pray you what necessary thing dyd Christen people wante before Popes ordeyned the Letanye to be songe and sayde in the Churches / but as for prayenge to sayntes departed / I wyll nat muche contende in this matter I wyll nat condemne them that do desyre theyr prayers / nor yet commende them I thynke it an indifferente thynge / that may be done well and omyttyd / and nat as a thyng necessaryly to be done / or that he shulde be counted as an heretyke that shulde nat pray to sayntes / or he a good christenman for that worke that shulde desyre the prayers of sayntes departed I thinke it shuld be more for the honour of god / for the true fayth to be had amonges christen men / to withstande the opynyon of Sayntes nowe had / that no prayers shulde be made to sayntes departed Then if any shulde desyre Sayntes to pray with them / and for them Yf this my mynde do agre with the scriptures take it / Yf nat refuse it I wyll nat be obstinate in this matter / I wolde be glad to lerne the veryte by the holy scriptures Whiche in al doutes is able to try out the trueth yf we wyll be delygent to searche / and leue mannes fantasyes and dreames / whiche hathe blynded vs longe that we coulde nat se the trueth But nowe let vs retourne agayne to saynt Paule ☞ Nowe therfore ye are no more gestes and strauÌ„gers / but citesyns with the sayntes and of the householde of god buylded vpon the fuÌ„dacion of the Apostles and prophetes where Iesus Christe is the heade corner stone in whom euery buyldyng coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the Lorde in whome ye are buylded also together to be an habytacion of god in the spyryte ¶ Before saynte Paule fayde they were gestes and straungers to the householde of God / nowe he sayeth they be no more straungers but of the householde of god cytesyns of sayntes made by Christe / before they were farre frome the householde of Israel / nowe they be receyued to be of the householde of Israel / that is to saye they be made felowes of sayntes that is of the Iewes whiche counte them selfes sayntes in comparyson to the Gentyles and parte takers of the heuenly inherytaunce and of euerlastyng helth by Christ buylded vpon the fundation of the Apostles prophetes / that is to say vpon Christ vpon whome the Apostles and prophetes dyd buylde and made Christe to be theyr fundacion for as Saynte Paule sayeth 1. Corin. 3. No man can set an other fundacion besyde that fundacyon set whiche is Christe Iesus / and nat the Byshoppe of Rome For Christe is the heade of the Churche and of all them that beleueth / nat the byshoppe of Rome / and Christe is the corner stone that kepethe and ioyneth the buyldynges together that couples the Iewes and the Gentyles together / by his spyryte kepeth them bothe in vnite and concorde / fayth / hope / and charite / in al goodnes Saynte Paule sayenge the Gentyles beleuynge to be buylded vpon Christe the fundation of the Apostles and prophetes / reproueth al them that sayeth or thinketh the byshoppe of Rome to be the fundacion vpon whome Christe hathe buylded his Churche / for that fundacion is Christe none other Neyther the byshop of Rome nor yet no other man / creature / nor Angell But Christe is the fundacyon of all faythfull byleuers the corner stone that wyl nat be remouid with no blast of wind 3 Euery buyldynge vpon Christe dothe growe and encrease in an holy temple to the Lorde Here he sheweth the difference bytwene the buyldyng buylded vpoÌ„ christ and vpon other thynges or creatures / yf it be buylded vpon Christe / it wyll stande and encrease yf it be buylded vpon man / or vpon maÌ„nes inuentions / dreames and phantices it wyll fall and decaye at euery blaste of wynde or tempest whiche thyng dothe agre with Christes saynge Ma. 15. Euery grafte that my father of heueÌ„ hath nat grafted shal be plucked vp by the rotes Here we may lerne / pylgrimage / pardon / payntyng of Images to be honoured / nat to haue bene of god MoÌ„kes / Freers Chanons and suche lyke religion of men inueÌ„ted / nat to haue ben of god / for they decay and fall awaye / and theyr fayned religion lytle set by Also all these that go nat forwarde frome vertu to vertue and encrease dayly in vertue / nat to be buylded of god For the buyldyng of Christ encreaseth dayly and be made more and more the habitacle 1. dwellynge place of God by the holy Ghoste by whome they encrease / whiche wyll nat suffer them to be idle / vnprofitable to other / or euyl occupyed / but moueth and styrryth alwayes to do the wyll and pleasure of god / and suffreth nat his to be idle or euyll occupyed ¶ The thyrd chapiter to the Ephesyans FOR this cause I Paule am a prysoner of Iesus Christe for you hethen accordyng as you haue harde of the office of the grace of god which is gyuen me to you warde For by reuelacion was thê mistery shewed vnto me as I wrote aboue in few wordes wherby whan ye rede yt / ye may perceyue myne vnderstandynge in the mystery of Christ whiche mysterye in tymes paste was nat opened vnto the chyldren of men as it is nowe declared to hys holy Apostles and Prophetes by the spyrite namely that the hethen shulde be inheritours also And of the same body and ê‘takers of his promes in Christe by the Gospell wherof I am made a mynister accordynge to the gyfte of the grace of god whiche is gyuen me accordyng to the workyng of his power SAynt Paule here merueylously doth bryng and get to hym the fauour and the beneuolence of these Ephesyans / in that he sayeth and truely sayeth that he suffered prisonment / and was in stockes in fetters for theyr sakes for theyr helth and saluacion / that is to saye because he preached to the Ephesians and to other Gentyles the Gospell of Iesus Christe / of the whiche Gospell preached the Ephesyans and the other Gentyles receyued fayth in Christ Iesu / and so through faith came to lyfe and eternall saluation For this cause and for none other Paule was caste in prison in cheynes and in fetters at Rome by Nero the Emperour wher he was when he wrote this Epystle / and in pryson / and therfore he sayeth I Paule the prisoner of Iesus Christe bounde fast inprisone nat for myne owne sake or for my cause / but for Christe sake and for his Gospell / whiche was the helthe of the GeÌ„tyles When these Ephesyans shulde here these thynges / howe coulde it be but they muste nedes fauoure and loue Paule and embrase his doctryne whiche for Christes sake and for theyr healthe and saluacyon was in prison and suffred paynes for their cause Kynde men can nat but they muste loue
and callynge and that only for god / haue no respecte to our selfe Thus we maye heare / knowe what frute commeth of the worde of god preached / that is to saye / throughe the holy spirite is gyuen / certantye of goddes fauour / knowledge of goddes wyll / of our offyce and dutye bothe to god and also to our neighbour and lyfe euerlasting ¶ Wherfore also in so muche as I haue hearde of the fayth whiche ye haue in the lorde Iesu of your loue vnto the sayntes / I cease nat to gyue thankes for you / make mentyon of you in my prayers / that the god of our lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory may gyue vnto you the spirite of wisdome / open vnto you that knowledge of hym selfe and lyghten the eyes of your vnderstandynge that ye may knowe what is the hope of your callynge and what the ryches of his gloryous inheritance is vpon the saintes Saynt Paule here sheweth the offyce of one christen man toward an other / that it is to geue thankes to god for fayth / hope / charyte / other gyftes spirytuall geuen to other of god And in this he teacheth christen men what they shulde do when they heare that the worde of god is puerly truly preached without all dregges of mans inuentyon dreames / or phantasyes / and that other receyue faythe and exercyse the workes of charyte to the pore people / that they shuld gyue laude prayse and thankes to the lorde for it / to desyre of god that they may continue in the truth go forward in it / and encrease euery day more and more in all godly knowlege and spirytual wysdome that they maye knowe what is the hope / that is to saye the thyng that they hoped for / whiche is the heuenly inherytaunce whiche they hope and loke for to the whiche god hath called them / these be the dutyes of a chrysten man one to an other to wysshe and desyre of god / and nat to be sory that so muche spirytuall knowlege of God be shewed to the rude and ignoraunt people as is nowe shewed in our tyme. And here Saynte Paule reproueth those that be sory that there is so muche knowledge of goddes worde shewed and opened to the symple people as is / it checketh also all them that dysswadeth the laye people vnlearned / from the hearynge of the worde of god from the readyng of it / from the study of it 22. Vertue can nat be byd where someuer it is but it wyll be knowen although they wolde it shuld nat be knowen that do vertuously to auoyde prayse of men / as the fayth and charyte of these Ephesians came to Paule in prison / for the whiche Saynt Paule praysed them / and vertue shal not lacke his prayse or reward in this worlde / or at the lesse in the worlde to come 23. Saynt Paule commendeth these Ephesians / nat for theyr goodly temple / nor yet for their noble worshyppinge of Diane / nor yet for their religyouse men called of dyuers sectes / and of dyuerse habytes / for theyr goodly syngynge in the queare / or theyr orgaynes and playeng in their churches / or for other goodly ceremonyes / nor for their tapers / torches / carued paynted / or gylded Images / or for theyr goodly greate belles or multitude of masses or suche lyke / but for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ / and their charyte to the poore people that hathe nede of helpe and socour And Paule cōmendeth them nat bicause he wolde make them proude / but bicause he wolde prouoke them to go forwarde and continue in faythe and charyte / and encrease them euery day more and more / and that they shulde knowe good workes nat to lacke his reward with god in the world to come 4. In this prayer he teacheth vs what thynges we shulde desyre of god in our prayers / that it wolde please God to gyue vs the spirite of spirytuall wysdome and knowledge / that we myght be lyghtened with all godly knowledge / that we myght knowe howe ryche is our hope in the thynge we hope for / the heauenly inherytaunce / vnto the whiche Christ hath bought vs with his preciouse bloude shed for vs / of this place we maye learne that we can not knowe what is our hope / glorye / and inheritaunce whiche we loke for after this present lyfe / except that God shewe it to vs by his spiryte of wysdome and knowledge / and open our eyes that we may see and perceyue it And to optayne this spiryte of God / and that we maye euery daye encrease more and more in this diuyne knowledge / saynt Paule moneth vs to praye to god which alone doth geue this spiryte This place maketh agaynst them that wolde the ignorant symple people shulde haue no furder knowlege of god then be conteyned in the pater noster / and to be contented wtih that knowledge / and desyre no furder / but to leue to hie dyuynes the furder knowledge in the scriptures of god / but let suche blynde gydes and ignorāt teachers put away theyr blyndnes and ignoraunce / and learne better knowlege of god / desyre it in faythe by prayer / by study / by hearyng and reading of holy scriptures / that they may encrease in more knowledge and teache other better to seke to more knowledge / that they may come to the more knowledge of god / and of the celestyall kyngdome / whiche thinges they know better the more knowledge they haue in the holy scryptures of god Also saynt Paule sheweth here that faythe / charyte / knowledge of godly wysdome may be encreased in sayntes lyuing here in his world / and therfor he exorteth euery man to encrease theyr faythe / theyr charite / theyr knowledge / in the which he sheweth that there is no man so good but that he maye be better encrease in goodnes / in the whiche he exorteth euery one to encrease / euery day be better better ¶ And what is the excedyng gretnes of his power toward vs which beleue accordynge to the working of his myghty powre whiche he wrought in Christ when he raysed him vp from the deade and set him on his ryght hand in heuenly thinges aboue al rule / powre / might and domynatiō and aboue al that maye be named / nat onely in this worlde / but also in the worlde to cōe And hathe put all thynges vnder his fete / hathe made hym aboue al thinges / the head of the congregacyon whiche is his body the fulnes of hym that fylleth all in all The Apostle goeth forth with his prayer for these Ephesyans and desyreth God that they myghte knowe by the spirite of wisdome and knowledge of god that they myght knowe the excellent power of god which god hath declared myghtely in the raisynge vp his sonne Iesus Chryst from deathe to lyfe / and made him
myght be fulfylled with all goodnes of God Suche thynges charite wisheth to other / rather then any worldly goodes / and they be wrytten to teache vs what thinges we shulde desire in our faith full and feruente prayers one to an other as long as we be in this presente lyfe / and yf we do nat so as Paul here did / we lacke fayth and charite / be out of the fauoure of god / and to monyshe vs to do our duetye ⧠Vnto him that is able to do excedynge abundatly aboue all that we axe or vnderstande accordynge to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacioÌ„ whiche is in Christe Iesu at all tymes for euer and euer Amen ☞ Least any man shulde thynke god nat able to graunte these thynges that we desyre of him in our faythfull prayers He sayeth that God dothe gyue to vs aboue all thynges that we aske of hym / and mo thynges he gyueth to vs then we aske of him / or yet can thynke to be desyred of hiÌ„ / for his might is omnipotent / and his ryches can nat be wasted or spente / for they be infinite and euer doth flowe and abunde with plentye to all men 2 He sheweth also that god worketh in al good men by his myght and power mouynge them to good workes alwayes / as in euyll men the deuyl is nat idle / but moueth and styrreth them to euyll dedes and deadly workes that bringeth death 3 The Apostle gyueth God thankes for his gyftes gyuen to hym and to all other faythfull christianes In the whiche he moueth vs al to gyue god thankes for his benefites that he gyueth to vs and to all men euery day / that we shulde nat be vnthankefull or forgetfull of the goodnes of god to whom be glory prayse and commeÌ„dacion for euer Amen ¶ The fourth chapiter to the Ephesyans ⧠THERFORE I whiche am prysoner in the Lord exhorte you that ye walke as it becommeth youre callynge where in ye are called with al humblenes of minde and mekenes and longe sufferynge forbearynge one another in loue and be dilygente to kepe the vnitye of the spyryte throughe the bounde of peace one bodye and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your callynge one lord / one fayth one baptyme one God and father of vs al Whiche is aboue all and thorowe all and in you all IN Chapiters before this chapiter the Apostle hathe exhorted men to fayth Nowe he desyreth them to garnysshe their fayth with good workes / and fyrste of al he exhorteth theÌ„ to vnite and coÌ„corde for by coÌ„corde smal thynges do encrease / by discorde greate thynges are scatered abrode and do peryshe / for in the congregation of christianes nothynge is better theÌ„ vnitie and concorde / nor nothynge worse then discorde or debaite / stryfe or contention Therfore it becoÌ„meth euery man to eschewe discorde and debate / and all vices that styrreth vp coÌ„tention / and to seke for vnitie yf it be by losse of temporall profites / and to gette all vertues that brynge vnitie / concorde / peace / and quietnes / and all suche be blessed / and shal be called the chyldren of god Math. 5. Sayeth Christ Blessed be you peace makers for you shall be called the children of god / and shal haue peace with god 2 The maner of desyryng helpeth much to persuade men / as here Paule in pryson for their sake and their health by his praier did pearce their hertê and mouyd them muche to graunte his peticion / he speaketh to them after this maner Yf I do suffer prisonment and greuouse affliccion for your sake and your helth I caÌ„ nat thynke no other but you wyll do some thynge at my requeste / and specially syth that thing I require of you / is nat for may profite / but for your profite / auauntage / glory / helth and for the glory of god / and that thynge you be called to of god / and is your offyce to do withal diligence Whiche is that you shulde walke as it becommeth christianes to walke / that is nat to be idle but to go forth wardes from one vertue to another / in all mekenes of herte and minde / no man thinkynge of him selfe more then becommeth hym to thynke / farre from pryde and hye mynde / for what shulde make vs proud or hye mynded / thynkynge our selfes better then other / and extolle our selfes aboue other / or thynke no man to be coÌ„pared with vs / what haue we / that we haue nat receiued And if we haue receyued why do we glory and be proude as we had nat receyued it it is in his wyll and pleasure howe longe we shall haue it / of whom we receyued that we haue / and when he pleaseth he may take it away from vs agayne He wylleth also that we shall walke in mekenes / whiche is a vertue by the whiche / yre angry / fury / malyce / enuye / and other lyke passion or affection of the myndes is quenched and put away from the hart we must haue also patience by the whiche all aduersitie / tribulation / affliccyon howe some euer they come they be patientely suffred / without murmure or grudge agaynst god or man / without all desyre to be auenged for iniuries done / but remlite the matter to god that wyl auenge iniuries and pray for them that hathe done iniuries that they might amende and so quenche the yre of god towardes them whiche god wyll powre vpon synners that wyll nat repent and amende and refourme theyr noughty lyuyng / make amendes for theyr iniuries 3 The Apostle sheweth wherfore he exhorteth them to vnite of the spirite / for of vnite coÌ„meth many vertues / as mekenes patience / sobernes â–ª long sufferaunce with other many mo / whiche be knyt togyther with charite the bounde of peace that coupleth and knytteth all vertues together kepeth them that one shrynke nat from another Of discorde commeth many great vyces and synnes / that bryngeth to death as yre / hatred / enuye / malyce / furye / madhastynes / cauelnes / pryde / dyspysynge of other / stryfe / contencyon and / debate and many other vices mo that bringeth death Gal. 5. Therfore fle discorde / seke for vnite and peace / if it be to losse of your temporal goodes or pleasures So doynge you shall wynne more heuenly riches then you lese temporall goodes / sekynge for vnitie and peace / and if you wil haue peace and other vertues / se that you studye fyrste to gette charite and haue hyr fauoure / whose fauoure yf you lacke / you shall lacke peace / vnite / and all other vertues and hauynge her fauour / you shall haue all vertues / and the spirite of god that moueth alway to al goodnes to workes of charite and mercy 4. He sheweth the reasons why he hath exhorteth theÌ„ to concorde / and vntie of the spirite
in Christe to come the onely sauyour of the worlde / by the whiche faythe they were saued that they knewe nat whan Christe shulde come / after what maner / howe / and by what meanes he shulde redeme saue the worlde from euerlastyng deathe / so the Gentyles was counted without Christe that amongest the Gentyles the knoweledge of Christe was nat so comon before Christes incarnatioÌ„ as it was after WhaÌ„ the gospell was preached equally to the Gentyles as to the Iues. Also the Gentyles was counted aliantes from the comon wealthe of Israel / that is to say they were as foryners hauyng no clayme ne tytle to any prophet or coÌ„modyte gyuen or ê“mysed of god to the Israeletes that they had or professed Here he taketh his similitude of auncetry that hathe priuileges and greate coÌ„modities graunted to them whiche the Cytizens haue enioye and possesse / straungers and foreners haue no parte of these coÌ„modities that the cytizens haue / this priuilege of the which is spoken here is the inheritauÌ„ce of the kyngdome of heauen whiche was promysed to the faythfull that kepte goddes coÌ„maundementes as well of the Gentyles as of the Iues / although the Gentyles coulde nat chalenge it by no tytle gyuen to them as yet whaÌ„ the gospell was hyd from theÌ„ 4. And were straungers from the testament of promyse / as who shulde saye / the promyses of lyfe euerlastyng was strauÌ„ge to you / you knew nat that they perteyned to you / you coulde clame nothyng of the lyfe nor inheritauÌ„ce in heauen Also you were without hope of lyfe to come and waÌ„tyng god in the worlde / nat that they wanted God / or though there was no God / but that they beleued nat in the true god / and thought the god of heauen nat to be theyr god / a gentle / meke good / and a mercyfull god / theyr sauyour and redemer without al hope of lyfe to come in the other worlde Thys was the state of these Ephesyans before the gospell was preached to theÌ„ by the apostles and by other after Christes incarnation 5. In the apostle speaketh of the cyrcumcision of the fleshe to whom the name of prepution was odiouse / the apostle sheweth two maner of cyrcumcisions / one is in the fleshe another is in the spirite or in the herte / all the Iewes was cyrcumcised in the fleshe / but nat cyrcumcised in the herte / for there was many vnfaythefull Iues rebelles to god murmuring against him disobedient to hys coÌ„maundementes whiche althoughe they were cyrcuÌ„cised in the fleshe yet in the spirite and in the herte they were nat cyrcumcised Amonge the GeÌ„tyles that neuer harde of Christe none was cyrcumcised in the fleshe / but dyuerse was circumcised in spirite and in herte / as all they of the Gentyles that beleued in god was obedient to hys worde as was Naaman / Cyrê° / Abimelech / Ietro father in lawe to Moyses / and other mo of the Gentyles / That some of the GeÌ„tyles vncircumcised in the fleshe but cyrcumcised in spirite in herte / and was of the electe people of god to saluacyoÌ„ / we may gather that there maye be of the electe of god amongest the Turkes Pagans although they haue nat our outwarde christian profession as was amongest these Gentyles some bette christians then was many amongest the Iewes Also me thynke the apostle in these wordê that he sayeth some were cyrcuÌ„cised iÌ„ the fleshe checketh some of the Iewes cyrcumcised in the fleshe but nat in the spirite Whiche was nat to be preferred before the GeÌ„tyles / and in these wordes he checketh some amoÌ„gest vs that be worse in lyuynge then the Turkes or Pagans / whiche thyng is a greate shame to all suche euyl and vnfaythful christiaÌ„s ¶ BVT nowe ye that be in Christ Iesu and a fore tyme were farre of are nowe made nye by the bloude of Christe ¶ Before these the apostle hathe shewed the state of thesed Ephesians of all Gentyles before they receiued fayth / that they had an odiouse name that was in hatred / they were called vncyrcumcised Preputians / without Christe / aleauntes from the comon wealthe of Israell / straungers froÌ„ the promyses of god that promysed lyfe / without hope of lyfe / wantyng god in the worlde / people gyueÌ„ to ydolatry / folowyng al pleasures of the fleshe / ygnorant of god Nowe he sheweth that they be delyuered from that vngodly state and be receyued amoÌ„gest the people of god as of theÌ„ by the grace of god only / through fayth iÌ„ Christ 2. By Christe you be receyued whiche were before aleauÌ„tes / be made of the housholde and cytezins by the bloude of Christ shed on the crosse to saue all theÌ„ that were loste by synne / and that wyll beleue truly in Christe and knowe hym to be an hole sauyour / no botcher / or a parte sauyour / but an hole sauyor / as I haue sayd before ⧠FOR he is our peace whiche of bothe hathe made one and hath broken downe the wall that was a stop by twexte vs and hathe also thorough his fleshe put away the cause of hatred namely the lawe of the coÌ„maundementes conteyned in the lawe wrytteÌ„ that of twayne he myght create one newe man in him selfe and make peace and to reconcyle bothe vnto God in one body thorough the crosse and so he slewe the hatred thorough his owne selfe and came and preached peace in the gospel vnto you which were a farre of and to them that were nye ¶ Christe is our peace and our peace maker with the father / and howe he was our peace here he sheweth Fyrste in that he made of two people the Iues and the GeÌ„tyles one people to hym agreynge in one thyng s in the true worhsyp of god and healthe by Christe Secondely in that he toke away the wal of debate / that is to say the causes and the occasions of all stryfe and controuersy by twene the Iewes and the Gentyles / whiche was the lawe as cyrcumcision / ceremonies and other sacrifices coÌ„mauÌ„ded in the lawe to be kepte for a tyme to Christes comynge / whiche the Iues styfly defeÌ„ded and wolde haue them kepte after Christe as they were before / or els they sayde no man coulde be saued / for without cyrcumcision they thought no man coulde be saued / and therfore they coÌ„demned the Gentyles vncyrcumcised / and thought they coulde nat be saued by cause they were nat cyrcuÌ„cised / but Christe toke away this conteÌ„cion and shewed that cyrcumcision was nat of necessite to saluacioÌ„ of the soule 2. Christe hathe taken away the lawe as touchynge the ceremonials and iudiciall lawes Ye and the morall lawe also that it shal be done no more for feare seruyll and bounde feare as in tyme paste / but that it shal be kepte for loue onely to god Christe hathe taken away the lawe as touchyng the ceremonials and iudicials that it is nat nowe
or se all his glory / ye no man can perceyue the glorye that god hath ordayned for them that loue him 1. Corin. 2. 4 Here also the Apostle teacheth al prechers to humylyate them selues and to exalte the worde of god / to gloryfie and magfye it aboue al thingê in this worlde / aboue al ryches / honoures / pleasures / profytes / or other goodes mortall in this worlde For there is no riches worldly / worthy to be compared with the worde of God / and be they reprouyd that preferreth wordely goodes ryches / honoures / before goddes worde / and in this manye be offenders / as appereth by outwarde tokens and sygnes that gyue more delygence / laboure payne / and more applyeth theÌ„ selfes to the studye of suche sciences that maye brynge worldly ryches and honoures / then to the konwledge of goddes worde whiche is tokens that men more regardeth worldly ryches then goddes worde This place checketh gentylmen ryche men in the worlde / that put theyr chyldren to the temporall lawe that they may get worldly riches rather then to the study of goddes worde to get heuenly ryches / theyr factes do shewe howe vnkynde they be to God of whome they haue theyr worldly ryches / and also it pertayneth to gentilmen to knowe goddes lawe / that they might rule accordyng to goddes wyll Iosue 1. I wyll nat speke of them whiche openly condemne and be mockers of goddes worde / thynkynge no thing profitable but that / that bryngeth worldly honoures and riches 5 The mystery of god that was hyd froÌ„ the worlde / ye and from the powers in heuen / nowe God hathe made it open to all men / and Angels in heauen / whiche other dyd nat knowe this mistery / or yf they did knowe it / they knew it nat so perfectely before as they dyd after it was preched by the Apostles called and send of god to do that message as by Paule / Peter / and other whiche here be called the Church because they were as the chiefe mynysters in the Churche 6 In that he sayeth this mysterye was opened to the heuenly powers / as to the angels archangels and other in heuen / by the Apostles of Chrste / I thynke the Apostle meaneth nat that the Apostles taught the Angels this mystery of the callyng of the Gentyles to the fayth by the Gospell preached / but rather the contrary / that the Angels taught the Apostles / and brought it from god to the Apostles / for the angels be as seruynge spirites Hebre. 1. And so when the Apostles dyd preache the gospel and by theyr preaching the GeÌ„tyles were coÌ„uerted from theyr infidelyte to the faith of Christ they dyd se the conuersion of the Gentyles that they dyd nat se before so clerely by what meanes / so by the Apostles this mysterye was made open to the heauenly powers / or elles this speakynge that the Apostle here vseth / is a maner of speakyng by the whiche he meaneth that this mystery was shewed and declared openly and playnly to all the worlde by the Apostles / to whom god shewed this iuystery wheÌ„ hê pleasure was it shuld be shewed and this mystery he also calleth the many folde wysdome of god / whiche god hathe determyned to be shewed by Christe Iesus by whome he made al thinges / and restored to their perfytnes when it was the wyll of the father they shulde be made perfyte and restored to theyr perfitnesse 7 He sheweth also that by Christe we haue boldenes and sure truste wyth al confidence to come to the father and to be partakers of his kyngedome and glorye / and that nat by Peter / Paul / Iohan / Iames or by our workes / dedes or merytes / but onely by Christe Iesus / and for his sake alone Wherfore I desyre that ye faynte nat because of my tribulacioÌ„s that I suffer for you / whyche is youre prayse ¶ The Apostle semeth in these wordes to make answere to his aduersaries whiche spake euyll of him / and slaundered hym / by theyr slaunders and euyl speakyng did plucke many from his doctrine / that they dyd nat gyue credence to him sayenge / yf Paule were the minyster of god and preached purely his Gospel / he shuld nat haue ben caste in pryson and in bondes / his bondes and prysonmente dothe proue hym to be euyll / and a deceyuer of the people / and that god is angry with him / or elles who wolde haue cast hiÌ„ in prison for who wold caste a good man in prison as who shulde saye / no man To these or suche lyke euyll speakynges the Apostle maketh answere exortyng these Ephesyans nat to shrynke from hym or forsake his doctrine for his emprisonment / in fetters bondes or other affliccions whiche he suffered / not for his fautes / but for these Ephesians for their sakes / and for their helthe and saluacyon that he preached the gospell of god to theÌ„ of the which they receiued faith and helth wherfore he sayeth that they shulde nat be asshamed of him for his affliccions / but rather they shuld reioyse for his afflicioÌ„s whiche he suffred for theyr sakes / and for theyr profyte Of these we maye se that these that purely preache the worde of god that they suffer oftimes imprisonment / bondes fetters the other affliccions / nat for none other cause / but that they preache the word of god purely and sincerely 2 Men shuld nat shrynke from the word of god or esteme it the worse or to be false doctrine because they that haue preached it haue ben persecuted / punyshed / caste in prison and put to deathe of the worlde as malefactours deceyuours of the people false preachers For other felycite / let nat true preachers loke for in this worlde of carnall men / then persecution and afflyccion this is the rewarde that they shall haue here where as carnall men do rule / but in the worlde to come / let them loke for an other rewarde in ioy and blysse / and in hope of it may be theyr comforte which hope doth take awaye the greuousnes of theyr myseries and paynfulnes of affliccions here 3 Affliccion or ê‘secutioÌ„ prouyth whether meÌ„ trust surely in god stycke to his word or no / for many there be that for feare of punyshemente and affliccyons do shrynke from god and his worde and biddeth them farwell / whiche beleued as longe as there was no persecutioÌ„ lyke to folow as Christ sayeth Math. 13. Many doth beleue for a tyme / but in tyme of tribulacyon they shrynke fearyng more man then god / and the losse of goodes of this worlde then the losse of heuenly ryches / fearinge more the losse of this presente lyfe then the losse of the lyfe to come / but let all suche repente and amende / for he that leseth hys lyfe in this worlde for me and my Gospel fayth Christe Math. 16. in the worlde to come
/ and to kepe that vnite by charite the bonde of peace One reason is this It becommeth them nat to be at discorde to whome so many thynges be comon / yt becommeth them nat to be of diuers mindes and affections / at debarte and stryfe that be of one body / one spyryte one callynge / one hope / one lorde / one fayth / one baptyme / one God and father / whiche maketh al / in all / as who shulde say / it is nat mete that there shulde be variaunce amongeste them that be membres of one body / al we be membres of Christes body Wherfore it is nat mete that amongeste chrysten men shulde be discorde and debate / but vnitie concorde and euery one to seke as well for the profyte of another as membres in the body speketh laboureth one for another howe deadly warre amongest christen meÌ„ for worldly honoures and pleasures / doth agree with saynt Paule here in this place I wolde lerne of other Also yf we haue the spirite of god / as I truste we haue / or elles we be nat of Christ Roma 8. There shulde be no debate amongest vs / for thal spirite is nat the spirite of contencion / but of peace / we be called in one hope of the heauenly inheritaunce / where as there shal be no discorde nor contention For contentiouse men opteyne nat the kyngedome of god / we be seruauntes to one Lorde / it becommeth nat seruantes to be at contentioÌ„ amongest them selfes / there is one profession of al christians by the which they professe to be seruauntes of god alone / to beleue and trust in him to be obedient to his wyll alwaye / to loke for al necessary thynges / lyfe and saluacion of hym alone / and one baptyme by the which we be made his seruauntes / receyue name and lyueray by the whiche we be knowen to be seruantes onely to god / whiche is our Lorde god / father it becommeth nat seruauntes nor brethren to stryfe / but to haue all loue / peace vnitie / and concorde and euery one for his parte to endeuer hiÌ„ selfe with all his power myght and diligence to do the wyll pleasure of his lorde father / that he may receyue the heuenly inheritauÌ„ce promised to obediente chyldren ♣ Vnto euery one of vs is giueÌ„ grace accordyng to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Therfore sayeth he / he is gone vp an hye and hath led awaye captyuite capptiue and hath gyuen gyftes vnto men that he went vp what is it but he first came downe in to the loweste partes of the earthe he that came downe is euen the same whiche is gone vp aboue all heauens to fulfyll all âš¹ Leaste any man shulde thynke or saye that the diuers gyftes of the spirite shulde hurte or hynder the vnite of the spiryte be cause of debate / and sterre vp stryfe or contencion for the diuersite of the gyftes of god / the Apostle sayeth that these gyftê gyuen frely shulde rather be cause of concorde / then of discorde / seynge nat al gyftes be giuen to one / but to euery one after suche a fashyon and measure that euerye one hathe nede of the helpe of another Therefore it becommeth euery man to be content with his gyfte and nat to contemne another that hathe nat so muche gyuen to him he that hathe muche / muche shall be requyred of hym / and he that hath lesse / lesse shal be requyred of hym / and he that hath moste / he hath nat so much but he hathe nede in some thynges the helpe of other / that none shulde contemne another 2 The distribution of the gyftes of God is nat at mannes wyll / but at the wyl and pleasure of God / whiche geueth them as he pleaseth / to some more and some lesse as he seyth it expedient for his glorye and our saluation therfore let none be dispised because he hath lytle / nor no man proude because he hath much or more then other / let euery one exercise and vse there gyftes gyuen them / to the glory of god and to the profyte of other and so be thankefull to god the gyuer of all goodnes / whiche gyuethe his giftes nat al to one man least he shuld contemne all other men / and abuse the gyftes of god to lucre / to vayne glorye to pryde and arrogancie 3 The Apostle proueth by the testymonye and recorde of Dauyd the prophete in the Psalme 67. That Christe hath ouercommen his enemyes s synne / death / hell and the deuyll / and hathe ascended to heuen and hathe gyuen gyftes to men / as appereth more playnly Roma 12.1 CorÌ„ 12. Here he alludeth and foloweth the maner of conquerours whiche conquere and ouercome theyr enemye get spoyles and ryches of theyr enymies / which they shew and blase theÌ„ abrode that euery man may se them / and then dystrybute them to the people in a triumphe and prayse of victorye So Christe hauynge victory ouer his enemyes / synne / death / hell and the deuyll and robbed them of theyr captyues / he triumpheth ouer them and hath ascended to heauen and gyuen many gyftes of the holy ghoste to men / in laude and prayse of his victory ouer his enemyes 4 In that he asketh / what is that ascended and discended in to lowe partes of the earthe / he expoundeth it him selfe sayenge it is he whiche discended before and ascended aboue all to fulfyll all / that is to saye it is Christe whiche came frome heuen in to the earthe and toke the nature of man vpon hym / and was be come as man and as an abiecte persone and suffred death / ascended to heauen and fulfylled all thynges / restored al thynges / and made al thinges perfyte / by whome we haue free passage to the father be made heyres of the celestiall inheritaunce ☞ And the same hathe set some to be Apostles some to be Prohetes / some to be Euangelystes some to be Shepherdes teachers / wherby the Sayntes might be coupled togyther throughe comon seruyce to the edefyenge of the bodye of Christe tyll we all come vnto one maner of faythe and knoweledge of the sonne of God and become a perfyte man in to the measure of the perfite age of Christe ¶ Of this place we may lerne howe god hath distributed his gyftes and set in hys church diuers ministers for diuers offices and wylleth that euery one shulde vse him selfe in his office accordynge to his offyce / callynge and gyfte Some he calleth Apostles / some Prohetes / some Euangelystes some Doctoures / some teachers Apostles they were called whiche were nat fixed to one place to one people / but wente frome place to place preachyng the Gospel both to the Iewes and the Gentyles Prophetes were they that opened the mysteries of the scriptures and somtyme shewed thiÌ„nges to come EuaÌ„gelystes were they that were deputed
the same As perauenture some desperate noughtye felowes be amonges vs that thought whoredome / fornycation / adultery / fylthye speakynge and vncomly raylynge / vncomely gesture couetousnes / to be no synnes / nor no displeasure to god / but fornication or lechery to be man hed or propre to man / fylthy raylynge or gestyng to be good pastyme / and that God wolde nat be greately displeased with suche lytyl fautes / so they did extenuat and make lytle or no fautes these crymes and synnes that God called great fautes and obomynable synnes before him / and so cared nothynge for goddes inhibition of these synnes / but played it awaye / laughynge / mockynge and scornynge at goddes commaundemente / that no man shulde do so / or thynke fornicatioÌ„ adulterye whoredome / couytousnes / to be no synnes before god but to knowe them for greate synnes for the whiche God threateneth so greuouse punyshemente as expulsion frome heauen and that none shulde thynke these vices / to be no synne before God The Apostle sayeth that the vengeauÌ„ce of god to come for fornication adulterye / whoredome / couetousnes / and suche lyke vyces aboue rehersed / he threateneth payne and punishment that none shulde haue pleasure any more in theÌ„ / that none shulde commyt them for feare of punyshement / and that none shulde commyt these synnes / and thynke to escape vnpunysshed / or that God wyll wynke at these fautes and suffer them vnpunysshed And nat onely the vengeaunce of god wyl com vpon all them that commyt these fautes and vyces / but also vpon all them / that do consente or approue them any wayes / for lucre vantage / profyte / pleasure / or for feare of man / or that do knowe them to be vsed / and wyl nat correcte and reproue / and studye to amende them that in these damnable synnes offende god / punyshemente vpon these sinners and conseÌ„ters to them for doers and consenters are worthy lyke payne Roma 1. 7 Let vs learne here for what thynges commeth the wrath of god vpon disobedient chyldren Nat for egges eatynge vpoÌ„ the fryday / for eatyng of fleshe vpon same Laurence euen / for breakyng of Thomas Beckectes daye in Christenmasse / nat for eatynge whyte meate in lent / but for fornication adulterye / whoredome / vnclennes / couetousnes fylthy speakyng / and folyshe speakynge whiche often tymes be cause of noughtye maners / for by euyll speakynge the good is corrupted made euyl by euyll coÌ„pany or coÌ„munication of euyl ⧠For some tyme ye were darkenes / but nowe are ye lyghte in the Lorde walke as the Chyldren of lyght for the frute of the spirite is all maner of goodnes and ryghtuousnes and truth and proue what is pleasynge vnto the Lorde / and haue no felowshyppe with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes but rather rebuke them for it is shame euen to name those thynges whiche are done of theÌ„ in secrete But all thynges are manyfeste when they are rebuked of the lyghte for what soeuer is manifest that same is lyght Therfore sayth he Awake thou that slepest and stande vp frome the deade and Christe shall gyue the lyght ¶ Of the vocation of men / nowe he exhorteth them to holynes of lyfe / sayenge you were some tyme darkenes / nowe you belyght in the lorde / and delyuered frome darkenes and from synne Walke therfore as it becoÌ„meth children of lyght to walke in all goodnes / iustice / equite / and trueth / whiche be fruites of the spirit of god / the Apostle willeth alway that we shuld haue before our eies / what we were / and what we are oure selfe without the grace of God / that we are darkenes of the whiche no lyghte dothe come but by the grace of God / we be made lyght in the Lorde and nat by our owne merytes or deseruynges that we shulde brynge furthe workes of lyght to the glorye of god / and to the profyte of other Math. 5. 2. He sheweth howe we shulde walke as chyldren of lyght / that is to brynge forth fruites of the spirite / in al goodnes / iustice and trueth / sekynge alway these thynges that maye please god / hauynge no coÌ„pany with workes of darkenes / but reprouyng them and the doers of euyl that they may repent and amende 3 He sheweth that he is ashamed to tell all there fautes that they secretly do thinkynge theÌ„ to be no synne / but after warde they be examined by the lyghte / they be knowen to be synne / and these that hathe done them are ashamed and repent study to refourme and amende themselfes 4 He moueth men to arise from sleepe and from synne and from deadly workes by repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe and he promyseth that God wyll be mercyfull to all penytente persons and that wyll amende they re lyfe and lyue a newe lyfe ⧠Take hede therfore howe you walke circumspectely / nat as the vnwyse / but as the wyse / and redeme the tyme / for it is a myserable tyme / wherefore be nat ye vnwyse but vnderstaÌ„de what the wyl of the Lorde is âš¹ The Apostle monisheth meÌ„ to take hede with whome hey walke / with whom they vse company or be conuersaunt / and that the walke circumspectely nat as vnwyse men but as wysemen / and as it becommeth wyse men to do / yf they wyl reproue men / loke that they reproue thinges worthy to be reproued / and that in tyme and place / as becommeth wysemen to do / and as for there workes / loke they be suche as please God / nat of mannes inuention / but ordinated of god for vs to walke in 2 Redemyng the tyme / that is watchiÌ„g all oportunite of tyme to do good / to reproue synne in tyme and place conuenient / or elles amendynge tyme paste / euyll spente in idlenes / in wyl workes omyttynge goddes workes / or in synnes and pleasures of the flesshe or in other euyll workes to the whiche moueth / the worlde / the fleshe / and the noughtye tyme / whiche moueth men to euyll 3 For the dayes be euyl / the dayes be called euyll / because of the malyce of maÌ„ whiche is done vpon dayes / for the dayes are good for they are the creaturê of god / and so are good 4 Therfore be nat vnwyse / but vnderstande what the wyll of the lorde is They are vnwyse that do nat seke tyme place to speake well and to do good / that seke more the glory of man then of God / that desyre to knowe the wyl of man more theÌ„ of god This place sheweth many to be foles that thynke them selfe wyse men / that be more diligent to knowe the law of man then of God / that be well learned in mannes lawe / and ignoraunt in goddes lawe / that be wysemen in maÌ„nes lawe / ideote fooles in goddes lawe This place reproueth all them that be very diligente in
the studye and knowledge of mannes lawe to knowe the wyll of man and howe they shulde come to ryches and goodes in the worlde / but to knowe the wyll of god / and his lawe they be nothyng diligent / ye nor desyrous of yt / it is well yf they be nat aduersaries to Goddes worde / but all suche shewe them selues what they be / perauenture wyse men to the worlde but fooles before god / men that loue more this presente lyfe theÌ„ the lyfe to come This place shulde moue al lawyers and iudges to be deligeÌ„t to knowe goddes lawe / least in there iudgementes they do iudge other wayes then goddes lawe wyll / by the whiche al mannes lawe shulde be ruled / yf goddes lawe shulde be the rule of mannes lawe as it is in dede howe shall they rule well mannes lawe that be ignoraunce in Goddes lawe Surely after my mynde there is nothynge more to the hynderaunce of Goddes worde or more to the destructyon of men soules in this realme theÌ„ that the nobilite and lawers and other that haue rule ouer the people both in the spiritualtye in the temporalty be ignoraunte in goddes lawe / in the whiche it becommeth theÌ„ most cheifely to be lerned / that they might ordre all causes and matters accordynge to Goddes lawe / geltylmen and a greate parte of lawyers be ignoraunt in Goddes lawe And therefore seldome they do loue goddes worde / or the true teachers of yt / and the laye people folowe the gentylmen or rulers As touchynge the spyrytualtye vnder the Byshoppes / rulers be lawyers brought vp in the Byshop of Romes law and for the most parte suche men that be ignoraunt in goddes worde be Chauncellours / Comysaries / Officials / which oftymes do hate Goddes worde and the true preachers of it / and fauoureth as muche as they darre the byshop of Romes lawes and his waies It is a very seldome thing to haue a lawyer a Chancellour / a Commyssary / a Preacher of Goddes worde / a setter forth of it / howe by theÌ„ that be ignoraunte it hathe ben hyndered and letted we haue experience enoughe I pray God that all Byshoppes with al there offycers vnder them may be true fauourers of goddes worde / and ernestly set forwardes and moue and exhorte al men to goddes word and to lyue after yt that God may more more be glorified of al men Amen ⧠AND be nat dronken with wyne wherin is excesse but be ful of the spyryte / and talke amonge youre selfes of Psalmes and Himnes and spyrytuall songes / syngynge and makynge melodye vnto the Lorde in youre hartes / gyuynge thankes alwaye / for all thynges / vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesê° Christ submyttynge your selfes one to another in the fear of god âš¹ The Apostle here forbiddeth dronkeÌ„nes as a cause of fornication or adultry / he monysheth to ware of drinkyng wyne whiche prouoketh to adultery or fornication In these wordes he forbyddeth also al excesse and ryot in eatyng and drynkyng or other bankettynge of the whiche coÌ„meth many incoueniences and greate diseases bothe to the body and soule / of vnreasonable drynkynge or riotynge we se daylye greate syckenes to come to the bodye / as the goute / dropsy / palsey / other diseases many of the body Also dronkennes / adultry / fornication / chydynge / fyghtyng maÌ„ slaughter dothe come of greate drynkyn-whiche be destructyon and deathe of the soule The Apostle here nat onely forbyddeth synne and vyce / but also he forbyddeth the occasion and causes of them 2 Dronkennes oughte to be eschewed for many causes that commeth of it / that bryngeth men to deathe oftymes bothe of the body and of the soule it depriueth men of wytte wisdome and reason and maketh them worse then a brute beaste / yee then aswyne that walters ouer and ouer in the myre Drokennes it causeth many deseases in the body / it bringeth with it idelnes chydynge / braulynge / fyghtyng / murder / ye what myscheife doth it nat bryng with it / death both to body soule It is therfore to be aborred of all men 3 He nat onely reproueth vyce but he sheweth vertue to be taken in the place of vyce / as here he reproueth dronkennes / wylleth me not be fulfylled with the holy ghoste and to synge in their hertes spiritual Psalmes and Hymnes / gyuyng thaÌ„kes to god alwayes for his benefytê / these spirituall Psalmes and Hymnes he setteth for the fruytes of dronkennes And in this me thinke the Apostle willeth that lay men and lay women shulde synge spyritual Pslames and Hymnes as preestes and spirituall men / and gyue thankes to god for all his benefites gyuen to theÌ„ and and in this he sheweth playnely that it is lawefull for laye men and laye women to reade the holy scriptures / to haue them by harte / that they may talke of them / speke of them to theyr edyfieng / and synge spyrituall Psalmes and Hymnes gyuynge thankes to the Lorde / howe shulde they synge spirituall Psalmes and Hympnes excepte that they knewe them before / and had redde them or lerned them This place euidently sheweth that it is lawfull for laymen and lay womeÌ„ to rede the scriptures of god / to talke of them to goddes glorye and to theyr edyfienge The Apostle dothe nat heare speake onelye to mynysters in the Churche / but to all men / to whome he forbyddeth dronkennes and hê fruites / and for them the holy gooste and his fruytes to be receyued with spirituall thankes Psalmes and Hymnes gloryfyenge god alwaye 4. He wylleth that euery man shall be obedieÌ„t one to another in his state and degree and that in the feare of God / that none shulde contemne another thynkyng hym selfe better then other / but euery one humyle him vnder other / and thynke hym selfe worse in his owne syght / and in this he reproueth proude hartes and stomakes and moueth euerye one to mekenes and lowlynes in them selfe ¶ Let the women submytte them selfes vnto their husbandes as vnto the Lorde / for the husbande is the wyues heade euen as Christe also is the heade of the congregacion / and he is the sauyoure of his bodye Therfore as the congregacion is in subiection to Christe / lykewyse let the wyues be in subieccion to thei husbandes in all thinges ¶ Before the Apostle hathe vniuersally taught euery man Nowe he commeth to perticular persons as to the wyfe and the husbande he sheweth ther duetye on to the other But before I wyll shewe of their dewties I thynke it expedient som thiÌ„ge so entreate of matrymonye by the whiche the man and the wyfe be ioyned togyther and the one bouÌ„de to the other by the law of god / and that with suche knottes as caÌ„ nat be lowsed with out the breakynge of goddes law and displeasure of god / except it be for suche causes as by the scriptures may lowse the bounde of
thretned to euyl seruantes / so theyr is a rewarde promysed to good seruantes and a payne to euyll seruauntes / whiche god wyll gyue when he seyth his tyme. ☞ And ye maysters do euen the same vnto them puttynge awaye threatnynges and know that eueÌ„ your mayster also is in heuen neyrher is there any respecte of persoÌ„nes with hym ⧠Here he sheweth the office of maisters to theyr seruauntes / sayeng It is the offyce of the mayster to shewe hiÌ„selffe meke and gentle to his seruantes whome they suffer nat to wante necessaries neyther to wante meate ne clothe / nat to entreate theÌ„ with great hardnes / fearsnes or cruelnes nat to lay great burdiÌ„ges vpon theyr backes / or to put them to iÌ„tollerable labours and paynes / but that the maysters shulde thynke their seruantes to be men made to the symilitude of god / redemed by the preciouse bloude of Christe to be heyres and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen as wel as they Fynally let maysters so order them selfes towardes theyr seruantes and be so louyng / so kynde / so gentle / that of theyr seruaÌ„tes they may be more loued then dred / do more for theyr loue then for feare / or for profyte 2 Puttynge awaye threatnynges / the lorde coÌ„maundeth the maysters nat onely to put away betynges / and punysshementes / but also all cruel threatnynges fears and fell wordes whiche maketh the seruaÌ„tes oftymes to runne awaye and forsake his maister contrary to the lawe of God This place reproueth fears / fell and cruel maysters frowarde to theyr seruauntes / that threate great and greuous plages / punysshementes thynkynge they shall do more with rhough rygorouse meanes theÌ„ with louynge wordes and gentle facyons but such frowarde maisters deceyueth theÌ„ selfe / for gentylnes wyll do more with an honest seruant and with hym that feareth god then any rough wordes or rygorous maners / for there be fewe seruauntes that be amended by bunchynge beatyng or other greuouse punyshement yf he nede muche punysshement it is a token he is an euyll seruant and lytyl regardeth his profyce or his Maysters profyte honestye or worshyppe 3 And knowe that your Mayster is in heuen / he sheweth the cause why maysters shulde entreat theyr seruauntes gently remyt to them plages / punyshemenentes and threatnynges / because god the father which is in heaueÌ„ is the Lorde of the seruauntes as well as he is of the maysters and wyll make the seruauntê equal with the maysters in Heauen / for God dothe nat regarde ê‘sonnes of men / whether they be maysters or seruauntes / but loketh at euery mannes office and deuty / and whom he fyndeth hath done theyr offyce deuty well he wyll rewarde them with a greate rewarde and whom he fyndeth negligent in his offyce not done his deutye / he wyl punyshe whether they be maysters or serseruauntes ☞ Fynally my brethren be strong in the Lorde and in the power of his myght / put on the armoure of God / that ye maye stande stedfaste agaynst the crafty assaultes of the deuyll / for we wrestle nat agaynst flesshe and bloude / but agaynst rule agaynst power namely agaynst the rulers of the worlde of the darkenes of thys worlde / agaynste the spyrytes of wyckednes vnder the Heauen ☞ The Apostle here before hathe exhorted men to the vnite of the spirite / to peace to concorde and hath shewed certayne degrees howe they shall lyue in their state to their deuty / as what is the duety of the wyfe to the husbande / and of the husbande to the wyfe / of the chyldren to their parentes / and of the parentes to theyr chyldren of the seruantes to theire maysters / and of maisters to their seruauntes Nowe he sheweth that these that wyl lyue after the rule dyscribed to them of Paule / that soÌ„tyme they shall haue enymies and temptacions of the deuyl whome they muste resyst and ouercome / and here he sheweth what armoure they muste haue to fyght agaynste enemyes / and by what weapons they shal ouer come enemyes Therfore he coÌ„maundeth them to be strong nat in them selfe in their owne myghtes or powers / but in the lorde and in the powers of the lorde by the whiche the enemyes shal be ouercommed yf we be stronge in the Lorde we nede nat to feare enemyes / for the Lorde is stronge ynoughe to ouercome enemyes and all aduersaries / and we by him / for he hath cure of vs and wyll defende vs from enemyes yf we truste in him 2 Put on the armoure of God / that ye may stande stedfaste agaynste the craftye assaultes of the deuyl In these wordes he sheweth with what weapons we shal be armed that we maye stande stedfast and sure agaynste the assaultes and craftes of the deuyll and to ouercome him and his temtations put away / by the whiche he temteth vs / as by carnal pleasure of the fleshe by couetousnes of ryches or of desyres of worldly / honoures by threatnyng or feare of the worlde / or losse of goodes fauour or promotyon by the whiche meanes the deuyll vseth to plucke men from god and froÌ„ his worde This armour by the which we shall resyste the deuyll and his temtation / is nat by the lyght of the holy candle halowed of candlemesse day / by strynklynge of holy water / by the ryngynge of the halowed great bell / by hauyng on their body a crosse made on Palsonday ane Agnê° dei called Etheldrede lace aboute their necke by goyng to religion inuented by man / by takynge this habyte or that habyte of religion in this place or in that place / by shiftyng vp within walles and neuer to come out agayne as the deuyll coulde nat come within suche walles / or by catyng of fyshe alway and neuer flesshe These be nat the armoure that the Apostle byddeth to put on to resyste the Deuyll / but he byddeth put on the armoure of god / that is the worde of god by the whiche the deuyl is resisted ouercommed / and al his craftes teÌ„tacioÌ„s be made vayne By this armour Christe ouer came the deuyll Math. 4. to teache vs with what armour we shulde fyght agaynste the deuyll / and howe to ouercome hym and all his temtatyons kepe vs safe from all hurte / or peryll of the temptations of the deuyll 3 For we wrestle nat againste fleshe and bloude / and so furth as he shulde saye we must nat onely fyght againste the temtations of the flasshe and of the worlde / but also againste more cruel aduersaries then these be as agaynst the deuyl / wycked spirites adn all other powers And here the Apostle lyke a valyant and a prudent captayne of warre exhorteth his sogers to be of good chere and to feare nothynge theyr enemyes althoughe they be fears / cruel / crafty in fyghtyng / haue great polycy / in ingynes experience in fyghtynge / he openeth all their crafte