worlde that Christe was fastened vpon a crosse therupon died semeth to be some folishe thing without any poynte of learnyng but tell me to whom semeth it so Vndoubtedly to them which beyng blynded with their sinfull lyfe receyue not in theyr heartes the preachyng of the gospell and therby perysh by forsakyng him by whom they might be saued But yet suche as hereby attayne to euerlasting saluacion well vnderstande and perceyue that it is no weake and feble thing but a thing of Gods owne doyng muche more mightie and effectuall than is any mans power and garrisons By this newe and vnknowen meane hath it pleased God to renewe all the worlde as he long before promised to doe by the mouthe of his Prophete Esai by whom he thus speaketh I wil destroy the wisedome of the wyse and wil cast awaye the vnderstandyng of the politique Hath he not perfourmed his promise See we not the worlde renewed see we not men mistrusting theyr old religion and casting away theyr affiaunce in Philosophie embrace the crosse of Christe Vnderstand not men nowe that thyng to be deuilysh and vngodly whiche they before thought good and godly and that nowe to be folysh which to fore they thought wittie Tell me now where is the wise man that was so proude of his knowledge in the lawe where is the Scrybe that was so proude an expounder of the lawe where is the Philosopher become which searcheth out the priuities of nature and forgetting God the maker of al thyng maruayleth at creatures Euery one of these made great crakes that they could doe wonderfull thinges but yet were they both deceyued themselfes and deceyued other too They promised righteousnesse and al wealth when in the meane tyme themselfes were miserable al to drowned in sinne God suffered thē for punishemēt of theyr arrogant mindes as they wel deserued through blindnes to runne on headlong into al kindes of dishonestie to make them knowe see their owne estate and in what takyng they were that they myght at length knowe their faulte and amende it and therwith also learne howe vayne a thyng vneffectuall their Philosophie was Hath not God declared then that the wysedome of this worlde is folysh God had before this time declared his wysedome likewyse by the beautifull spectacle of this worlde wrought by his wysedome to the entent that by wonderyng at suche a maruaylouse piece of worke men might be rauyshed to loue the workeman But that purpose of God through theyr owne foly chaūced quite contrary For they wurshypped creatures wonderyng at them and despised the maker of creatures as one vnknowen leading theyr lyfe after such sorte as though eyther God fauoured synfull liuyng or els gouerned not the worlde which he had made The texte For after that the worlde through wysedome knewe not God in the wysedome of God it pleased God through folyshenes of preachyng to saue them that beleue For the Iewes require a signe and the Grekes seke after wysedome But we preache Christe crucified vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallyng and vnto the Grekes folyshnes but vnto them whiche are called both of the Iewes and Grekes we preache Christe the power of God and the wysedome of God For the folyshnes of God is wyser than men and the weakenes of God is stronger than menne Brethren ye see your callyng howe that not many wise menne after the fleshe not many mighty not many of his degre are called but God hath chosen the foolishe thynges of the world to cōfoūd the wise And God hath chosē the weake thynges of the world to cōfoūd thynges which are mighty And vile thynges of the world and thynges which are despised hath God chosen yea and thynges of no reputacion for to bring to nought thinges of reputacion that no fleshe should reioyse in his presence And of hym are yt in Christ Iesu which of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctifiyng and redempcion That according as it is written he which reioyseth should reioyse in the Lorde Wherfore god to bryng thesame purpose of his to passe wente another waye to woorke myndyng that suche as throughe shewyng his wysedome in creatures became worse shoulde bee broughte home agayne and restored by preachyng of that whiche to men should seeme a lowe folishe trifle that suche as were Philosophers and politique menne in steede of God worshyppyng dumme stones shoulde nowe obtayne throughe fayth by the crosse of Christe perfecte saluacion and throughe faythe mistrustyng theyr worldelye wysdome haue a sure confidence in the mercye of God For hope of saluacion shoulde they haue none vnles they throughe faythe vnderstoode from whence they shoulde looke for theyr saluacion To bryng this aboute therfore the fyrste poynte was to plucke oute of mennes heades the vayne confidence that they hadde in themselues out of all mennes heades I saye not of the Iewes onelye but also of the Gentiles For as the faythles Iewes require signes and woondres and boaste themselues of the miracles shewed vnto theyr auncesters so studie the Greciās for the learnyng and knowledge of worldly wisedome therby assuryng themselues bothe blysse and glorye And yet were both deceiued of that they loked for For the Iewes vpon confidence of theyr lawe fell frō Christe and the wyse menne through a vayne pryde conceyued by worldlye knowledge receyue not the humble and as at the fyrste sight it appeareth the lowe preachyng of the crosse As for we preache neither of the familiar talke that Moses had with god nor of the aungels that Abraham harboured and shewed hospitalitie vnto nor howe the sunne was commaunded to stande styll nor no suche thyng whereof the Iewes make great boaste nor preache we on the other syde of the mouynges of heauenly bodyes nor of the influences of planetes and starres nor the causes of lightninges the knowledge of which thinges make the Grecians so proude What preach we thē surely a doctrine that at the fyrste brunte seemeth base and folyshe that is to wytte that Christe was crucified whiche base lowenes was to the Iewes an occasion of fallyng which Iewes wonder at the myracle of Ionas and yet fynde fault in Christes actes greater thā Ionas were he neuer so great The Grecians which by reason discusse and searche out all thynges thinke it a folyshenes to saye that a virgyn by any heauenly power should conceiue a childe that God should be incarnate and take mannes nature vpon hym that lyfe shoulde be restored by death and that he is rysen agayne whiche was once deade And by this meanes Christe to bothe sortes semeth but a vile thing but especiallye to suche as in theyr owne strengthe haue a lewde truste and confidence But they that by inspiracion of the holy ghost are called to faythe and are by preachyng of the ghospell throughly chaunged be they Iewes or be they Grecians clearelye perceyue and know that thesame lowly and meke Christ that was crucified is the
that it bringeth forthe is the naughtiest frute of all euen deathe euerlasting And this is the most heauy frute of that pleasure that is delectable in outwarde appearauÌ„ce and promysing swete geare I wote not what while it hydeth vnder the bayte of pleasure the very angling hoke of death Like therfore as thys lower worlde hath nothing pure and perfite in euery parte but the good thinges are corrupt with the badde and the thinges that are of gladnes are enterchaungeably myngled with sadnesse corrupcion enfecteth the ayer disease and age decayeth the strength of bodye darkenes hyndreth the fauour of light euen so in our myndes as longe as they are entangled with these bodyes there is scarcely any thynge in all partes blessed and pure but it is corrupt with some spotte of humaine desires or with the darkenes of errour and ignoraunce But what so euer naughtynes is in vs we ought to impute it vnto oure selues and not to God For if we were of pure affeccions if we put oure truste with oure whole harte in God if we breathed with all oure inwarde powers vnto the thinges that are euerlasting and heauenly what so euer shoulde bee layed agaynste vs in this life whether it were mery or sory it woulde turne to the increace of Godlynes Therfore deare brethren doe not you as the commune sort of folish men doeth who to thintent they may excuse theyr synnes pleade with the maker of nature at law as though he were the autor of synne Farre be this errour from you whiche haue learned the Gospells philosophie Like as God of his owne nature is purely and moste chiefly good euen so doeth there nothing procede from him but that whiche is good Yf any naughtynes therfore be in vs let vs not ascribe it vnto God but vnto oure owne selues and yf any good thyng yf any true lyght yf any vndefyled wysedome be in vs let vs ascribe it wholy vnto God the autor Yf this grosse worlde haue any lyght it hathe it of the heauenly bodies and especially of the sunne What true knowlage so euer is in vs what pure and syncere affeccion so euer be in vs it ariseth not of vs for we are nothyng elles but synners and ignoraunt persones but it procedeth from aboue what so euer is truly good it commeth from the autor of all goodnes what so euer lawfull and perfite thing there be and such thing as maketh you acceptable vnto God it cometh from the fountayne of all perfeccion what so euer is truly light the father and prince of all true light sendeth it vnto vs froÌ„ him self These thinges he bestoweth not vpoÌ„ oure desertes but he geueth them vnto vs frely as he is liberall of nature They are giftes rather than rewardes it is a liberall larges rather than a hire It is not right therfore that we chalenge any thing therof vnto vs but for our naughtynes let vs call vpon the mercie of God for goodnes bicause it is not ours let vs geue thankes vnto his liberalitie Like as he of his owne nature is the beste euen so he cannot geue but the thynges that are beste lyke as he is vnchaungeable and alwayes like hymselfe so there is nothing with him that is obscured with any course of darkenes This our daye is taken awaye of the night folowing and caste about with cloudes goyng betwene humayne wisedome is darkened with errours of opinions mans vprighteousnes is infected with naughty desires With him there is no mixture of euylles no courses of darkenes It behoueth vs therfore also to conforme our selues to the vttermost of our powers according to his simplicitie that geuing our selues vnto godly studyes and being apte more and more to receyue his giftes we maye be as it were transformed in to hym For it is conuenient that children resemble the nature of their parent We haue vnthirftyly resembled Adam the prynce of this grosse and corrupt birthe He being obscured with the darkenes of synnes hath begotten vs that are entangled with darkenes In that we lothe heauenly thinges in that we are gredy of earthy thinges we resemble the disposicion of hym In that we are blynde in that we doe at al auentures as yâ— blinde man casteth his staffe and in that we fall it is of our carthy parent But the father of heauen hathe more happyly begotten vs agayne that being as it were created newe agayne we myght conforme our selues like vnto our newe bâ—â—the in Innocencie of life and knowlage of euerlasting trueth That earthy father being seduced with the false deceatefull promisses of the serpent begate vs. vnto darkenes And this heauenly father begate vs agayne not of the corrupt sede of our earthye father but of the most pure sede of the eternall and trueth speaking worde The serpentes worde was a lyeng worde and casie downe manne from the state of Innocencie But the worde of the Gospelles doctrine is trâ—â— whereby we are chosen into the enheritaunce of Immortalitie and called in to the felowe shippe of Iesu Christe the sonne of God He was the true light preceding of the moste high light whose doctrine hathe made bright mens myndes and set them free from the doctrine of this worlde And the heauenly worde is of suche efficacie that it doeth not onlye chaunge vs but transformeth vs as it were vtterly in to other men abhorryng now the thynges that we loued muche before and loue that we before abhorred And this is the honoure that the heaueÌ„ly father worthyed vs withal not prouoked by our merites but of his own free goodnes wherby he so determyned from euerlasting that he woulde by suche meanes as hathe not ben hearde tell of make a newe creature in the earthe and woulde that we shoulde bee as it were the fyrst frutes of thys newe estate in that we are called amonge the fyrste vnto the doctrine of the Gospell Forasmuche than as God hathe endued vs with thys honour frely it remayneth that we conforme oure selues lyke vnto hys hounteous goodnes to the vttermost of our power againe we are frely admitted vnto this felicity but we might fall from it agayne for all that through our owne fault onles we studie to kepe through godly forcastes that which is frely geueÌ„ It were of non effecte for vs to be chosen through baptisme and professing of the Gospelles doctrine in to the felowship of the sonne of God excepte we frame oure selues through chast and cleane maners like vnto our profession That like as euerlastyng lighte hathe geuen vs light by the sonne of God so muste all oure life beare witnes that we belonge to the felowship of light We once caste of the olde manne with hys errours with his affectes with hys vices now it is reason that we ensue the cleane contrary thynges Heretofore you had rather seme maisters than disciples for so ambicion perswaded you that the commune people woulde recon him the better learned that was moste ful of bablyng you had rather haue ben
c Hath not God made the wisedom of this worlde folishnes For the Iewes require asigne c. We preach Christe crucified c. The folishnes of God is wyser theÌ„ mâ—n God hath chosen the foâ—yâ—â—e thinges of the worlde to confounde the wyse Wâ— haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde He that is spirituall discusseth al thynges I haue plaÌ„ted Apollo watered Let no man deceiue you He compasseth the wise in theyr craftimes Ye are Christes Christe is goddes It is the Lorde that iudgeth me What haste thou that thou haste not receyued Wherefore I desire you to folowe me as I folowe Christe The kindome of God is not in wordes yf any that is called a brother bee a fornicatoure I maie doâ— all thing But al thinges are not profitable Let not the bodye bee applied vnto fornicacion For ye are dearely boughte Let euery man haue his owne wife Wythdrawe not your selfes one froÌ„ another excepte it be with consent for a time Euery man hathe his proper gift of god If they cannot abstayne lette theÌ„ marry for it is better to marry than to burne Let not the wyfe be seperated froÌ„ the husbaÌ„d For the vnbeleuâ—ng husband iâ— sanctified by the wyfe c. But and yf the vnbeleuing depart let hym departe Ye are derely boughte be not ye the seruauntes of men Lykewyse if a virgine marrye she hathe noâ— synned I would haue you without care This speake I for your profite not to tangle you in a snare He that ioyneth his virgine in mariage doeth well Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth We are sure that an image is nothyng Meate maketh vs not acceptable to god Wherfore if meate hurte my brother â–ª c. Haue I not seene Iesus Christ our lorde But woe is it vnto me if I preache not the gospell Let rather him that thinketh he standeth c. For why is my libertie iudged c. The maÌ„ is yâ— womans head c. Neither was the maÌ„ created for the womaÌ„s sake Let a man eâ—amâ—â— hymselfe so let him eate of the breade and drinke of the cup. He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men for theyr edifying Let hym that speaketh with toÌ„gue pray that he may interprete also Prophecy serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which beleue For God is no causer of strife but of peace For yf the deade ryse not againe theÌ„ is Christ not rysen agayne By out reioysing whiche I haue in Christe Iesu out lorde I dye dayly All fleshe is not one maner of flesh The fyrste manne is of the earth earthly Death is swalowed vp in victorie c. For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye c. Not that we be lordes oâ—eâ— youre fayth But we haue this treaâ—ure in earthen vessels We are knowen wel ynough vnto God For if we be to feruente to God are we to feruente Therfore yf any man be in Christe he is a new creature God was in Christe and made agremente betwene the world and hymselfe By the armoure of ryghteousnesse I promise vnto you like rewarde as vnto children We haue huâ—t â—o maÌ„ we haue defrauded no man God that comforteth the abiecte comforted vs by the cuÌ„myng of Titus Godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saiuacion There was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorowe the fleshe For my strengthe is made perfect thorow weakenesse For in nothing was I inferioure vnto the chiefe Apostles For I seâ—â— not yours but you Dyd I pyll you by any of them whoÌ„ I sent vnto you We can do nothyng againste the trueth but for the trueth But â—y Iâ—sê° Christ and by God the father Whiche called you by grace vnto an other gospel Either go I aboute to please men For if I had hitherto studied to please men c. For I neither receiued it nor learned it of man I communed not of yâ— matur with fleshe and bloude I wâ—t vp by reuelacion coÌ„muned â—â— them And that because of incuÌ„mers c. I withstode hym openâ—y He dyd eate with the GeÌ„tiles And yâ— other Iewes disseÌ„bled aswelas he If thou beyng a Iew. c A man is not iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe Is Christ theÌ„ the minister of synne Not I but Christ liueth in me c. I dispise not the grace of God c. That ye should not beleue yâ— truth To Abraham and his seede were the promises made For if the inheritaunce cuÌ„ of the law c. The lawe was addeâ— because of transgressioÌ„ But yâ— scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne That we mighte be â—â—de righteous through feyth For ye are yâ— chyldren of god because ye beleue it For ye are al one in Christ Iesu Thaâ— we through eleccion myghte receyue thinheritaunce But now after that ye haue knowen God c. How is it that ye turne againe vnto the weake beggerly ordinauÌ„ces c. Ye haue not hurt me at al. I would I wer with you now â— coâ—â—â— chaunge my voyce Abraham had two soÌ„nes c. For these are two testameÌ„tes â–ª c. But Ierusalem whiche is aboue â—s free c. Put awayâ— the bond womanne wtâ—â—â— sonne As manye of you as are â—â— stified by the lawe c. Who was a lette to you yâ— ye should not beleue the truthe Why do I thâ—n suffer persecucion For the lawe is fulfilled in one word c. The fleshe lusteth coÌ„trary to yâ— spirit The dedes oâ— the fleshe c. are thâ—se adultrie c. Consideryng thy selfe lest yâ— be tempted Beare ye one anothers burdaine Be not deceiued God iâ—m not mocked When the time â—o come we shâ—l reape without weâ—â—yn â— Wherby the worlde is cruâ—â—â—ified vnto me I vnto the world I beare in my bodye the markes of yâ— lorde Iesu Grace be vnto you â— peace Blessed bee God the father According as he had chosen vs. Through loue Which ordayned vs. To the praise of the glory of his grace In al wisdome and prudence According to his good pleasure That â—e may to his prayse In whome we also Which is yâ— earnest Vnto the praise of his glorye May geue vnto you yâ— spirite of â—â—sedome He hath wrought in Christe c. And hath made him aboue all thinges the head In the children of unbeliefe And were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrathe But God whiche is riche in mercie By grace are ye made safe Iâ— is the gift of god For we are his workemanship Vnto good workes whiche god ordayned Hauing no hope Gene .xxii. But nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesu For be is ouâ— peace Through his fleshe Making peace To you which were a ferre of By â—â—uelation shewed he this mestery vnto me Vnto me the least of al Saintes is this grace geuen c. That he â—â—ulâ— graunt you accordiÌ„g to yâ— riches oâ— his glory which is father of all Ye beeyng rooted and grounded in loue myght bee hable to coÌ„prehende Unto hym that is hable The houseband is the wiues head
a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
worke faith in thyne herte for else shalt thou remaine euermore faithlesse fayne thou ymagin thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen suche fayth and is called Goddes righteousnes or righteousnes that is of valoure before God For it is Goddes gyfte and it altereth a man and chaungeth him to a newe spirituall nature and maketh him fre and liberall to paye euery manne his duetie For thorow faith is a manne purged of his sinnes and obteineth luste vnto the lawe of God wherby he geueth God his honour and paieth him that he oweth him and vnto men he doeth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his dutie Such righteousnes can nature fre will and our owne strength neuer bring to passe For as no maÌ„ can geue him selfe fayth so can he not take away vnbelefe howe then can he take awaye any thyng at all Wherfore all is false ypocrisy syn what soeuer is done without faith or in vnbelefe as it is euident in the xiiiâ— Chap. vnto yâ— Romains though it appere neuer so glorious or beautifull outwardes Flesh spirite mayst thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were only that which pertaineth vnto vnchastitie the spirite that whiche inwardly pertaineth to the hearte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn .iii. Al that is borne of flesh the is to were the whole man with life soule body witte wil reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within without because that these al and all that is in man study after the worlde and the fleshe Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as longe as we are without the spirite of God we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all workes whiche are done withoute grace and without the workynge of the spirite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seme to bee as thou mayest proue by the .v. Chap. vnto the Galathians wher Paul numbreth worshipping of ydols witchecrafte enuy and hate amonge the dedes of the fleshe and by the .viii. vnto the Romaynes where he sayeth that the lawe by the reason of the fleshe is weake Whiche is not vnderstande of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and moste specially of vnbelefe whiche is a vice moste spirituall and ground of all sinnes And as thou callest him which is not renewed with the spirite and borne againe in Christ flesh and all his dedes euen the very mocions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine contemplacion of hie thinges his preachinge teaching and study in the scripture bildinge of churches foundinge of abbeys geuyng of almes masse mattence whatsoeuer he doth though it seme spirituall after the lawes of God So contrary wyse call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and al his dedes which springe of faith seme they neuer so grosse as the washynge of the disciples fete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurreccion yea and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall yf they proceade of fayth and whatsoeuer is done with iÌ„ the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shoes such lyke how soeuer grosse they appeare outward Without suche vnderstandyng of these wordes canste thou neuer vnderstande this epistell of Paul nether any other place in the holy scripture Take hede therfore for whosoeuer vnderstandeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstandeth not Paul whatsoeuer he bee Nowe will we prepare oure selues vnto the epistle For as muche as it becometh the preacher of Christes glad tydynges fyrst thorowe openinge of the lawe to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thinges synne that procede not of the spirite and of fayth in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and how that to synne is theyr nature and that by nature they cannot otherwise do then to synne and therwith to abate the pryde of man and to brynge hym vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserye and wretchednes that he might desyre helpe Euen so doeth saynct Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grosse synnes whiche all men se as ydolatrye and as the grosse synnes of the hethen were and as the synnes nowe are of all them whiche liue in ignorance without fayth and without the fauoure of God and sayeth The wrathe of God of heauen appereth thorow the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodlynes and vnholye liuynge For though it be knowen and dayly vnderstande by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of her selfe without the spirite grace so corrupt so poisoned that men nether can thanke him nether worshippe him nether geue him his due honour but blinde them selues fall without ceasing into worse case euen vntyll they come vnto worshyppyng of ymages and workyng of shamefull synnes which are abominable and agaynst nature and moreouer suffre the same vnrebuked in other hauing delectacion and pleasure therin In the .ii. Chapter he proceadeth further and rebuketh all those holye people also whiche without luste and loue to the lawe lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde and condemne other gladly as the nature of al ypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respecte of open sinners and yet hate the lawe inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuye and of all vnclennes Mat .xxiij. These are they whiche despise the goodnes of God and according to the hardenes of theyr heartes heape together for them selues the wrathe of God Furthermore saynct Paul as a true expounder of the lawe suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that al they are vnder synne whiche of fre wil and of nature will liue well and suffreth them not â—o be better then the open synners yea he calleth them harde herted and suche as cannot repente In the .iii. Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onelye that the Iewes had the worde of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not theron yet is goddes trueth and promise thereby nether hurte nor minished and he taketh in hys waye and allegeth the sayinge of the L. Psal that God myght abyde true in hys woordes and ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to hys purpose agayne and proueth by the scripture that all men without difference or excepcion are synners and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified but that the lawe was geuen to vtter and to declare synne onely Then he beginneth and sheweth the righte waye vnto rightewesnes by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe and sayeth They are all synners and without prayse before God and muste without their own deseruinges be made righteous thorow faith in Christ whiche hathe deserued suche ryghteousnes for vs and is become vnto
from our death by sinne walke furthe from vertue to vertue in this presente lyfe begynnyng the lyfe which is without ende and death asmuche as in vs lyeth Of righteousnes also two kyndes of god that is to saye and man of the iudgemente of God and manne of a double prayse before God and before manne After al whiche pointes disputed he passeth ouer to a commen place belongyng to good maners by the example of the partes in a mannes bodye especiallye exhortyng the Romaines to concorde and because peace and vnitie canne not be whereas pryde and malice raygneth he besecheth them with ready myndes eche one to beare with other and so to nourishe and mayntayne mutual loue and good wil. And desyreth the Romaines for a season to beare with the Iewes infirmitie whiche by reason of long custome in the lawe was rooted in them and on the other syde he requireth the Iewes not to enuye at the Gentiles called to the grace of the gospell but rather with godly mynde to folow their fayth christiā libertie wyllyng them synce y◠there is but one God of al one Christe one grace one rewarde to growe all into one bodye that none arrogantlye presume and take vpon hym but yf he haue anye gyfte wherin he surmounteth other to applye the same to the helpe of his neighbour This place handleth saincte Paule diuerslye instructyng theim howe they should vse themselfe towarde supersticious christians or as he calleth them weake and feble howe towarde theyr superioures howe to their inferioures and felowes towarde heathen princes and magistrates after a sorte yet doyng theyr duties and to be shorte howe they should behaue themselfe in prosperitie and howe in aduersitie After whiche sharpe monicion he apeaseth the matier with the Romaines prayse and auaunceth his authoritie and doth them to witte how muche more he had promoted the ghospell than other shewyng what a desyer he hadde to see them promising that he woulde come thither and what lette he had and why he was compelled to differ it praysing the fre liberalitie of y◠Macedonians and Corinthians bestowed vpon the poore and deuoute people couertlye and as it wer with a reuerence prouokyng the Romaines to do the lyke The laste chapiter almoste spendeth he in commendacions and yet this doth he not with names vnsauerly and at auenture heaped together but with euery mannes prayse maruaylously ioyned with hym Finally because he throughly knewe aswell the malapert wylynes of the false Apostles as also the readie simplicitie of the Romaines eftesones he biddeth them to beware of their fayre speache Albeit moste parte of matiers entreated of in this present epistle specially apertayne to that tyme wherin the churche beyng but young secretly encreased myngled with Iewes and Gentiles together subiect than to heathen rulers yet is there in euery place of it somwhat wherof holsome doctrine maye be learned for this our present tyme necessarie as to beware of supersticion the roote originall of dissencion whiche hauyng a colourable apparence of godlynes is to the same moste repugnante and contrarie herein also sumwhat is there of the vayne assuraūce whiche men haue in worldly wysedome and in theyr owne actes and desertes and of the deserte of fayth of auoydyng hyghnes of mynde of bearyng with sumtimes the weakenes of suche as are not yet fully learned of nouryshyng mutuall concorde throughe eche ones diligent seruice towarde another of suffering in some poyntes euyll rulers and vngodlye byshoppes leste by resistence the cōmen order myght be disquieted troubled of ouercomyng euyll dedes with good and charitable meanes to beware in iudgyng such thynges as belong not vnto vs to take well in worth al suche thynges as maye be done of a good minde with a right cōsciēce to beware of craftie flaterie with suche other lyke pointes wherwith this our cōmē lyfe is to ful But as profitable as this epistle is yet hath it asmuche or welnygh more difficultie than profite whiche principally happeneth for thre causes either through the confoundyng of the right order of speache or els by reason of long sentences not well hangyng together or finallye for that the same are oftetymes as a mā maye saye entriked or entangled and not fully finished but imperfect so that therupon Origen expoundyng this epistle many tymes complayneth here and there laboryng and wrastlyng with suche difficulties Whether this happened throughe Tercius which was sainct Paules scribe or els through Paule hymselfe or throughe the interpreter let therin other men be iudges certaynly Paule hymself confesseth his rudenes of speache albeit he denie that he is ignoraunt touching knowledge And besyde this so far was he from sekyng for suche piked speache as in any parte sauered worldly curiositie y◠he thought the same diligētly to be forborne auoyded leste any parte of the glorie of Christes crosse myght therby be deminished And for this cause Origen thinketh it labour loste for any man in his wrytinges to loke for eloquence Hierome in some place graunteth that he had the arte and craftie setting of wordes and sentences together in some place denieth it agayne saiyng affirming plainly y◠his language was greatly corrupted by the rude people of Cilicia where he was brought vp But Austen out of Paules epistles gathereth floures and ornamentes of Rhetoricke Yea and in the actes of the apostles he is called chiefe capitaine of the vvorde and in his fyrst epistle to the Corinthians he sayeth of hymselfe that he spake vvith languages aboue all other And albeit as sainct Hierome sayeth at the same tyme all the Easte parte of the worlde vsed the Greke toungue lykely yet is it that as the frenche men had not suche puritie of the Latine speache as was vsed in the citie of Rome so might there well be a great difference betwene one of Cilicia and another of Athens speakyng or wrytyng Greke Besyde all these difficulties there is another arysyng through the Hebrue speache whose properties Paule almoste in euery place vseth so wrytyng in Greke that yet a man maye by his wrytyng know that he was a Iewe. The second cause of difficultie is through the darkenes of suche matiers as cannot clearely be expressed because none other epistle is there more in tricate and entermedled with deeper priueye misteries insomuche that Paule hymselfe sometyme leauyng his purposed matier is compelled to make exclamacion and saye O the deapnes of treasures Yea for the nonce sometyme so toucheth he some misteries that he only sheweth thē a far of temperyng his oraciō accordyng to the tymes and as theyr capacities serued to whome he wrote He lawe and knewe certayne thynges whiche myghte be tolde to noman knowyng well how farfurth his disciples had nede of lyght meate as mylke is or of strong foode therwith also knew he the degrees of ages in Christe and what was for euerie age meete So dyd the apostle Peter also when he shoulde preache to the rude
people Christe whome without any mencion makyng of his godhed he calleth a man The thyrde cause of difficultie maketh I weene the often and soden chaunge of persones whyles he one whyle hath regard of the Iewes speakyng in their persons another while of the Gentiles suÌ„tyme of bothe parties nowe the ryght beleuers and then the faythles takyng vpon him sumtyme the weake sumtyme the strong persones parte sumtyme of the godly and sumtyme of the vngodly By meane wherof it coÌ„meth to passe that the reader wandering vppe and downe as it wer in wrenches or as some call it in a mismase diuersly tournyng and wyndyng neither seeth where he came in nor yet wel knoweth which waye to go out Insomuche that Origen both truly and properly me seameth lykeneth Paule to a man which bryngeth his frende into a very riche princes palace by tournyng of wayes secrete chambers very doubtfull and cumberouse and sheweth hym the great treasures and heapes of goodes sumwhat a farre of and some thinges setteth before his iyen and would haue sum thinges not sene at all oftetymes when he went in by one doore he goeth out at another so that the straunger his frende maruayleth whence he came where he is and whiche waye to get out This knew also sainct Peter in his seconde epistle saying that there wer in Paules epistles certayne pointes harde to be vnderstanden which the vnlearned and vnstable peruerted to theyr owne destruccion Herein haue we asmuche as in vs laye labored to exclude suche difficulties sauyng that sumthynges so peculiarly belong to Paules touÌ„gue that in some places they could not be chauÌ„ged of whiche sorte these be fayth grace the body the fleshe the members the spirite the mynde the sence to edifie with suche other lyke whiche as they should not vtterly be chauÌ„ged so haue we labored to molifie the hardnes of them asmuche as myght be But now let vs heare Paule hymself speakyng to the Romaynes or rather in them more grossely and playnlye to vs all The paraprase vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Romaines by Des Erasmus of Roterodame The first Chapiter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte for the gospel of God whiche he had promised afore by his prophetes in the holy scriptures of his sonne whiche was borne vnto him of the seede of Dauid after the fleashe and hath bene declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirit that sanctifieth synce the tyme that Iesus Christ our lorde rose againe from death by whom we haue receiued grace Apostleship that obedience might be geuen vnto the fayth in his name among all heathen of whose numbre you be the electe of Iesus Christ PAule euen I the very same so becomen of Saule that is to say of an vnquiet person a peacemaker of late subiect to Moses lawe now made fre therof and becomen the seruaunt of Iesus Christ not like a false souldiar that falleth from his capitain or one that like a truant forgoeth his olde profession but called foorth to do this message muche more to my coÌ„tentacion deuided now than at that tyme whaÌ„ I was a mainteiner of the deuided Pharisaical secte vpoÌ„ an vngodly zeale and light persuasion wanderyng out of the right way now and neuer before meete to be called by the surname of vnfained diuision as one deuided and chosen out by Christ him self to labour and trauaile in a muche more weyghtie matâ—er to preache I say the ioyfull tidynges of God whiche is no new found phaÌ„tasie but promised many yeres synce in his owne prophecies whiche remayne still in bookes of no smal credence but in suche as are of an holy and moste vndoubted trueth of his sonne whiche was touchyng his frayle manhed borne in tyme of the seede of Dauid and was neuerthelesse declared to be the euerlastyng sonne of God euerlastyng by the holy gooste as well appeared bothe by diuerse other profes as moostâ— specially by that he ouercame death and rose againe from the dead now becomen to al suche as in him are borne againe the prince and chiefe authour of resurreccion I meane Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we haue obtayned not onely suche fauer as the kepyng of the lawe could not help vs to but also in suche sorte to be his messagier that as by other Apostles Christes gospel hath bene spread abroad among the Iewes so may it by me likewyse be set foorth among all heathens whatsoeuer they be not to trouble them with the burdaine of the lawe but to make them yelde and submit them selfes obediently to the doctrine of Christes fayth stedfastly cleauyng therto not to the vaine wysedome of Philosophers of whiche noumbre of heathens ye Romaines are also touchyng your nacion but by adopcion fatheryng called all to the right title of inheritaunce surname of Iesus Christ whiche point I incidently geue you warnyng of leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square whiche through a fauorable and gentle fatheryng are now made one mans children The texte ¶ To all you that be at Rome beloued of God and called sainctes grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ To al you therfore as many as be at Rome the dearely beloued children of God and to suche as from your former synful life are called to godlynes grace and peace wyshe I vnto you not suche as the worlde coÌ„monly wysheth but a substancial and a new grace that is to wete the fre gift of fayth taught by the gospel perfectly iustifiyng and by it through the vtter abolishement of al the offeÌ„ces of your former life a quiet peace of conscience and a stedfast peace and frendship with God whiche twoo are neither gotten by any helpe of worldly wysdome nor yet by keapyng of Moses lawe but are obteined of al menne by the free gifte of God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The texte First verely I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your fayth is spoken of in all the worlde For God is my wytnes whom I serue with my spirite in the gospel of his sonne that without ceasyng I make mencion of you praiyng alwayes in my prayers besechyng that by some meane at laste one tyme or other a prosperouse iourney by the wyl of god might fortune me to cum vnto you For I long to see you â— I might bestowe among you some spiritual gifte to strength you withal that is that I might haue consolacion together with you through the common fayth whiche bothe ye and I haue And fyrst of all verely in all your names I rendre thankes to God the father whiche through Christ his sonne hath geuen you this that ye whiche heretofore wer faythles are now through your fayth in great renoume in all the worlde and muche spoken of Whiche reporte certaynly for
than is any man no neither the chief aungels whiche order is called a rule and power neither anye heyght or depnes that is to saye whether the same inuade vs frō aboue or from beneth whither it be with a coloure of honestie or not yea though wonders were shewed from heauen or els threatnynges from hell put vs in feare neither thinges present neither yet to come whether we be put in feare of present ieopardyes or in ieopardy of the life to come briefly what soeuer els befall anye where here in earthly thinges whether it maye be sene or not be it neuer so strong and mightie yet shal it not be able to deuide vs from that charitie wherbye we are knyt to god throughe Iesus Christe his sonne The .ix. Chapiter The texte I saye the trueth in Christ and lye not my conscience also bearyng me witnes by the holy ghost that I haue a greate heauines and continual sorow in my hearte For ◠haue wyshed my selfe to be cursed from Christe for my brethren my kynsmen as pertaynyng to the fleshe whiche are the Israelites To whome pertayneth the adoption of y◠chyldren and the glorie and the couenauntes and the law that was gyuen and the seruice of god and the promises whose also are the fathers and they of whom as concernyng the fleshe Christe came whiche is god in al thinges to be praysed for euer Amen TO whome would to god all the Iewes were conuerted forsakyng theyr Moses the Iewes I saye which yet styll continewe in this mynde and thynke that to thattaynyng of saluation it is sufficient to be Abrahams chyldren and in theyr handes to haue the lawe once gyuen vnto them by god whome yet in deede no suche thyng shall auayle and profite vnles by faythe they make themselfes worthy to be drawen and loued of god But of them is Christe promised in the lawe stubbernly refused whom the Gentiles receiue and knowledge This yet speake I not of any displeasure conceyued or borne agaynst my contreye men not withstandyng theyr spitefull myndes toward me but as Christe to whō nothing ▪ is vnknowen is my witnes witnessyng with hym also myne owne conscience whose gouernoure and ouerseer is the holy ghost I wyl saye the truthe and lye not that it troubleth my mynde exceadynglye and aboue measure and with continuall sorowe euen weareth me awaye to see some of them through their owne folye vtterly perishe As for myne owne parte so ferte am I from hatyng the Iewes that yf it myghte any waye be I would euen with myne owne destruction procure theyr amendment and weale nor would refuse euen my selfe of Christe to be forsaken so that all they to whom I am both by countrey aliaunce ioyned were with me in the fayth of Christ lykewyse ioyned that as by stocke bloud they are Israelites they lykewyse were in knowledge of the trueth perfite Israelites whome of all other nacions moste besemed it to receyue hym whom the lawe promised specially sith it is that nation whome god out of al the other many hūdred yeares past specially chose for hym self coumpting all other nations as bastarde children nouryshed these brought thē vp as his naturall trew begotten sonnes moste of all because they aboue other for this honoure and dignitie maye speciallye glorie that they dispising all idolatrye worshipped the verye trewe god In theyr handes is the possession and prerogatyue of the lawe gyuen vnto them by god With them made god and they with god couenauntes and promises In theyr handes is there the right fourme and maner of dewe honouryng of god euen as he hym self commaūded in theyr handes are the prophecies wherin was long before both Christes commyng spoken of and this welthy state wherof I dyd a litle before glorye promysed Which also are lineally descended of the moste famouse chief lanternes of lyght and fyrste begynners of our nacion I meane Abrahā Isaac Iacob with other of whō Christ hymself touchyng his humanitie vouchsaued to be borne so that in this behalfe wyll they or not of aliaunce and kynred muste they nedes be to Christe hymself who ferre ferre excelleth and passeth those fathers of whose title and holines they so greatly auaūt themselfe Be it so that theyr fathers were neuer so good and holy yet wer they nothyng els but men But nowe is Christe in suche sorte man that he therwith is also god not of this nacion or that onlye but of al one and equall with his father whiche ruleth al thinges by whose vnsearcheable wysedome all this geare is wrought to whom onlye for suche vnspeakeable loue borne towarde mankynde al prayse and thankes are dewe for euer Amen The texte ¶ I speake not these thinges as though the wordes of god had take none effect For they are not al Israelites which are of Israel neither are they all chyldren straighte waye that are the seede of Abraham But in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is to saye they whiche are the chyldren of the fleashe are not the children of god But they whiche be the chyldren of promise are coumpted the seede For this is a worde of promise about this tyme wyll I come and Sara shall haue a sonne And surely for this the more detestable is the wickednes of some Iewes whiche vnreuerently gaynsaying and blasphemyng Christe therin dishonour god the father whiche woulde haue his gloryous name set furth by his sōne And yet al this theyr wyckednes outragiouse as it was caused not but that god neuertheles in al poyntes perfourmed as muche as he in his prophetes sayinges promised to do To the people of Israel whiche are Abrahams posteritie was this blysseful lyfe promysed and yet not to all neither but to such only as truly and vnfaynedly are his ofspryng For it is not to be supposed that al suche are very Israelites as are descended of the stocke of Israel but suche rather as are so strong and mightie in fayth that they wyll not with worldly tribulations be ouercomen nor yet with troubles ▪ wherwith god tryeth oure stedfastnes in religion suche I saye worthely none els ought to be called Israelites that is to saye mighty strong to godwarde Nor are al they that come of Abrahams bloude therfore so fer Abrahams chyldren that by this bare title they may chalēge the promised inheritaūce but rather suche as resēble that fayth of Abraham wherby he deserued that this blessed inheritaūce should be deriued giuē vnto al his posteritie To make this more euidēt playne marke whyther y◠worde of god who made y◠promise be not so whiche saythe in Isaac thy sede shal be called To the seede of Abrahā promyse was made that in it by it al nations of the world shoulde famously be spoken of and blessyd But nowe is it not gods wyl that al Abrahās posteritie should be called Abrahams seede vnles they be as Isaac was who was the chylde
so chaunced because theyr fall was the occasion why you were called to lyfe euerlastyng that through your example agayne the Iewes at the ende of the world myght be moued to godlye religion that as theyr fallyng from Christe opened yâ— waye for the Gentiles to come to Christe so shoulde your fayth yf it were for nothyng but for enuye prycke yet the Iewes forwarde to beleue as ye do Nowe yf theyr fall occasionally so greatlye profyted that the Iewes forsakyng and fallyng from Christe caused not onlye no hurte but rather that the doctrine of the gospell was preached among many more whiles that in steede of a fewe fallyng awaye the gospel was spred abrode amoÌ„g al so yâ— the losse of one nacion got vnto Christ so many nacioÌ„s how muche more shal the worlde be enryched when that nacion also beyng throughe your godlynes prouoked shal be ioyned to the other You speake I vnto that are Gentiles as myne owne disciples for somuche as I am sente to preache vnto you though I my self be a Iew borne And albeit I for your sakes leaue nothyng vndone yet will I more endeuoure to auaunce the office coÌ„mited vnto me and to allure as many of you as I can to Christe and not only so but also make you worthye of Christes seruice yf by suche meanes I maye prouoke my contrey men whom as touchyng carnall aliaunce I maye so cal albeit in faythe vnlyke to folowe your godlynes though it be but euen for enuie and malice as the propertie of them is to be gyuen to a ialowsye that yf I can not bryng all home to goodnes some yet maye be saued And as I am desyrouse of their amendment so knowe I that ye also desyre the same For yf by thoccasion of the Iewes castyng of al the worlde els was brought into goddes fauer because that whyles they fell from the fauer of god the Gentiles were by goddes goodnes receyued therinto that is to say yf theyr great hurt and losse became good to the worlde howe muche more good were it yf they beyng now estraunged from god were through fayth receyued vnto hym lyke men restored from death to lyfe agayne that finally when the number of the faythfull is throughly fulfilled there remayne nothyng but the resurreccion of bodies For though of the Iewes some are vngodlye we maye not therfore despayre of al. Yf the Gentiles far from god myght throughe goddes callyng be broughte to perfite religion what let shoulde ther be but yâ—â—acioÌ„ which had holie fathers beginners maye likewise be called brought to the faythe agayne Muche more with reason agreable is it yâ— of the good good should be borne forsomuche as al meÌ„ for the moste parte resemble that begynnyng from whence they are descended Yf the leauen be holye nedes muste the whole bache whiche is therwith seasoned be holy and cleane And yf the roote of the tree be holy likely it is that the brauÌ„ches of the same be lykewyse holye The Iewes haue bothe of kynred nacion Abraham theyr begynner whose fayth god allowed and what let is there but that they maye resemble theyr fyrste parentes fayth Yf they this do not then are they not his neuewes nomore thaÌ„ the braunche plucked from his stocke is any lenger nourished with the sappe of the roote The texte Though some of the braunches be broken of and thou beyng a wylde Oliue tree was grafte in among them made partaker of the roote and fatnes of the Oliue tree boste not thy selfe against the braunches For if thou bost thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the roote the. Thou wylt say then the braunches are broken of that I might be grafte in thou sayest wel because of vnbeleif they were broken of and thou stodest stedfast in fayth Be not high minded but feare For seyng that God spared not the natural braunches take hede lest it come to passe that he spare not the also Now if we see braunches to be plucked from the stocke whervpon before they did naturally growe muche lesse meruaile is it if suche be plucked of as are but graffed vpoÌ„ another Then if thou see yâ— Iewes which sprong out of the rote of the true Oliue for lacke of beleif broken doune and plucked froÌ„ theyr stocke so that now to them the roote doth no good and thy selfe contrary wyse wheras thou sprongest out of the wilde Oliues roote graffed into the right Oliue not by nature but by the wyl and kunnyng workemanship of God so sette and planted among his verye braunches that thou beyng takeÌ„ out of thyne vnfruitful stocke art becomen felowe and partaker of a straunge roote and wheras diuers boughes whiche in the same tree growed are now cutte of and withered awaye thy selfe with a newe iuice lusty and plentiful take hede and beware that thou therfore folishly rise not in thine owne conceite and disdaine other braunches whoÌ„ thou seest cutte of If thou vnorderly rise in thine owne phantasy if thou growe proude and therewith be puffed vppe haue this in mynde that the roote beareth the and not thou the roote Beware that no such fonde imaginacion come into thy head to thinke this with thy selfe the natural brauÌ„ches wer broken of because I should be graffed into theyr stocke Thinke not yâ— they wer for thi sake brokeÌ„ of but thervpon in dede folowed it yâ— thou were graffed in And yet herein sayest thou wel that they were broken of wheras they growed out of the roote but marke why they were after suche sorte broken of Without doubt for lacke of fayth lye they on the grounde and are tredde vnderfoote thou through fayth abidest fast vpon the tree Reioyce not at other mens miserie but by theyr euil chaunce rather learne to be lowely and sobre by theyr punishement learne what is to be feared if thou likewyse offende For if thou well see that God spared not the natural brauÌ„ches that it nothyng auauntaged them that they beyng descended from good and holy fathers peculiarly belonged to the people of God great cause hast thou to feare leste he spare not the if thou with arrogancy and vnkyndnes displease him Learne by theyr fal what thou must beware of Lette not thy state cast the in a pride but rather put the in remeÌ„braunce of the goodnes of God shewed toward yâ— Good cause hast thou for thy welth to be glad and good cause hast thou also to rendre God thankes but without cause art thou to reioyce of theyr fal They are for theyr deserte cut out of theyr stocke and thou without thy deseruyng art graffed in it The texte Beholde therfore the kindnes and rigorousnes of God on them whiche fel rigorousnes but towardes the kyndnes If thou continue in his kindnes Or els thou shalt be hewen of and they againe if they abide not styl in vnbeleif shall be graffed in againe For God is of power to grafe them in againe For if thou wast
cleansed from theyr olde vices and beastelye lustes from pryde throughe ryches and worldlye learnyng and from other diseases by meanes whereof among men debate and dissencion oftetymes arise farre otherwyse than they shoulde whome one God one delyuerer Christ one baptisme one religion one rewarde doeth so dyuersly ioyne and knyt together Once hath Christe frelye taken from you the sinnes of your former lyfe to the entente that hencefoorth by vertuouse exercyse ye shoulde preserue and kepe the godlye state by hym restored vnto you For neyther gote ye it throughe youre owne desertes nor are ye for thesame bounden to thanke youre ryches or Philosophie or the keapyng of Moses lawe eyther but Iesus Christe whiche bothe purged you fyrste with his bloude and after called you to a continuall perfeccion and holynes of lyfe Nor belongen these my woordes onelye to you but generally to all nacions of the worlde that professe the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe whether they bee among the Iewes or among the Gentyles so that they putte no vayne truste in theyr great ryches and possessions but wholy leane and haue a confidence vpon his helpe and succoure There is of all but one churche and christian congregacion all are equallye bounde to Christe onelye bothe for theyr delyueraunce from the moste vilanouse bondage of synne and also for theyr callyng chusyng oute to godlynes of lyfe There is neither place nor countreye that seuereth the ghospell but as all menne haue one Christe so are all his gyftes free to all menne His common grace and peace therfore wyshe I vnto you and to them also whiche bothe no manne els canne geue but he that geueth you all thinges I meane god the father of whome as of the very fountayne all oure weale commeth and oure Lorde Iesus Christe by whome onely his fathers pleasure was to geue you all thynges Grace obtayned shall saue and kepe you vnharmefull and innocente and with an vnharmefull lyfe is ioyned peace and concorde Grace excludeth synne and bryngeth vs into goddes fauoure peace reconcyleth eche one of you to another By the one ye in suche sorte receyue goddes benefite that ye forget not the chief gyuer by the other a declaracion is made that ye are not onelye by name christiannes but also very christiannes in deede By grace partakers are ye of goodes heauenly benefit by peace and concorde according to your abilitie ye bestowe your heauenly gyftes eche one of you vpon another Some thing is there in you by goddes free gyfte for the whiche I am glad in your behalfe and gyue god thankes And some thing againe I mislyke and would wyshe were amended Some are there among you that lyue a christian lyfe and some there bee in whome yet the dregges and fylthynes of theyr olde synfull lyfe remayne styll For as I coumpte youre weale myne owne so yf ought among you bee amisse I thynke my parte therein And therefore on youre behalfe I thanke my God alwayes by whose grace and goodnes Christes free gyfte is in suche plentifull sorte departed among you that whereas heretofore ye buisylye soughte for earthly frayle and transitory riches ye are nowe throughe Christes benefite enriched with heauenlye treasures and suche ryches as shall neuer peryshe but bryng vs vnto the true and perfite weale In token whereof no kynde of language or gyfte of knowledge is there whiche ye haue not obtayned aboundauntly Of late proude were ye of youre vayne Philosophie but synce in the steede of a false ye embraced the true wysedome ye vse your selues discretelye Of late proude were ye by reason of your worldly eloquence highlye standyng in your owne conceytes but synce ye were from aboue inspired with the gifte of tongues ye speake of heauenly matters stedfastlye continuyng in that which ye knowe is beste by meane whereof both the trueth of the ghospel and the faith of Christ is in greatter renoume more strēgthned whiles al mē clearely see perceiue that the fact which is wrought in you was not wrought in you by any worldely policie but by the myght of God which geuing his gyftes vnto vs brought our preaching in credite Insomuche that albeit ye neyther sawe Peter nor Iames whom some coumpt either the only or chiefe Apostles yet no gifte is there wherwith God is wonte to auaunce the ministerie of his Apostles wherin ye ought to thinke your selfes behynde other so farre that euery manne maye well perceyue that notwithstanding the ministers be diuerse yet is the chiefe doer one synce one effecte doeth alwaye folowe And as these giftes are geuen vnto you lyke earnest money or as a pledge of the euerlasting life to come so ye by suche playne and sensible tokens concernyng an hope of thinges that cannot be seen awayte for that daye wherin Christe which nowe yet semeth in his membres to suffre affliccion shall playnly shewe his maiestie and deuyde the godly from the vngodly and deliuer his seruauntes from all trouble and vexacion for desyre of which day ye suffre displeasures and for feare of the same ye doe your dewtie Menne maye peraduenture vnrighteously condemne or quyte but in that day shal God without any wrong at all apoynte you eyther to euerlastyng paynes or euerlasting pleasures But yet distrust ye nothing he for this presente time is your ayder and defender which in that day shal be your iudge Of his goodnesse it is that ye are restored from your olde errours to godly life and as ye haue begūne to leade a godly life and a pure so shal ye likewyse through his goodnesse continew in suche a vertuouse conuersacion that in the fearefull daye of our Lorde Iesus ye be founde blamelesse As my trust is ye shall not by your strength or myne but by the goodnesse of God whiche disapoynteth no man of the hope he standeth in and surely perfourmeth asmuche as he promised The texte ¶ God is faythfull by whom ye are called vnto the felowshippe of his soune Iesus Christe our Lorde I beseche you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe that ye all speake one thyng and that there be no dissencion among you but that ye may be a whole body of one mynde and of one meanyng For it is shewed vnto me my brethren of you by them whiche are of the house of Chloe that there is strife among you I speake of the same that euery one of you sayeth I holde of Paul I holde of Apollo I holde of Cephas I holde of Christe Is Christe deuided Was Paul crucified for you eyther were ye baptized in the name of Paul I thanke God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius leste any should saye that I had baptised in myne owne name I baptized also the house of Stephana Furthermore knowe I not whether I baptized any man of you or no. For Christe sente me not to baptize but to preache the ghospell not with wysedome of woordes leste the crosse of Christe
very strength power and wisedome of God so that nowe neyther the Iewes nede to gape for myracles whiche fynde greater in Christe nor the gentyles for wysedome forasmuche as they haue nowe founde Christe the welspring of all wysedō God hath in maner from his hyghe and glorious maiestie submitted hymselfe to our vylenes and from his hygh wysedome is come downe to oure folyshnes and yet that whiche in hym semed but a folyshe poynt passeth all the wysedome of the worlde and that whiche in hym semed weake and feble ouerwayeth and surmounteth al worldly myght and puissaunce What can be more reprochefull than as a trespacer among trespacers to be hanged vpon a crosse and yet by this meanes he only conquered death whome before no man was able to withstande What is more plaine and homely than the learnyng of the ghospel And yet it homely as it is made newe al the world whiche before this tyme no phylosophers learnyng was euer able to bring about All whiche was done of god because hereof the world should clayme no parte as it myght haue doen yf it had been wrought either by menne of power or by ryches eloquence or by great and famouse clearkes Now syth all the worldly wysedome and glorie thereof is by sealy poore fyshers ouerthrowen and vanquished euery man easely seeth that al this glorious acte and y◠renoume therof must be gyuen to god onely whose secrete power hath wrought and brought to passe one contrarie by another That I nowe saye is not onely trewe in poore Christe and his apostles but in your owne company also called to god through his grace ye maye see thesame Howe fewe eloquente and wyse menne be of your noumbre howe fewe menne of power I meane after the common reputacion howe fewe menne of great bloude and parentage labour in the ghospell youre selues brethren see and vnderstande The glorie of the ghospell was by menne of lowe degree setfurthe and auaunced and enlarged by simple persons so that nowe euen the contrarie to that whiche was wonte to be simple menne and lowe vanquishe hygh rude playnes ouerthroweth craftines And therfore chose god furthe especially suche thinges as in worldly estimaciō seme rude and vnlearned to make worldly wyse men more ashamed of theyr vayne enterprise And chose suche meanes as are in the worldes opinion but feble and weake therby to mocke them which either by takyng of partes and ryches by tiranny or any other meanes thinke themselues mightie And vnto hym chose suche thynges as the world thinketh vyle and to be despised yea thinges of no reputacion at all to bryng to nought and abolyshe thynges of highe price to the intent that neither this fleshe of ours nor the worldly wisedome therof shoulde in the presence of god haue any thyng to reioyse of albeit it haue some vayne thyng to boaste vpō in the sight of the world synce that betwixt heauenly earthly thinges there can no cōparison be made And albeit in y◠iudgement of the worlde ye be rascalles outcastes yet haue ye through the great bounteousnes of god the father gotten the greatest honour that can be whiche hath called you into the inheritaunce of his sonne by whome he hath after a nother newe sorte geuen you all thinges whiche the rufflyng and proude worlde promised and was not able to perfourme By hym haue ye receyued the true and wholesome wysedome that ye nede not Philosophie nor suche worldly wisedome by hym haue ye receyued righteousnesse so that nowe ye nede not the helpe of Moses lawe By him haue ye obtayned holynes of lyfe leste any man thynke it came by his owne desertes By him haue ye receiued libertie as by whose bloud we are redemed from the tyranny of synne And to be briefe for al the weale that we stand in bounde are we to thanke only Christe and God the father the chiefe authour of al goodnesse that it may come to passe that is writtē by the Prophete Hieremye let neyther the wise man be proude of his wisedome nor the riche be to bolde vpon trust of his riches nor yet the strong man trust vpon his strength synce none of all these bryng men to the welthy state but yf any man will iustly glory and reioyce let him glory because he knoweth God the very fountayne and geuer of all good thynges but let him so reioyce that he assigne no parte therof to any worldly power and helpe ¶ The .ii. Chapiter The texte And I brethren when I came to you came not in gloriousnes of woordes or of wysedome shewing vnto you the testimony of God Neither shewed I my selfe that I knewe any thyng among you saue Iesus Christe euen thesame that was crucified And I was among you in weakenes and in feare and in muche trembling And my woordes and my preachyng was not with entising woordes of mannes wysedome but in shewyng of the spirite and of power that your fayth should not stande in the wisedome of men but in the power of God LEt them tell me then wherin they are better than you that thus are ashamed of Christes lowlines and crake among you of their lawe of their riches and wisdome I am assured that I conuerted you not to Christe by suche meanes For when I fyrste came vnto you to teache you the preuey and secrete wisedome of the gospell I came furnished neyther with any meruaylouse and gloryouse eloquence nor with any singuler knowledge of Philosophie whiche kynde of menne I knewe howe greatly ye regarded So farre abhorred I to take vpon me any of those thynges which in the face of the worlde are coumpted singular that I shewed my selfe among you to knowe nothyng els but Iesus Christe euen thesame that was crucified I preached of a manne but of suche a manne yet as was by God annoynted and promised by the Prophetes to come and redeme mannekynde From that whiche was in hym of lowest reputacion beganne I the preachyng of the gospell And albeit that my preachyng among you tooke effecte yet thereby claymed I no prayse at all lyuyng among you not lyke a manne of power but as a weake one and feble nor gaped for any greate dominion but as one that stoode in daunger and ieopardie to be assaulted of deuilyshe persones whose tyrannye we with pacience ouercame Looke after what sorte my lyuyng was and after thesame was my preachyng And as my lyfe was kepte in safegarde agaynste the violence of lewde and myscheuouse persons by no mannes hande but by the onely defence of God so lykewyse was my preachyng neyther garnyshed with the floures of thetoryke nor sette furthe with the argumentes of Philosophie thereby to shewe what I coulde in learnyng and eloquence and yet symple as it was of that power and myght was it that it quyte chaunged you not by any braggyng learnyng but by the spirite and myghtie power of God who by his secrete inspiraciō and miracles ayded and assisted my rude preaching that
say not to be seen as thinges are seen in a dreame or vision so that a man might doubt whether it were so or not but openly before euery mannes iyen to be a man borne of a woman vnder the weakenes of our natures to the entent he would readyly heale our wretchednes whom God would haue to be circumcised suffre all the bondage of the lawe to th ende he would deliuer the Iewes from the burdaine of the lawe whom he founde therto subiecte that noman should thencefoorth like a childe within age liue vnder gouernours but be all called to the libertie of children for bondage is contrary to the name of a childe The texte Because ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our heartes which cryeth abba father And because God would of his goodnes euidently declare that we are restored into the fredome of children he puttyng away all feare of punishement hath powred euen into the bottome of our heartes the spirit of his only sonne who is to vs a most certaine witnes that we are Gods children The spirite of seruage sauoreth and cryeth out after one sorte the loue and good mynde of children after an other The one desireth to escape the displeasure of his maister thother with a great confidence crieth O father father The texte Wherfore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne If thou be a sonne thou arte also an heyre of God through Christ Wherin it is not to be doubted but that God doeth muche more thākefully knowledge the name of godly loue and charitie than the name of feare If this were not as I say neither would Christ haue called his scholers brethren nor haue taught menne to praye vnto God vnder the name of a father when he teacheth vs to say O our father whiche art in heauen To whom soeuer therfore God geueth the spirite of his sonne the same man is no lenger a seruaunt but a sonne And if he be through Christ his sonne by him likewyse must he be Gods heyre Namely synce whoso by adopcion receiueth an other into the name of his sonne he in so doyng geueth him a right to his inheritaunce The texte Notwithstandyng when ye knewe not God ye did seruice vnto them whiche by nature are no Gods But now after that ye haue knowen God yea rather are knowē of God how is it that ye turne againe vnto the weake and beggerly ordinaunces whervnto againe ye desyre afreshe to be in bondage Ye obserue dayes and monethes and tymes and yeres I am in feare of you lest I haue bestowed on you labor in vain But as the Iewes for a season were with a grosse religion or rather supersticion kept vnder because they should not vtterly slyde from al religion so what tyme the true God was vnknowen vnto you accordyng to the ordinaunces of your elders ye worshipped deuils beleuyng them to be Goddes whiche are in dede none because he semeth muche nigher true religion which is vnder a false than is he that thinketh there is no God at all dispisyng all religion God layeth not to the Iewes charge because they for a tyme liued vnder theyr elders lawes frō whom when they were taught better learnyng they turned to the very right trade of godly conuersacion Nor is your worshippyng of idolles whom ye erroniously supposyng to haue an heauenly power in them had in honour layde against you synce the tyme that by preachyng of the gospell ye knewe the liuyng God or els to speake it better synce the tyme ye were knowen of God ye found him not but he by his holy spirite drewe you vnto him euen as that whereas ye nowe tenderly loue him as a father cōmeth by none other meanes but because he fyrst loued you God fauorably and gentilly forgatte your olde errour but of your owne accorde from the trueth once knowen wylfully to returne againe to the same that offence is outragious and damnable The Iewes beyng taught the true religion forsake theyr ceremonies and wyll ye beyng called frō idolatrie taught by preachyng the gospell what perfite religion is after the receiuyng of the holy ghost cast your selfe againe headlong into a Iewishe bondage so that wheras ye are fre ye had rather to be vnder the grosse beginnynges of this worlde whiche neither are able to make you righteous nor been effectual to saluacion Fall ye not to them againe when Iewishely ye obserue daies monethes and yeres with other suche differences of tyme as though the Iewishe sabboth day the feastes of the newe moone holy dayes and other tymes wherin the Iewes either do certain thinges or abstaine from certaine other as from vnlawful actes any thyng healped onward to saluacion when to christian men all tymes are free to honour God in If ye haue in Christ a sure confidence whence is this supersticion If ye haue not then teare I lest I haue in vaine bestowed so muche labor vpon you for your instruccion Ye fall from Christ if ye myngle with him Iewishenes Suffer not that either I whiche haue by suche great and sundry troubles taught you the gospel lose therin my labor or that ye in vaine haue suffered for Christ sake suche affliccions The texte Brethren I beseche you be ye as I am for I am as ye are Ye haue not hurt me at all Ye knowe how through infirmitie of the fleshe I preached the gospel vnto you at the first And my tēptacion whiche was in the fleshe ye dispised not neither abhorred but receiued me as an angel of God euen as Christ Iesus But rather regarde not the ceremonies of the lawe as ye see me to do but put my trust in Christ onely My selfe sometyme was suche one as ye now he iudgyng that it was an high pointe of godlynes to be circumcised to kepe the Iewishe sabboth day to obserue differences in meates to sacrifice beastes for zeale of whō I then persecuted the churche of God all whiche pointes now reaken I for trifles Wheras I brethren somewhat vehemently complaine vpō you surely this may ye beleue me I seke not myne owne weale but yours I might with the quiet vprightnes of myne owne conscience be with my selfe contented I am not displeased with you for ye haue done me no wronge I pitie to see you go from suche good beginnynges looke rather that ye be stable and constant encreasyng styl from better to better rather than from better to worse What tyme I fyrst preached vnto you the gospell of Iesus Christ I submitted my selfe to your weakenes now an other while rise ye vppe to my strength lose not the gloriouse praise of your fayth Of late when I preached vnto you y◠gospel ye knewe I toke no great royal state vpō me but euen the behauour of a lowe simple and abiecte person I pray you what saw ye me but a sealy mā ready to take harme hated of many for Christes name vnder diuerse troubles and
I meane all them to be triflers hynderours or sinistre resisters that are ordinaries curates or ministres For there are some of the chiefe Byshoppes ordinaries which with all their possible earnest labour and paynes tendre the gospelles affaires god be thanked for them And sondry other curates ministres whoÌ„ I know althoughe to fewe are honest and diligently well wyllynge towardes the trueth in diuerse shyres where I wayted vpon the kynges hyghnes visitours especyally in Lincolneshyre and in other shires of that Diocese And I verayly trust in God that the nombre of the honest sorte shall dayly encreace there aboute more and more by the industruous ministerie and vniforme concurrence in holsome doctryne of the Byshoppe and Deane of Lincolne and the rather by the helpynge forewardnes and forewardyng helpe of the deuoute woman of God the Duchesse of Suffolke But I meane onely certaine sortes of ministers whom ouâ— noble learned Paraphrast Erasmus paynteth notablye out in the person of the Euangelistes and apostles of whoÌ„ one sort are those that beyng altogether vnlearned had leauer coÌ„tinue styl like Horses and Mules without vnderstanding than to acknowlege their ignoraunces and blyndenes and laboure for better knowledge to become the chyldren of lyght These are dogges yâ— can not backe ouerseers that can not see These are also the blynde guydes whom whan the blynde doe folowe not the blynde guydes onely but the blynde folowers also as our sauiour Christ him selfe testifieth doe fall bothe in to the ditche of errour endles daÌ„nacion The seconde sorte are they which beyng noseled roted in worldly pelfe belycheare promocioÌ„ obteined by couÌ„trefaite crouching hipocritical lowting by meanes of their courtely freÌ„des wil rather obstinately resyst murmure agaynst yâ— kinges maiesties most godly trauailes procedinges as much as in theÌ„ lyeth with slauÌ„derous dissuasions perplexe impertineÌ„t interpretacioÌ„s go about to bryng the most pure playne worde of God in to contempte yea and to inceÌ„se the people to tumultes sedicions rumours and rebellions as practiced experience hath of late dayes mooste lamentably taughte vs than they woulde lose or forgoe any iote of their worldely wicked pompous Mammon or for conscience sake submytte theÌ„ selues to the trueth of yâ— scriptures or any syncere godly quietnes These are the cursed shepeherdes of Israell that eate vp the fatte of the shepe and clothe them selues with the wolle that slea the best â—edde and nourishe not the flocke These are the damnable hipocrites that shute vp the kyngdome of heauens before men in forbyddyng dissuading and discourageing them from readynge or meddlyng with the scriptures whiche be the breade of the soule and wyll nether entre â–ª in them selues ne suffre them that woulde These are yâ— false doctours that S. Peter prophecied of before hand which slyghtyly bryng in pernicious sectes amonge the people denyeng euen yâ— lord that bought them and throughe couetousnes by feyned woordes make marchaundise of men These are the incarnate angelles of Satan which with theyr fyne maner of crepe a bosome and outwarde pretence of holynes transforme them selues into the angeles of lyght These are the yâ—ching eared maisters and spirites of errour that teache doctrines of deuilles and inconuenient thynges for fylthy lucres sake hauing their consciences marked with an hoâ—e yron and teaching genealogies endles riedles that engendre questions more than edifie to Godwarde These are the Antichristes that against al the whole scripture to the vndenyable deâ—ogation of the merite dignitie of Christes death blodsheading done once for all take vpon theÌ„ dayly to sacrifice for the â—emyssion of synnes of the quycke and the deade teache swete to be sowre sowre swete lyght to be darknes darknes light These are also yâ— right sonnes of their right father the deuill that hath bene a murtherour alyer froÌ„ the begynnyng Finally these are the whelpes of the roaring Lyon the deuil yâ— goeth about sekyng by their ministery whoÌ„ he may deuour A thrid sorte there is whiche for the sauetie of their pelfe and promocion employe their studyes and forecastyng pollycies to please all partes thynkynge in their owne phantasies that to be possible to them that Christ our most true doctour sayth is impossible to serue both god MaÌ„moÌ„ These are they by whose occasion yâ— people halt betwene two opinioÌ„s not knowyng what is best for theÌ„ to folow whethâ—â— God or Baal These are the messagiers of Laodicia whose workes are nother colde nor whote but betwene bothe smellyng neither to muche of the ghospel nor to lytell of popeâ—ie And yet they must be called fauourours of the trueth for they woulde fayne all thynges were well so it were not long of them These woulde fayne haue Goddes corne to come vp but yet they dare sowe none longer than the worlde as they saye maketh faire wether And notwythstandyng the more parte yea and to muche the more parte of ecclesiastical parsons be of these three sortes that is to saye eyther of blockeheaded asses plaine professed enemyes or doublefaced frendes Yet God of the habundaunt riches of his exceding great mercies hath reserued vnto him selfe some syncere Bysshoppes and preachers in this Emperiall Realme to erecte and confirme the towardenes of the true meanyng fauourours to comforte the weakeharted to confounde the stowâ—e rebelles the golden cupped courteours of the prowde whore of Babylon with â—he myghtye swearde of the spirite whiche is the word of God And for theuidenter declaracion of his mercies to his Englishe flocke and for the glorouseâ— enhaunceyng of hys own kyngdome and glorie in thys Realme in forewardyng the godly labours and industruous trauailes of hys faythfull ploughmen the ministres in despighte of all hys enemyes God in whose hande all kynges heartes are hathe put in to the hearte of oure mooste Royall worthye kynge Edwarde the. vi not onely lyke a moste Christen Iosias by the ministerie trauaile and studious endeuours of his moste faythfull deare Vncle the lorde Protectours grace other of his most honorable CouÌ„sayle to abolyshe idolatrous sacrificeinges and supersticious customes and to restore the true worship religion and gospell of Christe in to his pristine sinceritie purenes and lybertie agayne but also lyke a moste prudent yong Salomon to buylde vp perfitely the Lordes house and to walke after thexample of the olde Salomon as it were before the porche of the temple lyke Goddes true minister to expell and kepe out all false worshyppinges popishe Goddes seruice vayne ceremonies pernicious sectes sedicious tumultes fylthye errours and noughtie lurkyng hereticall opinions from amonge hys Christen Englyshe subiectes whiche is the lyuing temple of God and to trayne ordre and gouerne them with the rule of holsome lawes to the banishemente of vngodly licencious libertie that men are nowe a dayes to muche geuen and bent vnto and to the nourishement of vertues whiche God requireth and also to kepe and defende them from all intestine tumultes daungers and
ynoughe in this worlde and than let hym doe with me in an other worlde what he wyll Be thou assured that thou enforcest God to take awaye hys holy spirite and his good gyftes from thee and layest vp wrath in stoare for thy selfe agaynste the daye of wrath whan God shall iudge the secret thoughtes of men by Iesus Christe Thou shalt haue the immortall worme of thy conscience to gâ—awe contynually vpon thee so as fallynge into desperacyon and grudgeynge agaynste God thou shalte begynne thyne hell euen in thys worlde hauynge anguyshe and trouble vpon thy soule for thy wycked lyuynge And at that greate feaste daye whan thou shalte appeare wythoute the weddynge garment of a perfyte faythe garnysshed wyth workes of charitie and good lyuynge Christe the kyng shall commaunde thee to be bounden hande and fote and to be cast into the vtter darkenes where shal be weepyng and gnashyng of teethe for the rewarde of thyne errour and wickednes thou shalte be constrayned perforce to pledge the Deuyll of his own cuppe that is prepared euerlastyngly for hypocrites to drynke vpon whereinto the Lorde God shall rayne snares fyre brymstonâ— storme and tempest Than it wyll not auayle the to repente Than it wylbe to late to crye had I wyste Remembre thy selfe therefore in tyme seyng that God of hys curteous gentylnes by hys holy woord geueth thee so curteous warnynge And take in good parte thys my symple translacyon intended to none other purpose but to thy forwardynge helpe as the Lorde is my wytnesse God sende thee perfyte vnderstandyng gentle reader in hys trueth and well to fate Amen ¶ Thus endeth the Prologe The argument vpon the Epistle of the Apostle Saynt Paule vnto the Ephesians by D. Erasmus of Roterodame EPhesus was sometyme the chiefe citie of the lesse Asia a citie supersticiously geuen to the wurshipping of deuilles and especially of Diana for whiche cause it is called in the actes of the Apostles the wurshipper of Diana not of Diana the huntour vnto whome the Poetes attribute bowe and arowes but Diana with many pappes whome the Grecians call Polymaston and saye she is the nource of all maner of beastes after Hieromes reporting For the temple of Diana at Ephesus was in the greatest estimacion of al the world so much that the Ethnike writours make special mencion of it almost in al their writinges These men geue their whole studies vnto curiouse artes and sciences as we may gather where we reade that at the preaching of the Apostles they brought in theyr bookes of enchauntmente and burned them in the fyer and whan they had coumpted the price they founde it to be fiftie thousand siluerlinges as it is purported in the .xix. Cap. of the Actes And therfore to th entent he might withdrawe them from those great errours he taried still among them three yeares trauaylling all that while to the vttermost of hys power to bring the thyng to passe that myght be to the profitabe forwarding of theyr saluacion albeit many of them made great resistence agaynste him as he specifyeth hymselfe in an other place And there he was cast to beastes lyke as he maketh mencion in his secounde Epistle to the Corinthians And whan he departed from thence he commaunded Timothee to remaine there still amonge them And like as that Citie was full of Curiouse menne and suche as were geuen to magicall artes euen so had it many great learned men in it By reason wherof Paule as he tempereth himselfe according to the maners and natures of all men maketh often mencion of deuils and spirites whan he sheweth the difference of good men and bad Besides these he openeth certaine darke hard sentences For there is none of his Epistles that hath so darke and hidde sentences in it as this to the Ephesians So as it shoulde seme that this Epistle was the chiefest occasion why Petre wrote after this sorte Euen as our derely beloued brother Paule accordyng to the wisedome geuen vnto hym wrote to you yea almoste in euery Epistle speaking of suche thynges among whiche many thynges are harde to be vnderstanden which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they do other scriptures to theyr owne destruccion Therfore because these men aboade constauntly in the fayth he exhorteth them to continue and goe still forwarde vntill they were become perfite putting them in remembraunce what manier of people they were whan they were addict vnto naughtines did seruice vnto wieked spirites and what they are become now that they are engraffed vnto Christe and teacheth them withall that althoughe the grace of the Gospell was promised vnto the Iewes yet that by the eternall decree of God it was rightfully enlarged vnto the Gentiles also and that he was a minyster ordayned of God to that same office And forasmuche as he wrote thys Epistle being in prison he exhorteth them not to cast downe theyr hartes for his affliccions but rather thinke that they haue so much the more cause to reioyce These thinges he treateth of in the first and seconde Chapters In the other three he prescribeth the fourme of godly conuersacion vnto them shewing what is to be folowed and what is to bee auoyded the duetyes of the husbandes to the wyues and of the wyues vnto the husbandes the offices of parentes to their children and of the children to theyr parentes the dueties of maisters to their seruauntes and of seruauntes to their maisters This Epistle was written from the citie of Rome by Tichicus the Diacone whome he speaketh of in the end of the Epistle calling him a faithful minister Ambrose sayeth furthermore that he wrote it in prieson whan he was caried from Hierusalem to Rome and liued vnder suertie without the tentes in the tenement that he had taken for hyre The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of sainct Paule the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The .i. Chapter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God To the sainctes whiche are at Ephesus and to them whiche beleue on Iesus Christ Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe Blessed be God the father of our lord Iesus Christe whiche hath blessed vs with all manier of spyrituall blessyng in heauenly thinges by Christe according as he had chosen vs in him before the foundacions of the worlde were layde that we shoulde be holy and without blame before him thorow louâ— Whiche ordeyned vs before thorow Iesus Christe to be heyrs vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorye of his grace wherewith he hath made vs accepted thorow the beloued By whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes accordyng to the richâ—s of grace wherof he hath ministred vnto vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and prudence And hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure whiche he had
he hath not onely not punished vs according to our desertes but also whan we were dead by reason of our sinnes he hath called vs agayne to lyfe together with Christ This I say was not of our deseruing but came of free gyft And he hath not only called vs agayne to lyfe with hys sonne but also he hath caryed vs vp froÌ„ these thinges that are benethe vnto the thinges that are in heaueÌ„ there hath placed vs through Christ Iesê° by whoÌ„ we haue indiffereÌ„tly together whatsoeuer he our head hath do possesse now in hope all that we shal shortly after possesse in very dede Thus it was his wil that at the resurreccion whan his promisses shal euidently appeare he may declare his most abouÌ„dant liberalitie which it pleased hi of his free goodnes to powre vpoÌ„ vs not for our own good dedes sakes but for the merites of Iesê° Christ For the thing is often to be rehearsed that ought to be fixed moste depely in your hartes It cuÌ„meth of fre grace I say that you haue obteined saluacion from the destruccioÌ„ wherin ye were tangled lest ye should folow the error of some of the Iewes which thinke to be saued for obseruing the prescriptes of Moses law You are endebted for your saluacion to fayth wherby ye beleued the gospell yet you may not brag of faith as though it come of your selfe Christ loued you first hauing drawen you to himselfe he hath geuen you power that you should loue hym agayne And he it is that hath freely powred into you the gift of fayth by the whiche you should set darkenes apart and see the lyghte of the Ghospels veritie It is wholy therfore to be ascribed vnto his fre gift so that no man hath thereof to boast as though it were of his owne In that we are created we are endebted to God Agayne in that we are regenerate by faythe and baptisme and as it were made a newe after an other maner we are diuorced from the felowshyp of our parent the sinfull Adam and engraffed in Christ the prince of innoceÌ„cie to the intent that by the helpe and exaumple of him we should from hensforth apply the offices of true godlinesse that renouncing the olde man we shoulde represent the new man in new dedes and become so ferre vnlike to oureselues in condicions that a man might iustly say it were not we For God by the doctrine of the ghospell hath opened vnto vs the rewarde of Immortalitie to the intent we should preace hard vnto it through innocencie of lyfe and well doing For the euangelical faith is not an idle mattier but hath an inseparable companion charitie whiche causeth moe dueties to be done of the willyng than the prescriptes of the lawe are hable to enforce of the constrayned The texte Wherfore remembre that ye being in tyme passed Gentiles in the flesh were called vncircumcisyon from that whiche is called circumcisyon in the flesh whiche circumcisyon is made by handes Remeâ—ber I saye that at that tyme ye were without Christ beyng aliantes from the commen welth of Israell and straungers from the testamentes of the promes and had no hope and were without God in this world But now by the meanes of Christ Iesu ye which somtime were farre of are made nye by the bloude of Christ For he is our peace whiche hath made of both one and hath broken downe the wal that was a stoppe betwene vs and hath also put away throw his fleshe the cause of hatred euen the lawe of commaundementes contayned in yâ— lawe written for to make of twayne one newe man in him selfe so making peace and to reconcyle both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse and slewe hatred therby and came and preached peace to you whiche were a farre of and to them that were nye For thorow hym we both haue an entraunce in one sprite vnto the father The yoke of Moses law is not layed vpon you For one onely law of Christian Charitie is sufficient to accomplishe all dueties The Iewes are not endebted to theyr lawe for theyr saluacion but yet you are so much more bounden to the goodnesse of god as you were more far of than they from the true wurshipping of god from true religioÌ„ Therfore yâ— ye may the more vnderstaÌ„de how muche you are bounden to the bountie of God for being nowe as ye are your duetie is to remember what ye haue bene afore tyme. For you were sumtyme Heathens after the corporall distinccion of kynred whome the nacyon of the Iewes bragging of their carnal circumcision that is done with handes name contumeliously vncircumcised and repute them for prophane persons and abhominable supposing this felicitie that was promised loÌ„g agoe by the oracles of the prophetes to belong peculiarely to themselues and not vnderstandyng that they be reputed as vncleane persones before God whose inward myndes are vncircumcised But you at that time were vncircumcised both in body and soule being so muche more abiect in miserable condicion than the Iewes in that ye had no hope of Christes benefite to youwarde that is to saye because you were vtterly astraunged aswell from the tytle and felowshyp of the nacion of Iewes vnto whome he semed to be peculiarly promised as also exileled from the couenauntes of God wherin he promised in saying to Abraham the father of that nacion In thy seede shall all nacyons bee blessed And to bee briefe there remayned no apparente hope of your saluacion in afmuche as being wurshippers of deuils ye had no knowledge in thys worlde of the true God where as the Iewes called him theyr God and he agayn called them hys people Neuerthelesse as soone as the trueth of the Ghospell shewed furth his lyght Christe turned the course of thynges vpsyde downe and broughâ—e so to passe that you whiche seemed nothyng to perteyne vnto God were no we knyt moste nere vnto him not by the circumcision of the foreskinne but by the bloud of Iesu Christ with the price wherof ye were not only deliuered from the sinnes of your olde conuersacion but also reconcyled vnto God the father In tymes paste you were at discorde with the Iewes yea you were at discorde with God but Christ the Autour of peace and concorde stroke away al the difference of circumcised and not circumcised he toke away the ceremonies of Moses law as it had bene a wall that deuyded the concord betwene the Iewes and the Gentiles so that two sortes of people beeyng afore most ferre different one from the other should agree and growe together in one vtterly expelling theyr olde grieues For before Christes cummyng the gentiles did wonderfully adhorre the Iewes obseruaunces as supersticious thinges and the Iewes contrariewise were in such conceipt with themselues by reason of their ceremonies that they held al such accursed as were without them Christ therfore by his woonderful deuise abolished and brought out of vse
charitie as it hath done in you growyng styl from better to better euen synce that tyme wherin ye fyrst heard and knewe that through the free goodnes of God all their synnes are forgeuen whiche beleue the gospel if to theyr right fayth they adioyne pure vnfained charitie For so were ye taught by my dearely beloued felow in seruice and messenger of trust Epaphras who hath among you sincerely done myne office after suche sorte in Iesus Christes behalfe preachyng the gospel that he hath in all pointes been found without corrupcion As I therfore by him taught you so by him againe vnderstand I your good wyll againe towarde vs not meanyng suche vsuall good wyll as that is when men wishe well to to theyr frendes and acquaintaunce but a spiritual and heauenly fauor wherwith we vse to loue all suche by whom the glorye of the gospel is set foorth and stablished though we with our bodily iyen neuer sawe them The texte For this cause we also euer synce the day we heard of it haue not ceased to praye for you and to desyre that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstandyng that ye might walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye may please beyng fruitful in al good workes encreasyng of y◠knowledge of God strengthed with all might through his glorious power vnto al pacience and long sufferyng with ioyfulnes geuyng thankes vnto the father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritaūce of saintes in light Whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes hath translated vs vnto the kyngdome of his deare sonne By whō we haue redempcion through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes whiche is the image of the inuisible God fyrst begotten of al creatures for by him wer all thinges created that are in heauen and that are in yearth visible inuisible whether they be maiestie or lordship either rule or power All thinges were created by him and for him and he is before all thinges and by him all thinges haue their beyng And for this cause we againe not as one vnworthy of this your fauor heartely loue you againe though I neuer sawe you by and by euen frō that day wherin we were fyrst certifyed of your fayth and charitie in my dayly prayers callyng vpon God for you and with feruent peticions besechyng him that it may please him in you to make perfite and to bryng at full suche giftes as he hath begunne to geue that ye bothe may more throughly knowe his pleasure beyng taught neither by worldely wisedom nor yet by any supersticious and vaine persuasion of some men but by a spiritual wisedome and policie wherof as yehaue already gotten a good part so would I wishe that ye lacked nothyng that ye may in such godly perfeccion passe ouer your life that the same be to gods honor and in al pointes also please him lettyng no good thing vndone for so doyng is the meane to please him For to geue onely a credence to the gospel is but a beginnyng to saluacion but the same is with godly and holye workes made perfite and full Nor suffiseth it to haue learned through preachyng of the gospel that God through his sonne Iesus Christ is the author and worker of saluacion vnlesse by the same knowledge ye growe vppe and bring foorth the fruites of christian charitie continually profityng from better to better so surely constantly and manfully standyng in them that neither violence nor storme of persecucion driue you out of y◠right course for whose perfourmaūce surely ye nede great assistence and strength Of strength of oure owne powers we cannot assure our selfes God it is whiche must geue it to the ende that the whole glory of all suche thinges as are by vs valiauntly done may be geuen againe vnto him whiche of his goodnes enrycheth vs with great pacience and long sufferyng to endure abyde for Christes gospelles sake all suche troubles as may in the meane tyme befal vs. In whiche persecucions suffering it is not inough to be strong without all feare but rather besemeth it vs euen ioyfully with a good courage to vndertake suffer them geuyng thankes to God the father who hath vouchesaued to call you to suche honour that wheras heretofore ye worshipped deuils idols ye are now of his goodnes called vnto the felowshippe of the Iewes whiche by reason that they worshipped the true God were in comparison of you holy whiche hath also vouchsaued to cal you to the enheritaunce of life euerlastyng in hope wherof al thinges whiche in this world either feare or flatter vs must be despised both for that he hath geuen you wanderyng before in the deepe doungeon of ignoraunce the light of the gospel and for that also ye whiche heretofore were vnder a vile and stauishe bondage subiecte vnto the tyranny of the deuil prince of darkenes are deliuered thence and conueighed into the kyngdome of his most derely beloued sonne to th entent that ye beyng ioyned into his body should with him enioy one kingdome Wherin suche as are thral to synne haue no place and therfore hath God by his sonne made vs free by whō the sinnes of our olde life are forgeuē So that now his are ye becomen by whose benefite mercy ye are restored Consider now how good a chaunge ye haue made Before your reconciliacion ye were membres of the deuil now are ye planted into Christes body whose dignitie is so great that he is the image of God the father whiche father dwelleth in light whervnto no man can come whiche is suche as can be seen of no man though after a certaine sorte he be through the sonne seen whiche to the father is in all pointes verye like equal For neither is the sonne lesse wyse nor lesse of might or of lesse goodnes than is the father Nor of late daies receiued he these perfeccions but euerlastyngly before any thyng was made was he the image of his euerlastyng father not made but borne of him by whō all thynges are made and by him whiche onely hath no beginnyng He therfore of him selfe begotte his sonne and by his sonne and with his sonne made and create al that is either in heauen or yearth both that may be seen and not seen the verye angels selfe not excepted no not the chiefe of them whither they be maiesties lordshippes rules or powers And albeit these orders and powers farre excede all other creatures yet are they passing measure vnder him to whom ye are ioyned forasmuche as whatsoeuer is made must to his maker nedes be inferior Now are al thinges not onely made by Christ but also by him gouerned preserued in whiche pointe he is also to his father like equal Nor was the sonne begotten after other creatures but was before al other thinges by whō al thinges haue theyr beyng and should without
suche sorte in Iesus Christes behalfe preachyng the gospel that he hath in all pointes been found without corruption As I therfore by him taught you so by him againe vnderstand I your good wyll againe towarde vs not meanyng suche vsuall good wyll as that is when men wishe well to to theyr frendes and acquaintaunce but a spiritual and heauenly fauor wherwith we vse to loue all suche by whom the glorye of the gospel is set foorth and stablished though we with our bodily iyen neuer sawe them The texte For this cause we also euer synce the day we heard of it haue not ceased to praye for you and to desyre that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstandyng that ye might walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye may please beyng fruitful in al good workes encreasyng of y◠knowledge of God strengthed with all might through his glorious power vnto al pacience and long sufferyng with ioyfulnes geuyng thankes vnto the father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritaūce of saintes in light Whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkeues hath translated vs vnto the kyngdome of his deare sonne By whō we haue redempcion through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes whiche is the image of the inuisible God fyrst begotten of al creatures for by him wer all thinges created that are in heauen and that are in yearth visible inuisible whether they be maiestie or lordship either rule or power All thinges were created by him and for him and he is before all thinges and by him all thinges haue their beyng And for this cause we againe not as one vnworthy of this your fauor heartely loue you againe though I neuer sawe you by and by euen frō that day wherin we were fyrst certifyed of your fayth and charitie in my dayly prayers callyng vpon God for you and with feruent peticions besechyng him that it may please him in you to make perfite and to bryng at full suche giftes as he hath begunne to geue that ye bothe may more throughly knowe his pleasure beyng taught neither by worldely wisedom nor yet by any supersticious and vaine persuasion of some men but by a spiritual wisedome and policie wherof as yehaue already gotten a good part so would I wishe that ye lacked nothyng that ye may in such godly perfeccion passe ouer your life that the same be to gods honor and in al pointes also please him lettyng no good thing vndone for so doyng is the meane to please him For to geue onely a credence to the gospel is but a beginnyng to saluacion but the same is with godly and holye workes made perfite and full Nor suffiseth it to haue learned through preachyng of the gospel that God through his sonne Iesus Christ is the author and worker of saluacion vnlesse by the same knowledge ye growe vppe and bring foorth the fruites of christian charitie continually profityng from better to better so surely constantly and manfully standyng in them that neither violence nor storme of persecucion driue you out of the right course for whose perfourmaūce surely ye nede great assistence and strength Of strength of oure owne powers we cannot assure our selfes God it is whiche must geue it to the ende that the whole glory of all suche thinges as are by vs valiauntly done may be geuen againe vnto him whiche of his goodnes enrycheth vs with great pacience and long sufferyng to endure abyde for Christes gospelles sake all suche troubles as may in the meane tyme befal vs. In whiche persecucions suffering it is not inough to ve strong without all feare but rather besemeth it vs euen ioyfully with a good courage to vndertake suffer them geuyng thankes to God the father who hath vouchesaued to call you to suche honour that wheras heretofore ye worshipped deuils idols ye are now of his goodnes called vnto the felowshippe of the Iewes whiche by reason that they worshipped the true God were in comparison of you holy whiche hath also vouchsaued to cal you to the enheritaunce of life euerlastyng in hope wherof al thinges whiche in this world either feare or flatter vs must be despised both for that he hath geuen you wanderyng before in the deepe doungeon of ignoraunce the light of the gospel and for that also ye whiche heretofore were vnder a vile and slauishe bondage subiecte vnto the tyranny of the deuil prince of darkenes are deliuered thence and conueighed into the kyngdome of his most derely beloued sonne to th entent that ye beyng ioyned into his body should with him enioy one kingdome Wherin suche as are thral to synne haue no place and therfore hath God by his sonne made vs free by whō the sinnes of our olde life are forgeuē So that now his are ye becomen by whose benefite mercy ye are restored Consider now how good a chaunge ye haue made Before your reconciliacion ye were membres of the deuil now are ye planted into Christes body whose dignitie is so great that he is the image of God the father whiche father dwelleth in light whervnto no man can come whiche is suche as can be seen of no man though after a certaine sorte he be through the sonne seen whiche to the father is in all pointes verye like equal For neither is the sonne lesse wyse nor lesse of might or of lesse goodnes than is the father Nor of late daies receiued he these perfeccions but euerlastyngly before any thyng was made was he the image of his euerlastyng father not made but borne of him by whō all thynges are made and by him whiche onely hath no beginnyng He therfore of him selfe begotte his sonne and by his sonne and with his sonne made and create al that is either in heauen or yearth both that may be seen and not seen the verye angels selfe not excepted no not the chiefe of them whither they be maiesties lordshippes rules or powers And albeit these orders and powers farre excede all other creatures yet ace they passing measure vnder him to whom ye are ioyned forasmuche as whatsoeuer is made must to his maker nedes be inferior Now are al thinges not onely made by Christ but also by him gouerned preserued in whiche pointe he is also to his father like equal Nor was the sonne begotten after other creatures but was before al other thinges by whō al thinges haue theyr beyng and should without him perishe were they not by him mainteined Thus see ye the excellencie and preeminence of Christ whiche thing I tel you of lest any manne of Angels thinke more than he should The texte And he is the head of the body euen of the congregacion he is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead that in all thinges he might haue the preeminence And lest perauenture his glorious and excellent maiestie so
as mooste plentuous witnesses of thyne affection and mutuall loue towardes me By reason wherof I am fylled all together full of ioye whan it commeth to my mynde howe paynlye thou resemblest me in the sinceritie of faythe as a naturall sonne his father And lyke as the integritie of religioÌ„ was in me as it were by enheritauÌ„ce euen so this sinceritie of fayth semeth to be geuen to the by the handes of thyne elders For it dwelt stedfastly fyrst in thy GraÌ„demother Lois thaÌ„ after by by in thy mother Eunica I doubt not but thou wilt become accordigly like a neuew to so right a religious graÌ„dmother a sonne to so right a good mother seing thou hast ben more desyrous to be like to theÌ„ thaÌ„ to thy kyndred of thy fathers syde The texte Wherfore I warne the that thou stiere vp the gyfte of god which is in the by the puttyng on of my handes For god hath not geuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue of sobrenes Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testimony of our lorde nether be ashamed of me which am his prysoner but suffer thou aduersitie with the ghospell accordyng to the power of god which saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not accordyng to our dedes but accordyng to his owne purpose and grace which was geueÌ„ vs thorow Christ Iesu before the worlde began but iâ— now declared openly by yâ— appearyng of our sauiour Iesus Christ which hath put awaye death hath broughte lyft and immortalitie vnto lyght thorowe the gospel wherunto I am appoynted a preacher and Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffre these thinges Neuerthelesse I am not ashamed â–ª For I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is able to kepe that which I haue committed to his kepyng agaynst yâ— day These thinges I remeÌ„bre the of so as thou mayest be of yâ— better courage both by the example of vs and of thyne elders to stiere vp by thyne industrye diligence the gifte of God which thou receyuedst by the laying on of mine handes whan thou waste ordayned a Byshop and boldely and without shrynkynge to accomplyshe the office commytted vnto thee feare not any mens barkinges nor the rageing crueltie of persecutours It is the propertie of Iewes to be afrayed of those thinges that this present life occasioneth but vnto vs whiche through beleuing of the gospell are made the children of God he hathe geuen a ferre other maner spirite not to make vs afrayed discouraged for feare distrust but through an assured trust of innoceÌ„cie hope of yâ— promised immortalitie to be bolde lusty through loue to be free ful of courage eueÌ„ as loue both trusteth altogether vpoÌ„ gods succour shrinketh not for his neyghbours sake to abyde daungier Finally a spirite yâ— suffreth not vs to be disturbed â—â— our mynd but causeth vs alwaies to perseuer to th ende with a whole a preâ—â—â— ready herte Forasmuch thaÌ„ as yâ— hast receyued this spirit set forth his power declare stoutely the thyng the thou hast Be not ashamed of thy profession wherby thou preachest the crosse death of our lord Iesu Christ nor be ashamed to be a disciple of his Apostle though I am ladeÌ„ with these bondes There is nothing more glorious thaÌ„ the crosse of Christ yâ— gaue saluatioÌ„ to yâ— world yâ— brake the deuiles tirannye yâ— hath obteined vs immortalitie Christes crosse is our glory These cheanes the I willingly suffre for the ghospelles busines sake are not to my slaunder but to my glorie rather Therefore refuse not to suffre those thynges that Christ suffred and that I suffre for hys sake But be thou ready also to come into the felowshyppe of afflyctions that are layed vpon vs for the ghospell of Christe What so euer chaunceth there is no cause why we shoulde be afrayed for the matier is not done by oure strengthes but by the succour of God We are feble in dede but he is mightye whiche whan we were lost saued vs by the death of hys sonne hauynge done awaye the trespasses of oure former conuersation and hathe called vs vnto holynes not for any merites of ours but beyng enforced by hys own wil and free goodnes that he bestowed vpon vs not vpon anye late aduisemente but from euerlastynge and before all tyme afore the makynge of thys worlde it was decreed of him to geue these thinges vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christ The matter is no newes to him but that thing that was alwayes in the secret of his mynde he hath lately declared to the worlde by the commyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe who hauyng receyued a bodye subiecte to death hath dispatched awaye death by the crosse and by hys resurreccion hath opened lyfe and immortalitie throughe the preachynge of the ghospell whiche promyseth lyke rewardes vnto them that folowe the exaumple of Christes crosse Thys ghospell preachynge is committed vnto me as the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles to the intent they maye learne by me that not onely the Iewes are called to this gyfte of God but also all mankynde vniuersallye Forasmuche than as I am tyed in cheynes for the ghospelles sake I am not onely nothyng ashamed of thys affliccion but also I esteme it for a pure greate glorye vnto me To suffre for naughtye dedes doyng it is a reproche but to be afflicted for the glorye of Christe it is excellent This stormye tyme doeth feare me nothyng at all For althoughe I am weake yet I knowe and am assured that he whom I haue put my faythfull trust in is hable ynoughe to kepe vnto the vttermost daye the thing that I haue committed to his fidelitie Throughe his ayde bothe the gospelles busines and my saluation and also the prosperitie of the christian flocke is in sauegarde And albeit anye thynge here in thys worlde seme to perishe for a tyme yet whan that daye shall come in the whyche he shall expresse his myghtie power vnto the worlde he shall restore it wyth greate gayne I haue layed my life and my healthe in his handes and he hathe put me in truste to dispence the doctrine of the gospell In case I shall be a trustye fayth keper he wyll not fayle my trust The texte â–ª Se that thou haue the ensample of the holsome wordes which thou hast heard of me with fayth loue that is in Christ Iesu That good thing which was committed to thy keping â—old fast through the holy gost which dwelleth in vs. This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned froÌ„ me Of which sort are Phigelus and Hermogenes The Lord geue mercy vnto the housholde of Onesiphorus for he ofte refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and founde me The lorde graunte vnto hym that he maye fynde
seconde tome that is to wyte the paraphrase vpon the Epistles of saincte Paule and the other Apostles Wherefore wyllynge to helpe to the furtheraunce of so godly an entente and to bryng in at the lâ—â—ste my farthinge into the treasorye of the lorde I haue loked ouer againe my sayde translacion and haue amended the places that wer faulty And besyde â–ª I haue so annexed the paraphrase to the texte that the readers shall I trust easyly atteyne therby to the true vnderstandynge of saincte Paules mynde Whiche my labour I do dedycate vnto your mastershyp whome I knowe to loue gods worde synceretly and vnto whome I knowledge my selfe to be moste hyghlye bounde of all men as vnto the chefe and onely socourer of myne olde age humbly beseching you to accepte this lytle gyfte as a token of my faithfull harte and I trust with goddes helpe or it be long to sende vnto you other monimentes of myne industrye which I trust shal be no lesse pleasynge vnto you and no lesse profytable to the readers ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule vnto Cyâ—us By Erasmus of Roterodame THe apostle Paule had made his dysciple Titus ouersear of the christian congregacioÌ„ in the noble I le of Crete now named Candye whome for the excellent gyftes that were in him Paul loued as tenderly as yf he had bene his owne naturall sonne And at his departinge out of that contrey he made hym the head ouersear of the faythfull that were there Afterwarde he wrote this Epistle or lettre vnto him from a citye of Epirus called Nicople lyinge on the sea coaste in a clyffe named of the olde Cosmographers Leucate or the clyffe of Aâ—tâ—um â–ª at whiche tyme all thinges as it semeth were quiet with the christians for here is no mencion made of any persecucion In this Epistle he putteth Tâ—tus in remembraunce to fynishe and perfyte tho thinges whiche he hymselfe had begone among the same men of Crete and that in euery citie of the Ne whiche as writers doe testifye were an hundred he shoâ—lde ordeyne ouersears whiche we nowe call byshoppes and here they are of the Apostle named elders And for this cause Paule prescribeth vnto him the true forme of a Byshop or Shepherd of Christes flocke Furthermore bycause false apostles were come also into that partes whiche went aboute to put theyr Iewyshe ceremonies into mennes heddes Paule here geueth him a courage strongly to confute and reiecte them After these thinges he sheweth what is the dutye of euery persone and age lyke as he dyd to Tymothie addyng this that no man ought to resiste prynces and magistrates executynge their office and power yea though they were infidels but rather to tolerate them paciently that they maye the sooner by suche our modestye be called to yâ— folowyng of the gospell Laste of all he wylleth Tytus to come to him at Nicopli but not afore yâ— he had sent Artemas or Tychicus whiche were his dysciples into Crete to him least paraduenture the Cretians woulde els thinke them selfes destitute of the conforte of an heade or chiefe ouersear whome we call an Archebysshope The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus The first Chapter The texte ¶ Paule the seruaunte of God and apostle of Iesu Christ accordyng to the faithe of goddes electe and accordynge to the knowledge of the trueth whiche is after godlynes in the hope of eternall lyfe whiche god that cannot lye promysed afore the worlde began but hathe opened his worde at the tyme appoynted thorowe preaching whiche is committed vnto me accordynge to the commaundement of god our saueour to Titus his naturall sonne after the continue faythe Grace mercy and peace from god the father and from the lorde I esu Christ our saueoure I Paule my selfe the addict seruaunt obeyer not of Moses lawe as I was once but of God yâ— father ambassadour of his sonne Iesus Christ of the which my message the whole summe is that suche as god hath electe to attayne to euerlastynge saluacion thorowe the gospel them I should exhorte not to the obseruacioÌ„ of the law or to put their confideÌ„ce in workes but vnto faythe which onely openeth to al meÌ„ yâ— entryng into euerlasting saluacioÌ„ thorowe yâ— fre beneficence of Iesus Christ And my coÌ„mission is to call them not to faythe onely but also to yâ— knowledge of trueth which among yâ— Ethnikes was ouer heaped with the inuencions of mans wysedom among the Iewes it was hydde wrapped vp in the shadowes of mysticall figures ceremonyes I am charged I saye to call meÌ„ to the knowledge of the trueth not yâ— whiche the philosophers of this worlde do teache disputinge on the causes of natural thinges but to the knowledge of that trueth which coÌ„pendyously sheweth in what thinges a ryght christian lyfe consisteth yâ— ende rewarde wherof is lyfe euerlastynge to folowe after this shorte lyfe that we leade here in the worlde whiche euerlastynge lyfe men ought with the more truste to hope for how great troubles soeuer they endure while they be here First because he that promysed this euerlastynge lyfe was not a mortall man that myght bothe be deceyued him selfe also deceyue other but it is god that doeth it Who as it cannot be chosen but he must neades abyde alwayes god so can nothing surely procede froÌ„ him but onely the mere trueth And again bycause this yâ— he promysed he dyd not promes it by a chauÌ„ce or but now of late but afore the the world was made it was fully determined by the diuine vnchauÌ„geable decree of his mynde to do yâ— which he now doeth There is no newe thing that hath altered his purpose but yâ— thing which for secret causes onely knowen to his godheed he would haue to be couered hyd hitherto yâ— would he haue to be opened to al the world at this tyme the which he had afore by his eternall wysedome appointed to yâ— reuelyng therof Neither would he that there should be onely shewed to the Iewes a shadowe darkened with the mystes of figures but his wil is that yâ— cleare trueth should by the preaching of yâ— gospel be declared to al meÌ„ withoute any dyffereÌ„ce of nacion or language This is yâ— who le effecte of yâ— doctrine of yâ— gospel yâ— preaching wherof I haue not takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ me of myne own head but it was coÌ„mitted to me not coÌ„mitted by men but by out saueour god who dyd not onely cal me to the occupieng of an apostles office but besyde that he enioyned it to me and so charged me therwith that it was not lawful for me to refuse that whiche he so earnestly commaunded me to do These wordes haue I spoken that no man shoulde thynke myne autoritie or els the autoritie of him whome I haue put in my stede to be but of lyghte estimacion I therfore the same Paule beyng beyng in suche autorite do wryte this Epistle or lettre to Titus my very
And verely this vertuous godly man Moses is woorthy to be of great autoritie among vs because he behaued hymselfe faithfully in the same house but yet as a minister or stewarde and not as a sonne he was in an other mannes house and the other that is to saye Christ in his owne And Moses brought onely figures shadowes of those thynges which Christe should afterwardes dysclose and open But Christe as the maker and sonne guided his owne house whereof we all are members whiche thorowe fayth of the gospell bee assembled together vnto hys churche or congregacion so that we perseuer in that we beganne that is to wit if we dooe styll abyde in the concorde and agreaunce of the house and holde fast and stedfastely vnto the ende the faythe whiche the spirite of Christ hath geuen vs and also that glorious hope by the which as the true natural sonnes of god and brethren of Christ we looke for the enheritaunce of heauen For it shall nothyng auayle vs to haue heard the doctrine of the gospell excepte we continually liue thereafter Yea the greatter he is who dayned to speake vnto vs the grieuouser shall our punishment be The texte Wherefore as the holy ghoste saieth to daye yf ye will heare his voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouokyng in the daye of temptacion in the wildernes where youre fathers tempted me proued me and sawe my woorkes fourtye yeare Wherefore I was greued with that generacion and sayed They doe alwaye erre in theyr hartes they verely haue not knowen my wayes so that I sware in my wrath they shal not enter into my reste Take heade brethren leste at any time there bee in any of you a frowarde herye subiecte vnto vnbeliefe that he shoulde departe from the liuyng god but exhorte ye one another daylye while it is called to daye leste any of you wexe harde harted thorowe the deceitfulnes of sinne Wherfore ye must call vnto your remembraunce what the holy gost speaketh in the mistical psalme exhorting the people to obey the voice or wordes of god leste he being prouoked dooe grieuouslye punyshe them and seâ—lude them from the rest and quietnes promised Today sayeth he if ye wil heatâ— hys voice harden not your hartes as ye did when with your murmoâ—â—ing and rebellion ye prouoked God what tyme he proued your pacience in wildernes where sayeth he youre fathers tempted me as men that woulde proue whether I were he that were hable to punishe trespacers of the lawe and offenders and they felte my wrath and suche as woulde not beleue my woordes sawe my woorkes and that the space of fourtie yeres For so long were they ledde about in wildernesse what tyme they flying oute of Egipte went vnto the lande where I promised them quyetenes Wherefore I was not contented with that nacion and sayde with my selfe They doe alwaies erre in theyr hartes folowing theyr owne lustes neyther haue they knowen my wayes And for thys theyr dysobedience I sware in my wrath it shoulde neuer be that they should entre into the lande wherin I promised them rest from the trauayls of theyr iourneys Ye haue heard brethren God threatenyng our fathers that they should not come to the lande promysed them onlesse they woulde continually obey his commaundementes And we that thorowe baptisme are deliuered from oure former synnes and offences are vndoubtedly departed out of Egypte but yet we shall neuer come vnto the immortalitie promissed vs in heauen excepte we styll continue in the obseruaunce of fayth and christian charite If wee looke backe vnto Egypte forsaken that is yf we fall agayne to the lustes of oure olde lyfe we shal bee excluded from the felowshyp and participacion of the heauenly lyfe Se therfore that there bee not in any of you a frowarde harte and rebelling against the commaundementes of the gospell or subiecte vnto vnbelyefe in suche wyse that the same returnyng agayne vnto the vices once forsaken and the prynce of death the deuyll departe awaye from thy lyuyng god But rather with daylye exhortacions make ye one an other strong to suffer continually the paynes and trauayles of thys lyfe whereby God tryeth oure pure and trewe fayth so longe as the tyme is called to daye that is to saye so longe as we beare this mortall bodye and as yet doe trauayll as pilgrymes and straungers in the wildernesse of thys worlde alwayes in ieopardye lest any of vs weryed with the euilles of thys lyfe bee ledde asyde thorowe the alluremente of synne from the iourneye begonne lyke as in tymes paste the Hebrues our forefathers beeyng wery of theyr long trauailing longed after the â—auoure of the pottes whiche they lefte behynde them in Egypte The texte ¶ We are made partakers of Christ if we kepe sure vnto the cude the beginuing of the substaunce so long as it is far de to day if ye will heare hys voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouoking for some when they herde did prouoke howbeit not all that came out of Egipt by Moses But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeres Was he not dyspleased with them that had sinned whose carkases were ouerthrowen in the deserte To whome swaâ—e he that they should not enter into his rest but vnto them that were not obedient And we see that they coulde not enter in because of vnbelieâ—e Certeynly we are graffed in Christe by baptisme and the profession of faith but in such wise that we may thorow our owne defaut fall from him again neyther shall we otherwise come vnto the enheritaunce of mortalitie promised vs excepte we kepe sure and constauntely vnto the ende the beginnyng and foundation of that felicitie whiche was layed in vs by the gospell still goyng forewarde in that was begoonne monyshed thereto by thys saying whiche is continually spoken vnto vs To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouokyng For some when they hearde the Lordes voyce did then by dysobeying the same moue hym prouokyng hys wrathe and indignacion agaynst them Howbeit al dyd not so whiche came out of Egipt vnder yâ— conducte of Moses And vnto these that were not disobediente it was geuen to come vnto the lande flowing with milke and hony With whome was he dyspleased fourtie yeres Was it not with them that had offended howbeit these entred not into rest but their carkases were ouerthrowen in wildernesse with whome elles was he so muche dyspleased that he sware they should neuer entre into the reste promised them but with those whiche obeyed not the voyce of god we see then that god was on both sydes trewe who bothe perfourmed to the obedyent what he promissed theÌ„ and to the disobedient that he manaced them with all The obediente came thereunto by their pacience the other coulde not entre in because of theyr vnbelyfe and incredulitie The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let vs feare therfore lest any of you forâ—aâ—yng the promise of euâ—eyng into
deade so manye in multitude as are starres of the skie and as the sand the which is bi the sea shore innumerable Moreouer his wyfe Sara when she had bothe an olde man to her husband and her selfe was so stricken with age that her matrice lacked natural strength to drawe mannes sede vnto it and retayne the same dyd neuerthelesse coÌ„ceyue and was deliuered of Isaac mistrusting the strength of nature but yet giuing credence vnto God who by an aungell promysed her a man chylde the nexte yeare She gaue no eare to nature reclaming and barking to the contrarie but onely had a sure belefe that God coulde not lye God promysed Abraham a posteritie equall in nombre to the starres and the sande of the sea shore and yet by the course of nature was there no hope of yssue at all That notwithstandyng he had no mystrust And therfore of this one olde man beyng barayne by reason of age there yssued a posteritie so many in numbre as are the starres of the sâ—ye and the sande in the sea shore For he loked for sonnes and nephewes not after the kynred of bloud but after the imitacion of faith wherby al we are the ofspring and posteritie of Abraham whiche do beleue the promises of the gospel Therfore not onely Abraham but also all his true posteritie were of suche constaunt fayth that very death bereaued not them therof The texte These all died according to faith when they had not receyued the promises but saw theÌ„ a far of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers and pilgremes on the yearth For they that say such thinges declare that they seke a couÌ„trey Also if they had bene myndeful of the countrey from wheÌ„ce they came out they had leasure to haue returned agayne but now they desire a better that is to saye an heauenly Wherefore God hymselfe is not a shamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a cytie For all these dyed when they as yet had not the promysses perfourmed but lawe them a farre of by fayth and beleued them and for greate desyre saluted them puttyng so lytle trust in this lande wherein no man maye lyue anye long space that they confessed them selfes straungers and pylgrymes not onely in Palestyne but in the whole worlde For oftetymes they call this lyfe a pilgrimage and straunge dwellyng And Dauid in the mystical Psalme confesseth himselfe to be a pylgryme on the lande as all his forefathers and elders were and yet reigned he in Palestine and builded there a citie And verely this countre y was compassed about with very narrowe lymites and a great parte thereof came not to the possession of the Hebrues the ofspryng successours of Abraham bycause they coulde not driue out the olde possessioners neyther dyd Moyses entre into the same but behelde and saluted if a farre of from a mountayne when he was aboute to passe out of the world and yet had he no mistrust of the promyses Therefore sence they confesse themselues to be pylgrymes they sufficiently declare that they desyre and long for a countrey What countrey seke they after vnto whom all this worlde is an exile and banishement They forsoke their countrey of Chaldey the whiche if they had so sore longed for it was not so farre of but that they myghte haue had conueniente recourse thider at pleasure Therfore they longed not for that but for an other couÌ„trey better then it wherin they myght liue for euer quite exempte and deliured from all greuous sorowes and paynes of this wretched worlde This was that heauenly countrey into the whiche God called them out from theyr owne for the loue wherof he wylled them so to lyue in this worlde as thoughe they were not therin And for this cause almyghtie God where he is the maker soueraigne Lorde of all men calleth himselfe speciallye the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For he is properly the God of those that haue put their whole trust and all aydes of felicitie in him And vnto suche hath he prepared not an earthly but a celestiall citie in the whiche they reygne alwayes in blysse with him for whose sake they contemned all thynges The texte By faith Abraham offered by Isaac when he was proued and offered hym being his only begotten sonne in whom he had receiued the promisses And to hym it was sayd â—â— Isaac shall thy sede be called for he considered that God was hable to rayse hym up agayn from death Therefore receiued he hym also for an ensample of the resurreccy on By faith dyd Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concernynge thynges to come Was not this also a notable exaumple of fayth in Abraham that when God tryeng howe vnfaynedly he trusted hym commaunded hym to offre vp in sacrifice his sonne Isaac where as he was hys onely sonne and he in whose name the posteritie was promysed for these were the wordes of the promyser Thy sede shall be called in Isaac yet he without further delaye dyd as he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to do not reasonyng here with himselfe on this wise Of whom shal I haue posteritie if I sley hym in whom onely resteth all the hope of my posteritie But he consydered this in his mynde that God who made the promyse coulde not lye and that he was able yf it pleased hym to reyse his deade sonne the multiplier of his stocke euen from death And because he beleued the resurrection of the dead it was therfore gyuen him to bryng home his sonne againe with him beyng as it were restored to lyfe notwithstaÌ„dyng he was as much as in the father laye dead who euen then represented by a certayne figure the resurrection of Iesu Christe to come This was also a manyfest example of a mynde hauyng a great confidence in God that when Isaac saye on hys death bedde and had not as yet receyued the felicitie promysed of God yet was he bolde to promyse the same to Iacob and Esau his sonnes when he blessed theÌ„ both foreseyng both theyr lyues and the contrarie rewarde that eche of them shoulde haue So quycke of syght is faith that she seeth euen those thinges as present whiche are farre distant from the bodely senses The texte By faith Iacob when he was in dying blessed bothe the soÌ„nes of Ioseph and boâ—â—â— hymselfe toward the toppe of his scepter By faith Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departynge of the children of Israel and gaue commaundement of his bones It came of lyke faithe that Iacob at the hower of his death blessed all the sonnes of Ioseph not ignoraunt what was to come who crossynge hys armes layed his right hande vpon Ephraim beyng on his left syde and his lefte haÌ„de vpon Manasse standynge on hys ryghte syde nothynge doubtynge but that woulde come to passe which the holy ghost tolde him before shoulde happen But this faithfull olde man saw a greate deale farther what time he kyssinge the toppe of the sceptre
which ye reioyce though now for a season if nede requyre ye are in â—euâ—nes thorow manyfold temptacions that â—he tryall of your fayth being muche more precious then golde that perysheth though it be tryed with fyre might be founde vnto laude glory and honour at the appering of Iesus Christe whom ye haue not seen and yet loue hym in whom euen nowe though ye see him not yet doe you beleue and reioyce with say vnspeakable and gloryous receiuing the ende of your fayth euen the saluacion of your soules For this so passing a great benefite his liberalitie is to be praysed of whom by Christ coÌ„meth vnto vs whatsoeuer it be that maketh vs truly blessed And that is not Moses but God himselfe the same the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which whan we were lytle fortunately borne of Adam that is to say borne to synne borne to death hath begotten vs new againe into innocencie and hath begotten vs vnto life that neuer shall dye being prouoked by no merites of ours but stiered frely of his owne mercye wherin he most chiefly exceadeth and this hath he done not by yâ— ayde of Moses lawe but by the costeous gyft of his owne soÌ„ne Iesus Christ whom he would haue to suffre death to thintent where we were els desperate wretches he might diliuer vs froÌ„ the tyranny of synne death And him he called anon froÌ„ death to lyfe that we beyng in this worlde dead to worldly lustes hauing remembraunce as it were before our tyes of the resurreccioÌ„ after his exaÌ„ple in vprightnes of conuersacion might haue an assured a ready hope that we also shal once be exempt out of these sorowes atteine with Christ vnto yâ— euerlasting enheritaunce whiche lyke as he beyng our head hath already atteyned so shal al we also folowe as many as be engraffed to yâ— meÌ„bres of Christ are made worthy by folowing of his craÌ„ple to be called his brethren the chyldreÌ„ of yâ— selfe same father that he is that like as we suffre commune affliccions with him so should we haue reward also together with him As long as we were the sonnes of the synful Adam an infortunate enheritauÌ„re abode vs. But as sone as we were made yâ— sonnes of God we make spedy haste to yâ— enheritauÌ„ce of heauen For it besemeth yâ— seing we are borne from heauen we should behold heaueÌ„ly thinges seing we are borne of God we should folo we nothing but godlines They yâ— serue the world goe about to haue rewardes yâ— are transitory wage that is slyppery but for vs there remayneth yâ— happyâ— enheritaunce after these temperal affliccioÌ„s which can neither be corrupted with death ne defited with wearines or heauines ne yet fade a way by age or sluttishnes There is no cause for vs to be afrayed of leste any man should in the meane whyle take this so plenteous an heritage out of our handes We haue an assured fayth full promyse maker And in his haÌ„des it is safely kept layed vp in stoare for vs in heauen howbeit after suche sort that for al that there must an assured hope and as it were a certayne pledge remayne in the meane time with men vpoÌ„ earth not with al maner of men but with you such like as you are buto whom the spirite of Christ is geuen in stede of a gage which albeit ye are for yâ— time tossed on euery syde with condry stormes of sorowes yâ— the frailtie of maÌ„is vtterly vnhable of himselfe to beare out yet by the succour of God which is mighty in al thinges you are preserued not through your owne merites but by fayth vnfained trust wherby you dout not but froÌ„ the last time after yâ— which there shal be no more of this confusion of humayne matters but the euill meÌ„ being appointed to their tormeutes shal be hable to do no body harme the good being safe froÌ„ al inuasions of sorowes shal haue the fruicioÌ„ of euerlasting rest For now yâ— rewardes lye hiddeÌ„ many times after the coÌ„mune peoples estimacioÌ„ thei are in wurse condicioÌ„ yâ— be of yâ— better those seme to perish which are most specially in sanegarde thei seme to florish which most chiefly goe to naught In this worlde there is time to exercise godlines the reward hath his time prescribed vnto it which it behoueth not to preueÌ„t In yâ— meane seasoÌ„ let it be ynough for vs yâ— euerlasting felicitie is kept in safegarde for vs which neither mannor deuil can be hable to take away froÌ„ vs before haÌ„d so yâ— we shrinke not from yâ— fayth wherby we ought to condeÌ„ne mortal mens matters depende wholy of heauen Let there be in yâ— meane seasoÌ„ fearce folkes which being rebels to god trust to the aydes of yâ— world let theÌ„ for yâ— time stampe stare ouer you as though you wer ouercomeÌ„ left succoutles But whan yâ— day shal come the discourse of thiges turned vp side down they shal be tormeÌ„ted you shal reioyce like coÌ„querours yea you ought to reioyce eueÌ„ now also through yâ— vndoubted lokiÌ„g for of so passig a great felicitie For it ought not to seme vnto you a greate or a greuous matter though by affliccions and griefes that are but shorte and shall soone haue an ende you come to the blissed that neuer shall decaye And perchaunce these persecucions also shall once haue an end which notwithstanding as often as they come in vre are to be borne with a myghtye stoute stomake and without dismaying for the glory of God in hope of the lyfe to come For after suche wyse doeth the wysedom of God in prouiding for your commodities permitte that the sinceritie and stedfastnes of your faith may be tried through sondry assaultes of sorowes For yf golde which elles were a thing both lost and would goe to naught be tryed out not only by the touche stone but also is assayed by the fire to thintente it maye thenceforth bee had in so muche the more price as it is the more exactely fyned much more wil God haue your faith wherunto so high honour of duetie belongeth to be tried with sondry experimentes to thintent that whan it shal glister out of these flames of sorowes and affliccions and being farre more pure and more glittering than any golde though it be neuer so fyne it may be precious in the syght of God and that all the matter at length may grow in to cleane contrary condicion that is to were that the thyng which semed to be layed vpon you in this worlde vnto reproche may chaunce vnto prayse and that which semed vnto vilany may be turned vnto glory that whiche semed to be layed vpon you to put you to dishonestie may be turned in to habuÌ„daunce of honour in that day whan Iesus Chrst whose power worketh nowe in you by secrete meanes shal she we forth him selfe openly vnto all men and rendre vnto euery man rewarde
before the iudgement seates Do not they speake euyll of that good name whiche is called vpon ouer you HE that loueth his neighbour for Goddes sake and he that loueth God in his neighbour doeth not in this case respecte him because he is a man of greate power or of riches or of nobilitie but in that he is abundauntlie full of diuine goodes But to thys maner of Iudgement a kyng or a riche man is not better of one Iote than any manne howe basse or poore so euer he bee Christe died for all indifferentlie and all are indifferentlye called to thenherytaunce of Immortalitie Therfore my brethren if you doe truly put your trust in the promisses of our Lord Iesu Christ make no difference of persones after the estimacion of worldly thinges For Christ him selfe as touchyng the world was basse and poore But yet it was the fathers will that he shoulde be prince of all glorye He promised the kingdome of heauen not to the wealthie but vnto the pore Now if there come in to youre company a Ioly felowe with a golde ring or ruffling in gaye apparaill and there come in withall a pore manne nether wearing ring on hys fyngers and clothed in pore homely araye and by and by you caste your eies vpon the riche man for none other respecte but that he obseureth the pore manne with hys gorgrous rayment and geue hym the more honourable place saying Sytte thou here VVell And agayne you saye vnto the pore manne as though you lothed him and for no cause elles but for his ouer homely apparaill Stande thou there or sitte thou there under my fote stole would not your harte by and by grudge and secretly condemne your doing in that through flattery you attribute vnto golde and galaunte aray the honour that is due vnto vertue contemnyng him for lacke of chose thinges whiche is muche more acceptable to God for the true riches of the soule than that riche manne The riche mannes fynger glisteryng with the ring and precious stone and his bodye decked in silke maketh you to regarde hym â–ª and doe not you regarde the pore man for hys synceritie of fay the modestie of mynde sobrenes chastitie and other giftes of virtue whiche make a man greate and gorgious in dede Why doeth your iudgement disagree from the iudgement of God Heare me indifferently my welbeloued brethren the thyng that euidentlie appeareth matter in dede to be certaynly true How muche sâ— euer the worlde setteth by the ryche God hym selfe hathe preferred the poore the poore I meane after the worlde whiche nether haue nor seke after autorâ—â—â—e nor kingdomes in this world God hathe let alone the riche with their statelynes and chosen these which are but sely pore folkes for lacke of present substaunce but yet riche and mightye in the lokynge for the kyngdome of heauen and theuerlastynge enherytaunce in that they put their truste in hym that promysed them â–ª whiche nether can deceaue if he woulde and is hable to performe what he will But vnto whome hathe he promised this wonderfull â—â—licitie â–ª â—â— kinges and wealthy folkes no in dede but to them whiche loue him trouly who soeuer they bee whether they be bonde seruauntes or free men whether they be riche or poore And you hauing desired the riche manne to the highest seâ—te and appoynting the pore man to the lowe fotestoles haue preferred hym whome God setteth the lesse by and contemned him that in the sight of God is bothe rich and honourable He hathe honour done vnto him that perchaunce hauyng gotten hys ryches by fraude or rauine auaunceth himselfe and this is contemned whiche had rather be poore than with losse of godlynes to bee riche and hauing spent vp his riches to the releuing of the pore is become poore of hys owne accorde that he myght bee riche in godlynes In dede euery one is not vngodly that is riche not withstanding the riche of this worlde are not very rashe in agreeing with the godlynes of the Gospell but they be of that kynde of men moste chiefly that repugne the Gospell of Christe For who are they that practice tyranny against you for malice of godlynes are they not the riche menne who are they that accuse you and drawe you before Iudgement seates are they not the riche for the moste parte Who are they that speake euill and curse the holy name of our lorde Iesu Christe by Inuocacion wherof you haue atteyned saluacyon and in whom you reioyce Are they not the riche Yea they hate your profession so muche chat the name whiche geueth saluacion and is honourable vnto you is euen deathe and abominable vnto them But the profession of this name is begonne to be healthesome vnto you so as for all that you may through your owne faulte fall from the saluacion that is promised The texte ¶ If ye fulfyll the royall lawe according to the scripture Thou shalt loue thyne neighbour as thy self ye do well But yf ye regarde one person more then another ye commit synne are rebuked of the lawe as transgressours Who soeuer shall kepe the whole lawe and yet fayle in one poynt he is giltie of all For be that sayde Thou shalt not commes adulterye say de also thou shalt not kyl Though thou do no adultery yet if thou â—â— thou arts become a traunsgressour of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of libertye For he shal haue iudgement with our mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercâ—â— reioyceth against iudgement A kynge promiseth rewarde ycâ— but to him that in his dedes accomplysheth the lawe royall wherof no man can be ignoraunte seing it was expreste in writing long agooe and it is on this maner Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Doeth he loue his neighbor after this rule that preferreth the wicked rych manne before the godly pore man The lawe of the Gospell is the lawe of loue and what soeuer is done contracy to it although it be not forbydden by speciall name yet it is synne and that lawe doeth secretly reproue you which hath coinmauÌ„ded almen and in al thinges that thou oughtest to loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Who soeuer swarueth from this rule is a conuicte transgressour of the lawe Nether yet let any manne â—urry fauell with him selfe after this wise The faule is but light the law is broken in nothing but in this parte But the law of the Gospell is suche a lawe that except it be kept in euery parte wholy it semeth to be broken all together on euery parte For inasmuche as the totall Sunnue of all the whole lawe is coutcyned in the loue of God of the neighbour who soeuer he be that swarueth from charitée which is the rote of all the whole lawe he hathe doubtles broken the whole lawe and offended the autor of the lawe vnto whome he is become giltie of all in that he whiche hathe eâ—â—ed from the
that neuer shal haue ende I haue written vnto you yongmen because you haue ouercome the ruflynge nycenesse of youth through the valiaunt strengthe of mynde and because you haue with a constaunte heart kepte the worde of the Gospell and haue by the helpe of Christ ouercome the Deuill the continuall enemye of mankynde Continue you styll in victorye contemne styll that whyche you haue hitherto contemned and loue more and more that you haue begon to loue The worlde enticeth by false imaginacions of transitorye goodes and frayeth with a vayne and false shewe of euilles As for you let those thinges fraye you whiche are euill in dede and neuer haue ende And let these thinges catche you that are good in dede and knowe none ende Folowe the lyght of the gospell and loue heauenly thynges whiche the heauenlye father promyseth vnto whom you are regenerate by Christ Flee the darknes of naughtie lustes wherby this worlde layeth bayte with countrefaict goodes It can not possiblie be that you can loue bothe at ones nor serue both at ones There is none agrement betwene God and the worlde there is no concorde betwene lyght and darknes whosoeuer loueth the worlde swarueth from the loue of God the father I speake not of this worlde which god made wherin we liue wil we nil we The wiked gredy desires of vayne thinges wherein the common sort of menne repose their felicitie forgetting the thinges that are truely good in dede I cal the world It is not the place howe farre of so euer it be not the raymente not the meate not the title that exemteth you froÌ„ the world but a mind that is pure from those desires yâ— I spake of And what hath this world that is not noisomly hurtful There are thre thinges yâ— it most chefely deceineth folishe vncircumspect folkes withall the voluptuous pleasure of the fleshe enticementes of the eies and hyghe statelynes and proude galauntnes of lyfe For it obiecteth certayne iugglinges of vayne pleasures to clawe the senses of the bodye withall for a tyme that the mynde maye in the meane while be called awaye from the studie of heauenlye good thynges For the desyre of suche maner of good thynges the heauenlye spirite suggesteth whom God the father geueth vnto his childreÌ„ that are truly regenerate by Christ The deuill hath also a spirite of his owne by whom he suggesteth a pernicious loue of thynges neyther true nor durable vnto them that haue bent themselues throughly vnto this worlde He suggesteth the naughtye sportes of lechery to title the meÌ„bres of the body withal through a folishe and a filthy itching delite He suggesteth the delite of fyne meates drinke to please yâ— paunche the mouth wÌ„al He suggesteth the swetnes of idlenes slepe that the mynde may waxe the more sluggishe throughe custume He suggesteth wanton songes and shameles fables to anoynt the eares withall He suggesteth the wanton enticementes of beawties and sondry kyndes of thinges to beholde to delite the eies withall He suggesteth the pompes and ioylitie of riches the occasions of ambicion Finally he allureth mennes myndes on euery parte awaye from the true and euerlasting good thinges vnto the vayne imaginacions of good thinges Let him that is entangled with the desire of these thinges knowe that he is not moued by the spirite of the heauenly father but by the spirite of the worlde The worlde lyke as it consisteth vpon elementes that endure but for a time euen so geueth it nothing but that whiche shall shortly perishe God like as he is eternall euen so geueth he freely euerlasting rewardes Therefore he that dependeth vpon the succours of the worlde foloweth a certayne felicitie that is both vayne and shall shortly be taken awaie which euen casualtie that commeth vnthought vpon plucketh away in this worlde or at lest age dispatcheth it Truly death that shall come vn to euery man plucketh quite awaye all the dreame of false pleasures Whan the mater is taken awaye the pleasure perisheth and sorowes come in place Whan the man is taken away al is gone to naught and euerlasting torment cometh in place But he that â—beieth vnto the father that calleth him vnto the loue of an heauenly lyfe his felicitie shal neuer haue ende For he that geueth it knoweth none ende The vnhurtfull commodities of this worlde are to be vsed for the tyme yea but smallye but moderately to the necessitie of nature not to the voluptuouse fulfylling of pleasure But the chiefe studye of mynde ought to be turned to the thynges that be eternall whereunto the vse of all other thynges ought also to be referred The text Lytell children it is the last time and as ye haue hearde howe that Antichrist shall come euen nowe are theremany begonne to be Antichristes already wherby we knowe that it is the laste tyme. They went out from vs but they were not of vs. For yf they had bene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs. But that it might appeare that they werenot of vs. Neuertheles ye haue an oyntment of him that is holy and ye knowe all thynges I haue not written vnto you as though ye knewe not the trueth but as thoughe ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of trueth Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe the same is Antichriste that denieth the father and the sonne Whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father he that knowledgeth the sonne hath the father also Let therefore abyde in you that same which ye heard from the begynnyng The felicitie of godly men doeth not yet appeare but it shal be manyfestly opened in the commyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ The wicked seme to lyue in the meane time swetely here in this worlde but euerlastinge sorowe heâ—geth ouerthem and that shortly For the laste tyme semeth to be present wherin the course of thinges being turned vpsyde downe those shall rayne with Christe that are formented nowe for Christes sake and they shal be brought to naught whiche be nowe rebelles agaynst Christe You haue hearde that Antichrist shall come who being armed with all the mayntenaunce and iugglinges of this worlde shoulde kepe warre against Christe and by and by when Antichriste is ouercomme againe the body of Christe shal be deliuered from all euils and the membres of the deuill shall be laden with the burthens of all euilles Therfore the commynge of thys Antichrist of whom the Apostles tolde you before semeth not to be farre of For thys worlde hath so muche preuayled agaynste the doctrine of the Gospell that there are begonne euen nowe all readye to be a great sorte that deserue the name of Antichrist whose lyfe and doctrine and all theyr hole studye is agaynst Christ For what appeare they to be elles than Antichristes gentilmen husshers and the last tokens of the plage to come For they do lesse hurt vnto Christes people that be vtterly strauÌ„gers from Christ than those that
him selfe from the felowship of the sonne he neither pertaineth to the body of Christ whiche is the catholike churche nor hath felowshippe with God the father whiche agreeth in all thinges with the sonne You see with what great Ieoperdie foles disseuer themselues from the sonne Therefore continue you styll in the gospelles trueth which you receiued first of the surely tried Apostles Let not the lyeng tales of the false Apostles drawe you awaye The texte If that which ye hearde from the begynnyngest all remayne in you ye also shall contynewe in the sonne and in the father And thys is the promes that he hath promysed vs euen eternall lyfe These thinges haue I written vnto you concerninge them that disceaue you And the anoyntyng which ye haue receaued of him dwelleth in you And ye nede not that anye manne teache you but as the anoynting teacheth you of all thynges and is true and no lye and as it hath taught you euen so byde therin And now babes abyde in him that when he shall appeare we may be bold and not be made ashamed of him at his comming if ye know that he is righteous know also that euery one which doth rightewisenes is borne of him Yf you continue stedfast in that thyng whyche we delyuered fyrst vnto you you shal abyde in the felowship of God the father and of his sonne Iesus If anye man thynke it an harde matter to perseuer in the professynge of the Gospell because of the affliccions of the wicked thinke vpon the rewarde God requireth an harde matter but the rewarde is greate that he promiseth For he promiseth nether riches nor kyngdome nether the pleasure of this worlde but lyfe euerlastynge He that byeth that byeth it good chepe although he lose his life for it These thinges doe I beate vpon and put you in remembraunce of with so many wordes beyng carefull lest the wicked that are gone from Christ shoulde chaunce to beguyle anye wyth theyr iugglynges Albeit without our warnynge I thynke the spirite of Christ him selfe teacheth you sufficiently whom you haue a continuall remembrauncer and teacher in youre heartes As longe as he continueth styll in you it is no nede that any man teache you what you ought to auoyde He is a secret teacher but he is the most sure teacher of all other He beinge once receyued of you teacheth you of all thynges like as the sonne hath also promysed For the spirite is true by nature and can not lye Therefore perseuer in that whiche he hathe ones taught you You holde the ryghte doctrine you remembre it there lacketh nothing but that you persist still in it vnto the commyng of Christe which I suppose is not farre to I beseche you eftesones agayne lytle children persist in the doctrine of the spirite that whan our prince and iudge shal appeare the conscience of a good conuersacion maye geue vs a sure trust in him and that we maye come forthe so as he be not ashamed to acknowledge vs for hys dysciples nor we ashamed to come in to his syghte For with what mouthe shall we call hym mayster and Lorde yf we haue neyther taken heede to hys teachynge nor obeyed his commaundement with what mouth shall we call God father yf we be out of kynde in all our life longe frō his ordinaunces It is not simple baptisme but the obserued righteousnes that maketh vs the children of God For what shall they heare that cast out deuilles in the name of Iesu that tolde thynges before hande that excelled in miracles I knoVVe you no◠He taketh thē for straūgers in whō he seeth not the righteousnes of the gospell And if you be persuaded y◠God is the autor of thys righteousnes know this also that whosoeuer not with wordes but with endeuours doynges and maners accomplysheth the ryghteousnes of the Gospell he is borne of God vnto whom he maye with a good conscience preace with that boldenes that obedient children are wonte to preace to a mercyfull father withall He wyll acknowlage them that are lyke hym but those that are not lyke hym he will not acknowlage The .iii. Chapter The texte Beholde what loue the father hathe shewed on vs that we shoulde bee called and be in dede the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not hym Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doeth not appeare what we shawe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shal be lyke hym For we shall see hym as he is And euery man that hath this hope in hym pourgeth hym selfe euen as he also is pure Whosoeuer committeth sinne committeth vnryghteousnes also and sinne is vnrighteousnes And ye knowe that he appeared to take away oure synnes and in hym is no synne As many as byde in hym sinne not whosoeuer sinneth hath not sene hym neither knowen hym WHere syncere loue is there is a trusty confidence and feare is awaye See therefore what a notable loue he hath geuen vnto vs whiche hauing contemned the worlde with his entisementes and terrours perseuer styl in the gospelles doctrine that we shoulde be named and be not onely faythfull seruauntes not onely frendes but the children of God For so Christ taught that we should cal vpō the heuēly father yf we haue nede of any thynge It is a moste high honour to be called the children of God and a moste high felicitie to be the children of God And forasmuche as we cleaue vnto hym with a constaunt godlynes and are acknowlaged of hym the world acknowlegeth vs not but abhorreth and curseth vs as sedicious persons It is no meruayle though the world acknowlage not y◠childrē of God seing it acknowlageth not God himselfe in that it denieth his sonne Iesus let it nothing trouble your mindes dearely beloued that the world estemeth you as rascalles and abiecte persones For with God we haue euen nowe thys excellent dignitie that we are the sonnes of God and are glad at our heartes feling in our selues the spirite not of bondage but of children vpon assured confidence wherof we crye Abba father The dignitie is present but the dignitie hath not yet appeared As yet it is the time of batayle the daye of triumphe is not yet come That daye shall declare vnto all men howe greate a dignitie they haue howe greate a felicitie they haue that constauntly shewe themselues the children of God It is not yet come to lyght what we shal be in the comming of Christ howbeit we hold thys vpon a sure hope that as soone as he shall appeare to rendre vnto euery one rewardes accordinge to hys dedes we that were in this worlde companions of affliccions shall also be companions of the ioyes we that were lyke hym in the contempte of the worlde shal be lyke hym also in the maiestie of glorye We sawe hym here in thys world afflicted and of lowe estate then shal we see him as he is and euer was
of this world of spiritual prelates and religious monkes and friers c. For all these and other suche lyke are the hornes crounes and the great tayle of this dragon whiche watcheth studieth and seketh all wayes and meanes to hurte and hynder the true faithe the christen lyfe and the holsome doctrine that is to saye our sauiour Christ in the faithfull And for this cause the doctrine of the gospell and the christen faithe hathe bene fayne to suffer muche continually euen from the beginnyng of the worlde and immediately after the christen faith was first taught preached And therfore many holy and faithfull christianes haue bene fayne to flee and yâ— trueth of the gospel in continuaunce of tyme was straunge and vnknowen vnto the moost parte of the hyghe learned doctours and potentates throughout the worlde Althoughe the true christen faithe was alwayes preserued thoughe it were in fewe and in abiecte persons of slender reputaâ—ion And this continued a longe space namely from the tyme of Constantine the Emperour whan as the christen churche semed in maner to haue escaped all daunger and perill of decaye and destruccion vntil our tyme wherin she appeareth againe wonderfully after a straunge maner in despite of al tirannes and of all the power of hell And nombring from that tyme of Constantine I meane vntyll our tyme euen this nomber of yeares shall euydentlye appeare reckenynge dayes for yeares as it is a commune thing in scripture If any man can finde out any plainer vnderstanding of this place for in suche darke and obscure places of scripture no man ought to be frowarde or contencious let them take it and folowe it The texte ¶ And there was a great batayle in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and preuayled not nether was their place founde any more in heauen And the great dragon that olde serpent called the deuell and Sathanas was cast out Whiche deceaueth all the worlde And he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast our also The power of God the holy worde of God and the spirite of Christ which we maye vnderstande by Mychaell who by interpretacion is who is lyke god and Gabriel the strength of God hath in all ages and tymes bene dryuen to holde batel with Lucifer and Sathan with the pryde of mans wysdome whiche haue hindred the true honour of God the true seruice religioÌ„ of God the true faith and haue euer withstanden the holy and pure gospell But this worde of God hath alwayes had the victorie althoughe with muche labour and daunger and sometyme not without harme and losse but not of the electe whiche thing shall continue vntyll suche tyme as our sauiour shall haue his wil and pleasure of this battell and with the breath of his mouthe shall slaye the sonne of the dragon the damnable Antichrist For the whiche thing we ought continuallye to call vpon the mercye and goodnes of God in a stedfast and perfight hope and confidence as he hath taught vs halowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy wyll be done no lesse in earth than it is infalliblye in heauen For the haÌ„de of God is not shortened but is able to gyue whatsoeuer he hath commaunded vs to aske and â—o praye for The peace also and quietnes of the elect and faithfull to lyue in godlynes maye be wysshed to be more perfight as is also promysed thorowe the prophetes than it hath bene hitherto for lacke of the true sounde doctrine of the gospel no smal space althoughe the very perfyght peace can not be obteyned but onely in heauen in the eternall quiet kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And I hearde a loude voyce saying in heauen is nowe made saluacion and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of oure brethren is caste downe whiche accused them before our God daie and night And they oeurcame him by the bloude of the lambe and by the worde of their testimonye and they loued not their lyues vnto the death Therfore reioyce heauens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the deuil is come downe vnto you whiche hathe great wrathe because he knoweth that he hath but a shorte tyme. Thus throughe the spirite of Christ with the continual and sincere preaching of the gospel Sathan and his champioÌ„ Antichrist are ouercome And thus shal the voyce prayse and thankesgeuing of the faythful be heard in the churche as it is here written now is Saluacion thorowe faithe and the strength thorow loue and the kyngdome or dominion in the churche become gods Nowe maye all men see the power of gods worde the iudgement of Christ against the deuel whiche would haue roted out yâ— rightuosnes of faith in Christ would haue directed and appointed christen men vnto the rightuosnes of workes and to the hope of their owne satisfaccion wherby he woulde alwayes haue founde occasion to accuse all men before God vnder a false pretence But the preachinge of the gospell hath disclosed this suttell falsehede and all suche lyke and declareth that onely the bloude of the lambe and nothing els can wype and washe awaye the synnes of all the worlde yf they trust in god thorowe Christ with a true lyuely faith thorowe the grace and mercye of God and the rightuousnes of Christ which he dystributeth vnto al his faithfull electe and maketh them partakers therof That by this meanes Sathan can haue no quarell against the workes of the faithfull whiche lyke thankfull parsons remayne and continue stedfastly in their true faith in al maner of affliccion aduersitie eueÌ„ vnto very death And therfore the true ioye of all godly consciences waxeth and increaseth in the churche And so their blisse and saluacion beginneth in this worlde thorow faith which faith worketh an innocent and a godly lyfe thus continueth euerlastingly in heauen But on yâ— contrarye parte woo vnto them whiche seeke their rightuousnes by men at certen places certaine times certaine workes and certaine meates for they can neuer fynde any true rightuousnes but thorowe the falsehede wickednes of yâ— deuil they fall eyther into desperacion or els into presumpcioÌ„ wherunto SathaÌ„ applieth al his study yâ— they fall not froÌ„ his kingdoÌ„ nor escape out of his fingers For he seketh nothing but yâ— damnacioÌ„ of such The texte ¶ And when the dragon saw that he was caste vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forthe the man childe And to yâ— woman were geuen two winges of a great Egle yâ— she might flye into yâ— wildernes into her place where she is nourished for a tyme times and halfe a tyme from the presence of the serpent And the dragon caste oute of his mouthe water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer because she shoulde haue bene caught of the floude And the earth holpe the
vnto the lorde desierous of his mercye and grace and beloued of him from euerlastinge and ordeyned vnto his kingdome as ioyfull and desierous first frutes whiche men doe eate with a great lust desire and appetite with highe praise and thankes geuynge as it ought to be Their faithe is so acceptable and pleasant before God as it was geuen them of his plentifull grace that it beyng accompanyed with true loue and hope without the which it can not be decketh and hydeth all thâ—ir synnes howe many howe great and howe greuous so euer they were And vnto them all euyls and misfortunes euen their synnes also and all maner of thinges hapned and ended vnto the best As it hapned vnto Dauid Peter Paule and Marie Magdalene and vnto al holy sainctes and elect sanctified through the bloude of the innocent lambe Christ our sauiour For althoughe all men and all sainctes are synners before God yet for the lambes sake in whome they truste they are reputed without spot and blame before the iudgement seate of God The 〈◊〉 ¶ And I sawe another angell flye in the myddes of heauen hauinge the euerlastinge gospell to preache vnto them that syt and dwell on the earth and to all nacions kynredes and tonges and people saying with a loude voyce Feare God and geue honoure to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worshyp him that made heauen and earth and the sea and fountaines of water And there folowed an other angell sayinge Babilon is fallen is fallen that great citie for she made all nacions drincke of the wyne of her fornicacion The true and faithfull preachers of the holy gospell are ofte called angels as they maye well be Of the whiche the kyng Christ sendeth manye in to the kingdome of heauen accordinge as the state of the worlde at dyuerse times requireth That the holy and sincere doctrine the gospell might sone and frutefully flye throughe the christen churche Whiche thing the wicked dragon doth sore haâ—e and is greuouslye dyspleased therwith and therfore he persecuteth it with muche falsehede and with great power throughe his ministers and deputies And yet notwithstanding the gospell of God remayneth euerlastinglye in his churche euen from the beginninge of the worlde vntyll the ende wherof no man in the worlde can excuse him selfe For the voyce and trueth therof is this bothe open and cleare that God onely is the lorde and that we must serue him in trueth and innocencye of lyfe and shewe all loue and trueth towarde our neighbour as the very naturall reason teacheth and all right and pure consciences lyghtned with gods worde do confesse And the loude voyce of the gospell soundeth thus Feare God as godly children doe their moost louynge father honour him onely for all grace and goodnes can come from none but from him onely and feare his iust and rightuous iudgement that it be not resisted against all wickednes vngodlines vngraciousnes And worship him onely with inuocacion that hath made heaueÌ„ and earth and al that is therin Against this gospell dothe the dragon euermore speake with his first borne and eldest sonne Antichristes whiche syns Caims tyme hath euer continued euen vntyll the aduersaries whiche at this tyme doe openly resist the manifest and open knowen trueth because they thincke and imagine that it wyll be an hinderauÌ„ce vnto their pompe pryde vngodly and abhominable lyuinge But this trueth and worde of God can not be hindered nor suppressed Soner and rather must all that fall and be destroyed whiche the dragon hath imagined and dyuised against this lambe the worde of God against this trueth and against all maner of right godlynes as well the Babilonicall confusion as all maner of wycked lawes and decrees and all maner of falsehede and tyrannye The holy gospell rightly vnderstande shall beate downe confounde and vtterly destroye that cursed and abhominable Babilon how mightye and strong so euer it hath bene for the great whoredome wherof she hath made all the worlde to drincke is nowe come to lyght and knowen The texte ¶ And the thirde angell folowed them saying with a loude voyce If any man worship the beast and his ymage and receaue his marke in his forheade or on his hande the same shall drincke the wyne of the wrathe of God whiche is powred in the cuppe of his wrath And he shal be punyshed in fire and brymstone before yâ— holy angels and before the lambe And the smoke of their tormente ascendeth vp euermore And they haue no rest daye nor night whiche worshyp the beast and his ymage and whosoeuer receaueth the print of his name Here is the pacience of sainctes Heare are they that kepe the commaundementes and the faith of Iesu Here foloweth the iudgement and sentence of God against all them whiche worship this beast of Antichrist resisting and withstandinge the gospell and enuye and hate the lambe and wil robbe him of his honour dewe vnto him and wyll dyffeate Christ of his kingdome whiche God the father hath geuen him that he shoulde be kynge of all kynges and also an euerlasting onely priest and immortall whome Antichrist with his .ii. hornes goeth aboute studieth to banysshe expell and ouerthrowe and to set him selfe vp in the temple of the christeÌ„ churche as thoughe Christ shoulde nothinge care for his churche but were absent and had forsaken it and had broken his promisse And as thoughe the gospell were in his I meane Antichristes power and in suche an hart as is rather possessed with a deuyll of pryde infydelitie and of abhominable presumpcion to condemne the holy gospel and to stablyshe and set vp al suche thinges as maye subuerte and ouerthrowe the gospell as ydolatreous and supersticious ymages to be honoured in the churche hethenishe ceremonies onely inuented for pompe couetousnes pleasure pastime and to bleare and deceaue the simple He geueth vnto his sworne champions his marke of supersticious orders wherwith he bewitcheth and inchanteth them wherof neyther S. Peter nor S. Paule neuer made mencion nor neuer knewe And besydes this he byndeth them with a wicked othe and a deuillyshe vowe against all godlynes and all to confirme and stablyshe his pompe and abhominable pryde against all heauenly and earthlye power institute and ordeyned of god without all maner of shame and feare Al they whiche consent vnto this damnable beast or eyther worship or maynteyne him they shall surely suffer the wrathe of God whiche is alreadye prepared in the Babilonicall cup powred out of God and redye at hande wherof they shall drincke not onely in the botomles pit of hell but also euen here in this worlde accordinge to the effecte and doctrine of gods worde and to the preachinge of the holy prophetes of Christ him selfe and of the apostles with as muche shame opprobry and destruccion as is possyble for them to haue in this worlde And yf their vnrepentant harte shall heape vnto them selues the treasure of yâ— wrath of God goyng forwarde in
his kyngdome wexed derke and they gnewe their tonges for sorowe and blasphemed the God of heauen for sorowe and payne of their sores and repented not of their dedes The fourthe plage went ouer the seconde regiment of Rome whiche had both the temporal spiritual gouernance and was twise worse than the first For as muche as thorow her .ii. hornes it had power bothe ouer bodye and soule ouer the doctrine and ouer the polytike lawes with mouthe and hande againste God and also against the temporall gouernaunce against Christe and all his ministers Howe it hath dealte with the Emperours and what rule they haue kepte amonge them selues one Romyshe Pope against another practising all wicked sciences of the deuil bothe with quicke and also with deade mē against many good and godly Kynges and Emperours and againe how ofte Rome and the Papacye hath bene greuously plaged of God with rebellyon treason murther poysonynge nigromancye and with suche other kindes of wickednes as are neuer herde of in any other storyes we maye reade in the storyes of the Popes and of the Emperours from the time of Charles the great vntyll late dayes That by this meanes the summe of christen vertue and godlynes is turned into very desceite fraude falsehede and hipocrisie And the moste parte of all the wicked Popes were religious men and mooste false traytours to the gospell of Christe As for repentaunce there is none founde by this deuilyshe flocke The fyfte angell with his fyfte plage fallen vpon the seate of pestilence is rebellyon and resistance against the gospell raysed vp thorow false teachers whiche haue preached bothe without and also against the holy lawe and scripture of the lorde and haue rayled against many godly and faithfull men leauynge and refusynge holy scripture and settynge vp the studye of Aristotle in the steade therof whiche in the papacye hath bene more regarded and estemed than the holy worde of God By the meanes wherof so many greuous errours are crepte into the churche as well in matters of faythe and relygion as of dyscipline and Christen behauour Muche deuision many sectes by the meanes of so many orders of religions and so many glorious names and tytles yea and heresyes also Of the which al stories are full from Emperour Fryderiche the first of that name vntyl y◠ende of the thirde Frydierche In the whiche tyme there was muche trouble raysed vp in the christendome in the seculer iurisdiccion thorowe the Turke and in the spirituall thorowe the beggyng orders of religious parsons and of the hyghe heathnyshe scholes and vniuersities Of the which times muche might be wrytten heuy inoughe to be red but to auoyde tediousnes vnto the reader it shall be intermitted at this tyme. The texte ¶ And the syxte angell poured out his vyall vpon the great ryuer Euphrates and y◠water dryed vp that the wayes of the kynges of the east shoulde be prepared And I saw thre vncleane spirites lyke frogges come out of the mouthe of the dragon and out of y◠mouthe of the beast and out of the mouthe of the false prophet For they are y◠spirites of deuyls workynge miracles to go out vnto the kynges of the earthe and of the whole worlde to gather them to the batayle of y◠great daye of God almighty Beholde I come as a thefe ▪ Happie is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes lest he walke naked and men see his fylthines And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon Consyder and waye yf this angell maye not sygnifye the spirite of Helias in oure tyme whiche spreedeth abrode the gospell in to all the worlde bothe with worde and dede to the confusion and vtter destruccion of all errours and to the profyte and reformacion of the worlde in all states and degrees For this seede can brynge forthe no nother frute But the great Euphrates ▪ of the pretensed spiritualtye is so sore fallē from their first rule that it is become more worldly and secular than the very secular state in so muche that it is vtterly dryed vp and wythered from the gospel syncerely preached Which is not to be merueyled at for it is euen of very necessitie For falsehede deceyte lyes and Hypocrisye must be opened and dysclosed by the trueth of gods word and by the preachinge of the gospell that syncere loue trueth and faythe in the worde of God with a sure confydence of the harte in the lorde God myght be taught and prynted into the naturall wyt and vnderstandinge of man And therfore it is necessarie that suche wrestynge of the true knowledge and doctrine shoulde be dysclosed vnto suche as haue any vnderstandynge and are not vtterly corrupte euen vnto worldlye princes and hygher powers and that the innocencye and clearnes ▪ and also the synguler profyte of the doctrine of the gospell might come to lyght that they myght see and confesse that it is the very trueth and so acknowledge and imbrace this Sunne rysinge vp Althoughe this doctrine be to stronge for their bloude and fleshe and they beyng fleshlye ouer weake in strengthe to lyue after the gospell Nowe against this euangelicall Sunne and manyfest knowledge of the trueth shall aryse .iii. maner of enemyes whiche shall assaulte it First the deuyllyshe dragon the great enemye of God and of all goodnes the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse with whome the mercye and goodnes of God dalyeth and playeth to shewe and declare his mercye and goodnes manifestlye before men The seconde is the beaste at Rome of whome we spake before the very right Antichrist whiche speaketh and worketh all that he can against the gospell of Iesus Christe wherunto he preferreth his decretalles and wyll be Lorde ouer the scripture ouer the churche and ouer the whole world and yet he wyll be taken and estemed for the vycar and debyte of Christ and S. Peters frende and the most holy father and for the head of the whole holy christendome And whosoeuer contraryeth or gainesayth this he must dye and also be cursed and made the deuylles by the power of this beastes mouthe The thirde is the false prophete not one person but an whole order and multitude of byshops and relygions parsons monckes friers c. Whiche by their office and callynge ought to mainteine and supporte the true doctrine but haue appoynted and bent them selues their whole lyfe and state vtterly against the doctrine of the gospel that nothing can be more vnlike the state of the Apostles eyther in doctrine religion or lyfe than is their order and state Wherof it is not nedefull to make manye wordes howe they haue alwayes resisted the doctrine of the gospell These are suche .iii. foule vncleane spirites as none can be founde more vncleane whiche notwithstandynge doe worke great tokens and miracles The deuyll with great wonders bothe amonge the Turkes and the Christians The papacy by forcerye witchcrafte and nigromancie The monkes and religious spirituall sorte withall
that haâ—ed lawe that consisteth onely in the prescribed carnall ceremonies so that he would neyther alyenate the Iewes nor presse the Gentiles with the burthen of it For he beyng very God and very man after the fleshe obserued the commaundementes of the lawe and yet he testifyed that the saluacyon which he brought after the spirite belonged no lesse to the Gentiles than to the Iewes so that now you shoulde neyther be abhominable because of your vncircumcision nor the Iewes any stouter because of theyr circumcision but that in dispatchyng the olde cankerdnesse of bothe those nacions he mighte of two make one new to growe together into one new man Christ the common sauiour indifferentlye of them both And lyke as he made the Iewes and the Gentiles at one betwene themselues euen so he made them both at one with god that there should be nothing to breake the atonemeÌ„t but that the thinges in heauen and the thynges in earth shoulde bee ioyned together as it were into one body The death of Christe which he suffered for our sinnes hath vnited vs to God with whome no man is at peace that hath delyghte in synne And forasmuche as this peace is bestowed both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles indifferently there is no cause why eyther of them shoulde thinke them better than the other specially in asmuche as the pledge and gage of the holy ghost whereof we spake a litle before is geuen commonlye to them bothe without difference Now we se it come to passe that Esaye by inspiracyon prophecyed long agoe should come For Christ hath not offered the doctrine of the gospell to the Iewes onely vnto whome this blessed felicitie semed to be peculiarely promysed and whiche also after theyr sorte were the true wurshyppers of God but also vnto you whiche were ferre of bothe from the kinred of the people of Iewes and from the wurshippyng of the true God teaching thereby that throughe hys deathe bothe the flockes of shepe shoulde goe together into one shepefolde and knowe hym to bee theyr onely shepehearde He it is that hath opened vnto vs the entraunce to the father who before was displeased at our sinnes and none other hath opened this entraunce to the Iewes than he who hathe opened the same to the Gentiles but we are all bounden to him alone in that we are now bolde to approche bothe to that merciful father hauing confidence in that commune spirite which inspireth this assured trust indifferently into the heartes of vs bothe The texte ¶ Now therfore ye are not straungers and foreyners but citesens with the Saintes and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and propheres Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whome what building soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lorde in whome ye also are built together to be an habitacion of God thorowe the holy ghoste Now therfore to the intente you shoulde not thinke your selues the wurse because you came not of the stocke of Dauid or Abraham as concerning the kinred of the fleshe or because ye are without the lawe of Moses in asmuche as after the spirite ye are citezens and felowes of saintes perteining to the house of God which is builded not of the Iewes onely but of al them that purely beleue the Gospell The foundacions of this house are the Apostles the preachers of the Ghospel and the Prophetes who shewed long a goe in theyr prophecies that the gifte of the Ghospell should now be indifferently common to all men To thys foundacyon you are also faste layed And to be shorte Iesus Christe is the chiefe head stone of this building whiche being layed in the corner coupleth and kepeth the walle together on bothe sydes by whose power and couplyng all the buildyng of the beleuers compacted together on euerye syde dayly encreaseth and ryseth vnto a perfitely holy spirituall temple consecrated of the lord himself And of this holy building you are also parte whilest lyke lyuelye stones layed vpon the same foundacyons and holden togither of the same corner stone you make in purenes of mynde and spirite vnto God an holye habitacle vnspotted from all synnes and voyde of lustes There bee none receyued into Moses temple but Iewes but to this temple all they perteyne indifferentlye that embrace the fayth of the Ghospell ¶ The .iii. Chapiter The texte ¶ For this cause I Paule am a prisoner of Iesus Christe for you Deathen Yf ye haue heard the ministracion of the grace of God whiche is geuen me to youwarde For â—yteuelacion shewed he the mistery vnto me as I wrote afore in fewe woordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowlage in the mistery of Christ which mistery in times passed was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared vnto his holy Apostles and Propheres by the spirite that the Gentiles should be inheritours also and of the same bodiâ— and partakers of his promes in Christe by the meanes of the Ghospell whereof I am made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God whiche is geuen vnto me after the working of hys power Vnto me the leaste of all Saintes is this grace geuen that I should preache among the Gentiles the vnsearcheable riches of Christe and to make all men see what the felowship of the mistery is which from the beginning of the worlde hath bene hid in God whiche made al thinges thorow Iesus Christ to the intent that nowe vnto the ruleâ—s and powers in heauenly thinges mighte be knowen by the congregacion the manifolde wisedome of God according to the eternall purpose whiche he wrought in Christe our lorde â–ª by whome we haue boldenes and enteraunce with the confidence whiche is by the fayth of him ANd that you maye geue the more constaunte credenâ—e hereunto vnderstande that I Paule am laden with these bondes for no cause els that is to say not for any naughtie dede but for Iesus Christes sake vnto whoÌ„e I trauayll to winne you Gentiles wherat the Iewes haue indignacion Yf ye haue heard tell that this office was committed to me of Christ himself that I should preache the saluacion of the Gospel whiche some afore tymeiudged to belong to none but to the Iewes in euery place yea euen among the Gentiles of whose noumber you are This secret mistery being hidden before to other Apostles Christ opened most chiefely to me lyke as we begonne to speake briefely of before in our writynges to other nacions by readyng whereof you may know that I am not ignoraunt of the secret counsel of Christ who whan he tolde Ananias beforehand that I carie his name among the Gentiles he commaunded me than to goe and dooe his message vnto the Gentiles that dwelled farre of Whiche thing before semed abhominable that wieked persones and Image wurshippers should be called to the felowship of the gospel Notwithstanding it was so decreed
with God long ago yea euen afore the world was made and in a maner opened vnto the prophetes by inspiracion albeit it was not playnly opened to the world as it is now by me that the Gentiles through onely fayth of the Gospel without helpe of Moses law should attayn saluacion yea in so much that the chiefest of the Apostles durst not admit suche as were not circumcised vnto baptisine But nowe it is playnely opened vnto the holye Apostles of Christe and to hys prophetes by inspiracion of the holy goste that the Gentiles through faith are so vnited vnto the Iewes that they are comen in to the felowship of yâ— selfe same enheritaunce and growe in to all one bodye reioycyng in theyr common head Christe and by reason therof are becomen partiners of all the proinisses that abyde suche as beleue the Ghospel of Christ to preache the which Ghospell autoritie is commytted vnto me and I ceasse not to dooe my commaunded office labouring constauntly hitherto in the Ghospels busines euen vnto emprisonmeÌ„tes and fetters not that I am any thing mete of mine owne strength for so painful a busines but he that appoynted that office to me hath laied his owne helping hande to the same And so it is that I being as concerning myne owne habilitie feble and weake am by his benefite strong and full of courage agaynst the stormes of al mischiefes I boast not myne own worthines for I coÌ„fesse that I am the least of Saintes but yet as litle as I am it hath pleased the goodnes of God to putte me in trust with this businesse of moste weightie importaunce that I shoulde publishe and preache among the Gentiles whiche before this time knewe nothyng of God the vnsearcheable richesse of Christ which he offereth plenteously to all men and bryng to lyght the thyng that before was hidden that the benefit of the ghospell is to be dispensed and ministred to all maner of nacions whiche beefore was supposed to be geuen onely to the Iewes although it was otherwyse decreed eternally of God the maker and gouernour of all thynges notwithstanding his will was to haue thys Counsayll of hys diuyne intente to be yet hitherto kepte secrrete whiche in these tymes he woulde so openly manifeste and that by the congregacion wherinto he powred suche aboundaunce of spirituall giftes that his manifolde wisedome whiche with wounderfull deuises disposeth all thinges through death geuyng life through shame exaltyng to glorye through humilitie aduauncyng Goddes maiestie whiche no man in times paste coulde haue Imagined shoulde nowe bee brought to lyght not onely to the brode worlde but euen to prynces and chiefeste of Angelles and deuilles that haue to dooe in the skyes and in the vppermoste parte of the ayer whiche thynges albeit they myght gesse should come to passe that mankynde should once be redemed yet this was not knowen by what reason the wisedome of God had eternallye decreed to bringit to passe whiche thing now at length was openlye knowen whan he sent his sonne into the world who hauing taken vpon him an humain bodye would by vnspeakeable meanes vnite and couple the congregacion to hymselfe whereof our lorde Iesus Christe should bee the head by whome like as Innocencie chaunced vnto vs in that that our sinnes were doen a waye euen so chaunced vnto vs an assured truste also that as children we shoulde not be afraied to approche vnto the father whose displeased countenaunce we durst not afore beholde For what shoulde we bee afrayed of hauyng suche a heade that in no wise suffreth any of his membres to perishe albeit here in the meane season we suffre sum affliccion The texte â–ª Wherfore I desire that ye faint not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whiche is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our lorde Iesus Christ which is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he would graunt you accordyng to the riches of his glorie that ye maye bee strengthed with might by his spirite in the â—â—â—er man that Christe maie dwell in your hertes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue mighte bee hable to comprehende with al sayntes what is that bredth aâ—d length depth and height and to knowe the excellente loue of the knoweledge of Christ that ye mighte bee fulfilled with all fulnes which cummeth of God Vnto him yâ— is hable to doe exceading aboundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in yâ— congregacion by Christe Iesus thorowâ—â—t al generacious from tune to tyme. Amen This secrete counsayle of God forasmuch as I preache boldely in euery place I suffre exceadyng punishemente of such as yet cannot possibly be perswaded of this matter But I beseche you let not myne affliccions whiche I suffre for your sakes anythyng disquiete or dismaye you For there is no cause why you shoulde be ashamed of suche an Apostle though I bee laden with fetters For like as the crosse of Christe is our glorie euen so my fetters which I we are not for any euill dedes but for the sinceritie of the Ghospel are for your honestie and no rebuke For the more displeasures we suffre with a constaunt mynd for the Ghospell of Christe the more entierly we cause the people to beleue that the promises of Christe are not vayne inasmuch as through assured hope of them we faint not for any displeasures of this life And it is not Ioyous to me onely to suffre for the ghospelles businesse but it also becommeth al men that are entred vnto Christe to folowe the example of their autour and head And truely for this cause sake I bowe my knees and praye earnestly euen from the botome of myne harte vnto God our father and the same the father of our lorde Iesus Christe of whome as the supreme head dependeth all spirituall kynred wherby by are incorporated together whether they bee angelles in heauen or faithfull people vpon earth and of whome onely as of the fountaine springeth whatsoeuer is belongyng to true felicitie that like as he hath begonne to declare hys aboundaunte glorye in you so he maye more and more augmente his liberall goodnesse to you ward that as you are engraffed to Christ through baptisme and as it were borne newe agayne so you maye gather courage and strengthe with daylye encrease not accordong to the bodye but accordyng to the mynde and soule that is to saye by the gyfte of the spirite of the father continually encreacyng in vs by whome we are made stronge and valiaunt to withstande al dredes of persecucion and that the constancie of your fayth maye be suche that you thynke surelye that Christe will neuer fayle you but rather dwelle in wardly in your hertes for the faythful trustes sake wherwith you commit your selues wholy vnto him For with such is he most specially presente as distruste theyr owne