and leudly thynking with themself that for myne offences sake thou wylte not perfourme thy promise made to the stocke of Dauid In dede I cannot denye but that I well deserued to be disapoynted of thy promyse but yet muche matier maketh it that thy fidelitie and truthe shoulde throughe my synnes be amōg men more commended and spoken of as it wil whē they shal see the holde on styll not chaungyng thy sentence notwithstandyng all myne vnrighteousnes The texte ¶ But yf our vnrighteousnes make the righteousnes of god more excellent what shall we saye Is god vnrighteouse which taketh vengeaunce I speake after the manner of men god forbid For how then shall god iudge the world for yf the truthe of god appeare more excellent through my ly vnto his prayse why am I hēcefurth iudged as a synner And not rather as men speake euyll of vs and as sum affirme that we saye let vs do euell that good maye cum therof whose damnacion is iuste But here sum man with himself wyll peraduenture thynke this yf by mennes vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of god be more aduaunced and set furthe what shall we thynke Shal we thynke god vnrighteouse and suche as would haue synne to continewe that his iustice maye more clearly appere and be more praysed But now speake I not in myne owne name but in the name of vngodlye people For god forbid that any suche thought shoulde at any tyme enter into any good mannes mynde Yf god be vnrighteouse as this reason semeth how can he be hyghe iudge of this worlde For yf this be goddes ordinaunce that I should be a sinfull lyar to the intent that through my lying his fidelitie truthe might the better be knowen more set furth and that my reprochefull lyfe also should auaūce his glory why is thē my sinful lyfe layed vnto my charge why thynk we not rather as foule tounged people falsly reporte takyng vs as though we this sayed let vs do vnhappely that good maye cum therof yf that through out vnrighteousnes the righteousnes of God be more magnified and praysed But god kepe all good folke farre frō suche frantyke imaginacions Al suche men for theyr vnbelefe are for iuste and lawfull causes by goddes sentence condemned For as they can not laye to goddes charge the synnes wherof themself be wylful workers so thākes shoulde there none be gyuen vnto them yf god of his goodnes turne theyr offences to his glorie The texte What then Are we better than they No in no wyse For we haue all redy proued howe that bothe Iewes and Gentiles are all vnder syn as it is written There is none righteouse no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after god they are all gone out of the waye they are al vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre with theyr tongues they haue deceyued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lyppes Whose mouth is full of cursyng and bitternes Theyr feet are swyft to shed bloude Destruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of god before theyr eyes But now agayne to our purpose what shall we saye Are we that are Iewes in better case thā are y◠paynyms Not a whyt I meane touching gods grace promysed by the gospell though that in the prerogatiue of the lawe gyuen vnto vs by God we seme to passe them For nowe haue we already playnly proued that both Iewes and Gētiles are all subiect and thral vnto synne As for the gētiles y◠matier is more plaine than can be denied And y◠the Iewes are in like case theyr owne scriptures beare euidēt witnes For in the .xiii. psalme of Dauid this wyse is it wryten there is none righteous none is there that vnderstādeth or seketh for God all are wandered out of the waye and therewith also becomen vnprofitable no man is there that doeth well I say not somuche as one Againe in the .v. Psalme theyr shrote is an open sepulchre with theyr tonges haue they deceiued the poyson of the serpent Aspis is vnder theyr lippes In the ix Psalme likewyse whose mouth is ful of bitternes and cursyng With whiche testimonies the prophete Esai agreyng saieth theyr fete are swift to shed bloud destruccion and wretchednes are in theyr wayes the way of peace haue they not knowen there is no feare of God before theyr yies The texte We know that whatsoeuer thyng the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them whiche are vnder the lawe that all mouthes may be stopped that all the worlde may be subdued to God because that by the dedes of the law there shal no fleshe be iustified in his sight For by the lawe cummeth the
are become Christes seruauntes whose seruice is all weale and blisse The texte Knowe ye not howe that to whom soeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Ye knowe both kyndes of seruice Now is it partly in your powers to chose whiche ye wyll for both together ye can not The tyme was when thou stodest in a fredome to kepe thy selfe out of bondage but synce thou hast freely made thy selfe another mannes and hast begunne to be obedient vnto him the same must thou onely obey whose seruaunt thou art become They therfore whiche geue them selues vnto synne and to synne become bondeslaues the fruite of that theyr bondage is death On the othersyde suche as to Christ haue dedicated and geuen them selues him must they obeye whiche they shal do to their owne great cōmoditie For by that theyr obedience nothyng shall Christ wynne but therby get they them slues righteousnes that is to wete the wel agreyng and pleasant company of all vertues knitte together The texte God be thanked that though ye wer the seruauntes of synne ye haue yet obeyed with heart vnto the rule of the doctrine that ye be brought vnto Ye are then made free from synne and are becomen the seruauntes of righteousnes I speake grosly because of the infirmitie of your fleshe Glad am I for your sakes and for this geue thankes vnto God that wheras heretofore ye were in this moste miserable bondage wholly geuen to idolatrie and filthy lustes ye are nowe departed from the tyranny of the deuil frely and gladly submittyng your selues to Christes kyngdome and gouernaunce purposyng hencefoorth to liue not as ye are either by wylful desyres or by the law moued but after the new rule of the gospel whervnto ye are brought from your olde errours so brought that ye are become vnder another lawe enfraunchised out of the dominion of synne and thence conueied to serue righteousnes and to do her behestes Nor thynke it harde and paynefull because ye are commaunded to serue righteousnes For as synne and godly life farre differ one from another so are theyr fruites quite cōtrary and the fruites of godly life infinitely more excellente so that if we weighe and consider but euen the thyng selfe muche more cause is there why men shuld more diligently serue God then the deuil For whoso serueth synne serueth the deuil but he that serueth innocencie serueth God But yet wyll not I for a whyle so muche require of you as I might lawfully do but rather temper and measure my writyng to y◠weakenes of them in whom the spirite of God is not yet fully ripe but are rather suche in whō yet the olde naughtie desyres labour to growe vp againe This onely require I that righteousnes be now with you in like condicion as synne before was The texte As ye haue geuen your membres seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie from one iniquitie to another euen so now geue ouer your mēbres seruaūtes vnto righteousnes that ye may be sanctified For when ye were seruauntes of sinne ye were voyde of righteousnes And that as before this tyme you gaue your membres to serue vnclennes and iniquitie so that as blynd desyres led you ye fel frō one iniquitie to another euery day more filthy than other euen so now see that ye likewyse geue your membres to obey righteousnes whose seruauntes ye haue frely made your selfes therin styl encreasyng frō vertue to vertue euery day more pure and holy then other For it is to muche against al reason but that Christ should at lestwyse haue somuche seruice of you as the deuil had before this and as vnreasonable is it but that ye should now begynne to do as good seruice vnder your lady and maistres righteousnes as ye before in another sorte did vnto the tyranny of synne As touchyng your former synful life for your excuse after a sorte some thing may be sayd whiche is that as long as ye were heathens because ye wer bonde seruauntes to synne ye might seme with righteousnes to haue no thing to do nor to be any thyng bounde vnto her as to whom ye had not yet bounde and yelded your selues But now haue ye nothyng to lay for your defence But yet and if the excellent nature of righteousnes selfe moue you not consider and weigh yet the diuerse fruites and profite of bothe seruices you I speake vnto whiche haue of bothe seruices had experience The texte What fruite had ye then in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But now are ye deliuered from sinne and made the seruaūtes of God and haue your fruit to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng life For the rewarde of synne is death but eternall life is the gifte of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Cal to your remembraunce what tyme ye were seruauntes vnto sinne and as vile bonde slaues folowed wanton desyres what rewarde I pray you had ye at the laste Euen the synnes selfe haue theyr punishement ioyned vnto them because the same foorthwith all to defile and corrupt the whole man so vilanously and reprochefully defacyng him that since the tyme ye are amēded and as men awaked out of the dronkenes of syn ye are ashamed of your selfes so that your mindes abhorre to thinke vpō your olde noughtie pleasures And though this wages as ye see be not to be desyred yet besyde the last stipend hyre whiche the deuil payeth to suche as do him seruice is death euerlastyng Howbeit in very dede the life whiche in the meane leason is after this sorte ledde is a most shameful death in dede and not a life Nowe consider what a happye chaunge ye haue made whiche beyng deliuered from the tyranny of the deuil are now becomen the seruaūtes of God By this ye see I am sure how vnlike the maisters are But yf this content you not but that ye loke for a rewarde also fyrste of all wheras ye lyued before fylthy and wycked ye now lyue innocent pure and holy whiche only is the verye lyfe and besyde this after that this shorte tyme of your seruice is finished ye shall receyue your laste wages I saye lyfe euerlastyng Cōpare me nowe god with the deuil with vncleannes holynes with euerlastyng death lyfe euerlastyng Euen as I nowe tolde you so it is the rewarde of the deuyll is death whiche he geueth vnto menne for his fylthy and miserable seruice But contrarie for suche as accordyng to theyr abilities serue god is layde vp lyfe immortall not as hyre wages due for the same but as a free gyfte to be gyuen of God the moste mercifull father not for Moses but for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde whome the father would haue thanked for all his gyftes geuen vnto vs rather then any lawe or circumcision The .vii. Chapiter The texte
whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obtained mercy that had not obtained mercy And it shal come to passe that in the place where it was sayd vnto them ye are not my people there shal they be called the children of the liuyng God Of suche saiynges some deuilishe disposed person taketh occasion and sayeth if of whō soeuer he wyl he haue mercy and whō he wyl he maketh hard hearted what hath he then wherin to blame vs Syth his wyl and pleasure noman is able to resist let him laye it to him selfe not to vs if any sinne be cōmitted But heare now of the otherside what may be sayd Noman withstādeth his wyl I graunt yet is not therfore Goddes wyll cause of thy dānacion Nor did god in suche maner hardē y◠heart of Pharao that he wrought the vice of stubbernes therin but rather wheras he wel knew y◠the arrogāt tyran was wel worthy sodenly to be destryed yet vsed God toward him by litle litle suche encrease of punishment as he might therw t haue been amēded had not his malice been an impediment But through Gods gentle fauor vsed in punishyng of him his wicked mynde became worse worse And therfore the mans frowardnes God turned to his glory In this matter for the defēce of Gods righteousnes many thinges might be answered but briefly to say God hateth all hautnes arrogancie And what a greatter point of arrogancie can there be then that a man most vile abiecte should with God reason y◠matter encoūtryng with him as though he were his felowe For who I pray you could abide to heare the yearthen vessel quarel with his maker and say why hast thou made me after this fashion For as clay is in the hāde of y◠potter euen so are we in Gods hādes as by the prophet Esai y◠Lord him selfe sayeth The potter as his mynde standeth worketh some vessels to serue for vile vncleanly vses some other also appointeth he for honest seruice In whiche acte what reason soeuer the workeman folowe therin doeth he lawfully why he so doeth vnmete it is that the clay should requyre any cause The clay of it selfe is nothyng els but clay wherof if y◠potter worke a comly a welfauored cup for that his fayre shape ought he to geue thanke to the craftes man yet to the vile filthy clay is ther no wrong done at al if of it be made a chambre potte or some other vessel of more vile vse Lykewyse is it of God whiche leauyng mā in his sinne because so he was borne doeth him no wrong as callyng man to rightwyse life he therin sheweth his bounteous mercy goodnes In the forsaken person it pleaseth God to shewe his iustice to th entent he would be feared in y◠approued to th entent he would be loued sheweth he his fre mercy Nor besemeth it any mā of God for so doyng to exacte requyre a reason nor why he calleth some one lately some other more tymely nor why he draweth one whiche hath not so deserued and forsaketh another whiche hath deserued better A muche more base creature is mā beyng compared with god then is clay compared with the potter So that then if it be an vnsene and a hiddeous presumpcion that the clay should with the potter pratle reason his matter how muche greatter arrogancie is it for a man to talke of Gods counsels whiche so farre passe our capacities that we therof haue but euen as it were a shadowe or a dreame Begyn to beleue leaue thy reasonyng so shalt y◠muche rather vnderstād Besides this remēbre y◠the potter may be deceiued but in God none error can be foūd It is for y◠ynough to beleue this y◠God by reason of his almightie power may at his pleasure do what him liste and again forasmuche as he is wtout cōparyson beste do wyl he nothing but that whiche is beste Nor should he because our vngodlines he turneth to his honor therfore of vs be blamed but this rather shuld we take as a sure profe of his exceadyng goodnes y◠he suche mischief turneth to good It was not God whiche made the an vncleane vessell But thou thy selfe art he whiche hast made thy selfe filthy through appliyng of thy selfe to vngodly exercises Beside this if God accordyng to his wysdome both for the saluacion of the good and glory of his name abuse thy frowardnes cause hast thou none for y◠to complayne Lawfully art thou for thy sinne punished through thine example the good people wil y◠better take hede whiles through thy blindnes and destruction they the better perceiue how greatly they are bound to the goodnes of God they are with more mery chere encouraged to geue him thankes Nothyng had Pharao to wyte God withal but of his owne naughtynes only perished and yet did that his stubberne malice among the Hebrewes highly auaunce the glory of God And what can there be that they can reproue if as god at that tyme deferred the destruccion of Pharao so likewyse now for a season not without great fauour he beare with and suffre y◠vnbeleuyng and sturdy Iewes beyng vessels whiche haue right well deserued euen out of hand to be crushed in pieces to th entent that all the worlde shall more clearely perceiue that they are well worthy of damnacion whiche beyng so many wayes prouoked amende not to th ende y◠bothe through theyr punishment other should feare almightie God whom we may not through continuaunce in synne prouoke to sure vengeaunce also more plentifully to shewe the greatnes of his might and glory towarde good people whō he hath purged beyng before vncleane vessels and reserued them for holy vses not for theyr circūcision or y◠lawes sake but through the deserte of fayth for whose onely sake they are called to this honoure Called I say not only of y◠Iewes as we be but also of y◠gētiles because herein it is not byrthe whiche maketh inheritors but the choyse of God Nor ought the Iewes to meruaile that the gentiles whiche were before this tyme heathen straungers to God are now by adopcion receiued into the numbre of Gods children syth they them selfe long synce wer for theyr offences done against God dispised reiected and as disinherited when yet afterwarde beyng sory for theyr synnes and amendyng they wer through the great bountyfulnes of God receiued into his fauor That this should so be witnesseth theyr owne prophete Osee saying I wyll call them my people whiche wer not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued her to haue obtained mercye whiche had not obtained mercye so that this shall come to passe that in the place where heretofore it was sayd ye are not my people there shal some be called the children of the liuyng God Why grudge reproue they that thyng in other whiche
preache except they be sent As it is wrytten howe beautiful are the feete of them whiche bryng tydynges of peace bryng tydinges of good thinges But they haue not al obeyed the gospel For Esai sayth Lord who hath beleued our sayinges â—o then fayth commeth by hearing and hearing cummeth by the worde of God But I aske haue they not hearde No doubt their sounde went out into all landes and theyr wordes into the endes of the worlde In yâ— the prophet sayeth whosoeuer taketh he not away al differeÌ„ce betwixt Iew GeÌ„tile And in yâ— he sayth beleueth wtout meÌ„cion making of circumcision or suche other lyke abolysheth he not vtterlye the ceremonies of the law Fayth only is requyred whom euery man maye equallye enioye and haue And god lykewyse is he whiche is not onely lorde of the Iewes but of all indifferently whose bounteousnes is not so narrow and straite that it can no ferther reache but onlye to the Iewes so that amoÌ„g theÌ„ the same is vtterly worne out but wtout ende is his goodnes pleÌ„tifully flowyng furth not only vpon this nacion or yâ— but vpon all people of any couÌ„trey what soeuer they be so that with a sure trust in god they desyre his helpe The Prophete Micheas also affirmeth the same saying Whosoeuer cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued In the prophetes laying no kynde of men is there excepted But euery maÌ„ whatsoeuer he be be he either Iewe Grecian or of any nacion els yf the same with a sure confidence call vpon the name of god he shal be saued And on the other syde whoso calleth not vpon his name shall vtterly peryshe Nowe vpon hym vseth no man to cal or to desyre his help in whom he hath conceyued no truste But who wyll in hym put any trust of whom he neuer erste heard speake Againe how caÌ„ meÌ„ heare speake of an other vnles ther be some to preache the name of hym whiche is in suche sort unknowen And as for apostles howe can they preache vnles they by hym to whom the gospell apertayneth be sent so to do of whome the same prophet Esai makyng mencion sayeth howe beautiful are the feete of them whiche preache tydynges of peace and bryng tydynges of good thynges By whiche wordes ye heare and perceiue what Christes messengers are commaunded to preache neither circumcision as ye see nor yet kepyng of the Iewyshe Sabboth day but peace whiche after that oure synnes are through fayth forgyuen by mutuall charitie ioyneth vs together in Christ and to preache suche good thynges as because they are of themselfe naturally good are in all tymes and in euery place good And yet notwithstandyng this wonderfull benefite of god which hath so vsed all meanes to call euery nacion to euerlastyng blysse that none is ther but the same hath hearde of the ioyfull tydynges of the gospell all yet beleue not the gospel But that it should so be the same Prophet Esai long before sayde speakyng in the person of the apostles Lord who hath beleued oure sayinges For euen among the Gentiles but very few beleue the gospel if they be coÌ„pared to the multitude of suche as beleue not The briefnes of this our matier shortlye comprised is this then yf calling vpon the name of the lorde worke oure saluacion yf suche as beleue not cal not vpon hym a playne profe is it that fayth is specially required and not circumcision Nowe is not fayth in mannes soule conceyued by experience but by the preachyng of the apostles that is to saye not by the iyes but by the eares throughe whom as meanes the gospell of Christ is powred into the obedient soule Syth now then the bryght beames of the gospell hath lyghtened all the worlde so that Christes name is throughlye knowen what meaneth this that so fewe of the Iewes gyue credence thereto Canne they saye for theyr excuse that they of Christe haue heard nothyng No for nowe se we that fulfilled whiche Dauid prophecied of before wheÌ„ he saide Their sounde went out into al landes and theyr wordes into the endes of the worlde The texte But I demaunde whether Israel did knowe or not Fyrst Moses saythe I wyll prouoke you to enuye by them that are no people by a folyshe nacion I wyl anger you Esai after that is bolde and sayth I am founde of them that sought me not I am manifest vnto them yâ— asked not after me But agaynst Israel he sayth Al day long haue I stretched furthe my handes vnto a people that beleued not but speaketh agaynst me Then sythe Christe so many hundred yeares gone was in prophecies promysed and nowe throughout all the worlde by his apostles mete and conuenient witnesses preached and theyr preachyng with so many miracles confirmed can the Iewes for themselfes colourably saye that they knowe not Christe No for they sawe the lyght but malice blynded theyr iyes They hearde the gospell but rancour and enuy stopped theyr eares Rather had they beare malyce and displeasure agaynste the Gentiles called to euerlastyng saluacion than to folowe theyr fayth Both which two thynges yâ— is to wytte that the Iewes should reiect the ioyful tidynges of gods worde that the GeÌ„tiles should receyue it wer long before prophecied of by Moses also Esai of which two the fyrst in the boke of Deuteronomi in a song maketh the lorde beyng displeased with the vnbeleuyng Iewes this wyse to speake I wyll prouoke you to enuye by a very vile nacion whiche heretofore in comparison of you hath bene acoumpted for no nacion for somuche as ye thynke your selfes to be wyse I wyl anger you with a kynde of people which in your iudgemeÌ„t is folyshe and beastlye therby to make you more enuious And Esai whiche prophecied after Moses tyme without all feare playnly sayeth that god more accepted the Gentiles obedience then the Iewes stubbernes For on this wyse speaketh he in the person of Christe I was found of them that sought me not and playnlye appeared vnto them that asked not after me Suche a glorious witnes beareth god vnto the Gentiles fayth But agaynst the people of Israel whom muche rather it besemed to embrace the fayth of the gospell what sayth streyght after the same Esai Al the daye long haue I stretched furth my handes vnto a people that beleued not I sente them prophetes them murdered they vp my selfe with sundry miracles prouoked them to goodnes in stede of thankes they saied the deuil is in hym and by the power of Beelzebub chief deuyll worketh he these wunders My humblenes they despised and my myghtie power toke they in a wrong sence The .xi. Chapiter The texte ¶ I saye then hath god caste awaye his people God forbid For euen I also am an Israelite of the seede of AbrahaÌ„ of the tribe of Beniamin God hathe not caste away his people whiche he knewe before Wote ye not what scripture sayeth of Helias how he maketh intercession
and in fayth growe stronger whervnto ye shal muche rather bryng him by fauourable meanes than by cōtencious reasonyng and disputacions Considre in suche matters how vnmete a thing it is that suche actes as may without offence be done should streight be taken in the worse parte But to th entent that peace and cōcorde may among you be maintained and stedfastly abyde certaine thinges must be wynked at some thinges must be suffered and some thinges must gently be takē Suche gentle fauorable takyng of thinges vpholdeth and preserueth the felowship of this our comen lite And synce mennes mindes among them selues are sondry and diuers surely in a multitude neuer wyl there be stedfast peace vnlesse in diuers pointes one geue place to an other For he that is without all serupulositie thynketh it lawfull without any difference to eate what meate him lust in that acte nothyng els regardyng but what nature requireth Againe he that is yet weake and somewhat supersticious lest he might chaunce either vpō fishe or other meates forbidden either by the Iewes lawe or offered vp to idols liueth with herbes Suche thinges among you ought not so to be regarded that for them brotherly peace be broken Let him that is strong eateth al meates so vse his strength that yet he dispise not the weaker whiche feareth to eate Let him againe whiche folowyng the weakenes of his mynde abstaineth from certayne kyndes of meate neither judge nor condemne him whiche without difference taketh whatsoeuer is sette before him But rather lette him that is strong beare with the weake in this sence takyng it this errour conceiued and gathered by long custome of his former life cannot sodainly be plucked out of his minde it wyll by litle and lytle weare away as in him godlynes groweth supersticion wyll vanishe and auoyde Lykewyse he that is scrupulous when he seeth an other eate all kyndes of meate let him this wyse thynke with him selfe what matter maketh it to me what this man doeth ▪ and likely it is that he doeth it of a good mynde synce God hath receiued and taken him vnto him and made him his owne at whose pleasure heliueth against whom onely he offendeth if there be in suche thinges any offence as of them selfe are not cuil Now if it be an arrogant point to dispise the weakenes of him that is supersticious and deceiued through rudenes how muche more intollerable pride wyl this be thinke ye if suche one as in y◠fayth is but weake take vpō him to iudge and condemne him that is stronger euen as the rule and custome of vnlearned people is whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do and thinke all that good that they allowe Maye not a man wel say to suche one what art thou that iudgest and condemnest an other mannes seruaunt There is but one lord and maister of al Iesus Christ To him stādeth he ▪ if he be strong in fayth to him falleth he if he offende as thou thinkest he doeth For he in dede for this shall not fall but rather be stablished to continue in his strong fayth His maister is sufficiently able and mete to strengthen his seruaunt that he stagger not at all The texte This man putteth difference betwene day day an other mā coumpteth all dayes alike Let euery manues mynde satisfie him selfe He that obserueth the day doeth it vnto the lorde And he that doeth not obserue the day doeth it for the lorde also He that eateth doeth it to please the lorde for he geueth God thankes And he that eateth not eateth not to please the lorde withal and geueth God thankes For noue of vs lyueth for him selfe and no man dyeth for him selfe For if we liue we liue vnto the lorde And if we dye we dye vnto the lorde Whether we liue thefore or dye we are the lordes For Christ therfore dyed and rose againe reuiued that he might be lorde of dead and quicke And that I haue now tolde you of the choyse of meates the same in kepyng the sabboth day and feastes of the newe moone is like wyse to be vnderstande For he that is weake and of vnperfite fayth maketh a difference betwixte day and day as though one were holye and the other were not and thinketh it vnlawful in this day to eate certaine meates or to labor whiche man other day might well and lawfully be done On the other lyde he that is perfite and strong in his fayth conceiueth in dayes no suche difference but rather thinketh al the space of his life consectate and halowed to godly conuersacion Breake not for suche pointes christian concorde among you but without condemnyng of other mennes cōsciences let euery one herein do as he iudgeth best specially synce bothe wayes are without synne and with both standeth the chiefe point of our religion Whoso estemeth and iudgeth in his conscience that euery day is like pure and holy doth so to his lorde and to the little belongeth it how well he doeth Lykewyse he that iudgeth that there is betwixte day and day some difference if he be deceiued he doeth it vnto his lorde thou hast therwith nothyng to do Lykewyse he that without difference eateth all kyndes of meate he eateth to his lorde forasmuche as he geueth thankes to God through whose benefite he eateth whose free goodnes made all thynges for mannes vse Againe whoso through the weakenes of his conscience abstaineth from certaine meates he abstaineth to his lorde and nothyng haste thou to do therwith synce he eatyug hearbes and rootes geueth thankes to God as wel as thou doest If God allowe and accepte his thankes geuyng why art thou so bolde vpō him to geue sentence The cause of both is diuers the matter one both one mynde and one lorde is there of both The one geueth thankes for the libertie he hath to eat what he lust knowing that the gospel putteth a difference betwixte mindes and not betwixt meates ▪ the other whiles he shonneth the occasion of surfettyng by the reason of his abstinence he is kept within the bondes of temperaunce In all suche thinges we are equal so that it besemeth no mā in defēce of his doyng to striue with his brother sufficient it is if God approue it to whō the iudgement of such thinges belōgeth as are either vncertain or els suche as must for the tyme be borne with No christian man hath power further vpon other but y◠eche one do good to another Nor liueth any man for him selfe because we are all his whiche from synne brought vs to goodnes and from death restored vs to life No mā therfore either liueth to him selfe or dyeth to him selfe nomore than any mans seruaunt doeth vpō whose life and death his maister hath ful power authoritie Now if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne nor none other mans auauntage but for the auauntage or disauauntage of his maister If he
yet howe to be more worthe than his wyues dowrye was but holy geueth himselfe to Christe thinkyng that he hath al his desyre yf he onely please hym On the othersyde albeit that he whiche is maried partly serue God yet some seruice oweth he to his wyfe and to suche thinges as apertayne to matrimonie And lykewyse is it in the woman forasmuche as she is not wholy at her owne libertie she cannot wholy serue Christe but by reason that she is diuersly troubled partely serueth Christe and partely her housbande But the virgin or single woman hath no care els but to please Christe her spouse whom she canne none otherwyse please but by chaste lyuyng without corrupcion not in bodye onely but also in mynde But the maried woman muste nedes betwixte Christe and her husbande deuyde herselfe in suche sorte endeuouringe to please Christe that she yet displease not her husbande to whome she oweth obedience Nowe this is the ende of all that I haue sayd wherin I somuche prayse single life leste any man mistake it not to take from you the libertie to marie or not marye or by necessitie to compelle you to anye kinde of lyfe which ye cannot phantasie but with frendly counsell to tender your weale that when ye knowe that ye maye frely do ether of both ye incline thytherwarde and chose that rather whiche hath not onlye honestie in it but also therwith libertie annexed wherby it shall be lawfull for the single person in suche sorte wholy with all obedience and loue to gyue hym selfe to the Lorde Iesus Christ that no wordly trouble or care shal be able at any time to withdraw him from thesame But this let euery man vprightly weigh with himselfe whether that waye whiche he seeth honorable free he thinke the same ieopardles such as he is disposed vnto For he that feareth leste he fall into any reproch or infamie yf he ouer long kepe his daughter a virgine at home being already mariage able mynded to thesame the matter selfe requireth no lesse good leaue geue I him to doe as he shal thinke expedient to be done For albeit as I sayed matrimony haue bondage care adioyned yet is it without sinne both honest and lawfull also for some necessary Let therfore the father in syght of the worlde in season prouyde for his daughter a husbande leste she by stelth doe that shamfully which done in matrimonie standeth with honestie But yf the father seeyng hymselfe to stande in full freedom to mary his daughter or not mary and not to be compelled to eyther of both partes of necessitie purposed and surely in his harte decreed to kepe her a virgin styll in asmuche as she is not desyrouse to be maried he doth well For as it is not ieopardles to stay and lette one that is of mariage desyrous so is it not godly to discourage a maydens mynde from her loue and godly desyre of chastitie He therfore whiche for feare of peryll marieth his daughter beyng desyrouse of mariage doeth well But he that moueth not a maydens minde to mariage whiche is desyrouse to lyue continually chaste but is glad to please the godly desyre of the mayden doeth better For besyde the honestie of the profession this also shall the virgine gayne that she shall haue leysure wholy and without intermission to serue her spouse Christe For other intent and purpose is there none why any should seke for the lybertie of single lyfe In the syght of God a more cōmendable thyng is it in the state of matrimony to bestowe in Gods seruice as muche tyme as is lefte after necessarie busynesse done than to abuse the pretence of virginitie to ryote idlenes or licencious lyuyng So farre therfore am I from restrayning virgines from theyr fyrst mariage that wheras the worlde lytle estemeth the seconde mariage I let not euen wydowes to marry again What is for euery mā profitable it belongeth not to me particularly to prescribe and apoynte Herein let euery man with hymselfe take aduise What may be doen without offence that declare I. A virgine may lawfully marry because she is free A maryed woman is not in lyke freedome nor may so doe but hath bounde her selfe vnto her husbande with the bonde of matrimonie duryng the tyme of his lyfe This bonde is by nothyng broken but by onely death For whosoeuer maryeth for this purpose maryeth that the knotte made in mariage should not be broken But yf the husbande dye then is the wyfe free agayne so that yf she mynde to marry agayne she may marry whom she wyll so that it be a christian maryage that is to saye neyther desyred for filthy pleasures sake nor contracte with one that is of an other religion And yet as I graunt that she synneth not whiche maryeth agayne so iudge I her muche more happy whiche for desyre of godly life standeth and abydeth in the lybertie that to her is restored But this commaunde I not them as necessarie to be folowed but councell it as a thyng more commodiouse And this nowe heare you the councell of a man but yet such as is well agreing wyth the wyll of Christe whiche by his owne mouthe teacheth many thynges and muche also by his seruauntes And synce I am both his Apostle and haue as I verely thinke receyued his spirite as other Apostles haue my councell with you should not be of small weyght and authoritie ¶ The .viii. Chapter The texte ▪ As touchynge thynges offred vnto ymages we are sure that we all haue knowledge Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifyeth If any man thynke that he knoweth any thynge he knoweth nothynge yet as he ought to knowe But yf any man loue God the same is knowen of hym As concerning the eating of those thinges that are offred vnto ydols we are sure that the image is nothing in the worlde and that there is none other God but one And though there be that are called Gods whether in heauen other in erath as there be Goddes many and Lordes many yet vnto vs is there but one God which is the father of whom are all thynges and we for hym and one Lorde Iesus Christe by whome are all thynges and we by hym TOuchyng the questions concernyng matrimonie I thynke ye are sufficiently aunswered vnto because ye shall hencefurthe vpon suche matters with soundry opinions eche one of you nomore striue with other Now because I know that ye doubt whether it be lawfull for a christian manne to eate the flesh of any beast offered vnto idolles whiche fleshe the painyms take for holy in this question also this is my mynde Some there be among you which because they know that an idole is nothyng but eyther tymber or brasse or stone and that therfore the fleshe that vnto them is offered in very dede nothyng differeth from other fleshe and that a mannes conscience canne with no kynde of meate bee defiled abusyng
fyrste fruites of all suche as dye with hope to ryse agayne He began resurreccion other straighte folowed as companyōs of the lordes resurreccion and we in time to come shal folowe them For it is not to be doubted but that he wyll lykewise doe in all his members as he hath done not onely in hym selfe alreadye but also in many holy menne For we muste by imaginacion conceaue two bodyes one subiecte to deathe whiche beganne in Adam another apoynted to lyfe immortall whiche had his beginnyng in Christe Therfore as at the begynnyng through one mannes synne deathe entred whiche being as it were from the heade deriued into the members rageth and infecteth all menne so by one manne whiche was vtterly free from all synne came in resurreccion of the dead For throughe only Adames offence all we that descended of hym are subiecte to deathe and throughe Chrystes only innocencie all suche shal be restored to lyfe immortall as haue desearued to bee ioyned into hys bodye All shall ryse agayne but yet euery manne in his order the fyrste of all is Christe then suche as cleaue vnto Chryste as the partes of the bodye cleaue vnto the heade of whome a certayne goynge out of theyr graues rose with Christe and the reste shall all ryse at hys laste commyng And when the resurreccion of the whole body is done and paste then shall nothynge remayne but an ende of thys worldly alteracions whiche shal not bee before the vtter abolyshment of y◠tyrannye of death what tyme Christe as a victoriouse conquerour shall delyuer vp a quiet and a peasyble kyngdome to god his father to whome by subduyug his enemies he restoreth his dominion and after that he hathe dryuen awaye vtterly from hys whole bodye and brought to nought all the power rule and authoritie of his aduersaries The texte For he muste raigne tyll he haue put all this enemyes vnder hys feete The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death For he hath put all thynges vnder hys feete But when he sayth all thynges are put vnder hym it is manyfeste that he is excepted whiche dyd put all thynges vnder hym When all thynges are subdued vnto hym then shall the sonne also hymselfe be subiecte vnto hym that put all thynges vnder him that God maye be all in al. Elles what do they which are baptised ouer the dead yf the dead ryse not at all Why are they then baptised ouer them yea and why stande we allwaye then in ieoperdye By oure reioysyng whiche I haue in Christe Iesu oure Lorde I dye dayly That I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men what auauntageth it me yf the dead ryse not agayne Let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shall dye Be not ye deceaued euell woordes corrupte good manners Awake truely out of slepe and synne not For some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame For so long necessary is it that the sonne shoulde labor and trauayle about the recouery of the kyngdome to god his father vntyl that he haue vtterly subdued all hys enemies and so treade them downe vnderneyth hys feete that there bee no rebellion at all nor feare of euyll Through synne deathe raigneth and through death y◠deuyll When synne is extinguished then shall deathe raigne no longer And albeit in thys lyfe we to our power labour about it yet shal we not fully haue it vntyll that by the laste resurreccion al the power of death shal be quite abolyshed when our laste enemye of all whiche moste stubbernly rebelled shall bee vanquished for euer For by thys waye hathe the father decreed that all thynges shall become subiecte vnto hys sonne as it is wrytten in the psalmes thou haste put all thinges vnder hys feete But when scripture sayeth that all thynges shal be vnder the fete of the sonne it is not to be vnderstanden that the sonne shall only possesse that kyngdom the father being excluded for the kingdom of the father and the sonne is all one kyngdom This new and peculiar kyngdom wherin there shal be no rebellion of synfull desyres against the will pleasure of God the father recouereth vnto himselfe by his sonne which he in such sorte vseth with his sonne in cōmon that nethlesse in the father the authoritie remayneth as in him of whom the sonne receiued the same kingdom which is in suche sorte fully and wholy the sonnes that yet the father loseth nothyng synce of both there is but one will And then when all thinges shal be subiecte to the sonne then shall the sonne selfe wholy that is to saye with his bodye misticall yelde and submitte hymselfe to the father by whom as chiefe doer al thinges became subiecte to the sonne that thencefurth no not in the members shall there any thing be lefte whiche shall to Christe be contrarie but that the whole sonne shall consente with the father of whom as of the first begynner al thinges shall depende to whom as chiefe doer all men shall geue thankes for all that euer in any tyme and place hath been well done Nowe wheras I long synce taught you this and ye lykewyse learned the same what meaneth this that some no we doubt a freshe whether the dead shall liue againe Wherof if there be no hope vayne is their labour which albeit more supersticiously thā godly in steade of the dead receyue baptisme fearyng leste suche one as dyed without christenyng shall not ryse among ryghteouse people And to auoyde thys they prepare one which in steade of the dead maye aunswere that he beleueth and desyreth baptisme These mennes fayth I allowe but their doynges I allowe not For as it is folyshnes to thynke that another mans baptisme helpeth the dead so beleue they truely and well there shall a resurreccion be For yf they thought that the dead mā should nomore ryse againe neuer would they for his sake be so careful Yea we our selfes do folishly which for Christes doctrin dayly put our life in ieopardie if after such greuous tormētes no reward folow Nor are we only in ieopardie but also in maner dye dayly by that we oftetymes stād in some new ieopardie nor are dispached with one kinde of death And as in this my saying I lye not so may I alwaies glory in this reioysing which I haue through Iesus Christ our lorde to whose glory turne al the miseries which we suffer Wheras amōg the Ephesiās for Christes gospel I suffered so much trouble that I could not chose but fyght with be astes as one most surely apointed to dye what profite was there in or what gayned I therby if the dead ryse not again What madnes is it without compulsion to sustaine so many troubles if assone as a mā is once dead it nothing force howe he hath lyued Yf we after our death be paste all hope what remaineth there but y◠we as the wicked persons spake in Esai distrusting the promises of
y◠life to come measuring all the whole state of blysful life by worldly commodities say let vs eate drinke for to morow we shal dye That we toke in thys lyfe that and nothyng els is our owne for after death we be nothing The philosophers or false Apostles syng suche songes in your eares paraduenture but beware leste with theyr tales they deceyue you and bryng you into a perylouse erroure alwayes remembring what was truly sayd of a certaine poete of yours euyll woordes corrupte good maners Of idlenes and wanton lyuyng groweth this distruste whyles some knowing their owne enormities deny that there shall any resurreccion be in suche blyndenes of synne are they which lyue wyth out regarde of godly lyfe But awake ye through the study of ryghteousnes leauing your pleasures leste ye fal with other into the greate ieopardye of distrust For albeit there be some amonge you whiche swell and are proude of their worldely wysedome yet are they ignoraunt of the hyghest parte of wysedome in that they knowe not God nor beleue that by his might the dead can be restored to life againe not with standing his almyghtie power nor yet remembre that it is an easyer thing to restore that whiche is decayed than of nothing to make somewhat This tell I you not of any displeasure but to the entente ye should for shame hēcefurth nomore geue eare to such as labour to make you beleue such folishe and deuilishe poyntes The texte But some man wyll saye howe aryse the dead with what body shall they come Thou foole that whiche thou sowest is not quyckened excepte it dye And what sowest thou Thou sowest not that body that shal be but bare corne as of whete or of some other but God geueth it a body at his pleasure to euery sede his owne body All fleshe is not one maner of fleshe but there is one maner of fleshe of beastes another of fishes and another of byrdes There is also celestiall bodyes and there are bodyes terrestriall But the glory of the celestiall is one the glory of the terrestriall is another There is one maner glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the starres For one starre differeth from an other in glory So is the resurrecciō of the dead It is sowen in corrupcion it ryseth againe in incorrupcion It is sowen in dishonour it ryseth againe in honour It is sowen in weakenes it ryseth again in power It is sowen a naturall body it ryseth again a spiritual body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body as it is also wrytten the fyrst man Adam was made a lyuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickenyng spyrite Howbeit that is not fyrste whiche is spirituall but that whiche is naturall and then that whiche is spirituall The fyrste manne is of the earth erthy the seconde manne is the Lorde from heauen heauenly As is the erthy suche are they that are erthy And as is the heauenly suche are they that are heauenly And as we haue borne the image of the erthy so shal we beare the image of the heauenly This say I brethren that fleshe bloud cannot inherite the kyngdome of God Neither doeth corrupcion inherite vncorrupcion Beholde I shew you a misterie We shall not all slepe but we shall all be chaunged and that in a momente in the twinkling of an lye by the last trompe For the trompe shall blowe and the dead shall ryse incorruptible and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible muste put on incorrupcion and this mortall muste put on immortalytie When this corruptible hath put on incorrupcion and this mortall hath put on immortalytie then shal be brought to passe the saying that is wrytten Death is swalowed vp in victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory The styng of death is synne and the strength of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs victory thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe Therfore my deare brethren be ye stedfast and vnmouable alwayes ryche in the worke of the Lorde for as muche as ye knowe howe that your labour is not in vayne in the Lorde But now synce it is certaine that a general resurrecciō shal be some curious persō wil aske after what sort shal it be in what kind of bodies shal men rise synce the bodies whiche we now haue are tourned into ashes earth or into some other thing more vile Thou foole which maruailest howe God can once doe in renyuing bodies again that nature dayly worketh in a sede cast into the grounde Thou sowest a drye dead sede into the earth there agayne thesame beyng putrified semeth to dye so finally growyng out of the earth as it were lyueth agayne and groweth nor coulde thesame in any wyse lyue agayne onlesse it be fyrste dead and buried But nowe groweth the sede vppe in another fourme that it had when it was cast into the earth Into the earth is cast a lytle vyle blacke and drye grayne which beeng by continaunce of tyme putrified there in due season groweth vp and becommeth fyrst a tender grasse and then a stalke and so at the laste an eare Of all whiche three there appeared none in that small grayne which thou before dydest cast into the earth Euery sede hath his power which when it is growen vp appeareth so that it may now seme vtterly to be an other where thou in dede knowest it to be the same saue that it is chaunged into a better forme Seest thou not of a lyttle kernell howe greate a tree groweth howe myghtye a stemme there is howe the rootes spreade howe large boughes what a noumbre of braunches howe pleasaunte blosomes and plentefulnes of fruyte there is Of all which there was nothyng when thou dyd cast that sealye small kernell into the grounde And yet at that tyme all these thinges didest thou hope for vpon trust conceiued of y◠workes of nature ▪ and darest thou not vpon trust of Gods almyghtye power surely looke for the lyke to be done by God A kernell it was that thou sowedste and not a tree and yet geueth God to that kernell once quickned a body suche as his pleasure is which geueth euery kynde of sede a speciall property that wheras all growe agayne yet haue they not in all poyntes thesame forme they had before And after lyke sorte is it in all kyndes of beastes wherof euery one hath his seueral sede so that of euery seed euery beaste can not be engendred And though this to all beastes be commen to haue a fleshy body yet is there betwixte one flesh and an other no small difference For the flesh of men is of one maner and the flesh of beastes fyshes and byrdes is of another Lykewise also though such creatures as lacke lyfe be called bodies yet is there a diuerse forme in heauenly bodies and in earthly as in stones water
ynoughe in this worlde and than let hym doe with me in an other worlde what he wyll Be thou assured that thou enforcest God to take awaye hys holy spirite and his good gyftes from thee and layest vp wrath in stoare for thy selfe agaynste the daye of wrath whan God shall iudge the secret thoughtes of men by Iesus Christe Thou shalt haue the immortall worme of thy conscience to gâ—awe contynually vpon thee so as fallynge into desperacyon and grudgeynge agaynste God thou shalte begynne thyne hell euen in thys worlde hauynge anguyshe and trouble vpon thy soule for thy wycked lyuynge And at that greate feaste daye whan thou shalte appeare wythoute the weddynge garment of a perfyte faythe garnysshed wyth workes of charitie and good lyuynge Christe the kyng shall commaunde thee to be bounden hande and fote and to be cast into the vtter darkenes where shal be weepyng and gnashyng of teethe for the rewarde of thyne errour and wickednes thou shalte be constrayned perforce to pledge the Deuyll of his own cuppe that is prepared euerlastyngly for hypocrites to drynke vpon whereinto the Lorde God shall rayne snares fyre brymstonâ— storme and tempest Than it wyll not auayle the to repente Than it wylbe to late to crye had I wyste Remembre thy selfe therefore in tyme seyng that God of hys curteous gentylnes by hys holy woord geueth thee so curteous warnynge And take in good parte thys my symple translacyon intended to none other purpose but to thy forwardynge helpe as the Lorde is my wytnesse God sende thee perfyte vnderstandyng gentle reader in hys trueth and well to fate Amen ¶ Thus endeth the Prologe The argument vpon the Epistle of the Apostle Saynt Paule vnto the Ephesians by D. Erasmus of Roterodame EPhesus was sometyme the chiefe citie of the lesse Asia a citie supersticiously geuen to the wurshipping of deuilles and especially of Diana for whiche cause it is called in the actes of the Apostles the wurshipper of Diana not of Diana the huntour vnto whome the Poetes attribute bowe and arowes but Diana with many pappes whome the Grecians call Polymaston and saye she is the nource of all maner of beastes after Hieromes reporting For the temple of Diana at Ephesus was in the greatest estimacion of al the world so much that the Ethnike writours make special mencion of it almost in al their writinges These men geue their whole studies vnto curiouse artes and sciences as we may gather where we reade that at the preaching of the Apostles they brought in theyr bookes of enchauntmente and burned them in the fyer and whan they had coumpted the price they founde it to be fiftie thousand siluerlinges as it is purported in the .xix. Cap. of the Actes And therfore to th entent he might withdrawe them from those great errours he taried still among them three yeares trauaylling all that while to the vttermost of hys power to bring the thyng to passe that myght be to the profitabe forwarding of theyr saluacion albeit many of them made great resistence agaynste him as he specifyeth hymselfe in an other place And there he was cast to beastes lyke as he maketh mencion in his secounde Epistle to the Corinthians And whan he departed from thence he commaunded Timothee to remaine there still amonge them And like as that Citie was full of Curiouse menne and suche as were geuen to magicall artes euen so had it many great learned men in it By reason wherof Paule as he tempereth himselfe according to the maners and natures of all men maketh often mencion of deuils and spirites whan he sheweth the difference of good men and bad Besides these he openeth certaine darke hard sentences For there is none of his Epistles that hath so darke and hidde sentences in it as this to the Ephesians So as it shoulde seme that this Epistle was the chiefest occasion why Petre wrote after this sorte Euen as our derely beloued brother Paule accordyng to the wisedome geuen vnto hym wrote to you yea almoste in euery Epistle speaking of suche thynges among whiche many thynges are harde to be vnderstanden which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they do other scriptures to theyr owne destruccion Therfore because these men aboade constauntly in the fayth he exhorteth them to continue and goe still forwarde vntill they were become perfite putting them in remembraunce what manier of people they were whan they were addict vnto naughtines did seruice vnto wieked spirites and what they are become now that they are engraffed vnto Christe and teacheth them withall that althoughe the grace of the Gospell was promised vnto the Iewes yet that by the eternall decree of God it was rightfully enlarged vnto the Gentiles also and that he was a minyster ordayned of God to that same office And forasmuche as he wrote thys Epistle being in prison he exhorteth them not to cast downe theyr hartes for his affliccions but rather thinke that they haue so much the more cause to reioyce These thinges he treateth of in the first and seconde Chapters In the other three he prescribeth the fourme of godly conuersacion vnto them shewing what is to be folowed and what is to bee auoyded the duetyes of the husbandes to the wyues and of the wyues vnto the husbandes the offices of parentes to their children and of the children to theyr parentes the dueties of maisters to their seruauntes and of seruauntes to their maisters This Epistle was written from the citie of Rome by Tichicus the Diacone whome he speaketh of in the end of the Epistle calling him a faithful minister Ambrose sayeth furthermore that he wrote it in prieson whan he was caried from Hierusalem to Rome and liued vnder suertie without the tentes in the tenement that he had taken for hyre The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of sainct Paule the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The .i. Chapter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God To the sainctes whiche are at Ephesus and to them whiche beleue on Iesus Christ Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe Blessed be God the father of our lord Iesus Christe whiche hath blessed vs with all manier of spyrituall blessyng in heauenly thinges by Christe according as he had chosen vs in him before the foundacions of the worlde were layde that we shoulde be holy and without blame before him thorow louâ— Whiche ordeyned vs before thorow Iesus Christe to be heyrs vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorye of his grace wherewith he hath made vs accepted thorow the beloued By whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes accordyng to the richâ—s of grace wherof he hath ministred vnto vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and prudence And hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure whiche he had
gretynges to you all with myne owne hande with Paules hande I saye whome ye wel knowe Remēber my bondes whom I beare for your sake and lyue after suche sorte that I of them be not made ashamed The grace of Iesus be alwayes with you Amen Finis The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Asia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great ieopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto thē by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with y◠high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into the supersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruaūtes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruaūtes The last part sauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timothcus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite ronsent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may like wyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde The texte We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to all faintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in beauen of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel whiche is come vnto you euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you frō the day in the whiche ye heard of it and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you yet in my continual praiers made to God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thākes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after y◠by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free boūteousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whō it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called because of him al shuld receiue helth Sauiour because no mā should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your cōfidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people carnestly mindyng to do for them not for any hoope of auauntage that ye thinke to receiue therby but in hope of the euerlasting life whiche ye wel knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes And suerly īto this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth y◠albeit it make great promises suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme yet forsomuch as God is the author of them ye thinke that the same cannot be but true And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged so is it now come to you euery day growyng and encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian charitie as it hath done in you growyng styl from better to better euen synce that tyme wherin ye fyrst heard and knewe that through the free goodnes of God all their synnes are forgeuen whiche beleue the gospel if to theyr right fayth they adioyne pure vnfained charitie For so were ye taught by my dearely beloued felow in seruice and messenger of trust Epaphras who hath among you sincerely done myne office after
god In lyke case some folkes good workes are so manifest that they nede no commendacion of man To suche therfore shall euery man accompany himselfe safely lyke as he ought to absteyne from the companye of them that are openly wycked Furthermore those that ordre theyr lyfe with such subtiltye and in outwarde shewe of godlynes dyssemble the malyce of theyr harte after suche sorte that they deceaue the iudgement of man those we wyll leaue to the iudgement of god For christian godlynes is not ouer muche suspicious The vi Chapter The texte ¶ Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte theyr masters worthye of all honour that the name of god and his doctrine be not euyll spoken of Se that they which haue beleuyng masters despyfe them not because they are brethren but rather do seruyce for asmuche as they are beleuinge and beloued and partakers of the benefyte FVrthermore it is not our parte to rebuke the lyfe of them that are straungiers from the profession of Christ it is rather requisite for vs to prouoke them vnto a better mynde with our good turnes than to kyndle them with taunting checkes Religion ought so to be ordred that it seme not to be occasion or sowyng of sedicion In suche affaires as we haue necessarilye to doe with the Ethnikes let theÌ„ perceaue by vs that we are become the more diligente to doe good bycause of religion and not more vnprofytable nor more ouerthwarte For by that meanes they shal be more easylie allured into our felowshyp of religion Therfore as many as beyng bonde seruauntes haue obteined Baptisme let them remembre that they are set at lybertye by manumission from the lordeshyp of synne and not made free from their masters right of autoritie And therfore it is not semely that vpon trust of their profession they shoulde bristle againste their maisters as wycked persons and vnworthye that a Christian shoulde doe seruice vnto them But let them onely consydre that they are their masters and therfore let them esteme them worthye all honour that the name of god and the gospelles doctrine come not into an euyll reporte and hate in case they shall perceaue men become throughe it the more sturdy and more vntractable But let them rather be more diligent in seruice doynge than they were afore and more glade to obeye as doynge seruyce with a good wyll that theyr maisters beyng prouoked with those thinges maye the more easely receyue the gospell preaching Than muche lesse ought those seruauntes that haue Christian maisters to set lesse by them bicause for yâ— profession of the commune saith in stedde of maisters they are become brethren But in asmuche as they withdrawe not their bounden duetie from Ethnike maisters it behoueth them to obey their Christian maisters for two maner of coÌ„sideracions Fyrst in that they are their maisters than in that they are felowes in relygion for stoute statelynes takyng loue for awful maisters beginnyng to be beloued and for threatenyng maisters â–ª become good maisters For more is to be done for yâ— deseruour than for the exactour â–ª more for the louyng maister than imperious coÌ„maundyng maister For that is not properly a bondage but to doe one good turne for an other The texte ¶ These thinges reache echorte If eny man folowe other doctrine and enclyne not unto the wholsome wordes of our Lorde Iesu Christe and to the doctrine whiche is accordyng to godlynes he is puft vp knoweth nothing but wasteth his braynes aboure quetions and stryfe of wordes wherof sprynge enuye stryfe raylynges euyll surmy synges vayne dysputacions of men that hâ—â—e corrupte mindes and that are robbed of the trueth whiche thincke that lucre is godlynesse From them yâ— are soche separate thy selfe Godlynesse is great rychesse yf a man be contenâ— with that he hath For we brought nothynge into the world nether maye we cary any thing out But when we haue fode and ruyment we must therwith be content They that wythe ryche fall into temptacion and snares oâ— the deuyl and into many folysshe and noysom lustes whiche drowne men into perdicion and destruccion For courteousnes of money is the rote of all euyll whiche whyle some lasted after they erred from the faith and tangled them selues with many sorowes But thou man of God flye suche thinges Folowe ryghtewesnes godlynes faith loue â–ª pacience meaknes Fight the good fyght of faith Laye hande on eternall lyfe wherunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses These thinges teache with autoritie vnto these thinges exhorte them that be slacke This doctrine is a true gospellyke doctrine that maketh vnto godlynes of lyfe maketh vs bothe accepted of god and beloued of men Yf any man bryng in a contrarye doctrine vnto this and geueth not himselfe vnto the moost true wordes of the Lorde Iesu Christe nor obeyeth vnto this doctrine whiche beyng agreable vnto the gospell calleth not men vnto supersticious questions but vnto offices of godlynes suche one the lesse true knowledge he hathe the more he taketh vpon him For lyke as knowledge is a modest thinge euen so there is nothing more hyghe mynded or stubburne than folyshe ignoraunce And he yâ— is taken with that dysease and is turned awaye from the synceritie of the gospell outrageth about triflynge questions without consideracion of the lyfe braullyng with wordes which are so lytel auayleable vnto true godlynes yâ— they rather engendre a mischiefe of ChristiaÌ„ godlynes bycause that of suche maner brablyng strifes arryseth enuie whyle by dimynisshynge of other mens autoritie we seke autoritie vnto our selues There aryse also coÌ„tencions whilest by reason of hoot chiding wordes none wyll geue place vnto an other there aryse also scoldinges as often as the mattre groweth in to outrage there aryse also wycked suspicions against god whaÌ„ those thinges that ought to be beleued without questionyng are called by humayne reasonynges in to question as doubtefull thinges And many there be that as it were with a contagiousnes are infected with the rubbyng of this scabbe of men whose myndes are infecte with naughtye couetous lustes and beyng blynded therwith they see not the trueth of the gospel nor conferre their doctrine to this ende but rather they measure godlynes and religion by their owne gayne and woulde haue the thing to seme moost holye not that maketh other men more acceptable to God but that can bryng them selues to be best set by get them mooste auauntage But thou mayest not in any wyse thinke yâ— those men can be ouercommen with any dysputacioÌ„s For lacke knowledge is a stubburne matter And albeit they perceaue the trueth neuer so well yet they acknowledge it not bycause it is not for their profyte in comparison of the thing that they goe about for their owne purpose Sttyue not therfore with them bothe out of fassion and in vayne to But withdrawe thy selfe from their companie Let theim hunt after their pelfe let them make
men that for haters we be made well wyllers euen to theÌ„ that hate vs thys haue we neither by Moses lawe nor yet by our owne merites but by the free goodnes of God by the which we coueite that all men yf it be possyble reioyse with vs in one commune saluation and that the verite of the gospel may shine and geue lyght to all men as it hath geuen lyght to vs. For afore we wandered lyke blynde men in darkenes as the vnbeleuers do styll But nowe after that it is made open thorow the ghospell howe greate the goodnes and charite of God the father which is autor of our saluation is to al men now after that the darkenes of our former lyfe is put away we haue obteyned true lyfe saluation not by the obseruation of the lawe which had a certayne righteousnes in it but yet of small efficacie to geue euerlastyng lyfe but we haue obteined it thorowe the mere mercie of the Godhed For by the holy fonte of baptisme we benewe borne agayne and graffed into Christ the sonne of the euerlastyng father and beyng renewed by his spirite we haue ceased to be carnall and haue begon to be spirituall Therfore what so euer we be we are altogether bounde to God for it whiche into vs nothyng deseruing it hathe shed aboundantlye his spirite whiche the lawe coulde not geue And he hath shed this his holye spirite into vs by Iesus Christ by whom it hath pleased him most liberally to geue vs all thynges that we beyng purged by hys benefite from oure olde synnes should endeuour our selfes by good workes to be made apte to receiue the inheritaunce of the lyfe that endureth for euer of the whiche the doctrine of the gospell doeth put vs in a sure hope Sence that we therefore were once miserable and beyng nowe thorow the onely mercy of the Lorde delyuered from synne we hope for the crowne of euerlastyng lyfe with Christe we muste haue pitie vpoÌ„ other go aboute by al meanes that God may also haue mercy on theÌ„ The texte This is a true saying Of these thinges I wyll that thou certifie that they whiche beleue in God myght be diligent to go forwarde in good workes For these thynges are good and profitable vnto men Let a christian Byshop in the steade of Iewishe fables tel these thynges to the people for they are certaine and not to be doubted of There remayneth nothing more for vs to do but that in all our coÌ„uersation froÌ„ hence forth we shew our selfes not vnmyndful of the great benefite that we haue receyued of God but that we lyue in all thinges accordyng to his godly pleasure or els the professioÌ„ of christiandome of the gospel wil nothyng aduaile vs. Wherfore I wil that thou assure al meÌ„ of these thinges which greatly perteyne vnto our purpose confirme theÌ„ therin also yâ— they whiche haue once beleued in God yâ— by his free mercifulnes they haue bene redemed from their synnes and that he will geue the crowne of immortalitie to all them whiche by vertuouse and godly liuinge do studye to folowe Iesu Christe as nere as they are able maye leade suche a lyfe as maye seme not vnworthy of so greate profession and so hir promisses Nowe they shall declare them selues to be true christians yf they curse not the Ethnikes and the Iewes nor saye euyl by them but yf they be beneficial to al men and by the affection that they haue to piety they reioyse to helpe all men For these thynges shall not onelye ornate and commende the professyon of the gospell as thynges of them selfes honeste but besyde that very profytable to drawe other to Christe and to helpe other whiche be oppressed with any calamitie The chiefe poynte of christiantie is to do good to all men and by benefites euen the very wylde beastes are ouercome and made tame Thou shalte therfore on suche wise speake and preache of these thynges and not as one that is in any dowte of them as some be whiche mouyng many questions seme to haue but a faynte beleue But teache thou with greate confydence of countenaunce and with greate stedfastnes of wordes that euery man maye right well perceyue that thou arte throwlye persuaded in that whiche thou doest laboure to perswade to other Out of these thinges commethe no small frute of true religion The texte Folyshe questyons and genealogies and braulyng thorowe sâ—tyuinges about the lawe auoyde for they are vnprofitable and superfluous But folyshe and vnconnyng questions and entangled genealogies and contenciouse disputacions or rather warre vpon Moses lawe whiche some folowyng the trade of the Iewes do styrre vp to gette them a name thereby and vantage caste them away as superfluous and vuprofytable to the lyfe that is after the gospell For what death it hurte good lyuynge yf I knowe not why Moses graue can no where be founde And whether it be as the Iewes do say lest he should be raysed vp agayne by enchaunters Or yf I knowe not howe many yeares Matusalem lyued Or of what age Salomon was whan he begate Roboam Why Moses did forbyd to eate the fleshe of swine Why the Iewes do suppose that the blode of a Wesell must with so great diligence be purged And many other more folyshe than these In the exposicion whereof what profiteth him to tary that hasteth to the rewarde of a true christian lyfe These thynges must rather â—e cutte awaye than declared and they which professe them as excellente thynges oughte more to be reproued and sharplye rebuked than to be ouercome with disputacion The texte A man that is an auctor of sectes after the firste and the seconde admonicion auoid â–ª knowyng that he that is suche is peruetted and synneth euen damned by him selfe If they whiche mayntaine suche supersticions as haue tofore bene mencioned erre by symplenes whan they be warned therof they wyll amende But yf they do it of a purposed malice eyther to get them a name or for lucre or for some other fylthy cause than wyll they be ready to defende euen those thynges whiche they knowe to be false These men whan thou hast once or twies rebuked them yf they amende not then auoyde them as sedicious and incurable persones leste they do more harme whan they be prouoked than they woulde doe yf they were let alone as men not regarded Yea and lest it may turne to a worse inconuenience that they whiche cannot be brought into a better mynde drawe him that goeth about to instructe them into the same errour that they be in For what auayleth it to geue any oftenar to them the medicine of cortectioÌ„ yf there be no hope of remedy An errour commynge onelye of the fraylenes of man is remedied by one or two warnynges but peruersitie is incurable and made worse by puttyng to of remedies Therefore he that beyng once or twyes rebuked abydeth neuertheles styffe in his opinioÌ„ let him alone in his froward
It is nede then that the simily tudes of heuenly thinges be purified wyth such thinges but that the heuenly thinges themselfes be purified wyth better sacrifices then are those For Christ is not entred into the holye places that are made with handes whyche â—e similitudes of true thinges but is entred into very heuen for to appere nowe in the sight of god for vs not to offre himself often as the hye priest entreth into the holy place euery yere wyth strange bloud for theÌ„ must he haue often suffred sence the worlde began But now in the ende of the worlde hath he apeted once to put synne to slyght by the offeryng vp of hymselfe And as it is apoynted vnto all men that they shall once dye and than coÌ„meth the iudgement euen so Christe was once offered to take awaye the synnes of many and vnto them that loke for hym shall he appere agayne withoute syune vnto â—â—luation And truely it was conuenient that suche thynges as in earth represented the similitude and shadowe of heauenly thynges shoulde be done with suche manour of grosse and carnall purifications But when veritie was once come to lyght then was it mete that the heauenly sacrifices them selfes should be made with better oblacions and cause a trewer puritie For as I haue sayde euen all that Christe did in earth is heauenly For trewely he entred not in to the holye places made with handes whiche are rather supposed holye then be holy in dede and maye be tourned vnto a prophane vse and were nothyng els but certayne shadowes and fygures of thynges that were verelye holye but entred into verye heauen where as dwellethe God immortall wyth hys holy angels before whom he as a leful Byshoppe maketh intercessyon for all mennes synnes purchasyng hymselfe fauourable audience wyth hys owne bloude whiche of his mere and free charitie he shedde for vs and that dyd he with so effectuall a sacrifice that it shall not be nedefull for hym euery yeare to do the same agayne as the hye pryest of the olde testamente entred in to the moste secrete parte of the temple yearely Nether is it anye marueyll that the sacryfice made by the hye prieste of Moyses was not of lyke efficacye sence he was bothe subiecte vnto synnes and offred vp a beastes bloud and not his owne If Christe had bene suche an hye prieste then sythe there hathe soo manye ages and yeares begonne agayne sence the creation of the worlde he shoulde of necessytye often tymes haue offred vp a sactifyce lyke as the priestes of the olde testament dyd Nowe was he suche a one that it was sufficieute for hym once to offre vp himselfe and once with the sprinkeling of his own blode to take awaye the synnes of all ages vntill the worldes ende And that was done not from the begynnynge of the woorlde but nye the ende of the same when it was openly knowen to euery man that al the world was defyled with synne and that there was no remeady but of God onelye bycause it shoulde manyfestly appeare howe effectuall a pryest and of what greate vertue and power he was who with one sacrifice pourged so greate an heape of synnes and lefte behynde him a ready and an easye remedye whych was that the same sacrifice shoulde be sufficient for al menne tyme once of measure that woulde not make them selfes vn worthye therof For he toke vpon hym not only their synnes who manye yeares byfore put hope of saluatyon in hym but also theyrs who would manye yeares after beleue his ghospel Wherefore there is not why the worlde shoulde loke after an other priest or an other sacrifice to pourge synnes but as it is appoynted to al men that they shall once dye without hope to retourne agayne into this lyfe wherein we ofttymes fall and ofttymes are pourged agayne and as there is nothynge loked for after euerye mannes deathe but that extreme iudgement wherby endelesse rewardes shal be adiudged bothe to good and badde so lyke wyse Christe who dyeng once was offered vp for all the world takyng vpon him as moch as in hym laye all mennes synnes bycause he woulde be punyshed for all woulde haue nothyng remayne after this lyfe but that last iudgement wherin he shall appeare agayne vnto the world not as before lyke a sacrifice appoynted to be slayne or lyke a worker of myschiefe and one worthy of punishement but as a glorious persone and one that knoweth no maner of synne he shall I saye appeare to their blysse and saluation who beyng nowe purified thorow his death perseuer in good and vertuous lyuyng tyll he come agayne not to be offred vp but a iudge desired of the good and dreadefull to the wicked ¶ The .x. Chapiter The texte For the lawe hauygâ— the shadowe of good thinges to come not the very fashion of the thinges themselfes can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yere by yere comynually make the commers thereunto perfect For woulde then not those sacryfices â—â—â—â—eased to haue bene offered bicause that the offerers once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of synnes Neuertheles in those sacrifyces is there no mencion made of synnes euery yere For the bloud of oxen and of goates cannot take a way synnes FVrthermore the cause why the hye priest of the olde testament coulde not do the lyke was by reason that that lawe forasmuche as it had not the lyuely and true fashion but onely a certayne shadowe of good thynges whiche rather sygnyfyed somewhat then brought anything to effecte could neuer wyth her vsuall sacrifice of beastes all though they were by those priestes contynually offred yeare by yeare make suche perfite as came to pacifie God wyth vneffectuall oblacions by the mediacion of weake priestes For yf perfeccyon myghte haue bene attayned thereby â–ª shoulde not the same sacrifices once offreo haue ceased tobe offred any more Now in these sacrifices when so euer they be offred agayne there is mention made a freshe of the former synnes whiche thyng playnly declareth that they haue no confydence in one sacrifyce Els for what purpose dyd they euerye yeare offre agayne newe sacrifices if one had so pourged from all synne that no conscience therof had remayned in those whiche had once offred and bene pourged For seyng that synne is the maladie of the soule and not of the bodie a grosse and bodely sacrifice as is the bloude of Oxen and Goates can in no wyse take awaye the dysease of the mynde The onely spirituall and heauenly sacrifyce of Christe is able to doe this thynge sufficiently the whiche thorowe fayth and Baptisme so taketh awaye at once all the synnes of our former lyte be they neuer so manye neuer so heynous that there remayneth no feate or reâ—â—orse in conscience so that we wyl only beware that we fal not agayne into out olde enormyties and detestable dedes For soo farre wyde is it from the trewth that God was made mercifull by reason that
such sactifices were oftentymes oftred that beynge rather offended therwith he required some one effectuall sacrifice whiche shoulde contynew for euer The texte â–ª Wherfore when he commeth into the world he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not haue but a body haste thou ordayned me Butâ—t offerynges also for synne hast thou not alowed Then sayed â— lo I am here In the begynnynge of the booke it is written of me that I should do thy wyll O God Aboue when he sayth sacryfice and offeryng and burnt sacryfices synne offerynges thou wouldest not haue neâ—â—eâ— haste thou alowed them whyche yet are offered by the lawe then sayde he Lo I am here to do thy wyll O god He taketh a waye the firste to estably she the latter â–ª by whiche wyll we are made holy euen by the offeryng of the body of Iesu Christ once for all For the Sonne as it were about to come into the worlde to make God the father mercifull vnto the same with the sacrifice of his owne mooste precious bodye speaketh vnto hym in the mystycall Psalme on thys wyse Sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest not haue but a bodye haste thou ordeyned me Burnt sacrifices and other sacrifices accusfomablye offered to pourge the peoples synnes thou haste not alowed Than sayed I Loe â–ª sythe that in the begynnynge of the boke I am sygnified to be a sacrifyce I am here to do thy wyll O God Whan therefore he sayeth in these woordes Sacrifyce and offerynge and burnt sacrifices and sacrifices for synne thou wouldest not haue neyther allowedest thou any of these sacrifices whiche were wonte to be offred accordyng vnto the prescription of the olde lawe And immediatlye addeth Loe I am here to obey they wyll O God and to offre a sacrifice pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thy mynde in these wordes I saye he taketh awaye that firste priesthode as dyspleasaunte vnto God to th entent he maye stablyshe the later ther with to satisfye Goddes wyll and pleasure What was this wyll of God who thus lotheth the lawefull sacrifices of the olde testament and greatly desireth a newe kynde of sacrifice For sooth it was this bycause it so lyked his free goodnes towardes vs that his heauenly sonne that is to saye Christe shoulde take vpon hym mannes bodye and dyeng for the synnes of the whole worlde purifie all menne by one sacrifice duely made of their synnes in suche wise that there nedeth nothereafter anye other blodie sacrifices The texte And euery pryest is ready dayly ministring and offeryng often tymes one maner of oblacion wyche can neuer take away synne But this man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set doune for euer on the righte hande of god and from hencefurth tarieth till his foes be made his fote steole For with one offering hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sancrified The holy ghoste himself also beareth vs record euen when he tolde before thys is the Testamente that I wyll make vnto them After those dayes sayth the Lorde I wyll putte my lawes in their heartes and in their myndes wll I write them and theyr synnes and iniquities wil I remeÌ„bre no more And where remission of these thinges is there is no more offering for synne Whosoeuer is a priest of the olde testament is constrayned dayly to ministre and oftentymes to offre the same sacrifices agayne whiche howe ofte so euer they be offred can neuer cleane take awaye synnes so that it is an endlesse busynesse to bothe partes that is to saye both to the offerer and to the priest by whom the oblacion is made But Christe thonely sacrifice once offered for the sinnes of al them which haue do or wyl beleue his promyses sytteth now on the right hande of God the father tarryeng for nothynge els but that whiche onely remayneth that is to saye to haue all the membres of his bodye assembled together and vntyll at the length it come to passe accordyng as it is promysed in the Psalme that his enemyes who are rebelles agaynst the ghospel be made his foote stoole But in the meane season he nedeth not to offre him selfe agayne for vs because that with one oblation he hath sufficiently perfited all those for euer whiche haue deserued to be sanctified thoro we faith in suche wise that none of our olde synnes can be layed vnto oure charge That I saye nowe euen the holy ghoste hym selfe witnesseth speakyng by the mouth of the Prophet and shewyng long before that the same thyng shoulde be whiche we see alreadye come to passe His wordes are these This is the testament that I wyll make vnto them after those dayes sayeth the lorde when I shall put my lawes in their heartes and write them in their myndes and their synnes and iniquities wyll I remembre no more muche lesse then wyll I take vengeauÌ„ce for the same Furthermore after that al synnes be once pardoned for euer what nede is there of the Iewishe sacrifices whiche were made to pourge and take awaye synnes The texte Seyng therefore brethren that by the meanes of the blode of Iesu we haue libertie to entre into the holy place by the newe and lyuyng way whych he hath prepared forvs through the vayle that is to say by his fleshe And seing also that we haue au hie pryest whych is ruler ouer the house of God let vs draw nygh wyth a true hert in a sure faith sprynkeled in our hertes the euil conscince put away washed in out bodyes wyth pure water Let vs kepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised and let vs consider one another to the intente that we may prouoke vnto loue vnto good workes not for saking the felowship that we haue among our selfes as the manet of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so muche the more bycause ye se that the day draweth nygh Seynge therefore brethren that the conscience of synnes is taken awaye whyche feared vs to make intercession to almyghtie God and that we haue an assuraunce gyuen vs to entre into the holy place let vs trustyng vpoÌ„ the most sacred bloud of Iesu which he shedde for our reconciliacion and therby opened vs awaye and entraunce farre dyuerse from the olde waye that is to saye a freshe newe lyuynge and euetlastynge waye whiche after it is once opened can neuer be shutte agayne the whiche waye he beganne vnto vs entryng in fyrst of all thorowe the vayle that is to saye by his fleshe where with his Godhed was couered for a tyme in this worlde â–ª and after the same fleshe was assumpted and taken vp into heauen heuenly thynges were opened And sythe we haue a greate pryest promysed of God after the order of Melehisedeche whom God hathe made ruler ouer all his house that is to saye ouer the Churche chatholyke the whiche churche he gouerneth not as a ministre but as thautour and Lorde thereof lette vs also
in the meane tyme goe whither Christe hath opened vs the waye let vs goe I saye not with bodely feete into a temple made of stones but with a pure hearte and a very sure belefe to obtayne our peticion entre into the heauenly temple but fyrst sprinkled not touchyng the body with the bloud of a beast but touchyng the mynde and spirite with the bloud of Iesu Christ therby purified froÌ„ the coÌ„science of oure olde synnes furthermore washed in our bodyes too with the pure water of Baptysme that scoureth and washeth awaye all the fylthe of the soule Then remayneth it that we perseuer in the thynges we haue once begonne and kepe stedfastly and wythout any wauerynge the hope of immortall lyfe whiche we haue professed in Baptisme trustyng in this one thynge that God who promysed is faythfull and sure of his promyse and cannot deceaue if he would so that we contynue styll in fayth Furthermore bycanse we are made the membres of one bodye let vs cleaue together by mutuall charitee and agrement consideryng with out selues how muche eche of vs hath profited in the profession of the ghospell not bycause to enuye hym who hath ouergone vs or to despise him that is ouergone or left behynde but to prouoke to charitie and good workes by good example and exhortactions gyuyng one to an other The whiche thyng shall come to passe if the goyng forewarde of oure brother do make vs more desyrouse to lyue well and vertuouslye and also yf we perceyuynge anye to be slacke in goyng forewarde doe then with a brotherly carefulnes prycke him forthe to better thynges alwayes reioysynge at them whyche goo before and makynge moche of those that do their diligence not suffring any one to perishe from our flocke by reason he is forsaken as some occasion seruynge thereunto are wont to leaue of from their good begynnynges But let one of vs by al manoure of wayes and meanes possible styre and encourage an other to go forthe to the ende in that we fyrst beganne And thys thynge ought ye so muche the more earnestly to doe bycause ye see that the daye of the Lorde is at hande whiche will gyue euery man rewardes accordyng vnto his desertes and leaue no place or oportunitie to amende what hath bene done amisse but whatsoeuer hath-bene done shall be then examyned with exacte iudgement And suche trespases as are coÌ„mitted by erroure or frayltie of man shall easlye be pardoned The texte For if we sinne wilfully after that we haue receyued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearfull lokinge for iudgement vyolent fyre whyche shall deuoure the aduersaries Be that despyseth â—oses lawe dieth wythout mercye vnder two or three wytnesses howe muche soret suppose ye shal he bâ— punished whych treadeth vnder â—ote the sonne of gods coâ—â—â—eth the bloude of the testamente where with he was sancrified as an vnholy thing and doeth dishonour the spirite of grace For we know hym that hath said it belongeth vnto me to take vengeancé I wil recompence sayth the Lord. And agayne the lorde shall iudge hys people It is a fearfull thinge to fall into the handes of the lyuynge god But after we haue once knowen the trueth by the ghospel beyng taught what we must hope after and what we ought to eschewe and what rewardes good menne shall haue and what yuell yf we then wyllyngly fall agayne into deadly synnes whiche Christ hath once washed away with his preâ—â—â—â—s blouâ— in that he dyed once alonely and neuer wyll dye agayne there remayneth theâ— no Hooste or sacrifice for vs whiche haue so eftesones fallen to oure olde lyâ—â— and synfull lyuyng wherby our synnes maye be freely released agayne thorow baptisme What then remaineth Forsoth a certaine dreadful loking for of the laste iudgement and forthwith a cruell and tourmentyng fyre whiche in reueÌ„gement of the goodnes of God despised â–ª shal deuoure the aduersaries Thynkâ— you that he shall scape vnpunished that hath despysed the lawe of the ghospell The more mercifull and beneficiall that God is the more punyshemente shall he haue who wyllingly and wyttyngly hathe mocked therewith He mockethe with the gospel whiche after he hath bene once called to the nâ—bre of the chyldren of God wylfullye putteth himselfe into the numbre of the Deuels seruauntes If there were so greate punishement among the Iewes that whosoeuer obeyed not the pryest teaching the commaundementes of Moises lawe that is to wytte yf he that was commaunded to absteyne from swynes fleshe dyd notwithstandyng of a selfe wyl or dysobedient frowardenes eate the same and afterwarde beyng firste conuicted by two or three witnesses was done to death without mercye Howe muche greater punishement then deserueth he to haue who treadeth vnderfoâ—e not anye one priest of lowe estimacion but Iesus Christ the sonne of God Creuly he treadeth hym vnderfote whoso despifeth his so greate benefite whoso counteth I saye not the bloude of a beaste but his holye bloud wherwith the newe testament was sanctified as an vnholy thynge specially the same bloude wherwith he was once pourged and made cleane from all hys olde synnes fynallye whoso dyshonoureth the spirite by whom he hath obteyned the grace of the ghospell bycause that spirite once put awaye thorowe hys vycyousnesse he trayterouslye gyuethe vp the temple of God vnto the Dyuell Do we therefore assure our selfes that we shall escape vnpunished bycause men do not by and by take punishement on suche as doe swaâ—ue from the puritie of an euangelicall and christian lyfe We knowe hym that hath sayde It belongeth to me to take vengeaunce I wyll recompence fayth the Lorde And agayne in an other place The Lorde shall iudge the people Let not any synner flatter hym selfe and thynke that he is oute of danger yf he escape the handes of a man reuenger No man can escape the handes of God But it is a dreadfull thyng to fall into the handes of the lyuyng god Nowe the more that ye were to be praysed when ye fyrste began to professe the ghospell the more shame and rebuke shall it be for you to fall agayne into your former lyfe The texte Call to remembraunce the dayes that are passed in the which after ye had receiued lyght ye endured a great fight of aduersities partely whyle all men wondred and gased at you for the shame tribulacion that was doeâ— vnto you partely whyle ye became coÌ„paignions of them which so passes their time For ye became partakers also of the affliccions which happened through my bondes toke in worth the spoyling of your goodes and that with gladnes knowyng in your selfes howe that ye haue in heuen a better and an enduringe substaunce Cast not away therfore your confydence whych hath a greater recompence of rewarde And lest that come to passe cal vnto youre remembraunce the tymes passed in the whiche after ye had receiued lyghte by the doctrine of the ghospell and faythe
worlde thynketh is losse and it is blessednes whatsoeuer they thynke is sorowfulnesse Therefore it is in you to bryng to passe that no violence of sorowes can do you harme by any waye Whatsoeuer the naughtynesse of men shall take awaye from you the free larges of God shall restore it agayne with excedyng great vauntage So that yf you haue the fruicion of God you haue no cause to be afrayed of mens threatnynges or to be disquieted with the violence of sorowes neyther be you troubled in your mynde in the myddes of the stormes of affliccions as though you were destitute of Goddes helpe Neither speake you cursedly vnto men that punyshe you throughe ignoraunce but rather glorifie you the lorde God in your heartes whiche to his seruauntes turneth all thynges in to the best whethersoeuer chaunseth ioye or aduersitie Therefore he is euer worthye to be praysed albeit a man can not alwaies with worde of mouthe yet with affeccion of the heart he maye euery where and at all tymes Hys enemyes are not to be prouoked with scoldynges but wheresoeuer anye hope shall offre it selfe that they maye be drawen vnto Christe be you prompte and ready to answere whosoeuer desireth to knowe with what confidence and throughe what hope you set naught by the commodities of this life and suffre the incommodities so paciently And that do you not disdeignefully nor tauntynglye as thoughe you were offended at them but with al mildenes and reuerence that is to say vsing a good conscience of your owne althoughe you can not be hable to perswade them For it is not ynoughe for Christians to speake thinges that are true and worthy of Christ but also to speake after suche sorte that the verye reason of your talke maye declare that you are not in hande with your own busines but that you respecte the glorie of Christe and the saluation of them whiche you speake vnto This shal be the surest argument to make them ashamed which slaundre your conuersation that you leade accordyng to Christes doctrine as thoughe it were a countrefaict and a naughty conuersacion For countrefaicte vertue althoughe it otherwise begile men with his iuggling yet whan it commeth once to suffring of punishementes it breaketh out and bewrayeth it self There is nothing but a good conscience and a conscience that dependeth wholy of God that is hable chearefully to beare all thinges and to be so farre froÌ„ intendyng reuengement that he goeth about also to do good to them of whom he is punished The texte For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doing then for euil doing For asmuche as Chryst hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God and was killed as pertaining to the fleshe but was quickned in the spirit In which spirit he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison whych somtyme had ben disobedient when the long suffering of God was once loked for in the daies of Noe while the Arke was a preparing wherin a few yâ— is to say viii solles were saued by the water lyke as baptisme also now saueth vs not the puttynge away of the fylth of the fleshe but in that a good conscience consenteth to God by the resurreccion of Iesus Christ whyche is on the righte hande of God and is gone into heauen Aungelles powers and myght subdued vnto hym Let it not moue you that you harmeles folkes suffre sorowes at their handes whiche be harmedoers but rather it is in that behalf the more easely to be borne whatsoeuer is done vnto you For it is better for you if it be the wyll of God that you suffre these thinges that you suffre for wel doyng than for euil doyng For he that is punysshed for his euil dedes suffreth that he hath deserued but the punyshementes that you suffre turne to the glory of Christe and to the heaped encreace of your felicitie It is a gloriouse thynge for you to folowe thexample of your prince Thus he aduaunced the glory of God the father he beyng all together without synne was taken bounden beaten spytte vpon crucified and dyed for our synnes where as he had no synne at all The ryghtuous for the vnryghtuous the faultes for the faultye suffred paynes gladly obeyng the fathers will that he myghte presente vs that were synners cleane and without spotte vnto the father that we also folowyng his example shoulde lyue harmeles amonge harmedoers and that we beynge made good shoulde suffre for the wealth of them that naught are He dyed onely once for all and for temporall affliccion was endowed with lyfe euerlastynge that we beyng once redemed from synnes shoulde not slyde backe agayne to the same It is Christ than that hath made vs cleane being delyuered to death for the weakenes of the humaine body which he had receiued but he was raised to life agayne by the power of the spirite whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth any affliccions For the same tyme that his dead body was closed in the graue he being alyue in spirite pearced vnto the helles lyke as vnto men endued with mortall bodye he preached the doctryne of the gospell in his bodylye presence which those that beleued attayned saluacion and those that refused to beleue purchaced to them selues the heape of eternal damnacion euen so his body beyng laied aparte his spirite went vnto them which being deliuered of their bodies lyued in the helles and preached vnto them that nowe is the time present wherein they should receyue the rewarde of their godlines for yâ— in tymes past they â—earing the iustice of god nether reuenged them selues of euilles liued faultles among the faultye and declared that they suffred condyng punyshementes which in the daies of Noe when the Arke was furnisshed the floude was loked for that God being prouoked by mortall mennes wickednes would send vpon them beleued not but abused the gentilnes of God when they sawe the thing that he threatned put of for a certayn of yeares Therfore when the floude came it destroyed all except a very fewe that is to saye no moe but onely eight persons which according to Noes counsel went into the arke were not drowned in the floud And therefore euen in those tymes faythe wanted not hâ—â— rewarde For God suffred not those to perishe that trusted in him with al their whole herâ— Neither can the vnbeleuers escape yâ— vengeauÌ„ce of God although you be no reuengers For it is ynough for you that you obeye God but as for the punyshement of the rest refeâ—re that to hym Nowâ— that whiche Nâ—es Aâ—ke was vnto them is baptisme vnto you that same thyng that the floud was vnto them is the eternal punishement vnto the wicked and preached vnto them that obey not the gospel It was ynough for Noe to haue tolde them of the floud that was to come It was ynough to haue shewed by what meanes they myght escape the daungier
from the loue whereof he hathe delyuered you with so greate a price he alone is sufficient to accomplishe all thynges What is the cause than that you aske of the worlde parte of youre blessednes Doe you not knowe that God hateth them that halte on bothe sydes He can not abyde a seruaunte that is not contente to serue one onely maister What maried manne is so pacient that canne suffre hys enemye goynge about to wowe hys wyfe to come in her company And haue you thought it possyble for you to please bothe the worlde and God at ones Doe you not vnderstande that like as a wife if she couple her selfe to an whoremonger falleth quite awaye from the loue of her husbande euen so a Christian if â—e assaye to haue frendshyp agayne with the worlde doeth vtterly receaue vnfrendshyp with God who hathe no concord with the worlde This therfore take for a certayntye whosoeuer studyeth to be loued of this world in the same his so doing he maketh him selfe an enemye vnto God There is no concorde betwene lyght and darkenes nor betwene God and Belial A maried husbande can not abyde hys wyfe to be playing with an whoremonger he canne not suffre the loues of wedlocke to be deuyded in partes though he haue maryed a woman of greate possessyon though he haue maried a gentilwoman borne though he haue maryed a woman of neuer so greate wealthe in all thynges And wyll Chryste suffre hys spouse whome he hathe saued from destruccion whome he hathe set at libertye from bondage whome he hathe washen from the fylthynes of synne whome whan she was naked he hathe clothed whome whan she was poore he hathe richely endowed with so many free gyftes to haue a doo with the aduouterer the deuill Thinke you it is written in the holy scriptures for naught that the spirite whiche dwelleth in you lusteth vnto enuie In the lawe of Moses somwhat was geuen to mannes affeccyons they myght without punyshmente hate theyr enemye it was lawfull for them to set theyr forcastes vpon muckryng vp of riches he was taken for no vniuste manne that requitte violence with violence and one despightfull worde with an other But the spirite of the Gospell which now dwelleth in you is full of gelosie and as I may so speake enuious he requireth more for he wyll bee vehemently loued agayne so that for hys sake he will haue wife chyldern yea and euen lyfe contemned He canne not abyde to haue his resting house defyled with worldly lustes he requireth pure cleane thinges he requireth heauenly thynges he leapeth backe he runneth away he is offended if a manne bring the sluttish filthynes of thys world in to hys temple Howbeit like as he requireth of vs a certayne exceadynge greate loue and a greate deale purer loue than Moses lawe dooeth euen so it geueth a more plenteous grace It is a very hard matter to accomplysh that it requireth but it geueth strength to thys ende that we maye easylye doo it There is nothynge harde to the louing willer This same is hys gyfte that we shoulde loue him or rather loue him agayne He drewe vs with hys loue fyrst and whan we were turned from hym he reconciled vs agayn vnto hym He will encrease hys giftes in vs in case we geue our selues all together and wholy vnto him if we depend of hym onely and of none but him if we haue nothyng a doe with this worlde nor with the deuill the prynce of the worlde Whan I speake of the world I meane nothyng elles but wicked gredy lustes of vysyble thynges wherin thys worlde promyseth a certayne false feyned felicitie They are great matters that are required but thei be greater matters that are promised He that is hable lyberally to geue myghty greate thynges the same is hable also to geue encrease of strength he that wil largely geue excellent thinges to them that deserue naught the same will vouchesafe also to geue encrease of strength to them that bee weake Only let vs distruste oure owne helpes and the helpes of this worlde and repose all our whole hope and assured confidence in hym He forsaketh them that arrogauntly truste in theyr owne substaunce and he succoureth them that ascribe nothing to them selues but trust wholy to the goodnes of God In dede thys is the thynge that the lorde spake in tymes paste by Salomon God resisteth the stately hygh mynded and stoute but he bestoVVeth his fauour Vnto the meke and poore castaVVayes The texte Submyt youre selues therfore to God but resyste the deuyll and he wyll flye from you Drawe â—ye to God and he will drawe nye to you Clense youre handes ye synners and pourge your hertes ye wtâ—ueryng mynded Suffer afflyccions and mouâ—â—e and wepe Let poure laughter be tourned to mournynge and youre ioye to heuynes Dumble youre selues in the syght of the Lorde and he shall lyft you vp Backbyte not one another brethren He that backbyteth hys brother and he that iudgeth his brother backbyteth the lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and it thou iudge the lawe thou arte not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge There is one lawe geuer and iudge whiche is able to saue and to destroye What art thou that iudgest another Go to now ye that saie to date and to moâ—owe let vs gooe into suche a cytye and contynue there a yeare and bye and sell and wynne and yet cannot ye tell what shal happen on the morowe For what thinge is your lyfe â–ª It is euen a vapour that apeareth for a lytell tyme and then vanisheth a waye For that ye ought to saye yf the Lorde wyll and yf we lyue let vs do this or that But nowe ye reioyce in youre boastinges All suche reioysing is euyll Therfore to hym that knoweth how to doe good and doeth it not to him it is synne God would haue you to be most fast ioyned to him shewe your selues obedient as the wife obeyeth her husbande And if the deuill gooe about to diuorce you from the loue of him dryue awaye the aduouterer deuill with his iuggling knackes and he shall geue ouer greuing you He shal be afraied of you if he see you stedfaste and constaunt in the loue of youre brydgrome Christ Therfore disseuer your selues from him whether he feare you or speake you faire and in godly studies and in holy and chast purposes apply your selues to God and he shall applie him selfe to you agayne Whiche waye so euer the lustes of mynde doo leane thider you goe If affeccions carie you vnto honestie and vnto heauenlynes you goo vnto God but and if they drawe you to the enticementes of the fleshe you ryde poste to the deuil You ought euermore to make haste to all one selfe same waye and not to wauer now hither nowe thider If you doo acknowlage Christe to be youre brydesgrome it is requysite that you be cleane Therfore you that yet hitherto are soyled in the filthie puddle of synnes make cleane your
Christe what so euer he hathe he ascribeth it vnto the father and what so euer we haue it behoueth vs to ascribe it vnto Christe Christe is the true lyght that procedeth from the father of all lyght We canne not bee the membres of Christe except we bee bright nether canne we haue lyght onles we bee transformed into him and contynue stedfastly vnto the ende in his feloweship Trueth and Innocencye is the lyght of the mynde and synnes and wycked lustes are the darkenes where lyght is there is life where darkenes are there deathe is The texte And this is the tydinges which we haue hearde of hym and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darckenes at all If we saie that we haue felowship with him and walke in darckenes we lye and do not the trueth But and yf we walke in light euen as he is in light then haue we felowship with him the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all synne If we saye that we haue no synne we deceaue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeue vs oure synnes and to clense vs from all vnrightewesnes If we say we haue not synned we make hym a lyar and hys worde is not in vs. What is the matter than whiche we shewe vnto you that you myght the more fully reioyce In dede it is that whiche we haue heard euen of him and hauing heard it we make it cōmune vnto you that God forasmuch as he is altogether and of his own nature good all wise al pure and al light life nether is ther any darkenes in him In vs the matter standeth not after such sorte but we haue muche darkenes euen of our selues in case we haue any light we are endebted in that all to gether vnto him by whose free liberality we are deliuered from our olde synnes and being deliuered from the darkenes of our former ignoraunce we haue learned by the Gospelles doctrine to liue godly after Christe our heades example If any manne boast that he is through baptisme engraffed to the body of Christe and hathe therby felowshippe with God the father where as in the meane while he liueth yet in errours vices of hys former lyfe dooeth playnly lye For seing as I sayed before God is farre from all maner felowship of darkenes how can he possibly haue any thynge a dooe with hym that lyueth yet still all together in errour and olde vices For he is clene out of the waye that thinketh he can atteyne Innocencie by any other meanes than by Christ agayne he is deceaued that thinketh it ynough for him to be washen in baptisme except he be answerably like vnto his professiō through Innocencie of life he that thinketh thus is deceaued and he lieth that sayeth it For Christe is the trueth whiche hathe nothing a doo with lyers The fyrste steppe vnto light is for a manne to acknowlage his darkenes and the fyrst stepping forthe of a manne vnto Innocencie is to acknowlage his sinnes Will ye heare therfore by what token we maye knowe that we haue true feloweshippe with God Doubtles euen by thie if like as he is light and voyde of all darkenes euen so shall we absteyne after his example from the darkenes of all errours and vices framyng all our conuersacion after the light of the Gospell and yf like as the sonne hathe most high concorde with the father euen so shoulde we also lyue Innocently and be all of one mynde amonge our selues The father will not laye the traunsgressions of our olde life vnto our charge whiche are ones doone awaye all the sorte of them by the precious blood of his sonne Iesu Christe so that we from henceforthe absteyne from all synne as muche as in vs lyethe The blood of Christe hathe washed awaye all fylthynes and hathe washen it away from all folkes yea but he hathe washen none but those that acknowlage theyr faultes Yf we saye that we are not endaungered with synne we deceaue our selues we lyue in errour we wandre in darkenes and Christe which is light whiche is trueth is not in vs. For if he were truly in vs in dede he would dispatche awaye thys darkenes of arrogaunt ignoraunce And if it shall chaunce vs after receyuing of baptisme to slyde backe agayne through mannes weaknes in to any synne and as it were a myste obscure our light we muste beware that arrogauncie withdrawe vs not farther and farther of and leade vs agayne from light in to our olde darkenes Yea we muste geue dilygence that through discrete sobrenes we maye be admoued vnto the light that shall dispatche awaye all darknes If the brother perchaunce doo trespasse agaynste the brother let eyther forgeue other hys trespasse that God maye forgeue them also the trespasses that are done agaynste him For in dede God hathe vpon this condicion promysed to forgeue vs what so euer we haue offended againste him if we forgeue our brothers fault and exacteth hys debte euen to the vttermoste farthinge of him whiche hauyng hys lorde mercifull vnto him shewed him selfe smally mercifull towardes his felowe seruaunt that is to saye he iudgeth him vnworthye the mercye of God seinge he ones frely forgaue him all his trespasses that will not pardone a smale offence vnto hym agaynst whome he eyther trespasseth euery daye or elles maye trespace That man wyll easyly forgeue hym that trespasseth agaynste hym whiche wyll remembre howe many wayes he offendeth both agaynst God and agaynst his neyghbour And as it is a very hard matter for a man to do so as he offende in nothing euen so is it a verye easye mater to amende suche offences with forgeuing one an other Forgeue thou thy neighbour and thy neyghbour shall forgeue thee agayne and God shall euen as it were of very couenaunt forgeue you both I speake of those faultes that chaunce euen among them that are good yea but among men and those faultes that obscure the lyght of the Gospelles veritie rather than extinguyshe it For God forbydde that manslaughter or whoredome or sacrilege shoulde chaunce vpon their life that are ones chosen among the chyldren of God There is nothing that allureth more the mercie of God and swageth his wrath than yf a man acknowlage his faulte to God If he that is a fearce cruel man forgeue him that acknowlageth his faulte how muche more shall God do so which is more mercifull than any man He is by nature readyly bent vnto mercie and hath promised vs forgeuenes vpon this condicion forgeue and it shal be forgeuen vnto you If he would not forgeue in that he is good yet he shuld forgeue because he is iust of faithful credence See that thou accomplyshe the prescribed condicion and he shal not forget his couenaunt If we with our whole harte forgeue our neighbour that offendeth vs God shall also forgeue vs not onely one synne or
an other but all synnes so that we to our powers geue diligence that we may be once voyde of all vices And yf we be not able fully to attayne vnto that for the frayltie of mannes body yet he of his liberal free goodnes shal make good that is wantynge in our strengthes and shall cleanse vs from all our offences who perchaunce suffereth some tokens of our olde former lyfe to remayne stil in vs for this purpose that we should acknowlage our weakenes For in dede he is better content â–ª with a sinner that misliketh him selfe than with a righteous that maÌ„ standeth in his own conceite He would that yâ— saluacion of men shoulde be ascribed vnto his mercy and not to our merytes And nowe hathe he testified that there is no mortall manne on yearth but he offendeth in some thyng And yf we wyl say that we haue no synne in vs we make wod a lyar and say agaynst hym and he that gaynesayeth hym must nedes lye The .ii. Chapter The texte My lytle children these thynges wryte I vnto you that ye synne not And yf any manne sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obteyneth grace for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde And hereby we are sure that we know hym yf we kepe his commaundementes He that sayeth I knowe hym and kepeth not his commaundementes is a lyar and the verytie is not in hym But whose kepeth his worde in hym is the loue of God parfecte in dede hereby we know that we are in hym He that sayeth he abydeth in hym ought to walke as he walked THese thynges do I wryte my lytle children not that synne should be coÌ„mitted the more licenciouslye vpon truste of the mercye that is ordayned but that no man shoulde synne at all as muche as in vs lyeth After that Christ hath once forgeuen vs all oure transgressions it is requisite for vs to applie al our studious endeuours to this ende that we may kepe innoceÌ„cie vndefiled And yet if it chaunce vs to slide backe agayne into any sinne ther is no cause why we should despayre of forgeuenes we haue God eÌ„treteable with him we haue a louing patrone a trusty who being the sonne obteyneth whatsoeuer he wyll of the father and wisheth hartylye wel vnto vs which gaue himselfe to saue vs so that we do vtterly and from the botome of our heartes mislike our selues and geue our diligence agayne to better He alone hath nothing to be pardoned of and he it is that maketh intercession for the synnes of his membres and reconcfleth the father whiche is offended vnto vs and causeth hym to bee mercyfull vnto vs not vnto vs onely which haue now embraced hs doctrine but also vnto all mankynde vniuersally yf they with a syncere hearte confesse themselues to be sinners and purpose to leade an innocente lyfe and so purposed go on forward and kepe it substauncially For baptisme doeth not make vs free from the obseruacion of Moses law for that purpose that we shoulde synne afterwarde licenciousâ—y without punishement but that we shoulde more fiâ—mely stycke to the loue of the Gospell whiche causeth more to bee done of the wyllynge than so many lawes of Moses gette perforce of the coÌ„strayned He coÌ„maunded many thinges in a smal rowme that coÌ„mauÌ„ded men to loue their neighbours euen as he dyd vs. He driueth not vs to loue hym agayne but he enticeth vs he prouoketh vs he kindleth vs. Whosoeuer knoweth God aryght cannot chose but loue hym behemeÌ„tly For euery one that professeth God with hys mouthe knoweth not God but he that is kyndled with the flame of gospellyke charitie and doeth wyllynglye and gladly that whiche he dyd perfitely before that we do good euen vnto our enemies and that for the saluacion of our neyghbour we wyll not stycke to staÌ„d in dauÌ„ger of our life he declareth hymselfe to know god But if a maÌ„ make hys boaste that he knoweth god in that that he beinge taught hys principles hath learned the misteries of the fayth in that beinge baptised he hath professed his name neither for al that foloweth the example of his charitie he is a lyar neither hath he yet fully learned to knowe God in asmuche as god is not knowen excepte faythe be garnyshed with charitie And whosoeuer is a lyar Christ whiche is the very trueth selfe dwelleth not in hym and whosoeuer hath not Christ dwellyng in hym is not a liuely membre of his body Faith without loue is a vayne matter and a deade To bee short loue is not idle it omitteth none of those thynges that it knoweth be acceptable vnto hym whoÌ„ it loueth Christ sayd he would not acknowlage hym to be his disciple that woulde not take vp his crosse and folow hym walkyng in yâ— foresteppes of perfite charitie Therfore he that obserueth his saying declareth in dede that he holdeth fast the perfiâ—e and ryght euangelical charitie By trial herof we shal know that we are in his body that we haue receyued hys spirit Wherto doest yâ— make thy vaunt as a meÌ„bre of Christe in that thou art through baptisme receyued into the flock of christiaÌ„s It is not an idle professioÌ„ it is a not fine fingred professioÌ„ It is not the profession that maketh a true membre of Christe but the imitacion He that professeth with his mouthe that he is regenerate in Christ must walke in his fotesteppes He lyued not to him selfe he died not for himselfe He gaue himselfe wholy for vs he dyd good to all folkes he gaue no reuilynge worde agayne to any man but whan he was nayled on the crosse he prayed to the father for them that spake reuilyngly agaynste him This is the gospellike and perfite charitie whiche they ought to folowe in their dedes that professe them selues to be Christes disciples The texte Brethren I write no newe commaundement vnto you but that olde commaundemeÌ„t which ye haue had from the beginning The olde commaundement is the worde which ye haue heard from the beginning Agayne a newe commaundement I write vnto you that is true in hym and the same is true also in you for the darkenes is past and the true lighte nowe shyneth He that saieth howe that he is in the lyght and yet hateth his brother is in darknes euen vntyll this tyme. He that loueth his brother abydeth in the lyght and there is none occasion of euill in him He that hateth his brother is in darkenes and walketh in darkenes and can not tell whither he goeth because that darkenes hath blynded his eyes Dearely beloued thys commaundement of charitie that I wryte vnto you is no newe commaundemente but euen Moses lawe declared it long agoe or rather Christe by it whiche renewed his commaundement in the gospell and so renewed it that he made it peculiarly his owne This quod he is my commaundement that you shoulde loue
hygh and excelleÌ„t and so seynge hym we shall also be transformed vnto hys iykenes not onely in myndes but also in bodyes And we see hym nowe howebeit as it were through a myst with the eyes of fayth But then we shal see hym after such maner as cannot be expressed But that thyng whiche we shal be than perfitely we must forcast nowe i the meane tyme to the vttermost of our possible power To thinteÌ„t we may be liÌ„ke hiÌ„ theÌ„ in glory let vs be pure here froÌ„ all fylthynes To thintent we maye see hym than lette vs clense our eies nowe leste when he shall appeare glisterynge bryght he bee vnto vs more dreadfull than amiable For he is not fortunatelye sene but of them that are lyke hym Therefore whosoeuer hath thys confidence in Christe that he shal than be a companion of his glory let hym in the meane time pourge hymselfe with godly studyes cleane from worldlye affeccions lyke as in hym was no maner of fylthynes of thys worlde but is all together pure and heauenlye Therefore it standeth vs in hande with all our possible powers to bend our endeuours to thys ende that nothyng remayne in vs of yearthye dregges And leite no manne flatter hym selfe sayinge It is ynough for me vnto innocency if I traÌ„sgresse in none of those thinges that Moses lawe forbyddeth nor in those thynges that are punyshed by the kynges lawes as felonye sacrilege adultrie murdre but all maner of synne is vtterly to be eschewed For whosoeuer offendeth by any meane although he offende not agaynst the prescriptes of Moses yet he synneth agaynst the lawe of the gospell whiche is a greate deale holyer than Moses law And for thys cause sake Christ came once into the world to shew the waye whereby his comming agayne shoulde become holesome and luckye vnto vs. He came to take awaye once for all not one synne or two but al our synnes where he onely was subiect vnto no maner of synne He once purged vs frely from all synne to make vs lyke manered vnto hymselfe whiche neither any lawe nor any mortall man coulde be hable to do Through baptisme we are engraffed into hys holy sacred body But it is our part for all that to endeuour in the meane tyme that we fall not from our head We are engraffed through his owne free mercy but we shal fall awaye if we slyde backe agayne into oure olde vices He that abydeth in Christ perseuereth in innocencye and is wonderous ware to shunne from all sinne that he may dayly more and more growe in vertues and be made more lyke hys head He that absteyneth not from sinnes although he bee baptised although he be called a christian hath not yet sene fully nor yet knowen hym For who is it yf he sawe with the eies of fayth what greate dignitie it is to be chosen into the numbre of the sonnes of God and what a fylthy shame it is to be geuen to the father deuyll that woulde abyde to be plucked awaye from suche a bodye to departe from suche a father and to go out of kynde vnto so fylthy a tirannye to slyde of his owne accorde awaye from so hygh rewardes vnto so greate miserie The text Babes lette no man deceyue you he that doeth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the deuil for the deuyl sinneth sence the beginning For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to looce the workes of the deuyll Whosoeuer is borne of God synneth not for hys seed remayneth in hym and he can not synne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the deuyll Whosoeuer doeth not ryghteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not hys brother Babes lette no man deceyue you flatteryng you for your professyng the name of christians as though that were ynoughe vnto felicitie He is not iust that speaketh iustice with his mouthe but he that in his lyfe and maners doeth iustice in dede is iuste lyke as Christe also shewed himselfe in his sayinges and doynges an example of all iustice And he that truely and wholy cleaueth fast vnto him absteyneth as much as he possible may from all vncleanes of sinnes and the purenes of maners selfe declareth hym to be the sonne of God whiche is good by nature and knoweth no synne But he that synneth although he haue receyued the sacramentes of Christe yet he is begotten of hys father the deuyl whiche is the prince and autor of all synne Him whosoeuer foloweth is lyke his father in that same thing that he synneth in declareth hymselfe to be his sonne God alloweth no felowshyppe with synnes for he sent his sonne for thys intent into this worlde to vanquisâ—he the woorkes of the deuyll that is to saye all thynges that are contrarye repugnaunt agaynst the charitie of the gospel Of Adam we are all borne endaungered with sinnes of God we are borne agayne by the sede of yâ— gospelles doctrine As longe as the strength of this seede abydeth in a man he synneth not neither can synne that is to wete because the loue of god byddeth hym naye whiche loue rauisheth hym to the studye of well doyng and calleth hym awaye from all desire of offendynge in that he is the very true sonne of God resembling playnly the behauiour and disposicion of his father and head It is not the title it is not baptisme it is not the sacramentes that descerne the children of God from the children of the deuyll but the puritie of lyfe and charitie expressyng and she wyng it selfe in wel doinges It is not idle if it be there He that sheweth not that neither sheweth in his dede that he loueth his brother he is not borne of God If he were alyuely membre of Christes body he woulde haue loued the other membres for whom Christe died The texte For thys is the tydinges that ye beard from the beginninge that ye shoude loue one another not as Cayn whiche was of that wicked and slewe hys brother And wherefore slewe he him Because his owne workes were euyll and hys brothers good Meruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated from death vnto lyfe because we loue the brethren De that loueth not his brother abideth in deathe Whosoeuer hateth hys brother is a man slear And â—e knowe that no man slear hath eternall life abyding in hym Hereby perceyue we loue â–ª because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue oure lyues for the brethren But whoso hath thys worldes good and seeth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his compassion from hym howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym Thys is the summe of Christen iustice thys is it that Christe gaue first of all vnto vs this is it which we set forth before al thinges vnto you that you shoulde with louynge one an other declare youre selues to be the soÌ„nes of
holes but there is nothinge so hidden and so close but god pearceth it He knoweth all thinges better than we he knoweth our harte that made our harte He hathe eies in euery place that is present in euery place Dearly beloued yf our harte condemne vs not vnto god yf our mynde be syncere and vprightly playne yf we doe of a mere a pure loue that we doe suche as we shewe our selues towardes our neighbour suche a one shal god shewe him selfe to vs. Yf we gladly and with a good wyll forgeue our brother his faulte God shall easyly forgeue â—s our synnes also Yf we readily geue vnto our nedy brother as often as he desireth our helpe we shal with a sure trusty boldenes aske also of god that whiche shall perteigne to saluacion and necessitie nether shall he denye our askinges Yf we saye vnto him Forgeue us our trespasses as VVe for geue them that trespasse against us and yet hate our brother inwardly shal not our owne conscience by and by crye out against vs with what face â–ª askest thou of god that whiche thou deniest thy neighbour with what mouthe askest thou the couenaunt whan thou thy selfe performest not yâ— condicion He promised to forgeue vs our trespasses yea but so that we doe heartely forgeue our brother his trespases If we saye with the mouthe I forgeue hym and yet kepe euyll wyll styll in oure hearte oure naughty conscience shall take awaye our confidence of obteynynge the thinge that we aske of God If we bydde our brother gently God spede and helpe him nor whan he hathe nede of our helpe we maye not hope that God will helpe seinge we helped not our brother If we turne the deafe eare towarde at hys commaundement he will turne the deafe eare again towardes our prayers It is a shamelesnes not a godlynes to desire fauour of hym whose commauÌ„dementes a man doeth not paâ—se vpon But and if we obserue his coÌ„maundementes if we doe whatsoeuer shall please him and â—o doe that we may be allowed in his eies whiche seeth euery thing hereof shall we conceaue a sure confidence to obteyne Here will the Iewe the supersticious law keper saye vnto me I kepe the sabboth dayes I am washen I faste I absteyne from forbydden meates I dooe not steale God shall heare me But thys is not the commaundement that I talke of which than Forsothe that we shoulde repose all the whole hope and confidence of oure saluacion in Iesu Christ the sonne of God by whome the fathers wyll was to geue all thinges frely vnto vs. Is thys ynough now No forsothe but we must loue eche one other according to his example So he coÌ„maunded but that whiche he commaunded he did fyrst performe himselfe in dede He doeth not yet truly loue Christe that â–ª hateth the membre of Christe he doeth not yet loue Christe that wisheth euil to the man for whome Christe died Therfore he that kepeth that one only commaundement of loue kepeth all With this gâ—ue shall we be fast ioyned to Christ so that he be in vs and we againe in him He by hys spirite shall dwell in oure hartes if charitie bee warme there The spirite of Christ is not the autor of hate but the free geuour of brotherly loue He by the layinge on of thapostles handes is powred in to them that are baptised but he leapeth backe and flyeth awaye if charitye happen to bee quenched out By thys token therfore we shall perceaue that the giâ—te of the spirit which we toke in baptisme abydeth in vs if brotherly loue contynue with vs still Loke howe muche charitie waxeth colde so muche will the holy gooste withdrawe him selfe awaye The .iiii. Chapter The texte Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of god or not for many false Prophetes are gone out into the worlde Herby shall ye knowe the spirite of god Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesshe is of god And euery spirite whiche confesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the flesshe is not of god And this is that spirite of Antichrist of whome ye haue hearde howe that he should come and euen nowe already is he in the worlde I Haue geuen you a token dearely beloued whereby you may perceaue whether the spirite of Christ be in you or not For there are sondry sortes of spirites in meÌ„ yea but dissembling spirites and naughtie spirites Therfore doe not vt erly beleue euery spirite There are many here and there that boast them selues to haue the spirite of God but trye you whether they procede of God or not Thys worlde hathe also a spirite of hys owne and pretendeth as thoughe it had the spirite of God The spirite of God enspireth the prophetes but there are to manye false prophetes now that are gon out in to the worlde and falsely saye that they speake by the inspiracion of the spirit of God whan they are ledde with the spirit of the worlde Will you therfore haue a more certayne argument of the spirit of God Heare the speaker and you shall vnderstande Euery spirite which confesseth that Iesus Christe the autor of euerlasting saluacion promysed long a goe vnto the worlde is now all ready come hauing receyued a very humayne body like as he had promysed by his prophetes he is of God in that he acknowlageth the sonne of God Contrary wise he that denyeth this forasmuche as he is a lyer he is not of God For no man doeth truly professe the sonne onles he be enspired of the father But those doe not onely denye him which speake against him in woordes openly but also they that lyue after such a sorte as though Christe were not the example of godlynes vnto men or as though he were not the autor of perfite saluacion and so they feine some other Messias to be loked for because Christes doctrine is to muche variable from theyr gredye lustes Yf he woulde haue fauoured the voluptuous pleasures of the fleshe if he would haue promysed great substaunce of riches if he woulde haue geuen honours and empires of yâ— world they would haue long a goe acknowlaged their Messias But now forasmuche as he doeth teache men to despise these thinges enriceth them to take vp theyr crosse and telleth that all felicitie must be loked for in the worlde to come they deny him to be the olde promysed redemer of mankinde and bydde loke for an other that shoulde promyse the coÌ„modities of the bodye and the goodes of this worlde Nether is it ynough to confesse Christ onles we confesse him all wholy and entierly He that dyuideth him either takinge awaye the diuine nature whiche he hath all one with the father or the humaine nature which he toke of a woman hys mother that spirit is not of God but is the spirit of Antichrist of the whiche spirite ye haue all ready hearde that he should come yea he is now come already
godlynes oppressours of the innocent frendes of God To be shorte all they whiche beare the marke token of the dragon of the beast whiche is infidelyte misbelefe in Christ lyke as faith in yâ— crucified Christ is the sure marke and token of al the electe These vnfaithfull must lyue eternally in the ponde of fyre and they shall be ponisshed vexed painfully with vnspeakeable sorowe and heuines euen yâ— deuel his seruaÌ„tes together And although some come out of this life with yâ— sworde without faith yet their damnacioÌ„ did begin here shal continue euerlastingly ¶ The .xx. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angell come downe from heauen hauynge the kaye of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hande And he toke the dragon that olde serpent whiche is the deuil and Satanas he bounde him a thousande yeares cast him into yâ— bottomlesse pit he bounde him and set a seale on him that he shoulde deceaue the people nomore tyl the thousande yeares were fulfylled And after that he must be loced for a lytell season THis chapter maye be taken as it wer for a rehersal of the visions reuelacions that were before mencioned And by the waie it describeth againe yâ— honour and maiestie of Christ of gods worde and the power of the holy gospell and the benefites of Christ addeth therunto the last iudgemeÌ„t of the deade whiche shall dye .ii. deathes This angel that commeth from heauen is Christ whiche shoulde come in to this worlde as was promised vnto the firste man in the beginnynge of the worlde that he shoulde treade the old serpent vpon the heade Whiche is nothing els but that he shoulde take his power from him whiche the iust and rightuous God hath suffered him to exercise againste man for the synne of the first dysobedience and transgression Whiche power Sathan hath alwayes exercised and practised with all wicked disceyte and dyuerse errours and specially with ydolatrye after the whiche doe folow blindnes and all maner of synnes This power hath Christ mightily and with force taken from Sathan the deuyll thorowe his rightuousnes and humblenes euen vntyll the crosse satisfieng for all the pryde transgression disobedience and vnfaithfulnes of Adam and Eue. And thus he hath bounde him with the chayne of his well deserued power that is to say hath hindered him of his proude tyrannye shameful wicked power against the faithful electe of god This band should indure a thousande yeares yâ— is to say a long tyme namely euen yâ— tyme of the right Christen faith which after yâ— saying of yâ— olde fathers should indure for .ii. thousande yeares but it is vncerten from what tyme men should begin to teken these yeares that the faith in this tyme should be sore assaulted whiche hath alwayes bene at this point euen in the tyme of yâ— Iewes in yâ— olde testameÌ„t and amoÌ„g gods owne people hath sometime increased and somtime fallen dedecaied And according therunto might SathaÌ„ exercise his power at some tyme more thaÌ„ at a nother And thus thorow Christ Sathan is alwaies bonde vnto the right faithfull But whan the faithe decayeth and goeth backewarde and the falsehede desceite and dysobedience of man increaseth so that gods word is more and more contemned and forsaken than dothe Sathans power increase againe as it hath ofte come to passe that he maye deceyue the people the heathen the vnfaithfull againe and so vse his power and tyranny againe as loÌ„g as there is lacke and want of true faithe in this worlde The texte ¶ And I sawe seates and they sat vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and I sawe the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Iesu and for the worde of God whiche had not worshipped the beast nether his ymage neyther had taken his marke vpon their forheades or on their handes and they lyued and raygned with Christ a M. yere but the other of the dead men lyued not againe vntyll the thousande yere were finysshed This is that first resurreccioÌ„ Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurreccion For on suche shall the seconde death haue no power but they shal be the Prestes of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousande yeres The seates to iudge Sathan and his companye are appointed of Christ vnto the holy apostles and vnto other electe the soules of them whiche for the lambes sake wer beheaded that is to say after diuers maners and fasshions put to death for the gospelles sake whiche woulde not make any oblacions vnto ydols nor false goddes nor woulde not worship the beast that is to saye Antichrist nor woulde not feare nor honour his ymage but dyd manfully fight for the holy gospell and for the true doctrine and religion of the Apostles All these shall haue seates in the kyngdome of Christ to iudge the whole companye and courte of Sathan and to conuince them of their wickednes blasphemies and damnable errours whiche shal be open and manifest vnto the worlde thorowe the gospel And this their condemnacion beyng openly and manifestly knowen and their godles tyrannye shall â–ª be their death from the whiche they shall not ryse vp againe tyll a thousande yeares be past This manifest iudgement victory and honour obteyned with Christ is vnto them the first resurreccion namely a great honour and felicitie not onely in heaueÌ„ with Christ but also vpon earth in the kingdom of Christ which he hath vpon earth with his spirite in the congregacion of the holy electe And they are happy and blessed and their lyfe is euerlasting both in the heuenly company and also in the holy churche congregacion of the faithful godly soules vpon earth For they are the most deare beloued the most acceptable and of highest reputacion with Christ the lord and kynge of heauen as right prestes and ministers ought to be amonge vs and they shall rule and reigne with Christe vnto the ende of the worlde vntyll the last daye of the latter iudgement and in the seconde resurreccion and vntil the last and eternall iudgement of the wicked and damned blasphemers The texte ¶ And when the thousande yeares are eâ—piâ—ed SathaÌ„ shal be losed out of his preson and shal go out to beceaue the people whiche are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog togather them together to battayle whose nombre is as yâ— sande of the see they went vp in the playne of yâ— earth and compassed the centes of the sainctes about the beloued citie And fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them and the deuyll that deceaued them was cast into a lake of fyre and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented daye and night for euer more A lytle tyme before the last day shall Sathan obteyne power againe tyll the ende of the worlde and shal exercyse and practyse it and
the spirit and the bryde say come And let him that heareth say also come And let him that is a thirste come And let whosoeuer wyll take of the water of lyfe free Lyke as almightie God saieth vnto Moyses I am the God of thy fathers â–ª c. euen so saieth the angell here in the person of Christe by the inspiracion of Christes spirite that this prophecy was opened and reueled euen of Christ him selfe thorowe the angell vnto holy Iohn and therfore all men ought to credyte and beleue all these sightes visions and reuelacions And they ought also to be propouned and preached vnto the congregacions for their edifienge that the faithfull maye take diligent hede and beware of the terryble and shameful perels daungers and euyls which shal preuayle in the christen church and shortly aryse and beginne as is alredy happened and shall daylye be fulfylled more and more one after a nother as is before sayd But now howe Christ is yâ—â—oole of Dauid marke this wel for as much as for his sake Dauids kingdom was preserued and his posterite also was preserued in the extreme and troblesome affliccions of the Iewishe nacion vntyll suche tyme as Christ our lorde sautout was borne of the stocke and progeny of Dauid For not withstandynge all the synnes wherwith Dauid dyspleased God and dyd in maner greater and more heynous synnes than Saule dyd yet coulde he vse the helpe of no nother thing fauynge onely of faith in the promes of God whiche assured and promised him that Christ the lorde and promised Messâ—as should be borne of his seede wherin he might well reioyse bothe for him selfe and also for al his posteritie other Kynges and Lordes And therfore our lord sauiour Christ is the tooâ—e and generacion of Dauid by reason of his manhode but concernyng his godheade he hath an vnknowen rysinge vp and begynnynge and an vnknowen commynge furthe of an euerlastinge birthe And lykewyse Christ accordynge to his manhode is a bryght mornynge starre whiche should drawe and allure the eyes of al men vnto him as vnto the risyng vp vnto blisse and vnto all saluacion All this is the voyce of Christ â–ª the brydegrome And now foloweth the voyce and desyre of the bryde and spouse whiche out of a true faithe and an heartye desyre and zeale in all faithfull and electe desireth and wyssheth after the seconde comminge of Christ vnto the latter iudgement and so consequently to inioy the participacion of the blessed and perfyte kyngdome in heauen with all faithfull electe bothe with bodye and soule For all the electe children of God doe hunger and thirst after the honour and glorye of Christ in the kingdome of heauen as well they that are vpon earthe as they that are already in heauen â–ª for they wyshe and desyre in their spirite the fulfyllyng of gods wyll and pleasure wherunto with all humblenes and submission they doe vtterly submitte their wyll for they knowe that his wyll is best and moost perfyte And this desire and wyshe of the faithfull electe â–ª pleaseth God well And althoughe he wyl not heate them at suche tyme as they desyre euen at the very same Moment yet he dothe promyse vnto them his gracious ayde and mercye in the meane tyme whiche he wyll doutles performe And all of mere grace and mercye without any maner of deserte The texte ¶ I testifye vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophecye of this booke yf any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shal adde vnto him the plages that are written in this booke And yf any man shall minishe of the workes of this prophecye God shal take awaye his patre out of the dooke of lyfe and out of the holy â—â—â—â—e and from the thinges whiche are written in this boke He whiche testifieth these thinges saithe be it I come quâ—â—ly Amen Euen so come Lorde Iesu The grace of our Lord Iesu Christe be with you all Amen In this place first after the speakynge of Christ and againe after the speakynge of the holy bryde and of the christen churche maye the holy Apostle S. Iohn speake these wordes in his owne parson as he dyd in the begynnynge of the booke to warne and exhorte al men there by yâ— no man adde any thing vnto this booke as a new vision no more than to any other booke of holy scripture nor take any thing there from as thoughe any thing might be mysunderstande therin and so refused as vnholy and not good For God wyll not suffer any suche thing to be vnpunysshed nor vnaduenged this is the very intent meanyng of these wordes And therfore such men doe amysse and synne very greatly whiche doe refuse this whole booke as thoughe it were not autentical where as it is euident yâ— it hath bene alwayes songe and reade in yâ— holy churche from the begynnynge to the ende Now are those bookes called Apocripha and vnautenticall whiche men might well reade out of the churche priuately by them selues but not in the churche and congregacion Nor it is not lawfull to confirme and mainteyne any maner of doctrine concerninge our faithe and relygion by the auctoritie of any suche vnautenticall bookes except it were in all pointes conformable vnto other holy scriptures And now that that foloweth here after where as he sayeth he which testifieth these thinges saieth c. These wordes maye be referred vnto that that goeth before where Christ speaketh of the callynge of the bryde Euen the same Christe sayeth here at the last ende againe yea I come without doubte take no thought nor thincke it not long the tyme is not long vnto me whiche am that I am Amen that is to saye without any doubt After this dothe holy S. Iohn conclude and ende this booke after the maner of the apostles desiring eâ—nestly the commynge of the kyngdome of Christ â–ª very quickely as all faithfull Christians doe The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with all faithfull electe Christians whiche shall be vntyll the ende of the worlde and specially with them whiche reade this booke with faithe and an holy Christen desyre and mynde Amen ¶ The ende of the Reuelacion of S. Iohn thus brefely expounded by the seruaunt of Christ Leo Iude a minister in the churche of Tigury and translated out of the high Duche by Edmonde Alen. Num. xii Eccle. xlv Hebr. iii. Marke xii Luâ— xxi â— Cor. viii Put aparte for yâ— gospel By whoÌ„ we haue receiued grace and Apostleship c. Grace be with you c. For I loue to see you that I might c. I am debter bothe to the grekes and vngrekes For I am not ashamed of the gospel Abacuâ— â—â— Which withhold yâ— truthe â—n vnrighteousnes c. Because that whan they knew god c. And as they regarded not to knowe God c. Whiche men though they knewe the righteousnes of God c. But we are sure that the iudgement of God c. Either dispisest thou
therfore all glorye be to god our father euerlastynglye worlde without ende Amen Salute all them that accordyng to the doctrine of Iesus Christe leade a godly and an vpright cleane lyfe The christian brethren that are with me here at Rome commende them hartelye vnto you And not these onely that are famyliatly conuersaunt with me but all the rest also especially those of the Emperours housholde yâ— haue embraced yâ— doctrine of Christe and are not afrayed to professe Christe for all their â—aging lorde and maister as cruell as he is The gracious sauour and goodnesse of our lorde Iesus Christ be alwayes with your spirite Amen The ende of the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of Paule to the Philippians The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Alia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great leopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto theÌ„ by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with yâ— high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into thesupersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruauÌ„tes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruauÌ„tes The last partsauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timotheus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite consent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may likewyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde The texte We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to all saintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in heauen of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel whiche is come vnto youâ— euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you froÌ„ the day in the whiche ye heard of it and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you yet in my continual praiers made to God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thaÌ„kes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after yâ— by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free bouÌ„teousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whoÌ„ it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called because of him al shuld receiue helth Sauiour because no maÌ„ should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your coÌ„fidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people earnestly mindyng to do for them not for any hoope of auauntage that ye thinke to receiue therby but in hope of the euerlasting life whiche ye wel knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes And suerly iÌ„to this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth yâ— albeit it make great promises suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme yet forsomuch as God is the author of them ye thinke that the same cannot be but true And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged so is it now come to you euery day growyng and encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian
charitie as it hath done in you growyng styl from better to better euen synce that tyme wherin ye fyrst heard and knewe that through the free goodnes of God all their synnes are forgeuen whiche beleue the gospel if to theyr right fayth they adioyne pure vnfained charitie For so were ye taught by my dearely beloued felow in seruice and messenger of trust Epaphras who hath among you sincerely done myne office after suche sorte in Iesus Christes behalfe preachyng the gospel that he hath in all pointes been found without corrupcion As I therfore by him taught you so by him againe vnderstand I your good wyll againe towarde vs not meanyng suche vsuall good wyll as that is when men wishe well to to theyr frendes and acquaintaunce but a spiritual and heauenly fauor wherwith we vse to loue all suche by whom the glorye of the gospel is set foorth and stablished though we with our bodily iyen neuer sawe them The texte For this cause we also euer synce the day we heard of it haue not ceased to praye for you and to desyre that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstandyng that ye might walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye may please beyng fruitful in al good workes encreasyng of y◠knowledge of God strengthed with all might through his glorious power vnto al pacience and long sufferyng with ioyfulnes geuyng thankes vnto the father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritaūce of saintes in light Whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes hath translated vs vnto the kyngdome of his deare sonne By whō we haue redempcion through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes whiche is the image of the inuisible God fyrst begotten of al creatures for by him wer all thinges created that are in heauen and that are in yearth visible inuisible whether they be maiestie or lordship either rule or power All thinges were created by him and for him and he is before all thinges and by him all thinges haue their beyng And for this cause we againe not as one vnworthy of this your fauor heartely loue you againe though I neuer sawe you by and by euen frō that day wherin we were fyrst certifyed of your fayth and charitie in my dayly prayers callyng vpon God for you and with feruent peticions besechyng him that it may please him in you to make perfite and to bryng at full suche giftes as he hath begunne to geue that ye bothe may more throughly knowe his pleasure beyng taught neither by worldely wisedom nor yet by any supersticious and vaine persuasion of some men but by a spiritual wisedome and policie wherof as yehaue already gotten a good part so would I wishe that ye lacked nothyng that ye may in such godly perfeccion passe ouer your life that the same be to gods honor and in al pointes also please him lettyng no good thing vndone for so doyng is the meane to please him For to geue onely a credence to the gospel is but a beginnyng to saluacion but the same is with godly and holye workes made perfite and full Nor suffiseth it to haue learned through preachyng of the gospel that God through his sonne Iesus Christ is the author and worker of saluacion vnlesse by the same knowledge ye growe vppe and bring foorth the fruites of christian charitie continually profityng from better to better so surely constantly and manfully standyng in them that neither violence nor storme of persecucion driue you out of y◠right course for whose perfourmaūce surely ye nede great assistence and strength Of strength of oure owne powers we cannot assure our selfes God it is whiche must geue it to the ende that the whole glory of all suche thinges as are by vs valiauntly done may be geuen againe vnto him whiche of his goodnes enrycheth vs with great pacience and long sufferyng to endure abyde for Christes gospelles sake all suche troubles as may in the meane tyme befal vs. In whiche persecucions suffering it is not inough to be strong without all feare but rather besemeth it vs euen ioyfully with a good courage to vndertake suffer them geuyng thankes to God the father who hath vouchesaued to call you to suche honour that wheras heretofore ye worshipped deuils idols ye are now of his goodnes called vnto the felowshippe of the Iewes whiche by reason that they worshipped the true God were in comparison of you holy whiche hath also vouchsaued to cal you to the enheritaunce of life euerlastyng in hope wherof al thinges whiche in this world either feare or flatter vs must be despised both for that he hath geuen you wanderyng before in the deepe doungeon of ignoraunce the light of the gospel and for that also ye whiche heretofore were vnder a vile and stauishe bondage subiecte vnto the tyranny of the deuil prince of darkenes are deliuered thence and conueighed into the kyngdome of his most derely beloued sonne to th entent that ye beyng ioyned into his body should with him enioy one kingdome Wherin suche as are thral to synne haue no place and therfore hath God by his sonne made vs free by whō the sinnes of our olde life are forgeuē So that now his are ye becomen by whose benefite mercy ye are restored Consider now how good a chaunge ye haue made Before your reconciliacion ye were membres of the deuil now are ye planted into Christes body whose dignitie is so great that he is the image of God the father whiche father dwelleth in light whervnto no man can come whiche is suche as can be seen of no man though after a certaine sorte he be through the sonne seen whiche to the father is in all pointes verye like equal For neither is the sonne lesse wyse nor lesse of might or of lesse goodnes than is the father Nor of late daies receiued he these perfeccions but euerlastyngly before any thyng was made was he the image of his euerlastyng father not made but borne of him by whō all thynges are made and by him whiche onely hath no beginnyng He therfore of him selfe begotte his sonne and by his sonne and with his sonne made and create al that is either in heauen or yearth both that may be seen and not seen the verye angels selfe not excepted no not the chiefe of them whither they be maiesties lordshippes rules or powers And albeit these orders and powers farre excede all other creatures yet are they passing measure vnder him to whom ye are ioyned forasmuche as whatsoeuer is made must to his maker nedes be inferior Now are al thinges not onely made by Christ but also by him gouerned preserued in whiche pointe he is also to his father like equal Nor was the sonne begotten after other creatures but was before al other thinges by whō al thinges haue theyr beyng and should without
opinions and dysputacions beynge come in vre the strength of the ghospels doctrine is ouerwhelmed obscured and growen out of vse For the talke of suche men in case it once occupie the eares and myndes of the symple it wyll alwayes crepe further and further none otherwyse than a Canker in a bodye ceasseth not to occupie the nere partes by lytell and lytle tyll it haue marred all So that a myschiefe is muche more to be loked to incontinent at the beginnyng and to be cut of rather than chearished afore it take roote Suppose that I am afrayed of these matters wyth oute cause excepte that wee haue all readye seene in Hymeneus and Philetus the thyng that I am afrayed of For they while they treate of the matter of fayth with humaiue disputacions haue â—â—ted so ferre wyde frome the truth of the ghospell that they haue denyed the chiefe poynte and foundacion of the ghospell saying that the resurrection is already fynished in Christe and none other resurreccion to be loked for on our behalfes than that wherby we are in a maner borne a newe and lyue agayne in our children representyng vs. They consyder not in the meane season that take awaye the resurrection that the feare and hope of rewardes is taken awaye also why che abyde after sondry sortes for the godly and vngodly This myschiefe were the more tolerable but that they beyng subuerted them selues-subuerted the fayth of some other with their doctrine But there is no perill lefte-theyr peruersitie shoulde cleane turne the trueth of the gospel vpside downe though mennes opinions wauer vp and downe yet truely the foundacion of faythe beyng throughe the helpe of Christ cast and defenced standeth firme and can not be shronken with any resistences of heretikes For vnto it is thys sentence engâ—auen as it were a stone and can neuer be scraped out The Lorde knoweth who be his owne and leate euery one departe from iniquitie that professethâ— the name of Christe It is no maruayle though they departe frome Christe that were neuer syncerely ioyned vnto Christe But from these mens doctrine ought euery one to absteyne that haue once beleued the ghospell with a pure fayth In dede it is to be wyshed with all desyres that no suche pestilence spryng vp in the congregation Howbeit it can not possiblye be but in suche a multitude of men we must suffer some naughtie packes myngled among the good Yea and theyr naughtines is turned into good of the godlye in that beyng vered of suche they expresse the constauncie of their fayth more largelye So in a riche mans great house there be not only vesselles of gold and siluer but also of wood and of earthe whereof some be appoynted to honest vse and some to vnhonest This onely difference there is that suche as be naturally of claye or of wood can not be turned in to golde or syluer But in this case forasmuche as it is a matier of the wyll and not of nature he that throughe hys owne vyce hathe made himselfe a vessell of shame maye by the helpe of God begynne agayne to be a vessell of honour And contrarywyse that folower of godlynes that hath bene a golden vessell in the house of God in case throught his faulte he slyde agayne vnto vngodlynes shal be a vessell of shame Vnbelefe desyre of aduauncemente crueltie luste andsuche lyke deseases of mynde make a man to be a vessel of shame From the which who so shal vtterly purge hym selfe and returne vnto innocencie and godlynes no doubte he shal be a vessell of honoure and a pure vessell fytte for excellent good vses and alwayes ready for his lorde as often as nede shall requyre The texte Lustes of youth auoyde but folow righteousnes fayth loue and peace with them that call on the Lorde with a pure heart Falyshe and vnlerned questiones put from the knowyng that they do but gendre stryfe The seruaunt of the Lorde must not stryue but be gentile to all men apte to teache and one that can suffre the euill with mekenes â— can informe theÌ„ that resist the trueth yf that God at any tyme wyl geue theÌ„ repeÌ„taunce for to knowe yâ— truth and that they maye come to theÌ„ selues agayne oute of the snare of the deuill whiche are holden captiue of him at his will I knowe that youth is prouoked with sondrye lustes that maye drawe a man to vncleanesse But thou that exercisest the office of an Elder auoyde all lustes of youthe rather folowe the thynges that worthyly beseme thee righteousenes fayth charitie and peace with them that professe Christe with a pure herte With suche as Hymeneus is haue thou nothynge to doe Innocencie synneth not fayth disputeth not charitie is not statelye peace stryueth not Tâ— be shorte receyue no folyshe and vnlerned questions that haue more ostentacion than wisedom knowyng that of suche nothing elles spryngeth but chyding and braulyng whylest the heate of disputacion breaketh oute alwayes more and more the matter at last groweth vnto rageyng madnesse and so that none wyll geue place to other but had rather moste stubburnely defende the parte that he knoweth to be false than to be taken for the lesse learned With thys kynde of men therfore thou shalte not meddle whan it is not possyble to ouercome them Christe perswaded not the worlde by this waye He ouercame with sobrenesse and gentilnes and his voyce was not hearde in the stretes And so it becometh the seruaunt to folowe his maisters fote steppes and not to be abrauler but peaceable and gentle towardes all men for that man doth perswade with more ease that is praysed for his charitie and sobrenes beynge ready rather to teache than to chyde patient in suffryng euill and not a prouoker and suche a one as correcteth more saddely than sharpely those that be resistoures expressyng himselfe to meane nothyng elles in all his muche a do but to bring them to amendement For no man ought to be despaired of rashely For it maye be that throughe sobre and frendelye correccion God maye geue them repentaunce of their former errours and whan the darkenesse of mynde is wyped awaye they maye acknowledge and embrace the trueth which before they impugned and at laste beyng repentaunte and as it were awakyng frome the heauye slepe of ignoraunce they maye rushe out of the deuilles snare whiche vndoubtedlye are naughtye lustes wherein beyng catched before they were caried about at his pleasure yea euen vnto persecutyng the trueth of the ghospell ¶ The .iii. Chapter The texte This know that in the last dayes shall come perelous tymes For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous bosters proud curssed speakers disobedient to fathers mothers vnthankeful vngodly vnkynde trucebreakers false accusers riotous searce despisers of theÌ„ whiche are good tray tours heady hye myuded gredy vpon volupreousnes more then the louers of God hauyng a silmilitude of godlynes but haue denyed the power therof and suche abhorre For of this sort
are they which enter into houses and bryng into bondage women laden with synne which women are led with dyuerse lustes euer learnyng and neuer able to come vnto the knowledge of the truth THerfore it is requisite that we arme vs not onely agaynste the persecucions of the Iewes and the Ethnikes but also agaynst the malice of these maner of men For we must not dissemble but ouercome that whiche can not be auoided This take for a certayntie that the spirite sayeth before hande it shal come to passe that in the last dayes shall come moste haynous tymes whan pure godlynes shall growe out of kynde and the charitie of the ghospel wexe colde men shal be louers onely of them selues geuen to couetousnes of money disdaynefull proude cursed speakers disobedient to fathers and mothers vnthankefull wycked lackynge good will towarde those that be their owne and of their nere kynted promyse breakers false accusours ryotours vngentyll haters of goodnes traitours of their felowes and frendes rashe swellyng more louing of voluptuousnesses than of God Through tytle appareli ceremonies and hypocrisye makynge an outwarde shewe of godlynes whan they denye the chiefe poynte of true godlynes beyng so muche the more pestilent in that vnder an outwarde apperaunce of relygion they are both of moste fylthy spotted conuersacyon and also defyle the syncertitie of the ghospelles doctrine with Iewishe fables and mennes inuentions Perchaunce it is to see at this presente daye that some tende to these abhominable sortes of behauiours See therefore that thou also auoyde suche persons And to thintent thou mayest the more certaynly doo so I shall partely paynte oute theyr maners vnto the. Of this sorte in dede be those that wyth settyng out of fayned religion in sluttishe clothes with a couÌ„trefaicte grauitie of countenaunce with a craftye pale colour they conueye them selues in to other mens houses and there the fyrst thyng they doo they goe aboute to inueagle the folishe women so as they maye by meanes of theÌ„ the more easylye begyle the husbandes euen as the serpent by meanes of Eue deceaued Adam For fyrst the weaker sexe is the more apte to be deceaued Than they entangle not the sadde and the true godlye matrones but the lyghte women whiche so professe Christe that they be for al that laden with synne and forasmuch as they do not substauntially endeuour them selues vnto perfite godlines they wauer and are caried aboute with diuerse lustes not beyng content to haue learned once of vs that whiche is sufficient vnto true godlynes but are often tymes gredye to learne newfangles and for that cause they prouyde them doctours mete for their owne lustes that teache them to knowe nothyng and neuer bring them to the knowledge of the trueth But rather vnder the pretence of teachyng the ghospell they cloke their moste fylthy lyfe and thoughe they professe Christe openlye yet they teache suche geares secretlye as be cleane contrarie repugnaunte with the doctrine of Christe The texte As Iannes and Iambres with stode Moses eueÌ„ so do these also resist the trueth men they are of corrupte myndes leude as coÌ„cernyng the fayth but they shall preuayil â—â— longer For their madnes shal be vttered vnto all meÌ„ euen as theirs was But thou hast sene the experience of my doctrine fashion of lyuing purpose fayth long suffryng loue pacience persecutions and afflictions whiche happened vnto me at Antioche at I comum at Listra whiche persecutions I suffered paciently And froÌ„ them al yâ— lorde delyuered me Yea and all they that wil lyue gooly in Christ Iesu shall suffre persecution But the euill men and disceiâ—ers shall waxe wourse and wourse while they disceyue are disceyued them selues It ought to seme no maruayle yf there arise some euen nowe whose naughtynes is enemye to the ghospell It is an olde example For lyke as in times paste in Egipte Iannes and Iambres with their enchauntementes wente about to put those myraculous wonders out of credence that Moses by the power of God did euen so these men also vnder a certaine false pretence of godlynes resist the trueth of the ghospell beyng desperate men that are not onelye infecte with most shamefull lustes of mynde but also depraue the syncertitie of the ghospelles doctrine and of faythe vnto their owne purposes And vnto this tyme they haue in dede deceyued some but from henceforthe they shal not so muche preuayle with their sleyghtes For it shall come to passe that their madnes shall be openly vttred vnto all men euen as those learned enchauntours craftye conueyaunce beyng detected caused them to be contemned and laughed to scorne For whose maners and conscience are vncleane their doctrine is not possible to be cleane And to be shorte countrefaicte wares endure not alwaies The thing that countrefaicting hath for a while couered in secret tyme doeth bryng forth into open lyght But thou which art farre vnlyke vnto theyr condicions see that the doctrine of the ghospell whiche I delyuered purely vnto thee thou distribute also purely and constauntlye vnto other Suche as my doctrine was suche was also my lyfe wherof thou canst best be wytnesse whiche hast bene a great while conueâ—â—aunt with me and hast by experience sene in me synceritie of doctryne and demeanour of my lyfe agreable to the same hertye forewardenes of stomake that sterted backe at nothynge strength of faythe that coulde not be moued with any sorowes lenitie towardes such as were of wrong iudgement charitie wherby I was desyrous to doo good euen for myne enemies and pacience in persecucions and affliccioÌ„s which thou knowest chaunced vnto me at Antroche Icomum and Listra Thou knowwest what greuous stormes of persecucions I haue susteyned aboue mannes strengthe And yet the Lorde hathe delyuered me from them all by whose ayde I continued without shrynkyng Neuertheles these fortuned not vnto me either by myne owne peculy at destenye neyther yet for any euill that I dyd but for the purenesse bothe of my ghospell preachynge and also of my lyuing I was turmoyled with so many sorowes Yea and whosoeuer will after myne example and Christes folowe true godlynes must necessarylye after his example and myne prepare them selues to suffre affliccions For the world shall neuer be without suche as for the mayntenaunce of their feyned religioÌ„ shall trouble and goe aboute to oppresse them that be folowers of true godlynes Howbeit thys trouble shall be for our aduauntage euen as vnto those wycked ones and deceauours their prosperitie shall be vnto their more greuous damnacion for they shall suffre paynes for two speciall causes aswell in that they them selues swarued from the trueth as also bycause they snared others in their errours But as for theÌ„ in case they repent not leue them to their owne peyne The texte â–ª But continue thou in â—he thynges whiche thou hast learned which also were coÌ„mitted vnto the knowyng of whom thou hast learned theÌ„ for as muche also as of a chylde thou hast knowen the