you of all thynges whome I haue sente vnto you for the same purpose that ye mighte knowe what case we stande in and that he might coumforte your hartes Peace â—e vnto the brethren and loue with faith from God the father and from the lorde Iesus Christ Grace be with al them whiche loue our lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly Amen Therfore it standeth vs in hande to pray alway vnto him with continual supplicacions and to desyre this of him from the bottome of our hartes without ceassing in our praiers day and night that al saintes may haue the vpper hand by this sweorde of the spirite And it is also your duetie to helpe me with your prayers and to beseche God that he would geue me plenteous vtteraunce of the gospel whansoeuer I shall preache it and that it would please him to vse my mouth as an instrument vnto his owne glory and to your saluacion so as I may boldly and without shrinking declare vnto al men the mistical doctrine of the gospel wherunto all men are called indifferently And that I be not hindred by suche as labour by all possible meanes that the glorye of the Gospell should not be spred abrod for the doing wherof I am made an embassadour yea euen now being laden with chaynes and suffering excedingly that I may boldely goe about the office committed vnto me And that this mind may still perseuer with me vnto the ende and that by the helpe of Christe I may freely speake as it becummeth me to speake For it is a rebuke for a preacher of the gospel to be afrayd of anything that should hinder him from doyng the office of the gospell To conclude as concernyng the state of myne owne thinges howe the matter standeth with me here you shall knowe all of Tichicus my welbeloued brother and not a brother onely for the sinceritie of his fayth but also a minister and an helper in the gospels businesse whome I haue sent vnto you for this purpose that you might know certainly in what state we are and that you should be much couÌ„forted by his beyng there lest your hartes should be discouraged through myne affliccions For I am so tyed and bounde that the gospell of Christ doeth triumphe notwithstanding euen out of the prieson My prayer is that peace and mutual loue ioyned with sincere fayth may be vnto al the brethren Of faith springeth charitie charitie nourisheth concord These thre with prosperous procedyng graunt vnto you God the father and the lorde Iesus Christe The loue and merciful goodnesse of God be for euer with all them that with an vnfained conscience and vnspotted life loue the lorde Iesus Christe and despysyng the transitory tryfles of this worlde folowe the thynges that are eternall and heauenly And to confirme this mine hartie praier I beseche god grauÌ„t mercifully Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule the Apostle to the Philippians By D. Erasmus or Roterdaine THe Philippians are in the first parte of Macedonia as it is declared in the. xvi of the Actes a people deducted oute of the citie of Philippos so called of Philip the buyldour of it And Thessalonica is the head citie of the Philippians whiche are worthilye muche praysed of the Apostle bicause they persisted constauntlie in the faythe after they once receyued it and woulde not allowe the false apostles among them wheras the Corinthians and Galathians had receyued them and geuen credence vnto them Unto these Philippians Paule beyng warned of the holy ghost wente and taried among them a good maynye of dayes not without greate trauayll For there Paule was scourged with whippes and was caste with Silas in to pryson â–ª at which tyme the keper of the prison and all his household were Baptized In this citie was also Lydia the purpleseller who fyrst beyng coÌ„uerted receaued Paule into her house There also the souldiours knowing that Paule was a cetezen of Rome desired him of theyr owne mynde to goo whither he woulde and so the name of Christe was notified abroade with luckye prosperous successe And also whan Paule was in prison at Rome these Philippians sent to hym suche thynges as were necessarie for him to lyue with by Epaphroditus as they had doon afore whan he was at Thessalonica as he him selfe witnesseth in this Epistle For the whiche hauyng set them forthe with prayses and commendacions he exhorteth them to perseuer and goo forewarde shewyng them that they ought to reioyce euen in those afflictions which make for the aduauÌ„cement of Christes gospel and that he was not onely not afrayed of death but also that he woulde gladlye wishe it yf Christ so would Than he gyueth them a speciall exhortacion to mutuall concorde whiche can not possible be amonge suche as be stoute stomaked And because they shoulde be the better content he promyseth to sende Tymotheus vnto them and that he will come againe to them shortlye him selfe In the meane tyme he sendeth Epaphroditus whiche was amended of his extreme daungerous sickenesse These he treateth of in the two first chapters for in the thyrd he confirmeth theyr consciences against the false apostles alluryng men euery where vnto the Iewyshe secte whom he calleth dogges the workers of wickednes the enemyes of Christes crosse and makyng their belyes their god and in no place he is more apertely stomaked against them than in this Epistle The fourth chapter is ful of coÌ„mendacions and salutacions but onely that he intermingleth certain monicions here and there by the way and thanketh the Philippians for their liberall gentilnesse shewed towardes him This epistle he wrote from the citie of Rome by Epaphroditus whaÌ„ he was layed the seconde tyme in prison for after his firste defense he was leadde agayne in to prison wherof he maketh reporte in his Epistle to Tymothee The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to the Philippians â–ª The .i. Chapter The texte Paule and Tymothe the seruauntes of Iesu Christ To all the sayntes in Christe Iesu whiche are at Philippos with the Bishoppes and Deacons Grace be vnto you peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ PAule and Timothe felowes in the office of the gospel and seruauntes of Iesus Christe To all the companye of the sayntes that purelye and entierlye professe the name of Christe and to them also that haue the ouersight ministracion of the ChristiaÌ„ flocke at Philippos We wishe grace and peace vnto you from god our father and from the Lorde Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my God with al remembraunce of you alwayes in al my prayers for you praye with gladnes because ye are come into the felowship of the gospel froÌ„ the frist day vnto now And am surely certified of this that he which hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntil the day of
mynde as a man quite ouerturned and paste all remedy Neyther hast thou any neade to laboure in the condemnynge of him sythen he is condemned by his owne iudgement If he peryshe he is lost and cast awaye by his owne faulte For he cannot laye this excuse for him I was deceyued and went oute of the waye thorowe ignoraunce no man warned me of myne â—â—â—oure This excuse it but vayne For what shal one do to a sicke man that wil take no medicine peraduenture yf he were contemned and not passed on he woulde wexe wyser If he wyll not yet the fewer resorte vnto him the fewer shall the contagion of his madnes infecte The texte When I shall sende Artemas vnto the or Tithycus be diligente to come to me vnto Nicâ—â—opolis For I haue determined there to wynter Bryng zenas the lawear Apollos en theyr iorney diligently that nothynge be lackyng vnto them And let oures also learne to â—â—cell in good woorkes as farforth as nede requireth that they be not vnfruteful All that are with me saluâ—e the. Grete them that loue vs in the fayth Grace be with you all Amen I woulde fayne haue the with me a fewe dayes but I woulde not it should be to the damage of the christian congregacions in Crete which haue bene but late conuerted to the faith and therefore they haue the more nede of a diligente ouerseat whiche maye buylde vpon the foundacion nowe all ready layed Se therefore that thou mete with me at Nicopole But come not afore I send Artemas or Tichicus to thee to be there for thee in my steade leste thy departing shoulde leue Crete destitute and as it were an Orpheline Thou shalte not neade to feare that I wyll in the meane tyme go any where els and so thou to lese thy laboure For I am purposed all this nexte wynter to be at Nicopole whiche is a citie of Trace Whan Zenas sometyme a doctor of Moses law but nowe a noble preacher of the ghospell and Apollos whiche is a man greatlye approued in the doctrine of Christe wyll departe from the bryng them forthward with all the humanite that maye be and see that they lacke nothyng that shal be necessary for their iornaye If these offices of humanitie be exhibited of the Ethnikes that they doo for good maners sake brynge their frende onwarde on his iorney and gyue him at his departyng sufficiently bothe of vytayles and otherthynges necessarye for him in his way I thynke it very right that our men also whiche profelse Christe do learne to vse suche gentyle fashions and to gyue due thankes to them that do deserue it Not that they shuld make them riche with greate gyftes but to geue them suche thinges as be necessarye for their lyuing whan nede shall requyre For seyng that they whiche do not knowe Christe be yet taught of nature to geue them thankes whiche haue done for them truly it is very vnsemely that christian men should be barayne and vnfruteful to them of whom they haue receiued any good turne As many as be here with me commende them vnto the. Do thou agayne coÌ„mende me to as many there as loue me not with worldely affeccion but with Euangelicall and christian loue whiche the commune profession of faythe doeth engendre in vs. The free beneficence of Goddes mercy be with you all for euer Amen ¶ Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Philemon by Erasmus of Roterodame â–ª THis Philemon after the Grekes writing was a Phrigiâ— borne whiche nacion of people is vntractable â—â—anyshe as the Greekes owne prouerbe maketh often mencion Stripes make the Phrigian to amende And yet Paul reconned this Philemon one of hys speciall frendes bycause of his godlynes diligence done to yâ— sayntes And a seruaunt of his one Onesimus had runne away froÌ„ him to Rome and had theuishlye stollen somwhat from him as seruauntes are for the moste parte vsed to doe There whan he had hearde Paule who at that tyme was in bondes he receiued the doctrine of the gospel and serued Paule in prison But lest the maister should be vexed in his mynde for his seruauntes runnynge awaye he sendeth him home agayne with a wonderfull diligence and ciuilitie he reconsileth vnto the Maister his seruaunt that had bene both a runneagate and a piker and offreth him selfe to be suertie to make good what soeuer he had piked at his runnyng awaye This Epistle he wrote from the prison by the sayd Onesimus whom he also calleth his sonne Thus endeth the Argument ¶ The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Philemon ¶ The .i. Chapter The texte Paule the prysoner of Christe brother Timothee Vnto Philemon the beloued and oute helper and to the beloued Appia and to Archippus oure felowe souldier and to the congregacion that is of thy house Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure father from the Lorde Iesus Christe PAule before this tyme an Apostle and seruaunte of Iesu Christ and nowe his prysoner also for why shoulde not I be glad to be hys prysoner for whose ghospelles sake I weare these bondes not for the punyshement of any euyil that I haue done but as a notable badge of a free valeaunt preacher and also my felowe ghospellpreacher brother Timothee vnto Philemon in the profession of the commune faith a brother singulerly worthye to be beloued and not a brother onely but also my companion in very many affaires partaker in the office of the gospel to his wyfe Appia my moste welbeloued syster as concernyng the kynred of fayth to Archippus our felowe souldier and to the rest of the congregacion whiche is at his house Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure coÌ„mune father froÌ„ his sonne the lord Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my god making mencioÌ„ alwayes of the in my prayers when I heare of thy loue and fayth whiche thou haste towarde the Lorde Iesu and towarde all sayntes so that the fellowshyppe of thy fayth is fruteful in the knowledge of euery good woorke whiche is in you towarde Iesus Christe For we haue great ioye and consolacion in thy loue because that by thee brother the sayntes hertes are comforted In my prayers wherwith I am accustomed to sacrifice daylye vnto God I undre thankes vnto him alwayes on thy behalfe For I ascribe it thankefully vnto him that I heare spoken openly of all men that is to say both the purenesse thy ryght gospelling charitie which thou bearest towardes the lord Iesus not towardes hym only but also towardes al saintes yâ— is to were his meÌ„bres vnto whoÌ„ what so euer is bestowed hys wyl is to reckeÌ„ it done to him self And this I also beseche him to augment his mercifulnes vpon thee that this thy faith whiche is not idle in the may expresse his power dayly more more to enforce
and right true sonnes that trust in the promises of god the father and do after his prescribed commaundementes and neuer slyde agayne into their olde conuersacion whiche than through the ignoraunce of the Gospelles doctrine was endaungered with worldly concupiscences For it is conuenient that you diffre from them in affectes and maners from whom you dissent in profession The worlde is naught and from it you are already exempted and engraffed vnto Christ which is righteous holy and Innocent and to this ende are you chosen and called of the father the fountayne of al holines that like as you are in your profession so should you in al your life and doinges be pure vpright and vnblameable For the father will not acknowledge any to be his sonnes but those that be like manered vnto him For in dede this same thing he ment whan he spake to our auncetours Leuitici the xix Chapter Be you holy for I the lord your God am holy The puritie of Moses lawe could not haue ben ynough for you to absteine from touching of dead bodyes to haue your fete washen to absteine from the acte of matrimony God will haue all oure conuersacion and all our whole harte to be fre from al spottes of synnes For in dede these are the thinges that make vs playnly impure in the sight of god And although you cal vpon God by the name of a father crieng for his helpe in al thinges yet if you lyue in a filthy conuersacion you may not trust that he wil be mercifull vnto you or acknowledge you for his children seyng he estemeth noman eyther for his kynred or for his estates sake but onely after the merites of his conuersacion For nether shal the Iewe be pure if his conscience be defiled ne yet shall the vncircumcised be vnpure if he leade a godly and an innocent life The texte For as muche as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thynges as syluer and golde from youre vaine conuersacion whiche ye receauch by the tradicion of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christe as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte which was ordeyned before hande euen before the woorlde was made but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes which by his meanes do beleue on god that raysed him vp from death and glorifyed hym that ye myght haue faythe and hope towarde God euen ye whiche haue purifyed your soules thorowe the spirite in obeyng the truthe with brotherly loue vufayned se that ye loue one another with a pure herte feruently for ye are borne a newe not of mortall seed but of immortal by the word of god which lyueth and lasteth for euer For al flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse The grasse wyddereth and the floure falleth awaye but the worde of the Lorde endureth euer And this is the worde which by the gospel was preached vnto you Therfore it remayneth that you which are desirous to haue this father mercifull vnto you haue his vnauoydable iudgemēt alwayes before your eies while you liue in this exile so order your cōuersaciō that there be nothing wherfore the father may be offended iustly shut you out of the inheritaūce of the celestial countrey as vnnaturall disobedyent children The greater the price is wherwith Christe hath frely redemed you so muche the greater hede ought you to take lest for your wilfulnes and vnthankefulnes you be turned agayn into your former bonde thraldom There is none more myserable a bondage than to bee the slaue of synne Those that for a litle money are made fre frō theyr maisters bondage become of bondmē fre men watch about them by al meanes lest for theyr vnthankefulnes they may be drawen agayne into the bondage that they were in before and will you than commit that offence to fall again into y◠old tyranny to be willingly the bond slaues of Moses lawe had rather serue vaine obseruaunces that your elders deliuered from one to an other vnto you than to obey the gospel of God seing you knowe that you were deliuered once from them not with a commune tryfling price as golde or syluer but with an offring muche more holy than Moses lawe knoweth of For you are not made cleane with the bloud of a calfe sprinkled but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe who like a lābe cleane without any spotte pure and vndefiled from all filthinesse of synne was offred for our synnes on the aultare of the crosse Nether yet was that done by chaunce at all auentures but the sonne of God was appointed to make this sacrifice from euerlastyng and before the makyng of the worlde that he might through his deathe reconcile the father vnto vs howbeit the secret deuice and decre of Goddes purposed mynde which was many long yeares vnknowen to the worlde is now at length in these later times openly manifested and a new matter is set forth before mennes eyes to loke vpon whiche in the purposed mynde of God was not new And it was geuen for your saluacion sake vnto whom Christe that was made man dyed and is preached bestoweth thus muche that wher as you had a vayne truste vpon the ceremonies of the lawe now distrusting your selues you must put your whole trust in God the father who like as he would haue Christe to dye to wype awaye your synnes euen so hathe he raysed him vp from death and for the paynfull trauailes of this life which he suffred he gaue him the glory of immortalitie to thentente that as you haue beleued that whiche he hath done in folowing his example you might also trust surely to haue the same reward to be bestowed on you in that you put your whole affiaūce in God which what he hath already perfourmed in his sonne the same also will he vndoubtedly performe in al them which lyue after suche sort that they may be worthyly accompted among the membres of Christ in to whose body you are engraffed synce that you were regenerate through baptisme in to hym Before that tyme you did after your owne lustes that is to say embraceing carnall shadowes of thinges in stede of true ryght thinges but now since you haue clensed your soules not with the obseruacion of Moses purgeing sacrifices but in that you haue through faith obeyed the trueth of the gospell whiche by the spyryte of Christe hath purged your consciences you must endeuour your selues both to be correspondente vnto the head Christe in vprightnes of life and be answerably like vnto the concorde of the body by an excedyng and a playne brotherly and an vnfeyned loue among your selues that lyke as Christ loued you not after a commen sort nor after a carnall maner of loue euen so should you loue euery one other with a spiritual loue New kynred requireth new affeccion Before this tyme you Iewes loued Iewes after a carnall affeccionate loue but now beyng by a
stede of Goddes commaundementes teache the ceremonies and constitucions of menne they that in stede of the Gospelles philosophie set forthe a new Ieweship finally they that preach them selues rather than Christ those mennes wisedome is not that wisedome whiche the father sent downe vnto vs by hys sonne from aboue to call vs from the studie of earthely thynges and to exalte vs vp to heauen but it is a grosse fleshye wysedome and an earthye and therfore it sauoureth of the earthe yea it is a sensuall wisedome and therfore it respecteth more those thynges that are auayleable vnto thys lyfe than vnto the life euerlastyng yea it is a deuelyshe wisedome for it is not of thynspyracyon of the spyryte of God but of the instygacyon of deuylles which suggeste those thynges that maye estraunge vs from the syncerytie of the Gospell Among the professours of worldly wisedome you see how great enuy what braullynges what fallyng out what forcasting to haue the vpper hande what greate inconstauncye of opynyons and maners and in the meane season all the whole life how it is defiled with all kinde of vicious naughtines But contrary wise our wisedome whiche procedeth from aboue of the spirite of Christ is fyrst chaste pure defiled with no wicked affeccions Than it is peaceable and abhorreth from all studie of contencion Moreouer it is modeste not overtwharte besydes this it is tractable curteous not grudging to geue place vnto hym that teacheth better it is full of compassion and mercyfull towarde them that are fallen and deceaued them it studieth rather to saue than spil gently bearyng with them assaying euery way to bring them to amendemeÌ„t it is full of good frutes in that it neuer ceasseth doing good for al men coÌ„uerting the vngodly to godlynes callyng againe them that goe astraye teaching the vntaught releuing them that are fallen pricking forewarde the â—â—outhfull conforting the sorowfully afflicted Nether in the meane while dooeth it damne any body for it is more forcasting to heale than to daÌ„â—e hauing no maner of counterfaict ne simulacion but of an vpright syncere mind wishing wel to all After this sorte they that sowe the pure and quiet doctrine of the Gospell doo both reape vnto them selues the frute of euerlastyng lyfe and bryng other to the studye of the heauenly life whome with theyr striuinges and cruelty they shoulde haue caste awaye The worldely wisedome hathe also a frute of hys owne but it is either a vayne frute or a deathe bryngyng frute But the frute of ryghteousnes that geueth bothe innocencie in this worlde and afterwarde immortalitie is not sowed by contencion but in concorde and peace vnto them that embrace peace For it is not the parte of a good â—â—â—cher maliciously to skirmish with them that seme more obstinate than that they wil obey the doctrine of the Gospell Those it is better for hym to leaue vnto theyr owne stubburnes in case there bee no hope that they wyll comme to amendemente The .iiii. Chapter The texte From whence commeth warre and fightyng among you come thei not here hence euen of your lustes that fyght in youre membres ye luste haue not ye enuye and haue indignacyon and cannot obtayne ye fyght and warre ye haue not because ye aske not ye aske and receaue not because ye aske a mysse euen to consume it vpon your lustes Ye aduouterars and wemen that breke matrimony knowe ye not how that the frendshyppe of the worlde is enemyâ—â—c with God Whosoeuer therfore wylbe a frende of the worlde is made the enemie of God Ether do ye thynke that the scripture sayeth in vayne The spirite that dwelleth to vs lusteth euen contrary to enuy but geueth more grace wherfore he sayeth God resisteth the proude but geueth grace vnto the lowely IT standeth you in hand by al meanes to endeuour your selues that you lyue in one concorde of myndes But that can not bee possiblye done excepte you dryue worldly gredye lustes the poyson of concorde and occasion of debate vtterly out of youre myndes Will you saye that you are not endaungered with suche maner of lustes wherof than cometh warre wherof cometh fighting and stryuyng amonge you wherof come tumultes of contencions and debate Christe hathe taught you peace and concorde and wherof cometh discorde but of that that you serue the luste of humane gredynes more than the loue of the Gospell For if those gredy lustes dyd not kepe warre and were captaines in your membres your tongue should nether teare your neighbour ne your hande beguyle youre brother Yet hitherto the reliques of youre olde lyfe are deprehended in you you haue not yet all together caste of the olde manne one manne coueteth for glorye an other gapeth for gayne thys manne ymagyneth how he may reygne alofte that manne hunteth after voluptuous pleasures And whiles you atteine not the thing that euery one vehemently coueteth for you thrust out him that maketh sure for that that you doe you enuy him that hathe obteyned and stryue with him that semeth lyke to obteine You are vexed in your mynde and are toyled with sondrye tumultes of cares while you can not obteyne the thinge that you gredily seke for And so nether is any man at peace with him selfe nor with other Gredy desyres â—omble in the harte the tongue the hande and the other membres fight and kepe warre out wardlye with their neyghbour And yet in the meane whyle nether are your insacyable desires satisfyed and you youre selues fall from the thynges that are truly good You ought to aske of God if you haue nede of any thing or if any thing did apperteyne vnto true felicitie You aske of the worlde that whiche ought to be asked of God and of him either you aske not at all or if ye doe aske you aske not that you ought to do nor after such wyse as you ought to doe For in dede you either aske hurtfull thynges in stede of holsome thynges or you aske in a wauering distrust or elles you aske vnto a wicked vse that is to saye the thing that should liberally be bestowed to the relief of necessitie of life that you may spend to the satisfieng of your own voluptuous pleasures And seing you doe thus by what name shal I cal you Christianes your dedes say nay I heare the title of Christians but I see the deeds of whoremongers and whores You were ones addicte vnto the spouse Christ ones you were sworne in to hys wordes he it is that redemed you froÌ„ the tyranny of synnes he hathe made you cleane with his own holy sacred bloud to make vnto hym self a spowse vnspotted And how is it that you forget your profession forget the benefite of youre bridegrome forget your wedlocke trouthplight and slide backe againe into the whorysh loues of this world Doo you not know that God is a Ielous louer He wyll bee wholy loued he wylbee loued alone he maye not abyde the wowynge worlde to bee loued
from the loue whereof he hathe delyuered you with so greate a price he alone is sufficient to accomplishe all thynges What is the cause than that you aske of the worlde parte of youre blessednes Doe you not knowe that God hateth them that halte on bothe sydes He can not abyde a seruaunte that is not contente to serue one onely maister What maried manne is so pacient that canne suffre hys enemye goynge about to wowe hys wyfe to come in her company And haue you thought it possyble for you to please bothe the worlde and God at ones Doe you not vnderstande that like as a wife if she couple her selfe to an whoremonger falleth quite awaye from the loue of her husbande euen so a Christian if â—e assaye to haue frendshyp agayne with the worlde doeth vtterly receaue vnfrendshyp with God who hathe no concord with the worlde This therfore take for a certayntye whosoeuer studyeth to be loued of this world in the same his so doing he maketh him selfe an enemye vnto God There is no concorde betwene lyght and darkenes nor betwene God and Belial A maried husbande can not abyde hys wyfe to be playing with an whoremonger he canne not suffre the loues of wedlocke to be deuyded in partes though he haue maryed a woman of greate possessyon though he haue maried a gentilwoman borne though he haue maryed a woman of neuer so greate wealthe in all thynges And wyll Chryste suffre hys spouse whome he hathe saued from destruccion whome he hathe set at libertye from bondage whome he hathe washen from the fylthynes of synne whome whan she was naked he hathe clothed whome whan she was poore he hathe richely endowed with so many free gyftes to haue a doo with the aduouterer the deuill Thinke you it is written in the holy scriptures for naught that the spirite whiche dwelleth in you lusteth vnto enuie In the lawe of Moses somwhat was geuen to mannes affeccyons they myght without punyshmente hate theyr enemye it was lawfull for them to set theyr forcastes vpon muckryng vp of riches he was taken for no vniuste manne that requitte violence with violence and one despightfull worde with an other But the spirite of the Gospell which now dwelleth in you is full of gelosie and as I may so speake enuious he requireth more for he wyll bee vehemently loued agayne so that for hys sake he will haue wife chyldern yea and euen lyfe contemned He canne not abyde to haue his resting house defyled with worldly lustes he requireth pure cleane thinges he requireth heauenly thynges he leapeth backe he runneth away he is offended if a manne bring the sluttish filthynes of thys world in to hys temple Howbeit like as he requireth of vs a certayne exceadynge greate loue and a greate deale purer loue than Moses lawe dooeth euen so it geueth a more plenteous grace It is a very hard matter to accomplysh that it requireth but it geueth strength to thys ende that we maye easylye doo it There is nothynge harde to the louing willer This same is hys gyfte that we shoulde loue him or rather loue him agayne He drewe vs with hys loue fyrst and whan we were turned from hym he reconciled vs agayn vnto hym He will encrease hys giftes in vs in case we geue our selues all together and wholy vnto him if we depend of hym onely and of none but him if we haue nothyng a doe with this worlde nor with the deuill the prynce of the worlde Whan I speake of the world I meane nothyng elles but wicked gredy lustes of vysyble thynges wherin thys worlde promyseth a certayne false feyned felicitie They are great matters that are required but thei be greater matters that are promised He that is hable lyberally to geue myghty greate thynges the same is hable also to geue encrease of strength he that wil largely geue excellent thinges to them that deserue naught the same will vouchesafe also to geue encrease of strength to them that bee weake Only let vs distruste oure owne helpes and the helpes of this worlde and repose all our whole hope and assured confidence in hym He forsaketh them that arrogauntly truste in theyr owne substaunce and he succoureth them that ascribe nothing to them selues but trust wholy to the goodnes of God In dede thys is the thynge that the lorde spake in tymes paste by Salomon God resisteth the stately hygh mynded and stoute but he bestoVVeth his fauour Vnto the meke and poore castaVVayes The texte Submyt youre selues therfore to God but resyste the deuyll and he wyll flye from you Drawe â—ye to God and he will drawe nye to you Clense youre handes ye synners and pourge your hertes ye wtâ—ueryng mynded Suffer afflyccions and mouâ—â—e and wepe Let poure laughter be tourned to mournynge and youre ioye to heuynes Dumble youre selues in the syght of the Lorde and he shall lyft you vp Backbyte not one another brethren He that backbyteth hys brother and he that iudgeth his brother backbyteth the lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and it thou iudge the lawe thou arte not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge There is one lawe geuer and iudge whiche is able to saue and to destroye What art thou that iudgest another Go to now ye that saie to date and to moâ—owe let vs gooe into suche a cytye and contynue there a yeare and bye and sell and wynne and yet cannot ye tell what shal happen on the morowe For what thinge is your lyfe â–ª It is euen a vapour that apeareth for a lytell tyme and then vanisheth a waye For that ye ought to saye yf the Lorde wyll and yf we lyue let vs do this or that But nowe ye reioyce in youre boastinges All suche reioysing is euyll Therfore to hym that knoweth how to doe good and doeth it not to him it is synne God would haue you to be most fast ioyned to him shewe your selues obedient as the wife obeyeth her husbande And if the deuill gooe about to diuorce you from the loue of him dryue awaye the aduouterer deuill with his iuggling knackes and he shall geue ouer greuing you He shal be afraied of you if he see you stedfaste and constaunt in the loue of youre brydgrome Christ Therfore disseuer your selues from him whether he feare you or speake you faire and in godly studies and in holy and chast purposes apply your selues to God and he shall applie him selfe to you agayne Whiche waye so euer the lustes of mynde doo leane thider you goe If affeccions carie you vnto honestie and vnto heauenlynes you goo vnto God but and if they drawe you to the enticementes of the fleshe you ryde poste to the deuil You ought euermore to make haste to all one selfe same waye and not to wauer now hither nowe thider If you doo acknowlage Christe to be youre brydesgrome it is requysite that you be cleane Therfore you that yet hitherto are soyled in the filthie puddle of synnes make cleane your
speake As ofte as you denye any thinge denye it with youre whole hearte nether let any thynge elles bee in youre hearte than youre mouthe speaketh that there be no counterfaictynge in you seing you are disciples of the trueth And if there bee any manne sore afflicted amonge you let hym not flee to the remedies of thys worlde to rynges to inchauntmentes to baynes and other easementes of sorowe but let hym turne hym to prayer and lyfte vp hys mynde to God with most assured faithfull trust and he shall fâ—â—de present releaâ—se of his mournyng Agayne if a manne be well content in prosperitie let him not enhaunce him selfe folishely nor behaue hym selfe madlye but let him praise the liberall goodnesse of God in holy songes of thankes geuing Nowe if any manne be punnyshed with syckenes let hym not flee to the remedies of witchecrafte let hym not spende a great sight of money vpon phisicions whose curing is many tymes of suche sorte that it were better pacientlye to departe out of the world but let hym call vnto him the elders of the christian congregacion Let them make theyr prayers to God for the dyseased and annoynte him with oyle not hauyng any prayers of wytchecrafte as the heathen are wont to doe but callyng vpon the name of oure lorde Iesu Christe then the which there is no kinde of enchauntmente more effectuall And let the prayers be done in a trusty faithe and God shall heare and preserue the diseased And there shall not only healthe of bodye bee restored vnto hym if it be expedient for the diseased but also if he bee endaungered with synnes as diseases of bodye spryng for the moste parte of the sorowes of the mynde they shal be forgeuen hym at the elders supplicacions so that the faith of them be commendable that doe praye and of hym for whome they dooe praye The texte Knowledge your fautes one to another and praye one for another yâ— ye may be healed For the feruent prayer of a ryghteous manne auayleth muche Helyas was a man mortall euen as we are and he prayed in hys prayer that it myght not rayne and it rayned not on the earthe by the space of tore yeares and sâ—â—e monethes And he praied againe and the heaueÌ„ gaue raâ—â—â— and the earth brought forth her frute Brethren if any of you do erre from the trueth and anoâ—her conueâ—â—e hym let the same knowe that he whiche conuerteth the synner from goâ—ng astraye out of his waye shal saue a soule from death and shall by de the multytude of synnes And forasmuche as the life of manne consisteth not without light and dayly offences it shal be conuenyentâ— to vse a dayly remedie that you maye bothe releue euery one other with your mutuall prayers and acknowlage euery one hys faulte to other And so shall the remedy be auayleable â–ª if thou acknowlage thy disease and desire helpe Supersticious folkes suppose a secret hydden efficacie to be in theyr enchauntmentes and prayers but in very dede the prayer of a righteous manne is muche worthe whiche through faithe obteyneth what so euer it desireth of God Vpon this condicyon Christe made couenaunt with vs that what so euer we shall aske in a faythfull trusty confidence we shoulde obteyne it onles it be suche a thynge as were beste not to be obteyned Would you fayne haue a doctrine of thys matter Helyas was a pure manne he was a mortall manne as we are and yet at his prayers it rayned not vpon the earthe thre yeares and sixe monethes He prayed agayne that it myght rayne and anone the heauens as hauynge hearde hys prayers gaue rayne and the earthe brought forthe his frute Incase the heauen be obedient to the prayers of one godly manne as though it were bewytched is it any maruayle if God beynge moste readye to forgeue be pleased at the prayers of many Now weight this brethren if it be godly if it be the partes of christyan loue to ease the sickenes of an other mannes bodye through commune prayers how muche more indifferent reason is it that we shoulde succour them that be diseased in mynde For it is no greate matter to obteyne this by prayer that it may be somwhat longer before deathe happen to this man or that man howbeit it muste nedes comme ones but it is a great matter to haue aboyded the disease of minde Therfore if there be any among you that erre from the Gospelles veritie ether to muche cleauyng to the lawe of Moses or be a stubburne folower of heathen relygion deliuered of the elders let no man thinke that he should be dryuen awaye with scoldyng but it behoueth rather to endeuour with all â–ª studies to this ende that he maye turne and reâ—ent from hys errour For who so euer doeth thus shall doo God a greate sacrifice who wisheth not the deathe of a synner but rather that he may turne and lyue For that man doeth a great feate that preserueth the soule from deathe delyuerynge hys brother from synnes wherby he was holden in subieccyon of deathe Nether in the meane â—yme shall he wante hys rewarde for Christe shall forgeue hym hys synnes agayne how many so euer they be that shall kepe his brother from destrucâ—yon ¶ Thus endeth the epistle of S. Iames the apostle The argument vpon the fyrst Epistle of thapostle S. John by Erasmus of Roterodam THat this is Saincte Iohn thapostles epistle whiche wrote the Gospell the very stile of the wordes selfe is a playne argument He maketh muche a dooe in the rehersall of light and darckenes life and deathe hare and loue in often repetinge the wordes as though they were taken out of the sayinge nexte before Of the whiche sorte to open my saying more plainly by example this is one Loue not the Vuorlde nether those thinges that are in the VVorld Yf any manne loue the VVorlde the loue of the father is not in hym for all that is in the VVorlde c. And anon after He is not of the father but of the VVorlde and the Vuorlde passeth aVuaye How often here is the worlde rehearsed Fynally in all hys sayinge there is lesse compendyous shortenes and more open plainesse than in the writynge of the reste of thapostles And as for thepistle it is more euidently plaine than nedeth any argumente like as the two Epistles folowinge are whiche are ascribed to one Iohn a certayne senior and not to Iohn the apostle Thus endeth the Argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the firste Epistle of Sainct Iohn The fyrste Chapter The texte That which was from the beginnyng which we haue herd which we haue sene with our eyes which we haue loked vpon and oure handes haue handled of the worde of the lyfe And â—he lyfe appeared and we haue sene and beare witnes and shewe vnto you that eternall life whiche was with the father and appeared vnto vs. That whithe we haue sene and hearde declare we vnto you that ye also maye haue felowshyp
that neuer shal haue ende I haue written vnto you yongmen because you haue ouercome the ruflynge nycenesse of youth through the valiaunt strengthe of mynde and because you haue with a constaunte heart kepte the worde of the Gospell and haue by the helpe of Christ ouercome the Deuill the continuall enemye of mankynde Continue you styll in victorye contemne styll that whyche you haue hitherto contemned and loue more and more that you haue begon to loue The worlde enticeth by false imaginacions of transitorye goodes and frayeth with a vayne and false shewe of euilles As for you let those thinges fraye you whiche are euill in dede and neuer haue ende And let these thinges catche you that are good in dede and knowe none ende Folowe the lyght of the gospell and loue heauenly thynges whiche the heauenlye father promyseth vnto whom you are regenerate by Christ Flee the darknes of naughtie lustes wherby this worlde layeth bayte with countrefaict goodes It can not possiblie be that you can loue bothe at ones nor serue both at ones There is none agrement betwene God and the worlde there is no concorde betwene lyght and darknes whosoeuer loueth the worlde swarueth from the loue of God the father I speake not of this worlde which god made wherin we liue wil we nil we The wiked gredy desires of vayne thinges wherein the common sort of menne repose their felicitie forgetting the thinges that are truely good in dede I cal the world It is not the place howe farre of so euer it be not the raymente not the meate not the title that exemteth you froÌ„ the world but a mind that is pure from those desires yâ— I spake of And what hath this world that is not noisomly hurtful There are thre thinges yâ— it most chefely deceineth folishe vncircumspect folkes withall the voluptuous pleasure of the fleshe enticementes of the eies and hyghe statelynes and proude galauntnes of lyfe For it obiecteth certayne iugglinges of vayne pleasures to clawe the senses of the bodye withall for a tyme that the mynde maye in the meane while be called awaye from the studie of heauenlye good thynges For the desyre of suche maner of good thynges the heauenlye spirite suggesteth whom God the father geueth vnto his childreÌ„ that are truly regenerate by Christ The deuill hath also a spirite of his owne by whom he suggesteth a pernicious loue of thynges neyther true nor durable vnto them that haue bent themselues throughly vnto this worlde He suggesteth the naughtye sportes of lechery to title the meÌ„bres of the body withal through a folishe and a filthy itching delite He suggesteth the delite of fyne meates drinke to please yâ— paunche the mouth wÌ„al He suggesteth the swetnes of idlenes slepe that the mynde may waxe the more sluggishe throughe custume He suggesteth wanton songes and shameles fables to anoynt the eares withall He suggesteth the wanton enticementes of beawties and sondry kyndes of thinges to beholde to delite the eies withall He suggesteth the pompes and ioylitie of riches the occasions of ambicion Finally he allureth mennes myndes on euery parte awaye from the true and euerlasting good thinges vnto the vayne imaginacions of good thinges Let him that is entangled with the desire of these thinges knowe that he is not moued by the spirite of the heauenly father but by the spirite of the worlde The worlde lyke as it consisteth vpon elementes that endure but for a time euen so geueth it nothing but that whiche shall shortly perishe God like as he is eternall euen so geueth he freely euerlasting rewardes Therefore he that dependeth vpon the succours of the worlde foloweth a certayne felicitie that is both vayne and shall shortly be taken awaie which euen casualtie that commeth vnthought vpon plucketh away in this worlde or at lest age dispatcheth it Truly death that shall come vn to euery man plucketh quite awaye all the dreame of false pleasures Whan the mater is taken awaye the pleasure perisheth and sorowes come in place Whan the man is taken away al is gone to naught and euerlasting torment cometh in place But he that â—beieth vnto the father that calleth him vnto the loue of an heauenly lyfe his felicitie shal neuer haue ende For he that geueth it knoweth none ende The vnhurtfull commodities of this worlde are to be vsed for the tyme yea but smallye but moderately to the necessitie of nature not to the voluptuouse fulfylling of pleasure But the chiefe studye of mynde ought to be turned to the thynges that be eternall whereunto the vse of all other thynges ought also to be referred The text Lytell children it is the last time and as ye haue hearde howe that Antichrist shall come euen nowe are theremany begonne to be Antichristes already wherby we knowe that it is the laste tyme. They went out from vs but they were not of vs. For yf they had bene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs. But that it might appeare that they werenot of vs. Neuertheles ye haue an oyntment of him that is holy and ye knowe all thynges I haue not written vnto you as though ye knewe not the trueth but as thoughe ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of trueth Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe the same is Antichriste that denieth the father and the sonne Whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father he that knowledgeth the sonne hath the father also Let therefore abyde in you that same which ye heard from the begynnyng The felicitie of godly men doeth not yet appeare but it shal be manyfestly opened in the commyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ The wicked seme to lyue in the meane time swetely here in this worlde but euerlastinge sorowe heâ—geth ouerthem and that shortly For the laste tyme semeth to be present wherin the course of thinges being turned vpsyde downe those shall rayne with Christe that are formented nowe for Christes sake and they shal be brought to naught whiche be nowe rebelles agaynst Christe You haue hearde that Antichrist shall come who being armed with all the mayntenaunce and iugglinges of this worlde shoulde kepe warre against Christe and by and by when Antichriste is ouercomme againe the body of Christe shal be deliuered from all euils and the membres of the deuill shall be laden with the burthens of all euilles Therfore the commynge of thys Antichrist of whom the Apostles tolde you before semeth not to be farre of For thys worlde hath so muche preuayled agaynste the doctrine of the Gospell that there are begonne euen nowe all readye to be a great sorte that deserue the name of Antichrist whose lyfe and doctrine and all theyr hole studye is agaynst Christ For what appeare they to be elles than Antichristes gentilmen husshers and the last tokens of the plage to come For they do lesse hurt vnto Christes people that be vtterly strauÌ„gers from Christ than those that
and hathe to doe in them whiche being addicte to worldly delices fight agaynst the spirite of Christe The texte Lytell children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde They are of the worlde therfore speake they of the worlde and the worlde heareth them We are of God He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of god heareth vs not Herby knowe we the spirite of veritie and the spirite of erroure Dearely beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of god And euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God â—e that loueth not knoweth not god for God is loue In this appeared the loue of god to vs warde because that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we might lyue thorowe him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agrement for our synnes There is no cause why you should be afrayed of these sortes of men litell children Forasmuch as you are of god and haue his spirite you haue by him ouercome the Antichristes In dede you of youre selues are but weake but he that dwelleth in you is greater and myghtier than he that dwelleth in the worlde The deuill fighteth agaynst you by hys membres but God by his spirit defendeth you They forasmuche as they perteyne to the fashion of the worlde and haue receyued the spirite of the worlde are wisely skilled in the worlde and talke of worldely matters and their doctrine is acceptable gear vnto them which are also geuen them selues vnto the worlde No man dooeth lyghtly beleue that he is an enemye to those thinges whiche he behemently loueth They loue earthie thynges their doctrine sauoureth of the earth We are of god he that knoweth hym in dede he knoweth him that loueth him herkeneth vnto vs whiche teache heauenly thinges matters worthy of god He yâ— is not of god heareth not vs but abhorreth froÌ„ the gospelles doctrine which biddeth meÌ„ geue away their ryches defye voluptuous pleasures to reioyce in affliccions to esteme euen life it selfe of no value for righteousnes sake to loke for the rewarde of well done dedes in the resurreccion which they either beleue shal not come at all or woulde not haue it to happen which doctryne coÌ„maundeth also through sincere loue to spend euen a mans life for his neighbours sake where as the man of a worldely spirite prouideth for his owne coÌ„moditie at al handes yea euen with wronging of his brother By these tokens therfore you may knowe the true spirite of god from the false spirite of the worlde Therfore dearely beloued forasmuche as we are of god not of the worlde let vs loue eche one other let euery one serue his neighbours profites rather than his own for loue is of god He therfore that is garnisshed with this loue is borne of god doeth truly knowe god And he that is voide of loue hath not yet knoweÌ„ god because god hiÌ„selfe is loue He geueth him selfe vnto vs as often as he geueth vs his loue He hath declared his loue to vs ward that we should also declare ours towards our neighbour But some man wil say we acknowlage the soÌ„nes charitie but wherby doe we knowe the fathers loue towardes vs Forsothe by this that he sent his onely sonne than the whiche he hath nothing more dearer in to this worlde gaue him vnto death that we by his death shoulde atteyne euerlastyng lyfe And this is also a greater and a more notable miracle of loue that beinge prouoked by no good turne of ours he loued vs so e notablie He that loueth his louer agayne is nothing but thankeful and should haue no humanitie except he dyd it We loued the worlde and were turned from the loue of god and yet God loued vs fyrst and of hys owne accorde And when he was iustly offended at oure synnes neyther was there anye manne vpon yearthe boyde of synne that coulde reconcile vs vnto hym for it behoueth hym to be full of grace that muste make intercession vnto hym that is offended for suche as bee malefactors he sente hys sonne downe from heauen to sacrifice hymselfe vnto the father and with thys most pure oblacion to make hym mercyfull vnto vs. What canne be Imagined more notable than thys loue what can be thought more feruent what can be imagined more plenteous The texte Dearely beloued yf god so loued vs we oughte also to loue one another No man hath sene god at anye tyme. Yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs and hys loue is perfecte in vs. Hereby knowe wee that wee dwell in hym and he in vs because he hathe geuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and doe testifie that the father sent the sonne to bee Sauiour of the worlde Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god in hym dwelleth god and he in god And wee haue knowen and beleue the loue that God hathe to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in god and god in hym Herein is the loue perfecte in vs that wee shoulde haue truste in the daye of iudgemente For as he is euen so are wee in thys worlde I here is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynfulnes â—e that feareth is not perfecte in loue We loue hym for he loued vs fyrste Yf a man saye I loue god and yet hate his brother he is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene loue god whoÌ„ he hath not sene And this commaundement haue we of him that he whiche loueth god shoulde loue his brother also Dearely beloued yf God whiche hathe no nede of vs of hys owne accorde and wyllyngly hath so muche loued vs we ought also after hys example to loue eche one other The sonne of God shewed hym selfe visiblye vnto vs but no man hath sene God the father at any tyme with his bodily eies and yet he is perceyued by the euident tokens of thynges We feele hym angrye we fele hym mercyfull we fele hym to be absent we fele hym to be presente We are hable to testifie our mutuall loue towardes God by none other argumente than yf we loue euery one other lyke as he hathe loued vs. He loued vs frely without cause he loued vs for thys purpose to saue vs. Yf we loue eche one other after such wise god which is loue as I sayed abydeth in vs. It is a coÌ„mune loue to beare good wil to him yâ— deserueth well to loue hym that is hable to requite oure loue and to testifie our good will with one good turne for an other but yâ— loue of god is perfite towardes vs. He loued vs of his own accorde he loued vs being straungers he loued vs of whome no maner requitall coulde returne to hym agayne he loued vs eueÌ„ to the
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
worke faith in thyne herte for else shalt thou remaine euermore faithlesse fayne thou ymagin thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen suche fayth and is called Goddes righteousnes or righteousnes that is of valoure before God For it is Goddes gyfte and it altereth a man and chaungeth him to a newe spirituall nature and maketh him fre and liberall to paye euery manne his duetie For thorow faith is a manne purged of his sinnes and obteineth luste vnto the lawe of God wherby he geueth God his honour and paieth him that he oweth him and vnto men he doeth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his dutie Such righteousnes can nature fre will and our owne strength neuer bring to passe For as no maÌ„ can geue him selfe fayth so can he not take away vnbelefe howe then can he take awaye any thyng at all Wherfore all is false ypocrisy syn what soeuer is done without faith or in vnbelefe as it is euident in the xiiiâ— Chap. vnto yâ— Romains though it appere neuer so glorious or beautifull outwardes Flesh spirite mayst thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were only that which pertaineth vnto vnchastitie the spirite that whiche inwardly pertaineth to the hearte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn .iii. Al that is borne of flesh the is to were the whole man with life soule body witte wil reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within without because that these al and all that is in man study after the worlde and the fleshe Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as longe as we are without the spirite of God we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all workes whiche are done withoute grace and without the workynge of the spirite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seme to bee as thou mayest proue by the .v. Chap. vnto the Galathians wher Paul numbreth worshipping of ydols witchecrafte enuy and hate amonge the dedes of the fleshe and by the .viii. vnto the Romaynes where he sayeth that the lawe by the reason of the fleshe is weake Whiche is not vnderstande of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and moste specially of vnbelefe whiche is a vice moste spirituall and ground of all sinnes And as thou callest him which is not renewed with the spirite and borne againe in Christ flesh and all his dedes euen the very mocions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine contemplacion of hie thinges his preachinge teaching and study in the scripture bildinge of churches foundinge of abbeys geuyng of almes masse mattence whatsoeuer he doth though it seme spirituall after the lawes of God So contrary wyse call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and al his dedes which springe of faith seme they neuer so grosse as the washynge of the disciples fete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurreccion yea and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall yf they proceade of fayth and whatsoeuer is done with iÌ„ the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shoes such lyke how soeuer grosse they appeare outward Without suche vnderstandyng of these wordes canste thou neuer vnderstande this epistell of Paul nether any other place in the holy scripture Take hede therfore for whosoeuer vnderstandeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstandeth not Paul whatsoeuer he bee Nowe will we prepare oure selues vnto the epistle For as muche as it becometh the preacher of Christes glad tydynges fyrst thorowe openinge of the lawe to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thinges synne that procede not of the spirite and of fayth in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and how that to synne is theyr nature and that by nature they cannot otherwise do then to synne and therwith to abate the pryde of man and to brynge hym vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserye and wretchednes that he might desyre helpe Euen so doeth saynct Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grosse synnes whiche all men se as ydolatrye and as the grosse synnes of the hethen were and as the synnes nowe are of all them whiche liue in ignorance without fayth and without the fauoure of God and sayeth The wrathe of God of heauen appereth thorow the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodlynes and vnholye liuynge For though it be knowen and dayly vnderstande by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of her selfe without the spirite grace so corrupt so poisoned that men nether can thanke him nether worshippe him nether geue him his due honour but blinde them selues fall without ceasing into worse case euen vntyll they come vnto worshyppyng of ymages and workyng of shamefull synnes which are abominable and agaynst nature and moreouer suffre the same vnrebuked in other hauing delectacion and pleasure therin In the .ii. Chapter he proceadeth further and rebuketh all those holye people also whiche without luste and loue to the lawe lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde and condemne other gladly as the nature of al ypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respecte of open sinners and yet hate the lawe inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuye and of all vnclennes Mat .xxiij. These are they whiche despise the goodnes of God and according to the hardenes of theyr heartes heape together for them selues the wrathe of God Furthermore saynct Paul as a true expounder of the lawe suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that al they are vnder synne whiche of fre wil and of nature will liue well and suffreth them not â—o be better then the open synners yea he calleth them harde herted and suche as cannot repente In the .iii. Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onelye that the Iewes had the worde of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not theron yet is goddes trueth and promise thereby nether hurte nor minished and he taketh in hys waye and allegeth the sayinge of the L. Psal that God myght abyde true in hys woordes and ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to hys purpose agayne and proueth by the scripture that all men without difference or excepcion are synners and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified but that the lawe was geuen to vtter and to declare synne onely Then he beginneth and sheweth the righte waye vnto rightewesnes by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe and sayeth They are all synners and without prayse before God and muste without their own deseruinges be made righteous thorow faith in Christ whiche hathe deserued suche ryghteousnes for vs and is become vnto
yet howe to be more worthe than his wyues dowrye was but holy geueth himselfe to Christe thinkyng that he hath al his desyre yf he onely please hym On the othersyde albeit that he whiche is maried partly serue God yet some seruice oweth he to his wyfe and to suche thinges as apertayne to matrimonie And lykewyse is it in the woman forasmuche as she is not wholy at her owne libertie she cannot wholy serue Christe but by reason that she is diuersly troubled partely serueth Christe and partely her housbande But the virgin or single woman hath no care els but to please Christe her spouse whom she canne none otherwyse please but by chaste lyuyng without corrupcion not in bodye onely but also in mynde But the maried woman muste nedes betwixte Christe and her husbande deuyde herselfe in suche sorte endeuouringe to please Christe that she yet displease not her husbande to whome she oweth obedience Nowe this is the ende of all that I haue sayd wherin I somuche prayse single life leste any man mistake it not to take from you the libertie to marie or not marye or by necessitie to compelle you to anye kinde of lyfe which ye cannot phantasie but with frendly counsell to tender your weale that when ye knowe that ye maye frely do ether of both ye incline thytherwarde and chose that rather whiche hath not onlye honestie in it but also therwith libertie annexed wherby it shall be lawfull for the single person in suche sorte wholy with all obedience and loue to gyue hym selfe to the Lorde Iesus Christ that no wordly trouble or care shal be able at any time to withdraw him from thesame But this let euery man vprightly weigh with himselfe whether that waye whiche he seeth honorable free he thinke the same ieopardles such as he is disposed vnto For he that feareth leste he fall into any reproch or infamie yf he ouer long kepe his daughter a virgine at home being already mariage able mynded to thesame the matter selfe requireth no lesse good leaue geue I him to doe as he shal thinke expedient to be done For albeit as I sayed matrimony haue bondage care adioyned yet is it without sinne both honest and lawfull also for some necessary Let therfore the father in syght of the worlde in season prouyde for his daughter a husbande leste she by stelth doe that shamfully which done in matrimonie standeth with honestie But yf the father seeyng hymselfe to stande in full freedom to mary his daughter or not mary and not to be compelled to eyther of both partes of necessitie purposed and surely in his harte decreed to kepe her a virgin styll in asmuche as she is not desyrouse to be maried he doth well For as it is not ieopardles to stay and lette one that is of mariage desyrous so is it not godly to discourage a maydens mynde from her loue and godly desyre of chastitie He therfore whiche for feare of peryll marieth his daughter beyng desyrouse of mariage doeth well But he that moueth not a maydens minde to mariage whiche is desyrouse to lyue continually chaste but is glad to please the godly desyre of the mayden doeth better For besyde the honestie of the profession this also shall the virgine gayne that she shall haue leysure wholy and without intermission to serue her spouse Christe For other intent and purpose is there none why any should seke for the lybertie of single lyfe In the syght of God a more cōmendable thyng is it in the state of matrimony to bestowe in Gods seruice as muche tyme as is lefte after necessarie busynesse done than to abuse the pretence of virginitie to ryote idlenes or licencious lyuyng So farre therfore am I from restrayning virgines from theyr fyrst mariage that wheras the worlde lytle estemeth the seconde mariage I let not euen wydowes to marry again What is for euery mā profitable it belongeth not to me particularly to prescribe and apoynte Herein let euery man with hymselfe take aduise What may be doen without offence that declare I. A virgine may lawfully marry because she is free A maryed woman is not in lyke freedome nor may so doe but hath bounde her selfe vnto her husbande with the bonde of matrimonie duryng the tyme of his lyfe This bonde is by nothyng broken but by onely death For whosoeuer maryeth for this purpose maryeth that the knotte made in mariage should not be broken But yf the husbande dye then is the wyfe free agayne so that yf she mynde to marry agayne she may marry whom she wyll so that it be a christian maryage that is to saye neyther desyred for filthy pleasures sake nor contracte with one that is of an other religion And yet as I graunt that she synneth not whiche maryeth agayne so iudge I her muche more happy whiche for desyre of godly life standeth and abydeth in the lybertie that to her is restored But this commaunde I not them as necessarie to be folowed but councell it as a thyng more commodiouse And this nowe heare you the councell of a man but yet such as is well agreing wyth the wyll of Christe whiche by his owne mouthe teacheth many thynges and muche also by his seruauntes And synce I am both his Apostle and haue as I verely thinke receyued his spirite as other Apostles haue my councell with you should not be of small weyght and authoritie ¶ The .viii. Chapter The texte ▪ As touchynge thynges offred vnto ymages we are sure that we all haue knowledge Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifyeth If any man thynke that he knoweth any thynge he knoweth nothynge yet as he ought to knowe But yf any man loue God the same is knowen of hym As concerning the eating of those thinges that are offred vnto ydols we are sure that the image is nothing in the worlde and that there is none other God but one And though there be that are called Gods whether in heauen other in erath as there be Goddes many and Lordes many yet vnto vs is there but one God which is the father of whom are all thynges and we for hym and one Lorde Iesus Christe by whome are all thynges and we by hym TOuchyng the questions concernyng matrimonie I thynke ye are sufficiently aunswered vnto because ye shall hencefurthe vpon suche matters with soundry opinions eche one of you nomore striue with other Now because I know that ye doubt whether it be lawfull for a christian manne to eate the flesh of any beast offered vnto idolles whiche fleshe the painyms take for holy in this question also this is my mynde Some there be among you which because they know that an idole is nothyng but eyther tymber or brasse or stone and that therfore the fleshe that vnto them is offered in very dede nothyng differeth from other fleshe and that a mannes conscience canne with no kynde of meate bee defiled abusyng
in his trauayle amonge so many daungerous mutacions of thinges For I am not all ignoraunt what combrous stormes the lyfe of such as be preachers is endaungered withall Fynally as it is the propretye of our profession I wyshe him peace and concorde and that he loke not to receyue these benefites of the worlde whose succours are but vayne nether of Moses because it is a pernicious matier to haue any trust in his shadowes sence the true lighte of the gospell shoone clearly forthe ne yet of any other mortall man but of god the father who forsaketh not those that faithfully trust in him of his sonne Iesus Christ our lorde who lyke as he hath all thinges commune with the father euē so he fayleth not to helpe those that haue ones wholy committed them selues vnto his fidelitie as faithfull seruauntes that depende all together of suche a maister as none is to be compared vnto him either in goodnesse or power Thou knowest naturall deare sonne what hurly burly we had and what daungyer of our lyfes we were in to wynne some congregacion vnto Christe and it is not vnknowen vnto the howe dilygentlye the false apostles watche in euery place goe about to drawe vnto Moses those lately entred yonglinges whom we haue gathered together vnto the gospel for none other purpose but to get a flocke of dysciples to them selues and to be had in estimacion among the commune people And as for me my studye is to enlarge the deminions of the gospelles possession to the vttermoost of my power so that neuertheles we maye maynteyne that that is all ready gotten To be shorte forasmuche as we can not be personally present in all places we must nedes accomplyshe that whiche is behynde partely with sendynge of Epistles partly by the ministerie of felowe officers In consyderacion wherof at such tyme as I went againe into Macedonia about the necessarie affaires of the gospel bycause the Ephesiās shoulde not be vtterly destitute of me I left the there euē as my selfe to haue the autoritie as a notable vicegerent in so excellent and so paynefull an office Thou seest the generall sorte of men wonderfullye enclyned bothe to supersticion and vnto curious artes notwithstandyng the glorye of the gospel is so muche the more highly aduaunced And again there be aduersaries so many and so cruell that we had nede to set both fete fast to the grounde as they saye that we stande stronglye against them Wherfore the thing that whan I went thence I required the to doe the same beyng now absent I eftsones beseche and praye the to doe that is that thou warne some corrupte apostles there whose names I passe ouer aduysedly at this tyme lest beyng therby prouoked they waxe more shameles that they defyle not ne subuert the pure doctrine of the gospel that we taught to the Ephesians with their new doctrine And on the other parte warne the faithfull flocke before hande that they geue not light eare nor intendaunce to suche false apostles to their owne peryll for they teache not those thinges that auayle to eternall saluacion and are worthye the gospel of Christ but cloute in a sorte of vnfrutefull Iewyshe fables touching the supersticious constitucions of men which auayle not a rote to true godlines of a perplexe ordre of pedegree rehearsed from grandefathers great grandefathers and great great grandefathers as thoughe the gyfte of saluacion taught in the gospel were deriued vnto vs by corporall lynage descending from a sorte of degrees of sondry auncetours and not rather by heauēly goodnes powred once vntuersally vpon all them that embrace the fayth of the gospel And this geare they preache not to the glorye of Christ but partly that they them selues maye be had in pryce amonge you to be commended for noble doctours partly to the intent forasmuche as the gospelles doctrine is playne and symple eyther to be taken for so muche the greater learned men bycause they can cloute in a meignye of doubtefull dyfficulties that neuer can be made playne and a sorte of riedles that haue no exposicion as thoughe those thinges were not mooste beste that are moost playne The gospel bryngeth saluacion to the beleuer in a small towme But this kynde of mennes doctrine bryngeth in question vpon question and not onely is nothing auayleable vnto heauenly godlynes that God geueth vs throughe faythe but also it turneth vp syde downe the chyefe poynt of the gospelles religion Whosoeuer beleueth purely passeth not vpon questions And he that knytteth and vnknitteth the knottes of questions what other thing doeth he teache men but to stande in doubte Curiositie of questionyng is an aduersarye to fayeth Yf they beleue God what a doe haue they to quarell with his promysses Yf the faythe and loue of the gospel geue saluacion without muche a doe to what purpose are mennes phantasies myngled with all as cuttynge of the foreskynne wasshynge of handes choyse of meates and obseruacion of dayes They make vaunt vnto you that the lawe was geuen of god and yet those that teache it teache it more greuously than learnedly and vnderstande not the summe nor the ende of the lawe Wherto should a man labour for saluacion by meanes of so many wiery obseruacions seyng he maye let them alone and flye streight waye to the prycke it selfe That mā is conynglye learned ynough in Moses lawe that hathe atteyned the effectes of the law To be briefe the thing that comprehēdeth accomplisheth al the whole efficacie of Moses lawe in a shorte summe is loue in case it procede from a pure herte and an vpright conscience and an vnfeyned faith without holownes A perfite syncere loue telleth a great deale ryghtelyer what is to be doen than any constitucions howe many soeuer they be In case this loue be presente what nede the prescriptes of the lawe yf it be not present what auayleth the obseruacion of the lawe An humayne loue because it is many times blotted with affecciōs standeth many tymes with a corrupte conuersacion and somtymes comprehendeth not a full entier trust in god But the Euangelicall loue is of this propertie that it neuer deceaueth neuer wauereth and can neuer ceasse from doynge godly For it geueth respecte to none other purpose but to the glorye of Christ and cōmoditie of his neighbour ne dependeth of any other but onely of Christ Of this pricke forasmuche as some mysse therfore in stedde of the sure doctrine of Christ they strawe abrode vayne smokes mystes of Iewishe questions to thintent they might seme gaye doctours of the law and set out them selues with vayne bablyng whan they vnderstande not for all that the specialties of those thinges that they speake of nor wherof they affirme For all the whole lawe of Moses although it be otherwyse dyuerse and dyffuse is collected into Christe alone Than seyng the lawe selfe applieth vnto Christ it is shame for a man to professe him selfe a doctoure of the
with gentyll remedyes Therfore not onely the iudgement of god touching thy synceritie not onely myne example not onely thyne owne profession and in yâ— thou arte a souldiour of Christ but also suche mennes abominable example ought to kyndle thy harte to doe thyne offyce throughly as thou shouldest doe The .ii. Chapter The texte ¶ I exhorte therfore that aboue all thinges prayers supplicacions intercessions and geuyng of thankes be had for all men for kynges and for all that are in auctorite that we maye lyue a quiete and a peaceable life with all godlynes auâ— honesty For that is good and accepted in the syght of god our sauioure whiche wyll haue all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the trueth For there is one God and one mediatoure betwene God and man euen the man Christ Jesus whiche gaue hym selfe a raunsome for all men that it shoulde be testifyed at his tyme whenunto I am ordeyned a preacher and an Apostle I tell the trueth in Christ and lye not beynge the teacher of the Gentyls wiâ—â— faith and veritie IT is not ynoughe for the to be without fault thy selfe but it is the parte of a byshop to prescriâ—e also vnto other what is necessarye for them to doe And those ought to be suche thinges as maye appeare worthy an Euangelical conscience To be briefe it standeth them in hande that professe Christ to be moost ferre of â—â—om desyre of reuengement from desyre of hurte doing and from all kynde of dyspleasure Therfore see thou exhorte those that thyne are to begynne the first thing they doe in the mornynge to vse godlynes and to worshyp Christ And first of al let them praye to god to put awaye all thinges that trouble and disquiet the state of Religion and of the commune wealthe Than let them aske of him those thinges that are auayleable to godlye doyng and to the tranquillitie of the commune wealth This doen let them beseache Christe nothing elles against suche as persecute his flocke but his ayde and succoure Laste of all let thankes be rendred vnto him for those thinges that by goddes goodnes haue happened and earnest supplicacions made for the thinges that haue not yet happened And let these be doen not onely for the Christians but for all maner of men also lest Christian loue shoulde appeare to be but a straite laced loue as though it fauoured none but of his owne sorte but set it be extended abrode in moost large maner after thexample of god bothe to the good and to the badde lyke as he beyng parfitely good and beneficiall to all as much as in him is bestoweth his sonne to shyne vnto the iuste and also to the vniust And in asmuche as god geueth vs publique quietnesse by meanes of Ethnike rulers it is reason that thankes be rendâ—ed also for them â–ª And it is vncertayne to vs whether that ruler beyng a wycked ymage worshypper shall in shorte space receyue the gospel For that cause Christian loue wyssheth the saluacioÌ„ of al. The Iewe loueth the Iewe the newly entred into a secte loueth his lyke the Greke loueth the greke the borther loueth the brother the kynsman loueth the kynsman This is not a Gospellyke loue but that is a gospellyke loue that loueth the godlye for Christ and loueth the wycked that they maye once re pente and turne vnto Christ They doe sacrifice vnto deuylles and curse y ou bytterlye And you contrary wyse cleaue harde to the fotesteppes of Christe who whan he was exalted vpon the crosse and was reuiled with such spyght full rebukes as were more greuous than the punyshemente of the crosse selfe he gaue none euyll wordes againe he cursed not bytterly againe but with an excedynge great crye besought the father to forgeue them And praier is to be made not onely for yâ— who le general sorte of meÌ„ but also especially for kinges yea though they be Ethnikes and straungiers from the profession of Christe and for all them that after the publique ordre of the worlde are set in any autoritie And let not this moue you that of them we be afflicted we be beaten we be caste in pryson we be put to death Rather theyr blyndenes is to be pitied and not malyce requitte with malyce Or elles they shalbe neuer the better and we shall ceasse also to be Christians This waye pleased Christe as a waye of mooste speciall efficacie wherwith he woulde haue all dryuen to him selfe And thoughe there be some vpon whom our loue is lost yet wee wyll not geue ouer to be lyke oure selues for al that This world hath his ordre which it is not expedyent that we shoulde dysquyet seyng it is our duetye to procure peace in euery place Their power and autoritie in some purpose doeth seruice vnto the iustyce of God in that they holde vnder the euyll doers with punishementes in that they kept the naughtye ones in their duetie doing in that they put awaye robberyes in that with their martiall powers they defende the publique peace in that they gouerne the commune wealthe with their lawes These thinges albeit they doe not for the loue of Christ yet in a generaltye it is not expedient that the state of the commune wealth shoulde be dysturbed by meanes of vs lest the doctrine of the gospell shoulde seme a sedicious doctrine and than we shoulde begynne to runne in a hatered not bycause we professe Christe but bycause we hynder the publique peace And in case they abuse their power vpon vs at any tyme it is a Christian mans parte to forget the euyll turnes and remembre the good turne In this we are bounden to their autoritie in this we are boundeÌ„ to their defence and marciall powers yea we are rather bounden to God by them in this that we maye be safe from sedicions safe from robbynge safe from battayles and leade a quiet lyfe without trouble It woulde doe well to haue in remembraunce what a greate sea of myschiefes the hurly burly of warre bryngeth in with it and what coÌ„modities peace hath in it Many are the myschiefes that beggerly nede of necessarie thinges procureth Peace bryngeth plentie In peace there is oportunitie to vse godlynesse and warre teacheth all maner of wyckednes Our profession loueth chaste behauiour and in warre who can be safely chaste as he shoulde be And thoughe men for the moost parte abuse the benefyte of peace to wycked sensuall purposes yet for all that let vs vse the publique peace to the seruing of god and integritie of honest manners obeying princes in the meane season in al thinges that they eyther commaunde vs rightely accordinge to their office or elles doe nothing vnto vs but make vs punyshed persons and not wicked persons They take awaye our substaunce but yet no parte of our honestye is dyminished They lade vs with fetters but they drawe vs not away from Christ They slea the body and sende vs ouer to the hauen of immortalitie
as mooste plentuous witnesses of thyne affection and mutuall loue towardes me By reason wherof I am fylled all together full of ioye whan it commeth to my mynde howe paynlye thou resemblest me in the sinceritie of faythe as a naturall sonne his father And lyke as the integritie of religioÌ„ was in me as it were by enheritauÌ„ce euen so this sinceritie of fayth semeth to be geuen to the by the handes of thyne elders For it dwelt stedfastly fyrst in thy GraÌ„demother Lois thaÌ„ after by by in thy mother Eunica I doubt not but thou wilt become accordigly like a neuew to so right a religious graÌ„dmother a sonne to so right a good mother seing thou hast ben more desyrous to be like to theÌ„ thaÌ„ to thy kyndred of thy fathers syde The texte Wherfore I warne the that thou stiere vp the gyfte of god which is in the by the puttyng on of my handes For god hath not geuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue of sobrenes Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testimony of our lorde nether be ashamed of me which am his prysoner but suffer thou aduersitie with the ghospell accordyng to the power of god which saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not accordyng to our dedes but accordyng to his owne purpose and grace which was geueÌ„ vs thorow Christ Iesu before the worlde began but iâ— now declared openly by yâ— appearyng of our sauiour Iesus Christ which hath put awaye death hath broughte lyft and immortalitie vnto lyght thorowe the gospel wherunto I am appoynted a preacher and Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffre these thinges Neuerthelesse I am not ashamed â–ª For I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is able to kepe that which I haue committed to his kepyng agaynst yâ— day These thinges I remeÌ„bre the of so as thou mayest be of yâ— better courage both by the example of vs and of thyne elders to stiere vp by thyne industrye diligence the gifte of God which thou receyuedst by the laying on of mine handes whan thou waste ordayned a Byshop and boldely and without shrynkynge to accomplyshe the office commytted vnto thee feare not any mens barkinges nor the rageing crueltie of persecutours It is the propertie of Iewes to be afrayed of those thinges that this present life occasioneth but vnto vs whiche through beleuing of the gospell are made the children of God he hathe geuen a ferre other maner spirite not to make vs afrayed discouraged for feare distrust but through an assured trust of innoceÌ„cie hope of yâ— promised immortalitie to be bolde lusty through loue to be free ful of courage eueÌ„ as loue both trusteth altogether vpoÌ„ gods succour shrinketh not for his neyghbours sake to abyde daungier Finally a spirite yâ— suffreth not vs to be disturbed â—â— our mynd but causeth vs alwaies to perseuer to th ende with a whole a preâ—â—â— ready herte Forasmuch thaÌ„ as yâ— hast receyued this spirit set forth his power declare stoutely the thyng the thou hast Be not ashamed of thy profession wherby thou preachest the crosse death of our lord Iesu Christ nor be ashamed to be a disciple of his Apostle though I am ladeÌ„ with these bondes There is nothing more glorious thaÌ„ the crosse of Christ yâ— gaue saluatioÌ„ to yâ— world yâ— brake the deuiles tirannye yâ— hath obteined vs immortalitie Christes crosse is our glory These cheanes the I willingly suffre for the ghospelles busines sake are not to my slaunder but to my glorie rather Therefore refuse not to suffre those thynges that Christ suffred and that I suffre for hys sake But be thou ready also to come into the felowshyppe of afflyctions that are layed vpon vs for the ghospell of Christe What so euer chaunceth there is no cause why we shoulde be afrayed for the matier is not done by oure strengthes but by the succour of God We are feble in dede but he is mightye whiche whan we were lost saued vs by the death of hys sonne hauynge done awaye the trespasses of oure former conuersation and hathe called vs vnto holynes not for any merites of ours but beyng enforced by hys own wil and free goodnes that he bestowed vpon vs not vpon anye late aduisemente but from euerlastynge and before all tyme afore the makynge of thys worlde it was decreed of him to geue these thinges vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christ The matter is no newes to him but that thing that was alwayes in the secret of his mynde he hath lately declared to the worlde by the commyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe who hauyng receyued a bodye subiecte to death hath dispatched awaye death by the crosse and by hys resurreccion hath opened lyfe and immortalitie throughe the preachynge of the ghospell whiche promyseth lyke rewardes vnto them that folowe the exaumple of Christes crosse Thys ghospell preachynge is committed vnto me as the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles to the intent they maye learne by me that not onely the Iewes are called to this gyfte of God but also all mankynde vniuersallye Forasmuche than as I am tyed in cheynes for the ghospelles sake I am not onely nothyng ashamed of thys affliccion but also I esteme it for a pure greate glorye vnto me To suffre for naughtye dedes doyng it is a reproche but to be afflicted for the glorye of Christe it is excellent This stormye tyme doeth feare me nothyng at all For althoughe I am weake yet I knowe and am assured that he whom I haue put my faythfull trust in is hable ynoughe to kepe vnto the vttermost daye the thing that I haue committed to his fidelitie Throughe his ayde bothe the gospelles busines and my saluation and also the prosperitie of the christian flocke is in sauegarde And albeit anye thynge here in thys worlde seme to perishe for a tyme yet whan that daye shall come in the whyche he shall expresse his myghtie power vnto the worlde he shall restore it wyth greate gayne I haue layed my life and my healthe in his handes and he hathe put me in truste to dispence the doctrine of the gospell In case I shall be a trustye fayth keper he wyll not fayle my trust The texte â–ª Se that thou haue the ensample of the holsome wordes which thou hast heard of me with fayth loue that is in Christ Iesu That good thing which was committed to thy keping â—old fast through the holy gost which dwelleth in vs. This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned froÌ„ me Of which sort are Phigelus and Hermogenes The Lord geue mercy vnto the housholde of Onesiphorus for he ofte refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and founde me The lorde graunte vnto hym that he maye fynde
the with pleÌ„teousnes to releue mo mo so yâ— there be no office of christian charitie but that thou maye be both acquaynted and tried in it The thynges that thou hast hitherto done already occasion vs to conceaue a more sure confidence in thee that we dare be bolde to recken vpon the in maters of greater weyghte For whan I doe consider that all that Christians haue are comâ—â—ne I am not a little ioyous and euen in these affliccions it was no smal coÌ„forte to me that thou o my brother waste so ready to deserue well of al men by â—â—â—nes of thy loue wherwith thou haste refreshed the sainctes heartes that are â—â—liicted with the sorowes of this worlde For in thys thy doing thou declarest â—y selfe to be a ryght brother The texte Wherfore thoughe I myght be bolde in Christ to commuande thee that whiche was â—y dewtye to do yet for loues sake I rather beseche the though I be as I am euen olde Paul and now a prisoner of Iesu Christ I beseche the for my sonne Onesimus whom I 〈◊〉 begotten in my bondes whiche in tyme passed was to the vnprofytable but nowe profitable both to the and to me whom I haue sent home agayne Thou therefore reâ—â—ue him that is to say myne owne bowels whom I woulde fayne haue retayned with me that in thy steade be myght haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the ghospell Neuertheles without thy mynde woulde I do nothyng that the good which thou doest should not be as it were of necessitie but wyllyngly Wherfore hauyng the experience of these so many matters whereby thou declarest thy selfe to be a true folower of Christ I trusted excedynglye that I myght obteyne of the what I wyll albeit I commaunded the only as the father his sonne and as an Apostle his disciple namely in a matter of it selfe indifferent and agreable to the gospelles doctryne that thou professest whiche commaundeth that we by experience felynge the mercye of the Lorde in forgeuyng our debte shoulde lykewyse forgeue other yet I had rather to obteyne this at thyne handes by charitie than by myne authoritie and I woulde rather desire the as one brother desyreth another than commaunde the as a maister his scholar And thou shalt not disdayne suche a desyrour For in what thyng canst thou saye me naye that I desyre the yea euen I fyrst Paule whan I speake of Paule I meane maters vnto the that are not small than an olde man And muche is wonte to be graunted to a man for his age sake But thys geare is no nouelties to thee And nowe also a prisoner And in makyng of desyres euen the miserie of the besecher hath no small weight Last of al I am the prysoner of Christe Iesu And to suche a prisoner all ought to beare their fauour that professe the doctrine of Christe To a man that desyreth by so manye wayes thou couldest not saye nay althoughe he shoulde entreate the for anye man But nowe I entreate thee for my sonne whom I loue so muche the more renderly that I begate him not vnto Moses but vnto Christ not to the world but to the ghospell yea and I begate hym in my bondes nowe whan I shall shortely goe out of this worlde For parentes are wonte to loue their chyldren more inwardely whom they begate in their extreme olde age This is euen Onesimus that in tymes past whan he had robbed his mayster tunne a waye frome hym litell agreably to hys owne name that is to wete profytable and trustie nowe is cleane chaunged into an other sort and shal not only be trusly for thy profyte herafter but also he was profytable to me wyth hys seruyce in pryson Therfore I sende him to the home agayne for nowe he is become an other man And yf thou be the man that I trust thou art and yf olde Paule the prisoners commendacion standeth of any effecte with the thou shall receyue Onesimus not nowe as a runneagate seruaunt but as the thynges that I sâ—â— moost stoore by and my syngularly welbeloued sonne It is agaynst my wyll that I sende him home agayne For I had rather kepe him styll with me if it were but for this cause that he should represent thee vnto me in these bondes For I doubt not but inasmuche as thou shewest so muche charitie towardes all others for the ghospelles sake thou woldest in case thou were here minisâ—â—â— also to me in these bondes where with I am tyed for the gospelles sake But nowe he is founde vnsought for by whom thou mayest ministre vnto me beyng absent thy selfe Howbeit I woulde do nothing without thyne aduise â—â—â— yf in vsyng myne autoritie I shoulde do it vpon myne owne head although thou wouldest haue taken my dede in good parte yet thy well doinge should haue the lesse commendacion yf it semed to be ioyned with any necessitie Not I sent him home agayne so as it maye be in thy choyse eyther to kepe hymâ—â—â—â— with the or to sende him to me agayne Yf thou sende him agayne thy doinge shall haue so muche the more prayse in that it is not enforced but freely doâ—â— and of thyne owne mynde The texte For happly he therfore departed for a season that thou shouldest receaue him for euer not now as a seruaunt but aboue a seruasit euen a brother beloued specially to me but how much more vnto the both in yâ— fleshe also in yâ— lord If yâ— couÌ„te me therfore a felow receaue hym as my selfe If he haue done the any hurt or oweth the oughte yâ— laye to my charge I Paul haue writteÌ„ it with mine own hand I wyl tecoÌ„pence it So yâ— I do not say to the how yâ— thou owest vnto me euen thâ—ne own selfe also EueÌ„ so brother let me enioy the in yâ— lord CoÌ„fort my bowels in the lord Trusting in thyn obedience I wrot vnto the knowyng yâ— thou wylt also do more theÌ„ I say Moreouer prepare me lodging for I trust yâ— thorow the helpe of your prayeâ—s I shal be geuen vnto you Ther salute the Epaphras my felowe prysoner in Christ Iesu Marcus Atistarcus Demas Lucas my helpers The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christe be with your spirite Amen Doe not thynke vpon his runnyng awaye He hath recompensed the fault of his sâ—eing with his wel doyng he hath washed it away by baptisme he hath done it away with teares And how wootest thou whether it come so to passeby the dispensacion of Gods prouidence yâ— his fault might turne to good both to vs to him The iudgemeÌ„tes of god be secret Perchaunce he was for this purpose taken away froÌ„ thee for a season that for a seruauÌ„t being but for a season for bonde seruice endurethe no longer than for terme of lyfe thou mightest receyue him for euer It is for euer whatsoeuer the gospel bringeth forth that thou shouldest receiue him againe now not as a bond seruauÌ„t but as a most dere brother Truely vnto me that
deade so manye in multitude as are starres of the skie and as the sand the which is bi the sea shore innumerable Moreouer his wyfe Sara when she had bothe an olde man to her husband and her selfe was so stricken with age that her matrice lacked natural strength to drawe mannes sede vnto it and retayne the same dyd neuerthelesse coÌ„ceyue and was deliuered of Isaac mistrusting the strength of nature but yet giuing credence vnto God who by an aungell promysed her a man chylde the nexte yeare She gaue no eare to nature reclaming and barking to the contrarie but onely had a sure belefe that God coulde not lye God promysed Abraham a posteritie equall in nombre to the starres and the sande of the sea shore and yet by the course of nature was there no hope of yssue at all That notwithstandyng he had no mystrust And therfore of this one olde man beyng barayne by reason of age there yssued a posteritie so many in numbre as are the starres of the sâ—ye and the sande in the sea shore For he loked for sonnes and nephewes not after the kynred of bloud but after the imitacion of faith wherby al we are the ofspring and posteritie of Abraham whiche do beleue the promises of the gospel Therfore not onely Abraham but also all his true posteritie were of suche constaunt fayth that very death bereaued not them therof The texte These all died according to faith when they had not receyued the promises but saw theÌ„ a far of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers and pilgremes on the yearth For they that say such thinges declare that they seke a couÌ„trey Also if they had bene myndeful of the countrey from wheÌ„ce they came out they had leasure to haue returned agayne but now they desire a better that is to saye an heauenly Wherefore God hymselfe is not a shamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a cytie For all these dyed when they as yet had not the promysses perfourmed but lawe them a farre of by fayth and beleued them and for greate desyre saluted them puttyng so lytle trust in this lande wherein no man maye lyue anye long space that they confessed them selfes straungers and pylgrymes not onely in Palestyne but in the whole worlde For oftetymes they call this lyfe a pilgrimage and straunge dwellyng And Dauid in the mystical Psalme confesseth himselfe to be a pylgryme on the lande as all his forefathers and elders were and yet reigned he in Palestine and builded there a citie And verely this countre y was compassed about with very narrowe lymites and a great parte thereof came not to the possession of the Hebrues the ofspryng successours of Abraham bycause they coulde not driue out the olde possessioners neyther dyd Moyses entre into the same but behelde and saluted if a farre of from a mountayne when he was aboute to passe out of the world and yet had he no mistrust of the promyses Therefore sence they confesse themselues to be pylgrymes they sufficiently declare that they desyre and long for a countrey What countrey seke they after vnto whom all this worlde is an exile and banishement They forsoke their countrey of Chaldey the whiche if they had so sore longed for it was not so farre of but that they myghte haue had conueniente recourse thider at pleasure Therfore they longed not for that but for an other couÌ„trey better then it wherin they myght liue for euer quite exempte and deliured from all greuous sorowes and paynes of this wretched worlde This was that heauenly countrey into the whiche God called them out from theyr owne for the loue wherof he wylled them so to lyue in this worlde as thoughe they were not therin And for this cause almyghtie God where he is the maker soueraigne Lorde of all men calleth himselfe speciallye the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For he is properly the God of those that haue put their whole trust and all aydes of felicitie in him And vnto suche hath he prepared not an earthly but a celestiall citie in the whiche they reygne alwayes in blysse with him for whose sake they contemned all thynges The texte By faith Abraham offered by Isaac when he was proued and offered hym being his only begotten sonne in whom he had receiued the promisses And to hym it was sayd â—â— Isaac shall thy sede be called for he considered that God was hable to rayse hym up agayn from death Therefore receiued he hym also for an ensample of the resurreccy on By faith dyd Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concernynge thynges to come Was not this also a notable exaumple of fayth in Abraham that when God tryeng howe vnfaynedly he trusted hym commaunded hym to offre vp in sacrifice his sonne Isaac where as he was hys onely sonne and he in whose name the posteritie was promysed for these were the wordes of the promyser Thy sede shall be called in Isaac yet he without further delaye dyd as he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to do not reasonyng here with himselfe on this wise Of whom shal I haue posteritie if I sley hym in whom onely resteth all the hope of my posteritie But he consydered this in his mynde that God who made the promyse coulde not lye and that he was able yf it pleased hym to reyse his deade sonne the multiplier of his stocke euen from death And because he beleued the resurrection of the dead it was therfore gyuen him to bryng home his sonne againe with him beyng as it were restored to lyfe notwithstaÌ„dyng he was as much as in the father laye dead who euen then represented by a certayne figure the resurrection of Iesu Christe to come This was also a manyfest example of a mynde hauyng a great confidence in God that when Isaac saye on hys death bedde and had not as yet receyued the felicitie promysed of God yet was he bolde to promyse the same to Iacob and Esau his sonnes when he blessed theÌ„ both foreseyng both theyr lyues and the contrarie rewarde that eche of them shoulde haue So quycke of syght is faith that she seeth euen those thinges as present whiche are farre distant from the bodely senses The texte By faith Iacob when he was in dying blessed bothe the soÌ„nes of Ioseph and boâ—â—â— hymselfe toward the toppe of his scepter By faith Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departynge of the children of Israel and gaue commaundement of his bones It came of lyke faithe that Iacob at the hower of his death blessed all the sonnes of Ioseph not ignoraunt what was to come who crossynge hys armes layed his right hande vpon Ephraim beyng on his left syde and his lefte haÌ„de vpon Manasse standynge on hys ryghte syde nothynge doubtynge but that woulde come to passe which the holy ghost tolde him before shoulde happen But this faithfull olde man saw a greate deale farther what time he kyssinge the toppe of the sceptre
because it is not furnyshed with the same thinges anon as the hote sunne is broken out is destitute of his iuyce wherwith it nourished that fayrenes of the floure for the time And so whā it faynteth in the stalkes it doeth nether nourishe ne susteyne his floure but withereth ageth dyeth falleth away where as a litell before it delited mens eies with so greate a fauour Because therfore no christyan shoulde glorye in those thynges that are nether of sure grounde nor longe enduring let him rather respecte the thinges that are eternall and that are delectable in the sight of God let him rather studie to bee a braunche alwayes grene than a herbe that with a lyght hurte will by and by dye Doest thou see nowe the flower that is sprongen how fayre how goodly how pleasaunte of colour and how swete it is what a gorgiousnes of grene leaues what a glistring what a iuyce what youthe hathe it And anone at a blaste of the southe winde and with the heate of the sunne what fading what ageing what dieng hathe it The floure is sene to spring to come forewarde to be at the best to age and to dye all in one daye And like vnto it is riche mens felicitie He that nowe ruffleth in purple shyneth in gold glistereth in precious stones hathe a great trayne wayting on hym is caried in a charet and is honoured as it were a certaine God among men if fortune blowe backewarde he shall ether bee wyped besydes al his goodes be banished to goe on begging or lye crieng in prison or be trussed vp with a tyburne typper and fede rauens or if none of these thynges happen vnto him yet death shall come vnthought vpon and sodainly dispatche al his galaunt araye It is the parte of the heathens to measure felicitye by these maner of goods which ouer that chei depend vpon fortunes chaunce ouer that thei as nothing elles doeth forsake vs whan we departe hence if thei bee not set naught by bring destruccion It is the office of Christians to folowe those thinges wherby eternall goodes are gotten vpon which nether fortune nether age nether deathe hath any enterest For no manne is blessed because he is riche but he shall be surely blessed if for the profession of the Gospelles sake he haue ben spoyled of those thynges that he had in possession yf he haue defyed the pleasures of thys lyfe whiche he had abundaunce of and suffre tormentes and emprisonmentes for Christes sake if he endure for hys sake in all sorowes euen vnto death with an vnshrinkyng harte interpreting on thys wise that the more he is pressed with the sorowes of thys worlde so muche the more he is loued of God whiche tryeth the pacience of his obedient seruaunte to hys owne glorye that he maye bothe bee an example vnto other to de fie thys worlde and after he hathe valeauntly behaued hym selfe in the conflicte and hathe shewed a lesson of true vertue and of fayth he maye weare the Palme and crowne not of oken bowes and of laurell for they doe wither also after suche sorte as they receyue which hunt after rewarde and prayse of menne but the crowne of immortall lyfe whiche is promysed not of a man that canne deceaue but of God him selfe But he hath promysed it not to them that haue muckred vp the greatest substaunce of riches not to them that haue excelled other in bodyly strength not to them that haue shedde moste bloude but to them that for hys sake haue defied the goodes of thys worlde and haue valeauntly suffred the displeasures of this worlde The texte Let no man saye when he is tempted that he is tempted of God For as God cannot be tempted to euyll so neyther he hym self tempteth any man But euery man is tempted when he is drawne a way entysed of hys own concupiscence Then when lust hathe conceaued she bryngeth forth synne synne whē it is fynyshed bryngeth forth death Do not erre my deare brethren Euery good gyfte and euery parfecte gyfte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lyghtes with whome is no variablenesse nether is he chaunged vnto darkenes Of hys owne will begat he vs with the worde of trueth that we shoulde be the fyrste trutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery man be swyfte to beare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrathe of man worketh not that whiche is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye aparte al fylthynes superfluytie of malicyousnes and receaue with mekenes the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue youre soules Whether a man loue God purely the pleasures of this worlde dooe trye but muche more doeth the hurly burly of affliccions And it is in vs that being furnyshed with the helping ayde of God we maye nether become tendre nycelynges through vayne pleasures ne moued with terrible turmoylinges But if a manne be moued with the delices of the worlde from the right state of mynde or if a man be led by the sorow of afflicciōs out of true godlines he hath nothing to laie vnto Goddes charge He y◠getteth the victorie getteth the victory by the helpe of God and he that is ouercomme is ouercome through hys own faulte For God doeth not geue menne occasyon to synne but the thynge that he geueth according to his own goodnes for the nouryshment and encreace of godlines our mindes being corrupte and as it were cralled with affeccions turneth to thoccasyon of theyr owne destruccion For God doeth somtymes geue vs the vse of habundaunce of goodes and the commodities of life to the intent that being prouoked by his liberall goodnes we should tendre thankes vnto him Againe he suffreth vs somtymes to bee afflicted with aduersities that he may both make our godlines more notably seene encreace our rewarde And if the matter turne to the cotrary parte it is our faulte not his For like as he being by nature good can not bee prouoked with any euilles euen so doth he entice noman vnto euil The thing is of vs that turneth the goodnes of God vnto oure euil He geueth pleintie of meates he geueth the liquor of wyne that beyng moderately refreshed we shoulde geue prayses to the maker And shall he that is dronken with wyne call God vnto the lawe no in no wyse let him accuse his owne mynde whose vicious gredynes entised and drewe him to dronkenes Ther is a certayne readynes vnto vice graffed in oure hartes of our fyrste parentes vice and that is as it were a sede of synne And if it bee receaued in to the harte and receaue nourishment than the mynde hathe as it were all ready conceaued synne And onles the vicious desire be dryuen out of mynde the stynking smell of it groweth and waxeth strong by litell and litell till deadly synne be cōmitted Whiche whan it is in his nombres consūmately done beginneth to bring forthe frute it self agayne And the frute
you haue â—â—arned that no manne ought to be hurt with the raungeing nicenes of the tongue so much that you are bydden after thexample of Christ to speake well of them whiche speake shamefully of you Truly he is the lesse hurtfull that is playnly and without conterfaicte dissembling naught But cursed speaking set out in the Image of godlynes what is it elles than the poyson of humlocke myxed with wyne so that the venome is the more presently strong in that it is â—uyngled with a moste holsome matter They haue in theyr mouthe Lorde haue mercie â–ª whan they them selues cruelly rage agaynste theyr brother They haue in their mouthe Our father whan they continually with the sâ—ing of theyr tongue wound theyr neighbour for whose saluacions sake Christ was wouÌ„ded They speake muche of the goodnes of God that by hys owne clemencie saued man whereas they goe hastyly aboute to dispatch a manne with the vellâ—â— of theâ—r tongue They talke faste of the goodnes of Christe to mannekynde warde whan they contrary to thexample of Christe sharpen theyr tongues agaynste theyr owne euen Christened They aduaunce and praise the sofâ—â—â—â—s of Christe in that he gently answered those that reuiled him whan they with theyr lyes assault him that doth them good They professe them selues the messagâ—ers and preachers of Christe whan they are very instrumentes of the deuill They promyse the sede of heauenly doctrine whan they sowe the mere poyson of the herbe Achâ—nite And these thinges being of so sondry a diuersitie they not only do with all one tongue but many tymes also out of all one pulpit begynnyng with praysyng of God they burst out in to the slauÌ„deryng of theyr neyghbour and infect the myndes of the multitude so muche the more perniciously that through a feyned shewe of relygion they couer and dissemble the deadly poyson whiche they thruste oute of an infected harte by the instrument of the tongue I praye you brethren dooeth not this seme like condicioned to a monstre There are welles that flowe with holsome waters there are welles whome to taste vpon it were deadly poyson there are that powre swete water and good to drinke of again there are that geue bytter water and salte Nether may it seme maruayle seing that the moysture runnyng through diuerse vaynes sauoureth of the lyme alome brymstone or other metal or of the swete ground But how chaunceth it that seing the communicacion procedeth out of all one harie seynge it floweth through all one tongue it can be so farre vnlike it selfe where among so many differences of welspringes there is none founde that can bringe forth bothe swete and sowre water at once all at one mouth Dooeth one selfe same tree bring forth frute of soÌ„dry tastes Marke my brethren doeth the figtree being swete by nature bring forth bitter yuyo beryes Doeth the vyne tree bryng forthe fygges No but euery frute is lyke vnto hys owne tree and hathe the verdour of the Iuyce of hys owne rote Dooeth it not therfore seme to bee lyke a monstre that all one manne shoulde powre out of all one mouthe and through all one tongue bothe godlynes and wickednes trueth and lyeng saluacion and destruccion Therfore seing there is nothing more hurtfull than a wicked tongue and nothyng more healthfull than a good and a learned tongue and seing the manne is seldome founde that can youerne thys membre in all poyntes that manne ought with all diligent endeuour to be chosen out of many that muste take in hande the trauaille of a teacher Hym it behoueth to haue bothe a mynde quiet from all tumulte of gredye lustes and a conuersacion dyuorced from all vncleanes that he maye not only teache those thynges that concerne true godlynes but also to teache them with all gentilnes For that doctrine that is contencious and wrangling engendreth nothyng elles but faccions and fallyng out And amonge the wise of thys worlde he beareth the bell that disputeth with moste stiffenes in opinions and that is so busye tongued that he geueth place to no bodye Nether is thys done that the heater may be the better whan he goeth away but that he that getteth the maistry maye be the prowder and he that is ouercomen maye be the more lowted And in the meane season the commune sorte is at disagreyng amonge them selues some after thys mynde some after that so as neither the speaker can haue any sure grounded frute ne yet the hearer But among you that professe the philosophy of the Gospell who so euer is truly wise and endued with true wisedom let hym not declare hym selfe wyse in hyghe stately and contencious maner of reasonyng but let hym testifie by goldy and entier vpright maners what he is rather than in wordes For lyke as faith is vnprofitable like as charitie is vnprofitable that is doone but only in wordes euen so is wisedome whiche doeth not fyrste trye it selfe by gentilnes of maners For this is the chiefe token wherby a manne may knowe the humayne phylosophy from the Euangelical The professours of humayne philosophye are curious stiffe in opynyon and fearce But the philosophie of the Gospell the more syncere it is the more excellent it is so muche lesse high statelynes it hathe And the chief powre of it consisteth not in subtill reasonynges of syllogismes or tricked fyne termes of eloquence but in synceritie of life in softenes of maners that geueth place to contencious persones and allureth suche as are apte to be taught nether respecteth it any thing elles than the health of the hearers It is an heauenly wisedome and he that teacheth it muste necessaryly haue a mynde cleane scowred from all earthlye lustes for it muste nedes be drawen for the of a syncere cleane vessell But if you haue myndes defiled with bitter enuying amonge your selues if you haue an harte corrupt with contencious and with stubburne ymagynyng to haue the vpper hande and with enuye lay awaye rather the office of teaching than in seruing your owne glory and contencious maner to lye againste the Gospelles veritie whiche no manne can set forthe syncerely onles hys mynde bee free from all humayne affeccions Therfore who so euer taketh this profession in hande if he fele hys mynd infecte with humayne loue or hate if with malicious crueltie desire of renowme gredy couering of money or with loue of uoluptuous pleasures let him fyrste diligently purge the inward partes of hys mynde that he maye goe pure vnto the teachyng of that moste pure doctrine Or elles they that slyppe ouer those thynges that make rightly vnto godlynes and obiecte mystie smokes of doubtfull questions they that speake to come in to the fauour of Princes they that saye for theyr owne aduauntage they that wrest the doctrine of the Gospel vnto theyr owne bely busines they that hunte after the vayne prayses of menne they that laye an heauye burthen vpon other mennes shoulders and will not once touch it with theyr own fyngre those that in
one another as I haue loued you Therfore it is neither any new commaundement neither my commaundement that I geue now vnto you ne yet suche a one as you haue not heard of hitherto but it is the selfe same commaundemente that we gaue vnto you by and by in the begynnyng by thautorytie of Christe And yet agayne the same is newe that I write nowe vnto you It was an olde commaundement but it is brought out of vse through the maners of the people The Iewes learned by heart Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God thou shalte loue thy neighbour but yet euery one serued his own gaine Christ renewed thys vnto vs yea and loued vs more than himselfe and â—e loued not his neighbours but he loued his enemies yea those that turned way wardly from him and that were worthy of euyll This albeit I knowe you haue heard of long ago yet it ought to be renewed from tyme to tyme with often rehersall that it maye sticke the more depely in youre mynde seing it is the chief matter of the gospelles profession This was a true commaundement in Christ which performed in dede the thyng that he taughte but it was not true in you as long as you hated your neighbour as long as you recompenced euill worde for euell worde and wrong for wrong But now it is true in you also synce the true sprong vp lighte of the gospelles doctrine hath dispatched awaye yâ— darkenes of your former life hath taught that none is acceptable but he that would loue the good for Christes sake loue theÌ„ also that are bad to this ende that they should be coÌ„uerted vnto Christ Those that folowe this doctrine walke in lyghte offende not in the darkenes of euill lustes The hate of the neighbour powreth darkenes into the mynd Therfore he that is so washeÌ„ and so hath professed Christ that he geueth not ouer to hate his brother he is deceaued in beleuynge that he walketh in light where he is yet in darkenes For God remitteth not him the forgeueth not his brother For it is not ynoughe to haue geuen ouer theft whoredom murdre in baptisme except al holowhartednes be also plucked quite out of yâ— mind in stede of hate charitie come in place He that contynueth styll in the loue of hys neyghbour abydeth in lyghte which is Christ Iesus and stombleth not as walking in darknes For true charitie is so farre of from hurtyng any body that it suffreth all thynges and turneth all thynges into good Contrarywyse he that hateth his brother although he haue geuen ouer to offer vnto images although he haue geueÌ„ ouer to be an vsurour or a churche robber yet he is styl in darkenes seruing his owne blynde lustes he walketh in darkenes neyther seeth he the strayght waye vnto saluacion althoughe the gospell shyne clearely vpon him And all is long of the darkenes of the hate of his brother that hath so blynded his eyes Where hate reigneth there is the iudgement blynde The text Babes I write vnto you howe that your sinnes are forgeuen you for his names sake I write vnto you fathers howe that you haue knowen him that is from the begynning I wryte vnto you yongmen howe that ye haue ouercome that wicked I write vnto you lytle children howe that ye haue knowen the father I haue written vnto you fathers howe that ye haue knowen him that is from the begynnyng I haue written vnto you yonge men how that ye are strong and the worde of god abydeth in you and ye haue ouercome that wicked Se that ye loue not the world nether the thinges that are in the worlde If any man loue the worlde the loue of the father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe and the lust of the eies and the pride of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the worlde passeth awaye and the lust therof but he that fulfylleth the will of God abydeth for euer I loue you euen as a mother loueth her children and write for that purpose partlie reioycynge at your felicitie partly exhortyng you to goe foreward better and better I reioyce at you as my most deare children whom I haue begotten agayne by the sede of the gospels doctrine vnto Christ in that the synnes of your former lyfe are pardoned you and freely pardoned you for none other cause but because you haue professed the name of the lorde Iesu Christe that you shoulde also remembre after his example frelye to forgeue euerye one his neyghbour I write vnto you whom not so muche the processe of age as the grauitie of maners and godly carefulnesse towardes them that be yonger doeth make worthye the name of fathers reioyceing in you that you are not onely endued with a commune maner of wisdome wherby olde men are commended almost because of the experyence of thinges and geue the better counsel to the ignoraunte yong folkes but in that you haue reknowledged Iesus Christe the autor of saluacion whiche not onely is of a greate olde age but also hathe bene alwayes wyth the father You being of great age knowe him that is eternal and the more fully you knowe him so much the more diligently you preache him to them that be of slenderer age Olde folkes do remembre and kepe in mynde many olde auncient thynges and you kepe him in mynde that was before al age I write vnto you yongment which through the strength of faith haue ouercome that wicked vnruly Satan The coÌ„mune sorte of yongmen thinketh themselues happie in that they geue lightly place to no maÌ„ because of their bodyly strength But you are more happie that by reason of youre strength of mynd you could be ouercome neither with enticementes of voluptuous pleasures ne with any terrours of the world Other mens actiuitie florisheth in battail but your actiuitie hath florished more nobly against the assaultes of deuils the fleshe the world I write vnto you childreÌ„ which although for tendernes of your yeares you are not skilled as yet in yâ— knowlage of worldly matters yet you haue already atteined the thiÌ„g yâ— getteth you euerlastiÌ„g felicitie In other childreÌ„ it is yâ— first special tokeÌ„ of wit if they acknowledge their father but you knowe your heauenly father by whom you are regenerate vnto heauen Let euery one maynteyne that he hath and encrease in that he hath For this cause sake I bothe reioyce in euerye one and also warne all and euery orders and states of you that acknowledgeyng your felicitie you geue thankes to God youre autour and hauyng in remembraunce whither you must go preace alwayes forewarde vnto more perfeccioÌ„ I wil rehearse it vnto you therfore that ye can not forget it I haue written vnto you fathers for you knowe him whiche hath nother beginnyng nor endyng that the desyre of this lyfe should in no wyse stiere you seyng you make haste to the life
him selfe from the felowship of the sonne he neither pertaineth to the body of Christ whiche is the catholike churche nor hath felowshippe with God the father whiche agreeth in all thinges with the sonne You see with what great Ieoperdie foles disseuer themselues from the sonne Therefore continue you styll in the gospelles trueth which you receiued first of the surely tried Apostles Let not the lyeng tales of the false Apostles drawe you awaye The texte If that which ye hearde from the begynnyngest all remayne in you ye also shall contynewe in the sonne and in the father And thys is the promes that he hath promysed vs euen eternall lyfe These thinges haue I written vnto you concerninge them that disceaue you And the anoyntyng which ye haue receaued of him dwelleth in you And ye nede not that anye manne teache you but as the anoynting teacheth you of all thynges and is true and no lye and as it hath taught you euen so byde therin And now babes abyde in him that when he shall appeare we may be bold and not be made ashamed of him at his comming if ye know that he is righteous know also that euery one which doth rightewisenes is borne of him Yf you continue stedfast in that thyng whyche we delyuered fyrst vnto you you shal abyde in the felowship of God the father and of his sonne Iesus If anye man thynke it an harde matter to perseuer in the professynge of the Gospell because of the affliccions of the wicked thinke vpon the rewarde God requireth an harde matter but the rewarde is greate that he promiseth For he promiseth nether riches nor kyngdome nether the pleasure of this worlde but lyfe euerlastynge He that byeth that byeth it good chepe although he lose his life for it These thinges doe I beate vpon and put you in remembraunce of with so many wordes beyng carefull lest the wicked that are gone from Christ shoulde chaunce to beguyle anye wyth theyr iugglynges Albeit without our warnynge I thynke the spirite of Christ him selfe teacheth you sufficiently whom you haue a continuall remembrauncer and teacher in youre heartes As longe as he continueth styll in you it is no nede that any man teache you what you ought to auoyde He is a secret teacher but he is the most sure teacher of all other He beinge once receyued of you teacheth you of all thynges like as the sonne hath also promysed For the spirite is true by nature and can not lye Therefore perseuer in that whiche he hathe ones taught you You holde the ryghte doctrine you remembre it there lacketh nothing but that you persist still in it vnto the commyng of Christe which I suppose is not farre to I beseche you eftesones agayne lytle children persist in the doctrine of the spirite that whan our prince and iudge shal appeare the conscience of a good conuersacion maye geue vs a sure trust in him and that we maye come forthe so as he be not ashamed to acknowledge vs for hys dysciples nor we ashamed to come in to his syghte For with what mouthe shall we call hym mayster and Lorde yf we haue neyther taken heede to hys teachynge nor obeyed his commaundement with what mouth shall we call God father yf we be out of kynde in all our life longe frō his ordinaunces It is not simple baptisme but the obserued righteousnes that maketh vs the children of God For what shall they heare that cast out deuilles in the name of Iesu that tolde thynges before hande that excelled in miracles I knoVVe you no◠He taketh thē for straūgers in whō he seeth not the righteousnes of the gospell And if you be persuaded y◠God is the autor of thys righteousnes know this also that whosoeuer not with wordes but with endeuours doynges and maners accomplysheth the ryghteousnes of the Gospell he is borne of God vnto whom he maye with a good conscience preace with that boldenes that obedient children are wonte to preace to a mercyfull father withall He wyll acknowlage them that are lyke hym but those that are not lyke hym he will not acknowlage The .iii. Chapter The texte Beholde what loue the father hathe shewed on vs that we shoulde bee called and be in dede the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not hym Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doeth not appeare what we shawe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shal be lyke hym For we shall see hym as he is And euery man that hath this hope in hym pourgeth hym selfe euen as he also is pure Whosoeuer committeth sinne committeth vnryghteousnes also and sinne is vnrighteousnes And ye knowe that he appeared to take away oure synnes and in hym is no synne As many as byde in hym sinne not whosoeuer sinneth hath not sene hym neither knowen hym WHere syncere loue is there is a trusty confidence and feare is awaye See therefore what a notable loue he hath geuen vnto vs whiche hauing contemned the worlde with his entisementes and terrours perseuer styl in the gospelles doctrine that we shoulde be named and be not onely faythfull seruauntes not onely frendes but the children of God For so Christ taught that we should cal vpō the heuēly father yf we haue nede of any thynge It is a moste high honour to be called the children of God and a moste high felicitie to be the children of God And forasmuche as we cleaue vnto hym with a constaunt godlynes and are acknowlaged of hym the world acknowlegeth vs not but abhorreth and curseth vs as sedicious persons It is no meruayle though the world acknowlage not y◠childrē of God seing it acknowlageth not God himselfe in that it denieth his sonne Iesus let it nothing trouble your mindes dearely beloued that the world estemeth you as rascalles and abiecte persones For with God we haue euen nowe thys excellent dignitie that we are the sonnes of God and are glad at our heartes feling in our selues the spirite not of bondage but of children vpon assured confidence wherof we crye Abba father The dignitie is present but the dignitie hath not yet appeared As yet it is the time of batayle the daye of triumphe is not yet come That daye shall declare vnto all men howe greate a dignitie they haue howe greate a felicitie they haue that constauntly shewe themselues the children of God It is not yet come to lyght what we shal be in the comming of Christ howbeit we hold thys vpon a sure hope that as soone as he shall appeare to rendre vnto euery one rewardes accordinge to hys dedes we that were in this worlde companions of affliccions shall also be companions of the ioyes we that were lyke hym in the contempte of the worlde shal be lyke hym also in the maiestie of glorye We sawe hym here in thys world afflicted and of lowe estate then shal we see him as he is and euer was
hygh and excelleÌ„t and so seynge hym we shall also be transformed vnto hys iykenes not onely in myndes but also in bodyes And we see hym nowe howebeit as it were through a myst with the eyes of fayth But then we shal see hym after such maner as cannot be expressed But that thyng whiche we shal be than perfitely we must forcast nowe i the meane tyme to the vttermost of our possible power To thinteÌ„t we may be liÌ„ke hiÌ„ theÌ„ in glory let vs be pure here froÌ„ all fylthynes To thintent we maye see hym than lette vs clense our eies nowe leste when he shall appeare glisterynge bryght he bee vnto vs more dreadfull than amiable For he is not fortunatelye sene but of them that are lyke hym Therefore whosoeuer hath thys confidence in Christe that he shal than be a companion of his glory let hym in the meane time pourge hymselfe with godly studyes cleane from worldlye affeccions lyke as in hym was no maner of fylthynes of thys worlde but is all together pure and heauenlye Therefore it standeth vs in hande with all our possible powers to bend our endeuours to thys ende that nothyng remayne in vs of yearthye dregges And leite no manne flatter hym selfe sayinge It is ynough for me vnto innocency if I traÌ„sgresse in none of those thinges that Moses lawe forbyddeth nor in those thynges that are punyshed by the kynges lawes as felonye sacrilege adultrie murdre but all maner of synne is vtterly to be eschewed For whosoeuer offendeth by any meane although he offende not agaynst the prescriptes of Moses yet he synneth agaynst the lawe of the gospell whiche is a greate deale holyer than Moses law And for thys cause sake Christ came once into the world to shew the waye whereby his comming agayne shoulde become holesome and luckye vnto vs. He came to take awaye once for all not one synne or two but al our synnes where he onely was subiect vnto no maner of synne He once purged vs frely from all synne to make vs lyke manered vnto hymselfe whiche neither any lawe nor any mortall man coulde be hable to do Through baptisme we are engraffed into hys holy sacred body But it is our part for all that to endeuour in the meane tyme that we fall not from our head We are engraffed through his owne free mercy but we shal fall awaye if we slyde backe agayne into oure olde vices He that abydeth in Christ perseuereth in innocencye and is wonderous ware to shunne from all sinne that he may dayly more and more growe in vertues and be made more lyke hys head He that absteyneth not from sinnes although he bee baptised although he be called a christian hath not yet sene fully nor yet knowen hym For who is it yf he sawe with the eies of fayth what greate dignitie it is to be chosen into the numbre of the sonnes of God and what a fylthy shame it is to be geuen to the father deuyll that woulde abyde to be plucked awaye from suche a bodye to departe from suche a father and to go out of kynde vnto so fylthy a tirannye to slyde of his owne accorde awaye from so hygh rewardes vnto so greate miserie The text Babes lette no man deceyue you he that doeth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the deuil for the deuyl sinneth sence the beginning For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to looce the workes of the deuyll Whosoeuer is borne of God synneth not for hys seed remayneth in hym and he can not synne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the deuyll Whosoeuer doeth not ryghteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not hys brother Babes lette no man deceyue you flatteryng you for your professyng the name of christians as though that were ynoughe vnto felicitie He is not iust that speaketh iustice with his mouthe but he that in his lyfe and maners doeth iustice in dede is iuste lyke as Christe also shewed himselfe in his sayinges and doynges an example of all iustice And he that truely and wholy cleaueth fast vnto him absteyneth as much as he possible may from all vncleanes of sinnes and the purenes of maners selfe declareth hym to be the sonne of God whiche is good by nature and knoweth no synne But he that synneth although he haue receyued the sacramentes of Christe yet he is begotten of hys father the deuyl whiche is the prince and autor of all synne Him whosoeuer foloweth is lyke his father in that same thing that he synneth in declareth hymselfe to be his sonne God alloweth no felowshyppe with synnes for he sent his sonne for thys intent into this worlde to vanquisâ—he the woorkes of the deuyll that is to saye all thynges that are contrarye repugnaunt agaynst the charitie of the gospel Of Adam we are all borne endaungered with sinnes of God we are borne agayne by the sede of yâ— gospelles doctrine As longe as the strength of this seede abydeth in a man he synneth not neither can synne that is to wete because the loue of god byddeth hym naye whiche loue rauisheth hym to the studye of well doyng and calleth hym awaye from all desire of offendynge in that he is the very true sonne of God resembling playnly the behauiour and disposicion of his father and head It is not the title it is not baptisme it is not the sacramentes that descerne the children of God from the children of the deuyll but the puritie of lyfe and charitie expressyng and she wyng it selfe in wel doinges It is not idle if it be there He that sheweth not that neither sheweth in his dede that he loueth his brother he is not borne of God If he were alyuely membre of Christes body he woulde haue loued the other membres for whom Christe died The texte For thys is the tydinges that ye beard from the beginninge that ye shoude loue one another not as Cayn whiche was of that wicked and slewe hys brother And wherefore slewe he him Because his owne workes were euyll and hys brothers good Meruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated from death vnto lyfe because we loue the brethren De that loueth not his brother abideth in deathe Whosoeuer hateth hys brother is a man slear And â—e knowe that no man slear hath eternall life abyding in hym Hereby perceyue we loue â–ª because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue oure lyues for the brethren But whoso hath thys worldes good and seeth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his compassion from hym howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym Thys is the summe of Christen iustice thys is it that Christe gaue first of all vnto vs this is it which we set forth before al thinges vnto you that you shoulde with louynge one an other declare youre selues to be the soÌ„nes of
holes but there is nothinge so hidden and so close but god pearceth it He knoweth all thinges better than we he knoweth our harte that made our harte He hathe eies in euery place that is present in euery place Dearly beloued yf our harte condemne vs not vnto god yf our mynde be syncere and vprightly playne yf we doe of a mere a pure loue that we doe suche as we shewe our selues towardes our neighbour suche a one shal god shewe him selfe to vs. Yf we gladly and with a good wyll forgeue our brother his faulte God shall easyly forgeue â—s our synnes also Yf we readily geue vnto our nedy brother as often as he desireth our helpe we shal with a sure trusty boldenes aske also of god that whiche shall perteigne to saluacion and necessitie nether shall he denye our askinges Yf we saye vnto him Forgeue us our trespasses as VVe for geue them that trespasse against us and yet hate our brother inwardly shal not our owne conscience by and by crye out against vs with what face â–ª askest thou of god that whiche thou deniest thy neighbour with what mouthe askest thou the couenaunt whan thou thy selfe performest not yâ— condicion He promised to forgeue vs our trespasses yea but so that we doe heartely forgeue our brother his trespases If we saye with the mouthe I forgeue hym and yet kepe euyll wyll styll in oure hearte oure naughty conscience shall take awaye our confidence of obteynynge the thinge that we aske of God If we bydde our brother gently God spede and helpe him nor whan he hathe nede of our helpe we maye not hope that God will helpe seinge we helped not our brother If we turne the deafe eare towarde at hys commaundement he will turne the deafe eare again towardes our prayers It is a shamelesnes not a godlynes to desire fauour of hym whose commauÌ„dementes a man doeth not paâ—se vpon But and if we obserue his coÌ„maundementes if we doe whatsoeuer shall please him and â—o doe that we may be allowed in his eies whiche seeth euery thing hereof shall we conceaue a sure confidence to obteyne Here will the Iewe the supersticious law keper saye vnto me I kepe the sabboth dayes I am washen I faste I absteyne from forbydden meates I dooe not steale God shall heare me But thys is not the commaundement that I talke of which than Forsothe that we shoulde repose all the whole hope and confidence of oure saluacion in Iesu Christ the sonne of God by whome the fathers wyll was to geue all thinges frely vnto vs. Is thys ynough now No forsothe but we must loue eche one other according to his example So he coÌ„maunded but that whiche he commaunded he did fyrst performe himselfe in dede He doeth not yet truly loue Christe that â–ª hateth the membre of Christe he doeth not yet loue Christe that wisheth euil to the man for whome Christe died Therfore he that kepeth that one only commaundement of loue kepeth all With this gâ—ue shall we be fast ioyned to Christ so that he be in vs and we againe in him He by hys spirite shall dwell in oure hartes if charitie bee warme there The spirite of Christ is not the autor of hate but the free geuour of brotherly loue He by the layinge on of thapostles handes is powred in to them that are baptised but he leapeth backe and flyeth awaye if charitye happen to bee quenched out By thys token therfore we shall perceaue that the giâ—te of the spirit which we toke in baptisme abydeth in vs if brotherly loue contynue with vs still Loke howe muche charitie waxeth colde so muche will the holy gooste withdrawe him selfe awaye The .iiii. Chapter The texte Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of god or not for many false Prophetes are gone out into the worlde Herby shall ye knowe the spirite of god Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesshe is of god And euery spirite whiche confesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the flesshe is not of god And this is that spirite of Antichrist of whome ye haue hearde howe that he should come and euen nowe already is he in the worlde I Haue geuen you a token dearely beloued whereby you may perceaue whether the spirite of Christ be in you or not For there are sondry sortes of spirites in meÌ„ yea but dissembling spirites and naughtie spirites Therfore doe not vt erly beleue euery spirite There are many here and there that boast them selues to haue the spirite of God but trye you whether they procede of God or not Thys worlde hathe also a spirite of hys owne and pretendeth as thoughe it had the spirite of God The spirite of God enspireth the prophetes but there are to manye false prophetes now that are gon out in to the worlde and falsely saye that they speake by the inspiracion of the spirit of God whan they are ledde with the spirit of the worlde Will you therfore haue a more certayne argument of the spirit of God Heare the speaker and you shall vnderstande Euery spirite which confesseth that Iesus Christe the autor of euerlasting saluacion promysed long a goe vnto the worlde is now all ready come hauing receyued a very humayne body like as he had promysed by his prophetes he is of God in that he acknowlageth the sonne of God Contrary wise he that denyeth this forasmuche as he is a lyer he is not of God For no man doeth truly professe the sonne onles he be enspired of the father But those doe not onely denye him which speake against him in woordes openly but also they that lyue after such a sorte as though Christe were not the example of godlynes vnto men or as though he were not the autor of perfite saluacion and so they feine some other Messias to be loked for because Christes doctrine is to muche variable from theyr gredye lustes Yf he woulde haue fauoured the voluptuous pleasures of the fleshe if he would haue promysed great substaunce of riches if he woulde haue geuen honours and empires of yâ— world they would haue long a goe acknowlaged their Messias But now forasmuche as he doeth teache men to despise these thinges enriceth them to take vp theyr crosse and telleth that all felicitie must be loked for in the worlde to come they deny him to be the olde promysed redemer of mankinde and bydde loke for an other that shoulde promyse the coÌ„modities of the bodye and the goodes of this worlde Nether is it ynough to confesse Christ onles we confesse him all wholy and entierly He that dyuideth him either takinge awaye the diuine nature whiche he hath all one with the father or the humaine nature which he toke of a woman hys mother that spirit is not of God but is the spirit of Antichrist of the whiche spirite ye haue all ready hearde that he should come yea he is now come already
Christ that is to say him of whom we must nedes aske al the succoures of our salnacion and beleueth that in his hearte he is borne of god and is called alredy into the nūmbre of the sonnes of God In dede he can not chose but loue the is a sonne Thā whosoeuer loueth him heartely that is y◠father loueth him also the was borne of him that is to wete his brother with whome he hath all one commune father By this tokē we proue that we doe truly loue y◠children of God yf we first loue God him selfe heartely For there is nothing truely loued except it be loued for his sake Than that we loue God it shall euidently so appeare yf we kepe his commaundementes and kepe them chearfully and gladly for his commaundementes are none otherwyse greuous For what is greuous to the louer what is greuous to him that goeth post haste to suche maner rewardes The worlde obiecteth terrible appearaunces of euilies pouertie vanyshement slaunder enprisonmentes whippinges deathes It is a great fraye but the victorie is made readye For what soeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde But with what furnitures doeth he ouercome y◠worlde with riches with garisons of men with engines of warre with worldly learning no no they ouercome the worlde as cruelly rageing as it is throughe a stedfast onely faithe wherwith they committe them selues wholy vnto God their protectour Thy riches are snatched awaye yea but what sayeth faithe to that Thou haste a treasure in heauen Thou art throwen out to be a vanished man yea but the countrey of heauen loketh for his countreyman Thy body is turmoyled with tormentes yea but with them are bought euerlasting ioyes Death is deuised for the yea but after it shall folowe lyfe that neuer shall dye Who is it than that ouercometh the worlde not a lorde not the riche man not a philosopher not a kyng but he who soeuer he be that beleueth verely that Iesus is the sonne of God Beleue that which he hath promised and it shal nothing moue thee whatsouer the worlde purposeth against thee He ouercame the world first atteyned immortalitie he came into this world hauīg takē our mortal body to get the victorye for vs to shew the meane of victorye getting to cause y◠rewardes to be certaynely reckoned vpon But with what furnitures came he armed withall He came by water and bloude euen Iesus Christe by water that he myght washe vs cleane from our synnes by bloude that he myght geue vs immortall lyfe Hys owne wyll was to be baptised beinge cleane voyde from all synne that he myght frelye geue vnto vs innocencye hys owne wyll was to dye on the crosse that he myght open vnto vs the waye vnto immortalitie He dyd not onelye testifie by these two tokens that he was Christ and the sauiour of the worlde in that he receyued baptisme as a synfull man in that he dyed as a malefactour where he one onely none among all but he was Innocent from all synne but the spirite also appearynge in the likenes of a doue bare recorde of him that it was he whō the father had geuen to be the sauyour of the worlde For the spirite is also the trueth as the father and the sonne is there is one trueth of all like as there is one nature of all For there are three in heauen that beare recorde vnto Christ the father the worde and the spirite the father whiche sending once and eftsones a voice downe from heauen testified openly that he is his dearly beloued sonne in whom nothing coulde doe amisse the worde whiche hauing done so many miracles whiche in his death and resurreccion declared him selfe to be the true Christ bothe God and man the peacemaker betwene God and men the holy gooste whiche descended vpon his head whan he was baptised and that after his resurreccion fell vpon his disciples And of these three there is all one most perfite agrement the father is the autor the sonne the messanger the holy goost the remembrauncer There are three thinges also on earthe that beare recorde vnto Christ his humayne spirite whiche he put from him one the crosse the water and the bloode that ranne out of his syde whan he was deade And these three witnesses doe agree The other declared him to be God these recorde that he was man Iohn also bare witnesse And yf we receyue witnesse of men it is reason that the witnesse of God be of more importaunce with vs. For the testimonie of God the father is manifest Thys is my VVelbeloued Sonne in VVhom I am pleased heare him What thing can be spoken more plainly or more fully he that beleueth truly in goddes sonne Iesus Christ and hath reposed al the succours of his lyfe in him so that trusting in his promisses he contemneth all thinges that this worlde can make a shewe of whether they be amiable or dreadfull hathe a witnesse in him selfe and beareth witnesse vnto the sonne of God For whan throughe thinspiracion of the spirite of Christe he defieth euen deathes for his loue he beareth no trifling witnesse vnto mē that they are no vaine thīges that Christ hath taught and promised He that trusteth not in god but putteth his trust in the worlde he as muche as in him is maketh god a lyer whiche hath promised felicitie vnto them that woulde herkē vnto his sonne Iesu Christ where as he in his conuersaciō teacheth that felicitie is to be asked of the worlde cleaueth so vnto the cōmodities of this lyfe as thoughe nothing of a man remayned after the deathe of the bodye The father cryeth Heare him And his lyfe that beleueth not sayeth Heare the worlde For whan the sonne prayed the father that those whiche beleued or shoulde beleue in him might haue eternall lyfe the fathers voyce was heard testifiyng as by the sound of a trompet that his prayers should be allowed The father therfore hath geuen vs euerlastyng lyfe shewinge of whome it should be asked euen of his sonne Iesus Christe His doctrine who soeuer embraceth his example whosoeuer foloweth hys promises whosoeuer trusteth vnto he bothe possedeth the sonne and hath life the pledge wherof he kepeth in the meane time euen the spirite of god throughe the vndoubted confidence whereof he is bolde to call God father He that is a straunger from the sonne is estraunged also from lyfe The texte These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god that ye maye knowe howe that ye haue eternall lyfe and that ye maye beleue on the name of the sonne of god And thys is the trust that we haue in hym that yf we aske any thyng accordinge to hys wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heare vs whatsoeuer wee aske we knowe that we haue the peticions that we desire of hym If any man see his brother sinne a synne not vnto death let hym aske and he shall geue hym
with the worlde and we are in hym truely in that we folowe hys doctrine and promyses with an vpryght conscience as longe as wee are in hys sonne Iesus Christe whome he sent into the worlde for that intent He is the true god whiche onely ought to be honoured and the true lyfe whiche onelye oughte to bee desyred Lytell chyldren yf you doo truelye knowe the true God beware of false goddes and vayne Images whyche the worlde hathe in honoure He wurshyppeth an Idole that maketh moneye hys God He wurshyppeth an Idole that maketh hys bely hys God He wurshyppeth an Idole that for worldelye honoures sake despysethe the commaundementes of GOD. There be manye suche kyndes of Images Beware you of all yf you wyll abyde in the wurshippe of the true God Whyche humble prayer of myne he vouchesafe to make good by whose goodnes wee are delyuered from oure erroures Amen Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the fyrste epistle of Sainct Iohn The Paraphrase of Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the Seconde Epistle of Iohn The text The elder to the electe lady and her children whom I loue in the trueth and not I onely but also all that haue knowen the trueth for the truthes sake whiche dwelleth in vs and shall be in vs for euer With vs shall be grace mercie and peace from god the father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of the father in trueth loue I reioysed greatly that I founde of thy children walkynge in trueth as we haue receaued a commaundement of the father And now beseche I thee lady not as thoughe I wrote a newe commaundement vnto the but that same which we haue had from the beginninge that we should loue one another And this is the loue that we should walke after his commaundement This cōmaundement is that as ye haue heard from the begynning ye should walke init For many deceauers are entred into the world which confesse nor that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a deceauer and an Antichrist Loke on your selues y◠we lose not that we haue wrought but that we may haue a ful reward Whosoeuer transgresseth bydeth not in the doctrine of Christ hathe not God He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father the sonne If there come any vnto you bring not this learning him receaue not to house nether bid him god spede For he that byddeth him god spede is partaker of his euil dedes Behold I haue tolde you before y◠ye should not be ashamed in the day of the Lord. I had many thinges to write vnto you neuerthelesse I would not wryte with paper ynke but I trust to come vnto you and speake with you mouth to mouth that oure ioye maye be full The sonnes of thy electe syster grete the. Amen I Iohn being an elder wryte vnto the electe lady and to her sonnes also whome I loue syncerely nether doe I thus alone but al that are with me which haue knowē the trueth of the Gospelle nether doe they loue them for any other cause but that they vnderstande the synceritie of the Gospelles profession which we folowe to remayne in vs and shall remayne in vs for euermore Grace mercie and peace be alwayes encreased from God the father and from the Lorde Iesu Christe vnto you that perseuer still in the trueth of the Gospelles doctrine and in mutuall loue one to another I was wonderfully glad whan I perceaued that thy sonnes folowing theyr mothers godlynes contynued still in the truthe of the Gospelles doctrine and not gaue herkenynge vnto false doctours that goe about to turne many awaye from it where the father gaue vs thys in cōmaundement that we shoulde geue eare to the doctrine of hys sonne and that we shoulde not goe out of his fotesteppes Therfore it is no nede nowe ladye for me to instructe thy godlynes with new commaundementes only let vs continue still in that whiche was deliuered from the begynninge that we shoulde loue eche one other with a mutual and a true Christian loue But this beneuolence the consent and all one facion of godly life amonge oure selues must procure that we may lyue in all one purposed studies after the commaundement of God which enioined vs nothing so diligētly as mutual loue amonge oure selues There is no true loue amonge the wiked nor among them that be of vnlike facions Therfore I geue no new commaundement but I geue you warninge diligently to continue still in that which you haue already receaued longe a goe and not to suffre youre selues by any subtilties of the false prophetes to be plucked awaye For in dede there are manye deceauers in the worlde whiche denye that Iesus is Christe whiche shoulde come into the worlde accordinge to the prophetes prophecienges He that teacheth thus is a deceauer and Antichriste him self Christes aduersarie Let euery one take hede to hym selfe leste if he forsake that whiche he hathe well begonne he lose all the frute of those thinges whiche he hathe hitherto done well but let vs geue diligence that we may receaue the full hyre which happeneth not but to them that perseuer still vnto theende Whosoeuer swarueth from the trueth and abydeth not still in the doctrine of Christe he is estraunged also from God the father in that he swarued from the sonne But he that constauntly foloweth his doctrine is in his so doinge dearely beloued both vnto the father and to the sonne The one canne neyther be had nor forsaken without the other Thys is the true doctrine whiche you haue receaued of true recorde bearours from the begynnyng But if any man come vnto you and bringeth a contrary doctrine to this to carye you away from the Gospelles veritie you ought not onely to take no hede vnto him but also he ought not so muche as be admitted in to your house if he desyre lodging nor to be bidden God spede if he chaūce to mete you in the way For it is daunger lest he infecte the household with his familiaritie and for hys lodging requite an euill turne and lest of bidding him God spede there arise communicacion And in dede euil communicaciō corrupteth good maners To be shorte he that saluteth and kepeth company with such a maner deceauour he semeth to be a companyon of his euill dooinges For he geueth a courage vnto the wicked whan he seeth him selfe any whit regarded with them whome he goeth about to subuerte and geueth an outwarde shewe of euill vnto other as though he semed to fauour the naughtynes of hym whose familyaritie he doeth not abhorre There were many other thinges whiche I was desyrous to wryte vnto you concerning these matters howbeit I had rather open them to you presentlye than to put them in wryting For I truste shortly to come see you and talke with you presently mouth to mouthe that the Ioy whiche I haue conceaued of youre constaunt synceritie maye bee more pleynteous and full whan I shall bothe
and of all thinges that he sawe Happye is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophesye kepe those thinges which are wrytten therin For the tyme is at hande VNto our sauiour Iesus Christe after his manhode was geuen of god his father not onely all sufficiencie and fulnes of grace but also the knowledge and reuelacion of all suche secret mysteries as shoulde happen from tyme to tyme in Christendome vntyll suche tyme as he shoulde come againe vnto the lattre iudgement whiche secretes our sauiour Christ dyd reuele and open throughe his angels vnto his electe seruauntes and specially vnto holy S. Iohn I meane vnto that Iohn whiche bare wytnes of the worde of god and of Iesus Christ and dyd recorde all suche matters and doctrine as he himselfe had sene and lerned Whiche doctrine shall be very profytable vnto euery one that shall reade vnderstande this prophecye so far as he shal endeuer himselfe to lyue therafter preparinge appointynge himselfe thorowe a true faith and a christen conuersacion to please the lorde in this lyfe whiche is shorte and transitorye and the ende therof vncerten ▪ The texte ¶ Iohn to the seuen congregacions in Asia Grace be vnto you peace from him whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come and from the seuen spirites whiche are before his trone and from Iesus Christ whiche is a faythful witnes and first begotten of the dead and Lorde ouer the Kynges of the earth Vnto him that loued vs wasshed vs from our synnes in his awne bloude and made vs kynges and prestes vnto god his father be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen In lytle Asia were notable churches and congregacions set vp institute of the holy apostles speciallye of S. Paule vnto whiche also S. Peter wryteth confirmeth them in the faythe and vnto the same dothe S. Iohn wryte specially in consyderacion that this doctrine shoulde concerne all churches generally whiche were at that tyme standynge or shoulde afterwarde be institute thorowe out the whole world And he wysheth vnto them all as muche good as he can thincke or dyuyfe from god whiche is onely the gyuer of all good thinges is and remayneth for euer vnmutable ruleth gouerneth all thinges wherunto he vseth the ministraciō seruice of his angels which are infynyte in nombre whiche thing the nombre of seuen dothe sygnifye accordynge vnto the vse of holy scripture And with this eternall father holy spirite one god reygneth our lord Iesus Christ which is appointed to be the ruler of al thīges in heauen earth of al sensyble creatures both gostly as the spirites are bodily He in his mans nature for very loue toward mankinde was sēt for the comforte and wealth of y◠who le world testifyed most faithfully vnto al the world the wil of his father in the gospel accordyng as it was before promysed in all the prophetes that he shoulde be the founder and performer of the newe testament and should be offered vp and dye for the synnes of the whole world and in the resurrectiō or vprisynge againe of the bodye and soule he shoulde goe before all the resydue of the faythfull and be their guyde vnto euerlastynge lyfe whiche lyfe he onely hath meryted and purchaced thorowe his perfyte obedyence vpon the erosse vnto death And therefore is he exalted as concernynge his manhode aboue all creatures and hath receyued the moost worthiest and hyghest name and tytle that can be named eyther in this world or in the worlde to come And he hath purchaced and deserued for all the holy elect children of god the honour and glorye of the euerlastynge kyngdome and also grace to rule and gouerne our selues vertuouslye and to offre vp dayly and continually a pleasant sacryfyce of thanckes geuynge in true faith in god thorow Iesus Christ Vnto hym therfore alone parteyneth all honour and glorye The texte ¶ Beholde he commeth with cloudes and al eyes shal see him and they also which pearsed him And all kynreds of the earth shall wayle ouer him Euen so Amen Euen in despyte and against the wyll and mynde of all them that crucifyed Christ and woulde not take nor knowledge him for a kyng yet he commeth in the hyghest maiestye whiche excelleth all glorye and power of all otherkynges that euer were and nowe sheweth hym selfe and appeareth thorowe fayth vnto all his electe as the very messias and sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long desyered and loked for And whan he shal come at the latter daye to iudge the quycke and the deade than shall all the Iewes and vnfaythful whiche despysed him at his first commynge whan he came with suche humblenes crucyfyeng and putting him to death and woulde not receyue nor knowledge hym for a sauioure and a messias they shall than see him with feare and tremblyng and he shall appeare dreadfull vnto them The texte ¶ I am Alpha and Omega the begynnynge and the endynge sayeth the Lorde almighty whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come I Iohn your brother and companion in tribulacion and in the kyngdome and pacience in Iesu Christe was in the yle that is called Pathmos for the word of god and for the witnessynge of Iesus Christ This doth Christ speake to declare his godly maiestye and his eternall substaunce his almyghtye power without ende or begynnynge And he speaketh after the maner of the grecians amonge the whiche Alpha is the first letter Omega the last And after this speaketh S. Iohn the Euangelist again of his owne parson without any worldly boasting reioysyng as it becommeth a Christē man not in any honour or ryches of the world nor yet in any holynes the is in himselfe but onely in the affliccions persecuciōs pacience mysery partycypacion of the rightuousnes in Christ wherof he is a witnes a partener in sufferyng for Christes sake which thing hapned vnto him for the gospel by the procurement commaundemēt of Domicianus the Emperour which would haue bene honoured for a God where as Iohn taught that the onely lyuynge god and none els ought to be honoured and called vpon For y◠whiche cause Iohn was banyshed sent into Pathmos where god dyd shewe this reuelacion vnto him bad him wryte it so by that meanes thorow his wryting to set furth to further the glorye of Christ in his banyshemēt more thā euer he had bene able to haue done with his wordes or preachinge onely yf he had styll remayned amonge his frendes in his countrey The texte I was in the spirite on a sondaye and hearde be hynde me a great voyce as it had bene a trempe saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the sast That thou seest wryt in a booke and sende it vnto the seuen congregacions whiche are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamos and vnto Thiatira and vnto Sardis and vnto Philadelphia
of the faithfull of all creatures the begynnynge without begynnynge y◠euerlastyng wysdome of god Here marke how hyghly god is dyspleased with suche as be indyfferent neyther who◠nor colde whiche wyll and wyll not not consyderynge the earnest wil and commaūdement of god And wyll suffer nothynge for his sake but are content with the onely shyne and shadowe of godlynes and with the onely name of faythe and obedyence to god Where as Christ wyll haue a more feruent and earnest zeale namely the golde of a stedfast and a constante fayth in all maner of affliccion aduersitie the whyte garmētes of innocencie and purenes of lyfe in their whole conuersacion before god and man y◠bryght and clere iyes of Christen doctrine without any manner of errour That a man beyng riche after this maner may walke before god in his churche with worshyp and honestye and without all dread Whan any mysfortune of this worlde dothe happen vnto the faythfull they ought to thynke vpon these wordes and to be thankefull vnto god in true faythe and charite alwayes studyeng to amende their lyues This is the true repentaunce The lorde is muche more ready to gyue than we are to desyre or to receyue And he delyghteth in vertuous and godly hartes and gyueth them comforte loue and hope and strengthneth their faith that they maye be able to continue and remayne without dreade in the grace and fauour of god This is the very ryght supper of y◠spirite of god withal faithfull beleuers in this world But in the blysse of heauen there shal be the very fruicion and possession of all goodnes and of the most hyghest honour with vnspeakable ioye in god withal the holy sainctes whiche euer haue lyued vertuously in the fauour of god ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ After this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voyce which I hearde was as it were of a trompet talkynge with me whiche sayde come vp hyther and I wyll shewe the thinges which must be fulfylled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauen and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpon lyke vnto a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone And there was a raynebowe about the seate in syght lyke to an Emeralde And about the seate were foure and twentye seates And vpon the seates foure and twenty elders syttyng clothed in whyte rayment and had on their heades crownes of golde HEre doth Iohn looke and see in spirite as all y◠prophetes dyd Beholde the fygure whiche representeth vnto thee what heauenly mysteries of the kyngdome of Christ and of the thinges that should happen afterwarde Iohn dyd see in the heauen beyng opened To be in the spirite is asmuche as to be rapte of the spirite of god into an heauēly traunce aboue al mans witte power or capacyte Gods stoole or seate in heauen sygnified the euerlastynge state and continuaunce of the power myght blisse and ryghtuousnes of god The bryghtnes of the precious stones sygnified y◠hyghe maiestye and glory of god bewtyfyed with the knowledge of al thinges The raynebowe sygnifyeth his mercye and pacient sufferynge yet not without mete and condigne reuengeaunce and iustice The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders doe sygnifye y◠most hyghest iustyce and vnsearcheable councell and iudgement of god and that the most speciall frendes of god bothe of the olde and new testament are incorporate into y◠kyngdome of god bothe Patryarkes Kynges Prophetes Apostles and bysshops All are subiect vnto the lorde in all holynes and ready to honour him eternally And al these doe knowledge that they receyued all goodnes and commendacion that they haue of the bountyfull grace of god The texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtnynges and thondrynges and voyces and there were .vii. lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whiche are the .vii. spirites of god And before the seate there was a sea of glasse lyke vnto Cristall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde aboute y◠seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde And the first beaste was lyke a lyon and the seconde beaste lyke a calfe and the thirde beaste had a face as a man and the fourthe beaste was lyke a flying Egle. And the .iiii. beastes had echone of them syre wynges about him and they were full of eyes within And they had no rest daye nether nyght sayinge Holy holy holy Lord god almightye which was and is and is to come The earnest iudgement and commaundement of god shall be opened and made manyfest vnto all the worlde thorowe the gospell whiche shall be fearful and heauy vnto the wycked but ioyfull and welcome vnto the faithfull godly For vnto them it shall come with the gyftes of the plentifull spirite of God whiche shall appeare in their fruites The sea of glasse maye sygnifye vnto vs the aduersityes of this lyfe whiche serue both to y◠glorye of god and also to the syngular profyte of the faithfull for the frutefull exercyse of their faythe The iiii sondry beastes are interpreted by some of the olde doctours but not by all to sygnifye the .iiii. Euangelystes They maye betoken the .iiii. special mysteries of the Christen faythe As the manhode of Christ maye be sygnified by the face of the man And the passion and death of Christ by the calfe appoynted to be slayne and offered And the resurrection from death by the lyon And the ascencion into heauen by the Egle. All whiche misteries of Christ are plentuously set furth in the holy gospelles and Christ and his kyngdome is descrybed in them vnto all the world as a necessarye and a perfyght doctrine The wynges which are spoken of doe sygnifye here lyke as they doe in the .vi. Chapter of Esaye the obedience and reuerence whiche all creatures doe owe of duty vnto y◠lorde whiche vertues the faythful both willyngly and dylygently doe declare withall redynes and swyftnes of their godly and deuout heartes The multitude of the eyes dothe sygnifye the Christen doctrine and wysedome of god wherof is no want nor scarsenes in the churche And this doctrine must be learned and taken out of the holy scripture geuen by god For the whiche cause al godly and blessed myndes as well of the angels as of men shal neuer cease to prayse and exalt the almightye god to be holy in al his workes onely one in his godly substance and yet a Trinite of persons as it is wonderfully declared and expressed bothe by al holy scriptures and also by the heauenly wysedome of the prophetes and other holy men secretely inspired and lyghtned of god euē certein of the heathē also whiche thorowe true fayth doe knowledge and confesse that there is but one onely god creatour of all thinges and ruler and gouernoure foreuer and immutable The texte ¶ And when those beastes gaue glorye and honour and
thankes to him that sate on the seate whiche lyueth for euer and euer the foure and twentye elders fel downe before him that sate on the trone worshypped him that lyueth for euer cast their crownes before the trone sayinge thou arte worthye O lorde our god to receaue glorye and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy wylles sake they are were created One creature geueth euermore occasion to another to knowe and to honour by al meanes possyble the vnsearcheable highe maiesty power wysoome and mercy of the onely creatour and maker al the world knowledgyng al goodnes that can be founde or sene in all maner of creatures to come onely of God whiche is the well sprynge of all goodnes And for that cause he is onely to be honored inuocated and feared with all reuerence and submission as muche as euer is possible for al creatures to performe which haue all that they haue what soeuer it be lyfe power actiuite and altogether of god and can ascribe nothing that good is vnto them selues The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe in the right hande of him that sate in the trone a boke wryten within and on the backe syde sealed with seuen seales And I sawe a stronge aungell whiche preached with a loude voyce Who is worthy to open the boke and to lose the seales therof And no man in heauen nor in erth nether vnder yâ— erth was able to open yâ— boke nether to loke theron And I wepte muche because no man was founde worthy to open to reade yâ— boke nether to loke theron And one of the elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde a lyon of the trybe of Iuda the rote of Dauid hath optayned to open the boke to loce the seuen seales therof THis boke in the hande of god is the holy scripture and doctrine of god inspired by the holy goost written thorowe the prophetes sealed vp and vnknowen vnto all men whiche wyll enterpryse to reade and interprete it after their naturall reason and after the capacyte of their owne suttyll wittes onely whether it be after the spirituall sence or after the very letter For yâ— which cause fewe of the cyuyll and polytique learned men geuen altogether vnto worldly wysedom dyd euer but lytle medle with this booke or beare any minde vnto it And therfore Ezechiel and Daniel were commaunded to set a locke vpon it notwithstandynge that this booke is the truth necessarye and profytable for al the electe children of god to beleue But that man alone and none els can open this booke at all tymes whiche hath the spirite of Christ neyther dyd any other euer open it from the begynnynge For lyke as Christ was alwayes present with the Patriarkes and Prophetes in al suche thinges as concerned his honour rulynge instructyng yâ— faythful churche thorow faythe Euen so was the spirite of god present in all the electe plentyfullye to directe them in al matters concerning the necessitie of their saluacion althoughe secretly not manyfestly Wherfore truly this booke is shut vp vnto all worldly and natural reason not onely vnto the heathen but also vnto the fleshely Iewes with their stony hartes as the most part of them were and vnto all suche as without the spirite of Christe doe enterpryse to medle with the wrytinges of holy scripture And therfore Iohn bewayleth the ignoraunce and blyndnes of the Iewyshe people and that not without a cause But yet this comforte hath he that it wyll amende and be better at suche tyme as the spirite of Christe thorowe the merytes of the death and passion of Christ shall take awaye the blyndnes of all maner of errours bothe of the heathen and of the Iewes And then thorowe the spirite of god in the apostles shall be opened the mysteries of the holy gospel which were hidden in tholde testament not onely vnto the good Iewes but also vnto the heathen whersoeuer they dwel in yâ— world This hath Iesus Christ yâ— sauiour of yâ— world deserued brought to passe with his lyonyshe might with his shepâ—she symplicitie mekenes with his pacience wyllyng passion eueÌ„ according as the prophetes dyd tell signifie long before And specially Iacob in his blessing ouer the trybe of Iuda For the which cause Christ is called a Lion of yâ— tribe of Iuda And he is also named of Esay and of other prophetes of Dauids stocke As S. Mathew declareth in the genealogie of the birth of Christ yâ— he is not onely the sonne of Abraham and Iacob but also the sonne of Dauid The texte ¶ And I behelde lo in the myddes of the seate of the foure beastes in the myddes of the elders stode a lambe as thoughe he had bene kylled hauynge seuen hornes seueÌ„ eyes which are the seuen spirites of god sent inâ—o al the world And he came toâ—e the boke our of the right hande of him that sate vpon the seate And when he had taken the boke yâ— foure beastes .xxiiii. elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one of them harpes golden vyalles full of odoures which are the prayers of sainctes and they songe a newe longe saying thou art worthy to take the boke to open the seales thereof for thou wast killed and hast redemed vs by thy bloude our of al kinredes tonges people nacions and hast made vs vnto oure god kynges and priestes and we shall raygne on the earthe By the declaracion of the wordes before maye this that foloweth wel euideÌ„tly be vnderstande Euen as yâ— foure euangelistes haue described Christ to be the lambe yâ— was woryed slayne ful of the giftes of yâ— holy goost accordynge vnto the nomber of yâ— seueÌ„ principal articles of our christen faith coÌ„cerning Christ namely of his manhode his passion his buriall his resurreccioÌ„ his ascensioÌ„ the sendynge of the holy goost his coÌ„mynge at the latter daye to iudge the whole worlde All whiche articles are spred a brode knowe vnto the whole world and once receyued thorowe the gospel preaching of the Apostles And thus is the desyre of al the holy patriarkes prophetes fulfilled whiche desyred nothinge more hartely thaÌ„ the manifestacion of the honour of god the true knowledge loue religion of the very true onely one god Whiche thing is come to passe thorow the spreadyng abrode of the gospel thus is the swete smellyng oblacioÌ„ of thanckes geuynge institute begon in al the world all maner of old stynekyng ydolatry is abolyshed And thorowe Christe his holy Apostles the true honour and religion of god is spred abrode preserued And the synne of al the world is cleane wyped away thorow the bloude of Christ once offered vpoÌ„ the crosse And the errors and supersticion of al people with all false seruice of god is vtterly suppressed the rightuousnes of the true faith is restored the
looke for Suche men are the very true seruauntes of god fully stablysshed in the right faythe and true loue From the whiche thorowe the grace of god they shall neuer fall For as muche as god is their father and ouerseâ—r whose deare and louynge children they are And they can lacke no treasure neyther corporall nor spirituall eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come And they lyue blessedly in peace and quientnes of conscience before god readye at the pleasure of god to goe thorowe welthe and woo in this worlde whome no maner of creature can hurte for as muche as the lorde fauoreth them vnto whome they haue vtterly geueÌ„ and committed them selues and haue offred vp vnto him a pleasant sacrifice oblacion in faythe in true Christen loue and perfyght hope For Christ that suffered death for them and redemed them with his bloude will not forsake them but graciously rule gouerne them and thorowe the holy gospel wil instructe them in all rightuousnes which they begynne here in this world and shal enioye the frute therof in the lyfe euerlastyng And thus thorowe yâ— grace mercye of god they shal ouercome al woe and vexacion and remayne pacient in persecucion yea and mery and ioyfull also in him that can strengthen and comforte them whiche dystrybuteth his plentifull grace vnto them to worke al holy vertuous workes For the which also beyng his owne workes he wyll yet crowne and rewarde them as S. Austen sayeth in the kyngdome of heauen eternaliy The .viii. Chapter The texte ¶ And when he had opened the seuenth seale there was sylence in heauen about the space of halfe an houre And I sawe vii angelles standynge before god to them wer geuen seuen trompertes And another angel came and stode before the aulter hauinge a goldeÌ„ senser and muthe of odoures was geuen vnto him that he should offce of the prayers of all saâ—â—â—res vpon the golden aulter which was before the seate And yâ— smoke of the odoures whiche came of the prayers of all saâ—â—â—res ascended vp before god out of the Angelles hande And the Angell toke the senser and fylled it with fyre of the aulter and caste it into the earth and voyces were made and thondrynges and lyghtnynges and earthquake IT hathe ofte bene sene that after great troubles and muche vexacion thorowe the prouysion of god rest and quietnes hath folowed in all tymes And thus shall it continue euen from the ascencion of Christe vntyll the worldes ende that after rayne the sunne shal shyne and afterwarde it wyll be cloudye darcke againe Euen so whan the faythfull haue once ioy in god after the victorye of the dragon then commeth a new dysquietnes and perplexite whan as the wycked Angels and spirites thorowe their membres mynisters shall set vp all abhominacion synne wyckednes hurtefull and noysome vnto the soule as Sathan dyd vnto Iob what tyme he came and accompanyed him selfe with the children of god Here come vii that is to saye very many and those mightye and stronge with power graunted and permitted vnto them to doe harme But Christ the true and faythfull kyng and father of his kyngdome churche and children commeth and standeth as an hyghe pryest at the alter of god with the oblacion of his owne bodye For Christ the lorde is bothe priest altar and the oblacion himselfe and he standeth for his faythfull electe with the golden censers the hyghest loue and humilyte thorowe the whiche he gaue him selfe for the synnes of al the world into the moost bytter and standerous death for a perpetuall reconciliacion for all those that beleue in him Vnto this onely one and eternall priest Christ doe all faythfull holy and blessed christians render and gyue their vnperfyte deuocion thanck es geuynge feruent peticions and prayers their hope loue and fayth All whiche he receyueth in good parte and maketh them acceptable vnto the father with the censers of his prayers and with his swete smellynge rightuousnes and holynes wherwith he is full and aboundant plentuous and sufficient for all the electe from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof And by this meanes and no nother wyse may the prayers of all the holy and faythfull come vnto god namely thorowe the handes and merites of his passioÌ„ so that they take the same with them pleating with god thorowe the same Whiche thing dilyghteth and pleaseth the lord god right well Nowe yf the holy electe shal thus offre vp their necessities praiers vnto god thorowe Christ whiche is the onely medyatour betwene god the father and mankynde than wyll the mercifull god heare them â–ª and shall punyshe the wycked tyrannes and oppressours of the faythfull with his fyerye dartes and thonderboltes and other plages whiche he can and is wont to vse dyuers wayes for the terryble punyshemeÌ„t of the wycked godlesse prynces tyrannes bothe bodely and gostly in so muche that Sathan with his whole kyngdome shal be amased therat The texte ¶ And the seuen Angels which had the seuen trompettes prepared them selues to blowe The first Angell blewe and there was made hadle and fyre whiche were myngled with bloude and they were caste into the earth and the thirde parte of yâ— earth was set on fyre and the thirde parte of trees was burnt and all greue grasse was brente And the seconde angell blewe and as it were a great mountayne burnyng with fyre was caste into the see and yâ— thirde parte of the sea turned to bloude and the thirde parte of the creatures which had lyfe dyed and the thirde parte of shyppes were destroyed Christ bringeth his punyshementes to passe thorowe good and euyll angels euen at his owne pleasure For vnto the lorde there is nothing euell nor vnprofytable for as muche as he onely can make good of euyll well ynoughe The first plage of the churche of Christ was in the vnderstandynge and interpretacion of holy scripture whiche euen at the first was assaulted with dyuerse dangerous heresyes whiche sprang vp by reason of yâ— dyuersytie of vnderstandyng amonge the wryters and teachers by reason wherof infynite Schisemes disseÌ„cions â–ª perels and dangerous vproures did sprynge aryse And for this cause were so many councels holden For the christendome suffred great decaye and many swarued there from at suche tyme as god of his mercye gaue peace and quietnes in the churche but for a small season as I sayde before By the trees we shall vnderstande people of all maner of nacions and degrees in yâ— christendome of no small nomber as in the tyme of Athanasius and after The seconde plage foloweth afterwarde against the whote and natural strength and fearcenes of men and specially that whiche was betwene princes and rulers that were assaulted of the wycked fyende with ambicion for power and dominion The whiche the wycked fyende dyd rayse vp after that the godly and holy teachers had rooted out all errours and heresyes This contencion and
him But this temple of God is the holy christen churche and congregacion in this tyme of trouble dyscencion and batell and participacion of the blisse of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe vnto them that wynne and beare awaye the victorye The Arke of the testamente is the blessed and holy manhode of Christ vnited and knit in one with the godlye nature of the euerlasting word of God which is and euer hath bene yâ— Mercye stoole of all the worlde and of al men and the onely comforte refuge and ioye of the faythfull electe But the lyghtenynge the noyse of the voices the thonderynge and earthequake with the great hayle maye sygnifie the terryble damnacion of the wicked for euer or els it maye sygnifie a synguler ernest and wonderfull preparacion of the hearer or of the reader lyke as was of the holy Apostle S. Iohn whiche sawe it to marke and consyder it the more dilygentlye For it is necessarye to marke and consyder suche reuelacions and visions as doe folowe vpon suche tokens the lyke whereunto happened sometymes also vnto the prophetes as the holy scripture declareth The texte ¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moâ—e vnder her fete vpoÌ„ her heade a crowne of .xii. starres And she was with childe cried trauayling in birthe and pained ready to be delyuered And there appeared another wonder in heaueÌ„ for beholde a great red dragon hauing .vii. heddes ten hornes .vii. crounes vpon his heades his tayle drue yâ— thirde part of yâ— starres cast them to yâ— earth As in the prophetes of the olde testament the first dyd write more plainely and manifestly than the last whiche are muche harder to be vnderstanded as Ezechiel Daniel and zacharie are muche harder than Esaye and Ieremy EueÌ„ so in the new testament in this prophetycall boke the latter prophecies reuelacions and visions are more playne and easy to be vnderstanded thaÌ„ the first in so muche as this vision maye in manner be an interpretacioÌ„ of those visions that went before This heauen wherin this great token dyd appeare must nedes be the kyngdome of heauen the christen churche congregacion and felowshyp of all faithfull from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof as Christ him selfe doth interprete it The woman of whome the angell here speaketh is the euerlasting mighty and blissed worde of god whiche is bryght and mightye as the Sunne wherunto all the vnderstanding of man and of all fleshe is subiecte And it is clothed and garnysshed with the faith and confession of the patriarkes â–ª prophetes Apostles and martirs bothe of the olde and of the newe testament This word of God the holy gospel promised vnto vs from the begynnynge and beleued hath performed and thorowe the mercye and goodnes of God hath brought forthe and borne vnto vs Christe the sauiour of the worlde or the true faith in Christ But this came not to passe before suche time as nonother saluacion coulde in any wyse be founde thorow the workes of the lawe throughe the sacrifices nor throughe all other good workes For none of them all had power to satisfye or to make holy but onely the righteousnes of the worde of God that became man namely our sauiour Christe the sonne of God and of Marye whiche had bothe the nature of God and of man in one onely person whiche made satisfaccion for al mankynde This beyng with childe is in this place as muche as an earnest lust and desyre The cryeng is prayer As the holy prophetes dyd euermore desyre this saluacion trusted throughe belefe in yâ— worde of God vnto the promes yâ— was made vnto the whole worlde Against this holy worde of God and this christen faithe dyd appeare an other token in the congregacioÌ„ of the churche beyng called of God namely a bloudy dragon and enemye of mans saluacion and of the true faithe in Christ whiche is yâ— wicked spirite Lucifer his felowshyp by whose .vii. heades is sygnified all blasphemies and wickednes wherwith he worketh all myschiefe And the .x. hornes doe sygnifye his great and manyfolde tyrannye wherby he worketh to hynder and hurt the true faythe and the gospell of Iesus Christ the onely sauiour wherunto he is an enemye an aduersarye with all his might power so farre as almightye God wyll permyt and suffer him whiche he taketh to helpe him namely the louers frendes and gredy folowers of this worlde vngodlye tyrannes againste all godly innocencye and christen faithe This dragons tayle sygnifieth the might power and ministers of the deuell wherby he dysyreth to hurt the electe yf God woulde suffer it as it is possible that he maye that they shoulde fall from the heauenly vertue and godlines vnto the loue of this worlde and vnto earthly and fleshely lustes and affeccions The texte ¶ And the dragon stode before the woman whiche was readye to be delyuered for to deuourt her chylde as sone as it were borne And she brought forthe a man childe whiche shoulde rule all nacions with a rodde of yron And her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his seate And the woman fled into wildernes where she had a place prepared of god that they shoulde fede her there a M.ii. hundred and .lx. dayes The wycked spirite dyd bestowe all his might and power that the promyse of God thorowe the dysobedience of the children of Israell whome he alwayes stirred vp might come to none effecte and that yâ— trueth of God might be dysappoynted and that the faythe in Christ in whome our saluacion dothe consyste might be blemysshed and confounded and also that the gospell might be myxed with mans doctrine interpretacions and errours But the goodnes truth mercye faythfulnes and loue of God is greater than the power and wickednes of the deuell and of al his subtilties and ministers For the childe was borne goddes worde became man truth had the victorye and falsehede laye on yâ— grounde vnder fote The craft and subtiltie of the deuell was defeated by the wysdome of God and was opened and dysclosed vnto the worlde This childe Christ the euerlasting worde of God whiche became man in the moost holy wombe of the virgin Marye was receyued and taken of God the father throughe grace for the satisfaccion of the synne of al the world and he dyd merite and deserue with his highe and most perfyte obedience and humblenes the glorye of yâ— heauenlye father and the kyngdome of heauen wherin he ruleth for euer and euer But the truth of the christen faith religion and of the gospell of Christ dyd alwaies suffre extreme sorowe and payne beyng persecuted euen at the first of the Iewes of the false Apostles of false and coloured christians of Emperours and Kynges of workemongers of false and wicked bysshops of Sorcerers and nigromansers of Sarasens of ydolaters and Epicures of philosophers of the louers
woman and the earth opened her mouth and swalowed vp the ryuer which the dragon cast out of his mouth And y◠dragon was wroth with y◠woman wēt and made warre with the remnaunt of her sede which kepe y◠cōmaundementes of God and haue the testimonye of Iesus Christe And I stode on the sea sande After that Sathan whiche is a spirite of lyes marketh the power of faithe whiche commeth springeth of gods worde howe Christ beyng borne in the faithful doth waxe increase in them thorowe holy godly workes acceptable vnto god than he goeth about to persecute y◠gospel the true holsom doctrine and the spirite of Christ in the electe But the circumspecte quickesyghted and highe flyeng Eagle of gods spirite resisteth the dragō geueth might power with his grace vnto the Christen soule to flee into a sure place whiche is y◠contempt of this worlde the loue of the world to come the solitarines of a quiet conscience in y◠crosse of Christ the comfort in y◠remembraunce of gods word With these wynges she escapeth from Sathan and from al his spirites snares and suggestions This foode noryshment is geuē throughe the grace mercy of god vnto all the electe children of God from such time as the word was firste writen throughe Moyses and afterwarde declared throughe y◠prophetes and fulfilled through Christ preached in al y◠world throughe y◠apostles in our tyme throughe the mercye goodnes of God renewed againe for a thousande and .ii. thousande yeares y◠is .iii. thousande yet lōger how lōg so euer it please God which wil not haue it hidden vnknowen vnto vs. And for this cause the nombre of the yeares both in this boke in other is obscure not without a synguler cōsideracion As y◠disciples of Helyas receyuing it of their maister also sayde y◠.ii. thousande yeares were past before the lawe that the lawe of Moyses should continue lykewyse .ii. thousande yeares the kingdome of Messias vpō earth also about .ii. thousande yeares not so precisely reckened nor fullye accomplyshed as the Rabbines interpreters of y◠Iewes doe for the most part cōfesse declare But the serpēt which he named before a dragō doth neuer seace since y◠tyme of Adam Eue to persecute y◠faith in y◠worde of God the secret misterie of Christ For y◠merciful rightuous god taketh vseth y◠falsehede wickednes o◠Sathan euē for a game a sport as a mā may say And the more y◠Sathan goeth about to hinder the worcke grace of god the performaunce of his promises the more doeth his damnacion his wrath enuy and malyce increase and gods grace throughe his mercye is the more aboundantlye multiplyed in all men and the true rightuousnes of the holy and blessed seede our sauiour Christ is the more perfight and effectuous and maketh more hast to the full and perfyght blisse and saluacion of all faithfull electe Althoughe notwithstandinge the infinite wickednes of Sathan neuer ceaseth and is euer more angrye deuyseth continually one mischefe vpon anothers necke against the faithful but all to their furtheraūce honour profite at length yea to the preseruacion of y◠trueth of the eternal worde of God to the furtheraunce and confirmacion of y◠true faith loue hope against y◠whiche the olde serpente is wont continually to fight with al his felowship companie of wicked spirites and of all kyndes of blasphemies and vices whiche are his seede generacion lyke as all maner of vertues grace holynes innocencye saluaciō are y◠frutes of gods worde of the spirite of Christ out of the whiche dothe spring obediēce and obseruacion of the cōmaundementes of God so farre as the weakenes and imperfightenes of man is able The whiche weakenes y◠sauiour of mankynde and y◠first borne of y◠children of God doth accomplyshe helpeth the lacke of mans weakenes for y◠which cause he became man our brother y◠he might the better knowe our infirmitie and weakenes And thus was this vision reueled vnto me as I thought standinge vpon the sande of the sea ¶ The .xiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe a beast ryse out of y◠sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes and vpon his bornes ten crownes and vpon his heade the name of blasphemye And the beaste whiche I saw was lyke a catte of the mountayne his fete were as the fete of a beare his mouth as y◠mouth of a lion And the dragon gaue him his power and his feare great auctorite BY this beast which was sene to ryse vp in the raging sea of this worlde is signified y◠kingdome of Rome vnder y◠dominion of whiche kingdom Christ was borne suffred his passion vnder y◠same kyngdōe also S. Iohn did write both this boke and his holy gospel For this kingdom obteyned power dominion ouer many nacions landes and ouercame very many kinges Whiche thinges came not to passe for y◠vertue godlines of y◠Romaynes for they knew not their Lord God much lesse did they honour him For they dyd ascribe their wealth good fortune successe their victorie not vnto y◠true lyuing God but vnto their false goddes And diuerse Emperours of Rome haue set out them selues also for goddes haue suffred oblacions sacrifices to be made done vnto them And thus haue they blasphemed y◠true god creatour gouernour of al thīges whose seruice religiō yea his temple priesthode and sacrifices they did vtterly abolishe subuert most spitefully contemptuously and set vp al false religiō ydolatrie to please y◠people For whose pleasure they buylded set vp a churche of Pantheon for y◠honour of all sainctes goddes whiche remaineth at Rome vntil this day The errours riches blasphemous vices of y◠who le world which wer gotten in batel are like vnto a cat of y◠mountayne with her many speckles spottes whiche with her smacke souour draweth many beastes vnto her which she destroieth Euē as the Romaynes vnder y◠pretēce of their glorious name title haue gottē great power auctoryte wherby they haue oppressed hurt y◠who le world in so much y◠at length it was intollerable The Beare hath a weake heade but very strōg feete which signifieth y◠power of his tyrannye the weakenes feblenes of their captaines of their Emperours which for y◠most part haue had shamful endes after their wicked shameful liues And it was as spoilful gredy to deuour as a Liō had his power might strēgth of all mighty god but yet they haue not cōfessed it nor ascrybed it vnto him but vnto their own ydolles and false goddes and vnto Lucifer the kyng and head of their false goddes whiche is here named a dragon and wyll be estemed and taken for a Lorde of
as muche as they dyd performe and obey his wyll transgressinge the seconde commaundement of ymages and strange goddes which is eueÌ„ as muche as to serue the deuil This euil and wounde was healed longe before of the godlye Emperour Constantine and of the holy bysshoppes throughout the whole christendome and nowe this deuyll bringeth it againe into the churche vnder a pretence of holines out of yâ— which pretence did spring departinge from the faithe and decaye of loue as the Chronicles testifie What wonderfull tokens haue bene wrought in the papacie and to what ende Christ him selfe dyd prophecye longe agoe vnto his disciples and gaue them warning of them Vnto this seconde beaste muste ymages be made euen accordinge vnto the pleasure of the dragon and as the papacye wyll haue it without any respecte whether it be conformable vnto the worde of God or good and profitable for the conscience and soule of man or no. The texte ¶ And he had power to geue a sprete vnto the ymage of the beast and that the ymage of the beaste should speake and should cause that as many as woulde not worship yâ— ymage of the beaste shoulde be kylled And he made all bothe small and great riche and poore fre and bonde to receaue a marke in their right handes or in their forheades And that no man might by or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beaste other the nomber of his name Here is wysdome Let him that hath witte counte the nomber of the beaste â—or it is the nomber of a man and his nomber is syxe hundred three score and syxe This bringethe the dragon to passe to establyshe and confirme the worshipping of ymages whiche began to doe miracles and dyd speake to the great wonder of all men somtyme with the helpe of nicromancie the science of the deuyll by the whiche science many of them came vnto the papacye as their owne stories doe testyfie Out of this dothe it folowe afterwarde that whoso euer wyll not worship this ymage the same must dye euen as the papacye wyll haue it yet vntyll this daye And with parcialite geue them markes that is excommunicate them and dysherite them of their kyngdomes and heretages suche as wyll not worshyppe and honour their ymages Here must men speake warely and circumspectly that they dysplease no man that they maye enioye lyfe bodye estimacion and goodes quietly But goddes worde and wyll commaundeth otherwyse and is an other maner of wysdome God willeth that this beastes nomber and errour shoulde haue an ende Reken from the yeare of our Lorde a thousande v. hundreth and .xx. backewarde this nomber of .vi. hundreth .iii. score and .vi. yeares and looke what tyme it was thaÌ„ with the popes and the Emperours ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I loked and lo a lambe stoode on the mount Sion and with him an hundred and xliiii thousande hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheades And I heard a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a great thounder And I hearde the voyce of harpers harping with their harpes HEre foloweth what rewarde they shall haue whiche folowe not this horned beast nor them that worship it The lambe vpon the mount Sion is our Sauiour Christ rulinge and gouerning in his holy christen churche and sorowing for his faithful elect This great nomber after the customable vse of the scripture sygnifieth the infinite and exceadinge great nomber of gods elect from the beginninge of the worlde vntil the ende therof vnknowen vnto the whole worlde Althoughe the nomber of the wicked and damned sorte be also a great nomber These electe are they whiche without feare shame or compulsion haue confessed knowledged honoured spred furth noysed abrode preached and taught the name of the heauenly father before all the worlde against all the spyte and resistinge of the deuyll of all his ministers and of the wicked worlde The texte ¶ And they song as it were a new song before the seate before the foure beastes and the elders no man coulde learne yâ— song but the hondred foure fourtye thousande whiche were redemed from the earth These are they whiche are not defiled with wemen for they are virgins These folow the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redemed from men beynge the first frutes vnto God and to the lambe and in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are without spot before the trone of god This heauenly voice and moost pleasaunt musycke is the incessaunt continuall and endles prayse thankesgeuinge reioysinge mirthe and ioye of all faithfull and blissed in eternall blisse in the kingdome of God and of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ For they syng a new song of a newe benifite grace and acte of God whiche hathe fulfylled in Christ in tyme conuenient and before ordeyned and appointed that thing whiche from the beginninge of the worlde was promised vnto all holy patriarkes and olde fathers and loked for of all people and nacions and beleued vpon vnto saluacion of the electe whiche are redemed with the deare pryce of the most precious heart bloude of Christ shed vpon the crosse in the earth These electe confessours and singers of laudes and prayses vnto God are they whiche are not defyled with earthly vnsemely pleasures of this worlde more delighting in fleshly lustes and filthines than in any right godly and christen loue of gods worde and heueÌ„ly vertues chast thoughtes or right godly doctrine and ceremonies in the exercyse wherof they shoulde haue suffred no maner of pleasure care or loue of any transitorye thing to haue hyndred them For this cannot be vnderstanded of any suche bodily chastitie or virginitie as religious parsons Monkes Nonnes Priestes Deacons suche other haue pretented falsely made their boast of vnto the world whiche hath be founde to be so rare and so groslye broken and negligeÌ„tly kept and so wonderfull seldome geuen of God vnto the vowers therof And thoughe it were kept yet was it not profitable and necessarye vnto the right christen and godly relygion and gods seruice of the Apostles whiche is onely praysed and commended in yâ— gospel and of S. Paule Would God there were lesse of suche wylde grosse and wanton chastitie and virginitie but lytle praysed of the most auncient holy fathers Oh that it wer lykewyse lesse extolled and estemed of the fathers of our time seyng it hath bene so great a blot vnto Christes true religion Here might muche be said and muche more be lamented our Lord graunt that it may sone be amended and redressed These holy frendes of God as Enoche Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Iudas Ioseph Dauid Moyses and Aaron These patriarkes and prophetes I saye yea and without doubt Peter and Paule with other infinite olde holy bysshops are also in this register withal the blissed elect and they are the most pleasaunt and acceptable frute
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
speciall trust and loue towardes him he sheweth him his spouse and wyfe and nameth her the lambes wyfe but it is the christen churche the felowship of all saintes and holy electe This christen churche is in .ii. maner of states In the first state she is mylitant euer striuynge and fightyng euer in warrefare assaulted with much trouble and vexacion sorowfull vnperfyte and euer waxyng and increasynge And in the other state she is triumphant victorious euer triumphinge quiet free without care or sorowe for any vexacion perfyte heauenly blessed and euerlasting Of bothe these states for certen fewe properties the earthly Ierusalem the citie of the Iewes is set for a figure comparison example and counterpane Whiche Ierusalem of the Iewes lyeth vpon an hyll hath .xii. gates and great hyghe walles and lyeth on highe towarde the whole lande rounde about on euery behalfe Of the whiche they that wyll knowe more maye reade Iosephus which writeth largely therof Nowe here speaketh Christ of the spirituall Ierusalem in her double state It lyeth also highe for as muche as it is highly indewed with gods grace and glorious giftes for whose sake almightie God sent his onely begotten sunne vpon earth to clense and to make her pure to bylde her to bewtifie and to garnyshe her and to make her glorious euen for an euerlastynge kingdome and for a deare beloued spouse for him selfe This citie is great for it reacheth vnto all the endes and coastes of the worlde and it is also holy for it is sanctified with the holy and blessed presence of Christ with his precious hearte bloode which was shedde in the highest loue and obedience towarde god and mankynde and that washeth a waye the synnes of all the worlde in that are al the faythful purged clensed This descending of the heuenly citie Ierusalem or holy chrysten churche sygnifieth the comon felowshyp and participacion of the churche â—riumphant that reygnyth in victory with the churche mylytant that contyneweth and remaineth in battel and warrefare For they bothe are one churche deuided and sondred in .ii. onely in this worlde by reason of the tyme. For that churche whiche is nowe militant and lyeth in warrefare vpon earthe shal shortly be in heaueÌ„ victorious and triumphant This churche both vpon earthe and in heauen hathe one godly glorye al honour vertue prayse might and blisse commeth vnto her from God The light of this churche is the most precious stone namely vpon earth faythe with loue and in heauen trueth and saluacioÌ„ in Christ The walles which defende preserue and kepe this citie is the faith and belefe in the holy worde of god by the whiche the faithfull beleuers are kept and preserued The .xii. gates maye we take and vnderstande for the .xii. articles of the holye Christen faythe vpon the gates the xii apostles or patriarkes or prophetes whiche haue their glorious and holy names not onely written in heauen aboue all other holy saintes but also vpoÌ„ earth in the militant or warrefaring chutch These gates of the articles are wel and orderly set and appointed of the father of the sunne of the holy gost of the grace and rewarde of redempcion The .xii. foundacions of these walles maye be taken for the bokes of the olde and newe testament vpon the whiche the wall of the christen churche the holy faithe whiche is but one bothe of the christianes of the olde and of the newe testament bothe of the prophetes and of the Apostles is and ought to be founded and grounded And where as the Apostles are here more named than the prophetes it is done for this purpose for as much as thorow the Apostles the doctrine of the prophetes and the gospell promysed in the prophetes was spredde abrode and publyshed in the whose wyde worlde whiche gospell the prophetes dyd preache and wryte onely vnto the children of Israel and to their neighbours the people nexte about them of the lande of Israell and againe because the apostles were witnesses in their owne parsons of the slaying and death of the lambe The texte ¶ And be that talked with me had a golden rede to measure the citie with all and the gates therof and the wal therof And the citie was buylt foure square and the length was as large as the bredth and he measured the citie with the rede twelue â—â— furlonges and the length and the bredth the heyght of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an cxliiii câ—bytes the measure that the angell had was after the measure that man vseth And the buildyng of the wal of it was of Iasper And the citie was pure golde lyke vnto cleare glasse and the foundacions of the wall of the citie were garnished with all maner of precious stones The first foundacion was Iaspis the seconde Saphire the thirde a Calcedony the fourthe an Emeralde the fyfte Sardoniâ— the syrie Sardoes the seuenth Crysolite the eight Beral the nynth a Topas the tenth a Chrisoprasos the eleeuenth a Iaciute the twelue than Amâ—chist In the .xliiii. of Ezechiell and lykewyse in zacharie doe we reade of yâ— mystery of this holy citie whiche is here described as thoughe it shoulde be measured how long how brode and howe highe it were But it is done of Christ after the maner of a vision and as it were in a misterie For Christ knoweth his churche well inoughe and all whiche are the rin or belong therunto The golden reed is as it were a golden met wonde and it signifieth the right square of the holy scripture whiche onely declareth and sheweth certenly and truly what is ryghte or croked wel or amisse in the religion and doctrine ceremonies and dyscipline of the churche And where as the citie lyeth foure square it sygnifieth the .iiii. quarters of the worlde in the whiche the almightie God hath alwayes had his peculier electe faithful folowers and obseruers of the true loue of God and of the neighbour wherin consisteth the lawe and the prophetes and also the commaundement of Christ the sauiour of the whole worlde The length is from the east to the west the bredth is from the northe to the south and the higth is euen from the earth to the heauen So that heauen and earth and the whole churche both triumphant in heauen militant vpon earth are full of the glory of God of the power and kyngdome of Christ whiche the father gaue him whan as he dyd set him at his right hande in the moost hyghe honour glorye and blisse for a mirrour vnto all faithfull and holy electe An hundreth and .xliiii. is a full and a perfite nomber euen .xii. tymes .xii. And it signifieth all perfeccion of the grace of God the holy goost and of all true and perfite vertues whiche true faithe onely preserueth and maketh good and perfight and also acceptable vnto God The true faithe and belefe which hath alwaies bene preached and preserued in the holy churche as well by the Israelites as by the
also all that is abhominacion vnto the lorde as ydolatry abhominable blasphemies forged lyes false doctrine shall haue no place in the right churche For vnto the right holy churche which is knoweÌ„ onely vnto God and inuisible vpon earthe doe onely the electe children of God perteyne whose names are wrytten in heauen in the booke of the lyuynge ¶ The .xxii. Chapter The texte ¶ And he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe clere as Christ all procedyng out of the seate of God and of the lambe In the myddes of the strete of it and of eâ—her â—yde of yâ— ryuer was ther wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of frutes gaue frute euery moneth and yâ—â—eues of the wood serued to heale the people with al. And ther shal be no more cuâ—se but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal se his face his name shal be in their forheades And ther shal be no night there and they nede no candle nether lyght of the sunne for the Lorde geueth them lighte and they shall raygne for euermore CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes as farre furth as is requisite necessary for the christen doctrine And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water very clere whiche is the holy scripture the worde of god the doctrine of Christ the holy gospel of our saluacioÌ„ That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart mynde not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue care of yâ— worlde nor with any temptacions of the flesshe This holy doctrine procedeth commeth out froÌ„ the holy spirite of god and of Christ For he is one God with yâ— father the sonne He is the seate of glorye of omnipotencie of the godheade He procedeth out from the welspring of all wysedom grace mercye and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche which is the citie of god of the lambe And of both sides of yâ— riuer doe staÌ„de glorious bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase their leaues and frute of the moysture of the riuer And these trees are the holy fathers of the faithful christen churche of the olde new testament whiche by their faith and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture of the lawe of the prophetes and of the gospell haue lyued taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes that is to saye many frutes and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good woâ—kes and vertuous exercises The leaues frute and sappe of these holy trees were very holsome and soueraine as were also the frutes of the dysciples of the prophetes and apostles For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde dyd make repentance faithfull holy and christen people by their preachinge â—eachinge wrytinge prayers and christen example of lyfe of them whiche were before very hethen And in this churche there is no cursed frute and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge and with all temperatenes and measure Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God but he shall prouyde ministers of God and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence that they shall profyte goe forwarde and procede frutefully in all goodnes and thorowe true faithe they shall knowe the face of God his gracious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant warrfarynge churche but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face euen as he is and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly And these ministers and seruantes of God shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse the name of god the christen faith the holy gospel They shal beare about preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly with ioy delyght and pleasure And neyther Sunne nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge for the spirite of God shall doe all together And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne and Moone the glasse of the godheade the excellent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore The texte ¶ And be sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithful and true And the Lorde God of saintes and prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche must shortly be fulfylled Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth the sayinge of the Prophecy of this boke I am Iohn whiche saw these thinges and hearde them And wheÌ„ I had hearde sene I fell downe to worship before yâ— fete of the angel which shewed me these thinges And he said vnto me sâ— thou â—â— it not for I am thy felow seruaunt the felowe seruaunt of â—hy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the saynges of this booke But worshippe God Christ speaketh vnto Iohn and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken thorow an angell vnto Iohn that he should write it and should leaue it behynde him in yâ— faithfull and holy churche of Christ Euen yâ— same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come the very same God hath now sent his angel geuen him in commission to open reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come whiche should happen come to passe be fulfilled very shortly yâ— is to say they should shortly begin so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte forme yâ— we should carfully diligently wayte for it continuallye lyke as true faithful seruantes doe waite watche vpoÌ„ yâ— returning of theyr masters doe neuer slepe as Christ teacheth in yâ— gospel And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell that he is happye that is to saye he is the seruaunte of God and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be partaker of grace and saluacion whiche beleueth this booke â–ª taketh all thinges that are written therin for true holy and estemeth yâ— prophecies of this boke whiche are many and diuerse no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes other holy prophecies And where as he saieth â–ª I
am Iohn it is as muche to say as thus yf ye beleue my preaching of Christ in other matters because I am the same Iohn whiche was conuersaunte and lyued with Christ than beleue me in this booke also because of the visions syghtes and sayinges which I haue seene hearde my selfe and haue written in this booke And I knowe also and am assured that this angell was an holy angell and therfore I for feare and reuerence woulde haue worshipped him as a seruaunt and minister of God and I dyd also worship him and fell downe at his feete to worship him that I might seme to shewe thankefulnes vnto him for the infinite benefite and grace that he reueled and opened vnto me suche highe and holy secrete misteries But he woulde not accept and receyue suche honour and worship at my handes nor was not content therwith wherby I am taught that I should vtterly honour and worship none but onely the almighty God And althoughe the nature and dignitie of angels be higher than the state and dignite of man yet by the reason of the manhode of Christ and by the reason of the saluacion of mankynde thorowe Christ the nature of man is exalted aboue all angels And therfore from hence forthe the angell wyll not be hygher estemed than as a felowe seruaunt of all men vnto the lorde And lykewyse our sauiour Christ nameth himselfe a felow brother of his disciples and that also after the resurreccion And also the angel nameth Iohn in this place a brother and felow of yâ— apostles onely for this booke and sheweth how acceptable they are vnto the lorde namely reputed euen as the brethren of Christe whiche doe esteme this booke and beleue the wordes whiche are written therin And therfore no man ought to esteme this booke lightly nor to contemne it for as much as in many places it teacheth the misteries of Christ very euidentlye Althoughe in dyuerse thinges prophecied in this booke whiche haue not yet beue sene to be fulfylled because they concerne this tyme of ours the latter tyme it is somewhat darke and obscure The texte ¶ And he sayde vnto me seale not the sayinges of the prophecye of this boke For yâ— tyme is at hande He that doeth euyll let him do euil styll and he whiche is fylthye let him be fylthye styl and he that is righteous let him be more righteous and he that is holy let him be more holy And beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man according as his dedes shadie I am Alpha and Omega the begynnyng and the ende the first and the last Blessed are they that doe his commaundementes that theyr power maye be in the tree of lyfe and maye entre in thorowe the gates into the citie For without shal be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murcherers and ydolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh leasynges In the olde testamente before the commynge of Christe the Prophetes were partly commaunded to seale their prophecyes for lyke as the fulfyllynge of suche thynges as were prophecyed and promised was fatte of euen so myght many dyuers opynyons be amonge the interpreters But here in this place the angell commaundeth Iohn that he should not seale the boke for as muche as suche matters as are prophecied therin shoulde be fulfylled very shortly As it is euydent that dyuerse of them were fulfylled immediately yea euen the great and notable vision of the subuersion and destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem and of the death and banyshment of the Iewes was alreadye fulfylled for the whiche cause he dyd prophecy nothing of it but of dyuerse other thinges which were yet to come he dyd prophecye And therfore also after this booke he wrote his holy gospel of the godheade of Iesus Christ against certen heretikes And therfore he saieth the tyme is at hande for the whiche cause men must suffer the wicked to worke accordynge vnto their wickednes for they shall not practyse it long Men must suffer the wicked Iewes and hethen whiche so wylfullye and maliciouslye doe noye and persecute the faithfull christians to take theyr pleasure Let the false apostles heretikes and hipocrites whiche pretende great holynes althoughe they be shamefully defyled as well inwardly as out wardlye let them remayne defyled and wicked it shall shortely haue an ende the iudgement of God hangeth ouer their heades But he that doeth well and rightlye nedeth not to feare the iudgement and comming of Christ He that is holy thorowe true faithe and loue towarde Christ the same desiereth ernestly from day to daye the commynge of Christ vnto the last and generall iudgement And as sone as he seeth any of those tokens happen which haue any lykelyhode of the approchinge of the end of the worlde and whiche shoulde come to passe before than he lyfteth vp his heade and sygheth and wysheth for the commynge of Christ most desierously that he might be sone rid and delyuered from yâ— myserp and wretchednes of this worlde But now thou Iohn marke and take good hede I wyll come shortly and bringe the rewarde with me for al them that haue laboured and done eyther good or euyll For the tyrannes and workers of iniquite wyll I punyshe with dystresse plages and all other blasphemers lykewyse I am the begynnynge of all thinges I haue created the worlde because I am the worde by the whiche God hath created all thinges And I am also the end for the last daye shall be my daye whan as I shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade They performe and doe gods commaundementes which in true faith and loue indeuour themselues with al diligence to doe the wil and pleasure of God with holy workes vertuous exercises whansoeuer they haue any trouble or a ouersite than they call and praye vnto god for grace and mercye for Christes sake whose rightuousnes they take for the oblacion and ransome for their synnes offerynge vp vnto him the sacrifice of thankesgeuynge with a true and perfyte faythe in the mercye of God thorowe Christ Iesus Suche true faithfull men are lyke vnto a frutefull tree that begynneth to budde out whiche in due tyme bryngeth furthe muche fruite And suche true faithfull beleuers can onely enter thorowe faythe into the Christen churche here vpon earthe and whan the tyme commeth they shall also enter in to the heauenly churche But the vnfaithfull doe shewe and declare also theyr frutes of all wyckednes and fleshely lustes wherin they defyle them selues euen lyke swyne and become shameles in theyr synnes lyke very dogges For the whiche cause they can not enter in to the righte christen churche and congregation neyther sorcerers inchanters whoremongers murtherers worshippers of ydols nor any suche as make lyes of malyce and of an euyll conscience The texte ¶ I Iesus sent myne angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the congregacions I am the rote and the generacion of Dauid and the bright mornynge starâ—e And
chalenge to hymselfe any prayse The texte ¶ Charge them whiche are riche in this worlde that they be not hyemynded nor trust in vncerten riches but in the lyuyng God whiche geueth vs abound auntlye all thinges to enioye them that they doe good that they be riche in good workes that they be readye to geue and gladlye to dystribute laynge vp in store for themselues a good foundacion as gainst the tyme to come that they maye obtaine eternal lyfe O Timothe saue that which is geuen the to kepe and a voyde vngostly vanities of voyces and opposicions of science falsly so called whiche science whyle some professed they erred as concernynge the faith Grace be with the. Amen I haue declared how parilous noysome a matter it is for them that professe Christ to set their studie vpō riches And yf there be among our sorte any that haue chaunced vpon those riche substaunces for the whiche this presente worlde recōneth men ryche and fortunate and reuerenceth and honoureth them as halfe goddes commaunde them that they be not as the commune sorte is hyghe mynded in trustyng vpon their ryches nor that they repose their chiefe helping felicitie in thinges that are fyrste vayne than so incertain that yf casualtie take them not awaye yet at lest death despatcheth vs from them But let them rather trust surely in the lyuynge god that neuer forsoke mē eyther quicke or dead inasmuche as he is vnchaungeable of whose lyberalitie commeth whatsoeuer this worlde yeldeth vnto vs plenteouslye of yearely reuenues for oure presēt vse and not to hoorde vp riches And let them rather conuerte their study to this ende that they maye exercyse them selues vnto good workes wherby they maye be made truly ryche and let them be wealthye rather in good dedes thā in lordely possessions that that they haue let them so possede as thoughe it were commune and not their owne and let them therwith be glad to geue vnto the nedye and not dysoayne the rest that are but of small substaunce and let them shewe them selues gentyll and frendly in the company and familiaritie of the commune sorte of lyfe For wealthe hathe commonly these companyons with her dysdeyne statelynes Let them not put their trust in their gorgious great buyldinges for nothing in this world is longe durable But rather with true vertues let them laye for them selues a stronge and a good foundacion againe y◠worlde to come that they maye atteyne to the true lyfe that is to saye the lyfe that euer lasteth For what other thing is this lyfe than a race vnto death we must laye all carefulnes of transitorie thinges asyde and make spedye haste vnto it with all dilygent studye O Tymothie I eftesones desyre beseche the againe kepe faithfully this doctrine as it is committed vnto thee and suffre it not to be defyled with humayne learnynges And that thou canst not possyblye doe onles as I watned the before thou reiecte the chattring vayne byblebable of those mē that goe about to bryng them selues in a false estimacion of knowledge by reason of humayne questions and sophisticall quiddities inasmuche as mans knowledge consistyng of opinions contrarylye repugnaunt amonge them selues is not worthye to be called knowledge We know nothīg more certainlye than that whiche the doctrine and belefe of the gospel hathe perswaded vnto vs. Furthermore some men whyleft they goe aboute to seme learned and wyse throughe humayne reasons throughe sophistical wragglinges through new learnynges whiche they themselues haue deuysed haue wandred astraye frō the spnceritie of y◠faythe of the gospel whose propertie is to beleue not to dyspute nor is caryed awaye with mens decrees from the prescripte commaundementes of god And to thintent thou mayest perceaue that this Epistle is not countrefaicte I wyll subscribe these wordes with myne owne hande that thou well knowest Grace be with the. Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the fyrst Epistle to Tymothie ¶ The Argument vpon the latter Epistle vnto Tymothee by Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as in the former Epistle Paule put Tymothee beyng at Ephesus in hope of his comming agayne vnto him could not perfourme it bicause he was holdē in bondes at Rome he coufirmeth him with lettres that he be not discouraged with stormes of persecutions but after his example to prepare his mynde vnto martirdō For there are perilous times at hande quam he by reason of some that vnder pretence of godlynes turne true godlynes vp syde downe and so prate boastynglye of them selues as thoughe the Christian Religion consisted in wordes and not rather in purenesse of herte Than tellyng that the daye of his death draweth nere and that the moste part haue now forsaken him he byddeth Timothee and Marcus to come to Rome spedely vnto him This Epistle he wrote at Rome whan he was eftesones arraigned at Neros barre Thus endeth thargument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paule to Timothee ¶ The first Chapter ▪ The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God accordynge to the prompyse of lyfe which is in Christ Iesu To Timothee hys beloued sonne Grace mercy and peace from God the father and from Iesu Christ oure Lorde I thanke god whom I setue frō myne elders with pure conscience that without any ceasynge I make mencion of the in my prayers nyght and day desyryng to se the myndefull of thy reares so that I am filled of ioye when I call to remēbraunce the vnfeyned fayth that is in thee which dwelt fyrste in thy graundemother Loys and in thy mother Eunica and I am assured that it dwelleth in the also PAule an Embassadour of Iesu Christ called therunto by the will of God the father to declare howe greate the felicitie of the lyfe to come is whiche he promiseth vnto vs by his sonne Iesus Christe that we should not care much for the losse of this life To Tymothee my dearebeloued sonne grace mercie and peace from God the father and from Iesus Christ oure Lorde I thanke God whose seruaunte I begonne not of a late tyme to be but kepte his relygion after the tradicions of myne elders continually with an vpright and a pure conscience and doe kepe styll For I serue all one God now beynge a christian the I lately serued a Iewe though after an other sort throughe whose goodnes we chaunced vpō such a man as thou arte in that thou folowest the exāple of me in sincere preaching of the ghospelles doctrine so as for thine owne deserte I can no lesse hartelye loue thee than mine own very sonne in so muche that I can not forget thee euen whan thou arte absent For in my prayers night and daye wherwith I am accustomed to call vpon God and to commende vnto him suche as I tenderlye loue thou commest alwayes in my mynde and I am very muche desirous to see thee especially as often as I remembre thy teares that thou sheddest at my departyng
far other maner regenerate not of a mortall an earthly seede after the bodye but of an immortall and a heauenly sede by the worde of God which lyueth and endureth for euer whose gospel you haue beleued you shall loue the brethren with a heauenly loue Moses lawe was geuen for a tyme. But the worde of God hathe brought forthe the lawe of the gospel vnto vs whiche neuer shall perishe The thing that procedeth from men is but for a season but the thing that cometh from heauen is euerlasting as Esay sayd before Al fleshe is as grasse and all the glory of man as the floure of the fielde The grasse is wythered and his â—loure fallen awaye but the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer This is the eternall worde of the eternall father whom the shadowes of the former lawe in tymes past paynted out vnto vs but nowe he is openly declared by the preachers of the gospell and not onely vnto you but vnto all them that receyue Christe with a syncere vpright fayth ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte Wherfore laye a syde all malicioushes and all gile and fayâ—ednesse and enuy and all backbytyng and as newe borne babes desyre ye that mylke not of the bodye but of the soule which is without disceite that ye may grow there by vnto saluacion yf so be that ye haue tasted howe gracyous the Lord is to whom ye come as vnto a liuing stone disaâ—â—wed of men but chosen of God and precyous and ye as â—â—ing stones are made a spirituall house an holy priesthood for to offer vp spirituall sacrifyces acceptable to God by Iesus Christe FOrasmuche as you are lately borne againe by an heauenly generacion through the doctrine of the gospell caste all the vices of your former conuersacion quyte away from you yf there were any malyce yf there were any deceite yf there were any holowe heartednesse yf there were any enuy yf there were any backebytyng or cursed speakyng and from henceforthe as babes newe borne gredely couete that mylke not of the body but of the soule the mylke that knoweth no deceyte and is fitte for your age which is more harmelesse than strong euen the mylke of the ghospels ordinaunce For the ghospels doctryne hath his principles it hathe his infancye it hathe his dyet mete for weake tendre age it hath also his farther growinges finally it hath his perfite groweÌ„ age Those first thinges are not to be supped lothesomly but gredily yea and thrustily neyther yet must you lyngre continually in them but to procede from them stil vnto thinges of more perfeccion For in dede it were euen a straunge thing if a man borne of his mother should be alwaies a babe and couet nothing els but mylke And it behoueth you also to ware bigge tyll you growe vnto perfite saluacioÌ„ and not alwaies to sticke still in making the foundacions but to ryse by lytle and lytle vnto the perfite buyldyng of the house For in case according to the psalme wryters counsell you haue tasted that the Lorde Iesus is swete it is requisite for you to bee prouoked with that taste to sette your appetites vpon greater thynges In humayne buyldynges the stones neyther chaunge theyr place ne grow any bigger But in this buyldyng which standeth vpon liuing stones the chiefe principall stone whereof and the stone that conteyneth all thynges is the liuyng and eternall Iesus Christe whiche of late after the psalme writers prophecying was cast away of menne that is to were of the phariseis who holding of their teÌ„ple that should go to naught had no knowledge of this heaueÌ„ly building howbeit he was chosen by the iudgement of God and had in muche price there is nothing to hinder but that it may procede forward to the perfite finishyng of the buildyng Therefore you must necessarily goe through forewarde encrease of vertues vnto Christ the liuing stone the chosen stone the stone preciously sette by in the sight of God that you also being grounded vpon suche a foundacion may be builded vpon by litle and litle vntyll you bee made spirituall temples muche more holy than the teÌ„ple that the Iewes brag of and in the which temples muche more wholy priesthood is exercised than was vsed in that temple For in it the leuites and priestes offered vp beastes but in these spirituall temples you your selues offer vp spirituall sacrifices moste acceptable to God who as he is a spirite and not a bodye so doeth he delyte in spirituall sacrifices that you should nothing mynde the rites of Moses now being worne out through the preachyng of the Gospell in stedde of sundrye kyndes of brute beastes you slea worldly and brâ—tish affectes lecherous lustes pryde wrath enuie desyre of reuengement ryot and couetousnes and in stedde of incense you offer pure prayers flying out of the aulter of a pure herte into heauen These are the sacrifices that are offered at al seasons in the spirituall temple and are at al tymes acceptably welcome vnto God For those sacrifices of Moses are now all ready growen in to a lothesomenes as the prophet Esaye beareth recorde But these maner of sacrifices are contynually allowed through Iesus Christ by whose commendacion the diligent seruice doinges of the Chrystians are acceptable vnto the father The texte Wherfore it is contayned also in the scripture behold I put in Sion a stone to be layed in the chiefe corner electe and precious and he that beleueth on him shell not he confouÌ„ded Vnto you therfore whiche beleue he is precious but vnto them whiche beleue not the stone whiche the buylders refused the same is begunne to bee the head of the corner and a stone that men stomble at and a rocke wherat they be offended whiche stomble at the woorde and beleue not that wheron they were set But ye are a chosen generacion a royall priesthod an holy nacioÌ„ a people which are wonne that ye shuld shew the vertues of hym that called you out of darkenes into his meruelous syght which in tyme past were not a people but are nowe the people of God which some tyme had not obtayned mercye but no we haue votayned mercye There is no cause why you should be in any mystrust as long as ye cleaue fast vnto the head Chryst as long as you stande harde vpon the noble and â—nmoueable ston Christ of whom god spake in tymes past by the mouthe of Esaye Beholde I put in Sion a ston to be placed in the chief corner tryed chosen â–ª and precious â–ª And he that shall put his trust in hym shall not be ashamed And that whiche he spake of before hand we se now al ready perfourmed For the selfe same one stone was precious and â—olsome vnto some and to some hurtfull and noysome vnto you he is iustly precious because you are grouÌ„ded surely vpoÌ„ him because you put your whole trust in him and are preserued by his ayde agaynste al stormes of tempestes But vnto them that had