made a sacrifice for our synnes so diyng as touching the fleshe whiche he had taken he subdued death whiche through the desyres of the fleshe and the fleshely lawe bare rule vpon vs and caused that hencefoorth by abolishyng of the carnal meanyng of the lawe the better parte therof whiche we call the spiritual sence or spirite of it should in steade of the other take place and not worke Gods displeasure as the fyrst did but geue perfite righteousnes to them whiche lede not theyr life after y◠lawe carnally vnderstāden as the Iewes do but after the spiritual heauenly meanyng therof as men renued and through Christ new borne In the Iewes was there nothyng drawen painted but a shadowe of righteousnes but the vndoubted and perfite righteousnes is in vs through Iesus Christ throughly and perfitely wrought The texte For they that are carnal are carnally minded But they that are spiritual are gostly minded To be carnally minded is death But to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because that the fleshely minde is enemy against God for it is not obediente to the lawe of God neither can be So then they that are in the fleshe cannot please God The loue good wyll borne to thinges in vs beyng so greatly chaunged make plaine profe of a newe kynde of profession We se how y◠suche as styl holde on theyr Iewishe supersticion because they be yet carnal are with y◠same carnal vsuages muche delited Cōtrary suche as are graffed in Christ and haue now begunne to lede a spiritual life renouncyng all fleshely desyres are rauished enamoured with like conuersacion as is godly spiritual as we comenly see euery man fauour suche thinges as him selfe is bent vnto Mortall we be as touchyng our fleshe but yet hath Christ which is immortal called vs to life who is him self our life Now is the carnal lawe of the Iewes onely litterally obserued euen against Christ by reason therof worketh death kylleth forasmuche as it is against him whiche is the onely authour of life As in the Iewes thē selfes well appeared who for fauour zeale borne therto put to death y◠author of life righteousnes Of the other syde they whiche despisyng y◠carnal lettre of the lawe folowen the spiritual mocions of God fynde in Christ life nor striue for waterishe ceremonies of the law but gladly folowyng the inclinacions of charitie are with al men at peace concorde Supersticion is ful of ianglyng but true godly pytie is quiet peaceable And meruaile it is none that suche with men are at dissēcion whiche are not at peace with god For nothing els is it for a mā to cleaue stike fast to y◠carnal law whō God would through Christ shuld be abolished y◠in steade therof a spiritual law might ensue take place but to rebel agaist God whiche froward minde of any mā synce it squareth frō Gods pleasure cannot be but against him whiche calleth vs to farre vnlike cōtrary rules actes Let noman therfore thinke it a smal peril ieopardy stubbernly to hang vpō the lettre of the law therin to cōtinue And let vs assure our selfes that it is but a vayne thyng to please men vnles we please God also But suche as stubbernly mainteine Moses law litterally carnally vnderstāden except they forsaking the carnalnes therof fal from it to the spirite neither do please God nor can Let the Iewes exacte and requyre theyr feastes of the new moone and theyr sabboth daies kepyng neuer somuche they shal not attaine to that they loke for The texte But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his If Christ be in you the body is dead because of synne but the spirite is aliue for righteousnes sake Wherfore if the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ frō death dwel in you euen he that raised vp Christ from death shall quicken your mortal bodyes because of his spirite that dwelleth in you But to you whiche haue with the carnal law nothing to do these thinges nothing belong since y◠ye are becomen spiritual if ye after suche cōdicion lede your life that it please the holy spirite of God to be a dweller in your heartes For whoso is nothyng els but baptised styl belongeth to the carnal kyngdome of the fleshe excepte he taste also Christ be with his blessed spirite inspired Coupled are we vnto Christ not with ceremonies but with that spirite whō whoso lacketh is to Christ but a straunger But now then if Christ be in you syth he is nothyng els but chastitie but trueth but tēperaūce with other vertues how can in you synne haue any place Whoso hath receiued Christ him must the same mā nedes in suche vertuous pointes expresse He as I before sayd once dyed touchyng his fleshe māhed yet liueth he now a life euerlastyng Then fruitfully expresse resēble we him when the body y◠is to say our grosse part whiche with pleasaunt lustes allureth vs to all vnhappines is dead is without al desyre to synne if therwith our spirit also that is to say y◠better part in vs who alway moueth to goodnes and with his mightie power draweth vs to suche thinges as are good righteous be quicke and aliue Therfore if the spirite of God whiche raised Iesus Christ frō death vnfainedly dwel in you the same wyll not be idle A liuely an effectual thyng is the spirit of God wyll accordyng vnto your capacities in you likewise worke as it did in Christ Him it raised from death and suffereth not to dye againe And so wyl the same raise you frō sinne which is very death in dede to life extynguishyng your froward desyres appetites al whiche he wil do by his blissed spirit the author of life which now dwelleth in you The texte Therfore brethren we are detters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe For if ye liue after the fleshe ye shal dye But if ye through the spirite do mortifye the dedes of the body ye shal liue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion wherby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also the heires I meane of God and heires annexed with Christ If so be that we suffre with him that we may be also glorified together with him Vnder this spirit now therfore liue we his subiectes are we it must we obey not the fleshe whervnto we are now deade For assone as we once begunne to be one with Christ we cast of the bondage
wherwith we were to the fleshe endaungered Syth this is so God forbid that we hereafter liue as the fleshe ruleth whiche fleshe should rather to the spirite be obedient RemeÌ„bre that ye be called to life but if ye liue carnally then runne ye headlong to deathwarde but contrary if by the power of the spirit ye suppresse al fleshely desyres after suche mortifiyng of them ye shal liue Nor is it to liue after the gouernaunce of the spirite of God a paynefull profession For albeit the same call you foorth to great weightie enterprises yet are ye glad willyng to vndertake them because by it in you is enkienled a feruent charitie to whom nothyng can be hard nothyng can be but swete pleasaunt As the body liueth with his bodily spirite so dâ—eth the soule through a heauenly If our bodily spirites natural powers be weake and faint the wholle body is made dul heauye but if the same be quicke and lustie the wholle bodye is full of courage So likewyse al suche as are with the spirite of God ledde and moued are his childreÌ„ Suche as are towarde childreÌ„ resemble theyr fathers goodnes with a mery chere and frely doyng al suche thinges as they shal suppose wyll please them Bondslaues because there is betwene them and theyr maisters no natural knotte for feare of punishement abstaine froÌ„ euil beyng violeÌ„tly coÌ„pelled do theyr duties Iewes whiche are with yâ— bondage of the lawe delited this wyse do but ye whiche are once deliuered froÌ„ such boÌ„dage wyl nomore so fal to the same that with feare it be nedeful to compel you Endued are ye with the spirite of God through whom ye are by adopcion receiued into the nuÌ„bre not of seruauÌ„tes but of Gods owne children This spirit putteth vs in suche a sure trust and coÌ„fidence that in all our distresses we may boldly speake vnto God those wordes whiche fathers most gentilly fauourably are wont to geue eare vnto callyng vpoÌ„ him O father father Whiche worde we durst not be so bold in our troubles lameÌ„tably to speake vnto him were we not in assurauÌ„ce both that we are his children that he also is our merciful father as loÌ„g as we liue after his coÌ„maundement not by coÌ„pulsion I saye but of free wyl and gladly For were it so that he accoumpted vs not for his childreÌ„ neuer would he haue geuen vs this his holy spirit This benefite of God therfore whether ye cal it a pledge or token of fatherly loue wel assureth our consciences that we are his children whiche gaue vs this pledge Further then if we be his children not his seruauntes than are we also his heyres The heyres I say of God from whoÌ„ as author begynner al thinges come ioynte inheritors with Christ into whose body beyng graffed we now haue the same father that he hath through him enioy one comen enheritaunce It shal we yet none otherwyse possesse but by goyng the same pathe waye to it by whiche it pleased Christ him selfe to walke He by sufferauÌ„ce of miseries came to the possession of his glorious inheritauÌ„ce he by obedience came to his kyngdome he by reproche came to glory by death attained to life euerlastyng Suffer must we therfore with him that we may of his ioyes be partakers obedient must we be with him that we may with him raigne euerlastyngly suffre must we also worldely shame vilany that with him we in heauen may be glorifyed and finally for a season dye also with him that we may in his kyngdome liue for euer The texte For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are not worthy of the glorye whiche shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abideth lokyng when the sonnes of God shal appeare because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wyl therof but for his wyl whiche subdued the same in hope For the same creature shal be deliuered froÌ„ the bondage of corrupcion into the glorious libertie of the soÌ„nes of God For we knowe that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine euen vnto this tyme. These be the wayes and condicions to wynne this inheritaunce by wherof since there shal neuer be an ende the thyng selfe so great that it passeth al mens capacities and estimacion surely if al the affliccions of this life were put vpon one mannes bodye all the same yet were of no weight but euen trifles beyng weighed and compared with the reward of the glory to come whiche men gette in maner bye with suche great displeasures and calamities And though we now already haue an ernest peny of this welthy life to come so that therof nomaÌ„ shuld dispayre yet by reason of oure bodyes subiecte to paynes and death the same is not in euery point perfite and full In the meane tyme by the spirite of God haue we therof inwardly a secrete taste geuen vs but then shall we haue it fully and wholy when our bodies are restored to life and all the miseries of our mortal state are shaken of at what tyme we shall with euerlastyng Christ raigne euerlastyngly For whiche ioyful tyme in the meane season the whole engyne of this worlde ernestly loketh in his maner wishyng for the day wherin after that the numbre of Gods children is fulfilled and restored theyr glory shal plainly appeare whiche beyng yet burdened with theyr mortal bodies are with huÌ„ger with thryst with diseases with diuers paynes and miseries punished yea euen the world selfe after a sorte semeth to be of mannes careful estate partaker because the yearth the water the ayre heauenly bodyes and to be briefe euen the very Angels selfe were by God especially made to helpe mannes necessities And therfore not so muche as the verye worlde selfe shal from suche miseries be free vntyl that Goddes children be sette in perfite fredome so that in the meane season it is in boÌ„dage vnwillyngly For euen in the very dead creatures which haue no life a natural desyre is ther to be made perfite yet abide they nethelesse this boÌ„dage therin obeiyng him at whose pleasure it became subiecte enduryng it so muche the more paciently because it knoweth it selfe not bonde for euer but vnder this coÌ„dicion that as sone as the children of God are fully deliuered from al infeccion of death than shal the worlde no lenger be thral and vnder the displeasures of corrupcion For syth that we see al the elemeÌ„tes of this world so diuersly altered vnder so many corrupcions and see that the Sunne and moone besyde that they almost seme in theyr continual renewyng of corruptible creatures to labor in vayne haue also theyr eclipses synce that the one starres power is also contrary to another synce there is no doubt also but that the whole coÌ„pany of Angels froÌ„ heauen beholdyng our wretchednes are by reason of a pitiful loue borne towarde vs greatly
say not to be seen as thinges are seen in a dreame or vision so that a man might doubt whether it were so or not but openly before euery mannes iyen to be a man borne of a woman vnder the weakenes of our natures to the entent he would readyly heale our wretchednes whom God would haue to be circumcised suffre all the bondage of the lawe to th ende he would deliuer the Iewes from the burdaine of the lawe whom he founde therto subiecte that noman should thencefoorth like a childe within age liue vnder gouernours but be all called to the libertie of children for bondage is contrary to the name of a childe The texte Because ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our heartes which cryeth abba father And because God would of his goodnes euidently declare that we are restored into the fredome of children he puttyng away all feare of punishement hath powred euen into the bottome of our heartes the spirit of his only sonne who is to vs a most certaine witnes that we are Gods children The spirite of seruage sauoreth and cryeth out after one sorte the loue and good mynde of children after an other The one desireth to escape the displeasure of his maister thother with a great confidence crieth O father father The texte Wherfore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne If thou be a sonne thou arte also an heyre of God through Christ Wherin it is not to be doubted but that God doeth muche more thākefully knowledge the name of godly loue and charitie than the name of feare If this were not as I say neither would Christ haue called his scholers brethren nor haue taught menne to praye vnto God vnder the name of a father when he teacheth vs to say O our father whiche art in heauen To whom soeuer therfore God geueth the spirite of his sonne the same man is no lenger a seruaunt but a sonne And if he be through Christ his sonne by him likewyse must he be Gods heyre Namely synce whoso by adopcion receiueth an other into the name of his sonne he in so doyng geueth him a right to his inheritaunce The texte Notwithstandyng when ye knewe not God ye did seruice vnto them whiche by nature are no Gods But now after that ye haue knowen God yea rather are knowē of God how is it that ye turne againe vnto the weake and beggerly ordinaunces whervnto againe ye desyre afreshe to be in bondage Ye obserue dayes and monethes and tymes and yeres I am in feare of you lest I haue bestowed on you labor in vain But as the Iewes for a season were with a grosse religion or rather supersticion kept vnder because they should not vtterly slyde from al religion so what tyme the true God was vnknowen vnto you accordyng to the ordinaunces of your elders ye worshipped deuils beleuyng them to be Goddes whiche are in dede none because he semeth muche nigher true religion which is vnder a false than is he that thinketh there is no God at all dispisyng all religion God layeth not to the Iewes charge because they for a tyme liued vnder theyr elders lawes frō whom when they were taught better learnyng they turned to the very right trade of godly conuersacion Nor is your worshippyng of idolles whom ye erroniously supposyng to haue an heauenly power in them had in honour layde against you synce the tyme that by preachyng of the gospell ye knewe the liuyng God or els to speake it better synce the tyme ye were knowen of God ye found him not but he by his holy spirite drewe you vnto him euen as that whereas ye nowe tenderly loue him as a father cōmeth by none other meanes but because he fyrst loued you God fauorably and gentilly forgatte your olde errour but of your owne accorde from the trueth once knowen wylfully to returne againe to the same that offence is outragious and damnable The Iewes beyng taught the true religion forsake theyr ceremonies and wyll ye beyng called frō idolatrie taught by preachyng the gospell what perfite religion is after the receiuyng of the holy ghost cast your selfe againe headlong into a Iewishe bondage so that wheras ye are fre ye had rather to be vnder the grosse beginnynges of this worlde whiche neither are able to make you righteous nor been effectual to saluacion Fall ye not to them againe when Iewishely ye obserue daies monethes and yeres with other suche differences of tyme as though the Iewishe sabboth day the feastes of the newe moone holy dayes and other tymes wherin the Iewes either do certain thinges or abstaine from certaine other as from vnlawful actes any thyng healped onward to saluacion when to christian men all tymes are free to honour God in If ye haue in Christ a sure confidence whence is this supersticion If ye haue not then teare I lest I haue in vaine bestowed so muche labor vpon you for your instruccion Ye fall from Christ if ye myngle with him Iewishenes Suffer not that either I whiche haue by suche great and sundry troubles taught you the gospel lose therin my labor or that ye in vaine haue suffered for Christ sake suche affliccions The texte Brethren I beseche you be ye as I am for I am as ye are Ye haue not hurt me at all Ye knowe how through infirmitie of the fleshe I preached the gospel vnto you at the first And my tēptacion whiche was in the fleshe ye dispised not neither abhorred but receiued me as an angel of God euen as Christ Iesus But rather regarde not the ceremonies of the lawe as ye see me to do but put my trust in Christ onely My selfe sometyme was suche one as ye now he iudgyng that it was an high pointe of godlynes to be circumcised to kepe the Iewishe sabboth day to obserue differences in meates to sacrifice beastes for zeale of whō I then persecuted the churche of God all whiche pointes now reaken I for trifles Wheras I brethren somewhat vehemently complaine vpō you surely this may ye beleue me I seke not myne owne weale but yours I might with the quiet vprightnes of myne owne conscience be with my selfe contented I am not displeased with you for ye haue done me no wronge I pitie to see you go from suche good beginnynges looke rather that ye be stable and constant encreasyng styl from better to better rather than from better to worse What tyme I fyrst preached vnto you the gospell of Iesus Christ I submitted my selfe to your weakenes now an other while rise ye vppe to my strength lose not the gloriouse praise of your fayth Of late when I preached vnto you y◠gospel ye knewe I toke no great royal state vpō me but euen the behauour of a lowe simple and abiecte person I pray you what saw ye me but a sealy mā ready to take harme hated of many for Christes name vnder diuerse troubles and
him selfe from the felowship of the sonne he neither pertaineth to the body of Christ whiche is the catholike churche nor hath felowshippe with God the father whiche agreeth in all thinges with the sonne You see with what great Ieoperdie foles disseuer themselues from the sonne Therefore continue you styll in the gospelles trueth which you receiued first of the surely tried Apostles Let not the lyeng tales of the false Apostles drawe you awaye The texte If that which ye hearde from the begynnyngest all remayne in you ye also shall contynewe in the sonne and in the father And thys is the promes that he hath promysed vs euen eternall lyfe These thinges haue I written vnto you concerninge them that disceaue you And the anoyntyng which ye haue receaued of him dwelleth in you And ye nede not that anye manne teache you but as the anoynting teacheth you of all thynges and is true and no lye and as it hath taught you euen so byde therin And now babes abyde in him that when he shall appeare we may be bold and not be made ashamed of him at his comming if ye know that he is righteous know also that euery one which doth rightewisenes is borne of him Yf you continue stedfast in that thyng whyche we delyuered fyrst vnto you you shal abyde in the felowship of God the father and of his sonne Iesus If anye man thynke it an harde matter to perseuer in the professynge of the Gospell because of the affliccions of the wicked thinke vpon the rewarde God requireth an harde matter but the rewarde is greate that he promiseth For he promiseth nether riches nor kyngdome nether the pleasure of this worlde but lyfe euerlastynge He that byeth that byeth it good chepe although he lose his life for it These thinges doe I beate vpon and put you in remembraunce of with so many wordes beyng carefull lest the wicked that are gone from Christ shoulde chaunce to beguyle anye wyth theyr iugglynges Albeit without our warnynge I thynke the spirite of Christ him selfe teacheth you sufficiently whom you haue a continuall remembrauncer and teacher in youre heartes As longe as he continueth styll in you it is no nede that any man teache you what you ought to auoyde He is a secret teacher but he is the most sure teacher of all other He beinge once receyued of you teacheth you of all thynges like as the sonne hath also promysed For the spirite is true by nature and can not lye Therefore perseuer in that whiche he hathe ones taught you You holde the ryghte doctrine you remembre it there lacketh nothing but that you persist still in it vnto the commyng of Christe which I suppose is not farre to I beseche you eftesones agayne lytle children persist in the doctrine of the spirite that whan our prince and iudge shal appeare the conscience of a good conuersacion maye geue vs a sure trust in him and that we maye come forthe so as he be not ashamed to acknowledge vs for hys dysciples nor we ashamed to come in to his syghte For with what mouthe shall we call hym mayster and Lorde yf we haue neyther taken heede to hys teachynge nor obeyed his commaundement with what mouth shall we call God father yf we be out of kynde in all our life longe frō his ordinaunces It is not simple baptisme but the obserued righteousnes that maketh vs the children of God For what shall they heare that cast out deuilles in the name of Iesu that tolde thynges before hande that excelled in miracles I knoVVe you no◠He taketh thē for straūgers in whō he seeth not the righteousnes of the gospell And if you be persuaded y◠God is the autor of thys righteousnes know this also that whosoeuer not with wordes but with endeuours doynges and maners accomplysheth the ryghteousnes of the Gospell he is borne of God vnto whom he maye with a good conscience preace with that boldenes that obedient children are wonte to preace to a mercyfull father withall He wyll acknowlage them that are lyke hym but those that are not lyke hym he will not acknowlage The .iii. Chapter The texte Beholde what loue the father hathe shewed on vs that we shoulde bee called and be in dede the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not hym Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doeth not appeare what we shawe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shal be lyke hym For we shall see hym as he is And euery man that hath this hope in hym pourgeth hym selfe euen as he also is pure Whosoeuer committeth sinne committeth vnryghteousnes also and sinne is vnrighteousnes And ye knowe that he appeared to take away oure synnes and in hym is no synne As many as byde in hym sinne not whosoeuer sinneth hath not sene hym neither knowen hym WHere syncere loue is there is a trusty confidence and feare is awaye See therefore what a notable loue he hath geuen vnto vs whiche hauing contemned the worlde with his entisementes and terrours perseuer styl in the gospelles doctrine that we shoulde be named and be not onely faythfull seruauntes not onely frendes but the children of God For so Christ taught that we should cal vpō the heuēly father yf we haue nede of any thynge It is a moste high honour to be called the children of God and a moste high felicitie to be the children of God And forasmuche as we cleaue vnto hym with a constaunt godlynes and are acknowlaged of hym the world acknowlegeth vs not but abhorreth and curseth vs as sedicious persons It is no meruayle though the world acknowlage not y◠childrē of God seing it acknowlageth not God himselfe in that it denieth his sonne Iesus let it nothing trouble your mindes dearely beloued that the world estemeth you as rascalles and abiecte persones For with God we haue euen nowe thys excellent dignitie that we are the sonnes of God and are glad at our heartes feling in our selues the spirite not of bondage but of children vpon assured confidence wherof we crye Abba father The dignitie is present but the dignitie hath not yet appeared As yet it is the time of batayle the daye of triumphe is not yet come That daye shall declare vnto all men howe greate a dignitie they haue howe greate a felicitie they haue that constauntly shewe themselues the children of God It is not yet come to lyght what we shal be in the comming of Christ howbeit we hold thys vpon a sure hope that as soone as he shall appeare to rendre vnto euery one rewardes accordinge to hys dedes we that were in this worlde companions of affliccions shall also be companions of the ioyes we that were lyke hym in the contempte of the worlde shal be lyke hym also in the maiestie of glorye We sawe hym here in thys world afflicted and of lowe estate then shal we see him as he is and euer was
punyshed for violating this misterie albeit in the meane season some also for thesame offence are presently punyshed for of this cuÌ„meth it that among you so many syckely persons are founde vexed with sondrye feuers and diseases yea and many dye before theyr tyme all which punyshmentes are certayne begynnynges and threatnynges of the iudgemente to come The texte For if we had iudged our selues we should not haue been iudged But when we are iudged of the Lord we are chastened that we should not be damned with the world Wherfore my brethren when ye come together to eate â–ª â—arry one for an other If any man honger let hym eate at home that ye come not together vnto condemnacion Other thynges wyll I sette in order when I come For yf before receyuing we had tryed and iudged our selfes we should not so haue been iudged of the Lorde But yet better is it in the meane tyme to be iudged here than in that dredfull daye to bee damned For when we by goodes iudgement are here with temporall and lyght meanes punyshed we are not vtterly destroyed but with punyshment chastised leste we myght with synners hereafter bee damned for euer Which thing I saye because no manne shoulde flater hymselfe yf vpon vnworthy abusyng of thys mistery he neuerthelesse bee whole and sounde in bodye Therfore my brethren when you resorte to thys feaste to th entent the same maye as Christ gaue example bee equall tary one of you for another That and yf among you any be so hungrye that he can not for a tyme abstayne let hym eate at home and not at the misticall and common feast lest that whiche was for your weale ordayned be an occasion of your damnacion And this haue I nowe herof sufficiently spoken As for other thinges to this belonging I wyll sette in order when I come The .xii. Chapter Concernyng spiritual thynges brethren I would not haue you ignorauÌ„t ye know that ye were Gentyles and went your wayes vnto dome ymages euen as ye were led Wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speakyng by the spirite of God defyeth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost There are diuersities of gyftes yet but one spirite And there are differences of adminystratyons and yet but one Lorde And there are diuers maners of operacyons yet but one God whiche worketh all in all The gyfte of the spirite is geuen to euery man to edefye withall For to one is geuen thorowe the spirite the vtteraunce of wysdom To another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the same spirite To another is geuen fayth hy thesame spirite To another the gyftes of healyng by the same spirite To another power to do myracles To another prophecy To another iudgemente to discerne spirites To another dyuers tonges To another the interpretacyon of tonges But these al woorketh euen the selfe same spirite diuiding to euery man a seueral gyfte euen as he will BVt now to speake some thyng concernyng the gyftes of the holy goste forasmuch as herein ye agre not wel neither bretherne I would haue you remember how that ye once were gentiles at whiche tyme accordyng vnto the supersticion of your elders as ye were lead to deade and dome images so went ye furth and folowed Then were ye lead with errour but now are ye gouerned by the spirite of Christ Now your former errour is not imputed vnto you so that this remaineth that as at that tyme your custome and vsage of lyfe was euen as badde as your deuylysh religion so muste now the same bee vpryght and godly as your newe religion is trewe and holy so that it appeare that whatsoeuer is doen among you thesame seme to be doen by the motion of the holy goste Whatsoeuer is sayed or soung to the glorye of Christe that same cometh of his spirite Wherfore I declare vnto you that no manne inspired with the spirite of god the father defieth Iesus hys sonne Nor can any manne with a true heart saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste For all the goodnes therfore that is in you his fre beneuoleÌ„ce ought ye to thanke and to his glory it shoulde bee bestowed And though all men haue one spirit in dede yet are his giftes diuers whiche he as his pleasure is diuersly gyueth to diuers menne The vse also and administracion of suche gyftes are in sondrye wyse bestowed wheras the Lorde whose gyftes they are is but one Yea and yâ— effect and operacion of the spirite in diuerse men diuersly worketh and gyueth lyfe whereas yet there is of al men but one god of whome the power and actiuitie of al thinges howsoeuer they be wrought in men haue theyr begynnynges Al gyftes therfore are to be ascribed to god onely whether they be high or lowe and there is no cause why any man of them should be proude Another mannes gyfte is it that he hathe and whatsoeuer a man hath by the inspiracion of the holy gooste that same is for the comon profite gyuen hym to edifie with all and not to be proude of it hymselfe only For to some one is giuen through the spirite of god wisdome to gyue there with sage and trustie counsell Agayne another hath by the goodnes of the same spirite gyuen vnto hym by vtteraunce of knowledge and rules of good order to helpe the comon weale Another hath by the same spirite gyuen vnto hym a stronge confidence whiche according to the Lordes promyse moueth yea mountaines out of theyr places Another hath by the same the gyfte to cure diseases Some there bee also that haue a singular power to worke miracles Some hath the gyfte of prophecie therwith either to open thinges to come or els other hydden mysteries Another hathe gyuen vnto hym through wyttie iudgement to put difference betwixte the spirites in menne whether they bee of god or not Some haue the gyfte to speake diuerse languages whiche is a meane that greatly serueth towarde the knowledge of holy scriptures Another hath geuen vnto hym either by inspiracion or by knowledge of secret learnyng to expounde and declare that which the other spoke For it is not to be supposed that whosoeuer knoweth a language alwaye vnderstandeth the secrete meanynge therof But for hauyng suche gyftes let no man either stande in his owne conceyte synce that he hathe is gyuen hym by another nor yet for lacke of them bee greued forasmuche as the gyfte is by the holye gooste frelye gyuen hym whiche beyng but one workemanne bestoweth all these gyftes as diuerse and soundrie as they be in soundrye persons gyuynge euery manne as his pleasure is wyllyng that through mutuall charitie eche mannes gyftes shoulde be comon to other to thentente that thys varietie myght make a pleasaunt consent and comlynes and not dissencion And why shoulde it not so bee in the misticall bodie of Christe as we se it is in a naturall bodye The texte
and earth Yea and as there is of heauenly bodyes one beautie and comlynes and of earthly an other euen so a diuersitie is there among the heauenly bodyes them selfe Fyrste nether is there lyke glory and bryghtnes of the Moone with the sōne nor of other starres with the Moone and briefly euen the verie starres selfe in brightnesse diffre one from another for all are not as bryght as the day starre is Lykewyse at the resurrection all men shall ryse with theyr owne bodyes but yet in an vnlyke glory without doubte as it shal please God to gyue them and as they in this lyfe haue deserued For the vngodly shall rise in one fourme the good in an other Among them also that are good euerie one as he hath in this lyfe vsed hymselfe so shal he excell other in the gloriousnes of his new bodye Yet generally all good men shall haue a muche more actiue bodye than was that which they by death forsoke And as it is in nature to couer the seed vnder the earth the same is in the matier of resurrection the buriall of the deade bodye And that whiche in the seede is growyng agayne is in the bodye rysyng agayne And as in the one that is muche better which groweth vp than was that which was caste into the earth euen so here albeit it be thesame bodye that ryseth agayne yet is it farre vnlike There is sowen as it were a grayne into the earth a body subiect to corruption but thesame shall ryse againe without all corruption There is hydden in the earth a vyle body lothsome but there shall ryse againe a body both gloriouse and honourable There is buryed a bodye whiche euen when it lyued was weake but it shall ryse agayne full of power and myght There is buryed a bodye which albeit were alyue yet were it grosse and heauye and by the reason of that bourdaynouse to the soule gouernour of the same but there shall ryse agayne not a naturall but a spirituall bodye whiche shall to the soule be no let whither soeuer it moue For this is a difference of bodies also one is naturall whiche hath neede of meate and drynke and is weryed with labour whiche is diseased whiche with age weareth awaye which with his grosse and fautie instrumentes ofttimes letteth the intent of the soule which by reason of froward desyers oftentimes prouoketh to vyce to whome yf the soule be obedient and geue ouer the same is as it were tourned into the body and groweth out of his nature into fleshe another is spirituall which being in this lyfe by lytle and lytle purged from sensual appetites and desiers and after by resurrection renewed agayne is in maner transfourmed into the nature of the soule to whom it by godly desyre applyed it selfe that as oure soule obeyng the spirite of god is rauished and in maner transformed into him so maye our bodyes beyng ▪ obedient vnto the soule be pourged and shakyng of his grossenes be purified into such a body as is very lyke to the soule This grosse and earthly body receiued we of our first father Adā which as he was made of earth so was he subiect to earthly desiers But there is an other secōde Adam not somuche the begynner of our natiuitie as of our resurrection which as he hath an heauenly beginning so was he fre from al infeccion of earthly desyers And so reade we in Genesis The fyrste man Adam was made to lyue through y◠benefite of the soule but yet so that the soule beyng as it were bound to the grosse body should do nothing but by bodily instrumentes or at the leaste by some material meane But after him was geuen a seconde Adam which as he was conceaued by the holy gost so should he geue lyfe to his not this grosse lyfe whiche we haue in many poyntes common with beastes but a spirituall and a heauenly lyfe By Christ therfore are we repayred in al poyntes into a better state For that thing whiche is in time firste is also in substance more grosse and that by the order of nature We nowe beare about with vs a naturall bodye and in tyme to come we shall haue a spirituall bodye As the grosse parent of our stocke went before so folowed Christ the begynner of a newe generacion And what sorte of one the earthly parent was suche are his posteritie that is to saye men gyuen to earthly desyres And agayne what kynde of one the heauenly Adam was such are they which are borne agayne in hym that is to wete wholy delyted with heuenly thinges For we must for this state begyn that here which we intende herafter perfitely to enioye As before baptisme in vngraciouse maners we resemblyd the nature of our fyrst father so being borne agayne vnto Christ through baptisme we muste nowe in heauenly lyfe resemble oure heauenly father And yf we this do not neither shall we be here partes of Christes bodye nor in tyme to come gloriously ryse agayne In deede admitted are we into the kyngdom of god but this I tell you brethren that flesh and bloud that is to say men of the first generacion cannot come to the enheritaunce of the kyngdome of God nor the lyfe whiche is with synne corrupted shall haue the inheritaunce of lyfe immortall And because ye shall be ignoraunt of nothyng apertaynyng to the maner of resurreccion beholde I tell you a misterie We shall not all dye for the laste daye shall peraduenture fynde some of vs alyue but yet shall all we be chaunged to the glory of immortall lyfe whiche here after a sorte abstayning from the infeccion of synne through godly conuersacion beginne the immortal lyfe to come This chaunge shal not be made by lytle lytle as we see natural thinges chaunged but in a minute twynkling of an iye at the sounde of the laste troumpe For the troumpe shall blow at the voyce wherof suche as then are dead shall ryse immortall And we whiche shall at that day be found alyue beyng sodaynly chaunged shall lyue after an other sorte that is to say as they doe which are rysen again For necessary it is that before we perfitly possesse the kingdom of heauen we vtterly put of al earthlynes and that this our corruptible body be made incorruptible and this our mortal body become immortall When this is so than shal that verely be perfourmed which the Prophete O see foreseing sayth reioysing at the vtter destrucciō of death ▪ death is swalowed vp through victory Where is now death thy styng ▪ o hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the lawe which by occasion geuing prouoketh vs to sinne When the law is taken away the power of sinne is faynt and feble when sinne is taken awaye the power of death ceaseth by reason that the styng is taken awaye wherwith she is wounte to stryke vs. Vnable were we vtterly to fyght
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
to thintent they maye bryng you in hatred of the Gentiles for Christes sake and in displeasure with the Iewes for lacke of circumcision Iewes are they that so teache and feare the displeasure of theyr couÌ„treymen yf they shoulde without circumcision preache Christe as menne abolyshyng the lawe Suche rather stande in feare of men than of God and seeke for prayse at meÌ„nes handes rather than at goddes Suche feare leste the sincere profession of the crosse of Christe mighte stiere vp other yâ— hate Christes name to persecute them and feare also leste they shoulde be coumpted for vnlearned yf they shoulde nothyng elles teache but this simple lesson that Christ was crucified Nor do they this for a very zeale borne to the lawe of theyr countrey as I once erroniouslye dyd persecutyng the flocke of Christ forasmuche as no not the Iewes self kepe yâ— law notwithstandyng they be of theyr forefathers circumcised but abuse your rudenes chargyng you with circumcision to the ende that they among theyr companions maye vaunte themselfe that through theyr preachyng and teachyng ye are fallen to Iewyshnes This policie vse they to pacifie the enuie of theyr countrey men whiche coulde not abyde that throughe the gospell of Christe the lawe should be abrogate As for I neither so feare the hatred of the Iewes nor persecucion of the Gentiles yâ— I should with lesse â—inceritie preache Christes gospell The texte God forbid that I shoulde reioyse but in the crosse of our Lord Iesu Christ Wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde For in Christ Iesu neither circumcision auayleth any thyng at all nor vncircumcision but a newe creature God forbid that I shoulde in anye thyng els reioyce but in the crosse of my lorde Iesu Christe The Gentiles I knowe coumpte his crosse for a vilanie and reproche the Iewes hate and enuie it yet therin onlye put I all my glorie whiche nothyng regarde worldly prayse as one to whome throughe baptisme beyng graffed into the bodie of Christe the worlde is deade and contrary wyse I to the worlde nor am I with aduersities therof a fearde nor with prosperities delited nor passe vpon the displeasure nor couet the commendacion without all feare of worldly reproche and without desyre of vaynglory Christe onlye is for me sufficient both for al and agaynst all To whose profession whether a man come circumcised out of the stocke of the Iewes or not circumcised out of the stocke of the Gentiles it forceth not Into whose bodye whoso through fayth is transfourmed is sodaynely in suche sorte chaunged that he is become a newe creature and called regenerate A button therfore for all worldely differences Whoso professeth Christe let him nothyng els remember but that he is a christian man The texte And as manye as walke acordyng to this rule peace be on them and mercye and vpon Israel that pertayneth to God From hencefurthe let no man put me to busynes For I beare in my body the markes of the lorde Iesu Brethren the grace of oure lorde Iesu Christ be with your spirite Amen Let this be a sure rule whiche rule whosoeuer folowe to them wyshe I peace and mercye â—or meete it is to wyshe them the same thing whiche Dauid wished to the Israelytes in the Psalmes where he saythe peace be vpon Israel But there be of Isralites two sortes one whiche is so acoumpted before men and an other before god For he is not streyght a vecie Israelite whiche is but circumcised but he whose mynde is circumcised and he that through fayth is strong to godwarde To suche Israelites then of whiche noumber ye also be wyshe I peace and mercie Away with false Israelites suche as stubbernly and maliciously stryue agaynst the gospell of Christe they shall neuer from this doctryne moue me but what I haue preached that wyll I euer preache And therfore in this matier let no maÌ„ here after trouble me So far am I from to be moued from the truthe of the gospell with any vilanye or affliccion that whether socuer I go I carie about in my bodye all the spite that I haue for Christe sustayned as emprisonmentes scourgynges chaynes stonynges with other aduersities suffered for Christes name as tokens and markes of my Lorde Iesus Christe blasyng them out as certayne sygnes of my victories coumptyng this for my glorie that I as farre as maye be deserue to folow the crosse of Christ whome I preache The grace and good wyll of our Lorde Iesus Christ brethren be euer with your spirite yâ— through his ayde ye maye continewe in the truthe of the gospell whiche desyer of myne that it maye take effecte he graunte by whose spirite I wrote these Finis To the Christian reader Iohn Olde wysheth grace mercye and peace from God the father and from his sonne Iesu Christ our Lorde onely sauiour FOrasmuche moost gentle reader as euery pryest vndâ—â— a certayne degree in scholes is bounden by the kynges Maiesties most gracious iniunctioÌ„s to haue prouided by a daye lymited for his owne study and erudicion yâ— who le Paraphrase of D. Erasmus vpon the newe testamente â—oth in Latine and Englishe And where I heard neuertheles in the begynnyng of this last somer by the Pryntout â–ª my very hertie good frend Edwarde Whitchurche that the Paraphrases vpon seuen of Paules Epistles that is to saye to the Ephesians Philippians both thepistles to yâ— ThessaloniaÌ„s both to Timothee and thepistle to Philemon were neither translated ready to the Prynte ne yeâ— appoynted certaynly to be translated of any man so as thafore mencioned iniunction should be lyke in this case to be frustrate of his due execucion the ignoraunt priestes iniunction breakers as they are in other thynges ynowe bebesydes that and the symple vulgare people hungryng and thirstynge after ryghteousnes by wantyng of these Paraphrases vnfedde and not onely vnfedde for lacke of suche liuely playne exposicions of the scriptures as the Paraphrases in most thynges are but also by reason of the continuaunce of accustomed vanities yea rather blasphemies in the churche they are broughte throughe the Popishe persuasions of the couetous gredye missal sacryficers into daylye encreace of errour and ignoraunce more and more And althoughe it myght be iustely answered vnto me that it is not the onelye lacke of the translated Paraphrases wherby the commune people communely contynue still in ignoraunce but muche rather the lacke aswell of good wyll as habilitie in the priestes and curates that reade the good Homylies al ready set forth and the scriptures with cuttyng hackynge hummyng cheopping and mynceyng after such sort as yâ— people are in most Parishes not only broughte into a great tedious wearynes bicause of the vnsauery imperfite readynge pronouÌ„ceing pointing of those good thinges but also into a certayne coÌ„teÌ„ptuous lothsomnes hatred therof seing their curates beare so lytell good wyl so vnto warde to the furtherauÌ„ce of gods worde glory to their parisheneâ—s erudicion
of all healthe that you may behold hym in the meane while as it were with iyes not with bodily eiyes but with the iyes of the harte and mynde that see through the light of faithe wherewith the thynges are also seen that are to come whiche cannot be seene with the grosse bodily iyes whereby you maye knowe that which no humayne philosophie teacheth how blissed the enheritaunce is whiche he hath called vs to truste vpon and how excellent yâ— dignitie of this most pleÌ„teous enheritauÌ„ce is which the saynctes shal receyue howe great the largenesse and how excedyng the greatnesse of his power is which he declareth eueÌ„ now in vs the which also as it were with a certain secrete enforcement yâ— cannot be expressed with tongue hath transformed alâ—red vs froÌ„ our olde trade after such sorte that we conteÌ„ne al other thiges trust onely to him coÌ„teÌ„ning those thinges which wese we hope after such thinges of him as we se not such as he hath openly declared before in our head Christ whoÌ„ of his mightie power hauing raised from death to life immortal he hath exalted vnto so high honor that he hath set him on his owne right hand in yâ— kingdoÌ„ of heauen geuen him autoritie ouer al other rule potestate power lordship and euery other name of dignitie or power how excellent so euer it be aboue these afore rehearsed eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come that he may be lorde not onely ouer bodely and earthly thinges but also ouer spirituall and heauenly thynges So ferre hath he subdued al thinges without excepcion vnder his feete And to make our hope more stedfast and certayn that we shall also come to the felowship of the same glorye for asmuche as he hath made Christe lorde ouer all thinges his pleasure was also that he shoulde be the head vnto al the whole flocke of the beleuing that cleaue so fast to Christe as the whole body is coupled to the head that the one can not be disceuered froÌ„ the other Finally the glory of the head is common to the rest of the members wherunto the head is so set about that it powreth his good nourishment into euery one of them The bodye is not perfit onleÌ„s the head be at it and the head wanteth sum what if the body be not set to perfitly consummate in all his meÌ„bres wherunto Christ doeth seuerally powre his excellent giftes in such wise that by himselfe he fulfilleth all thiÌ„ges and liueth and reigneth now whole and entierely perfit hauing his members vnited vnto himselfe ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte And you hath he quyckened wher as ye were dead in trespasses and synnes in the whiche in tyme passed ye walked according to the course of this worlde euen after the gouerner that ruleth in the ayre the spiryte that nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbelefe emong whoÌ„ we all had out conuersacion also in tyme past in the lustes of oure fleshe and fuliâ—lled yâ— wyll of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the chyldren of wrath euen as well as other But God whiche is ryche in mercye for his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were deade by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by grace arâ— ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym made vs sytte together with hym emong them of heauen in Chryst Iesu That in tymes to come he myght shewe the exceding riches of his grate in kindnes to vs ward thorow Christ Iesu For by grate are ye made safe thorowe faythe and that not of your selues It is the gyite of God and coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should â—â—ast hym selfe For we are his worckemaÌ„shyppe created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whiche God ordeined that we should walke in them NOwe marke me this how the father hath begon in a maner to accomplish euen now in you that that is accomplished already in Christ shal be after ward accoÌ„plished in you Christ dyed and rose agayn shall neuer after dye any more Certes he was not subiecte to sinne albeit forasmuche as he tooke vpon him an humaine bodie he was subiecte to mortalitie To be briefe like as sin is a certain death of the soule and the forewarning of eternall death euen so is innocencie a certayne life of the soule and the beginning of eternal life But of this maner of lyfe God that geueth vs his spirite is the prince And the deuil is yâ— autor of death hauing also a spirite of his owne wherwith those that ve enspired are rapt vnto the pleasures of this world and plainely distrust the promisses of eternal lyfe Christ dyed for our offences and rose agayn to make vs sure of the immortalitie to come In the meane tyme after hys exaumple you also being engraffed to Christ through baptisme are dead to your sinnes and wickednes wherein as long as you liued vngodly you were dead in dede for asmuche as you had affyaunce in nothing but noysome shadowes of good thinges wherwith this worlde for a tyme disceaueth suche as wantyng the spirite of God are lead by the spirite of Satan whose tirannye in the meane while is permitted ouer this lower element His spirit I say and he himselfe setteth out as it were his own power in them that hauing no trust in the promisses of the Gospell set theyr whole felicitie in visible and transitory thinges and geue no eare to God the father that allureth them to true felicitie but had leauer serue that wieked cruell maister whome in tymes past you serued and not you alone but all we also For albeit the law restrayned vs from the wurshipping of Images yet our lyfe was altogether defyled with noysome lustes of corporall thynges by the enforcemente whereof we passed of the tyme not doyng those thynges whiche the holy ghoste commaunded but those that our owne mynde geuen to filthie affectes bad vs doe By reason wherof it came to passe that like as they which are encorporated to Christe through fayth appertayne to the enheritaunce that is promised to obedient children euen so we as disobedient children should haue belonged to a ferre contrary enheritaunce that is to say we should haue becomen the companions of hym to whome we had ioyned our selues That death is eternal that is appoynted to the wicked Wherunto we also were subiect asmuche as other touchyng our owne state and condicion We had addicted ourselues vnto it of our owne free choice but it was not in our power to wynde vs agayne out of that most miserable seruitude Nowe you haue heard of our death now you haue harde of our destruccion but whereof commeth lyfe whereof commeth saluacyon Truely not of our desertes nor yet by the benefite of Moses lawe Whence than Surely of the free largesse of God the father whose bounteousnesse and louyng affection is so plenteous and so exceadingly great to mankyndewarde that
he hath not onely not punished vs according to our desertes but also whan we were dead by reason of our sinnes he hath called vs agayne to lyfe together with Christ This I say was not of our deseruing but came of free gyft And he hath not only called vs agayne to lyfe with hys sonne but also he hath caryed vs vp froÌ„ these thinges that are benethe vnto the thinges that are in heaueÌ„ there hath placed vs through Christ Iesê° by whoÌ„ we haue indiffereÌ„tly together whatsoeuer he our head hath do possesse now in hope all that we shal shortly after possesse in very dede Thus it was his wil that at the resurreccion whan his promisses shal euidently appeare he may declare his most abouÌ„dant liberalitie which it pleased hi of his free goodnes to powre vpoÌ„ vs not for our own good dedes sakes but for the merites of Iesê° Christ For the thing is often to be rehearsed that ought to be fixed moste depely in your hartes It cuÌ„meth of fre grace I say that you haue obteined saluacion from the destruccioÌ„ wherin ye were tangled lest ye should folow the error of some of the Iewes which thinke to be saued for obseruing the prescriptes of Moses law You are endebted for your saluacion to fayth wherby ye beleued the gospell yet you may not brag of faith as though it come of your selfe Christ loued you first hauing drawen you to himselfe he hath geuen you power that you should loue hym agayne And he it is that hath freely powred into you the gift of fayth by the whiche you should set darkenes apart and see the lyghte of the Ghospels veritie It is wholy therfore to be ascribed vnto his fre gift so that no man hath thereof to boast as though it were of his owne In that we are created we are endebted to God Agayne in that we are regenerate by faythe and baptisme and as it were made a newe after an other maner we are diuorced from the felowshyp of our parent the sinfull Adam and engraffed in Christ the prince of innoceÌ„cie to the intent that by the helpe and exaumple of him we should from hensforth apply the offices of true godlinesse that renouncing the olde man we shoulde represent the new man in new dedes and become so ferre vnlike to oureselues in condicions that a man might iustly say it were not we For God by the doctrine of the ghospell hath opened vnto vs the rewarde of Immortalitie to the intent we should preace hard vnto it through innocencie of lyfe and well doing For the euangelical faith is not an idle mattier but hath an inseparable companion charitie whiche causeth moe dueties to be done of the willyng than the prescriptes of the lawe are hable to enforce of the constrayned The texte Wherfore remembre that ye being in tyme passed Gentiles in the flesh were called vncircumcisyon from that whiche is called circumcisyon in the flesh whiche circumcisyon is made by handes Remeâ—ber I saye that at that tyme ye were without Christ beyng aliantes from the commen welth of Israell and straungers from the testamentes of the promes and had no hope and were without God in this world But now by the meanes of Christ Iesu ye which somtime were farre of are made nye by the bloude of Christ For he is our peace whiche hath made of both one and hath broken downe the wal that was a stoppe betwene vs and hath also put away throw his fleshe the cause of hatred euen the lawe of commaundementes contayned in yâ— lawe written for to make of twayne one newe man in him selfe so making peace and to reconcyle both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse and slewe hatred therby and came and preached peace to you whiche were a farre of and to them that were nye For thorow hym we both haue an entraunce in one sprite vnto the father The yoke of Moses law is not layed vpon you For one onely law of Christian Charitie is sufficient to accomplishe all dueties The Iewes are not endebted to theyr lawe for theyr saluacion but yet you are so much more bounden to the goodnesse of god as you were more far of than they from the true wurshipping of god from true religioÌ„ Therfore yâ— ye may the more vnderstaÌ„de how muche you are bounden to the bountie of God for being nowe as ye are your duetie is to remember what ye haue bene afore tyme. For you were sumtyme Heathens after the corporall distinccion of kynred whome the nacyon of the Iewes bragging of their carnal circumcision that is done with handes name contumeliously vncircumcised and repute them for prophane persons and abhominable supposing this felicitie that was promised loÌ„g agoe by the oracles of the prophetes to belong peculiarely to themselues and not vnderstandyng that they be reputed as vncleane persones before God whose inward myndes are vncircumcised But you at that time were vncircumcised both in body and soule being so muche more abiect in miserable condicion than the Iewes in that ye had no hope of Christes benefite to youwarde that is to saye because you were vtterly astraunged aswell from the tytle and felowshyp of the nacion of Iewes vnto whome he semed to be peculiarly promised as also exileled from the couenauntes of God wherin he promised in saying to Abraham the father of that nacion In thy seede shall all nacyons bee blessed And to bee briefe there remayned no apparente hope of your saluacion in afmuche as being wurshippers of deuils ye had no knowledge in thys worlde of the true God where as the Iewes called him theyr God and he agayn called them hys people Neuerthelesse as soone as the trueth of the Ghospell shewed furth his lyght Christe turned the course of thynges vpsyde downe and broughâ—e so to passe that you whiche seemed nothyng to perteyne vnto God were no we knyt moste nere vnto him not by the circumcision of the foreskinne but by the bloud of Iesu Christ with the price wherof ye were not only deliuered from the sinnes of your olde conuersacion but also reconcyled vnto God the father In tymes paste you were at discorde with the Iewes yea you were at discorde with God but Christ the Autour of peace and concorde stroke away al the difference of circumcised and not circumcised he toke away the ceremonies of Moses law as it had bene a wall that deuyded the concord betwene the Iewes and the Gentiles so that two sortes of people beeyng afore most ferre different one from the other should agree and growe together in one vtterly expelling theyr olde grieues For before Christes cummyng the gentiles did wonderfully adhorre the Iewes obseruaunces as supersticious thinges and the Iewes contrariewise were in such conceipt with themselues by reason of their ceremonies that they held al such accursed as were without them Christ therfore by his woonderful deuise abolished and brought out of vse
with God long ago yea euen afore the world was made and in a maner opened vnto the prophetes by inspiracion albeit it was not playnly opened to the world as it is now by me that the Gentiles through onely fayth of the Gospel without helpe of Moses law should attayn saluacion yea in so much that the chiefest of the Apostles durst not admit suche as were not circumcised vnto baptisine But nowe it is playnely opened vnto the holye Apostles of Christe and to hys prophetes by inspiracion of the holy goste that the Gentiles through faith are so vnited vnto the Iewes that they are comen in to the felowship of yâ— selfe same enheritaunce and growe in to all one bodye reioycyng in theyr common head Christe and by reason therof are becomen partiners of all the proinisses that abyde suche as beleue the Ghospel of Christ to preache the which Ghospell autoritie is commytted vnto me and I ceasse not to dooe my commaunded office labouring constauntly hitherto in the Ghospels busines euen vnto emprisonmeÌ„tes and fetters not that I am any thing mete of mine owne strength for so painful a busines but he that appoynted that office to me hath laied his owne helping hande to the same And so it is that I being as concerning myne owne habilitie feble and weake am by his benefite strong and full of courage agaynst the stormes of al mischiefes I boast not myne own worthines for I coÌ„fesse that I am the least of Saintes but yet as litle as I am it hath pleased the goodnes of God to putte me in trust with this businesse of moste weightie importaunce that I shoulde publishe and preache among the Gentiles whiche before this time knewe nothyng of God the vnsearcheable richesse of Christ which he offereth plenteously to all men and bryng to lyght the thyng that before was hidden that the benefit of the ghospell is to be dispensed and ministred to all maner of nacions whiche beefore was supposed to be geuen onely to the Iewes although it was otherwyse decreed eternally of God the maker and gouernour of all thynges notwithstanding his will was to haue thys Counsayll of hys diuyne intente to be yet hitherto kepte secrrete whiche in these tymes he woulde so openly manifeste and that by the congregacion wherinto he powred suche aboundaunce of spirituall giftes that his manifolde wisedome whiche with wounderfull deuises disposeth all thinges through death geuyng life through shame exaltyng to glorye through humilitie aduauncyng Goddes maiestie whiche no man in times paste coulde haue Imagined shoulde nowe bee brought to lyght not onely to the brode worlde but euen to prynces and chiefeste of Angelles and deuilles that haue to dooe in the skyes and in the vppermoste parte of the ayer whiche thynges albeit they myght gesse should come to passe that mankynde should once be redemed yet this was not knowen by what reason the wisedome of God had eternallye decreed to bringit to passe whiche thing now at length was openlye knowen whan he sent his sonne into the world who hauing taken vpon him an humain bodye would by vnspeakeable meanes vnite and couple the congregacion to hymselfe whereof our lorde Iesus Christe should bee the head by whome like as Innocencie chaunced vnto vs in that that our sinnes were doen a waye euen so chaunced vnto vs an assured truste also that as children we shoulde not be afraied to approche vnto the father whose displeased countenaunce we durst not afore beholde For what shoulde we bee afrayed of hauyng suche a heade that in no wise suffreth any of his membres to perishe albeit here in the meane season we suffre sum affliccion The texte â–ª Wherfore I desire that ye faint not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whiche is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our lorde Iesus Christ which is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he would graunt you accordyng to the riches of his glorie that ye maye bee strengthed with might by his spirite in the â—â—â—er man that Christe maie dwell in your hertes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue mighte bee hable to comprehende with al sayntes what is that bredth aâ—d length depth and height and to knowe the excellente loue of the knoweledge of Christ that ye mighte bee fulfilled with all fulnes which cummeth of God Vnto him yâ— is hable to doe exceading aboundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in yâ— congregacion by Christe Iesus thorowâ—â—t al generacious from tune to tyme. Amen This secrete counsayle of God forasmuch as I preache boldely in euery place I suffre exceadyng punishemente of such as yet cannot possibly be perswaded of this matter But I beseche you let not myne affliccions whiche I suffre for your sakes anythyng disquiete or dismaye you For there is no cause why you shoulde be ashamed of suche an Apostle though I bee laden with fetters For like as the crosse of Christe is our glorie euen so my fetters which I we are not for any euill dedes but for the sinceritie of the Ghospel are for your honestie and no rebuke For the more displeasures we suffre with a constaunt mynd for the Ghospell of Christe the more entierly we cause the people to beleue that the promises of Christe are not vayne inasmuch as through assured hope of them we faint not for any displeasures of this life And it is not Ioyous to me onely to suffre for the ghospelles businesse but it also becommeth al men that are entred vnto Christe to folowe the example of their autour and head And truely for this cause sake I bowe my knees and praye earnestly euen from the botome of myne harte vnto God our father and the same the father of our lorde Iesus Christe of whome as the supreme head dependeth all spirituall kynred wherby by are incorporated together whether they bee angelles in heauen or faithfull people vpon earth and of whome onely as of the fountaine springeth whatsoeuer is belongyng to true felicitie that like as he hath begonne to declare hys aboundaunte glorye in you so he maye more and more augmente his liberall goodnesse to you ward that as you are engraffed to Christ through baptisme and as it were borne newe agayne so you maye gather courage and strengthe with daylye encrease not accordong to the bodye but accordyng to the mynde and soule that is to saye by the gyfte of the spirite of the father continually encreacyng in vs by whome we are made stronge and valiaunt to withstande al dredes of persecucion and that the constancie of your fayth maye be suche that you thynke surelye that Christe will neuer fayle you but rather dwelle in wardly in your hertes for the faythful trustes sake wherwith you commit your selues wholy vnto him For with such is he most specially presente as distruste theyr owne
strength and depende wholye of his helpe And this shall the rather come to passe yf hauyng a Ghospellike fayth you practyse also a Ghospellike charitie knittyng the oue to thother so as it maie vtterlye reste and take rote in your soules to the entent that being established and grouÌ„ded vpon this sure fouÌ„dacion you maye ware greater and greater in your spirite and after a certayn wise be correspondent to the vnmeasurable spirite of God that you maie grow and go forward so perfitely that not onelye with the Iewes but also with the vniuersall multitude of Sayntes whiche are encorporated to the bodye of Christe through the beliefe of the Ghospell you maie bee hable to comprehend how infinitely the goodnesse of God extendeth it selfe and how it is not restrained within narrowe bondes and limittes in heigth reachyng vp to the angels in depth pearcyng downe to the helles in length and breadth spreadyng it selfe vnto all coastes of the worlde and that you maye be hable also to vnderstand the inestimable charitie of Christe towardes mankynde whose knowledge excelleth all the knowledge of man how excellente so euer it be And that you may in these gyftes so encreace that as perfite and lustye membres you maye bee answerably mete for so noble a heade and so hygh a father For lyke as the bodyly byrth hath degrees of ages hath his encreases and hath his measure as long as his growing time endureth euen so this spiritual generacion also hath his childehood hath his springing time and than his perfite lusty growen age For these thynges I saye I praye often vpon my knees vnto God the father Which thinges in dede although thei be greate and far about mannes power yet I desyre them of hym whose power is so myghty that we cannot possibly Imagyne so great a matter but he is hable to dooe muche greatter and is so good and so gentill that he dooeth not onelye accoumplishe our desyres wyth his owne liberalitye but also geueth vs muche more than we can hope for And yet there is nothyng in this behalfe dooen other throughe our merites or powers For we are nothyng elles but the instrument of the diuyne power that woorketh his owne myghte in vs so that all glorye that florisheth in the congregacion is wholy to be ascribed to hys largesse through Christ Iesus by whose participacion the congregacion is endowed with so excellente gyftes and of this glorye there shall bee no ende but it shall endure through all ages to ternally like as the congregacion of Christ shal also haue none end That that I haue sayed is certayne and vndoubtedly true The .iiii. Chapter The texte I Therfore whiche am a prysoner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherewith ye are called with al lowlines and mekenes with humblenes of mynde forbearyng one an other thorowe loue and be diligente to kepe the vnitie of the 〈◊〉 thorowe the bonde of peace being one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling Let there bee but one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whiche is aboue all and thorowe all and in you all NOw inasmuche as ye perceiue from how vyle a condicion vnto what great dignitye from how depe desperacion to what excellente benefites you are called I beseche you for these cheines sakes wherwith I am tyed not for mine own faultes but for the glorye of God and your saluacion that asmuche as remaineth behynde you would conforme youre selues in honest coÌ„uersacion answerably to your professioÌ„ to the mercifulnes that God hath shewed to youwardes And that shal be doen in case the excellencye of your profession make you not to hygh minded nor to fearcely stomaked But see that all the custome of your life resemble in all thynges true modestye gentilnesse and lenyte of mynde so that one disdeyne not an other but euerye one suffre other through mutual charitie rather one bearyng with an others weakenesse for the tyme than whan euerye one goeth about to holde his owne with tothe and nayle you breake concorde and vniforme loue wherwith you are made one and vnited together through the bonde of peace For it is not conueniente that such mennes myndes should be deuided among theÌ„selues that haue so many thynges commune You are al one bodye you depende all of one heade you haue all receiued of one selfe spirite of Christ and you are also indifferentely called all into one hope of inheritaunce There is one lord of al Iesus Christ al haue but one profession of faith there is but one baptisme of al that by the meanes of Christes death is indifferently effectuall vnto all that beleue the Ghospell whether they bee circumcised or vncircumcised Finallye there is but one God and father of al that as the prynce autour of all thynges hath dominion ouer vs all in suche sorte that by his spirite wherewith he gouerneth vs he geueth hymselfe vnto all and kepeth continual residence with vs releuyng and helpyng vs in all thynges so that it is the gifte of onely one what good thyng soeuer we haue The texte Unto euery one of vs is geuen â—race according to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Wherefore he saieth when he went vp on hye he led captiuitie captiue gaue gyftes vnto men That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earthe He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all thinges And the verye same made some Aposties some Prophetes some EuaÌ„gelistes some shepeherdes and teachers to yâ— edifiyng of the saintes to the worke and ministracion euen to the edifiyng of the bodye of Christe till we all come to the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfeit man vnto the measure of the full perfeit age of Christe This ought in no wyse to hynder our concorde that the giftes of God bee not all after one sorte nor all alyke appearyng in al menne no more than we see the meÌ„bres of the body not agre or to be racked one froÌ„ an other because thei be not indiffereÌ„tly apte al to one vse or fele not al alike the influence of the head But this maner varietie ought rather to be the occasion of vnitie For inasmuch as no meÌ„bre of the body is hable fully to vphold himself of himself it commeth to passe that euerye one muste haue nede of an others offyce so that one maye not contemne an other But this distribucion of gyftes dependeth not of vs but of the wyll of God who distributeth vnto euerye man lesse or more as it semeth expedient in his owne syghte There is no cause why he shoulde bee disdeyned that hath lesse nor why he shoulde exalte hymselfe that hathe more That one is after Goddes measuryng thys other is after Goddes plenteous enlargyng and all by Christe which geueth
daye you shal bee dysseuered from the coumpanye of the eiuyll And trewelye thys spyryte is dryuen awaye and dyspleased with all kynde of vncleanesse and canne not abyde to haue a dooe wyth wrathe wyth reuengement nor with filthye communicacion he is peaceable gentyll and bounteous and yf you haue truelye receyued hym let al bitternes swelling and fearcenes be ferre from your conuersacion Let angre loude speakyng and scoldyng be so fer from you that no leauen of malice remayne in youre stomake whereof these manner of myscheafes are woont to budde out But rather bee you tractable and gentill among youre selues readye to haue mercie to pardone and to forgeue euery one other yf any thyng chaunce to bee dooen amyste through errour and mannes imbecillitie to forgeue I saye for Christes sake forasmuch as God hath forgeuen you your offences by Christe once for al how beit the lord hath forgeuen his seruauntes vpon this condicion that after his exaumple we should also euery one forgeue oure felow seruauntes For concorde can not possibly in any wyse continue among men onles thei can beare paciently euery maÌ„ with the faultes of others The .v. Chapter The texte Be ye therfore folowers of God as dere chyldreÌ„ and walke ye â—â— loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue hymselfe for vs an offeryng and a sacrifice of a swete sauer to God As for fornicacion and al vnclennesse or couetousnes let it not be once named among you as it be commeth sayntes or filthynesse or foolishe talkyng or testyng whiche are not comly but rather geuyng of thankes For this ye knowe that no whoremonger eyther vncleane persone or couetous persone whiche is a worshipper of ymages hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christe and of God Let no man deceyue you with vayne wordes For because of suche thynges commeth the wrath of God vpon the chyldren of disobedience Be not ye therfore companions of them Ye were sumtime darkenes but nowe are ye lyghtm the Lorde Walke as children of lyght For the fruite of the spirite consisteth â—â— al goodnesse and righteousnesse and trueth Accepte that which is pleasyng vnto the Lorde THan forasmuche as by the holy goste you are the children of God see that you bee lyke your father in holines of lyfe that you maye worthylye bee loued of hym for euer For truely thus shal he shewe hys loue towardes you perpetuallye yf you she we loue among your selues one vnto another And howe aboundauntelye greate the fathers loue was towardes vs it appeareth playnelye by hys sonne who loued vs so enteirlye muche that not onelye he hathe frely pardoned al our sinnes but also offred himself vnto death vpon the crosse to thintente where God the father was before displeased and angred with vs he should by meane of this sacrifice and offreyng of good sauour that smelleth swete in his prefence become louyng and mercifull vnto vs. This louyng charitie in case we folowe as it becommeth vs to doe we shal not onely be tractable yf any thyng shall chaunce to be committed agaynste vs but also we shall not drede if occasion so require for the commoditie of our neighboure to putte our lyues in daunger But nowe to what purpose neede we to speake earnestly vnto you touchyng suche vyces as be to filthye and to grosse as whoredome and al kinde of vncleanes and insaciable desyre of money from the which monstreous abominacions a Christian mannes conuersacion oughte to be so ferre alienate that it wer shame to haue theÌ„ once spoken of among theÌ„ For there be some thinges so execrable that an honeste pure harte woulde euen abhorte once to thinke of theÌ„ And it becoÌ„meth saynctes to be not only of honest cleane coÌ„uersacion but also to bee chaste mouthed of pure communicacion And we may not thinke it ynoughe to be pure of woorde and cleane of lyfe onely excepte we abhorte also to talke of foolishe friuolous fables and vayne flirtes and iestes whiche as in other they maye be tolerated or commended so truely in Christians they are nothyng â—â—â—â—e nor congeuenâ—e For Christians in theyr moste spedye Iournaye to heauen haue constinuall baâ—ayle with byees and so daungerous battayle that they canne haueno laysure to applye suche tryfles and sportes but rather they haue to wepe And whan the mynde woulde make merye because of good successe and well spedyng it oughte to make metye in hymnes and thankes geuyng to God Howebeit I knowe well ynough there be philosophers that teache Carnal copulacion out of mariage to be no sâ—â—â—â— because it is not punished by mannes lawe And that couetous besyre of money is no faulte because there is no temporall peyne appoynted vnto it But I woulde haue you vnderstande for a certayntye that whosoeuer is an who reâ—onger or spotted with any kynde of vncleanelustes or geuen to Couetousnes whiche forasmuche as he reposeth his principal felicitie in dumme transitorie substaunce is reckoned liteâ— better than a woorshipper of Images shal not be admitted into the enheritannce of Immortal lyfe that God hath promised his to â—nherite commoÌ„ly with Christ And if you thinke that this paine is but light than geue credence to them that goe aboute to perswade vnto you that those synnes are but lyght Suffer not your selues to be deceyued wyth sâ—che maner of vayne friuolous communicacion but take hede rather to the doctryne of the Gospell seyng that for suche maner of synnes althoughe they be not punished with mannes law yet the vengeaunce of God commonly falleth vpon the children of disobedience for distrusting the promysses of the heauenly father and â—â—posyng theyr felicitie in suche kynde of thinges Onte you diuorted youre selfes from suche mennes company and professed Christ It standeth you therfore in hande to beware that your conuersacion be not lyke vnto the â—â—â—ghtynesse of them that professe one waye and lyue ferre wyde an other waye The darkenes of Ignoraunce hath bene yet hitherto the occasion of erroure And the trueth of the Gospel is sprongen vp and wyped awaye all darkenes And you in tymes paste walked as in the darke night and committed the shameful vyces that are doen in the night But nowe God by the lyghte of the Gospel hath enlumined your hartes that you maye clerelye descerne howe a bominable the thynges are now that before appeared to be pleasaunt swete The nighte hath no shame and couereth many thynges that no man woulde bée bolde to dooe in the clere day Therefore see you ordre your conuersacion all together after suche sort as you forgette not to consider that you lyue in the daye and are alwayes seene to theiyes of God He that taketh a Iourneye in the night many tymes stombleth because he seeth not where he shoulde goe by And the daye on the other parte hath this commoditie it sheweth what is to be folowed and what is to be auoyded For it teacheth vs in euery condicion to flee from malice cursed speakyng and dissimluacion and in steede of
them to folowe goodnesse righteousnesse and trueth and generallye to marke rhat thyng alwayes not that is pleasyng vnto meÌ„ nor that is swete or delectable vnto vs but that which is acceptable vnto the wil of god after whose appointmeÌ„t our coÌ„uersacion ought altogether to be gouerned The texte And haue no felowship with the vnfruictful workes of darkenes but rather rebuke them For it is shame euen to name those thinges whiche are doen of theÌ„ in secret but all thinges when they are rebuked of the light are manyfest For whatsoeuer is manyfest the same is light Wherfore he saieth awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the lighte Christe is the fountayne of our dayelyght and yf you wyll continuallye cleane vnto hym your endeuour shal be to doe fruictefull honeste offices of godlines and suche as be worthye of the lyght and from henceforth be a shamed to haue a doe with the vnfruictefull workes of darkenesse Now therfore take so good hede that you sâ—yde not agayne into your olde former darkenesse that you may rather with your lyght bewray and reproue those naughty dedes that they coÌ„mit in theyr darkenes For whaÌ„ thei are not afraied to offend God as oft as the night or secrete place hath takeÌ„ away shame the thynges that they do than are so abominable that it were very shame euen once to make rehersal of them But as long as they offende whyle no lyghte appeareth â–ª they offende â—â—cenciouslye without punishement But as often as they are bewrayed with the open light than the vilenesse of the thyng begynneth to bee knowen and the faultes so beâ—wrayed are amended and turned into better that is to were whan the nyghte is turned into the daye and the blyndenesse of harte vtterly expulsed And yf your conuersacion be light they shal be ashamed of theyr owne filthynes whâ—n they see your Innocencie And than it shall come to passe that beeyng moued through your honeste godlye demeanour they shall bee styrred vp to Innocencie yf they see the lyght of Christe â–ª shynyng in you For in deede thus sayeth the prophete Wake thou that sleapeste and ryse vp from the deade and Christe shall geue the lyght It is a very deade sleape yea rather death it selfe to bee ouer whelmed with the pleasures of this worlde and not to respecte the thynges that are eternall and vnfeynedlye good And yet they cannot otherwyse awake nor by any other meanes returne to lyfe onlesse Christe spring into theyr hartes and wrpe awaye the grosse darkenesse of ignoraunce The texte ¶ Take hede therfore how ye walke circuÌ„spectly not as vnwise but as wise men aâ—oiding occasion because the dayes are euyll Wherfore be ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lord is and be not droncke with wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled with the sprite speakinge vnto your selues in psalmes and hymnes and spyritual songes singyng and making melodie to the Lorde in your hertes geuyng thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ submittyng your selues one to another in the feare of God Therefore you of the Ephesians vnto whome Christe our bryght sunne geueth hys clere lyght take hede and loke about you how and after what maner you walke not leadyng your lyfe nowe after the maner of the gentyles which through blyndenesse of harte perceyue not what is honest but as it becommeth them that vnderstande truelye the doctryne of the Ghospell and with losse of all you haue redeme this oportunitie to obteyne saluacion whiche the more gredelye is to be layed holde vpon yâ— this tyme is so perâ—ously naught and many thynges flowe in on euerie side that are hable to withdrawe vncircumspect men from the synceritie of Christian doctryne Therfore it standeth you in hand to take the more circumspecte hede that throughe vnaduisednesse you geue not occasion vnto the wicked yâ— eyther they maie be open aduersaries to the Gospel or elles drawe you backe from your profession This is the whole Summe of your saluacion and in this behalfe you ought to be warely wyse to wynke at other thynges and to declare that you vnderstande perfeitlye what the lordes wyll is For his desire is to haue al men brought to the saluacion of the Gospel if it were possible And it shal be requisite for such as take that busines in hand to bee sobre For drounkenship is hartelesse and vncircumspecte and not onelye harteles but also rashe and temerarious Therefore be in no wyse drounken with wyne whiche is a thyng vnnecessariâ— and prouoketh â—aâ—ciuiousnes but be you filled with the swete wyne of the holy ghoste For that is a fortunate ebrietie that can stirre vs not to wanton dauncynges or folyshe ballettes wherewith the gentiles crie vpon theyr deuilles but vnto psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songâ—s wherewith to reioyce and syng and make merye amonge your selues vnto the lorde not with vncomly yellyng noyses as madde drounken men are vsed to dooe but in wardelye in your soules and in your hertes This is a pleasure this is a loue this is a baâ—kette woorthye of Christians leste they shoulde excede the gentiles in drounken bankettynges After theyr drounken pastimes sorowe dooeth ensue and many tymes also disease of bodye But your myrth is a continuall merimente For whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you whether it bee gladnesse or whether it bee sadnesse gladnesse from our mercifull God sadnesse from hym that laboureth for your saluacion you are bounden alwayes to geue thankes for all thynges beyng assured that nothyng can happen but to the beste auauntage of your eternall felicitie But the thankes are to bee geuen vnto God the autoure of al good thynges to al menne and thesame is also the father and God of our lord Iesus Christe by whome he geueth vs all thynges and hym he wyll haue praysed in all thinges equally with himselfe Christ hath submitted himselfe obedieÌ„tly vnto yâ— father and in lyke case it becommeth vs to submmitte our selues vnto hym not that it besemeth a Christian to be a terrour vnto a Christian but those that reuerently folow Christ as apperteineth do not grudge to submit theÌ„selfes euerye one to other inasmuch as he beyng the supreme head of al hath submitted himselfe humbly vnder al. Let the inferiour acknoweledge the autoritie of the superiour And on the other syde let the superiour confourme hymselfe vnto yâ— capacitie of the inferiour so as yâ— rather he may do hym good For he that among Christians beareth moste rule ruleth to none other ende but to do the most good he caÌ„ The texte ¶ Ye wemen submitte your selfes vnto your owne housebandes as vnto the Lorde For the housebande is the wyues head euen as Christe is the head of the congregacion and thesame is he that ministreth saluacion vnto the bodye Therefore as the congregacion is in subieccion to Christe likewyse let the wyues also be in subieccion to theyr housbandes in
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
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
the angels of hys power with flaminge fyre whiche shall rendre vengeaunce vnto them that knowe not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Chryst whiche shal be punyshed with euerlastinge damnacyon from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorye of his power when he shall come to be glorifyed in hys saynctes and to become maruelous in al them that beleue because our testimonye that we had to you was beleued euen thesame daye Wherfore also we praye alwayes for you that our God wyll make you worthy of thys callyng and fulfyll all delectacyon of goodnes and the woorke of fayth with power that the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ maye be glorifyed by you and ye by hym accordynge to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ PAul and Siluanus and Tymothe vnto the company of the faithfull that are assembled in spirite at Thessalonica and be of one mynde towardes god our father and the Lord Iesus Chryst We are bounden to render aboundaunt thankes alwayes to god for his aboundaunt liberalytie to you warde in that you dooe not onelye through his helpe continue stedfaste in those thinges that you haue begon but also for that you daylye encreace excedinglye more and more in faythe and loue among your selues one to an other so muche that I thynke it not necessarie now to kyndle you vnto the applyeng of godlynes by the examples of other seyng we rather make boaste of you to the other coÌ„gregacions of god and enflame other vnto vertue by your example in rehearsing your pacience stedfastenes of faythe in all your persecucions and affliccions which you suffer that the iuste iudgemeÌ„t of god may be declared in you hereafter at suche tyme as whan you haue suffred vexacioÌ„ in this world for yâ— glory of his name he shal admit you into the felowshipe of hys kingdome And contrary wyse shall commit them vnto eternal punnyshement that haue persecuted you for malice of him For certaynly thys shall be the dealing of goddes righteousnes to pay vnto either parte rewarde worthie their dedes to them that punnyshe the innocent affliccion and to bestowe vnto you that are troubled with vs refreshing and comforte with vs in that daye whan the promisses of the gospel shall appeare and whan the Lorde Iesus shal shew himselfe out of heauen openly vnto the world not than after a lowe base degre as he did at his first commyng but waited vpon with the companyes of angelles as it is comelye for a myghtie prince nor than gentill and tractable to heale the wicked but armed with an horrible fierie flame to rendre vengeaunce vnto them that would not knowe god in this world nor obeye the gospel of our Lorde Iesus Chryste so as they shall fele by experience that he is righteous and mightie whom being mercifull and gentill they set naught by and so as at leaste they maye learne by their owne punyshmentes perforce to confesse the thinges to be true that the gospel spake of For they inasmuch as they neuer made end of their wicked doing shal suffer paines yâ— neuer shal haue ending whan they haue loked vpon the diuine face of the lorde and the maiestie of his power whoÌ„ thei coÌ„temned in this world as a rascal or a vile persone For at his first commyng he came to saue al men but than he shal come to shewe him selfe gloryous not in himselfe onely but in al his membres also that are godly people to the intent he may appeare wonderful in al them that beleue his gospel For in that daye the thinges shal be openly seen of al men in you which trusted in Christ at our recorde bearing where yâ— vngodly contemned them and would not beleue which daye that it maye be prosperous and ioyfull vnto you we ceasse not to praye to the lord continually for you that forasmuche as it hath pleased him to call you vnto the hope of thys glorye the same maye vouchesafe also to bee presentlye ready to helpe you in your trauaile thitherwarde that your conuexsacion be agreable to your profession and to consuÌ„mate and fynishe perfitely that which of his goodnesse he hath begonne in you and to geue strength vnto your soules that in manfullye bearing the vexations of the vngodly you maye declare howe myghtye the assured hope of eternal felycitie is in you for whose sake you passe not euen vpon the life of your bodies to the intent yâ— like as Christ glorified the father by his death was glorified of hym agayne by his resurreccion so the name of the lord Iesu Christ maye be glorified now by your sufferaunce and you glorified agayn by him in the daye of his commyng not accordyng to your owne desertes but according to the mercy of our god and of the Lorde Iesu Christe without whose helpe all that you go about were of none effect The. ii Chapiter The text We beseche you brethren by the commyng of oure Lord Iesu Chryste and in that we shal assemble vnto him that ye be not sodenly moued from your mynde nor be troubled nethâ—r by spirite neyther by wordes nor yet by letter which shulde some to come from vs as though thâ— daye of Chryst were at hande Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lorde shal not come except ther come a departyng fyrst and that the synful man be opened the soone of perdicyon which is an aduersary and is eralted aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth syt in the temple of God boastynge hymselfe to bee God Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thynges And nowe ye know what with holdeth euen that he myght be vttered at his tyme. For the mistery of the unquite doeth all ready worcke tyll he which now onelye letteth be taken out of the waâ—e And thâ—n shall that wycked bevttred whom the Lorde shal consume with the spirite of hys mouth and shall destroye with the appeareaunce of his commynge FVrthermore brethren we besech you by this coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ wherof we spake a littell afore and by the felowship of the glory wherby we being the membres shal be fastened vnto our head that you be not sodaynlye moued from the mynde you are in though his commyng be prolonged and be not astonyed in your myndes nether by feyned prophecie ne by probable assercioÌ„ nor by Epistle seÌ„t in our name as though the commyng of the Lorde were all ready at hand Let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes For the lorde shal not come onles a departing come first not afore the wicked man appeare the childe of perdicion who like as he is much vnlike vnto Christe so muche is he his enemy is exalted aboue the soÌ„ne of God aboue al that is called God or power that is deuoutly wurshipped so muche that he shall sitte in the temple of God shewing himselfe as God Doe you not
giue some cleanesse and puritie For whatso euer was there done perteyned chiefly vnto the bodye for that it stode in choyse of meates drinke whereas in very dede meate neyther purifieth nor defileth the soule and stode also in diuerse washynges and pourgations of the fleshe whiche were not instituted for this intent that they shoulde gyue manne perfyte ryghtuousnesse but bycause the people shoulde by these rudimentes and fyrste principles fall in vre by lytle and litle with true religion and by shadowes bee brought to veritie and made receyuable of bettre thynges whyche shoulde be opened by the doctrine of the ghospell when tyme shoulde come Here haue ye hearde the effecte of all the religion by reason wherof the Iewes do stande so muche in their awne conceiptes Nowe let vs compare the dignitie of our hie priest with these foresayde thynges The texte But Chryste beyng an hye prieste of good thynges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte tabernacle not made with handes that is to say not of thys buildyng nether by yâ— bloud of goates and calues but by his own bloud he enteed in once into the holiplace founde eternal redempcion For if the bloud of oxen of goates the asshes of a â—â—ng cowe when it was sprinkled purifieth the vnclene as touching the purifing of the flesh howe much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offred hymself wythou â—spot to god pourge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the lyuinge god For Christ beyng an hie priest a promiser and auctour not of corporal purificacion neither of the good thynges of this world whiche haue an ende but of euerlasting and heauenly good thinges entred not by the vayle wrought with mennes handes but by an other tabernacle not made wyth handes that is to saye not of this buyldynge the whyche as menne doe sette it vp so can they pull it downe agayne but by verie heauen entred I say into the places which are verely holy and verely farre from al infeccion of mortalitie not brynginge wyth hym the bloude of goates and calues therewith to pacifie Goddes wrath but his owne precious bloude whiche he shed for vs in the aulter of the crosse wherewyth he redemed not one nationalonelye but all mankynde from all synnes and that not one yeare but for euer vntyl the worldes ende so that they tournynge from their former myflyuynge know Christ and as muche as in them lyethe folowe hym in their lyfe and conuersation For what comparison is it to compare a domme beaste vnto Christe bothe God and man If so be that the bloud of Oxen and Goates or the brent asshes of a younge Cowe sprynkeled vpon vncleane persones clenseth them as touchynge a certayne carnall and figuratiue puritie and holynesse Howe muche more then shall the bloude of Christe who not by corporall fyre but thorowe the eternall spirite desirous of mannes saluation offered not a brute beaste but hym selfe a pure and vndefyled sacryfyce vnto almyghtye God the father puryfie not youre bodyes but youre conscyence from these workes whiche in very dede brynge death vnto the soule Hys death delyuereth vs from endlesse death and hys mooste pure spirite purifieth our spirite whiche was before vncleane In bothe purifications is bloude but yet is there a greate difference In bothe is death but an vnequall death In bothe is a spirite but the one is farre vnlyke the other For what thynge soeuer was there done by shadowes and certayne fygures the same Christ accomplished in dede The texte And for this cause is he the mediator of yâ— new testament that through death which chanced for the redempcion of those transgressyoÌ„s that were vnder the first testamente they whych are called myght receiue yâ— promise of eternal inheritance For where as is a testament there must also of necessytie be the death of hym that maketh the testament For the testament taketh aucthorite when men are dead for it is yet of no value as longe as he that maketh the testament is aliue for whyche cause also nether the first testameÌ„t was or dayned wythout bloude Bycause that he who in the olde testament made intercession and was a mediatour bytwene God and men broughte not the people to the perfyte state of innocencie therefore Christe succeded in his rowme and became a newe mediatoure of a newe testament to th entent that all synnes taken awaye thorow his death the whiche by that first testament coulde not be abolyshed and taken awaye but remayned in suche wise that they broughte vs oute of the fauoure of almyghtie God not onely the Iewes but also all tho whosoeuer haue bene called to Christes felowshippe maye nowe thorowe the doctrine of the gospell receyue the promyse and hope of theternall enheritaunce For wheresoeuer thys worde testament is hearde there must nedes be the death of him that maketh the testamente elles shoulde it be no testamente or yf it were it were of none auctoritie For the death of the testatoure makethe the same of auctoritie whiche hathe not as yet sure strengthe nor is ratifyed so longe as the sayde testatour is alyue Because it lyeth in hys power to altre it yf he wyll Wherefore forasmuche as that olde testament hadde also the name of a testament it was not ordeyned without bloude and death but of a beast and suche a beaste as elswise shoulde haue perished The texte For when Moses had declared all the commauÌ„dement to all the people according to the lawe he toke the bloud of calues and of goates wyth water and purple woolle and ysope and sprynkeled bothe the boke and all the people saying thys is the bloude of the testamente which God hath appoynted vnto you Moreouer he sprinkeled the tabernacle with bloud also and all the ministeryng vesselies And almoste all thynges are by the lawe purged wyth bloude and wythoute shedynge of bloude is no remyssyon For as it is reade in the boke of Exodus whan Moyses had read all the lawe of God vnto the people and declared vnto them what reward they shoulde loke after for kepyng the same and what punishement they should dreade yf they dyd not regarde it accordingly to th entent the couenaunt made betwene God and the people shoulde be confirmed he toke a cuppe and therein myngled the bloude of Calues and Goates wyth water and purple wâ—ll and sprynkled bothe the boke oute of the whiche he read the Lordes commaundementes and lykewyse all the people with â—sope sayeng Thys is the wytnessyng bloude and confirmer of that testament whiche God hathe commaunded you to kepe And was not onely contented thus to doe but sprynkeled also with bloude the tabernacle and all the holy vessels therein whyche they vsed in sacrifices Lykewyse in all other rites and approued customes what thinges so euer were purified accordynge vnto the prescription of Moses lawe were purified with bloude Neyther was there anye remyssion of synnes but by sheddyng of bloude The texte
afflictions taughte true vertue and godly lyuyng yf you be free from suche fatherlye correction verely it is a manyfest proofe that ye are bastardes not true natural sonnes If we haue not onelye suffred but also gyuen reuerence to oure parentes of whome we are begotten as touchynge the fleshe onely whyles they dyd wyth checkes and lashes teache vs the common behauiour of this lyfe not striuinge agaynst their autoritie but so interpretyng their doynges as thoughe howsoeuer they dalte wyth vs they dyd all of a frendelye mynde and good zeale towardes vs shall not we then muche more submytte and yelde our selfes to the heauenly father who is not onely the auctour of bodyes but of spirites fullye persuaded with our selfes herein that what euyls and aduersities so euer he suffreth vs to be afflicted with all he doeth neuertheles with a fatherly mynde prouyde for our soule health and saluation As the corporall father is not so cruell agaynst his sonne as to sley him but to preserue him and make him better so God chasteneth vs in this worlde to thentente we maye lyue for euer in the worlde to come And those parentes enstructed vs as they would them selfes oftentymes abusyng their autoritie and enstructed vs for a shorte tyme in thynges transitorie and suche thynges as wyll soone perishe as in those which perteyne to the gettynge and mayntenaunce of worldlye substaunce yea and many tymes hauyng an eye to their owne profyte they enstructed vs to thys ende bycause they would be holpen with our obsequious and ready deligence But this father who hathe no nede of vs alwayes regardeth our commodities and that our singuler profites and commodities For he goeth not aboute to haue vs enryched with earthlye goodes neyther to haue vs succede in the lyuelod of a fewe acres of lande but to giue vs his heauenly gyftes that is to witte holynesse in this world and in the worlde to come euerlastyng blysse and felicitie Whoso wyll earnestly consydre with hym selfe this so greate and excellent profite shall easely awaye wyth the temporal grief of this present life For when other parentes do correcte their children that maner of chastysyng hath in it no pleasure but payne and grief for the tyme presente yet after the children be come to mannes state and begynne once to perceiue howe muche good that payne dyd them then do they greatly reioyse that euer they were beaten and chydde and with lawghynge countenaunce rendre them thankes whom they suffred before with wepyng eyes Euen so the calamytie and miserye of this worlde is in the meane tyme whiles it hangeth ouer oure heades and vexeth these mortall bodyes greuous to oure senses But this payne this vexation and trouble wherwith oure soules also by reason of the societie they haue with the body are dysquieted bryngeth forth the quyet and swete fruite of rightuousnes in due season Affliction teacheth godlynesse godlines bryngeth the ioyes of a good mynd or cleare conscience a good mind bryngeth forth immortalitie Therfore lette no mannes harte fayle him in this most godly raase The sweate and labour is greate but the rewardes are hygh and excellente but the rewarde gyuer is faythfull The texte Stretche furthe therfore the handes whych were let downe and the weake knees so that ye haue straight steppes vnto your fete leste any halting turne you out of the waye yea let it rather be healed Folowe peace with all men holynes without the whych no man shall se the Lord. And loke that no man be destitute of the grace of God lest any rote of bytternesse springe vp and trouble therby many be defyled that there be no fornicaâ—â—â—r or vncleane person as Esau whych for one messe of meate sold his birthright For ye know how that afterward when be would by inheritaunce haue obtayned blessynge he was put by For he founde no place of repentaunce though he sought it with teares Folowe you stout wrastelers and lustye runners bestyre youre werye handes plucke vp your weake and foltryng knees and runne streygth to the marke that is set before you Let not the foote tournynge hyther and thyther wander out of the streyght waye Yea rather yf you haue wandered anye whit at all yf ye haue bene heretofore slacke in runnyng see ye make amendes with a newe lustie courage and cherefulnesse Neither is it ynough for you that euery man runne for his own behofe takyng no care for other yea rather be you so conioyned in peace and concorde that by a coÌ„mon diligence one of you be carefull for an other and take hede lest anye runnynge in this common course fall from the grace of God lest any lackyng that holynesse whiche becommeth the membres of Christ to haue and wythout whiche no man shal see God be oneâ—ous vnto the bodye and vnworthye to haue the chief game or reward which is set before vs gyuen hym And fynally lest anye roote of bytternesse sprynge vp and trouble the godlye endeuours of other whiche hasten vnto heauenlye thynges and beyng suffred to spread abrode defyle a greate manye with hys infection Let there be no fornicatour amonge you or any person that is otherwise vncleane and gyuen vnto the bealy For suche lustes and beastly desyres do let you to runne and cause you to tourne out of the ryghte waye and thus commeth it to passe that whiles you regarde suche coloured apparent good thynges ye loose that chiefe game and euerlastyng rewarde So for a suretye chaunced it vnto Esau who beyng hongrey solde his byrthryght for the pleasure of one mease of meate purchasynge himselfe perpetuall repentaunce for a small pleasure that endured but a while For this must you remembre to th entent it maye be an exaumple for you howe that afterwarde when he wente aboute to haue his byrthryghte restored vnto him agayne by his fathers blessyng he was put by and was neuer the better for his late repentauÌ„ce althoughe he testifyed by greate abundaunce of teares that he was sorye for his deedes That byttrenesse whiche springeth of hatered enuye and arrogaunce breaketh brotherly concorde pleasure of the bodye superfluytie and other desyres of fylthy thynges do defyle pure and holy liuyng Nowe these two thynges that is to witte concorde and pure lyuing must not decaye amonge you Neither can the one of them be without the other For amonge vncleane persones and synners there is no concorde wherwith God is pleased neyther can there be any good and vpryght lyuyng where as discorde and debate rayneth Therfore we ought also to take good hede leste we most folyshely exchaunge thenherytaunce of the kyngdome of heauen with the pleasures of this worlde The thinges wherunto we hasten are heauenly wherfore we muste come pure and cleane we must continually walke in the lyght of the gospell Oure holye lyuing must agree with so holy a profession You must nedes be answerable vnto your hye priest and his lawe in your conuersation The texte For ye are not come vnto
that neuer shal haue ende I haue written vnto you yongmen because you haue ouercome the ruflynge nycenesse of youth through the valiaunt strengthe of mynde and because you haue with a constaunte heart kepte the worde of the Gospell and haue by the helpe of Christ ouercome the Deuill the continuall enemye of mankynde Continue you styll in victorye contemne styll that whyche you haue hitherto contemned and loue more and more that you haue begon to loue The worlde enticeth by false imaginacions of transitorye goodes and frayeth with a vayne and false shewe of euilles As for you let those thinges fraye you whiche are euill in dede and neuer haue ende And let these thinges catche you that are good in dede and knowe none ende Folowe the lyght of the gospell and loue heauenly thynges whiche the heauenlye father promyseth vnto whom you are regenerate by Christ Flee the darknes of naughtie lustes wherby this worlde layeth bayte with countrefaict goodes It can not possiblie be that you can loue bothe at ones nor serue both at ones There is none agrement betwene God and the worlde there is no concorde betwene lyght and darknes whosoeuer loueth the worlde swarueth from the loue of God the father I speake not of this worlde which god made wherin we liue wil we nil we The wiked gredy desires of vayne thinges wherein the common sort of menne repose their felicitie forgetting the thinges that are truely good in dede I cal the world It is not the place howe farre of so euer it be not the raymente not the meate not the title that exemteth you froÌ„ the world but a mind that is pure from those desires yâ— I spake of And what hath this world that is not noisomly hurtful There are thre thinges yâ— it most chefely deceineth folishe vncircumspect folkes withall the voluptuous pleasure of the fleshe enticementes of the eies and hyghe statelynes and proude galauntnes of lyfe For it obiecteth certayne iugglinges of vayne pleasures to clawe the senses of the bodye withall for a tyme that the mynde maye in the meane while be called awaye from the studie of heauenlye good thynges For the desyre of suche maner of good thynges the heauenlye spirite suggesteth whom God the father geueth vnto his childreÌ„ that are truly regenerate by Christ The deuill hath also a spirite of his owne by whom he suggesteth a pernicious loue of thynges neyther true nor durable vnto them that haue bent themselues throughly vnto this worlde He suggesteth the naughtye sportes of lechery to title the meÌ„bres of the body withal through a folishe and a filthy itching delite He suggesteth the delite of fyne meates drinke to please yâ— paunche the mouth wÌ„al He suggesteth the swetnes of idlenes slepe that the mynde may waxe the more sluggishe throughe custume He suggesteth wanton songes and shameles fables to anoynt the eares withall He suggesteth the wanton enticementes of beawties and sondry kyndes of thinges to beholde to delite the eies withall He suggesteth the pompes and ioylitie of riches the occasions of ambicion Finally he allureth mennes myndes on euery parte awaye from the true and euerlasting good thinges vnto the vayne imaginacions of good thinges Let him that is entangled with the desire of these thinges knowe that he is not moued by the spirite of the heauenly father but by the spirite of the worlde The worlde lyke as it consisteth vpon elementes that endure but for a time euen so geueth it nothing but that whiche shall shortly perishe God like as he is eternall euen so geueth he freely euerlasting rewardes Therefore he that dependeth vpon the succours of the worlde foloweth a certayne felicitie that is both vayne and shall shortly be taken awaie which euen casualtie that commeth vnthought vpon plucketh away in this worlde or at lest age dispatcheth it Truly death that shall come vn to euery man plucketh quite awaye all the dreame of false pleasures Whan the mater is taken awaye the pleasure perisheth and sorowes come in place Whan the man is taken away al is gone to naught and euerlasting torment cometh in place But he that â—beieth vnto the father that calleth him vnto the loue of an heauenly lyfe his felicitie shal neuer haue ende For he that geueth it knoweth none ende The vnhurtfull commodities of this worlde are to be vsed for the tyme yea but smallye but moderately to the necessitie of nature not to the voluptuouse fulfylling of pleasure But the chiefe studye of mynde ought to be turned to the thynges that be eternall whereunto the vse of all other thynges ought also to be referred The text Lytell children it is the last time and as ye haue hearde howe that Antichrist shall come euen nowe are theremany begonne to be Antichristes already wherby we knowe that it is the laste tyme. They went out from vs but they were not of vs. For yf they had bene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs. But that it might appeare that they werenot of vs. Neuertheles ye haue an oyntment of him that is holy and ye knowe all thynges I haue not written vnto you as though ye knewe not the trueth but as thoughe ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of trueth Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe the same is Antichriste that denieth the father and the sonne Whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father he that knowledgeth the sonne hath the father also Let therefore abyde in you that same which ye heard from the begynnyng The felicitie of godly men doeth not yet appeare but it shal be manyfestly opened in the commyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ The wicked seme to lyue in the meane time swetely here in this worlde but euerlastinge sorowe heâ—geth ouerthem and that shortly For the laste tyme semeth to be present wherin the course of thinges being turned vpsyde downe those shall rayne with Christe that are formented nowe for Christes sake and they shal be brought to naught whiche be nowe rebelles agaynst Christe You haue hearde that Antichrist shall come who being armed with all the mayntenaunce and iugglinges of this worlde shoulde kepe warre against Christe and by and by when Antichriste is ouercomme againe the body of Christe shal be deliuered from all euils and the membres of the deuill shall be laden with the burthens of all euilles Therfore the commynge of thys Antichrist of whom the Apostles tolde you before semeth not to be farre of For thys worlde hath so muche preuayled agaynste the doctrine of the Gospell that there are begonne euen nowe all readye to be a great sorte that deserue the name of Antichrist whose lyfe and doctrine and all theyr hole studye is agaynst Christ For what appeare they to be elles than Antichristes gentilmen husshers and the last tokens of the plage to come For they do lesse hurt vnto Christes people that be vtterly strauÌ„gers from Christ than those that
and hathe to doe in them whiche being addicte to worldly delices fight agaynst the spirite of Christe The texte Lytell children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde They are of the worlde therfore speake they of the worlde and the worlde heareth them We are of God He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of god heareth vs not Herby knowe we the spirite of veritie and the spirite of erroure Dearely beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of god And euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God â—e that loueth not knoweth not god for God is loue In this appeared the loue of god to vs warde because that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we might lyue thorowe him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agrement for our synnes There is no cause why you should be afrayed of these sortes of men litell children Forasmuch as you are of god and haue his spirite you haue by him ouercome the Antichristes In dede you of youre selues are but weake but he that dwelleth in you is greater and myghtier than he that dwelleth in the worlde The deuill fighteth agaynst you by hys membres but God by his spirit defendeth you They forasmuche as they perteyne to the fashion of the worlde and haue receyued the spirite of the worlde are wisely skilled in the worlde and talke of worldely matters and their doctrine is acceptable gear vnto them which are also geuen them selues vnto the worlde No man dooeth lyghtly beleue that he is an enemye to those thinges whiche he behemently loueth They loue earthie thynges their doctrine sauoureth of the earth We are of god he that knoweth hym in dede he knoweth him that loueth him herkeneth vnto vs whiche teache heauenly thinges matters worthy of god He yâ— is not of god heareth not vs but abhorreth froÌ„ the gospelles doctrine which biddeth meÌ„ geue away their ryches defye voluptuous pleasures to reioyce in affliccions to esteme euen life it selfe of no value for righteousnes sake to loke for the rewarde of well done dedes in the resurreccion which they either beleue shal not come at all or woulde not haue it to happen which doctryne coÌ„maundeth also through sincere loue to spend euen a mans life for his neighbours sake where as the man of a worldely spirite prouideth for his owne coÌ„moditie at al handes yea euen with wronging of his brother By these tokens therfore you may knowe the true spirite of god from the false spirite of the worlde Therfore dearely beloued forasmuche as we are of god not of the worlde let vs loue eche one other let euery one serue his neighbours profites rather than his own for loue is of god He therfore that is garnisshed with this loue is borne of god doeth truly knowe god And he that is voide of loue hath not yet knoweÌ„ god because god hiÌ„selfe is loue He geueth him selfe vnto vs as often as he geueth vs his loue He hath declared his loue to vs ward that we should also declare ours towards our neighbour But some man wil say we acknowlage the soÌ„nes charitie but wherby doe we knowe the fathers loue towardes vs Forsothe by this that he sent his onely sonne than the whiche he hath nothing more dearer in to this worlde gaue him vnto death that we by his death shoulde atteyne euerlastyng lyfe And this is also a greater and a more notable miracle of loue that beinge prouoked by no good turne of ours he loued vs so e notablie He that loueth his louer agayne is nothing but thankeful and should haue no humanitie except he dyd it We loued the worlde and were turned from the loue of god and yet God loued vs fyrst and of hys owne accorde And when he was iustly offended at oure synnes neyther was there anye manne vpon yearthe boyde of synne that coulde reconcile vs vnto hym for it behoueth hym to be full of grace that muste make intercession vnto hym that is offended for suche as bee malefactors he sente hys sonne downe from heauen to sacrifice hymselfe vnto the father and with thys most pure oblacion to make hym mercyfull vnto vs. What canne be Imagined more notable than thys loue what can be thought more feruent what can be imagined more plenteous The texte Dearely beloued yf god so loued vs we oughte also to loue one another No man hath sene god at anye tyme. Yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs and hys loue is perfecte in vs. Hereby knowe wee that wee dwell in hym and he in vs because he hathe geuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and doe testifie that the father sent the sonne to bee Sauiour of the worlde Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god in hym dwelleth god and he in god And wee haue knowen and beleue the loue that God hathe to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in god and god in hym Herein is the loue perfecte in vs that wee shoulde haue truste in the daye of iudgemente For as he is euen so are wee in thys worlde I here is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynfulnes â—e that feareth is not perfecte in loue We loue hym for he loued vs fyrste Yf a man saye I loue god and yet hate his brother he is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene loue god whoÌ„ he hath not sene And this commaundement haue we of him that he whiche loueth god shoulde loue his brother also Dearely beloued yf God whiche hathe no nede of vs of hys owne accorde and wyllyngly hath so muche loued vs we ought also after hys example to loue eche one other The sonne of God shewed hym selfe visiblye vnto vs but no man hath sene God the father at any tyme with his bodily eies and yet he is perceyued by the euident tokens of thynges We feele hym angrye we fele hym mercyfull we fele hym to be absent we fele hym to be presente We are hable to testifie our mutuall loue towardes God by none other argumente than yf we loue euery one other lyke as he hathe loued vs. He loued vs frely without cause he loued vs for thys purpose to saue vs. Yf we loue eche one other after such wise god which is loue as I sayed abydeth in vs. It is a coÌ„mune loue to beare good wil to him yâ— deserueth well to loue hym that is hable to requite oure loue and to testifie our good will with one good turne for an other but yâ— loue of god is perfite towardes vs. He loued vs of his own accorde he loued vs being straungers he loued vs of whome no maner requitall coulde returne to hym agayne he loued vs eueÌ„ to the
losse of his onely begotten sōne If we loue our neighbour in a semblable wyse than the loue of God is perfite in vs declaryng also that God hymselfe is in vs. Lyke as all one spirite knytteth the membres of the body together and maketh them one body euen so the spirite of god doeth in a maner glue together and knytte bothe vs with hym and euery one to other and as it were dryueth perforce all into one And yf the spirite of god which inspireth into our heartes y◠loue of our neighbour be stronge in vs doubtles we knowe by thys token bothe that we abyde in God and God lykewyse in vs. Therefore he is an enemie vnto loue that denyeth Iesus to be the sonne of God whiche gaue hymselfe to redeme mankind But of this matter we were euen lookers vpō we sawe it with our eies we hearde it with our eares we handled it with our handes and of a matter so many waies prouedly knowē we beare witnes to the whole worlde that god sent his sonne to saue the world with his death in case it woulde repent from his olde errours and ordre the life of it from henceforthe accordyng to the rule of the gospell For he dyd not onely sende hym to saue the nacion of the Iewes but he gaue hym also to be a sauiour to al the whole worlde He therfore that confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god whom the prophetes had prophecied before shoulde come he abydeth in God and god in him For he knoweth the trueth and embraceth loue He acknowlageth not the loue of God towarde him that doeth no expresse it in his neighbour But as for vs we haue both knowen by experience and beleue with our harte and confesse wyth oure mouthe and expresse in oure workes the dedes that God hath bestowed vnto vs. It remaineth that we shoulde perseuer in that whiche is begonne and not to offende so as God be not bothe plucked awaye from vs and wee drawen awaye from God God as I sayed before is loue Therfore he that continueth styll in loue continueth styll in God and God lykewyse in hym because the mutuall knotte of the spirite of God abideth Wyl you also haue an other token geuen you whereby you maye trye whether the loue of god bee perfite in you If we know our owne conscience to be good and that we dreade not the daye of iudgement wherein they shall be seperated from Christe that haue not folowed Christ They shall quake when they shal heare that horrible voyce Departe from me But we looke for that daye with a trusty boldenes that is to were knowyng to our selues y◠lyke as he was conuersaunt in the world euen so are we also in the worlde He toke no maner of spotte of the worlde but cleansed the worlde from it owne fylthynes and drewe it as muche as in hym was into hys purenes Euen so wee also to oure powers are not onely not mingled with y◠worlde but also we rather driue it with teachyng of the gospell and chaste examples of lyfe vnto Christe The dreade of goddes iudgemente spryngethe out of an euyll conscience Feare therfore agreeth not with loue For loue encreaseth assured confidence which yf it be perfite shal dryue quite out of minde al feare But it is glad as often as that daye of iudgemente commeth in his mynde first hauyng a very good opinion of the good God and hauing it selfe a good conscience Loue causeth gladnes feare causeth formentynge sorowefulnes Moreouer he that is afrayed declareth hymselfe therin not yet to be perfite in loue As much as wāteth vnto loue so much encreaseth to feare For he is afrayed lest he shall not fynde God the iudge mercyfull vnto hym seyng he shewed hymselfe vntractable vnto his neighbour That daye shal openly declare who hath bene a true louer in thys worlde We loue God and no meruaile seyng he first loued vs. For we coulde not be hable to loue hym excepte he drewe vs vnto hymselfe with hys loue Thys same therefore that we loue God is hys benefite Finally in that we loue God we testifie it in louinge oure neighbour in whome he wyll be loued If a man wyll saye I loue God when he hateth hys brother he is a lyar For when the wycked of whom for the moste parte they doe not onely not loue God but also they beleue not that God is yet for al y◠they after a sort loue their neighbour either because he is their kynsman or ailiaunce or because he is acquaynted and familiar with them or at the leaste because man seeth the other to be a man lyke as the very beastes loue euery one hys own kynd by the instincte of nature howe shall he loue God whome he hath not sene at any tyme whan he hateth hys neyghboure whom he seeth Furthermore howe standethe it together that he loueth God that passeth not vpon the commaundementes of God If a man woulde crye I loue the kyng and for al y◠setteth naught by the kynges proclamacions would there any man beleue hym we haue thys speciall commaundement of oure Emperoure that he whiche loueth God shoulde also loue hys brother whether he bee good or badde Yf he be good let hym loue Christ in hym yf he be badde let hym loue hym to thys ende that he maye be conuerted vnto Christ The .v. Chapter The texte Whosoeuer beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God And euery one that loueth hym whiche begat loueth hym also whiche was begotten of hym By thys we knowe that we loue the children of God when we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For thys is the loue of God that we kepe hys commaundementes and hys commaundementes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And thys is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whiche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This Iesus Christ is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water and bloude And it is the spirite that beareth witnes because the spirite is trueth For there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and the holy ghost And these thre are one And there are thre whiche beare recorde in earth the spirite and water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receyue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater For thys is the witnes of God that is greater whiche ▪ he testifie of his sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of God hath the witnes in himselfe He that beleueth not god hath made hym a lyar because he beleued not the record that god gaue of his son And thys is the recorde howe that God hath geuen vnto vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not the sonne of god hath not lyfe WHo soeuer beleueth that Iesus is
Christ that is to say him of whom we must nedes aske al the succoures of our salnacion and beleueth that in his hearte he is borne of god and is called alredy into the nūmbre of the sonnes of God In dede he can not chose but loue the is a sonne Thā whosoeuer loueth him heartely that is y◠father loueth him also the was borne of him that is to wete his brother with whome he hath all one commune father By this tokē we proue that we doe truly loue y◠children of God yf we first loue God him selfe heartely For there is nothing truely loued except it be loued for his sake Than that we loue God it shall euidently so appeare yf we kepe his commaundementes and kepe them chearfully and gladly for his commaundementes are none otherwyse greuous For what is greuous to the louer what is greuous to him that goeth post haste to suche maner rewardes The worlde obiecteth terrible appearaunces of euilies pouertie vanyshement slaunder enprisonmentes whippinges deathes It is a great fraye but the victorie is made readye For what soeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde But with what furnitures doeth he ouercome y◠worlde with riches with garisons of men with engines of warre with worldly learning no no they ouercome the worlde as cruelly rageing as it is throughe a stedfast onely faithe wherwith they committe them selues wholy vnto God their protectour Thy riches are snatched awaye yea but what sayeth faithe to that Thou haste a treasure in heauen Thou art throwen out to be a vanished man yea but the countrey of heauen loketh for his countreyman Thy body is turmoyled with tormentes yea but with them are bought euerlasting ioyes Death is deuised for the yea but after it shall folowe lyfe that neuer shall dye Who is it than that ouercometh the worlde not a lorde not the riche man not a philosopher not a kyng but he who soeuer he be that beleueth verely that Iesus is the sonne of God Beleue that which he hath promised and it shal nothing moue thee whatsouer the worlde purposeth against thee He ouercame the world first atteyned immortalitie he came into this world hauīg takē our mortal body to get the victorye for vs to shew the meane of victorye getting to cause y◠rewardes to be certaynely reckoned vpon But with what furnitures came he armed withall He came by water and bloude euen Iesus Christe by water that he myght washe vs cleane from our synnes by bloude that he myght geue vs immortall lyfe Hys owne wyll was to be baptised beinge cleane voyde from all synne that he myght frelye geue vnto vs innocencye hys owne wyll was to dye on the crosse that he myght open vnto vs the waye vnto immortalitie He dyd not onelye testifie by these two tokens that he was Christ and the sauiour of the worlde in that he receyued baptisme as a synfull man in that he dyed as a malefactour where he one onely none among all but he was Innocent from all synne but the spirite also appearynge in the likenes of a doue bare recorde of him that it was he whō the father had geuen to be the sauyour of the worlde For the spirite is also the trueth as the father and the sonne is there is one trueth of all like as there is one nature of all For there are three in heauen that beare recorde vnto Christ the father the worde and the spirite the father whiche sending once and eftsones a voice downe from heauen testified openly that he is his dearly beloued sonne in whom nothing coulde doe amisse the worde whiche hauing done so many miracles whiche in his death and resurreccion declared him selfe to be the true Christ bothe God and man the peacemaker betwene God and men the holy gooste whiche descended vpon his head whan he was baptised and that after his resurreccion fell vpon his disciples And of these three there is all one most perfite agrement the father is the autor the sonne the messanger the holy goost the remembrauncer There are three thinges also on earthe that beare recorde vnto Christ his humayne spirite whiche he put from him one the crosse the water and the bloode that ranne out of his syde whan he was deade And these three witnesses doe agree The other declared him to be God these recorde that he was man Iohn also bare witnesse And yf we receyue witnesse of men it is reason that the witnesse of God be of more importaunce with vs. For the testimonie of God the father is manifest Thys is my VVelbeloued Sonne in VVhom I am pleased heare him What thing can be spoken more plainly or more fully he that beleueth truly in goddes sonne Iesus Christ and hath reposed al the succours of his lyfe in him so that trusting in his promisses he contemneth all thinges that this worlde can make a shewe of whether they be amiable or dreadfull hathe a witnesse in him selfe and beareth witnesse vnto the sonne of God For whan throughe thinspiracion of the spirite of Christe he defieth euen deathes for his loue he beareth no trifling witnesse vnto mē that they are no vaine thīges that Christ hath taught and promised He that trusteth not in god but putteth his trust in the worlde he as muche as in him is maketh god a lyer whiche hath promised felicitie vnto them that woulde herkē vnto his sonne Iesu Christ where as he in his conuersaciō teacheth that felicitie is to be asked of the worlde cleaueth so vnto the cōmodities of this lyfe as thoughe nothing of a man remayned after the deathe of the bodye The father cryeth Heare him And his lyfe that beleueth not sayeth Heare the worlde For whan the sonne prayed the father that those whiche beleued or shoulde beleue in him might haue eternall lyfe the fathers voyce was heard testifiyng as by the sound of a trompet that his prayers should be allowed The father therfore hath geuen vs euerlastyng lyfe shewinge of whome it should be asked euen of his sonne Iesus Christe His doctrine who soeuer embraceth his example whosoeuer foloweth hys promises whosoeuer trusteth vnto he bothe possedeth the sonne and hath life the pledge wherof he kepeth in the meane time euen the spirite of god throughe the vndoubted confidence whereof he is bolde to call God father He that is a straunger from the sonne is estraunged also from lyfe The texte These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god that ye maye knowe howe that ye haue eternall lyfe and that ye maye beleue on the name of the sonne of god And thys is the trust that we haue in hym that yf we aske any thyng accordinge to hys wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heare vs whatsoeuer wee aske we knowe that we haue the peticions that we desire of hym If any man see his brother sinne a synne not vnto death let hym aske and he shall geue hym
and of all thinges that he sawe Happye is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophesye kepe those thinges which are wrytten therin For the tyme is at hande VNto our sauiour Iesus Christe after his manhode was geuen of god his father not onely all sufficiencie and fulnes of grace but also the knowledge and reuelacion of all suche secret mysteries as shoulde happen from tyme to tyme in Christendome vntyll suche tyme as he shoulde come againe vnto the lattre iudgement whiche secretes our sauiour Christ dyd reuele and open throughe his angels vnto his electe seruauntes and specially vnto holy S. Iohn I meane vnto that Iohn whiche bare wytnes of the worde of god and of Iesus Christ and dyd recorde all suche matters and doctrine as he himselfe had sene and lerned Whiche doctrine shall be very profytable vnto euery one that shall reade vnderstande this prophecye so far as he shal endeuer himselfe to lyue therafter preparinge appointynge himselfe thorowe a true faith and a christen conuersacion to please the lorde in this lyfe whiche is shorte and transitorye and the ende therof vncerten ▪ The texte ¶ Iohn to the seuen congregacions in Asia Grace be vnto you peace from him whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come and from the seuen spirites whiche are before his trone and from Iesus Christ whiche is a faythful witnes and first begotten of the dead and Lorde ouer the Kynges of the earth Vnto him that loued vs wasshed vs from our synnes in his awne bloude and made vs kynges and prestes vnto god his father be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen In lytle Asia were notable churches and congregacions set vp institute of the holy apostles speciallye of S. Paule vnto whiche also S. Peter wryteth confirmeth them in the faythe and vnto the same dothe S. Iohn wryte specially in consyderacion that this doctrine shoulde concerne all churches generally whiche were at that tyme standynge or shoulde afterwarde be institute thorowe out the whole world And he wysheth vnto them all as muche good as he can thincke or dyuyfe from god whiche is onely the gyuer of all good thinges is and remayneth for euer vnmutable ruleth gouerneth all thinges wherunto he vseth the ministraciō seruice of his angels which are infynyte in nombre whiche thing the nombre of seuen dothe sygnifye accordynge vnto the vse of holy scripture And with this eternall father holy spirite one god reygneth our lord Iesus Christ which is appointed to be the ruler of al thīges in heauen earth of al sensyble creatures both gostly as the spirites are bodily He in his mans nature for very loue toward mankinde was sēt for the comforte and wealth of y◠who le world testifyed most faithfully vnto al the world the wil of his father in the gospel accordyng as it was before promysed in all the prophetes that he shoulde be the founder and performer of the newe testament and should be offered vp and dye for the synnes of the whole world and in the resurrectiō or vprisynge againe of the bodye and soule he shoulde goe before all the resydue of the faythfull and be their guyde vnto euerlastynge lyfe whiche lyfe he onely hath meryted and purchaced thorowe his perfyte obedyence vpon the erosse vnto death And therefore is he exalted as concernynge his manhode aboue all creatures and hath receyued the moost worthiest and hyghest name and tytle that can be named eyther in this world or in the worlde to come And he hath purchaced and deserued for all the holy elect children of god the honour and glorye of the euerlastynge kyngdome and also grace to rule and gouerne our selues vertuouslye and to offre vp dayly and continually a pleasant sacryfyce of thanckes geuynge in true faith in god thorow Iesus Christ Vnto hym therfore alone parteyneth all honour and glorye The texte ¶ Beholde he commeth with cloudes and al eyes shal see him and they also which pearsed him And all kynreds of the earth shall wayle ouer him Euen so Amen Euen in despyte and against the wyll and mynde of all them that crucifyed Christ and woulde not take nor knowledge him for a kyng yet he commeth in the hyghest maiestye whiche excelleth all glorye and power of all otherkynges that euer were and nowe sheweth hym selfe and appeareth thorowe fayth vnto all his electe as the very messias and sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long desyered and loked for And whan he shal come at the latter daye to iudge the quycke and the deade than shall all the Iewes and vnfaythful whiche despysed him at his first commynge whan he came with suche humblenes crucyfyeng and putting him to death and woulde not receyue nor knowledge hym for a sauioure and a messias they shall than see him with feare and tremblyng and he shall appeare dreadfull vnto them The texte ¶ I am Alpha and Omega the begynnynge and the endynge sayeth the Lorde almighty whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come I Iohn your brother and companion in tribulacion and in the kyngdome and pacience in Iesu Christe was in the yle that is called Pathmos for the word of god and for the witnessynge of Iesus Christ This doth Christ speake to declare his godly maiestye and his eternall substaunce his almyghtye power without ende or begynnynge And he speaketh after the maner of the grecians amonge the whiche Alpha is the first letter Omega the last And after this speaketh S. Iohn the Euangelist again of his owne parson without any worldly boasting reioysyng as it becommeth a Christē man not in any honour or ryches of the world nor yet in any holynes the is in himselfe but onely in the affliccions persecuciōs pacience mysery partycypacion of the rightuousnes in Christ wherof he is a witnes a partener in sufferyng for Christes sake which thing hapned vnto him for the gospel by the procurement commaundemēt of Domicianus the Emperour which would haue bene honoured for a God where as Iohn taught that the onely lyuynge god and none els ought to be honoured and called vpon For y◠whiche cause Iohn was banyshed sent into Pathmos where god dyd shewe this reuelacion vnto him bad him wryte it so by that meanes thorow his wryting to set furth to further the glorye of Christ in his banyshemēt more thā euer he had bene able to haue done with his wordes or preachinge onely yf he had styll remayned amonge his frendes in his countrey The texte I was in the spirite on a sondaye and hearde be hynde me a great voyce as it had bene a trempe saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the sast That thou seest wryt in a booke and sende it vnto the seuen congregacions whiche are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamos and vnto Thiatira and vnto Sardis and vnto Philadelphia
also all that is abhominacion vnto the lorde as ydolatry abhominable blasphemies forged lyes false doctrine shall haue no place in the right churche For vnto the right holy churche which is knoweÌ„ onely vnto God and inuisible vpon earthe doe onely the electe children of God perteyne whose names are wrytten in heauen in the booke of the lyuynge ¶ The .xxii. Chapter The texte ¶ And he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe clere as Christ all procedyng out of the seate of God and of the lambe In the myddes of the strete of it and of eâ—her â—yde of yâ— ryuer was ther wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of frutes gaue frute euery moneth and yâ—â—eues of the wood serued to heale the people with al. And ther shal be no more cuâ—se but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal se his face his name shal be in their forheades And ther shal be no night there and they nede no candle nether lyght of the sunne for the Lorde geueth them lighte and they shall raygne for euermore CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes as farre furth as is requisite necessary for the christen doctrine And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water very clere whiche is the holy scripture the worde of god the doctrine of Christ the holy gospel of our saluacioÌ„ That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart mynde not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue care of yâ— worlde nor with any temptacions of the flesshe This holy doctrine procedeth commeth out froÌ„ the holy spirite of god and of Christ For he is one God with yâ— father the sonne He is the seate of glorye of omnipotencie of the godheade He procedeth out from the welspring of all wysedom grace mercye and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche which is the citie of god of the lambe And of both sides of yâ— riuer doe staÌ„de glorious bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase their leaues and frute of the moysture of the riuer And these trees are the holy fathers of the faithful christen churche of the olde new testament whiche by their faith and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture of the lawe of the prophetes and of the gospell haue lyued taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes that is to saye many frutes and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good woâ—kes and vertuous exercises The leaues frute and sappe of these holy trees were very holsome and soueraine as were also the frutes of the dysciples of the prophetes and apostles For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde dyd make repentance faithfull holy and christen people by their preachinge â—eachinge wrytinge prayers and christen example of lyfe of them whiche were before very hethen And in this churche there is no cursed frute and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge and with all temperatenes and measure Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God but he shall prouyde ministers of God and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence that they shall profyte goe forwarde and procede frutefully in all goodnes and thorowe true faithe they shall knowe the face of God his gracious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant warrfarynge churche but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face euen as he is and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly And these ministers and seruantes of God shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse the name of god the christen faith the holy gospel They shal beare about preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly with ioy delyght and pleasure And neyther Sunne nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge for the spirite of God shall doe all together And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne and Moone the glasse of the godheade the excellent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore The texte ¶ And be sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithful and true And the Lorde God of saintes and prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche must shortly be fulfylled Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth the sayinge of the Prophecy of this boke I am Iohn whiche saw these thinges and hearde them And wheÌ„ I had hearde sene I fell downe to worship before yâ— fete of the angel which shewed me these thinges And he said vnto me sâ— thou â—â— it not for I am thy felow seruaunt the felowe seruaunt of â—hy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the saynges of this booke But worshippe God Christ speaketh vnto Iohn and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken thorow an angell vnto Iohn that he should write it and should leaue it behynde him in yâ— faithfull and holy churche of Christ Euen yâ— same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come the very same God hath now sent his angel geuen him in commission to open reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come whiche should happen come to passe be fulfilled very shortly yâ— is to say they should shortly begin so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte forme yâ— we should carfully diligently wayte for it continuallye lyke as true faithful seruantes doe waite watche vpoÌ„ yâ— returning of theyr masters doe neuer slepe as Christ teacheth in yâ— gospel And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell that he is happye that is to saye he is the seruaunte of God and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be partaker of grace and saluacion whiche beleueth this booke â–ª taketh all thinges that are written therin for true holy and estemeth yâ— prophecies of this boke whiche are many and diuerse no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes other holy prophecies And where as he saieth â–ª I
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
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