that lyueth here in the ayre gyue them selfe to serue the deuyll rather then God / and many mo there is that serue the deuil then god / for there is many mo vnfaythfull then faythfull / mo synners then good lyuers / mo that folowe the honours of the worlde / the pleasures of the flesshe / then that truely serueth god by true fayth and faythfull workes of charyte commaunded in the scrypture / mo that abuse the gooddes of the worlde then that vse them as they shulde do / of all abusers of goodes of the worlde the deuyll is the Prynce and captayne / for they do the wyll of the deuyl so we maye learne of whome the deuyll is prynce / what he maketh his seruauntes to do / workes of darcknes / and deathe / and where he vseth his power / here in the ayre where as euyl men lyueth folowyng the lustes of the flesshe / worldely honours / and pleasures of men / sekinge theyr owne pleasure more then goddes glorye / or the profyte of theyr neyghboure 5. Amonge whome we also had our coÌ„uersation / as he shulde say / nat only you Gentiles were deade by syn / going frome one synne to an other doynge the wyll of the prince of the ayre / but also all we Iewes were dead by sinne / had deserued euerlastyng death for our syn worthye to haue bene for euermore excluded the kingdom of heauen / wherfore insomuch the we with you be delyuered from syn / death / hel / eternal dampnacyon / it is is nat to be imputed to our merytes or deseruinges but only to the goodnes of God / to whome we Iewes gyue thankes glorifye god for it / as you Gentyles / for God by his sonne Iesus Christ hathe delyuered vs all from death 6. Men that be out of the fauor of god walke frome one synne to an other / do the lustes of theyr flesshe / and of theyr owne wyll contrary to the wyll of god / here we maye learne what we can do of our selfe / leste to our owne myghtes and powers yf we lacke the grace of God / surely we can do nothing elles but sinne / and folowe the desyres of our corrupte fleshe / as adultery glotony / drunkennes / Enuy / malyce / tancor hatred / pride / couitousnes / error heresy Idolatry / other suche lyke of the which commeth death eternal dampnacion 7. And were naturally the chyldren of wrath aswell as other Saint Paule extolethe the Iewes nothynge aboue the Gentyls as touchyng health iustifycacyon and lyfe euerlastynge / but maketh the Iewes and the Gentyles equall shewing them doth by their owne nature to be children of wrath and of dampnacyon that al prayse and glorye myght be gyuen onely to God for our iustifycacyon / forgyuenes of synne / and the gyfte of lyfe euerlastyng in ioye and blysse and no parte ascrybed to man to mannes myght or power merites or deseruynges ¶ But god which is ryche in mercy throughe his greate loue wherwith he loued vs / euen whan we were deade in synnes hath quyckened vs with Christ for by grace are ye saued and hathe raysed vs vp with hym / and set vs vp with hym in heauenly thinges through Chryst Iesus that in tymes to coÌ„e he myght shewe the excedynge ryches of his grace in kyndenes to vs warde in Christ Iesu The Apostle nowe sheweth howe that bothe the Iewes and the Gentyles deade by synnes haue opteyned lyfe nat by their owne merites / but onely by the grace of god / and that whan all hope of lyfe was paste after mannes iudgement or by the myghtê of maÌ„nes nature for howe coulde there be any hope of lyfe of them whiche were by nature the chyldren of the wrathe of god / and condeÌ„ned to deathe But then god whiche is by nature good / gentyl and mercyfull / ryche in mercy Of his greate charite and loue towarde vs hathe restored vs deade by synne to lyfe agayne by Iesus Christe / and that nat of our good workes / but frely and for Christes sake only / by whome is our lyfe The goodnes of god in this poynt is more to be noted towarde vs. That he hath loued vs whan we were his enemies euyll wycked synners that then he wolde nat suffre vs to perysshe in our synnes / but hath delyuered vs frome deathe to lyfe to be heyres of his kyngdome 2. And that he wolde make vs sure of perpetuall healthe and lyfe He sayeth that god hath quyckened vs raysed vs agayne with Christe and made vs to syt amonge the heauenly company with Christe / and that by the onely mercy grace of god by the which we are saued Here the Apostle speketh in the tyme past for the tyme to come / for the certayntie of the thynge to come by Christe And leaste anye shulde be wauerynge in hope or doubtefull of the promysses of God to be fulfylled as at mannes promysses God wylleth that men shulde be as sure of his ê“misses as yf they were receyued in dede by fayth and hope of them / whiche hope is neuer disceyued 3. The raysyng vp of Christe from death to lyfe maketh vs sure that we shall aryse fromde deathe to lyfe Ye we whiche are in this laste tymes in the whiche thynge is shewed the ryche grace of god / and his myghty power to all the worlde and for all tymes ⧠FOR by grace are ye saued throughe fayth that nat of your selues for it is the gyfte of god nat of workes lest any man shulde boste hym sealfe For we are his workmanshype created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes to the whiche god ordeyned vs before that we shulde walke in them ♣ Here we may lerne of Paule oftymes if nede be to repete one thynge whiche we wolde haue surely knoweÌ„ / and prynted in mennes hertes / specially this thyng / that our saluation coÌ„meth nat of our selfe / of our workes or merites of man / but onely of the grace of god throughe faythe In the which wordes saynt Paule reproueth all theÌ„ that thynke our iustification dothe come by other thynges then by the grace of god by Christe as by prayers / beades halowed at Syon / by masses of Scala celi / by rosaryes of our Lady / by saint Francis gyrdle / cote / coule or habit / hose / shoes or botes / gyrdeles / purse or knyfe / matyns masses or euen songe / or any other suche lyke without the grace of god without fayth of the which cometh lyfe euerlastyng 2. To fayth in the scripture is attributed our iustification / nat because fayth is the author of our iustification For the author of our iustification is Christe / but iustification is attributed to fayth because faythe receyueth the mercy of god beleueth the promysses of god made to iuste men and beleuers to be fulfylled So faythe is the organe the meane by the whiche we perceyue our
iustification to come of the only mercy of god / and it maketh vs to beleue the scriptures that shewes that we are iustified by grace throughe faythe without all workes Good workes go nat before fayth / but they folowe fayth and our iustification by the faythe maketh vs certayne that we be iustified as shal be god willing more playnly here after declared 3. Al be it that we be iustified by faythe knowe we haue our synnes forgyuen of goddes goodnes throughe faythe / yet we haue no cause why we shulde glory in our selfe For faythe is nat of vs / but it is the gyfte of god nat the worke of our power as sayth saynt Paule 2. Corin. 3. we are nat able of our sealfe to thynke any good thought / as of our selfe but all our habilite is of the lorde Also saynt Paule to the RomÌ„ 2. sayeth Yf by grace we be saued nowe it is nat of workes / for grace is then no grace but yf it be of workes nowe it is no grace ⧠⚹ ⧠4. Nat of workes leaste any man shulde boste hym sealfe Our healthe iustice is nat of any workes For yf it were of workes / then myght men boste them sealfe in theyr workes but man hath nat where in he may boste hym sealfe For what haste thou o man that thou haste nat receyued and yf thou hast receyued / why doste thou glory / as thoughe thou haddest nat receyued it Therfore he that wyl glory let hym glory in god / of whome cometh redeÌ„ption iustification / healthe / saluation and lyfe euerlastynge in blysse ⧠⧠5. But some paraueÌ„ture wyll say Yf our workes do nat iustifye vs / we wyll do no good workes / or what shulde it profite vs to do good workes yf by workes we be nat iustified To this saynte Paule here maketh answere sayenge / that we are the creatures of god made to do good workes / whiche god hath prepared that we shulde walke iÌ„ them So we may nat ceasse from doynge of good workes / althoughe good workes do nat iustifye vs. For good workes are to be done to the glorye of god / without blasphemye of god It is blasphemye to god to attribute to workes that is to be attributed and gyuen onely to god It is to be ascribed onely to god our iustification / our saluation / forgyuenes of synnes ad lyfe euerlastynge Wherefore good workes are nat to be done for this intent that they shulde iustifye vs / deserue the grace of god / take aware synnes brynge lyfe euerlastyng by reason of the worke in it selfe But good workes are to be done of christen men to shewe declare our fayth to vs and to al the worlde To declare our loue and kyndenes of our herte towardes god for hê benefites geuen to vs. To make our callynge certayne and sure so that we myght do the wyll of god / and auoyde his displeasure bothe in this worlde also in the worlde to come 1. Corin. 2. That we myght shewe our redynesse to do the wyll of god that we myght prouoke other men to glorifye god with vs. Math. 5. That we myght agree to our creacyon / profite other men in goodes gyftes gyuen vs of god for that ende And that we shulde be alwayes to the glorye of god with out faute before hym by loue Ephe. 1. For these causes diuerse other / good workes are to be done ⧠⧠⧠⧠6. Some parauenture wyl say If good workes do nat iustifye vs / take nat away synne geue euerlastynge lyfe Wherfore in the scriptures is iustificatioÌ„ / forgiuenes of synne and lyfe eternall attributed to good workes so ofte To thys I answere that scripture oftymes speaketh after the maner of men The father oftymes entyseth his soÌ„ne to do his wyl by promyse of a rewarde So the scripture speaketh after the maner of fathers or of men where as it promiseth iustification / forgeuenes of sinne / lyfe euerlastyng to them that kepe the coÌ„mandementes of god that be faythfull as Christe sayeth Math. 18. If thou wyll entre in to lyfe kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god Here the scripture speaketh after the maner of men entisynge euery man to kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes / promisyng them a rewarde / if they kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes He meaneth nat here that the kepynge of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes deserueth lyfe euerlastyng but rather that lyfe euerlastyng is frely geuen to theÌ„ that kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god / and they may be sure of lyfe in ioye blysse to come that kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes And they that kepe nat goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes may be sure they shal haue no lyfe in the worlde to come / but shal be dampned ê‘petually in hel Furthermore where as the scriptures do apere to geue to workes forgeuenes of synnes The scriptures speaketh of suche workes that be done in fayth / which hath alway annexed forgeuenes of synnes / nat for the workê sake / but rather for the fayth that they were done in / bycause they that worke these workes were iustified before god through fayth before they dyd worke Fynally sometyme in the scripture iustificacyon is attributed to workes / because workes declareth men to them selues and to other that they haue a true and lyuely saythe by the whiche they be iustified before god And so iustification of workes is the declaracyon of a true faythe / and so is iustification takeÌ„ some tymes in the scripture as in Iames. 2. Luce. 16. where Christe sayeth to the Phariseis You are they whiche iustify your selues before men / god knoweth your hertes 7. We be the creatures of god ordinated to do good workê Here in these wordes two thyngê we be taught Fyrste is that we be the creatures of god his workemanshyp made of him Of the whiche we may fully persuade to vs the loue of god / for no man hateth his owne worke but loueth it and wyll nat suffer it to peryshe / and if we be the worke of god as we be iÌ„ dede We may nat be proude agaynst our maker or be displeased with hym sayeng why haste thou made me after this fashyon or that fashyoÌ„ it is nat mete that the pot shuld say to the potter / why hast thou made me to this vse or that fylthy vse / and another that deserueth no better then I to be had in honour glory / of this thynge there is none other cause to be geueÌ„ but the wyl of the potter / and it is conuenient that euery pot shulde be content with the wyl of the potter / and nat that he shulde murmure agaynste the potter that hathe prefarred another before hym sythe the pote is in nothers det / and both pottes haue that that they haue only of the wyll of the potter The seconde thyng is that we shulde learne to knowe for what ende we were created of god / that is to say / nat that we shulde be ydle
thynke men leue Christe run to sayntes parsuadyng with them selfe that Christe wyl heare no synners / therfore they run to the sayntes desyryng theyr healpe as who shulde saye there were more mercyfulnes / more gentylnes and loue in sayntes then in Christ / whiche opinion to haue in Christe is euyl and damnable Some there be defenders of prayeng to sayntes moued by dyuers reasons / one reason is this / they saye that sayntes departed be membres of the same body of Christe that we be of / and al membres are profitable one to another Sayntes departed can nat profite vs lyuynge meÌ„bres nowe but by theyr prayers / wherfore they thynke that sayntes departed praye for vs / that we be helped by theyr prayer / to this reasoÌ„ may be answered thê° fyrste to the maior / that sayntes departed are membres of the same body that we be of to obteyne lyfe and glory euerlasting in heauen with Christe / but whether they be membres to profite other meÌ„bres by workes of charite as lyuyng membres shulde profite one another I am vncertayne by the holy scriptures I suppose they haue done theyr worke appoynted theÌ„ to do of god / and this sayeng me thynke S. Paule dothe confyrme Ro. 12. Ephe. 4. Where he sheweth the workes of the membres / also Gala. 6. sayeng Whyle we haue tyme let vs worke good to all men / chefly to theÌ„ that be of the housholde of faythe / also if al membres be profitable one to another I wolde gladly knowe howe profitable be the lyuyng membres to the holy sayntes in heauen that nedes nat our helpe / seyng we be meÌ„bres of the same body of Christe that they be of / or howe profitable be one saynte to another To the minor / they say that sayntes departed can nat profyte vs but by theyr prayer / thys reason may be denyed / for sayntes departed other waye profyte and do profyte vs / they confyrme our fayth to trust surely in god / and that our trust shal nat be deceaued / but that we shall haue the rewarde that we truste for they certifye vs of the goodnes of god / of the lyfe and glorye to come after this lyfe They shewe vs the merite of goddes promysses They teache vs to folowe theyr fote stepes to haue faythe as they had / hope charite / patience / nickenes / mercifulnes and other vertues / in the whiche they gyue vs example to folowe them make vs sure of lyfe and glorye after this lyfe / as they be in After thê facion I thiÌ„ke the sayntes departed profyte vs / and this profyte maye be gathered oftymes in the scriptures / but that they profite vs nowe by theyr prayer I haue nat redde in the scriptures I knowe nat by the scriptures that they pray for me no more then they do almosse dedes for me / seynge bothe he workes of charyte Also they haue an other reason that moueth them to thynke that sayntes departed praye for them / whiche is this They saye sayntes departed hath lost none of theyr charite that they had in this worlde / but rather hath theyr charite encrease more more they of theyr charite prayed for vs beyng on lyue Muche more they say nowe they praye for vs. To this I aunswere that theyr loue be encreased towardê god more and more / but as towardes man I am in doubte I wolde gladly of it be made certayn And where as they saye that they lyuynge of theyr charite prayed for vs / muche more nowe they pray for vs. So I may say that they lyuyng of theyr charite preached to vs the worde of god / a worke of charite as necessary as prayer / ergo they preache to vs nowe Heare is to be proued what workes of charite sayntes departed nowe in theyr state may do or do The holy scriptures sayth that workes muste be done in faythe that please god / saiÌ„tes haue nat fayth / wherfore it semeth to folowe that sayntes do nat worke after this present lyfe / or els theyr worke shulde be done in faythe that they myght please god Also scripture promyseth a rewarde for euery good worke / prayer is a good worke / prayer therfore doth nat want his rewarde before god But for the prayer of sayntes departed I reade no rewarde promysed of god / but euery man shall haue his rewarde for workes done in this present lyfe in the body Gal. 6. 2. Cor. 5. sayth saynt Paule All we shall stande before the iustice of god / and shall euery one receyue accordynge to his doynges the tyme he was in his bodye / shall receyue good or euyl Finably as thuchinge prayer to sayntes departed I thynke it no damnable thynge to pray to them / nor yet no neceessary thyng to pray to them I thiÌ„ke it shulde be more for the glorye of god to kepe sure trust and true confidence in god and to knowe that all goodnes / healthe / lyfe / saluacion / glorye eternall cometh only of god of his mere mercy towardes vs. If no prayer at al were made to sayntes departed For by prayer made to sayntes goddes honor hath ben take awaye his power mynyshed Honor due for god gyuen to sayntes / trust coÌ„fidence taken from god and put in sayntes / the blynde ignoraunt people more redy to go to sayntes / ye to the Images of sayntes then to god and desire helthe socoure of them suche hath ben our blynde ignoraunce This prayenge to sayntes hath ben the cause of muche Idolatry / of muche false trust confidence in sayntes and in Images / that so many hath desyred healthe of sayntes rather then of god for theyr dyseases / as of saynt Loy for our horse / of saynt Anthony for our pyge / of Roch for the pestileÌ„ce / of Appoline for the tothache of Iohan Shorne for the axes and in a maner for euery sycknes one saiÌ„t or other was the helper / so god was sette a syde / of whome all healthe doth come / and saintes called on in whome is no healthe nor no helpe can graunt without god Therfore if all prayer to sayntes departed were set a syde I thynke god shulde be better honored / more trust confidence put in hym / al helpe / socour / confort / and all goodnes to come of god of none other better knowen and belyued of the onlerned people / that haue ben longe in blyndnes for lacke of true teachers of the worde of god One thynge in this matter I wolde gladly knowe what hurte shulde it be to christen men / if men shulde nat cal desire sayntes departed to praye for them But of saintê shulde lerne to folowe theyr fotestepes in fayth / hope / charite / patieÌ„ce / mekenes / coÌ„temnyng of honour / ryches / worldly plesures and in other suche lyke vertues / for the whiche thynges scripture putteth vs in remembraunce of holy men departed I
he shall fynde euerlastynge lyfe in ioy and blysse ♣ For this cause I bow my knees vnto the father of our Lorde Iesê° Christe Whiche is the true father ouer all that is called Father in heuen and in earthe that he grauÌ„t you accordynge to the ryches of his glorye to be strengthed with power by his spirite in the inwarde men that Christe maye dwell in youre hertes by faythe that ye beynge rooted and grounded in loue / maye be able to comprehende with all Sayntes / what is the bredth and length and the depth and the heyght to knowe the loue of Christe whiche loue yet passeth al knowledge that ye may befylled with all maner of fulnes of God ¶ Saynte Paule moueth and gyueth example to al Bishoppes / Pastoures / Curates / and to all whome cure of other is coÌ„mytted / that they shulde praye for their flocke committed to theyr spirituall charge / and desyre of god that they shrynk nat from fayth and from goddes word for feare of persecution and affliction / or for loue of worldly goodes / pleasurê or riches / whiche oftymes plucketh men froÌ„ god from his worde / and that they maye haue true fayth and contynue in it / louynge God aboue al thinges in this worlde / preferring his worde aboue all worldely ryches / honoures / or pleasures In this prayer he sheweth that Byshoppes and Pastoures / haue nede to praye thus for there flocke / yee euery one of vs to pray for an other that we shrynke nat from God and his worde by infidelite / vnkyndnes or by other synnes Also in this prayer he sheweth that one of vs shulde desyre an other to praye for vs / and to whom our prayer shulde be made / nat to Peter or Paule IohnÌ„ or Iames / but to god whiche is the gyuer of all goodnes / and for what thynge prayers at to be made for some certayne thynge that we haue nede of / and that is profitable to the helth of the soule / as here it was necessary / that Paule shulde praye that they myght contynue in fayth / and in the loue of god nat shrynke from fayth for feare of affliccions / or for loue of worldly riches or pleasures And this is to be desyred of god alway / and euery one shulde desyre thê of God for an other as a thynge very necessary for euery one So was the comon prayers made to god / for necessities to be opteyned by prayer of god / to put awaye euyls that appeared to approche to men at the wyll of god / and when suche necessitie was the people gathered togyther desyred the helpe of god fastyng that ther prayers shulde be with more deuocion and more feruent / that they myght escape the euyll that was lyke to come and fal amonges them They fasted without mete or drynke that theyr prayer myght be more deuoute / but nowe is true prayers true fastynges almoste all put awaye / and our prayer and fastynge at full of superstition and fayned holines / for what an holy fast is it to absteyne frome flesshe / and fyll theyr bely with fysshe for flesshe / is fysshe more holyer then flesshe who made that holynesse yf fysshe be more holsome for mannes body then flesshe / euery man can iudge / I thiÌ„ke that ther be few phesycyoÌ„s that wyll so saye Therfore lette vs faste a true fast from al sinne and pray in fayth askyng thynges mete to be asked for Christes sake / and without doute we shall optayne our desyre of god / for so he hath promysed the performaunce of our desyre and he wyll perfourme his promyse 2 In that Saynte Paule dyd bowe his knees to God / he sheweth the feruentnes of his mynde and of his prayer to God / whiche was shewed euer by this exterior gestour / of the whiche we maye lerne that it is lawefull to shewe our inwarde hertes and mynde by exterior gesture and sygnes whiche of tymes sheweth the good deuotion of the herte / but in these exterior signes in prayenge hipocrites do passe muche theÌ„ that truely pray in fayth / in spirite / in truth Therfore of these exterior signes is nat al wayes the herte to be Iudged 3 Here we may lerne / that we haue nede of feruente prayer to God in fayth that we may coÌ„tinue in fayth in charite in the fauoure of god / in the truth of his worde and encrease iÌ„ it euery day more and more whiche thyng we can nat of our selfe with out the grace of God of whome we haue that we contynewe in fayth / in charite / in the fauour of god / whiche thinges god gyueth for the moste parte by faythful prayer Therfore let vs faythfully pray and oftymes / that we maye contynewe and encrease in al goodnes / but we be slacke and dull to praye faythfully to god / therfore it is no meruayle yf God take his grace froÌ„ leue vs to oure selfes and suffer vs to folowe our owne carnall and sensuall lustes and desyres and so to fall to all noughtynes and synne / it is a token that our fayth is faynt and scarse luke warme / ye I feare me it is colde and almoste frosen vp hole / that it brynketh fourth no mo good workes / specially nowe when it is shewed so playnely what maner of workes pleaseth god beste / and howe they shulde be done / for god onely 4 In that he mouyth vs to pray to him of whome all thynges was made and are ruled and gouerned / whiche is our father he gyueth vs boldenes maketh vs bolde to praye to hym trustyng our father wyll nat denye to vs that is profytable for vs / but wyll be muche more gladder to graunt our lawefull petition / then we be to praye and desyre of him that is for our helth and saluacyon 5 What charite sainte Paul had / is here playnely shewed in that he desyred that these Ephesians myght be encreased in the ryches of god that is to saye in fayth / hope / charite / patience / mekenes in the truth in the spirite of God / by whome they shulde be made stronge in fayth / that they refuse no persecution no affliccyon so that they myght promote goddes glory the truth of his gospel / to the saluacioÌ„ of meÌ„ he desyreth also that they myght be made so strong by the spirite iÌ„ the inward maÌ„ / that Christ myght dwell in they re inwarde harte by fayth roted in charite that bryngeth forth good workes of the spirite of god at all occasion gyuen / he desireth that they myght know the length the bredth / the heygth / the deapnes of god / that is to saye that they myght knowe god perfytely / as men knoweth a thynge perfetly when they knowe the length / the bredth / the heyth / and the deapnes / and that they myght haue the loue of god / whiche passeth al knowledge and that they
to teache the people the gospell symply and and playnely Doctours they taught the people the worde of God and dyd dryue a waye the wolfe frome the flocke of Christe / and so did Pastures / but these offyces be nat so deuyded but one maÌ„ may be an Apostle / a Pprophete / an EuaÌ„gelyste / a Pastoure / a Doctour / they haue diuerse names for the diuersite of there offyces and of their gyftes 2 In that God hathe in his Church so many ministers / he wolde haue some to be heaters and nat all to be Pastoures And in this he reproueth them that wold haue euery man to be preachers Some muste be preachers and some hearers in the congregacion The ministers in the Church they shulde eyther be Apostles / Prophetes or Doctours / or els Leuites decaynes to prouyde for the pore / for Purgatorye prestes or popishe prestes that can do nothing elles but momble or patter ouer a payre of popyshe Mattyns or Masse I finde no place in the scripture / ignorant prestes nat lerned in the scriptures / nat able to teache and to edyfye other by holy doctryne ar nat alowed of saynte Paule to be counted as prestes or Byshoppes / as appereth 1. Timo. 3. Titum 1. 3 For what ende was these ministers in the Church ordayned is here shewed / that it was to instruct other in the trueth / and to edyfye other by holsome doctrine / and nat that they shulde deceyue any be errours / heryses / superstitions / fayned holynes / false trustes / backwarde or peruerse iudgmeÌ„tes / the Churche is edifyed when it is instructed in treu fayth good workes approued by god / al erronious opinions / superstitions errours heryses put awaye / it is distroyed by false opynyons / superstitiousnes / euyl iudgemeÌ„tes errours and heresyes of minysters in the Churche that serue nat for the edyfycatyon of the bodye of Christe I can nat tell for what purpose they serue / as many Purgatorye popyshe priestes that knowe nat Goddes word nor wyl nat lerne it to edifye them selfe other in the trueth / but wyl hynder and let is as much as they can / and speake euyll of Goddes worde as farre as they dare 4. Here he sheweth howe longe it is necessarye to haue Apostles preachers teachers of goddes worde in the Churche of god / they be necessarye tyll we come all to the vnitie of fayth and ful knoweledge of god / and tyll we come to be perfite men in Christe whiche is nat in this worlde / but in the worlde to come / for nowe we haue vnperfyte knoweledge / then we shal haue perfyte knowledge / nowe we knowe by fayth / then we shal knowe face to face He willeth that we shal encrease dayly more more in the knowlege of god / which knowledge encreaseth as our fayth encreaseth as there is encreasynge in age / so there is encreasynge in fayth / of the whiche encresynge is here a similitude taken And he wylleth that men shulde encrease in fayth and in knoweledge of goddes worde / and go forwarde in good workes / as men do encrease in age / and this encreasynge in fayth is by the preachynge of the worde of God whyche maye nat ceasse as longe as we shall lyue in this worlde ⧠That we be no more chyldren wauerynge and caryed aboute wyth euerye wynde of Doctryne throughe the wyckednes of men / and craftynes / wherby they laye wayte for vs to deceyue vs but let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thynges growe in hym whiche is the heade euen Christe / in whome all the bodye is coupled togyther / and one membre hangeth by an other throughe out all the ioyntes / wherby one mynystereth vnto an other accordynge to the operacyon as euery membre hath hys measure / and makethe that the body groweth to the edyfyeng of it selfe in loue ☞ The Apostle declareth hym selfe and sheweth when they shal be made perfyte men howe / that is / when they shall nat be chyldren and wauerynge with euerye blaste of doctryne and be drawyng this way and that way he wolde nat haue theÌ„ chyldren that be vnconstant / folyshe / mutable and wauerynge hyther and thyther / but he wolde haue them children in malice and in knowledge men constante in the doctrine of trueth and in fayth / and that they wolde nat suffer them selfes to be deceyued by any doctryne of meÌ„ which shulde come in shepes clothynge and vnder pretence of holynes and vertue / whiche shulde be inwardly gredy wolfes Here the Apostle reproueth these that be vnconstance in doctrine and in fayth / and lyght of credence to euery doctryne nowe folowynge this waye / nowe that waye Newe rather theÌ„ true doctrine pleaseth better for a time and suche there is many / whiche be better pleased with the doctrine of falsed / then with the olde doctrine of trueth / and therfore they get them newe masters of errour and beleueth them and contemneth the olde trueth Maysters of errour be they that hath preached pylgrimage / painting of blockes and stockes offerynge vp of candels to ymages / perdons / and other wyll workes neyther commaunded of God nor of man / leuynge the workes of God commaunded in holy scripture And also these anabaptistes be maisters of errour haue deceyued some by theyr newe doctryne of falsed errour and heresye 2 He sheweth howe these maysters of errour haue deceyued men and broughte from the reueth of holy scripture / by falsed crafte and pretence of vertue and holynes / and of the worshyp of God but these by there pretensed holynes haue deceyued many and brought from the trueth to errour and heresy Suche was the doctrine of them that wolde haue the Byshoppe of Rome to be the heade corner of the Churche of Christe in earth makynge al holynes in fastynge prayeng / halowynge / ryngynge / fyngynge / relygiousnes / rites / ceremonies / customes / or otherwaies brought in by the byshoppe of Rome / and nat spokyng of in scripture Such deceyuable doctrine was the doctrine of them that moued men to put theyr truste and confidence in creatures / in theyr owne workes dedes merites / in sayntes ye incarued and grauen ymages / in pardons / to pylgrimages in masses ad Scala celi / in cotes / coulles / habytes / voyse / showes / boutes / gyrldelles purses / knyfes / and in other such lyke bag gashe and inuentions of man inuented for lucre sake Whiche inuentions hathe bene profytable so Byshoppes of Rome / inuentours and makers of this holines from al suche deceyuable doctrine the Apostle mouethe men to be waere / and take hede of theyr wylye craftynes and sleeth â—â—glynge / by the whiche they haue deceyued simple men that trusted / no euyl nor falsed and wylleth that men shall take that truth and folowe the truthe by charite / and do forwardes by fayth and good workes approued and appointed of god
done sōethyng for them to god / for the whiche the ignorant hathe crowched / kneled / kyssed / bobbed / and lycked the Images / gyuynge them cotes of clothe of golde / syluer / and of tysshu / veluet / damaske / and saten / suffred the lyuely membre of Chryst to be without a russet cote / or a sacke cloth to kepe hym warme / from the colde / leste for coulde he shulde perysshe / so we haue clothed stockes and stones / and suffered Chryst to perysshe for colde dye without the house and buyldeth goodly houses for an olde Idolle / a stocke or a stone / carued / and paynted for lucre sake .2 we may learne that we haue receyued nat one spirytuall blessynge / but all spyrytuall blessinges as our creacion / redempcion iustifycacion / forgyuenes of syn / lyfe euerlasting of no other but of Christ Iesus / and by no other meanes but for Christes sake throughe faythe / that we shulde gyue all prayse and thanke onely to god / and offer vp our selues thankfull sacryfyce / redy to obeye godes wyll aboue all thynges / redy to suffer with pacience all iniuryes / wronges and affliccyons for god his worde And this is the true sacrifyce of christians dayly and hourely to be offered vp to god for his benefytes of all christyanes 3. As he hath chosen vs before the foundacion of the world was layde / so he hath blessyd vs with al spirituall blessynges before the foūdacyon of the world layde And as this eleccyon of God was only of the mere grace / wyll / pleasure of god / so was all his blessynges towarde vs intended of his onely goodnes / and nat of our merytes or deseruynges / what thing coulde we deserue before we were borne that prouoked God to loue vs / or was the cause why that god loued vs nothynge 4. That we shulde be holy and without blame before hym in loue Nowe he shewith the cause why god elected vs in hym before the begynninge of the worlde / that we shulde be holy and without faute or blame before him in loue We thynketh the Apostle dothe speake these wordes to stoppe the vngodly mouthes of carnall men / whiche saye yf we be elected and chosen of god to immortal glorye / what maketh maier what we do / do what we wyll we shal at the laste come to that glory / and blysse / yf we be nat chosen and predestinat to be saued what skylleth of our workes / they shall nat profyte vs to optayne lyfe euerlastynge in ioye / yf we do al the cōmaundementes that god hath commaunded to be done / at the ende we shall be reiected and dampned yf we be nat predestynate of god to be saued by Chryst Iesus through faythe / that no man shuld speake so vngodly / or reason with hymselfe on this maner / and condemne Good workes / despyse to lyue holyly / care nat howe he lyue / whether he kepe godes commaundementes or no / saynt Paule sayth that god hath elected and chosen vs to be holy before hym in loue / that is to saye who so euer wyll be holy / and gyue themselues to serue god / to kepe his commaundementes / to lyue a lyfe puer and cleane from all vyce and synne / to beleue in god / to truste Chryste onely to be his sauyour / redemer / iustifyer / delyuerer from synne / deathe / hell / and eternal dampnacion / and gyue hym selfe to loue god aboue al thynges in this worlde / preferryng godes glorye aboue all earthely thynges / and to deserue good to euery man / studyinge alway to seke the glory of god and the profyte of other men / according to the wyll and pleasure of god for whose sake only good workes that God commaundeth in scrypture are to be done / which workes they do that be chosen and elected of god to eternall saluacyon / who be elected of god to saluacyon / who be nat / we can nat tell by the outwarde workes that they do Sygnes of godes predestinacyon is these Fyrste god of his goodnes elected / electeth and choseth whome he wyl only of his mere mercye and goodnes withoute all the deseruynges of man / whome he hathe elected he calleth them for the most part by preachynge of the gospell / and by the hearyng of the worde of god to fayth in Chryst Iesus / throughe faithe he iustifyeth them / forgyueth synnes / and maketh them obedyent to heare his worde with gladnes / to do that thynge that Goddes worde commaundeth them to do in theyr state and callynge / wherfore to heare the worde of God with gladnes / to beleue it / to knowe that it is the meane by the which god hath ordeyned to bring to saluacyon them that beleueth to order theyr liues accordyng to the commaundement of the worde of god to do all good workes commaunded in the scryptures to the vttermoste of your poure these be the sygnes of Saluacyon / of the contrarye parte who so euer be nat glad to heare the worde of God / but despyse it / condemne it / regarde it no more than Esopes fabules or thynke the worde of God to be folysshenes a vayne thing / of no profyte ne pleasure / a thynge to be hated and set at noughte / and so gyue no credence to it / care nat for it care nat to kepe Goddes commaundementes al set to seke the pleasures and the glorye of this worlde who so euer is so affected / it is a token that they be nat the chyldren of saluacion but of perdition and eternall dampnacyon of these workes that folowe we maye haue a coniecture who be ordeyned of God to be saued and who to be damned ¶ And ordynated vs before to receyue vs as chyldren throughe Iesus Chryst / accordyng to the pleasure of his wyll / vnto the promyse of the glorye of his grace / wherby he hathe made vs accepted in the beloued in whome we haue redemcyon / throughe his blode / forgyuenes of synnes accordyng to the ryches of his grace / whiche he hathe shewed vpon vs abondantly in al wysdome and prudence / and hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his wyll accordynge to his pleasure / whiche he hadde purposed in hym selfe / that it shulde be preached / whan the tyme was ful come / that all thynges shulde be gathered together by Chryst both the thynges which are in heauen / also the thynges that are vpon earth by hym Saynt Paule repeteth here with many playne wordes the thynges he had spoken before / that is to saye that we were elected of god in hym to be saued before the begynnynge of the worlde / that we shulde be holy and without blame before god by loue / the same thyng is repeted agayne in other wordes whiche thynge the Apostle dothe bycause he wolde haue this thynge surely knowne and roted in euery mannes harte and minde of the whiche preachers may
their faith in good workes .4 in whome whan ye beleued / ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promes here is shewed what frute dothe come of hearyng of the worde of truthe that by it is gotten faythe / without the whiche no man can please God / and hauynge it all thynges pleaseth God / and these that beleue receyue the spirite of God / as an earnest to put them in suretye that they shall receyue and haue all thynges that be promysed them to haue by goddes word / that is to saye that they shall haue lyfe euerlastynge and the inherytaunce of heauen / and for a suretye of that promise the beleuers receyue the holy ghoste as an oblygacyon for the perfourmaunce of that promyse by the whiche they be made as sure to haue the promyse of god as yf they had receyued it all ready This place maketh agayne them that saye no man can know whether he is in the fauour of God or no / or whether they be worthy hatred or loue of god alledginge for them the sayenge of Ecclesyastes .9 to whome this aunswere I make that men can not knowe of them selfe whether they be in the fauour of god or no / but that they maye knowe by the holy spirite whome they haue that beleue faythfully / yf a man may knowe whether he hathe fayth or no / he may knowe whether he be in the fauour of god or no If he haue true fayth God fauoryth hym / yf he lacke faythe god fauoureth hym nat / so a man maye knowe by fayth the spirite of god gyuen to glorifye vs of goddes fauour and loue towardes vs / and that god fauoureth vs as longe as we shall haue fayth the spiryte of god which faythfull beleuers haue and possesse / so a man may knowe whether he is now at this present time in the fauor of god or no hated or beloued / but what he shal be to morowe / the next day or in time to come no man can tel Therfore he that stādeth in the fauor of god by fayth / by the holy ghoste / let hym loke that he fal nat from god by vnfaithfulnes and incrudelite by vnkindnes / contempnyng of godes word / disobedient to goddes cōmandementes / and so fall from the fauour of god / lose fayth the holy spirite of god / lose lyfe eternal As for the wordes of Ecclesiastes .9 where it is written that no man can knowe whether he is worthy hatred or loue / the wordes are to be vnderstande thus that of good or euil that chance to men in this worlde / no man can knowe whether he is worthy hatred or loue / for goodes and euyls / prosperyte aduersyte chaunce equal to good men and euyl men oftymes it chaunceth that euyl men haue more prosperite then good men / euyl haue ryches / welth / pleasure / good men haue pouertye nede / payne / and punysshmente / wherfore of prosperytie or aduersytie in this worlde is no man to be estemed more or lasse in the fauour of God / seynge these thynges chaunce equally to the good and the euyl / in this worlde / I wolde that euery man shulde not only thynke hym selfe that he is in the fauour of god / but also knowe it surely that god fauoureth hym excepte he thinke so howe can he fauour god for loue yf he dout whether god loue hym or no / or in this thyng be waueryng / thynke some tyme god loue hym somtyme he loueth hī nat The spirite of god is giuen vs to put vs in a suretye that God fauoureth vs / and yf we lacke this spirite / we be nat of Chryste Ro. 8. we haue also receyued the spirite of adopcyon by whome we call father father / and this spirite sheweth to our spirite that we are the chyldē of god Ro. 8 therfore I wolde that euery man shulde certaynly thynke and persuade with hym selfe that he is in the fauour of God / and that god wyll gyue hym euerlastynge lyfe ioye blysse in the worlde to come / which they that beleue nowe haue by fayth / and in the worlde to come shal possesse in dede / then I suppose they wolde contynewe in fayth and shewe theyr faythe by all good workes commaunded in the Scrypture Some also here wyll aske howe shall we knowe whether we haue faith the spirite of god or no / this thyng maye be knowen by the frutes / by the wordes mocyons that they shal perceyue in theyr hartes / yf they perceyue that they be glad to heare goddes worde / to reade it / study it / be glad it goth forwarde for Goddes glory onely / do beleue it to be true / and that God wyll performe and brynge to passe all thynges promysed or thretened in his worde / that he wyll rewarde good men / and punysshe euyll men in the worlde to come / yf they shall perceyue a redynes a towardnes to be obedyente to do Goddes commaundement / ye to do it in dede for god only to the vttermost of theyr power / if these thinges they perceyue in them selues / they be sure sygnes that they be in the fauour of god / haue faith and the spyrite of god / and shal haue lyfe euerlasting / of the contrary part if you perceyue in your selfe no desyre / luste / or wyll to heare the worde of god / to reade it / to studye it / ye thynke it is but folysshenes a vayne thing / an vnprofytable thing or that you care nothynge for it / or that you hate it and enuy it and the professors of it persecute them as auctors of deuyles doctryne / you feele your selfe nothyng redy to obey the commaundementes of god but ready to all pleasure of the flesshe and of the worlde / to do synne and noughtines these be sure tokens that you be out of the fauour of god / lacke fayth and the spiryte of god / and in the hie displeasure with god of these thynges and tokens shewed / you shall knowe whether you be in the fauour of god / more sure than by the fyght of the holy blode of hayles / or by the goyng thoroughe saynt wylfredes nedle / and also yf you be oute of Goddes fauoure / you lacke faythe and the spiryte of god that moueth and stereth men alwaye to all good workes for god only / alone regarding his wyl and pleasure 7. That we might be his owne to the prayse of his glory / for what ende god hath chosen vs made the word of god to be preached to vs / surely for this ende / that we shuld haue faith / receiue the holy spirite / be made sure of goddes fauour towardes vs and that he loueth vs / that we shulde glorify hym agayn / by faith / by loue to hym to our neyghbour to do the workes of god cōmaunded vs to do in the holy scrypture in our vocacyon
and callynge and that only for god / haue no respecte to our selfe Thus we maye heare / knowe what frute commeth of the worde of god preached / that is to saye / throughe the holy spirite is gyuen / certantye of goddes fauour / knowledge of goddes wyll / of our offyce and dutye bothe to god and also to our neighbour and lyfe euerlasting ¶ Wherfore also in so muche as I haue hearde of the fayth whiche ye haue in the lorde Iesu of your loue vnto the sayntes / I cease nat to gyue thankes for you / make mentyon of you in my prayers / that the god of our lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory may gyue vnto you the spirite of wisdome / open vnto you that knowledge of hym selfe and lyghten the eyes of your vnderstandynge that ye may knowe what is the hope of your callynge and what the ryches of his gloryous inheritance is vpon the saintes Saynt Paule here sheweth the offyce of one christen man toward an other / that it is to geue thankes to god for fayth / hope / charyte / other gyftes spirytuall geuen to other of god And in this he teacheth christen men what they shulde do when they heare that the worde of god is puerly truly preached without all dregges of mans inuentyon dreames / or phantasyes / and that other receyue faythe and exercyse the workes of charyte to the pore people / that they shuld gyue laude prayse and thankes to the lorde for it / to desyre of god that they may continue in the truth go forward in it / and encrease euery day more and more in all godly knowlege and spirytual wysdome that they maye knowe what is the hope / that is to saye the thyng that they hoped for / whiche is the heuenly inherytaunce whiche they hope and loke for to the whiche god hath called them / these be the dutyes of a chrysten man one to an other to wysshe and desyre of god / and nat to be sory that so muche spirytuall knowlege of God be shewed to the rude and ignoraunt people as is nowe shewed in our tyme. And here Saynte Paule reproueth those that be sory that there is so muche knowledge of goddes worde shewed and opened to the symple people as is / it checketh also all them that dysswadeth the laye people vnlearned / from the hearynge of the worde of god from the readyng of it / from the study of it 22. Vertue can nat be byd where someuer it is but it wyll be knowen although they wolde it shuld nat be knowen that do vertuously to auoyde prayse of men / as the fayth and charyte of these Ephesians came to Paule in prison / for the whiche Saynt Paule praysed them / and vertue shal not lacke his prayse or reward in this worlde / or at the lesse in the worlde to come 23. Saynt Paule commendeth these Ephesians / nat for theyr goodly temple / nor yet for their noble worshyppinge of Diane / nor yet for their religyouse men called of dyuers sectes / and of dyuerse habytes / for theyr goodly syngynge in the queare / or theyr orgaynes and playeng in their churches / or for other goodly ceremonyes / nor for their tapers / torches / carued paynted / or gylded Images / or for theyr goodly greate belles or multitude of masses or suche lyke / but for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ / and their charyte to the poore people that hathe nede of helpe and socour And Paule cōmendeth them nat bicause he wolde make them proude / but bicause he wolde prouoke them to go forwarde and continue in faythe and charyte / and encrease them euery day more and more / and that they shulde knowe good workes nat to lacke his reward with god in the world to come 4. In this prayer he teacheth vs what thynges we shulde desyre of god in our prayers / that it wolde please God to gyue vs the spirite of spirytuall wysdome and knowledge / that we myght be lyghtened with all godly knowledge / that we myght knowe howe ryche is our hope in the thynge we hope for / the heauenly inherytaunce / vnto the whiche Christ hath bought vs with his preciouse bloude shed for vs / of this place we maye learne that we can not knowe what is our hope / glorye / and inheritaunce whiche we loke for after this present lyfe / except that God shewe it to vs by his spiryte of wysdome and knowledge / and open our eyes that we may see and perceyue it And to optayne this spiryte of God / and that we maye euery daye encrease more and more in this diuyne knowledge / saynt Paule moneth vs to praye to god which alone doth geue this spiryte This place maketh agaynst them that wolde the ignorant symple people shulde haue no furder knowlege of god then be conteyned in the pater noster / and to be contented wtih that knowledge / and desyre no furder / but to leue to hie dyuynes the furder knowledge in the scriptures of god / but let suche blynde gydes and ignorāt teachers put away theyr blyndnes and ignoraunce / and learne better knowlege of god / desyre it in faythe by prayer / by study / by hearyng and reading of holy scriptures / that they may encrease in more knowledge and teache other better to seke to more knowledge / that they may come to the more knowledge of god / and of the celestyall kyngdome / whiche thinges they know better the more knowledge they haue in the holy scryptures of god Also saynt Paule sheweth here that faythe / charyte / knowledge of godly wysdome may be encreased in sayntes lyuing here in his world / and therfor he exorteth euery man to encrease theyr faythe / theyr charite / theyr knowledge / in the which he sheweth that there is no man so good but that he maye be better encrease in goodnes / in the whiche he exorteth euery one to encrease / euery day be better better ¶ And what is the excedyng gretnes of his power toward vs which beleue accordynge to the working of his myghty powre whiche he wrought in Christ when he raysed him vp from the deade and set him on his ryght hand in heuenly thinges aboue al rule / powre / might and domynatiō and aboue al that maye be named / nat onely in this worlde / but also in the worlde to cōe And hathe put all thynges vnder his fete / hathe made hym aboue al thinges / the head of the congregacyon whiche is his body the fulnes of hym that fylleth all in all The Apostle goeth forth with his prayer for these Ephesyans and desyreth God that they myghte knowe by the spirite of wisdome and knowledge of god that they myght knowe the excellent power of god which god hath declared myghtely in the raisynge vp his sonne Iesus Chryst from deathe to lyfe / and made him
or lyue euyl and folowe the pleasures of our fleshe or of the worlde / but that we be created to do good workes suche workes nat as we thynke good to vs but suche as god hathe ordynated that we shulde walke in them And here he exorteth men to good workes leaste any shulde thynke faythe sufficient and coÌ„demne good workes / good workes I meane suche as god hathe appoynted vs to do by his holy worde and nat suche worke as men leuynge goddes worde hathe appoynted to serue and please god with all And here in thys place maye fall away pylgrymages / offerynges of caÌ„dels / gyldyng of ymages / and religions of meÌ„ / whiche be workê nat instituted of god but of man and inuented of man without goddes worde / for the whiche voluntary workes many haue contempned and lefte on done the workes coÌ„maunded of god / and preferred wyll workes aboue them 8. He moueth vs here nat to stande styll wheÌ„ we haue done one good worke / but to go forwarde from one good worke to another apoynted of god and nat of our selfe of our good inteÌ„te thought of vs to honour please god with all / when we can nat tell whether god wyll be honoured after that way whiche we haue ymagined to honour him For hys honour do the nat consyst in workes fouÌ„de out by men / but in the workes appoynted in the scripture For if all our newe founde workes were taken away no parte of the workes assygned by God in the scriptures shulde be taken away I meane if al pylgrimagê to paynted stockes / or stones / all gyltyng of ymages / all offeryng vp of candels / al monkes freers / al masses of Scala cesi / al trental masses were taken away / no parte of the workes coÌ„maunded by god shulde be takeÌ„ away / no parte of goddes glory shulde be mynyshed / but rather promoted and set forwarde For these workes fouÌ„de by man hathe hyndered muche the true honour of god that god hathe nat bene truely honored as he shulde be in spirite in trewthe / these wyll workes hathe letted many to do theyr charite where they shulde haue done to the pore people bought by the precious bloude of Christe whiche hathe had nede of the helpe of man Also in that saynte Paule exhorteth men only to do the workes that god hathe coÌ„mauÌ„ded in the scriptures and wylleth that we shall walke in them and go forwarde in them encrease more more / me thynke in these wordê he teacheth workes coÌ„maunded of god to be sufficieÌ„t to opteyne lyfe euerlasting if none of our newe fouÌ„de holy dayes or our wyll workes inuented of our good zeales onely without goddes worde be put to the workes of god / we adde to the workes of god many workes of maÌ„nes inueÌ„cion / as who shulde say goddes workes were nat perfeit excepte man shulde put to some thynge to make theÌ„ perfeyt / as god coulde nat gyue vs healthe and lyfe euerlastynge / excepte that we of our blynde zeales shulde put to some thyng of our addicioÌ„ I do nat speke here agaynst any godly cyuyll ordynauÌ„ce or any godly ceremony yet vsed or may be vsed in tyme to come that be made to set furthe goddes glory / or for any descent or comely ordre to be had amonges men in the worlde / or for any polytyke ende to be vsed amonges christen men as charite requyreth the glory of god better promoted and his worde more regarded and set by / and the charite of the christians more encreased to the coÌ„modyte of all good men ⧠Wherfore remembre that ye whiche afore tyme were Gentyles after the fleshe and were called vncyrcumcision of them that are called circuÌ„cision after the fleshe whiche circumcision is made with haÌ„de that ye at the same tyme were with out Christe and reputed aliauÌ„tes from the coÌ„mon welthe of Israel and were straungers from the testament of promes therfore had ye no hope and were without god in this worlde ¶ To this place saynt Paule hathe spokeÌ„ generally of the grace gyueÌ„ to al meÌ„ nowe begynneth he to speake of the grace of god gyuen more specially to the gentyles when it pleased god onely of his goodnes and nat of the merites of the Gentyles to call them to grace to fayth whiche iustifyeth them / and here the apostle teachithe all preachers after that they haue shewed the general grace of god gyuen frely to al men to apply the grace or the benefites of god more specially to perticuler men / as to them to whom it is spokeÌ„ ti bryng theÌ„ to the remembraÌ„ce of the benefites of god towardes theÌ„ to geue god thankes for theÌ„ by the knowledge of whom came al goodnes / after the example of S. Paule here in thê place which applyeth the grace of god gyuen to the GeÌ„tyles / to these EphesiaÌ„s 2. He moueth these Ephesians to cal to theyr remembraunce the state of lyuynge they were in before the grace of god / and the state they be in nowe after the grace of god gyuen them / whiche thyng if they do they wyll with gladnes gyue harty thankes to god and gloryfy hym for hys goodnes and shewe them selfe thankful to god by all redynes to obey and do goddes commaundementes 3. He sheweth what they were before the gospell was preached to them / and before they had receyued faythe in Iesus Christ Fyrste he sayeth that they had an odious name hated of al good men / that is to say / they were called Preputians which was amongest the Iues as opprobriê° a name as is amongest vs christen men / a Turke or a Sarazyn or vn christeined And the Iues eschewed the company of the Preputians and wolde neyther eate dryncke nor speake with the Preputians and abhorred theyr company as we do the other people or Pagans / and he that wolde vse the company of the Preputians was abhorred of the Iues / as they were angry with Peter that had preched at the coÌ„maundement of god to the Gentyles Actes 1. .2 but nowe you haue an holy name landed magnified of all good men / and also of god the father Also before you were without Christ / that is nat that Christ was nat your sayuour and redemer promysed / but that you knewe nat Christe to be your sauyour and redemer promysed as well to the Gentyles as to the Iues / as apereth in the promyse made to Abraham / that in his sede shulde al the Gentyles be blessed / and that Christ was the expectation of the Gentyles / but this mystery was hyd frome the worlde vnto Christes incarnation that Christe shulde be a sauyour to all men bothe to the Iues and to the Gentyles This mystery was knowen to some bothe of the Iewes and GeÌ„tyles / but they were very fewe in comparyson to them that were ignorant or els it may be sayde that the Iues and the geÌ„tyles that were faythefull and beleued
myght be fulfylled with all goodnes of God Suche thynges charite wisheth to other / rather then any worldly goodes / and they be wrytten to teache vs what thinges we shulde desire in our faith full and feruente prayers one to an other as long as we be in this presente lyfe / and yf we do nat so as Paul here did / we lacke fayth and charite / be out of the fauoure of god / and to monyshe vs to do our duetye ⧠Vnto him that is able to do excedynge abundatly aboue all that we axe or vnderstande accordynge to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacioÌ„ whiche is in Christe Iesu at all tymes for euer and euer Amen ☞ Least any man shulde thynke god nat able to graunte these thynges that we desyre of him in our faythfull prayers He sayeth that God dothe gyue to vs aboue all thynges that we aske of hym / and mo thynges he gyueth to vs then we aske of him / or yet can thynke to be desyred of hiÌ„ / for his might is omnipotent / and his ryches can nat be wasted or spente / for they be infinite and euer doth flowe and abunde with plentye to all men 2 He sheweth also that god worketh in al good men by his myght and power mouynge them to good workes alwayes / as in euyll men the deuyl is nat idle / but moueth and styrreth them to euyll dedes and deadly workes that bringeth death 3 The Apostle gyueth God thankes for his gyftes gyuen to hym and to all other faythfull christianes In the whiche he moueth vs al to gyue god thankes for his benefites that he gyueth to vs and to all men euery day / that we shulde nat be vnthankefull or forgetfull of the goodnes of god to whom be glory prayse and commeÌ„dacion for euer Amen ¶ The fourth chapiter to the Ephesyans ⧠THERFORE I whiche am prysoner in the Lord exhorte you that ye walke as it becommeth youre callynge where in ye are called with al humblenes of minde and mekenes and longe sufferynge forbearynge one another in loue and be dilygente to kepe the vnitye of the spyryte throughe the bounde of peace one bodye and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your callynge one lord / one fayth one baptyme one God and father of vs al Whiche is aboue all and thorowe all and in you all IN Chapiters before this chapiter the Apostle hathe exhorted men to fayth Nowe he desyreth them to garnysshe their fayth with good workes / and fyrste of al he exhorteth theÌ„ to vnite and coÌ„corde for by coÌ„corde smal thynges do encrease / by discorde greate thynges are scatered abrode and do peryshe / for in the congregation of christianes nothynge is better theÌ„ vnitie and concorde / nor nothynge worse then discorde or debaite / stryfe or contention Therfore it becoÌ„meth euery man to eschewe discorde and debate / and all vices that styrreth vp coÌ„tention / and to seke for vnitie yf it be by losse of temporall profites / and to gette all vertues that brynge vnitie / concorde / peace / and quietnes / and all suche be blessed / and shal be called the chyldren of god Math. 5. Sayeth Christ Blessed be you peace makers for you shall be called the children of god / and shal haue peace with god 2 The maner of desyryng helpeth much to persuade men / as here Paule in pryson for their sake and their health by his praier did pearce their hertê and mouyd them muche to graunte his peticion / he speaketh to them after this maner Yf I do suffer prisonment and greuouse affliccion for your sake and your helth I caÌ„ nat thynke no other but you wyll do some thynge at my requeste / and specially syth that thing I require of you / is nat for may profite / but for your profite / auauntage / glory / helth and for the glory of god / and that thynge you be called to of god / and is your offyce to do withal diligence Whiche is that you shulde walke as it becommeth christianes to walke / that is nat to be idle but to go forth wardes from one vertue to another / in all mekenes of herte and minde / no man thinkynge of him selfe more then becommeth hym to thynke / farre from pryde and hye mynde / for what shulde make vs proud or hye mynded / thynkynge our selfes better then other / and extolle our selfes aboue other / or thynke no man to be coÌ„pared with vs / what haue we / that we haue nat receiued And if we haue receyued why do we glory and be proude as we had nat receyued it it is in his wyll and pleasure howe longe we shall haue it / of whom we receyued that we haue / and when he pleaseth he may take it away from vs agayne He wylleth also that we shall walke in mekenes / whiche is a vertue by the whiche / yre angry / fury / malyce / enuye / and other lyke passion or affection of the myndes is quenched and put away from the hart we must haue also patience by the whiche all aduersitie / tribulation / affliccyon howe some euer they come they be patientely suffred / without murmure or grudge agaynst god or man / without all desyre to be auenged for iniuries done / but remlite the matter to god that wyl auenge iniuries and pray for them that hathe done iniuries that they might amende and so quenche the yre of god towardes them whiche god wyll powre vpon synners that wyll nat repent and amende and refourme theyr noughty lyuyng / make amendes for theyr iniuries 3 The Apostle sheweth wherfore he exhorteth them to vnite of the spirite / for of vnite coÌ„meth many vertues / as mekenes patience / sobernes â–ª long sufferaunce with other many mo / whiche be knyt togyther with charite the bounde of peace that coupleth and knytteth all vertues together kepeth them that one shrynke nat from another Of discorde commeth many great vyces and synnes / that bryngeth to death as yre / hatred / enuye / malyce / furye / madhastynes / cauelnes / pryde / dyspysynge of other / stryfe / contencyon and / debate and many other vices mo that bringeth death Gal. 5. Therfore fle discorde / seke for vnite and peace / if it be to losse of your temporal goodes or pleasures So doynge you shall wynne more heuenly riches then you lese temporall goodes / sekynge for vnitie and peace / and if you wil haue peace and other vertues / se that you studye fyrste to gette charite and haue hyr fauoure / whose fauoure yf you lacke / you shall lacke peace / vnite / and all other vertues and hauynge her fauour / you shall haue all vertues / and the spirite of god that moueth alway to al goodnes to workes of charite and mercy 4. He sheweth the reasons why he hath exhorteth theÌ„ to concorde / and vntie of the spirite
in holy scripture and nat to leue these workes and to folowe our owne dreames or fantases inuention of man without goddes worde 3 The Apostle here goeth furth in his metaphore of buyldynge / by the whiche he wylleth no other thynge but that he wolde mē buyldyng vpon Christ the sure fundacion shulde go forth in true fayth in true knowledge of Christe and in al good workes in charite by the which al vertues be coupled and knyte together / that they myght be a perfyte buyldynge in Christe and come to his glorye / of the whiche also we may lerne that it is the office of a preacher nat onely to reproue vyce and synne / but also to shewe the remedye for thē / how men shall gette true vertue to moue to go forwardes in vertue and in all good workes and dedes commaunded in scripture / after the example of saynt Paule ¶ This I say therfore and testify in the Lord that ye walke no more as the other heythen walke in the vanyte of theyr mynde blynded in theyr owne vnderstandynge beynge straungers frome the lyfe whiche is in god throughe the ignoraunce that is in them because of the blindnes of theyr harte whiche beynge past repentaunce haue gyuen them selfes ouer to wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredynesse ¶ That the Apostle maye more moue vs to holy lyfe / holy maners and conditions / he setteth before our eyes the fylthye and abominable lyfe of gentyles that knowe nat Christe nor his doctrine / and wylleth that we shulde walke no more after the wayes of gentyls which walke in vanite of theyr myndes folowynge theyr owne imaginaciōs phantises and dreames the lustes and pleasures of theyr owne myndes / whiche be blynded with ignoraunce of the trueth / full of superstitiousnes / vayne holynes false trustes and vayne hopes corrupt iudgementes / so blinded that they can nat or wyll nat se the trueth / but continewe styll in blyndnes / in ignoraunce / in supersticion and in al vyces vsed before and condempned by the holy scripture of God / and wyll nat admytte the trueth to entre they re hartes / nor walke in the truth of goddes worde They be also far frome god / frome eternal lyfe with god for ignoraunce that is in them / blyndnes of hert by the whiche they knowe nat God nor yet wyll or desyre to knowe hym / whiche is moste blyndnes of al / and a greate tokē that god hathe vtterly reyected them and forsaken them / from the which ignorance I pray god saue vs / and from theyr ignorance blyndnes they come to that point that they wyl nat repente of their synnes nat leue them / but contynewe styll in all vnhappynes and myschefe / gyuynge thē selfes to all vnclennes pollutynge them selues with al fylthynes / with vnsaciable gredines with suche degrees and steppes goeth euyl men to all wyckednes / impiete and vngracyousnes / by the which we may knowe in what state they be in that know nat god nor his worde / nor wyl nat folow goddes worde but them selfes in vanite of mynde ignoraunce of God and blyndnes of herte without repentaunce gyue them selfes to all vnclennes 2 The Apostle here vseth great wysdome in that he setteth the fautes of other before theyr face and make them abhomynable in theyr fyght and worthy to be reproued and condēmned / although he might haue layde to theyr charge and haue reproued these Ephesyans for thē that they seynge theyr fautes condempned in other muche more shulde thynke them worthy condempnatyon in them selfe that they condemne in other 3 Marke the gentylnes of saynt Paule in that he desyred them when he myght haue commaunded thē / and his wysdome in that he affraeth them from synne vsed amonges them by the example of other / wylleth they shall nat folowe the vanite of theyr owne mynde / leaste they runne in darkenes and in obstinate blyndes euer desyrynge to synne and contynewe in siue and neuer to forsake fynne and vnclennes whiche is the moste perilous vice that can be a sure sygne that all suche be vtterlye reiected of god and frome his fauoure for euermore of this place we may lerne that these that gyue thē selfe to vanitie of theyr mynde and carnall pleasure and wyll do what fomeauer carnall luste moneth them doth go frō one synne to another and heape vp synne vpon synne / and at the lastes they come to this poynt that they wolde nat forsake synne / nor be sory for it / nor repent / but euer contynewe with vnsaciable luste and desyre to synne Therfore folow nat the vanitie of your owne mynde / but goddes worde Walke nat in ignoraunce but in the lyght of the gospell that so clerely shyneth that you may walke surelye / and in the truth ⧠But ye haue nat so learned Christe yf so be it ye haue herde of hym and are taught of hym euen as the trueth is in Iesu So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tyme paste laye frome you that olde man whiche marreth hī selfe throughe deceyuable lustes but be ye renued in the spirite of youre mynde and put on that newe man whiche is shapen after God in true ryghtuousnes and holynesse ¶ Before he sheweth in what vyces euyll men dyd walke in / as in vanite of theyr myndes in ignorance darkenes in blyndnes of harte without al feare of god / without sory for synne or any repentaunce / but in luste and pleasure euer to contynewe in synne Nowe he sheweth that they haue nat lerned Christ so / that they shulde walke in sīne but that they shulde forsake sīne repente and synne no more / nor folowe no more theyr vanites of mynde or lustes or vnclennes of body / nor other vnlawful desyres of the olde man / but that they shulde put of the olde man and put on the newe mā / and be renued with the spirite of god whiche moueth to all vertu / as to fayth hope / charite / patience / mekenes / long sufferynge / vnite / concorde / peace / rightuousnes / equite / iustice / cleanes / and to all holy conuersacion of lyfe in al trueth 2 This place sheweth / who hath truely lerned Christe / surely all they whiche be taught of Christ to forsake synne / to mortyfye theyr carnall affections / and do put away synne and the olde man with al his carnal lustes and affections / and mortifye thē by the trueth / and walke in the trueth accordynge to the trueth / these that do so it is a sygne that they haue lerned Christe and put awaye the olde man with all his concupiscence and put on the newe man which is made after god by iustice and holynes of the whiche we maye lerne that it is of God that synners repente them of theyr olde euyl and nowe take a newe lyfe and leade an holy conuersacion 3 The true knowledge of Christ / which is the trueth / moueth vs
6. Do you not knowe that all we that are christened in Christe Iesus / that in his deathe we are christened / buryed with Christe by baptysme in to death / that we myght aryse with Christ / and be partakers of his glory Marke the ordre of Saynte Paule / and then se howe it foloweth consequently / that we must be christened of necessitie / yf we wyll be partakers of his glorye and kyngdome The nynth reason The Apostles christened hole householdes / as Paule christened LydiaÌ„ a seller of purple and hyr hole householde Actu 18. He christened Chripum an hye ruler of the Synagoge / with his hole householde Actu 19. Stephe householde 1. Cor. 1. It is very lyke that amonges these hole householdes he christened chyldren / seynge chyldren be of the householdes The Apostles with all inwardes instructions and outward signes dyd brynge men to Christe / as moche as laye in them / and wolde that euerye man shulde knowe them that were the seruauntes of God / and that seruauntes shulde be made certayne / that they were the seruauntes of Christe by some outwarde token whiche was by baptysme And therfore the Apostles baptysed all them that wolde become the seruauntes of Christe / and beleue in Christ / and take Christe for theyr Lorde and Mayster / whose outwarde bagge was baptysme / as appereth by Saynte Paule Ephe. 4. wher he moueth men to vnitie by reason of baptysme / sayeng One god / one fayth / one baptyme / one Lorde god and father of all that worketh all in all The tenth reason The trouth of goddes wordes / and the true vse of them hath ben alwayes in his churche / and in the coÌ„gregacion of god / that chyldren shulde be christened hath euer ben vsed in Christes church sence Christes tyme / tyl these Anabaptistes dyd come / wherfore these Anabaptistes denyenge baptysme to chyldren / greatly are to be blamed / seynge ther be so many scriptures that proueth euydentely that chyldren must be christened / as I haue here shewed by some scripture / and 〈◊〉 places maye be brought for the purpose to proue the baptyme of childreÌ„ Nowe I wyll brynge in the reasons of the Anabaptistes / that they brynge for theyr purpose / and shewe howe weake and slender reasons they be / how farre disagreynge from the scriptures / that no man shulde be ouer come and broughte iÌ„ an erroure or heresy by such reasons / that be of no weghtynes and withoute scripture / ye contrary to holy scripture They say that these that shal be christened must fyrste beleue / and then be christened ChyldreÌ„ they saye can not beleue / for fayth is gotten by hearynge / and hearynge by the worde of god So chyldreÌ„ can not haue fayth / sayth these Anabaptistes / wherfor they say that chyldren shulde not be christened To this reason I answere and saye / that chyldren maye haue fayth / althoughe they haue it not by hearynge / yet they haue faythe by infusion of the holy ghost as the holy prophetes hadde / and many holy men in the olde lawe had Also saythe is the gyfte of God the worke of the holy ghoste Who shulde let God to gyue his gyftes where he wyll / seynge faythe is the gyft of God Ephe. 2. Philip. 1. He maye gyue fayth aswell to chyldren as to olde men Fayth also is the worke of God Ihon. 6. not of man of mannes wyll or reason Who shall let god to worke where he â—yst / therfore it is not vnpossible for chyldreÌ„ to haue fayth as these anabaptistes falsely suppose Also god regardeth no persons / but geueth his gyftes withoute all regarde of perosonnes / to be a chylde or olde man be counted as personnes in scriptures / wherfore it foloweth playnely that god gyueth not fayth to an olde maÌ„ / or denyeth fayth to a chyld / because he is a chylde / for then god shuld regarde persoÌ„nes / which he doth nat And where they say that they must expresse their fayth before they be christened what wyl they do with deie and doÌ„me meÌ„ that get nat fayth by hearinge nor caÌ„ nat expresse theyr fayth by wordes wyll they exclude theÌ„ from baptysme / condeÌ„ne theÌ„ to hel pyt And also suÌ„ aged peraduenture wyll disseÌ„ble and say they haue fayth / wheÌ„ they haue nat fayth / and yf they wyl christen none without they be certayn of ther fayth / then shal they chrysteÌ„ none / neyther yonge nor olde / seynge that olde may disseÌ„ble / and saye they haue faythe when they haue nat fayth And where they say there is no exaÌ„ple in scripture by expressed wordes that children shuld be christenned To this I answere that it is ynoughe that it may be iustly gathered of the holy scriptures truely vnderstanded / as of the scriptures I haue shewed before / of many mo / as of that the Apostles christened hole housoldes that they chrystened some chyldren I suppose the Scripture doth nat brynge forth example of chyldren chrystened / nat because there was no chyldren chrystened of the Apostles / but because the scripture dothe nat muche speake of wemen nor of chyldren but vnderstande them in the maÌ„ For I suppose there was many mo womeÌ„ christened of the Apostles then is mention made of in the scripture Wemen and chyldren are vnderstande in men of the masculyne kiÌ„de / as Roma 5. He sayth siÌ„ne came vpon all men by Adam / and by christ were all men iustified / that is all men / all womeÌ„ al chyldren / were deade by the synne of Adam / And all men / all women / all chyldreÌ„ made ryghtuous and iustified by Christe although it is spokeÌ„ after the Greke tong in the masculyne gender and no mention made of the femynyne gender / nor of children / but they be bothe vnderstande in the masculyne gender / euen as well as mention were made of them bothe / and wemen / and chyldren be as wel redemed by Christ and wasshed from sinnes by Christ as meÌ„ So I thiÌ„ke that scripture doth nat speke of chyldren / when it commaundeth baptyme but includeth all men of the masculyne gendre al wemen / and chyldren to be christened / when it commaundeth that al creatures shuld be christened / chyldren are to be couÌ„ted amongest creatures / and people of God These thinges I haue spoken as touchynge the baptyme of yonge chyldren / whose baptyme the scriptures dothe approue and allowe and codempneth the deuyllyshe erronious opinion of the Anabaptistes whiche be fallen into an errour and an heresie / and hath brought other to theyr errour be reasons of no strength nor weyght / folyshe and contrary to the scripture / whiche at the fyrst hath peradueÌ„ture semed apparentet to the ignoraunte in the Scripture / but to them that be learned in the scripture they be of no pythe nor effect nor proue the thiÌ„g they go about / therfore let euery man bewarre of these
/ althoughe god vse man as an Instrumente to shewe his wyll for our helth profyte But paraduenture some wyll aske / what was this mysterye that god had hyd so longe from the worlde in hym selfe / nowe had shewed it when the fulnes of tyme was come In the which he sendeth his sonne Iesus Chryst to this worlde to be incarnate / by whome he hath restored all thinges in heuen and in earth / and made them perfyte / to this saynt Paule maketh answere here sayinge this mystery was the misterye of the Gospell preached nowe openly to the Gentiles as it was to the Iewes / that the Gentyles shuld be saued by Chryst as the Iewes / and that the lyfe and the inherytaunce of Heauen parteyned / aswell to the Gentyles / as to the Iewes / whiche mistery was hid from a greate part of the Gentyles to Chrystes commynge / to the preachynge of the Apostles after Christes ascencion to heuen / of this we may learne that God doth nat gyue all knowledge of his diuyne wyll at one tyme or all together / but one thynge after an other after longe contynuaunce of tyme / as here you may se that the gospell was longe hyd fro the gentyles by longe tyme and many yeres / that we shulde nothynge meruayle at goddes wyll and pleasure / yf god do shewe nowe in our tyme his gospell more clerely and open it more playnely to vs than it was in our fathers tyme and daies of this we shuld not muse or maruayle / but rather glorifye god that gyueth this knowledge thanke hym hartely for it accepte the gospell with gladnes / gyue credence to it / leue our olde blyndnes / superstityousnes false trustes / backwarde Iugementes and other lyke / by the whiche we haue bene deceyued for lacke of true knowledge of the word of god nowe shewed / thanked be god But yf any wyll be more curyouse than nedeth to aske / why god hath hyd this mystery of his wyll so longe from the worlde and now sheweth it in these laste dayes surely I haue nat to answere but that it is the wyll and pleasure of God so to do whiche hathe alwayes sene what thynge was most profytable for the Gentyles / or elles that he hathe sene that the gentyles before this tyme wolde nat haue beleued the gospell preached that they shulde be lesse punysshed nat knowynge the gospell than yf they shulde haue knowen it / and nat folowed it / or els that he knewe they wolde haue persecuted the preachers of the Gospell and so shulde haue deserued more greuouse punyshmente or elles that it was decreed of God that all thynges shulde be shewed of god by Chryste and al thynges restored made perfit by Christ ¶ By whome also we are come to the inheritance / we that were therto predestynate before accordynge to the purpose of hym which worketh all thynges after the councel of his owne wyll / that we myghte be to the prayse of his glorye / euen we that there before beleued on Christ on whome also ye beleued / after that ye hearde the worde of truthe namely the gospell of your saluatyon / wherin whan ye beleued / ye were sealed with the holy spirite of ê“mes / whiche is the earneste of our inherytaunce to our redemcyon / that we myght be his owne to the prayse of his glory Saynt Paule here repeteth these thynges that he hath shewed before gathering a somme of them all that is to saye / that we are apoynted of God to eternall lyfe thoroughe Iesus Christ / and he made the chyldren of God by adopcyon not by our strengthe or merytes or by the merytes of any man / but only by the grace of god and the merytes of Chryst And that by the deliberate wyll of God / by whose myght and power all thynges are done / that be good / iuste / laufull / for God wylleth none iniquytie / or synne / but is holy and iust in al his workes / and he wylleth all good thynges .2 That none shulde thinke our heuenly inheritance to come to vs by lote or by chance as God had not prepared yt for vs before the begynninge of the worlde / he saythe this heauenly inherytaunce to haue bene ordeyned for vs by the forewyll of god alway intended of the father towardes vs of his goodnes / by whose wyll and power all good thynges are done / whose wyll no man can resyste or stope his workes / that they be not done / as he hath ordeined them to be done / whose wyll we can nat attaine vnto / and what shal be the effectes of thinges tyl they be done .3 And althoughe al thynges are done by the power of god / yet god is nat the auctor of euyl Ia. 1. god wylleth no syn but he is iust in al his waies holy in al his workes / he wyl that all men shal be saued / to come to the knowledge of the truth therfore they that peryshe shall be dampned / by theyr owne faute / they perysshe and be dampned / and nat by any faute in God / whiche wylleth euery man to be saued / and for that ende be commaundeth the Gospell to be preached vnto al creatures / that they shulde beleue / folowe the Gospel in lyfe and be saued / therfore they that do nat beleue it but contempne and despyse it and thynke it a folyshe and a vayne thinge they be the cause of their owne deathe .4 that we myght be to the prayse of his glorie / we be predestynate of god made adn created nat for our selfe but for the laude and prayse of God / that we shulde gyue all glory to god for al goodnes and prouoke all other to glorifye god and worshyp hym in spirite and truth as it is our offyce and dutye to do .5 euen we that before beleued after that we heard the worde of truthe the gospell of health as who shulde saye / we that beleued in Christ before the word was preached to the Gentyles our offyce is nat only to glorifie god in our selues / but to bryng all other to glorifye god with vs as muche as shall lye in our powre This place reproueth them that dyswadeth men from the worde of god from learnynge of it / from readynge of it / from sermondes by the whiche meanes god hath ordeined men to be brought to glorify god in spirite and in meryte / as he wolde be gloryfyed of all men also he sayth we beleued after that we hearde the worde of truth In these wordes he sheweth howe fayth commeth / that is to saye by hearynge of the worde of truthe accordynge to saynt Paules sayinge Ro. 10. Fayth is of hearinge / and hearyng by the worde of god also he shewith here what is the word of truth it is the gospell of helth and so it is called bycause it bryngeth euerlastinge health to all them that faythfully beleueth shewyng