loue haue they but yet not accordyng to knowledge and right iudgement Nor are they deceiued for lacke of a godly minde and purpose but in the choyse and practise of life they rūne farre awry Now better is it to haue some minde to religion then to be al without and of God wel worthy wer that minde of theyrs in goodnes to be encreased were it not that they to the grosse beginnynges of godly life so stubbernly cleaued that they refused the true and perfite religion and wer it not also they so vehemently requyred and auaunced euen shadowes and pictures of trueth that the verye fountayne of trueth they vtterly dispised For whiles they busyly in dede but yet vndiscretely defende and kepe Moses lawe resistyng him for whom the lawe was principally ordained they vtterly fal euen from the whole lawe selfe Kepyng of the sabboth day circumcision abstinence frō certayne kyndes of meates the shonnyng of dead carkasses fastyng dayes the keapyng of high feastes were for this purpose made and decreed for a time that frō suche rude beginnynges men might by litle and litle growe vpwarde to true perfite righteousnes and from a certaine worldly righteousnes encrease and growe vppe to that whiche is in all pointes godly and perfecte If an ordinaunce be purposed and made for a better ende vnseamyng is it for loue of suche a meane to dispise the ende for whiche the sayd meane was appointed But now frowardely so yet do the Iewes whom albeit after the publishyng of the righteousnes of God it besemed to forgoe the carnal iustice of the lawe yet so farrefoorth bolster they out defende theyr olde and at this tyme hurteful and not onely superfluous iustice of the lawe that they not onely wyll not knowledge the heauenly righteousnes of God but also hauyng a confidence in theyr ceremonies withstande and resist the gospel of Christ wherevnto they ought by fayth to submitte them selfe if they euer minded to be truely righteous For we must by imaginacion conceiue as it were twoo kyndes of iustice th one wherof Moses was author the other wherof Christ was beginner The one standeth in ceremonies the other in fayth and obedience And as the rude piece of timbre is matter wherof an image is wrought as bloud is the beginning of liuyng creatures to be brought foorth by generaciō so is the iustice of the lawe a rude grosse beginnyng of thother whiche is more perfite And certainly extreme folishenes is it after that a man is come to perfeccion curiously to sticke styl in rudimentes But now of all Moses law whiche is of it selfe rude vnperfite is Christ the fulfillyng and perfeccion by whom through fayth and not through circumcision we attaine righteousnes whiche way to righteousnes is not onely open for Iewes to entre therinto but also to all true and faythful beleuers The texte For Moses writeth of the righteousnes whiche commeth of the lawe how that the mā whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby But the righteousnes which cōmeth of fayth speaketh on this wyse say not thou in thine heart who shal ascende into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue either who shall descende into the depth that is euen to fetche vp Christ againe from death but what sayth he The worde is nigh the euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Both kyndes of iustice did Moses clearely expresse For the temporal iustice whiche rested in ceremonies to be kept but for a season plainly setteth he out in the boke of y◠Leuites saiyng kepe my lawes decrees this who so doeth shal liue therby But the true euerlastyng iustice whiche we by Christ through a liuely fayth obtaine in the boke of Deuteronomi expresseth he when he sayth neither say thou in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen for that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue Nor yet say thou who shal descende and goe doune into the deapth of the yearth for that were euen to fetche vppe Christ againe from death Of whiche bothe sortes of questioners forasmuche as they require of fayth to haue an experiment neither of both semeth to beleue well But whosoeuer vnfaynedly beleueth is in suche poyntes more surely and better persuaded thē is one which nedeth suche meanes to be taught with either of this I saye that Christe once descended from heauen or els of this that he nowe sytteth at his fathers ryghte hande thoughe he nomore shewe neither of bothe before mennes iyen And though it be of men sene nomore yet beleueth he also that Christ went downe to hell and the thyrde daye rose agayne to lyfe Sufficient is it for vs to beleue that this was once done So that this remayneth that we gyue credence vnto suche as sawe the same And to beleue this we nede not to seke ferre The Iewes sawe and yet beleued not Other heard whiche sawe not and yet gaue they credence The scripture recordeth the same whiche streight after saythe the worde is nyghe the euen in thy mouthe and in thy hearte The texte This same is the worde of faythe whiche we preache For yf thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the lorde and beleue in thy heart that god raysed hym vp frō death thou shalte be saued For to beleue with the hearte iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the Scripture sayth whosoeuer beleueth on hym shal not be confounded And what worde is this whiche Scripture speaketh of Withoute doubt the worde of the gospel which we beyng publyshers of this righteousnes do preache worketh in mennes soules present saluacion so that menne by faythe onely apply theyr myndes therunto But howe is this worde of the gospell in thy mouthe and howe is it in thy hearte Yf thou with thy mouthe confesse and knowledge the Lorde Iesus and with thy heart vnfaynedly beleue that god from death raised hym agayne to lyfe that we through hym beyng restored to lyfe from the death of syn shoulde hereafter lyue in cleannesse of lyfe then shalt thou be saued For with hert beleue we whiche is to ryghteousenes the very entrey but for asmuche as when nede requyreth all men are bounde to glorifie Christe to euerlastyng saluacion it is not sufficient with heart onlye to beleue excepte thou the same with thy mouthe confesse By this seeye that this matter hangeth not vpon ceremonies but vpon fayth Whiche thyng Esai also speakyng of Christe recordeth saying whosoeuer beleueth on hym shall not be confounded The texte There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile For one is lorde of all whiche is riche vnto all that cal vpon hym For whosoeuer dothe call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe Howe then shall they call on hym on whome they haue not beleued Howe shall they beleue on hym of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare withoute a preacher And how shall they
of the sea c. A short word wyll God make in yerth Israel which folowed the law of rightousnes cou'd not attaine yâ— law of righteousnes c. For thei haue stumbled at yâ— stumblyng stone c. Brethren my heartes desire and praier to God for Israel is c They haue a feruentminde to Godward but not accordyng to knoledge c. They goyng aboute to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient to the righteousnes of God c. Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustify al that beleue c. The monne whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby c Saye not yâ— in thyne hert who shall asceÌ„d into heauen c. Yf thou knowlege with thy mouthe that Iesus is the lorde c. For one is Lorde of all which is riche vnto all that call vpoÌ„ him Howe shal they beleue of whome they haue not heard So thaÌ„ faith cummeth by hearyng and hearing cummeth by the word of god I wyl prouoke you to enuye by theÌ„ that are no people I am founde of them that soughte me not I am manifeste vnto them that asked not after me I saye then hath god cast away his people god forbid Wote ye not what scripture sayth of Helias howe he maketh intercession If it be of grace than is it not now of workes Israel hath not obtayned that which he seketh but yâ— eleccion hath obteyned it And Dauid sayd let their table be made a snare c. I saye then haue thei therfore stuÌ„bied yâ— they shoulde vtterly fall away together I speake to you Gentiles in asmuche as I am the apostle of the Gentiles For yf one piece be holye yâ— who le heap is holy Thou beyng a wyld Oliue tre wastgraft in among theÌ„ made partaker of yâ— roote and fatnes of the Oliue tre The brauÌ„ches be broken of that I might be graffed in Towardes yâ— kyndnes if yâ— coÌ„tinue in his kyndnes Thou shalt be hewen of they again if they abyde not stil in vn beleif Vntil the fulnes of the gentiles be come in And so shal all Israel be saued There shall come out of Sion he that doth deliuer The giftes â— callyng of God â—re such that it caÌ„not repent him of them God hath wrapped all nacioÌ„s in vnbeleif that he might haue Mercy on all O the depenes of the riches bothe of the wisdome and knowledge of God Of him and through him and for him are al thiÌ„ges Make your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vn to God Be you chauÌ„ged in your shape by the renuyng of your mynde But I say c. to euery man among ynu that no man stande high in his owne conceite c. So we being many are one body â— Christ If anye man haue the gift of prophecie c. Let him that teacheth take hede to his doctrine Let loue be without dissimulacioÌ„ c. Be kindeone to another with brotherlye loue Apply yourselues to the tyme. Blisse them whiche perstcute you blysse I say and curse not Be not wyse in your own opinion As muche as is in you 〈◊〉 peaceablye with all men In so doyng thou shalt hâ—apâ— coles of â—yâ—â— on his headâ— By not ouercome of euil but ouercome euil with goodnes Let euery soule submit hymself vnto the authoritie of the hyer powers Ther is â—â— power but oâ— god The powers that be are ordained of god Thei that resiste shall recâ—yue to them self damnacion He to the minister of god to take vengeaunce on hym Not only for feare of vengeaunce but also bycause of conscience Owe nothig to anye man but this that ye loue one another For he that loueth an other hath fulfilled yâ— who le lawe Therfore to loue the fulfillyng of the lawe It is tyme that we shuld now awake out of slepe Let vs therfore cast away yâ— deedes of darkenes But put ye on the lorde Iesus Christ Him that is weake in the fayth receiâ—e vnto you â–ª â—â— One beleueth that he map eat al thinges Let not him that eateth â–ª dispise him that eateth not â—t For god hath receiued him â–ª What arte yâ— that iudgest an other maÌ„s seruaunt â–ª This manne putteth differeÌ„ce betwene day and day He yâ— eateth doeth it to please yâ— lord â—oâ— he geueth god thankes None of vs liueth for him seltr c. Whether we liue therfore oâ— dye we are the lordeâ— We shal al â—e brought before the iudgement seate of Christ Let vs not therfore iudge one an other Iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke c. in his brothers way I know and am full certified c that there is nothyng comen of it selfe The kyngdome of God is not meate drinke c. But righteousnes and peace ioye in the holye ghost All thynges are pure but it is euell for that manâ—e which eateth with hurt of conscience Haste thou fayth haue it not with thy selfe before god For whatsoeuer is not of fayth yâ— same is synne We whiche are strong ought o beare he fraylenes of them whiche arâ— weake Whatsoeuer thinges are written afore tyme thei are written for our learning yâ— we through pacience That ye all agreyng together maye with one mouthe prayse god yâ— father c. And this I saye that Iesus Christe was a minister of the circision c. For this cause I wyll prayse the among the GeÌ„tiles and sing vnto thy name c. Neuertheles brethren I haue somewhat more boldly wrytteÌ„ vnto you I haue therfore whereof I maye reioice through Christ Iesu With worde and dede in mightye signes and wonders c. To whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that heare not shal not vnderstande c. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia c. WheÌ„ I haue perfourmed this c I wil come backe by you again into Spain â–ª That this my seruice which I haue to do at Ierusalem may be accepted c. Receiue her in Christ as it becommeth saintes Whiche haue for my life layd doune them owne neckes Whiche are well taken among the Aposties and were â— Christ before me Marke them whiche cause deuision and gyue occasion of eueil I woulde haue you wise vnto yâ— whiche is good c. And I Tertius c. Now is opened by the scriptures of yâ—â—â—hetes at the commauÌ„dement of yâ— c. Grace be vnto you peace from god the father c. That in all thynges ye are made tâ—che by him I beseche you brethren by the name of our lorde Iesus Christ that ye al speake one thyng I holde of Paul I holde of Apollo c. Is Christe deuided Was Paul crucified for you â–ª I thanke God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius Christ sente me not to baptize but to preache â— the gospell â–ª The preaching of the crosse is to them that peryshe folishnes I wyll destroye the wysedome of the wyse Where is the wise
theyr charge in al whiche saying yet of yâ— prophete there is of kepyng the lawe no meÌ„cion made Cause is there none therfore though yâ— Iewes be neuer somuche desceÌ„ded of these mens stocke that they should peculiarly chalenge as theyr owne either the blisseful state spoken of by Dauid or the praise of righteousnes geueÌ„ vnto AbrahaÌ„ excludyng the gentiles froÌ„ it The texte Came this blessednes then vpon the vncircumcision or vpon the circumcision also For we say that fayth was rekened to Abraham for righteousnes Howe was it than rekened When he was in the circumcision or when he was in the vncircumcision Not in the tyme of circumcision but when he was yet vncircumcised And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of fayth whiche he had yet beyng vncircumcised that he should be the father of al them that beleue though they be not circuÌ„cised that righteousnes might be imputed to them also and that he might be the father of circumcision not vnto them onely whiche came of the circumcised but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the fayth that was in our father AbrahaÌ„ before the tyme of circumcision If it be reasonable let them answer me to this question whether this blessednes promised by God only appertaine to suche as are circuÌ„cised are therby bouÌ„de to yâ— law or els to suche as also are both ignorant what circuÌ„cision is and what the ceremonies of the lawe meane Thus muche must they at the lest graunt yâ— AbrahaÌ„ for his fayth was coumpted righteous But by Abrahams title as fyrst father and beginner of the Iewes stocke must al his ofspryng be estemed couÌ„pted for righteous For an vnmete thyng is it and against reason that the neuewes shuld by other meanes chaleÌ„ge any right thaÌ„ by suche wherby theyr fyrst pareÌ„t was put in possession A knowen matier is it yâ— AbrahaÌ„ was called righteous but let theÌ„ then tel me for what cause was he so called was it for paryng of a lytle skynne froÌ„ yâ— fore parte of his yarde or was it rather for his faythe 's sake without any coÌ„sideracion had of circuÌ„cision To say that he for his Iewishe circumcision obtained the praise of a righteous man cannot be defended forasmuche as at yâ— time when AbrahaÌ„ was so couÌ„pted neither was he circumcised nor yet coÌ„maunded so to be But long before that be leued â—e that of his sede Christ should be borne through whom all nacions of the world should obtaine this blessednes fatherly praise of righteousnes for this fayth of his was he couÌ„ted for righteous After whiche tyme folowed circumcision not as a meane wherby to make him righteous but to be as a marke token among men onely not before God wherby the Iewes should be knowen to be his children whiche beyng not circumcised beleued God yet vncircuÌ„cised as he was had through his onely fayth pleased God If AbrahaÌ„ had been fyrst circumcised thaÌ„ beleued and so consequently called righteous then would it appeare some what that this holy name of righteousnes appertained onely to the circuÌ„cised but in him was it coÌ„trary as whiche for his faythe 's sake was by God pronounced righteous before that he was circuÌ„cised or coÌ„maunded so to be And afterwarde ensued circuÌ„cision not as a meane to make him righteous for so was he alredy but partely to be as a certain figure of the true circuÌ„cision yâ— is to say of the pure godly life whiche should afterwarde be in suche as would perfitely beleue in Christ whiche kinde of circumcision is not ministred with a sharpe flynte stoone cuttyng of a lytle skynne froÌ„ the fore parte of the yarde but wrought by the spirite of God rootyng out of mens heartes all naughty desyres partely also to be a certaine seale or bonde wherby Abraham should of the promises be assured whiche should not yet foorthw t be accomplished in Isaac whiche onely figured Christ but in due season be perfourmed in yâ— sonne of God that so finally Abraham the fyrst example of fayth might be knowen to be the father vnto all suche as would beleue in Christ as he did though they were not carnally circumcised that as his fayth was coumpted for righteousnes so should the fayth of al suche as are the true and lawfully begotten children of Abraham be of God likewyse accepted And by this also in suche sorte knowen to be father to the gentiles that yet the Iewes are not excluded if they for this onely stande not to muche in theyr owne phantasie because they are lineally descended of the circuÌ„cised Abrahams stocke and haue nothyng els to proue theyr kynred by but onely a bare bodely marke but haue rather that fayth wherby he beyng not yet circuÌ„cised was of God couÌ„pted for righteous For nothyng is there that to yâ— fathers maketh a surer profe that theyr childreÌ„ are theyr owne lawfully begotten than if they folowe theyr fathers vertues And if it so be that men vse to disenherite euen theyr owne children deniyng that suche as growe out of kynde from the good condicions and maners of theyr auncesters are theyrs surely muche more wyll God by like markes seauer bastardes from his lawful children The texte For the promises that he should be the heire of the worlde happened not to AbrahaÌ„ or his sede through the law but through the righteousnes of fayth For if they whiche are of the lawe be heires then is fayth but vayne the promise of none effect because the lawe causeth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression Therfore by fayth is the inheritauÌ„ce geuen that it might come of fauoure that the promise might be sure to all the sede Not to them onely whiche are of the lawe but to them also whiche are of the fayth of Abraham whiche is the father of vs all as it is written I haue made the a father of many nacions euen before God whom he beleued which restored the dead vnto life and calleth those thinges whiche be not as though they were Now as AbrahaÌ„ deserued neither for kepyng of Moses law whiche was not at that tyme geuen nor for his circumcisions sake whiche as I before sayd he had not yet receiued that God should make him suche honorable promises that is to wete that the dominion of the whole worlde shuld by inheritauÌ„ce fal vnto him or to his posteritie but through fayth wherby he deserued to be called righteous no more shuld the Iewes loke to enioye the sayd right of Goddes promise either by the onely title and right of circumcision or of the lawe either A title as ye knowe can by none other wayes be conueied to posteritie than by suche as the fyrst authour and beginner of the stocke came by it For if the possession and enheritaunce of the whole worlde promised vnto Abrahams posteritie generally belong vnto the Iewes by the title of the lawe so
they them selfe haue already assayed Why stande they not rather in a watche take hede lest through theyr owne foly they become againe that they wer once Why enuy they at them whom they might folowe wer it not they had more pleasure to striue then to obeye The texte But Esai crieth concernyng Israel though the numbre of the children of Israel be as the sande of the sea yet the remnaunt shal be saued For he finisheth the worde verely and maketh it shorte in righteousnes For a shorte worde wyll God make in yearth And as Esai sayeth before excepte the lorde of Sabboth had left vs seede we had been made as Sodoma and had been likened to Gomorra Now if through mens owne stubbernes the greatest parte of y◠worlde perishe yet to the fewe that wyl beleue wyl God perfourme as muche as was promised to the whole numbre And neuer shal the tyme be but that this inheritaunce shal haue his successors This did the prophete Esai speakyng of the people of Israel without al colouryng clearely testifye saiyng If the numbre of the Israelites wer as many as the sand of the sea and though through theyr owne foly as many also perished yet shal there some alway remaine whiche shal through fayth be saued For be y◠numbre of them that falleth from God neuer so great yet shal not theyr fal make the promise of God vaine Men in promises are wont to breake theyr credence but God is he whiche wyl fully perfourme al that he promised and that briefely and cōpendiously not with deceite falsely but iustly and truely for as the same prophete Esai sayd the Lord in yearth wyl make a shorte worde Shadowes seme not cleare without suspicion of deceite the law selfe is ful of wordes promisyng grosly represētyng cōmaundyng threatnyng sometimes sometimes cōforting But Christ beyng sent into the worlde euen at once gaue al perfourmed y◠was promised opened al y◠was before hidden in figures brought the great multitude of rules contained in y◠law to y◠onely cōmaūdement of charitie of the gospel And thus spread he abrode the seede of his heauenly doctrine and gospel whiche albeit in many of my countreymen be vnfruitful yet some are there in whom it brought foorth fruit Againe the same prophet a litle before sayeth had not the Lord of sabboth left vs sede we had ben made as Sodoma and likened vnto Gomorra Wherfore though the most part of the Iewes fal from Christ yet wyl not Christ suffre the true and natural sede of Abraham vtterly to perishe The texte What shal we say then we say that the gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnes haue ouertaken righteousnes euen the righteousnes whiche cōmeth of fayth Contrarywise Israel whiche felowed the lawe of righteousnes could not attaine to the lawe of righteousnes Wherfore Euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it wer by the workes of the lawe For they haue stumbled at the stūblyng stone As it is written ▪ beholde I haue put in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offēded at And whosoeuer beleueth on him shal not be confounded Synce this is so what shal we say Surely nothyng but as the truth is that is to wete that the gentiles whiche semed farre from righteousnes and without the ceremonies of the lawe haue yet attained the true and perfite righteousnes and not a Iewishe whiche standyng in bodily thinges was nothing but a shadowe onely of christian perfeccion but a holsome an effectual iustice whiche suche haue not as for the workes of the lawe stande muche in theyr owne conceite but suche as through an vnfained fayth submit and yelde them selfes vnto God We may likewyse of the othersyde saye that whiles the people of the Iewes with all theyr power folowyng the iustice of the lawe carnally vnderstanden and stifly cleaue to it with all theyr labour they came not vnto the very law of iustice forasmuche as the same fel from Christ whervnto as to a marke al y◠darke sayinges of Moses law principally directed Here some wyl say how fortuned all this and how ended these purposes so diuersly Without al doubte because God abhorreth suche as are high minded and geueth him selfe his righteousnes to suche as are sobre lowly And therfore y◠gentiles vpō acknowledgyng of theyr owne disease an hūble submission of them selfe to God God receiued y◠proude Iewes of thothersyde whiche falsly vsurped y◠title of righteousnes as theyr owne bearyng them selfe bolde vpon theyr sabboth day kepyng washynges circūcision and suche other small obseruaunces disdainyng to receiue the yoke of fayth hath God set at naught and refused because they denied Christ and deliuered him which is the author of life to death whiche thyng Esai long before knowyng prophecied should be vnder this fourme that Christ whō the law promised should be a sauior by reason of vnbeleif should be vnto the Iewes an occasion of stumlyng and that the same stone whiche should be to the good a sure and a strong defēce shuld be theyr vtter vndoyng whiles they had rather by resistyng stumble at him then with beleif to rest vpon him For so by the prophete Esai speaketh God the father of Christ beholde I putte in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offended at but whoso beleueth in it shall neuer be confounded and put to shame as one disapointed of that he loketh for The .x. Chapiter The texte Brethren my hertes desyre praier to God for Israel is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue a feruent minde to God warde but not accordyng to knowledge For they beyng ignorant of Gods righteousnes and goyng about to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient vnto the righteousnes of God For Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustifie all that beleue ALl whiche thinges brethren speake I with great heauynes because with all my heart I fauer and would them well if I were in any wyse able to do them good beyng in ieopardie of euerlastyng dānacion But now that whiche is the onely thyng I can do in my dayly praiers made vnto God my desyre peticion is that they may once yet amend and not alway continue in suche blyndnes I can not vtterly excuse theyr vnbeleif but yet in the defence of theyr fault some coloure may be made and pretēded As they are not in all pointes in suche sorte straungers to God as the gentiles be so muche the more wishe I that theyr rude beginnynges may once be made perfite that whose shadow they haue for a season borne about with them in theyr bodyes of the same they may now come to the very trueth For albeit they with extreme deuilishnes fastened to the crosse the Lord who was y◠foūtayne of al glorye yet this say I of them and deny not that to Godwarde a certaine zeale and
edified For in dede some there be whiche not somuche as throughly vnderstande themself what they sounded with theyr tongue Of wordes vnderstanden some fruite maye be taken yfye otherwyse thynke conceyue and imagyne that I nowe fyrste came to you and coulde do nothyng but speake with languages what good shall I do you onles I so speake that after I declare vnto you the misterye that I spake by the gyfte of reuelacion or els by the gyfte of knowledge eloquently intreat of such thinges as apertayne to the knowledge of faythe or by the gyfte of prophecie open vnto you hydden misteries or by the gyfte of learnyng teach you some such poyntes as belong to good maners Moreouer euen thynges that haue no lyfe as a pype or a harpe whiche are made and prepared for nothing els but to make a sounde yet except thesame make a certayne distinction in theyr soundes and by conuenient measures and harmony expresse either the argumēt or dittie of the song or els the purpose wherunto the songe moueth that is to saye yf these instrumentes doe nothyng but gyue a sounde what profite or pleasure shall the hearer take synce he can not discerne what is played with the pype or harpe whether it be merye or sadde Or yf the trumpet make an vncertayne voyce not puttyng difference in the veray sounde whether it woulde haue men to begynne battayle or to retreyte backe what auaileth it with a trumpet to make suche a noyse synce the souldiar knoweth not whereunto he is called And euen lykewyse vnles ye speakyng with tongues vtter suche woordes as represente some certayne and knowen mattier to the hearers ye shall speake in vayne synce that whiche is sayed of you cannot be vnderstandē by meane wherof the speakers wordes shall not enter into the hertes of the hearers but shall with theyr vayne noyse onely fyll the ayer Manye and diuerse kyndes of tongues are there in the worlde of whiche euerye one hathe his significacion and voyce The voyce maye of al men be hearde but yf there be to the voyce nothing els adioined in vayne shal one of vs speake to another For albeit eche of vs pronounce our languages well yet because neither vnderstandeth other it chaunceth that bothe I whiche speake Greke seme an aliante to hym that is of Afrike and he agayne an aliante to me being ignoraunt of the Afrike language Wherfore synce ye people of Counthe of youre owne accorde folowe and muche esteeme the gifte of the tongues by mine aduise ye shall applye your selues to the obtayning of hygher matiers that ye to the whole congregacion maye become profitable Whoso therfore hathe the gifte of languages let suche one with prayer desyre of god that he maye also receyue the gyfte of interpretacion Elswyse yf I praye with a tongue vnknowen to the people for an exaumple among the Grecians with the language of the Persiās or yf I speake a language aswell vnknowen vnto my selfe as to other as some are wont to do which delyghte to sing a song in a straunge tongue learned by them withoute booke whiche they vnderstande not themselues in suche case in dede my spirite and breathe vttereth wordes of praier but my soule is without fruit synce I lytle or nothyng profite my selfe thereby and am also paynefull to other and not onely vnprofitable but also to be laughed at What muste I do then I wyll when tyme and place require praye with my voyce but not therewith onely contented I will praye with hearte and mynde and with the instrumentes of my voyce syng oute the prayses of God but not so contented neyther I wyll syng with myne hearte and vnderstandyng adioyning therto the knowledge of the tongue For if thou expresse and syng furth the prayses of God with a language whiche no manne knoweth howe shall the vnlearned whiche aunswereth in steade of the people make aunswere with the vsed woorde Amen when thou haste ended thy prayer of thankes For by puttyng therto this woorde at the ende that is confirmed whiche was spoken before in prayers or Hymnes For as ye knowe this pageante as a manne maye call it hathe diuers partes so that the learned begynne the vnlearned and confuse multitude approuyng that whiche was sayed with one voyce aunswere Amen And howe shall any manne make suche aunswere yf he knowe not what thou sayest For notwithstandyng that thou sayest bee a holy thyng and for thy selfe paraduenture good yet in the meane season the people become nothing better whiche is for that purpose resorted together that by the hearyng of suche as are learned they maye be the better learnyng in the open place how they shoulde lyue at home But leste anye thinke me as one ignoraunte of the tongues not to fauour that gifte as the common sorte of men vseth muche to auaunce and prayse suche poyntes wherein themselues are skylfull and to despise and disprayse suche thinges as they knowe not I geue thankes to God that in the gifte of tongues I go beyonde all you whiche for this knowledge moste stande in your owne conceites For no kynde of language is there vsed among you whiche I cannot bothe speake and vnderstande And therfore whereas I more highly esteme the gifte of interpretacion thā the gifte of tongues it is a profe that I do it not of malice but of an vpright iudgement coumptyng the gifte of tongues a gyfte rather to be vsed in priuate places than in open assemblies For in the churche and assemblye of sayntes rather had I speake foure or fyue wordes that I fyrste vnderstandyng what I saye my selfe maye afterwarde cause that other lykewise vnderstande me than in suche sorte to speake ten thousande wordes as no man els vnderstandeth nor parauenture my selfe neyther The texte Brethren be not ye chyldren in wytte Howbeit as concerninge maliciousnes be chyldren but in wytte be perfecte In the lawe it is wrytten with soundry tongues and with soundry lyppes will I speake vnto thys people and yet for all that wyl they not heare me sayth the Lorde Wherfore tonges are for a sygne not to them that beleue but to them that beleue not Contrarywyse prophecying serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which be leue If therfore when all the congregacion is come together and al speake with tonges there come in they that are vnlearned or they which beleue not wyll they not say that ye are out of your wyttes But and yf all prophecye and there come in one that beleueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of al men and is iudged of euery man and so are the secretes of his bert opened and so falleth he downe on his fare and worshyppeth God and sayeth that God is in you of a trueth Therfore brethren synce as I before sayed godly lyfe hath as it were certayne ages and increases endeuour your selues to growe vp from lower to higher giftes that ye seme not alwayes chyldren Certayne gyftes are there
thinges aboue where Christ your head sitteth at the right hand of God his father For mete it is that al the studyes and cares of the membres were directed to that place wheras the head is now present and where the same shall with the head hereafter reigne for euer For there liueth euery man where he loueth The texte For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Whensoeuer Christ whiche is our life shal shewe him selfe then shal ye also appeare with him in glory To this world ye seme dead as whiche are neither delited with worldly wealth nor yet regarde suche phātalies wherwith the worldly people are delited Wherfore ye liue not here among men yet liue ye with Christ before God though y◠in the meane season after y◠iudgement of the world your life be hidden But whattyme Christ shall come againe and shewe both his glory and the glory of his body to all the worlde then shall men see you with your head partakers of glory The texte Mortifie therfore your yearthly membres fornicacion vncleanes vnnatural lust euil concupiscence and couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols for whiche thinges sake the wrath of God vseth to come on the children of vnbelief among whom ye walked sometyme when ye liued in them But now put ye also away frō you al such thinges wrath fiersnes maliciousnes cursed speakyng filthy communicacion out of your mouth In the meane season diligently endeuour that all the body be like vnto the high and heauenly head whose mēbres if they here dye not vtterly to carnal desyres they cannot in heauen liue with Christ The deuil hath also his body whiche I els where called the body of synne His membres are fornicacion whiche among worldly people is euē praised vnclennes vnnatural luste and suche other desyres more filthy than are mete to be named desyre of hurtful thinges as of glorye honour and vengeance especially desyre of money which synne among al other nighest draweth to the most outragious wickednes of all that is to were to the worshippyng of idols To these sinnes whosoeuer be subiecte cannot be partaker of the glory of Christ So farre are they from beyng the true children of God whiche are with suche outragious vices corrupted that for the like he fiersely raged euen vpon his owne people the Iewes destroiyng and disenherityng them as disobedient children With suche like horrible vices was your life also once corrupted what tyme ye were not yet through baptisme dead with Christ but liued as your frowarde desyres led you Now synce Christ hath in him lefte nothyng that is mortal and yearthly meete it is synce through him ye are borne againe that ye cast away all the filthynes of your olde and former life And not onely cast away suche great enormities as we now spoke of but also suche thinges wherin the comen sorte of mē is wont to beare with them selfes as wrath fyersenes maliciousnes cursed speakyng that ye not onely haue your heartes pure from suche desyres but also your mouth cleane frō al filthy communicacion The texte ▪ Lye not one to an other seyng that ye haue put of the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man whiche is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him where is neither Gentile nor Iewe circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarus or Sithian bonde or free but Christ is all in all thing Christ is trueth selfe it is not mete that ye beyng his membres should lye one to an other of you And to be briefe synce ye haue put on Christ put of all the old yearthly man with al his workes desyres and put on a new mā whiche wyl neuer be olde but by reason that in him the knowledge of God dayly more and more encreaseth florisheth and buddeth vp into better and greater after the image of Christ which beyng a new mā him selfe builded in vs a new man extinguishyng the olde For as many of vs as are planted into Christes bodye are so farre gone from that we were as though we were newe made againe in somuche that now no difference is there betwixt Gentile and Iewe betwixte the circumcised and vncircumcised betwixte the wylde Scithian and the Grecian and man of Athens nor yet betwixt the free and the bonde Among menne suche differences are passed vpon but before God there is of suche thynges no regarde but Christ whiche is indifferently comen to all onely geueth al thinges to al men Christ is to the bondman fredome to the poore man ryches to the wylde and barbarous ciuilitie to the vncircumcised circumcision And to be briefe through him among you are all thinges made equal because none should disdaine other The texte Therfore as clecte of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kyndnes humblenes of minde mekenes long sufferyng for bearyng one an other and forgeuyng one an other if any mā haue a quarel against an other as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Wherfore instede of your vile membres and vnbesemyng Christ put on other membres contrary to those filthy membres which we before rehersed and instede of them putte on suche as are mete for thē whom God hath chosen out to be holy and vouchsaued to loue What membres are they some wyl say without doubt suche as Christ him selfe both taught and put in execucion I say tender mercy that ye be in a readynes to help the weakenes of other kyndnes because ye should in comen cōuersacion of life be tractable humblenes of mynd lest ye arrogantly auaunce your selfe before other mekenes lest ye vpon offenders vse crueltie long sufferyng leste ye be hasty to reuenge but beare eche one with other of you eche forgeue other if through mannes infirmitie any thyng be among you by reason wherof one might haue a quarel againe an other It besemeth you to forgeue eche others offences synce Christ who offended no man forgaue vs all our trespaces The texte Aboue all these thinges putte on loue whiche is the bonde of perfitenes And the peace of God rule in your heartes to whiche peace ye are called in one body But aboue all other garmentes especially apparel your selfes with christian charitie who is so farre from hurtyng any man that it laboreth to do euery man good yea to do good for euil This is the perfite most sure bonde wherwith the body of Christ is ioyned together and the membres abide fast whiche would els fal on sonder With charitie wyl folow peace and concorde not the comen peace whiche men speake of but suche as is made and mainteined by the mightie power of Christ stedfastly Let her alway in your heartes wynne and haue the vpper hande let her against malice pride wrath and contencion haue the victory For God hath called you to concorde and hath for that purpose reconciled you all vnto him and made you as it were one body to the entent y◠ye like membres
shal shewe him selfe then shal ye also appeare with him in glory To this world ye seme dead as whiche are neither delited with worldly wealth nor yet regarde suche phaÌ„taâ—ies wherwith the worldly people are delited Wherfore ye liue not here among men yet liue ye with Christ before God though yâ— in the meane season after yâ— iudgement of the world your life be hidden But what tyme Christ shall come againe and shewe both his glory and the glory of his body to all the worlde then shall men see you with your head partakers of glory The texte Mortifie therfore your yearthly membres fornicacion vncleanes vnnatural lust euil concupiscence and couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols for whiche thinges sake the wrath of God vseth to come on the children of vnbelief among whom ye walked sometyme when ye liued in them But now put ye also away froÌ„ you al such thinges wrath fiersnes maliciousnes cursed speakyng filthy communicacion out of your mouth In the meane season diligently endeuour that all the body be like vnto the high and heauenly head whose meÌ„bres if they here dye not vtterly to carnal desyres they cannot in heauen liue with Christ The deuil hath also his body whiche I elswhere called the body of synne His membres are fornicacion whiche among worldly people is eueÌ„ praised vnclenues vnnatural luste and suche other desyres more filthy than are mete to be named desyre of hurtful thinges as of glorye honour and vengeance especially desyre of money which synne among al other nighest draweth to the most outragious wickednes of all that is to wete to the worshippyng of idols To these sinnes whosoeuer be subiecte cannot be partaker of the glory of Christ So farre are they from beyng the true children of God whiche are with suche outragious vices corrupted that for the like he fiersely raged euen vpon his owne people the Iewes destroiyng and disenherityng them as disobedient children With suche like horrible vices was your life also once corrupted what tyme ye were not yet through baptisme dead with Christ but liued as your frowarde desyres led you Now synce Christ hath in him lefte nothyng that is mortal and yearthly meete it is synce through him ye are borne againe that ye cast away all the filthynes of your olde and former life And not onely cast away suche great enormities as we now spoke of but also suche thinges wherin the comen sorte of meÌ„ is wont to beare with them selfes as wrath fyersenes maliciousnes cursed speakyng that ye not onely haue your heartes pure from suche desyres but also your mouth cleane froÌ„ al filthy communicacion The texte Lye not one to an other seyng that ye haue put of the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man whiche is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him where is neither Gentile nor Iewe circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarus or Sithian bonde or free but Christ is all in all thing Christ is trueth selfe it is not mete that ye beyng his membres should lye one to an other of you And to be briefe synce ye haue put on Christ put of all the old yearthly man with al his workes desyres and put on a new maÌ„ whiche wyl neuer be olde but by reason that in him the knowledge of God dayly more and more encreaseth florisheth and buddeth vp into better and greater after the image of Christ which beyng a new maÌ„ him selfe builded in vs a new man extinguishyng the olde For as many of vs as are planted into Christes bodye are so farre gone from that we were as though we were newe made againe in somuche that now no difference is there betwixt Gentile and Iewe betwixte the circumcised and vncircumcised betwixte the wylde Scithian and the Grecian and man of Athens nor yet betwixt the free and the bonde Among menne suche differences are passed vpon but before God there is of suche thynges no regarde but Christ whiche is indifferently comen to all onely geueth al thinges to al men Christ is to yâ— bondman fredome to the poore man ryches to the wylde and barbarous ciuilitie to the vncircumcised circumcision And to be briefe through him among you are all thinges made equal because none should disdaine other The texte Therfore as electe of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kyndnes humblenes of minde mekenes long sufferyng forbearyng one an other and forgeuyng one an other if any maÌ„ haue a quarel against an other as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Wherfore in stede of your vile membres and vnbesemyng Christ put on other membres contrary to those filthy membres which we before rehersed and in stede of them putte on suche as are mete for theÌ„ whom God hath chosen out to be holy and vouchsaued to loue What membres are they some wyl say without doubt suche as Christ him selfe both taught and put in execucion I say tender mercy that ye be in a readynes to help the weakenes of other kyndnes because ye should in comen coÌ„uersacion of life be tractable humblenes of mynd lest ye arrogantly auaunce your selfe before other mekenes lest ye vpon offenders vse crueltie long sufferyng leste ye be hasty to reuenge but beare eche one with other of you eche forgeue other if through mannes infirmitie any thyng be among you by reason wherof one might haue a quarel againe an other It besemeth you to forgeue eche others offences synce Christ who offended no man forgaue vs all our trespaces The texte Aboue all these thinges putte on loue whiche is the bonde of perfitenes And the peace of God rule in your heartes to whiche peace ye are called in one body But aboue all other garmentes especially apparel your selfes with christian charitie who is so farre from hurtyng any man that it laboreth to do euery man good yea to do good for euil This is the perfite most sure bonde wherwith the body of Christ is ioyned together and the membres abide fast whiche would els fal on sonder With charitie wyl folow peace and concorde not the comen peace whiche men speake of but suche as is made and mainteined by the mightie power of Christ stedfastly Let her alway in your heartes wynne and haue the vpper hande let her against malice pride wrath and contencion haue the victory For God hath called you to concorde and hath for that purpose reconciled you all vnto him and made you as it were one body to the entent yâ— ye like membres of one body should among your selfes be of one mynde The texte And see that ye be thankeful Let the worde of Christ dwel in you plenteously with al wisedome I eache and exhorte your owne selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spiritual songes syngyng with grace in your heartes to the lorde Be not vnthankeful and forgetful of Goddes great goodnes toward you With him should we not now haue been at peace had he not freely forgeuen
tonge can no man came It is an vntutly euyl full of deadly poyson Therewith blesse we God the father and therwith curse we men whiche are made after the ymage and simylitude of God Oute of one mouth proceadeth blessyng cursyng My brethren these thinges ought not so to be Doeth a fountayne sende forth at one place swete water bytter also Can the fyggetre my brethreÌ„ beare olyue beryes eyther a vyne beate figges So can no fountayne geue bothe salt water and freshe also If eny man be wise and endued with knowledge amonge you let hym shew hys workes oute of good conuersacyon with mekenesse of wysedome But yf ye haue bytter enuying and stryfe in your hert reioyce not nether be lyars against the trueth For suche wysdome descendeth not from aboue but is earthy naturall and deuelyshe For where enuying and stryfe is there is vnstablenes and all maker of euyll workes But the wysedome that is from aboue is fyrste pure then peaccable gentil and easy to be cutâ—eated full of mercy and good frutes without iudgeing without symulacion yea and the frute of ryghtewesnes is sowen in peace of them that maynteyne peace Wyll ye marke a very lyke example Beholde howe litell fyre kyndleth a myghtye greate violence of matter Wherof cometh that horrible and broade flasshing flame of fyre It sprong of one litel sparke And at the begynnyng it myght haue ben holden down with a very litel a doo but whan it is negligently let alone it gathereth strength on euery parte groweth so farre at length that it can be suppressed by no force And like as the vse of fyre is greate and profitable sondry wayes if it bee rightly occupied and a principall destruccion if it bee suffred to spreade whither it will euen so out of a maÌ„nes tongue is very greate profite and out of the same is extreme destruccion of mannes life Doe you not see that he whiche wrought nature ment the same by sygnificacion in that he would haue mannes tongue to be bothe of the maner and colour of fyre and to be warblinge and turnynge as the flame of fire is And yet there is not in this membre a single playne euyll as is almost in the other membres It is a worlde and a heape of all vices For like as a very litell sparke is as iâ— were the breeder of all the whole flame euen so what euil so euer is in this life it procedeth out of an euil tongue as out of a worlde And like as a litel fyre is mingled with a greate rooke of fewell so that by lytel and litell it setteth al the whole rooke on fyre euen so the tongue is so mixed with the other membres of the body that if it be not restrained it infecteth and defileth with his poyson al the whole body enflameth al the life of maÌ„ with al maner flames of vices froÌ„ his cradle eueÌ„ stil to his last age Yet the violence of this mischeyf was not geueÌ„ vnto the tongue by nature whiche hathe geuen monicion by the empaled compasse of the teethe and lippes that the vse of the tongue ought circumspectely to be loked to and moderated but it is set on fyre of the fyre of hell wherof the mynde is fyrste infected by wicked spirites the poyson of the mynde through the instrument of the tongue breaketh out more and more and maketh a man of naught to be starke naught and the poyson doeth also corrupte other with his contagiousnes so as that miserable myschief can not possiblie be restrained by no force nor by no reason What thinge is there in the worlde so vncurable that mans diligence can not make â—ame by some maner of meane There is no wylde beaste so wylde no fowle so combrous no serpente so noysome no lyuing thinge of the sea so vntruly but it maye bee made gentyll by mannes witte and cherishing Lyons are made tame Tigres and dragons are made gentyll Elephantes also are made to do seruice Crocodiles are made tame serpentes are made meke eagles and gripes are made familiare delphines also are allured to be louing And yet was there neuer any meane nor crafte founde of mortall manne that coulde tame an vntemperate tongue whereas there hathe ben both in tymes past tamed and is tamed euery day al kinde of thinges that beareth life as many as are vpoÌ„ earth as many as are in the sea as many as be in the ayre and this myschieuous membre the tongue is so farre outragiously wylde and violent nether is it vntuly only but also drenched with deadly poyson Lyons do theyr hurt with theyr clawes and teethe but yet they haue no venome Adders are armed with venome but yet they haue nother clawes ne hornes The only tongue is noysome two maner of wayes bothe in vntameable madde wildenes and deadly venome in that it styngeth afarre of whom it will where the scorpions hurte none but those whome they strike with th ende of theyr tayle and the adders hurte none but with thrusting in theyr small piped toothe And yet this poyson were lesse dreadfull if it were syngle and noysome but one only waye But nowe the myschief is after sondrye sortes and turneth it selfe in to all maner of kynde that it may the more sore and the more easyly doo harme and doeth oftentymes the more harme whan it maketh an outwarde shewe of goodnes There is nothynge better nothyng of more regarde with al men than godlynes In pretence therof it dooeth harme the moste specyally whan it myngleth those thynges whiche can not agree in one together For he can not bee godly towardes god that is cruell and a cursed speaker agaynste hys neyghbour And yet notwithstandyng with the same instrument we praise God calling him father with the same we checke and mysreporte our neighbour whiche was made after the likenes of God With the tongue we syng to God the autor of all goodnes whan with the same we vexe through extreme sorowes man as though his reproche perteyned not to God that made him God is nother made more honest with our prayses ne hurt wit our euil speakynges Man maye be vnto man ether noysome or holsom And what we dode to man God reconeth the same to belong vnto him Therfore lette no man beleue that God doeth accepte his prayses which he speaketh with hys tongue not with his harte whan he spueth out with the same tongue the poison of cursed speaking againste his neighbour For what is more contrary repugnaunt than praise and disprayse and yet matters of so great diuersitie procede all out of one mouth and in dede they are vsed among the vngodly Among you that haue professed the plain singlenes of the Gospel it behoueth not that these thinges be after the same maner done for it is shame for you to sounde otherwise with the tongue than the harte thynketh seyng you haue learned to loue God in your neighbour and your neighbour in God and seing
losse of his onely begotten sōne If we loue our neighbour in a semblable wyse than the loue of God is perfite in vs declaryng also that God hymselfe is in vs. Lyke as all one spirite knytteth the membres of the body together and maketh them one body euen so the spirite of god doeth in a maner glue together and knytte bothe vs with hym and euery one to other and as it were dryueth perforce all into one And yf the spirite of god which inspireth into our heartes y◠loue of our neighbour be stronge in vs doubtles we knowe by thys token bothe that we abyde in God and God lykewyse in vs. Therefore he is an enemie vnto loue that denyeth Iesus to be the sonne of God whiche gaue hymselfe to redeme mankind But of this matter we were euen lookers vpō we sawe it with our eies we hearde it with our eares we handled it with our handes and of a matter so many waies prouedly knowē we beare witnes to the whole worlde that god sent his sonne to saue the world with his death in case it woulde repent from his olde errours and ordre the life of it from henceforthe accordyng to the rule of the gospell For he dyd not onely sende hym to saue the nacion of the Iewes but he gaue hym also to be a sauiour to al the whole worlde He therfore that confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god whom the prophetes had prophecied before shoulde come he abydeth in God and god in him For he knoweth the trueth and embraceth loue He acknowlageth not the loue of God towarde him that doeth no expresse it in his neighbour But as for vs we haue both knowen by experience and beleue with our harte and confesse wyth oure mouthe and expresse in oure workes the dedes that God hath bestowed vnto vs. It remaineth that we shoulde perseuer in that whiche is begonne and not to offende so as God be not bothe plucked awaye from vs and wee drawen awaye from God God as I sayed before is loue Therfore he that continueth styll in loue continueth styll in God and God lykewyse in hym because the mutuall knotte of the spirite of God abideth Wyl you also haue an other token geuen you whereby you maye trye whether the loue of god bee perfite in you If we know our owne conscience to be good and that we dreade not the daye of iudgement wherein they shall be seperated from Christe that haue not folowed Christ They shall quake when they shal heare that horrible voyce Departe from me But we looke for that daye with a trusty boldenes that is to were knowyng to our selues y◠lyke as he was conuersaunt in the world euen so are we also in the worlde He toke no maner of spotte of the worlde but cleansed the worlde from it owne fylthynes and drewe it as muche as in hym was into hys purenes Euen so wee also to oure powers are not onely not mingled with y◠worlde but also we rather driue it with teachyng of the gospell and chaste examples of lyfe vnto Christe The dreade of goddes iudgemente spryngethe out of an euyll conscience Feare therfore agreeth not with loue For loue encreaseth assured confidence which yf it be perfite shal dryue quite out of minde al feare But it is glad as often as that daye of iudgemente commeth in his mynde first hauyng a very good opinion of the good God and hauing it selfe a good conscience Loue causeth gladnes feare causeth formentynge sorowefulnes Moreouer he that is afrayed declareth hymselfe therin not yet to be perfite in loue As much as wāteth vnto loue so much encreaseth to feare For he is afrayed lest he shall not fynde God the iudge mercyfull vnto hym seyng he shewed hymselfe vntractable vnto his neighbour That daye shal openly declare who hath bene a true louer in thys worlde We loue God and no meruaile seyng he first loued vs. For we coulde not be hable to loue hym excepte he drewe vs vnto hymselfe with hys loue Thys same therefore that we loue God is hys benefite Finally in that we loue God we testifie it in louinge oure neighbour in whome he wyll be loued If a man wyll saye I loue God when he hateth hys brother he is a lyar For when the wycked of whom for the moste parte they doe not onely not loue God but also they beleue not that God is yet for al y◠they after a sort loue their neighbour either because he is their kynsman or ailiaunce or because he is acquaynted and familiar with them or at the leaste because man seeth the other to be a man lyke as the very beastes loue euery one hys own kynd by the instincte of nature howe shall he loue God whome he hath not sene at any tyme whan he hateth hys neyghboure whom he seeth Furthermore howe standethe it together that he loueth God that passeth not vpon the commaundementes of God If a man woulde crye I loue the kyng and for al y◠setteth naught by the kynges proclamacions would there any man beleue hym we haue thys speciall commaundement of oure Emperoure that he whiche loueth God shoulde also loue hys brother whether he bee good or badde Yf he be good let hym loue Christ in hym yf he be badde let hym loue hym to thys ende that he maye be conuerted vnto Christ The .v. Chapter The texte Whosoeuer beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God And euery one that loueth hym whiche begat loueth hym also whiche was begotten of hym By thys we knowe that we loue the children of God when we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For thys is the loue of God that we kepe hys commaundementes and hys commaundementes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And thys is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whiche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This Iesus Christ is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water and bloude And it is the spirite that beareth witnes because the spirite is trueth For there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and the holy ghost And these thre are one And there are thre whiche beare recorde in earth the spirite and water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receyue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater For thys is the witnes of God that is greater whiche ▪ he testifie of his sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of God hath the witnes in himselfe He that beleueth not god hath made hym a lyar because he beleued not the record that god gaue of his son And thys is the recorde howe that God hath geuen vnto vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not the sonne of god hath not lyfe WHo soeuer beleueth that Iesus is
their wickednes without repentaunce and neuer returning backe vntil their last howre vntyll their very death than is it not possyble but that their damnacion begon here in this worlde in all myschefe wickednes and without sorowe repentance or amendment leauynge example vnto their posterite to committe and to maynteyne lyke wickednes it is not possible I saye but that the smoke of their payne torment shall ascende vp from euerlasting to euerlastinge without any maner of rest daye or night with all those which dyd euer helpe vnto suche vngodlynes or consent vnto it opened such a dore vnto wickednes and woulde be extolled and praysed therfore with their Antichristes marke contrarye to the holy token of gods electe whiche they haue in their foreheades namely the holy worde of God for the whiche they haue suffered muche payne and opprobrye but with excedynge great pacience for Iesus sake The texte ¶ And I hearde a voyce from heauen sayinge vnto me wryte Blessed are the deed which herafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite that they rest from their laboures but their worckes folowe them In so great danger of the faithful vnder the iurisdiccion of Antichristes abhominacion with his .ii. hornes and vnlawfull vsurped power vpon bodye and soule vtterly against the worde of god whiche is the onely comforte of al faithfull soules is it necessary that some comforte come vnto them from heauen aboue whiche the lambe sendeth vnto all true christians thorowe the holy gospell which the spirite of God writeth in their hartes to beleue stedfastlye that it can not be otherwyse in this worlde but that all they whiche wyll folow Christ must beare the crosse euen vnto death as Christe the innocent lambe dyd but afterwardes shall they see nothing but euerlastinge saluacion merited purchased vnto them thorowe the passion and death of Christe to the iustificacion and merite of eternall saluacion of all the electe Whiche comforte shall be muche greater in their soules in the kynkdome of Christe than is possible for al the merites of man to deserue or obteyne And speciallye at suche tyme as the glorified bodye shall be ioyned and vnited againe vnto the blissed soule after the latter daie And therfore the good workes of the faithful as thei doe not goe before their faith and loue but are onely the frutes of them euen so shall they not preuent the merite of Christ for all electe from euerlastinge but as the spirit of Christ saythe they folowe and come after them whan they haue obteyned rest and peace thorowe the free grace and mercye of God and thorowe the merite of Christes rightuousnes after this I saye thorowe faithe haue folowed good workes out of an humble and obedient heart whiche workes the lorde wyl graciouslye crowne as his gyftes and receyue and rewarde them as acceptable vnto him The texte ¶ And I loked and beholde a whyte cloude and vpon the cloude one syttinge lyke vnto the sonne of man hauinge on his heed a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe spckle And another angell came out of the temple cryinge with a loude voyce to him that sate on the cloude Christ in thy syckle and reape for the tyme is come to reape for the corne of the earthe is rype And he that sate on the cloude thrust in his syckle into yâ— earth and the â—arth was reaped Althoughe the right faithfull garnyshed with good workes after yâ— worde of God were euermore sure of their saluacion yet not withstandynge the iudgement of God whan his tyme is come goeth forwarde against all suche thinges as are set vp against the worde of God As it was readye at hande at one tyme by reason of the obscuringe and blyndinge of gods worde amonge yâ— Iewes thorowe the cursed Talmud wherunto they gaue more faith and credence and cleaued more earnestly vnto it than vnto the lawe of God and to the prophetes And lykewyse among the christians specially among the hyghe bysshops and prelates with their glorious tytles of Popes Patriarkes Cardinals Primates and suche other orders of the whiche one euer desiered to be aboue a nother sekyng alwayes their owne glorye lust pompe honour and dignitie and not the wil of God faithe godlynes of lyfe nor yet the gospell whiche they haue alwayes pretended falsely and craftilye to colour and cloke their myschefe and wickednes As concerninge the Turkes faithe we can saye but lytle what their greatest faut wickednes and beastlynes is we haue had more knowledge by writinges than by any profe or experience But it is to be feared yf God be not mercifull vnto vs we shall learne it soner than we woulde In the myddest of all this thorowe the trompet of the gospel beyng blowen out in our tyme after a wonderfull sorte thorowe the spirite of Helyas whiche appeareth commeth abrode plentuouslye and effectuouslye is rysen and daylye ryseth suche a mouynge and sterringe vp of mens hartes suche a knowledge of the truth such a lyght and lanterne of doctrine and such a iudgement of Antichristes workes suche a feare of the wrathe of God so that there is a good hope that yâ— holy and holsome seede of gods worde so plentiously sowne and spred abrode shall not returne againe without great frute and edifâ—enge of the faithe and the lyfe of men For as for the Iewes whether they wyll or no they must nedes despaire of their workinge their faithe their doctrine and of all their state whan as they see that the whole kyngdome of heauen whiche they take to be theirs peculiarely to be taken from them and to be made common vnto all them that feare God thorowe the whole worlde more than euer was founde by them Euen so also amonge the christians the doctrine and profession of the holy gospell true faythe and all godlye vertues shall waxe and increase in the heades and rulers of the christendome as it shall also be ioyfullye receyued of all true Christen subiectes notwithstandynge that the nomber of them shall alwayes be least And also the knowledge vnderstandinge lernynge and readynge of the holy scripture shall somwhat increase amonge the spirituall prelates as it shoulde be hoped for and with most earnest and feruent prayer desired and called for of god And it is well to be thought and to be beleued that the Lord wyll doe his parte also euen in suche wyse as is here promysed so yâ— Antichrist beyng thus put to shame but yet remayninge styll impenitent shall be reaped downe with the syckle of gods worde thorowe the spirite of Helyas and shall be cut downe thresshed not to the destruccion but to the profyte edificacion and saluacioÌ„ of the world This hath our Lorde and sauiour Christ brought to passe whiche is alwayes the heade of the churche who is not onely present therwith but also doth graciouslye rule and gouerne it edifieth and helpeth it and he with and roteth out the enemies and aduersaries with the sickle of his
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