growe no apples but there is vnbelefe the deuels spirite and euyll workes Of thys Goddes spirite and hys frutes haue oure holy ypocrites not once knowen nether yet tasted howe swete they are though they fayne many good workes of theyr owne ymaginacions to be iustyfied with all in whiche is not one crum of true faythe or spirituall loue or of inwarde ioye peace and quyetnes of conscience for as muche as they haue not the worde of God for them that such woorkes please God but they are euen the rotten frutes of a rotten tre After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large and sheweth whence bothe synne and righteousnes deathe and lyfe come And he compareth Adam and Christe together thus wyse reasonynge and dysputynge that Christe muste neades comme as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of hys ryghtewesnes thorowe a newe spyrytuall byrthe without oure deseruynges euen as the fyrste Adam made vs heyres of synne thorowe the bodely generacyon without oure deseruing Whereby is euidently knowen and proued to the vttermost that no man can bring him self out of synne vnto righteousnes nomore then he coulde haue withstande that he was borne bodely And that is proued herewith for as muche as the very lawe of God whiche of right shoulde haue holpe yf any thinge could haue holpen not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euyll and poysoned nature is offended and vtterly displeased with the lawe and the more she is forbyd by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyer to fulfill and satisfye her lustes By the lawe then we se clerely that we must nedes haue Christe to iustifye vs with his grace and to helpe nature In the .vi. Chapter he setteth forth the chiefe and principal worke of faith the battaill of the spirite against the fleshe howe the spirite laboreth and enforseth to kyll the remnaunt of syn and â—â—â— whiche remaine in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapter teacheth vs that we are not so free from synne thorowe faythe that we shoulde hence forth go vp and downe ydle carelesse and sure of our selues as though there were nowe no more synne in vs yes ther is sin remaining in vs but it is not rekened because of faith of the spirite which fight against it Wherfore we haue ynough to do all oure life 's longe to tame our bodies and to compell the membres to obey the spirite and not the appetites that thereby we myght be like vnto Christes death refurreccioÌ„ and might fulfil our baptisme which signifieth the mortifyinge of synnes and the newe life of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last birthe and vntill that sinne be vtterly staine by the death of the bodye This thing I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to do sayeth he seyng we are vnder grace and not vnder the lawe what it is not to be vnder the lawe he hym selfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstande that euery manne maye do what him lusteth But not to be vnder the lawe is to haue a free hearte renewed with the spirite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thyne own accorde to do that which the law commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no lawe For grace that is to saye Goddes fauoure bryngeth vs the spirit and maketh vs to loue the lawe so is there now no more synne neyther is the lawe nowe any more agaynst vs but at one and agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the lawe is to deale with the workes of the lawe and to worke without the spirite and grace â–ª for so longe no doubte synne raygneth in vs thorow the lawe that is to saye the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and that synne hath power and dominion ouer vs seynge we cannot fulfyll the lawe namely within the hearte for as muche as no man of nature fauoreth the lawe consenteth there vnto and delyteth therein Which thyng is exceading great synne that we cannot consent to the law which lawe is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the ryght fredome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe wherof he writeth vnto the ende of thys Chapter that is a fredome to do good onelye with luste and to lyue well without compulcyon of the lawe wherfore thys fredome is a spirituall fredome whiche destoyeth not the lawe but ministreth that whiche the lawe requyreth and where â–ª with the lawe is fulfylled that is to vnderstande luste and loue wherwith the lawe is stylled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more nether hathe ought to craue of vs any more Euen as though thou were in dette to an other man and were not able to paye two maner wayes myghtest thou be lowsed One waye yf he woulde require nothyng of the and breke thyne obligacion An other waye yf some other good man woulde paye for the and geue the as much as thou myghtest â—arâ—sâ—ie thyne obligacion with all Of this wyse hathe Christe made vs fre from the lawe and therfore is this no wylde fleshely libertie that shoulde do nought but that doeth all thinges and is fre from the crauyng and decre of the lawe In the .vij. Chapter he confyrmeth the same with a similytude of the state of matrimony As when the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one looced and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now fyrst of all is she fre and hath power to mary vnto an other man which she coulde not do before tyll she was looced from her fyrst housband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder old Adam the flesh as long as he liueth in vs. For the law declareth that our hertes are bounde that we cannot disconsent from him But when he is mortifyed and kylled by the spirite then is the conscience fre and at lybertye â–ª not so that the conscience shall nowe nought do but now fyrst of al cleueth vnto another that is to were Christ and bringeth forthe the frutes of lyfe So â—ow to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfyll the lawe but to be detter to it and not able to paye that whiche the lawe requyreth And to be looce from the lawe is to fulfyll it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can nowe hence forth are thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the lawe how that thorow the lawe synne reuiueth moueth hir selfe and gathereth strength For the old man and corrupt nature the more he is forboden and kepte vnder of the lawe is the more offended and dyspleased therewith for as muche as he cannot paye that whiche is requyred of the lawe For synne is his nature and of hym selfe he cannot but synne Therefore
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.
thys loue is not wrytten in our heartes is that we beleue not the fyrste parte that our Lorde God is one God For wist I what these wordes one Lorde and one God meaneth that is to saye yf I vnderstode that he made all and ruleth all and that what soeuer is done to me whether it bee good or bad is yet his will and that he onely is the Lorde that ruleth and doeth it and wist thereto what this worde myne meaneth that is to saye yf myne heart beleued and felte the infinite benefytes and kyndenes of God to me warde and vnderstode and ernestly beleued the manyfolde couenauntes of mercy wherwith God hathe bounde him selfe to be mine wholy and all together with all his power loue mercye and might then shoulde I loue him with all myne heart soule power and myght and of that loue euer kepe his commaundementes So se ye now that as faythe is the mother of al goodnes and of al good workes so is vnbelefe the grounde and rote of all euyll and all euyll workes Finally yf any man that hath forsaken sinne and is conuerted to put hys trust in Christe and to kepe the lawe of god doth fall at a time the cause is that the fleshe thorowe negligence hathe choked the spirite and oppressed her and taken from her the foode of her strength whiche fode is her meditacion in God and in his wonderfull dedes and in the manyfolde couenauÌ„tes of his mercye Wherfore then before all good workes as good frutes there muste nedes be faythe in the heart whence they springe And before al bad dedes as bad frutes there muste be vnbelefe in the hearte as in the roâ—e fountayne pith and strength of all synne Which vnbelefe and ignoraunce is called the head of the serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seed Christ must treade vnder fote as it was promysed vnto Adam Grace and gyft haue this difference Grace properly is Goddes fauoure beneuolence or kinde mind which of his owne selfe without desecuyng of vs he beareth to vs wherby he was moued and enclined to geue Christ vnto vs with all his other gyftes of grace Gyfte is the holy goost his working whome he powreth in to the heartes of them on whome he hath mercy and whome he fauoureth Though the gyftes of the spirite encrease in vs daylye and haue not yet their full perfeccion yea and though there remayne in vs yet euyil lustes and synne whiche fight against the spirite as he sayeth here in the .vii. Chapter and in the .v. to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the .iii. Chapter of Gene. of the debate betwene the womans seed and the sede of the serpent yet neuerthelesse Gods fauoure is so great and â—o strong ouer vs for Christes sake that we are counted for full whole and perfecte before God For Goddes fauour towardes vs deuydeth not her selfe encreasinge a lytell and a lytell as do the gyftes but receaueth vs whole and al together in full loue for Christes sake our intercessor and mediatour and because that the gyftes of the spirite and the batayle betwene the spirite and euyll lustes are begonne in vs al ready Of this now vnderstandest thou the .vii. Chapter where Paul accuseth him selfe as a synner and yet in the .viii. Chapter sayeth there is no damnacioÌ„ to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the giftes of the spirite are begonne in vs. Sinners we are because the fleshe is not full kylled and mortified Neuerthelesse in as muche as we beleue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde fayne be perfecte God is so louinge and fauourable vnto vs that he will not loke on suche synne nether will counte it as sinne but will deale with vs according to oure belefe in Christ and according to his promyses which he hath sworne to vs vntyll the synne be full slaine and mortified by deathe Faythe is not mans opynyon and dreame as some ymagin and fayne when they heare the storie of the gospell Which when they se that there folow no good workes nor mendement of liuing though they heare yet can bable many thinges of fayth then they fall from the right waye and saye fayth only iustifyeth not a manne must haue good workes also yf he will be righteous and safe The cause is when they heare the Gospell or glad tydinges they fayne of theyr owne strength certayne ymagynacyons and thoughtes in theyr hertes saying I haue hearde the Gospell I remembre the storie â—o I beleue And that they counte righte faythe which neuerthelesse as it is but mans ymaginacion and faininge euen so profiteth it not nether folow there any good workes or mendement of liuyng But right fayth is a thinge wroughte by the holy gooste in vs whiche chaungeth vs turneth vs in to a newe nature and begetteth vs a newe in God and maketh vs the sonnes of God as thou redest in the fyrst of Iohn and killeth the olde Adam and maketh vs altogether newe in the hearte mynde will lust and in al oure affeccions and powers of the soule the holy gost euer accompanying her and rulinge the hearte Faith is a liuely thing mightie in working valiaunt and stronge euer doing euer frutefull so that it is vnpossible that he whiche is endued therewith shoulde not worke alwayes good workes without ceasing He axeth not whether good workes are to be done or not but hathe done them all redy yeâ— mencion be made of them and is all waye doinge for suche is his nature nowe quicke faithe in his herte and liuely mouinge of the spirite driue him and stere him therevnto Whosoeuer doeth not good workes is an vnbeleuynge person and faythlesse and loketh round about gropinge after fayth and good workes wotteh not what fayth or good workes meane though he babil neuer so many thinges of fayth and good workes Faithe is then a liuely and stedfast truste in the fauoure of God wherewith we committe oure selues all together vnto God and that truste is so surely grounded and stycketh so faste in our heartes that a manne woulde not once doute of it though he shoulde dye a thousande tymes therfore And suche trust wrought by the hooly goost throughe faith maketh a man glad lusty cherefull and true herted vnto God and to all creatures By the meanes whereof willingly and without compulcion he is glad and redy to do good to euery man to do seruice to euery man to suffer all thinges that God may be loued and praysed which hathe geuen him suche grace so that it is impossible to separat good workes from faithe euen as it is impossible to seperate heere and burninge from fyre Therfore take hede to thy selfe and beware of thine owne fantasies and ymaginacions whiche to iudge of faith and good workes will sâ—me wyse when in dede they are starke blinde and of al thinges most folysshe Praye God that he wyll witesafe to
made a sacrifice for our synnes so diyng as touching the fleshe whiche he had taken he subdued death whiche through the desyres of the fleshe and the fleshely lawe bare rule vpon vs and caused that hencefoorth by abolishyng of the carnal meanyng of the lawe the better parte therof whiche we call the spiritual sence or spirite of it should in steade of the other take place and not worke Gods displeasure as the fyrst did but geue perfite righteousnes to them whiche lede not theyr life after y◠lawe carnally vnderstāden as the Iewes do but after the spiritual heauenly meanyng therof as men renued and through Christ new borne In the Iewes was there nothyng drawen painted but a shadowe of righteousnes but the vndoubted and perfite righteousnes is in vs through Iesus Christ throughly and perfitely wrought The texte For they that are carnal are carnally minded But they that are spiritual are gostly minded To be carnally minded is death But to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because that the fleshely minde is enemy against God for it is not obediente to the lawe of God neither can be So then they that are in the fleshe cannot please God The loue good wyll borne to thinges in vs beyng so greatly chaunged make plaine profe of a newe kynde of profession We se how y◠suche as styl holde on theyr Iewishe supersticion because they be yet carnal are with y◠same carnal vsuages muche delited Cōtrary suche as are graffed in Christ and haue now begunne to lede a spiritual life renouncyng all fleshely desyres are rauished enamoured with like conuersacion as is godly spiritual as we comenly see euery man fauour suche thinges as him selfe is bent vnto Mortall we be as touchyng our fleshe but yet hath Christ which is immortal called vs to life who is him self our life Now is the carnal lawe of the Iewes onely litterally obserued euen against Christ by reason therof worketh death kylleth forasmuche as it is against him whiche is the onely authour of life As in the Iewes thē selfes well appeared who for fauour zeale borne therto put to death y◠author of life righteousnes Of the other syde they whiche despisyng y◠carnal lettre of the lawe folowen the spiritual mocions of God fynde in Christ life nor striue for waterishe ceremonies of the law but gladly folowyng the inclinacions of charitie are with al men at peace concorde Supersticion is ful of ianglyng but true godly pytie is quiet peaceable And meruaile it is none that suche with men are at dissēcion whiche are not at peace with god For nothing els is it for a mā to cleaue stike fast to y◠carnal law whō God would through Christ shuld be abolished y◠in steade therof a spiritual law might ensue take place but to rebel agaist God whiche froward minde of any mā synce it squareth frō Gods pleasure cannot be but against him whiche calleth vs to farre vnlike cōtrary rules actes Let noman therfore thinke it a smal peril ieopardy stubbernly to hang vpō the lettre of the law therin to cōtinue And let vs assure our selfes that it is but a vayne thyng to please men vnles we please God also But suche as stubbernly mainteine Moses law litterally carnally vnderstāden except they forsaking the carnalnes therof fal from it to the spirite neither do please God nor can Let the Iewes exacte and requyre theyr feastes of the new moone and theyr sabboth daies kepyng neuer somuche they shal not attaine to that they loke for The texte But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his If Christ be in you the body is dead because of synne but the spirite is aliue for righteousnes sake Wherfore if the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus Christ frō death dwel in you euen he that raised vp Christ from death shall quicken your mortal bodyes because of his spirite that dwelleth in you But to you whiche haue with the carnal law nothing to do these thinges nothing belong since y◠ye are becomen spiritual if ye after suche cōdicion lede your life that it please the holy spirite of God to be a dweller in your heartes For whoso is nothyng els but baptised styl belongeth to the carnal kyngdome of the fleshe excepte he taste also Christ be with his blessed spirite inspired Coupled are we vnto Christ not with ceremonies but with that spirite whō whoso lacketh is to Christ but a straunger But now then if Christ be in you syth he is nothyng els but chastitie but trueth but tēperaūce with other vertues how can in you synne haue any place Whoso hath receiued Christ him must the same mā nedes in suche vertuous pointes expresse He as I before sayd once dyed touchyng his fleshe māhed yet liueth he now a life euerlastyng Then fruitfully expresse resēble we him when the body y◠is to say our grosse part whiche with pleasaunt lustes allureth vs to all vnhappines is dead is without al desyre to synne if therwith our spirit also that is to say y◠better part in vs who alway moueth to goodnes and with his mightie power draweth vs to suche thinges as are good righteous be quicke and aliue Therfore if the spirite of God whiche raised Iesus Christ frō death vnfainedly dwel in you the same wyll not be idle A liuely an effectual thyng is the spirit of God wyll accordyng vnto your capacities in you likewise worke as it did in Christ Him it raised from death and suffereth not to dye againe And so wyl the same raise you frō sinne which is very death in dede to life extynguishyng your froward desyres appetites al whiche he wil do by his blissed spirit the author of life which now dwelleth in you The texte Therfore brethren we are detters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe For if ye liue after the fleshe ye shal dye But if ye through the spirite do mortifye the dedes of the body ye shal liue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receiued the spirite of adopcion wherby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirit that we are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also the heires I meane of God and heires annexed with Christ If so be that we suffre with him that we may be also glorified together with him Vnder this spirit now therfore liue we his subiectes are we it must we obey not the fleshe whervnto we are now deade For assone as we once begunne to be one with Christ we cast of the bondage
wherwith we were to the fleshe endaungered Syth this is so God forbid that we hereafter liue as the fleshe ruleth whiche fleshe should rather to the spirite be obedient RemeÌ„bre that ye be called to life but if ye liue carnally then runne ye headlong to deathwarde but contrary if by the power of the spirit ye suppresse al fleshely desyres after suche mortifiyng of them ye shal liue Nor is it to liue after the gouernaunce of the spirite of God a paynefull profession For albeit the same call you foorth to great weightie enterprises yet are ye glad willyng to vndertake them because by it in you is enkienled a feruent charitie to whom nothyng can be hard nothyng can be but swete pleasaunt As the body liueth with his bodily spirite so dâ—eth the soule through a heauenly If our bodily spirites natural powers be weake and faint the wholle body is made dul heauye but if the same be quicke and lustie the wholle bodye is full of courage So likewyse al suche as are with the spirite of God ledde and moued are his childreÌ„ Suche as are towarde childreÌ„ resemble theyr fathers goodnes with a mery chere and frely doyng al suche thinges as they shal suppose wyll please them Bondslaues because there is betwene them and theyr maisters no natural knotte for feare of punishement abstaine froÌ„ euil beyng violeÌ„tly coÌ„pelled do theyr duties Iewes whiche are with yâ— bondage of the lawe delited this wyse do but ye whiche are once deliuered froÌ„ such boÌ„dage wyl nomore so fal to the same that with feare it be nedeful to compel you Endued are ye with the spirite of God through whom ye are by adopcion receiued into the nuÌ„bre not of seruauÌ„tes but of Gods owne children This spirit putteth vs in suche a sure trust and coÌ„fidence that in all our distresses we may boldly speake vnto God those wordes whiche fathers most gentilly fauourably are wont to geue eare vnto callyng vpoÌ„ him O father father Whiche worde we durst not be so bold in our troubles lameÌ„tably to speake vnto him were we not in assurauÌ„ce both that we are his children that he also is our merciful father as loÌ„g as we liue after his coÌ„maundement not by coÌ„pulsion I saye but of free wyl and gladly For were it so that he accoumpted vs not for his childreÌ„ neuer would he haue geuen vs this his holy spirit This benefite of God therfore whether ye cal it a pledge or token of fatherly loue wel assureth our consciences that we are his children whiche gaue vs this pledge Further then if we be his children not his seruauntes than are we also his heyres The heyres I say of God from whoÌ„ as author begynner al thinges come ioynte inheritors with Christ into whose body beyng graffed we now haue the same father that he hath through him enioy one comen enheritaunce It shal we yet none otherwyse possesse but by goyng the same pathe waye to it by whiche it pleased Christ him selfe to walke He by sufferauÌ„ce of miseries came to the possession of his glorious inheritauÌ„ce he by obedience came to his kyngdome he by reproche came to glory by death attained to life euerlastyng Suffer must we therfore with him that we may of his ioyes be partakers obedient must we be with him that we may with him raigne euerlastyngly suffre must we also worldely shame vilany that with him we in heauen may be glorifyed and finally for a season dye also with him that we may in his kyngdome liue for euer The texte For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are not worthy of the glorye whiche shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abideth lokyng when the sonnes of God shal appeare because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wyl therof but for his wyl whiche subdued the same in hope For the same creature shal be deliuered froÌ„ the bondage of corrupcion into the glorious libertie of the soÌ„nes of God For we knowe that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine euen vnto this tyme. These be the wayes and condicions to wynne this inheritaunce by wherof since there shal neuer be an ende the thyng selfe so great that it passeth al mens capacities and estimacion surely if al the affliccions of this life were put vpon one mannes bodye all the same yet were of no weight but euen trifles beyng weighed and compared with the reward of the glory to come whiche men gette in maner bye with suche great displeasures and calamities And though we now already haue an ernest peny of this welthy life to come so that therof nomaÌ„ shuld dispayre yet by reason of oure bodyes subiecte to paynes and death the same is not in euery point perfite and full In the meane tyme by the spirite of God haue we therof inwardly a secrete taste geuen vs but then shall we haue it fully and wholy when our bodies are restored to life and all the miseries of our mortal state are shaken of at what tyme we shall with euerlastyng Christ raigne euerlastyngly For whiche ioyful tyme in the meane season the whole engyne of this worlde ernestly loketh in his maner wishyng for the day wherin after that the numbre of Gods children is fulfilled and restored theyr glory shal plainly appeare whiche beyng yet burdened with theyr mortal bodies are with huÌ„ger with thryst with diseases with diuers paynes and miseries punished yea euen the world selfe after a sorte semeth to be of mannes careful estate partaker because the yearth the water the ayre heauenly bodyes and to be briefe euen the very Angels selfe were by God especially made to helpe mannes necessities And therfore not so muche as the verye worlde selfe shal from suche miseries be free vntyl that Goddes children be sette in perfite fredome so that in the meane season it is in boÌ„dage vnwillyngly For euen in the very dead creatures which haue no life a natural desyre is ther to be made perfite yet abide they nethelesse this boÌ„dage therin obeiyng him at whose pleasure it became subiecte enduryng it so muche the more paciently because it knoweth it selfe not bonde for euer but vnder this coÌ„dicion that as sone as the children of God are fully deliuered from al infeccion of death than shal the worlde no lenger be thral and vnder the displeasures of corrupcion For syth that we see al the elemeÌ„tes of this world so diuersly altered vnder so many corrupcions and see that the Sunne and moone besyde that they almost seme in theyr continual renewyng of corruptible creatures to labor in vayne haue also theyr eclipses synce that the one starres power is also contrary to another synce there is no doubt also but that the whole coÌ„pany of Angels froÌ„ heauen beholdyng our wretchednes are by reason of a pitiful loue borne towarde vs greatly
a sobre and of an humble mynde that fyrst he take nomore vpon him than is meere and nexte remembre that all that he hath was geuen him by God not for his workes but for his faythe 's sake geuen not therwith to please him selfe but with the same to do euery man good God doeth in sondrywyse bestow his giftes lest either one should disdaine at an other or lest any man might thynke him selfe sufficiente but let brotherly charitie make eche mannes gifte comen to all other The texte For as we haue many membres in one body al membres haue not one office so we beyng many are one body in Christ and euery manne among our selues one anothers membres Seyng that we haue diuerse giftes accordyng to the grace that is geuen vnto vs if any man haue the gifte of prophesie let him haue it that it be agreyng vnto the fayth Let him that hath an office wayte on his office Let him that teacheth take hede to his doctrine Let him that exhorteth geue attendaunce to his eâ—hortacion If any man geue let him do it with singlenes Let him that ruleth do it with diligence If any man shewe mercy let him do it with cherefulnes Let loue be without disstmulacion Hate that whiche is euil and cleaue vnto that whiche is good Be kinde one to another with brotherly loue In geuyng honour go one before another Be not slouth full in the busynes whiche ye haue in hande Be feruent in the spirite Applye your selues to the tyme. Reioyce in hope Be pacient in tribulacion Continue in praier Destribute vnto the necessitie of the saintes be ready to harbour Blesse them whiche persecute you blisse I say and curse not Be merye with them that are merye wepe also with them that wepe Be of like affeccion one towardes another Be not hye minded but make your selues equal to them of the lower sorte For vnmeete is it that the grace of Christ in you haue lesse power than hath the power of nature in euery beastes body For as in the body of beastes there is of the partes among them self a certaine felowshippe so is there betwixte all suche people as of diuerse sectes and sondrye nacions are shaped into the felowship of Christ For as this sensible bodye albeit it be but one yet is it framed of manye membres together nowe hath not euerye membre like office forsomuche as the iyes haue one the feete another the stomacke and handes another and yet doeth not the iye see onely for it selfe but for the whole body nor the stomacke for it self prepareth not foode but for all the members Now in what condicion the office of euery member is in the bodye in lyke are the sondrie gyftes after diuerse sortes gyuen to diuerse of vs. As then the lymmes whiche are more noble for example the iyes disdayne not the viler but with that they canne do helpe and succoure al or els shoulde the whole bodye vtterlye decaye so lette euery manne be his gyfte singuler or els be it meane for his parte bestowe the same for the weale of the whole bodye synce we are once planted into Christe oure heade and with hym becommen one spirituall bodye For as one member is to another member of the same bodye so is one christian manne to another christian manne But yet hath euery manne as I before sayde sondry gyftes gyuen vnto hym gyuen vnto hym I saye not for his owne desertes but by the liberall bounteousnes of god whiche gyueth euery manne as he knoweth is expediente Let nomanne therfore of his gyfte be proude but discretlye and soberly vse it for the weale of all menne yf he haue the gyfte of prophecie to expounde vnknowen learnynges lette hym accordyng vnto the perfeccion of his fayth whom onelye god regardeth and not his other desertes without disdayne vpon other bestowe this his gyfte or yf he be in suche condicion and place where he maye helpe his brother therin let hym soberly do his dutie yf he haue the gyfte of learnyng lette hym not disdayne to enstructe and teache other or yf he canne out of yâ— Scriptures with preachyng rauyshe menne to pitifull and godlye lyfe and condicions let hym with sobernes vse that his gyft yf he haue gooddes wher with to helpe the poore and nedie lette hym also gyue vnto suche as haue neede and therwith helpe other neither for glorye neither for hope to haue aduauntage therbye but with a liberall and free hearte or yf god haue gyuen hym to beare rule ouer other and therin canne do well lette hym not of that office be anye thyng the prouder but carefull of his charge nor lette hym rule his office for himself but for theyr weale whose charge and gouernaunce he hath taken in hande or yf he helpe the wretched and miserable lette it be done withoute sadnes and louryng for that is a discouraging of hym that is so holpen and beware that with thy benefite thou hyt him not in the teethe but let thy thankeful gyfte be encreased and doubled with a mery looke and cherefulnes so that whatsoeuer ye gyue seme to gyue it euen as it were an other mannes and with all youre heartes Heathen peoples good deedes be all for the moost parte by suche wayes corrupted yea thoughe elswyse they seme to be liberallye done In you lette dissimulacion haue no place but lette there among you raigne loue and charitie whiche neither canne counterfaicte nor dissemble but make euery mannes doynges accepted of god Beware also that ye measure not thynges after youre desyre as noughtie people are wonte to do but esteme and measure thynges by vertue only or vice abhorring all lewdnes stedfastly cleauyng to goodnes And forasmuche as ye are brethren daylye desyre your commen fathers helpe synce ye are all appoynted to one enheritaunce lette eche of you to other through brotherly charitie be readye and well wyllyng Carnall men stryue for preeminence in honour stryue ye eche with other howe one of you maye prefer an other before hymselfe Let noman idely liue to himselfwarde but let euery man for his parte labour to do his dutie nor be slouthfull and â–ª stuggyshe as men that are with the infirmitie of the fleshe faynte but be in spirite couragiouse and feruent Ye haue forsaken your carnalnes and begunne now to be spirituall A fleshly poynte is it to be flouthful for the spirite of god is a thyng of actiuitie and lyuely Withstande not euell personnes but do as the tyme requireth applying youre selfe to that whiche is presente yf anye hurte chaunce auoyde it yf ye can well so doe or els suffer it not with heauye heartes as men that are in wanhope but be in aduersities mery ioyful for hope of the rewarde that is to come This wise in the meane season thynke with your self yf ye any thyng either beare with or forgyue another ye suffer it for goddes sake whiche wyll without doubte with auauntage make
vs the preachyng of the attonement Now then are we messengers in the rowme of Christe euen as thoughe God dyd beseche you thorowe vs So praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconcyled vnto God for he made hym to bee synne for vs whiche knewe no synne that we by hys meanes shoulde bee that rightewesnes which before God is alowed And therfore what tempestes soeuer befall vs alwayes are we of good there knowing that as longe as we are at home in thys bodylye mansion we straye abrode and are deuided from god to whome by departure out of it we are more nyghly ioyned not meanyng so that god is not for thys presente tyme with vs but that he is not yet so clearly sene as he shall bee then For albeit in the meane season he bee after a sorte seene by faythe yet is it as it were a farre of whiche shall then presently bee seene euen as he is end not obscurely And therfore yf the pleasure of god bee that we in this body shall yet suffer more afflictions in good hope stande we that we shal easyly suffer them in hope of the rewarde to come and yet is thys of vs muche more to bee desyred to departe I saye out of thys bodylye mansion that after suche departure we may be more nyghly ioyned to god Therfore whether we bee compelled to continewe in thys house orels as we muche more desyre to departe hence that is to saye whether we lyue or dye all our endeuoure is to bee allowed of god For vnles a manne departe hence in goddes fauer let hym not loke for the rewarde of immortall lyfe whiche poynte I gyue you warnyng of leste any thinke baptisme a meane sufficent therunto without godly lyuyng As for wycked synners to theyr damnacion they receaue agayne bodyes whiche they here abused in theyr owne synfull lustes and not to the glory of god And as euery mans deseartes haue been for this lyfe suche shall his rewarde be what euery manns deseartes are is a thyng as yet vnkowen but yet must al we in open syght of the worlde appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe where nothyng shal be hydden but euery man shal reape as he hath sowed in hys body and when body and soule are ioyned together enioy suche reward as his workes were whyles he here liued whether they were good or badde We therfore hauing alway that terrible daye before our iyes diligently laboure in all poyntes to please both God man For albeit we deceiue men with some counterfaite kynd of holynes yet doth God throughly knowe vs as which seeth euen the very bottome of our heartes whiche thyng no man can do Howbeit my trust is that I haue in such sort vsed my selfe amoÌ„g you that ye throughly knowe and perceaue the synceritie of my lyfe for with this glorye are we contented For we auaunce not our office agayne eyther because we would of you be more made of or because we seke for any aduauÌ„tage at your handes but forasmuch as I perceiue that some make greate boste for that they were assigned vnto theyr office by chiefe Apostles we geue you occasion to glory lykewyse of vs agaynste them whiche for this respect lytle set by you because ye haue but an abiect and a vile one to your Apostle which albeit sawe not the Lorde in his mortall bodye as other Apostles dyd yet sawe I hym immortall and of hym receiued myne Apostleshyp as other dyd and haue by hys helpe done no lesse than other haue This rehearse I for your sakes because ye shoulde haue some thing wherwith to aunswere them which being not contented with the prayse of their owne conscience for their good dedes with high proude lookes seke for worldly commendacion wheras their consieÌ„ces do inwardly coÌ„demnetheÌ„ Nothing speake we for our own sakes but whether we speake of our great actes and therby seame to be peuishe peuishe are we to godwarde to whose glory we rehearse such thinges as we by his helpe did or yf we kepe a measure in speakyng of our selfes therby seme wise to you are we wise to whose weaknes we teÌ„per our tale We make not our selfes equal with other Apostles by boastyng but the loue of Christ constrayneth vs openly to speake that thing which appertayneth to his glory For to his praise maketh it not to ours if there were by vs through his gyft any thing notable done that all people should the better knowe howe his death was not vnfruitfull forasmuch as it doth indifferentlye profite al people so farfurth that euen by vs whom thei despise it sheweth his power and not by them only which sawe Christ in his manhode nor by such only as haue carnal allyaunce with him But rather this wise reason we the matter with our selfe yf Christe alone indifferently dyed for al than foloweth it that generally all such people were before thrall and subiecte to death as his pleasure was by his death to redeame from death And because he woulde haue all men indifferentlye bounde vnto hym therfore dyed he for all that suche as by hys benefite lyue beyng through hym newe borne agayn shoulde no longer lyue to themselfes but to hym whiche boeth dyed and rose agayne for them By this should men be estemed and not by carnall affinitie Yea and albeit we maye glory our selfes of the stocke of Iewes yet synce that tyme we professed Christes religion we knowe no man because he is one of our stocke but coumpte suche of our kynred as are by lyke fayth ioyned vnto vs. A vayne crake is it therfore whiche some make that they be Christes owne countrey men or els because they are his kynsmen and lyued familiarly with him his fleshe was geuen but for a season presently but now synce that his body is taken awaye and his holy spirite sent his wil and pleasure is to be knowen after the spirite and coumpteth hym nyghest of his kynne whiche hath in his promisses moste affiaunce Nor let any man for this cause lesse esteme vs which are later Apostles because we knew not Christe lyuing here in earth in his mortal body synce that yf we had so knoweÌ„ hym in dede now yet would we haue forgone that knowledge as which hyndred the spirite and woulde nowe synce that he is become spirituall loue hym spiritually Whoso therfore is through baptisme graffed into Christ let hym forsake his olde phantasies nor thinke thys man is a Iewe that man is a Grecian this a bonde man and that is a fre man but remembre rather howe that euery man which is borne agayne to be a newe man is of a carnall man becomen a spirituall Olde thinges are paste and gone and beholde through Christ al thinges are so dayâ—ly made new Away therfore with these wordes this is a GreciaÌ„ this is an aliaunt this is a Iewe this is a worshypper of idoles this is a spoyler of holy places The man hath forsaken
seke vpon the succour of the lawe specially synce we well knowe that through the benefite of the lawe no man before God is made righteous If menne were what nede were it to resorte to the fayth of the gospel The texte If while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ then the minister of sinne God forbid And if after our once receiuyng the fayth of the gospel we be neuertheles found subiecte to synne so that we nede yet an other remedy as muche as we had nede of beyng vnder Moses lawe and beyng disapointed of the hope we stoode in so that we now againe are compelled to seke vpon the lawe that of vs was forsaken what shal we say shal we say that Christ whom we beleued to be the author of perfite iustice is the minister of vnrighteousnes who not onely deliuereth vs not from our olde vnrighteousnes but is also an occasion of encrease therof and not onely geueth vnto vs not the welthy state whiche we loked for but also causeth our coÌ„demnacion to be more grieuous forasmuche as vpoÌ„ hope of him we forsoke the lawe whervnto if we againe be compelled to returne we might seme not without fault vnaduisedly to haue forgone it of whiche fault Christ semeth the very occasion But God forbid that any man so iudge of Christ or thinke that the grace of his gospel doeth lacke any perfeccion so that towarde the attainement of saluacion we should nede to seeke somewhat out of Moses law The texte For if I haue builte againe the thinges whiche I destroyed then make I my selfe a trespacer For I through the lawe haue been dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto Christ For to returne againe to Moses after we once haue receiued the lawe of the gospel it is a certain fallyng away from Christ and reproche to the gospel yea what Iewe or straunger soeuer so doeth therin declareth he him selfe also to be a transgressour of Moses lawe For if the lawe any thyng made to saluacion why forsoke he it if it nothyng made why falleth he to it agayne If the buildyng throwen doune with myne owne handes I begynne euen from the foundacion to buylde the same againe whiche I erste destroyed shewe not I therin my foly whiche sette that vp againe whiche I vnaduisedly destroyed No cause is there then why after we haue once embraced the fayth of the gospel by whom the goodnes of Christ would we should receiue perfite righteousnes and saluacion to regarde the succour of the grosse lawe whervnto we are now no lenger bonde For as the death of either of the two maried deliuereth the partie that is left on liue froÌ„ the bonde of matrimony so had I whiche am a Iewe with the lawe somewhat to do as long as that mutual right endured that is to say as long as the lawe liued vnto me and I liued to the lawe The texte I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet now not I but Christ liueth in me The life whiche I now liue in the fleshe I liue by the fayth of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue him selfe for me I dispise not the grace of God For if righteousnes come of the lawe then Christ died in vaine But assone as through the death of Christ and the sacrament of baptisme I became prentice to the spiritual lawe of fayth I was in maner to the grosse and carnal lawe dead yet not so dead that I liued not but so dead that I begunne to liue after a better way and condicion Hitherto liued I to Moses but now liue I to God For God is a spirite As Christ liued before a mortal man hauyng a body subiecte to miseries as ours is so he beyng now dead to the fleshe and also to the world liueth to God the father free from all corrupcion and miseries of death But I whiche through baptisme am crucifyed with Christ and also dead with him am so farre from beyng bonde to these grosse and carnal rather than spiritual and godly obseruaunces that to them I am dead For I liue not grosse and carnal as I once was subiect also to worldly desires Dead is Saule the stoute deâ—ender of the law persecutor of the gospel and yet through the spirite of Christ haue I receiued life now muche better Or rather I liue not my selfe whiche of my selfe am nothyng but carnal but in me liueth Christ whoâ—e holy spirite at his wyll and pleasure gouerneth all myne actes But wheras I am not yet free from all contagion of death but haue stil a body somewhat subiecte to mannes weakenes the discoÌ„modities of this mortall life yet in maner liue I a life immortal conceiued in my soule through sure hope assuryng my selfe vpoÌ„ the promise of the sonne of God through whose bounteous mercy I haue receiued yâ— gift of fayth through fayth righteousnes through righteousnes life euerlastyng not by keapyng of the grosse lawe but through the singular goodnes of Christ who of his owne good wyll loued me deseruyng no suche thyng so greatly that for my synnes he suffered the punishement of the crosse and for my welth gaue him selfe to death Free is all that he geueth His pleasure was that for our saluacion we should to him be beholdyng and not to the kepyng of the lawe He it is whiche frely geueth this benefite to all men He it is whiche taketh a way synne and geueth pure and innocent life Were not I most vnkynde yea were I not spitefull against Christ if I refused his offre And refuseth he not it who after baptisme receiued loketh backe againe for helpe of the lawe as though to abolishe al the synnes of the worlde and to geue euery manne euerlastyng saluacion Christes death were not sufficient If through innocent and hurtleslife we become immortal whence I pray you rather loke we to receiue both by confidence in the law or by the fre mercy of Christ If by his free mercy why hang we styl on the lawe If by keapyng of Moses then is Christ dead in vayne forasmuche as that for whiche his pleasure was to dye by his death we geate not The third Chapiter The texte O ye folishe Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before the eyes now among you crucified COmenly among men for your folishenes and childishnes are ye euil spoken of but this may I truely say O ye folishe Galathians whiche would be brought in to an opinion so farre from all reason that where the Iewes through the fayth of the gospel preached vnto them are deliuered froÌ„ the burden of the law ye beyng free menne borne wyl wilfully cast your selfe into bondage â–ª The harme whiche is herein done I lay not wholy to your charge but blame your lightenes to beleue easynes to be persuaded but much more blame I the malice
eche one hating an other and not onlye helpe not eche one another but also backbite and gnawe one another and not onlye backbyte and gnawe but lyke outragiouse wylde beastes asmuche as in you is deuoure other great cause surelye haue ye to feare leste ye lyke beastes tearyng one another be with eythers woundes destroyed To this inconuenience fall they whiche beyng withoute the charitie taught by the gospell stycke styll to the carnall law whyles they measure al thynges by theyr priuate commodities wheras contrary christian charitie is in a readynes to do other men good The texte I say â–ª walke in the spirite and fulfill not the lustes of the fleshe For the fleshe lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrarye to the fleshe these are contrarye one to an other so that ye cannot do whatsoeuer ye would But and if ye be led of the spirite then are ye not vnder the lawe The whole effecte of my woordes drawe to this ende that forsomuche as ye are deliuered from the bondage of Moses carnal lawe ye should leade your life accordyng to the spiritual lawe of charitie as ye shall in dede do if ye neither esteme perfite righteousnes to stande in Iewishe ceremonies nor liue vnder carnal desires If ye liue vnder carnal lustes ye shal alway be vnder the lawe Endeuour ye therfore to leade a spiritual life if ye thus do then shal ye abstaine froÌ„ suche actes as the fleshe shal prouoke you vnto For as â–ª in one manne there is a grosse and heauy body and a soule that is heauenly and immortal and as in one law there is a grosse parte whom we call the letter and again a heauenly thyng whiche is called the spirite so in one mannes soule one power there is whiche styl calleth to goodnes and an other to this power contrary like vnto the body the letter of the law whiche prouoketh vs to dishonestie Betwene these partes there is a coÌ„tinual battaile whiles the fleshe fighteth against the spirite and the spirite against the fleshe Well may the fleshe be restrained froÌ„ her desyres but yet wyll it not be so oppressed but that it wyl labor and striue against the spirite And if the fleshe happen to haue the vpper hand it is sometyme seen that where a man hath a desyre to godlines yet beyng ouercomen by the fleshe he doth suche thinges as he knoweth should be auoyded And if the spirite of Christ sufficiently moue you to do willyngly suche thynges as are good godly then hath Moses lawe vpon you none authoritie The texte The dedes of the fleshe are manyfest whiche are these adultrie fornicacion vnclennes wantonnes worshippyng of idolles witchecrafte hatred variaunce zeale wrath strife sedicion sectes enuiyng murder droÌ„kennes glotonie and suche like of the whiche I tel you before as I haue tolde you in tyme past that they whiche committe suche thinges shal not be inheritors of the kyngdome of God But because ye shal not be ignorant the spirite wherof we now speake is a thyng that cannot be seen the fleshe may be seen And yet is it not hard to coniecture whether a man be seruaunt to the fleshe or be ledde by the spirite of God For as the welsprynges be suche are the waters and other that flowe from thence A mannes life maners doynges plainly shewe what a man is within But because we wyl not at this tyme speake of doubtful or hidden matters these be they that make plaine profe that a man is styl seruaunt to the fleshe notwithstannyng he be baptised and haue shaken of the bondage of the lawe aduoutry I say fornicacion vnclennes waÌ„tonnes idolatry witchecrafte hatred variance zeale wrath strise sedicion sectes enuy murder dronkennes glotony To these whosoeuer be bonde albeit the same man be baptised yet is he not throughly â–ª free but bondslaue to naughtie desyres Nor be ouer bolde because ye are baptised or for your workyng of myracles What tyme I was among you I warned you and now by my letter I earnestly warne you againe that al they whiche do suche thinges shal be excluded from the enheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen The texte Contraryly the fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnes faythfulnes mekenes temperancie Against suche there is no lawe They truely that are Christes haue crucified the fleshe with the affeccions and lustes On the othersyde suche as are perfitely free and ruled by the spirite of God are knowen by these fruites For with this spirite are ioyned charitie ioy peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnes faythfulnes mekenes temperancie They that of theyr owne good wyll do these haue no nede to be pricked foorth with compulsories of the lawe for them theyr owne innocencie maketh free from it Besyde this they that truely are Christes as it besemeth spiritual people haue crucified the fleshe with all the vices and desires therof For by baptisme we dye with Christ and are buried also with him The texte If we liâ—e in the spirite let vs walke in the spirite Let vs not be desirous of vayne glory prouokyng one an other enuiyng one at an other We may not stande doubtfully betwene the fleshe and the spirite whether of both we should folowe If the spirite geue life to the body reason it is that the body be vnder the gouernaunce of the spirite If we haue receiued life through the spirite of Christ and not by the law let vs liue accordyng vnto the inclinacion of the same spirite If we haue truely tasted of the spirit of Christ let vs bryng foorth the fruites of it and abstaine from al carnal workes Let vs not be desyrous of vainglory for the same prouokyng eche one an other of vs to debate and strife enuiyng one an other of vs. For euen them that professe the rule of godly life these vices oftetymes trouble whiche yet are in very dede the pestilence and destruccion of true godlynes The vi Chapiter The texte Brethren if a man also be taken in any faulte ye whiche are spiritual healpe to amende him in the spirite of mekenes consideryng thy selfe lest thou also be tempted HItherto haue I shewed you brethren to what ende all they that haue taken Christes religion vpon them must enforce theÌ„ selfes Yet because baptisme taketh not from vs but that we are men styl if any among you by reason of weakenes fal into any offence your part is which are stroÌ„ger by the spirit of God haue not geueÌ„ place to fleshly desyres with gentle and meke wordes to restore him againe encouragyng him vp that he may rise againe not with rough speache causing him to despayre Hipocrites vse suche proud lokes and high wordes but Christes spirite forasmuche as it desyreth al mens saluacion with meke and gentle meanes calleth men to amendement And oftetymes it chaunceth that whoÌ„ a sharpe earnestnes withdraweth vtterly them gentle and brotherly correccion maketh humble and boweth Moses law after suche sorte
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
father of moste famous memory moste valeauntly begonne Certes whan I loke behinde me and call to remembraunce but euen the shorte daies of my tyme how sore we haue bene blynded seduced and hindred from the true waye of Christes doctrine how strongly the wicked delusion of Antichriste according to S. Paules prophecie hath preuailed what sectes of perdicion what deuelishe doctrines what straunge inuencions of corrupte menne what vayne pylgremages what offerynges and lyghtes to stockes and stones what costly deckyng lyckinge censinge and worshipping of ymages what horrible abusing of gods holy sacramentes and good creatures with thousandes moe inconueniences that moste wicked beast of Rome hathe brought specially in to thys youre realme howe shamefully and presumtuously euen after the nature of proude Lucifer he hathe vsurped the Imperiall power therof how horryblye he hathe abused the Maiestie of the kynges your highnesse moste noble progenitours in this your realme of Englande howe cruelly also and vnreuerently he and his hathe dealte with theyr moste Royall personnes yea and howe theâ—ishlye vnder the colour of gods seruyce he hath robbed both them and theyr good herted subiectes of theyr substaunce goodes Thus my moste deare soueraigne whan I remembre this moste lamentable case wherein your graces realme hath bene and considre now againe on the other syde the moste pleasaunt shape and bewtifull face of the same as conceâ—nynge the deare knowlege of god in your Maiesties most gracious proceadinges moste like vnto the prosperous raigne of the blessed kinge Iosias I fynde myselfe most dette bound and so doe all other youre graces trewe subiectes esteme them selues without doubte not onely with all thankefulnesse moste humbly to embrace suche inestymable kyndnesse of God but also to sprede the same abrode and that in suche a godly and quyet sorte as maye serue moste to the sainctifiyng and halowing of hys holy name to the furtheraunce of hys kingdome to the encoraging of other men to increase in the knowlage of his good pleasure and will and gladly to obeye the same Considering then that your Maiestie is in the saide most godlie worke of the Lordes Tabernacle all ready youre worthy counsaillours officers seruauntes and other your heauenly endewed subiectes bothe of the clargie of the laitie bringing to the same some gold some siluer some brasse sum other presentes c. according to the measure of such giftes as Almightie god hath richely reposed in them youre trew and faithfull subiectes the Translatours and Printer of this right fruteful volume coÌ„teining the Paraphrasis of the famous Clarke Erasmus vpon the Epistles of the holy Apostles moste humblye offre vnto your highnesse their trewe and faithfull diligence herein and that with such chereful hertes glad and good willes as they trust youre Royall Maiestie after the ensample of noble Moses will bothe blesse and graciously accepte According as your pryncely benignitie can not but fauoure those that desyre none other wyse to spende theyr time saue onely as may be moste to the glory of god and to the discharge of the duties of the vnfayned loue and obedience that they within hys feare do owe to your grace The comfortable remembraunce of the whiche moste vertuous disposicion in your Royall Maiestie hathe greatly encoraged me as I was desyred moste humblye to wryte thys litle epystle vnto the same and not so muche to be afrayed thus to doe at the respecte of myne owne greate vnworthynesse as I was moued therto thorowe the most plentifull grace of almightie god and incomparable clemencye whiche is so notablye placed in your highnesse For all we your graces trewe faythfull and louynge subiectes that beholde and se how lyke ye are vnto the auncient Kynges and Princes as Moses Iosua Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias and such other in the moste rightfull and wholesome administracion of your highe Imperiall office can not but as to oure greate comforte we finde it all ready euen so still to loke for like prosperous successe of welth felicitie with increase and contynuaunce Whiche in dede muste nedes ensue and folowe amongst vs yf thorowe the wicked perswasyon of Sathan and corrupte examples of the world we our selues increase not in vnthankfulnesse As for your moste Royall Maiestie like as it is called of God to thys supreme office of gouernyng his people and enclyned by the moste blessed mocion of his holy spirite still to excute the same in al gracious wise Euen so proceading therin your highnesse may be assured to haue the same most gracious defence from god with like prosperous increase of his moste excellent giftes that the sayd noble kinges were partakers of The eternall euerliuing god possessor of heauen and erthe strengthen and establish your highnesse in suche sorte as maye be moste to the glory of his holy name to the increase of his kyngdome to the cherefull perfourmynge of hys wyll to the honour and quietnesse of your Maiestie and fynallye to the comforte and welthe of all youre louynge subiectes Your Maiesties most humble and faithfull subiecte Myles Couerdall Amen ⧠A prologe vpon the Epistle of Sainct Paule to the Romaynes FOr as much as thys epistle is the principall and moste excellente parte of the newe testament and moste pure Euangelion that is to saye glad tydinges and that we call Gospell and also a light and a waye in vnto the whole scripture I thinke it mete that euery Christen man not only know it by rote and without the boke but also exercyse hym selfe therein euermore continually as with the dayly breade of the soule No man verely can rede it to ofte or studye it to well for the more it is studyed the easier it is the more it is shewed the pleasanter it is and the more groundely it is serched the precyouser thynges are founde in it so greate treasure of spirituall thynges lyeth hyd therin I will therfore bestowe my laboure and diligence thorow this lytel preface or Prologue to prepare a waye in there vnto so farforth as God shal geue me grace that it maye be the better vnderstande of euery man For it hathe bene hetherto euyll darckened with gloses and wonderfull dreames of Sophisters that no man coulde spie out the entent and meaning of it Which neuerthelesse yet of it selfe is a bryght lyght and sufficient to geue light vnto all the scripture Fyrst we muste marke diligentlie the maner of speaking of the Apostle and aboue all thing know what Paul meaneth by these wordes the Law Syn Grace Faith Righteousnes Flesh sprite such like or els rede thou it neuer so ofte thou shalt but lose thy labour This word Law may not be vnderstand here after the coÌ„mune maner to vse Paules terme after the maner of men or after mans waies that thou wouldest say the law here in this place wer nothing but learning which teacheth what ought to be done what ought not to be done as it goeth with mans lawe where the law is fulfilled with
outward workes only though the herte be neuer so farre of But God iudgeth the grounde of the heart yea and the thoughtes and the secret monynges of the mynde therfore his lawe requyreth the grounde of the herte loue from the botome therof is not contente with the outwarde worke onely but rebuketh those workes most of all whiche spring not of loue from the ground and low botome of the herte though they appere outward neuer so honest and good As Christ in the Gospel rebuketh the Pharises aboue al other that were open sinners and calleth them ypocrites that is to saye simulars and painted sepulcres Which Pharises yet lyued no men so pure as perteyning to the outewarde dedes and workes of the lawe yea and Paul in the thyrd Chapter of hys epistle vnto the Philippians confesseth of hym selfe that as touchynge the lawe he was suche a one as no man coulde complayne on and not withstanding was yet a murderer of the Christen persecuted them and formented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ was all together mercilesse as many which now fayne outwarde good workes are For this cause the .cxv. Psalme calleth all men lyars because that no in anne kepeth the lawe from the grounde of the herte nether can kepe it though he appeare outward full of good workes For all men are naturally enclyned vnto euyll and hate the lawe We fynde in oure selues vnlust and tediousnes to do good but lust and delecracion to do euyll Nowe where no fre lust is to do good there the botome of the hert fulfilleth not the lawe and there no doubte is also sinne and wrath is deferued before God though there be neuer so greate an outwarde shew and appearaunce of honest liuinge For this cause concludeth saynte Paule in the seconde Chapter that the Iewes are al sinners and transgressors of the lawe though thei make men beleue thorow ypocrisy of outwarde workes how that they fulfil the law and sayeth that he onely whiche doeth the lawe is righteous before God meanyng therby that no man with outward workes fulfilleth the lawe Thou â—ayeth he to the Iewe teachest a maÌ„ should not breake wedlocke yet breakest wedlocke thy selfe Wherin thou iudgest an other man therin condemnest thou thy selfe for thou thy self doest euen the very same thinges which thou iudgest As though he woulde saye thou liuest outwardly well in the workes of the lawe and iudgest them that liue not so Thou teachest other menne and seest a moote in an other mannes eye but art not ware of the beame that is in thyne owne eye For though thou kepe the lawe outwardly with workes for feare of rebuke shame and punnyshment eyther for loue of rewarde vauntage and vayne glory yet doest thou all without luste and loue towarde the lawe and haddest leuer a greate deale otherwise do yf thou diddest not feare the lawe yea inwardly in thine hert thou wouldest that there were no lawe no nor yet God the auctor and vengear of the lawe yf it were possible so paynefull it is vnto the to haue thyne appetites refrayned and to be kepte downe Wherfore then it is a plaine conclusion that thou from the ground and boâ—ome of thine hearte arte an enemy to the lawe what preuayleth it now that thou teacheste an other man not to steale when thou thyne owne selfe arte a thefe in thyne hert outwardly wouldest faine steale yf thou durst though that the outward dedes abyde not alwaye behinde with suche ipocrites and dissimulars but breake forth amonge euen as an euyll scabbe or a pocke cannot allwayes be kepte in with violence of medicine Thou teachest an other man but teachest not thy selfe yea thou woteste not what thou teachest for thou vnderstandest not the lawe a right howe that it cannot be fulfilled satisfyed but with an vnfained loue affeccion so greately it cannot be fulfylled with outwarde dedes and workes onely Moreouer the lawe encreaseth synne as he sayeth in the fyfte Chapter because that man is an enemye to the lawe for as muche as it requyreth so many thynges clene contrarie to his nature whereof he is not able to fulfyll one pointe or title as the lawe requireth it And therfore are we more prouoked and haue greater lust to breake it For whiche causes sake he sayeth in the seuenth Chapter that the law is spirituall as though he woulde saye yf the lawe were fleshlye and but mans doctrine it myght be fulfylled satysfyed and stylled with outwarde dedes But nowe is the lawe gostly and no man fulfilleth it excepte that all that he doeth springe of loue from the botome of the hert Suche a newe herte and lusty corage vnto the lawe warde canste thou neuer come by of thyne owne strength and enforcement but by the operacion and workinge of the spirite For the spirite of God only maketh a manne spiritual and lyke vnto the lawe so that now henceforth he doeth nothinge of feare or for lucre or vantages sake or of vayne glory but of a fre hert and of inwarde lust The law is spirituall and wil be bothe loued and fulfylled of a spirituall hearte and therfore of necessitie requireth it the spirite that maketh a mannes her fre and geueth him lust and courage vnto the lawe ward Where such a spirite is not there remayneth synne grudginge and hatred agaynste the lawe which lawe neuerthelesse is good righteous and holy Acquaynte thy selfe therfore with the maner of speaking of the Apostle and let this now sticke faste in thyne herte that it is not bothe one to do the dedes and workes of the lawe and to fulfyll the lawe The worke of the lawe is what so euer a manne doeth or can do of his owne free wyll of his owne proper strength and enforsyng Not withstandyng though there bee neuer â—o greate workinge yet as longe as there remayneth in the hearte vnluste tediousnes grudgynge grife payne lothsumnes and compulsion toward the law so long are all the workes vnprofitable lost yea and damnable in the sight of God This meaneth Paul in the thirde Chapter where he sayeth by the dedes of the lawe shall no fleshe bee iustyfyed in the sight of God Hereby perceauest thou that those sophisters are but deceauers which teache that a manne maye and muste prepare him selfe to grace and to the fauoure of God with good workes before he haue the spirite and true faithe of Christe Howe can they prepare them selues vnto the fauoure of God and to that whiche is good when they them selues can do no good nor cannot once thinke a good thought or consent to do good the deuyl possessing their hertes myndes and thoughtes captiue at his pleasure Canne those workes please God thynkest thou whiche are done with gryfe payne and tediousnes with an euyll wyll with a contrary and grudgyng mynde O holy sayncte Prosperus how myghtely with the scripture of Paul dyddest thou confound this heresie aboute I trowe a twelue hundred yeares
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
worke faith in thyne herte for else shalt thou remaine euermore faithlesse fayne thou ymagin thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen suche fayth and is called Goddes righteousnes or righteousnes that is of valoure before God For it is Goddes gyfte and it altereth a man and chaungeth him to a newe spirituall nature and maketh him fre and liberall to paye euery manne his duetie For thorow faith is a manne purged of his sinnes and obteineth luste vnto the lawe of God wherby he geueth God his honour and paieth him that he oweth him and vnto men he doeth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his dutie Such righteousnes can nature fre will and our owne strength neuer bring to passe For as no maÌ„ can geue him selfe fayth so can he not take away vnbelefe howe then can he take awaye any thyng at all Wherfore all is false ypocrisy syn what soeuer is done without faith or in vnbelefe as it is euident in the xiiiâ— Chap. vnto yâ— Romains though it appere neuer so glorious or beautifull outwardes Flesh spirite mayst thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were only that which pertaineth vnto vnchastitie the spirite that whiche inwardly pertaineth to the hearte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn .iii. Al that is borne of flesh the is to were the whole man with life soule body witte wil reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within without because that these al and all that is in man study after the worlde and the fleshe Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as longe as we are without the spirite of God we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all workes whiche are done withoute grace and without the workynge of the spirite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seme to bee as thou mayest proue by the .v. Chap. vnto the Galathians wher Paul numbreth worshipping of ydols witchecrafte enuy and hate amonge the dedes of the fleshe and by the .viii. vnto the Romaynes where he sayeth that the lawe by the reason of the fleshe is weake Whiche is not vnderstande of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and moste specially of vnbelefe whiche is a vice moste spirituall and ground of all sinnes And as thou callest him which is not renewed with the spirite and borne againe in Christ flesh and all his dedes euen the very mocions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine contemplacion of hie thinges his preachinge teaching and study in the scripture bildinge of churches foundinge of abbeys geuyng of almes masse mattence whatsoeuer he doth though it seme spirituall after the lawes of God So contrary wyse call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and al his dedes which springe of faith seme they neuer so grosse as the washynge of the disciples fete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurreccion yea and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall yf they proceade of fayth and whatsoeuer is done with iÌ„ the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shoes such lyke how soeuer grosse they appeare outward Without suche vnderstandyng of these wordes canste thou neuer vnderstande this epistell of Paul nether any other place in the holy scripture Take hede therfore for whosoeuer vnderstandeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstandeth not Paul whatsoeuer he bee Nowe will we prepare oure selues vnto the epistle For as muche as it becometh the preacher of Christes glad tydynges fyrst thorowe openinge of the lawe to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thinges synne that procede not of the spirite and of fayth in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and how that to synne is theyr nature and that by nature they cannot otherwise do then to synne and therwith to abate the pryde of man and to brynge hym vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserye and wretchednes that he might desyre helpe Euen so doeth saynct Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grosse synnes whiche all men se as ydolatrye and as the grosse synnes of the hethen were and as the synnes nowe are of all them whiche liue in ignorance without fayth and without the fauoure of God and sayeth The wrathe of God of heauen appereth thorow the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodlynes and vnholye liuynge For though it be knowen and dayly vnderstande by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of her selfe without the spirite grace so corrupt so poisoned that men nether can thanke him nether worshippe him nether geue him his due honour but blinde them selues fall without ceasing into worse case euen vntyll they come vnto worshyppyng of ymages and workyng of shamefull synnes which are abominable and agaynst nature and moreouer suffre the same vnrebuked in other hauing delectacion and pleasure therin In the .ii. Chapter he proceadeth further and rebuketh all those holye people also whiche without luste and loue to the lawe lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde and condemne other gladly as the nature of al ypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respecte of open sinners and yet hate the lawe inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuye and of all vnclennes Mat .xxiij. These are they whiche despise the goodnes of God and according to the hardenes of theyr heartes heape together for them selues the wrathe of God Furthermore saynct Paul as a true expounder of the lawe suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that al they are vnder synne whiche of fre wil and of nature will liue well and suffreth them not â—o be better then the open synners yea he calleth them harde herted and suche as cannot repente In the .iii. Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onelye that the Iewes had the worde of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not theron yet is goddes trueth and promise thereby nether hurte nor minished and he taketh in hys waye and allegeth the sayinge of the L. Psal that God myght abyde true in hys woordes and ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to hys purpose agayne and proueth by the scripture that all men without difference or excepcion are synners and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified but that the lawe was geuen to vtter and to declare synne onely Then he beginneth and sheweth the righte waye vnto rightewesnes by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe and sayeth They are all synners and without prayse before God and muste without their own deseruinges be made righteous thorow faith in Christ whiche hathe deserued suche ryghteousnes for vs and is become vnto
caused he Timothe to be circumcised as we reade in the xvi chapiter whiche yet had in deede a Iewe to his mother when that his father was a Gentile Suche a difficultie was it to make of a Iewe a christian This nacion beyonde all other hadde a speciall vntowardnes nor was there euer founde any that more stiffely abode in theyr religion as Iosephus wryteth in his boke of the defence of the Iewes antiquitie Moreouer as the Iewes were especially hated of al people of the world to of theyr syde abhorred they againe al other nacions as vncleane cursed and deuilishe so farrefoorth that they disdained to talke with them who thought also yâ— their temple was vtterly suspended if any vncircumcised had entered there into Suche proude lookes had they for a lytle skynnes paryng of Forasmuche as therefore there was no likelyhode that the Grecians and Romaines would receiue suche an odious lawe and that the Iewes on theyr side helde on styl Paule fearyng lest by suche deadly contencion and strife a great parte of the fruite of the gospel might perishe be lost lest also the glory of Christ might by minglyng of Moses name be darkned and defaced in euery place specially laboreth vtterly to abrogate abolishe the ceremonies of the lawe and to persuade them that all assuraunce of attainyng saluacion is through Christ onely And as he sharpely but yet louyngly rebuketh the Galathians for that they fell backe to Iewishnes againe so doeth he prepare fortifie the Romaines lest they might elswyse vnware through false Apostles be snared whoÌ„ he wel wyst neuer ceassed eftsones encouragyng theÌ„ styl to continue in that doctrine whiche they had once begunne heartely to enbrace and fauor There was at Rome a great noumbre of Iewes whether they were brought thether by Pompeius Magnus who spoyled Hierusalem and made them captiues orels whether it were because the prouince of Iury appertained to the Romaines it is vncertaine but sure it is that theyr supersticion is by Horace Iuuenale and Senec oftymes reproued With them also was Paule after his comyng to Rome muche troubled as in the last chapiter of thactes of the Apostles it doeth plainely appeare Paule therfore like a runnyng craftesman with a wonderfull discrecion tempereth his tale betwene these two people the Iewes I say and Gentiles labouryng by all meanes possible to allure them vnto Christ as muche as in them lay procuryng that noman at al should perishe to that capitaine whose souldiar he was One whyle therfore chydeth he one sorte another whyle another and anone after againe comfortably encourageth them bothe The Gentiles pride he abated declaryng that neither the lawe of nature nor their Philosophie wherof they were so proude auayled them so but that they fell nethelesse into all kyndes of mischief Checkyng againe and reprouyng the Iewes arrogant myndes whiche through theyr affiaunce in the law had lost the chiefe grounde therof that is to wete fayth in Iesus Christ he teacheth them that the ceremonies of Moses lawe are abolished through the bright beames of the gospell of Christ whom the shadowes of the lawe rudely represented with diuers other thynges as the reste of the sabboth day the displeasure and paine of circumciâ—ion the comyng about of the calendes the holy dayes whiche thrise yerely came againe theyr choyse of meates makyng foule agayne the bathes euerie daye the boucherye of hurtles beastes the religion of their temple polluted with continuall slaughter of beastes and that all these darke shadowes at the lyght of the truthe appearing vanished awaye and that suche onlye are Abrahams chyldren as expresse Abrahams fayth that suche are the righte and trewe Iewes as professe Christes name and that they were verelye circumcised whose myndes were clensed from filthy desyers That true iustice also perfite blisse is equally gyuen to al people through the gospell and onlye faythe in Christe wythoute helpe of the lawe and that notwythstandyng that saluacyon was specially promysed vnto the Iewes yet was it so promysed vnto them that theyr owne Prophetes letted not to prophecye that the same saluacion beyng refused by the Iewes the preachyng of Christes gospell should be spreade abrode among the Gentiles that no man throughe Moyses lawe whom the Iewes carnally obserued obtayned ryghteousnes but throughe faythe as he proueth as well by the example of Abraham as also by diuerse testimonies of the lawe And after that when he hath by this meanes abated yâ— pryde of both partes by taking away this theyr vayne confidences in the profession of the gospel he maketh them equalle in suche sorte ioyous of the Gentiles saluacion that yet lyke a tender father he bewayleth the blyndnes of hys owne countreye men whome toward hym alwayes he founde moste spitefull and so he doeth mitigate this matier whyche was of it selfe harde that he sayeth that all were not blynded promisyng that the tyme should come when they should be of a better mynde amend beyng through the faith of yâ— Gentiles prouoked so to do And here by the way toucheth Paul manye highe dyuerse poyntes of doctrine as of predestinacion of foreknowleage of vocacioÌ„ of grace and merites of fre wyll of the vnsearcheable counsell of god of the lawe of nature of Moses lawe and of the law of synne Lykewyse herein are sondrye allegories as when he maketh two Adams one in whome we are borne to dye another in whome we be regenerate and borne agayne to lyue euerlastyngly WheÌ„ he maketh also two men an inwarde and an outwarde man the inwarde obedient to the spyryte and reason the outwarde subiecte and thrall vnto lustes desyers of whyche two the fyrste he calleth sometyme the body or membres sometyme the fleashe sumtyme the lawe of synne the other sometime calleth he the spirite When he also maketh two deathes that is to wytte the deathe of the soule and of the bodye and the thryde deathe wherein we dye vnto synne and synfull desyres And when he maketh three kyndes of lyfe a bodyly lyfe a spirituall lyfe and a lyfe wherin we lyue eyther iustely or synfully Agayne when he maketh two kyndes of bondage or libertie one wherewith we beyng made free from synne lyue a godly lyfe or els forsakyng ryghteousnes we do seruyce to synne And when he maketh two sortes of Iewishenes two kyndes of circumcision two degrees of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie two partes of Moyses lawe one lyke vnto the body carnall another whiche is spirituall as it were the lyfe of the lawe Two baptismes also of whiche the fyrste is when we at the fontstone are washed froÌ„ oure olde synnes the seconde is wheÌ„ we renouncyng all worldly pleasures dye with Christe Two kyndes of buryinges a bodely sepuiture wherin Christe laye thre dayes buried and a spirituall wherin we sequestring and as it were withdrawyng our selues from worldly busines do reste in hym Two maners of resurreccion the one paste alreadie in Christe and shall folowe in vs the other wherin we beyng quickened agayne
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
is euyll spoken of among the gentiles through you as it is wrytten What cause then hast thou that arte a Iewe to glorie of the lawe Beholde thou whiche to be called a Iewe thynkest it a great matier and vpon the priuilege of the lawe gyuen vnto the by god bearyng thy selfe boldly bostest that god is author of thy religion whose mynde pleasure thou knowest by the holy wrytynges whiche came from hym whiche arte also infourmed by the lawe so that not onlye thy self art learned to knowe what is to be desyred what thynges are to be auoyded what is best to be done but standest also in a confidence that thou art able to be guyde to suche as are in blyndnes to gyue them lyght which wander in darknes that is to be a teacher of the vnlearned and an infourmer of them yâ— lacke discrecioÌ„ Because the lawe hath in the brought to passe to know the fourme and order of lyfe and the rule of truthe thinkest thou for this in the grace of the gospel to be preferred before the Gentile I thinke not so but rather thynke that the knowledge of the lawe wherof thou makeste suche boste shal before the iudgement seate of god make thy matier worse vnles thou frame thy lyfe therafter For the knowledge wherof thou makest suche boste shall sharpely be layed to thy charge Thou bragger vpoÌ„ the lawe what crakest thou thou I saye whiche teachest an other and teachest not thy selfe whiche preachest that a man shoulde not steale and thy selfe doest commit robbery whiche tellest other that aduoutrie muste not be done and thy selfe breakest wedlocke whiche abhorrest ydolatry thy selfe takest goddes honoure from hym whiche among men crakest gloriest of the lawe gyuen vnto the by god and by breaking the same dishonourest shamest god the author therof tournyng yâ— for which amoÌ„g other thou sekest for glorie to his reproche to whoÌ„ onely al prayse is dewe For this wyse to do what els is it but as far as in the lyeth to dishonoure god I saye as farre as in the lyeth for in dede vpon hym no reproache at all falleth Of suche long synce complayned the holy prophetes of god namely Esai and Ezechiel sayinge that through you the name of god is euyl spoken of reuiled and through your faulte couÌ„pted reprocheful eueÌ„ among the Gentiles gyuen to ydolatrie whyles ye bostyng youre selfes vpon the tytle of god and his lawe leade an vngodly lyfe The texte ¶ For circumcision verelye auayleth yf thou kepe the lawe But yf thou be a breaker of the lawe thy circumcision is tourned to vncircumcision Therfore yf the vncircuÌ„cised kepe the right thynges contayned in the lawe shall not his vncircumcision be couÌ„ted for circumcision And shall not vncircumcision whiche is by nature yf it kepe the lawe iudge the whiche beyng vnder the letter and circuÌ„cised doest transgresse the law He is not a Iewe whiche is a Iewe outwarde neither is it circumcision whiche is outward in the fleshe but he is a Iewe whiche is hyd within and the circumcision of the hearte is the true circumcision whiche consisteth in the spirite not in the letter whose prayse is not of men but of god For neyther is it sufficient to be onely a Iewe borne nor yet to be taken into theyr religion but to that ende auayleth circumcision yf thou put that thyng in vre and practise for whiche circumcision was gyuen in trade of lyâ—e exercise that whiche thou in ceremonies takeste vpon the. But yf thou transgresse the lawe thy circumcision wyll nothyng auayle forasmuche as before god it is as though thou wer not circumcised at al. Nowe then as thy circumcision is tourned into vncircumcision excepte thou therwith kepe other rules of the lawe whiche make to good manners so shall the Gentile for lacke of circumcision take no hurte but before god be accoumpted for circumcised yf he beyng ignoraunte nor regardyng the ceremonies of the lawe perfourme suche thynges wherin the whole perfetcion and ende of the lawe standeth that is to saye pure and innocent lyfe and haue therwith a sure confidence in Christe and be obedient vnto hym whiche is the ende of the lawe Yea I saye the Gentile shall not only in this behalfe be in as good state as thou arte but be also set before the therin in better case than thou arte because he knoweth not what circumcision is so that therfore his hurtles lyfe shal declare thy lyfe to be more damnable forasmuche as he not professyng the lawe in the order of his lyfe expresseth yet the ende and meanyng of the lawe wheras thou lenyng exactly to the bare wordes and small poyntes therof professing also the same with the marke of circumcision by refusyng Christ breakest that whiche in the law is chiefest Before god who iudgeth not men by bodely markes but by theyr godlye myndes loste hast thou the name of a Iewe onles thou lyue after thy profession For neyther is he Iewe whiche beareth vpon hym a Iewyshe outwarde marke nor is he circumcised that hath a lytle skyn pared from his secret parte but he and none elles is a verye Iewe whiche inwardly and in his conscience is a Iewe whome as god onlye regardeth so therbye iudgeth he euery maÌ„ To be briefe he is circuÌ„cised whose heart is circumcised rather thaÌ„ he whose priuie meÌ„ber hath some parte pared of nor trusteth somuche vpoÌ„ the law graueÌ„ in stone as vpon yâ— spiritual meanyng of it For whose only fleshe is circuÌ„cised among meÌ„ he may in dede glorie that he is a Iew but the very Iewe in dede is he whose conscience is pourged from synne hath wholly gyuen hymself to Christ which man albeit among men be defrauded of his prayse yet doeth god acknowledge and approue hym whose approbacion is perfite blysse and saluacion The .iii. Chapter The texte â–ª What preferment then hath the Iewe or what auauntageth circuÌ„cision Surely very muche For because that vnto them wer committed the wordes of god What then though sum of them did not beleue Shall theyr vnbelefe make the promise of god with out effect God forbid Let god be trewe euery man a lyar as it is written that thou myghtest be iustified in thy sayinges and ouercum when thou art iudged BVt here some one wyll saye yf the whole matier stande in godly lyfe and hurtles maners ioyned with fayth in Christe what preferment then hath the Iewe more than the Gentile or what aduauntageth circumcision at al yf faythe and godlye lyuyng make both the circumcised I say and the vncircumcised equall yea yf circumcision make the Iewes matier worse yf he transgresse the law and offend Truely touchyng the free gyft of goddes grace offred by the ghospell no poynte better is the Iewes state and condicion than is the Gentiles And yet in some consideracion surely a great preeminence is it to be a Iewe borne For herin fyrst maye they lawfully glorie
Knowe ye not brethren I speake to them that knowe the lawe howe that the law hath power ouer a man as long as it endureth For the woman whiche is in subiection to a man is bounde by the lawe to the man as long as he lyueth But yf the manne be dead she is losed from the lawe of the manne So then yf whyle the man lyueth she couple her selfe with an other man she shal be coumpted a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husbande so that she is no wedlocke breaker thoughe she couple her selfe with an other man ANd good reason is there why we should so doe for Christe hath not onely deliuered vs from the bondage of syn and death but also from the bondage of the lawe whiche was giuen but for a season and hath deliuered not only the gentiles whiche were not to this lawe subiecte but euen the Iewes selfe to which haue hitherto ben vnder Moses lawe That this whiche I haue sayed is trewe maye be proued euen by the wytnes of the lawe it selfe And fyrst what saye ye that are Iewes whiche by reason of the knowledge ye haue in the lawe well perceaue and vnderstande that a man is bounde to the obseruance and kepyng of any lawe euen as ye for example not long synce were bounde to Moses lawe as longe as the same lawe lyueth that is to saye as long as it endureth in his ful power and strength but yf the same be either growen out of vse or els abrogate a man is than no longer bounde therunto For the Iewes bonde towarde the lawe ought no further to be kept then in the bonde of the wyfe to her husbande the same lawe requyreth to be kepte Nowe is the maried woman whiche is vnder her husbandes dominion bounde vnto her husbande as long as he lyueth But as sone as he is once dead she is deliuered from the bonde of that matrimony and after the death of her former husbande straightway at hyr owne libertie Wherfore yf she duryng the husbandes lyfe to whome she belongeth go about to mary another she shal be coūpted a wedlocke breaker as whiche hath forsaken that husbande from whome she myght by no meanes saue onlye deathe be departed But contrary wyse yf she cōtinew in that bādevntyl her husbandes death she is no lēger bound vnto hym but is in suche sorte become her owne woman y◠she may lawfully mary any other whō she wyll For it is not to be supposed that as the maisters title descendeth to his heyre in suche sorte that the seruaunt by the death of his maister chaungeth not his state but his maister that lyke wyse the righte of a husbande vpon his wyfe falleth after his death to an other but the title of mariage reacheth no further than for a mannes owne lyfe Yf it so were that the husbande were immortall the woman shoulde for euer continew bond Now then because Moses lawe in figures and ceremonies was as it were a shadowe of Christ to come it was gyuen to be of force effectual but vntyll the tyme that to y◠bryght lyght shadowes shoulde gyue place vntyl that to the truthe the shadowes of truth shoulde gyue ouer and vanyshe awaye And therfore synce that Moses lawe was as a man might saye a mortall thyng meruayle it is none thoughe it be nowe dead in dede And for this cause as long as the tyme of the lawe continewed the same stode in full power and had full authoritie vpon them whiche had bounde them selfe vnto it The texte ¶ Euen so ye also my brethren are deade concernyng the lawe by the bodye of Christe that ye shoulde be coupled to another I meane to hym that is rysen agayne frō death that we shoulde bring furth fruite vnto god For when we were in the fleshe the iustes of synne whiche were stered vp by the lawe raigned in oure membres to bryng furth fruite vnto death But now are we deliuered from the lawe dead vnto it where vnto we were in bondage that we shoulde serue in a newe conuersation of the spirite and not in the olde conuersation of the letter But nowe haue ye with Moses lawe nothyng to do synce the same is become to you warde dead or yf she lyued styll as she doth not yet are ye at the least to her dead For synce that Christ whiche is the truthe hath shewed his glisteryng beames of the gospell abrogate and abolished is all Moses lawe at the leaste touchyng the carnall meanyng therof And forasmuche as ye are now planted into Christes body coupled vnto hym as y◠wyfe is to her husbande beyng made free frō your former bonde ye are belonging to your newe husbande suche one I saye as is immortal as whiche once rose from death to lyue hereafter for euer insomuche that ye cannot in tyme to come either loke to be maried agayne or to be deuorced for a shamefull vilanye and reproche were it to suche a new husbāde as ye haue gotten in any poynt to hang vpon the olde forasmuche as I saye ye are in this case diligently labour you that as by the lawe whiche for the tyme was as it were your husbande ye brought furth a certayne sorte of fruite not vnlike your husbande so endeuour ye to bryng furth nowe beyng muche better maried then ye before were fruite suche as is conueniente for God youre father in lawe and Christe youre spouse and husbande For as long as we were subiecte to the grosse and carnal law as it wer to a husbande the same seamed as husbandes do to beare rule ouer vs because carnall lustes beyng by reason of the lawe more prouoked had suche power in oure membres that euen lyke slaues we wer drawen to synne and so of that vnhappy mariage vnhappy chyldren had we when that whiche was borne was for nothyng good but to be destroyed and to dye But nowe synce we are delyuered out of y◠bondage of the lawe vnder whome we lyued before or rather because oure lyfe was synfull we lyued not at all but were dead and yet vnder it were we vntyll a certayne time appoynted agaynst reason is it that we shoulde anye longer obeye that carnal husbande that is to wete the letter of y◠law but rather serue oure newe spouse whiche is both heauenly and spirituall not seruyng hym in the olde conuersacion of the letter but in the newe conuersacion of the spirite whiche spirite we haue of hym receyued as a mariage token The texte ¶ What shall we saye then Is the lawe synne God forbid Neuerthelesse I knewe not synne but by the lawe For I had not knowen what luste had meante except the lawe had sayde thou shalte not luste But synne toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundemente and wrought in me all maner of concupiscence For verelye without the lawe syn was dead I once lyued without the lawe But when the
one maye be called an outwarde manne the other an inwarde The one beyng subiecte to vnlawful desyres is wholly gyuen to synne the other hauyng yet some sparkes of goodnes remaynyng as it maye laboureth to honestiewarde and in the myddes of oure synfull lyfe asmuche as it maye relisteth and withstandeth Nowe in estemyng what we be rather are we that which we be according vnto the better part in vs. As often therfore as our mynde agreyng vnto the lawe endeuoureth towarde honestie and doth yet in dede the contrary me thynketh I do not that whiche I do for who doth that whiche he would not But in my grosser parte there is a forwardnes to synne and a certayne aptnes therunto by meanes wherof it cummeth to passe that thoughe we would well and godly yet do we the contrary And yf by this parte that is to wit my sensuall parte men esteme and measure me I graunt that in me ther is no goodnes The texte For to wyll is preâ—ent with me but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I woulde do I not but the euyll whiche I would not that do I. Yf I do that I would not â—hen is it not â— that do it but synne that dwelleth in me I fynde then by the lawe that when I would do good â–ª euyll is present with me For I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde manne â—ut I se an other law in my members rebellyng agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduyng me vnto the lawe of syn whiche is in my members O wretch d man that I am who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this bodys subdued vnto death I thanke god through Iesus Christe our Lorde So then with the mynde I serue the lawe of god but with the fleshe the lawe of synne For albeit by the inclination of reason I desyre that which is honeste yet haue I not power to bryng to passe this my good desyer For whyles fleashly luste pluckyng to euyll and fylthy lyfe hath a greater stroke preuayleth more thaÌ„ doth reason prouokyng to goodnes it happeneth that I do not the good whiche I desyre but rather that I disalowe and condemne that is to saye euyll Nowe and yf a man be not thought to do that thyng whiche he dothe agaynst his wyll synce I do yâ— thing which after the better parte of a man I would not then seme not I the authour of that which I do but rather the readines to synne which is in my grocer parte This towardnes or readynes to synne is not taken from me by the lawe but yf at anye tyme I purpose to folowe and obeye her motion the lawe causeth me to vnderstande that my gryef is throughly rooted and fastened in my soule In dede delyghted am I with honestie and goodnes whiche I see and know by the lawe but of the other syde I fynde in the members of myne outwarde man another law whiche is to the lawe of reasoÌ„ quite contrary and continuallye rebelleth agaynst it So that thoughe reason call me one waye and wylful desyres another waye yet in me that beareth rule whiche is worse and that is ouercommen which is better For so depelye rooted in my fleshe is this towardenes and inclination to synne and of suche power is the custome therof beyng as it were now altered into nature yâ— whyther I wyl or not I am drawen to synne O wretched man that I am which am vnder suche a miserable painfull bondage Who shall delyuer me from this fleashe endaungered to so many synnes and contencions whereby I am continuallye drawen to death Maye not a manne whiche is vnder suche a violent and harde necessitie well and lawfully make suche exclamation Certaynely the greater this vnlucky bondage is the more are we bounde to the goodnes of god whiche hath from suche miseries deliuered vs neyther by the lawe nor yet by circumcision but through Iesus Christ our Lord. And had not god thus muche done for vs euen I which am one man shoulde continually haue bene lykewyse pluckte in sunder and deuided that with mynde I should haue serued the lawe of God desyrous of good thynges and with my fleshe the lawe of synne beyng ouer commen with wanton desyres and with the temptacions therof The .viii. Chapiter The texte There is then no damnacion to them whiche are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life through Iesus Christ hath made me free from the lawe of synne and death For what the lawe could not do forasmuche as it was weake because of the fleshe that perfourmed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinneful fleshe and by sinne damned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfylled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite WHerfore though now yet some leauynges and dregges of the former bondage stil remaine in some christian men yet shal they through godly endeuour wel suppresse them nor against theyr wylles be drawen into any suche haynous offence by reason wherof suche might deserue to be dampned as are through fayth and baptisme once graffed into Christes body and haue now intended and purposed to liue no longer as wanton and carnal desyres moued ruled them syth that Christes lawe which is spiritual and an authour of life more effectual subduer of death hath deliuered vs froÌ„ synne also death ioyned thervnto All whiche when Moses lawe could not do inasmuche as it was carnal and therfore not effectual God meruailously prouided for our saluacioÌ„ And therfore as I before tolde you that in one maÌ„ there were as it were two men a carnal and a spiritual man so are there in Moses lawe as it wer two lawes the one grosse and carnal the other heauenly spiritual Of the fyrst part of the law was Moses maker whiche as it endured but for a season so was it not of strength and power sufficient to worke out saluacion The other parte of the lawe is spiritual effectual mightie suche as wyl neuer dye whom Christ beyng as it were a seconde Moses made in all pointes perfite And truely very mete was it that this wyse fleshe shuld abolishe fleshe synne should through synne be ouercomen that also death should subdue death For whiche entent God mercyfully beyng of mans saluacion desyrous sent his sonne though in dede farre from all corrupcion of synne endued yet with suche fleshe as other synners haue for he toke the comen nature of menne vpon him and as though he had bene a synner was among synners conuersaunt yea and was euen fastened vpon a crosse among heynous transgressours as though him selfe had been suche one also Insomuche that he in maner toke vpon him the person of synne to this end that he in the likenes of synne might fyrst ouercome synne foorthwith abolishe it beyng
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
haste a mynde desirouse to reuenge But nowe truely so farre are ye from being lyke to mylde christian men without reuenging to suffre losse or iniurye that euen wilfully ye dooe wrong to other maliciouslye deceaue and oppresse other not onely vnbeleiuers but also such as are by religion your brothers Sauer not suche doinges of the leauen of your olde life Square not suche pointes far both from your learnyng and your profession Whosoeuer professeth Christe professeth Innocencie and to such a lyfe is promised the kyngdome of heauen For neyther is it sufficient to bee dipped in water nor yet to bee graffed into Christe onlesse all youre life bee agreable to Christes doctryne And for none other purpose are ye taken out of this world and planted into the body of Christ but to the ende ye should hencefurthe in godlye lyfe bee lyke vnto Christe youre heade Knowe ye not this that vnrighteousse liuers bee they baptised neuer so muche shall bee excluded from the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen And leste anye manne deceaue hymselfe I tell you agayne and agayne and geue you warnyng that neyther fornicatours nor idolators nor aduouterers nor weakelinges whiche growyng out of mannes kynde lyue after an horrible kynde of bodily luste nor suche as in steade of women abuse men nor theues nor couetous men nor dronkardes neither cursed speakers nor violente pillers of other mennes goodes shal be partakers of the kyngdome of God Nothyng shall your newe name or title auayle you if your life be with your olde vices defiled yea to such is Christe rather an occasion of more grieuous and painfull damnacion The texte And suche were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not profitable I maye doe al thynges but I wyll be brought vnder no mannes power Meates are ordeined for the bellye and the belly for meates but God shall destroye both it and them Let not the bodye be applyed vnto fornicacion but vnto the Lord and the Lorde vnto the bodye God hathe raysed vp the Lorde and shall rayse vs vp by hys power Suche as I haue nowe rehersed were some of you before that ye were throughe Christ borne agayne I laye not to your charge that which ye were beefore so that ye fall nomore thereto Washed are ye and deliuered from youre olde synnes and that by Goddes free gyfte beeware that ye bee nomore defiled wyth thē By this washyng hath God not only by his bloud restored you to innocente and hurtlesse lyfe but geuen you also holinesse and righteousnes and that not by the power of the law nor for youre desertes but by Iesus Christe in whose name ye were baptised and by the spirite of oure god by whose secrete inspiraciō the sacramētes of Christes churche been effectual So much more then should euery of you endeuour lest ye through youre owne folye lose this benefite frelye geuen vnto you in so doyng neyther thankfull to the geuer nor yet frendelye nor louyng to your selfe In suche thynges as appertayne to naturall necessities I maye dooe all thynges For no man forbyddeth me to vse lyke authoritie as other apostles vse But it is not paraduenture for you alwayes profitable for me to vse my ryght Suche as are fedde and liue wyth youre meate suche as pyll and polle you beeyng euen as they were bondslaues bought wyth your moneye dare not freely warne you of youre faultes leste ye vpon dyspleasure conceaued there wyth bestowe your liberalitie otherwyse I myght also for my labours take rewarde namely since I tooke more paynes than anye other I wanted not authoritie this to dooe but I woulde not dooe that thyng whereby I myghte bee brought vnder any mānes power and subieccion and seame bounde to any of you to thyntente it myghte more clearely appeare bothe that yf I teache anye thyng that I therein seeke your weale and profite and not myne owne and that also yf I dydde with woordes anye thynge chastice you that ye shoulde pacientely heare me For it is a thyng commenlye seene that suche a mannes free speache offendeth not whiche is nothyng bounde to hym whome he reproueth Elles litell mattier maketh it whose meate a manne eate synce menne muste needes haue meate And synce meates are ordayned for the bealye and likewyse bealyes for meates lette euery manne for this tyme satisfye the presente necessitye and neede For wythin a shorte tyme wyll God destroye bothe bealye and meate whiche is that neyther oure bealyes shall wyth houngre trouble vs nor of meates shall there bee anye vse But as we whiche haue professed Christe muste obeye and serue naturall lackes euen as the heathen and vnchristened dooe so shoulde there yet betwene vs in vyce bee none agremente Of meates I forbydde none lette euerye manne eare what he wyll but filthye bodily luste I forbydde Nor is it lyke that as the bealye is appoynted for meate soe the bodye is prepared for carnall pleasure but rather oure bodye is consecrate vnto the Lorde Iesu and he agayne coupled vnto vs. For so hath it pleased hym that by vs as members and hym as heade hys spirituall and misticall bodye shoulde bee made and kyntte together This knotte holdeth not for a litell season Deathe in deede taketh awaye all necessitie of meates but it breaketh not the knotte wherewyth we are ioyned to Christe For as Godde the father raysed the Lorde Iesus oure heade from deathe so wyll he likewyse rayse vppe agayne vs his membres wyth hym with him rewarde vs with life euerlasting For hable is he of power this to dooe albeit some of you thynke the same vnlykelye As therefore oure soule shall not of that immortall lyfe bee partaker onlesse the same for this presente tyme throughe godlye and continuall meditacions haue hadde thesame lyfe in delygente remembraunce so the bodye raysed agayne shall of that glorye haue no parte onlesse thesame for this presente tyme haue beene free from the contagion of synne What a foule syght is it yf the members seame vnlyke the heade whiche is in euery pointe pure and cleane The texte Eyther konwe ye not that your bodyes are the membres of Christe shall I nowe take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlot is become one body For two saieth he shal bee one flesh But he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite Remembre ye not how that as I before tolde you your bodyes are the members of Christe What then Sal I nowe become so mad notwithstandyng I know this much with the great reproche of the head to take away the membre of Christe and make thereof the membre of an harlote God forbidde And yet what elles dooth he whiche is conuersaunte with an harlote Knowe ye
and earth Yea and as there is of heauenly bodyes one beautie and comlynes and of earthly an other euen so a diuersitie is there among the heauenly bodyes them selfe Fyrste nether is there lyke glory and bryghtnes of the Moone with the sōne nor of other starres with the Moone and briefly euen the verie starres selfe in brightnesse diffre one from another for all are not as bryght as the day starre is Lykewyse at the resurrection all men shall ryse with theyr owne bodyes but yet in an vnlyke glory without doubte as it shal please God to gyue them and as they in this lyfe haue deserued For the vngodly shall rise in one fourme the good in an other Among them also that are good euerie one as he hath in this lyfe vsed hymselfe so shal he excell other in the gloriousnes of his new bodye Yet generally all good men shall haue a muche more actiue bodye than was that which they by death forsoke And as it is in nature to couer the seed vnder the earth the same is in the matier of resurrection the buriall of the deade bodye And that whiche in the seede is growyng agayne is in the bodye rysyng agayne And as in the one that is muche better which groweth vp than was that which was caste into the earth euen so here albeit it be thesame bodye that ryseth agayne yet is it farre vnlike There is sowen as it were a grayne into the earth a body subiect to corruption but thesame shall ryse againe without all corruption There is hydden in the earth a vyle body lothsome but there shall ryse againe a body both gloriouse and honourable There is buryed a bodye whiche euen when it lyued was weake but it shall ryse agayne full of power and myght There is buryed a bodye which albeit were alyue yet were it grosse and heauye and by the reason of that bourdaynouse to the soule gouernour of the same but there shall ryse agayne not a naturall but a spirituall bodye whiche shall to the soule be no let whither soeuer it moue For this is a difference of bodies also one is naturall whiche hath neede of meate and drynke and is weryed with labour whiche is diseased whiche with age weareth awaye which with his grosse and fautie instrumentes ofttimes letteth the intent of the soule which by reason of froward desyers oftentimes prouoketh to vyce to whome yf the soule be obedient and geue ouer the same is as it were tourned into the body and groweth out of his nature into fleshe another is spirituall which being in this lyfe by lytle and lytle purged from sensual appetites and desiers and after by resurrection renewed agayne is in maner transfourmed into the nature of the soule to whom it by godly desyre applyed it selfe that as oure soule obeyng the spirite of god is rauished and in maner transformed into him so maye our bodyes beyng ▪ obedient vnto the soule be pourged and shakyng of his grossenes be purified into such a body as is very lyke to the soule This grosse and earthly body receiued we of our first father Adā which as he was made of earth so was he subiect to earthly desiers But there is an other secōde Adam not somuche the begynner of our natiuitie as of our resurrection which as he hath an heauenly beginning so was he fre from al infeccion of earthly desyers And so reade we in Genesis The fyrste man Adam was made to lyue through y◠benefite of the soule but yet so that the soule beyng as it were bound to the grosse body should do nothing but by bodily instrumentes or at the leaste by some material meane But after him was geuen a seconde Adam which as he was conceaued by the holy gost so should he geue lyfe to his not this grosse lyfe whiche we haue in many poyntes common with beastes but a spirituall and a heauenly lyfe By Christ therfore are we repayred in al poyntes into a better state For that thing whiche is in time firste is also in substance more grosse and that by the order of nature We nowe beare about with vs a naturall bodye and in tyme to come we shall haue a spirituall bodye As the grosse parent of our stocke went before so folowed Christ the begynner of a newe generacion And what sorte of one the earthly parent was suche are his posteritie that is to saye men gyuen to earthly desyres And agayne what kynde of one the heauenly Adam was such are they which are borne agayne in hym that is to wete wholy delyted with heuenly thinges For we must for this state begyn that here which we intende herafter perfitely to enioye As before baptisme in vngraciouse maners we resemblyd the nature of our fyrst father so being borne agayne vnto Christ through baptisme we muste nowe in heauenly lyfe resemble oure heauenly father And yf we this do not neither shall we be here partes of Christes bodye nor in tyme to come gloriously ryse agayne In deede admitted are we into the kyngdom of god but this I tell you brethren that flesh and bloud that is to say men of the first generacion cannot come to the enheritaunce of the kyngdome of God nor the lyfe whiche is with synne corrupted shall haue the inheritaunce of lyfe immortall And because ye shall be ignoraunt of nothyng apertaynyng to the maner of resurreccion beholde I tell you a misterie We shall not all dye for the laste daye shall peraduenture fynde some of vs alyue but yet shall all we be chaunged to the glory of immortall lyfe whiche here after a sorte abstayning from the infeccion of synne through godly conuersacion beginne the immortal lyfe to come This chaunge shal not be made by lytle lytle as we see natural thinges chaunged but in a minute twynkling of an iye at the sounde of the laste troumpe For the troumpe shall blow at the voyce wherof suche as then are dead shall ryse immortall And we whiche shall at that day be found alyue beyng sodaynly chaunged shall lyue after an other sorte that is to say as they doe which are rysen again For necessary it is that before we perfitly possesse the kingdom of heauen we vtterly put of al earthlynes and that this our corruptible body be made incorruptible and this our mortal body become immortall When this is so than shal that verely be perfourmed which the Prophete O see foreseing sayth reioysing at the vtter destrucciō of death ▪ death is swalowed vp through victory Where is now death thy styng ▪ o hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the lawe which by occasion geuing prouoketh vs to sinne When the law is taken away the power of sinne is faynt and feble when sinne is taken awaye the power of death ceaseth by reason that the styng is taken awaye wherwith she is wounte to stryke vs. Vnable were we vtterly to fyght
litle but he that soweth plenteouslye and with a good chere shall lykewise reape that he sowed so that he this doe not because we bad hym but because he in hys hearte hath so purposed For more largely and freely geueth he whiche geueth with a good will More sparingly geueth he whiche geueth with a heuie chere as one compelled But god loueth a chearefull geuer For he that dooeth hys duetie agaynste hys will before hym is coumpted as thoughe he dyd not hys duetie And cause is there none why ye should feare leste ye lose this your almes For God which coumteth that to bee doone vnto hym whiche is for hys loue bestowed vpon hys saintes is sufficiently able albeit ye receyue no recompence of menne to make your almes dedes gaynfully to returne vnto you in that he wil geue you substaunce inough for the mayntenaunce of your lyfe and also enryche and plentifully encrease you in all godlye woorkes For the almes dedes whiche are bestowed to relieue the poore saintes are a good parte of iustice and godlines EueÌ„ as the psalme writer testifieth also he dealed abrode and gaue to the poore for the whiche hys iustice continueth from tyme to tyme perpetually And my prayer is that he which ministreth sede vnto the sower and geueth him bread for hys nouryshmente and substaunce to helpe the poore people mayntayne alwayes your riches eftsones to helpe them and so multiplye your seede and increase the fruites of your righteousnes that ye may be eÌ„riched in al kindes of vertues and therewith alwayes growe forwarde into al synglenesse and gentle dysposicion of hert and that ye dayly regard your money lesse lesse which while they bee bestowed not vpon euerye rascall but vpon the saynctes dooe cause youre lyberalitie to auaunce Goddes glorye in that the Godlye people beeyng refreshed with youre almes doe through vs geue thankes vnto God so that I herein claime some rewarde whiche bryng this matter to passe For in the execucion of this office wee not onelye by youre liberalitie attayne the reliefe of poore men but also the greater your almes is the more geue thankes to God whiche hauyng an experience of youre Godlinesse for this your â—ounteousnesse prayse God in that they dooe perceaue youre obedience to the Gospell with one accorde by reason whereof ye dooe freelye and frankelye deale youre substaunce not onelye to them for whome wee sue at this presente tyme but also to all other For the poore muste bee holpen wheresoeuer they bee Finallye this ensueth that in theyr prayers whiche as thankefull menne they offre vnto God for you they wishe to see you that they maye euidentelye see before theyr face your singular godlinesse whiche they knowe to bee geuen you by god by the greatenesse of your almes wherewith they are refreashed But for this vnspeakeable gifte specially thankes ought to bee geuen to God whych both moueth your mind to geue and prouoketh them not to abuse your giftes to idlenes or riot but to prayse god The .x. Chapter The texte â–ª ¶ I Paule my selfe beseche you by the meekenes and softenes of Christe whiche when I am presente among you am of no reputacion but am bolde towarde you beeing absente I beseche you that I neede not to be bolde when I am presente with that same confidence where with I am supposed to haue bene bolde againste some which repute vs as though we walked carnally For though we walke in the flesâ— yet we â—o not warre fleshly For the weapens of our warrefare are not carnall thynges but thinges mighty in God to caste downe strong holdes wherewith wee ouerthrowe councels and euerye hye thyng that exalteth itselfe againste the knowledge of God and bring into captiuitie all imaginacion to the obedience of Christe are readye to take vengeaunce on all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled Loke ye on thinges after the vtter appearaunce BVt to let passe these thinges to come to other I that am no meane apostle but the verye selfesame Paule whome ye knowe well whiche for your sake bothe haue suffered and dooe suffer so greate troubles doe beseche you for the mekenes softenes and mercie of Iesus Christ whose exaumple folowyng I dooe humble my selfe among you outwardelye so behauyng my self as though I were some rascall and an outcaste not taking vpoÌ„ me an apostles dignitie and authoritie which the false apostles thynke to stande in highe lookes and yet in myne absence as these caytifes quarell fraye you with roughe and cruell letters beeyng bolde vpon youre obedience I beseche you I saye so to redresse youre lyfe that at my cummyng I bee not compelled to execute the selfesame authoritie once agayne which I seame to haue vsed agaynst certaine false apostles which thinkyng me to bee suche as they bee reporte that I carnally lyue among you as a flatterer while I am presente to courye fauel for feare and beeyng absente bâ— letters boaste my selfe as though I feared nothyng Nothyng do I of any carnall minde but whatsoeuer I do â–ª alis for your weale and for the glory of the gospel For though we bee clothed with this mortall fleashe yet warre wee not vnder the rule and gouernaunce of the fleashe but holpen wyth the assistence of the spirite of god As lowe and weake as ye thinke vs yet are we not vnweaponed nor without strength to suppresse the aduersaries of the gospel For the weapons of our spiritual warrefare are not mighty by reason of yron or steele as worldlye mennes are wont to be but mighty by the power of god able to throwe downe all that euerseameth stronglye buylded agaynste hym â—ith these ouerthrow we and tourne vpsyd down al crafty deuises and euery high state of wicked people whiche exalte and auaunce themselfes vpon theyr worldly wisedome agaynst the wisedome of god which we by the gospel professe and not only suppresse but also subdue bryng into captiuitie al worldlye imaginacion to make the same hencefoorth obediente vnto Christe whome it before resisted But and yf any manne stubbernly rebelle readye are wee to reuenge vpon al disobedience which power for your sakes we haue hytherto forborne leste by vsing extremitie vpon such as are among you and such as some of you as yet fauoure supposyng that they bee excellente apostles we myghte trouble your commen quietenesse whiche I will yet hereafter vse paraduenture when I see your obedience growen to suche perfeccion that ye canne quietly be contented that suche shoulde bee excluded out of youre coumpanye as ye were with the punishemente of the haynous and incestuous fornicatoure I tell you that the dignitie and power of an apostle is not a bodily power but a spirituall Are ye yet no wiser but to iudge an apostle by suche thynges as are seene lyke as the commen people esteame a Lorde to bee a gaye felowe by his outewarde ambicious porâ—e gyftes of fortune and bande of men The texte Yf any manne truste in himselfe that he is
to punishe with all The slaunderers of my name will saye I can doe nothing affirmyng that I coulde not for some lacke in me doe that thing whiche by reason of your integritie I coulde not doe But gladde am I as often as after this sorte ye be stronge though we be iudged weake yea we be not only gladde yf this so be but also moste heartely wyshe that I seme to lacke somewhat so that ye be perfecte And for this cause thought I it good more earnestly to warne you by letters leste when I come I myght be compelled to vse rigoure Muche more wyshe I to haue you amended with threatnynge woordes than to vse my power in punyshyng you geuen vnto me of the Lord for your weale and not to hurte you Against innocentes I canne doe nothyng but it maketh muche matter that suche as with haynouse vices corrupte your congregacion scape not alwaye vnpunished I haue nowe in aduertising you done my parte it remayneth that ye doe yours Diligently apply your selfe vnfaynedly to reioyce all occasions of sorowe sette a parte encreasing styll from better to better vntyll that ye become perfecte amending suche thynges as hurte your innocencie that when your faultes are sufficiently corrected ye may of your amendemente take comforte Agre together and striue not eche one with other of you through sondrye opinions lette there bee among you peace and mutuall loue Yf ye so do then wil the god of loue and auctour of peace alwayes fauour you and with you bee contented Greete eche one another of you in a holy kysse not after the common sorte but euen with your heartes All the sayntes whiche are here grete you The fauour of oure Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of god the father and the felowshyp of the holy ghost bee among you al that acknowlegyng the benefite of the sonne the charitie of the father towarde you whiche in suche sorte loued you that he gaue you his onely sonne to bee your redemer and the goodnes of the holye ghost by whome he alwaye geueth vs his giftes ye maye after the exaumple of the vndeuided trinite lyue in a lyke vnitie that is to witte in concord bothe pure perfite ¶ Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the latter Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians The argument or vvhole matter of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Galathians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame ALbeit the Galathiās are Greciās yet are they originally descēded of Frenchemen as s Hierome sayth in dulnes of witte resemble thē This thing also Hillary who was himself a Frenchmā borne in his hymnes testifyeth in the same callyng his countreymen dullardes Sainte Paule also in this present Epistle reprouing thē calleth them Anoetous that is to say witlesse or foolishe to whose capacitie temperyng his matter he more vehemently and sharpely reproueth then in other of his Epistles he doeth other rather checkyng then teachyng them to th entent that such as could not with reason be brought to a better mynde might yet at lestwyse with authoritie be called home againe and amended In this Epistle laboreth Paule about that matter whiche he els where in euery place doeth to cal men I say from the bondage of Moses lawe to the grace of the gospell whiche matter in his epistle to y◠Romaines he also entreateth of because both people were in like errour but yet after a sondry sorte fallenthervnto For the Romaines were fyrst brought to Iewishenes afterward amended but the Galathians contrarye beyng by the Apostle fyrst well taught were through the sleightie desceiptes of false apostles brought backe againe to Iewishe religion In the Romaines simplenes it was that they were through misteachyng begiled but of wysedome and discrecion it came that after warnyng they sone amended on the other side wheras the Galathians sone receiued and fauored Christes doctrin that was a point of easines but straight after to fal againe from it and to become Iewes was euen lightnes and folishnes To them there came false apostles takyng vpon them as though they had been sent from the chief Apostles Peter and Iames whiche labored to abate Paules authoritie teachyng them that to him there should no credence be geuen as whiche was inconstant sometymes obseruyng the ceremonies of the lawe as it appeared by that he made a vowe shauyng his head caused Timothe to be circumcised and sometymes with the Gentiles reprouyng and condemnyng the lawe bearyng them in hand also that suche rather ought to be beleued as had with Peter and Iames been conuersaunt and other whiche had seen Christ in his manhod whereas Paule had neither seen Christ nor was but a disciple of suche as were disciples and not the messenger of Christ Paule therfore vehemently and sharpely for none epistle is there more sharpe with a holsome earnestnes and fauorable sharpnes bothe cureth the Galathians errour and also defendeth his owne authoritie openyng the false apostles disceiptes at the beginnyng of the epistle makyng him selfe equal euen with the chiefe apostles yea and in this point aboue them because he was at that tyme by Christ put in authoritie to preache after that he was become immortall and vpon boldnes of this authoritie for a certain tyme both in Arabia and Damasco preached Christ before that he had talked with any of the Apostles after whiche enterprise he graunteth that he sawe in deede at Ierusalem for a fewe dayes Peter Iames of whom yet he was nothyng holpen after whiche tyme he sayeth he preached xiiii yeres in Syria and Cilicia vntyll suche tyme as he was by God commaunded to returne vnto Ierusalem with Barnabas and Titus wher Paule compared and examined his gospel with suche as wer Christes Apostles not because that he then beganne to doubt of his so many yeres preachyng but to the intent that by theyr approbacion and allowaunce whose authorities were chiefe among all men other might the more be confirmed at whiche tyme he so compared with Peter that of him he learned nothyng as touchyng the gospell and was not onely by Peter not compelled to charge the Gentiles with the burden of the lawe but what tyme Peter at Antioche eate in company of the gentiles suche meates as wer by the lawe forbidden after for feare of the Iewes that came withdrewe him selfe from that cōpany he checked him euen to his face declaryng that through fayth men obtaine the grace of God offred by the gospel not by kepyng of the law whiche was at that tyme abolished And though he begunne this disputacion as it were with Peter yet persueth he the same more at large turnyng his matter to the Galathians instructyng them and declaryng that Moses lawe was geuen but for a tyme and that al thynges taught therin appertained and directed to Christ onely that in the lawe was but fleshe in the gospel was the spirite in the lawe there were shadowes in the gospel light in the lawe images in the gospel
IerusaleÌ„ and is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem whiche is aboue is free whiche is the mother of vs all Nor is it to be supposed that this tale hath beside the trueth of the historie no secrete hidden misterie For comenly suche is Moses law that as in a maÌ„ne vnder the grosse fleshe and coueryng of the body is hidden the soule the ruler therof so vnder the letter and historie a more priuey thyng and higher mistery is couered Let vs then serche foorth what in the alligorie these two mothers and the two sonnes signifie Surely the twoo mothers represent the twoo testamentes of whom the one brought foorth a people subiecte to the bondage of the lawe the other brought foorth a people through fayth free froÌ„ that burdain For Sina is a mouÌ„taine in Arabia whiche in the Chaldees language hath the name of the bondmaiden Agar and bordereth vpon the mountaine of Sion wherin standeth the cytie that once was called Iebus and is now called Ierusalem Now are they that inhabite the mountaine Agar euen in these daies bonde in theyr state resemblyng the beginner of that nacion But Ierusalem whiche as inheritaunce fel to Isaacs posteritie is free This citie forasmuche as it standeth in a high place representeth heauen into whose freedome we be called That cytie is not onely mother to the Iewes but to all vs whiche beleue in Christ Moses lawe is yearthly the lawe of the gospel forasmuche as it came from heauen is heauenly As the body is seruaunt to the soule so that whiche is grosse is bonde and that whiche is spiritual is free Moses lawe brought foorth her childe fyrst the lawe of the gospel albeit it had issue after yet how many more children brought it to God Moses lawe brought foorth but one nacion the same of no great multitude neither the lawe of the gospel containeth all nacions of the worlde The texte For it is written reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth cry thou that trauailest not For the desolate hath many more children than she whiche hath an husband And lest some thinke that this was but a chaunce Esai long before sayd it should so be who by the spirite of prophecie foreseyng the great noumbre of Gentiles resortyng to the gospel of Christ reâ—oyseth by these wordes Be glad thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth and crye thou that trauailest not for many more children haste thou whiche semedst desolate and barren than hath she that hath a husbaÌ„d and semed to put men in a meruailous hope of posteritie In the Iewes state before tyme fewe were there that came through it vnto Gods fauor but fayth in the gospel hath brought in many and wil without ende bryng in more Thus see ye the twoo mothers and theyr twoo children the beginners of twoo nacions The texte Brethren we are after Isaac the children of promise But as then he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite Euen so is it now Suche as yet styfly cleaue to Moses lawe belong to Ismael whiche was borne of the handmayde But we whiche gyuyng ouer our coÌ„fidence in the lawe through perfite fayth hang only vpon Christ are Isaacs children who was borne of the free lawful wyfe not by the courâ—e of nature but by the promise of god Nor are we receyued into yâ— welthy state taught by the gospell because we were borne vnder the lawe but because god loÌ„g synce promised all them saluacion that thorough fayth woulde come into the felowshyp of his sonne Iesus Christ Yea and in this also the allegorie featly agreeth that bothe posterities sauer of theyr beginners For as thaÌ„ the elder sonne Ismael carnall sonne vnto Abraham persecuted the yonger called Isaac who was borne by goddes promise â–ª eueÌ„ at the tyme wheÌ„ they playeo together takyng more vpon hym than was mere so in this tyme they that cleaue faste to the carnall lawe hate suche as embrace the spiritual lawe of the gospel labouryng to be more esteamed chalengyng as theyrs the ryght of the fyrste begotten whiche is only dewe to Christe labouryng also by the title of aunciencie to make the free mothers chyldren bonde as they be to th entent that being elder seruauntes they maye ouer vs that are yonger beare rule The texte Neuerthelesse what sayeth the scripture â–ª putte awaye the bonde woman and her sonne For the sonne of the bond woman shal not be heyre with the sonne of the free woman so then brethen we are not chyldren of the bond woman â–ª but of the free woman â–ª But the free mother alloweth no suche alteracion nor wyl suffer these two borne after suche a diuerse sorte to be conuersaunt together But as yâ— scripture saythe with great indignacion cryeth out put awaye the bonde woman and her sonne for I wyl not suffer that the bond womaÌ„nes childe shal with my sonne Isaac be inheritour The Iewyshe Synagoge to muche hangeth by them whiche beleue the gospell The Iewes require to muche of christians whose libertie they enuye at Yt the bonde mother wyll not gladly depart let her rather be thrust out than with her slauyshe companye she corrupt my sonne The inheritaunce of euerlastyng lyfe is promised to Isaac and to hym is it dewe Let Agar yf she luste carye furthe with her the water potte of the vnsauery lawe whome she so greatly loueth But my sonne Isaac by drynkyng the effectuall lickor of the gospel shal styll with good lucke growe vp vntill he become a perfite man Wherfore suffer my brethren that the Iewes which to stubbernly delyte in the seruile lawe haue styl theyr owne bondage nor growe oute of kynde from theyr mother We which were sometime our selfe vnder the bondage of the law and lyke vnto the chyldreÌ„ of the bond womaÌ„ Agar persecuted the verie naturall childreÌ„ of yâ— churche are nowe delyuered froÌ„ that olde bondage and receyued into the title of Saraes chyldren And for this libertie thanke we Christ into whome through fayth we are so planted that we are become inheriters of the promised inheritauÌ„ce of heauen So that into what libertie Christe hath by his death after our falling from him restored vs that are Iewes into the same are ye that are Gentiles called through preaching of the gospell The .v. Chapiter The texte ¶ Stande faste therfore in the libertie wherwith Christe hath made vs free and wrappe not youre selues agayne in the yoke of bondage NOwe remayneth there nothyng but that ye stedfastlye continewe in that ye haue once gotten For what madnes is it to forsake the liberall gyfte and freedome wherin Christe of his especiall fauer hath sette you and to become bonde We which of that paynfull bondage haue had experience are glad and reioyse of oure libertie and are ye of youre libertie in suche sorte weaty that ye are content to become bonde The texte ¶ Beholde I Paule saye vnto you that yf ye be circumcised
whole multitude and deface the puritie of your religion euen as ye see a lytle leauen sowreth the whole batche wherwith it is myngled castyng by lytle the sournes of it self throughout the whole dowe whiche before was swete Be there neuer so smal a poynt of Iewishnes myngled with the gospel the same lytle wyll corrupte in you the purenes therof The texte I haue truste towarde you in the Lorde that ye shall be none otherwyse mynded But he that troubleth you shall beare his iudgement whatsoeuer he be But forasmuche as ye haue hitherto staggered throughe the enticement of other I despayre not but that ye wyll hencefurth stedfastlye continewe in youre olde godly purpose standyng in this truste muche vpon knowledge and triall of youre natures but speciallye vpon the helpe of Christe who wrought in you to begynne with a mery chere and wyll lykewyse worke in you grace manfully to continew But whosoeuer he be that hath with new learning troubled the quietnes and purenes of your faith albeit he deceyue menne yet shall he not escape goddes iudgement Hym at this tyme for certayne consideracions vtter I not nor vse extremitie agaynste hym but at goddes handes to whome he is not vnknowen he is sure to be punyshed who is without regarde of any mannes authoritie whome he hath muche rather offended than me Nor let this moue you though some saye that I abhorre not the kepyng of the law â–ª whiche haue with the Iewes lyued lyke a Iewe and caused Timothie to be circumcised I dyd so by compulsion and oftentimes resisting gyuyng yet place at that tyme wherin I sawe no greate ieopardie at hande in so doyng and contrarie yf I had not done it there had bene a great commocion But nowe vpon diuersities of the tyme and circumstaunce expedient it is to folowe another way And to tell you briefly herein my mynde it is not all one to suffer and permit circumcision and to preache it I suffered Timothie to be circumcised but I neuer taught that either he or anye els should be circumcised So lykewyse when I oftetymes was conuersaunt among the Iewes I abstayned from meates forbydden by the lawe but neuer enioyned I vnto anye man that suche choyse in meates shoulde be had but rather taught the contrarie that it forced nothyng what kynde of meates a maÌ„ eate so that he vse them soberly and with thankes geuyng to god The tyme was when it was nedefull to beare with the sinistre rooted persuasion of the Iewes but nowe synce the gospell is clearelye knowen and the Iewes stubbernely labour to drawe the Gentiles into theyr supersticion it is neither wel done nor ieopardiles to beare with it any lynger but rather besemeth it euery man boldely to preache that Moses lawe is expired and that all men ought to embrace the libertie of the gospell The texte Brethren yf I yet preache circumcision why do I then suffer persecucion Then is the sclaunder of the crosse ceased I woulde to god they were separated from you whiche trouble you For yf this were trewe that they reporte of me that I preache and set furth circumcision what cause is there then whye vntyll this daye the Iewes so maliciously and hatefully persecute me Thence is al my countrey mennes displeasure against me because I in suche sorte preache Christes gospell that therwith I teache that Moses lawe is gone and abolished The Iewes thynke that they among men should be more made of yf the rites of Moses law might be myngled with Christes doctrine But nowe great enuie haue they that all other people through fayth are receiued into goddes fauour whyles they vpon them carie about them the vnprofitable marke of circumcision And this is the cause why they without al pitie haue long tyme gone about my destruccioÌ„ because I euery where preache and promiâ—e all men perfite weale without any helpe of circumcision Yf it so were that I preached circumcisioÌ„ as some falsly report of me why do the Iewes styll persecute me synce the cause of al theyr displeasure borne towarde me is vtterly taken awaye Trust ye me ye people of Galacia my preachyng hath alwayes ben one and so shall it hencefurth continewe lyke On youre parte see lykewyse that your fayth be as myne is For so farre am I from the mynde to agree with them that teache circumcision that yf theyr stubbernes wyll not suffer them to forsake theyr lawe rather thaÌ„ they should vtterly withdrawe you from the gospell and with theyr persuasions plucke you out of the ryght waye I woulde wyshe them vtterly separate from the felowshyp of the gospell Yf they be so frowardly gyuen to circumcision god graunt them not only to be circumcised but also to be vtterly cutte of that they maye more plenteously haue theyr desyer Better is it that they only perishe than drawe so many other with them in to damnacion The texte Brethren ye were called into libertie only let not your libertie be an occasion vnto the fleshe but by loue of the spirite serue one an other â–ª For all the lawe is fulfylled in one worde whiche is this thou shalte loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Yf ye byte and deuoure one another take hede leste ye be lykewyse consumed one of another Synce they are so content let them styll continewe on in theyr shamefull bondage But ye my brethren throughe the gospell are called to libertie and not to be bonde So that nothyng elles nowe remayneth but to take hede that the libertie gyuen vnto you by the spirite of Christe be not applyed to yâ— occasion of fleashlye lustes The bondage of the lawe is in suche sorte taken awaye that in her steede is come charitie taughte by the gospell whiche by fayre meanes obtayneth more than the lawe was able to do with compulsion And yet for all that among frendes of whome one is glad to do for an other there is nor may stershyp nor bondage The law byddeth noman to put his lyfe in ieopardye for defence of his frende nor that a man shoulde by defraudyng nature ease his brothers nede nor that thou whiche arte stronger shouldest beare with the weaker or the learned with the vnlearned or the better with the worse all whiche yet commaundeth charitie whiche so alwaye telleth that thynges are to be done not by force but euen of good wyll â–ª and voluntarily Besyde this onlye charitie comprisyng in her the whole strength and effecte of the lawe briefly bryngeth that aboute that the lawe with so many rules and threatnynges is not able to do For all that the brablyng law with so many rules laboreth to bryng to passe all that is in a shorte sentence concluded written in Liuiticum whiche is this thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Wherfore yf ye with charitie be knytte together ye shall one by an others diligent labour helpe an other and with mutuall seruice labour to comforte other But contrarye yf ye as carnal men are wont do disagree
suppresseth synne that it destroyeth the siner but christiaÌ„ charitie so remedyeth vice that she yet saueth yâ— maÌ„ The better thou arte by so muche the more gentlely condescende thou to thy brothers weakenes If Christes owne example moue the not sufficiently so to do who most mercifully suffered his children vntil tyme they amended at lestwyse yet lette this encourage you because ye knowe that the like may chaunce vnto your selfes The texte Beare ye one an others burdaine and so fulfil the lawe of Christ For if any man seme to him selfe that he is somewhat when in dede he is nothing the same deceiueth his owne minde This man is fallen remember that thou art a fraile man also Let his fall be vnto the a lesson neither to be bolde vpon thy selfe nor yet to trust to muche in thine owne strength Vse thy selfe towarde him that is fallen as thou wouldest be glad to be vsed if the like chauÌ„ced to the. And a mischaunce may befal any worldly man Suche as at the mocion of certaine false Apostles haue staggered must not with cruelnes be banished out of your company but charitably be called againe to theyr olde stedfastnes The tyme may come that they beyng made strong may againe beare with your weakenes He that hath vpoÌ„ him a heauy burdain must be eased and not throwen doune Wherfore if eche of you beare others burdaines then shal ye in euery point fulfill the lawe of charitie whiche lawe is Christes owne lawe Christ wheras he neither was vnder synne nor nigh the ieopardye therof yet bare he vpon him our wickednes and of his great mercy healed vs condemned vs not as one without pitie Let no man thinke him selfe to be righteous and vpon confidence therin despise his brother that is with some kynde of synne entangled For a man to seame iust to him selfe is a profe of a fained righteousnes Wherfore if any man thinke him selfe somethyng when he in dede is nothyng he deceiueth him selfe The texte Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shal he haue reioysyng onely in his owne selfe and not in an other For euery man shal beare his owne burdaine For neither is any man therfore righteous because he auaunceth him selfe before the sinner nor is therfore one man defiled with other mennes synne if he submitte him selfe to restore him againe Nor is he therfore good because he coÌ„pareth him selfe to a worse Euery man shal be iudged by his owne dedes Yet must noman in his owne dedes haue a confideÌ„ce but euery manne must serche with him selfe whether that wherin he beareth him selfe in hand to do well be suche as of God shuld be allowed If thine owne conscience condemne the not yet glory not because other aâ—e weake but glory of thyne owne strength glory inwardly geuyng God thaÌ„kes for his giftes bestowed vpon the nor bost it among other ne dispise them that are not so strong as thou art Helpe him if thou be able if thou be not able let God his iudge alone with him Neither shal his synne diminishe thy rewarde nor thou for an other mannes offence be punished but before God euery man shal beare his owne burdaine The texte Let him that is taught in the worde minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thinges Be not deceiued God is not mocked For what soeuer a man soweth that shal he also reape For he that soweth in his fleshe shal of the fleshe reape corrupcion but he that soweth in the spirite shal of the spirite reape life euerlastyng But as long as we be in this worlde we are bounde eche one to helpe an other And as it belongeth to them whose giftes are aboue others with teachyng comfortyng exhortacion to helpe their brothers weakenes so let suche as be holpen remembre that they be not vnthankeful to suche as haue done for them And so among you shal al good thinges be comen if they that can preache the gospel teache comfort beare vppe the rude and they againe that are taught of theyr substaunce geue theyr teachers and counsailours necessaries so that one do for an other Let them that teache take heede that theyr doctrine be christian and sauor of the spirite of Christ or els better wer it for a maÌ„ not to beleue his teacher at all Besyde that he that for corrupte teachyng the gospel receiueth mede of him whoÌ„ he so teacheth the man he deceiueth yea and him selfe to but God can not of him be deceiued Wherfore my counsail is that ye teache sincerely the gospel for God is not mocked with But suche seede as euery maÌ„ soweth suche shal he mowe Whoso teacheth carnal doctrin for his sede he shal reape fruit which is corruptible But he that teacheth spiritual doctrin shal for his spiritual and heauenly counsail receiue like rewarde whiche is life euerlastyng The texte Let vs not be weary of well doyng For when the tyme is come we shall repe without wearynes Whyle we haue therfore tyme let vs do good vnto all men and especially vnto them whiche are of the housholde of fayth Therfore let vs alwaye endeuoure to do for all men nor cease at any tyme to do good dedes whether we haue gentle scholers or vngentle whether we haue a rewarde of men or not For when the tyme shall come we shall gather fruite whiche shall neuer dye and receyue for our temporall labours wages euerlastyng Sowyng time shall not alwaye continew the tyme shall come when we shal neither with our owne dedes be holpen nor with other mennes For the tyme of this present lyfe we maye with good workes wyll goddes fauour and helpe other but at the daye of iudgemeÌ„t neither shall oure good workes haue place nor we be able to do for anye other Therfore let vs take the tyme whyle it serueth endeuouryng to do bothe for all men and specially for them that are of the same religion and fayth that we be of The Iewe fauoureth none but Iewes but the christian folowyng the example of Christe is desyrouse to do good for all men The texte ¶ Ye se howe large a letter I haue wrytten vnto you with myne owne hand As many as desyre with outwarde apparence to please carnally the same constrayne you to be circumcised only leste they shoulde suffer persecucion for the crosse of Christ For they themselues whiche are circumcised kepe not the lawe but desyre to haue you circumcised that they might reioyse in your fleshe Ye se ye people of Galacia how I am in this matier delited which with myne owne hand wrote vnto you â—o long an epistle Ye knowe my hande wryting No cause haue ye to thinke that it is a counterfaite letter it is all myne and a declaracion of my good wyl towarde you And looke that it with you be of more weight than anye false apostles doctrine Suche as endeuoure rather to please men than god suche I saye moue you to be circumcised
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
one supplying and fulfilling by his ministers suche thynges as mighte in his affliccions seeme vnperfecte not that his death of it selfe is insufficient but because the affliccions and punishmentes of the head and members of the prince and ministers are in maner one These punishmeÌ„tes the greater and more vehemente they be the more redounde and make they to the fulnes and perfeccion of your saluacion And not for your saluacioÌ„ onely but for yâ— weale also of Christes whole body whiche is the churche do I the office committed vnto me for to me is committed the cure and ouer sight of the congregacion For Christe hath set and placed me in his stede and hath deliuered vnto me the custody of his owne bodye specially for that porcion whiche is of the Gentiles to be receyued to the gospell to the intente I should with my labour supply that whiche he semed to lacke and to publyshe yâ— which was so many hundred yeares before this tyme hidden from the Gentiles and to teache that not only the Iewes but the GeÌ„tiles also haue through fayth an entry into this welthy state of the gospel This to do was by god long since purposed but yet was this his purpose hidden vntill this tyme from the worlde and is nowe through my preachyng opened to all suche as forsakyng theyr former vngraciouse lyfe embrace yâ— doctrine of Christ to whome it hath pleased god to declare howe glorious his ryches is towarde vs when by publyshing this his so long hidden misterie the whole worlde perceyueth howe that free saluacion whiche men firste thoughte was offered onely to the Iewes is nowe commen vnto al nacions that the kepyng of Moses lawe is not requyred but fayth onelye so that men doubte not of the promises made in the gospell In stede of all suche thynges wherin the Iewes haue had a foolyshe confidence Christ onely is for you sufficient If he be in you ye haue no cause to be sorye of the hope ye stande in beyng both sure ynough and also through hym glorious who of hymselfe wyll vndoubtedly perfourme as muche as he hath promised Hym preache we of and not Moses nor aungels aduertisyng teaching not onely the Iewes but also all people of the world and in so doong leauyng nothyng vntouched which appertayneth to the wisdome of the gospell And this do we to the intent all men should vnderstand that whither they be circumcised or not circumcised theyr weale is in nothyng els to be set but in Christ Iesus To bryng whiche fayth into mennes myndes I in suche sorte labour that for auauncing therof I thynke it not paynfull to put my selfe in so many ieopardies and perilles which are in dede more weightie than our weakenes is able to abyde suffer But strong mightie is he by whose ayde and mayntenaunce I do these actes who also wheÌ„ nede requireth with working of myracles by vs bryngeth my preaching in eredence The ii Chapiter The texte For I woulde that ye knewe howe great care that I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia and for as many as haue not sene my person in the fleshe that theyr hertes myght be comforted when they are knyt together in loue and in al riches of full vnderstanding for to knowe the misterie of God the father and of Christe in whome are hydde all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge ANd this muche haue I sayde ye Colossians not to boste my self vnto you but because I couete yâ— ye should knowe howe carefull I am and what ieopardies I put my selfe in not only for suche as I haue presently taught the gospell vnto but for them also whiche by syghte know me not especially for you and the Laodicians whom thoughe I neuer sawe with my bodely iyen yet see I them coÌ„tinuallye with the iyen of my hearte glad of your encrease furtheraunce fearful it I espye your entiernes and godly condicions either to be in ieoperdie or to be inconstant wauer Nor is it for my selfe so greatly anaylable that suche as neuer sawe me know what labours paynes I take for them as it dothe auauntage them For by my pensyfenes by my ieopardies and affliccions are they more pricked furth and enforced to consent and cleaue more together in godly charitie lyke yâ— members of one body knyt and surely mortised wherby also menne more clearely perceyue and more certaynely beleue the bountifull goodnes of god the father toward all mankynde yea toward al creatures aboundaÌ„tly flowyng abrode by openyng nowe throughe Iesus Christe the secrete misterie which hath hitherto bene hidden whiche is that besyde hym onely we should desyre no worldly wysdome be that neuer so great which the wyse Philosophers promisen or teachers of Moses lawe or anye suche as boste that they by speakyng with aungels are taughte forasmuche as in hym alone are contayned and hydden all the treasures of wysedome and fruytful knowledge Of this fountayne maye we easly drawe asmuche as is to perfite saluacion requyred The texte This I saye lesse any man should beguyle you with entising wordes For thoughe I be absent in the fleshe yet am I with you in the spirite ioying and beholding youre order and your stedfast fayth in Christe These poyntes for this ende thought I it good to warne you of because ye should with all diligence take hede least any beyng instruct with worldly wysdome agaynst the playnes of Christes gospel blynde and deceyue you with false tales beyng yet suche tales as haue a colourable apparence of trouth and lykelynes For so are the wyse men of this world with capâ—touse and subtile reasons of theyr inuencion wont to entangle simple people of whiche sorte I know that some there are among you watching how they maye corrupte your fayth For albeit I be absent from you and see not presentlye what is done there yet am I in mynde among you present with all my herte reioysyng to see the good order and condicion of your lyfe and therwith the soundnes and strength of the sure confidence whiche ye haue in Iesus Christe to whome ye haue once wholy commytted your selues The texte As ye haue therfore receyued Christ Iesu the lord euen so walkeye in hym so that ye be roted and buylte in hym and stablyshed through faythe as ye haue learned and therin be plenteous with geuyng thankes Nowe remayneth this that ye vpon this good beginnyug continue and profit more and more and as ye haue once receyued and beleued that Iesus Christe our lorde is all goodnes the head and welspring of our felicitie so set all your lyfe agree and consent with your fayth and profession prouiding alwayes that as ye are through baptisme graffed into him that ye lyke wyse abide in hym and gather strength And as the sure and strong foundacion of the doctrine of Christes gospell is once alredy layed in you so labour ye to buylde vp ther vpon suche a worke as is for
but for the weale also of Christes whole body whiche is the churche do I the office committed vnto me for to me is committed the cure and ouer light of the congregacion For Christe hath set and placed me in his stede and hath deliuered vnto me the custody of his owne bodye specially for that porcion whiche is of the Gentiles to be receyued to the gospell to the intente I should with my labour supply that whiche he semed to lacke and to publyshe y◠which was so many hundred yeares before this tyme hidden from the Gentiles and to teache that not only the Iewes but the Gētiles also haue through fayth an entry into this welthy state of the gospel This to do was by god long since purposed but yet was this his purpose hidden vntill this tyme from the worlde and is nowe through my preachyng opened to all suche as forsakyng theyr former vngraciouse lyfe embrace y◠doctrine of Christ to whome it hath pleased god to declare howe glorious his ryches is towarde vs when by publyshing this his so long hidden misterie the whole worlde perceyueth howe that free saluacion whiche men firste thoughte was offered onely to the Iewes is nowe commen vnto al nacions that the kepyng of Moses lawe is not requyred but fayth onelye so that men doubte not of the promises made in the gospell In stede of all suche thynges wherin the Iewes haue had a foolyshe confidence Christ onely is for you sufficient If he be in you ye haue no cause to be sorye of the hope ye stande in beyng both sure ynough and also through hym glorious who of hymselfe wyll vndoubtedly perfourme as muche as he hath promised Hym preache we of and not Moses nor aungels aduertisyng teaching not onely the Iewes but also all people of the world and in so doong leauyng nothyng vntouched which appertayneth to the wisdome of the gospell And this do we to the intent all men should vnderstand that whither they be circumcised or not circumcised theyr weale is in nothyng els to be set but in Christ Iesus To bryng whiche fayth into mennes myndes I in suche sorte labour that for auauncing therof I thynke it not paynfull to put my selfe in so many ieopardies and perilles which are in dede more weightie than our weakenes is able to abyde suffer But strong mightie is he by whose ayde and mayntenaunce I do these actes who also whē nede requireth with working of myracles by vs bryngeth my preaching in credence The .ii. Chapiter The texte For I woulde that ye knewe howe great care that I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia and for as many as haue not sene my person in the fleshe that theyr hertes myght be comforted when they are knyt together in loue and in al riches of full vnderstanding for to knowe the misterie of God the father and of Christe in whome are hydde all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge ANd this muche haue I sayde ye Colossians not to boste my self vnto you but because I couete y◠ye should knowe howe carefull I am and what ieopardies I put my selfe in not only for suche as I haue presently taught the gospell vnto but for them also whiche by syghte know me not especially for you and the Laodicians whom thoughe I neuer sawe with my bodely iyen yet see I them cōtinuallye with the iyen of my hearte glad of your encrease furtheraunce fearful if I espye your entiernes and godly condicions either to be in ieoperdie or to be inconstant wauer Nor is it for my selfe so greatly auaylable that suche as neuer sawe me know what labours paynes I take for them as it dothe auauntage them For by my pensyfenes by my ieopardies and affliccions are they more pricked furth and enforced to consent and cleaue more together in godly charitie lyke y◠members of one body knyt and surely mortised wherby also menne more clearely perceyue and more certaynely beleue the bountifull goodnes of god the father toward all mankynde yea toward al creatures aboundātly flowyng abrode by openyng nowe throughe Iesus Christe the secrete misterie which hath hitherto bene hidden whiche is that besyde hym onely we should desyre no worldly wysdome be that neuer so great which the wyse Philosophers promisen or teachers of Moses lawe or anye suche as boste that they by speakyng with aungels are taughte forasmuche as in hym alone are contayned and hydden all the treasures of wysedome and fruytful knowledge Of this fountayne maye we easly drawe asmuche as is to perfite saluacion requyred The texte This I saye leste any man should beguyle you with entising wordes For throughe I be absent in the fleshe yet am I with you in the spirite ioying and beholding youre order and your stedfast fayth in Christe These poyntes for this ende thought I it good to warne you of because ye should with all diligence take hede least any beyng instruct with worldly wysdome agaynst the playnes of Christes gospel blynde and deceyue you with false tales beyng yet suche tales as haue a colourable apparence of trouth and lykelynes For so are the wyse men of this world with capciouse and subtile reasons of theyr inuencion wont to entangle simple people of whiche sorte I know that some there are among you watching how they maye corrupte your fayth For albeit I be absent from you and see not presentlye what is done there yet am I in mynde among you present with all my herte reioysyng to see the good order and condicion of your lyfe and therwith the soundnes and strength of the sure confidence whiche ye haue in Iesus Christe to whome ye haue once wholy commytted your selues The texte As ye haue therfore receyued Christ Iesu the lord euen so walke ye in hym so that ye be roted and buylte in hym and stablyshed through faythe as ye haue learned and therin be plenteous with geuyng thankes Nowe remayneth this that ye vpon this good beginnyng continue and profit more and more and as ye haue once receyued and beleued that Iesus Christe our lorde is all goodnes the head and welspring of our felicitie so set all your lyfe agree and consent with your fayth and profession prouiding alwayes that as ye are through baptisme graffed into him that ye lykewyse abide in hym and gather strength And as the sure and strong foundacion of the doctrine of Christes gospell is once alredy layed in you so labour ye to buylde vp ther vpon suche a worke as is for suche a foundacion mete and conuenient And take hede that ye wauer not this waye or that waye as euery blaste of newe doctrine moueth you but stāde stedfast and stable in that ye haue once learned and endeuour not only to stande stedfastly but also to encrease euery daye from better to better that your fayth and fruites of godly lyfe beyng dayly more and more augmented ye maye alwayes haue some newe thing
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
that whensoeuer nede requireth he may make intercessioÌ„ for his vnto god For he hath not so offered a sacrifice that it should profite a fewe a short while but that it should be auaylable to all men and at al times hable to pacifye gods wrath Therfore sens the lawe was heauenlye and perfite it was meete that oure hye prieste shoulde also be such a one that is to say godly without deceyte vndefyled farre seperate from the coumpanye of synners lyfted vp aboue all the heauens who needeth not dayly to offer oppe sacrifice as Moses priestes did first for his own sinnes and then for the peoples sinnes For what manour of atonemakers were they who themselfes had nede to be made at one with god vnto whome they made intercession for other mennes offences what manour a sacrifice was that which for sundrie sinnes was of necessitie ofte tymes to be made again Our hye priest who had no sinne of his owne toke vnto him the sinnes of the whole worlde and once offered vp a sacrifice for all menne not a beast but hys owne proper persone For Moses lawe as it was weake and vnperfite so dyd it ordayne suche hye priestes as were subiect to infirmitie But the worde of the othe that I spake of right now which declareth that a better lawe shall succede in stede of the olde ordeineth not euery man indifferently but the very sonne of god a priest for euer more ready at all times and mete to make intercession for vs for that neyther death can take him away neither any infirmitie let hym to be a conueniente and perfite besecher for vs. The .viii. Chapter The texte Of the thynges whiche we haue spoken this is the pith that we haue suche an hye prieste as sitteth on the ryght hande of the seate of maiestie in heauen and is a mynister of holye thynges and of the trewe tabernacle whiche God pyght and not manne For euerye hye prieste is ordeined to offer giftes and sacrifices wherfore it is of necessitie that this man haue somewhat also to offer For he were not a priest if he were on the earth where are priestes that according to the lawe offer giftes which serue vnto thensaumple shadow of heauenly thynges euen as the answer of God was geuen vnto Moses when he was about to finishe the tabernacle Take hede said he that thou made al thynges accordyng to the patron whiche is shewed to thee in the mount OF the thynges whiche we haue so largelye entreated of before the chiefe poynte and effecte is that hereafter we haue not in admiracion Moses hye prieste synce wee haue one soe excellente in all poyntes that he sytteth on the ryght syde of the royall seate of god in heauen to the entente he maye duely make not those figuratiue sacrifices prescribed by Moses but the trewe and heauenly sacrifices and bee within the tabernacle I meane not that figuratyue tabernacle pytched of man but in the secrete places of the true tabernacle pitched by almightie God disseuering heauenly thinges from earthly Furthermore sens that euery hye priest is wonte to be ordeyned for this intente that he may offer giftes and sacrifices to God howe were it possible for him to be a lawful hie prieste whiche hath nothyng to offer Nowe if it so be that an earthly priesthood were geuen to Christ after lyke manour as vnto other then were he no priest for that he neuer offered ne offereth any of those sacrifices whiche are accustoinably offered of other priestes according to the prescripcion of the lawe the whiche sacrifices are nothing els but shadowes and certayne figures of the heauenly temple and celestiall sacrifyces For whatsoeuer Christe did euen in earth because it was not done after the fleshe but after the spirite came from heauen and thither reÌ„deth thesame compared vnto the grossenes of Moses priesthood is woorthely called heauenly And this god seemeth to haue signifyed when prescrybyng vnto Moses a forme to buylde a temple he speaketh in thys wise Se thou make all thinges according to the patron whiche was shewed thee in the mounte For Moses sawe with his spiritual iyes an other holyer manour of temple an other manour of sacrifyces and priesthood after the patron whereof â—edrew out in the meane season a certayn grosse figure of thinges till the tyme should come that god woulde haue shadowes geue place vnto trew thynges Nowe is the same tyme already presente The texte But nowe hath he obtained a priesthode so much the more eâ—cellente as he is the mediatour of a better testamente whiche was confirmed in better promises For yf that first testamente had been such that no faute coulde haue bâ—â—e found in it then should no place haue bâ—ne sought for the seconde For in rebukyng them he saieth vnto them Behold the daies come sayth the Lorde and I will finishe vpon the house of Israell and vpon the house of Iuda a newe testamente not lyke the testament that I made with they fathers in that daie when I toke them by the handes to leade them out of the lande of Egypte For they continued not in my testamente and I regarded them not saith the Lorde For this is the testament that I wyll make with the house of Israel After those dayes saith the lorde I wyl put my lawes in theyr myndes and in theyr hertes I wyll write them and I will be there God and they shal be my people And they shall not teache euery man his neighboure and euery man his brother saying â–ª knowe the lorde For they shall knowe me from the leaste to the moste of them For I wil be merciful ouer theyr vnrighteousnes and their sinnes and theyr iniquities wyll I thinke vpon nomore In that he sayth a nowe testamente he hath worne oute the olde For that whiche is worne out and weâ—ed olde is readye to vanishe awaye We haue an heauenly hye priest and a priesthood worthie and conueniente for hym so much more excellent then this other priesthood as the new testamente of the gospell excelleth the olde of Moses and as the promises of the new be more magnificeÌ„te and greater then the promises of the olde There the bodyes were cleansed with the bloude of beastes here soules are purified with the bloude of Christe There a lande is promised here are promised heauenly rewardes And in this testament our heauenly hye priest is a mediatoure betwene god and manne after an heauenly manoure If that fyrst testamente had bene suche a one that nothing hadde lacked therein as the Iewes dooe suppose then should there no place haue beene soughte for the seconde For it was but superfluous to adde anything where al thinges were perfite Nowe God complayneth that that fyrste testamente was vnprofitable and promyseth a better and of more efficacie speakynge in the Prophete Ieremye on thys wyse Beholde the dayes come layeth the Lorde I wyll fynishe vpon the house of Israell and vpon the house of Iuda a newe
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
worlde thynketh is losse and it is blessednes whatsoeuer they thynke is sorowfulnesse Therefore it is in you to bryng to passe that no violence of sorowes can do you harme by any waye Whatsoeuer the naughtynesse of men shall take awaye from you the free larges of God shall restore it agayne with excedyng great vauntage So that yf you haue the fruicion of God you haue no cause to be afrayed of mens threatnynges or to be disquieted with the violence of sorowes neyther be you troubled in your mynde in the myddes of the stormes of affliccions as though you were destitute of Goddes helpe Neither speake you cursedly vnto men that punyshe you throughe ignoraunce but rather glorifie you the lorde God in your heartes whiche to his seruauntes turneth all thynges in to the best whethersoeuer chaunseth ioye or aduersitie Therefore he is euer worthye to be praysed albeit a man can not alwaies with worde of mouthe yet with affeccion of the heart he maye euery where and at all tymes Hys enemyes are not to be prouoked with scoldynges but wheresoeuer anye hope shall offre it selfe that they maye be drawen vnto Christe be you prompte and ready to answere whosoeuer desireth to knowe with what confidence and throughe what hope you set naught by the commodities of this life and suffre the incommodities so paciently And that do you not disdeignefully nor tauntynglye as thoughe you were offended at them but with al mildenes and reuerence that is to say vsing a good conscience of your owne althoughe you can not be hable to perswade them For it is not ynoughe for Christians to speake thinges that are true and worthy of Christ but also to speake after suche sorte that the verye reason of your talke maye declare that you are not in hande with your own busines but that you respecte the glorie of Christe and the saluation of them whiche you speake vnto This shal be the surest argument to make them ashamed which slaundre your conuersation that you leade accordyng to Christes doctrine as thoughe it were a countrefaict and a naughty conuersacion For countrefaicte vertue althoughe it otherwise begile men with his iuggling yet whan it commeth once to suffring of punishementes it breaketh out and bewrayeth it self There is nothing but a good conscience and a conscience that dependeth wholy of God that is hable chearefully to beare all thinges and to be so farre froÌ„ intendyng reuengement that he goeth about also to do good to them of whom he is punished The texte For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doing then for euil doing For asmuche as Chryst hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God and was killed as pertaining to the fleshe but was quickned in the spirit In which spirit he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison whych somtyme had ben disobedient when the long suffering of God was once loked for in the daies of Noe while the Arke was a preparing wherin a few yâ— is to say viii solles were saued by the water lyke as baptisme also now saueth vs not the puttynge away of the fylth of the fleshe but in that a good conscience consenteth to God by the resurreccion of Iesus Christ whyche is on the righte hande of God and is gone into heauen Aungelles powers and myght subdued vnto hym Let it not moue you that you harmeles folkes suffre sorowes at their handes whiche be harmedoers but rather it is in that behalf the more easely to be borne whatsoeuer is done vnto you For it is better for you if it be the wyll of God that you suffre these thinges that you suffre for wel doyng than for euil doyng For he that is punysshed for his euil dedes suffreth that he hath deserued but the punyshementes that you suffre turne to the glory of Christe and to the heaped encreace of your felicitie It is a gloriouse thynge for you to folowe thexample of your prince Thus he aduaunced the glory of God the father he beyng all together without synne was taken bounden beaten spytte vpon crucified and dyed for our synnes where as he had no synne at all The ryghtuous for the vnryghtuous the faultes for the faultye suffred paynes gladly obeyng the fathers will that he myghte presente vs that were synners cleane and without spotte vnto the father that we also folowyng his example shoulde lyue harmeles amonge harmedoers and that we beynge made good shoulde suffre for the wealth of them that naught are He dyed onely once for all and for temporall affliccion was endowed with lyfe euerlastynge that we beyng once redemed from synnes shoulde not slyde backe agayne to the same It is Christ than that hath made vs cleane being delyuered to death for the weakenes of the humaine body which he had receiued but he was raised to life agayne by the power of the spirite whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth any affliccions For the same tyme that his dead body was closed in the graue he being alyue in spirite pearced vnto the helles lyke as vnto men endued with mortall bodye he preached the doctryne of the gospell in his bodylye presence which those that beleued attayned saluacion and those that refused to beleue purchaced to them selues the heape of eternal damnacion euen so his body beyng laied aparte his spirite went vnto them which being deliuered of their bodies lyued in the helles and preached vnto them that nowe is the time present wherein they should receyue the rewarde of their godlines for yâ— in tymes past they â—earing the iustice of god nether reuenged them selues of euilles liued faultles among the faultye and declared that they suffred condyng punyshementes which in the daies of Noe when the Arke was furnisshed the floude was loked for that God being prouoked by mortall mennes wickednes would send vpon them beleued not but abused the gentilnes of God when they sawe the thing that he threatned put of for a certayn of yeares Therfore when the floude came it destroyed all except a very fewe that is to saye no moe but onely eight persons which according to Noes counsel went into the arke were not drowned in the floud And therefore euen in those tymes faythe wanted not hâ—â— rewarde For God suffred not those to perishe that trusted in him with al their whole herâ— Neither can the vnbeleuers escape yâ— vengeauÌ„ce of God although you be no reuengers For it is ynough for you that you obeye God but as for the punyshement of the rest refeâ—re that to hym Nowâ— that whiche Nâ—es Aâ—ke was vnto them is baptisme vnto you that same thyng that the floud was vnto them is the eternal punishement vnto the wicked and preached vnto them that obey not the gospel It was ynough for Noe to haue tolde them of the floud that was to come It was ynough to haue shewed by what meanes they myght escape the daungier
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
shoulde all together be fulfylled that all prophetes dyd euer prophecye of the kyngdome of Messias the sauiour of the whole worlde whiche is the hyghest misterye Of the whiche thinges all patriarkes and prophetes yea and the apostles also and Christ him selfe dyd speake namely of the tyme of the kyngdome of heauen that was commyng and of the commynge of Christ in his highest honour and glorye whiche shal be manifest and knowen vnto all men and vnto the whole world The texte ¶ And the voyce whiche I hearde from heauen spake vnto me againe and sayde go and take the lytle boke whiche is open in the hande of the angell which standeth vpon the sea and vpon the earth And I went vnto the angell and sayde to him geue me the lytle boke and he sayd vnto me take it and eate it vp it shal make thy belly bytter but it shal be in thy mouthe as swete as hony And I toke the lytle boke out of his hande and eate it vp and it was in my mouthe as swete as â—onâ— and assone as I hade eaten it my bellye was bytter And he sayde vnto me thou must prophecye againe amonge the people and nacions and tongues and to many kynges At this place myght the begynnyng of the .xi. muche more conueniently haue bene appoincted but it is no matter Iohn in the person of all faithfull christians and specially in the person of them whiche should be teachers in the churche of god as the holy bysshops and other apostolicall men heareth the voyce of God speakinge thus vnto him If thou wylt doe and performe thy office and vocacion truly and iustly than goe thy waye and appointe thy selfe therunto withall thy might and power and take in thy hande the holy open and mooste cleare cronicle booke of the holy gospell and worde of God receyue the same and the holy vnderstandinge therof from the holy goost thorow feruent praier And reade therin with faythe loue and moost earnest zeale of Christ hym selfe But he telleth him before that he shoulde not onely reade or synge it wryte or endyte it but that he shoulde with a moost gredy desyre euen deuoure it vp as a foode from God and as the heauenly breade of all faythfull beleuers and that â—e dygest it in to his bowels as a moost cleane and holsome foode Whiche thing can not come to passe with out bytternes of repentaunce and of sorowe and heuynes of the hearte and conscience And specially vnto him that knoweth so muche of the wyll of God and feleth that his spirite is so weake and frayle and his fleshe so wylde and dysobedient and his mynde so stubbourne and obstinate against the spirite of god Or els it may be thus vnderstandeÌ„ that whan a man vnderstandeth the worde of god and knoweth that it ought to be spred furth vnto other that is to saye to the whole churche of God and that the truth ought to be spoken vnto the blynde worlde and that it can not yet be done with out great perell danger of bodye and lyfe than is it doutles bytter vnto him But yet not withstandinge it is swete in the mouthe thorowe the comforte and ioye of the truth and thorowe the ioyful promes of the gospell of rightuousnes and holynes thorow Christ the sauiour of the whole world in al tymes Al this did Iohn in a vision and toke also further instruccion thereof as foloweth ¶ The .xi. Chapter The texte ¶ And then was geuen me a rede lyke vnto a rodde and it was sayd vnto me Ryse meat the temple of god and the aulter and them that worshyp therin and the quier whiche is within the temple cast out and meate it not for it is geuen vnto the Gentiles the holy citie shall they treade vnder fote xiii monethes And I wyll geue power vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophesye a thousande two hundered and .ix. dayes clothed in sacke clothe These are two olyue trees and two candelstyckes standynge before the God of the earth And yf any man wyll hurte them fyre shall procede out of their mouthes and consume their enemies And yf any man wil hurte them this wyse must he be kylled These haue power to shut heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their prophesyinge and haue power ouer waters to turne them to bloude and to smite the earth with all maner plages as often as they wyll THe lorde doth teuele and shewe vnto Iohn that he wyll vysyte and reforme his churche beyng so sore fallen and decaied whaÌ„ tyme shal be thorowe apostolical men and godly parsons which haue eaten vp and dysgested the booke of god and with great swetnes and plesantnes haue bene feruent and earnest to further and to set furth the wyl of God And thus he geueth hym a â—eâ—wande in his hande as he dyd also vnto Ezechiell to measure to serche out the rightuousnes of the churches and the state of euery one And specially of them whiche by reason of their office and vocacion ought to haue a speciall respecte and regarde to the seruyce of god among the whiche the bysshops and the highe most speciall doctors and teachers of the churche whiche are vnderstande and ment by the quiere for as muche as they are maisters and rulers of the quiere were the mooste wicked and vngodly And they are compared and lykened vnto the heathen and were geuen and delyuered vp vnto them to be punysshed For the heathen and vngodly and supersticious people geuen to al ydolatrie whether they be spiritual or secular they shal treade down destroy and defyle the churche of Christ a long time whiche is to be vnderstande by the xlii monethes the is to saye .iii. yeares an halfe whiche might well sygnifye .iii. hundreth yeares an halfe from the tyme that muche false doctrine many supersticious ceremonies came first into the churche against the manifest worde of God Whiche thinges sprang vp thorow yâ— pompe pryde couetousnes and presumpcion of the spiritual prelates watchmen as they named them selues and so ought to haue bene in dede by their office callyng The two witnesses of repentaunce amendement of lyfe which should take the gospel in hande againe and should restore bryng forthe the booke againe are Enoche Elyas For in the wicked tyme of the Cainites before Noes floode Enoche studyed went about without doubte bothe with word dede to reforme the world to reduce them vnto the true faith in God perfyght loue to their neyghboure againe Wherunto he was moued by the holy goost whiche did worke speake in him yea parauenture also did write thorowe him For there were once bokes of Enoche whiche nowe are not to be gotten And lyke wyse did Elyas also in yâ— time of the lawe but with a wonderfull zeale feruentnes both in word deed thorow the mocion of the holy goost whiche worketh in the ministers
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
c Hath not God made the wisedom of this worlde folishnes For the Iewes require asigne c. We preach Christe crucified c. The folishnes of God is wyser theÌ„ mâ—n God hath chosen the foâ—yâ—â—e thinges of the worlde to confounde the wyse Wâ— haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde He that is spirituall discusseth al thynges I haue plaÌ„ted Apollo watered Let no man deceiue you He compasseth the wise in theyr craftimes Ye are Christes Christe is goddes It is the Lorde that iudgeth me What haste thou that thou haste not receyued Wherefore I desire you to folowe me as I folowe Christe The kindome of God is not in wordes yf any that is called a brother bee a fornicatoure I maie doâ— all thing But al thinges are not profitable Let not the bodye bee applied vnto fornicacion For ye are dearely boughte Let euery man haue his owne wife Wythdrawe not your selfes one froÌ„ another excepte it be with consent for a time Euery man hathe his proper gift of god If they cannot abstayne lette theÌ„ marry for it is better to marry than to burne Let not the wyfe be seperated froÌ„ the husbaÌ„d For the vnbeleuâ—ng husband iâ— sanctified by the wyfe c. But and yf the vnbeleuing depart let hym departe Ye are derely boughte be not ye the seruauntes of men Lykewyse if a virgine marrye she hathe noâ— synned I would haue you without care This speake I for your profite not to tangle you in a snare He that ioyneth his virgine in mariage doeth well Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth We are sure that an image is nothyng Meate maketh vs not acceptable to god Wherfore if meate hurte my brother â–ª c. Haue I not seene Iesus Christ our lorde But woe is it vnto me if I preache not the gospell Let rather him that thinketh he standeth c. For why is my libertie iudged c. The maÌ„ is yâ— womans head c. Neither was the maÌ„ created for the womaÌ„s sake Let a man eâ—amâ—â— hymselfe so let him eate of the breade and drinke of the cup. He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men for theyr edifying Let hym that speaketh with toÌ„gue pray that he may interprete also Prophecy serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which beleue For God is no causer of strife but of peace For yf the deade ryse not againe theÌ„ is Christ not rysen agayne By out reioysing whiche I haue in Christe Iesu out lorde I dye dayly All fleshe is not one maner of flesh The fyrste manne is of the earth earthly Death is swalowed vp in victorie c. For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye c. Not that we be lordes oâ—eâ— youre fayth But we haue this treaâ—ure in earthen vessels We are knowen wel ynough vnto God For if we be to feruente to God are we to feruente Therfore yf any man be in Christe he is a new creature God was in Christe and made agremente betwene the world and hymselfe By the armoure of ryghteousnesse I promise vnto you like rewarde as vnto children We haue huâ—t â—o maÌ„ we haue defrauded no man God that comforteth the abiecte comforted vs by the cuÌ„myng of Titus Godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saiuacion There was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorowe the fleshe For my strengthe is made perfect thorow weakenesse For in nothing was I inferioure vnto the chiefe Apostles For I seâ—â— not yours but you Dyd I pyll you by any of them whoÌ„ I sent vnto you We can do nothyng againste the trueth but for the trueth But â—y Iâ—sê° Christ and by God the father Whiche called you by grace vnto an other gospel Either go I aboute to please men For if I had hitherto studied to please men c. For I neither receiued it nor learned it of man I communed not of yâ— matur with fleshe and bloude I wâ—t vp by reuelacion coÌ„muned â—â— them And that because of incuÌ„mers c. I withstode hym openâ—y He dyd eate with the GeÌ„tiles And yâ— other Iewes disseÌ„bled aswelas he If thou beyng a Iew. c A man is not iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe Is Christ theÌ„ the minister of synne Not I but Christ liueth in me c. I dispise not the grace of God c. That ye should not beleue yâ— truth To Abraham and his seede were the promises made For if the inheritaunce cuÌ„ of the law c. The lawe was addeâ— because of transgressioÌ„ But yâ— scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne That we mighte be â—â—de righteous through feyth For ye are yâ— chyldren of god because ye beleue it For ye are al one in Christ Iesu Thaâ— we through eleccion myghte receyue thinheritaunce But now after that ye haue knowen God c. How is it that ye turne againe vnto the weake beggerly ordinauÌ„ces c. Ye haue not hurt me at al. I would I wer with you now â— coâ—â—â— chaunge my voyce Abraham had two soÌ„nes c. For these are two testameÌ„tes â–ª c. But Ierusalem whiche is aboue â—s free c. Put awayâ— the bond womanne wtâ—â—â— sonne As manye of you as are â—â— stified by the lawe c. Who was a lette to you yâ— ye should not beleue the truthe Why do I thâ—n suffer persecucion For the lawe is fulfilled in one word c. The fleshe lusteth coÌ„trary to yâ— spirit The dedes oâ— the fleshe c. are thâ—se adultrie c. Consideryng thy selfe lest yâ— be tempted Beare ye one anothers burdaine Be not deceiued God iâ—m not mocked When the time â—o come we shâ—l reape without weâ—â—yn â— Wherby the worlde is cruâ—â—â—ified vnto me I vnto the world I beare in my bodye the markes of yâ— lorde Iesu Grace be vnto you â— peace Blessed bee God the father According as he had chosen vs. Through loue Which ordayned vs. To the praise of the glory of his grace In al wisdome and prudence According to his good pleasure That â—e may to his prayse In whome we also Which is yâ— earnest Vnto the praise of his glorye May geue vnto you yâ— spirite of â—â—sedome He hath wrought in Christe c. And hath made him aboue all thinges the head In the children of unbeliefe And were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrathe But God whiche is riche in mercie By grace are ye made safe Iâ— is the gift of god For we are his workemanship Vnto good workes whiche god ordayned Hauing no hope Gene .xxii. But nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesu For be is ouâ— peace Through his fleshe Making peace To you which were a ferre of By â—â—uelation shewed he this mestery vnto me Vnto me the least of al Saintes is this grace geuen c. That he â—â—ulâ— graunt you accordiÌ„g to yâ— riches oâ— his glory which is father of all Ye beeyng rooted and grounded in loue myght bee hable to coÌ„prehende Unto hym that is hable The houseband is the wiues head