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
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
A commentary in Englyshe vpon Sayncte Paules Epystle to the Ephesyans / for the instruccyon of them that be vnlerned in tonges / gathered out of the holy scriptures and of the olde catholyke Doctours of the Churche / and of the beste authors that nowe a dayes do wryte Anno. D. 1540 ♣ Per Zanceloâ—um Ridleum Cantabrigenseni ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum A preface of the Author to the reader GRACE MERCYE and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Chryst / be vnto al them that loueth / fauoureth / and promotethe the truthe of Goddes worde Amen ♣ Many and dyuers causes moued me to wryte this Commentary in Englyshe / O gentyle reader for theyr sakes whiche do nat vnderstaÌ„de Latyn but onely rede Englysshe / to helpe the rude and ignoraunce people to more knowlege of God and of his holy worde Because I perceyue fewe or none to go about to open by commentaries or exposicions in Englyshe to the vnlearned to declare the holy Scriptures nowe suffered to all people of this realme to rede to study at their pleasure to their edifyenge and comforte in god by the kynges gracyous lycence / for the whiche thiÌ„g bye thankes is to be gyuen to God and laud praise to the kiÌ„ges highnes that so teÌ„dereth the helth saluacyon of hê subiectes that wylleth they shal lacke nothyng that may be to their comforte and soules helth and specyally that they shall nat lacke the worde of God / whiche is the foode of the soule Math. 4. that saueth the soule Iacobi 1. the armour onely wherby the deuil and all hys temtacyons is withstande / resysted ouercommen Ephesyans .6 the meane wherby God doth saue them that beleue 1. Corin. 1. ye the spyryte and the lyfe .1 that bryngeth the spyryte of God and lyfe euerlastynge Because I could percayue fewe or none to go aboute to open and declare thys worde of lyfe to the Englysshe people vnlearned in tonges that it myghte be lyfe in dede / whyche nowe vndeclared to them but onelye had in the bare Lettre do appere to many rather deathe then lyfe / rather to brynge men in to errours and heresyes / then into the truethe and veryte of Goddes worde / whiche nowe vndeclared bryngeth not so muche the symple / rude / and ignoraunte people frome they re ignoraunte / blyndnes / corrupte and backewarde iudgementes / false trustes / euyll beleues / vayne superstycyousnes and fayned holynes / in the whyche the people haue bene in blyndnes longe tyme for lacke of knowledge of holye Scripture which the man of Rome kepte vnder the hatche wolde nat suffer to com to lyght to delyuer the seruauÌ„tes of God from ignoraunce and blyndnes / but wolde haue kepte them alway in darkenes / that his vsurped power shulde nat haue ben espied / his worldely glorye menysshed and his profyte decayed Bycause I dyd se none go aboute to delyuer the rude people frome theyr blyndnes ignoraunce or errours by any exposicion in Englishe vpon the Scriptures but many to study rather to continewe them styl in errours and in blynde ignoraunce therfore I as one of the least lerned of al hath set forth and expocision to this Epystel of Saynt Paule to the Ephesyans as afore this in the Epystel of Iude the Apostle of Chrest that the people that can but onely rede Englishe may the better know part of the holsome doctryne of saynt Paule may be delyuered from theyr ignoraunce and blindenes / corrupte and backewarde iudgementes / euyll oppynions / rooted in theyr hartes / false trustes and vayne supersticyousnes / whiche the holy Ghoste here speakynge in Saynt Paule reproueth and coÌ„demneth / and teacheth nessysarye thynges for mannes saluacyon as you maye here se and reade in thys exposicyon wherein I haue as it hathe pleased God to gyue his grace opened the holy scriptures shewynge the true vse of them / and wherfore they serue And in this thynge to be done I haue vsed the helpe of tonges as of the Greke / Hebrewe and the Latyne tonges / and the helpe of the olde Catholyke Doctours approued by the Churche and also of the beste authors that in these dayes nowe do wryte / and of them al gathered out that after my iudgement shuld declare the Scripture beste and moste for the glory of God and / and for the edyfyenge of the chrystians vnlearned in tonges / as maye be sene throughout all thys Exposycyon ☞ The seconde cause that moued me to this was to dyscharge my conscience knowynge the gyftes of God gyuen to be dyuerse / gyuen to euery man nat to be idle / but to exercyse hym selfe in hys talentes gyuen / to the glory of God and to the profyte of other In this my talente gyuen of God / al thought I knowe it is the leaste of all it is my deutye nat to be idle / but to exercise my talente in all maner of wayes to promote and set forthe Goddes worde to edifie other / to do this thing I thought no waye more to Goddes glorye and to the edyfyenge of other / then to set fourthe an exposycyon of some parte of holy Scripture to brynge men vnlearned to the loue and desyre of holye Scrypture whyche is the true worde of the spyryte of God to the whiche thynge the vnlearned shall be broughte to when they shall se and clerely perceyue so muche holsome doctryne / so many godly vertues shewed in one litle Epystle of Saynt Paule / what godly lessons and Spyrytuall teachynges shulde they haue in the hole Byble yf it were in like maner declared vnto them syth there is so muche heauenly teachynges in one lytle Epystle of Saynte Paule ⧠The thyrde cause was to exhorte other that be muche better learned than I that can do muche better to set fourth some parte of the holy Scripture in Englyshe or in Latyne to shewe the goodnes of God to vs Englyshemen / to shewe that God is the God of Englande as well as of Fraunce / Italye / Germanye / or other countrees And that he hathe shewed hys truethe as well in Englande as in these countreys For God is not the acceptor of personnes or of countres In Englande be men of no lesse wytte / wysedome / learnynge / eloquence / then be in Fraunce / Italye / Germanye / or other countres ye I wyl not speake of more wysedome and learnynge / leaste I shulde be counted percy all to my countre Ye I doubte not but Englyshe men shulde gyue as greate light to the worde of God as euer dyd these countres / yf they wolde applye theyr studye wyttes and myndes to wryte vpon the holy Scrypture and in wrytynge declare it Which thynge many learned men wolde do / yf hye rulers whome God hath set in authoryte to be defenders and promoters of hys worde / wolde excyte and prouoke learned men ther vnto And wheÌ„ a Commentary of the holy scrypture were
and callynge and that only for god / haue no respecte to our selfe Thus we maye heare / knowe what frute commeth of the worde of god preached / that is to saye / throughe the holy spirite is gyuen / certantye of goddes fauour / knowledge of goddes wyll / of our offyce and dutye bothe to god and also to our neighbour and lyfe euerlasting ¶ Wherfore also in so muche as I haue hearde of the fayth whiche ye haue in the lorde Iesu of your loue vnto the sayntes / I cease nat to gyue thankes for you / make mentyon of you in my prayers / that the god of our lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory may gyue vnto you the spirite of wisdome / open vnto you that knowledge of hym selfe and lyghten the eyes of your vnderstandynge that ye may knowe what is the hope of your callynge and what the ryches of his gloryous inheritance is vpon the saintes Saynt Paule here sheweth the offyce of one christen man toward an other / that it is to geue thankes to god for fayth / hope / charyte / other gyftes spirytuall geuen to other of god And in this he teacheth christen men what they shulde do when they heare that the worde of god is puerly truly preached without all dregges of mans inuentyon dreames / or phantasyes / and that other receyue faythe and exercyse the workes of charyte to the pore people / that they shuld gyue laude prayse and thankes to the lorde for it / to desyre of god that they may continue in the truth go forward in it / and encrease euery day more and more in all godly knowlege and spirytual wysdome that they maye knowe what is the hope / that is to saye the thyng that they hoped for / whiche is the heuenly inherytaunce whiche they hope and loke for to the whiche god hath called them / these be the dutyes of a chrysten man one to an other to wysshe and desyre of god / and nat to be sory that so muche spirytuall knowlege of God be shewed to the rude and ignoraunt people as is nowe shewed in our tyme. And here Saynte Paule reproueth those that be sory that there is so muche knowledge of goddes worde shewed and opened to the symple people as is / it checketh also all them that dysswadeth the laye people vnlearned / from the hearynge of the worde of god from the readyng of it / from the study of it 22. Vertue can nat be byd where someuer it is but it wyll be knowen although they wolde it shuld nat be knowen that do vertuously to auoyde prayse of men / as the fayth and charyte of these Ephesians came to Paule in prison / for the whiche Saynt Paule praysed them / and vertue shal not lacke his prayse or reward in this worlde / or at the lesse in the worlde to come 23. Saynt Paule commendeth these Ephesians / nat for theyr goodly temple / nor yet for their noble worshyppinge of Diane / nor yet for their religyouse men called of dyuers sectes / and of dyuerse habytes / for theyr goodly syngynge in the queare / or theyr orgaynes and playeng in their churches / or for other goodly ceremonyes / nor for their tapers / torches / carued paynted / or gylded Images / or for theyr goodly greate belles or multitude of masses or suche lyke / but for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ / and their charyte to the poore people that hathe nede of helpe and socour And Paule cōmendeth them nat bicause he wolde make them proude / but bicause he wolde prouoke them to go forwarde and continue in faythe and charyte / and encrease them euery day more and more / and that they shulde knowe good workes nat to lacke his reward with god in the world to come 4. In this prayer he teacheth vs what thynges we shulde desyre of god in our prayers / that it wolde please God to gyue vs the spirite of spirytuall wysdome and knowledge / that we myght be lyghtened with all godly knowledge / that we myght knowe howe ryche is our hope in the thynge we hope for / the heauenly inherytaunce / vnto the whiche Christ hath bought vs with his preciouse bloude shed for vs / of this place we maye learne that we can not knowe what is our hope / glorye / and inheritaunce whiche we loke for after this present lyfe / except that God shewe it to vs by his spiryte of wysdome and knowledge / and open our eyes that we may see and perceyue it And to optayne this spiryte of God / and that we maye euery daye encrease more and more in this diuyne knowledge / saynt Paule moneth vs to praye to god which alone doth geue this spiryte This place maketh agaynst them that wolde the ignorant symple people shulde haue no furder knowlege of god then be conteyned in the pater noster / and to be contented wtih that knowledge / and desyre no furder / but to leue to hie dyuynes the furder knowledge in the scriptures of god / but let suche blynde gydes and ignorāt teachers put away theyr blyndnes and ignoraunce / and learne better knowlege of god / desyre it in faythe by prayer / by study / by hearyng and reading of holy scriptures / that they may encrease in more knowledge and teache other better to seke to more knowledge / that they may come to the more knowledge of god / and of the celestyall kyngdome / whiche thinges they know better the more knowledge they haue in the holy scryptures of god Also saynt Paule sheweth here that faythe / charyte / knowledge of godly wysdome may be encreased in sayntes lyuing here in his world / and therfor he exorteth euery man to encrease theyr faythe / theyr charite / theyr knowledge / in the which he sheweth that there is no man so good but that he maye be better encrease in goodnes / in the whiche he exorteth euery one to encrease / euery day be better better ¶ And what is the excedyng gretnes of his power toward vs which beleue accordynge to the working of his myghty powre whiche he wrought in Christ when he raysed him vp from the deade and set him on his ryght hand in heuenly thinges aboue al rule / powre / might and domynatiō and aboue al that maye be named / nat onely in this worlde / but also in the worlde to cōe And hathe put all thynges vnder his fete / hathe made hym aboue al thinges / the head of the congregacyon whiche is his body the fulnes of hym that fylleth all in all The Apostle goeth forth with his prayer for these Ephesyans and desyreth God that they myghte knowe by the spirite of wisdome and knowledge of god that they myght knowe the excellent power of god which god hath declared myghtely in the raisynge vp his sonne Iesus Chryst from deathe to lyfe / and made him
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
pareÌ„tes that kepe theyr chyldren in to much awe or feare of them / by whose fiersnes hastynes / the chyldren be almoste marred and broughte to suche feare that they be without al sence and for feare they caÌ„ nat tell what they shulde answere or do / ye for feare they can nat speake one worde right this thynge causeth the fiersnes or rygorousnes of some to muche seuere fathers towardes theyr chyldren whom by awe feare they thynke to make wyse / by that meanes they make them starke foles / and without senses / as they be that be angry or in a fury / whiche be paste them selfe for ire or fury / that for a tyme they can nat tel what they say or do / or what is spoken to them / to whose madnes or furye the Apostle doth appere to allude here wheÌ„ he saith Ye fathers prouoke nat youre chyldren to wrath / as he wolde say / Ye fathers by your hardnes or rigorusnes prouoke nat youre chyldren to be without sense or in such fere that they can nat tell what to say or do for feare Therfore let parentes take hede as they bryng vp theyr children / let theÌ„ nat vse to muche teÌ„dernes nor yet to much rigorousnes ouer theyr chyldren / brynge them vp in the knowledge of god / in loue and feare of God / in feare to breake Goddes coÌ„maundementes / in the loue of goddes worde / of the whiche the chyldreÌ„ may learne what is the true worshyppe of god howe they shall truely honoure and worshyppe god / what is true vertue and holynes / what workes please god beste what please him nat / it pertayneth to the parentes to teache their chyldren to loue vertu / and to hate vyce / to walke in vertu go forwardes encrease in vertu euery daye also to gyue to their chyldren holy examples of lyuynge / that the children maye se in the parentes no fylthynes / vnclennes / nor euylnes to folowe And also the chyldren may nat all togyther be without correction / but the rod must be had somtimes to correcte the wantonnes of children and there negligence to make them obediente to holsome admonitions and teachynges nor yet the rode of correctnon may nat be vsed to muche / leaste by to muche betynge the children be dulled and care nat for betynge Therfore chyldren must be ordered somtyme by fayre meanes / somtyme by correctyon And it chaunceth oftymes that a man shal do more amongest chyldreÌ„ with an apple then with a rod / so it becommeth the parentes to brynge vp theyr children in learnynge and in correction of the lorde / yf they can by them selfe / yf they can nat or wyl nat take the payne / then let theÌ„ put theyr chyldren to good scolemaysters that can and wyll brynge them vp vertuously in good learnynge and in correction as nede shall require to correcte theyr waÌ„tonnes or neglygence The cause and the fountayne of all euyl is that chyldren and the youth are nat wel brought vp in learnynge and sufficient chastmente / chyldren are brought vp in to muche tendernes / sofnes / slouggyshenes / ydlenes / wantonnes / pryde of mynde / and elecion of harte / and in arrogaÌ„cy / they are taught nat to know god but them selfes / to know them selues nat euyll the chyldren of ire and of darkenes by nature / but ot be gentylmeÌ„ lordes to be preferred before other / and to ê“ferre them selues before other / and to contemne other Children are nat brought vp in the learnynge of the lorde / as in the readynge of the holy scripture / in the knowledge of god and of our lorde Iesus Christ / but if they be brought vp in learning they are for the moste parte brought vp in prophane learnynge and in the readynge of prophane authors / of the whiche they maye learne eloquence and worldely wysdome for the ende prophane authors do serue / and nat to reache Christian fayth or maners / and as chyldren be brought vp in prophane learnynge and of them lernes prophane maners / so they walke in prophane maners and conditions / and so contynewe shewe in theyr leuynge prophan maners and conditions / and be so affected as the gentyle authors be that they haue red / and forme theyr iudgemeÌ„tes after theÌ„ examples there be to many Therfore let chyldren learne eloquence worldly wisedome of gentile authors if they wyl / and a christian fayth and godly maners to order theyr lyuynge accordynge to the doctryne of Christ and of the holy scripture which alone teacheth fayth / true iudgementes good maners I wyll nat speake of them that be so brought vp in learnynge / that nat onely they do nat rede the holy scriptures / but rather teache other to be ware of holye scriptures / nat to loke on them / nat to study them / as thynges vnmete to loke on for chyldren I wyll nat saye that to contemne dispise and set holy scripture at nought / or to regarde it nat so much as a prophane author / ye to haue a naturall hatred agaynste it / in so muche that they wyl nat ones vouchesafe to rede it theÌ„self nor yet suffer other to rede it / and this euyl bryngyng vp hath bene the cause / why so many be so loth to receyue holy scripture / and why they be so euyl affected in iudgementes towardes the holy scripture that as yet scarse they can bere one to haue the newe Testamente in Englyshe to rede it / to theyr comforte and edyfyeng / and may nat here the trueth to be preached to them suche hath bene theyr euyll bryngynge vp and the smel of the liqoure that was fyrst put in their newe Botelles Therfore loke diligentely ye fathers and mothers what liquor ye put in the newe Bottels / that is in your chyldren in their youthe for they wyll smell of the same liquor in theyr age Therfore yf you wyll haue them good / holy / vertuouse obediente to you / loke they be brought vp in the lernyng of holy scripture which alone teacheth all goodnes / true holynes / true vertue / and due obedyence to God and his commaundemeÌ„tes to father and mother and to all other accordynge I wyll nat speake of Gentylmennes childreÌ„ that be brought vp in ydelnes wantonnes / in / playe / in pastyme / in huntynge and haukyng / rydynge / in kepyng of horses and dogges / in syngyng daunsynge / lepynge / riottynge and reuellynge / in hearynge vnclenly songes or balettes / other wayes called mery soÌ„ges mete for a gentylman as who shulde say the offyce of Gentylmen or noble men is nothynge elles but to hunt and hauke / to be idle / to take pastyme and pleasure as who shulde say theyr landes possessyons was gyuen for that ende Let theÌ„ rede the scriptures and they shal fynde that they be appoynted to other offices whiche requireth great labous paynes / and great
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
to syt on his ryghte hande aboue all heauenly powers In Christ was shewed the excellent power of god / aboue all thynges / whiche power god wyl shewe to them that beleueth 2. He sheweth here the glory of Christ to be aboue all the powers / domynyons / or potestates in heauen that we shulde put our truste in Christ / whiche wyll exalte to that place where he is al them that beleue in him and thynketh to come there where Christ is on the right hande of the father onely by Chryste / and nat by theyr owne merytes or deseruinges and to put men in a suretye of that thynge Christe hym selfe was exalted from deathe to lyfe eternal 3. The power and the glory of Christ is shewed in that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father in heauen aboue all powers rule / dominyon / potestates / and vertues / and aboue all names that is in this world or in the worlde to come / and all thynges are subiected to him and vnder his domynion and power / and he is the heade of the congregatyon whiche is his body Christ is the heade / in whome consisteth the perfeccyon of the hole bodye and he that maketh in the bodye all thynges parfyte 4. This place reproueth the Bysshoppe of Rome and all his decrees that maketh hym heade of the Churche of Chryste / for the hed of the churche of Christ is nat the bysshop of Rome / but Christe whiche maketh all thynges vnparfyte parfite / princes Kinges in their kingdomes worldely / be as heades of theyr subiectes vnder Christ to se euery one be in right order / to goddes wyll and pleasure / and that euery man in euery state and degree do his duty after his calling / for to the Kinges / Princes / and other superior power / it becoÌ„meth euery man to be obedyent / and from their power can no man exempte any of these subiectes by any profession of man / wherfore byshops of Rome exemptyng religyouse men from due obedience to their kinges and Prynces haue done against goddes lawe and saynt Paules doctrine Ro. 13. 1. Pe. 2. Hebre. 13. whiche places commaundeth all subiectes to be obedient vnto the hye powers / for they that resyste powers / they resyst the ordinance of God and these that resyste the ordynaunce of God they take to them selfe Iudgemente and dampnacyon Ro. 13. ¶ The seconde Chapyter to the Ephesyans ANd quickened you also when ye were deade throughe trespacê and synnes / in the whiche in time past ye walked accordynge to the course of this worlde / and after the Prynce that ruleth in the ayre / namely / after the spiryte whiche nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbeleue amonge whome we also had our conuersacyon in tyme paste in the lustes of our fleshe and of the mynde and more naturally the childrenne of wrath euen aswell as other The Apostell compareth the state of these Ephesyans that they were in nowe when he wrote this Epistle to them / with the state condicion of lyfe that they were in before Chryst had called them to fayth by his word preached amonge them / that by the remembraunce of it / they might be prouoked with more gladnesse and harty loue to prayse and laude God / and gyue hym harty thankes that it hathe pleased hym to call them from darknes to lyghte from ignoraunce to knowledge / from syn to iustyce from deathe to lyfe / he saythe whan you knewe nat Chryste / you were deade by trespaces and synnes / beholde in what case they be in the knowe nat Chryste and his holy worde / by trespaces and synnes he vnderstandeth all manner of vyces and synnes / whether they be in thought wyll / acte / or in outwarde dede / when they knewe nat Chryste they were deade by synnes / nowe they knowynge Chryste do lyue / and be called from deathe to the lyfe of grace and of glorye eternal / before they walked in vyce and in synne / nowe they walke in grace and in vertue / before they walked after the maners / lustes and pleasures of this worlde / that is to saye / after the lustes of the fleshe / the lustes of the eyes / and proudnes of lyfe 1. Ioh. 2. Nowe they walke after the good wyll of god and after godes pleasure / before they folowed the prince of the ayre and was obedyente to his wyll this Prynce of the ayre is that euyll spiryte that worketh in sturdy / frowarde / and disobedyent personnes to goddes wyll and that doth nat beleue God but nowe they walke after the wyll of god the father of our Lorde Iesus Chryste lorde of heauen and earthe whose spiryte bryngeth and leadeth to all good workes of God who is he that knoweth he is called from synne / death / hel / eternall dampnacion / to iustice / lyfe / heauen / eternal ioy and blisse / wyll nat giue thankes laude and praise to him that brought hym to this ioye and felicyte Truely I thynke no man / but he wolde gyue greate thankes whan he remembreth the benefytes of his callynge / and for that cause saint Paule here compareth these two states to gether that euery one of vs may remember in what case we were in before Christe called vs to his knowledge by his worde / for as these Ephesyans were / so were we / and the same thynge he wryteth to them he writeth to vs / it agreith aswel to vs as to them / and all one thynge / as touchynge our state 2. This place sheweth that al men that came of Adam to be subiecte to synne / and for synne worthy eternall deathe / none able to delyuer them selfe from deathe and dampnacion / of the which we may learne that no man by his owne nature / myght / power / or fre wyll / can saue hym selfe from death and hell / but who someuer be saued that they be saued by the only grace of god and nat by theyr owne merytes / or by the merytes of sayntes departed 3. You see what foloweth syn / deathe / punyshment foloweth syn / as the rewarde for synne / and that these that wante the grace of god can nat but fall to synne / and go from one synne to an other / and walke after the lustes of the fleshe / and applye them selues to the wyll of the deuyll which worketh in euyl men and prouoketh to al vnhappynes vyce / syn / as these Ephesyans dyd before they were called by the worde of god to fayth to knowe Christ 4. In euyll men worketh the prynce of the ayre whiche is the deuyl that entyseth alwaye to euyll / and to do she workes of the deuyll The deuyll is called the prince of the ayre / nat bycause he hathe dominyon and power to rule the ayre at his pleasure or wyl / for that to god doth pertayne / but that he hathe power only of euyl men
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
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 /
thretned to euyl seruantes / so theyr is a rewarde promysed to good seruantes and a payne to euyll seruauntes / whiche god wyll gyue when he seyth his tyme. ☞ And ye maysters do euen the same vnto them puttynge awaye threatnynges and know that eueÌ„ your mayster also is in heuen neyrher is there any respecte of persoÌ„nes with hym ⧠Here he sheweth the office of maisters to theyr seruauntes / sayeng It is the offyce of the mayster to shewe hiÌ„selffe meke and gentle to his seruantes whome they suffer nat to wante necessaries neyther to wante meate ne clothe / nat to entreate theÌ„ with great hardnes / fearsnes or cruelnes nat to lay great burdiÌ„ges vpon theyr backes / or to put them to iÌ„tollerable labours and paynes / but that the maysters shulde thynke their seruantes to be men made to the symilitude of god / redemed by the preciouse bloude of Christe to be heyres and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen as wel as they Fynally let maysters so order them selfes towardes theyr seruantes and be so louyng / so kynde / so gentle / that of theyr seruaÌ„tes they may be more loued then dred / do more for theyr loue then for feare / or for profyte 2 Puttynge awaye threatnynges / the lorde coÌ„maundeth the maysters nat onely to put away betynges / and punysshementes / but also all cruel threatnynges fears and fell wordes whiche maketh the seruaÌ„tes oftymes to runne awaye and forsake his maister contrary to the lawe of God This place reproueth fears / fell and cruel maysters frowarde to theyr seruauntes / that threate great and greuous plages / punysshementes thynkynge they shall do more with rhough rygorouse meanes theÌ„ with louynge wordes and gentle facyons but such frowarde maisters deceyueth theÌ„ selfe / for gentylnes wyll do more with an honest seruant and with hym that feareth god then any rough wordes or rygorous maners / for there be fewe seruauntes that be amended by bunchynge beatyng or other greuouse punyshement yf he nede muche punysshement it is a token he is an euyll seruant and lytyl regardeth his profyce or his Maysters profyte honestye or worshyppe 3 And knowe that your Mayster is in heuen / he sheweth the cause why maysters shulde entreat theyr seruauntes gently remyt to them plages / punyshemenentes and threatnynges / because god the father which is in heaueÌ„ is the Lorde of the seruauntes as well as he is of the maysters and wyll make the seruauntê equal with the maysters in Heauen / for God dothe nat regarde ê‘sonnes of men / whether they be maysters or seruauntes / but loketh at euery mannes office and deuty / and whom he fyndeth hath done theyr offyce deuty well he wyll rewarde them with a greate rewarde and whom he fyndeth negligent in his offyce not done his deutye / he wyl punyshe whether they be maysters or serseruauntes ☞ Fynally my brethren be strong in the Lorde and in the power of his myght / put on the armoure of God / that ye maye stande stedfaste agaynst the crafty assaultes of the deuyll / for we wrestle nat agaynst flesshe and bloude / but agaynst rule agaynst power namely agaynst the rulers of the worlde of the darkenes of thys worlde / agaynste the spyrytes of wyckednes vnder the Heauen ☞ The Apostle here before hathe exhorted men to the vnite of the spirite / to peace to concorde and hath shewed certayne degrees howe they shall lyue in their state to their deuty / as what is the duety of the wyfe to the husbande / and of the husbande to the wyfe / of the chyldren to their parentes / and of the parentes to theyr chyldren of the seruantes to theire maysters / and of maisters to their seruauntes Nowe he sheweth that these that wyl lyue after the rule dyscribed to them of Paule / that soÌ„tyme they shall haue enymies and temptacions of the deuyl whome they muste resyst and ouercome / and here he sheweth what armoure they muste haue to fyght agaynste enemyes / and by what weapons they shal ouer come enemyes Therfore he coÌ„maundeth them to be strong nat in them selfe in their owne myghtes or powers / but in the lorde and in the powers of the lorde by the whiche the enemyes shal be ouercommed yf we be stronge in the Lorde we nede nat to feare enemyes / for the Lorde is stronge ynoughe to ouercome enemyes and all aduersaries / and we by him / for he hath cure of vs and wyll defende vs from enemyes yf we truste in him 2 Put on the armoure of God / that ye may stande stedfaste agaynste the craftye assaultes of the deuyl In these wordes he sheweth with what weapons we shal be armed that we maye stande stedfast and sure agaynste the assaultes and craftes of the deuyll and to ouercome him and his temtations put away / by the whiche he temteth vs / as by carnal pleasure of the fleshe by couetousnes of ryches or of desyres of worldly / honoures by threatnyng or feare of the worlde / or losse of goodes fauour or promotyon by the whiche meanes the deuyll vseth to plucke men from god and froÌ„ his worde This armour by the which we shall resyste the deuyll and his temtation / is nat by the lyght of the holy candle halowed of candlemesse day / by strynklynge of holy water / by the ryngynge of the halowed great bell / by hauyng on their body a crosse made on Palsonday ane Agnê° dei called Etheldrede lace aboute their necke by goyng to religion inuented by man / by takynge this habyte or that habyte of religion in this place or in that place / by shiftyng vp within walles and neuer to come out agayne as the deuyll coulde nat come within suche walles / or by catyng of fyshe alway and neuer flesshe These be nat the armoure that the Apostle byddeth to put on to resyste the Deuyll / but he byddeth put on the armoure of god / that is the worde of god by the whiche the deuyl is resisted ouercommed / and al his craftes teÌ„tacioÌ„s be made vayne By this armour Christe ouer came the deuyll Math. 4. to teache vs with what armour we shulde fyght agaynste the deuyll / and howe to ouercome hym and all his temtatyons kepe vs safe from all hurte / or peryll of the temptations of the deuyll 3 For we wrestle nat againste fleshe and bloude / and so furth as he shulde saye we must nat onely fyght againste the temtations of the flasshe and of the worlde / but also againste more cruel aduersaries then these be as agaynst the deuyl / wycked spirites adn all other powers And here the Apostle lyke a valyant and a prudent captayne of warre exhorteth his sogers to be of good chere and to feare nothynge theyr enemyes althoughe they be fears / cruel / crafty in fyghtyng / haue great polycy / in ingynes experience in fyghtynge / he openeth all their crafte