meete for suche as haue lately begunne to professe Christe and certayne other are there meete for them whiche are in this religion more growen vp Touching simple and hurtles manners brethren I would ye continued chyldren styll but in spirituall gyftes I woulde ye wente alwayes forwarde vntyll ye come to the highest Nor thinke it nowe sufficiente for you to hurte no man but labour muste ye beyng nowe ful rype to be able to do good and to helpe all menne It is the manner of chyldren to wonder at small thynges and for trifles muche to please themselfe but yet in processe of tyme they despise suche toyes as they before were proude of and laboure to obtayne greater thynges And so lykewise hath christian fayth her beginnynges wherein it is vnsemely for a manne to spende all his lyfe That this is so long synce testified god hymselfe this wyse speakyng by the mouthe of his prophete Esai with sundrye tongues and sundrye lyppes wyll I speake vnto this people and yet for all that they wyll not heare me The gyfte of tongues therfore was geuen by god for the auauncyng and furtheraunce of the primatiue churche that by this myracle vnbeleuers mighte be prouoked to beleue whereas to suche as beleue already it is vnprofitable But contrarywise the gifte of prophecie not onely serueth for vnbeleuers to make thē amende theyr lyues but profiteth also the faythful that they maye daylye in theyr fayth become more stronge and euery daye better in lyuyng Besyde this howe lytle profite the vse of languages hathe euerye manne maye well see by that the same dothe somtyme hurte and offende For conceyue nowe that the whole congregacion were comen together and that euery manne spoke with diuerse tongues being suche as are vnknowen for example yf one speake Hebrue another Latin and the third Greke and yf in the meane season some such enter into your congregacion as are christiā menne or els vnbeleuers ignoraunte yet of the tongues will not these when they shall heare suche a confuse sounde of diuerse languages and vnderstande none saye that ye lyke mad and frantike men so fondely behaue your selues Contrarywyse yf by the gyft of prophecie one teache an other geue counsell one exhorte and an other comforte and in the meane season some vnlearned straunger enter into your companye or els an vnbeleuer whiche both vnderstandeth what ye saye and is lykewise vnderstanden doeth not suche one whyles he knowledgeth in you perfite christianitie both in himselfe condemne his owne supersticion and abhorre his owne diuelishe maners in comparison of your godlynes and playnly seeth his owne conscience whyles he by you heareth the ryght rule of true religion from which he seeth himselfe vntyll that tyme farre swarued fynding himselfe in suche faultes gyltie as ye in woorde reproue and detest By meane wherof this will finally ensue that he beyng chaunged into a newe man and repenting himselfe wil fall downe flat vpon the grounde acknowledging openly testifying that ye are vndoubtedly inspired with the holy gost nor speake lyke madde men whiche beyng with a diuelishe furie possessed powre out woordes whiche neyther themselfes vnderstand nor other vttring a sounde no man woteth what The texte Howe is it then brethren As ofte as ye come together euery one of you hath a song hath a doctryne hath a tonge hath a reuelacion hath an interpretaciō Let al thinges be doen vnto edifying If any man speake with tonge let it be by two or at the moste by thre and that by course and let an other interprete it But if there be no interpreter let hym kepe sylence in the congregaciō and let him speake to himselfe and to God Let the Prophetes speake two or thre and let the other iudge If any reuelacion be made to an other that sitteth by let the first hold his peace For ye may al prophecie one by one that al may learne and that all maye haue comforte And the spyrites of the Prophetes are in the power of the Prophetes For God is not causer of stryfe but of peace as I teache in all congregacions of the sainctes Let your wemen kepe sylence in the congregacions For it is not permitted vnto them to speake but to be vnder obedience as sayeth the lawe If they wil learne any thing let them aske theyr husbandes at home For it is a shame for wemen to speake in the congregacion What then must ye doe brethren As ofte as ye resorte to the comen assembly eche of you bringeth his gyft with him one hath a spirituall song to prayse God with all an other hath doctrine to instructe mennes lyues with one hath the gyft of reuelacion to declare the hydden darke secretes in holy scriptures an other hath and is indued with the gyfte of tonges Disdayne none of these gyftes but let all in the congregacions be bestowed for the comon weale of the whole numbre but yet so that it be done without disturbaūce and confusion And let them also which are endued with the gyftes of tonges haue theyr time place but so yet that at one time nomore but only two speake or at the moste thre and yet not they together neither but by course nor let them speake only but se that there be one present to declare to the people what they sayed One interpreter is sufficient for two or thre of them that haue the gyft of tonges because it is not necessarie that many woordes be spoken in languages Yf there lacke a kunnyng interpreter of the tonges it is not nedefull that he should speake in the cōgregaciō if he haue nothing but the knowledge of the tonges let him vse his gift but in priuate places and there prayse God and edifie hymselfe because that in the congregacion the comon busynesse is in hande Lykewise let not all the Prophetes speake but only two or thre and that by course but some suche would I to be present whiche haue the gyft to discerne the spirite of Prophetes whether it be true or not whiche can disproue thesame yf ought be sayed that is vnmete and vnbesemyng the spirite of Christ But now if whyles one speaketh he that sytteth by begynne as one inspired by God in the meane time to speake leste there myght be a confusion of voyces let the first hold his peace For then it appeareth that the doubte is opened to the one whiche the other sought for synce that by inspiraciō and mouing of the holy gost he letted the first to speake And if ye this doe none impediment is there but all may prophecie so that it be doen by course and eche one in speaking geue place to other that euery man may haue more fruite of knowledge whyles euery Prophete sheweth wherewith God hath inspired hym that all may enioy and receyue more plentifull comforte whyles euery one vpon the common weale bestoweth that which by the spirite of Christe is geuen vnto him Nor lay for your excuse that suche as
are inspired with the holy gost are not theyr owne men no more then we see rauished men to be But thinke it muche otherwyse in madde men than in suche as haue receyued the spirite of Christe whiche in suche sorte rauysheth the minde that a man is nethlesse his owne man whether the matter require a man to speake or to holde his peace Sober is this inspiracion and nothing els but an enforcemente of a mannes godly mynde to suche thinges as make to Gods glory This spirite should so muche the more serue vnto the common quietnes and so muche be further from contencion because thesame commeth of God whiche is the author of peace and not of confusion and sedicion And synce this is in all congregacions of christian men obserued and kept mete is it also that it be kept in your metynges yf ye wyll haue men to thinke them good leste ye be thought to swarue from other in customes from whom ye dissente not in religion And for this cause lette your wemen in solemne assemblyes holde theyr peace leste yf as that kynde is to muche geuen to babling there aryse an vncomly confusion For wemen are not authorized to preache abrode as chiefe doers of matters but commaunded to be obedient vnto theyr husbandes For in Genesis this speaketh God vnto the woman thou shalt attend vpon thy husbandes will and he shall beare rule ouer the. Let wemen knowledge this lawe not only by coueryng theyr heades but also with silence wherwith womanhead is moste commended Some wyll saye doest thou so farfurth forbid women to speake that thou wylt not suffer them for theyr learnyng to aske a question Vtterly I forbid them in open places to speake but yf there be any thing which they vnderstand not sufficiently and are desyrouse to knowe it let them aske of theyr hushusbandes at home So shall they neyther be defrauded of teaching nor doe any thing vnsemely For surely an vnsemely syght is it to see a woman speake in the chrstian congregacion namely synce so to doe is coumpted a foule thing euen among the paynims What meaneth this ye CorinthiaÌ„s that ye should be greued to kepe that custome whiche is of al other kept The texte Sprong the woorde of God from you Either came it vnto you only If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophete either spirituall let him knowe what thynges I wryte vnto you For they are the commaundementes of the Lorde But and if any man be ignoraunt let him be ignoraunt Wherfore brethren couete to prophecye and forbydde not to speake with tonges Let all thynges be doen honestly and in order among you Came the gospell fyrste from you that other muste be compelled to kepe your customes or is the gospell come only to you Yf ye neither be the fyrste that receaued the gospel nor the onely menne that professe it why disdayne ye to frame your selfes after the customes of other And yf anye among you be a prophete or seme otherwyse indued with spiritual gyftes let hym be assured that suche thynges as I wryte vnto you are no commaundementes of myne but the Lordes But yf any manne through contencion so vse hym selfe as though he were ignoraunte despising these thinges as though they were but mannes rules let suche one at his owne peryll be ignoraunt surely god wyll lykewyse be ignoraunt of hym and refuse hym I wyll not striue with you in this matier but thinke this sufficient for my parte that I haue giueÌ„ you warnyng To finishe therfore this matier labour brethren to haue the gyfte of prophecie being a gyfte of muche more excellency but so that in the meane season such be not restrayned to speake with tounges which haue no gyfte els so that all thynges bee done comly and in an order as I haue tolde you leste by the contrary any dishonesty or trouble chaunce The .xv. Chapter The texte Brethren as pertaynyng to the Gospell which I preached vnto you which ye haue also accepted and in the which ye contynue by the which also ye are saued I do â—ou to wyt after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne BVt now because I heare say brethren that some of you doubte of the rysynge agayne of the deade of suche I meane as through a pride in worldly knowledge styll remaynyng in them cannot yet herein bee persuaded touchyng this article I neede to teache you no newe thynge but onely call to your remembraunce the gospell whiche I fyrste taught you and which ye once receaued wherein hetherto ye continewe and by meane wherof ye obtayne saluacion insomuche that it is bothe for me superfluous to teache you thesame agayne whiche I once wel taught you for you also lytle honestie inconstantly to fal backe from that whiche ye once fauoured speaciallye synce ye haue experience that my preaching of the gospel is a doctrine effectuall to saluacion Now is this poynte to beleue the resurrection of the dead the chiefeste parte of the doctrine of the gospell Wherein ye ought so to be assured that ye therof doubte not onles ye haue gyuen credence thereto in vayne as god forbid ye shoulde For what auayled it to fauer and embrace the gospell yf ye denie the principall parte of thesame that is to wete that the deade shall lyue agayne The texte For fyrst of al I delyuered vnto you that which I receaued how that Christ died for our synnes agreing to the scriptures And that he was buried that he arose againe the thyrd day according to the scriptures that he was sene of Cephas theÌ„ of the twelue Aftâ—r that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren at once of which many remayne vnto this day many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to al the Apostles Me thinketh ye should chiefly remember that thing which I fyrst taught you by mouth and nowe reherse vnto you the same by wrytinge being such also as ye once receaued which is that the Lorde Iesus Christe dyed and by hys deathe deliuered vs from synne makyng a mendes for our offences as the scriptures many hundred yeares before sayed shoulde bee that he should lyke a lambe bee led to the slaughter that through hys strypes he might heale our synnes and by his death vpoÌ„ the crosse raigne and suppresse the tyranny of the deuill Besyde thys ye muste also beleue that he not only verely dyed for you but was also buried and the thyrd daye rose agayne which also was long before prophecied in the darke sayinges of prophetes to th entent ye should the better beleue when that is done in dede whiche god by holy men promised should be For this speaketh O see after two dayes and the thyrd day will we ryse againe and lyue in the syght of hym Againe Dauid thys wyse speaketh thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell And because ye should more stedfastly beleue besyde thys I
mans conscience For if I take my parte with thankes why am I eyuil spoken of for that thynge wherefore I geue thankes Whether therfore ye eate or drynke or whatsoeuer ye dooe doe all to the prayse of God Se that ye geue none occasion of eiuill neither to the Iewes nor yet to the gentiles neither to the congregacion of god euen as I please all men in al thinges not seking myne owne profite but the profite of many that they might be saued Elsewise whatsoeuer is solde in the fleshe market that eate nothing askyng whether it were offered to idols or not and that for consciences sake for occasion of slaunder muste be auoyded and not geuen if anye suche matter chaunce No such thing is of itself vncleane since al thinges are the lordes Nor can that be vncleane which by him was made for mans vse as the psalme writer recordeth saying the earth is the lordes and all that therein is Yf any vncleanes be that groweth of mens myndes and not of meates Yf therfore any that is to Christ a straunger bid you to supper and ye also be disposed to goe whatsoeuer is set before you at table that eate neyther puttyng any difference nor asking anye questyon whether suche meates as are set at table were sacrificed or not and so doe for consciences sake But if some one of his owne mocion tel you that this was offered to an idoll eate not of it not for your owne sake but for his which gaue you that warning not for feare of hurting thy consciēce which is vpright and strong inough but for y◠others sake which by his warning semeth to thinke it vnlawful for a christiā man to eate flesh offered to idols And it is to be feared lest the same man either thinke vs the deuils frēdes or deuourers this wise thinke with himselfe howe muche soeuer christian men with wordes abhorre our goddes yet abhorre they not the fleshe which to them is offered which they would not do if they with theyr hart so much despised our religion as they doe with wordes For this mans conscience therfore a waye must be founde as there may be without any great trouble The man is in an errour but thou must for a time beare therewith since it is such as thou canste not take away In such thynges Christe woulde haue vs to vse all libertie as which neither commaunded nor for bad any kynde of meate Why is then my libertie iudged of an other mans conscience Why is that which may be well done taken suspiciously Yf I eate such meates as the goodnes of god hath geuen vs for the preseruacion of our life why am I for that of any man eiuil spoken of since for the vse therof I geue god thankes and not deuils With thys condicion therfore ye shal eate or not eate y◠whether ye drinke or eate or whatsoeuer ye do that ye direct al to the glory of god so ordring al your life according to y◠times condicions of mē that in you there be nothing found wherwith any mā may iustly be offended be he either Iew gētile or christian therin folowing mine exaumple which in al pointes fashion my self to euery man eating not eating taking not taking vsyng Iewishnes not vsyng tempering all suche thynges as for the tyme may eyther bee well doone or well omytted not for myne owne weale but to the profite of manye whome I with my diligence labour to winne not to haue by them anye aduauntage but to allure them to euerlasting saluacion ¶ The .xi. Chapter The texte ¶ Be ye the folowers of me as I am the folower of Christ I commend you brethren that ye remember me in all thinges and kepe the ordinaunces euen as I deliuered the◠to you But I woulde haue you to knowe that Christe is the head of euery man And the man is the womans head And God is Christes head Euery man praying or prophecying hauing any thing on hys head shameth his head Euery woman that prayeth or prophecieth bare headed dyshonesteth her heade For that is euen all one as if she were shauen ▪ Yf the woman be not couered let her also be shorne Yf it be shame for a woman to be shorne or shauen let her couer her head NOr be ye ashamed to folow your Apostles exaumple synce it is not so muche myne as the very exaumple of Iesus Christ Who to the entent he might win vs to his father in al pointes applyed hymselfe to our infirmities Him folow I as my lord and maister ye children folow me your father ye disciples folow your Apostle And thys hitherto thinke I the mariers of eatyng of fleshe and of auoydyng the paynims sacrifices sufficiently spoken of Hence furth will I nowe touche certayn pointes what I would haue in your commen assemblies obserued and kepte and what I woulde were auoyded that in them nothing be done eyther vnorderly or contenciously or ryottously And first of al I commend you brethren that in al other thinges ye remember suche poyntes as I gaue you in commaundement and mayntayn such ordinaunces as in your solemne metinges I appoynted you to kepe One thing more must I tell you which is yet of no great importaunce nor much weightie but suche as may if the tyme and place so require bee chaunged But yea◠this would I haue you to knowe that as Christ is the head of euery man and the head of euery wyfe is the husband so is god the head of Christ Albeit the husbande be the wiues gouernour yet is he vnderlyng and subiect to Christe his lorde and maister and Christe hymselfe in all poyntes acknowlegeth the autoritie of god his father to whome whosoeuer be subiect must nedes dooe all thyng for hys glory In secrete places a man may doe as he shall thinke expedient but what man soeuer in the commen assembly eyther prayeth or prophecieth hauyng any thyng on hys head shameth hys head shewing himselfe by coueryng the same to be bonde when besyde Christ he hath no maister for whose glory it were conuenient that he vncouered his head not onely by puttyng of his cap but also by shauyng of hys heere For the heere is rather a coueryng of the body than any parte therof On the other side if a woman in the cōmen assembly pray or prophecie bare headed she dishonoreth her hed which should in secret places peraduenture for her husbandes pleasure be open headed and not in the congregacion where Christ is honoured and not their husbandes For as it is in a man to bee shorne or shauen the lyke is it in a woman to cast of her vayle And then if it bee comely for a woman to caste of the vayle from her head as men dooe let her lykewise as menne doe either be shorne or rounded and in open places preache and prophecie bare headed ▪ But if thys wise to doe by all mens consent be in a woman a foolyshe and an euil fauered
But than they myght hurte vs in dede if they could make vs couetous yf they coulde make vs afrayed of deathe yf they coulde make vs desyrous of life if they could make vs ambicious if they could make vs desyrous of reuengement yf they coulde make vs to distrust Christ Therefore Prynces are neyther vnhonestly to be slattered nor sediciously repugned And in case it be godlye requisite at anye tyme in the ghospelles behalfe â—o contemne theyr commaundementes yet it muste be done with suche a temperauÌ„ce that they may perceaue vs to doe it not for the displeasure of them but for a good wyll vnto godlynes Notwithstandynge â–ª I geue not monicion hereof for this purpose that where wee are farre vnhable to matche them in worldlye powers we shoulde prouoke their puyssaunce vpon vs to our owne harme but that in this kinde of lenitie we shoulde resemble Christe oure prince who whan he coulde alone haue done more than all the Prynces and rulers of this worlde yet had leauer wynne the worlde to himselfe in sufferyng of euill than in repellyng or requityng of euyll he had leauer wynne the conquest with gentle dealynge than with reuengyng he had leauer heale than destroye â–ª he had leauer entice than oppresse By this waye wonne he the victorie of this fashion it was the fathers pleasure that the sonne shoulde beare the bell awaye â–ª His example it behoueth vs to folowe in case we wyll haue oure prayers in case we wyll haue our sacrifices welcome and acceptable vnto him He woulde rather be a sauioure vnto vs than a vengeaunce taker with greaâ—e gentilnes he suffred our impietie tyll we came to repentaunce And the thynge that is come to passe in vs the same lyke as he is of a passyng greate goodnes he woulde also haue come to passe in all men yf it were possible He is the sauiour of all he excludeth none from saluation he bryngeth the lyghte of the ghospell vnto all And he that refuseth it he that wythdraweth hymselfe leat hym blame hymselfe for his owne blyndnes and he that perisheth perisheth throughe his owne faulte For what can the Phisician doo yf the sicke doo refuse holsome medicines Verilye it is not long of him that men atteyne not saluation and suppressyng the blyndnesse of the lyfe paste come to the lyght of the euangelycall trueth Christe is the trueth and he that confesseth him â–ª shal be safe from what kynde of lyfe soeuer he come to hym Saluation is all one thynge and commeth all of one and by one alone it is offred vnto all Ther is no thyng in this behalfe that the Iewe maye chalenge to himselfe as his owne There is but one God not peculyaâ— to thys or that sorte of people but the commen God indifferently of all There is but one that reconsyleth mankinde vnto God God and man Christ Jesus For it was conuenient that he whiche shoulde make the arbitreuâ—ente of concorde bytwene God and menne shoulde haue some thynge commen wyth bothe the parties so as beyng God he myghte make intercessyon to God and beynge man myghte reduce men agayne into fauour Why than doeth any man chalenge him properly to hym selfe If the commune father of all sent him to saue al and if he gaue him selfe for the redemption of all it is mete for vs to endeuour by all meanes that hys death maye be indifferently auayleable vnto all In case he died euen for the Ethnikes why shoulde it yrke vs to offre sacrifices of prayers to God for theyr saluation And if it haue bene doubted of at any tyme that Christe came for the vniuersall saluation of the Gentiles nowe it is certaynly manifest and proued matier in dede that Christes death belongeth aswell to the gentiles as to the Jewes In tymes paste the Iewes partiâ—â—cie was somwhat borne withal bycause they should not fynd fault that they were contemned or caste of but anone gods will was to haue it most playnely protested that there is no difference at al of nation of supersticion or condicion of them that flee to the doctrine of the gospel Of this matier goddes pleasure was to haue me chiefely a preacher In this behalf he would haue me be a messagier where as the rest of the Apostles before slowlye wyth leasure and wyth muche a doe admytted the gentyles vnto the grace of the ghospell And at this daye there be not all wantynge that saye there is no entraunce vnto the ghospell but by the lawe of Moses Notwithstandyng Christe hathe appointed the office bothe of a preacher and of an Apostle vnto me that I shoulde preache vnto all men eternall saluation without ayde of the lawe and that we are all bounden to thanke hym for the same and none but him I doe not take this autoritie falslye to my selfe for Christe commaunded me to it And it is no vayne geare that I preache but the thinges that I speake are true and I preache lyke the doctor of the gentiles I vse not arrogauntly to set oute myselfe with vanyties of greate hyghe titles as the false Apostles are wont to do for I haue tryed my selfe vnfeynedly the apostle of yâ— Gentiles which haue not trust in Moses constitucions among them as they doo but the faithe of the ghospell nor castynge before their eies mystes of vayne questions but plaine symple pure veritie teaching those thynges onely that make auayleably vnto true godlynes rather than vnto priuate lucre or vayne ostentacion The texte I wil therfore that the men pray euery where liftyng vp pure handes without wrathe â–ª or doubtyng Likwyse also yâ— women that they araye themselfes in cumly apparel wyth shamefasâ—nesse and discreaâ—e behauiour not with broyded heare ether golde or pearles or rostlye araye but as becommeth women that professe godlynesse throughe good workes Let the wemen learne in silence with al subiection I suffre not a woman to teache neyther to vsurpe aurthoryte ouer the man but to be in sylence For Adam was fyrste fourmed and then Eue â–ª Adam also was not deaceaued but the woman was deceaued â–ª â— was subdued to the transgressyon â–ª Notwithstandynge thorow bearyng of chyldren she shal be saued yf they contynue in fayth and loue and holynes with discrecyon Nowe to thintent we maye returnâ— to the purpose that we communed of afore I woulde haue men to pray not onely in the congregacioÌ„ but also wheresoeuer occasion requyreth The Ieâ—es praye to god in no place but at Hierusalem The Samaritanes pray on mountaines and in groaues But vnto the Christians al places are pure and holy to offer vp sacrifices of prayers They esteme euery place to be an holy teÌ„ple to God and whan they offre as it were a sacrifice they lift vp pure haÌ„des euery where to heauen They haue no nede to wishe for yâ— mercy seate or most holy place called sanctuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ of yâ— temple for God wyll graciouslye heare them in euery place wheresoeuer they be that pray vnto him They nede not to
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
same was borne vnder and from suche as a man hath been nozeled in Yea so harde is it that saynt Hierome in the preface of the second booke of his comentaries vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth that some suche faultes as Paule layeth to the Corinthians charge remayned in the people of Achaia euen vntil his time And in this our time also some suppose y◠to be but dipped in a litle water is a sufficient meane to make a perfect christian man Paule therfore knowyng well that it is as great an acte to bolde that whiche is once gotten as it is to conquere with as great laboure and payne as he had gotten his children to Christe for he was among them a yeare and a halfe with like diligence he calleth them agayne to Christe and establisheth them in the doctryne of the ghospell sometyme vsyng his apostolique authoritie reprouyng them chiding and thretning sometime like a louing father speaking fayre encouraging and mollifying the vehemencie of his necessarie reprouing by praysing of them And as the maner of a wise phisician is temperyng sower and vnpleasaunt medicines with swete suger eftsoues prouiding also for euery maladie mete and conuenient reamedies Firste after riches ▪ foloweth pryde and vurulines And among vnruly persones oftentimes arise sectes whiles neither will geue place vnto an other but eche man thinketh hymselfe beste Besides this welthines bringeth ryot and delicate fare And of riot groweth leachery And to be couetous is a thing geuen peculiarly to marchante men Nor were the Corinthians proude onely by reason of there welthe but also because they were learned in the grecians philosophy and therfore dessoised they suche as were not learned therein as rude and barbarouse Of pride it came that euery of them auaunced hymselfe vpon the singularnes of that Apostle of whome he was baptised Therof rose these sediciouse wordes I holde of Apollo I holde of Cephas I hold of Paule Of pryde also it came that in their solēne assemblies and meetynges they disagreed amonge them selfes because euery manne thought his spiritual gifte beste and whiles in one gyfte neither woulde gyue place to other there was suche disordre and confusion so that euen theyr wemen in open places both spoke and taughte Of ryot and pryde also was it that as ofte as they came to the holye supper whiche Paule calleth the Lordes supper wherin it were moste mete to shewe christian concord the ryche men without lokynge for the poore fell to their meate and gorged thē selues vntill they were drounke whiles other were hungrye insomuche as at that supper there was not only dissencion and distemperaunce but also a certayne vnseemyng inequalitie not accustomed to bee vsed in that supper And where as some among them dysdayned Paule countyng hym but a poore rascalle lackynge eloquence rude and vnlearned that rose partlye through pryde and partlye through Philosophie But wheras they doubted of the resurrection of the dead whiche is euen the pryncipall article and foundacion of our religion that only came of Philosophie Of intemperaunce and riot it came that they vsed indifferently to eate suche meates as than were offered to ymages of dyuelles without regardyng of theyr consciences which were weake Of Leacherye it came whiche was in no place lesse punished than in Corinthe ▪ so farre that beside other enormyties in thys kynde there was one found among them which had in incestuouse aduoutrie abused his fathers wyfe that is to wytte his owne steppe mother nor was beyng giltie of such an offence banyshed out of their company so that the Corinthians kept company with him and other christian menne which were outragiouse liuers as though thei had euen fauered theyr wickednes Of like wantones came this also that the men vnsemely had long bushes their women were not a shamed in the church to be bare headed by their bodylye aparayle vtteryng their lewed womannyshe and wanton maniers Of couetousnes was it that they went to lawe one with another not to recouer their good name nor for auoyding anye bodyly ieoperdye but for money amōg whom the desyre of money was growen so far that christian men which had vowed the despisyng of suche thinges not without the great dyshonour of Christes name went to the lawe before heathen wicked iudges were so farre frō despisyng the losse of a litle money that in suche matiers they went aboute wilfullye to deceaue other Finallye they stryued among them selues of matrimonye by reason that euen at that tyme some christian men styflye defended that mē should wholy abstayne from mariage because they sawe the Apostles abstayne from their wyues And thus haue I declared the dyseases of the Corynthians not of all but of some by whome leste the rest myght be infected Paule prouideth these reamydies First of al after that he hath told them of his trust that they would stedfastly contynewe in the gospel of Christ he earnestlye reproueth and byddeth them beware not contenciously to glorie in men but with one assent and concorde to glory in Christes name whom men are bounde to thanke for all that we haue by the waye declaryng that the verye welspryng of al suche dissention is pryde From pride therfore through worldly Philosophie he calleth them backe to the mekenes of the crosse which albeit it be symple and without all bragges yet sayth he that it is myghty and effectual And then sheweth he also that the beginners of this mischief were false Apostles whiche after Paules departure thrust themselues in eftsones warning them howe he had layed a good and sure foundacion and that thei should take hede leste they builded any thing therupon which should afterward be plucked downe that is to say that the Corinthians should learne nothing which they should anone after be fayne to forgette After that like a father he reasoneth the matter with his children reprouyng in them that they were growen so great that they no we despised their firste teacher as an abiect person because that he for the gospels sake had suffred al maner of troubles whom for thesame thei were much more bound to fauer After which he encourageth his children to folow the steppes of their father and not wilfully to yelde them selfe to be bounde to newe scholemaisters And these poyntes intreateth Paul of specially in y◠firste the secound the third the fourth Chapters Now in myne opiniō the end of the fourth Chapter belongeth to the begynnyng of the fyfte Wherein he gyueth commaundement touchyng the incestuouse aduoutrer and willeth by commen consent that men should auoyde his company partly that he might amende for shame and partly leste by his company other myght be corrupted not onely warning thē to auoyde his company but also the company of all suche which beyng called after a sorte christian men lyue viciously and slaunderously As for the company of Paynims he sayth nedeth not so muche to be auoyded eyther because it lytle belongeth to christians what lyfe
gloryes sake in stede of true godlynesse they teache Iewyshe obseruations circumcision of the foreskynne choyse of meates dyfference of dayes to the intent that other men beyng burthened with these wares they them selues maye reigne and lyue at ease for all that as though after this lyfe they loked after none other But let the ende of them fraye vs awaye from their condicions For lyke as through slaunderous reproche of man we drawe to eternall glorye and by afflictions of this world preace vnto immortall felicitie euen so they by transitorye pleasures of the worlde procure to them selues euerlastyng destruction bycause in stede of God they honour their belye that can not helpe them and by countrefaicte vayne glorye among men whiche they repose not in Christe but in thinges that they ought to be ashamed of they make spede to euerlastynge shame For what soeuer is earthly is but temporall and countrefayte and what so euer is heauenly is true and euerlastynge But they studye for nothynge elles but those thinges that are of the earthe In them they repose their glorye in them they set their pleasure in them they put theyr hope of helpe and so runne astraye ferre from the marke of the gospell But we that folowe Christ aright though our bodyes be deteyned vpon earthe yet in soule our conuersacion is in heaueÌ„ sighing continuallye thither as our head is gonne afore from whence also through faythe we loke for our lorde Iesus Christ whiche shall rayse vs from death and delyuer vs possession of those thinges that he promyseth vs and shall transforme this vyle naughtye bodye of ours and make it lyke vnto his owne glorious bodye for this consyderacion that the membres which wer felowes of his afflictions in this worlde shoulde be called there into the felowshyp of hys felicitye This matter shall not seme vncredible to any man that wyll dyligentlye pondre the great power of him that shall doo this dede For there is nothinge but he can brynge it to passe in whose hande it is also to subdue all thinges to himselfe at his owne pleasure This power he shall openlye shewe than vnto al men although in the meane season he doo many times kepe it close The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ Therfore my brethren dearly beloued and longed for my ioye and crowne so continue in the Lorde ye beloued I praye Euodias and beseche Sintiches that they be of â—ne accorde in the Lorde Yee and I beseche the faythfull rockefelowe helpe the wemen whiche laboured with me in the ghospell and with Clement also and with other my labourfelowes whose names are in the boke of lyfe INasmuche therfore as you are established with the hope of such great hyghe matters my dearly beloued brethren and longed for whose good successe I repute to be myne owne ioye whose victorye I take to be my crowne lyke as you haue begonne see yâ— you so continue suffre not your selues to be draweÌ„ away froÌ„ Iesus Christ Moreouer my welbeloued brethren I eftesones beseche Euodias and I desire Sintiches and eyther of them by them selues that they agree in one true concorde of myndes in promotynge the gospell of Christe And I also require the myne owne true naturall wyfe whiche agreist with me in the trauayle of the gospel helpe these women that were partetakers of my labours and daungers in the gospel and Clement also with the rest that wet my labourfelowes in yâ— gospell Whose names what nedeth me to rehearse inasmuche as they are wrytten in the boke of lyfe and shall neuer be scraped out In that boke are the names of all them wrytten that with their dilygences helpe forewarde the businesse of the gospell of whose nombre you are also The texte ¶ Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye and againe I saye reioyce Let youre softenesse be knowen vnto all men The Lorde is euen at hande Be careful for nothinge but in all prayer and supplycacion let youre pericyons be manifest vnto God with geuynge of thanckes And the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandynge kepe your hertes and myndes thorow Christ Iesu For these causes sakes reioyce alwayes euen in the myddes of your afflyctions Againe I eftesones saye reioyce and be of good cheare And how hottely so euer the iniquitie of the wicked rage against you yet let youre patience and modest softenes be knowen and seen vnto all maner of men not only vnto the brethren but to them also that are straungers from Christe so that they beyng prouoked the rather by your good demenoure maye be allured vnto the felowshyp of the gospell For gentilnesse of behauioure wynneth and breaketh the vngodly Couet not in any wise to reuenge you of theÌ„ nor yet enuy not them their pleasaunt delytes For the commyng of Christ is at hande whiche shall rendre vnto you the ioyes of immortalitie for contemnyng the commodities of this worlde And as for them they shall suffre the peynes of their owne fonde folyshenes Lyue you for your parte without care for any thinge But care for this onely that whan Christe shall come he maye fynde you readyly prepared of him depende you entierlye with all youre hartes Yf you haue nede of any thinge truste not to the helpe of the worlde but call vpon god with continuall supplicacions and make your moane to him with feruent desires whan you require any thing And geue him thankes what so euer chaunceth to you prosperitie or aduersite beynge certainlye assured that he wyll also turne your aduersitie into prosperitie For he knoweth well ynoughe what is profytable for you althoughe you aske nothynge But yet he loueth to be called vpon with suche manner of intercessions he loueth to be entreated and as it wer enforced with godly besechinges And so the peace wherby you are reconsyled vnto god beyng a thing of more gracious efficacie than mannes reason is hable to perceaue shall strengthen your hartes and your consciences against all terrouts that can possiblye happen in this worlde For what should that man be afraied of whiche knoweth that God loueth him dearly through Iesus Christ Therfore lyke as I woulde haue you without care of those thinges wherwith this worlde either flattereth or maketh afrayed â–ª euen so you must applye your selues with all your diligent endeuours to ware â—iche in vertues whiche maye make you acceptable to God The texte ¶ Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer thinges are true what soeuer thinges are honâ—â—â— whatsoeuer thinges are iust what soeuer thinges are pure what soeuer thinges are coÌ„â—â—nyent what soeuer thinges are of honeste reporte yâ— there be any vertue yâ— there be any prayse of lernynge those same haue ye in youre mynde whiche ye haue both learned and receaued hearde also and sene in me those thinges dâ— and the God of peace shal be with you I reioyce in the Lorde greatly that nowe at the last youre â—are is reuyued againe for me in that wherin ye were also carefull but ye lacked oportunitie I speake out because
passe vpon Iewyshe synne offrynges ether ceremonies or sacrifice For to offer the sacrifices of Christians euery man may be a sacrificer God respecteth not the offryng vp of beastes or perfumynge of swete odours for a pure earnest supplication procedyng from a pure harte is a sacrifice moste acceptable vnto God Leate the Iewes washe them selues as cleane as they can yet their oblacions are vncleane God alloweth the handes for clene though they be not washen so that the conscience be quiet in case he mynde no wronge yf he wyshe well to all men in case he be soyled with no spottes of fylthye lust couetousnes nor ambicion Thys is the puritie and cleanes that maketh a Christian mannes sacrifice acceptable in the syghte of God with this kynde of sacrifice he delighteth to be offred vnto Nowe let the women also praye after thexample of the men Yf there be any effemynate affection in their stomakes let them caste it out fyrst of all and bryng in innocencie of honest maniers in stedde of Iewyshe cleansynges to thys sacrifice doyng let them decke the soule cleanly and not the bodye nor entice mennes eies to phantisie them wyth the nakednes of theyr persones but leat them be couered with a vesture and that suche a vesture as representeth sobrenes bashfulnes and womanlines God forbydde that Christian women shoulde come forth among the holy congregacion in such maner of apparaill as the commen sorte of vnfaythfull women are wonte to goe forth vnto weddynges and may games trymmyng them selues fyrst with a greate a doo by a glasse with fynely rolled heare or enbrodryng of golde eyther with precyouse stones hangyng at their eares or neckes or otherwise in sylkes or purple aswell to set out theyr beautie vnto suche as loke vpoÌ„ them to playe the naughtye packes as also in shewyng their Iewelles and substaunce to vpbrayde suche as be poorer than they of their pouertie But rather leat the apparaill of Christian women be suche as maye be answerably like to their lyuyng as may worthyly besemethose womeÌ„ that professe true godlynesse and the true wourshyppe of God not in gorgyous shewyng of haboundaunce of ryches but in good woorkes whiche ryches God hath most syngulare delyght in In whose syght that thyng is vncleane that appeareth vnto the worlde to be excellente and gaye And for asmuche as the kynde of women is naturally geuen to the vyce of muche bablynge and there is nothynge wherein theyr womanlynesse is more honestely garnyshed than with sylence it is conuenient for them to accomplyshe in dede the thyng that they professe in apparayl to be learners in the open companye of menne and not teachers to be folowers and not foregoers and to shewe no manner of authoritie towardes theyr husbandes vnto whom they ought to be vndeâ— subieccion leste yf they once caste of the brydle of shamefastenes and begynne to make them a doo in the open congregacion youre assemblye that oughte to be vsed in moste sobre sorte be disordred wyth a busye hurlye burlye It is the mens offyce to speake in the congregacyon namely if they haue any thynge to teache auayleable vnto godlynes To coÌ„clude what libertie euery man geueth hys wife let him see to yâ— himselfe But I allowe not yâ— any womaÌ„ shal take vpoÌ„ her to preache in the coÌ„men asseÌ„blie of people yea although she haue habilitie to teach lest if such a wiket wer once opened â–ª yâ— weake sexe wold waxe to bold nor I admitte that they shall vsurpe anye kynde of autoritie vpon their husbandes whoÌ„ they are bounden so to loue that they stand in awe to theÌ„ neuertheles Therfore leat them kepe silence and seat them geue reuerente hede to that that theyr husbandes saye Leat them acknowlege the ordre of nature that lyke as it is the office of the mynde to commaunde and the body to obeye euen so is the wyfe bounden to depende of her husbandes commaundement For why doe we turne Goddes ordre vp syde downe Adam was made fyrste and than by and by was Eue made for his sake Than why is that shamelessye made the later that Goddes wyll was to haue the farther Than as concernyng the fall Eue was the fyrste deceaued in that she gaue credence to the serpent and beyng enticed with the fayrenes of the apple neglected the commaundemeÌ„t of God For the man could neither be deceyued with the serpentes promises nor enticement of the apple but the onely loue of his wife drewe him perniciouslye to do after her Nowe howe standeth it together that she whiche was once her husbandes maistres in committyng sinne should now take the superiortie vpoÌ„ her in teachyng of godlynesse But let her rather aduisedlie knowe the olde imbecillitie of that sexe the leauynges wherof are not all together done awaye althoughe the synne be perdoned through baptisme And let her also consyder the dignitie and power of a mannes harte and thynke it ynoughe for her that where afore tyme she was his leader vnto wickednes nowe to be his folower vnto godlynes And where in tymes past she went before him vnto destruction nowe let her folowe hym vnto saluation Neuerthelesse we do not thus babyshe wâ—mankynde as thoughe we woulde exclude them from the felowshyp of saluation For the woman also hathe her proper offyce wherein yf she vse her selfe vprightly she shal be companion of saluation In the congregation there is none offyce for her to doe but at home she hathe to doe and so to doe as she maye atteyne the rewarde of saluation For that that she offended afore tyme in deceauyng the husbande she must amende in bearyng and godly brynging vp of children And that shal be done in case she applye to the vttermost of her power to beare agayne vnto Christe throughe faythe those that she hath borne ones already to her husbande and yf she enforme them in their tendre age so as they maye seme worthy of Christ throughe charitie holynes shamefastenes and other vertues It is a greate matier that a woman shal doe in case she be a good circumspecte housewife That whiche I haue sayed ought to be regarded vndoubtedlye to be matier in dede ¶ The .iii. Chapter The texte This is a true saying If a man desyre the offyce of a Byshoppe he desyreth an honeste woorke A Byshoppe therefore muste be blamelesse the husbande of one wyfe dylygente sober discrete a keper of hospitalitie apte to teache not geuen to ouer much wyne no fyghter not gredy of fylthy lucre but gentle abhorrynge fyghtynge abhorrynge coueteousnes one that ruleth well his owne house one that hath chyldren in subiection with all reuerence For if a man can not rule his owne house howe shall be care for the congregacion of God He maye not be a yonge scholer lest he swell and fall into the iudgemente of the euyll speaker He muste also haue a good reporte of theym whyche are wythoute leste he fall into rebuke and snare of the euyll speaker THese be almost