and mightie Prince Edvvarde Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Churche of Englande immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the VVest partes as also in Suffolke and Nâ—â—â—olke in the yeare of our Lord Christe 1549. 86 ¶ A Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of the holy Apostle S. Paule to the Romanes The first Chapter I Paul whom men heretofore haue called Saule that is to say one which is now become of a busie and troublesome felow or of a very tyrant and persecuter a well stayed peaceable and quiet man and was bound many yeres agone vnder the law of Moyses strayghtly to serue and obey him but now at this tyme â—n made frée from him set at libertie and prefâ—rred to the highe fréedome seruice and dignitie of the great God our Lorde Iesus Chryst yet notwithstanding I am not thereby falne into the corrupte state of Apostacie or a cleane forsaker of Moyses institutions but am called to be Chrystes true messanger and therefore now more highly aduaunced than when I was one of the stoute and mightie dâ—â—â—â—ders of the Pharisies secte against Moyses For the cause thereof was that béeing then not truely godly nor ledde by the spirite of truthe and although learned yet not rightly learned but a wanderer in darkenesse and error I missed very farre from the veritie and from the true vnderstanding of the holy law of god But now I may rightly be called a true Pharisie that is one which by grace am chosen separated and put aparte by the Lorde Iesus Chryst him selfe who hath endued me with the spirite of truth to preach and teache the Gospell of his eternall father which is not any new Gospell of lately inuented but the same that was promised long before by the holy Prophets vppon the sonne of man which at hys tyme appoynted was borne of the stocke of Dauid as touching the fleshe and was also declared of the holy Ghoste to bée the eternall Sonne of the euerlasting God as moste truely appeareth bycause after hys bodily death and buriall in the Sepulchre he triumphantly rose agayne euen with the same very flesh In which mightie and notable mysterie he dyd not only teache vs the resurrection also to come of our fleshe but also him selfe to be the beginner and onely author of the same By whom I am appoynted to the function and high office of an Apostle that like as the Gospell of God hath ben promulgate and taught among the nation of the Iewes so it might also by me be declared vnto the Gentiles Not to any suche intente that they should be burdened with the mightinesse and charges of the law but rather that they shoulde submitte them selues to the onely true fayth in Iesus Chryste and to be brought herevnto not by the vayne gloses of Philosophers of the which sort all you be that are Gentiles but by receiuing the name of Chryst in holy baptisme and so made the children of God by adoption to refrayne your selues from al vayne and fantasticall persuasions paynted and damnable opinions as be now and long hath ben amongst you inasmuche as the adoption it selfe is through grace in Chryst Iesus generally offered to all men Therfore I say to al you that be at Rome the faythfull louers of God and forsakers of your olde iniquities I wish the grace mercy and peace of God not such peace verily as the world giueth but the very true perfect and new peace which onely procéedeth from the father almightie God of heauen And first of all things I thanke the same father of heauen for you that it hath pleased him by his sonne Iesus Chryst to giue this inestimable benefite vnto you Which although you haue ben heretofore al infidels miscreants and idolaters deserued by Gods iustice to be eternally damned yet now he wil that your fayth and profession shuld in such sort be changed made 〈…〉 strong in him that it may most happily redounde to your â—â—â—noume and speciall commendation throughout all the whole world The which thing considering my deare tender loue towards you can not be but most ioyfull and comfortable to me for God the father is my recorde whom I now serue not in vayne and dead Ceremonies but in the powre of his spirite preaching the glad tidings of his deare sonne that always from time to time I haue you in my thought remembraunce praying continually to God that if it be possible I might once come vnto you and sée you at Rome for I thinke very long there to sée you and to be made ioyfull of your godly companies Not séeking therby mine owne profite or singuler aduauntage but most hartily desirous to bestow vpon you some healthsome frute of my Apostleship and to exhibite vnto you not the grosse seruice or dead Ceremonies of Moses but the very delectable yea most swete and spiritual good taste of the sauiour Iesus Christ and to speake vnto you after mine affection familiaritie togither to the ende that one of vs may comfort another in the onely true fayth which wée now haue in our Lord Iesus and to the confirmation establishing one another in the same heauenly gifte All whiche though they be not yet hitherto done as moste rightly behoueth surely for my parte I am in no faulte thereof for I haue most earnestly wished to haue ben among you but alas I haue had many impediments and lets to the contrary And for this cause specially I haue desired to sée you that it might bée my lotte and good happe aswell to profite you and to doo you good as I haue doone vnto other Nations For as God him selfe is an vniuersall God and Lorde of mercy to all men euen so by his mercy is the Gospell vniuersall and in time to be vttered to all nations Wherefore in déede I confesse it my duetie not onely to declare the holy Gospell to the Iew but also to the Gentile not onely to the wise and learned but also to the most barbarous rude vnlearned yea to euery man whatsoeuer he be without exception onlesse he most wickedly and with fixed will withstande and resist the same For which consideration in the zeale of my Lorde Chryst to do you good mine hart melteth within me vntil I preache the Gospell also vnto you that be at Rome And you shall vnderstande that as I feare not at all the state of your great mighty famouse and pompouse Empire so am I not ashamed of the humble and base state or appearaunce of Chrysts kingdome nor of the preaching of his holy Gospell in the simplicitie and plainenesse therof which although it bée to the vnfaythfull but a scoffe a mocke or scorne yet is the same to all the faythfull the moste high mightie and puissaunt vertue of GOD through which onely they bée brought to the hauen of felicitie and to eternall saluation The
you any harde thing to know them for they doo neuer sincerely teach that which is right neither doo they administer their office in the Gospell according to the pleasure of God but doo onely serue their owne bellies séeking their owne profites and with swéete preachings and flattering wordes they goe about to seduce rather the Innocentes and simple creatures than holesomly to reforme them Which kinde of simple men are surely soone turned out of the right way through the colourable or false precepte of suche wretches vngodly Religion Agayne touching your godly obedience I reioyce greatly therin for I heare it muche spoken of amongest all men and commended And I doo the rather reioyce bicause your obedience is the firste steppe or degrée to go foreward◠vnto true godlynesse Yet notwithstanding this same you muste diligently beware vnto whom you do obey Simplicitie verily is highly to be commended and a goodly vertue before God but the same bicause it thinketh vppon no guile ne deceit it is oftentimes in déede deceiued among the deceiuers blinded most wickedly seduced from the truthe Wherfore I wil that your simplicitie be after suche sorte that thereby ye hurt not ne deceiue any man and againe so wise and circumspect towardes your selues for the truth sake that as therby ye shal plainly sée howe to knowe and holde faste the truthe so to auoide the way of vnrightuousnesse and all false deformers of the truth Surely I am not so ignorant but that I do very wel knowe how amongste you there are many that labor what they can to stop the procéeding of Christes gospell For some there be which in the wickednesse of their harts do diuersly labour the stopping thereof as through their crueltie and persecution some through hipocrisie some through deceitfull and sugred doctrine some through outward shew of holinesse in their superstitious and false religion some againe very watchfull to drawe vs from the fréedome of Christ and to make vs againe bonde seruauntes vnto the traditions and ceremonies of Moses But as for you as I trust well of Gods strengthe in you so I admonishe you still to continue in the obedience of the gospel and God will at all times be ready at your handes to fortifie your soules in the same Whome if you shall haue for your defence what thing then is it that you shoulde stande in feare off For he being of moste might and power will soone forcibly spurne downe and treade vnder fote your old aduersarie the diuel and Sathanas and wil make him couche lowe and fall flat before your faces and that very shortly doute you not The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you al. Amē Timotheus my worke felowe in preaching the holy gospell and with him Lucius and Iason and Socipater my kinsman haue them all commended vnto you And I Tertius which wrote this same Epistle haue me hartily commended vnto you all Cayus mine hoste as also the hoste to all the congregations hathe him commended vnto you And Erastus the Chamberlaine of the citie Corinthin hathe bene likewise cōmended vnto you and so hathe Quartus a brother of the congregations And euen thus once againe I pray that the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ may be with you all whom I most hartely beséeche that by his holy will and power it will now fulfill and establishe all my desires in your hartes for by his only might and good will it must be broughte to passe but in no wise by any helpe at all from our selues according to the truthe of my gospell and the preaching of Iesus Christe By which holy gospel the law of Moses is not vtterly abrogate but the meaning or secreat mysterie thereof for that which many yeares héeretofore hathe bene hid from vs is nowe at the appoynted time according to the sayings of the Prophets plainly opened and declared in truthe vnto vs for oure more perfecte vnderstanding euen the light of the gospel and that as I saide by the only will and commaundement of almightie God which hath committed vnto vs the administration of the same to the ende that after the declaration of the gospel by which al superstition and false woorshipping of images and idolles be quite banished from vs as also the ceremonies of Moses ceassing now from henceforthe for euermore all creatures should wholely obay vnto only Christe by theyr true and liuely faith and moste humbly submit them selues vnto God their father which for our health is the only fountaine of all grace and wisedome To whom we all yéelde our hartie thankes throughe the grace of hys deare sonne Iesus Christe to whome also and the holy Ghost be eternall glory and praise nowe and for euermore Amen ¶ Huldrich Zwinglius in his frendly exposition to Luther touching the EVCHARIST confesseth vvhat he acknowledgeth of Iesus Christ. I Acknowledge Christ to be according to the saying of the Apostle Wisedome from God ryghtuousnesse sanctification and redemption Wisedome bicause he is by nature God which not only knoweth all things but gouerneth thē also Also wisdome from God for so much as the almightie father sente him vnto vs not as thoughe he had not bene in the earth before but that we vnderstande this woorde sente for the taking of mannes nature that he mighte teache the heauenly wisedome so perfectly and clearely that whatsoeuer he had taughte that should be finally the figure of true wisedome Whereupon euen Paule confesseth him self also to know nothing but Christ Iesus and him crucified Which thing that most discret man would neuer haue saide If he had not perceiued all aboundance of wisedome and knowledge to be in him as he witnesseth in the seconde to the Colossians Wisedom from God that we might know of suretie thereby that none externe things can iustifie The which thing is manifest both by all his life and doctrine For what externe things be there but he hath disanulled them Is there any place For when he communed with the woman he shewed that it shuld come to passe that men should neither woorshippe in the Mount Garizim neither yet at Ierusalem But that the true worshippers should worship euery where in spirit and truth And he admonished his disciples that to what place soeuer they shuld be sent to find Christ there they shuld not come at it Is there any time but he hathe disanulled it for he saith that the Sabothe was made for man and not man for the Sabothe And teacheth that a man muste pray at all times Is there any persone but all they sayeth he that haue come before me are robbers and théeues And he called the pretēce of those prayers which the religious mē among the Iewes made for the common people and idiots for stipends and wages he called it I say nets and wayes deuised to catch mens mony and goods To be short he so taught that there is no man that hath witte but he
Not only the olde man but also euery other creature shall be redéemed and deliuered from vanitie vnder the reuelation of so great a kingdom the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 8. 80 But how Shall the plants reuiue againe and florishe a newe And shal the beastes and liuing things put immortalitie vpon them yea verily but not by themselues in theyr subsistences or beings but in the whole that is in the heade Christ and in the sainctes his body whilest in them their bodies life sense and minde be restored to newnesse glory which degrées conclude the vniuersall perfection bothe of the worke created and also of that which is to be renued and the same in the newe and blessed man Christ Iesus the true God and very eternal sonne of god the father Where is diligently to be marked that we distinct these thrée diligētly in Christ namely a true fleshe and very bones a very soule and minde in déede and the very spirite of his father In such sorte that of euery one of these the nature be seperately distinctly kept and reserued to it selfe in the kingdom of glory not one mixed with an other euen as Christ himselfe did distinct them when after the resurrection he proued and verified to be in him the nature of very flesh and bones In which order the holy ghost obtaineth the highest place as the kingly vnction of the Fathers maiestie The second is the minde the thirde are bones and flesh Which thing if it shal be marked we shal ouercome great difficulties and shall escape most gréeuous errors that are now in these dayes of the flesh of Christ Therefore as by this Christ all things were made both visible and inuisible euen so by the same and in the same all things shall be renued to glory the woorke of restauration so farre passing the first woorke of creation as mutable is excelled of immutable and as that which is renuable is excelled and surmounted of that which already is renued to better and into the best state it may haue 82 This is the merite of the pure bloud of Christe Iesus the heauenly man which being sprinkled abrode vppon all things mundifieth that is maketh cleane al things in heauen and in earth the oldnesse of corruption dissolued the newnesse of incorruptibilitie brought in that shall abide for euer when this shal be spoken Stabilitie of stablenesse al things are stable as hitherto hath bene said vanitie of vanities all things are vanitie while the vanitie of the olde creature raigned Thāks therfore and glory be to God the father who hath giuen vs this victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ the new mā VVho repair in vs integritie and nevvnesse of life after this old corrupt disposition of the olde and first Adam Amen Amen An exhortation sent from a straunger a worthy and famous learned man of God to the righte highe and mightie Prince Edvvard Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Church of England Immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the vvest partes as also in Suffolke and Norfolke In the yeare of our Lord Christ 1549. MY Lorde although God hathe giuen vnto youre grace a singuler prudēce magnanimitie other godly vertues requisite to the place wher he hathe ordained you and for the affaires that he hathe put into your hand neuerthelesse for as muche as ye doe estéeme me for a seruaunte of his sonne Christ whome you aboue all desire to obey I am certaine that for the loues sake of him you will receiue gently that which I nowe wryte vnto you in his name As in déede I pretend none other end but in folowing stil that which you haue already begun you might therein continue and séeke the aduauncement of his glory more and more vntill the time yée haue established his kingdome and raigne in suche perfection as it may rightly be knowne vnto the world And also ye shal know that without aduauncing any thing of mine owne fantasie all that I nowe purpose to wryte shall be drawne oute of his moste pure and holesome doctrine And for as muche as you refuse not to be taughte of the same maister whome I serue but that you rather preferre to all the rest the grace that he hathe giuen vnto you to be one of hys Disciples I thinke that I haue no néede to make vnto you any long excuse or preface bicause I finde you sufficiently disposed to receiue all suche things as shall procéede of him We haue all great cause to render thanks vnto our Lord God and father for that he hath thus willed to be so reuerently obeyed and serued of you in so excellent and high a worke as in setting foorth agayne I meane the pure and true rule of his seruice in Englande and in causing the sincere doctrine of health to haue place and to be there faythfully published to all them that will heare and for that that he hath giuen vnto you such vertue and constancie to continue vnto this time agaynst so many temptations and difficulties and for that he hath also strengthned you in blessing all your counsels and labours for the prospering of them for they be things that stirre all true and faythfull men to magnifie and prayse his name But in the meane time bicause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all meanes possible new combates and that it is a thing of it selfe so harde that there can be nothing more harde than to cause that the worde of God may peaceably rule amongest the people which through the corruption of their owne natures be giuen to lyes and fantasies And forasmuche as there are so many circumstances which impecheth in these dayes the strayght course of the same and aboue all that the superstitions of Antichryst hauing taken roote so long time may not easily be taken away from their hartes It séemeth vnto me yée haue great néede to be confirmed and strengthned by some holy exhortations and I doubt not but the experience therof teacheth you to féele the same whiche shall be the cause to make me procéede more frankly considering that my purpose as I beléeue shall be conformable to your desire And albeit that mine exhortations shall be superfluous yet I am sure that you wil beare with that good zeale affection of mine which vndoubtedly stirreth me to doo it Wherfore I thinke according to reason that the necessitie which ye féele shall cause mine exhortations a great deale the sonner and the better to be receiued whatsoeuer they shal be I beséech your Lordship that it may please you to giue me hearing in some aduertisements that I entende shortely to declare vnto you hoping that when yée shall vnderstande them yée shall at the leaste finde some sauour to be recomforted and to take a greate deale the better courage to continue the holy and moste noble enterpryse vnto which God hath appoynted you at
relieuement and succoure of man he tooke paciently vnto him selfe the most vilanous and despitefull rebukes like as Dauid by the spirite of God prophesied before of him saying The rebukes of them that rebuked thee fell vppon me And this same is written in the Psalmes not only to oure knowledge therin but that we should also daily practise and folow it and should learne by his example with what leuitie softnesse and gentlenesse our neighbor is to be entertained vntil he waxe more strong in Christ and forsake the very childehoode of his imbecillitie and weaknesse Therfore like as Christ did embase him selfe to our owne miserable and weake estate to the ende that litle and little he might bring vs familiarly vnto his moste excellent highnesse euen so it shall best become vs to take example by him to allure our neighbor with humblenesse vnto the true worshipping of the eternal and true god And this example is in such sort declared vnto vs through the whole scriptures euē as though by painting in a table it were plainly set forth before our eyes to the end we shuld alwayes haue it in our ful sight where so euer at any time we dispose our selues which is that as Christ through his sufferāce redéemed saued vs also by his meeknesse came to euerlasting glory euē so al we likewise through the vsing of our softnesse with our ignorant weak brethrē let vs trust to come vnto the same benefite of God which indifferently abideth al them that do walk in his wayes and be apte folowers of his example whose rule we haue professed which is loue peace Wherfore I pray vnto almightie God the aucthor of loue peace and pacience which exhorteth you vnto sufferance by his holy scriptures and withoute whose helpe we can doe nothing at all that he woulde vouchesafe to woorke in you and amongst you all one only will and consent and that you be conioined together in a most perfecte vnitie one to another after the example of Christ which charged vs with nothing so much in all the world as he did wyth peace with mildnesse mutuall loue and concord And so verily we shall set foorth amongst men the glory of God the very father of Iesus Christ if we shall shew one to another here in this present life that thing whiche he taught and shewed before vnto vs And euen so also shall al men perceiue you to be the true disciples of Christ if that like as you al professe and preache Christe with one mouth you shall also declare your selues together in your actes to be of one mutuall consent and minde Wherfore I beséeche you euen in the bowells of Chryste that ye occasion not the Gentiles to be doubtfull of your most holy profession or to stirre them to dissention and variaunce among themselues which are now but newly called from idolls vnto Christ neither yet the Iewes which be appointed frō their olde tipes and shadowes to the true worshipping of the true God himselfe but rather do you entreate one another with all obsequie and obedience and in faithfull shaking one another by the handes do you profite togither in all goodnesse that like as Christe entertained all you neither did impute vnto you the errors of your olde life but by brotherly charitie embraced you all to declare therby his loue the glory of his eternall father both towards you and to all men euen so you should in folowing and performing of the same one towardes another declare also in your déedes the loue and glorye of Christ whiche obeied vnto both sortes of men that is as well vnto the Iewes as vnto the Gentiles Vnto the Iewes he shewed his obedience to the ende he wold in all his actes set foorth the truth of his father which said before that he wold truly performe that thing to the posteritie whiche he promised to their elders by the holy oracles and saying of the Prophets that among themselues they mighte be ioyfull and glad seeing they haue now receiued the truthe it selfe which Moyses before declared should come in his figures similitudes And to the Gentiles whiche had nothing at al promised vnto them he became also obedient and kinde to the end that all they through the only mercy of God and his owne most painfull deserts were brought from their miserable death vnto the most pleasaunt life ioy and saluation Let the Iewes therefore now reioyce in them selues bicause they haue already receiued the thing which by promyse they haue long wished and looked for And let the Gentiles also reioyce for their parts bicause they haue receiued that thing which they neuer thought to haue attayned vnto For euen so God himself ordeyned the thing to come to passe as Christ by his spirite speaketh in the Psalmes saying For this cause will I prayse thée among the Gentiles and sing in thy name Agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles and laude him al ye nations Also Esaias prophesying the same thing sayth There shal be the roote of Iesse and he that shal rise to reigne ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Therfore vnto God almightie I pray with mine heart for you which hath thus by his Prophetes giuen you occasion to haue hope in him that he will now perfourme that thing in déede vnto you which he hath heretofore promised and that in the taking away from you all dissention and variaunce he will replenish you with ioy concorde and peace by the meanes of your stayed fayth in his sonne Chryst to the ende that your hope which you haue alredy conceiued of God may dayly encrease more more in you through the strength of the same fayth and the working in you of the holy ghost These things I speake vnto you not as one that doubteth of you feareth you to be faynte or colde in the right vse of vertue for I am well assured that among many vertues ye are all specially endued with the noble vertue of charitie and with the gifte of perfecte knowledge among your selues whereby you are all able one of you sufficiently to instructe another herein without néedefull trauell of any other teacher Notwithstanding I did the more boldely write this same vnto you not respecting herein any iuste cause of your ignorance or as though my seruice were now offered vnto you as vnto vnwilling receiuers but onely to admonish you what thing moste principally you ought to doo according to your knowledge as vertuouse and well doers and that voluntarily and of your own frée motions yet that ye might the rather from hencefoorth muche more copiously worke the same at mine earnest desire and exhortation In the behalfe wherof I do extende myne office which is appoynted vnto me although thereof I bée vnworthy obeying gladly vnto the wyll of Chryst Iesus whose cause I doo now entreate endeuoring my selfe to the vttermoste of my power to set foorth his most holy Gospell
A PARAPHRASE vppon the Epistle of the holie Apostle S. Paule to the Romaanes 〈…〉 to the Church of God 〈…〉 Whe 〈…〉 also added certaine other 〈…〉 IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY Henry Bynneman for William Norton To the right worshipfull and his dearely beloued in Châ—ist the Officers of the Queenes maiesties Robes T. Paulfreyman one of hir highnesse honorable Chapâ—â— wisheth the encrease of Gods mercy and grace bothe to them and all theirs R. H. H. A. C. S. AT vvhat time dearely beloued it pleased the iuste and great of heauen to chaunge by his iustice for many sins his cherefull countenaunce ouer this his Churche of Englande and to buckle hys brovves very heauily vppon it to giue therevppon the fearefull frovvnes of hys vnsufferable and fierce furies to shyâ—â—e the moste Chrystian state thereof to alter therein the moste holy and true Religion to afflicte vvithin it the professoure of his name to holde them in moste cruell and bitter bondage to suffer the burning of his sacred Scriptures as also other vvorkes very notable and infinite the trauels doubtlesse of the â—oste godly famouse and great learned men bothe of thys Countrey and elsevvhere to the edifying mightily of Chrystes holy Churche vvith other lyke horrible plagues svviftely and faste ensuing euen to the very hazarding and putting to confusion the vvhole state of this moste Christian Kingdome highly renoumed and noble Region aforesaid so clerely before lightned vvith the bright lyght of lyfe so highly of God extolled so tenderly of him beloued so diuersly blessed so graciously gouerned so mercifully preserued moste plenteously enriched adorned and beautified vvith the singular good graces gyftes and great benefites of God most bountifully and freely of him bestovved and as vnthankfully of vs receiued and therefore the more sharpe punishments therin by his iustice dyd fal to the piteous amasing terrifying turmoyling vexing and moste greeuous afflicting bothe of the bodies and soules of men of all ages sexes estates and degrees as their raging cruelties then diuersly attempted and moste vvofully felt vvelnigh vniuersally vvitnesseth the same vvhich before vvas truely prophecied by the good men of God through vvhose diuine grace as by his trumpe of eternitie sounded moste shirly foorth hys fatherly admonishments as forerunners vnto vs for the auoyding of daungers if our hearts then had ben vvarely and thankfully prepared vvho also them selues vvith moste constante sayth and pacience felte in that rage the iudgements of God by true tryall to the deathe and confirmed their holy and sounde doctrine euen vvith the effusion of their long desired and greedily thirsted bloude In those dolefull dayes I say it vvas my happe to attayne at a frendes hande certayne vvritten copies of dyuers and sundry matters that vvere among many others in great number fastened in their bandes prepared before to the spoyle and had their iudgemente to burne although by Gods prouidence preuented to the contrary and are novv by hys grace framed in their tyme I trust to good purpose as shall aptely to good menne appeare and that not affectionately laboured I protest or corruptly but as beste beseemed a Christian frende sincerely and truely by good direction according to the analogie and true sense of the holy scriptures or vvoorde of God and to further therevvith as small povver hathe offered his moste vvoorthie praise and glorie Vnto vvhich moste happie ende vvhen I had once passed them throughe vvell vievved them estemed the effecte of their matter and perceiued yet vvith deliberation their apparante rudenesse and great imperfection especially the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Romaines hovve vnansvvereably to the good grounde thereof it vvas left by vvhome or by vvhat meanes I knovve not very barely and confusedly handled in no poynte perfected no order obserued voide of good stile euell Englished and vvithoute the true rule or apte fourme of vvryting I therefore finding good occasion and presuming vvith reuerence vppon the vertue and pacience of the learned and Christen reader vnto vvhome I most gladly submit my selfe and vvhose good fauoure heerein I moste humbly craue and desire thought it not amisse at times coÌ„uenient and as God vvould permit for mine ovvne recreation and for the auoiding also of other more vnprofitable exercises to bestovve freely vpon them my diligence and simple trauel and vvith earnest zeale so to pulishe them as by their amiablenesse invvarde beautie and moste pearcing clerenes they might dravv faste vnto them the louely and moste Christian delightes of others And vvhen I had by the grace of God accomplished therein my glad desire and aftervvardes as of duetie commended them to the examination and iudgement of the moste godly learned and so by order to passe from them vnto the Churche of God I then deuised vvith my selfe vvhere or to vvhom among many my friendes I mighte dispose these vvorkes to their vvell lyking and friendely acceptation And as by the good vvyll of God I had you righte dearely beloued firste in memorie vvith vvhom also I thoughte I myghte bee bolde and vvayed therevvith your vnfaygned profession to GOD your constant zeale and good conuersation in Christ and hovv also by your meanes vvorthy estimation and christian good credite it might prosperously and very vvell passe foorth to the imbracement of others and to further thereby the glory of God I refused then to reuoke or to giue you vnkindely the slippe but yeelded to the firste motion vvith moste glad consent and doe novve as gladly vvith humblenesse commend them togither vnto all your louing handes Beseeching you all so to take in good parâ—e this my poore and slender gifte in this vvise ordered and aâ—otâ—eâ— vnto you as you shall occasion me hereafter the more to reioyce in your frendship and to pray most hartely for you that God may still graunt you the good continuance of his grace for your helth vvealth and prosperitie bothe of body and soule in this life and thence forthe in Christe the revvarde of eternall felicitie Youres to commaunde T. Paulfreyman ⧠To the Christian Reader BEfore that you enter beloued Christian into the reading of Sainct Paules Epistle to the Romaines which by the coÌ„mon consent and opinion of the ancient and holy fathers is the very summe and perfection of all the other scriptures thou oughtest diligently call to thy remembrance the firste and originall sin of our olde father Adam in Paradisâ— through which he there felt the iustice of God and was of him accordingly banished from infinite pleasures of that moste séemely and beautifull place of all places and pleasure vpon the earth In which notable case and high mysterie wheÌ„ thou shalt once perceiue the vprightnesse greate goodnesse and the mercie of God on the one side and the slippernesse disobedience and vnfaithfulnesse of Adam on thother side thou shalt then the more easily come to the true meaning and vnderstanding of the said Epistle the effect of which is most principally to declare vnto all men the foresaide
highe and notable mysterie For after almighty God of his great goodnesse had created Adam farre passing all other his creatures in the excellencie of his creation and had also but of very base and vile matter made him vnto his owne godly imâ—â—â— and similitude resembling therein his diuine maiestie in heauen and moste godly perfection of all innocencie wherwith he was highly endued at his first originall and beginning he then placed him in a most pleasant Paradise of all â—oy and singular comfort and gaue frée choise and libertie vnto him to vse all things there at pleasure and to his owne hartes desire saue only he forbad him to eate of the frute of the knowledge of good and euil which was of most amiable apearance beautifull to beholde and most pleasantly placed in the middest of Paradise The commaundement heereof was not burdenous or vnreasonable for man to beare but only requested therein due obedience and loue towardes his louing God and maker vnto whome only that noble creature man aboue all other creatures should haue had most speciall regarde considering moste déepely in him selfe the excellencie of his maiestie that so graciously formed him blessed him and moste pleasantly placed him and there to looke for al goodnesse only at his holy hand not to take as it were vpon him selfe by his owne woorthynesse the forme of goodnesse and euill but should onely haue holden that for euil and forbidden which God restrained as euill and to count that only for good and rightuous which of God is allowed and graunted God therefore toke Adam and to put him out of all doutes brought him to the same place and shewed him the very trée and the frute therof standing in the middest of the Garden of pleasure and forbad him the eating thereof with an earnest charge and threatning saying on this wise vnto him In what so euer houre thou shalt eate the frute of that trée thou shalt surely die be subiect to eternall deathe Yet notwithstanding this straighte restrainte of God Adam stackered and dealt but slipperly vntruely and carelesly with his faithful God and maker transgressing his holy commaundement and gaue more credit to the persuasion of the woman and of the wicked serpent than to the truthe of Gods woorde and his holy commaundement Whiche was nothing else but eueÌ„ so much as in them did lie to take vnto theÌ„selues the form of good and euil as out of them selues or by some other meane rather than of God their maker vnto whose only wil and pleasure they should most humbly haue yéelded their obedience as vnto him who alwayes most gratiously wisheth all goodnesse vnto euery man For he being by the woman and the serpent deceiued thought that God was not indifferent towards him but that be had rather of sette purpose withdrawne from him some parcell of his diuine and godly wisedome Therefore for as muche as in mind he was thus deceiued sodenly chaunged and departed now from God declaring thereby his vnstayednesse infidelitie and vnfaythfulnesse and looked not for all good things only at his gracious hands as of duetie he should but yelded to the Diuell receiued that was offered and tasted to his condemnation of that strayt forbidden fruite to aduance and set forwardes him selfe to the presence and secrete highnesse of Gods mightie maiestie and that rather by some bye way with his owne will and consente then contenting him selfe with the onely will of God and so to recouer thereby as he thought the fulnesse of his necessitie and lacke of perfection which he then imagined to be muche wanting in him selfe And thus with his forgetfulnesse haughtinesse of heart infidelitie slipperines disobedience vnthankfulnesse against his God and Maker and deserued therby his iust vengeance and to be for euer the fyrebrande of hell euer burning euer dying and neuer to dye the seconde death he yet fastened vppon life which he moste happily receiued through the onely compassion and great mercy of God who notwithstanding offence so gréeuously committed agaynst him wherby eternall damnation was due to the offendour and to become a bondeslaue vnto the Diuell for euer to whom he so willingly yelded so diligently obeyed beléeued folowed and serued yet as is sayde so great and vnspeakable was the mercy of God towards man so infinitely his loue abounded and so tender he was ouer him and so sorowfull for his gréeuous fall from blisse into perdurable tormente and paine and to redeeme him agayne from it and from the diuell that he moste certaynely decréed with him selfe to curse his owne deare sonne and to pushe him as it were forwards by the shoulders to most cruel death for the recouering agayne of man And so through his sonnes moste paynefull death and passion to saue mankinde from euerlasting â—â—ath and damnation which Adam himselfe and his whole posteritie fell into through the infection of his pride disobedience and loosenesse of heart agaynst god Euen here verily as ye perceiue had the iuste God iuste occasion by iustice iustly to expell man to confounde him to damne him and to leaue him vtterly destitute of his grace and to yéelde him to the Diuell for euer for so did his righteousnesse and truthe require Consider these were the wordes that God spake vnto him I tell thée Adam in what soeuer houre thou eatest of the fruite thou shalt surely dye the death How beit the great goodnesse and mercy that was in God called him backe from moste seuere iustice and required not vtter reuengemente and thereby to suppresse man a very frayle poore and naked creature In the meane tyme therfore God found out the very true and ready way whereby his righteousnesse truth might fully to effect be satisfied and wherein also the swéetenesse of his mercy shoulde specially be exercised and declare foorth the mightinesse of it selfe that is truely to say the onely Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryst which as I sayde before was willingly pushed vnto deathe to deliuer Adam and his whole posteritie from their sinne and damnation through the onely fauour and mercies sake of God the eternall father Therefore bicause mankinde coulde in no wyse be saued and deliuered fréely from sinne death and the Diuell and so made agayne at one with his so louing and faythfull a God as he shewed hym selfe vnto Adam his firste creature but onely by Chryst Iesus hys owne and onely Sonne Chryst dyd moste willingly ioyne in consente with his father and so tooke vppon him selfe the rigour of his fathers terrible sentence pronounced iustely agaynst Adam the curse of the whole lawe vpon his owne backe and dyed Adams due death for him and for vs all that were by him in the lyke state of damnation For euen so sayth the Prophete Cursed is he that hangeth on trée Wée be now therefore redéemed agayne by Chrystes death from our bondage and from the seruyce and slauerie of the Diuel and from that most bitter curse that was proper vnto Adam
and to all his ofspring Wée are also by Chryst taken out of the kingdome of darknesse and placed through his onely deserte in the cleare lighte and in the moste gloriouse kingdome of our eternall and louing god In thys maner passing now further on my purpose the gentle Reader shall take the speciall meaning of the holy Apostle in his Epistle on thys wyse whyche is that all true Christian men muste wholly depende vppon the mercy of God throughe hys deare Sonne Iesus Chryst for the fulnesse of their eternall redemption and by hys onely merites to attayne their eternall saluation And that all suche as looke to come vnto it by their owne merites deseruings and woorkinges are in that poynte lyke vnto their father Adam whiche in hys pride and disobedience went about to come to the Maiestie of God through his owne deuises vayne byewayes and very fonde attemptes at what tyme he moste vnlawefully yéelded to eate the fruite that was moste lawfully of God forbidden him All which proud attempters may be wel assured to abide also the like cursse that was giuen to Adam but not a blessing or the saluation that of God was mercyfully promysed and that onely by the merytes of Iesus Chryst onlesse they will beginne to repente of their pride blindenesse and disobedience and onely referre it to our mercyfull God him selfe throughe the onely faythe and beléefe due from them to our Lorde Iesus Chryste who onely satisfieth the truthe and iustice of GOD in thys poynte whiche sayde vnto Adam In what so euer houre thou eatest of the fruyte thou shalte surely dye the death By which onely satisfaction of Chryst all men euen as Adam bée reconciled agayne vnto God the father their sinnes fréely remytted and come boldely agayne to the presence of hys maiestie and not by our owne deuises and foolishe inuentions as the more pitie it is many men moste blindly doo that beareth at this day the names of Chrystians Wherefore in as muche as it was then concluded that Chryst was the very perfecte waye to restore man agayne to his perfect ioy and felicitie which before he had loste It was thought of God almightie méete and necessarie to sende vnto him a lawe before the comming of the sauiour Chryst which might put him daily in mynde of his fall from the ioyes wherein God had once moste happily placed hym as also to lay playne open before his face his abhominable pride disobedience and wretched liuing For which cause many hundreth yeres after the fall of Adam was thys Lawe proclaymed by the Patriarke Moyses written and set foorth in Tables and Bookes to the ende that by the straytenesse thereof all men mighte knowe not onely the great mercy of God ouer them but also their owne naughtie nature weakenesse blyndenesse and myserable state through their disobedience and sinne which before the Lawe came hadde welnighe forgotten their deadly fall and knew not in effecte what sinne was they were so wretchedly blinded in the vanitie of their pride and false imaginations To the ende therefore that all creatures should know their owne case and imperfection their damnable state and condition the laws was proclaymed which besides that it manyfested vnto vs the wonderfull mercy of God towards vs as also the state of Adam our first parent and the filthynesse of all our sinfull and abhominable liuing and the giuing furthermore vnto vs such precepts and commaundements of vertuous conuersation and liuing as alwayes is séemely for godly men to vse by the which all men at all times should haue rectified and amended their vngodly liues It also prescribed certayne Ceremonies which men dayly exercise among them selues taking the same and stedfastely also beléeuing that they dyd but prefigurate the deathe of the same Chryst which was promysed to dye the deathe in the behalfe of Adam and his whole pasteritie wherein if men in tymes passed dyd vse among them selues according to this sense and meaning they were founde righteous before God not for dooing the Ceremonies but onely for their beléefes sake which they conceyued in Chryst to come whom onely the Ceremonies dyd but barely prefigurate Al which ceremonies sayth S. Paule should vtterly now cease and stande no more in effect amongste christen men Inasmuch as nowe the very truthe and thing it selfe is already come and shineth amongste vs which they before only prefigured And euen thus did God most louingly sée to the repairing againe of his decayed Creatures that so muche had offended him in their loosenesse and falling from him And for which only cause his own and only deare sonne was promised toke vpâ—â— him therfore ouâ— flesh and died therin the most sharpe and â—â—uel death Wherfore God now at this time requireth nothing else at our handes but to haue alwayes respect vnto his mercy thorow Iesus Christ and to beholde also his wonderfull loue towardes vs to the ende we should be ashamed of our owne sinfull actes how ofte so euer we turne our mindes from him through the committing of vice which is displeasant abhominable alwayes damnable in his sight Also howe that we should meekely acknowledge and confesse daily vnto him our owne sinnefull liues the miserablenesse of our nature how of our selues we are not able to thinke speake nor do any good thing and not stubbernly to do as Adam did run from the face of God hide our sinnes from him or else couer them from his presence with our own vaine inuentions For Adam at what time he knewe that he had offended and broken his commaundement he perceiued immediately what state he stoode in and by the accusation of his owne conscience he felte in him selfe the pricke of sinne he began then to be trudging and to hide him selfe from him and soughte meanes to couer him selfe althoughe with moste simple and very slender clothing which he then accordingly but litle trusted vnto like as it is all vnprofitable that man of hys owne braine wil deuise to cloke his sinne with all although both he and his make flie neuer so fast from the face of the Lord and seeke meanes to hide them selues But yet notwithstanding all this saide disobedience hautie and proude stubbernesse of Adam which after he had most wretchedly offended chose rather to hide him self from God than meekely to acknowledge his fault before him the louing Lord was stricken so full of compassion and mercy towards man his simple naked and poore creature that he quickely folowed and hastened him self after that fugitiue and runnagate found him quickly but conferred most mildly with him put him in minde of his decay great myserie and the happie life that he miserably had falne from and saide on this wise to him Adam where arte thou which should signifie vnto him O Adam knowest thou what thou hast done hast thou considered wel with thy self of thy present state and what miserie thou art now falne into froÌ„ thine innocencie blissefull state and felicitie by coÌ„tempt of my
accomplyshe your fathers commaundementes euen for the loues sake that ye naturally beare vnto hym bicause ye haue now receiued the spirite of God through which you are adopted and numbred hys louing children and not seruaunts And the same spirite also giueth suche an audacitie and boldenesse vnto vs all that when soeuer we haue any necessitie whether for soule or body we shall not feare to call vpon God himselfe and say vnto him father father At which calling euery louing and naturall parent do glory and reioyce Surely if we haue in consideration the glory and highe maiestie of God his mightinesse and heauenly power we should not once dare nor be so bolde to call him father onlesse we were moste perfectly assured through the goodnesse of his holy spirite that we be his very children and he our louing and mercifull father For to this same onely purpose he sente vnto vs his moste holy spirite that it should be a very sure and earnest gage vnto our spirite that we are the vndoubted children of him that gaue vs that heauenly gage Wherefore séeing we be now made the children of God and fully persuaded that he is our father we are no more to be counted seruaunts but rather his very heires For all men that beléeue in Iesus Chryst are the true heires of God and felow heires with Chryst him selfe into whose body béeing engraffed through our Christian profession we haue one father with him and through his onely deseruings we take participation with him of the heauenly inheritaunce The possession of which inheritaunce shall come vnto vs none other wayes than it came vnto Chryst him selfe For he through the afflictions and sufferings of myserable calamities in this lyfe came duely to the possession of thys highe inheritaunce Through his obedience he came to a kingdome through the ignominie and slaunder of the crosse he came to glorie and through the pacient suffering of his death he came to the state of immortalitie Therefore all we muste suffer with him that we may haue the fruition of the inheritaunce with him we muste obey that we may reigne with him we muste paciently beare the slaunders of this worlde that with him we may haue prayse and glory and we muste also dye with him to our sinnes that we may for euermore liue with him After this maner doo we come to our inheritaunce with Chryst which bicause it is euerlasting and of moste high felicitie I thinke that if one onely man him selfe could possibly suffer all the calamities and miseries of thys wretched worlde yet they all should be estéemed but vnworthy light and of no comparison to the great benefite of the glory to come though through the sayde myseries and painfull afflictions he doo séeme dearely to buy the same glory Yea and though we haue receiued the gage of this felicitie and glory to the ende we shoulde not mistruste any thing at all yet for all that our glory can not be consummate and made perfect in vs although our bodies be subiecte to suche sorte of miseries and wretched calamities as be in this present lyfe without we haue our fayth stayed in the onely merites death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Chryst How be it in the meane time through the helpe and comfort of the spirite they are a certayne inwarde taste of the same glory in vs Which glory at the resurrection of the flesh and after the putting away from vs all our mortalitie shall be fully declared and giuen vnto vs At which tyme wée shall all liue immortall with Chryst that is always immortall and euerlasting for our onely faythes sake in his bloud And that is the tyme the which all the godly vniuersally looke continually for as desirous to beholde the comming of the same At that time also shall the full number of the children of God be made and fulfilled and the glory of all these shall be opened vnto them which in this life haue ben afflicted with persecution and imprisonment with thirste hunger sorowes gréefes and other calamities for Chrystes sake And so greatly in subiection are the creatures of this worlde to myseries that the very circuite and compasse of the worlde it selfe séemeth to continue altogither in miserie as in example the ayre the earth the water with all other celestiall bodies yea the very angels them selues are created to none other ende but to set foorth Gods glory and to shew their seruice for the necessities of men For which cause the very buylding of the worlde it selfe shall not be frée from trouble and disquietnesse vntill suche time as perfecte fréedome shall be giuen to the children of god Howbeit the worlde it selfe though it be insensible neither feeleth disquietnesse yet there is in it a certayne naturall taste and desire to come to perfection And in the meane tyme it obeyeth willingly to him for whose pleasure it was to make it in suche wyse subiecte to disquietousnesse Whiche so muche the more paciently abideth his sorowe bicause his naturall inclination dothe recorde to him him selfe that hys sorowe shall not bée perpetuall but vntill suche tyme as the children of God shall fully and plenarily be deliuered from all their gréefe and carefulnesse At whiche tyme shall the whole Cope therof cease from his great vnrest and disquietousnesse Also forasmuche as we sée that all the elements and planets of this worlde do vary at so many and sundry tymes and doo sée likewise the Sunne and the Moone to haue so many Eclipses and Chaunges as also perceyuing by dayly experience what laboures are taken in vayne for the repaire of things in this life which do not continue but fall agayne to their corruption And beholding also the Starres to alter and striue one with another and in conclusion nothing to be in perpetuall reste It can not be chosen but euen the very Angelles also of heauen looking downe by the power of God from an high vpon our infinite miseries and wretchednesse are greatly dismayed of them moued at them and sorowe for them as muche as their creation can suffer them to do Wherfore al the whole number of creatures and things made by the hands of God do euen grone sigh with vs in our misfortunes All which after the maner of women laboring with child wish and long for the ende of their great trauell and sorowes And herein is no maruell though it chaunce to others considering the same happeneth to vs also that firste before all men haue receiued the spirite of Chryst which he gaue moste abundantly vnto vs Yet that notwithstanding we are entangled with thousands of cares and myseries partely for the sustentation of our lyues and partely by the occasion of wycked persons alwayes troubling and conspiring agaynst vs Yea our cares are so many and variable so gréeuous terrible and vnsufferable that we oftentimes doo sorow and lamente our owne wofull causes moste hartily wishing for that happie day when all the