people Christe whome without any mencion makyng of his godhed he calleth a man The thyrde cause of difficultie maketh I weene the often and soden chaunge of persones whyles he one whyle hath regard of the Iewes speakyng in their persons another while of the Gentiles suÌ„tyme of bothe parties nowe the ryght beleuers and then the faythles takyng vpon him sumtyme the weake sumtyme the strong persones parte sumtyme of the godly and sumtyme of the vngodly By meane wherof it coÌ„meth to passe that the reader wandering vppe and downe as it wer in wrenches or as some call it in a mismase diuersly tournyng and wyndyng neither seeth where he came in nor yet wel knoweth which waye to go out Insomuche that Origen both truly and properly me seameth lykeneth Paule to a man which bryngeth his frende into a very riche princes palace by tournyng of wayes secrete chambers very doubtfull and cumberouse and sheweth hym the great treasures and heapes of goodes sumwhat a farre of and some thinges setteth before his iyen and would haue sum thinges not sene at all oftetymes when he went in by one doore he goeth out at another so that the straunger his frende maruayleth whence he came where he is and whiche waye to get out This knew also sainct Peter in his seconde epistle saying that there wer in Paules epistles certayne pointes harde to be vnderstanden which the vnlearned and vnstable peruerted to theyr owne destruccion Herein haue we asmuche as in vs laye labored to exclude suche difficulties sauyng that sumthynges so peculiarly belong to Paules touÌ„gue that in some places they could not be chauÌ„ged of whiche sorte these be fayth grace the body the fleshe the members the spirite the mynde the sence to edifie with suche other lyke whiche as they should not vtterly be chauÌ„ged so haue we labored to molifie the hardnes of them asmuche as myght be But now let vs heare Paule hymself speakyng to the Romaynes or rather in them more grossely and playnlye to vs all The paraprase vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Romaines by Des Erasmus of Roterodame The first Chapiter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte for the gospel of God whiche he had promised afore by his prophetes in the holy scriptures of his sonne whiche was borne vnto him of the seede of Dauid after the fleashe and hath bene declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirit that sanctifieth synce the tyme that Iesus Christ our lorde rose againe from death by whom we haue receiued grace Apostleship that obedience might be geuen vnto the fayth in his name among all heathen of whose numbre you be the electe of Iesus Christ PAule euen I the very same so becomen of Saule that is to say of an vnquiet person a peacemaker of late subiect to Moses lawe now made fre therof and becomen the seruaunt of Iesus Christ not like a false souldiar that falleth from his capitain or one that like a truant forgoeth his olde profession but called foorth to do this message muche more to my coÌ„tentacion deuided now than at that tyme whaÌ„ I was a mainteiner of the deuided Pharisaical secte vpoÌ„ an vngodly zeale and light persuasion wanderyng out of the right way now and neuer before meete to be called by the surname of vnfained diuision as one deuided and chosen out by Christ him self to labour and trauaile in a muche more weyghtie matâ—er to preache I say the ioyfull tidynges of God whiche is no new found phaÌ„tasie but promised many yeres synce in his owne prophecies whiche remayne still in bookes of no smal credence but in suche as are of an holy and moste vndoubted trueth of his sonne whiche was touchyng his frayle manhed borne in tyme of the seede of Dauid and was neuerthelesse declared to be the euerlastyng sonne of God euerlastyng by the holy gooste as well appeared bothe by diuerse other profes as moostâ— specially by that he ouercame death and rose againe from the dead now becomen to al suche as in him are borne againe the prince and chiefe authour of resurreccion I meane Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we haue obtayned not onely suche fauer as the kepyng of the lawe could not help vs to but also in suche sorte to be his messagier that as by other Apostles Christes gospel hath bene spread abroad among the Iewes so may it by me likewyse be set foorth among all heathens whatsoeuer they be not to trouble them with the burdaine of the lawe but to make them yelde and submit them selfes obediently to the doctrine of Christes fayth stedfastly cleauyng therto not to the vaine wysedome of Philosophers of whiche noumbre of heathens ye Romaines are also touchyng your nacion but by adopcion fatheryng called all to the right title of inheritaunce surname of Iesus Christ whiche point I incidently geue you warnyng of leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square whiche through a fauorable and gentle fatheryng are now made one mans children The texte ¶ To all you that be at Rome beloued of God and called sainctes grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ To al you therfore as many as be at Rome the dearely beloued children of God and to suche as from your former synful life are called to godlynes grace and peace wyshe I vnto you not suche as the worlde coÌ„monly wysheth but a substancial and a new grace that is to wete the fre gift of fayth taught by the gospel perfectly iustifiyng and by it through the vtter abolishement of al the offeÌ„ces of your former life a quiet peace of conscience and a stedfast peace and frendship with God whiche twoo are neither gotten by any helpe of worldly wysdome nor yet by keapyng of Moses lawe but are obteined of al menne by the free gifte of God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The texte First verely I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your fayth is spoken of in all the worlde For God is my wytnes whom I serue with my spirite in the gospel of his sonne that without ceasyng I make mencion of you praiyng alwayes in my prayers besechyng that by some meane at laste one tyme or other a prosperouse iourney by the wyl of god might fortune me to cum vnto you For I long to see you â— I might bestowe among you some spiritual gifte to strength you withal that is that I might haue consolacion together with you through the common fayth whiche bothe ye and I haue And fyrst of all verely in all your names I rendre thankes to God the father whiche through Christ his sonne hath geuen you this that ye whiche heretofore wer faythles are now through your fayth in great renoume in all the worlde and muche spoken of Whiche reporte certaynly for
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
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
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
you of all thynges whome I haue sente vnto you for the same purpose that ye mighte knowe what case we stande in and that he might coumforte your hartes Peace â—e vnto the brethren and loue with faith from God the father and from the lorde Iesus Christ Grace be with al them whiche loue our lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly Amen Therfore it standeth vs in hande to pray alway vnto him with continual supplicacions and to desyre this of him from the bottome of our hartes without ceassing in our praiers day and night that al saintes may haue the vpper hand by this sweorde of the spirite And it is also your duetie to helpe me with your prayers and to beseche God that he would geue me plenteous vtteraunce of the gospel whansoeuer I shall preache it and that it would please him to vse my mouth as an instrument vnto his owne glory and to your saluacion so as I may boldly and without shrinking declare vnto al men the mistical doctrine of the gospel wherunto all men are called indifferently And that I be not hindred by suche as labour by all possible meanes that the glorye of the Gospell should not be spred abrod for the doing wherof I am made an embassadour yea euen now being laden with chaynes and suffering excedingly that I may boldely goe about the office committed vnto me And that this mind may still perseuer with me vnto the ende and that by the helpe of Christe I may freely speake as it becummeth me to speake For it is a rebuke for a preacher of the gospel to be afrayd of anything that should hinder him from doyng the office of the gospell To conclude as concernyng the state of myne owne thinges howe the matter standeth with me here you shall knowe all of Tichicus my welbeloued brother and not a brother onely for the sinceritie of his fayth but also a minister and an helper in the gospels businesse whome I haue sent vnto you for this purpose that you might know certainly in what state we are and that you should be much couÌ„forted by his beyng there lest your hartes should be discouraged through myne affliccions For I am so tyed and bounde that the gospell of Christ doeth triumphe notwithstanding euen out of the prieson My prayer is that peace and mutual loue ioyned with sincere fayth may be vnto al the brethren Of faith springeth charitie charitie nourisheth concord These thre with prosperous procedyng graunt vnto you God the father and the lorde Iesus Christe The loue and merciful goodnesse of God be for euer with all them that with an vnfained conscience and vnspotted life loue the lorde Iesus Christe and despysyng the transitory tryfles of this worlde folowe the thynges that are eternall and heauenly And to confirme this mine hartie praier I beseche god grauÌ„t mercifully Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule the Apostle to the Philippians By D. Erasmus or Roterdaine THe Philippians are in the first parte of Macedonia as it is declared in the. xvi of the Actes a people deducted oute of the citie of Philippos so called of Philip the buyldour of it And Thessalonica is the head citie of the Philippians whiche are worthilye muche praysed of the Apostle bicause they persisted constauntlie in the faythe after they once receyued it and woulde not allowe the false apostles among them wheras the Corinthians and Galathians had receyued them and geuen credence vnto them Unto these Philippians Paule beyng warned of the holy ghost wente and taried among them a good maynye of dayes not without greate trauayll For there Paule was scourged with whippes and was caste with Silas in to pryson â–ª at which tyme the keper of the prison and all his household were Baptized In this citie was also Lydia the purpleseller who fyrst beyng coÌ„uerted receaued Paule into her house There also the souldiours knowing that Paule was a cetezen of Rome desired him of theyr owne mynde to goo whither he woulde and so the name of Christe was notified abroade with luckye prosperous successe And also whan Paule was in prison at Rome these Philippians sent to hym suche thynges as were necessarie for him to lyue with by Epaphroditus as they had doon afore whan he was at Thessalonica as he him selfe witnesseth in this Epistle For the whiche hauyng set them forthe with prayses and commendacions he exhorteth them to perseuer and goo forewarde shewyng them that they ought to reioyce euen in those afflictions which make for the aduauÌ„cement of Christes gospel and that he was not onely not afrayed of death but also that he woulde gladlye wishe it yf Christ so would Than he gyueth them a speciall exhortacion to mutuall concorde whiche can not possible be amonge suche as be stoute stomaked And because they shoulde be the better content he promyseth to sende Tymotheus vnto them and that he will come againe to them shortlye him selfe In the meane tyme he sendeth Epaphroditus whiche was amended of his extreme daungerous sickenesse These he treateth of in the two first chapters for in the thyrd he confirmeth theyr consciences against the false apostles alluryng men euery where vnto the Iewyshe secte whom he calleth dogges the workers of wickednes the enemyes of Christes crosse and makyng their belyes their god and in no place he is more apertely stomaked against them than in this Epistle The fourth chapter is ful of coÌ„mendacions and salutacions but onely that he intermingleth certain monicions here and there by the way and thanketh the Philippians for their liberall gentilnesse shewed towardes him This epistle he wrote from the citie of Rome by Epaphroditus whaÌ„ he was layed the seconde tyme in prison for after his firste defense he was leadde agayne in to prison wherof he maketh reporte in his Epistle to Tymothee The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to the Philippians â–ª The .i. Chapter The texte Paule and Tymothe the seruauntes of Iesu Christ To all the sayntes in Christe Iesu whiche are at Philippos with the Bishoppes and Deacons Grace be vnto you peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ PAule and Timothe felowes in the office of the gospel and seruauntes of Iesus Christe To all the companye of the sayntes that purelye and entierlye professe the name of Christe and to them also that haue the ouersight ministracion of the ChristiaÌ„ flocke at Philippos We wishe grace and peace vnto you from god our father and from the Lorde Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my God with al remembraunce of you alwayes in al my prayers for you praye with gladnes because ye are come into the felowship of the gospel froÌ„ the frist day vnto now And am surely certified of this that he which hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntil the day of
and shewed hym selfe somtimes in a clowde somtymes in fire otherwhiles in a softe whistling winde nowe vnder one likenesse and nowe vnder an other somewhiles by Angels somewhiles by secrete inspiracion of mynde at the length in these laste dayes because he would more manyfestly declare his charitie towardes vs and put vs in more assuraunce he dayned to speake vnto vs not by Angell nor yet by a man Prphete but by hys onely sonne Iesus Christ whome he hath by his eternall appoyntmente and determinacion made heyre and Lorde not alonely of the Iewyshe nacion but of the whole worlde as hym that is his true only sonne who is the Lord of all thinges that are made in heauen in earth according as the father promised before in yâ— psalmeÌ„s Neither is it any merueyle if he would haue the seignory of the whole world commen betwene hys sonne and hym syth that by him he made the same By worde he made the worlde and the sonne is the eternal worde of the euerlastyng father neither made he the worlde by hys sonne as by an instrument or seruaunte but all thynges were so wrought in the creacion therof that there was one the selfe same power of the father creating it and the some For Iesus Christ is not so the sonne of God as godly men are oftetymes called the children of God because they obey gods commaundementes but because he was begotteÌ„ God of God the father and so begotten that he is of the same nature with the father And where as he was the euerlasting bryghtnesse of the fathers glory as light procedyng from light and the very image and resemblaunce of hys substaunce lyke in all poyntes and equall vnto him of whome he was be gotten and where he is not alonely the maker of all creatures but also gouerneth and turneth aboute all thinges that are made and created with his becke and almyghty commaundement together with almighty God the father yet marke whitherto he abased him selfe for our cause He toke vpoÌ„ him mans nature subiecte to al the iniuries of our wretched state and conditioÌ„ and dying offred vp him selfe a sacryfice for our sinnes in the aulter of the crosse wheras before the priest of Moses lawe was woonte to pourge synnes by the offryng of a beastes bloude he purged the offences of all mankynd by shedyng of his owne holy bloude and by this abasyng and humblyng of hymselfe gate so greate glory that after he was reliued and retourned into heauen he sate on the ryght side of the maiestie of God the father wherin he was alwayes egall vnto hym as touching his diuyne nature But his maiestie more plainly appeared vnto the worlde thorowe his humilitie in somuche that he who semed before more lowe and abiecte then the loweste is nowe greater and so takeÌ„ not only then the prophetes but also then the Angels selfes and so much the greater as the name of a sonne hath in it more dignitie then the name of a seruaunt For this worde angell is a vocable or worde signifying a ministre and is a name agreyng to an inferioâ—re Vndoubtedly high and great is the dignitie of aungels for that they alwayes assyste the father and beholde hys visage And amonge them there are some that excell the rest in dignytie The texte For vnto which of the Aungels sayed he at any tyme Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And agayneÌ„ â–ª I wyll be hys father and he shal be my sonne And agayne when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world he sayeth And â—eraâ— the Aungels of God worshyppe hym And vnto the Aungels he sayeth He maketh his angels spyrites his mynisters a flame of fire But vnto the sonne he saith Thy seate O God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kyngdome is a ryght scepter Thou hast loued ryghtewesnes and hated iniquytie Wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes But vnto what Aungell dyd God euer geue so great honour that he vouchesafed to call hym by the name of his sonne wheras he speaketh vnto Christe in the misticall psalme in this wyse thou art my sonne I haue begotten thee to day And again I will be his father he shal be my soÌ„ne For he made angels of nought but his sonne he begate of his owne proper substaunce lyke in euery thing egall vnto hymselfe Agayne when in the mistycall psalme he bryngeth his sonne into the worlde hauing vpon hym the habite of mans body he speaketh in this manour And let al the angels of God worshyp hym True it is that seruauntes are honoured but the soÌ„ne who is egall with the father is adored worshypped But where holy scripture expresseth the dignitie of aungels what sayeth it â–ª who maketh sayth the scripture his angels spyrites his ministers a flame of fyer That angels were created that haue they commen with other thinges which were likewise created of almighty God That they were made spirites and mindes free from the mortalytie corrupcion of mans body that they alwaies burning with godly charitie assiste their maker as quicke and nimble ministers of his godly wyll commauÌ„dement therin vndoubtedly they excell vs. But howe much greater are the wordes that he speaketh vnto the sonne Thy seate o God shalde for euer and euer the scepâ—re of thy kyngdome is a right scepter Ye heare how the name of God is geuen vnto the soÌ„ne ye heare howe the seare of a kingdome is geuen him of a kingdome I saye that neuer shall haue ende It foloweth in the same Psalme Thou hast loued ryghtuousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath enoynted the with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felowes Ye heare that he was specially enoiâ—ted of God the father aboue all hys felowes eyther men or aungels The texte And thou Lorde in the begynning haste layde the foundacion of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shal perishe but thou endurest But they all shall wexe olde also as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them and they shal be chaunged But thou arte euen the same and thy yeâ—es shall not fayle Vnto whych of the aungels sayd he at any tyme sitte on my right hande tyll I make thyne enemyes thy fore stole Are they not all ministryng spyrites that are sente to minister for theyr sakes which shal be heyres of saluacion And agayne marke howe muche autorytâ—e is geuen the sonne in an other Psalme and thou Lord sayth the Prophete in the begynning haste layed the foundacions of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shall peryshe but thou endureste and they all shall waxe olde as doth a garmente and as a vesture shalt thou winde them aboute and they shall sodaynly be chaunged but thou art euen the same and thy yeares shal not fayle To what aungell were these
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
with feare as if you catched them out of the fire and hate not yâ— meÌ„ but this carcas defiled with yearthy affectes wherwith mans mynde is burthened and defiled as it were a cote soyled in filthe And it is conuenient to amende other mens faultes so much the more gentlie in that no man being conuersaunt in this sely body can chose but bee vncleane For that is not in the power of man leste any manne should boastingly chalenge prayse to him selfe but all glorye might empire and power bee onely vnto God our sauiour through Iesus Christ our lord not onely in this world but before all worldes and in all ages to come for euer euer For in dede there is none but god alone that is hable to geue thys vnto those that labour for it that although being enuironed with the sely frayle body the world calleth you on euery side away froÌ„ the purpose of godlynes yet you kepe your selues Innocent still to the ende that not onely meÌ„ can fynd nothing in your maners to fynde faulte at but also that you are ordayned such in the sight of Goddes Maiestie that he is displeased with nothyng in you whiche seeth the moste inwarde passages of your myndes And whan that shall come to passe you shall reioyce and be glad in the commyng of our lorde Iesu Christ whan other shall make heauy cheare whiche seme in the meane space to lyue swetly And that thys maye so be prayer ought to bee made with all earnest desyres Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon Iude. The Argument of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of Sainct Iames thapostle IAmes forasmuche as he was the bishop of Hierusalem writeth also to the residue of the Iewes that wer scattred abroade and dwelt throughout al nacions enformyng and instructing them with sondry preceptes howe to ordre their lyues The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the canonicall Epistle of S. Iames. The fyrste Chapter The texte ¶ Iames the seruaunt of God and of the Lord Iesus Christe sendeth gretinge to the xii trybes whiche are scatered abroade My brethren count yt for an exceadynge â—oye when ye fall into diuers remptacions knowyng thys that the trying of your faithe gendreth pacience and let pacience haue her parfecte worke that ye maye be parfect sounde lackynge nothynge If eny of you lacke wysoome let him aske of hym that geueth it euen God which geueth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth and it shal be geuen him But let hym aske in fayth and wauer not For he that douteth is lyke a waue of the sea whiche is tost of the wyndes and caryed with vyolence Nether let that manne thynke that he shall receaue eny thynge of the Lord. A wauerynge mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes Let the brother whiche is of lowe degre reioyce whan he is eralted Agayne let hym that is ryche reioyce whan he is made lowe For euen as the flower of the grasse shal he passe away For as the sunne ryseth with heat and the grasse widdereth and his flower falleth awaye and the beawâ—y of the fassion of it perysheth euen so shall the ryche manne peryshe in hys wayes Happy is the manne that eudureth temptacion for when he is tryed he shall receaue the crowne of lyfe whiche the Lorde hathe promysed to them that loue hym IAmes that in tymes paste was a worshipper of Moses lawe and now the worshipper and seruauÌ„t of God the father who after the Gospell is set forthe requireth to bee worshipped in spirite and of his sonne Iesu Christe out lorde writeth this Epistle bothe to all them that are reconed to be of Christes profession and namely to those whoÌ„e the storme of persecucion which was raised after the death of Stephane scattred abroade some one waye some another of all the kynreddes of the people of the Iewes which were dryuen awaye out of theyr auncetours possessions but not dryuen downe from the feloweship of the Gospell which were cast out of theyr owne houses but not caste out of the congregacion of Christ wishing vnto them true healthe not this health of the bodye only which the worlde wisheth for but that healthe which Christe geueth vnto those that his are euen in the myddle of destruccions and deathes Forasmuche as the commune profession of the Gospell forasmuche as all one baptisme maketh vs very brethren seing that amonge those that be brethren in dede there ought to bee a feloweship bothe in matters of gladnes and of sadnes this sorowfull calamitie which you abyde woulde greue my mynde exceadingly sore if I had not an assured confidence of youre godlynes For I am not ignoraunt that vnto theÌ„ whtch measure their felicity by the pleasures of this life banyshment is more paynfully greuous than deathe and that it serueth to be the wretchedest thing that may be for a man to be plucked from his moste deare frendes and being driuen out of their olde auncient possessions to be straungers in forayn countryes But as for you whiche haue reposed wholy all blessednes in only Christe and loke for your felicitie not in thys worlde but in the worlde to come it behoueth you to bee moste farre of from their iudgement For God sendeth not these thinges vpon displeasure but vpon hys exceading moste pitie for this purpose doubtles that through temporall affliccions whiche you suffre vndeseruedly your pacience myght bothe become the more notable and youre rewarde the more abundaunte to thyntent that as ofte as you are tossed on euery syde with sondry stormes of sorowes you shoulde not only vnderstande that you ought not to caste downe your hartes as though God had forsaken you but rather that you ought with all youre harte to reioyce that by this euident token God loueth you and cateth for you in that he tryeth youre pacience whiche if it contynue stedfast and geue not place to any assaultes of sorowes it shall doubtles euidently appeare to bee a sure grounded foundacion of a Gospellike faithe For excepte you were vtterly perswaded that the reward of Immortalitie is ordayned for them that here in this worlde are afflicted for the glory of Christes sake you would not willingly and with mery chearefull stomakes suffre so much sorowes Than seing that God woulde haue our saluacion to be moste chiefly ascribed vnto faithe this apperteyneth to the glory of the Gospell that men maye throughly perceaue by sure argumentes that your faithfull truste is no commune tryflyng nether wauering faithe but a strong stedfaste and an inumctble faithe For the thinge that is counterfaicte or vayne or feble is moued out of place whan the storme of sorowes cometh blustreing in But that muste nedes be true and of a sure grounde that is nether ouercome nor beaten awaye with banyshmente nor with pouertie ne with despitefull entreating ne with priâ—oninges ne with whippes nether yet with deathe it self It is counpted a wouderful constancye of â—uynde if a man paciently suffer vnlucky fortune with an
holes but there is nothinge so hidden and so close but god pearceth it He knoweth all thinges better than we he knoweth our harte that made our harte He hathe eies in euery place that is present in euery place Dearly beloued yf our harte condemne vs not vnto god yf our mynde be syncere and vprightly playne yf we doe of a mere a pure loue that we doe suche as we shewe our selues towardes our neighbour suche a one shal god shewe him selfe to vs. Yf we gladly and with a good wyll forgeue our brother his faulte God shall easyly forgeue â—s our synnes also Yf we readily geue vnto our nedy brother as often as he desireth our helpe we shal with a sure trusty boldenes aske also of god that whiche shall perteigne to saluacion and necessitie nether shall he denye our askinges Yf we saye vnto him Forgeue us our trespasses as VVe for geue them that trespasse against us and yet hate our brother inwardly shal not our owne conscience by and by crye out against vs with what face â–ª askest thou of god that whiche thou deniest thy neighbour with what mouthe askest thou the couenaunt whan thou thy selfe performest not yâ— condicion He promised to forgeue vs our trespasses yea but so that we doe heartely forgeue our brother his trespases If we saye with the mouthe I forgeue hym and yet kepe euyll wyll styll in oure hearte oure naughty conscience shall take awaye our confidence of obteynynge the thinge that we aske of God If we bydde our brother gently God spede and helpe him nor whan he hathe nede of our helpe we maye not hope that God will helpe seinge we helped not our brother If we turne the deafe eare towarde at hys commaundement he will turne the deafe eare again towardes our prayers It is a shamelesnes not a godlynes to desire fauour of hym whose commauÌ„dementes a man doeth not paâ—se vpon But and if we obserue his coÌ„maundementes if we doe whatsoeuer shall please him and â—o doe that we may be allowed in his eies whiche seeth euery thing hereof shall we conceaue a sure confidence to obteyne Here will the Iewe the supersticious law keper saye vnto me I kepe the sabboth dayes I am washen I faste I absteyne from forbydden meates I dooe not steale God shall heare me But thys is not the commaundement that I talke of which than Forsothe that we shoulde repose all the whole hope and confidence of oure saluacion in Iesu Christ the sonne of God by whome the fathers wyll was to geue all thinges frely vnto vs. Is thys ynough now No forsothe but we must loue eche one other according to his example So he coÌ„maunded but that whiche he commaunded he did fyrst performe himselfe in dede He doeth not yet truly loue Christe that â–ª hateth the membre of Christe he doeth not yet loue Christe that wisheth euil to the man for whome Christe died Therfore he that kepeth that one only commaundement of loue kepeth all With this gâ—ue shall we be fast ioyned to Christ so that he be in vs and we againe in him He by hys spirite shall dwell in oure hartes if charitie bee warme there The spirite of Christ is not the autor of hate but the free geuour of brotherly loue He by the layinge on of thapostles handes is powred in to them that are baptised but he leapeth backe and flyeth awaye if charitye happen to bee quenched out By thys token therfore we shall perceaue that the giâ—te of the spirit which we toke in baptisme abydeth in vs if brotherly loue contynue with vs still Loke howe muche charitie waxeth colde so muche will the holy gooste withdrawe him selfe awaye The .iiii. Chapter The texte Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of god or not for many false Prophetes are gone out into the worlde Herby shall ye knowe the spirite of god Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesshe is of god And euery spirite whiche confesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the flesshe is not of god And this is that spirite of Antichrist of whome ye haue hearde howe that he should come and euen nowe already is he in the worlde I Haue geuen you a token dearely beloued whereby you may perceaue whether the spirite of Christ be in you or not For there are sondry sortes of spirites in meÌ„ yea but dissembling spirites and naughtie spirites Therfore doe not vt erly beleue euery spirite There are many here and there that boast them selues to haue the spirite of God but trye you whether they procede of God or not Thys worlde hathe also a spirite of hys owne and pretendeth as thoughe it had the spirite of God The spirite of God enspireth the prophetes but there are to manye false prophetes now that are gon out in to the worlde and falsely saye that they speake by the inspiracion of the spirit of God whan they are ledde with the spirit of the worlde Will you therfore haue a more certayne argument of the spirit of God Heare the speaker and you shall vnderstande Euery spirite which confesseth that Iesus Christe the autor of euerlasting saluacion promysed long a goe vnto the worlde is now all ready come hauing receyued a very humayne body like as he had promysed by his prophetes he is of God in that he acknowlageth the sonne of God Contrary wise he that denyeth this forasmuche as he is a lyer he is not of God For no man doeth truly professe the sonne onles he be enspired of the father But those doe not onely denye him which speake against him in woordes openly but also they that lyue after such a sorte as though Christe were not the example of godlynes vnto men or as though he were not the autor of perfite saluacion and so they feine some other Messias to be loked for because Christes doctrine is to muche variable from theyr gredye lustes Yf he woulde haue fauoured the voluptuous pleasures of the fleshe if he would haue promysed great substaunce of riches if he woulde haue geuen honours and empires of yâ— world they would haue long a goe acknowlaged their Messias But now forasmuche as he doeth teache men to despise these thinges enriceth them to take vp theyr crosse and telleth that all felicitie must be loked for in the worlde to come they deny him to be the olde promysed redemer of mankinde and bydde loke for an other that shoulde promyse the coÌ„modities of the bodye and the goodes of this worlde Nether is it ynough to confesse Christ onles we confesse him all wholy and entierly He that dyuideth him either takinge awaye the diuine nature whiche he hath all one with the father or the humaine nature which he toke of a woman hys mother that spirit is not of God but is the spirit of Antichrist of the whiche spirite ye haue all ready hearde that he should come yea he is now come already
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
a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
is the lawe death to him torment and martyrdome Not that the law is euill but because that the euyll nature cannot suffre that which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thinge Lyke as a sicke man cannot suffre that a man should desire of him to run to lepe and to do other dedes of an whole manne For whiche cause S. Paul concludeth that where the lawe is vnderstande and perceaued of the beste wise there it doeth no more but vtter synne and bring vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and thereby kyll vs and make vs bonde vnto eternall damnacion and detters of the euerlasting wrathe of god euen as he wel fealeth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the lawe In such daunger were we yer the law came that we knewe not what synne ment nether yet knewe we the wrathe of God vpon synners tyll the lawe had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thing yea and a greater and a more myghty thinge then the lawe to make hym ryghteous and safe They that vnderstande not the lawe on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposyng to satisfie the lawe with workes For they knowe not that the lawe requireth a fre a willinge a lusty and a louynge hearte Therfore they see not Moses ryght in the face the vayle hangeth betwene and hydeth hys face so that they cannot beholde the glorye of hys countenaunce how that the lawe is spirituall requyreth the hearte I may of myne owne strength refraine that I do mine enemy no hurte but to loue hiÌ„ with al mine heart and to put awaye wrathe cleane out of my mynde can I not of myne owne strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put awaye loue vnto riches out of myne hearte can I not do of mine own strength To abstayne from adultery as concerning the outward dede can I do of myne owne strength but not to desyre in mine hearte is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will honger or thurst and yet so the lawe requyreth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the lawe neuer fulfilled we muste haue thereunto goddes fauoure and hys spyryte purchased by Christes bloude Neuerthelesse when I saye a man maye do many thynges outwardly clene againste his hearte we muste vnderstande that man is but dryuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercommeth the lesse and carieth the man awaye violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the inconuenience that is lyke to folowe yf feare be greater I absteyne yf the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I cannot but prosecute the dede as we se by experience in many murtherers and theues which though they bee brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same againe And commen wemen prosecute their lustes because fear and shame are awaye when other whiche haue the same appetites in theyr heartes abstayne at the lestewaye outwardly or worke secretly being ouercome of feare and of shame and so lykewyse is it of al other appetites Furthermore he declareth how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one manne and maketh an ensample of him selfe that we myght lerne to knowe that worke aright I meane to kyll synne in oure selues He calleth both the spirite and also the flesh a lawe because that lyke as the nature of Goddes lawe is to dryue to compell and to craue euen so the fleshe dryueth compelleth craueth and rageth agaynste the spirite and will haue her lustes satisfied On the other syde dryueth the spirite cryeth and fighteth agaynste the fleshe and wyl haue his luste satisfied And this strife duâ—eth in vs as longe as we lyue in some more and in some lesse as the spirite or the fleshe is stronger and the very man his owne selfe is both spirite and the flesh which fyghteth with his owne selfe vntyll synne bee vtterly slaine and we all together spirituall In the .viij. Chapter he comforteth such fighters that they dispaire not because of suche flesh either thinke yâ— they are lesse in fauour with God And he sheweth how that the synne remaining in vs hurteth not for there is no daunger to them that are in Christe whiche walke not after the fleshe but fyght agaynste it And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh and of the spirite is and how the spirite cometh by Christe which spirite maketh vs spyrituall tameth subdueth and mortifieth the fleshe and certyfieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God and also beloued though that synne rage neuer so moche in vs so long as we folowe the spirite and fyght against synne to kyll and mortifye it And because nothynge is so good to the mortifiynge of the fleshe as the crosse and tribulacion he comforteth vs in our passions and affliccions by the assistens of the spirite which maketh intercession to God for vs myghtely with gronynges that passe mans vtteraunce so that mans speche cannot comprehende them and with the mourning also of the creatures with vs of greate desire that they haue that we were looced from synne and corrupcion of the fleshe So se we that these thre chapters the vj.vii.viij do none other thing so muche as to dryue vs vnto the right worke of faithe which is to kil the olde man and mortify the fleshe In the ix.x and .xi. Chapter he treateth of Goddes predestinacion whence it springeth all together whether we shall beleue or not beleue be looced from synne or not bee looced By whiche predestinacion oure iustifying and saluacion are clene taken out of oure handes and put in the handes of God only which thinge is moste necessary of al. For we are so weake and so vncertaine that if it stode in vs there would of a truth no manne be saued the deuyll no doute would deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinacion cannot deceaue him nether can any man withstande or let him and therefore haue we hope and trust agaynst synne But here must a marke be set vnto those vnquyet busye and hie clyming spirites howe farre they shall go whiche fyrste of al bringe hither their hye reasons and pregnant wyttes and begyn fyrst from an hye to serch the botomlesse secretes of Goddes predestinacion whether they bee predestinate or not These muste nedes ether caste them selues doune headlong into desperacion or else coÌ„mit them selues to fre chaunce carelesse But folow thou the order of this epistle and noosell thy selfe with Christe and lerne to vnderstande what the lawe and the gospell meane and the office of both two that thou mayest in the one knowe thy selfe and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength but to sinne and in the other the grace of Christ And then se thou fight agaynste sinne and the fleshe as the .vii. fyrst Chapters teache the. After that when thou art come to the .viij.
theyr charge in al whiche saying yet of yâ— prophete there is of kepyng the lawe no meÌ„cion made Cause is there none therfore though yâ— Iewes be neuer somuche desceÌ„ded of these mens stocke that they should peculiarly chalenge as theyr owne either the blisseful state spoken of by Dauid or the praise of righteousnes geueÌ„ vnto AbrahaÌ„ excludyng the gentiles froÌ„ it The texte Came this blessednes then vpon the vncircumcision or vpon the circumcision also For we say that fayth was rekened to Abraham for righteousnes Howe was it than rekened When he was in the circumcision or when he was in the vncircumcision Not in the tyme of circumcision but when he was yet vncircumcised And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of fayth whiche he had yet beyng vncircumcised that he should be the father of al them that beleue though they be not circuÌ„cised that righteousnes might be imputed to them also and that he might be the father of circumcision not vnto them onely whiche came of the circumcised but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the fayth that was in our father AbrahaÌ„ before the tyme of circumcision If it be reasonable let them answer me to this question whether this blessednes promised by God only appertaine to suche as are circuÌ„cised are therby bouÌ„de to yâ— law or els to suche as also are both ignorant what circuÌ„cision is and what the ceremonies of the lawe meane Thus muche must they at the lest graunt yâ— AbrahaÌ„ for his fayth was coumpted righteous But by Abrahams title as fyrst father and beginner of the Iewes stocke must al his ofspryng be estemed couÌ„pted for righteous For an vnmete thyng is it and against reason that the neuewes shuld by other meanes chaleÌ„ge any right thaÌ„ by suche wherby theyr fyrst pareÌ„t was put in possession A knowen matier is it yâ— AbrahaÌ„ was called righteous but let theÌ„ then tel me for what cause was he so called was it for paryng of a lytle skynne froÌ„ yâ— fore parte of his yarde or was it rather for his faythe 's sake without any coÌ„sideracion had of circuÌ„cision To say that he for his Iewishe circumcision obtained the praise of a righteous man cannot be defended forasmuche as at yâ— time when AbrahaÌ„ was so couÌ„pted neither was he circumcised nor yet coÌ„maunded so to be But long before that be leued â—e that of his sede Christ should be borne through whom all nacions of the world should obtaine this blessednes fatherly praise of righteousnes for this fayth of his was he couÌ„ted for righteous After whiche tyme folowed circumcision not as a meane wherby to make him righteous but to be as a marke token among men onely not before God wherby the Iewes should be knowen to be his children whiche beyng not circumcised beleued God yet vncircuÌ„cised as he was had through his onely fayth pleased God If AbrahaÌ„ had been fyrst circumcised thaÌ„ beleued and so consequently called righteous then would it appeare some what that this holy name of righteousnes appertained onely to the circuÌ„cised but in him was it coÌ„trary as whiche for his faythe 's sake was by God pronounced righteous before that he was circuÌ„cised or coÌ„maunded so to be And afterwarde ensued circuÌ„cision not as a meane to make him righteous for so was he alredy but partely to be as a certain figure of the true circuÌ„cision yâ— is to say of the pure godly life whiche should afterwarde be in suche as would perfitely beleue in Christ whiche kinde of circumcision is not ministred with a sharpe flynte stoone cuttyng of a lytle skynne froÌ„ the fore parte of the yarde but wrought by the spirite of God rootyng out of mens heartes all naughty desyres partely also to be a certaine seale or bonde wherby Abraham should of the promises be assured whiche should not yet foorthw t be accomplished in Isaac whiche onely figured Christ but in due season be perfourmed in yâ— sonne of God that so finally Abraham the fyrst example of fayth might be knowen to be the father vnto all suche as would beleue in Christ as he did though they were not carnally circumcised that as his fayth was coumpted for righteousnes so should the fayth of al suche as are the true and lawfully begotten children of Abraham be of God likewyse accepted And by this also in suche sorte knowen to be father to the gentiles that yet the Iewes are not excluded if they for this onely stande not to muche in theyr owne phantasie because they are lineally descended of the circuÌ„cised Abrahams stocke and haue nothyng els to proue theyr kynred by but onely a bare bodely marke but haue rather that fayth wherby he beyng not yet circuÌ„cised was of God couÌ„pted for righteous For nothyng is there that to yâ— fathers maketh a surer profe that theyr childreÌ„ are theyr owne lawfully begotten than if they folowe theyr fathers vertues And if it so be that men vse to disenherite euen theyr owne children deniyng that suche as growe out of kynde from the good condicions and maners of theyr auncesters are theyrs surely muche more wyll God by like markes seauer bastardes from his lawful children The texte For the promises that he should be the heire of the worlde happened not to AbrahaÌ„ or his sede through the law but through the righteousnes of fayth For if they whiche are of the lawe be heires then is fayth but vayne the promise of none effect because the lawe causeth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression Therfore by fayth is the inheritauÌ„ce geuen that it might come of fauoure that the promise might be sure to all the sede Not to them onely whiche are of the lawe but to them also whiche are of the fayth of Abraham whiche is the father of vs all as it is written I haue made the a father of many nacions euen before God whom he beleued which restored the dead vnto life and calleth those thinges whiche be not as though they were Now as AbrahaÌ„ deserued neither for kepyng of Moses law whiche was not at that tyme geuen nor for his circumcisions sake whiche as I before sayd he had not yet receiued that God should make him suche honorable promises that is to wete that the dominion of the whole worlde shuld by inheritauÌ„ce fal vnto him or to his posteritie but through fayth wherby he deserued to be called righteous no more shuld the Iewes loke to enioye the sayd right of Goddes promise either by the onely title and right of circumcision or of the lawe either A title as ye knowe can by none other wayes be conueied to posteritie than by suche as the fyrst authour and beginner of the stocke came by it For if the possession and enheritaunce of the whole worlde promised vnto Abrahams posteritie generally belong vnto the Iewes by the title of the lawe so
one maye be called an outwarde manne the other an inwarde The one beyng subiecte to vnlawful desyres is wholly gyuen to synne the other hauyng yet some sparkes of goodnes remaynyng as it maye laboureth to honestiewarde and in the myddes of oure synfull lyfe asmuche as it maye relisteth and withstandeth Nowe in estemyng what we be rather are we that which we be according vnto the better part in vs. As often therfore as our mynde agreyng vnto the lawe endeuoureth towarde honestie and doth yet in dede the contrary me thynketh I do not that whiche I do for who doth that whiche he would not But in my grosser parte there is a forwardnes to synne and a certayne aptnes therunto by meanes wherof it cummeth to passe that thoughe we would well and godly yet do we the contrary And yf by this parte that is to wit my sensuall parte men esteme and measure me I graunt that in me ther is no goodnes The texte For to wyll is preâ—ent with me but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I woulde do I not but the euyll whiche I would not that do I. Yf I do that I would not â—hen is it not â— that do it but synne that dwelleth in me I fynde then by the lawe that when I would do good â–ª euyll is present with me For I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde manne â—ut I se an other law in my members rebellyng agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduyng me vnto the lawe of syn whiche is in my members O wretch d man that I am who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this bodys subdued vnto death I thanke god through Iesus Christe our Lorde So then with the mynde I serue the lawe of god but with the fleshe the lawe of synne For albeit by the inclination of reason I desyre that which is honeste yet haue I not power to bryng to passe this my good desyer For whyles fleashly luste pluckyng to euyll and fylthy lyfe hath a greater stroke preuayleth more thaÌ„ doth reason prouokyng to goodnes it happeneth that I do not the good whiche I desyre but rather that I disalowe and condemne that is to saye euyll Nowe and yf a man be not thought to do that thyng whiche he dothe agaynst his wyll synce I do yâ— thing which after the better parte of a man I would not then seme not I the authour of that which I do but rather the readines to synne which is in my grocer parte This towardnes or readynes to synne is not taken from me by the lawe but yf at anye tyme I purpose to folowe and obeye her motion the lawe causeth me to vnderstande that my gryef is throughly rooted and fastened in my soule In dede delyghted am I with honestie and goodnes whiche I see and know by the lawe but of the other syde I fynde in the members of myne outwarde man another law whiche is to the lawe of reasoÌ„ quite contrary and continuallye rebelleth agaynst it So that thoughe reason call me one waye and wylful desyres another waye yet in me that beareth rule whiche is worse and that is ouercommen which is better For so depelye rooted in my fleshe is this towardenes and inclination to synne and of suche power is the custome therof beyng as it were now altered into nature yâ— whyther I wyl or not I am drawen to synne O wretched man that I am which am vnder suche a miserable painfull bondage Who shall delyuer me from this fleashe endaungered to so many synnes and contencions whereby I am continuallye drawen to death Maye not a manne whiche is vnder suche a violent and harde necessitie well and lawfully make suche exclamation Certaynely the greater this vnlucky bondage is the more are we bounde to the goodnes of god whiche hath from suche miseries deliuered vs neyther by the lawe nor yet by circumcision but through Iesus Christ our Lord. And had not god thus muche done for vs euen I which am one man shoulde continually haue bene lykewyse pluckte in sunder and deuided that with mynde I should haue serued the lawe of God desyrous of good thynges and with my fleshe the lawe of synne beyng ouer commen with wanton desyres and with the temptacions therof The .viii. Chapiter The texte There is then no damnacion to them whiche are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life through Iesus Christ hath made me free from the lawe of synne and death For what the lawe could not do forasmuche as it was weake because of the fleshe that perfourmed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinneful fleshe and by sinne damned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfylled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite WHerfore though now yet some leauynges and dregges of the former bondage stil remaine in some christian men yet shal they through godly endeuour wel suppresse them nor against theyr wylles be drawen into any suche haynous offence by reason wherof suche might deserue to be dampned as are through fayth and baptisme once graffed into Christes body and haue now intended and purposed to liue no longer as wanton and carnal desyres moued ruled them syth that Christes lawe which is spiritual and an authour of life more effectual subduer of death hath deliuered vs froÌ„ synne also death ioyned thervnto All whiche when Moses lawe could not do inasmuche as it was carnal and therfore not effectual God meruailously prouided for our saluacioÌ„ And therfore as I before tolde you that in one maÌ„ there were as it were two men a carnal and a spiritual man so are there in Moses lawe as it wer two lawes the one grosse and carnal the other heauenly spiritual Of the fyrst part of the law was Moses maker whiche as it endured but for a season so was it not of strength and power sufficient to worke out saluacion The other parte of the lawe is spiritual effectual mightie suche as wyl neuer dye whom Christ beyng as it were a seconde Moses made in all pointes perfite And truely very mete was it that this wyse fleshe shuld abolishe fleshe synne should through synne be ouercomen that also death should subdue death For whiche entent God mercyfully beyng of mans saluacion desyrous sent his sonne though in dede farre from all corrupcion of synne endued yet with suche fleshe as other synners haue for he toke the comen nature of menne vpon him and as though he had bene a synner was among synners conuersaunt yea and was euen fastened vpon a crosse among heynous transgressours as though him selfe had been suche one also Insomuche that he in maner toke vpon him the person of synne to this end that he in the likenes of synne might fyrst ouercome synne foorthwith abolishe it beyng
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
call my selfe a father and you my chyldren sith I fyrste of all menne preached the gospell vnto you and syth that throughe me ye are borne agayne vnto Christe Haue not I in maner begoten you What mother hathe taken so muche payne in trauaile with her childe as I suffered when I trauailed with you to make you christians Wherfore yf ye acknowledge this father to be yours yf ye be vnfayned children I beseche you for our mutuall loues sake to folowe your father in liuing and manners Synce ye are begoten by vs why labour ye rather to bee lyke other than to vs Suche thynges wherof ye ate accused vnto me whence they came consider with your selfe surely ye learned not them of me Yf any poynte of our doctryne bee out of youre memorie forasmuche as I canne not come my selfe here I sende vnto you Timothee euen as mine owne selfe which is my sonne not one that groweth out of kynde but through goddes goodnes a faythful childe which as fyrste by me he learned Christe so swarueth he at no tyme from his fathers steppes He shal put you in remembraunce how I ordre my life whiche I bothe folowe and teache after the example of Iesus Christe not vnto you onely but to euery congregacion that professeth Christe As he is one commen autour and rewler of all so muste all menne haue one rewle of lyuyng A naturall childe doth his duety not for feare of payne but gladlye and with all his hearte There are some among you whiche because I am absente are paste shame and so wantonly behaue them selfes as though I would neuer returne But they shal be deceyued for I wyll within a whyle bee with you by goddes grace what tyme I wyll haue a tryall what these menne can doe that this wyse auaunce them selfe not in eloquence but in deedes For the strength of the gospell standeth not in royall and gorgiouse speache which euerye manne maye bse but in a heauenlye strengthe and power which is declared by sufferaunce of troubles by concorde by ryghteousnesse of the wholle lyfe and by myracles Shall I come vnto you I wyll come in deede But take ye heede that ye receyue me as reason woulde In your handes standeth you to make me come eyther as a roughe one and dredfull or as a meeke one and gentyll I haue authorytie geuen vnto me by Christ to punishe rebellions and such as are vnrewlye with the rodde of correccion But rather hadde I not to vse it but woulde wyshe gladlye youre manners were suche that I lyke a louyng mercifull and meeke father may reioyce in your vnhurtefulnesse or yf there bee among you any smalle faultes that the same maye with an easye and fatherly correccyon be amended The .v. Chapter The texte There goeth a commen saying that their is fornicacion among you ▪ and suche fornicacion as is not named among the gentyles that one shoulde haue his fathers wife And ye swel and haue not rather sorowed that he whiche hath doue thys dede might be put frō among you for I verely as absent in body but presente in spirite haue determyned alreadye as though I we◠present concerning hym that hath done thys dede in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe when ye are gathered together and my spirite with you with the power of the Lord Iesus Christ to delyuer hym vnto Satan for the destruccion of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus BVt this is both better knowen than canne bee denyed more grenouse than canne be borne with and more hanouse than were conuenient any longer to bee differred that of you ▪ whome as a temple halowed to god all cleanes beseamed there goeth a cōmen tale and a shamfull rumour of fornicacion and of suche fornicacion as the like reproche hath not been found among painims and suche as to Christe are straungers whiche is that one among you vseth his fathers wyfe as his owne What a greate reproche and slaundre to christian religion thynke ye this that of you suche a foule rummoure shoulde bee spreade abrode And yet ye in the meane season as thoughe so greate infamye nothyng belonged vnto you highlye please youre selfe and are throughe youre worldelye wysedome proude whome it more beseamed with commen mournyng and heauinesse to declare that ye earnestelye disproue this filthie deede by excludyng the dooer of suche an outragiouse offence oute of youre coumpanye and that for three consideracions Fyrste leste yf ye vse hym familiarely and as one of your owne coumpanye whiche hathe not yet shewed hymselfe to bee sorye for hys offence ye myght seame to fauer misdoers and then a gayne leste suche an outragious offence once receued amonge you growe more and more Finally to the entente that the doer of suche a mischefe yf ye auoyde his companye as one by cōmen iudgement condemned for shame repente hym selfe vntyll suche tyme as by perfite sygnes of repentaunce it bee well knowen that he his mete to bee receaued into good peoples company And this shoulde ye haue done strayghte waye assone as it was by commen reporte knowen that the manne whose name yet for causes I rehearce not was of suche abomination Yf I had ben my selfe presente among you I woulde so haue done Nowe I being absente albeit not vtterlye absente for not withstanding my bodye bee awaye yet am I by autoritie of the spirite present absent therfore I saye but as thoughe I were present I gyue sentence whiche ye must folow that in a cōmen assemblye and resorte of manye ye determine because no one man shoulde take suche autoritie vpon hym whiche assemblye must with no carnal desire come together but haue an eye to nothinge but to the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christ wherein I wyll as I sayed onely spirituallye bee present where shall also bee the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christe in whose name ye shall come together whiche by his power shall make my sentence effectuall that he whiche wythout all regarde of honestie hath this outragiouslye dooen bee caste oute of youre congregacion and geuen ouer to Satan to bee punished in his fleshe and made ashamed by mannes iudgement that his spirit and soule be saued before Iesus Christe his iudge whan he shall iudge and shall geue sentence not onely vpon these thynges or this manne but vpon al the world In the meane season expediente is it for hym also to preuente the exacte and rigorous iudgement of god assuryng hymself that better is it to suffre temporal punist ement than to bee condemned to the euerlastyng tourmentes of helle It beseameth vs rather to deuise a playster for the reformacion of offendours than punishmente so vsyng oure selfes with them that they maye remaine to bee amended Nor kyll we the manne but suppresse the vice and saue the manne This is the punishmente wherewith christian gentlenes oughte to bee contented It is the Iewes maner to stone a man to death and
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
with all theyr heartes put theyr affiaunce in the ghospel and beleued also that through the death of Iesus Christe godly lyfe shal all people haue and receyue glory also and saluacion For this purpose lykewyse for a season serued Moses lawe that partly with manacyng of punishmentes partly with hope of promises made therin and partly with rude expressing of Christe to come the Iewes after suche sorte within theyr bondes leste Christe at his commyng should haue fouÌ„d them strayed out into all kyndes of mischiefe neither worthy nor yet apte to receyue the grace of his gospell By the promises then of the lawe had the Iewes a certayne rude knowledge of the misterie of the gospell By the obseruaunce of this lawe then were menne so long stayed and vnderpyght vntyll that was by the ghospell opened whiche the law in shadowes represented that yf men wyll nowe awake they maye clearlye see euen that put in vre wherof they before had but a dreame The texte ¶ Wherfore the lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christe that we might be made ryghteouse by faythe But after that fayth is come we are no lenger vnder the scholemaister For ye are the chyldren of God because ye beleue in Christe Iesu For al ye that are baptised haue put on Christ The lawe therfore brought not men to perfite righteousnes but was as a scholemaister gyuen to the rude people that whome the regarde of honestie was not yet able to kepe in good order they myghte with feare of punishemente be kept from extreme noughtines that through suche meanes encreasyng by lytle and lytle they mighte be broughte from trustyng vpon theyr olde ceremonies vnto Christ of whome onely they should loke to receyue perfite righteousnes Nowe is not the chylde â—o vnder his scholemaister that the scholemaister with hym muste al waye be at hande but onlye vntyll suche tyme as they beyng more rype and growen vppe to better knowledge euen of theyr owne accorde fall to honestie nor haue nede with feare of punishemente to be kepte from euyll but by theyr fathers encouragyng freelye and wyllyngly study goodnes and honestie an other whyle nowe rulyng theyr scholemaister whose holsome and sharpe correction they for a tyme endured As the father therfore though he tenderly loue his chyldren compelleth them yet for a tyme to be vnder a scholemaister whose maister the chyldren in shorte tyme after shall be so hathe god with sharpenes of the lawe kepte vnder his rude and grosse people vntyll that they concerning the doctrine of his ghospel beyng made their owne menne should no lenger neede to be vnder correccion of theyr scholemaister but lyue freelye as free chyldren vnder theyr moste mercifull father And though it so were that god gaue vnto the Iewes onely a scholemayster yet toke he not them onelye for his chyldren but â—ather coumpted all suche as by faythe in the ghospell are graffed into the bodye of Iesus Christe and endued with his holye spirite to be goddes chyldreÌ„ as soone as they are with Christe made one Nowe yf that wherby we are ioyned vnto Christe generallye belong to all menne what lette shoulde there be why God shoulde not indifferently coumpte all for his chyldren Throughe baptisme haue ye receyued the spirite of Christe and not by circumcision As many then as are baptised are become with Christ ioynte enheriters in that behalfe no poynt inferior to the Iewes boast they themself of the priuelege of circumcision neuer somuche The texte There is no Iewe neither Gentile there is neither bonde neither free there is neither man nor woman for ye are all one in Christe Iesu Yf ye be Christes then are ye Abrahams seede and heyres accordyng to the promyse In thinges that hange vpon mennes fauer the condicion state and persons are regarded but god woulde this benefite of his to be bothe free and also commen to all men Throughe baptisme are we newe borne agayne and sodenly altered as it were into a newe creature And as touching this gyft it is layed to noman nor passed vpon whether he were before baptisme Iewe or Gentile bonde man or free manne or woman All ye through baptisme are belonging to Christes bodie equally partakers of this goddes gifte whiche is from the head conuayed into all the members And yf Christe be the very seede of Abraham by whom god promised his blessyng to all nacions of the worlde forasmuche as ye are planted in Christe nedes must ye be Abrahams posteritie Farther then yf ye be Abrahams posteritie euen lyke heyres ye haue ryght to yâ— promise of god Yf through the felowshyp of Christe ye become goddes chyldren and into it are all receyued through fayth and baptisme necessarily it foloweth that the inheritaunce equallye appertayneth to all men The fourth Chapiter The texte And I say that the heyre as long as he is a childe differeth not from a seruaunt through he be lord of all but is vnder tuters and gouernours vntil the tyme that the father hath appointed euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the worlde LOng synce by Goddes promise due was the title of inheritauÌ„ce but now and not before are we receiued into it because as we before sayd as by mannes lawes and ordinauÌ„ces the heyre while he is within age vseth not his right yea he nothing differeth froÌ„ a seruauÌ„t where he is borne to be lorde ouer all but is kept vnder with feare and ruled as other men wyll passyng that tyme vnder creansers gouernours vntyl he be growen vp to that rypenes whiche either the lawe or his father hath appointed so likewyse in tyme past when we were yet not apt to receiue this gift whiche requireth euen heaueÌ„ly mindes our vnderstaÌ„dinges also therto not of streÌ„gth sufficient as yet we were like children with suche certaine grosse lawes as were mete for our infirmities kept in due ordre beyng suche at that tyme as could not sauor heauenly learnyng but rather suche as would with suche thinges be more moued as might with our fleshely iyen be seen as are the material thynges of this world for example differences of dayes differeÌ„ces of meates differeÌ„ces in apparel sacrificyng and killyng of beastes circumcision As long as we were not apt to receiue higher instruccions euen as seruauntes we for a season obeyed and were vnder these The texte But when the time was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we through eleccion might receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the natural soÌ„nes But assone as we came out of wardship and were growen vp to a ryper age when that tyme was paste whiche the euerlastyng father in â—â—s secrete couÌ„sel had appointed he suffered vs no leÌ„ger to be vnder the carnal rules of the lawe but sent for our deliueraunce neither Moses nor prophete but his onely sonne Iesus Christ He sent his sonne I
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
delicates regardynge neyther ordre nor coÌ„mune wealth sparyng nether place nor time ne yet geuing god any thaÌ„kes at al ether for fleshe or fishe meate or drinke as it may appeare by their impudent abominable lyuinge couetous gredynes of worldly pleasures in swearyng whoring dyceing cardyng braullyng raylyng braggyng querelling fighting â–ª piking stealing robbing bawdy talkyng in al kyndes elles of hellishe iniquitie And so by that reason ouer their own daÌ„nable estate the poore symple vntaught weake brother for whom Christe died seyng thys lybertie and thys iniquitie ioyned together is by and by offended and defyeth the worde of God because of that rashe beastly bellyed mannes wyckednesse whiche prateth of the worde and lyueth cleane contrarie agaynst it Thus the deuyll I saye purchaseth to him selfe and to the fyre of hell as many or rather mo slaues by his countrefaite ghospellyng than he did before with open idolatrous popery mayntenyng Nowe therfore goe downe in to thy selfe good reader and see what case thou standest in for thou seest by experience that the dayes are euyll Loâ—e not the good oportunytie that God hath lent thee For all that saye Lorde Lorde shal not entre into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the fathers wyll whiche is in heauen Althoughe we are made ryghteous before God throughe onely fayth yet we muste expresse our fayth by suche charitable workes before men as God commaundeth or els our faythe is deade and become no faythe And thoughe we are saued throughe grace yet we may not abide in synne stil that grace maye abounde For lyke as whan a synner repenteth there is a merye heauen the Angelles reioycing for gladnes euen so whan a man repenteth not but lyueth styll in infidelitie and synne he maketh the holy ghost sadde and a sorowfull heauen And thoughe we are quyckened together with Christe of his owne fre mercye without our deseruynges yet we are commaunded by his holy worde to mortyfie oure carnal membres vpon earth that lyke as we haue in tymes past made them seruauntes of vngodlynes from one naughtynes to an other so we shoulde henceforth make them seruauntes of puritie into santtification For he that gaue vs Christ to be our newe garmente badde vs by his Apostle Paule put of the olde Adam or elles Christe woulde not stycke cleane on our backes onlesse olde Adam be stryped cleane of wyth all his ragged rotten patches of infidelitie and sinfulnes And he that sayeth Let us put on the armour of lyghte sayeth fyrste Let us cast aâ—uaye the uuorkes of darknes For lyke as God loueth to be wourshypped onelye accordynge to his owne worde and byddyng so he curfeth all them that inuent or vse other kyndes of worshyppyng or seruyng of him besydes his worde And lyke as God filleth them with his grace that reuerently and truly vse his holy name so he fylleth them also full of wikednes that be swearours and maketh his plague of vengeaunce to hang styll ouer their houses that abuse Goddes name And lyke as God promyseth reward to them that helpe their pore neyghbours at their nede so he threateneth punishement to them also that hurte their neyghbours by worde or by dede And like as the holy goste alloweth chaste wedlocke for holy and honourable among all men so doeth he pronounce whoredom and bawldrye to be cursed and abominable among all men Christe that geueth the peny to the diligent workers byddeth auaunt I knowe you not to them that are loyterours The Prophete Dauid that sayeth Prope est dnÌ„s oiÌ„bus eum inuocantibus sayeth also Longe a peccatoribus salus And that ghospell which is the power of God to saue all that beleue it shall also be a witnesse at the last daye against all them that shewe them selues in this worlde vnbeleuers by the frutes of their vngodly behauyour Assure thy selfe of thys good reader that lyke as there is God so is there the deuyll As there is heauen so is there hel As there is lyfe and eternall saluation so is there death and eternall damnacion Therfore cast of careles securitie and be diligent in readynge or hearynge Goddes worde If Christe be thy sauiour make no moe mediatours for thee but onely him For lyke as he wyl not geue away the glory of his passion to any other so wyl he not geue awaye the glory of his intercession to any other Cast of feyned custome and laye holde vpon vnfailyng veritie Forsake blynde broade byewayes â–ª and folowe the streight narowe pathe way Awaye with fylthy whoremonging and take thee to chaste wedlocke If thou wilte be chosen make sure thy vocation If thou defyest the deuyll meddle not with false teachers and deuely she lyuyng If thou louest not the deuylles sauour dwell not vpon hys donghill of stynkyng ydolatrie and supersticioÌ„ If thou be the sonne of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham If thou be iustified throughe onely faythe in Christ leade the lyfe and doe the dedes of a faythfull iustifyed christen man If Christe be thy Lorde be thou his true seruaunt If thou wylte take vpon the to be Christes disciple see that thou weare his badge Christen charitie If Christe be thy good shepeherde herken to his voyce and none other If Christe haue borne the on his owne shoulders into his shepefolde whan thou wast runne astraye see thou runne not oute agayne lest thou droppe into the pitte and be drowned throughe thyne owne folye If thou wylte take God for thy father see thou be holy as he is holy If thou wylte haue the holy spirite of God to be thy comfortoure make him not sadde with the resisting waiwardnes of thy spirite And than mayest thou be surely bolde to preace vnto the throne of hys grace and shalte be sure to fynde mercye in conuenient tyme. Take hede by tyme for nowe is the tyme and verye howre for vs to ryse vp from sleape and therfore I saye take tyme of repentaunce whyle tyme is for tyme wyll awaye But and yf thou wylte not aryse and heare the voyce of thy Shepeherde Christ hauing the lybertie of Goddes woorde the rather by the ample enterpretyng of these Godly Paraphrases to teache thee and to be thy warraunt thexample of the Kynges Maiestie with hys gracious Vncle the lord Protectour the test of his most honorable Counsail to encourage ayde and defende thee but wylt tomble and walowe styll in wylful ignoraunce and errour stickyng to olde heathenyshe idolatrous worshippinges supersticious deuisinges masse meritinges beade droppinges popyshe customes disobedyence agaynst superiours and parentes blasphemous swearyng aduouterous lyuing theuyshe stealyng â–ª murder and robbynge couetous cloynynge bawdye talkyng holoweharted flateryng false witnesse bearyng vntrue dealyng craftye deceauyng dronken drinkyng paunche pampryng subtyl vnderminynge and other wyckednesses and vilanies against the wrytten word and commauÌ„dement of God and so differrest repentaunce from daye to daye and heapyng synne vpon synne sayest the mercye of God is greate Tushe let God sende me a mery lyfe
goodnes it selfe That that is new vnto vs is not new with him For that that he shewed open to the world in sending his sonne now in the later dayes was eternally decreed with the father and the sonne albeit he would by his certayn vnspekable counsail haue it secretly hidden vntil his determined time were fulfilled to open this secret vnto mankynde Wherin the losses of tyme that the people in times past miâ—â—enâ— in vaine seking saluacion some by the outward obseruacion of Moses saw some by the studie of philosophie some by supersticyous religion wurshipping of deuils should be expelled and the whole suÌ„me of all thinges yâ— apperteine to true innocencie to true godlines should be ascribed only to Christ besides whom no man ought to desyre any thing for asmuch as he being the only foantayn is content to gratify our peticious â–ª with any good thyng that is eyther in heauen or earth For God the father hath appoynted him to be the head of all that all men should depend of hym onely and to trust to receiue at his hand whatsoeuer is rightly to be desired and to acknowelege that it cummeth of him whatsoeuer he of his bounteous liberalitie bestoweth vpon vs. By whome also such aboundant felicitie hath chaunsed vnto vs that we wer chosen vnto the lotte and enheritaunce of immortalitie not of our owne deseruinges but because we were predestinate to it by his decrâ— loÌ„g a go by whose arbitrement and power all thinges are ordred and disposed by his vnscarcheable counsel on our behalfe according to his owne wil who forasmuch as he is the best the most wise he cannot possibly wil any thyng but those thinges that are both best wisest Such was his determinate wil that we should be called vnto this enheritaunce felowship of Christ noâ— for our own desertes but of his frâ— benignitie we that through the monicyon of the prophetes sayinges had in a maner fixed our hope in Christ promised vnto vs yea eâ—â— afore the trueth of the gospelcame to light so that this benefit should not be ascribed to the obseruacion of Moses law but that al the praise should wholy redound to the glory of the goodnes of God who was content frely to geue it to vs by his sâ—â—â— Neuertheles we Iewes wer not called alone to the promised felowship of Christ although in distrusting the shadowes of Moses lawe we haue embraced the trueth of the ghospell wherof we trust assuredly to receiue true saluacion yea without any helpe of the lawe at all but you also albeit you are vncircumcised yet assone as ye beleued in the same gospell you were chosen inâ—â— thesame felowship For we are not debtours vnto CircuÌ„cisioÌ„ in yâ— we are receiued into the hope of immortalitle but vnto fayth which if you haue as wel as the Iewes what should let you froÌ„ the geÌ„tle goodnes of god The cutting a way of yâ— foreskin is a marke to discerne yâ— Iewe froÌ„ the Heathen But yâ— marke of the gospel exteÌ„deth further is not printed vpon the bodye but in the soule With this signe all are marked indifferentlye of what nacion soeuer they be that embrace the doctrine of the gospel and beleue his promisses Some will aske what token is it that discerneth the Christians from the wieked â–ª Truely the holy gost and the inward affect not a seruile bonde affect but such a one as is commonly in good children which maketh vs with al our hart to beleue the promisses of the gospel yea although they do not yet in this world presently appere For yâ— enheritaunce wherinto we are engraffed shal not be fully performed but at the resurreccion of yâ— bodyes How beit he geueth vs his spirite in the meane season as a pledge ernest of yâ— promised enheritaunce By thys token we are surely certified yâ— god accepteth vs for his childreÌ„ not doubting but he wil take his owne to himselfe whoÌ„ he hath redemed by yâ— deathe of his soÌ„ne For yâ— merciful geÌ„tilnesse of god is desirous to winne many wold haue his â–ª magnificence most specially knoweÌ„ notified to maÌ„kind whiche yâ— more it is opened abrode yâ— mo shall speake of it God in times past cared peculiarlye for yâ— Iewes in that he deliuered theÌ„ froÌ„ the seruitude of yâ— Egipcians But it was a small matter to haue yâ— goodnesse of god set forth only in one nacioÌ„ His wil is to be praysed extolled of al meÌ„ inaâ—nuche as he hath frely redemed al froÌ„ the bondage of sinne For yâ— he estemeth as pertinent to his glory yâ— not only the Iewes but al the nacions of yâ— who le world through beliefe of the gospel should be partakers of saluatioÌ„ The texte Wherfore I also after that I heard of the faith which ye haue in the Lord Iesu and loâ—â— vnto all the sainctes cease not to geue thankes for you making mencioÌ„ of you in my praieâ—â— that the God of our Lord Iesue Christ the father of glory maye geue vnto you the spiryte oâ— wisdoÌ„ reuelaâ—oÌ„ by the knowlage of him selfe lighteÌ„ the eyes of pour myndes yâ— ye may know what the hope is wherunto he hath called you and how riche the glory is â—t his inherytaunce vpon the sainctes and what is the excedyng greatenes of his power to vsâ—â—â—e which beleue accordig to the working of that his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised hym from the dead and set him on his right hand in heauenly thinges about all rule and power and myght and domymon and aboue euery name yâ— is named not in this worlde onely but also in the world to come and hath pur all thinges vnder his fâ—â—e and hath made hym aboue all thinges the head of the congregacion whiche is his bodye and the fulnes of him that sylleth all in all For this coÌ„sideracioÌ„ I passe not whether you be circuÌ„cised or not whaÌ„ I seeuident tokens in you of euaÌ„gelical saluacioÌ„ first in that you haue reposed your whole trust in the lord Iesu thaÌ„ in that you declare your Christian charitie towardes al Saintes the meÌ„bers of Christ For this cause I ceasse not to geue thaÌ„kes for you For EuaÌ„gelicall sincerite is of suche efficacie yâ— it causeth vs to be glad of other mennes coÌ„modities no lesse thaÌ„ of our owne And I make alwaies meÌ„cion of you in my prayers wher with I daily call vpon God for yâ— aduauÌ„cement of the gospels businesse yâ— he which is god of al sortes of people indifferentile of Iesu Christ also after his humaine nature of whoÌ„ also Christ hath to be god vnto whoÌ„ as vnto the autor fouÌ„taine of al goodnes the sâ—â—â—e of al glory doth wholy beloÌ„g may geue vnto you more more yâ— ernest when of I haue spokeÌ„ his spirite to inspire into your mindes this heauenly wisedoÌ„ and the knowlage of this mysterie that you maye knowe hym that is thouly autor
that haâ—ed lawe that consisteth onely in the prescribed carnall ceremonies so that he would neyther alyenate the Iewes nor presse the Gentiles with the burthen of it For he beyng very God and very man after the fleshe obserued the commaundementes of the lawe and yet he testifyed that the saluacyon which he brought after the spirite belonged no lesse to the Gentiles than to the Iewes so that now you shoulde neyther be abhominable because of your vncircumcision nor the Iewes any stouter because of theyr circumcision but that in dispatchyng the olde cankerdnesse of bothe those nacions he mighte of two make one new to growe together into one new man Christ the common sauiour indifferentlye of them both And lyke as he made the Iewes and the Gentiles at one betwene themselues euen so he made them both at one with god that there should be nothing to breake the atonemeÌ„t but that the thinges in heauen and the thynges in earth shoulde bee ioyned together as it were into one body The death of Christe which he suffered for our sinnes hath vnited vs to God with whome no man is at peace that hath delyghte in synne And forasmuche as this peace is bestowed both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles indifferently there is no cause why eyther of them shoulde thinke them better than the other specially in asmuche as the pledge and gage of the holy ghost whereof we spake a litle before is geuen commonlye to them bothe without difference Now we se it come to passe that Esaye by inspiracyon prophecyed long agoe should come For Christ hath not offered the doctrine of the gospell to the Iewes onely vnto whome this blessed felicitie semed to be peculiarely promysed and whiche also after theyr sorte were the true wurshyppers of God but also vnto you whiche were ferre of bothe from the kinred of the people of Iewes and from the wurshippyng of the true God teaching thereby that throughe hys deathe bothe the flockes of shepe shoulde goe together into one shepefolde and knowe hym to bee theyr onely shepehearde He it is that hath opened vnto vs the entraunce to the father who before was displeased at our sinnes and none other hath opened this entraunce to the Iewes than he who hathe opened the same to the Gentiles but we are all bounden to him alone in that we are now bolde to approche bothe to that merciful father hauing confidence in that commune spirite which inspireth this assured trust indifferently into the heartes of vs bothe The texte ¶ Now therfore ye are not straungers and foreyners but citesens with the Saintes and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and propheres Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whome what building soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lorde in whome ye also are built together to be an habitacion of God thorowe the holy ghoste Now therfore to the intente you shoulde not thinke your selues the wurse because you came not of the stocke of Dauid or Abraham as concerning the kinred of the fleshe or because ye are without the lawe of Moses in asmuche as after the spirite ye are citezens and felowes of saintes perteining to the house of God which is builded not of the Iewes onely but of al them that purely beleue the Gospell The foundacions of this house are the Apostles the preachers of the Ghospel and the Prophetes who shewed long a goe in theyr prophecies that the gifte of the Ghospell should now be indifferently common to all men To thys foundacyon you are also faste layed And to be shorte Iesus Christe is the chiefe head stone of this building whiche being layed in the corner coupleth and kepeth the walle together on bothe sydes by whose power and couplyng all the buildyng of the beleuers compacted together on euerye syde dayly encreaseth and ryseth vnto a perfitely holy spirituall temple consecrated of the lord himself And of this holy building you are also parte whilest lyke lyuelye stones layed vpon the same foundacyons and holden togither of the same corner stone you make in purenes of mynde and spirite vnto God an holye habitacle vnspotted from all synnes and voyde of lustes There bee none receyued into Moses temple but Iewes but to this temple all they perteyne indifferentlye that embrace the fayth of the Ghospell ¶ The .iii. Chapiter The texte ¶ For this cause I Paule am a prisoner of Iesus Christe for you Deathen Yf ye haue heard the ministracion of the grace of God whiche is geuen me to youwarde For â—yteuelacion shewed he the mistery vnto me as I wrote afore in fewe woordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowlage in the mistery of Christ which mistery in times passed was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared vnto his holy Apostles and Propheres by the spirite that the Gentiles should be inheritours also and of the same bodiâ— and partakers of his promes in Christe by the meanes of the Ghospell whereof I am made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God whiche is geuen vnto me after the working of hys power Vnto me the leaste of all Saintes is this grace geuen that I should preache among the Gentiles the vnsearcheable riches of Christe and to make all men see what the felowship of the mistery is which from the beginning of the worlde hath bene hid in God whiche made al thinges thorow Iesus Christ to the intent that nowe vnto the ruleâ—s and powers in heauenly thinges mighte be knowen by the congregacion the manifolde wisedome of God according to the eternall purpose whiche he wrought in Christe our lorde â–ª by whome we haue boldenes and enteraunce with the confidence whiche is by the fayth of him ANd that you maye geue the more constaunte credenâ—e hereunto vnderstande that I Paule am laden with these bondes for no cause els that is to say not for any naughtie dede but for Iesus Christes sake vnto whoÌ„e I trauayll to winne you Gentiles wherat the Iewes haue indignacion Yf ye haue heard tell that this office was committed to me of Christ himself that I should preache the saluacion of the Gospel whiche some afore tymeiudged to belong to none but to the Iewes in euery place yea euen among the Gentiles of whose noumber you are This secret mistery being hidden before to other Apostles Christ opened most chiefely to me lyke as we begonne to speake briefely of before in our writynges to other nacions by readyng whereof you may know that I am not ignoraunt of the secret counsel of Christ who whan he tolde Ananias beforehand that I carie his name among the Gentiles he commaunded me than to goe and dooe his message vnto the Gentiles that dwelled farre of Whiche thing before semed abhominable that wieked persones and Image wurshippers should be called to the felowship of the gospel Notwithstanding it was so decreed
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
dyd not the offices that were lackyng on youre parte toward me and that by meanes of him you myghte be in a maner presentlye here with me in that he broughte youre charitable tokens vnto me and with hys ministeries serued me in this daunger that he myghte one alone represente you all vnto me ¶ The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ Moreouer brethren reioyce ye in the Lorde It greueth me not to wryte one thing often to you For to you it is a sure thing Beware of dogges beware of euyll worckers Beware of dissencion For we are circumcision whiche serue God in the spirite and reioyce in Christ Iesu and haue no confidence in the flesshe though I might also reioyce in the flesshe Yf eny other man thincketh that he hath wherof he might trust in the flesshe I haue more beyng circumcised the cyght daye of the kynred of Israell of the try be of Beniamin an Hebrue borne of the Hebrues as concernyng the lawe a Pharisaye as concernyng feruentnes I persecuted the congregacion as touchinge the right wysnes which is in the lawe I was vnrebukeable But the thinges that were vauntage vnto me those I counted losse for Christes sake Yee I thynke all thinges but losse for the excellencye of the knowledge of Christ Iesu my Lorde For whome I haue counted all thing losse and do iudge them but vyle that I maye wynne Christe and be founde in him not hauynge myne owne tyghtewesnes of the lawe but that which is thorow the faith of Christ euen that righte wesnes whiche commeth of God thorowe faith that I maye knowe him and the veriue of his resurreccion and the felowshyppe of his passions while I am conformable vnto his death yf by eny meanes I might attaine vnto the resurreccion of yâ— deed Not that I haue attained vnto it already or that I am already perfect but I folowe yf that I maye comprehende that wherin I am comprehended of Christ Iesu Brethren I counte not my selfe that I haue gotten it as yet but this one thing I saye I forget those thinges whiche are behynde and endeuoure my selfe vnto those thinges whiche are before and accordynge to the marke appoynted I preace to the rewarde of the hye callynge of God thorowe Christ Iesu Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thus wyse mynded and yf ye be other wyse mynded God shall open the same also vnto you Neuerthelesse vnto that whiche we haue attayned vnto let vs proceade by one rule that we maye be of one accorde NOw brethren this remayneth moreouer that whan you knowe what thinges are doen here and hauing Epaphroditus sent to you againe in health you maye reioyce and neglectinge the affliccions wherwith the world hath turmoiled vs you may be glad yâ— our lord Iesus Christes busynesse goeth alwayes forwarde better and better On the behalfe wherof I am not so muche afrayed of them that be Ethnikes whiche impugne the gospell openly as of these halfe christians whiche preache Christe after suche wyse that they myngle the Iewes maner of doctrine in withall Of this matter I haue with muche carke and care oftentymes warned you but yet it shall be no payne vnto me to put the same in wryting that you maye be more sure For you can almoost neuer be ware ynoughe of these pestilent wycked shameles kynde of meÌ„ that alwayes lye in wayte in euery place They haue enuye at your lybertye they barke against syncere doctrine they depraue other mennes lyuinges they laboure in the gospelles busynesse howbeit to none other ende but to cortupte it They bragge of their foreskynnes circumcision whan their inwarde mynde is all together vncircumcised Beware brethren that they begyle you not take hede of such dogges take hede of naughtye workers beware of the vncircumcysed circumcision yea rather concision They haue no cause to bragge of them selues though they beare about the fylthy marke of their highe bragge wheras their conscience is vncleane and wicked If circumcision be worthye yâ— boasting we are circumcised in dede we are very Iewes in dede we are the ryghte children of Abraham that worshyp God not with beastes bloude but in spirite for so he woulde be wourshypped we boaste not in the lytell skynne cut from a parte of the bodye nor yet in Moses but in Christ Iesus who by his spirite hath cut awaye all our synnes from our soules and hathe prynted in our hartes a very excellente goodlye marke wherby it maye manifestlye appeare that we are the sonnes of God This nowe is a glorious and a true circumcision God from hence forthe estemeth not man after the state of his bodye But these men neclecting the care of the soule repose al their whole trust in the fleshe wherin yf any man maye boaste I for my parte wyll geue place in this behalfe to none of them all so as they can not haue to quarell that I set naught by circumcisioÌ„ because I haue it not If any man stande in his owne coÌ„ceite bicause of his circumcision I maye bragge of my selfe a greate deale more for I was lawfully circumcised the eyght daye accordynge to the commaundement of the lawe I am an Israelite not by engraffynge but by kyndred not a straunge foundlyng but a Iewe beynge borne of the Iewes and not of an vncertayne kyndred but of a special chiefe kynored that is of Beniamin whiche hath ben alwayes ioyned to yâ— tribe of Iuda wherof Kynges and Leuites and priestes also are ordayned wher as many suppose them selues Israelites bycause they descende of the kyndred of the concubines of Israel I am an Hebrewe of the Hebrewes after my birthe and after the sectes of the law a Pharisee whos 's ordre hathe had alwayes the highest dygnitie And yf they wyll esteme any man after the studye and obseruacion of the lawe they haue not also in any of these wherin to preferte themselues before me For I regarded the dyligent study of the lawe of my fathers so earnestlye muche that for the defence of it I persecuted the congregacion of Christ by all possyble meanes I coulde and I so entierlye obserued those thinges that the lawe commaundeth that there was nothinge wherin I coulde be iustlye founde withall as a transgressour And yf any of this geare deserued any prerogatyue I might with iuster cause boast than these men that woulde seme to be halfe goddes because they be circumcised At that time in dede forasmuch as I was not yet taught Christ I thought my selfe a iolye fortunate man aswell for the nobylitie of my kyndred and dignitie of my secte as also for my sitayte obseruyng of yâ— law But as sone as I leaâ—ned by the gospel of Christ in what thinges true righteousnesse coÌ„sisteth â–ª and that matters of ferre greater excelleÌ„cie wer signified by these figures and shadowes of Moses lawe by and by I cast awaye and renounced the thinges that I haunted before as matters of wonderous holynesse and thought it damage vnto me what soeuer it were that
sakes And yf they reproue you for your faultes at any tyme yet haue peace with them For he is not worthye to be hated that reproueth a man for his profite The texte We desyre you brethren warne them that are vnruelye comforte the feble mynded lyfte vp the weake be pacient towarde all men Se that none recompence euyll for euyll vnto any man but euer folowe that whiche is good both among your selues and to all men Reioyce euer Praye continually In all thynges geue thankes For this is the wyll of God thorow Christ Iesu towarde you Quenche not the spirite Despyse not prophecyinges Eramen all thynges kepe that whiche is good Abstayne from all euel apperaunce The very god of peace sanctifie you thorowe out And I praye God that youre whole spirite and soule and bodye maye be preserued so that in nothyng ye maye be blamed in the commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ Faythfull is he whiche called you whiche will also do it Brethren praye for vs. Grete all the brethren with an holy kysse I charge you in the Lorde that this Epistle be red vnto all the holy brethren The grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ be with you Amen And thus I beseche you euerye man accordyng to his habilitie to laye your helpyng handes to the forewardyng of their offices Admonishe them that lyue after their owne lustes and disquiet the ordre that you obserue Comforte the weake harted releue the feble be gentill and paciēt towardes all men not onely towardes the Christians but also them that are straungers from Christ Beware that none recompense wrong for wrong nor requite euill dede for euill dede For truely it is vnsemyng to folowe the ecample of naughtie persones in a naughty matier and become lyke condicioned vnto them But rather geue diligence to do good vnto all folkes not onely the christians vnto christians but also vnto all maner of folkes whether they haue deserued it or not deserued it beyng certaynly assured that your diligence shall not be lost for Christ is your suertie In consideracion wherof whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you reioyce alwayes so that godlynesse bee safe call vpon God with your prayers continually without ceassyng and geue thankes whatsoeuer befalleth you For so it standeth with gods pleasure that there shall be occasion alwayes to rendre thankes vnto the father for his bounteousnes to you warde by Iesus Christe And this furthermore standeth you in hande to take hede of that no variaunce rise among you by reason of euery ones sondrye sortes of giftes Vnto some one chaunceth the gift of tongues to syng in the spirite albeit it is but a gift of the basest sorte yet quenche it not in any wise but cherishe it rather that it maye profyte better and better Vnto some chaunceth the gifte of prophecie to declare the misticall sence of the scripture reiecte it not in any wyse whatsoeuer is spoken Suffre the one paciently that he maye go on forwarde heare the others setence with iudgement but after suche sorte that he be not to muche molested in his speakyng Let no mā make so muche of his owne giftes that he contemne another mannes Trye al thynges but let euery man holde the thing that he iudgeth requisite Whatsoeuer it be that hath the similitude of a good thyng is not to be despised Notwithstandyng it behoueth you to abhorre so muche from euil that you ought to absteyne euen from those thynges that haue the shewe of euill But vnto these matters it shall be your parte to applie all your diligent studies And god the auctor of peace vnto whō is acceptable both the lyke consent of mynde the like speache of wordes that mē do wholy vse together in suche thynges as be honest bryng to passe that you maye be perfitely holy vnspotted so as the soule maye be answerable vnto the spirite the body aunswerable to the soule the spirite selfe answerable to God y◠there be nothyng to fynde you faultie in that you maye styll perseuer in this state of holynesse continually vntil the cumming of our lord Iesus Christ There is no cause for you to distruste of For he is sure of his promyse that hath called you vnto this holynesse to the rewardes of the same he hymselfe shall finishe that he hath begonne and perfourme that he hath promised Brethren helpe you forewarde with your prayers the labours that we go aboute Salute all the brethren with a kysse not suche a one as the commune sorte of salutours doe geue but with an holye kysse and worthy Christian loue I charge you by the Lorde that this Epistle be rehearsed to al the holy brethren The grace and beneuolent fauour of our Lorde Iesu Christe be alwayes with you Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians The Argument vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as Paul coulde not haue libertie to goe see the Thessalonians agayne he confirmeth their consciences by Epistle that they myght manfully suffre the affliccions layed vpon them for Christes sake seeyng that they shall not want reward nor the aduersaries escape punishmēt Againe concerning the daye of the Lordes cumming wherof he touched somewhat in the farther Epistle he warneth them that they be not styrred with the sayinges of some that affirme as though it were at hande and as some thinke signifieth closely that the Empire of Rome must be first dispatched and Antichriste to come after that Moreouer he beateth into theyr heades very earnestly to restrayne suche as with their idlenes nice curiositie haue been disturbours of the commune quietnes and ordre and to enforce them vnto labour in asmuche as Paul himselfe laboured among them with his owne handes This Epistle he wrote from Athens by thesame men that he sente the farther Epistle by as it is recorded by our argumentes The ende of the argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the. ii Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians The fyrste Chapiter The texte Paul Syluanus Timothe Vnto the congregacion of the Thessaloniās in god our father and in the Lord Iesus Christ Grace be vnto you and peace from god our father from the Lord Iesus Christ We are bound to thanke God alwayes for you brethren as it is mete because that your fayth groweth exceadyngly and euery one of you swymmeth in loue toward another betwene your selues so that we our selues boast of you in the congregacions of God ouer your pacience and fayth in all your persecucyons and tribulacyons that ye suffer whiche is a token of the ryghtewes iudgement of God that ye are counted worthy of the kyngdome of God for which ye also suffer It is verely a ryghtewes thynge with God to recompence tribulacion to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shewe hymselfe from heauen with
remembre that whaÌ„ I was yet with you I told you these thinges And now you know what is the let that Christ cummeth not In dede that the wicked man as I saied afore may in his propre tyme openly practise his tyranny vpon the Sainctes For now wickednesse worketh his crueltie vnderhand by him and the deuill by wicked menne rageth against the professours of the gospell and as you perceyue by my tellyng there is nothyng that letteth the aduersarie of Christe from shewyng himselfe openly but only that in the meane while euery one should holde still that he holdeth vntil that kingdome wherwith all other are holden in subieccion be dispatched quyte out of the waye And as soone as that shall come to passe than shall that wicked one shew himselfe abrode openly furnished with al kynde of iuggling castes and wylie disceytes to bryng mankynde to destruccion But for all his rageing with his deuilish spirite the Lord Iesus shall cheoke him with the mightie blast of his mouthe and for all his bostyng of his false counterfaite shew of diuinitie the Lorde shall obscure and abolishe him with the excellente clearenes of his cummyng euen as monstreous sightes of the night time and vayne appearaunces of thinges vanishe and goe a waye at the shynyng out of the bright sonne beames The texte Euen hym whose cumming is after the workyng of Satan with all lying power signes and woonders and with all deceyuabâ—enes of vntyghtewesnes among them that perish because they receyued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleue lyes that all they might be damned whiche beleued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrightewesnes But we are bounde to geue thankes alwaye to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord for because that God hath from the begynnyng chosen you to saluacion thorow sanctifyeng of the spirite and thorow beleuyng of the trueth wherunto he called you by oure Gospel to obtayn the glory of our lorde Iesu Christ For that wylie deceiuer shall at his cuÌ„ming be furnyshed with the spirite of Satan for the Deuil shal practise his crueltie by him And to the intente he maye the more cruelly worke his myschiefe he shall not onely be armed with a puyssaunt great power to make mens consciences afrayed but also with lyeng countrefaict castes of signes and wondres wherin he shall pretende to folowe Christ euen as the learned enchauntours folowed the example of Moses among the Egipcians To be briefe there shall be no kynde of fraude but he shal be perfitely conyng in it to worke wickednesse Howbeit it shal not availe him in any wise but only to the hurting of such as perishe though he were not through their owne vnbelefe For thus their obstinate rebellion against Christ demeriteth this is a reward worthy their desertes that seing they receiued not Christ by whom they might haue been saued who for his charitie sake was desyrous to haue al meÌ„ne saued for his trueth sake opened playnly the thinges that belonged to saluacion now by the suffraunce of God falsehead taketh place with theÌ„ in stede of trueth tyranny for charite a destroyour for a saue our and so as thei shal beleue a wicked maÌ„s lyenges inasmuch as thei refused to beleue the sonne of God that preached nothing but truth Thus shal it come to passe that where thei should otherwise haue also perished because of their obstinate mysbelefe than it shall manifestly appeare in all mennes sight that they are iustly damned forasmuche as they spightfully forsoke Christe and gaue credence at the first woorde to a craftie deceiuour and a wicked person This stormy tempest lyke as it shal declare them worthy damnacioÌ„ so shall it sette forth your stedfastnesse more clearely By reason whereof we are bounde to rendre alwayes thankes vnto God my christianly welbeloued brethren in that he suffred you not to continue still in errour but chosed you vnto saluacion from the beginning not by the meanes of Moses law but by his owne spirite the geuer of holynes and by your obedience wherwith you beleued the trueth simply and playnly Besydes this lyke as he chosed you eternally from the begynning so dyd he call you by our gospell preaching to the intent the saluacion of you whiche beleued whan the Iewes beleued not should growe to the glorye of our Lorde Iesus Christe The texte Therfore brethren stande fast and kepe the ordinaunces which ye haue learned whether it were by oure preachynge or by Epistle Oure Lorde Iesu Christ hymselfe and God our father which hath loued vs and hath geuen vs euerlastyng consolacyon and good hope thorowe grace comforte youre hertes and stablyshe you in all good saying and doynge The gospell that I delyuered vnto you was the true and very right gospell so that there is none other that you ought to loke for Therfore stand fast in it brethren and holde the thinges that we delyuered vnto you and that you learned of vs eyther by our preachyng or by our Epistle Vnto those it shall be your parte to applie your endeuour with all watching diligence Moreouer the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and god oure father which loued vs of his owne accorde and called vs vnto saluacion and by his spirite hathe geuen vs eternall consolacion euen in these affliccions to loke in good hope for the rewardes of the life in heauen not by meanes of our deseruinges but by his owne free mercie conforte your hartes more and more and establishe and confirme you to perseuer in all goodnes both in worde and in dede The .iii. Chapter The texte Furthermore brethren praye ye for vs that the worde of God maye haue passage and be gloryfyed as it is also with you and that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and froward men For al men haue not fayth but the Lord is faythfull which shall stablyshe you and preserue you from cuyll We haue confydence thorowe the Lorde to you warde that ye bothe do and wyl do the thynges which we commaunde you And the Lorde gyde your hertes to the loue of God and pacience of Chryste FVrthermore brethren like as we in oure supplicacions to god helpe foreward the busynesse of your saluacion euen so it is reasoÌ„ that you in semblable case set forward the thinges that I goe about with your prayers to him also that like as the doctrine of the gospel had spedy prosperous encrease among you so it may runne abrode and be published among all menne For the more spedynesse whereof praye you that we maye through his helpe be delyuered from suche men as be peruerse and frowarde whiche hyndre withall theyr possible meanes that the doctrine of Christe be not sowen without lette or hinderaunce For all they beleue not the Gospell that heare the Gospell and yet there is no cause why you should not beleue for all theyr wicked endeuours They spurne against the Gospell but they
Euangelicall religion he wyll euen excede hym selfe in vpryghtenes and paynfull diligence For euen Iesus Christes connnen wealthe in gouernaunce hath degrees of offycers and certayne ordres wherof the fyrste is of the Deacons the seconde is of the Elders or Byshoppes the hyghest of all is of the Apostles And lyke as in a seculer commen wealthe he is called to be a Mayor that before vsed himselfe stowtely in the wardenshyp and agayn he is promoted from beyng Mayor to be Iudge or the Alderman because he behaued hym selfe well in his Mayoraltye euen so the offyce of the Deacou declareth who is worthye the rowme of a superintendent or an Apostle The texte These thynes wryte I vnto the trustyng to come shortely vnto the but and yf I taty longe that then thou mayste yet haue knowledge howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God whiche is the congregacion of the lyuyng God the pillar and grounde of trueth And without doubte greate is that mystery of godlynes God was shewed in the flesshe was iustifyed in the spirite was sene amonge the angels was preached vnto the Gentiles â–ª was beleued on in earth and receyued vp in glory These thynges write I vnto the derely beloued son not as though I thought I should not come vnto you agayne but my trust is that I shal shortely come agayne to see youre congregacion Neuertheles in case any thing chaunce that I be enforced to be longer ere I come than I trust I shall myne entente was to admonyshe thee in the meane season by my letters that thou shouldest not be ignoraunt howe to behaue thy selfe not in the Iewes temple but in the house of God For why shoulde not I thus call the Christian congregation which is consecrated and dedicared vnto the lyuyng God and shal neuer be destroyed with any stormes of errours and persecutions inasmuche as it is the pyller and sure post of the trueth The temple of Ierusalem had in tymes past his maner of veneration it had his priestes it had his rites and sacrifices But this is a temple much more holy than it that keapeth not misteries in couerte with shadowes and figures but for the Cherubin for the Pome granates for the Belles for the Arke and for suche like fygures it sheweth vs playnlye the whole summe and perfite trueth of the gospel Therfore maruayle not though thou hearest nothyng prescribed herein what maner thynges Moyses appointed with greate diligence vnto the leuites and priestes For there is no cause why we should passe vpon those shadowes in asmuche as God hath made the thynge playnely open vnto vs for whose sake all that misticall furniture was ordayned for a tyme. And there is no cause why the Iewes should haue in admiration or bragge of the Arke or of anye thynge that had the mooste holye thinges called sancta sanctorum locked in it if they be compared with the misteries that we haue And whether their hydde secretes deserue any speciall pretogatyue of worshyp or not leat them see them selues Certes this misterie of the ghospelles godlynes is out of all controuersie whiche maketh vs once free from all maner of supersticion and in this temple is the greatest thyng of all other that is openly declared through the whole vniuersall worlde In dede there is no shewynge of the table or of the Arke or of sacrificed beastes but Christe himselfe is shewed and preached whiche beynge before tyme vnknowen and not passed vpon is now become so manyfestly open that he is playnlye seen to be a man after the fleshe and handled of men and after the spirite hath receyued so great power that hauing done awaye the synnes of all men hathe throughe onely faythe geuen and doeth geue the righteousnes that the lawe was not hable to geue And this misterie of ours is so openly manifested that it was wonderfull euen in the eies of Aungelles that song glory to God on highe and peace vpon earth and vnto men a good wyll All other mysteries ceasse to be of any worshyppe yf they be publyshed â–ª but as for thys mysterye it is preached openly not onelye to the Iewes but also to the Gentyles And the preachyng therof was not vnfrutefull For the thynge that semed to all men agaynste the ordre of nature that no philosophie or mannes eloquence was hable to perswade the same did the symple playne preachyng of the gospel perswade to all the whole world with myraculous wondres witnessynge the same Finally after his death vpon the crosse he rose agayne to lyfe by his owne power and beyng openly accompanyed with Angelles he ascended into the heauens and shewed vs vndoubtedly whether all oure hope oughte to be addressed What is more holy than thys mysterie What is more excellente what is more certayne or euident This thyng yf we truely beleue this thinge yf we worthyly lyue for what purpose should we respecte from henceforth vnto Iewyshe constitucions We haue the misterie of true godlynes why doo we than slyppe backe vnto those thynges that haue more supersticion than godlynesse In case we be laden with syknes here is the mooste assured remyssyon of synnes If we require learnyng here is the rule of true godlynes that we ought to folowe yf we loke for rewarde here is immortalitie wherunto we maye be exalted Therfore leat vs be contented my Tymothee with this religyon and take our leaue of the Iewes vayne prescripcions The .iiii. Chapter The texte The spirite speaketh euydently that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth and shal geue hede vnto spirites of errour and deuylishe doctrines of them which speake faise thorow ipocrisy and haue theyr consicences marked with auâ—hoâ—eyren forbiddynge to mary and commaunding to abstayne from meates which god hath created to be receaued with geuyng thankes of them which beleue and knowe the truth For al the creatures of god are good and nothynge to be refused yf it be receaued with thaÌ„kesgeuyng For it is sanctifyed by the word of god and prayer It thou put the brethren in yâ— remembraunce of these thinges thou shalt be a good minyster of Iesu Christ which hast ben norished vp in the wordes of the fayth and of good doctrine whiche thou hast contynually folowed But cast away vngestly and olde wiues fables THese thynges doe I beate in with so muche the more studyous diligence as I more drede peryll whiche is not nowe gathered by doubtful coniectures seyng the spirite himselfe foreknowyng thynges to come doeth clerely and certaynlye sygnyfye by them whom he hath enspired that in the later tymes some shall spring vp whiche shall departe from the synceritie of fayth that the ghospell teacheth and styde backe vnto a certayne Ieweship and repose the chief principle of godlynes in those thynges that doo not onely nothyng anayle vnto godlynes at all but also doo many tymes hurte and beyng rebelles agaynst the spirite of Christe shall rather take hede to deceauyng spirites and beynge turned awaye frome
as mooste plentuous witnesses of thyne affection and mutuall loue towardes me By reason wherof I am fylled all together full of ioye whan it commeth to my mynde howe paynlye thou resemblest me in the sinceritie of faythe as a naturall sonne his father And lyke as the integritie of religioÌ„ was in me as it were by enheritauÌ„ce euen so this sinceritie of fayth semeth to be geuen to the by the handes of thyne elders For it dwelt stedfastly fyrst in thy GraÌ„demother Lois thaÌ„ after by by in thy mother Eunica I doubt not but thou wilt become accordigly like a neuew to so right a religious graÌ„dmother a sonne to so right a good mother seing thou hast ben more desyrous to be like to theÌ„ thaÌ„ to thy kyndred of thy fathers syde The texte Wherfore I warne the that thou stiere vp the gyfte of god which is in the by the puttyng on of my handes For god hath not geuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue of sobrenes Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testimony of our lorde nether be ashamed of me which am his prysoner but suffer thou aduersitie with the ghospell accordyng to the power of god which saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not accordyng to our dedes but accordyng to his owne purpose and grace which was geueÌ„ vs thorow Christ Iesu before the worlde began but iâ— now declared openly by yâ— appearyng of our sauiour Iesus Christ which hath put awaye death hath broughte lyft and immortalitie vnto lyght thorowe the gospel wherunto I am appoynted a preacher and Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffre these thinges Neuerthelesse I am not ashamed â–ª For I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is able to kepe that which I haue committed to his kepyng agaynst yâ— day These thinges I remeÌ„bre the of so as thou mayest be of yâ— better courage both by the example of vs and of thyne elders to stiere vp by thyne industrye diligence the gifte of God which thou receyuedst by the laying on of mine handes whan thou waste ordayned a Byshop and boldely and without shrynkynge to accomplyshe the office commytted vnto thee feare not any mens barkinges nor the rageing crueltie of persecutours It is the propertie of Iewes to be afrayed of those thinges that this present life occasioneth but vnto vs whiche through beleuing of the gospell are made the children of God he hathe geuen a ferre other maner spirite not to make vs afrayed discouraged for feare distrust but through an assured trust of innoceÌ„cie hope of yâ— promised immortalitie to be bolde lusty through loue to be free ful of courage eueÌ„ as loue both trusteth altogether vpoÌ„ gods succour shrinketh not for his neyghbours sake to abyde daungier Finally a spirite yâ— suffreth not vs to be disturbed â—â— our mynd but causeth vs alwaies to perseuer to th ende with a whole a preâ—â—â— ready herte Forasmuch thaÌ„ as yâ— hast receyued this spirit set forth his power declare stoutely the thyng the thou hast Be not ashamed of thy profession wherby thou preachest the crosse death of our lord Iesu Christ nor be ashamed to be a disciple of his Apostle though I am ladeÌ„ with these bondes There is nothing more glorious thaÌ„ the crosse of Christ yâ— gaue saluatioÌ„ to yâ— world yâ— brake the deuiles tirannye yâ— hath obteined vs immortalitie Christes crosse is our glory These cheanes the I willingly suffre for the ghospelles busines sake are not to my slaunder but to my glorie rather Therefore refuse not to suffre those thynges that Christ suffred and that I suffre for hys sake But be thou ready also to come into the felowshyppe of afflyctions that are layed vpon vs for the ghospell of Christe What so euer chaunceth there is no cause why we shoulde be afrayed for the matier is not done by oure strengthes but by the succour of God We are feble in dede but he is mightye whiche whan we were lost saued vs by the death of hys sonne hauynge done awaye the trespasses of oure former conuersation and hathe called vs vnto holynes not for any merites of ours but beyng enforced by hys own wil and free goodnes that he bestowed vpon vs not vpon anye late aduisemente but from euerlastynge and before all tyme afore the makynge of thys worlde it was decreed of him to geue these thinges vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christ The matter is no newes to him but that thing that was alwayes in the secret of his mynde he hath lately declared to the worlde by the commyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe who hauyng receyued a bodye subiecte to death hath dispatched awaye death by the crosse and by hys resurreccion hath opened lyfe and immortalitie throughe the preachynge of the ghospell whiche promyseth lyke rewardes vnto them that folowe the exaumple of Christes crosse Thys ghospell preachynge is committed vnto me as the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles to the intent they maye learne by me that not onely the Iewes are called to this gyfte of God but also all mankynde vniuersallye Forasmuche than as I am tyed in cheynes for the ghospelles sake I am not onely nothyng ashamed of thys affliccion but also I esteme it for a pure greate glorye vnto me To suffre for naughtye dedes doyng it is a reproche but to be afflicted for the glorye of Christe it is excellent This stormye tyme doeth feare me nothyng at all For althoughe I am weake yet I knowe and am assured that he whom I haue put my faythfull trust in is hable ynoughe to kepe vnto the vttermost daye the thing that I haue committed to his fidelitie Throughe his ayde bothe the gospelles busines and my saluation and also the prosperitie of the christian flocke is in sauegarde And albeit anye thynge here in thys worlde seme to perishe for a tyme yet whan that daye shall come in the whyche he shall expresse his myghtie power vnto the worlde he shall restore it wyth greate gayne I haue layed my life and my healthe in his handes and he hathe put me in truste to dispence the doctrine of the gospell In case I shall be a trustye fayth keper he wyll not fayle my trust The texte â–ª Se that thou haue the ensample of the holsome wordes which thou hast heard of me with fayth loue that is in Christ Iesu That good thing which was committed to thy keping â—old fast through the holy gost which dwelleth in vs. This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned froÌ„ me Of which sort are Phigelus and Hermogenes The Lord geue mercy vnto the housholde of Onesiphorus for he ofte refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and founde me The lorde graunte vnto hym that he maye fynde
men that for haters we be made well wyllers euen to theÌ„ that hate vs thys haue we neither by Moses lawe nor yet by our owne merites but by the free goodnes of God by the which we coueite that all men yf it be possyble reioyse with vs in one commune saluation and that the verite of the gospel may shine and geue lyght to all men as it hath geuen lyght to vs. For afore we wandered lyke blynde men in darkenes as the vnbeleuers do styll But nowe after that it is made open thorow the ghospell howe greate the goodnes and charite of God the father which is autor of our saluation is to al men now after that the darkenes of our former lyfe is put away we haue obteyned true lyfe saluation not by the obseruation of the lawe which had a certayne righteousnes in it but yet of small efficacie to geue euerlastyng lyfe but we haue obteined it thorowe the mere mercie of the Godhed For by the holy fonte of baptisme we benewe borne agayne and graffed into Christ the sonne of the euerlastyng father and beyng renewed by his spirite we haue ceased to be carnall and haue begon to be spirituall Therfore what so euer we be we are altogether bounde to God for it whiche into vs nothyng deseruing it hathe shed aboundantlye his spirite whiche the lawe coulde not geue And he hath shed this his holye spirite into vs by Iesus Christ by whom it hath pleased him most liberally to geue vs all thynges that we beyng purged by hys benefite from oure olde synnes should endeuour our selfes by good workes to be made apte to receiue the inheritaunce of the lyfe that endureth for euer of the whiche the doctrine of the gospell doeth put vs in a sure hope Sence that we therefore were once miserable and beyng nowe thorow the onely mercy of the Lorde delyuered from synne we hope for the crowne of euerlastyng lyfe with Christe we muste haue pitie vpoÌ„ other go aboute by al meanes that God may also haue mercy on theÌ„ The texte This is a true saying Of these thinges I wyll that thou certifie that they whiche beleue in God myght be diligent to go forwarde in good workes For these thynges are good and profitable vnto men Let a christian Byshop in the steade of Iewishe fables tel these thynges to the people for they are certaine and not to be doubted of There remayneth nothing more for vs to do but that in all our coÌ„uersation froÌ„ hence forth we shew our selfes not vnmyndful of the great benefite that we haue receyued of God but that we lyue in all thinges accordyng to his godly pleasure or els the professioÌ„ of christiandome of the gospel wil nothyng aduaile vs. Wherfore I wil that thou assure al meÌ„ of these thinges which greatly perteyne vnto our purpose confirme theÌ„ therin also yâ— they whiche haue once beleued in God yâ— by his free mercifulnes they haue bene redemed from their synnes and that he will geue the crowne of immortalitie to all them whiche by vertuouse and godly liuinge do studye to folowe Iesu Christe as nere as they are able maye leade suche a lyfe as maye seme not vnworthy of so greate profession and so hir promisses Nowe they shall declare them selues to be true christians yf they curse not the Ethnikes and the Iewes nor saye euyl by them but yf they be beneficial to al men and by the affection that they haue to piety they reioyse to helpe all men For these thynges shall not onelye ornate and commende the professyon of the gospell as thynges of them selfes honeste but besyde that very profytable to drawe other to Christe and to helpe other whiche be oppressed with any calamitie The chiefe poynte of christiantie is to do good to all men and by benefites euen the very wylde beastes are ouercome and made tame Thou shalte therfore on suche wise speake and preache of these thynges and not as one that is in any dowte of them as some be whiche mouyng many questions seme to haue but a faynte beleue But teache thou with greate confydence of countenaunce and with greate stedfastnes of wordes that euery man maye right well perceyue that thou arte throwlye persuaded in that whiche thou doest laboure to perswade to other Out of these thinges commethe no small frute of true religion The texte Folyshe questyons and genealogies and braulyng thorowe sâ—tyuinges about the lawe auoyde for they are vnprofitable and superfluous But folyshe and vnconnyng questions and entangled genealogies and contenciouse disputacions or rather warre vpon Moses lawe whiche some folowyng the trade of the Iewes do styrre vp to gette them a name thereby and vantage caste them away as superfluous and vuprofytable to the lyfe that is after the gospell For what death it hurte good lyuynge yf I knowe not why Moses graue can no where be founde And whether it be as the Iewes do say lest he should be raysed vp agayne by enchaunters Or yf I knowe not howe many yeares Matusalem lyued Or of what age Salomon was whan he begate Roboam Why Moses did forbyd to eate the fleshe of swine Why the Iewes do suppose that the blode of a Wesell must with so great diligence be purged And many other more folyshe than these In the exposicion whereof what profiteth him to tary that hasteth to the rewarde of a true christian lyfe These thynges must rather â—e cutte awaye than declared and they which professe them as excellente thynges oughte more to be reproued and sharplye rebuked than to be ouercome with disputacion The texte A man that is an auctor of sectes after the firste and the seconde admonicion auoid â–ª knowyng that he that is suche is peruetted and synneth euen damned by him selfe If they whiche mayntaine suche supersticions as haue tofore bene mencioned erre by symplenes whan they be warned therof they wyll amende But yf they do it of a purposed malice eyther to get them a name or for lucre or for some other fylthy cause than wyll they be ready to defende euen those thynges whiche they knowe to be false These men whan thou hast once or twies rebuked them yf they amende not then auoyde them as sedicious and incurable persones leste they do more harme whan they be prouoked than they woulde doe yf they were let alone as men not regarded Yea and lest it may turne to a worse inconuenience that they whiche cannot be brought into a better mynde drawe him that goeth about to instructe them into the same errour that they be in For what auayleth it to geue any oftenar to them the medicine of cortectioÌ„ yf there be no hope of remedy An errour commynge onelye of the fraylenes of man is remedied by one or two warnynges but peruersitie is incurable and made worse by puttyng to of remedies Therefore he that beyng once or twyes rebuked abydeth neuertheles styffe in his opinioÌ„ let him alone in his froward
am an Apostle he is bothe a brother and most derely beloued brother for the commune faithes sake which maketh vs elike in Christ for the commune enheritaunce sake wherunto we are called indifferently elike for the commune fathers sake for the commune redemers sake in whiche all there is no difference betwene the lorde and the seruaunt betwene the maister and the scholar And yf he for these causes be vnto me most dearely beloued with whome I haue nothyng commune sauyng the kynred of the spirit how much more ought he to be most dearly beloued vnto the vnto whom besydes the boÌ„des of the spirit he is also ioyned after yâ— fleshe Thou wouldest loue a strauÌ„gier if thou seest him become suche a one as Onesimus is But nowe thou shalte loue him for this respecte that where he is of thine owne householde he is proued suche a one as he is And yf thou vouchesafe to haue me to be thy coÌ„panion in the ghospels affaires thou must take him agayne as it were I my selfe For I loue him as my most deare sonne as my highly beloued brother as partaker of my bondes and of the ghospell Other thou must cast of both or hertyly loue both What he hath bene afore tyme it besemeth not to reherse after he is baptised Suppose him to be a newe man newly borne againe vnto the. But if the losse of any thing greue the wherof thou woldest haue ameÌ„des before thou forgeue hym take me suertye for him Requyre it of me whatsoeuer he hath eyther hurt thee or oweth thee I bynde my fidelitie vnto the by this my hande writynge Loe thou haste this Epistle written with my verye owne hande Yf thou thinke me a trustye suertie leate Onesimus alone goe to lawe with me I shal paye the agayne in his behalfe whatsoeuer he oweth the. Thus muche I coulde obteyne I thinke yf I had to do with any other man I am not disposed to reherse at this preset what I might iustly require of the by myne owne autoritie For I wyl not make rehersall here that inasmuch as thou arte become a christian man by my doctrine thou owest me not only that that thyne is but also thine owne selfe Muche lesse wrong thou oughtest to recken it yf I woulde require the to forgyue me what soeuer losse it be that Onesimus oweth thee howbeit I desyre not that onles thou wilte wyllyngly and of thyne owne mynde forgeue it not so muche to set my promise at libertie as that thou shouldest declare thy charitie Wel goe to my brother Onesimus hath his name of fruition who lyke as I loue hym derely and as I woulde with al myne hert haue him praysed vnto the so let it be my chaunce to haue yâ— fruicion of thee not after the maner as among the commune people a frend is glad of his frende but so as an Apostle is ioyous of his disciple that expresseth the doctrine of Christ Thou seest how hartely I loue Onesimus and he hath wel deserued that I should loue him Therfore receyue hym make my herte mery Herein I trouble the with to muche a doe not that I put any distrust in thy charitie but I do it vpona certaine abundaunce of loue that I beare vnto my sonne For in dede I knowe thyne obedience so throughlye â–ª well by thyne olde diligent doinges that I doubt not but thou wilte doe more in this behalf than I require of the. And in the meane whyle receyue Onesimus gentlie eueÌ„ as my pledge and also prepare me lodgyng agaynst I come whiche shall not be long after For I trust that God throughe your prayers wil once restore me agayne vnto you And than I shall presently thanke the for thy gentill receyuyng of Onesimus Epaphras thy countreyman saluteth thee whiche is my felow in pryson and in bondes for Christ Iesus sake Moreouer Marcus Aristarchus Demas Lucas my felowes in office And imagine that they all beseche the for Onesimus as I doe The grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christ be alwayes wyth your spirite Amen ¶ Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle to Philemon The argument of the Epistleto the Hebrues gathered by Des Erasmus of Roterodame NO nacion resisted the gospel of Christe with more obstinate mindes then the Iewes which bare also a speciall malyce agaynste Paule partly for that that he openly professed himselfe to be an Apostle of the heathen whome the Iewes aborred as vnreligious and godles and partly because he semed to abolishe Moses lawe which they conÌ„pted most holy desired the same to be published thorough all the worlde in the stede of the gospell Insomuche that there were some euen amonge them that had receyued Christes doctrine which thought that the obseruacon of the lawe ought in any wyse to be ioyned and coupled with the gospell Wherfore the faythfull at Hierusalem were sondrie wayes vexed and iniured by such as resisted the gospel For the aduersaries beeing commen officers and hauing the publike autoritie in their handes the sincere professours of the gospel were caste into prison were scourged and suffred spoyle and losse of theyr goodes Paul therfore coÌ„forteth these good men by yâ— example of the old sainctes which for the moste parte were exercised with such like or greuouser calamities that their vertue therby might be tried and made more excelleÌ„t But chefely he conforteth them with the example of Christe and hope of the heauenly reward After this he declareth that now that Christes gospell hath shewed furth hir shyning lyght the shadowes of Moses lawe haue vanished awaie and continue no longer And in this place he repeteth many thynges out of the olde testament and applieth them vnto Christ He teacheth further that we ought not to hope for saluacion by kepyng of the lawe which was geuen but for a tyme was vnperfit but by fayth by which those olde notable holy men whose remeÌ„braunce the Iewes had in great veneracion chiefely pleased God In the ende he teacheth certayne rules pertaining to christian maners ¶ The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle saincte Paule to the Hebrewes The fyrst Chapter The texte God in tyme past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes but in these laste dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his owne soune whome he hath made heâ—â—e of all thynges by whome also he made the worlde Whiche sonne being the bryghtenes of hys glory and the very ymage of hys substaunce rulynge all thynges with the worde of hys power hath by hys owne persone pourged ouâ—e synnes and sytteth on the ryghte hande of the maiesty on bye beyng so muche more excellent then the Angels as he hath by in heritaunce obtayned a more excellent name then they WHere as in tymes past almyghtie God desyrous for the tender loue he bare towardes vs to prouyde for the health and saluacion of mankynd spake ofterymes diuerslye and many wayes by his Prophetes vnto whome he appeared
And verely this vertuous godly man Moses is woorthy to be of great autoritie among vs because he behaued hymselfe faithfully in the same house but yet as a minister or stewarde and not as a sonne he was in an other mannes house and the other that is to saye Christ in his owne And Moses brought onely figures shadowes of those thynges which Christe should afterwardes dysclose and open But Christe as the maker and sonne guided his owne house whereof we all are members whiche thorowe fayth of the gospell bee assembled together vnto hys churche or congregacion so that we perseuer in that we beganne that is to wit if we dooe styll abyde in the concorde and agreaunce of the house and holde fast and stedfastely vnto the ende the faythe whiche the spirite of Christ hath geuen vs and also that glorious hope by the which as the true natural sonnes of god and brethren of Christ we looke for the enheritaunce of heauen For it shall nothyng auayle vs to haue heard the doctrine of the gospell excepte we continually liue thereafter Yea the greatter he is who dayned to speake vnto vs the grieuouser shall our punishment be The texte Wherefore as the holy ghoste saieth to daye yf ye will heare his voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouokyng in the daye of temptacion in the wildernes where youre fathers tempted me proued me and sawe my woorkes fourtye yeare Wherefore I was greued with that generacion and sayed They doe alwaye erre in theyr hartes they verely haue not knowen my wayes so that I sware in my wrath they shal not enter into my reste Take heade brethren leste at any time there bee in any of you a frowarde herye subiecte vnto vnbeliefe that he shoulde departe from the liuyng god but exhorte ye one another daylye while it is called to daye leste any of you wexe harde harted thorowe the deceitfulnes of sinne Wherfore ye must call vnto your remembraunce what the holy gost speaketh in the mistical psalme exhorting the people to obey the voice or wordes of god leste he being prouoked dooe grieuouslye punyshe them and seâ—lude them from the rest and quietnes promised Today sayeth he if ye wil heatâ— hys voice harden not your hartes as ye did when with your murmoâ—â—ing and rebellion ye prouoked God what tyme he proued your pacience in wildernes where sayeth he youre fathers tempted me as men that woulde proue whether I were he that were hable to punishe trespacers of the lawe and offenders and they felte my wrath and suche as woulde not beleue my woordes sawe my woorkes and that the space of fourtie yeres For so long were they ledde about in wildernesse what tyme they flying oute of Egipte went vnto the lande where I promised them quyetenes Wherefore I was not contented with that nacion and sayde with my selfe They doe alwaies erre in theyr hartes folowing theyr owne lustes neyther haue they knowen my wayes And for thys theyr dysobedience I sware in my wrath it shoulde neuer be that they should entre into the lande wherin I promised them rest from the trauayls of theyr iourneys Ye haue heard brethren God threatenyng our fathers that they should not come to the lande promysed them onlesse they woulde continually obey his commaundementes And we that thorowe baptisme are deliuered from oure former synnes and offences are vndoubtedly departed out of Egypte but yet we shall neuer come vnto the immortalitie promissed vs in heauen excepte we styll continue in the obseruaunce of fayth and christian charite If wee looke backe vnto Egypte forsaken that is yf we fall agayne to the lustes of oure olde lyfe we shal bee excluded from the felowshyp and participacion of the heauenly lyfe Se therfore that there bee not in any of you a frowarde harte and rebelling against the commaundementes of the gospell or subiecte vnto vnbelyefe in suche wyse that the same returnyng agayne vnto the vices once forsaken and the prynce of death the deuyll departe awaye from thy lyuyng god But rather with daylye exhortacions make ye one an other strong to suffer continually the paynes and trauayles of thys lyfe whereby God tryeth oure pure and trewe fayth so longe as the tyme is called to daye that is to saye so longe as we beare this mortall bodye and as yet doe trauayll as pilgrymes and straungers in the wildernesse of thys worlde alwayes in ieopardye lest any of vs weryed with the euilles of thys lyfe bee ledde asyde thorowe the alluremente of synne from the iourneye begonne lyke as in tymes paste the Hebrues our forefathers beeyng wery of theyr long trauailing longed after the â—auoure of the pottes whiche they lefte behynde them in Egypte The texte ¶ We are made partakers of Christ if we kepe sure vnto the cude the beginuing of the substaunce so long as it is far de to day if ye will heare hys voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouoking for some when they herde did prouoke howbeit not all that came out of Egipt by Moses But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeres Was he not dyspleased with them that had sinned whose carkases were ouerthrowen in the deserte To whome swaâ—e he that they should not enter into his rest but vnto them that were not obedient And we see that they coulde not enter in because of vnbelieâ—e Certeynly we are graffed in Christe by baptisme and the profession of faith but in such wise that we may thorow our owne defaut fall from him again neyther shall we otherwise come vnto the enheritaunce of mortalitie promised vs excepte we kepe sure and constauntely vnto the ende the beginnyng and foundation of that felicitie whiche was layed in vs by the gospell still goyng forewarde in that was begoonne monyshed thereto by thys saying whiche is continually spoken vnto vs To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouokyng For some when they hearde the Lordes voyce did then by dysobeying the same moue hym prouokyng hys wrathe and indignacion agaynst them Howbeit al dyd not so whiche came out of Egipt vnder yâ— conducte of Moses And vnto these that were not disobediente it was geuen to come vnto the lande flowing with milke and hony With whome was he dyspleased fourtie yeres Was it not with them that had offended howbeit these entred not into rest but their carkases were ouerthrowen in wildernesse with whome elles was he so muche dyspleased that he sware they should neuer entre into the reste promised them but with those whiche obeyed not the voyce of god we see then that god was on both sydes trewe who bothe perfourmed to the obedyent what he promissed theÌ„ and to the disobedient that he manaced them with all The obediente came thereunto by their pacience the other coulde not entre in because of theyr vnbelyfe and incredulitie The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let vs feare therfore lest any of you forâ—aâ—yng the promise of euâ—eyng into
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
suche wyse that God moughte seme euen for this purpose to haue taken them away from the company of men lest they beyng men of pure and chast conuersation should haue ledde their lyues among defyled persons and synners Therfore they wandered aboute in wylde mountaynes hauynge no certayne habitacion or dwellyng place to resorte vnto vsyng Dennes and Caues of the earth in the stede of houses The texte And these al thorow faith obtayned good report receiued not the promyse bicauâ—â— god had prouided a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfâ—â—â—â— And all these before named albeit they haue not yet obteyned the rewarde promysed them for their godly lyuynge whiche rewarde shal be geuen them â—â— the generall resurreccion of the bodyes Yet haue they deserued perpetuall prayse for the constantnesse of their fayth Some man wyll here saye Why hath not euery man his rewarde by and by gyuen him after death For soothe it hath so pleased almyghtye God that all the whole bodye of Christe shall receiue the glory of immortalitie together For we are all membres of the same body and suche as haue gone before vs do gladly tarye for vs to th ende that they maye wholy and ioyntly with theyr bodyes and all the felowshyppe of theyr brethren entre into thenheritaunce of eternal glory and be conioyned vnto their heade ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte Wherefore let vs also seyuge that we are compassed wyth so great a mult ytude of wytnesses laye a waye all that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs run with pacience vnto the battaill that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus yâ— aucrâ—or and finisher of our faith which for the ioye that was set before hym abode the erosse despysed the shame and is set downe on the right hande of the throne of God Consyder therefore howe that he endured suche speaking against hym of sinners lest ye shoulde be werted faint in your mindes For ye haue not yet resisted vnto bloud striuing agaynst sinne And haue forgotten the exhortacyon whych speaketh vnto you as vnto children My soune despise not thou the chastenyug of the Lorde nether faiute when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lord loueth hym he chasteueth yea he sourgeth euery sonne that he receyueth â–ª SEyng then we are compassed with so great a companye and as it were with a cloude of those who euen in the olde testamente witnessed by sufferyng of suche euels as are before rehearsed that they beleued the promyses of God with all their harte let vs also encouraged by their examples see that we caste frome vs the burthen or fardell of corporall thynges and bodelye lustes whiche letteth the mynde laden with cares to desyre thynges celestiall and put awaye synne that helde vs faste on euery syde and fynally beyng incensed and set a fyre with the hope of heauenly thinges runne manfully in this â—â—ase that is set before vs and by no afflyccions nor any withdrawynge of the mynde be stayed and holden backe from runnyng the course that we haue begonne neuer castyng our eyes asyde from Iesu Christe who as he is the verye cause that we haue conceyued this belefe on God so wyll he fynyshe what he hath begonne in vs. Let vs considre what waye he entred in and whitherto he came who whereas he myght by reason he was innocent and gyltlesse haue escaped death and bene as much without all payne and passion as he was without all synne yet he despysynge the ioyes of this worlde suffred death and to th entent his death should be the greuouser hauyng reproche ioyned therwith he suffered the death of the crosse For men make not so muche a doo to suffre a glorious death Ye see whiche waye he entred in Nowe whitherto came he By despisyng of this lyfe he attained immortalitie By despisyng and settyng naught by worldly reproche he attayned euerlastyng glorye in heauen where he nowe sytteth on the ryght hande of the royall throne of God the father When ye withall haste auaunce youre selfes to come to be partakers of this glorie thorowe reproche and dyuerse paynful afflictions then lest you dyscouraged in your myndes shoulde at any tyme by thenforcemente of wearynesse ceaseto runne in the raase that is sette before you considre with your selfes how that youre capytayne who neuer knewe anye manoure of synne dyd neuer thelesse to shewe vs an example of true pacience endure so greate rebukes so muche shame and vylanye suche mysreportes and false accusacions that he let the wycked Iewes compell hym to suffre the very punyshement of the crosse Be not ye therfore dysmayed who beynge not cleane withoute synne do suffre lesse dyspleasures and persecution Better it were for a man to dye a thousande tymes then to fall agayne into his former synfull lyfe Howbeit you who haue hytherto suffred small persecution and aduersitie haue not as yet resisted sinne vnto sheadyng of bloud the whiche synne fierslye assaulteth you stryuynge agaynst it and yet you do by and by suppose that God hath forsaken you and remembre not what the mercyfull father speakethe vnto you as vnto his children in the mysticall prouerbes comfortynge you and with swete and gentle wordes exhortyng you to greate and valiaunte courage of mynde My sonne sayth he despise not thou the chastenyng of the Lorde neither despaire thou when soeuer he rebuketh thee For whom the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth with the euels and aduersities of this lyfe and scourgeth euerye sonne that he receyneth The texte If ye endure chastenyng god offereth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes What soÌ„ne is he whom the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correccyon wherof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Therefore seynge we haue had fathers of our fleshe whych corrected vs we gaue them reuerence shall we nowe not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirites lyue And they verely for a feawe daies nuttered vs after theyr own pleasure but he nurtereth vs for our profite to the intent that he may minister of his holines vnto vs. No maner chastening for the present time semeth to be ioious but greuous neuertheles afterwarde it bringeth the quiete fruit of righteousnes vnto them whyche are exercised thereby If ye paciently endure such chastenyng God acknowledgeth his sonnes and offreth him selfe to you agayne as a mercyfull and louing father doeth not exclude you from thenheritaunce of the lyfe celestial Thynke you that you are therfore hated and nothyng regarded of God bycause ye are afflicted with the euels of this world Nay rather this ought to be an argument that ye are appoynted to be the heyres of the fathers enheritaunce For what father is he that doeth not some whiles chasten his sonne whom he acknowledgeth for his owne Furthermore syth that all vertuouse men and good lyuers whom God eyther doth or hath dearly loued haue bene by temporall
not their husbandes though they be heathens but study by their owne maners to prouoke them vnto better He warneth the husbandes to beare with their wyues and to absteyne somtymes from hauing to do with them so as they may the more apply them selues to praier Than he prouoketh men alter the example of Christ to suffre displeasures and not to ymagine howe to requyte wronge with wronge but to deuise howe to ouercome their euyll doers with softenes and well doynges And these matters he treateth of in the thre first Chaptres and in the beginning of the fourth After these he exhorteth men vnto newenesse of life and dissuadeth from the heathens vices He allureth men vnto sobrenesse vnto watching to continual prayers and aboue other vnto mutuall charytie vnto hospitalitie and to do good turnes one for an other Agayne he enticeth men paciently to suffer persecucions layed vpon them for Christes name sake Than he informeth bishops and in them the people vnder their charge In the ende he reporteth that he wrote an other epistle vnto them by Siluanus which was loste This epistle it appeareth he wrote from BabiloÌ„ for in the name of that churhe he saluteth them if any man allowe not the vnderstanding of Rome by Babylon The paraphrase of D. Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ to them that dwell here and there as strangers thorow out Pontus Galacia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia electe accordyng to the â—oreknowledge of God the father thorowe the sanctifying of the spirite vnto obedience and spriâ—eâ—lyng of the â—loude of Iesus Christe Grace be with you and peace be multiplyed PEter somtyme a disciple and a contynuall gâ—â—st but nowe an Embassadour and Apostle of Iesu Christ to all them that dwell here and therein the coastes of litell Asia at Pontus Galacia Cappadocia and in that parte that is properly named Asia whiche the Ephesians haue and Bithiâ—â—a whome either the stormy tempestes of warres haue in tymes paste scatred abroade some to on place some to an other or elles whome the rageing cruellie of them which hated the name of Christe hathe giltelessy dryuen out of the places where their fathers dwelt before them and â—re by that meanes nowe comfortles amonge straâ—nge nacions as it were danyshed men beyng in dede for feare of men thrust out of their natyue countrey but yet not excluded ne banyshed neither depryued frome the offyce of Ghospell preathing which God the prince of al men bestowed chiefly vnto the lande and nacion of Iewes after suche a sorte that he woulde for al that haue it commune to all them whome soeuer he hath chosen For lyke as those are neuer the better for being borne and leading their life at Hierusalem which fet naught by the doctrine of Iesus Christ euen so shal it defâ—aâ—de no man in that he dwelleth amonge the vncircumcised and prophane Gentiles so that in stede of Moses lawe he embrace the grace of the ghospell For it is not the obseruacion of the lawe whâ—t with the Iewes are commonely puffed vp that bringeth true saluacion neither kynredde or place but the free eleccion of God He is a ryght Iewe in dede wihche what countrey soeueâ— he dwell in or what kynred soeuer he is borne of acknowledgeth Iesus Christe to be the aâ—tour of true saluacion which dyed not for one nacion of people alone but for the whole vniuersall worlde But in yâ— we so acknowlege him we are not endebted to the meâ—tte of obseruing the lawe but vnto the free goodnesse of God whiche choseth out of al maner of nacions calleth vnto the lyberal fredome of the gospell whome soeuer it standeth with hys pleasure to â—all vntoit For it neither came of late sodaynly in to hys mynde to saue al maner of mortal men by thys meane ne yet enforced with our wel doinges helayth this vp as a reward for vs as though we had so merited but this was deâ—reed of god the father by his eternal couÌ„saill that he would opeÌ„ the porte of saluacioÌ„ not to the Iewes only but to al nacions vniuersally not by circuÌ„cision not by keping yâ— custome of the sabboth neither by choise of meates ne yet by other ceremonies of Moses lawe which are corporal matters nothing but certain shadowes of spiritual thinges that were geueÌ„ for a time but by true sanctificacion of the spirite which the spiritual lawe of yâ— gospel geueth vnto vs by yâ— which we are truly purged in dede from all oure synnes not for because we haue obserued the prescriptes of the olde law but because we playnly readily put our trust in the promisses of the ghospell not by sprinkling of the bloud of a calfe as it hath been hitherto wont to be done according to the custome of the law but by the sprinking of the precious bloud of the vndefiled and most acceptable sacrifice to God Iesus Christ whose vndeserued death wypeth cleane awaye from vs all the transgressions of oure former conuersacion once for al and after we be borne a new as it were into him through baptisme it restoreth vs vnto a new life And forasmuch as baptisme hath exempted vs from this world engraffed vs into the participacion of heauenly rewardes I will not pray for those goodes in getting and heaping together wherof the toylers of the world thinke theÌ„selfes fortunate but those goodes rather which purge vs cleane from erthly contagious infeccions and make vs worthy the prince of heauen Christ that is to say Grace that in distrusting your owne merites and in putting no confideÌ„ce in the ceremonies of the lawe you may looke for true saluacion of the freÌ„ bounteous liberalitie of God and in purtyng vnfayned trust in the ghospell And besides this I wishe Peace that beyng frely reconsiled to God by the bloud of Christe you may haue concorde both among your selfes and with all other not only hurting no body but also perdonyng other mennes fanites and requityng good turnes for euill the chaunce of which goodes lyke as you haue frely receyued of God euen so it staÌ„deth you in hand to apply your selfes vnto godly studies that you may waxe riche in the encreasing vsury of good workes more and more not onely persisting stedfast in that you haue begonne but also going forward dayly better and better vntill the day come wherin the rewarde of immortalitie shal be openly geuen wherof you haue now conceiued a certaine assured hope out of the ghospell of Christe that we should therby chalenge no prayse vnto our selues The texte Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe which according to his aboundant mercy begatte vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by that that Iesus Christs rose agayne from death to an iuheritaunce immortall and vndefyled and that perisheth not referâ—ed in heauen for you whiche are kept by the power of God thorowe fayth vnto saluacion which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time in the
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
lyfe for them that sinne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for whiche saye I not that a man shoulde praye All vnrighteousnes is sin and ther is a synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of god synneth not but he that is begotten of god kepeth himselfe and that wicked toucheth hym not We know that we are of god and the worlde is all together set on wickednes We knowe that the sonne of god is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe hym whiche is true and wee are in him that is true through his sonne Iesus Christ This same is very god and eternal lyfe Babes kepe your selues from images Amen These thinges therfore doe I repete and beate vnto you with so many wordes lest any man shoulde persuade vnto you the contrarye But take it for a sure and an vndoubted certayntie that it is true whiche you haue beleued that euerlastynge lyfe is ordayned for you throughe Iesus Christe whose ioyned felowe heires you are You haue already the ryght clayme and gage and shall haue possession of the thyng selfe in hys tyme. Therefore you that beleue in the sonne of God beleue stedfastlye and put youre sure trust in hym daylye more and more He wyll not fayle you in the promyses of euerlastyng lyfe that fayleth you not nowe euen in thys lyfe For in dede the spirite of Christe geuethe this confidence vnto you that whatsoeuer you shal aske in y◠name of the sonne you should obtaine it if ye aske according to hys wyll that is yf you be suche when you come to praye as he woulde haue you to come that is to saye pure from all maner hate of your brother For he obteyneth nothyng at goddes hande of whom his neyghbour obteyneth not forgeuenes of his fault And if you aske those thinges that are auaileable to the lyfe of heauen and make to the glorye of Christ Or elles we for the moste parte knowe not what we shoulde aske of God and many tymes for holsome thynges we desire hurtfull thynges yf the spirite of Christe put vs not in mynde what were expedient for vs to aske but as ofte as we aske after thys sorte we are sure that god heareth oure prayers we are sure that he wyll frely geue vs whatsoeuer we shall aske So hath he promised vs and is hable to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth and wyll performe whatsoeuer is holsome for vs. Neither shall he onely encrease his giftes in vs being prouoked therunto by oure prayers but also he wyll pardon vs oure daylye offences without whome the feblenes of mans nature can scarcely be hable to endure longe and he shall not onely pardon euery one hys offences yf he desire pardon but he shall also heare the brother praying for the brothers offences so that the sinne bee of suche sorte that it doeth not quenche out brotherly loue althoughe it doe somewhat obscure it For there is a synne that cannot bee imputed vn to weakenes nor be healed with lyght and easye remedies as whan a manne vpon a sette malyce persecuteth the christen felowshyppe where he hymselfe hath professed Christe and in pretence of religion goeth aboute to subuert religiō The desperate frowardnes of suche a one deserueth not the prayer of godly menne and yet perfite charitie prayeth also for suche wyshynge for those thynges that cannot possiblye be done There is no manne that prayeth for the deuyll because he doeth wittynglye throughe malyce oppugne them whome God woulde well vnto Perhappes no prayer should also be made for them that are translated into hys affeccion and are rather to be shunned that they doe no harme than to bee releued with prayers excepte they shewe an hope of their repentaunce Suche a disease nedeth more strong remedies and is greater than can bee taken away by dayly praiers wherby lighter offences are taken away which are done of feble weakenes not of purposed frowardenes Whatsoeuer is committed besyde perfite righteousnes is sin but there be many differences of synnes There is some synne whiche althoughe it demynyshe and blotte innocencye yet it vtterlye quencheth not out christian charytye as whan by occasion we ouershote a worde agaynste oure frende whiche we are sory for by and by that it ouer shot vs whan a sodayne angre hath russhed out at a worde that wee woulde wyshe by and by myghte bee called backe agayne whan throughe the swetenes of meate or drynke receyuyng wee take somewhat more then the necessitie of nature doeth require And to pardon these offences God is easie yf he bee called vpon with mutual prayers Suche maner of faultes of children those that be gentyll parentes doe for the moste parte wynke at whiche woulde not suffre greater offences Albeit there is none so lyght a faulte that ought to be neclected Whatsoeuer is done amysse is euyll and to bee eschewed of godlye folkes and yf it bee neclected it drawethe by lytell and lytell vnto deathe But lyke as spedye remidy oughte to be had for these lighter offences whiche men are scarce hable to auoyde euen so god forbydde that he whiche hath once renounced the worlde and dedicated hymselfe vnto god shoulde be tombled backe agayne into anye greate notable cryme By professing of the gospel we are made the childrē of God and membres of Christ And it is not conuenient that the children should diffre so greatly from the father and the membres from the head Therfore he that throughlye vnderstandeth that he is borne of god taketh more hede that he doe no euyl than of deathe it selfe and kepeth hymselfe that he haue nothynge a doe with that naughtie lorde deuill whom he serued before together with the worlde Lyke as Christe beynge once dead rose agayne to lyfe and rose agayne to lyfe neuer to dye any more euen so he that throughe baptisme is once dead vnto the worlde and risen againe to newnes of lyfe with Christ it is not mete for hym to doe that thynge agayne for the whyche Christe must dye agayne Let them be affrayed of the worlde whiche are not truely borne againe of god which haue not with al the pith of their whole heartes receyued the seede of the gospelles doctrine We knowe that wee are truely of god whome neyther the euyll thynges nor the good thynges of thys world can seperate from Christe The whole world is set all together on naughtines Whiche waye soeuer a man turneth hym there is occasion offred of thynges to turne vs awaye quite from the innocent vpryghtnes of lyfe But from the worldes enchauntmentes the sonne of god hathe once delyuered vs whiche came into the worlde for thys cause to exempte vs out of the contagious infeccion of the worlde He hathe dryuen awaye the darkenes of oure former ignoraunce and hathe geuen vs an vnderstandyng that is lyghtened with the lyght of the gospell to thintent we should knowe the true god the free geuer of al righteousnes who onely had nothyng a doe
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
the seuen starres and is the gouernoure of heauen and earth is all one thinge Namely yâ— Messias whiche was before the beginninge of the world the sauiour of al the faithfull our Lorde Iesus Christ Thiatira is a Cathedrall churche and one of the most notable cities in Lydia This churche dothe yâ— spirite of Christ commende and prayse as well for dyuerse vertues as also for waxing bygge and increasyng in them But he rebuketh the synne of the heades and ouerseets which are so neglygent that they doe not roote out nor reforme certen wyckednes As are the seruice and honouring of ydols and fals goddes and other hyghe blasphemies which doe alwayes accompany and wayte vpon ydolatrye Whiche thing is sygnified by the wycked and supersticious woman Iesabell Of this woman reade more in the first of the kynges in the. xviii and. xxii Chapter and in the. ii of the kynges in the. ix and. x. Chapter How she al her posteritie were so greuously punished of god And againe reade the. xiiii Chapter of ye. v. boke of Eusebyus concernynge Montanus his heresies and than shalte thou vnderstande this place muche better The texte And all the coÌ„gregacyons shal knowe that I am he which searcheth yâ— reynes and hertes And â— wyll geue vnto euery one of you accordinge vnto his worckes Vnto you I saye and vnto other of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learnynge and which haue not knowen the depâ—nes of Satan as they saye I wyl put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue alreadye Holde fast tyll I come and whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my worckes vnto the ende to him wyl I geue power ouer nacions and he shal rule them with a rodde of yron and as the vessels of a porter shal they be brokeÌ„ to sheuers â—â—uen as I receaued of my father so wyll I geue him the mornynge starre Let him yâ— hathe eares heare what the sprete sayth to the congregacions This rightuous dreadfull and seuere iudgement of god shall the faithfull knowledge and prayse And shal kepe them selues from suche blasphemies and preuent the wrath and indignacioÌ„ of god and obey folowe his wel for as muche as they heare and parceaue that god is one that knoweth the pryuities of all hartes and all the wycked frutes that spryng out of them and that they shall with all iustyce and equite be punyshed But those whiche eyther at Thiatira or els where do stycke and cleaue stedfastly vnto the worde and wyll of god forsakynge the wycked fynde and refusynge to haue any thing with hym to doe those woulde I not haue ouerladen sayeth god with outwarde ceremonyes and with Iewyshe ordinaunces For faith and loue accordynge vnto the doctrine of the gospell and agreable vnto the same shall be sufficient for them before me bothe for their saluacion and also for a christen and a godly lyfe For that is the seruice which pleaseth me and whiche I wil rewarde Whiche seruice also the very heathen whan they see it shal confesse and knowledge it to be good and godly and to be the very true and ryght gods seruice and beyng ouercome in their infidelyte and mysbelefe they shall fynde in their hartes to consent vnto it and to receyue it and so shall be obedient vnto the gospell forsakynge all their heathnysshe maners and al false gods seruice Euen as the holy prophetes haue sayde long synce that it should come to passe and that the grace and mercy of god was also promysed vnto the heathen thorowe Christe that was to come That they also at length with one harte and mynde should beholde yâ— mornyng starre Christ and his holsome gospell and shoulde in this lyfe thorowe faithe and after this lyfe in the euerlastynge kyngdome of Christ in the heauenly Ierusalem receyue the fruicion of euerlastynge and eternall riches with god and al his electe And in the ende he geueth them an earnest exhortacion to doe good and to esche we euyll that they maye obteyne saluacion and auoyde damnacion as he dothe lykewyse in other places The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the messenger of the congregacion that is at Sardis this sayeth he that hathe the seuen spirires of god and the seuen starres I know thy worckes thou hast a name that thou lyuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges whiche remayne that are readie to dye For I haue not founde thy worckes perfecte before my god Remember therfore how thou hast receaued and hearde and holde fast and repente If thou shalt not watche I wyll come on the as a theâ—e and thou shalte not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon the. AL this dothe Christe speake which is ful of al gyftes of yâ— holy goost without measure dystributeth the same gyftes thorow his spirite vnto all churches to all faythfull ouerseers of the christeÌ„ congregacioÌ„ No hipocrisye nor outwardeshyne of godnes thoughe it be neuer so ful of pompe or solemnitie is of any value before god He wyll haue faith and loue whiche are the pythe and strength of lyfe as infydelitie is of death But this faythe loue must no man vse nor haue for him selfe a lone but he must also moue and further other men vnto the same thorow his instruccioÌ„ good example of lyfe and thorow praier But alas there is great lacke of true faith in the churche whiche thynge maye well be perceyued by the workes and fruites which are sene and appeare For there is but lytle earnest zeale and feruentnes sene in furtherynge of true vertue and godlynes and of the true honour of god done of a pure conscience or in folowynge and practisynge the doctrine of the gospell receyued of the apostles There is but lytle zeale I say in professynge folowynge of this gospell in worde and lyfe together There are but fewe whiche whan they spye any thing amysse in them selues doe earnestlye studye to reforme and amende it or inforce them selues with dilygence to lyue in all godlynes and continuallye to be founde wakynge in vertuous exercyses as it were necessarye for al faythfull to be seyng the glorious commynge of Christ shal sodenly come vpoÌ„ them they can not tell howe soone The texte ¶ Thou hast a few names in Sardis whiche haue not defyled theyr garmentes and they shall walke with me in whyte for they are worthye He that ouercometh shal be thus clothed in whyte araye and I wyll not put out his name out of the booke of lyfe and I wyl confesse his name before my father and before his angels Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayth vnto the congregacions There is but a small nomber amonge you whiche doe lyue innocently and godlye studyeng dyligently to lyue after my wyll and pleasure But this small nombre is worthye of great honour wherwith I shal also indewe them as with blessed immortalitie eternall saluacion of my mere grace mercye aboue al desertes
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
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