to forsake synne in the whiche we haue walked in tymes paste for lacke of knowledge and in that we haue obeyed our olde man and his concupiscence to muche / whiche bryngeth to deathe Gala. 5. and. Roma 8. The affeccion of the flesshe is death Therfore let vs put awaye the olde man with all his carnall desyres or lustes alway redy to synne and to swarne frome the trueth of goddes worde / and brynge to death / and let vs be renued in the spyryte and put on a newe man made after God in all iustice and vertue that moueth vs al alwaye to vertu and goodnes By the putting away of the olde man he vnderstandeth the puttynge away of al sinne / as to put away vanite of minde darkenes / ignorance of god / blynde obstynacye of harte vnsorowfulnes for synne / vncleanes and al other vices / and in their places to putte on vertues / and desyre to folowe goddes worde / knowledge of it / redynesse to apply hiÌ„ selfe to do goddes wyll and pleasure in all trueth and iustice iustice / and suche doth appere to be renued by the spirite of god / whose olde lyfe in sinne doth displease and a newe lyfe in vertue doth please / whose mynde is wyllynge and glad to knowe the trueth and to lyue after the trueth of goddes worde in al vertue and goodnes ⧠Wherfore put awaye lyenge and speake euery man the trueth with his neyghbour for as much as we are membres one of another Be angrye but synne nat let nat the sonne go downe vpon youre wrathe / neyther gyue place to the backebyter / he that hathe stolen / let hym steale no more / but let him laboure rather and do some good with his handes that he may haue to gyue to him that nedeth ☞ The Apostle here exhortethe men to to put awaye certayne vyces and to take in theyr places vertue Fyrst he exhorteth men to put away lyenge / by lyeng he vnderstandeth all crafte / sotteltye / falsed / deceyte / in worde or in dede / by the which crafty men deceyueth other that be simple or osuche as feare no crafte / gyle or falsed / in bargaynynge / as in seilynge byenge or in other busynes of the worlde necessarely to be vsed amongeste men in this worlde / and vnderlyenge may be conteyned delayenge of matters to deceyue men / to make them spende more monye for the expedytion of their matters And in this is reproued lawers and all other that delaye matters for lucre sake Here is also reproued all them that falslye accuse and sclaunder other / that go aboute to deceyue another by fayre speakynge / goodly wordes or ê“myses when they intende to do nothynge Here is also reproued all maner of flattery or dissemblynge ye all periury in selliÌ„ge of theyr wayre / whiche vyce is so comonly vsed vnponyshed of god or of man / that in a maner it is counted a vertue / and he to be best seruaunte that can with most periurye and greateste swerynge deceyue his chapman But let suche repent and ameÌ„de them selues / for god wyll nat suffre vnponyshed his holy name so to be taken in vaine / so vnreuerently to be brought for a testimony in a false matter and a dissembled purpose / God wyll nat suffre periurye vnponished / but he wyl eyther punysh it here in this world / or els in the worlde to come or in both / in this worlde / and also in the worlde to come And in this worlde suche periured persons god punysheth ofte with corporall punyshementes / as with pouertye sickenes / diseases / and with vnfaythfulnes that they be leaste beleued / that be moste swerers / men were wonte to cry out of them that dyd eate egges butter / mylk chese / and other lyke white meate in lente seson / and helde their peace at periurye / vnreuerente takynge the name of God in vayne / and bryngynge in it to be wytnesse or recorde in a false matter / for the whiche god threateneth punyshemente Deulero 5. Sayenge he that taketh the nayme of God in vayne shall nat be vnpunyshed / at the breakynge of Goddes lawe / we holde our peace / at the breaken of mannes lawe we crye out / and call them loosers and heretykes that eate white meate in lent season / whiche is a laweful thyng by goddes lawe / and maye lawfully be done / so it be nat done with contempte of the authoryte and with offendicle of wayke persons / and agaynste their conscience / thynkynge that thynge vnlaweful / and yet eate it agaynste conscyence / to take the name of god in vayne is alway vnlaweful / and forbydden by goodes lawe 2 Also the Apostle nat onely forbyddeth lyenge / but he coÌ„maundeth that men shall speake the trueth / and that symply plainly without all dissemblyng in wordes and in dedes / and to kepe the profitable trueth towardes all men alwaye as well in bargaynes as without byenge and sellynge choppynge or chanynge And here the Apostle reachethe that it is the offyce of a faythfull preachers nat onely to reproue vyce vsed amongest men / but also to shewe a medsyne for euery vice / and to heale the vyce with his propre medsyne to set vertu in the place of synne / synne clerely put awaye 3 This place reproueth them that go aboute to deceyue theyr neyghboure by crafte / falsed surelty or by any crafty meanes / and specially these that be symple / trusteth no falsed beleuynge that no man wolde deceyue them / yf they myght / but alacke for petie / that crafte / falsed / and periury / is suffred of rulers and Magistrates vnpunysshed / as they were nat forbyd of God / but at mannes pleasure and wyll / so synne vnpunyshed / is counted oftymes to be no synne / or small synne / ye peradueÌ„ture a vertue a worldely wysdome / and a good wordly polycye / a sygne of a wyse felowe that wylt thryue so to vse crafte / falsed is reckened to be thristey but howe someuer suche shryue before the worlde / they thryue nat before God almyghtye that forbyddeth suche thryfte / and coÌ„dempneth all suche thryuers / ye ieyrers brekers of his lawe 4 He sheweth the cause why we shulde nat vse crafte or falsed one to deceyue another / the cause is that we be membres of one body / one membre doth nat decyue another / nor wyll nat hurte another / but laboureth for another / as the hande dothe nat hurte the heade the legge or the foote but wyll laboure for them and prouyde that they wante nothynge or that they be nat hurte / or any other wayes nooed / and wyll in no wyse deceyue them / so shuld we all do one to another / seynge we be membres of Cstristes bodye / and one labour in trueth for another without deceyte / crafte or falsed as membres doth 6 Be angry but synne nat The Apostle wolde we shulde
also in all inwarde thynges as in wyll / in mynde / in harte / in thought and without al murmure / shewe hyr wyllynge and glad obedience to hyr husbaÌ„de / as the wyll coÌ„maundement of god is 4 For the man is the heade of the womaÌ„ Here he sheweth a cause why the woman shulde obeye the man / for the man is the head of the woman / it becoÌ„meth euery one to be obedient to his heade / seyng the man is the heade of the woman / it becommeth the woman to be obedient to the maÌ„ as to hyr heade / the maÌ„ is called the heade of the woman / for as out of the head doth come all necessarye thynges to feade and cherysshe other partes of the bodye wherby they lyue / so it perteyneth to the man to prouyde all necessaryes for the woman that shew maye lyue / the heade hath nat rule ouer the other partes that it shulde vse any tyranny or cruelnes ouer the other ê“tes So the man is the heade ouer the woman / nat that he shulde vse tyranny or cruelnes ouer the woman or vse the woman as they lyste / other wayes then becoÌ„meth or after an vngodly facyon or maner / but that he shulde prouyde all necessaries for the woman / defende hyr / kepe hyr / and saue hyr 5 As the congregacion is in subiectyon to Christe / lykewyse le the wyues be in subiection to their husbandes in all thynges The wyues must be obedient to their husbaÌ„des as the coÌ„gregation is to Christ The congregation onely cleaue to Christ and to none other / onely loueth Christe / heareth Christe and seruyth Christe / and studyeth to please Chrise So muste the wyfe onely cleaue to hyr husbande / be obedyent to hyr husbande / serue hyr husbande please hyr husbande / and kepe hyr selfe to hyr husbande to no mo This place reproueth all those that be disobedient / to their husbandes / do nat serue theyr husbandes wyllyngely and gladly / do nat loue theyr husbandes / but other better then them / or as well as them / that be complayners of their husbandes / nor kepe them onely to theyr husbandes / but wyll haue other besydes theyr husbandes All suche the Apostle here reproueth and willeth they shuld amende ⧠Ye husbandes loue your wyues / euen as Christe loued the congregation / and gaue hym selfe for yt / to sanctyfye it and clensed it in the fontayne of water by the word to make it vnto hym selfe a gloryeous congregation hauyng no spot nor wrynkle nor any suche thynge but that it shulde be holy and without blame ☞ Nowe he sheweth the duetye of the husbande to his wyfe / whose deuty is nat to hapte to contemne or despise his wyfe / but to loue hyr as his owne flesshe and as his selfe to make of hyr / and cheryshe hyr / kepe hyr honestly and se that she want no thynge necessary The Apostle prescribeth a faction or a fourme howe the man shulde loue his wyfe / euen as Christe hath loued his Churche / for the whiche wyllyngely he dyd dye / that he myght pourge / make cleane / and sanctyfie it to hym self / make it a glorious an holy Churche / without all spot or wrykle / and without all faute or blame So ought the man to loue his wyfe euen as him selfe / and so with loue to embrase hyr that he wolde gladly dye / yf necessite so shulde constrayne hym for hyr sake rather then he wolde suffer hyr to peryshe / he wolde put his lyfe in al ieoperdie and peryll And if he shall at any tyume perceyue his wyfe wrynkled / spotted / or with any vices poluted with syckenes diseases or any other wayes troubled with vyce / synne / or syckenes That then he shuld nat set at lytle or contemne his wyfe / seke to be ryd of hyr / and dyuorsed from hyr / but he shulde then seke all wayes and meanes for remedy for hyr / yf she be diseased with syckenesse / se that she lacke nothynge necessarye for hyr / that hs is able eyther by labour or goodes to get for hyr Prouyde remedies that maye be gotten by mannes helpe / conforte hyr in wordes and dedes / and say she shall lacke nothynge that may do hyr good as longe as you haue one peny / or may get by your labour / yf she be aged / wrinkled or nat fayre / she is nat to be dispised for hir age wrinckle or foulnes / but to be made of and cherysshed / because she is your wyfe gyuen to you of God / to be loued eueÌ„ as you do loue your owne bodye / be she yonge or aged / wrynkled for vnwrynkled / fayre or full / good or badde No man despiseth his owne body / be yt neuer So desformed / aged / wrynkled / foule / fat / wayke syckly or any other wayes deseased so man may nat dispyse his wyfe for hyr infirmities or diseases / but study to remedye them yf it be possible yf thy wyfe be euyll / euyl tonged / spotted with synne and noughty lyuynge other wayes then goddes lawe wyll / it is the deutye of the husbande to correcte refourme and amende his wyfe by alwayes and meanes that is possible / nat to conteÌ„ne hir for hir noughtines / to forsake hyr and leue hyr and take another / to vpbrad hyr of hyr noughtines to blase abrode hyr synnes vyces / to hyr and his rebuke and shame / but to couer hyde hyr synnes and fautes as muche as shall lye in hym / to studye howe by what meanes he maye amende hyr and make of on euyll woman a good woman / whiche thynge may be by gentle exhortation / couÌ„sell and dissuasion frome synne yf nat for loue of god / yet for shame rebuke and confusion of the worlde / for feare of punyshemente of God eyther in this worlde or at leaste in the worlde to come / or els in both So it is the offyce of the husbande yf he haue an euyll wyfe / to studye by his wysedome to make hyr good / to correcte hyr fautes to remedye them / and to make hyr holy and vertuous as Christ pourgeth his churche spotted and polluted with synne and made it holy and fautles in his syght 2 Here is shewed howe Christ hath purged his Churche / truely in the fountayne of water by his worde / althoughe God of his mere mercy and goodnes / without al maÌ„nes desertes or merites / onely for Christes sake hath wasshed and pourged man frome synne / yet he vseth a meane by the whiche he clenseth men frome sine which is by baptyme in water by the worde of god / and so in baptyme is our sinnes take awaye / and we frome synnes purged / clensed and regenerated in a new man / to lyue an holy lyfe accordynge to the spirite and wyll of god / it is nat the water that wasshe vs frome out synnes /
A commentary in Englyshe vpon Sayncte Paules Epystle to the Ephesyans / for the instruccyon of them that be vnlerned in tonges / gathered out of the holy scriptures and of the olde catholyke Doctours of the Churche / and of the beste authors that nowe a dayes do wryte Anno. D. 1540 ♣ Per Zanceloâ—um Ridleum Cantabrigenseni ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum A preface of the Author to the reader GRACE MERCYE and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Chryst / be vnto al them that loueth / fauoureth / and promotethe the truthe of Goddes worde Amen ♣ Many and dyuers causes moued me to wryte this Commentary in Englyshe / O gentyle reader for theyr sakes whiche do nat vnderstaÌ„de Latyn but onely rede Englysshe / to helpe the rude and ignoraunce people to more knowlege of God and of his holy worde Because I perceyue fewe or none to go about to open by commentaries or exposicions in Englyshe to the vnlearned to declare the holy Scriptures nowe suffered to all people of this realme to rede to study at their pleasure to their edifyenge and comforte in god by the kynges gracyous lycence / for the whiche thiÌ„g bye thankes is to be gyuen to God and laud praise to the kiÌ„ges highnes that so teÌ„dereth the helth saluacyon of hê subiectes that wylleth they shal lacke nothyng that may be to their comforte and soules helth and specyally that they shall nat lacke the worde of God / whiche is the foode of the soule Math. 4. that saueth the soule Iacobi 1. the armour onely wherby the deuil and all hys temtacyons is withstande / resysted ouercommen Ephesyans .6 the meane wherby God doth saue them that beleue 1. Corin. 1. ye the spyryte and the lyfe .1 that bryngeth the spyryte of God and lyfe euerlastynge Because I could percayue fewe or none to go aboute to open and declare thys worde of lyfe to the Englysshe people vnlearned in tonges that it myghte be lyfe in dede / whyche nowe vndeclared to them but onelye had in the bare Lettre do appere to many rather deathe then lyfe / rather to brynge men in to errours and heresyes / then into the truethe and veryte of Goddes worde / whiche nowe vndeclared bryngeth not so muche the symple / rude / and ignoraunte people frome they re ignoraunte / blyndnes / corrupte and backewarde iudgementes / false trustes / euyll beleues / vayne superstycyousnes and fayned holynes / in the whyche the people haue bene in blyndnes longe tyme for lacke of knowledge of holye Scripture which the man of Rome kepte vnder the hatche wolde nat suffer to com to lyght to delyuer the seruauÌ„tes of God from ignoraunce and blyndnes / but wolde haue kepte them alway in darkenes / that his vsurped power shulde nat haue ben espied / his worldely glorye menysshed and his profyte decayed Bycause I dyd se none go aboute to delyuer the rude people frome theyr blyndnes ignoraunce or errours by any exposicion in Englishe vpon the Scriptures but many to study rather to continewe them styl in errours and in blynde ignoraunce therfore I as one of the least lerned of al hath set forth and expocision to this Epystel of Saynt Paule to the Ephesyans as afore this in the Epystel of Iude the Apostle of Chrest that the people that can but onely rede Englishe may the better know part of the holsome doctryne of saynt Paule may be delyuered from theyr ignoraunce and blindenes / corrupte and backewarde iudgementes / euyll oppynions / rooted in theyr hartes / false trustes and vayne supersticyousnes / whiche the holy Ghoste here speakynge in Saynt Paule reproueth and coÌ„demneth / and teacheth nessysarye thynges for mannes saluacyon as you maye here se and reade in thys exposicyon wherein I haue as it hathe pleased God to gyue his grace opened the holy scriptures shewynge the true vse of them / and wherfore they serue And in this thynge to be done I haue vsed the helpe of tonges as of the Greke / Hebrewe and the Latyne tonges / and the helpe of the olde Catholyke Doctours approued by the Churche and also of the beste authors that in these dayes nowe do wryte / and of them al gathered out that after my iudgement shuld declare the Scripture beste and moste for the glory of God and / and for the edyfyenge of the chrystians vnlearned in tonges / as maye be sene throughout all thys Exposycyon ☞ The seconde cause that moued me to this was to dyscharge my conscience knowynge the gyftes of God gyuen to be dyuerse / gyuen to euery man nat to be idle / but to exercyse hym selfe in hys talentes gyuen / to the glory of God and to the profyte of other In this my talente gyuen of God / al thought I knowe it is the leaste of all it is my deutye nat to be idle / but to exercise my talente in all maner of wayes to promote and set forthe Goddes worde to edifie other / to do this thing I thought no waye more to Goddes glorye and to the edyfyenge of other / then to set fourthe an exposycyon of some parte of holy Scripture to brynge men vnlearned to the loue and desyre of holye Scrypture whyche is the true worde of the spyryte of God to the whiche thynge the vnlearned shall be broughte to when they shall se and clerely perceyue so muche holsome doctryne / so many godly vertues shewed in one litle Epystle of Saynt Paule / what godly lessons and Spyrytuall teachynges shulde they haue in the hole Byble yf it were in like maner declared vnto them syth there is so muche heauenly teachynges in one lytle Epystle of Saynte Paule ⧠The thyrde cause was to exhorte other that be muche better learned than I that can do muche better to set fourth some parte of the holy Scripture in Englyshe or in Latyne to shewe the goodnes of God to vs Englyshemen / to shewe that God is the God of Englande as well as of Fraunce / Italye / Germanye / or other countrees And that he hathe shewed hys truethe as well in Englande as in these countreys For God is not the acceptor of personnes or of countres In Englande be men of no lesse wytte / wysedome / learnynge / eloquence / then be in Fraunce / Italye / Germanye / or other countres ye I wyl not speake of more wysedome and learnynge / leaste I shulde be counted percy all to my countre Ye I doubte not but Englyshe men shulde gyue as greate light to the worde of God as euer dyd these countres / yf they wolde applye theyr studye wyttes and myndes to wryte vpon the holy Scrypture and in wrytynge declare it Which thynge many learned men wolde do / yf hye rulers whome God hath set in authoryte to be defenders and promoters of hys worde / wolde excyte and prouoke learned men ther vnto And wheÌ„ a Commentary of the holy scrypture were
necessary to kepe them / but that health may be without them / nor yet they are nat to be kepte vnder the payne of daÌ„nacyon of the soule For lyfe euerlastynge may be without cyrcumcision and other suche lyke ceremonial and iudicial lawes whiche be abrogate and taken away / that it is in a mannes liberty to kepe them or nat kepe them It is no vertue to kepe theÌ„ nor synne to omytte them And contrary it is no synne to do theÌ„ excepte any shulde haue lyke opynion in them as the Iewes had / that they thynke they muste nedes kepe them orels they can nat be saued / to thynke they be iustified by the keypynge of suche ceremonial and iudiciall lawes and shall obtayne by the meanes of them forgyuenes of synne and eternall lyfe / in that opinion to kepe these lawes is synne after the gospell preached by Christe and hys apostles / as touchynge morall preceptes Christe hathe nat taken them awaye / but that they shall nat be done for feare of the lawe / for feare of hell / and the punyshmeÌ„t therof / but for the loue of god / with al gladnes of herte 3. That of twayne he myght create one newe man in hym selfe For what ende purpose Christe abrogated the ceremonials and iudicial lawes he sheweth / that is that he shulde make of two people one people eternall to him / that the one shulde nat contemne the other / as the Iues contemned the Gentyles before / and the Gentyles the Iues but that they shulde agree in one god Christe Iesus the sauyour of all / and in the true worshyp and faythe by the whiche bothe the Iues and the Gentyles shulde be saued iustified before God and nat thorogh any obseruances of the lawe that all men shulde knowe the lyfe and healthe of man nat to be in cyrcumcision outwarde / in ceremonies / in sacrifices in inuencion and religyon or merites of men nor in the worshyp of ydoles / nor in supersticiousnes of maÌ„nes religion / but alone in Christe that no man shulde reioyce in any other but in the lorde and in the crosse of Iesu Christe Gala. 6. So Christe hathe reconcyled the Iues and the GeÌ„tyles takyng from them bothe / parte of theyr pleasure / from the Iues cyrcumcision / ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes / from the Gentyles idolatry and lechery In the whiche thynges bothe partes had greate pleasure in / so Christe hathe reconcyled the Iewes and the Gentyles in that he toke awaye the hatred and the cause of theyr hatred So I thynke amonges vs nowe shall hatred cease and we shall all be made one / sythe the cause of our hatred is nowe taken away by the kynges magestyes commauÌ„dement The hatred that was amonges vs for the moste parte was for the worshyppynge of stockes / stones / blockes paynted and gylted / nowe these be taken away I soppose a greate parte of our hatred to cease and charite to encrease to the glory of god and the profite of many 4. Howe Christ hath reconciled vs synners to the fauour of the father agayne here is shewed that was by the crosse / that is to say by Christe a full sacrifice and a sufficient oblacion for al the synnes of the worlde / by the whiche oblation of Christê body ones offred vp for all synners / al were made parfit reconciled / had forgeuenesse of synÌ„es made beloued to god the father and heyres of his kyndome by Christ that dyed on the crosse for our redemption slauation / iustification and lyfe eternall 5. And came and preached peace in the gospell to you that were farre of / that is Christe preached peace and quietnesse in the hertes of the Gentiles whiche was counted farre frome the peace / fauour and loue of god And this peace was wroghte by thre outwarde preachyng of the gospell and the inwardes workynge of the holy goste So was peace broght bothe to the Iewes and the Gentiles throught Christ by no other meanes thaÌ„ by his death of the crosse 6. If Christe hath take away these thynges that was of a necessite coÌ„maunded of god to be kepte because they were no more profitable for the people Howe muche more shuld no man merueyle nowe if some institutions and religions of men be now taken awaye by goddes worde / whiche be nat profitable to man / nor yet to the glory of god / which do cause muche false trustes suê‘stitiousnes / erronious opynions / false iudgementes / backwarde iudgemeÌ„tes / ydolatry / and hyndereth the trewe honour of god and faythe in Christe Iesê° / and hathe made men to put theyr truste of healthe saluation in other then in Christe / and so brought men to death damnation / from the whiche daÌ„natioÌ„ to delyuer vs / Christe suffred death on the crosse / and brought to all beleuers and kepers of goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes lyfe euerlastyng in al ioy blysse ⧠For by hym we bothe haue entraÌ„ce in one spirite vnto the father ¶ Of these thynges that go before saynte Paule nowe sheweth playnely that by Christe only the way to the father of heauen is made open to all men / bothe to the Iues and Gentyles / and that the Gentyles be aswell of the housholde of god as the Iues / and made heyres of the kyngedome of god by Christe / and the waye to the father open to the Gentyles as to the Iewes and that by Christe 2. In that the waye is made open to all men by Christe and by none other / saynte Paule reproueth those that wolde men shulde go and desyre sayntes departed to praye for them that by the intercession of sayntes departed men myght come to the father without Christe We thynke it is folyshnes to leue the waye to the father of heauen appoynted and assygned vs in the scripture and to seke another way not spoken of in the scripture / sythe it is so that we be vncertayne whether that sayntes departed be in that state that they wyll or be meane for vs to the father or no Whether they here vs callynge to them or no Whether they knowe our necessite or no whether they be hard of the father and optayne theyr purpose or no Of these thynges we haue no certaynty by the scriptures / wherfore I thynke it mete in this behalfe to be content with teachynges of the holy scripture which teacheth al necessary truthes for mannes saluacion / and nat to seke another waye to the father then the scripture teacheth Saynte Paule sayeth here that the waye to the father is made open to all men nat by Petre / Paule / Iohan / or Iames / Mary / or Magdelene but by Christ which is the mediato r bytwene god and man 1. Timo. 2. Saynte Paule sayeth there is but one mediato r bytwene vs the father we make many without the scriptures howe do we and S. Paule agree Howe do lyght darcknes agree Forthermore I se as yet no
the same As perauenture some desperate noughtye felowes be amonges vs that thought whoredome / fornycation / adultery / fylthye speakynge and vncomly raylynge / vncomely gesture couetousnes / to be no synnes / nor no displeasure to god / but fornication or lechery to be man hed or propre to man / fylthy raylynge or gestyng to be good pastyme / and that God wolde nat be greately displeased with suche lytyl fautes / so they did extenuat and make lytle or no fautes these crymes and synnes that God called great fautes and obomynable synnes before him / and so cared nothynge for goddes inhibition of these synnes / but played it awaye / laughynge / mockynge and scornynge at goddes commaundemente / that no man shulde do so / or thynke fornicatioÌ„ adulterye whoredome / couytousnes / to be no synnes before god but to knowe them for greate synnes for the whiche God threateneth so greuouse punyshemente as expulsion frome heauen and that none shulde thynke these vices / to be no synne before God The Apostle sayeth that the vengeauÌ„ce of god to come for fornication adulterye / whoredome / couetousnes / and suche lyke vyces aboue rehersed / he threateneth payne and punishment that none shulde haue pleasure any more in theÌ„ / that none shulde commyt them for feare of punyshement / and that none shulde commyt these synnes / and thynke to escape vnpunysshed / or that God wyll wynke at these fautes and suffer them vnpunysshed And nat onely the vengeaunce of god wyl com vpon all them that commyt these fautes and vyces / but also vpon all them / that do consente or approue them any wayes / for lucre vantage / profyte / pleasure / or for feare of man / or that do knowe them to be vsed / and wyl nat correcte and reproue / and studye to amende them that in these damnable synnes offende god / punyshemente vpon these sinners and conseÌ„ters to them for doers and consenters are worthy lyke payne Roma 1. 7 Let vs learne here for what thynges commeth the wrath of god vpon disobedient chyldren Nat for egges eatynge vpoÌ„ the fryday / for eatyng of fleshe vpon same Laurence euen / for breakyng of Thomas Beckectes daye in Christenmasse / nat for eatynge whyte meate in lent / but for fornication adulterye / whoredome / vnclennes / couetousnes fylthy speakyng / and folyshe speakynge whiche often tymes be cause of noughtye maners / for by euyll speakynge the good is corrupted made euyl by euyll coÌ„pany or coÌ„munication of euyl ⧠For some tyme ye were darkenes / but nowe are ye lyghte in the Lorde walke as the Chyldren of lyght for the frute of the spirite is all maner of goodnes and ryghtuousnes and truth and proue what is pleasynge vnto the Lorde / and haue no felowshyppe with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes but rather rebuke them for it is shame euen to name those thynges whiche are done of theÌ„ in secrete But all thynges are manyfeste when they are rebuked of the lyghte for what soeuer is manifest that same is lyght Therfore sayth he Awake thou that slepest and stande vp frome the deade and Christe shall gyue the lyght ¶ Of the vocation of men / nowe he exhorteth them to holynes of lyfe / sayenge you were some tyme darkenes / nowe you belyght in the lorde / and delyuered frome darkenes and from synne Walke therfore as it becoÌ„meth children of lyght to walke in all goodnes / iustice / equite / and trueth / whiche be fruites of the spirit of god / the Apostle willeth alway that we shuld haue before our eies / what we were / and what we are oure selfe without the grace of God / that we are darkenes of the whiche no lyghte dothe come but by the grace of God / we be made lyght in the Lorde and nat by our owne merytes or deseruynges that we shulde brynge furthe workes of lyght to the glorye of god / and to the profyte of other Math. 5. 2. He sheweth howe we shulde walke as chyldren of lyght / that is to brynge forth fruites of the spirite / in al goodnes / iustice and trueth / sekynge alway these thynges that maye please god / hauynge no coÌ„pany with workes of darkenes / but reprouyng them and the doers of euyl that they may repent and amende 3 He sheweth that he is ashamed to tell all there fautes that they secretly do thinkynge theÌ„ to be no synne / but after warde they be examined by the lyghte / they be knowen to be synne / and these that hathe done them are ashamed and repent study to refourme and amende themselfes 4 He moueth men to arise from sleepe and from synne and from deadly workes by repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe and he promyseth that God wyll be mercyfull to all penytente persons and that wyll amende they re lyfe and lyue a newe lyfe ⧠Take hede therfore howe you walke circumspectely / nat as the vnwyse / but as the wyse / and redeme the tyme / for it is a myserable tyme / wherefore be nat ye vnwyse but vnderstaÌ„de what the wyl of the Lorde is âš¹ The Apostle monisheth meÌ„ to take hede with whome hey walke / with whom they vse company or be conuersaunt / and that the walke circumspectely nat as vnwyse men but as wysemen / and as it becommeth wyse men to do / yf they wyl reproue men / loke that they reproue thinges worthy to be reproued / and that in tyme and place / as becommeth wysemen to do / and as for there workes / loke they be suche as please God / nat of mannes inuention / but ordinated of god for vs to walke in 2 Redemyng the tyme / that is watchiÌ„g all oportunite of tyme to do good / to reproue synne in tyme and place conuenient / or elles amendynge tyme paste / euyll spente in idlenes / in wyl workes omyttynge goddes workes / or in synnes and pleasures of the flesshe or in other euyll workes to the whiche moueth / the worlde / the fleshe / and the noughtye tyme / whiche moueth men to euyll 3 For the dayes be euyl / the dayes be called euyll / because of the malyce of maÌ„ whiche is done vpon dayes / for the dayes are good for they are the creaturê of god / and so are good 4 Therfore be nat vnwyse / but vnderstande what the wyll of the lorde is They are vnwyse that do nat seke tyme place to speake well and to do good / that seke more the glory of man then of God / that desyre to knowe the wyl of man more theÌ„ of god This place sheweth many to be foles that thynke them selfe wyse men / that be more diligent to knowe the law of man then of God / that be well learned in mannes lawe / and ignoraunt in goddes lawe / that be wysemen in maÌ„nes lawe / ideote fooles in goddes lawe This place reproueth all them that be very diligente in
but Christe by his worde and his spirite gyuen to vs in baptyme that washeth away our synnes that we haue of Adam by carnall nature 3 In that the Apostle sayth that Christ hath clenseth his Church in the fountaine of water by the worde / he sheweth playnely that baptyme is a mene wherby Christ taketh away origynall synne maketh al them that be baptysed in the name of the father / the sonne / and the holy ghoste / accordynge to christes institution Math. 28. to be clensed frome al synne of Adam and yf they be of age or they be baptysed throughe fayth in the promyse of God by his worde takyng vpon them baptyme as was many in the Apostles tyme / at the preachynge of the Apostles were conuerted frome theyr synnes beleued in Christe and were christened / and so deliuered from they re synnes and were saued This place of sante Paul maketh against the Anabaptystes that wolde nat haue chyldren to be christened / whiche is a deuyllysshe and a damnable heresye worthy great punyshement yf we ve christen men our office is to bryng euery man as much as in vs is to Christe / that synners may be clensed from theyr synne and be saued Chyldren be borne in synne and shall be damned yf they be nat clensed from theyr synne / althoughe god do pourge vs frome synne onely / yet he vseth meanes wherby he taketh and wassheth away our synnes that meanes sayeth saynte Paule here is by the fountayne of water in the worde of God / by the whiche meanes Christe purgeth his Church and his Congregacion Chyldren are of the Churche or Congregation of God Wherfore chyldren muste nedes be christened / or elles they are nat purged of theyr synnes / nor shall nat be saued without baptyme / whiche is the meane to purge and wasshe them frome theyr synnes And therfore baptyme is counted of saynte Paule to Tyt. 3. the fountayne of regeneration and renuynge of the holy ghoste whiche god hathe powred vpon vs abundantly by Iesus Christ our sauiour This saynge of saynt Paul proueth that chyldren of necessytie muste be christened or elles they can nat be pourged of theyr synnes / nor yet saued by Christ and come to lyfe euerlastynge Wherfore the Anabaptistes that wolde nat haue chyldren to be christened / they shewe them selfes that they wolde nat haue chyldren to be purged from their sinne and be saued / yf they wolde haue chyldren saued / they wold nat denye to them the meanes wherby Christ purgeth his Churche frome synnes and saueth it / which is by baptyme as here appereth Secondly / yt may be prouid by many places of the holy scripture that chyldreÌ„ must nedes be chrystened / or elles they can nat be saued / except god of this absolute power do saue them Besides these places of Paul all redy brought whiche hath euydentely proued that chyldren muste nedes be christened / it also proueth sayncte Iohan. 3. sayenge Excepte a man be borne agayne of the holye ghost and of water / he can nat enter into the kyngdome of heauen To be borne againe of the holy ghoste and of water / it is to be christened / as Paul sheweth to TituÌ„ 3. where as baptyme is called the fountaine of regeneration and of renuyng of the holy ghost Chryldren therfore must be christened / yf they shall entre in to the kyngedome of heauen / and be partakers of lyfe celestial The thyrde reason to proue this same thynge as there was none saued in the tyme of Noes flode / that was out of the shyppe of Noe / but onely those that wâ—â— within the shyp / so in our tyme none is sauyd with out baptyme / this symilitude vseth S. Peter 1. Pe. 3. Therfore chyldren yf they shal be sauyd must be baptised The fourth reason / what was the see and the cloude to the israelites when Moyses was theyr captayne and passed throughe the reade see / the same thynge to vs nowe is baptyme / as sayeth Paule 1. Corin. 10. thyse was a figure of our baptysme / but none of the isriaelites was saued that dyd nat goo throughe the reade se and entred the cloude with Moyses / so shall none be saued nowe that haue nat ben christened / it pertayneth therfore to the saluacion of chyldren that they shal be christened The fyfte reason he that hath nat the spirite of god he is nat of god / nor of Christe RomanÌ„ 3. Chyldren haue the spirite of Christe / yf they be of Christ and shal be saued / the spirite of Christe / and Christ him selfe they receyue by baptyme / wytnessing saynte Paule Gala. 3. where he sayethe Who soeuer are chrystened they haue put on Christe fyrst he sayeth ye that are christened / and then ye haue put on Christe so that christening goeth before the putting on of Christ / chyldren therfore before they receyue Christe they muste be christened ♣ The syxt reason They that wyl nat be obedient to the ordinaunce of God shal be damned Roma 13. Christe hathe ordinated that all people and reasonable creatures shal be christened Math. 28. Marc. 16 chyldren are people and resonable creatures Wherefore it foloweth that children muste be christened or elles they shall be damned iÌ„ hel for euermore But that children shall nat daÌ„ned / it appereth Mat 19. where Christe reproueth his disciples that wolde nat suffer chyldren to come to hym / where he sayeth to his dysciples / let nat these chyldren to come to me / he toke these chyldren in his armes and layde his hande vpon theyr heades and blessed theÌ„ and sayde / of suche is the kyngedome of god Here is tokens that god loued these children / that they please him / that they had fayth / for with out fayth no man can please god Hebru 11. ⧠The seuenth reason Circumcision in the olde law as a necessary ordinauÌ„ce with out the which no maÌ„ masculine was saued Gene. 17. baptyme for vs in the newe law is counted in the steade of circumcision / as no man chylde was saued without circumcision / so none amongest vs shal be saued without baptyme Chyldren therfore must of necessitie be christened / that baptysme to vs in the lawe is in the stede of circumcision / it appeareth in manye places of scripture / as PhilippeÌ„ 3. where S. Paule saythe that we are circumcision / which worshyp god in the sprete This circumcisioÌ„ is that outwarde signe / whereby we shewe our selues to all the worlde that we be seruauntes of god / and that we wyll serue none other but god and Christe Iesus / whose bagge and name we haue / and promysed in baptysme onely to serue hym The eyght reason No man can be partaker of Christe resurreccion / ascension / and glory / except he dye with Christ and be buryed with him / and ryse with Christ We can not dye with Christ / excepte we be fyrst christened in Christ / as sayth Saynt Paule Roma