For as the body is one and hath many membres and all the membres of one bodye though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ For by one spirite are we all baptysed to make one bodye whether we be Iewes or Gentyles whether we be bond or fre and haue all droncke of one spirite For the body is not one member but many If the fote saye I am not the hande I am not of the body is he therfore not of the body And yf the care saye I am not the eye I am not of the body is he therfore not of the body If at the body wer an eye where wer thē the eare If al were hearing where wer the smelling But now hath God set the membres euery one seuerally in the bodye as it hathe pleased hym If they were al one member where were the body Now are there many membres yet but one body And the eye cannot saye vnto the hand I haue no nede of the. Agayne the heade cannot saye to the fete I haue no nede of you For as albeit euery mannes bodye bee one whole thinge yet is it made of diuerse members framed together but so yet that one spirite geueth lyfe to all the members of whome notwithstandinge euery one by hymselfe consydered are many and diuers yet is there of all made but one bodye euen so woulde Christe haue it to bee in hys bodye the churche wherof we bee because all we hauyng equallye receyued baptisme are through the selfe same one spirite framed into one bodye whether we be Iewes or Grecians bonde or fre men or women maried or single hygh or lowe And thesame spirite haue we all receyued not withstanding it haue in diuerse of vs didiuerse operacions Nor is our body made of one parte onely but of manye and diuerse Nowe and yf the foote abasyng it selfe saye I am not the hande I haue with the reste of the body nothyng to doe is it therfore no parte of the body Or yf the eare bewayling her condicion saye I am not the iye I haue with the reste of the body nothing to doe is it therfore not of the body The diuers placyng and vse is not to the member reprochful but this varietie rather apertayneth to the welth of the whole body And what office soeuer is geuen to any part thesame is geuen vnto it to helpe the whole body The iye is a goodly parte of the body but yf the whole body were an iye where were thē the eares Again if the whole body were aneare where were the nose God forseing this made y◠body of dyuerse members gaue euery mēber his proper place and office not as they deserued but as his pleasure was Now yf thys multitude and diuersitie of mēbers were al brought to one for example to a nose or an iey where were the armonie and comlynes of the bodye become But nowe so is it not but wheras euery member seuerally differeth from other yet by reasō they haue but one soule the same make but one body so that one member cannot lothe an other be it neuer so vile For neither can the iye as a more excellent parte of the body or as a more familiar instrument of the soule say vnto the hande as a more vile parte I haue no nede of thy helpe Nor yet can the head albeit it be the palace of our soules saye vnto the fete as lowest partes I care not for your seruice The texte Yea rather a great deale those membres of the body whiche seme to be more feble are necessary And vpon those membres of the body whiche we thynke leaste honeste put we more honestie on And our vngoodly partes haue more bewtie on For our honeste membres nede it not But God hath so disposed the bodye and hath geuen the more honour to that parte whiche lacked leste there should be any stryfe in the body but that the membres should indifferently care one for an other And yf one membre suffre all suffer with hym if one membre be had in honour all membres be gladde also So farre vnsemyng is it that any membre of the body should be despised that rather contrarie wyse suche as seme imperfiter partes of the body vpon them as necessarie haue we a speciall care and suche as in comen estimacion are thought partes of lesse honestie to them outwardly we geue great honour and suche as seme vngoodly to them ioyne we some comly vesture with our diligence recompensyng that whiche elswyse semeth vnperfite knowyng well that by the vncomlynesse of any parte the whole body is diswurshypped For suche partes as of themselfe are beautiful nede none outward ornament for example neither our faces nor handes when that yet our priuey partes must be couered with honest apparel And for this cause hath God the creatour of all so wondrefully tempered and disposed the whole body in a meruaylouse consent agrement of so sondry partes that to suche as semed to lacke some semelynes albeit by nature no parte of the body is there vnsemely by our diligence more honour should be adioyned leaste among the mēbres selfe there myght dissenciō rise among whom none is there whose vse is not necessarie but rather that eche one should indifferently care for and defende other leste yf whyles through dissencion eche of them pryuately fauoureth it selfe the whole bodye and hys membres decaye and peryshe But muche rather yf to any membre anye commoditie or discommoditie chaunce the reste thynke thesame to belong to themselfe or if any membre bee greued with thesame the rest also are greued or if anye one certayne membre bee honoured also the other be gladde and reioyce therof Wyll ye not at leastwise by this example leaue your stryuing one with an other you I say whiche are by the spirite of Christe more surely ioyned in one than the membres of one bodye are by the naturall spirite coupled to gether The texte Ye are the body of Christ membres one of an other And God hath also ordeyned in the congregacion first Apostles secondarily Prophetes thyrdly teachers then them that doe myracles after that the gyftes of healyng helpers gouerners diuersitie of tonges Are all Apostles Are all Prophetes Are all teachers Are all doars of myracles Haue al the gyftes of healyng Doe all speake with tonges Doe all interprete Couete after the beste gyftes And yet shewe I vnto you a more excellente waye Howe is it that nature can doe more than grace Are ye not the bodye of Christ or at the leaste some parte of his members whom he hath after suche sorte placed in his bodye whiche is the churche that he hath geuen euery of them a conuenient degree and office And in the firste and chiefe place hath he ordayned Apostles whiche beyng as stuardes of the grace of the gospell execute here Christes office Secondarely Prophetes eyther to shewe thinges to come or els to declare secret thinges Thrydly teachers whiche beeing
a sobre and of an humble mynde that fyrst he take nomore vpon him than is meere and nexte remembre that all that he hath was geuen him by God not for his workes but for his faythe 's sake geuen not therwith to please him selfe but with the same to do euery man good God doeth in sondrywyse bestow his giftes lest either one should disdaine at an other or lest any man might thynke him selfe sufficiente but let brotherly charitie make eche mannes gifte comen to all other The texte For as we haue many membres in one body al membres haue not one office so we beyng many are one body in Christ and euery manne among our selues one anothers membres Seyng that we haue diuerse giftes accordyng to the grace that is geuen vnto vs if any man haue the gifte of prophesie let him haue it that it be agreyng vnto the fayth Let him that hath an office wayte on his office Let him that teacheth take hede to his doctrine Let him that exhorteth geue attendaunce to his eâ—hortacion If any man geue let him do it with singlenes Let him that ruleth do it with diligence If any man shewe mercy let him do it with cherefulnes Let loue be without disstmulacion Hate that whiche is euil and cleaue vnto that whiche is good Be kinde one to another with brotherly loue In geuyng honour go one before another Be not slouth full in the busynes whiche ye haue in hande Be feruent in the spirite Applye your selues to the tyme. Reioyce in hope Be pacient in tribulacion Continue in praier Destribute vnto the necessitie of the saintes be ready to harbour Blesse them whiche persecute you blisse I say and curse not Be merye with them that are merye wepe also with them that wepe Be of like affeccion one towardes another Be not hye minded but make your selues equal to them of the lower sorte For vnmeete is it that the grace of Christ in you haue lesse power than hath the power of nature in euery beastes body For as in the body of beastes there is of the partes among them self a certaine felowshippe so is there betwixte all suche people as of diuerse sectes and sondrye nacions are shaped into the felowship of Christ For as this sensible bodye albeit it be but one yet is it framed of manye membres together nowe hath not euerye membre like office forsomuche as the iyes haue one the feete another the stomacke and handes another and yet doeth not the iye see onely for it selfe but for the whole body nor the stomacke for it self prepareth not foode but for all the members Now in what condicion the office of euery member is in the bodye in lyke are the sondrie gyftes after diuerse sortes gyuen to diuerse of vs. As then the lymmes whiche are more noble for example the iyes disdayne not the viler but with that they canne do helpe and succoure al or els shoulde the whole bodye vtterlye decaye so lette euery manne be his gyfte singuler or els be it meane for his parte bestowe the same for the weale of the whole bodye synce we are once planted into Christe oure heade and with hym becommen one spirituall bodye For as one member is to another member of the same bodye so is one christian manne to another christian manne But yet hath euery manne as I before sayde sondry gyftes gyuen vnto hym gyuen vnto hym I saye not for his owne desertes but by the liberall bounteousnes of god whiche gyueth euery manne as he knoweth is expediente Let nomanne therfore of his gyfte be proude but discretlye and soberly vse it for the weale of all menne yf he haue the gyfte of prophecie to expounde vnknowen learnynges lette hym accordyng vnto the perfeccion of his fayth whom onelye god regardeth and not his other desertes without disdayne vpon other bestowe this his gyfte or yf he be in suche condicion and place where he maye helpe his brother therin let hym soberly do his dutie yf he haue the gyfte of learnyng lette hym not disdayne to enstructe and teache other or yf he canne out of yâ— Scriptures with preachyng rauyshe menne to pitifull and godlye lyfe and condicions let hym with sobernes vse that his gyft yf he haue gooddes wher with to helpe the poore and nedie lette hym also gyue vnto suche as haue neede and therwith helpe other neither for glorye neither for hope to haue aduauntage therbye but with a liberall and free hearte or yf god haue gyuen hym to beare rule ouer other and therin canne do well lette hym not of that office be anye thyng the prouder but carefull of his charge nor lette hym rule his office for himself but for theyr weale whose charge and gouernaunce he hath taken in hande or yf he helpe the wretched and miserable lette it be done withoute sadnes and louryng for that is a discouraging of hym that is so holpen and beware that with thy benefite thou hyt him not in the teethe but let thy thankeful gyfte be encreased and doubled with a mery looke and cherefulnes so that whatsoeuer ye gyue seme to gyue it euen as it were an other mannes and with all youre heartes Heathen peoples good deedes be all for the moost parte by suche wayes corrupted yea thoughe elswyse they seme to be liberallye done In you lette dissimulacion haue no place but lette there among you raigne loue and charitie whiche neither canne counterfaicte nor dissemble but make euery mannes doynges accepted of god Beware also that ye measure not thynges after youre desyre as noughtie people are wonte to do but esteme and measure thynges by vertue only or vice abhorring all lewdnes stedfastly cleauyng to goodnes And forasmuche as ye are brethren daylye desyre your commen fathers helpe synce ye are all appoynted to one enheritaunce lette eche of you to other through brotherly charitie be readye and well wyllyng Carnall men stryue for preeminence in honour stryue ye eche with other howe one of you maye prefer an other before hymselfe Let noman idely liue to himselfwarde but let euery man for his parte labour to do his dutie nor be slouthfull and â–ª stuggyshe as men that are with the infirmitie of the fleshe faynte but be in spirite couragiouse and feruent Ye haue forsaken your carnalnes and begunne now to be spirituall A fleshly poynte is it to be flouthful for the spirite of god is a thyng of actiuitie and lyuely Withstande not euell personnes but do as the tyme requireth applying youre selfe to that whiche is presente yf anye hurte chaunce auoyde it yf ye can well so doe or els suffer it not with heauye heartes as men that are in wanhope but be in aduersities mery ioyful for hope of the rewarde that is to come This wise in the meane season thynke with your self yf ye any thyng either beare with or forgyue another ye suffer it for goddes sake whiche wyll without doubte with auauntage make
also these thynges equally with the father Certaynly this is the thyng that the Psalmiste by the inspiracion of the holy gost spake of so long agoe For Christe hauyng all ready conquered the helles is ascended alyue agayne into the hygh kyngdome of the father and hath caryed with him the ensigne of his conqueste euen the flocke of vs myserable captiues whom he hath frely deliuered from the tyranny of the deuyl and synne And from thence of the fathers liberalitie he hathe geuen throughe the holye ghoste soondrye kyndes of gyftes and bestowed them among menne as it is the solemne manner of suche as wynne the maistrye in a tryumphe to throwe downe tokens of tryumphe abrode among the people He sente downe giftes from heauen and heauenly thynges they were that he sente To be briefe where it is sayed he ascended doeth it not consequently folowe that he before descended And there is no descencion but from aboue so that the descencion is before and the ascencion after For none deserueth worthelye to bee exalted on hyghe but onelye throughe lowlinesse and humbleyng of hymselfe To conclude after moste lowe humblyng foloweth moste hygh aduauncing From the moste hyghe heauen than the whiche nothyng can be higher Christ deiected himself euen vnto the helles than the which nothyng can be lower And for this cause sake he was worthily exalted aboue the higheste of all the heauens and so tooke his bodily presence out of oure syghte to the intente to accomplishe all thynges from aboue wyth heauenly giftes and after an other maner of reason to be now more effectually presente with vs than whan he was conuersaunt emong vs vpon earth He forsoke not his body but deuyded his gyftes vnto euery of his membres after suche wyse as none of them all should want anye thyng albeeit some were endued with more excellent giftes than some For some he would haue to be chief as Apostles ryng leaders autours of the Gospel preahing some to be prophetes that coulde expounde the hidde meanynges of Moses lawe some to be euangelistes to occupye the Apostles roumes and to carrye aboute the gospell from place to place And some to be pastours and doctours as byshoppes to feede the flocke of Christe with the meate of holy doctryne and holsome example of goodlyfe And the teste he instructed some with one gyfte and some with an other to the intente that of all these conferred together the coumpanye of saynctes shoulde bee perfeitelye consummate and furnyshed to the vse of euerye good offyce and that the perfeit bodye of Christe beyng fully growen together in all his menbres shoulde so bee cherished one with the succour of an other and that the stronger membre shoulde beate for the tyme with the weaker and the weaker marke and folowe the exaumple of the stronger vntill we maye all at length cumme to equall strength of fayth and with lyke perfeccion knowe the sonne of God throughe whose helpe we maye waxe bygge and lustye in the secrete encrease of mynde after such sorte that at length we may growe vnto a perfeit manne and accordyng to oure measure frame oure selues aunswerably to our most perfite head In whome was neither imbecillitie nor erroure neyther yet any defaulte The texte That the hence forth should be nomore children waueryng caried about with euery winde of doctryne by the wylmes of men thorowe craftyues whereby they laye awayte tor vs to deceyue vs. But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thynges growe in hym whiche is the head euen Christe in whome yf all the bodye be coupled and knitte together thorowoute euery ioynt wherwith one ministreth to an other accordyng to the operacion as euerye parte hath his measure he encreaseth the bodye vnto the edifiyng of it selâ—e thorowe loue There is an age of the bodye that geueth full strength to all the membres and putteth away the tendernesse of chyldehood And in semble ble wyse vnto this there is a lyke procedyng in the ordre of godlinesse whereunto we ought all to geue diligent endeuour that we be not from hencefoorth as we haue been waueryng lyke children in vncertayne opinious not addicte to any certayne decrees to attayne saluacion but as men voyde of trueth catryed about now into this nowe into that iudgemente with euery wynde of doctryne submittyng our selues as it were pieuishe chyldren to the subtiltie and crafte of some certayne men whiche trauayle not to teache vs Christe sincerely but to catche vs through theyr subtill artes and to snare vs with their craftie deceates or with philosophicall reasons to bryng vs in doubte of those thynges which by faith ought in no wise to be doubted of or elles in stede of the Gospelles veritye to set before vs the shadowes of Moses lawe But no we hauyng once embraced the veritie of the Gospel lette vs rather ioyne vnto it sincere charitable loue towardes al men enforcing our cominuall studye to this ende that we maye profite not onelye in the knowledge of the trueth but also in the continual diligente workes of charitie so as all we beyng membres maye be answerably like vnto our head And truely Christe is our head who also is the trueth selfe and hathe so loued vs that he hath geuen hymselfe to make vs safe To this head it is requisite that the membres be agreable Inasmuche as from hym the spirite of lyfe floweth into all the whole bodye beyng compacte and set together of sondrye membres ioyned ordrelye one to an other and pearcyng throughe euerye ioynt of the lymmes which coulde not be excepte the partes of the bodye were ioyned agreably one to an other that lyfe may haue passage into theÌ„ from one membre to an other For the hande or the fote beeyng cutte of cannot possiblye haue any parte of the vertue that commeth from the toppe of the heade But forasmuche as the whole bodye is perfeitly conglutinate in it self it commeth to passe that the spirite of Christe practiseth his efficacie in euerye membre accordyng to their seuerall capacitie and ordre and forasmuche as all the membres studye through mutuall loue to profite euerye one other the whole bodye wareth bygger and bygger and is made lustye and stronge so as it wyll not geue place in any condicion to the wyndes of false opinions alluryng this way and that ware to bryng it out of the trueth The texte This I saye therefore and testifie thorowe the Lord that ye hence forth walke not as other Beutiles walke in banitie of theyr minde while they are blinded in their vnderstanding being farte from a godly lyfe by the meanes of the ignorauncie that is in theÌ„ and because of the blindenes of their hartes whiche being paste repentaunce haue geuen themselues ouer vnto wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredines But ye haue not so learned Christe If so bee that ye haue hearde of hym and haue beene taught in him as the trueth is in Iesu as
with vs and that oure felowship maye be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ And thys wryte we vnto you that ye maye reioyce and that youre ioye may be full VVE write not vnto you dearely beloued brethren of stender or meane thinges or of thinges vnknowen but of a newe matter howbeit so newe vnto vs that with God it was from euerlasting This is the worde of God euen Iesus Christe bothe God and manne whiche where he was alwayes the sonne of God woulde of late be the sonne of a mayden and which after hys diuine nature was inuisible to mans eies vouchesafed to take vpon hym an humayne bodye and did vouchesafe to be famyliarly conuersaunte among men that he might â—arye vs vp from the darkenes of our ignoraunce to the lyght of Gospelliâ—â— knowlage and that we myght begynne to beholde him with the eies of our mynde whome we haue presentlye fâ—ne with the eies of our bodye In dede the vnbelefe of mannes harte required that the truthe shoulde bee credited by grosse outwarde experimentes but yet the godlynes of them is more preferred by his owne worde whiche where they neyther had sene him with theyr eyes nâ— handled him with theyr handes yet were moste certaynly perswaded and beleued that he is the sonne of God and thonly autor of mannes saluacyon It is our parte therfore to declare that whiche we haue moste certaynly proued by our bodyly sences vnto those that chaunced not to see it and yet it is expedient to beleue that none ought to trust to haue life nor euerlastinge saluacion but he that beleueth the Gospelles doctrine wherof we are both witnesses and preachers It is not the worde of manne nether of lyght importaunce but it is the worde of God and of heauen that geueth euerlastyng lyfe to them which geue obedient hearyng vnto it and deliueâ—ing from the deathe of sinnes from what so euer relygyon from what so euer kynde of lyfe they shall turne them selues vnto it Of this matter that we speake of we speake of most assured credence yâ— is to wete euen the thing which we yâ— were continual waitours heard with our eares saw with our eies nether sawe we afarre of or passinge by but we loked presently on to the full And to cause a thinge to be credited these are two princypall chief sences and if that also bee but a small matter we did not only heare hym teaching prayinge commaundyng wyndes and deuilles and the father sondry tymes bearing witnes vnto the sonne and we sawe hym not only worke myracles suffre deathe and ryse agayne but also we haue handled with these handes of oures For whan he was rysen agayne from deathe to thyntente to make vs beleue steofastlye that he was no vayne phantasie but euen the lame manne alyue agayne whome we had sene before dead he caused vs to handle him with our handes and laying to our fingres he shewed vs the places of his woundes Mannekynde was deade bycause it was in thraldome of vices and synnes and he suffred deathe for our wickednes that through his goodnesse we myght lyue vnto Innocencie We were in doubt also our selues whan we sawe hym dead whan we sawe hym buried but whan he rose again from death he gaue vs sure hope of life Mankynde had had no maner of hope of eternall life except he had caused vs to see him with oure cies and if he had not plucked awaye all doubtefulnes froÌ„ vs by most manifestly apparent experimentes He beinge manne suffred paynes for our synnes and the same being God dooeth frely gene immortall lyfe to them that put theyr faythfull trust in hym He lyued alwayes with the father and this life was alwayes determinately purposed for vs by the sonne howbeit this counsail was not yet publyshed vnto the world albeit the nacion of the Iewes and yet none but they loked for it by the prophetes oracles as it were in a dreame In the meane while deathe reigned lyfe laye hydden Some tixed theyr hope in Moses some in worldly wisedome but the saluacion and life of all people was Iesus Christe the worde of God the father the teacher of Innocencye and the geuer of Immortalitie For none lyueth but he that lyueth godly nether dooeth any escape deathe â–ª but he that atreyneth Immortalytie At leyngth thys Iesus christe manifested him selfe vnto the world by hym selfe shewing him selfe playnly to all the senses of man and so thrusting him selfe in to the consciences of menne And therfore he would haue vs to be lokers on and witnesses of all thinges that he did on earthe â–ª to thintent they myght be faithfully published by our preachinge throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde that like as we by Iesus haue obteyned lyfe and saluacion in case we perseuer still in the Gospelles doctrine euen so shoulde you also come with vs in to the felowshippe and company of this saluacion in case you geue credence to our witnesse bearing â–ª concernyng the thinge that you neither hearde nor sawe of hym but learne it by our preachinge We are nether vayne witnesses ne yet vncommaunded He had vs to bee faithfull witnesses and we recorde vnto all men with the greate daunger of our head none other thinge than we haue most euydent experience of with all the sences of the bodye We are happye in that our eares and eies haue made vs beleue and yet you are neuertheles happye if you geue credence vnto hys witnesse bearers Our faithe hathe glued vs vnto Christe and made vs the children of God and membres of Christe And your faith also shall engraffe you vnto the same bodye that being ioyned with vs in the feloweshippe of faithe you myght make one bodye And so shall it come to passe that we shall not only bee all of one mynde amonge our selues as the membres of one bodye but we shall also haue peace and league with Iesus Christe and by hym with God hys father from whome we were before farre different that like as the sonne is at moste perfite consent communion of al thinges with the father euen so we also by perfite agrement of the profession of the Gospell shoulde bee heaped togyther in to one bodye of Christe to be made partakers of all the goodes of our heade I know you are ioyous of so happye a feloweship but yet I put you in remembraunce agayne of these thinges in writing to thintent you myght reioyce more fully if euery manne be not all together ioyous of hys owne saluacion but all mens felicitie make euery one glad For thys dooeth christen charitie cause that euery manne must be as glad of other mennes commodities as of his owne The moe that this felicitie is commune vnto the more abundaunt shall euery ones ioye bee Among vs there shall no being of one mynde stande together substauncially excepte we be fast glued together with mutuall charitie We canne not possibly haue peace with God except we be answerably like vnto our head Iesus
this whole world For notwithstandyng God him selfe can not be seen yet is he by mans wytte knowen through beholdyng this worlde wrought so wonderfully and gouerned also so meruailously Wherof albeit a beginnyng there was and hereafter an ende shal folowe yet by the workemanshippe of it is vnderstanden the power of the maker whiche neither hath beginnyng nor endyng yea and moreouer his godhead also wherin he alwayes was in him selfe of moste perfeccion euen before the worlde was made all whiche was by God done because they should haue none excuse left them to cloke theyr wickednes withal For where they knewe well that a God there was yet neither honoured they him as God chiefe ruler and gouernoure of all nor yet gaue him thankes as to the geuer of al goodnes whom doubtles they wer yet of dutie bounden to laude and praise for the same knowledge wherof they wer so proude but swellyng with the blast of vaynglory they became vayne and wer in theyr imaginacions deceiued theyr folishe vnderstandynges also darkened with the mistie cloude of arrogancie and in that became vnlearned fooles because they bosted them selfe to be wise men and eloquent Marke nowe into what blindnes and foolishenes they fel. They turned and counterfaited the maiestie of God immortall not onely after the image of a mortal man but also after the image of byrdes fourefooted beastes and crepyng beastes And in punishement of suche monstrous honouryng of God he suffered them so to runne on headlong that they folowyng theyr owne desyres fell to suche filthy vncleanes that eche one of them abused and dishonoured others bodyes doyng shameful vilanie therunto And surely well worthy wer they to fall into suche horrible synnes that through pride so vnordrely and out of fashion honoured God whom they knewe as whiche in steede of very god selfe worshipped a false maumet made with mannes hande and frowardly stouped vnto creatures worshippyng them euen aboue him that made all thynges therin wrongful to God to whom onely praise is to be geuen as onely among men worthy therof for euer Amen The texte Wherfore God gaue them vppe vnto shamefull lustes For euen their wemen did chaunge the naturall vse into that whiche is against nature And likewyse also the menne lefte the natural vse of the woman and brent in their lustes one with another men with menne wrought filthynes An◠receiued to them selues the rewarde of their errour as it was accordyng Through this meanes I saye God beyng displeased suffered them to runne furth headlong into all filthye and beastely lustes In somuche that not onely the menne but also theyr women forgeatyng theyr kinde chaunged the natural vse of womans body into that whiche is against nature therin doubtles folowyng the men whiche leauyng as I sayd the natural vse of women brent in foule and abominable lustes one of them vpon an other so that the male vpon his like committed detestable vncleanes And after they had by suche vilanouse wayes done iniurye and spyte to God rewarde was geuen vnto them meete for suche madnes The texte ¶ And as they regarded not to knowe God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a leude mynde that they should do those thinges whiche wer not comely beyng full of al vnrighteousnes fornicacion wickednes couetousnes maliciousnes ful of enuye murder debate deceyte euil condicioned whisperers backbiters haters of God doers of wrong proude bosters bringers vp of euil thinges disobedient to father and mother without vnderstandyng couenaunt breakers vnlouyng truce breakers vnmercifull Whiche men though they knewe the righteousnes of God considered not howe that they whiche committe suche thynges are worthy of death not onely they that do the same but also they whiche haue pleasure in them that do them For as they coulde neither be content to acknowledge and honoure God whō they sufficiētly knew so againe God suffered them beyng blinded with theyr owne darkenes to walke foorth in leudenes of minde that so farre that they committed suche detestable actes as beseamed no reasonable man to do whiche wer elswyseful of al naughtynes fornicacion couetousnes wickednes enuye murder debate deceipte maliciousnes euil cōdicioned whisperers back biters haters of God doers of wrong proude bosters bringers vp of mischiefe disobedient to father and mother without vnderstādyng inordinate couenaunt breakers vnlouyng trucebreakers vnmerciful These people wheras they right well knewe that a God there is knowe also that he is exactly and in euerye point iuste so that it can not be auoyded but that suche outragious offenders are worthy death not onely do suche deedes thē selfe but also consentyng to other like doers are to the vnlerned an occasion of stumblyng ruine The .ii. Chapter The texte Therfore art thou inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou be that iudgest For in that same wherin thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe For thou that iudgest doest euen the self same thynges But we are sure that the iudgement of God is accordyng to the trueth against thē whiche cōmit suche thinges Thinkest thou this O thou mā that iudgest them whiche do suche thynges doest euen the very same thy self that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Either dispisest thou the riches of his goodnes and pacience long sufferaunce not knowyng that the kyndenes of God leadeth to repentaunce NOr maketh it so greatly for theyr excuse to say that wyse men with wordes abhorre suche enormities nor yet to allege that the magistrates by the lawes inhibite and punishe them For whatsoeuer a manne in the trade of his lyfe foloweth the same thyng he approueth Nothyng therefore hast thou to excuse thy selfe withal whosoeuer thou he whiche winkyng at thyne owne faultes condemnest an other But muche rather assure the that whiles thou geuest sentence vpon an other in so doyng thou condemnest thy selfe forasmuche as thou takyng vpō the the office of a iudge doest euen the same thynges for whiche thou condemnest another And synce thou art in the same thyng faultie that he is surely whyles thou geuest sentence against him therin pronouncest thou sentence against thy selfe Men mayest thou deceiue and theyr iudgementes escape parauenture because they vpon coniectures onely and likelyhodes geue sentence and are not able to see the secretes of mannes heart But God whiche seeth and knoweth all thynges shall against all suche haynouse offenders as we before spoke of geue sentence of iuste damnacion not vpon any slender or apparent profe but euen as the very trueth is What doest thou so farfoorth man stande in thine owne phantasie I speake to euery suche as herein knoweth him selfe giltie to thynke whiles thou iudgest suche offenders that thou canst escape Goddes iudgemente thy self doyng as they do and lookest thou to escape goddes handes when the transgressor can not escape thyne and to auoyde goddes sētence when men can not auoyde thyne What doeth goddes sufferaunce put the in hope to escape vnpunished And is he for his exceadyng and
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
knowledge that I haue of your condicions I partelye beleue the reporte It coulde not be auoyded but that there would suche sectes ryse among you Of whiche euill thyng yet this good groweth that by thesame it more playnly appeareth whiche are throughly perfite which whyles other are in a confusion and fyll theyr paunches myldly and so berlye accordyng vnto the Apostles ordinaunces and the olde custome of the churche kepe this holy feaste wherein we represent the laste souper of Christ with his disciples remembryng the league whiche he made with vs and for an exaumple of mutuall concorde of eche one of vs towarde another The texte When ye come together therfore into one place the Lordes supper cannot be eaten For euery man begynneth afore to eate his owne supper And one is hongry and an other is dronken Haue ye not houses to eaâ—e and drynke in Despyse ye the congregacion of God and shame them that haue not What shall I saye vnto you shall I prayse you In this prayse I you not That which I deliuered vnto you I receiued of the Lord. For the Lord Iesus thesame nyght in whiche he was betrayed toke breade and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and sayed Take ye and eate this is my body which is broken for you This doe ye in the remembraunce of me But now is there creapt in amoÌ„g you a very vnsemely vsage that as oft as ye come together the Lordes souper semeth not to bee the great matter that is in hand suche as he made with his disciples but rather some troublous clamorous feast without equalitie because eche maÌ„ riotously and gloutonously not lokyng for other begynneth afore to eate his owne souper Wherupon it foloweth that the poore man is hongry either because he hath nothing to eate or because he cummeth not in season and the ryche man that hath begunne his souper is full and drounken by meanes whereof that spirituall feast is two maner of wayes dishonoured both because through pryde of the ryche men the poore are disdayned whom Christ disdaineth not also because the Lordes souper is with surfetting and excesse defiled At this souper is represented the misterie of christian concorde no bealy nor gut matter for whom prouision should haue been made priuately in mennes owne housen and not in the open assembly Yf ye delyted to fyll your paunches haue ye not housen wherin ye maye so doe out of syght Despise ye so farfurth the open congregacion of christians that in presence therof ye be not ashamed lyke glotons to vse your selfes euen of purpose in the meane seasoÌ„ goyng about to make the poore ones ashamed whiche haue nothing to set at table whyles ye openly setfurth your riottouse and costly fare What shall I herein saye vnto you ye Corinthians Shall I prayse you Certenly I would wyshe I had good cause so to doe for other thinges I much prayse you but in this I caÌ„not prayse you These maners far square froÌ„ that souper of the lord after whose example ye should among you kepe this holy feast I maruayle who they be that haue brought this euill custome amoÌ„g you for I as an Apostle receyued of the Lord that which I also haue taught you which is yâ— our Lord Iesus thesame nyght in which he was betrayed by his disciple and taken toke bread when he had geueÌ„ thankes to God he brake the bread and sayed take eate this is my body whiche is broken for you to be deuided among all The thyng whiche ye see me to doe thesame doe ye herafter in the remembraunce of me Note and marke here all the disciples syt together at table with theyr maister marke howe the table and meate was comon to all not somuche as the traytour Iudas excluded from thesame and one bread equally deuided among all This dyd the Lorde with his disciples and despise ye your brethren and suche as are your felowes in religion The texte After thesame maner also he toke the cup when supper was doen saying This cup is the newe testamente in my bloud This doe as oft as ye drinke it in remembraunce of me For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shall shew the Lordes death tyll he come Wherfore whosoeuer shall eate of this breade or drinke of the cup of the Lorde vnworthely shal be gyltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. But let a man examen himselfe and so let him eate of the bread and drink of the cup. For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion because he maketh no difference of the Lordes body For this cause many are weake and sycke among you and many slepe After thesame maner when he had distribute the bread he toke the cup also into his handes when the supper was already done saying this cup is the newe testamente through my bloud as often as ye drinke hereof doe it in remembraunce of me In this supper then all dranke of one cup and among you the ryche menne are dronke and the poore are athruste Christ would haue this feast to be kept among you in remeÌ„braunce of his death and as a token of his euerlasting testamente yet is it nowe kepte among you with ryot and dissencion It is a misticall bread wherof al men should in lyke sorte be partakers As the cup also is holy indifferently apertayning to all not prepared to apease mennes bodyly thruste but to represente a secrete matter leste ye myght forgette with what pryce ye were from the synnes of your former lyfe redemed As often therfore as ye resorte together to eate of this breade and to drinke of this cup ye goe about no bealy matter but mistically represent the death of the Lord Iesu whose continuall remembraunce shall cause you to doe your dueties vntyll the tyme he returne to iudge all the worlde Therfore whosoeuer eateth of this bread or drinketh of the Lordes cup otherwise than is worthy of Christ haynously offendeth as which hath otherwise vsed the body bloud of the Lorde than he commaunded it should be vsed for as muche as a thing whiche is moste full of misteries ought with all purenesse and reuerence to be vsed for auoydyng of whiche inconuenience let euery man first trye and examen his conscieÌ„ce before And vpon a through examinacion had let hym then eate of that breade and drinke of the cup. And let hym that vpon examinacion of hymselfe fyndeth an vnmetenesse abstayne rather and make sacrifice to his bealy at home For albeit the body and bloud of the Lord be a healthfull thing yet whosoeuer therof doeth eate or drinke vnworthily thesame turneth to his poyson and destruccion because he without reuerence and with an vnclensed conscience presumed to come vnto so great a misterie without due consideracion had with howe great reuerence the body of the Lorde ought to be receyued When Christe shall come then shall suche be
hindred me neuer so litell from the doctrine of Christ not that I condemne the lawe yf a man vse it as it ought to be but that I attribute so muche vnto the gospell of Christe my lorde that I doo not onely set lesse by the carnall lawe of Moses wherin these men boast thaÌ„ the excellent knowledge of Christ but also I thinke it losse what soeuer this world hathe of how excellent or of howe glittering a shewe soeuer it be This knowledge therefore as sone as I begonne any whitte to taste there is no aduauntage of any thing how goodly so euer it be but I esteme it as losse yea I regarde it no more than the rubbyshe of a rotten wall or yf any thinge be more vyle than it so that with the losse of it I maye wynne Christe the fountayne of all good thinges that are truely good I take myne owne ryghteousnesse to be nothing worthe where in obseruyng of Moses lawe my ryghteousnesse was thought among men to haue ben muche auayleable so that I maye atteyne vnto true righteousnes which I may not call myne forasmuch as it is not gotten by our owne merites but frelye geuen to them yâ— dystrust them selues put their whole coÌ„fydence symplye in Christ Neuertheles there springeth a certaine ryghteousnes also of the lawe howbeit it is not auaylable to geue saluacion But that righteousnes whiche is geuen of god is so not ours that notwithstandynge it geueth vs true perfite saluacion in case we beleue the gospel and through faith come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ whose natiuitie is more wanderful than can be vnderstanden by any mortall mannes wysedom whose resurrection is of more power than can be perswaded by any argumentes of man Onlye faith is hable to perswade these vnto vs and hathe so perswaded in dede that beyng establyshed in the hope of the promysses I am gladly content to come vnto the felowshyp of his affliccions to be bounden and to dye for his gospelles sake lyke as he was beaten and crucified for vs that it maye by some meanes chaunce vnto me that lyke as I folowe the example of hys death so I maye come to the glory of his resurrection beyng raysed vp by him This moost certaine constaunt hope doeth so comforte me in these afflictions bycause I assuredly trust in the promysses of Christe who hath promysed the feloweshyp of his kyndome to them that wyll not shrynke from the felowshyp of his crosse Nothwithstandyng I ment not to speake thus as though it were in me to atteyne so hyghe a worthynesse For I am not come as yet to the ende of my race I haue not yet wonne the game the matche is not yet all together at an ende howbeit I preace vnto it to the vttermoste of my power that I maye atteyne the thing that I pursue after For euery bodye wynneth not the game how so euer he runneth but he that preaceth lustily and he that laboureth constauntlye I am in good hope that I shall catche it in asmuche as Christ hath catched me to this same ende that beyng pulled backe in the myddle of my race which in times past I purposed wickedly against his congregacion I might runne well in the race of the gospell and wynne the game oâ— immortalitie lest you should fall into slouthe and naughty securitie in trustyng to the promised game Brethren I doo not thinke that I haue yet atteyned the thinge that I goe about and hope to atteyne It is a very weightye matter of importaunce that I folowe and is not lyghtlye atteyned by any man I knowe that Christ is true but the nature of man is so frayle and so mutable that it wyll not suffre me as yet to be careles Wherefore by the meanes of this excellente greate hope I set all thinges a syde and goe about this one thing onely that in the race of the gospel I maye forget as it were the thinges that are behynde me and preace with all my possible endeuour to those thinges that are afore me howbeit I rushe not here awaye and there awaye rashely I care not whither for he loseth his game that runneth naught But I bende my selfe streyghte towardes the pricke of the gospel that is set before our eâ—es and to the rewarde of immortalitie wherunto God the maister of our game lokyng out of heauen vpon our endeuour calleth vs by the helpe of Christ Iesus Therfore what other thing goe those men about that myngle the lawe with the gospel than to hyndre vs in our race And for that cause as many of vs as be perfite let vs be of this affected mynde that wee set nothinge before vs to runne at but the very marke of the gospel And yf there be any amonge you that be somwhat weaker than can vtterly contemne the law of their fathers wherin they haue ben nousled let them be borne withall vntyll they waxe perfite also God hathe shewed vnto you that the ayde of the lawe is nothing necessarie and so peraduenture it shall come to passe that he wyll reuele the same also vnto them The texte ¶ Brethren be folowers together of me and loke on them whiche walke euen so as ye haue vs for an ensample For many walke of whome I haue tolde you often and nowe tell you wepynge that they are the enemyes of the crosse of Christe whose ende is damnacion whose bellye is their God and glory to their shame which are worldly minded But our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we lake for the sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whiche shall chaunge our vyle body yâ— he maye make it lyke vnto his glorious body accordyng to the workyng wherby he is able also to subdue all thinges vnto him selfe Now whyle we are in this worlde let vs goo on styll in the race that we haue taken in hande accordynge to the rule prescribed vnto vs and let vs truely agree in it that we suffre not oure selues to be drawne backe from that purpose but let vs make spedye haste euery man to his power to atteine the game of immortalitie Ther be some yâ— kepe not the race a right them it is not good to folowe But rather folowe me for I runne streyght to the gospelles game And marke them that you see treade forwarde after the example of vs. Christ hath set vs the best facion of example after the whiche you see me preace to the same place that he went vnto All they that runne in this race wyune not the game and therfore it is not good folowing of euery one that runneth before For there be very many whome I haue oftentymes tolde you of before and now I tell you againe with wepyng teares that preache Christ after such sorte that they are the enemyes of Christes crosse for all that For they wyll in no wyse folowe the example of his lyfe and deathe to the intent they may euerlastinglye lyue with him but for their owne lucre and vayne
not their husbandes though they be heathens but study by their owne maners to prouoke them vnto better He warneth the husbandes to beare with their wyues and to absteyne somtymes from hauing to do with them so as they may the more apply them selues to praier Than he prouoketh men alter the example of Christ to suffre displeasures and not to ymagine howe to requyte wronge with wronge but to deuise howe to ouercome their euyll doers with softenes and well doynges And these matters he treateth of in the thre first Chaptres and in the beginning of the fourth After these he exhorteth men vnto newenesse of life and dissuadeth from the heathens vices He allureth men vnto sobrenesse vnto watching to continual prayers and aboue other vnto mutuall charytie vnto hospitalitie and to do good turnes one for an other Agayne he enticeth men paciently to suffer persecucions layed vpon them for Christes name sake Than he informeth bishops and in them the people vnder their charge In the ende he reporteth that he wrote an other epistle vnto them by Siluanus which was loste This epistle it appeareth he wrote from BabiloÌ„ for in the name of that churhe he saluteth them if any man allowe not the vnderstanding of Rome by Babylon The paraphrase of D. Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the first Epistle of S. Peter Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ to them that dwell here and there as strangers thorow out Pontus Galacia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia electe accordyng to the â—oreknowledge of God the father thorowe the sanctifying of the spirite vnto obedience and spriâ—eâ—lyng of the â—loude of Iesus Christe Grace be with you and peace be multiplyed PEter somtyme a disciple and a contynuall gâ—â—st but nowe an Embassadour and Apostle of Iesu Christ to all them that dwell here and therein the coastes of litell Asia at Pontus Galacia Cappadocia and in that parte that is properly named Asia whiche the Ephesians haue and Bithiâ—â—a whome either the stormy tempestes of warres haue in tymes paste scatred abroade some to on place some to an other or elles whome the rageing cruellie of them which hated the name of Christe hathe giltelessy dryuen out of the places where their fathers dwelt before them and â—re by that meanes nowe comfortles amonge straâ—nge nacions as it were danyshed men beyng in dede for feare of men thrust out of their natyue countrey but yet not excluded ne banyshed neither depryued frome the offyce of Ghospell preathing which God the prince of al men bestowed chiefly vnto the lande and nacion of Iewes after suche a sorte that he woulde for al that haue it commune to all them whome soeuer he hath chosen For lyke as those are neuer the better for being borne and leading their life at Hierusalem which fet naught by the doctrine of Iesus Christ euen so shal it defâ—aâ—de no man in that he dwelleth amonge the vncircumcised and prophane Gentiles so that in stede of Moses lawe he embrace the grace of the ghospell For it is not the obseruacion of the lawe whâ—t with the Iewes are commonely puffed vp that bringeth true saluacion neither kynredde or place but the free eleccion of God He is a ryght Iewe in dede wihche what countrey soeueâ— he dwell in or what kynred soeuer he is borne of acknowledgeth Iesus Christe to be the aâ—tour of true saluacion which dyed not for one nacion of people alone but for the whole vniuersall worlde But in yâ— we so acknowlege him we are not endebted to the meâ—tte of obseruing the lawe but vnto the free goodnesse of God whiche choseth out of al maner of nacions calleth vnto the lyberal fredome of the gospell whome soeuer it standeth with hys pleasure to â—all vntoit For it neither came of late sodaynly in to hys mynde to saue al maner of mortal men by thys meane ne yet enforced with our wel doinges helayth this vp as a reward for vs as though we had so merited but this was deâ—reed of god the father by his eternal couÌ„saill that he would opeÌ„ the porte of saluacioÌ„ not to the Iewes only but to al nacions vniuersally not by circuÌ„cision not by keping yâ— custome of the sabboth neither by choise of meates ne yet by other ceremonies of Moses lawe which are corporal matters nothing but certain shadowes of spiritual thinges that were geueÌ„ for a time but by true sanctificacion of the spirite which the spiritual lawe of yâ— gospel geueth vnto vs by yâ— which we are truly purged in dede from all oure synnes not for because we haue obserued the prescriptes of the olde law but because we playnly readily put our trust in the promisses of the ghospell not by sprinkling of the bloud of a calfe as it hath been hitherto wont to be done according to the custome of the law but by the sprinking of the precious bloud of the vndefiled and most acceptable sacrifice to God Iesus Christ whose vndeserued death wypeth cleane awaye from vs all the transgressions of oure former conuersacion once for al and after we be borne a new as it were into him through baptisme it restoreth vs vnto a new life And forasmuch as baptisme hath exempted vs from this world engraffed vs into the participacion of heauenly rewardes I will not pray for those goodes in getting and heaping together wherof the toylers of the world thinke theÌ„selfes fortunate but those goodes rather which purge vs cleane from erthly contagious infeccions and make vs worthy the prince of heauen Christ that is to say Grace that in distrusting your owne merites and in putting no confideÌ„ce in the ceremonies of the lawe you may looke for true saluacion of the freÌ„ bounteous liberalitie of God and in purtyng vnfayned trust in the ghospell And besides this I wishe Peace that beyng frely reconsiled to God by the bloud of Christe you may haue concorde both among your selfes and with all other not only hurting no body but also perdonyng other mennes fanites and requityng good turnes for euill the chaunce of which goodes lyke as you haue frely receyued of God euen so it staÌ„deth you in hand to apply your selfes vnto godly studies that you may waxe riche in the encreasing vsury of good workes more and more not onely persisting stedfast in that you haue begonne but also going forward dayly better and better vntill the day come wherin the rewarde of immortalitie shal be openly geuen wherof you haue now conceiued a certaine assured hope out of the ghospell of Christe that we should therby chalenge no prayse vnto our selues The texte Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe which according to his aboundant mercy begatte vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by that that Iesus Christs rose agayne from death to an iuheritaunce immortall and vndefyled and that perisheth not referâ—ed in heauen for you whiche are kept by the power of God thorowe fayth vnto saluacion which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time in the
them that professe the lawe of perfite charitie But mercie and liberalitie to the neyghbour is so muche auayleable with God that a woman that an harlot that a straunger was commended for keping of hospitalitie and deserued to be nombred in the regestre of Godly people in the regestre of citezens and in the regestre of the moste tryedlye proued Patriarkes Rhahab was not a Iewe she was maystres of a howse of baldrye and gate her lyuyng with no very honest gaynes of occupung and yet in Goddes boke she hathe a worthye commendacion of righteousnes not of faythe only in that she was persuaded that no mannes good dedes should be loste God being the rewarder namely that is bestowed vpon good folkes or at leste in the respecte of God but of that that she not regarding the daunger of her life prouided to saue the life of the spies in that she sent out the messangers whom the guide of yâ— Iewes had sente to spye by stealth an other way lest they should perish She might haue come in no smal fauour with her own couÌ„trey folkes if she had as it was in her hande to haue done betrayed the spyes But she had rather serue the wyll of God than her own gayne nether dystrusted she but that she should bee repayed a more pleynteous rewarde of hym than of menne Likewise than as Abraham had the worthy praise of righteousnes not of naked faithe but of faythe tried by dedes euen so Rhahab had beleued in vayne that the God of the Iewes is the true very God excepte whan occasion serued she had declared by her dedes that she had beleued with her whole harte otherwise faythe as I sayed that is colde of charitie and vttreth not it selfe whan matter requireth it is veryly no faythe at all but only a vayne name of faithe For like as the body being destitue of the soule is dead and vnprofitable euen so faithe if it want working charitie is dead and vneffectuall The .iii. Chapter The texte My brethren be not euery man a maister knowing howe that we shall receaue the greater damnacion for in many thinges we synne all If a manne synue not in worde the same is a perfecte man and able also to came all the bodye Beholde we put byttes into the horses mouthes that they may obey vs and we turne about all the body of them Beholde also the shippes whiche though they be so greate and are dryuen of fearce windes yer are they turned about with a very smal helme whyther soeuer the violente of the gouernour wyl Euen so the tongue is a lytell membre also and boasteth greate thynges GReate is the profitablenes of a mannes tongue if a man teache those thynges that pertaine to true godlynes but it is a perilâ—ous pece of woorke to take thoffice of a teacher in hande and fyrste it requireth that a manne bee excellently learned in the thynges that concerne the doctrine of the gospell and than to be of moste pure affeccions it is not ynough for euery man to teache vprightly but for him that respecteth nothing elles but to the glorye of God Such a teacher like as he may do very much good if he loue that he teacheth euen so whose doctrine is corrupte or whose minde is corrupt with wicked desires with hatred yre desire of reuengemeÌ„t couetousnes ambicion or lecherous lustes he occupieth the roume of a teacher to the greate marring of the people Therfore my brethren couet not euery where to be maisters It is more sure to herken than to speake And a few teachers are ynow to instructe many Therfore he that taketh vpon hym the rowme of a byshop and of a teacher muste often and manye tymes examyne him selfe whether he be mete to take that charge in hande and let hym thinke thys specially with him selfe that he taketh a trauaile in hande endaungered with myghtie peryl and shall rendre a moste streyght reconyng to the moste highe Iudge â–ª if he teache otherwise than becometh him For hys doctryne throweth abrode hys venome so muche the more wyder and perilouslier in that it is set forthe by autoritye of a speaker And there is nothyng of more difficultie than in euery poynt so to tempre the tongue that it neuer speake amysse For in asmuche as the infirmytie of mannes nature is suche that there is no manne but he dayly doeth amysse in many thynges if anye manne canne auoyde all escapes of the tongue he maye be thought a perfite and a mete manne to gouerne the whole bodye as it were with the brydie of reason after that he hathe beue hable to restrayne that moste slyppery membre that it offende not From thys daunger he is farther of that had rather beare the rowme of a scholar than of a teacher It is somwhat to rule the bely it is not nothynge to tempre the eyes and the eares it is somwhat to refrayne the handes but of all other it is the most harde matter to gouerne the tongue perfitely The tongue is a small membre yea but yet the whole bodye dooeth almoste all together depende of it The speche of a man is a certayn effectuous and an excellent thyng of importaunce either to the profite or to the destroying of many It pearceth into the myndes of the hearers it engraffeth or bryngeth forthe noysome opinions it stereth vp or aswageth displeasures it moueth vnto bataille it draweth vnto peace and it strayneth the hearer to thys waye or that waye So we do put brydles in horses mouthes that they maye obey vs and with a small bytte we turne about the horses whole bodye at our owne pleasure The thing that the brydled mouthe is to the sitter the same is the tameo tongue vnto the manne You see what houge weyghtie substaunce the shippes be of they where as whan the sayles are spredde abroade are carryed on the waters with a wonderous violence of wyndes yet are they turned about with a very litell stearne whither so euer the shippe maisters mynde that gouerneth the rother will set it He dryueth the stearne by a sleyght and that so great a weyghtie substaunce is gouerned of the leaste parte of it Therfore the temperate gouernaunce of the tongue is not to be contemned It is a small membre yea but it is a swellinge membre and ful of bragges and entermyngleth destruccion wyde and broade and stereth vp myghty tumultes onles it bee restrayned by the brydle of the mynde it setteth all people and all kyngdomes together by the eares one with an other The texte ¶ Beholde how great a thyng a lytell fyre kyndleth and the tongue is fyre euen a worlde of wyckednesse So is the tonge set amonge oure members that it defyleth the whole body and setteth a fyre all that we haue of nature and is it selfe set a fyre euen of hell All the natures of beastes of byrdes and of serpentes and thynges of the sea art meked and tamed of the nature of man But the
handes and absteyne from all kynde of euell dooinges clense your hartes that no maner of vngodly lustes kepe residence there you that are now of a double minde partely louing the thinges that are of God partly yâ— thinges that are of yâ— world dedicate your whole hart to Christ alone Why do you seke for the felicitie in this world which is promised in heauen Why are you sincared with the vaine pleasures of this world set naught by the ioyes that neuer shal haue end if you would be truly happy in dede suffre sorow in this world if you will haue ioye euerlastingly mourne here in thys worlde if you will bee mery for euer world endles wepe here in this worlde Let this folish and pernicious laughing be turned into holsome mourning Let outragious ioyousnes be chaunged in to holsoÌ„e sadnes let this high statelines be turned into lowe mekenes Let no manne exalt him selfe alofte but rather caste downe your selues in the sight of God and whan you are so deiected he shall set you vp and make you of a true highe estate The lesse you shall arrogauntly chalenge vnto your selues so much the greater thinges shall he frely geue vnto you Arrogaunce hathe enuye to her companyon and of enuye springeth backbytinge And the moste wicked kynde of pryde is to backbyte thy brothers name that thou mayest appeare the more honeste as though a manne woulde caste myre in an other mannes face that he hym selfe myght seme the fayrer and arraye an other mannes garment with fylthynes that he him selfe myght seme the more trym And what is a more fylthy thynge than the brother to backbyte the brother betwene whome all thynges ought to bee coÌ„mune Is it not euen as yf the right hand should mayme the lefte as though it shoulde be more happye if his felowe membre were in the worse case And yet they that auoyde aduouterie they that auoyde thefte and they that auoide periurie abhorre not backbyting as though it were a lyght faulte where as it is so muche the more hurtefull as it couereth it selfe with the cloke of relygyon For he that rayleth agaynste an other mans faultes appeareth fyrste of all to abhorre from those vices whiche he misâ—iketh in others and than he fayneth him selfe not to be moued of enuye nor of malice but of loue that he beareth to honestie And euen this venome â–ª hathe his fayre spoken flatterie Backbytynge one of an other maketh other folke to thinke the worse of them both nether is there any more present a poyson vnto christian concorde Nowe he that backbiteth his brother or condemneth his neyghbour dooeth wronge not onlye to him whome he backbiteth but also vnto the law whome he appeareth to backbite and condemne If thy brother be faultles if it be not forbydden by the law that he dooeth with what face dooest thou damne the thynge that the lawe of the Gospell damneth not but and if he be faultye why doest thou bewray with thy backbytynge tongue hym that ought to be punnyshed by the lawe The lawe of the Gospell byddeth that we iudge not one an other that we condemne not one an other and vnder pretense of the lawe we dooe after our owne affeccions He that is the offendour shall haue a iudge of his owne why dooest thou than take his office vpon thee before the tyme For thou goest not aboute to haue him amended but to be wondred vpon Therfore who so euer backbiteth his neighbour he either condemneth the lawe in that it correcteth not filthynes or backbiteth it as though it were to muche myngle mangled and walowyshe the office wherof the backbytour taketh vpon hym The worlde hathe here publike lawes to punnyshe faultes But it is the parte of christian softenes to endeuour the amendement of all menne rather than to iudge them There is but one lawe maker whiche is hable bothe to saue and to spill And thinkest thou that it is kepte secret from him that euery manne doeth offende perchaunce he suffreth the offendour that he maye ones repent and he suffreth hym that he maye in his time punnyshe him the more greuouslye Why dooest thou beinge but a rascall paisgent take vpon thee the iudges office Why dooest thou geue sentence before the tyme It is a brotherly parte to monyâ—h it is charity to desire it is the parte of a well wilâ—er to blame but to backbyte it is a pestilent thing and a very pride to iudge If thou obey the lawe why doest thou arrogauntly take vpon thee the office of the law If thou goest before the law thou art not a keper of the law but a iudge of yâ— lawe He that goeth before the lawe goeth before God the maker of the law God will not suffre any thinge to be vnreuenged he knoweth what ought to be punnyshed how to bee punnyshed he is out of daunger of al sinne and none but he Who arte thou that iudgest an other Thou condemnest thy brother where thou thy selfe arte more faultie than he For thou goest about to spill him that thou arte not hable to saue Fynally thou chalengeste to thy selfe aucorytie vpon an other mannes seruaunte and not without reproche of the commune maister of all Leaue him to his owne maister whiche only iudgeth according to right Thou perswadest to thy selfe that to be right which ambicion hate wrathe and malice beareth the in hande and arte many times offended at the moate in thy brothers eie whan thou haste a beame in thyne owne There is no man that more poysonly backbiteth an other mans name than he that is moste farre of from true praise worthynes And no manne beareth more easyly with an other mans weakenes than he that goeth moste forwarde in the studie of true godlynes Now they that with so great studie forcast those thinges that are of the worlde hauyng neclected heauenly goodes ought at lest to be monyshed by the incertayntie and shortenes of this life that it is a folye to set a mannes ioye in those maner of goodes whiche how so euer they chaunce yet they are somtyme sodaynely taken awaye by fortune or if fortune snatche not awaye those goodes frome the owner deathe snatcheth away the owner from the goodes And wher they learne by dayly examples that thus it is yet as cleane forgetting all thys gayre they dreame vpon long life and as though they shoulde alwayes lyue they heape vp to them selues riches for many yeares to lyue vpon whan thys is a thinge moste incertayn how long they shall lyue and a thing moste certain that they shall not lyue longe and they do not prepare for them selues vitayle rather for that life that neuer shall haue ende God to your fooles with what face than saye you to daye or to morowe we wyll gooe forthe in to thys cytie or that and passe the tyme there one yeare and get muche gayne to serue vs â–ª for many yeares whan you are incertayn what shall happen the nexte daye after
Euphrates muche vnlyke vnto the holy Iordan or vnto the flode Syloa that is to say the prymatyue churche of the Apostles And there is no hope of grace nor of recouerye or saluacion in her For in this Euphrates there is nothing that is sounde and good but all together full of death destruccion with yâ— helpe of his iii. or foure streames whiche went out from him It is easy to vnderstande what and who they were whiche went out after the decaye of the holy christen churche or after S. Austins or S. Ambrose tyme after the fyue monethes that is to saye after fyue hundreth yeares went out eueÌ„ at one tyme namely at the tyme of the councel holden at Laterane and were redy to murther and flaye the thirde parte of mankynde And they with their felowes dyd greuously hurte them in person in goodes in conscience in bodye and in the prosperyte and welth of their soules thorowe horryble errors in faithe relygion and outwarde ceremonies thorow mans ordinaunces and tradicions bothe against the manyfest holy worde of god also against the ordinaunce of the holy prymatiue churche of the Apostles And here the great nomber of these horsemen doth open the vnderstandinge vnto the reader that all men maye easyly perceyue what they are commyng vp in maner about one tyme. But their frutes shall shewe and declare that sufficiently Out from among these horsemen came their captains ridyng vpon hyghe horses and mules with highe pompe pretendinge highe wysdom gostly power But yet these holy brethren the maynteyners of Christes churche as they pretende do ryde with harnes and sallets armed and prepared with many ordinaunces decrees and statutes by the whiche alas what remedye the christen faythe is lytle furthered But it is well fensed and armed with habbergions one ryng folded in a nother fower folde These were set on fyre with a furious madnesse against the pure and syncere doctrine and profession of the gospell yelowe for very enuye hatered and malyce and also for very fylthye desyre and couetousnes of golde whiche thinges goe alwayes together And againe sauering of brymstone in their hipocritishe filthy chastitie vnmete odious for any christeÌ„ harte to thiÌ„cke vpon muche lesse for any christen eares to heare or any christen tong to speake Their pompe and power to subdue the symple and humble dysciples of Christ contemners of this wycked world is lyke vnto the power and myght of Lyons by the wytte of man not able to be resysted or withstanden And yet their power is not in their handes and armes but in their mouthes Out of the whiche commeth cursynge suspendyng excommunicating and threatenynge with fire and feare of hell and purgatorye with suche lyke firebrandes of brymstone Oh how many right godly and faythfull constant men and wemen haue bene murthered wtin these foure or fiue hundreth yeares of these horsemen whose power was onely in their mouthes For to the performauÌ„ce of their spiritual tirannie they dyuised spies serchers whiche they called inquisitores hereticae prauitatis to spye out suche as they toke for heretykes as Saule was one at suche tyme as he raâ—ed so spitefully against the faithfull from Ierusalem to Damasco Their tayle lyke vnto the tayle of a Scorpion or a Basiliske are those whiche goe after them and folow their example Princes Lordes and temporal Magistrates whiche are assistent vnto them to execute their tyrannye bothe otherwyse speciallye at general councels whiche for their pleasures euen thoughe they be Emperours yet they must breake their promyses of free pasporte and passage against bothe their honour and othes in any matters that concerne their spiritual state pompe lyberties ordinauÌ„ces be they neuer so much against the holy worde of God The texte And the remnant of the men which were not kylled by these plages repented not of the dedes of theyr handes that they shulde not worshyppe deuyls and ymages of golde and syluer and brasse and stone and of wood which nether can se nether heare nether go Also they repented not of theyr murther and of theyr sorcery nether of theyr fornicacyon nether of theyr thefte Howe heuy and terryble is the might and power of the deuil of Antichrist yea how many of the faithfull electe of God haue bene tormented and slayne by them bothe in their bodies and consciences And yet euen in their tyme there wer many that remayned alyue whiche the mercifull hande of God dyd preserue in all godlynes and thorow his ayde and helpe they escaped the handes of these tyrannes Euen in lyke maner as there dyd also many remayne in their wicked purposes in their cruel tyrannye in their godles blasphemous lyfe whiche not withstanding would be bothe called and also estemed taken for holy and spiritual men And yet they beleue not yâ— they haue any nede to repent therfore they procede goe forwarde with their tradicions of men yâ— transgressioÌ„ wherof they punishe more sharply than the transgression of any commaundement of God For yâ— doe they esteme in maner lyghter thaÌ„ nothing taking it for suche a synne as may well ynoughe be dyspensed with remitted And thus in the meane tyme they please serue and honour the deuel with their ydolatry supersticion and inuocacion of sayntes vnto whome they praye say Our father in heauen halowed by the name euen vnto the very images bothe of men wemeÌ„ Whiche thing the very lyuing deuyl taught them as thoughe the saintes shoulde desire any suche thing and not rather be dyspleased therwith vnto the whiche sainctes also they make and set vp images of golde syluer stone and woode euen vnto those true sainctes also which were martired and put to death for speakynge and preaching against suche heathnyshe customes and toke it for very wicked and abhominable supersticions and diuil lyshnes to inuocate and honour suche false goddes And they doe these thinges so manifestly that they can not nor wil not denie it No they haue no vnderstaÌ„ding therof For they theÌ„ selues are eueÌ„ lyke vnto their false goddes and become so madde and so farre out of their wittes that they can no more heare nor see thaÌ„ their ydols and false goddes can And they wil heare of no repentaunce at al muche lesse wil they performe any But they wyll rather confirme and mainteyne their deuillyshe ydolatrye and false religion with sword and fyre murther and poyson yea and sometime they are not ashamed to practyse sorcerye witchecrafte to mainteyne their wickednes againste yâ— true faith religioÌ„ And they wil lyue in whordom whosoeuer say nay eueÌ„ of force beyng extreme enemyes vnto holy matrimony And thus they bleare and blinde the whole worlde with their falsehede lyeng and all to mainteyne their possessions and infinite blasphemyes whiche â—â—â—eâ—e of their ydolatry with worldly force and tyrannye as they haue euer done ¶ The .x. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe another mightie Aungell come doune from heauen
of god whan he seeth his tyme accordynge as the person place requireth And therfore they bathe receyued one rewarde of saluacion and remayned as it were immortall and are prophecied to come againe in spirite before the latter day of iudgement to resiste and confounde the wycked Antichrist and to heale with the oyle of lenitie suche as are apte to receyue it or els with the fyre of feruente zeale to confounde the wycked enemyes of god bothe with worde deade as Enoche and Elyas dyd by the commaundement and ordinaunce of god in their tyme whan they were vpon the wicked earth Lyke as also suche men might be founde in our tyme with their names writynges and doynges not in one place of the earth moued with the same spirite with the same worde and lyke zeale of god euery one after the gyfte of grace geuen vnto him Moued I saye by the holy goost of a godly mynde and lyke purpose as the nacions people persons and other circumstances required Against these and suche lyke frendes and ministers of god shall many greuous troubles be alwayes deuised and attempted by the wicked malignant churche bothe against their good name bodye lyfe and also against their goodes And they haue no nother refuge succour comforte helpe nor weapon to defende them with but the onely holy eternall and inuyncible worde of god in their mouthes and handes whiche confoundeth all their aduersaries and deadly enemyes whiche euen them selues the longer they mainteyne their euyll and naughtye cause the worse they make it tyll at length they shall vtterly confounde and destroy themselues But these .ii. ministers of the spirite of god workynge in loue and feruentnes with all softnes burnynge zeale lyke vnto Enoche and Elyas they haue power thorowe the spirite of god whiche worketh all thinges in his ministers to procure and obteyne of god grace and vengeaunce accordynge to their faith and zeale to the furtherauÌ„ce of goddes glorye and to the profite and reformacion of the faythfull christen churche as necessitie and conueniencie shall require Euen lyke as Elyas had ouer the water whan as thorowe his prayer he obteyned of god that it shoulde not rayne vpon earth for the space of three yeares And agayne also fyre from heauen against those that mocked and contemned his offyce and testymonie The texte ¶ And when they haue fynisshed their testimonye the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pyt shall make warre against them and shal ouercome them and kyl them And their bodyes shall lye in the stretes of the great citee whiche spiritually is called zodom and Egipte where our Lord was crucified And they of the people and kynredes and tonges and they of the nacions shall se their bodyes thre dayes and an halfe and shall not suffer their bodyes to be put in graues And they that dwel vpon the earthe shall reioyce ouer them and be glad shal sende gyftes one to another for these two prophetes vexed them that dwelt on the earth It hath alwayes from tyme to tyme bene well sene howe this beast hathe behaued hymselfe towarde the messagiers and ministers of god whiche were sent vnto them And specially vnder Achab and Manasses and suche lyke kynges and ydolatrous and hethenysshe priestes whiche serued false goddes whiche persecuted the faythfull ministers of God cursed and contemned them burnt and drowned them so farre as god permytted them Whiche thing was for the best vnto the persons that suffered suche thinges and for the synguler profyte of the faythfull churche and congregacion And yet for all their persecucion the doctrine and workynge of the faythfull was euer vpright and lyuely and their good and holy name with the commendacion of their godly feruent zeale was also wonderfully preserued to the vtter shame and confusioÌ„ of the abhomynable and terryble beast and all his members and lymmes As the examples of the whole world doe testifye and beare wynes And specially euen in our tyme and also the moost true and infallyble storye of the prouydence and of the holy worde of god This citie where Christ is dayly crucified is in figure and symilitude the citie of Ierusalem whiche for sheadyng of the bloude of his Apostles hath receyued her iust and due rewarde as she deserued and lykewyse the wycked churche corrupte and poysoned of Sathan wherin he beareth rule murtheringe the faythfull frendes of God and ministers of the gospell whose holy zeale and truth of God whiche they haue preached they coulde not nor woulde not suffer nor abyde vntyll they were alwayes at length confounded and vtterly destroyed Whiche thinge shall vndoubtedly happen also vnto them whiche doe resist and withstande all christen reformacion of the churche in their state and order Yea they see already before their eyes and smell the indignacion of god his terryble iudgement wherof they haue bene earnestly and faithfully warned but they were neuer affrayd nor abasshed of it At that tyme the holy seruauntes and ministers of god shall be fayne to suffer muche trouble euen the very bytter and moost slanderous death But at length whan all thinges shall be truly discussed all the worlde shall see and perceyue the true doctrine and belefe of the faithfull godly the impietie of the wycked obstinate blinde and vngodly infydels whiche woulde neuer beleue And thus fayth and truth in god shall haue the victorye The texte ¶ And after thre dayes and an halfe the spirite of lyfe from God entred into them And they stode vp vpon their fete and a great feare came vpoÌ„ al them that saw them And they hearde a great voyce from heauen sayinge vnto them Come vp hyther And they ascended vp into heauen in a cloude and their ennemyes sawe them And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the â—enth parte of the citie fell and in the earthquake were slayne names of men seuen M. and the remnaunt wer feared gaue glorye to the god of heauen The seconde woo is past and beholde the thirde woo wyll come anone Howe this beast with her members the wycked hethenyshe prelates and their sworne adherentes haue alwayes in our tyme for a long season cruelly dealt with the ministers of gods word and with the preachers of the truth of the moost sacred gospell it is playne and euident ynoughe at this day vnto all the world and thorowe the cronicles whiche shall be publyshed shall not be hydden vnto our posteritie how whan and by whome dyuerse godlye men haue bene persecuted and murthered and moost shamefully handeled of the spirituall prelates and their sworne adherentes onely for the true doctrine and faythes sake But an other tyme wyll come by the very iudgement and grace of god whan as these holy men and faythfull witnesses of Christ shall be had in hyghe honour and estimacion and shall bryng more to passe with their preaching writinges and monumentes whiche they left behynde them to the profyte and edificacion
plages of the seuen angels were fulfylled Nowe as the gospell is come abrode in to the worlde thorowe Christ and his Apostles to the synguler profite of the faithfull and elect and to the saluacion of their soules euen so is it a stomblynge stone offence coÌ„demnacion an hurte or losse vnto the wicked and speciallye vnto the kyngdome and dominion of Rome for a long space whiche hath resisted it with force with dyuerse assaultes of body goodes and possessions against the true faith and with cruel tyranny whiche the almightye and rightuous god at his tyme hath alwayes taken in hande to punyshe most greuouslye and hath brought it also to passe The openynge of the tabernacle of testimonye is the manifest fulfillynge in the newe testament of those mysteries and secretes whiche were hydden and sygnified in the olde testament vnder diuerse ceremonies The seuen angels whiche came out of the temple are the multitude of ministers and preachers of the gospell which serueth vnto the wicked for the increase and augmentacioÌ„ of their damnacion For the whiche cause they maye be called plages as Christ was called of Simeon a fall but to the comforte of saluacion vnto the electe These angels and euangelical preachers must be pure in al their conuersacion and must haue their breastes girded about with faith and loue with all the harte soule and mynde garnysshed with all godly vertues To one of the angels dothe Christ geue thorowe the .iiii. beastes as is also sygnified in the .iiii. Chapter power to bringe furthe and to publyshe abrode the gospell whiche maye be signified by the vyals full of the wrathe of God against the wicked and vnfaithfull But full of grace and mercye vnto the faithfull whiche abyde and suffer bothe payne and ioye welth and woe And thus is the temple of God the Christen churche fylled with swete smellinge smoke of the prayse honour and goodnes of God truly confessing and knowledginge the power and might of God And the churche of Christ coulde not be at rest nor coulde not quietly prosper vntyl these .vii. plages came forthe of the which plages the gospel beyng preached by the ministers of God wherof there were a great multitude sent of god was the occasion ¶ The .xvi. Chapter The texte ¶ And I hearde a great voyce out of the temple saying to yâ— seuen angels go your wayes poure out your vyalles of wrathe vpon the earthe And the first angell went and powred out his vyalle vpon the earth and there fel a noysome and a sore â—otche vpon yâ— men which had the marke of the beaste and vpon them which worshipped his ymage And the seconde angell shed out his vyalle vpon the see and it turned as it were into the bloude of a dead man and euery lyuinge thing died in the see And the thirde angell shed out his vyalle vpoÌ„ the riuers and fountaynes of waters and they turned to bloude And I hearde an angell saye Lorde whiche art and wast thou art righteous and holy because thou hast geuen suche iudgementes for they shed out the bloude of sainctes and prophetes and therfore hast thou geuen them bloude to drincke for they are worthye And I hearde another out of the aultar saye euen so Lorde God almightie true and righteous are thy iudgementes THe mercye of God vouchsaued to preserue augment to prosper the regiment of the Romaynes at yâ— beginninge of yâ— whiche whan it was in most quietnes the tyme was come that Christe shoulde be borne And God offered his grace vnto this kyngdome and sent them his holy gospell thorowe the holy apostles to the synguler welth and profyte bothe of that kyngdome and also of yâ— who le earth out of yâ— which yâ— world might lerne peace loue humilitie pacience gentilnes temperance and all true vertues and speciallye faithe in the one onely God and hope of saluacion in tyme to come also true christen loue one to another This dothe the gospel and all writynges of the apostles exhort and moue men vnto mooste earnestly But this so holy and profytable doctrine and inuincible trueth hath the dragon alwayes withstanden and resysted with his beast the Empire and regiment of Rome the first and seconde wherof is spoken before And for this cause this kingdom hath wel deserued many and diuerse punishementes whiche the lorde God hath permitted thorow his ministers of rightuousnes whiche are to be vnderstande in this place by the angels and the vials full of plages whiche are come and fallen vpon the dysobediente and the contemners and despysers of faithe loue and of the trueth The firste plage is fallen vpon all ydols and false goddes whiche they had set and packed together in one tempel of Pantheon that is to saye all goddes But the ydolatrye of these false Goddes was subuerted and ouer throwen thorowe out the whole Empire of Rome thorowe the holy gospel as the Chronicles doe euidently testifye Thus dyd the religion and gods seruice of the Romaynes first fele the wrathe of God againste their wylles but all hapned vnto the faithfull for the best to the honour and glorye of God and to the furtheraunce and profyte of the Christen churche and congregacion The seconde plage of the seconde angell is the seconde iudgement of God againste the regiment of Rome and this is imbeselynge and diminyshe of their power and dominion â–ª many landes and people fallynge from them and that with muche bloude sheddynge of the Romaynes as it is playnely mencioned in the stories as of Nero Domicianus and Iulianus and dyuerse other The thirde plage maye be vnderstande of the destruccion of the citie of Rome thorow yâ— Gothes wandales and other enemyes of the Romaynes â–ª which had no maner of lettes or hynderaunce neyther of hylles nor of dales of see nor of waters neyther by any host or power of men nor yet by any strength or keping of cities Of this plage of the Romaines al stories make mencion at large And as than had yâ— bloody kyngdom of Rome an end for the whiche cause the angel crieth iustly lorde thou art rightuouse c. The angell of the waters may be taken for the angell of God whiche did gather together suche a great multitude of people which came altogether against this kyngdom because it had so long plaged al people and shed so muche holy martirs bloode for the true and christeÌ„ faithes sake which must nedes be reueÌ„ged And therfore is this rightuous and manifest iudgement of God praysed againe the seconde tyme and preached of goddes angels with highe thanckes geuynge The texte ¶ And the fourthe angell powred out his vyall on the sunne and power was geuen vnto him to vexe men with heate of fyre â–ª And the men raged in great heate and spake euyll of the name of God whiche hath power ouer those plages and they repented not to geue him glorye And the fyfte angell â–ª powred out his vyalle vpon the seate of the beast and
his kyngdome wexed derke and they gnewe their tonges for sorowe and blasphemed the God of heauen for sorowe and payne of their sores and repented not of their dedes The fourthe plage went ouer the seconde regiment of Rome whiche had both the temporal spiritual gouernance and was twise worse than the first For as muche as thorow her .ii. hornes it had power bothe ouer bodye and soule ouer the doctrine and ouer the polytike lawes with mouthe and hande againste God and also against the temporall gouernaunce against Christe and all his ministers Howe it hath dealte with the Emperours and what rule they haue kepte amonge them selues one Romyshe Pope against another practising all wicked sciences of the deuil bothe with quicke and also with deade mē against many good and godly Kynges and Emperours and againe how ofte Rome and the Papacye hath bene greuously plaged of God with rebellyon treason murther poysonynge nigromancye and with suche other kindes of wickednes as are neuer herde of in any other storyes we maye reade in the storyes of the Popes and of the Emperours from the time of Charles the great vntyll late dayes That by this meanes the summe of christen vertue and godlynes is turned into very desceite fraude falsehede and hipocrisie And the moste parte of all the wicked Popes were religious men and mooste false traytours to the gospell of Christe As for repentaunce there is none founde by this deuilyshe flocke The fyfte angell with his fyfte plage fallen vpon the seate of pestilence is rebellyon and resistance against the gospell raysed vp thorow false teachers whiche haue preached bothe without and also against the holy lawe and scripture of the lorde and haue rayled against many godly and faithfull men leauynge and refusynge holy scripture and settynge vp the studye of Aristotle in the steade therof whiche in the papacye hath bene more regarded and estemed than the holy worde of God By the meanes wherof so many greuous errours are crepte into the churche as well in matters of faythe and relygion as of dyscipline and Christen behauour Muche deuision many sectes by the meanes of so many orders of religions and so many glorious names and tytles yea and heresyes also Of the which al stories are full from Emperour Fryderiche the first of that name vntyl y◠ende of the thirde Frydierche In the whiche tyme there was muche trouble raysed vp in the christendome in the seculer iurisdiccion thorowe the Turke and in the spirituall thorowe the beggyng orders of religious parsons and of the hyghe heathnyshe scholes and vniuersities Of the which times muche might be wrytten heuy inoughe to be red but to auoyde tediousnes vnto the reader it shall be intermitted at this tyme. The texte ¶ And the syxte angell poured out his vyall vpon the great ryuer Euphrates and y◠water dryed vp that the wayes of the kynges of the east shoulde be prepared And I saw thre vncleane spirites lyke frogges come out of the mouthe of the dragon and out of y◠mouthe of the beast and out of the mouthe of the false prophet For they are y◠spirites of deuyls workynge miracles to go out vnto the kynges of the earthe and of the whole worlde to gather them to the batayle of y◠great daye of God almighty Beholde I come as a thefe ▪ Happie is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes lest he walke naked and men see his fylthines And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon Consyder and waye yf this angell maye not sygnifye the spirite of Helias in oure tyme whiche spreedeth abrode the gospell in to all the worlde bothe with worde and dede to the confusion and vtter destruccion of all errours and to the profyte and reformacion of the worlde in all states and degrees For this seede can brynge forthe no nother frute But the great Euphrates ▪ of the pretensed spiritualtye is so sore fallē from their first rule that it is become more worldly and secular than the very secular state in so muche that it is vtterly dryed vp and wythered from the gospel syncerely preached Which is not to be merueyled at for it is euen of very necessitie For falsehede deceyte lyes and Hypocrisye must be opened and dysclosed by the trueth of gods word and by the preachinge of the gospell that syncere loue trueth and faythe in the worde of God with a sure confydence of the harte in the lorde God myght be taught and prynted into the naturall wyt and vnderstandinge of man And therfore it is necessarie that suche wrestynge of the true knowledge and doctrine shoulde be dysclosed vnto suche as haue any vnderstandynge and are not vtterly corrupte euen vnto worldlye princes and hygher powers and that the innocencye and clearnes ▪ and also the synguler profyte of the doctrine of the gospell might come to lyght that they myght see and confesse that it is the very trueth and so acknowledge and imbrace this Sunne rysinge vp Althoughe this doctrine be to stronge for their bloude and fleshe and they beyng fleshlye ouer weake in strengthe to lyue after the gospell Nowe against this euangelicall Sunne and manyfest knowledge of the trueth shall aryse .iii. maner of enemyes whiche shall assaulte it First the deuyllyshe dragon the great enemye of God and of all goodnes the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse with whome the mercye and goodnes of God dalyeth and playeth to shewe and declare his mercye and goodnes manifestlye before men The seconde is the beaste at Rome of whome we spake before the very right Antichrist whiche speaketh and worketh all that he can against the gospell of Iesus Christe wherunto he preferreth his decretalles and wyll be Lorde ouer the scripture ouer the churche and ouer the whole world and yet he wyll be taken and estemed for the vycar and debyte of Christ and S. Peters frende and the most holy father and for the head of the whole holy christendome And whosoeuer contraryeth or gainesayth this he must dye and also be cursed and made the deuylles by the power of this beastes mouthe The thirde is the false prophete not one person but an whole order and multitude of byshops and relygions parsons monckes friers c. Whiche by their office and callynge ought to mainteine and supporte the true doctrine but haue appoynted and bent them selues their whole lyfe and state vtterly against the doctrine of the gospel that nothing can be more vnlike the state of the Apostles eyther in doctrine religion or lyfe than is their order and state Wherof it is not nedefull to make manye wordes howe they haue alwayes resisted the doctrine of the gospell These are suche .iii. foule vncleane spirites as none can be founde more vncleane whiche notwithstandynge doe worke great tokens and miracles The deuyll with great wonders bothe amonge the Turkes and the Christians The papacy by forcerye witchcrafte and nigromancie The monkes and religious spirituall sorte withall
shall worke with the wicked and vngodly in the whole worlde according to his nature wickednes And he shall styrte his wicked armye warriers Gog and Magog of whom the Prophetes do muche speake And they are the greate and infinite nomber of the enemyes of God of the holy doctrine of the ghospel and of all holy congregations of true and faythfull Christians whiche are called and are in dede the very true Ierusalem whiche dwell vpon earth as citizens of a fortunate holy quiet and honorable citie and comunaltie Agaynste this holye citie and comunaltie shal sathan fyght a newe batell with his armye and men of warre with all his power myght and wyckednes and shall attempte and goe aboute to ouercome theÌ„ to deceyue them and to make them to forsake the trueth of God and shall worke all meanes to destroye soules And thys shall he doe in the whole worlde He shall spare no laboure to compasse aboute and to besege not the stony citie of Ierusalem in Iewry but as it is sayde before the holye christendome vpon earth the cytie of the faythfull citizins namely the godlye elect But the grace and mercie of God towarde his beloued and the promesse of Christ towarde his churche is greater and stronger than the wickednes and power of Gog and Magog the wycked warrieis agaynst Christ which shall consume them with fyre euen as he did stryke Senacharibs army vpon an hundreth thousande and .iiii. score and .v. thousand in one night thorough one of his aungels and brought them into asâ—hes with the fyre of Goddes vengeaunce and ryghtuous iudgement And euen vpon that shall folowe the generall iudgement of God by the whiche the deuil with all his hoost coÌ„panye shall be throwen into euerlastyng payne damnation which is resembled vnto a lake graue of fyre and brymstone in the whyche the dragon the beast al false prophetes shal be tormented day and nyght that is to say perpetuallye without ende And that shall be the seconde death The texte And I sawe a great white seate and hym that sat on it from whose face fled awaye both the yearth and heauen their place was nomore founde And I saw the dead bothe great and smale stande before God And the bokes were opened another boke was opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged of those thynges whyche were writen in the bokes accordyng to their dedes and the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death hel deliuered vp the dead which were in theÌ„ they wer iudged euery maÌ„ according to his dedes And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Thys is the seconde death And whosoeuer was not founde writen in the boke of lyfe was cast into the lake of fyre The great general ryghtuous most iust and last iudgement of God whaÌ„ as yâ— who le world shal be iudged is here described by the great and whit stoole Which shall be greuous heuy and intolerable vnto the rebellious disobedyent wycked and obstinate contemners of Gods holy worde the euerlastynge ghospell of Christ But it shall be ioyfull swete pleasant delectable welcome and acceptable as most hartely desyred and loked for vnto the godly faythful humble elcte of God The iudge vpoÌ„ the stoole is our sauiour Iesus Christ dreadful and feareful vnto al the world vnto such earthly meÌ„ which haue set their marke ende loue hope felicitie vpon the earth in those thinges wherin the worlde deliteth as are fleshely lustes pride of life al wickednes lack of loue both toward god the neighbour And therfore the earth sygnifieth yâ— men that dwel vpoÌ„ the earth the deuils which remayne in earth in the ayer which is also called heaueÌ„ which are thrust out of their places habitacions no more found therin but in the place habitacioÌ„ which the iust iudgemeÌ„t omnipotencie of God hath prepared for theÌ„ in the earth that is most wide distant from the kingdom of heauen Vnto this dredfull and terrible iudgement of God shal come stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seate of God and Christ all those whiche were deade both masters and seruauntes great and small hyghe and lowe myghtie and vnmyghtie men and women yong and olde none excepte Than shal the heartes consciences thoughtes and secretes of al men be opened and dysclosed not onely vnto them whiche shal and must than knowledge them selues giltye and worthye of eternall damnacion but also vnto the other For as than shal all wickednes of the conscience be open euydent and manifest For they shall accuse and condemne them selues without any cloke or excuse whan as they shall beholde all men and shall reade with perfyte vnderstandynge and with feare and tremblynge the other great boke of gods rightuousnes and equite of his warnynges doctrine instruccions and threatnynges whiche they haue had sufficiently in this worlde euery one in their tyme thorowe gods mercyfull and fatherly prouision and sendynge but they haue vtterly contemned and despysed them with all the righteousnes godlynes that they haue taught And they woulde nothing regarde nor esteme the holy worde of God which was geuen vnto the worlde in the holy scripture for a perfyte rule and square but they would neuer credyte nor beleue it but rashly against their owne conscience haue refused and contemned it And therfore shall they be wyped out of the regyster booke of the faithfull and of them whiche shall lyue perpetually with God and withal his peculiar electe in eternal ioy blisse And thus they shal remaine continually in the eternall indignacion of God in euerlasting hate enuy most painfull tormentes and great impacience and continuall sorowe in so muche that their eternall death shall also be with corporall payne and tormente of the bodye euen with the whole felowship of the deuyll and that without any ende or ceasynge This iudgement and heuy daye shall no man be able to escape and auoyde whether he be consumed in the earth in the fyre or in the see For all this standeth in the hande of yâ— almightie power of God whiche with one word wyll and commaundement made all elementes heauen and earth and all that is therin And where he sayeth that the hell shoulde geue vp her deade vnderstande therby as in many other places of holy scripture the graues in yâ— earthe or wheresoeuer they be out of the whiche the deade shall ryse vp and they that shall be than alyue as S. Paule saieth shall be changed in a shorte space in the twincklynge of an eye to stande together before the iudgement seate of God with them whiche shall be iudged to euerlastinge lyfe or death But euery one of them whiche shal appeare and shall know them selues manifestly shal iudge them selues accordynge as they haue done after or against the wyll of God in faith or infydelite in loue or contempt of god in the feare of God