done sōethyng for them to god / for the whiche the ignorant hathe crowched / kneled / kyssed / bobbed / and lycked the Images / gyuynge them cotes of clothe of golde / syluer / and of tysshu / veluet / damaske / and saten / suffred the lyuely membre of Chryst to be without a russet cote / or a sacke cloth to kepe hym warme / from the colde / leste for coulde he shulde perysshe / so we haue clothed stockes and stones / and suffered Chryst to perysshe for colde dye without the house and buyldeth goodly houses for an olde Idolle / a stocke or a stone / carued / and paynted for lucre sake .2 we may learne that we haue receyued nat one spirytuall blessynge / but all spyrytuall blessinges as our creacion / redempcion iustifycacion / forgyuenes of syn / lyfe euerlasting of no other but of Christ Iesus / and by no other meanes but for Christes sake throughe faythe / that we shulde gyue all prayse and thanke onely to god / and offer vp our selues thankfull sacryfyce / redy to obeye godes wyll aboue all thynges / redy to suffer with pacience all iniuryes / wronges and affliccyons for god his worde And this is the true sacrifyce of christians dayly and hourely to be offered vp to god for his benefytes of all christyanes 3. As he hath chosen vs before the foundacion of the world was layde / so he hath blessyd vs with al spirituall blessynges before the foūdacyon of the world layde And as this eleccyon of God was only of the mere grace / wyll / pleasure of god / so was all his blessynges towarde vs intended of his onely goodnes / and nat of our merytes or deseruynges / what thing coulde we deserue before we were borne that prouoked God to loue vs / or was the cause why that god loued vs nothynge 4. That we shulde be holy and without blame before hym in loue Nowe he shewith the cause why god elected vs in hym before the begynninge of the worlde / that we shulde be holy and without faute or blame before him in loue We thynketh the Apostle dothe speake these wordes to stoppe the vngodly mouthes of carnall men / whiche saye yf we be elected and chosen of god to immortal glorye / what maketh maier what we do / do what we wyll we shal at the laste come to that glory / and blysse / yf we be nat chosen and predestinat to be saued what skylleth of our workes / they shall nat profyte vs to optayne lyfe euerlastynge in ioye / yf we do al the cōmaundementes that god hath commaunded to be done / at the ende we shall be reiected and dampned yf we be nat predestynate of god to be saued by Chryst Iesus through faythe / that no man shuld speake so vngodly / or reason with hymselfe on this maner / and condemne Good workes / despyse to lyue holyly / care nat howe he lyue / whether he kepe godes commaundementes or no / saynt Paule sayth that god hath elected and chosen vs to be holy before hym in loue / that is to saye who so euer wyll be holy / and gyue themselues to serue god / to kepe his commaundementes / to lyue a lyfe puer and cleane from all vyce and synne / to beleue in god / to truste Chryste onely to be his sauyour / redemer / iustifyer / delyuerer from synne / deathe / hell / and eternal dampnacion / and gyue hym selfe to loue god aboue al thynges in this worlde / preferryng godes glorye aboue all earthely thynges / and to deserue good to euery man / studyinge alway to seke the glory of god and the profyte of other men / according to the wyll and pleasure of god for whose sake only good workes that God commaundeth in scrypture are to be done / which workes they do that be chosen and elected of god to eternall saluacyon / who be elected of god to saluacyon / who be nat / we can nat tell by the outwarde workes that they do Sygnes of godes predestinacyon is these Fyrste god of his goodnes elected / electeth and choseth whome he wyl only of his mere mercye and goodnes withoute all the deseruynges of man / whome he hathe elected he calleth them for the most part by preachynge of the gospell / and by the hearyng of the worde of god to fayth in Chryst Iesus / throughe faithe he iustifyeth them / forgyueth synnes / and maketh them obedyent to heare his worde with gladnes / to do that thynge that Goddes worde commaundeth them to do in theyr state and callynge / wherfore to heare the worde of God with gladnes / to beleue it / to knowe that it is the meane by the which god hath ordeyned to bring to saluacyon them that beleueth to order theyr liues accordyng to the commaundement of the worde of god to do all good workes commaunded in the scryptures to the vttermoste of your poure these be the sygnes of Saluacyon / of the contrarye parte who so euer be nat glad to heare the worde of God / but despyse it / condemne it / regarde it no more than Esopes fabules or thynke the worde of God to be folysshenes a vayne thing / of no profyte ne pleasure / a thynge to be hated and set at noughte / and so gyue no credence to it / care nat for it care nat to kepe Goddes commaundementes al set to seke the pleasures and the glorye of this worlde who so euer is so affected / it is a token that they be nat the chyldren of saluacion but of perdition and eternall dampnacyon of these workes that folowe we maye haue a coniecture who be ordeyned of God to be saued and who to be damned ¶ And ordynated vs before to receyue vs as chyldren throughe Iesus Chryst / accordyng to the pleasure of his wyll / vnto the promyse of the glorye of his grace / wherby he hathe made vs accepted in the beloued in whome we haue redemcyon / throughe his blode / forgyuenes of synnes accordyng to the ryches of his grace / whiche he hathe shewed vpon vs abondantly in al wysdome and prudence / and hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his wyll accordynge to his pleasure / whiche he hadde purposed in hym selfe / that it shulde be preached / whan the tyme was ful come / that all thynges shulde be gathered together by Chryst both the thynges which are in heauen / also the thynges that are vpon earth by hym Saynt Paule repeteth here with many playne wordes the thynges he had spoken before / that is to saye that we were elected of god in hym to be saued before the begynnynge of the worlde / that we shulde be holy and without blame before god by loue / the same thyng is repeted agayne in other wordes whiche thynge the Apostle dothe bycause he wolde haue this thynge surely knowne and roted in euery mannes harte and minde of the whiche preachers may
matrymony / as adultery whiche be a cause of deuource / as sayeth Christ Math. 5. Fyrste it is to be shewed for what causes Matrimony was iÌ„stituted and ordinated of god One cause was that mankynde shulde be multiplied to the honour and glory of god by a lawefull meanes bytwene man and woman / thê mene was by matrimony ordinated of god / as appereth Gene. 1. where it is writen / that after god made man to his symylitude / he created the male and the female blessed them and sayd / growe and be multiplied and fyll the earthe / and this was one of the cheife causes of matrymonye Another cause wsa to auoyde adulterye fornication / and that matrymonye shulde be a lawefull remedye agaynste adultery forbodden in the generall coÌ„maundement Thou shalte nat coÌ„myt aduoutry Exo. 20 This cause saynt Paule sheweth 1. Corin 7. Sayeng let euery maÌ„ haue his wyfe to auoyde fornication / euery woman haue hyr husbande Aduoutery of the harte is as well forboddeÌ„ / as adultery in outwarde dede or acte / to auoyde all maner of adultery both of the harte of outwarde acte / and for a remedy lawfull for the same it is coÌ„maunded that they shall marye take a wyfe / that haue nat the gyfte of chastyte and of continence The thyrde cause of matrimony is the charite might more be enlarged and amonge straungers more dilated and scatered / that these that were straungers shulde be more couple togyther by charite / as the frendes of the wyfe and the husbande by affinite more ioyned togyther in loue and charite / and for that cause it doth appere that certaine degrees of kinred was forbodden to mary togither amongest whom was loue all redy opteyned coÌ„maundemeÌ„t that mariage shulde be out of certayne degrees of kynne / to make more loue and to dylate charite as appereth Leut. 18. and .10 And also this thing appereth in that / that there is more loue coÌ„maunded to be betwene the man the wyfe / then bytwene the chyldren and the father As it is wrytten Gene. 2. and Nume 18. For this saieth god let the maÌ„ forsake his father and mother / cleaue to his wyfe / and they shal be two in one fleshe To these maye be added many other causes of matrymony / that the wyfe shulde be as an helper to the husbande / and the husbande to the wyfe / that they shulde lobour togyther to prouyde necessaries for them / and their housholde / to brynge vp theyr chyldren vertuously in loue and dreade of god / and in other holsome doctrene or craft for these diuerse other causes that maye be gathered of scriptures was Matrymony ordinated of god / and nat of maÌ„ Therefore he that speaketh agaynst Matrymony / or condemneth it as an euyl thyng / he speaketh agaynst goddes ordinaunce / and condemneth that / that God hym selfe ordynated 2 Nowe I wyl speake sumthinge of the duety bytwene the man the wyfe / whose dueties Sayncte Paule here declareth Fyrste the duety of the wyfe towardes hyr husbaÌ„de he sheweth He sayth it is the deutye of the wyfe to be obedient to hyr husbande in all lawfull and honest thynges / and to be redy and diligent at his lawful coÌ„maundement / and in no wyse disobedieÌ„t to him and his lawful coÌ„maundementes / neyther in word nor yet in dede / nor in any behauour / neyther in mynde nor thought disobedient to hyr husbande And here he ryproueth all women that be disobedient to theyr husbandes / and wyll nat obey theÌ„ but wyll haue theyr husbandes obediente to them / eyther for the nobylyte of theyr stocke they come of / or els for theyr riches or for proudnes of harte and mynde that they wyll 〈◊〉 the rule and domynyon ouer theyr husbandes / contrary to goddes ordynaunce â—â—…d here peraduenture some 〈…〉 aske / why shulde the woman 〈…〉 obedient to the man / then the maÌ„ 〈…〉 To this I make aunswere say that the wyfe shulde be obedient to hyr husbande for many causes / nat the husbande to the wyfe The fyrst cheife cause is / for the ordinaunce of god whiche hath ordinated that the wyfe shulde be obedyeÌ„t to hyr husbande in all thynges lawefull Eph. 5. And they that resyst the ordinauÌ„ce of God / they brynge iudgemente to them self Roma 13. Wherfore it is no lytle taut the wyfe to be disobedient to hyr husbaÌ„de vs to desyre the rule / domynioÌ„ / or maistery ouer hyr husbande / althoughe hyr husbaÌ„d wold suffer it / for she that so doth / she doth resyste the ordinaunce of god / and taketh to hyr selfe dampnation Therfore let womeÌ„ beware they be nat disobedieÌ„t to their husbandes / nor desyre to be mayster ouer them / for in so doyenge they bryng iudgement damnation to them self / although that faute is counted but a lytle faute / before men / yet before god it is a great faute and it must nedes be a greate faute / for the whiche iudgement and daÌ„nation doth folowe The seconde cause why that wemen shulde be obeidiente to men / is for the transgressyon of Eue / whiche was punyshed and al hyr posteryte after hyr / that is to saye all wemen / that they shulde be in subiection to men and the wyfe in obedience to the husbande / for Eues thransgression / whiche payne remayneth styll in wemen shall do for euer / in a sygne of Eues transgressyon as a payne for synne The thyrde cause is / for the infyrmite of wemen / whiche for the moste parte be nat so wyse / wyttye / constante / sobre / dyscrete / patient / sad / well reasoned / stronge in body and for other suche lyke infirmities of wemen / whiche be foolyshe / lyght / vnconstant / hasty / angry / bablynge / full or wordes lyght / of conditions / mutable / vnlerned other suche like infirmities which for the most parte be more in wemen then in men Therfore it becommeth the wemen to be obedient to men and be ruled by meÌ„ / as of more wytte wysdome learnynge / iudgement / sadnes sobernes / and other good qualities / whiche for the mooste parte be more in men then iÌ„ wemeÌ„ / for these and other causes it becommeth the wyfe to be obedient to hyr husbande / for a decente order to be had amongest men 3 He sheweth howe the wyfe shulde be obediente to hyr husbande / euen as to the lorde for the wyfes seruynge theyr husbandes in al harty obedience with reuereÌ„ce / do serue the lord god / and do goddes seruyce / goddes coÌ„maundemente / and they please god so doyng / and no seruyce of the wyfe to god caÌ„ please god better / then when she obeyth hyr husbande lowely in harte / wyl mynde / worde and in dede / in all lawfull thinges Therfore let the wyfe be obedyent to hyr husbande nat onely in outward thynges / but
their faith in good workes .4 in whome whan ye beleued / ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promes here is shewed what frute dothe come of hearyng of the worde of truthe that by it is gotten faythe / without the whiche no man can please God / and hauynge it all thynges pleaseth God / and these that beleue receyue the spirite of God / as an earnest to put them in suretye that they shall receyue and haue all thynges that be promysed them to haue by goddes word / that is to saye that they shall haue lyfe euerlastynge and the inherytaunce of heauen / and for a suretye of that promise the beleuers receyue the holy ghoste as an oblygacyon for the perfourmaunce of that promyse by the whiche they be made as sure to haue the promyse of god as yf they had receyued it all ready This place maketh agayne them that saye no man can know whether he is in the fauour of God or no / or whether they be worthy hatred or loue of god alledginge for them the sayenge of Ecclesyastes .9 to whome this aunswere I make that men can not knowe of them selfe whether they be in the fauour of god or no / but that they maye knowe by the holy spirite whome they haue that beleue faythfully / yf a man may knowe whether he hathe fayth or no / he may knowe whether he be in the fauour of god or no If he haue true fayth God fauoryth hym / yf he lacke faythe god fauoureth hym nat / so a man maye knowe by fayth the spirite of god gyuen to glorifye vs of goddes fauour and loue towardes vs / and that god fauoureth vs as longe as we shall haue fayth the spiryte of god which faythfull beleuers haue and possesse / so a man may knowe whether he is now at this present time in the fauor of god or no hated or beloued / but what he shal be to morowe / the next day or in time to come no man can tel Therfore he that stādeth in the fauor of god by fayth / by the holy ghoste / let hym loke that he fal nat from god by vnfaithfulnes and incrudelite by vnkindnes / contempnyng of godes word / disobedient to goddes cōmandementes / and so fall from the fauour of god / lose fayth the holy spirite of god / lose lyfe eternal As for the wordes of Ecclesiastes .9 where it is written that no man can knowe whether he is worthy hatred or loue / the wordes are to be vnderstande thus that of good or euil that chance to men in this worlde / no man can knowe whether he is worthy hatred or loue / for goodes and euyls / prosperyte aduersyte chaunce equal to good men and euyl men oftymes it chaunceth that euyl men haue more prosperite then good men / euyl haue ryches / welth / pleasure / good men haue pouertye nede / payne / and punysshmente / wherfore of prosperytie or aduersytie in this worlde is no man to be estemed more or lasse in the fauour of God / seynge these thynges chaunce equally to the good and the euyl / in this worlde / I wolde that euery man shulde not only thynke hym selfe that he is in the fauour of god / but also knowe it surely that god fauoureth hym excepte he thinke so howe can he fauour god for loue yf he dout whether god loue hym or no / or in this thyng be waueryng / thynke some tyme god loue hym somtyme he loueth hī nat The spirite of god is giuen vs to put vs in a suretye that God fauoureth vs / and yf we lacke this spirite / we be nat of Chryste Ro. 8. we haue also receyued the spirite of adopcyon by whome we call father father / and this spirite sheweth to our spirite that we are the chyldē of god Ro. 8 therfore I wolde that euery man shulde certaynly thynke and persuade with hym selfe that he is in the fauour of God / and that god wyll gyue hym euerlastynge lyfe ioye blysse in the worlde to come / which they that beleue nowe haue by fayth / and in the worlde to come shal possesse in dede / then I suppose they wolde contynewe in fayth and shewe theyr faythe by all good workes commaunded in the Scrypture Some also here wyll aske howe shall we knowe whether we haue faith the spirite of god or no / this thyng maye be knowen by the frutes / by the wordes mocyons that they shal perceyue in theyr hartes / yf they perceyue that they be glad to heare goddes worde / to reade it / study it / be glad it goth forwarde for Goddes glory onely / do beleue it to be true / and that God wyll performe and brynge to passe all thynges promysed or thretened in his worde / that he wyll rewarde good men / and punysshe euyll men in the worlde to come / yf they shall perceyue a redynes a towardnes to be obedyente to do Goddes commaundement / ye to do it in dede for god only to the vttermost of theyr power / if these thinges they perceyue in them selues / they be sure sygnes that they be in the fauour of god / haue faith and the spyrite of god / and shal haue lyfe euerlasting / of the contrary part if you perceyue in your selfe no desyre / luste / or wyll to heare the worde of god / to reade it / to studye it / ye thynke it is but folysshenes a vayne thing / an vnprofytable thing or that you care nothynge for it / or that you hate it and enuy it and the professors of it persecute them as auctors of deuyles doctryne / you feele your selfe nothyng redy to obey the commaundementes of god but ready to all pleasure of the flesshe and of the worlde / to do synne and noughtines these be sure tokens that you be out of the fauour of god / lacke fayth and the spiryte of god / and in the hie displeasure with god of these thynges and tokens shewed / you shall knowe whether you be in the fauour of god / more sure than by the fyght of the holy blode of hayles / or by the goyng thoroughe saynt wylfredes nedle / and also yf you be oute of Goddes fauoure / you lacke faythe and the spiryte of god that moueth and stereth men alwaye to all good workes for god only / alone regarding his wyl and pleasure 7. That we might be his owne to the prayse of his glory / for what ende god hath chosen vs made the word of god to be preached to vs / surely for this ende / that we shuld haue faith / receiue the holy spirite / be made sure of goddes fauour towardes vs and that he loueth vs / that we shulde glorify hym agayn / by faith / by loue to hym to our neyghbour to do the workes of god cōmaunded vs to do in the holy scrypture in our vocacyon
iustification to come of the only mercy of god / and it maketh vs to beleue the scriptures that shewes that we are iustified by grace throughe faythe without all workes Good workes go nat before fayth / but they folowe fayth and our iustification by the faythe maketh vs certayne that we be iustified as shal be god willing more playnly here after declared 3. Al be it that we be iustified by faythe knowe we haue our synnes forgyuen of goddes goodnes throughe faythe / yet we haue no cause why we shulde glory in our selfe For faythe is nat of vs / but it is the gyfte of god nat the worke of our power as sayth saynt Paule 2. Corin. 3. we are nat able of our sealfe to thynke any good thought / as of our selfe but all our habilite is of the lorde Also saynt Paule to the RomÌ„ 2. sayeth Yf by grace we be saued nowe it is nat of workes / for grace is then no grace but yf it be of workes nowe it is no grace ⧠⚹ ⧠4. Nat of workes leaste any man shulde boste hym sealfe Our healthe iustice is nat of any workes For yf it were of workes / then myght men boste them sealfe in theyr workes but man hath nat where in he may boste hym sealfe For what haste thou o man that thou haste nat receyued and yf thou hast receyued / why doste thou glory / as thoughe thou haddest nat receyued it Therfore he that wyl glory let hym glory in god / of whome cometh redeÌ„ption iustification / healthe / saluation and lyfe euerlastynge in blysse ⧠⧠5. But some paraueÌ„ture wyll say Yf our workes do nat iustifye vs / we wyll do no good workes / or what shulde it profite vs to do good workes yf by workes we be nat iustified To this saynte Paule here maketh answere sayenge / that we are the creatures of god made to do good workes / whiche god hath prepared that we shulde walke iÌ„ them So we may nat ceasse from doynge of good workes / althoughe good workes do nat iustifye vs. For good workes are to be done to the glorye of god / without blasphemye of god It is blasphemye to god to attribute to workes that is to be attributed and gyuen onely to god It is to be ascribed onely to god our iustification / our saluation / forgyuenes of synnes ad lyfe euerlastynge Wherefore good workes are nat to be done for this intent that they shulde iustifye vs / deserue the grace of god / take aware synnes brynge lyfe euerlastyng by reason of the worke in it selfe But good workes are to be done of christen men to shewe declare our fayth to vs and to al the worlde To declare our loue and kyndenes of our herte towardes god for hê benefites geuen to vs. To make our callynge certayne and sure so that we myght do the wyll of god / and auoyde his displeasure bothe in this worlde also in the worlde to come 1. Corin. 2. That we myght shewe our redynesse to do the wyll of god that we myght prouoke other men to glorifye god with vs. Math. 5. That we myght agree to our creacyon / profite other men in goodes gyftes gyuen vs of god for that ende And that we shulde be alwayes to the glorye of god with out faute before hym by loue Ephe. 1. For these causes diuerse other / good workes are to be done ⧠⧠⧠⧠6. Some parauenture wyl say If good workes do nat iustifye vs / take nat away synne geue euerlastynge lyfe Wherfore in the scriptures is iustificatioÌ„ / forgiuenes of synne and lyfe eternall attributed to good workes so ofte To thys I answere that scripture oftymes speaketh after the maner of men The father oftymes entyseth his soÌ„ne to do his wyl by promyse of a rewarde So the scripture speaketh after the maner of fathers or of men where as it promiseth iustification / forgeuenes of sinne / lyfe euerlastyng to them that kepe the coÌ„mandementes of god that be faythfull as Christe sayeth Math. 18. If thou wyll entre in to lyfe kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god Here the scripture speaketh after the maner of men entisynge euery man to kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes / promisyng them a rewarde / if they kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes He meaneth nat here that the kepynge of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes deserueth lyfe euerlastyng but rather that lyfe euerlastyng is frely geuen to theÌ„ that kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god / and they may be sure of lyfe in ioye blysse to come that kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes And they that kepe nat goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes may be sure they shal haue no lyfe in the worlde to come / but shal be dampned ê‘petually in hel Furthermore where as the scriptures do apere to geue to workes forgeuenes of synnes The scriptures speaketh of suche workes that be done in fayth / which hath alway annexed forgeuenes of synnes / nat for the workê sake / but rather for the fayth that they were done in / bycause they that worke these workes were iustified before god through fayth before they dyd worke Fynally sometyme in the scripture iustificacyon is attributed to workes / because workes declareth men to them selues and to other that they haue a true and lyuely saythe by the whiche they be iustified before god And so iustification of workes is the declaracyon of a true faythe / and so is iustification takeÌ„ some tymes in the scripture as in Iames. 2. Luce. 16. where Christe sayeth to the Phariseis You are they whiche iustify your selues before men / god knoweth your hertes 7. We be the creatures of god ordinated to do good workê Here in these wordes two thyngê we be taught Fyrste is that we be the creatures of god his workemanshyp made of him Of the whiche we may fully persuade to vs the loue of god / for no man hateth his owne worke but loueth it and wyll nat suffer it to peryshe / and if we be the worke of god as we be iÌ„ dede We may nat be proude agaynst our maker or be displeased with hym sayeng why haste thou made me after this fashyon or that fashyoÌ„ it is nat mete that the pot shuld say to the potter / why hast thou made me to this vse or that fylthy vse / and another that deserueth no better then I to be had in honour glory / of this thynge there is none other cause to be geueÌ„ but the wyl of the potter / and it is conuenient that euery pot shulde be content with the wyl of the potter / and nat that he shulde murmure agaynste the potter that hathe prefarred another before hym sythe the pote is in nothers det / and both pottes haue that that they haue only of the wyll of the potter The seconde thyng is that we shulde learne to knowe for what ende we were created of god / that is to say / nat that we shulde be ydle
pray you what necessary thing dyd Christen people wante before Popes ordeyned the Letanye to be songe and sayde in the Churches / but as for prayenge to sayntes departed / I wyll nat muche contende in this matter I wyll nat condemne them that do desyre theyr prayers / nor yet commende them I thynke it an indifferente thynge / that may be done well and omyttyd / and nat as a thyng necessaryly to be done / or that he shulde be counted as an heretyke that shulde nat pray to sayntes / or he a good christenman for that worke that shulde desyre the prayers of sayntes departed I thinke it shuld be more for the honour of god / for the true fayth to be had amonges christen men / to withstande the opynyon of Sayntes nowe had / that no prayers shulde be made to sayntes departed Then if any shulde desyre Sayntes to pray with them / and for them Yf this my mynde do agre with the scriptures take it / Yf nat refuse it I wyll nat be obstinate in this matter / I wolde be glad to lerne the veryte by the holy scriptures Whiche in al doutes is able to try out the trueth yf we wyll be delygent to searche / and leue mannes fantasyes and dreames / whiche hathe blynded vs longe that we coulde nat se the trueth But nowe let vs retourne agayne to saynt Paule ☞ Nowe therfore ye are no more gestes and strauÌ„gers / but citesyns with the sayntes and of the householde of god buylded vpon the fuÌ„dacion of the Apostles and prophetes where Iesus Christe is the heade corner stone in whom euery buyldyng coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the Lorde in whome ye are buylded also together to be an habytacion of god in the spyryte ¶ Before saynte Paule fayde they were gestes and straungers to the householde of God / nowe he sayeth they be no more straungers but of the householde of god cytesyns of sayntes made by Christe / before they were farre frome the householde of Israel / nowe they be receyued to be of the householde of Israel / that is to saye they be made felowes of sayntes that is of the Iewes whiche counte them selfes sayntes in comparyson to the Gentyles and parte takers of the heuenly inherytaunce and of euerlastyng helth by Christ buylded vpon the fundation of the Apostles prophetes / that is to say vpon Christ vpon whome the Apostles and prophetes dyd buylde and made Christe to be theyr fundacion for as Saynte Paule sayeth 1. Corin. 3. No man can set an other fundacion besyde that fundacyon set whiche is Christe Iesus / and nat the Byshoppe of Rome For Christe is the heade of the Churche and of all them that beleueth / nat the byshoppe of Rome / and Christe is the corner stone that kepethe and ioyneth the buyldynges together that couples the Iewes and the Gentyles together / by his spyryte kepeth them bothe in vnite and concorde / fayth / hope / and charite / in al goodnes Saynte Paule sayenge the Gentyles beleuynge to be buylded vpon Christe the fundation of the Apostles and prophetes / reproueth al them that sayeth or thinketh the byshoppe of Rome to be the fundacion vpon whome Christe hathe buylded his Churche / for that fundacion is Christe none other Neyther the byshop of Rome nor yet no other man / creature / nor Angell But Christe is the fundacyon of all faythfull byleuers the corner stone that wyl nat be remouid with no blast of wind 3 Euery buyldynge vpon Christe dothe growe and encrease in an holy temple to the Lorde Here he sheweth the difference bytwene the buyldyng buylded vpoÌ„ christ and vpon other thynges or creatures / yf it be buylded vpon Christe / it wyll stande and encrease yf it be buylded vpon man / or vpon maÌ„nes inuentions / dreames and phantices it wyll fall and decaye at euery blaste of wynde or tempest whiche thyng dothe agre with Christes saynge Ma. 15. Euery grafte that my father of heueÌ„ hath nat grafted shal be plucked vp by the rotes Here we may lerne / pylgrimage / pardon / payntyng of Images to be honoured / nat to haue bene of god MoÌ„kes / Freers Chanons and suche lyke religion of men inueÌ„ted / nat to haue ben of god / for they decay and fall awaye / and theyr fayned religion lytle set by Also all these that go nat forwarde frome vertu to vertue and encrease dayly in vertue / nat to be buylded of god For the buyldyng of Christ encreaseth dayly and be made more and more the habitacle 1. dwellynge place of God by the holy Ghoste by whome they encrease / whiche wyll nat suffer them to be idle / vnprofitable to other / or euyl occupyed / but moueth and styrryth alwayes to do the wyll and pleasure of god / and suffreth nat his to be idle or euyll occupyed ¶ The thyrd chapiter to the Ephesyans FOR this cause I Paule am a prysoner of Iesus Christe for you hethen accordyng as you haue harde of the office of the grace of god which is gyuen me to you warde For by reuelacion was thê mistery shewed vnto me as I wrote aboue in few wordes wherby whan ye rede yt / ye may perceyue myne vnderstandynge in the mystery of Christ whiche mysterye in tymes paste was nat opened vnto the chyldren of men as it is nowe declared to hys holy Apostles and Prophetes by the spyrite namely that the hethen shulde be inheritours also And of the same body and ê‘takers of his promes in Christe by the Gospell wherof I am made a mynister accordynge to the gyfte of the grace of god whiche is gyuen me accordyng to the workyng of his power SAynt Paule here merueylously doth bryng and get to hym the fauour and the beneuolence of these Ephesyans / in that he sayeth and truely sayeth that he suffered prisonment / and was in stockes in fetters for theyr sakes for theyr helth and saluacion / that is to saye because he preached to the Ephesians and to other Gentyles the Gospell of Iesus Christe / of the whiche Gospell preached the Ephesyans and the other Gentyles receyued fayth in Christ Iesu / and so through faith came to lyfe and eternall saluation For this cause and for none other Paule was caste in prison in cheynes and in fetters at Rome by Nero the Emperour wher he was when he wrote this Epystle / and in pryson / and therfore he sayeth I Paule the prisoner of Iesus Christe bounde fast inprisone nat for myne owne sake or for my cause / but for Christe sake and for his Gospell / whiche was the helthe of the GeÌ„tyles When these Ephesyans shulde here these thynges / howe coulde it be but they muste nedes fauoure and loue Paule and embrase his doctryne whiche for Christes sake and for theyr healthe and saluacyon was in prison and suffred paynes for their cause Kynde men can nat but they muste loue
he shall fynde euerlastynge lyfe in ioy and blysse ♣ For this cause I bow my knees vnto the father of our Lorde Iesê° Christe Whiche is the true father ouer all that is called Father in heuen and in earthe that he grauÌ„t you accordynge to the ryches of his glorye to be strengthed with power by his spirite in the inwarde men that Christe maye dwell in youre hertes by faythe that ye beynge rooted and grounded in loue / maye be able to comprehende with all Sayntes / what is the bredth and length and the depth and the heyght to knowe the loue of Christe whiche loue yet passeth al knowledge that ye may befylled with all maner of fulnes of God ¶ Saynte Paule moueth and gyueth example to al Bishoppes / Pastoures / Curates / and to all whome cure of other is coÌ„mytted / that they shulde praye for their flocke committed to theyr spirituall charge / and desyre of god that they shrynk nat from fayth and from goddes word for feare of persecution and affliction / or for loue of worldly goodes / pleasurê or riches / whiche oftymes plucketh men froÌ„ god from his worde / and that they maye haue true fayth and contynue in it / louynge God aboue al thinges in this worlde / preferring his worde aboue all worldely ryches / honoures / or pleasures In this prayer he sheweth that Byshoppes and Pastoures / haue nede to praye thus for there flocke / yee euery one of vs to pray for an other that we shrynke nat from God and his worde by infidelite / vnkyndnes or by other synnes Also in this prayer he sheweth that one of vs shulde desyre an other to praye for vs / and to whom our prayer shulde be made / nat to Peter or Paule IohnÌ„ or Iames / but to god whiche is the gyuer of all goodnes / and for what thynge prayers at to be made for some certayne thynge that we haue nede of / and that is profitable to the helth of the soule / as here it was necessary / that Paule shulde praye that they myght contynue in fayth / and in the loue of god nat shrynke from fayth for feare of affliccions / or for loue of worldly riches or pleasures And this is to be desyred of god alway / and euery one shulde desyre thê of God for an other as a thynge very necessary for euery one So was the comon prayers made to god / for necessities to be opteyned by prayer of god / to put awaye euyls that appeared to approche to men at the wyll of god / and when suche necessitie was the people gathered togyther desyred the helpe of god fastyng that ther prayers shulde be with more deuocion and more feruent / that they myght escape the euyll that was lyke to come and fal amonges them They fasted without mete or drynke that theyr prayer myght be more deuoute / but nowe is true prayers true fastynges almoste all put awaye / and our prayer and fastynge at full of superstition and fayned holines / for what an holy fast is it to absteyne frome flesshe / and fyll theyr bely with fysshe for flesshe / is fysshe more holyer then flesshe who made that holynesse yf fysshe be more holsome for mannes body then flesshe / euery man can iudge / I thiÌ„ke that ther be few phesycyoÌ„s that wyll so saye Therfore lette vs faste a true fast from al sinne and pray in fayth askyng thynges mete to be asked for Christes sake / and without doute we shall optayne our desyre of god / for so he hath promysed the performaunce of our desyre and he wyll perfourme his promyse 2 In that Saynte Paule dyd bowe his knees to God / he sheweth the feruentnes of his mynde and of his prayer to God / whiche was shewed euer by this exterior gestour / of the whiche we maye lerne that it is lawefull to shewe our inwarde hertes and mynde by exterior gesture and sygnes whiche of tymes sheweth the good deuotion of the herte / but in these exterior signes in prayenge hipocrites do passe muche theÌ„ that truely pray in fayth / in spirite / in truth Therfore of these exterior signes is nat al wayes the herte to be Iudged 3 Here we may lerne / that we haue nede of feruente prayer to God in fayth that we may coÌ„tinue in fayth in charite in the fauoure of god / in the truth of his worde and encrease iÌ„ it euery day more and more whiche thyng we can nat of our selfe with out the grace of God of whome we haue that we contynewe in fayth / in charite / in the fauour of god / whiche thinges god gyueth for the moste parte by faythful prayer Therfore let vs faythfully pray and oftymes / that we maye contynewe and encrease in al goodnes / but we be slacke and dull to praye faythfully to god / therfore it is no meruayle yf God take his grace froÌ„ leue vs to oure selfes and suffer vs to folowe our owne carnall and sensuall lustes and desyres and so to fall to all noughtynes and synne / it is a token that our fayth is faynt and scarse luke warme / ye I feare me it is colde and almoste frosen vp hole / that it brynketh fourth no mo good workes / specially nowe when it is shewed so playnely what maner of workes pleaseth god beste / and howe they shulde be done / for god onely 4 In that he mouyth vs to pray to him of whome all thynges was made and are ruled and gouerned / whiche is our father he gyueth vs boldenes maketh vs bolde to praye to hym trustyng our father wyll nat denye to vs that is profytable for vs / but wyll be muche more gladder to graunt our lawefull petition / then we be to praye and desyre of him that is for our helth and saluacyon 5 What charite sainte Paul had / is here playnely shewed in that he desyred that these Ephesians myght be encreased in the ryches of god that is to saye in fayth / hope / charite / patience / mekenes in the truth in the spirite of God / by whome they shulde be made stronge in fayth / that they refuse no persecution no affliccyon so that they myght promote goddes glory the truth of his gospel / to the saluacioÌ„ of meÌ„ he desyreth also that they myght be made so strong by the spirite iÌ„ the inward maÌ„ / that Christ myght dwell in they re inwarde harte by fayth roted in charite that bryngeth forth good workes of the spirite of god at all occasion gyuen / he desireth that they myght know the length the bredth / the heygth / the deapnes of god / that is to saye that they myght knowe god perfytely / as men knoweth a thynge perfetly when they knowe the length / the bredth / the heyth / and the deapnes / and that they myght haue the loue of god / whiche passeth al knowledge and that they
the studye and knowledge of mannes lawe to knowe the wyll of man and howe they shulde come to ryches and goodes in the worlde / but to knowe the wyll of god / and his lawe they be nothyng diligent / ye nor desyrous of yt / it is well yf they be nat aduersaries to Goddes worde / but all suche shewe them selues what they be / perauenture wyse men to the worlde but fooles before god / men that loue more this presente lyfe theÌ„ the lyfe to come This place shulde moue al lawyers and iudges to be deligeÌ„t to knowe goddes lawe / least in there iudgementes they do iudge other wayes then goddes lawe wyll / by the whiche al mannes lawe shulde be ruled / yf goddes lawe shulde be the rule of mannes lawe as it is in dede howe shall they rule well mannes lawe that be ignoraunce in Goddes lawe Surely after my mynde there is nothynge more to the hynderaunce of Goddes worde or more to the destructyon of men soules in this realme theÌ„ that the nobilite and lawers and other that haue rule ouer the people both in the spiritualtye in the temporalty be ignoraunte in goddes lawe / in the whiche it becommeth theÌ„ most cheifely to be lerned / that they might ordre all causes and matters accordynge to Goddes lawe / geltylmen and a greate parte of lawyers be ignoraunt in Goddes lawe And therefore seldome they do loue goddes worde / or the true teachers of yt / and the laye people folowe the gentylmen or rulers As touchynge the spyrytualtye vnder the Byshoppes / rulers be lawyers brought vp in the Byshop of Romes law and for the most parte suche men that be ignoraunt in goddes worde be Chauncellours / Comysaries / Officials / which oftymes do hate Goddes worde and the true preachers of it / and fauoureth as muche as they darre the byshop of Romes lawes and his waies It is a very seldome thing to haue a lawyer a Chancellour / a Commyssary / a Preacher of Goddes worde / a setter forth of it / howe by theÌ„ that be ignoraunte it hathe ben hyndered and letted we haue experience enoughe I pray God that all Byshoppes with al there offycers vnder them may be true fauourers of goddes worde / and ernestly set forwardes and moue and exhorte al men to goddes word and to lyue after yt that God may more more be glorified of al men Amen ⧠AND be nat dronken with wyne wherin is excesse but be ful of the spyryte / and talke amonge youre selfes of Psalmes and Himnes and spyrytuall songes / syngynge and makynge melodye vnto the Lorde in youre hartes / gyuynge thankes alwaye / for all thynges / vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesê° Christ submyttynge your selfes one to another in the fear of god âš¹ The Apostle here forbiddeth dronkeÌ„nes as a cause of fornication or adultry / he monysheth to ware of drinkyng wyne whiche prouoketh to adultery or fornication In these wordes he forbyddeth also al excesse and ryot in eatyng and drynkyng or other bankettynge of the whiche coÌ„meth many incoueniences and greate diseases bothe to the body and soule / of vnreasonable drynkynge or riotynge we se daylye greate syckenes to come to the bodye / as the goute / dropsy / palsey / other diseases many of the body Also dronkennes / adultry / fornication / chydynge / fyghtyng maÌ„ slaughter dothe come of greate drynkyn-whiche be destructyon and deathe of the soule The Apostle here nat onely forbyddeth synne and vyce / but also he forbyddeth the occasion and causes of them 2 Dronkennes oughte to be eschewed for many causes that commeth of it / that bryngeth men to deathe oftymes bothe of the body and of the soule it depriueth men of wytte wisdome and reason and maketh them worse then a brute beaste / yee then aswyne that walters ouer and ouer in the myre Drokennes it causeth many deseases in the body / it bringeth with it idelnes chydynge / braulynge / fyghtyng / murder / ye what myscheife doth it nat bryng with it / death both to body soule It is therfore to be aborred of all men 3 He nat onely reproueth vyce but he sheweth vertue to be taken in the place of vyce / as here he reproueth dronkennes / wylleth me not be fulfylled with the holy ghoste and to synge in their hertes spiritual Psalmes and Hymnes / gyuyng thaÌ„kes to god alwayes for his benefytê / these spirituall Psalmes and Hymnes he setteth for the fruytes of dronkennes And in this me thinke the Apostle willeth that lay men and lay women shulde synge spyritual Pslames and Hymnes as preestes and spirituall men / and gyue thankes to god for all his benefites gyuen to theÌ„ and and in this he sheweth playnely that it is lawefull for laye men and laye women to reade the holy scriptures / to haue them by harte / that they may talke of them / speke of them to theyr edyfieng / and synge spyrituall Psalmes and Hymnes gyuynge thankes to the Lorde / howe shulde they synge spirituall Psalmes and Hympnes excepte that they knewe them before / and had redde them or lerned them This place euidently sheweth that it is lawfull for laymen and lay womeÌ„ to rede the scriptures of god / to talke of them to goddes glorye and to theyr edyfienge The Apostle dothe nat heare speake onelye to mynysters in the Churche / but to all men / to whome he forbyddeth dronkennes and hê fruites / and for them the holy gooste and his fruytes to be receyued with spirituall thankes Psalmes and Hymnes gloryfyenge god alwaye 4. He wylleth that euery man shall be obedieÌ„t one to another in his state and degree and that in the feare of God / that none shulde contemne another thynkyng hym selfe better then other / but euery one humyle him vnder other / and thynke hym selfe worse in his owne syght / and in this he reproueth proude hartes and stomakes and moueth euerye one to mekenes and lowlynes in them selfe ¶ Let the women submytte them selfes vnto their husbandes as vnto the Lorde / for the husbande is the wyues heade euen as Christe also is the heade of the congregacion / and he is the sauyoure of his bodye Therfore as the congregacion is in subiection to Christe / lykewyse let the wyues be in subieccion to thei husbandes in all thinges ¶ Before the Apostle hathe vniuersally taught euery man Nowe he commeth to perticular persons as to the wyfe and the husbande he sheweth ther duetye on to the other But before I wyll shewe of their dewties I thynke it expedient som thiÌ„ge so entreate of matrymonye by the whiche the man and the wyfe be ioyned togyther and the one bouÌ„de to the other by the law of god / and that with suche knottes as caÌ„ nat be lowsed with out the breakynge of goddes law and displeasure of god / except it be for suche causes as by the scriptures may lowse the bounde of
also in all inwarde thynges as in wyll / in mynde / in harte / in thought and without al murmure / shewe hyr wyllynge and glad obedience to hyr husbaÌ„de / as the wyll coÌ„maundement of god is 4 For the man is the heade of the womaÌ„ Here he sheweth a cause why the woman shulde obeye the man / for the man is the head of the woman / it becoÌ„meth euery one to be obedient to his heade / seyng the man is the heade of the woman / it becommeth the woman to be obedient to the maÌ„ as to hyr heade / the maÌ„ is called the heade of the woman / for as out of the head doth come all necessarye thynges to feade and cherysshe other partes of the bodye wherby they lyue / so it perteyneth to the man to prouyde all necessaryes for the woman that shew maye lyue / the heade hath nat rule ouer the other partes that it shulde vse any tyranny or cruelnes ouer the other ê“tes So the man is the heade ouer the woman / nat that he shulde vse tyranny or cruelnes ouer the woman or vse the woman as they lyste / other wayes then becoÌ„meth or after an vngodly facyon or maner / but that he shulde prouyde all necessaries for the woman / defende hyr / kepe hyr / and saue hyr 5 As the congregacion is in subiectyon to Christe / lykewyse le the wyues be in subiection to their husbandes in all thynges The wyues must be obedient to their husbaÌ„des as the coÌ„gregation is to Christ The congregation onely cleaue to Christ and to none other / onely loueth Christe / heareth Christe and seruyth Christe / and studyeth to please Chrise So muste the wyfe onely cleaue to hyr husbande / be obedyent to hyr husbande / serue hyr husbande please hyr husbande / and kepe hyr selfe to hyr husbande to no mo This place reproueth all those that be disobedient / to their husbandes / do nat serue theyr husbandes wyllyngely and gladly / do nat loue theyr husbandes / but other better then them / or as well as them / that be complayners of their husbandes / nor kepe them onely to theyr husbandes / but wyll haue other besydes theyr husbandes All suche the Apostle here reproueth and willeth they shuld amende ⧠Ye husbandes loue your wyues / euen as Christe loued the congregation / and gaue hym selfe for yt / to sanctyfye it and clensed it in the fontayne of water by the word to make it vnto hym selfe a gloryeous congregation hauyng no spot nor wrynkle nor any suche thynge but that it shulde be holy and without blame ☞ Nowe he sheweth the duetye of the husbande to his wyfe / whose deuty is nat to hapte to contemne or despise his wyfe / but to loue hyr as his owne flesshe and as his selfe to make of hyr / and cheryshe hyr / kepe hyr honestly and se that she want no thynge necessary The Apostle prescribeth a faction or a fourme howe the man shulde loue his wyfe / euen as Christe hath loued his Churche / for the whiche wyllyngely he dyd dye / that he myght pourge / make cleane / and sanctyfie it to hym self / make it a glorious an holy Churche / without all spot or wrykle / and without all faute or blame So ought the man to loue his wyfe euen as him selfe / and so with loue to embrase hyr that he wolde gladly dye / yf necessite so shulde constrayne hym for hyr sake rather then he wolde suffer hyr to peryshe / he wolde put his lyfe in al ieoperdie and peryll And if he shall at any tyume perceyue his wyfe wrynkled / spotted / or with any vices poluted with syckenes diseases or any other wayes troubled with vyce / synne / or syckenes That then he shuld nat set at lytle or contemne his wyfe / seke to be ryd of hyr / and dyuorsed from hyr / but he shulde then seke all wayes and meanes for remedy for hyr / yf she be diseased with syckenesse / se that she lacke nothynge necessarye for hyr / that hs is able eyther by labour or goodes to get for hyr Prouyde remedies that maye be gotten by mannes helpe / conforte hyr in wordes and dedes / and say she shall lacke nothynge that may do hyr good as longe as you haue one peny / or may get by your labour / yf she be aged / wrinkled or nat fayre / she is nat to be dispised for hir age wrinckle or foulnes / but to be made of and cherysshed / because she is your wyfe gyuen to you of God / to be loued eueÌ„ as you do loue your owne bodye / be she yonge or aged / wrynkled for vnwrynkled / fayre or full / good or badde No man despiseth his owne body / be yt neuer So desformed / aged / wrynkled / foule / fat / wayke syckly or any other wayes deseased so man may nat dispyse his wyfe for hyr infirmities or diseases / but study to remedye them yf it be possible yf thy wyfe be euyll / euyl tonged / spotted with synne and noughty lyuynge other wayes then goddes lawe wyll / it is the deutye of the husbande to correcte refourme and amende his wyfe by alwayes and meanes that is possible / nat to conteÌ„ne hir for hir noughtines / to forsake hyr and leue hyr and take another / to vpbrad hyr of hyr noughtines to blase abrode hyr synnes vyces / to hyr and his rebuke and shame / but to couer hyde hyr synnes and fautes as muche as shall lye in hym / to studye howe by what meanes he maye amende hyr and make of on euyll woman a good woman / whiche thynge may be by gentle exhortation / couÌ„sell and dissuasion frome synne yf nat for loue of god / yet for shame rebuke and confusion of the worlde / for feare of punyshemente of God eyther in this worlde or at leaste in the worlde to come / or els in both So it is the offyce of the husbande yf he haue an euyll wyfe / to studye by his wysedome to make hyr good / to correcte hyr fautes to remedye them / and to make hyr holy and vertuous as Christ pourgeth his churche spotted and polluted with synne and made it holy and fautles in his syght 2 Here is shewed howe Christ hath purged his Churche / truely in the fountayne of water by his worde / althoughe God of his mere mercy and goodnes / without al maÌ„nes desertes or merites / onely for Christes sake hath wasshed and pourged man frome synne / yet he vseth a meane by the whiche he clenseth men frome sine which is by baptyme in water by the worde of god / and so in baptyme is our sinnes take awaye / and we frome synnes purged / clensed and regenerated in a new man / to lyue an holy lyfe accordynge to the spirite and wyll of god / it is nat the water that wasshe vs frome out synnes /
Anabaptistes and flee their errours / heresyes / and deceyuable doctrine / that briÌ„geth to death and receyue the true doctrine of Christe that briÌ„geth to lyfe Now I wyl retourne agayne to saynt Paule ☞ So oughte men also to loue thyre wyues euen as theyr owne bodyes he that loueth his wyfe loueth hym selfe For no man yet euer hated his owne flesshe but norissheth and cherisseth it euen as the Lorde dothe also the Congregacion for we are membres of his bodye / of his flesshe and of his bones ⧠⧠♣ The Apostles here sheweth howe the maÌ„ shuld loue his wife eueÌ„ as his owne body / for the man and the wyfe be one body coupled togyther by matrymony a knot nat to be lowsed at maÌ„nes pleasure / who hath euer ben so mad / of so lytle wyth that hath hated hys owne body / were it neuer so deforme or out of facyon / so wayke / so lene / so syckely / so fylthy / and so full of noughtynes / but hath euer cherished norished his owne bodye and hyd the fautes of it / and redy to amende it / so shulde a man be affected towardes his wyfe / as towardes his owne bodye / ye euen as Christe hathe loued his Churche / whiche hath nat put it away when it was a brodel and polluted with fylthynes and synnes / but hath takeÌ„ it to him and hath purged it and made it cleane holy and gay / and hath dissembled many thinges in it / and at the laste healed all hyr sores and diseases and wasshed clere away hyr spottes and sinnes After the example of Christe towardes his churche let the husbande do to the wyfe / and euer haue before his eies what thyng he wolde shulde be done to hê owne body / the same thynge let him do to his wyfe This place reproueth those husbandes that loue nat their wifes / that conteÌ„ne and dispise their wyfes / wheÌ„ they are sycke / nat prouyding for them necessaries / nat comfortynge theÌ„ with all comforte they can / ye this place checketh all them that wyl nat couer and hyde the fautê of their wyues if they be no table crimes and do nat study to refourme and amende they re wyues / and to make them good / vertuouse and holy 2 For we are membres of one body / he sheweth why he called the wyfe the flesshe of the man / it was because the woman was made of the man / of a rybbe takeÌ„ out of the syde of Adam / and the womannes bone was made of a bone of Adam as it is wryten Gene. 2. to the whiche place saynte Paule dothe allude here For this cause that the man shulde nat conteÌ„ne the womaÌ„ as a creature made of a vyler matter then he was of and to certifie the man that he shulde nat contemne his wyfe excepte he shulde contemne hym selfe his owne flesshe this thynge he sheweth that there shulde be more loue bytwene the maÌ„ and the wyfe / no stryfe / no contention / no debate / no contemnynge one another ⧠For this cause shall a man leue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wyfe and they two shall be one flesshe This is a greate secrete I speake of Christe and the Congregacyon Neuerthelesse do ye so that euery one of you loue hê wyfe / euen as hym selfe / but let the wyfe feare hyr husbande ☞ Here the Apostle wylleth that there shulde be more loue bytwene the husbande and the wyfe / then bytwene the chyldren and the parentes he wylleth the soÌ„ne shall preferre the loue to his wyfe aboue the loue to father or mother 2 The Apostle speaketh here onelye of the loue that shulde be bytwene the man the wyfe / of the other deuties of the man to the wyfe it is spoken in other place of scripture / as Peter 1. Pe. 3. sheweth that it is the offyce of the man to dwell with his wyfe / to entreate hyr after knowledge and to liue togither as perpetual felowes of good and euyl / for al theyr lyfe tyme / in peace / concorde / vnite / loue / and dewe obedience accordynge to goddes lawe / prouydynge togyther necessaryes / that they myght lyue holyly and godly and bringe vp their children vertuously in the knowledge of god in loue and feare of god / to order and rule theyr famylye accordynge to goddes wyll gyuynge them example of al goodnes to folowe Peter addeth after knowledge / that is that the man shulde order his wyfe after knowledge wysedome whiche be more in men then in women / for men muste beare the infirmitie of women / and many thiÌ„ges to pardone iÌ„ them and ouer se and wynke at / and dyssemble as they had nat knoweÌ„ or elles there shal be lytle agremente betwene the man and the wyfe / and some tyme to exhorte gentylly / to rebuke sharpely and some time clerely to remyt the matter as he for his wysedome shall se mo he expedient to entreat hyr alway endeuerynge hym to make his wyfe gentle / lowly / obedient / louynge / honest / good / holye / and vertuouse In man it is to supply that lacketh in women / to haue more wytte / wysedome / reason / prudence / counsell / lernyng wayes to prouyde necessaries for theyr lyuynges / and to ordre euery thynge well Also it pertayneth to men sayeth Peter there / to gyue to wemeÌ„ deu honour / that is that the maÌ„ shulde nat contemne or despyce his wyfe / or vse hyr as his hande mayde or seruaunte / but to take hyr as felowe of his perpetual lyfe and as ioynte heyres of God This place of Peter reproueth those men that conteÌ„ne and dyspyse there wyfes / wyll nat vse theyr company at bed or at borde and other conuersacion of lyuynge / but leue theÌ„ forsake them / put them away from them / Also if reproueth all them that vse they re wyfe as theyr hande mayde or seruaunte / that vse muche chydynge or brawlynge or fyghtynge with theyr wyues / or vse do bounch beate read vnder theyr fote their wyues as dogges or swyne / or any other vngodlye wayes do entreate are their wyfes / they be reproued of the Apostle Therfore let all suche frowarde husbandes amende least the plage of god fal on theÌ„ for theyr vngodly entreatinge of their wyues / whoÌ„ they shulde knowe to be felowes with theÌ„ and boughte with the precyous bloude of Chryste / and called to be partakers of the heuenly kyngedome asswell as they that be men Fynally it is the offyce of husbandes to vse the company of theyr wyues to paye deuty as saynt Paule calleth it 1. Corin. 7. sayeng Let the man gyue deuty to his wyfe for the man hathe nat power of his bodye / but the wyfe / lykewyse the wyfe hath nat power of hyr body / but the husbande / Sayncte Paule reproueth all these maryed men / that do nat theyr deutye to theyr wyfes / but wyll take
knoweledge yf they shall do theyr deuties as they shulde do / let them loke what thynges perteyneth to the offyce of powers and of magistrates / and the same thynge gentylmeÌ„ or noble men shulde thynke it pertayneth to them for they be Magistrates or rulers vnder the Kynge or Prince / to se Goddes lawe fulfilled to se peace equite iustice be kepte / synne / and vyce clerely put awaye ⧠Ye seruauntes obey your body lye maysters with feare and tremblynge in synglenes of your harte euen as to Christ nat with seruyce onely in the eye syght as men pleasers but as the seruantes of God doynge the wyll of God from the hart with good wyl Thynke that ye serue the Lorde and nat men / and be sure that what good so euer a man dothe he shall receyue it agayne of the Lorde whether he be bonde or fre ⧠Nowe he teacheth the offyce of seruaÌ„tes / whose office is to be obediente to his maister whoÌ„ he serueth here in the worlde to haue meate drynke / clothe and wages / or whome they serue for to learne an handye crafte to get theyr lyuynge iustly and truely after the tyme of their prentysshyp he coÌ„maundeth all seruauntes to be obediente to theyr maister in all lawefull thynges and lawfull seruyce / and to do his maisters coÌ„maundement iustly and truely without al murmurynge or grudgynge in harte or mynde agaynste god or his maister and to refuse no lawful worke or labour that his Mayster wyll put hym to / yf it be suche a worke as seruantes hath nat ben wont to do / it is no shame for the seruante to do it / but rather dishonesty to the mayster to coÌ„maunde it / when it maye be done by an other seruaunte accustomed with the same as theyr is dyuerse workes more accustomed to be done by men seruauntes / then wemen seruauntes and some other by wemen seruauntes rather then by men seruantes The Apostle wylleth also that seruantes shal haue theyr maister in honour / and reuerence / and haue a lowely feare towardes them / by the whiche feare they shulde be affrayed to displease their maisters nat onely to auoyde betynge and punyshemeÌ„t of their maisters / but for loue to their maisters whom for loue they wolde nat dysplease Here we may lerne that it is nat agaynst the lyberty of the Gospell to serue carnal maysters men here in the worlde for his seruyce is the lyberty of the Lorde and those that do serue theyr maysters as they shulde do / they seruynge theyr maysters and doyenge theyr maysters lawfull coÌ„maundement do serue God / and do the coÌ„maundement of god / as he sheweth here after as ye may rede 2 In symplenes of your harte / he commaundeth the seruaÌ„tes to serue their maysters in all symplenes of harte / without al crafte / falsed / gyle / desayte / fraude / theft or dissemblynge in worde or in dede / in the whiche fautes seruantes be oftymes gylti This place reproueth al those seruauntes that deceyue theyr maysters by any gyle / crafte / or false / by dissemblynge or thefte by brybynge or stealynge awaye pryuely hê maysters goodes This place requireth that the seruaunte be faythfull and trusty to their maisters / and that in no wise they deceyue theyr maysters eyther in worde / worke or dede 3 Euen as to Christe nat with seruyce onely in the eye syght as meÌ„ pleasers / but as seruantes of Christ he wylleth that seruauntes serue their maysters with faythfulnes / trueth / dylygence / and gladnes as they shulde serue God / and Iesu Christe / for seruantes seruyng their maisters they serue Iesu Christ and do the worke of god are occupied in goddes seruyce / no lesse / ye peraduenture better then they that contynually be occupied in goddes seruyce as it is called / for seruaÌ„tes obeyng theyr maysters and doynge their maysters coÌ„maundement hath for theÌ„ the worde of god that they worke the worke of god / howe someuer it be counted of men / as if they shulde make clene the kytchyng or keynel or any other suche vyle office couÌ„ted at theyr maisters coÌ„maundemeÌ„t they worke the worke of god Therfore let nat seruauntes consider the vylnes of the worke they be commaunded to do / but the coÌ„maundement of god that hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to do their maisters coÌ„maundement / and so the lawfull coÌ„maundement of the maisters / is the commaundement of god / and seruauntes that do there coÌ„maundement do the work of god / and obey god so doynge Yf seruantes knewe that they serued our lorde god and dyd the worke of god / when they obey their maisters and doth their maisters coÌ„maundemente / surely with more gladnes they wolde here and sufire payne and wheresomnes of their greate labours pain-they suffer beynge seruauntes / with more glad hart they wolde do their maisters labours and busines were the labours neuer so paynful Also seruantes may nat be as eye pleasers onely / that is in the presence of their maisters to be dyligent profytable and do the worke of their maysters faythfully and so please their maysters well in their preseÌ„ce and in there absence neyther to be faythfull profytable ne diligente or care nat howe theyr maysters worke go forwarde to they re maysters profyte / but good seruantes it becoÌ„meth to be dyligent faythful and profytable in their maysters absence as presence / to serue their maysters as they shulde serue Iesus Christe / which loketh vpon them alway and seith all that they do / by theire gyle / crafte / or falsed they go aboute to deceyue they re maisters / all vnfaythfulnes and negligence in seruauntes is here reproued and condemned of the Apostle 4 Doyng the wyll of god from the hart with a good wyl / it becommeth seruantes wyllyngly and gladly with a free harte mynde to serue theyr maysters and to do those thinges that god wylleth Wherfore seruantes may nat do euyl at the wyl of their maisters for God wylleth no euyll And also seruauntes maye nat grudge or murmure agaynste their maysters when they commaunde them to do payneful labours busynes / or to wyshe them euyll / to curse them or baÌ„ne them / or to go with a dogges Pater noster humpyng or mumpynge at the matter nat wyllynge to do theyr maisters coÌ„maundement / or be such that haue nede to be prycked forwarde with betyng / whyppyng / or other punyshmeÌ„t for the seruaunte shulde do his maysters lawfull commaundement frely / wyllyngly and with gladnes 5 Thynkynge that ye serue the Lorde nat men This thynge maye conforte the seruaunte and in this seruantes may conforte them selfes and reioyce / that they doynge the lawful coÌ„maundementes of their maisters do serue nat man but God / and this comfort may take away the paynfulnes of theyr great labours / whiche paynefulnes also maye swage the rewarde that god hath promysed to gyue to faythful seruantes And feare vnfaythfull and euyll seruantes the payne