caused he Timothe to be circumcised as we reade in the xvi chapiter whiche yet had in deede a Iewe to his mother when that his father was a Gentile Suche a difficultie was it to make of a Iewe a christian This nacion beyonde all other hadde a speciall vntowardnes nor was there euer founde any that more stiffely abode in theyr religion as Iosephus wryteth in his boke of the defence of the Iewes antiquitie Moreouer as the Iewes were especially hated of al people of the world to of theyr syde abhorred they againe al other nacions as vncleane cursed and deuilishe so farrefoorth that they disdained to talke with them who thought also yâ— their temple was vtterly suspended if any vncircumcised had entered there into Suche proude lookes had they for a lytle skynnes paryng of Forasmuche as therefore there was no likelyhode that the Grecians and Romaines would receiue suche an odious lawe and that the Iewes on theyr side helde on styl Paule fearyng lest by suche deadly contencion and strife a great parte of the fruite of the gospel might perishe be lost lest also the glory of Christ might by minglyng of Moses name be darkned and defaced in euery place specially laboreth vtterly to abrogate abolishe the ceremonies of the lawe and to persuade them that all assuraunce of attainyng saluacion is through Christ onely And as he sharpely but yet louyngly rebuketh the Galathians for that they fell backe to Iewishnes againe so doeth he prepare fortifie the Romaines lest they might elswyse vnware through false Apostles be snared whoÌ„ he wel wyst neuer ceassed eftsones encouragyng theÌ„ styl to continue in that doctrine whiche they had once begunne heartely to enbrace and fauor There was at Rome a great noumbre of Iewes whether they were brought thether by Pompeius Magnus who spoyled Hierusalem and made them captiues orels whether it were because the prouince of Iury appertained to the Romaines it is vncertaine but sure it is that theyr supersticion is by Horace Iuuenale and Senec oftymes reproued With them also was Paule after his comyng to Rome muche troubled as in the last chapiter of thactes of the Apostles it doeth plainely appeare Paule therfore like a runnyng craftesman with a wonderfull discrecion tempereth his tale betwene these two people the Iewes I say and Gentiles labouryng by all meanes possible to allure them vnto Christ as muche as in them lay procuryng that noman at al should perishe to that capitaine whose souldiar he was One whyle therfore chydeth he one sorte another whyle another and anone after againe comfortably encourageth them bothe The Gentiles pride he abated declaryng that neither the lawe of nature nor their Philosophie wherof they were so proude auayled them so but that they fell nethelesse into all kyndes of mischief Checkyng againe and reprouyng the Iewes arrogant myndes whiche through theyr affiaunce in the law had lost the chiefe grounde therof that is to wete fayth in Iesus Christ he teacheth them that the ceremonies of Moses lawe are abolished through the bright beames of the gospell of Christ whom the shadowes of the lawe rudely represented with diuers other thynges as the reste of the sabboth day the displeasure and paine of circumciâ—ion the comyng about of the calendes the holy dayes whiche thrise yerely came againe theyr choyse of meates makyng foule agayne the bathes euerie daye the boucherye of hurtles beastes the religion of their temple polluted with continuall slaughter of beastes and that all these darke shadowes at the lyght of the truthe appearing vanished awaye and that suche onlye are Abrahams chyldren as expresse Abrahams fayth that suche are the righte and trewe Iewes as professe Christes name and that they were verelye circumcised whose myndes were clensed from filthy desyers That true iustice also perfite blisse is equally gyuen to al people through the gospell and onlye faythe in Christe wythoute helpe of the lawe and that notwythstandyng that saluacyon was specially promysed vnto the Iewes yet was it so promysed vnto them that theyr owne Prophetes letted not to prophecye that the same saluacion beyng refused by the Iewes the preachyng of Christes gospell should be spreade abrode among the Gentiles that no man throughe Moyses lawe whom the Iewes carnally obserued obtayned ryghteousnes but throughe faythe as he proueth as well by the example of Abraham as also by diuerse testimonies of the lawe And after that when he hath by this meanes abated yâ— pryde of both partes by taking away this theyr vayne confidences in the profession of the gospel he maketh them equalle in suche sorte ioyous of the Gentiles saluacion that yet lyke a tender father he bewayleth the blyndnes of hys owne countreye men whome toward hym alwayes he founde moste spitefull and so he doeth mitigate this matier whyche was of it selfe harde that he sayeth that all were not blynded promisyng that the tyme should come when they should be of a better mynde amend beyng through the faith of yâ— Gentiles prouoked so to do And here by the way toucheth Paul manye highe dyuerse poyntes of doctrine as of predestinacion of foreknowleage of vocacioÌ„ of grace and merites of fre wyll of the vnsearcheable counsell of god of the lawe of nature of Moses lawe and of the law of synne Lykewyse herein are sondrye allegories as when he maketh two Adams one in whome we are borne to dye another in whome we be regenerate and borne agayne to lyue euerlastyngly WheÌ„ he maketh also two men an inwarde and an outwarde man the inwarde obedient to the spyryte and reason the outwarde subiecte and thrall vnto lustes desyers of whyche two the fyrste he calleth sometyme the body or membres sometyme the fleashe sumtyme the lawe of synne the other sometime calleth he the spirite When he also maketh two deathes that is to wytte the deathe of the soule and of the bodye and the thryde deathe wherein we dye vnto synne and synfull desyres And when he maketh three kyndes of lyfe a bodyly lyfe a spirituall lyfe and a lyfe wherin we lyue eyther iustely or synfully Agayne when he maketh two kyndes of bondage or libertie one wherewith we beyng made free from synne lyue a godly lyfe or els forsakyng ryghteousnes we do seruyce to synne And when he maketh two sortes of Iewishenes two kyndes of circumcision two degrees of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie two partes of Moyses lawe one lyke vnto the body carnall another whiche is spirituall as it were the lyfe of the lawe Two baptismes also of whiche the fyrste is when we at the fontstone are washed froÌ„ oure olde synnes the seconde is wheÌ„ we renouncyng all worldly pleasures dye with Christe Two kyndes of buryinges a bodely sepuiture wherin Christe laye thre dayes buried and a spirituall wherin we sequestring and as it were withdrawyng our selues from worldly busines do reste in hym Two maners of resurreccion the one paste alreadie in Christe and shall folowe in vs the other wherin we beyng quickened agayne
this matier chalengyng nothyng to hymselfe as his own gaue ouer the whole prayse and glorie to god only whome he by his sure and constant fayth both testified to be true of promise as whiche woulde deceyue no man lykewyse to be almightye as whoÌ„ he thoughte able to perfourme his promise were the same neuer somuche passyng all worldly strength This is the glorie wherwith god is chieflye delighted whiche nedeth no seruice of ours and therfore as the scripture sayeth it was reckened vnto hym for ryghteousnes The texte ¶ Neuerthelesse it is not wrytten for hym onelye that it was reckened to hym for ryghteousnes but also for vs to whom it shal be coumpted for ryghteousnes so that we beleue in hym that raised vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead whiche was deliuered for our synnes and was raised agyue for our iustification Nor is it to be supposed that this was wryten onely for Abrahams sake when it is sayd yâ— his faith was reckened vnto hym for righteousnes for yâ— scripture laboreth not so muche for the auauÌ„cemeÌ„t of AbrahaÌ„s glory only but rather to gyue vs which are of AbrahaÌ„s posteritie an example wherby al the world might vnderstande that as Abraham for his faythe 's sake without healpe or ayde of the lawe obteyned before god to be coumpted for righteouse so should none of vs by kepyng of the law only thynke to haue the same AbrahaÌ„ theÌ„ was called righteouse because he beleued god And surely entry haue we none to ryghteousnes vnles we lykewise beleue in the same god whiche to vs hath brought to passe in Iesus Christ oure lorde whome he raysed from death to lyfe euen that he promised to Abraham in the fygure of Isaac therby declaryng that the fayth of Abraham was no vayne fayth whiche beleued yâ— god was suche one as coulde geue lyfe euen to the deade call agayne suche thinges as are not as thoughe they were Let vs not therfore for our righteousnes and cleannes of lyfe thanke Moses but Christ whiche gaue hymselfe to death to the entent he would freely through fayth forgyue our synnes whiche also rose agayne from death to the entent we shoulde abstayne from deadly synne nor displease hym by committyng agayne suche thynges for which his pleasure was to dye He dyed I saye to kyll synne in vs and rose agayne from death to th entent that by hym fyrst dying to oure olde synnes so furthe with hym and by hym beyng brought and restored into a newe kynde of lyfe we may hereafter lyue vnto yâ— ryghteousnes which we haue through his goodnes receyued The .v. Chapiter The texte Because therfore yâ— we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with god through our lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in through fayth vnto this grace wherin we stande reioyse in hope of the glorye of the chyldren of god Not that only but also we reioyse in tribulatioÌ„ knowyng yâ— tribulatioÌ„ bryngeth pacieÌ„ce pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed for the loue of god is shed abrode in our heartes by the holy ghost whiche is geuen vnto vs. COnsyderyng that only syn causeth variaunce betwixt god and man now are we certeynly at peace with god because that of wicked synful people we are made ryghteous that neither by Moses law whiche rather encreased oure offeÌ„ces nor for our workes but as our father AbrahaÌ„ was for oure faythe 's sake reconciled vnto god yâ— father whose frende also through fayth Abraham became that neither through Moses but through the only sonne of god our lorde Iesus Christ which with his bloud washed away our offences by his death reconcilyng vs vnto god beyng before yâ— tyme displeased with vs so opened for vs an entrye yâ— we through lyke fayth without either the lawe or circumcision mighte be brought into this grace of god promysed by the ghospell In whiche fayth we stande stedfaste and not only stande with good wyll couragiouslye but also reioyce not only because we are at peace with god but also for that we are pute in sure hope that through oure stedfastnes of fayth we shal in tyme to come enioye the glorie of heauen Nor enuye we the Iewes through the glory of their circumcision and as we enuye them not so mislike we not our fayth the brynger furthe of suche plentifull fruicte nor yet repent we our glory with hope wherof we for this present tyme are aduaunced vnderpyght Whiche glorie albeit it be suche as cannot yet be seene and thoughe without sufferyng of aduersities and troubles we attayne not therunto yet eueÌ„ the same troubles in the meane season recken we a thyng to reioyce and glorye of as whiche we suffer both to our hyghe prayse are also suche as open vnto vs the gate to life euerlasting For this new example hath Christ both geueÌ„ vs by him also taught are we this excellent doctrine that by sufferyng of tribulatioÌ„s the vertue of pacience is strengthened and as the fyer tryeth golde so throughe pacience become we better tryed and proued both of god man Agayne the more tribulatioÌ„s we suffer the surer hope of rewarde stande we in Nor is it to be feared leste this hope mysse disapoynt vs of our belief make vs ashamed before yâ— wicked people because we haue eueÌ„ now therof in hande a moste sure pledge and earnest penye whiche is the meruaylous and vnspeakeable loue of god towarde vs not onlye externally shewed vnto vs but most pleÌ„tifully printed in our heartes in manier coÌ„pellyng vs to loue hym agayne wrought by the holy ghost in steade of the watryshe letter of the lawe gyuen vnto vs as a gage assuryng vs of his promise herafter surely to be perfourmed The texte For when we were yet weake accordyng to the tyme Christ dyed for vs which wer vngodlye Yet scarce wyl any man dye for a ryghteouse man Peraduenture for a good man durste a man dye But god setteth but his loue towarde vs seyng that whyle we were yet synners according to the tyme Christ dyed for vs Muche more then nowe we that are iustified by his bloude shal be saued from wrathe through hym For had not god of his great mercy singulerly loued and pitied vs. Iesus Christ his only sonne had neuer by the wyl of his father descended into earth nor haue taken oure mortall fleshe vpon hym and so haue dyed namely what tyme we were weake thrall and subiecte to beastlye desyres whiche were by the lawe more lyke to be prouoked than to be brydelâ—d and suppressed Bad yet as we then were he loued vs in hope of saluacion yea he loued vs beyng wycked people and deuilyshe ydolaters and so loued vs that for our sakes he wyllyngly suffered death whiche was the greatest euident and moste singuler poynt of loue that euer could be shewed Among men scarcely shal any man fynde
yet for our synnes was raised vppe again to life euerlastyng not by any worldely power but by the mightie power of his father so should we beyng through him raised out of the death of synne becomen dead to our former life leadyng hereafter a newe life walke in the trade of godly conuersacion continually encreasyng vpwarde from better to better For seyng that we are through baptisme planted into Christes bodye and in maner altered into him mete is it that whatsoeuer we see done in him whiche is oure head the same be of vs whiche are his membres either in life expressed or els loked for in tyme to come Rysen is he againe ascended into heauen and setteth in glorye at the right hande of his father All whiche thynges alreadye done in Christ we maye oure selues finally trust to enioye if for this present tyme as muche as in vs lyeth we folowe the same and diligently put them in vre Therfore if we through baptisme dye vnto our former synnes and fleashely lustes therin as we may resemblyng Christes death euen as mete and conuenient is it that we hensfoorth forsakyng the filthynes of synne and diligently exercisyng our selues in godly workes expresse in our liuyng his holy resurreccion To folowe Christes death is neither to kyl our selfes nor yet to hurt oure bodyes but then as ye well knowe dye we with him if to oure old frowarde appetites we haue suche a dull desyre yâ— to them we seame as dead For accordyng to our double generacion we must in our selfes coÌ„ceiue two menne th one olde grosse and like vnto the yearthly Adam thother newe desyrous of heauenly thynges as whiche hath by Christ sent from heauen his beginnyng Our olde man therfore is as it wer destroyed what tyme it was with Christ fastened vpon the crosse whervpon also were extinguished all oure desyres of transitorye pleasures whose whole rable maye well be called the body of synne This bodye of synne is then in vs effectually and holsomely slaine when hurtefull desyres are in suche sorte destroyed in vs that we no more do seruice vnto synne He that after this sorte as I haue now expressed foloweth Christes death is euen become a righteous man and is no longer subiecte vnto synne from whose tyranny he is already deliuered The texte Wherfore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we also shall liue with him knowyng that Christ beyng raised from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer him For as touchyng that he dyed he dyed concernyng synne once And as touchyng that he lyueth he liueth vnto God Lykewyse coÌ„sider ye also that ye are dead as touchyng synne but are aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our lorde Let not synne raigne therfore in your mortal bodye that ye should thervnto obeye by the lustes of it Therfore if as we haue now oftentymes sayd we be to Christ dead so deliuered froÌ„ our former synnes our trust is hereafter through innocent holy life to liue with him so to liue with him that we shall neuer dye more in this also as farre as possible is resemblyng Christ who submitted not him selfe in suche sorte to death that in him death should haue any power after but rose againe to liue euerlastyngly For as touchyng that he dyed vnto synne he dyed but once but touchyng that he nowe liueth he liueth to God his father by whose might he was from death raised to life euerlastyng And as it was in Christ so thynke your selfes once dead to synne by that your olde vâ—cious desyres are destroyed and by that ye are nowe becomen newe men as thoughe ye were raised againe from death to liue a heauenly and an immortall life to Godwarde by whose benefite we are nowe made innocent and holy For if ye this do not ye liue not to Godwarde because that to God noman lyueth but suche as liue godly righteously and in other vertues For synce that we are planted into Christes body and becomen one with him mete is it that we as membres be like vnto our head whiche is Christ And synce that he nowe lyueth to Godwarde for euermore reason it is that we likewyse liue vnto him through the same Iesus Christ our Lorde And as he beyng once raised froÌ„ death suffereth nomore the tyraÌ„ny of death so must ye take hede lest synne beyng nowe once banished out of your soules recouer in you againe the tyranny whiche it hath loste and so renewe his olde title of death As it surely wyll if ye folowe suche beastly desyres with whiche the deuil is wont to allure and bryng vs into our olde bondage The texte Neither geue ye your membres as instrumentes of vnrighteousnes vnto synne but geue ouer your selues vnto God as they that of dead are aliue And geue ouer your membres as instrumentes of righteousnes vnto God For sinne shal not haue power ouer you because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And see that your membres beyng nowe consecrate vnto Christ do hencefoorth nomore seruice at the deuils mocion whom Christ hath subdued and so to worke vnrighteousnes but rather hereafter so vse your selues that by all your life it may appeare that ye with Christ haue forsaken all deadly synne and workes of death and to be altered into a new life And so shal ye in dede do if hencefoorth all your membres that is to say all the powers of your bodyes and soules be applyed not to vice in the deuils seruice but to righteousnes in the seruice of God For reason requireth that we wholly belong to him to whoÌ„ we haue once bouÌ„de our selues and with him to haue nothyng to do from whom we are now departed and whose yoke we haue once shaken of Nor is it to be feared leste synne wyll we or nil we bryng vs backe againe into our olde bondage because ye are nowe no longer vnder the lawe whiche rather prouoked wylfull desyres then suppressed but vnder Goddes grace whiche as it was able to deliuer vs from the bondage of synne so is it able to kepe and preserue vs that we nomore falle thervnto The texte What then shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid And yet nowe God forbid that in the meane season any manne should this wyse take my wordes when I sayd ye were free from the lawe either to thynke that forasmuche as the lawe is abolished ye may do as ye liste or that Goddes free goodnes whiche hath pardoned all our olde offences hath also therwith frely geuen vs libertie to do euil But rather so muche the more ought we to abstaine from synne because we are now nomore like slaues coÌ„pelled to do wel as by a law but are as childreÌ„ are wont to be with desertes loue prouoked therto So that your bondage is chaunged and not vtterly taken away In suche sorte haue ye geuen ouer the seruice of the lawe that ye nowe
commaundement came syn reuiued and I was dead And the very same commaundement whiche was ordayned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me an occasion of death For syn toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and so deceyued me and by the same slew me Wherfore the lawe is holye and the commaundement holye and iust and good But nowe feare I leste here any captious persone thynke that I condemne the lawe as the authour of synne because we sayed that whyles we were vnder the lawe we ranne forwarde euen to synne and death For suche one wyll not let to reason the matier and saye that as righteousnes worketh lyfe so to sinne it properly appertayneth to worke death so that then yf the law in vs worketh death either semeth it that the same lawe is synne or at the leste ioyned with synne But god forbid that anye man should so thinke For the lawe is not authour of synne but the vtterer and apeacher therof wherof before the lawe gyuen we wer in manner ignoraunt because eche man fauoured his owne folye thynking that he might lawfully do what so hym lusted thinking it also wel done good to desyre that thyng whiche to haue semed pleasaunt This wyse therfore fauoryng my selfe I was in manner ignoraunt that to desyre any other mannes goodes was synne had not the law sayd vnto me thou shalt not luste And in dede the law was gyuen to suppresse synne but through our folye it chaunced otherwise For whyles the lawe shewed a man his sinnes and gaue no power to resist the same vpon that occasion it folowed y◠mānes desyre to syn was more prouoked euen as the propertie of menne is more to be prouoked to suche thynges as are forbidden Therfore forasmuche as before the lawe was gyuen certayne synnes I knewe not and certayne I knewe but yet in suche sorte that I thoughte I myghte lawfully vse them because they were not forbydden my mynde was but houerly and fayntlye moued to synne euen as we are wonte sklenderlye to loue suche thynges wherof we maye when we luste haue our pleasure But when that by the lawe so many wayes and manners of synne were declared the whole rable of naughtie desyres beyng prouoked throughe that prohibition begonne more vehemently to allure to synne And by this occasion synne toke strength and power whiche before the lawe geuen was but dull and in manner dead so that in the meane season I lyued without lawe or rather I thought that I lyued as one that might freely sinne and do as I lusted But after that I was by the commaundement of the law forbydden to syn my synful vsage was not onely not restrayned but also seemed quyckened and to take strength but as sone as synne was after this sorte quyckened I whiche before thoughte my selfe to lyue was deade by the lawe knowyng my synne and yet neuertheles continewyng in it stil Whervpon it folowed that the meane whiche was prouided and ordeyned for the healpe of oure lyfe tourned to my death not throughe anye faulte whiche the lawe had but throughe myne owne faulte For whereas I was of my selfe gyuen to synne my sycke and diseased mynde takyng occasion of sinne by reason of the prohibition of the law became more desyrous to synne And thus the deuill abusyng a good instrument by occasion ministred throughe the law enticed me to synne and by synne slewe me so that then I knewe my selfe gyltie and thrall vnto another No cause is there therfore why we shoulde reproue the law which as it was gyuen by a good god so layeth it before vs good lawful and holy commaundementes For nedes muste that be good whiche forbyddeth euell The texte Was that then which was good made death vnto me God forbid Naye it was syn that syn myght appeare by it whiche was good to worke death in me that synne by the commaundement myght be out of measure synfull For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I allow not that whiche I doe For what I woulde that do I not but what I hate that do I. Yf I do now y◠whiche I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good so then nowe it is not I that doe it but syn that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge But some one will againe encounter and saye synce that lyke bryngeth furth his lyke yf the lawe be good how hath it wrought my death whiche is euell and wonte to be engendred of synne Wherunto the aunswer is easye that this reason were stronge were it so y◠the lawe wrought oure death But this is not so but as I nowe sayed farre otherwyse For it is not to be supposed that the lawe is authour of death but rather that synne is cause of our destruction whiche is a thing of suche infeccion and so full of poyson that it turned that whiche of it selfe is good to oure vndoyng by the which euery man maye euidently perceyue how pestilent a thyng syn is through whose contagion suche thynges as are best tourne to worste Wherof as y◠law gaue occasiō so was the same yet in no fault For the lawe as all we do knowe is spirituall and prouoketh vs to goodnes The cause why that commeth not to passe wherabout the lawe laboureth am I I I saye for example to speake of my selfe whiche am carnal and gyuen to synne and by reason of long custome and continuaunce in synne thral and bonde therto euen as the bondslaue bought for money is boūd to his maister so farfurthe that by reason of blyndnes of synne whiche I am in I wote not what I ought to do For I do not y◠whiche my minde and reason telleth me to be honeste though with my heart I desyre it but rather do that whiche is contrarye to honestie and hate as vnhonest beyng vndoubtedly ouercūmē with naughtie desyres And by this maye euen offenders and hurtefull persons vnderstande that the lawe is not to be reproued For yf through fleshlye desyres mouyng I do suche thynges as my mynde and reason condemneth and abhorreth withoute doubte I consente that the lawe is good as whiche forbad suche thynges to be done and vsed as I by the better parte of my reason condemned and disalowed For nedes muste that be good whiche dothe forbid suche thynges whiche though I do folowyng the fleshe yet knowe I well are euyll and nought But some one wyll saye why doest thou not obeye thyne owne reason then beyng suche as doth consent to honestie and feare the from dishonestie syn But nowe forasmuche as for playnes in teachyng to be vsed I haue taken vpon me y◠person of suche one as is yet subiect to vice and noughtie desyres ye muste in onely me by ymagination conceiue two men the one carnal and grosse the other more pure and not so grosse of whiche two the
therfore this preachers or that preachers buylding endure and abyde in the fyer let suche one looke for no worldely prayse at mens handes but yet sure is he to haue reward of God for whose sake he toke payne but if eythers worke be with fyre destroyed the workeman shall lose his labour and be defrauded of his rewarde although himselfe escape free yet escapeth he as they that out of burnyng conuey themselfes naked for whom there aresteth nothing els to be doen but with charges to buylde agayne vpon the foundacion suche a worke as is meete for the same The chiefe and moste ready waye had been to teache suche as haue professed Christe nothing but that whiche is for a christian man necessarie But if teachers doe not so nor the hearers then must both take double paynes whiche must vnteache theyr scolers that they taught them and to vnlearne those thinges whiche they before learned For there is hope of saluacion as long as Christe the foundacion remayneth Howe agreeth vncleane lyfe with this profession Howe agree colde and waterishe ceremonies with the fyery and burning charitie of Christe Punishement shall they suffre at Gods hande as they haue well deserued whiche with theyr doctrine corrupte you The texte Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God and howe that the sprete of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy whiche temple ye are Let no manne deceyue himselfe If any manne seme wyse among you let him become a foole in this worlde that he may be wise For the wisedome of this worlde is folyshnes with God For it is written he compasseth the wyse in theyr craftinesse And agayn God knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they be vaine Therfore let no man reioyce in men For al thinges are yours whether it be Paul either Apollo either Cephas whether it be the worlde either lyfe either death whether they be presente thynges or thynges to come all are youres and ye are Christes and Christe is Gods Knowe ye not that ye are as a temple consecrate vnto God which the heauenly spirite of God possesseth sanctifieth Yf suche one be punished as doeth defile a temple that is halowed by manne will not God destroy him that defyleth his temple Endeuour must we dilygently that this temple be kepte pure and holy synce God hath once by his holy spirite cleansed and halowed it Kepe it cleane may ye by vnhurtefull lyfe with christian conuersacion and maners But if ye bee to muche desyrouse of honoure or yf ye bee leach â—rouse or geuen to stryfe and debate and to suche other wylfulnes then suspende ye and defile it Sythe then ye are the temple of god buylded with lyuelye stones verye wicked certaynely and vngodlye is he that prouoketh anye of your companye to suche maners condicions and learnynges as are not with Christe agreable Christe deceyueth no manne especiallye none of them that leane to hym Let euery manne beware that he deceyue not hymselfe whyles he vndiscretely trusteth vpon mannes helpe Looke ye not for blysse and felicitie either by your Philosophie or by the lawe Nor lette one manne presumptuously thynke hymselfe better than other because he is in worldlye learnyng excellente but lette hym rather that in worldly reputacion thinketh hymselfe wyse wyselye waxe folyshe that he maye bee wyse in deede Lette hym forsake to be the proude teacher of folyshe wysâ—dome and he shall be meete to be the scholer of verye wyse folyshnes For euen as the ryches of this worlde make not a manne truelye ryche as the honoures of the worlde make not a manne truelye noble and as the pleasures of the worlde make not a manne truely blessed euen so the wysedome of this worlde maketh not a man truely wyse before god whose iudgement no manne can deceyue be he neuer so wyse in the sighte of the worlde God mocketh at this wysedome whiles he declareth it not onely not to be that whereby we attayne saluacion but also to be that whiche hyndereth oure saluacion by reason that it maketh men to be proude and fyerse and therefore very harde to be taught This was long before spoken of in the booke whiche is intitled of the pacience of Iob when of God he speaketh on this wyse whiche compasseth the wise in theyr owne wilines And agayne in the lxiii Psalme the Lorde knoweth the thoughtes of menne that thinke themselues to be wyse that they be vayne and vnable to perfourme suche thynges as they promise Since therfore all the pythe of oure saluacion is altogether of god men maye of this vsurpe no porcion as theyr owne nor geue any parte of this glorye to man as the chiefe doer since the whole shoulde be surrendred to God And synce ye are one bodie ioyned together by mutuall charitie vnmete is it that one of you shoulde sticke to one phantasie and another to another phantasie when all thynges are youres indifferentlye Whether Paule or Apollo or Cephas be of anye authoritie or not this is sure by goddes free gifte they haue one equal authoritie for youre profite or if the worlde bee in a rore agaynste you it shall finallye bee for your profite or if we lyue any longer liue shall we to establyshe you in this learnyng or yf we dye then dye we to strengthen you by oure exaumple or yf we bee in presente pleasures we passe not muche vpon them because they are soone goen or yf thynges to come moue you laboure stoutelye and with a courage towarde them whiche albeit ye see not with youre bodelye iyes yet see ye them with the iyes of your fayth Awaye therfore with names of sectes and diuision since all thynges throughe one chiefe maister are youres equally albeit your selues are not your owne men in suche sorte yâ— ye can geue any man right title vpoÌ„ you but ye long to Iesus Christ to whoÌ„ al we together owe our selues and for Christ are we bounde to god the chiefe Lord and ruler of al thinges whiche by hym hath geuen vs all goodnes The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let a man this wyse esteme vs euen as the ministers of Christe and stewardes of the secretes of God Furthermore it is required of the stewardes that a man be found faithfull With me is it but a very small thyng that I should be iudged of you eyther of maâ—s iudgement No I iudge not myne owne selfe For I knowe â–ª nought by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified It is the Lorde that iudgeth me Therefore iudge nothyng before the tyme vntill the Lorde come which will lighten thinges that are hid in darkenes and â—pen the councels of the hertes And then shall euery man haue prayse of God LEt euery man then that wyll vnfaynedly and truely reioyse glorie and reioyse in his name nor esteme vs as chiefe auctours and maysters but as reason woulde suche shoulde bee regarded
haste a mynde desirouse to reuenge But nowe truely so farre are ye from being lyke to mylde christian men without reuenging to suffre losse or iniurye that euen wilfully ye dooe wrong to other maliciouslye deceaue and oppresse other not onely vnbeleiuers but also such as are by religion your brothers Sauer not suche doinges of the leauen of your olde life Square not suche pointes far both from your learnyng and your profession Whosoeuer professeth Christe professeth Innocencie and to such a lyfe is promised the kyngdome of heauen For neyther is it sufficient to bee dipped in water nor yet to bee graffed into Christe onlesse all youre life bee agreable to Christes doctryne And for none other purpose are ye taken out of this world and planted into the body of Christ but to the ende ye should hencefurthe in godlye lyfe bee lyke vnto Christe youre heade Knowe ye not this that vnrighteousse liuers bee they baptised neuer so muche shall bee excluded from the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen And leste anye manne deceaue hymselfe I tell you agayne and agayne and geue you warnyng that neyther fornicatours nor idolators nor aduouterers nor weakelinges whiche growyng out of mannes kynde lyue after an horrible kynde of bodily luste nor suche as in steade of women abuse men nor theues nor couetous men nor dronkardes neither cursed speakers nor violente pillers of other mennes goodes shal be partakers of the kyngdome of God Nothyng shall your newe name or title auayle you if your life be with your olde vices defiled yea to such is Christe rather an occasion of more grieuous and painfull damnacion The texte And suche were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not profitable I maye doe al thynges but I wyll be brought vnder no mannes power Meates are ordeined for the bellye and the belly for meates but God shall destroye both it and them Let not the bodye be applyed vnto fornicacion but vnto the Lord and the Lorde vnto the bodye God hathe raysed vp the Lorde and shall rayse vs vp by hys power Suche as I haue nowe rehersed were some of you before that ye were throughe Christ borne agayne I laye not to your charge that which ye were beefore so that ye fall nomore thereto Washed are ye and deliuered from youre olde synnes and that by Goddes free gyfte beeware that ye bee nomore defiled wyth thē By this washyng hath God not only by his bloud restored you to innocente and hurtlesse lyfe but geuen you also holinesse and righteousnes and that not by the power of the law nor for youre desertes but by Iesus Christe in whose name ye were baptised and by the spirite of oure god by whose secrete inspiraciō the sacramētes of Christes churche been effectual So much more then should euery of you endeuour lest ye through youre owne folye lose this benefite frelye geuen vnto you in so doyng neyther thankfull to the geuer nor yet frendelye nor louyng to your selfe In suche thynges as appertayne to naturall necessities I maye dooe all thynges For no man forbyddeth me to vse lyke authoritie as other apostles vse But it is not paraduenture for you alwayes profitable for me to vse my ryght Suche as are fedde and liue wyth youre meate suche as pyll and polle you beeyng euen as they were bondslaues bought wyth your moneye dare not freely warne you of youre faultes leste ye vpon dyspleasure conceaued there wyth bestowe your liberalitie otherwyse I myght also for my labours take rewarde namely since I tooke more paynes than anye other I wanted not authoritie this to dooe but I woulde not dooe that thyng whereby I myghte bee brought vnder any mānes power and subieccion and seame bounde to any of you to thyntente it myghte more clearely appeare bothe that yf I teache anye thyng that I therein seeke your weale and profite and not myne owne and that also yf I dydde with woordes anye thynge chastice you that ye shoulde pacientely heare me For it is a thyng commenlye seene that suche a mannes free speache offendeth not whiche is nothyng bounde to hym whome he reproueth Elles litell mattier maketh it whose meate a manne eate synce menne muste needes haue meate And synce meates are ordayned for the bealye and likewyse bealyes for meates lette euery manne for this tyme satisfye the presente necessitye and neede For wythin a shorte tyme wyll God destroye bothe bealye and meate whiche is that neyther oure bealyes shall wyth houngre trouble vs nor of meates shall there bee anye vse But as we whiche haue professed Christe muste obeye and serue naturall lackes euen as the heathen and vnchristened dooe so shoulde there yet betwene vs in vyce bee none agremente Of meates I forbydde none lette euerye manne eare what he wyll but filthye bodily luste I forbydde Nor is it lyke that as the bealye is appoynted for meate soe the bodye is prepared for carnall pleasure but rather oure bodye is consecrate vnto the Lorde Iesu and he agayne coupled vnto vs. For so hath it pleased hym that by vs as members and hym as heade hys spirituall and misticall bodye shoulde bee made and kyntte together This knotte holdeth not for a litell season Deathe in deede taketh awaye all necessitie of meates but it breaketh not the knotte wherewyth we are ioyned to Christe For as Godde the father raysed the Lorde Iesus oure heade from deathe so wyll he likewyse rayse vppe agayne vs his membres wyth hym with him rewarde vs with life euerlasting For hable is he of power this to dooe albeit some of you thynke the same vnlykelye As therefore oure soule shall not of that immortall lyfe bee partaker onlesse the same for this presente tyme throughe godlye and continuall meditacions haue hadde thesame lyfe in delygente remembraunce so the bodye raysed agayne shall of that glorye haue no parte onlesse thesame for this presente tyme haue beene free from the contagion of synne What a foule syght is it yf the members seame vnlyke the heade whiche is in euery pointe pure and cleane The texte Eyther konwe ye not that your bodyes are the membres of Christe shall I nowe take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlot is become one body For two saieth he shal bee one flesh But he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite Remembre ye not how that as I before tolde you your bodyes are the members of Christe What then Sal I nowe become so mad notwithstandyng I know this much with the great reproche of the head to take away the membre of Christe and make thereof the membre of an harlote God forbidde And yet what elles dooth he whiche is conuersaunte with an harlote Knowe ye
y◠life to come measuring all the whole state of blysful life by worldly commodities say let vs eate drinke for to morow we shal dye That we toke in thys lyfe that and nothyng els is our owne for after death we be nothing The philosophers or false Apostles syng suche songes in your eares paraduenture but beware leste with theyr tales they deceyue you and bryng you into a perylouse erroure alwayes remembring what was truly sayd of a certaine poete of yours euyll woordes corrupte good maners Of idlenes and wanton lyuyng groweth this distruste whyles some knowing their owne enormities deny that there shall any resurreccion be in suche blyndenes of synne are they which lyue wyth out regarde of godly lyfe But awake ye through the study of ryghteousnes leauing your pleasures leste ye fal with other into the greate ieopardye of distrust For albeit there be some amonge you whiche swell and are proude of their worldely wysedome yet are they ignoraunt of the hyghest parte of wysedome in that they knowe not God nor beleue that by his might the dead can be restored to life againe not with standing his almyghtie power nor yet remembre that it is an easyer thing to restore that whiche is decayed than of nothing to make somewhat This tell I you not of any displeasure but to the entente ye should for shame hēcefurth nomore geue eare to such as labour to make you beleue such folishe and deuilishe poyntes The texte But some man wyll saye howe aryse the dead with what body shall they come Thou foole that whiche thou sowest is not quyckened excepte it dye And what sowest thou Thou sowest not that body that shal be but bare corne as of whete or of some other but God geueth it a body at his pleasure to euery sede his owne body All fleshe is not one maner of fleshe but there is one maner of fleshe of beastes another of fishes and another of byrdes There is also celestiall bodyes and there are bodyes terrestriall But the glory of the celestiall is one the glory of the terrestriall is another There is one maner glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the starres For one starre differeth from an other in glory So is the resurrecciō of the dead It is sowen in corrupcion it ryseth againe in incorrupcion It is sowen in dishonour it ryseth againe in honour It is sowen in weakenes it ryseth again in power It is sowen a naturall body it ryseth again a spiritual body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body as it is also wrytten the fyrst man Adam was made a lyuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickenyng spyrite Howbeit that is not fyrste whiche is spirituall but that whiche is naturall and then that whiche is spirituall The fyrste manne is of the earth erthy the seconde manne is the Lorde from heauen heauenly As is the erthy suche are they that are erthy And as is the heauenly suche are they that are heauenly And as we haue borne the image of the erthy so shal we beare the image of the heauenly This say I brethren that fleshe bloud cannot inherite the kyngdome of God Neither doeth corrupcion inherite vncorrupcion Beholde I shew you a misterie We shall not all slepe but we shall all be chaunged and that in a momente in the twinkling of an lye by the last trompe For the trompe shall blowe and the dead shall ryse incorruptible and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible muste put on incorrupcion and this mortall muste put on immortalytie When this corruptible hath put on incorrupcion and this mortall hath put on immortalytie then shal be brought to passe the saying that is wrytten Death is swalowed vp in victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory The styng of death is synne and the strength of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs victory thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe Therfore my deare brethren be ye stedfast and vnmouable alwayes ryche in the worke of the Lorde for as muche as ye knowe howe that your labour is not in vayne in the Lorde But now synce it is certaine that a general resurrecciō shal be some curious persō wil aske after what sort shal it be in what kind of bodies shal men rise synce the bodies whiche we now haue are tourned into ashes earth or into some other thing more vile Thou foole which maruailest howe God can once doe in renyuing bodies again that nature dayly worketh in a sede cast into the grounde Thou sowest a drye dead sede into the earth there agayne thesame beyng putrified semeth to dye so finally growyng out of the earth as it were lyueth agayne and groweth nor coulde thesame in any wyse lyue agayne onlesse it be fyrste dead and buried But nowe groweth the sede vppe in another fourme that it had when it was cast into the earth Into the earth is cast a lytle vyle blacke and drye grayne which beeng by continaunce of tyme putrified there in due season groweth vp and becommeth fyrst a tender grasse and then a stalke and so at the laste an eare Of all whiche three there appeared none in that small grayne which thou before dydest cast into the earth Euery sede hath his power which when it is growen vp appeareth so that it may now seme vtterly to be an other where thou in dede knowest it to be the same saue that it is chaunged into a better forme Seest thou not of a lyttle kernell howe greate a tree groweth howe myghtye a stemme there is howe the rootes spreade howe large boughes what a noumbre of braunches howe pleasaunte blosomes and plentefulnes of fruyte there is Of all which there was nothyng when thou dyd cast that sealye small kernell into the grounde And yet at that tyme all these thinges didest thou hope for vpon trust conceiued of y◠workes of nature ▪ and darest thou not vpon trust of Gods almyghtye power surely looke for the lyke to be done by God A kernell it was that thou sowedste and not a tree and yet geueth God to that kernell once quickned a body suche as his pleasure is which geueth euery kynde of sede a speciall property that wheras all growe agayne yet haue they not in all poyntes thesame forme they had before And after lyke sorte is it in all kyndes of beastes wherof euery one hath his seueral sede so that of euery seed euery beaste can not be engendred And though this to all beastes be commen to haue a fleshy body yet is there betwixte one flesh and an other no small difference For the flesh of men is of one maner and the flesh of beastes fyshes and byrdes is of another Lykewise also though such creatures as lacke lyfe be called bodies yet is there a diuerse forme in heauenly bodies and in earthly as in stones water
seke vpon the succour of the lawe specially synce we well knowe that through the benefite of the lawe no man before God is made righteous If menne were what nede were it to resorte to the fayth of the gospel The texte If while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ then the minister of sinne God forbid And if after our once receiuyng the fayth of the gospel we be neuertheles found subiecte to synne so that we nede yet an other remedy as muche as we had nede of beyng vnder Moses lawe and beyng disapointed of the hope we stoode in so that we now againe are compelled to seke vpon the lawe that of vs was forsaken what shal we say shal we say that Christ whom we beleued to be the author of perfite iustice is the minister of vnrighteousnes who not onely deliuereth vs not from our olde vnrighteousnes but is also an occasion of encrease therof and not onely geueth vnto vs not the welthy state whiche we loked for but also causeth our coÌ„demnacion to be more grieuous forasmuche as vpoÌ„ hope of him we forsoke the lawe whervnto if we againe be compelled to returne we might seme not without fault vnaduisedly to haue forgone it of whiche fault Christ semeth the very occasion But God forbid that any man so iudge of Christ or thinke that the grace of his gospel doeth lacke any perfeccion so that towarde the attainement of saluacion we should nede to seeke somewhat out of Moses law The texte For if I haue builte againe the thinges whiche I destroyed then make I my selfe a trespacer For I through the lawe haue been dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto Christ For to returne againe to Moses after we once haue receiued the lawe of the gospel it is a certain fallyng away from Christ and reproche to the gospel yea what Iewe or straunger soeuer so doeth therin declareth he him selfe also to be a transgressour of Moses lawe For if the lawe any thyng made to saluacion why forsoke he it if it nothyng made why falleth he to it agayne If the buildyng throwen doune with myne owne handes I begynne euen from the foundacion to buylde the same againe whiche I erste destroyed shewe not I therin my foly whiche sette that vp againe whiche I vnaduisedly destroyed No cause is there then why after we haue once embraced the fayth of the gospel by whom the goodnes of Christ would we should receiue perfite righteousnes and saluacion to regarde the succour of the grosse lawe whervnto we are now no lenger bonde For as the death of either of the two maried deliuereth the partie that is left on liue froÌ„ the bonde of matrimony so had I whiche am a Iewe with the lawe somewhat to do as long as that mutual right endured that is to say as long as the lawe liued vnto me and I liued to the lawe The texte I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet now not I but Christ liueth in me The life whiche I now liue in the fleshe I liue by the fayth of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue him selfe for me I dispise not the grace of God For if righteousnes come of the lawe then Christ died in vaine But assone as through the death of Christ and the sacrament of baptisme I became prentice to the spiritual lawe of fayth I was in maner to the grosse and carnal lawe dead yet not so dead that I liued not but so dead that I begunne to liue after a better way and condicion Hitherto liued I to Moses but now liue I to God For God is a spirite As Christ liued before a mortal man hauyng a body subiecte to miseries as ours is so he beyng now dead to the fleshe and also to the world liueth to God the father free from all corrupcion and miseries of death But I whiche through baptisme am crucifyed with Christ and also dead with him am so farre from beyng bonde to these grosse and carnal rather than spiritual and godly obseruaunces that to them I am dead For I liue not grosse and carnal as I once was subiect also to worldly desires Dead is Saule the stoute deâ—ender of the law persecutor of the gospel and yet through the spirite of Christ haue I receiued life now muche better Or rather I liue not my selfe whiche of my selfe am nothyng but carnal but in me liueth Christ whoâ—e holy spirite at his wyll and pleasure gouerneth all myne actes But wheras I am not yet free from all contagion of death but haue stil a body somewhat subiecte to mannes weakenes the discoÌ„modities of this mortall life yet in maner liue I a life immortal conceiued in my soule through sure hope assuryng my selfe vpoÌ„ the promise of the sonne of God through whose bounteous mercy I haue receiued yâ— gift of fayth through fayth righteousnes through righteousnes life euerlastyng not by keapyng of the grosse lawe but through the singular goodnes of Christ who of his owne good wyll loued me deseruyng no suche thyng so greatly that for my synnes he suffered the punishement of the crosse and for my welth gaue him selfe to death Free is all that he geueth His pleasure was that for our saluacion we should to him be beholdyng and not to the kepyng of the lawe He it is whiche frely geueth this benefite to all men He it is whiche taketh a way synne and geueth pure and innocent life Were not I most vnkynde yea were I not spitefull against Christ if I refused his offre And refuseth he not it who after baptisme receiued loketh backe againe for helpe of the lawe as though to abolishe al the synnes of the worlde and to geue euery manne euerlastyng saluacion Christes death were not sufficient If through innocent and hurtleslife we become immortal whence I pray you rather loke we to receiue both by confidence in the law or by the fre mercy of Christ If by his free mercy why hang we styl on the lawe If by keapyng of Moses then is Christ dead in vayne forasmuche as that for whiche his pleasure was to dye by his death we geate not The third Chapiter The texte O ye folishe Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before the eyes now among you crucified COmenly among men for your folishenes and childishnes are ye euil spoken of but this may I truely say O ye folishe Galathians whiche would be brought in to an opinion so farre from all reason that where the Iewes through the fayth of the gospel preached vnto them are deliuered froÌ„ the burden of the law ye beyng free menne borne wyl wilfully cast your selfe into bondage â–ª The harme whiche is herein done I lay not wholy to your charge but blame your lightenes to beleue easynes to be persuaded but much more blame I the malice
of all healthe that you may behold hym in the meane while as it were with iyes not with bodily eiyes but with the iyes of the harte and mynde that see through the light of faithe wherewith the thynges are also seen that are to come whiche cannot be seene with the grosse bodily iyes whereby you maye knowe that which no humayne philosophie teacheth how blissed the enheritaunce is whiche he hath called vs to truste vpon and how excellent yâ— dignitie of this most pleÌ„teous enheritauÌ„ce is which the saynctes shal receyue howe great the largenesse and how excedyng the greatnesse of his power is which he declareth eueÌ„ now in vs the which also as it were with a certain secrete enforcement yâ— cannot be expressed with tongue hath transformed alâ—red vs froÌ„ our olde trade after such sorte that we conteÌ„ne al other thiges trust onely to him coÌ„teÌ„ning those thinges which wese we hope after such thinges of him as we se not such as he hath openly declared before in our head Christ whoÌ„ of his mightie power hauing raised from death to life immortal he hath exalted vnto so high honor that he hath set him on his owne right hand in yâ— kingdoÌ„ of heauen geuen him autoritie ouer al other rule potestate power lordship and euery other name of dignitie or power how excellent so euer it be aboue these afore rehearsed eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come that he may be lorde not onely ouer bodely and earthly thinges but also ouer spirituall and heauenly thynges So ferre hath he subdued al thinges without excepcion vnder his feete And to make our hope more stedfast and certayn that we shall also come to the felowship of the same glorye for asmuche as he hath made Christe lorde ouer all thinges his pleasure was also that he shoulde be the head vnto al the whole flocke of the beleuing that cleaue so fast to Christe as the whole body is coupled to the head that the one can not be disceuered froÌ„ the other Finally the glory of the head is common to the rest of the members wherunto the head is so set about that it powreth his good nourishment into euery one of them The bodye is not perfit onleÌ„s the head be at it and the head wanteth sum what if the body be not set to perfitly consummate in all his meÌ„bres wherunto Christ doeth seuerally powre his excellent giftes in such wise that by himselfe he fulfilleth all thiÌ„ges and liueth and reigneth now whole and entierely perfit hauing his members vnited vnto himselfe ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte And you hath he quyckened wher as ye were dead in trespasses and synnes in the whiche in tyme passed ye walked according to the course of this worlde euen after the gouerner that ruleth in the ayre the spiryte that nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbelefe emong whoÌ„ we all had out conuersacion also in tyme past in the lustes of oure fleshe and fuliâ—lled yâ— wyll of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the chyldren of wrath euen as well as other But God whiche is ryche in mercye for his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were deade by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by grace arâ— ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym made vs sytte together with hym emong them of heauen in Chryst Iesu That in tymes to come he myght shewe the exceding riches of his grate in kindnes to vs ward thorow Christ Iesu For by grate are ye made safe thorowe faythe and that not of your selues It is the gyite of God and coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should â—â—ast hym selfe For we are his worckemaÌ„shyppe created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whiche God ordeined that we should walke in them NOwe marke me this how the father hath begon in a maner to accomplish euen now in you that that is accomplished already in Christ shal be after ward accoÌ„plished in you Christ dyed and rose agayn shall neuer after dye any more Certes he was not subiecte to sinne albeit forasmuche as he tooke vpon him an humaine bodie he was subiecte to mortalitie To be briefe like as sin is a certain death of the soule and the forewarning of eternall death euen so is innocencie a certayne life of the soule and the beginning of eternal life But of this maner of lyfe God that geueth vs his spirite is the prince And the deuil is yâ— autor of death hauing also a spirite of his owne wherwith those that ve enspired are rapt vnto the pleasures of this world and plainely distrust the promisses of eternal lyfe Christ dyed for our offences and rose agayn to make vs sure of the immortalitie to come In the meane tyme after hys exaumple you also being engraffed to Christ through baptisme are dead to your sinnes and wickednes wherein as long as you liued vngodly you were dead in dede for asmuche as you had affyaunce in nothing but noysome shadowes of good thinges wherwith this worlde for a tyme disceaueth suche as wantyng the spirite of God are lead by the spirite of Satan whose tirannye in the meane while is permitted ouer this lower element His spirit I say and he himselfe setteth out as it were his own power in them that hauing no trust in the promisses of the Gospell set theyr whole felicitie in visible and transitory thinges and geue no eare to God the father that allureth them to true felicitie but had leauer serue that wieked cruell maister whome in tymes past you serued and not you alone but all we also For albeit the law restrayned vs from the wurshipping of Images yet our lyfe was altogether defyled with noysome lustes of corporall thynges by the enforcemente whereof we passed of the tyme not doyng those thynges whiche the holy ghoste commaunded but those that our owne mynde geuen to filthie affectes bad vs doe By reason wherof it came to passe that like as they which are encorporated to Christe through fayth appertayne to the enheritaunce that is promised to obedient children euen so we as disobedient children should haue belonged to a ferre contrary enheritaunce that is to say we should haue becomen the companions of hym to whome we had ioyned our selues That death is eternal that is appoynted to the wicked Wherunto we also were subiect asmuche as other touchyng our owne state and condicion We had addicted ourselues vnto it of our owne free choice but it was not in our power to wynde vs agayne out of that most miserable seruitude Nowe you haue heard of our death now you haue harde of our destruccion but whereof commeth lyfe whereof commeth saluacyon Truely not of our desertes nor yet by the benefite of Moses lawe Whence than Surely of the free largesse of God the father whose bounteousnesse and louyng affection is so plenteous and so exceadingly great to mankyndewarde that
suche a foundacion mete and conuenient And take hede that ye wauer not this waye or that waye as euery blaste of newe doctrine moueth you but staÌ„de stedfast and stable in that ye haue once learned and endeuour not only to stande stedfastly but also to encrease euery daye from better to better that your fayth and fruites of godly lyfe beyng dayly more and more augmented ye maye alwayes haue some newe thing to gyue god thankes for whoÌ„ ye must in dede thanke for all that is by you well done The texte Beware lest any man sporle you through Philosophy and disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of men and after the ordinaunces of the worlde and not after Christe Suche as would bring you froÌ„ your simplicitie watche busely watche muste ye on the other syde lykewyse least beyng as it were enchaunted with the royall and glyttering appacences of theyr Phylosophie ye be â—roÌ„ your sound fayth altred and brought to the vayne deuties of men and so become as it were a spoyle or praye for your aduersaries as ye shall vn doubtedly be if ye turne from the truth of the gospell and beled with the rules of mennes onlye makyng whiche stande in suche thinges as maye with our carnal eyes be sene and in the grosse pointes of this world wher as Christes doctrine is heauenly and spirituall and teacheth the righte and trewe religion whiche standeth in myndes and not in meates and drinkes nor in bodily apparell no nor in keping of dayes nor yet in wasshyng of handes whiche thynges to trewe religion make nothing Suche pointes withdraw vs rather froÌ„ Christe and deuide vs froÌ„ the welspring from whence it were mete we sought for all grace and goodnes The texte For in hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodely and ye are complete in him whiche is the head of all rule and power â–ª by whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision whiche is done with out handes for asmuche as ye haue put of the synfull bodye of the fleshe through the circumcision that is in Christ in that ye are buried with hym through baptisme in whome ye are also tysen agayne through fayth yâ— is wrought by the operacion of God whiche raysed hym from death For into hym are not some certayne giftes deriued as oute of the ryuer a litle water runneth into the dyche but in hym resteth and dwelleth corporally the hole fulnes of the godhead so that yf ye haue hym ye nede not to seke either for the shadowes of Moses lawe or the subtile conueyaunce of worldly wisdome The trouth is playnly delyuered vs as al ouâ— sences beare recorde no nede haue we to seke for figures or doubtfull promises Synce ye are once graffed in Christe and framed into one bodye with hym why shoulde you elswher loke to haue any thyng For since he lacketh nothyng would haue all his treasure coÌ„men to al men through hym in hym needes must ye be made complet whither ye lacke wysdome or power For as he is the welspring of wysedome which can neuer be dryed vp so is he the heade of all power rule Nor is ther any power no not of the hyghest order of Aungels I say but that the same to hym boweth his knees Iewes paradueÌ„ture endeuoure to bring you in minde that it is a weightye matier to haue you circumcised as they be â–ª as though the state of mannes body and suche externe thinges brought vs into goddes fauour But rather be in this persuaded that whosoeuer haue Christ enioye with hym all the glorie and commendacion of circumcision And who so haue not Christe to them is all theyr circumcision vayne and vnprofitable They haue but the shadow of circumcision ye therof in your soules haue the verye truthe For sythe the Iewes circumcision meaneth that groce and carnall desyers should be cut out of al theyr soules which now loke for nothyng but heauenly thinges vncircumcised needes must they be whiche with couetous myndes styll labour to haue more which please their bealyes whiche with enuy malice pyne a way which vayngloriously seke for worldly prayse despayre of heauenly rewardes But ye contrarie are through Christ veryly circumcised not with that circumcisioÌ„ which is done with mannes handes but after a spirituall kynde of circumcision Nor haue ye a litle piece onlye of the carnall man pared awaye but from you is cut the whole bodye defyled with syn and all corrupted with carnal lustes that through the spirituall circumcision of Christ Iesus For as he dying forsoke his bodye that was subiect to death rysyng againe receyued a body whiche coulde not dye so are ye in baptisme throughe the spirite of god with hym spiritually dead castyng of all the synnes of your olde lyfe and not only deade with hym but also buried with hym For wheÌ„ synfull desyers are kylled perfite quyetnes of mynde foloweth And after suche forgoyng of your bodyes which were thral to sinne whiche sinne is the very death of the soule ye are through Christe with hym risen agayne free from synne nor for your desertes but only because ye stedfastly beleue in god who by his mightie power restored Christe agayne from death to lyfe and that he also in you by his power worketh that vpon free remissioÌ„ of all your sinnes through the death of his soÌ„ne ye shoulde hencefurthe liue with him subiect to no sin but through innocent vprighte life make haste forwarde to the life that shall neuer haue ende ThaÌ„kes then should god the father haue for all suche thinges whiche he through his soÌ„ne gyueth you Nothing auauntaged it the Iewes because they were circumcised and vncircumcision to you which are Gentiles was no hinderauÌ„ce But to be vncircumcised was therfore a deadly lacke because ye wer wholy gyuen to groce and wycked desyres and therby subiecte to death or rather because ye were without the grace of god who is the lyfe of mannes soule ye were spiritually deade The texte And ye when ye were dead through synne and through the vncircumcision of youre fleshe hathe he qâ—ickened with hym and hath forgyuen vs all oure trespaces and hath put out the hande wrytyng that was agaynst vs contayned in the lawe wryten that hathe he taken oute of the waye and hath fastened it to his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne persone This kynde of vncircumcision I saye was to both sortes of vs comen whiche god hath with his holy spirite cutte of and taken away forgeuing vs all oure synnes and in suche sorte forgyuyng them that we are oute â—â— the ieopardie of hauyng the same offences any more hereafter to be layed vnto oure charge because we haue aduisedly sworne to be obedieÌ„t to Moses lawe for breache wherof oure aduersary the deuyll myght haue an action agaynste vs as agaynst men bounden by theyr owne hande wryting yea
to gyue god thankes for whoÌ„ ye must in dede thanke for all that is by you well done The texte Beware lest any man spoyle you through Philosophy and disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of men and after the ordinaunces of the worlde and not after Christe Suche as would bring you froÌ„ your simplicitie watche busely watche muste ye on the other syde lykewyse least beyng as it were enchaunted with the royall and glyttering apparences of theyr Phylosophie ye be froÌ„ your sound fayth altred and brought to the vayne deuises oâ— men and so become as it were a spoyle or praye for your aduersaries as ye shall vn doubtedly be if ye turne from the truth of the gospell and be led with the rules of mennes onlye makyng whiche stande in suche thinges as maye with our carnal eyes be sene and in the grosse pointes of this world wher as Christes doctrine is heauenly and spirituall and teacheth the righte and trewe religion whiche standeth in myndes and not in meates and drinkes nor in bodily apparell no nor in keping of dayes nor yet in wasshyng of handes whiche thynges to trewe religion make nothing Suche pointes withdraw vs rather froÌ„ Christe and deuide vs froÌ„ the welspring from whence it were mete we sought for all grace and goodnes The texte For in hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodely and ye are complete in him whiche is the head of all rule and power â–ª by whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision whiche is done with out handes forasmuche as ye haue put of the synfull bodye of the fleshe through the circumcision that is in Christ in that ye are buried with hym through baptisme in whome ye are also rysen agayne through fayth yâ— is wrought by the operacion of God whiche raysed hym from death For into hym are not some certayne giftes deriued as oute of the ryuer a litle water runneth into the dyche but in hym resteth and dwelleth corporally the hole fulnes of the godhead so that yf ye haue hym ye nede not to seke either for the shadowes of Moses lawe or the subtile conueyaunce of worldly wisdome The trouth is playnly delyuered vs as al our sences beare recorde no nede haue we to seke for figures or doubtfull promises Synce ye are once graffed in Christe and framed into one bodye with hym why shoulde you elswher loke to haue any thyng For since he lacketh nothyng would haue all his treasure coÌ„men to al men through hym in hym needes must ye be made complet whither ye lacke wysdome or power For as he is the welspring of wysedome which can neuer be dryed vp so is he the heade of all power rule Nor is ther any power no not of the hyghest order of Aungels I say but that the same to hym boweth his knees Iewes paradueÌ„ture endeuoure to bring you in minde that it is a weightye matier to haue you circumcised as they be as though the state of mannes body and suche externe thinges brought vs into goddes fauour But rather be in this persuaded that whosoeuer haue Christ enioye with hym all the glorie and commendacion of circumcision And who so haue not Christe to them is all theyr circumcision vayne and vnprofitable They haue but the shadow of circumcision ye therof in your soules haue the verye truthe For sythe the Iewes circumcision meaneth that groce and carnall desyers should be cut out of al theyr soules which now loke for nothyng but heauenly thinges vncircumcised needes must they be whiche with couetous myndes styll labour to haue more which please their bealyes whiche with enuy malice pyne away which vayngloriously seke for worldly prayse despayre of heauenly rewardes But ye contrarie are through Christ veryly circumcised not with that circumcisioÌ„ which is done with mannes handes but after a spirituall kynde of circumcision Nor haue ye a litle piece onlye of the carnall man pared awaye but from you is cut the whole bodye defyled with syn and all corrupted with carnal lustes that through the spirituall circumcision of Christ Iesus For as he dying forsoke his bodye that was subiect to death rysyng againe receyued a body whiche coulde not dye so are ye in baptisme throughe the spirite of god with hym spiritually dead castyng of all the synnes of your olde lyfe and not only deade with hym but also buried with hym For wheÌ„ synfull desyers are kylled perfite quyetnes of mynde foloweth And after suche forgoyng of your bodyes which were thral to sinne whiche sinne is the very death of the soule ye are through Christe with hym risen agayne free from synne nor for your desertes but only because ye stedfastly beleue in god who by his mightie power restored Christe agayne from death to lyfe and that he also in you by his power worketh that vpon free remissioÌ„ of all your sinnes through the death of his soÌ„ne ye shoulde hencefurthe liue with him subiect to no sin but through innocent vprighte life make haste forwarde to the life that shall neuer haue ende ThaÌ„kes then should god the father haue for all suche thinges whiche he through his soÌ„ne gyueth you Nothing auauntaged it the Iewes because they were circumcised and vncircumcision to you which are Gentiles was no hinderauÌ„ce But to be vncircumcised was therfore a deadly lacke because ye wer wholy gyuen to groce and wycked desyres and therby subiecte to death or rather because ye were without the grace of god who is the lyfe of mannes soule ye were spiritually deade The texte And ye when ye were dead through synne and through the vncircumcision of youre fleshe hathe he quickened with hym and hath forgyuen vs all oure trespaces and hath put out the hande wrytyng that was agaynst vs contayned in the lawe wryten that hathe he taken oute of the waye and hath fastened it to his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne persone This kynde of vncircumcision I saye was to both sortes of vs comen whiche god hath with his holy spirite cutte of and taken away forgeuing vs all oure synnes and in suche sorte forgyuyng them that we are oute of the ieopardie of hauyng the same offences any more hereafter to be layed vnto oure charge because we haue aduisedly sworne to be obedieÌ„t to Moses lawe for breache wherof oure aduersary the deuyll myght haue an action agaynste vs as agaynst men bounden by theyr owne hande wryting Yea the olde obligacion by ryght wherof the deuyll sued vs hath Christe rased oute assone as we professed the fayth of his gospell through whome the offences of our olde lyfe are forgyuen so that the â—ame are layed to no mannes charge For whatsoeuer myght of vs by ryghte of this wrytyng be requyred that same hath Christe for our sakes payed vpon the crosse where the wrytyng was rente torne and vtterly cancelled Nor haue we
chalenge to hymselfe any prayse The texte ¶ Charge them whiche are riche in this worlde that they be not hyemynded nor trust in vncerten riches but in the lyuyng God whiche geueth vs abound auntlye all thinges to enioye them that they doe good that they be riche in good workes that they be readye to geue and gladlye to dystribute laynge vp in store for themselues a good foundacion as gainst the tyme to come that they maye obtaine eternal lyfe O Timothe saue that which is geuen the to kepe and a voyde vngostly vanities of voyces and opposicions of science falsly so called whiche science whyle some professed they erred as concernynge the faith Grace be with the. Amen I haue declared how parilous noysome a matter it is for them that professe Christ to set their studie vpō riches And yf there be among our sorte any that haue chaunced vpon those riche substaunces for the whiche this presente worlde recōneth men ryche and fortunate and reuerenceth and honoureth them as halfe goddes commaunde them that they be not as the commune sorte is hyghe mynded in trustyng vpon their ryches nor that they repose their chiefe helping felicitie in thinges that are fyrste vayne than so incertain that yf casualtie take them not awaye yet at lest death despatcheth vs from them But let them rather trust surely in the lyuynge god that neuer forsoke mē eyther quicke or dead inasmuche as he is vnchaungeable of whose lyberalitie commeth whatsoeuer this worlde yeldeth vnto vs plenteouslye of yearely reuenues for oure presēt vse and not to hoorde vp riches And let them rather conuerte their study to this ende that they maye exercyse them selues vnto good workes wherby they maye be made truly ryche and let them be wealthye rather in good dedes thā in lordely possessions that that they haue let them so possede as thoughe it were commune and not their owne and let them therwith be glad to geue vnto the nedye and not dysoayne the rest that are but of small substaunce and let them shewe them selues gentyll and frendly in the company and familiaritie of the commune sorte of lyfe For wealthe hathe commonly these companyons with her dysdeyne statelynes Let them not put their trust in their gorgious great buyldinges for nothing in this world is longe durable But rather with true vertues let them laye for them selues a stronge and a good foundacion againe y◠worlde to come that they maye atteyne to the true lyfe that is to saye the lyfe that euer lasteth For what other thing is this lyfe than a race vnto death we must laye all carefulnes of transitorie thinges asyde and make spedye haste vnto it with all dilygent studye O Tymothie I eftesones desyre beseche the againe kepe faithfully this doctrine as it is committed vnto thee and suffre it not to be defyled with humayne learnynges And that thou canst not possyblye doe onles as I watned the before thou reiecte the chattring vayne byblebable of those mē that goe about to bryng them selues in a false estimacion of knowledge by reason of humayne questions and sophisticall quiddities inasmuche as mans knowledge consistyng of opinions contrarylye repugnaunt amonge them selues is not worthye to be called knowledge We know nothīg more certainlye than that whiche the doctrine and belefe of the gospel hathe perswaded vnto vs. Furthermore some men whyleft they goe aboute to seme learned and wyse throughe humayne reasons throughe sophistical wragglinges through new learnynges whiche they themselues haue deuysed haue wandred astraye frō the spnceritie of y◠faythe of the gospel whose propertie is to beleue not to dyspute nor is caryed awaye with mens decrees from the prescripte commaundementes of god And to thintent thou mayest perceaue that this Epistle is not countrefaicte I wyll subscribe these wordes with myne owne hande that thou well knowest Grace be with the. Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the fyrst Epistle to Tymothie ¶ The Argument vpon the latter Epistle vnto Tymothee by Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as in the former Epistle Paule put Tymothee beyng at Ephesus in hope of his comming agayne vnto him could not perfourme it bicause he was holdē in bondes at Rome he coufirmeth him with lettres that he be not discouraged with stormes of persecutions but after his example to prepare his mynde vnto martirdō For there are perilous times at hande quam he by reason of some that vnder pretence of godlynes turne true godlynes vp syde downe and so prate boastynglye of them selues as thoughe the Christian Religion consisted in wordes and not rather in purenesse of herte Than tellyng that the daye of his death draweth nere and that the moste part haue now forsaken him he byddeth Timothee and Marcus to come to Rome spedely vnto him This Epistle he wrote at Rome whan he was eftesones arraigned at Neros barre Thus endeth thargument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paule to Timothee ¶ The first Chapter ▪ The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God accordynge to the prompyse of lyfe which is in Christ Iesu To Timothee hys beloued sonne Grace mercy and peace from God the father and from Iesu Christ oure Lorde I thanke god whom I setue frō myne elders with pure conscience that without any ceasynge I make mencion of the in my prayers nyght and day desyryng to se the myndefull of thy reares so that I am filled of ioye when I call to remēbraunce the vnfeyned fayth that is in thee which dwelt fyrste in thy graundemother Loys and in thy mother Eunica and I am assured that it dwelleth in the also PAule an Embassadour of Iesu Christ called therunto by the will of God the father to declare howe greate the felicitie of the lyfe to come is whiche he promiseth vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christe that we should not care much for the losse of this life To Tymothee my dearebeloued sonne grace mercie and peace from God the father and from Iesus Christ oure Lorde I thanke God whose seruaunte I begonne not of a late tyme to be but kepte his relygion after the tradicions of myne elders continually with an vpright and a pure conscience and doe kepe styll For I serue all one God now beynge a christian the I lately serued a Iewe though after an other sort throughe whose goodnes we chaunced vpō such a man as thou arte in that thou folowest the exāple of me in sincere preaching of the ghospelles doctrine so as for thine owne deserte I can no lesse hartelye loue thee than mine own very sonne in so muche that I can not forget thee euen whan thou arte absent For in my prayers night and daye wherwith I am accustomed to call vpon God and to commende vnto him suche as I tenderlye loue thou commest alwayes in my mynde and I am very muche desirous to see thee especially as often as I remembre thy teares that thou sheddest at my departyng
speake As ofte as you denye any thinge denye it with youre whole hearte nether let any thynge elles bee in youre hearte than youre mouthe speaketh that there be no counterfaictynge in you seing you are disciples of the trueth And if there bee any manne sore afflicted amonge you let hym not flee to the remedies of thys worlde to rynges to inchauntmentes to baynes and other easementes of sorowe but let hym turne hym to prayer and lyfte vp hys mynde to God with most assured faithfull trust and he shall fâ—â—de present releaâ—se of his mournyng Agayne if a manne be well content in prosperitie let him not enhaunce him selfe folishely nor behaue hym selfe madlye but let him praise the liberall goodnesse of God in holy songes of thankes geuing Nowe if any manne be punnyshed with syckenes let hym not flee to the remedies of witchecrafte let hym not spende a great sight of money vpon phisicions whose curing is many tymes of suche sorte that it were better pacientlye to departe out of the world but let hym call vnto him the elders of the christian congregacion Let them make theyr prayers to God for the dyseased and annoynte him with oyle not hauyng any prayers of wytchecrafte as the heathen are wont to doe but callyng vpon the name of oure lorde Iesu Christe then the which there is no kinde of enchauntmente more effectuall And let the prayers be done in a trusty faithe and God shall heare and preserue the diseased And there shall not only healthe of bodye bee restored vnto hym if it be expedient for the diseased but also if he bee endaungered with synnes as diseases of bodye spryng for the moste parte of the sorowes of the mynde they shal be forgeuen hym at the elders supplicacions so that the faith of them be commendable that doe praye and of hym for whome they dooe praye The texte Knowledge your fautes one to another and praye one for another yâ— ye may be healed For the feruent prayer of a ryghteous manne auayleth muche Helyas was a man mortall euen as we are and he prayed in hys prayer that it myght not rayne and it rayned not on the earthe by the space of tore yeares and sâ—â—e monethes And he praied againe and the heaueÌ„ gaue raâ—â—â— and the earth brought forth her frute Brethren if any of you do erre from the trueth and anoâ—her conueâ—â—e hym let the same knowe that he whiche conuerteth the synner from goâ—ng astraye out of his waye shal saue a soule from death and shall by de the multytude of synnes And forasmuche as the life of manne consisteth not without light and dayly offences it shal be conuenyentâ— to vse a dayly remedie that you maye bothe releue euery one other with your mutuall prayers and acknowlage euery one hys faulte to other And so shall the remedy be auayleable â–ª if thou acknowlage thy disease and desire helpe Supersticious folkes suppose a secret hydden efficacie to be in theyr enchauntmentes and prayers but in very dede the prayer of a righteous manne is muche worthe whiche through faithe obteyneth what so euer it desireth of God Vpon this condicyon Christe made couenaunt with vs that what so euer we shall aske in a faythfull trusty confidence we shoulde obteyne it onles it be suche a thynge as were beste not to be obteyned Would you fayne haue a doctrine of thys matter Helyas was a pure manne he was a mortall manne as we are and yet at his prayers it rayned not vpon the earthe thre yeares and sixe monethes He prayed agayne that it myght rayne and anone the heauens as hauynge hearde hys prayers gaue rayne and the earthe brought forthe his frute Incase the heauen be obedient to the prayers of one godly manne as though it were bewytched is it any maruayle if God beynge moste readye to forgeue be pleased at the prayers of many Now weight this brethren if it be godly if it be the partes of christyan loue to ease the sickenes of an other mannes bodye through commune prayers how muche more indifferent reason is it that we shoulde succour them that be diseased in mynde For it is no greate matter to obteyne this by prayer that it may be somwhat longer before deathe happen to this man or that man howbeit it muste nedes comme ones but it is a great matter to haue aboyded the disease of minde Therfore if there be any among you that erre from the Gospelles veritie ether to muche cleauyng to the lawe of Moses or be a stubburne folower of heathen relygion deliuered of the elders let no man thinke that he should be dryuen awaye with scoldyng but it behoueth rather to endeuour with all â–ª studies to this ende that he maye turne and reâ—ent from hys errour For who so euer doeth thus shall doo God a greate sacrifice who wisheth not the deathe of a synner but rather that he may turne and lyue For that man doeth a great feate that preserueth the soule from deathe delyuerynge hys brother from synnes wherby he was holden in subieccyon of deathe Nether in the meane â—yme shall he wante hys rewarde for Christe shall forgeue hym hys synnes agayne how many so euer they be that shall kepe his brother from destrucâ—yon ¶ Thus endeth the epistle of S. Iames the apostle The argument vpon the fyrst Epistle of thapostle S. John by Erasmus of Roterodam THat this is Saincte Iohn thapostles epistle whiche wrote the Gospell the very stile of the wordes selfe is a playne argument He maketh muche a dooe in the rehersall of light and darckenes life and deathe hare and loue in often repetinge the wordes as though they were taken out of the sayinge nexte before Of the whiche sorte to open my saying more plainly by example this is one Loue not the Vuorlde nether those thinges that are in the VVorld Yf any manne loue the VVorlde the loue of the father is not in hym for all that is in the VVorlde c. And anon after He is not of the father but of the VVorlde and the Vuorlde passeth aVuaye How often here is the worlde rehearsed Fynally in all hys sayinge there is lesse compendyous shortenes and more open plainesse than in the writynge of the reste of thapostles And as for thepistle it is more euidently plaine than nedeth any argumente like as the two Epistles folowinge are whiche are ascribed to one Iohn a certayne senior and not to Iohn the apostle Thus endeth the Argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the firste Epistle of Sainct Iohn The fyrste Chapter The texte That which was from the beginnyng which we haue herd which we haue sene with our eyes which we haue loked vpon and oure handes haue handled of the worde of the lyfe And â—he lyfe appeared and we haue sene and beare witnes and shewe vnto you that eternall life whiche was with the father and appeared vnto vs. That whithe we haue sene and hearde declare we vnto you that ye also maye haue felowshyp
God the disciples of Christ For in dede the hate of the neghbour is a step vnto murther And malice is cleane coÌ„trary repugnauÌ„t with charitie Cain was not the sonne of god but was borne of the deuyll why because he went out of kynde from his good maker and became lyke the deuill which beyng strycken with enuy was the first that slewe man with deadly stynge Cayn resembled the disposicion of his father in sleaing Abell hys brother But what was the cause of hys hate For so the because their lyfe was not alyke and therfore they were of a contrarye kynde albeit after their bodely kinred they were naturall borne brethren They did bothe resemble their father Abel was an innoceÌ„t man and kyndled to the studious mynde of well dooinge Cain contrariwyse hauinge conceaued an hate against his brother forcasted not howe to amende himselfe but how to slea his brother Lyke as in this case the wicked coulde not abyde the godlye and the deuilles childe coulde not abyde yâ— childe of god euen so you ought to take it for no maruaiâ—e brethren thoughe men geuen to the worlde forsake you They hate them that are giltles Let no man hate them againe They forsomuche as they are vowed vnto deathe and serue the autor of deathe imagine howe to put other to deathe It is our parte to pitie them and not to doe them one harme for an other For in dede the charitie of the gospell hath ledde vs awaye from the studye of harme dooinge vnto the â—â—udie of wel dooing by this token we know that we are predestinat vnto euerlasting life exempte from the tiranny of death in yâ— we loue the brethren He that loueth bothe wisheth well doeth well The body lyueth by the breathe the soule liueth by the spirite of Christ Wher brotherly loue is not there yâ— spirite of Christ is not Whosoeuer therfore hateth his neighbour he is deade lyueth not inwardly For although he haue a faithe yet he hath a dead faith where charitie is not present Doe you make a fliâ—te at the hating of your brother as though it were a light faulte he that hateth his brother is a manâ—lear He hath not thurst his sword in him he hath not poisoned hi he hath not flowen vpon him he hath not cursed him but onely wished him euyll â–ª Mans law doeth not damne him of man laughter but in gods sight he is already damned of manslaughter He yâ— hath receyued hate ones in to his brest as much as in him is he is a maÌ„sâ—ear There are many kyndes of manslaughter He that sleaâ—th with sworde suffreth punisshemeÌ„t euen by temporall lawes He that killeth with poyson is punisshed euen of them that are wicked But he that sticketh his brother with the darte of a venemous tongue although he be quitte by mannes lawes from the crime of manslaughter yet by the lawe of the gospel he is giltie of manslaughter He is as yet hitherto alyue that the hater wissheth euil vnto yet he him selfe is al ready dead That mans lyfe is safe this hath lost euerlastinge lyfe being his owne murtherour Wyll you see brethren howe muche we ought to be farre from the desire of harme dooing Turne your eies to the example of Christ He so loued vs whan we deserued nothinge yea whan we deserued deathe that he spent his lyfe for vs. Howe muche more ought we to put our lyfe in daunger for the saluacioÌ„ of our brethreÌ„ yf occasion so require namely we that succede into Christ our shepherdes rowme He coÌ„mitted not his shepe vnto Peters keping but whan he had thrise sayed he loued him by and by hâ— sheweth him yâ— kynde of death that he might vnderstonde that the saluacioÌ„ of the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto his charge must be defended euen with the losse of lyfe But wil he spende his lyfe that grudgeth to helpe with his money doeth a maÌ„ thinke it inoughe yf he hurt not his brother yf he speake to him gently Christ declared in his dedes howe muche he loued vs. He yâ— seeth his brother waÌ„t meate clothe drincke or lodging hath substaunce to releue his nede withal is not moued with coÌ„passioÌ„ but as thoughe it were no poynt of his charge letteth him alone vnsuccoured how caÌ„ it be beleued yâ— the loue of god is in him â–ª The heatheÌ„ suâ— coureth yâ— heatheÌ„ doest not yâ— being a ChristiaÌ„ succour thine eueÌ„ christened â–ª Thou haste professed brotherly loue and if thou haue it truly present with the why doeth it ceasse in this case whan thy brother is pyned with nede Thou callest him brother and shewest thou no token of brotherly affeccioÌ„ The texte My babes let vs not loue in word neither in tong but in dede in verytie Hereby we know that we are of the verytie can quyet our heartes before hym For if our hearte condemne vs God is greater then oure hearte and knoweth all thynges Dearâ—ly beloued if our hearte condemne vs not then haue we truste to God warde and whatsoeuer we aske we receyue of hym because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges which are pleasant in hys sight And this is his commaundement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement And he that kepeth his commaundementes dwelleth in him and he â—â— him and hereby we knowe that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. My babes let vs not loue one another in wordes onely Let the loue be in the hearte rather than in the tongue and let it expresse it selfe in dedes rather than in speaking Let this worde Brother be in our dayly communicacion yea but that we may be true let the dedes be answerably like to the communicacion as often as occasion serueth let vs declare a true brotherly loue to be in vs in dede Let not our brother want any thing yâ— we haue whether he desire coate or meate or lodging either coÌ„forte teaching or admonicion Thus if we doe with readie good willes we shall knowe by this token that we are the children of the trueth and that we loue not countrefaytlye but purely The trueth is Christe him selfe vnto whose eyes we shall proue oure conscience yâ— we be allowed bothe with God and men and by our dedes men shall knowe that there is no dissembled loue among vs god loketh vpoÌ„ the puritie of the harte We shal succour our brothers nede yea but so as we releue his necessitie not to maintene his riotous prodigalitie and we shal succour him willingly without hope of reward to returne vnto vs therfore nether for dayne glories sake Menne see not the mynde but the mynde knoweth it selfe and is seene vnto the eies of god If menne prayse vs and a naughtie conscience condemne vs howsoeuer we deceaue men we can not escape the iudgement of God Mans heart hathe secret passages to and fro and doubtefull lurking
faith doe spring want lacke of ryght good workes Euen so came it to passe at Ephesus by yâ— meanes of yâ— false apostles as Paule did before prophecye vnto them at Myletus For yâ— which cause yâ— Lorde requireth exhorteth them to ameÌ„de threatneth them before after yâ— maner of al the prophetes that he wyll els punyshe and condemne them As concernynge the secte of the Nycholaites reade yâ— xxix chapter of yâ— thirde booke of Eusebius Chronicle Whosoeuer thorow true faith loue shall ouercome yâ— teÌ„ptacions assaultes of the enemy the same shall receyue and enioy the euerlastinge reward of blisse yâ— fruicion of god yâ— heuenly father the pleasant sight of the countenauÌ„ce of Iesus Christ in euerlastinge ioye which he nameth in this place yâ— tree of lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the angel of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte These thinges sayth he that is first and the laste which was dead and is alyue I knowe thy worckes and tribulacion and pouerâ—ie but thou art ryche And I knowe the blasphemy of them whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but are the congregacion of Satan Feare none of those thinges whiche thou shalt suffre Beholde the deuyll shall caste some of you into pryson to tempte you and ye shall haue tribulacion ten dayes Be faithfull vnto the death and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayth to the congregacions He that ouercommeth shall not be hurte of the seconde death The false apostles whiche were conuerted from the Iewes vnto the faythe were also at Smirna very busye and vnquiet in maynteynyng the ciâ—cumcysion and other Iewyshe ceremonies Against the whiche the trew apostles and their dysciples as Paule and suche other were fayne to fyght and stryue by reason wherof all the churches in the world were in perplexyte and dysquieted In this place Christ speaketh vnto them of Smirna and calleth them poore in affliccions and ryche in faythe and vertue And thus he teacheth here that it is the worcke of the deuyll and not of man whansoeuer thou arte caste into any perplexyte vexacion or pryson for the faythe and truthes sake And therfore be the more pacient seyng the heauenly father permytteth suche power vnto Sathan against the. Euen so dyd it happen in this citye vnto yâ— good bishop Polycarpus one of Iohns dysciples whiche was burnt of the vnfaythfull for the truth and the christen faythes sake Of this ye maye reade more in the. xiiii and xv Chapter of the. iiii boke of Eusebius chronicle By the seconde deathe vnderstande euerlastynge deathe and damnacion as the first death is yâ— deathe of the bodye and of synne from the whiche we shall be delyuered and be raysed vp againe thorowe a trewe faythe and confydence in the mercye of god ioyned with a perfyght repentaunce The texte ¶ And to the messenger of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte This saythe he whiche hath the sharpe swearde with two edges I know thy worckes and where thou dwellest euen where Satans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not deuyed my fayth And in my dayes Antipas was a faithfull wytnes of myne whiche was â—â—ayne amonge you where Satan dwelleth But I haue a fewe thinges against the because thou hast there them that maynteyne the doctrine of Balam whiche taught in Balake to put occasyon of synne before the children of Israell that they shoulde eate of meate dedycate vnto ydoles and commyt fornicacion Euen so hast thou them that maynteyne the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wyl come vnto thee shortly and wyll fyght against them with the swearde of my mouthe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyl I geue to eat Manna yâ— is byd wyl geue him a whyte stone and in the stone a newe name written whiche no man knoweth sauynge he that receaueth it As coÌ„cerning this church we reade of no maner of accion or worke of faith therof But in al notable cities where right ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ were bothe yâ— christened vnchristened Iewes did styre vp cause much sedicion tumult as their accustomed maner was And they prouoked also the lyuetenauntes of Rome alwayes to hate persecute yâ— right true christiaÌ„s As it happened in this citie vnto the deare faithful seruant of god Antippe which with out doubt preached yâ— gospel truly syncerely therfore was faine to suffre death In such cities wher gods word is coÌ„demned al godly men in continual perell danger of their lyues goodes wher meÌ„ doe both blesse curse for money as Balaam did where abhominable fylthines whoredoÌ„ is mainteined suffered ydolatry set vp wher holy matrimonye is had in no estimacioÌ„ there without doubte dwelleth yâ— deuil For these are no small synnes but very odious and hateful vnto god But they maye repent and amende and so obteyne mercye of god and thorowe the grace and ayde of god they maye withstande and ouercome suche damnable and outragious enormyties whiche thing yf they doe not let them loke for nothinge more sure than eternall damnacion This ought to moue the hartes of all men and to feare and shrugge them that they maye repent and amende their lyues By Manna vnderstande the worde of god and true harty loue And to cleaue faste vnto Christ with a strong and a stedfast faith whiche thing is a syngular pleasure and delyght vnto the godly and faithfull and a very poyson vnto the vngodly vnfaithfull By the white stone is sygnified the eleccion and appoyntment vnto euerlastyng honour before god and all sainctes bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come with the testimonye of a good conscience that feareth god and of a right harty ioye And also the euerlastynge peace rest and sure confydence in the grace and fauoure of god vnto euerlastynge lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion of Thiatira wryte This saith the sonne of god whiche hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre and hys fete are lyke brasse I knowe thy worckes and thy loue seruyce and fayth and thy pacieÌ„ce and thy dedes whiche are moo at the last then at the fyrst Notwithstandynge I haue a feawe thinges agaynste the because thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her selfe a prophetise to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes to make them commyt fornicacyon and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles And I gaue her space to repent of her fornicacyon and she repented not Beholde I wyll cast her in to a bedd and them that coÌ„myt fornicacyon with her into great aduersitye excepte they â—uâ—ue from theyr dedes And I wyll kyll her chyldren with death Here learne that the sonne of god whiche hath the two edged swearde the first and the laste whiche is deade and yet lyueth which hathe
another so frendlye as wyl for his good and wel deseruyng frendes sake suffer death But to graunt that some suche maye some where be founde as for his approued frende wyl paraduenture be contented to dye yet hath god shewed an example passyng all examples of suche earthly loues whom it pleased euen for wycked and vnworthy persons to delyuer his onlye sonne to death Now if god haue for vs beyng wycked people and offenders done thus muche how muche rather wyl he do for vs beyng nowe purged chastised and by the bloud of his sonne reconciled vnto hym that we through sinne fall no more into his displeasure and therby stande in ieopardy of more greuouse daÌ„nation not only for our synful lyfe but also because we should then be vnthankefull Christe dyed for vs but for a season but he rose agayn for euer And as he dyed for vs so arose he agayne for our sakes The texte ¶ For yf when we were enemies we were reconciled to god by the deathe of his sonne muche more seyng we are reconciled we shal be preserued by his lyfe Not onlye this but we also ioye in god by the meanes of oure lorde Iesus Christe by whome we haue nowe obtayned the attonement Now and yf by his death he haue this muche done for vs that where as before that tyme god was with vs highly offended and displeased we haue hym nowe gratiouse and merciful muche rather shal we so through his lyfe be preserued that we nomore fall into his displeasure By his death deliuered are we from synne his lyfe shal preserue vs in innoceÌ„cie his death hath delyuered vs from the power of the deuill his lyfe shall towarde vs continew the loue of his father These are suche euident sygnes of goddes loue towarde vs that they not only put vs in a quyet assuraunce and in a sure hope to be saued from the vengeauÌ„ce of god to come but also gyue vs a lustye courage euen to glorie not of oure deseartes but with thankes geuyng to god the father through whose bountefull mercy we haue receyued this welthy state promysed by hym to be geuen vnto vs neither for the lawes nor for circumcisions sake but through Iesus Christ his sonne by whose meanes we are restored into his fauour agayne to th entent that for all this benefite thankes should be gyuen to noman but to god hymself and to his only sonne Al whiche was done by the meruaylous secrete counsel of god to the ende yâ— the waye meanes of oure restoryng shoulde agree with the waye of oure damnation The texte Wherfore â–ª as by one man syn entred in the worlde and death by the meanes of syn euen so death also went ouer al men insomuche as all men synned For euen vnto the law was syn in the worlde but synne is not imputed where there is no lawe neuerthelesse death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also that had not synned with lyke transgressioÌ„ as dyd Adam which beareth the similitude of hym that was to come Wherfore as by Adam whiche fyrste transgressed the commaundemente of god synne entred into the worlde and by the meanes of synne death because syn is as it were the poyson of mannes soule by whose occasion synne whiche had his begynning in the fyrst of our stocke issued furthe into all his posteritie whyles eche man folowed the exaÌ„ple of their fyrst parente so through Christe alone in whome by fayth al are borne agayne we receyue innocencie and therwyth lyfe whiche blessednes lykewyse hauyng his begynnyng in one fyrst and new authour of generacioÌ„ Christe is spread abrode amonge all them whiche are throughe faythe knyt vnto hym and in hurtlesse lyfe folowe his steppes But when synne had once ouergone the world and poysoned all mankynde suche was the strength therof that it coulde by no meanes neyther by the lawe of nature nor yet by Moses lawe be vanquyshed so that by the lawe nothyng was done but that suche as hadde offended knewe that they were gylty and worthy of damnation For as to chyldren in whoÌ„ the lawe of nature hath no place by reason of theyr teÌ„der age not able as yet to discerne what is good and what is not syn is not yet imputed no more was it layde vnto the Paynyms charge yf they ought dyd agaynst Moyses lawe Therfore before the lawe gyuen whiche shewed men theyr synnes by reason of the law of nature the world in dede was not vtterly without synne but yet bare men at that tyme with themselfes and as it wer without correctioÌ„ fell to all licenciousnes as though they had ben vtterly lawles Forasmuche as therfore he was not yet comen whiche should take awaye the synnes of the world and vanquyshe the tyrannye of death death which enteryng through Adams offence raygned without any resistence euen vpon them also whiche had not maliciously offended agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god as Adam dyd which euen than bare the ymage and fygure of Christ whiche should come loÌ„g after and yet meane I not that he is in euery poynte vnto Christe lyke but that he in some poyntes bare the ymage of Christ In this poynt lyke that both were the begynners of a generation the one of an earthly the other of an heauenly In this lyke also that a certayne thyng is frome both begynners deriued into theyr posterities but the difference is that from the earthly Adam was the begynnyng of vnrighteousnes and synne but by the heauenly Adam is gyuen all grace and goodnes The texte But the gifte is not like as the synne Fâ—â— if through the synne of one many be dead muche more plenteous vpon many was the grace of God and gift by grace whiche was gyuen by one man Iesus Christ But now as these two are partely like so wer they not equal For besides that elswyse of it selfe it is a thing more effectual to saue then to destroy muche more strong and mightye is Christ to saue then was Adam to condempne so that muche more effectual is Christes obedience to geue life then was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to worke death so that in all pointes Christes goodnes ouerwaigheth the offence of Adam which thyng I monishe you of and say leste any man might thynke the synne of our fyrst parent to be so outragious that he should dispaire of his restoryng again to saluacion For it one mannes synne was of suche power that it made so great a numbre of people thral vnto death of muche more power plentyfulnes more general shal the benefite of God be and his mercyful gift which he hath gyneÌ„ vs by one man lykewyse I meane Iesus Christ yâ— author of godly and innocent lyfe by whome he hath not onely taken awaye the tyranny of death and syn but hath also in steade of syn gyuen righteousnes and in the steade of the tyranny of death the kyngdoÌ„ of life so that the offeÌ„ce of Adam through the great mercy of
wherwith we were to the fleshe endaungered Syth this is so God forbid that we hereafter liue as the fleshe ruleth whiche fleshe should rather to the spirite be obedient RemeÌ„bre that ye be called to life but if ye liue carnally then runne ye headlong to deathwarde but contrary if by the power of the spirit ye suppresse al fleshely desyres after suche mortifiyng of them ye shal liue Nor is it to liue after the gouernaunce of the spirite of God a paynefull profession For albeit the same call you foorth to great weightie enterprises yet are ye glad willyng to vndertake them because by it in you is enkienled a feruent charitie to whom nothyng can be hard nothyng can be but swete pleasaunt As the body liueth with his bodily spirite so dâ—eth the soule through a heauenly If our bodily spirites natural powers be weake and faint the wholle body is made dul heauye but if the same be quicke and lustie the wholle bodye is full of courage So likewyse al suche as are with the spirite of God ledde and moued are his childreÌ„ Suche as are towarde childreÌ„ resemble theyr fathers goodnes with a mery chere and frely doyng al suche thinges as they shal suppose wyll please them Bondslaues because there is betwene them and theyr maisters no natural knotte for feare of punishement abstaine froÌ„ euil beyng violeÌ„tly coÌ„pelled do theyr duties Iewes whiche are with yâ— bondage of the lawe delited this wyse do but ye whiche are once deliuered froÌ„ such boÌ„dage wyl nomore so fal to the same that with feare it be nedeful to compel you Endued are ye with the spirite of God through whom ye are by adopcion receiued into the nuÌ„bre not of seruauÌ„tes but of Gods owne children This spirit putteth vs in suche a sure trust and coÌ„fidence that in all our distresses we may boldly speake vnto God those wordes whiche fathers most gentilly fauourably are wont to geue eare vnto callyng vpoÌ„ him O father father Whiche worde we durst not be so bold in our troubles lameÌ„tably to speake vnto him were we not in assurauÌ„ce both that we are his children that he also is our merciful father as loÌ„g as we liue after his coÌ„maundement not by coÌ„pulsion I saye but of free wyl and gladly For were it so that he accoumpted vs not for his childreÌ„ neuer would he haue geuen vs this his holy spirit This benefite of God therfore whether ye cal it a pledge or token of fatherly loue wel assureth our consciences that we are his children whiche gaue vs this pledge Further then if we be his children not his seruauntes than are we also his heyres The heyres I say of God from whoÌ„ as author begynner al thinges come ioynte inheritors with Christ into whose body beyng graffed we now haue the same father that he hath through him enioy one comen enheritaunce It shal we yet none otherwyse possesse but by goyng the same pathe waye to it by whiche it pleased Christ him selfe to walke He by sufferauÌ„ce of miseries came to the possession of his glorious inheritauÌ„ce he by obedience came to his kyngdome he by reproche came to glory by death attained to life euerlastyng Suffer must we therfore with him that we may of his ioyes be partakers obedient must we be with him that we may with him raigne euerlastyngly suffre must we also worldely shame vilany that with him we in heauen may be glorifyed and finally for a season dye also with him that we may in his kyngdome liue for euer The texte For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are not worthy of the glorye whiche shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abideth lokyng when the sonnes of God shal appeare because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wyl therof but for his wyl whiche subdued the same in hope For the same creature shal be deliuered froÌ„ the bondage of corrupcion into the glorious libertie of the soÌ„nes of God For we knowe that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine euen vnto this tyme. These be the wayes and condicions to wynne this inheritaunce by wherof since there shal neuer be an ende the thyng selfe so great that it passeth al mens capacities and estimacion surely if al the affliccions of this life were put vpon one mannes bodye all the same yet were of no weight but euen trifles beyng weighed and compared with the reward of the glory to come whiche men gette in maner bye with suche great displeasures and calamities And though we now already haue an ernest peny of this welthy life to come so that therof nomaÌ„ shuld dispayre yet by reason of oure bodyes subiecte to paynes and death the same is not in euery point perfite and full In the meane tyme by the spirite of God haue we therof inwardly a secrete taste geuen vs but then shall we haue it fully and wholy when our bodies are restored to life and all the miseries of our mortal state are shaken of at what tyme we shall with euerlastyng Christ raigne euerlastyngly For whiche ioyful tyme in the meane season the whole engyne of this worlde ernestly loketh in his maner wishyng for the day wherin after that the numbre of Gods children is fulfilled and restored theyr glory shal plainly appeare whiche beyng yet burdened with theyr mortal bodies are with huÌ„ger with thryst with diseases with diuers paynes and miseries punished yea euen the world selfe after a sorte semeth to be of mannes careful estate partaker because the yearth the water the ayre heauenly bodyes and to be briefe euen the very Angels selfe were by God especially made to helpe mannes necessities And therfore not so muche as the verye worlde selfe shal from suche miseries be free vntyl that Goddes children be sette in perfite fredome so that in the meane season it is in boÌ„dage vnwillyngly For euen in the very dead creatures which haue no life a natural desyre is ther to be made perfite yet abide they nethelesse this boÌ„dage therin obeiyng him at whose pleasure it became subiecte enduryng it so muche the more paciently because it knoweth it selfe not bonde for euer but vnder this coÌ„dicion that as sone as the children of God are fully deliuered from al infeccion of death than shal the worlde no lenger be thral and vnder the displeasures of corrupcion For syth that we see al the elemeÌ„tes of this world so diuersly altered vnder so many corrupcions and see that the Sunne and moone besyde that they almost seme in theyr continual renewyng of corruptible creatures to labor in vayne haue also theyr eclipses synce that the one starres power is also contrary to another synce there is no doubt also but that the whole coÌ„pany of Angels froÌ„ heauen beholdyng our wretchednes are by reason of a pitiful loue borne towarde vs greatly
not this playne poynte that he whiche coupleth hymselfe with an harlote becommeth with the same one bodye For so reade we in Genesis of the manne and wyfe of bothe shall one fleshe and one bodye bee made So that then as in lawefull matrimonye the honeste and godlye consente of two myndes makethe one and the lawefull acte of matrimonye betwixte two maketh one so in vnlawefull coumpainying together euery manne beecommeth that wherwyth he is filthylye coupled As greate enormitie therefore as it is that the womanne deceauyng her housebande should with an aduouterer bee conuersaunte as foule an acte is it that the bodye whiche was once consecrate to Christe shoulde bee coupled with a vyle harlote for he whiche is coupled vnto the Lorde Iesu by reason of a commen consente betwyxte the head and the bodye is with hym made one spirite whiche forasmuche as it is moste pure and cleane is to fylthye and fleashelye luste moste contrarye as whiche from manne taketh awaye the vse of reason alteryng hym as it were into a brutishe and beastelye condicion The texte ¶ Fle fornicacion Euery sinne that a manne doth is withoute the bodye But he that is a fornicatour sinneth againste his owne bodye Either knowe ye not howe that youre bodies are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche dwelleth in you whome ye haue of God and howe that ye are not youre owne For ye are derely bought Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirites whiche are Goddes Dyligentelye therefore flee fornicacion All other synnes by synfull persones wrought and done albeeit they haue theyr beginnyng of the body seame yet ioyned with the harme and dyspleasure of an other mannes bodye nor pollute as it seamethe the whole manne But suche as committeth fornicacion doothe wrong and vilanie to his owne bodye whom he in that foule acte abuseth and defileth The adulterer defileth not the hores body except he also defile his own withoute which the offence is not committed The mannequeller that with his swerde kylleth another without hurte of his own body hurteth another mans seameth but in only one part polluted But fornicacion defileth the whole body as euē the cōmen sorte wel vnderstandeth For after suche acte thesame is woone to vse bathes therwith to washe away such filthines as is therby conceiued An hainouse offēce is it to do wrong or hurt to another mans body but a māto be to his own bodye vilainouse reprocheful semeth apointe of extreme madnes And albeit fornicacion do most specially defile the body yet thynke not therfore y◠the offence is smal For euē the body should also haue his honour forasmuch as it is the māsiō of the soule whiche is immortal which being cleansed with the holy water of baptisme is in suche sorte consecrate to God that it beecommeth the temple of the holye ghoste whiche ye in baptisme receyued whereby ye are so ioyned vnto Christe that ye from hym shall neuer bee soondred And if from fornicacion your owne reproche and hurte nothyng moue you yet lette this moue you that suche actes canne not bee do one without the greate iniurie of Christe Once were all ye his into whose bodye ye were coupled and ioyned He hath from deathe boughte you and made you his owne that ye shoulde be his seruauntes and not your owne men The right title of any bodye that is bought is in the byers hande thesame whoso eyther selleth or handeleth otherwyse than the owners will is dothe wrong to hym to whome thesame bodye beelongeth Nor is it to bee supposed that Christe for a litell boughte vs as he that for oure redempcion spente his moste precious bloude Wherefore synce ye are to God wholye consecrated defile not in reproche of hym youre bodies but beare aboute with you aswell in chaste bodies as in vnhurtefull myndes the holye ghoste and among menne auaunce his glorie Bothe are his keape both chaste leste for your filthines sake among eiuil people Christ whose name ye professe bee eyuill spoken of For as the nobilitee of maisters belongeth euen to the seruauntes so the dishonestie of seruauntes is to theyr maisters reprochfull Wherefore albeeit god bee neyther with prayse made more glorious nor with reproche defamed in dede yet is he after a sorte through his naughtye seruauntes dishonoured and with godly maners and holy life glorified whiles among the commen sorte he is by their lyfe esteamed The .vii. Chapter The texte As concernyng the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman Neuerthelesse to auoyde whordome let euerye man haue his wife let euery woman haue her husbande Let the husband geue vnto the wyse due beneuolence Likewyse also the wyfe vnto the husband The wife hath not power of her owne body but the husband And likewise the husbande hath not power of his owne body but the wyfe Withdrawe not your selues one from another except it be with consente for a tyme for to geue your selues to fastyng and prayer And afterwarde come to gether agayne left Satan tempte you for youre incontinencye This I saye of fauoure and not of commaundement For I woulde that all men were as I my selfe am but euery man hath his proper gyfte of God one after thys maner another after that I saye vnto them that be vnmaryed and wyddowes it is good for them yf they abyde euen as I do But and yf they cannot absteyne let them marye For i◠is better to mary then to burne Vnto the maryed commaunde not I but the Lorde Let not the wyfe be seperated frō the husbande If she separate her selfe let her remayn vnmaryed or be reconciled vnto the husband agayne And let not the husband put awaye hys wyfe from hym NOr haue I this muche sayed because I thinke that euery acte of generacion defileth the bodye as some laboure to bring you in mynde to the intente that they lyke hypocrites maye of you bee thoughte to bee holye There is in matrimonye a certayne chaste and lawefull vse but the vnlawefull acte muste generallye of all menne bee auoyded Lawefull matrimonie muste euerye manne so farfurth vse or not vse as is for the preferment of the gospell expediente Wherefore touchyng the questions wherein by letters ye aske myne aduyce these shall be briefly to answere you Fyrste what suche muste doe as are already maryed and then what they ought to doe that are single and widowes what they also muste doe whiche are eyther with paynefull or vnequall matrimony troubled and finally what should bee done in virgins to be maried or not maried Fyrste of all therefore for many causes as the time no we requireth it wer well doen of men wholy for this cause to absteyne from theyr wyues that they maye with more freedome applye Christes gospell and godly lyfe For albeit matrimonie be a holy thyng yet it wrappeth a man will he or not in worldlye care wherein howe muche more laboure is bestowed somuche the
taught you also howe after that he was rysen agayne he shewed hym selfe playnly and euedentlye to many fyrst to Cephas then to the twelue after that was he sene of more than fyue hundred brethren gathered al together And lest any might doubt of the trewth of this history of all thys noumber many are alyue euen vntyll thys daye and some are dede After this was be sene of Iames whiche was called brother of the Lord and was fyrste byshope of Hierusalem Then was he sene of all the disciples not only of the twelue whiche were fyrste called apostles whiche name was after deriued into many The texte And laste of all he was seue of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the leaste of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of God I am that I am And hys grace whiche is in me was not in vayne but I laboured more abundauntly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me Therfore whither it were I or they so we preache and so haue ye beleued And last of al was he sene of me as of an vnseasonable borne apostle which after the full tyme was at the laste lyke an vnperfite chyld rather caste than wel borne I complaine not because I laste sawe the Lord but coumpte it a greate matter that I deserued to se hym For I am the leaste of the apostles and vnworthie to be called an apostle because I persecuted the churche of god whome the apostles stablysh Vnworthy therfore was I euen asmuche as at laste to be chosen into the felowshype of thapostles but the fre goodnes of god vouchsaued to gyue me this honoure notwithstandyng I deserued it not so that whatsoeuer I am al is of hys goodnes and not of my deseruynge And I suffered not hys grace in me to be either idle or baraine For albeit in order of time I be laste yet in preaching of the gospel am I not behynde thē but haue laboured more than any other of the apostles which I saye leste for thys any myght lesse esteme myne authoritie because I was laste chosen to bee an apostle Howebeit this labor of myne I vouche not as myne but gyue al to goddes goodnes by whose helpe all was wrought To retourne therfore to the matier whether in preachyng the gospell theyr authoritie bee more or myne it lytle forceth sure is it that we with one assent preache one thinge and that whiche we with one assente preached that beleued ye as a sure and an vndoubted doctrine We alwaye teache one thinge this remayneth that ye lykewyse continewe in one beliefe not nowe doubting agayne of that wherupon ye were once agreed The texte If Christ be preached how that he rose from the dead how saye some among you that there is no resurreccion of the dead If there be no rysing agayne of the dead thē is Christ not rysen agayne If Christ be not ryse agayne then is our preachyng in vaine and your fayth is also in vayne ye and we are founde false witnesses of God For we haue testifyed of God howe that he raysed vp Christ whom he raysed not vp yf it bee so that the deade ryse not agayne For yf the deade ryse not a gayne then is Christ not rysen agayne If it be so that Christe rose not agayne then is your fayth in vayne and ye are yet in your synnes Therfore they which are fallen aslepe in Christ are perysshed It in this lyfe onely we beleue on Chryste then are we of all men most miserable But nowe is Christe rysen from the dead and become the fyrst frutes of them that slept For by a mā came death and by a man came the resurreccion of the dead For as by Adam all dye euen so by Chryst shall all bee made alyue but euery manne in his owne order The firste is Christe then they that are Christes at hys commynge Then cometh the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule and all auctoryte and power Yf by all the apostles wytnesses it hath been and is styll preached that Christe the prince and author of resurreccion is rysen agayne from deathe what malapertnes is it that among you some saye that there is no resurreccion of the deade For yf there be none then foloweth it that not so muche as Christ hym selfe is rysen agayne For to what purpose is it that oure heade and capitayne shoulde ryse but to go before and prepare the resurrection of vs his members openyng the way to vs all And yf Christ be not rysen certaynly vayne is our preaching vayne is also your belefe and truste And yf we be certaynly perswaded that Christe is rysen agayne aswell perswaded and beleue must we that we shall ryse agayne for whose restoring to lyfe he rose Yf we ryse not this foloweth that bothe you and I haue not only loste our labors I in preachyng ye in beleuyng but are also founde wrongful agaynst god of whome we falsly reported that he raysed Christe from death whome he raysed not as he in dede raysed him not yf other dead menne ryse not againe For either muste ye beleue bothe or deny bothe because that of the heade and members there is but one resurreccion Yf the deade ryse not for whose sake Christe rose then Christe hymselfe rose not And yf Christe rose not vayne was your belefe that he is rysen and in vayne beleued ye that through a truste and confidence in him ye were made free from synne Wherupon it also foloweth that ye are styll subiecte to your former synnes nor hath baptisme wherby we in the meane season through Christ spiritually ryse agayne from syn wrought anythyng in vs. They also whiche haue dyed with this truste and with this hope haue paciently suffered cruel martyrdome and death are vtterly goen for euer yf there be no hope of resurreccion And yf all oure hope conceaued of Christe reache no further than for the terme of this present lyfe we be not onely wretched people but also more miserable than they whiche to Christ are straungers For they yet haue after a sorte the pleasures of this present lyfe wheras we are both here in trouble for Christes name and shall after this lyfe haue no rewarde yf we ryse not body and soule agayne But god forbyd that any manne to his owne destruccion haue any suche fonde belefe But rather yf ye beleue that Christ is rysen agayne as euery godly manne dothe therof foloweth necessaryly that we shall also ryse againe For in hym began resurreccion whiche shall in vs bee made perfyte and as he takyng agayne his bodye vpon hym rose from deathe so shal we bothe bodye and soule ryse agayne leste otherwyse the heade myght bee deuyded from his members He as prince and capitayne fyrste rose agayne as the
and am with the stronge bande of charitie so knytte vnto you that I am readie bothe to lyue and dye with you Suche a greate trust haue I in you that vpon youre head I dare waraute any thyng and greate cause haue I to glorye of you whome I haue in all poyntes founde obediente For your offence I letted not freely to reproue you but nowe I see you amended my harte is so coumforted and so full of gladnesse am I that in all myne affliccions whiche was elswyse in many daungerouse stormes it clearly wyped a waye all the sorowe of my mynde takyng it as a pleasure to suffer for suche mennes sakes For when we were commen into Macedonia my bodye hadde no reste but it was troubled on euery syde Outwardlye vexed by suche as aduersaries fought agaynste the ghospell inwardlye through feare leste false Apostles by some craftie meanes myght peruerte you of the aduersaries of the ghospell beaten were we for other were we afrayed leste they beeyng dismayed with oure miserable state myght despayre But God whiche coumforteth the lowe and abiecte persons coumforted and refreshed vs by the cummyng of Titus not onely because he was come whose companie I specially desyred but also because he came from you merye and gladde And as he was by you made merye so made he me gladde and merye lykewyse when he tolde me howe desyrouse ye were of me howe ye weapâ—e and wayled because that beeyng offended I came not yet vnto you and shewed me moreouer howe diligently ye obeyed my coÌ„maundementes insomuche that when I was of this enfourmed by Titus I toke more pleasure of your diligence in your amendement than I was sad through your offences Lothe am I at any time to make you sorye but yet synce that fortuned wel I repent me not for that in my other letters I made you sadde albeit I before dyd repente For althoughe thesame Epistle whiche was bothe to you and me sorowful for a season made you sorye yet am I nowe well therewith pleased not because we made you sorye but because that sorowe broughte you to repentaunce This worlde hathe in it a certayne kynde of sorowe vnfruitefull and hurtefull as when menne either for losse of money or for losyng theyr pleasures or for wrathe and enuye are disquieted in theyr myndes There is in Christian religion also a certayne sorowe but suche as is profitable and good by meane wherof ye are so farre from beyng the worse by me that by thesame ye are well amended and become godly For he that is for this sorye because he hath displeased god sheweth thereby that he is amended and sorowe after this sorte so bringeth one to repentaunce that it suffereth a manne no more to fall agayne vnto his olde faultes But contrarywise the sorowe whiche groweth of worldelye desyres worketh death and is hurtefull bothe to bodye and soule Dooeth not youre state declare this maner For what a diligence hathe this godlye sorowe of youres wroughte in you What speake I of diligence I myghte muche rather saye a satisfaccion wherewith to me ye haue cleared youre selues playnelye shewyng that ye approue not that vnhappie deede yea I mighte saye an indignacion as who were so sharpe agaynste the offender that I was compelled to moue you to bee fauourable and gentle yea a feare as thoughe one mannes leopardye hadde belonged to all yea a desyre foorthwith to amende the faulte yea a zeale and loue to folowe sin banishyng dishonestie and to bee shorte a desyre also to reuenge as it appeared by that he whiche dyd the faulte was straighte punished so that ye haue in all poyntes declared youre selues to bee cleare and free in that matter Wherfore â–ª thoughe I wrote vnto you all of the matter as thoughe it hadde belonged to all I wrote not onelye for his fake whiche dydde the faulte or for hym agaynste whome it was dooen but rather because ye shoulde all perceyue what great care I haue of you as god is my witnes whiche was sopensyfe bothe leste this infeccion myghte crepe among you and the faulte of one or two infecte the whole bodye and agayne leste it shoulde bee vnknowen what loue ye beare towarde me whose wyll ye so gladlye obeyed And synce this was vnto you coumfortable as whiche reioyse that suche are amended as it was meete shoulde be gladde am I also of youre gladnes but this pleasure of myne was by the gladnes of Titus encreased whiche vpon my commendacion was so receyued among you that his hearte was by all you refreshed when he sawe howeye esteemed me So that nowe yf I haue to hym any thyng bosted of youre vertue and obedience I haue for that taken no shame for in this ieopardye is he that prayseth any manne Hym praysed I vnto you and you I praysed to hym And bothe chaunced well for as ye in all poyntes founde Titus suche one as I tolde you he was euen so founde he all suche thinges true as I before of you had bosted vnto hym and therfore neither before hym nor before you am I ashamed of lying And whereas he heretofore loued you nowe yet vpon profe of youre gentlenes euen from the verye heart roote he loueth you whyles he bethinketh hymselfe and calleth to mynde how gladlye all ye obeyed oure mynde whiche he broughte vnto you and also with what feare and reuerence yo receyued hym at his cummyng And certaynlye glad am I that I fynde you suche as I maye in all thinges hereafter be bolde vpon you so that hencefurthe I wyll not feare to require any thyng of you The .viii. Chapter The texte I certyfy you brethren of the grace of God which was geuen in the congregacyoÌ„s of Macedonia how that the aboundaunce of theyr reioising is that they are tryed with much tribulacion And though they were exceading poore yet haue they geuen exceading richely and that in synglenes For to theyr powers I beate them record ye and beyond theyr power they were wyllyng of theyr owne accorde and prayed vs with great instauÌ„ce that we would receaue theyr benefyte and suffre them to be partakers with other in ministryng to the sayntes And this they dâ—d not as we loked for but gaue theyr owne selues first to the Lord and after vnto vs by the wyl of god so that we coulde not but desyre Titus to accomplyshe thesame beneuolence among you also euen as he had begonne THerfore because ye shoulde herein also satisfie bothe my desyre and resemble the godly deuocion of other congregacions I certifie you brethren â–ª howe god asisted me in the churches of Macedonia For with ready and ioyfull myndes receyued they the gospell and were so farre froÌ„ beeyng discouraged through the affliccions of Silas me whiche were with vs also in trouble that throughe a confidence in the gospell they ioyfully endured al persecucions And briefely the greater tormentes we suffered the more glad were they of oure deliueraunce And whereas they are needy
with gentyll remedyes Therfore not onely the iudgement of god touching thy synceritie not onely myne example not onely thyne owne profession and in yâ— thou arte a souldiour of Christ but also suche mennes abominable example ought to kyndle thy harte to doe thyne offyce throughly as thou shouldest doe The .ii. Chapter The texte ¶ I exhorte therfore that aboue all thinges prayers supplicacions intercessions and geuyng of thankes be had for all men for kynges and for all that are in auctorite that we maye lyue a quiete and a peaceable life with all godlynes auâ— honesty For that is good and accepted in the syght of god our sauioure whiche wyll haue all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the trueth For there is one God and one mediatoure betwene God and man euen the man Christ Jesus whiche gaue hym selfe a raunsome for all men that it shoulde be testifyed at his tyme whenunto I am ordeyned a preacher and an Apostle I tell the trueth in Christ and lye not beynge the teacher of the Gentyls wiâ—â— faith and veritie IT is not ynoughe for the to be without fault thy selfe but it is the parte of a byshop to prescriâ—e also vnto other what is necessarye for them to doe And those ought to be suche thinges as maye appeare worthy an Euangelical conscience To be briefe it standeth them in hande that professe Christ to be moost ferre of â—â—om desyre of reuengement from desyre of hurte doing and from all kynde of dyspleasure Therfore see thou exhorte those that thyne are to begynne the first thing they doe in the mornynge to vse godlynes and to worshyp Christ And first of al let them praye to god to put awaye all thinges that trouble and disquiet the state of Religion and of the commune wealthe Than let them aske of him those thinges that are auayleable to godlye doyng and to the tranquillitie of the commune wealth This doen let them beseache Christe nothing elles against suche as persecute his flocke but his ayde and succoure Laste of all let thankes be rendred vnto him for those thinges that by goddes goodnes haue happened and earnest supplicacions made for the thinges that haue not yet happened And let these be doen not onely for the Christians but for all maner of men also lest Christian loue shoulde appeare to be but a straite laced loue as though it fauoured none but of his owne sorte but set it be extended abrode in moost large maner after thexample of god bothe to the good and to the badde lyke as he beyng parfitely good and beneficiall to all as much as in him is bestoweth his sonne to shyne vnto the iuste and also to the vniust And in asmuche as god geueth vs publique quietnesse by meanes of Ethnike rulers it is reason that thankes be rendâ—ed also for them â–ª And it is vncertayne to vs whether that ruler beyng a wycked ymage worshypper shall in shorte space receyue the gospel For that cause Christian loue wyssheth the saluacioÌ„ of al. The Iewe loueth the Iewe the newly entred into a secte loueth his lyke the Greke loueth the greke the borther loueth the brother the kynsman loueth the kynsman This is not a Gospellyke loue but that is a gospellyke loue that loueth the godlye for Christ and loueth the wycked that they maye once re pente and turne vnto Christ They doe sacrifice vnto deuylles and curse y ou bytterlye And you contrary wyse cleaue harde to the fotesteppes of Christe who whan he was exalted vpon the crosse and was reuiled with such spyght full rebukes as were more greuous than the punyshemente of the crosse selfe he gaue none euyll wordes againe he cursed not bytterly againe but with an excedynge great crye besought the father to forgeue them And praier is to be made not onely for yâ— who le general sorte of meÌ„ but also especially for kinges yea though they be Ethnikes and straungiers from the profession of Christe and for all them that after the publique ordre of the worlde are set in any autoritie And let not this moue you that of them we be afflicted we be beaten we be caste in pryson we be put to death Rather theyr blyndenes is to be pitied and not malyce requitte with malyce Or elles they shalbe neuer the better and we shall ceasse also to be Christians This waye pleased Christe as a waye of mooste speciall efficacie wherwith he woulde haue all dryuen to him selfe And thoughe there be some vpon whom our loue is lost yet wee wyll not geue ouer to be lyke oure selues for al that This world hath his ordre which it is not expedyent that we shoulde dysquyet seyng it is our duetye to procure peace in euery place Their power and autoritie in some purpose doeth seruice vnto the iustyce of God in that they holde vnder the euyll doers with punishementes in that they kept the naughtye ones in their duetie doing in that they put awaye robberyes in that with their martiall powers they defende the publique peace in that they gouerne the commune wealthe with their lawes These thinges albeit they doe not for the loue of Christ yet in a generaltye it is not expedient that the state of the commune wealth shoulde be dysturbed by meanes of vs lest the doctrine of the gospell shoulde seme a sedicious doctrine and than we shoulde begynne to runne in a hatered not bycause we professe Christe but bycause we hynder the publique peace And in case they abuse their power vpon vs at any tyme it is a Christian mans parte to forget the euyll turnes and remembre the good turne In this we are bounden to their autoritie in this we are boundeÌ„ to their defence and marciall powers yea we are rather bounden to God by them in this that we maye be safe from sedicions safe from robbynge safe from battayles and leade a quiet lyfe without trouble It woulde doe well to haue in remembraunce what a greate sea of myschiefes the hurly burly of warre bryngeth in with it and what coÌ„modities peace hath in it Many are the myschiefes that beggerly nede of necessarie thinges procureth Peace bryngeth plentie In peace there is oportunitie to vse godlynesse and warre teacheth all maner of wyckednes Our profession loueth chaste behauiour and in warre who can be safely chaste as he shoulde be And thoughe men for the moost parte abuse the benefyte of peace to wycked sensuall purposes yet for all that let vs vse the publique peace to the seruing of god and integritie of honest manners obeying princes in the meane season in al thinges that they eyther commaunde vs rightely accordinge to their office or elles doe nothing vnto vs but make vs punyshed persons and not wicked persons They take awaye our substaunce but yet no parte of our honestye is dyminished They lade vs with fetters but they drawe vs not away from Christ They slea the body and sende vs ouer to the hauen of immortalitie
once professed a christian lyfe priuely loueth worldly thinges and doth not with pure minde and affeccion hasten vnto the reste promised The texte Seyng then that we haue a greate hye priest which is entred into heauen euen Iesus the sonne of god let vs holde the profession of our hope For we haue not an hie priest which cannot haue compassion on our infirmities but was in all pointes â–ª tempted like as we are but yet without synne Let us therefore goe boldely vnto the seate of grace that we maye obtayne mercie and finde grace to helpe in tyme of nede Seeyng then we haue an hye priest who is verely great Iesus Christ the sonne of god whiche after the sacrifice made for our reconciliacion entred not into the moste secrete parte of the temple made with handes but into heauen to make the father mercifull vnto vs Let vs abide stil in our professioÌ„ folowing the way that he hath shewed vs and hastening to those thynges whiche he hath promised Let not his greatenesse feare vs but his mercye rather encourage vs. Trueth it is that he dwelleth in heauen but he was before a man conuersaunt in earth Let vs not therefore ymagyne that we haue an hye priest which caÌ„not take compassion on our infirmitie He was tempted withall kynde of euils the which oure lyfe ys combred with all howbeit he retourned agayne into heauen a conquerour to th entent yâ— we trustyng on hys ayde shoulde not be weried or ouercome with affliccions but couragiously goe thorowe vnto the reste of euerlastyng felicitie the whych he came vnto For he was for no other cause afflicted beaten spytte vpon and crucified as an harmfull person where he was innocent and gyltlesse but onely to pourge vs who are in very dede hurtfull caytifes and inners from al oure sinnes and iniquities He hath not thaâ—â—ged hys affeccion towardes vs so that we tourne hym not awaye from vs by oure owne vicyous behauioure and frowardnesse Therfore trustyng on hys mercy let vs goe vnto hys seate not hys terrible but appesable seate whych is ready to helpe and not to destroye vs let vs come boldly putting no doubtes to obtaine mercy at his handes wherby dure synnes maye be pardoned and grace also geuen that maye furnyshe vs with heauenly gyftes and helpe vs so ofte as nede shall require For we muste desire no aydes but of hym onely of whome we truste to haue ouâ— rewardes The .v. Chapter The texte For euery hye presâ—e that is taken from amonge men is ordained for men in thinges pertayning to God to offer giftes and sacrifrces for sinne which can haue compassion on the ignoâ—aâ—â—te and on them that erâ—e out of the waye â—oâ—asmuch as he hym selfe also is compassed with infyrmitie And for the same infyrmities sake he is bounde to offer for sinnes as well for hym selfe as for the people And no man taketh honoure vnto him selfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron FVrthermore it is an vsage amonge the Iewes that euery hye priest chosen from amonge men be ordayned for thys purpose yâ— in such businesses as chaunce betwene God and man he as a mediatoure betwene both maie make intercession for menne in such wise that yf God be any thyng dyspleased wyth mennes offences he may appease his wrath by giftes and sacrifices duely offred the which hie priest for the dignities sake of hye priesthoode canne in suche wise do muche with God that he is not yet free from mannes infirmitie to theâ—tent he maye be the readyer to take compassion on them who haue sinned thorowe erroure and ignoraunce in asmuche as he hym selfe is subiecte vnto the same infirmitie in that he is of the selfe same nature that they he of For suche are sooner sory for other mennes euils and dyspleasures as haue them selues learned mercy and compassion by the tastyng of lyke euils aduersities and he is gladder to reamedy other mennes errours and offences which falleth oftentymes hym selfe or at the leastwyse is in ieopardie to fall And for thys cause Moses priest ought as well to offre sacrifice for hys owne synnes as he offreth for the peoples offences Nowe Christ had so a tommune nature with vs subiecte vnto paynes and death that he was notwithstandyng with out all manour of synne He had experience of payne who neuer knewe any synne Furthermore accordyng to the ordinaunces of Moses lawe no man taketh vpon him and vsurpeth the honourable ministracion of hye priest hod of hys owne accorde but he onely taketh it in hande that is called thereunto by goddes commaundement lykewyse as Aaron was called For he semeth vn worthâ— of honour whoso by reason of ignoraunce ambiciously desireth digintie and that man is not meete for a rowme or ministracion whych intrudeth hym selfe into the same The texte Euen so Christ also glorifyed not him selfe to be made the hye prieste but he that safed vnto hym thou art my sonne thys daye haue I beâ—otten the gloryfyed hym As he saieth also in another place thou art a Prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech Whâ—che in the dayes of his fleshe when he had offered vp praiers suppsicacions â–ª with strong criyng and teares vnto him that was able to saue â—iâ— from death and was heard because of his reuerence thoughe he were ehe sonne of God yet learned he obedience â–ª by those thynges whych he suffered anâ— he beyng perfecte was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto al them that obeyed hym and is called of God an hye priest after the order of Melchisedech And herein also Christ gaue vs an ensample of a lawfull bishop For he toke not vpon him of his owne accord the glorious dignitie of an hie priest but was allowed of hys father who firste acknowledged Iesus to be hys true sonne when he sayed Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And also he ordeâ—neth hunanon after a true and lawful hie priest when he sayeth Thou art a priest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Ye haue hearde howe he was ordeyâ—ed Nowe herken howe he was tempted and proued When as yet he had a mortall body in earth he offred prayers and supplicacions vnto god the father who could haue preserued him from the punyshment of the crosse excepte he had bene more desyrous to prouyde for mannes safetie by the death of hys sonne He offred them with seruent affeccion greate crying and plentifull teares and was hearde by reason of hys charytie and soueraygne dignitie with the father He obteyned hys desyre For hys wyll and desyre was not to escape the punyshment of the crosse but to procure vs soule health by hys death He felte greate feare he felte the torment anguyshe of death but the loue that he bare towardes mankynde preuayled He was the sonne and coulde haue obtayned any thyng of the father if he had desired it but thus was it thought to be more conuenyent for our health that he beyng afflicted with
all manour of euils and aduersities should geue vnto his a rule of perfite obedience euen to the punyshement of the crosse Do ye aske what auayled thys pacience of oure priest He was so proued and tryed euery waye that nothyng shoulde bee lackyng in hym he saued not onely hymselfe but was the cause of saluacioÌ„ to all that folowe thys ensample of obedyence For he obtayned of the father that all those whiche woulde de hys felowes in suffryng affliccions shoulde also be partakers with hym of hys kyngdome And for this sacrifyce duely made he was called of the father an hye prieste after the ordre of Melchisedech The texte Wherfore we woulde speake many thynges but they are harde to be vttered seyng ye are dull of hearinge For when as concernyng the tyme ye ought to be reachers yet haue ye neade agayne that we teache you the firste princyples of the worde of God and are become suche as haue neade of mylke and not of stronge meate for euery man that is fed with mylke is â—â—expert in the worde of ryghtewesnes for he is but â–ª a babe But strong meate belongeth to them that are parfecte euen those which by reason of vse haue theyr wyttes exercysed to discerue both good and euyll Nowe who was this Melchisedech and howe conueniently he figured the sonne of God I would largely entreate but it shal be very harde for me to declare all thynges vnto you because your eares are not receyuable of this matter but to weake to awaye with a sermon of suche length and difficultie And herein I am constrained to requyre in you more diligence and feruent desyre to goe forwarde who notwithstandyng you haue so many yeares professed Christe that for the quantitie and space of tyme ye should be teachers of other men yet haue you nede to bee taught of me agayne the first principles and as a man would saye the. A. B. C. of holy scripture the whiche is wonte to be taught vnto those as vnto children who thorowe baptisme are borne agayne vnto the gospell and you whome it behoued nowe to be strong and stablished in euangelicall Philosophie haue nede as yet lyke tendre babes to be fed with the mylke of lowest doctryne rather then be meete to receyue the strong meate of higher learnyng As yet you continewe styll and as one would saye crepe in the historye of holy scripture and ryse not vp to the more hydde and mysticall vnderstandyng therof Nowe he that is such a one that he hath nede as yet to be nourished with mylke is ignoraunt and not strong ynough to heare the ryghteousnesse of the gospell whiche is not founde in thistorye but in allegories And therfore he is not receyuable of that preachyng wherby we are taught perfitte ryghteousnesse because he is as yet a babe in Christ lately graffed in his body in such wise that he may by litle litle aspire to greater thinges Furthermore the strong meate of more profounde misticall vnderstandyng pertayneth to those whiche are growen and become perfitte euen to those who by long and coÌ„tinuall practise haue their wyttes exercised to discerne both good and euyll He that is a chylde and nouryshed with mylke lyueth verely but yet he hathe not gotten hymselfe that strength by eustome and age wherby he is able to choose out for himselfe of euery thyng the best and loketh not to haue an other to put mylke or chyldes meate chawed before into his mouthe The .vi. Chapter The texte Therfore leaÌ„uing the doctrine that pertayneth to the beginning of christen men let vs go fourthe vnto perfeccion not laying agayne the foundacion of repentaunce from dead workes and of faith towarde God of baptisyng of doctrine and of laying on of handes and of resurrection from death and of eternall iudgemente And so will we doe if God permytte For it cannot be that they which were once lyghted and haue tasted of the heauenly gyfte and were become partakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good worde of God and of the power of the worlde to come yf they fal awaye and as concernyng them selues crucifye the sonne of God a freshe and make a moâ—ke of him that they â—â—ouâ—d be renued againe by repentaunce Wherfore let vs who ought nowe to haue ceased to be any lenger children in christian Philosophie omytting the processe wherwith the ignoraunt are wonte to be taught their first prynciples go forth vnto perfeccion and not euer to stande styll aboute the often laying of the foundacion of repentaunce For the fyrst degre vnto christendome is to be repentauÌ„te for our former lyfe and to forsake sinne Next of all it is requyred that we be taught that true innocencie a soule helth is to be hoped for of God then forthwyth that we be pourged by holy baptisme from the filthynesse of oure synnes and restored agayne vnto the state of innocencie then that we receiue the holy gost by laying on of haÌ„des and beleue the resurreccion of the dead to come and also that last iudgement which shal awarde some to eternall felicitie and other some to euerlastyng paynes and damnacion It is endughe for vs to haue once learned once professed and once beleued these thynges It shoulde be a thyng dysagreable to all reason if that after we haue been taught these forsaide principles we so behaue our selfes hereafter that it be nedefull to haue the same often tymes repeted and taught vs agayne the which are taught for this purpose that they shoulde be the foundacion of the edifice whiche is to be buylded there on But after we haue learned suche principles it shal be our partes to do our dilygente endeuoyre that we may by daily encrease of vertue godlinesse become great and perfite that the noble building of golde syluer and precious stones of vertues and godly workes maye ryse and be rered vp from the foundacion once layed euen to the hyghest toppe It is our duetie to employe our diligence to thys ende that we maye fynishe the thyng we go aboute if God be fauorable vnto our attemptes without whose ayde mannes endeueyre is able to bryng nothyng toÌ„ effecte After that we haue once begun this course or trade of lyfe we ought not to turne our backes not to make resistence not to returne vnto the thinges once forsaken but still to goe foy warde to greater thynges and of higher perfeccion It were the greatest folye that myght be for a manne to haue recourse vnto that thyng whiche neyther ought ne can be repeted and ministred agayne For it is not possible for them whych haue once forsaken the darckenesse of theyr former life lyghtned by the doctrine of the gospell and now hauing theyr synnes forgeuen thorowe baptysme haue felt the free beneficence and greate liberalitie of God and the gyfte of heauen wherby he releaseth at once all our synnes and geueth vs grace to lyue well and afterwarde by laying on of the priestes hand haue bene
giue some cleanesse and puritie For whatso euer was there done perteyned chiefly vnto the bodye for that it stode in choyse of meates drinke whereas in very dede meate neyther purifieth nor defileth the soule and stode also in diuerse washynges and pourgations of the fleshe whiche were not instituted for this intent that they shoulde gyue manne perfyte ryghtuousnesse but bycause the people shoulde by these rudimentes and fyrste principles fall in vre by lytle and litle with true religion and by shadowes bee brought to veritie and made receyuable of bettre thynges whyche shoulde be opened by the doctrine of the ghospell when tyme shoulde come Here haue ye hearde the effecte of all the religion by reason wherof the Iewes do stande so muche in their awne conceiptes Nowe let vs compare the dignitie of our hie priest with these foresayde thynges The texte But Chryste beyng an hye prieste of good thynges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte tabernacle not made with handes that is to say not of thys buildyng nether by yâ— bloud of goates and calues but by his own bloud he enteed in once into the holiplace founde eternal redempcion For if the bloud of oxen of goates the asshes of a â—â—ng cowe when it was sprinkled purifieth the vnclene as touching the purifing of the flesh howe much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offred hymself wythou â—spot to god pourge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the lyuinge god For Christ beyng an hie priest a promiser and auctour not of corporal purificacion neither of the good thynges of this world whiche haue an ende but of euerlasting and heauenly good thinges entred not by the vayle wrought with mennes handes but by an other tabernacle not made wyth handes that is to saye not of this buyldynge the whyche as menne doe sette it vp so can they pull it downe agayne but by verie heauen entred I say into the places which are verely holy and verely farre from al infeccion of mortalitie not brynginge wyth hym the bloude of goates and calues therewith to pacifie Goddes wrath but his owne precious bloude whiche he shed for vs in the aulter of the crosse wherewyth he redemed not one nationalonelye but all mankynde from all synnes and that not one yeare but for euer vntyl the worldes ende so that they tournynge from their former myflyuynge know Christ and as muche as in them lyethe folowe hym in their lyfe and conuersation For what comparison is it to compare a domme beaste vnto Christe bothe God and man If so be that the bloud of Oxen and Goates or the brent asshes of a younge Cowe sprynkeled vpon vncleane persones clenseth them as touchynge a certayne carnall and figuratiue puritie and holynesse Howe muche more then shall the bloude of Christe who not by corporall fyre but thorowe the eternall spirite desirous of mannes saluation offered not a brute beaste but hym selfe a pure and vndefyled sacryfyce vnto almyghtye God the father puryfie not youre bodyes but youre conscyence from these workes whiche in very dede brynge death vnto the soule Hys death delyuereth vs from endlesse death and hys mooste pure spirite purifieth our spirite whiche was before vncleane In bothe purifications is bloude but yet is there a greate difference In bothe is death but an vnequall death In bothe is a spirite but the one is farre vnlyke the other For what thynge soeuer was there done by shadowes and certayne fygures the same Christ accomplished in dede The texte And for this cause is he the mediator of yâ— new testament that through death which chanced for the redempcion of those transgressyoÌ„s that were vnder the first testamente they whych are called myght receiue yâ— promise of eternal inheritance For where as is a testament there must also of necessytie be the death of hym that maketh the testament For the testament taketh aucthorite when men are dead for it is yet of no value as longe as he that maketh the testament is aliue for whyche cause also nether the first testameÌ„t was or dayned wythout bloude Bycause that he who in the olde testament made intercession and was a mediatour bytwene God and men broughte not the people to the perfyte state of innocencie therefore Christe succeded in his rowme and became a newe mediatoure of a newe testament to th entent that all synnes taken awaye thorow his death the whiche by that first testament coulde not be abolyshed and taken awaye but remayned in suche wise that they broughte vs oute of the fauoure of almyghtie God not onely the Iewes but also all tho whosoeuer haue bene called to Christes felowshippe maye nowe thorowe the doctrine of the gospell receyue the promyse and hope of theternall enheritaunce For wheresoeuer thys worde testament is hearde there must nedes be the death of him that maketh the testamente elles shoulde it be no testamente or yf it were it were of none auctoritie For the death of the testatoure makethe the same of auctoritie whiche hathe not as yet sure strengthe nor is ratifyed so longe as the sayde testatour is alyue Because it lyeth in hys power to altre it yf he wyll Wherefore forasmuche as that olde testament hadde also the name of a testament it was not ordeyned without bloude and death but of a beast and suche a beaste as elswise shoulde haue perished The texte For when Moses had declared all the commauÌ„dement to all the people according to the lawe he toke the bloud of calues and of goates wyth water and purple woolle and ysope and sprynkeled bothe the boke and all the people saying thys is the bloude of the testamente which God hath appoynted vnto you Moreouer he sprinkeled the tabernacle with bloud also and all the ministeryng vesselies And almoste all thynges are by the lawe purged wyth bloude and wythoute shedynge of bloude is no remyssyon For as it is reade in the boke of Exodus whan Moyses had read all the lawe of God vnto the people and declared vnto them what reward they shoulde loke after for kepyng the same and what punishement they should dreade yf they dyd not regarde it accordingly to th entent the couenaunt made betwene God and the people shoulde be confirmed he toke a cuppe and therein myngled the bloude of Calues and Goates wyth water and purple wâ—ll and sprynkled bothe the boke oute of the whiche he read the Lordes commaundementes and lykewyse all the people with â—sope sayeng Thys is the wytnessyng bloude and confirmer of that testament whiche God hathe commaunded you to kepe And was not onely contented thus to doe but sprynkeled also with bloude the tabernacle and all the holy vessels therein whyche they vsed in sacrifices Lykewyse in all other rites and approued customes what thinges so euer were purified accordynge vnto the prescription of Moses lawe were purified with bloude Neyther was there anye remyssion of synnes but by sheddyng of bloude The texte
suche wyse that God moughte seme euen for this purpose to haue taken them away from the company of men lest they beyng men of pure and chast conuersation should haue ledde their lyues among defyled persons and synners Therfore they wandered aboute in wylde mountaynes hauynge no certayne habitacion or dwellyng place to resorte vnto vsyng Dennes and Caues of the earth in the stede of houses The texte And these al thorow faith obtayned good report receiued not the promyse bicauâ—â— god had prouided a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfâ—â—â—â— And all these before named albeit they haue not yet obteyned the rewarde promysed them for their godly lyuynge whiche rewarde shal be geuen them â—â— the generall resurreccion of the bodyes Yet haue they deserued perpetuall prayse for the constantnesse of their fayth Some man wyll here saye Why hath not euery man his rewarde by and by gyuen him after death For soothe it hath so pleased almyghtye God that all the whole bodye of Christe shall receiue the glory of immortalitie together For we are all membres of the same body and suche as haue gone before vs do gladly tarye for vs to th ende that they maye wholy and ioyntly with theyr bodyes and all the felowshyppe of theyr brethren entre into thenheritaunce of eternal glory and be conioyned vnto their heade ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte Wherefore let vs also seyuge that we are compassed wyth so great a mult ytude of wytnesses laye a waye all that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs run with pacience vnto the battaill that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus yâ— aucrâ—or and finisher of our faith which for the ioye that was set before hym abode the erosse despysed the shame and is set downe on the right hande of the throne of God Consyder therefore howe that he endured suche speaking against hym of sinners lest ye shoulde be werted faint in your mindes For ye haue not yet resisted vnto bloud striuing agaynst sinne And haue forgotten the exhortacyon whych speaketh vnto you as vnto children My soune despise not thou the chastenyug of the Lorde nether faiute when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lord loueth hym he chasteueth yea he sourgeth euery sonne that he receyueth â–ª SEyng then we are compassed with so great a companye and as it were with a cloude of those who euen in the olde testamente witnessed by sufferyng of suche euels as are before rehearsed that they beleued the promyses of God with all their harte let vs also encouraged by their examples see that we caste frome vs the burthen or fardell of corporall thynges and bodelye lustes whiche letteth the mynde laden with cares to desyre thynges celestiall and put awaye synne that helde vs faste on euery syde and fynally beyng incensed and set a fyre with the hope of heauenly thinges runne manfully in this â—â—ase that is set before vs and by no afflyccions nor any withdrawynge of the mynde be stayed and holden backe from runnyng the course that we haue begonne neuer castyng our eyes asyde from Iesu Christe who as he is the verye cause that we haue conceyued this belefe on God so wyll he fynyshe what he hath begonne in vs. Let vs considre what waye he entred in and whitherto he came who whereas he myght by reason he was innocent and gyltlesse haue escaped death and bene as much without all payne and passion as he was without all synne yet he despysynge the ioyes of this worlde suffred death and to th entent his death should be the greuouser hauyng reproche ioyned therwith he suffered the death of the crosse For men make not so muche a doo to suffre a glorious death Ye see whiche waye he entred in Nowe whitherto came he By despisyng of this lyfe he attained immortalitie By despisyng and settyng naught by worldly reproche he attayned euerlastyng glorye in heauen where he nowe sytteth on the ryght hande of the royall throne of God the father When ye withall haste auaunce youre selfes to come to be partakers of this glorie thorowe reproche and dyuerse paynful afflictions then lest you dyscouraged in your myndes shoulde at any tyme by thenforcemente of wearynesse ceaseto runne in the raase that is sette before you considre with your selfes how that youre capytayne who neuer knewe anye manoure of synne dyd neuer thelesse to shewe vs an example of true pacience endure so greate rebukes so muche shame and vylanye suche mysreportes and false accusacions that he let the wycked Iewes compell hym to suffre the very punyshement of the crosse Be not ye therfore dysmayed who beynge not cleane withoute synne do suffre lesse dyspleasures and persecution Better it were for a man to dye a thousande tymes then to fall agayne into his former synfull lyfe Howbeit you who haue hytherto suffred small persecution and aduersitie haue not as yet resisted sinne vnto sheadyng of bloud the whiche synne fierslye assaulteth you stryuynge agaynst it and yet you do by and by suppose that God hath forsaken you and remembre not what the mercyfull father speakethe vnto you as vnto his children in the mysticall prouerbes comfortynge you and with swete and gentle wordes exhortyng you to greate and valiaunte courage of mynde My sonne sayth he despise not thou the chastenyng of the Lorde neither despaire thou when soeuer he rebuketh thee For whom the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth with the euels and aduersities of this lyfe and scourgeth euerye sonne that he receyneth The texte If ye endure chastenyng god offereth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes What soÌ„ne is he whom the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correccyon wherof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Therefore seynge we haue had fathers of our fleshe whych corrected vs we gaue them reuerence shall we nowe not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirites lyue And they verely for a feawe daies nuttered vs after theyr own pleasure but he nurtereth vs for our profite to the intent that he may minister of his holines vnto vs. No maner chastening for the present time semeth to be ioious but greuous neuertheles afterwarde it bringeth the quiete fruit of righteousnes vnto them whyche are exercised thereby If ye paciently endure such chastenyng God acknowledgeth his sonnes and offreth him selfe to you agayne as a mercyfull and louing father doeth not exclude you from thenheritaunce of the lyfe celestial Thynke you that you are therfore hated and nothyng regarded of God bycause ye are afflicted with the euels of this world Nay rather this ought to be an argument that ye are appoynted to be the heyres of the fathers enheritaunce For what father is he that doeth not some whiles chasten his sonne whom he acknowledgeth for his owne Furthermore syth that all vertuouse men and good lyuers whom God eyther doth or hath dearly loued haue bene by temporall
and right true sonnes that trust in the promises of god the father and do after his prescribed commaundementes and neuer slyde agayne into their olde conuersacion whiche than through the ignoraunce of the Gospelles doctrine was endaungered with worldly concupiscences For it is conuenient that you diffre from them in affectes and maners from whom you dissent in profession The worlde is naught and from it you are already exempted and engraffed vnto Christ which is righteous holy and Innocent and to this ende are you chosen and called of the father the fountayne of al holines that like as you are in your profession so should you in al your life and doinges be pure vpright and vnblameable For the father will not acknowledge any to be his sonnes but those that be like manered vnto him For in dede this same thing he ment whan he spake to our auncetours Leuitici the xix Chapter Be you holy for I the lord your God am holy The puritie of Moses lawe could not haue ben ynough for you to absteine from touching of dead bodyes to haue your fete washen to absteine from the acte of matrimony God will haue all oure conuersacion and all our whole harte to be fre from al spottes of synnes For in dede these are the thinges that make vs playnly impure in the sight of god And although you cal vpon God by the name of a father crieng for his helpe in al thinges yet if you lyue in a filthy conuersacion you may not trust that he wil be mercifull vnto you or acknowledge you for his children seyng he estemeth noman eyther for his kynred or for his estates sake but onely after the merites of his conuersacion For nether shal the Iewe be pure if his conscience be defiled ne yet shall the vncircumcised be vnpure if he leade a godly and an innocent life The texte For as muche as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thynges as syluer and golde from youre vaine conuersacion whiche ye receauch by the tradicion of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christe as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte which was ordeyned before hande euen before the woorlde was made but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes which by his meanes do beleue on god that raysed him vp from death and glorifyed hym that ye myght haue faythe and hope towarde God euen ye whiche haue purifyed your soules thorowe the spirite in obeyng the truthe with brotherly loue vufayned se that ye loue one another with a pure herte feruently for ye are borne a newe not of mortall seed but of immortal by the word of god which lyueth and lasteth for euer For al flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse The grasse wyddereth and the floure falleth awaye but the worde of the Lorde endureth euer And this is the worde which by the gospel was preached vnto you Therfore it remayneth that you which are desirous to haue this father mercifull vnto you haue his vnauoydable iudgemēt alwayes before your eies while you liue in this exile so order your cōuersaciō that there be nothing wherfore the father may be offended iustly shut you out of the inheritaūce of the celestial countrey as vnnaturall disobedyent children The greater the price is wherwith Christe hath frely redemed you so muche the greater hede ought you to take lest for your wilfulnes and vnthankefulnes you be turned agayn into your former bonde thraldom There is none more myserable a bondage than to bee the slaue of synne Those that for a litle money are made fre frō theyr maisters bondage become of bondmē fre men watch about them by al meanes lest for theyr vnthankefulnes they may be drawen agayne into the bondage that they were in before and will you than commit that offence to fall again into y◠old tyranny to be willingly the bond slaues of Moses lawe had rather serue vaine obseruaunces that your elders deliuered from one to an other vnto you than to obey the gospel of God seing you knowe that you were deliuered once from them not with a commune tryfling price as golde or syluer but with an offring muche more holy than Moses lawe knoweth of For you are not made cleane with the bloud of a calfe sprinkled but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe who like a lābe cleane without any spotte pure and vndefiled from all filthinesse of synne was offred for our synnes on the aultare of the crosse Nether yet was that done by chaunce at all auentures but the sonne of God was appointed to make this sacrifice from euerlastyng and before the makyng of the worlde that he might through his deathe reconcile the father vnto vs howbeit the secret deuice and decre of Goddes purposed mynde which was many long yeares vnknowen to the worlde is now at length in these later times openly manifested and a new matter is set forth before mennes eyes to loke vpon whiche in the purposed mynde of God was not new And it was geuen for your saluacion sake vnto whom Christe that was made man dyed and is preached bestoweth thus muche that wher as you had a vayne truste vpon the ceremonies of the lawe now distrusting your selues you must put your whole trust in God the father who like as he would haue Christe to dye to wype awaye your synnes euen so hathe he raysed him vp from death and for the paynfull trauailes of this life which he suffred he gaue him the glory of immortalitie to thentente that as you haue beleued that whiche he hath done in folowing his example you might also trust surely to haue the same reward to be bestowed on you in that you put your whole affiaūce in God which what he hath already perfourmed in his sonne the same also will he vndoubtedly performe in al them which lyue after suche sort that they may be worthyly accompted among the membres of Christ in to whose body you are engraffed synce that you were regenerate through baptisme in to hym Before that tyme you did after your owne lustes that is to say embraceing carnall shadowes of thinges in stede of true ryght thinges but now since you haue clensed your soules not with the obseruacion of Moses purgeing sacrifices but in that you haue through faith obeyed the trueth of the gospell whiche by the spyryte of Christe hath purged your consciences you must endeuour your selues both to be correspondente vnto the head Christe in vprightnes of life and be answerably like vnto the concorde of the body by an excedyng and a playne brotherly and an vnfeyned loue among your selues that lyke as Christ loued you not after a commen sort nor after a carnall maner of loue euen so should you loue euery one other with a spiritual loue New kynred requireth new affeccion Before this tyme you Iewes loued Iewes after a carnall affeccionate loue but now beyng by a
them with the other For this is the will of the most hyghe God youre Prynce that you geue none occasion vnto their inconsiderate ignoraunce whereby they myghte proueably call the gospelles profession to blame if they perceaued you to set naught by their autoritie That whiche other doe for feare of the lawes do you willyngly of your owne accorde yea more habundauntlye than other doe that you maye declare youre selues to be ryght free men in dede For he is free that of his owne mind and willyngly doeth as he shoulde doe rightly God forbydde that you should abuse the pretence of the gospelles veritie to synne more licenciously You owe not bonde seruice vnto men but inasmuche as you are the seruauntes of God you shall submitte youre selues for his glories sake vnto all men gladlre and willynglye If any duetie therfore if any honour be duely belongyng euen to them that be heathens either for the publike office sake that they beare or for affinitie sake do that throughly vnto all men lest they being anye whit offended be broughte more farther of from the profession of the gospell yet for all that it is reason that you loue them specially whom the commune profession hath made brethren vnto you Feare God whose eies no man can begile And concernyng the kyng there is no cause why you should be afrayed of him seing he is dreadfull to none but to euyll doers but yet acknowledge hys autoritie in those thynges that he exacieth of you without hynderaunce of godlynes He demaundeth custome paye it him he exacteth tribute geue it him That which those that be free ought to do to the Magistrates thoughe they be heathens bonde seruauntes ought to do vnto their maisters from seruing of whoÌ„ baptisme maketh them not free But they ought rather with greater reuerence to acknowledge them not onely yf they be good and sobre men but also if they be sore men and harde sharpe men lest peraduenture beyng offended with your frowarde maners doyng otherwise than you ought to doe they laye the fauite vnto the profession and be dryuen the more farther of from it whereunto they ought rather to be encensed and allured by your honest behauiour Some wyl saye It is a sore mater to beare the tyrannye of Prynces it is a sore mater to abyde the crueltie of maisters For Prynces spoyle exacte and punyshe and maysters wyth whyppes and buffeâ—tes all to teare them that are faultles These maters woulde ryghtly seme not worthye to be borne if it were ascribed vnto them and not rather vnto God Their wickednes deserueth not thus muche that these thynges should be suffred at their handes but so is the wil of God that youre goodnes shoulde turne their maliciousnes in to the glorie of Christ For after suche sorte is your pacience acceptable to God whan beyng afflicted vndeseruedly you suffre neuertheles contentedly not for feare of men but for the glory of God Communely there is no despyght more impaciently taken than whan men are not faultye But among Christians it is ferre otherwise for among them like as euery one is the beste euen so doeth he couet to be mooste acceptable vnto God And the more inwaâ—â—â—ly he loueth God so muche the more chearfullye he suffreth whatsoeuer â—pperteyneth to the glorye of God But what garmercye were it yf you suffre whan you are buffetted for naughtye doynges The conscience of the faulte teacheth thys that euery man can abyde his deserued peynes and holde his peace But whan you suffre patiently the sorowes that are done vnto you for weldoinges you come in fauour with god for whose cause sake you suffre wyllynglye The texte For hereunto verely were ye called for Christ also suffered for vs leuinge vs an ensample that ye shoulde folowe his steppes which dyd no sinne nether was there gyle founde in his mouth â–ª which when he was reuiled reuiled not agayne when he suffered he thretened not but committed the vengeaunce to hym that iudgeth righteouslye whyche hys owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body â—n the tree that we beinge delyueted from synne shoulde lyue vnto righteousnes By whose stripes ye were healed For ye were as shepe going astray but are nowe turned vnto the shepherd and byshop of your solles Your innocencie might disdaynfully grudge at this but that Christe beyng innocent suffred greater haynous peines for your sake This is your profession vpon this condicion are you called into his body that you myghte folow the example of suffryng which he hath left vnto you and entring in by the same fotesteppes you might thrust in vnto euerlastyng glory by the same way that he atteyned vnto it What sorowe was it that he suffred not whiche was crucified with theues And what is more innocent than he which not only commytted no faulte at all but also there was no maner of gyle at any tyme found in his tongue whaÌ„ they bitterly reuiled him he gaue none euill wordes again but rather besought the father to forgyue them Whan he was bounden whan he was beaten whan he was nayled on the crosse he threatened no vengeaunce but referred all vengeaunce vnto the father whiche iudgeth not of affeccion but accordynge to iustice Christe in the meane tyme playng the intercessour and not the on settour As for vs albeit we now folowe innocencie yet with our naughtye synfulnes we had afore tyme iustely deserued the vengeaunce of God But Christe forasmuche as he was indaungered with no synne yet he caryed the burthen of our synnes vpon his owne bodye that he myghte ease vs of oure burthen and was offred on the tree of the crosse as a brent offerynge for oure synnes and by hys vndeserued death he put awaye the deathe that was due vnto vs that we shoulde in the meane tyme folowe the example of his death and resurreccion and that beyng dead vnto our olde synnes and lustes wherunto we were addicte and dyd seruice we shoulde lyue from henceforth vnto innocencie vnto the which he being the fountayne of all innocencie hath consecrated vs whiche hathe taken ouâ—e wickednes him selfe that he myght geue his righteousnes vnto vs. We had offended and he was beaten The fault was ours and the punyshement lyght cruelly vpon him So yâ— accordyng to Esayes prophecie we were made whole by his stripes Him therfore you are bounden to thanke for youre innocencie and in that God imputeth not the synnes of your former lyfe you are bounde to thanke his bondes his scourgeinges his woundes his crosse and his death For ye were scatred before tyme lyke shepe withoute a keper strayenge some one waye some an other as euerye mannes phantasye ledde him thynkyng you myghte lawfullye do whatsoeuer lyked youre selfe but you are nowe conuerted from youre olde erroure vnto Christe Iesus the shepehearde and Curate of youre soules Yf you folowe hym in sufferynge afflyecyons of sorowes wythoute deseruynge you shall throughe hys leadynge come vnto the glory of immortalitie ¶ The .iii. Chapter The texte
lyfe for them that sinne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for whiche saye I not that a man shoulde praye All vnrighteousnes is sin and ther is a synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of god synneth not but he that is begotten of god kepeth himselfe and that wicked toucheth hym not We know that we are of god and the worlde is all together set on wickednes We knowe that the sonne of god is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe hym whiche is true and wee are in him that is true through his sonne Iesus Christ This same is very god and eternal lyfe Babes kepe your selues from images Amen These thinges therfore doe I repete and beate vnto you with so many wordes lest any man shoulde persuade vnto you the contrarye But take it for a sure and an vndoubted certayntie that it is true whiche you haue beleued that euerlastynge lyfe is ordayned for you throughe Iesus Christe whose ioyned felowe heires you are You haue already the ryght clayme and gage and shall haue possession of the thyng selfe in hys tyme. Therefore you that beleue in the sonne of God beleue stedfastlye and put youre sure trust in hym daylye more and more He wyll not fayle you in the promyses of euerlastyng lyfe that fayleth you not nowe euen in thys lyfe For in dede the spirite of Christe geuethe this confidence vnto you that whatsoeuer you shal aske in y◠name of the sonne you should obtaine it if ye aske according to hys wyll that is yf you be suche when you come to praye as he woulde haue you to come that is to saye pure from all maner hate of your brother For he obteyneth nothyng at goddes hande of whom his neyghbour obteyneth not forgeuenes of his fault And if you aske those thinges that are auaileable to the lyfe of heauen and make to the glorye of Christ Or elles we for the moste parte knowe not what we shoulde aske of God and many tymes for holsome thynges we desire hurtfull thynges yf the spirite of Christe put vs not in mynde what were expedient for vs to aske but as ofte as we aske after thys sorte we are sure that god heareth oure prayers we are sure that he wyll frely geue vs whatsoeuer we shall aske So hath he promised vs and is hable to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth and wyll performe whatsoeuer is holsome for vs. Neither shall he onely encrease his giftes in vs being prouoked therunto by oure prayers but also he wyll pardon vs oure daylye offences without whome the feblenes of mans nature can scarcely be hable to endure longe and he shall not onely pardon euery one hys offences yf he desire pardon but he shall also heare the brother praying for the brothers offences so that the sinne bee of suche sorte that it doeth not quenche out brotherly loue althoughe it doe somewhat obscure it For there is a synne that cannot bee imputed vn to weakenes nor be healed with lyght and easye remedies as whan a manne vpon a sette malyce persecuteth the christen felowshyppe where he hymselfe hath professed Christe and in pretence of religion goeth aboute to subuert religiō The desperate frowardnes of suche a one deserueth not the prayer of godly menne and yet perfite charitie prayeth also for suche wyshynge for those thynges that cannot possiblye be done There is no manne that prayeth for the deuyll because he doeth wittynglye throughe malyce oppugne them whome God woulde well vnto Perhappes no prayer should also be made for them that are translated into hys affeccion and are rather to be shunned that they doe no harme than to bee releued with prayers excepte they shewe an hope of their repentaunce Suche a disease nedeth more strong remedies and is greater than can bee taken away by dayly praiers wherby lighter offences are taken away which are done of feble weakenes not of purposed frowardenes Whatsoeuer is committed besyde perfite righteousnes is sin but there be many differences of synnes There is some synne whiche althoughe it demynyshe and blotte innocencye yet it vtterlye quencheth not out christian charytye as whan by occasion we ouershote a worde agaynste oure frende whiche we are sory for by and by that it ouer shot vs whan a sodayne angre hath russhed out at a worde that wee woulde wyshe by and by myghte bee called backe agayne whan throughe the swetenes of meate or drynke receyuyng wee take somewhat more then the necessitie of nature doeth require And to pardon these offences God is easie yf he bee called vpon with mutual prayers Suche maner of faultes of children those that be gentyll parentes doe for the moste parte wynke at whiche woulde not suffre greater offences Albeit there is none so lyght a faulte that ought to be neclected Whatsoeuer is done amysse is euyll and to bee eschewed of godlye folkes and yf it bee neclected it drawethe by lytell and lytell vnto deathe But lyke as spedye remidy oughte to be had for these lighter offences whiche men are scarce hable to auoyde euen so god forbydde that he whiche hath once renounced the worlde and dedicated hymselfe vnto god shoulde be tombled backe agayne into anye greate notable cryme By professing of the gospel we are made the childrē of God and membres of Christ And it is not conuenient that the children should diffre so greatly from the father and the membres from the head Therfore he that throughlye vnderstandeth that he is borne of god taketh more hede that he doe no euyl than of deathe it selfe and kepeth hymselfe that he haue nothynge a doe with that naughtie lorde deuill whom he serued before together with the worlde Lyke as Christe beynge once dead rose agayne to lyfe and rose agayne to lyfe neuer to dye any more euen so he that throughe baptisme is once dead vnto the worlde and risen againe to newnes of lyfe with Christ it is not mete for hym to doe that thynge agayne for the whyche Christe must dye agayne Let them be affrayed of the worlde whiche are not truely borne againe of god which haue not with al the pith of their whole heartes receyued the seede of the gospelles doctrine We knowe that wee are truely of god whome neyther the euyll thynges nor the good thynges of thys world can seperate from Christe The whole world is set all together on naughtines Whiche waye soeuer a man turneth hym there is occasion offred of thynges to turne vs awaye quite from the innocent vpryghtnes of lyfe But from the worldes enchauntmentes the sonne of god hathe once delyuered vs whiche came into the worlde for thys cause to exempte vs out of the contagious infeccion of the worlde He hathe dryuen awaye the darkenes of oure former ignoraunce and hathe geuen vs an vnderstandyng that is lyghtened with the lyght of the gospell to thintent we should knowe the true god the free geuer of al righteousnes who onely had nothyng a doe
doctrine And haue made it as it were pale bleaked for very sorow heuynes And this myschiefe hath preuayled in very many landes and in the whole christendom which was at that tyme as great as euer it was And than were dyuerse godly byshops and other Christians persecuted to death in all places for the true faythes sake The trees ¶ And wheÌ„ he had opened the fyfte seale I sawe vnder the aulter the soules of them that were kylled for the word of god for the testimonye whiche they had they cryed with a loude voyce saying How long tariest thou Lorde holy true to iudge and to auenge our bloude on them yâ— dwel on the earth And long whyte garmentes were geueÌ„ vnto euery one of them And it was sayd vnto them yâ— they should rest yet for a lytle season vntyl the nomber of their felowes brethren of them yâ— should be kylled as they were were fulfylled The fyfte seale and the aulter with the soules vnder it maye sygnifye the ryght godly Christen men whiche syghe crye yâ— they might ones see the true honour of god shyne floryshe al rightuousnes to increase And yâ— to procede of yâ— very true fayth true vnderstandynge of the word of god and againe they crye also against the tyrannous gouernour of yâ— wycked magistrates Vnto them is geuen comforte of conscience stedfast trust coÌ„fidence in yâ— promyses of god which can not deceyue them yf they crye earnestly ferueÌ„tly For yâ— is a token of the redempcioÌ„ great comforte yâ— is at hande And in yâ— meane tyme yâ— very same doe obteyne saluacioÌ„ of their soules immediately after their death in yâ— ioyes of heauen wheras they doe wyllyngly and paciently wayte after the resurreccion of their bodyes at suche tyme as the nomber of their felowes shal be accomplisshed and fulfylled Whiche tyme and nomber is onely knowen vnto the lorde The texte ¶ And I beheld wheÌ„ he had opened the syxt seale and lo there was a great earth quake and the sunne was as blacke as sacke clothe made of heare And the mone wexed all euen as bloude the starres of heaueÌ„ fell vnto the earthe eueÌ„ as a fygge tree casteth from her her fygges when she is shaken of a myghtye wynde And heauen vanysshed awaye as a scroll when it is rolled together And al mountaynes yles were moued out of their places And the kynges of the earth the great men the ryche men the chefe captaynes the myghty men euery bondman euery free man hyd them selues in deÌ„nes in rockes of the hylles sayd to the hylles rockes fall on vs byde vs froÌ„ the preseÌ„ce of him that sytteh on the seate and from the wrathe of the lambe for the great day of his wrathe is come and who is hable to endure This syxte seale maye be vnderstande of the great mysery and affliccion which shal aryse be procured thorow anty christ which shal be a very enuy of Christ and of all true holynes whiche shal esteme make himselfe a god And he shall set furthe in al thinges his owne glorye honour pompe iust pleasure against the holy word of god And all this shall he doe with all wylfulnes tyrannye false doctrine hypocritical and supersticious holynes with mans ordinaunces and he shal haue wonderful successe ther with And therfore there shall great affliccions aryse in the world and terryble earthquakes shal be sene whiche shal euidently declare the greuous myseries whiche shal ensue ther vpon And all these thinges shal be knowne accordyng vnto the maner of the scripture the prophetes and of Christ himselfe also thorow yâ—â—â—lypse darckenyng of the sunne â–ª of the Moone and tokens of bloode thorow the fallynge of the starres WhaÌ„ as in the holy state vnderstande yâ— spiritualty standerous persons shal reygne whiche shall blemyshe that ordre state with wyckednes shal do muche hurt bothe vnto the bodyes and soules of them for whose welth and saluacions sake they ought by dutye and office wyllyngly and gladly to gyue and to loose their owne bodyes and lyues For truth it is yâ— after the tyme of the heretikes the enemye of Christ that hell hounde Mahomet dyd aryse in the East parties of the worlde And the maynteyners of ydols and ymages monkery false religions daÌ„nable perpetuall vowes purgatory byeng sellyng of masses for mony the pryde pompe of the spiritualtie specially of yâ— sea of Rome of her decrees cursyng of Emperors Kynges theft robberies warres murthers in finite without noÌ„ber which brought suche misery slaÌ„der heuines as no tong can expresse these I say did aryse in yâ— west partes of yâ— world And this wyl the holy goost sygnifye expresse in this place with suche wordes as men doe vse whaÌ„ they wyl expresse the hyghest sorowes perplexites myseries of any tyme. ¶ The .vii. Chapter The texte ¶ And after that I sewe foure Angels stande on the foure corners of the earth holdyng the foure wyndes of yâ— earth yâ— the wynde should not blowe on yâ— earth nether on the see nether on eny tree And I saw another angel ascende from the rysinge of the sunne which had the seale of the lyuynge god and he cryed with a loude voyce to the foure Angels to whome power was geuen to hurte the earth the sea saying hurte not yâ— earth nether the sea nether the trees tyll we haue sealed the seruauntes of our god in their forheades THis perteyneth also vnto the syxt seale as a syngular comforte vnto yâ— right faithfull whiche are tossed and persecuted in this worlde for the truthes sake and for godlynes By these iii.angelles are vnderstande noysome ministers whiche goe aboute to hynder bothe the lyfe and doctrine of the gospel and the true faith These are yâ— messengers of Antichrist scattrid thoroweout the whole worlde they doe great hurte vnto al men of euery degre whiche is sygnified by the earth the sea the trees The holy angel which ascendeth from the rysing of yâ— sonne hath the token or seale of the lyuyng god is our lord Iesus Christ which hath not onely coÌ„maunded the gospel to be preached vnto al creatures but also thorowe his godly power he doth hinder such as would stop or let it And this he doth thorow his ordinary ministers as wel of yâ— spirituall as also of the temporall sorte And for this cause some men haue vnderstanden by this angell the good Emperour Constantyne But it maye also be some other by whome out fauiour Christe dothe further and set for the the doctryne of the gospell and a Christen lyfe againste all tyannes and Antychrystes This angell therfore shall delyuer the electe children of god from the myddes of the wycked worlde and shall marke or seale them with the token or marke of the blessed whiche is fayth loue and innocency
their wickednes without repentaunce and neuer returning backe vntil their last howre vntyll their very death than is it not possyble but that their damnacion begon here in this worlde in all myschefe wickednes and without sorowe repentance or amendment leauynge example vnto their posterite to committe and to maynteyne lyke wickednes it is not possible I saye but that the smoke of their payne torment shall ascende vp from euerlasting to euerlastinge without any maner of rest daye or night with all those which dyd euer helpe vnto suche vngodlynes or consent vnto it opened such a dore vnto wickednes and woulde be extolled and praysed therfore with their Antichristes marke contrarye to the holy token of gods electe whiche they haue in their foreheades namely the holy worde of God for the whiche they haue suffered muche payne and opprobrye but with excedynge great pacience for Iesus sake The texte ¶ And I hearde a voyce from heauen sayinge vnto me wryte Blessed are the deed which herafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite that they rest from their laboures but their worckes folowe them In so great danger of the faithful vnder the iurisdiccion of Antichristes abhominacion with his .ii. hornes and vnlawfull vsurped power vpon bodye and soule vtterly against the worde of god whiche is the onely comforte of al faithfull soules is it necessary that some comforte come vnto them from heauen aboue whiche the lambe sendeth vnto all true christians thorowe the holy gospell which the spirite of God writeth in their hartes to beleue stedfastlye that it can not be otherwyse in this worlde but that all they whiche wyll folow Christ must beare the crosse euen vnto death as Christe the innocent lambe dyd but afterwardes shall they see nothing but euerlastinge saluacion merited purchased vnto them thorowe the passion and death of Christe to the iustificacion and merite of eternall saluacion of all the electe Whiche comforte shall be muche greater in their soules in the kynkdome of Christe than is possible for al the merites of man to deserue or obteyne And speciallye at suche tyme as the glorified bodye shall be ioyned and vnited againe vnto the blissed soule after the latter daie And therfore the good workes of the faithful as thei doe not goe before their faith and loue but are onely the frutes of them euen so shall they not preuent the merite of Christ for all electe from euerlastinge but as the spirit of Christ saythe they folowe and come after them whan they haue obteyned rest and peace thorowe the free grace and mercye of God and thorowe the merite of Christes rightuousnes after this I saye thorowe faithe haue folowed good workes out of an humble and obedient heart whiche workes the lorde wyl graciouslye crowne as his gyftes and receyue and rewarde them as acceptable vnto him The texte ¶ And I loked and beholde a whyte cloude and vpon the cloude one syttinge lyke vnto the sonne of man hauinge on his heed a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe spckle And another angell came out of the temple cryinge with a loude voyce to him that sate on the cloude Christ in thy syckle and reape for the tyme is come to reape for the corne of the earthe is rype And he that sate on the cloude thrust in his syckle into yâ— earth and the â—arth was reaped Althoughe the right faithfull garnyshed with good workes after yâ— worde of God were euermore sure of their saluacion yet not withstandynge the iudgement of God whan his tyme is come goeth forwarde against all suche thinges as are set vp against the worde of God As it was readye at hande at one tyme by reason of the obscuringe and blyndinge of gods worde amonge yâ— Iewes thorowe the cursed Talmud wherunto they gaue more faith and credence and cleaued more earnestly vnto it than vnto the lawe of God and to the prophetes And lykewyse among the christians specially among the hyghe bysshops and prelates with their glorious tytles of Popes Patriarkes Cardinals Primates and suche other orders of the whiche one euer desiered to be aboue a nother sekyng alwayes their owne glorye lust pompe honour and dignitie and not the wil of God faithe godlynes of lyfe nor yet the gospell whiche they haue alwayes pretended falsely and craftilye to colour and cloke their myschefe and wickednes As concerninge the Turkes faithe we can saye but lytle what their greatest faut wickednes and beastlynes is we haue had more knowledge by writinges than by any profe or experience But it is to be feared yf God be not mercifull vnto vs we shall learne it soner than we woulde In the myddest of all this thorowe the trompet of the gospel beyng blowen out in our tyme after a wonderfull sorte thorowe the spirite of Helyas whiche appeareth commeth abrode plentuouslye and effectuouslye is rysen and daylye ryseth suche a mouynge and sterringe vp of mens hartes suche a knowledge of the truth such a lyght and lanterne of doctrine and such a iudgement of Antichristes workes suche a feare of the wrathe of God so that there is a good hope that yâ— holy and holsome seede of gods worde so plentiously sowne and spred abrode shall not returne againe without great frute and edifâ—enge of the faithe and the lyfe of men For as for the Iewes whether they wyll or no they must nedes despaire of their workinge their faithe their doctrine and of all their state whan as they see that the whole kyngdome of heauen whiche they take to be theirs peculiarely to be taken from them and to be made common vnto all them that feare God thorowe the whole worlde more than euer was founde by them Euen so also amonge the christians the doctrine and profession of the holy gospell true faythe and all godlye vertues shall waxe and increase in the heades and rulers of the christendome as it shall also be ioyfullye receyued of all true Christen subiectes notwithstandynge that the nomber of them shall alwayes be least And also the knowledge vnderstandinge lernynge and readynge of the holy scripture shall somwhat increase amonge the spirituall prelates as it shoulde be hoped for and with most earnest and feruent prayer desired and called for of god And it is well to be thought and to be beleued that the Lord wyll doe his parte also euen in suche wyse as is here promysed so yâ— Antichrist beyng thus put to shame but yet remayninge styll impenitent shall be reaped downe with the syckle of gods worde thorowe the spirite of Helyas and shall be cut downe thresshed not to the destruccion but to the profyte edificacion and saluacioÌ„ of the world This hath our Lorde and sauiour Christ brought to passe whiche is alwayes the heade of the churche who is not onely present therwith but also doth graciouslye rule and gouerne it edifieth and helpeth it and he with and roteth out the enemies and aduersaries with the sickle of his
her was founde the bloude the prophetes and of the sainctes and of all that wer slayne vpon the earthe Suche a nother thing dyd Ieremy also prophecye of the kingdome of BabiloÌ„ and euen as he prophecied so came it to passe And euen so doubtles shall â—â— lykewyse come to passe vnto this proude presumpcion and lykewyse vnto all vngodly tyrantes whether they be of the spiritualtye or of the temporaltie An heuy and greuous iudgement shall take and ouerthrowe the mightye of the worlde whiche mysuse their power and might Yea and it shall vtterly fall and decaye with all their ioy lust pryde and tyrannye whiche they haue vsed in the tyme of their gouernaunce And specially the spirituall ministers of god whiche for their office and vocacions sake ought to haue done and taught otherwyse And lykewyse suche handy craftes as haue serued ydols ydolatrie and maynteined false goddes and false goddes seruyce inuented onely for lucre and for no godlynes shall also haue an ende And lykewyse the ydel priestes with suche as depende vpon them an vnprofytable kynde of people and al suche thinges as haue ministred occasion vnto worldly lustes pleasures and delyciousnes shall haue lyke end and fall as Tyrus Babilon and Nynyue of the whiche the prophetes make mencion As Rome the Romyshe Empire also had once Muche more shall it happen lykewyse vnto the Papacye and yâ— courte of Rome and to yâ— prelates whiche ought to be spiritual as they also name them selues but in very in dede are more carnall and worldly than any other What godly men haue bene destroyed for the truthes sake in councels and at Rome it is so euydent that it neadeth not here to be rehersed ¶ The .xix. Chapter The texte ¶ And after that I herde the voyce of muche people in heauen sayinge Alleluya Saluacion and glorye and honour power be ascribed to the Lorde out God for true and righteous are his iudgementes for he hath iudged the great whore whiche dyd corrupte yâ— earth with her fornicacion and hath auenged the bloude of his seruauntes of her hande And againe they sayde Alleluia And smoke rose vp for euermore And the xxiiii elders and the foure beastes fell downe and worshypped God that sate on the seate sayinge Amen Alleluya And a voyce came out of the seare sayinge prayse our Lorde God all ye that are his seruauntes and ye that feare him bothe small and great IF a man might so say what dothe the punishment of the wicked tyrantes and their damnacion helpe or profyte the godlye and faithfull christians whiche are persecuted of the dragon of the beast and of yâ— false prophetes for the true faithe and religions sake euen vnto deathe Hete in this place is a sufficient and perfight answer vnto this question For thus it is sayde the same godly ministers and faithfull witnesses of Christe the crucified and slaine lambe they doe nothynge els in heauen in their immortall soules but synge thankes and laudes vnto God almightie styrring prouokyng and exhortynge one a nother with lyke affeccion and zeale to prayse God For Alleluia is nothinge els but prayse God Allelu is as muche to saye as prayse ye And ya is one of the names of the lorde God wherby he is named of whiche names there are dyuerse Nowe here maye we learne with what maner of wordes we shoulde and shall prayse God bothe here and also in heauen Namely thus all saluacion and goodnes whiche may be profitable vnto vs and maye be desyred of God and againe all laude and prayse for al maner of benefites and goodnes perteyneth onely vnto the mooste mercyfull eternall and almightye onely one God and must be ascribed vnto him Honour whiche is a profession and a declaracion of al vertue and godly kindnes and loue and of al mighte power and omnipotencye is due onely vnto the true onely and eternall God creatour and maker of all creatures For all his workes and iudgemeÌ„tes are right commendable holy and true without all maner of parcialitye and specially for as much as he hathe subdued and brought downe the glorious and proude tyrantes bothe of the spiritualtie and of the temporaltie and hath sent them to eternall damnacion And hathe caused their wickednes and abhominacion also to come to lyght in this worlde to the synguler comforte of the faithfull electe that were oppressed of them And thus they cease not to gyue lawdes and thanckes vnto God saying continually Alleluia But the smoke is the true oblacion and the right sacrifice whiche the holy sainctes doe offer in heauen euerlastinglye and performe also vpon earthe in the holy churche euen vntyll the latter daye I meane geuynge of thanckes and acknowledging the goodnes of God as is before sayd This oblacioÌ„ sacrifice is made coÌ„tinually without ceasynge with infynite and vnspeakeable ioy of al holy patriarkes prophetes Apostles mattirs and of the whole heauenly felowship and of all them whiche euer from the beginning haue pleased the lord God with faith loue hope and obedience But the maner and the ceremonies with the wordes reuerence and ioy whiche the holy and faithfull electe do vse dothe the holy scripture describe after the maner capacite of men in suche wyse as may be best vnderstande and perceyued of vs. Amen is as muche as that God is the trueth faithful in keping of all his promises and wordes And here maye we learne that we shoulde not name nor esteme the holy and faithfull saintes as princes and rulers of heaueÌ„ for as muche as they name them selues but seruantes of God and are no better and that also not by merite and deserte but onely by the grace and eleccion of god And also some are also greater and higher than other as Abraham parauenture than Isaac and Ioseph than Simeon Peter than Philip but that ought not curiously to be serched out of man In heauen shall we see and knowe perfitely the cause and occasion of the iudgement of God but not in this lyfe The texte ¶ And I hearde the voyce of muche people euen as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of stronge thoâ—dringes saying Alleluia For the Lorde our god omnipotent raigneth Let vs be glad and reioyce and geue honour to him for the mariage of the lambe is come and his wyfe made her selfe readye And to her was graunted that she should be aâ— rayed with pure goodly raynes For the raynes is the rightewesnes of saintes And he said vnto me write happy are they which are called vnto the lambes supper And he said vnto me these are the true sayinges of God And I tell at his fete to worship him And he said vnto me se thou do it not For I am thy felow seruaunt and one of thy brethren euen of them that haue the testimony of Iesus Whorship God For the testimonye of Iesus is the spirite of prophecye This maye be vnderstande of yâ— holy faithful saintes vpon earth whiche
godlynes oppressours of the innocent frendes of God To be shorte all they whiche beare the marke token of the dragon of the beast whiche is infidelyte misbelefe in Christ lyke as faith in yâ— crucified Christ is the sure marke and token of al the electe These vnfaithfull must lyue eternally in the ponde of fyre and they shall be ponisshed vexed painfully with vnspeakeable sorowe and heuines euen yâ— deuel his seruaÌ„tes together And although some come out of this life with yâ— sworde without faith yet their damnacioÌ„ did begin here shal continue euerlastingly ¶ The .xx. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angell come downe from heauen hauynge the kaye of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hande And he toke the dragon that olde serpent whiche is the deuil and Satanas he bounde him a thousande yeares cast him into yâ— bottomlesse pit he bounde him and set a seale on him that he shoulde deceaue the people nomore tyl the thousande yeares were fulfylled And after that he must be loced for a lytell season THis chapter maye be taken as it wer for a rehersal of the visions reuelacions that were before mencioned And by the waie it describeth againe yâ— honour and maiestie of Christ of gods worde and the power of the holy gospell and the benefites of Christ addeth therunto the last iudgemeÌ„t of the deade whiche shall dye .ii. deathes This angel that commeth from heauen is Christ whiche shoulde come in to this worlde as was promised vnto the firste man in the beginnynge of the worlde that he shoulde treade the old serpent vpon the heade Whiche is nothing els but that he shoulde take his power from him whiche the iust and rightuous God hath suffered him to exercise againste man for the synne of the first dysobedience and transgression Whiche power Sathan hath alwayes exercised and practised with all wicked disceyte and dyuerse errours and specially with ydolatrye after the whiche doe folow blindnes and all maner of synnes This power hath Christ mightily and with force taken from Sathan the deuyll thorowe his rightuousnes and humblenes euen vntyll the crosse satisfieng for all the pryde transgression disobedience and vnfaithfulnes of Adam and Eue. And thus he hath bounde him with the chayne of his well deserued power that is to say hath hindered him of his proude tyrannye shameful wicked power against the faithful electe of god This band should indure a thousande yeares yâ— is to say a long tyme namely euen yâ— tyme of the right Christen faith which after yâ— saying of yâ— olde fathers should indure for .ii. thousande yeares but it is vncerten from what tyme men should begin to teken these yeares that the faith in this tyme should be sore assaulted whiche hath alwayes bene at this point euen in the tyme of yâ— Iewes in yâ— olde testameÌ„t and amoÌ„g gods owne people hath sometime increased and somtime fallen dedecaied And according therunto might SathaÌ„ exercise his power at some tyme more thaÌ„ at a nother And thus thorow Christ Sathan is alwaies bonde vnto the right faithfull But whan the faithe decayeth and goeth backewarde and the falsehede desceite and dysobedience of man increaseth so that gods word is more and more contemned and forsaken than dothe Sathans power increase againe as it hath ofte come to passe that he maye deceyue the people the heathen the vnfaithfull againe and so vse his power and tyranny againe as loÌ„g as there is lacke and want of true faithe in this worlde The texte ¶ And I sawe seates and they sat vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and I sawe the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Iesu and for the worde of God whiche had not worshipped the beast nether his ymage neyther had taken his marke vpon their forheades or on their handes and they lyued and raygned with Christ a M. yere but the other of the dead men lyued not againe vntyll the thousande yere were finysshed This is that first resurreccioÌ„ Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurreccion For on suche shall the seconde death haue no power but they shal be the Prestes of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousande yeres The seates to iudge Sathan and his companye are appointed of Christ vnto the holy apostles and vnto other electe the soules of them whiche for the lambes sake wer beheaded that is to say after diuers maners and fasshions put to death for the gospelles sake whiche woulde not make any oblacions vnto ydols nor false goddes nor woulde not worship the beast that is to saye Antichrist nor woulde not feare nor honour his ymage but dyd manfully fight for the holy gospell and for the true doctrine and religion of the Apostles All these shall haue seates in the kyngdome of Christ to iudge the whole companye and courte of Sathan and to conuince them of their wickednes blasphemies and damnable errours whiche shal be open and manifest vnto the worlde thorowe the gospel And this their condemnacion beyng openly and manifestly knowen and their godles tyrannye shall â–ª be their death from the whiche they shall not ryse vp againe tyll a thousande yeares be past This manifest iudgement victory and honour obteyned with Christ is vnto them the first resurreccion namely a great honour and felicitie not onely in heaueÌ„ with Christ but also vpon earth in the kingdom of Christ which he hath vpon earth with his spirite in the congregacion of the holy electe And they are happy and blessed and their lyfe is euerlasting both in the heuenly company and also in the holy churche congregacion of the faithful godly soules vpon earth For they are the most deare beloued the most acceptable and of highest reputacion with Christ the lord and kynge of heauen as right prestes and ministers ought to be amonge vs and they shall rule and reigne with Christe vnto the ende of the worlde vntyll the last daye of the latter iudgement and in the seconde resurreccion and vntil the last and eternall iudgement of the wicked and damned blasphemers The texte ¶ And when the thousande yeares are eâ—piâ—ed SathaÌ„ shal be losed out of his preson and shal go out to beceaue the people whiche are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog togather them together to battayle whose nombre is as yâ— sande of the see they went vp in the playne of yâ— earth and compassed the centes of the sainctes about the beloued citie And fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them and the deuyll that deceaued them was cast into a lake of fyre and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented daye and night for euer more A lytle tyme before the last day shall Sathan obteyne power againe tyll the ende of the worlde and shal exercyse and practyse it and
Christ that is to say him of whom we must nedes aske al the succoures of our salnacion and beleueth that in his hearte he is borne of god and is called alredy into the nūmbre of the sonnes of God In dede he can not chose but loue the is a sonne Thā whosoeuer loueth him heartely that is y◠father loueth him also the was borne of him that is to wete his brother with whome he hath all one commune father By this tokē we proue that we doe truly loue y◠children of God yf we first loue God him selfe heartely For there is nothing truely loued except it be loued for his sake Than that we loue God it shall euidently so appeare yf we kepe his commaundementes and kepe them chearfully and gladly for his commaundementes are none otherwyse greuous For what is greuous to the louer what is greuous to him that goeth post haste to suche maner rewardes The worlde obiecteth terrible appearaunces of euilies pouertie vanyshement slaunder enprisonmentes whippinges deathes It is a great fraye but the victorie is made readye For what soeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde But with what furnitures doeth he ouercome y◠worlde with riches with garisons of men with engines of warre with worldly learning no no they ouercome the worlde as cruelly rageing as it is throughe a stedfast onely faithe wherwith they committe them selues wholy vnto God their protectour Thy riches are snatched awaye yea but what sayeth faithe to that Thou haste a treasure in heauen Thou art throwen out to be a vanished man yea but the countrey of heauen loketh for his countreyman Thy body is turmoyled with tormentes yea but with them are bought euerlasting ioyes Death is deuised for the yea but after it shall folowe lyfe that neuer shall dye Who is it than that ouercometh the worlde not a lorde not the riche man not a philosopher not a kyng but he who soeuer he be that beleueth verely that Iesus is the sonne of God Beleue that which he hath promised and it shal nothing moue thee whatsouer the worlde purposeth against thee He ouercame the world first atteyned immortalitie he came into this world hauīg takē our mortal body to get the victorye for vs to shew the meane of victorye getting to cause y◠rewardes to be certaynely reckoned vpon But with what furnitures came he armed withall He came by water and bloude euen Iesus Christe by water that he myght washe vs cleane from our synnes by bloude that he myght geue vs immortall lyfe Hys owne wyll was to be baptised beinge cleane voyde from all synne that he myght frelye geue vnto vs innocencye hys owne wyll was to dye on the crosse that he myght open vnto vs the waye vnto immortalitie He dyd not onelye testifie by these two tokens that he was Christ and the sauiour of the worlde in that he receyued baptisme as a synfull man in that he dyed as a malefactour where he one onely none among all but he was Innocent from all synne but the spirite also appearynge in the likenes of a doue bare recorde of him that it was he whō the father had geuen to be the sauyour of the worlde For the spirite is also the trueth as the father and the sonne is there is one trueth of all like as there is one nature of all For there are three in heauen that beare recorde vnto Christ the father the worde and the spirite the father whiche sending once and eftsones a voice downe from heauen testified openly that he is his dearly beloued sonne in whom nothing coulde doe amisse the worde whiche hauing done so many miracles whiche in his death and resurreccion declared him selfe to be the true Christ bothe God and man the peacemaker betwene God and men the holy gooste whiche descended vpon his head whan he was baptised and that after his resurreccion fell vpon his disciples And of these three there is all one most perfite agrement the father is the autor the sonne the messanger the holy goost the remembrauncer There are three thinges also on earthe that beare recorde vnto Christ his humayne spirite whiche he put from him one the crosse the water and the bloode that ranne out of his syde whan he was deade And these three witnesses doe agree The other declared him to be God these recorde that he was man Iohn also bare witnesse And yf we receyue witnesse of men it is reason that the witnesse of God be of more importaunce with vs. For the testimonie of God the father is manifest Thys is my VVelbeloued Sonne in VVhom I am pleased heare him What thing can be spoken more plainly or more fully he that beleueth truly in goddes sonne Iesus Christ and hath reposed al the succours of his lyfe in him so that trusting in his promisses he contemneth all thinges that this worlde can make a shewe of whether they be amiable or dreadfull hathe a witnesse in him selfe and beareth witnesse vnto the sonne of God For whan throughe thinspiracion of the spirite of Christe he defieth euen deathes for his loue he beareth no trifling witnesse vnto mē that they are no vaine thīges that Christ hath taught and promised He that trusteth not in god but putteth his trust in the worlde he as muche as in him is maketh god a lyer whiche hath promised felicitie vnto them that woulde herkē vnto his sonne Iesu Christ where as he in his conuersaciō teacheth that felicitie is to be asked of the worlde cleaueth so vnto the cōmodities of this lyfe as thoughe nothing of a man remayned after the deathe of the bodye The father cryeth Heare him And his lyfe that beleueth not sayeth Heare the worlde For whan the sonne prayed the father that those whiche beleued or shoulde beleue in him might haue eternall lyfe the fathers voyce was heard testifiyng as by the sound of a trompet that his prayers should be allowed The father therfore hath geuen vs euerlastyng lyfe shewinge of whome it should be asked euen of his sonne Iesus Christe His doctrine who soeuer embraceth his example whosoeuer foloweth hys promises whosoeuer trusteth vnto he bothe possedeth the sonne and hath life the pledge wherof he kepeth in the meane time euen the spirite of god throughe the vndoubted confidence whereof he is bolde to call God father He that is a straunger from the sonne is estraunged also from lyfe The texte These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god that ye maye knowe howe that ye haue eternall lyfe and that ye maye beleue on the name of the sonne of god And thys is the trust that we haue in hym that yf we aske any thyng accordinge to hys wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heare vs whatsoeuer wee aske we knowe that we haue the peticions that we desire of hym If any man see his brother sinne a synne not vnto death let hym aske and he shall geue hym